"We'll begin our inquiries immediately," Joker went over to
his desk. He paused, looking just a bit uncomfortable, "There's
something else I wanted to discuss with you."
"Yes?' Kitty raised her eyebrow when he didn't elaborate.
"Nancy Mukahari rebelled to save Yomiko's life," Joker said
quietly, "if she had survived she might have been a vital source of
information about her creators." He pushed his glasses up, "If you
posed as her, it might draw her creator out."
"Won't work," Kitty shook her head firmly. She nodded
towards the papers that were spread out on his desk, "According to
those files you've already got one Nancy clone in custody, and her
creator hasn't made a move."
"How did you," Joker looked at the sheets, then over at
Kitty from across the room.
"When Wendy spilled them I took a moment to study them,"
Kitty shrugged. A flash of a smile, "And I read well upside down,
too." Her eyes narrowed as she added seriously, "I would like to
meet the Nancy clone, though."
"Why?" Yomiko looked over at Kitty in surprise, "she lost
her memories."
"She's our only direct lead to whomever created the clones,"
Kitty shrugged, "so checking her out seems to be a good first step
to take." With a surprised look Kitty stifled a yawn, covering her
mouth with her hand. "Sorry," she blushed.
"No, I'm sorry," Joker looked apologetic, "the sedative you
were given doesn't generate a terribly restive sleep. Your body
likely still needs to rest, I'll arrange for a hotel..."
"Excuse me?" Yomiko smiled slightly, raising her hand, "I
have an idea."
A half hour later and a trip across Tokyo at dusk and Kitty
was following Yomiko up a stairway, blinking in astonishment at the
books that lined the stairs, tucked into every nook and cranny. Her
eyes widened even more if possible when they stepped into the
central living quarters, each and every surface including the bed
buried under piles of books. And oddly all around the room were
little post-it notes, with various instructions written on them.
"Ah..." still blinking in surprise Kitty looked around
her, "are you sure that it won't be any trouble putting me up for
the night?"
Yomiko beamed, "Of course not."
The two began moving some of the stacks of books onto other
stacks, soon revealing a slightly battered but still serviceable
looking couch. Kitty gave it an assessing glance and decided that it
was going to be long enough for her to lay on, thankfully. She sat
down and had to smile slightly as the scent of books washed over her.
Kitty looked up and saw that Yomiko was giving her the
oddest look. "Is there something wrong?" Kitty asked softly.
"No, no," Yomiko's cheeks went red. She smiled a bit
sadly, "I was just thinking that I never had the chance to bring
Nancy here." She shook her head firmly, "Never mind." With a little
smile she made her way through the maze of books, "I'll go get you a
blanket and a T-shirt to sleep in."
"Thank you," Kitty blinked.
After preparing Kitty for bed Yomiko settled down on her
little bed. Taking her long overcoat off, turning on a little
bedside lamp and happily reading. She didn't even clear off any of
the books that were laying on the bed, just snuggled down in the
middle of the paperbacks with a happy sigh.
'These,' Kitty looked over at Yomiko with a smile as she lay
down on the couch, 'are not normal people. Then again, neither am
I.' There was a small lump under the cushion her head rested on, so
she felt around underneath it a moment. She looked at the slim
paperback she pulled out with a sigh, then she settled down to sleep.
Kitty came awake almost instantly, feeling the intense gaze
on her back. The sun was coming in through the window, Yomiko
soundly sleeping while clutching a book in her arms. Standing beside
the couch a young woman with long light brown hair was almost
glaring down at her, dressed in a traditional schoolgirl's uniform.
"What are you doing here?" she crossly asked in Japanese.
Kitty blinked up at her, then gestured her to silence.
Making sure her T-shirt covered all the essentials she looked around
for a way out. Thankfully the girl caught on, leading her to a door
that led out onto the roof.
"Who are you," the girl scowled at Kitty, "and what are you
doing with my Yomiko?"
'Your Yomiko?' Kitty echoed her mentally. Quickly assuming
that she didn't know about Yomiko's secrets she answered
crisply, "My name is Kitty Pryde, and I'm an American exchange
student. When sensei," she nodded towards where Yomiko was still
sleeping away, "found out I needed a place to stay for a few days,
she offered me her couch."
The girl didn't look any happier to see her, but she seemed
to accept the story. "Nenene Sumiregawa," she introduced herself
crisply.
Kitty looked over at her in surprise, "The author?" At
Nenene's slight nod she smiled, "I just finished your latest book."
A flash of a smile as Nenene answered, "Thanks."
Kitty hesitated a moment, looking at the girl, "Do you know
anything about someone named Nancy? Yomiko mentioned that I looked
like her."
Nenene scowled, her expression far nastier than the one she
used before. "I don't know much," she growled, "just that she broke
Yomiko's heart. I visited her after Yomiko was gone a few days and
she was a mess..."
"I'm sorry," Kitty offered, seeing how much Nenene seemed to
care for Yomiko. Thinking of the young woman sleeping away nearby
she wouldn't be too surprised if Yomiko was completely unaware of
the girl's feelings.
"W'as goin' on?" Yomiko looked cutely befuddled, standing
there in the open door, still wearing the clothes from the night
before. Her eyes were still cloudy with sleep, tuffs of her hair
standing up on her head, and still absentmindedly clutching a book.
"Yomiko," Nenene walked over to grab the woman's
arm, "c'mon." As they walked in together Kitty smiled as she head
Nenene quietly grilling Yomiko about her.
"Guess that's where all those little notes came from," Kitty
mused, thinking of the post-it notes that were all over the room.
She could quite easily see Nenene doing that for Yomiko.
A few moments Yomiko emerged, dressed in fresh but similar
looking clothes, her hair back in some kind of order and looking
reasonably wakeful. "Nenene tells me you two had a nice talk," she
beamed happily.
Kitty had to fight another smile. 'A talk?' she thought with
a certain amount of amusement. "Yeah, we did," Kitty agreed. She
tugged a bit self-consciously at the long T-shirt that was the only
thing she was wearing, "You two mind if I go get dressed?"
"Right," Nenene dragged the slightly slow Yomiko aside as
Kitty pushed on by them into the rooftop apartment.
Kitty pulled the jeans and T-shirt from last night back on,
feeling just a bit relieved that she hadn't had to sleep in them.
She took a cautious sniff of her shirt, 'Good, I'm not too fragrant
just yet. Remind me to go buy some changes of clothes.'
Yomiko came inside once Kitty had finished changing to smile
at her tentatively, "Joker instructed me to take you shopping for
some clothes." She hesitated, "Would you mind if Nenene came along
with us?"
Kitty smiled wryly, "No problem."
"Thanks," Yomiko smiled.
When they walked out together Kitty held the door for
Yomiko, a simple reflexive gesture, but then she saw the glare that
Nenene was giving her. 'Shit,' Kitty realized what the jeans and T-
shirt she was wearing made her look mildly butch. 'She probably
thinks I'm stepping in where Nancy left off,' she thought, giving
Nenene an apologetic smile.
Completely ignoring the look Nenene growled, "Let's go."
'It's going to be a long morning,' Kitty thought with a sigh
as she followed Yomiko and Nenene over to the stairway downstairs.
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