Ikigai

Chapter 18: On Both Sides

"Good morn-"

The strong stench of rotting food, dog breath, and urine seemed to suddenly come over her like a wet blanket, her eyes tearing up the moment she stepped into the mine. 

Cho held onto her nose tightly even wishing for the cover of the handkerchief Daichi usually wore around his sweaty neck. Anything was better than what she was smelling now.

"Can someone explain... why my mine smells like it could gag a maggot?"

The few workers that had arrived early that morning looked at each other warily as they lifted their own watering eyes towards Cho. It was the aforementioned man, Daichi, who began to lift a wiry finger down the tunnel, that gave any indication as to the origin of the strong, disturbing smell.

Swiping at the handkerchief that covered his nose and mouth, she marched down the lighted tunnel, the smell growing stronger and stronger the closer she approached its maker.

It was in the corner of the mine that she finally saw Kintsugi's figure hunched over a table, her own grimy fingers meticulously dusting off chunks of rock.

"The workers may not want to say anything, but girl, if you don't go home this second and take a nice, long shower, I am going to jerk a knot in your tail!"

Kintsugi momentarily turned towards Cho before lifting her head as she sniffed the air.

"I've smelled worse."

"Uh uh, not today," Cho said as a calloused hand reached for Kintsugi's collar and began dragging her towards the entrance. 

"Hey!" Kintsugi yelped as she struggled against the burlier woman. 

"You're a grown adult. Get, and don't come back till you've cleaned yourself up."

"I was still cataloging," Kintsugi grunted, somehow managing to land on her feet at the last second before being pushed out.

"Just cause you won't hit a lick at a snake to clean up, doesn't mean you can kill the rest of us."

"I'll be back," Kintsugi muttered brushing the residual dirt from her clothes.

"Go," Cho said holding onto the handkerchief for dear life. 

A strong whoosh swept in and out through the tunnels, air circulating each crevice, bringing dust and repugnant smell to the open. She wasn't a complete savage. 

Walking back to her apartment a grin broke out as she sensed a pair of familiar figures in the trees, their neat robes contrasting her own disheveled appearance. 

With a pep in her step and tune on her lips, she headed back to Yami.

She had a meeting to get to.

----

The sun was burning at its brightest by the time she managed to get ready and away from any smothering nannies. It was still a little earlier than she had planned to meet with the two Akatsuki members, but she had decided it was best to get it over with before she was finally found. Not having chakra that any of the shinobi could sense would only help her for so long.

"Huh, glad you got rid of that stench. I would have killed you if you showed up in front of us smelling like you did this morning," Kisame expressed in a toothy grin.

"Well, it was either that, to get out of work, or fake an injury. And I already went to the hospital. I'm not going there again."

"First things first, I think I should remind you the extent of this transaction-," Itachi interrupted.