Konoha's Maelstrom

8

Meiko woke up at her usual time of four A.M. Meiko made three clones. One made breakfast, another cleaned Meiko's room and got out the clothes for the day, and the third just sat and gave a running commentary on everything going on around the house.

Then, Meiko did her usual seven rounds of the village, stretched, and her morning rituals, finishing by quarter to five. When she arrived back, breakfast was nearly ready and the third clone was doing nothing, just sitting on the side.

Meiko shook her head and went to her room for a shower. When she had her shower, she used the hair dryer and dried her hair, then came back down for the ready breakfast.

Since it was nearing the end of summer, sunrise still happened at early hours, around six A.M. They had to be at the training grounds for six, but knowing Kakashi, Meiko decided to be there at 7:30.

"-oh, there she is, walking like a snail. Mei has reached the kitchen, finally, and she has managed to figure out that we aren't her servants, here to give her knives and forks-"

Yeah, Meiko had no idea why she summoned a third clone.

"-the knife clattered against the table top as Mei zones out. Wait, no! She's back at it, alive and still here, not all the way back in her bed, wishing for the comfort of the soft sheets-"

Meiko sighed and finished her simple breakfast of rice and miso soup. It was, of course, delicious. The clone's commentary was not helpful.

"-the weights have been picked up and look at those gorgeous muscles, ooooh. Wait, no, that's disgusting. Why am I hyping you up?"

"We're the same person," Meiko replied tiredly.

"We are the heck not. You're ugly and annoying while I am a gorgeous, dashing, and amazing shinobi. Go to hell," the clone said, regarding Meiko with disgust.

"Already there," murmured Meiko as she put the weights down.

It was five minutes till six, so Meiko flashed to the roof of the house, the clone right behind her.

"-the pretty, golden sunrise shone down on her lonely face. She's such a pitiful soul who deserved so much better. How I long to be able to watch the sunset with a real body," the clone said.

Meiko wanted to dispel the clone, but truth be told, she always found the commentary nice when it filled up the empty space. Of course, it was annoying, but still funny.

"-as you all know, life's a piece of crap and you are all living in a horrible world because I don't exist in your world. Anyway, the sunrise was nearly over. It was literally so pretty, like what the hell? Meanwhile, here I am, the dumpling. I literally hate this. Why do we have to leave bed?"

Meiko dispelled the clone. What in the name of Kami was it talking about, she'll never know, but we do.

Meiko stayed on the roof for ages, just wasting time until she needed to go to the training grounds.

And then she realised the time.

"Kami! It's 7:25. I'll never get there in ti-" Meiko sighed. Her mark was still in the tree at the training grounds. If she flashed there, she could pretend she was there the entire time.

Meiko shrugged. She checked her supplies in the pouches on her belt. Protein bars and water, check. She sensed for the mark she had put on the tree and flashed to it.

Meiko arrived at exactly 7:27 A.M. and watched as Sakura and Sasuke sat around, bored.

She dropped down from the tree silently and then leant against the tree and closed her eyes.