DISCLAIMER: I do not own Hitomi, Merle, Van, or Daar (( Daar is my sister's creation and yesh I do have her permission! )) Nor do I own anything else that the creators of Escaflowne made. I'm simply having fun with their characters! I also do not own any songs mentioned in here, they belong to their respective creators! And YAY for them for making such AWESOME music!

Author's Note: This is set about a year after my Sister's fic 'Soulmates.' Read it, it's really good!

"I love this song!" cried Merle above the music. Hitomi was still a tad confused.

"How can you even tell where you're going in this place?!" she wailed.

Merle ignored her and yanked on the sleeve of Hitomi's simple dress. Well, simple by the royal court's standards. It was an interesting blend of midnight blue and night sky purple. Strangely enough it looked great on her and gave her a feel of something somewhat 'otherworldly.' The dress was simply cut, spaghetti straps held it on her slender figure. It revealed curves even Hitomi hadn't known to be there. Hitomi's discomfort was added with the combination of a low neck-line and the dress's irritating habit of scooting up to reveal everything from mid-thigh down.

"Where's Van?!" Hitomi screamed in Merle's ears as Merle tugged her across the dance floor.

"I'm looking!" Merle screeched back at her. Abruptly, Merle saw Daar and Van sitting at a table far off in the corner. A long way from the dance floor. Merle hauled Hitomi over to them through the soup of spiraling bodies on the dance floor. When the girls arrived at the table both Van and Daar gave their respective dates an appreciative look. Hitomi blushed, even after all this time Van still made her feel like the 15 year old school girl who had come here by some freaky twist of Fate. Van was in elementary clothing, but only when compared to the garish outfits Van saw in court on a daily basis. Van's shirt was a solid color of night purple and was cut so that a large V went down his chest, with it's point in the middle of Van's torso. His pants were a contrasting deep blue, though not as dark as the blue in Hitomi's dress. They looked quite the couple, and Merle said so. Van turned an engaging shade of pink and Hitomi's face was the color of cherry blossoms. Seeing their discomfort, Daar salvaged them from the wreckage of their embarrassment.

"Hey Merle, don't you love this song? Let's go dance!" Daar ripped Merle from the conversation and tossed himself, with her, on to the dance floor where they both began to dance to the fast beat of the song Tenchi Muyo. Hitomi decided to hell with her self-conscious attitude, no one here knew her except two great friends and her love.

"So, are we going to dance or just sit on our butts all evening?!" Cried Hitomi.

In answer, Van took her hand and led her to the edge of the dance floor. A new song started and Hitomi pretty much just tapped her feet and moved her hips, occasionally moving her hands. Van was in the same condition. After 2 more songs Hitomi was starting to get the hang of the rhythm, so was Van. By the 6th song that they had heard they were the center of attention in the club. The colored lights moving about the club bounced around Hitomi and Van while they moved in a circle. Dancing like a rooster and a hen just about to fight. Hitomi leaped into the center of the circle cleared by the crowd of people and did a very provocative dance move where she ended up right in front of Van. She stepped back, moving her hips to the beat, with her hand outstretched and a gleeful expression on her face.

Now it was Van's turn.

A Latin beat started up and Van moved around behind Hitomi and put an arm around her with his hand on her hip. She outstretched her other hand, Van slid his along it and they held hands. They did one full circuit through the clear space and then Van twirled her about until she struck a pose with one leg outstretched and her arms thrown perpendicular to the ceiling, like she was trying to grab onto a butterfly above her head.

She smiled.

So did Van.

Her head had been turned up to the ceiling, now she turned it to Van. Her legs and arms switched so she was in a reverse image of the same pose, not missing a beat with the song. With the beat slowing Hitomi got an idea. She moved only her hips to the song, then as the song switched to yet another Latin number. She moved her upraised hand across her body and turned so she ended up pointing at Van. She beckoned to him with her index finger. Van took a step forward, Hitomi took one back. She led him to the edge of the ring of people. She twirled, leaving a confused Van facing the crowd

Hitomi tapped him on the shoulder.

Van jumped and then smiled. He grabbed her around the waist and dipped her nearly to the floor. Bringing her back up and quickly spinning her out in a classic Fifties dance move, the song ended just as they completed their dance. Soon after that things had gone back to the normal dancing in the club.

Van wandered off with Daar to rest in a corner while Hitomi and Merle danced some more in the twirling crowd of people. Finally, depleted of energy, Merle and Hitomi dragged each other over to the bar and ordered two sodas. They talked about Daar and Van and how they both had done a few mischievous things they wanted to get them back for.

Hitomi's muse must've been super-active that night 'cause inspiration smacked into her like a yerkle stampede.

"Karaoke!"

"Huh?" Merle was befuddled.

"Karaoke! We could sing a song for Daar and Van and embarrass them! It'd be perfect!"

Catching on, Merle advocated the idea with rabidity. They discussed several songs, the list narrowed down to three.

I Wanna Be Bad by Diana Krall.

Crazy by Britney Spears.

I Know What Boys Like originally by The Waitresses but a remake was out by Vitamin C.

They decided 'I Wanna Be Bad' would be most embarrassing. After Merle "convinced", with some help from flashing her claws, the DJ it would be in his best interest if he played the song for them to sing to on stage.

The music stopped and everyone looked inquiringly towards the stage. Hitomi and Merle were in the shadows and no one could yet tell who had interrupted their fun.

"My friend and I apologize in advance for stopping your entertainment, but we'd like to sing a song for our boyfriends." The crowd with through the usual 2 minutes of "awww" and "ooo."

Daar and Van were sitting at the table, somewhat surprised that Merle and Hitomi would do this. They were wary.

The first beat of the song 'I Wanna Be Bad' hit the crowd like a massive tsunami.'

A bright purple spotlight gleamed off of Hitomi's outfit and Merle's fur.

~ I wannna be bad with ya', baby, I-I, I wanna be bad with ya' baby! Do you, understand what I need, from you? Just let me the girl to show you that everything you can be is everything I can be! ~

The crowd started to sing along.

Hitomi took her portable micropohne off its stand and walked up to Van, making suggestive movements. He sunk down in his chair when she bent over and swung her face, and her breasts, right in front of his face. Hitomi backed off with a big grin, still singing.

Merle's occasion had arrived. She went one more than Hitomi and dragged Daar out into the dance floor. He stood in shock while she rubbed up against him and purred out the lyrics to the song.

Hitomi and Merle let both their boyfriends stunned where they were and walked back up on stage, on the last throb of the song, they gave each other a high-five.

When they left the club Van told Merle,

"We are SO going to get you two back for that!"

Hitomi simply said,

"You'd better not, we'll do it in front of the crowd next time.

Merle giggled and Hitomi smiled. Daar and Van both stood in the street, left behind.

The boys exchanged a look and then ran down the darkened street after their girlfriends.