Listen for the Sound of a Lonely Drum
Well the sooner I get this over with the sooner I can go home. Saika turned the card over in his hand a few times as he walked up the steps of the shrine. A slight breeze moved some of his bangs over his eyes, which he quickly swept away. There was a hesitation in his steps. He was overwhelmed by his own thoughts. Thoughts of the past, present, and future, as well as thoughts of life, death, and all of the in-between. They filled him with anxiety and left him feeling weak and queasy. He cleared his mind and continued up the steps, only to hear delicate footsteps racing his way.
"I'm so glad you're late," Botan exclaimed at the small grove leading to the shrine. He placed his hands on her shoulders to calm her down.
"Botan-chan, what's wrong?"
"Kuwabara made the ka-bobs but he used some mushrooms Yukina found. Now everybody is having a drugged out hallucination fest. Come on, I'll show you." Botan led Saika over to the barbeque pit by the shrine doors. There Yukina, Kuwabara, Genkai, Kurama, and Hiei were living in the "rainbow flower world" of their subconscious.
"Are you my telephone? Why and you ringing?" Hiei said as he stumbled past them following a crawling Kurama. Saika looked over to Botan and back at Hiei.
"What are we going to do about this?" He asked her.
"Maybe we should just wait for the stuff to wear off." Kurama passed by the two in a way that resembled the backstroke.
"I am the Walrus!" He exclaimed as his venture continued, Hiei turned around and began searching in another direction for his phone. Botan went to go check on Kuwabara and Yukina who were sitting on the floor giggling like idiots.
"Hehe…. he. You have hair… he..he," Kuwabara said to Yukina.
"I can smell my ear…he..he…" She replied. Saika looked at Botan and couldn't help but laugh.
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When Botan and Saika went indoors to find Keiko and Yusuke playing checkers, obviously unaffected by the mushrooms.
"Botan?" Keiko looked at Botan's grave expression.
"You two are okay?" She asked. Yusuke looked up.
"What do you mean?" He said.
"Didn't you see everyone outside?"
"We wanted to finish this game before we went to eat. We've been at it for two hours."
"Gee… You really are oblivious." Saika pulled the card out of his pocket and gave it to Yusuke who eyed it hungrily.
"I must have left that one on the porch. Thanks for finding it." He immediately started to scratch away the metallic coating.
"Ooo! Cherry…. Cherry….. Cherry!" He gawked at the card with the three matching fruits.
"Come on. What did we win!" Keiko asked. Yusuke scooted over to her so she could read the prize too.
"A family fun pack trip for four to Arizona."
"What is this Arizona?" Botan asked.
"I think it's a country in Africa, like Romania or something." Yusuke answered.
"It's a state located in the western continental United State," Saika corrected him.
"Anyway, I hope we can go to the beach." Saika had to kept himself from screaming to Yusuke how he reminded him of a valley girl and his pet rock.
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After staying indoors to wait out the effects of the "shroomapathia" Keiko decided it was safe to assess the damage. Genkai had attached herself to a tree almost like a lemur. Kuwabara and Yukina were still pointing out the obvious to each other but Hiei and Kurama were nowhere in sight. A scream came from behind the grove.
"Hey! That sounded like Kurama!" A anxious Yusuke looked to the rest of the group. Keiko tied to swallow her fear.
"Well what are you waiting for? Kurama's in danger!" Botan bolted off in the direction of the scream, tugging Saika behind her. Yusuke and Keiko followed her. Botan kept on reassuring herself that Kurama was in no immediate danger but her imagination was not going to allow her to think rationally. Saika could smell the Youkai in the vicinity. He had to protect his target at all costs.
"Oh hell…" Saika said as he witnessed the sight. Hiei had bound Kurama to a log and was turning it over a spit. It seemed that the side effect of the drug was it made Hiei very hungry. Enough to hallucinate that Kurama was a delicious Perdue chicken with all the fixings. As he turned Kurama over the spit Botan charged at him, oar in hand, and beat him over the head. Yusuke and Keiko removed Kurama from the open fire where he sat down shaking and staring paranoid in every direction. Hiei was out cold, Botan standing over him with a very perturbed expression. Yusuke and Keiko refrained from saying anything. He face was dangerous.
"Botan-chan… I think it's time I left. I don't want to wear out my welcome. I guess I'll talk to you later." Saika made his way by Botan and Keiko but patted Kurama on the shoulder. Kurama simply looked up. A small smile came to his face.
"See you later!" Yusuke said. He thought he had to change the mood somehow. After the all, situation was rather funny to him. Keiko waved. Botan's frown slacked and she thought to herself, he is a really nice person. I wonder why he needed to leave. I really shouldn't have looked at him like that. I'll tell him I'm sorry tomorrow. Tomorrow…
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Saika hummed a little tune from his childhood on his way home. It was a song about when the sun had to fight the moon to keep her from stealing her palace in the sky. He wished he still had his wooden flute that his sister gave him but it had long since broken. The moonlight shined on his tan skin. Maybe the moon wasn't trying the steal sun's house. Maybe he was just lonely and wanted sun to be his friend. Suddenly he looked down at his shadow. It was different more of an animal's shadow.
"You call on me Rohini?" He asked the shadow.
"Do not call me that. Rohini is dead."
"No one can kill the three legged coyote. It can only fake its death. You play with me Rohini." He grinned at the shadow. I bet I look crazy talking to someone who isn't there. Well who ever said I was sane anyway.
"Fine then Haewi," it said sarcastically, "How is your job coming. I need to now if you've found me a new mate. You said something about finding on of our kind in this city."
"Yes, he will come. But I don't think he will cooperate with you. Like me hae! I could never love you."
"Shut up! I will hear no more!" Saika's shadow changed back into his own. A smile on his face showed his satisfaction with the turn of events. He continued to hum as he walked home.
Author's note: Well chapter 3 should be the final preparations and the trip. Gee I wonder who is going and who is staying? Well the shadow is named now and Saika's real name reviealed: Haewi Namij which is Hopi for Wind Laughing, and Rohini, named for the wise yet reckless, three legged coyote. I love mythology. I'm beginning to wonder if this fic sounds like it's fixing up Botan and Saika as a couple. I don't think so but I don't get the same impression as readers. Please tell me. I almost think they would be a good couple, but I also like her with Kurama. Eee! R + R! I need opinions!