Road Trip Chapter 13: Final Day in Kyoto and the Dance of Doom!

Solaris: Catchy title, ne? At any rate, this is the beginning of the end. Yeah, maybe in 13 more chapters they'll find their way back to Tokyo. Well, standard disclaimers apply. All I own in this story is Solaris, Foxglove, Sota, Ai, and the concept of the Sakura Hotel.

"Solaris! Wake up! Sol-Sol! Sol-Sol! Sooool-Sooool!" Foxglove whined, drawing out the 'o' in Solaris's nickname as she pounded the door in the suite. Raccoon had already left for some shop. Solaris opened the door, hair mussed and tunic wrinkled from tossing and turning. She took one look at her muse and turned away. "Solaris! What are you doing!" Foxglove cried.

"Going back to bed. This is all a dream and I'm going to try to wake up. My muse would never cut her hair." Solaris said as she fell back to the bed. Foxglove stole a look at her haircut in the mirror (really, the just-below-the-shoulder length looked great!) then shook the half-asleep demon by the shoulders.

"It's not a dream! The heat and humidity here are a bitch, so I decided to cut my hair! Easier than pulling it into a ponytail every day!" Foxglove protested. "And I donated it to that Locks of Love thing, so I did some good!"

"You had 10 inches to donate?" Solaris asked. Did Locks of Love even have a branch in Japan? She'd look it up later.

"Actually a little under. But it was just fine, and I'm not frying anymore." Foxglove admitted. "You should really try it."

"What, cutting my hair? No thanks. I like my hair long, and if I cut the front strands, it'd be obvious that I don't have human ears." Solaris scowled.

"Oh, Solaris, it would not, your hair isn't that curly. Besides, it'd be pretty."

"Foxglove," Solaris scowled as she turned to said demon/muse, "Some people have a face shape good for haircuts like yours. You actually look better. But I had a picture modified once to see what I'd look like and it wasn't pretty. Now lemme sleep!"

"Can't, sorry." Solaris opened one eye to see Day. "Today's the day of the dance, remember? We all have to get ready, and Foxglove said that you were good at makeup."

"Stage makeup. I only did makeup for the stage because Foxglove had a tendency to put it on too heavy. I almost went out looking like a whore once." Solaris scowled.

"Hey everyone! I found someone who wants to come back to Tokyo with us!" Raccoon yelled as she entered the room.

"I got breakfast!" Melody called as she returned.

"Is anyone alive in here? If not, I'm leavin'!" Kara yelled. Solaris finally lost it.

"WHAT, DAMMIT! I WAS SLEEPIN' UNTIL FOXGLOVE SHOWED UP AND I WANNA GO BACK TO SLEEP!" she yelled as she burst into the main room.

"Sorry! Just found someone you should meet." Raccoon said. Solaris looked at her, or more accurately the girl next to her. She had red-tipped hair the shade of blue only found at midnight, odd eyes, and wore black jeans and a dark blue tank top. Something else besides the two-tone eyes struck Solaris though.

"Lemme guess: dragon demon?" Solaris asked. The girl nodded. She had a deep blue dragon tail (though Solaris hadn't really noticed that) and red dragon ears, holding two hoops and a ruby stud in each earlobe (if it could be called that) and a crystal stud at the top of each ear. "Sorry for my outburst, I'm not always so friendly. Solaris Moon. And you are?""

"Azurite." The girl replied.

"Cool to meet ya. Now I'm going back to sleep." Solaris said stubbornly.

"Oh no you aren't!" A girl with dark strawberry blonde hair (though it had a deep reddish tint to it) and violet eyes walked into the room. "Your little friend here just took the last waffle!"

"With all due respect, Madame… Who the hell do you think you are!" Solaris asked. She wasn't used to not being able to go back to sleep when she wanted.

"I'm Ami-Rei Pai, that's who the hell I think I am!" she yelled, planting her black flip-flops firmly into the carpet.

"Then it's nice to meet you, they've made more waffles, and if no one minds, I'M GOING BACK TO SLEEP, DAMMIT!" Solaris yelled, then made good on her words.

"She's had a hard time of it lately. This road trip hasn't been a bowl of cherries for her. She's only gotten this pissed once, and that was under duress." Foxglove explained. Ami-Rei merely shrugged and sat down.

"What ever. I'd much rather make someone's acquaintance when they're well rested," she sighed.

When Solaris woke again at 11, she was in a much better mood. "All I needed was my sleep!" she smiled over her late breakfast.

"Honestly, I've only known her for a few months; you've lived with her for 148 years and don't understand that she hates being woken up? Honestly, why do you think Mitsuo bought her that indestructible alarm clock?" Kurama asked Foxglove.

"It's not indestructible. That crowbar, y'know, the iron one? It dented the clock." Solaris said around a mouthful of pop tart.

"Manners." Rooney chided gently. Ami looked up from her nails and the file, smoothed her black skirt, and pointed with one black-tipped nail toward Azurite.

"Uh, could someone tell me exactly what that girl is doing?" The rest of the room looked toward her. Azurite had drawn what appeared to be alchemic symbols around a plate that held a chocolate chip eggo. She chanted something that no one could catch, and…

BLAMMO!

Eggo was everywhere! Solaris was screaming, Foxglove dove under the couch shouting something that sounded suspiciously like 'we're being bombed again!' and everyone else? Well, shock is a beautiful thing. Kurama recovered first, and pulled Solaris into a hug, effectively muffling her continuous shout. "She'll pass out eventually, but for now… What was that?" he asked.

"Darn it. I thought for sure I could make a Chocolate Chip Eggo of Doom this time." Azurite pouted. Suddenly Kurama looked down t see Solaris lapping eggo off his shirt.

"Solaris, that's disturbing," he said slowly.

"Sorry. Chocolate chips are good! You'll get it right soon, Azurite, I know it! In the meantime, let's get this and ourselves cleaned up. Kurama's got a point, my lapping waffle off his shirt is gross." She smiled and pulled away, getting right to work.

"Hey! My eyeliner!" Ami-Rei yelled. "You drew that-that thing-with my eyeliner!"

"Don't leave it out of your purse, then. Besides, it said 'kohl'." Azurite pointed out as she helped.

"Kohl is a sort of description of how it looks, not what it's made of! Sheesh, it's artificial now!" Ami-Rei shouted, getting to work.

"Ami-Chan, please calm down. Can you believe we leave tomorrow?" Solaris asked.

"The sooner we escape this looney bin, the better." Kara muttered audibly. Hiei and Foxglove nodded their agreement.

"I wouldn't go so far as to call it a looney bin." Day sighed. "Sure, it's crazy, but it's interesting."

"Day-Chan, hitchhiking to Kyoto was interesting. Staying in a psych ward of a hotel is an experience that I will never repeat." Raccoon said.

"The hotel isn't the psych ward. The psychos here are that Sota dude and that Ai chick." Rooney nodded.

"Pitch in the name 'Foxglove' and you have the majority of the insane people listed." Hiei mumbled.

"Hiei, she's not insane, and you know it." Ami said.

"She's not sane either." Solaris smiled.

"Why are we discussing sanity?" Azurite asked.

"Lack of topics, who knows? It could be worse." Kurama sighed.

"Yeah, like Solaris and the waffle…" Melody began before Kurama cut her off.

"Don't you say it!"

"Oi, less talkin', more cleanin'." Jenks pointed out. In no time they were done and had gone to clean up.

"Great, another fruit loop." Ai growled. Sota came up behind her, switched off the surveillance screen, and kissed her.

"Oh, Ai, quit watching them and play with me." He smiled. (A/N: Yes, I intended for it to sound that way.) Ai flexed her claws.

" Not now, darling. Lover has revenge to plot."

"You can do anything you want to anyone as long as I can keep Solaris." Sota said sternly.

"Same goes for you as long as I can keep Kurama."

"Deal."

"Glad we agree." Ai nodded.

"We… we can still play after we capture them, right?" Sota suddenly asked. Ai cupped his face in her hands.

"Yes, precious, we'll still 'play'. We'll just have other toys too." Ai purred. Sota smiled and pulled her to the bed.

"Good. Because, you know…" he said in between kisses, "They may not be as fun as we think."

"I'm sure they will be." Ai was truly purring now, deep throated and blissful. Neither demon was aware that the other was plotting the demise of their desired.

The girls were rushing around getting ready, except for Ami, Kara, and Day. Solaris, in her normal klutzy role, kept tripping over Azurite's tail, Foxglove was trying to put on too much mascara, and Raccoon was reasoning (i.e. fighting) with Jenks. Rooney wiped the mascara off the foxgirl.

"A little goes a long way, Foxglove." she explained, helping the girl. Aside from eye shadow, Rooney was ready: her red hair elegantly styled, the blue-gray dress stunning. She soon joined the other three. Ami's nails were now red, matching a long red dress accented by dangling rhinestones on her ears and at her throat. Kara, predictably, was in black, her raven hair braided and glossy black eyes observing the chaos five girls could create. Day had a knee-length halter of white and aqua blue and lace up heels that looked very nice.

"Sorry!" Azurite cried out as Solaris tripped again.

"No worries. I trip all the time," Solaris said as she pulled herself up, thanking her stars that she hadn't thrown her dress on yet. Foxglove and her electric blue tube dress joined the number of the ready at the same time as Raccoon, who wore an emerald green Chinese style dress. Azurite had gone for a midnight blue one-shoulder dress and had sat down, finally ceasing Solaris's falls. Melody finally emerged in a pale blue prom dress that looked like something out of a fairy tale. Sequins and beads were scattered across the skirt, and sewn in rows at the top. The skirt was very poofy and she really looked like royalty.

"Where'd you get that?" Ami asked in awe.

"A bookstore. I got my sword there too." Melody smiled almost evilly. Ami got the feeling she didn't want to talk, so she hushed. Just then Solaris emerged.

Kurama mentally gaped as the girls came down the hall. An array of colors and styles hit him like a tidal wave. Hiei looked unimpressed, though he too, was mentally gaping. Then Solaris came running after the group. This time Kurama really did gape. She looked like a summer bride in her white dress and sandal heels. Her hair was braided into a bun (though the front strands were perpetually loose) and her eyes were tinted purple on the lids.

"Thanks," she smiled as he held the elevator. –You look very handsome, - she telepathed to him. He smiled and surreptitiously grasped her hand. She understood, smiled, and moved a little so no one would be able to see them.

"That dress is very… blue, muse." Hiei said hesitantly. It wasn't his choice! Kurama had told him that he had to be polite to each girl at least once! Foxglove smiled and tried to grab his arm.

"Can't you just say 'nice'? Thanks." She smiled. Melody was leaning against the glass, trying to act nonchalant; Hiei moved over there to escape Foxglove.

"Hn." Hiei sighed; he was really out of his element! Maybe Melody would understand.

"Huh?" she asked. "I'm sorry, did you say something?" Hiei had to bite his tongue to keep from lashing out.

"I said 'Hn'." he repeated and moved away.

"Oh. Thanks." She smiled, then turned to Kara. "Uh, do you know exactly what he said? I have a couple of ideas, but one is weird and the other is impossible."

"What are the ideas?" Kara asked disinterestedly.

"Well, the first is 'go eat squid' and the second it 'you look nice'." Melody said.

"Well, I guess the impossible is possible." Kara shrugged. Melody was partially confused. Hiei had complimented her? She enjoyed it, but almost wished it had been about the squid.

By the time the group had reached the ballroom, Hiei had complimented each girl. Jenks was praising him.

"See, like I always say, takes mor' courage ta give s'mone a compl'ment than it does ta bring 'em down! Brave soul, man, brave soul!" Jenks smiled as he rode on Hiei's shoulder.

"Hush Jenks! We know you think it's courageous, now make like a plushy! Sheesh, how you made me bring you…" Raccoon chided.

"You okay, Hiei?" Azurite asked.

"So… much… kindness… I'm gonna be sick…" came Hiei's reply.

"Oh, hell, we'll take you to a funeral tomorrow!" Solaris laughed.

"Hiei, you're doing great. Civility isn't so difficult, now is it?" Kurama said. Hiei growled in fury.

"Shut up, fox, or I really will rip out your voice box."

"You won't and you know it." Solaris laughed. Before Hiei had the chance to demonstrate on her, she had run off into the ballroom of the hotel, with only a cry of 'jazz!' Kurama laughed and walked off after her. She'd come to like jazz somehow.

"Why did we come to this party?" Foxglove asked Day later. It had been two hours, she was bored, and Hiei hadn't danced with her all night. Day looked bored too, but it could've been exhaustion. She had had to stop several fights between Raccoon and Jenks, Kara and some annoying lech, and Ami and anyone who made her mad. (She was really quick tempered!)

"It was our last hoo-rah in Kyoto. Methinks we'd have been better off visiting the mountains today." Day sighed. Melody showed up, tugged Foxglove away, and Day walked off to find someone to dance with.

Rooney, Raccoon, Jenks and Ami were snacking. Kara and Azurite came over, looking rather bored. "Melody pushed Foxglove into a dance with Hiei. And Melody called next dibs." Azurite noted.

"How'd they manage that?" Ami asked in amazement. Hiei didn't strike her as the type to dance with anyone!

"Melody has her ways." Kara said.

"And Solaris has Kurama wrapped around her little finger." Azurite observed.

"She always does!" Rooney laughed. Suddenly, Raccoon's ears flattened, hiding the crystal dragons she had that night. "What's wrong?"

"Sota…" was all she'd say.

Indeed, Sota had just strolled in, in a powder pink tux, with the black-bedecked Ai on his arm. Her lingerie-inspired dress looked, if possible, even trashier than Sota. (A/N: I was getting prom catalogs from December to February, it was a major style. And one I hated.)

"Solaris-Chan… May I have the honor of this dance?" Sota asked. Solaris grimaced.

"Okay, EW! If I didn't hate you before, I would despise you now! Pink on a guy's tux is disgusting!" she said loudly.

"Kurama, dance with me…" Ai purred.

"Uh, sorry, my dances are all taken this evening." Kurama said, not trying to hide how not sorry he was.

"Try again in a few millennia and another lifetime!" Solaris smiled evilly. Suddenly, Ai clawed he across the face.

"Reach out and touch somebody." Ai laughed menacingly. Solaris merely grimaced, wiped the blood off her face, and punched the cat demon on the bridge of the nose.

"Actions speak louder than words," she said and turned to leave. Sota pushed Kurama out of the way and grabbed Solaris from behind, pinning her arms.

"You look like a bride tonight." He smiled, running a taloned finger down her jaw. Sota had transformed into something less human looking: his teeth had become fangs, and his skin now had a bluish, scaly appearance. He loudly slurped a few drops of blood off her cheek. "You knew I was coming for you, didn't you, my little minx?"

"I only look like this because I had nothing else suitable to wear!" Solaris yelled as she stomped her heel down (hard!) onto his toe. While he hopped around in pain. She ran back to Kurama. "And I am not a mink-lynx cross! I am a fox and don't you EVER forget!" As they strolled away, Sota grabbed Solaris's wrist. "Goddamn you for a stubborn ass! Let go! And get it through your skull! I don't like you, never have and never will! So just get lost, all right!"

"Oh, you BITCH!" Ai yelled, clawing at Solaris's side. She wasn't hurt this time, but her dress was severely torn. "You were leading him on this whole time, now do as you told him!" Solaris growled and began to wallop Ai.

"I never told him nothin'! He got the idea I wanted him somehow and ignored me when I said no! Now you get yourself and your little toy outta my life and the lives of my friends or I may well kill you!" Ai was soon dispatched, and the partygoers were staring. Solaris laughed uneasily.

"Sorry folks. You just have to be firm with the jealous baka types." She smiled, then turned to Kurama and said, "Let's get outta here."

"Solaris, look out behind you!" Foxglove yelled. Solaris turned to see Sota. He looked very much like a fish, of sorts. The whole group ran up as several ningens began a panic by shouting 'demon!'

"Damn! He doesn't care who sees!" Raccoon said angrily.

"At this rate he'll expose us all!" Kara said, infuriated. Solaris's eyes thinned to slits, and Day noticed that her eyes were brown.

"Kurama, has Solaris always had brown eyes?" Day asked quietly.

"Yes, why?"

"I thought they were black." Day said.

"Guys, it'd be wise to back up. She's snapping." Foxglove said. "She's a total nut when her eyes turn amber, and they're well on their way there."

"SOTA!" Solaris yelled in fury. She got right in his face, shouting, "I DON'T like you, I NEVER have, and never WILL, and you catching me trying to pick your pocket was pure dumb luck! So wipe any false hopes of me loving you out of your sick little mind!"

A bright light suddenly emitted from two sources: one from Solaris, who was so furious that her demonic energy was visible, and the other was from Ami-Rei! He shoulder-length hair went silver, and pinkish-purple faerie wings sprouted from her back.

"What the-! You're a faerie!" Rooney questioned in shock.

"Half-faerie, half-human, but do we have the time to get into this? Thought not! Azurite, follow me!" Ami yelled as she took off. The Ryuu-youkai didn't question until they had reached the kitchen.

"Why are we here?" Azurite asked.

"Where else can we find eggos? And charcoal?" Ami pointed out. "You set up the circle, I'll get the eggos."

"Chocolate chip eggos." Azurite amended. "They're tasty when the alchemy wears off."

The battle was raging in the ballroom. Solaris was wailing on Sota as best she could, and Kurama was trying to keep Ai out of it.

"I'd really rather not hit a lady!" Kurama said, ignoring how Kuwabara-like that sounded. Suddenly Day popped up, smiling.

"I will!" she yelled, then proceeded to beat the snot out of Ai for the second time that night. Jenks looked amazed.

"She's alway' seemed so level-head'd." Jenks marveled.

"I know." Kurama nodded.

Foxglove was in the process of beating on Sota's back, yelling as loudly as she could, when he threw her off and right into Hiei's arms. "Uh, thanks," she said, then jumped right back into the fray.

Melody had decided to help Day out and the pair were rapidly becoming too much for Ai to handle. When Rooney joined them, Ai had to give up. She was knocked out.

"How d'ya like that!" Solaris yelled in her rage. Her eyes had darkened a little, and she was regaining control.

"I like that just fine…" Sota smiled as he somehow divided into nine. "One for each of your little friends. Minus the pixy and the two deserters."

"Oi! Jus' 'cause I'm li'l don't mean I can' be a threat!" Jenks yelled, then blasted one of the Sotas. Raccoon got to work. Melody beat at another with the heel of one of her shoes, Rooney pulled off a series of martial arts maneuvers that amazed onlookers (the unfortunate few who hadn't gotten out in time), and Kara used her shadow powers to confuse hers into a stupor. Day, normally so gentle, was using a broken table leg to beat one over the head, Hiei was slashing with his katana, and Kurama had long since given up using his fists in favor of the rose whip. The twin foxes (Solaris and Foxglove, of course), however, had not. Just when it looked like they were winning, each Sota split into nine more!

"There's too many!" Foxglove cried.

"Keep fighting!" Kara yelled. It was obvious that everyone was on their collective last leg, though. Just as they were about to fall, a rush of chocolate chip scent hit the room like a tsunami. An army of eggos rushed in and attacked all the Sotas except for Solaris's. Ami and Azurite entered, Azurite cheering and laughing evilly.

"Go my pretties! Attack!" she yelled and cackled.

"Isn't it 'charge'?" Ami asked.

"It's attack! They took care of charge already!" Azurite said.

"Yay! Who knew an army could be so tasty?" Solaris asked as she ate one quickly. "And now, my foolish one… LEAVE US ALONE!" Solaris shouted as she beat his head into the floor.

"And I win…" Solaris gasped before she fell unconscious into Kurama's arms.

"How is she?" Ami asked the next morning. She had transformed back to normal right after the battle. Everyone had been worn out, but Solaris had been unconscious for the rest of the night. Kurama had stayed up to watch over her.

"She's better." Kurama smiled just as Solaris entered. Foxglove, wanting her sister to wake up comfortably, had changed the fox demon to her tunic.

"Ow… Morning already?" Solaris asked. "And where the hell is my dress? I wanna fix it."

"It's done." Rooney said as she pointed to the coffee table. Jenks appeared to be pacing back and forth, but he was actually repairing the final tear. It looked like it had never been torn at all.

"Las' one, lassie. Cut th' thread, woul'ya?" he asked. Raccoon sighed, but did so. Solaris looked at the pixy in awe.

"You are full of surprises!" she smiled as she hugged Jenks.

"Now now lass! Don' squeeze th' life outta me!" Jenks laughed, then wriggled away. "Next time, you do it yourself."

"Don't worry. That dress won't see anymore fights." Solaris promised. "So Sota's gone?"

"Yeah, I picked up a trace of youki late last night, then all three traces were gone." Day nodded.

"So that's that…" Foxglove said softly.

"No need to sound so disappointed." Melody said.

"I'm not," Foxglove smiled.

"Are we ready to leave?" Hiei asked. He could hardly wait to see Tokyo again.

"Almost. Guys, I need to know now: who is coming back to Tokyo with us?" Solaris asked. Her auburn hair shimmered in the sunlight, making her seem more serious and ethereal.

"Count me and Jenks in." Raccoon said. "You four get into so much trouble, we gotta be there."

"I'm going too." Day smiled. "After all, who's going to keep Raccoon out of trouble?"

"I'll go too." Rooney nodded, not bothering with any speeches.

"I told you I was going to Tokyo, didn't I?" Melody laughed. "I'm coming with!"

"Maybe my alchemy will come in handy again!" Azurite smiled.

"Why not?" Ami shrugged. "Kara?" she asked.

"You people are looney. The only place you belong is in a padded cell." Kara scowled. "Someone has to try to keep the sanity. Now how long will this trip take?"

"All right!" Solaris cheered. "All I've got to do is get dressed and I'm ready to go."

"Hey, vixen? No side trips." Hiei said menacingly.

"Trust me, I'm just as eager to get home as you, Hiei." Solaris smiled as she ran into the other room. Everyone else left to get their suitcases.

"Hey, Kara, I've noticed you've kept your fox tail and ears 24/7 since you showed up at our room. Does that mean you trust us?" Foxglove asked.

"Not necessarily." Kara said as she walked to the elevator, with just a hint of a smile on her face.

Solaris: Okay, and now it's the beginning of the end! Character applications are closed, sorry! I'm working on the assumption that everyone wanted their character to go back to Tokyo, so if I'm wrong, please tell me! Well, hope you liked it! Ja ne 'til next time!