The very next morning, Botan awoke to the dulcet tones of Inuyasha and Kagome arguing about something. Your typical Saturday morning. With the exception that Botan's head felt like a steam rolled pancake. She opened her eyes and blinked, letting them refocus to the golden strips filtering through the blinds, and sat up slowly.
Kagome and Inuyasha smiled at her, then went back to their argument which just so happened to be over the last wafflestick. Botan shook her head with a laugh and crawled out of the warmth that was her bed, she felt something slide off her hip as she moved and turned to see what it was.
"WHAT THE FUCK!"
Miroku's eyes snapped open and when he looked over at the horror-stricken girl he had slept beside, he suddenly felt terrible. He glanced over to Inuyasha and Kagome who were sniggering into their mugs of coffee and then back to Botan who was glaring at him. He thought it was cute when Botan was mad, especially when her blue locks changed to a shade of vibrant cherry and her eyes had flames dancing in them dangerously. Before he knew it, she had stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard that the walls shook. The three teenagers left all cringed; it was never a good idea to piss Botan off.
Inuyasha was the first to break the silence. "Well Miroku, you did a great job of screwing yourself over….again. You have got to be the biggest dumbass ever. You had better pray that Hotohori doesn't find her."
Miroku grimaced. Hotohori was a senior that attended the Institute with the rest of them, it was also common knowledge that he loved Botan, and that he was easy on the eyes. Miroku wasn't too fond of him; he thought that Hotohori was extremely fake and annoying. Just the sound of his name brought a sickness over him, he rose to his feet.
"I'm going."
"Bye dumbass!"
"INUYASHA! SIT BOY!" came Kagome's voice before a loud thud and a slew of curses from Inuyasha. Miroku rolled his eyes at the wonder couple then headed out the door, letting it close behind him with a soft click. He took the stairs two at a time, occasionally bumping into people that were off to the quad for relaxation time.
OW! STUPID TREE! Botan thought to herself as she scrambled over decaying logs and broken twigs that lay in her path to her secret spot. She needed to clear her thoughts and the only place where she could do that in peace was her secret spot. It was a cave down on the beach that was damp and cool, it had a waterfall that cascaded down the jagged rocks that led out of the cave into the ocean, she had found it on her first day at the Institute. She scampered out of the trees and onto the warm white sand, and for a moment she took in the breath-taking sight. The glowing orange orb reflected brightly off of the crystal clear blue waters that crashed on the snow-white granules. Botan removed her sneakers and socks and wiggled her toes, enjoying the feel of the water brushing her tiny feet, with a final glance over her shoulder she sprinted the rest of the way to her secret spot.
Kaname hadn't seen her, nor had Vash, Meryl, Robin, or Kouji. Miroku sighed, Botan was always good at hiding when she didn't want to be found, it just caused a problem for the one who wanted to find her. All he could do was hope that Hotohori didn't find her first and that thought carried him all over the campus, without realizing it he had walked back to Kagome and Botan's room. He didn't knock because there was a sock on the door handle, a sure sign that it wasn't a good idea to enter. So instead he sat outside the door and leaned against the wall, lost in his thoughts.
Leaping from rock to rock was easy, especially for a black panther. The beach had started to get crowded so Botan had no choice but to leave her spot in her cat form, she didn't want to draw suspicion that would allow other people to find the secluded cove that she had made her own. Plus, with all the animals running around the campus, a black panther was rather ordinary, considering the dragons and unicorns most students kept as pets. She crept stealthily back to the Sakura House, where her room with Kagome was located, reaching the top of the stairs in a single, effortless bound. Once on her floor she transformed back to her human form, narrowly avoiding a freshman being dragged by the leash hanging from his dragon's neck.
Hotohori saw her then. Bathed in milky light that surrounded her petite figure, Botan was walking straight toward him. He ran a hand through his long brown hair and made his way over to her, blocking her way with his body a flirtatious smile flitting at his lips. "Hey."
"Hi," Botan was in shock, a hot senior talking to her wasn't expected in the least.
"I know we don't know each other too well, but, I was wondering if you'd like to get a cup of coffee sometime…"
"Uhm sure, but I hafta get some studying done right now, maybe tomorrow."
Hotohori grinned, "Sounds good, I'll call you."
"Ok, well, see ya around," Botan said as she scooted past him towards her room, feeling as though she were in some weird dream. It seemed like forever before she reached her room, only to find Miroku slumped against the wall next to the door. She felt guilty when she saw his depressed expression, and without saying a word, she slipped down beside him. "Hey. Erm….Miroku?"
At first he thought he was hallucinating, but when his hand brushed hers, he realized this was no hallucination, and that Botan really was sitting beside him. He gulped before murmuring in response, "Yeah?"
"I'm sorry, for this morning, I mean. You just scared me."
"I didn't mean to. You had fallen asleep and I wanted to talk to you as soon as you woke up. It wasn't my most brilliant idea," he replied with a chuckle.
She looked unconvinced and her ears drooped slightly. She was too cute even in this state, but he hated to see her sad nonetheless. So he did the only thing he knew that would cheer her up, he tickled her side. Botan giggled and tried to evade his tickling wrath as they rolled around on the floor. The door to Botan and Kagome's room opened with a creak and two curious faces peeked from behind the wood, Botan and Miroku didn't even notice.
"Kagome go get the super soakers….let's have some fun." Inuyasha whispered in a husky, malicious tone. It took awhile to find them since Botan had hidden them again but after a half hour, the guns were loaded and ready to be used in a massacre. The two of them snuck back to the slightly ajar door and counted to three until Inuyasha leaped out of the dorm into the hallway, squirting Botan and Miroku with arctic water. Kagome followed suit and soon there was a full-fledged water war in the hallway.
A full sixty minutes later the four friends were lounging on the beach, the two girls out in the ocean a few yards waiting for good breakers to board back in on. They laid peacefully as the waters rocked them up and down steadily.
"Botan? Did Miroku ever talk to you…?" Kagome inquired.
"No, why? What does he want to talk to me about so badly?"
"Nothing."
Botan rolled over on her boogie board and narrowed her eyes, "Tell me the truth, I can tell when you're lying."
"Isn't it obvious?" Kagome leaned forward just as a nice breaker came their way and before Botan could say another word, Kagome was speeding back to shore, the wave propelling her forward. Botan waited until the largest breaker had come her way to ride in, her friends were standing at the water's edge patiently as she jogged through the shallow part onto the beach. Kagome and Inuyasha led the way and Botan followed close behind, shivering at the breeze that whipped at her exposed skin.
"Here," Miroku said as he pulled his towel around them both, hugging her tightly to himself for warmth.
"Thanks sweetie," Botan whispered with a quick flash of pearly whites, her fangs glistening as the remaining drops of sunshine bounced off of them. She was thoroughly enjoying the fact that whenever he saw her fangs, he shuddered. A malicious grin spread across her features as her eyes faded from blue to jade green with slits, just like a possessed cat. "What's wrong Miroku?" Botan asked innocently.
"Er, nothing, nothing at all." He hoped she didn't sense the faint glimmer of fear that seemed to radiate from him.
Botan smirked to herself as she slithered her tail around to Miroku's opposite shoulder, but was extremely surprised that his hand had snatched it out of mid-air.
"No cheating."
"Ruin my fun. Fine then. RACE YA BACK TO THE DORM!" Botan yelled over her shoulder as she sprinted through the quad and into the Sakura House, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Miroku attempting to follow her. Inuyasha caught up with her and they laughed at the futile efforts of the other two. Once they were reunited Botan and Kagome entered their room alone, that way they could get changed in private.
"Miroku, please tell me you talked to her and that you didn't chicken out….again." Inuyasha growled as he pulled a red t-shirt over his head. Even though they were best friends, Miroku still had a way of occasionally getting under his skin.
"I will tonight, I promise." Miroku determinedly stated as he fastened the string of prayer beads that held the cloth over his palm in place.
Tonight was a typical Saturday night for the crew. Everyone hung out at the karaoke bar that Rem, Shizuru, and Keiko worked at while the rest of the gang took turns singing their hearts out. Though usually Lulu and Legato were sitting in the back getting drunk. But that's just how things worked.
Botan had said she had a surprise for everyone, something that only four people besides her knew about. She was going to make a very special performance at the karaoke bar. The costume was perfect, the music impeccable, and she sure as hell had the attitude. Kagome, Rem, Shizuru, and Keiko, thought it was a stroke of pure genius, but what they didn't tell Botan was that there was going to be a scout from a local record company there to listen in.
The guys arrived right before Botan went on, and she watched apprehensively as Miroku grabbed a seat at one of the first few tables with the rest of the jabbering males. Her breath caught her in her throat. I can't do this! She hurried to the bathroom, all of a sudden she felt ill. She put her hands down on the sink bracingly and took a few deep breaths before she stepped back and surveyed herself. Her hair had turned as inky as the night sky, the crimson lipstick and ice blue eyes standing out against pale skin with rosy cheeks. She spun in a circle and looked at her devil horns, tail, and demonic wings, all of them deep shades of red, contrasting with the black form-fitting dress and combat boots. The blue jeans. Wait a second….
"KAGOME! I'm scared I dun wanna do this!" Botan wimpered as her best friend pulled her into a bone-breaking embrace.
"Botan c'mon you're on! You'll be great!" Kagome gripped her shoulders and steered her out of the bathroom right up to the violet velvet curtains separating them from the crowd. With a final reassuring hug, Kagome scampered off to the stereo area to set up Botan's background music. The curtains lifted and she began to sing.
Miroku felt his eyes widen and his jaw drop. Is that…Botan! Apparently he wasn't the only person who was shocked by the sudden character change, he glanced over at Inuyasha and at Nick, they were both gawking at the singer that so happened to be one of their closest friends.
"Kids sure like
the devil these days and I'm the devil with the black dress on
do
you want to own me angel 'cause I own you now you're gone…"
Botan wasn't nervous anymore, she was enjoying the crowd's
reaction to her new look and her singing. She glanced at Miroku, his
expression brought butterflies to her stomach. After about two and
half minutes the song ended, and Botan winked at Miroku, then turned
on her heel and strutted backstage.
"Wow. I didn't think Botan had that in her," Inuyasha muttered.
"Don't underestimate me dog-boy," came a mocking female voice from behind Miroku. He whipped around and found that Botan was standing directly behind him, a steaming cup of chamomile tea in her hands and a broad grin across her face. She looked around at them all with a worried expression, and bit her lower lip fretfully, "I was bad, wasn't I?"
Kagome popped up alongside Botan and swathed her arm around her friend's shoulders. "You were great!"
Botan looked unconvinced. Though she couldn't help but laugh when Legato staggered onto stage, blatantly a bit more than tipsy, and performed a very...interesting...version of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". But it wasn't until after the last chorus that the real shocker happened.
"Uhhh...could I have everyone's undivided attention for one sex---I mean second?" he requested with loud catcalls from the crowd, especially from Lulu and Sesshy. It was at that exact moment that, Knives, twin brother to the leader of the Gay Straight Alliance Club, walked into the bar looking flustered. He spotted Legato and immediately ran onto the stage beside him.
"All I would like to say is that, Knives and I are eloping tonight. We shall return after the honeymoon. " Legato gazed lovingly down at who would soon be his husband, and then they ran offstage, Legato stumbling slightly.
Lulu couldn't believe it. She had thought they were just bluffing. But as she watched the two of them escape from the cheering, she realized this was no bluff. It was just utterly ridiculous. It pissed her off to the point in which she just wanted to kill everything in sight. Granted the fact that if she were sober, this whole scenario wouldn't matter to her at all, it would be quite the contrary, she'd be happy for her friend. "I need a cig." Lulu mumbled as she rose from the table, striding outside the bar and letting the door shut quietly behind her. She had extracted a cardboard box from the pocket of her jacket as well as a lighter and was just about to light up when she heard a timid voice to her left.
"Hey Lulu, could I have one of those?" Meryl asked, motioning to the cig clenched between Lulu's lips. Without even glancing at her, Lulu hurled the pack to her, along with the lighter.
"Thanks," Meryl whispered as she joined Lulu against the wall, lighting the cigarette and taking a drag from it. She broke out into a coughing fit, Meryl had never tried any type of drug, and cigarettes were no different. But she tried to look tough in front of the intimidating girl beside her. Instead of faking another drag from the cigarette she thought she'd make friendly conversation.
"So…wasn't Legato, like, your boyfriend?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu."
"Aren't you sad that he basically dumped you and then turned gay?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu."
Meryl glared, this was getting on her nerves. She hated it when people ignored her. Especially when she was trying to be nice. But, it seemed that Lulu didn't care. It was then that she snapped.
"You know what Lulu? You deserved to get dumped. You pretend to be such a hard-ass talking about killing people all the time and all that bullshit, but I can see through it. You probably wouldn't have the guts to kill anyon---"
Lulu had moved too quickly for Meryl to even realize what had happened. It didn't matter now, Meryl was dead and Lulu had the bloody weapon in her fist. A switchblade that she always carried with her, her favorite one in fact, had been used to slit Meryl's throat. Lulu peered down at the dead form and laughed, foolish girl, she should've known not to make her mad. Lulu walked back to her dorm room with an insane grin and flecks of burgundy splattered over her clothes, she had had her fun for the night, and the best part was, she didn't regret a thing.
"Sore wa himitsu desu," is Japanese for "That is a secret." \\/