Insert disclaimer here. Apologies to TS Elliot.
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Ginji's eyes flew open. What had Akabane meant by that? He had heard the psycho doctor come in and feigned sleep, nervously waiting. Now that he was gone, Ginji sat up and snapped on the light.
"NEKO-CHAN!" He screamed, seeing the body so carefully arranged. Ban jumped halfway to the ceiling and landed on his feet in the bed.
"What? Where?" Ginji ignored his partner, hands scrambling over Felis' body, looking for signs of life. Ban flew off the bed and joined him, brushing his fluttering hands aside.
"No, no, no, no, no," The blond babbled, clutching Felis' cold hand. He almost crushed the note. Realizing what it was, he slowly opened it, hands trembling.
"What does it say, Ginji?" Ban asked harshly. Ginji swallowed hard several times and read it out loud.
"'My dear Get Backers, Hoffler-san was visited by Kyougi Kagami. Please send my condolences to her superiors. They will be delivered tomorrow. Sincerely, J.'" Ginji crushed the note then, tears welling up in his eyes.
"N…neko-chan. What happened?" He whispered, allowing the tears to flow. Ban hissed and shoved two fingers roughly against the cat-woman's throat, laying his head on her chest at the same time. Feeling the movement of her lungs and heart, he sat up with a sigh.
"She's all right, Ginji. She has a pulse and she's breathing."
"Wha?" Chibi-Ginji jumped onto the bed, dancing on Felis' chest and shoving a pudgy face into hers.
"Neko-chan? Neko-chan! Ack!" Chibi-Ginji found himself dangling a good foot off the bed. After two seconds to realize his precarious position, he was flung into the bathroom door, leaving a body-shaped imprint.
"Go find a first aid kit. She needs to be treated."
"Right!" Ban waited until Ginji had figured out how to get into the bathroom before sitting next to Felis. Lifting her left arm, he studied the wounds and the remains of the suit.
"Kyougi, huh? You probably didn't even get close to him, did you? Dumb girl. What were you thinking, going into the Limitless Fortress alone?"
"Curiosity, of course," Felis whispered, blinking a few times. Ban dropped her arm and it bounced a little against the mattress.
"So, you're awake."
"Kind of hard not to, what with all the shouting." Felis started to sit up, only to be shoved firmly back down on the bed. Ban leaned over her, hands against her shoulders.
"What the hell is wrong with you? After that screwed up story about Ginji being in trouble and seducing us with room service, you go out to get yourself nearly killed? Do you have any idea what you've done?" He snarled, getting right in her face. Felis smirked up at him.
"Yes," She licked her lips, opened her mouth and ran her tongue over the newly repaired canine. Ban made a strangled sound and jumped off the bed. Ginji came out of the bathroom waving a bunch of washcloths like fans.
"I couldn't find a first aid kit, but I think these will work if we tear them up into strips and OH!" He spotted Felis and bounced across the beds to land on her chest again, cuddling her.
"NEKO-CHAN! You're all right!"
"Of course I am, Tugger. Even a pro like Kyougi can't keep me down for long." She ruffled Ginji's hair.
"Tugger?" Ban asked, cocking an eyebrow. Felis smirked and tried to sit up again. This time Ginji kept her down, fluttering his washrags in her face and protesting cutely.
"No, no, no, Neko-chan! You must stay still until we get you bandaged up!"
"A very curious cat, one of the Jellicle cats," Felis answered Ban, trying to get Ginji off her chest.
"Wait, what? What's a Jellicle cat?" Ginji asked, finally hopping off Felis and going back to normal. Felis' whiskers twitched.
"'What's a Jellicle cat?'" She asked, twisting her head one way and then another.
"Yeah. I've never heard of them. Is that a new species?"
"No, Ginji. It's from a poem. And don't bother shredding the hotel washrags. I'll be fine in an hour or so." Felis raised her arms and studied the red welts and damaged suit.
"Although this is probably beyond the portable's capabilities to repair. Gah. Now I have to wear normal clothes and not shift for anything. How annoying."
"You still haven't answered my question," Ban reminded her, standing at the foot of the bed in his 'start talking or else' pose. Felis sighed and let her arms drop.
"I was curious. I heard a lot of things about the Limitless Fortress and wanted to see it for myself."
"The Limitless Fortress is incredibly dangerous, Neko-chan! I can't believe you'd take such a risk alone!" Ginji cried. Felis chuckled.
"Who said I was alone?" Ban and Ginji gaped at her. The brunet recovered first, snickering and shoving his glasses back into place.
"So that's why he left the note. You were with Doctor Jackal."
"And he brought you back. I heard him come in. But why? Doctor Jackal's the scariest person I know. I don't think he's even human! He can't be trusted, Neko-chan! How could you go off with the likes of him?"
"I made the offer. He accepted. What did the note say?" Felis asked, brushing off Ginji's concern. Both retrievers frowned at her callous behavior.
"It said that he'd be sending condolences to your superiors." Ban answered.
"Condolences, huh? This could work to our advantage, provided he talks. Will he?"
"Dr. Jackal? Talk?" Ginji looked at Ban and shook his head. "I don't think so, Neko-chan."
"Jackal doesn't brag about kills. He's too polite for that. But he's also a man of his word. Something will be delivered tomorrow," Ban added, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"I see. Well, nothing else for it, then." Felis yawned mightily, stretched a little and winced.
"Ow. I'm hungry. What time is it?"
"Three in the morning," Ban answered, glancing at the clock.
"Damn. Too late for room service and I know there's nothing left from your guys' meal. Oh well. I can wait."
"I could go get you something, Neko-chan," Ginji offered. Felis shook her head and closed her eyes.
"No point, Tugger. I'm on a pretty strict diet. I'll be all right for a few hours, then we can go get breakfast. Know any good sushi bars?" Ban and Ginji exchanged befuddled looks.
"You want…sushi for breakfast?"
"Sashimi, actually. Fresh fish is so nice after a long night's hunt."
"Hunt?" Ban asked suspiciously. Felis mewed and curled up into a ball, draping her tail over her nose. The two men exchanged another befuddled look and flopped down on the couch side by side.
"I don't get it, Ban-chan. Why would Akabane-san bring her back? He leaves bodies behind."
"If he kills them. You read the note. Felis fought Kyougi. Akabane probably watched the whole thing and decided it would be rude to leave a gaijin's body in the Fortress for the scavengers." Ginji shivered at the thought.
"I guess so, but I still don't understand why she went in the first place."
"Maybe she was simply curious. You know what they say about cats and their curiosity. It gets them killed."
"Yeah, she should be dead. Guess it's a good thing she's a regenerator, huh?"
"Somehow, I doubt she'd have taken such a stupid risk if she wasn't."
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Four hours later, Felis woke with a twitch of healed ears and flipped her tail back. Within seconds it was covering her nose again and she glared at the Get Backers, still sitting on the couch.
"Phew! You two can't go out smelling like that. Go take a shower or something. I'll put your clothes out for the laundry service."
"What?"
"Laundry service!" The pair looked at each other in horror and back at Felis. Ban suddenly smirked.
"Decided you just couldn't wait, is that it?" He asked suggestively, folding his arms and grinning. Ginji looked back and forth, obviously puzzled.
"You have a dirty mind, Ban-san. No. I will not go out with you two smelling of sweat, grime and old food. If you want breakfast, you'll go get cleaned up. I'll make sure your clothes are washed and returned to you."
"Our clothes!" Ginji finally caught on and clutched his vest closed. "But, Neko-chan! What will we wear?" He turned bright red at the thought. Felis simply glared at him through lidded eyes and her tail.
"There's bathrobes, two of them, hanging on the door." She stood up, holding her tail over her nose and mouth. "Now GET!"
Ban and Ginji decided it would be better not to argue, especially when the claws came out. Although Ban did have a few choice comments about using said claws, which made Ginji blush dark red and earned Ban two new scratches on his cheek. The two finally retreated into the bathroom. When they were finished and came out, both clad in robes, they found Felis crouching on the balcony railing, head swinging back and forth. The trays and dishes were gone, the empty bottles in the trash and their clothes missing.
"Hey Neko, you remember my cigarettes?" He called to their patron.
"On the table," She answered, glancing over her shoulder. Ginji wandered out and joined her, leaving Ban to light up in peace.
"Whatcha doing, Neko-chan?" He asked.
"Scenting. Trying to see if I can figure out where Magneto or his goons are."
"Oh. Any luck?"
"No." Felis sighed and twisted so she faced him, dropping her feet to rest against the balcony floor. She leaned against the rail and threw her head back.
"Neko-chan…" Ginji dug at the wood with a sandaled foot. "Why did you go off with Akabane-san last night? Do you…like him or something? Cause that would be really bad if you did! I don't think he likes anybody!"
"He likes you, Ginji-san," Felis purred, making Ginji go chibi again and dance around in a circle flapping his arms.
"No, no, no, no! He can't like me! He's too scary! I get so nervous around him! Always looking at me with those creepy purple eyes and that scary smile." Felis laughed, making Ginji return to normal.
"What's so funny?"
"You are just so cute when you do that!" Felis wiped her eyes and smiled. Ginji sweatdropped.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you or make you worry. I was simply curious about him and the Limitless Fortress. So, last night I killed two birds with one stone." She shrugged and met his eyes. "I didn't expect Kyougi-san to show up and take me down so easily, but I see now I should have. Please forgive me."
"Oh, I forgive you Neko-chan, but you didn't answer my question. Do you like Akabane-san?"
"Like?" Felis looked away, studying the sky. Ginji caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Ban was sneaking closer to hear.
"I don't think I can like, not in the sense you speak of, Ginji-san," She said thoughtfully, still looking at the sky. Her ear twitched. "I'm not human. I don't belong in the human world and I'm not so sure I belong in the mutant world either. A wild animal has no use for emotions, only drives. The drive to eat, to sleep, to mate. It's that simple with beasts and…I think that's what I'm turning into."
"Sounds like you'd be a good match for Monkey-boy," Ban sneered, shoving the glass door open all the way. Ginji babbled a denial.
"BAN-CHAN! You wouldn't! Shido LOVES Madoka, he'd never betray her for anything!"
"Shido?" Felis asked, whiskers bristling.
"A fried of Ginji's, Fuyuki Shido. He's a Beast Master," Ban explained, smirking.
"He's a really great guy, Neko-chan, but he already has a girlfriend."
"Yeah, the blatant cradle robber. Madoka's, what, thirteen?"
"If she has her period, it really doesn't matter, does it?" Felis asked. Ban and Ginji's jaws hit the ground simultaneously with a loud "THUNK". "What?"
"You accuse me of having a sick mind?" Ban protested, recovering first. Felis shrugged.
"The ability to mate is physiological. Humans are the ones who have dragged out childhood for years to conform to their artificial Nature. I'm going to clean up and get changed. Why don't you guys order for us? I want tuna, yellowtail, sea urchin, eel, squid and sweetfish sashimi and a t-bone steak, rare. Oh yeah, and salmon roe. Thanks!" She disappeared inside with a wave of her tail that swept right across their noses. Both men sputtered and rubbed their faces.