"Beautiful Disaster"
Chapter 13
Hey, you guys! This chapter is, once again, for TheBigW, a really awesome reviewer who is either a musical genius or a wielder of the ever-powerful google! And so, on with the fic!
He drowns in his dreams…
An exquisite extreme, I know…
He's as damned as he seems…
With more heaven than a heart could hold…
Keiko's hands started to shake. She tried to take a few steps back, but her feet couldn't move. She tried to scream, but all that came out was a soft "Uhh…um…". She had never seen anything like it, except for special effects in movies, and this was no movie. It was a dream…demons didn't exist, Keiko! This is all in your mind!
And yet…as much as she didn't want to believe in monsters, she had never felt more curious.
"…Many students believe and have believed that Yamajiro and the surrounding area is inhabited by a number of demons…"
"…Over time many students have complained about noises and voices after the curfew hours…"
"…'kidnapping a human wench'…"
It was a short man in a black cloak, a white scarf, and a blade's sheath around his waist. His hair was at least six inches up in the air and was several colors. He had two red eyes pounding into Keiko's body…and a third one that was purple. She found it rather grotesque, actually.
The purple eye pulsed and Keiko's mind began to hurt worse than ten migraines combined. Putting her arms behind her head and crouching down, she found the power to scream "STOP!" as she started to lose consciousness. And then…it all stopped.
The monster gave her a smirk. "So…you'd rather live with my memory? Stupid girl…"
Keiko could speak now, but she didn't quite know how to respond. "I…just found out…what the noises were…caused by…at least I'd know, regardless…
"Speaking of those noises," she regained her total "power", "Why are you so active at this hour?"
"Hn," he answered, turning away from her. "That's none of your business, human,"
"When you're doing it outside of my window at midnight, it is! Can't you practice with your stupid katana during the daytime, away from my room?"
The demon was taken aback and rather offended, turning around to face her. "I'd worry about my own hide, wench, being around the detective so much," he snapped.
Keiko wanted to ask who the "detective" was, but she didn't feel it was as important as her sleep. "Maybe it isn't the katana…"
He gave her a horrible glare. Keiko didn't mind. Maybe there was a reason he had to be around only at night…when no one could see him…
Rape? No, he would have done so by now…
Secret Agent Demon? Now that was just stupid…
Demon in love? He wasn't blushing when he was talking to her, but what about…"You like Botan, don't you?" Keiko thought about it for another second, smiling. "Oh, that's cute! A demon secretly admiring a human girl, only coming at night to watch her sleep! That would be an adorable movie."
He had his hand on his katana and Keiko knew he probably wanted to kill her now. "I do not…admire humans…" He wasn't blushing though.
"What about…Yukina?" Keiko started to think more deeply about their entire encounter so far and became very amused, laughing as the strange demon glared holes through her body and threatened to kill her and Botan (Though he referred to her as "The other useless wench") if anything were to happen to Yukina. He denied liking Yukina, of course, but Keiko didn't care.
"You know, at first, I really wanted to kill you, but you're a pretty funny guy," Keiko was trying to be sincere, but he didn't find it flattering. "I'll visit you tomorrow. Would you like some food? The students have to pay, but I could get you some cookies."
"Go…away…" he replied.
"All right, fine," Keiko started to close her window. "But I'll be back tomorrow, lover boy,"
When she got back into bed, she heard Yukina's window open. Looking over, her roommate was poking her head out the window and looking around. "Mr. Hiei?"
This greatly interested Keiko. "Something up, Yukina?"
Yukina jumped in place, startled. "I just thought I heard someone I know, but I guess I was wrong. It would have been nice." She closed her window and crawled back into her bed.
Keiko's thoughts were filled of her first conversation with Mr. Hiei.
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"Open to page one hundred two," said the teacher. It was English class, which Keiko never really needed to pay attention to, but she'd discovered that this was Yusuke's worst class. It was extremely tempting to talk to him, but she controlled herself most of the time. It was strange…the things he said and did could set her off immediately, but there weren't many others whom she liked to talk to as much as with him.
She hadn't told him about Mr. Hiei yet. She could never guess his reactions to things, but she thought he might find it funny. Maybe he'd try and pick a fight with the demon, which would scare Keiko to death…
"Yukimura?"
Keiko snapped up out of her leaned-back, relaxing pose and tried to look as attentive as possible. Yusuke snickered behind her. "Yes?"
"Would you translate the next sentence?"
"Yes…" Keiko took a good look at it for about thirty seconds or so. "It says…'I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree.'"
"Yes, yes, very good Yukimura," The teacher put her popsicle stick on her desk, showing that she had already translated a sentence. She picked up another stick. "Well, well-"
"Attention, Attention. All students involved in student council, this announcement is extremely important. You have been arranged as to who pays for what and who does what, but there has been a change. All council members and any volunteers need to be present the day of homecoming to put up decorations. If you wish to volunteer, please go to the office and sign up. If council members have conflicts, please take it up with the senior president and Abe-sensei. Thank you."
The teacher sighed. "As I was saying, Urameshi…"
Keiko heard Yusuke curse a few times before asking the teacher about a certain word. She didn't care about that- she had a dilemma. If the freshmen had to help all Saturday…Shizuru's preparations…how was she going to handle that?
Keiko was beginning to think that homecoming was the worst idea of her life.
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She walked slowly into Abe-sensei's room, where, awaiting instances such as Keiko's, most likely, was the senior president, Morie Miyake. Abe-sensei was not around, apparently. Keiko and Morie already had a history, which would only make things harder for Keiko. She was also deathly afraid of Morie- the girl had long, shining black hair and was extremely tall, a smirk almost always on her face. It was rumored that Morie was being recruited in the United States for basketball.
"Oh…Yukimura-kun. Problems with the announcement?" said Morie, twirling her hair and swaying.
Keiko folded her arms. "Look…I'm not here representing the student council of the ninth grade. I'm here for myself."
"Oh, yes, I'm sure you have such a busy schedule, being the popular girl that you are." Keiko's frown grew darker. She didn't have that many friends because she didn't need that many friends, not because people didn't like her. Keiko knew that at least the male population liked her, although it was mainly a physical attraction. "So, what's the conflict?"
"I have a home visit that day and may not be back until perhaps an hour or two before the event," Keiko tried not to lose control.
"Hmm. A girl organizes an event and can't be there to help put up decorations because she has to visit her family? Scandalous, Yukimura," Morie drummed her fingers on a nearby desk. "In my opinion, the freshman class president should definitely be there. Besides, it's your first of four. You don't have to look spectacular for it- you have senior year for that,"
Keiko wanted to slap herself in the face. Why, oh why did she organize this dance her freshman year? Didn't she know that she'd get absolutely no respect from the upperclassmen, regardless of it being her idea in the first place? She was such an idiot…
"So, the answer is no?" Keiko said, feeling totally worthless.
"Exactly," Morie replied. "You wanted to be class president- you've got responsibilities other than a title,"
Keiko turned on her heel and walked out, sighing in defeat. Stupid Morie…stupid dance…stupid everything! Why couldn't she get a break?
She couldn't believe the nerve of that senior! Even if things turned out all right…who did she think she was, prancing around like homecoming had been her idea! If Keiko had other things to do, she should be able to do them!
Abe-sensei walked by her with a soda. "Hello, Abe-sensei," she said, careful not to sound angry.
"Were you just there to discuss a conflict?" the teacher asked, worried.
"Yes," Keiko replied, nonchalant.
Abe-sensei scratched her chin. "Let me guess…she turned you down?"
Keiko glared. "Pretty much,"
"Hey, I'm the teacher. I have a proposition: You give me two people to go instead of you, and I'll override Morie."
"Are you sure you can do that?" Keiko was relieved, but she didn't want her dreams shattered later.
"As I said, I am the teacher, and the cool one in this nerdhouse," Abe-sensei took a sip of her drink. "Have your friends come to the office, tell them to sign up in your name."
Keiko gave a fake smile as she started to go in the direction of her dormitory. "Got it,"
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Keiko decided before dinner that she would wait until then to ask her roommates about doing the preparations. She'd felt extremely lazy while sitting in her dorm.
Picking up her second cookie, Keiko had a flashback to that night. She put it in her pocket for Mr. Hiei. She didn't know if he'd like it, but Keiko also didn't know what Mr. Hiei was eating. Of course, being a demon, he might not have to eat at all.
To sum it up…Keiko not only knew nothing about demons, but was brain dead. Just the frickin' icing on the goddamn cake.
Using Yusuke's phrases…yes, definitely brain dead. Maybe she should ask later…
"Keiko-san?"
Yukina. Put on a fake happy face…"Yes?"
"Don't you have a conflict with preparing for homecoming?"
Shit. No, stop cursing! Bad Keiko! "Yeah, I do."
"Did you get it sorted out?" she asked.
"Yeah…I just have to have two people go instead of me. Do you think…you and Botan…could?"
"I was going to do a home visit, but I called it off! Good timing, no?" Botan seemed willing enough. "I can do it!"
"Oh…" Yukina looked off into space. Keiko cursed again, then cursing herself for cursing. "Keiko-san, I'm doing a home visit. I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Actually, it wasn't, but Keiko wasn't about to say that. "Yusuke?"
"What? I'm trying to eat." He said, seeming to throw three rice balls into his mouth at once.
"Could you help to prepare the hall a few weeks from now?" She asked, half annoyed, half desperate.
"No." He answered. Lazy ass, Keiko thought. Oh, man, she'd gone off the deep end…it was all Morie, she knew it. Kurama would never volunteer, she knew- being the metrosexual he was, he'd take hours to be ready. He simply didn't have time, if that was the case.
"I could do it."
Oh god, thank you! Keiko's butt was saved. She could just hug the redhead! Keiko wanted to go on with thanks, but she didn't. "Thanks so much!"
"It isn't a problem," Kurama answered, eyeing Botan (Who had dug her face into her plate in embarrassment) and then fixing his gaze on Keiko. "After all, the girl who organizes the entire ball should look the most beautiful."
Keiko blushed and looked down at her plate. Yusuke, observing this, spat on Kurama's sushi. He didn't seem to notice, nor did Keiko.
"Oh, and when you two sign up, make sure to do it in my name." Keiko added, taking a bite out of a rice ball.
"Got it!" Botan cheered, but for some reason it sounded half-hearted. Keiko remembered the second volunteer and realized why.
Keiko left the dinner hall after that, ready for a visit with a certain demon.
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She wasn't in the mood for getting up, but Keiko wanted to see Mr. Hiei again. She sauntered over to her window and opened it, calling out in her best Yukina-like voice, "Mr. Hiei?"
No one came. He was a demon, after all, Keiko thought, he could probably tell the difference by some freaky demon instinct.
She did not save a really good cookie for nothing. "MR. HIEI, GET OVER HERE!" Still no Mr. Hiei. Oh, wait…
"What the hell do you want now?" said the familiar demon, underneath her window.
"I got you a cookie," she tossed it down to his hand. He studied it, totally confused. "Well, aren't you going to eat it? I did save it just for you,"
He put it on the ground. "I despise human food,"
Keiko frowned. "If you hate everything associated with humans so much, why do you live amongst humans?"
"Hn."
"You're hiding something, aren't you? Of course, you like Yukina, so you must secretly love humans!"
"Shut up. This is where all the 'bad' demons are sent when they do something 'extremely horrible'. Sometimes, as extra torture, the Spirit World enrolls them in school, amongst humans they can't strangle. And when they die…limbo," He sounded excited, though it was obvious that he was one of those bad demons.
"Well, for someone who's doomed, you don't seem that upset,"
Keiko was starting to feel sorry for Mr. Hiei, though she couldn't believe it. He had a temper problem and deliberately gave her a really bad headache, but he probably had been that demon the very first night to kill those troublemakers she had heard. That showed he had a heart…didn't it? He shouldn't be in a foreign land and then in limbo for a long time!
Hiei adjusted his cloak. "This isn't my fate."
His voice was almost like he was hopeless if Keiko really listened. She'd heard Yusuke sound like that sometimes, Yukina and Kazuma too.
"Are you sure?" Keiko whispered.
"Hn. Why am I even letting you talk to me? Demon matters are too complicated for simpletons like you,"
Keiko groaned. "Excuse me for feeling sympathetic. And just when I thought I could make a friend…"
"Friends are for weaklings," He shot back.
Keiko tried to think of what Shizuru would say. Her guardian would have a field day with a little hothead like Mr.Hiei. She usually disapproved of the things Shizuru said to people, but right now she was in a horrible mood and needed some company. Inspiration for an insult struck- Keiko sighed and said it. "Look who's talking. What's Yukina going to be, your prostitute?"
The look on his face showed Keiko she had definitely said the wrong thing (As the sane part of her good-girl mind had warned her), but for some reason she didn't mind. She was stifling laughter, forgetting homecoming, Morie, and everything else that was causing her breakdown and the death of her brain, when Hiei jumped up with his katana, aiming for her neck. Keiko quickly shut the window, locked it, and fell on her bed giggling.
Hiei, naturally, was not happy. Unfortunately, he was also secretly a fan of any kind of human confection, and so he ate the cookie instead.
End of Chapter 13
Katie's Note: See? I did update over Spring Break!
I apologize for yet another fluff chapter- I know they're painful because they're also painful to write. Guess what? Next chapter something happens! Yes! Keiko deals with the next big homecoming problem: Being asked out! (And Shizuru's preparations…)
Hiei's appearance, in my opinion, wasn't so great. Don't worry: He's going to be a frequent guest!
While it seems pointless and random, this chapter actually sets up for some other stuff, and a reason I sort of like it is because it makes you think you know what's going on…but you have no clue! Mwahaha! This is going to make all these theories in your head…hee hee!
Well, I'm off. It's a nice day and I've been cooped up writing since I woke up. Please excuse extremely crappy writing, as I am, like Keiko, feeling very lazy at the moment.
Until my next update…when, oh when, is the French Open?