Disclaimer still stands. Also, I do not own "Rock The Casbah" by The Clash.
"Hey, Usagi? How long have we known each other?"
Usagi scratched the back of her head and looked up at the sky. They had escaped the confusing and disturbing place known as the Outers' house and were walking down the street. The two had decided, after much careful deliberation, to go to Makoto's apartment and see if the brunette could help them out. The odds weren't high in their favor, but the miko and blond remained hopeful.
"I'm not sure. Two years?" Rei shrugged and put down her arm. She had been glaring at the handcuffs, thinking about how much she well and truly hated it. Part of her was wanted to know the name of the person who had invented them, so she could banish their soul to the darkest pits of hell. Turning a corner and passing a bus stop, she glanced over at Usagi.
"I guess, right? I knew you when you were fourteen." The other girl nodded agreement, and they walked in silence for a while. The pretty day was utterly wasted on the bound youths, as usual. Usagi suddenly gasped and glared at Rei with abrupt suspicion. Rei blinked in surprise as Usagi leveled a finger at her nose.
"Where are you going with this?"
Rei pushed Usagi's hand away with exasperation laced with irritation, not missing a step. "I don't know. I'm just curious."
"That sounds wrong." Usagi commented as she turned her head to look down the street, twin ponytails swaying. Rei tugged the one nearest to her in swift rebuke.
"Shut up. It's because I remember how you acted on your fifteenth birthday."
Usagi's eyes widened as she further pondered the miko's train of thought, ignoring the fact the her precious landmark hairdo had been yanked. "Wow, I see what you're getting at now. It doesn't seem that long. Freaky!"
"I know! I mean, look at you!" Rei gestured to Usagi, who looked down at herself then back at her friend, confused. "In a few years, you might actually develop breasts!" Rei giggled as she jumped away from the range of Usagi's foot. They ran around in a circle for a while, completely forgetting their mission, the miko just barely managing to avoid being kicked by the blond. The young Tsuskino sighed and shook her head.
"How did I know that was coming?" She asked aloud as they fell back into step traversing the street. Another apartment building, this one less pricey-looking than Ami's, loomed in front of them. Rei would have answered, but she was laughing far too hard. As her bursts of mirth finally died down, they walked up the stairs to Makoto's apartment. They were a bit paranoid about trying the elevator again.
Rei knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Instead, the door swung open on its hinges. The two felt their souls die a little inside, but they stepped in anyway. It was dark and silent as Rei and Usagi crept down the hallway, not wanting to wake up Makoto if she was sleeping orsomething. After a few eerie moments, they entered the living room. What they found made Rei's mind scream and Usagi actually scream out loud.
"She's dead!" Usagi shrieked, latching on to Rei and burying her face in the hot-tempered girl's shoulder. Rei moved away, or tried to, a frown and a dark blush transfixed on her face. Usagi moved with her, adding to Rei's annoyance and embarrassment. Rei really didn't want to be here right now. Usagi was WAY. TOO. CLOSE. To crank the old Misfortune-Meter up a notch, the contact was making her feel all tingly inside. Thinking about it made Rei blush even harder and redouble her efforts to peel the blond off her body.
"It's okay, Usagi. Makoto's not dead. She probably just passed out on the floor when she got home because of all that alcohol she had over at the shrine." Rei said, attempting to sound soothing as she stared at the ceiling, determined to not look at the odango-head. After a minute, Usagi sniffled and let go. Rei was relieved, and yet...And yet nothing, her mind demanded firmly.
Rei stepped forward. Usagi stumbled after her. Extending one hand, the miko let it rest on the prone figure's shoulder. Makoto twitched underneath her touch and rolled over onto her back. She gazed at them through hooded eyes, opening her mouth to say something but clapping a hand to her head instead. Rei nodded to Usagi. They hadn't been the only ones to suffer from a hangover. Rei leaned over and spoke quietly to the brunette.
"Hey, Makoto?"
"...?"
"We need some help."
"...!"
"I know your head is probably pounding like hell, but we really need this from you."
"...?"
"Um, somehow me and Usagi...well...we handcuffed each other's hands together. Don't laugh, or it'll make your head hurt more. Also, I'll whack you so hard you'll have to unzip your pants to say hi."
"..."
"I'll take that as a yes. What do you propose to do?"
Makoto suddenly grinned and leaped up. "Knives! Knives are the answer!"
Usagi and Rei's eyes grew wide as Makoto stepped over to the table and picked up a cleaver, most likely used for chopping up large quantities of meat. Like Rei and Usagi. They clung to each other and took a step back. Makoto followed them, holding the cleaver high in the air and grinning. There was a look in her green eyes that seemed quite insane, or maybe it was just the light. Rei decided that she didn't want to find out and began sidling unobtrusively towards the door. Usagi shuddered next to her and did the same. Without moving her lips, she whispered the plan to her manacle-buddy.
"The hangover is most likely affecting her judgment. When I put my hand on the door knob, start singing. Don't ask why, just do it."
As she was speaking, Rei moved backward, down the hall, until she felt her fingers brush against the doorknob. Swinging it open, Usagi took it as her cue. "THE SHAREEF, HE DON'T LIKE IT! ROCK THE CASBAH!" She yelled at the hungover, out of her mind Makoto. The brunette stumbled backward, caught off-guard. Spinning about, Usagi made as if to run, only to crash into the door and fall down. Rei landed on the floor beside her with a crash.
Usagi turned back and encountered Makoto, cleaver upraised, aiming for the chain that bound the blond to the miko. But Usagi didn't know that. Uttering a short scream, she pushed herself and Rei away, working her feet furiously. There was a sharp clunk and a small flurry of sparks as the cleaver's edge slammed down on the floor where the chain had just been. Pulling Rei to her feet, the young Tsuskino bolted out the doorway.
An ominous crack had appeared in the blade. It spread into a network of hairline-thin spiderweb cracks until the steel shattered, leaving nothing but a hilt. Unaware of this unexpected development, Rei and Usagi continued to run for their lives down the apartment complex's hallway. In the Kino residence, Makoto stared at the handle with red-rimmed eyes before bursting into still-slightly drunken tears.
"Noooo! Knife-chan!"
Usagi turned her head back at the new sound flooding into her ears. "What was that?"
Rei's response was quick, terrified and annoyed.
"I don't know. Keep running! Dammit, if you even think about tripping I swear I'll gnaw my hand off at the wrist and leave you here!"
"Go boil your head!"