Chapter 8: Kiki's Mission
When Burgh said they were going to meet Elesa, Kiki imagined herself in a stuffy office trying not to wither away while Burgh droned on about art with Elesa. She almost had a heart attack when he offered to take them clubbing at The Colosseum.
The Colosseum was all the way in Nimbasa and by far the richest, most exclusive club Unova had to offer. She'd heard whispers of full strip shows with the Electric Leader, booze fountains, gold plated urinals, and free cocktails just given out like candy on Halloween. He already booked a nice room for her and Homura and picked up a couple maglev tickets across the desert. Needless to say, Kiki was mostly excited.
Mostly.
Homura requested days ago that she find the CEO of Vesper Inc. for a little 'mission' and just last night, Homura sat her down to reiterate the same thing. According to the tournament handbook, Vesper was scheduled to compete in Nimbasa that same weekend, so there was a high chance Mercy Whitlock would end up at the club, or at least one of her associates.
In other words, her fun was going to be cut short by work.
Kiki wet her comb under the hotel faucet and carefully teased every lock in place, tilting her head for that electric angle. She dressed her face with a touch of blush and bronzer, careful to not cover her freckles; they were beautiful, and Kiki was willing to die on that hill. She had on a wine-colored dress with a nice neckline, tight waist, and a dip for just enough cleavage.
Oslo was busy searching her make-up bag for shiny things.
"Dress codes are the stupidest thing ever. I'm covered, I don't know why that cover has to be expensive." Homura said as she emerged from the tiny bathroom, throwing a coat over her dress shirt and suspenders. Kiki broke into a smile seeing her in the suit she annoyed her into buying. The dark color suited her gloomy attitude and black hair with a nice accent of a tie that matched Kiki's dress. The cut was also perfect. Homura could be a knock-out if she ever decided to do anything with her appearance.
"I see dress codes as a challenge. You said it yourself, restrictions breed creativity." Kiki teased while applying lipstick.
"I said that about building a circuit board, not being forced to buy expensive clothes. This is just a waste of money." Homura groused.
Kiki turned and leaned casually on the countertop. She noticed Homura's eyes widen for a split-second when they dipped below Kiki's neck. She stretched her leg out and forced Homura to catch it. "You can't tell me this is all a waste." Kiki gestured to herself.
Homura dropped her leg. "I spent $400 on a rental."
"Ugh, your no fun." Kiki went back to applying her make-up. "We have a one and only chance to go to Elesa's most exclusive club, let's not squander our time there!"
"I've already 'squandered' my rent. And we're here for a job, not fun. Burgh promised Elesa would be a great ally, we just have to ask right…whatever that means." Homura threw up her hands.
Kiki looked at Homura's reflection and noted her lazy attempt at getting dressed. "Well, I agree you have 'squandered' your rent since you aren't wearing that suit right. Your shirt's untucked, your hair isn't done at all, and your tie is fucked-up."
Homura looked down at the awful knot. "I-I don't know how to tie one. Also, can we please stop saying 'squandered'? It stopped sounding right a minute ago."
Kiki dragged Homura over by her tie and fixed it in a second. "Now grab a chair, I'm getting your hair."
She begrudgingly fetched their one chair, slid it under the bright light of the vanity, and slouched in it. Kiki wet her comb again and pulled it through Homura's hair. She was secretly jealous of it; Kiki's was a bushy mess unless she added several pounds of product. If Homura treated her hair right, it was so soft and silky with nice wave towards the ends.
That was a big 'if'. Thankfully, she obliged just for Kiki today.
Kiki neatened each row then clamped the comb between her teeth while she pulled her hair into a simple rose bun. It was elegant, easy, and revealed Homura's face. She had a strong jawline and sharp features that gave her a masculine edge Kiki loved. Paired with the suit, she was perfect.
Except for the perpetual scowl.
"Am I free?" Homura grumbled.
"One more thing. Stand and turn." Kiki dressed her lips with a little gloss. "See, wasn't too painful!"
"Oh the worst hasn't even come." Homura said. She crossed her arms and moved to the bed to wait for Kiki.
A gentle knock came at the door and Kiki cracked it open.
"We're leaving in fifteen minutes to make Elesa's main show. Are you two ready?" Burgh asked. He was dressed in a green suit jacket with a light spiderweb pattern stitched into the fabric, burgundy pinstripe pants, and a matching ascot. Kiki was prepared to make fun of his suit, but he somehow made the ridiculousness of it all work.
Burgh raised his eyebrows at them. "You two look lovely."
"Thank you!" Kiki said with a grin.
"I'm itchy." Homura said.
"Beauty is pain." Burgh said with a little flare. That man always spoke like he was on stage.
"I'm ready if you are, 'mura." Kiki said.
Homura readjusted her tie so she could breathe. "That's not my name, please do wear it out."
"Ok, Homs."
"You haven't been hit today, have you?"
"We should probably leave now for good seats then." Burgh cut in. "And Kiki, I suggest you contain your little monster, I'd rather not have to pay for damages on the room." He jutted his thumb at Oslo, who was busy gnawing his way through a pillow, flinging feathers everywhere.
"Hehe, yeah…" Kiki quietly returned him and set the ball on the bathroom counter. She didn't want to put it with the rest of her Pokémon; she had those quietly tucked into the fold of her dress for other purposes. The rich pricks didn't allow 'unlicensed' pokeballs in the building since they couldn't trust anyone to keep them under control.
"Let's get this over with." Homura pushed past them and into the hall and they fell in after her.
Kiki knew she was in for a good time when the valet took their rental and she set her heels on the gold-flecked granite sidewalk leading into the club. Colored lights fanned themselves over the front, reflecting beautifully off the elegant gold edging of the building, which itself was carved from clean white stone and formed into beautiful arches around the entrance. Kiki could feel the bass all the way from there thumping in her chest. The light-show out front was phenomenal and made perfect sense for Nimbasa's electric-type leader. Above the entrance hung stylized letters spelling The Colosseum.
This was the real deal.
Burgh took the lead and Kiki trailed after, closing her gaping mouth so people didn't immediately figure out her low-income status. In reality, she probably made more than Burgh, but just couldn't spend it without the government taking notice.
They came to the stairs and Kiki stopped. "Hey Homura, can you help me up? I'm in heels." She said with a sly smile.
Homura growled. "Fine." She stuck her elbow out for Kiki which she gladly took. Burgh looked back with a smile.
They made it to the bouncer and waited a few minutes to be let in. They were stuck behind a big guy with dreads, a tall blonde in a navy-blue dress, and a shorter girl in a purple dress who was arguing with the bouncer. Kiki turned her ears to the conversation.
"We're under Cattral's name! C-A-T-T-R-A-L, you know? The shitty athlete?" Purple girl said.
The bouncer scrolled through his tablet. "Oh, sorry ma'am, she entered the club earlier. Unfortunately, she has to confirm you."
The blonde leaned in and whispered something in her ear.
"Well, she could've at least stuck with us to get in instead of fucking us!" The purple girl said.
The big guy bumped her shoulder with a piece of plastic, which she swiped from his hand and handed to the bouncer. He looked it over, nodded, and unclipped the rope.
"What an awful way to behave in public." Burgh mumbled.
Kiki just smiled. They mentioned Cattral was here. She couldn't believe her stroke of luck; a hot girl who also happened to work for Vesper Inc. was the best thing Kiki could've wished for. They shuffled forward for their turn with the bouncer.
"Names?" He asked.
Burgh drew a plastic I.D. from his jacket and flashed it. "Gym Leader Burgh. There should be two additional names under mine, Homura Nakamura and Kiki Itou. The bouncer glanced at them with a confused expression. Kiki was used to that, she was born in the Kanto region and had a Kanto name, but her mother's Galar blood gave her freckles, a sharper face, and skin that fried in direct sunlight which didn't match her heritage. Homura showed her Johto side a lot more with her black hair and thinner eyes, but her Unovan half just made her look vaguely ethic rather than distinctly from the Johto region. The bun did bring that side out on her more, however.
To Kiki's surprise, the bouncer focused on Homura. "Didn't I let you in already?"
Homura's arm went rigid. "No, I think your mistaking me for someone else." She said quickly.
The bouncer stared for a second, shrugged, then let them through.
Burgh chuckled. "Apparently you have doppelgänger, Homura!"
Homura was silent. She let go of Kiki.
Kiki nudged her shoulder. "They probably just mixed you up with someone from Kanto or Johto." She tried.
"Hope so." Homura muttered.
It was a weird response, but Kiki got the message to not dig further. They followed Burgh through clots of well-dressed and polished folks, most of which were probably older than forty, though Kiki recognized a few faces of young celebrities and athletes. She didn't see Case however, but the club was so big that it didn't bother Kiki.
The bass was powerful in here and bumped in her chest with a nice smooth rhythm that made her want to dance. Her heels clacked on the mahogany floor (definitely a real Hoenn import) that also matched the paneling along the walls. She also saw rings of soft leather couches, a full fountain with iridescent finneon drifting in it, and colorful bird Pokémon Kiki didn't recognize delivering little silver platters of hors d'oeuvres to the couches. The club had a few ridiculous attractions Kiki wanted to touch like a chocolate fountain and abstract sculptures placed next to the walls.
This place was insane.
The centerpiece of it all was the stage still. Suspended in a box above it, Kiki caught the purple scales of a few toxtricity testing their sound for a live performance and an exploud dozing in the back. The stage itself had neon lights traveling along the edges, a spotlight aimed at it, holes in the floor for whatever special effects they had, and the part Kiki was most excited about, poles. Right now, they had a pre-show of four orichorio dancing to an Alolan beat.
Kiki snuck next to Burgh. "So, does Elesa herself use those poles?"
Burgh laughed. He swiped a drink from a passing machoke waiter and Kiki followed suit. The tequila was incredibly smooth. "She certainly does, and well. That is what I came here for after all."
"Wait, so we didn't have to come this early? Or at all?" Homura cut in.
"We could've just scheduled an office visit, but I figured you two would appreciate a once in a lifetime visit to The Colosseum." He sipped from his glass and savored the taste.
Homura growled, but Kiki said. "Thank you, Burgh."
He gave a little bow. "My pleasure, you two have been instrumental in this investigation, I figured it was only right to compensate you for the grief."
Homura swiped a glass from a passing tray and downed it. "Let's just get this over with. Show's in a minute right?" She said.
Burgh led the way to a set of couches right near the stage and reclined. Kiki realized the couches actually surrounded the whole stage, like a colosseum. A clever name from Gym Leader Elesa, no doubt. Kiki dropped into her own seat and sunk into its soft leather. Homura took a separate seat and sat straight up with her legs crossed. Kiki vowed to remove the pole from her ass one day.
The show began just as she got comfortable. The lights died at once and with it went the hundreds of voices in the club, leaving everyone in dramatic silence. Kiki's heart thumped with excitement. A flash of blue and yellow cut the darkness briefly, revealing the silhouettes of five women posed on stage in a ring, each wearing clothes that made them distinct from the rest. The girl in front of them had the iconic headphones and feather boa of Gym Leader Elesa. Burgh picked the best seats in the house.
Exploud kicked the show off with a slow, smooth roll in the bass. The women followed in sync, gliding down with their hips and then stepping with swagger as the bass switched to a steady rhythm. Kiki found herself bobbing her head to the beat. Then, the lights strobed through different colors, slowly revealing each of their wild outfits, but as strange as they looked, the feathers, glitter, and tassels served their dance by gracing certain movements with a little flare.
There was no announcement or warning for all of this; Elesa needed no introduction.
The spotlight flicked on, revealing Elesa's full gold and black regalia to a rousing applause from the men and Kiki. Her soft, seductive expression didn't waver, however, she pushed forward as the tempo surged, her heel-clicks slotting in with the percussion perfectly.
"I hope you're enjoying this." Burgh whispered to Kiki.
"Absolutely." She said.
Elesa reminded Kiki why she used to go for girly girls; their thin lines just seemed to melt into one another, tracing out a smooth figure with curves that was soft on the eyes and enticing to the mind. Elesa had all of that and more. When she danced, every part of her body seemed to move separately, but in tune with one another like her back-up dancers did with her. Each step flowed into the next, hypnotizing Kiki as each song played.
Every song was a bit different, each boasting their own unique beats and instrumentation Kiki vaguely recognized from her travels through other regions. It was all very electronic based, fitting for an electric master. Once Kiki got over the initial 'wow' she homed in on the tight choreography and ignored the special effects; she loved how Elesa danced like she knew how beautiful she was.
And then it all ended. The show wasn't long, but clearly took a lot work. After a closing statement, Leader Elesa clicked her white heels over to the edge of the stage and sat down, dangling her long, graceful legs right near Kiki.
"How's my favorite customer? I haven't seen you around in a while." Elesa teased. She held her hand out to Burgh, which he took gently and kissed.
"Wonderful now that I'm here. How's my favorite customer?" He said, matching her playful tone.
Kiki noticed the way their eyes locked and how Burgh's tone was so unlike his usual dramatic cadence. That quick kiss also didn't strike Kiki as particularly chaste. They had painfully good chemistry, which caught her completely off-guard. She never took Burgh as the type to swing Unova's top model.
Apparently there was a lot she didn't know about him.
"Business has been exciting. I took your advice and went on sabbatical to visit the Galar region. Pier's live shows were a riot! And I met a couple friend's who cured my artist's block." Elesa said. She was still beautiful up close, with fluffy eyelashes, full rosy cheeks, and a plump pouty lip. As gorgeous as she was, Kiki didn't appreciate her beauty as much as the magazines did. Sure, her dancing was phenomenal, but it felt like the kind of beauty people set behind glass and up on pedestals with a sign saying, 'No touching'. It was high in the clouds, out of reach to real people.
Besides, Kiki vastly preferred people with little flaws. Crooked teeth, beauty marks, scars and birthmarks; they just made everyone feel more human. She had a little gap in her own front teeth, but she refused braces as a kid because it wouldn't feel like her own teeth afterwards.
"And who are your friends?" Burgh said.
Elesa put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. The toxtricity, a blue and a yellow one, plopped down from the box, taking the long drop with ease. They sauntered over and took a seat on either side of Elesa. Kiki noticed their vibrant purple scales and lively sparks; they were loved here unlike the ones hanging around Spikemuth.
"This is Zeke and this is Abrams!" She said, gesturing to the yellow and blue one respectively. "They're a species called toxtricity and they can produce music by manipulating their own electricity." Elesa ran her hand across Zeke's head, his 'mohawk' tickling Elesa like a plasma globe.
"I see your taking a dive into music then. What better cure for artist's block than a whole other form of art!" Burgh said with a flare. "I've dabbled in it using a kricketune choir, though I had to stop that when they all chewed up my furniture."
Elesa chuckled. "Kricketune are so old school; I prefer the bass these bad boys can cook-up. No more hit singles for me, I'm composing now." Finally, Elesa noticed Kiki and Homura and she pointed a finger between them. "Burgh! They're too young for you!" She joked.
"No no, these are the girls who've assisted me in the Plasma investigation; in fact, that's why they're here tonight." Burgh said, leaning in close for the last part.
"Oh, that." Elesa said firmly, losing the falsetto in her voice. "I am interested, but I would like to settle in and meet these ladies first, seeing how we may be allies soon."
"That's why I brought them. This is-"
"No need! Let them introduce themselves." Elesa said putting up a hand which she then pointed to Kiki.
"Kiki Itou, from Saffron City in the Kanto region." Kiki said, taking her hand and then giving a little bow.
"I would've never taken you as Kantonian! Your skin is so fair." She said, tilting the back of Kiki's hand in the light like a diamond. "My first international store went up there you know. The largest city in the world really is a glamorous sight to see, unlike that meathead electric-master. He really knows how to waste his watts." Elesa said. Then she gestured to Homura.
Homura neither bowed nor took her hand. She kept her arms crossed and her ass slouched halfway off the couch. "Homura Nakamura, from Iccirus City."
"Sit-up!" Elesa demanded.
Homura braced her foot and slid up in the seat.
Elesa frowned. "Is that the best you could do?"
"No."
"I figured." Elesa said flatly. "Now, if you two don't mind, I would like to get to know you better and what better way than through a battle?" She clapped her hands on Zeke and Abrams' shoulders.
"I can think of a better way." Homura grumbled.
Kiki smiled. "Sounds fun, but I wanna have a little fun tonight here if you don't mind; this place really is one of a kind." She gave a sideways glance at Homura.
"That's not a problem, I'll catch you another time." Elesa said. She crossed her legs. "Have you two battled before or fought a gym leader? Have any specialties or are you a jack-of-all-trades?"
"Yes to battling, never fought a gym leader, and steel and electric." Homura said.
Elesa turned to her immediately. "So, what do you see in electric types?"
Homura's glare melted into confusion. "What do I see in them? Electricity? Blood and organs?"
"That's not what I meant dear." Elesa gave her a look like a disappointed pre-school teacher. "My question is more…abstract in nature. Every specialist finds their type because something about it inspires them! Electric types have flare, drive, but also technical skill that fire-types lack. You can always pick an electric Pokémon out of a crowd and that's why I love them. So why did you choose electric?"
Homura slumped back and stared at the ceiling. "Well, they're pretty helpful for my work. And they can charge my phone."
Elesa frowned again. "Let's agree to disagree. How about you, Kiki? Do you specialize?"
Kiki noticed how carefully curated Elesa's poses, words, and expressions were; it was similar to how Burgh functioned, but Burgh just enjoyed the dramatic touch. Elesa was a people person, just like Kiki. Her choices accomplished something, even if that something was just getting you to like her.
"I actually have a mastery in dark-types." Kiki said. Elesa and Burgh's eyes widened. She didn't usually play that card; dark-types aren't favored, but she felt she needed to step-up to Elesa a little bit. They were going to work together anyways, she had to find out eventually.
"A legitimate mastery? I never knew, you could run a gym with that!" Burgh said.
Kiki shrugged. "Never wanted to though. Ever wonder why you never see a dark-type gym? Most masters just don't think like that."
"A mastery is nothing to sniff at, I'm excited to battle you one day, Kiki Itou." Elesa said with a bright white smile.
Kiki smiled back. She glanced at Homura who was busy glowering at her boast. In truth, Homura could flatten Kiki in a straight fight and probably deserved the title of steel-type master, but last time Kiki suggested it, all she said was "That's stupid." and went back to repairing their dishwasher.
"I'm excited too, it's been a while since I fought a gym leader." Kiki said. She picked up her cocktail and swirled it around. "Anyways, I'm gonna disappear for a bit and explore, if you don't mind. I'm sure these two will keep you entertained." She wiggled her eyebrows at Homura.
"We'll meet again." Elesa said with a spark in her electric blue eyes.
Kiki walked away and didn't look back. She scanned the crowd for any sign of Cattral. If she was going to do Homura's dirty work, she was going to make it fun.
She combed the dance floor, couches, fancy bathrooms, and even the second floor balconies looking for her with no luck at all. Cattral is a woman with biceps the size of a two-liter pop bottle, she did not blend in! She'd almost given up until she checked an auxiliary bar sequestered in the back of the club.
Case Cattral, clear as day, was drinking alone, but this time dressed in her street clothes instead of the same jerseys Kiki always caught on Live TV. She stared at her drink like it had insulted her, sucking it down with greedy gulps. Despite her tense posture, Kiki noticed a glint of sadness behind her angry eyes. Case was one woman-full of issues.
That didn't deter Kiki, she still found the bastard hot. Case was the first famous woman Kiki had ever seen that dressed in men's clothing with a men's undercut – and it was strangely attractive; there was something powerful about a woman who could confidently dress like a man better than men could. Her face was handsome with sharp lines like the edge of a knife that graced her dark eyes and jawline, but there was something off-putting to Kiki. Case looked angry, but that wasn't it; Kiki actually liked that about her. No, it was a weird feeling like her face was on the tip of her tongue.
But Kiki brushed that feeling aside. Was she risking something by potentially getting with someone she may know? Absolutely. Was Case also a rich, famous butch athlete and part of the company Kiki had to infiltrate? Also yes.
Kiki ordered a drink, walked over, and slid on to the bar stool next to Case, brushing her forearm gently in the process. Case glanced, then said, "You know there's a ton of open seats here." and gestured to the wings of empty barstools on either side. There was very little life or mirth in her voice.
Kiki just smiled. "I know, but your better company than they are." she said while brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes with her thumb to flash her thumb ring. A flicker of recognition passed over Case's face. She knew the lesbian signal; not that Kiki had any doubt. Case immediately found her whiskey interesting, though her face softened from a scowl to uncertainty. Kiki nudged her shoulder playfully. "Do you wanna move somewhere quieter? There's a lot of nice couches in the back and no one around to use them."
Case wet her lips, paused, then finished her drink. "You know what? Fuck it sure." She said.
"I live by those words." Kiki said.
"More people should." Case said. She ordered another straight whiskey on the rocks before they took off.
Kiki watched the bartender slid the glass down to Case. "What an old man drink." She teased.
Case shrugged. "Eh, get's the job done and doesn't taste like rubbing alcohol."
Kiki tipped her own fruity cocktail into Case's lips to shut her up. "How about this one? Tastes like mango instead of a wood barrel. Now you don't have to be so sad while you drink."
"I wish that was why I was sad." Case stole the glass from her, finished it, and ordered her the more expensive version.
Case proffered her arm, which Kiki happily took. They wove their way through the crowd towards the couches with Case parting the crowd for her. Luckily most people didn't bat an eye at them; they probably assumed Case was just her boyfriend or something. From the back, it was an easy mistake, but no man had pretty eyes like a woman did.
"Did you come here with anyone? I can't imagine anyone would come here alone." Kiki asked, stepping away from a passing waiter.
"I did. I'd rather not talk to them." She said shortly.
Kiki suppressed a smile. Things couldn't be more perfect, for the plan and Kiki's personal goals, Case was perfectly alone.
Case sat down and Kiki put herself right up against her. She was warm and smelled faintly like cologne and soap. No one was around to see save a few drunk old men leaning against the wall, though they looked too far gone to bother anyone. Kiki walked her fingers up and down Case's forearm, but she didn't seem to notice or care. Case's expression was locked tight and her eyes were faraway.
Kiki debated her next move. The usual tricks weren't working it seemed, whatever Case had in her head blocked all the fun for both of them. Maybe a conversation would work better.
"What happened with your friends? If you don't mind me asking." Kiki ventured.
Case sipped on her whiskey like she had a grudge with it, downing half the glass in a second before speaking. "Coworkers." She corrected. "They're just a bunch of shitheads. Well, except one but I just…" Case just shrugged and left the sentence unfinished.
Kiki chewed the inside of her cheek to blow off some frustration. Case was like a poochyena who wanted you to throw the ball but wouldn't let go of it. She clearly wanted the company, there's no other reason would she agree to this, but she wasn't making anything easy for Kiki. It was just like dealing with Homura.
Something clicked in Kiki's brain that moment. She felt cold water trickle down her spine.
She has seen Case's face before; the dark features and quiet seething anger plastered all over her were uncanny, but Kiki witheld her shock for the few doubts knocking around her head. Their faces weren't a perfect match. Case's cheeks were fuller and more cut from muscle and healthy weight unlike Homura, plus her hair framed her face differently. She also had way more expressions than Homura, which Kiki considered a plus. Homura was also half-Kanto, half-Unovan and Case could easily just be the same mix. Still, curiosity burned in the back of Kiki's mind; the secrets of Homura's personal life were the apple Kiki could never eat and except for weight, Case looked almost identical to her.
Kiki chose her next words carefully.
She reclined in the couch, crossing her legs so that her foot fell over Case's. "I understand that, I came to the club with my sister, but we had a little falling out. She's just kind of a bitch sometimes when she gets angry. Gets all quiet and short with me and then gets mad when I can't understand her cryptic bullshit. Smart girl, but such a shit about it sometimes." Kiki said, lying between her teeth. She described Homura and if Case knew her, she would latch on to her words.
Case finally responded and place her hand on top of Kiki's, circling her thumb over it softly. "Sounds like my sister, I couldn't go a fuckin' day without being reminded that I was the dumber one. Didn't help that we had to sit next to each other every day in class. Jokes on her, I'm the famous one now." Case slammed the empty glass on the coffee table, rattling the ice inside.
Kiki leaned into her arm. "You were in the same high school class together?"
Case rolled her eyes. "Twins. Most people don't realize that being a twin means your compared to them for the rest of your life. I'm not 'strong' I'm 'the stronger one'. Not 'dumb' but 'the stupider one'. You get the picture. Thankfully I haven't seen her since high school."
"It's ok, you're just strong and dumb to me!" Kiki teased. No way, Kiki thought to herself. This was making too much sense. Kiki knew Homura had a sister she refused to discuss, but a secret twin would explain their similarities. 'Case Cattral' could easily be a stage name. Maybe she could figure out Case's birthday; if it was different, it would put this conspiracy theory to rest forever.
Case cracked a genuine smile at her joke and Kiki felt her heart quicken. "Hey, at least someone appreciates it. I worked my ass off in a gym and dropped out of high school to be that."
"I think you made a good choice." Kiki said, running her hand across Case's thighs.
Case wet her lips and Kiki's heart leapt. She did a brief glance, then surprised Kiki with a quick, chaste kiss. Her heart quickened and the birthday question was soon forgotten. Case was stupidly easy, Kiki could escalate things, no problem.
Kiki slipped a hand behind Case's neck. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom. I saw some nice single person ones with love seats in 'em close by."
"I've got a room at the Harrison, 427." Case suggested.
"Why not both?" Kiki laughed, picked up her drink, and walked off, casting a quick backwards glance at Case. Once she was out of sight, Kiki's fell off the wave of confidence her victory granted her and doubt spawned from her conscience for once.
Was she really doing this? If Case was related to Homura somehow, was it right to get involved with her? How would Homura feel if she found out? These thoughts swirled in Kiki's mind as her legs carried her closer to the bathroom. She'd had many partners before and she wasn't afraid to ditch people, mess around with their friends (especially if they deserved it), or stir the pot when she was bored; she's never felt all that attached to anyone.
Except Homura.
It wasn't a strong feeling, but it festered in her head like a benign tumor. Quick, fleeting moments where she would pick up food for her or drag her back to bed after she fell asleep at her desk again always reminded her of its presence. Kiki couldn't tell if it was romantic or just that she cared about Homura.
Kiki reached the bathroom and steeled her nerves. She knocked, waited, then opened the door to the bathroom. It was sparkling clean with granite countertops and gold trim and a leather love seat in the corner, a step-up from the graffitied bathrooms she usually played in. Kiki went straight for the sink and neatened her hair out of habit. The girl looking back at her in the mirror looked way too stressed for someone about to spend the night with a famous athlete. Case was her biggest catch yet; she should be excited.
Not to mention, Homura has been pissing her off lately and it would totally piss her off if she found out.
A stupid grin split her face. Kiki drew a quick breath and relaxed it, then put on a soft smile. Kiki adjusted until the eyes looked right and the expression conveyed a sense of desire.
Case knocked on the door.