This is Lotus

~Thoughts of others~

How'd a Walk Turn Into This? - Show Some Respect!

"Tada! Prototype Alpha is complete!" Violet cheered

"So cool!" Lotus said in awe

"Amazing!" Ethan said

Violet held her hands above a table presenting her latest project. Resting on the table was a mechanical limb that took the form of the dog's lower leg.

"With this baby, Yami should be up on all fours in no time," Violet said

"I'm always amazed by how smart you are Violet," Lotus said

"You've truly outdone yourself, my dear," Ethan praised

Violet smiled with pride as she crossed her arms.

"Obviously it's just the first model and it's basically just a fancy prosthetic. I have been working on limbs that we'll be able to connect to nerve endings, so they'll operate just like the real thing, but that involves surgery. Right now I want to see how Yami adapts to this. If he handles this well then we can move forward to the next phase."

Lotus looked over at Yami. "What do you think?"

"~It'll be nice to not have to balance awkwardly, and….~" Yami turned his head looking outside the window of the home. "~I'd be fast enough to finally get that bastard squirrel in the front yard.~"

"He's good to go," Lotus said

"Great! Lotus, Ethan, can you two help me get Yami setup?" Violet asked

"Sure."

"Of course."

"Alright Ethan can you help Yami onto the table and Lotus I need your to help keep Yami's leg still," Violet instructed

Lotus and Ethan did as they were told, Ethan putting Yami on the table laying the wolf down on his side.

"Alrighty," Violet grabbed a silicone leg sleeve that had two straps attached to it. "Lotus, let me know if Yami is uncomfortable or in any pain."

"Right," Lotus said

Violet slid the silicone sleeve onto Yami's stump then looped the straps over his body in a harness like fashion.

"How are you feeling Yami?" Lotus asked

"~Odd but fine.~"

Violet then grabbed the prosthetic leg and attached it to the silicone and straps.

"They're all done!" Violet said

Ethan and Lotus helped Yami back onto his feet, the wolf standing steadily on his now four feet.

"So how's it feel?" Lotus asked

Yami lifted the prosthetic and the limb moved along with him, the paw even bending at the joint.

"~I think it's time for a walk.~"

"Alright, I'm ready for some light exercise!"

Lotus had changed her clothes; her new outfit consisted of a white loose racerback tank top, some red joggers that came to her knees, white running sneakers, and a red baseball cap.

"Okay, I recommend you guys don't walk for too long. Yami's not used to having any pressure on that limb so it might cause some irritation and swelling until he gets used to it," Violet said

"Gotcha! A short walk around the neighborhood," Lotus said

She grabbed Yami's gray leash attaching it to his collar. While his mind was calm, Yami was pretty antsy to get out, his wagging tail giving him away.

"Wait Lotus before you go!" Ethan called out

"Please don't be another one of your little protection gifts."

Lotus was presently surprised that Ethan pulled out a pair of sunglasses and a smallish pink bag.

"It's hot outside so here's a pair of sunglasses and a bag with some bottles of water," Ethan said

"Oh, thank you, Ethan," Lotus said

She took the bag from Ethan but paused when the weight of the bag was much heavier than a few water bottles. Lotus dug in the bag and blanched seeing what was resting in the bottom.

"Ethan…"

Ethan smiled, "I put a brick in the bottom of the bag so you can hit any assailants that attempt to grab you, or just to hit any guy who gets too close."

"No!"

The very second they were outside Yami took off. The wolf was running all throughout the neighborhood, Lotus holding onto his leash as she ran behind him.

"Whoa! Yami! Slow down!" Lotus laughed

She held onto the brim of her hat to make sure it did not come off as he ran.

"~Can't! Haven't ran this fast in forever!~"

Lotus laughed. "Alright but don't be in a bad mood when your leg is aching tomorrow."

Yami turned a corner Lotus trailing right behind him.

"Yami wait-!"

*BAM*

Yami's corner turn was so fast that it didn't give Lotus enough time to stop, and she slammed right into someone.

"Whoa-!"

Lotus's let out a small startled yelp as she fell back and her butt hit the ground hard.

"Hey what's the big idea-!"

~Oh, shit.~"

Lotus looked before her to see Kuboyasu. His pissed expression quickly turning to surprise and embarrassment.

"What's up, Kuboyasu? Sorry about that." Lotus said

She stood up dusting off her pants before holding a hand out to Kuboyasu. He grasped her hand and Lotus helped pull the plum haired boy up.

"~Crap! It's that super hot chick!~"

"Going somewhere or just out to get a little fresh air?" Lotus asked

"Uh...the second one," Kuboyasu said

"Cool, me too, well sort of. I'm taking Yami out for a walk." Lotus said

"Yami? Whose-Whoa that's a big dog!" Kuboyasu shouted as he spotted Yami.

"~That thing is huge! Is it even a dog? It looks more like a wolf.~"

"Well, he's not wrong."

"~And it's got a metal leg! That thing is badass!~"

"Hey, Kuboyasu would you like to join us on our walk?" Lotus offered

"U-Uh sure!" Kuboyasu said

Kuboyasu huffed, taking heavy breaths in and out as he jogged next to Lotus.

"Sorry, Kuboyasu! I know I said walk but Yami wants to run," Lotus said

"It's fine, I could use the exercise," Kuboyasu said

"~I've never seen a chick run this much, but I guess it's no surprise coming from a badass girl like her. Wait! This is the perfect opportunity, I wanted to meet her again but...if I try to talk to her like we already met she'll think I'm weird! I can't tell her about my delinquent past!~"

"Unbeknownst to him that he's been telling me about his past."

"Hey stop!"

"Leave us alone!"

Lotus slowed down coming to a stop, Yami by her side. A few feet away down the intersection of another street Lotus saw two girls being harassed by a guy, two others standing a few feet back snickering at their friend.

The guy was tall looming over the two girls, and it was clear by the looks on their faces that they were uncomfortable. One of the girls shouted "No!" in the guys' face, but it came out squeaky showing her nervousness. There were only a few people on the street and many of them just skirted by the situation, turning a blind eye to the girls in trouble.

"Is no one going to do anything?"

The girls grew incredibly more uncomfortable and had their backs pressed against a brick wall.

"Please just-"

The taller girl froze as the guy grabbed her wrist.

"What was that? Couldn't hear ya!"

"That's it!"

The two guys who were watching their friend "ask" the girls out, continued to laugh.

"Man Eiji, sure has a way with the lady's huh?"

Light footsteps approached the group going to Eiji and the two girls.

"Hey…"

"Eh? Whose-" Eiji turned looking at Lotus. He smirked looking Lotus's body up and down.

"Well, well, well what do we have here?"

"~This chick has got a killer body.~"

Lotus mentally shivers at the comment.

"Listen here," Lotus pointed a finger at Eiji, "You can't go forcing yourself on a woman like that. It's not only wrong but immoral and just plain disgusting."

Eiji now had his full attention on Lotus, turning away from the two scared girls to slowly approach Lotus.

"You wanna repeat that you little b-"

Lotus's eyes narrowed into a sharp glare, an expression she rarely often used.

"If you finish that sentence you'll regret it."

Eiji's two buddies weren't taking too kindly to Lotus, girl or not.

"Hey, you can't talk to-!"

*BARK BARK*

"Ahh!"

The two stooges jumped back as Yami stepped before them growling and baring his sharp fangs, daring the two to take a step closer.

"You two idiots, it's just some overgrown puppy dog nothing to be scared of!" Eiji yelled at his friends before turning to Lotus. "As for you. You've got some big mouth on you girly. Coming over here interrupting me then threatening me like that." Eiji's lips curled into a perverse smirk. "But I think I can forgive you for all that if you take these two places. What you say?" His smirk grew as he threw his arm over Lotus's shoulder.

Off to the side, Kuboyasu was fuming with unbridled rage, he had a fist clenched at his side and a vein was popping out his forehead. Nothing was going to stop him from pummeling that guy's face in. When Kuboyasu made a move to go defend Lotus he halted.

Lotus reached over grabbing Eiji's arm. A loud cry rang out as she twisted his wrist pulling it behind him.

"Aaaahhh!"

Eiji dropped to his knees crying out as Lotus kept a tight grip, pinning his arm behind him.

"Huh? Who knew I'd be using Violet's self-defense classes like this?"

"Let go! My arm! My arm! You gonna break it!" Eiji cried out

The two girls he had been harassing stared amazed, all fear gone as they saw the punk begging on his knees.

"I'll only let go once you apologize to these girls. You should respect women, we're not tools or objects. Now...apologize," Lotus said

"I'm sorry!" Eiji cried out

"For…?" Lotus said

"For being disrespectful! I promise I won't do it again!" Eiji shouted

"Alright…" Lotus let go of the guy's arm. "I apologize for being so rough, but I hoped you learned your lesson."

Eiji sniffled holding his aching arm. "Y-Yeah."

"No, leave and put some ice on that," Lotus said

Eiji stood up and ran off with his two friends, their tails tucked between their legs.

Lotus faced the two girls. "Are you guys okay?"

The shorter of the two nodded her head. "Yes! Thank you so much!"

"Yeah, that was really incredible!" The other girl said

"It was nothing really. Some people just don't understand that no means no, and they need a little "help" to drive the point home," Lotus said

"You were so awesome!"

"How'd you take him down like that?"

"With the help of some self-defense classes," Lotus said

"I didn't even have to use my psychic powers….well that is if you don't count the fact that I only know that move because I copied it after seeing someone else perform it."

"Miyu maybe we should sign up for some self-defense classes?"

"Yeah, that sounds great Maki."

Lotus and the girls bid their farewells and separated the friends continuing down the road, and Lotus heading back over to Kuboyasu.

The plum haired teen's jaw was ajar, having been gaping at Lotus the entire time.

"Sorry, you had to see that I'm not usually so violent. But seeing guys disrespect women is somewhat of a trigger of mine," Lotus chuckled, rubbing the back of her head.

"It's fine. Guys like that really piss me off. If you hadn't have kicked his ass I would've," Kuboyasu said

His eyes widened a bit realizing how "punk" like his words came off as.

"~Shit! Goody-goodies don't talk like that.~"

"Man he is really worried about that who'll Goody-goody thing."

Lotus put on a smile of reassurance. "Well then Kuboyasu-san, it's good to know that you're one of the good ones. And they say that chivalry is dead." She chuckled

"O-Oh…." Kuboyasu stuttered at loss for words.

"~A chicks never complimented me like that before! And that smile...this chick is dangerous. Can a smile be considered a weapon?~"

Lotus just chuckled a small sweatdrop going down the side of her head.

"I tried to warn you not to run so much."

Lotus gave Yami a small scolding look but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes.

Yami was laying on the floor suffering the consequences for not taking it easy on his new leg. He was gently gnawing at his leg trying to alieve his soreness.

His prosthetic had been taken off, and he was fine for a few hours but then his leg started to swell and ache.

Yami ignored Lotus's scolding in favor of going to lightly chew on his leg. Lotus sighed, shaking her head.

"I'll get an ice and heat pack, that should help with the swelling. I think Violet picked up some painkillers for canines too."

"~Hurry. This thing is killing me!~" Yami stressed

Lotus gave a small chuckle before walking out of the room.