Part Two: Trapped Like Rats
"I TOLD YOU YOU'D PAY!!" Yoshio yelled above the noise. Akira just squeaked and held onto Yoshio as if he was the only thing keeping him anchored to the earth. "'Noooooo, Hi-chan! We're just going out to get our tuxes!'" he mocked above the sound of the motor. He sped up and said with a smirk. "Don't ever let go, Akira!"
"I'll never let go, Yoshio!" Akira choked out. Then he groaned as he realized how cliche that must have sounded. He whimpered as Yoshio sped up the motorcycle. Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease don't let him crash! I wanna marry Hiroko and have children! Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease...
Yoshio swerved quite suddenly, making him swallow a scream. Yoshio smirked again at his friend's obvious terror. Vengeance was his. Okay, maybe that was going a bit far, but... he had to go to the prom now, for crying out loud! The prom... guys and girls in tuxedos and dresses and being all... social. Ick. They were going to have a hell of a time getting him into a tux. The only concession he would make would be to wear dress pants and a clean shirt. And his leather jacket, of course.
A car horn shrieked behind him. Kenji's beloved sports car was voicing its presence again. He sniggered at the thought of how cramped Kenji had to be with all those Warlords in that small car.
*****
"Cale! Get your arm off my knee," Dais growled.
"It's not my fault! Tell Sekhmet to get his elbow off of my chest!" Cale protested, trying to edge away from said elbow.
"Anubis. Get your knee out of my face."
"Then make Rapier get his foot off my leg."
"Hn."
"Oh, stop that superior noise-making of yours!"
"Hn."
"I thought I told you to--"
"URUSAI!!" Kenji bellowed, slamming on the brakes. The car behind them made a loud screeching noise, barely avoiding hitting them.
The car fell silent.
Somewhere off in the distance... a dog barked.
"Good," Kenji said calmly, putting his foot back on the gas pedal. "Now. All. Of. You. Stay. Quiet. Until. We. Reach. The. Mall." At last, he thought dreamily, blessed silence!
"Uptight," someone mumbled behind him.
Kenji's head swivelled around sharply. "What was that? I thought I heard one of you say something."
Cale at least had the decency to look guilty. "Gomen."
The drive continued on in deathly silence, each man fearing for their lives if they spoke. Five minutes later, the sports car pulled into the mall parking lot. Each of them breathed a sigh of relief as Kenji threw open the door and stepped out.
Dais reached over to open his door, the only door in the backseat, only to find he couldn't move. "Errr...."
"What is it, Dais?! Hurry up and open the door! I can't breathe!"
"I'm... stuck, Anubis."
"WHAAAAAAAAAT?!"
"Hey! Don't shout like that when you're by my ear!" Rapier snarled.
"I need it, you know!"
"Bite me."
"Okay, now I know he's been in the mortal world too long."
"Be quiet."
"Make me."
"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!! I CAN'T MOVE!!" Dais roared.
Rapier removed his hands from Anubis' throat. "Try moving your legs." Anubis rubbed his throat, glad to be able to breathe again. He glared at Rapier.
Dais scowled at Cale. "I can't. Someone's stepping on my foot."
Cale scowled right back."I'd move my foot if Sekhmet would get his leg off my knee."
Sekhmet made a sound of disdain. "Then get your elbow away from my chin."
Rapier suddenly released a strangled noise. "Anubis, for the love of gods, get your knee off my--"
All the other men winced in sympathy as Anubis tried in vain to move his knee. Rapier emitted a series of squeaks and whimpers.
"Okay, let's try this," Anubis said, shifting his knee away from that invaluable part of Rapier's anatomy as much as he possibly could. "Cale, you move your arm behind Dais' back. Sekhmet, duck your head beneath Cale's armpit.
"WHAT?! THE HELL I WILL!! HOW DO I KNOW HE'S WEARING DEODORANT!?"
"I wear anti-perspirant, fool."
"WHAT'S THE FUCKING DIFFERENCE?! DO IT!!"
Sekhmet sucked in a deep breath of air and held his breath as he placed his head under Cale's underarm.
Anubis raised his knee up to Rapier's chin. "Now, Dais, see if you can open the door."
Dais said a quick prayer to whatever god happened to be listening and struggled for the handle. He was so close... yes, so very very close... ah! At last! The sacred handle was within his grasp! He pulled...
And out they tumbled, one by one.
Sekhmet landed upon Cale with a grunt, his arms splayed across the other man's chest. Cale glared up at him... just before he was crushed under the added weight of Anubis and Rapier.
"Pain..." Dais wheezed out, who was beneath all four ex-Warlords. "Off... can't... breathe..."
"Rapier... you'll have to move," Anubis instructed.
Rapier's face was contorted in a very interesting way. Apparently, he hadn't quite recovered from the knee being on his... invaluable part.
Anubis sighed and pushed the younger man off. He rolled off of them and landed face first upon the pavement. There he lay, trying to recover, and making some quite fascinating noises.
Anubis moved off next, freeing Sekhmet from his weight, and he in turn, returned the favor by releasing Cale from such strain, who climbed off of Dais. The white-haired man appeared to be in just as much pain as Rapier by the time the dogpile was done.
For the first time they were aware of slightly hysterical laughter ringing in their ears.
"Oh, man, would I have loved to have had a video camera with me!!" Yoshio gasped out, before succumbing to a fit of masculine giggles. Akira, who appeared a bit pale, began to laugh even harder. Kenji just threw his head back and let out a roaring laugh.
"Urusai," Anubis muttered.
"Just wait till I tell 'Yoko about this!" Yoshio sniggered. "She'll get such a kick out of it!"
All color drained from Anubis' handsome face. "You wouldn't dare."
"Wanna bet?" Yoshio pivoted and tore through the parking lot. Anubis let out an inarticulate growl and bolted after him.
"Kids... these... days..." Rapier forced out, before losing himself in his utter agony once again.
*****
The three woman lounged about on Ryoko's bed as Hiroko swept into the room carrying four black garment bags.
Crysanda gazed at them curiously. "And these... protect the dresses?"
"Yep." Hiroko beamed. "I hope you like them."
"Hiroko..." Ryoko said carefully, "just how, praytell, did you manage to design and sew four dresses on such short notice?"
Hiroko flopped down on the bed and handed each of them a garment bag. "Well, ya see, when I first met you and Kayura, I thought about how fun it would be to make dresses to suit your personalities. And then Crysanda joined us, and I decided to design one for her, too. I finished my dress up last week."
Ryoko eyed the garment bag as if it were going to attack her, as did Crysanda. Kayura was more enthusiastic. She unzipped the bag and pulled the dress out. Her eyes went round as she ran her hand over the silky fabric.
"Hiroko... this dress is exquisite..."
And it was. The burgundy silk shone in the light, the gold thread shot through it giving it an almost luminous appearance. Made in a sleeveless fashion with a mandarin collar, and tight skirt with a slit, it was indeed a masterpiece.
Hiroko blushed and asked eagerly, "You like it?"
"It's perfect," Kayura said, giving Hiroko a quick hug. "I love it, Hiroko. Domo arigato."
Ryoko and Crysanda now viewed their bags with a little more enthusiasm. Ryoko pulled her dress out and drew in a breath. The short, black velvet dress with its low v- neckline, thin straps and sleek design was absolutely perfect to her. She had always wanted such a dress, but had never even considered buying one, for lack of places to wear it. She glanced up at Hiroko, stroking the rich velvet fabric. "Hiroko, I had no idea you were so talented..."
Crysanda removed her dress from the bag and gasped. It was lovely, made of snowy white satin, seemingly just a short sheath of fabric to wrap around the body. Turning it over, she saw there was a row of snaps running up the back, designed to hold the dress together. "It's lovely... but... so... tiny," she said softly, flushing a bit.
Hiroko giggled. "Don't worry, it'll cover all the necessary parts." She was blushing with pleasure from the compliments.
"Let's see yours," Ryoko ordered.
Hiroko smiled and nodded, lifting her own garment bag onto the bed. Unzipping it, she took out her last work of art. Like the other dresses, it was sleeveless, made of royal purple material with a darker violet tight velvet bodice and flowing silk skirt.
Crysanda raised one white brow. "Do you design shoes as well?"
Hiroko stuck her tongue out. "You'll have to raid your own closets for those."
Ryoko suddenly leapt off her bed and dove under the frame until her head disappeared, while her friends watched in puzzlement. "Lesse..." the headless Ryoko muttered, "manga... socks... eeeewww... last week's TV dinner... Biology report... I was looking for that... ah hah!" Ryoko's head popped out from under the bed and she was proudly brandishing a pair of black heeled ankle boots. "Never been worn, bought ‘em a month ago on a dare from ‘Shio." Suddenly, she blinked. "Crysanda and Kayura don't have any dress shoes."
At that, she made a break for her closet, head vanishing once more in a mass of shoes. Heels, pumps, and sandals flew past them, thudding against the wall and bouncing off the floor. Crysanda and Kayura watched, bemused. After what seemed like minutes, Ryoko emerged with two pairs of high heels, one black and one white. "Hope you guys know how to walk in heels."
Crysanda and Kayura exchanged looks. They did not, in fact, know how to walk in heels.
"I bet they can't dance either," Hiroko said thoughtfully. Her lips curled into a wicked grin. "They're gonna need coaching." She smirked over at Ryoko, who froze, looking distinctly like a deer caught in the headlights. "In fact, they all will."
"And... who's... gonna do that?" Ryoko asked warily, though she already knew the answer.
"Why, Ryoko," Hiroko said in mock surprise, "since you have such a love for dancing, it only seemed natural that..."
"Figures," Ryoko grumbled, her bout of enthusiasm gone for the moment. She slumped down on the floor, defeated, while Hiroko smirked in satisfaction.
Yes! The next chapter finished! Ryoko's love of dance is discovered later on in the New Gen, in case you're confused. Gymnastics and dance do go hand in hand after all. Chapter Three is on the way!
Email me at sheronin@hotmail.com
Sharra