Room 508, Monday Afternoon

[spin_kick_snap]

After class, Kathy and Minako made their way back to Kathy's dorm. Minako immediately resumed the one-sided war she'd declared against the knotted rope that Kathy had bought for her, while Kathy...gingerly sat down on the bed, rather than flinging herself like she wanted to. She was in no shape to go throwing herself around. Bruises everywhere. A cast on her arm. Ribs that still ached a little bit after being taped.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she mumbled. "How is anyone supposed to take me seriously--how am I supposed to take me seriously--if I end up out of commission after any fight with someone with powers?"

She turned to Minako, who was too busy defeating her opponent to indulge Kathy's mood. That was fine. Kathy could keep talking to her anyway. "I didn't just lose, girl. I didn't even have a chance against that guy. I'm not like Isabelle who could fight Chase and win. I'm not like Barry who can MacGyver a weapon out of three thumbtacks and a shoelace. I'm not like Gorgon, who just just glare at someone and have them go down cold. Being fast and bouncy does not a superhero make. So where does that leave me, huh? What am I?"

Minako looked up from the frayed rope and gave Kathy a disapproving look and barked at her. Unimpressed puppy was unimpressed.

"What's that, girl? Did Timmy fall down the well?" Minako barked again. That was not what she was saying, Kathy, and you knew it. "Fine, fine," Kathy said, laughing. "Are you saying that--

I'm a survivor (What?)
I'm not gon give up (What?)
I'm not gon stop (What?)
I'm gon work harder (What?)
I'm a survivor (What?)
I'm gonna make it (What?)
I will survive (What?)
Keep on survivin' (What?)"

Minako's look was exceptionally smug for a puppy. Honestly, Kathy hadn't realized that dogs could look smug, but there Minako was, proving her wrong.

But it didn't matter, because she wasn't done, apparently.

"After of all of the darkness and sadness
Soon comes happiness
If I surround my self with positive things
I'll gain prosperity"

Oh god, was she telling herself to stay positive in song? This was ridiculous. Entirely ridiculous. She would have said so, but the island decided she needed one last reminder.

"I'm a survivor (What?)
I'm not gon give up (What?)
I'm not gon stop (What?)
I'm gon work harder (What?)
I'm a survivor (What?)
I'm gonna make it (What?)
I will survive (What?)
Keep on survivin' (What?)"

[For the puppy first, and then open!]

Comments

[beautifulsenshi.livejournal.com]

Could a puppy laugh? Because Minako most likely looked like she was laughing at Kathy, occasionally punctuating the song with affirmative barks and howls.

LOOK IT WAS AN EPIC SONG AND SHE COULD SING TOO AND --

--and now Minako was yelping in a totally different way as she (and the rope toy) fell off Kathy's bed. "AHHHHH!"

[spin_kick_snap]

THAT WAS NOT AN OKAY PUPPY SOUND!

Kathy whirled around to see a decidedly not puppy-shaped girl falling off her bed. "Minako!" She lunged forward to try to catch her, jogging her arm. She rolled over on her side, howling in pain.

"Ow ow ow, god dammit!!" she cried. "Minako, are you--ow!--all right?"

[beautifulsenshi.livejournal.com]

"AHHHH ouch ouch ouch," Minako shrieked, grabbing for Kathy's blankets for, well, reasons. "Oh my gosh you swore!"

Priorities.

[spin_kick_snap]

"I'm more prone to doing that when I'm injured," Kathy admitted, tugging her comforter off the bed to drop down to Minako. "I've been doing that a lot this weekend."

See? Chase was a terrible influence no matter how you sliced it.

"You're back! Are you okay?"

[beautifulsenshi.livejournal.com]

"I have never been so jealous of people who can shapeshift in my entire life. Puppies are so happy!" Minako enthused, starting to wave her arms around before realizing that did not help with the comforter situation. Oops. "But, like, dog food and needing to go outside every few hours? Not my favorite."

"And not being able to change back? Also not my favorite."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Yeah, I think I've cleaned up after you to last me my entire life," Kathy said, trying for a tease. "But you were the happiest puppy I've ever seen."

Which should have been the first clue that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

"You want your clothes? I still have the ones you were wearing when you showed up."

[beautifulsenshi.livejournal.com]

"Yes please!" Minako cheered. "Then, like, I want a shower. I want ten hot showers. And a bubble bath and a box of chocolate and a pizza!"

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy got up and opened the bottom drawer of her dresser, where Minako's clothing were neatly folded. "Look, I tried giving you a bath the other day after you fell into the mud puddle, but you weren't having any of it."

Minako had been a very wriggly puppy. Being wet and covered in soap hadn't helped that any.

[beautifulsenshi.livejournal.com]

"Puppy-Minako liked the mud. Person-Minako thinks that playing mud should be reserved for, like, venue music concerts with foam-fights, and the weekends we're all five," she laughed, making grabby hands at her clothes.

"We should totally hit the onsen after my shower. It'll be good for your bruises, and I'm pretty sure I owe you dinner afterwards for taking care of Artemis and me."

[spin_kick_snap]

"The onsen sounds like a great idea," Kathy said. "I don't think I've been there yet, ever."

The hot water could forcibly relax all her muscles and, well, she was less than excited at the possibility of running into Flick all by herself.

Not that she expected Flick to be a danger to her or anything! But she was still more than a little shaken.