Slumber Jam '14 [For Killcarrion]

Blossom looked down at the book with a curious eye. It was true that this sort of thing wouldn't have typically found its way on her shelf, but it wasn't completely foreign to her. She'd read the Shining for a class project. Nearly fainted several times, but she made it through. "Well..." She opened the book and gave a quick read of the first sentence, seeing how it grabbed her.

‘I am damned,†thinks Bunny Munro in a sudden moment of self-awareness reserved for those who are soon to die.

Oh. That was a good start. Nice opening, really pulled her in. And in present tense, that wasn't something you saw every day with a fiction novel.

"I'll give it a shot." Blossom nodded and picked up her usual smile. It widened even more when she realized that Bunny was willing to try something new, too. They were both branching out, getting new experiences, learning more from each other. This was one of the reasons she'd been so eager to come to Japan in the first place. "And you'll love it, DB! Just be sure to make it all the way to episode 26. Lauria gets these telepathic powers from Neuragla, and things get really trippy." She pointed higher up on the shelf. "I've got the complete series for Superhuman Samurai Syber Squad, too, if you want it."

Spoiler:

Reaching up high on the shelf Death pulled down the Super..Human..Cyber..Samurai..the stupid DVD and gave it a once over glance. That metal guy on the cover didn't look any thing like a samurai, or even human for that matter so how could it be super human?! Plus it misspelled "cyber" on the cover...must have been a typo.

"...Ugh...Yeah no, got enough on my plate already. Maybe Maki would-"

"Yoink!!" Out of the blue Maki snatched up the samurai show from Bunny's hands, more than willing to accept Blossoms generous offer. "Sweet~... I havn't seen this in-oh shoot..." Maki bent over to more studiously examine the time display on the cable box below the television.

8:48 am

"Whoo boy....I've gotta be at the maid cafe prepped and ready to serve by 9:30. Cuttin it close...Mmm, sorry Blossom. Duty calls, ya know?" Regretful for needing to put a bookend on Slumber Jam '14, Maki stepped up and gave an appreciative hug to Blossom before retreating to the living room to start packing up her things. "This was a blast, Bloss!! Thanks for having us over, next time maybe you can bunk at Dea-NO-Or we can just figure something out later~...Heh..."

Shuffling around in the pillowy living room, the dynamic duo would start to gather all their belongings for the long drive home, Death planning to drop Maki off at work on her way.

Blossom had a burst of excitement when Maki took her copy of Syber Squad - spelled with an S, instead of C, because it was far cooler that way. For a moment, it seemed like they'd be able to have an intense discussion about the intricacies of the unsung classic, go over the naunces of the characters arcs, and, perhaps, even engage in classic debates, like who would win in a fight: Drago or the Green Ranger's Dragon Zord? (Totally Drago, all the way.)

But alas, all good things must come to and end, which meant that really awesome things came to an end that much quicker. As much as she would have loved to have them over all day long, they had lives to get back to, and Blossom had episodes MST3K that desperately needed watching.

"Anytime, Maki! It was great to meet you." She patted her on the back after the hug and let her go about her business. "And you, DB..." She wagged a finger at the Floppy One. "You know where i live now, so no excuses. If you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by and visit me, okay?"

While Maki would have indeed debated Blossom on the intricate fight details of why the Dragon Zord was the superior dragon fighting machine (especially when fused Tyranno and the Megazord to make the badass Dino Ultrazord!!)....her shift at the maid cafe was awaiting, luckily a short shift that day and giving her ample time to rewatch some syber squad action.

Death kept tight lipped and stone faced during Blossoms finger wagging and polite invitation, looking up at her briefly before returning to the task of rolling up her sleeping bag into her tote bag. Deep down a part of her that was still human felt....somewhat....grateful to have a place to fall back on if the need ever arose....but good luck getting Death Bunny to express that openly.

"Buh-bye Bloss!!" Now ready to roll and at the door, Maki waved back at Blossom and bid farewell while Death followed slowly behind. Maki would start to head down the hallway with a pip in step....but Death remained at the opened doorway, standing ever vigilant as if an invisible wall kept her from exiting the premises.

"...Maki, meet me at the elevator would you? I"ll just be a minute..." Maki happily obliged, now leaving Death and Blossom alone together for the first time ever since the shindig got underway. The door was right there, an exit from the awkward night of bizarre rituals and a foreign world she had no part in...but...this voice...in the back of her head. She wanted to tear it out with a knife.....it beat into her head a notion that brought about an unsettling emotion....guilt. She had been an irritable curmudgeon nearly all night, all to people who showered with praise, irritably friendly to her through it all.....she hated having a conscience. She didn't know when she grew one...but she hated it.

"...I'm going away for a while on a trip soon. Between that and you recuperating...we may not see each other again for a bit." Bunny then turned around and faced the injured flower standing behind her with trademark grimace, one hand in her pocket and the other on the strap of her tote bag around her shoulder with her. "There isn't anything left you need to say to me, is there?"

Yes, their debate would have to wait for another day. A day in which Blossom would readily explain that the Dino Ultazord most decidedly did NOT count. It would be like asking who would win in a fight - Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson with brass knuckles? Kind of defeats the whole purpose.

At any rate, she waved goodbye to Maki and turned back to Death Bunny, her countenance dropping when she learned that her favorite huggable wrestler was going to be gone for a while. She hadn't thought about it, but now that they were alone, there were some things she wanted to say. Special things.

"I..." She bit her lip and let her sugary exterior drop for the moment. It was fun being hippy and happy all the time, she loved bounding around with all her energy. But she didn't need to right now. "Well, I guess, I want to say...thanks." She looked up at Death Bunny with a sheepish grin, her face probably beat red. "I know I can get a little carried away sometimes. All the time, really, probably. It's just who I am, you know? And not everybody puts up with that. But you do, even when you don't have to. It was really nice having you here, and honestly? If it wasn't for you coming to visit me in the hospital and cheering me up and just being there for me, I'm not all that sure I'd be as ready to step back into the ring as I am. I was in a really dark place for a while, there, and you helped me out of it."

She sighed and let her shoulders sag, relieved to have all of her feelings out in the open. "So. Thanks. That's what I'm trying to say. Thanks, for everything."

Death lowered her eyes to the wood paneled floor in quiet contemplation once Blossom had finished letting Bunny know the impact she's had on her life, in ways Bunny wasn't even aware of. Another uncharacteristically genuine and humorless moment from the normally cherubic Blossom. Death wondered if this was signs of Blossom growing up or just some of her own somberness rubbing off on her.

...Bunny didn't know what she was doing in the hospital that day, or how some fruit and threatening to disembowel her with a combat knife constituted "cheering her up." Whether it was through sheer bravery or insanity Blossom was the first and so far only person to attempt any type of camaraderie with Death. For all her incessant annoyances and overeager hyperactivity....Death could at least appreciate the effort.Though at the beginning it may have been out of some sycophantic puppy love, who knows if things have changed. She closed her eyes briefly, unsure of how to respond...until the perfect reply came to mind, opening her eyes and looking back towards Blossom.

"...A woman enters a veterinary clinic with her very ill pet duck in her hands, fearful the duck may pass away. She places the duck on the table and the vet examines him. Once he's finished the vet stands up and says I'm sorry, your pet is terminally ill, and there's nothing I can do for him."

The woman says 'Are you sure? Aren't their more tests you could perform to be certain?'

The veterinarian says 'Of course, if you insist.' The vet opens a door behind him and a Labrador retriever walks out, hops on the table, sniffs the duck, shakes his head and walks out. Once the dog leaves, a cat comes out of the same door, sniffs the duck, shakes his head, and walks out.

The veterinarian says 'I'm sorry, after further testing it's concluded that your pet duck is about to pass way. My condolences, but the fee for the examination will be $900."

The woman says 'Why so much money? And what was the deal with cat and dog?!"

The veterinarian says 'Well, it's $300 for my analysis...$300 for the lab work....and $300 for the cat scan....."

A joke. A joke about death no less. All while Bunny maintained a straight face with no hints or cracks of a smile.

Death Bunny was trying to tell a joke. This worried Blossom, because she was reasonably sure that was one of the twelve signs of the Apocalypse.

She stared at Death Bunny for a moment, while the joke processed and she put it together. The way Death Bunny said it, the joke itself, how it just came out of nowhere...

Blossom smiled. Then snickered. Then flat out laughed. Not even her usual giggling, just a straight up, drawn out, ten second laugh. The joke would have been funny coming from just about anyone, but from Death Bunny it was priceless. It made everything that led up to this - the match, the sleepover, the movie, all of it - more than worth it.

Blossom's laughing started to die off after a little while, and she wiped her face as a happy tear started to roll off. "That was..." She was interrupted by some aftershock laughs. "That was actually really funny! Thanks, DB."

Blossom started to move for a hug, holding out her arms for it...but then she thought better and just held out her hand for a shake. "Take care of yourself while you're away, okay?" She gave her wink. "I want a real rematch sometime, so don't go and get lost or anything. Promise?"

Though she wouldn't express it, Bunny was inwardly proud of her successfully received joke. She had been working on her delivery on her off hours, and finding someone to try her dark comedy on was a rarity. In actuality....she only tells her friends jokes.

Bunny inched back and clenched her fist ready to let loose with a right hook once Blossom approached with hugging intentions, though eased up when she caught herself and extended a much more harmless and respectful handshake. That's much more doable, Bunny extending her own hand to return the friendly gesture.

"Mmm.....we'll see." Stepping back Bunny made her way down the hallway where Maki had been patiently waiting inside the elevator for her and reading the cover of the "Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters From Beverly Hills" DVD case.

"...I don't get it. How can they be aliens if theyâ€re from Beverly Hills?" Maki posited to Death once they were both in the elevator.

"No no, I thought that too, but they're not aliens. They fight alie-"

The elevator door closes.