Although Botan had used her spirit gun in the past, it had been a considerable amount of time since she had lost found the need to actually defend herself in such a manner. She felt drained but not to the point of collapsing. Before they entered the small humble home, Kurama stopped to voice his blunt concerns on what had just happened in the street. Kurama had also expressed an interest in her approaching Koenma about the incident and seeing if it could help them. Botan already knew she would be making a formal report and she was sure if Koenma knew anything, he would inform her immediately. The idea of the event being a precursor to something more was enough to allow dread to sink into her stomach. Though she was sure Kurama was right and that she needed to be all the more vigilant, the grim reaper couldn't ward off the anxiety that building inside of her.
"Thanks." Was all the woman could muster when Kurama closed by saying how proud Yusuke would have been, seeing her tonight. Her face fell as Kurama stepped ahead and opened the door, announcing their arrival back home after the long, nearly endless Friday. Botan did her best to enjoy the evening but she ended up turning in early for the evening. Something felt like it was nagging at the back of her head. She assumed it was Kurama's warning but Botan wasn't sure if there wasn't more to her morose feeling. Over the weekend, Botan worked on her homework and spent some time in Spirit World discussing matters with Lord Koenma. She had been given the new baseball bat which had been commissioned to have small holes inside to channel her spirit energy. It would look like an ordinary black metal bat but it was much more durable and lightweight.
Come Monday morning, Botan felt her mood slip back down. She had not slept well Sunday night and that carried through to the following morning as she heard a knock at her door. She had felt like she had just slipped into a restful state when Kurama had attempted to wake her up for school, a place she didn't feel like going to. She mumbled a sleepy acknowledgement and heaved herself sideways, rolling out of bed quite literally. She climbed to her feet with some grumbling and skulked into the bathroom and took a quick shower, her pace still not as hurried or as chipper as it usually was. When she came down for breakfast, she was still messing with her hair, but found it to be tricky and in knots.
"Morning, morning." She sighed in greeting before plopping herself in her seat.
Botan finally fixed her ponytail and began to eat. She took a bite nibbles but found her appetite lacking. Food just didn't taste right, for whatever reason. She felt sad about everything going on. It was so much to deal with. She felt like she was shouldered with everyone, by herself. She sighed as breakfast continued, not interested in contributing to the light conversation between Shiori and Kurama. When Shiori expressed hope in Botan feeling better and to have a good day, Botan just gave a mild shrug. Shiori didn't understand what was going on. Botan felt no need to really...care. What was the point? Whatever they were dealing with, whoever they were dealing with, didn't really matter. Botan knew in a few weeks, she would be back to working as a grim reaper, where she belonged, doing thankless work.
On the way to school and since arriving at school, her mood did not change. She just felt so bored by everything, found the world to be pointless, her ruse itself to be also pointless. Botan felt school, all of a sudden, did not matter. Nor did the faces staring back at her. Either she would leave soon enough or everyone would be dead, killed by whatever fucked up demon was pulling the strings. Botan just didn't care. When lunch rolled around, she was content to stay in the class and eat but decided to humor Kurama and go along with him to the greenhouse behind the school. She continued her sluggish, almost aimless pace, in no real hurry to go anywhere. Upon reaching the greenhouse, she sat down on a small white plastic chair and riffled through her bento but set it aside, deeming herself not hungry, not really deserving of food. What had she done to earn it?
"Hmm? Um...I slept fine. I'm fine." She gave a shrug, not bothering to sound convincing.
Her response had been quick and effortless and the rest of the break was spent in silence, despite Kurama attempting ton converse about the plants, the garden club, school gossip and even Yusuke and their other friends. There was a lack of interest on Botan's part and soon enough, it was time to go back to class. Botan got lost in the crowds and ended up late for their history lesson. The rest of the day was spent drifting into space and when it came time to clean, she did not contribute and instead waited outside while their classmates took care of everything. She and Kurama soon reunited for the walk back home, this time Kurama's attempts were littered with topics ranging from music to movies that had been released but once again, Botan was not taking the bait and gave Kurama more silence and shrugs.
When dinner rolled around, Botan was coaxed from her room and headed downstairs to see a meal of vegetable tempura and grilled salmon had been prepared. Shiori had been bought ice cream to make sundaes for dessert. Ordinarily, Botan would be delighted by everything but instead said nothing of the trouble the kind woman had gone to. "I hope everything tastes alright." Shiori lamented as they sat down to eat together. "How was school?" She asked the pair as she served them a bit of rice before allowing everyone to serve themselves whatever tempura and salmon they wished to have. Shiori took a drink of water and looked from her beautiful son to their bubbly guest who she had grown quite fond of in their short time together.
Botan only gave a shrug and picked at her rice, not yet getting anything else to eat.
"Have you heard from your parents?" Shiori wondered if their divorce was what was troubling Botan, or perhaps it was womanly troubles. She cast Shuichi a worried look and reached across the table to place her hand over Botan's. "If you need to talk, I'm here..."
Before she could even stop herself, she blurted out, "I don't need to talk." Her tone was snippy and it caused an undeniable tension to form around the table. "I just don't..." It was getting more and more difficult for Botan to sort through her own emotions. She was so angry and tired and filled with so much sorrow. Shiori didn't understand, it was all lies in the end anyway. Kurama was getting on her nerves as well. Botan felt ready to snap and she had no idea why. "How much do you really know about me anyway? And your son?" She let out a dry single laugh. "I mean what kind of woman takes in a stranger off the street? That's insane! I could kill you, he could kill you. I mean you don't know that Shuichi isn't even his real-" Botan's small tirade was cut shot by said redhead.
Bugman,
Eventua,
Phase,
Crimson Flame,
Queen Arya,
Tim the Yeti,
SanaChan,
Hos,
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Enarr
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