Neko: *way too happy* Yay! It's time to wash the Happy Bus o' DOOM Doom doom! (Capers around for a minute before spontaneously hugging Chichiri around the waist.) Oi!
Chichiri: *looks a little confused, but returns the hug* Neko-chan, you are so very strange, no da!
Tasuki: *tousles Neko's hair* Yeah, but we love ya anyway! Ya psycho!
Chan: *to Nuriko* What's with all the spontaneous affection here?
Nuriko: *shrugs* I dunno, . . . but I want in on it! (Walks over, hugs the three of them together, and lifts the whole group off the ground.)
Chan: *getting a little afraid* Oh my.
Tasuki: *as Nuriko sets them back on terra firma* What is this?! Official Spontaneous Hug Day?!
MJ & Neko: *at same time* YES!!!!!!
(They run around, giggling madly and randomly hugging people. Everyone is first perturbed, then amused, then enthused by this behavior. The girl's giddiness proves contagious. Soon, everyone is poinging around, hugging everyone else. As the energy level escalates, HH has the misfortune to arrive on the scene.)
HH: *disturbed expression as he surveys the area* What on earth is going on here? (Everything STOPS.)
(Neko is hug-sandwiched between Miroku and Fluffy. Chan is avidly hugging Kibby. MJ is involved in a group hug with IY, Nuriko, and Chichiri. K-Chan is hugging Tasuki and Shippou is hanging onto her neck. Everyone slowly turns to look at HH. Sinister smiles all around.)
Chan: Well, hello! (The crew begins to glance at each other, grinning conspiratorially.)
HH: (suddenly alarmed; backs up a step) What are you doing?
Shippou: *at the top of his lungs as he leaps into the air* DOG PILE ON THE EMPEROR!
IY: *gives him an odd look* What kind of sorry excuse for a pun was that?
Shippou: *shrug*
(Everyone gang-hugs HH, who is not sure how to react to all this. About ten seconds later, they all let go and back away, except for Kibby, who is still clinging to HH's arm.)
HH: *looking down at Kibby* Um . . .
Kibby: *happily* Hug! Hug!
HH: *staring straight ahead; a little irritated* Chan . . .
Chan: *a little worried* Yes?
HH: *tight voice* Get this fuzzball off of me!
[Some time later . . . ]
(The crew has finally settled down enough to start washing the bus. Lai-Lai has arrived, along with Tani, who also got the "group hug" treatment. Lai-Lai has duplicated herself several times and her clones are busily scrubbing the wheel wells, washing the windows and sweeping out the inside of the bus.)
Miroku: *to Chan; as they are scrubbing the side of the bus* Chan, will you please . . .
Chan: *interrupting* No, I will NOT bear your child. *beat*
Miroku: *somewhat abashed* . . . hand me the bucket?
Chan: Oh. *grins sheepishly* Sure. (Hands him the bucket.)
[Meanwhile . . . ]
MJ: *to K-Chan; re: Fluffy, who has been acting strangely* Oi, K-Chan. What with Sesshoumaru? He's all . . . happy and . . . Well, he's happy . . . that's . . . odd.
K-Chan: Two words.
MJ: *apprehensive* Chemical Pop? *sweatdrop*
K-Chan: *nodds* Uh-huh.
MJ: *wide eyes* Ho, boy. We're in trouble now!
K-Chan: *matter-of-factly* Yes, we are. Trust Neko to give a drugged lollipop to a demon with a "Crush! Kill! Destroy!" complex.
MJ: *nodds grimly* Indeed.
Fluffy: *suddenly appears and throws an arm around each girl's shoulders; they jump* Hey, ladies! The bus looks great, just great! And by the way . . . *pinches MJ's cheek* . . . so do you. *winks* Well, ta ta! (Skips off.) We're off to see the Wizard . . .
MJ: O.O *sweatdrop* Okaaay . . . I'm substantially afraid right now!
K-Chan: Can't say I blame you.
MJ: *going back to scrubbing the bus* I'm gonna strangle Neko! She needs to lock those damned things up more securely!
Neko: *in passing* But they're K-Chan's responsibility . . . .
MJ: *glares at K-Chan* Is that so . . . .
K-Chan: ^.^; Eh heh heh heh . . . .
[Meanwhile . . . ]
(Fluffy waltzes by Tani & Nuriko, singing "The Rainbow Song" from Captain Noah.)
Fluffy: *singing; waltzing like a beaver after ten martinis* "Red and yellow and pink and green . . . purple and orange and blue . . . (Fading as he passes.) . . . I can sing a rainbow, . . . sing a rainbow . . . sing a rainbow, toooooooo . . . (Waltzes away. Stunned silence from Tani & Nuriko.) *beat*
Tani: That was random.
Nuriko: *staring after Fluffy* Uh, yeah . . . (They go back to washing the bus.)
[Also meanwhile . . . ]
(XJo-Chan has arrives. She mercifully escapes the "group hug" treatment received by her predecessors. Unbeknownst to her, Amiboushi has also arrived, bearing the T575 Tutor, in hopes that something will happen to it . . . like a nuclear holocaust. Lai-Lai & Co. are still cleaning.)
Lai-Lai: Washed the windows! Washed the windows!
XJo-Chan: Oh dear God, here she goes . . .
Lai-Lai: *buzzes around, emphasizing each task she has completed* Swept the floors! Swept the floors! *flit* Scrubbed the wheels! Scrubbed the wheels! *flit* (To Fluffy.) Make you sober! Make you sober!
Fluffy: *high-tails it outta there*
Shippou: *hiding behind Tasuki* What is that? Is it some kind of demon? Is it?
Tasuki: *cynically* You're not that far off the mark, kid.
[Later . . . ]
(The bus is squeaky clean and repaired. The crew has taken a break for dinner. Due to a brief hose fight, everyone is at least a little wet, and so towels are passed around. Fluffy is still feeling the effects of the Chemical Pop. MJ & Neko are still randomly hugging people when they get the chance.)
Tasuki: *to K-Chan* So anyhow, I'm still not gettin' this whole "Official Spontaneous Hug Day" thing. Can you clue me in?
K-Chan: I'll try. It's something they came up with a while ago for no real reason. *pauses; considers* Actually, I've never really understood it myself.
Tasuki: *glancing at Neko, who is randomly hugging Shippou* Can't imagine why . . . .
Miroku: *leaping to his feet* Inspiration!
Nuriko: *tiredly* What now?
Miroku: Let's have a wet T-shirt contest! (The girls look at each other skeptically. Miroku's brainstorm is hailed with enthusiasm by all the guys except Shippou.)
Shippou: What's that?
IY: Uh, may be you should wait on the bus . . .
Shippou: *puzzled; as IY scoops him up and heads for the bus doors* Why?
IY: *shoves him up the steps* Because. (Shuts doors.) Now stay there.
(About ten minutes later, K-Chan, MJ, Neko, & Tani, all soaked to the skin, are standing beside the bus. XJo-Chan & Chan sit this one out, not quite as exhibitionist-inclined as their compatriots. Miroku is jumping up and down excitedly.)
Nuriko: *who is acting as the announcer in a sparkly top hat and a pink sequined bow tie* Well, boys, whaddya think? Do we have a winner?
Crowd: *cheers*
Nuriko: I can't hear you! I said, do we have a winner?
Crowd: *louder cheers*
Nuriko: All right, our esteemed judges seem to have reached a consensus. Gentlemen, your decision, please. (A large banner unfurls in the audience.) And the winner is . . . (The banner reads "K-Chan.") . . . K-CHAN!!!!
K-Chan: *struts froward and receives a large trophy; crowd cheers and applauds* Thank you all so much! You like me! You really like me! (MJ & Neko start spinning imaginary plates.) Oh, grow up, you two! (Waves at the crowd.)
[Out in the audience . . . ]
Amiboushi: *to XJo-Chan* So, how come you two didn't participate?
XJo-Chan: *scoffs* Because we don't like parading around in cold, wet T-shirts, showing off our chests to a bunch of . . . *scornful glance* . . . guys.
Chan: What she said. (Meanwhile, HH sneaks up behind them with a bucket of water.)
XJo-Chan: *as he is about to dump it over their heads* Don't even think about it.
HH: *subsides, disappointed* Drat.
(Suddenly, the robot escapes from the box and latches onto Amiboushi's ankle. In case you haven't guessed, it's still going berserk.)
Amiboushi: *dancing around; trying to shake the robot off* Aaaaaaaaaaaah! Get it off me! Get it off me!
XJo-Chan: *gloats; enjoying his predicament in her sadistic way*
Amiboushi: *to XJC* XJo-Chan! How do you shut this thing off?!
XJC: *evilly* I told you before. Just hold your flute correctly.
Amiboushi: *seizes his flute and holds it the correct way*
Robot: Very good. (Holds up a piccolo.) Let us now proceed to the piccolo.
Amiboushi: *not taking any chances* OK, fine, the piccolo. (Holds piccolo incorrectly.)
Robot: *eyes glow red* INCORRECT! INCORRECT!
Amiboushi: *hastily corrects his error*
Robot: Correct. You are making progress. Let us now proceed to the panpipe.
Amiboushi: *aside to XJC* When does it stop?
XJC: *pauses for thought* I think . . . well, let's see. It starts with the woodwinds, then moves on to brass, then strings, then percussion, then theory and composition . . . I think it ends when you learn how to DJ.
Amiboushi: *sarcastically* Oh, is THAT all?
XJC: Actually, after music, I believe it starts on philosophy.
Amiboushi: *runs away* Aaaaaaaaaaah! *Doppler effect*
XJC: *calls after him* Wait! You still have to learn to play the xylophone!
HH: *to Chan* What strange company you keep.
Chan: *shrugs* I know . . . but they're good people.
[Elsewhere . . . ]
Fluffy: *still tripping* "I'm a little teapot, short and stout,/ Here is my handle, here is my spout;/ When I get all steamed up, hear me shout -/ 'Tip me over and pour me out!' " (Collapses, giggling hysterically.)
Chichiri: *to K-Chan* Chemical Pop, no da?
K-Chan: Hai.
Miroku: *watching Fluffy with a worried expression* That's . . . disturbing . . .
IY: *as Fluffy passes out* You're telling me. At least you're not related to him. (His face lights up.) Hey . . . I've got an idea.
[Sometime later . . . ]
Fluffy: *waking up* Thank you, I will have another cookie . . . *fully awake* Oh, my aching head! Oog, no more Super-Concentrated Chemical Pops for you, Sesshoumaru! (Notices IY's rosary around his neck.) What? Why am I wearing my brother's rosary? (Gets to his feet.)
IY: *walks up, grinning like a maniac* Ohayou, brother! You look tired. Why don't you SIT down!
Fluffy: *crashes to the ground* OOF! *as IY laughs hysterically* OK, that's just NOT fair!
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