Resort Area/Plaza

The little bit of communication that sufficed between Haruka, Seifer and the dog was brought to an end when Seifer began to bring his real issues to light. The dog seemed comfortable enough with their presence in that respect, and seated himself next to the boys. Haruka ran his fingers through Tamo's fur gently, jaggedly leaving small patterns as he pet the dog. He even outstretched his leg and moved his body a couple inches off towards the corner leaving room for other registrants to have easier access to the desk.

Haruka stared at Seifer for a moment or two. Schooling was pressure enough on the boy. The future wasn't ready to receive him, and Seifer wasn't ready to be brought into that light either from the looks of it. Vanguard did not seem to be on his list of loves anymore just as Haruka suspected and Seifer made clear before. If it wasn't drilled in before, it was quite known now. He's even been keeping his failures secret. His life was slowly pouring from his lips at first in drip pace but slowly into a flooding torrent. He even began to ramble onto what seemed like a missing fragment of memory; Seifer was no longer in possession of memories to people he once loved, knew or cared about. Haruka was surely aware at one point that he did in fact know these people and they shared crucial bonds but... he couldn't explain why his memory failed him on this point.

He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, smiling gently and calmly. He wanted to show Seifer that even a brother can care as much as a sister does. "Do you believe in any future at all then? Look, I am not a perfect man, I fuck up often. But at least I never wonder why I came. If you say you're here because of Yukino and Hana and nothing else, then was there any point in coming at all...?" He veered away from Seifer and back to the dog, still talking to the boy but keeping the pup company while he was still with them.

"If you're honest with yourself, I bet it's painful. But I like to think we're more alike than some might say." His voice was dry but filled with heavy empathy for the boy. Watching his aspiration wither up like that was the last thing he could have hoped for. "What you say about these people, Darren and Noel and Carlos too, they're your friends. Our friends, and friends of our friends. I don't know if I can tell you why things are the way they are, but I can point you in the right direction. They're probably here on this island and waiting to be approached. Father, mother, Yukino, Hana, and all of your friends. If you never tell them you hurt, or don't understand, or don't want this, then they won't be able to help mend those wounds." Haruka grinned something sympathetic, as the sobering breeze blew by.

"Though, since you actually are here, I'd like to believe you still want to play Vanguard just a little more than you say you do. Those are just my thoughts." Haruka realized he'd been speaking for way too long, even likely petting the dog into submission at this rate. "Oh, sorry sorry, I've been rambling a lot. Don't let me keep you... or you." He referred first to Seifer, then the dog he'd been petting. "I'll be here only a little longer, so please go spend time enjoying the festivities. My wife put a lot of work into this, I'd be quite disheartened to hear you didn't take full advantage of the opportunities."

As the dog before then licked his fingers, there was a soft smile, if only for a moment... and the silver haired boy scratched the dog's ears for a moment. As Haruka placed his hand on his shoulder and began speaking again, he listened, not looking in Haruka's direction but still staring at the dog who seemed comfortable enough around them.

'Do you believe in any future at all then?'

'...they're your friends. Our friends, and friends of our friends.'

'Though, since you actually are here, I'd like to believe you still want to play Vanguard just a little more than you say you do.'

Several things that Haruka said stuck out to Seifer, some of it feeling like a dagger to his heart... one that he held on his own, others hitting home to the point that he could feel his eyes begin to tear up. Turning his head away from both the dog, and Haruka, he tried to wipe his eyes without anyone seeing... and most likely to no avail. He felt terrible. And maybe, deep down... he did want to keep playing Vanguard. Maybe the schooling was his way of burying it away, what he really felt. ...And maybe, maybe it was killing him inside to do that.

"...Thanks Haruka..." he spoke a quiet bit of gratitude, giving the dog one last ear scratch before standing, first looking off in the direction Yukino had been taken, and then towards Hana and the others.

After having a much needed talk with his friends, the Hakaisha brothers, Carlosreturned to the registration area with Jessie and Bashiro. He finally decided, after so much trials and tribulations, to register and participate at the Messiah Scramble event. Noticing no one familiar at the desk, the young man walked to the desk to talk with a random employee. "Eh, hi. I'm want to participate at the event" He said to a lady at the desk. She asked for the invitation to the event, so Carlos showing her folded piece of paper that he kept on his pocket. "Here it is". The lady, unamused by the state of the invitation, then asked his name and the clan he planned to use at the tournament.

"Oh, s-sure. Carlos Estevez, Naru-". However, ss soon as he started to give the name of his favorite clan, he suddenly froze up. The simple mention of the clan caused him to shake uncontrollably again, having horrible flashbacks of the Reaper Invasion. He retreated a little from the desk, but... "No" He firmly said to himself. "I'm going to overcome this. I will!". Taking a deep breath, Carlos stopped himself from shaking and leaving, giving the necessary information to the now impatient worker lady. "Sorry about that. I'm working on it. Anyways, Carlos Estevez, Narukami". While the lady finished signing him up, the young man turned to Jessie and Bashiro and gave them a big thumbs up. He took a big step that moment, and that was important.

As soon as he began to leave, all the speakers around the area resounded, telling the participants to go to the coliseum area as the event was going to start. "Holy shit! And I just signed up! Am I lucky or what?" Carlos exclaimed, admiring the spectacular timing of his registration. "It's like the whole event waited for me to start!". Carlos then ran towards the exit, alongisde Jessie and Bashiro. "Let's go guys! There's no way in hell I'm going to be late this time!". The young man was slowly returning to his old usual self, and that was a good sign. Only time could tell if everything was going to work out fine.