Resort Area/Plaza - Day 2

xat sighed as she sat by the pool with kao relaxing besides her. ”so semei was right in his suspison that the being was from cray. and that the shadows plandens were up to something.” she said and looked to her sword that was laying next to her before smiling and stood up jumping into the pool to seim

Honestly, the Hakaisha brothers felt overwhelmed by the sudden plot being thrust into their faces. Jessie was worried considering how angry the ex-drones seemed, how furious the other Espoir sister looked, and most of all concerned for Carlos' state of mind considering they might be back into another Reaper War-esque situation. The Messiah Scramble was continuing today, despite what happened to Gastor... Jessie insisted on carrying Tamotsu back to the hotel from the infirmary yesterday, and now refuses to let Tamotsu out of his sight, even as they go back to the arena. But the brothers wanted to sit and wait, just for a little bit. Anything to keep Tamotsu out of the fray of whatever the hell was going on, just for a minute. Jessie wanted Okuri's memories back in him for something like this, but now he was scared of something happened.

This is unsettling.

Bashiro leaned against the six-winged dragon statue, arms folded as he looked around aimlessly at the sights of Isle Jigen. Jessie kept staring at said statue, "Doesn't this thing look really familiar to you?"

"Huh? ... Not really? I don't pay attention to stuff like that."

"You should, man."

"Only thing I'm gonna remember is a girl's figure."

"Dude, do you want Haruka to kick your ass again?"

"I'll take an ass-kicking if I get to stare at his wife's."

"... I can't believe you, to be honest." Jessie gave a look of frustration and disappointment, but Bashiro grinned. His little brother's mind was taken off of the crazy happenings, and Jessie did note and appreciate his sorry effort at a distraction. Bashiro was tenacious and driven, if nothing else. Not even all the husbands and boyfriends in the world threatening to kill him would stop him from gawking at a pretty lady.

"Come on, even good ol' Tamo here must know what it's like to want a sexy lil' thing, yeah?"

"Dude."

"He's got multiple lives or something, right? That's several lifetimes worth of pretty girls!"

"Yeah but there's a lot of painful memories and-"

"Oh forget the painful memories, man. I'd kill to have centuries of cuties in my mind."

"Tamo, tell him this is ridiculous." Jessie shook his head, turning to his companion that they were keeping around to waste his time away from the tournament with some lighthearted banter.

It was a new day and a reenergized Tamotsu met it with enthusiasm. It was all the brothers could do to keep him from running off to the arena when he woke up. The previous day he had spent a fair bit of time resting in the infirmary. The Azazel incident was fresh on his mind but still he found brief sleep. In his dreaming state his memories attempted once more to resort themselves. But finally the dog put his paw down. The memories settled into place as they were, disconnected and scattered about. He was his own dog. He didn't want to be tied down to what the old him experienced and felt. He was young and had the whole world to explore himself. Now he could talk and play vanguard but so what? All that meant was he could communicate better with his family.

Eventually he awoke which caught the brothers' attention as he yawned and shifted. He was feeling better and attempted to tell Jessie and Bashiro as much, but the two wouldn't have it. The pup was carried from the infirmary to the hotel room and told to relax inside for the rest of the evening. As the family talked, Tamotsu learned of Jessie and Bashiro's defeats in the first round and got caught up on what had happened with Azazel with his mind clearer and more prepared to receive it. He had wanted to fight one of them in the finals if possible but there was one exciting possibility left. If he and Aoi both won round three they would face each other in the semifinals! The thought of Aoi excited the spirit and he wanted to go find her and tell her he could talk again and hug her and just a million other things to which he was told to calm himself and find her tomorrow when he wasn't so worn out. The rest of the evening was uneventful for the canine and eventually he snuggled up to Jessie to sleep for the night.

But now it was daytime. His mind was fresh, his energy renewed. There were things to do and tournaments to win and gumballs to tackle. Despite being anxious to just go his boys seemed to be dragging their feet, so he hovered around them, doing circles and wondering what the matter was. The two started talking about Yukino and Bashiro asked the dog about wanting a sexy girl which got the two bickering about his memories. Jessie seemed to look to Tamotsu to end the sillyness but Bashiro got the spirit thinking.

"...Yukino was really pretty yesterday" he started, embarrassed again at the thoughts he'd had. At least Haruka wasn't here this time. Then he scratched at his head with a hind leg and seemed to be pondering something. "How many did I have before though? It wasn't every lifetime a girl that wanted me came along but there had to have been a good dozen or so I ended up mating with for long periods of time... but if we're talking ones I would have wanted to that's-" he said cutting himself off. Something about this felt weird or at least his memories told him it was. Okuri wasn't one to speak so casually of his love life, feeling deep respect for the women who trusted him enough even after finding out his identy to be physically intimate. That sentiment at the least the new young dog could understand.

"But uh... you should try to find a mate that's not already with someone else or something." he said as he shook his head. Tamotsu then started looking around hoping to eye a certain someone in the distance. He whimpered a bit after his initial scan produced nothing. No gumballs made for a sad pupper.

"What?!" Jessie said with shock at Tamotsu speaking up his opinion on Yukino to the brothers while Bashiro began to laugh up a storm. "You aren't supposed to agree with him, man!" The younger Hakaisha reprimanded his companion, but the older praised the young pup, crouching down to pet him.

"Come on, Jessie, don't make him feel bad for havin' taste!"

"He's supposed to be a role model, goddammit!"

"Nah, he's just a wee pup. He's got energy to spare and some 'chewtoys' to admire if you know what I'm sayin'."

"I cannot BELIEVE you just said that."

"Look, shit is gettin' out of hand. We should at least have a good time, yeah? Life is fleeting, we oughta enjoy what we have while it lasts."

"Why are you getting philosophical-"

"I have a plan."

"What plan."

"Yukino's jubblies are huge, right? Like, bigger than most girls usually."

"... Go... on?" Jessie questioned awkwardly.

"Well, don't you wanna know how big they actually are?"

"If you wanna cop a feel and get killed-"

"Nonono, something way less obvious. Jessie Hakaisha, Tamotsu Hakaisha, hear me out. We go on... a mission. A quest. A perilous journey that goes beyond the Reaper Invasion, whatever Star-vader crap there was, something more than this civil war business... We all go on an adventure... to swipe one of Yukino's bras and figure out her cup size."

Silence.

"... Are you insane?!"

"Yeah, little bro, I am! I'm insane! Boobs drive me crazy and I have to know one of the many secrets to our recently blossoming Espoir! Or, should I say: recently blooming Nakahara!"

"Was getting deleted not good enough for you man?! Are you a masochist?! What, you wanna get Chris' hip measurements next?!"

"So you're interested in Chris' hips?"

Fuck.

"N-No, dude!" Jessie began to blush furiously, stammering as he shook his heads and crossed his arms to form a repeatable X shape to deny everything. Ah, yes, with war finally over, the young lad was beginning to take advantage of his adolescent years and appreciate the finer details of a woman's body. "Look, there is no way I'm doing this, and neither is Tamotsu!"

"I didn't think you were chicken man. I thought going through war changed you? Weren't you the big hero that saved Aoi?"

"Chicken...? Hero...?"

Oh no, Jessie was being baited! As he pondered those words, he began to think back to his glory upon the battlefield. He was but a wee lad lost and confused, but eager to pull his weight and do his part. The Deletors were monstrous and terrifying, yet he felt great playing hero with his big brother and putting in meaningful effort that affected the tides of conflict for the better. It was him who saved Aoi's life from the double-minded Legion, pushing her out of harm's way as he sacrificed himself without even thinking about it. The young hakaisha brought a finger to his chin, thumb pressed to cheek in thought as he seriously considered this asinine task in order to prove his worth and value as a team player - a soldier - a youthful hero. No, no, no wait this was stupid. But it could make the difference and let him be known as something more than "the Tachikaze kid who got wrecked in the war and the tournament". He was at that age where he wanted to leave a mark in history with his name on it.

Even if he would die for said mark.

"... I'm in."

The poor lad. The poor, stupid lad.

Tamotsu's head sunk down as Jessie scolded him for agreeing with Bashiro. But Bashiro was petting him. Conflicted messages to be certain. Jessie seemed to expect him to be his old self. The confident, mature, age-old spirit that could guide him. But that's not how the young pup felt. He felt inexperienced and small and he looked to the brother's as his role models. As it happened that meant Bashiro would be influencing him a lot. Not a good thing by an standard.

But things quickly went from the brother's bickering to something different. Something exciting. Something naughty. Something... involving stealing Yukino's bras. The idea excited the pup largely because of the idea of a secret stealth mission with his family but the fires of a young dog burning in him demanded he follow through on this insane idea. There were about a hundred years of memories ready to scream that this was an awful idea but Tamotsu wasn't listening. He was going to live this life however he wanted.

And what he wanted, was to help Bashiro claim the prize.

Though Jessie didn't seem to want to let him in on the action which was going to be sad. But eventually the boy was won over meaning they would all go through with it. At first the spirit simply barked excitedly, seeming to forget he could talk for a moment with the excitement. "Let's do it! Anywhere you two can't fit I'll go! I'll sniff things out and chase 'em and even make a quick escape if things go south!" he said as he started bouncing around. He was going to be like those action heros he saw on the television just on four legs and covered in fur instead. This was the kind of fun he wanted to have what with the brothers out of the tournament. Well, less about the bras but more just being silly with his boys. Though there were obvious signs to the observant he was interested in the bra as well.

Haruka and Sera had reappeared from their tumultuous losses at the Arena the day before, the air filled with a little more tension than before and not the kind one wanted to let ruminate for long. Sera walked with a sort of somberness in the air, as if he was less afraid and more anxious for the events proceeding. Haruka in contrast wore a certain aura of strength, despite the loss he incurred during Round 1.

Sera took off towards a small spacious area next to the swimming pool that was just away from the commotion of people. He slipped off his socks and rolled up the hems of slacks, relaxing his feet gently into the pool's cool water. He collapsed back on the palms of his hands as his eyes met up with the sky in some sort of moment of peace he was indulging in. In a way he just wanted to find peace with his thoughts, having nothing but prejudice furiously thrusted upon him earlier at the Arena.

Haruka's solace was found when he approached old faces, one of which was only new to the eyes but familiar all the same to his heart. He found Jessie, Bashiro, Carlos, and Tamotsu, whom Haruka previously knew as his confidant Okuri. Haruka was no longer wearing his gloves nor his tie, having the top button of his shirt left discarded to get some breathing room in. Additionally the sleeves to his shirt were unbuttoned at the cuff and rolled to the shoulders, for once giving Haruka a short-sleeve aesthetic.

For just forearms, he was strangely muscular. At least far more fit than he seemed in previous years, having bolstered in his own physical strength as well as the will of the mind. The sneers from shotty and irrelevant teenagers about his Vanguard skills were met with nothing more than a wave of the hand as Haruka deflected them and returned to people he cared about. He waved a friendly one to the boys, a smile that spelled "If you're talking shit prepare to get hit" but really only people who've been hit by Haruka could even know what that face translated to.

"Hello, hello. Glad to see everyone conjoining together after... you know." Haruka stretched out his arm, pulling the muscles in them to a relaxed state over his shoulder. "How's everyone? Is it plans for the afternoon I hear?"

Haruto walked into the pool area with sunglasses on, towels and his gym bag. Only thing that was on his mind at that moment was "life is good" he wanted to enjoy his time at the pool so after finding a bench to sit on he took his clothes off leaving his swimming trunks on as he jumped into the pool "Woooow! " making a huge splash as he did.

Before Bashiro could detail much more of his plan, Tamotsu's focus was derailed. The arrival of not one but two of his friends took his attention. "Carlos!" he called as the first man arrived. He started to move but then Haruka arrived too. "Haruka!" he said with equal enthusiasm. Oh no, confliction. There was one him and two them. With his expanded intellect, the young pup could in fact confirm that one does not equal two. An astounding leap in mathematics. But ultimately that didn't help the canine decide what to do. He wanted to tackle both of them.

Well a decision had to be made eventually, and he had technically tackled them both already so it wouldn't be too far fetched to say that both of them would be okay if they weren't the recipient this time so long as they were the next time to keep things fair. Well tackles were both expired so instead he went to each man and stood up on his hind legs and put his front paws on their chest briefly to greet them, making the obvious signs the observant caught earlier a bit easier for the average eyes to observe.

"We were just talking about what to do with the rest of our time here!" he began excitedly answering both inquiries. "After the matches today anyway." he continued taking a moment to realize he was the only one among those present still in the tournament. Carlos' offer of food sounded good. But then the plan. He wanted to know more. "Jessie and Bashiro here were wanting to get me ready for my fight today so I dunno..." he said to the simple soul. He looked to Bashiro, for as the master planner here perhaps he had a way of accomodating all of these unforseen interuptions into the operation.

Kao hearing the noise woke up and saw a boy jump in and reconized him as the boy they met earlyer. Xat swam up to the serfus when she felt the water ripple and looked around. "what was that?" she asked and going closer to the rippels to see what it was that made the disterbance. before swimming a little back her instincts tellign her to.

Haruto had attempted to dive as deep as he could but at some point like any regular person he needed to get some air and breathe. He let the water carry him as he resurfaced with a light splash, though to his surprise there was a familiar face right in front of him, "oh Hi Xat!" he exclaimed, he was a little restless wanting to get back into the swimming groove but given the circumstances he decided to relax for now.

Xat watched Haruto come up out of the water and heard him say hello. "hello Haruto how are you?' she asked as she lifted her self up to sit on the pool edge and looked at him not mind that the water was dripping off her.

The young man was a bit glad that she remembered him, after their last encounter he wasn't sure how their next meet would be like and given his excitement by the pool he didn't think straight.

"Hey u remembered my name, i'm good yea, made it to the second round thankfully." he said with a smile as she sat on the edge of the pool.
"You look good in that swimsuit Xat but are u sure u don't want a towel? Could get cold." He said.

Xat shook her head. "Of course i would rembere you, i dont forget people who i met...besides you seem really familar to me. Oh ya congrats on making it to the 2nd round i hope you win." she said as her tail drag across the water lazly before she got back into the pool and flipped on to her back so she was still looking at him while floating. "bluish flames right?"

"Yup, my bois the bluish flame liberators" he said seeming somewhat proud.
"We uh, heh well you should know me but i'm guessing something happened that made you forget or the time really, it has been so long" scratching the back of his head. "The water's so warm"
He was a little stuck, not knowing how to discuss the topic when it's so vague in both their minds.

"my memory loss is due to an effect of when i merged with ore then one unit and my body couldnt handle it, but slowly i've been getting them back." she said softly and looked at him answering his question. no its cold but maybe its just the sun, if you swim around some it will get cooler."

"Merged with who? OK ok you need to explain this to me why don't we start from the beginning? What's the last thing u remember?" he asked, as he got on his back as well, turning his head towards her to talk to her.

"a battle wiht the earth at stake. I used a power to merge with Shirayuki and Semei to stop that being however my body couldnt handle both there power togehter so in the end i lost my memorys. after the battle i went to my mothers home and from there i was trianed. one day on a trip to earth i ran into Aoi and Yukino and after a while i rembered them." she said

"Ah, that war...my memory is a little fuzzy about the time, fills me with shame since I probably could've done something to help or at least reduce the damage...but i can't remember a lot over wht happened after or during the war..." he said, his voice trailing off as he seemed sad about the matter, though quickly he regained himself after realizing what exactly he had just heard , "so wait you're merged with a vanguard unit?" his eyes became a bit wide with curiosity as he looked at her dead in the eye "what's it like?"

Xat just laughed and spoke. "Like your self but yet not yourself. you take on trates of the unit you merged to and their looks combined with yours you gain there abilitys." She said and smiled at the memorie of merging with shirayuki. "when imerged wiht shirayuki it felt like my blood and body got cold but yet at the same time warm." she said

"What's up, squad?" Bashiro waved to the approaching Carlos, Haruka, and Sera, not at all giving away the devious plan that Haruka would destroy him for. Jessie and Tamotsu didn't reveal the contents of their plan either, Jessie too lost in thought while the young pup was busy hopping around and greeting his old friends. The sleazy asshole kept a grin, keeping it friendly to not expose the details of the Hakaishas' soon perilous journey to face death head-on. The Reapers would be nothing to them. That aside, the brawler went back to leaning against the statue of the six-winged dragon, "We all here to gather around the winner?" The thug gave a little shade at the fact that all of them had lost save Tamotsu, but it was also praising Tamotsu for surviving and carrying on their dreams. The Hakaisha name made it to the Best Eight, and that was more than enough. Haruka's threatening smile didn't bother Bashiro and in fact, he was happy to be in his company away from his wife so he wasn't distracted. Even if Haruka would kick his ass, the thug still considered him a close friend - a drinking buddy.

And drinking buddies are a man's equivalent to a girl's BFF.

"How are you doing, Carlos?" Jessie finally snapped out of his own trance, addressing his friend who he assumed was troubled by the whole Azazel business. Seeing his offer to help Tamo get a quick practice session in might've been his way of taking his mind off of things or just being useful. It was good that he was still trying to stay active.

Carlos stood up, still petting the soft mane of his canine friend. "I'm doing good, Jessie. Thanks for asking" He answered to Jessie, who just asked him how was he feeling. The young man was happy to know that he had friends who looked out for him like the Hakaishas do. "Well, I'm not barely holding up like the last few months. That's something, don't you think? But... this whole deal with Azazel and the Messiah Scramble being just a plan to lure her out... I'm not really happy with this, but I won't let it get in my way to improve. Not even a little". He then offered his hand to Haruka to help him get up. "Need a hand?".

Bashiro wasn't really presenting a way of getting the family away from everyone to further discuss the exciting plan. But Tamotsu was enjoying sitting by Carlos and getting pet after greeting the man and Haruka. His lie about the brother's helping him get ready for the round had sort of backfired as now Carlos wanted to help him get ready too, and trying to get out of that was going to result in an awkward sounding lie which could compromise the mission. With Haruka here that wasn't something they could afford to have happen.

The dog was slightly embarrassed at Bashiro's comment though. He didn't want the others to feel bad about having lost in the tournament but it made him really happy that his older boy seemed so proud of him. What the dog needed now though was a distraction. Curiously he scanned around the area again. And again no gumball in sight. "Has anyone seen Aoi today?" he asked the group as he softly whined. He had to show his hyperactive buddy he could talk again. He could only imagine the sort of crazy things she'd want to do and thinking about it got him anxious and excited.