Aquarium

Where are you?!

Haruka?!

ANSWER ME!

All of the above are text messages Haruka had received from his cousin after he abruptly left the house. Despite his newfound ability to be conscious, crazy I know, he was still far weaker as a human to most. Walking around was tedious and required many breaks, and lifting anything heavier than your average novel was impossible. He couldn't even manage his fatigue properly, causing him to often become out of breath from simply wandering around...

Haruka decided to take a late trip to the aquarium after leaving the mall. His memory of the trip was actually... very, very fuzzy. The voices of Lambros and Thavas were still prominent in his head. They talked a lot more than he sort of wished sometimes.

"Hey, Captain, look at that one!" Thavas was pointing at a shark in the glass container.

"What about this, sir?" Lambros also lavishly displayed a glass case full of little goldfish.

Haruka shrugged at both as they patiently slugged through the aquarium. Haruka was enjoying himself for the most part, but was waiting for the big attraction at the end. As they entered this very dimly lit stadium, Haruka took a seat as Lambros and Thavas were wondering what the big deal is.

A very large tank inside a circular stadium lit up slowly, then all at once. Hundreds, no, thousands of jellyfish were swimming around in it. The tank became a huge fluorescent light. Haruka had a smile of a 4 year old staring at the tank. He wanted to jump out of his seat and swim with them, but sadly Haruka had not even the slightest bit of strength left after walking here. He allowed himself a few moments to sit and simply enjoy the view.

Fish. A lot of fish. Some sharks and mantas, too.

These were all things Satoshi merely glanced at as he scanned person after person, trying to figure out where the hell Haruka had gone off to. This was the only place still by the ocean he hadn't checked, and for all he knew, the last place other than the coffee shop he would be before being mysteriously missing from Earth's plane as they knew it.

Then again, he was assuming these things because his fellow Triad member seemed to be the new face of Aqua Force in place of Jellal Kisaragi. Something else he'd likely have to ask about, considering events from prior.

He noticed a light coming from several sets of double doors deeper in the aquarium. Curious, Satoshi stuck his head instead to see a series of bright lights. A show put on by a legion of jellyfish. It was absolutely beautiful.

And near the front row was...

"Haruka!"

Haruka glanced over at the doors at the familiar voice. He blinked with a light smile on face and waved. Lambros and Thavas waved too only out of respect for their Captain, but nobody could tell otherwise.

"Satoshi, evening! Have a seat."

He gestured to the seat next to him, returning his attention to the jellyfish ahead of him. His vision was slightly wavering, and felt even more tired than before when he was walking here. Maybe he was actually sleepy? Or fatigue was getting stronger by the moment.

"Look at all the jellyfish, Satoshi. Aren't they wonderful?"

Haruka could barely speak above an emphatic whisper. His strength was wavering. But despite that, he kept his eyes open to see and his mouth fixed to a smile.

Satoshi sighed as was typical of him when he was exasperated. There was no time for them to be doing this, but of course he'd humor him, at the very least. He needed some answers, anyway.

"Yeah, it's a lot cooler than I was expecting. Normally people watch dolphins do tricks or somethin'. They do that off the beach all the time, though, I don't get what all the fuss is." He had a seat, then put a hand on Haruka's shoulder. "So what are you doing all the way out here? People are worried about you, y'know."

"I wanted to visit somewhere... homey. It's nice here, I guess."

Haruka sort of tilted upon Satoshi resting his hand upon his shoulder. It's not that he used too much force or anything, but Haruka was weak and unprepared, causing him to slump a little almost immediately. He fixed his posture almost immediately regardless, but it was an awkward event for Haruka. The two maritime soldiers were concerned as well.

"I don't want to see everybody yet. After going out to the mall earlier, I've been feeling really drained. Maybe it's just recovery..."

Haruka was also unaware he had been visited. Not that it really mattered if he was or not, but he felt as though if enough time passed, he might have been forgotten. He hoped that's not what happened.

"How is everyone?" He glanced over at Satoshi. Within those gems of eyes Haruka had, the ones that were usually brimming with curiosity and intensity, were somber today.

"Ah, I see." The fact that the aquarium was still running normally...hell, the fact that a lot of Japan had managed to recuperate following the intense Deletor attack, was still hard to believe, but perhaps something a lot of these people stressing out needed. Sure, they were at war when there were invaders, but if the invaders were inconsistent, what purpose was there to not try and live a little in the meantime?

Satoshi gave Haruka's shoulder a gentle stroke. This guy...his woman was looking for him. Both of them were. And yet, all the same, he debated a third option, which was taking him to rest in Hawaii with Haku, who perhaps could help treat him better than he would be here. He didn't deserve this turmoil he was going through, even if, to some degree, it was fate.

"Everyone's doing...alright, as far as I know. I wasn't there for the attack, but I saw its devastation. People have been rebuildin' and repairin' what they can." He stared into his friend's distant eyes. "They wanna be sure everyone's safe. You included. This sort of thing is alright, but if you wanna go somewhere...get Mizumi to call me or somethin', huh? I got places I can take you that'll be just the kind of rest you need.

"For now though...you look rough." Satoshi put on a calm smile while he proceeded to fib and make himself internally cringe. "Your uncle's worried 'bout you. Lemme get you home."

"I'm glad most people are doing okay. Less stress on the mind, I suppose." He nodded, a little admiration for is friends who are fighting off this menace, Satoshi included, despite not being involved in the last fight. Haruka had been finding new found respect for Satoshi, considering he was the first to find Haruka. Not that he was particularly interested in being found, but it's probably better that somebody did due to the state he was in now.

As for his predicament at home...

"Ah... Uncle Toshiki probably is, yeah. I didn't say anything when I left."

Haruka used a bit of the remaining strength he had to stand up. He immediately lost his balance, causing him to stumble towards the giant tank of jellyfish. He placed his hands on the tank and dropped to a knee, using it to keep himself up mostly.

"Could you lend me a hand on the way back?" Haruka shook. He was so physically feeble that even on a knee he was barely able to stay up. At this rate, his body would be sapped of the ability to move before he even left the aquarium hall.

"I'm sorry you had to find me like this."

He had his face towards the tank, away from Satoshi and the crowd. People were quiet, staring at the trembling soul. Even Thavas was feeling the pressure. Lambros simply shook his head, wishing for his Captain to get well.

"I'm sorry."

His whispers only got quieter each time.

Satoshi's smile faded as he saw the young man practically failing to exist before his eyes. He went at it too hard to be well again, just to be away from it all. He really was in a sorry state. It would probably be better for him if he was under care by real doctors, whether at his place or the Espoir manor.

Nevertheless...

"Sure. Let me carry you." He heaved the young man onto his back and positioned his arms and legs so that he was clasping on like a young gorilla to its mother. He sent off another text on his phone following that:

I found him, Mizumi. He was at the aquarium. I'm bringing him to you.

...You better thank me for this. Yukino's tearing up the town looking for him. I'll come in through the back so she doesn't see me.

Pocketing his phone, Satoshi jogged off. Haruka wasn't really over-encumbering him at all; he had carried much, much heavier over the course of his lifetime.

Xat walked through the aquarium and saw all the fishes. "There lucky." She said outloud to no one placing a hand on an empty tank.

"Why are they lucky?" Chris' voice rang throughout the Aquarium, approaching the isolated Xat gazes at the sea life behind glass. After having just dealt with Seifer, the little witch was still thirsty for more. Still putting on a smile, she opted for conversation.

"They are free, not carring what chooses they make. Freedom more then any human can have." SHe said with a sigh feeling sadness kick in. "heh. I envy them, and there freedom."

"Hm..." Chris stared at the fish in the tank, thinking of them only as food. Little snacks for the outer gods to gorge upon. The green girl just couldn't understand it. "I don't think they're free in this place... and their freedom only comes from traveling, being suspect to fishers and the like who intrude on their seas." A bit of a crooked smile began to form as she kept speaking. "They're as free as rabbits in a forest, sitting ducks for wolves to attack or being put on display in this glass prison. They aren't free... they're targets, don't you think?"

Head tilt.

"I guess you are right, there will always something more then what there is. I guess in a way i can say I'm like a fish in this place. Stuck in a cage that can't be broken no matter how hard i try." She said refering to the situation that she was in at the moment. "What is freedom like anyway?"

"Blissful and refreshing", Chris answered Xat's question with her opinion. Placing both hands on the tank's glass, like she and maybe others were warned not to do, she gazed madly at the guppies and large basses locked away from their true home in this feeble prison. One they were too weak to escape from on their own, and were too weak to desire even if banded together. "Freedom is best earned when you E̵͜R͜͝A̵͜͡͞S̨̧̧͠͠E̴̛̛͟ erase the cage", Chris added on, her voice being distorted by reaper garble, so she repeated herself to get this girl understanding her words.

"What are your woes?"

"A past that is comming back to bite me. Maybe it might be freedom by erasing the cage, but what if the cage is one that can not be erased not unless someone dies? I'm sick of killing i just want to be free from the assassin world." She said before looking at the girl ignoreing the disorentated that happen in her voice. "Is there a way to erase a cage like that?" she asked.

She was not sure why but she felt like maybe this girl and her were in a way the same both have something that makes them feel trapped or in a way a both have a destiny that they can not escape from. She was so intregued that she forgotten that she texted Haruto earlyer.

"Nobody has to die!" Chris shouted genuinely, filled with passion to restore happiness to this child. After all, being deleted isn't the exact same as death. Such a sweet toned, "destroy the past if it's bothering you!" came out of her mouth. The erasure of time itself - such bliss that would be born from erasing shackles of yesterday would surely make this one joyous.

"There a way to erase cages without death - the power to remove existence."

Xat was startled a little from the shout but quickly recoverd as she listen to the girl. To destroy that path would mean to destroy the village but maybe she wont have to destroy them all.  How do I erase the cage that I am in? The elder from my village is not really giving me a choose. The wrong one can effect a lot of lifes, so how can i remove that existence when there isn't an option?' SHe asked her, slowly feeling like maybe that power can help her out, even though it might be the wrong way to go about solving the issue not relizing that someone else was there.

"One sec", Chris said, leaving her for a moment. She came back after purchasing a bag of chips, then, showed Xat her hand coated in Void - which would be a familiar energy to this girl who had previously been Reversed three months ago. The woman's empowered digits tapped the bag at its top, then slowly traced the path, opening it by deleting the sealing entirely. Showing Xat the bag, it would seem as if there was no tearing of it, and it was never actually closed at all.

"I can give you the power to erases all your flaws and worries. The Reapers are kind outer gods who grant us this ability. You can erase the cage and even that annoying elder! It's great!" The deranged drone spoke with a cheerful demeanor, offering the devil's touch while starting to eat some of those chips.

Xat watched the girl go and returned with the bag of chips. After hearing the girl tell her to watch closely she did and was in awe at how the seal opened without any force.

"The power to erase...." She repeated even after hearing that the reapers could offer her that power she was tempted to accept however she felt her units tell her that whatever choose she made they will support her.

THe power to earse the bars however by embracing that power means she will be the enmy of her friends, however on the other hand if she refused the power offered to her then she would risk putting everythng she built at risk.

"Suffering is going to end soon, so why watch it from a bird cage? For what reason were you given wings?" Chris spoke up, trying to guess at her mind thinking about the morality of the situation, then giving a metaphor. The happy lass nosily crunched and munched down on chips that were plopped into her mouth. Even if everyone turned on each other, the end of time was coming. There was no point in regrets or waiting.

Hearing her say the suffering was going to end soon confused Xat alot. How was that possible what was going to happen, and how. "Every thing comes at a price. what would mine be if i accept this offer?" She asked to herself, before looking back at the tank. I don't want to watch from a bird cage, so if I take this power will I be reversed again?" She asked figuring out that this was the power of deletors.

"This isn't the power of Reverse. The only 'price' is working for our leader: Harbinger. But that's not a price, that's a privilege!"

Chris nibbled on a few more chips.

Xat at this point didn't know what to choose, eather way the choose she makes she will be in a way stuck in a cage. "I don't know are you sure this power can get me what i want?" She was so close to taking up the girls offer yet for some reason she was still hesitating and she didn't now why that was.

"Positive! You want freedom, so you get the power to delete everything oppressing you!" Chris smiled, offering a hand to Xat - a handshake with the devil to sacrifice one's life to the Reapers, and to give into the end of everything by aiding it into a coffin.