Beach

Fubuki made her way to the beach. She took a seat on the sand, looking out over the ocean. It was painful. All she had left of Jelly was her sweater, the sweater she was now wearing. From a distance, she probably looked the same as her. She had yet to take notice of the other person who had already been on the beach at the time, having arrived after Revonn vanished. Taking out her deck, Fubuki looked at Tetra-Drive Dragon... The card that had transcended. However, after throwing away her Reality Bangle, doing that had become impossible. There was no reason to anymore. Jelly, the reason she needed to, was gone. For good.

Taking a look around after awhile, just to see who was around, she saw him. That guy with the scarf. The woman's boyfriend... Seeing him made Fubuki's blood boil. That man was allowed to live but Jelly wasn't, because of a reason that was out of their control. Fubuki stood up, and walked towards the scarf man, an ice-cold glare pointed in his direction.

"Why? Why do you get to live?" She stared at him, still unable to comprehend the reason behind Jelly's death. All she could feel was hatred towards this man, merely because he was alive. He didn't deserve his life. Neither did that damnable woman.

Craning his head to the side, he heard a voice. It was... familiar, sure, but nothing he could pinpoint. He blinked, turning his head the extra degree needed to realize exactly who was talking to him. He blinked, opened his mouth, and promptly shut it again.

"Kaiyo..." He wasn't sure what she was talking about, but it already sounded like the words were twisted with anger and disappointment. As if the world took something from the girl. Apparently it was someone who wasn't allowed to live, or so Haruka could possibly deduce.

"... Why do I get to live? That's a good question." He turned his head back to the waves again, thinking about what she meant. Asking 'what's the matter?' or, 'what are you talking about?' was only going to further fuel the rage about this whole ordeal. He could only carefully dance through the questions... or simply comply and answer them.

"Because I'm determined to do so. What about you? Is there a reason you're interested in my reason for continuing to exist?" He pocketed his hands, watching wisps travel from the part between his lips and out into the ocean.

"You can sit down by the way. You don't have to but... It's cold out. Standing in front of the ocean... you might catch a cold, you know?"

The answer she had received wasn't satisfactory. She was expecting, no, hoping for more. Something to justify why Cyan had to die. Maybe something to convince her she hadn't died.

"Because my friend couldn't, thanks to... Her. Your girlfriend. She's allowed to take from me, yet suffers no loss herself. Why is that?" Fubuki stepped closer to Haruka as she said this, continuing, "Why must the world take from me yet nothing be taken from her, hm? I lost something precious because of her, it's only fair she lose something precious as well." Her voice was beginning to sound less angry, and more insane. Psychotic. She was moments away from trying to kill the man in front of her. It would only be fair, after all.

"She helped save this world. She was supposed to destroy it, but she saved it instead. And what have you done that makes your life so worthy of this world that she lost hers, and not you?"

"Live and learn in a world full of cruel fates. Everyone has a story, you know..." Haruka laid back finally, staring directly up at Fubuki. Not that he was particularly trying to come off as rude. In fact sincerity was his biggest priority, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to understand this woman and her motives.

"Tell, me... who is she? This girl who helped save the world. Would you tell me about her?"

His hair gently collected sand and soon so did the back of his jacket and pants as he lay flat on the sand bed he created for himself as he chatted with his hostile new friend.

He did not smile, nor did he laugh. Neither did he frown or sulk. His face was simply curious, construed with tinges of misunderstanding and cautiousness. Saying anything she didn't want to hear might result in his untimely death; and he was fully aware of it after seeing the psychotic expression masking her face.

"And by the way, saving the world doesn't entitle your life to immortality."

His voice was solemn. Icy even. He knew all too well you can lose people because they saved the world... Tsubasa was a prime example of that. He lost someone close, dear, and was even the one against him in that fray. Haruka was tearing apart at the seams for essentially being one of the tools for Tsubasa's heroic self-destruction.

"You know?"

He was now laying down. If she wanted to, now would probably be the easiest time for revenge. Not the best, but easiest.

"Cyan Umi. She was the kindest, purest soul I've ever met. Yet she was a 'Seed.' A Seed that wanted to, had to, steal the life from this world. Even so, she didn't. She couldn't She was so jealous of this world, but chose to save it when she could've just let it be locked away. Not once she did hurt a soul, nor did she do anything to deserve her own death. But she threw her life away anyways, and it was stolen from her right in front of my eyes. Right after I thought I had saved her... She was gone.

And I know she couldn't have been immortal. I know people die. But why her? Why so soon? Why right then?" Fubuki's stare became even colder with every word spoken, only falling further into her sadness. Letting the loss win, and tear her apart from the inside.

"Why? Another good question... I never knew her. Not even her name. I only ever came across one Seed in my life, by the way. Yukino's mirror, the Queen one. Quite a twat..."

He cleared his throat, letting the anger seethe out and return to a calmer state.

"Cyan Umi... That's a pretty name, you know?  I believe what you're saying. Not everyone has to be evil, do they? No, I don't think so."

He popped a piece of minty chewing gum in his mouth. He forgot to brush his teeth this morning due to a late wake-up from Sera and the rest of the butlers.

"Want some? And... to further make my point."

He stretched out his arms, putting his hands to the sky.

"The hopes and dreams of people are only as strong as snowflakes. Soft and weak and tender, and are easily thrown astray by the weakest of winds. However, should your hope, your dream, finally make it the blanket of white lying down below... then by happy and joyous it did.

From what you're telling me, Cyan's did. She came was she set out to do; save people. If that isn't enough, to see her dream realized, I feel as though you're asking too much. As to why I am here, or deserve to be..."

He chewed his gum, blew a bubble, somewhat... it popped, and he stopped chewing, looking at Fubuki in the eyes.

"Who said I did?"

He resumed staring into the sky, chewing. This was not a threat nor a question or promise of battle. This was a genuine statement. Nobody said he deserved to live, and neither did he believe he should. So why is he here now? Because other's believe he does deserve that life. Whether or not their right, is up their judgement alone.

So even he didn't believe he deserved life. Without another word, Fubuki turned and left. She'd try and kill him another day, and when she did, she'd enjoy it even more. He'd get what he wanted and Yugure would be left to suffer. Just like what happened to her. Vengeance would be oh so sweet.

She left. Not another word came out of her lips before a rather abrupt departure from the girl. Haruka chewed his gum some more, noticing it was finally dark out. He would have work tomorrow, meaning getting home was a must in the near future.

But the sand was so comfy...

Nope. Get up Haruka. Up and at it, before you get caught by patrolling police or something and look sketchy.

Haruka stood up, dusted off his pants and the back of his jacket, as well as shaking the sand out of his hair. He tied up his hair in a hairband, pocketed his hands in his new black military jacket after buttong it up, lined in crimson with one gold badge on the front of it with the picture of a wave rising forth. It said "Storm" across the bottom.

"To home it is..."

It was a pleasant evening on the beach. Most of the foot traffic was coming from in and out of the mall, not too far from the beach itself. Recently, it had become quite the hotspot for tourists as well as the locals.

But today, there was a man, still adorning his white coat of choice, sitting at the snack bar and munching on fries with ketchup, a tradition he started more than a year and a half ago. A man who had spent a considerable amount of time in and out of the country, attempting to solve a mystery of sorts that he simply could not do despite his efforts.

Satoshi Kurosaki scratched at his leg a little, a leg that now bore a holster for a mysterious gun he had acquired a few months ago. Recent events and their demands had required him to become a licensed carrier of this particular firearm, despite its unique quality of only working in his left hand, still adorning crossed rings as a blackened scar. These rings, despite their darkness, glowed golden in the heat of his passion, and with that passion came the power to utilize this gun among other things that he had discovered over his time free from the invaders' hold.

He rubbed his face a little. Things had been pretty busy recently for him to the point that, once again, he hadn't really had the time to spend with his friends. He was glad to know that Haruka had started working more directly in the Espoir household, and it kind of made him miss his old job. Then again, having your own private place in Hawaii, and a nice apartment in Japan, was probably better off in the long run. That, and it would be healthy for him and Yugure to be closer, given how the war kept them so far apart.

Satoshi's other contacts weren't exactly the most fruitful to talk to. He had sent one, maybe two texts to Seifer over the past few months only to get zero response. He was obviously keeping his condition on the down low. His choice, he supposed. Neu and Hana's lack of existence...stung a bit, because it meant a third of his current contacts were unable to be messaged for anything substantial.

Still, things were good the way that they were, as far as he was concerned. He had been successful in getting Smokey's restaurant to America, and the commission he got for the recommendation was not just generous, but potentially life-changing. Well, it would be if he hadn't made equivalent money as part of his advertising gig. But for what it was worth, it was practically doubling his money, so his friends would likely get some nice gifts for Christmas.

He sighed. Shame the snack bar was fairly quiet today...

A young little lass walked up to the snack bar, plopping down on a seat next to a conspicuous white-coated man, ordering a large soda and a small box of nuggets. Strangely enough, they actually carried that sort of order.

She spun in her chair for a moment for amusement, before her sneaker accidentally came in contact with the shin of the white-coated stranger.

"Oh, oh oh oh oh my gosh I am so so so sorry! Are you okay? Hey, I am so sorry, here maybe I should buy you something in recompense or maybe you don't want something because it was just an accident? Oh by the way that was totally on accident I swear I didn't mean to kick you or anything I'm just waiting on my order which is taking a really long time, in fact what is taking that so long- WAITER, WHAT IS TAKING MY DAMN ORDER SO LONG?"

She was.... being erratic about nearly every little thing that happened.

Mizumi Shiina, chatterbox extraordinaire was beginning to rev her engine. And by engine, that means mouth.

"So, hi, I'm Mizumi, Mizumi Shiina, good to meet you and oh my gosh did I already say how sorry I am about kicking you on accident just a second ago? I'm so so sorry about that sir, oh, sir, what's your name I never caught your name you know-"

Someone really needs to stop her. Now.

Mizumi Shiina...not a name he could remember anything about in particular, but a name he wasn't likely to forget, as this girl proceeded to blab more and more. Somebody needed to stop her, and it was him.

His marked hand grasped her shoulder, the rest of his body still not turning to look at her just yet. "Satoshi. Satoshi Kurosaki. If you want to compensate me, just...breathe for a second. You're going a mile a minute and it's hard to talk to someone if you're doing that." He sipped his soda and looked at her with a side glance.

She was definitely cute, despite her rapid speaking. What was it with this city and having cute girls and women so often?

"Ah-ah okay. Will do, uh, Satoshi? That's a nice name. I like that name. Names that start with 'S' are really nice you know? Like Satoshi, Sera, Shiina, all really good names, don't you think?"

One of those was the person's name she just met.

The second was a really really convenient guess.

The third was her own last name. She wasn't getting any points with that sort of list.

"So, what brings you to the area? Or rather, the snack bar I mean. I haven't seen you here before! Well, then again, this is my first time on this side of the city so I guess if I had seen you here or rather anyone here before that would be really really strange, wouldn't it? Or, or you know maybe I could have seen you here in a dream! That'd be crazyyyyy! Or, I could've really seen anyone here in a dream. Maybe I could've even seen myself here in a dream. That would be just as crazy. Or what if I saw both of us here in a dream! THE CRAZIEST RIGHT?

WAITER WHERE IS MY DAMN OR-"

Ding.

"Oh thanks! Here's a tip, great service we have here, ya?"

... Damn she talks fast.

Cute was quickly turning to obnoxious.

"I'm local." It was short, sweet, and didn't provide that much insight unless Satoshi decided to tell her more. He shook his head as she got her order.

did bother to breathe,> he thought to himself.

"Local? Oooh... What's the area like?"

She finally went ahead and took a second to chomp on a few chicken nuggets and sip her large soda. She pulled off the hood to her light hoodie revealing her long ginger locks. She had snake eyes, but not necessarily evil eyes, just piercing and somewhat glowing a pale green. It was a strange attribute that she gets from her dad's side of the family.

"Anything cool to see?"

"Maybe. This is the nicest spot I know of."

That wasn't really a lie. The beach was hands down the nicest place around. Next to maybe the forest nearby. Otherwise, this city was just buildings, views from some of them aside.

Satoshi turned. It seemed like she had calmed down a little, so it would at least be reasonable to turn over to her. And while he would likely regret asking...

"Where're you from?"

"Okinawa."

She sipped her soda again, sucking down the rest in one go. She tossed the cup in a nearby trash can a few feet from the snack bar itself, and took another nugget in her hand.

"My parents were on business here and so they decided it would be best I came with them. My mom works for the new dentist's office down the road here. My dad is in some shady business he won't tell me about but that's fine, not like I'm interested in anything that isn't legal to begin with."

She pressed a fist to her lips, containing a rather large belch. She was a tad bit tomboyish by default, growing up with four brothers.

"What about you? You always from here or what?" She laughed a bit, realizing only now she might've said too much about her family already to a total stranger.

"I'm...from the country originally." Satoshi scratched the back of his head. "You might also say I spent some time in America for a while. I get around, basically."

Admittedly, now that things were a bit calmer, Mizumi seemed...nice. Once stable, she was a lot more reasonable to talk to. It was a bit odd she hadn't asked anything about his mark, but then again, that was likely to come...

Which reminded him. He opened his deckbox, fiddling with his cards. Today he didn't have Genesis with him. He was forming a bond with his old clan once more, Neo Nectar. Only this time, it was a bit different. A particular group from the clan was in his hands this time.

Realizing he had been a bit distracted, Satoshi turned back to Mizumi. But with his mind still on what he was looking over...

"Do you play Vanguard at all?"

After messing with his deck of cards, Mizumi finally caught wind of the... mark. She wasn't sure how to approach something like that consciously without making a scene or blowing up about it.

"Hey, uh, what's... that?- Oh, Vanguard, hi, yes. I do. In fact, I got into it for a rather, er, hmm, interesting reason. But yeah, here's my deck."

Mizumi produced her deck case, violet, with her Dark Irregulars deck present. She placed the case on the counter, nodding to him, and returning to her original question in place.

"So, the uh, mark... That." She pointed to it, leaning closer to it in particular.

"What is it? Where'd ya get it? You get injured maybe? Tell me about it."

She was inquisitive, demanding, and curious. She'd make a great investigator for a crime team one day, probably.

"Stuff that happened in my past."

Satoshi felt pretty tight-lipped about anything associated with the war against the invaders. This girl wasn't exactly someone who deserved to deal with the burdens they all did. She was still pretty innocent, given the circumstances.

But then again...

"A war happened and I did some things I'm not especially proud of. They resulted in this."

"Oooh, a war? So you're a soldier boy, eh?" She giggled at his response. Not that she didn't believe him, but it was weird to think she was talking to a veteran. Normally people around here seemed way too lax or way too young to be totally involved in that sort of stuff.

Street musicians began playing smooth jazz on the beach. A pianist was even present, up on a small stage by the boardwalk. It was a relaxing evening.

"Should've worn your uniform, women love a guy in uniform you know. You get discounts at places like this too. Plus, nothing is cuter than-" She started blinking, rethinking her words a bit more carefully.

"Nothing is more appealing to a person than when someone shows the dignity, for the respect they deserve. Picking up what I'm putting down?"

She was looked over at Satoshi, letting her fingertips tap on the counter, dancing across the polished mahogany.

"Ahh, I love this song, don't you?" Mizumi laughed again, spinning lightly in her stool, taking in the view of the beach.

...Did she just call him cute?

Satoshi blushed a bit, turning to face the beach himself and take in the sounds of the jazz track. "Y-yeah, it's pretty nice..."

The sun was setting as well. Always beautiful to see across the water.

"Sort of reminds me of the lounges back at home. Ama-... Er, someone I knew used to be a really a good musician. He played music for me and my friends back then because he had trouble speaking. Well. Mute. It was weird. But even when he didn't talk, he listened to what I had to say, and played music to get me to shut up. If you haven't noticed, I do talk a lot. Sort of."

She brushed her hair out her face, turning to the musicians. She stood up, leaving a few yen bills on the counter for her food. Walking out into the moonlit beach, she kicked off her sneakers and ran to the boardwalk.

"You coming? Or you still eating? We can catch up later if you want or something!" Mizumi put a hand on her hip, waving to him waiting for him to either follow or say sayonara.

Satoshi noticed her catch on a name. Something about that name seemed to bother her enough to make it anonymous, so obviously, like him, she had things to keep to herself. It made her feel a lot more human to him.

Humanness in a girl was something...he hadn't really gotten the chance to notice in a while. Not that Yugure or Cyan hadn't been human, but there had always been some sort of different, off-putting aura. Mizumi's was a lot more normal than theirs by far.

He paid his bell, and walked after her. "Sure, I have time to kill."

"Woohoo!" Mizumi even picked off her socks as she ran into the sands, slowly swaying in the sand to the sound of the music. The waves crashing against the shore made nice backdrop for the jazzy saxaphone and piano making beautiful music on the docks right above.

She spun and leaped in the sand, like a ballerina.

Because she was when she was younger. A dancer, anyways. She spent a lot of time practicing in the art of the axles and spins and the like. She was very light on her feet and able-bodied when it came to sports. Athletic, beautiful,... if she wasn't a total air-head or actually knew when to say things at the right times, she might make a good person in this world one day.

"You dance? I mean, I do a bit. Not as much anymore as I used to. Recitals and all tired me out, didn't like having a thousand eyes on me at a time so I sort of quit I guess. But if I could go back I probably would, now that it crosses my mind."

"I do. Maybe a better question would be..." Satoshi extended an arm to her. "Have you danced with a partner?"

It had been a good while, but in America, he had taken some time to take dance classes, with and without a partner. And for jazz, a nice, gentle slow dance was preferred.