~~~The Room That Observes All~~~
"You allowed them to go into the mainland?!"
Roared silhouette 5, hearing the intensions of 6 and 7
The dark chamber glowed faintly from shifting screens. The Seven Skulls—now complete—sat in their thrones, watching everything like they always did.
Silhouette 7 calmly nods replying to Silhouette 5.
"That's right."
"They're just kids! They don't even have their licenses yet!"
Silhouette 5 argued.
Silhouette 1 chuckled as he shrugged.
"Ain't that what we've always been doing?"
Silhouette 5 was still against the idea.
"You imbecile! How do you think the world will react if they find out UWDS is using children as soldiers?! This is outrageous!"
He shot once more.
Silhouette 6 took a deep breath, arms crossed and calm.
"We need to keep them distracted."
"From what?!"
Silhouette 6 and 7 exchanged a glance.
"Their leader. Ryujin. He's been here far too long... He knows too much about us."
Silhouette 7 stated.
"I'm aware of that, but why does it matter now?!"
"Because he knows how to take us down. If he ever talks..."
Silhouetted 7 pointed out.
The 5th silhouette was speechless, unable to give a reply to Silhouette 7's point.
"Itoshi only seeks blood. So we'll give it to him—before Ryujin decides to open his mouth."
Silhouette 7 continued.
"We'll also hand out "Secret Rewards" after each successful mission."
Silhouette 6 added.
Silhouette 4 joined the argument, one brow raised.
"You're basically spoiling them."
"No. I'm exploiting their immaturity."
Silhouette 4 shrugged as he gave a good point.
"Why not just kill them if you see them as the big of a threat?"
He paused,
"If they can really get us out of our position as the heads, why keep them alive?"
Silhouette 1 joined in, still siding with Itoshi's blue flame.
"We've got The Rhythm. Did you see how WESCU reacted to that?"
Silhouette 4 clicked his tongue, still not convinced on the other skull's decision.
"This is horseshit."
Suddenly, a slow clap echoed through the darkness.
"Hey, hey... languageee."
Silhouette 7 muttered under his breath.
"We need to upgrade our security system."
From the shadows, a man lifted his hand in a slow wave, stepping forward until the glow of the screens revealed his face.
"Yo!"
"What do you want?"
Silhouette 4 asked, looking back.
"Ryujin's known about your bullshit since he was a child. You made him do things no child should ever be forced to do."
The man argued.
"So what?!"
Silhouette 5 hushed.
The man's footsteps echoed as he stepped into the dim light.
"You're the ones being naive."
He grinned.
"We've got the wolves' fangs now. All we need... is prey. And a hungry pack of wolves needs to feed."
~~~Cape Hedo~~~
Back in Cape Hedo, the quiet afternoon was broken by the usual round of complaints.
"HOT!!!"
With tea in hand, Ayro rolled his eyes.
"There he goes again."
Itoshi plopped down on the couch with Kirashi and Kara.
Kirashi leaned a bit to Kara, whispering.
"Hey... Kara-chan... Has he always been like this?"
Kara replied, eye closed and a akward smile.
"Well... not really..."
"Eh?"
Itoshi then turned to Kirashi. He only said his name, but Kirashi already knew what Itoshi wanted.
"Kirashi..."
Kirashi shook his hands.
"I can't use my wind yet."
Itoshi raised a brow, looking at Kirashi in a suspicious way.
"Huh? What do you mean? I wanna ask you something."
Slightly annoyed, but mostly bored, Kirashi replied.
"Oh. What is it?"
"W-What's 9 + 10?"
Silence filled the room.
"What the hell!? What kind of question is that?!"
Kirashi thought to himself as he sweats.
"Umm..."
He hummed.
Itoshi sat down.
"Hm?"
Everyone in the squad stared at Kirashi. Sweat visibly dripped down his forehead.
His voice was shaking and his face screamed out panic as Kirashi answered.
"T-Twenty one?"
Silence again.
Itoshi leaned to his seat, and all that escaped his lips were:
"Not a bad answer."
"Did I get it right?!"
Kirashi thought to himself.
Kirashi glanced at Kara, eyes wide with excitement. Kara just stared back silently.
"I must be a genius!"
There was silence, a pause between them, before Kara had another question.
"Umm..."
Kirashi, Itoshi, and Ayro all looked at her, waiting.
"How do you..."
Silence.
And then finally, the words came out of her lips.
"How do you guys wash your clothes?"
There was another long pause, before Itoshi gave it a thought.
"Hmm... When was the last time I showered...?"
Kirashi leaned towards Itoshi as he asked.
"That involves water, right?"
"Are you serious?!"
She panicked.
Itoshi pondered.
"Maybe I should go to the beach..."
"Wait, you can shower there?"
Kirashi asked.
"How long have you been alone? Oh well, wanna go for a swim?"
Deadpan, Kirashi replied.
"I'm still healing though."
Itoshi stood up.
"We won't go deep, don't worry."
"Are they really gonna ignore the fact they ran out of clean clothes?"
Kara thought to herself.
Note: Yes, they did.
Itoshi and Kirashi asked Ryujin and Ayro to swim with them in the sea. Both declined, saying, "You guys can enjoy." The two went for a swim, even though the waves were rough.
[Beach]
Itoshi waded in first, his eyes scanning the shoreline.
"Maybe.. the waves are too strong for your wound."
"Nah, I can manage it now I think,"
Kirashi replied, his voice stubborn as he followed close behind.
The two took a cautious step into the sea, the wet sand pulling at their feet. Itoshi reached out a hand, steadying his teammate.
"Ok.. Watch out for the rocks."
The duo stepped deeper into the water, wearing nothing but their shorts. The moment the Pacific tide rushed up to meet them, the reality of the temperature hit like a physical blow.
"COLDD!!!!"
They both yelled in unison, the shock of the salt water sending a jolt through their systems.
-
Their shout was so loud, even Ayro could hear it from the cafe.
"So loud.."
-
The two walked slowly deeper and deeper, the water pushing against their resistance until it finally reached their waists. They both shivered violently, their skin prickling as they finally got "the feeling".
"That's good isn't it?"
Itoshi asked, his teeth chattering slightly despite the smile on his face.
"Not too bad,"
Kirashi replied. He let out a long breath, watching the way the salt water lapped against the bandages on his torso, the weight of the ocean making his injuries feel strangely light.
[Cafe]
Ryujin and Ayro watched the two in the distance, ready in case something happened.
Kara approached them.
"Aren't you guys gonna go for it too?"
She asked.
Ryujin quickly replied.
"Maybe later."
Ayro softly muttered.
"That's new."
"It seems... fun..."
Ryujin thought.
Ayro then snickered as he smiled.
"Why not go now then?"
"Someone has to stay here."
Ayro suggested.
"I'll do it, don't worry."
Then, Kara decided to stay back as well.
"Me too!"
Ayro raised a brow, surprised on what Kara decided to do.
"Why don't you go too, Kara?"
She looked down, flustered.
"T-They're... all boys..."
"Ah, that's a good point."
Ryujin then stretched before he said.
"Alright. Imma go for a bit of a swim."
Ryujin slowly walked toward the two in the water. Ayro and Kara smiled behind him.
Itoshi and Kirashi noticed him coming.
"Oi!! Ryujin!!"
"Come!!"
Ryujin took off his clothes and joined them.
Ayro and Kara were left behind to guard the café, the steady wind of Cape Hedo whistling through the nearby trees and tugging at their clothes. Ayro stood with his hands tucked into his pockets, his eyes fixed on the horizon where the two boys were playing in the surf.
"Um?.. Ayro-san?.."
Kara started, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
"Hm?"
Ayro hummed, not moving an inch.
"Do you always wear that hat?"
Ayro adjusted the brim of the headwear, pulling it slightly lower over his brow.
"Pretty much."
"Ah..."
Kara trailed off, looking out at the ocean as a bit of an awkward silence settled between them.
"Why did you ask?"
Ayro finally asked, turning his head just enough to catch her in his periphery.
"Nothing in particular."
"Ah, I see."
Kara gave a small, polite nod, clearly feeling the weight of the quiet conversation.
"I'll go back to the café!"
"Ok, watch your step,"
Ayro replied, returning his gaze to the waves.
As Kara turned and started her walk back toward the building, her foot caught on a jagged piece of coral poking through the sand.
"Wah!!" She cried out, her arms flailing as she pitched forward.
Ayro's head snapped toward her instantly, his shadow-like reflexes kicking in even if he didn't move from his spot.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine..."
Kara groaned, picking herself up and dusting the sand off her knees with a sheepish, embarrassed smile.
[Beach]
Ryujin pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it onto a nearby rock. The sunlight hit his torso, revealing a roadmap of scars and lean, hardened muscle that spoke of a life lived on the edge.
"Oh!! Look at those details,"
Itoshi and Kirashi exclaimed in unison, their eyes widening at the sight.
"How did you get that?"
Itoshi asked, his gaze fixed on the sheer amount of scar tissue.
"Years of horror... I guess,"
Ryujin replied, his face remaining cold and impassive.
Itoshi stepped closer, pointing to a particularly deep, jagged streak running across Ryujin's abdomen.
"Is that a scar?"
"Yeah, got it when I was younger."
Itoshi's excitement dipped into a somber realization.
"Ah... sorry."
"Nah, don't worry about it,"
Ryujin said, dismissing the apology with a small shrug.
Kirashi rubbed his chin, his analytical mind spinning.
"How did you get that physique?"
"Well... I trained a lot when I was younger... I guess,"
Ryujin simply replied, his tone suggesting that "a lot" was a massive understatement.
"I thought I had a lot of training,"
Kirashi muttered, feeling a sudden blow to his ego.
"Same..."
Itoshi added, glancing down at his own frame.
Ryujin looked at the two of them, offering a rare bit of encouragement.
"You guys have a good physique already too though."
"Not as good as yours!"
Itoshi shot back.
"Surely you pull girls."
Ryujin paused, looking out at the waves.
"Hmm... nah."
"There's no way!"
Kirashi shouted.
"Right!!"
Itoshi backed him up, both of them refusing to believe it.
Kirashi looked down at the water, his voice dropping into a curious, slightly awkward tone.
"This might be an odd question to ask but... what does a girl's touch feel like?"
Suddenly, a tendril of darkness flickered across the sand—Ayro's shadow reached out from a distance and gave Kirashi a sharp, mocking pat on the head.
"Ayro! What the hell!!"
Kirashi barked, swatting at the air.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
Itoshi doubled over, pointing at the flustered wind user.
"Itoshi!"
Kirashi snapped, turning his glare toward his friend.
"W-What!"
Kirashi stepped in close, looking intensely into Itoshi's eyes with a finger raised in warning. "Kara does not count!"
He then turned back to the leader with pleading eyes.
"Wahh!! Ryujin-san?"
"Well... I can't recall,"
Ryujin answered, his voice devoid of any hidden meaning.
"Jeez! Well... Windgott-sama said they're very soft when I was younger,"
Kirashi noted, trying to salvage some dignity.
Itoshi raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of other things did he teach you?"
"Well, ## #### ### ## ### and some other things,"
Kirashi replied, the words coming out in a blur of censored nonsense that left the others blinking in shock.
"Ah... he's a crazy man,"
Itoshi deadpanned.
"Agreed,"
Ryujin added.
The two younger boys suddenly burst into a fit of laughter, the tension of the upcoming mission momentarily forgotten. Ryujin didn't laugh, but a small, quiet smile played on his lips as he watched them.
[Cafe]
Kara walked back over to join Ayro's side, watching the three men laugh by the shoreline.
"They seem to be having fun!"
"Indeed," Ayro replied, his eyes never leaving the horizon.
"What did you do?"
"Ah.. I cleaned my clothes.."
Kara said, smoothing out the fabric of her skirt with a satisfied nod.
"I see."
"Um?.."
Kara started, her curiosity piqued again as she looked at Ayro's constant, shadow-like attire.
"Yeah?"
"Do you guys get changed?"
Ayro didn't turn his head; he simply shifted his gaze toward her, his expression unreadable behind the brim of his hat.
"I do, but I can't tell you how. Ryujin definitely does."
"Oh.. I see,"
Kara replied, her mind racing with more questions she didn't know how to phrase.
"You're a curious one, aren't yah?"
Ayro noted, a hint of dry amusement in his voice.
Kara let out a small giggle, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
"I guess so xD"
~~~To be Continued~~~