(GS3) Home Field: Espoir Mansion

[Hope]

Hana had a really nice rest. She was able to sleep soundly, tired from the day before. She dreamed and dreamed a dream that she wished that she had never dreamed. It would've been better if she were awake. She saw her Bermuda Triangle again, along with many up and coming idols. She danced with them and the stormed the stage to be greeted a roaring crowd. The happiness was answered by stern disappointment when she woke up.

"Someone is knocking on your door," Nociel informed her.

"Right I better go get that." Hana rose from her bed and ran her fingers through her hair and scratched her eyes just to tidy herself a little. She then went over to the door and opened it. It was Yukinee.

"Hello Nee-san..." She greeted her sister.

[Jello]

Hmm?

Haruka heard soft footsteps throughout the house. It was a large house for sure, but the acoustics made it easy to detect nearly anybody walking in the mansion. Who was up? Haruka had not the faintest idea where Miyuki was, if she had stayed. Hana and Yukino went to bed surely. Haruka... well he woke up in a bed, but he's 99% sure that's not where he had fallen asleep at first. And Haruka hadn't seen Jellal since last night either, after his little preach of determination.

That also poised the question of, Where was Satoshi?

Back to the footsteps.

While he wanted to call out, it could have easily been a butler or maid and Haruka didn't want to disturb their duties. He went ahead and checked around the house a bit more himself instead. He might come across the person anyways.

"Kitchen... kitchen..."

Haruka desperately craved a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

[Cherry]

Yukino ran a hand through Hana's navy blue hair, lowering it to caress the little sister's cheek. "How are you feeling?" The queen had come to check on her, and it looked like the princess already had a better time sleeping. Wanting to remember any negativity, big sister smiled and hugged the younger one.

[Hope]

"Nee-san..." She was in surprise when her sister hugged her, a tender feeling, a truly heavenly kind of warmth.

It seems like her sister, unlike her had a hard time sleeping. The happiness that Hana felt inside her dream, she wanted to share it with her sister. She was only disappointed in the moment, but as the princess, she was taught by Pacifica and the others to always plan ahead, and to see the bigger picture. She kept her sister in the arms, enjoying the moment, as bittersweet as it felt, and she began to speak.

"Nee-san, I saw the Bermuda Triangle in my dream, and it wasn't just the ones that we're lost, I saw more idols and that's when I realized." She fell silent, the thoughts flowing into her head from her dream, made her smile now in reality, "there's a future for the Bermuda Triangle, there will be new idols and they will work hard to get their senpai back..." The way she saw the Bermuda Triangle in her dream, it was similar to the state of Gold Paladin now, that's why she wanted to tell her sister. "Ahmes and Yunos have their own kouhai... the Gold Paladin, and I don't think that we should feel like it's hopeless because we don't want to make the little brother and sisters of our old friends feel like they're not good enough. They want to get strong for their senpai, nii chan, and nee sans..." She grabbed onto her sister more tightly, "and I'm sure that they'll save them..."

[Crystalia]

Miyuki had manage to walk over to a spare room before falling asleep. She didn't sleep well however, now that no-one was there the events of the day hit her. Bermuda Triangle huh. Trying to ignore these thoughts, she paced around the room for a bit, until falling into a restless sleep.

As usual it was late when she woke up. She didn't feel particularly better, but decided to move. 'Dwelling on things won't change them' she told herself. For now, she headed to the kitchen, to see if anyone else was up. If she could find it that is.

[Jello]

"Coffee at last."

Haruka found himself sitting in the kitchen with, you guessed it, the butler who brought Haruka coffee two months ago and some. With a bow and a smile, Haruka received his cup of joe and sat at the kitchen table, savoring his morning treat. However that didn't last all too long, as thoughts started to whir in his head again.

Save everybody.

That was Haruka's initial goal before anything even close to an evil presence had occurred. Even now, Haruka was unsure if he was able to save anybody at all. And at that, if he would need saving.

He dropped the subject quickly as footsteps happened to be coming by. Light, again. Maybe the person from earlier? Regardless, nothing was going to drag Haruka from his morning coffee. Sips and gulps were all that was heard from the kitchen. Having such a high roof made the sounds obnoxiously loud as they bounced off of the walls, but it didn't bother Haruka, nor the butler. In fact, the butler was delighted with his handiwork. It was a decent day for the both of them so far.

[Crystalia]

After a bit of walking around, and help from some workers, Miyuki managed to make her way to the kitchen. Peaking in, she could see Haruka sitting there. 'Looks like I was right' she thought. She entered the kitchen and sat opposite him. He seemed to be drinking some coffee.

'How are you? she asked. 'Oh yeah, I'd like to thank you for yesterday. It really helped me, seeing you try to comfort them.'

(Haruka +5 AP from the day before)

[Cherry]

"But I'm their senior!" Garmore shouted.

Yugure held Hana in a tight embrace, listening to her beautiful image of the Mermaid Idols returning to new students - understudies of the diva way. Hearing this hope for the future lit up the queen's heart just a little bit. Just as Pacifica had a legion of musicians to return to, Ahmes and Yunos had a mass following of knights to come home to. Well, "unruly brats" as Yunos would belittle them to, but it was his affectionate way of claiming them as his brats. "It's not hopeless, we'll save them", Yukino responded to Hana's dream. Rubbing her back, they shared this sentiment. Unfortunately, it wasn't as strong for the queen. Another matter tugged at her heart, but Hana finding some peace kept said matter out of reach for the time being.

Her majesty eased up on the hold, pulling back with a hand on the princess' shoulder. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

Taking a step to Hana's side, an arm wrapped around her back. Yukino urged her to come to get something to eat to start off their day.

[Jello]

Haruka looked up. So somebody had shown up, and it was somebody he actually needed to talk to as well.

"Hey there, Miyuki. I'm... Well I've been better." Haruka points raises the arm holding his coffee, noting all of the bandages draped across.

"But I'm better now. And I should be thanking you. I was about to pass out. Give up, I guess..." Haruka didn't want to admit that he even thought about giving up ever, but it was bound to happen if Miyuki's efforts to help as well hadn't rallied his strength.

"I should be thanking you, really." Haruka's voice was purely sincere. "Truthfully, I don't know if I would have ever been able to help them. But you've known Hana for a long time. I feel as though you're one of the few, Yukino as well, who could really help her right now." Haruka's voice trembled a little, only due to his lack of real sleep and sustenance. Haruka had nothing but cotton candy, and now coffee, in the past 48 hours.

[Crystalia]

'No need to thank me, I guess we both just tried to help the people we care about.' God that was corny she thought. She almost winced saying that, but it was how she felt. That aside, Haruka looked to be on the verge of collapsing.

'So, do you like eat anything other than ice cream? Because you certainly look, well out of it.' To be honest, although he was holding himself well, he looked horrible, those bandages really didn't help. 'It might not be the only thing on your mind, but you should eat something as well. If you want to help them, you have to make sure you don't seem to be about to die. Kinda worries them otherwise' she laughed, trying to force herself into a better mood.

[Jello]

He sort of pouted at the comment about ice cream.

"So what if it is all I eat..." Haruka was obviously joking as his face broke into a genuine smile, and then laughter.

"It's been a little rough is all. I'll eat when I get home, or maybe have breakfast here if it's permitted." He nodded, understanding Miyuki's note on that if he himself wasn't healthy and ready to go, how could he expect to help others too?

Gotta help yourself before you can help others.

"Want anything Miyuki? This guy over here makes an amazing royal brew." Haruka pointed to the butler washing some dishes, who smiled at Haruka's remarked.

[Beryl]

Seph popped next to Yukino, sweating profusely. He had just come from the amusement park, where things with his champion had once again taken an awkward turn.

"Y-Yugure..." He didn't know what to tell her. It might not even be the best time, but...this wasn't going to go well if Neu Edelweiss had her way.

"Neu Edelweiss...we met her."

[Cherry]

Yugure sent off Hana to get food alone, as the queen had no appetite. Seph popping up in a nervous sweat already told her that he and Satoshi had some sort of falling out.

"And?"

Judging by Satoshi's text, this "lead" was probably the mastermind behind everything herself. So the queen expected them to go meet her. Nothing good could come out of it, but Hana had come first in the last night. Now, this could be addressed, as the little sister got some spirit back.

[Crystalia]

'O-oh, hmmm, sure I guess.' She didn't really have much experience with coffee, but if this butler was apparently great, it couldn't harm her, right. When asked how she'd like her coffee, she had no answer though. She looked helplessly at Haruka, who just shrugged. 'I guess I'll have it how you usually do it' she answered. Waiting in anticipation, she wondered how it'd taste.

She had a sip. Just a small one. Even once she had taken the sip, she managed to not spit it out. 'W-well, it certainly has a unique taste' she said. 'Extremely bitter' she added to herself. 'How do people drink this?' She stared at Haruka with newfound respect, this man must have truly worked hard to be able to take a drink like this, and just casually sip it. In the end though, she could only manage 1 small sip. Despite feeling bad for the butler, it was just way too bitter.

(Haruka +1 AP)

[Beryl]

Seph sat on the table, still shaking. "He...he wanted to get information about what's been happening to him...there's an image and a voice that's been plaguing him since last night that he refused to tell me about. She managed to make him..." He swallowed.

"She managed to make him believe that these losses were for the better of Cray. The fact that people are still so happy without knowing anything about what's going on, or how they're being fooled...it's a world without pain, except here, in this house." He shook his head, sounding like he was possibly about to cry.