(GS3) Home Field: Espoir Mansion

[Hope]

"it's fine..." Hana resolved not to be so hard her for the time being, really, if anything, there's enough time later to breeze through the problem here, plus she was actually hungry herself. She had the workers move the eggs towards them along with ketchup, salt, pepper, chili sauce, pizza sauce, and many other things that no one would ever thing of combining with an egg. A thin table was placed at the corner of the bed, in between her and her sister. A spoon, knife, fork, plates, and cloth already laid on it, the quantity for a meal for two.

"We didn't get to eat together yesterday so I already knew why you collapsed before the baka butlers even told me." She picked up her fork and set the cloth on her lap.Her voice was tender now, being caught up in the moment, one that she hasn't experienced in so long. "Since it's just us two right now, we can have a meal for two. It's been awhile since the last time that we've ate a meal with just us two like this huh? We've met so many people.."

She ran her her hand through her sister's hair, so she wouldn't just feel her words, but her tender touch as well. "We can talk about the rest later, for now I just want to enjoy a meal with just the two of us, just like it was months ago. Even if its in silence, I hope that you can feel my love Yukinee, and I can feel your presence... that alone is enough. Come now, the eggs are getting cold." Hana gave out a smile as she was lost in this moment, now its sincere, hoping Yukinee would see it.

[Cherry]

Yukino gave Satoshi an inquisitive gaze. While knowing that he was here because of goodwill, Hana spoke in a way that clearly didn't invite him. She was curious as to how he'd take that.

Despite brain and body both crying out for the food, her heart wasn't much interested in that as much as dealing with the future. All the queen believed was that Hana was sick of having to deal with a sickly mess of a woman, and that this was more than likely a nuisance. The butlers even bugged the princess over it, which was even worse. Remaining silent, sincere warmth of words couldn't reach the spiky, invisible wall. Yukino's eyes closed, trying to stay to her thoughts, but nearly passing out again because of hunger.

Then, Hana's hand broke through the barrier.

Yukino found herself feeling twice as pathetic, nearly crying at the touch. A broken mess of a sister didn't deserve kindness or coddling like this, she was supposed to focus on everyone else. Of course, another shortcoming due to her own incompetence got in the way - the lack of eating.

"Sorry..." was the only word mustered for a few minutes, still avoiding the food. "We can talk about the rest now", was offered after those moments of silence. She kind of just wanted Hana to finally dig into her, getting everything out so Yukino wouldn't feel awful about what was still hidden.

[Beryl]

Satoshi shrugged with that same weak smile, leaving the tray with a look that said, "Whenever you feel better, I'll be around." He quietly stepped out and headed back into the kitchen...

...only to run smack into Haruka. Stumbling, he hit the floor.

"Ow..."

[Jello]

With good timing, Haruka had already downed his cup of coffee and placed it in the sink before going full headbutt mode into Satoshi. Lucky for Haruka, his head was sort of facing down, meaning Satoshi got a face full of Haruka's forehead, whereas Haruka came away mostly unscathed. It still kind of hurt though.

"Ow ow ow ow.... What's the big idea- Oh, Satoshi. There you are. How's Hana and Yukino? Heard Yukino wasn't eating right. I was gonna head up there but I figured Hana had it under control or something so I was just..." Haruka would have sounded pathetic admitting he was waiting for the butler to come back so they could talk, so he went to Plan B.

"Drinking some delicious coffee until somebody came down. Right on time, mate!" Haruka produced a smile, which was, believe it or not, completely authentic. He wasn't feeling too down, and his fatigue was mostly gone. Sera had done Haruka a service, taking the wheel for a bit. Haruka unexpectedly found himself feeling much better than he had been the past three or so days.

[Hope]

"Nee-san, I know you never understood why Espoirs loved eggs so much, but after you take one bite maybe you will. They're nutritious, delicious, and an excellent source if protein. Yes Dad-san told me he bulked up off of eggs back in the day." Hana let out a little laugh. She picked up a fork from her sister's end of the table and tried to hand it to her. "Well, its obviously not that simple, this entire situation were in." She took a bite and sat silently for a little. "If you really insist on talking about it now,you should eat first so that I know you won't pass out on me or anything." Hana also had the orange juice placed on her table along with water so she could choose whichever she prefered to drink.

"Also, we can practice later to talk about things as well. It would sure beat just being alone you know."

[Beryl]

"Hana's...having alone time with her." Satoshi rubbed his forehead. "She hasn't been eating right for days, the feast was evidence of that...so I brought some more food, but it was made clear I wasn't allowed to be up there by the littlest." He sighed and took a mug for himself, sipping.

This was some pretty good coffee. Haruka had good taste.

"You seem a lot better than when I last saw you, though." He sat the mug on a coaster and then placed himself in a chair, crossing his legs. "Although, who knows, could be an act." He fake chuckled a little. Honestly, hiding feelings from one another was really starting to bother him, especially they were all best friends, but burdens were burdens. Even if some were meant to be shared.

[Cherry]

You know, the ridiculousness of Dad Espoir actually gaining a large margin of that muscle with eggs alone... was actually something Yukino could see. A short, light chuckle with a wry smile was her reply. Not accepting the fork, she continued contemplating the situation. It wasn't that simple to talk about matters, but she'd love to just get them out of the way now. Still, looking down, eating so fainting won't occur seemed like a good idea if she wanted to get down to business. Before even realizing it, the fork was not only in hand, but had stuck itself into the food to deliver a bite.

Being alone would make her less a hindrance, so it didn't sound that bad if everyone else got to benefit. At the same time, loneliness wasn't something the queen could easily cope with as much as she'd like.

Quietly, she took a small bite. It... had no taste. Yukino thought she was losing her senses, but quickly took another bite to make sure. This one had taste, with relieved her.

[Jello]

"Could say that. I saw Neu today though. That was just... well, it was unpleasant at first. I sort wanted to strangle her." Haruka leans against the marble counter, recalling the event to Satoshi.

"She beat me with Overlord. The End, specifically. Then she took me out to coffee. At first I was skeptical, but I was near dead so I took her up on it." Haruka leaves out the part of Sera. It wasn't exactly important that he was finally talking to Haruka. Or that he was even existent. "So, long story short, being beaten by Neu focused me enough to get back into the groove of things. Well, maybe it was her incessant teasing and taunting that just got me fired up."

Haruka grabbed another cup of joe. He needed to keep up the buzz. His foot was tapping at near rapid speed, but that was okay with him. Being wired up was better than shutting down.

[Beryl]

Satoshi was taking a sip of coffee when Haruka mentioned Neu using Dragonic Overlord the End. He did a huge spit take.

"SHE WHAT?!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Last time he fought her, the best her Kagero variant could do was utilize Dragonic Lawkeeper and its Limit Break. What had changed to allow her the wield the power of Haruka's Vanguard?!

He stooped down to wipe up the coffee he spat out. "That's freakin' crazy. Last time I played her, she wasn't using your avatar at all. That's such a dramatic change. I don't get what happened to allow for that."

[Jello]

"I didn't expect her to have a hold of Kagero in the first place. I guess it slipped my mind that she had been the one who sealed all the clans away in the first place." Haruka pockets his right hand, sipping his coffee staring out the window.

"The fight was close, but like I said, The End took me out. Spectral Duke wasn't even close to powerful enough to deal with the power that the Overlord possessed. Strangely enough..." Haruka turned to Satoshi. His stare was stone-cold for a only a second, then turned all too sincere at once.

"I felt no remorse for him. He had become a puppet to Neu. I miss him so much, but, at this point." He paused.

"He's no longer My Vanguard. Not anymore." Haruka finished his cup and placed it on the table. While he meant to be gentle, the sound of the cup hitting the counter top was actually quite startling, for Haruka even.

"Until he's unlocked from the Rift, I can't consider him an ally."

[Beryl]

No longer his Vanguard?...

Well, it sort of made sense. Haruka had to be able to bond with Vortimer in the same way Yukino had to be able to bond with Ezel. Otherwise, the chances of them getting back those avatars was slim to none. Of that, he was quite certain. But the fact that Neu was able to use their avatars...

"That means she can use all of Yukino's Blasters...and Jellal's Dragon of Hell..." Satoshi shook his head. This was unreal. This girl had bonded with the clans enough to control the avatars and---

Something dawned on him. Was that why she wanted to play Vanguard all of the time? The entire point was to unseal those avatars and use them for herself, since they were such considerable power?

He clenched his fist. So fun was a ruse to get people to play her game...he had been so stupid. So incredibly stupid. He walked up to a wall and started smacking his head against it.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!"

[Jello]

"Satoshi..?" Haruka walked over, putting a hand on his shoulder to prevent the oncoming concussion.

"Hey, hey. Even if she can control our avatars, that doesn't mean a thing right now. It just means she's playing the deck's that we know best, and if anything that's an advantage we need to take."

Haruka nodded, trying to calm down the currently rampaging farm boy. Swinging his head at a wall was more than likely just going to cause structural damage to the house, and his brain.

[Beryl]

"No, you don't get it. I..."

Satoshi sighed. "I messed up and I didn't even realize. Whatever friends Neu says she has, she's been using to get closer to those avatars. Every time she fights one of those friends, win or lose, she gets closer and closer to having it all..." He rubbed his forehead. "So thanks to me and some others...she's got your avatar. Who knows how close she is to the others..."

He walked back to the table and slumped down. He just wanted to help, and instead had just made everything worse.

[Jello]

"Hoh?" Haruka stood there, hands pocketed as usual. His stare went up, where the sky would normally be. Instead he found himself looking at a ceiling. Close enough.

"You wouldn't have known. In fact, I didn't even know. And I bet you ask anyone and they wouldn't have known either. It's not a matter of the fact you did it, or they did it, or whoever is involved. It's a matter of dealing with her now." Haruka wasn't going to sugar coat the rest of the message. He rarely wanted to make a poor impression, but this might result so.

"If you sit here and cry about it, what good is that doing for us? You have access to Limit Break now, and with that power I expect you to hold up your end of the damn bargain. All of us have a part to play when it comes to releasing the locked clans, and even more so to stop Neu and whoever else is out there from taking anymore. Hear me? Ypu can't start sulking now. Otherwise the efforts everyone has put in so far will start going to waste."

Haruka wasn't yelling per se, but his voice was echoing throughout the kitchen at least.

[Beryl]

"What progress?!" Satoshi couldn't hold it off anymore. He stood up suddenly and turned to Haruka, upset fury in his eyes.

"I don't know of any progress we're making because neither of you says a goddamn thing to me anymore! Yukino's a mess who hates my guts because she's jealous I get to keep my clan and have an avatar I love when hers is ripped away from her, but won't say it straight to my face because she's not supposed to be mad at me or something, when clearly I'm the one making her miserable!"

He jabbed a finger in his face. "And you...you've been tired all the time and I never see you around, just like her, and every time I see you, just like her, I feel like you're hiding something! All three of us are best friends; there's nothing to hold back if either of you knew really knew what that mean!"

He panted, his anger turning to tears. "But what do I know?! All I'm trying to do is not be lonely anymore and make things right...and help you guys...and instead I just...I just feel more and more alone, all the time..."