"Sometimes it doesn't matter if you win or lose. Sometimes it's just about giving your all, you can't win every single competition in your life. You don't gain anything from winning. You gain everything from losing."
"What do you gain from getting punched in the face?"
"All I ask is that you try it thoroughly before you knock it…People could need you one day. You could be somewhat of a hero."
"Need me? Don't we have all the other fighters for that?"
"What if they all get hurt or die? Who's going to step up besides them?.."
"I've never fought. I've never wanted to fight. I only joined so I could have fun with all of you."
"The two aren't mutually exclusive. You can have fun but also fight for what's right. If you don't..then a world where there's zero fun may be the future you see."
"How about we just focus on the now? We'll get there when we get there."
"This is right now…but I understand.." She leaned back against the wall in the water leading to the land above the lake.
Raiden smiled and laughed nervously with a slight blush on his face. "Well you were on the opposite side just a couple hours ago, but now we're gonna be working together from now on so I think it's better you know the real me."
Yuki smiled and hit the dance floor, it was mostly cleared out due to Matsumi's antics but she smiled and continued dancing with the space they were given from the remaining crowd.
"No use in worrying about that stuff. Nobody wants to, so just chill Mrs. MVP!" He said as he shook his hair to get some of the water on her.
"If you don't know the real you how could I truly know then?..There's some food for thought." Shizukana put her hands on her hips.
Tengoku danced with Yuki enjoying himself, he smiled knowing that he was able to get her to get out of her antisocial shell and take the depression away from her, even if it was for a second.
"I-I'm chill….H-Hey!..Stop!.." Vermelha covered her face from the water hitting it out of her face.
"Ok, ok." With a small splash he would dive down into the lake. Just fully enjoying himself after ignoring part of Vermelha's words about responsibility to learn how to fight.
Raiden thought about it for a second then came to his conclusion. "I guess we both can't know the real versions of us till we grow and find it, right?"
Yuki continued dancing as the moon rose to its peak within the celestial body signaling midnight , the party was still chaotic but people were starting to pass out left and right due to exhaustion.
"Maybe..but we'll find out soon.." She smiled at him, gazing at the moon that shined in the night as the party continued, more people taking the floor for their rest.
Tengoku grabbed Yuki by the hands. "Come on..let's ditch this or something..People are passing out."
Raiden smiled back at Shizu enjoying the view of the moon occasionally looking back down at her, he looked around as people started dropping once again.
"Damn… everyone's passing out already…? Do you have a place you can go back to tonight?"
Yuki nodded looking confused at the drunk and tired people, she glanced over at her cousin one last time. "Yeah I think we're good, those two over there are just gonna keep being weird or whatever"
"W-Well yeah but it's a long ride back home….." Shizukana answered Raiden.
"Raiden?…I didn't know it was weird to have a conversation..Are we weird then in your eyes?"
After some time of the both of them being in the lake, Matsumi ultimately got bored and his high octane energy started to dissipate as the night set in. Swimming back up to land, climbing up with all of his hair covering his face. "I think that's enough." His hand swiping upward to move his hair out of his face. "You coming?"
Yuki looked back at Tengoku and shook her head. "No no, they didn't even dance… just stared at the moon for some reason"
Raiden tilted his head a little worried. "I can come with you if you want just to get you home? Or if you need a place to stay for the night?"
"What's wrong with that? I happen to love the moon..You're an assassin. You're a being of darkness..maybe that light bothers you because of that reason." Tengoku sighed at her remarks.
"…Sure, I'll stay here for the night..especially because Tengoku is probably not going anywhere…but no funny business." Shizukana rolled her eyes and decided to stay at Raiden's place for the night.
"Where are you going? It's late..Surely you're not going to go back to party. People are hammered..the night is practically over." Vermelha looked at Matsumi in curiosity.
"Nah, no way. I squeezed everything out of this party already. You need help getting out?"
"No…I'm perfectly fine..You act like i'm crippled and my legs don't work.." She got out the lake, rolling her clothes back to normal, brushing it out of her face.
"Whatever." Matsumi jogged over to his shirt and jacket on the ground, throwing onto his shoulder. "I don't know where I'm going, I haven't figured that out yet."
Yuki nodded thinking about the moon itself. "I like the New Moon, dark and hidden yknow…"
Raiden put his hands up and waved them."N-No! Im not like that! There's a couple rooms here and you can have your own room if you want!"
"I have an apartment..It was a gift from my mother when I moved here. You can sleep in my bed until they give you a dorm..it's the least I can do for you…or I don't know..You're sort of like a cowboy. Make a deal with the blonde guy." Vermelha walked over to him, letting him know it was time to leave.
"I guess then it resembles who you've shown yourself to be…Dark and Hidden.." Tengoku laughed, grabbing one of the stray bottles. "Do you want another?..I don't usually indulge but since it's here we might as well."
"For real? Sick!" Matsumi has a bright smiled on his face, running over to give Vermelha a hug in appreciation. "Thanks a bunch! Now I won't have to walk around somewhere!"
"I wouldn't let you anyways…You'd get in serious trouble and you'd fuck something up…" She smiled and hugged him back. "As long as you're safe."
Yuki smiled with stars in her eyes as she grabbed the drink starting to chug it, it seemed like she had already indulged in it before and was super excited to drink a little.
Matsumi let go and started to trot over back to the inside of the house. "I'm going in for a sec! I need my bag." He opened the back door of the boathouse swiftly. "Yo! I'm back!" Almost tripping over an unconscious body of another student. "Jeez, you guys know how to party, huh?" His body still dripping wet.
Shizu thought on Raiden's offer some more. "Wow..Aren't you in a predicament then? You did all this and you're still doing for me that your parents wouldn't allow. I have to say…I'll always respect a man with a backbone…Even if we're still not there yet technically.." She smiled and closed her eyes. "I'll return the favor then one day..I promise."
Tengoku was taken aback, but if he could please and make her happy then it was the least he could do. He understood loss of family and loved ones well. Losing somebody, especially within endless mystery was hard.
"I offered you a drink..not the bottle itself..At least let me have some too…"*He looked toward Matsumi. "I see you got your olympic swimming off in the back…You're an odd one Matsumi.."
"Thanks! And thanks to blondie for throwing the party too!" He stepped around everybody until reaching a small table, the same one he remembered to put the bag full of things for Mr. Moon…but it was on the floor. When he grabbed it and looked inside he noticed the tea leaves completely crushed. He held it close. "You guys leaving too?"
"No. I'll be staying around for a bit. We'll catch back up at school. Get some rest alright?"
Raiden smiled and stood up holding his hand out to help her up if needed. "I try my best, I like a woman that I can actually talk to, someone to bounce off of."
Yuki pouted and held the bottle close to herself. "Well you offered and whats mine is mine no matter what so I guess that's on you then huh?"
Aiden had seen a few people pass out from drinking themselves into oblivion or just pure exhaustion. "Lightweights" He chuckled too himself as he sat alone, cigarette clinging too the side of his mouth as he played Blackjack by himself. "Some party." He murmured again, exhaling deeply as he looked around; debating on if he should stay or just simply leave as he continued his solo card game. He watched a few people conversing drunkenly about who loves who more; his eyes would roll at their conversation as he set the last card down. "Damn." He grunted, slightly too loud as the card he set down was not the desired one.
"I'm staying over with Vermelha! Way better than just roaming around." He looked over to Aiden. "I didn't see you before, you got here late or something?"
"Oh come on man, you know me. I'm a ghost." He chuckled, looking up at Matsumi. "You want a card game or you gonna bounce?" The cards laid on the table were quickly swiped up and put back into a deck that he was shuffling around.
"Maybe the party stopped but ours hasn't. Why don't we keep chatting?…I like our conversation so far..it's a good one." Shizukana was hopeful, her face red ss she grabbed Raiden's hand.
Tengoku turned back to her rolling his eyes. "Alright. If you say so I won't steal it from you now."
Vermelha walked over to Matsumi.
"Matsumi..no chance you know how to play cards. He's probably going to wash you.." She laughed at the idea but watched, intrigued.
"What did you say?! Oh, now I have to-!" He walked over, still drenched and sat in front of Aiden. "Of course I know how to play!"
"Hey man, you don't need to prove yourself." Aiden chuckled slightly, dealing Matsumi his two cards; holding the deck and waiting for him to say if he wanted another card or not.
"Give me another, I'm feeling pretty lucky."
Aizen pulles back the next card, sliding it across the table. "Hope it's good luck." He said as he waited for Matsumi again, his foot tapping slightly as he looked at the man across from him.
"Of course give me another! Don't leave me hanging!"
"Look, I'm not commanding you or anything. But you have gotta be really low in numbers if you want a fourth card dude." Aiden looked at his cards then him with disbelieving smile. "But it's on you." He added, sliding him the fourth card; not knowing at all what it is.
Raiden nodded and put his hands back into his pockets, repeating what she said to him a little while ago. "That makes sense… you make sense…"
Yuki's face was red from the alcohol. Being of a smaller stature meant she was also a lightweight. "Of course! Nobody can steal from me!"
"Pfft. What do you mean? I always know what I have. I'm ready." Matsumi said, pretty confidently actually.
"Don't get wasted now..Then i'll have to carry you around to make sure you're alright." Tengoku leaned back, looking at her face.
"So?…That room?.." Shizukana waited for him to lead the way.
"You want another or do you want to stand ?" Aizen asked, Matsumi not saying what he wanted to do at that moment but if Aiden had to take a guess; it would probably be another card.
"You know what…I'm good with these. I got it, I got it."
"Whatever you say." Aizen said, laying out his own cards face up; with whatever struck of luck he immediately hits 20 and stops placing cards. "Alright man, show 'em." He says, waiting for his patron too reveal his cards.
"Watch. Perfect!" As soon as Matsumi flipped them, for everyone to see, was a 22. Off by one point and just being a little greedy. "Ah! What the?!"
"And if we had money, it would be mine. Can't win them all." He had quickly glided over Matsumi's card's and put them back into the deck. "You getting out of here? Looks like you were leaving." He asked; shuffling the cards on the table before setting the deck face down; wanting to hold a conversation with Matsumi.
"Ok, you got me this time. But yeah, I was just about to get outta here. Why?"
"Was just curious, was thinking of bailing myself. This was kinda lame." He shrugged slightly, taking the last drag of a cigarette and ashing it too the side. "You want a beer before you dip out ?" He asked, looking back at him as he stood up.
"This was the opposite of lame! You just got here late and everybody just stayed talking about whatever instead of partying."
"Parties back where I'm from are a lot more…wild." He said, getting himself another beer; the cap flinging off after slamming his hand on top of it. "By this time the cops would've shown up and we'd be running for the woods." He laughed slightly at the memories of the past; taking a small swig from the bottle in his hand.
"I tried to hype it as much as I could, but most of these guys are just boring or shy. They don't really know how to party by themselves."
"Well that is what I appreciate about you my friend." He said, pointing the tip of the bottle at Matsumi. "You can party." Aiden said, sitting across from him again and taking another drink. "You hear about that explosion earlier at the school ?" He asked, setting the bottle on the table as he leaned fully back in his chair.
"I was in it man. Look-" His finger pointing to the two red bandaids on his forehead. "A piece of debris or something smacked me right there, I didn't even see it coming."
Raiden turned his head and pointed back into the main building area that housed a door with the number one on it. "There, that's the room."
Yuki sighed at Tengoku's remarks. "I'm not going to get wasted okay… I'm just drinking what's left of everything."
"Jesus, you get a concussion ?" Aiden asked, some worry across his face at the thought of whatever condition Matsumi was in. "I wasn't in it myself but I was in the area. Mamba even tried to imply that I did it." He said, grabbing his bottle again and taking another swig.
"I'm alright. I've taken hits to the head since I was little. I know it wasn't you though, I saw somebody else there. I just don't know who."
"Well yeah it wasn't me, I would've remembered blowing something up. With how volatile my powers can get, I'm just surprised it wasn't me for once." He shrugged, looking at his hand that was holding the beer bottle for a few seconds before looking back up at Matsumi.
"You got magic too?! What is it?" His tone getting significantly more interested.