*Snakes can swim*

Snakes can swim. Their bodies are quite light and naturally float, and they can swim by doing lateral, wave-like movements just like an eel (the commonly known S-shape). Their lungs are also very capable, allowing serpents to cover the distance, and rather quickly at that, while in the water. Even species that aren't found near bodies of water are still able to swim, though lack of practice may impair that ability somewhat.

All snakes can swim. Of course, the open sea is not a place one would go to test that fact, for the simple reason that waves are known to be quite bitchy sometimes. However, with the low tides, it is very possible for a snake to enjoy some quality time in the saline waters. Just like Hazama and the Ouroboros were doing right now.

They were quite the cute little ones, as well. The mini Ouroboros, that Hazama decided to call "mini-boros" for short, were quite the agile swimmers. They played around, happily splashing him, as the chain-snakes followed after them. It was a nice little sight to behold, especially under the calm and warm seawater.

"Ah, isn't this just wonderful, Terumi-san?" Hazama sighed, quite pleased with the current development. "The sea is calm and the water is just perfect."

"Yep. It's… very watery, all right."

"Then why don't you get in?" The Captain replied, almost as if complaining. "After we went through all the trouble to change into proper swimming outfits as well."

Indeed, the walk back to the van was probably the most demanding task Hazama had the entire day. Not only that, but having to complain about how Nu-13 was not doing her job fixing the van's door really took a toll on him. Nevermind her complaints about getting into a fight with Jin Kisaragi because of his motorcycle. That was her problem to solve, as the designated driver who happened to park by the vehicle in question. She should have known that Terumi-san was going to do something stupid.

And now it was her job to thrall the van's wheels before the sunset. "And you could have ditched the cloak for once…"

"You didn't ditch the damn hat, why should I leave my cloak behind?!"

"A man's hat is his soul, Terumi-san."

The ghost scoffed. "That's grand, coming from the guy without a soul."

"I meant it in the figurative sense." Hazama huffed, holding his hat as he dove his head under the sea. Just as the refreshing feeling cooled his cheeks, he came back out of the water, taking a deep breath. "Ah! Come on in, Terumi-san. This is actually good."

"I'm already in!" The ghost pointed to his feet, that were sometimes being touched by the last efforts of only the most daring of waves. "How deep do you want me to go?!"

"You could try ankle-deep, for a start. Are you scared of the water, Terumi-san?"

"What? No, of course I'm not." Terumi replied, and his rushed answer wasn't fooling anybody. Even the Ouroboros were staring at him, though the mini-boros were probably doing that out of curiosity instead of judgement. "I just don't like to swim, all right?!"

"You don't need to swim to enjoy the sea, though."

"The sea is overrated." Terumi-san complained, backing away when a stronger wave actually allowed the water to touch his toes. "What's even fun about this crap anyways? It's just water and water and even more water."

Hazama cocked his head to the side as he tried to make sense of the little scene the ghost was causing. "Terumi-san, are you afraid of water?"

"I'm not afraid of shit!" Was the angry response.

Hazama preferred to ignore the outburst. "Did you have bad experiences with water, maybe?"

"No, I did not."

"Not even once?"

Terumi turned his eyes away and gritted his teeth. "Even if I did, it doesn't matter! Why are you even bringing that up!?"

"…because Japan is surrounded by a body of water called the Pacific Ocean, which we are currently visiting."

"And so what?"

Hazama sighed. "You know what, it doesn't matter. Keep doing whatever you like. I'm going to enjoy my day off."

The ghost's mouth turned into a crescent-shaped sneer. "So can I leave now?"

There was a hint of yellow under the shadow of the black hat. "You may try." And a widening of the casual serpentine smile. "Let's see how far you can get."

Terumi laughed. "Is that a threat I hear, Hazama-chan?"

"Oh no, Terumi-san. Not at all." The vessel answered politely. "It is merely a statement."

Knives came out as quickly as claws, though it was hard to discern where exactly they were being kept in the black swimming trunks. "I'll show you a statement, you little self-entitled assho—"

BLAM

The round projectile hit the target right in the face, knocking the ghost backwards before bouncing off into the sky, never to be seen again. As Terumi-san rose, face reddened from sunburn, pain and also anger, a sweet childish voice called out to them.

"Ah, Hazama-san, watch out for the ball!"

Hazama turned around. The young Carl Clover, in his most adorable purple swimming outfit, paddled a bit in their direction. "Everything's fine, but I believe your ball has taken off, little Carl!"

"Oh, it's fine! Sis can make another one!"

"Very well then! Have fun!" Hazama relaxed, leaning against one of the laziest Ouroboros, who was currently floating away while dozing off. In the distance, the scream of 'Volante' and a loud and clear grunt of pain could be heard. "Ah, children are quite adorable, don't you agree, Terumi-san?"

"Yeah." The ghost replied with an unusually psychotic smile. Its unusual quality wasn't in the fact that it was an uncommon expression to his face, far from it, but because it had never been so particularly pissed-off before. "They sure are lovely."

"So don't you think it's about time you spend some quality time with yours?"

"I think the entirety of the continuum shift could qualify me for a break from those damned dolls, but… oh, you're talking about these tiny little shits." Terumi sighed as he watched the tiniest of the mini-boros wrap around his left leg. The little snake turned to his face and put its tongue out. "The hell you looking at, you little fuck?"

The mini-boros opened its mouth, showing off quite the fangs for a small green shadow-snake. "Oh, Terumi-san, it looks like it wants to play~" Hazama commented on it with a very particular smile. The kind of smile that always precedes a bad situation for those stupid enough to fall on that venomous serpent's nest. "You should come play with us."

And with a quick snap, the shadows turned into a chain that snaked its way in the air, wrapping tightly around the legs of its target. "Hazama-chan—?!" The victim had no time to process the happening before he was pulled by the strength of the very abyss itself, unable to escape his terrible fate.

The water reached the ghost's ankles. Hazama held the chains firmly. "You'll play in the water, Terumi-san, and you'll have a good time while doing it." It was a declaration of war.

"Leave me alone, you—!" The ghost tried in vain to flee, but the tiny Ouroboros, understanding their purpose, wrapped around his arms to keep him from struggling his way out. "You little shits! You're on his side!?"

"They are smarter than you think, Terumi-san." Hazama was glad to declare. "They're on the winning side."

The water fully covered the ghost's feet and half of his legs. "No! Stop!" The tiny Ouroboros held as firmly as the big ones, proving their worth against the very one they were not supposed to fight. "Stop it, Hazama-chan! Stop it right now!"

Knee-deep. The ghost was starting to get desperate as he fought the small waves. "Why, Terumi-san, what is all of this about? Didn't you say you weren't scared?" Hazama couldn't resist the taunt.

"I take that back! I'm scared! Now let me go!"

"But what could you possibly be scared about?"

"I… I…!" He resisted until the moment the first droplet touched his briefs. "I DON'T WANNA GET MY HAIR WET!"

"Huh?" The surprise stopped Hazama for a moment. He merely stared at the ghost, who still struggled against the chains that bind him. The snakes, on the other hand, were having a hard time keeping the chains tight enough as they slowly floated to the surface of the water. "What was that, Terumi-san?"

"I don't wanna get my hair wet!" Terumi complained loudly. That is, even louder than his usual no-indoor voice. "It's gonna look stupid just like yours! I don't want it! I want my spikey hair!"

"You… do know hair is dryable, right?"

"I don't wanna dry it, it takes too long and I hate waiting!"

Hazama thought for a moment he was having an aneurism, but he soon remembered his body was unable to suffer that kind of ill. "You're wearing a hood as well, it's not like anyone can see it…"

"I can feel it and I don't wanna!"

Hazama mulled over that for a long time, all the while Terumi-san whined as the waves lightly brushed past his legs. It was a very revealing period of meditation, and Hazama's final conclusion surely was but one more step in his enlightenment as a vessel with a semblance of free-will.

He got up from the water, taking a few steps until he was facing the ghost. "What are you—" With one swift movement, he got a hold of the yellow cloak. The entire world turned into slow motion as Hazama pulled the light weight of the ghost, lifting his leg as he did so. As he let go, Terumi was far too surprised to block the winding kick that came his way, knocking him sideways right into the deep waters. "GUWAH!"

"Infernal Serpent that brings a thousand deaths in one night, engulf all souls within your jaw."

The ghost had barely enough time to lift his head out of the water.

"In the name of Takehagaya Susanoo I command you: AWAKEN, NOX NYCTORIS OUROBOROS!"

Astral Finish!