Time to post some cringe – at least I'm more self-aware than I was during my DOATEC's New Leader days…*shudders*
Kasumi, Ayane and a few others distance themselves from the volleyball tournament in this more relaxed, slow-paced chapter. Let me know how you feel about this tone in the comments.
I'm not 100% sure how the Hitomi x Hayate x Hayabusa love triangle/multi-ship/whatevertheshit should go. Give me some ideas in the comments
Marie Rose is a frequent shitposter and shipper and IDC if that's OOC lol
Ayane and Kasumi stood in the gorgeous hotel lobby waiting for Hayate. Ayane had texted him to come over in a few minutes. Hayabusa would be a bit later because he was helping Tamaki out with props for the unnecessary stage to announce the first volleyball tournament.
Hayate ran into the hotel lobby, heavily panting and sweating all over.
"You okay, Hayate?" Kasumi approached her brother.
"Yes, it's just…" Hayate flushed a deep red, "Hayabusa and I got a bit…heated." He dropped to his knees.
"You guys had a fight?" Ayane asked.
"…Not exactly, no," he replied, biting his lip in frustration.
"You know, Leifang might be right about Tamaki putting chemicals in our water," Ayane helped Hayate up.
"Heh, she's become a bit of a Tamaki conspiracy theorist recently, hasn't she?" Kasumi let out a giggle, "so Hayabusa is on his way. Momiji and Rachel should be here at any moment."
Whilst Kasumi, Ayane and a calmer Hayate waited on their three friends, a certain Russian struggled into the lobby. Helena's servant, Marie Rose, was climbing all over him.
"SSIIIIMMP!" Marie grabbed the colourful rainbow beret off his head, "Simp! Tamaki's simp!"
"DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH?!" Bayman tried to keep his voice down and failed.
"Um, what's going on here?" Kasumi reluctantly stood in.
"Simpy simp! Big simp boiiii!" Marie grinned.
"In uh…English please?" Kasumi awkwardly scratched her head.
"I traded my red beret for a rainbow one from Tamaki. Marie thinks I'm Tamaki's bitch"-
Marie did an overly dramatic gasp.
"My apologies," he rolled his eyes, "Freakshow here thinks I'm Tamaki's 'simp'- and the child is gone."
"She stole your beret," Hayate pointed out.
"Ugh," Bayman touched his head, "how can this day get any worse"-
"HEY BAYMAN!" Hitomi appeared behind him, Bayman quietly being startled, "Marie stole your beret! She looks cute wearing it though! Definitely suits a girl more- where are you going?"
Bayman faceplanted onto the lobby's sofa and made a muffled and distressed groan.
"Hehe," Hitomi approached Hayate, "you seem extremely flustered, my love."
"Well, uh, that's because…" Hayate looked around, trying to think of a lie, "that's a…tight swimsuit." Huh, I'm technically not lying, Hayate thought, it's appealing to the eye.
"Oh, you bad boy!" Hitomi winked.
"That's enough of that," Ayane stepped in, "Rachel and Momiji are late."
"What are you even doing?" Bayman peered up from the sofa.
"Oh, well, we're going to find a quiet secluded place from the volleyball tournament," Kasumi said, "I feel like it'll be a sensory overload."
"That I understand," Bayman said, "I'd join, but it's still too many people."
"Huh?" Hitomi tilted her head at the scarred man, "you must really be a loner, huh?"
"Yep," Bayman said, "I don't even know why I came here- and that is not the reason at all."
Hayabusa entered with Rachel and Momiji, and the two women, wearing the string – I mean swimsuits Tamaki had gifted them, couldn't keep their hands off each other.
"God, Rachel, not in front of all these people!~" Momiji was flushing a bright red, "although I'd rather it was you than Tamaki…"
"Yes, Rachel, that's enough," Hayabusa sternly stared at them. Bayman gave a slightly OOC thumbs up to Hayabusa in approval.
"Can we just go already?" Ayane sighed.
"Hehe," Kasumi playfully grabbed Ayane's arm, "follow us, guys, well if you'd like to."
Ayane sighed as Kasumi literally dragged her out the hotel lobby. Hayabusa, Momiji and Rachel followed. Hayate was going to follow but Hitomi didn't budge.
"Hitomi, why aren't you going?" Hayate said.
"I don't know," Hitomi said, "Kasumi and Ayane want peace and quiet…and I'm very, um, talkative."
"I'm sure it will be fine," Hayate said, "Tamaki said we should use this vacation to spend more time together…in fact, it is pretty hot outside. Hotter than usual."
"What are you suggesting?" Hitomi raised an eyebrow.
"There's a large Jacuzzi in the room we got and we could both – MMPH!" Hayate was interrupted by a very sudden kiss.
"C'mon handsome," Hitomi grabbed Hayate's hand after the kiss and ran upstairs to their room.
Bayman groaned at the disgusting amounts of PDA he had been exposed to already on this vacation and turned on the lobby's TV.
…
Kasumi and Ayane had found a spot not far from the stage and volleyball tournament. Hayabusa was getting snacks and Momiji and Rachel were – uh – I'd rather not tell you, that's their business… not ours (at least not yet).
Even with the sea breeze, the heat was a bit much, so Kasumi took a parasol she brought with her. "Are you okay, Ayane?" Kasumi asked, "there's room for one more under here!" She laid down a nice, bright purple towel.
"I'm…fine," Ayane was sweating profusely, "I've got sunscreen on. Lots of it."
"Well, Ayane," Kasumi said in a worried tone, "in half an hour you need to put on more, okay?"
"Okay," Ayane groaned, but then suddenly lightened up at Master Ryu holding two plastic bags worth of snacks. Not to mention the loosely fitted floral-red shorts on him that were a sight to behold. Ayane gulped.
"You can't already be sunburned, Ayane," Hayabusa took snacks out of his bag, kneeling down right next to her. A couple packets of wasabi crisps and strawberry-flavoured mochis, "you need better sunscreen." Even when talking about something as basic as sunscreen, Hayabusa sounded like the most comforting mentor to ever exist.
"Huh," Kasumi looked at them, "it's only your face that is sunburned – and it's gone."
"I was not blushing!" Ayane crossed her arms.
"Teehee," Kasumi laid down on her stomach, "Hayabusa makes everyone blush, it's okay. Talking about blushing…don't you think Momiji and Rachel's swimsuits are…um…" Kasumi awkwardly moved again and sat with her knees on her chest.
"They're fine, nothing we haven't seen before," Hayabusa said, "it's more their PDA that bothers me."
"You need to avoid Bayman more often, you sound just like him," Ayane said, "god, can you imagine if that ass decided to change his mind and join us? It would be a mood kill."
"Well, it's not likely, so let's leave it at that," Kasumi smiled, "god, what are Rachel and Momiji doing that's taking them so long?"
"You want them here?" Ayane said, "but they're so intimate and wear skimpy swimsuits – hold on, are you into that, Kasumi? Gross."
"W-what? No!" Kasumi said, "I just, um, think they're so brave for wearing the swimsuits that Tamaki provided them. I-I could never wear mine! I mean, I think it would be less revealing if I just got naked, you know?"
"There's a man present," Ayane sighed.
"She has a point though," Hayabusa said, "I feel the same way about the swimsuit Tamaki gifted me."
"Tell us more," Rachel appeared behind Hayabusa, Momiji clinging to her side.
Hayabusa quickly turned around and glared at them. He'd never seen Rachel and Momiji act this way towards each other, what changed?
"Heh, my apologies," Rachel said, "say, where could we sit"-
Kasumi had laid out two towels next to her and gave a few shy looks at the women.
Rachel took a lot of the wasabi crisps – a small drone "hey!" from Hayabusa emerging – and sat on Kasumi's left. Momiji giggled and sat to Kasumi's right.
Kasumi grabbed some wasabi crisps and almost scoffed the entire packet. After realising what she did, she blushed in slight embarrassment.
"Nothing to be ashamed of, Kasumi," Momiji grinned, "if you're hungry, you're hungry!"
"Huh, hear that?" Hayabusa said, "you can hear the stage from here."
"Jeez, I think we're at a good enough distance though!" Ayane scoffed, "hm, Tamaki seems to be approaching us, stay on-guard, guys. She's a serial groper."
Momiji and Rachel huddled into Kasumi for safety. She couldn't admit it, but this was heaven in a way she didn't expect it to be.
"May I get you beautiful ladies and a handsome gentleman a drink? More food? Any condoms?" With that last question, she wriggled her eyebrows at Hayabusa.
"We're fine," Ayane groaned, standing right in front of Hayabusa in an attempt to 'protect' him, "good luck with the first volleyball tournament, Tamaki. And stop eyeing up Hayabusa."
Hayabusa only just realised he was the only man here. He facepalmed and just lay on his back, letting the sun get to it.
"Hey come on guys," Kasumi lightly shoved Momiji and Rachel off her, "she's just checking on us. And she invited us here, no need to be so… crass to her! In fact, Ayane, I'm disappointed with your attitude here! You've just been talking trash! First behind Bayman's back and now about Tamaki – the owner – to her face? Shame on you!" She stood up in front of Ayane, in a hands-on-hips pose.
God, it's like my own mother's scolding me, Ayane thought to herself! Ayane murmured a "sorry" and turned away from Tamaki and Kasumi.
"My, what a white knight!" Tamaki couldn't help but be flushed a bit, "mind if I…stay here for a while?"
"Don't do it," Rachel said.
"Sure!" Kasumi beamed brightly.
Kasumi swore she heard a distant "SIIIIMP" from a certain servant of Helena's, but she shrugged it off.
Tamaki tried to squeeze in between the three girls, scaring Momiji and annoying Rachel. The two girls retreated, sitting near Hayabusa and Ayane instead.
"So...when is the tournament starting?" Kasumi asked Tamaki.
"Ten minutes," Tamaki said, "you're all on time setting up your quiet space."
"Who do you think will win?" Ayane asked her.
"Well, I want them to draw…"
"Why is that?"
"If they draw – or there's no set winner or loser…they'll have to share a room together." Tamaki bit her lip. The idea of that innocent tomboy trying to get along with that naughty tengu…" Tamaki almost drooled in excitement.
"You're probably the kind of girl to manipulate it so that they draw," Ayane crossed her arms, "not to assume anything, of course." She glared at the woman who was now getting incredibly touchy with her sister. She was about to stand up and give Tamaki a piece of her mind –
"If there's a fight here, I'll be joining Hayate and Hitomi," Hayabusa objected.
"Yeah, of course, you would," Ayane murmured.
"Huh?"
"Nothing, Master Ryu." Ayane sighed, grabbing a packet of crisps.
Hayabusa raised an eyebrow and tried to relax, but he couldn't. There was way too much tension with Tamaki here.
Ayane glared at Tamaki – watching the green-haired woman braid Kasumi's hair. Is that all this was? Just a friendship? With Tamaki, it's hard to tell. It didn't help she was carrying what seemed to be Bayman's beret with her. Was she trying to…get with everyone on the island? How horrific! She just had to sit there as this…succubus was seducing her sister! Yet…why did she want to be in Kasumi's position instead?
"Hehe," Tamaki said, "this is such a classic hairstyle for you, you know?" Tamaki looked at Ayane who was just…staring. She was sitting up, curling herself into a ball. She looked extremely angry but also very flushed. It was simultaneously hilarious and adorable.
"Huh?" Tamaki smirked, tilting her head slightly, "god, that's cute." She snapped a picture. Ayane sighed but didn't object. Why couldn't she object to this?
"Hehe, take one of me!" Kasumi smiled.
Tamaki took out the camera and aimed it somewhere at Kasumi…somewhere that wasn't her face.
"H-hey, I meant my face!" Kasumi laughed, playfully trying to grab the camera from her.
Ayane had had enough of this and headed to the water for a nice, cool swim.
"Sorry, sexy, I've got to go," Tamaki pecked Kasumi's lips and ran off in-direction of the stage.
"Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," Kasumi's face went bright red and she lay down flat on her back in the sand.
"Is she…okay?" Momiji's eye twitched as she approached Kasumi, "it seems Tamaki left a present as well."
"I-I didn't even notice!" Kasumi stayed in the same position.
Momiji opened the present for Kasumi, "huh…a flower-crown? And this weirdly-shaped bottle of lotion…" She giggled as she placed both items on Kasumi's stomach.
Kasumi instantly got up, flower-crown in hand. "wait, I need to thank her!" she placed the crown on her head, grabbed the lotion and teleported away – leaving cherry blossoms.
Rachel and Hayabusa both simultaneously sighed.
…
Zack stood backstage, sighing. He wanted to relax – but he felt like he needed to keep an eye on Tamaki.
A familiar ninja teleported in, looking frantic but…excited?
"Where's Tamaki?" Kasumi exclaimed, speaking quickly, "I need to thank her."
"Whoa, ginga ninja," Zack approached her slowly, "what do you need from her?"
"I need to thank her!" Kasumi exclaimed, "she made my day!"
"Yo, what's the weird-ass bottle you're holding?" Zack tilted his head.
"I…I don't know. There's no label, I was going to ask her myself."
"Oh…alright," Zack sighed.
"You okay, Zack?" Kasumi asked.
"It's…nothing," Zack placed both hands on his face and walked away from backstage
"Huh," Kasumi tilted her head, then searched for Tamaki.
…
Zack was further out from the stage, but not as far out as Kasumi's small group of relaxing ninjas.
Zack wasn't feeling great. It wasn't just his bad feeling about the island – but just, in general, he felt down. There wasn't exactly a pinpoint reason why maybe it was the fact he couldn't relax or –
"Zack," he heard Tamaki's voice.
"Hey, uh, Kasumi's looking for you."
"She is? Hehe, ~" Tamaki bit her lip, "I guess she only wants me to apply this lotion."
"That's nice," Zack almost monotonously said.
"…are you okay, Zack?" Tamaki asked, "I'm serious."
"I don't…I can't word it," Zack said, "I'm on vacation, why aren't I happy? I've had some bad stuff happen in my teens, man - but I've never felt this down."
"Oh…" Tamaki said, "do you…want to be left alone?"
"…Sure," Zack said, slowly walking away.
Zack sat on the warm sand, watching the sun go down.
He slowly fell asleep.
He was awakened by the love of his life, Kokoro. For the first time in a while, he had a smile on his face.
"Come on Zack, the volleyball tournament is about to start!"
"Alright!" Zack grabbed Kokoro's hand as she helped him up, "let's go!"
…
Alright, I apologise for the long wait, thanks for reading Chapter 3! This chapter will be focused on Zack watching the tournament, his struggles, and his relationship with Kokoro.
