— Hiyoko POV —
Opening into the door and slamming it up, I leaned my back onto the wooden frame. Sliding down against it. My body was exhausted from all the running back and forth to different islands. Giving orders and commands out to everyone for work.
"Ah, Hiyoko, made it just in time." Nagito greeted me, his chair was pulled up to the bedside nearby Kazuichi. Holding onto a bowl and spoon, feeding it to the tied up mechanic. Like a baby who's started to wean.
"And what's this all about?" I asked, stepping closer to the strapped bed, peering over Nagito's shoulder to see the skinny-pale greasy face of Kazuichi.
"Not anything particular, only feeding our prisoner of war." Nagito joked, scooping up the chunky green-slime like soup into Kazuichi's mouth. Hearing the mechanic gag every time.
"Oh," I added, raising my arms into the air for a stretch, joints popping pushing against my back for a self-massage, "Well, everyone is working on those gates. Took forever to find others, couldn't find everyone though." I yawned and going to lean against the wall near the bed.
"How did it go?" Nagito asked, turning his chair over to face me. The soup dripping onto Kazuichi's jumper, Kazuichi's yells and cries being ignored.
"Pretty easy surprisingly." I shrugged, blowing loose hair strands away from my face, "The easiest being those muscle-heads. They went straight to work. They'll be of great use later." I smirked, rolling my eyes followed with a snicker.
"It seems you won in the battle of brains versus brawn." Nagito raised one eyebrow, leaning back into his olive-green chair, crossing his legs.
"Hey!" I yapped, "Just cause I have the brains, doesn't mean I lack the brawn!" I remarked, punching my fists into the air, making air swooping sounds.
"Whatever you say Hiyoko." Nagito chuckled, placing the soup onto the nightstand, a small green swampy puddle stuck onto Kazuichi, staining the bedsheets and his clothes, "Still, we'll definitely need those two later. Crowd-control." He thought to him, placing a finger over his chin and nodding.
"If need be. I do have ideas for them though." I puffed, flicking my wrists to the side in contemplation.
"Hey!" Kazuichi yelled, rocking his body making the bed creak and shake, "Not to interrupt your totally evil and inhumane plans here, but when can I get out?!" He complained, soup dripping to his face as he shook more, his wrists red from being tug by rope and cuffs for days.
"Shut it! You'll get out when I say you can!" I flung my finger to him, stomping over, motioning myself about to slap the ungrateful slob.
"Ah!" Kazuichi squealed, bending his elbows over himself to guard his soupy face.
"Real question here, but when can he?" Nagito interrupted, passively raising his hands up, waving them slowly, "He's starting to stink and I get tired of having to spoon-feed him soup. Not to mention cleaning up after him." He cringed his face and clenched his jaw. Nagito spent hours inside the musty cottage, cleaning, feeding, watching, talking to Kazuichi all day.
"Hmm," I rubbed my chin, flying my extended finger into the air with an idea "Soon! After everyone settles for a while. They're still in shock from earlier today. And our control needs to become more stable." I puffed out my chest, swinging my hands to my hips, humming a sweet tune.
"And when is that going to be?" Kazuichi mumbled his questions, barely being heard in breathless whispers.
"Don't interrupt me, Kazuichi. I wasn't finished." I snapped, darting my face to his, my teeth tensed together, growling my words to him, spitting as I talked.
"Oh, sorry. You can continue now." He cried sorrowfully, flinching to each of my sudden moves.
"Like I was saying," I stood back up, switching to a cheery, light, cutesy voice, "For now! I'll let you roam around the room! But no outside time for you just yet!" I bargained with the thought inside my mind, coming with the best solution to flow with the current outside situation.
"R-really?!" He gasped, tears and smiles flowing from his face, his chin stained green with soup.
"Yes! Just don't mess up again." I warned, waving a playful finger to him, clicking my tongue afterwards.
"Oh! Finally!" He perked up, trying to toy open the ropes which held him down, abruptly stopping. Staring up to my disappointed face, his going black. "I-I mean! I promise to not mess up again, to not go down to a murderers level!" He begged from his freedom, even if it were still stuck inside this small, empty cottage.
"Now that's what I like to hear." I praised in my vulnerable small tone, coughing into a low, monotone one, "But, Kazuichi, we have to do something about that appearance of yours." I teased, ripping off his usual dark-grey beanie, my hands flowing through his greasy, uncombed hair.
"My look? What about it?" He trembled, wincing as I ripped clumped and tangled strands from his oily scalp.
"Nagito," I released my hand from that grease-pit of a head, calling out for the lucky white-haired boy.
"Yes, Hiyoko?" He answered, standing up immediately from his chair. Ready at my service.
"Grab me the scissors." I ordered, he opened up the nightstand dresser, pulling out a long, silver, sharpened pair of clippers, handing it to me, gripping to its blades.
"Scissors?! Hold on! Wait! What are you doing!?" Kazuichi panicked, kickings his legs onto the mattress, flailing his elbows, working his body against the blankets and pillows, his skin and clothes tugging off the sheets.
"Kazuichi, my poor Kazuichi, we have to show the others you're a changed man, correct?" I tried to soothe the shaken mechanic, Nagito pulled his arms and legs down further. Ceasing his sporadic movements. Creeping closer to him, his eyes twitching.
"I-I guess?" Kazuichi gulped, raising his head up to mine, his body shivering, the silver clippers reflecting a glare into his squinting eyes.
"And so, we have to make you a changed man." I claimed, opening up its handles, gliding the blades to his hair. Snipping of the blades and pink hair follicles flying over the pillow. Kazuichi's terrorized screams and yells bouncing from the walls. He shook his head violently, causing shears to slip, the sharp edge cutting into his eyebrow. Nagito shoving his hand over the shark-toothed boy's mouth, muffling him until he grew silent. Blood slowly flowing down the side of Kazuichi's head, being soaked by his unevenly cut hairs and into the pillow. Making Kazuichi entirely new.
— Gundham POV —
Our feet reaching to the grains of hot sand, listening to the ins and out of the waves washing over each other. Seagulls flying overhead, squawking to others soaring through the bright sunlit blue sky. Walking deeper into the beach, we sat down and made ourselves a spot, the sand and sun warming our bodies, the low winds chilling them down.
"You much of a swimmer?" Sonia asked, the waves barely raising to our feet.
"I cannot say that I am. I have the swimming ability gained, however I do not actively use it." I answered, crossing my arms, "Why do you ask?" I questioned back.
"We're at the beach so, only wondering. I'm both." Sonia shrugged, following with a light giggle.
"I see, hopefully you were not expecting me to swim." I warned, dragging my fingers over the stitches and bandages, "Let's say that these wounds are temporary blocking me for accessing the waters currently."
"Oh! Oh right," Sonia pouted, slamming her hand over her mouth, "I remember now, was that what you were trying to say back at the hotel lobby." Her tone was concerned, filled with guilt and worry.
"Yes, but I was cut off by all the activity." I puffed, glancing to the side.
"I'm sorry, I wish you would've pulled me to the side to say that. I wouldn't mean to drag you here with me." She frowned, dropping her eyelids down in guilt. Blaming herself for the reason I was here.
"No! Uhm- I wouldn't say you had forced me here by any sort of spell!" I trembled, waving my hands to her in reassurance, "It was my own choice to come, if I had other plans, I'd follow through with them." I puffed my chest, placing my hands to my hips, "However," I added, trailing one hand close to hers, carefully raising up to my face, gifting the back of her hand a soft kiss. Staring not her blushing cute smile, "Mine are with you."
"You really know how to make a girl smile, Gundham." She giggled, her face red hot, mine too.
"I had searched it in the dark-arts spell books only for you, my Dark Queen." I cooed, a rumble of chuckles escaping from my throat.
Sonia giggled, her rosy face flushed red, her fingers brushed her hair behind her ear. Her smile radiating onto mine, leaning into each other. My forehead softly bumping and brushing up to hers. Hands gripping onto one another in the sand, the sun glimmering to her blonde hair and skin, twinkling in a reflection of her light-eyes. How my sight felt so gifted to see and cherish it each and everyday. Our movements becoming more gentle and delicate. Her fingers fondling into mine, the skin of our lips teasing each other with light skimming on top of one another. Until finally giving in, pressing, diving into her face, Sonia pushing back onto mine. Hands departing and traveling onto our arms, hugging and softly tugging close. These caressing kisses much more tamer and innocent than the ones before in the cottage. Sonia tilted her head away from mine, my hand sliding onto her cheek. Her face was burning hot with a kissed-filled smile.
"We might have to save this for later." Sonia teased whispering into my ear.
"And why is that?" I quietly urged.
Sonia nudged her head over side, turning my gaze to the direction she pointed to. Viewing over as two figures were seen in the distance, a short and tall one. Peko and Fuyuhiko. It was them, yet again. This time instead of being accompanied by Mikan, but instead carrying wooden planks. Similar to Akane and Nekomaru. Squinting my eyelids in questions. Slowly, Sonia stood up, the loose layer of sand sticking to her legs.
"What are you doing?" I demanded, bending back to Sonia.
"I'm going to ask what they want, that's what." Sonia puffed, swaying her hips as she spoke.
Sonia walked her way over to the two, footprints let into the sand as she stepped into them. Pieces of sand kicking into the sky, guided by the wind until gliding onto the ground again. My eyes watching over as she interacted with them, Peko and Fuyuhiko leaning the wooden planks to the side, my finger digging into the ground as I waited. Drawing in the sand, making rough words and shapes, grains shifting as I created paths and hills. Making one final swipe, completing my masterpiece. Sonia steps coming back closer to me, guarding the drawn in sand from any distortion. Sonia sitting back down next to me, trying to sneak a peek to what I had made.
"What's that you made there?" She queried, shifting her head up, down, left and right.
"We shall exchange information. You tell what they were up to, and then I shall show you my piece." I smirked, bartering with her, she placed two chins into her chin in thought.
"Hm, deal." She sneered, breathing in deeply. Releasing all the detailed information to me, "It was about the bridge again. They're working on another island for the bridges. Yet again, ordered by Hiyoko. Fuyuhiko was shocked to see us relaxing and they were working." Sonia gestured her hands and flicked her wrists as she explained. My head nodding to all that she said, taking it in.
"Ah I see," Nodding my head back, "I am a demon of my word, and now I shall grant you the permission to see such a masterpiece. Behold!" I released my hands from guarding the sand-drawing. Sonia angling her face down, her jaw gasped open to see what I created for her. Onto the sand, there were two stick figures holding hands made with four circular dots made surrounding us.
"Woah!" Sonia gasped, an excited squeal coming from it, "That's so-! so cute!" She cried in joy, her eyes fixated onto the sand.
"You r-really think so...?" I blushed, pulling my scarf over to my face.
"Is that me?" She asked, pointing to the stick figure which wore a crown on top their head.
"Yes, yes it is. I hope to have captured your aura correctly in such a crude medium." I wished, the lines made in the sand weren't perfect. Most of it faint, barely noticeable.
"No, no, it's perfect." She complimented, eyeing a certain part of the pictures, inspecting it closely, "But missing one thing!" She rose up her index finger in concentration.
"What could it possibly be missing?!" I fussed, flinching back into shock of this missing piece.
Sonia sliding her small finger lightly into the sand, making two small connecting arches in between our sand figures in the shape of a heart. Placing her finger back, the both of us tilting down to the sand to see, then looking back to each other with warm blushing smiles.
We spent the rest of the day on the beach together, building sandcastles and more sand drawings together. Digging our feet into the ground to make a giant dug in sand-sketch of the Four Dark Devas of Destruction. As well as sand castles we built, one for the Devas which was a large play-pen. Which had sand-made accessories such as a wheel, water and food dispensers, sand blocks and many toys. After creating the Devas sand cage, we made a house of our own, a dream house. It was shaped as the castles Sonia would describe from her life back at Novoselic, with rooms filled to the brim of our interests. Sonia making a room for the occult and serial killers, mine being for animal taming and a room to practice the dark arts. The last and final square planned to be the master bedroom. I gulped as Sonia stared into it, our hands filled with sand.
"Would you like to make the bedroom?" She offered, grains of sand falling from the crevasses of our fingers.
"It is all yours, my Dark Queen. Surprise me." I gave her full control of the room, allowing her to customize it all she could. Awaiting for her to complete this future home of ours.
I shut my eyes, hearing the sound of sand shuffling. Wondering to what Sonia was adding into the fictional house of ours. My mind wondering, imagining to what furniture we'd have, what bed, what shelves, rugs, everything. My eyelids twitching impatiently as all types of room ideas flooded my head. Deep into thought, until.
"Finished!" She cheered, emptying the spare sand that was clumped into her grip. Immediately opening my eyes to look inside the castle home.
"Done already? Let me see." I shifted my eyes all about the imaginary sand-room. Observing each detail made by her, sand blocks each representing a piece of furniture from her imagination.
"There's the bed," She stuck her pinky inside, gently and carefully pointing to each item, labeling them, "Here's the dressers, that one is yours, and here's the cage for the Four Dark Devas of Destruction. I know you'd want them in the same room." Sonia added, the amount of space we had was limited, however the rest of my mind filled in the gaps. Thinking of a light green and rich purple being the color theme, a dark grey fuzzy rug near the bed area. White dressers holding all of our clothes. A perfect room, just for us.
"Would it be possible to build this castle? Only for us? Without the sand, of course." I asked, each question being more curious than the last. Wanting this life in the castle, wanting it with her.
"Maybe, it would take long though. The castle back on Novoselic stood for centuries, being built from the original first-born generation of my bloodline." She informed me, her eyes looking up, thinking back to her life in her home-country and the large history behind it all.
"Centuries?" I repeated, "That is impressive, tell me more. For you have piqued my interest." I requested, leaning into Sonia, wishing to hear more.
"You really would?" Her eyes glimmered and a bright smile shining onto her face, then suddenly looking into the sky with caution, "We might have to wait until later, it's getting dark." Sonia warned with a tiny laugh.
We spun our heads to the side, viewing as the sun was beginning to hide under the horizon. It's beams flowing into the reflections of the water, bouncing onto the waves. The sky turning into a mixture of reds and oranges, gazing over to Sonia, who watched the beach-sunset closely. A reflection of a tear falling from her eye.
"My Dark Queen, are you okay? You're tearing up." I brushed the tear from her face, worrying in my voice. Sonia turning to me, her eyes gently closed.
"It's nothing, it's just," She paused, her eyelids slowly opening back again staring into the sky, "Novoselic is a cold, land-locked place. I've never seen a sunset like this before. Going down into the ocean like this." Her words began to trail off, becoming softer and more quiet.
"Had you not seen it before in the game?" I asked, referring to the virtual killing game we were all forced to be put in.
"I did, but this. This is different. It's real." Her tone was serious, her eyebrows more determined. The setting of the sun reflecting in her eyes. My own stuck to hers in a daze.
"It certainly is." I replied, slowly shaking my head, scooting closer to her as we sat in the sand. Our shoulders brushing up against each other. Watching our first sunset together.
Our hands joining together as we watched the last minutes of the sun's falling. The bright and saturated oranges and reds disappearing with the sun. Leaving a dark blue behind it. The former light blue sunny skies from hours ago transforming into the night. During the sun's final minute, we shared one last kiss before the moon invaded the atmosphere. Pulling away to see small dimly lit stars. Getting up from our various sand castles and drawings. Hand in hand, walking back to our cottage.