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Planet Yamatai, Malifar
Temeridi Beach
14:57
Six years ago, the Temeridi neighborhood was a smoking ruin of Malifar's residential, beach-side district. In the years since, and with the resurgence of the fisheries, Temeridi had been rebuilt to reflect a renewed Malifar. As life began to course through her streets, and business began to thrum, the wounded city had healed into something smaller, yet with more of a glitter. The residential district reflected this with its lovely white homes lining a lengthy string of beaches, with touristy hotels barely scraping above the skyline. The Desert City, with its once tall buildings and turned into the Desert Jewel, becoming a beautiful symbol of revitalization and recovery.
Temeridi specifically, was an ideal stop for any family, Malifarian or otherwise. Her bays, which were once craters of fallen ships, had been cleared to make safe, calm pools for people to lounge and swim. The centers of these bays had statues of remembrance, depicting smiling mothers and fathers with their children. On the horizon, white-sailed boats and rustic fishing ships rolled over the waves, they appeared as if white needles on ocean line. Flourishing palms framed the whole scene, leaning over the edges of the beaches to provide a bit of shade under the hot Juaniata Sun.
Today, one of Malifar's sons had come home, and with much more in tow. It had been quite some time since Rolf had even seen his birthtown, not since he had involved himself in the reconstruction efforts after leaving the 44th Fireteam. He had earned himself a home on one of the white beaches, but had found few chances to ever come by to stay in it. The memories that lived in the city were difficult to face alone, and Rolf had never been able to convince anyone to come out with him.
As such, the Malifarian stood on his native beach, feeling the familiar sun kiss his shoulders in greeting. He stared out at the ocean, having come out ahead of his family, and digging his feet into the grainy coast. In nothing but a pair of white and red swimming trunks, he was taking in a lot of the sea air unfettered. There was a somber air about him, even as he could hear the distant parade of happiness and rousing pastimes of the other beach-goers. It was less crowded than he remembered.
"Ah," hummed Rolf, taking in a deep breath, "They really dolled this place up good."
Sora had carefully negociated the family's trip with the Ketsurui samurai, which had been followed with city plans, possible sniping points and then quiet coordination with the local police force. But once the arguing and compromises had been met, she felt considerably less stressed once they arrived in Malifar.
Wakako had been helping the security coordination with her own brand of worst case scenario suggestions that had actually further complicated the negotiations but weren't concerns that could be easily dismissed. Her mother was stressed out but she was having fun. Even more fun than helping the security planning was trying to convince her father what bikini she should wear to the beach.
The youngling burst out of the house with a loud bang of the door as she ran towards the water wearing a white string bikini that barely contained her newly developed assets with a white gun/sword belt hybrid like her mother's. "It's too quiet! Are there sharks? Let's go find some!" She exclaimed as she slid to a stop beside her father.
Sora sighed as she followed her daughter, more quietly out of the house. Taking care to close the door behind her. "Let's not fight sharks?" She suggested as she closed the distance between herself and her family. Her own dark green bikini covering far more of her figure with her weapons belt resting across her hips.
"Oh, we gon' fight sharks," affirmed the Malifarian, throwing his eyes over his shoulder to his wife. He cackled, always energized by his daughters zeal and thirst for danger. A tanned finger spun up into the air, as if to highlight another point before it dive-bombed in the direction of Wakako's newly-developed assets. She was almost four months old now, and already she was taller than him, "when someone puts on the swim-suit we agreed on."
Wakako puffed her cheeks, her short dark red hair bouncing she she objected. "But Dad, I don't want to have weird tan lines. The sharks won't care what I'm wearing when I stab them." She thrust her hands down for emphasis, bouncing as she did.
Sora nudged Wakako. "Go change, you're probably not going to be noticably darker. I know it's fun to watch the veins in your dad's foreheard pop, but don't tease him too much." She smiled brightly at the girl and then her husband. "Land sharks, I think are what you are most concerned with, ne?"
"I know tha' kinda' boys that roll this beach," explained the Minkan, jabbing a knowing finger into the side of Sora's chest. His brow had furrowed, indicating a sense of seriousness that acted as his fatherly concern. "They're me, but less attractive and charmin', but that don't make'm any less dangerous. Tha' Malifarian Beach-Boy ain't got no fear, and those swords ain't gunna scare'm off."
As if he was making a point from jabbing his wife's breast, he pointed towards Wakako in particular, "And she's dressin' like blood in the water."
”I'm supposed to beat them up, right? Wouldn't this be good bait?" Wakako suggested with a impish grin and a mischievous twinkle in her dark green eyes as she gestured to herself with a swirl.
"Regardless, you promised your dad, Wakako," Sora added helpfully, clearly amused by the replay of this argument from the swimsuit shopping yesterday. She didn't remember buying the white bikini her daughter was wearing and wondered if the girl had bought it when she wasn't looking. Perhaps, that was why a few of the displays by Rolf had fallen over.
"That's right, ya promised," reiterated Rolf, giving Wakako a firm look that looked more an admiration of her father's impishness than true disapproval. The man thumbed back to the house at the edge of the beach, and the two story shielded by palms and likely, a load of Samurai. "Ya gunna' march right back up in there, grab ya real swimsuit and put that on."
At that, Wakako's impishness was matched by the original Imp himself, "Or, do you wanna' hafta' wear some Samurai digs and sit out here in the sun lookin' like some kinda' lost tourist?"
Wakako's nose crinkled in disgust at her father's suggestion. With a dramatic twirl, she turned to go back to the house, tugging the strings of the top off and held the small pieces of fabric outstretched in her fingers. "So old fashioned, Dad! I could just be using volumerics." She looked back over a smooth tanned shoulder, meeting her dad's eyes, defiant in her defeat.
"Wough," groaned Rolf, pressing his fingers into his eyes as girl went back inside. The Malifarian had been at the end of his rope as his once playful partner in crime had turned into a veluptious him. With a sigh, he looked over at Sora, "We went an' made a monsta'."
Her hands found the sides of his neck, as Sora rubbed some of the tension out. "She's more like you these days. She's right though, she could be using projections instead of real clothes," her voice showed her amusement. "But she should get used to wearing things she doesn't want to if she's going off to training soon."
"Hurgh," moaned Rolf, as his shoulders rolled under Sora's attentions. He certainly felt tense, even if being a youngling father was lower dose than being regular child father, the change in environment had its strains. The fact of whether or not he was a good role model for Wakako was argueable, as she still learned his bad habits despite Rolf being on his best behavior most of the time. "If she's anythin' like you she'll just go dancin' around in volumetrics anyway."
He looked over at a group of young men that had been switching on and off watching the exchange. The protective father's eyes narrowed while his smile thirsted for a bit of violence. Sora could feel his muscles tense as though he rared for a fight. "Were those guys lookin' when she tore her top off?"
Wakako had since retreated into the house to change.
Sora's eyes glanced over to the young men. "I think they only saw her butt?" She commented knowing that that revelation wasn't going to help. She leaned closer, pressing against her husband's tensing back. "You can't gouge all their eyes out, Rolufu." She kissed his cheek. "A proper gentleman trying to defend a lady's honor... such a sight to see. My hero."
The man in her hands settled like a tamed beast, her little gestures untensing a group of muscles in succession, like cutting taut strings. Rolf puffed his chest out, proud and relaxed as he eyed the other group of Malifarians. They were boys, by his standards, roughly two-thirds his age. Sora could see they all had dark, cutting faces like Rolfs, but no where near as intimidating or wrought.
"Heh heh heh, that's right," flexed the Imp, apparently feeling rather impressive as he craned his head to give his wife a proper kiss. "I'mma propa fella."
"Get a room!" howled one of the Malifarians, the group cackled.
At that, Sora's loving Imp felt like he was about to break loose from her tender grip.
Without missing a beat, her NSP was in Sora's hand and pointed at the group. "Move along then, nothing to see then." She had only pulled away from Rolf slightly. "A little young to have a hole between your eyes, ne?" She finally turned to look at the boys, they were far too young to be picking this particular fight.
"Mom! I want to play sniper!" Wakako's voice whined as she bounded out of the house through a window on the upper floor. She was in fact, wearing the approved tasteful two piece tankini that kept her mostly covered. Her feet sank slowly into the sand as she landed. "I thought you said we weren't gonna kill anyone today?"
"I did say that, but I didn't promise anything... " Sora watched the group curiously. She was hoping to avoid a fight.
"Aren't we supposed to go beat up boys?" Wakako looked from her mother to her father. "We can take them, easy!"
The three young men gave cornered looks at Sora's NSP, a relative symbol of who she may or may not be. One of the particularly rolfish fellows began to puff his chest up, trying to prove himself unintimidated by the unknown Ketsuruis. When he opened his mouth to speak, his two friends slapped their hands over his mouth, and grabbed him by his hair to force him down with their bows. They did not choose to wait, a classical Malifarian trait of knowing trouble when one saw it, and began pounding sand in the opposite direction of Nekos and man.
Rolf cackled in a howling laughters as he comfortably settled back into Sora. "Ya gunna' hafta' be fasta than that, wit ya Mom around, there ain't gunna' be any boys left t'fight!" He wrapped his hand around Sora's and tugged it in to kiss it, gun and all, "And we're supposed t'be tha' spunky ones."
Wakako rolled her eyes at the show of affection between her parents and the retreat of the boys, her hands firmly on her hips on her sword belt. "So where are these sharks hiding, dad?"
Sora smiled as Rolf captured her hand. "Can't have you both beating up everyone on the beach, can we?" Her gaze shifted to Wakako. "I guess, we can go diving? Unless there is a species of shallow water sharks around here?" She looked back to Rolf, "Or do we have to go out deeper into the water for that? We could, challenge some of the off-shift Samurai to a volleyball match?"
Wakako was drawn to the edge of the water. She saw little crabs scurring away from her as she approached. "What are these things?" She crouched down, eyeing the creatures with a predatory gaze, pouncing on one. It pinched her hand and she dropped it again, her face flushing red. "OOOH. SO DEAD."
The crab puffed up, and smacked its claws together, while scuttling itself sideways away from the unruly Neko. Even the animals in Malifar had guff to give, Rolf came from a rough and tumble place. Before she could have the chance to exact proper, Ketsurui revenge their personal native spoke up.
"Hey! Those is Melami Scissor Crabs," pointed out Rolf smartly, for once, warning his daughter, "They got a nasty attitude and a pack mentality if ya don't leave'm alone."
The man threw his head over at Sora, kissing her on the cheek, and being more sappy upon noticing how much it annoyed their daughter. He continued to speak as he made a show of it, "Tha' Samurai? Pfft, I didn't even know they were allowed t'have fun. Still, as fun as snorklin' sharks might be, I don't need some coast ranger rollin' up our sides f'chokin' out a sea animal." He stole a glance off at some palm trees, as if that's where they were hiding, "What are they gunna' wear? Fundoshi's?"
"Probably," Sora giggled at the thought. "They can have fun but you're right, they are probably more concerned with security than entertaining us right now. I'm sure they would also appreciate us not going underwater after sharks." She reholstered her NSP and nuzzled him. "Well, welcome home. What did you want to do?"
Wakako's eyes were so focused on the crab that had pinched her that she got pulled over by the next wave. She let out a squeek of protest. "EYAH, cold!" When the young neko had recovered, she had seaweed dangling from her hair.
"Hopefully, not lose our kid to a riptide," cackled Rolf, placing a hand on the woman's cheek as she got close. He looked a bit wistful, staring off up and down the coast. A tense shoulder brushed up to Sora, and he watched Wakako make war against the water. "I had a few things in mind, but I'm wonder-- HEY!"
A passing couple stopped and stared at them. Rolf clicked his tongue, "Not you assholes, that asshole!"
He pointed past them at another dapper Malifarian eying Wakako from the edge of the water. Perhaps he was pointedly ignoring them, but certainly he wasn't aware of the elder Malifarian's anger just yet. Rolf growled, his throat thrumming, "Do I do that?"
Sora caught a curious glance from Rolf, "Do I do that? I can hit him, right? He's tossin' hooks at my daughter."
Sora's eyes went to the movements of her daughter as the girl was crashing through the waves as the tide came in. "You're going to be hitting a lot of people for looking, love. Maybe if they actually get too close, you can hit them? She's a beautiful young woman, they are going to look."
"Yeah, and I'm a young, scrappy father, and I feel like I gotta go swingin' every time," Rolf was a bit uneasy, looking like he was about to flying over the sands to 'protect' her. Instead he sank his fingers into his face, growling in frustration as he restrained himself. "I know how I was at 'dat age. I don't want our curious girl fallin' for a'pair of dusty red eyes, agh. We shoulda' went t'Ralt or somethin' and made snowmen."
Every so often, Wakako let the waves drag her further out as it ebbed but then she ran back trying to calculate the timing between the tides. She had never seen the ocean in anything other than simulations and books. "What are these jewel things in the water? They look like mochi. DAD, can I eat the water mochi?"
"Water mochi? Eh heh heh heh," a venomous little chuckle rolled under his lips. Sora could see the valid temptation to steer her wrong, but also saw him rasp against the urge. "Sure! They're jelly-filled, and they'll make ya face puff up as much as I'm gunna puff up shit-bird's if he don't stop starin'."
The blond Malifarian at the edge of the water looked over his shoulder, blue-eyed but none-the-less carrying that distance sharpness in his gaze like Rolf's. He gave the couple a dumb look, not sure if they were talking to him, then shrugged as he waded out into the water.
Wakako tilted her head at her father's comment. He made her intensely more curious about the water mochi. She drew her sword, a saber that was uncharacteristic of the Ketsurui family, and impaled one of the creatures floating in the water. She held the pulsating jelly up on the blade and stared at it intently.
Sora tried not to laughed between Rolf's overprotectiveness and her daughter's curiousity. "She'd figure out a way to show off. Wakako is excited to be full grown." Her hand found his waist and she hugged him. "You were saying?"
"Her first kill's a jellyfish," analyzed the father, stroking his chin spike thoughtfully. He was, as well, admiring the girl’s strange curiosity. Though, in truth, she was experiencing all of this for the first time. Temeridi was not always such a lovely sight, and it made him glad she got to enjoy it in its splendor, rather than the scuzzy, over-populated swath that it used to be. Rolf's face spread into a wider grin, Sora could just see the edge of it as the two lovingly cuddled in the sand. He seemed content.
"Heh heh..." The malcontent of a man shouted out too his daughter, "Hey! See if ya can toss it at that guy!" He pointed at the blond man, "Flick it off the sword! I betcha can't do it!"
Wakako grinned at the challenge and 'accidentally' flung the impaled jellyfish at the blonde man her father identified in a smooth movement that ended with the sword resheathed at her waist with a girlish shout of, "Ki o tsukete! Gomen nasi~!" She covered her mouth to hide her grin.
Sora watched the chaos with a smile. She could resolve the aftermath of the mischief but they needed a direction that was least damaging to the populace... a jellyfish wasn't that bad? "You two are so bad," she murmured against his neck.
The man wailed as the cat-of-nine-jellyfish came flying his way, the Malifarian Coastal Nettle was notorious for zapping the feet of unwary beachgoers. This one, now quite dead, was nastily flailing its undulating tentacles. Quite brilliantly he caught the Nettle's corpse over his shoulder. He reeled back, and then forth, scampering his hands for the Nettle's head. All the while he hobbled back onto dry land, sloshing muddy sand with each pained step.
Rolf was laughing so hard he was crying, he apparently found great joy, and pride in the girl's display of skill. It took a great deal of practice to not only accruately fling something off the blade, but sheath it at the same time. He looked back at Sora, his sun-kissed body handling the heat well.
"You know, I had m'doubts when she wanted to go to the beach packin', but I'm enjoyin' the results," cackled Sora's Malifarian, going on to further muse, "Maybe we should really go huntin' for sharks... If the Samurai can't come down to play, gunna have to keep her occupied before she starts fightin' everyone she sees."
Another fellow looked to be on the approach, but he stopped as he saw the marred blonde go past him, shaking his head at the man. It was hard to tell, but it looked like he was saying 'Not worth it.' The second fellow just laughed at his misfortune and sent him along down the beach, they looked like they were friends, with a larger group of boys howling in laughter.
"Ooi!" this tan-man had blue hair, tied back into a knot. He gave a friendly wave, and a more confident grin, "That was pretty cool! You got him good."
Wakako's dark green eyes darted to the man that she assumed was addressing her. Her stance in the waves shifted towards him but she did not move closer to him. "It was an unfortunate accident, Onii~san." She flicked soaked red strands of hair away from her face. The waves crashed at her feet, splashing her with foam as she sized up the man, drawing to her full height and lifting her ample chest up as she corrected her posture. "Did you know him?"
The stranger's eyes widened a bit as he took Wakako in, he cut his eyes to the side redirecting his sharp gaze aside. He was head taller than her father, decidedly sharp Yamataian features, and a broad Malifarian chest. He smelled a bit like seafoam, and his eyes seemed to be a shady green. "Wiibaru? Yeah. Y'know, I saw him walking out of the water with a jellyfish on him and I thought I'd check on him."
He looked back at Wakako, a somewhat honest smile on his face, "After seeing where it came from, I thought'd I'd come on over and say hi." He seemed to keep his pace, "My name's Kaneshiro, yours?"
"Wakako." Her eyes moved back to the surface as a spiky thing bumped her ankle. She knelt down to examine it. "What's this thing?" She cautiously poke it with a slender finger, not ready to draw her saber again. "Weird things in the ocean.. water mochi, scissoring crabs.. spikey things. No sharks yet," Wakako's eyes flicked back up to Kaneshiro. There was no bashfulness in her gaze, it was almost a challenge.
Sora rubbed Rolf's neck as he tried to not have a fit as their daughter had a conversation with a boy. Every time he saw a fellow get close, he had tensed up, his knees bending in the sand. Kaneshiro almost had him stand up and move in for the kill, but thankfully the gentle Ketsurui to his back kept him tame. Her hands seemed to rein him, and her gentle words were chilling water to the red-hot anvil that was his fiery soul.
"You said I could dive in iffn' they got close," chewed Rolf, rolling a poison over in his tongue, "He's pretty close."
Meanwhile, Kaneshiro leaned back a little bit, wary of the dangerous Neko's gaze. He was a bit braver than the last guy who came by, but not by much. Still, Malifarians either had a sense for danger, or a thirst for it, and this young man was leaning to the latter.
"Well, Wakako," answered the young man, tasting the name in his mouth, "That's a sea urchin, it's pretty tasty when prepared right." He seemed to sweat a little bit, his face giving a tell to the danger, and a little from the heat, "Y'know, my friends are goin' to a fish place tonight, you could come along, give it a try?"
Wakako looked to her mother with a questioning look. Sora nodded as she felt the muscles in her husband's body tense. "I'm on a family trip but I think I can manage." The youngling picked up the sea urchin by pinching some of the spikes. She lifted it to her face staring at it before she looked back up to the boy, firmly meeting his gaze. "How do you eat this? It looks like a lychee."
Kaneshiro's eyebrows raised at that, giving some thought to her question. His smile was rather evident, a little surprise still washing off his face from the acceptance she splashed at him. "Well, you cut it open, and you scoop out the inside, and put it over a bed of rice, normally. It's pretty good, you'd like it."
Wakako stood up suddenly and tossed the black spikey urchin up into the air, quick drawing her saber and slicing the creature in half before it fell to the water. She tried to catch the urchin halves with her free hand. "It's all... orange inside?"
The blue-haired Malifarian stood there, a bit aghast. He looked back at the other group of guys down the beach, most of which were watching intently from a safe distance. They seemed a bit unsure themselves. The moment Kaneshiro took a step back, some of them began to waggle their arms, as if they were chickens.
"Tch," snipped Kaneshiro, before looking back at Wakako. He swallowed, mustering a bit of momemtum step a bit closer. He was a bit taller than her. "Yeah! See?" The desert-man pointed a finger into the open Uni half, having dared to be in he range, even closer!
Rolf bristled.
The handsome beach-bum gestured to all of the inside, unaware of Wakako's father, instead smiling at the girl, "You eat that. Like I said, they make it look a lot better at the restaurants, but it's kinda expensive."
"Why? It just washed up with the surf," she stared at the movement of the orange flesh inside the urchin. Her eyes moved up to Kaneshiro's face again. She was still sizing up his movements, trying to determine how much of a fight she would get from him if she swung. The saber was still in her right hand, dripping with orange goo and sea water. Wakako could sense her father's discomfort and she let herself loose balance when the next wave crashed against her legs, causing her to fall against the young Malifarian.
"Whoa, careful there," warned Kaneshiro as he took a hold of the youngling Neko. There was a sort of valid concern in his eyes, that Wakako could see until it was no longer there. A familiar, tan foot collided with Kaneshiro's soft head. Rolf had broken loose of his wife, and had sailed over the sands like a desert hornet. The blue-haired Malifarian went flying from the force of the kick, and went tumbling into the creature infested waters.
The battle-scarred Rolf hunched over in his landing, planting his feet firmly into the sand. He stood more straight as the other man popped his head from the water.
"Wauggh, what the hell!" complained Kaneshiro, staring over the waves at Rolf.
"Oide yo," dared the elder Malifarian, sneering at the boy. His knuckles cracked, his face playing up a veiny anger, throwing his challenge to the other boys on the beach. The dangerous man beckoned them, daring them as well.
Wakako stepped back and looked at her father with a grin, she resheathed her sword. "Otoosan~ dajoubou de~su." She discarded the bisected sea creature as she pulled back beside her father. "He was just trying to make sure I didn't hurt myself~" Her voice was overly sweet. Rolf could hear the little emoji hearts she liked to send in her texts to him when she was hiding.
Sora watched from her spot on the sand and shook her head. "Or.. until she gets you to fight all the boys on the beach.." she commented softly to herself with the smallest hint of a smile.
"Otou-san!?" blanched Kaneshiro, carefully side-stepping the family, Rolf in particular. The young man's thirst for danger didn't quite outweigh the menace put out by Wakako's father. "I, ah..."
"Bring ya buddies ova', kid," threatened Rolf, in a fury now. "I'm gunna' put each a'ya in the ground."
"A-ah... Yo-you know, I was just concerned," defended Kaneshiro as the papa bear defended his mischievous. "Y'know, like she said, right?"
Rolf looked over his shoulder at Wakako, very familiar with her games and pranks. The Neko would have him running all around the Imperial Palace for hours, playing hide-and-seek with a miniature Neko that liked to change hiding spots. She knew how riled he could get, Sora knew how riled he could get, in fact few people that knew him weren't aware of the man's churlish fury. He took a deep breath, trying to think as a reasonable father would of a fast-growing youngling.
"She's outta' ya league, kid," settled Rolf, jutting a finger past Kaneshiro, giving hima chance.
"Hey hey," carefully chattered the young man, "Maybe she could decide that herself, ne, Otou-san?"
The snap was almost audible.
"Otoo--... Oh, y'dead." hunched Rolf, about to tear the other Malifarian apart, "Y'fuckin' dead, yatsu!"
Startled, the daring blue-haired beach-boy cut-tail at that, pounding sand off to his friends, who seemed to be biting their fingers off at the exchange.
Wakako pouted as the game ended with the boy running away. "That was really quick," she raised her hand to her eyes as she watched Kaneshiro run off. "Dadddd, I thought we're supposed to enjoy a fight." She grabbed her dad's arm, tugging it.
Sora shook her head again as she heard the frustration from the guards that were watching over them. They didn't have much to do since the family was driving off potential risks. "You're too much, Ro~lu~fu. Relax."
Rolf looked down at his daughter, and then his wife, a typical look of murder that would unsettle most. To them, it was how he showed his own brand of concern. He pulled in Wakako real quick, bouncing her off his side in reassurance.
"Y'gunna put me in the ground, about a week ago you was just streakin' in the halls a'tha palace. Now ya streakin' outside in fronta all these... animals," gruffly blustered Rolf, throwing his knife-edged gaze at the young men making their retreat. He pursed his lips, realizing he had been a bit on edge since he had arrived, especially as Wakako went about. She was proving harder to handle each day.
Wakako warmly hugged her dad, still dripping with seawater. "I don't want you to get bored, Daddy." She looked at Rolf with those mischievous dark green eyes. "Minori-san said I could go to training at Fort Victory so I won't be too far away. Maybe I'll be done in time to see you graduate!"
Her trains of thought ran together, she was excited to follow her dad's career path but she was going to be away from her family for the first time in her short life. "You and mommy won't be too lonely without me?" She smiled at him. "You shouldn't worry about me so much, I am full grown now."
Sora watched on with a smile, enjoying the warmth of the sun against her fair skin. Her family was having a nice moment out of the chaos earlier and she had learned to enjoy these little reprieves before the next storm happened.
"Exactly," pointedly remarked Rolf, running a hand into Wakako's hair, toussling it. "Bein' bigga' means ya can end up in bigga' problems, and now ya 'bout ta'go out in tha' big ol'world." A knowing gaze shadowed his brow, as he looked up at Wakako, instead of down, he took a deep breath at that. That took some getting used to, looking up at your daughter. "Nothin' but big problems out there."
A familiar grin spread on his face as he sized up the fully-grown Neko, a little pride showing in his eyes. The Minkan was a bit overwhelmed, but a part of that may have been the great changes he had undergone in his life recently. Still, his daughter was a stunning example of a Ketsurui, not that he'd openly admit that, yet. She wasn't wise to the world, but he could tell that once she was, she'd be more a force against it than any other way around.
"And lookit ya!"
He shadowed boxed at her stomach, bouncing three rapid 'shots' in a sudden movement. Then threw his arms out as if she had exploded, "Full a'openin's!" He looked over at the unfortunate mother of the family, "Look at y'girl, Sora! She won't last five minutes. We gunna' hafta' train." Those warlike fists slammed together, as he turned a mischievous red gaze back to Wakako. "Let's go find some sharks."
She beamed as her father ruffled her hair, pretending that she had nothing to do with this most recent burst of parental rage. "Yeah!" Wakako agreed with an overly enthusiatic bounce. "Do we just run into the ocean until we see one?" She tapped a finger against her chin as she stared out at the water again.
Sora sighed again. "So we are going snorkeling? Or did you mean something else?" She looked between the two troublemakers and shrugged, it was impossible to keep them out of trouble though their guard detail had tried. She watched her husband curiously, only half certain of what he was up to.
"Eh? Snorklin'? We're juss' gunna swim out, and then swim back, yeah?" convinced Rolf, thumbing out to the crystal waters and the rich abundance it hid within. He put a hand on his chest, looking honest and true. "Just a nice relaxin' dip, y'know? Relaxin' family time." The man continued to soothe potential concerns as he slowly backed into the water. An errant wave crashed against his his hind-legs, but he appeared more used to it than anything. Nothing seemed to damper his grin.
Looking to Wakako, Rolf thumbed out to the water, indicating her to go before grinning at his wife, "Just, y'know, tell tha' girls not t'freak if dey see blood, awright? Probably won't be ours."
With a gravimetric surge, he whisked into the air, and into the ocean behind him breaking the surface of the water like a dropped torpedo. Yamataians, especially the coastal ones, had quite an advantage navigating open-space environments like water rather well. The Minkan took to the water quite like a fish, and searched for his daughter among the colorful, coral-crusted world beneath the waves.
Sora rolled her eyes and started to yell something to Rolf but her voice was consumed by the roar of the surf.
Wakako eagerly chased her dad into the water, taking a couple of moments to get used to seeing under the waves. Her eyes were wide at all of the colorful fish and coral formations. She swam after him, not as gracefully as her father but she tried to keep up. She wanted to chase the fish but stayed focused on catching up to Rolf. "Dad, where are the sharks gonna be hiding?" Her telepathy bubbled with excitement. "OOOOOH Shiny!" Her attention was pulled to an object at the base of the coral and she swam down to see it.
Not too far from the edge of the shore was a cavernous canyon of coral and sea-life, gently urged along by the conservationist systems that made Yamatai beautiful. Even the fauna of this planet lived in a brilliant utopia, but there were reminders that some things were not so perfect. Serving as a both support and remembrance was a sheered piece of a star-ship's hull that sparkled gloriously under the sea-life that slowly seeked to claim for their own. The letters YSS Ki-- were emblazoned on strip, giving a little evidence to identity of the small piece of history.
"Give it time, there's always a mess fish out 'ere. Gotta have patience." The Malafarian rolled above her, taking a moment to throw his head over the surface of the water for a moment before diving back down after Wakako. Oxygen still served as a pesky necessity despite the engineered superiority of their bodies. Still, a bit of form and gravimetrics made following his daughter little trouble. He cut through a school of fish that flowed around him, pegging his scarred lump of muscly body. The buffetting fish did not seem to concern him so much as as what the fish were swimming from.
A Melami Short-fin Shark stalked the glittery depths, its white hide reflecting what came from below. The beast was not paying much mind to the swimmers, yet. Though, where there was was one Melami Shark, there were more, typically three. Rolf may have known as much, and kept an eye on his daughter as he traded glances between the two.
At that, and chasing a silvery tuna from under the hull, came another shak, well within Wakako's gaze. The beast was open-mouthed, but had spoiled its chance at a meal, proving a bit of its hunger.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the shark. The way the tuna sparkled as they fled before the great white beast awed her. That's what she wanted to fight. "He's so big!! Can I take him home, Daddy?!" She pointed excitedly to the shark. She swam upwards to get a deep pull of oxygen before she dove back down to her father, starting to get the hang of the more precise movements to manuever underwater.
"Heh heh heh," chuckled Rolf sending the humor along, he looked over to her, and ran finger across his collar bone. "Maybe a few teeth! I'll see if I can't make ya necklace.
She watched the Malami and its sharp teeth without an ounce of fear or concern. "Do we punch him on the nose to fight him?"
"Nah, as far as I know, they're a lil' skittish if ya try t'chase'm. They're fast." answered her father, shooting back up for a fresh breath before swimming back down. As he came back down, he reached for his daughters shoulder, keeping an eye on the other shark still chasing the near-by school of fish. His next words came as a whisper, "Sometimes, y'gunna be in a fight with a predator, something that'll only come in y'range when they think it's worth strikin' for. They know you're trouble, and they fear it."
The Malifarian tugged her saber from the scabbard, exposing the blade just so. The hand on her shoulder went to the blade, and he wrapped his fingers around it. A sullying red line of blood emerged from his palm, and he held it up so it was visible to her. "Gotta' make'm forget that fear."
The Malami cut in their direction at that moment, its gaze affixed on Wakako and Rolf. The beast glided through the water gently, as if sizing up the scent of blood. For a moment, there was a serene silence as it slowed to an almost halt, the flickering sun cast rays onto its speckled form. Rolf squeezed his hand, blood coming forth in a fresh spill, as if he had squeezed a fruit in his fingers.
It was like Rolf had cast a spell, as the shark steamed towards them, it's mouth spliting to reveal several tearing teeth.
Wakako watched the blood dancing in the water like a long ribbon as it flowed from her father's hand. Her body tensed with excitement as the shark swam towards them. "He's all sparkly!" She waited for the tight moment to pounce like he had taught her.
"Keep yer eye on the birdie, yer aimin' for just behind dat birdie," encouraged Rolf, pointing his finger towards the shark's mouth. The beast funneled itself at them, and in a pinch moment, its nose rose towards the blood that drifted towards it. Wakako could see the mouth widen, daggers lining its jaw in rows. It saw her as the prey, though it smelled her father's sweeter blood.
Moreover, its hunger had committed the predator to its lunge.
Wakako grinned as she stared into the shark's mouth and swung her fist into the side of the shark's spiracle with the full brunt of her new strength as a mature nekovalkyrja. The force of the blow spurred by impatience and gravimetric control.
The wrath of heaven had some of the strangest ways of manifesting. If the Ketsurui were truly divine, this shark had just learned it. Wakako's fist caught the shark's skin, her arm cavitating the water, its natural hide let those knuckles find staying power. Cartilaginous bone, meant to be pliable, snapped under the force. The beast's head had snapped in one direction, the bend in its body resembling that of a copper wire.
Wakako had killed it in a single strike, a fashion fot for her kind, for her clan. Rolf beamed with pride, his chest puffing up at the display of strength and skill. He reached over and tugged his daughter in, kissing her forehead.
"What a shot! You killed'm straight out! Good job, slugga!" cheered her father. "I'm gunna go up f'air, grab'm before he sinks, so we can show ya mom."
Hai. Wakako wrapped her arms around the shark, hugging it like a stuffed animal. She smiled brightly, though a little confused. She didn't think she had hit the shark that hard. "Are sharks tasty?" She swam up after her father to get some air, dragging the broken beast along with her.
"BWOHOOOUGH," Rolf took a big, deep breath as he broke the surface of the water. Holding ones breath for a while underwater was a task, especially when it came to hunting. As they shared a moment of reprieve topside, he replied, "They're not bad, never ate it dat often 'cause ya Maw maw, my momma, always believed they had a lot bad stuff in'm. Growin' boy an' all that!" He threw his arms up in the air, showing how much he had grown, blood still webbing down his muscles. At that, he sank, and his form took to taking him back to shore.
The Malifarian called back to her, "Now your mom's probably readin' a book or somethin', so let's try t'show her all tha' waitin' around was worthwhile, ne?"
Wakako watched her dad's movements with wide eyes. She always loved hearing stories about her father's childhood. She nodded as she swam after him, dragging the shark after her.
Planet Yamatai, Malifar
Temeridi Beach
14:57
Six years ago, the Temeridi neighborhood was a smoking ruin of Malifar's residential, beach-side district. In the years since, and with the resurgence of the fisheries, Temeridi had been rebuilt to reflect a renewed Malifar. As life began to course through her streets, and business began to thrum, the wounded city had healed into something smaller, yet with more of a glitter. The residential district reflected this with its lovely white homes lining a lengthy string of beaches, with touristy hotels barely scraping above the skyline. The Desert City, with its once tall buildings and turned into the Desert Jewel, becoming a beautiful symbol of revitalization and recovery.
Temeridi specifically, was an ideal stop for any family, Malifarian or otherwise. Her bays, which were once craters of fallen ships, had been cleared to make safe, calm pools for people to lounge and swim. The centers of these bays had statues of remembrance, depicting smiling mothers and fathers with their children. On the horizon, white-sailed boats and rustic fishing ships rolled over the waves, they appeared as if white needles on ocean line. Flourishing palms framed the whole scene, leaning over the edges of the beaches to provide a bit of shade under the hot Juaniata Sun.
Today, one of Malifar's sons had come home, and with much more in tow. It had been quite some time since Rolf had even seen his birthtown, not since he had involved himself in the reconstruction efforts after leaving the 44th Fireteam. He had earned himself a home on one of the white beaches, but had found few chances to ever come by to stay in it. The memories that lived in the city were difficult to face alone, and Rolf had never been able to convince anyone to come out with him.
As such, the Malifarian stood on his native beach, feeling the familiar sun kiss his shoulders in greeting. He stared out at the ocean, having come out ahead of his family, and digging his feet into the grainy coast. In nothing but a pair of white and red swimming trunks, he was taking in a lot of the sea air unfettered. There was a somber air about him, even as he could hear the distant parade of happiness and rousing pastimes of the other beach-goers. It was less crowded than he remembered.
"Ah," hummed Rolf, taking in a deep breath, "They really dolled this place up good."
Sora had carefully negociated the family's trip with the Ketsurui samurai, which had been followed with city plans, possible sniping points and then quiet coordination with the local police force. But once the arguing and compromises had been met, she felt considerably less stressed once they arrived in Malifar.
Wakako had been helping the security coordination with her own brand of worst case scenario suggestions that had actually further complicated the negotiations but weren't concerns that could be easily dismissed. Her mother was stressed out but she was having fun. Even more fun than helping the security planning was trying to convince her father what bikini she should wear to the beach.
The youngling burst out of the house with a loud bang of the door as she ran towards the water wearing a white string bikini that barely contained her newly developed assets with a white gun/sword belt hybrid like her mother's. "It's too quiet! Are there sharks? Let's go find some!" She exclaimed as she slid to a stop beside her father.
Sora sighed as she followed her daughter, more quietly out of the house. Taking care to close the door behind her. "Let's not fight sharks?" She suggested as she closed the distance between herself and her family. Her own dark green bikini covering far more of her figure with her weapons belt resting across her hips.
"Oh, we gon' fight sharks," affirmed the Malifarian, throwing his eyes over his shoulder to his wife. He cackled, always energized by his daughters zeal and thirst for danger. A tanned finger spun up into the air, as if to highlight another point before it dive-bombed in the direction of Wakako's newly-developed assets. She was almost four months old now, and already she was taller than him, "when someone puts on the swim-suit we agreed on."
Wakako puffed her cheeks, her short dark red hair bouncing she she objected. "But Dad, I don't want to have weird tan lines. The sharks won't care what I'm wearing when I stab them." She thrust her hands down for emphasis, bouncing as she did.
Sora nudged Wakako. "Go change, you're probably not going to be noticably darker. I know it's fun to watch the veins in your dad's foreheard pop, but don't tease him too much." She smiled brightly at the girl and then her husband. "Land sharks, I think are what you are most concerned with, ne?"
"I know tha' kinda' boys that roll this beach," explained the Minkan, jabbing a knowing finger into the side of Sora's chest. His brow had furrowed, indicating a sense of seriousness that acted as his fatherly concern. "They're me, but less attractive and charmin', but that don't make'm any less dangerous. Tha' Malifarian Beach-Boy ain't got no fear, and those swords ain't gunna scare'm off."
As if he was making a point from jabbing his wife's breast, he pointed towards Wakako in particular, "And she's dressin' like blood in the water."
”I'm supposed to beat them up, right? Wouldn't this be good bait?" Wakako suggested with a impish grin and a mischievous twinkle in her dark green eyes as she gestured to herself with a swirl.
"Regardless, you promised your dad, Wakako," Sora added helpfully, clearly amused by the replay of this argument from the swimsuit shopping yesterday. She didn't remember buying the white bikini her daughter was wearing and wondered if the girl had bought it when she wasn't looking. Perhaps, that was why a few of the displays by Rolf had fallen over.
"That's right, ya promised," reiterated Rolf, giving Wakako a firm look that looked more an admiration of her father's impishness than true disapproval. The man thumbed back to the house at the edge of the beach, and the two story shielded by palms and likely, a load of Samurai. "Ya gunna' march right back up in there, grab ya real swimsuit and put that on."
At that, Wakako's impishness was matched by the original Imp himself, "Or, do you wanna' hafta' wear some Samurai digs and sit out here in the sun lookin' like some kinda' lost tourist?"
Wakako's nose crinkled in disgust at her father's suggestion. With a dramatic twirl, she turned to go back to the house, tugging the strings of the top off and held the small pieces of fabric outstretched in her fingers. "So old fashioned, Dad! I could just be using volumerics." She looked back over a smooth tanned shoulder, meeting her dad's eyes, defiant in her defeat.
"Wough," groaned Rolf, pressing his fingers into his eyes as girl went back inside. The Malifarian had been at the end of his rope as his once playful partner in crime had turned into a veluptious him. With a sigh, he looked over at Sora, "We went an' made a monsta'."
Her hands found the sides of his neck, as Sora rubbed some of the tension out. "She's more like you these days. She's right though, she could be using projections instead of real clothes," her voice showed her amusement. "But she should get used to wearing things she doesn't want to if she's going off to training soon."
"Hurgh," moaned Rolf, as his shoulders rolled under Sora's attentions. He certainly felt tense, even if being a youngling father was lower dose than being regular child father, the change in environment had its strains. The fact of whether or not he was a good role model for Wakako was argueable, as she still learned his bad habits despite Rolf being on his best behavior most of the time. "If she's anythin' like you she'll just go dancin' around in volumetrics anyway."
He looked over at a group of young men that had been switching on and off watching the exchange. The protective father's eyes narrowed while his smile thirsted for a bit of violence. Sora could feel his muscles tense as though he rared for a fight. "Were those guys lookin' when she tore her top off?"
Wakako had since retreated into the house to change.
Sora's eyes glanced over to the young men. "I think they only saw her butt?" She commented knowing that that revelation wasn't going to help. She leaned closer, pressing against her husband's tensing back. "You can't gouge all their eyes out, Rolufu." She kissed his cheek. "A proper gentleman trying to defend a lady's honor... such a sight to see. My hero."
The man in her hands settled like a tamed beast, her little gestures untensing a group of muscles in succession, like cutting taut strings. Rolf puffed his chest out, proud and relaxed as he eyed the other group of Malifarians. They were boys, by his standards, roughly two-thirds his age. Sora could see they all had dark, cutting faces like Rolfs, but no where near as intimidating or wrought.
"Heh heh heh, that's right," flexed the Imp, apparently feeling rather impressive as he craned his head to give his wife a proper kiss. "I'mma propa fella."
"Get a room!" howled one of the Malifarians, the group cackled.
At that, Sora's loving Imp felt like he was about to break loose from her tender grip.
Without missing a beat, her NSP was in Sora's hand and pointed at the group. "Move along then, nothing to see then." She had only pulled away from Rolf slightly. "A little young to have a hole between your eyes, ne?" She finally turned to look at the boys, they were far too young to be picking this particular fight.
"Mom! I want to play sniper!" Wakako's voice whined as she bounded out of the house through a window on the upper floor. She was in fact, wearing the approved tasteful two piece tankini that kept her mostly covered. Her feet sank slowly into the sand as she landed. "I thought you said we weren't gonna kill anyone today?"
"I did say that, but I didn't promise anything... " Sora watched the group curiously. She was hoping to avoid a fight.
"Aren't we supposed to go beat up boys?" Wakako looked from her mother to her father. "We can take them, easy!"
The three young men gave cornered looks at Sora's NSP, a relative symbol of who she may or may not be. One of the particularly rolfish fellows began to puff his chest up, trying to prove himself unintimidated by the unknown Ketsuruis. When he opened his mouth to speak, his two friends slapped their hands over his mouth, and grabbed him by his hair to force him down with their bows. They did not choose to wait, a classical Malifarian trait of knowing trouble when one saw it, and began pounding sand in the opposite direction of Nekos and man.
Rolf cackled in a howling laughters as he comfortably settled back into Sora. "Ya gunna' hafta' be fasta than that, wit ya Mom around, there ain't gunna' be any boys left t'fight!" He wrapped his hand around Sora's and tugged it in to kiss it, gun and all, "And we're supposed t'be tha' spunky ones."
Wakako rolled her eyes at the show of affection between her parents and the retreat of the boys, her hands firmly on her hips on her sword belt. "So where are these sharks hiding, dad?"
Sora smiled as Rolf captured her hand. "Can't have you both beating up everyone on the beach, can we?" Her gaze shifted to Wakako. "I guess, we can go diving? Unless there is a species of shallow water sharks around here?" She looked back to Rolf, "Or do we have to go out deeper into the water for that? We could, challenge some of the off-shift Samurai to a volleyball match?"
Wakako was drawn to the edge of the water. She saw little crabs scurring away from her as she approached. "What are these things?" She crouched down, eyeing the creatures with a predatory gaze, pouncing on one. It pinched her hand and she dropped it again, her face flushing red. "OOOH. SO DEAD."
The crab puffed up, and smacked its claws together, while scuttling itself sideways away from the unruly Neko. Even the animals in Malifar had guff to give, Rolf came from a rough and tumble place. Before she could have the chance to exact proper, Ketsurui revenge their personal native spoke up.
"Hey! Those is Melami Scissor Crabs," pointed out Rolf smartly, for once, warning his daughter, "They got a nasty attitude and a pack mentality if ya don't leave'm alone."
The man threw his head over at Sora, kissing her on the cheek, and being more sappy upon noticing how much it annoyed their daughter. He continued to speak as he made a show of it, "Tha' Samurai? Pfft, I didn't even know they were allowed t'have fun. Still, as fun as snorklin' sharks might be, I don't need some coast ranger rollin' up our sides f'chokin' out a sea animal." He stole a glance off at some palm trees, as if that's where they were hiding, "What are they gunna' wear? Fundoshi's?"
"Probably," Sora giggled at the thought. "They can have fun but you're right, they are probably more concerned with security than entertaining us right now. I'm sure they would also appreciate us not going underwater after sharks." She reholstered her NSP and nuzzled him. "Well, welcome home. What did you want to do?"
Wakako's eyes were so focused on the crab that had pinched her that she got pulled over by the next wave. She let out a squeek of protest. "EYAH, cold!" When the young neko had recovered, she had seaweed dangling from her hair.
"Hopefully, not lose our kid to a riptide," cackled Rolf, placing a hand on the woman's cheek as she got close. He looked a bit wistful, staring off up and down the coast. A tense shoulder brushed up to Sora, and he watched Wakako make war against the water. "I had a few things in mind, but I'm wonder-- HEY!"
A passing couple stopped and stared at them. Rolf clicked his tongue, "Not you assholes, that asshole!"
He pointed past them at another dapper Malifarian eying Wakako from the edge of the water. Perhaps he was pointedly ignoring them, but certainly he wasn't aware of the elder Malifarian's anger just yet. Rolf growled, his throat thrumming, "Do I do that?"
Sora caught a curious glance from Rolf, "Do I do that? I can hit him, right? He's tossin' hooks at my daughter."
Sora's eyes went to the movements of her daughter as the girl was crashing through the waves as the tide came in. "You're going to be hitting a lot of people for looking, love. Maybe if they actually get too close, you can hit them? She's a beautiful young woman, they are going to look."
"Yeah, and I'm a young, scrappy father, and I feel like I gotta go swingin' every time," Rolf was a bit uneasy, looking like he was about to flying over the sands to 'protect' her. Instead he sank his fingers into his face, growling in frustration as he restrained himself. "I know how I was at 'dat age. I don't want our curious girl fallin' for a'pair of dusty red eyes, agh. We shoulda' went t'Ralt or somethin' and made snowmen."
Every so often, Wakako let the waves drag her further out as it ebbed but then she ran back trying to calculate the timing between the tides. She had never seen the ocean in anything other than simulations and books. "What are these jewel things in the water? They look like mochi. DAD, can I eat the water mochi?"
"Water mochi? Eh heh heh heh," a venomous little chuckle rolled under his lips. Sora could see the valid temptation to steer her wrong, but also saw him rasp against the urge. "Sure! They're jelly-filled, and they'll make ya face puff up as much as I'm gunna puff up shit-bird's if he don't stop starin'."
The blond Malifarian at the edge of the water looked over his shoulder, blue-eyed but none-the-less carrying that distance sharpness in his gaze like Rolf's. He gave the couple a dumb look, not sure if they were talking to him, then shrugged as he waded out into the water.
Wakako tilted her head at her father's comment. He made her intensely more curious about the water mochi. She drew her sword, a saber that was uncharacteristic of the Ketsurui family, and impaled one of the creatures floating in the water. She held the pulsating jelly up on the blade and stared at it intently.
Sora tried not to laughed between Rolf's overprotectiveness and her daughter's curiousity. "She'd figure out a way to show off. Wakako is excited to be full grown." Her hand found his waist and she hugged him. "You were saying?"
"Her first kill's a jellyfish," analyzed the father, stroking his chin spike thoughtfully. He was, as well, admiring the girl’s strange curiosity. Though, in truth, she was experiencing all of this for the first time. Temeridi was not always such a lovely sight, and it made him glad she got to enjoy it in its splendor, rather than the scuzzy, over-populated swath that it used to be. Rolf's face spread into a wider grin, Sora could just see the edge of it as the two lovingly cuddled in the sand. He seemed content.
"Heh heh..." The malcontent of a man shouted out too his daughter, "Hey! See if ya can toss it at that guy!" He pointed at the blond man, "Flick it off the sword! I betcha can't do it!"
Wakako grinned at the challenge and 'accidentally' flung the impaled jellyfish at the blonde man her father identified in a smooth movement that ended with the sword resheathed at her waist with a girlish shout of, "Ki o tsukete! Gomen nasi~!" She covered her mouth to hide her grin.
Sora watched the chaos with a smile. She could resolve the aftermath of the mischief but they needed a direction that was least damaging to the populace... a jellyfish wasn't that bad? "You two are so bad," she murmured against his neck.
The man wailed as the cat-of-nine-jellyfish came flying his way, the Malifarian Coastal Nettle was notorious for zapping the feet of unwary beachgoers. This one, now quite dead, was nastily flailing its undulating tentacles. Quite brilliantly he caught the Nettle's corpse over his shoulder. He reeled back, and then forth, scampering his hands for the Nettle's head. All the while he hobbled back onto dry land, sloshing muddy sand with each pained step.
Rolf was laughing so hard he was crying, he apparently found great joy, and pride in the girl's display of skill. It took a great deal of practice to not only accruately fling something off the blade, but sheath it at the same time. He looked back at Sora, his sun-kissed body handling the heat well.
"You know, I had m'doubts when she wanted to go to the beach packin', but I'm enjoyin' the results," cackled Sora's Malifarian, going on to further muse, "Maybe we should really go huntin' for sharks... If the Samurai can't come down to play, gunna have to keep her occupied before she starts fightin' everyone she sees."
Another fellow looked to be on the approach, but he stopped as he saw the marred blonde go past him, shaking his head at the man. It was hard to tell, but it looked like he was saying 'Not worth it.' The second fellow just laughed at his misfortune and sent him along down the beach, they looked like they were friends, with a larger group of boys howling in laughter.
"Ooi!" this tan-man had blue hair, tied back into a knot. He gave a friendly wave, and a more confident grin, "That was pretty cool! You got him good."
Wakako's dark green eyes darted to the man that she assumed was addressing her. Her stance in the waves shifted towards him but she did not move closer to him. "It was an unfortunate accident, Onii~san." She flicked soaked red strands of hair away from her face. The waves crashed at her feet, splashing her with foam as she sized up the man, drawing to her full height and lifting her ample chest up as she corrected her posture. "Did you know him?"
The stranger's eyes widened a bit as he took Wakako in, he cut his eyes to the side redirecting his sharp gaze aside. He was head taller than her father, decidedly sharp Yamataian features, and a broad Malifarian chest. He smelled a bit like seafoam, and his eyes seemed to be a shady green. "Wiibaru? Yeah. Y'know, I saw him walking out of the water with a jellyfish on him and I thought I'd check on him."
He looked back at Wakako, a somewhat honest smile on his face, "After seeing where it came from, I thought'd I'd come on over and say hi." He seemed to keep his pace, "My name's Kaneshiro, yours?"
"Wakako." Her eyes moved back to the surface as a spiky thing bumped her ankle. She knelt down to examine it. "What's this thing?" She cautiously poke it with a slender finger, not ready to draw her saber again. "Weird things in the ocean.. water mochi, scissoring crabs.. spikey things. No sharks yet," Wakako's eyes flicked back up to Kaneshiro. There was no bashfulness in her gaze, it was almost a challenge.
Sora rubbed Rolf's neck as he tried to not have a fit as their daughter had a conversation with a boy. Every time he saw a fellow get close, he had tensed up, his knees bending in the sand. Kaneshiro almost had him stand up and move in for the kill, but thankfully the gentle Ketsurui to his back kept him tame. Her hands seemed to rein him, and her gentle words were chilling water to the red-hot anvil that was his fiery soul.
"You said I could dive in iffn' they got close," chewed Rolf, rolling a poison over in his tongue, "He's pretty close."
Meanwhile, Kaneshiro leaned back a little bit, wary of the dangerous Neko's gaze. He was a bit braver than the last guy who came by, but not by much. Still, Malifarians either had a sense for danger, or a thirst for it, and this young man was leaning to the latter.
"Well, Wakako," answered the young man, tasting the name in his mouth, "That's a sea urchin, it's pretty tasty when prepared right." He seemed to sweat a little bit, his face giving a tell to the danger, and a little from the heat, "Y'know, my friends are goin' to a fish place tonight, you could come along, give it a try?"
Wakako looked to her mother with a questioning look. Sora nodded as she felt the muscles in her husband's body tense. "I'm on a family trip but I think I can manage." The youngling picked up the sea urchin by pinching some of the spikes. She lifted it to her face staring at it before she looked back up to the boy, firmly meeting his gaze. "How do you eat this? It looks like a lychee."
Kaneshiro's eyebrows raised at that, giving some thought to her question. His smile was rather evident, a little surprise still washing off his face from the acceptance she splashed at him. "Well, you cut it open, and you scoop out the inside, and put it over a bed of rice, normally. It's pretty good, you'd like it."
Wakako stood up suddenly and tossed the black spikey urchin up into the air, quick drawing her saber and slicing the creature in half before it fell to the water. She tried to catch the urchin halves with her free hand. "It's all... orange inside?"
The blue-haired Malifarian stood there, a bit aghast. He looked back at the other group of guys down the beach, most of which were watching intently from a safe distance. They seemed a bit unsure themselves. The moment Kaneshiro took a step back, some of them began to waggle their arms, as if they were chickens.
"Tch," snipped Kaneshiro, before looking back at Wakako. He swallowed, mustering a bit of momemtum step a bit closer. He was a bit taller than her. "Yeah! See?" The desert-man pointed a finger into the open Uni half, having dared to be in he range, even closer!
Rolf bristled.
The handsome beach-bum gestured to all of the inside, unaware of Wakako's father, instead smiling at the girl, "You eat that. Like I said, they make it look a lot better at the restaurants, but it's kinda expensive."
"Why? It just washed up with the surf," she stared at the movement of the orange flesh inside the urchin. Her eyes moved up to Kaneshiro's face again. She was still sizing up his movements, trying to determine how much of a fight she would get from him if she swung. The saber was still in her right hand, dripping with orange goo and sea water. Wakako could sense her father's discomfort and she let herself loose balance when the next wave crashed against her legs, causing her to fall against the young Malifarian.
"Whoa, careful there," warned Kaneshiro as he took a hold of the youngling Neko. There was a sort of valid concern in his eyes, that Wakako could see until it was no longer there. A familiar, tan foot collided with Kaneshiro's soft head. Rolf had broken loose of his wife, and had sailed over the sands like a desert hornet. The blue-haired Malifarian went flying from the force of the kick, and went tumbling into the creature infested waters.
The battle-scarred Rolf hunched over in his landing, planting his feet firmly into the sand. He stood more straight as the other man popped his head from the water.
"Wauggh, what the hell!" complained Kaneshiro, staring over the waves at Rolf.
"Oide yo," dared the elder Malifarian, sneering at the boy. His knuckles cracked, his face playing up a veiny anger, throwing his challenge to the other boys on the beach. The dangerous man beckoned them, daring them as well.
Wakako stepped back and looked at her father with a grin, she resheathed her sword. "Otoosan~ dajoubou de~su." She discarded the bisected sea creature as she pulled back beside her father. "He was just trying to make sure I didn't hurt myself~" Her voice was overly sweet. Rolf could hear the little emoji hearts she liked to send in her texts to him when she was hiding.
Sora watched from her spot on the sand and shook her head. "Or.. until she gets you to fight all the boys on the beach.." she commented softly to herself with the smallest hint of a smile.
"Otou-san!?" blanched Kaneshiro, carefully side-stepping the family, Rolf in particular. The young man's thirst for danger didn't quite outweigh the menace put out by Wakako's father. "I, ah..."
"Bring ya buddies ova', kid," threatened Rolf, in a fury now. "I'm gunna' put each a'ya in the ground."
"A-ah... Yo-you know, I was just concerned," defended Kaneshiro as the papa bear defended his mischievous. "Y'know, like she said, right?"
Rolf looked over his shoulder at Wakako, very familiar with her games and pranks. The Neko would have him running all around the Imperial Palace for hours, playing hide-and-seek with a miniature Neko that liked to change hiding spots. She knew how riled he could get, Sora knew how riled he could get, in fact few people that knew him weren't aware of the man's churlish fury. He took a deep breath, trying to think as a reasonable father would of a fast-growing youngling.
"She's outta' ya league, kid," settled Rolf, jutting a finger past Kaneshiro, giving hima chance.
"Hey hey," carefully chattered the young man, "Maybe she could decide that herself, ne, Otou-san?"
The snap was almost audible.
"Otoo--... Oh, y'dead." hunched Rolf, about to tear the other Malifarian apart, "Y'fuckin' dead, yatsu!"
Startled, the daring blue-haired beach-boy cut-tail at that, pounding sand off to his friends, who seemed to be biting their fingers off at the exchange.
Wakako pouted as the game ended with the boy running away. "That was really quick," she raised her hand to her eyes as she watched Kaneshiro run off. "Dadddd, I thought we're supposed to enjoy a fight." She grabbed her dad's arm, tugging it.
Sora shook her head again as she heard the frustration from the guards that were watching over them. They didn't have much to do since the family was driving off potential risks. "You're too much, Ro~lu~fu. Relax."
Rolf looked down at his daughter, and then his wife, a typical look of murder that would unsettle most. To them, it was how he showed his own brand of concern. He pulled in Wakako real quick, bouncing her off his side in reassurance.
"Y'gunna put me in the ground, about a week ago you was just streakin' in the halls a'tha palace. Now ya streakin' outside in fronta all these... animals," gruffly blustered Rolf, throwing his knife-edged gaze at the young men making their retreat. He pursed his lips, realizing he had been a bit on edge since he had arrived, especially as Wakako went about. She was proving harder to handle each day.
Wakako warmly hugged her dad, still dripping with seawater. "I don't want you to get bored, Daddy." She looked at Rolf with those mischievous dark green eyes. "Minori-san said I could go to training at Fort Victory so I won't be too far away. Maybe I'll be done in time to see you graduate!"
Her trains of thought ran together, she was excited to follow her dad's career path but she was going to be away from her family for the first time in her short life. "You and mommy won't be too lonely without me?" She smiled at him. "You shouldn't worry about me so much, I am full grown now."
Sora watched on with a smile, enjoying the warmth of the sun against her fair skin. Her family was having a nice moment out of the chaos earlier and she had learned to enjoy these little reprieves before the next storm happened.
"Exactly," pointedly remarked Rolf, running a hand into Wakako's hair, toussling it. "Bein' bigga' means ya can end up in bigga' problems, and now ya 'bout ta'go out in tha' big ol'world." A knowing gaze shadowed his brow, as he looked up at Wakako, instead of down, he took a deep breath at that. That took some getting used to, looking up at your daughter. "Nothin' but big problems out there."
A familiar grin spread on his face as he sized up the fully-grown Neko, a little pride showing in his eyes. The Minkan was a bit overwhelmed, but a part of that may have been the great changes he had undergone in his life recently. Still, his daughter was a stunning example of a Ketsurui, not that he'd openly admit that, yet. She wasn't wise to the world, but he could tell that once she was, she'd be more a force against it than any other way around.
"And lookit ya!"
He shadowed boxed at her stomach, bouncing three rapid 'shots' in a sudden movement. Then threw his arms out as if she had exploded, "Full a'openin's!" He looked over at the unfortunate mother of the family, "Look at y'girl, Sora! She won't last five minutes. We gunna' hafta' train." Those warlike fists slammed together, as he turned a mischievous red gaze back to Wakako. "Let's go find some sharks."
She beamed as her father ruffled her hair, pretending that she had nothing to do with this most recent burst of parental rage. "Yeah!" Wakako agreed with an overly enthusiatic bounce. "Do we just run into the ocean until we see one?" She tapped a finger against her chin as she stared out at the water again.
Sora sighed again. "So we are going snorkeling? Or did you mean something else?" She looked between the two troublemakers and shrugged, it was impossible to keep them out of trouble though their guard detail had tried. She watched her husband curiously, only half certain of what he was up to.
"Eh? Snorklin'? We're juss' gunna swim out, and then swim back, yeah?" convinced Rolf, thumbing out to the crystal waters and the rich abundance it hid within. He put a hand on his chest, looking honest and true. "Just a nice relaxin' dip, y'know? Relaxin' family time." The man continued to soothe potential concerns as he slowly backed into the water. An errant wave crashed against his his hind-legs, but he appeared more used to it than anything. Nothing seemed to damper his grin.
Looking to Wakako, Rolf thumbed out to the water, indicating her to go before grinning at his wife, "Just, y'know, tell tha' girls not t'freak if dey see blood, awright? Probably won't be ours."
With a gravimetric surge, he whisked into the air, and into the ocean behind him breaking the surface of the water like a dropped torpedo. Yamataians, especially the coastal ones, had quite an advantage navigating open-space environments like water rather well. The Minkan took to the water quite like a fish, and searched for his daughter among the colorful, coral-crusted world beneath the waves.
Sora rolled her eyes and started to yell something to Rolf but her voice was consumed by the roar of the surf.
Wakako eagerly chased her dad into the water, taking a couple of moments to get used to seeing under the waves. Her eyes were wide at all of the colorful fish and coral formations. She swam after him, not as gracefully as her father but she tried to keep up. She wanted to chase the fish but stayed focused on catching up to Rolf. "Dad, where are the sharks gonna be hiding?" Her telepathy bubbled with excitement. "OOOOOH Shiny!" Her attention was pulled to an object at the base of the coral and she swam down to see it.
Not too far from the edge of the shore was a cavernous canyon of coral and sea-life, gently urged along by the conservationist systems that made Yamatai beautiful. Even the fauna of this planet lived in a brilliant utopia, but there were reminders that some things were not so perfect. Serving as a both support and remembrance was a sheered piece of a star-ship's hull that sparkled gloriously under the sea-life that slowly seeked to claim for their own. The letters YSS Ki-- were emblazoned on strip, giving a little evidence to identity of the small piece of history.
"Give it time, there's always a mess fish out 'ere. Gotta have patience." The Malafarian rolled above her, taking a moment to throw his head over the surface of the water for a moment before diving back down after Wakako. Oxygen still served as a pesky necessity despite the engineered superiority of their bodies. Still, a bit of form and gravimetrics made following his daughter little trouble. He cut through a school of fish that flowed around him, pegging his scarred lump of muscly body. The buffetting fish did not seem to concern him so much as as what the fish were swimming from.
A Melami Short-fin Shark stalked the glittery depths, its white hide reflecting what came from below. The beast was not paying much mind to the swimmers, yet. Though, where there was was one Melami Shark, there were more, typically three. Rolf may have known as much, and kept an eye on his daughter as he traded glances between the two.
At that, and chasing a silvery tuna from under the hull, came another shak, well within Wakako's gaze. The beast was open-mouthed, but had spoiled its chance at a meal, proving a bit of its hunger.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the shark. The way the tuna sparkled as they fled before the great white beast awed her. That's what she wanted to fight. "He's so big!! Can I take him home, Daddy?!" She pointed excitedly to the shark. She swam upwards to get a deep pull of oxygen before she dove back down to her father, starting to get the hang of the more precise movements to manuever underwater.
"Heh heh heh," chuckled Rolf sending the humor along, he looked over to her, and ran finger across his collar bone. "Maybe a few teeth! I'll see if I can't make ya necklace.
She watched the Malami and its sharp teeth without an ounce of fear or concern. "Do we punch him on the nose to fight him?"
"Nah, as far as I know, they're a lil' skittish if ya try t'chase'm. They're fast." answered her father, shooting back up for a fresh breath before swimming back down. As he came back down, he reached for his daughters shoulder, keeping an eye on the other shark still chasing the near-by school of fish. His next words came as a whisper, "Sometimes, y'gunna be in a fight with a predator, something that'll only come in y'range when they think it's worth strikin' for. They know you're trouble, and they fear it."
The Malifarian tugged her saber from the scabbard, exposing the blade just so. The hand on her shoulder went to the blade, and he wrapped his fingers around it. A sullying red line of blood emerged from his palm, and he held it up so it was visible to her. "Gotta' make'm forget that fear."
The Malami cut in their direction at that moment, its gaze affixed on Wakako and Rolf. The beast glided through the water gently, as if sizing up the scent of blood. For a moment, there was a serene silence as it slowed to an almost halt, the flickering sun cast rays onto its speckled form. Rolf squeezed his hand, blood coming forth in a fresh spill, as if he had squeezed a fruit in his fingers.
It was like Rolf had cast a spell, as the shark steamed towards them, it's mouth spliting to reveal several tearing teeth.
Wakako watched the blood dancing in the water like a long ribbon as it flowed from her father's hand. Her body tensed with excitement as the shark swam towards them. "He's all sparkly!" She waited for the tight moment to pounce like he had taught her.
"Keep yer eye on the birdie, yer aimin' for just behind dat birdie," encouraged Rolf, pointing his finger towards the shark's mouth. The beast funneled itself at them, and in a pinch moment, its nose rose towards the blood that drifted towards it. Wakako could see the mouth widen, daggers lining its jaw in rows. It saw her as the prey, though it smelled her father's sweeter blood.
Moreover, its hunger had committed the predator to its lunge.
Wakako grinned as she stared into the shark's mouth and swung her fist into the side of the shark's spiracle with the full brunt of her new strength as a mature nekovalkyrja. The force of the blow spurred by impatience and gravimetric control.
The wrath of heaven had some of the strangest ways of manifesting. If the Ketsurui were truly divine, this shark had just learned it. Wakako's fist caught the shark's skin, her arm cavitating the water, its natural hide let those knuckles find staying power. Cartilaginous bone, meant to be pliable, snapped under the force. The beast's head had snapped in one direction, the bend in its body resembling that of a copper wire.
Wakako had killed it in a single strike, a fashion fot for her kind, for her clan. Rolf beamed with pride, his chest puffing up at the display of strength and skill. He reached over and tugged his daughter in, kissing her forehead.
"What a shot! You killed'm straight out! Good job, slugga!" cheered her father. "I'm gunna go up f'air, grab'm before he sinks, so we can show ya mom."
Hai. Wakako wrapped her arms around the shark, hugging it like a stuffed animal. She smiled brightly, though a little confused. She didn't think she had hit the shark that hard. "Are sharks tasty?" She swam up after her father to get some air, dragging the broken beast along with her.
"BWOHOOOUGH," Rolf took a big, deep breath as he broke the surface of the water. Holding ones breath for a while underwater was a task, especially when it came to hunting. As they shared a moment of reprieve topside, he replied, "They're not bad, never ate it dat often 'cause ya Maw maw, my momma, always believed they had a lot bad stuff in'm. Growin' boy an' all that!" He threw his arms up in the air, showing how much he had grown, blood still webbing down his muscles. At that, he sank, and his form took to taking him back to shore.
The Malifarian called back to her, "Now your mom's probably readin' a book or somethin', so let's try t'show her all tha' waitin' around was worthwhile, ne?"
Wakako watched her dad's movements with wide eyes. She always loved hearing stories about her father's childhood. She nodded as she swam after him, dragging the shark after her.
