Castlevania: Disharmony

Geist tossed the mango juice to Laika and cracked open the coconut juice. "Hrm. Are you a strong swimmer," Geist asked Laika.

"She'll swim circles around you if those twigs you call calves are any clue," Graham spoke up suddenly.

"You were awake," Geist asked.

"Yeah...were you really going to write on me," Graham said as he sat up and lifted his sunglasses.

"I only said I was tempted," Geist said crossing his arms.

"You won't like go off like a toaster in a bathtup if you go in the ocean will you," Graham asked.

"Only if I want to, or if I'm overcharged, and I haven't entirely replinished my charge from yesterday, so that's no concern," Geist explained.

Graham looked over at Laika. "Wow, look at you girl. I'm not sure what's more impressive, that you filled out in the last year, or that you're brave enough tho show it off," Graham said.

Coming from Graham though, it didn't sound like a typical guy being lecherous though, but rather a genuine, if teasing moment from an old friend.

"Jennifer...she kind of talked me into it last night." Laika sat down beside Graham. "She said...what was it...'I can see that Geist looks at you like a little boy to a little girl. If you want Geist to look at you and see a woman, wear that swimsuit.'" Laika tugged at a strap. "She can be very convincing."

"You're right I can be." Jennifer joined them now, having taken a break from her costume making. Even though Laika's outfit was quite a change, it paled in comparison to Jennifer's. Somehow the tassels on the burgundy swimsuit made it look more adult.

"Taking a break, Graham?" Jennifer asked.

Laika rolled her eyes and got up to join Geist.

"WOWZERS!" Graham exclaimed as Jennifer walked out and followed up with a whistle.

Her swimsuit somehow combined both a skimpy bikini and the slightly dangerous adult quality of a red dress.

Graham stood up and put an arm around Jennifer. He'd seen her in less, but damn did that bikini somehow seem even more suggestive than nothing at all.

"Good luck. This guy looks at women like a sack of potatoes," Graham teased.

"It's going to be in the arena," Birch confirmed. "Though you're not going to be able to sit in the stadium. You've already seen that it can transform, and they're going to shift things around a bit to give Nathan some extra space to move around. Anyway, it's at 5 tonight, right after the redemption tournament wraps up but before the dance."

"Late enough to build hype, early enough for both of them to recover before the finals tomorrow," Derrick thought.

"But they're still going to have some kind of seating, right?" Tobias asked.

"Technically, yes," Birch replied. "Though they're going to be mobile in case the fight starts to drift. Think of it more like an amusement park ride."

Laika blinked and she looked over at Geist.

Sack of potatoes huh...? I guess I should be happy that a guy even notices me at all, especially next to Jennifer, Ramona and Sarah

Jennifer frowned, catching the thought. She watched as Laika went onto the shore up until it covered her calves. Jennifer turned to Graham and repeated quietly what Laika had thought.

"Graham, you know her best out of all of us. What can we do?" She asked.

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"I definitely want to see the fight!" Ramona took out her phone and she made sure she noted the time with an alarm. She wanted to get good seats early on.

"Do we know anyone going to the redemption matches?" Sarah asked.

"Impact," Derrick replied, looking up the match schedule. "No one else from Team Wild is competing. Team Mercy got kicked off the island. And Team Millions ran off to lick their wounds."

"So that little girl and her cat aren't going to fight?" Tobias asked, a hint of sadness in his voice. He didn't want to be responsible for crushing her spirit.

"According to Stampede, she wanted to," Birch replied. "But her cat wasn't interested."

"Give it a sec," Graham whispered back, noticing Geist's frustration.

It was a few seconds before Geist exclaimed "Oh for crying out loud."

He ran after Laika and wrapped his arms around her, scooped one arm under her lifting her up with surprising ease, literally sweeping her off her feet.

"You're beautiful. Don't ever forget that. I'm just incredibly bad at this," he said before he pulled her up to his face and kissed her.

"See, I knew he'd figure it out," Graham said to Jennifer, "He just needed a little more nudging."

Laika still looked a little troubled about something. Geist could see she wore her clock pendant around her neck still. Laika touched it gently, thinking of something before she smiled at Geist.

"You know me. I'm scatterbrained. I need a reminder every now and then." She joked with him. Laika twisted her body then to send them both into the water.

Jennifer frowned a little. She caught the look on Laika's face, but nothing in the girl's mind showed concrete evidence of what might be wrong. She glanced over at Graham and gave him a kiss on his shoulder. "Do you swim?" She asked. "I can just picture you and Laika as kids at the beach."

--------

"The...cat wasn't interested?" Sarah raised her eyebrow.

Ramona shrugged. "How about I order us some lunch?" She asked.

"Cats can be fickle," Birch replied.

"Lunch sounds good," Tobias replied.

"And while we wait I can give Sarah a crash course in her new tech," Derrick said, pulling out an arrow from her quiver. It was the same one that Tobias had pulled. "Simplest first," he said, holding it up. "No special tech here, just a strong, sharp arrow for putting holes in things. Easiest compartment to reach," he added, indicating the section of the quiver he'd pulled the arrow from. "Since I figure it will be your default."

"Sure do," Graham said racing Jen to the water.

Geist went down into the water and popped back up chuckling. He splashed Laika a bit before they were joined by Graham and Jen.

Laika laughed and she splashed Geist back. She spotted Jennifer and Drake. "Are you game Graham?" She called and went over to Geist.

Jennifer smirked and she got up on Graham's shoulder. Laika did the same to Geist.

"Struggle contest!" Laika called out.

-----

Sarah nodded to Derrick. "So that's pretty simple. And the rest?"

Geist nodded as Graham did as well.

"Bayonets fixed," Geist announced.

"CHARGE!" Graham declared as they closed in on each other.

Laika and Jennifer wrestled each other atop of the boys. There was laughter coming from both sides as each girl taunted the other. It wasn't until Jennifer made a sneak move to tickle Laika's side that the young girl fell from atop of Geist, splashing in the water.

"Number one champs!" Jennifer declared and she leaned her head down to kiss Graham's forehead.

For now though, Laika seemed content to lay on her back in the water, looking up at the sky.

"Look at the beach Graham..." Jennifer whispered softly. "Does that remind you of anything?"

Laika listened to Jennifer's tell-tale giggle and she made a face. She wished she knew why she was getting jealous. Was it because they've gone further? Was it because Jennifer was with Graham? Was it because Laika was no longer Graham's only friend?

She blew a sigh.

"You mean what happened between arguing and punching a cop," Graham said with a grin so sly it was almost sideways.

Geist laughed and laid back floatting next to Laika until he was head to head with her.

"Those two are off in their own world again....aren't they?" Laika mumbled.

"Maybe sometime tonight...we might sneak out here." Jennifer teased Graham. She stood in front of him, pressing her body against his. "What do you think, hm?"