{6:30 P.M. Earlier in Tomodachi Town.}

With the sun just above the ocean horizon, Charybdis is sitting alone on a tall cement wall, below him is the sand leading to the ocean. The waves can be heard crashing and the blue haired beach lover watches as a few seagulls pick on an unfortunate crab.

The first seagull grabs the crustacean and flies high with it, before dropping it back to the sand below on it’s back. The crab manages to squirm back upright, but as the little fella tries to get to the safety of the water, two more seagulls grab a leg from each side with their beaks and break the individual legs off.

Fortunately, the wounded warrior scurries and gets swept to safety by a wave.

Char: "Hopefully he has someone to help him out down there.

It won’t be long before he gets picked on by the other marine life next.

...Good luck, lil dude."

Persephone: "But he was atleast given another chance, no?"

Char quickly turns around with a smile. Persephone is behind him and she has an all black cloak on with just her face appearing from the hood, she too is smiling ear to ear.

Persephone: "It’s all about what he does with that second chance that matters."

Char: "Haha, holy shit Persephone, you scared me.

I didn’t even hear you comin’.

Are you a ninja or something?"

Persephone: "Heehe, sorry if I startled you, Charybdis. My... ’Aunt’...has been teaching me how to control Seiõr. I’m currently using a certain technique under this cloak that makes my footsteps silent."

Char: "Woooahh, cool! So you technically are a ninja then, taahaa!"

Persephone giggles behind her hand and makes her way to sit next to her friend. Both her beautiful pink eyes glisten in the fading sunlight.

Persephone: "This view truly is proof, isn’t it?"

Char looks confused but chuckles.

Char(chuckle): "Proof of what, exactly?"

Persephone: "With every source of light in this universe, whether metaphorically or literally, there will always be a darkness that follows."

Char: "...’Follows’?"

Persephone nods.

Char: "How can you be so sure the light comes first, Persephone?

Even the oldest of stories, scientific theories, and religious explanations say everything was dark and nothingness until a ’bang’, God, or mythical being created light."

Persephone quickly turns her head, so fast, her hood flies off.

Persephone: "I never really thought about it like that to be honest with you, Charby?"

She seems to be rummaging under her cloak and from her sleeves, her trusty notepad and pen pops out.

The young enthusiastic writer flips to an open page and jots down a quick note.

Char: "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound pretentious or like I want to sound smarter than I actually am.

It’s just... recently, my friends and I have been having really amateur, and really corny, discussions almost all the time now.

This past month, the new people I’ve been around have deep philosophical conversations.

At this point, it’s a force of habit to always think of a question then answer it with another question whenever the really insightful topics get brought up."

The gorgeous pink eyes of the writer follows the tip of her pen while talking to her friend besides her.

Persephone: "No, please don’t apologize! Your own comments are what I appreciate most about you, Charby. I guess I haven’t spent enough time ’thinking’, in the way you and your friends do.

I’ve always just assumed, the sources of light make it possible to notice the beauty of life, so it must’ve existed first. That’s why the darkness exists, to make all forms of life appreciate the light we take for granted, ya know?"

S pack of coyotes travel through the large parking lot of Tomodachi Town’s grocery store, a safe distance behind the two young creative minds. The wild dogs are sniffing around and they get startled by someone coming out of the store, stepping on broken glass.

The scared mutts scatter and Jay starts to walk across the parking lot, keeping his eyes on the stationary Charybdis and Persephone sitting particularly close to each other.

The distinguished, dark skinned young man stops walking and looks down at the ground in front of him.

Jay(thinking): *Ever since I took Persephone’s memory of her being sexually abused by that creep, I’ve had such high anxiety. I can’t sleep or eat.

It’s nonstop, and the only time that feeling goes away, is when I can physically see that Persephone is okay.

But when men get too close to her..."

Char’s shoulder barely rubs against Persephone’s, and Jay’s IceEye twitches. He starts getting closer, an angry stare directed at the blue haired stranger.

With his back towards the approaching Squad 20 survivor, looking at the horizon, Charybdis is blushing and his mouth is open, clearly wanting to say something, but it’s stuck in his throat.

Persephone: "Charby?

Iiiiissss there something wrong?"

The shy bachelor is now the one to spin his head so fast, his headband flies off.

Char: "Uh-I uhh well, my sister is getting uh...married this weekend, and we’ll I-I."

Charybdis’ yellow human eye and Persephone’s pink eyes lock and Char swallows his pride then takes a deep breath.

He grabs Persephone’s hands gently and the beautiful author is now bright red.

Char: "Persephone...w-will you-"

*WHHAAP!!*

Persephone yips as Jay’s fist connects with Char’s wide open jaw from out of nowhere. The force of the punch sends the lover boy falling to the sand below, knocked out. His left human eye is all white and his IceEye is spazzing in every direction.

Persephone: "Charybdis!

Jay?!?!

What are you doing?! He’s my friend!"

Jay’s eyes are wide open. He stares at the fist that sucker punched the unsuspecting Sanpaku resident then his whole body begins to slightly shake.

Jay: "I’m s-sorry Persephone...

I don’t know...

I don’t know what I’m doing..."

The curly brown haired, beauty jumps down to the beach below, kneeling down and picking Charybdis’ unconscious head out of the sand.

There’s a little bit of sand in his nose...

Persephone looks up at Jay, still in shock that he followed through with his actions.

Persephone: "You could have killed him if he had fallen on his neck, Jay! Why are you even here?!"

Jay slowly backs up and runs away in a panic, in the direction of MamMon’s Forest.

Jay(thinking): *I can’t keep this memory any longer! I don’t have feelings for Persephone like that guy, so why?

WHY DID I JUST SUCKER PUNCH SOMEONE TRYING TO FIND HAPPINESS!?!*

On the beach, Persephone lightly slaps Charybdis and he slowly wakes up.

From Char’s PoV, he sees Persephone’s gorgeous worried face.

Persephone: "Are you okay Charybdis?!

I’m so sorry, that was someone I know but they were totally out of line! They were wrong, please don’t be mad at me!"

The half conscious young man is speaking incoherently and the last sentence is the only understandable one.

Char: "Perabbalop boobopfersom...Persephone, will you go to the dance with me?"

Persephone smiles and nods.

Persephone: "If your asking me to accompany you to your sister’s post apocalyptic wedding, I would love to dance with you, once or twice, hehehe."

She kisses Char’s right cheek, the side of his face that received the unwarranted punch.

{Two hours later}

Charybdis is walking alone on his way back to the main entrance of Sanpaku. His right cheek is bruised after getting a direct hit from some guy he doesn’t know, but on the bright side, also received a kiss from the girl he has feelings for.

The Izanagi Gunner rubs his cheek, smiling, as he approaches the underwater highway tunnel entrance, with a large bonfire illuminating the area. Tay and Sol are still hanging around the large fire, alone.

Scylia: "There they are, I can see them coming! Over here, come on guys!"

Scylia’s echoing yell makes Char remember who THE MOST IMPORTANT WOMAN in his life is and he jogs over to the cement wall entrance.

Sol notices Char’s late return and smiles at him as he gets closer.

Sol: "Hey there, ’Romeo’. So how did it go asking your girlfriend if she wants to attend your big sister’s polygamous wedding with you?"

Charybdis smiles but winces from his sore jaw. Sol sees the bruise on his face and gives him a look of pity.

Sol: "Oooouu, so I guess that was a ’no’, huh?"

Char shakes his head and he has a look of optimism.

Char: "No, she said ’yes’. I was attacked by one of her cousins that saw me and he thought I was pressuring her to stay. He was so embarrassed by the misunderstanding that he ran away."

Sol: "Damn, you really aren’t a fighter like you said before your fight with Dom."

Char chuckles and looks down the cement entrance, halfway down, Scylia, Daisuki, and Zoram are staring at the Head Hancho’s portal.

Scylia has her upper body leaning through the portal, her shouts can be heard.

Scylia: "Jump up, I gotchya!"

The younger brother hears the sounds of his older sister struggling to pull someone back through to safety. He runs over to help her out.

Char: "Big Bro, what’s the situation?!"

Zoram is still covering Daisuki with her bright yellow SharedSoulSeiõrShield, she turns to face Char while Daisuki keeps his focus on the portal.

Daisuki: "Oh good, you’re here, Char. Can you help your sister pull the others back here?"

On queue, Scylia falls backwards with Drakaina and Charybdis goes to help the next person. He hangs his head out the portal and to his shock, he sees the sea of Icemen marching through the highway.

Below him, Laban holds up Princess Rebekah and it breaks Char’s trance on the horrifying sight.

Laban: "You just gunna stand there, acting like a plug, or you gunna help us out?!"

Char leans forward some more and Rebekah wraps her arms around the Gunner’s neck. The man leans back into the Sanpaku side of the portal, with Princess Rebekah.

At the sight of the Roronora princess, Zoram’s eyes widen and her lip begins to quiver.

Zoram: "... Rebekah?

Wait, then that means..."

Laban leaps through the hole next, with ease and precision.

Zoram falls backwards on her ass. Her hand lets go of Daisuki’s shoulder, no longer sharing the SoulSeiõrShield with him.

Zoram: "D-D-Don L-La-Laban, Wh- Wh- what are y-y-you-?"

As Jormungand uses his rubber arms to climb through the portal next behind the DaeMon, Laban and Zoram EyeEngage for the first time in over a month.

Laban: "Oh, hey Zoram...how ya been?"

It’s kinda ironic that you’re the first one I see here upon my arrival, it’s almost like the old days, huh?"

Jormy runs to his sister’s side.

Jormungand: "We made it home safe again, aye Sis?"

Drakania looks guilty and sad.

Drakania: "Jormy... I’m not going to pretend like what almost happened to me today, didn’t almost happen.

I don’t think we should go on these types of adventures anymore. If it weren’t for Shelly, I would be-"

Jormungand: "It was a reminder that I’m not strong enough to fully protect you properly...yet.

But if it’s possible for Big Sis Shelly to be strong enough to protect you, than I can too.Thanks to her, I have the opportunity to learn from my mistakes without having to lose you."

Drakania fights back tears and embraces her taller younger brother.

Drakania: "Ohhh, Jormyyy!"

Dom slithers into Sanpaku next, in an ungraceful way, falling to the ground beneath the portal. He looks absolutely tired and deflated.

Dom: "That...was too close."

With his small gym bag on his back, he inchworms his way to the bonfire, where his Izanami squad members are. Sol hears him approaching and turns half around, looking down at him in the dirt.

Sol: "Well hey, you look like you had a lot of fun there Champ."

Dom stops next to Taylor, while the Giga man is carefully biting another perfectly toasted marshmallow.

The Izanami Gunner takes off his gym bag, while still on the ground and opens the top.

As Taylor finishes the last careful bite, he swallows the toasted treat. He’s about to ask his Mama to make another, but the aroma from Dom’s bag makes the Big Guy freeze and slowly turn his giant head.

Dom: "Here ya go TayTay, figured you haven’t had burgers and fries in a grip."

He tosses the fast food bag with at least 5, double patty burgers, and 2 order of large fries up towards his humongous friend.

Sol sees the trajectory of the bag and shakes her head, knowing what Tay’s instincts are about to make him do.

Sol: "Well, I guess ’delicate eating time’ has officially ended."

The comically large human doesn’t catch the bag in his arms. Instead, the burgers, fries, the paper bag, napkins, and ketchup packets, fly right into the glutton’s trash can of a mouth and closes with a chewing smile.

TayTay(full mouth): "Chanks...Donk!"

Itsuka and Katsu are the only two left on the other end of the portal.

Before making her way to the portal exit, Itsuka at the ground with a disheartened look.

Itsuka: "Katsu...I know you and I haven’t had a lot of time to talk 1on1, and I say this with the utmost respect to the person I’ve gotten to know you as..."

Katsu’s smile doesn’t disappear as Itsuka turns around and the two EyeEngage.

Itsuka: "...but I hope the things Saku has been telling me about you, is just a misunderstanding.

I have a feeling you, aren’t going to return to Sanpaku with the rest of us to wait for Shelly to return with Saku.

It pisses me off that I’m not allowed to help the one I love out there, but everyone who is strong, can.

So please, I know this isn’t as over dramatic as the last time I asked you to bring him back home, but please, don’t rough him up as bad as you two did last time."

They break their EyeEngagement and she turns and walks away from the Yang Vessel, before she jumps to safety...

Katsu: "... Itsuka..."

She can feel the AoE of Katsu’s "flipped switch", making the beautiful, tall, tan skinned woman frozen. Too intimidated to turn around.

Katsu: "Since Saku, Shelly, and I, got separated from the group for different reasons, seeing you successfully leading them through danger, and without losing anybody in your care, I’m really glad you’re Saku’s Vice Captain."

Itsuka gets surprised and turns around to see Katsu’s warming and friendly smile. The same smile she first saw in the elevator out of the mountains.

Katsu: "Shelly will always be busy fighting the main source of our problems.

I’ll always be trying to help those in danger from those monsters.

Haha, and as you know, Saku will always be considered our wildcard."

Itsuka: "...Katsu..."

Katsu: "In times like these, when Big Bro isn’t here, and Squad 40 needs someone else to ensure the rest of our people are safe, you’re the one we all can trust to have a plan.

Don’t think of you staying back in Sanpaku is a knock on your skills as a fighter, you’re the only person I’ve seen beat Shelly for God’s sake, haha.

Your reliability gives all of Squad 40 peace of mind while we do what we need to in order to succeed."

Katsu raises his tattooed thumb on his left hand, showing it to the woman with the matching tattoo on her temple, right beside her IceEye.

Katsu: "We’re trying to help humanity ascend to the ultimate pinnacle of greatness."

Itsuka is speechless, not prepared for the pep talk Katsu was able to deliver.

Itsuka(thinking): *It must be a misunderstanding...It just has to be!*

The selected Vessel of Yang has a burning aura to match his destined role, still EyeEngaged with Itsuka.

Katsu: "I promise we’ll bring him back alive, Itsuka.

And to keep it real with you Big Sis, I really do worry and care about both Shelly and Saku the exact same.

Within every waking moment of my life.

...

...The exact same, just obviously, in different ways, haha!"