Persona BLEACHED 3: Gaiden Pt. 1

Gaiden: The Long Summer Pt. 1
July 13, 2031
Los Angeles International Airport. The busiest airport on the western coast of the United States, known to locals as 'LAX'. Due to its location, it's a popular destination and departure point for travelers going to and from South America and Eastern Asia.
Given the city it's located in, it is much less of a connecting point and more of a final destination for tourists. So it was that one newer resident sat in the waiting area, waiting for a larger group to arrive.
Barbara was texting in her seat. She was bereft of her glasses, and had on a blue headband, blue star-shaped earrings, a light blue tank top and skirt, and white sandals. She had a shine in her eyes, and for good reason. The friends she'd made during her stay in Tokyo would be coming over to her side of the world for a month-long trek across the country. 
Just one month ago, she'd reunited with her friends after a mental health break away. This would be her first extended period with them in well over a year. Today was also a milestone day for her best friend, Kat. She would be turning 18, and everyone would be celebrating together at the apartment Barbara shared with her boyfriend Kibō.
"Our guests here yet?" Kibō walked over, in a gray hoodie and sweatpants, with a blue shirt reading 'UCLA' in yellow lettering. He was eating from a small bag of trail mix.
"Should be any minute now. Can't wait for them to see the new apartment. It'll be a housewarming and a birthday party all in one." Barbara replied.
"You're about ready to fly out of here, aren't you?"
"Of course! I only got to see everyone for a little bit before I had to come home. Getting us all together again is gonna be so fun. Well...almost all of us."
Kibō knew what she meant. "He's out there somewhere. Probably in a quiet corner where we'll never find him. He'll come back one of these days."
"I know, but...I still miss him tons. I'll take any sign that he's okay at this point. I wish things could've gone differently, but...it is what it is." Barbara rubbed her head. "Okay, okay, positive vibes only!" She checked her phone. "Oh, Ibuki's here! Aaaand she's lost!"
She showed her phone to Kibō. A text read "HOLY CRAP WHY IS IT SO BIG".
"...are you sure she's talking about the airport?" he asked.
Barbara playfully smacked his shoulder. "C'mon, she's actually not that far from here. Let's give her a proper LA welcome~."
"We've only been here a week. I don't think we've been given a proper LA welcome yet. Unless you count the earthquake."
The two walked over to one of the closer terminals. Sitting on a carry-on bag of luggage was a woman with messy black hair, gold hoop earrings, a red half-shirt, white shorts, and black sandals. She looked up and spotted the duo. "Oh me, oh my, is that an angel without wings I spy?"
"Flattery, oh flattery~." Barbara embraced Ibuki.
"Oh, honey, you get more beautiful every time I lay eyes on ya. And you, Keebster..." Ibuki gazed up and down at Kibō. "Ya look like you just got done shuffling around your flat asking your cats what they wanna eat."
"Funny. I didn't have time to change after the gym--oof!" Kibō began, before Ibuki suddenly put an arm around his shoulders.
"Still hitting the weights even when your mama's not looking, what a stud!" She playfully poked his abdomen.
"Ugh...and you've still got that tough grip, when the heaviest thing you're lifting these days is a hairdryer..."
"Oh, that's right! We didn't get to talk much last month, but I heard about your new job! How are you liking it so far?" Barbara asked.
"I'm really loving it! Doing hair and talking the time away are two things I'm good at that don't involve pounding someone's face in. I've already had peeps telling me they're requesting me personally next time around. Oh, and in case you noticed your Prof's shift in hairdo last time out, that was my handiwork, too." Ibuki grabbed a strand of Barbara's hair. "Offer's still on the table, Barbie. I'd love to work with this."
"Well it's your lucky day, I was actually thinking of getting it styled soon. I wouldn't mind some of that Fireball magic~."
"Ohhh, GOD I missed that Barbie sparkle! I'm so up for this trip now!" Ibuki squeezed Kibō further, as he struggled to break free.
"A far cry from how you were on the flight." a light voice piped up.
A girl with long, dark hair approached. She wore a pink flower-print blouse and skirt, along with pink shoes. She had a red ribbon tied on the left side of her head. "Good day to you all. So glad to see you well, Senpai." Sakuya greeted.
"Hiya, Saku!" Barbara hugged her.
"Where'd you come from? And what do you mean 'how I was on the flight'?" Ibuki asked.
"We were on your flight, Hinotama-san. Two rows back, to be precise. Close enough to hear your snoring." Sakuya replied.
"Jeez, why didn't you poke me awake or something?! Hold up...where's your Number Two?"
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" A dark-skinned young man ran over, dragging a piece of luggage with him. He had dreadlocks reaching past his shoulder, and the beginnings of a goatee on his face. He wore a collared organization football jersey, red and black in color, with a logo of a deer's head reading "Kashima Antlers" on the upper left-hand side. "Some old bat insisted that this was her bag, and I had to pry it from her hands. Heck of a sight, I'll tell ya." Sahir explained.
"I can imagine..." Sakuya peered at the nametag on the luggage. "...Romi Nagatame."
Sahir did a double-take, and looked at the tag. "Oh...crap." He looked around, and spotted an older woman walking away with nearly identical-looking luggage. "...I'll be right back. MA'AM! Ma'am, I am SO sorry..." He sprinted away.
Sakuya let out a sigh. "Suppose this is the only way our grand adventure could begin."
Barbara giggled. "Same old Sahir. It's nice to know that some things haven't changed."
"I still can't believe they're gonna let that guy perform major surgery." Ibuki commented.
"We're still a long way away from that being reality. Many sleepless nights lie ahead of him. But if anyone has the drive to make it happen, it's him." Sakuya replied.
"Okay..." Sahir returned, rubbing his cheek. "That could've gone better."
"Make sure to read the tag next time, Sahir-kun. It wouldn't do for you to, say, grab the wrong instrument during a surgical procedure. You'd be dealing with far worse than a smack to the face."
"Yeah, yeah...so, this everyone right now?"
"Mmhmm. The birthday girl and the rest of the London gang left New York around 7, so we've still got a couple more hours til they touch down here. Why don't we go get something to eat? I'd love to chat and catch up with you guys. I know we didn't have a lot of time last month." Barbara suggested.
"We'll certainly have enough time for it this month. Lead the way." Sakuya replied.
"We're gonna have us a real laugher, huh, Keebles?" Ibuki kept her arm on Kibō's shoulder.
"Oh, this is gonna be some kind of circus, all right." he uttered in response.
The group took a taxi over to an In-N-Out Burger around the corner. "Oh, man. Not gonna lie, this is the good stuff right here." Sahir said as he ate a burger.
"The West Coast has these guys hostage. Something tells me we're gonna be relying on them a lot for the next few years." Kibō replied.
"If they wanna expand into Tokyo, that'd be great." Ibuki commented.
"Oh, before I forget..." Barbara took a small, wrapped box out of her purse and handed it to Sakuya. "I know it's a couple days late, but happy birthday~."
"Oh, Senpai, that's so thoughtful of you..." Sakuya opened the box. Inside was a case carrying a set of pink wireless earphones. "Oh, these are adorable. I've actually been needing new ones. Thank you, Senpai."
"You're welcome~. I saw them in the store the other day and thought they'd suit you."
"You caught me at the right time. I really do appreciate it." Sakuya pocketed the headphones. "So, how have you been enjoying your time here? It hasn't been too dramatic of a change, I hope."
"It's been an adjustment, I won't lie. I can't understate how huge LA is. It's close to a half-hour drive to our apartment." Kibō replied.
"Oh, right. Y'all are rooming together now. Pretty huge step. Place treating you good?" Ibuki asked.
"No complaints yet. The neighbors seem pretty nice, the neighborhood's safe from what we can tell, and it's big enough that we each have our own space. Having roommates at the Academy probably made the transition easier." Barbara replied.
"Yeah, but there's a difference between rooming with your bestie and sharing living space with your main squeeze." Sahir said.
"It's true. Just the other day I was doing laundry and it was an adventure when Sahir-kun suggested putting his socks in with my clothes." Sakuya added.
"There's nothing weird about it! Why waste energy on a second load?"
"It's the principle of the matter. Not to mention that you would've ended up with pink socks afterwards."
"Pink is the mark of true manliness! I don't have that kind of shame!"
"You said it, not me."
Ibuki snickered at the exchange. "Well..." Barbara began. "We haven't had any problems like that yet, but then again, he hasn't asked me to put his clothes in with mine yet."
Kibō took a sip of his drink. "So...what would your thoughts be if I told you I put my socks and underwear in with the load before we left today?"
"Wait, seriously?! You didn't ask first?!"
"What's the big deal? It's all getting washed, anyway."
"Keeb, that load had my...mmmmph, you big dummy!" Barbara started to turn red.
"PfffHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ibuki was doubled over with laughter.
---
The group returned to the airport, and waited by one of the terminal entrances. "No talking about our undies when the crew gets here, eh?" Ibuki joked. The others either groaned or averted their eyes.
First to appear on the escalator was a girl with messy blonde hair, a cartoonish skull-and-crossbones clip on her left side, a yellow shirt with "MAGIC 💫" in big red letters, white rolled-up jeans, and yellow shoes. She sprang to life upon seeing the group, and ran down the escalator to give Barbara a big hug. "Hiiiiiii~!" Natalia chimed.
"Hi, Natty~! Guess you missed me, huh?" Barbara asked.
"Only, like, a LOT!"
"Something's off, here...where's your hood?" Sahir questioned.
"Well, I knew it was gonna be hot, and I don't wanna get baked to a crisp, so I had to make a sacrifice. I'll take the sun over all that rain, though."
"I actually prefer the rain." A young man with slicked back dark hair walked over, wearing a black collared shirt with the letters "Y-N-W-A" scrawled downward in red.
"That's because you're used to it, Mr. Grumpy." Natalia hugged Kenneth.
"And I much prefer not burning to a crisp."
"Kenny, my man!" Sahir slapped him on the shoulder. "Bro, it's only been a few weeks, but it feels like years! How's the scowl?"
Kenneth glared back at him. "Ahh, there it is! Still so piercing and judgey." Sahir joked.
"It's a look I'm sure you're used to." Kenneth replied.
"Saku, what's he mean by--" Sahir looked at Sakuya, who was also glaring at him. "Hey, what's with the look?!"
"My, my. Everyone sounds so lively." A young woman approached, with indigo hair, rod-shaped earrings, a dark purple sundress, wide-brimmed white hat, and purple sandals.
"Hiya, Care~. You're looking fabulous, as usual~." Barbara gave her a hug.
"I can say the same to you, love. I'm so happy to see your radiance back."
"I'll take the compliment, Your Majesty~. Now...where's the birthday girl?"
A voice could be heard from afar. "Alright, ALRIGHT, the stud's out! God! Acting like I've got something hidden in my boobs, you wanna pat me downstairs too, while you're at it?!"
"Getting acquainted with American security, from the sound of it." Sakuya answered.
A young woman got onto the escalator, quickly putting her black stud piercing back into the right side of her nose. "Unbelievable. Welcome to America, Kitty Kat. They could've at least hired a hot security guard for pat downs, jeez!" She had on a black-and-pink tank top, black cutoff jeans, black boots, and black glasses. Her dark hair had pink streaks in it. 
Kat walked up to the group, clearly annoyed. She said nothing.
"Uh...you okay there?" Kibō asked.
Kat's expression changed to a much happier one. "Heya, neeeeeerds. I'm as peachy as a Georgia spring mornin', I'll tell you whaaaat." she spoke with a Southern drawl.
"Why are you talking like that?" Ibuki questioned.
"You know that's not how every American talks, right?" Sakuya pointed out.
"Pffft, course I do. Just my favorite ones. Speaking of which, BARBIEEEEE!" Kat tightly embraced Barbara, briefly hoisting her up.
"Hi, Kitty Kat! Ohhh, I'm getting way too many hugs today..." Barbara responded.
"There's no such thing as 'too many hugs', right, Natty?"
"Right you are, roomie!" Natalia replied.
"And Keebie...what's with the 'drug dealer in Room 79B' look?"
"Seriously, man looks like he just crawled out of bed!" Ibuki added.
"Tch. Not like I need to impress anybody today." Kibō chafed.
"Okay, let's go get everyone's luggage. We've got a couple of taxis outside waiting. We're officially starting the month-long party. I've got cake at the apartment, along with..." Barbara glared at Kibō. "Some laundry I need to take care of."
"Oh, come ON."
Ibuki tried suppressing her laughter. The quartet that just arrived looked puzzled.
---
The nine young adults were taken the half hour's drive to Kibō and Barbara's apartment. Barbara opened the door to the second-floor abode, and flicked on the lights. "Welcome to our humble home~." she chimed.
"Yep, I can smell the lavender already." Kat commented.
"Don't be afraid to make yourselves at home. We've still got some unpacking to do ourselves, so what's a little more disorganization?"
"So I can just leave a candy wrapper on the floor and not get yelled at?" Sahir asked.
Kenneth and Sakuya both glared at him. "I'm kidding, sheesh! Are y'all gonna be doing this to me all month?!"
"Nice little love nest y'all got. All it's missing is the Peloton." Ibuki commented.
"Ain't no way we can afford to stick a Peloton in here. The bikes at the gym are fine." Kibō replied.
"Awww, but how else am I supposed to build up my fragile, maiden body, Keeble-senpai?" Ibuki pouted with sparkles in her eyes.
"Should I point out everything wrong with that question?"
"Okay, so I've been dying to know..." Barbara sat down. "How do you guys like London? I'll bet it's a world different from Tokyo."
"It's...foggy. And damp. There's a lot of people, but it doesn't feel as cramped and flashy as Tokyo was." Kat replied.
"It's a lot closer to how my hometown is, so it hasn't been all that different for me. The one thing though, it's keeping track of all those football stadiums..." Natalia added.
"Ohhh yeah, I get what you mean. You look one way you've got Stamford Bridge, look another way and it's Craven Cottage, go this way it's the Emirates..." Sahir said.
"It's remarkable to think how many of the biggest brands are nestled there in London. It feels like every section of the city has one or two giant-sized clubs." Carrie added.
"Hey, if you ladies ever find yourselves in Islington, could you pop in and say hi to my uncle Joe? That's where he has his practice."
"Hopefully he's more successful in his craft than the resident club." Kenneth quipped.
"Oh yeah, yuck it up, Mr. Scoober."
"You're intentionally messing it up at this point."
"So you three have your own place, right? Is it comfy?" Barbara asked.
"It's absolutely lovely. We all have enough space to ourselves, and it's in a wonderful neighborhood." Carrie answered.
"And there's enough space for CiCi to roam around and keep herself busy." Natalia added. "Oh, yeah. I brought her over with me. No rules against having pets here. That's the one thing that really bummed me out about the Academy. I couldn't have my fluffball with me."
"I mean...you had me." Kat replied.
"Yeah, but if I end up petting CiCi on the butt, I don't feel weird about it."
"I meeeeean...fair."
"Don't sound so disappointed, Kitten." Carrie patted her back.
"I'm not gonna lie...going thousands of miles away from home like this is gonna be tough. Even more than with Tokyo, especially since that was home for so long, too. And I can't just pop into Prof's house and decompress with Shizuka, either. It's all a hard reset from here." Kat explained.
"I know it's a scary thing, moving so far away. I was nervous just about moving here from Tulsa. It's a completely different vibe compared to back home. But life's all about new experiences, right? And you get to go through it with these two lovelies. I know you're gonna do great." Barbara reassured.
"Oh dear lord above, I've missed you. That's the positive Barbie I love. I honestly believe it now."
"Good~. But I'd like to think I've changed a little bit. And I've got just the thing to prove it. Let me go grab that cake. I baked it myself."
As Barbara got up to fetch the cake, several of the others bore nervous looks. "Wait, you...baked it yourself?" Kat questioned.
"I don't see any wanton destruction in your kitchen..." Kenneth commented.
"Kibō, do you, um...have any digestive medication on-hand, by chance?" Carrie asked.
"I know what you guys are thinking, but I worked super extra hard on it. Natty even sent me really detailed instructions." Barbara said.
"One of my Nana's old recipes. Every cake her and Mama baked with it turned out divine, sooooo..." Natalia crossed her fingers.
"Well, if this goes like the last Barbie meal I had, we'll be meeting our maker..." Ibuki replied.
Barbara placed the cake in front of Kat. It was pink and white in color, with the words "Happy 18th, Kitty Kat" written, along with an image of a cat's face. "I promise that I've gotten better. I just really wanted to do something nice for my bestie when we haven't been like this for so long. Please?"
Kat glanced at the cake. "D'aaaaw, I can't say no to you, Barbie. Gimme a fork."
"Oh, dear. She's actually doing it." Sakuya mumbled.
"I've got the Pepto handy just in case." Kibō replied.
"Okay. Bombs away." Kat took a piece of the cake.
"Curious choice of words, Katherine." Kenneth muttered.
With some trepidation, Kat took a small piece of the cake and bit down on it. "Well?" asked Barbara.
"...not gonna lie. It's a bit crunchy." Kat replied.
"Oh..."
"B-but not the bad kind of crunchy! It's honestly not bad. Like, I can taste the improvement."
"You're just saying that so I don't feel bad."
"No, really, I mean it! It's good, really!"
Ibuki walked over and took a piece. "Y'know...Kitty Kat's got a point. It actually tastes pretty good, and I don't feel my stomach gurgling."
The others took turns trying out the dessert. "So...you guys really like it?" Barbara asked, a glow in her eyes.
"My Nana would be proud if she was here. Her recipes never miss!" Natalia replied.
"I wouldn't have believed it had I not tasted it myself." Kenneth added.
"I believe we've just born witness to a minor miracle." Carrie commented.
"Thank you guys...I'm so happy it worked..." Barbara replied. "Oh, shoot! We forgot to sing Happy Birthday over it! Sorry, Kitty Kat..."
"Don't even worry about it. I'll take seeing you happy over a little tune any day of the week." Kat replied.
"Please, it's your special day. You're the one that should be beaming. But maybe this'll do the trick..."
Barbara brought out a gift-wrapped box and handed it to Kat. "A little something from me and Keeb~."
"Oh, honey, you're spoiling me! You didn't have to."
"Well we spotted it in a hobby shop we found ourselves in and Barb just knew it was meant to be." Kibō replied.
"Now you've got me itching. Let's see what we've got here..."
Kat opened the box, and let out an audible gasp when she realized what it was. It was a figure of a young woman with green-and-yellow hair, garbed in clothing designed with butterflies and spiderwebs. The box itself read "'Jolyne Cujoh - JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 6: Stone Ocean'".
"OH MY GOD!" Kat exclaimed.
"Heehee. I haven't forgotten your interests, Kitty Kat~." Barbara chimed.
"This is, like, the one nerd thing I could never get my hands on! I'm gonna cry...I'm actually gonna cry." Kat wiped a tear from her eye, before tightly embracing Barbara. "Thank you thank you thank you. Don't think you're escaping the glomp, Keebie."
"Never crossed my mind that I would." Kibō replied, as Kat moved to hug him.
"You're certainly getting your hug quota for the day, Barbara." Carrie said.
"Gotta make up for lost time, y'know? And you can never have too many hugs. Right, Natty?" Barbara asked.
"You got that right~!" Natalia chimed.
---
Much later in the night, Kat and Barbara were still chatting at the kitchen counter. Exhausted by their long flights, the rest of the group had long since fallen asleep.
"And here's a shot of the JoJo convention in Akihabara. It was a ton of fun. I went as--" Kat showed her phone.
"Let me guess. Jolyne?" Barbara asked.
"Actually...nope. I was gonna, don't get me wrong. But this was actually Shizuka's birthday. And she actually wanted to go with me. So with a little help from Hoodsie, we got a great combo going..."
Kat showed a picture of Shizuka dressed in an identical manner to the figure. Kat herself was wearing a purple trenchcoat and cap, both with green star designs on them. "I went as Jotaro instead. The buggy design fit the princess more, anyway."
"Oh my God, that's so precious!"
"You wanna see precious? Check it."
Kat played a video of Shizuka standing in full costume. Kat spoke from behind the camera. "(Okay, princess, you know how it goes. When I say yare yare daze, what do you respond with?)"
"(Yare yare dawa!)" the girl responded with.
"(Atta girl!)" Kat patted her on the head.
"Awwwww..." Barbara uttered.
"I've finally done it. I managed to create a miniature nerd. Prof says she's like a mini-me now. It's like I never even left, hehe..." Kat paused. "She, um...didn't take it very well when I left. I basically took the role of 'Mom Number 3' for her and after seeing her every weekend, now I don't know when I'll be back. Part of me's afraid that I'm not gonna be able to split time enough between London and Seoul that I'll be able to stop in and see her and Prof. Or that I can come around here and see you. It's scary to think about."
"I know. Change can be a scary thing. Moving away from my mom, moving in with Keeb, every step is a big one. Even back then when I..." Barbara stopped. "Were you mad at me? When I left and went home last year? I just felt so guilty--"
"You've got nothing to feel guilty about. You needed to take care of you, and there's nothing wrong with that. I was sad, yeah, and it was lonely in the dorm for a while. But as long as you were happy, that was enough for me."
"It took a while for me to get happy. Not knowing where Maxie is, everything that happened to us over the last couple of years...it felt like I was becoming someone I wasn't. I started doing local theater again. After a while, I was humming around the house like I used to. It's like we told Natty for so long. You have to focus on you first, and the things you love doing will be that way again. And as far as feeling lonely goes, that's what this month is for. Who knows when we'll have this chance again, so why not make the most of it?"
"Right you are, beautiful. We're gonna tear this place a new one or get our passports revoked trying. I dunno if I'm gonna be able to sleep."
"Well, try to, anyway. We're hitting the town first thing in the morning. Then we're heading for the road on Tuesday. Tomorrow we've got to grab our ride. Then the party really starts."
"Now I'm seriously not gonna sleep. But I'll give it the old college try. Alright, that's enough dilly-dally. Care's probably wondering where I ran off to. See you in the morning."
"Night, Kitty Kat~." The girls hugged, and Kat went off to bed. "She really has grown up since last year. I thought I was talking to Professor Kubo for a while there..."
---
July 14, 2031
"Hooooo wow." Ibuki gazed in awe.
"Ladies and gentlemen...welcome to Venice Beach~." Barbara presented.
The group had gathered at a beachside promenade, lined with numerous shops and palm trees, as well as an assortment of curious street performers. The summer sun was beaming down, with nary a cloud in sight. A set of letters was suspended above the walkway, spelling out the word "Venice".
"I think I might be experiencing sensory overload. I don't know where it starts and where it ends." Kenneth commented.
"It's a festival of the unique, from the look of it." Carrie said.
"And remember the Professor's mantra. Unique is good." Natalia added.
"It's got a bit of something for everyone. Souvenir shops, a couple bars, even an outdoor gym." Kibō stated.
"Hold up, you wanna go over that one again? They've got an outdoor gym in this joint?" Ibuki asked.
"Yeah. Muscle Beach. It's a pretty famous place. I hear a certain actor-slash-former governor used to work out there. They have a bodybuilding competition every July 4, so we just missed out."
"Aww, rats. Well I wouldn't mind stopping by to spy on some muscle heads sweating in the sun. Maybe teach 'em how we do it in the Big J, eh, Keebster?" She slapped him on the shoulder.
"I'd rather not risk getting tossed onto the ground, thanks."
"There's plenty of sand around, Ishimaru-kun. That should lessen the impact a good deal." Sakuya assured.
"Hold on a sec..." Kat peered into the distance. "Is that dude breathing fire or am I getting heat stroke already?"
"Pssh. I can do that in my sleep." Sahir puffed up his chest.
"Your mouth certainly does something when you're sleeping." Sakuya quipped.
"And we're far from Tokyo's spiritual density, so we can neither confirm nor deny your claims." Kenneth smirked.
Sahir looked despondent. "You two are just gonna bully me all trip, aren't you?"
The group started down the promenade, stopping to witness every curiosity that piqued their interests. 
Carrie found herself before a man in clown makeup, wearing a black-and-white costume. "Hello, monsieur. Would you happen to be a mime?" she asked.
The man wordlessly nodded, then raised his finger, as if to say "Hold on". He gestured, putting his fingers together as though he was holding a flower, and presented it to Carrie. She giggled, and "took" it. "My, such a gentleman."
A few yards away, Sahir observed the scene, then poked Kat on the shoulder. "Yo. Looks like you've got some competition."
Kat looked at what was going on. "Oh. A lover boy, huh? Imma take care of it."
She walked over to where Carrie was. "Anything I should be worried about?"
"Just a bit of entertainment, Kitten. Who could turn down such a lovely rose?" Carrie replied.
"Yeah, real breathtaking bouquet. Hey, buddy. You know she's taken, right?"
The mime held his hands up and backed away, but then seemed to have an idea. He pretended to twirl around a lasso.
"What, not gonna try putting me in a box? Least he's got some variety." Kat said.
She motioned at Carrie, as if to say "you seeing this?" The mime "tossed" the "lasso", and Kat reacted as though she'd been caught in it. She looked at Carrie in disbelief. Carrie, for her part, seemed amused by the performance.
As Kat looked away, the mime feigned peeling a banana and eating it, then tossing the peel onto the ground. Kat mimed pulling out a knife, using it to cut herself free. She started towards her agitator, only to slip and fall. The mime held out his hand to pull her up. Annoyed, Kat grabbed his hand, only to feign being electrocuted. The mime silently laughed. Carrie's laughter was more audible.
Kat pondered her options. She got up, then pointed her finger at the mime, imitating holding a gun. The clown put his hands up. Kat "fired", and the mime reacted as though he'd been shot. Kat repeated this a few more times, and the mime fell down, feigning death.
As Carrie continued laughing, Kat took some money from her wallet, sticking it in the mime's pocket. "Appreciate the laugher, my guy. Get yourself a stronger lasso with that."
The mime gave a thumbs-up. The girls walked off. "Dude needs to work on his pickup lines. And I'm pretty sure littering's worth a fine." Kat said.
"I was actually convinced for a moment that you were upset. I should've known better than that." Carrie tried suppressing her laughter.
"He's lucky it was a rose and not a lilac. Then I really would've got him good."
Nearby, Sakuya and Barbara were at an artist's table, manned by a girl in a beanie cap and glasses. "You ladies see anything you like?" the girl asked.
"I think she's taken a liking to your seal." Barbara replied. Sakuya was staring intently at a small figure of a seal, the looked to have been constructed from aluminum.
"Was this boop--um, seal made from cans?" Sakuya corrected herself.
"Yep! All the stuff I make comes from junk I find around the beach. Better to make it something pretty than let it end up in some poor dolphin's belly, y'know?" the girl replied.
"As someone who plans on working with marine mammals in the future, I appreciate the good deed."
"Yeah, I got the sense you were a brainiac from how you talk. So very prim and proper. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but..." The girl twisted her cap around, revealing an emblem of a heart on the back, colored blue, pink and white. "You wouldn't happen to have this in common with me, would ya?"
Sakuya was caught by surprise. "Wait...so you...and you knew that--" Barbara muttered.
"Don't get me wrong, it ain't obvious. It's why I wasn't sure about asking. But I'm not wrong, am I?"
"Well...no. You aren't. So you..." Sakuya replied.
"Born in the wrong body, or something like that. I'm actually super glad I was right. You really sound like you've got things in order. Lotta people like us don't have it so good."
"I've had my obstacles in life. As I'm sure you have, as well. All we can do is take life as it comes. I've decided I don't want to be another faceless tragedy on the news."
"I love a girl that knows what she wants. What's your name, sweets? I'm Sammy, by the by."
"My name is Sakuya. Sakuya Hanakotoba. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Sakuya bowed. Barbara looked curious in response to her surname. "How much for the seal, by the way?"
"Tell ya what, I'll give it to ya half off, just cuz I liked talking to ya. Use that brain of yours for some good, hear?"
"But of course. Thank you, Sammy-san. It's been a pleasure."
"Please, pleasure's all mine. Have a nice rest of your trip, ladies."
Sakuya purchased the figure, and left with Barbara. "Well what do you know, barely a day in town and you've already made a friend~." Barbara chimed.
"I can appreciate a pleasant conversation. Especially since I don't meet very many people like myself. Using artistic gifts for a good purpose most definitely helps." Sakuya replied.
"Definitely. Oh, right, something else...did you change your last name? Or was I mishearing?"
"You most definitely didn't mishear. A few days ago on my birthday, I went and had my surname changed. My mother had already done the same when she came to Japan. All in the name of distancing myself from a father I want no further association with. I was rather inspired by your own decision to do so, Jadefang-senpai."
"Aww, you've got me there. It definitely feels freeing to do that, doesn't it?"
"Most definitely. Hanakotoba, 'the language of flowers'. Given our names' relation to flowers, Mother and I thought it was fitting."
"It's a very pretty name, Saku. Very fitting. I'm kinda surprised you didn't name yourself after a seal."
Sakuya stopped to think. "....."
"Saku?"
"Hmm. I hadn't considered that, actually. Do you think the court would allow a do-over?"
"It's really hard to tell when you're joking..."
Further down the walkway, the remaining five members of the group were by an orange building, with an enclosed area filled with gym equipment next to it. The building had the words "Muscle Beach" written on top of it.
"Look at all these beefcakes glistening in the sun. I think I just found my new favorite place." Ibuki smirked.
Sahir took a sip from his bottled drink, then handed it to Ibuki. "A solution for your thirst, madame."
"Whaddya say, Keebster? Up for a workout session?"
"Don't know if I could say no to that." Kibō replied.
"Wait, for real? You're not giving me excuses for why it's a bad idea?" Ibuki felt his forehead. "Is everything okay in there?"
"Check him for heat stroke!" Natalia asked.
"I can't help but feel that we're fish out of water here, Natalia. The testosterone levels here are beyond anything I've encountered before." Kenneth stated.
"Hmmm...I think I've got just the solution for that, Kennykins. You're coming with us." Ibuki declared.
"I...will be doing no such thing."
"C'mon, man. Keebster and I could snap you like a twig. You gotta put some meat on those bones. Right, Natty?"
"Don't be pressured by her, Natalia. You really think I should parade myself in there, in full view of all these people?"
"Ahehehehe..." Natalia put her index fingers together. "I guess...having a bit more confidence in public wouldn't hurt."
"Yeah, dude, ya gotta live a little! Not like any of these folks are gonna see you again." Sahir added.
Kenneth groaned. "Am I really going to cave to peer pressure here?"
"It's just us, man. We're not gonna judge you for anything. We won't force you to stay in there all day." Kibō reassured.
"...curses. Bloody curses. I'm going to regret this."
Ibuki slapped Kenneth on the back. "My man! We're gonna mold you like one of your fancy statues! Just you wait."
"Scratch that, I'm already regretting this."
"Good luck, Kenny~!" Natalia chimed.
"Awww boy, I've gotta see this shit." Sahir added.
Ibuki and Kibō took Kenneth into the enclosed space. Natalia and Sahir watched from outside. "Okay, Kenny...first thing's first. Shirt off." Ibuki said.
"Wha--absolutely not! I agreed to this on a whim, not for your own lewd satisfaction!" Kenneth objected.
"It's a safety issue, man. You're wearing black in 90 degree weather. You'll pass out in a second." Kibō warned.
"If it means not having to indulge this lunacy any further, I'll take the risk."
"Dude, look around you. Half the guys in this town have their shirts off. A lot of them have way worse body shapes than you. Just saying." Ibuki assured.
"The majority of these men didn't come from Merseyside weather. I'm going to roast in the sun either way. Natalia, talk some sense into these two, please."
"I wouldn't mind catching a look at what's under there~." Natalia replied.
"You're really asking your girlfriend if she wants to see you with your shirt off? Not even Keeb's that oblivious." Sahir commented.
"I second that." Kibō added.
"Treachery. Bloody treachery." Kenneth relented, and pulled his shirt over his head. "Satisfied?"
"Look at this sexy beast we've got here! We're gonna make a lion out of you, slim. Let's hustle!" Ibuki ordered.
Kenneth's training regimen was not to be eased into. It started with pull-ups.
"Put some backbone into it, Kennykins! One-two, one-two!"
Then came the weights.
"Come on, man, my grandma could lift this in her sleep!"
"So would mine." Kibō added.
"You...aren't helping..." Kenneth struggled.
Natalia looked on with a nervous smile. "Only a day into it and the trip's already worth it." Sahir smirked.
Next came the push-ups. Ibuki put a foot onto Kenneth's back. "Count yourself lucky, Kenny. I used to charge for this." she said.
"Yes, I'm feeling extremely privileged right now..." Kenneth groaned.
Ibuki heard a whistle in her direction. "Oye, mami." A pair of shirtless young men tried getting her attention. "How 'bout you ditch the twig and see what a real man looks like?"
"Boys, y'all don't want me to explain everything wrong with that. But I've got a more exciting deal for ya. That shop over there's having a two-for-one on protein powder. Better go while the deal's hot." Ibuki directed.
"Shit, bro, we gotta go!" The men ran over to the shop.
"See that, Kenny? You've still got me all to yourself!"
"How fortunate..." Kenneth grumbled.
After several more minutes of intense physical activity, the three left the area, Kenneth left panting face-down on the ground. 
"Holy hell, what a stud! Didn't know you had it in ya!" Ibuki chimed.
"You okay, Kenny?" Natalia knelt down to check on him.
"Right as rain. Just call me Schwarzenegger." Kenneth muttered.
"OH MY GOD, THEY KILLED KENNY!" Kat's voice echoed out. She and the rest of the group arrived on the scene.
"What in the world...?" Sakuya questioned.
"Y'all missed out! Kenny just went nuts on those handlebars! Funniest thing I've ever seen!" Sahir exclaimed.
"Kenneth, are you alright? Where's your shirt?" Carrie asked.
"Removed. Just like my dignity." Kenneth uttered in an exasperated tone.
"Umm, is he okay? I've seen people giving speeches that weren't sweating this much..." Barbara asked.
"That sweat's the mark of a real man! He's probably doubled his muscle mass from that session alone." Ibuki got Kenneth to his feet, then handed him his shirt. "C'mon, champ, let's fill that toned belly up with some grub. Then we'll get to burning all of it away on Round 2." She started walking off.
"Wait, what do you mean by Round 2?! Absolutely not! I never agreed to a repeat session--" Kenneth griped as he followed after.
"Good grief..." Kat commented.
---
Later on that night, the group had returned to the apartment, and were eating a dinner of Chinese takeout. Ibuki shot Kenneth a teasing glance. He winced away, his skin reddened by the extended time in the sun. Natalia moved to touch his shoulder, but he moved away from that, too. "Not now. It stings. A lot." he warned.
"It's the sting of manliness, Kenny. Embrace it." Ibuki said.
"It'll be the sting of peeling in a day or two." Kat joked.
"Anyway..." Barbara tried changing the subject, seeing the annoyance in Kenneth's eyes. "Tomorrow's the big day. We can leave bright and early to beat the traffic, or we can sleep in a bit."
"LA traffic's madness at any time of day, so it might not make much difference. Probably easier to get the bus when the rental place opens at 8. We can still get to Vegas by early afternoon." Kibō said.
"I hope y'all brought your hats. It's not like here where it's humid. There aren't any big trees out there in the desert. Dry heat is a completely different beast."
"Oh, I know exactly what you're talking about. All I'm gonna say is, bring some lotion or what have you. Cuz it's gonna be like a sauna out there." Sahir advised.
"Lovely." Kenneth grumbled.
"That'll just be the daytime, though. I hear it actually gets chilly when the sun goes down. Helps that that's when Vegas really comes to life." Barbara explained.
"I'm just gonna put this out there now. Not trying to be a party pooper, but those slots can get addicting. Got an uncle that almost bankrupted himself playing those things. Think we should put a limit on how much we gamble if that's what we're doing." Kat cautioned.
"Aww, but what if I'm one move away from the jackpot?" Ibuki asked.
"No, Kat-chan is right. The last thing we need is to lose every bit of money we have mere days into our vacation. Being cautious with money is part of adulthood." Sakuya replied.
"I don't think we'd want to be stuck in the desert with no money, so..." Natalia affirmed.
"Well if it's a distraction from temptation we need, I have just the solution." Carrie showed her phone screen. "If there's one thing we should all experience before leaving, it's a live Cirque du Soleil performance. Wouldn't you agree, Barbara?"
"Oh my gosh, yes! I've wanted to see one of their performances forever. Can you make it happen?" Barbara asked.
"I've been looking at tickets for every show playing tomorrow night, and I'm having a hard time finding nine open seats next to each other. So what I can do is split us up between two different shows. One at the Bellagio and one at the MGM. Would that be alright?"
"Nothing says we've all gotta be joined at the hip. I'd be down for that. What do you say, Barbie? Up for a double date?" Kat asked.
"You know what the answer's gonna be~! I'm already looking forward to it." Barbara replied.
"So I get to play third wheel either way, huh? Maaaaan." Ibuki sighed.
"You can tag along with us if you want, Bookie. Mainly cuz I think Kenny's gonna want to keep his distance for a while." Kat suggested.
"Given the weather tomorrow, I'll likely be reduced to ashes before nightfall, anyway." Kenneth muttered.
"So guess that means we'll be the ones double-dating, Saku. Doesn't that sound fun~?" Natalia asked.
"Yes, of course. Assuming our boyfriends don't try to strangle each other by that point." Sakuya replied.
"Aww, c'mon, me and Kenny got a regular bromance going on, right?" Sahir asked...before slapping Kenneth on the shoulder.
Seconds elapsed before Kenneth screamed a primal scream that could be heard from outside the apartment.
Inside the apartment, Sahir was knocked onto the floor. 
"Blasted imbecile! Now my hand's aching from knocking you senseless..." Kenneth seethed.
"Easy, Kenny, easy..." Natalia tried calming him.
"Sahir-kun! Are you alright?" Sakuya nudged him.
"How many fingers am I holding up?" Kat asked.
Sahir slowly raised his hand up, pointing his index finger upwards. "You...might need to up the ante on those workouts, Fireball. That was like getting hit by a wet paper bag." 
"Why you--owowowowow!" Kenneth tried getting up, but the pain from his sunburn flared up again.
Sahir popped back up, unfazed by the hit. "Bro, I'm a seasoned football player. You think I don't know how to sell a flop?"
"I knew that shrill, girly yell was too much." Ibuki said.
"Can we please not attack each other in our friends' home? Especially when this is supposed to be a bonding experience?" Carrie chastised.
"Her Majesty speaks the truth, as always. A bout of fisticuffs really isn't necessary." Sahir replied.
"I'm sorry, weren't you egging it on a second ago?" Kibō questioned.
"Whyyyy don't we go cool off with some dessert? There's an ice cream place a few minutes from here. Perfect place to diffuse and avoid destroying my apartment." Barbara suggested.
"All of those things sound very good right now, let's go do that right this second." Kat urged.
"Need a hand, bro?" Sahir cheekily asked Kenneth.
"I'll give you two, one for your face and one for--" Kenneth began.
Sakuya grabbed Sahir by the arm. "Sahir-kun, stop antagonizing him. Let's just have a relaxing dessert without any drama."
"You just wanna see if they have the little gummy sharks to go on the ice cream, don't you?" Sahir asked.
"I'll neither confirm nor deny that."
"Come on, Kenny, let's turn that frown upside down. No one can be mad about ice cream." Natalia urged.
"Unless you're lactose intolerant." Kenneth replied.
"But you aren't. And right now you're being happiness intolerant. Are you gonna be this grouchy all trip? You promised that you'd try to ease up a little."
"That was before I was toasted like a piece of bread."
"I'm sorry. I wanna hug you and make it better, but that'd just make it worse..."
Kenneth patted her on the head. "Perhaps I take having such an affectionate muse for granted. I can accept that Ibuki was only trying to help...in her own way. I'll try to avoid being so downcast from here on. You deserve as much."
"Thanks, Kenny. I'll give you an extra special hug when it doesn't hurt so much."
"Every one of your hugs is special to me."
"Awwwww." Natalia blushed.
---
Later that night, Barbara was lying awake in bed, texting. There was a knock on her door. Carrie peered inside. "I hope I'm not intruding."
"Oh no, I'm already awake. The excitement's keeping me up." Barbara replied.
"I see. Who were you texting?"
"My mom. She wanted to know how things were going. She's been messaging me every day to see how I'm doing."
"A textbook case of empty nest syndrome. My auntie's been doing much the same since departing for London. But anyway, sorry for coming in like this. We haven't had a moment to talk alone and I've been wanting to do so since we got here."
"Oh don't even apologize, I've been wanting the same thing."
Carrie sat beside Barbara on the bed. She looked over to the nightstand. There were a number of framed photos, one of Barbara and Kibō, another of the group's reunion the previous month, and another of Barbara and her mother. The fourth photo, a picture of a younger Barbara with a brown-haired boy, caught her attention.
"How has your mother been taking...recent developments?"
Barbara took a moment to think. "You remember how Ms. Kyoko was after Keeb's brother escaped from jail?"
"Yes. She became overly attentive towards Kibō, and she began doubting her own worth as a mother. Has Ms. Annette become much the same way?"
"It sure started out like that. She blamed herself for the way things turned out with Max. 'If I'd just been stronger and left Jim sooner, Starbolt wouldn't have gotten all those bad ideas about justice in his head.' She started hovering around me and texting me whenever I left home. She toned it down after a while, but you can tell that she's not completely there yet."
"Poor woman. The only way she'd be better is if Maxwell were to come back. I don't foresee that happening so long as he still feels guilty over what happened. Where do you think he could be hiding?"
"I've thought about it a lot, and I think...it's the last place we'd look. Somewhere remote. Quiet. Where he doesn't think he'll bother anybody. He's gone because he wants to be. And as much as it..." Barbara struggled to get the words out. Carrie rubbed her shoulder. "As much as it breaks my heart not knowing where he is, there's nothing I can do about it. Just promising in my mind that there's always gonna be a place for him with me and Mama. That'll never change."
"You'll see him again one day. I'm certain of it. I've had to tell as much to I--" Carrie stopped herself. Barbara perked up. "Ah, maybe that's a conversation for another day."
"Okay...sure." Barbara made a mental note of that near-slip. "So how are things with you? Pretty good, I'm assuming?"
"They're going very well. London already feels like home. I've signed up for a few environmental science and programming courses. I'm going to be taking up Mama and Papa's cause, and try to show how technology can help preserve the planet."
"That sounds...wow, incredible. That's a big, big goal to have, Care. But if anyone can make it happen, it's you. I'm sure your parents would be super proud of you."
"I would like to imagine so."
"There was something else..." Barbara looked at Carrie's right hand. There was a ring on her finger, silver in color, resembling a cat's face. "That's a pretty ring. Did Kat get it for you?"
"Ah, yes, she did. It was for Valentine's Day. It's the only ring I wear now. I gave her a matching gift for White Day."
"I'm gonna guess it's the ring she's been wearing all this time. The one with the purple gem."
"You'd be right about that. I suppose it's our way of carrying each other wherever we go." Carrie giggled. "Did you think they may have meant something else?"
"Wha--oh, no! Nothing like that! I wouldn't expect anything that quick when she's only just turned 18! I just thought they were cute!"
"Calm down, I was only teasing. I love Kitten with all my heart. But a massive move like that is still a far distance away, I feel. We've only just moved in together. It's the same for you and Kibō, isn't it?"
"Well, yeah. We just got this place, and I love him a ton. But if he dropped on one knee tomorrow, I don't know how I'd react. That's gonna be a real possibility when we graduate, sure. But right now would be too quick." Barbara looked flustered. "Ohhh, look at us planning out weddings when we're only just barely allowed to travel on our own. This is crazy."
"Well, we are going to Las Vegas, love. Quick weddings are a staple, after all."
"Oh no, that's right. We have to keep everyone in their right minds before someone makes a huge mistake..."
Carrie laughed. "Dear, I think you need to get some rest before your mind starts imagining nightmare scenarios. For your own good. Would you like me to brew you some chamomile tea, to ease your thoughts?"
"That'd be really nice. Thank you, Care."
"My pleasure, darling. I'll be back in a little bit."
Carrie exited the room. Barbara sat back in her bed. "(It's been a whirlwind couple of days already...now we take the craziness on the road.)" she thought. She smiled at this. 
After all, she'd missed the craziness.