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"Old man...why do you drink?"
Kishibe didn't really freeze while he was on the couch, the ten-year-old girl next to him on the couch looking up to wait for a response. He had to think of a good answer without really getting distracted from the television but he thinks the truth is a bit longer than he cares to go into. So he'll use a part of the truth to make the rest of the evening peaceful.
"Well...Chi, Devil Breeds don't just draw strength from blood and flesh. They feed off of fear...it's not just the aspect of their Devil that makes them strong, it's their name recognition that increases their power. So hunters without active Devil Blood in them, like me, do stuff to alter their minds to fight against them. Chi...the best Devil Hunters in history weren't the strongest, the toughest, the quickest or even the luckiest...they were the craziest. The ones that even the most powerful of the Breeds, the most terrifying of the original Devils, could not feed from. When you go up against someone that you can't think around, that you can't predict...that's when you know you can lose. So...that's why I drink."
"...To get strong, does Chi need to drink?" The child asked.
"Hm...tell you what: we shelve this talk for now and tomorrow...I'll get a cat." He stated.
"Yes! A kitty!" She declared, clinging onto his arm. "I want a fat one!"
***
"So we get there by train...and do we stop by the temple on the way to the hotel?" Asa questioned, sitting on the couch.
"We get to The Stay, we should have our rooms ready by then." Aki answered, kneeling over the table in front of a laptop as Kobeni knelt next to him, Denji sitting back with a white cat on his lap.
"Why do we need to get up so early...god, I didn't think we'd need to work so hard on vacation." He griped.
"No work...no sunrise." Beam muttered while lying on his stomach on the floor.
"Guys, the sooner we get there, the more time we have to do nothing." Reze assured, leaning on Denji's shoulder. "We got the rooms, let's just let Hayakawa take care of the rest."
"You fools have suckled the teat of Power's hospitality long enough!" Power stood off of Beam's back to point at them. "Where are the snacks that were promised?!"
"Wait a minute, aren't we the guests? Why do we have to bring the snacks?" Asa frowned.
"Aki brought everything over when you came in." A drowsy Kishibe exited the kitchen in full uniform, dropping a plastic bag next to the laptop on the table. Denji immediately rooted through the bag to take out several boxes of Junior Mints, bags of Hershey Kisses, bars of Starburst, bags of Famous Amos, a bag of Jack Link's and a couple of Pringles.
"What the...why is there so much candy? We were supposed to bring snacks." Asa noted.
"That's my fault. I brought most of them because I wasn't sure what everyone wanted." Reze admitted, getting up to sit next to Asa on the next cushion. "Forgive me?"
"...I didn't bring anything so I don't get to complain." She looked to the side as she scowled, her cheeks blushing brighter as Reze pressed her face against hers.
"Yay! Asa's the best!" Reze nuzzled in close to her as Asa cringed.
"Don't be so familiar...!" She tried to brush off as the others watched, Beam opening the bag of Kisses.
"Mitaka's a lot more relaxed with Bomb Girl...did something happen with them?" Power grabbed her chin in pondering as Beam chewed on several aluminum foil wrapped chocolates.
"Whatcha mean? They've always been like that." Denji countered.
"Hmph...I don't want any woman I'm not involved with copulating on the couch." Power demanded. "I don't want to mix up the smells."
"Um...the trip is pretty much planned so...we can just eat now?" Kobeni suggested. "Should I get the drinks?"
"The kitchen is probably bare besides for beer." Power rolled her eyes. "The old fart forgot to head to the store today."
"You shouldn't talk about your father that way." Asa chastised her. "It's not respectful."
"He's an old drunk that barely works enough to fight his enemies. No wonder his reputation is in the toilet." Power argued back, sitting back on Beam's spine. "He's useless besides sustenance."
"Mitaka's right, Power...other than all the...him, Kishibe's a legend in the business. Been working for over forty years." Aki said. "Do you know most of the Devil Breed members retire within 5-10?"
"Other than the substance problems, he's freakishly strong." Asa added. "He actually looks pretty good for a man who looks like he has personally witnessed every murder."
"God, pick someone to sleep with and don't be creepy about it!" Power stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Start with it not being my dad."
"Don't be pervy!" Denji pointed at Power, who kicked his finger away with her foot.
"Power is never pervy! She hates naughty things!" She shouted back.
"Smoke break. I need some air." Aki got up from the table, heading for the front door.
"Ah, Aki...remember to stick to one cigarette!" Kobeni got up to follow.
"Hey, we still need drinks!" Denji went after them, Beam moving to go with him as Asa stood up.
"Those idiots..." Asa sighed as she left out. "We'll be back soon."
"Roger!" Reze smiled at her as she shut the door behind her, reaching over to scoop up Meowy and put them on her lap. "Those guys are funny...they don't have a problem with me coming along? When they know what I am?"
"Mrrow." Meowy answered.
"I guess they really don't care...and Denji's just an dumbass." Reze began to pet Meowy's head. "No...I shouldn't call him that. He's stupid but he's a good guy...and Asa doesn't know and she's smart. She's so smart she'll turn against Makima eventually...so she should be with me, right? Denji's strong but only I can keep her safe. That doesn't make me a bad solider, right?"
"Mrrow." Meowy answered.
"Yeah...I guess I deserved that." Reze replied, continuing to pet Meowy as Kishibe smoked in the backyard.