An Unexpected encounter at the beach. ( Cerbera and Haruka )

Quickly rose up when Haruka was safely with Masato, breathing heavily before she'd followed the two to shore, bringing one hand up to rub her knuckles over her eye, getting the feel of sand back underneath her feet and walked the remaining way to the shore, glaring at Masato and Haruka thoughtfully.

The thoroughly dripping pair of idol and manager stumbled onto the beach. Haruka shuddered as she coughed and spat out what looked to be all the saltwater in the Pacific Ocean. Masato rubbed her back vigorously.

"Are you all right, Haruka?"

"Y-yes... I'm all right... thanks to Cerbera-san..." Salt-stung eyes cast about her, looking for her savior. Finding her friend staring at them, she grimaced sheepishly. "Arigatou, Cerbera-san..."

"Thank you for saving Haruka, Cerbera," Masato smiled.

Cerbera nodded at them, slowly moving to them and standing besides Haruka, looking at her, Cerbera gave Haruka a gently pat on the shoulder before heading for her can of fernandes she still had, mumbling out.

" That's what friends do. "

She heard the children playing with the ball again, twitching as she made sure she wasn't going to get hit again, careful heading for the place they were sitting at.

"She's a good girl," Masato affirmed.

"Haii..."

"Are you feeling better now, Haruka?"

"Yes..." She shivered. "I'm cold, though..."

"Let's dry you up. Then I'll go buy you something hot."

Masato helped Haruka up. "Cerbera-san," Masato called out as they walked towards their gear, "Could you bring us Haruka's towel?" Said item was lying on the picnic mat.

Cerbera nodded while she walked to the laid out towls, leaning down to grab Haruka's towl, she got back up and walked over to them, offering the towl to Masato before she'd turn back to her own towl, she was feeling cold herself but she didn't seem to shivver. Cerbera noticed one of the kids looking at her all the time, starting to get quite irritated but then thought about how she was with Haruka in their matches, turning to look straight at the girl and called out.

" Hey ther-- "

Before she could finish the little girl turned and ran off scared, leaving Cerbera to stare at her quietly.

" .... "

"Arigatou, Cerbera." The grateful Masato placed the towel upon Haruka's shivering shoulders. Haruka pulled it around her.

"Thanks, Masato-kun..."

"It's nothing. Thank Cerbera-san."

Then they saw the scene with the little girl. Masato and Haruka exchanged glances. That was... cold, colder than either of them felt.

No one deserved to be ignored like that.

They walked over to the silent Cerbera. "It's all right," Masato told Cerbera. "One day, she'll understand you better."

"Like we do," Haruka added reassuringly. "We'll make them understand."

Cerbera walked away from them when they started to speak, staying silent. She took slow steps towards the rocks that were residing near the ocean. She hopped on the highest one and sat down on it, staring off into the ocean.

Cerbera brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, her chin inbetween her knees. Her long hair waved to the side and a few over her eyes. For some reason she was trembling, maybe it was the cold but she was hiding something from everyone.

They watched her go with regret weighing heavy upon their shoulders. "I feel really sorry for her," Haruka murmured.

"We can only help her so much," Masato admitted. "But she's strong. She can take it. Not like us..." He mulled the matter over. "Haruka?"

"Haii?"

"I'm going to go buy some hot drinks. Would tea do?"

Happy realization pinked her pale cheeks. "Haii."

Decided, they walked over to Cerbera. "Cerbera-san," Masato said conversationally, "I'm going to buy hot drinks for us. What would you like?"

Cerbera closed her eyes, concentrating on something before she was disturbed by Masato's voice, quite irritated but once again decided to hide it, looking over her shoulder at them.

" I'm fine.. Do you mind if I call a friend here to join us? "

Cerbera started to stand up, hopping off the rock and landing infront of them.

"Not at all," Masato agreed. "The more the merrier."

Mentally he guessed at just who Cerbera was going to call. Lethe-san? Or maybe she made more friends that we don't know of?

"Excuse me," he bid. "I must go buy the hot drinks now. I'll be back in a few minutes." He nodded to Cerbera, then Haruka, before running off.

"Bye, Masato-kun..." Haruka was also wondering as to the identity of Cerbera's friend. "Who is the friend you're going to call?" she asked.