Summer: A Salty Snow Warms The Hidden; Soul PT. 3/4

"Cheers!"

We clanked our glasses together (non-alcoholic beverages of course) before beginning our meal.

We were at a nearby restaurant by the sea that opened recently, called Sea God's Palace. It was already filled when we got here, but it seemed that Pinkie knew the owner of the place, and so the owner of the place set up a table for the seven of us outside on the patio, overlooking the sea.

I dug into my burger, eating like I hadn't in days. Then again, all of us except for Lachesis, who was paying for her own meal, was eating in the same way.

"You all eat like animals," Lachesis commented, putting a forkful of salad in her mouth.

"Ah, that was delicious," Hiro said, holding his stomach in bliss.

"Yes, I would have to agree," Caelus agreed, both of their plates empty of the food that was just there.

"Huh! How the hell did you eat so fast!?" Pinkie exclaimed, only half-way through her fish.

"The fact that all of you eat that fast after using your tricks like that is frightening in of itself," Lachesis commented, putting another forkful of salad in her mouth.

"Have you ever considered that maybe you eat slow relative to how fast normal people eat?" Prez asked, nudging her elbow into her. She herself was half-way through her food, a steaming hot plate of fish stew.

"I would get seconds, but I'm helping to pay, so I would rather not purposely add to the bill," Heracles said, looking at his now empty plate sadly.

Hiro got a look at my face and started to laugh. "You enjoying your food over there Depra? You look like you're in heaven."

Everyone turned towards me and started to laugh. I was happily eating my burger and had just finished it with a burp.

"Hey, it was delicious! Oh, waiter, seconds please!"

"Me too!"

"Me three!"

Caelus sighed, looking downcast. "And so it begins. Goodbye money, I'll miss you greatly."

I chuckled before getting up from my seat. "I'm headed to the bathroom."

"Alright, don't fall in then!" Prez said, and everybody started to laugh, and I smiled at her joke before heading back inside the air-conditioned building.

I maneuvered through the tables, noticing that many of the people in this restaurant were wearing fish fins, or had scales adorned all over their body. Well, I was used to seeing such things nowadays, so it didn't really bother me too much.

I went into the men's bathroom and got myself into a stall before doing my business. I took a deep breath and relaxed, the first time I had done so since I had gotten to the beach.

I've been having so much fun that I haven't really had any time to think at all today, I thought to myself as I rested my head on my hands. It's been strange, but I've been feeling different lately. Ever since Lachesis' friends came over that day, my life has been slightly more enjoyable now. And with this too, I feel as if I'm enjoying myself for the first time in a long time, not bounded by any worries of the past year. Just Free.

I suddenly felt my memories stirring within, and weightlessness started to overcome as I was slowly about fall down, further into the memories of the past...

My head slipped off my hands, causing the episode to suddenly cut short. I was breathing hard and was also clutching my shirt tightly as I desperately tried to catch my breath.

I grabbed some toilet paper and finished my business before pulling up my swim trunks and flushing the toilet. I opened the stall door and started to wash my hands.

I guess I really did almost fall in.

I dried my hands and yawned as I walked out the bathroom when I accidentally bumped into a girl.

"Oh, my bad. I wasn't paying any attention."

"No, you're fine. Hmm, hey, do I know you?"

I stared down at the girl, frowning. She had beautiful purplish-orange hair, like what a Padparadscha Sapphire would rarely have, and that unique hair color I could never forget made me smile in remembrance of the memory.

"Wait, don't tell me! You go by… Depra, right?"

"Hey, you got it right!" I said, looking down at the girl. She was wearing a black one-piece swimsuit, showcasing her slender body and modest chest. She looked temporarily bewildered at us running into each other, but her face quickly turned into a joyful expression.

"Of course I did! You're not easy to forget, you know that?"

"You really think so? I feel like I've always blended in with people though. You know, just always in the background."

She rolled her eyes before grabbing my hand. "Do you have time to talk right now? I would love to catch up with you."

"I'm eating with a couple of friends right now if you wanna join us," I said as she slowly led me back outside. "If you can't, then if you're willing to wait until we're done, I would like to catch up too."

"Darn, you're here with friends huh?" She frowned before she started to think to herself. "Alright, wanna meet later this summer then?"

Eh!? "Um, sure, but I don't-!"

"Here, does anyone of your friends have a marker?"

"Probably, why?"

"Then lead the way my friend!" She started to drag me again, and we ended up back outside the cool building to the patio, where the Hidden Club was still eating lunch.

"Oh hey, it's Depra! You didn't actually fall in did you?" Prez exclaimed before noticing the girl next to me. "Ooh, who's this girl!?"

She got knocked on the head by Caelus, who just shook his head. "Sorry about that. She's just crazy, so you can ignore her ramblings."

"Hey, I'm not crazy! You're the crazy one!" Prez retorted, glaring at him.

"Yeah, crazy about girls," Heracles muttered, chuckling.

"You need something Depra?" Hiro asked, cutting straight to the point as usual.

"Yeah, do any of you guys have a marker?" I asked, and Hiro fished one out of his bag almost immediately. "Whoa, how convenient."

He tossed it to me, and I handed it to the girl next to me, who grabbed my left arm. "Hold still, otherwise I'll screw up." She scrawled something down on my arm before tossing the marker back.

"All right, that should do it!" She grinned at me before skipping away, her hair practically glowing orange in the summer sun. "I'll see you later Depra! And you better call me today before that washes off ya hear!?"

"I'll see you later than!" I said, giving her a wave goodbye. I watched her run across the sandy beach before sitting back down into my seat.

"So, am I going to be the one to ask what that was about?" Prez asked, basically already asking the question.

"You and Hiro both need to learn to have more tact," Lachesis grumbled, and Hiro scowled at that statement.

"Hold up, I have tact. Don't lump me in with the idiot sitting next to you." Prez gasped; feigning being hurt. "Besides, I already know who she is anyway."

"Oh, you know her Hiro?" I asked, furrowing my brow in confusion. "Did I introduce you two or something?"

"Uh, no. Well, I guess it would be better to say I know of her." He looked conflicted, as if he was withholding something, but he did that often, so I really didn't mind.

"Okay, so who is she?" Lachesis asked, looking at me with her soft blue eyes.

"Oh, I met her at the beginning of the year when I helped out with this performance the school was hosting. I was a server, and we met there. We also hung out at the after party, and I've also seen her around a couple times after." She also helped me out a great deal during the second half of my junior year. Honestly, she really did end up saving me a great deal of times. Of course, I wasn't about to say that aloud.

"I see. What's her name, or do you not know it?" Caelus asked.

Her name? Now that I think about it, she only told me once. I frowned as I pondered, trying hard to remember. "What was it exactly?"

"Seriously? How dare you forget such a beautiful maiden's name!"

"Shut it Cae." Lachesis shut him down with a single sentence before he could continue.

"Now that I think about it, Pinkie, you've been awfully quiet." Hiro commented, finishing off his plate.

"Well, I know her too. I met her last year too. She's a nice girl, but…" She trailed off, lost in her thoughts.

"I see, so you too then…" Hiro mumbled, and the two nodded at each other before getting up from their seats.

"Eh!? Where the hell are you guys going?" Prez asked, and they ignored her as they both walked out onto the beach.

"It's been a while since I've seen either of them act like this," I muttered. "Especially not at the same time."

Lachesis smiled to herself. "Despite outwards appearances, those two do get along quite well. Then again, Hiro gets along with just about anybody, surprisingly enough."

We watched as their mysterious conversation unfolded, a serious atmosphere unfolding, before Prez decided to ad-lib.

"It's that damn woman again, huh?"

"Yes Pinkie, I already know what it means." Hiro scratched his head, sighing.

"I don't want her anywhere near you, my love."

"I've already told you, you're the only one for me." Hiro grabbed Pinkie's shoulders, and she stared up at him.

"Li-liar. You said that to all your previous women, haven't you?" She turned away, shaking away Hiro's grip.

"What will it take for you to believe me honey?"

"A kiss shall suffice!"

"I, I cannot do such a thing."

Pinkie turned back quickly, anger filling her tiny body. "But why! Why can you not!? Do you hate me that much!?"

"Because it wouldn't make any one of us happy."

"Like hell it wouldn't! You know what that woman's capable of, so don't you dare choose her side! Besides, think about-!"

"I am thinking about it!" Pinkies face grew shocked, and Hiro clenched his fists tightly. "It's what I believe is best for both of us. So, for now, let's not interfere. I have no reason to mess with her, just as you don't have any reason to mess with her either. Doing that would only cause trouble."

"But what if she-!"

"I would never let that happen. You know that." He rested his hand on her head and started to pat her head. "After all, I care way too much about both of you to ever let it get to that point. So please, trust me this once, okay?"

He released her from his head pats, and her pink hair covered her eyes before she spoke next. "Fi-fine, then I'll leave everything to you, because we must trust each other in our relationship of ours, right?"

He smiled at her. "Right, now let's get back before they suspect anything about us, honey."

She nodded. "Right, darling."

The two returned, both unable to look at each other for the remainder of the day.