Panacea

Panacea Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I certainly don't own Scarlet Nexus or any of its affliated properties.

"Scarlet Nexus": Speech (Bold for yelling or Boss level creature)

'Scarlet Nexus': Thought

[Scarlet Nexus]: Brain Talk

Chapter 3

After Hikaru left the mess hall of the OSF after eating his daily breakfast of standard military rations, he stopped short as he remembered something. 'Didn't Tsugumi and Kagero plant some flower buds at headquarters? I should probably take a look at them since Tsugumi will have her hands full worrying over the new changes the new platoon additions will bring...' He thought as he turned towards the outer edges of the perimeter walls of the OSF building. "Hikaru, my man, what are you doing here so early? Thought you wouldn't be so happy to get deployed so soon after your first write-up~."Kagero said as he suddenly popped up right next to Hikaru just as he was kneeling to inspect the buds.

"Oh. Kagero. Hello. Just checking up on Tsugumi's plants and making sure her work doesn't go to waste."Hikaru said as he turned to the older man. "Man, that Genesis power really is cheating! You never fall for my jumpscares." Kagero pouted, his bishounen features melting into a childish countenance as his dual colored eyes took on a mischievous twinkle. "Me never falling for your antics has nothing to do with my power Kagero-maybe you're just too predictable. Kinda sad seeing as your power is supposed to make your actions super stealthy." Hikaru deadpanned, smirking as the other man took a step back in mock disbelief.

"Well, your tongue is just as sharp as always; you and Tsugumi can't resist verbally assaulting poor old me~.

"Maybe don't make a fool out of yourself so often and we'll give you a break. Seriously speaking though, the girl looks up to you; don't think we ever mean the things we say." Hikaru said as he and Kagero started watering the sprouted buds. "Wonder what she planted this time around? I would have helped her with this too." As Hikaru spoke, Kagero then said, "She doesn't want to bother you with everything she does on her off time you know? Ever since you were appointed as Karen's aide five years ago, Tsugumi feels like she imposes too much on your time. Comes with the territory, you don't get to be an undercover operative and hang out with us."

"That's about to change though, Karen's no longer so strict about my incognito style and he did allow me to cycle between Seto and Kyoka platoon too. I miss you guys sometimes-all the stone faced people I meet; some levity in my life is always appreciated."

"Awww, is the big bad Crimson boy finally about to confess to my little girl? When's the wedding?"Kagero joked as Hikaru flushed red. "You got it all wrong old man! Besides, just because you're older than us and took Tsugumi under your wing doesn't make you her dad." He blustered as he put the watering implements away. It's not like he didn't like the idea, it just felt weird even thinking about Tsugumi as if she was like every other girl he knew. When Karen and Fubuki took him into the OSF back when he was a street urchin in Lokusho city, he was one prickly nine year old kid. As he grew and entered the standard OSF cadet training, he met Tsugumi and later, Kagero. The girl was one of the few people whom his then unstable powers (that made SAS connections nigh on excruciating for others) didn't ward off as they bonded over the shared topic of how their powers got them into trouble as children. Her slow, measured words and conversations were a balm to the restless kid he was; her silvery voice didn't hurt either.

As they grew closer, she started to open up to him and introduced him to Kagero. The man was very eccentric but Hikaru understood that they both could at least agree on a few things (chief amongst them being Tsugumi's well being). After graduation, they were all sorted into Seto's platoon along with another girl named Miyuki whom he never got to really know. They were a great team until that one deployment in Kikuchiba five years ago where Miyuki was killed by Major Others. That was quite the shock to the platoon members, with Seto and Hikaru taking especially hard. Seto became more protective of his squadmates and Hikaru cultivated a healing aspect of his Genesis psionic power after throwing himself into research on physical augmentations on psionics' bodies. He then tested his theory on Tsugumi as he knew that her eyesight was declining due to the nature of her power. It was a somewhat limited success as he managed to stop her ocular degeneration but couldn't cure her entirely.