Help from Hidden Writers

A Meeting of Battles and Romance, Part 3

"2 chocolate ice creams, please!" Keisuke spoke to Mukuro as he and Cuddly arrived at the ice cream stand the twins had set up. The reborn SHSL Soldier grinned slightly upon seeing him, "Oh, Keisuke! What are you doing up this early? I thought you usually sleep in on the days the SRS don't bother us. Junko herself said that." 

"I would, honestly," Keisuke honestly replied, mirth dancing in his tone. "But I got an  unexpected visitor."

"Unexpected visitor?" Junko poked her head out of the counter, interest lighting her once-despair-ridden eyes. 

"Yeah. Mukuro-nee, Junko-nee, meet Bearly Cuddly," Keisuke stepped aside for a while to let the two see the Youkai. 

Mukuro's eyes widened seeing him before her face grew happy, "Oh, so you're Cuddly! Nice to meet you!"

"Same here!" Junko chirped up as she came back with 2 chocolate ice cream cones which Mukuro took and gave to the two. 

"Woah, thanks, Junko-nee!" Keisuke smiled back, taking out his money to pay the two. "See you tonight then! You know the usual place, right?" 

"Of course!" Mukuro grinned. "If we didn't, Keita would come after our heads." 

"Indeed!" Junko nodded solemnly, sliding her glasses on. "Imagine how angry he would be if we didn't!~" 

"I don't even want to think about it," Keisuke joked back. "Keita will always be the best leader I've ever met, but he'll also always be the scariest." 

"Same here," Mukuro and Junko chorused in agreement. 

Cuddly could only watch this exchange with a sweatdrop on his face, somewhat confused over their topic, but choosing not to question it. 

"Anyway, whatcha doing here?" Junko looked at Cuddly, a questioning look on. 

"Well, I'm enlisting Keisuke's help to find Jorogumo..." Cuddly replied, feeling unnerved by her stare, especially with the glasses still on.

Thankfully, Mukuro took notice and sweatdropped as she gently took the glasses off her twin's eyes, "No scaring the customers, Junko." 

"Aha, sorry," Junko sheepishly smiled. "I just got too excited, I guess. It's somewhat boring around here." 

"You find everything boring, Junko-nee," Keisuke corrected his incarnation, sweat dropping in the process. 

"You don't, Keisuke?" Junko looked at him. "Is it because of all those lessons Aruke-san's been teaching you?" 

"At some point," Keisuke shrugged in reply. 

"Mind if you take Junko to the next few sessions?" Mukuro decided to joke. "She's been so bored these days, I'm scared she's going to blow something up soon!" 

Junko mock-gasped, "How cruel of you, Muku-nee! I would never do that!" 

Keisuke just shook, laughing his heart out as a snicker slipped in between, while Cuddly could only react to this with a sweatdrop, "Wow, you guys are really... Eccentric." 

"Eccentric's another word to describe them," a new voice joined them, making the 4 turn to see a familiar person make his way towards them. 

"Oh, Haruya!" Keisuke cheerfully greeted the ex-villain, smiling happily at him. 

"Whatcha doing out here so early?" Junko teased him, getting Haruya's normal ice cream ready before handing it to him as the 'human' took the ice cream to lick it. 

"Just out for a walk, since it IS the holidays," Haruya shrugged nonchalantly. "But I could say the same about you, Keisuke. You're not normally up this early." 

"Nah, I was just showing my new friend around town," Keisuke explained as he turned to Cuddly. "Haruya, meet Bearly Cuddly. He came to visit me from his own realm." 

"His own realm?" Haruya's ears perked up, "Interesting. Are you saying that he's not from around here?" 

"He's not," Keisuke confirmed. 

"I'm sensing some Youki from him, to be honest," Haruya admitted, now looking at the Youkai with critical eyes. "Is he really one?" 

"He's somewhat like Gogen, Haruya," Mukuro shrugged as she answered Haruya's question. "At least, according to what Rau told us." 

"I am," Cuddly nodded. "I'm not from this world, for sure." 

Haruya smiled seeing this, "Well, it's nice to see your honesty. But I need proof that you're not lying to me. That's why I have an idea." 

"Huh? An idea?" The 4 of them looked at him, feeling slightly confused over his words. 

Haruya grinned, "Let's spar." 

Silence. 

"E-EHHHHHH?!"