[@Crimmy][@Write] [b]Maximum Overschwarz[/b] There was a bustle of hustle, and in the span of under a minute, the once-sizable group had reduced to only two young women, both of whom coincidentally happened to be the youngest of their respective families. Looking off at the rapidly dissipating dust cloud left behind by a certain lanky fistfighter, Dawn shook her head and sighed with a knowing smile before returning her attention to one Galla Mindaro. [color=6ecff6]"Sisters, right?"[/color] After all, despite not being in as much of an outright hurry nor in anything resembling the outrage, Gratia-san had also taken off to go meet with the rest of her family, too. However, there was a key difference in what one could expect from the outcomes between the two— [color=6ecff6]"Well,"[/color] she continued, languidly stretching her arms and back, [color=6ecff6]"I had better go make sure April leaves enough of Onii-chan in one piece for Mama and Papa to get here in time. Would you like to come with, Galla?"[/color] [hr] A saint! You're a saint, Cirsium-sensei! You may not know it, but you're absolutely a saint! I immediately turned back to the lilac-haired [s]girl[/s] [i]woman[/i], clapped my hands together, and gave a small bow while earnestly mouthing my words. [i]Thank you SO MUCH.[/i] Hopefully, I did so with a little more composure than the pit in my stomach was telling me I felt. At the very least, I had to at least not have looked so pale I could have seen a ghost, right? And on the subject of pale— I turned back to the two Nuits, one my age and one my senior, and offered them my best smile. It probably was shakier than it should have been, but in fairness, so was my immediate future. I couldn't waste too much time worrying about whether or not I looked spooked... I mean, it really isn't like I wasn't in the first place. [b]"So, coffee? Sure, that sounds fine by me! Why don't we get going and--"[/b] [i]tap tap tap[/i] Even as I rose, resolved to shut my project off for another time, and started towards the two, I was interrupted by the distinct sound of knuckle rapping on glass that stopped me cold. I turned— And there in the window, a tall man in a Hawaiian shirt, with tan cargo shorts, unkempt blonde hair, and wearing a breezy grin that simultaneously filled my heart with dread and annoyance stood. Tanner Oshino had come to pay me a visit. That cryptic asshole. Just my luck. [b]"Great."[/b] Reading my lips, he snickered, raising a hand in greeting as his foxlike eyes flitted between each person in the room, appraising everyone in the span of a second. I hated how he did that, I really did. Acts like he can see right through you, and is good enough to make you believe he actually can. Wait until you hear Cirsium-sensei's real age, man, I'll see you thrown for a loop yet. [b]"What do you want?"[/b] I asked, narrowing my eyes in suspicion. After all, if he was here, then that had to mean... Leaning forward, my mother's old teammate took a deep breath before exhaling on the glass and fogging it up real nicely. Okay, why? I don't care how good at reading people you are, you can't do it through something opaque! My questions answered themselves as a fingertip suddenly appeared, tracing a sharp line across a small region. With deft, short, and clean strokes, he continued until he'd quickly left a message in plain Shiroyaman kanji and hiragana. [b]"Hashire—"[/b] [i]Run.[/i] Oh, hell. [b]"I've been [i]trying, dammit![/i]"[/b] I shouted, making a beeline for the exit. Mind singularly consumed by the will to escape, I brushed past Bianca and threw the door open-- [color=ffcf40]"YOU WORTHLESS SCUMBAAAAAAAAG!"[/color] [i]KRUNNCH.[/i] [b]"Ghk!"[/b] And my world was filled with rubber sole. We flew back, her momentum sending me crashing into the far wall whilst she no doubted gracefully landed and skidded to a clean stop. Why on earth did anyone decide to teach that damn girl how to kick?! [b]"Agh..."[/b] [color=ffcf40]"How dare you try and run from your own family! You hate us that much?!"[/color] she demanded of me in a hotblooded growl, accompanying her words with the sound of a clenched fist. Clutching my hand to my face, I kept my mouth shut until everything rearranged back into normal position. You'll kill someone if this is your modus operandi, you moron! [color=ffcf40]"Answer me, Luke! You hate us or what?!"[/color] [b]"Anyone would hate someone who [b]kicks them in the face[/b], April!"[/b] I had to do it. I really cannot help myself in these situations. I fired back. And rising to my feet I continued on the counteroffensive. After all, in her haste, she'd made one crucial misstep. [b]"And all this nonsense about me avoiding you two aside, what in the hell was your plan if somebody else had opened the door? There are other people in this room, [i]moron[/i]."[/b] I stated, rolling my neck before gesturing to everyone else present. Thew effect was immediate, and as she snapped out of her singleminded focus on me, I could see her eyes darting between the trio of people she also might have kicked in a panic. For a girl who could be sharp as a whip, she was seriously bullheaded sometimes... [color=ffcf40]"... Ah, aaaaaIIII would have just have just, eh... pulled it?"[/color] she offered weakly, accompanying it with an equally non-assuring laugh. [b]"Ba~ka~."[/b] I singsonged in perfect deadpan. Her shoulders slumped, and I knew her sense of justice was telling her just how stupid she was being on its own. She didn't really need my help, so in the spirit of making amends, I kept things brief. Walking forward with a weary sigh, I reached up to the girl three and a half years younger and yet one inch taller than me and rapped her one upside the head. One part reprimand, two parts retribution. The perfect resolution. [color=ffcf40]"Owwww..."[/color] she grumbled. Like you have any right to complain, nosecrusher! [b]"...Anyways, you oughta introduce yourself, right?"[/b] [color=ffcf40]"Oh, uh yeah. E-[i]herm[/i]!"[/color] she replied, perking up a little before bowing deeply and politely at the waist. [color=ffcf40]"Please pardon my intrusion. My name is April Schwarz, and I'm Luke's younger sister! My hobbies are Karate and vigilante justi--"[/color] I very pointedly jabbed her in the side with my elbow. Stop being a weirdo! [color=ffcf40]"--I mean, uh, community service! I'm pleased to meet all of you, and I'm glad my [i]hapless[/i]--"[/color] [b]"Ngk!"[/b] I pulled back to jab her again, but she cut me off by stomping on my toe and forced me into little more than a pained grimace. [color=ffcf40]"--big brother is in your care!"[/color] [b]"...And there you have it."[/b] I said through partially grit teeth, only just maintaining my composure. [b]"Please forgive this [i]idiot sister[/i] of mine for her little personal crusade, and try to be understanding."[/b] [color=ffcf40]"Yeah, and please continue to be patient with this [i]numbskull brother[/i] of mine,"[/color] she ground out through her own polite smile in equal measure. [color=ffcf40]"For my part, I [i]completely understand[/i] if you feel all [i]Kami-sama Vult[/i] about him."[/color] We missed eachother. Probably.