friendship was a mistake [closed]

[blue_ice]

They all needed a vacation, he'd said. They should take it together, he'd said.

After that little bit of uncharacteristic thoughtfulness on Kaiba's part, he regretted it almost immediately. But the plans were now set in motion, too far along to stop without undoing the progress he'd been making these last few weeks.

That was how he found himself on Hano Beach, dressed in his casual beach wear (with cargos. rip.) and sitting on a large trunk full of Stuff. His smaller Pokémon are nearby, playing in a shallow puddle he'd carefully dug for them and stuck an umbrella over.

There's a table with Anela's famous berry smoothies, also with an umbrella over it, and chairs for the humans to sit and relax. Have fun. Try not to kill each other.

Comments

part three: welcome to hotel hell

[blue_ice]

Somehow, they've secured rooms at Hano Grand Resort! Not enough, and that's a mess on its own, but let's sort that out. And maybe play some tunes. Do try not to disturb the other guests.

Why Is Your Karaoke Like This

[shadowslipping]

Yuume has a hotel room for her own reasons. Separate reasons. Reasons that don't involve her relative and his 'friends' creating chaos.

She is now witnessing chaos as she passes one of the hotel's provided rec rooms.

"Ahhh..." S...She doesn't want to knock or anything, but it sort of sounds like something is...happening? In there??

"...Is everything alright?" She doesn't work here but she's worried guys.

[blue_ice]

"...they're screeching like dying cats, but otherwise fine," her uncle answers, opening the door a crack. He looks like he desperately needs rest.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group is belting their little hearts out.

[improvking]

Not the entire rest of the group... for example, the one who abruptly swings that door wide open. "Ya boy can pull off infinitely worse than merely 'dying cats'."

The ...disquieting grin strongly suggests this is one of the major contributors to the current state of the Kaiba. ......Well. The state of one Kaiba. "What are you doing, invite her in!" The Ring-Spirit proceeds to try waving Yuume into her doom the Very Loud Room.

New Kaiba Acquired??

[bloomingdespite]

Despite their gangly, awkward appearance and the strange air of ancient wisdom they can give off when they feel the need, Zahra is obviously too young to get served drinks at the bar.

Which means there must be an entirely different reason why they're wearing their floral shirt backwards. Hopefully.

(It was a dare. Of course it was.)

"C'MON, KIRAKIRAKID!" zahra yuume is older than you "JOIN IN ON THE FUN!" Zahra peeks over the Ring-Spirit's head, raising a non-alcoholic sparkly water.

[shadowslipping]

Initially of course, Yuume just chuckles- of course Seto would be saying that after all, but-

"They sound excited at least," she compliments, leaning around the other to raise her brows at the ring spirit in amusement. And then-

Zahra. Why. In response to their shout, Yuume chokes. "AH- H... Since when did I tell you how to spell my name..!" she shouts, already halfway into the room thanks to the more 'villainous' one's request.

[blue_ice]

"I hate all of you," Seto grumbled, but he wasn't leaving. He was just here to make sure no one got themselves killed...somehow, jealously guarding the snack table to prevent chip throwing.

"But who knows. Maybe you'll liven it up."

[improvking]

"Weren't you just whining that we're too lively? Mixing your signals pretty heavily there, Kaiba-kun." Conclude with wink and fingerguns -

- and immediately whirl back to their new victim addition. "You heard him, we've got to kick things up by several notches." Ring-Spirit that grin is highly unsettling this is just karaoke,,

And unless Yuume fights it, the Spirit is just gonna wrap an arm around her shoulders and move her on over to the machine. "Zahra, pick something! No time to waste, new song, new song!"

[bloomingdespite]

Zahra, likewise, has their best manic crazyface on. Nobody is escaping from this madness. Not even you, Kaiba.

Watching him squirm under the Spirit's dubious flirting is part of the fun.

"We got..." Zahra counts heads, including Kaiba, oh no, "nine voices, including Noa?" wait what, "So... AHA! Got it!"

Zahra grabs Kaiba the older by his forearm and begins marching him to the stage. They're... surprisingly strong, for having such a wiry frame. "PUT ON BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY!"

[blue_ice]

Wh-what---

Kaiba may not know much about interpersonal relationships, but he knows what that gesture means and turns the slightest shade of red. No, no way, absolutely not. He frowns and folds his arms.

"At least I'd drown my misery---"

He can't say much more before Zahra advances on him, and despite digging his heels in he finds himself on stage with the others. Oh hell. They're going after this song. What a painful few minutes it will be.

Is this real life? Or is this just fantasy? Gods, he wishes it was...but the voice that comes out of him is surprisingly not too terrible? He's just trying to do his part to keep them from utterly ruining this song, keeping to the background of the piece with some chorus lines.

How's that for community spirit.

[shadowslipping]

"Liven it up? H-ff!" Just as she's protesting, the Ring Spirit is pulling her in- leaving her stammering in weak and fruitless protest as she's pulled in.

At least it's not like how her 'uncle' is struggling at the moment?

Uh-

"....B...Bohemian... ...hah?"

why y'all playin classical music for this

[improvking]

The Ring-Spirit. ...can read the screen fast enough to mostly keep track, but he lags a split second behind anyone who does know the lyrics... or even just the tune,, (On-The Spot Learning New Lyrics While Setting Them To Music Ya Also Don't Know,,,)

Heee... pretty quickly decides fuck it and embraces his not-actually-helping role. The song is long enough to make it a viable option! Slightly-out-of-sync steps up to 'major key when it should be minor, minor when it should be major', and fumbled words just straight-up become new words.

His singing voice is perfectly fine, at least. For now. (Normal Human Voice is optional and is subject to change when he gets bored.)

[bloomingdespite]

Zahra... Zahra has a surprisingly beautiful singing voice. Deep, contralto, husky, but with the range of an absolute angel. At least somebody here knows how to do it professionally.

Then there's their other singing voices. Which they sing a three-part harmony with.

The Spirit, Bakura, Jounouchi, and Kaiba can easily recognize the other voices as distinctly Anzu and Atem, which may make it slightly less surprising—but it may slightly disconcert Yuume.

Slightly.

At least they're all having fun, though.