Locker Room - Questions (COMPLETE)

Amami Haruka and Aida Masato waited nervously in the locker room for the girl they hoped was still their friend.

The last time she and Cerbera met, they'd had a friendly if rough spar on the beach. Cerbera had won, but it was a close fight. Haruka had promised to do even better the next time they fought in the ring. They parted as friends.

Without warning came the fall of Sindel. The Era of Hell vanished, only to come back, this time with Cerbera as its leader.

That wasn't the only thing that changed. Cerbera became elusive. She could no longer be contacted. And she was supposedly colder now, harsher, the opposite of the now harmless Sindel.

What had happened? They wanted to know.

Luck smiled on them. A new wrestler they'd just met- a blond cat girl who looked like an older buxom version of Haruka's friend Hitamura Haruko- said she had seen a girl fitting Cerbera's description had just come off a workout. Haruka guessed that Cerbera was probably going to shower first before going home. So she and Masato chose to wait for her friend to come change clothes, hoping to get a word with Cerbera.

Please be all right, Cerbera-san...

The of the locker room opened slowly and soon a person stepped out, but not the one they wanted it to be. It was Asteria that stepped out, a grin on her face while she was playing a videogame on her very outdated brick shaped gameboy, closing the door behind her with her foot.

" Jump Mario Jump! "

She then stood still when she saw two pair of feet at the side of the gameboy, blinking a few times before looking up to see who owned them. Asteria stared at Masato and Haruko for quite a while before smiling brightly.

" Oooh, it's you two! Hiyaaaaa! "

She said with a hyperactive giggle.

Haruka was poised to greet Cerbera when she saw it was only Asteria. Still, she smiled. Asteria was also a friend, after all.

"Hello, Asteria-san," she greeted.

"You seem energetic today," Masato observed kindly. The last he had seen Asteria, she had been rather... thoughtful. "I'm glad for you."

"Me, too," Haruka agreed. "Ah, Asteria-san, is Cerbera-san there? I'd like to talk to her..."

Asteria nodded at both of them.

" Thank you, Masato-chan. And yes Cerbera is inside, she's just getting herself dressed and all that, she'll be out shortly.. Do you wish to speak to her or something? "

Asteria tilted her head to the side, staring at the two for a while, mumbling out to them.

" Hopefully not going to try and attack her like the others? "

Haruka brightened at Asteria's confirmation of Cerbera's presence. "Yes, please!" she vouched. "I've been worried about her ever since we saw what happened to the Era of Hell!"

She and Masato then stared at Asteria due the girl's last comment. "Attack?" the puzzled Haruka asked. "No, I won't attack her... she's my friend!"

"Asteria-san," the concerned Masato brought up, "Is Cerbera-san in some sort of difficulty or danger? Has Sindel threatened revenge?"

" Sindel..? She's as harmless as a teddy bear now. I highly doubt she'll do something against Cerbera. Yes, there have been occasionally random attacks upon Cerbera but she's been doing fine never-- "

" Shut up already. "

Asteria blinked and looked over her shoulder, noticing Cerbera coming out from the door, who didn't look all that happy.

" Why are you telling them stuff they don't need to know? You pathetic moron. "

Haruka and Masato were startled by Cerbera's cold demeanor towards Asteria. The manner she treated Asteria was completely different from before- the reverse, even.

"C-Cerbera-san?" Haruka began. "That's not nice..."

Masato frowned. It's true, then. She's changed. But... this much? I didn't expect this... hostility.

Cerbera gave Haruka and Masato a cold, deadly stare for a while before she was disturbed by Asteria.

" I'm sorry, Cerbera.. "

Cerbera turned to look at her, giving her the same deadly glance.

" ..Don't ever let it happen again. "

" It won't, Cerbera.. "

Asteria stepped back from them all and looked down a bit sad but that changed when Cerbera stepped in and grabbed her by the throat, making her look up at Cerbera.

" ..Is that weakness I see there? "

" ..N-No Cerbera! "

Cerbera's stare confirmed Masato's hunch. ]Something happened. But what? She's not only reverted, but she's actually gotten worse. What happened? he wondered darkly.

Haruka stepped forward now. "Cerbera-san!" she pleaded. "Stop it! This isn't like you! Asteria-san is your friend! Why are you treating her so harshly?"

Cerbera ignored Haruka's words and only let go a few seconds later, staring straight into Asteria's eyes before mumbling out.

" Remove that look from your face before I do it for you. Got it? "

" ..Yes, Cerbera. "

Cerbera then simply turned to head back inside the lockroom, wanting to grab her jacket before leaving.

Asteria watched her leave, rubbing her throat before mumbling out.

" ..Scary. "

Asteria then looked at Haruka and Masato, releasingf a gentle cough.

" You two should leave before she decides to attack you.. However you're right.. Before she became the leader she wasn't like this at all.. I've tried finding Sindel for answers but I haven't seen her.. "