#beachnanigans

[braveryinblue]

Aloe! Is it me you're looking for?

[ continued from here @cashandaxes ]

Strange beach realms really weren’t anything out of the ordinary as far as Charlotte was concerned. She didn’t even think twice about waking up here. And really, a beach paradise was an excellent opportunity to put herself out there and cozy up to some wealthy nobles.

She was in the process of trading her armored bikini for a bathing alternative. It felt strange but also kind of nice to shed the few pieces of armor she actually did wear, but wherever this place was seemed peaceful enough. It would be hard to get a cute tan with her arms and legs covered anyway.

She stood with her back to the door as she began to tie the strings of the bathing suit behind her back when the door opened. Hostility was easily her first reaction and she snapped at whoever the intruder was. “Hey what the fu–” After looking over her shoulder and realizing just who it was, Charlotte’s demeanor quickly softened and she flashed a grin at him.

Red faced and embarassed, Hector fled the scene but Charlotte ran after him, hands still trying to tie her top on behind her back. “Wait! Milord! Don’t go!” she cried out. “We could go down to the beach together! We could pack a picnic!”

Oh, she was mad, she was so mad-- bloody hells, what was it with all the different ways he managed to attract the fury of the ladies in particular? And here he’d thought Charlotte a dainty creature, but that grin of hers, the way she’d schooled her expression so fast... it promised little of anything good on the horizon.

Ordinarily, Hector might have been inclined to stand his ground. He wasn’t one to cower. ...There wasn’t much ground to stand on in this case, though. Stick around and risk being labelled a peeping tom... or vamoose and hope for the best... the second option sounded the wiser.

Except, contrary to all of his expectations, Charlotte was calling for him to come back.

He might have been tempted not to heed her words, were it not for her parting siren call: the promise of a meal. Padding to a stop, Hector glanced back... for all the space of half a second that was, a light burn immediately returning to his cheeks as she ran down the hall after him - the one hand behind her back the only thing currently preventing a, er... wardrobe malfunction. . .

“A... picnic,” he repeated, slowly. “That, uh... That sounds nice. Yeah. Why not?”

Then, without thinking. “Do you need help with that?”

Whether he meant the bikini or the food was anyone’s guess, really.

[jehannanmage]

"Humble maiden comes / hoping to receive some aid / clever boy provides?" Mitama laughs sheepishly. Some time has passed since she last saw the mage, hmm? "What a silly game this is, hmm? Though any opportunity to practice my poetry, I suppose. Would you mind? I think I am doing quite well. Or would you prefer I flatter you further first?"

It’d been a little while, yes, but that didn’t make him any less enthused to see his friend anew. Meeting Mitama with a bright smile, he laughed. “You’re playing? I thought about it, but...” He waved his hand. He glanced down at the boxes he’d been carrying down the beach. He had other plans.

He pauses a moment, thinking, thinking... he was quick, but nowhere near as quick as her, she who’s devoted herself to this particular craft.

“Clever boy wonders / if clever girl loses touch / imagery, lacking.”

He laughed again. “A little more flattery couldn’t hurt,” he said with a wink, “but you’ve got a game to win so... Here ya go, sans fanfare. One Ewan Special Signature comin’ right up!”

[ostianshadow]

"You didn't really think you'd get rid of me this easily did you?" Serra's grinning from ear to ear as she stands with her hands on her hips.

Matthew smirked back, hand on his own hip, brows lifted with amusement.

“Kinda, yeah, actually,” he stated with a shrug.

Was he joking? Was he not? Few were those who could tell.

“But now that you’re here... you will help me look out for m’lord, won’t you?”

Kinda convenient, actually...

[jehannanmage]

coup de foudre

[from here @flowerofgoneril ]

Hilda’s eyes sparkle as she watches the fiery butterflies floating and fluttering around her. “Oh, Ewan!” she says breathlessly, taking in the beauty of the moment. “They’re so cute!” She’s rarely seen magic used in such a beautiful, purely aesthetic way and it almost makes her consider paying a little more attention during magic focused lessons.

As the butterflies fizzle out she turns her attention back toward Ewan with blushed cheeks and a soft smile across her lips. It must be the light flickering off the fire, but there’s just something different about him. Something that makes her feel as though his magical butterflies found their way to her stomach.

Oh goddess, is this happening? Is she about to experience the fabled Teen Beach Summer Romance? It’s something she’s heard Holst and Baltie talk about before and something she’s read about in the kind of novels Seteth would immediately purge from the library. Could she be about to experience that right of passage for young adults?

Hilda takes a step closer to Ewan and reaches for his hand. “I think I’d like that.”

He’s glad the magic is well received - he’s proud of the control he’s managed to achieve over the course of his studies, and to see someone marvel so at one of his creations... to see Hilda - beautiful, charming Hilda - of all people, approve.

Ewan’s own stomach is half in knots. He tries to sit tall, reminds himself internally not to fidget, and in the midst of his whirlwind thoughts, he remembers to keep an easy smile. The bonfire’s light flickers, but though he feels warmth in his chest, he doesn’t credit its flames.

She reaches for his hand, and honestly he can’t really believe it - but maybe this whole thing, this whole place really is a dream, after all, and if it is...

His hand entwines with hers. Crimson eyes meet pink, and then flick just slightly down... then back.

“Hilda...” Lightly, he squeezes her hand in his. “... Is it all right if...” What are the right words... “... Can I kiss you?”

[braveryinblue]

Feet patter against sand before she skids to a stop in front of him. A quill in one hand, she slaps her stomach with the other. "Sign my abs, Hector! It's important!" Ah, wait, has she introduced herself to this Hector? Eh, it'll be fine.

The pitter patter of feet... He doesn’t have to lift his head from where he’s sunning to know. He just feels it in his gut. Here comes trouble.

Half-lidded, judging eyes watch as Sharena skids to a stop before him. It seems she has forgotten what she had put him through already...

But. He hasn’t.

“I think not, you sorceress. No doubt this is somehow another of your conniving tricks, like those bedeviled sprinkles of yours.” With a scowl, he waves her away. and pushes himself from his back to his stomach, laying his head on his arms. “Go bother some other sap.”

[braveryinblue]

Cowabunga, bro!

[from here @fenrena ]

Jaw drops, and her eyes widen. “S-sorceress? I only know basic spells!” Really basic. But, she’s getting better each day and with practice. Soon, she’ll be able to use a weapon and spells.

Sharena drops to the ground, crawling the short distance until she is next to him, where she tries and looks at him. “C'mon, Hector, please? Pretty please?” Expression turns a bit pitiful, mossy eyes wide and a pout on her lips. “I didn’t mean for it to go that far. I mixed too many serrano seeds with the sprinkles.”

Suddenly, the princess is sitting on her knees. “I know! How about I make it up to you?” Signature is forgotten as her hand goes to her chin, and she thinks, a nail tracing the underside of her lips.

“Let’s see… I could make a dish for you. Or I can teach you how to climb walls or surf. Maybe we could spar? I’m a great sparring partner…” There’s a pause before she presses herself against sand—its warm against her stomach—and looks at Hector. She’s quite serious despite the excited energy radiating off her.

“Hector, I really am sorry. Let me make it up to you.” A wide grin appears on her face. “Who knows! We might have a blast!”

On top of reminding him of that terrible experience, she’s in his sun now, too. With a grumble, he shifts and tries to get comfy again. Just as quick, though, the shade disappears, replaced by... the sounds of something shuffling in the sand. Cracking an eye open, he frowns.

What is she doing?

When he sees the look plastered on her face, he knows at once he’s in trouble.

The witch is at it again, his mind whispers. If he doesn’t take care, he’ll wind up in her thrall anew, and he doesn’t much care to try his hand at whatever wicked new concoction she’s come up with this time. Seeing as how she doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave, though...

Propping himself up on an elbow, fist squished into his cheek, he watches as Sharena goes about apologizing. Pensiveness suits her better than it does him. He leaves her to her thoughts,

until he can’t really take anymore of it. With a growl and a glower, he roughly pushes himself up. Sitting up, hands behind him holding up up, he shakes his head.

“Look, I don’t... need any of that stuff... though I’m not one to say no to a spar...” This last bit had been a bit quieter, albeit still audible. In any case, he sure in blazes didn’t plan on eating anything of hers anytime soon. “If you want a signature, just promise you won’t hit me with serrano again, or whatever that was.” He waves it off. No long term harm done, at any rate. . .

Then, a thought.

“You know how to surf?” A pause. Contemplation. “You really think I could learn it?”

[jehannanmage]

🌴 - The view from the massive old growth was spectacular, as one would expect.. But. As it turned out, the hard part was not -climbing- the tree (no, that had been a relatively simple task of finding the correct footholds and the sturdiest branches), but getting back down again. It was an awkward descent, and Pent nearly slipped at least twice, somehow finding patches of slick moss that he hadn't come across on the way up. He peered up at Ewan. "Please let me know before falling on me?"

The view had been more than worth the climb.

And alongside the beauty of the sight before them, it called too to mind old memories... one of those days he’d spent traveling Magvel with his teacher, Saleh. The great sage had been off doing something or other, and his pupil had been left to his own devices, for better or worse.

Ewan had climbed a similar tree, on such an occasion, though it had been more of a coniferous variety if memory served... And as Pent made his request, Ewan smiled at the sky, squinting against the sunlight. Right... Right... He’d fallen off of that one, hadn’t he? Luckily, a wandering cleric had been nearby at the time, and he’d also had the fortune of falling into a big ol’ bush, but...

Somehow, he doubted Pent would be quite so comfy to land on. Like, the guy wasn’t jacked or anything, but he didn’t look particularly cushy, either - just a fellow spindly mage, in the end.

“No promises,” he said with a chortle, though he fully did not intend on falling again if he could help it. “But if you hear a yell, you better WAaaATCH OoOOUt BELoooOOwWW!”

But nothing happened. Ewan picked himself another foothold, carefully.

“Something along those lines, you know?”

[jehannanmage]

🏃 to explore the boundaries of this world with my muse

To the ends of the world...

Ewan had always envisioned traveling a great deal when he got older. There was so much to see, to learn, to witness and behold... It seemed only natural to want to see how far this strange new place itself might extend.

And for once, for a blessing, his current partner in exploration would find Ewan curiously quiet. Part of it was due the occasional pause in order to soak in their surroundings and marvel at the wonders this Voice had seemingly conjured up for them. Part of it was his focus on trying to Remember.

It was a bit humid in this part of the area, but not dreadfully so. Most of this place seemed made to cater, he’d noticed, and that in itself was an oddity he’d not have minded explained. If he had the power to pull off this kind of stunt, he was sure he could think of some better use for it, but...

Better not to look a gift horse in the mouth, one supposed.

And besides, in the midst of all them thoughts rattling about in his noggin, there was one memory he held on to tightly.

“Hey, Felix...?”

The mage fidgeted with something in his pocket. “I found this back in... Before here.” Where... Why couldn’t he remember...? “I don’t remember what’s it’s called, but I remember thinking you might like it. Anyway, uh, thanks for letting me come out here with ya... I’m not sure what we’ll find, if anything, but, even so...”

He held the cube up and offered it over. It had lost its glow, but its colour, at the least, remained.

He couldn’t remember everything, he mulled quietly, but... maybe that was okay. Maybe that’d be for the best. He smiled. In the meantime, a new journey awaited...!

[jehannanmage]

🎆 "You are capable of casting a flame, correct?" Mitama held up the strange device she had found. "I lack the ability myself, but these resemble some things I have seen at home. If I am correct, they are fireworks."

“Of course!” he answered with a laugh and a proud smile, standing tall. What self-respectin’ mage couldn’t? Taking one of the odd devices presented him, he looked it over with no small curiosity. . . “I’m thinking you are correct, yes. But there’s only one way to find out, aye?”

And so, with little fanfare, he lit the fuse of the first, set the thing down in the sand and stood back - and watched with bright eyes as it took off into the sky with a crack! and a howl, before exploding into a glimmering shower of light. Mouth agape, he made for the next, giggling at himself - that had been so pretty! Such wondrous inventions...!

Grinning sheepishly, he held his hand aloft, a flame burning atop it in invitation for his friend to light one of her own.

“Beautiful, truly... ...” A pause. “I didn’t mean it earlier. About your haiku. They are clever and masterful as ever, Mitama.” He doubted if he’d ever get to be on her level given her amount of dedication to her crafted... But it’d not stop him trying!

“They are as brilliant / as the stars we light above / effervescent...” A pause. “Aw, wait, that last one was just four, wasn’t it...”

[jehannanmage]

🔥 "This is kind of romantic don't you think?" Hilda lets out a carefully planned wistful sigh. "It's a shame we're both alone."

Ro... mantic...?

He felt his heart skip a beat.

“Uhh... Yeah. It kind of is, isn’t it?”

Smooth. Real smooth.

“Starry blanket of skies overhead, cozy fire before us,...” Don’t you dare put your damn foot in your mouth now, Ewan. Don’t you dare. “... the songs of those who dwell in the night rising in chorus...” Crickets chirped in approval. Somewhere in the distance, a creature howled at the perfect moon reflecting in the waters.

Was it a shame they were both alone? He wasn’t sure what to make of that, in truth. Wasn’t sure what to make of that sigh, neither. Why did girls insist on speaking in tongues?

“I-is it?” He shrugged, smiled awkwardly, and huddled closer to the flames. An idea glinted in his eyes. With a twirl of his fingers, he beckoned to the flames. Called them forth, teased them into being, and they soon took the shape of a handful of fluttering butterflies, dancing about Hilda... before, eventually, flickering away into the sky, into nothingness. His calm smile is more confident this time. “It doesn’t have to be.”

[jehannanmage]

[🎆] - "You're the mage here. I cannot possibly fathom why you would need my help with this." Whatever this was. Innes watches Ewan with crossed arms and a skeptical gaze. One foot taps impatiently against the sand, grains shifting in-between his toes with the movement. "If it is a fireworks show you wish to create, then wouldn't such a task be best suited for the one who can conjure fire?"

Ewan huffs in return, rolling his eyes at the prince’s skepticism. “It’s not like I’d call you all the way out here for nothing.” Okay. Maybe he would. Getting on Innes’s nerves was ever a fun time. “Look, it’s not just any ol’ fireworks I wanna try my hand at, here. All willy nilly, with no thought to the wheres and whys... I’m wanting to be methodical about it.”

He taps at his temple. Then, when they’ve arrived at the stash, Ewan stoops to pick up a bow, and offers it to Innes. Curiously... a number of the supposed fireworks have been tied to... strings? Rope?

“You see those trees?” He points. “Could you shoot these up there? And the other end up there? Annnd.. there, there... there, too,” he continues to direct. He flashes the prince an innocent grin. “It’ll be worth your while. Promise.”

[jehannanmage]

"Ewan? I have a favor to ask of you." Lorenz held out his arm and a quill. "Consider it, as the people would say, a clause of the quote, 'bro code'. Could you sign my arm?"

A favour, huh...

Ewan quirked a brow in show of considering it. In truth, he was trying his damndest not to burst into a fit of giggles - where in the world had Lorenz heard of the Bro Code? Never had the mage thought he’d hear it come outta there, not in a million years.

Breaking into a sheepish grin, Ewan nodded. “Yeah. Sure. Anything for a bro.” He signed, chuckling quietly to himself. This felt a bit like cheating, to be honest - not quite in the spirit of the game but... oh well. He felt he kind of owed Lorenz anyhow, he thought...

... Though he couldn’t quite remember why.

[braveryinblue]

"I know you've been completely lost without me but don't worry you'll have plenty of time to dote on me and shower me in praise now that I'm here!"

He knew that voice. He knew it, and instinctively, he reacted, the hairs at the nape of his neck pricking, his muscles tensing just that extra little bit-- Serra.

She had shown herself useful during their foray across Elibe, true, however... it seemed she’d not yet outgrown her attitude. Eyes closed, Hector inhaled. Oswin had counselled him to simply breathe when stressed. . .

Nope. Wasn’t working. Pinning a blank stare on the Ostian cleric, he shrugged, brows raised. “I think you might have me confused for someone else. Someone who actually does that stuff.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation, he shook his head. “... If you were gonna just show up outta the blue like this, Serra, instead of taking care of things back home... Maybe you coulda done so a week prior and spared me a handful of new scars... Tsk.”

[braveryinblue]

🦀 - The majority of them were normal sized crabs. Small fiddlers, hermit crabs of various sizes in various shells, the more predictable blue gray creatures the size of one's hand scuttling across the sand... And then there was -that- monstrosity in the distance. It must have been the size of a hefty raccoon, given that it appeared to be wrapping its massive legs around the base of a palm tree and attempting to.. Climb it? Pent stared at it.. then back at Hector. "Are you sure you want it?"

He didn’t care about the small fry. They weren’t worth his while. What he wanted was That Thing Over There. TTOT was living its best life as king of the beach, but not for much longer! Soon, it would but feature as king of the upcoming feast. In he and Pent, it would meet its makers - else he wasn’t Hector of Ostia!

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life! Have at ye, beast!~”

Axe in hand, he sprinted toward it, sand flying in his wake. TTOT hadn’t quite managed to make any progress on its climb, and that was almost too bad, for Hector resonated with its dream to reach ever higher - but it being on the ground served Hector just fine.

Or so he thought.

“RRARRGHH!!! Perish, swine!” He brought the axe to bear.

...

...

The axe stopped in its tracks, grasped in a powerful pincer. Hector stared it down a moment, jaw hanging as the crab looked at nothing in particular with those beady eyes. Then, as the other pincer started to loom toward him, he panicked. Rearing back, he swung the axe - crab in tow - overhead, and launched the creature toward Pent.

“HAAAA!! Magic the saintsforsaken thing! Magic it good!!”

Your turn, old man.

[jehannanmage]

🌧 - "Well... that wasn't supposed to happen." Celica comments as she stares blankly at the sky, palms held upward as she and Ewan are drenched by a sudden downpour of rain. She'd only sought to show the younger mage a new thunder spell she recently learned, but she hadn't expected to summon rain clouds, too... had her connection to the spirits really gotten that stronger? Or was it just another one of this beach's peculiar occurences? "How odd."

“Odd,” he agrees, flipping his light half cloak over and holding its sides over his head - not much of an adequate cover, especially not for long, but for now... it’d do. “But really cool! Can you imagine, being able to have the weather itself at your beck and call...! Poof! Sudden sunlight after you’ve wooshed away the clouds. Or, ya feelin’ like building yourself a snowman, hah, blizzard ahoy! Or, or, bringing rain clouds like these ones to a dry, parched land... It’d be quite amazing, don’t you think?”

He takes a breath, if only ‘cause he can’t keep talking otherwise. Doesn’t take overly long though. “I-if you squeeze in tight, there’s room for two,” he offers, gesturing with one flap of his half cloak. “Or we can make a run for the cover of the woods. But I’m curious to see how the rest of your storm plays out, in truth.”

The thunder announced itself with a KRA-KOOM off in the distance, and the skies bristled with energy. Ah. Delightful.

[ostianshadow]

🌙 - In this world of foreign faces and sights, Ninian latches onto the familiar. To skills that have carried her this far, and continue to do so even now. Moonlight catches onto her translucent sash, the fabric of her pure white dress swaying gently with her movements. The oracle dances to the chirping of cicadas on a backdrop of fireflies, feigning obliviousness towards the wraith-like presence that approaches. Something weighs on his soul, and so she dances, to allay his worries and her own.

Matthew walks beneath the moonlight he so used to crave, for want of the old memories it stirred so easily within him. On an eve such as this, however, it offers little by way of distraction. His thoughts are too scattered and clouded, a haze he struggles to piece together with uncharacteristic fervour, the haggard look in his eyes betraying not so much lack of sleep - for they need it not in this strange place and time, it seems - as it does a lack of closure, thoughts that despite their embroilment stalk him through the night.

When he looks up, it’s to the sight of something that steals his breath away in the same instant it sweeps the addled whispers at the back of his mind unto the breeze and carries them away. His shoulders lift slightly. He inhales, partakes of the fresh night air, and all of a sudden, he can think again --

though naught is much clearer now than before, and there’s a new piece of the puzzle to consider, as well.

“Ninian,” he offers by way of greeting, a ghost of a smile succeeding his sigh of relief. Brows flexed in uncertainty, he walks over and seats himself on a rock, propping his chin up on his hand. 

“Fancy meeting you here... Your dance is as inspiriting as ever.” He has the vaguest of notions... the feeling it might have been for his benefit. Maybe he’s wrong, but even so, he smiles. “Thank you.”