[Action]

[dissonates]

[Missions suck as much as, if not moreso than, the drafts. Asch has decided this. It's not just that he'd been sent on an uncomfortably-outnumbered solo mission, it's not just that his health problems had reared their ugly heads in the middle of it and nearly gotten him killed, it's not just he'd had to rely on luck and skill to keep him alive with zero ability to heal himself despite being a Seventh Fonist.

No, at this point, mostly? It's the fact that once it's all over, and the Malnosso saw fit to send him back to the village, he finds himself floundering underwater.

Bastards, is his second thought, since his first is a string of expletives that would do a sailor proud. Thankfully he's only a couple of feet or so from where his feet can touch solid ground, so within a minute he's slogging towards the shore, soaking wet and pulling seaweed from his hair. Damn. Bastards.

Not that the shore is much better. There's apparently something going on - the usual love experiment, no doubt - and he's managed to get dumped right in the middle of it. They probably did that on purpose. He can't do anything while soaked as he is, though, so his first order of business is to get changed. There isn't much selection, but within a few minutes he's got his uniform hung out to dry and is wearing a suit and a long, dark blue bathrobe. It's humiliating, but it's better than freezing to death back in the village.

Since he has to wait for his clothes and hair to dry in the sun, Asch will be hanging around the beach area, available for chatting, fruity goodness, and whatnot. Come and bother the cranky one! (He is unaffected by the normal love stuff, btw.)]

Comments

[broji]

[Ginji interprets that to mean "don't shout and stop waving your arm around like an idiot", which he does, but the glower doesn't deter him completely. He stops just out of easy stabbing distance.]

I didn't think so either, but I got the feeling that if I came to the beach the weather would be much nicer. [He doesn't understand it too well, but it seems like he had the right idea after all.]

Oh, and them? [He gestures with his thumb in the direction of the trees and the couples hanging around.] They've been here for a good while now. My guess is they're enjoying each other's company - and the fruit. I've never seen anything like it before.

Have your injuries been healing up all right?

[distressedude]

[Wow, so Ion has the power to make both redheads blush!]

You don't have to explain if you don't want to. [Ion doesn't know that feel now, but give him a few hours to make a fool of himself and he will totes know that feel, bro.]

Oh, are you hungry at all?

don't mind me, mixing up my threads

[dissonates]

[Asch's gaze drifts to the fruit Ion's holding, then away again. He's not asking, no sir.]

Hungry? A little. I haven't eaten yet today. [Too busy fighting, killing, and getting tossed into the ocean, apparently.]

[dissonates]

[Asch doesn't protest, merely ducks his head to let her pick away at the weeds, still working away at his tabard.]

I guess. Would've been better if I'd ended up out of the water, at least.

[Well, at least he's in good company.]

[dissonates]

[How did he end up with such an intelligent pilot prone to crashing things? He does unsheathe his sword, though only to examine it and make sure it's been properly washed. He'll have to get it dried off so it doesn't end up rusting, too.]

There's no need to concern yourself. They've already healed.

All I saw was "SQUEEZE SQUEEZE" and was all /u n s u r e

[distressedude]

At all? [Well that's just no good!]

Well, would you like to share some of this fruit? There's plenty more of them growing around here, and they're quite delicious.

ion he just wants to hold you tight oh baby baby

[dissonates]

[.....Suspicious look.]

They just started growing all of a sudden?

[He's never seen it before. SUDDENLY ALARMED. And... oddly hungry for it. He glances around, alarmed. No one seems to be keeling over or turning into weird things... maybe it's just a coincidence?

But this is Luceti...]

Ooh Asch Ooh let's make Natalia jealous~

[distressedude]

I'm not sure if they were here before or not. I haven't been to the beach since last summer.

[And clearly there is absolutely no reason to think anything suspicious might be going on because this week has been so totally normal!]

[broji]

[Because you "singled him out for good things back then". Maybe for common sense? And hey, someone has to test how well the Albiore holds up during and after impact.]

[Ginji can't argue with that. Asch does seem to be okay, though he can't help noticing Asch's interest in the sword. Either it's been damaged or... it's been used very recently. He'll try not to dwell too much on the latter possibility.]

Well, that's good news. And your sword?

[inkdrops]

[And now Miyabi works on Asch's hair, carefully unwinding the long strands from the grit, grass, and seaweed. There's something oddly relaxing about this...and Miyabi smiles as she works, pressing the remainder of the fruit into her mouth so she could work with both hands. Hm, maybe Asch would like some, too. It was good! Sweet, and really juicy - kind of like an over ripe peach. Does Asch like sweet things? He liked cherries, and those were sweet...

Miyabi blinks, hearing Asch speak at last. She stares at the segment of his hair she'd been idly twirling and playing with then drops it as her face brightens.]

Eh, wha--....uhm, y-yes. What happened to you, anyway? Why were you even in the water like that? [Miyabi tugs Asch gently towards the shore, so he could get out of his soggy clothe and towel off the seawater.]

and she's only a thread or so above, kyaaa

[dissonates]

...Hm. I haven't either. [Asch studies the fruit for a moment later, then reaches out to take a piece, lips pursing. Well, it looks safe enough... and tasty... maybe he could try a little. His stomach is on the brink of growling, so it's probably for the best if he does anyway.]

[dissonates]

...Looks like it needs a cleaning.

[His tabard's already hopelessly dirty and in need of a wash, so Asch lifts the front flap to slide the blade over the fabric, letting it soak in the ocean water and residual blood from the mission. It'll still need a proper clean and polish to get rid of the salt, but that can come later.]

It's too warm here... the experiment is still going. [Asch shoots Ginji a suspicious look for a moment, studying him. ...Nope, he doesn't feel like he's in love. Thank god, he's still safe. His expression relaxes again - as much as it ever does anyway - and he sheathes the sword once more.] Have you been affected?

[dissonates]

The Malnosso saw fit to send me back from a mission underwater. And on the wrong side of the mountains, too. [Though admittedly it's better to be here than in the lakes, unless the good weather extends into the village for whatever reason.

[She can probably tell from his tone how thrilled he is about this. He starts to follow her, though, shaking water out of his boots every few steps. Squelch, squelch...]

B)

[distressedude]

[And while Asch starts on his slice, Ion will go ahead and do the same. Of course, Ion on friendship fruit isn't really all that different from Ion on a normal day.]

If you want any more, there's plenty where that came from.

peeks behind chair

[meritocracy]

Don't dismiss me. [a bit firmly as she gets on her knees, leaning in]
Did I..do something wrong? You act quite..skittish.

/shrieks

[dissonates]

[Can he just die now? Because he is on the brink.]

It's your outfit! It's- it's just- ...revealing...

[dissonates]

Mm. I guess. [Bite. Chew, chew... swallow...

Huh. That's pretty good. And he finds himself warming up a little more to Ion's company.]

...Thanks.

[fabrecation]

Heh... fine, fine, you got me. [He lifts up his free hand with surrender... then offers the other half of the fruit to Asch.]

You want some of this? It's really good!

[dissonates]

What's that? Everyone seems to be eating it today. [Asch takes the fruit warily, torn between reluctance and a sudden urge to bite right in. It just looks so tasty...]

1/2

[distressedude]

[...]

[Did... Asch just say "Thanks"?]

[distressedude]

[...well! The smile on his face just increases tenfold.]

Of course! Perhaps when you're finished with yours, we could go find some more together?

[inkdrops]

[Wow, it's. Really hard to be overly concerned when she hears that sound all the way up the shore. Miyabi's shoulders shake with her silent, poorly restrained laughter, and she has to look away from Asch so he doesn't see how hard she trying not to laugh. She's sorry, Asch, she really is!]

A-At least the weather is beautiful today! It'd be a lot worse if it was still cold and you fell in.

[Miyabi reaches the towel she had been sitting on when she first arrived, and shakes out the sand, beating it again the trunk of one tree to get every bit as she could off. That towel will then be handed to Asch.]

i am so sorry i am not usually this slow. ;;

[herotypical]

No? Then you must be here for the cute half-coconut shell drinks, instead.

[dissonates]

[What was that skepticism...

...Oh, whatever. Ion's happy, so who's going to complain? With a shrug, he bites into the fruit again, idly licking the juice off his fingers. Seriously, it's really good.]

It's not like I have anything else to do while I wait for my clothes to dry.

[dissonates]

[He takes the towel and starts tousling off his hair to dry it, letting the rest of his body drip-dry for the moment. His hair takes priority, after all.]

As if the weather isn't reason enough to be concerned? [Still, she has a point- if he'd arrived to find himself in ice-cold water he'd be running for the teleporter to get himself a warm fire and fresh clothes before exposure gave him frostbite or something. With this weather, he can relax a little.]