dissonates | [Action]

[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.)]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ginji's been pretty content up until now to just sit on the sand and enjoy the nice weather, despite how out-of-season it must be for everyone else. But it's hard to miss his former employer sloshing through the waves. He doesn't remember him heading out there, and come to think of it, he really hasn't seen much of Asch since New Year's.]

[Which means Ginji is stumbling to his feet and loping over, waving an arm to try to get his attention.]

Mr. Asch!

[Asch glowers in Ginji's direction, leaning over and twisting his hair around to start with the drip-drying. He could probably kill someone right about now and not feel bad.]

Ginji? I didn't think you'd be here. What the hell is going on?

[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?

[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.

[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?

...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?

[Oh Asch, that's no way to clean it. Ginji sighs to himself. Quietly.] You could try bringing it to the smithy sometime, if you wanted to. There's oil. [Oil for cleaning, wax for polishing...]

[He doesn't manage to get much further than that, though, because Asch is giving him some sort of look. He's not sure what that was for.] ...Affected, Mr. Asch? No, I don't think so. Nothing strange has happened to me, and I feel the same way I always do.

Has something got you worried?

[Asch waves a hand dismissively about the sword. He has plenty of oil and whatnot for the proper care of his sword at the apartment, after all. This was just an inconvenient location to end up in.]

It would be unnatural to not worry about something like this. [Strange weather, trees sprouting up out of nowhere, peppy summertime decorations? So very suspicious.] Don't let your guard down just because it looks like some kind of celebration.

[A pause as Ginji takes another look at the trees, the decorations, the people, etc.]

I understand what you're saying. [But if he's suspicious of everything strange in Luceti, he'll never learn anything new and he'll spend all day, every day on guard. Ginji just can't live like that.]

[...Well, it's not like he'd expect Ginji to agree with him. After a moment's thought Asch merely shrugs his shoulders, glancing away.]

There's a lot of people here... is the weather like this in the village?

Sorry.

It wasn't when I left, and that was about four hours ago. A lot of people were already here when I arrived, and more keep streaming in bit by bit.

[A beat, and gently because he doesn't want to be yelled at:] But you're the first person I've seen to show up in the middle of the ocean... Was that...?

...That... [Asch's tone is just oozing delight as he responds, can you tell,] Was the Malnosso's idea of gratitude for defending their citizens. Either that or they have terrible aim.

[~~Yeah, bro, he can tell. Maybe they thought Asch needed to cool off.~~]

At least it's better than being dropped off in the snow. [Weakly optimistic as that is. Ginji offers a smile.]

It sounds like you've been busy, though. Are you hungry?

A little. [Asch pauses, and then glances suspiciously at the fruit scattered over the beach.] ...You're not going to suggest I eat those, are you?

No, I wasn't. Not unless you're feeling reckless after everything you've said about not letting my guard down.

[Ginji gestures with one hand, a palm-turning motion; he's open to whatever suggestions or orders Asch intends to dish out.]

What are you in the mood for, Mr. Asch?

[Action]

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