Obligatory Beach Episode (the actual beach part)

[hoasen]

Who: Everyone at the beach (and Vietnam)
When: First few days of April?
Where: Capablanca: Beach
What: In order to complete a few jobs set in Capablanca, a volleyball match and a beach bbq happened (at different times). As usual, everyone can end up joining for no goddamn reason (other than money maybe).
Rating: PG is always the safe option.

NOTE This is also a mingle log, so just tag around in the sub-headers set up!

VOLLEYBALL

[In order to complete this job and win the trust of the merfolk, a beach volleyball session has been organised. What are they going to do? It has been suggested that they play on the shallows, stick up a net and then hit balls back and forth to the merfolk. Seems easy enough...right?

WRONG. Beach Volleyball is super intense. Start planning your strategies, because you could be unfortunate in that your mermaid friends are actually professional underwater volleyballers. Which is probably like Blitzball or something.]


BEACH BBQ

[One of the best ways to learn about each other and also WIN THE TRUST of local populace is to hold a random Beach Barbeque. Who knows where Vietnam managed to amass all these ingredients for the barbeque (trade secret) but everyone can help cook! If they know how. Alternatively, all barbeques need people to EAT so come judge the food. And talk and make merry.

There is word going around that someone left a whole case of alcohol for mixing. Who on earth brought that?! (And left a convenient list of drinks and how to mix them). We'll blame the proprietor of a bar who wants more publicity.]

Comments

[twosidedsword]

[He nods at the question, wondering if everyone but him and his carrier have favorites.] It's easier to eat when there is no food. If you don't have favorites.

[Which is a little clue into how he grew up honestly.]

[praises]

[ Allelujah's expression changes in a flicker of understanding. This boy... ]

I see. [ Warmth replaces his surprise. ] If that's the case, then it's alright to try a lot of different things now.

[twosidedsword]

[He looks up a little at the approval, allowing for a brief glimpse of golden eyes that are almost like jewels. Of course they lower again soon after and he sees the food is gone.]

Ah...Ao...

[Yep, while they were talking, his carrier ate...everything. Including skewers and such.]

[praises]

[ Ah... two of a kind...

Blinking, he steps back once he realizes what's happened thanks to the little blue Carrier not being supervised. Allelujah nearly laughs, then holds his hand back out for the plate. ]

I can make more. For the both of you.

[twosidedsword]

[His cheeks color a little, feeling a little bad for being an inconvenience. The food was just brother to him and he didn't even really taste it. Ao apparently liked it a lot though. At least he's come to associate her purring and spinning in place as a sign of joy.]

Thank you.

[He hands the plate back which gives a bridge for the blue ball of fur that is Ao to bounce up their arms to nuzzle the cheek of this nice man who is providing food.]

Ah...

[Too late. Ao's doing her version of "Kiss the Cook" here.]

[praises]

[ Though it catches him off guard, Allelujah doesn't mind the display much. His own Carrier is affectionate enough, even if she's probably off somewhere chasing the other Heroes' volleyball. Reaching up with his free hand, he gives the Carrier a light pat. ]

You're welcome, too.

[twosidedsword]

[Oh. He's not upset. Shin-Ah relaxes then and waits until she's done and bouncing back to his hands. Catching her is easy and she's back to purring again, happy as can be.

She's just a wee bit more extroverted than her owner. Who is currently sitting there unsure of what to say. Sorry, Allelujah. He's still learning proper conversation techniques and he's not that good at using them yet.]

[praises]

[ She's cute. Sort of like a Haro, if Haros were fluffy. If Allelujah minds the sparing words, he's not really showing it. Having Setsuna as a teammate for all these years have accustomed him to sparse conversation. He gives a slight nod towards the fire going a short distance down the beach, where the majority of the cooking is happening. ]

Would you like to go? You can decide what to put on the skewers yourself.

[twosidedsword]

[He perks up and nods. That's not even something he realized he'd be able to do! Getting up, he brushes himself off then tucks Ao into his coat so that way she won't get lost among all the people. He's already wondering what else there is to pick from because he's sort of just been eating whatever is handed to him and so on.

So his eyes widen a little at the choices. He has no idea where to even start!]

[praises]

Here. [ Allelujah hands Shin-Ah a few skewers to start with so he can go tend to the flames in the meantime. ] Start wherever you'd like, there's plenty. One you're done, you can give them back to me.

[ He indicates the open flame where he'll cook them. Spread out by the fireside are a variety of meats and vegetables. ]

[twosidedsword]

[This much variety is almost too much power for him. Luckily he can see what these ingredients are so he has a better time figuring out what combinations Yoon would use to make yummy food. Of course Shin-Ah sort of overstacks his before pausing and going to the man.]

What do you want?

[As in he has a couple sticks left so he'll make him one! The stacks of food on sticks!]

[praises]

[ Allelujah only takes a short moment to supervise Shin-Ah, just to make sure he's alright with the task, before getting the flames to rise high again. When he suddenly speaks, the question catches Allelujah off-guard. Both his eyebrows raise curiously. How kind of him... ]

Me?

[ He immediately smiles, accepting the first skewers he's put together. ]

I'll get these going for you. Can you put two more together with beef and peppers? [ He points at two of the food items he's already put on the sticks. ] This one, and this one.

[twosidedsword]

[He looks at the ones he's referring to then nods and busies himself with making skewers that have peppers and beef. It doesn't take him long at all really and he brings those over to him as well before lingering nearby to watch out of curiosity.

They look so good. He's already eaten so much today and he can't wait to eat these as well.

Don't mind him as his face just glows with the joy food brings him.]

[praises]

[ Seeing the look on his face is enough to convince Allelujah that this has been time well-spent. He accepts the next two and adds them to the fire, turning them every so often and giving them a sprinkle of spice. Now that he's cooking again, it doesn't take long for his Carrier to come bounding up the beach with a happy bark. She's a small foxlike creature with a thick golden band around her neck, and she seems to have no trouble trotting over to see what she can mooch off of them.

After a moment, he takes the first skewer off and offers it out to Shin-Ah. ]

Careful, it's hot. And thank you for helping.

[twosidedsword]

[Taking it, he carefully takes a piece of meat off and blows on it until it's cool. Then, of course, he's offering it to the carrier. He could be eating it himself but the thing looks like she wants to have a bite and so he wants to let her have a piece.

He's rather used to animals mooching around him. And eating his food. And letting them do so.

Of course he looks up at being thanked before lowering his eyes again before they can be looked at for long.]

I...thought you might...wish to eat...

[praises]

[ His Carrier lights up at the offer of food, prancing on the tips of her paws while she waits to accept it. Don't mind her as she makes herself at home by Shin-Ah's ankle now, flicking her tail back and forth. ]

Until you mentioned it, I hadn't thought to. Now it sounds much better.

[ Especially with company. Speaking of which... ]

I'm Allelujah, by the way. That one [ he indicates his Carrier ] is Rosalind.

[twosidedsword]

[He's in the middle of feeding the blue ball of fur next. Which is basically the piece of food and skewer vanishing into the fur. Apparently that's eating???]

I'm Shin-Ah. [He points to the ball of fur that just ate most of that skewer.]

She is Ao.

[praises]

[ However Ao happens to eat, it makes him chuckle. Allelujah pulls the rest of the food from the fire, handing half to Shin-Ah and keeping the rest for himself. It's interesting, how in a small way, it is like home. Sharing food, having a view like this out over the ocean. ]

It's nice to meet you both. [ His Carrier yips with a flash of her ears. ] She seems to agree.

[twosidedsword]

[Sitting there in the sand, he feeds Rosalind again. Obviously he is quite content to just take care of both carriers and himself as he sits here. He might have been through a childhood that should have made him hate the world but all he does is want to take care of it.]

Thank you for the food.

[praises]

[ Allelujah only has brief glimpses to go by, when it comes to what this young man may have gone through. But there's something of a familiarity in him... what sort of hate the world can bring down on someone, only to cultivate kindness instead.

Even as he goes to take a seat too, Rosalind sticks near Shin-Ah, delighted for any attention she gets. ]

You're welcome. [ Before he starts eating, however, he reaches into his pocket. ] I meant to ask — would you like something to clean that off with?

[ Allelujah makes a vaguely polite gesture at his own cheeks. ]

[twosidedsword]

[Stuff? This seems to be the first time he's aware of things being on his face. Reaching up, he touches his face then brings them down to be surprised by there being glitter and color there.

Right away he blushes and nods.]

[praises]

[ Without further comment, he produces a handkerchief and offers it over. ]

I've seen the parts of town where that's... common.

[ Granted, he hasn't really checked out the entertainment district in depth yet, but at surface level, it was still... glitzy. And lacking any regard for personal space. Thinking Shin-Ah has so far seemed alright, he doesn't press further. ]

[twosidedsword]

[Taking the cloth, he starts to clean what he can, not even aware of where all the marks and sparkles are. Of course, the red marks under his eyes refuse to come off, almost like they've been tattooed there.]

...I was working. The paper had the...same lines. [Words. He means words.]

They fed me. [Seriously, it was one of the most innocent things to ever happen inside a cabaret.]

[praises]

[ Giving him a brief once-over as he cleans away the sticky color and shine, Allelujah notes that he doesn't seem to be ill-affected in any way, and exhales a patient noise. ]

I suppose kindness can be found anywhere, if that's the case. Try here.

[ Allelujah points to a spot high on his own cheekbone. ]

What were you working on, if I can ask?

[twosidedsword]

Listening for information.

[He rubs at the spot that's been pointed out, closing one eye to do it. He's doing okay-ish doing it this way but some of the marks are just getting smeared since he can't see his own face. But at least he's trying?]