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

[avantguard]

[ There must be a meat-eater of some caliber... in this horde...

Season the meat before cooking, okay. This is also noted. She nods a bit, wishes she had a notebook to write this down. Well, her memory is pretty good. Lately, she's been using her brain to learn everything about Enprise, about swordplay, about magic...

Cooking is something a bit more relaxing.

Just one? Well, probably salt then. She points at it before answering. ]

Hmmmmmm. [ She's humming thoughtfully. ] Referring to someone as "san" is a general way of showing respect between equals. Whereas "sensei" is used to show respect to someone who has mastery over a certain skill. Someone like a teacher.

[hymnals]

[ He hands it over, and nods towards the meat. ]

It's starting to brown. Salt the part that's not just above the fire, then turn it and salt again. As it cooks, the meat will absorb the seasoning, and the flavors will combine.

[ Hmm ... ]

So--I would call you Asuna-san? Like that?

[ Or is there something else? ]

[avantguard]

[ Doop doo doo, she adds the salt, turns it, and salts again. This isn't so hard. Maybe she could be a master chef, too. ]

Oh. Yes... [ She purses her lips. ]

But I don't mind if you keep calling me Asuna. [ She turns the spit a little faster since she's feeling shy. ]

[hymnals]

Oh?

[ His ears perk forward. ]

Is there some meaning in that, too?

[ The meat, meanwhile, is nearly done. Just a little more ... but be careful not to burn it! ]

[avantguard]

[ EVERYONE THINK SHE GONNA BURN THE MEAT SHE WON'T ]

... Mm. [ A sound of affirmation. ]

It's a sign of familiarity, like being friendly with another person. [ She straightens her shoulders and says this a little more loudly. ]

So it would be weird if you just suddenly started calling me Asuna-san after calling me Asuna for so long.

[hymnals]

[ The scent is near overpowering now--roasted meat, laden with salt and spice, its juice dripping and sizzling on the spit. Adra's fingers hover over Asuna's hand as he nods towards the fire, gently. ]

That's about ready, I think.

[ He smiles at her. ]

Asuna.

[ His pronunciation has improved, too. ]

[avantguard]

[ Although a little startled by his hand being so close, she keeps it there. All she does is watch, furtive.

At least she's still Asuna and not Asuna-san. Her smile is wry. ]

Yes, sensei.

[ Sass. But she's doing any last minute things to the steak (turning it another time, checking the color, listening... ) before nodding to herself, too. It looks done to her. ]

[hymnals]

[ He gestures to a pan he's got ready on a nearby table. ]

Go ahead and take the meat off the spit--whenever you feel it's ready.

[ He withdraws his hand--he can't tell her what to do, even if that's his instinct. That's not how a person learns. She has to make the choice for herself. ]

[avantguard]

[ Asuna gives the steak a serious examination once more and then starts taking it off the spit, ready to put it in the pan he has.

On it goes. She seems pleased with herself, smiling a bit.

That wasn't so hard. She could make steak all day, every day. She turns to Adra, putting the spit back over the fire. ]

What's next?

[hymnals]

Well, now you let it cool ...

[ He picks up a fork, wiggles it a little. ]

And then you have a taste. Just to make sure it's good.

[ Emphasis on the you. ]

[avantguard]

[ What, she thought there was more to it?? THAT WAS EASY. She can be a professional at cooking steak. ]

By "you", don't you mean "me?"

[ She almost snorts, reaching for the fork. ]

Since you mentioned something about not eating meat anymore. [ A pause. ] Why don't you?

[hymnals]

Correct.

[ He hands over the fork. To be fair, this bit of steak was mostly finished already ... but to be even more fair, it's not a difficult thing, really. Season, cook, eat. ]

I prefer not to eat anything that bleeds.

[avantguard]

Oh.

[ Instead of cutting off a piece to try just yet, she idly pushes the steak around on the pan as it cools. ]

Does that mean you're a vegetarian?

[hymnals]

Strictly.

[ He watches her play with the meat, one eyebrow raised. ]

But only for the past sixty years or so.

[avantguard]

[ The fork SCRAPES AGAINST THE PAN, missing the steak entirely. ]

S-sixty, you said?

[hymnals]

[ He winces. Sensitive hearing. Yeouch. ]

Yes, that's correct. Not so long, but long enough that I'd be sick if I ate meat now.

[ He frowns a little, with an expression that says, 'What??' ]

[avantguard]

Oh.

[ She should probably explain her surprise.

Asuna is still a little speechless but then she pipes up with, ]

But you don't look any older than thirty.

still dying

[hymnals]

Thirty, huh?

[ He pretends to look wounded. ]

My people reach maturity and our physical aging comes nearly to a standstill. That's twenty, by the way.

[ He's just teasing, smiling at her. Except about the aging thing; that's real. ]

im so mad at myself

[avantguard]

[ Immortal? No, he said "nearly."

Her lips are parted in continued surprise. ]

... Is that because of your magic?

[hymnals]

[ He shakes his head, 'no'. ]

All sin'dorei--blood elves--enjoy long life.

[ He rubs his chin. ]

Or endure it, depending on your perspective.

[avantguard]

[ Elves. She had a feeling he was, but now she knows for sure.

A blood elf. That wasn't in the books, but Adra probably came from a different world of elves. How does he feel about all of them going missing?

She can't ask. ]

You said you haven't eaten meat for sixty years but... how old are you?

[ Asuna you can't ask that ]

[hymnals]

[ HE DOESN'T MIND ... ]

Six hundred-something. In the fifties. It's difficult to keep track after a while.

[avantguard]

[ IT'S RUDE THO

When he does reveal his age, she nearly drops the fork she's holding. ]

Six hundred!?

[ Immediately after, she claps a hand to her mouth. ]

[hymnals]

And fifty-something.

[ He adds, helpfully. ]

Not so much, really. My night elf cousins enjoy a lifespan stretching into the tens of thousands.

[avantguard]

[ And fifty-something. Right.

And she's fifteen. ]

Amazing. [ A whisper. Elves lived for such a long time. He wasn't kidding when he said endure. ]

I bet you've experienced so much...