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

VOLLEYBALL

[hoasen]

BEACH BBQ

[hoasen]

[mithrarin]

Volleyball?

[Standing in the shadows, with the edge of his cloak and the tip of his tail just brushing the tops of the waves, Dust looks about an inch from drawing his sword and unleashing hell on the merfolk team. Not that he's going to, of course -- he just has that sort of quiet intensity about him, the kind that says he'll play for keeps.]

How do you play it?

[hoasen]

[Intensity is needed in any sport, since that's how they psych out the other.

Though, she's competitive, but she doesn't know if she should actually win, just so they could win the favours of the merfolk. Hmm.

Still, one must get through knowing how to play volleyball first.]

Volleyball? Let's see...the aim is to keep the ball in the air on your side of the net. [She gestures towards their side.] And to try to knock the ball over the net and force it onto the ground on the other side. Well, water, in this case. There's still more rules, but that is volleyball in short. [Just getting that out of the way first!]

[mithrarin]

[Dust won't play to lose. Not unless someone convinces him to ratchet his focus way, way back.]

Keep it from hitting the ground, huh?

[A slow smile crosses his face.]

I'm better at doing that with a sword, but I think I can give it a try.

[hoasen]

[They'll have to see what these merfolk think first. Maybe they're noble and would like a fair game!]

Yes! Ah that would make sense. Here we either do this. [She pushes the air with her hands.] Or this... [Typical volleyball strike with her fists.]

And if you're also in the air, you can potentially slam it into the other half of the court with your hand. Very different to using a sword, but I believe the experience will help.

[liberal_arts]

-Kasen had agreed to chop some vegetables up for kebab, but as good as he was at the task, he wasn't without his faults, and with a loud hiss, soon enough the edge of his thumb was between his lips and he was fishing around for a first aid kit.-

Unacceptable... hmph...

[oneirism]

[Lapis is here to talk to those mermaids! Plus the city vaguely reminds her of her home country, so she has no issues hanging around too. But mainly she's here to try to find any clues, so you can bet she's gonna be taking part in this.

Though the idea of relaxing and having fun at a beach isn't really something she's used to, but she's at least made an attempt to dress for the occasion (mainly because sandy and soggy uniform = no thanks), and now she's examining the ball in her hands before glancing over at the net placed in the shallow water.]

... So how likely are we gonna get our butts kicked by the merfolk?

[Judging by her light tone, she's just joking around, even if the lineface makes it hard to tell if she's actually joking or not.]

[seventhgen]

[Aigis is, as always, not exactly built for sand. Her body is heavy and due to the construction of her legs, there's a very small point of contact with the ground, so she sinks in a few inches with every step she takes. Still, that doesn't deter her.

She's also fully clothed, in full uniform. It keeps the sand out of her joints.] Volleyball... the objective of the game is to land the ball on the ground on the other side of the court, isn't it?

[wingbottle]

I think so? That's how I always see people play!

Don't they hit the ball with their heads? and the ball goes up up into the air! Wooshh!

[ Kobato isn't completely sure of the rules either. They're both at a loss it seems. She did play sports with children back in the kindergarten though. Her knowledge is only limited sadly. ]

[avantguard]

[ Asuna has made it a habit to find the good places to eat in Caissa, purely because her tastes are a little more, uh, picky than anything they're serving at the Mess Hall on any day of the week. Especially Mondays.

She's drawn to the smells at the beach -- meat sizzling as it mixed with the salty breeze of the ocean. It's not a nostalgic smell but it's definitely a good one. She never went to the beach with her family or friends. In all honesty, she preferred the hills and forests of Miyagi where her grandparents cottage used to stand.

But she's always interested in new things and she's too curious not to drop by for a quick peek. They're here to do their job sure but she also has the small personal goal of learning how to cook. Barbecue is an extension, so she's hovering around a bit and watching people do their cook thing.

After a while, she finally makes herself known. ]

Er, could I try?

[carptricks]

[ah yes, the grand sport of beach volleyball. the only sport in the world that combined playful competitiveness, athleticism, and cute women in cute swimsuits. how could Kaito pass up a good afternoon like this one?]

[. . .]

[by taking one look at the opposing team and deciding he wanted to be anywhere but at the beach right now, thank you very much. thus, Kaito can be found slowly inching away from the festivities, even as the merfolk lounging in the shallows side-eye him warily. hey. . . what's wrong with that one? he doesn't want to play with his fellow heroes? what a jerk!]

O-oi! Believe me, if I could stick around and play, I would! [not] S'just, I have an appointment I've gotta make, and--

[this is the lamest excuse for wanting to skip out on a fishy game of volleyball ever]

[ota] where is the cast of haikyuu when we need them

[scythersergeant]

[Shinoa..... is not vertically adept enough to play volleyball, no. She's dwarfed magnificently by the net, and after some glaring at it she's decided that trying to jump to see above it would be both futile and embarrassing.

Luckily, she's perfectly suited for the role of the beautiful lady manager adored by all fake strategist, who's less experienced with sports strategy than war strategy- but they're about the same, right?

Dressed in a sundress she got as part of her post-dungeon spending spree, you might see this petite girl, conversing animatedly with the merfolk milling about the court early. The water is up to her calves, lapping gently. What a great day for inter-species interactions.

All she knows- and all most of the others know, from a few minutes observation- is that volleyball involves hitting the ball over the net or something, which is obviously unacceptable. They're going to get their butts kicked.

You can approach her to ask what she's found, or join her in talking to the merfolk. Shinoa is currently getting the merfolk to demonstrate tossing and receiving the ball for her, her eyes wide as she attempts to receive a few easy shots from them.]

[sediments]

[ Bolin has no idea what's going on. He really doesn't. He'd spent the past two weeks taking a nice long nap, and not too long after waking up found himself being carted off to do some "actual work".

At the beach.

It's not that bad, and as much as Bolin figures he should do some actual work, he's never had the keen eye for detective duties (always Mako), and has a tendency to be easily distracted. Right now, bright green eyes are locked on the meat sizzling over grills on the beach, and he makes a beeline toward the offering of food, peering intently at the young girl standing by the grill. ]

Hey! Are you gonna cook?

[rollin]

[ His first thought: stop wearing a bikini.

... ON SECOND THOUGHT, keep it on. Yata's in proper beachwear himself, about to ask Lapis for the ball when she ambushes him with small talk. Urk! Honestly, he doesn't even want to talk to this person. The holes in her shawl-coat-thing make him uncomfortable. Where are all the guys? Please send help.

He glances around before thinking about this question. Deeply. ]

... They're the home team, so they got a huge advantage. [ nod, nod! ] But! I won't lose to 'em again!

[ Someone has a grudge against mermaids. He's not making eye contact, by the way. ]

[mithrarin]

I'm pretty good in the air when I need to be. [Dust's skillset is weirdly suited for this game... enough so that he's smiling at the prospect now.] Though maybe they need some deeper water? We can kick off the ground, but I'm not sure how tails work.

[mithrarin]

[Considering where they last met, that sundress just -- it just doesn't suit the mental image Dust has of her at all.]

[Actually, what might happen if she falls in the water is even more worrisome, so maybe she could use a little support. The Sen-Mithrarin saunters up, water splashing around his ankles.]

Want some help trying a set or two?

[Vietnam very helpfully taught his the basics.]

[mithrarin]

Be careful, learning to cook is apparently a trap.

[Dust, who had gotten roughly 'volunteered' to learn back in that weird obstacle course, didn't think too poorly of the experience in retrospect. So his comment from nearby is a gentle joke, rather than a serious warning.]

[avantguard]

[ Bolin are you PART BEAR with your hibernating

Asuna jumps in her spot, turning to throw whoever is yelling at her an exasperated look when she's face to face with a bear of a human. WHOA. Exasperation is gone, she steps back slightly as she looks up at him.

UM. Clears her throat. ]

Yes. [ Wait. ] I mean, I'd like to. If you want to use the grill first though, you can.

[ He can't just be here to eat all the food, right??? ]

[seventhgen]

Ah! Then we're supposed to hit the ball with our heads?

[No, that doesn't seem right.] I thought you were supposed to use your hands...

[sediments]

[ "Part bear" is pretty accurate, Asuna.

He leans back when she jumps however, eyebrows rising somewhat and bright green eyes taking in the sight of young girl in front of him.

She's pretty cute! Maybe it's time for Bolin to show off mature he is. ]

Well, I do know a thing or two about grilling. [ This is a lie, he's never been near a grill in his life. But he's roasted over open fire, surely it's similar?

Oh. But she'd said she'd like to try first; the realisation getting his bravado to fall off to offer an amiable smile instead. ]

But hey, you were here first so you can go ahead.

[wingbottle]

We were? [ She laughs weakly and smiles. Shame that Kobato doesn't know the true meaning behind sports. Oh well. ]

Let's use our hands! By the way are you going to play in that?

[ Kobato points towards Aigis outfit. It looks hard to move in. ]

[hoasen]

[This is probably during a part where she's not actually cooking, opting to take a break. Perhaps eat a little, or make conversation. Of course, it's easy for her to get back to the cooking, once it starts getting a little more energetic again. Alternatively, she'll look around at the ingredients to see if they have enough, otherwise she'll do a quick run to refill it!

Everything should be fiiiiiine.]

[hoasen]

[She quickly moves over, seeing the cut, but not to help him in first aid. Rather, she was opting to cast a basic healing spell.]

Can I see that, Kasen?

[hoasen]

[She's actually curious too, why Kaito was suddenly so nervous? He wasn't when they first met!]

Did we catch you at a busy time?