012 | The Beach Episode

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Beach party
When: All day June 5
Where: The beach
Summary: A beach party for all of the Far Shore residents

[01-27 Edit: Continue your threads at the overflow post to evade captcha!]



There were certainly a lot of broken hearts and emotional roller coasters recently, so the Heavens have decided it's time to allow their people to let loose and have some fun for a little while. Through some magic - or possibly just a lot of money - they have managed to rent out an entire private beach for the event so that they won't be interrupted by any Near Shore residents. The beach is beautiful and well-maintained, the ocean goes for as far as the eye can see, and rocky outcroppings offer a handy place to dive into the water on a test of courage.

It's a beautiful summer day, perfect for swimming and cracking watermelons and playing some beach volleyball. There's even some soft music permeating the air so that nothing is every silent on this fun-filled day.

New arrivals, after having been met at the Meeting Hall, would have been immediately redirected to this party. After all, they should be enjoying themselves as well.



Swimwear

Anyone who doesn't have swimwear will be provided with swimwear to fit their needs. Unfortunately, the Heavens don't have access to a lot of swimwear, so you'll likely wind up with something ugly, something old, or something just plain weird.

Playful Fish

The sea critters are excited about the party too. They're happy to swim up to anyone in the water and will even come up to the shallows to take a look at the fun happening on the shore. Toe nibbling and brushes of scales are in your future, so you'd better get used to the idea if you plan on being in the water.

Barbecue

Some basics have been provided, but everyone has been asked to bring a little something to the barbecue as well if they can. So you're more than welcome to grab one of the many grills and start frying things up. Heck, there are even fishing poles available if you feel like hauling in a few of those friendly fish to grill. Additionally, summery drinks have been provided, including iced tea, lemonade, water, and horribly fruity cocktails.

After Dark

Just because the sun is down doesn't mean that the party's stopping! The barbecue will continue well into the night, lit now by the stars and a huge, roaring bonfire. The bonfire is maintained by Amaterasu's shinki and climbs higher than any bonfire has the right to. Also, there are floating lights in the water so that people can continue swimming now that it's dark. And if you happen to get too drunk to go home, don't worry. A white-clad shinki will be happy to put you back to bed at the end of the night. Additionally, some sparklers and small bottle rockets have been provided for your entertainment.

In Summary:

• Get some sun
• Go for a swim
• Make sure you're in a swimsuit
• Enjoy the food and activities
• Don't drown
• Have fun~

Comments

Yay!

[maidhem]

Whoa!

[Felicia gasped as the delicate-looking young person cleanly hit the ball and freed it from the ice in a single shot. Surprised by the person's grace, she ran forward to the edge of the net to talk to the person.]

I'm sorry for doing that-- and thank you so much for fixing it! I don't even know how that--

oof!

[In her distraction, the ball smacked her straight atop her head and sailed over to someone else on her side. Looking up, Felicia's chagrin was obvious in her nervious little smile.]

Oops! Sorry again!

[priforprince]

[ ....give her whiplash, why don't you.

It looks like this girl's teammate will be busy trying to find that ball for a while, so Hibiki reaches into her pocket and pulls out a handkerchief. She passes it to Felicia through the net so the girl can get the sand out of her hair from when the volleyball'd hit it. ] Are you all right?

[ She sounds so concerned! What a good person this opponent is. ]

[maidhem]

[If something bad can go wrong, it will and in the worst way possible.

Thus was the theme of Felicia's (now forgotten) life, but somehow or other she had learned to just roll with the misfortune rather than dwell upon it. Ironic, given how her name can sometimes mean 'lucky'.]

I'm okay! [She chirped, grinning from ear to ear as she accepted the handkerchief from the kind person.] You're too nice-- thank you so much!

[priforprince]

You must be incredibly powerful to maintain ice under such inauspicious conditions.

[ Just say it's hot, Hibiki. But nooo. Instead, she smiles to rival the Sun.

As is only right! The very Sun is now her domain! This Apollo thing will never get old right up till she accepts Roxas is Artemis, at which point SHIKYOIN HIBIKI IS ALL THE NAME SHE WILL HAVE EVER NEEDED. ]

Truly an impressive showing.

[maidhem]

It wasn't that impressive!

[Felicia protested, grabbing onto the net (and ignoring her team mates telling her to not do that) so she could lean in and talk more to this person.]

It melted really quickly, and I can't really do much with it. I can only sometimes make things really cold!

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki smiles. Lifting a hand, she laces her own fingers through the net to try and clasp Felicia's. They're in the middle of something, yes, but she's intrigued. She wants this girl coming back for more.

Most girls do.

She curls that smile up on one side. ] Why don't we discuss this further after finishing the game?

I'd like to get to know you better.

[maidhem]

[Fortunately, Felicia was oblivious to the deeper intentions of the young person...but, she never would say no to making a new friend. Grinning so brightly she almost rivalled the sun, Felicia nodded.]

Okay! I'd like to get to know you better too, so we're the same in what we want.

No matter who wins, let's have fun today, okay?

[priforprince]

That's the spirit.

[ By all means, show her what you've got. Convince her whether or not you're a genius.

Hibiki returns that grin, then steps back. ] Your serve.

[ It wasn't. But according to her, now it is. So there. ]

[maidhem]

Huh?

[Clearly the declaration took her by surprise....but, somehow, all of the NPCs in the game knew better than to argue with the shining presence of this grandiose spirit on the other side of the net. Gingerly taking the ball, Felicia got herself into position...]

Okay-- here I go!

[And she sent the ball sailing over the net!]

[priforprince]

[ Not bad. Hibiki smiles.

She also appears to be standing right in place. Until all of a sudden she isn't there anymore, and is instead whacking the ball back over to Felicia's side of the net with the speed and force of an Olympric medalist.

With a perfectly calm look on her face. Parry that. ]

[maidhem]

Whoa!

[Lunging forth with surprising speed and skill for someone who seemed like such an airhead, Felicia met the ball with her hands and sent it forth in another volley.

The cutie was pretty good at parrying!]

[priforprince]

[ Excellent. If Hibiki is going to actually get out and mingle when she'd rather stand back and observe, she better get an enjoyable time out of it. And competing against someone who can hold their own is definitely enjoyable.

She's still bound to win, naturally. But the suspense comes from wondering how well this girl can reply to her thrusts. ]

You've some skill.

[ Hibiki meets the ball again and sends it over the net in what looks like a straightforward receive. But on the way down, the ball is suddenly going to change trajectory.

Are curveballs in volleyball usually possible?? Who cares! She's Shikyoin Hibiki! ]

[maidhem]

I do?

[Felicia asked, eyes wide and trained on the ball as she focused her attention entirely on it's trajectory. She made to intercept-- when it veered in a completely different direction?!]

Eh?! What????

[With a startled outcry that sounded 'whoa' an 'oh no' forced together into a single word, Felicia gave chase after the wayward volleyball! There was no way she could let it land on someone's head!!!]

[priforprince]

Do you know what those granted abilities beyond the mere common folk are called?

[ Hibiki waits patiently for the ball to come back. You totally have time to listen to her rambling while you're chasing that ball, right?

Also, technically she has learned better than to give this speech. But nobody is around to yell at her for it, and it's a magnificent speech. So she'll give it. ]

They, blessed to intervene at the nick of time, are christened "geniuses".

[maidhem]

[Felicia barely noticed the young person's speech beyond the mere fact that her opponent was talking as she darted after the ball, leaping over sand dunes and people sunbathing to slip her clasped hands underneath it's spiraling surface in the instant before it hit the ground. The ball went careening skyward on the rebound as Felicia skidded into the sand-- and, breathless from the effort, she turned and shaded her eyes to watch the trajectory as she made her way back to the field.]

I'm sorry, [she panted.] What did you say?

[priforprince]

[ wait, seriously?

The ball casts a shadow on the sun, slipping across Hibiki's deadpan face. ]

...It wasn't important.

[ She moves beneath the ball to intercept it. Is it coated in ice this time, or are we good? ]

[maidhem]

[It's an actual, bona fide, not-frozen volleyball that comes sailing downward for Hibiki-- but Felicia is just grinning as she returns to the field.]

Okay, [She chirped, tugging her ponytail tighter and wiping sand from her face as she got into position.] If you say so!

[priforprince]

[ Here it comes. Hibiki bounces it off her forearms - no tricks this time. It's a straight shot to the opposite side of the court from Felicia. ]

How long have you been here?

[ You can follow that simple a conversation, correct? ]

[maidhem]

A day? Two days?

[Felicia smacked the ball for a rebound-- no tricks, just a volley.]

Not very long! How about you? How long have you been here?

[priforprince]

Long enough to know that you're -

[ She's going for speed this time. And aiming right for your heart.

If there was even anybody else on this side of the net before, they've wandered off to sit down by now. ]

A rare find.

[maidhem]

Huh? I'm a--

[She didn't have a chance to finish her sentence before the ball flew her way, and with a startled yelp she managed a save!

--Barely.

Felicia's rebound had no bite to it, for the beautiful stranger's words had succeeded in distracting her from the game. It was becoming harder and harder to focus on the ball...]

[priforprince]

[ ...so that's her limit, huh.

Still, not bad. Hibiki smirks and hits another trick shot to the other side of the net - this one, instead of curving, has a strange spin to it. Will that do it? ]

I'm saying I'm attracted to you.

[ She means like a magnet, but, well.

Failing to specify that has never hurt her case in the past. ]

[maidhem]

Ah! Uhm....

[Her cheeks were burning such a bright red that it looked as if she had been in the sun for far too long-- which, she had, but these were the fires of a different Sun that were beating down upon her. Felicia, tongue-tied by the stranger's confession, barely noticed the volleyball until it was almost upon her....

And, with a startled yelp, she jumped and headbutted it back over the net.]

--I'm not too sure what's more surprising here, [she confessed, brushing her bangs out of her face so she could get some solace from the breeze.] How hot the sun is making everything today....or you.

[priforprince]

[ ....a headbutt.

She used...

The other people on Hibiki's side of the net all scramble at once to try and actually get the ball, since she's busy blinking. That is...

...definitely one form of genius.

Her so-called teammates crash into each other and all fall down. Hibiki holds out a hand. The ball falls into it. She's decided this game is over, apparently. ] What's your name?

[maidhem]

[There was no hiding Felicia's viceral cringe and called apology as the opposing team all crashed into eachother and let gravity do it's job. Just watching them was a reminder for Felicia of her own clumsiness, her own flaws that she really didn't want to think about....

And, oh. This nice person was talking again. Hiding all of her misgivings behind a big smile, Felicia ran up to the net once more to talk.]

It's Felicia, [she said.] You're really good at this game-- what's your name so we can keep in touch?