Hollow Lament Towards the Intense Heat: Rank B+

[frankensteins_moe]

Who: Berserker and you!
When: September 1st - 9th
What: Trying to beat the heat
Where: Far Shore and Near Shore, various locales
Warnings: Don't get between her and her preferred cooling off methods

[During the intense heat of the dying days of summer, Berserker can be found out and about in this little number, having shed the big and bulky wedding dress for something much cooler. And despite the air of irritability that comes with the hot weather, she's actually feeling rather sluggish from the high temperatures. Apparently it's pretty hard for her to vent the excess heat from her system, so even though she's feeling the emotional effects, flying into a rage just feels like too much work right now. Instead, she's finding other ways to beat the heat.]

[Near Shore - Unlimited Ice Cream Works]

[Thank god for ice cream. Who knows where she got enough money for this, but Berserker can be found visiting every single one of the 100 trucks that has appeared on the Near Shore, intent on trying every single flavor. She pays for the first few purchases legitimately, ending up with a cone stacked precariously high with a rainbow of different scoops, but when she runs out she resorts to simply growling and intimidating the ice cream vendors into giving her free frozen treats. If she feels any remorse about this whatsoever, it's not terribly evident, as she strolls down the street happily enjoying her food.]

[Far Shore - River]

[Once she's eaten her fill of ice cream, it's clearly time to relax a bit with some nice cool water. Returning to the Far Shore via one of Freyr's new shrines, she heads straight for the river, kicking off her sandals and soaking her feet in the water. Sometimes she just lays back and relaxes while staring at the clouds, and sometimes she can be found idly weaving flower crowns. Either way, it's a rare moment of peace and quiet for the usually energetic and angry Berserker.]

[Far Shore - Freyr's Temple - Locked to Soleil]

[Berserker has her own room at the temple, but Soleil's bed is just so much bigger and softer. Plus, it's right in front of the air conditioner. Throughout the week, she'll frequently find her new shinki sprawled out on top of the sheets, face pointed directly at a stream of cold air. It's easy to tell how exhausted the heat is making her, considering how conscientious she usually is about wasting electricity. That thing is on full blast right now. The whole scene comes off rather like a big lazy dog shamelessly hogging its master's bed in the middle of a hot day.]

Comments

Unlimited Ice Cream Works

[yasei]

[ Oh, that's a nice look---and scaring people into giving her food, too. How appealing. Obi saw her from a rooftop, and he's seen her do it more than once, too.

So.. He lands on a lamp-post, there he sits in a crouch, and calls down to her. ]

Excuse me, the pretty young Miss with pink hair and the ice cream down there.

[frankensteins_moe]

[Normally Berserker is more on guard for hidden assailants, but it's just so hot. Still, when she hears the voice from out of nowhere, her posture stiffens and she moves to guard her frozen treat, holding it away from Obi.]

[yasei]

Ah. [ He notices the way she stiffens and looks at him. ] I’m not going to take it.. I thought maybe you knew which taste were the best?

River

[smilingbullet]

[ While D2 really was just passing by, his attention is caught for a reason that isn't exactly important. ]

Oh. Those are cute.

[ The flower crowns she's making. ]

[frankensteins_moe]

[She nods slowly back at him, holding one of the completed ones toward him.]

[smilingbullet]

[ He blinks a little in surprise at her, then crosses the last of the distance between them to carefully take the crown with a smile. ]

Would you mind teaching me how to make one, too?

River

[fadingsunshine]

[A girl in a bright-colored sundress is passing by the shore. Kaya looks at the figure who's relaxing nearby. Soaking on the water, or at least just around the ankle area, seems like a good idea to cool off. There's still a long way to her god's temple and she's already getting tired and overheated.

Still, Kaya doesn't want to sit without making sure she's not bothering the one who got there before. She leans and tilts her head, greeting Berserker with a bright, friendly smile.]

Hello! What an intense day, right?

[frankensteins_moe]

[Berserker responds with a long and beleaguered sigh, stretching her arms out above her head and her legs further into the water before giving a tired nod.]

[fadingsunshine]

I arrived in a day as hot as this one. Luckily there was a party at the beach so I could swim at the sea.

[Kaya reaches for her bag and takes out a bottle of mineral water. She crouches down to the girl's level.] Here! You can have it if you want. It's still cold!

Unlimited Ice Cream Works

[replicatedform]

[He happens to see all of that, but now he didn't know which part to comment on first: her scaring the poor vendors or how tall her ice cream cone is now.

Yamanbagiri's leaning against a pole, watching her until she's close enough for him to speak up.]

Oi, can you really eat all of that?

[frankensteins_moe]

[Her response is a quick and very earnest nod. And if that isn't enough, she demonstrates her ability to eat large amounts of ice cream by practically inhaling the top three scoops in a matter of seconds. Evidently brain freeze is not a concern here.]

[replicatedform]

[That's both surprising and frankly amazing. Another moment of staring and blinking, before he speaks again.]

Oh, I see... Then... [Okay, that question is pretty much answered. So what about his other issue?] Anyway, you can enjoy your ice cream. However, I did see how you get them earlier.

[He leave it at that, hoping she knows what he's getting at.]

River

[lostinshadows]

It's good to see that you seem to be adjusting well.

[Hi Berserker, remember him?

Lavi smiles at her in greeting.]

Those are some nice flower crowns.

[frankensteins_moe]

Ah!

[Berserker nods in recognition as Lavi approaches, nodding.]

Mm, mm.

[She gestures for him to sit down, holding the crown out to try to put it on his head.]

[lostinshadows]

[Lavi sits down beside her, lowering his head so that she can put the crown of flowers on his head.]

Have you been working on these for long?

Ice cream! I promised I'd tag (ha ha sob)

[mithrarin]

[Dust thinks nothing of crossing paths with her at the first ice cream truck.]

[The second? That's an amusing coincidence.]

[...at truck number four, though, he stops to look at her. Or at least look her way, his hat being perpetually interposed and all.] Are you trying to visit all these trucks too?

[frankensteins_moe]

Yaaaaa.

[It's accompanied by a little nod as she licks at the last scoop left on her current cone. This one is pistachio. From the look on her face, she's not sure whether she likes it or not.]

Freyr's Temple

[mersunary]

[Working in the heat isn't exactly a foreign concept for Soleil, training and fighting happen regardless of whatever the circumstances are with the weather, but there's something about this heat that just feels like overkill. As it is, she's spending as much time as she can manage wearing light clothing, inside, trying to keep cool.

The air conditioning is nice, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have some extra ammo to help keep cool with, and Soleil's particular weapons of choice in this endeavor happen to be cold drinks and hand fans. Knowing her shinki's been having a rough time dealing with the heat, it's only natural that she'd offer up the same assistance her way, but finding where she's holed herself up is a bit of a difficult task.

In front of the air conditioning is a smart place to keep cool, but sprawled on top of the bed is a little more unexpected.]

Ah, is this where you've been, huh? [She regards the scene for a moment, fanning herself lightly, before deciding, yeah. This looks like a good idea.] Let me sit with you a bit.

[Regardless if Berseker's willing to make room or not, Soleil's gonna find some space to take up on the bed.]

[frankensteins_moe]

[Soleil has been patient and understanding with her so far, so Berserker doesn't mind making a little bit of room for her to sit on the bed too. She's still dying from the heat, though, so the effort is minimal. Lifting her legs for a brief moment to let Soleil sit, she immediately drapes them over her own once she's in place, wiggling her upper body against the mattress and letting out a whiny groan. Why is it so hot.]

Unlimited Ice Cream Works would be a good name for an ice cream parlor...

[trapperkeeper]

Hey, Ber!

[Lann waves at his friend cheerfully. His own ice cream cone is a more manageable size, just three scoops.]

Big fan of ice cream, huh?

[frankensteins_moe]

[She's got a mouthful of ice cream when he walks up, so the response he receives is a long happy humming sound accompanied by a nod.]

River

[drops_acid]

[A woven flower crown is set down next to Berserker's head as she lays on the river bank. Cardia offers a gentle smile.]

I've been practicing. What do you think?

[frankensteins_moe]

[Berserker turns her head to see the crown, picking it up and looking it over for a moment before looking back at Cardia with a smile.]

River

[lookingforhead]

[Celty's path through the city made her too late to help spare the ice cream vendors from Berserker's adorable growly rampage, but she did see the evidence of it. Men wondering what happened to their supplies or vaguely grumbling about some kid or another. She managed to find one who remembered her long enough to try to make a police report and listening in she figured out just who was behind this.

It was some time later when her motorcycle putters to a stop on the ridge above the riverside and she just watches the girl for a few moments. She has a mind to scold her about it, but considering how she acquired her motorcycle she isn't quite on the best ground.

Still, ice cream theft is still objectively worse than swiping a bike to punish some punks.

After a time she dismounts and walks down the hill, doing her best to make her footsteps as audible as possible. She has no intention of sneaking up on Berserker and doesn't want to spook her.]

[frankensteins_moe]

[By the time Celty gets to the river bank, Berserker is done eating and is just relaxing. She's just about to doze off when she hears her walking down the hill, and she slowly sits up and gives a small wave and a yawn.]