the beach episode (dated before the east mission)

[fallingsand]

There's a small slice of sandy beach between mountains and wasteland, where the South meets Central, only an inlet of ocean between them, and that is where Bruno has decided to set up camp.

Literally.

He only had a simple tent and supplies for two initially. Tatara had asked if he could join him on his little trip out and how could he say no? Unfortunately for him, Tatara may have decided to invite everyone else, too, so, welcome, everyone, to the beach episode and a chance to relax after a potentially rough week in the City of Rain.

The sand is warm and fine, the water isn't too chilly, and scrubby little palm trees and plant life dot the dunes. Sea birds are the most active wildlife out here, not counting whatever fish can be found dwelling in the depths of the inlet between South and Central or further out into the ocean. It's comfortable enough... unless you hate sand, that is! You don't hate sand, right?

Since Tatara's arrival, more than Bruno's humble setup can be found.

- There's food fit for a picnic and enough bottles of wine for the evening.

- In the evening, a (non-deadly) bonfire will be built and there'll be pillows to sit on for those who don't want to sit directly on the sand.

- A few colorful rough wool blankets laid out under umbrellas meant to provide shade.

- There's still only one sad-looking tent... However! Bruno's gone ahead and enchanted it so that, when one pushes the cloth flap aside and enters, they'll find a much more comfortable setup inside.

And, of course, anything the other wizards have decided to bring! Bruno wasn't expecting a party but now that it's here, he sure can't tell them not to have fun however they want.

Comments

[leewards]

[With the mask he has on, it's so easy to tell now how Ithaqua reacts when angered, annoyed, or chagrined. He bares his teeth enough that his fangs are showing, though he's not growling. Yet. Maybe.]

Are you drunk now?

[He leans over, and sniffs. Then he wrinkles his nose. No, doesn't seem like Solomon's drunk enough to lose control of his limbs. So.

Why is there wine on his leg? And why couldn't it have settled on his shorts that he would have tossed later, why is it on his skin.]

[impacter]

Unfortunately n-- oh, must you lean in so close, Ithaqua? [Gently shooing him with a wave of his hand.] Isn't it warm enough in here?

Give me a moment and I'll see to cleaning you up.

[leewards]

["Unfortunately not". Well, that makes this much more annoying, doesn't it? And unfortunately for Solomon, he doesn't have that excuse to shield himself from the abominable snowman's wrath.]

It's bloody warm enough, yes, and made more unpleasant when there's a lush right next to you, dripping wine on your skin. [It's sticky. He needs a bath.

And perhaps Solomon needs one too, just to wake up.

Ithaqua stands, and begins to manhandle Solomon onto his shoulder. He may be close to melting in his heat, but he can at least still try this.]

[impacter]

[Oh. Oh, oh no, wait a second--]

Wh-- Ithaqua, what the hell are you doing??

[His reflexes are still enough to pull at Ithaqua's arms in protest (14), but he is not a physically strong man in any form of the word.]

And who are you calling a lush??? Do I smell that drunk to you?

[leewards]

[With Solomon's struggling and his tiredness from the heat and sun, Ithaqua wobbles and sets him down for a moment. (10) Then he takes a deep breath, flexes his muscles and tries again. And snatches him up again-- putting Solomon over his shoulder is too much work, but slipping his hands underneath the old man's arms is not.

Nevermind the small height difference between them, Ithaqua is determined.

Determined to what? March outside of the tent and all the way down the beach to the water, scowling when he has to walk barefoot on the sand again.

Since he's too tired to just toss Solomon into the water with all his strength (14), he runs all the way into it to dunk both of them.]

[dyingtohealyou]

[You know what Ithaqua's awesome actually. You go abominable snowman!!]

[impacter]

[INTERNALLY SCREAMING

As his feet first leave the ground, Solomon genuinely looks angry, enough that Ithaqua might very well feel the start of a spell. But it's as though the magic fizzles in the tension of the moment, especially as Ithaqua forces them both towards the exit of the tent.]

What are you -- Ithaqua! Put me down!

[It's clear that's not happening. But as the fellow North faces the water and speeds up, he'll feel an immediate tension under his hands as Solomon's grip freezes, and then starts to dig more insistently, legs flailing with a very bald-faced panic in his eyes.

But it's pointless flailing, and both of them end up crashing into the sea water at full speed.

He pushes away, coughing and sputtering as his wet hair clings to his face as he tries to free himself, right himself. Ground, where's the ground where's the shore--]

Get-- off of me, Ithaqua! [It's garbled under the crash of another wave. Oh well. Maybe they're getting clean, at least.]

[leewards]

[Has Solomon ever heard foxes fighting? Those horrid little snarling noises that make you think a gate to hell has opened somewhere? Those are the sounds Ithaqua makes in the water why struggling against Solomon's flailing... and the snowman's attempts to keep him in the waist-high water.

He's gotten himself to cling to Solomon's waist to try and drag him back in, growling. (15)]

[impacter]

[The effort works in toppling him, but not without Solomon wrenching himself free of that grip with a sharp twisting of his body (19). Everything tastes like salt and it's so hard to breathe...

Hope Ithaqua's ready for a harsh slap to the face... or, well, mask (15) in an attempt to get him to back off.]

[leewards]

[Because of how he flails in Ithaqua's grasp, and exactly how he acts, something comes off. Not the hood, it was already off, but something that might as well be a part of Ithaqua's face-- his mask.

It slips off and he doesn't even notice because his attention is just on Solomon and getting him as wet as possible. Where did it go? Who knows?

He just stands up as straight as he can and puts his weight on Solomon in an attempt to handle his flailing limbs.]

[impacter]

[It's definitely a shocking appearance, and one that's still human enough that Solomon legitimately hesitates.

Maybe that's why Ithaqua's immediate pinning of him works pretty effectively (9), the older wizard losing his footing in the crashing waves and waist-deep water. He takes in a mouthful of water and starts sputtering again, though his flailing is far less effective with Ithaqua now sitting on him.]

--Get -- off of me!

[Except there comes another wave and he's sputtering once again. This is far more exhausting than he's used to. But he'll still try to kick his leg out at Ithaqua's to see if it will connect and bring him right back down with him.]

[leewards]

[When Solomon goes down, so does Ithaqua, and he gets up gasping and shaking his head like a dog. Sod this, he's tired, he's wet and miserable, his mask is gone, this isn't worth it anymore. Solomon is lucky his hit connects, and the snowman hops away from him, hissing. (13)

And he's tired enough that... he's lost all care about what happened to his mask, and that his face is fully exposed for the rest of the wizards to see. (4) All he does is give a snort down at Solomon, tugs the wet hood over his equally wet hair, and starts the crawl back onto shore.]

[impacter]

[Ithaqua isn't the only one looking miserable. Successfully freed, Solomon stumbles parallel to the shore for a second or two, getting distance between them before solid ground becomes a far higher priority. Drenched in salty water with his clothes waterlogged, eyes and mouth burning, the sorcerer splashes his way towards the sandbar, a frantic pace to his wading until he's free of the pull of the currents, footsteps melding into the wet sand.

He mutters an incantation, but nothing happens outside the wisp of a breeze. Frustrated, he tries again, before immediately giving up. He's not about to catch a cold like this.

Due to the water soaking down his clothes, his pace stays painfully slow. But Solomon will at least manage to peel off his shirt up and over his head, wringing it out into the sand. Eugh. Ugh. Why can't he just instantly dry these...]

[dyingtohealyou]

[...

Hmmmmmmm.]

[jorunna]

[ Throws a towel at Solomon! Get dry, old man. ]

[troublereduction]

[ ...Well this probably explains some things and Day doesn't know how to feel about that. ]

I can at least get you a towel?

only sort of here

[fellheart]

[ don't mind him actually, he's just pulling an ahito and figuratively popcorning the shenanigans.

in full cloak and all, yes. carry on with your bedraggled selves. ]

hereish-sorta idk what time this is happening

[foresightis2020]

[ Oh okay. Well, he has no idea what made any of this happen, but it sure did.

He will be enjoying a drink while having some entertainment for a bit, witnessing some secrets, and then walking away. Fufu. ]

only kind of here

[revengier]

[ Don’t mind him popcorning this too.

So that’s what Ithaqua’s face looks like… and that’s why Solomon was covered up. Interesting!

Kurapika will remember this. ]

[divineth]

[Urianger has absolutely no idea what brought this little scuffle on, but it sure happened. And those sure are a ton of magical sigils etched into Solomon's skin. Interesting. Maybe he'll ask about that later, even if he's certain he wasn't meant to see it. Cat's kind of out of the bag now, right?]

[annihilator]

[Okay, so he was totally popcorn-ing the fight and staring at both Ithaqua's face and Solomon's seals, but the latter isn't a huge surprise given he saw them running up Solomon's arm before. Still, that is a lot of ink(?)!

Malice gives Solomon some space before finally approaching once the poor guy's probably dry enough.]

You alright after all'a that?

not rly here shh

[jokey]

[Akira could've told Solomon not to fuck with Stilt-kun. Oh well. He'll go grab him after he's finished setting up the bonfire...]

[jorunna]

[ There's comet running over with a dry towel for Ithaqua after these two are done with their... anti-ocean-fueled wrestling match...

They are also looking away to not make eye contact. ]

Should I get your mask?

[divineth]

[As someone who used to hide his face from the world, Urianger politely does not address Ithaqua's masklessness when he comes over to check on him. Honestly, Ithaqua's looked pretty miserable all day. This probably didn't help matters.]

Ithaqua. Art thou all right? [Like. Physically, obviously.] What hath happened?

[annihilator]

[Malice was definitely watching, and he's definitely taken note of Ithaqua's face, but when he approaches, it's with something else in mind.]

I'm guessin' you don't wanna be here any longer, yeah? Wanna head back into the woods?

[It may not be as comfortable as the tent, but it seems like a place Ithaqua likes and it'll keep people from staring at the Ithaqua's face, so maybe that'll help?]