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

[impacter]

[He loosely drapes the towel over his shoulders, gesturing for Day to follow further up the beach. He'd rather not keep standing close to the waves.]

Drying off.

[troublereduction]

[ Huh. Is Solomon so rattled he can't use magic himself...? Day follows after him. ]

[impacter]

[He'll take them both further up the beach, still dripping with seawater as he leans down to grab a lingering branch discarded from the sparse plant life, snapping off the wayward pieces with his hands as he starts to tiredly clear out a smooth area of sand with one of his feet.]

Have you had practice with circles yet?

[troublereduction]

The only circle I've done here was more like a star chart, so, uh...kinda?

[ "Yes, but..." Still, Day himself tries to pick up a branch to use. ]

[impacter]

It's a start.

[He paces precisely, measurements careful but obviously practiced. Inner and outer, spaces for the directionals, for the vessel--]

All this water has too high of a chance to break the seal I need. I just need your help to get it started.

[troublereduction]

Just tell me what to do.

[ Though Day is internally going, "I guess we're just using a seal to dry a guy off, huh". ]

[impacter]

[sometimes you just go in teacher mode for something mundane instead of just asking for help, it's fine

Solomon will carefully trace out a couple symbols off to the side for Day to reference, then points out specific areas.]

This symbol, here - this one, here, and here. Don't let anything intersect, and don't break the outer lines.

[troublereduction]

[ Sir. Sir,,,

That said, as far as Day's concerned, Solomon was asking for help and it didn't cost Day anything besides a bit of his time. He squints a little at the symbols for reference but follows the instructions dutifully. One gets the vague sense he's used to having to do this sort of thing under more stressful situations, so this is a piece of cake in comparison. ]

[impacter]

[It's a mild relief to have someone that has very obviously done something similar enough. He portions out several more symbols for Day to handle as the shape grows more complex, the familiar points of the pentagram, incantations written in several older Earth languages as Solomon works to close the circle's final ring.]

You're very adept at this. It's refreshing.

[troublereduction]

Honestly, I'm just glad I ain't doin' this while dodgin' stuff bein' fired at me.

[ The things he went through during training, man. "Be prepared to handle anything while under pressure", indeed. ]

[impacter]

Haha... isn't that just the truth of it. [Combat sure sucks when you have to drop everything for an art project.]

I grew out of these a long time ago, so it feels kind of like returning to my roots to redraw these with frequency again.

[troublereduction]

Anyone ever taught you?

[ Day has his own mentor to thank, but it's hard to imagine it for Solomon, for some reason. ]

[impacter]

No. Believe it or not, I taught myself.

[He gently slides the seal closed, and the entire set of symbols pulses. Solomon pulls out his wand, a deep breath in.]

Manu Propria.

[It's a gust of wind, slightly uncontrolled in its spiral around the sorcerer. But at the very least, its brief, Solomon's hair sticking up every which way as he gently cards his fingers back against his scalp to fix his appearance. It wasn't a very complex spell, let alone one that needed a circle. And yet, Solomon still looks strangely exhausted.]

[troublereduction]

[ ...

Day is watching all this with interest and mild confusion. ]

What's got you so rattled that you need my help for something this simple?

[impacter]

Nothing important.

[He's already scraping the lines bare with one of his feet, not even using magic to disrupt the sand.]

Thank you, though. That would have taken ages on my own.

[troublereduction]

[ Press (X) to doubt. ]

I ain't sure if you can really call that nothin' important, but you're welcome.

[impacter]

Mm? Are you worried about me, Day? [shuffle shuffle shuffle let's just get rid of all this] I'm sure I'll be just fine by the time we head home.

[troublereduction]

[ Unlike certain people, Day doesn't bristle or take the insinuation as a challenge. ]

'Cause you're actin' extra shifty.

[impacter]

Shifty? Well, that's not very nice.

[This stick is tossed off to the side as the sorcerer shakes out his newly dried shirt, pulling it back overtop his head and down his waist.]

[troublereduction]

Am I wrong, though?

[impacter]

I wouldn't say calling something unimportant is shifty, no. It just might mean I don't wish to talk about it.

[troublereduction]

It's the way you try dancin' 'round talkin' 'bout it that's shifty, is what I mean.

[ Day adds onto erasing the magical circle with a nudge of his own foot. ]

[impacter]

Why would you say that? I think I'm being pretty straightforward, myself.

[troublereduction]

'Cause I think something that makes you rattled enough that you can't cast magic and have to ask help from a guy who's sorta just jury riggin' his own magic ain't something "not important". You sayin' that is how you're tryin' to dodge talkin' 'bout it.

[ Or, what the fuck was all that, Solomon? ]

[impacter]

And?

Day, I have already said I don't want to talk about it. That's that. I already dislike the beach enough, so if you want, you can consider that the reason. I would like to leave it at that for now.