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

[foresightis2020]

[ It's a mystery indeedy. He will eventually seat himself down and look at the night sky, drink in hand. ]

What inspired you to try making the connection? The lengthy time we've all spent away from each other's worlds?

[ They've certainly been here quite awhile. While he isn't exactly surprised Day hasn't gone for divining anything (which would certainly be quite difficult, he imagines, though he knows little about harnessing such powers on a personal level), he is certainly curious about the former. ]

[troublereduction]

Yeah. To be honest, back home I'm... [ ...Does he want to try explaining this... ] You could say I have a divine blessin'? And it ties me to the stars. When I look up at the night sky, I can feel it.

[ He takes a sip of his wine here, pensive. ]

Here though, I've got nothin'. Was kinda hopin' maybe something would change now that it's been almost six weeks.

[foresightis2020]

If these stars are different from yours, it might affect the conditions of your divine blessing.

[ At least, that's what he thinks. It could always end up being something else involved, given the nature of their arrival, and other strange aspects of this world. ]

Does your divine blessing normally give you other powers or other particular special aspects as well, however?

[ It seems like maybe the type of thing to extend beyond stars, maybe. Not that he would know exactly. ]

[troublereduction]

Prob'ly something like that.

[ It's just hard to swallow that the thing that turned his life upside down five years ago...basically amounts to nothing, here. Almost like a joke, if anyone asked Day. He suspects his magic here works the way it does more so because of his feelings tied to the meaning he ascribes to them, rather than because it has any inherent power of its own. ]

It's, uh. How do I put this... It gives me some access rights to fate and destiny, you could say. [ That sure is a way of describing it. ] Lets me nudge probabilities, to a point. And some other weird things.

[foresightis2020]

[ Fate can be cruel, even if the hand it deals is certainly seemingly without bias, or simply unpredictable in a way even those used to it end up experiencing.

Though, from what Day tells him, it's certainly something that ironically should be something under his control. But, he did say 'some', not all. ]

Some rights, hm?

[ ... ]

But, other weird things? Such as looking into the future, or is it something else entirely?

[troublereduction]

[ Day has been beaten over the head with irony enough times by now here that he should frankly be concussed, metaphorically speaking. He's kind of relieved that Jing Yuan is just rolling with this. ]

Lookin' into the future, or things like...I can tell fate I dodged something on someone else's behalf. Or "consume" a thing's future to destroy it, assumin' it's something that time would have claimed eventually.

[foresightis2020]

[ If there is something he's good at doing, it's rolling with things. That and discussing such matters isn't exactly beyond him either even if he hasn't exactly encountered someone who could have such a large hand in changing such things before.

Fu Xuan would likely have a fit from knowing someone like this existed, but this isn't about her. ]

It sounds rather convenient. But, there can be drawbacks to such an ability, can't there?

[troublereduction]

[ She sure would, huh. ]

I've got a lot of discretion, but I still gotta answer to the bureau or censors if anything I do catches their attention in a bad sorta way. So it ain't like I can be irresponsible 'bout it.

[foresightis2020]

[ He supposes that just means whatever Day can do is something that can be detected. Which should be a feat on its own, really. ]

...It does makes sense someone would want to keep the reigns on such an incredible ability, though I imagine even that can be difficult. Fate seems, at its nature, to be quite fickle, after all.

While we're on the subject...are there any particular stars or constellations that catch your interest back home, then? Such as, of course, for any sentimental reasons or otherwise.

[ Not too unlike how others do so with the stars from any other worlds. ]

[troublereduction]

[ When there's a whole bureau whose job is managing destiny, and Heaven (generally) tries to keep the world running, there's a truly surprising number of things that can be detected. ]

Heh, it is. Just because we can do some tricks with it, doesn't mean fate spares us either.

[ But he has to think about Jing Yuan's question for a moment. ]

The Ewer, the Pillar, the Rising Smoke... They all got meanings and scripture associated with 'em back home. Any that catch your interest where you're from?

[foresightis2020]

I'd say more's the pity, but everything does need to be in balance.

[ Rules, laws, regulations and such do have their place. But, he looks curious as he tells him those things.

Ironically, he was more interested in what lies beyond them...Galaxy Rangers' travels and their exciting stories that eclipsed at times the Trailblazers' in their excitement. Though, he doesn't consider this adventure to either standard of the Rangers or the Trailblazers in terms of enjoyment. ]

...Not quite. Maybe more like what journeys could be taken through the stars themselves, as opposed to having a favorite. I oft gazed upon the sky for that reason, pondering what adventures those might entail, like in novels I've read.

As for those in particular you have mentioned, what meanings do they hold in accordance to your scripture?

[troublereduction]

[ Once Jing Yuan mentions journeys taken through the stars, he can notice Day seems rather surprised, and for a moment, confused because he recalls that perhaps in other worlds, there are things beyond the sky that aren't Heaven. ]

Did you ever get to see?

As for the meanings they hold...for the Ewer, love is smilin' at your troubles. For the Pillar, love endures. And for the Rising Smoke, the end of journeys.

[foresightis2020]

[ Jing Yuan conveniently forgetting not everyone is familiar with space travel...it's fine.

The surprise kind of clues him in on it, though. ]

Hmm...not quite. Though the Xianzhou Alliance is a fleet of space-faring ships, it does not mean that it settles upon any singular world, or anything like that. I am far too occupied to indulge myself in such activities as well.

[ And he doubts he ever will, for that matter. A feeling that makes him feel something like disappointment, if he ever examines it. He did (does?) wish to be a Galaxy Ranger, after all. ]

The first two sound as if you have might have taking a liking due to the nature to persevere. Am I wrong? As for the last, why did you find interest in that one? 'The end of journeys', that is? Because it signals homecoming?

[troublereduction]

Huh. So...beyond the sky, is what you mean. You sound like you do important work.

[ Read: You sound like most of the seniors in the bureau who have a ton on their plates, a little.

(Tmw your world arguably doesn't even have outer space, at least in any form recognizable as "outer space".) ]

Haha, maybe it'd make more sense if you heard the poems. But "end of journeys" don't always got to be literal ones, and I think reachin' the end of a journey ain't such a bad thing.

[foresightis2020]

I suppose I keep forgetting most here likely would not be too familiar with space travel...but then again, I am used to otherwise.

Though, I digress. You're correct in that I do; though, it's not something I usually advertise. I am one of those who help keep the peace back home, to put it more simply.

[ In other words, he does have quite a lot on his plate.

As for the simple responses and explanations, Jing Yuan gives a bit of a hum. ]

Perhaps it might, if I heard them indeed. But, as you say, these end of journeys do not always have to be literal ones, hm? As in, they may instead be beginnings?

Though, I am curious to hear your further thoughts on the matter, including why you believe reaching the end of one wouldn't be so terrible.

[troublereduction]

[ It's a vague description of his job, but unfortunately a familiar one to Day.

That said, what Jing Yuan says after that gets a smile from Day. ]

You've got the right idea. An ending can become a new beginning, too. In that sense, reachin' the end of the journey is 'cause there's something to look forward to there, yeah? That ain't such a bad thing.

[foresightis2020]

I wouldn't say you're wrong, considering what I've just said.

[ Jing Yuan looks from him back to the stars. ]

Is there something you will be looking forward most to at the end of this journey? Besides returning home, that is.

[ Not that it's guaranteed people are thinking that far ahead, but the time will be upon them all before they know it. The end...to all of this. ]

[troublereduction]

I know what I just said, but honestly...I haven't thought that far. Right now I'm kinda just takin' this one step at a time.

[ Partially because right now, the only future he can foresee is...frankly somewhat depressing. That kind of hopeful ending is something he wishes he could believe in more, and something he believes in for other people. ]

There is, uh, a bunch of stuff I'm gonna have to deal with whenever I get back home, prob'ly. [ Just thinking about them gives him a stomach ulcer. ]

[foresightis2020]

Haha, that's fair enough.

Haste does make waste, does it not?

[ He figures that in the end it may truly be quite too much for looking that far ahead. Though, Jing Yuan is used to looking that far out for his own reasons, which do serve him well most of the time. ]

...But, it is quite a pity that responsibilities do not resolve themselves in one's absence, hm?

[troublereduction]

Sure wish they did. [ He's not looking forward to that. ] But at least bein' here also gives me some time to think 'bout how I wanna handle stuff.

[foresightis2020]

We could all take proper vacations if so. Speaking of which, if you could take one...what would you spend it doing? Or rather, what kind of places would you wish to go to?

[ Though for sure somebody is taking up the slack in what they should be doing...

...

Ideally. ]

But, that's also true. There is time to do some sort of long-term planning of a sort.

[troublereduction]

[ Ahahahaha, like the bureau isn't all kind of overworked and stretched as it is even when he was back home. ]

Somewhere that ain't so close to the desert, for starters. Pretty sure I can get a sabbatical for a season to go wherever. [ Even if he isn't entirely sure where that should be. ] What 'bout you?

[foresightis2020]

[ As for Jing Yuan, he also hasn't thought about this much, despite asking this question. Oop.

He tries to come up with something regardless. Maybe whatever first manages to pop up even now, though. ]

...Perhaps get in some more sleep. As for a place, it could be somewhere on a beach like this. Ah...well, it isn't something I actually thought about all that much. At least, in the sense of going far from what I'm used to.

[ He did mention the whole wanting the journey across the stars already, but it was in a different tone, he thinks. ]

[troublereduction]

[ They're both winning here, I see.

And it does seem to Day that this is in a different tone from when Jing Yuan talked about journeying across the stars. ]

You sound like some of my seniors. [ Day doesn't mean this as either a good or bad thing. ] Haven't gotten to take a vacation in a while?

[foresightis2020]

Do I now?

[ Jing Yuan doesn't take offense easily, so he's just asking in a jocular tone, but also with genuine curiosity.

As for the question, he smiles, and nods. ]

I do ensure that I take proper rest and do what I can so that I am not too unburdened. [ Just ignore he is called Dozing General for falling asleep mid-meetings/whathaveyou/etc. ] But, protection of the wellbeing of a civilization means that generally, vacation days are reasonably low.

What about yourself? Are you one who has much opportunity to indulge in such things when at home?