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

[dyingtohealyou]

...Okay, so maybe you aren't half-bad at healing after all.

[Can't let it go to Kurapika's head, even if the true effect is clear.]

[revengier]

[ That makes him laugh. It's a compliment he'll take. ]

Central is good at a little bit of everything. It helps that I had an ability to heal myself back home too.

[dyingtohealyou]

You did?

[This is news to him.]

[revengier]

I did. It could heal even the most grievous injuries.

[ His healing here is nowhere near that level, however. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

...That would've been useful. I'm almost envious.

[revengier]

You really shouldn't be. I can only heal anything significant while that other ability I told you about is in use.

[dyingtohealyou]

My healing also takes from my life, but it can't heal anything that grievous. Only slow things down so they live a little longer.

[So.........]

[revengier]

So you don't even get the benefits that I do.

[ Damn... come to his world and become overpowered for all your sacrifices, Ahito. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

Pretty lame, right? They went through all that trouble, and it's not even that useful.

[He talks awfully lightly about it for how much of a sore point that was for him for literal years.]

[revengier]

It's a real shame.

[ Genuinely. It could have at least been worth it? ]

The return on sacrifices for power in my world are large, even though only the most committed people follow through with it.

[dyingtohealyou]

Understandably. If it wasn't an inescapable part of using magic in my world, I wonder how many would still make the sacrifice...?

[revengier]

Only the most determined, I'm sure.

[ Whoever is willing to make those sacrifices to get what they want. ]

I presume that you wouldn't, if given the choice.

[dyingtohealyou]

No way.

[He wants to hope he would have been less gullible even as a kid, if magic without sacrifice were possible.]

But my issue with magic isn't just the sacrifices, either.

[revengier]

It's magic as a whole, isn't it?

[ It would make sense, honestly. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

Yeah. It doesn't matter what kind of magic you use; your personal sacrifice is the same.

[revengier]

I see.

[ Damn. That sucks, honestly, and it's obvious in his voice. ]

How do you feel about the magic here?

[dyingtohealyou]

[He opens his mouth- and quickly closes it again, expression conflicted.

It takes a while before he's able to come up with an answer:]

Even if the magic is kinder, I don't trust the types who would pursue magical research.

[revengier]

Understandably so.

[ And honestly? Kurapika doesn't really trust them either. ]

Magic has quite the advantage in this world. Anyone who would pursue research earnestly might not do so for the best reasons.

[dyingtohealyou]

...Yeah. Especially if they don't have any reason to worry about the sacrifices they'll have to make to conduct any of their research.

[He settles a little, now that they've found that answer.]

[revengier]

Mm, my thoughts as well.

[ He sighs. ]

Although... it was a pain being yelled at by a priest for being a wizard at the ball.

[dyingtohealyou]

Oh?

[revengier]

[ He shrugs. ]

I've gotten worse back home, but he held a lot of distrust towards wizards.

[dyingtohealyou]

What country was he from?

[revengier]

Central.

[ Unfortunately. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

Did he have any reason for his distrust? ...The Western representative I spoke to had some interesting stuff to say.