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

[fallingsand]

Y'know how hourglasses have sand in them? That whole "sands of time" thing or whatever? It's a... kind of a thing that's connected me to my magic before here.

[dyingtohealyou]

Ah. For your mana area.

Makes sense.

[fallingsand]

Yep, exactly. The ocean part is just a bonus since I've never seen one for real.

[dyingtohealyou]

Me neither. ...It's pretty nice out here.

[fallingsand]

It is. I'm glad I found a spot like this. It's barely in the Southern Country but I feel a lot better when I'm down here, y'know?

[dyingtohealyou]

I guess... I still haven't found a place for myself, yet.

[fallingsand]

Yeah? Hm, well, it has to be somewhere that feels right for you, so I... I can't really help there, unfortunately. All I know is when I thought about it, I was pretty sure about the sand part.

[dyingtohealyou]

There weren't too many places where I'd just hang out in my world.

[Imagine having a comforting place - well, no. That's not true. There was a place he took comfort in, but...

...]

Does it seem to be working for you?

[fallingsand]

Hmm, is it?

[ Bruno closes his eyes briefly, trying to find that familiar thread of... what? Magic? The spirits? He's not entirely sure but he does find it. ]

I think so. [ He opens his eyes again and looks out across the ocean. ] It feels right out here.

[dyingtohealyou]

What's it feel like?

[Maybe if he can figure that out, at least, he can find his own...]

[fallingsand]

How does it feel... well... calming? Like I'm actually relaxing for once? Uh, energizing, too, I guess? It's like a, what is it? A vacation? But a good one, not a terrible one where you're in charge of all the plans.

[dyingtohealyou]

"For once?"

[Buddy...]

[fallingsand]

Wh... hey! What's that look for? Have you ever seen me relaxed before? Seriously?

[dyingtohealyou]

You couldn't even relax in your world?

[fallingsand]

It's not easy to do when you're as nervous as I am. There were... times, I guess, but not often. Eh, don't worry about it too much. Sometimes life is just like that.

[dyingtohealyou]

[Damn Bruno you should be the one blinking for help here.]

...Did you at least have a place where you could calm down, like here? With... sand. [Or. Something???]

[fallingsand]

[ With sand... Man, Bruno stares out across the ocean with the look of a man who's seen a war, only in this case it's actually— ]

Nnno, not with. Not with sand. Sand means something to me but my room was full of sand and you had to climb about two miles up the stairs to get to the viewing room at the very top of it.

[ Horrible, right? He snaps out of it and gives his head a small shake. ]

I, uh, think I like the beach sand better. I guess there was... the hidden room behind the kitchen wall? The chair there was, uh, comfortable, at least.

[dyingtohealyou]

[Uh??? What the fuck?]

How was your room that big? And- why a hidden room to begin with? Were you spying on people or something?

[He can't imagine Bruno being the type.]

[fallingsand]

Magic house...

[ Like that should explain it all. Ah, but the hidden room. Haha, well. There's an awkward silence when Ahito asks if he was spying on people, though, and he glances down sheepishly. ]

Nnnot really for the spying thing. It's where I would go to get away from people and... and once I pulled my vanishing act, it's where I moved to. There wasn't exactly anywhere else to go when you can't actually get out of that valley.

[dyingtohealyou]

...

So you just... hid in your own house?

[For HOW long again???]

[fallingsand]

Well, yeah, it's surprisingly easy to hide in a magical house when the house itself is on your side.

[ Casita has always been a kind house. Too bad it died. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

...It decided you needed to be able to hide, too?

[fallingsand]

I... guess? I mean, I think it was sad that I felt the need to hide. My actual room began falling apart after I stopped using it so badly that mom banned everyone from going in there.

[ Casita too sad to upkeep his room... or maybe that wasn't it? ]

Or that it couldn't spend the magic to keep it together. I never was sure which. The thing is, once I moved into the walls to hide, I realized they had been cracking. The walls, the foundation. Casita was sick. At least if I stayed there, I could help fix those. S'not like I was doing anything else useful.

[dyingtohealyou]

[...

But doesn't that mean...]

You hid yourself from your family, but you were still trying to help them the whole time?

[fallingsand]

Y-yeah, I. I know they haven't been... great to me and all, but. I still love them, y'know?

[ Even if they don't love him. ]

And all my nephews and nieces, they're so young. None of what's happened is their fault and they don't deserve to lose, well, everything. Just because. Because a bunch of adults don't try and understand each other.