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

[shortleash]

( Huh. Well, now he knows. )

... It seems like something kids would like. I never got to go to the ocean while it was still safe.

( He doesn't say his first remark in any derogatory way - he just can't help but think of the orphans (as always). It's the sort of thing they'd go nuts for, small and simple as it is. )

Did you need it for something?

[fallingsand]

Well, this ocean is safe, so I hope you get to enjoy it.

[ He steps forward to press the bit of smooth sea glass into Mika's hand. It's his now! Enjoy! ]

Here. I'll find others. I'm looking for green ones to add to my, um, what is it? Y'know how wizards are supposed to carry something from their mana area around with them? I'm going to do green sea glass and sand in a pouch or something.

[shortleash]

( "Enjoy it"... does he enjoy things? Prior, he'd have firmly felt he does not, but right now, he's having an introspective crisis.

He blinks at the sudden sea glass he's been given. He doesn't reject it, but he doesn't entirely seem like he knows what to do with it; with some confusion, he slowly curls his fingers around it...? )

... Are you a fan of the ocean, then?

( He thinks on his amulet... he did figure out something, but... )

[fallingsand]

Nope. This is the first time I've been to one.

[ The valley was very oceanless. ]

But, well, sand and green glass are sort of a thing with me? I know that sounds weird but it's true.

[shortleash]

... That's really specific.

( He says it like a query. Explain Y/N... but he doesn't seem like he'll push if Bruno does not explain. )

[fallingsand]

Yeah, it is, isn't it?

[ Considering so many other people here know about his whole Thing, there's no real reason to leave Mika out. He turns, looking back towards the beach and all the other wizards wandering about by the tent. ]

It hasn't been very helpful here but, well, I can look into the future. Sand is part of what I use for that when I'm, y'know, looking for something specific. Fire's the other. If you put fire and sand together, do you know what you get?

[shortleash]

( ... Huh. Interesting.

He nods. But - frowns. )

... If I could look into the future, I'd be doing it all the time. ( Famous Last Words. ) How hasn't it been helpful here?

[fallingsand]

Trust me, you would not want to do that. It's... sometimes better to just let things play out without any idea, y'know? I learned that lesson pretty hard around your age.

[ Bruno 100% knowing he's going to die a virgin, guess he really is a wizard after all. ]

Uh, but here? I tried seeing how this whole mess pans out and got a whole lot of... possibilities. Way too many to narrow down.

[shortleash]

I couldn't just let things play out. What if someone I care about gets hurt?

( Mika chill it's a hypothetical,

But that, yeah, doesn't sound helpful. )

... Are they contradicting? Is it possible to prepare for at least most outcomes?

[fallingsand]

Sure, okay, you could spend all day staring into every possible future, but then you wouldn't be with the people you want to protect. It doesn't work that way, Mika.

[ There are choices to be made. He's made them. He doesn't regret them, not really, but it's caused enough hurt in the past. ]

Though... hm. Sort of? Or more like random, I guess? Like, twenty-five people facing the moon.. but then another is twenty-one... I've seen our mentor possessed by the spirits. I've seen the manor burning down.

[shortleash]

( ... )

I'm okay not being with them if it means I can protect them. But... ( Well. You can't really protect them if the information you get is vague - or unhelpful. He frowns, brows furrowed. ) ... Between the visions of the 25 and 21 - does that mean there's a chance four people will die?

[fallingsand]

See, that's the trick. It could mean that. Could be some of us give up or find a way home, too. Could be both of those visions didn't involve us at all. A lot of what I see, it... sometimes it's pretty obvious but most the time? It's not.

[shortleash]

( Ughhhh... Mika seems obviously frustrated by this, but perhaps this is a given for people who don't actually have to live with the ability to see the future like Bruno. )

... This feels worse than not knowing it at all. ( Now he's just going to be more worried than usual about certain bad types of things happening. ) Is there a chance none of the things you saw happen, too?

[fallingsand]

Yeah, feels pretty bad, right? It's why I keep telling everyone... it isn't a great ability or anything...

[ It's more like a curse than anything else. ]

But nah. One of those will happen, no matter what. I mean, unless something so crazy happens that not even fate could guess it buuut that's... I don't know? I've never seen it.

[shortleash]

( ... )

... Then what did you see? Everything. Maybe it's not possible to prepare for everything, but if we start to see signs, maybe we'll know what route we're on.

( Or, at least, narrow down the possibilities to fewer than Many. It's possible this perspective isn't really a helpful or useful one to have - but Mika seems very serious about it. Deadly, even. )

[fallingsand]

[ So serious... and that's terrible when they're at a beach! Bruno throws his hands in the air. ]

Oh, no, no, no. No. See? This is why I don't tell people things! Look at you! You should be enjoying the day, not thinking about stuff we can't even begin to control! Look, Tatara knows, and so does Urianger, and he's, like, an actual scholar on divination, unlike, y'know, me. I'm just... the guy who, uh, has the... visions.

[ Sadly, this does not make him as much an expert as Urianger but, less sadly, someone else is! ]

[shortleash]

( ...

Mika pockets the sea glass, folding his arms. He is... quiet for a moment, looking as serious as one can with their washboard tits out and swim trunks and a cheap lil hoodie, but eventually, he says: )

... Once, I didn't consider any possibility but a successful outcome. I trusted the people around me. A lot of people... I cared about, died because of my mistake.

( His short-sightedness, and leaving their fate in the hands of others. )

... I don't want that to happen again. I can't ever... let myself sit around if I know there's something I might be able to do do.

[fallingsand]

[ Here he goes again, ruining everything with his visions. It isn't that he should keep them secret, but it's also such a wide array of possibilities, how would they even know which one to prevent?

Bruno puts his hands together, fingers laced between one another, to keep himself from fidgeting too badly. ]

Mika. These aren't your fates alone. If you can't trust the people who share these outcomes with you, then that would be the mistake you're making.

[shortleash]

( That seems to pause Mika, like he's really trying to parse it - but it's just so antiethical to what he believes, it's hard to understand. )

... I don't see why they can't take care of themselves. Can't you?

( surely, as a grown adult, )

[fallingsand]

[ Why can't he... what... Mika? Hello? Bruno gives the poor kid the most peculiar of looks. ]

Mika, do I look like I could fight the moon alone?

[shortleash]

( Following East mission, Mika will have a more concrete example of the power of teamwork... but right now, it's a little vague - not wholly unfamiliar, since Yuu's crew kept pressing for it (spearheaded by Yuu), but, mindset aside, it's not how vampires work - it's not how he was trained. So it's still kind of weird. )

... Vampires don't work in groups.

( By way of explanation. He's a tourist here.

But they don't need to worry about the weakest among them, given their curse of immortality, and they don't care to, given their curse of indifference. These are curses humans obviously lack, so it's not like he doesn't understand the difference in proclivity. )

But I'm not saying I don't trust anyone here. ( Not that he trusts everyone... ) ... But I don't want to trust carelessly again. Just because we're all in the same boat doesn't mean everyone here is reliable.

[fallingsand]

[ Love it when Bruno predicts the future without even trying. Thanks, East mission. ]

Okay, sure, but you aren't working with vampires. Uh, mostly. [ There is Malice, after all. ] I'm not asking you to trust every single person with your life but if we can't work together, we may as well not try averting those futures at all.