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]

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.

[dyingtohealyou]

[Bruno?????]

...So you're telling me you've been helping your family from the shadows with zero acknowledgement for literal years and you still don't see any worth in that?

[fallingsand]

[ Bruno opens his mouth to answer that and... pauses, thinking. He closes his mouth, continues thinking. He frowns, brow furrowing, still thinking. Finally, he comes to the insightful conclusion of, ]

Iiii... don't know?

[dyingtohealyou]

[BRUNO!!!!!!!!]

...Well.

You've done good.

[Congratulations on your validation from a random teenager!]

[fallingsand]

[ wow for some reason he didn't want that, kinda feels bad ]

Ahito... Look, some things are just complicated like that sometimes. What I've been doing? It doesn't really matter in the long run.

[dyingtohealyou]

So?

It's not like anything I do is going to be remembered in the long run, either. Doesn't mean there's no point to doing it.

[fallingsand]

That's... okay, that is technically correct, y-yeah.

[ But it still feels bad! ]

I don't know. I guess I don't want to think about it a lot while I'm stuck here. People here are, like, grateful and want my help and... and happy to see me when I show up? Then I think about home and it, well. It doesn't feel too great.

[dyingtohealyou]

[Bruno have you considered maybe your family situation sucks and you deserve better???

Ahito is definitely considering it right now but wisely keeps his mouth shut instead. ...Unfortunately, it still probably shows on his face despite his best efforts.]

[fallingsand]

[ Wow, it's like he can read Ahito's mind. ]

H-hey, don't give me that look! It's. It isn't like I can just stay here and abandon everyone else, right? S-so. I'll just. I'll enjoy this while it lasts, alright?

[ Provided the other wizards don't give him a heart attack aaaa. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

The fact that this is improvement for you is kinda...

[Bad?

Kinda really bad.]

[fallingsand]

It's not an entirely fair comparison, though. You haven't been given all sorts of bad futures from me. You haven't grown up thinking I'm some kind of boogie man in the shadows.

[ Perspective matters. No one here has grown up with Bruno and lived through the worst moments he's offered. ]

When that's all you know, how else are you s'posed to act?

[dyingtohealyou]

Maybe it's more like you haven't grown up surrounded by people who know how magic works? Not that you can get that just anywhere in my world, either.

[fallingsand]

C'mon, they only have my family's magic to go by. It's not as easy to accept some gifts as... as healing or controlling the weather, y'know?

[ Agh, maybe he shouldn't be defending them, but, look, he wouldn't want a future vision from himself either! ]

[dyingtohealyou]

All I'm saying is, there's people who'd get it. It just sucks you weren't around them.

[fallingsand]

Yeah, there are. [ Cue Bruno giving Ahito a nudge in the side with an elbow. ] Right here.

[ This world has been an interesting experience, with all the different people, all with their own ideas and opinions of magic. ]

So, what about you? You have any idea about your mana area yet?

[dyingtohealyou]

[Oh- a little surprised at the nudge, but smiling nonetheless.]

Mm... maybe. Not sure if it's the right idea, but it's probably worth checking out.

[fallingsand]

Yeah? What, not gonna share the idea? C'mon. I'm curious.

[dyingtohealyou]

[Okay, well, he can't say no to all that.]

Someplace high up, during the sunset.

I'm pretty good at climbing trees and rooftops, and the view's great. It's pretty much perfect for relaxing.

[Just don't ask why he's good at climbing rooftops in particular.]

[fallingsand]

Oh, for sure. I didn't climb a whole lot of trees growing up but roofs? It's the best way to just get away from... everything, right? Since not a lot of folks are gonna follow you up there.

[ Nah, he won't ask, but he does light up when Ahito mentions being good at climbing. Now there's something he's... done recently, actually, although it was specifically to ask the Wanderer something. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

Most people from my town don't expect people to be up there, either. And sometimes you can catch some good gossip.

[Ahito...]

[fallingsand]

You do? Huh... I've never had that happen while up high, buuut... well, actually, you definitely wouldn't be surprised at how much you hear when you're living in the walls.

[ Man, he does not need to know that much about his family. Major drawback. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

Oh yeah? Anything interesting?

[fallingsand]

Not really? It's always about guys... when my sisters were around your age? Guys. My nieces? Guys. Well. Okay, only two of them, but still.