A much deserved vacation day!

[itookashot]

Who: The Free Cities Summoned
What: Beach Party Episode, aka the Summoned take a break and enjoy the new portal
When: June 6thish, post Nocwich weekend. We can timey wimey it folks.
Where: Aquila!



[ooc: these are just suggested prompts, please feel free to roll with any ideas you have! Thanks to Hannah for sharing the code. Descriptions about Aquila are taken from the settings page here and credited to the mods. A player-made Pinterest mood board was created here for inspiration, but keep the world of Abraxas in mind for the reality.]

The Aquila Portal / Time to Go!

An invite shows up on the network from Jesper Fahey to the Free Cities Summoned stating the following:

Hey everyone, I managed to score funds from our money makers to have a group outing through the Aquila portal. We deserve it, don't you think? We did vote it into being after all. So get out your beach day clothes (or lack thereof) and meet at 9 AM tomorrow. If you come later, I'll let the portal people know the list allowed. They've got chairs and such to rent there, so don't worry if you don't have anything helpful.

Let's party like we're in the Horizon! If you need some extra cash while there I know the people to beg.

PS - No arguing, Crows. (That means you Kaz.)

True to his word, Jesper will be waiting at the newly opened portal to mark the Summoned so they're allowed to get through with the money he's collected. He'll smile and wink at them as they go through. He is dressed casually himself for this outing and in high spirits. Summoned can meet up here and go through together if they'd like or maybe be persuaded if they're not really sure about it.

Welcome to Aquila!

Aquila is the world's fastest-growing economy and the scenery in Aquila is also considered some of the most beautiful, with both the mountains and beaches of Andromeda Bay nearby, making it a popular destination for vacationers.

The beach may be exciting, but it isn't the only part of Aquila to enjoy! The massive public market takes up most of the city's center. Anything you might want can be found here. Countless booths and stalls and carts fill the town's center, and traders from all across the nation congregate to offer their wares. From raw materials such as fabrics, dyes, exotic wood and stones, to finely crafted artisan everything. Furniture, clothing, foodstuffs, weapons, art, magical oddities, it's all here. The market opens at sun-up and shuts down sometime after sunset - plenty of sellers will linger, hoping for one last sale of the day.

Art and fashion thrive in Aquila. Studios and galleries of art are scattered all over the city and artists sketching or painting out on the streets or on the nearby beaches are a common sight. This is the time to go looking for new clothes as seamstresses and tailors are all looking to outdo themselves and create the next big fashion statement.

But if it's the beach fun you're looking for ....

Fun in the Sun!

It's more crowded than usual in Aquila thanks to the emergence of the portal, but the Summoned will manage to camp out their own area on the right side of the beach and have freedom to enjoy themselves alone. Nearby one of the entrances of the beach is a local business called The Wave Palace. There people can buy or rent chairs, cloth to sit on, hats, and other beach items to feel more comfortable.

Once settled onto their spot on the beach, the Summoned can enjoy a full day of various activities to either relax or be active. They can swim or race to see who is the better swimmer, do the same on a sand race, and head up to a popular nearby cliff that is perfect to jump off of. Challenge each other to the perfect dive or laugh if someone ends up belly-flopping.

Anyone can lounge comfortably in the sun or maybe they want to get creative and build sandcastles. They can rent bowls and sticks and other instruments at the shop to gather sand correctly. Maybe your castle is remarkably impressive or dismal at best, but the point is to have fun. If you're feeling mischievous you can bury a friend in sand, or even a stranger if you want to test fate. You can find rocks or shells to collect and bring home as a reminder of the trip here.



There is a bar down the beach called The Wave Crash Pub where people can sit and listen to live music or carry drinks back to their chair. At some point in the day, someone suggests playing a game of volleyball or something similar, and a net and ball can be found to set it up. Test your might against each other and no cheating! (Just kidding, cheat away.)



As the day comes to a close, stay long enough to watch the sunset together or do some night swimming to cool off. When it's time to go home, don't forget to either return your rented items or decide to buy it. See if you can convince a friend to get a keepsake or ask their opinion of one on the way out. Hope you all had fun in this beach day episode!

Comments

[wiedzminka]

[ Hilda's reputation for being a proponent of fun probably precedes her. In fairness to Sephiroth, he may just be aware of his own weaknesses... Ciri doesn't question Hilda's involvement, in any case. Sephiroth (and Jaskier) had managed to get her out of the house and if Hilda's somehow gotten in on it, there's little she can do.

Ciri hasn't really had much opportunity to speak with the other woman after their time dancing at the garden party some weeks back, though if Hilda was around during Ciri's little birthday party (with or without Claude), she may notice Ciri looking a bit worse for wear since then. A lot has happened, and Ciri's not exactly the most well-adjusted when it comes to things like casual flirting and potential crushes. It wouldn't be fair to say she's been avoiding Hilda (any more than she's been avoiding everyone), but she certainly hasn't tried to find her again, having stayed away from the Sarstina for some time.

She is not, however, willing to talk about it. So a distraction is well and good instead, and she's been enjoying some drinks on the beach while lounging in the sun. When Sephiroth and Hilda both gang up on her, Ciri sits up. Eyes the ball. ]

I've never played.

[ A moment of consideration. She begins to get up from her lounge chair, dusting sand off her legs. The sun's made all her freckles stand out. ]

But I'm sure if Sephiroth can learn it, it can't be that difficult.

[ Ciri flashes him a smirk, an attempt at playful teasing. ]

[supersoldier]

[Honestly, he's glad he has back-up in the form of Hilda. She seems to know how to approach these matters better. Sephiroth, what his default demeanor of being introverted and not always so effusive, falters a little in even knowing what to do in certain cases.

He wouldn't have thought to try to get her to participate in a game he knows nothing about, after all. But two heads are better than one.

Ciri's quip at least proves promising. He curls his lips in a return smile, used to the ribbing.]

As I understand it, you just hit the ball very hard. [He jokes.] Even a SOLDIER can manage that.

[He tosses the ball to her, idly, just for fun. Catch!]

[theidlemaiden]

[ Ciri's physical state hasn't gone unnoticed but pointing that out can only be done in certain scenarios and this isn't one of them.

It's nice to see the joking dynamic between them and Hilda gives Sephiroth a gentle hip bump as soon as the ball leaves his hands. ]

Uhm, hello? I think both of you are forgetting that he was also coached by the best.

[ The best being her. Except that's the joke because there wasn't any coaching involved. All Hilda had done was explain the rules which had essentially boiled down to hitting the ball no more than once and not letting it touch the ground on their side of the court. So basically what Sephiroth said. ]

No pressure or anything either but I may or may not have bet on the loser paying for dinner tonight. I thought we deserved something nice after a long day on the beach.

[wiedzminka]

[ Playing to Ciri's competitive spirit: always a good bet.

She catches the ball, weighing it in her hands and tossing it up a few inches several times while Hilda explains and they walk over to the nets. ]

Very well.

And we should avoid hitting anyone with the ball, right? [ Probably. Just need to make sure ahead of time to mitigate ball-related casualties.

No one teach Ciri dodgeball. ]

[supersoldier]

[The marble statue that he is, Sephiroth hardly does much more than jostle when Hilda bumps into him, but his smile does quirk just a tad bit higher.]

Then no mercy for the opposing team. [If it means a free dinner, because yes, they do deserve something nice after all that's happened. Helpfully:]

I think you should avoid hitting others in the face with the ball unless you're feeling particularly angry with them.

[And thus, he half-turns, urging them to walk back through the sand and towards the net.

At a distance, they can already see a few individuals waiting. On the other side, presumably, stands the other team, joking talking amongst themselves. One of them looks up and waves them over when he spots the trio drawing closer, their smile pleasant but assured. These poor, hopeful souls don't know what's coming to them.]

[theidlemaiden]

[ Hilda can't help but add onto Sephiroth's comment as she trails behind him to fall in line with Ciri. Her voice is dramatically hushed as if she doesn't want anyone to hear what she's saying. ]

But if you do, we can just apologize profusely and say it was an accident.

[ It probably doesn't matter as much though if it's just them. The only ones she have to be concerned about were the locals they were about to face off against.

As they near, Hilda rushes up to the net, providing the brief introductions. After the sportsman-like handshakes are doled out, along with determining who serves first (the locals graciously allow them to go first), they position themselves on either side of the nets.

It's clear that they're somewhat at disadvantage with Hilda being the shortest out of everyone playing, but surely Ciri and Sephiroth's height can make up for that, right? ]

Any preference on who serves first? It's pretty easy! [ There's a sheepish expression on her face. ] All the practicing earlier sort of made my hands a little tender.

[ Read: She'll do it if she has to because she will have to eventually but she's reluctant to start them off on a bad foot. ]

[wiedzminka]

[ Ciri actually laughs. Difficult to tell if she took either answer seriously (or how badly that bodes for their opponents), but at the very least, she seems amused. So that's a win for Hilda and Sephiroth already.

Once they've met the other team and prepare to start, Ciri steps back with the ball. ]

I can do it.

[ The other team was kind (naïve) enough to let them start, since they've never played before.

At least she shouts a warning. ]

Ready? [ And with that, quickly followed by a resounding smack of the ball and it going flying over the net, the game is on. ]

[supersoldier]

[It's a good serve, hit with a level of confidence that the other team clearly doesn't expect from newcomers to the sport. They scramble for a bit but readjust their expectations once they realize that, while they may have experience in their arena, these three are playing to win.

The game continues rather vigorously for a bit; however, Hilda, Ciri, and Sephiroth are more than just a little physically adept. They're very physically adept, and if it going to come down to a war of stamina, this other team doesn't stand a chance.

At some point, the ball goes flying overhead, and Sephiroth dives down to hit it back up. It goes whirling in Hilda's direction.]

Hit it hard!

[And at some point, his competitive nature has gotten the better of him. SPIKE IT IN THEIR FACES-]

[theidlemaiden]

[ Hilda could have guessed just by looking at Ciri and Sephiroth that they were both athletic in a way she wasn't which was great for several reasons which included looking at them in their respective beach wear and that they were playing a sport.

But if she had been thinking more clearly about what their athleticism meant, then she would have come to the conclusion that in order to win a paid dinner, she was either going to have to work very hard during this game, or contribute the bare minimum. And while she would have vastly preferred the latter, it is sadly turning into a lot of the former. ]

But that's going to hurt.

[ Her whine in response is immediate, but in the split second that the ball flies into the air, Hilda knows that she can't just let it drop. Not when there's a dinner at stake. With no choice, Hilda leaps up to meet the ball midair, her hand connecting with the volleyball hard, as per Sephiroth's demand.

It's sent rocketing down, not into the sand, but one of their opponent's faces and there's immediately a cry of pain as the volleyball goes bouncing off into a different court. Who was this going to hurt again? ]

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do that! Does anyone have some ice? [ And then with a grimace - ] Sephi, why did you tell me to hit it that hard?!

[wiedzminka]

Oh! [ Ciri gasps, just as startled as the other team by Hilda's merciless strike (after complaining about having to hit the ball, no less). They'd joked about it, but they probably don't actually mean to kill the other team that literally.

Their opponents shout and scatter, one of them running after the ball, another for ice.

Ciri looks between Hilda and Sephiroth. ]

Sephi? [ Wait, that's not what's important here.

Right. ]

Don't worry, it doesn't look broken. [ Surely that is reassuring. ]

[supersoldier]

[Oh. That sure did just happen.

Watching Hilda strike the ball with an amazing force is satisfying in its own right, fulfilling his innate need to achieve a victory. There are parts of him, raised as a SOLDIER, that view a win-scenario as the only scenario worth striving for.

Of course, that's before the poor man's had his face smashed in with the volleyball, which brings forth a more prevalent reality: that probably was too much overkill for a beachside game.

He straighens, watching the incident unfurl before his eyes while the other two offer their awkward condolences.]

I... [He crosses his arms, making a face that is partly concerned, partly uncertain what to say.] Though it would earn us the win.

[Wh...at other reasoning would there be. He doesn't even remark about "Sephi", new as that is to his ears.]

[theidlemaiden]

[ Too overwhelmed with the accidental harm she's caused, Hilda rushes under the net to the injured local. A quick once over shows that there's no blood but there is a comical outline where the volleyball had landed on their face. Her hand quickly waves over the place where injury with just enough healing magic that it will mitigate any potential bruising.

She lingers there until one of their friends return with some ice before returning to Ciri and Sephiroth's side. Her cheeks are bright pink with embarrassment. ]

I guess we did win by default, but I get the feeling they're not going to want to buy us dinner after that.

[ She's never playing volleyball ever again. ]

[wiedzminka]

[ Hilda's concern is sweet. Ciri doesn't approach, not wanting to crowd the poor guy, but she and Sephiroth apparently both at least have the decency to look uncomfortable. ]

Yeah, maybe we should... leave them be.

[ She glances up at Sephiroth. ]

In which case, dinner is on Sephi.