(open) like rolling waves

[hundredpower]

WHO: Barnaby, Ciel, way too many kids... and you?
WHAT: Special beach episode!
WHERE: The seaside just south of Achamoth.
WHEN: 21 Visoseri.
WARNINGS: THIS IS A CHILD FRIENDLY SPACE. except there are spiders


With things as difficult as they were in Venera, and wanting to keep his mind occupied beyond the grind of training or research, Barnaby had begun to spend a lot of his free time volunteering to help the orphans in the Citadel. It was the closest thing to his life back home that he had here, even if he's still a stranger to the kids here, and they to him, he still sympathised with them and wanted to help improve their circumstances. He'd wondered if there was something he could do to help expand their horizons even a little bit, with Achamoth largely being unsuited for young children, and so he sought permission from the Regent to take them out of the city for the day on a trip.

Their destination isn't far: the beach directly south of the city. While he initially floats the idea to Ciel, who has been helping with the organising and preparations, he'll offer for other Aions to come along if he happens to bump into them. Provided, of course, they're on their best behaviour and willing to ensure the children don't come to any harm, as per the Regent's strict orders.

1. TRAVELLING TO THE BEACH (cw: spiders)

Although the beach isn't far from the city, and close enough that the trip can be made on foot, there's one particular hazard on the way: giant spiders. The group have to cross a small woodland before they can reach the cliffside route that will take them down to the beach, and Barnaby pauses at the edge of the woods, spotting white silk webbing strung between entire trees, more than capable of snaring unsuspecting travellers not paying close attention to where they're walking.

The spiders themselves are nowhere to be seen... yet, and a lot of them have been dealt with in the days leading up to the trip. But it was impossible to eradicate all of them, and the forest canopy overhead is thick and ripe for ambushes, if they're not careful, so Barnaby addresses the group.

"If anyone who can fight is willing to volunteer to scout ahead, please take the lead. I suggest you take someone else and go as a pair."

Barnaby would go himself, but he'd much rather stay and keep an eye on the children. You're up, team.

2. THE BEACH

Once they're safely on the other side, a rocky cliffside path leads down to a private beach. The beach itself is fully secure, as Ciel, Barnaby and Eustace had worked to ensure it was safe in the days running up to the trip. For anyone who arrives early with the group, Barnaby will be giving swimming lessons to those who don't know how to swim, and for most of the rest of the day, will be keeping an eye out from a lifeguard tower they'd had an Achamite workman construct a few days before.

There's enough of a breeze and the waves are choppy enough that you can try your hand at surfing, if you don't mind the old-fashioned surfboards on offer. For those who don't like the water but don't want to just bask in the sun all day, there are buckets and spades for building sandcastles (sand Citadels...?) and balls for playing ball games, either in or out of the water. Food, snacks and refreshments are provided for the children throughout the day, courtesy of Ciel.

3. EVENING

The children are allowed to stay long enough to watch the sunset, before they pack up and head off with Barnaby and Ciel for the evening. For anyone who chooses to stay well into dusk or longer, there are dry branches and driftwood piles suitable for starting a bonfire. If you want peace and quiet by the sea, or to crack open the booze properly now the kids are gone, this is the best time of night for it.

Comments

[hundredpower]

[Barnaby's the kind of nerdy perfectionist that would rather study a detailed ten-step manual on something before he even makes a practical attempt at it, but he wouldn't have gotten far in his career if he wasn't also capable of learning on the fly, so he nods to her question. And much like she'd surmised, he has much less of an ego nowadays to care if his pride takes a bruising trying to learn the fundamentals.]

All right. I think it would be good to first practice getting on the board while the waves are smaller, wouldn't it?

[He turns his board to point it towards the shore, and spotting a group of children on the sand who had gathered to watch, lifts an arm from the water to smile and wave at them.]

Looks like we have an audience already. [Barnaby doesn't mind, but hopefully it won't make Gray too nervous.]

[gravings]

[ Gray paddles around so that she can join him in facing the shore. She doesn't wave back to the kids, certain that they're really just waving at Barnaby. And why wouldn't they be? He's done so much for them. (It's also much easier for her to assume that they're all looking at him and not her.) ]

You're really good with kids, Mr. Barnaby... Um, if it isn't too personal a question, did you have any kids of your own in your home world?

[ She could see him being a dad... ]

[hundredpower]

[He stops waving so he can hold himself steady on his board, and he gives Gray a surprised look at that question. It's not the first time he's been told he has a knack for interacting with kids, but it still surprises him every time.]

No, I don't. But my partner had a child, and I would look after her sometimes. [He doesn't really want to talk about them when it means thinking about how they're gone, and it shows in his expression, but it's somehow easy to be honest with Gray. Unlike the other Kenoma, he doesn't have any reason to withhold the truth from her.]

There was an orphanage I volunteered at in the city, too. I didn't really know anything about children when I first started, so I tried to learn from the perspective of a parent. [If she thinks he acts like one, then maybe he's more successful than he thought...?]

[gravings]

[ So he volunteered at an orphanage before, and is volunteering at an orphanage now. His generosity really is endless. ]

You remind me a little of my own father... so I think you must have learned well.

[ Happy, indulgent, and watchful — the marks of any loving parent, probably. As she speaks, she begins to feel the water swelling up under them. She glances back quickly to confirm that a wave is indeed beginning to push up from behind. ]

Ah, here it comes. Get ready, Mr. Barnaby...!

[ It's a small wave, good for a beginner. She pulls her legs up from the water and lies prone on her board, preparing to pop up onto her feet once the wave grips her board. ]

[hundredpower]

I do? [Given his relatively low opinion of his experience, it's something of an honour to be compared to one of Gray's loved ones, and he's so startled he almost misses the timing on the wave.

Fortunately since it's only a small wave, it's also slow moving. He pulls himself up onto the board, and just when he thinks the wave is about to crest, pushes himself onto his feet, wobbling only slightly in his delayed haste to get the timing and his stance right.]

Ah--! [Once he stabilises himself, he's doing it! He glances across to Gray to check she's managed to accomplish the same.]

[gravings]

[ He'll find that she's indeed managed to pop up on her board and is cruising alongside him. She glances over to see that he's managed to do the same, and she smiles with amazement at his quick learning. ]

You did it!

[ As expected of a great hero!! He really is the best...

But unbeknownst to them... directly in their path appears a large fin poking out of the water......... ]

[hundredpower]

I did! You're a good teacher. [Barnaby smiles at her as she manages to glide along the water alongside him, and he has to wonder where such a timid girl picked up a sport like this. He's not sure if he could tackle bigger waves yet, but this part, at least, isn't as difficult as he thought.

The children are clapping and cheering from the shore, and it's only when the cheers turn to gasps and calls of 'Look out!' that he notices the fin in their path. His eyesight is that terrible without his glasses.]

Is that--? [...Please tell him it's just a friendly dolphin...]

[gravings]

[ The fin approaches. It's making a beeline directly for Barnaby and Gray, evil intent thick in the air. It seems to sense that Barnaby is ever-so-slightly unsteadier on his board, because at the last moment, it swerves straight for him. The sea beast launches itself like a missile out of the water!

It's a dolphin.

But this is no friendly dolphin! It makes direct eye contact with Barnaby even as it tries to take him out with a full-body tackle, its full grin laden with bottlenosed heinousness. ]