Character Resort

Dining hall

Qrlil bent back a little. "I can understand that," she said fervently.

She picked up a piece of fruit, placed it into her mouth, and mashed it mechanically. Swallowing, she began "So..."

Not quite certain what to say from here, are we?

"So how did you sleep last night?"

[Bar]

Vincent shrugged. "Eh, fine. Could've been better, could've been worse. Scientist mode hadn't completely turned off yet, so I still had theories bouncing around my head for quite a while."

He stole a bite of one of Xavier's sandwiches. "Another downside to that. If I have enough theories, I won't be able to go to sleep for a while because I'll be thinking about them, and then a lot of the time I wake up, thinking I came up with something absolutely brilliant just before I fell asleep and then forgot about it."

[Bar]

Asayu turned to one of the maids and tapped it on the shoulder. "Other than our rooms, is there any place we can go where Virgil here won't be able to follow us? Or some way you can keep him out of a room for us?" If not, then she supposed one of their rooms would do. Probably would be Amaya's, given the possible implications of Asayu and Amaya being in a room without Yuki.

[Field]

Rachel said, "yeah, I suppose I can only take so much embarrassing defeat." She sat on the green instead and said, "so, Christie, that near hole-in-one you got... is that usual for you? Do you have some kind of... well, the opposite of my curse, I guess."

edited 30th Oct '11 2:54:27 PM by KillerClowns

[Golf Course]

"Well," explained Christine, "I suppose I was always just blessed with good luck. It's probably why I was such a successful Jewel thief... wait, are you against thievery? If so, then you can just ignore that."

[Bar]

Virgil chuckled at Asayu's request.

"My, how rude of you two to abandon me like this. Have fun... alone... together. I'll be thinking of you."

Virgil gave a wink towards Asayu as he returned to his bar stool and continued with his drink.

[Bar]

"Is this man causing you problems?" the maid said to Asayu, "We usually try to stay out of the way, but if necessary, there are other methods..." she said, motioning to another maid that had appeared behind her.

The other maid was wearing a dark black and white uniform, and had gray hair in braids. She was sharpening a katana, and looking at Virgil intently.

"Now, just tell us if there are any other problems." she said, cheerily going along with her business.

[Boardwalk -> Pier]

"Hm. Well, whatever suits you best." Shiko said to Kokabiel.

"Ah, I think that's the last one!" Kurako said, as the boardwalk was now apparently clear of pigeons, "Next - the pier!"

They both walked slowly to the pier, Kurako continuing to catch pigeons, slowing moving faster with each one, until now she appeared to be moving at double-speed.

The sun had now climbed higher in the sky, casting shorter shadows and warming the sand on the Beach, as a few clouds passed by.

[ Current Time: Late Morning ]

I'm a little busy right now, so might be slow to reply.

edited 30th Oct '11 3:13:41 PM by Sonzai

Amaya shook her head and leaned in to whisper in Asayu's ear. "I still don't trust him and I have a funny feeling you don't either. C'mon, we can go up to my room."

She stood, stretched, and made her way out of the bar, looking back to scan the bar. She really hoped Yuki got a good chance to humiliate Virgil at some point, hopefully without the man having to try something too obscene to rile her.

Dining hall

"Fascinating," Qrlil said dryly. She found Vincent's obvious enthusiasm about science charming (when it didn't result in him ignoring her, anyway), but that didn't mean she was particularly interested in it herself.

She blinked. "Did you just take his sandwich?"

[Dining hall]

"Of course not," said Vincent. "I just took a bite, not the whole sandwich."

"And he can do that," said Xavier. "We're brothers, anyway. Now if he did take the entire sandwich..." He glared fiercely at Vincent.

"Still got the headache, huh?" chuckled Vincent.

Xavier nodded and took a long drink of water.

"If it was anyone else," Vincent said to Qrlil, "I wouldn't've done it. I do have some decency when it comes to social situations."

Dining hall

"I think I shall wait for empirical evidence to prove that," Qrlil said, again teasingly.

She ate some more of her fruit.

"So..." mandatory awkward pause "...so what do you plan to do today?" she asked Vincent.

[Field]

Rachel gave a weary smile. She really was blessed, wasn't she? Again, it was hard to be angry at her for it, even though she'd normally be jealous. "I'm not an angel either," she said. "If it's starve or steal... well, I'm still alive, aren't I?" She considered for a bit. She doubted Christie had the same excuse, but she couldn't imagine her stealing from someone unless she thought of them as a "bad person" either. Christie, Rachel reflected, was definitely simple, though not necessarily stupid.

[Bar —> Rooms]

Asayu said, "yeah, sounds like good thinking." She walked with Amaya and said, "people will talk, of course. Let them."

[Golf Course]

Starve or steal? Christine never really had an issue with starving. No, she stole more for the thrill of it... the challenge of breaking into a bank, or a museum... still, she figured that Rachel wouldn't appreciate, so now was one of the rare instances when Christine would decide to keep her mouth shut on the topic.

"So, what is it that you do, then?"

[Dining hall]

"I don't know, what do you plan to do today?" asked Vincent.

Xavier punched him in the shoulder. "Ha ha ha, Vincent."

Rubbing his shoulder, Vincent said, "Okay, in all seriousness, I don't know. Like I said, I haven't been to a lot of resorts. I don't know, maybe go swimming? The ocean looks nice, but I hope it's not too cold. Or it looked like they had some jet skis or something." He shrugged.

I'm going to be gone for a little while.

edited 30th Oct '11 3:31:41 PM by TeraChimera

Amaya laughed as they left the bar. "I'm pretty sure the only one who cares enough to talk is that creep."

She led the way upstairs and slowly opened the door. "Yuki? You awake?" she called softly. When no answer came, she beckoned Asayu inside, shutting the door behind her. She looked to Yuki on their bed, curled up and drooling slightly on her pillow, motionless save for the rising and falling of her chest with her breathing.

"Right where I left you," Amaya said with a smile. She turned to Asayu. "Well. Now we know Virgil isn't listening in." She sat down on the edge of the bed, leaving the chair open for her guest. "I was just teasing downstairs, but it looked like I hit a nerve at some point."

Dining hall

Qrlil bobbed her head up and down in a human-style affirmative gesture.

"I did not actually go in the ocean, but I spent some time on the beach yesterday. It was," she sighed reminiscently, "more than warm enough."

She ate the last piece of fruit and followed it down with a sip of water. "I think I am done," she said, and stood up. She could improvise on what to do next - after all, this was vacation.

She dipped her head to Vincent and smiled. "Goodbye for now," she said, and walked out of the room.

[Rooms]

"You did," Asayu said, keeping her voice casual. Rather than sit, she leaned up on the wall by the window and said, "everybody makes mistakes in their life, me included. But I learned from them. I'm not about to share the details. Nothing personal." She examined the two young lovers wistfully and said, "but I just don't want either of you two to make the same mistakes. How old are you? Eighteen? You've got a lot of life ahead of you, and here you are talking about love. Now me, you can guess how I feel about that. But some people end up happy that way."

Then she examined the still-slumbering Yuki, and said, "but if you had to get her drunk in order to finally get what you wanted from her..." she narrowed her eyes as she examined Amaya and said, "well, let's just hope she feels the same way when sober." She turned to look out the window and said, "people in love are dangerous. Trust me on that."

[Fields]

Rachel said, "well, I went to school to be an actuary. But, that got shot when my family curse jumped to me. Hard. Now I'm trying not to get sacrificed by mages or experimented on by creepy men in black suits." Realizing how terrible this sounded, she quickly said, "it's not hellish, don't get me wrong. You get used to it. As long as I keep on the move, occasionally going back to my parent's place in Seattle to recover and enjoy the benefits of electricity, hot water, and internet, I stay alive. And there's been some fun times, I admit. I always did want to travel. Just not quite in the 'fleeing for my life' kind of way. And I suppose the Portals are a way better way to travel than on airplane." She glanced at her shoes and grumbled, "don't get me started on airport security these days."

[Golf Course]

Christine gave a smile towards Rachel, though it was pretty forced. What Rachel had described didn't sound like a happy life at all. Christine wondered if this can't of life was as bad for... HIM...

"Oh... well, I guess if you can find something fun in it... then it's Okay!"

Amaya shut her eyes and hoped Asayu didn't hear her mutter "seventeen" under her breath. "You think devoting yourself to one person is a foolish thing, then?"

She looked Asayu up and down. "I can't imagine what left you jaded. You say you don't want to go into details, but what do you have to lose? We're not even from the same world. Nothing you tell me is going to harm you, if anything it might actually make you feel better. If it's some attempt at staying 'in control' of emotions you're scared of revealing, then..." She paused. Then what?

"You said you don't want us to make the same mistakes you did. What were your mistakes?"

I must say, it's great fun to pick through Asayu's mind, even vicariously.

edited 30th Oct '11 4:08:38 PM by animemetalhead

[Rooms]

"Maybe," Asayu said, as much to herself as Yuki, "it's not right to say I don't believe in love. I've seen it happen. It's just not for me. I like to keep my options open. Don't get me wrong, I tried one of those open relationships once. Didn't work." She considered the beach outside for a moment. "So I guess maybe love is something that happens to other people, and it all seems really stupid to me. But hey, your life."

"No," she said, "it's not love that I'm worried about. It's..." she stopped, circling her fingers in the air as she sought the word. "Obsession. Obsession, and people who can't tell the difference between the two. You've been with Yuki as a friend, for how long? And how long did you spend scheming ways to make her love you?"

She stopped, a bit of regret in her eyes, and said, "but perhaps I'm wrong. I've been wrong before." She looked back at Yuki. "She did say she loved you. Let's see if she remembers those words when she finally gets up."

Yes, she is dodging the question about her past, and her mistrust of Amaya isn't entirely rational.

[Fields]

"I adjust," Rachel said simply. "Others have endured worse," she added, feeling her smooth, almost completely unblemished face, "and come out with their minds and souls intact."

Then, suddenly, she asked, "so, jewel thieving. You've got to have some interesting stories? Want to share one?"

[Golf Course]

Ivin had been practicing hitting some golf balls as Rachel and Christine talked, until a stray ball hit a pigeon in a tree. It fell over, motionless.

"Oh man, sorry!" Ivin said, running towards it.

As soon as Ivin got near it, it stood up, grasped the ball, and flew away.

"Hey! Come back here!" Ivin said, chasing it around the course until he got a beep on his communicator. "Um, yes?"

"Ivin? What are you doing?" Harrison said over the communicator.

"Chasing a pigeon, why?" Ivin said.

"Nevermind that - apparently were needed for some sort of conference on Erandi, and they've been wondering where we are, so move it - we leave in 15 minutes!" Harrison said.

"Oh, I'll be right there!" Ivin said, then hurrying back to Rachel and Christine, "It's been great talking with you, but unfortunately, I must be off." He tipped his hat at the goodbyes, and hurried back to the Resort.

. . .

A few minutes later, the trio of Ivin, Harrison, and P'jwakh could be seen hurrying back to their ship, and walking inside.

The hatch closing, it took off with a brief gust of air, and flew into the sky, vanishing back to their universe.

Kurako and Shiko are still hunting pigeons on the pier.

[Field]

"Oh, I have plenty of stories..." Christine explained. "There was that time I left my equipment at home the night of the heist, or that time when I left my outfit at the cleaners, and had to pull it off in my underwear..."

Christine scratched her head, thinking over a few of her other heists.

"But I think my favourite story is of when I met Noah... and of course, Charlie."

[Fields]

"Oh?" Rachel said, now curious. "One of them your boyfriend or husband?" She could almost hear Asayu asking or are they both? Shaking away the thought, she continued, "well, don't say if it'll ruin the story. But Please! Do tell!"

[Field]

"Well, Charlie's my fiance..."

Upon saying this, Christine showed off her newly acquired engagement ring.

"And Noah's... well, Noah. And no, I'm not involved with or interested in Noah like THAT, no matter how paranoid Charlie is. Anyway, I was performing one of my biggest challenges, a magnificent diamond that was uncovered in an excavation site in the desert. It was being held inside a museum, which I planned on breaking into... and I wasn't the only one. More people were trying to get their hands on that Diamond, and for more personal reasons. There was Noah, and his group of friends, including Charlie, and then... then there was the diamond's owner. I never expected that one. Yeah, turns out some people can live forever, and that guy needed that diamond so he could keep on doing so, while Noah and Company were trying to stop him... and I was stuck in the middle. Long story short, Charlie saved my life, we destroyed the Diamond, and we managed to kill the guy... I've been working with them ever since."

edited 30th Oct '11 5:04:51 PM by Dvdmacyoshi

Dining hall - Lobby

Qrlil gave a parting dip of her head to Vincent, then walked out the door. She could always meet up with him later - in the meanwhile, she intended to visit the lobby and see if any interesting new patronss had arrived. It might help take her mind off of ...various issues... and it could make for some fascinating conversations, as well.

If there ever was an ideal vacation for a xenophile like me...

Amaya's eyes hardened. "No. Never scheming. Never make her love me. Just... waiting. My own feelings mean nothing if she was in a relationship she was forced into. There would be no point to it."

She sighed. "Whatever has disillusioned you to love, I can't say. Your past is your past, and no amount of persuading from me is going to change it. But I'm sure that if you really wanted to, you could find love."

Yuki stirred, murmuring nonsense in her sleep as she rolled over, shielding her face from the light. Amaya spared a glance at her. "Even if you have to wait for half a decade."

[Parking Lot]

Meanwhile...

The mini-bus driver stepped outside, and took a breath of fresh air. "Ah, nice place they got here." he said, stretching out.

However, in the back of the bus, the emergency exit door opened slowly, and two more college-age girls stepped down quietly onto the pavement, closing the door behind them. Confirming that the bus driver was looking the other way, they both hurried into the forest quietly and hid behind some trees.

"What's the status of the plan so far?" said the first, Riko, who had long, dark purple hair in a ponytail.

"Well, we've managed to sneak onto what is apparently an interdimensional tour bus, crossed over time and space, and somehow ended up in ... a Resort? I'm guessing ... Okinawa? Hawaii? There are a lot of pigeons, though..." said the second, Nanami, who was a little shorter, with yellowish blond hair down to her shoulders.

"Maybe it's just me, but I rather doubt this is still Earth. Did you see that spaceship take off a few minutes ago?" said Riko, "Okay, next step - activate disguise plan zeta omega five."

. . .

[Lobby]

Two more girls walked through the interdimensional door: Riko, dressed as Mima◊, and Nanami, dressed as Flandre Scarlet◊. Characters from Touhou. Yes, they're supposed to be goofy disguises/costumes.

"Hello. We're here for the conference." Riko said to Miki (greeting maid).

"Um ... I don't think there's a conference going on right now. But you're welcome to enjoy your stay at the Sojomi Resort." Miki said to Riko.

After hearing the rest of the introduction, Riko said, "Ah, yes. Thanks. We'll just check out the Resort, then." Hmmm... they must just be here to relax, then... Riko thought, gotta play it cool.

Riko and Nanami then saw Qrlil, and approached her.

"Ah, hello fellow trans-dimensional being, what brings you to this pocket universe today?" Riko said. No, that's not it! Casual! Casual! "Er, what's crackin'?"

"Yes, hello." said Nanami, waving lightly at Qrlil.

Also, in case anyone's wondering they are for all intents and purposes entirely normal humans. They do have a slight mysterious supernatural quality, but it is very hard to detect, and they do not know about it yet.

edited 30th Oct '11 5:38:26 PM by Sonzai