open | come bury your toes in the sand

[redigere]

WHO: Naminé and friends; open to passersby
WHERE: Beach near Heropa
WHEN: October 15th
WHAT: BEACH PARTY! Feel free to create a new prompt if the ones below don't appeal to you.
WARNINGS: None for now!

It'd taken a lot of last minute scrambling, a lot of runs to the grocery store, and a lot of help from her friends. But as Naminé steps back from the set up, she smiles. Allows herself a little bit of pride in what she's accomplished.

The home tent is where all the food is. Fold up tables have been loaded with an array of sandwiches, finger foods, and drinks, and a cooler nearby has fish and other seafood goodies to be grilled at the bonfire once someone gets hungry for it. This is also where she'll direct friends to drop off snacks and homemade goodies. Please do not sneak any of the chocolate and marshmallows meant for s'mores later.

Close by is the rest area, which is really just a big spread of blankets and a couple fold up chairs on the sand. She doesn't expect everyone to want to stay standing up all day, after all. Naminé knows she's going to be there for a bit, chatting with friends who are visiting, and she may have started a tiny sandcastle and collection of sea shells at the edge of the blankets as well.

The volleyball net and accompanying volleyball are borrowed from a co-worker, so it definitely needs to get back to her in one piece. There's plenty of space for other sports and competitions though...perhaps a game of soccer? And how could anyone ignore the ocean? She and a few others will likely be waist deep in it, learning and practicing how to swim.

Not bad for her first party. Now all she has to do is wait for her guests.

Comments

[redigere]

Yes! I'd like that. I still need to get used to his strength. He can drag me around the block whenever I walk him, but if you're there maybe he'll behave better.

[resipiscent]

He drags you around?

[He did that when Riku and Sora first got him, last December, but Riku had pretty much taught him otherwise by now.]

In that case, he doesn't think you can boss him around, I guess... he doesn't do that with me.

[He can probably teach her how to have Shiro take her seriously, though. He's a pretty easygoing dog.]

[redigere]

Oh, I don't think he's doing it on purpose. It's more that he's very eager and I'm not very good at keeping up, so it ends up that way! I'll get used to him soon though, don't worry.

[resipiscent]

[Riku makes a face, looking out toward his dog on the shore again.]

Well... he should know to be patient, though. That's what I've been teaching him the whole time. He thinks that because he's not with me, he can do whatever he wants. We'll bring him out together in the next couple of days, then.

[Shiro knows better than to drag her around. That isn't nice!]

[redigere]

Okay. I'll practice being stern with him.

[The image of herself being 'stern' is enough to make her hide a grin behind her hand though.]

[resipiscent]

Well, you don't have to be stern. Just make sure he's taking you seriously.

[Riku grins faintly, then kicks gently, pushing her in an arbitrary direction.]

Have you gone actually swimming, Namine, or are you gonna float around all day?

[redigere]

[She pouts at him when he pushes her away, kicking so she doesn't drift off too much.]

Floating is nice! I can see all the scenery. But I guess I should try swimming a bit.

[She slips under the water and reemerges outside the floatie a moment later, clinging to it. She's still very much lacking in confidence.]

[resipiscent]

[Riku's still hanging onto it too, but he lets go when she joins him, treading water. He's been working with her, but he feels like he still has a lot to teach her.]

I'm not gonna let you get into trouble. Let the water support you.

[redigere]

[She gives him a nervous smile and lets go of the floatie completely, kicking strongly and spreading the water out in front of her in large sweeps.]

[resipiscent]

[There, and Riku nods, following along slowly. That'll do. He figures it's important to get all the practice she can before the winter, even if it's starting to get a little chilly. They can swim indoors later, but swimming out here is something special, all on its own.]

We don't have to go too deep or anything. Though I'm surprised you came this far out, to be honest. Were you just drifting?

[redigere]

I kicked part of the way, but yes. I wanted to see what it was like, being this far from the shore.

[She would've teleported back, if she got in trouble, but the sea is so calm that she hadn't felt in danger at all.

Now that she doesn't have her floatie, that's a different issue, but she's still doing rather well. Even if she looks like a puppy trying to keep her head above the water while swimming.]

Maybe I should've brought goggles...

[resipiscent]

Maybe you should've.

[He grins. He, Kairi and Sora are all used to the salt water in their eyes, but he supposes Namine wouldn't have inherited that particular resistance, considering it's something they've had to get used to and not something innate.]

You'll know for next time. Though it might be a good idea to get used to the salt water, but I wouldn't try doing that today. You don't need to host a party with your eyes all red and in pain.

[The human body can get used to anything, he's heard it said, and he's pretty sure it's true.]

[redigere]

[She is very, very tempted to stick her tongue out at him, but just scrunches her nose in his direction instead-- though her smile gives away how amused she is.]

No, I shouldn't...but I really want to be better soon. Then I can go out further into the sea with you, and race against Sora and Kagami, and go deeper into the ocean to find seashells with Xion, too.

[Alas, the seasons are against her, so all her determination will have to be put on hold until late spring.]

[resipiscent]

[There's that part of her that marks her as counterpart to Kairi, and Riku grins.]

Heh. We'll figure that out, in time. For now, we'll have to just stick to the indoor pool. By the time spring rolls back around you'll have enough practice.

[Riku disappears under the waves again, then comes up next to her, holding both hands out for her to take.]

How do you feel lately with it?

[redigere]

[She makes a tiny alarmed noise that peters out when he reappears next to her. Naminé reaches out and grips his hands tightly, huffing a little.]

I think I might have to work on my stamina...it hasn't been long, but I'm already tired of kicking.

[resipiscent]

Might be a good idea, [he agrees gently, treading water for both of them.] For now, you can stop, if you want. I can hold you up. [Actually, it might be easier, since they're kind of bobbing irregularly right now.]

[redigere]

'kay.

[And with a sigh, she relaxes, tilting her head back to look up at the blue, blue sky.]

I might have to take up water coloring, after today.

[resipiscent]

You'd be good at it, [he says simply, following her gaze.] I'd like to see that. What'll you paint?

[redigere]

The sky. Nike took me up earlier, on a floating cloud. The colors up there were breath-taking.

[resipiscent]

Nike did?

[Trust her to pull something like that...]

How was it?

[redigere]

Very high up! But so, so beautiful. Seeing the ocean from there was so different, like a whole new world.

[resipiscent]

I remember... when Sora and I returned to the Islands, we fell out of the sky. I didn't get much of a glimpse of things before I hit the water, but... I can imagine what it would have been like if I'd stayed up there. Must have been pretty.

[redigere]

It must have been.

[But that reminds her...]

Kairi was so surprised when she saw you falling. She thought for sure you two would hit your heads on something under the water, and then I'd have to fix your memories all over again.

[resipiscent]

Heh... nah, we were all right. She should have known we'd be all right, you know? She did it herself, way back when.

[Riku lets go with one hand, to indicate the beach.]

C'mon, let's go eat. We'll give Shiro a hotdog.

and end thread~

[redigere]

You know her, always worrying.

[She takes a deep breath, lets go of his other hand, and then kicks with all her might towards shore.]

Race you there!