Solar Party! [Summer Event]

Summer had arrived to Fiore, and the weather was making sure everyone knew it. Spring's affectionate warmth and refreshing winds were replaced by a heat that wavered between invigorating and sweltering, and any breeze was welcomed as a moment of respite from the latter. The occasional storm that passed over the land would cool everything down before the sun reasserted itself, the aftermath being a humid heat that was arguably even worse than before the storm.

As Akemi remained holed up inside the guild's library she idly mused about how in the past this kind of climate had been hellish for her. When she was younger and significantly more inexperienced she'd been very sensitive to light, to the point that she'd spent a lot of time blindfolded just to avoid splitting headaches. She didn't fare much better in the heat either: overall, during the summer she'd always try to just avoid going outside as much as possible.

These days she was a lot more resilient, able to both endure the light and shrug off the sweltering heat. The fact that she was still inclined towards staying inside now had to do with her interests, not with her physiological limitations.

It was also a very good thing that she was no longer as vulnerable as she'd once been, or spending time with a certain someone would have been a lot more challenging.

That certain someone was, of course, her apprentice Nymara, and as if summoned by Akemi's thoughts the fiery redhead entered the large archives and announced her presence loudly as always, making the erudite assassin roll her eyes before closing the tome she'd been reading and getting up from her seat.

"This is still a library, you know." She remarked dryly as she skipped the distance between herself and the entrance, stepping out of the shadows of one of the many tall shelves that dominated the library. "What did you find this time?" By this point it was borderline tradition for Nymara to find some kind of festivity to drag Akemi to, so the raven-haired shadow slayer didn't even question it.

Stepping next to Nymara she skimmed the flyer her apprentice was holding, in which someone had done their best to advertise summer festivities as enthusiastically as possible, with brightly coloured images and lots of exclamation marks in the writing. "It's astounding just how robust Fiore's economy is that they can support such extravagance throughout the year..."

She shook her head to dismiss those thoughts. While personally she did find such matters interesting she knew that Nymara would zone out if she got too focused on the finances required to support Fiore's festival-rich traditions. "I imagine you would make an impact with your cooking technique." She remarked. Nymara's technique was exotic thanks to her fire slayer magic, but it was certainly effective. "Last year we went to the beach, and it certainly is the weather for it... or were you planning to stick to the city this time?"

Akemi knew what she would choose given the option, but even if their relationship was one of mentor and apprentice she was fine with letting Nymara decide on matters which came down to taste.

Frankly, the fact that Akemi went along with Nymara's invitation itself spoke volumes about how willing she was to adapt her schedule to her apprentice's desires. With most other people the assassin would quickly have excused herself and returned to her studies. The only other person she could think of whose wants and needs had as profound an impact on her was Leila, and she hadn't seen the edenchild for a while now.

Current Appearance:

WC: 606
PWC: 606
TWC: 1,164

@Nymara

It wasn't like Nymara was unique in her tendency of barging into the library and making noise, and she'd done it often enough that by this point the other people who used the place for its intended purpose for the most part just rolled their eyes and moved on. Not that there were many others: most members of the guild weren't that interested in the library unless they were looking for a specific piece of information, especially in weather such as what they were currently enjoying.

"You got this flyer from some thugs?" A somewhat curious announcement, although Akemi quickly shrugged as she thought it through. "Even scoundrels have days off I suppose."

While Lucky did make a valid point that the people of Fiore had grown accustomed to the many festivities and would most likely became considerably less amiable if the government began to scale back on them, that didn't answer the question how they could fund all of it from an economical perspective. Economics weren't her greatest interest, but it was good to remain up to date on such matters. "The lesser of two evils, I suppose."

Nymara's comment about how other people didn't understand what a true bonfire was would have earned her another dry comment if the firebrand hadn't chosen to follow up with a hug for her mentor, a gesture which genuinely surprised Akemi. She wasn't used to people initiating physical contact so casually. Then again, Nymara was a lot more physical than most, and it wasn't like Akemi hadn't made it clear that she indulged the redhead a great deal.

"...As long as you're having fun."

Fortunately her stoic attitude hid her momentary confusion, but Akemi still quickly moved on, awaiting Nymara's final decision on where they would go.

"...If I remember correctly your beach attire from last year also included a jacket." But with Nymara already moving to leave the library Akemi shrugged. "I'll come with, I just need a moment to put things back." It wouldn't do to leave scrolls and books just lying around.

"From what I've seen so far she makes her own day if nobody else does it for her." She answered Lucky as the two of them followed after the firebrand. Granted, the assassin would have to go to her own apartment to pick up her beachwear, but it was more convenient for them to travel together the rest of the way since they were heading for the same destination.

---

As with last year the beach was filled with people. The people of Fiore loved festivities and celebrations, and the arrival of summertime was a good excuse to go out and have fun in almost any culture. Akemi held one hand above her eyes to block out the sun as she surveyed the scene before them. Colourful parasols and small tents sprouted from the ochre sands all across the beach, and she didn't bother to try and count everyone.

"I would swear that there are even more people here than last year."

Her own outfit was the same as last year's, the jacket hanging from her elbows to expose almost the entirety of her upper torso and the simple dark bikini which exposed her pale skin to the sun that bathed the world in warm light. Planting one hand on her hip she thought back to last year before shaking her head.

"It might take a bit longer before they start the bonfires, so I'd suggest we first go looking for where they've got barbeque stalls set up... Or maybe cool off in the water before we eat anything."

A thought occurred to her and she glanced down towards Lucky.

"That reminds me... you weren't here with us last time. Can you swim?"

While these days Nymara and Lucky were almost always together there had been a time that the fire slayer acted on her own. Lucky's presence helped keep Nymara's more reckless tendencies in check, and since he was well-mannered Akemi didn't have any complaints.

Well, perhaps one, but he was very accommodating in that regard as well.

Current Appearance:

WC: 681
PWC: 1,287
TWC: 2,523

@Nymara

Akemi didn't comment on Nymara's and Lucky's poor excuse for a "home", although her expression might have non-verbally spoken the words her throat refused to pass. As Nymara had become increasingly competent beyond merely being good in a fight her income should also have come up, so for the two of them to still be living under a bridge meant that either Nymara really couldn't care less or she was wasting her money on other things... probably alcohol. Leaving aside the fact that letting someone who could breathe fire drink so much was a questionable decision at best Akemi did sometimes genuinely wonder if she should encourage Nymara to cut back a little so she wasn't risking her financial stability.

However, today was not the day to bother with that. They had arrived at the beach, and as expected Nymara's excitement was only augmented by the sun's hot rays. The assassin listened with one ear as most of her attention was on figuring out the best path towards the water where they wouldn't have to worry about accidentally bumping into someone, although she rolled her eyes when Nymara dismissed Lucky's comment so bluntly. "No sane person would take your relationship with fire and heat as the standard for humans." The raven-haired mage nodded towards the many parasols and tents. "They seek out the heat but then when faced with it they long for the shade."

In contrast to expectations Nymara ended up supporting the idea of entering the water before getting something to eat. Although it turned out that part of her motivation was for the two of them to try out the surfboards again: Akemi could recall how her apprentice had performed very well for a beginner, whilst her own experience was less than enjoyable. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she recalled the hydromancer who'd interfered with other surfers like that, including her. "There's no competition this time around, so there wouldn't be any reason for the same thing to happen this year." Her gaze lingered on the surfboards before she sighed. "It's not as if I've got extensive experience with these things, but in this weather falling in the water could be considered a blessing in itself."

She did feel sympathetic towards Lucky, as she was reminded of how she had been nearly unable to handle summertime in the past. Granted, in contrast to that Lucky's case was still very mild, but she could understand how for him this wasn't the most ideal environment. "There's a type of water you might enjoy better, but I'll show you later."

With those words she followed after Nymara, her eyes now settling on the surfboards. These ones which were available to everyone were as standard as they came, cheap and light with bright and vibrant colours. After a short moment of indecision she grabbed one which had a red and purple pattern, bringing to mind roses even if the shapes were too simplistic to accurately portray such a flower.

"It's a good thing your motion sickness doesn't apply to these things." She commented while lifting the surfboard and walking towards the water, expecting Nymara to follow close behind with her own board. "From what I recall you did have a talent for this."

To avoid getting her jacket wet she allowed the decorative garment to slide down her arms and into her shadow where it disappeared. Under different circumstances the two of them might have turned many heads, but since there was no lack of beautiful beachgoers during these celebrations they only got some approving looks as they kept walking until the water was splashing around their feet, each step making it rise higher until it was up to Akemi's knees.

Getting onto the surfboard she paddled further away from the coast, heading for where several others were also drifting around on the water and waiting for a big wave to come and allow them to show off their skills. Several of the surfers greeted them with raised hands and friendly calls, which Akemi for the most part ignored or barely acknowledged with a raised hand.

"Looks like we have a minute before the waves reach us." Sitting on her board Akemi let her legs dangle in the cool water, her long hair clinging to her back with the lower ends drifting on top of the water. She glanced over her should towards the sea. "By the way, I have noticed that you're controlling your temperature a lot better than last time. I'm glad to see that you're taking my lessons to heart... Unless of course you're just trying to impress me."

A curl at the edge of her lips indicated that the last part was meant more teasingly than as a legitimate thought, the assassin turning her gaze back towards her red-haired companion. The two wouldn't have too much time to talk, however, as the other surfers began to move in anticipation for the upcoming wave.

"Let's see how this works out when there's nobody getting in the way." These words were said as much to herself as to her surroundings, the dark claw mage pushing herself up to stand on top of the surfboard even as the calm waters quickly became more violent, rising and swelling as the wave began to form...

Current Appearance:

WC: 883
PWC: 2,170
TWC: 4,163

@Nymara

"Humans are rarely as logical as they claim to be." Was Akemi's simple response to Nymara's confusion regarding the strange behaviour people displayed in the summer. Her gaze swept across the beach once more, her eyes narrowing slightly before she shook her head and turned her attention back towards Nymara. The mention of ice magic made her raise an eyebrow before nodding. "Ice magic is considered a precious commodity during summer the same way fire magic is sought after during harsh winters. As for surfing... Ice magic would be useful for that." She grimaced. "Unless, of course, you interfere with the other surfers."

Her experience from last year had left her a bit annoyed, even if it was irrelevant in the long run. Shaking her head the raven-haired assassin would put all of that behind her. No competition this year, and if someone did try anything funny she'd just deal with it as it happened. She wasn't in the habit of letting her guard down anyway: if anything last year's attempt at surfing had been a small reminder that you could always be caught off-guard.

As Nymara complimented her choice of surfboard she looked at Nymara's. She'd expected something a bit more fiery, but this suited the redhead's lighthearted nature as well. "Yours isn't bad either. But the reason why your motion sickness doesn't apply here is simple." She walked closer and rapped her knuckles against the surface of Nymara's board. "This isn't really a vehicle, it's just a tool to help you move across the water. You directly control it with your own body, which in your case means it's in good hands." She smirked. "Motion sickness only happens when your body isn't sure about what is happening. When you're on a train you feel like you're sitting still but at the same time, you also feel like you're moving."

It was always fun to watch Nymara actually get embarrassed. The firebrand was usually so confident and passionate, but the right approach could make her temperature rise quite quickly. Of course, it was already hot enough so Akemi shouldn't go too far, but she still decided to indulge herself a little as the two of them picked up their boards and walked towards the water. "I imagine that I'll do fine, but even so I'll make sure to watch you. I might learn a thing or two, and even if I don't at least I'll have a nice view."

With the two of them waiting together with the other surfers for the next wave to arrive Akemi enjoyed the sensation of cool water around her legs, cooling them down to contrast with the invigorating (if somewhat sweltering) warmth that the sun had blessed the world with. Nymara's response made her smile slightly even as she also rolled her eyes. "I would hope that you're appreciating the importance of the lessons themselves, but if you also want to make a good impression... well, I've got no reason to discourage it." It wasn't a bad thing for the apprentice to try and impress the mentor, as long as it didn't cause her to start showing off in nonsensical ways. "You've come a long way from when we started, and while there is still much progress to be made I'm not unhappy with what you've achieved so far."

However, when the water began to swell up and the wave began to form the time to casually converse would come to an end. Standing on top of her surfboard the assassin would assume a lower stance, one foot in front and one foot behind. While her sense of balance was good enough that she wasn't worried about her performance she wasn't knowledgeable enough about surfing to try out any more advanced tricks: going with what made sense and worked was good enough for her.

Once the wave had fully formed and they were getting carried along Akemi would do as she'd stated before and follow Nymara. The wave tried to make her wipeout, but the assassin quickly got the hang of it and leaned towards the water as if challenging it to do its worst. Even with the lower half of her hair already wet the speed with which she followed behind her apprentice made her black mane dance behind her like a dark tail.

Her sharp ears picked up on Nymara's invitation, a warning that within moments things would get more fiery. The dark claw mage glanced towards the other surfers who were having the time of their lives. She didn't think Nymara was so careless as to actually harm them, but her jet fire could still end up causing some trouble.

Lifting her forward hand she aimed it towards Nymara, furrowing her brow as she concentrated. This particular trick would be a bit harder than usual, especially since she didn't want anyone to figure out what she was doing. As her apprentice released her flames and turned herself into a jet surfer an invisible force concentrated the fire into two narrow columns behind Nymara. Even as she shot past everyone else the jet trail would follow a narrow path to ensure it didn't accidentally burn or impede any of the other surfers. This meant that the reactions from the other surfers were limited to surprise and awe, watching the beautiful comet leave them all behind before shooting up into the air and landing in the water.

At the same time Akemi had also manipulated the shadows underneath the water to make the wave push harder against her surfboard, accelerating her so she could follow Nymara in a more subtle manner. If she took full control over the shadows she could have moved her board as if it was part of her body and completely ignored the wave's attempts at wiping her out, but if she was here to have fun she might as well embrace the challenge rather than exploiting her magic to nullify the possibility of failure.

As Nymara decided to launch herself up into the air with the clear intention of falling into the water Akemi rolled her eyes before following suit. Sure, she could have ridden out the wave, but she had said she'd follow after Nymara.

And she hadn't been lying when she said that in this weather falling into the water was more of a blessing than a curse.

Turning her board towards the wave she drastically strengthened the force of the submerged shadows, pushing her and her surfboard high into the air just like Nymara had done with her flames. Grabbing the edge of the board with her toes the assassin launched it as if she were throwing a javelin, aiming for it to land far enough away from all the other surfers that it wouldn't be a hindrance.

This left her own body to follow a parabolic trajectory through the air, seemingly slowing down at the zenith before falling back down towards the water. Curling up into a ball she spun several times before unfolding and stretching out, diving into the water with nary a splash.

Curving her body she slid through the water like an eel, using the momentum from the fall to quickly approach Nymara while still submerged. Moving behind her apprentice she rose back to the surface. Her arms slithered around the firebrand's body, wrapping around her midriff and holding her close even as Akemi's head broke the surface and she rested her chin on Nymara's shoulder.

"It wasn't half bad, no." She admitted. The other surfers had also finished riding out the large wave, some of them still looking at the two beauties with a variety of expressions while others were just enjoying the calm after the thrill, already looking forward to the next wave. "We could do this a couple of times more, but I did tell sir Lucky that I'd show him a type of water he'd enjoy better."

Some quick motions with one hand had the submerged shadows guide their surfboards towards them. Letting go of her apprentice Akemi would climb back onto her own surfboard, motioning for Nymara to follow as she returned to the beach. Placing the surfboards back where they belonged Akemi would head for where various barbeque grills were set up while also searching for Lucky with her golden gaze. "Surfing is a fairly unique sensation, but in the end it's mostly a balancing act. Now, there should also be an ice cream stand here somewhere..." She looked at Nymara over her shoulder. "I don't think your partner would want to eat something hot in this weather, but I already know that you'll keep going until I tell you to stop." Her words were dry, but not accusing.

Current Appearance:

WC: 1,455
PWC: 3,625
TWC: 6,906

@Nymara

Akemi rolled her eyes when Nymara deflected the praise back towards the assassin. While it was good that the firebrand had such a high opinion of her it was clear that she was being over the top for comedic effect. "It's good that you're motivated."

As she embraced her apprentice from behind after the two of them finished their surfing performance Akemi's lips curled up into a smirk as she felt the water around them heat up. While Nymara's control had clearly improved by leaps and bounds it looked like she could still lose it when caught off-guard. "Careful now, wouldn't want to disappoint your great teacher after she complimented your self-control."

It was true that she rarely, if ever, initiated physical contact, but since they were having some casual fun at the beach anyway she didn't see the harm in it. Especially if it served to fluster her apprentice.

"Ice is solid water, so ice cream is another type of water." Was her simple explanation as she led the way back to the beach. Fortunately they didn't have to wait long for Lucky to return to them, the flying feline having kept track of their movements in the water and descending from his airborne position once it was clear that they were done playing around in the water for the moment. The assassin nodded towards the knight, followed by a light shrug. "I imagine that magic surfing has enough supporters, but since a lot of people have limited magical talent the version which everyone can try would get more attention." She placed her hand against the surfboard. "That, and it would take away from the physical aspect."

If she'd wanted to show off she could have used shadows to completely control the movements of the board and defy the wave's forces entirely, in which case it'd be difficult to call what she was doing surfing.

Unlike Nymara Akemi didn't have the benefit of heat-generating magic to dry herself off after leaving the water behind. She'd have to rely on the sun to do the work for her, although she did shake and brush some of the water out of her hair: with how long her dark locks were they could get quite heavy when wet. For the most part, however, she'd leave behind a trail of darkened sand as her footsteps left soft imprints and droplets were shaken loose by her movements.

Nymara's protests earned her a smirk, the assassin clearly amused at her apprentice's attempts at defending herself from the teasing accusation. "If you're still growing I'm interested to see what you'll end up as." Her golden eyes went up and down Nymara's body before she turned her head forwards towards the ice cream stand. "But as long as you don't eat yourself into poverty and exercise enough to work off the excess there's nothing wrong with a healthy appetite."

Akemi would have expected Nymara to immediately pick a flavour that looked interesting, so when the redhead instead took her time trying to figure out which flavour appealed to her most the assassin also looked at the various flavours available. Some of them were quite mundane, but others were more eccentric... well, that's the power of magic and money at work. During summer there would be enough people who wanted ice cream that you could afford to offer some weird choices: someone would try it.

She did snort in amusement when the stand owner called Nymara hot rod. "Not often I get described as "girl"..." She mused as she stepped forward once her companion was no longer holding up the queue. As she'd already had plenty of time to make her decision she soon would have a cup with two scoops in her hand, one vanilla and the other banana. Nymara's boast made her raise an eyebrow. "You can do better than that... unless I'm standing too close."

As the three of them enjoyed their ice cream Akemi would lead the way towards where barbeque grills were set up, the strong scent of grilled meat carried on the wind and attracting quite a crowd. The people in charge of the grills certainly were working hard, emptying bottles of cold water in between handing out plates of various types of barbeque fare. "Usually it's dessert after the meal." Akemi noted. She wasn't hungry herself, but she knew that Nymara wouldn't consider this trip a success unless she'd gotten to eat some good food as well.

In the distance people were beginning to build a big bonfire in preparation for when the sun would have sunk far enough down the horizon that the light from the flame would be visible far and wide. As brilliant as summer days were, night was still an inevitability (and one that Akemi personally welcomed).

Current Appearance:

WC: 800
PWC: 4,425
TWC: 8,736

@Nymara

Akemi gave Nymara a look that was part puzzled and part worried. "You do realise that most people get burn wounds when exposed to fire, right?" The way the firebrand talked about the potential issue of magic surfers using fireballs to get rid of the competition made it sound like she thought a little bit of water would solve the issue entirely. "Not everyone is as accustomed to being hot as you."

Her head tilted to the side as Nymara pointed out that technically Akemi was a girl, the assassin pondering this for several seconds. "I suppose, although usually that term is reserved for people younger and smaller than me." While Akemi was physically in her prime her actual age didn't exactly align with the human lifespan. Come to think of it, she'd never told either Nymara or Lucky how old she actually was. She smirked as Nymara was distracted by the realisation that if she wanted to make a good impression she'd have to focus on not melting her ice cream. "The sun is going to melt it eventually anyway, so you'd be better off eating it than trying to keep it from melting."

The evidence for her claim was that her own ice cream and Lucky's were also showing signs of melting, which was also a good reason for Akemi to start eating her ice cream. It was really quite tasty, especially with the way the cold treat contrasted with the heat of the sun.

Lucky's question made her pause before shaking her head. "I used to be vulnerable to light, but I grew out of it." She took another small bite from her ice cream before continuing. "As you can imagine I focused on control and stability over explosive power while training myself, which also meant addressing my weaknesses."

All of what she said was true, although the details she was leaving out would change the story a lot.

"That said my magic has very little to do with either heat or cold beyond providing shade, which you could also do with various other types of magic."

From the looks of it, Nymara was still set on trying to preserve her ice cream as long as possible. Rather than reminding her apprentice that the sun would melt it eventually anyway, Akemi left the firebrand to her self-set challenge, enjoying her own ice cream with less reservation. The scent of the barbeque grills and their products did mix a bit oddly with the taste of ice cream, but at the same time the combination did seem very appropriate as a representation of summer.

"That differs per country, but Fiore does seem the most invested in celebrating at every opportunity." The same topic that had come up before had returned, leaving Akemi with the same questions even as she got to work finishing her ice cream. While she was careful not to spill anything she had ended up going through her frozen treat remarkably fast, in an attempt to get it all in her stomach before the sun made it too messy. "It's a sign of how prosperous the nation is."

Once she'd run out of ice cream Akemi dropped the cup into her shadow, where it unceremoniously vanished as if it'd dropped straight through the ground. With both hands free she followed after Nymara, her apprentice predictably already putting together a large plate of grilled meat. Akemi herself wasn't quite as voracious, picking up two meat skewers and taking her time removing the pieces of meat one by one. "They've still got a lot of people to feed, so try not to empty their reserves." Her golden eyes went to the half-molten ice cream Nymara was still holding onto. "And if you don't finish that before it melts completely I'm feeding it to you." She licked her lips after gulping down another piece of meat.

"Since they're already setting up the bonfires we might as well wait there." Motion for the other two to follow her again Akemi would walk over towards where the bonfires were being constructed. To try and provide enough bonfires for the entire beach was quite the task, the bonfires themselves being large enough that if they were any bigger you might start thinking of them as effigies. The people at work were skilled, however, making sure the constructions were sturdy and would quickly ignite once the sky had darkened a little more.

As the day progressed further the atmosphere of the beach would change. During the afternoon there had been many parents with young children, but those would all pack up and return home alongside older beachgoers who'd spent most of their time simply enjoying the nice weather. This left behind the young adults, teenagers and their parents, and people like Nymara, Lucky, and Akemi, who tended to do their own thing at their own pace.

Well, Nymara and Lucky probably counted as young adults.

Once the sky had darkened enough that those with sharp eyes could see the first and brightest stars amidst the blue, with the horizon adopting an orange-golden hue, the bonfires were set alight, small flames at the base climbing upwards to cover the entirety of the flammable structures until each bonfire was a beacon of light that threw long, dancing shadows across the sands. While the teenagers kept playing their own games most of the young adults gathered around the bonfires, chatting and cooling down now that the sun's rays weren't as brilliant as before and the almost stifling heat was reduced to something more tolerable.

"Twilight is falling." Akemi remarked as she finished her second meat skewer. With her eyes, she could perfectly see the stars in the sky even when they were still hidden from most others, and she could feel as dark and light entered an unstable equilibrium. Her true nature as a twilight dragon meant that this time of the day was ideal for her. Her gaze went up at the skies before returning to her two companions. "I'd say this is a pleasant respite from getting glared at by the sun all day."

Current Appearance:

WC: 1,020
PWC: 5,445
TWC: 10,582

@Nymara

Akemi shook her head and sighed as Nymara so confidently boasted that the sun would be unable to burn her. It was true that a fire slayer's resistance to heat was immense, but even with all the training her apprentice had gone through she was still letting her powers get to her head. "You might want to be careful with declarations like that, because it might try one day."

Ever the more attentive of the two, Lucky clearly listened closely as Akemi explained how she'd had to train herself to become less vulnerable to heat and light. The assassin kept her usual calm expression on the outside, but on the inside she wondered just how much Lucky really knew. Despite his claims to knighthood he was quite good at just existing in the background and asking seemingly innocent questions. Not that she had reason to consider him an enemy or even a threat, but it was curious how curious he really was.

"Even with my training I'd still spend most of the day inside if it wasn't for this one dragging me out here." She nodded towards Nymara. Lucky's flattery regarding her ability to shape shade and shadow with precision was answered with a light shrug, the raven-haired female not looking particularly interested. "Shadow magic is good for such things, but it's hardly a priority."

Rather than casting a shadow she'd rather hide inside of them. As an assassin she trained to end fights before they started, not to dominate the battlefield by controlling the shadows and growing them. It was within her ability, but it didn't suit her style.

Strangely enough fish weren't that common a part of barbeque, even when the barbeque was part of a beach party. It might simply be that other types of meat were more suitable for grilling, but even so Akemi saw that Lucky had managed to get his hands on some of the rare fish which had been laid to rest on the grills, suitable for a feline such as him. Nymara's sudden recognition that she couldn't eat all the meat herself earned her a nod of confirmation, her mentor watching with sharp golden eyes as finally the firebrand got rid of the remnants of her ice cream.

Akemi had noticed that Lucky had refrained from complaining about the heat for the most part. Unlike most people here he had a layer of fur that amplified such issues, especially since he didn't appear to be the type of feline whose body was adapted to a desert environment. So unsurprisingly he voiced agreement with her as she said that the cooler atmosphere of dusk was a pleasant change of pace. The assassin raised an eyebrow at Nymara's words, however, planting a hand on her hip as she looked at her apprentice from the corner of her eye.

"If you think that training sessions with me are a respite it sounds like you've been growing stronger faster than I thought. I'll have to raise the difficulty to keep up with your growth."

She doubted that Nymara actually meant that the training was easy, but if the firebrand was going to have such a slip of the tongue Akemi might as well make use of it to tease her apprentice a little bit.

Of course, it was only a matter of time until Nymara made good on her promise and showed the other beachgoers "what a real fire looked like". Akemi considered intervening, but quickly folded her arms instead and watched with a slightly tilted her, following Nymara's movements carefully. Nymara's actual trick ended up being pretty standard for a fire slayer, but Akemi took note of the speed at which the fire was consumed and the increase in intensity after Nymara spat it back out with her own magic mixed in.

"I suppose it is... but the firewood is also going to be consumed quickly like this." She pointed out once Nymara returned. The assassin didn't make any more, standing there and looking into the flames as Nymara's inferno made the bonfire that supported it quickly blacken and char, pieces of wood releasing weak sprays of embers as they cracked and collapsed. Amidst all the other bonfires Nymara's creation was like a beacon, bright and fierce but clearly short-lived.

"Hmmm..." As Akemi stared into the flames she considered their position in the world. Fiore truly was a land of the fortunate: even those without magic or exceptional talent could live relatively peaceful and prosperous life, as the country itself overflowed with wealth and influence. Even the war hadn't changed that yet, in contrast to poor Joya which had been devastated.

"We can enjoy the summer a bit longer, but after that it might be time for us to make sure that we'll be able to enjoy the next summer as well." The topic was a bit grim in comparison to all the lighthearted playfulness they'd been indulging themselves in throughout the day, but Akemi wasn't a stranger to being a killjoy.

As they stood there the sun sank completely below the horizon, leaving only a band of orange which eventually got erased as well, leaving only the darkening blue sky. Pale pricks of light dotted the tapestry that was the heavens as Nymara's bonfire reached the end of its life, leaving its less ferocious brethren to illuminate the beach and provide warmth to those who remained.

Once twilight had vanished completely Akemi shook her head and turned around, motioning for Nymara and Lucky to follow.

"Let's find a place nearby to stay for the night. I don't feel like returning to the guild." She looked at them over her shoulder. "Of course I'll pay for your stay as well."

Given that the other two were used to sleeping underneath a bridge she didn't think they'd complain about a change of scenery. At the end of any day of joy and festivities there was the night, where even the most lively of celebrators would eventually have to turn in and wait for the next day...

Even if they were planning to resume the party immediately after.

Current Appearance:

WC: 1,021
PWC: 6,466
TWC: 12,680

@Nymara