[Event] Smiles as Bright as the Sun (Calliope/Itori)

Event Details:

Summer had come round again, and as usual it was a time of light and warmth. Fiore's temperate climate benefited greatly from the time of the year that the sun was at its strongest, both the land itself and the people that thrived in it. To be able to walk around without fear of storm or frost allowed people to plan outings where they could forget their troubles at least for a little while.

Itori had seen an abundance of summers, but she did still appreciate each and every one. Each season had its own charm, and summer's charm was the liveliness and enthusiasm it incited in the people around her. With very few exceptions, everyone was eager to go out and have fun when the world itself seemed to invite such activities.

The members of Sabertooth were not immune to the summer fever either. The vulpine co-leader of the guild found herself at Crescent Island where the beaches were packed with people of various sizes, ages, colours, shapes... some of it resulted from elaborate glamours and illusions. Still, with the reputation Crescent Island had of being the best seaside resort in all of Fiore it was hardly surprising that a wide variety of people would want to visit it.

The reason for her presence here was simple: one of the members of the guild had wanted to come here with her daughter, but with how busy the resort could get at this time of the year it was easy for a little one to get lost. With Itori's abilities tracking Calliope's child would be a simple matter, allowing both mother and daughter to fully enjoy themselves without the former having to worry too much about the latter.

That, and Itori did wish to form genuine bonds with those who joined the guild. She might have become co-guildmaster, but at the base level she was better at forming personal connections with people than to leverage her authority.

"Hey, Itori, found them yet?"

Of course, wherever Itori went there was a good chance that a certain feathered, feisty female companion would tag along as well.

If the average person already felt hyped up by the summer then it was doubly so for Nenet. The phoenix was always one of the most energetic people in any situation, but now that the sun was as bright as her feathers Itori's winged companion was difficult to keep up with. The question came as Nenet landed next to the nine-tailed fox, returning from an aerial trip above the beach which had been filled with an abundance of loopings and other airborne tricks as the phoenix tried to get at least some of the energy out of her system. Given how her grin was just as confident and undeterred as before, it didn't look like the attempt had been very successful.

"They should be arriving momentarily Nenet. However, if you are still experiencing the fever of summer there should be enough time left for you to make another attempt at quelling it."

Itori's reaction to her partner's energetic attitude was as tranquil as always, a gentle smile answering Nenet's shameless grin. The phoenix nodded and gave the vixen a teasing salute.

"Aye aye sir!"

Barking out a laugh the phoenix wasted little more time before spreading her wings once more and returning to the sky, leaving behind a trail of fiery light which drew the eye of many beachgoers before some of them turned their attention to the nine-tailed vixen the phoenix had just left behind.

Itori was patiently waiting for Calliope and her daughter's arrival near the docks where tourists came and went. It was also where more magical forms of transport had been prepared, so it was the best place to wait while you were expecting somebody. It was also close enough to the beaches were all the activities were set up that within minutes of disembarking you could already be enjoying the sun and the sea.

Normally Itori would rarely ditch her traditional clothes, but in this scenario not wearing a beach outfit would have possibly stood out even more than she already was... partially because of her clearly non-human traits, partially because, well, when she did put on a bikini for a change there was a lot to see.

Itori:

Nenet:

WC: 717
PWC: 717 / 2,000
TWC: 717 / 4,000

@Calliope

Itori's ears twitched as she caught the sound of familiar voices, one mature and one quite young indeed. Turning her gaze into the direction of the voices it would take another minute or so before her companions for the day appeared, Calliope and her child Meika. As expected of the two they were also dressed for the occasion: very few would remain dressed as they usually were in this kind of weather, especially in this kind of place. A gentle smile spread across the vixen's face as she turned to face them fully, raising one hand as greeting along with a soft swishing of her many tails.

"Lady Foster, dear Meika. I am pleased to see you arrived safely."

Not that there was any risk involved, but it was as welcoming a greeting as any. The nine-tailed fox chuckled softly as Calliope complimented her outfit, giving her head a little shake in the process.

"I thank you for your kind words, although I must admit that it is rather more revealing than I would usually wear in public. Personally, I would say that the both of you are much better dressed for the occasion."

Seeing Meika reaching out to her Itori's smile widened a little and she leaned forward to greet the little one as well. One of her tails deftly moved to the front so the tip was within reach of the girl's short arms, Itori's own hand patting Calliope's dear child on the head and giving her hair a gentle stroke.

"You are as endearing as always, dear Meika. Let us make the most of this day together."

Once she'd greeted Meika properly (and let the little one play with the tip of her tail) Itori straightened up to turn her attention back to Calliope, who asked the sensible question of where they could start today's events. Tilting her head slightly Itori's ears twitched before she responded, filtering the countless sounds that her unusually sharp ears picked up from a very busy beach behind them.

"There is an abundance of activities available everyone wishes to partake, although I would suggest that not all of them are suitable for us."

After all, while the beach was open to adults and children alike, some activities clearly were aimed at a more mature audience. The swimsuit contest being the first example that came to Itori. The nine-tailed fox let out a short, melodious hum before continuing.

"I think that for us the more appealing options would be the sand castle building event, the water gun event, the parasailing event, and... perhaps the limbo competition?"

Her smile grew just a tad amused at the thought.

"Although it is possible that dear Meika would not be allowed to take part in the latter, given that it would be too easy for her. Nevertheless, those would be my suggestions, but of course there might be better options available that I have overlooked."

She could only go with her own judgement, and she wasn't arrogant enough to believe that her perspective was the end-all be-all. Especially since preferences were subjective, and Itori would rather defer to what Calliope and Meika would enjoy: only a truly selfish person would insist on their own interest when there was a little one present.

Of course, Nenet was also there, if still flying in the air, but the phoenix had enough self-awareness that it was better to let the other three figure out what activities to join in on: her preferences were definitely more what you would expect from an adult, if a particularly rowdy one.

Itori:

Nenet:

WC: 597
PWC: 1,314 / 2,000
TWC: 2,111 / 4,000

@Calliope

With Meika happily distracted thanks to Itori's fluffy tail the two adults discussed their options. Itori nodded in agreement as Calliope considered her suggestions.

"I must profess I have little experience with either activity myself. Given the enthusiasm others have shown I am quite curious, and would certainly not object to utilising this opportunity to experience them."

Itori had lived a long life, and done many things, but there were certainly a lot of activities which she'd never touched before simply because it had never occurred to her, or the few times that the opportunity presented itself she'd chosen a different path instead. And, of course, a long life mattered little when it came to new activities: limbo was quite the ancient tradition, but parasailing definitely was not something that had existed for a long time... at least, from Itori's perspective.

Given how much thought Calliope was giving their options Itori remained silent until the pink-haired lady suggested that they try the sand castle building first. It was a good idea, and Itori inclined her head in agreement.

"I concur. It would be rather inconsiderate of us to let dear Meika wait any longer, given how much she must have looked forward to this occasion as well."

The sand castle contest was ideal for children, and given that they had a child with them it was the best choice to start with. With no objections from either side, Itori let Calliope take the lead as the group headed for the sign-ins for the contest, after which they headed for their designated building area so they could get started.

With how busy the beach was it should come as no surprise that there were many competitors, each in their own spot building sand castles of various shapes, sizes, and styles. Many of them were parents with children, the parents doing their best to help their offspring build whatever their imaginative minds had managed to conjure. However, there were also some childless groups, who seemed to take the competition seriously to various degrees, and the rare group of unsupervised teenagers. All of them were completely focused on their own work, and Itori thought she could hear the faint sound of subtle magical assistance ensuring that everyone could perform their artistic task without interruptions.

Well, nobody else seemed to have noticed, and if it was just that it could only be considered altruistic.

Keeping her tails up to avoid the sand Itori kneeled down gracefully, watching with a smile as Calliope introduced Meika to the wonders of the beach. The youngling seemed completely absorbed by the new experience, first pressing her toes against the sand before kneading it with her hands once she was lowered down.

For her part, Itori nodded in response to Calliope, the vixen taking one of the other shovels.

"In that case I shall establish a foundation for the structure."

With how taken Meika was by the new substance she was exposed to she was most likely not going to do a lot of actual sand castle building, but as long as she was having fun playing with the sand Itori would consider that an excellent way for the three of them to spend their time together. While Calliope dug out a trench they could use as a water supply Itori began to outline a rectangular area by digging a moat around it.

"But of course, Lady Foster."

Keeping an eye on Meika while she formed the foundation was a simple task... especially since she could use her ears instead. Listening to the youngling enjoying herself was a delight in itself, Itori's smile widening slightly... until Meika decided that she had to taste this golden-ochre material.

"Oh my... careful there dear Meika."

Slender tail-tips gently wrapped themselves around Meika's shoulders and waist to help lift her off the sand, setting her down on her feet but helping her remain standing for the moment as Itori abandoned her foundation-building to instead turn her full attention to the sproutling.

"Unfortunately sand does not make for good food, so could you do me a favour and spit it back out? I can show you something much more fun that you can do with it."

Removing the sand from Meika's insides was not outside of Itori's abilities, but it wouldn't do to immediately start using magic on a little girl who was just curious about something she'd never experienced before. Given Meika's innocent and pleasant personality hopefully Itori wouldn't have to resort to bribery... although worst came to worst her healing abilities would at least prevent Calliope's child from suffering any consequences.

Itori:

Nenet:

WC: 769
PWC: 2,083 / 2,000
TWC: 3,441 / 4,000

@Calliope

There's no dice roll option for the sand castle, but for funsies I'm gonna make up my own.. 1-2 we win, 3-4 we lose but it's a close call, 5-6 we lose horribly. xD

The member 'Calliope' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

---

'Normal Dice' :

The sight of Meika regretting her decision, if only because she quickly learned that sand was, indeed, not very tasty, was admittedly amusing enough that Itori couldn't help but smile. She was, however, polite enough to not let a chuckle escape: Meika might be too young to be bothered by the vixen's entertainment, but it would still be a rather uncouth act to laugh at a child's inexperience.

Still, they couldn't just sit there for the rest of the day, watching Meika try to get rid of the sand stuck to her tongue and her face. Itori would have moved to help get rid of it, but before it came to that Calliope had already returned, the mother clearly not bothered by her daughter's curiosity.

"That is correct."

The question was clearly more directed at the child than herself, but Itori still confirmed the obvious as Calliope got to work clearing Meika's mouth and face as best she could. Thankfully, the little girl's own desire to get rid of the sand, combined with her cooperative attitude, meant that before long the "crisis" was dealt with and they could return to the building of a sand castle.

Or, at least, the two adults: Calliope clearly thought that Meika would enjoy herself better with her own toys, and Itori wasn't about to disagree. While the mother put her daughter inside the playpen Itori would return her attention to the foundation she was making for the sand castle.

"I was hopeful that she would be interested in the endeavour, but one cannot predict or control the interests and actions of one so young, can they?"

There was no accusation or disappointment: Itori was merely amused at her own misconception. Although that didn't mean she was planning to just ignore Meika while she and Calliope worked on the sand castle.

Once the youngling was put in her pen and given her toys Itori would seemingly be dedicating herself to the building, but inside the pen a small white fox kit would appear, tail wagging eagerly as it circled around Meika. Its form immaterial, its body would disperse into white wisps whenever Meika touched it before quickly reforming again, but nevertheless it would keep the girl company.

As for the sand castle construction, Itori would dutifully tend to the stability of the structure: the design they'd settled on was quite a tricky one, requiring an abundance of water to help create the mud that would allow their creation to flare outwards from the base up. It was certainly a unique idea, and Itori was all too happy to try and help make it happen: she wasn't exactly an expert on sand castle building, but she had enough experiences that she could do a decent job at almost anything she set her mind to, especially when she had an enthusiastic partner like Calliope.

With their efforts surprisingly rewarded with first place in the contest Itori smiled and hugged Calliope back.

"They certainly appeared to be just as intrigued by your idea as I was, but even more so by the fact that we somehow managed to materialise it."

Sand was far from the most reliable construction material, even with water to turn it into mud, so their sand castle had actually taken a lot of work. Even so, some of the other creations that were visible across the contest area were also very elaborate: for their sand castle to be given first place was still quite the compliment.

With the coin disappearing into an unknown location that left them with the question of what to do next. Calliope clearly was expecting Itori to take the lead this time, which left the vixen pondering their options.

"I must confess, I am not entirely certain as to what activity would be the most appealing at this moment. However..."

She looked away from Calliope and up at the skies, where a familiar blazing figure was quickly descending. A quick gesture got Nenet to slow down before her arrival caused any damage to the sand castles in the area, the phoenix hitting the ground gently while she folded her wings behind her back.

"What, done already? Guess I was too busy enjoying the skies to join in!"

The vibrant avian laughed, then nodded at Calliope and Meika with a grin.

"And a good day to you too! Not often that we get to hang out."

Reaching forward she ruffled Meika's hair.

"Not often Itori's with a little one either: usually her long-windedness makes them wander off."

Itori raised one eyebrow slightly, but she was so used to Nenet's teasing commentary that it barely registered. Instead the nine-tailed fox smiled and looked up at the skies once more, then back at Calliope.

"While not intentional, Nenet may have made a sound suggestion: now would be the best time of the day to go parasailing, as the sun is still high above the heavens and the winds are favourable."

"Ah yes, flying for people without wings."

Nenet smirked.

"If you want I can carry Meika so she can experience real flight instead."

Itori:

Nenet:

WC: 850
PWC: 2,933 / 2,000
TWC: 4,894 / 4,000

@Calliope

Nenet laughed as Meika reached out to her, the little one clearly still struggling to pronounce her name correctly... or finding the nickname to just be more appealing. Either way, the phoenix was amused.

"Not quite! But you'll get it eventually."

She entertained the little one while Itori and Calliope discussed the next event. It seemed that Calliope was in favour of the parasailing suggestion, and with both Itori and Nenet already on board with it that meant they could quickly move on while the sun still burned high in the sky.

Once offered to her Nenet took Meika in her hands, the almost talon-like appendages holding the girl firmly but surprisingly gently: being held by the phoenix Meika would bathe in the mythical bird's soothing warmth, which would make it difficult for anyone to feel fear or discomfort.

"Come on then Meika. We're going to go flying while the two of them... glide?"

The boisterous avian chuckled non-maliciously as she followed the two mages to where the parasailing equipment was stored, available to all beachgoers for free (as they had to have paid to get here in the first place). To the phoenix the entire concept was funny, especially since she knew that both Calliope and Itori were capable of flight if they so wished: but even when humans could run they still enjoyed walking, and given that the parasail was designed for two it was clearly meant to be a social activity rather than a unique experience.

"As for the two of us..."

She didn't bother to wait until the two mages were set up: whilst they were still getting strapped in the phoenix picked a spot where she wouldn't knock anyone over, spreading her wings before beating them powerful to lift herself and Meika into the air.

"I'm guessing your mom has already showed you the skies before, but I'd also bet she isn't a natural talent like I am."

Unsurprisingly, the winged female took quite a lot of pride in her flying skills, as she demonstrated while she carried Meika high up, keeping the pace steady so the little one wouldn't be startled. Some of the people on the beach looked up as Nenet's blazing wings created a fiery trail to announce their flight, but given that she'd been flying about for some time already the initial surprise had already died down.

Itori, meanwhile, actually needed a moment to figure out how the parasail worked: it was modern enough a creation that she wasn't as intimately familiar with it as she was with many other activities. Thankfully she was a quick learner, and before long she was strapped in next to Calliope, nodding at her partner with a smile before the speedboat got started and the two of them were slowly lifted into the air as the sail caught the wind, the vixen's many tails trailing behind her with the winds rustling through her smooth fur.

Even for somebody capable of flight, she still considered this a unique experience: rather than flying it was more like being carried, except far enough up that you could see the landscape below. Closing her eyes she focused on her ears instead, hearing the rushing of the sea all around them, the bustling murmuring of the vacation resort, and the chittering of animals in the less populated parts of the island. And, of course, the gentle humming of the magically powered speedboat that dragged them along, and the heartbeat of her companion.

"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Foster. While there are many avenues through which one can enjoy their time on their own, or with their beloved offspring for company, a lesson learned through many years is that these lives we are blessed with are best enjoyed together with others."

Loneliness... not an uncommon experience for Itori, even if she'd long since stopped trying to travel on her own. In any era she could always find friends and companions, and even if they'd eventually leave her behind their temporary company was still worth more than any treasure.

"I may now officially share the role of leadership with my partner, and therefore have duties which occupy a fair share of my time, but first and foremost I am merely another soul, travelling through this world and seeking company. As such, I would encourage you to not hesitate in the future if you wish to reach out to me. Due to my responsibilities I can not promise that I will always be available, but I shall always be willing."

Perhaps a somewhat heavy-handed conversation for something as carefree as parasailing, but Itori's intent was simple: she enjoyed spending time with others, and Calliope was no exception.

"And, as goes without saying, I do sincerely wish that as you continue to be part of our guild you will find many others who you can share your time with."

The parasailing lasted a surprisingly long time, but eventually, the speedboat began to slow down and return to its starting position, its deceleration gradual enough that the two mages would have an easy time landing on their feet, even if the positioning meant that said feet landed in the water. Nenet had already returned to the ground before them, having found an ice cream stand somewhere to give Meika something cold to enjoy... while also carefully rationing the ice cream so the little one wouldn't suffer from brain freeze.

Itori:

Nenet:

WC: 905
PWC: 3,838 / 2,000
TWC: 6,254 / 4,000

@Calliope