Welcome to Gaia! ::

xShanyume

Takes place immediately after Making Plans

He tried to occupy himself through the rest of the night and into the morning. Thanks to a whole sack of energy drinks, any sleep was sporadic, which was about all Indra trusted himself to do. Twenty minutes of rest, where he may or may not have actually dozed, just for his addled brain to jolt him awake because he shouldn't sleep. It wasn't safe. Then pacing, sometimes around the cabin, sometimes outside. Sometimes as Antisana to feel for auras, sometimes as Indra just as something to help him wake up. Back and forth. Maybe he'd throw in another few gulps of Bang. Repeat. For hours.

The sun didn't shine as brightly through the windows of the tree-hidden cabin as it did through the windows of his home in the city, but Indra was grateful for the light regardless.

Around 9 AM, approximately one hour before Breana's arrival and with nothing better to do, Indra set to the task of preparing the kitchen for lunch and pre-making the things he'd promised to bring on their picnic. It was fortunate that the rented cabin came fully stocked with dish and cookware, and he was happy that the easy meals he'd planned for himself (salads and sandwiches) were suitable for picnic fare. He had everything necessary already, and had nothing against the idea of sharing with a pretty woman.

Since Breana had asked him to text if he thought of anything, Indra sent out a quick:

Quote:

I think we're all set here.

Just to confirm that she needn't wait on him to see if there was anything extra he wanted her to pick up, besides what they'd already discussed the evening before.

Then, he worked on the food. He vertically halved open his baguette of crispy, crusty bread, and then made another cut horizontally down the middle. Good for two, quite-large sandwiches. The four quarters were slipped into a gallon-sized ziploc for fresh keeping and set aside, to store in a basket for travel later. He sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, plucked arugula from the store-bought bag, and pulled out bottles of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Rationally, there was no reason to not take his large, brand-labeled bottles that had been plucked directly off the store shelf-

But it just seemed nicer to store everything in its own smaller, plastic container. It was-

It was cuter he thought, to have the little picnic-y, clear plastic squirt bottles of various condiments in a little wicker picnic basket. There'd be more dishes later, yes, but it'd be lighter to carry and theoretically take up less space, and it wasn't like he'd be doing anything later, such that he'd be too busy to handle a few extra dishes. So Indra partitioned everything away in sealable, plastic dishware, and set it all where it could be easily accessed to pack away when they were ready.

Satisfied, he plopped onto the couch immediately adjacent to the kitchen, dropped his head against the backboard and thought it might be safe to close his eyes for a few seconds. Breana would be in soon. It would probably be fine until then.

Shanyume

Indra wasn't keeping track of the minutes. Certainly not so much as to complain about her being eight minutes late. Heavy lashes fluttered open at the sound of a car pulling up outside, and he smeared the heel of his palms against his eyelids to try and appear... a little more lively for his friend.

By the time Breana's knock came at the door, Indra had roused himself enough to get up from the couch and greet her within moments of her knock. He opened the door with a small smile and a quiet murmur of, "I'm glad you do." Come baring gifts and food and company, that is. Since she was burdened with more than he'd expected, Indra leaned in to take the ice sack from her arms and slipped a hand through the loops of the grocery bags to lift them out of her grip as well. "Come in. There is not too much left to do to get situated," he invited as he stepped to the side to allow her entry.

The cabin was hardly huge with the door leading immediately into the living room, and the open kitchen directly adjacent to that. He walked the few steps to the kitchen table to lay down the groceries and curiously peeked into a few of the bags. They probably had everything they needed. Most of this was for the picnic after the beach, anyway.

"You wanted to go to the beach first, yes? We should take some drinks in the cooler. There was a beach bag for towels and sunscreen, too." Not that he was in a rush to leave. So much of the day was still ahead of them, and it seemed suitable to take it at a leisurely pace, but he didn't want to hold her up if she wanted to get going. There would be time to come back for the picnic stuff after they'd enjoyed the water. "Did you need to change, or anything before we go?"

Indra was dressed quite simply, himself, in a pair of slate-gray board shorts and a deep green tee that was loose enough to be comfortable. Very adequate for the warm weather outside.

Shanyume

He shuffled a few things from bags to the refrigerator, set inedibles like charcoal and lighter fluid on the floor by the table, and arranged the non-chilled snacky items out on the kitchen counter before wadding up all the plastic bags and tucking them inside each other, and storing them in a cabinet under the sink in case they'd be useful later. All that while he considered if it was necessary to scout the area.

On one hand, it was probably safer. Certainly, it would be good for them to know if Eleonora could feel anything nearby, regardless of whether it was enemy or ally, and if she could sense a youma, it would inevitably wind up in front of them.

On the other hand, it also broadcast her location to anyone else who might be powered up nearby. It was early enough in the day that running into an agent on the beach was probably unlikely. But not impossible. Never impossible. The youma would be more probable, but Indra hadn't had to fend any off almost since coming out to stay in the secluded cabin. It almost made him want to believe whatever spell had been loosed on him was wearing off... Indra wasn't particularly superstitious, but it almost seemed like telling Breana to power up would be some kind of invitation for everything he'd avoided for the past week to suddenly come find him now.

"I... believe it might be acceptable to do without," Indra admitted hesitantly as he pulled a small beach-cooler from one of the lower cabinets. "I am wary of saying it is "safe," he added. "But I have had only one run-in with a youma since I have been staying here, and it was earlier in the week. There has been nothing for several days, now. And that is... odd."

Not sure if it was comforting or worrisome. Just strange.

He upended half of the ice bag into the small cooler and stored the rest in the freezer before pausing at the table, sighing, and shaking his head.

"But it is probably safer to just be sure, rather than pretend the risk has abated. If it is no trouble, maybe a quick circuit around the cabin is warranted. Stay within shouting distance, and call for me if you sense danger." So they could tend to it now rather than later. "Breana, I appreciate it."

Shanyume

FIN and exiting to reservoir!

Breanna walked outside, and Indra instantly felt an uncomfortable tension return to him. She'd been here for only a few moments, but that was all it took for him to feel at ease with her company. And even though they'd agreed that it was rational for her to be the one to scout- given her superior magical abilities and farther sensing range- he still disliked that she was the one out looking for dangers to him, and he was inside. Hiding in the cabin and picking out drinks to store in the cooler.

How frustrating.

Especially since, depending on how far out she went, he may not hear if trouble found her. Even if he powered up, he may not feel it. She could message him, and his ring would receive it... Indra thumbed over the band, as if it might bring him comfort. But it didn't, because people resisting something actively trying to kill them didn't usually have time to type out a whole text message.

He huffed softly, sucked the metal band of his lip ring between his teeth, and tried to busy his hands for the few moments it would take to pack up their waters and juices and the energy shakes Indra already had on hand.

No Bang, because even though Indra had them in his refrigerator, he could barely stand them. Hopefully he wouldn't need them with Breanna around.

Once all of their belongings for the trip down to the reservoir were organized by the door- the cooler, the towel bag, two folding chairs, and an umbrella- Indra settled with his hip notched against the counter, leaning there while he tried to listen for anything besides birds and wind beyond the cabin's confines. But there was nothing, and Breanna's knock signaled her return a few minutes later.

The tension abated again.

He sighed and gave a tired smile at her report. "Wonderful," he rumbled quietly. "We can probably head down now. I have not gone to the reservoir since I rented the place, so I have no idea how crowded it will be. It is still early, so hopefully not too much." It shouldn't be impossible to find somewhere they could set up peacefully, even if not specifically on the beach. "Let's go."