On the edge of ℣ale's agricultural district is a quaint little beach along the coast. Many people come here during the summer to relax and let their cares melt away. The sun is free, along with the waves. Be prepared to bring your sunscreen cause a day here will leave you scorched. Don't stay out too late and remember to pick up after yourselves. We keep our beaches clean and welcoming.
Activities:
Volleyball - The rules of this volleyball game is simple. Three players against three opponents. You play until one team has gotten 3 points.
The team ultimately wants to try and get the ball over the net and for it to hit the ground on the opposite side to score a point. Each player can hit the ball once while it is on their side of the net. The team as a whole can hit the ball up to 3 times max. On the 3rd hit you must try and send it over the net.
Each time you hit the ball you can roll a die (instruction on how to do this below). You can add 1/10 of your post count (rounded up for those with less than 65 posts, and down for those above that) to your roll. You add up all ally rolls on the 3rd hit. You must reach 100 total to get it over to the other side.
Defending side can roll to try and save, if they get less than 50 they miss and you score. If they roll 50 or over they save it and can proceed to try and hit it over. The save counts as one of their hits (and thus they only have two more hits after the save).
If a team fails to get 100 the ball is a flop (e.g., hits the net, goes out of bounds on other side, or fails to even approach the net, etc).
Players with 65 or more posts cannot be on the same team (if you go over 65 posts during the event that is okay).
✘ Profile ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ As Dove spoke of hoping her ancestor had indeed dueled his family, Garret himself hoped his family was tested as such and was regretful he himself could not remember such a thing. Had it happened, he himself believed it would have been a suitable challenge for them whether it ended in victory or defeat. After all, he felt a vague familiarity for her family name so it was not inconceivable. He would withhold that to himself for now as he did not want to provide misinformation in that manner. If he ever found out the truth, he would tell her. 'Yet such a time seems so far away.' He thought to himself. They had yet to find anyway to re-establish contact with Vacuo. Until that was done he could never be certain, and the answer would remain lost like so many other things. As she spoke in response to his commenting on her mothers wisdom, a thought crept into his mind from her choice of words. 'While acknowledging the passing of others was something I did for a short while...Would I too have had to learn of them in great detail?' He thought to himself, seeming like a great pressure to place on someone. It was always wise to learn from others mistakes, but preparation for everything would be impossible. An end would just be found in alternative way. He was unsure how he stood on focusing on each ones weakness when the focus should be on the individuals in his mind. Still, he was hardly a master of such things or raising others, so he would not voice such an opinion. However, something else curiously happened as she finished speaking. Where once there was slight restraint of emotion, there appeared to be none whatsoever. As if at that moment she no longer had any before she would continue to say it was a wondrous teaching method. 'Is it connected or a coincidence?' He pondered to himself briefly. It was so strange to see such a sudden shift but he knew so little about her to make an accurate guess at it. It would be something he would look out for in the future however.
He had not expected to see Dove phased by his nickname for her, well comparison currently, as well as her wings react a little to with a flick. Multiple thoughts ran through his mind wondering how she viewed herself in regard to that name, and more importantly, if her wings were a good indication of her emotional state. The latter was mostly so he could point it out in the future if he desired to prove something she was denying, though he had a certainty it would likely be used in a more joking than serious manner. Still, it would be useful to know regardless. Finding the name suitable and now trying to think of what it meant for her family, Garret wondered at his nickname choices so far. Both times he had come up with them he had expected a far more negative reaction but both seemed to readily accept it, even if one did not know it as such quite yet. 'Am I not good at this anymore?' He pondered to himself though not too concerned over it. It was strange that he was unintentionally creating ones that were liked, but it was not something he felt the need to deeply probe his mind over. He was broken from his thoughts as she mentioned it being a certainty of them encountering one another in the future. He was glad of it as he enjoyed her company thus far, and was keen to see exactly what she could do. At his request top join her, she seemed about to lower herself for some reason. 'Perhaps to join me in being seated?' He was unsure at this point but it hardly mattered as she asked a question he had been asking himself earlier. What is volleyball. He had yet to figure it out himself, and as he was thinking of a response, she continued to speak saying she would be honored to come but still desiring to know about it.
To which he would respond in a arrogant tone. "Volleyball is...honestly a mystery to me. I have never played such a sport before but how hard could it be?It may even make the match fair for my opponents. I can probably figure it out by just looking at the field. In fact..." With that last statement, Garret would rise to a crouch and begin sorting his stuff briefly. Once that was settled where everything of his was neat and clearly claimed, he would rise and pick up his twin spears. The golden one he would sheathe on his back while the blood red one would remain in his right hand. Looking over to Dove he spoke again. "Seeing as I have now accepted you in my company, let us depart to the field of battle. Its always good to know the grounds to prepare for it ahead of time. Perhaps we may even be able to figure out how this contest is done before any others arrive." Garret would say, particularly confident at the last part with a smile on his face. Volleyball to him was a contest, and a contest is just another form of battle. He would then lead her to the arena they had, not to much further down the beach from his spot. 'Its...certainly noticeable.' He thought to himself as he looked it over. It was brightly colored and elevated above the ground a few feet with a long net spanning the center length of it. He was confused on why the color scheme seemed so...childish as a word for it. Curious as to all this, he would gesture Dove to follow him as he went towards it. He would stand both spears into the ground, having their bases buried in the sand to ensure they remained as such before he would attempt to get onto it. He was not expecting it to sink to suddenly. Not being able to vault it due to the sudden shift, he would look confused towards the surface and experimentally press down on it. It seemed to sink under the force to a point. Now knowing what to expect, he figured climbing normally would not work well. So he did the next best thing and rather suddenly dove onto it. He found himself bouncing a little before settling a little ways onto the small arena. Looking over to Dove, he would shakily rise to his feet trying to keep balance before gesturing for her to go to the other side. "Well...that was unexpected. I see this as the arena but...where is the volleyball? And are we to toss it over this net...but for what purpose..." He said, both as a question to her and himself. He was certainly glad he had come to see the field they would be playing on itself as he needed time to adjust to this. ✘ Post count: 27 ✘Semblance timer: 0/5 ✘ Recharge: 0/5 ✘Grimm Killed: 1 ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ OOC:
【 Mood ≡ Impressed by her problem solving capabilities 】 【 With ≡ Garret 】 【 Semblance - Active ≡ 2/4 Posts | 2/5 Weapons Active [-1; stored.] 】
Well, that answer was certainly unexpected. Generally, when someone wishes to invite someone else to an event, they have at least an inkling of what it was. So, the arrogance actually caused her to blink, surprised for but a moment. He did have a point, giving the opponents an advantage in combat. However, with such a disadvantage they may not stand a chance. After all. Certain rules and regulations will already restrict what they could do in such a scenario. .. Wait, she was only going there to watch. Why were the possibilities of combat racing? "I concur. We need to acquire a lay of the land, at the very least. With the rules unbeknownst, any advantage we can acquire will be of value." Perhaps she was taking the concept a bit too seriously. Either way, with Garret up and moving once again with his belongings in hand, the two were destination bound. .. Though such a destination was near impossible to miss. The apparent arena that her new found acquaintance was to participate in was ... One of unusual nature. The platform elevated with bright vibrant colors, appearing to have a foundation that was even less stable than the stand it was placed upon. It appeared that both of them seemed nearly .. Dumbfounded at the sight. It was certainly unexpected. Now the true show was simply watching Garret try to mount and conquer what was apparently the true obstacle to get to this 'volleyball'. Even the near apathetic girl couldn't help but crack the faintest giggle as she watched the man full on dive towards it to even hope to get on. His figure bounced momentarily, showing that it was truly an unstable and .. Bouncy surface. With the signal from him, she would nod and prepare herself for her own mounting operation; one that would go much smoother. With several flaps of her wings, she would gracefully glide herself over to the center of her side of the field. Gently letting herself down, she too would begin to sink into the field and quickly struggle to find a stance that best suited .. Any chance of keeping her position. Truly, it was a struggle and several steps would be taken but did hold the simple advantage that she had witnessed Garret struggle first. As she found her footing, she would begin a very soft and unstable bounce. It was so difficult to try to get a proper grasp of such terrain. Who's in their right mind thought this was suitable? With an occasional wiggle and frequent wobble, she would listen to Garret's words on questioning where the ball actually was, and what was the purpose after it went over the net. Games were not her forte, neither were competitions. Sports in general, aside from combat based sparring, were all she knew. So, with that in mind... The concept that came in her near automized brain may not have been the most accurate. "I have an idea, if I may." Following her statement, she would take the initiative to begin a more active bounce. Though still shakingly, it was beginning to function more like a .. Loose trampoline. Every so often, her bounces would take her higher as she would peek over the net. "If we are meant to toss the ball over the net, my thought would be that we utilize this 'volleyball' to strike our opponents. Thus, if they get hit, or potentially knocked out of the field, they lose the game. Last team standing wins. I will provide an example." With her statement, the embers that seeped around her earlier would begin to dance before her, before molding a blazing azure ball in the palm of her hand. Normally she wouldn't use it for such a childish concept, but it appeared that this was their weapon for the time being. "We will use my 'volleyball' for the time being, seeing as we do not have one at our disposal." And with that, she would sharply crouch on the next impact with the ground. With both the force of the building bounce to spring her back up, in addition to a flap of her wings, she would rocket above the net. Once she rose above the net, she'd pull the blazing ball behind herself, high and proud. Before slingshotting it down towards Garret with a surprisingly fair amount of strength behind it, causing it to burst through the air and come down towards the man with less than childlike wonder that a game should have. Meanwhile, she floated gracefully back down to her position.
✘ Profile ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ Garret had not noticed her faint giggle as he scaled the uncertain terrain of the arena, the sound drowned out to him by the arena itself as he mounted onto it. Which, for his pride, was likely for the best that he was unaware of it taking place place. Seeing Dove easily fly onto the other side of the court, however, left him aware of how his method must have looked by comparison. But he was without the benefit of wings top have had a more...graceful way of doing things. At the least, as he noticed her own unsteadiness on the field, they were both equally out of their element for this part. The ground seemed to want to launch him in the air with each step and trying to resist that for a normal walk seemed counter productive the more he tried. It was at this point that Dove said she had an idea if she were allowed to voice it. Garret would give a simple nod as he would begin to lightly bounce to try and get used to moving on this terrain, wanting to be adept at it before anyone else arrived. It seemed Dove was following a similar logic perhaps, though she was bouncing up rather high rather than the small ones he was doing. She even managed to ascend higher than the net, just by a little, a few times without the use of her wings. Which confused garret as to why the field seemed to promote so much verticality and hindered regular movement so much. Even though his small bounces helped him be a bit steadier and move a little easier, it still seemed to promote him to go higher rather than left or right. As she provided an analysis for the game, it seemed she thought it to be a more combat oriented activity than a simple game of fun.
Intrigued by the explanation oh how the objective should be to strike the opponent or knock them out of the ring, Garret could begin to see how that could be the game they were playing. He also rationalized if this were a combat game he would need to be at full capacity and moved over to the side of the arena to reach down and grab Heir. He would wield the blood red spear in his right hand as he would slowly, albeit a little more steadily, move back to the center of the arena on his side of the net. During this time, as she had said she would be providing an example, he briefly noted the blue embers from earlier appearing. 'Are we to use our semblances as well?' He briefly pondered to himself. If it were a combat scenario it would make sense to do so. However he was unsure and would continue to note how the blue embers seemed to form into an azure ball in her hand as he debated activating his or not. Feeling as overconfident as usual, he decided he would not need it currently and would not activate it yet till he fully saw her plan. As she said this would be the ball of use, Garret would nod that it could be a suitable one though how he would be able to strike her with it he was unsure. He did not know how her blue flames worked yet except appearing to form objects she could physically hold and control.
Her next landing was particularly impactful to the terrain from Garret's perspective as she sunk deeper than usual, as well as in a crouch, before springing up into the air. He briefly saw the movement of her wings as she soared high up into the air, much higher than the net, until the sun was behind her making it hard to even see her. He noticed the azure ball amidst her shadow as it was pulled back in an impressive stance, even filling Garret with slight awe as she seemed reminiscent of a Valkyrie in that instant. However, that brief awe was interrupted as he noticed the blue ball rapidly growing in size from his perspective...as it was being launched right at him! Garret barely had time to process that the match had already begun as the ball streaked ever closer to him. He acted on instinct, not even really remembering the rules she had thought up of,and brought Heir up in a wide arc to deflect it off to the side. He only barely managed to do so as the force with which it had been thrown was strong enough that it loosened his grip on Heir to the point of him almost having to let it go. However, it did have the effect of destroying his sense of balance and knocking him back onto the ground despite having deflected it. Blinking a few times at the suddenness of it, he quickly tried to rise back to his feet not going as fast as he would have liked so that he could actually stand up rather than fall. He noticed Dove had landed already from her attack almost as if it were nothing. 'She is far more intense than I realized...' He thought to himself. Had he been hit full on by that shot it would doubtless have been a painful experience. His face turned from a serious one to a smile at the thought. If this is how the game was to be played he would enjoy it. Seeing as the ball had gone off to the side, he wondered how he was to strike back. "An impressive strike, it nearly caught me. I think you are correct in your reasoning for this game is to be played, and if so, I shall greatly enjoy participating in this match. However I do have a few questions if you will grant me the honor of continuing this practise. How shall I have an opportunity to strike you, and should I ever choose to avoid one of your strikes, would the field be able to withstand it?" Garret would say, sincere in his tone but also curious as to how this mock match would progress between the two. He could think of no better practice partner currently, but also had to wonder how he would get a chance to throw one in her direction. ✘ Post count: 28 ✘Semblance timer: 0/5 ✘ Recharge: 0/5 ✘Grimm Killed: 1 ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ OOC:
It seemed that her opponent was not quite ready to participate. Perhaps she misunderstood his gesture to continue. The blazing ball of Azure had been intercepted last minute with the blood red spear. This had redirected the ball away from the field, and apparently, the impact was too much to handle on such an unsteady surface. As her blazing ball crashed to the sand, Garret himself had fallen back on his rear. In her prior terms, did it count as her victory? The man had fallen after being hit with the ball, but the ball itself was redirected by his spear. Did that count as a save? No, not possible. Due to the recklessness of his own save, the ball had left the court. That absolutely was her point, to which she would bow to show her respect as he began to compliment her striking method. "I thank you. However, nearly caught isn't good enough. I'll recalibrate accordingly with my next strike." Rising from her bow, she would begin to focus on repositioning her stance. Once again, simply existing in this field seemed to want to propel her upwards, leaving her in a light but steady bounce in place. Perhaps during the next strike, she should approach it from an angle. If possible, attempt to curve the ball to get past his spear. Then, just maybe, she would strike her foe. In the meantime, however, the embers would dissolve as they went into standby. Yui was left in ponder as Garret continued his string of questions about her analytics about this game. Striking itself seemed rather simple. Perhaps the ball has to knock the opponent on its feet or strike them unprecedented. Yes... That made sense. If they continued to strike the ball back and forth without it stopping, they would have equal opportunity to knock each other out. Then, if they missed, they were out themselves. "I believe the proper way to approach the task at hand is to intercept the oncoming ball and redirect it back towards the opponent. As you had tried, you utilized your spear to redirect the ball but fell in the process. As well, the ball had left the field, there for that is a foul. The ball must remain active and the players must not fall or else they will not get the point. Though.." It was the latter she didn't have a response to. Now that she had it in thought, it came to her realisation that this plastic, airy field may not be suitable for her weaponized ball. Frowning at the thought, she'd shake her head. "I have made an error; my ball is not capable of touching the field, or else it will melt and pop. It is not a suitable substitute for the actual volleyball. In addition, you may receive undesired burns if you were struck. I do not believe we can continue at this time without a proper ball at our disposal. I apologize for my misevaluation." It seemed that her analysis process could use some work. Now it seemed so obvious that the actions prior were not suitable for such a childish field.
✘ Profile ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ Noting her bow after his compliment, Garret would give one in kind. It had been a good shot that he only barely managed to deflect due to its nature. Had he been merely trying to dodge it he would've scarcely avoided it but he believed he would have in the end. By her prior rules he was unsure how it would factor, given the ball had his Heir and not himself. 'Do weapons touching the ball count as being out as well?' He silently pondered to himself. He would reason not as if so they would merely not be included in the match but he was also unsure if they were to be used with such a fragile field. Well, the sharper ones at the least. Hearing her say nearly was not good enough, and that she would re-calibrate accordingly, Garret pondered what she could do. 'Her first shot was rather direct if obvious...' He silently noted to himself. Perhaps she meant that she could make it more deceptive in terms of where it would strike, maybe by the initial hit or make the ball curve somehow. How she would make the ball curve he was unaware, so the more likely method in his mind was to do a deceptive first hit. Fake that it would head in one direction when in reality it was heading to another. That in itself would be interesting to see happen as there were many ways to mislead an opponent with that. A very simple version was where ones eyes were focused. Garret smiled to himself, wondering if he could manage to do such a thing before her.
After a few moments of pondering from Dove, she seemed to have an answer for his questions. Or one at least. She explained that this was likely a game of back and forth between opponents to have the ball continuously going across each side with whoever cannot do so resulting in the score of the other as well as the players must not fall. Thinking it over those rules made sense. This way both opponents would have a chance of scoring during any round and had a more definite goal to achieve in the game. The falling rule made sense as well as falling in combat would be lethal. So, it should not reward them for failing in that manner. Which may be a bit severe of a rule, but its not as if Garret had made them and he knew not who to question more on it. As she continued, she too seemed to realize that her ball may not be the most appropriate for this field. In the sand it'd likely have been fine but here it could ruin the field. Her mentioning it causing undesired burns only reaffirmed his initial assessment that her semblance creation were truly more than just visual fires but instead actual ones. Which made him all the more glad he used Heir to deflect it from himself and the field by extension. "I agree with your points. The new ruling seems to make much more sense, and as unfortunate as it is we cannot use your volleyball on the field at least. However there is no need to apologize, no harm came from it. It only made the game a tad bit more exciting with the threat of harm added to it...Though I do believe, as a result, my earlier actions would not be a foul. Perhaps it would even be a point for saving the field?" Garret would speak, calm reasoning at first turning into a more self confident tone once he mentioned the matter of his earlier foul. Almost playfully teasing in tone as well.
As his eyes scanned about, he could not see a suitable ball for this game unfortunately. One would be needed in order for them to practice further as while they could use hers on the sand, that would leave them unable to account effectively for the terrain which was vital with this specific one. As he was thinking on how to remedy the situation, he saw another figure approaching. It was a male dressed less for the beach and more in the standard courier attire. Curious, Garret would jump off the field and finally land on steady ground again, though a little off balance as he was just growing accustomed to the other field. He informed him that he was needed for something at this time. With a nod Garret would accept and send the man on his way. Walking over to grab Virtue he would look up towards Dove. "As enjoyable as it would have been to continue our practice and inevitably best you as well as all my other opponents, it would seem I have been called to attend to some matters." Briefly looking around, and seeing no one else there, he would continue. "I regretfully will not be able to participate in this game for the time being, but may I ask the favor that you take my stead? I find you to be a...suitable substitute, if you would choose to oblige me. If not, then please alert Narx that I will be unable to join him currently but will try to join in later if I am able." With that request made and done, Garret would bow before beginning to walk away. However after a few feet he would stop, and turn to regard her once again. "I thank you for accompanying me for so long. Your presence has been...tolerable compared to some of the others. Until next we meet Dove." Garret would say, mostly joking at her presence only being tolerable and flashing a smile as he mentioned his nickname for her. He would turn around once again and give a backwards wave while walking away. "Oh and one more thing. I gave you my name in trust. Should we be in the company of others...refer to me as Lancer if you would be so kind. It is far simpler to duel others when they do not know of my family's reputation." With that last comment made, as his extensive goodbye could seem almost endless, he would continue walking in silence with a small smirk on his face. He enjoyed Doves company so far and looked forward to when next he met her. Perhaps, as was his role, he may even assist her on missions. His smile widened at the thought when thinking of the form his aid usually took. It would be interesting indeed if such a thing were to happen. ✘ Post count: 29 ✘Semblance timer: 0/5 ✘ Recharge: 0/5 ✘Grimm Killed: 1 ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ OOC: Exit
【 Mood ≡ Inconclusive 】 【 With ≡ Garret -- No one 】 【 Semblance - Suspended ≡ 2/4 Posts | 1/5 Weapons Active [-1; stored.] 】
It seemed that Garret was understanding of the circumstances of their mock game as well as their inability to continue. It was unfortunate, it seemed like it could have been both good entertainment and good practice if they could continue. Alas, it seemed that fate was not on their side in terms of game time. However, how they had a concrete idea of how this game could play. Perhaps at some point in the future, they could put it to the test. That was of course if they were given the same circumstances as today for a day at the beach. However, her gaze became like daggers as the man tried to claim a point for taking a point from protecting the field. It was a good argument for the subject, but she must digress. "While I do understand your stance on the subject. You did still fall while intercepting the ball. I do commend you for protecting the field from disaster, but as you still fell, the point would be canceled out with the loss." It seemed she was taking this rather serious, despite both of them coming up with rules on the fly. They were rules that he even agreed too! Pondering, Yui thought of a means of a compromise. "However. It was my ball that nearly destroyed the field, and you saved it. In that case, I would also receive a negative. However, in the process of knocking you down, I gain a point. Given this circumstance, I believe a draw is in order." Perhaps such terms could be agreeable. Neither of them bested or failed against one another. It simply meant that their challenge would wait for another day to best one another. She smiled at such a teasing concept. Surely, it would make the next match or encounter all the more entertaining.
In the midst of their conversation, Yui's eyes followed that of Garret to an onlooker that seemed to be approaching the field. Such an individual didn't match the scenery and appeared to have a more fitting style to her own liking. Why were such lax clothes a requirement for beach fun anyhow? While she was in the dark about their presence, Garret seemed quite familiar with them. Then, much to her dismay, Garret left some parting words. It would seem her newfound acquaintance and future combatant had other tasks to attend to. It was unfortunate, seeing as Yui found some ... Entertainment in his company. Even if he seemed full of himself in terms of competition and combat; it was a respectable amount of pride. "That, indeed, is unfortunate."Her words were soft, with a touch of disappointment for the parting individual. Even if his parting words were spouting his arrogance, that didn't lessen the fact any less that his presence would be missed. However, much to her surprise, Garret had asked her to act as a stand-in for the upcoming volleyball game. At first, she considered opposing. Simply due to the fact that she was not acquainted with the others as she was with him. In fact, he was one of the only people currently that she knew outside of her family. How odd that it worked out that way. Though, the way he spoke seemed to be swaying her opinion. He seemed to have high, but misplaced hopes in her own ability to participate in this competition. Even if it was indeed misplaced, it was something that still held impact. In fact, she found her speechless as he went on about her accompanying him. All things considered, she was actually .. Flattered? With the kind of man, he seemed to be, a compliment so shallow in depth held significant meaning. Even someone as out of tune with reality as herself could gather that.
"Your words are far too kind. If that is your wish, I will proudly take your steed in the upcoming competition." She would uphold this honor with pride, and bow towards the departing man. Smile and wave, that was his departure? It even seemed that the name he hinted at earlier had stuck. That was just her identity now, wasn't it? Rising to hold her head up high, she would continue with the man still in earshot. "It was truly a pleasure to meet and accompany you all this way. I thank you for having me and look forward to our next encounter. For some reason, that encounter seemed so far off. However, she would patiently await it. Just as she would for the arrival of the others who were supposedly playing this game. .. What was this, dragging out a goodbye so long? 'Such trust won't be misplaced, Garret.' Even in her own self-doubt, she did hold it to her pride and honor to respect such wishes of trust and secrecy. "Of course, Lancer. I wouldn't have it any other way. Do take care now."/ With such parting words, Yui would find herself absent-mindedly bouncing in place on the volleyball court. With a soft sigh, she would look onwards to the beachgoers in the distance before it finally clicked.
... "I ... Don't know who Narx is. This could be problematic." It seemed she would have to break out her detective hat and magnifying glass. How was she supposed to deliver a message to someone who, she didn't know?
⊰semblance⊱active/inactive ⊰targets⊱Two or Four ⊰active⊱0/5 or 0/3 ⊰cool down⊱0/4
𝓡𝓲𝓭𝓵𝓮𝔂 ☪ 𝓓𝓮𝓵𝓶𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓼𝓽
She made broken look beautiful and strong look invincible. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Ridley stopped in her tracks, tilting her head to one side in shocked confusion as Adam burried his hand beneath the warm golden sand. An amused, yet slightly concerned expression lit her face as she turned to both Azura and Cecil, wondering if they were equally as confused by the spectacle as she was. It seemed so, but the other girl brought up a good point. "You know, Adam... oxygen is kinda essential for life... just saying." She teased lightly as just a few moments he popped his head out of the sand. As he rejoined them on their walk towards the volleyball courts, she rolled her eyes at him as he shook the and out of his dreads much like a dog would shake the water out of it's fur. "You got a little something..." She stated softly, reaching forward and flicking a grain of sand off his shoulder. However, the effort was possibly in vain, as the one grain of sand she'd removed was nothing to clap about with the countless other stubborn grains that clung to his full body suit.
Her gentle teasing and nudge to his side was met with a reaction she hadn't quite been expecting. For a moment they were just stuck staring at each other, and Ridley was thankful that the blush that filled her cheeks was faint enough to be confused with heat from the warm, sunny day. Next he stuttered over his words, which was not quite, but nearly as strange as seeing Ridley as utterly flustered as she had been back on the beach. He was usually so calm and collected even in the face of emotion. Even when he was angry, which didn't seem to happen often, he had a control over his emotions that Ridley couldn't help but envy. So if it was this... whatever this was... that was affecting him in such a way, it must be as different and confusing to him as it was to her. She smiled to herself, but otherwise left the subject untouched for now.
It lasted but a moment before he carried on with her prior teasing towards Cecil. Ridley couldn't help the little snicker that left her lips as Adam so vividly painted the image of the man he pictured swooping Azura off her feat. Ridley was amused, Cecil seemed unbothered, but Azura looked rather horrified by it all. "Oh, come on Azura, don't you think he sounds hot?" Ridley teased, trying to feign a serious look but only managing for a moment before cracking up at her own pun. The girl simply responded by commenting how she would rather go to the ball with Cecil. The conversation soon drifted to that of making each other laugh. Adam seemed to be successful on all fronts except for Cecil. To which Ridley was proud to say she had won that battle. "I'm hilarious and you all know it."She joked, placing a hand on her hip. In all reality her own humor revolved mostly around wit, sarcasm, or the occasion pun, to which they'd all just witnessed. "Ridley one, Adam zero." She then teased, winking over at their newest companion. "But to be fair, I've had more time to crack Cecil's shell."
The conversation drifted once more; this time to that of the story Ridley had so easily woven about the beowolf in the ice cream parlor. To Ridley's immense pleasure., Azura added on to her tall tale. An almost giddy grin lit up the brunette's face before she turned an 'I told ya so' look towards Adam. "I was merely doing my job as a future huntress: keeping the peace and spreading justice to the realm." She stated rather dramatically with a triumphant nod. "Just think of all those little kids who would have been robbed of their right to the savory deliciousness that is ice cream. It's just awful." She was entirely too content to keep the dramatic monologue going, until he came nearly nose-to-nose with her, staring at the pink mark on her forehead. Her mouth, which had been open to continue on with her speech, was stuck for just a moment before she snapped it quickly closed. He caught her gaze once again. It was something that happened quite often with Adam, and as always, it made her think back to the first day they had met outside the cave. He had done the same thing, just before muttering the word 'shiny'. Smirking to herself as he attempted to quickly back away, Ridley reached out with her nearly finished ice cream, smearing it teasingly across his nose.
Before he could retaliate, she dashed forward at a sprint, claiming one of the empty volleyball courts. They were interesting, unlike any she had ever seen before. Almost like a bouncy house with a net strung across the middle From what she could see as others played, the ball reacted to each player's semblance when they hit it. It made her pause in her tracks, wondering exactly how it would work with hers. She would never wish any sort of pain upon her teammates and that was really the only thing hers was good for. Sighing softly to herself, she bent over to pick up an unclaimed ball before turning back to her teammates. "So then, 2v2... let's say dates against dates?" The golden-eyed girl questioned, raising a brow at the group as she referred to the fact that Team DARK was currently double dating to the ball.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ She walked with the universe on her shoulders and made it look like a pair of wings.
"Ahh! Who needs to breathe?" he said playfully waving off everyones concern. Ridley reached out to him saying that he had something on him. Once she plucked it off he check his body even contorted his body to check his back before turning back to look at her. "Did you get it?" he asked. Adam gripped the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger. "Cecil... Oum Dangit!" he said with smiling frustration. Adam didn't know if Cecil just didn't get jokes or he just didn't want to get jokes. "I'm gonna get you to laugh even if it kills me. I mean I even got Onyxia to chuckle once and she's practically dead inside." he said laughing to himself. He didn't mean it in a bad way. Just the way he jokes with her about being death incarnate.
Adam decided to let that moment pass that him and Ridley had. Assuring himself that the ice cream was affecting him a certain way. Because ice cream can do that apparently. It had nothing to do with the fact that he tripped over his words. No way at all did he want to move on from this. He found his opening and took it. "Yeah, Azura. A date with him sounds LIT." he snickered at his pun. "Other girls would want him, but I think he'd only have the HOTS for you." he snickered again.
"So, we're keeping score, huh?" he asked her. He raised his eyebrow to her teasing and smirked. "You may have had more time with them both, but I have the heart and tenacity to combat that, girl." he smiled and pointed to his chest with his thumb. Then she winked at him and he couldn't help but to take that as a challenge. "Don't worry. I'll get Rid-ley of that point lead in no time." he said. "Puns are an underrated art." he stated. "You may be hilarious...but I'm uproariously funny." he countered with a smile.
With Azura backing her story, Adam was almost tempted to believe it. "Wait... then may-maybe I really didn't no-! Ah no! There's no way that actually happened. I can't believe I almost believed it." he chided himself.
Once again he found himself too close to Ridley's face. He quickly bagan to back away to give her personal space, but his nose was met with a pleasant chill from the treat he enjoyed for the first time today. The sudden action was pleasurable before he realized what happened. "You've been put on my revenge list twice now, Cap." he said. Then, a sudden realization. "What's that smell?" he thought. Then it hit him. "Oh, lord! Pineapple..." he internally panicked. Adam liked nothing about pineapple. Smell, taste, texture...name! It's not even an apple. Ridley dug her own grave. She just didn't know it yet. He hastily wiped the dessert from his face and playfully glared at her as she dashed away. "Date v Date, huh? I'm down." he said cracking his knuckles. "But why don't we make this a bit more...interesting, peeps?" he offered.
Mood: Happy, Post Count:45 Location:Leisure Beach
KnightsRoyal
Alysian Virago
Deadly_Tiger
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 9:38 am
{[Cecil Roydon]}
α в ¢ ∂ є ƒ g н ι נ к ℓ м η σ ρ q я ѕ т υ ν ω χ у
As they made it to the court, Cecil would note that they only had two people for each team if it was just them. He liked the idea of a two on two as he nodded his head, soon blushing faintly as Azura did openly state she would rather go with him rather than some hot head. It filled him with some minor confidence before the conversation turned back to the story that Ridley made about the Beowulf that Ridley defeated in the ice cream shop. It was only now that he realized the story was one made up to make fun of Adam's ice cream headache. He chose to stay out of it before Ridley mentioned that she was hilarious while Adam failed to get him to laugh. "If you do, then hell would most definitely... FREEZE over." He stated with his own pun, yet unamused by his own joke. He simply looked to the court when she mentioned having more time to crack his shell. He finished up his ice cream before he began to eat along his waffle cone as Ridley mentioned about the dates taking on eachother, which was then followed by Adam's proposal to make it more interesting. "Are you suggesting a bet while we only have 2 teams here?"
α в ¢ ∂ є ƒ g н ι נ к ℓ м η σ ρ q я ѕ т υ ν ω χ у
Semblance: Active, active, active || Weapon: Reiterpallasch(Not on hand) || Currently Holding: N/A Post Count: 59 || Missions Done: 3 || Current Mission: Volleyball [Cold Blooded Defender]
► My house 【 Mood ≡ Inconclusive. 】 【 With ≡ No one 】 【 Semblance - Inactive ≡ 0/4 Posts | 0/5 Weapons Active 】 【 Level | Posts ≡ 0 | 18 】 【 out. of. choices. ≡ 】
XXXHow long has it been now? It seemed to feel like hours have passed since Garret had left her by her lonesome, but surely it couldn't have been that long. At this point, the woman was no longer standing. No no, that was a waste of energy. Instead, she found herself sitting at the edge of the squishy volleyball court, sinking towards the ground as she waited. Golden rays would radiate down on her, with her only shield from it being her wings. Such beautiful wings seemed to have more utility as the days went on, rather than just being a visually pleasing trophy. With the softest of sighs, Yui would raise her hand to her chin and begin to lean with her elbow on her knee for support. Perhaps she shouldn't have promised Garret anything, because it seemed like nothing was going to amount from it. The sea breeze would whisk around her, spraying a cool yet refreshing mist against her back. To the sea breeze, her wings would naturally flick in response, shaking off the forming beads of water that collected along her feathers.
As it was destined to be, she would be alone. There was nothing wrong with that though, it was something she got quite used to in the Lioncourt manor. Today already had far more excitement than she normally would, so winding down didn't seem like a terrible idea. It was still a day away from training, a day away from responsibility. ... Thoughts would plague her, insulting her and weighing her down for not doing something more productive with her time. It was a process that was ingrained in her. Yet, something kept her from leaving. Something that resonated deep within her core, something that told her to stay. To relax. Gentle eyelids would blink slowly before shutting as her mind began to water. The caws of seagulls, the crashing waves thundering along the shoreline, all while the warmth from the golden rays mixed with the cool sea breeze to lull her into a sense of comfort. In her mind, each crash grew louder and louder... Amplifying and resonating to shake her core. Her imagination would drift as the idea of the coming tide growing so large washed over her. Each crash, she'd imagine the waves overtaking the court and engulfing the beach. Sand peeling away, until the court itself was surrounded with water. In Yui's own little world, the inflated court would begin to drink along the azure waves, whisking her away to journies unknown from the shore she left behind. Soon, there would be nothing but her, the court, and an azure blue as far as her own pale blue hues would take her.
The calls and hollers between a team would rip her from her fantasy, the waves in her mind receding in the backwash until her court was safely on the beach once again. Though, to anyone around, they would just see the avian faunus drifting in a daydream. That's all it was. Now though, her pale hues would focus on the group of individuals that had run by her. First a woman, followed by two men and another woman. Could these have been the ones she was waiting for? ... Something told her not, whether it was true or just her desire to keep to herself. But... Did she really want to isolate herself? Surely after her visit with Garret, it proved that she actually found joy in the company of others. No? ... No. That wasn't acceptable. It was a distraction, and she shouldn't dare associate herself with such ... Carefree spirits. Even if deep down inside, she wanted to fly free like them. It wouldn't be acceptable. ... Though, maybe just once... The girl's presence who seemed to match that of the sky would watch from afar as the team interacted, spouting nonsense she either couldn't connect or simply couldn't hear. They were enjoying themselves and talked with smiles on their faces. ... Maybe she could do that too if those she was waiting for arrived.
Looking towards the sky, she found herself letting out another sigh. This was a mistake. She shouldn't have offered anything to Garret, especially a promise that she couldn't keep. Or maybe he was messing with her. Mother had always said to use trust sparingly with those outside the family. Maybe no one was coming. Maybe she was just wasting her time sitting here, just as she wasted her time coming to the beach. A pale gaze would find itself looking longingly towards the team that took stead at the other field, before sighing once more. "How silly... To think I thought I could get involved in something like this." Breaking her gaze, she'd begin to slump back until she laid flat on the court with her wings tucked in. Now, she would only gaze longingly towards the sky. Perhaps she should just fly. Then, her scroll would vibrate and ring. It rang with such an uninviting monotoned tune, one that would only fit one person in her life. "Maybe... I should just go home ... Mother wouldn't like it if she knew I was here, anyway... Tugging at the scroll in her pocket, she'd bring it up to eye level to gloss over the text. It seemed like her mother already knew where she was, and that they would have much to discuss. Once she was done here, she was demanded to return home, rather than her aunt's house. She didn't dare disobey her mother. What made matters worse was the fact her mother didn't demand her home immediately. She could only imagine what she had planned for her. "Sorry, Aunt Laffee... I tried." Dropping her scroll beside her, she'd continue to do as she was before; staring longingly at the sky. Since she was already in trouble, another few moments of cloud watching wouldn't hurt. ... She was already going to hurt.
Azura Knight Azura could hardly hold back the eye roll as Ridley and Adam descended into fire-related puns. Still a small grin of amusement managed to slip out. "I prefer someone cool." She retorted, adding her own temperature related pun and descending to the lowest form of humour herself. Hopefully, Cecil didn't think less of her for engaging. She glanced over at the icy male whose cheeks were faintly pink. Was he blushing, or just too hot? It was difficult to tell and she didn't exactly want to ask. She did fully smile when Cecil made his own pun. "At this rate, we will need to change our name to team PUNN. Also minus one point for Adam. Those were terrible." She didn't know if she had the authority to give out points, but she was going to anyway.
"I would never lie about so serious as a line cutting Beowulf." She teased as Adam seemed conflicted on whether or not to believe their tall tale. He got in Ridley's face for what was probably the 10th time, but this time she put some ice cream on his nose. Azura wasn't sure if she was more surprised or Adam who swore revenge while Ridley ran off to one of the empty courts....which seemed to be almost all of them since she could see only two other people outside of their foursome. Date vs Date. Azura hadn't really thought of it like that until now, but it wasn't wrong. It seemed weird to hear out loud though. Azura crossed to the court to be on the opposite of Ridley. "What are we betting?" She asked somewhat concerned.
✘ Profile ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ Garret was returning to the beach after having been called away for far too long. The sun was much lower than it had previously been when he had last step foot on the beach. The errand he was called for unfortunately took far too long to his liking; not because it was a challenging task, far from it, it was so menial he felt his life wasting away the longer he spent on it. He was just glad it was done with and the rest of what remained of the day would hopefully be his to spend as he pleased. It was one downside of his position; he could be called away at any point and having accepted this job, he would have to set aside what he was doing for that very reason. During that time he had also changed from his beach attire to his more typical one, not having believed he would have any time at all to even come back. Even then, his only thought was to perhaps catch anyone leaving from the match he was invited to so that he may know the results of such a thing. ‘And, perhaps, find some small measure of competition there,’ he thought to himself with a grin. While he lacked all his beach supplies, he still had his twin spears with him, his satchel, and something not typically to his equipment. A round white ball. He had been lent it by one of the others assisting him, being told it was a volley ball. Tossing it up into the air and catching it experimentally, he hoped to get some use out of it. ‘Practice for the next time, perhaps.’ He thought to himself.
It was then that Garret had finally reached the beach, the cool sea air a welcome relief against the beating sun, beating despite its descent from the top of the sky. He was surprised to see many others still here, apparently not keen on ending things until the latest. ‘There may be hope yet.’ He thought to himself, believing there was yet a chance of a volleyball game going on that he may join. Not wanting to waste any time or opportunity, he set off in the direction of that field. His vision focused on the direction of it, taking things in periphery to just barely acknowledge them as he strode towards it. He was not running quite yet, though he desired to do so. Part of him was even tempted to activate his semblance and go at his fastest. Despite that, he resisted the urges. Minorly, because of appearances. Partially because he knew he would not be able to resist jumping into the fray then. Mostly because his semblance use was too costly to waste for such a short duration. If he used it, he wanted to do so to the fullest. ‘Its far more enjoyable that way.’ He thought to himself with a smile. Further, if he were to run and find the games still going, he would be putting himself at a slight disadvantage. Not because of fatigue, he could run and move for far longer than the time it would take to reach there. But because his opponents would then have an idea of how fast he could move. He saw no reason to reveal that quite yet.
Finally the court was in sight. At first, he thought the fabled match was still ongoing as he saw others that seemed to be preparing for a match. However, the numbers were far too few from what he had been told. The greatest giveaway that it was not currently ongoing was dove laying flat on the field, her wings tucked under her, a scroll discarded to the side of her, and her gaze skyward. Looking around again, he saw Narx nowhere around and it did not seem like Yui had exerted herself much. ‘Unless the game had ended long ago?’ He pondered to himself before dismissing the thought from his mind. If the match had ended, he doubted someone like her would spend their time laying on the field as nothing would be binding her there any longer. Whether he was right or wrong, there was no better way to find out than to ask directly. Striding towards her, quieting his approach a little more than normal, he would straight up to her and gaze down at her prone form. “Well Dove, it seems I am either too late or the match has yet to happen. I had been told it would’ve happened well before now…Will you enlighten me on whether I should be disappointed to have missed it or apologetic to you for waiting for an event that never came to pass?” He would ask in a calm and curious tone as he began tossing his volleyball up into the air, catching and throwing it again on repeat with one hand alone now, having had plenty of time to practice. His gaze would briefly flicker to the other group playing before going back to her own eyes where his gaze would match any she gave. Then, before she could answer, he would speak a little more. “Regardless…We have an unfinished match between us, you and I. And I happened to find a ball that will not destroy the field beneath our feet. What say we spend whats left of this day playing volleyball, so that the next time an opportunity arises we may crush all who stand in our way?” Garret said, a playful smirk gracing his lips briefly along with his typical arrogance. Whatever her answer would be, he wanted to play this game he had been invited to. Even had he been able to stay he would’ve waited pointlessly with her for something that seemed as if it would not happen. And for her to suffer that in his stead was not something he was going to allow to pass. So he had resorted to something that always cheered him up, competition, in order to try and salvage what was left of their day off.
► My house 【 Mood ≡ Inconclusive. 】 【 With ≡ Garret 】 【 Semblance - Inactive ≡ 0/4 Posts | 0/5 Weapons Active 】 【 Level | Posts ≡ 0 | 20 】 【 out. of. choices. ≡ 】
XXXJust how long had she been adrift her own thoughts? It was as if her eyes glossed over, staring so longingly towards the puffy mass of clouds that floated through the sky so carelessly with the sea breeze. Her sense of time had betrayed her, as it always did when she broke away from her routine. The purpose of a cycle was to consistently keep the same state of mind, never straying out of order... Never to succumb to the temptations of a society that she was secluded from. In her absentmindedness, she hadn't even noticed the arrival of a near-forgotten acquaintance. Perhaps she would have never noticed if not due to his broad silhouette against the sunlight. Sluggish eyelids would blink as her gaze would shift to meet his own. Her gears would turn, slowly processing the return of her previous opponent. It was so unlike her to react so laxly, with such an apathetic disposition. "... Lan..cer..?" Though the process dragged out, the dots would finally begin to link inside her dazed mind. Garret stood before her, back from wherever he had gone. ... Why though? She had no intention to speak, for her eyes would say it all. A bleak emptiness behind the pale blue hues. A gaze that showed how disinterested she had become, but a most distant hint of sadness or disappointment that things had not gone the way she was told they would. Perhaps... She did want to participate in such childish games. Maybe, just maybe, she wanted to try to interact with others and break away from her doll-like shell. Unfortunately, that feeling had come to pass as she laid there. Having accepted that these thoughts, these feelings, we're just a disturbance brought upon her from breaking her mother's cycle. Even if all that was true, one could easily notice her irises dart with the movement of the ball with each toss.
It would take some effort, but she'd start to tighten her muscles and brace her hands against the squishy court to start hoisting herself up. While normally done in a smooth, sequenced motion, it would prove far more difficult on this terrain. In a near-silent voice, Garret was sure to hear her grunt as she struggled before finally finding herself sitting upright to face him. " ... Unless the individual known as Narx is among that group of students over there, their declaration of a challenge was but a farce." With her report, a faint sigh would escape her lips as she shifted her palms to keep her stable in the upright position. "An apology for this would be unnecessary, as you're not the one to fault for their absence." Such a statement would bring them back to the first moment they met, as she eccentrically apologized for the disturbance she caused but was met with dismissal. Blue hues would continue to watch the toss and rotation of the ball, up and down... Clearly catching her eye, before pulling her focus back to Garret. ... A new challenge though? What she heard was lagging behind in her sluggish reality. Hadn't she had enough for one day? This... Rollercoaster, as some put it. It was one she was not use to, and though physically she was fine, mentally, she was growing exhausted. Still... Yui at her core seemed to long to play, as childish as it was. Her day was faced with disappointment, and she thought it was to prove that she was wrong to try and step out. Yet, here before her was something in direct defiance of such a resolution. Someone putting their foot in the door, making it impossible for her to shut herself away. Besides... Their match earlier had ended in a draw. That was unacceptable, and surely that tarnished record couldn't keep to her name.
"I.. Suppose we can't let it in a draw, can we? It would be disgraceful for both of us." Her more serious demeanor began to return as she started to rock back and forth on the court edge. Each rock was fueled with a bounce, harder and harder before she could find the force to spring up to her feet. Now on her own two legs, her eyes would wander to meet his once again, her wings outstretched. "With the combined efforts of both our lineage, none will stand in our way." Yui said, her serious expression refusing to waver despite his own arrogance. Flapping her wings, the sand would burst and shift around them as she took to the sky ever so briefly before positioning herself as she was before on her side of the court. Just as before, her frame would sink into the unstable surface. Unlike before though, she was prepared and would begin to bounce and shift her stance more appropriately. Once stationary and balanced, her wings would lower and her eyes would travel towards Garret's presence. Eyes would fix on his frame to analyze every movement as he went about to position himself on the field. "Given the circumstances of the last match, and that you're currently in possession of the ball, I believe you're in the best position to serve." ... There were many flaws with their last match, and she truly believed that he was in the right to serve due to the tactical errors prior, in addition to acquiring a functioning ball. The presence of her mother plagued the back of her mind, a creeping thought that continued to try and waver her attention. While she maintained the personality she had normally in her presence, she would never condone such a waste of time... She just had to take a deep breath, it would be fine... She'd never know the extent of what she did with her time, after all. Now, as she fought off her mental advances, she'd continue to wait for Garret's serve ... They only had so much time left in their day.
✘ Profile ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ Though she claimed an apology was un-necessary, Garret knew better from a brief insight before she had begun to speak as she did earlier in the day. Her eyes had betrayed how she truly felt before the first words were even spoken, her actions only furthering that. 'Or, as was more appropriate, her lack of.' He silently thought to himself. Where there was once grace and almost a rigidity to her actions, no doubt from her upbringing, there was now only sluggishness and apathy. One with, he assumed from his prior encounter with her, an intellect as hers would not have taken so long to call him by the name he had requested of her. It was almost as if some event had happened to make her temporarily forget it, and her to withdraw, but of that he was unsure. Her eyes too seemed to indicate it, apathetic on the surface with a what could be presumed as disappointment mixed in. Before she even spoke, before he even asked, he could've guessed at the answer but he did not like to base things entirely on assumptions and so had to ask to be sure. He regretted asking her to substitute for him seeing as they game had not occurred. At her gesture towards the other group, the one he briefly checked upon arrival, only confirmed it. The game seemed to have been cancelled without an alert given, which irked him slightly but made him feel worse for her. He would not have asked her to take his place had he known. It was also why he had continued speaking to challenge her, the ball having been present as a small way to taunt her into it or at least spark her interest. Having seen her eyes on it, and hearing her begin to speak again, he smiled as it worked. Whether it was by his action or just the challenge alone did not matter.
The more she spoke the more his smile grew. It was a smile of a competitor waiting for his chance to compete. One who was all for continuing where they had left off. Though he personally did not find the idea disgraceful to have their match be a draw, as he believed only two opponents evenly matched and challenged could ever be capable of a true draw, the one they had was less than satisfactory. They still had not completely ironed out the rules in a suitable manner that was truly applicable. Further, it was not a draw based on equal skill but of technicalities, which was not something he found honorable either. He could have lived with it and left it for circumstance, but he was not about to tell her that. He wanted her motivated to try and succeed for this. It would only add to the excitement and challenge that he would face in order to prevail. He would merely nod to her words and watch as she began to rock back and forth, repeating with more and more force until she sprang onto her feet and faced him, standing like a true warrior with her wings outstretched. Garret's confident smile only widened at the sight as their gazes met, his own filled with the intensity of a coming competition. 'There is the Dove, wings spread to the sky.' He thought to himself, knowing she was now committed again to prevailing as he was. As she continued to speak, all seriousness, Garret had to suppress the urge to laugh. Not at her, nor at the idea of them being paired, but at the terror any who faced the two would be in. 'Especially those who believe they actually have a chance.' He silently added in his mind. While his was an arrogance coupled with joy, hers was a seriousness that with her own ability there could be no doubt. Two forms of the same thing, but one that was more apparent and prevalent than the other. Perhaps the two were not so different in that regard as Garret had first thought. As she began to flap her wings, the sand seeming to be fleeing from her presence, she would briefly take off and land gracefully on the field this time. Her recovery was far faster than the first time, likely having time to get used to the field in his absence as well as in his presence.
Not skipping a beat, Garret would calmly move to his side but rather than try remounting it as he did before he instead strode a few lengths in the opposite direction. Turning suddenly on his heel, he would throw his golden spear to embed itself in the sand just before the arena. Then. with a slight smirk appearing as his thoughts raced, he would sprint towards the field of battle. His blood red spear stretched in front of him, it almost appeared as if he intended to impale the arena till at the last moment, not coincidentally, it dug into the ground next to Virtue straight down as Garret would no longer just be moving forward but also vertically. His intention would now be clear; he was using his spear to carry himself onto the arena. His speed in rising rapidly slowed, at the apex of the the arc almost stopping, before he extended his legs and transitioned from air onto the field. He barely bounced as he did so, having controlled it so that he had only lightly stepped on it to slowly transition his weight from spear to arena. A far better mounting than he had done the first time. His spears were left crossed as was his family symbol. Turning towards Yui, seeing her gaze on him, he would give a small bow before she began to speak. She had given him the right to serve. He would walk to the center of his field before turning again to face her, a look of pure competition on his face. "Very well. Let Victory be taken by the worthy, and all that threaten the sanctity of this match be struck down." Garret said confidently, keen to play this match to the end. Would he actually strike someone down if they tried interrupting? That all depended if he had control of the ball.
The match had not been a quick one. Their first volley was a string of back and forths, ultimately ending in Yui's favor. The second volley was a quicker win on her end. The third and final one...had been the most intense in his position. It had been his last chance to get a score, the sky darkening far too much to continue afterwards, and so it was the one he put his all in. He won the final point. "It seems you have me beat 2 to 1. If the game had gone on longer...who knows how the score may have turned out in the end. But regardless, you are the victor here." Garret would say, disappointed in himself for not getting the win but not at all disappointed at the game. Yui had proved to be a true challenge to him, something he did not often face. A loss to her only strengthened his resolve to face her again after training more. He would offer her a bow, not one out of mere formality, but a genuine one to acknowledge her skill. As he rose, he couldn't help but smile confidently and add onto his prior statement. "Though perhaps next time, if there is one, you shall join me in being bound to the earth rather than the skies. It would be...interesting, to see how the flow of battle may change from it, if at all." Though her wings, and flight by extension, were a clear advantage, Garret meant his statement mostly in seeing how she would go about the game. He had no doubt without flight she would be just as formidable and was more curious as to how her strategies would change. Though deeper down he knew it was also because he believed without her wings he may have been victorious. But he would not blame his loss on that. He knew what he was getting into when he challenged her with her flight allowed. He still wanted to beat her even when she was using them.
Looking down next to him where the volleyball lay, and then up to the ever darkening sky, he smirked as he picked it up. Looking at Yui he tossed it over the net towards her. "Keep the ball till next we face one another. I shall only accept it back once I best you in a game of volleyball. A vow from myself that we will face another again." With that said, arrogance still even in the face of defeat as his spirit could never be put down long, he would jump off the field and onto the cool sand. He would pick up both his spears, putting Virtue on his back and having Heir in his hands as he would walk towards her side of the field. "As enjoyable as your presence has been, and as eager as I am to face you again or continue our game, it seems the day has come to a close. I must take my leave now while there is yet time for a hunt. Until next we meet, Dove." Garret would say, his expression turning into a cool confidence. Thinking for a moment, he would reach into his satchel but keep his hand inside as he continued to speak. His gaze would lock with her and the look in his eyes would change slightly from their usual fiery arrogance, having an air of intensity and seriousness in it...but not one of competition. "And, given the events of today, I should say one thing. I always keep my word. So when I say I shall face you again someday...It shall happen. Death cannot stop me from keeping my word. As such, you are obligated to survive till then. There shall be a duel of the Lioncourt and Reveley line, this I give my word." As quickly as that serious intensity had appeared, it disappeared as soon as he finished speaking. He was back to his usual self, and from his satchel his hand would shoot out a white rose which flew in the direction of Yui, flying straight for the space between her eyes. Not even looking to see if she caught it, Garret would've already spun around and began walking in the opposite direction, a backwards hand wave as he went. "Until next we meet Dove." His voice would travel loud and clear to her due to his articulation. The significance of the white rose was for him alone to know for now. His red roses were saved for foes he had slain or beaten. The white...were for the few who had beaten him. He only ever carried one of those at a time, as he knew that an opponent who beat him may very well go all the way. He had not expected to give one and live, but then Dove had been full of surprises for him. He was walking towards where he had left all his other stuff on the beach, to pack it and leave. Hopefully to a hunt, but if not he could retire for the day happy to have been challenged even if he failed. ✘ Post count: 31 ✘Semblance timer: 0/5 ✘ Recharge: 0/5 ✘Grimm Killed: 1 ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
