RP Kikyō no Sekku YE 46

[Waffles]

Mazu Beach: The napping corner

It wasn't that Hiro and Tae didn't get along, it was more that Hiro more carefree spirit conflicted with Tae's more suspicious nature. However, they had yet to actually spend any significant amount of time together. Tae responded the same way she always did to his playing with a slight smile and a dance to the music.

Seeing that Callie was tired looking as always and seemed to be trying to nap, so with that in mind his playing shifted to an even more soothing song to aid in relaxation. He was the bardic monk of the Yukika II crew, which meant his playing shifted to the company he was keeping. It was true that his natural playstyle was more Metal and Punk, however, he had been trained in several forms as he was learning how to play.

He could see that the beach was beginning to have many more occupants from several different shifts and walks of life to say the least, Hiro had to wonder if there were going to be any planned events during this vacation.

 

[demibear]

Mazu Beach: Nerd Corner

Up to this point, Yingzi was completely absorbed in the scientific papers she was reading to herself. From the perspective from others, she was merely an out of place white hair small nepleslian woman (do they actually make them small?) that was staring mindlessly at the sea with her knees tucked next to her chest as she sat. The sheer level of activity was within her vision, but was nothing by background noise to her at the moment. The current article she was reading was from Fujiko University's College of Natural and Medical Science titled "Material Challenges in Aether Energy" highlighting the crude aether reactor Nepleslian Research and Manufacturing made for a mechanized exosuit called the Crooked Demon in the YE 20s.

Even with Yingzi's basic understanding of Aether Theory from her science training, the basis of the student's arguments had some sound reasoning behind them, the calculations for what materials would make aether energy production for energy usage was way off and likely going to get someone killed. Yingzi was fighting the urge to send a strongly worded letter to both the student and the professor when she noticed the music had taken a softer tone, causing her to yawn. Confused, she looked around for the source and quickly discovered it to the Hiro.

 

[Primitive Polygon]

Neps Sleepy Time -> Sand Castle

Tae's heart fluttered the way it did every time Taii Futaba graced her presence. Not just the living embodiment of the Yukika's machine spirit, but also a mentoring, enthralling soul that took the red oni under their wing personally... The feeling was short lived, however, as the dictation that their kami brought today was a proclamation of their student's shameful failure in judgment.

The Kaimon unit was proven pure in heart, and far above Tae's lowly suspicion. Shameful.

Before they could even voice an apology, their idol had then sped off into the air, leaving Tae in deep bow, with a feeling of melancholy. Was Hiro's shift in tone trying to cheer her up? She appreciated it, but it was a bit too sleepy for her mercurial heart... She kissed the buds of another sakura flower and smiled meekly at him, then propped it up in his leather jacket pocket. Hopefully it would instill good energy. Maybe he'd follow her if he wasn't disgusted?

“Empress bless your soul, Shoi Hiro.~”

Vermillion feet paced aimlessly for a little while after that. She glided in close to the sand castle, wondered if she should apologize or even bless the great work, but realized... Well, this industrious soul had never been aware of her undue suspicions in the first place?

And so, she sat down, in limbo...

Very hot, scolding limbo... No, some huge natural-borns were walking past with giant heaters...

A silver woman? Those of the rare breed, of natural metal-hued souls?... Hurm... Perhaps it was here, it was for the young miko's sanctification to be placed, and usefulness to be proven?

"Hail fellow!~ Excuse my forwardness..." A curious glimmer passed their angular eyes, examining Aliset's chromed form with pure naive curiosity. Of course, Tae's own form was bristling with elements of the arcane, a vulpine doll of crimson clad in the symbology of old thinking. "...Are... are you not a member of the species, 'The Senti'?... I am informed you have some quite... abstract concepts of non-organic divinity?..."

 

[HarperMadi]

"Hail fellow!~ Excuse my forwardness..." A curious glimmer passed their angular eyes, examining Aliset's chromed form with pure naive curiosity. Of course, Tae's own form was bristling with elements of the arcane, a vulpine doll of crimson clad in the symbology of old thinking. "...Are... are you not a member of the species, 'The Senti'?... I am informed you have some quite... abstract concepts of non-organic divinity?..."

"Who...?" Aliset turned, her iridescent green-blue eyes scanning the creature that had approached her curiously. The iconography that adorned her body wasn't familiar to her, not at first. So she attempted to send a telepathic query to the Koun's MEGAMI to get more information, only to receive a ping packet back. As though the computer was telling her to figure it out. Some form of Shinto? Certainly she had seen such practices, never executed in this form. Perhaps this young woman would have some answers for her own crisis of faith, if she offered proper respect and answered her questions.

"I was of the Senti, yes. Please, speak up. You're far too beautiful to be shackled by your own insecurity." The metal woman offered a soft smile as she bowed to Tae. "I am Aliset of Koun. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to identify you. But you speak of... Well, I was always told my beliefs are superstition at best. It is rare that one would ask after them. What would you see known?"

 

[Gles]

Any worries Molli harbored regarding the ocean seemingly evaporated in the heat of competition. The Nepleslian eagerly hoisted herself over the boat's railing and landed squarely on Sif's chiseled shoulders, which had probably carried heavier burdens than Molli. To keep herself upright, Molli set her hands down on Sif's shoulders, which helped ease some of the wobbling every time her mount moved an inch. "Grab- Grab m'legs, Sif!" she said, voice tinged with slight worry. This was another occasion where Molli wished she had a tail like Sif's for balance.

Once the duo were (mostly) stable, Molli could focus on the woman she was meant to knock off the shoulders of a princess--Boss. In many ways, it was a relief not to contend with Aiko directly, but that didn't mean Boss was any less intimidating, given her veterancy, and the fact that she was responsible for her new arm. It was like getting into a fistfight with your doctor--they know your body better than you do.

A smidgeon of uncertainty darkened Molli's face, which vanished as soon as Boss began to grapple with her flesh arm. Molli's reply was to reach for Boss's shoulder with the metal one while simultaneously pushing back against Boss with the other. Although Boss wasn't Aiko, she was still a Neko; that meant she was flat-out stronger and faster than a lightly augmented and mutated Nepleslian. While pushing against Boss's shoulder, Molli's metal fingers slipped down to her armpit and tried to brush across any inch of ticklish skin.

"Will's-hah! Probably righ'-" Molli said through gritted teeth, "Lil' water ent gonna hurt." Molli could tell that Boss was worried about causing permanent damage thanks to her whinging, so she wanted to nip that concern in the bud rather quickly.

 

[raz]

"Good for you to have given up your concern," Aiko said to Molli, sounding both congratulatory and happily relieved. She dug her feet into the sand underwater and pushed Boss forward more heartily with more of her considerable strength, sensing the Nepleslian girl had given some sort of assurance that the salty sea no longer offended her sensibilities.

"Though we are here to relax, think of this as a touch of further practice," the princess added. Were today not a holiday, the Kaiyō's crew would still be aboard the YSS Battle of Elysia training on how to pilot new mecha in pursuit of their next mission. "You must be one with your weapon, both pilot and vehicle feeling and reacting to the intention of the other. Like this."

Aiko stepped forward through the calm ocean current, not allowing the water's resisting viscosity to slow her down as much as it wanted to. Boss' movements told Aiko how and where she wanted to move in her attempt to dismount Molli, so the princess leaned with the olive skinned MEGAMI on her shoulders to lend Boss more strength and stability. It was just a silly little bit of vacation fun, but Aiko nonetheless enjoyed having Boss ride her for a few moments rather than the usual arrangement wherein the starship Kaiyō ferried her everywhere she needed to be.

"You must not let Molli fall, Sif-kun," Aiko grinned in the shade of her avatar companion's thighs, looking the other Neko in the eyes while a fanged grin crept across her exquisite face. "I am still not convinced she has prepared herself for a full dip!"

 

[Miko]

Mazu Beach: Kōun, Resurgence, and Yukika II Crews

Alastair puffed out his toned chest when he heard that Tachiko heard of him from Sayako. His fame was growing and was enjoying the attention coming from it. Out of reflex his head snapped to tracking Tachiko's MEGAMI who bolted off like a rocket. The always at the ready captains were in perfect sync for this moment. A sign of the precision training both had received over the years.

"Please, I am but a humble captain, Sayako however has been a real star on the ship. She ensures everything operates at perk performance, a key to our continued success we are having during missions. I am both pleased and honored to have her on board the Koun." He shared as he watched her by some act of the heavens pry herself away from Sayako. He smile to see her show all this affection.

Alastair paused for a moment as Tachiko headed over towards a new person who had entered the scene. He believed he had seen this person before and once the name Cherry was spoken knew exactly who this one. "Oh my gosh, had I known we'd have a celeberty here, I'd have worn my dress uniform." Alastair spoke as he followed behind Tachiko. "It is none other than Sakura Cherry, from the supreme eminence of enlightenment, the holy ark YSS Eucharis of the immortal Yamatai Star Empire. I am such a huge fan." He said with the biggest of smiles. Alastair did not know all the details but if Cherry meant something to Tachiko, then she was good in his book.

Mazu Beach Plaza:

Zelphon took a step back to let the family bonding unfold in front of her. It was touching to see everyone come together, have a good time and make memories together. "How about you all get together and I can take a picture of this. Just one big happy family." She said with a smile.

 

[Nameless]

Now balance was something Sif had a good sense of, and not just because she was a neko. She was as surefooted as a neko could be, and that was something she could bring to bear in this chicken fight. The 33A clamped on to Molli's legs like they were the straps of a travel pack--but gently of course. "Molli-sama's securely clamped in!" Sif would cheerfully announce as she moved forwards, keeping careful considerations to her and Molli's combined center of gravity as they wrestled Aiko and Boss.

While it was a relief that Aiko wasn't going directly against Molli, as neither of them could hope to defeat a battle-tested princess. Boss? There was likely more of a chance. They've never seen her fight yet. Well, Molli might have now that Sif thought about it, but at the moment, Boss was exuding some nervous energy, and hopefully that meant that they had a chance to win.

If the objective was to just get the other to topple over, then they'd have to apply some leverage. So Sif made sure Molli had ample room to lean forward to push against Boss, while Sif herself made sure her footing was steady, and that her movements weren't jerky.

=====

With Roy's attention freed from the constant threat of a ball of doom flying this way and that, he looked around the beach and noticed it filling up with more people. Not really surprising, he supposed. What was surprising was the construction of a fairly large sand castle off some distance away. By his estimation, the dodgeball game shouldn't pose a threat to that piece of architecture.

Looking around some more without looking for anything in particular, he got that shuddering feeling of being a complete alien creature starting to creep up on him. A feeling that he just couldn't seem to shake no matter how long he's spent in Yamatai. It had already been a couple of years, so when was culture shock supposed to stop? With a sigh, he gulped down some of his beer and happened to spot Yingzi by herself, seemingly looking out to the sea in a longing fashion.

Taking a spare bottle of beer with him from the cooler, he made his way over to her. "Yingzi!" he called out with a grin, his hand lightly swaying the fresh fished beverage. "Care for a drink? Only the finest of the cheap beer. The fancy cocktails aren't until tonight though."

 

[Primitive Polygon]

"I was of the Senti, yes. Please, speak up. You're far too beautiful to be shackled by your own insecurity." The metal woman offered a soft smile as she bowed to Tae. "I am Aliset of Koun. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to identify you. But you speak of... Well, I was always told my beliefs are superstition at best. It is rare that one would ask after them. What would you see known?"

The red Nekovalkyrja returned the bow in kind, bridging their fingers and arcing their head to one side timidly. The expression was just a little like those lucky cat souvenirs. The one holding the coin.

"My name is Shoi Kohosei Tae Tsuguka, pilot and humble spiritual emissary of the YSS Yukika II..." Her sudden self-awareness was apparent, but she enjoyed the tempered, patient quality of Aliset's tone. Given the fact the Senti shortened her name, it took a moment for Tae to identify her in turn, but her expression immediately changed when they remembered seeing the YSS Koun in orbit, and followed the breadcrumbs to find Aliset Soren's significantly higher rank of Taii. It made the red cat bow again out of nowhere, habitually.

"Forgive the long winded explanation, I am a mere Miko, my Taii, but... to effectively control a large vessel is to mentally integrate with it, to allow it to bend your psyche as much as you influence it in return... and within that, I realized that there are subconscious rituals that all Nekovalkyrja, and our soul transferred kindred, must address, in order to understand the primitive building blocks of our increasingly complex culture." Probably the most she'd said to any fellow enlisted in months, but they often didn't get the chance to be detailed with such matters, either. "...This... concept of one's function, of one's direct integration, it doesn't seem that far from the concept of this 'burial steel' to my eyes? How do your kin view soul transfer technology, now that the immortal soul can be divided from the mercurial flesh? Are these considered separate things?"