RP: OIF Atuan [OIF Atuan] Episode 4: In Hot Water

[CadetNewb]

Murakami Kensuke stood before the pilots, arms akimbo, chest and wide shoulders proud. As he spoke, his sonorous voice boomed forward. "You have all brought great honor to Origin Armor Works with your performance, and to show you my gratitude, I have personally arranged an all expenses paid trip to the hotsprings here on Dawn Station!" He smiled at them all. "Really. Now go enjoy yourselves. Shoo."

Strange scenes were strange. Moments ago, the pilots of the Atuan were fighting for their lives. However, with that over, a second crew was brought up to take over the cleanup. They proceeded to move the wrecks about and extricate the infected pilots, plus an NMX Neko. Having 20 or so frames rampaging about inside Dawn Station was not quite destructive as it was initially expected. All the damage was limited with just a small portion of Sector 9, and the rest was perfectly unscathed. And then moments ago, the pilots ended up with a short ovation from Kensuke himself.

Now, they found themselves transported to an Onsen; each of them had their own rooms in the hotel, and the resort itself was very high class. Chances were, it would have taken a huge chunk out of their wallets; Kensuke made sure it wouldn't this time around though. There were three primary outdoor hot springs, one for each gender and another that was coed along with several smaller ones dispersed across the grounds. Water could be heard slowly trickling about, and gentle music could be heard. For the coed onsen, bathing suits had to be worn, but the others only required a towel. It was surprisingly quiet, for now.

****

Yoshiko slowly sank into the hot, steamy water of the onsen. For her, it had been a long, embarrassing day and this helped to ease her tension. 'I know I messed up, but he didn't have to yell at me like that...' she thought.'I guess I deserved it though. I shouldn't have let myself get so carried away. Maybe I'm not cut out for this and should just go back home. She sank lower until the waterline just reached under her eyes. 'At least I just got the Apparel Array beta testing model....even though the beta ended already. The ex-neko thought, eyeing the blue volumetric bikini she wore. Yoshiko plunged below the hot waters and blew out air, bubbles churning at the surface.

'This is the mixed onsen, isn't it?

****

"I see sir. This is fortunate news." Kelly spoke. Kensuke sat before him behind that Mahogany desk, and handed a file over to the ensign to deliver to Arah, wherever she was. The boss fell silent. It was time for Kelly Williams to leave.

 

[Moogle]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

Taela found herself in the female-only onsen, seeing as she owned no bathing suits to be spoken of. The Neko slid into the water, sitting back and relaxing as she let the heat soak into her bones.

"This is. . . wonderful. . ." She murmered, letting out a comfortable sigh.

 

[Luca]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

"Caaaaaa-" Lucien cried out as he sprinted towards the mixed pools, with the finer points of a Yamataian Onsen completely lost on him, "-aaaaaaaNONBALL!"
He left his towel behind him as he ran, showing off the Origin Swim trunks, black with the origin symbol proudly displayed on the buttocks. Amongst other things, it showed off just how hairy the Scotsman was, sporting a hairy chest, forearms and legs, in addition to his face and head.
Instead of cannonballing, as advertised, his dive made a gracefully small splash, and he resurfaced quickly to take his place away from the rest of the crowd, who'd scattered. The warm water was making him feeling very comfortable.

He then procured a beer that happened to be sitting by where he was and took a massive swig. He took an incredulous look at Yoshiko, amongst the other guests. His buffoonish nature had also drawn ire to some of the more restrained hotel guests, who were staring daggers at him.
"Wot?" He asked innocently, his eyebrows waggling comically.

 

[Cy83r K0rp53]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

Async grumbled as she walked into the coed bath, clad in a black, OI-stamped wetsuit, and holding her arms close to her chest as it were chilly despite the pleasantly warmed and steamy air. Pausing and shivering at the edge of the water, she glared at the moderate number of people in the pool, sending nearby onlookers scrambling away as she climbed into a quickly vacated spot along the pool's leading edge.

Earlier, the Freespacer had whimpered while washing herself, complaining how the water was dirtier than she was, and popped an extra iridium pill in addition to a dose of nano-phages that was supposed to serve as her immune system while outside of her bulky voidwalker suit, just to be safe. Relaxed by the warmth of the water, the organic 'Spacer let out a heavy sigh, exasperated more than pleased, and seemed to slip off into a cat nap.

 

[CadetNewb]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

'After the fiasco with the Frames, there's very few people in this very large pool, so the owners probably wouldn't mind if I...' A mischievous expression spread across her face.

Yoshiko rose to her feet and took a broad stance. Steam rolled off her soft skin, the volumetric clothing's edges simmering. She lanced a finger out at Lucien in happy defiance. "That's not a cannonball! I'll show you what a real one is!" Yoshiko yelled out with a smile. The ex-neko quickly climbed out of the water, and got a running start as she bull-rushed the hot spring. "CANNON BA-Waaaa!!!"

Her foot slipped on the wet stones, and sent Yoshiko on a belly flop into the hot waters.

As she sunk, little bubbles churned the surface.

 

[Cy83r K0rp53]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

Async was rudely disturbed by waves of water splashing across her face and then cooling in the not-hot-enough-for-a-freespacer air, she started, jumping up into a crouch, ready to kill someone.

"Which one of you little-" she glanced down to the pale, brown-haired neko in a blue bikini slowly sinking below the disturbed waterline, "oh, hello, Miss Tachibana... are you drowning?" She asked, rolling the volumetric-clad woman onto her back and supporting her head, gazing at her curiously.

 

[Kai]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

A person in a wheelchair with a cast on one leg rolled up the the edge of the bath, laughing at the shenanigans of the Ex-Neko. "Oi, Yoshi, Ya should prob'ly look before ya leap, yannow. Could be bad for ya if ya don't." Shinji Inakura spoke, Seeming to be in a good mood despite what had happened to him just a few hours previously. it was pretty obvious that Shinji couldn't come into the Onsen, but he had showed up to enjoy the company of the rest of the crew.

******

Meena made her way towards the Women's onsen, a large towel wrapped around her small frame. It had been a while since she'd been to anything like a hotsprings, and even this artificial one was more than satisfactory as a replacement. Truthfully, she had been in a cold sweat most of the battle, and needed a good soak to clean herself off and just relax after that ordeal. She noticed Teala by herself in the women's bath, separate from even the few other customers in the pool of water.

"Mind if I sit by you?" the darker-skinned girl asked, getting into the Onsen and wading towards the Neko Mecha pilot.

 

[Luca]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

Lucien watched Yoshiko climb out of the pool and admired the view a little, then proudly proclaim that she'd do a cannonball.
"Heh!" He chuckled a little, "Yosh'ko, methinks yer gonna-"

However, as she tripped, the Scotsman's jaw dropped, watching her land in the pool. He winced as she felt her pain from the sheer SMACK! that the impact made.

A frown of concern crossed his features. He knew Nekovalkyrja were pretty tough, but not invincible, "Cripes, that made a whack! Are ye orright?"

He then watched her sink for a moment before Async pulled her out of the water. He waded over and asked in a concerned deadpan, "Methinks you're roight ma'am, y' wouldn't 'appen t' know CPR, would ya?" He asked the Freespacer.

He got out of the pool and walked towards a nearby hostess, "'Scuse me," He asked politely as he could, "D'ye got a lifeguard on duty?"

 

[CadetNewb]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

'Everything's so dark.' The Nekovalkyrja turned Yamataian saw only a dark abyss before her, a voice calling her name. So dark, and yet she could almost make out a face there. Was it? Truly? She called out to her. Shioko? The woman smiled and spoke as she cradled Yoshiko.

"Yoshiko. I'd like to call her Yoshiko. What do you think Kayoko?"

"Gah!" The brown haired girl tried to sit up while still floating, coughing up a little water as she did so. Her feet and arms flailed in a panic until she moved until there was ground below her. Yoshiko's eyes were hysteric as she looked about, almost searching for someone. "A-Async? Shinji? Lucien? What are all of you doing here, I thought I was...where's m-" she cut herself short and blushed a little, embarrassment replacing the ex-neko's previous distress. She was staring at a sign that said 'No running, no horseplay, no diving, no cannonballs, no belly-flops. No life guard on duty.'

Yoshiko hugged herself, squeezing her breasts together as she did so; the ex-neko spoke up just enough so that the others could hear her. "No more cannonballs for me..."

Her face blushed furiously.

 

[Cy83r K0rp53]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

Async deftly avoided Yoshiko's flailing and kept the other woman above the waterline until the Ex-neko's feet had found purchase on the pool floor. Smiling at her new comrade, the Freespacer folded her arms around her belly, "it was quite impressive, Miss Tachibana, I know several of my former shipmates that would be burning with envy at such natural display of talent... normally, we have to compress the atmosphere to get that kind of report"

Ignoring several warnings from the etiquette filters she'd downloaded before enlisting in Origin, Async wrapped Yoshiko in a warm and friendly bear hug, "you have a gift for making noise, Comrade Yoshiko."

 

[Moogle]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

"Mind if I sit by you?" the darker-skinned girl asked, getting into the Onsen and wading towards the Neko Mecha pilot.

Taela reacted slowly responding almost a minute later.

"I do not mind at all." She sighed almost inaudibly. It was clear that she was enjoying herself. Her ears were drooping down to the sides of her head rather than the diagonal where they were normally situated.

 

[Luca]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

Lucien tilted his head a little at Yoshiko, letting out a sympathetic, "Aww, it's orright..." He frowned a little, contemplating the nature of this bubbly frame pilot a little. He leaned back into a slouch, sipping his beer thoughtfully whilst his head was above the waterline.

Poor lass must 'ave some issues, 'er something, He took a swig before placing his beer by the foot of the pool and putting his nose just shy of the waterline to continue contemplating, Prob'ly not best t' dwell on it. She still kicks a lotta arse... and has a nice lookin' arse too.

He then shook his head a little at the last thought, making a mental backspace. Ach! I gots t' keep this professional, lest th' company throws me out on me arse! He scolded himself a little for having those naughty thoughts.

He grimly figured that Origin was keeping him alive only due to his spontaneous skillset, and any other slip ups could cost him his job, and paycheck, and safety, and source of alcohol.

 

[Kai]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

Meena looked at the Neko mecha pilot as she relaxed in the pool, wondering if it had been a while since Taela had been to one or not. Sitting down and leaning back herself, Meena could feel the pent-up tension from the battle melt away from the soothing waters. This artificial hot springs felt so close to the real thing, that the darker-skinned Neplelsian girl almost felt like she was vacationing on Yamatai, something that she had only done once, when she had been very little.

"What made you join Origin?" the girl asked, as she thought back to her family and how her parents were gone. She was worried about her younger siblings, but soon, she would have enough to pay their way here to dawn station, where they could hopefully have a safer life than on thuggish Nepleslia.

******

"OI, Lucy-man. Quit gawkin at yer Co-Workers." Shinji barked at Lucien, laughing, his sharp eyes picking out what the Nepleslian's had been doing. "i'ss not very tasteful ta be lookin' at li'l babies, yannow?" the Yamataian continued to joke, rolling his wheelchair closer towards the pool. Shinji hadn't really taken much part in the battle, having broken his leg and all, and had spent most of it in surgery getting the shattered bone set properly, but now he was fully alert again, and up to his old trickster self.

 

[Moogle]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

"Circumstances beyond my control. If it hadn't been for Origin, I would probably be up on the front lines fighting Mishu in a Mindy." Taela remarked, still keeping rather quiet. "I had no choice in the matter. Come to think of it, I have not done really anything that wasn't related to my job."

 

[CadetNewb]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

Yoshiko blushed as the freespacer hugged her. "It was nothing, really Async!" She shyly returned the hug, after all, it wasn't every day someone was praised for making noise and embarrassing themselves. Speaking of noise, the one that came out of Yoshiko's mouth after Shinji spoke sounded much like a surprised squeak. "I'm not a baby Shinji! You take that back!" The ex-neko shouted indignantly; she came out of the hug, and stared down Shinji. She completely missed what Lucien said. Steam from the hot water on her body came off in swirls, giving the faint impression that it may have been coming out of her ears.

She shut her eyes and pouted, leaning forward and protesting for all to hear. "I'm not, not, not!"

 

[Cy83r K0rp53]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

The Freespacer blinked as Yoshiko broke the hug to pout at Shinji, "...Yamataian and Nekovalkyrja biology eliminates the infant stage of human development, does it not?" She asked with a slightly blank look as if querying a computer database for information.

She answered her own question moments later, "...oh, you are incorrectly referring to her objective age in comparison to unaugmented human development as an attempt at humor by causing the subject to act indignant towards the statement's implications of their juvenility and helplessness... and by implicating the other subject," she pointed nonchalantly at Lucien, "as a pedophile."

"...I do not understand this joke..." Async announced after another moment's pause.

 

[Luca]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

"Oi!" Lucien shouted, startled by Shinji's razor wit, "Oi'm no nonce!" He was very, sorely tempted to pull Shinji into the pool when Yoshiko exploded with delightfully cute unbridled wrath.
"Cripes," He mumbled as he watched Yoshiko stare down Shinji, and it appeared to be very intimidating.

Before he could get a word in to clarify the situation, Async's mathematician's answer gave him a moment of awkward silence, before he looked around to the others. He'd been accused of many things in his acting and mercenary career, and a nonce was one of those things he didn't take kindly to.

"Erm," He mumbled aloud to break the silence, before taking a swig from that flask of his with a practiced calm, "I dinnae understand why I'm on the arse-end 'o it..."

 

[Cy83r K0rp53]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

"Possibly because the Corporal is injured and feels need to draw the attention off of his injuries," Async replied quickly, not a thought about the content of her message towards a superior, "but that is not a joke... Freespacers prefer physical comedy, like so-"

Suddenly, with a savage grin, Async had swept her foot behind Yoshiko's in a quick 180-turn, blocking her from stumbling back, and ran her arm across the other woman's torso, using the trip, her close proximity, Miss Tachibana's lowered guard, and the difference in resistance between the onsen water and air to perform a combat dunk on the poor girl who was probably used to sharper senses than the Yamataian body provided.

"Surprise!"

 

[Kai]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

"Oi'm juss sayin. She aint that old." Shinji defended himself, going to pat the Ex-Neko on the back, only to be surprised as @synch tripped her before his eyes. Ah, well. They were having fun, which was the main idea here. Shinji would have joined, but he wasn't sure the plaster of his cast was quite waterproof. As a precautionary measure, the Yamataian wheeled his chair back and away from the onsen and towards the safety of a pile of rocks.

******

"Well, this isn't exactly related to your job, is it?" Meena asked, curious. "If you had a choice, where would you be right now?" the darker Nepleslian girl ventured, taking in the heat of the spring, and letting its relaxing power penetrate deep into her muscles.

 

[Moogle]

Re: Episode 4: In Hot Water

Taela could hear half the antics of her crewmates from over the wall of the onsen, and the slightest hint of a smile crossed her face. In response to Meena's question, the Neko replied, "I. . . I don't know. I suppose here. It feels nice. . ."