232.1 Alicia at the Beach

[Corwin]

[21:05] <Kotono> --
[21:06] <Kotono> That afternoon, as Alicia rests at home? "Alicia? Marie," Antenora approaches, in her battle gear as she usually is.
[21:07] <Alicia> Alicia is in her study right now, busily writing while Marie helps Jessica cook dinner. "She's in the study!" said eladrin calls from the kitchen.
[21:08] <Kotono> "Thanks. Come with me, Marie," Antenora calls. She knocks on Alicia's door, "Alicia?"
[21:09] <Alicia> Leaving Jessica to handle the chopping of vegetables, Marie flies out to join Antenora, while Alicia looks up from her desk at the open door and invites the pair to come in.
[21:11] <Kotono> Once the three are together, "Would either of you be interested in going for a walk with me," she asks. Antenora stands where she is, reaching up to remove her hair ribbon. Twitching her wings after, "I'd like to be ablet o go out once and feel like I don't need to hide. Now I can."
[21:14] <Alicia> It feels a little like showing off, but Alicia can hardly deny that Antenora's earned it. "Alright," Alicia stands up, smiling, "I'd enjoy that."
[21:14] <Alicia> "I'll stay and keep Jessica company," Marie replies. "We're making a stew, but it won't be ready for over an hour, so you two can take your time."
[21:15] <Kotono> "Aw." Antenora looks slightly put out, "Okay Marie, I'll talk to you later then? Alicia, we can both go then?"
[21:18] <Alicia> "Oh," Marie looks a little surprised, "Well, if you really want I can come along... how about we invite Jessica as well, though? We can just finish making dinner afterwards."
[21:19] <Kotono> "Sure," Antenora is all smiles, "Let's get ready and go?"
06[21:20] * Alicia sets aside her writing materials and gets up. "I'm ready now, I suppose. Anywhere in particular you want to go or just for a wander?"
[21:24] <Kotono> Fidgeting as she smiles even more, "Just go and see. Maybe we can go fly off afterwards? I can show you around to the nicest places I've seen here, Alicia?" She bounces back and forth, "...yes, I know it's silly, but...The thought of someone saying 'There's an angel' instead of 'There's a succubus' or 'There's a devil'! when they really see me, it really excites me."
06[21:26] * Alicia smiles as well at Antenora's infectious cheer. "I suppose it will be quite a switch," she agrees. Heading into the hallway, she pokes her head into the kitchen, "Jessica, we were thinking of going for a walk before dinner. Do you want to come along?"
[21:27] <Kotono> "Sorry," Jessica says, "I'll finish dinner, my feet are sore. I spent all day helping out Roald." With a smile, "I'll catch up with you after dinner, Alicia. I want to go to Kelara soon tos ee Mother and Father."
[21:29] <Alicia> "Alright, just leave a plate for me and take it easy? We could go to Kelara tomorrow if you want, though," Alicia offers, pleased that Jessica's showing some eagerness in regards to their parents.
[21:31] <Kotono> "Have fun, sister!" Jessica calls to Alicia. Antenora waits at the front door for the two, wings twitching on occasion. OOC: Is Alicia in Aasimar form or normal form, curiously?
[21:32] <Alicia> OOC: normal form
[21:32] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
06[21:37] * Alicia gives Jessica a wave and then goes to join Antenora and Marie, heading out the door. "Lets head over to the old town?" she suggests for lack of any other direction to take.
[21:40] <Kotono> As the two wander out, the late afternoon streets are busy. Near Alicia's house it's mostly the well kept and well off, wandering and going their way. A horse drawn carriage passes by, a woman in man in rich clothes staring out the window at the three. As they pass a familiar eatery, where Alicia grappled a thief down, people stop and wave. A group of children running down the street, playing and laughing, goes wide eyed. "It's Captain Alicia,
[21:40] <Kotono> playing and laughing, goes wide eyed. "It's Captain Alicia, the devil killer!" a girl calls, "Captain Alicia! I kill a lot of evil things when I pretend to be you, too!"
[21:41] <Kotono> Antenora watches on, a faint, warm glow to her cheeks. She smiles to everyone, "Don't forget the other things she does, too."
[21:43] <Alicia> Although on some level she's not sure if it's the best example, Alicia can't help but feel a little pleased at the girl's declaration, considering how many people around here think such things are 'mens work'.
[21:43] <Alicia> "Antenora's right that there is more than just the devil killing, but fighting the bad ones to protect everyone else is important anyway," she stops to talk to the little girl. "What's your name, little one?"
[21:44] <Kotono> It's a gaggle of four children, three boys and one girl. "Stephanie!" she says, "I'm 8 and three quarters years old!" She wears a child's dress, a bit dirty and muddy.
[21:46] <Kotono> One of the other boys watches, "So pretty..." he stares at Alicia, blushing. "It's like the window drawings!"
[21:47] <Alicia> A little younger than Felix would be, Alicia thinks with a slight pang. "Well, Stephanie," she gives the girl a friendly pat on the head, "If you listen to your parents and eat your vegetables, you might grow up to be a famous paladin just like me," she encourages, flashing a brief smile at the boy.
[21:48] <Kotono> Going to kneel by the girl, "You might if that's your dream. Any of you can, if you feel the calling." Antenora says warmly.
[21:49] <Kotono> "Okay!" With a big smile at Alicia's words, "I'll do that!...but do I have to eat carrots, too? Can I skip those?"
[21:51] <Alicia> "Especially those," Alicia nods seriously. "They put pretty curls in your hair!" she encourages merrily a moment later, straightening up.
[21:51] <Alicia> "Of course if you just want to play around, that's fine too!" Marie interjects, wanting to offset the serious shaping of youth going on here.
[21:53] <Kotono> Antenora stands as well, sending a look to Marie. 'Idle hands are the devil's plaything, you know.'
[21:53] <Kotono> "Okay!" Stephanie says, "Can you tell the Mother of Magic in the sky something for me, too?"
[21:54] <Alicia> 'They're only children once, let them enjoy the few years they have to be free of care,' Marie retorts while Alicia nods.
[21:54] <Alicia> "I can," she affirms, "But you can tell her yourself - just because she doesn't always act in an obvious way, doesn't mean she won't hear you."
[21:57] <Kotono> "Okay!" Stephanie exclaims, "I'll go do that!" At that the children run off, a few glances back at Alicia before they're gone.
[21:59] <Kotono> Antenora starts to walk again, "I wonder if we'll hear about her in Dweomerheart one day..." she muses aloud. "Of if it'll be just a childhood fancy?"
06[22:00] * Alicia waves as they go, before resuming their walk. "Who can tell? She's just a child, her life could go so many ways... certainly, I had no idea what I wanted from life when I was her age, but a little encouragement doesn't hurt."
[22:01] <Kotono> You continue along further. You meander into the old city, near the garrison. "Maybe we can go see the docks," Antenora suggests, "Then take a flight out over in the bay?"
[22:03] <Alicia> "That suits me," Alicia agrees readily enough, heading to the main thoroughfare before they turn North to the docks. "It feels so nice to fly with my own body, I have to admit - riding thermals and air currents is so different from simply floating around via magic."
[22:06] <Kotono> The main street is very busy. An open store has a display window, a man hawking wears. "Foods from faraway! Dates from the Desert! Wines crafted by the lineage of one of Balmuria's greatest heroes! Apricot jam from Pallanth!" he advertises. A four-some of soldiers patrol by, while several darkskinned sailors laugh as they head into Balmuria. "It's more natural and faster. You could never keep up with me when you cast fly. I've gotten faster now
[22:06] <Kotono>  You could never keep up with me when you cast fly. I've gotten faster now, but you can still keep up with your own wings." Antenora notes.
[22:08] <Alicia> "She's still not as nimble as us, though," Marie teases, fluttering around the pair as they walk. Alicia idly glances over at the mention of wine but snorts and doesn't comment.
[22:08] <Alicia> "I'm still getting used to them," she replies to Marie.
[22:10] <Kotono> Antenora grins devilishly, reaching out. Her fingers dance across Alicia's wings, tickling. "I wonder...are they ticklish for you?"
[22:12] <Alicia> "Jhhh!" Alicia jerks away a bit, her molested wing flapping in surprise. "They are sensitive, yes," she replies, eyeing Antenora suspiciously. "Part of it's just... feeling sensation where before I didn't have anything. I hear about people with lost limbs suffering phantom feelings, so this must be the reverse."
[22:14] <Kotono> Antenora's grin spreads all over her face, "That's a good way to put it. Besides..." As you walk, the docks coming into distant view down the street, "They can feel good in a lot of ways. They're not just useful. A back rub feels good, but a wing rubdown can feel good in a different way."
[22:17] <Alicia> "Hmm, I'll have to remember that," Alicia nods thoughtfully, flexing her new appendages as she considers. It might be handy if she ever has to peacefully get by a succubus without giving up anything she'd prefer not to again...
[22:20] <Kotono> After a momentary pause, "Hey, Alicia. Thanks." Antenora's voice changes. "Marie. Thanks." As you approach the bay, "Mystra told me to let go of my past. When I thought about that, I realised that the guilt I carried with me was preventing me from truly enjoying my life. I feel so self concious. But now...I want to try not just be good, but to be good and happy. Those little feelings of joy I get every day from being with all of you, without wo
[22:21] <Kotono> Those little feelings of joy I get every day from being with all of you, without worrying about them or pushing someone away. So that I can do something silly like that. So I can just enjoy life."
[22:23] <Alicia> "Awww..." Marie sniffles, "That's... that's beautiful!" she blurts out, zipping over and glomping onto Antenora's head as only an overly-affectionate eladrin can. "I'm glad, Antenora,"
06[22:23] * Alicia is more sedate but no less earnest. "You've worked hard, and I've seen you truly grow into a selfless and loving person. You do deserve your happiness."
[22:26] <Kotono> "I'm freer than I've ever been in my life." Antenora smiles as you reach the docks. Here ships are coming and going. A few sea elves are splashing at the edge of one dock, talking to several sailors. A herd of large deer are being herded off one ship, led along by several men with nets and spears. Another ship has a gash in the side, men working ot patch and repair it.
[22:28] <Alicia> Marie relents her glomp and takes to the air once more while Alicia replies as they start walking along the harbour, "I'm glad you see it that way. I know, back at the beginning I often talked of exchanging one set of chains for another, and for a time it probably did feel just like that, but you've worked through it all and I'm proud of you for it."
[22:30] <Kotono> Antenora grins at Marie before talking to Alicia, "I'm bound to serve you and Mystra now, but...they're not chains at all. I serve Her because I want to." Looking up at the sky, starting to fly upwards, "I'm really beginning ot understand how law and good work together."
[22:34] <Alicia> Flapping her own wings, Alicia takes off after Antenora, Marie following along more easily since she was already airborne. "I'm glad, but for now lets just stretch our wings instead of talking philosophy?" Alicia suggests lightly. "You said there were some places you wanted to show us as well, didn't you?"
[22:36] <Kotono> "Oh yes." Antenora flies along, the two leaving the harbor and Balmuria behind. "I've spent some free time at night flying. It's outside the bay, but I've found an amazing fishing spot. It's a little inlet where the current slackens, fish swarm there. It's hard to find unless it's by air, it's surrounded by tall cliffs with only a small sandy beach beneath them. But if you get down t here, you can catch the fish with your bare hands, there's so
[22:36] <Kotono> But if you get down t here, you can catch the fish with your bare hands, there's so many." Turning to half fly backwards, watching Alicia, "I found a few good secluded springs for fresh and saltwater bathing. A tub of water hardly does it anymore after Brightwater."
[22:39] <Alicia> "No, it really doesn't," Alicia agrees as she climbs upwards. "Still... fishing? I thought you didn't eat."
[22:39] <Kotono> "I don't. But when you can lean over and get the fish fresh..." Antenora merely shrugs her shoulders. "I get some for Jessica every now and again. It saves her money."
[22:41] <Alicia> "Ahhh," Alicia nods in understanding. "Clever," she applauds. "Well, why don't we find one of the springs you mentioned? I haven't had a proper bath in a few days. Are they hot?"
[22:43] <Kotono> "They're cool, but you get used to it." As she flies, "You usually need steam or volcanoes for that." You're lead along, west and out of the bay, towards the shoreline. Here, on a stretch of beach, is a large inlet. It's shaded by fruit trees, a sandy beach sloping flawlessly into the water. The waters is a clear blue, a small little stream feeding into it from inland. Fall apples hang on the trees, ripe as can be, a few starting to turn brown.
[22:43] <Kotono>  Fall apples hang on the trees, ripe as can be, a few starting to turn brown.
06[22:46] * Alicia dives downwards, pulling up at the last second for a gentle landing on the edge of the beach. The apples might tempt another time, but she doesn't want to spoil her appetite for dinner. "You've got a good eye for these things," she compliments, taking in her surroundings as she approaches the stream.
[22:47] <Kotono> The trees are mostly by the stream, the inlet sloping naturally deeper at a gradual pace. No one or no signs of civilisation is about. "Yes. They make fun discoveries. I also search for evil when I do this, so it serves a dual purpose."  Up the river, it leads to gentle plains, a field of flowers within the range of Alicia's vision. "There's no villages without twenty miles of here. They're all closer to the main roads to Balmuria and Victoria.
[22:47] <Kotono> "There's no villages without twenty miles of here. They're all closer to the main roads to Balmuria and Victoria."
[22:50] <Kotono> *within
[22:50] <Alicia> Or Selunaluna as it used to be called. "It's surprising just how much ground you can cover by flying. It would take the best part of the day to walk this far, normally," Alicia observes.
[22:51] <Kotono> Antenora starts to set her armor and gear aside, neatly stacking them in piles. "You fly faster than you walk, and there's no interruptions like rough terrain. It adds up very quickly."
[22:53] <Alicia> "I know I never walk anywhere if I can help it," Marie agrees as she floats around the pair, Alicia testing the water with her hand once she reaches the stream.
[22:55] <Kotono> The water is cool but bearable. It's not so late in the season to be cold, and Balmuria is rather temperate in any event. "Teleportation is even faster. Perhaps one day we'll be able to do that at will and make flying obsolete?"
[22:57] <Alicia> "It's possible. Lots of outsiders do have that ability," Alicia muses as she stabs Hell Striker into the ground and proceeds to disrobe herself. It takes a little work to get around her wings, but she's developed a system by now. "I still remember being surprised when I found out you couldn't."
[22:58] <Kotono> Antenora finishes her own disrobing, going hip deep in the waters before she turns back. "I could also dominate. Despite Hell being very rigid, there are always exceptions to the normal rules."
[23:00] <Alicia> Once naked, Alicia steps into the water, shivering a bit as she does so. Marie takes the more expedient route of going incorporeal to let her clothes fall atop Alicia's before she reverts and dives in. "So I've learned," Alicia agrees as she adjusts to the water temperature.
[23:04] <Kotono> Antenora lingers before looking to her two friends. "We make a matching set now." Splashing water over her front before wading to chest deep, "You too, Marie. I know I tease you a lot, but you've shown me important things. Like how to have fun and pursue simple happiness." Ruminating on that a short time, "I guess..." Looking upwards, "You won the most important argument we've ever had, Marie?"
[23:06] <Alicia> Luckily Marie is big enough not to gloat. "Maybe I did, but do you really feel like you've lost anything from it?" she replies, treading the water that's comparatively very deep for her stature.
[23:07] <Kotono> "No." Smiling now as she starts to swim, keeping nearby the other two, "Now, if you'd just see some common sense and start some more organized habits, you'd be perfect."
06[23:09] * Alicia dips down to immerse herself fully in the water for a moment, deciding to just get it over with before she splashes back up, now fully acclimitised and content to let Antenora and Marie bicker as usual.
[23:09] <Alicia> "Common sense I have in spades," Marie retorts. "Organisation is just another word for predictability, though, and I want none of that!"
[23:10] <Kotono> "Pfah." Antenora splashes water at Marie, sending it flying, "Chaos is too flighty. You don't have to pursue every whim you have. It makes you appear so degenerate! Go eat that, go laguh at that, go chase after Dawnhope, go take a nap...order makes you better able to enjoy your day!"
06[23:12] * Alicia just sighs in a long-suffering manner as she bathes herself, doing her best to tune the other two out. "Why should I have to adhere to some silly schedule when I already know what I want?" the eladrin asks. "That just doesn't make sense at all."
[23:13] <Kotono> "Because if you plan it, things go better?" Antenora wades back up to Marie, back to waist deep waters. "Let's plan something you want to do out, right now. I bet if we think about it, it'll go better than if you just decided to do it on a whim."
[23:14] <Kotono> "Alicia," Antenora glances at her, "You know I'm right, don't you?"
[23:15] <Alicia> "But what if we plan it, then when it comes time to do it I've changed my mind? What if something better comes up?" Marie raises the obvious objections.
[23:15] <Alicia> "Ah... what's right for one person isn't necessarily right for another, that's all I'll say," Alicia replies.
[23:15] <Kotono> "So?" Antenora leans over, looming right over Marie, "Don't dodge it. I dare you - give me something you want to do and we'll see how much better it is with planning."
[23:21] <Alicia> "Um..." Marie shrinks back a bit at Antenora's dominating presence, having to crane her neck pretty far back to see all the way up at her face when she's so close. "Well, how about making sandcastles? Since we're at the beach and all..."
[23:24] <Kotono> Antenora straightens up, "Sandcastles? That's not a bad idea." Thinking a moment, "Sure, come on." Antenora trots over to the beach, "We'll use your faerie fire to trace the castle we should make and then use it to make it. With abetter design, it'll come out great."
[23:27] <Alicia> "Have fun you two," Alicia waves lightly as Marie takes to the air, spraying some water from her wings before she takes off after Antenora to try and make a nice looking sandcastle instead of the dreary box-like fort she's certain the former erinyes will manufacture.

[Corwin]

[17:17] <Kotono> > "So?" Antenora leans over, looming right over Marie, "Don't dodge it. I dare you - give me something you want to do and we'll see how much better it is with planning."
[17:17] <Kotono> <Alicia> "Um..." Marie shrinks back a bit at Antenora's dominating presence, having to crane her neck pretty far back to see all the way up at her face when she's so close. "Well, how about making sandcastles? Since we're at the beach and all..."
[17:17] <Kotono> > Antenora straightens up, "Sandcastles? That's not a bad idea." Thinking a moment, "Sure, come on." Antenora trots over to the beach, "We'll use your faerie fire to trace the castle we should make and then use it to make it. With abetter design, it'll come out great."
[17:17] <Kotono> <Alicia> "Have fun you two," Alicia waves lightly as Marie takes to the air, spraying some water from her wings before she takes off after Antenora to try and make a nice looking sandcastle instead of the dreary box-like fort she's certain the former erinyes will manufacture.
[17:18] <Kotono> Trotting over to the sand, Antenora extends a finger into it, "So Marie. What we'll do is trace out a pattern for the castle before it begins, instead of just throwing stand together."
[17:18] <Kotono> "Er, sand," Antenora corrects herself, "With a plan to work with, it won't just be a few lumps and we can make a good fortress."
[17:19] <Alicia> "But what if you come up with a better idea after you've made your plan?" Marie asks reasonably.
03[17:20] * Cidward is now known as Torozombie_Mikain
03[17:21] * Torozombie_Mikain is now known as Cidward
[17:21] <Kotono> "That's why we plan it all out first," Antenora says, "If we do it right, we'll have the best plan from the beginning," Looking up to Marie now, "Really. Come on, what sounds good for the perfect sand castle? Towers? A fortress wall?"
[17:23] <Alicia> "You just want to make a big box," Marie observes. "We need beautiful arches and spires! It should be a place that makes the heart soar, not some depressing bastion of war."
[17:25] <Kotono> Sitting back on the sand, "Okay then. Why don't you draw some out with your faerie fire?" Antenora tucks her knees up to her chest, "Once you have them down, we can see how good they are, instead of having to try to change the entire thing on the fly." Then, "Unless you want to get sand over you over and over as you try and change things too much and have to begin again?"
[17:29] <Alicia> Marie isn't that good at precision faerie fire, so instead uses an illusion to create a nice looking little palace with three spires of increasing height connected by hanging arches. "Something like that," she suggests.
[17:32] <Kotono> "Oh, that works even better." Antenora looks it over, "How about moving a few of the arches a bit higher," Pointing along, "Then we start working on it? It's a pretty solid plan to work from."
[17:33] <Alicia> Marie adjusts the model as requested. "Of course, I can't keep this up while building the thing, since it needs me to concentrate on it," she points out, "So we'll have to work from memory, anyway."
[17:35] <Kotono> "Good enough." With that, the two get to work! OOC: I'll resolve this with a craft check, I guess? Does Marie have ranks in Craft: Sandcastle!??!?!?!
[17:36] <Alicia> OOC: no, but she has very small hands so she's good at delicate work!
[17:36] <Kotono> OOC: I'll give her a +2 circumstancial bonus because of that. Make an untrained craft check(int check)? Antenora will assist.
[17:36] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 aid another
06[17:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 aid another and gets 20." [1d20=18]
[17:36] <Alicia> roll 1d20+3
06[17:36] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+3 and gets 20." [1d20=17]
[17:38] <Kotono> About a half hour passes. Surprisingly, the entire endevour comes out very well! The two girls are covered in wet sand, but a stable sandcastle is the end result. Somehow. It's almost identical to the illusion, arches of sand somehow holding up. Somehow. "See?" Antenora says at last, "Isn't that good?"
[17:41] <Alicia> By now Alicia has ceased her bathing and gotten dressed, observing the two nude sandcastle-builders with barely concealed amusement. "Well, yeah," Marie agrees, "But still... we knew what it was going to look like even before we started. It just feels a little bit empty because of it."
[17:42] <Kotono> With a long suffering sigh, "That's the point! We knew what it was going to be and it came out well!" Throwing her hands into the air, "It's not empty at all! It's well planned! It has soul in every arch!"
[17:45] <Alicia> "I get what you're trying to say Antenora, really I do," Marie nods, "It's just... isn't it more fun to just dive in and see where the journey takes you? That way it comes out as a fun surprise at the end rather than something you were already expecting."
[17:46] <Kotono> Antenora falls back onto the sand, with a long, over exaggerated sigh. "Come on. There's no way just throwing it together would have come out this well! You'd be depressed because it failed!" Sitting back up a moment later, "I can prove it, too. We make another one, just making it up. No way that it's as good as this one."
06[17:49] * Alicia can no longer contain her laughter at this point. "So this is how it ends? The great debate between law and chaos settled by sandcastles?" she asks inbetween her spasms of mirth.
[17:51] <Kotono> "Alicia," Antenora says sweetly, "Be quiet. I'm proving a point here!"
[17:54] <Alicia> "But I'm bored now!" Marie complains. "Can't we do something else?"
[17:56] <Kotono> "Argh. Pearls before swine," Antenora sighs, but then smiles. She scoops up a bit of sand, tossing it at Marie. "Since we're all sandy anyway," she whistles as the glob flies at the little coure!
[17:59] <Alicia> "Eeek!" Marie cries as she's liberally splattered with sand. A few flicks of her wings shake most of it off said limbs, allowing her to take flight. "No fair, you've got a size advantage! Alicia, you've got to help me!"
[18:00] <Kotono> "Fine," Antenora smirks, "Change her into an aasimar, or why don't you help out?" Antenora gets a few more handfulls, getting up onto her knees.
06[18:02] * Alicia just sighs. "I'll thank you both to leave me out of it, since I just finished cleaning myself. But fine, here," she gestures in Marie's direction, "Change to a more fitting dance partner," she calls, eliciting a yelp from Marie as she's transformed into a protectar, still a bit shorter than Antenora but close enough, and now boasting a set of feathery white wings of her own.
[18:03] <Alicia> Marie takes a moment to find her footing with her new dimensions, but promptly grabs a handful of sand and hurls it at Antenora!
[18:05] <Kotono> As sand splatters off Antenora's chest and face, she grins and throws more sand at Marie! "Oh come on, Alicia!" Antenora calls as she spits out sand, "I'm having my second childhood here!" Laughing now with Marie, Antenora throws more sand at her, getting closer for better aim.
[18:10] <Alicia> Sufficiently guilted, Alicia takes off her boots and heavier clothing/armour before entering the fray as Marie uses her superior agility to good effect in dodging and countering Antenora's attacks. "Really, just wait until it starts to snow," she warns, hurling a glob of sand at each of the other two in quick succession.
[18:11] <Kotono> Sand flies back and forth, "Really," Antenora says, as Alicia takes one off the shoulder. "Did you torment poor Jessica with your superior snowball throwing as a child?"
[18:14] <Alicia> "She gave as good as she got, trust me," Alicia replies, ducking a shot from Marie and then taking another lower one right in the face. She has to withdraw a moment, sputtering and spitting out sand with ample disgust, "Bleah! Snow is also a lot easier to take when it gets in your mouth," she grimaces as Marie looks somewhat apologetic.
[18:15] <Kotono> Antenora laughs as she kneels down to scoop up more sand, "Just spit it out and don't swallow it?" Getting two more handfuls and throwing at both girls wildly, "When's the last time you had a snowball fight, either of you?"
06[18:19] * Alicia is spitting, but lots of gritty sand particles remain despite her best efforts. "Probably... fifteen years or so? I can't really remember exactly," she admits, dodging Antenora's throw only for it to smack against one of her wings.
[18:20] <Alicia> "It doesn't snow in Dweomerheart, and I'm too small normally to make proper snowballs when I visit Eronia during Winter," Marie replies for her part.
[18:21] <Kotono> "More reason to enjoy it now!" Antenora gets smacked in the side by a sand ball, before throwing of her own. "Besides Marie! Your randomly thrown ones can't compete with my planned out offenses!"
[18:27] <Alicia> As Alicia goes to the water so she can rinse her mouth out, Marie laughs in reply. "A plan's no good if it can't react to the unexpected!" she accuses, creating an illusion of a wall of sand suddenly rising out of the ground right in front of Antenora. She then promptly hucks a big handful of wet sand right at her face through said barrier, before Antenora can react!
03[18:28] * massimocollider is now known as TaiChie
[18:28] <Kotono> Antenora's face is hit with the sand, leaving a complete mess over! She coughs and sputters, "Gaaack!" Getting the worst of the sand out, Antenora blindly runs through the barrier, hurtling sand the moment she does! "Well, take THIS then!"
[18:29] <Alicia> Marie yelps and flaps her wings, taking to the air to evade! Meanwhile Alicia wanders back over and wonders if perhaps things are getting a little out of hand.
[18:31] <Kotono> Antenora laughs and hurles a few balls after her, "Where do you think you're going, Marie?" Nonetheless, she sits down on the sand after that, laughing all the while.
[18:32] <Alicia> Sensing an end to hostilities, Marie allows herself to land as Alicia walks over to the two sand-coated celestials. "Gotten that out of your system, now?" she asks amusedly.
[18:33] <Kotono> Wiping sand from her face, "I think so. But..." Sticking out her tongu eat Marie, "Order is better!" she pffts, and then, "Now I do." After a moment, "...How silly did that look?"
[18:36] <Alicia> "Very, very silly," Alicia replies, glancing over to Marie and snapping her fingers to revert her back to her coure form. "Still, at least you only need to take a quick dip to get all that sand off... my clothes are a mess."
[18:38] <Kotono> "Sorry," Antenora bows her head a moment, "Let's go clean up now, Marie?"
06[18:39] * Alicia grins and leans over to give Antenora a light shove on her shoulder. "Don't apologise," she remonstrates, "You had fun, that's what matters. I can clean myself up easily enough."
[18:39] <Alicia> Marie just laughs, turning incorporeal for a moment as a bunch of sand promptly falls to the ground beneath her. She then reverts to humanoid form all clean and pristine.
[18:40] <Alicia> "I guess there are advantages to this after all," she notes. "Not!" she adds quickly, "That I still don't want to fix things back to normal!"
[18:40] <Kotono> "Lucky you two. I think I have sand everywhere," Antenora stops and turns, a hand on her hip, "Of course not. Pay no attention to the exhibitionist coure over there."
[18:42] <Alicia> "You're as naked as I am!" Marie retorts indignantly.
[18:45] <Kotono> "Just the way you like it," Antenora tosses her hair back. With a catty smirk now as she crosses her arms over her chest, "Isn't that so?"
[18:47] <Alicia> "On one hand I'm not sure if I approve of your smugness," Marie replies thoughtfully. "On the other hand, to use a recent turn of phrase, you are very well endowed..."
[18:48] <Kotono> "Why thank you.
[18:48] <Kotono> OOC: GAh.
[18:48] <Kotono> "Why thank you." With ample amusement of her own, "What was that in Brightwater. Oh yes. 'I'll share Alicia if you share?'
[18:48] <Kotono> OOC: Gah again. Motherfucker.
[18:49] <Kotono> "Why thank you." With ample amusement of her own, "What was that in Brightwater. Oh yes. 'I'll share Alicia if you share?' My my, no wonder you became an exhibitionist coure."
[18:53] <Alicia> Alicia's eyes widen at the turn this conversation is taking and she decides putting her foot down about now would be a good idea. "There will be no sharing, of any kind," she interjects primly.
[18:53] <Alicia> "Awww," Marie sighs and drifts over to land on Antenora's head. "I guess we'll just have to entertain ourselves without involving Alicia..."
[18:59] <Kotono> "Aaaaw," Antenora looks to Alicia, "But Marie just wants to make us her personal angelic harem? Is that so wrong?"
[19:01] <Alicia> Marie does her best to look innocent and receives a dubious look from Alicia in return. "Tell you what, Antenora. Why don't you test her out and let me know if it's any good, first?" she challenges.
[19:06] <Kotono> Antenora laughs a little more, "I'd say..." AFter a long moment, "I wouldn't do it without Alicia being a part of it." Rolling her eyes up to look at Marie, "Since I so love Alicia." Her voice turns sugary-sweet, teasing with every word. "We're going to be together forever and it would make us so close. Oh Alicia! Marie!" With starry eyes, "Those lonely nights of vigil! Those chilly nights by the campfire! We could let our feelings and emotion
[19:06] <Kotono> Those chilly nights by the campfire! We could let our feelings and emotion heat us all night long!"
06[19:08] * Alicia grabs Antenora's wrist as she stands up and pulls her friend to her feet, giving her a shove towards the stream. "Go and cool off your ardour, both of you," she remonstrates good-naturedly. Marie just grumbles from atop Antenora's head.
[19:09] <Kotono> Antenora wobbles and falsl back, splashing down into the stream! "Aaaw!" She says once she lands, "You're so fun to tease. Besides, serious went away for the day sometime around when we started having a sandfight."
[19:13] <Alicia> Marie yelps as Antenora's balance fails, resulting in her being dunked as well. "Teasing's fine, but does it have to go back to sex every time?" Alicia asks. "Honestly, you two act like a pair of frustrated old maids half the time."
[19:15] <Kotono> "I don't know." Antenora admits, rubbing the back of her head, offering Marie a hand out of the drink, "Maybe because it always works to get a rise out of us? It does seem to hit a bit close to home whenever the others start making those jokes about it."
06[19:20] * Alicia rolls her eyes. "Beth used to call me a manipulative slut. It got a rise out of me but I'd hardly call that hitting close to home... come to think of it, she also accused me of preferring women a time or two. She liked to vary things up a lot."
[19:21] <Kotono> "I got the impression she had a flair for the insulting," Antenora's expression stabilizes as she thinks, "She also always knew how to push your buttons."
[19:21] <Kotono> After another moment, "You know, Alicia. Maybe it hits close to home, maybe it doesn't, but does something about that insinuation bother you? "
[19:21] <Kotono> After another moment, "I mean, besides the obvious."
06[19:25] * Alicia raises her eyebrow at that, as if the obvious wasn't enough. Marie decides to keep quiet for a little while as she treads the water. "Antenora, do you like women?" Alicia asks bluntly in reply.
[19:32] <Kotono> After a long pause, "Alicia, do you like women?" she counters, and after a beat, "I just mean, is there some trauma or issue to it that makes it more sensitive to you? I don't know, did you get teased as a child for being a tomboy, and accused of being like that? That's what I mean. Since Beth knew how to provoke you so well, and it always gets a rise out of you when others do it now..." An eloquent shrug. "I wonder, that'sa ll."
[19:32] <Kotono>  An eloquent shrug. "I wonder, that'sa ll."
06[19:37] * Alicia frowns a little bit as her question is dodged. But for her part she can answer honestly, "No, I don't," she begins. "I wasn't traumatised, but for some reason it is something a lot of people seem to comment on."
[19:37] <Alicia> "For some reason there's something about me that sets off people's lesbian alarms, and I have no idea what. It bothers me because it's not true, but some people just seem to get it into their heads and not let go, no matter what I say or do."
[19:43] <Kotono> "Well, how many women run around in armor like a man?" Antenora considers, "Oh, there's a few, including myself, but most stay home and make children. A woman in a man's role makes people wonder? Say Marie, did you ever think that about Alicia, link notwithstanding?" AFter a few moments, "Or maybe it's because you're so magnetic but unattached? You could have your pick of males."
[19:51] <Alicia> "If she were a man or a lesbian she'd be drooling about now," Marie replies, flicking some water over at Antenora. "So no, she doesn't really give off any cues that way... her loss, though."
[19:51] <Alicia> "Thank you for that, Marie," Alicia rolls her eyes. "Really, though, that whole attitude is what really bothers me. Women are just as capable as men if they put their minds to it. It's why I was so glad to encourage that little girl we saw earlier."
[19:55] <Kotono> Antenora chuckles, "You're right." Antenora positions and laughs, her mood brightening. "I...It bothers me in your case because, dammit...you're everything to me, but not like that. I mean..." Antenora looks away, "I'd have seduced you if it got your soul to Hell before. But now...It would be like a desecration of everything you mean to me, Alicia. Mere sex would be...a disgrace." AFter a pause, "Unless you wanted it, then I don't know what I'd
[19:55] <Kotono> AFter a pause, "Unless you wanted it, then I don't know what I'd do." (More)
[20:03] <Kotono> "Does that make any sense at all?" Antenora concludes after a bit, "I don't think it means much. I'd have done anything to get a soul to Hell. I mean, seducing a woman? Small change compared to murdering babies to gain more power in Caina."
06[20:11] * Alicia winces a bit at the baby murdering comment. "Well, the point is, it's not something I want. Your friendship means a lot to me, Antenora, and I do love you in a sense, but..." she turns and looks at the nude angel, "As beautiful as you are, it does nothing for me. Same goes for you, Marie, in your own pint-sized fashion."
[20:13] <Kotono> "What about you, Marie," Antenora nods thoughtfully, "What does looking at us do for you, then?" After that, "I know, Alicia. If I'd ever wanted a relationship with you, I'd have tried well before now.
[20:13] <Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[20:13] <Kotono> "What about you, Marie," Antenora nods thoughtfully, "What does looking at us do for you, then?" After that, "I know, Alicia. If I'd ever wanted a relationship with you, I'd have tried well before now. " Then with an wan smile, "I'm not some succubus floozy, anyway."
[20:17] <Alicia> "I see what your game is - you're just fishing for compliments!" Marie accuses indignantly, pointing at Antenora. "You know I'll talk about how sexy you are and you'll sit there preening to yourself before saying all I get to do is look. Well not this time, because I think you're a hag!" she concludes by sticking her tongue out and blowing a loud raspberry.
[20:18] <Kotono> "Oh, you little..." Antenora's cheeks tint twin rosebuds of crimson, before she turns away, her hands digging into the stream bed, "O-oh, it wasn't like that! Besides, don't you like looking at me like this?"
[20:22] <Alicia> As Alicia chuckles Marie breaks out into a smile. "Awww, who am I kidding? Of course you're fun to look at!"
[20:27] <Kotono> "Ah, good," Antenora closes her eyes, "Tell me about it, Marie?"
[20:28] <Alicia> "Oh, Mystra... you *were* fishing for compliments?" Alicia asks, putting a hand to her head.
[20:30] <Kotono> "Just there." Antenora says with a gentle smile, "I was trying to break the mood a bit."
[20:32] <Alicia> "By teasing poor Marie?" Alicia asks as said eladrin looks upon Antenora with simpering adoration. "Come on, finish cleaning up and lets go home, unless you two would prefer I left you alone for a while?"
[20:40] <Kotono> "Hmm..." Antenora considers, as if torn by two competing schools ofthought, hesitating. It's a bit overdone, her gestures wide and voice high.
[20:42] <Alicia> "Lets just go," Marie flies up and over to Alicia. "Dry me off with prestidigitation?" she asks nicely, before looking back to Antenora as Alicia sweeps a hand over her damp form, "Maybe we could try that test of love in Brightwater again some time, though?" she offers cheerily.
[20:43] <Kotono> "What was that, again?" Antenora says. She bathes quickly, going to regarba fter. "The tower, wasn't it?"
[20:44] <Alicia> "Yeah, the one we got thrown out of," Marie agrees as she gets dressed as well. "I'm sure that our love is stronger by now!"
[20:47] <Kotono> Chuckling, "Maybe it'll become stronger one day," Antenora says lightly to Marie.
[20:49] <Alicia> "I live in hope!" Marie replies brightly, taking to the air and starting to fly for home. Alicia likewise takes off and follows, shaking her head.