[open mingle] let's go to the beach-each, let's go get a wave

[orphne]

Who: Anyone in Aldrip on June 12th
Where: The beach close to town
What: A totally open mingle for a party on the beach
Warnings: potential for injury and alcohol use -- let me know if y'all do anything that needs to be warned for, and I'll update it!

The prompts are just suggestions below -- this is a completely open mingle, so feel free to make your own starters, tag around, and go wild!

The weather doesn't change overmuch in Aldrip, but what is summer if not a state of mind? If anything, the too-pleasant weather makes planning ahead a little easier. A video message from one Kotone Shiomi had gone out the day before to invite everybody -- and that means everybody, locals and Chosen alike -- to a party on the beach, starting in the afternoon when the sun is consistently warmest and going until- well, until everybody leaves.

The morning of... Kotone can't do it all on her own, though! Maybe the prospect of a party is enough to get you digging around looking for supplies that could be useful on the beach. Games? The shops must have something, surely. Food? The kitchens are, as always, available. Hauling wood for a bonfire? Hey, someone's gotta do it. Maybe you're helping some of the locals go fishing early in the morning for extra food, or harvesting some fresh fruits and veggies from their gardens and farms. Many hands makes light work, or something like that. If nothing else, if you missed the initial annoucement, the bustle should at least clue you in that something's in the works. Don't forget to buy (or make, or "find") a swimsuit! Modernity not required.


If you can dodge a chore, you can dodge a ball, or, with or without your help, there are plenty of things to do on the beach itself. Some of the sports and activities might seem a little anachronistic to the generally old-fashioned vibe in Aldrip -- the volleyball net and ball are local, but the beach ball and water guns are a little too brightly-colored and plastic, the water balloons in their bucket too obviously mass-produced, to be local, but they're there for anyone to play with (or torment others with). The band's set up as well, though with some different music than they'd played for the inn party. Maybe someone can make a request for more appropriate beach music? Or maybe you just want to see if you can launch a water balloon from a trumpet.

Eventually, someone starts a volleyball tournament. Time to let that competitive streak shine! Or at the very least, you've got to try cracking open a watermelon with a bat... but maybe not too close to the people relaxing on lounge chairs under umbrellas.


Y'all gotta eat, right? Whether you helped the locals earlier with catching fish or preparing food, there's an array of grills that have been dragged out to the beach. Hopefully some of the more magically-inclined among you can figure out how to keep the insulated boxes of ice and ice cream cold away from electricity (or maybe you're using the trek back to town for more ice as an excuse to get away from the party), but even if not, there's plenty of fish, vegetables, and meat available for grilling. Maybe you're the chef, maybe you're just here for the food, but there's plenty available no matter what you choose.

The food is hot and the drinks are cold. Unlike the inn, there's plenty of space around to try to avoid mingling with others if you're the quiet type, but watch out! It also means there are fewer places to hide. It's harder to wallflower without any walls.


As the sun starts to set, someone gets the bonfire going. Marshmallows exist, though maybe in a less-manufactured way than you might be used to, and there's plenty of other leftover things to roast if you're the type. It's another beautiful night in Aldrip to watch the stars and take in the fresh air with some friends. In light of everything that's happened, maybe some quiet relaxation is finally in order.

Well, for some of you. For others, night is when the party gets rowdier and it's time for drinking and party games. Just try not to make too much of a mess! Because somebody's going to have to clean it all up tomorrow.

Comments

[chemex]

[His face wanders from mortified to apologetic to Just Concerned.] Damn.

[nullificates]

Yep! Akechi-kun... I'd say, is 10% difficulty compared to Akutagawa-kun. Which is a little why I hope he becomes more mindful. Lots of people I know happen to be 'kill first without thinking', so he might want to realize that as soon as possible, I can't be everywhere! Ah, right now, I guess even being somewhere is tough!

[chemex]

[Akira laughs softly, sort of nervously, and leans back in his chair to scan the area-- where is Akechi, now that he thinks about it...? Not that he's worried, or anything! He's totally worried.]

[He glances back to Dazai after his little rant.]

Ah, if you need help getting anywhere I can push you, if you want.

[nullificates]

(akutagawa could slit everyone's throat with precision before anyone could even move, including himself, and he has such a terrible temper dazai tried to beat and abuse out of him. guess that beating people up and abusing them verbally to teach them to not beat people up doesn't work, what a surprise!!!)

Ah, no, I rather give Chuuya as much work as possible, so I'm pretending you've never even asked!

[chemex]

[How surprising indeed!!! Bully the bully, and watch when they simply continue to bully others!!]

[Akira sits back forward and chuckles, shaking his head.] All right. But if you ever find yourself in a pinch, you know how to contact me.

[nullificates]

Don't worry, you're already added in my brain list as - In Case of Emergency, Contact.

[chemex]

[A snort, and he shakes his head.]

I get the feeling I'm listed similarly in a lot of people's phones, actually.

[nullificates]

Question is, however, mister Emergency Contact, would you trust me if I just told you to do something and never explained it?

(dazai's plans are never wrong. one just must trust.)

[chemex]

[He folds his arms back over the bar.]

I have a friend back home who's former mafia. One of the first things that established a friendship for us was the fact that he gave me a paper bag and told me not to look in it or question it, just leave with it. [He leaves out the part where he definitely looked in the bag and had to have a high Guts rank to ask him about it and actually forge his Confidant, but-- details.] So, yeah, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone I care for, I imagine I could do that.

[nullificates]

Cute. Did you look?

(if that had been dazai, he'd make three different plans. one counting akira would look, one in case he didn't, and one in case he didn't leave with it, and all of the branching would come from these three alternatives. his predictions are never wrong, but it's important to look at alternatives in case they are.)

[chemex]

Oh, absolutely. There was a gun in it. A-- real one, he ran a shady little airsoft shop. We got our weapons there. Didn't have the balls to ask him about it for months, though.

[nullificates]

Huh. Interesting. I assume you mean... A different type of Mafia than the one we have.

... Why is he sliding kiddos guns, though?

[chemex]

Maybe? I'm not that well-versed in Mafia specifics. He got mixed up with some guys he'd worked with back in the day with guns about drugs, they tried to kidnap his son, it was a whole mess.

He apologized for it later, I think-- actual teddy bear of a man, love him. He needed it out of his shop because the feds were sniffing around, trying to get him in trouble for shit he hadn't done.

[nullificates]

Oh, the Narcs came for him... I see. Back home, that hardly would have happened.

... Not everyone who works in something as horrible as the Mafia is necessarily horrible, so I'm glad you got to meet someone who was turning their lives around... That said, a good 80% are! Don't go around getting mixed up like this!!!

[chemex]

Oh? Whyssat.

[He snorts, shaking his head.] It wasn't like I was trying! Ryuji showed me his shop, and he dealt in real good fake arms.

[nullificates]

Treaties. Stupid bureaucracy. Port Mafia actually helps when they feel like it. So on, so on, so on.

(KID. you're too cute. he can't really not stick his nose in things he shouldn't, dazai can definitely feel that.)

I'm sure half of the things you'll tell me will be 'it wasn't like I was trying' territory!

[chemex]

[He grimaces, sitting back in his chair again.] Ew, sounds like paperwork.

[Tongue: stuck out.] I've done a lot of things completely on accident, it's a gift.

[nullificates]

I hate paperwork!!!! Ugh, the worst part of being a Narc!! Fuck the police!!!!!!

(the THEATRICS.)

Truly sounds like so.

fish icon bc he looks so happy in it

[chemex]

[Akira laughs, enjoying the theatrics.] One hundred percent agree.

[nullificates]

Ugh, don't become one of us. That part is boring, and people yell at you if you run away!

[chemex]

[He grimaces, shaking his head.] Wasn't planning on it, really.

[nullificates]

What do you want to be?

[chemex]

Mmmn, [He reaches up to fiddle with his fringe.] Honestly? I'd love to be able to take over the coffee shop I lived above in Tokyo. Or do something like it, because I don't know if Boss would relinquish it, and I'm choosing to believe he's immortal for my own mental health.

[nullificates]

I'll have to try your coffee and food one day, then. I'd do the same, but you definitely don't want me to.

(PROPHECY: FULLFILED A WEEK LATER.)

[chemex]

Oh, sure! I can make a lot more than just curry these days, so I'm sure I can find something you'll like.

[THEN WHO WAS PHONE]