[EVENT: BEACH TIME!]

[thenotsostraightman]

[Normally, one might count walking into a standard classroom only to find a bright, sunny beach instead to be a very pleasant surprise. But as Tadakuni stood there; blankly trying to wrap his head around what just happened- Only one question plagued his mind enough to dwarf all other concerns.]

.......

WHY AM I IN SCHOOL TRUNKS AGAIN!?

((OOC: Welcome to the Beach Room! Once inside, everyone who enters will suddenly appear dressed in swimwear of some kind. Unfortunately, those who try to leave will find an invisible barrier blocking them from exiting the room for at least 3 hours. So have fun, take a swim, play some volleyball, enjoy the cheesy beach-party music, or find some other activity to occupy your time! Emergency suntan lotion will of course be instantly available for all you beach-goers to avoid a nasty sunburn!)) 

Comments

[itisntmyfault]

[Pyrrha lifts her face from the sand with a gasp; coughing and sputtering for a moment as she tries to remove the bit of sand from her mouth.]

[A small whimper of a response.] I- I'm okay... [But her chest... O-ow...]

[Thoroughly embarrassed, Pyrrha lifts herself up; now cradling her chest a bit after wiping a bit of sand from her skin. Looking over to see that Nero had already ventured a good distance ahead, Pyrrha has to jog a bit in order to catch up.]

[Furrowing her brow, she mutters.] S-sorry...

[holydemon]

[By the time Pyrrha catches up, Nero's already stopped in front of a lone towel. He picks it up, handing it back to Pyrrha without so much as turning to face her.]

Here, you can cover up now. [Despite how harsh his gestures and general presence came off, his voice was far from it.]

[itisntmyfault]

[Shyly reaching out, Pyrrha accepts the towel with a small nod; wrapping it around her torso.]

Okay... I'm finished.

[Now that she's covered up and feeling a bit more comfortable, the kindness of Nero's gesture begins to sink in. Looking at him with an earnest expression, she speaks;] Nero... I....

[A pause.] ...I really, truly appreciate this. Thank you...

[holydemon]

[Nero finally turns around, although he's still doing a poor job of making direct eye contact with her.]

Don't mention it. No, seriously--don't even mention it.

[He walks a few feet to their left, finding a beach chair and sitting down in it. He crosses his arm and scowls as he speaks.]

Now we've just got to wait for that barrier to go down.

[itisntmyfault]

Um, okay...

[Pyrrha, of course, follows right along; and mirrors his action as she grabs a beach chair to sit directly next to him.] Oh...

[Is that how it works? Just waiting it out? Hm.] Then... in that case...

...Do you want to do something..? [Looking over at him.] -To pass the time while we wait, I mean?

[holydemon]

[Nero lets out an irritated sigh as Pyrrha just follows him, even down to the chair.]

Actually, I was kind of hoping you'd leave me alone after I helped you.

[itisntmyfault]

[Pyrrha furrows her brow. So much for making progress...] ...Well... seeing as I'm not going to do that...

Would you like to talk, at least?

[She tries to initiate conversation;] You never told me what your home town was like. It's... "Fortuna", right?

[holydemon]

[...Stubborn. Why was she so stubborn? It wouldn't be nearly as bad if she were somebody he could just blow off and insult, but she wasn't.

Look at her!]

Not really, but you're not going to give me much of a choice, are you?

[He huffs, seemingly resigning himself to this abysmal fate of "small talk".]

But to answer you question, it's boring, and yes it's "Fortuna". [Mocking emphasis on the Fortuna.]

[itisntmyfault]

[She wasn't always this way. In fact, Nero is the only person she could see herself being so stubborn with right now. The truth is that Nero himself is partially to blame, really. Ever since he told her that she "gives up easy", Pyrrha has resolved to try and fix that.]

[Ignoring his mocking tone.] Boring?

[Pyrrha cants her head to the side.] You don't like it..?

Then... why don't you leave?

[holydemon]

You wouldn't understand. [Nero looks away, pulling the towel tighter around himself.]

[Losing his snarky tone, he smirks.] Besides, I kind of like my job.

[itisntmyfault]

...No, I... probably wouldn't.

[At his following words, Pyrrha furrows her brow; feeling slightly anxious as he mentions his 'job'.] ...You mean... killing demons.

[holydemon]

[Nero replies knowingly, still wearing that smug look on his face. There's a slight crease in his brow though, as if something is bothering him.]

That's right. I kill demons.

[itisntmyfault]

[Hesitantly.] ...And it... never bothered you at all?

[holydemon]

[Nero looks down, curling the fingers on his Devil Bringer.]

I didn't always have this arm.

[itisntmyfault]

So... you hadn't always known either?

[Pyrrha looks out across the beach; reflecting back to her time before arriving in the Campus.] I always thought that I... was just a normal human. I still feel like I'm normal, kind of... But...

Looking back now, I suppose... there were signs. [She fidgets with her fingers a bit.] I just... I never wanted to give it much thought. And I certainly never wanted to be this... thing. I just want to live like everyone else....

[She pauses for a moment, before looking back over to Nero.] I have to admit that part of me... envies you. -You and your boring town.

[holydemon]

[Nero lets out a sigh as she speaks; he wasn't really sure what to say to any of that.]

Yeah, well, that makes two of us. [Again, he can be seen wringing his hand at his side.]

At least you turn back to normal. My arm's stuck like this. It's just one big flashing arrow that screams "look at this freak"!

[itisntmyfault]

"Normal"? [Pyrrha frowns slightly, before looking over to her own arm.] ....Not for long.

[She stares down at the palm of her hand.] I can... feel it. Changing...

Every time I blank out like that... And every time I-- [Every time I kill someone. The girl cuts herself off before finishing that sentence.] ...Every time... something really bad happens...

I can feel a pain in my arm. Like... a throbbing heat. It's getting worse, too. [Furrowing her brow in worry.] I'm.... I'm scared.

If it keeps happening... If I lose control again, I... [Looking over at Nero.]

...I don't think... there will be any turning back to "normal".

[holydemon]

[Nero turns his head slightly as she speaks, for once actually listening with interest in what she has to say. As Pyrrha speaks, han't help but feel strange dichotomy towards her and her predicament.]

Well, you'll just need to learn to control yourself. [He turns away again, frowning.]

There's not much else you can do. Hell, it's good that you know, because that means you have a chance to stop it from happening.

[There's a tinge of bitterness in his voice.]

[itisntmyfault]

[She turns toward Nero at that.] You...

Do you think there's hope? Do you really think that I can stop it from happening..?

[Pyrrha watches him closely for a response; her own expression filled with an anxious sort of worry.]

[holydemon]

[Nero creases his brow and averts his eyes, not looking too confident.]

...Don't ask me that.

[itisntmyfault]

....

[Expression saddening somewhat, Pyrrha averts her eyes as well; her gaze falling down to the hands in her own lap as she goes quiet. Eventually, she speaks; her voice soft.] ...I'm sorry...

...I wish... that I could speak with you about happier things.

[holydemon]

[Nero can't help but frown, having shot down Pyrrha's hopes like that, but it was better than giving her false hope. Because what if he was wrong?]

Ah...yeah. [He rubs the side of his head.] Maybe we should do that.

[And then, trying to lighten the mood he pipes up in his usual, snarky matter.] I'm sick of this topic anyway. Who needs it!

[itisntmyfault]

[Pyrrha blinks; momentarily snapping out of her somber thoughts at Nero's loud exclamation.] O-oh...

Um... then- is there something else you'd like to talk about...?

[holydemon]

I'm not really the talkative type.

[While Nero could mouth-off, but he wasn't exactly a chatter-box. So really, all he could do was shrug.]

Isn't there something else to do...? [He leans back, sounding almost childishly bored with his complaint.]

[itisntmyfault]

U-um... [Oh boy. She doesn't often get put into the position of having to provide entertainment for anyone else. Pyrrha wracks her brain as she tries to think of something to do.] I... er....

Well, I'm afraid that I was never taught many games or activities. I mean... there are competitive games like racing... or catch... I was never very good at juggling, though... [A pause.] We could always... swim..?

[Not that she was the best at that either.]