TEL VISHAN BEACH PARTY

[akito]

Characters: OPEN
Date: Saturday, August the 9^th
Location: The Shell 'Coastline' nearest the Water Sector
Situation: Baby Turtle Beach Party!

-

At the edge of Asti's shell there are coastlines of natural deposits that make up the closest thing to a 'beach' that they'll ever find in Keeliai. It's here that the official Tel Vishan Beach Party is set to take place. All turtle 'parents' will have gotten a message from their respective hatchlings about said party (perhaps a nice change from the whining and the temper tantrums).

Temporary shaded areas built with poles and sheets for weary parents or hatchlings who do decide to come, and some simple snacks and refreshments have been set up as well. There's a fishing net set up to act as a volleyball net for the day, and a ball waiting in the sand for some players.

The rest is up to those who come.


((ooc: feel free to comment under the headers, or start your own top-level comment!))

Comments

Gene Khan | open

[wrathfulkhan]

[Beach!

Kalliel had seemed excited about cooling off in the water, so Gene had (somewhat reluctantly) agreed to help chaperone the turtle that had chosen him. He wasn't too keen on festivities, after the few months he's had, but maybe they'll help.

And did you know that the kedan totally make bright yellow swim trunks? Because he's wearing bright yellow swim trunks. One must keep to a theme, after all.]

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony's been at the beach for a while, socializing and decimating the refreshments when he spies a familiar figure wearing a familiar shade of eye-searing lemon yellow.

He waffles for a little while, nibbling distractedly at some kind of cracker, until finally deciding to bite the bullet and go over and see Gene. After the whole ring... event, he's not really sure where they stand. He meanders in Gene's direction, trying and failing to look nonchalant.]

Hey. Uh... nice turtle.

[wrathfulkhan]

[At least you will never lose him in a crowd?

But on a serious note: welp. Gene knew he couldn't avoid Tony forever, he just hadn't expected to run into him...here.]

Hey. [Nailed it.] Oh. Thanks.

[Kalliel is deaf to the awkwardness, and waves a flipper at Tony to say hello...as well as using telepathy.] Hello!

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony flinches at the turtle's greeting. Only a little— he knows the turtles are telepathic, so he'd been prepared for it. That doesn't mean he likes it, though.] Hi, [he says with a weak smile, waving back. It's not the turtle's fault telepathy still kind of weirds him out.]

So... how's the beach? [he asks, scuffing his toes in the sand and not quite making eye contact with Gene.]

[wrathfulkhan]

[Haha. God. Whoops. This is awkward.] Good. We picked a good day for the party, I think. And the turtles seem happier for the chance to cool down. [Oh my God, are you talking about the weather?! Stop it!]

Enjoying yourself?

this is my favorite icon I'm so excited to use it

[highprofilerichkid]

Yeah. Yeah. It's... nice. Nice weather. Uh, the food is good. And I played some volleyball. With a turtle. It was... cool. [Wow, this is going just great.]

So, that's... your turtle? What's his name again? [Turtles seem like a good conversation topic. There are turtles here. Gene has a turtle. They're riding a giant turtle. Turtles don't have anything to do with magic rings or Makluans or kidnapping and attempted murder. Turtles. Yeah. Stick with turtles.]

UR GONNA HAVE TO USE IT A LOT M8

[wrathfulkhan]

[Tony, this is Gene we're talking about here. If anyone can make any topic end up in magic rings or Makluans or kidnapping and attempted murder, it's this asshole.]

Kalliel, [Gene says.] Before he picked me, he visited me in a dream. We ended up playing hide and seek.

[highprofilerichkid]

Kalliel. A dream, huh? They... show up to you in dreams? [Wow, that is extra unsettling.] That's— [freaky as hell] that must have been... surprising?

Uh, how do they pick people? [Tony is so not ready to be a babysitter for a telepathic alien turtle. Is there a way to opt out?]

[wrathfulkhan]

[Gene shrugs. He's...kinda acquainted with weird shit happening in his dreams. That is potentially why this didn't bother him or even really surprise him at the time.] Not really. It was...a nice change. [A nice change from nightmares about Zhang and ninjas and disgracing his bloodline.]

You know, I'm not sure, [he says.] I would have thought I'd be the last person to be picked.

Wow, Tony. So rude. SO rude.

[highprofilerichkid]

[A quiet] Oh, [is all Tony says to that. He probably wouldn't have picked up on Gene's implication, if he hadn't so recently been thoroughly and intimately acquainted with the myriad causes of Gene's nightmares. He's had a few nightmares himself, since then. Thanks for nothing, Gene.

He's distracted enough by those thoughts that he snorts and absently replies,] Yeah, I would have too, [before realizing what an astonishingly churlish response that is.

Uh. Whoops. Yeah, there's really no way to salvage that one, is there? He blushes and looks away.]

Tony pls

[wrathfulkhan]

[OH COOL. Gene forces a laugh and looks down. It stings, but he hadn't really expected anything better.] Yeah. Well. I haven't traumatized him yet.

[Gene is a good dad! Kalliel says, and affectionately bonks Gene with a flipper, knocking him over.]

See? [Gene says, winded, picking himself up off the ground.]

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony lets out a surprised laugh when Kalliel's affectionate whap knocks Gene into the sand.] Okay, I guess I'll take your word for it. You're the expert, [he says to the turtle.

"Gene is a good dad" is not a sentence Tony would have ever expected to hear in any context, but Kalliel does seem satisfied with his... adopted parent. Just one more bizarre thing in this bizarre dimension.]

You, uh, got some sand in your hair, [Tony points out as Gene stands up, sounding amused. Without thinking, he reaches over and brushes it out.

Startled by his own impulse, he snatches his hand back like he's been burned, and blushes even brighter.]

[wrathfulkhan]

[If Tony wanted to list the bizarre things in this bizarre dimension, he'd have to use all the paper in Keeliai.

OH LOOK HERE COMES A BIZARRE THING RIGHT NOW. Namely, Tony brushing sand out of Gene's hair. Gene freezes, halfway through reaching up to dust his hair off himself.

Did...did that just happen?]

Thank...you...? [he says hesitantly, trying to ignore the fact that Stark looks like he just got three days' worth of sunburn on his face in about three seconds.]

[loquaciouslyfeline]

[Taraja had been very excited about the beach party, and while one of her other 'parents' was spending time with her the young turtle had desired Amelia's presence as well.

For her part, Amelia is mostly uninterested in idle past times such as beach parties, but she's fond of Taraja no matter how little time she's spent with the turtle. So here she is, albeit dressed as she normally is, properly and of her status as captain.

The same cannot be said for others.]

Rather garish color, wouldn't you think?

[Obviously directed at the trunks. They are garish.]

[wrathfulkhan]

[Amelia, are you...are you disrespecting his fashion choices? If he were not in such a good turtle-assisted mood, he'd even be offended.]

What, you don't like yellow?

[He thinks it's a perfectly fine color. The best color.] I see you're not dressed for the beach.

[loquaciouslyfeline]

I wouldn't say I dislike it, but it's not to my tastes. Seems to suit you fine, though.

She replies offhandedly: I am not a swimmer. [Really, Gene, you should have suspected as much.]

Is Kalliel enjoying himself out in the water?

[wrathfulkhan]

It was the color of the Emperor, back in ancient China, [he explains.] Nobody else was permitted to wear it.

[Oh. Right. Cat lady.] Seems funny, for the captain of a ship, [he says, still smiling.] But yes. He's enjoying himself. How's Taraja?

[loquaciouslyfeline]

I take it that has changed since then. [She nods at him.]

If need arises I can keep myself afloat, but the odds of that happening are phenomenally low.

Taraja is quite enamoured of that young fellow. [An indication towards the turtle in question.] Spends most of her time with him these days, it seems.

[wrathfulkhan]

[Pshhhh. He is the Emperor, dammit!] There isn't an Emperor anymore. There hasn't been one since Puyi decades ago. It's communist now. Sort of. [CHINA'S POLITICAL SYSTEM IS WEIRD AND I'M NOT HERE FOR IT.]

Well, I'll do my best not to splash, [he says good-naturedly.] I...haven't been around for Kalliel so much, myself, lately. [He looks at his turtle, who is happily swimming around.]

[loquaciouslyfeline]

Communism? I'm not familiar with that system of government.

[Gene's world has quite a few unfamiliar things in it.]

Most appreciated. They're getting quiet large, aren't they?

[wrathfulkhan]

[OH GOD HE IS NOT EQUIPPED TO EXPLAIN THIS. HE IS NOT ABOUT TO EXPLAIN COMMUNISM TO A CAT ALIEN WHILE HE WEARS TINY SWIM SHORTS.]

Well...it's supposed to be a system based on, uh, equal distribution of benefits from labor, with the means of production owned by the government. ...It never actually works that way.

[LET'S REDIRECT TO THE TURTLES.] They are. It's kind of weird.

[loquaciouslyfeline]

So those who work hard receive the same benefits as those who slack and put forth no effort, and everyone works for the government? [Doesn't sound good at all.] No surprise it never works, then.

[Smooth, Gene. But good enough, Amelia doesn't think Communism is good so you've done your job.] They are of the species as the turtle on which we're all living, so it stands to reason they'd grow to similar proportions. Although I wouldn't have expected it to be this fast.

[wrathfulkhan]

[Thank you, half-paying attention in civics class.]

No, I didn't either, [he says ruefully.] I didn't think they'd be the size of minivans so soon.

[He looks down at the sand for a moment, hesitating. No time like the present to bring it up.] I...I have something important to tell you. About the rings.

[loquaciouslyfeline]

[She raises an eyebrow at the unfamiliar turn of phrase used to describe the turtles' newest growth, but pushes it away when he brings up the rings.]

And that is?

[The rings are still a matter of importance, ones she has far from forgotten.]

[wrathfulkhan]

[Gene heaves a sigh.] At landfall...a few days after we helped with the Legacy...I found it. I found the tenth ring. And it's active.

It's safe. Stark has it. I...left it. With him. [He glances back in Tony's direction.]