Harveste was far from used to just how friendly @Vina Skysong was. Her energy was almost intimidating as she kept the conversation going with ease- something the Faerin wished to be able to do, but knowing well she was horrible at. She tried to act like she was good with people, but she just wasn't. This is good practice...Yeah! Think of it that way! Plus she's nice...So that's good, right? "I rarely get to surprise people...Well, maybe I sort of do. People are just mostly surprised to see me leave the house." Laughing timidly, she mused to herself that this wasn't reality. That rule didn't apply here! "I like surprises, though...Mostly. I've always been easily scared, but I kind of like a surprise once in a while if it's not a jump scare. I'll never like those...But I find it more fun to surprise people. Especially with a flower!" Grinning ear to ear, she realized she was rambling and avoided her immediate internal dialogue like a plague. She had to work hard to tell herself not to apologize for things like this- she was trying her best! "Still...I don't want my surprise to bother her...It's just, it's been a while since I've gotten to see her, you know? So I had to jump at the chance!" As Vina noted the flush on Kaede's face signalling her surprise was well received, the flower fairy couldn't help wondering how true that really was. While Kaede tried to show a friendly face and relax herself, she was still red- and after what happened with their last date, she couldn't help but wonder if she wasn't giving Kaede enough space at this point. Kaede had said she needed it... But yet the girl was desperate to close the gap herself, following her like this. Taking a small bite of food as she listened to Vina a bit more clearly, she nodded. "It's delicious and cute. I'm lucky I got to have some. Makes it hard to feel sorry for surprising you when I get such good treats..." Of course, she wasn't going to admit that 'treat' was a bit of a multiple-meaning word with her in this instance. She got to see Kaede even cuter than usual, and she made a new friend too! "I actually thought about picking a felis myself...I was offered to change when I died in a cathedral, once. But... I'm attached to this form, even if I admit I probably shouldn't have made a character smaller than me when I already have a height complex. On the other hand...It's kind of fun feeling like I fit the role I'd intended..." And, even if Faerin weren't originally treated well by NPCs, she was starting to get along with some. It was kind of interesting, playing a role that let her childishness seem less off. There was a lot to reply to during the conversation, but Harveste found it hard to keep up at points and finally admitted it while she was sneaking another mini-sandwich into her mouth. "Oh...? I got this swimsuit at a nice shop Kaede showed me once. The owner has some, uh...interesting things. It's technically an alchemy shop, but the clothes are really cute that she sells. It was hard to get a... not-awkward swimsuit from her though." Red, she hid her face in her hair. "She seemed adamant about me showing more skin...But it'd just be too embarrassing, so I managed to talk her out of it. What about you, Kaede? Yours suits you~ I wanna know where you got it too! And Vina, also! Yours is really amazing! I wish I could fit something like that..." Of course, to her, both were a bit too showy if she were to wear them- but she also lacked the physique to suit them, in her mind, because she was such a childish size. "Also...Vina, I was wondering~ Are a felis's ears as sensitive as a cat's? Does it feel good if they're scratched?"
_____Kaede was far too embarrassed to chip in much during the conversation. Fingers nervously toying with the frills of her bikini top slightly showing the slightly fumbles thread work attaching it to the black under layer of it. She did not exactly like a part of the conversation, namely her cooking being any good. All she did was cut each item and put them into each sandwich, it was not cooking to her at all and was in all honesty the worst way one could show off cooking talent. Not like she had any but still! ”I made mine from a torn up outfit I had found… Even without the crafting masteries I can still do some fabric work, not good hence why I picked frills to cover parts of it…” _____Kaede would move her fingers up to lift the frill and show the terrible sewing fails she had patching the outfit together and if she was her old self she likely would have taken her top off to show them the rest of the failures and have some lewd or naughty comment to share. The idea of a few rushing to her mind only making her move the frills down and focus on the ground and blanket. Gears turning slowly before she felt a whole new layer of crimson washing over her. _____How did she not notice it sooner, this was NOT a blanket she should be using and yet there was no way to quickly swap it out leaving her to stay flustered and try to get a sandwich to nibble on to distract her. She ate it almost like a skittish rabbit, her ears sinking down a bit as the tips turned red from her flustered nature in full swing and struggling the hardest to keep herself from letting any emotion go too far. ”A...Anyways… shame I did not bring anything to go with these… Maybe if I had thought a bit more I could have made a light lemonade or maybe some wiseberry… Oh sorry… It’s almost like a lemon but more sweet in flavor. Just has a hard time on some people’s systems since it’s not a item from the real world…” @Vina Skysong @Harveste
Vina raised her eyebrows slightly as Harveste mentioned people being surprised when she left the house, but the Felis just smiled brightly and nodded. "One of the best ways to surprise people is to set up predictable patterns until they barely notice them and then suddenly violate them. It's much more effective than trying to do something really strange and flashy, and it's very fun to see them get confused trying to figure out what just went different from what they were expecting~" She let out a hum of agreement as the Faerin mentioned jump scares. "I'm not very fond of those myself either... although I admit I find them more bearable than the kind of building dread you sometimes encounter in horror stories. That constant feeling that something is going horribly wrong..." She shivered, not heavily but clearly remembering something which gave her the chills. "Friendly surprises are a lot more fun. Catching them off guard with something they should like makes it so difficult for them to react properly~" She returned Harveste's grin, happy to see that the little Faerin was getting more enthusiastic. For Vina seeing someone get a bit out of their shell was one of the most enjoyable things, even if she somewhat counteracted that herself by teasing them back into shyness. Well, either way she enjoyed herself, and she was even happier if she could say for certain that the other person was also enjoying themselves. "Oh, if you haven't seen her in a while you're definitely forgiven for surprising her with a visit. And it makes sense that you wouldn't want to trouble her, but that's a bit of a risk you take with surprising people. The better you know them and the more experienced you are the less of an issue it is, but even so it's better to try and to occasionally fail, because I personally think the rewards are well worth the risks~" The Felis was aware that there was some embarrassment going on between her two new friends, but rather than drawing attention to that she just kept being her cheerful and friendly self. "Oh, definitely, if the reward for surprises is delicious food it'd make me want to surprise her all the time. Although from the looks of it that might be a bit too much." She giggled, looking at Kaede who was a lot more silent compared to herself and Harveste. The Felis's smile became a bit more gentle. "If I'm being too forward just tell me, all right? I try my best but I can't always tell if someone just is shy or really is bothered by my cheerful demeanour." She tried to meet Kaede's red eyes with her own azure gaze to show her sincerity before turning back to Harveste to discuss their respective races. "You died? I'm sorry to hear that. I haven't experienced it myself yet, but even in a game that must still have been an unpleasant experience. Although it's interesting that upon revival you'd be able to change your appearance and even your race. Although I don't think I'll get tired of my own self any time soon." She tilted her head slightly, looking thoughtful for a moment in response to Harveste's words. "Hmmm... Well, I'd imagine that most people who really are uncomfortable with being small would make their character very tall. So that you would make your character so small either means you're very brave or maybe your issue isn't necessarily with your height, but how others treat you because of it? Either way, I like the kind of stubbornness to do what you want instead of letting your worries dictate your actions. Even more so than real life a game is meant to be enjoyable, isn't it?" As Kaede showed off her swimsuit and explained that it was actually a recycled product Vina blinked, looking surprised. "Really? I didn't notice at all. I thought you just managed to find a very cute design. If you can achieve that level of skill without having the suitable mastery maybe it's worth trying something myself... Although in that case the stuff that you can make with the masteries must be really marvellous." She looked at Kaede with a small amount of worry, although she made a determined attempt to hide it behind her friendly smile. She knew that not everyone was as social or as open-minded, but she was starting to worry that she was overwhelming the redheaded girl a bit too much. It wouldn't be the first time that happened, and while it rarely actually had lasting consequences it wasn't the best way to get acquainted to someone. "Well, from what Harveste told me while you were in the water you weren't even expecting her, so it's already thoughtful enough that you brought enough food along in case someone showed up at all, let alone an entire group. Although now that you've told me about it I'm curious about the kind of food you could find in this world that has no real equivalent in real life... Maybe you could show me some of the more interesting types of food sometime? If you've got the time, of course." With some luck she'd be able to get the girl to feel more at ease if she slowed down a bit. Although that didn't necessarily mean she had to do the same thing with the purple-haired Faerin. "Reaaaally now...~ An alchemist shop which shows revealing swimwear? Sounds like the kind of place I'd like to visit, if only to see what kind of interesting stuff you can make with this world's technology and magic. But I agree that it's better that you chose this." Vina's tail swished behind her as she tried to say what she wanted to say without sounding condescending. "The downside of making yourself look like a nature sprite is that nature sprites tend to take on childish appearances, and you were quite successful in making yourself look like one. Different body types benefit better from certain styles, and in your case I definitely think it's better to focus on cute than revealing. As for my outfit..." Vina leaned backwards a bit while stretching slightly, showing off her outfit and slim form a bit more. "Thank you very much for the compliment~ My bikini is a lot more simplistic than the swimsuits the two of you have. I just bought mine from some store in that town Nacre, over on the tropical island. They have a lot of water related stuff for obvious reasons. It's nothing extravagant, but it certainly combines well with my figure, doesn't it?" Of course in this case 'combining with the figure' mostly just translated into 'showing off a young woman's body'. At the inquiry regarding her ears Vina's pleasant and friendly smile became a bit more devious, said ears twitching as she leaned forward. "I'm surprised I'd be the first Felis you asked, but yes they're very sensitive~ It was a pleasant surprise that being a Felis had benefits like being able to enjoy pampering even more than in human form. In fact, now that you've asked..." She twitched her ears once more. "...Want to touch them? And the tail as well, of course~ It's only fair after I asked so forwardly about the Faerin race." @Harveste @Kaede Hoshi
Vina's description of the best surprises both intrigued and concerned the smaller girl. "I dunno... I think I'd rather not give someone such a surprise they'd be that confused. Maybe since I'm easily confused myself..." She laughed timidly, curling her legs to adjust her stance, wanting a more comfortable pose. "I don't know if it's height or how people treat me, you're right... But some people treat me just fine even with my height. Others, not so much." She had plenty of examples, of course. People that teased her or assumed her half her age- something some would like, but she certainly didn't. The inability to reach half her cabinets without a step-stool wasn't fun, either. "Some people are mean, basically, and some aren't. But...The ones that are kind and don't make my small size feel so awkward..." She side-eyed Kaede, as if pointing her out with her gaze. "...Well, those people make me think it's not so bad after all. Still can't reach half the food in the market, but I can get help usually, so that's not too bad anymore. I have worse problems than my height, so if I think of it that way... It sounds horrible, but it's true and less annoying, y'know?" With a soft giggle, she bit into another miniature sandwich. Their talk of the swimsuits and Kaede's explanation had both left her lacking in surprise and yet fairly amused. "I suppose that's true, huh? Different kinds for different bodies... I wouldn't wear a bikini in the real world either though. Just too nervous. Not sure I'd look okay in one either." She debated asking Kaede, who'd met her once before, but opted not to for the moment. "Simple isn't a bad thing. It makes people focus on other things instead. Like the fluffiness of your tail, as you pointed it out. Or how nice your hair is, and how long. It's like a mane. I actually just noticed how we all have long hair in this little trio... Is it a common design option?" Giggling a storm, she opted to move a bit closer to Kaede- or rather, she started to, but stopped halfway. She was going to scoot next to her, but upon the option to pet the Felis in question, she opted to take it instead. Standing, she hugged the woman and pet her ear lightly, wanting to purr herself. "It's so fluffy and soft~ Kaede, you should feel it too~!" She tried to not speak too loud next to the ear, of course, and seemed to succeed fairly well. She brushed her hand against Vina's tail before going to the seat she wanted- not too close, but not to far from Kaede's side, and not far Vina either. She rested with ease, biting her food again. "Considering how much you made for one person, I don't see why you'd need a side dish. Besides... I feel like there are snacks that should be sold by the beach that'd be fitting, don't you think? I think for a picnic, this is perfect as it is. IT was meant to be a picnic for one to boot, but now it's for three. If you look at it that way... Isn't it plenty? Plenty and pleasant. Good food, a nice day and good company... It's hard to complain, don't you think?" @Vina Skysong | @Kaede Hoshi
”It’s not that… I just am not much of a talker… Never enjoyed many relaxing things, always one to just focus on going forward or acting on my whims…” _____Kaede tried to sound reasonable about it all but still seemed to want to keep her distance from the other girl. If she was that talkative and showing her frame off, that alone causing Kaede to blush more, last thing she needed was to get close and risk her other side getting a chance to get out. Waving to decline the offer before moving to sit with arms around her legs and watch. A faint smile as Harveste enjoyed herself. ”Well I don’t know about all of you but I plan to go back swimming after food settles in my stomach. Can’t waste the day at the beach without doing a picnic, sand castle, swimming, and if not for this being a fantasy medieval game, fireworks. But I got something close so should be a fun night.~” _____Happily humming as she stood up and went over to the shore line to start building her moat, the dug out sand piled inside the area to be used for the castle later as she seemed to enjoy herself and forgot others had been around. Despite looking like and being an adult she enjoyed some of the childish things kids did more than adult things. Mostly due to her changing to the other persona when she was little and missing out on a fair share of her younger years. _____With her moat finished she started building her wall directly around the rough circle, something she felt was always a good thing for castles to do much more if filled moat had oil to burn and catch ladders on fire. But as this was a sand castle she just left it to her imagination for that and carefully worked using a toothpick from the sandwich to chisel each brick into the walls pattern. She was a sucker for detail in everything she tried or did, despite always having the air of someone who only lived in the fastest lane there was. @Vina Skysong | @Harveste
Vina laughed together with Harveste, warmly and friendly. "Ah, I can understand that. No reason to inflict on others what you wouldn't like yourself, right?" She then shrugged, since she didn't want to make Harveste feel too self-conscious about her height and the longer they talked about it the more likely that the Faerin would become uncomfortable. "Well, I still think it's very good that you had no issues with making a small character. Whether you did it on purpose or didn't even think about it, it shows that you're sensible." At least, that was Vina's personal take on it. Noticing the gaze Harveste was sending towards Kaede Vina tilted her head slightly while she smiled, listening without comment to Harveste's further explanation as the Faerin essentially explained that while her height could be an issue, it wasn't so bad with the right people. Although when Harveste mentioned worse problems the Felis raised an eyebrow. "I'm glad to hear that you're doing so well. Although while it might be a bit forward for me to say since we only just met, but if there's anything that you think I could help with I'd definitely be willing to try. Although of course I expect you to already receive a lot of help from our beautiful redheaded companion~" She couldn't help but add that last part, since Harveste and Kaede weren't very good at hiding their relationship and Vina couldn't help but add what she saw as harmless friendly jabs. At Kaede's admission of just not being the most talkative of people Vina gave her a gentle smile. "Understood. Still, if you find my forwardness uncomfortable just mention it and I'll try to rein it in. It's only fun if everyone is comfortable, and I don't mind being a bit more composed if that helps." She swished her tail as she didn't push the subject further, instead listening to Harveste as the purple-haired Faerin voiced her opinion on the matter of bikinis. "That's something you can only find out by trying, unless you happen to have the services of a fashion expert. In lieu of that, however, I think you should try it out once." She held up a finger. "While there's something to be said for avoiding doing things that make you uncomfortable I think that people can learn to enjoy a lot of things if they're willing to try them out. With something like wearing a bikini there's little risk and you might find that you enjoy it, so even if you're nervous maybe you'll find that once you're wearing one it's not as embarrassing as you thought it was." She shifted her weight a bit and took a bite out of her sandwich. "Of course it's still up to you, but I'd say why not try it and see how it works out? If you find that it doesn't suit you or you don't like it you can just switch back to your original choice of swim attire." She looked over her shoulder at her own hair when Harveste mentioned it, her hair long enough that it was spread out across the blanket behind her and even beyond that onto the sand, divided only by her long white tail which was sometimes difficult to distinguish when it wasn't swaying from side to side. The Felis pulled a strand of her hair over her shoulder, rubbing it between her fingers as she chuckled. "Thank you~ I'm very proud of my hair, and I think every girl who grows out their hair shares that pride. It's either that or to attract the boys, since they do seem to like it when we women have a lot of hair to show off~" She pulled her hair back over her shoulder. "As for design options, since it's easier to take care of long hair within a game I think people just take advantage of that, since long hair is very pretty but the maintenance can be a hassle. I should know, since this hair is actually a direct imitation of my real hair, although of course real life doesn't give you the option of having naturally white hair without being an albino." Vina's natural hair colour was already very light, but she did somewhat regret that natural white hair wasn't really possible without some kind of disease, biological deviation or disorder. When Harveste approached for the petting Vina didn't expect an actual hug, but certainly didn't object and even lightly hugged Harveste back as she purred into the Faerin's ear as a response to the petting, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the sensation of Harveste's small hand caressing her sensitive ear. The ear being touched didn't move, but the other twitched and Vina's tail swished happily behind her to help display her appreciation of the petting, although since Kaede was there and she was aware of the relationship between the two she suppressed the less chaste type of enjoyment. Not the time to let that influence her behaviour too much. "Thank you~" She purred, letting go of Harveste once the Faerin also had brushed her tail once and returned to Kaede. Vina grabbed another sandwich in the process, looking quite pleased and cheerful now that someone had pampered her animal features a bit. "I certainly have nothing to complain about. I'm enjoying your company immensely, and the snacks are but an unexpected but very nice surprise." She then nodded as Kaede stated that she was planning to enjoy this day to the fullest, Vina raising her sandwich as if for a toast. "Agreed! As fun as sitting here and talking is, we can't afford to waste this opportunity and do nothing more than that!" She then took a bite out of the sandwich, giving Kaede a small wave as the redhead moved towards the water to begin building a sandcastle. "I'll join you in a bit~!" She called out before turning back to Harveste, leaning forward a bit and giving her a somewhat apologetic smile. "Although I'd like to apologize for interrupting your time together. I don't intend to pry, but it's not difficult to see what you two mean to one another, so maybe if I and the others hadn't arrived you would've been able to have even more fun, as I assume you've done before~" She glanced towards the blanket to indicate that she had noticed how Harveste and Kaede seemed to have suffered from a period of acute blushing and embarrassment once the blanket came out. "I would like to spend some more time with the two of you, but if you'd rather be alone together later in the day I won't mind giving you two space~" Her smile became a bit more mischievous as she winked, then leaned back and looked up at the bright skies. "But really, we're very fortunate that the weather is as good as it is, with it actually being autumn and all." @Harveste @Kaede Hoshi
She wasn't sure how her choice to make a small character just for her urge to be a nature sprite was 'sensible', but she was happy to hear it either way. Not good with praise, it was still a nice thing to get. A bit red, she'd smile before staring at her lap, not saying a word besides a somewhat quietly murmured show of gratitude. She didn't get it, but she was glad. "There's nothing wrong with offering to help someone. I appreciate it quite a bit. But... You'd be correct that Kaede helps me a lot. I just wish I could return the favor more." She giggled, a bit red from her own thoughts as she spoke. Hearing Kaede being called a 'beautiful red-haired companion' was certainly something she agreed with, even if she also knew her before as different from this current image. Instead, to avoid anxiety, she'd react only to other parts of the conversation. "Don't worry, I'm a fairly blunt person, so I'd tell you if I was uneasy about it. I don't think you've done anything overly 'forward' that would be concerning so far. Forward and friendly are a bit different, I think." Trying to imagine wearing a bikini was a bit awkward- but at the same time, it's not like she'd never been seen nude or in her undergarments, so why was it that she found it embarrassing at all? Before that, she'd have understood- and sure, she did still think it was likely a bikini just wouldn't stay on properly with her tendency to tango with Murphy's law- but that wasn't helpful now. Now, she just felt silly. Still, remembering Kaede's seen me like that...I-Is kind of not something to think about with other company. "Oh, my hair in real life is kind of long, but not like this. Kaede's though-" Crap! It wasn't right to mention their real life meeting, particularly personal information such as looks! Well, it was a while ago... She could play that she was off probably, right? "Her's was long when I saw it, too. Really long and pretty. Mine's just a pain to tame, but it's actually harder to deal with when it's short for me 'cause it's extra curly... So I keep mine medium long if I can, so it's not as likely to knot itself from the curls." Rambling had become a habit, she realized- and it wasn't going to get any easier as Vina noted the clarity of the relationship between the two. I shouldn't be surprised it's obvious how I feel, but... She eyed Kaede only for a moment, smiling faintly. If it was seen by others that the red-head felt the same, to the Faerin, she couldn't help feeling too happy to be ashamed of herself for the moment. "I know I've always been kind of...I'm so obvious that when I tried coming out to my father, he already knew before I did that I had an interest in women. My first crush knew I liked them and teased me and their friends tried to coax me to confess by teasing me regularly. I've never been good at hiding it. That's why blunt honesty seems to work best for me. That goes for my love of Kaede too." Kaede noted she wanted to play before swimming in a bit, mentioning sandcastles and a makeshift method of having fun in exchange for fireworks. "I'm really bad with fireworks, but I'm curious what you have in mind if you'll let me join. I'm bad at swimming, so I won't go very far out... But it'd be nice if I can play a lot with you." Glancing to Vina, she smiled. "Both of you! It's like a party this way, don't you think? A beach is a great place for a party... If I ever actually went to them." Grinning, she watched a bit from afar when Kaede went to make a moat and start on a sandcastle. She was a bit flushed more than she wanted to be, but she didn't want to hide herself either. She was just too at ease in her current spot, finding watching plenty pleasant. "What do you like to play when you're at the beach, Vina? I might help with the sand castle if I can find some shells and stuff to make a door... And maybe grow some flowers if I find a good spot for it. I can make the sandcastle garden if I can find a good place to grow some... Though I don't know what flowers would be good for a sandcastle, either..." Starting to get pumped, she jumped off her butt and reached a hand into the air. She eyed a nice shell not far away and opted to wander to pick it up, still easily in earshot of the furry tailed woman she'd questioned. "Normally I give flowers as presents..." Finding a few more shells, she turned to the woman with a curious gaze. "Do you think seashells would make a good gift, too? I've never tried giving them to someone, but if I find just the right one, it might be a nice memory item!" @Kaede Hoshi | @Vina Skysong
Slight growls emitted from his throat. Not of hostility, rather, more akin to a curious purr. The physiology of a cat drifted within a humanoid feline's body regardless of one's desires. It was this girl's words that caused a sense of familiarity in the conversation. Alonso connected with the feelings of isolation, knowing full well how much impact the choice words and actions of a few people can force a series of behaviors. Of course, said behaviors may or may not have been the best possible outcome, the embarrassment of going full hermit every so often still resounding in the Felis's memories. Tilting his head, a brow raised once he took in the full weight of this girl's words, "Now you have me worried about your health instead of whether or not other people give ya shit for one reason or another." Vulnerability. The one thing he was not able to comprehend to its fullest. Part of his being stubborn meant the few instances of revealing delicate sides to the man's own subconscious, refusing to allow others to meddle in his business when they should. Once more the other member of the conversation was a young one, bringing out the overprotective, 'You are not dating my daughter' side of the hulking brute. At least his own daughters have not scolded him for being nosy. Yet. Careful movements positioned the walking mountain to sit cross legged in the sand. Better than kneeling as though he were in front of some member of the atrocious nobility. Such rebellion. "If you want my honest opinion, with everything that's going on I'm a paranoid wreck when it comes to the younger folks," Alonso said. He eyed the girl, not sure if she was a player or a NPC yet. No point in looking like he was out of an insane asylum, talking about the 'real world' when the inhabitants of this one did not even know about vaccines in modern medicine. Most of the time it was obvious, as some people wore clothing that did not quite fit the general thematic of the game world. His head shifted towards the ever retreating waters, gazing at the shoreline in silence once more. Part of the girl came off as though he was not welcome, but on the other, curiosity. Strange. She did not make any signs of shooing the over sized man off, in any case. "Most I've seen tend to at least gather in groups and enjoy each other's company. Or piss them off, depending. Who knows at this point. I didn't notice anyone else here tell you off or something," the man continued, sticking his hand in the oncoming waters and letting his fingers soak for a bit. Refreshing, yet did not overstay its welcome. Despite all of the annoyances of being part cat, he was thankful not one of them was a stereotyped fear of water. "Hell if you wanna talk about not fitting in, you better take a look at me. If you haven't noticed, most created a perfected image of themselves and wander about, hiding any evidence of who they really are," Alonso noted, reverting his gaze from the sea and onto @Morna, "And some of those people? Probably more hideous than you might think you are. Trust me. I've lived long enough to meet some real assholes, and unless otherwise proven I'm gonna sit here and make sure at least one person who's possibly my own child's age isn't moping around over something."
_____As the two seemed to wish to talk more Kaede simply kept her focus on her walls, using a small shell to carve out the bricks or do the slightly strained features on the lower parts of the walls from the weight. She was lost in her work as she just crawled around it adding more details where she felt would be needed, every so often scooping some more out of her moat to use the wet sand to fix a mistake or add extra to carve out. She enjoyed treating things with detail and care, that was a part of her old self she wanted to be sure carried over, though not just when it came to pleasing a girl she meets. _____The thought causing her to press down slightly harder causing the shell to break part of her wall and fall into the moat. A light winded sigh escaping her lips as she moved her hands to get as much back as she could before trying to carefully mend what was broken. Stopping before the details as she lightly blinked and recalled she had magic, why not use it. Sitting back as she opened her UI to pull out the large book of collected spells and start flipping the pages. _____Stopping on a page and stepping back slightly as she placed her hands to the sand and began lightly chanting the spell she picked out. ”Invoco alliget terrae miscet etiam transitum Aerea celeras lucem tepescunt ut ignis et aestus oceani profundum fluere arbitror quatuor elementa et quinta et incantatores tenebimus benedicere.” The sand slightly blowing around her in a small twister before it began to pick up slightly and started moving towards her moat and began building the castle at a slow rate. Kaede herself fully focused on the spell and keeping it as how she wanted it to be cast as the first floor and outer wall was finished with high detail. _____Sadly that was all the spell could manage on the first cast as Kaede smiled gently and went to examine her magic built sand castle. @Vina Skysong | @Harveste
Seeing Harveste get red Vina couldn't help but smile, finding it an endearing sight even if in a certain way it was a tad sad... Well, maybe not exactly, but... From past experiences Vina had learned that if someone easily blushed when given simple praise there were two causes: either they just were naturally shy and had difficulty with being the centre of attention, or they just weren't used to being given praise so when it was given they didn't know how to process it without letting the happy feelings of being positively acknowledged show strongly. Of course she could be overthinking it, and maybe Harveste really was just shy and not good with being the centre of attention, which was why Vina didn't dwell too long on it and instead just giggled as the purple-haired girl tried to get her blush under control. "I've encountered people who didn't like it when outsiders were too eager to get involved in their issues, but I definitely agree with you that there's nothing wrong with offering to help... It's more that it's a bit difficult to guess who is fine with letting people they just met help and who prefers to fix things on their own, or with the help of close friends." The white-haired Felis shrugged. "I don't think it's a bad thing for someone to prefer relying on those they know, since while I believe that many people are kind and have good intentions it can be more comfortable to confide in someone you actually know well." Hearing Harveste's complaint that she felt like she couldn't return the favour of Kaede helping her as much as she wanted to Vina smiled, shaking her head. "I understand the feeling, but past experiences tell me that people usually are having more of an effect for those they care about than they might think. A strange habit most people seem to share... I personally think it's just that if we really care for someone then no matter how much we do for them it never feels enough, so even if we're already doing a lot we're still worried about how we could do more." She laughed softly as Harveste told her that she considered Vina's behaviour friendly, not forward. The Felis found it a funny thought, since almost everyone who she had talked about regarding the subject tended to use the term forward or something of a similar nature. "I think you're the first one who'd say that what I do is friendly but not forward. Most people seem to think it's both." She wove her fingers together and stretched her arms in front of herself. "But it's good that you won't be afraid to mention it if I'm doing something wrong. I always feel guilty when I was bothering someone but they didn't want to mention it because they didn't want to be impolite. I appreciate the thoughtfulness, but... I'm the one causing their discomfort so it wouldn't be their fault if they mentioned that to me." She looked at the blanket they were sitting on for a moment before looking back up at Harveste. "Anyway! I'll just keep doing as I've been doing so far then~" She swished her tail as she gave a bit of a devious smirk before it returned to her friendly smile. It appeared that Harveste needed a moment to think about the suggestion of trying out a bikini, Vina using the opportunity to finish her sandwich as she watched the purple-haired Faerin come to some kind of mental conclusion before the conversation went on. No need to be impatient and demand a response, they had a lot of time here on the beach anyway, after all... Although that left Vina thinking about how much time she was spending inside of the game. It was really fun exploring Terrasphere, but she would have to take care with not getting too used to jumping inside the game at every opportunity. She also had things she wanted to do in real life, and there was the matter of keeping herself fit and healthy to consider. There was something to be said for having days where you dedicated yourself to just lazing about while playing a game, but she didn't want to gain weight because she was neglecting her real body. Just because in this world keeping in shape was as easy as going on adventures didn't mean that her actual body wouldn't suffer if she neglected it. Her ears twitched when Harveste mentioned real life, especially since the Faerin then seemed to realize what she was saying and promptly stopped. Vina didn't take a lot of time to decide to not comment on it, instead just smiling and teasingly holding a finger in front of her lips, trying to playfully tease Harveste a bit about letting her tongue slip without being too pushy or demeaning about it. She understood the issue though: it was one thing to talk about your own real self, but talking about another player's real self... Not necessarily bad but it could be considered rude or a breach of privacy, since even more so than with other games Terrasphere would be ideal for people to hide their actual identity (since in VR it was much easier to make someone believe you were your avatar). Even if Kaede wasn't that type there was still general manners to consider. "My hair isn't curly at all. I can't deny that it's convenient since it makes it less likely to tangle and easier to work with, but natural curly hair can be really pretty..." Vina looked thoughtful for a moment. Her own hair was for the most part straight, but it had a bit of a... wild accent to it. Maybe it was actually slightly curly but it was only curly enough for it to give a wispy appearance. She wasn't entirely sure how that worked. "But I understand the idea. I remember a boy who grew his hair out until the weight of the hair made it fall nearly straight, but when he cut it short it became a real mess." And since he'd waited with cutting it until several years of long hair it'd take a while for his hair to stop standing almost straight up as the roots had become used to carrying a lot more weight. That'd been a fun sight. "Blunt works best for me as well~" Vina laughed as Harveste explained that for her coming out hadn't been so much revealing the truth as making sure she and her father were on the same page on who knew what. "It wasn't quite like that for me~ I admit I've lived a pretty sheltered childhood, and my parents are big on encouraging me and my sisters to be enthusiastic and passionate about the things we like... So for me there wasn't so much a case of 'coming out' as 'me and my friend got caught and nobody was surprised'." She giggled some more at the memory. "Hiding that kind of thing has never been my forte either, which either is the cause of or caused by me preferring it when everyone just is open and honest about it." "I'm curious to see those firework substitutes as well~" Vina said as Kaede mentioned that she had something in mind. She smiled back at Harveste. "Usually beach parties have more people involved, but that doesn't mean we can't hold a small beach party~ It would have a bit more of an intimate feeling to it~" Since Vina grew up in a cold region beach parties had been a bit rare, although there had been a couple. The people of Norway were used to the cold but that didn't mean that they were immune to hypothermia. Most of the parties were done at the southern end of the country during summer. "What I like to do at the beach? Well, if we're talking about what I'd do in polite company..." Vina gave a mischievous smile before she continued. "Depends on how many people are present. When there's only a couple of us I'd opt for playing about in the water. A bit childish, of course, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun." She became more serious as she began to ponder the idea of a beach garden. It wasn't Vina's field of expertise, but she still ran the idea through her head as she tried to think of things that would work... "There aren't a lot of flowers that grow on the beach I think. The sand makes it difficult for them and not all plants like the salt water of the sea... I'm sure there are some flowers that work but I'd have to look it up." She watched as Harveste got up to gather some shells, although she was still distracted by the idea of what kind of flowers would grow on a beach. At Harveste's question she blinked, pulled out of her thoughts. "As a present? Sure. Flowers are the norm but it's the thought that counts combined with that you give someone something pretty, so as long as you can find pretty seashells there's no reason why it wouldn't work. Especially since it's easier to turn seashells into accessories to wear... Unless you're a Naturamancer, of course, but that's something you can only take advantage of inside of the game." @Kaede Hoshi @Harveste
"I think it depends on the person and the outsider... I mean, there are people I'm close to that I'd get mad at for prying more than an outsider sometimes, too. Like relatives that are nosy but also cause problems regularly. But that's just how family is, right? It's also how the world is. There's good people, there's bad people... And unless you know someone and give them a chance, you won't know whether they're one or the other, right? So... I think it's better to at least give it a shot." Her words were about as hypocritical as they were sincere. Whether she acted on her own preaching was separate from what she believed to be the truth. In fact, it was part of why she'd been trying to reach out more in games like this. This world was a 'safe place' for her to explore socializing despite herself, to let herself be more open even if there was magic and danger involved. It was letting someone in- when it was very hard to, at that- that led her to where she was now. And, even if there were rough patches... She was happy with it, overall. Mulling it over, though, would just be rude to her companion. She smiled to Vina, stopping her internal monologue. "There's an old adage I've been trying to live by lately... 'He who takes no chances wins nothing.'" She paused, adding in another quote she'd heard somewhere or another. "'In life we take chances to prove to ourselves that we are strong enough to be here.' I've... Never been one for chances, really. I think I get more sun here in game than I do in a month at home... In one day. I... Don't leave my house that much, or at least I didn't before..." She turned to watch Kaede for a moment, just smiling silently, before returning to her thoughts with a slight gleam in her eye that had not been there before- her face was still tinted, but it had faded to a more natural shade. It was simply happiness- maybe bliss, maybe both. "I've been using the game sort of like a therapy tool. I try to experience everything I can here, both for my writing and to fight my fears. And somehow, doing this led me to the best gift I've ever gotten from the world." Giggling, she side-eyed to point Vina's gaze at Kaede, or at least try to, showing what she meant. "We all have our troubles and our downfalls... But if you have someone you care about, and someone that cares about you... There's a lot more in life you can handle than you can alone. It's a team sport... And all people, generally, are on the same team, I think." She waited to hear a lot of other things from Vina. The things the woman liked, what she thought about sea flowers, and even simply gifts she thought suitable for their situation, depending on in and out of the real world. Vina noted to her that her preference of what to do at the beach, depending on the size of the group, might seem childish- but that just made Harveste giggle, patting the felis' shoulder with a gentle stroking motion not long after. "It's not childish to like playing in the water. If it is, then I've never met a true adult, now have I? Well, that being said... I did get told something interesting when I first hit adulthood by a teacher. Maybe that's more suitable a response..." Her arms moved to her chest as she let them cross over her torso, small bust unintentionally pushed up because of her natural tendency to put them under her chest when she made such a motion. Luckily, there wasn't much weight to move- a nice change, she'd admit. "I turned eighteen while I was still struggling with high school, a specialty school for kids with troubles that made public school virtually impossible. Basically, it was special ed. Our teachers were mostly younger folk, but I think that was just a fluke. Anyway, we were like a big family to some degree- we got teased by our teachers and classmates, but only gently, and even a wallflower stood out because our school was so small. Birthdays became a bigger deal than I expected considering my age..." She was rambling again, which made her heart flutter. She had to remember to get to the point! What was it again? Her head leaned on her shoulder until her Eureka moment came. "I turned eighteen on a day we were having financial education in math class, and we were learning about the 'age of majority'. My math teacher kind of taunted me about the fact I was now part of it and kept using me as an example, so the aide opted to tell me a good thing about being an adult. She said, "The best part about being an adult is you get really good at being a kid!". To be honest, I laughed at first... But don't you think it's pretty accurate? We're still humans, generally, no matter how old we get. Age is just a number... Our minds are all different, right?" Taking into consideration the way her own mind worked and her mass blabbering had tired her mouth out quite a bit. She needed something, anything, to cool her down- her mind, her racing heart, the slight sweat on her back from the sun beating down. Determination taking some control over any uncertainty she had, she held a hand out to the no-longer-a-stranger woman when she was ready. "Let's play in the water together! I'm gonna see if I can find some seashells~ and maybe some kelp. It could be handy sometime, I think. It's supposedly really healthy, anyway..." Shaking her habits off once more, she tried to smile quietly. Her eyes pleaded for the woman to stay her companion even in the water- it was hard to say if that was fear or just comfort in her mind. She no longer spoke rapidly, instead waiting for a response with a gleeful face. If she was lucky, they'd become even better friends- and she'd find some sort of gift to make Kaede smile, and help the sand castle grow and bloom before their eyes. Silence was difficult, however, so she muttered a single word as she waited patiently- or, as patiently as she could manage. "Please play with me~?" @Vina Skysong | @Kaede Hoshi (actually mostly Vina unless Kaede notices the constant stares and blubbering xD)
