highfiving | (no subject)

(no subject)

[if there was one thing Elympions were really adept at, it was creating highly technological constructions and living the "high life" so to speak. after the schism dropped, this only increased due to the access to additional, if currently expensive, resources. and with Rieze Maxia also being rich with resources and willing to increase the economy, coordinating to create a fun place where both citizens could enjoy was easier than expected. had a few bumps along the way, of course, including whether the location would adversely affect the neighboring towns, but after several months of planning and clearing out the monsters, a large portion of the Kijara Seafalls had been converted to something like a water park resort. using the natural formations already existing, including the many waterfalls, the company in charge of this endeavor managed to recreate the setting to include natural made water slides and of course the many variety of natural and artificial pools—casual ones to just sit and relax, larger ones to just swim around, wave pools, and even a section for some heated ones.

technology wise, it's a combination of spirit artes, spyrix, and spyrites. the use of spyrix had been as minimal as possible, but their world isn't quite there with replacing it with spyrite. however, it has been designed so that the conversion would be seamless, and it helps that the park is indeed mostly naturally made.

so during the following summer of their last adventure, Alvin had received two tickets to its opening. a gift for being a Svent. although he isn't really "part of the family" anymore, he can't exactly say he didn't like the few perks that come his way. free gifts definitely were one of them. now the problem is...would he actually go? If so, who would he ask? or should he just give them both away? but even with those questions, he was already thinking, "Leia would probably kill to have these." and well, that made his decision for him.

and so invite her he did and here they are at the Kijara Seafalls Resort. the opening ceremony had been a "splashing" hit and the place is packed with a variety of people from esteemed invited guests to those who managed to purchase tickets to every day families who won the lottery prize. and a lot of kids. a lot of kids.

and like everyone else, he's dressed in casual swimming shorts, sandals, sunglasses, and a loose unbuttoned shirt.]

Well the lines are going to be insane, I can tell you that much. So what should we try out first?

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[ if he puts it like that, it sounds. very. ]

What's that supposed to mean?

[doesn't it.]

I can read people, not minds.

[and not helping.]

I dunno, you seemed pretty in tune with her. Are you sure you're not just a little bit psychic?

Want me to try and read yours right now?

Go for it! I'm an open book.

[ and she's actually pretty curious about what he'll come up with, so she even finds herself leaning in a bit, elbows resting on the table. ]

[going to lean forward as well, staring very intently at her.]

You......

Are wondering when the food will get here and how that drink you ordered is going to taste.

Nope!

[ but now she is, so there's that. ]

I was thinking that it would be pretty amazing if you could actually read minds, and that it'd make a pretty good story. That wasn't a bad guess, though.

I thought about saying that, but that would have been way too easy.

[and leaning back.]

Though speaking of stories...I guess I owe you one, huh?

Heck yeah you do!

[ she almost forgot, between getting ready and the incident with the waitress. ]

Are you finally ready to spill the beans?

[he should have kept his mouth shut. but. he did save this story specifically for dinner.

and good timing, too, because they're getting their drinks and their appetizer.]

Well I said I would, and though I might not have been much of it before, I do plan on keeping my word.

[ look at him, being all grown up and trustworthy.

she takes her drink from the table and plucks one of the slices of fruit from the rim, popping it into her mouth before speaking. ]

All right then, lay it on me!

About bets right? This probably goes all the way back to when Balan and I were kids. There were a few girls a little older than us who lived nearby and they were trying their hand at cooking. One day they thought it would be cute if they let us have a try.

[ consider her hooked already. ]

Lemme guess, you two didn't do so great at it, right?

Oh it was a disaster. I was only four and Balan was eight—I think you can imagine how it went. [there's a light amused grin as he sips his drink before continuing.]

But then there was the bet. It wasn't between me and Balan, but the girls. They made it a competition where one would try and teach Balan and one would try to teach me. Balan had a better idea of what was going on and he told me afterward. But basically, apparently they both wanted to impress some guy. So whoever could teach us the best would get the shot of making him the meal.

[ that gets a little laugh out of her as she takes a long sip of her own drink. she can imagine it, sort of— a bunch of girls trying to teach little alvin and balan how to cook, and failing miserably in the process. ]

So, the girl who taught Balan has to be the one that won the bet, right?

[ since he was older, she can't imagine alvin being a better cook. ]

[he gives her a wink.]

You called it. To my chagrin, my four year old self just couldn't compete with an eight year when it came to making as something simple as pancakes. But I didn't care too much—it was pretty fun, really, and the girl was nice.

[and deliberately pausing as he takes another sip of his drink.]

[ she's munching on something off of the platter of appetizers when he pauses, so give her a second to chew, and— there we go. ]

So, what happened next? There's supposed to be some kind of moral to this story, right?

A bit, yeah.

[he leans back a bit.]

Well as you can imagine, the girl who won made the lunch and gave it to him. Next day, he was found dead in his apartment—food poisoning, the police said. Since it was her food that was found with the poison, the girl was arrested as a suspect and sentenced to life in prison.

Seriously?!

[ her eyes go wide and she has to set her drink down to keep from spilling it. ]

Why would she do something like that?

That's the thing. [and now he leans forward, crossing his arms over the table.] She didn't do it.

[ this... is sounding less and less like the lighthearted kind of story she was hoping for. ]

Huh? Then who did?

The other girl who lost.

I thought you said she was nice!

She was! Very sweet. But apparently she was also a pretty sore loser.

[he's been saying this story rather easily and casually, though, and there is a slight grin playing on his lips.]

There's no way someone would get that mad about losing.

[ and she sees that grin... ]

Are you sure that's really how it happened?