Coral Painter

The spring weather had recently gotten just warm enough that people who decided to go for a swim were no longer generally referred to as 'lunatic', but merely 'early adopters'.

The recent spur of activity towards the Statue in the Palace Lands has increased the interested in maritime activities: a group of Adventurers and Landers have gathered in small groups, to go retrieve materials from the ocean; given the nature of the task, most of them tend to be Undines with the occasional overenthusiastic weirdo who can't wait to try out their Potion of Underwater Breathing.

"Oh boy oh boy oh boy!", exclaims a swimsuited Uta, jumping from one foot to the other on the spot, hands balled up in fists. "I can't wait to try out my potion of Underwater Breathing!"

"Alchemist?", asks a bored looking Undine ticking away checkboxes on a notebook.

"Present!"

"Over there," the Undine gestures vaguely towards the ocean. "X marks the spot." She's probably referring to a "buoy" with two crossed sticks providing extra floatation (and visibility). "Important note-"

But it's too late: the Spriggan has already darted to splash into the ocean.

* * *

Cough, gurgle, suppter, as the weed-covered Spriggan, doubled over on the sand, squints out, casting a flash of badly reddened with burning eyes.

"...non-water breathing races," the Undine continues, as bored as before, "please make sure you've quaffed your potion of Underwater Breathing before going in."

Cough, sputter, cough.

Haru is one such lunatic to be at the beach. On this very beach he dueled Shirin. On this very beach he revealed to the world that he could break crowns. On this very beach... he posts up an umbrella and a lawn chair.

Haru already isn't heavily armored, so wearing an open short sleeve beach shirt and shorts isn't a huge change. He is doing the most un-Haru thing possible: taking a break. Entertainment: Uta. The Artificer raises his glass to a hot cup of tea that he keeps warm with Fire magic on a nearby bonfire. "Dont breathe in salt water, Uta! Or you'll meet your Undinely demise," he offers helpfully, taking out a book of local minerals for light reading into what can be processed into pigments over here. After the Yuri drowning incident in the last tournament, he is a bit proud Uta braved the waters so, but of course he doesn't show it.

    While a bunch of adventurers race off into the water, Elly is here.. well, gathering shells. She's not alone, though! Tae is with her, too. It's a nice, romantic stroll along the shore line, picking out the most lovely samples.

    "We should do this more often," Tae suggests. "You mentioned you were going to have some shoreline as part of our home, right?"

    "Well, eventually. After a few things are handled. But yes, we need a shoreline for a harbor so we can support trade more effectively and..." She looks to Tae's face and notices the most disinterested expression forming. "Sorry. We will have warm beachers, surf, and shells. You know, the important things."

    Know your audience, Baroness!

Undine puns! You know what that sort of things does to Uta? DO YOU?

"...Have you been hanging out with Jazz? You must have been hanging out with Jazz." Big smile. "Good! Jazz needs some company. She's always so alone." There's the little details that she -wants- to be alone, but this point is overlooked for the sake of this conversation.

Cough, sputter. "Water. Why does it ALWAYS have to be water?!", she complains. Well, if some things heal over time, some remain the same. Hands on her hips, she cocks her head at the water and, squinting with reddened eyes, considers. "Note to self. Don't breathe in saltwater. It's- hey, it's the Baroness and Tae! Lady Bombast! Tae!", she exclaims, running over, waving... and with seaweed still on. Hey, is that a tiny crab holding on for its life on a piece of fluttering kelp?

It was one of the first things he did in his transition to Adventurer life: Gather seashells. When Seeker's Landing was attacked and the ship docked on an island to restock, Haru gathered shells to keep the evacuated Landers occupied with creating small shell accessories. It makes Haru smile to watch Elly and Tae do similar. A smile, another un-Haru thing. Perhaps this is a clone! He flips a page in his minerology tome, "I should. Both of us have a forlorn demeanor. Maybe a touch of my aloof voidsent aura will present calming puns to the idol-voiced undine." A hand gestures towards Uta as his blue eye is cast bookward, "Though if history has taught me anything, it is Elly who we should consult in matters of the heart. She appears to have it figured out." The later part is washed out y Uta's excitement and greeting.

    The abrupt appearance of Nurse Uta draws attention away from coastal acquisitions and shells. Tae tilts her head, looking over Uta with a grin. "So is this the new summer look? Hm. I bet you call it 'Nearly Drowned Chic'." She reaches out to gently rescue the tiiiiiny crab from Uta's kelp accessory.

    "Nurse Uta," says Elly, drawing herself up just a bit more formally. Sure, The Right Clothes are a in swimwear form, it seems, but it's a very modest one piece with a high neck. Tae may be all about little bikinis, but a Priestess has to maintain a certain standard. "And I see Master Haru is here, as well! How are you doing?" The latter is called out more loudly, to reach his ears over the surf.

    "We are collecting shells," Tae explains to Uta. "You know they are lovely and don't require going far underwater. It might be a way to break into the idea of exploring a coastal area without the whole lack of air problem."

"We are collecting coral," Nurse Uta explains to Tae while gesturing towards the buoy off in the distance. "They are lovely and require going far underwater. But they are needed for pigments, so gather them we shall! For the statue. In the Palace Lands."

There is some blinking at Wake. "New summer look? Huh?" Uta looks down. And her expression turns to confusion "...Why am I in a swimsuit now?!" She looks up at Wake with a confused, concerned stare. There is silence while her brain races to hold onto some slippery thought. Whether or not it is a success, what she eventually says is, "...how do you know I nearly drowned?"

A glance back at Haru, then at Wake. "You have figured out the matters of the heart?" Silence. "All of them? Or, at least, a sizeable portion thereof?"

Haru raises a hand to the trio of ladies from under his umbrella, beach chair, and bonfire. The hand lowers to get a cup of his tea and sip. It is crisp enough in the season that warm tea is favored over cold and his shirt protects him from the chill of a sea breeze when the fire does not. "I am doing quite well, Elly. A bit of a break from the ambition of achieving milestones to enjoy the weather and supervise the collection of pigments to be alchemized down." A crisp sound of a page turning as he taps the side of his book. "But a more interesting topic is how you are doing today." Yes, at this distance it sounds like he said To-Tae versus To-Day. Very different meanings.

    Tae never knows for certain what to make of Uta's constant confusion in the game. She wonders if the menu girl conspiracy is still an issue. But in any case, she will casually pluck seaweed from Uta's hair.

    "Oh, well, it's just that most people who go swimming don't rise from the water wearing nori. Or perhaps you were going to make some sushi later? I would really appreciate that." Tae will tip to the right to look past the kelp dredger and wave at Haru. "Hello! I am doing well!"

    Elly gives Uta a bemused look. "Which matters of the heart are we asking about, dear? I know a thing or two about the big ones. Joy and suffering, loss and gain, love and hate, and many of the things in-between them. But more importantly, I know enough to know I barely know a thing."

To be fair, Tae's suspicions have a solid foundation: Uta doesn't seem to have mentioned the Girl from the Menu conspiracy at all of late, be it on or off camera.

"Ah, Socrates! I'm a big fan," Uta smiles at Wake. And then goes serious, "No, I was not planning to make sushi, but sushi sounds like a good idea right now." She gestures in Haru's direction. "We're going to need him to grid down these pigments later on. Perhaps we can start a large bonfire. And play and sing songs on the beach. Granted, the giant bubbling cauldron smack in the middle, from which fumes will arise, might not fit the general vibe of the world we come from, but... who knows, it might actually add to the ambience."

Silence. "Oh. Oh, no, no, I don't have any specific Matters of the Heart to ask about at the moment. I was just curious in general."

She doesn't object to the grooming, but that might simply mean that she's merely not aware of it.

Haru has a bonfire of note going near his chair and umbrella. Perhaps not roaring campfire size, but the man does know a bit about fire and earth. The beach is one of those places where you can get all four elements together if you start a beach bonfire. The ocean waves. The salty sea air. The fine sand. He doesn't comment on what the scent of a bubbling cauldron that is melting down pigments for dye will smell like. Alchemy is rarely a fair-smelling affair if the potions are any indicator. He flips a page on his book, content to let Uta, Tae, and Elly catch up as he takes the day off from cramming 14 hours of activity into a 8 hour period of time. The result is very somber. A Haru in his natural habitat. The only thing missing is it needs to be night time with a clear sky.

Someone spoke of fashion some way someho, so here she is. Well to be honest? Gwen was comming to check up on everyone. She was also clad in that earth physics defying heavy blade outfit again too then again she really seemed to love it. she bounces in looking to be in very good spirits.

"Oh heay glad to catch all of you." She clasp he heads trogether. "I have been keeping fed and helping where else I can." She also clearly is lingering on Haru for a moment.

"I really should get to making new swimsuits..." She also will try to give Uta a hug.

    Aware or not, Tae makes good progress and in no time at all has removed the seaweed from Uta. She has collected it. She can always dry it later. It's a good snack!

    "Socrates was wise," agrees Elly.

    "But his taste in drink was god awful," points out Tae.

    She slips away with a smirk, making towards the bonfire. Let's face it, it is not summertime yet! A heat source is just what she needs. When she gets close enough to actually converse without shouting, Tae will say to Haru, "How have things been? I'd ask if you have been keeping busy, but it goes without saying, doesn't it?"

    Elly is left holding a bad of seashells without her beach queen at her side. Oh well. Gwen is here! "Hello! How have you been?" A pause. "New swimsuits?"

Haru is Beach Episode Haru. One open linen style shirt with a tropical print on it in green and brown colors. A set of green shorts match and the tan sandals coordinate with the base of the shirt. The extremely weird thing about Haru is that he is athletic beneath all those clothes. Bruce Lee style build. The body scanner scanned well. Elder Tales graced him with noodle strength, however, as he flips a page on the book. His head turns to Gwen to notice the lingering. "The season will be upon us in earnest before we know it," he agrees about swimsuits.

"Very busy. We cleared out local markets for artistic supplies on the Shibuya side of things. Merchants have buy order in for more. Grandeur, Silver Sword, and Moon Tree are all on Gather and Process orders." His gaze turns from Gwen, to Elly, to the sea. "And I have taken to wise advice from a friend to slow the hell down before steam comes out of my ears. Trade one workaholic world for another sounds like a poor story, dont you think?" Of course neither Elly nor Haru could really /not/ get active with projects. Its fun. "I am considering taking up Artisanry," he says, "I think it will compliment the Goldsmithing and Enchanting work. Song is another strong contender, but," there is a tap on the side of his book, "I think that is best left to beautiful women and cheerful idols until I can find a piano to play."

    "A piano!" Tae is both excited and trying to hush herself

    "I've been asking Elly to get one made for so long. But first she said no because of the war and then, well, more war, I suppose, when you think about what this project is for. Usually I can get anything I want from her, but in this situation pouting didn't seem appropriate. I must use my powers for good. Which is why I've spent so much of my effort encouraging her to work on this orphanage project."

    She turns her attention back to artisany, though. "But enough on those things. If you can make pigments yourself, it would give you some advantages in painting. If you do go that route, I'd love to have some of your work. Our home is a bit lacking when it comes to splashes of light and color on the walls. What kind of media do you favor?"

"And Me!", Uta chimes in to Haru's list of categories of people who have Song. "If you ever decide to learn music, Haru, I will, of course, glad to teach you! And I'm already looking forward to what you'll be able to pull off after you have Artisany. Your work is masterful already, as things are."

The swimsuit'ed. Uta is caught by surprise by the hug. There is the instinctive startled reaction Gwen might be used to by now when surprise-hugging the locals who weren't expecting it. "Oh, hi, Gwen!", says Uta. Pause. "Swimsuits? But you already gave me one! I have it.. uh..." Frown. Deep head scratching. "Where did I put it?"

Wake and Gwen have started talking fashion! Clearly, there is only one thing to do. "Oh, dang! I forgot! The corals! They must be harvested!" Dart towards the ocean.

* * * *

Cough. Splutter. Cough. "-please make sure you've quaffed your potion of Underwater Breathing before going in," goes the bored undine.

    Elly watches Uta dart off and sighs. "Is she... really okay on her own?" she wonders aloud. It is very much rhetorical. With an understood answer of 'absolutely not'.

    "And is her swimsuit not your work, Gwen? The one she is currently wearing, I mean." Elly already knows the answer. She does. She should not point these things out.

    Either way, she will meander in the direction of Haru. While keeping a nervous eye on the water that Uta has plunged herself into.

Gwen says "Well you know I have a buch of mens's and ladies swimware in my inventory!" She grins widely at this. The trade windows start opening to everyone and thankfully most of her suits are not too wild One pi4ecxes bikinis , boxer shorts with intereing disng for the men. She's taking it slow who knows what will happen with this years line though?

"Good or I'd have had to drag you off tie you up and make sure you relaxed."

She nods sagely at this and then thinks.

"I may want to try out new dye colors if you all get any?"

Oh yes Uta's Bikini is slime themed. She knows how to bait her friend in it seems.

The piano, instrument of lore! Haru turns his aristocratic bemonocle'd face to Tae with a somber smile on his face, "I found no evidence of pianos existing in the world. It may be that one needs to be innovated to be brought into the world. Things we take for granted, like cheese, right?" He considers a moment his past exploits, "One of my earliest projects in Enchanting was looking into connecting Enchanting with Song. They already appear connected. The theory was to capture a note in an enchanting crystal, evoke the note when pressing a button, and get a full scale. It would be closer to a synthesizer than it would a piano, as those are my skillsets. Shiruba may be capable of it with Woodworking now."

A thought on being independant in the making process. "Making your own paints would be helpful, yes. Artists did that in the Old World, as paint was very expensive. It required a religious patron for paints and they made their own. It gives a very personal touch. The same is true with sculpting, which is more likely to where I would go." A thought for a moment on the topic of 'what would the medium' be. "I'd like to look into making Angels here. Between Enchanting and Goldsmithing, I think I could create them, but they would not be the same as the dolls in Angelic Layer was back home. Plus it would give Gwen a whole new avenue of fashion." It is a lofty goal. Short of that he notes, "My goal with Goldsmithing was always to add joy and beauty into people's lives. Pharmacy heals the body. Beauty heals the soul. A different kind of doctor." Off-duty Haru is a romantic dreamer, after all, when not being an overly critical hardass about project management.

    Tae has apparently found a kindred soul in Haru. Well, not the project hardass part, but the love of beauty and art. "An enchantment to make a synthesizer is a pretty wild concept. And yes, woodworking and metalworking, plus... whoever can make something like ivory for the keys. It need not be real ivory, of course. The strings would be very demanding and the acoustic demands are not to be taken lightly. It is interesting how the making of instruments takes something of a sculptors eye mixed with a deep appreciation for the science of sound."

    Elly, walking into this conversation, knows that a lot of enthusiasm is about to rush out. Probably far more than anyone wants. Tae can go nerdy on music to a degree that few can match and even fewer truly enjoy. So Elly does the diplomatic thing and just kisses her fiancee. Thoroughly.

    "So, what are we talking about?" the baroness asks. She can be playful, too.

"Healing.", Uta nods at Haru. "Healing is good." Whose healing it is, she doesn't specify.

"I'd like to play a piano," Uta mentions. "I could never do it before the Apocalypse, but now..." she looks down at her own hands, wiggling her fingers. "The stat-based weirdness of this game makes me surprisingly capable at music. It -feels so real-", she almost whispers. "as if I myself was -actually- capable of playing instruments, as opposed to the character bit in the game." Some silence. Head-shake. "Oh, if you do build one piano or synthesizer, make sure you involve the Music Conservatory at Eas. We specialize in experimental sound- and music-based technology, and novel high-quality instrum- wait." A frown. "...you've helped us build all those phonographs. You know already."

The trade window pops up, and Uta studies it with a frown. "What's this?"

Some confusing fiddling later, she finds herself shimmering, and wearing a one-piece slime-themed costume. "WHAT IS THI- oooooh. Slimes." And there she is, in an apparent act of omphalosskepsis, while actually admiring Gwen's handiwork- aw, who are we kidding. She's just poring over the adorable slimes.

Gwen says "That could be something to make when we have the time. "Oh could I be a base for one of the Angels?" Gwen seems eager about that idea. "Oh it be more picking up an old one I used to play Angelic Layer." she beams at this for a moment. She sees Uta is happy with the outfit and grins. She also looks to wake.

"err speaking of woodwork I need to get an bed frame commissioned with extream durablity enchantments..."

She looks over to Haru.

"There is something about Uta's innocent we have to protect we can't let anyone take that from her..."

"It was the photograph the inspired the work," Haru tells both Tae and Uta, "The idea is there if there already exists a means to record sound, or music, that the idea could be repeated using similar means. Enchanting produces a frequency when interacting with the circuit, which," and the Artificer stops mid sentence. There he goes again. Brain going in full logic mode. He relaxes back into his chair, putting the book over his face as he reclines, "it didn't work. For every Enchanted Glass, there are ten theories that did not pan out and there are dozens more to test. I have an endless supply of Hope to draw upon at the source of my stuffy relentlessness. If I manage a piano or piano tangent then Tae, Elly, and Uta will all be the first to know. You, too, Gwen."

"My angel in Angelic Layer was Fou-Lu, though you would make a better model for the little chibits, Gwen. I would like to make replicas of the Angels for those who played, a reminder of where we came from." Haru is still speaking through a book on his face, "I played piano in the Old World. Part of the 'children should be seen, not heard' exceptions is when they are providing drink and music. The more I think about it, the list of talents I lost coming here are vast, but I always considered it a fair trade considering the magical aptitude I ended up with. I can summon a Phoenix and an Earth golem the size of a house. Not a bad trade for ten years of piano lessons and self defense courses." The computer scientist in him is close enough to enchanting.

    "I will make a full effort to have a piano constructed once the orphanages are managed," Elly says calmly. "The most important things first, then we get to the musical things. I imagine I can likely lead the piano effort with something else, so perhaps even while I am working on the orphanages in earnest this can be achieved."

    This seems to be please Tae, at least. She smirks as Haru wears a book. "So this is what they call 'learning by osmosis'?" But there is Gwen to bother, too! "Do we have sequins here yet? Elly wants me to perform again, but at least some of my costumes would benefit from sequins! Or maybe something like diamond dust?" Sparkles are a true fashion prerequisite for her concerts.

"Angels?", Uta asks, blinking out of her slime-gazing trance. Pause. "Oh, Angelic Layer Angels!", she finally exclaims. It takes some time for her to realize it, but she eventually does. "Never played myself. Nor, to be fair, followed it much. But I caught the occasional matche on TV, and they'd have a magazine about it at the restaurant where I worked... what was it named... Heaven's Call?" Head-scratch. Lost in thought. "I am not sure that having angels that look like -someone- is a good idea..." Pause. Blink. "What? Where was I? Oh, yeah. Angelic Layer. It looked like it was fun." Another pause. "Which reminds me," finger-snap. "It's a thing I've been thinking about theser days. Remember Artosh? Artosh's Anger? The song with the hate for non-Alv races? According to the Loremaster power, Artosh was a 'Deus'." Short pause. "And a few Travellers, or people claiming to be Travellers, inspect has aving a letter 'D'. I wonder if..." Pause. Silence.

Head-shake. "But I suppose it's enough Lore for today." She shimmers something from her inventory. "FOR ART!", she exclaims, chugs down a potion, wipes her mouth with her forearm, and darts towards the ocean!

* * *

Uta finally emerges from the water, triumphant, not coughing or sputtering, and this time carrying a basket of coral bits. "Third time's the charm!"

Gwen says "It was good work, and i'd love to help though I'm very much a joyful noise kind of person." Gwen needs to leanr song t some point honestly.

"Oh mine was Lenneth." She grins widely with this. "I went for a very Valkyrie profile with her. I admit Uther was more concenrd that I knew how to hunt, shoot and fish. Then again he was teaching me what he knew you know and wanted to spent time with me."

She look to Wake for a moment humming "I'm not sure I was never much into Vegas fashion save for Casino Bunnies. Humm I think though we can put something together though even some vendor trash gems could be retooled..."

Gwen now looks out oif place being in a 'cheese cake armor at the beach but she doesn't seem to care much.