Log:Simply Human

Ruined Memories 2014/10/08 Bullet Paragon Porter Rose

2

North Beach Waves, typically gray and gentle, lap at the dark brown large-grained sand of Colonial Bay's northernmost beach, which runs northeast from the mall for over a mile and a half. At high tide the sea can come right up to the cycle path which runs along the edge of the boardwalk, but at low tide the sea is well out, even displaying a rocky bed where the sand has washed away. The scent of salt water wafts in from the east. During the day in season joyous sounds of the beach-goers lighten all but the darkest mood, but at night the silence of the dark and the call of the seagulls bring a quiet calm, almost chilling, but certainly relaxing.

For the first mile the boardwalk parallels the beach, affording not only views of sand, sea and island but also many other entertainments. Tourist shops, food stalls, ice cream shops, a fresh seafood restaurant, rental shops for surfboards or bikes, and even a full amusement park can be found along its length. Each is in a "retro" design to give an old-fashioned seaside feel. Various entertainers amuse the crowds during the busy season, and during the off-season it remains the number-one place for joggers and those who simply wish to breathe the salty air. Benches and, near the food vendors, tables abound. Several ramps and stairways lead down to the beach.

It's a beautiful day to be alive, as Para is finding out thanks to Porter's experimental spell. The sky has a few light clouds, and is a comfortable 72 degrees despite being Fall. They step out onto the beach at Bayside after getting what clothes they needed for beach appropriateness, plus towels, SPF 1000 sunblock, and a change of clothes in a bag, which Para carries over her shoulder. But what she goes out in is her red halter-neck bikini top and matching bottoms with the small tie ribbons on each side of her hip.

Para seems...vivacious. She's excited to see the world with new eyes. And new skin. Hers, and no not someone else's, for once. As she steps barefoot onto the hot sand, she jumps up a little in surprise, almost doing a little dance from the heat until her feet become adjusted to it. Once the dancing stops, she stares down at her feet in amazement. She spreads her toes out and digs them into the sand, then tightens her toes together and squishes the sand between them. With a bit of twisting, she then buries her feet into the sand. Not even two steps out onto the beach, and she's already distracted and amazed, like a child going to the beach for the first time.

"It's...it's all so warm! And tickly!" she exclaims as she crouches down, the bag falling from her shoulder momentarily as she presses her hands into the hot sand one at a time, and then squishing more sand between her fingers. "So much sensation..." she murmurs, awe-struck.

Porter is delighted. Because she's delighted. Ok, watching her walk around in the red bikini really doesn't hurt, either. At all. He does startle when she first jumps at the sand, then ... well, the growing grin is somewhere between idiot and cheshire. He tries not to laugh, but only partially succeeds, a chuckle leaking out of the hand he covers his mouth with. Other than that, though, he just watches. "Not used to that?" Porter figured things would be a little different, but maybe he didn't realize what she wasn't experiencing so much before.

Para may be doing something of an accidental cat impersonation as she presses her hands into the sand in an alternating padding motion, as cats sometimes do. "No...everything feels so...acute." It takes her a moment to find a word for it. "And I've rarely felt so warm without soaking in a hot bathtub for a while. It feels wonderful," she says, punctuated with a happy sigh. And then she realizes she's still pawing at the ground. Her head finally lifts up from staring at her hands to looking ahead at the rest beach with a broad, eager grin.

"C'mon!" she says excitedly as she hops to her feet and picks up the bag again, slinging it over her shoulder. "I owe you chili dogs!"

Porter chuckles. Mmm. Chili dogs. "Ok, ok!" He's a little used to playing catchup, or keeping up, but he really doesn't mind right now. Not even when he has to being the hot-sand-dance for several steps as he follows her.

Para is a bit overexcited. She knows she only has a limited amount of time to experience...everything! She dashes the first several steps, but on noticing Porter is lagging behind, she slows down to a halt and waits for him, then matches pace with him once he's caught up, then reaches her hand for his. "Like, all the chili dogs. As much as you want," she chirps happily.

"Er, we don't need to eat all of them..." Porter laughs. "One or two's fine for me." Too many more might just end up in the sand, or he'd be paying for it later. Not that he's really thinking of that at the moment. His hand meets hers halfway as they head for the dog shack. "And you don't owe me..." He can pay for them just fine and digs for his wallet with the other hand.

With a sheepish grin, Para murmurs, "If you say so." She knows better than to get into a debate loop with him. But she can't resist. "But one of these days, I have to figure out something really nice and special that I can do for you." She gives his hand a light squeeze. Porter's magic spell has really turned things around. It took a listless Para, drained and out of sorts from her other magical encounter, into a lively and alive Para filled with boundless energy. As they get closer to the hot dog shack, she closes her eyes and inhales deeply through her nose to take in the scent of chili dogs, and the other fried foods served along the boardwalk. "Ahhh..." she sighs out as she opens her eyes.

Porter could tell her she doesn't have to, but she knows that. And he knows she knows that. And she knows that... well, they know. He decides to leave it at a shrug, avoiding another possible debate loop. "I'm sure you'll think of something." Then he turns his attention to the shack as they pull up to it. "Four chili dogs..." he hesitates after that and looks back to Para questioning. "What else to go with them? Drinks?"

Para nods. "Um, sprite, please!" She gives his hand another light squeeze, then reluctantly lets go so her hands are free to help carry food and drinks. She steps off to the side by the pickup window while he handles the orders and waits.

As Para waits, a lean man in a form fitting black t-shirt, jeans, and work boots walks by and glances at Para as he passes, almost doing a double take. "Maddy?" he asks from behind Para, getting no response. The man with short sandy blonde hair steps around until he's at least in her peripheral vision. "Madison! Wow. I didn't know you were back in town. It's been years! Why didn't you ever call me back after...you know..."

Porter gets four chili dogs, one large smothered chili cheese fries and two sprites. Which is a couple handfuls, even in carry boxes. "Here, can you take this one?" He offers her the one with the fries and drinks, the most spillable. This is also when he notices the blonde guy and that he was talking to ... Para? Maybe. "Oh, hey. Sorry. We're almost done so you can get your dogs."

Para just stares oddly at the man with no look of recognition on her face. "Uh, pardon...?" she asks, then looks to Porter and nods as she takes the box of spillable goods from him. "Of course."

"You really don't remember me? Geez, I thought I made an impression on you. It's me, Garrett! We hit up the town, man, like seven or eight years ago. I was wondering what happened to you. You like the same as ever," the thirty-something Garrett says appreciatively as he looks Para over, rubbing his stubbly chin. He's about six foot two, roguishly good looking, with a square jaw, strong cheekbones, and blue eyes. Eyes which flicker to observe Porter. "Huh. This one of your new partners? He doesn't seem like much," he says in disappointment to the shorter man.

"Yeah, we're partners," Porter offers with a grin. That doesn't even dim all that much at the slight. He shrugs. "Guess you can't have the money, the fame, the friends, and the good looks all at once, right?" Does he have close to all of those, probably not. But he has some! "So... where do you know ...Third from?" It takes him some effort to not call her Para, but maybe he shouldn't. Just in case?

In Para's mind, Porter has pretty much all of those. And she looks none-too-happy about Garrett's slight. Her eyes narrow slightly at the stranger, nodding in agreement with Porter's affirmation of their partnership. "My only partner currently. And he's much more than you give him credit."

Upon seeing Para's crossed expression, he laughs. "There's the Madison I know. He one of those deceptively weak and underestimated types? Always good to have one of those." On Porter's question, he looks back at the unimpressive man. "Third? Oh, I get it. Code names. I'm one of her former...partners. She's had quite a few. Don't be surprised when she ditches you for a better score." And speaking of, he looks back to Para. "So, Mads, some of the old gang is in town. We're getting together for something big. If you want to join, I'm sure they'd be interested in seeing you again."

And this is where things get ...weird. First, one might expect the partners comments to annoy Porter. Of course, they don't, because he knows the guy obviously doesn't know what he's talking about. Wait. What'd he call her?

Weird. Either he's completely confusing her for someone else, or... Hey! This could be a breakthrough! What a lucky break! Ok, maybe that's not that big of a surprise. Or all that weird. Then again, she isn't who the guy thinks she is. So, not know which way she wants to go with this, he opens his mouth, but doesn't say anything.

Garrett certainly seems to know what he's talking about. But Para sure doesn't based on the confused expression she's wearing. "Wait, do you...know me? I don't know you."

Garrett seems to catch on as he taps the side of his nose. "Ohhh. Right. We don't know each other," he plays along. "Well, if someone were to go to our old hang out at, say, 8ish tomorrow, they'd get to meet some old friends," he says idly while looking around at no one in particular. "And someone should probably ditch the scrawny guy while they're at it and go for someone more in her league." Garrett flashes a smirk at Porter, then turns to leave, waving with his back turned as he walks off. "Ciao!"

Well, there was the biker girl citizen... Speaking of that, whatever happened? Porter just now remembers. Now that it's totally unrelated. He nudges Third lightly with an elbow. "So, think he's blind? Or maybe somebody from .... before?"

Para is staring off at Garrett, still looking offended. "I can't believe he talked about you like that," she huffs. She snaps out of it at the nudge and blinks at Porter apologetically. Then she blushes slightly. "From...before...?" The thought doesn't seem to have crossed her mind. Gears start to turn as she tries to think back on the things Garrett said. The things that didn't piss her off. "He did seem to act awfully familiar with me, but he doesn't seem familiar to me." She looks back to the retreating figure. "...maybe from before..." she murmurs distantly.

"It's Ok, Para," Porter chuckles. "No big deal. Like he said, I'm the underestimated guy." He then quirks a brow. "Well, you were trying to find out about things from before, right? Maybe that's your chance? Seems a good one to me...Crap! Do you know where this old hangout is?" They should've asked.

Para's lips purse slightly in a pout. "You're amazing is what you are," she leans in to give him a peck on the cheek. "And I have no clue what he was talking about, or where this hangout is." She looks a little concerned. "If he was my...her...partner from before...I don't know that he's that nice of a guy," she eyes Garrett again. "Do you think I should ask...?"

Porter looks bashful at the peck and compliment, but he stops short of blushing. "Thanks. Why do you think he's not nice? And you should ask, if you want to. I mean, I know /you/ aren't whoever /she/ was, but..." He stresses the differences and past tense. Then pauses. "Or maybe you should let him go. Because of that. I don't know?" He's trying to be helpful, really he is.

"I think he's not nice because..." Para starts, then stops herself and looks conflicted. Her tempo changes slightly. "He was rude to you." She debates something in her head and looks towards the more distant Garrett. "Is that my...my name...? Madison...?" She takes a step in Garrett's direction. "I'm...going to ask him about that hangout place. Just in case. Wait here a moment?" she looks to Porter as she makes her request.

Porter doesn't think he was that rude. Not compared to others in his past. "Ok, sure. Let me get the drinks and stuff." no reason for her to carry them over there. As long as he's standing still, maybe nothing will get dropped.

Third smiles weakly and gives him another peck on the cheek, though this one is furtive. She passes along the box she was carrying, then runs after Garrett and catches up to him briefly. Garrett stops and turns to look at her, smiling winningly, and the two begin to chat.

It's a brief conversation. Maybe a few minutes. Garrett gets a little fresh and touches Para's bicep with familiarity, but Para still doesn't really react to this stranger. The conversation ends with a nod from Para, who turns and heads back to Porter, escaping Garrett's grip like it weren't even there. Garrett watches her from behind (and her behind) appraisingly as she departs, then turns back to continue on his way.

Porter ... just watches from the sidelines. It's something he's had alot of practice at, actually. Just not recently. Maybe the two will hit it off even if she isn't who Garret thinks she is? Para was right, and he did seem pretty familiar with her. Not that Porter can blame the guy, or anyone else, for it. And... yeah, he pretty much just proved Porter's intuition with all that. "Hey," he greets Third when she gets near and offers up a drink for her. Which is when the top three chili-doused fries see their opening and dive for the sand and freedom. "Everything Ok?

Para winces at the minor loss, then accepts the drink from him and holds her hand out to take the box from him. "Everything's fine," Para says in the way Porter recognized to mean something isn't. "Let's go enjoy the rest of the time I have like this, shall we?" she offers up a smile.

Porter knows that tone. But... she has a point. He can ask about it later. The last thing he wants is to spoil things when she is (was?) having so much fun. So he matches her smile and raises her more smile. "Sure. Just watch out. Pretty sure he's not going to be the only guy drooling over you out here." it's not a warning of danger, just a heads up. "Probably end up with a line all the way down the sand..." And maybe teasing a little, too.

Third's smile turns a little wry. "Well they'll just have to wait in line behind you," she murmurs as she plucks a chili fry from the top of the stack, coated in chili cheesey goodness, and holds it out for him to eat.

Porter laughs, but it's a short one. So that he can take the fry from her fingers and make it quickly disappear. "C'mon, lets go find a place to sit." Not that it should be too hard. It's a nice day, but past the season. No tourists to speak of anymore. He can feed her fries when he doesn't also have to coordinate with walking.

Third smiles and nods at his idea. "Let's go near the water. It's finally uncrowded," she suggests. And it's a little quieter out there than the bustle of the boardwalk. She falls in step beside her partner.

A partner who is stepping relatively slowly across the sand. Since he's carrying not just his dogs, but hers. He doesn't want to be the one who let them out onto the ground. Once he gets near the water, just off of the wet sand, he carefully plops his butt down.

Third slips the bag from her shoulder next to them and sits down beside him very lady-like, with her legs folded to one side. She sets her drink down in the sand and twists it in to make its very own cupholder, than does the same for Porter's drink before setting the box of chili fries between them. "Can I help with the dogs?" she grins at him.

"Yep," Porter nods and sets the boxtray on his lap. Now he can pick up one half-wrapped dog to offer it to her. "You get to help me eat them." Once she gets the dog, he snitches another fry, disposes of the evidence, and then grabs a dog for himself. "Glad the weather stayed nice a bit longer. Good to be out here when it isn't packed."

Para accepts the dog and smiles at him, then looks out at the water. "Me too. I'm glad I'm getting to enjoy the warmth." She wiggles a little to dig herself further into the warm sand. Once settled, she takes a bite of her chili dog. As she chews, her eyes suddenly widen. "Mmm!" Her mouth is full and she can't talk, so she just tries to chew through it.

Porter gets lunch and a show! In more ways than one... or the three? Four? He's up to so far. Since Para looks more surprised than in trouble, he just watches. While taking and chewing his own big bite of chili dog. Yes, some of the chili jumps ship, but it's Ok. He's going to take the shirt off if they go swimming, anyways.

Third bounces a little in excitement until she finally swallows. "Wow, that was so good! I love the way they're making them now. I'll have to see if I can find out what they're doing differently." She takes another happy bite. The chili dogs, however, are the same as they've always been to Porter.

Porter chews his a little more after she says that and hmms. After he swallows, he wonders, "Maybe its the eater that's different, not the food?" Because even chili dog compliments could really be about her. "They're good. Really good. Like they always are." He grins at her, even after taking another quarter or more in a bite.

"Wait, it's...the same?" Para asks in disbelief. "But it tastes better to me." She snatches a fry and pops it in her mouth, chewing and swallowing. "This too! Does everything taste better to the living?" she ponders, then takes another bite of her chili dog in excitement, soon joining Porter in wearing a small amount of chili as a fashion statement as some escapes the bun and falls on her. Maybe they'll both have to go swimming to clean up.

Maybe that's why they serve the chili dogs at the beach? Easy clean-up? Porter grins chili-ly after finishing his first. "Well, it tastes better than other times when you weren't with me, but I'm pretty sure that's you, not the food. And I don't know how food tastes to anybody else." He smirks. "I'm not them." He washes down some of the food with sprite, then washed down the drink with a couple more fries. Another is grabbed, that's extra smothered, but this one is held out in offering to her.

Para blushes fully at the compliment and smiles sheepishly. "You're just saying that," she says with a little embarrassment, before leaning forward and eating the fry from his fingers.

"Only because it's true," Porter quips back as he fishes out another dog. Of course, it's offered up for her, first, before he'll take the last one. "Everything's better with a partner, remember?" Even chili dogs.

Para accepts the offered dog, blushing a little more before leaning in to kiss him impulsively. When she pulls back, she's smiling shyly. "Sure is. Thanks for the reminder, Partner," she says while gazing at him with warm affection. Once she recovers from the sudden rush of gushy feelings, she shifts how she's sitting, moving her legs in front of her with knees bent so she can wriggle her toes in the sand some more while she enjoys her second chili dog and Porter's company. "This is amazing," she sighs happily after she swallows down a bite from the new chili dog.

Porter grins at her blush, but winds up matching it after the kiss, so he can't really say anything. He turns some so he can face the bay, also and extend his legs out to lounge. Plus, it lets him scooch a little closer. "It is. Glad I could help." He is, even if he had nothing to do with the conveniently good weather. "So, what's next, Partner?" He asks before beginning to devour his dog, since it would be really awkward and messy to ask afterwards.

Para munches away happily. With him closer, she waits for the right timing to avoid making him spill anything, then gently leans against him. She eyes the water, her look becoming timid now. "I was wondering...maybe now that I don't have armor and implants weighing me down...if you could teach me to swim...?" she asks shyly.

She doesn't have to wait long; the chili dog vanishes in seconds, even if it was seconds, and his sprite is in the sand. Nor does he startle when she asks. "Sure!" He answers rather enthusiastically, then turns to her, now-free hand rubbing the back of his head. "I mean, I'm not an expert swimmer or anything, but I can show you what I know..." His hand lowers and he smirks. "Lesson number one: don't try walking on the bottom."

Para snickers, and since Porter is hands free, she playfully bumps him with her shoulder. "Thank you, oh wise guru," she responds with a wry grin. She pops the last her her chili dog in her mouth, then wipes her hand with a napkin and dabs her mouth. Maybe there was some rule about swimming after you eat, but she has never truly swam before, so it's not something she ever remembered. "You're at least -able- to swim, and that makes you an expert compared to me."

Rules? Like probability? Nature? Physics? Those seem to vacate when Porter's around. And the whole waiting after you eat is an old wives' tale, he's pretty sure. Prompted by her, he wipes off his face with a napkin very in-dabbily and un-ladylike. "Guess I'll just have to make you an expert, too. Whenever you're ready." He doesn't have a watch, but he's worried about the time, too. Mostly since he doesn't know exactly how long they have. Hopping up, he brushes extra sand off of his shorts and peels off his chili-fied shirt.

Para rises to her feet, some sand sticking to her bottom and the backs of her legs, but since they're about to go in the water, it doesn't seem an issue for her. "Ready when you are. Race you?" she grins impishly.

Porter is so going to lose... but that just means he gets the better view? Which could explain his grin. That and her playfulness is always contagious. "Ready? Set? Go!" So maybe he cheats a little on the start as he turns to start running. She didn't say she wasn't ready!

Para didn't say, and she wasn't. And she was going to be honorable and not cheat. Well, she still is. No leaping. So she goes in a full sprint after him, kicking up a bit of sand as she goes. She giggles out an unseriously "No fair!" as she tails him to the water.

Go figure that the time he was expecting to lose... he doesn't? Porter seems to cross the imaginary finish line first. Then again, that line is knee-deep water, so eventually he trips in the surf to fall face-first into the water. Which was expected. When he stands up again, he's laughing.

Para splashes to a stop beside him, smiling and giggling, since he's laughing. "Are you okay?"

Maybe it's the contagious impish mood. When Porter wipes the water off his face, she gets his grin, now impish, in answer. "Of course, you're here." He steps to her to give her a hug... except it's not entirely a hug. It's more a planting a leg behind hers to try a gutsy hip-throw-push-dunk... thing.

And she falls for it completely. "Awww..." Para opens her arms to hug him back, falling right into his deceitful trap as he uses love as a very effective weapon. Since she's already prepared to be delicate with her strength to hug him, she provides no resistance to the throw and gets thoroughly dunked in the water with a surprised squeal that gets cut off from splashdown.

Porter is playful, not a monster. He will gladly help her up. If she lets him. While he's laughing about it. The combination of the look on her face and the adorable squeal... Well, they aren't sight or sound he gets to experience very often. At least not when it's something seriously dangerous.

Of course Para'll let him help her up. As soon as she stops sputtering. And gets the wet mop of hair out of her face so she can see again as she sits up. She looks mildly like a drowned rat with her now set hair clinging to her in front of her face. But once she has a good breath of air in her, she bursts out laughing. "I can't believe you used my weakness against me like that!" Maybe she should, since it isn't quite the first time. But she easily forgave and forgot that other time.

Porter's laughing catches when she first pops up and he helps uncover her face. Her laugh rekindles his quickly and he gives her a proper hug, now, in apology. "Sorry, couldn't help it." He's still chuckling and doesn't sound apologetic at all. "But we came to get wet!" So he didn't do anything she wasn't going to do already.

He has a point. "My fault for not being able to resist hugs," Third grins as he gives her a proper hug. But now she has him in her clutches. And there's a mischievous grin that he probably can't see. She pulls him down on top of her, takes a deep breath, and drags him under the water with her.

Porter's eyes go wide when he realizes he... they... are going under. He makes a very unmanly squeak and then grabs a quick breath. Does he deserve the payback? Of course. It was all his fault. And down he goes. As swimming lessons go, so far they're doing a good job of drenching themselves. Especially when they're in all of three feet of surf.

It's getting cooler and a slightly chill wind offers no more than a promise of the winter to come so that the beach and the promenade are well-stocked with visitors making the most of the very last summer has to offer. Among this flurry of foot-traffic a tiny, satchel-wielding figure moves slowly. At the sound of a splash her attention turns toward the commotion to spot Third and Porter horsing around in the water.

Third gets a sudden reminder that she can't hold her breath as long as she's used to. Soon she sits up with Porter, the two breaching the surface. She gasps a little to catch her breath, grinning impishly as she releases Porter and wipes some of her hair back from covering her face again.

Porter is once more glad that she needs air. Well, more. He coughs out a half-laugh and stands up after she lets go. So he can offer a hand down to help her up. "We should get deeper while we've got the sun... Oh, crap. After sunscreen. Or I'll end up with a giant memento. You should get some, too. Just in case?" Better safe than sorry, and he looks back towards the bag of clothes, empty chili dog carry box. Which is when he spots a satchel-wielding figure. And waves. And blinks.

Third pulls herself up to her feet with Porter's aid and smiles. "You'll go lobster red in another thirty seconds if you don't hurry," she jokes. She looks down at herself and ponders her suggestion. "Hmm. No armor. Might be no other stuff. I guess it won't hurt." She looks towards the beach and notices the person he's waving to. She smiles and raises her hand in a wave to Rose as well, then starts trudging through the water back towards the beach.

Rose returns the wave with a smile, leaning on a section of railing bordering the promenade to admire the beachfront and the whisper of the breeze. Perhaps this outdoors thing is not such a bad idea.

Porter trudges alongside Third back onto the more dry sand. "Hey, not going to burn /that/ fast... Usually." As his trunks drip onto the sand, he calls out to Rose. "Hey! Come on down? Did you come to tan? or swim?" He can't remember ever seeing Rose out here, before. "You -most likely- won't burn that quickly. But, y'know." It's Porter. Third adds, "Plus we were out here for a while before we went in the water. You might already be at risk for a trucker tan."

Rose smiles and shakes her head. "Not really dressed for sand and surf." She looks over her shoulder to a nearby shop. "But I guess I could be, give me five minutes." Hefting her satchel she moves toward said clothing boutique and is soon lost from view.

Porter shrugs at Third. "If I do turn red, it just all peels off eventually." So he can start the pasty cycle all over again. He sits down at their claimed spot in the sand, suddenly looking back to Rose when her comment registers. With surprise. But by then she's already run off to the boutique. "...Wow... Never knew she was a sunshine and sand person..." Speaking of sun, he grabs the SPF 1000 out to start glopping it on.

Third nods slightly. "I don't think I've really seen her out and a bout. It should be good for her?" she suggests hopefully. She leans over to grab a pair of towels from her beach bag and lays them out on the sand before sitting down on one. She leans over the edge of her towel to ring out her hair.

Rose emerges from the store a few minutes later in a turquoise T-shirt beard the legend:

North Beach Colonial Bay

What shark is going to take on Star Guard?

On the back is a picture of a shark surrounded by SG troopers.

Beneath the shirt she wears crisp white cotton shorts and sandals. The summery outfit is completed by a broad-brimmed straw hat and a pair of sunglasses. Striding out onto the sand she kicks off her sandals and lays down a towel with her satchel at one end to stop it from blowing away.

Porter is in the middle of adding the last bit of sunscreen to his palm to pour on his back when he spots Rose laying out her towel. He might be staring some, because he hand ends up with pile more suited to Pelana's back than his. Until he sees the front of her shirt and bursts into laughter. And reflexively face palms. Yes, of course with THAT hand. *SPLAT* The laugh is cut short by coughing and spitting, and the sunscrexplosion probably spatters some onto Third's back while she's working on her hair.

Third gets caught in the blast radius of Porter's sunscreen bomb. Just another casualty of Porter's. She needed sunscreen, anyway, right? Possibly. After receiving some good luck from Porter, it was only a matter of time before some minor bad luck rubbed off, as as things go, this is mild by comparison for what she received in return. It's hardly equivalent exchange. And now that Rose is closer, it's now easier to notice something has changed with Third. Maybe she's been hitting the beach regularly, because her skin is no longer that deathly pale white, but a healthy, fair complexion now. The ashen lips are replaced by a nice shade of pink, and the lavender hue of her eyelids is gone. No longer sickly looking, she seems very healthy and normal.

Rose's lips curl into a soft smile at Porter's hilarity and then grins at the sunscreen explosion. "You're both looking well." She observes. "though you apply sunscreen externally not orally, and in smaller doses." She settles her sandals on her towel. "I don't swim, it's dangerous and if I fall over in shallow water pull me out quickly because the assumption I can get myself out is not safe."

"Sorr-thbb. Ack. Yuck!" Porter, now looking more like a snowman in summer, tries to apologize. He sacrifices the other towel to wipe his face clean. Well, mostly. "Sorry. Love the shirt, Rose..." He grins at her, then shrugs. "It's Ok. Para can't swim, either. Er, doesn't know how to. I was going to help teach her some things." After a pause, he adds, "You look good, too." Then he looks to Third and notices the mess he made and winces. "Sorry..." So he reaches over to try and rub some of the sunscreen in or off.

Third grins a little. "I guess that means Porter's on lifeguard duty for both of us?" This could be a very. Bad. Idea (tm). She blinks and looks over her shoulder as he tries to fix the sunscreen mess he made of her, smiling softly. "Thanks, Partner."

Rose nods. "So if I go glassy eyed unresponsive and fall over and start thrashing that will be because I'm having a seizure. If that happens get me out of the water. Lie me down make sure I don't bump my head and if I start vomiting put me on my side. Don't stick anything in my mouth, don't restrain me and don't give me CPR."

"You're welcome... uh..." Yeah, Porter isn't sure what to say to being volunteered to play Baywatch. That sounds a little terrifying. And Rose's matter-of-fact followup really doesn't help things. He looks at her a long time, probably trying to decide if she's serious or being humorous. Something he's not always very good at. So, in the end, he gives in and asks, "Are you being serious, or...?"

Third had assumed serious, but Porter's question leaves her uncertain. She glances between the two awaiting an answer.

Rose nods. "Yup, dead serious. I have epilepsy and while the medication's good it isn't perfect so I still sometimes have seizures. Usually I can tell ahead of time but it's best not to make any assumptions." She smiles. "So I don't go swimming, I know how to, I just don't because it's risky."

"That...may be asking a bit much of Porter..." Third hazards, but glances to Porter to see if he's confident enough to be up for the responsibility.

Porter isn't sure whether he feels better for getting an answer, or worse because he asked. He breathes out a soft sigh and nods. Then comes a genuine smile. "Don't worry. Won't let you drown. Get you out, don't hold you down, turn you on your side, and no CPR. I can do that."

Rose nods. "So, I tend to stick to knee high water and just stroll around. I'll let Porter teach the swimming thing, he's going to be much better at it than I am."

Third nods once to Rose. "Sounds like a good idea to minimize potential problems. We'll make sure to keep an eye on you," she smiles.

"It's Ok," Porter nods to Rose. "No one's going to force you in the water. But if you want to, we'll keep an eye out." Then he looks to Third... who just said part of what he just said.

Rose nods. "So, that's the water over there right?" She nods in the direction of the wobbly, wavy thing at the foot of the beach. "I don't want to go too far too fast with all this jargon."

"Whoa, hold on there, turbo. Water? That's some weird scientific mumbo jumbo you're saying," Third says with a wry grin.

Porter tries to keep a straight face. He fails miserably and chuckles. "Ok, you two. Time to brave the terrors of the deep?" He looks between them, then waves to the economy gallon bottle of SPF 1000, quirking a brow.

Third holds out her hand for some official sunblock. "Well, you said I should use some. I just rub this all over, right?"

"Aye aye captain." She looks to Third "that's more of that nautical talk, and I prefer poindexter to turbo, it has a more distinguished air." She grins and rises moving in the direction of the sea. "Davey Jones' Locker, the billowy briny, shimmering shiny sea."

Porter nods to Third. "Yeah. Anywhere you don't want burned that isn't covered." He watches her a moment. To supervise, of course. But it's a quick moment as Rose heads for the water. Well, Third probably won't drown herself in the stuff, so he starts walking after Rose. Because drowning is more probably in the bay. "Just slather it on?" Which is what he knows.

Third nods and gets the main idea. She takes a handful of the stuff (maybe too much) and slathers it on. Yes, way too much. She tries to rub it in. Then scrape some of the excess off and put it elsewhere. "I'll, uhhh. Figure it out. Keep an eye on Rose," she murmurs.

Rose smiles and strides across the strand to the water where she starts strolling in calf-high water. "The oceans kind of amazing when you think about it. You ever here the theory that humans are descended from aquatic apes?" Her lips purse. "I never much believed that one."

"Aquatic apes?" Porter blinks. "Uh, no... never heard that one. But I like the ocean. Come here all the time." He glance back to give Third a visual check and a reassurance glance, both. Porter probably doesn't think it's too much. Then again, he puts the stuff on with a shovel. Back to Rose, he adds, "Sorry you don't get to swim much. I get why, but that doesn't make it less annoying."

Rose shrugs. "I manage to lead a reasonably happy life regardless. Though the advantages of swimming have been brought home by recent inundations, most of them involving coffee." She kicks a spray of water out into the oncoming waves. "So I barely miss it at all." She smiles.

Third hops up after she's down her best to optimally disperse the sunblock, then heads for the water after the others. "Aquatic apes, no. Fish, yes."

Porter winces at the coffee reminder, as he's probably responsible for a large percentage of those inundations. "Well, that's good..?" He hesitantly offers, and then is glad when Third catches up. If just so there's another pair of competent hands and eyes. Just in case.

"What is?" Third asks curiously as she wades out into the water, having missed part of the conversation.

Rose strides purposefully through the knee high surf. "What do you think it feels like when Pelana does this. Just the tonnes and tonnes of water she has to push with every step. Like I know she's strong but it's got to create eddies."

Third cringes slightly. "Having seen it for myself, she can create whirlpools and big waves. But the water itself doesn't seem to give her much resistance."

Porter ponders that. "I've only seen her in the water like that a couple times. Guess I never really thought about it? I was usually standing on her, so I wasn't looking down..." He makes a cringe of his own.

Third wades a little deeper into the water, then starts to ponder a bit more. "Hmm...I wonder about that. She's as strong as me, but way bigger. More drag in the water due to increased surface area. Maybe it's more difficult for her than I think..."

"It's a piece of cake for her... if you ask her," Porter can't resist a good-natured chuckle. "For whatever it is you ask about."

Third smirks very slightly. "Of course if you ask her. But what she says and truth don't always intersect," she comments. The irony of how that applies to herself is completely lost on her. She starts to slow as she gets waist-deep into the water.

Porter nods as he also wades out, stepping slowly. He doesn't have the leg strength to run through water. "Yeah, she's... proud." Now a shrug. "It's a common thing, I think."

"Mmm," Third responds, focusing more on the water, with occasional glances back to Rose to check on her. Even though she's only waist deep, she stops trying to go deeper and seems uncertain. Rather than go out further, she crouches down into the water until she's submerged up to her neck.

It's convenient that Porter doesn't have to follow her out until he's literally over his head. "You Ok?" He knows that her and water don't normally agree. It's like his ongoing rivalry with gravity. Just because she won't instantly sink doesn't mean they're automatically friends. Third nods slowly, her mouth pursed shut. She takes a breath and stands up again and starts wading forward more. "Guess I should go deeper to practice..." she says nervously.

Porter reaches a hand through the water, seeking hers. "Don't have to go any deeper than you want to. And I'll be right here wherever you go." He gives her a smile that he hopes is reassuring.

Third's hand is found, and grasps his as she looks back to him. "I'll be fine. It's not that deep here. I just need to remind myself that it's just a nervous habit." She takes another steadying breath, and forges her way forward while holding his hand until they're neck deep while standing. With the choppy waters, sometimes the waves come up to nose level. And this is where needing to breathe becomes a problem for her. She starts to sputter occasionally as her face gets partially submerged, and she gasps for air when she's able. What was it Porter had said? Don't walk on the bottom. Which she's doing.

"Para?" Porter is shorter and is forced to hop or tread water when the low waves roll in. "You're still just walking..." Hmm. What to do. He didn't really get special instruction and just sort of learned as he went. They can't do that all in a few hours. "Here, let's back up a little..." He tries to guide her back a few strides, so that no one has to fight the crests.

Rose splashes about happily in the shallows wiggling her toes in the sand and doing just enjoying the sun and surf watching Third and Porter challenge Poseidon.

Third slowly backpedals with Porter until she's at a comfortable level where she can keep her head above water. "I'm not doing it right, am I?"

Porter chuckles, but shakes his head. "Here, we'll try something easy, first." Well, it isn't easier than just splashing around or walking, but he's the subject matter expert, right? A terrifying thought. He steps around behind Third, taking another glance back to Rose, which makes him grin, before he lets go of Third's hand for her shoulders. "Just think of what I'm always telling you," he teases Third some. "Just relax. Lie back. Don't do anything." Play dead comes to mind, but he cuts that one off before it gets anywhere near his lips.

Rose pipes up without warning. "Lie back and think of England Paragon. I'm sure that works with all the girls." She scurries away from a higher wave that chooses that moment to swell but is nowhere near fast enough and gets drenched up to her thighs.

Third's shoulders are notably tense. "Right. Um. Relax," she repeats, because apparently she already needs a reminder. She raises an eyebrow and glances back to Rose, calling back, "I don't understand the reference. What does that mean?"

Rose bounces up and down glaring at the offending wave as it streams onto shore. After a moment or two she answers third. "It just means, lie back and think of something nice to distract you from the horrible things that are about to happen. It actually isn't appropriate here because nothing horrible is about to happen but it fit so well with what Porter just said I couldn't resist."

That's...perhaps not all that comforting? Third wishes she could look up the reference, but her systems are....gone. Just a hollow silence in her mind, which feels weird. "Right. Nothing horrible. I trust him." She nods to herself. That should convince her. She straightens out her head and tries relaxing again, and slowly leans back. Doing anything? She wouldn't dare.

Porter gives Rose a Look. Probably not to different from those she's given him, especially when caffeine indunation is involved. But he has his hands full. Literally. "I won't let you sink..." He even tries to massage Third's shoulders some as he supports them. While still letting her lean back. "You'll float. But just barely, so you have to lie down. Spread out. And stay still." Probably all things that are very counter-intuitive.

Rose is splashing around in the shallows while Porter seems to be baptising third in the traditional fashion out where the water gets up to chest deep.

That's a lot of things to think about at once. But the massaging helps Third to do the relaxing part at least. She tries to follow the instructions, but does so rather stiffly. She lies back and spreads out her arms from her sides, and her legs only slightly. She's lying down as best she can, and spread out a bit. And then she stays very still and takes a deep breath just in case.

Look! Up in the sky! Bullet is nowhere near there! She's out on the water, speeding along and leaving a -hell- of a wake as she approaches the shore. She loves that she can run fast enough to be held up by the surface tension of water. Sure, physics are weird when it comes to superheroes but it works for her! Turns out, she's moving so fast.. in a straight line, and doesn't run on the water to much as... just think she's running on the water. In the end, she's really just flying... really freakin' low to the surface.

Anyhow, Bullet whooshes up onto the beach, causing quite a wave to spread out in her wake and likely upsetting the few people in the water when the temperature is as low as it is. Yeah, for this part of the country, low seventies is pretty chilly. But she skids to a stop in the sand and looks back... biting her lip as she notices the wake. "God, I always forget about that." she mutters.

Porter is true to his word. He forces Third to have to lie back flat on the water, but he makes sure her head and shoulders stay afloat. "Hey... You're doing it!" And she finally gets flat and still enough to float. Just in time for the larger waves in Bullet's wake to roll up and over them. How ... Porterific.

Rose's brows lift as the heroine-induced tsunami swells. Water being slower than bullet there are a few heartbeats in which to turn toward the shor and take a few ungainly steps before the tiny teen is lifted and borne shoreward by the wall of water. Straw hat and sunglasses go flying as the bedraggled girl is dropped on the strand. Climbing onto all fours she pauses for a few moments before rising to her knees. "Ok, so I lied about nothing horrible happening."

Whatever she was doing, Third was only doing it for a moment before getting sunk by a wave when she wasn't ready and needed to take a breath. She struggles a little to try and right herself after the wave washes over the pair of them.

Annointed (or is that annoying?) swim coach is now sputtering after the wave. In water barely up to his shoulders. Porter coughs a couple times. "Maybe it's a good time to take a break?"

Sighing, Bullet bursts into motion, dashing over to help Rose recover at super speed. Even grabbing her hat and sunglasses before they're lost to the water. She sets them and Rose herself down and puts the hat on her head, and the shades on her face before whooshing off over towards Porter and Third to make sure they haven't... like... drowned.

Third breaches the surface with a ragged gasp and a cough. "Break...good." She looks like she's had enough of water for one day. She turns towards the shore and starts walking in that direction.

Rose looks a bit stunned as everything goes dark again, gazing myopically left and right for a moment as her eyes adjust. After a moment she removes both hat and glasses and turns to watch the rescue/retreat/resurfacing, water dripping from her to keep the patch of sand at her feet damp.

Rose watches Bullet selflessly assist the reckless duo from the Poseidon's greedy clutches. As she nears shore the bedraggled unsmiling teen offers a surprisingly chirpy. "Hi Bullet, how are you?"

"You okay?" asks Bullet near Third, helping her and Porter back to the beach part of things, and then as she gets them there, she heads back to about the middle of the area herself, letting her aura fade away as she sighs, "Look, I'm sorry folks. Really. I didn't even think about.. well that was the problem I guess, eh?"

Third waves her hand dismissively as she plunks herself down in the sand. "It's alright. We're find. Well. Porter will live, and I'm fine," she looks at the sputtering Porter, then over to Rose. "Are you alright?"

Rose smiles and nods. "Yeah, I'm careful around water but I'm not made of glass." She too waves away Bullet's apology. "That was really cool entrance by the way." Her brow furrows slightly as she's lost in thought for a moment. "How fast can you run?"

"Honestly, I don't know how fast is my max." offers Bullet with a shrug, "I know it's way past hypersonic. But... I haven't actually had myself clocked y'know?" She shakes her head and reaches to brush off some of the sand that was catching up to her now that she stopped and adds, "I don't know if a radar gun could actually measure it though."

Rose nods a little and then smiles. "Do you think you could carry something while ran? Or someone? Or would that sort of disturb your style?"

Third rubs her chin and looks up at Bullet appraisingly. "Maybe run by a cop at a speed trap and see what speed is listed on the speeding ticket?"

Snickering, Bullet shakes her head, "Last time I ran past a speed trap, the cop just seemed confused. I went by too fast and his gun just showed... errors." Bullet then looks towards Rose and grins, "I've carried a few things along with pretty fast. But... I'm pretty strong. Just... never really tried carrying things or people at ludicrous speed."

Rose smiles. "I'm really curious about something. Do you think you could carry me, it wouldn't be far." her head tilts. "I want to see what it's like to walk on water."

"Well, I could try but.. I think I've adapted to the whole... high velocity air thing, so I won't go -so- fast that you can't breathe. Just the same, if there's any difficulties, tap out on my neck or some such, okay?" she asks as she kicks on her aura and all of a sudden, she's standing in front of Rose, back to her.

For the smaller woman it's a bit of a climb to get up into piggy back position but she manages it with a bit of effort. "This is awesome. Thank you so much." She smiling from ear to ear with a note of excitement in her voice. "Can you go off the end of that pier over there?"

"Which pier?" asks Bullet. She blurs into motion, ending up at the middle of said pier, "This one?" she asks with a smirk. Yeah, she does love showing off. "Okay then, here we go." she mutters as she takes one step, two steps, and then she's off like a shot. She's going fast enough to skim over the water... and it's like sticking your head out the window on a -very- fast interstate for Rose... though easier to breathe with the head tucked in behind Bullet's neck and head. The good thing is, Bullet is strong enough to not be burdoned by Rose.

With her hair whipping and fluttering in the wind Rose grins like a mad thing as she is piggy-backed over the water is a rush of wind and spray. She let's out a howl of delight before pointing and lifting her voice "Now go up that boat ramp." As the pair near the ramp she waits for the moment the two are on the ramp and then claps her hand over Bullets eyes obscuring her vision for the count of two seconds.

"Huh?" asks Bullet. She hears the words and turns her eyes that way. The goggles make it easier to see through the wind and the spray. She shrugs her shoulders really fast, and adjusts her grip before turning and accelerating actually. She hits the ramp and then. "Hey, what the hell?!" she asks as her eyes are covered. She flails a bit and changes direction as she hits the edge of the ramp. "We're gonna smash into.... something!" she remarks after reaching up and peeling the fingers off her eyes. See, she tried to stop before going off the ramp but.. she just didn't quite do it in time. So it is that her and Rose are up about a hundred meters altitude... just hanging there in the air. "Um Rose?" she asks, "You're not some telekinetic, are you?" she asks. "Holding us both up here?"

Rose shakes her head. "Nu-uh this is all your awesomeness!" Lifting a fist to flutter in the wind she let's out an astonishingly loud "woo-hoo! Swoop down low so people can put us on You Tube!"

"There's no way. I just run fast.." says Bullet. And as she says that, she's suddenly falling, and taking Rose with her. Sometimes, it's a matter of belief. She twists and grabs Rose on the way down, "Whatever I did, I'm sorry!" she yells as she pulls Rose in close to her body, trying to use herself as a shield. "Are you -sure- it was me doing that?!" she asks. And about ten meters off the ground... the two of them just stop as the force of belief kicks back in.

Rose holds tight. A more chivalrous person might not be quite so enthusiastic to use Bullet as a cushion to soften the impact but the panicking teen doesn't seem to have any reservations and just yells as the pair plummet. And then they're caught again and she says in a small voice. "Yeah... I'm sure... can you put me down now?"

"uh.. up and down?" asks Bullet. "I'm not exactly -sure- how to do that." she mutters... but she looks down and then... she lands and sets Rose on the ground. "Um, okay so, I guess I can just.. go where I want to go?"

Rose nods. "Yeah... you weren't running on the water, that wouldn't cause a wave like that, that would kick up a really big spray behind you. the wave was because of the air pressure as you moved, not because you were touching the water, you just thought you did." she nods slightly. 'But I really need to get home and change into some clean dry clothes and... remember that messing with people while they fly is a bit risky." She grins. "But totally worth it. Take care you."

With that Rose moves to retrieve her satchel and sets off for home.

Just... staring as Rose leaves... Bullet just stands there. She looks down at her feet, and then back up. "Wow..." she mutters softly.