Relaxation Station

[TigStripe]

The sun bore down in what would normally be a somewhat brutish manner, but for the people along the beach, it was a welcome sight. The small resort town of Nalmur, Merxenne, was seldom bustling with people, but ever since the truce went through, tourists and vacationers had finally begun to filter back in. Unfortunately for the beach-side resort, rain had constantly been falling over the past week. The sand along the shore was hardly walkable - it had the consistency of mud - and the waters themselves were murky and dreary. Despite this, the sun's bright rays were shining down upon a rather surprisingly large group of smiling, happy people playing in the waves and making mud castles. Umbrellas were pitched, suntan lotion was being spread, and beach volleyball only sometimes got mud in someone's eye.

Karin sighed and extended her hand to grasp the chilled drink next to her. It wasn't often she drank anything with alcohol, so her buzz was already beginning to become known. With every drink, Hayden's color became a somewhat redder shade of blue. With another sip, Karin smiled and adjusted her sunglasses. Shifting in her lawn chair, the hand-for-hire sat watching the people enjoy their free time.

"What a nice day," Karin said with a small chuckle. "The clouds remind me of home, but they're not muddy brown around here. What do you think, Hayden?" Hayden shook his head, Karin's buzz clearly affecting his stability as he wobbled in midair.

"Well you're no fun," Karin pouted. She leaned forward and folded her hair back behind her ears. Her eyes scouted the area, looking for anyone of interest.

[Zeke]

"I GOT THIS ONE!!!" yelled a some-what tall athletic built man at the volley ball area. This man was a little pale for someone in the sun, his black hair a contrast to the blonds, reds, and pinks of the other beach-goers, and he seemed a little out of place in his black swim shorts with crimson trim. His hazel eyes reflected the sun's light, giving him a bit more of a positive look about him than normal to anyone that has known him in his 25 years of life.

He jumped up to the front of the net and hit the ball as hard as he could nailing it on the group of the opposing side between two surprised players. "Damn, Mattaku" said a cheerful player on the man's team. "You need to stop doing that. You're starting to make people not want to play with you."

Mattaku laughed almost boyishly and simply responded. "Man, I just can't turn my skills off. They shouldn't be against me if they are tired of losing."

[TigStripe]

Karin snickered, the familiar face gloating while apologizing simultaneously. "Mattaku, your 'skill' has nothing to do with it. They're letting you win. You're playing volleyball with a bunch of Yogunda artists. I can tell from how they hit the ball; they're spiking with two fingers."

As if on cue, Mattaku was smacked in the shin by a lightning-fast volleyball spiked by one of his opponents. The guy landed lightly in the sand and snapped his fingers. "I must be off today. I was aiming for his crotch."

Karin laughed again and gave Mattaku a one-shouldered shrug.

[Zeke]

The assassin didn't respond to Setsuna's words, in fact he didn't bother completely dodging the volleyball that was heading for his 'boys', his focus however was directed towards a beach babe not too far from Setsuna. She had been eying the assassin for the entirety of the game, occasionally smiling a mischievous and knowing smile. It was rather obvious at whom he was gawking at, and for the reason.

After a few blank seconds his daze wore off and recalled some form of words being spoke to him by Karin. "Huh? what?" he looked over at the players, and recalled what Setsuna said to him. "Oh! Yeah. Volley Ball just isn't my game, anyway. It's like Hiroshi told her pupils to find some way to embarrass me today." joked the young man.

Meanwhile not too far from the goings on of the beach. A young man with straight blond hair (parted in the middle in such a way that only the young man could pull off), pale skin, and thin build laid on what seemed like the only dry part of the beach. Despite the carefree setting he seemed very distracted.

The man, roughly 19-20 years old, wore just a white brief-cut swim suit, some of the earthlings referred to as a speed-o, with some sort of emblem printed on it of some private school that the person must have went to.

He thought of how this is supposed to be the last time he could enjoy home before he has to take his leave. He thought about all the friends he made, and even more sad, of the friends he lost. He sighed thinking about if and when the next time he will see them and wondered if any of them will miss him.

A wave crashed on a few loose rocks just a few yards down from him, but the thin man didn't move. He stared and the sky with his hands under his head considering his decision.