BOND-Y BEACH

[grimpa]

Who: Eliza, Fang and interested parties
When: Day 21, morning
Where: The beach

[Remember on Day 12 when we got back actually-pretty beaches and actually-safe shallows? WELL. Today there's a mass message from one of your resident cute Thymes on ChainChat!]

Eliza: hi hi hi!
Eliza: Do you know how to swim? 🏊🌊
Eliza: Do you want to learn how?? Knowing how to swim is great for fun and saftey 🐠
Eliza: Meet us on the beach for lessons today 🏖️

[If you decide to follow up on that and head in that direction, or are just out on the beach for other reasons, you'll find Eliza (in a cute two-piece) and Fang (in boring black board shorts, but check those hella scars) hanging out along the shoreline, a bottle or two of sunscreen and Thyme-colored towels at their feet! If you pass close enough you may be greeted by a friendly wave or a business-like nod.]

Did you want to participate in our swimming lessons?

Comments

[bowtiedbones]

Thanks! Even a lot of people with skills probably don't know how to swim, either. At least not well.

[acts_her_age]

We'll have to hope water doesn't come up as a hazard during the trials, but they've already thrown lava at us.

[bowtiedbones]

Yeah, plus we don't know what anywhere after this looks like. People needs to be ready for rivers or boats.

[acts_her_age]

I hadn't been considering what the next worlds will look like... Hopefully we'll have some time to enjoy the island once it's safe before we're made to leave.

[bowtiedbones]

We totally deserve a tropical island vacation.

[acts_her_age]

[I suddenly want a piña colada]

We do. Without having to worry about the train being attacked, or something sneaking in from the dangerous parts of the island...

[bowtiedbones]

[no rum for kiddos]

The only thing I want to worry about is when I last put on sunscreen and how to get sand out of my hair.

[acts_her_age]

[but,]

Oh, to only have to worry about tanlines.

[bowtiedbones]

Tanlines aren't a thing when you have a rash guard~!

[HECK YEAH SLEEVED SWIMSUITS]

[acts_her_age]

Yours is very cute. We should have a trial that's just a fashion show.

[bowtiedbones]

Thanks! And that could be such a good idea, actually! Like if we got to make our own uniform things.

[acts_her_age]

It would need to be cooperative and competitive somehow, which takes the fun out of it for me, but... A game where we're asked to design for another team and the winners are the designers with the highest approval rating from their target team might still be a worthwhile exercise. Moreso than the ones they put on for us, at least.

[bowtiedbones]

That could be a bummer though, if you lost because the team you were designing for didn't like your thing. Or if they never ever wore it after.

[acts_her_age]

[shrugs]

There would have to be some sort of objective winning condition, I feel. Otherwise it would just be up to the trial-runner's individual taste, and that's even more limiting.

[bowtiedbones]

What about different winning standard? Like Judge's Choice, Fan Favorite, Technical Best and so on? So they don't have to angle to anyone's one sense of style.

[acts_her_age]

As much as I would like to lose the aspect where we've meant to read the minds of our competitors to win trials, it does seem to be baked into the concept of them. But there's something to that idea, certainly.

[bowtiedbones]

It'd be kind of nice, right? Just playing without worrying too much about what will or won't get points.

[acts_her_age]

[nods]

There's at least been a few more recently that haven't been about self-sacrifice and hostage situations.

[bowtiedbones]

I liked the bingo one.

[acts_her_age]

It was refreshingly straightforward, yes.

[bowtiedbones]

Simple, direct, fun, and effective bond-building!