victory_road | Beach fun for beach bums

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Beach fun for beach bums

Who: Everybody!
Where: Cianwood!
When: June 21st, all day.
Summary: Come to Cianwood today to celebrate the solstice, participate in a race and maybe even get a date??

June 21st. The solstice. The longest day of the year. Practically half the year gone already, which frankly, seems rather insane. It seems like only yesterday you were all fighting to save Christmas with Santa, and yet, that was almost six months ago! How can that be? We just don't know. Time is a force even more mysterious than pokemon evolution.

In any case, Cianwood has gone all out to make this solstice a great big celebration. The beach is awash with bright-coloured umbrellas and stands, selling everything a visitor might need to make this into one hell of a day (and, let's be real, also a lot of things you don't need, but hey, who doesn't want a nice souvenir?) Rental stands have everything from surfboards to huge inner tubes for rent for those who want to stay at the surface of the water, as well as snorkelling equipment for those who won't mind taking a peek below the surface. On a cleared stretch of beach, a small Sand Castle Contest is being organised. The prize won't be anything fancy (just a token little reward, really) but why not enter? Don't worry, there are separate prizes for kids and adults. Meanwhile, large piles of wood have been stacked here and there, waiting for evening to fall so the bonfires can be lit.

One particular section of the beach is a riot of different smells, with various restaurants and other establishments having set up stands to sell you all the very best. It doesn't matter what you are in the mood for, because you won't have any trouble finding it here! Want some BBQ? It's there; several Sizzlepede keeping those coals nice and hot while the cooks chuck everything that can vaguely be chucked onto those grills. Would you rather cool down with some ice cream? No problem; just as long as you can actually make a choice from all those different flavours available. Has the summer sun put you in a fruit mood? Watermelons (whole and cut), strawberries, cherries, papaya -- it's too much to name!

Or do you maybe just want a drink? It's important to keep hydrated, you know! Juice, water, mocktails and cocktails, everything that you could possibly want to stave off the heat is there. There is even coffee and teas available for those who need their daily worship at the Church of Caffeine. Just don't overheat on them!

And, of course, there is the race.

It looks like the first-ever SEMPER race has drawn quite the crowd. And where there is a crowd, there are more souvenir stands. Why not buy a flag or two to cheer on your pokemon? Or maybe you should buy an 'I ran the SEMPER race and all I got was this lousy t-shirt' for your pokemon to commemorate the occasion. They sell them in all sorts of sizes.

And then there is that mystery section of beach, currently cordoned off with ropes and screens. Signs let everybody know that this is where the Helping Hand auction will be taking place later tonight, but if you had hoped to get an early peek at the decorations or items up for auction, you will be sorely disappointed. Be patient and wait like everybody else is.

So come all and enjoy the beach. Participate in a race maybe, and pull your wallets for tonight's charity event. After all, who knows when disaster might strike again? Better enjoy things while you can!

ooc: The Charity Auction will have its own log, which will be posted later tonight. Should there be any questions, please use the event info post to ask them.

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"That explains a great deal, then," Dimitri says fondly, smiling and oblivious as his bare arm brushes against Zuke's. All of his attention is on the Pokemon scampering about before them, having fun in the sand.

Honestly, he's feeling a small pang in his chest... That desire to keep raising young Pokemon, just like he was raising Gabby and Gwin. But he knows that he needs to tamper it down. He already has so many companions that it's frankly ridiculous, and he needs to give them their due attention before going any further.

Still. The longing is there, and he can't help his soft expression as he watches them. "How did you meet her?"

He felt the gentle touch, by accident, and trying his best to ignore his own heartbeat having him so close. Zuke, in his mind working on overdrive and accepting this as a part of him, considered Dimitri's looks a lot especially now. His ex girlfriend would've definitely had far more flowerish words than he would but he did have a very definite beauty about him. Not just "attractive".

Dimitri was beautiful.

Saying that over and over again just gave Zuke an extra jolt for conversating.

"Adopted," he said. "That's the word I'm gonna use but Greg gave me her egg and with all of the travelling we've been doing...she was an easy riser. We're a tight knit team, so she wormed her way in fast."

He chuckled, "Starting to sound like a dad."

"So you raised her since birth," Dimitri says, nothing but warmth and affection in his voice as he watches her scamper about. "Even if it makes one sound like a parent, I can't say that I don't know how that feels..."

He glances over to the towels they have set up, the pokeballs where some of his Pokemon are resting. "I have a pair of my own that hatched from eggs, and it's hard for me to think of them any differently. There is something precious, to being there from the very start."

"Yeah..."

The voice is like honey, ringing in his ears. Zuke's eyes darted to look at Dimitri's face, trying to not do so directly. But the warmth in his eyes as he spoke from such real place of affection made Zuke clutch his swim trunks a little. He had to steel himself and real it in.

"It's a plus that they literally act like kids, and they grow into something else. But, they also stay the same. Ol' Terbangan likes to play tricks on me still every now and then. He likes to act like he's big and tough, but he's a softie that likes innocent pranks. And Nadia? She always was the softest of all. In a way she's my teams' big sister. May is still a chaotic timebomb, and I love her for it."

Talking about his team distracted him...for a while.

Listening to Zuke speak so fondly of his own Pokemon's youth and habits is such a delight. Dimitri could close his eye listening to him, and be happy for it. Still, that's rude. So he forces himself to stay in the present, looking back to Zuke and not at the towels their group has set up.

"You truly do pay such careful attention to them," Dimitri says fondly. It's a good trait in a person, he's learned, at least when it comes to this place. How much attention do they pay to their Pokemon? Even if it's just a few of them, they should know a silly little trait or two. And of course Zuke does. Such a caring person who watches over others...

"I'm sure your youngest will grow up knowing she's deeply cared for."

Dimitri’s kindness always threw him for a loop. But for some reason, this one didn’t. It was odd but it didn’t feel like it was making him anxious. Instead, what replaced it was a certain kind of confidence. His heart fluttered. He was fondly still smiling as Yuna now came waddling on over to lay across Zuke’s lap.

There was enough distraction for him to allow this for her.

Yuna sprawled all across his lap, belly side up. She wanted the belly rubs.

“You think? It’s true that I care a great deal, we depend on each other. Learning how they are just makes us closer. Isn’t that what makes a great relationship? That kind of honest understanding?”

He caught himself as he said it. But, he said it, knowing full well in his head that it was a double edged remark on his end.

Ha. What an endearing baby - and absolutely a baby, the kind that wants attention from their family as much as they can possibly get it, and even a little more. How can Dimitri do anything else but fall helplessly for her? He leans against Zuke's arm a little more as he watches her get her much desired belly rubs, smile soft.

"It is," Dimitri agrees quietly. "Honesty and understanding are the cornerstones of a good relationship. I had always roughly known that sort of thing, before coming here... but I feel as if I've learned even more since my arrival."

Since he allowed himself to learn.

He was closer. Zuke’s heart seemed to start blaring off the alarms and he could feel his temperature rise. But he tried to make himself not stiffen. As he mentally told him this, he found himself that…he really liked this gentle touch. This presence of him being so close to him. It was enough to give him goosebumps, if the heat outside didn’t fight it. Which it thankfully did.

His eyes relaxed and he couldn’t help but lean against him just a tad back, giving Yuna the chance to sprawl across Dimitri’s lap too. Now she had two guys fawning over her. Pet her please.

Zuke complied with her demands as he paid attention to Dimitri’s words.

“Mhm, I think we all learned a lot coming here. We all changed too. I know you changed.”

Ah - it looks like Zuke is relaxing, then. Yes, the cuteness of an adorable baby Pokemon cuddling up would be enough to make anyone feel at ease, Dimitri is positive of it. With how much traveling and working Zuke does, he's glad to see his dear friend take up his shoulder like this.

Still... Hearing those words makes Dimitri pause just a moment, his hand going along Yuna's head.

"I suppose so," he says quietly. "In many ways, I feel I have not changed at all. Sometimes I think it will not last, and then I will be back... somewhere else, I suppose."

"...I mean, there's a lot to like about you, Dimitri."

He almost paused. He almost caught himself. But then, all of the sudden, he decided he really no longer cared. The confidence slowly oozing out of him as he took to Yuna's back with some gentle scritches.

"I'm glad some things haven't. You've been so gentle and patient with me since day one. I always liked that about you."

This isn't the first time that someone has tried to praise him, to convince him of his better qualities. A part of Dimitri still wants to protest, to explain that they just don't understand the rotten rest of him. Yet... He thinks he has to fight against that inclination. At the very least, he cannot let it rule him.

And... Maybe there is something nice, to hear from someone so incredible like Zuke, that he has still managed to do good things for him.

"There was no reason to act in any other way to you," Dimitri says quietly, focusing on the feel of soft fur. "Besides, I would say that describes how I feel about you much more."

"...Really?"

Zuke was, generally, a forgiving and optimistic soul. His rationale was mellow often but it wouldn't be the first time he heard that he seemed very approachable. That was his reputation all his life. Cool, quiet, collected...warm, yet comforting. Like the ocean.

Someone said all of those things at once to him.

And he knew there was a point in which flattery and compliments were less one way, and more to another.

He couldn't help it any longer, his face and mannerisms sparked no anxiety whatsoever. Everything Dimitri said was heard and it enter a certain part of his brain. They gave him comfort instead.

"I mean...Saying what I am about you just makes perfect sense to me. So that's why I keep saying it."

"I would say nothing that is not how I truly felt," Dimitri insists. "Even when I was... not at my best, you always patiently listened and discussed things with me. And when I was uncertain about music... Yours opened up a great deal."

A lot of things have contributed to Dimitri recovering from the life he once lived, only some eight or nine months ago. If he did not hear zuke's music, he would likely still be at the same place, relatively speaking.

But... it is hard to think of a life like that. One without that feeling which had rushed through him at Zuke's music.

Dimitri ducks his head, scratching behind the ears of their furry companion some more. "...Then, I will continue to try and live up to such an impression. Thank you, Zuke."

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Beach fun for beach bums

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