"Ughhhh." A splitting headache thumping Ares' brain like a hammer on an anvil eventually woke him from his lengthy slumber. He didn't know how long he'd been out since the Thundraga bow incident but he was no longer inside the hut, that was for sure. He'd recognise the Roving Elliot interior any day of the week. Ares' upper body shot up off the couch as he circulated mana to dispel any lingering static and cure his ailing brain. Once the sparks still jolting him were gone he felt considerably better, enough to be his usual silly self as he began asking himself questions he already knew the answer to. "Where am I? What am I doing here? How did I get here?" The reasoning behind this pointless string of questions was that they existed solely so he could ask the final one. "Who am I?" He stared at the nearby window before breaking out into a smug grin, combing his hair with his hand, and pointing dual finger guns at his reflection. "A real handsome devil, that's who!" Even without anyone else around to bemoan his actions he still felt the need to partake in antics; revenants found much amusement in this sort of behaviour and they managed to entertain themselves in such a way for the countless eons they lived for so it was normal to them. Then again, some normal people genuinely praised themselves in front of mirrors anyway so it wasn't too much of a departure from observable human behaviour; at least Ares wasn't secretly the reincarnation of narcissus and wasn't taking himself, or his 'suave' mirror doppelganger, seriously.
Ares hopped to his feet and suffered the consequences of his foolish rising method of choice as he dizzily stumbled into the back of a chair and had to balance himself by leaning over it and placing his hands on the table it was slotted under. Apparently he'd been out for longer than he initially assumed as his motor functionality was shot to hell and needed time to repair itself. His legs were on the verge of giving out beneath him and the sudden rush of blood to his head was enough to make his world spin. Mortals would have the same issue regardless of whether they'd been out cold or not but, as a cultivator, Ares should not have been so 'frail'. Turns out, the paralysis had really done quite the number on him and his estimation of his 'lights out' duration was far too short. It hadn't just been a day or two, it was looking more like he'd been a sleepy head for the past week at bare minimum. Fortunately nothing much seemed to have happened while he was in la la land, he spied a beach of sorts outside the window when he looked earlier. Credit where credit was due, even though he was playing around with his reflection Ares' first instinct was to check his surroundings and make sure no danger was immediately afoot. Behind every ounce of feigned stupidity was careful consideration! Anywho, if his family had stuffed his body in the Elliot and taken him on a road trip to a nearby beach then things must have been otherwise calm. They probably weren't even surprised by his condition as it was well within the realm of 'Ares-related oddities'. Rather than dwell on it or worry, they were just enjoying their vacation. If Ares recalled, though, they hadn't brought any swimsuits, or anything of the sort, so they were most likely just relaxing under shade somewhere with light clothing, sipping on fresh drinks out of coconut bowls... Or not. Ares wasn't the only one who got had the penchant of getting wrapped up in his surroundings. He was the most prone to it but the others were all probably running around doing their own thing and, to some extent, Ares could even guess what. Aejaz was getting his holiday ruined by a stroke of bad luck, Allie faced momentary crisis of some kind, Sandy found a way to be an unreserved glutton, Enyo was enforcing the law in some fashion, Trixie was off somewhere doing her own thing and nobody knew what that entailed exactly, and Bellona... A warm smile crept onto Ares' face because he could confirm his suspicions about the tomboy rather easily if he just opened the Elliot's door.
Sure enough, as soon as he stepped outside he could see Bellona idling nearby. She was fiddling with an umbrella buried in the sand, positioning and angling it so that it would cast a cool shadow over a foldable deckchair she must have rented from a shop in the area. Ares didn't need to be told to know that Bellona was hanging around back here in case he woke up, she was just that kinda of person. It's not like she wanted to get involved in the typical beach day hubbub anyhow, she'd probably much rather be indoors watching a film or something. Maybe she'd be up for volleyball or building a sand castle but with everyone else preoccupied with their own shenanigans she was gravitating towards quietly keeping an eye on the Elliot instead. Ares was able to predict this because he understood her nature well enough but there was also a pretty big context clue in that the Elliot was parked underneath a large overhanging tree. Though Bellona would have found it funny, the image of revenant mutt Ares boiling in a hot car with the windows down must have garnered some degree of sympathy in her so she took that into consideration and left the Elliot somewhere nice and shady. She was the one who typically drove the Elliot whenever Ares wasn't at the wheel, or it wasn't auto-piloting, so it being parked away from the more bustling areas of the beach was a conscious choice that aligned with Bellona's habits nicely. It was definitely peaceful back here, away from the crowds of natives who were performing rituals by the sea, soaking up the sun, swimming about, or grilling scrumptious looking food. Some of the noise managed to make its way over, the cries of seagulls and the whooshing of the tide namely, and the same was true of smells like the roasted crabs being sold to what few tourists were relaxing here and the briny scent of the sea. For the most part, though, it was secluded and so Bellona heard the sound of footsteps behind her and instantly knew Ares was up and about. She kept messing with the umbrella, refusing to turn around, and Ares knew it was because she was trying not to reveal the happiness that must have been plastered on her face right about now. She must have been missing him so he walked up behind her and gave her a big hug. "Guess who?"
"Pft, as if I'd let some random stranger walk up and hug like me that." Though it was a soundless gesture, Ares could practically hear the eye-roll in Bellona's voice. He could also hear the subtle relief that his condition had improved and the gladness that Bellona didn't have to be so bored by herself anymore. There were others around but Bellona got on best with Ares, there was no denying it. Maybe when people like Candy joined the family she'd feel more able to have fun with a wider range of individuals but, ultimately, Ares was always going to be her comfort and anchor. It's not that she was incompatible with her sister or Sandy, they got along well too, but Ares was just more her speed... Speaking of 'speed', the rate at which Ares stole her deckchair was honestly pretty incredible. One moment he was passionately embracing Bellona's waist and the next he was leaning back on the deckchair like he owed the place. With one leg crossed over the other, and his sunglasses resting slightly away from his eyes and about halfway down his nose, he looked right at home... On Bellona's deckchair. "Thief! Gimme it back!" Bellona was having none of this so she leapt on the chuckling Ares and wrestled for supremacy, AKA the comfiest spot on the chair. Ultimately, though, she succumbed. Limply, she cuddled into Ares' arms and lay down on his chest with her head resting on his body. Honestly, she hadn't put up much of a fight. She went in with the intention too but quickly realised she wanted to be cuddled more than she wanted the chair as it had been too long since she got to recharge her affection like this ever since the idiot she was hugging went and paralysed himself. She wasn't even sure if it was a revenant thing or just a man thing because back on the Legion home planet there was an electric barrier set up around the planet that the men of the clan frequently snuck out at night to go touch and see if they could 'take it'. Maybe men were just instinctively suicidal when it came to the elements and judging how tough they were in comparison. Ares would have complaints about this, he didn't know there was a shocking surprise in store for him... Though if pressed he would admit he would have picked up the bow anyway... But only because he wanted it! "By the way, what even happened to the bow anyway?"
To Bellona's question, Ares gave a wry smile. "It allowed me to wield it... And then it ran away..."
"You don't have it?" Bellona, not expecting that twist, seemed taken aback. "I really thought it was just inside the Primordial Blade, I didn't realise it wasn't in your possession..."
Ares shrugged. "I think it realised I wasn't Dominus after permitting me to use it. I can still track it, I know where it ran off to, but it won't come to me willingly at least... Or maybe Thundraga programmed the bow to mess with Dominus and run away from him? I'm not too sure on the specifics but I'll need to go ad round up the weapon before I can use it, unfortunately. I would have really loved to test it out. It's quite a way aways so I'm going to have to trek through a lot of foreign territories. I'll ask the chief, back in the tribe, who they belong too so I can get a better picture of the route I'll be travelling. I guess for now the priority is hunting down the bow, after which I'll return to the tribe and gather some local resources, then visit the Frozen Thunder League. That's the rough outline, at least, and I'll be flexible to adjust on the fly if need be... But enough about that, what have you all been up to lately?" Not wanting to make concrete plans, knowing full well he was a trouble magnet and things rarely went according to his carefully devised schedules, Ares changed the topic. He couldn't see the others anywhere nearby so he assumed they were off having their own mini adventures on the beach exactly as he predicted. He didn't know how right he was as Bellona began recalling their experiences since arriving at the beach in the morning.
"Hm, well I'll start with the most boring one. Trixie... Mysterious and quiet as ever. I think she took on a job of some sort and went undercover in one of the local tribes that partially run the beach."
"Undercover? She hardly blends in..." Nobody in the Ares group did, they all stood out like sore thumbs compared to the deeply tanned locals.
"Yeah, well, you know that's her specialty. She always carries around various outfits and, apparently, skin creams and paints too. She looked incredibly tribal by the time she set off, with tattoos and face paints that were quite authentic. She must have scrutinised the locals quite a bit since arriving as her getup was flawless. She's been sending messages back using her pass the parcel magic by hiding dud bombs on a middleman. Once they exit the tribe the bomb reveals itself, 'explodes', and a letter and some confetti pops out... Though the confetti is really pointless. She seems to be having fun in her own way. Aejaz mentioned she was an expert in infiltration."
"Yeah, he told me that too. I originally thought Trixie was just really into cosplay but I guess Rox is being given a run for his money. It's always handy having their type around. I was thinking such tasks would be hard without Rud around but it's good to know we have a backup should the need arise. Her bombs being undetectable without extreme inspection means they serve multiple roles and aren't just a weapon but also a solid utility... I'll admit, I just sort of autopilot whenever I hear the word bomb. I always forget she can determine the contents of her explosives but surely that's not my fault!" Ares complained and defended himself from an argument nobody was making. It wasn't his fault he was the champion of destruction, the living embodiment of explosives! It was only natural he defaulted to that expectation!
Bellona scoffed and shook her head, it's not like she could critique Ares. She was as obsessive about his explosions as he was. She couldn't fight that innate wonderment at the scale and magnitude of his magical output so she would be a hypocrite to call him out. "Well, other than that, it's pretty much exactly what you'd expect. Sandy found a local eating competition and won without breaking a sweat..."
"Yeah, that tracks." Ares simply nodded and said nothing else on the matter. Even though Bellona agreed with the sentiment, there were two things a man should never broach in the company of a woman. Age and weight. Sandy's extreme gluttony indirectly fell under the latter category and, though she wasn't here, talking about it was risky business! Bellona wasn't the type to tattle but better safe than sorry, it's not like she didn't have a bond with the other two partners. She might repeat what conversations transpired here to the others just to mess with Ares if nothing else! He'd get a right bollocking if he was loose lipped. He was actually more impressed than anything, Sandy could down incredible amounts of food without putting on weight, but that wouldn't change anything nor lighten his sentence.
"It was kinda funny though. You should have seen the look on the runner-up's face. He was the regional champion for nearly ten years straight until that greedy rhino stomped onto the scene and decimated the competition. He looked like he'd seen a ghost, like his whole world was collapsing. I really wonder where Sandy fits all that food..."
"Maybe it's because she's part elemental? It's hard to imagine a human not getting full but with a semi-ethereal being like her it makes more sense I think... At least that's what I tell myself to make it easier to digest..."
Bellona snorted at Ares' dumb pun and kept recalling what the others were up to. "Then there was Enyo who... Well, you know. You can probably guess..."
"Lifeguard duty?"
"Lifeguard duty. She even had a whistle and I'm too afraid to ask where she got her hands on it."
"Ha, probably from her time doing guard duty in Red Sun I would imagine? Funny that it would find use out here too though."
"Yeah she set up shop somewhere in the busy region of the beach, created a little hut of sorts out of barriers, and has been making sure nobody drowns, gets attacked by monsters, or does anything dangerous... Honestly she's kinda killing it. Makes sense but I seriously don't understand how she gets so much enjoyment out of enforcing rules like that."
"As long as she's having fun right? Plus she's helping people so there's no real reason to complain. Who knows, maybe she'll take a liking to the job and become a lifeguard in the future or something."
"She did seem to have a lot of gusto and enthusiasm... If we leave her she might just stay there for the rest of the day and lose track of time. She did save Allie though."
"The only person danger seems to have as much affection for as me is Allie for some inexplicable reason. What did she get wrapped up in this time?"
"Her own fascination with a rare seashell. She muttered something about using it as an ingredient in her alchemy and that was that. You know that thing she does when she becomes absent minded when staring at rare ingredients? Yeah that happened again. unfortunately for Allie, the tide doesn't much care about whether you're paying attention. The water pulled her in and began dragging her out to sea but Enyo fished her up and reeled her back in with her barriers."
"And dare I ask where Aejaz was during all of this? Not to make Allie sound like a disobedient pet or anything but she is his responsibility..."
"Aejaz..." Bellona struggled to contain a small laugh at Ares' brother's expense. "He was stung by a jellyfish the moment we arrived."
Ares shook his head with a smile. "It would happen to him of all people. The one person who wants nothing more than to actively avoid 'stepping in it' immediately stepped on a jellyfish. It's almost poetic. I'm sure Eagerton would have a lot to say about this if he were here. That aside, where is my foolish brother now anyway?"
"Well..." Bellona needed a minute to scrunch her face and contain the laugh that was threatening to burst out again. Apparently this was what she was really giggling about this whole time and not the incident itself. "He uh... He needed 'treatment' from the sting... Heh... Leo pissed on his leg."
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ares couldn't help but laugh unrestrainedly. Leo and Aejaz weren't blood-feuding or anything but they were competing for Allie's attention more often than not. Ares could envision a smug, palm-sized tiger cocking his leg over Aejaz' leg while they fiercely glared at each other. It needed to happen, there was nobody else suitable around to cure Aejaz, but it was still a comical mismatch of egos and a bizarre clash no matter how anyone tried imagining it. There was no way it went peacefully and Ares would have killed to have a recording of the hilarity that went down behind those bushes. To think Allie was being absent-mindedly dragged into Davey-Jones locker in the background all-the-while was like something out of a comedy sketch. Ares had to wipe away a few tears from his eyes while Bellona did the same. Ares had only been awake for a few minutes but Bellona was already happy to have someone to share these stories with and laugh at together. The more she did, though, the more she felt a longing to be more intimate with him. Ares could tell what she was thinking, it's not like she ever tried to hide her feelings and she wasn't much capable of it anyway, but he didn't say anything and gave her a kiss on the forehead in acknowledgement. 'Whenever you're ready'. It would happen someday soon, definitely before leaving Akarala, so now it was just up to her to feel out when the mood was right. Arguably it was 'right' right now but Ares could see the others returning from their cutaway gags on the horizon so it would be a bit awkward if he told them all to go away and then absconded with Bellona into the Elliot. Bonus awkward points if the Elliot began noticeably rocking. He'd go from the one laughing at others to being the one laughed at. Though, then again, he was the first one to get shocked so it's not like he wasn't made a fool of either. Point being, he might as well enjoy the beach today with Bellona and the others and put aside any thoughts of private fun with Bellona for now. It wasn't long until they crossed that boundary together and he'd waited all this time anyway, no need to rush it now. They were on a remote island for crying out loud! They'd find time to be alone together without having to manufacture it.... Though, that being said, Enyo, being observant as ever, would maybe create an opportunity for them regardless. Ares hook his head and dismissed those thoughts, being preoccupied with something that was going to happen in the near future when he could be openly mocking his brother was a waste of time! He immediately smirked at Aejaz, whose congratulatory words of recovery were caught in his breath, and then the usual family antics ensued for the rest of the day. Ultimately, the pseudo beach trip, sorely lacking in swimsuits, ended with everyone gathering around a campfire under the stars and eating roasted marshmallows with hot chocolate to wash them down with.
To nobody's surprise, Sandy ate and drank the most.