Beach Boys [open]

[tongueamok]

Who: Glacius (glacius), Carlisle Longinmouth (tongueamok), and you!
What: Two dudes just chilling in the fun and the sun, minus the sun. Chilling likely literal. Fun debatable. Also, one of them is a giant snake.
Where: All islands, coastal areas
When: May 27th - Early June
Warnings: PG-13ish, probably?




"I still don't believe this is a good idea!"

For anyone who knows Carlisle, seeing him talking to himself -- or yelling, rather -- is probably nothing new; however, for anyone who may stumble upon this scene who isn't familiar with the anxiety-riddled clergyman, he's had better first impressions. He wouldn't want to make one right now, anyway: he's alone on the rocky beach that once led to the caves, his arms crossed as he picks at his sleeve nervously; his hair is a mess, tousled by the winds. Absent are his usual vestments, forgone for the beachwear he picked up last time the city saw so much water, and though it seems he intends to get wet at some point by virtue of his wearing them at all, the way he's standing a good distance from where the tides actually reach says otherwise. His previous encounter with the ocean had been just an illusion, a tranquil sea created by the gods; the waters then had been purposefully calm, a sharp contrast to the uneven waves before him now. The depths of this ocean are terrifyingly real, and likely home to equally terrifying creatures.

In the distance rises a serpentine figure with glowing, green eyes and spines along its head; it slithers through the waves with relative ease. Despite how frightening the monsters of the depths must be, Carlisle doesn't budge as this one looks his way before diving once more. Perhaps he doesn't consider this to be one of them -- he rubs at his arms, his eyes still upon the spot it vanished as he raises his voice once more.

"There could be anything out there!" he insists, his nose wrinkling as a gust of coastal wind pushes against him. His entire form stiffens, his fingers curling in reply, digging into his arm. "Or we could drown! I could drown! It would pull you under, and I would drown, and you'd be lost to the depths, and then we'd both wish we'd just stayed home!"

He is definitely yelling more to himself than anyone else at this point, but the serpent turns back toward the shore regardless, heading straight for him. It doesn't attack, as one might expect, doesn't lash out at the lanky, isolated clergyman from the shoreline -- instead, it snakes its way onto the sand, coils through the rocks, and stops once it reaches him, butting its forehead against his. Carlisle brings his hand up and lets it rest along his partner's mandible as they exchange a few, hushed words.

This might still be a strange sight for anyone who doesn't know either of them; however, some may recognize the sea creature as not a creature at all, but as Glacius, his icy form temporarily adapted to brave the waters of this new world. Though Carlisle remains nervous and reluctant to join him, he has nothing to fear -- no matter what lies beyond the safety of the land, they will face it together. Besides that, Glacius won't let anything happen to his human partner. Carlisle may not be as hardy when it comes to such elements, but anything that should try to attack them from the waters below will find they've challenged the wrong alien.

Giving Carlisle one more nudge for reassurance, Glacius makes his way back into the water, hoping to coax his partner into joining him -- if they aren't stopped by someone who happens up the coast, that is.

[[It's a joint log, folks! Feel free to tag either Carlisle, Glacius, or both as they hang around the coasts of all islands!]]

Comments

[glacius]

Glacius bristles when he sees the telltale signs of Carlisle's embarrassment and, wanting instinctively to be there for his partner, he starts to form the rest his body from the waves. He only catches himself once his arching neck and a decently lengthy portion of his serpentine body have risen up from the waves, and there he stops again, the muscles of his ice-coated coils tense.

... Well, there's no way he's not getting noticed now. He should probably say something so that this new face doesn't get alarmed and either run or try to attack him on the spot. The notion that it's still a possibility makes it hard for the alien to be as cordial as he'd like.

"Pardon my interruption, but I saw you talking to my partner and wanted to be sure that nothing was amiss," Glacius begins. Then he eyes Ignis again, apparently thinking. "Though I cannot help but feel like something about you is somehow... familiar."

Was it around the Guard that he's seen this human before? He remembers Kate mentioning something about that too, but his own involvement with that organization has become less and less routine as his personal life takes up more of his time—and energy. Perhaps Ignis will find the icy form of the alien addressing him easier to place, though Glacius' tendency to wear a partial set of armor while on the job to cover his face—the gnarling scar consuming the right side of it specifically—likely does no favors in that regard.

[claritatis]

He smiles faintly, about to respond when the creature in the water makes itself known.

Ignis' only physical reaction is to take a small step back, eyes narrowed and fixed on the creature. There's a motion, too, of one hand moving to ever-so-subtly place Carlisle behind him. If he has to defend the man then he will - he's already surmised that Carlisle has no particular offensive talents to speak of. At least, none that he uses.

But then-- then it- he speaks, and Ignis frowns slightly both at the expression of familiarity and the quiet clicking into place of several puzzle pieces.

Partner--?

"You must be Glacius." They've never spoken before, but for the little that Ignis is active on the network he still uses it, and Kate has occasionally spoken of him. "Nothing's amiss. We were having a conversation."

[tongueamok]

Carlisle steps out from around Ignis as Glacius approaches and places himself roughly between them, his own glowing eyes meeting those of his partner as he takes form. Whether or not Carlisle noticed that brief instant of defense from Ignis, he does not say; however, he does recognize the protectiveness in Glacius as he rises from the waters, and does his best to allay any concerns.

"This is Ignis," he interjects. "I wasn't aware you two weren't acquainted, given, er."

He was either going for it's a small town or his involvement with Kate, but Carlisle trails off before he gets either explanation out.

[glacius]

Glacius had been somewhat tense before, wary over his partner's discomfort and unsure about revealing himself in a form he's aware might be quite strange to some—but he bristles noticeably when Ignis moves to place himself in the way of his partner, his head cocking sharply to one side and his pupil thinning. It is clear he does not like anything getting between him and the cleric, and he probably likes it even less that Ignis presumes he might be the one who needs to be protected from.

Carlisle notices the protectiveness from the alien instead, though Glacius does not necessarily seem like he will be placated until he winds his way right up to the clergyman, brazenly moving past Ignis as he does so. "It is a lapse on my part... I was not aware that Kate even had found someone until recently. That her chosen is a member of the same organization to which I have pledged myself... my apologies, Ignis. My attention has been somewhat divided lately, as life in this cave is never simple."

[claritatis]

The large, shapeshifting ice alien may want to take a closer look at himself before getting offended that people who don't know him might consider him a threat, Ignis thinks as he notes the reactions presented. As it is, Carlisle's response combined with Glacius speaking up makes it only a momentary defense, and the way he's passed isn't so much as noted as he turns to follow the movement.

"That is possibly because both she and I consider it to be no one's business but our own," he replies smoothly, loosely folding his arms. "I'm not in the habit of broadcasting my personal relationships." His attention goes to Carlisle, briefly, along with a slight lift of his eyebrows. "At least, not intentionally."

The less said about that, the better.

"Kate has mentioned you before, but as you say, things do conspire to keep us busy. It's a pleasure, I'm sure."

[tongueamok]

Carlisle cuts Ignis an annoyed look. "You are not in the habit of gossip," he attempts to politely reassure the other man, despite his irritable expression, "but given that Kate and Glacius are quite close" — he gives his partner a little pat on the chest, or the serpentine part that makes it up, rather — "I would have assumed she'd have mentioned a beau sooner rather than later. But there has surely been much on her mind, as you said."

Like looking into necromancy. That's a time-waster if there ever was one.

[glacius]

Ignis has a lot to learn about reading ice aliens, given that that Glacius' wariness here has been nearly entirely due to his concern over what others might think of him in this form. At least there's one person open-minded enough to not judge him for how he looks, and he's placing a hand on the front of the alien's body just underneath his neck now. Glacius looks at Carlisle, sucks in a little breath that makes his lithe, muscular body expand against the cleric's palm, then expels it in a little chuff as he shakes his head and nudges against his partner's face. Even to someone new to interpreting an ice alien's mannerisms, it is clear that he appreciates the contact.

"I wasn't apologizing for not butting into your personal affairs," Glacius clarifies, finally prying his attention away from Carlisle to cast a glance back at Ignis, "I was simple apologizing for never having properly introduced myself to another member of a cohort to which I am aligned. Perhaps if I had paid proper attention I could have surmised this all for myself, especially given the close relationship that I share with Kate, that Carlisle has noted. But—all is being amended now... though perhaps I should make a true introduction, now that I am being given the chance."

So the ice alien butts gently against Carlisle one more time before winding backwards from the cleric, rising up on his powerful coils as he does so—and then his form shimmers and simply drops, like a sheet of rain falling to the earth, reducing itself to a puddle in the blink of an eye. Just one more instant and Glacius has reverted to his true form, a towering, icy monolith of a humanoid with powerful limbs and jutting spikes taking form from the water... though those piercing, intelligent green eyes remain wholly unchanged.

The whole transformation is quick, smooth, graceful, and Glacius does seem more comfortable in this form than he was with being serpentine... though after remembering that this is a new face he's dealing with, he becomes a bit more tentative again. There's a moment of hesitation before he offers his frosty white hand, but at least he's managed to remember how humans like to greet each other.

[claritatis]

Not in the habit of gossip, no, or really going into any detail at all about what he does in his personal time. That Kate and himself are not terribly covert in their affection towards one another is a moot point, if it hasn't been observed by Glacius (which is fair enough, when he may have simply never come across them bidding each other goodbye before work).

"The blame can't fall entirely on you. I could have made my own introduction." It isn't how the individual looks that kept him from doing so, after all. Ignis observes the transformation to a far more familiar form with quiet, muted interest and none of his previous (however brief) wariness, and with no hesitation shown he takes the offered hand in a firm, polite grip.

"A pleasure, I'm sure," he says with a quick smile. "My apologies for any offence caused. I was entirely unaware of your particular talents."

[tongueamok]

With any and all offense seemingly smoothed over, Carlisle gives a quiet sigh of relief. He knows Glacius can be particularly defensive when it comes to Kate, and he would hate for the alien to have made a bad first impression upon Ignis.

"Yes yes, he is quite talented," Carlisle reassures with a lopsided smile. "He has been surveying the area, as I am sure you have been doing, given your positions within the Guard. Making sure, ah. People are safe and whatnot."