fandomtownies | The Beach: Saturday afternoon

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The Beach: Saturday afternoon

Karal had ~~handwavily~~ heard that the creature in the woods had been banished. It was a great relief, but he was still disturbed.

Rather than sit in his alcove and brood over it, he'd saddled Trenor and brought him down to the beach for a run. His mane was whipping along Karal's cheek as he leaned forward and urged him faster, until they were almost flying across the sand. As they approached a driftwood log, he collected him, rose in his stirrups, and they soared over it, landing neatly on the other side.

"Good, Trenor. Good boy," he said as he reined him in, slowing to a trot, then a walk, and he smiled up into the sky as he patted Trenor's neck. Everything was simpler on the back of a horse.

[ooc: open of course, as t'is a beach!]

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"Jus' as long as it doesn't keep me from doing what I used to," Chad added, after a moment, as if he'd meant to say it all together, but it just didn't work out that way. In the back of his head was Teddy's voice, nagging but not in an annoying way, about how it won't heal unless he let it heal, which made Chad grin a little, and then he started wondering if the strain in his side would effect his armour at all...

"Is it likely to, do you think?" he asked, curious and not trying to hide it, especially when he saw the grin.

"Don't know," Chad admitted. "Well..." Again, Teddy's voice in his head telling him it might not be a good idea, but he knew even if Teddy was here, he would want to do this now that he'd thought of it. "I could give it a little test. Wanna see something kinda cool? That isn't my wound?"

Curiosity much more intense now, he nodded. "Yes, please! If you don't mind."

He wouldn't have asked if he'd minded. The slightest grin tugged the corners of Chad's mouth. "Haven't tried to do it since the stabbing," he said, "so I'm not sure how it'll work, but..."

Drawing in a deep breath, Chad's chest swelled a little with the inhalation. He took a step back and away from Karal and his horse. It pulled the wound a little, but it was bandaged up tight, so it was only a strange sort of tugging, not really painful anymore, and he closed his eyes as he exhaled, trying to find his spirit force and gather it. He pulled his right arm back a little; again, pulling in his side, but not too bad. He punched it forward sharply, and the spirit force surrounded his arm in the movement, forming out the strange, smooth red and black armour all along his arm.

He clenched his fist open and closed a little as though fitting into the new skin. His other hand cupped his side. Okay, so it did actually hurt, but at least he knew now that the armour would still work. He slumped, slightly, catching himself before he could stagger. He gave a small grin over at Karal. "Not bad, huh?"

Not as cool as other powers around here, yeah, but still cool, he hoped. He'd kind of missed showing it off to new people, too.

Trenor threw his head up and snorted, rolling his eyes and staring with deep suspicion and Chad.

Karal was staring as well, though not with suspicion. It was part awe, part wonder, and he settled Trenor automatically. "That was incredible! Was it-- " He shook his head, realising he had no idea what it had been. "What was it?"

Chad's staggering steps caught up with him then, not because of pain, but because of the horse's reaction, and he stared at the animal for a bit in confusion. "I..I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

He blinked when he realized that Karal didn't seem upset that Chad had upset Trenor and that he'd managed the horse easily. "Um," he said, armoured hand ducking behind his neck because he felt embarrassed now, "spirit force. Not...really sure exactly how; it showed up when I was trying to protect someone and it's power increased thanks to a friend of mine, but....yeah. Jus'...something I can do, I guess."

"No, no, it's fine. He's fine." Karal gestured at Trenor, who was already relaxing. "He just likes to make a fuss. Truly, no harm done," he assured him, moving a little bit closer, absolutely fascinated, but determined not to make Chad uncomfortable. "It is I who should apologise for staring, but I've never seen anything like that. And that it manifested from your desire to protect someone, well, that is quite amazing. You must have been very determined to keep them safe."

"Well, it was Ichigo's sister, so..." So much for not making Chad uncomfortable, but giving him praise like that certainly kept his head down and his armoured hand still at his neck. The other really had to remain at his side, which was arguing over all the moment. "I mean, she couldn't really...anyone would have done the same, I just got..."

Clearly, that topic wasn't working as far as cognizant sentences went, so Chad abruptly jumped to something else. "Don't mind; I know it's different." He lowered his arm, turning it slightly toward Karal, flexing slightly. "You can touch it if you want; it's just weird armour or something. Nearly impenetrable."

Karal winced, though he kept it internal, because he was obviously saying the wrong things. And he suddenly realised that Chad was experiencing some discomfort, probably as a result of his wound. "I would very much like to, but perhaps you should sit down?" he suggested gently, gesturing towards some nearby driftwood logs.

Chad's first reaction was to refuse the offer to sit down, but then he noticed the logs and thought better of it. With a nod, he gave an affirmative grunt, moving over carefully before lowering himself down with just as much attention to caution. He settled with another grunt and a long breath of air. "Dios..." Being stabbed kind of sucked...

Karal followed, leading Trenor and sort of hovered without hovering, wanting to help but knowing he lacked anything that would actually let him. "The armour," he said, nodding at Chad's hand, "it is sort of beautiful. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

...Beautiful? Now there was an adjective Chad never really expected anyone to apply to anything of his. Well, he kind of always hoped someone would think that about his eyes but, if anyone did, they never mentioned it. It had him moving the armoured arm in front of him, opening and closing his fist as he looked at it a little, as if trying to see what Karal apparantly saw.

He then shook his head slightly. "Nah, I'm good. I've got some pain meds back at the cabin that'll help and, if anything, I can find Katara. Her waterbending healing stuff makes it feel better pretty good."

"All right. If you are sure." Karal had already made up his mind to walk with Chad back to the cabins, just in case. "May I?" he asked, tentatively reaching a hand towards Chad's armoured one. "And I did not know there were any healers here."

"Oh, yeah, go for it," Chad said, holding out his arm so that Karal could feel the cold, smooth armour better. "I didn't actually know Katara could heal until she did it the other day in the clinic." That had him frowning slightly, because what kind of Best Roommate Ever

"It sounds like a very good time to find out," he said, gently pressing two fingers to the armoured surface. It felt odd, nothing like skin, and he flattened his palm against it. "Does it allow you to feel?"

Somewhere in the back of his head he was aware he was being quite rude, but he was distracted by the newness of this.

"Not really," ~~the mun assumed~~ Chad said. "It's pretty thick stuff."

Karal nodded, fascinated, and pulled his hand away. "Thank you," he said, smile a little shy. "For showing me, and for letting me--" He waved his hand. "Everyday here I discover things that I never knew existed."

Trenor shook his head, making the bit jingle, and lifted one hoof, setting it back down in the same spot.

"Don't worry about it," Chad said, shaking his head a little; he wondered if he should make the armour go away, but maybe he should keep it on a little longer. he didn't use it much so maybe it was practise or something that would be good for it. "An', yeah, this place is pretty amazing like that..."

"It truly is," he agreed, running one hand down Trenor's neck.

Karal glanced from Chad, to Trenor, and back to Chad. "Would it be easier, I mean easier on your wound, if you were to ride back to the cabins?"

"Hm?" Chad looked up at Karal and Trenor, blinking as though not really processing what he said at first. "Oh. Oh, um, n..no. Probably better if I don't. Never ridden a horse before; m'awkward enough on my own two feet without..." He shook his head. "Nah, I'll be fine. Thanks, though. The walk's good for me."

He ducked his head in acknowledgement. "If you have never been on a horse, that is probably wisest."

"'Sides," Chad grinned a little at the ducking head. "Looks like a real good, sturdy horse an' all, but I'm a pretty big guy. Don't need to put Trenor through that."

"He's much stronger than he looks," Karal promised, smiling at him. "I think he could carry you. Though you might have to tuck your feet up a bit."

With another look at Trenor, Chad had to admit to himself that the offer was tempting, until he remember that he was totally afraid of heights, anyway, and the whole idea of being on something that he couldn't control and could possibly throw him off. And...y'know trotting and bouncing and wounded sides, although Karal would probably make him keep a slow pace, but...

"Maybe another time?" Chad offered. He squeezed his right hand into a fist, released it, and shook out the armour with a slight cloud of the disappating spirit for as his arm went back to normal. With that, he stood up, slowly, carefully, not without a groan.

"Should probably head back now anyway." Before Teddy got upset over him not resting enough. And he did have pain med waiting for him, too...

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