(PP-F11) A Break From Duties (Lowenthal, Piera)

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal made it to the beach before the other two. Another perk of living near the ocean, and own a swimsuit store? being able to test out all of those swimsuits. "C'mon you two. It's a battle for second!" Lowenthal said, cheering his friends on. As they approached the shore, Lowenthal had already changed back into his black jacket, and was looking like his old self. "Well, let's get going. We have hair to not do and stories to tell!" Lowenthal cheered as he led the trio back to his hut. At his hut, Lowenthal opened the door, and let in Jomei and Piera. The front was his store, obviously. But it didn't have much. A few pieces of armor, and swimsuits were all stacked, and neatly folded.And despite being on a beach, the floor was miraculously tidy and free of sand. "The back is much bigger." Lowenthal said, going through a doorway that was labeled 'employee's only'. In the back he had a bed, just big enough for two people, and a few pillows in an open closet. "So, jomei. You and I get the floor." Lowenthal said, tossing his ginger friend a pillow.

[Piera 0]

Piera swam as fast as she could til she touched sand, around the same time as Jomei and when she saw him try to stand, she tripped him, yanking his ankle to get a head start. "Bwahahaha!" She cackled cartoonishly with a wide grin as she stumbled onto the shore. "Dangit Lowe, it's not fair, you're taller than me!" He had already beaten them both and the only reason she had gotten farther than Jomei was because she started swimming first and then tripped him. The brunette panted lightly as she caught up with the sandy haired player as he opened the door to his shop. She first equipped her casual clothing and was suddenly dry again thankfully before stepping into the shop. The alchemist looked around with wide curious eyes. This was the first time she'd ever been to his shop since he relocated. A smile came to her mouth as she recalled when she had snuck into his closed shop and nabbed the swimsuit to wear at his birthday party but then fell as she suddenly realized why it had been vacated. It had been in a safe zone at the time. He couldn't enter it because he had just become a PK. Her sudden melancholy was interrupted by Lowenthal's statement that himself and Jomei would be sleeping on the floor. "Eh? You guys don't have to, I can take the floor or a chair or something and you guys can share."

[Jomei 0]

Knowing he had swam past Piera during their race, he knew he was going to reach land before her. He stood up and began to run forward, awkwardly trying to trudge through the soaked sand and water. Suddenly, he felt something wrap around his ankle and pull back. Jomei let out a yell as he fell forward, his face smacking into the sand in front of him. He pushed himself up using his arms, coughing and spitting out the grainy sand that got into his mouth. When he opened his eyes again, he looked up to see a big grin on Piera's face as she laughed. "Oy! That was rude Piera!" His green eyes glared across the beach at the girl, but then he shrugged his shoulders.. figuring he deserved it for throwing her in the water in the first place. He walked his way out of the water, and once he was clear of the waves, he opened his menu and equipped his casual clothes. Immediately, he noticed that his body and hair were no longer wet from the water. He then ran to catch up to Lowenthal and Piera, who were already entering the man's shop.

This was the first time Jomei was ever in Lowenthal's new shop. He had been in his old one once, to pick up his bathing suit. Aside from that, that was the only time he was there. The set up seemed similar.. just slightly more 'beach-like' since now it actually was located on the shore. He followed the man into the back room, which was much bigger than he had expected, and big enough for all of them to stay in. Lowenthal told the two that Piera would take the bed, and Jomei and him would sleep on the floor. With a nod, Jomei agreed, "That sounds fine to me." and he caught the pillow in his chest that Lowe threw to him. 

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal laughed. "What, and leave the floor cold, and lonely? Nonsense." Lowenthal said, laughing. "Please, have the bed for the night. I'll have it tomorrow." Lowenthal said, smiling at Piera. Lowenthal touched his chin. "Actually, why don't you share the bed with Jomei? And I can pull out the hammock." Lowenthal suggested, as he stood up, and rummaged through a cabinet. After finding the hammock, that resembled more of a thick sheet or sail, then an actual hammock. Lowenthal unequipped his black jacket, and his chest armor. And equipped into his starter clothes. Well, just his starter pants and he remained shirtless. That was his normal pajamas, and he kept reminding himself to make an actual pair of pajama's but kept forgetting.

[Piera 0]

Piera glanced back at Jomei, now in his casual clothes and dry like her as he agreed to Lowenthal's proposal of her taking the bed while they just slept on the floor. Their guild leader joked about the floor getting cold and lonely if someone didn't sleep on it and reasoned that he'd have the bed tomorrow. But then he had to go and suggest that she share the bed with Jomei so that he could sleep in a hammock. The brunette opened her mouth to say something but when she saw the sandy haired man get out the 'hammock', she shrugged. "I uh... yeah sure, why not? You can't drool or snore more than Lee. Just don't go bragging that you slept with me." She joked to the ginger. It would be a tad awkward, but it wasn't like she didn't trust her two friends, regardless of their gender or sexuality. Looking back at Lowe, she saw him change into something more comfortable and realized that she didn't have anything that resembled 'pajamas', as what she wore to bed was simply her underwear. She'd just stick to her starter clothing. "So! What do we do first?" The brunette unequipped her boots, leaving her feet bare before she took a running jump, flumping onto the bed with a bounce before grabbing a pillow and holding it to her chest. "The braiding of the hair? Truth or dare? Or maybe a bit of a scare~?" The alchemist giggled at her lame rhyme.

[Jomei 0]

Jomei smiled and put up his hand, declining the offer. "Its fine Piera, you can sleep in the bed. I don't mind the floor." he shrugged his shoulders, "I'm used to it anyway, since I only have a bedroll to sleep on in my shop." There was not much room for a bed in the small attic Jomei used as a room in his Floor Two shop. Then again, he only really needed the necessities to get by. Maybe one day he would save up to buy an actual house, with a real bed. But for now, he was fine with what he had. He saw Lowenthal change into his 'pajamas' which was pretty much just taking off his shirt and boots. Piera, on the other hand, merely unequipped her boots and hopped into the bed. Jomei unequipped his boots and replaced his current starter shirt with a brown T-shirt he used for sleeping. He then took a couple of steps over to where the bed was located and sat at the foot of the bed in front of Piera. 

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal pulled out the hammock as the conversed, and was able to set it up with ease. "Hm?" Lowenthal said, as he pulled out a small stuffed rabbit from inside the counter. "OH, I totally forgot I made this guy. It's my first plushie I made." Lowenthal turned, and tossed it at Piera. "Here, you have it." Lowenthal said, as he went back over ot his hammock and sat down on it. "I'm down with some Truth or Dare, that is if you guys can handle it." Lowenthal taunted, as he lied down in his hammock. There was always something about the things that made it impossible to sit in. Perhaps it was because they swung to much. Or perhaps Lowe wasn't wearing his armor anymore, and his balance was affected by it somehow. "How about, Piera asks me first? Then I'll ask Jomei. I'll go with truth." Lowenthal said, getting comfortable in the hammock.

[Piera 0]

Piera frowned when Jomei argued that he could sleep on the floor since he was used to it. "Okay, now you're definitely not sleeping on the floor. You seriously don't have a bed? I mean my shop didn't come with one originally either but you can buy furniture an squeeze it in there if there's enough space. And you only need a single size bed." The bed that she and Lee used took up most of the small space upstairs.

She was about to say something else to her ginger friend when she heard Lowenthal say something about a plushie before something soft was tossed at her. Flinching in automatic reflex from years of ingrained fear of balls being thrown at her bespectacled face, the brunette somehow managed to catch the stuffed animal before peeking her eyes open and they went wide at what she saw. "Th-this.... Bunny?" Her expression was that of shock even as her eyes misted behind her oval glasses as she stared at the plush rabbit before hugging it to her chest tightly with a smile and weak laugh. Sniffling, the alchemist wiped away the traces of tears as she explained, "This looks just like my Bunny in real life. I've had him since I was three years old. Took forever to learn to sleep without him when we got stuck here." She ran her hand over the soft ears reverently with a wide content smile as she looked back at Lowenthal. "Thank you. And yes I can handle anything you can dish out with Bunny!"

Piera felt a surge of confidence with her childhood stuffed animal back at her side. She thought for a moment what kind of question to ask Lowenthal. "Hmm......." It was hard to think of anything good so she went with a pretty standard question in this type of game. "How old were you when you got your first kiss?"

[Jomei 0]

Jomei smiled at Piera, who insisted he share the bed with her on account of him not owning a bed of his own. He rubbed the back of his neck, "I'll just sleep wherever I knock out then." It was not that Jomei found it weird or awkward to sleep in the same bed as Piera, he just took it as a courtesy to let her take the whole bed rather than having to have her share it with someone who was not Lee. It was then that a small stuffed animal was tossed across from where Lowenthal was to Piera. It was a small, rabbit plush that apparently Lowenthal made himself. Jomei shot a quick eye up to Lowenthal, not knowing he could make plush dolls before. That truly was a great skill to have as a tailor. He then looked back over at Piera, who's face took to a whole new level of happy and content. Jomei could not help but smile with her as she hugged the bunny close to her body. 

It was then suggested by Lowenthal that the three partake in playing Truth or Dare. A little old fashioned, Jomei could not help but admit, and usually something not played by adults of their age.. but he figured it could be fun... He would probably end up learning a lot more about his friends than he already did. With a grin, Jomei nodded, "Alright lad, challenge accepted." Lowenthal set up the order of the game, being Piera asked Lowenthal, and then Lowe askes Jomei, and then he to Piera. With a nod, Piera began, asking Lowenthal about his age when he had his first kiss. Jomei listened to Lowenthal answer his question before smirking and looking to Lowenthal, "My turn I guess... Uhm.. For now lets go with truth." he wanted wait and see how the 'dare' question would play out in time... if he knew Piera and Lowe like he did.. he was sure they could come up with some daring tasks...
 

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal laughed. "Starting off small are we? Alright." Lowenthal said as he rolled over. "21." He said, embarrassingly. "Anyway, Jomei your turn!" Lowenthal said, chuckling. Lowenthal thought for a moment. Thinking of what question to ask. "Hmm, now what should I ask? Truth or dare should be the game that transcends the laws and rules of friendships and test the bonds that they have forged." Lowenthal said, using a tone of voice that could inspire heroism in even the most fear stricken coward. "What was your reaction of me, when you saw that I was a player killer?" Lowenthal asked, getting the obvious 'Lowe's orange' question out of the way.

[Piera 0]

Piera's jaw dropped with an open mouthed smile of surprise at Lowenthal's answer and immediately wanted to ask for details and explanations but he pressed Jomei for his turn. The ginger man chose truth and she looked back at Lowe as he explained what exactly 'truth or dare' should accomplish, causing her to grin at his tone. But it faltered slightly at the question, her arms tightening around her Bunny before glancing at Jomei. She almost wanted to answer as well, but this was not her question. The brunette was curious to hear what their friend thought as well. If he thought the same as her. After he answered and then posed her the question of, 'truth or dare', she paused to consider. ".....Dare." She couldn't imagine the Irish gentleman daring her to do anything too outrageous.

[Jomei 0]

Jomei's smile slightly fell as Lowenthal asked his question.."Huh.." The man rubbed the back of his neck, ruffling the hair there. He did not expect such a serious question like that straight off the bat. He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, looking his friend in the eye, thinking of what to say. "Well...I'll be honest.. When I first caught glimpse of it at your birthday.. I did not know what to think. Part of me wanted to punch you in the face for doing such a thing.. and I was not sure if I could trust you anymore." he sighed. "But.. I realized the right thing to do was to trust the man who had grown to be my friend and believe that what he did was right in his own eyes.." his lips curled into a smirk as he looked at the orange cursor above Lowenthal's head. "I still don't believe killing other players is okay to do... But I guess 'm starting to realize that sometimes, we don't have a choice.. our lives are really on the line here.." He shook his head, "B-But let me not kill the mood of the night." he chuckled sheepishly.

Piera had chosen dare. She was being quite courageous choosing such a question right off the bat. He opened his mouth to speak.. but then closed it soon after. He then remembered why he barely played this game when he was younger... he sucked at it. Well, mostly the question asking part. "Uhm..." he scratched at the hairs on his chin, trying to think of some sort of dare for Piera. "Heh, a little silly.. but I dare you to do your best imitation of three other players." 

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal had quickly fallen asleep, his exhaustion getting the better of him. The boss fight was quickly approaching, and he needed rest. He was sure that Jomei and Piera would have their fun. At least, till they both were tired, and retired for the night as well. The game of truth an dare finally over. Lowenthal rolled over, enjoying his hammock to his full intent. Sleep was good, and it washed over Lowenthal like the ocean outside. Lulling him to a deep, deep sleep.

Thread Complete
1 SP to all
200Col to all.