Shatter me sweet

Soleil

Soleil doesn't hold much concern over things like collateral damage, but given how Torchline has been getting the short end of the stick for the past season or so, it's only fair she doesn't overly terrorize the population. Yet.

Diana - eternally unimpressed even when Soleil is clearly being quite gracious and considerate - sits further down the beach away from the ominously smoking cloud that hangs over Apopo, far enough to be pointed but close enough for Soleil to feel her dismayed emotions. Buzzkill.

"Lava in the hole!" Soleil crows as she strikes her flint and sets the end of a small bundle of fireworks ablaze, turning to run barefoot in the sand away from her own impending disaster as her breathless laughter trails after her. It's not a very long fuse - an interesting choice on the merchant's behalf - so she spins to watch the BOOM! as her contraption goes off. She'd wedged the firecrackers against and partially beneath the hardened obsidian rock that had once been a lava flow, and she shrieks with delight as shards of black go exploding into the sky, cheering with her arms raised dramatically as the rocks come raining down in dull thumps into the sand. 

It's an obnoxiously victorious pose that only her exasperated companion is privy to. Hopefully. This doesn't technically count as property damage, right? She is still even more technically a tourist.

Ah well, c'est la vie and all that. 

Nova

sunkissed even in my darkest hours

Nova

The greatest gift
you can give someone

Quite bored with the melancholy Deepfrost weather, a small explosion had attracted her attention from the window of her house, and Nova literally jumped at the chance to investigate. Her siblings were off doing gods knew what, and she had something much more import to wonder: People were blowing stuff up without HER?! That was just preposterous. She was the best at explosives, and everyone knew that (one way or another). So without a second thought - or a pair of matching socks - Nova had snagged the family dingy and rowed out to the island. 

Stepping off her small boat and onto the blackened sand of Apopo, a blast of color and black chips of rock rained down the shoreline. Giggling, she threw her hands up in victory at her successful discovery. "Woohoo!" She immediately sprinted forward, blonde and red hair peeking out from her oversized orange floral puffer jacket to find the girl ducked away from the debris. Her blue scarf brought out the sparkling blue of her excited eyes and made her star freckles more prominent in the ashen atmosphere while she bounced with unbound energy. "That was amazing, but you should make it bigger and brighter!" Nova's hands threw out around her, trying futilely to portray exactly what was in her colorful mind.

is the space to be his or her
authentic self.

Soleil

Sol isn't expecting company given the otherwise dreadfully boring nature of a simmering volcano and acres of black-rock wasteland, so she jumps when a cheer joins hers and turns sharply, arms still comically stretched toward the sky. Whoever it is, they're colorful, and Soleil already has a wide grin on her face by time the blonde whirlwind hits landfall nearby.

"It was, wasn't it?" Preening despite lacking just about any shred of vanity, Soleil plants her hands triumphantly on her hips to revel in the delight of someone appreciating her display. Only to deflate slightly, lips pursing thoughtfully. "Bigger is easier, but how do we make it brighter?" Never one to understand personal space, Sol reaches out and tugs playfully on the young woman's vibrant scarf. "You're the brightest thing out here, but this is too cute to blow up! And everything else is just black," she groans, hand falling away from the scarf to gesture in an exaggerated slump at the lava rock she's been blowing to smithereens.

Diana - trailing toward them slowly, clearly reluctant to see these two forces meet - nudges her sharply through their bond and Soleil jolts in place as if electrocuted, hand sharply extending and smile brightening as if by habit. "Right! I'm Soleil, and this is Diana!"

sunkissed even in my darkest hours

Nova

The greatest gift
you can give someone

Nova giggles at the playful tug of her scarf. "Well, I know that." Although used to men's attention, it's nice to get a compliment from a fellow girl. There's just something about feminine comradery that makes it feel more true, and it makes her smile brighten just a touch more. It helps that the woman agrees with her suggestions, her own hands raising to emphasize what she has in mind. "With magic, obviously." She wiggles her fingers, her illusion magic sending sparkles over them like mini fireworks. It may not be strong, but it'll make the explosion look a little more colorful. 

Spotting the white wolf creeping through the black environment, Nova hops onto her toes to admire the fluffiness of the companion's fur. She immediately thinks of what a great outfit it would make, especially with some diamonds woven in and some rainbow dye to add some extra pizzazz. Maybe Diana would be willing to let her shave her if she asks nicely. For now, she tilts her head, giving them both a glittering smile. "I'm Nova! Like to meet you both!"

is the space to be his or her
authentic self.

Soleil

Soleil's delight is painted in the widening of amber eyes and the deepening of her smile, but she nevertheless feigns an exasperated roll of her eyes as she flicks an errant curl out of her eyes. "Well some people aren't magical - and also don't expect magical girls to pop up on volcanic beaches to save the day," she bemoans dramatically, though her eyes follow the illusory sparks like a hunting dog, transfixed the moment they appear. 

Dropping her hand easily when Nova doesn't take it, Soleil lets it fall to Diana's head in absentminded magnetism, ruffling her large ears and ignoring the huff it earns her. "Likewise! Now, boring social niceties observed, let's blow some shit up huh?" Grin turning sharp, the wolfgirl shoves her free hand into her satchel to retrieve another handful of fireworks, waggling them at Nova. "I've been half-burying these next to the lava rock since I can't chip away at it easily." Diana grumbles loudly, prompting a laugh from the young woman. "Well, Diana has been digging the holes. Let's go find another patch to blow up!" Nudging Nova on her way past, Soleil jogs over to the scattered shards and indented sand where the last one had blown up to begin scouting a suitable replacement, musing aloud, "How far away can you cast your magic? Maybe we should lay on our stomachs to set this one off so we stay closer to it."

sunkissed even in my darkest hours

Nova

The greatest gift
you can give someone

"Well that's a boring way to live." Without magic or magical girls? She couldn't imagine how draining that must be. And the lack of colors?! Nova is almost offended by the idea that some people live in a world of black and grey, going about their lives as if it isn't her worst nightmare. 

Content to leave people to their miserable existences, she grins brightly at the suggestion. "I like how you think, Soleil!" She gives a giggle and an energetic bounce, eager to make stuff explode in bursts of brilliant color. Her magic seems the glitter and wiggle down her body, just waiting to be let loose as she follows behind her new friends, looking for a spot to set up. 

Nova winces slightly at the question, realizing that the woman may have found a fault in her 'perfect' plans. "I haven't measured exactly how far, but only a few feet." Before Soleil can shame or accuse her, Nova lifts her head defensively. "I'm working on it." And then, to keep the topic off any mistaken 'weaknesses' she may have, the vibrant hybrid bounds forward to a dip in the dark stone. "What about here?!" There's a crack between two large black rocks, the space ideal for stuffing explosives and compacting the combustive reaction. And, if necessary, there's a shelf of rock nearby that would help them hide from the debris.

is the space to be his or her
authentic self.

Soleil

Soleil barks a sharp laugh, grin toothy. “Tell that to the gods then since most of us are born that way!” Well, aside from Abandoned, but that was a contentious topic. A less dire fate than it once was, and certainly less boring, but debatable how worth it it could be. “Or just do a tour circuit to be the magical girl we all clearly need.” Soleil wiggles her fingers like a magician casting glitter on the other woman, though unlike Nova she can’t actually make them appear. Luckily Nova’s well-timed excitement seems to do it for her which pleases Soleil enough to drop the topic. 

Raising an eyebrow and stomping down on her rising smile, Soleil nods seriously. “Don’t worry, we don’t judge size here. Only on the battlefield and in the bedroom.” She lays a hand over her heart in solemn vow and ignores the laughter bubbling in her chest, eternally amused by her own jokes. 

Jogging after the blonde, Soleil croons a noise of appreciation and drops carelessly to her knees - already a bit scraped up from doing this in the sand so many times today - and investigates the crevice up close and personal before leaning back and clapping her hands. “It’s perfect! Let’s destroy it!” Whipping out the fireworks, she stuffs the rest of her stock gleefully inside. Time to go big or go home now that they had an audience. Speaking of they - Soleil swings her head around to locate Diana, and chortles when she sees the wolf primly sat by the blast cover Nova had also noticed. “Chicken!” she jeers, though she only gets an ear flick in return. Pausing before she withdraws, Soleil shrugs and slides her pink shorts off to reveal her bikini bottoms. “These are colorful too, right? Now let’s do it!” And without further ado - or caution - she lights the end of the wick and runs.

sunkissed even in my darkest hours

Nova

The greatest gift
you can give someone

As if truly considering confronting the gods, Nova taps a finger just below her bright grin. "Maybe I will! Anyone you recommend?" She'd obviously bring it up with her mom, but is there anyone else she should lament about magic to? Not that she's opposed to being the one and only 'magic girl' that gets shared around Caido, it sounds like a very important position that she'd be perfect for. 

On the other hand, her ruffled pride is immediately smoothed over, a smile spreading across her face. Nova doesn't hide her laughter at the joke, letting it bubble up and sparkle between them. Although not experienced 'in the bedroom,' that doesn't mean she isn't familiar with the details of the act. She's considered it a few times, but no one's been interesting enough for her to want to explore the fun activity. She can't imagine it's anything more enjoyable than magic. Maybe if she's bored one day. 

For now, blowing stuff up in busts of color is much more exciting, and Nova watches with buzzing excitement as Soleil sets up the next explosion. She stays and watches the setup for as long as she can, absorbing each piece of information for future use, including Soleil's 'interesting' addition of her shorts. It isn't until Soleil is running for cover that she realizes she should probably be running too. Her little legs don't move fast, but she dives for cover with Diana just in time for the fuse to catch, a boom sounding as she glances over the rocky coverage to reach out with her magic. The colorful explosion ripples like an iridescent rainbow against the sky, glittering sparkles shooting off from the display in a way that has Nova giggling uncontrollably. Some might have thought it maniacal laughter, but the wondrous look in her eyes only holds a childish delight as she shoots up, her arms raised above her hand. "Woohoo!! That was amazing! Let's do it again!" She turns to Soleil and Diana, the dissipating explosion silhouetting her bouncing figure.

is the space to be his or her
authentic self.

Soleil

Well, Soleil has met exactly one god, not for lack of trying, and it would certainly love Nova from what Soleil knows of it. “Ludo would love you,” she gushes, perhaps blithely unaware of the dangers of questioning race diversity with the masked herald out of any of them. Or perhaps only the topic of Abandoned was taboo? Ironic.

Not nearly so interesting a thought to chase as the one that comes the moment she lights the fuse. And that thought is mostly just ’shit shit shit run run run ahahahaha!’ The last bit escapes through her mouth in the form of a shrieking laugh, sand flying as she, Nova, and Diana all dive for cover in an awkward scramble of limbs, fur, and bits of uncomfortable lava rock. 

Oh, but it’s worth it.

Nova’s magic, the fireworks, and the forsaken shorts go up in glorious, chaotic, colorful pieces. Soleil won’t dare to blink lest she miss a millisecond of the madness they’ve concocted. She erupts in equally raucous laughter next to Nova, coils escaping her bun and springing joyously around her face as she rears back on her ass and throws her arms triumphantly in the air to cheer alongside her strange new friend who stands illuminated before her. Grinning like a maniac in the shadow Nova casts over her, Soleil extends a hand in silent request to have the other girl help her up and thinks oh yeah, best beach day ever. “Let’s do it!!”

- Fin

sunkissed even in my darkest hours