Test Drive Meme #1

[proximods]

The sun is shining and the weather is nice and toasty. Overly toasty one might argue, even. It's a great day to be laying around at the beach, so it's a good thing that that's where you've found yourself today, whether you'd made plans to be there or not. Bathing suit and sunscreen ready, you're going to get your tanning time on.

But with heat comes the expected side effects for a place like Proxima Gamma. While the cool water can sometimes slow the effects, the heated beaches and freshly popped flowers seem to have made getting close to someone else just seem like a really great idea. You can try to fight off the side effects much as you want, but the scientists like to believe everyone has a breaking point.

Comments

[leekspins]

I'll be sure to buy one with my next paycheck! It would be more fun if we could surf together, ne?

[Although the thought of him helping her out onto the surfboard does ignite a little something... Yes, definitely best to get her own surfboard, she thinks to herself as she quickly shoves the other idea out of her head. She came here to make friends, not flirt. What would he think of her otherwise?]

Th...thanks! Is there anything I can help you with in return?

[burnwithawesome]

Alright. Let me know when and I will come with you to pick one out.

[She had no idea that she was speaking to the flirt master. Had he been the one to stumble across her, the first thing he would have done was hit on her.]

Nothing comes to mind at the moment.

[leekspins]

Really? Thanks! I'm not really sure what kind of specifications to look for, so that would help a lot!

[She'd been planning to go get one after she finishes the last bite of her hot dog, but if he wants to go with her, she should wait until he's finished grilling.]

Well...a favor, then. Maybe something will come to mind later!

[burnwithawesome]

It can be tricky picking out your first one. If you don't get the right one, you'll have a harder time learning. [Basically he was thinking she needed a beginners board.] When were you planning to go?

[He starts taking some of the food off and putting it into the tin next to him.]

Alright, I'll bank it as a favor. [He was sure he could think up something later.]

[leekspins]

Well...

[She dusts off her hands, finishing up the hot dog as she gazes down the beach.]

I'm pretty sure there's a shop around here that sells or rents them. I can't imagine there wouldn't be!

[Oh, wait, he asked her when. As to that, she shrugs.]

Later today, I suppose!

[burnwithawesome]

[It was the beach, so he was sure there were places nearby that sold them.] If you want to go now, we can. I don't mind.

[He was mostly done cooking anyway. And even if he wasn't, he could always restart once he was finished.]

[leekspins]

That would be great! Ah... But don't you want to eat first?

[Unless he'd been grilling just to draw people over to make new friends... That's actually pretty ingenious! She'll have to keep that in mind, since she's always game to meet interesting people.]

[burnwithawesome]

Best thing about burgers and hot dogs, you can talk and eat them at the same time. [He says as he makes himself a burger before turning off the grill and then covering up the food. He motions for her to take the lead.] After you.

[leekspins]

That's true! Well then, thank you!

[It's spontaneous, she knows, so she's glad he seems to have a sense of adventure. She looks left, then right, trying to decide which place they should go first. She came from the right and hadn't seen any surf shops, so...left. Hopefully that's correct! If not, they're going to do a lot of walking.]

So what was your world like, where you came from? What kind of things did you do?

[burnwithawesome]

[He's fine with doing some walking. He follows along with her, taking a bite out of his burger and chewing and swallowing before he answered her question.] My world was..well, It was kind of normal. There were less than five people in my world with special powers. One of them was evil. The rest of us used our abilities to protect the world as superheroes.

So we did that, but I'd also go around for press events, store openings, movie premieres. [They were basically celebrities.] And then also the extreme sport stuff. Going to clubs..I had a busy lifestyle.

[leekspins]

It sounds like it!

[It actually sounds like a lot of fun, truth be told. She's not so sure she could be as open with her abilities, since she has no idea how other people would react. At least people here seem to be fairly open-minded.]

I guess with four against one, the odds are definitely in favor of the heroes, ha ha!

[burnwithawesome]

Yep. But it's his choice to be evil, so you reap what you sow. [It wasn't like they were bullies or anything. If the guy didn't want his butt kicked, then he needed to stop being evil.]

So what about you? We're you a model? [He asks before eating more of his burger.]

[leekspins]

Me? Ha ha! No, definitely not!

[She holds up crossed arms, making an X.]

I was working part-time at a bakery while finishing up my last year at high school. I wanted to get a degree in teaching, and open my own bakery!

[And be an astronaut. Preferably all at once, if she could get away with it.]

We fought ghosts too, I suppose. It wasn't something I planned on for a career, though!

[burnwithawesome]

Why do you say like that? You're definitely beautiful enough to be a model. I can see you being world famous. [Not that there was anything wrong with what she was doing now. But she had options.]

Ghosts? How do you fight a ghost?

[leekspins]

A-ah ha ha ha! That's really nice of you.

[He's just saying it to be kind, right? She's pretty sure. The second question is easier for her to answer.]

Spiritual weapons. My friend Sado-kun could punch them, and Ishida-kun had a bow he fired. And Kurosaki-kun...

[Orihime does an admirable job of not fidgeting.]

...he has a sword, called a zanpaku'tou! My weapons are shields. I'd demonstrate if I could, but, well...most people can't really see them.

[She shrugs with a helpless smile.]

[burnwithawesome]

[Not at all, he believes she is really that good looking.]

Huh..I guess there are all sorts of powers in different worlds. [It was a little surprising, but not too much so.]

[leekspins]

Yeah, it seems that way, doesn't it?

[She glances up at him, then smiles.]

But you're still the first person I've met who can set himself on fire and enjoy it.

[burnwithawesome]

[He finishes of his burger and then dusts off his hands.]

I'm glad I can be your first, then. And that there aren't too many people roaming around with this power too.

[leekspins]

Ha ha!

[She almost forgets what he said before about making a demonstration, so she very nearly asks if she can see it. Luckily, she spots the surf shop, and straightens immediately.]

Oh, there it is! Wow, they even have tiki torches...

[She could put one on the balcony of her apartment! But they're probably not for sale. Grinning back at Johnny, she reaches for his arm to pull him along as she races for the shop, laughing.]

Hurry, before they close!

[They're not going to close.]

[burnwithawesome]

[He smiles a bit and then quickly hurries along so that she doesn't leave him behind. He doesn't know what time it is, but there probably is a chance that the place could be close to closing. And her not getting a board would have made this trip completely worthless.]

I'm coming, I'm coming!

[leekspins]

[Orihime darts into the shop, and is momentarily stunned by all of the bright and nearly eye-searing designs. Of course a board would need to be intensely colored, so it's easier to find. But she's not really sure what she should be looking for. Does the length and width matter? What about the fin underneath?]

[The shopkeep looks up, bored, then looks back at the magazine.]

All boards are fifty dollars, or one round of sex, your choice.

[He says it so complacently that she almost completely misses it. Orihime gapes at him, but he's more interested in his magazine.]

Erm...I'm...paying with cash, please.

[He just grunts, not even glancing up at her.]

[burnwithawesome]

[Johnny chuckles a bit. That was some business plan. A round of sex? He knew so many people that would love to be able to pay with things like that.]

Okay..cash it is. [Johnny says.]

So you are going to one a board that is at least a foot taller than you. And one that's about three inches thick.

[leekspins]

[Orihime nods, glad for the advice. She's 5'1" herself, and if she had to guess, Johnny is about a foot taller. She places her palms together with a beseeching smile.]

So something about your height, then! Let's see...

[She walks slowly, studying the top of his head to see which boards come to his height.]

What does the thickness affect? Does that make it more sturdy?

[burnwithawesome]

The thickness effects the buoyancy of the board. Makes it way easier to paddle out and should make it easier for you to learn to balance in the water.

[leekspins]

Oh, I see! That sounds ideal, then.

[He passes in front of a teal and lime green tiger-striped board that looks to be about his height. Orihime runs in front of him and steps forward, to herd him back so she can compare his height. That looks to be about what she should get.]

How's this one?

[The design is garish, but she's not really paying attention to what the board actually looks like. It just needs to fit the specifications.]