Camping Trip!

[symmetrophile]

Who: Rin Okumura, Maka Albarn, and Death the Kid
What: Three kids decide to take a break after the RPG curse and go camping. In early spring. Yeah, no one accused them of being particularly good at planning camping trips.
Where: The Island
Status: Closed
Style: Action



[When Kid arrived to collect Rin and Maka bearing nothing more burdensome than a small backpack, one might have worried about how prepared they were to go camping for a week on the island far above Vatheon's bubble. But he was profuse with his assurances that he had packed everything they might possibly need.

The question remained: Where is it?]

If you still need time to get ready, I'll wait for you downstairs.

[And that was that; Kid had already combed through the entire Villa, making certain nothing was out of place or in need of a last minute tidying up. Pip had been fed, brushed, and was ready to go, and all there was left to do was wait in the foyer for his two friends to join him.]

Comments

[heartandsoul]

You've got Aurelio, right Rin?

[She didn't even really need to explain why she suggested bringing along their pets, all she had to do was invoke the name of Professor Stein and the boys understood immediately what she was getting at.

Nonetheless, Maka is looking dubiously over what she has packed and contemplating how they're going to handle meals up top. Bring a cooler maybe? ...Do they even have a cooler?]

[keepsthefire]

[Rin was, with some level of dubiousness, trusting Kid and his claims that he had everything properly prepared. Sure he had impeccable attention to detail (and all the neuroses that came with that) but there had still been some doubt in his mind when Kid came to them with the idea and assurances that he would "handle everything".

That, of course, had been last night when Rin was far more awake, if not horridly beat up from being kicked around during the curse's "final boss". Being forced out of bed before his required 20 hours of catnapping eleven hours of sleep after all that had left him groggy, running on autopilot as he packed his remaining items and gathered his fluffy friend up for transportation.

He was standing there, backpack on his back, another shoulder bag slung across his shoulder where Aurelio had been tucked in, his head sticking out as he shared a similar groggy expression to his owner.

Both cat and half-demon yawned at the same time as Rin answered.]

Yeahhuh...

[symmetrophile]

[There was a good reason Kid kept popping into the kitchen during the last few weeks, barraging Rin with questions about ingredients, shelf life and preservation, the acquisition and preparation of certain quick meals that the half-demon made now and then.

He had been compiling a shopping list, and the final result rested in an ice chest.

That ice chest was presently being used as a seat for the grim reaper. Beside it was a packaged tent with poles and stakes, a trio of bed rolls, one first aid kit, and another bag. It was a lot for one person to carry, let alone three who might end up traveling a distance and none of it with the aid of a vehicle.

He's passing the time messing around on his SFC, predicting how many teenagers will appear two decades from his time: playing on their cell phones.]

[heartandsoul]

[Don't worry, Rin, she'll take it upon herself to drag you down the stairs to meet with Kid because Maka's such a thoughtful girlfriend.

She balks at the bottom step when she catches sight of Kid serenely sitting on the ice chest and sloooowly raises an eyebrow.]

Okay, I guess you weren't lying about being prepared...wow.

[How are they even going to carry all of that? Shit, if only she had a sylladex right now.]

[keepsthefire]

[Thank you, Maka.]

... that's a lotta stuff.

[What an astute observation, Rin. Yawning again, he carefully takes the bag with Aurelio off and hands it to Maka, moving to the pile of gathered supplies silently so he can start picking things up.

He's no stranger to being a pack mule, and they have to get this all up there somehow, right?]

[symmetrophile]

[As soon as Kid's aware of their arrival, the grim reaper places his SFC on the stand nearby, greeting them with the upwards curve of his mouth as he stands.]

Splendid, isn't it? [Kid, that's not why Maka's saying wow.] The dome tent requires a lot of work to assemble, but when it's complete, it'll be a fine shelter.

[Oh no, dome tent. You can tell why he picked it.]

Rin--don't try to carry the ice chest, I can place it on Beelzebub. Take part of the tent kit, if you must.

[He's going to collect the other backpack and the tent poles.]

[heartandsoul]

[...Typical Kid maneuvers all around. She just adjusts the pack that's carrying Aurelio and her backpack, nodding.]

I'll set up the tent when we arrive.

[And this is accompanied with A Look saying "I know both of you are too ridiculously strong and liable to snap the supports if you get impatient once."]

Shall we?

AT THE SITE

[symmetrophile]

[A stroll, an elevator ride, and then a very long walk later, brought our trio of explorers at last to a sheltered clearing in the forest, where the thickly growing trees and undergrowth blocked out much of the raw Spring breeze, and mid-day sun shone unhindered into the small meadow.

A creek, swollen from meltwater as the last traces of a snowy Winter made their inexorable way back to the sea, forked at one edge of the forest and cut through the flat field in two great branches.

It was here that Kid suggested they make camp. Naturally, at a point exactly between both babbling creeks.]

Rin and I will get started on the fire pit. [You were saying, about being a packmule?] I'm sure there are stones of a suitable size around the creek. Maka, if the tent is too heavy, don't hesitate to ask us to help.

[He has some canvas work gloves in it for Maka if she's game.]

You had better wear these, so your hands don't get dirty.

[Kid, getting dirty is an inevitability while camping, gosh.]

[keepsthefire]

[Oh come on, Rin totally won't break--

No wait he broke the tent on the last camping trip you're right Maka, good idea.]

Yup! Let's go!

[And away they went!]

[keepsthefire]

[Rin isn't even going to bother pointing out everything that's wrong with what Kid just said to Maka. Just... yeah. Going to focus on the fire pit then.

Dropping the items he hauled up, he takes a moment to admire the area Kid picked though, grinning not just at how nice it was but at other, actual pleasant memories. Even if it wasn't with his exwire friends, it was still nice to be able to do something like this again.]

[heartandsoul]

[Maka just takes the gloves anyway so Kid doesn't worry, and starts fishing around for an instruction manual.]

I know how I can't exactly put holes in the ground, but that doesn't mean I can't handle a tent Kid, geez.

[symmetrophile]

Please make sure the doorway is exactly facing the middle, where the two brooks meet!

[Your future overlord, Maka.

Appeased, Kid (who fails to see anything wrong with anything he said) sets off in search of similarly sized stones to line the fire pit with, starting with the area immediately surrounding their chosen site.

Nothing, after all, is worse than trying to walk in the dark and tripping over something.]

[keepsthefire]

[God Kid you are such a slave driver. I mean really...

Rin follows after ditching his sweatshirt and his sword case on the bags.]

So... Kid, I gotta ask... what made you decide to do this anyway?

[heartandsoul]

[IGNORING THAT, Maka's already flipped through and absorbed the instructions and starts on the framework.]

Yeah, Kid, you don't really strike me as an outdoorsy type. What would Liz and Patti think?

[symmetrophile]

[Happening upon a stone that fits all his specifications, Kid enthusiastically reaches for it--

And then draws back, realizing, it seems, that he might end up getting absolutely filthy picking it up off the ground. This is a problem, indeed.]

Hm? Oh. I'm not.

[That's not really a shifty look at all. No, it really is; Kid is stuck between the rock and a hard place called 'I don't want to get dirty/visibly sentimental' and 'I should answer this completely'.]

Speculation on the Thompson sisters aside-- [Because the grim reaper is actually starting to look troubled] --I could think of no other way to spend time with you without interruptions other than to physically leave the bubble.

In hindsight, I suppose that's hardly being fair.

[keepsthefire]

[Rin is perfectly alright with getting dirty, though. After all he works in a kitchen every day - dirty is the name of the game. He goes for the stone that he saw Kid reaching for, adding it to the small pile that he already has started in his arms.]

How is it not bein' fair to wanna spend time with your friends? No different than askin' us to go to a movie or hang out at a cafe or whatever.

[He looks at the stone thoughtfully, if only to give himself something to stare at.]

'sides, the way things have been lately... I think we needed some time away. Pretty sure... back home, the cherry blossoms would be on the trees again. That's somethin' I'd rather not think about anyway.

[heartandsoul]

Hmmmm...

[Caught between a rock called and a hard place "aww, how sweet" and "is this really Kid right now?"]

It's not wrong, though. Rin's social life is unrivaled!

[She's just teasing, Maka knows she tends to throw herself into things and ignore everything else for a while, especially well...events.]

Actually, it makes me happy that you want to spend time with us like this.

[...It's cute, really. Even though she doesn't actually need time away any more than she gives herself already, less so than Kid and Rin at least. Heck, they could have just gone off on their own.]

[symmetrophile]

[Maka, he's being selfish. He brought you and Rin along so he could have his two best friends in Vatheon all to himself.

That is not fair and impartial treatment.

He's a terrible grim reaper, yet he can't quite bring himself to regret his decision.

Is this what humans call a "guilty pleasure"?]

And that's all there is to it--thank you, Rin, let's bring them closer to the tent. Besides, even in the lively Villa, one can feel a bit.

[Hm.] Lonely. I'm willing to rough it a little in that case. ...Do cherry blossoms represent something unpleasant, Rin?

[keepsthefire]

[Rin brings back the stones they've gathered so far, giving Maka an odd look at the comment about his social life. He can't really argue, though. Compared to his social life back home, Rin has no shortage of friends in Vatheon.

He's... still not entirely sure how that happened.

The question makes him sigh and straighten as he runs a hand through his hair.]

It's the start of spring in Japan. And there were blossoms on the trees around the church when I left home for the first time.

[Meaning after his father died, since he was only 15 at the time.]

[heartandsoul]

[...Guh. She can't just stay in silence the whole time, she's pretty sure she gets the meaning behind what Rin's saying.

So Maka, being about halfway through the tent assembling, flaps a hand at the two cheerily.]

We should make smores tonight! Over a fire! Then it can be a real authentic camping experience!

[symmetrophile]

[Having grappled with this internal argument with regards to the creation of the fire pit, Kid finally relents, stooping to begin arranging the stones in as perfect a circle as he can manage with cringe-inducingly imperfect materials. Some are smaller than the others; in an attempt to produce an appealing visual effect, he tries to alternate between large and small for balance.

It only works a little. This may have to be a work in progress, because Kid is looking up at Maka, now.]

Smores? Do we even have what we need for something like that? [There is, coincidentally, a box of graham crackers, a few bars of chocolate, and a bag of marshmallows among their camping supplies, but it's anyone's guess how they got there. He didn't get it!

...Who wants to blame Pip.]

[keepsthefire]

Uhm... I'unno, I can look...

[Leaving Kid to his task (and silently thanking Maka for the distraction) Rin heads to the bags and starts digging through the food items that didn't need to be put in the cooler.

After a bit he starts pulling out the bags of marshmallows, boxes of crackers and chocolate bars.]

I guess we're set. For a few days at least. This is lotta chocolate.

[Pip you little glutton.]

[heartandsoul]

[Pip looks pretty damn pleased with himself rn, which Maka raises an eyebrow at...then snorts when she realizes what's up.]

Who cares if it's a lot, it's not like it'll go to waste!

[(Though she does nudge Pip a little and tells him quietly that he can't have the chocolate, it's toxic to foxes).

Aaaand a little more slight adjustments with the position the tent is in before Maka steps back and surveys it.]

I think we're set up!

[symmetrophile]

Ah, those. I let Pip help with packing.

[That's right. He let a Pokemon help pack. Guess what, you two; pretty much all the sweets and junk food squirreled away in their belongings was probably put there by Pip. Baby knows what he likes, and Kid is the most indulgent daddy.

Gosh Kid don't let Pip have chocolate what are you even.

Once complete, the dome is a geodesic structure of interlocking bars with waterproofed canvas stretched out along it, with a zippered flap that covers its only entrance. Since wind has a way of passing around such a structure, there's really no need to stake it down (but he brought stakes anyway).

It's the sort of thing only the grim reaper would be thrilled to see, but at least inside it's tall enough to stand comfortably, and spacious due to the lack of interior poles and its circular floorplan.]

That was fast. [There's some dismay, as Kid regards his half-completed ring of stones.] I'm going to need some more time, I'm afraid. And more stones. Excuse me--

[He's going to go do that.

God damn it, Kid.]

[keepsthefire]

[Rin is just going to stare at you two. At least until Kid gets up to go get more stones for the fire pit. Kid, why do you let Pip do these things? I mean, really...

But it's too late to make a big deal over it now, and Pip can at least have his share of the non-chocolate items.

Rin straightens from where he was crouched and goes over to admire the tent.]

Nice job! Looks awesome!