We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean.

[wavesofjade]

Who: The Dolorosa and anyone who comes across her
When: April 21st
Where: The island, on the beach
Style: Starting prose but if you want to use brackets I'll follow that!
Status: Open

---

With the breaking of the bubble exiling them to the island above, the Dolorosa was taking some time away from the things she usually occupied herself with and was sitting on the beach, enjoying the warmth of the day with her face turned up towards the sun and her eyes closed.

The dress that she usually wore had proven unsuitable for living up here, and with no access to anything else she had simply made a few brief modifications with what she had available, and now the skirt was cut shorter - up to an inch below her knees - and the sleeves cut to half way up her forearms. The neckline now showed her collar and a little of her shoulders, and as she sat on the beach she curled her toes into the sand, her shoes set neatly beside her.

A warm breeze ruffled her hair and she sighed contentedly, bringing her shoulders up for a moment and then letting them relax. Rin had been right. A house was just a house. They could always make new memories.

Comments

[paladaddy]

Unlike the Dolorosa, Shiro was wearing his usual clothes: shirt, pants, and cassock. Despite the warm weather, he didn't want to modify what he was wearing. Instead, he planned on just dealing with the heat.

With nothing else to do until they figured out a way to fix the bubble, Shiro had taken to distancing himself from the others. He was still upset about what had happened, both because it had failed and because Kid had drained himself doing it. Even the extra energy hadn't helped at all.

That was how he had come to find the Dolorosa sitting on the beach. Wordlessly he plopped down next to her, folding his legs up so that he could rest his arm on his knees while he held himself up with his other arm. He was dead set on clearing his mind, so he sat there, watching the waves, until the Dolorosa spoke first.

[wavesofjade]

It had been less the warmth, and more the inconvenience of a dragging skirt and long sleeves in this environment, but the respite from the temperature was well received as well. She caught sight of Shiro in the corner of her vision, and when he sat down she, too, said nothing for a while. It was pleasant to sit in the company of someone she was fond of, in this kind of peaceful silence only broken by waves and birdsong.

Eventually, she found her attention moving over to the human beside her. She tilted her head, her gaze moving over his face with muted curiosity.

"Does something trouble you?" she murmured after a few moments, her voice quiet as she looked at him.

[paladaddy]

He was troubled about the bubble, but who wasn't? So instead of answering with that, he shook his head and said, "Not today, surprisingly. It's just really noisy."

Even though he lives with a bunch of kids, Shiro still likes his peace and quiet sometimes. It was hard to get peace and quiet when everyone was crammed into a small area.

"So I figured I'd take a walk, and then I found a friend sitting out here all by her lonesome, so I thought it might be nice to sit out here together, that's all."

[devwocean]

Dualscar had spent a lot of today inside the bubble, actually. A sea dweller doesn't need to evacuate, but he's tried to save some of the belongings of those who he cares to help.

After an exhausting day, he went for a pleasure swim outside the bubble, and now he rises like a creature from the deeps.

He's wearing only a pair of cut-off jeans, his chest bare but his jewellery glittering gold on his neck, fins, wrists and hands. His gills gape once or twice as he adjusts to air breathing again, little purple mouths along his ribcage. His bare claws dig into the sand as he walks up the beach, water beading on his skin. And he smiles as he sees Dolorosa, appreciating the sight of her in more than one way.

"Wwell noww, that's a nice sight to greet me. Howw are you?"

[wavesofjade]

The last thing she'd expected was to see Dualscar appearing so suddenly, and there was a momentary start of fear before she recognised the seadweller. She didn't make any pretence of hiding the way her eyes moved over his bare chest, lingering on his gills with open curiosity. There was also no way of hiding that light blush on her face, but she hardly noticed it with the way the sun was already warming her skin.

His smile was returned, and she leaned back on her hands, tilting her head to one side as her attention lifted to his face when he spoke.

"I am well, if feeling a little uprooted." Once again, though at least this time was not quite as jarring. She made no move to stand, though patted the sand beside her as an invitation for him to sit. "And yourself?"

[devwocean]

There's nothing about the reaction that he doesn't like on some level. He sits down on the sand next to her, happy at the invitation, and slips his arm around her shoulders. "I'vve been busy. All day I'vve been goin' dowwn to get things people need that havven't been destroyed. My muscles are fuckin' sore, I can tell you that."

totally ignoring what's going on in the thread above this, oh my god

[onlyasign]

Sufferer is taking a walk on the beach tonight, occasionally bending to pick up a stranded sea creature and toss it back into the water. When he spots the Dolorosa, he strolls up and flops down next to her in the sand.

"Hi, Rosa."

jkghlfhgfh weeps

[wavesofjade]

She saw him coming, watching what he was doing with fond amusement before he saw her and walked over. When he sat, she let out a comfortable sound and shifted herself a little closer to him, bringing her knees up to wrap one arm around them.

"Hello, little one," she replied softly. "Are you well?"

don't judge, Disciple, we all know what YOU do with Dualscar!

[onlyasign]

"Yes." Sufferer scoots closer and flings his cloak around her shoulders, assuming that she's curling up like that because she's cold. He reaches across their chests and snags its end, tugging it close around both of them and pressing up beside her. He knows that whenever anyone in their little group got cold, they ended up piling on him because of his higher body temperature, and it's nice to be able to use his mutation for something good once in awhile.

"It's sad what's happening in the bubble, but I like it up here too."

What he said ^

[feralfanatic]

Disciple had spent a good deal of her time up on the island already, but the loss had still hit her pretty hard. She had taken to wandering the isle, if for nothing else, something to keep her from being idle. Having your life washed away was something she should be used to by now, and at least nobody died this time.

It is with this dour mood that she finally comes across the jadeblood who was relaxing in the sand. She had always been so busy with her everyday life that she had spent little time actually in the hive with her hivemate, so now would be a good time to make up for all the lost conversations she had missed out on.

Disciple makes her way over to her friend, trying her best to broadcast her approach so as to not startle her from her thoughts. Very carefully she will sidle up next to her, and join her on the sand, not yet opting to say anything.

sobs

[wavesofjade]

The Dolorosa wasn't so deeply involved in her own mind that she was easy to startle, and she looked over to the oliveblood as she took a seat beside her. She didn't speak either, at first, opting to let the silence become comfortable for some time before she quietly put an arm around the other troll, and gave her a gentle hug.

Sometimes, actions could speak so much more clearly than words.

If Disciple didn't want to talk, that was fine by her. They had plenty of time to make up for conversations they hadn't had yet.

[replicatedcourage]

You look happy.

[Sola drops himself next to Dolorosa with a small grin. This week he's seemed so much more grown up, if she's caught sight of him industriously running supplies from scavenging operations in the bubble and for personal items. His fight with Johnny notwithstanding, he's been fairly pleased with his own efforts. Well, it has more to do with what he'd gained the week before too. He seems calmer somehow, even in his seemingly boundless energy. More at home with himself and the world as a whole.

Generally that's what happens when one gains a soul of their very own.]

[wavesofjade]

I am happy.

[She looks over to him and returns his grin with a smile. Indeed, she had seen him running back and forth though she didn't know the reason for his change in attitude. All she can see is that he seems more content, happy, and that is more than enough for her.]

I might say the same for you, little one.

[crabbygenius]

It seems that the Dolorosa wasn't the only one with the idea to go spend some time on the beach. Washu spotted the familiar troll easily enough and came wandering over.

"Mind if I join you or is this a private party?"

[wavesofjade]

"Join me, by all means." She shifted a little though it wasn't necessary, as if making space beside her. One small intrusion wasn't going to ruin things, and she did enjoy company if it was pleasant.

"It's been a little while since we last spoke, has it not?"

[shesapir8]

Her coat has been left behind in her temporary home, leaving Mindfang in loose dark blue pants and an even looser off white shirt. The sea breeze tangles her hair, her feet kicking up sand as she walks, and though she tries not to make it seem too obvious, she makes her way over to the Dolorosa slowly, giving her a small glance down before dropping down to sit next to her.

"Hey."

[wavesofjade]

Being alone made it far easier to sense when someone was coming, and no one could quite raise the hairs on the back of her neck like a certain ceruleanblood who was heading across the sand towards her. In her current situation the Dolorosa had never felt safer, but that didn't mean there wasn't still some measure of wariness attached whenever Mindfang was nearby.

She glanced over to her, brushing a stray curl from her forehead, and even smiled.

"Hello, Mindfang.. what brings you to me tonight?"

[spacecase]

Miss Dolorosa!

[ARE WE HAVING A BEACH EPISODE? Jade's all over that!!

Okay not really, but she does trot over to sit down next to Dolorosa, all bright smiles as usual.]

You look so pretty! Are you enjoying this weather?

[wavesofjade]

[Pretty? The compliment catches her off guard and she blushes faintly, smiling in pleasure and casting a quick glance up at the sky before she nods.]

I am. I have tried to come up here every day since the weather began to warm, but time does not always allow it. How have you been, Jade?

[unconchonable]

[Eridan's not been too bothered by the exiling from the bubble. Sure, he's made a lot of memories there, the past sweep or so really. But, as long as the ones he cares about, and himself, are safe? He can't give a shit about the bubble.]

[Eridan's making his way down the beach when he spots Dolorosa. He stops in his tracks, watching her for a few good moments... He hadn't really spoken with her much since her return and he really doesn't have any reason as to why, ain't like she's done him any ill will or anything...]

[He nearly pivots on his heel to walk the other direction, but then again, why the hell should he avoid her? He was heading down this way regardless, and he's got no reason to hide. So, puffing up a bit, he starts to strut past her, not really saying anything, just making it hard to not notice him. Seriously, Eridan is the biggest tool to ever tool.]

[wavesofjade]

[She watches him as he draws near, just out of the corner of her eye, smiling privately when he stalls and seems to consider turning around. That in itself is endearing, but what he actually decides to do is even more so.

The Dolorosa chuckles, one hand coming up to cover her smile as he struts past her.]

I see you, little one. You do not need to try so hard.

[ohshellno]

[If Dolorosa should happen to turn, she'll come to see a punkish looking fish princess staring a hole in the back of her head. She's been meaning to approach her, but she has no fucking idea what to say.

To be perfectly honest, she misses a lot of her friends. So seeing all these ancestors around just kind of rubs in the fact that they aren't here. The similarities between her and Porrim are subtlem but they're there.

Meenah trudges forward a little, burying her hands in her pockets as she does.]

..Yo. [Now she's standing a few inches away, looking down at the older troll curiously.]

[wavesofjade]

[Being stared as is something she's used to, so while she does get the sensation of being watched, it isn't enough to make her turn around. When she's addressed, though, she glances over her shoulder and just for a moment looks very much like a hopbeast caught in the headlights.

Even after meeting Feferi, she definitely hasn't got past the idea that this is a tyrianblood in front of her, a thought that strikes a cold shard of fear through her and rightly so. It's difficult to be quite so intimidated by this one, even if only by a little. Her youth and her manner of dress, even the way she stands there lends to that.]

... Hello.

[She shifts a bit and returns the look with equal curiosity.]

... Is there something I can do for you?

[bethehugejerk]

[Karkat's time up here is not so easy. He finds himself occupied with what ifs and what do we dos, noisy mental filler even when his mouth's shut and silent, however temporarily. Outwardly he's occupied it with one thing or another: sickle practice, reading, even sleep when nothing else can hold his attention. Today, instead, he paces the beach.]

[It can't be called taking a walk when he's this restless. At the first glimpse of horns in the distance he wants to keep pacing anyway. It's not until he's close enough to catch the curve of them, one smooth and one hooked back, and the jade of the dress, that he decides he can slow to a halt not far from the Dolorosa.]

I see you're just as much of a sun-loving weirdo as your descendant. I'd ask what you get out of it, but I don't actually care.

[In other words, hi.]

[wavesofjade]

[The Dolorosa catches sight of him as he slows, and wraps her arms loosely around her knees. She'd recognise the descendant of her little one anywhere, even with how long it's been since she last saw him, but she lets him speak first, letting out a quiet laugh when he does.]

Good day to you, too, Karkat.

[She leans forwards, smiling a bit.]

And what can I do for you?