438/SS Titanic! Elite Social Cruise

SS Titanic! Elite Social Cruise
Date of Scene:	17 August 2014
Location:	The Archipelagos
Synopsis:	Lute hosts a cruise party for his fellow Elites.
Cast of Characters:	Kotone Yamakawa, 20, 150, 183, 188, 319, 385, 438, 494, Riva Banari

---

Lute (188) has posed:
     The sea is lovely, today. The waters of the ocean are so clear, yo ucan see close to the bottom of it. The sun is high in the sky, making it a warm, pleasant day. It isn't /too/ hot, but simply warm enough to be pleasant, and warm enough to be perfect weather for a cruise. The ship, the SS Titanic (no relationship to the RMS Titanic, seriously!) is a beautiful top of the line Multiversal Cruise Ship. All of the best cruise activities are across the ship. The main part of the party will be taking place near the pool, though. A nice sized swimming pool. Near it, there is a buffet, and an open bar. A band is playing music nearby. There are some spots for cruise games, such as shuffleboard, set up nearby.

     This cruise is booked /only/ for Elites. Yes, Lute really went /all out/ in calling in favors to arrange this. It should be a nice and pleasant event.

     Lute himself is currently lounging on a chair by the pool. He is currently dressed in a pair of black swimtrunks, with a bright red R on the right side of them. He leans back, drinking a mojito.

     Yeah. This is going to be a /blast/.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki steps on the the cruise liner with her frilled parasol spread out, as usual. And for a while, she stands in place, keeping her hands on one of the guardrails and watching the waves roll by. She breathes in the air and smiles. Ahhh~. The lovely, wonderful air of 'no people in the immediate area'. She likes that one.

    Eventually, though, she sees fit to appear for some socializing activity since, after all, that is the main point of this venture. Turning a corner, she runs in to Lute, who looks awfully cozy. This might look silly to some nearby -- the juxtaposition of a little girl glad in ornate formalwear within a few yards of someone so casual is sorta... well. You get it.

    Shrugging, she decides to make herself known. So, after making herself known with a 'hello' and giving a polite curtsey, she smiles and introduces herself. "Hello, As-of-now-Anonymous sir. I am Mizuki." She cocks her head slightly to the side. "I believe you were the one who invited us here? Very kind of you. Thank you."

Rosamarie Alba (438) has posed:
    Trapped on a ship with a known and notorious Fed. Rosamarie would be possibly nervous at that, if she didn't have an easy out. As it is, she has few qualms about simply diving overboard. It's higher than the normal heights she dives from, but not so high that she'd be reluctant to try. And so, the Fleet Maiden is able to relax and try to enjoy herself.

    This is done, apparently for her, by looking like a perfectly ordinary teenager who loves the sun. She's wearing a rather revealing bikini, though preserving some modesty (for now at least) by wearing a long white t-shirt over it. Not that white t-shirts are particularly modest, but neither are they entirely indecent. Her skin is rather dark, a nice contrast to that shirt. Judging by the tan lines at her neck and arms, she has natural bronze skin that's further darkened at the extremities by plenty of sun exposure already. Something some might call a boater's tan, ironically enough.

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Eariler...

    "Hey, boss?" One of Fayt's employees poked his head into the office. "Are you going to go on that cruise thing? Maybe you'll get to relax a bit for a change."

    "Nah, we're still we're still busy with WMAT stuff."

    "So you're gonna keep working then? That's ok, I'll go tell Metta you'll-hey wait boss where are you running?!"

    "ChangeofplansI'mgoingnow!"

    Now...

    Fayt quietly makes his way into the ship, he's pretty sure it's a trap given who's hosting it, or if not a trap then something weird is likely to happen. either way, the pale little trader carefully eyes the crowd as he looks for a good place to sit down.

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute, as of yet, has not met Mizuki. He has heard her voice on the radio, but not really talked to her much. As she introduces herself, Lute bows a bit. "Yes, let me introduce myself. I am Logan Trieste. Most call me by my codename, though. Lute. It is a pleasure to meet you, miss Mizuki."

     Lute, unless stopped, would try to take her hand, and kiss the back of it. You know, that classy thing. He is trying to /class it up/ here.

     Inside, though, he is highly dissapointed at the FORMAL WARE. Everyone knows the ENTIRE POINT OF A CRUISE is Chicks In Bikinis (TM).

     Thank god he isn't saying that out loud.

     His gaze /is/ falling over towards Rosamarie, showing some of his 'male mindset'. Though he is trying to focus on Mizuki as well. MUST TRY TO CLASS IT UP.

     Lute is surprised to see Fayt, though. Well, guess it isn't gonna be just all girls on this cruise. He nods at Fayt, smiling.

     "Yo, Fayt. Glad to see you here. You gonna set up shop here?"

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna originally had some serious misgivings about going on a cruise that was planned out by *Lute* of all people. First of all, he's a Confederate; secondly, he's a pretty big annoyance regardless of faction ... but on the other hand, it *is* a chance to hang out peacefully with other Elites, with nothing more violent than cruise liner deck games (or maybe indoor entertainments) slated to happen ...

The tipping point was actually something Elner pointed out to Yuna earlier in the day, reinforcing a talk the week before with Lia, and a tutoring session with Ryudia since then. Yuna's been trying so hard to be the Savior of Light and a good Union officer - and has been so distraught over assorted atrocities - that she hasn't been able to be *Yuna*, idol singer and carefree young woman, in far too long ... and going on a cruise with friends and acquaintances, as Elner went on to point out, would be a good chance to really and honestly relax.

So yeah, there's a blonde idol boarding the cruise ship. Elner is with her, but flits off somewhere about as soon as Yuna sets foot on the deck. Rather than wearing a bikini, Yuna's wearing a fairly nice sundress, not really showy but certainly not cut to drive people to look away. "Good evening!" she calls out, smiling and waving - to Fayt, Rosa, *and* Lute, in particular, as she spots the familiar faces.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Part of her must have been crazy for going here. But it's true... if Lute really is planning on something, somebody ought to stop him.

    Still, to think she would willingly step on a boat. This far out at sea.

    The teenage girl walks /far/ away from the railing as she heads out on deck, a non-alcoholic drink in hand as she walks. The sea really smells salty, doesn't it? And the vibrations through the deck... this place is filled with people. Oh well, at least part of the ship is made of metal, so it could be worse. If something happens, then she isn't completely helpless. Unless the freaking thing sinks.

    When she does hear somebody speak up, she does head over in that direction. Even if it is Lute. "So... just how many things have showed up to this thing so far?" she asks of Lute, then blinks. Fayt is here too? Rosa said she would be here too. Oh, there's Yuna too. "At least there's some Unionites..." she mutters to herself.

Riva Banari has posed:
After Riva sent in her last few reports, she was told to take a break before she overworked herself to death. Again.

After poking at a few things, she got word about this cruise. Despite it being hosted by some guy who is apparently full of shenanigans, Riva decided to go check it out. Either it's legit and she gets to take a day off, or he's running a scam and she gets to help shut it down. Win-win, really.

A FEW MINUTES AGO:

"SS Titanic? Really?" Riva said to herself, making her best expression.

A FEW MINUTES LATER:

Right now, Riva is really hoping for legit, because she's also drinking a mojito while picking up some things from the buffet. She's not in swimwear yet, but she is in casual clothing of a black T-shirt (with Steam logo) and slacks, and a black coat. She looks over those who have arrived on the ship and rubs her chin, humming. "This is going to be an interesting cruise." She says to no one in particular. She starts by walking over towards Lute.

"So, it's the man of the hour." Riva smiles, glancing over him for a moment. The red R doesn't mean anything to her, she's from out of universe. Instead, she arches an eyebrow. "You really went all out today, didn't you, Mr. Trieste? What's the occasion?"

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki... allows the kiss of the hand, albeit with a fairly noticeable arch of her eyebrow. She seems more amused than anything by it, though, grinning the slightest little bit when his eyes raise to meet hers again. "A gentleman, hmm~?" She giggles faintly. "Well, how refreshing." He's... totally kidding himself if he thinks she doesn't notice him giving people looks, but she lets it slide. For now.

    Noticing Toph, Rosamarie, and Yuna now, she gives each of them a wave and a polite bow of the head. Her non-verbal way of communicating familiarity.

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute has to hold back the instinct to wave to Toph. Yeah, that could look like really poor behavior. He does wave to Yuna, though, and at least says, "Yo, Toph, good to see you here."

     Of course, it's quite possible he may of just been insulting by using the word 'see', but Lute doesn't think that far ahead.

     "Lots of people showed up, seems to be mostly Union. I think. I don't know all of the people here anyways. Oh well."

     To Riva, he smiles. Wow, even Lute is surprised how many women have shown up, especially with his... reputation. Perhaps they figured strength in numbers? Either way, he smiles to her a bit.

     "Eh, no real occasion. It's just the end of Summer is coming up, and I never really did anything social during it. All work. So just sounded like fun. Originally I wanted Dracula to come along too, to give him a break from his work, but like, everyone said giving Dracula tickets to a day cruise would be a bad idea? I dunno."

     To Mizuki, he smiles. "I try to be a gentleman at most times, yeah. After all, all of you beautiful women /deserve/ me being a gentleman."

     Lute is praying he doesn't screw this up. Despite the high odds of screwing up talking to all of these women.

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt nods to Lute. "I might look into it later. for now I just plan on relaxing though." He adds under he breath. "Or Metta might kill me." Muttering aside, Fayt sounds prefectly calm, though the look on his face says it all: 'yeah, I don't know what I'm doing here either'

    Taking a moment to wave back to Yuna. "Hello." The pale mage finds a spot off to the side of the group to carefully watch things from.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Yeah yeah, good to see you too," Toph replies and takes a sip of her drink. Though she can't help but arch an eyebrow. "I thought vampires hated sunlight." At least that's what she learned from what she considers a reputable source. "Surely there's gotta be other ways to suck up to your boss?"

    Lute? Gentleman? Please. Toph snorts, not really considering herself among the beautiful women that he's talking about. Instead she turns over to the other Unionites, and Fayt in particular. "So how do we play these games here?" Might as well do something to pass the time.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna doesn't know Mizuki as well, so she bows politely rather than simply waving back. "I don't know much about these games," she admits to Toph, following the earthbender over to take a look. "That one looks like curling, but curling's a winter sport, right?"

... indicating the shuffleboard deck as she says so.

Rosamarie Alba (438) has posed:
    Rosa has no knowledge of Lute's reputation with the ladies, and isn't actually studying Lute enough to realize she's being checked out. Poor girl's under the impression she's not particularly cute, given the first reaction of typical non-elites to her. That has nothing to do with her looks though, and everything to do with a certain aura of weirdness that's always separated her from others. An aura of magic, one quite easily ignored by any elite.

    She offers a faint smile to Mizuki, who she's met in person, and a slightly broader one to Yuna who's actually helped her out in a tough time. Most of the others she knows only by name and voice. She glances about at those she doesn't know, looking uncertain and perhaps a bit nervous. "So, um, what now?" she asks. "I've never been on a cruise before. Well, not on an actual cruise ship." she amends. Naval destroyers don't count, right?

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute just shrugs at the shuffleboard thing. "Well, I don't know. I think it is like a summer variant of curling? Got no clue. I just know it's what you're supposed to do on a cruise, or something?"

     To Fayt, Lute has something else to say. "Just no selling timeshares here. I know a lot of these free cruises are traps to sell people those. ...Though since you're Union, I bet you are against those."

     To Toph, well. "...Also I forgot that vampires hate sunlight, but I think not all of them hate it?" A glance at the rather Goth Mizuki. "...Do vampires hate sunlight?"

     Yeah, he's working on the assumption that Mizuki might be a vampire.

     To Rosamarie, Lute simply smiles. "Well, we /relax/. Have fun." Lute walks over towards the drink table, on his way towards Rosamarie. He /smoothly/ grabs a glass of some fruity alcoholic drink, and brings it over to Rosamarie.

     "Here ya go, beautiful."

     Wink wink.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki's smile fades slightly. "Now don't be -too- lavish, lest I begin to mistake your courtesy for sarcasm." That... sounded polite enough, but was it tinged with just the most subtle fragrance of the ominous? Combined with her looks, it sounded kinda freaky. I mean, not horror level, but still. Girl doesn't come off as being the biggest social butterfly despite her verbosity.

    Finding and taking a seat of her own, she crosses her legs and observes as others inquire about the games and exchange looks with one another. Positioning a sleeve over her mouth, she adds, "I'll let the rest of you try the games first. Once I've learned from your errors and such how the game is played, I might join in as well." Smile~.

    She can be annoyingly frank sometimes.

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
A pool, yes uit's not so deep she can't at least enjoy the shallow end so here Kotone is in in yellow Bikini which seems to fit her almost with mechanical fitting. She however is lurking by the pool having fun, or maybe she has other plans givne Lute and he's history who knows at this point but here she is!

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva's eyebrow goes up another notch. "Dracula? Like, the ur-vampire? The vampire from which all other vampires are molded? The Bran Stoker Dracula?"

She pauses as she envisions a pale guy with a tophat and round shades on fire in the middle of the deck. "Yeah, I can see how that would kind of crimp the mood."

Lute proceeds to attempt to try to hard. At least, too hard for her preferences. She's been through college, she's seen this happen basically constantly. She thinks for a moment, pursing her lips for a moment and gives him some time to continue doing his thing. while she drinks her mojito.

She leans in over to Toph. "It's pretty busy here. Looks like it's going to be reasonably jumping today." She shrugs. "You going to be okay?"

Lute (188) has posed:
     Suddenly.

     "ICE BERG, DEAD AHEAD."

     Pause.

     "Ahaahahaha, just joking, this is your captain speaking. We've got clear sailing from here all out, so please enjoy your cruise."

     And from slightly off mike, "--wait, what do you /mean/ I'm fired?!"

Rosamarie Alba (438) has posed:
    Rosa has very little experience with being hit on, thanks to her past history. Some sailors, sure, but they're probably just a desperate product of bad male/female ratios. She has no idea she's actually cute, though probably she misses the 'beautiful' mark by virtue of being young and still rather awkward.

    She blinks as Lute comes on strong, and mumbles something to herself. Or, more likely, to the subvocal radio link she wears. She blinks in surprise, automatically reaching out to accept the drink and then ending up staring down at it like it'll bite. Ironic considering vampires are apparently the subject.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "I have no idea what curling even is," Toph says to Yuna with a shrug. "What about the other things? Shouldn't you actually take some responsibility in coordinating these events since you got us all here?"

    Relaxing here might not be quite as easy as relaxing back in Malibu, after all. Riva earns a blink as she leans in, and well... Toph can't remember saying hi to this lady before. "Yeah, I'm fine," she says and turns her attention slightly towards her. She doesn't mean that /boat/ will jump, does she? Will the waves be /that/ high? Ugh, better not!

    Either way, she reaches out with her free hand and grabs onto the nearest person and pulls them with her towards the shuffleboards. Might as well try it out, right? And she even calls out to Mizuki. "Get your ass over here, Sweetums! If Lute brought us here to relax and have fun, then we're having fun!"

    Why yes, she /is/ a bossy one.

    At the announcement however she halts, a deadpan look on her face. "Isn't this tropical waters...?" she asks to the people in general, not really getting the horrible joke.

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    "I... keep that in mind?" Fayt replies to Lute. The Captain's remakr then gets his attention. "What the..." Fayt's headly, slooooly tilts over to the side. the little guy looking jsut a tad confused. He's not from earth so the refrence apparently goes a right over his head. "...eh?"

Samar (494) has posed:
    Suddenly, a very loud THUNK is heard from below the ship, no doubt jarring it a little. It shouldn't cause any problems, at least, but the timing is more than a bit unusual.

    Deep underwater, the muffled sounds of someone shouting and swearing can barely be made out for a few moments.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Oh, there *is* a pool. Maybe Yuna should have brought a swimsuit after all ... or she can buy one from the liner's shop, certainly they'll sell them here.

"Curling's a winter sport from my world, invented a few centuries ago - well, relative to my time," she says to Toph. "Basically, one team sends a specially-made stone sliding down a lane covered in ice and powdered snow, and their teammates sweep snow away from - or into - the stone's path so that it'll stop as close to a target zone at the --"

She actually managed to ignore the fake iceberg announcement; it's a bit too warm for icebergs, and Elner would probably have warned her if there was an actual hazard like that in the area. The abrupt *thunk* from below, on the other hand, causes Yuna to fall silent, looking all around in worry ...

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    Go take a day off, they said. We can handle everything at the office, they said. Hayate worried her mailbox the entire trip here on the shuttle, through the dimensional jumps, and only stopped tapping out emails when Rein physically popped the connection and pushed her towards the landing. And refused to allow her to take the shuttle down from orbit. No shuttle, no connection, no emails. Simple.
    So that's why a dark triangular shadow passes over the cruise ship, Hayate (STILL in uniform since she hadn't had time to change) strapped to the bottom of the red-streaked-white hang glider. She banks right and eases into a ferocious sideslip, grinning hugely at the sensation of a more primitive sort of flight. Well, it LOOKS like a party from up here. She'll just have to land and change from the pack before joining.

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute does not notice that Rosamarie is trying to contact the Union. He just thinks she is being shy. But yes, Rosamarie is currently Lute's target. Sadly, he has been told /not/ to try 'negging', but well. He still has other stupid ways.

     "So, what's your name, anyways?"

     A glance at Toph, and he says aloud for all to hear. "How come /she/ can say things like that, but whenever I do, I get my ass kicked?"

     And then Hayate hang glides in. He just stares at that.

     ...He really wishes he had thought of that.

Riva Banari has posed:
"Oh right, I never introduced myself. I'm Riva. Nice to meet you, Toph." She says, with a smile. Yes, she /did/ look you up while you were getting your soul munched on. She leans in again and whispers to Toph, "I think he's trying to show off."

The crackling call of the captain causes her to wince and jerk her head up, glaring at the speaker. "Dammit, I'm gonna /keelhaul/ that guy!" Riva grumbles. "Ugh, that is the /worst/ joke..." She shakers her head and downs the rest of that mojito. "It's all in the delivery." She calls back to Lute, before she pauses.

"Did anyone else feel that bump?" She asks, a little nervousness in her voice

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt blinks as he hears the ship actually hit soemthing. "Huh? but there shouldn't be any ice..." He then looks up as a shadow passes overhead. "What the..." He frowns a bit as he notices Hayate. He remembers her, she's SCARY!

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa knows what curling is, it's a strange joke that several European nations and Canada play on the world. No one's ever yet caught on to the joke save the ones who stated it she moses. She rises up from the deck freezing at the ice berg joke and just /stares/. She had some hestation about getting on the ship due to the name, but that was just a bit too much. She does however spot Riva and Toph near by.

The Cyborg pulls up tot he pair grinning a bit.

"There was a ship named the RMS Titanic, they claimed not even God could sink it, it snak on it's first voyage to an ice berg. So hey how are you doing Riva, and to you miss I'm Kotone Yamakawa and it's good to meet you."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Riva, huh? Nice to meet you too." Her comment earns a grin and a snort from Toph. "Heh, even /I/ can see that!" she asides. The joke went over her head however, and she sighs. "It's bad, but really...?" It's not the worst, now is it? Though Kotone's explanation does make the earthbender blink. And tense as realization hits her. "They named this ship after one that /sunk/?!" Oh yes, there's a squeak in her voice at that final word.

    As the loud thunk resonates, Toph blinks and halts. "There's something /under/ the ship!" Yes, she did hear that. And feel it, most of all. Just what the hell could it be? It's a bit tough for her to tell here, and she rushes over to the nearest wall, slamming her fists against it. As for Lute's comment?

    "Whine later, Loverboy." Now she's busy listening and sensing, as she's not exactly comfortable on a ship to begin with! Especially not if this one will share the same fate as the ship it was named after!

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute sighs, speaking over to Toph.

     "Don't worry! This ship is supposed to be unsinkable."

Rosamarie Alba (438) has posed:
    Rosa IS somewhat shy, or at least awkward in the wallflower sort of way if not quite as reserved as others usually think her. "Ah... Rosa." she says, then frowns. Did something hit the ship? After the iceburg joke? Nooooo, that CAN'T be happening.

    "Didn't they say that about the original Titanic?" she asks wryly, regarding Lute with dismay. This is probably something he's used to from women. She heads over towards the nearest rail, intending to get a look. Neither heights nor the ocean bother her after all.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki was just about to start enjoying a glass of tea she procured from... wait. Where did she get that from again? Don't tell me she brought the freaking thing with her. Well, regardless, she's being accosted by the hearty roar of a certain young Earthbender. Swiveling her head in her direction at the call, her expression contorts slightly. All she does at first is stare and sip from her glass. "... 'Sweetums', is it...? Very well, very well. One moment." She sets aside her glass and stands, brushing off her dress and moseying over to the rest of the group.

    She listens dutifully to Yuna as she explains the game, nodding along. "So we press a small object along with a stick. Fun, fun~." She claps her hands together. "Ah, the games you all conceive of. I accept. Will we be starting soon~?" She holds a smile~.

    ... before suddenly, jarringly tilting her head to Lute and deadpanning: "The name tempts fate enough as it is."

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    High up, Hayate finishes her lazy turn and drifts over the ship again, at the level of the mast. She glances down again to smile at the nice people on the deck, the waitstaff, the giant dark shape under the ship, and even the Confederates. One more pass ought to do the trick, and then she can land. Bit tricky... the ship is flying across the wind for guests' comforts, but she still has her pilot's license. For grav-assisted craft. As a student. Which she hasn't renewed in half a decade.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Ugh, Rosa, you're not making things better here! Toph swallows where she stands, pressing her hands up against the wall. "Okay, you're my liferaft if it does sink," she calls back to Lute. "All that air in your head means you must float!" Toph mutters, closing her eyes as she concentrates.

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute sighs, "Don't worry. If the ship sinks, I can have my Pokemon get you all back to land, and if any of you need it, I can give you CPR and mouth to mouth recessitation stuff."

     "Though seriously, I imagine it's /nothing/. Seriously. Probably just a whale bumped into us."

     "Though we all of you girls might want to switch into swimsuits. Just in case. For no alterior motive of my own."

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki narrows her eyes at Lute. "You are aware that I can fly, right? As well as tear holes in the fabric of space and time that would allow me to go home before you would even start screaming?" Sigh. "... I've no need for swimwear. At all."

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute shrugs at Mizuki, "Well, if you don't want a swimsuit, you could go nude, but I don't think this is the place for that."

     Also of note, since Rosamarie moved to the railing to look over the side, Lute is starting at her still a bit, though he's checking out the other girls as well.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
Mizuki is silent for a while.

A decidedly long while.

Eventually, though, Lute would find himself with a pie in his face with absolutely no explanation apart from 'time shenanigans'.

Tastes like one of the ones they sell in the galley, too.

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt, not being the most readily social of people, finds a nice seat at the edge of the deck to park himself in as he quietly watches the others, occasionally stopping to gance back up towards the hang glider. "..." Lute also gets the occasional odd look, but the trader wisely decides not to get involved.

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    "'Scuse me, I'm barging in!" Hayate shouts into the wind, twenty metres and rapidly closing from astern. Her glider wobbles all over the sky as the crosswind buffets her, from time to time sinking down out of view before hopping back up. As she flares up to make the landing, a small brown satchel blows off of the cargo net and tumbles away into the sea, spewing colorful dresses, makeup, underwear, swimwear, soaps, tea, and myriad other things into the clear, beautiful waters.
    Hayate doesn't notice. She concentrates on collapsing the foldable glider and tying it to the rails, then turns, smoothing down a brand-new label over her left breast reading: Hello, My Name Is Yagami Hayate :)
    With the smiley.

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute just pauses. A pie is in his face.

     ...Okay, guess he pissed someone off.

     At the least, there are towels nearby, and he uses it to wipe off his face.

     "...I'm gonna forgive whoever did it, because all of you are too cute."

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt blinks at Lute, "Um... thanks?" perhaps understandibly, he sounds REALLY confused.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki folds her arms behind her back and watches with interest as Hayate approaches, somehow managing a smile as she draws nearer. "Greetings, Miss Hayate." She flicks a finger forward in a single, rigid gesture before pointing over her shoulder, tilting her head just a little. "Though I do believe you might've lost something."

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
Hayate smiles brightly at... at this person. The facial recognition software on her personal assistant is replying with a big fat "No Signal. Contact your Service Provider or Tech Support Department." So her usual prescient recognition of everybody who's anybody is rather lackluster. She was just about to wave back to Mizuki when she follows Mizuki's finger.
    "..."
    Hayate turns about, "Thank you. I'm afraid I've forgotten your name in the moment. Long flight. Dimensional lag. That sort of thing. Do you happen to know whom the concierge is?"

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    "I don't believe you can forget someone that you never knew, dear," She folds her arms, grin widening, "unless you are from the future and will know me there. Though I suppose that future is now, now." She extends a hand, shaking Hayate's. "I am Mizuki. Charmed~." And in her other hand, she has... a soaked dress and a few tins of makeup that may seem familiar.

    ... wait, what?

    "Lamentably, I've no idea whom the concierge is, but I suppose this much will get you through the day." Yep. Sheeee's a weird one.

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute looks annoyed at Fayt, "/Not/ you. I just meant the girls. Seriously, why aren't you flirting too? ...You need to get less shy."

     He looks at Hayate. "...What's a concierge? I'm the guy who organized this party, though, but I don't remember scheduling a concierge... Though it's a pleasure to meet you, Hayate."

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva looks surprised as Toph punches a wall... And then thinks. Oh right, profile. Sees with vibrations. "See anything down there?" She is about to make a joke about hot air but then Toph beats her to it. She chuckles for a moment, and then looks back. "Okay, everyone, let's just calm down. We'll all be fine, I'm sure, despite these shenanigans."

She sighs at Lute and munches on another appetizer as she considers if she really wants to pick up this kind of a project. "I think I'll be fine." She decides, and slides over to Hayate. "Hi there! I'm Riva. Nice to meet you!" She holds out a hand to shake. "I don't think he got one for this cruise. We'll be fine though. Just relax and have some fun." The 'while you still can' is left unsaid.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "I'm /not/ taking off my shirt and shorts until I know what bumped into the boat!" Toph declares. "Besides, I'm not going swimming." Not here at least where she will make a fool of herself. This is rather diffierent from swimming lessons in Malibu!

    Why yes, the blind girl does look nervous, hitting the wall with her open palm just to get some further vibrations to sense things off of. Riva earns a grumble. "I'm /trying/, give me a second!" she replies.

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    Hayate is stunned and confused while Mizuki puts her hand all over her gloves. Oh, right, this is that 'hand-shaking' thing that westerners back on her birth-world did. Right. It's -friendly-. "Ah, eheheh, pleasure to meet you, Mizuki. Do you want a hand with that?"
    Lute, on the other hand, gets a cheerful wave once Hayate gets her hand back. "Hi~! Thank you for hosting this for everybody! Ah, do you have any spare swim-suits in my size?"

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt's head slowly tilts to the side. "Flirting?" He says the word as if it was some strage, alien concept he'd never heard of before.

    given this is Fayt it likely IS a strange, alien concept he'd never heard of before. He even mutters the word to himself a few times before finally. "...I don't follow?"

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute looks Hayate up and down for just a second.

     "One moment."

     And he immediately rushes to a nearby chest of somekind, seemingly meant to hold spare clothing or other things. He pulls out a rather revealing bikini. One that would perfectly fit Hayate. Yes, he can tell at a glance. He tosses it at her.

     "At least /some/ people are getting into the swing of things."

     A glance at Fayt. "...Go talk to the girls a bit. Try and get them to kiss you maybe."

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Rather than looking over the side - which is probably the smartest thing insofar as actually figuring out what that impact was is concerned - Yuna is still in the general area of the shuffleboard court, looking this way and that, and wondering if anyone else has a better idea of what that was than she does. Hayate gets a friendly wave when she lands ... and then Yuna takes another look at the pool.

"Hmm. Hey, Fayt, do you happen to have any swimsuits on hand that'd be in my size? I forgot to bring one."

She's not actually worried about the ship getting sunk - although if it DOES, she'll be kind of helpless unless such time as Marina can get out here to let her assume Marine Form. She isn't exactly at ease at the moment, though ... give her time, that may be rectified.

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa looks to Toph she frowns she didn't mean to ... upset the young lady and now feels bad also as Toph would see it be plain of day this lady talking to her's not made of meat. Metal and other things comprise her body but then agian with androdis and who knows what running about the multivese it's not that odd now is it?

"I could use it it's been one hell mouth after another. Some time to relax, and I know how you feel. I'd sink like a rock I can't physically swim."

Rosamarie Alba (438) has posed:
    Rosa peers out over the rail as best she can. The railing, of course, is rather designed to NOT be prone to allowing man-overboard situations. Or woman overboard as the case may be. Still, she's intrigued and there appears to be SOMETHING down there. Hopefully she can see it. She doesn't fear looking overboard. She also finds her hand full of a cocktail glass and... well, drink overboard! She ditches it when she gets the feeling Lute's not paying any attention. She was raised to not be rude, but ... well, she was also raised to be a good girl. And good girls don't drink drinks provided by strange guys!

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    "Great, thanks! Hey Mizuki, hold this up for me?" Hayate unfolds one wing of the hang glider and offers it towards Mizuki, gesturing for the other to hold it up as a screen while she gets changed. Changed? On deck? Right here? Why? Why not? Hayate might intend to go diving after the rest of her things, perhaps?
    "It'll just take a moment. I'll do the same for you, too! Did you bring one?"

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt nods slowly as Yuna approaches him. "Well... I don't normally carry inventory with me, but I can probably get soemthing lown out here on short notice?"

    And then Lute speaks up. "Wait... w-what?!" Fayt blinks at Lute, then glances at Yuna, then back to Lute. "I'm supposed to... supposed to..." slowly, he looks back at Yuna, before suddenly going BRIGHT RED in the face and quickly scooting away from her. "...!"

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute raises a hand. Quickly.

     "I'll hold it up for you!"

     Lute does sigh at the fact that Fayt is /so bad/ with women. Lute is obviously so much better with women than him.

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki looks like the dowager countess on Downton Abbey right now. That's to say, like a grandma bug-eyed at the crazy habits of those damnable young'uns. But she does to take the wing, holding it in shock. But that next thing she says... blink.

    Oh, no. -Hell no-. Mizuki shakes her head fervently, her hair undulating like a waterfall of black ink.

    "Q-Quite alright. I didn't bring a suit, nor do I intend to swim. Quite alright."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    With a frustrated look on her face, Toph sighs and pulls back from the wall, opening her eyes. "Whatever it was... we passed it. And the hull of the ship is intact," she informs Riva and Kotone. There's relief on her face, and she sighs, crouching down to pick up her drink that she set down next to her. "Let's get back to having fun. Whatever fun we can have here anyway..."

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute has come to a decision.

     "Hey, after Hayate and whoever else manages to switch into their bikinis, let's play spin the bottle. Fayt goes first!"

Riva Banari has posed:
"That's a relief." Riva says to Toph, nodding. Despite her probably not being able to notice that. "There's plenty of fun to be had, I think, but we need to do something about..."

Lute suggests spin the bottle. "That." Riva sighs. She rubs one temple, as if she's starting to get a headache. "If he could be any more transparent I could stick him in a porthole and no one would notice."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    ... Toph blinks at Lute's announcement, then reaches for her radio, uttering a low message. And as there's a response she blinks, turns off the radio again, then turns slightly towards Lute with a deadpan look on her face. Then she heads towards the shuffleboard. Nopes. Not even going to dignify that with an answer. "You know how to play that curling game thing?" she asks Riva and Kotone. Maybe they know?

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki spins to look at Lute. "Yes, yes, please! Let's play one of your human games about feelings and inner thoughts and whatnot. That sounds divine. Wonderful." Thank God she found a way to meander off of the bathing suit topic.

    Man, the look on her face is priceless.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
"I'm gonna have to pass on spin the bottle," Yuna says with a slightly wistful look. "My first kiss is too precious to give away over a game ...."

Now, if Polylina were to show up and join the game? Yuna MIGHT reconsider that decision ... but Polylina is literally worlds away from here. As it is, though, Yuna provides Fayt with the necessary measurements and preferred color for a swimsuit that'll fit her - or perhaps more likely, has Elner relay the necessary data back to Black Dragon Shipping as an expedited order, including payment details from Yuna's account.

... and while Yuna waits for her new swimsuit, she turns to look out over the railing, daydreaming about Polylina.

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    Hayate smiles at Lute, "Thanks! I'll just be a moment." She hugs the Lute-given excuse-for-a-swimsuit to her and turns about, checking just once that he's raised the screen (and is standing on the other side) before she starts in on the various and complicated unfastenings of her uniform. Facing away towards the sea, of course. And away from Lute. The sea is so pretty today~
    Halfway through the change, as she unfurls the swimsuit and takes a look at it, she hears the discussion about spin-the-bottle, "Ah, is it that game already? Isn't it a little dangerous to be playing that so early on?"

Rosamarie Alba (438) has posed:
    Whatever it is that bumped the ship, Rosamarie sees it's gone now. Long gone, hopefully. It seems there was something, and that it was big, but... oh well.

    She returns from the rail, shrugging. "I almost think I'd prefer a crisis." she murmurs, looking around at the others. Oh well, it's a good chance to relax! And ... and she didn't bring a book. Damn. "I'm not going to play that game. I think I'd rather play ... oh, I don't know. Shuffleboard?" she offers. Yep, totally no fun.

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute of course moves to hold up the screen. And he is trying /so hard/ not to peek. SO. HARD. Like he absolutely /wants/ to look, but with /everyone/ here, it is almost /certain/ someone will see him. Lute actually looks as if he is in physical pain, just briefly, because of the urge to look.

     "...And I'd save that game for later, but well, danger is my middle name. Plus I think it'd be good for Fayt."

     Lute, honestly, thinks it would be good for Fayt's psyche to get a kiss.

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa says "Spin the bottle wait your serious?"

Part of her thinks this is a bad idea, she really does but on the other hand ya it's pretty clearly transparent.

"He sticked a tentalce monster of some sort on me once..."

Lute (188) has posed:
     "No, I dropped you in a pit and held you ransom, get it straight."

     Lute corrects Kotone.

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt nods slowly as Yuna places her order, and Fayt sends a few commands over radio.

    It'll take a few moments, but eventually? A black Draging shipping craft will shoot past over head and air drop her request to her. Yes. Really.

    with the work calming Fayt down from his eariler freakout somewhat. Fayt looks back to lute. "Huh? You want me what now?" Again, the poor mage sounds terminally confused. This has REALLY not been his day. "What the heck are we all talking about?"

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
The turbulence from the passing delivery-craft sets Yuna's ponytail whipping about her, not to mention making her skirt fly about; she holds the latter down against her thighs and calls out, "Thanks!!" to the pilot (and to Fayt) before grabbing the pacage and moving to get changed ... also behind the hang glider, since that seems like the best option.

Elner occupies itself, for the moment, by hovering about two feet away from Lute's face and watching him like the proverbial hawk. You can almost *hear* the robo-faerie staring.

(It sounds like this: 'jiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~')

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    "All done. Thanks!" Hayate, with a neat little packet of uniform wrapped up under one arm, pats Lute on the shoulder, and then promptly puts her hand over his eyes. "Ah, one more, actually. Can you please keep it up for a little bit longer? Thank you!" She turns to smile back at Yuna, "Hey, that'll look good on you! Need a hand with it?"
    Lute wants to look. Hayate wants... a bit more.

Riva Banari has posed:
"This is getting confusing. Look, I like Toph's idea. Let's go play shuffleboard." Riva looks at her phone and checks some things as she heads to the shuffleboard play area. "Okay, I've looked up the rules on the game." She grabs Fayt as they pass. "You're playing too." She says, dragging him along.

Riva walks along the board, tapping at various points. "Okay, you stand here and use a stick to try to land a weighted disc over in the scoring area here. This spot is worth ten points, these are eight, and these are seven. If you land in this section you /lose/ ten points. If your disc goes past this point it doesn't count. The disc has to be completely in the scoring area. If it touches one of the lines, you lose 5 points. You take turns, and you can knock other people's weights around to change their score or take over a scoring position."

Riva huffs, explanation done. She begins handing out the sticks.

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute has his eyes covered.

     At least one of them will /touch/ him, which is more than people will usually do to him.

     He continues to look away. Like a gentleman.

     A gentleman held at gunpoint.

     "KARMA WILL REWARD ME ONE DAY."

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna smiles at Hayate, "I appreciate the offer, but I think I'm okay - I've worn swimsuits before. Even two-piece swimsuits. If I need a hand, though, I'll call ... thanks!"

She changes quickly; the swimsuit is indeed a two-piece - a LITTLE more demure than your standard bikini, but not by much - and turns out to be navy blue in color. But it fits Yuna perfectly, and she finds herself strutting just a bit as she ducks out of the impromptu changing booth. "Thanks again, Fayt! How does it look on me?" She twirls around briefly so that Fayt can see back as well as front (and sides, too).

Of course this means Lute gets to see too ... but Yuna's not sweating *that* at this point.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    The rules are explained, and Toph pays attention, nodding her head slightly. "So... the rules are to get them close to this section?" she asks, walking up alongside the area. And this close it's easy to notice something about the pucks. There's metal in them.

    Toph smiles.

    "Wanna make the game interesting?" she suggests to Riva as she takes a stick.

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt nods to Yuna. "no problem, and you.. er... GAH!" He's suddenly interrupted by Riva dragging him off adn shoving a stick in his hands. The blge blikning a few times as the rules are explained to him. "...ok?"

    Again, confused mage is confused.

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    Hayate takes her hand off of Lute and gives him a bright smile, "Thanks! Ah, can you please put my clothes away in my cabin, too?" It comes as a question, but already her entire outfit is in Lute's arms. It definitely frees Hayate to stride off after Yuna, waving from behind her, "Hayo, Fayt~! Ah, you're starting to play, already? Yuna, let's join in and help Fayt win the prize, okay?"

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva nods. "Yeah, basically. You shove the weight with the stick. That's why it's called shuffleboard, I guess." She shrugs. Her eyes narrow as Toph brings up 'making it interesting'. "How interesting are you thinking?" Riva asks. She's listening.

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa likes the idea of shuffle board she calls back to Lute for a moment.

"I'm certain it will."

She now follows Riva to go play shuffle boar and she looks to Toph.

"Whatcha got in mind?"

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute ends up with clothes in his arms. At the very least, the moment of stress is gone now. No more temptation. Though instead of putting the clothes away? He just hands it to one of the boat's workers. Which exist yes.

     He joins the others at the shuffleboard court.

     "...Yeah, what's the bet gonna be?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "We all pitch in, the winner gets all the cash," Toph says with a smile as she digs through the pocket of her shorts, pulling out some cash. "Who's in? Who wants the chance to earn some cash?" she asks, turning towards the others. Surely this must be more fun than some dumbass kissing game? "Or do you have an idea that's not based on your cruddin' hormones, Loverboy?"

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute shrugs, "My hormones aren't cruddin', they're refined."

Mizuki (183) has posed:
    Mizuki wavers a hand over her mouth in a yawn. "... I've no interest in money, but thank you for the offer. If I do play, it will be independent of your little wager."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Yeah, and I'm the queen of Ba Sing Se," Toph snorts as she places her cash on a nearby table. "You in or not?"

Lute (188) has posed:
     Again, Lute shrugs.

     "I'll just watch for this one."

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
"If there's money riding on it, I'll pass and cheer for both teams equally," Yuna says with a rueful look. "Elner's got my wallet, anyway."

.... never mind that the little robo-faerie is too small to carry a wallet, has no arms, and more importantly has no POCKETS. Although on that note - where did Yuna put her sundress? She wasn't carrying it when she came out from behind the hang glider, and she didn't leave her dress ... come to think of it, she didn't have a visible *purse* and that dress certainly didn't have pockets ...

Rosamarie Alba (438) has posed:
    "I've never played this kind of game before." Rosa claims, peering at the board a bit nervously. Nervous at the thought of gambling, admittedly. "I think just playing ought to be interesting enough." she claims.

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    Hayate pulls up into the bettle circle, somehow right next to and right behind Fayt through no planning of her own (lies) and not intending anything (also lies). Considering what's happened already between them, she probably won't do anything this time (statistics). In lieu of money, though, she holds up a finger, "I think a practice round for everyone is fair, before wagering starts, don't you, -Fayt-?"

Riva Banari has posed:
"They're refined all right. I can see them working from here." Riva replies. She pulls out a few stacks of coins and puts them down on a table. "I'm in." She says to Toph. "Are you a queen? I didn't check that part." She asks idly. "You've got a good personality for it. Very assertive." Riva looks at everyone else backing out. "Looks like it's just you and me, Toph. I'm willing to go if you are."

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute finally chimes in. "How about winner kisses me, loser kisses Fayt? Those would be good non-money bets."

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt lets out a little yelp as Hayate is suddenly behind him. "I um... er" He blinks at lute. "....what?"

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna just *looks* at Lute.

She doesn't say anything. She doesn't take any other action. She just *looks*.

Is further reaction necessary?

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Fine, be a baby." Toph snorts, then turns to the others. "The other of you guys /men/ enough to join in on this game?" At Rosa's comment she snorts. "I haven't played it before either, but it's not going to stop me from having some fun!"

    Blergh, only her and Riva then. Blast. Toph sighs, then blinks at Riva. Then she laughs, honestly amused as she reaches out and punches her in the arm. "Oh man, that's a good one! Heh... queen!"

    She's still snickering when Lute makes his suggestion, and Toph sobers up slightly, snorting. "Right, I'm not kissing you. Or Fayt for that matter. And money makes it more interesting, you dunderhead." Okay, she waits for Riva to put the money on the table, then she gestures to her. "Go ahead." Yes, the blind girl lets the other person go first! How truly noble of her! Right?

    Right.

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    Still smiling (any day that she gets to see one of those faces on Fayt is a good day), Hayate waves a hand towards Lute and quite cheerfully says, "I'm a protector of Fayt's lips today, so that's impossible unless you go through me first. And I wouldn't want to do anything like that on a day off."
    Towards Fayt, she stage-whispers, "Don't worry, I've got your lips covered!" Followed by a cheery thumbs-up.

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute just looks at Fayt. Bewilders.

     "...I never realized you were /such/ a ladies' man."

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute pulls a notepad out of who knows where to take notes.

     He then sets it down briefly.

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva chuckles and takes the slug in the arm. "Well, it's a big multiverse. Maybe you can set yourself up."

Lute offers kissing and she arches an eyebrow. "Look. I appreciate your cruise, but you're really going to need to work on your game if you want to get any interest from women. You remind me of some freshmen from my old college."

She spins the stick at the invitation and nods. "All right." Riva turns and places down a weight, and shoves it across the board.

It lands firmly in the 7 area. "Huh. Well, good for the first try I guess. Next!" She says, walking off to let the next person try.

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt blinks at Hayate, utterly dumbfounded. "huh?" he then glances at Lute. "I what now?" The mage jsut looks over the croud, clearly totally lsot at this point, before looking down at hte stick in his hands. "Wasn't I supposed to be playing something?"

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    Hayate nods and, just barely not touching Fayt's hand, puts her hand on his stick and points it at the next weight up, "Take your stick, put it here, and push it in. It's about controlling your power and angle to find the best spot!" Lute's quip is totally ignored.

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa sighs is going to go with Riva and Toph if they are both willing to go give this a try.

"I'm fine with putting some money into the pot on this."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Where did yours land?" Toph asks, tapping her stick against the deck. She can feel where it is, but she can't actually see the lines on the board, now can she? Either way she gets her puck ready, and once she gets her answer and Fayt finishes his turn she gets it going, hoping that the others are keeping their focus on the puck. And don't notice how she twists her left hand just slightly... as the puck slows down and stops in a a near perfect position.

    "How did I do?" Toph asks, faking ignorance as she steps back so others can take a shot.

Riva Banari has posed:
"I got 7... And you got a perfect 10! Wow, you're good! You sure you didn't play this before?" Riva asks.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Yeah, never played this before," Toph replies honestly, faking a surprised look. "Huh. Must be beginner's luck." She even adds in a shrug.

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
Fayt's shot... barely makes the board, partially because Fayt is still a bit out of it form all the crazy, and partulyl because Fayt doesn't have much strength to push with. so whih his turn done, he simply blinks at the board. "...huh."

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    Hayate applauds Fayt briefly before deciding to let him recover a bit. It's not in the having, it's in the getting! "Hey, Fayt, I'm going to go get some drinks. What do you want?"

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    "Um... a drink? Water is fine?" Fayt replies to Hayate. "I'm not thirsty right now but... drink, yes."

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute mutters something to himself.

     Or actually is contacting Hayate via private radio.

     "Hey, spike Fayt's drink."

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva winces at Fayt's try. "Ouch. Well, maybe you'll do better on your next shot. Remember, you can knock your and other people's weights around!"

Riva moves to take another shot, aiming as she tries to display this fact as she shoots again. The shot ends up propelling Fayt's own weight forward and rebounding to tap Toph's weight, putting all three in the 10 area. Unforunately, Riva's is on the line and Toph's is still in front. "Ugh, Toph still holds the 10 scoring position." She says. "Her weight is the farthest back, but it's not touching the border or sent out of position."

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Not being as acquainted with the rules as Riva or anyone else is, Yuna is standing off to the side, clapping for everyone who takes a shot at shuffleboard. This is almost more fun than actually playing would be.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Grinning, Toph leans on her stick as she waits for Fayt to play his turn. She's ready though, one hand handing down her side... fingers ready to shift and interject with Fayt's puck should it be necessary...

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    with a shrug, fayt slides his next puck down the board. without any interference. it barely makes it to 5 points. "Hmm...."

Hayate Yagami (150) has posed:
    Hayate returns with a glass of water and a glass of slightly cloudier-looking water, smiling broadly, "Ah! Your puck went forward into the scoring place. NAISE JOB, Fayt! Here's a reward!" Random Engrish is Random.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Okay... her turn again. "Let's see..." Toph steps forward, then slides the next puck forward to where she senses the other pucks are. And tilts her head just sliiiiightly to the left, gently aiding it on course towards Fayt's puck to slide it further along into Riva's puck. She can't make it swerve around them and into a good position, after that. That would be too suspicious!

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva frowns as her puck gets bumped around. "Man, I am having the worst luck!" She says, and aims another puck, aiming for the other side of the scoring triangle. She slides it around and causes it to stop right before the edge of the 8 scoring area. "All right! That puts me at 8 since you knocked my other into the far zone. You're at 10, Toph, and Fayt is at 5."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Yay!" Toph cheers, then turns slightly towards Riva. "How long does this game last, by the way?" she asks. Time to get ready for Fayt's next puck and interfere with it if necessary. That cash is as good as hers!

Riva Banari has posed:
"Um, when someone reaches 21 points." Riva says. "You're currently winning." She answers. "You're playing really well!"

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt blinks at Hayate, but carefully accepts his drink, and takes a sip,. Just harmless water, right?

    Ok then... Fayt pushes his next puck out onto the board. it slides right into his last one, coming to a dead halt with a soft 'click' "...huh."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Okay, got it..." The blind girl nods, then manages to keep a stoic face when Fayt's puck mysteriously halts. Oooops. Then she steps up again, taking another puck... and sends up up the side of the shuffleboard, willing it to stop near her first puck. Don't go too fast now! That's a good puck...!

Lute (188) has posed:
     Lute is... honestly not interested in shuffleboard at all, which is part of why he was trying to make it more interesting. But, alas, he's sitting back at the moment, drinking his own drink a bit.

     And oggling the girls of course.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
"Nice shot, Toph!" Yuna cheers. "I thought you said you hadn't played this before, you're a natural at it."

Riva Banari has posed:
"I know, right? Maybe she should start doing this professionally, she could make a ton of money from old rich guys." Riva laughs. She looks over the board, anf frowns at something, but she doesn't seem to be able to put her finger on it. "Wow, that 10 area is getting croweded." She comments, before she plops down her own weight and aims... And then attempts to simply shove it at the 10 area as hard as she can to break up the traffic jam and send things going everywhere. Total chaos! Maybe Toph can take advantage of this to set herself up for a win. But surely she'd never do such a thing!

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    The earthbending master gives a cheery laugh and twirls her stick a little. "Thanks! And hey, it's all about listening, right?"

    Hey, what is Riva doing? Toph blinks as she feels her opponent getting ready for a major shove. At her side, her left hand focuses on Fayt's puck, which should still be in the way... and she forces it to keep still, and hopefully make Riva's puck richochet off of Fayt's and into her own, knocking it aside!

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa says, "has been watching the game and seems to be enjoying she's not done so well but hey it's fun, right? She's just happy to be doing smething normal and for run here. She's actually smiling."

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva squints really hard at Fayt's puck, but she just puts her arms akimbo and looks over the scoring board. "Well, damn." Riva sighs. "Looks like..." She gestures and caluclates. "All right Toph, you've won! Congratulations. That was crazy." She sighs and heads over to the table, shoving the pile of money over towards Toph.

YOU WIN: 10,000 PAX ROMANA (exchangable for multiversal currency!)

"Enjoy your money." Riva replies.

Don't worry Toph, Riva will catch you some other time.

Lute (188) has posed:
     And the party lasted, late into the night, with everyone having fun, Toph eventually being called out on her cheating but no one being able to prove it.

     And of course, Lute got some.

     ...Okay, not really.

     In fact he probably gets kicked in the crotch at some point in the night, after which everyone else continues to have a good time.