[center][h2][i][color=778899]A[/color]maryllis 'N [color=75c159] T[/color]etrad[/i][/h2][/center] Tetrad was making her way back toward the arena, but slowly. Really taking her time that one. She was quick to take Emily out on the water, but was getting distracted by everything on the way back to the Keijo pool. She was taking the scenic route along the beach, and was still trying to swallow more of those gummy worms. It was no easy task. Her stomach was still upset, and eating a giant wad of them hadn’t helped settle things at all. Eventually she stopped walking and just sat on the beach, worms in hand. There were a few crabs crawling around, but they mostly kept to themselves. Ugh, this was super awkward now. Though she had spotted Tetrad from a distance, the monochrome girl pretty easy to find out on the beach, Amaryllis now had the problem of wondering just how to approach her. She totally seemed depressed, didn’t she? Just sitting at the beach, doing nothing but vacantly stare at the sand. Oh god, if Tetrad actually turned out to be one of those ‘tough on the outside but literally flour on the inside’ girls, what the hell was she even going to do? Be like, casual and just pretend to have stumbled upon her? Go rush at her and just be super business-like about it? Do a diving hug-tackle and shower affection upon her? Be super hot-blooded about it and just scream incomprehensible words? Cry tears of regret and prostrate before her? Naw, Amaryllis was just going to awkwardly walk up and awkwardly say she’s sorry. Her strides shortened as she approached the sitting girl until she was more or less tip-toeing towards her, Amaryllis’s body rejecting what she was going to do while her mind made up excuses over and over again. But in the end, where body and mind failed, spirit remained, and soon, the animal-bikini girl stood behind Tetrad, sucking in a deep breath. [color=778899]“So, uh, yeah...sorry, Tetrad, for like, what happened at the whole...thing...like, I honestly should have discussed our whole roles and stuff before we went into the game itself, but, like, yeah...it was really dumb on my part, so I apologize for it. I don’t really think I deserve any sort of forgiveness from this, but as recompense, I was thinking that I could, uh, get us first place in the tournament?”[/color] She looked off to the side, embarrassed at how bold a proclamation that was. [color=778899]“Like, yeah, that’s it.”[/color] Tetrad hadn’t turned around yet. She finished chewing on a worm before standing up. When she turned around, she didn’t look depressed, angry, or anything like that. If anything she looked bored. Half of a gummie worm rocked up and down before being pulled behind her lips. [color=75c159]”Well yea.”[/color] She ran her fingers along the top of the bag. It had a zip-lock style seal on it that kept everything fresh. [color=75c159]”I mean, isn’t it obvious? I wouldn’t have partnered up with you if I thought you were weak.”[/color] She placed her hands on her hips. [color=75c159]”I’m not going to make excuses for myself, but I would have done a bit better if I had the chance to draw one of my cards… Maybe.”[/color] With a snap of her fingers, a fan of cards appeared in her hand. She shifted her eyes towards it. [color=75c159]”Anyway, no need to apologize. That might have a parable of the horse situation.”[/color] After running her finger through her cards, Tetrad locked her eyes on Amaryllis. [color=75c159]”Are you familiar with that story?”[/color] [color=778899]"Don't draw conclusions? I mean, I guess I could stop doing that, but humans have an imagination for a reason, so I don't think it's really a good story or lesson to learn, you know?"[/color] Amaryllis scrunched her face together, the words flowing so easily, now that Tetrad seemed ok after all. [color=778899]"I mean, viewing everything with a sense of detachment is just boring."[/color] [color=75c159]”Is that what you’re supposed to get out of it?”[/color] The parable in particular that Tetrad was talking about was one that starts with a horse approaching an old man. The horse’s arrival starts a long chain of events, with the old man’s neighbor commenting on everything that happens. In the end, the old man’s son breaks his leg trying to tame the horse, but isn’t drafted for the war the following day. Amaryllis made a face. [color=778899]"Isn't it? The old man basically tells everyone else to just say what happened rather than whether or not the event was a curse or a blessing, so like, yeah…"[/color] [color=75c159]”I choose to believe that it means that not everything is what it seems. How strong the ace is depends entirely on the card game being played.”[/color] With a snap, her cards vanished. [color=75c159]”If your card game even has aces, that is.”[/color] Tetrad stepped past Amaryllis and dropped the bag of worms in her hands. [color=75c159]”We should see what our competition is doing.”[/color] She stopped and turned around. [color=75c159]”Oh, and talk tactics a bit.”[/color] It sounded like Tetrad was just paraphrasing it in a different manner, so maybe they were just confusing each other now. Receiving the bag of worms, Amaryllis awkwardly held onto it, not certain if this was a present or just something to…hold onto. Tactics talk was easy though. [color=75c159]"We should get to that, yeah, so like, what do you do anyways? I'm just a pretty normal physical power girl without my sword myself…"[/color] [hr] [center][h2][i]The [color=baddab]B[/color]inkster[/i][/h2][/center] Binky had been rescued the day before, but was a bit leery about heading out and joining everyone during the festivities. There were too many people who wanted her dead and too many more that wanted her for her unique talents. After nearly passing out from heat exhaustion, Binky was fine laying on top of her bed with the AC on. It was nice to just not make anything for a while. She swung her legs off the edge of her bed and stood up. She wasn't so exhausted that she had to lay in bed all day. Betty would likely be over to visit her soon, so all the more reason to be up and about. But as good as things were going, Binky also felt like she was being watched. It was a feeling she got ever since she was moved to Beacon, and now she was getting it on this island. She walked over to the window of her room and peered out. It looked like an empty landscape. Just a view of the ocean, with only the beach and a palm tree to separate them. But Binky couldn't help but shake the feeling there was something amiss...