sneaky nerd mage?

[touchallthebooks]

Who: Khadgar
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: On the planets or Twin Roses if anyone wants
When: The second day after they reach the system

[FLEETWIDE]

[Khadgar... does not have clothing for very warm planets or even moderate ones. He's usually covered by his robes and long sleeves. Sometimes his cloak as well. So he's definitely not dressed for what his message is about to involve.]

I'm going to visit Duotera, I think it was called, in a bit. If anyone cares to join me. I figure, I haven't bought much of anything since I joined the fleet, so I have plenty to spend. And I know I didn't get anyone anything for Winter Veil.

[FILTERED AWAY FROM MERLAN]

[A few hours later, he's not on the planet he mentioned. He looks hot and miserable and covered in sweat. Although he has acquired some... moderately more appropriate clothing for Philias.]

Ah...

[Now he looks a little embarrassed.]

I need help. I want to get something for Merlan.

mk. 12 (video)

[paraclete]

Who: Kaworu Nagisa, some sweaty local children, and any unfortunate onlookers.
Broadcast: Fleetwide video
Action: If you happen to be weathering Philias, you could encounter him.
When: 1/28, peak heat of the day.

Yes, yes, [Kaworu says, and his voice is floating along pleasantly while the video feed fumbles a bit. It comes to rest, finally, with him in its picture; someone else must be holding it.] That's great, thank you. Oh, it's all right, don't worry. [He wiggles his toes. Well, not much else of him is visible.

Those toes are stark white, bone white, almost blinding and fluorescent in the already glaring sunlight. While they wiggle, some sand dribbles through them. Otherwise, the rest of him is covered up. He's lying on his back, and there are children surrounding him—they must be children—they're small, and dressed in ways designed to keep them shielded from both relentless suns. If they're dressed like this, and not in swimsuits for favor of the beach, perhaps they're located a little further from those tourist spots...

Regardless, the small group of children manage to have a good time even in the agonizing weather. It must be fun, a ridiculous novelty, to be dumping sand upon a stranger. That's exactly what they're doing now: Kaworu lies there, wiggling those white toes, and the children are heaping hot, hot sand onto him. The sand is so hot they're using little pails to do it. They chatter and laugh, and Kaworu remarks, as if scripted,] Make sure to drink some water, it's good for you.

[He turns his head so that he can look back to the recording. He really is covered in sand all the way up to his neck. When he grins, the child holding his communicator giggles.]

I'm documenting the joy of comfort. [Then he says, very seriously,] This is a heart's delight beyond articulation. If you want to remember the first time you felt safe, I recommend burying yourself in the sand. [One of the children fumbles with their pail, making skin contact with the sand and startling at the burn of its heat, and... Kaworu ends up with a face full of sand. His eyes don't squeeze shut on instinct, but they do close when some sand actually does get into them. He squints, wrinkling his nose, and says, like a fresh breeze,] There's happiness to be found in the most unlikely of places. Oh, thank you very much. [One of the children is patting his face with their little hands. They're probably just spreading grains of sand around, but he doesn't seem to mind.] I think it's true that an adversarial life can bring us to forget the feeling of... ...oh......

[There's been a shout from the distance—must be an adult—and the kids shriek, jumping up from their places of play around the mound of sand on top of Kaworu. There's some skittering, and the child holding the communicator moves closer to Kaworu, before setting it down, most likely beside his head. Its recording now points up at the sky.

... ... ...

It looks like they've left him alone, still buried underneath that sand. He's quiet for a long moment, out of view completely. Then, lighthearted:]

And joy can last for quite a while, too.

[... ... ...!!]