It's Healthy, Hypothetically, Somewhere

[merryeccentricities]

It's a very bright night out. 

And very cold. 

But there's a patch of clear water in the icy surface of the lake. Which has prompted Joly and Bahorel to interrupt a late-night walk with a Conversation on the merits of ice swimming. 


" You're the one who said it was healthy!" 
" No, I said some people think it's healthy. And that it's a tradition in some places. But the scientific literature is,well. Highly inconclusive, at best. Listen, sometimes people die of this sort of thing, you know? So I don't see how it's supposed to be healthy." 
" So you haven't tried it yet." 
"Listen, no , don't take your coat off--don't-- It could be dangerous--Bahorel that isn't a  reason you should--"  

The rest of Joly's protest is cut off by a cheerful shout and a splash. And then a few seconds more of very loud profanity and  much more excited splashing. And then a shout of " Come on in, the water's fine!"  that should not, in Joly's opinion, sound as convincing as it does.

..But it does. 

After a little more arguing, and the necessary time to get out of clothes neatly ("How do you always get out of your waistcoats so quickly??" " Trade secrets! And I never told you to use that kind of knot on a cravat, see how much trouble it is?" ) there's another bout of frantic splashing,accompanied by some rather more specific and personally directed cursing, in a higher register

...But it does get more comfortable after a bit. Joly frowns, and swishes a hand under the water. "It does get more comfortable, doesn't it? That's probably the hypothermia starting-- don't you dare splash-!" 

It's not a very peaceful moonlight swim. 

(OOC: One mun, two pups-- ask for either or get both/whoever DW will let me log in to play at the moment!) 

Comments

[mjolnir_retriever]

They may or may not notice the form flying through the sky a little while later. It is nighttime, and Thor's just tossing himself along with Mjölnir, not flying in a lightning storm.

(Because flying is more fun than walking and Thor is not a super-patient soul. That's the entire reason.)

However, the odds are probably much higher that they'll notice when (after glancing down with rapidly growing amusement) that form drops to land in a crouch on the lawn, and then laughs aloud.

"Is the lake refreshing?"

[merryeccentricities]

Joly half-jumps, as best as one can in water; then he laughs, too. " Ah--yes, actually, I think it is! I feel very alert!"

Bahorel grins, and splashes water in Thor's general direction from far too far away to actually reach him. "Why not come see for yourself?"

[mjolnir_retriever]

Thor is not, actually, at all worried for them! For one thing, they're grown adults who can make their own choices. For another thing -- okay, yes, he's not entirely clear on what level of cold is and isn't dangerous for humans, since based on what Bar's told him it kind of sounds like they're even more fragile than he always thought and seriously like anything can kill them weirdly fast. But the last time Thor spent much time on Earth, it was in Scandinavia. He's definitely aware that humans can go swimming in icy water and be fine.

So he just grins. This is the grin of someone who's definitely considering it.

...Yeah okay consideration done. That didn't take long!

And apparently they've opted for the sensible efficient friends-in-a-lake sartorial choice, i.e. none. That works, especially since Thor didn't bring a change of clothes. Cheerfully, "Then I shall."

You know what's great? Having a magic hammer that can magically vanish your clothes and armor (with a cool disintegration-y effect) into a pocket of space-time is great.

[merryeccentricities]

Yeah, they're grown adults who can make their own terrible decisions just fine!

Bahorel applauds, grinning. "Now that's convenience!"

Joly is more openly stunned. " How--the mass can't just--how? Is it a, a sort of transporter?"

[wings_of_a_swan]

Combeferre, who is out for a refreshing stroll (yes, it's night-time; so what?), decides to walk by the lake. The moonlight is lovely on the water.

Less lovely is the sight of two familiar fools who are taking a dip in water that has ice on it.

"Joly! What are you doing?" He does not deign to address the question to Bahorel. Bahorel doing something ill-advised needs no explanation.

[merryeccentricities]

" Combeferre!" Okay yes he knows it looks silly. "I read some articles on the practice, you know--apparently people in some colder climates do it quite often! It's supposed to be very healthy, good for the circulation! As long as there's somewhere warm to go afterwards, and well--" he gestures towards the general hotel-ness of Milliways.

Bahorel, quite noticing the slight, grins, and swings his arm to send a wave of cold water rolling in Combeferre's general direction. "And thus we are committing scientific exploration." Probably! Also it's fun!

[wings_of_a_swan]

"I've heard of it," says Combeferre, dubious. "But you risk catching a cold." Granted, colds have never deterred Combeferre before.

He steps sideways to avoid the splash of cold water, while still ignoring its source.

[merryeccentricities]

" Well--well yes." Joly frowns in concern for a moment. " Oh, but there's so many kinds of medicine here, and you know, I haven't been sick very often here at all-- only that wretched flu, the once. I think it might be some sort of herd immunity-- have you noticed how healthy everyone tends to be here? It might be the least likely thing about the place!"

Bahorel laughs, and sends a splash of water Joly's way. "Not so commonplace as the walking dead, hey?"

[livinginmyglass]

Viola isn't usually a night owl, but she couldn't sleep, and the night looked so bright and clear and refreshing, so she decided to take a stroll, and-- so did-- other people?

Or more accurately, a swim?

Well she has to wander over to see what kind of crazy people jumped into a frozen lake.

[merryeccentricities]

Joly waves cheerfully and with no apparent sense of being mad when he sees Viola. Well, who he knows as "Cesario! It's very clear night, isn't it?"

Bahorel a little farther from the shore, raises an eyebrow at the name. Probably it can't be seen.

[livinginmyglass]

--she definitely wasn't expecting it to be someone she knows.

"It is!" she calls back. "And yet passing cold, methinks!"

[merryeccentricities]

" Well, yes-- but it feels warmer, in the water, somehow!" Joly is used to washing off with cold water, though he's avoided it since reaching Milliways and its wonderful plumbing. But he never thought of bathing in actually icy water. It's different!

"Very bracing!" Bahorel swims a little closer. "Cesario, was it? --Bahorel, here on the same diligence as this hell-raiser." He shoves Joly lightly, and gets shoved in return.

[heatherandsteel]

Quentin is nocturnal and he actually likes cold weather, so he's outside bundled in a jacket when he hears the noises. His night vision's fairly good but he doesn't recognize the heads, his disguise is down and he's dressed in modern, human clothing, "Hello in the lake!"

[merryeccentricities]

" Hello on the shore!" shout two voices in almost-unison, with enthusiastic and very splashy waving.

[heatherandsteel]

"How's the water tonight?" They sound happy and ice water swimming can be fun though he's never done it.

[merryeccentricities]

" It--it is very cold!" Joly laughs, and splashes Bahorel in ongoing retaliation. " Exactly as it looks!"

"An honest lake!" Bahorel chimes in. " Very bracing!" And hmm, he can't quite place this pointed-eared fellow. " Have you tried it?"

[idareyou]

It's night-time in Milliways! Even though it's nearly noon in Scotland! Night-time--and it's oddly tempting, since she's come here with a good fur cape, to take a moonlight walk in the snow at noon in September.

So Mary's already in a nearly-giggly mood before she reaches the lake and sees the splashing men. Once she sees that they're playing, and not drowning, it turns into outright laughter.

[merryeccentricities]

oh no it's a girl Joly did not anticipate this
Joly dives down even further into the water and more or less hides behind Bahorel, who is oh no waving the laughing girl over?!?

Bahorel is also calling her over! "Hello and good evening! Nice night for a swim, isn't it?"

[idareyou]

Yeah, sorry Joly, it's a girl. A teenage girl. Who is giggling. And approaching. (But at least not trying to look at anything in particular.)

"You are very trusting! What if someone took your clothing?" It's like a story, one of those stories where a traveling knight meets with a devil or a witch or a fairy. Mary's just not sure whether this means she's the knight or the witch.

[dragon_dealt]

It's after some while of this -- after, in fact, one of the swimmers has given up and gone in with friends -- that a huge winged shape glides across the sky, blocking the stars with a draconian silhouette.

Close attention might reveal the dragon's head cocking, as if to look at something or someone down below. Hmmm.

[clayforthedevil]

The stars are suddenly blotted out by a great shadow, moving silently through the sky.


Bahorel grins. Watching the glitter of the stars from the middle of an icy pool is very fine, but watching a dragon is inherently finer. He waves, not knowing if Kazul is looking downward at the moment--but doesn't it look like she's tilted her head?

[dragon_dealt]

It does!

And now it looks like she's folding her wings and dropping downwards!





She makes surprisingly little splash, with her water landing, even with the fact that she has to break through a bit of ice. (That's not hard; this ice is nowhere near thick enough for her weight.) But there's some buffeting gusts as she backwings enough to achieve that.

As a greeting: "Aren't you cold?"

[heartbeneathastone]

The night is very bright-- and of course, there was a time when Marius Pontmercy was out all night most every night. Not anymore, but-- when he sees such a bright moon out the window, he is taken by the sudden urge to go walking beneath it. But as he nears the lake, loud splashing somewhat disrupts the serenity.

Of course no one would be so foolish as to intentionally jump into the lake in this weather-- they must be in distress! He hurries to the shore, pulling up short in surprise when he recognizes Bahorel and Joly.

"Hello!" he calls. "Are you alright?"

[merryeccentricities]

The question is answered with a dual shout of "Marius!" in cheerful recognition.

Joly is close enough to almost see him. "We're swimming! For, ah, for--" --oh no he can't see Bahorel now. He splashes wildly to the sides and is rewarded with the sound of spluttering. He laughs and goes on. " --for our health. As you see."

Super healthy, probably maybe!

[heartbeneathastone]

"For your... health?" Pardon him for looking a touch skeptical. "I was always told the cold was dangerous."