(no subject)

[idontneedluck]

Here's the thing:

Chirrut Imwe has never learned to swim.

He's never needed to, not really. The only body of water big enough to properly swim in close to NiJedha was in the kyber caves, and it was cold enough to freeze a man solid within minutes.

So he never learned. It never became an issue.

Except now he lives (non!lives? after-lives? The terminology is difficult) in a place that has an abundance of water. Logic says that the blind man should just avoid the lake, or the pools, or the spa, because there's this saying about old dogs and new tricks. Chirrut may be called a mad dog sometimes, but he's also getting to be that proverbial old dog.

Chirrut never liked sayings like that anyway.

So this morning he laid out his plan to Baze with tactical precision, - finding a place that was a more controlled environment, tempting Baze with warmth, and then off-handedly noting that if Baze was too busy, he could go himself, it would be fine.

This would be why there are two Jedhan men, dressed in swim trunks, at the edge of one of the spa's heated pools. They are both battered and bruised - Chirrut's ribs are mottled to every color of the rainbow, Baze's face is sporting a heavy bruise and his hands are wrapped securely against further damage.

One of them is sure it can't be as hard as everyone is making it out to be. The other one is not so sure. They might not know they need help, but it would be advisable. Or at least, watching them flounder should be entertaining.

(tiny tags: Baze Malbus, Chirrut Imwe, Dodger, Mark)

Comments

[iprotectyou]

Baze is sorely tempted to just shove Chirrut into the water, and watch what happens. Surely tempted. But Baze wouldn't do that to his friend--though he'd be surprised if Chirrut wasn't tempted to do the sane.

So Baze removes the temptation, as best he can. He settles on the edge of the pool, dangling his feet in the warmth. "Well?" he says. "Come on, then. Let's get used to it."

[idontneedluck]

"How deep is the water?" Chirrut asks, unmoving. He can't get any idea of the bottom of the pool - from the echos there's just a broad expanse of flat in front of him, which he knows is incorrect.

[iprotectyou]

"The markings say four feet on this side, and six feet a little farther down," Baze says, kicking his legs in the water so Chirrut can hear him splashing around. "We can wade into it here, where it's only four feet deep, and not worry about it going over our heads. There are some stairs with a rail to our left, if you don't want to just jump in from the side."

[idontneedluck]

Chirrut flashes him a smile that better befits the twenty-year-old hellion he once could be rather than the (theoretically) calmer and wiser man he's become...

And jumps into the pool.

He at least has the debatable good sense to not jump in head-first, and his whoop of exhilaration turns into a flail when the bottom of the pool is both closer and farther than he expected.

But it's so warm, he can't find it in him to be upset.

[iprotectyou]

Baze snorts, shielding himself from the ensuing splash, and then dissolves into easy laughter once his friend surfaces again. "I didn't think it would be that simple to bait you!" Baze says, grinning. He slides into the water, carefully finding his feet on the bottom, and wades over to the bobbing Chirrut. "I wonder if we should learn how to float first?"

[ostro_goth]

There is a small furry creature wandering through the spa, the same kind of creature that had been with Bodhi in the infirmary. But this one is grey.

Its eyes are green and almost glowing, and it's carrying something fluffy in its fangs.

[iprotectyou]

What is that doing here? Baze has no idea. "Hoi, Chirrut," he says, settling down onto the side of the pool, dangling his legs in the water. "There's an animal here. It has killed another animal, and has it in its mouth."

[idontneedluck]

"I hope it wasn't one of the servers." Chirrut notes, dipping a foot into the water, very clearly debating whether a slow, dignified entry is best, or just... jumping in.

He can't hear the creature Baze is talking about, with the slap of water on tile and the pitch of their voices creating loud echos throughout the room.

[ostro_goth]

The creature sits near the edge of the pool, but keeping well away from the water, puts down the piece of fur (which is black and red) and watches then.

Mrrr? it says, sounding a bit doubtful.

[iprotectyou]

Baze has no idea how to approach this strange creature, or if he even wants to. On Jedha, random animals never showed up out of the blue, not without fierce teeth, anyway. He's unsure if he'll get bitten by the furry thing. Still, he holds a hand out to it, palm up.

"Chirrut, you should just jump in," Baze says, grinning. "I know you want to. The water is only four feet deep on this side, so you don't need to fear drowning as much."

[justmark]

There are two other people in the bar for whom the concept of plenty of fresh, clean water is alien. They were up in the library, trying to find information on a wild hellbeast that won't leave them alone on their side of the door, but there are only so many books a person can look at in a day before their eyes start to go crossed and risk staying that way permanently. A little adventure, both to get to know Milliways, and get to know one another a little bit better is in order.

A spa with heated pools was sort of the last thing Mark expected to find around here, for some reason. There's just so much water that it almost dazzles him. It does catch him off guard and make him stop in his tracks.

[i_ship_it]

Dodger does not see why Mark has stopped, or even notice that he has stopped until she runs right into his back.

"Ow, hey. What's the hold up?" she asks.

Then she peers around Mark to see it too. Water. A lot of it.

Well, look at that.

[idontneedluck]

"I know, we are glorious!" Chirrut crows cheerfully. "Come in, come in, plenty of hot water for all."

[iprotectyou]

It's at this moment that Baze gives into temptation, and shoves his friend into the pool. It's only four feet deep on this side. Surely he won't drown. Right? Right.

"Welcome," Baze says, turning his attention away from Chirrut's flailing to the newcomers. "I'm Baze Malbus, and this sad, little man is Chirrut Imwe. Who might you two be?"

[justmark]

"Uh."

Several things go through Mark's mind in very rapid succession. His hand starts to reach for the machete on his belt, before he remembers that this is a friendly sort of place. People will be in unexpected places. Especially if unexpected places have an unexpected amount of water that isn't the sea.

"Mark."

Meeting new people is still infinitely weird, and Mark hasn't got the hang of it yet.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric comes into the spa-house, a floating silk robe wrapped around himself and a bundle of towels in his arms.

He spots the Guardians and tightens his shields around himself and turns to move to one of the smaller pools at the far side of the room.

[idontneedluck]

The echos of the pool are giving Chirrut a run for his money - it will be a little while before he becomes accustomed to them, so for now he's running on wild inference and a lot of guesswork.

He has no idea who's come into the spa, only that he and Baze aren't alone anymore.

"May the Force of others be with you!" He carols in cheerful greeting while he tests the water with his foot.

[iprotectyou]

Baze stills on the tiles, raising up on the toes of his bare feet. He settles back down on his heels again, resting a hand on his friend's bare shoulder. "Chirrut," Baze says, sotto voce. "It's that boy again. The one who got into your head."

He offers the golden child a curt nod, and an assessing glance.

[thewidewideworld]

"Peace be with you." Sinric answers softly, his posture defensive. He moves to the furthest pool, kneeling gracefully to check the water. "I seek no trouble. I just came to bathe."

[idontneedluck]

Chirrut tenses, his posture going from lazy and relaxed to primed in a heartbeat.

But he can't sense any interference at the moment. And the boy's all the way over there.

He huffs at Baze, purposefully softening his posture so he can get Baze to relax, and splashes inelegantly into the pool.

[findsthesun]

An elf pokes his head around the corner in a manner he'd describe as discreet. Others might disagree.

[idontneedluck]

Chirrut, unselfconscious about the bruises painting his chest every color of the rainbow (the display doesn't look bad to him, after all), cocks his head, pausing his his cautious investigation of the pool's edge.

"May the Force of others be with you!" He carols out in cheery greeting - he's not sure who, or what, is there - only someone, the Force swirling at the edge of his perception.

[iprotectyou]

Baze didn't notice the human-looking person, too busy scoping out the water. He was just about to leap in when Chirrut carols his greeting. "May the Force of others be with you!" Baze echoes, glancing around.

Ah. There he is.

[findsthesun]

Oh, people. "And with you," Legolas calls, up-lilt of a question at the end.

He takes off his light boots, leaving them and his archery gear by the door as he moves inward towards the water. He drops into an easy crouch by the edge, some distance from them. There's a camera hanging from his belt, but it's waterproof, so.

"It smells... strange," he says. "Do you know why?"

[idontneedluck]

"Some chemical in the water, I assume. I've been told it's safe for swimming." He answers with a shrug that doesn't match his frame, his blind gaze focused somewhere distinctly to Legolas' left. Chirrut has never encountered this much water in one place except for Scarif, and that place... hadn't smelt of chlorine.