I. [video]/[action]

[hasthepotential]

[Minako was always a fan of the beach, having formed some of her favorite memories on the shores of Yakushima. It seemed like the most sound choice when it came to getting away from the general pandemonium caused by everyone's sudden arrival (and consequentially, departure from their own world) and gaining some peace and quiet to mull over the information packet given to her in the plaza.

She was sitting in a chair on the porch of one of the restaurants over-seeing the ocean, a large glass of iced tea garnished with an umbrella, orange wedge, and colorful straw her only company. Her city map was flattened out over the table, weighed down with her glass, a sea shell, and her mp3 player. In her hand was the letter addressed to her, though she'd read over it several times.]

...touching people, huh. [She mutters under her breath.] S'probably a good thing some people I know didn't wind up here with me. [CoughcoughMitsurucoughcoughShinjirocough.]

Sorry for bailing on the welcoming party so fast! [Oh, you didn't think she realized she was recording? Not at all! Have a bright smiling face, folks!] I'm Minako Arisato, nice to meet'cha! [She gives a little two-fingered salute before leaning back and fanning herself with her letter.] ...it was the middle of winter where I came from, so I guess I should make getting some seasonally appropriate clothes a priority. I'm sweating like a horse!

[She sits forward, though from the view of her feed, it looks more like a lunge.] But once that's out of the way, maybe we should get right down to business so we can get this problem solved and sent back home!

[She raises a single finger.] Touching, right? No big! Who's up for a game of tag?

Comments

[video]

[demimaudite]

"Tag? To save the world?"

If you went shirtless like her, maybe you wouldn't be so hot right now.

[video]

[hasthepotential]

"Actually, that sounds pretty catchy when you put it like that!"

Don't tempt her. She's not an exhibitionist or anything, but if she wasn't a glutton for creature comforts...

[video]

[demimaudite]

"Heh. I most likely will not participate, but enjoy your game of world saving, then."

Solution: bikini top!

[video]

[netting_nettles]

[Kariya hasn't gotten around to setting his phone up on the network, so here he is standing in front of one of the community terminals, head slightly tilted in curiosity.]

Do you think playing tag would be enough to do anything? There's not that much contact...

[But his interest is obviously piqued. This is the closest to an okay way of managing being here that he's heard so far.]

Unless you got a lot of people for it, maybe.

[video]

[hasthepotential]

[Minako taps her chin thoughtfully.] Well, the letter didn't say how much the contact had to be. I figured as long as it's there, and it's a lot of people involved...it's kind of like friction, isn't it? It's more about the speed that generates the heat, not the size of the surface area!

[And besides, it's a great, fun way to stay in shape!]

And I figured it might be a good, pressure-free way to get to know people too...since going full-on with the PDA might make some folks squeamish.

[video]

[netting_nettles]

Uh, sure. Surface area.

[That's a pretty science class-sounding explanation, and Kariya's not sure it really makes sense, but...hey, he'll go along with it, with only a hint of a snicker.]

It sounds like it'd be worth a try. It's not as weird as going around hugging strangers everywhere.

The beach here would have enough space for a good game, too.

Video

[nofarplaneyet]

Plan might almost work. Except you'd need to tackle someone for enough contact.

Video

[hasthepotential]

You think so? [Minako looks back down at the letter.] 'Any touch will do,' it said...though if tackling's your preference, I say go for it! As long as you don't hurt anyone.

[nofarplaneyet]

Well, you'd figure the length of time would help out too, but if you have enough brief touches, I guess it could work.

[video]

[ribbonbon]

But, um, isn't the point of tag to like, not let someone touch you? Besides, some of us are like, kind of too old for that, right?

[Plus, she hadn't seen many little kids around, anyway.]

[video]

[hasthepotential]

That is the point, but this way there's a bit of winning in losing!

[Though the notion of being too old strikes her as odd.]

Well, maybe...but I don't think anyone's too old to need an icebreaker or two.

Video

[nohugging]

I wasn't aware they had a party.

Did you at least have fun not going?

Video

[hasthepotential]

I got a bit of exploration done! I'm sure the party was fun, [Was it? People looked kinda...pissed.] but it was getting a little stuffy for me!

( text )

[tsuniversalbunny]

A game of tag is so much better than hugging or touching people at random, I'd think.

( plus she's never played it!! )

( text )

[hasthepotential]

I'm so glad you agree! Plus once you get the endorphins going, everyone will be in a much more open mood! ♥

video;

[goldenflint]

Hmm... That seems to a viable alternative to hugging or holding hands.

video;

[hasthepotential]

At the very least it'd be a fun, pressure-free way to get to know each other, right?

[video]

[perfectionisms]

... Wouldn't that be counterproductive?

[video]

[hasthepotential]

[Oh-ho? Minako welcomes the questions with a smile.] How do you mean?

[Video]

[5thchild]

What's "tag"? How do you play it?

[Video]

[hasthepotential]

[Holy cow, are you for real? What kind of childhood did you have that you don't know tag? Poor baby, c'mere...]

Well~basically there's one person who's "it," and everyone else tries to run away from whoever's "it" inside a certain area. Say, a large field.

Then, as soon as the person who's "it" touches one of the people running, it's that touched person's turn to be "it" and it starts all over! You get pretty winded after a while, but it's a lot of fun! [If juvenile.]

video

[hellfire_gouka]

[His hair still wet from his shower, Shinju looks somewhat tired as he replies to Minako's... interesting offer.]

I know what you mean about the winter thing. I'm in the same situation. [He's currently wearing a sweater, much to his dismay, but at least he's inside.]

I'd definitely have to do something about that before I'd even consider a game of tag... And even after, I think I'd prefer sitting in the shade against someone, if it was going to be anything. [He lets out a brief sigh.]

... I'm a little jealous that you seem to have a phone connected to this already.

video

[hasthepotential]

There's gotta be someplace to get some different clothes around, right?

[She's doing her best not to sound whiny, but the heat was starting to get to her, and she really didn't want to get all smelly and sweaty if it wasn't a result of a work-out.]

Jealous? [She tilts her head.] How do you mean?

[Action] c-c-c-combo breaker!

[callmewhateveryuwant]

[He was at the small beach already as he walked by Minako. He wasn't going to stop until he heard her suggestion for a game. Wasn't tag supposed to be getting away from touch? No, asking the obvious question was a bad idea so he decided to look for something else to focus on.]

Is that any good?

[Yes, he's asking about the tea. Don't ask.]

[Action] WHEN PROTAGS COLLIDE

[hasthepotential]

[Minako looks up from her communicator, attentive eyes falling on a calm face of a young man. He had silver-ish hair, much like Akihiko back home, but his features were much softer.

She follows his eyes, noticing the tea she'd been neglecting in favor of chatting-up her fellow new-comers.] Oh!

[She slides it closer and takes another sip. He must think she wasn't enjoying it since it'd started to collect condensation from the ice melting.] It's really good! Doesn't help much with the sauna beneath my sweater, though.

[To emphasize her point, she tugs at her collar, leaning back and sighing.] Would've been nice to get a change of clothes when being brought here...s'no way I'll want to deal with another person's body heat when I've got mine driving me crazy.