(no subject)

[the_overseers]

[As part of the celebration of 0134 being promoted up the faction ranks, there's been minor construction work throughout the Grounds. After a week, a magnificent fountain with waterslides is in the center of the grounds with unusually bubbly water shooting out the spout. There is a plaque]

"The Bounty of Water: A Lost and Recovered Work of Bergholt Stuttley Johnson. Dedicated to the hardworking Agents of 0134"

[However, soon after the installation, everyone from Enforcer down will notice their clothes disappearing from the laundry, and if one walks by the fountain at the right time they'll see socks, shirts, and unmentionables shooting high up into the sky, without concern for colors or dyes]

Comments

[micro_icarus]

"I think it's just my gloves, but with all this crap out here I figured I should check, at least. Then I saw you out here, and..."

He shrugged. As he stepped to a slightly shallower spot, it became clear that while he was not in the same state of undress as Lucca, his shirt was soaking wet and kinda clingy.

[tempus_fixit]

He's also just stepped close enough for her to somewhat focus. Oh. My gods. She blushes and tries really hard not to react. The steam in the water around her sort of gives her away, however...

"...W-well, I just came out here on my way to the library, and then I saw Jacqli chasing down some of HER clothes so I decided to help, and then I realized hey-this-isn't-so-bad so I left my other clothes over there on the side with the--OH NO!"

She had been pointing to a spot on dry land at the base of one of the terrestrial outcroppings of the fountain. Now only her bag and helmet remain.

"They're gone! The fountain must have taken them!" She blinks. "You know, that sentence would sound really weird out of context..."

[micro_icarus]

Ed glanced over where she was pointing. "Uh-oh. Wanna borrow my ja-"

But of course, Ed's jacket was also missing. "GODDAMMIT!"

[tempus_fixit]

"Nothing is safe! Uuugh, sorry that had to happen, Ed. I'll go look for it in a moment."

Not immediately, because she didn't expect so much to fish out at once. Plus she'd have to leave him here to do so.

[micro_icarus]

She'd better find it, he likes that jacket, for all it's been through. "I'd help, but..."

He shrugged sheepishly, "I can barely swim."

[tempus_fixit]

"...maybe you can help anyway! Try to find something to match the clothes from the shallow parts! A long pole, maybe. Or even a net!"

[micro_icarus]

"Oh hey, yeah I can just do that can't I?"

One quick defacement of CO property later he had a hook on the end of a long pole and was snagging stuff out of the water from safety on the edge of the fountain and leaving them in a pile next to it.

[tempus_fixit]

"Perfect! Now... just don't catch ME with it, okay?"

And so the mergeek goes back into the water, ousting the fabric from where it'd been collecting in the lees beneath the statues.

"I'm not gonna dive for anything." She calls amongst the streams of water from spitting fish statues. "I can't guarantee I'll still be here when I surface."

[micro_icarus]

"Don't worry, I'll keep clear of you."

To be safe, Ed went aimed with his hook for a spot almost 180 degrees away from Lucca as she dove back underwater. He stuck the hook underwater and promptly got it caught on something he couldn't see.

Scowling he gave a tug. Whatever it was, it felt like it was coming loose...

[tempus_fixit]

He tugs, and there's a feeling of something giving way, and at the same time a yelp of surprise comes from under the statues he'd been perched near.

"OHMAIGODS!"

What happened? Is she hurt? No, not really. If he pulls up the hook, he'll see exactly what happened, in the form of a soggy sarashi bandage dangling from the collection hook.

1/2

[micro_icarus]

Ed stared at the random mess of bandages, what the hell was this and why did it looks...

...familiar...

2/2

[micro_icarus]

"Oh shit."

He looks around frantically for Lucca while holding the sarashi awkwardly.

[tempus_fixit]

"Ed!!" Comes Lucca's voice under the statues below him. "That oversized fish hook snagged something it REALLY shouldn't have!"

[micro_icarus]

Ed peered under the statue, "But...but you were way the hell over there just a minute ago! What are you doing here?"

[tempus_fixit]

"GAH, what're you doing?! Don't look!" Lucca flails a little as she tries to cover up and tread water at the same time. Everything beneath her collarbones is submerged, but the color refracted through the turbulent surface is a promising shade of peach... the view is short, because she reaches for a blob of floating red fabric nearby to cover herself.

"I thought I was over there too! I must've hit a warp somewhere and didn't know it."

[micro_icarus]

"Ngah! Sorry!"

Ed dropped the sarashi down to her and looked away, then, against his better judgement, looked back down. "Is that my jacket?"

[tempus_fixit]

"...Huh?"

Half-tangled in the strip of cloth, she holds the red thing out at arm's length to get a better look. "--HEY! It is! Cool!"

She tries for a few more seconds to put the wrap back on, but the shifting of the water wasn't being her friend in this endeavor. Eventually she gives up and shrugs on the coat, ties the cloth around it like a belt, then crawls up the serpentine statuary to get out of the water for a bit, coughing.

"I don't think I've ever been so waterlogged in my life." She splutters, sitting.

[micro_icarus]

"You look like a half drowned puppy."

He hooked out a pinkish shirt that looked like it had been orange before it ended up in the fountain, then sat down next to her, "At least it's warm out. That jacket is light enough that it dries out quickly."

[tempus_fixit]

"Yeah... do you mind if I hold onto it a little longer?"

Considering she's still using it for a makeshift dress. Plus it may be a washed-up, patchwork mess at this point, but she's starting to like it.

Wait wait wait...

"... ...Is that my VEST?"

[micro_icarus]

"Ah... sure"

The hook comes into play again to pull the pink shirt up towards them so he could inspect it. He snickered slightly at the new coloration "Looks like. Don't like pink?"

[tempus_fixit]

"Not particularly." She says, slumping a little in her seat with a sigh. "Oh well. I have another one at home, but then I'd have to go home. Hm, my Dad might not really notice what I wear but... my mom's got a good eye for detail." She ends with a shrug.

"Oh well. I'll figure something out. Maybe I'll buy something here instead, if it's not going to matter anyway. Tell you the truth, I'm starting to like red." She smiles.

[micro_icarus]

"Obviously you would like red. Red is the best color." He ruffled Lucca's hair before pulling her close with an arm over her shoulder.

"You know, if they can fix the laundry problem this actually is a pretty cool fountain. It's practically a water park all by itself."

[tempus_fixit]

She leans against him, and lets out a little happy sigh.

"You're right! Well, the wormhole problem in general... But I don't know, that could be fun too! I know one thing; I'm actually gonna plan ahead and bring a swimsuit next time."

[micro_icarus]

He took a moment to imagine Lucca in a swimsuit. "As long as you don't end up in a laundromat somewhere, that would...definitely be worthwhile."

[tempus_fixit]

"Yeah, no spin-cycle for me, thanks. Tell you what: assuming they don't dig this whole thing up when they realize the root of the problem is all the freaky architecture... why don't we go together? You've got a swimsuit, right? You don't have to go too deep."

You can just, you know... stay high and dry where she can look at him in said swimsuit. That'd be just fine with her.