[Fang usually joins Vanille along on these excursions to keep an eye on her, and this time is no different. She's sitting a little ways away from the main group, and her only preparation for this party seems to be that she's removed her sari and her jewelry. Gran Pulse doesn't really have swimsuits.
She's a little bored, and so when she catches sight of Homura by the shore, she gets an idea.
[The girl doesn't really note the approaching woman. There shouldn't be anything dangerous here, of course, so there's no need to keep her guard up. Meanwhile she's busy looking out over the lake and is slowly eating a popsicle.]
[There's danger everywhere, Homura! Fang basically excels in the art of sneaking up on people and scaring the piss out of them, and so it's not long before she's right behind her poor, tiny friend.]
Head's up, kid!
[Sob pushing tiny Moemura into the water. What a huge jerk!!! It will occur to her very shortly that this was a bad idea.]
[The push catches Homura off balance and she finds herself heading face first into the water below the overhang, her arms swinging wildly as she yelps in surprise.
Hitting the water, the girl's sudden entry disorients her for a few seconds. While she knows how to swim, it's been such a long time that she's not ready for this right now, not without some more practice to get back into it. Eventually figuring out which way was up again, she kicks for it, struggling to stay afloat and get her bearings. But in the meantime, her red-rimmed glasses disappear from her face in the confusion, making the world around her blurry.]
[Vanille's been hanging back, leaning against a tree, watching others have a good time. It makes her happy, to see people enjoying themselves. When she sees Fang approach Homura, she smiles to herself, glad that Fang seems to have made some friends.
But then Fang pushes Homura in, and Vanille tries to remember if Fang has kept any friends other than herself for longer than five minutes.
She spares Fang an exasperated glare over her shoulder before she dives into the deep end, surfacing about a foot away from Homura, paddling gently closer.] It's okay, I've got you! [She holds out an arm and scowls up at Fang from beneath her soaked bangs before saying pointedly:] Sorry about her, she can be mean sometimes.
[And suddenly the girl isn't struggling, but rather finds some stability in the water on the arm of the older girl. She takes in a deep breath and lets it out, fortunately having inhaled no water in the fall.] Phew... Thank you...
[Still confused as to what exactly happened, Homura looks up from the water through wet eyes. Unable to make out the figure on the cliff, it becomes clear to her that something is wrong.]
Ah, wait! My glasses... [She tries to look downward into the lake for them, but there's no luck at all, no hint of even a red outline through the disturbed water. If she had trained herself, maybe she would have been able to dive down that way (and keep her breath long enough to do so), but even then it would be impossible to find her glasses in the depths without them.]
[Fang has the good grace, at least, to look abashed.] Come on, Vanille. It was just a joke.
[But a moment later, she glances over to Homura, and sighs.] Hold on, I'll get them.
[Fang is a strong swimmer -- the memory of it has not been lost to her, and although it takes her a couple of times of diving and resurfacing, she eventually catches sight of a flash of red in the dark water. She grabs the glasses, allows herself a moment of quiet relief upon seeing they are undamaged, and returns them to Homura.] There you go. You're all right, then? [She gives Homura's shoulder a little shake, in a gruff attempt at comfort.] Not too shaken up?
[Vanille keeps one arm out to Homura, and continues glaring at Fang.] Not a very good one!
[When she dives in and resurfaces with Homura's glasses, Vanille reaches out to slap her arm, after the glasses are safely in Homura's grasp, of course.] Be gentle!
[Then she turns to Homura and the glare melts away, replaced by a concerned smile.] Let's get you out of here, okay?
[Replacing the wet glasses on her face, Homura can see at least a little through the remaining beads of water across them. She lets out a sigh of relief.]
Thank you... [It's to both of the women, though the prank and light shake has left her a little unsettled.] I'm...all right...
[It's good she resists, because she probably doesn't want to be kicked in the chin. Vanille is going to POINTEDLY IGNORE Fang.] Come on, we'll go where you can stand.
[She s l o w l y starts leading the way toward the shore, careful not to go too fast. She doesn't want to freak Homura out, unlike SOME PEOPLE.]
[Now in the shallows, Vanille stands, keeping her arm out to allow Homura to hang onto it if need be.] Of course I do! I wouldn't want you to get hurt or anything!
[She spares a glance at Fang, eyes narrowed.] Why would you expect someone to push you in a lake?
[Finding sand beneath her feet, Homura, too, stands, loosening herself from the woman.] Sorry...I don't know... Maybe an accident could happen... [It wasn't one, but...
There's a thought that provides a convenient distraction from that, at least.]
She's a little bored, and so when she catches sight of Homura by the shore, she gets an idea.
Creepin' up on you now, Moemura!]
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Head's up, kid!
[Sob pushing tiny Moemura into the water. What a huge jerk!!! It will occur to her very shortly that this was a bad idea.]
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Hitting the water, the girl's sudden entry disorients her for a few seconds. While she knows how to swim, it's been such a long time that she's not ready for this right now, not without some more practice to get back into it. Eventually figuring out which way was up again, she kicks for it, struggling to stay afloat and get her bearings. But in the meantime, her red-rimmed glasses disappear from her face in the confusion, making the world around her blurry.]
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But then Fang pushes Homura in, and Vanille tries to remember if Fang has kept any friends other than herself for longer than five minutes.
She spares Fang an exasperated glare over her shoulder before she dives into the deep end, surfacing about a foot away from Homura, paddling gently closer.] It's okay, I've got you! [She holds out an arm and scowls up at Fang from beneath her soaked bangs before saying pointedly:] Sorry about her, she can be mean sometimes.
[It is possible she also sticks out her tongue.]
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[Still confused as to what exactly happened, Homura looks up from the water through wet eyes. Unable to make out the figure on the cliff, it becomes clear to her that something is wrong.]
Ah, wait! My glasses... [She tries to look downward into the lake for them, but there's no luck at all, no hint of even a red outline through the disturbed water. If she had trained herself, maybe she would have been able to dive down that way (and keep her breath long enough to do so), but even then it would be impossible to find her glasses in the depths without them.]
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[But a moment later, she glances over to Homura, and sighs.] Hold on, I'll get them.
[Fang is a strong swimmer -- the memory of it has not been lost to her, and although it takes her a couple of times of diving and resurfacing, she eventually catches sight of a flash of red in the dark water. She grabs the glasses, allows herself a moment of quiet relief upon seeing they are undamaged, and returns them to Homura.] There you go. You're all right, then? [She gives Homura's shoulder a little shake, in a gruff attempt at comfort.] Not too shaken up?
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[When she dives in and resurfaces with Homura's glasses, Vanille reaches out to slap her arm, after the glasses are safely in Homura's grasp, of course.] Be gentle!
[Then she turns to Homura and the glare melts away, replaced by a concerned smile.] Let's get you out of here, okay?
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Thank you... [It's to both of the women, though the prank and light shake has left her a little unsettled.] I'm...all right...
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To Homura, she says:] Sorry, kid. Didn't mean to shake you up like that.
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[She s l o w l y starts leading the way toward the shore, careful not to go too fast. She doesn't want to freak Homura out, unlike SOME PEOPLE.]
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I just... wasn't expecting it... [She can be talented at stating the obvious.]
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She's gonna worry about you anyway.
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[She spares a glance at Fang, eyes narrowed.] Why would you expect someone to push you in a lake?
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There's a thought that provides a convenient distraction from that, at least.]
...You two know each other?
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At Homura's question, she nods and grins.] Yeah, me and Vanille are best friends. We've known each other since we were kids.
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