insurmountable | The Bet

[Taking the wax from her, he proceeds to wax up his own feet, but doesn't do it to his chest...which he wasn't sure if he would need to. It's not out of the question though. Depends on if he slips off his board.]

Alright, [he says, finishing it up and capping the tub as he tosses it over with the rest of their stuff. With board in hand, he starts walking towards the water, looking confident.] Let's go. Paddling can't be all that hard.

[He says, as his famous last words.]

I'm more worried about the standing up part.

[ Buddy.... don't jinx yourself.

Anyway, she'll just let him find out the hard way. Now that they're both set and ready to go, she heads off into the water until it's rising above her chest. She sets the board on the surface, lying on it belly-down. ]

So to master this technique, the most important thing to remember is your position. Don't be too far back or else your weight will drag the board down.

[ To demonstrate, Yoimiya arches her back, and begins the slow paddle across the water, she keeps a good pace to ensure Ajax can watch her every movement. ]

Start off with slow, steady strokes. Flailing around is just going to exhaust you by the end of it.

[Wading into the water with her, he observes how Yoimiya lays down on her board. It'll be a little different for him of course, since his center of gravity is different and he's much taller. He listens very intently, and makes sure he considers and tries to take her teaching as seriously as possible. It shows in his face, as he places his board on the water and climbs onto it belly down. It wobbles a little in place, but he manages to stay on...for now.]

Okay, like this?

[He does his best to emulate Yoimiya exactly, paddling slowly across the water's surface even as little waves come in here and there. His balance is excellent, but unnatural- Ajax is clearly focusing hard on making sure he's doing it right.]

Hmmmmm...

[Like he's contemplating something...mischievous...]

And I'll paddle out against the waves, no problem?

[ Oblivious to his mischievous intentions, Yoimiya is just happy to see him balancing fairly well. He's still a little wobbly but she has faith he'll work out the kinks. ]

You got it! Just keep paddling like that until you're comfortable. Once you feel ready we can head out to the waves and I'll teach you the technique for standing up.

[Ajax continues to paddle around, looking like a kid who's excited that his parents took him to the beach in the first place. It's a whole new experience for him, and he's glad he's got someone like Yoimiya to help him along with learning something new. Her teaching must be good, because he feels like he's getting the hang of it, so he'll have to make sure to express his gratitude to her properly later.]

I think now is as good of a time as any. A trial by fire seems in order!

[He sounds excited about it despite his phrasing- challenges are fun and learning something new is also fun :)]

No laughing too much at me if I fall, though.

[ A trial by fire... he's not beating the hit man allegations, he speaks like some kind of warrior but she will keep that thought to herself for the time being.

Would you look at that, there's a small wave cresting in the distance. Yoimiya motions for Ajax to follow her as she paddles close to it. ]

Alright, so the best way to pop up is act like you're doing a push up but keep your arms lower and close to your ribcage. When you stand up, try to stare at the horizon and not your feet.

[He follows dutifully, paddling his way through the water with ease- in which he realizes only is happening because of the tide. He knows just as well as anyone else that the tide is incredibly dangerous, so he hopes that today will prove to be in his favor. Even someone like him who has experience with the ocean in a different way, can succumb to mother nature's might.

And, he doesn't want to look silly in front of Yoimiya, so he'll try his best either way.]

Yes ma'am, [he says cheerfully, paddling towards the wave that he can also see now that her own direction has pointed out. Here's hoping the first try goes well-!

Soon, the two of them reach the wave, and he mentally prepares himself for it. He's seen this on TV before, so he starts turning his board around as the wave comes upon them...but he has no idea how to position himself. Ajax finds himself being raised up onto it, and tries to do a pushup as instructed, but finds that even that is making him far too wobbly. The board shakes underneath him, forcing him back down on his belly as he clings to it to try to make sure he doesn't fall off.

The entire thing takes him a little by surprise, but he's still on the board, though he never got to stand. He looks for Yoimiya, wondering if she's off surfing like a pro.]

Ooooookay...

[ It's probably no surprise that Yoimiya takes surfing like a fish to water. She's flying across the wave, hooping and hollering and just having a great time.

She was so caught up in having fun that she nearly forgot about Ajax. From the corner of her eyes, she spots him attempting to stand, he tries to do a push-up as instructed but the method doesn't seem to be working for him. She visibly grimaces as he falls back onto his belly, hoping he didn't get hurt in the process. Although she might look like a pro to him, she still considers herself to be an amateur, and she knows what it's like to be unfortunate enough to have a wipeout. Once the wave subsides, she paddles back to him. ]

Harder than it looks, ain't it? What are you having trouble with?

Edited 2025-01-14 22:56 (UTC)

[Ajax looks only mildly embarrassed that he wasn't able to stand up when Yoimiya paddles back over to him. She looked so cool riding the wave like that and having a good time, and he hopes that he'll be able to do that along with her sooner rather than later. He gives her a meek smile when she asks, laughing off his failure.]

Haha, well, I certainly didn't expect standing up to be as hard as that...seems my balance is a bit off. Don't worry, I'm going to get it before I leave this beach today.

[Ajax is FILLED WITH DETERMINATION. Maybe he needs to think about it in a different way and then he'll be able to stand up without wiping out.]

Come on, let's go again. This is fun.

[ Poor guy... that meek smile tells her everything, she can tell he's trying his best but he's just not getting it. Surfing is a difficult sport for someone who has never done it, so it's only natural he'll struggle.

After pondering to herself for a short moment, Yoimiya rises from her board slowly for Ajax to watch. She makes a show of pushing off with her front foot as she carefully rises to a standing position on the board. ]

I should have done this from the get-go, take my hand.

[ She extends her hand for him to hold and keep his balance. ]

Remember, don't stare at your feet too much, and try to keep your sights set on the horizon. Also, try to keep your knees only slightly bent.

Okay.

[Watching her carefully, he thinks he sees where he might of screwed up, plus the heat of the moment where he was finally there to do the thing and sort of forgot how gravity worked. But he's always been one to learn quickly, so he tries it again exactly the way she shows him, while also reaching for her hand for balance.

It's a little wobbly, but he manages to stand on the board while only soft waves move them both back and forth.]

This is definitely easier said than done. I feel as if I move an inch the wrong way, I'll fall right back in.

[But feeling where the balance is helps him a lot to understand how to do this right...and not fall.]

[ Success! Her smile curves into an eager grin as he watches him slowly stand up. He keeps a steady hold on his hand, lacing their fingers together so he doesn't catapult into the ocean. ]

Surfing is all about a careful balancing act. It will be difficult at first but once you get used to it, it will be like second nature to you.

[ She shoots him a confident wink, affirming her confidence in him. ]

A good technique to consider is bend your knees to where they are facing each other while keeping your upper body straight. I got your hand and with me at your side, you won't be falling on my watch.

Edited 2025-01-21 21:15 (UTC)

Can you be right here while I'm surfing a wave?

[He grins at her, as that's just a small tease, really- it's probably not possible for her to babysit him in the midst of an actual wave, unlike now where she can sit here and hold his hand. But she's right, the more practice he gets, the better he'll get.]

Haha, I'm kidding. I'll keep all your teachings in mind, and keep practicing until I've mastered it. You know...

[He makes a dangerous move, tugging on her hand to pull her closer to him on their boards, at the risk of making himself lose his balance.]

...you're pretty good at this. I'm pretty lucky to have a you as a teacher.

[ Yoimiya lets out a chirpy giggle at his joke. She tries picturing it in her head; the two of them surfing while holding hands. It's a cute thought but unfortunately not possible. Before she's given the chance to tease back, she's started by his hand suddenly pulling her closer. If she wasn't experienced, she might have fallen into the water.

It was a dangerous move... but it's a good thing she likes danger. ]

I could say the same to you. You've been a good, obedient student. I'll be happy to train you all day if that's what you like.

[ As if she's daring him to make it even more risky, she twines their fingers together to steady her grip. ]

Even if you being a bit dangerous proves to be a challenge. But you're lucky I happen to like troublemakers.

[He seems to enjoy being called a good student, his face lighting up at both the praise and the comment about him being a troublemaker. Ajax grins, looking down at their hands before looking back up at her.]

How could you tell?

[He won't deny it. He definitely likes to make a scene sometimes.]

I'd like to think of myself as an upstanding citizen.

[If only that were true lol]

[ This guy really is a riot. She's never met a man who would call himself both a troublemaker and an upstanding citizen at the same time. He's silly and it just so happens that Yoimiya likes both a mix of silly and trouble rolled into one. Ajax is proving to be interesting, alluring, and her type to a T. ]

Hmm... you might have fooled me since you stepped in and saved me from that creep. Buuuuut~ that fox-like grin of yours tells a whole different story, mister. I can practically smell the trouble wafting out of you.

[ She giggles as she lets go of their hands to see if he can balance a bit more without her help. ]

Hehe, but I suppose if that's your definition of a "good upstanding citizen" we can be... good citizens together.

[ A.K.A she wants to cause some trouble with you, buddy. What's better than one chaotic gremlin? Two of them. ]

[He can only keep grinning back at her as she lets go of his hands, wobbling a little bit but keeping his balance. Yoimiya is definitely more than just a horny lady looking for a quick bang in a bar. He knew she was fun before, but she's practically dropping that she's in for something more than that.

It only adds to her appeal, and the prospect of creating a little bit of trouble around the town sounds like a great time to him.]

Huh, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you too, like to cause a bit of a stir...perhaps another night on the town sometime is in order.

[But first, they gotta surf!]

We can work out the details on that later. But right now I see another wave coming-

[His words are immediately cut off by the sounds of screaming a little farther down the beach from where they're currently floating. People are running out of the water, looking around for their children, and getting away from the ocean all together.]

-huh? What in the world is happening?

[ Hitting the town at night with this troublemaker sounds like a fantastic time to be had, she can already envision them causing so much chaos and she's positively thrilled. Looks like her assessment was right, Ajax is so much more interesting than her usual victims. But first things first, they need to work on his surfing technique—

Before she's even given the chance to open her mouth, she's cut off by the sounds of people screaming Bloody Mary. Yoimiya practically jumps but thankfully, manages to stay balanced on her surfboard. The first thing she notices upon looking around is crowds of people making a mad dash out of the water like their lives depend on it. ]

Right? What's got everyone spooked...?

[ Well, Yoimiya figures the best way to get to the bottom of this is to ask and luckily, there happens to be a guy frantically swimming past them. ]

Hey! What's all the fuss about?

[ The guy nervously turns to them, looking white as a sheet. ]

W-What are you two doing?! Get out of the water!

[New to the region, Ajax has no idea what could possibly be swimming in the waters of Inazuma. It's an eastern region, where it's warm in the summer and cold enough for snow in the winter. The beasts he's familiar with hail from Snezhnaya, where everything is triple the size of other regions of the world, but that doesn't mean that monsters don't exist here, too. So his thinking instantly assumes the worst, and hopes for the best-]

Let's go, [he says curtly, lowering himself onto the board and paddling to shore. He can see more chaos unfolding down the beach, where it seems the source of the panic is.]

I'm going to see what the commotion is. Yoimiya, please stay on the shore, and if anything happens, find help as fast as you can.

[It's like his entire demeanor has changed- serious, commanding, ready to take on any challenge that this might throw at him. He won't even wait for either of them in the water, hurrying as fast as he can to shore and then taking off down the beach to do who knows what...]

[ As they paddle to the shore, Yoimiya contemplates the identity of the mysterious creature that's gotten everyone spooked. Judging from the way everyone is running for their lives, there's only one possibility that comes to mind; a shark. Though that also doesn't make too much sense to her, she was always under the impression sharks don't come to crowded beaches and today, the beach is packed full of people coming to see the jellyfish light up the ocean at night.

But even with all the theories in the world, getting to shore is more important than pondering on whatever creature is lurking beneath the ocean depths. The shore comes into view and Yoimiya is already starting to feel relieved but that little bit of respite is snatched away as soon as Ajax makes his crazy declaration. ]

Huh?! You're going out to sea with a potential monster swimming?! There's no way I can leave you al—

[ Oof, there he goes. Before Yoimiya is given the chance to voice her concerns, Ajax sprints down the beach.

Wow! Just wow!! She can't believe this guy!!! Despite that she hardly knows him, this seems very on-brand for him from their interactions. His fighty self would be itching to go check out potential danger. This guy is insane, ridiculous, and dangerous.

And yet... he's the most interesting guy she's ever encountered. She'd be a huge hypocrite if she got onto him because running headfirst into trouble is exactly what she likes to do. The decision is easy and it's without any hesitation, she follows him down the beach. ]

[Down the beach he goes, people still rushing to get out of the water now and staring out into the ocean to see if they can get a glimpse of the danger in the water. His eyes scan over the water too, and he gets the glimpse that everyone else is trying to see- a fin.

He knows that sharks don't generally try to bite people, they're not their natural prey. But a hungry shark panicked because they came in with the tide, seeing something try to scurry away that looks like prey- that might be a disaster. There's still people trying to come in against the tide, panicking far too much themselves in his opinion, because they're making themselves into prime targets for a hungry and scared animal.

Ajax dashes straight in, past others running out who tell him not to go, if he's crazy, etc. He can already see someone struggling to get out of the water, and that fin dips up and down, breaking the surface a little too close for comfort.

And without hesitation, he dives in. Gone underneath the waves without a trace.]

[ On the other side, Yoimiya runs past the screaming crowd in a desperate bid to catch up to Ajax. Some onlookers think this girl is also crazy for running toward the danger but they aren't about to stick around and find out what's wrong with her. Though she looks like an insane person herself, she doesn't care, the only thing that matters to her is Ajax's safety. His tall legs are a huge advantage over hers and at some point, she completely lost sight of him. Desperate for any sort of information, Yoimiya stops the first random man she sees. ]

Excuse me! have you seen a tall man with ginger hair as bright as a bulle fruit?

[ The passerby looks at her like she's crazy for stopping him. But fortunately for her, he happened to be one of the ones who tried to stop Ajax. ]

That crazy guy?! He went that way! He just dove into the water without any thought. I didn't dare to figure out what's going through his head. If a death wish is what he wants, then by all means.

[ Yoimiya quickly thanks him for his time and with that, the man books it out there. She sprints in the directions he gave her and sure enough, she catches the tail end of Ajax diving into the water. ]

AJAX!

Edited 2025-02-27 22:55 (UTC)

[By the time Yoimiya screams, he's already gone.

The tide is definitely a whole new beast underwater. He can tell if he's not careful, he might never come back. But Snezhnayans are made of something else, and to him, the biggest change is that the water is warm. That means this is going to be easier than it ever has been back in his home country.

Ajax's head comes back up to break the surface to see where he's going before going back under. He finds it so much easier to swim underwater- never really understanding why- so he quickly reaches the person struggling to get out. He pops up again, grabbing a hold of them and starting to swim to shore, when the shark decides to have other plans.

Off to Ajax's left, the fin breaks the surface of the water, and he knows that they're no longer going to get out of this without direct contact with it.]

Swim faster.

[He says before he lets go of them to disappear beneath the waves once more. There's no sign of him, not for at least a minute or two, until the unexpected happens.

Out from the water, very uncharacteristically, is the shark breaching the surface almost as if it were a whale- with a ginger right on top of it, hanging on for dear life as he gasps in what breath he can when it falls back into the water.

The struggle goes on for several minutes, where they both suddenly reappear only to disappear again. Every time, Ajax looks like he's having the time of his life, until the water goes very still, with no sign of either combatant.

And just when everyone starts to believe the shark ate Ajax, a head of ginger hair pops up as he gasps for breath, swimming back to shore and emerging onto the beach completely unscathed.]

[ As soon as she's there, he's gone within a blink of an eye. Suddenly, she's hit with a sharp ache plunging into her chest like a knife, the thought of him being gone just like that only amplifies that feeling, panic rising as if the knife is twisting and tugging at her heart. If something bad happens to him, she'd never forgive herself for not lifting a finger to help. Even as her heart hammers inside of her ribcage, she refuses to take her eyes off the scene in hopes Ajax will emerge out of the water. It's then, she notices something peculiar sticking out of the water.

A dorsal fin.

Finally, she gets confirmation of the mysterious creature that has everyone spooked, and the sight only further fuels her fears that Ajax got himself in some serious danger. But thankfully, thankfully, she sees his head popping out of the water along with a person struggling for dear life. Now she gets it, he jumped in to save that person. It's crazy, foolish, and belligerent to dive in with a shark swimming around.

But... she finds that crazy heroism to be admirable. Not many humans would risk their lives to save another.

So naturally, Yoimiya has to do her part to help. Soon as she spots the person getting closer to shore, she doesn't hesitate to dive in and pull them out of the water. But as scary as the scene of Ajax jumping into the water was, she's not prepared for the scene of him grabbing the freaken shark and start an underwater wrestling match with it. Every bob of his ginger hair emerging out of the water causes the panic in her chest to return full swing but the most concerning detail of it all is...

He looks like he's having the time of his life?!?!?!

Before she can even process that, he disappears into the water once more. And just when she's about to fall down to her knees thinking he's gone for good, the guy just pops out of the water and comes back to shore like it was another day in the park for him.

She wastes no time running up to him, clearly shaken up from everything that just transpired. ]

Oh my god, Ajax. I thought I was going to puke when I saw you disappear into the water. Are you okay?!

[He doesn't mind the stares he's getting as he emerges from the water. Ajax honestly expected it, it's not like it's normal to jump in the water and fight a shark. But then he assumes that not many people have been to Snezhnaya- he can't blame them, it's too cold for most people- so they probably wouldn't know that everyone is actually crazy where he's from. His eyes light up when he sees Yoimiya running up to him, noting that she's just as worried, and he's already prepared his apology to her.

It's not the first time he's had to apologize to someone for doing something crazy like that.]

Don't worry, I'm just fine. I must say, Inazuman sharks aren't quite as large as I expected them to be...

[He laughs, continuing to walk out of the water onto the beach and into safety, no longer in danger of getting eaten.]

I'm sorry I worried you. But I couldn't let that person just get eaten, and I was curious to know what the creatures of the deep were like here...

[It was like 60% wanting to fight the shark and 40% wanting to save the person lol]

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