[Open] Hit the Slopes

[topgun_textiles]

Characters: Everyone!
Location: Mount Hood, Oregon
Rating: Varies
Time: July 28th - 29th
Description: Skiing! Hot chocolate! Snowball fights! Hiking! Folks of Death City say 'screw the heat' and decide to take a frosty vacation a few states away. COMMENCE MISCHIEF.



The discounted price came at a surprisingly good time. With the temperatures in Nevada climbing and no end in sight, it seems the owners of a Pacific Northwestern lodge took pity on the Meisters and Weapons of Shibusen and offered them a break from the heat. Despite it being July, the snow was still plentiful for skiing, snowboarding, sledding and innertubing! Dress warm, rent some gear or bring your own and have at it, they say!

From dawn to dusk, the mountain is lively on all sides, boarders and ski nuts to ski newbies enjoying a mid-week break while nature buffs take hikes over the trails on the greener side of the mountain, reachable by a short bus ride from the main lodge. Whether you're more into the powdery white or the vivid green, there's a spot for you to take a breather on Mount Hood.

The question is, where do you even start?



[I volunteered to put up the log for the Oregon trip, and here it is! Tag in to one, two, or all three of the areas noted and start your own open or closed threads within. Tag yourselves in (you guys know the drill), mingle, and enjoy!]

Comments

Open

[de_faulty_hero]

[Cloud is one of those people fully enjoying the snow and he's also one of those die-hards who careens down the mountain on a snowboard as fast as he can, takes the jumps and goes where people probably shouldn't like in the forested areas. He pops in and out and has even taken to stopping suddenly in front of someone who has fallen to help them up.

He only sprays people he knows with snow in those sudden stops, a grin on his face and still only wearing a sleeveless sweater. He put on a scarf though, okay?]

[ritsu_kouyou]

[After shielding her face from the spray, Akiha shot Cloud a glare that could wilt a plant.]

Wipe that grin off your face before I make you eat it.

[de_faulty_hero]

[His grin only changes to a smirk in the face of her glare and her words. Come on, he lives with Sephiroth who threatens and glares all day. Really, it's cute on Akiha.]

How goes the snow battle, huh? White is your colour, Akiha.

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Don't make her play dirty.

She brushed some of the snow out of her hair.]

Whoever invented this must have been insane. I can clearly see the same trend follows for those finding it fun.

[de_faulty_hero]

[He tugs at his gloves so he keeps the urge to throw more snow at her at bay because it really is tempting right now. He could out board her easily if it came to that though.]

Insane? You mean 'brilliant'! Winter sports are wonderful; you're just mad because you don't know how to play the game.

[He makes a show of hopping up the hill a bit on his board, tossing her a wink.]

Just point your skis towards the bottom and you'll see how fun it is too.

[ritsu_kouyou]

It's freezing out here. It is impossible to have fun when one is an ice cube. How can you possibly not be cold? You're not wearing anything.

And I've already done that, Cloud. I don't consider careening down a mountain, trying to avoid others at breakneck speed fun. If I wanted to tempt death, I'd go find a witch.

[de_faulty_hero]

Is it? [He is clearly not bothered by the cold or the snow or the wind that comes with careening down the hill.] If you kept moving, you wouldn't be cold. Well... I grew up in the mountains, so cold doesn't bother me much.

Really? You have a different sense of fun. [He looks around as if expecting a witch.] Fighting a witch out here would be fun! I bet you and I together could do some damage.

[ritsu_kouyou]

The cold and I don't get along because of what I am. [Akiha was almost always cold because of being half-demon.]

And that was meant to be sarcastic. [Akiha finally struggles to her feet.] The last time I fought a witch, if capturing us hadn't been the bitch's intent, Sion and I would be dead.

[de_faulty_hero]

So why did you come if you knew you would be in the mountains with snow anyway? [He looks at her curiously.]

Pah, sarcasm from a woman is their main language as far as I can tell. If I act thick enough, you'll give in. [He shifts on his board to settle next to her.] Point, witches are a different kind of enemy, but you'll get your own soon enough. [He looks at her skis.] Triangle your skis so the tips point together. It will keep you slow... or you can hop in my arms and I'll take you for a great trail over there. [He points at the treed area. Lots of bumps over there... and jumps.]

[ritsu_kouyou]

I'm here because it's celebratory of Shirogane becoming a deathscythe. Her meister, Tatsumi, is a friend of Sion and mine. Besides... I need to start monitoring Sion's energy levels. She's at sixty-five souls and if Shirogane's trouble before getting her witch soul is any indication of what's in store, it's better I pay attention now rather than later. Especially since Sion doesn't pay attention to her own status.

[They're very much alike in that as Sion feels the need to monitor Akiha's status as she's usually too stubborn to back down when she should.]

And this will give me a good base-line when we're relaxed and not fighting to see how she's handling the energy. If Sephiroth had any issues before becoming a deathscythe, I expect you to tell me.

And there's no way I'll jump into your arms and let you carry me anywhere. I'm taken, remember?

[She gave a bit of a teasing smile and tossed her hair over her shoulder... which made her off-balance and she started to flail.]

[de_faulty_hero]

I wonder why we never celebrated... [Oh right, he remembers why now.] Aren't you and Sion little popular girls? [He's actually not sure how falling down a mountain of snow will help her monitor Sion, but to each their own he supposes. He looks around as if expecting to see Sion blazing a trail any moment now.] I didn't realize there was any trouble with souls before the witch level.

[He snorts and shifts his weight on his board to ease a little forward to Akiha.] You don't look very relaxed. I can't imagine you actually fighting with skis on. [He gives a sniff and cross his arms.] You do, do you? What would Sephiroth say if I gave up trade secrets?

[He makes a show of looking around again.]

I don't see your dearly beloved rampaging down the hills to do the honours. Is she on the hard slopes? She'd totally try a triple black diamond, wouldn't she?

[ritsu_kouyou]

I don't care what Sephiroth would say. [Said as Akiha managed to get her balance back.]

Sion's somewhere around. Probably on her backside. She's just as bad at this as I am. [She raised an eyebrow.] She's from a desert country.

[de_faulty_hero]

I'm surprised you two don't get along better. So... stubborn and prideful. [He inches closer subtly. Or as subtle as a man can be on a snowboard.]

So if I scoop you, she can't actually do anything about it, huh? [His eyes light up a little.] And I could do the same to her... [Subtly looking around for another person tumbling down the hill matching Sion's appearance.]

[ritsu_kouyou]

He's a condescending asshole and don't you dare try to tell me otherwise. [Yeah, they are a lot alike. Shhh.]

She can't, but I can. [Eying him warily.]

[de_faulty_hero]

And you can be a tough bird yourself. He's forced to relax if you take the time to get him drinking. [Oh does he know. Someday they better be friends too.]

You'd have to stay on your skis long enough to pick up speed. [He fiddles with his scarf and looks up the slope more, clearly looking for Sion.]

[ritsu_kouyou]

That would be a sight, especially since I can't get drunk.

[de_faulty_hero]

Neither could he until he came here. Have you tried now that you're here?

[He looks back at her.] What's Sion wearing anyway? Purple as always?

[ritsu_kouyou]

I have drank since being here. [Of course, she got distracted before imbibing too much champagne.]

Of course, she's wearing purple.

[de_faulty_hero]

Well, we should test you out again. See how that stamina is holding up in the face of real drinking... not wimpy drinking.

Huh... [He doesn't see her then. Good. He suddenly tips his edge and moves to get in close to Akiha to scoop her or at least grab her up.]

[ritsu_kouyou]

[When he grabs her, lifting her, Akiha immediately clamps her hand down on his bare arm and uses Soul Bite to sap his energy.]

Put me down!

[de_faulty_hero]

[He hisses in response to her attack, but he's already shifting his weight to put them into motion going down the hill.]

Sorry, going too fast, so hold on.

[He only adjusts his hold and picks up speed.]

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Holy shit, he's actually taking them down the slope while carrying her. This is... actually scary. A little. Just enough that she holds onto him tightly (and incidentally doesn't stop draining him with her ability) and closes her eyes as she clings.]

If you drop me, you are so dead!

[de_faulty_hero]

[Gaia, this woman! He has to concentrate on not falling down with her clinging to him, which is actually kind of funny given it's Akiha. He shifts and heads for a jump because if he's going to die, he may as well here her yell at him for it.]

If I drop you at this speed, don't you think I'd make sure to kill you first so I have a chance to get away?

[Oh yeah, that jump... it's happening right now. Cloud clears it and lands rather successfully. They're going much faster now.]

[ritsu_kouyou]

[She's never been in this kind of situation before!]

You can't run fast enough from Sion!

[And then suddenly they were in the air and Akiha actually shrieks a little before burying her face in Cloud's neck. She didn't want to see the ground hit just before breaking all the bones in her body. The one time she wished she still had her demon blood. She's been pushed off a tall building before and only suffered a few scrapes and bruises.]

[de_faulty_hero]

[This is what friendship with him is going to be like. A lot of ups and downs.]

I'll just hit the slopes again and see how she fares the same way!

[Okay, the shriek does actually make the whole thing worth it, he admits. He settles and dares to shift her in his arms so he's got her bridal style. He continues down the hill only getting faster and doesn't even bother to slow for the next jump. He just takes it at break neck speed.]

You're allowed to have fun, Akiha! Aren't you having fun yet? Or are you wondering how Sephiroth puts up with me?

[They fly for longer this time, but he again lands like he's been doing this all day. Of course, that fast means they are at the bottom of the hill and he has to slow and stop.]