4283/A Quiet Mountain Hike

A Quiet Mountain Hike
Date of Scene:	16 April 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Nixe, Rainmaker

---

Nixe has posed:
    *huff... puff... whew...*

    As the dawn sun breaks through the tall white pines, the thin underbrush is warmed by a soft blueish light. Slight hills and valleys meander through the undeveloped corners of the state and a few are specially preserved. Throaty birds begin to sing in the shadow of a mountainside and ahead and behind, a dirt path strewn with pebbles stretches from the low forest up to the bare stony peak. Originally part of old Mohawk trading trails, it's since been repurposed for nature tourism.
    ...Which some people are better at enjoying than others.

    Sweating straight through the worn cotton of her ill-fitting 'Cod Father' t-shirt, a thin blonde is very much bringing up the rear of her two-person convoy, panting and suffering her way in relative silence as her thick boots plod ahead and up the trail. The bulk of her blonde hair remains hidden beneath her clothes, though the naiad's trademark hoodie has been tied around her waist to allow at least some ventilation. The sweatpants have stayed; they're not coming off nearly as easily.

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah has changed into running shorts and a tank top for this particular run, with sturdy hiking boots. A very model of a Laura Croft, almost, complete with a small Camelback to rehydrate from as she pauses in her walk to look back at you. "...you sure you don't want a little break? We're coming up on a pond, if you want to cool off a bit." she offers thoughfully, looking the other woman over.

Nixe has posed:
    "A pond would be good," Nerina nods breathlessly as she hauls herself forward enough steps to stand close at Sarah's back again. Despite the darkened tone of her shirt, the naiad's face is the same dry complexion as when they arrived; another quirk of nymph biology perhaps.

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah does notice this, glancing down at the soaked shirt, with a bemused look. "Okay...I didn't expect you'd sweat through your shirt, honestly, I wouldn't guess it at all from looking at your face. You're a little flushed but otherwise.." She smiles a bit, but slows her pace without being obvious about it, so you can slow down as well and catch your breath. Up ahead the path is starting ot open up to the right, the trees starting to get a bit less numerous.

Nixe has posed:
The easier pace is welcomed though Nerina might not admit it. At least the young blonde choice sturdy footwear. The same one pair of boots she wears everywhere else are if anything more comfortable on the frequent rocks and occasional sturdy log along the path.
    "Sudo molto facilmente," she responds in Italian, adding "very easily" to help the translation a little.

Rainmaker has posed:
    Soon enough, you're into the open area, by a little pond fed by a stream that burbles along, flowin gand out the other side. There's birds singing in the trees currently, chirping away, and squirrels chasing each other around the trees as Sarah pauses to streeeetch, arms above her head. "If you want to take a dip, feel free? I'll keep watch."

Nixe has posed:
    Nerina smiles in relief as she sights the blue surface of the clean spring-fed pond. "Grazie," she sighs before doing nothing more than untieing her hoodie from her waist before falling in, entering boots and all with a sharp splash.
    Blonde hair floats on the water's surface for a few moments before the naiad's head breaks the water and she spits a little stream out her mouth. "Wow, this is deep," she admits in surprise.

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah takes a seat in the grass near the shore, watching with a faint smile, turned so she can watch the path from either direction. "It's a natural pond, I think...not a lot of sediment running down into it too, so doesn't get filled in often." she says thoughfullyl

Nixe has posed:
    Nerina nods as she bobs, her arms swaying beneath the surface. It might be a strange sight to see but here the water sprite is, up to her neck in water and looking entirely human.
    Taking a deep breath, the nymph shuts her eyes as she plunges back beneath the surface, disappearing again.

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah gets a faint smile. She can't help but find it nice to see Nerina in her natural habitat, so to speak, though she's a bit suprised she hasn't gone fully watery as of yet. But then, she doesn't mind watching the blonde float and paddle around either.

Nixe has posed:
    This time Nerina stays under for quite a while longer - exploring perhaps in ways a water mutant is uniquely able. Eventually she comes back up in a different section of pond and the naiad looks around briefly to find Sarah again before pitching a small rock at her.
    "Catch!"

Rainmaker has posed:
    Nothing wrong with Sarah's reactions, the initial splash already drawing her attention, so she's looking when the stone comes flying over, raising both hands to catch it reflexively. "What's this?" she says, opening her hands to look at it. "Something you found?"

Nixe has posed:
    Wet and smooth, the stone is a soft white with subtle pink tones - simple quartz that's been ground into gentle curves by time and passing dirt in the stream.

    "It's just a nice rock," Nerina affirms with a nod as she bobs in the water. If her t-shirt was wet before it's soaked now and it clings tightly around her shoulders, exposing a gold glint from the necklace worn underneath.

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah smiles in pleasure, holding up the stone so it catches the son. "It's very pretty...." she says, then peres over at the blonde nymph as she floats. "Are you feeling better now?" she asks, tilting her head. That t-shirt is certainly drenched and...clingy, but Sarah is trying not to look.

Nixe has posed:
    "Yes. Leave me rest a few minutes?" the naiad asks as she bobs a little longer, then abruptly stops moving and floats in unison with the smooth pond surface. The warped silhouette of her clothes remains convincing beneath the water and from the tops of her shoulders up - as much as Nerina has left to air-dry - the mutant keeps her human form.

Rainmaker has posed:
    "Alright..." Sarah says easily, then lies back with a thump, stretching out, then resting her hands on her stomach as she gets comfortable on the grass, her chest rising and falling. "It's nice to get away from the city like this..."

Nixe has posed:
    Leaves rustle softly in the distance and Nerina shuts her eyes to savor the passing of a cool morning breeze across the water. "It is," she agrees softly before looking over with a gentle grin. "Come in. The cool water feels nice."

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah tilts her head, peering over. "..I can't exactly dry myself off as well as you can." she says amusedly. "What if someone comes down the trail?"

Nixe has posed:
    "You can't?" Nerina asks, cocking her head until her ear brushes against her shoulder. "I saw you pull water out of clothes before."

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah mmms, pursing her lips, then pushes herself up. "Welll...I suppose for a bit...she says, standing and padding over as she pauses at the edge. Then slides off her shorts, since they have all her stuff in the pockets, leaving her in lacey green panties, followed by seeming to ponder just shucking off her sports bra completely, then shrugs and leaves it on for the moment. "If it was a bit more private...I'd just go without clothing, it's simpler anyway.." she says, wading out into the water, then dunking her self down, washing off the sweat from the hike before she pops up, wringing out her long hair a bit.

Nixe has posed:
    It's Nerina's turn to avert her eyes as the apache undresses, waiting until the young woman splashes underwater before looking back. She grins a little in satisfaction. "You do that a lot. Maybe if we were the only two people on this mountain. Sarebbe carino..." she muses longingly.

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah smiles softly as she walks along the bottom over to where Nerina is floating. "Oh? If we were the only two people on the mountain, you'd go skinny dipping with me?" she says playfully. She smiles and shrugs. "I'm proud of my body. I worked hard to get it looking like it does, why should I be ashamed about showing it off?"

Nixe has posed:
    "Maybe," Nerina replies evasively as she floats in a lazy arc around the native. "Show what you want but it's a private thing - personal. That's why women wear long dresses, no?"

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah notes, a little tartly. "Women wear dresses to avoid 'enticing' men to taking liberties with them, because sexuality and nudity are interwoven in WEstern society...sex is sinful, therefore a naked woman is sinful." She shrugs a bit, reaching out to gently poke Nerina's side lightly. "Also, we like to be warm once in a while."

Nixe has posed:
    Sarah's finger presses deeply into a wet weave of cotton; beneath the surface, the naiad no longer has a body to poke. Grinning a little at the attempt, Nerina jabs the apache's bare side in return, forming just enough of a hand out of the surrounding water. "To be warm you would wear more clothes, not less, no? And men have clothes for modesty anche; even in summer they wear pants and shirts. It's the stupid *machismo* culture that says they should be half-naked and flexing," the last part is derided as Nerina pushes the Spanish word out her mouth like an undercooked piece of shrimp.

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah erks, twitching as she's poked. "Usually just pants if it's warm, not that we'd be allowed to in most places. New York is an exception." she admits. "I can understand that when it's hot enough. Or when jogging or something." She cups her chest, hefting her sports bra absently. "They don't have to worry about the bouncing, after all."

Nixe has posed:
    Nerina snorts softly. "I don't know how you stand it," she gripes, reforming enough within her t-shirt to cup her own more modest front. "E per dio, you also get periods, no?" The naiad shakes her head. "Being a woman is non buono. We are the unlucky sex."

Rainmaker has posed:
    "Circle of life. And no, I don't...one of the nice side effects of being on the pill." she says simply, tilting her head. "And you'd probably be as cushy as me, when you get back up to a healthy weight completely." she points out.

Nixe has posed:
    Bless her heart, Nerina looks down as she cocks her head again, then returns to Sarah with lips pursed in muted disbelief. "I don't think I will be /that/ 'cushy' - e what is 'the pill'?"

Rainmaker has posed:
    "Birth control. THe hormones in the pill trick your body, so you don't get pregnant. But a nice side effect is you don't have a period while you're on it, or if you do it's very mild." Sarah says, her eyes going to that chest. "I don't know...I think you'd be plenty cushy."

Nixe has posed:
    "Oh," Nerina blurts in genuine surprise. "That is a very useful pill..."
    She shakes her head as Sarah's eyes go down while her t-shirt underwater ripples like a jellyfish - empty again. "I hope not. More is too big, they are big enough."

Rainmaker has posed:
    "I can give you some too, if you'd like. As long as it wouldnt' affect you oddly." Sarah says thoughfully, grinning a bit. "Nothing wrong with modest chests either." she says simply. "It suits your frame better."

Nixe has posed:
    "You mean 'skin and bones'?" Nerina asks back as she drifts in the pond again, circling Sarah once more and sneaking a poke at her lower back as she passes. "Thank you, but no need. I don't have periods."

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah shifts as she's poked, turning to follow the little nymph as she moves. "Not so much skin and bones as you were when we met..." Sarah points out. "You've been filling out." She's noticed. Because, well...she looks.

Nixe has posed:
    Nerina glances aside with a small smile curling her lips. "...Grazie," she concedes demurely.
    Turning fully away, the naiad floats apart from Sarah and reforms one hand above water to bite herself in relative seclusion.

Rainmaker has posed:
    "I could measure, if you like..." Sarah says playfully. "Make little marks on the wall to show where you were and where you are." She tilts her head as she watches the other woman turn away and swim away for a moment.

Nixe has posed:
    With her head turned away, Nerina doesn't answer. It's not polite to talk with your mouth full.

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah swirls the water, then kicks off a bit to start floating on her back comfortably, her hands swirling in the water to keep herself stable. "You've been staying out more..." she murmurs finally.

Nixe has posed:
    "It's warmer out now," Nerina finally replies, still facing the bank of the pond. Another breeze blows across the water's surface, carrying the steadily warming morning air.
    "How would marks on a wall help? I'm not growing taller."

Rainmaker has posed:
    "Well, I suppose I could just wind a measuring tape around you." Sarah notes, closing her eyes as she lazily floats along. "Shirt not required, for best measurements." There's a faintly teasing tone in her voice now.

Nixe has posed:
    "You would be measuring my waist. Why not measure my weight?" Nerina notes as she looks back then drifts the rest of the way to the shore. A splash of water signals an end to the nymph's bathing as she climbs back out soaking wet but refreshed.

Rainmaker has posed:
    "Well, of course I would be. My hands would be much better for estimating growth higher up." Sarah says, pretty shamelessly, though she cracks an eye as the blonde nymph wades back out of the water, then shifts , putting her feet back on the bottom of the pond as she rises up, water sheeting off her as she starts following her out.

Nixe has posed:
    "Tsh, why do you see so much in me?" Nerina scoffs, finally putting the question out in the open. While waiting, the naiad's head turns this way and that to inspect the trail and surrounding woods. No signs of any joggers yet.

Rainmaker has posed:
    You could swear that Sarah has actually PRACTICED the slow swaying hip walk out of the water that you see scantily clad actresses show off in slow motion in movies sometimes. She resurfaces, then holds still as the water on her starts to sheet off her, running in rivlets down her body to leak back into the water behind her. She hesistates, apparently a bit taken off guard at the direct question, especting that Nerina was going to...well, divert her, again. "...because I like you." Sarah says, more quietly, looking away. "How you look is nice, but doesn't....matter...as much."

Nixe has posed:
    Like a puzzled crow, Nerina's head cocks again and she turns around to look back at the half-dressed apache. "Why?" she scorns as water drips from every ridge and hanging end, down her face, down her arms, down her pants, and onto thirsty dry earth.

Rainmaker has posed:
    SArah gets a flush now as she folds her arms across her chest. She really wasn't expecting to have this conversation this way! Well, maybe in the panties and bra...but not out in the middle of a walking trail. "W-well..." Sarah says, suddenly a little flustered. "..I..." She inhales, then glances back over, a lock of her hair falling in front of an eye for a moment before she reaches up to tuck it back into place. "...because you're...fun. Strong. Funny. Smart. And pretty. You've been through so much and you havent' let it break you." She swallows. "...I admire you."

Nixe has posed:
    Nerina lifts a wet brow and her cool blue eyes stare the apache down as she gets her answer. The thin nymph stands where she is, still and dripping while she studies Sarah's face and squints just slightly as she looks eye-to-eye, then abruptly her boots scrape against the dirt and half-buried rocks. The blonde mutant turns and waves an arm to gesture the apache up on the path before her. A braid slips out of her shirt just enough to cover her expression.
    "You made half of that up... but va bene. Come on, Duesetti, put clothes on before someone comes and let's walk again." A tiny hint of a curved lip peeks around from the side.

Rainmaker has posed:
    Sarah hesistates, but then pulls on her shorts again, buckling them up. Without looking at Nerina, she walks, a bit quickly past her, keeping her eyes on the trail ahead, the flush still lingering on her cheeks.