Beach Episode

It took a while to get seven people all in one place. It hadn’t helped that only two of them were expecting the beach trip this morning. So after breakfast everyone had split up to prepare. Hel had asked his permission to head to the beach early, and while she was off alone Hazel had come back to the Master’s Cottage with him while he changed.

“Is there anything you’re hoping to see or do today, Sir?” She asked, remaining to his side as he walked through the hallway and began going through his closet.

“Honestly? I don’t really know what to expect. I’m assuming you two added more to the beach?”

“Yes. I myself added a volleyball net that I was planning to show Ava later.”

“Probably that then, sounds like it’ll be fun. Do you think I should wear the blue one again?” He showed her several options that Genet had either taken or copied from his apartment or different vacation homes.

“I think it’s good on you.” She stepped out of the way to give him room to move. He walked past her and closed the door to the bathroom behind him, then felt silly for it. She’s seen me naked what, at least four times? He considered opening the door again, but that felt stranger still so he just changed quickly and went back out to the hallway,

She was standing halfway down the hall when he finished.

“Should we go back to your place to get whatever you’re wearing?”

“I already have it on.” She informed him. There was a notable lightness in her tone.

He eyed her suit, which was definitely not a swim-suit. “You’re sure?”

“Yes, Sir.” There was a pause where she waited to see if he’d question it any further. “I put it on under my suit after your stepsister and I took our shower together.”

“Oh. The two of you showered together this morning? Do you…” do that often? He finished in his head, stopping himself from actually asking about Hel in the shower.

“We do when she asks.” Before seeing whether he would have any other responses she lifted her left arm and undid the buttons in front of him, repeating the action with her right sleeve. Then she made eye contact with him as she slipped off her suit jacket, letting him see the faint hints of dark red that was now visible through her shirt.

“May I continue?”

“Of course.” He answered immediately.

She nodded, looking down to carefully remove her socks. She folded them and placed them over her jacket on the floor behind her. Turning back around, she made eye contact with him and slowly weaved her fingers down along her dress shirt, undoing the buttons and exposing both her toned abs and the scarlet bikini to him.

“I hope you like the color, Sir. I can’t remember how many years it’s been since I’ve worn this.”

“It’s very you.”

“Thank you, Richard.” She smiled and kept going.

For what was left she turned her back to him. She braced herself against the wall with one hand as she bent over, showing off her ass through her slacks. Those slacks dropped a moment later, revealing the matching scarlet bikini bottoms. The pants joined the rest of her clothes on the floor and she took her Master’s hand.

“I think I’m ready now.”

***

They both knew the path through the forest to the beach well enough by now. So they arrived quickly, joined soon after by Ava and Felicia.

“Wow. This place is a lot more crowded than when we went.” Felicia commented.

“Yeah. You look good, by the way.” Dick tried to offer a compliment.

“Shut up. You’ve seen me in this before.” The blonde deflected. But she found his other side, brushing up against his arm with her shoulder as they all approached where everything Helena had purchased had been set up. The businesswoman had changed into a brown one-piece and had just finished talking to what appeared to be a lifeguard.

“What’s going on with her legs?” Ava asked.

“They’re… tentacles. The lifeguard has tentacles.” Felicia pointed out.

“Do you think Genet got her from your-”

“-Shh!” Felicia interrupted her friend. Then she tried to whisper back: “That lifeguard’s a woman anyways, Genet wouldn’t have gotten her from…” The tsundere stopped herself, realizing that she was about to spill the same secret she’d needed to prevent Ava from leaking.

“What would Genet have found it from?” Dick asked.

“Nothing.” Felicia stressed.

“I don’t think it was Genet that decided on her.” Hazel began to explain as she ended the charade. “Ms.Turner felt it would be inappropriate to bring everyone to the beach without a lifeguard present. Ata asked us to trust her recommendation, and apparently that was someone who happened to have tentacles.”

Richard nodded, taking note of the explanation. Then without speaking he began walking forwards, closing the distance between him and his stepsister. The other three scrambled to keep up.

Helena lit up as he and Hazel approached, ignoring the others with them. Now that they were closer he could see that she was still wearing her collar even after he'd given her permission to walk the beach as she needed to. The brown bathing suit had small slits around her chest and navel, he thought the pattern might've been featured in one of the magazines she owned. “I’m glad you’re here. We still have a few more hours before we’re stuck together, I can add anything that feels missing”

“No, no, you did a great job planning this. Can I ask again why you wanted a beach day?”

His stepsister shrugged. “I guess I just wanted a chance for everyone to get together. It’s a pity that Aubrey and Maeve couldn’t make it, but we’ll just have to make the best of things.”

“What’s the lifeguard like?”

She considered the question for a moment. “Cold, but professional. You wanted to introduce yourself?”

“Yeah.”

“Go ahead, I’ll be tanning if you need me.”

He continued towards the lifeguard’s chair where the new woman was heading. He could ignore the mass of purple tentacles protruding from her lower body. Her matching purple hair wasn't that unusual, people could dye their hair that color if they wanted to. She was a person, whether or not she was human. If there was one thing he trusted himself to do, it was to make a good first impression.

“Hi, my name is Congressman Richard Turner, but you can call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

She smiled at him as she accepted his handshake, though it didn’t exactly feel friendly. It was more like… how someone might look as they chose which lobster to be taken from a tank.

“I’m familiar with you. I’d been watching your season until I got the offer this morning.” Her speech was more polite than the look that she’d given him as she greeted him and his friends. “And more members of your harem. Hazel, Felicia, you both have done very well. Ava…” She paused for just a moment. “I respect your enthusiasm so far. Hopefully Vaughn and the others can help you find your calling.”

“Thanks?” The athlete hesitantly said, before asking the question that’d been on everyone’s minds. “And who are you?”

“An assistant for one of Genet’s sisters. You may know me better as-” She moved her goggles into the edge of her purple braids as if trying to see something in the distance more easily.

Genet puffed into existence next to her contestants. The normally jolly Host seemed alarmed as she made her appearance, bracing as if she might need to protect her cast from the strange woman in front of them. “Scyllie, what are you doing here?”

“I was hired. One of your contestants wanted a lifeguard.”

“How did you get here?”

“Ata.”

“She doesn't have the authority to bring anyone from outside”

“Whatever she’s supposed to do, Ata asked me here. If you send me back you’ll need to make your own lifeguard to satisfy the order that brought me here, or I can just do what I came here for and worry about grounding Ata later.”

“Does Androphagos know you’re here? Does she mind?”

The cephalid shrugged. “You know how she is. She and Charybdis have been distracted with this stalker that is trying to seduce her professor. It felt like we were stuck in a rut so I went back home and had just been watching this and a few other seasons.”

The Host paused, trying to think of any more potential issues. “If she comes looking for you, promise me you won’t bring any of her drama to the show.”

The lifeguard nodded. “I’m a professional.”

Genet disappeared again, leaving behind the smell of soy sauce as she left them alone with the octopus woman.

Felicia took two steps back after the conversation, which Hazel mirrored even if she didn’t know why. “Scylllie and Charybdis? So that makes you-”

The lifeguard crossed her arms. “Yes. Before Genet showed up I was going to say that you probably know me as Scylla. And to preempt the usual questions; yes, I’m a monster. No, I’m not going to eat anyone here. In your era I’m used to doing the same sort of matchmaking as Genet, just with a different style and focus. Are there any questions that I didn’t address?”

“I have a few questions about your tentacles.” Ava said.

“Such as?” Scylla sighed.

“How does sand feel? Since you’re technically barefoot- or I guess not bare-foot, but…”

Richard and the others walked away to explore, confident that Ava would tell them anything they needed to know and possibly more.

The bathrooms that Felicia had installed last round were still there near the entrance to the beach, but there was now a wooden cabana and bar a stone’s throw away. Not far, a row of sunloungers sat at the edge of the water. Felicia’s creations from the previous round’s date had been clumped together at the leftward edge of the beach. Between them and the more casual lounge area near the entrance that Helena had made was a water slide and a net set up for beach volleyball. The entire right third of the beach was bare save for a large boulder on the edge of the treeline.

The three of them finished their lap up and down the beach, ending it near the cabana where Helena was sunbathing.

"Has anyone heard from Luna or Stell yet? I thought they’d have been here by now.” Richard asked.

“I’ll ask.” Felicia volunteered. She still had her phone with her, since none of them had taken the time to claim a chair to drop off their stuff. A moment later she read the reply. “It looks like they might be a while, Luna’s trying to stop her from backing out.”

“But they’re good?”

“Yeah, I’m sure they’ll work it out. Whaddya say we try the obstacle course again while we’re waiting, I’m sure that you’re dying for a rematch after I beat you last time.”

Dick rolled his eyes. “You’re trying to gaslight me again. You lost that. We both remember what happened afterwards.”

She blushed and elbowed him.

“What exactly happened?” Hazel asked.

I’d almost forgotten that she was still clinging to him. “You wouldn’t understand.” Felicia internally smoldered. She refocused on her boyfriend. “I beat you in the second round, and that’s the most important one!”

“Why? Also you only won that through cheating-”

“-That was a perfectly good loophole-”

“-And even with that you needed to get lucky-”

“If the second round of whatever this was was so important, what if you have a rematch? He’d be expecting whatever loophole you used and you could beat him on even footing.” Hazel suggested. She’d grown tired of them arguing over each other, even with her patience.

“That’s a great idea.” The tsundere’s green eyes gleamed.

“So you’re saying you want to lose with an audience this time?”

She grumbled back something too quiet for them to hear, not that either of them were sure they wanted to. What she eventually said audibly was: “Do you want to join us? I bet you could beat him as easily as me.”

“Only if Ms.Turner is interested as well. As much as the island is nice, I had been looking forward to the idea of spending a vacation with her. One where I wasn’t working, at least.”

“I don’t think she’ll say yes, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.” Richard shrugged as he crossed the short distance from where they’d been talking and his stepsister was tanning. “Hey Hel! Do you-”

“No.” She’d been listening to enough. “You know I never liked watching Splash, I wouldn’t want to be in it. Honestly, I think it’s a bit beneath you. But tell Hazel that she’s free to join you if she wants.”

Which wasn’t to be. When Richard informed Hazel she calmly nodded and joined her girlfriend on one of the sun loungers. Helena was offering to apply sunscreen for her as they left.

Instead, Ava joined in after a “Come on, we’re kicking his ass!” was shouted over to her. Which led to a shriek after he picked her up as punishment, but neither of them were truly as mad as they looked to an outside observer.

***

"She’s so stubborn.” Helena complained.

“I suppose so, Ma’am.”

The two of them had been lying in the sun for most of an hour.

“I mean, she’s been demanding rematches for how long?”

“I’m not sure.”

It hadn’t been a pretty sight. Ava and Richard seemed about even in terms of the amount of wins they’d had. But as Felicia tried again.

And again.

And again.

She kept failing, and kept getting back up to challenge them both again.

“They’re going up again.”

“I’m sure they are. You wanted to relax today, remember?” Hazel reminded her partner. “Besides, I think there’s something to be said for her persistence.”

“If she wants to win so badly she should look for something she has a better chance at. She’s smart enough that she should be able to figure something out.”

“I’m not sure that winning is the point.”

They watched the three climb up onto the platforms again, and the bar started spinning slowly. It went a few rotations, accelerating slowly but still not reaching the speeds that anyone might have difficulty.

As it turned faster, it looked like Felicia was saying something to him.

“Please tell me he’s not about to fall for that again.”

Her hopes were dashed as Felicia lifted up her bikini, flashing Richard- and everyone else.

Dr.Felicia Owens, +1 BP (Topless, Gamers)

Dr.Felicia Owens, +1 BP (Topless, Fighters)

Dr.Felicia Owens, +1 BP (Topless, Wrathful)

As Dick was distracted the bar hit him in the back, knocking him into the water.

“Every fucking time. We really need to do something before a lobbyist decides to try that.” Hel grumbled. “Though she must be getting **** to use that before Ava went down this time.”

They saw Felicia leaping from one platform to another, slowly crossing with great difficulty.

“What’s she doing?”

“I’d tell you if I understood, Ma’am.”

As she reached the platform opposite Ava, the athlete seemed to be saying something. Whatever it was, after another rotation of the bar the blonde lunged. Whatever expectations she’d had were thwarted as she was held in the air for a moment, still posed in her tackle. Then she began to drop as the invisible **** dunked her in the water.

“Why did she think that would work? She should know as well as any of us that **** isn’t allowed on the island.”

The lifeguard made her presence known. “Genet allows **** with consent.”

“That’s true.” Hazel agreed. “Ava and I were able to hit each other as we were sparring, but we had to remind ourselves that it was a training exercise.”

“But still, why would she think it’d work?” Helena still questioned. “There’d be no reason to allow her to tackle you, I assume the others are trying to win just like her.”

“I watched it work on your brother.” Scylla explained.

“Stepbrother.”

“I know.” The lifeguard smirked.

“I was the one that paid for you to come here, you know,” Hel pointed out. “And shouldn’t you be closer to the water in case someone needs you to do your job?”

“I can reach them just fine from here.” One of Scylla’s tentacles curled, it wasn’t clear whether it was intentional.

“So why are you here?”

“You wanted a helper at the beach, and I saw an opportunity to assist both of you. The fact that tackling your stepbrother worked seemed like something helpful for you to know.”

“And you wouldn’t happen to know why it worked?”

“I’m not psychic. I hoped that you would know your stepbrother better than I do.”

Do I? Helena wondered. I thought I did. I’ve monitored him for years, listened to everything he’s said and asked for. But I don’t understand his romantic tastes as well as I thought I did. He and Felicia have continued to grow closer, even as she’s lost respect for both Hazel and I. But their feelings for genuine, even though they don’t make sense… She said she didn’t think Hazel was good for him a few days ago, didn’t she? She thought that Hazel was sycophantic. Which again, obviously isn’t true but- ugh. I’m arguing with myself now. “Hazel, would you mind doing me a favor?”

The bodyguard sat up. “Of course. What do you need?”

“Ask to join them. You don’t need to play long, just long enough to show you’re better than both he and Felicia. Get as competitive as you want, you can give them the same attitude that you gave Ata or Le Bombe if you feel like it.”

“You’re sure? I won’t be in trouble for disrespecting Mr.Turner?”

“Just for today, follow your instincts.”

Hazel stretched in her bikini, showing the strings to her girlfriend so Hel could help her make sure it was tight enough to avoid any (unplanned) wardrobe malfunctions as she moved.

“And Hazel?”

“Yes?”

“You wanted to play volleyball, right?”

“Yes. If you wanted to stay here, I’m sure we could get a fourth from one of his friends.”

“Nonsense. I’m your partner. Just let me know when it’s time and I’ll be by your side.”

“Thank you, Helena. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Hazel began jogging along the beach towards where the imitation obstacle course was stationed.

“You have very strange ways of showing your devotion.” Scylla said.

“I’d like to hope I show my affection well enough for Hazel, though I admit we’ve never had the most normal relationship.”

“I’m not talking about her.”