Showdown Under the Sun[Igen, Rio]

There had been several thoughts of several ideas of several ways in which Rio wished to approach this. She was no stranger to a date by any degree, but no one could ever dare claim she was an expert on the matter, either. One always had to account for what suited their date best, after all. What one found enjoyable and entertaining might well have been drab and insufferable to someone else. Even so, regarding someone like Igendai, Rio wasn't entirely worried about failure.

He was, by all accounts, a generally pleasant spirit who would enjoy anything since it was their first time going out together under this context, wholly likely the type who would console her for her perceived failure rather than hit her with the cold hard truth. Yes, it would have been easy to pick any one thing in particular, but that would be lazy at most, and dishonorable at best. At the end, Rio had honestly felt the best idea was to entertain themselves with something they enjoyed most.

The outdoors. Sparring together in open terrain and enjoying a meal at the end of it all sounded way more amusing than sitting together and asking questions that they already knew the answers to over the months they'd spent together as friends. A long beach coat covered her body as she strode towards the house provided by his division, large basket in hand. Rapping her fist against his door, Rio hope he had remembered what today would be. Of course, she preferred being spontaneous like this lately. It was rebellious, it was bold. It enlivened her spirits, even.

And so, she waits.

A DATE!

To say Igen was a bit excited would be an understatement! Of course Rio had made it clear that she would be picking him up, and so he was practically bouncing about his home as he waited for her to arrive, Ko watching his antics with a lopsided smirk of amusement, she of course had found her own plans. A few members of Second division wanted to hang out and go drinking with her. At first he'd thought she was joking, but then they had shown up to pick her up and he had.... weirdly enough, found himself by himself. After so much busywork and nonsense the last few weeks, he had hardly had time to really enjoy a bit of time to himself. And now he was MAKING that time. Being on high alert had been ..exhausting, and well, with everything going on. It felt more important now than ever to enjoy these moments while he could.

When he heard that firm knock, he immediately perked up and bolted for the door, slliding it open and offering an immediate brilliant smile. Practically radiating with warmth as he opened up his arms. "Hey Rio!" He chimed and .....paused, hesitating, not sure if he should uh... go fo ... a hug? A High five? He cleared his throat, sweat immediately forming on his brow.

"You look amazing, bye the way!" He pointed out a bit shakily. The reality of the situation slamming him like a brick. Holy fuck this was a date. A DATE. A DATE. Oh crackers what was he gonna do? Thankfully, his panic only showed slightly on his features, a nervous smile plastered across his face.

"So uh......I like your ...hair. Where did you get it?" _{AAAAAAAAAAAAA}

When he finally greeted her at the door, Rio could practically feel the nervous energy emanating off of Igen's Aura. Normally, under a different circumstance, he would have regarded her with a big hug, no? Rio couldn't help but form a playful smirk at how the tables of interaction had turned. Even his awkward compliment about her hair was adorably endearing.

What was that term they used on earth? Dork. A fitting term here, no question. Rio carried out what he could not, closing the distance between the two as she embraced him. From an observer's point of view, it would have made for a humorous image given their size difference. Tightening Igen within her grip until she released, Rio chuckled softly as she flamboyantly ran a hair through her head to ease the tension in his spirit, though to what extend she could achieve that, she was uncertain.

"Why thank you, Ig. I brought it from only the finest Shihoin Beauty Shop."

Somewhere that didn't exist, obviously, but it would be mildly humorous if Igen took her serious. Nevertheless, she wrapped a hand around her own, golden eyes gazing up at him with a playful air dancing within those amber pools.

"You look pretty good yourself. Did you remember the plans I set out for today? Our date takes place at the beach, and with some permission and a barrier or two, we will engage in a spar. Afterwards, we enjoy ourselves after a hard-fought battle with food and drink, prepare by yours truly. Sound good?"

Of course, as she explained this, she was steering the ship of their movement after she gave him a moment to close his doors. It was clear that she was quite excited to see how today would unfold. A shortcut would have them there in no time. The sooner, the better.

Seeing Rio close the distance and wrap her arms around his middle was enough to ease his worries, at least a little, promptly offering a nervous smile and letting his arms slip around her shoulders, gently giving her a fond squeeze, even managing a chuckle at her playful response to his awkward question. "YEP! A little trip out to a Beach!" He chimed, gesturing down to himself, promptly peeling his outfit a bit to show off the swim trunks he had on underneath. The mention of sparring instantly smoothing out that nervousness.

True, this was an anxious occasion, and he had no ideahow to ....you know... do date stuff. But sparring he could handle! IN truth he was rather surprised at how Rio had managed to turn a harrying situation into something even he could relax and enjoy. "And as you requested, I did NOT make anything. I will just be bringing myself and my can-do attitude!" He declared, instantly regretting his choice of words, but keeping that buried down. She'd done such an amazing job of helping him be comfortable, he really wanted this to go well! And once Rio stepped outside, he swiftly followed, ready for her to lead the way out to the Lake. Maybe not as luxurious as an ocean beach, but well, it was the most accessible beach they'd get without making a several day trip, or having some VERY exhausting high speed travel. Huh.... then again, that might make good training. He saved that idea for next time.

He finally appeared to settle the nervous energy rumbling within his spirit. Wonderful. Rio had no intention of allowing himself to doubt his capabilities regarding date etiquette. Precisely because of that, she chose a setting where they could both thrive without a single worry in the world. Leading the way, Rio would nod approvingly at his choice of swim wear - pausing for a moment to reveal her own, a prideful smile crossing her lips.

"Excellent. You and a can-do attitude perfectly falls in line with the requirements for our date."

To be honest, there were no requirements. The main intention here was to host a date they could look back on with fond reminiscence. Compared to sitting at a table and asking unnecessary questions about likes and dislikes, Rio felt more than confident that this was the preferrable method for the two of them. Continuously leading them through the shortcut she had found that would lead them to the quickest route towards the lake, the Shihoin woman sighed happily as she held the basket tightly in her hands. This was nice. Something she wouldn't have expected so many months ago, to be certain, but here she was.... Rio would never stop reminding him that he played a part in that.

"Of course, I hope you won't be so nervous. I'm happy to be here with you like this, you know. I can't have any excuses when I beat you today, okay?" She humored.

After a brief trek through the route she'd taken, she would step forward to greet him to the sight of the large lake. Turning to him with an offering of her arm, she motioned for them to move forward until they reached a place they found most comfortable. One to set their meal down, another to host their battle.

"Here we are. Pretty nice lake, right?"

Igen smiled softly and visibly began to relax a little as she provided her approval. The two of them sped off, making their way quickly to the lake itself. And truth be told. Igen was rather intrigued! Though he had ventured into the further districts, he'd never visited a place like this before, and so he did take a moment to admire the scenery, not just his girlfriend, but the actual beach itself provided something rather nice to enjoy. A pause given to glance toward Rio as she gave that playful little remark and offered her arm to him.

He paused, glancing at the arm before smiling, that sheepishness evaporating in response to the competitive little jab. "Hey, I'd never insult you by making excuses." He chuckled, gently taking her arm and moving in beside her to eye the lake. "Yea, its real beautiful here...." HE murmured, glancing out to the surface of the lake, and then casting a fond smile toward Rio herself. A nice peaceful lake, and a beautiful woman to enjoy it with? It was a pretty great way to enjoy an evening.

"I'm really glad you took me here for our date. Ahah, I ...I really don't know what's gotten over me. I've been really nervous about all this, about uh..I dunno. You thinking I was some kinda weirdo or pervert or something. I guess I never realyl had to worry about impressing a girl before."

"There are many words I could use to describe you right now Igen, but I assure you that none of them correlate to being a weirdo, let alone anything close to resembling a pervert."

Rio lifted her hand upward to pull at his cheek as she sighed with playful exasperation. Nervousness she understood, but there was not one thought in her soul fashioned under such silly notions. He had never presented himself in such a discomforting manner. He had always been relatively pleasant in her company, always encouraging, always applauding. It was foolish for him to think he could ever make a poor impression on her of all people. And then it dawned on her. Maybe the inexperience was still bothering him. Naturally, she had just the remedy---a little pep talk.

"To be completely honest, I'm a little out of my comfort zone, too. I'm putting on a confident front only because I'm excited about what this day holds but in reality? I'm no expert on dating. Rather than thinking about how you come across... be more like the you I'm always used to. What's there to worry about? We're here. I like you. You like me. We can go for a swim. Throw down in a spar... and eat this nice meal I've prepared at some point."

Pointing to the basket with the pleasant aromatic scent of freshly made food filling the air, Rio leaned in to wrap her arm around his shoulder and ruffled his hair. She wanted no more of the nervous energy. After all, she brought them here for a fun time. Not a time to act as if they had only known each other for a few weeks. He would be fine. Rio thought so. She was practically assured of it. It was up to him to acknowledge that.

"Trust me. You'll be fine. Now let's get set up so I can pummel you into the ground. Or maybe you would prefer swimming first? Who knows, it might be fun trying to fight against the element and wage our battle amid the seas!"

Igen paused for just a moment at that and rubbed the back of his neck, a bit of tension soothing itself out as she ...considered. She didn't? Not even a Weirdo? With how he like..dressed? Certainly he'd become a lot more self conscious about his shunko-based attire. But now that she assured him he did wonder a bit if perhaps his worries had been unfounded. He shuffled a bit from foot to foot

"It's...not really ...anything I do normally. I just guess I don't know what I'm supposed to do in like... a date? I've always just sortof...done whatever. I never really worried about girls. I honestly didn't even think about stuff like that. And then that changed, and it was like... all the oblivious... carefree stuff I'd ever said came rushing back to me." He noted with a sheepish smile. "I don't want you to be embarassed to be seen dating me."

Of course there was a lot more than that. But still, as Rio spoke up, her words soothed those worries just a little. Had he been..worrying over nothing? HE thought for just a moment about what he'd thought about her life as a noble. And he wondered if that was the same. That sudden pressure.... was that similar to what it was like to be a noble? To have to scrutinize everything you'd ever let slip? IT seemed exhausting. And suddenly he realized just how liberating it must have felt to push that away. He looked to Rio and gave a crooked smile, and suddenly....he was ....SO incredibly glad that she had been the one. There were... a lot of different girls in his life. Maybe not exactly any that LIKED him like that. But some he thought... maybe something could have happened. But the fact that it was Rio? Somehow it felt like he could be more relaxed around her. He KNEW her. He trusted her.

And maybe he really COULD just ....relax around her.

And so, with a gentle smile, he moved in, and gently slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a hug. Birefly enclosing her in his arms and delivering a kiss to her cheek before offering a gentle smile.

"I'm really glad you asked me out. And thanks for makin this so easy." He chuckled, smiling nice and wide before gently releasing her and perking up. And suddenly that nervousness melted. IT was.....still there, but it was being subdued for the time being. That gentle ruffle of his hair drew a chuckle from him and he promptly gave a firm salute. "Yes Ma'am! I think we shoullld... maybe have our tussle first. Then we can eat. And then go from there!" And swimming after a fight sounds really nice actually." He paused, tapping his chin. He';d have to make sure he healed the both of them, but it sounded relaxing!

"Why would I be embarrassed about dating you? You're a good person. A fine warrior. An honorable spirit, and you have supported me through a lot. I suppose I could see why you might think like that, but you know how I feel about my nobility Igen... and I'm not gonna let that stand in the way of my happiness. And since you make me happy, I don't think you should bother yourself with pesky thoughts, silly."

Rio couldn't really adopt a point of view that would allow her to see where Igen was housing such foolish thoughts. She hadn't fully explored her feelings yet, but she was unequivocally certain about his presence in her life. He was an exuberant force of nature that altered the course of her life for the better. She had always dreamed of pursuing a route in life that allowed her to act beyond her fixture in the noble structure, and though she'd gotten close, Igen was effectively the one who shattered the barrier and drew her out of her comfort zone. For that, words would never compare.

And he would never prove to be poor company no matter where this path ended. Thankfully, the soft wrap of a pair of arms and a gentle kiss against her honeyed cheek is proof that her words earned purchase against the foolish doubt wearing at his thoughts. In return, she settles into the embrace, leaning upward to return a kiss against his own face. Now it felt more like an appropriate date. No worries to bother them, a good meal to sustain them, and the promise of a well-fought spar to get the adrenaline pumping.

"There we go. Now that's the spirit. Glad I could help. Now, prepare yourself. Since you're acting so nervous, I'll let you make the first move."

Rising to full height with a challenging grin, Rio paces herself a few meters backward, Assuming a stance with her right fist held in front of her left, her left foot before her right, Rio prepares herself for combat. Excitement pulsating through her veins.

Igen perked up just a little as Rio shifted into a complimentary mood it seemed! His ears heating up just a little and his heart getting a bit fast as she went in to really lay on the praise, and he gave a sheepish smile all the way up until she brought up her nobility. "Ahah, I wasn't even really thinking about that. I more meant like, embarassed you were dating such a girly guy." he chuckled. Perhaps a thought she might find more foolish, or who knows maybe she'd see that as less foolish than the nobility thing! All the same, he was a lot more relaxed with that particular string of compliments.

All the same, he let out a soft, happy little hum as the pair settled into an embrace. That reciprocated kiss to his cheek making him tense up and grunt, as he was promptly bricked with a WHOLE lot of thoughts suddenly buzzing through his head at that little bit of affection. Holyshitshewassoprettythatfeltreallynice. WHEW!

THANKFULLY Rio quickly peeled away and Igen spun around, taking a deep breath and chuckling loudly! OhgodnotnowyepfocusigenWHOOOH! His back entirely turned to Rio now. "YEA! Alright! WOO! Let's get this spar ...a go-going! Lemme just ahhhhhhh stretch a little here!" He noted loudly, nervousness clear in his voice as he did a few big stretches, keeping his back SQUARELY to Rio for a few solid seconds before a sigh escaped him and he turned around.

"Alright! Ready! First move!" He chimed, and promptly kicked off the ground. His own manic nervousness urging him to engage before his uh... problem returned. The ground promptly shattering beneath his feet as he shot toward Rio and promptly executed a vicious roundhouse kick to the woman's left side. A loud crack noise sounding through the area as he pumped energy into the leg, boosting the speed and force behind the strike.