Subject: Zeb nodded eagerly.
Author:
Posted on: 2015-08-07 19:18:00 UTC
"A Luxray, sir. Um..." He looked around for the bag he'd brought, which was sitting further up the beach with their towels. "One moment."
He darted over, grabbed the D.O.R.K.S., dropped his disguise, and all but galloped back to Rina and the Guardsman. "This is what I look like normally," he said, grinning and showing off a rather impressive set of teeth.
"Well, that certainly is different from most of HQ's agents. That's a nice set of chompers, by the way. And claws. And that badass mane-- wait. You're just showing off, aren't you," said the Guardsman, smiling.
"Well, I'm, er, not trying to," he said, embarrassed.
Rina ran a hand through Zeb's mane, grinning when the static trapped in his fur tickled her fingers. "Don't be modest, you really are something."
Zeb ducked his head, shuffling his paws in the sand. "W-well, thank you," he stammered. He looked back up at the Guardsman. "So, you're in the DIA, right? What's it like?"
"Bloody hard days, okay pay, and no respect. Someone has got to do it, though. I mean, with some of HQ's agents locked up in fighting Sues on their home turf and loads more busy doing admin work, HQ needs a defence force. Plotholes plus murderous creatures equals really bad times; hell, I almost got taken over by a neural parasite the other day. I'm not even sure if medical can fix that without cloning and psychografts. And that's not even covering what agents to do each other." He paused to scratch his nose. "A week ago, we arrested a guy who was illegally cooking up Bleeprin in his kitchen. It was poor quality stuff and cut with god knows what-- but he was selling it cheap and people were buying it." The Guardsman sighed. "And then there's the murderers but I don't wanna talk about that. Let's just say that with the weapons available and the general level of sanity in this place, people get creative."
"That... wow, that doesn't sound very safe." He shook his head. "I'm glad I'm in an Action department, not much bad stuff ever happens in there."
Rina coughed.
"I said not much!" Zeb protested.
The Guardsman shook his head. "Heh, we all have it bad here. I suppose we just have to stick together and try to drag each other along." He shrugged and looked at the Reader and Naya splashing around in the water. "But that's enough about that. We're on leave: think happy thoughts. Have you guys been for a dip yet? By the looks of it, the water is good."
Zeb shook himself, spraying water everywhere for emphasis. "I'm afraid I only know how to swim in this form, though Rina said she could teach me."
"Oh, yeah," Rina said, nodding. "I've been swimming since before I could walk. Trust me, it's a piece of cake." She looked up at the Guardsman. "You want to join us?"
...and then shook his head. "Thanks, but if you haven't noticed, I've got all of my gear with me here," he said, picking at his webbing. "Besides, I've got to go and finish calibrating the solar array. Maybe some other time? Oh, and Rina? Can you tell Naya to stay close to shore? Thanks."
Rina dug her toes into the sand, then looked out at the water. "Yeah, sure, I can go get Naya. No problem." She gave the Guardsman a quick, one-armed hug before jogging to the water's edge and jumping in.
Zeb looked up the beach to where Tacitus was sitting. "Um, Mister Guardsman, if you don't mind, I'd like to go talk to someone else. Not that it wasn't nice meeting you," he added hastily. "Because it was. Nice meeting you, I mean. But I've been wanting to say hello for a while now, and..."
"Don't let me keep you!" he said. "A pleasure meeting you too, Zeb. You seem like a pretty decent guy: I've got a gut feeling that Rina is in good... paws with you around to help her. Have a good one."