Golden Child [Rewriting]

The Compulsory Beach Episode (Contest Entry)

THE COMPULSORY BEACH EPISODE

"It's the middle of summer." Nuri's voice snapped her out of her trance. She looked up at him with those Sai-green eyes, sighing.

"Your point?" She asked, and then saw the scowl on his face. His arms were crossed and he was pouting, not to mention shirtless.

"It's blazing hot and we never do anything for summer." Nuri said, shaking his head, "so, we are going to the beach."

"Excuse me?" She asked, shaking her head as well.

"You heard me." He said defiantly, and it didn't suit him, "pack your things, Vani."

"I'm not going—"

"Yes, you are. Milo's already got a carriage out front, and I'm shirtless. We are going regardless of what you pack or what you say. And you're riding with Ignis, by the way!" He said, and then he disappeared. It took her a moment to regain her composure, and then she stood up.

"Guess I'm going then." She sighed, throwing open her closet, and putting some summer clothes in, watching the rest of her family outside excitedly packing things into the carriages. Even Milo looked like he was having fun. She stepped out into the harsh afternoon sun, straw hat poised on her head, and her hair in a long, straight ponytail that reached just below her breasts. She put her little bag in the back of the small carriage she and Ignis were apparently going to share, and then stepped inside. She could hear Nuri's bright laugh echo through the afternoon air, and it somehow put a smile on her face, knowing that it would please him if she went along. Dressed similarly to Nuri, Ignis Lux entered the carriage. She averted her eyes from his body for a second, fearing he'd resemble Kuro too much, but then looked back, and realised that in this light, they could practically be twins. The Academy had done him good, she thought, Ignis Lux was at least 90% muscle, and she was stuck staring at him for the rest of the drive down to the Sovereign Capital, unless they were heading to the Golden Coast.

"Where are we going anyway?" She asked, hoping he would know, because it would be so like Nuri to tell Ignis and not her.

"The City of Gold, we'll use the port there to transport to the Academy. There's a really nice beach close to it." He said with a smile, but the undertone of his voice was still very present. After everything that had happened with Kuro, she knew there was still some hostility toward her in him. Her heart clenched at the mention of the beach, and suddenly, there she was, back with Enlai as a fourteen year old, frolicking happily on the beach, while he tried to teach her new combat stances. She forced herself to look out of the window, take a deep breath, and remove the memory from her brain.

"The thought of driving with me can't be so bad, can it?" Ignis remarked, noticing the pained expression on her face.

"Sorry," she looked back at him, this time with an apologetic smile on her face, "just thinking of someone, that's all." She answered, and he bit back a retort about his brother. The rest of the drive was seemingly silent, and before they stepped into the Portal in the City, she pulled Ignis aside.

"I know we have some... bad blood between us, but let's just play nice, for Nuri? Okay?" She asked.

"Okay." He answered with a smile, "for Nuri." And then they stepped into the Portal.

The ocean was glittering in the heat, and almost packed to the brim with overheating Academy students. From across the beach, a relatively large kid darted over to the group, screaming, "Ignis!" Alfus Pepper came to a sweaty halt in front of Ignis, and he laughed.

"Hello, Alfus." He said politely, as Alfus caught his breath. Before he could speak however, a pale beauty emerged from out of the crowd, trailing frantically behind Alfus.