(Untitled)

[not_so_smooth]

Running along the beach on the island wasn't like it was back home. Growing up in a city, Sam still wasn't used to the lack of lights on the island. There were always lights and sounds in a city and while the island wasn't as deserted or silent as you might initially expect, it wasn't a city. By the time the sun went down, it could get dark,

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[everyone_takes]

"Even if I could carry you back, I wouldn't do it now that you're all wet and sweaty," Kate answered, appearing from further down the beach with a towel and a book, a long t-shirt worn over her bathing suit. It was too dark to read now, but she tucked the book under her arm anyway, not wanting to explain to anyone why she was reading a book on law enforcement. It was probably a stupid idea anyway.

"Are you practicing to outrun the boar next time?" she asked, grinning.

[not_so_smooth]

"Hey, I tried to outrun it last time," Sam said with a laugh. The wound on his side was almost completely healed now, just a pink scar fading to white on his side.

"And I don't blame you, I'm pretty gross right now. I should probably take a swim even before I head for the Compound showers."

[everyone_takes]

"Yeah, 'cause seriously, dude? No one's gonna carry you home in this condition. Not even on one of those weird bikes," she said, still grinning, her hands on her hips. "I guess it's a better way to work out than like, punching trees or something, right?"

She was sure that somewhere, someone on the island punched trees. At least occasionally. It seemed like the sort of thing someone might do.

[not_so_smooth]

"Actually, I'm pretty sure that Cassie actually punches trees as part of her workout," Sam said as he peeled off his shirt and tossed it to the sand. A swim actually sounded really good right now, although it would probably be more like a float than a swim.

[irisewiththesun]

It's getting dark, and out on the beach Zuko's even harder to spot because of it, with his jet-black hair, dark red t-shirt, and black track pants. Meditation had proven fruitless, so he's just out walking, trying to let the sound of the ocean give him a little inner peace, but it's not really working. His mind keeps going back to that jail cell, where his sister sits, overcome by madness.

"Sounds pretty lazy to me," he says to Sam as he approaches, and he almost manages a smile, but not quite.

[not_so_smooth]

"If I wanted more work, I would just keep running," Sam pointed out. While it was still too dark to see exactly who it was, Sam recognized the voice. Zuko was one of Cassie's best friends and while he hadn't hung out with the guy a lot he did know him.

"Right now I feel like I could just crash here for the night if I wasn't worried about giant crabs getting me."

[irisewiththesun]

"Giant sea crab is good in stew," Zuko comments, shrugging just a little. "And they're easier to catch with bait." It's a little difficult to tell whether or not he's teasing.

[not_so_smooth]

"Alright, I'll lay here in the sand and be bait," Sam said with a nod. "You just run the risk of explaining to Cassie that you let me get hurt if any get past you."

[slowspeedster]

"Where do you think you're going?" Bart called after the winged shape gliding off away from him.

Bob was clearly in a mood, which was probably why he'd been chasing the bat all over. When he got it into his head to be like this, it was all Bart could do to keep people from attacking the little guy in blind panic. Something that big just deciding to swoop down on you definitely took getting used to, and he still got scratches and bruises now and then from the force. He didn't know what that would be like for whoever Bob had decided was his new best friend.

And he'd definitely found one of those, Bart saw, suppressing a groan as the Malayan Flying Fox that was supposed to be his pet took a few rapid flaps up than dove back into the trees and out of his immediate sight, making a beeline for some poor target.

[not_so_smooth]

Just because Sam knew there was a six foot bat on the island that was relatively friendly didn't mean he still wasn't completely freaked out when he saw one dive out if the sky.

He caught it just out of the corner of his eye, a shadow that didn't quite fit in with the night sky. Yelling in terror, he ran into the water and dove into the waves.

"Damn it, Bob!"

[slowspeedster]

If the shrieking like a girl hadn't done it, the splashing certainly did, and just as Bart made it to the beach, he was rammed by several pounds of terrified flying fox. And he tried not to laugh as he took in the scene.

"I think you owe me a new shirt," Bart said, trying to unwrap Bob's wings so he could get more comfortable.

To the bat, he simply said, "I thought I told you to stay in sight. Bad Bob." And then he tapped the animal on his nose. "Scaring people is bad."

[not_so_smooth]

"I do not owe you a new shirt," Sam said, standing up before being knocked over by an embarrassingly small wave. The adrenaline had quickly worn off and Sam's legs felt even more wobbly than before.

"And he probably just doesn't realize while he can see fine right now other people can't."

[lastof_five]

Helen ran too, though not the same path as Sam, it seemed, and she was mopping sweat from her own face with the tail of her shirt. He had water, though, and she tipped her head toward it while grinning at him.

"May I? It's a hell of a run, pushing myself so I'm quick enough to keep up with Will."

[not_so_smooth]

"Yeah, sure, no problem," Sam said, handing her the water bottle.

It made sense that she ran, he'd seen first hand what good shape she was in. Not only that, but Dr. Magnus did everything. She had to be the most well rounded person he'd ever met. If he went to visit the dinosaurs and saw Dr. Magnus riding one he'd probably just blink and think, "Of course she rides dinosaurs, she's Dr. Magnus."

"I understand. Cassie is... very intense about physical fitness. I don't run with her less because I hate being outrun by a girl and more because she would decide to put me on some sort of brutal training regimen that would make me cry."

[lastof_five]

Keeping in shape had been important to Helen for many reasons, chief among them being that many dangerous Abnormals tended to run very fast. On the island, running with Will had become habit and since he had three inches on her and much longer legs.

"I doubt Will would be bad as all that but he's a much more graceful runner than I will ever be."

[not_so_smooth]

"Yeah, but you still look way better doing it," Sam said.

He had gotten past the stage of feeling horribly awkward about complimenting Dr. Magnus. After you called someone a MILF, what was that compared to a general compliment about how attractive they were? Besides, she seemed to be amused by it.

[phoinikothrix]

"No, I think that's the other island," Francis joked, coming up behind Sam from the beach. "We got the magical one; some other group of individuals got the one with rickshaws and other pleasant technological advances."

[not_so_smooth]

"It's probably for the best," Sam said, smiling at Francs and giving him a wave.. "I guess working for free would lose some of the luster when your job is pulling people around in a cart. Not a lot of people are so passionate about pulling other people they'd do it for free."

[phoinikothrix]

"You're probably right," Francis conceded. "I don't think I'm ever going to get the hang of living someplace where money doesn't exist, much less matter." If it sounded cluelessly conceited, it was--after so many years of spending his grandfather's money on bespoke suits, silk ties, and gourmet meals, there were habits and attitudes that proved difficult to break.

[not_so_smooth]

"It kind of messes with everything, doesn't it?" Sam said. He'd only thought about it a few times, mostly since his life here mirrored that of back home fairly closely. His hut was nicer than his dorm room, he was still studying but had a decent amount of free time. Basically home without a huge amount of student loans to pay off when he was done.

"I mean, time even loses its value when you can get food and clothing for free. If you're okay with long periods of leisure without going crazy, you don't have to do anything."