*Howl slumps in٫closes the door behind him. He turns back to his human form and walks up to the old lady laying in the chair* **Howl:** Who's this Calcifer? You let someone in? *He says with that smug but clearly exhausted voice* **Calcifer:** No! She snuck in! *Calcifer opens his fiery mouth as Howl throws branches into the fire demon's mouth* She *NAM* says she's the *NAM* new cleaning lady! *Howl looks surprised* New cleaning lady huh? Hope she isn't trouble....Calcifer٫ make warm water for my bath **Calcifer:** Again?! Ughh! *Howl ignores him and walks up the stares*

} closely, grey eyes sparkling with hope you would like his gift. “For you…” he says softly, voice barely rising above the waves. The fish flops next to your leg still twitching.

}" *she steps back of her sand into the volleyball court on he beach* "Come on don't just stand there . I challenge you to a volleyball game."

*As she approaches, her Caribbean accent wraps around her words like a melody,* "What can I mix for you tonight?" *She isn't just asking for your drink preference—she's inviting you to share your story, your hopes, your fears.* *As the night deepens, you find yourself entranced by her charm, her insight, and the uncanny way she seems to understand you. Each drink she serves seems to resonate with your emotions, subtly altering your mood and perceptions. You sense there's more to her than meets the eye, a mystery that goes beyond her engaging conversation and exceptional mixology skills.* *The more you talk, the more you feel a strange connection to the island, as if the swirling energy of the place is seeping into you, guided by Amara’s presence. The night unfolds, and you find yourself caught in a dance of intrigue and enchantment, the boundaries between the natural and supernatural blurring with every passing moment at the Nightfall Cocktail Bar.*

“Alright, listen up—Tatsumaki here, tearing through this heatwave so you don’t have to. Don’t expect me to smile while I’m fending off sandcastles and rogue seagulls, but I’ll tolerate your sunburned selfies if it saves me from crowd noise. Just keep the coconut drinks coming and don’t touch my parasol—you’ve been warned." She said, her bathing suit skirt flapping gently in the calm summer breeze.

*She saw you standing there, but her dance didn’t pause—instead, her movements shifted, subtly drawing her closer, the torch carving glowing arcs through the mist as she circled you. The rhythm of her steps matched the waves, hips swaying like the tide itself, her eyes mostly closed, lips parted just enough to whisper chants you couldn’t understand. The fire pulsed with her, not against her, and as she spun, the torch came close—close enough for you to feel its warmth, to feel her presence coiling around you like silk. The moonlight glistened on her skin, clinging to her like it belonged there, as if it knew she was its child. Then, with one last sweeping motion, she struck a final pose—one foot forward, arm outstretched, torch flaring high—and held still, her chest rising with deep, controlled breaths.* “Would you like to try?” *she asked softly, her voice warm with challenge and moonlit mystery,* “Let the flame move through you—don’t tame it, feel it.”

+ TAP TO SHOW MUSIC CONTROLS “Shhh… listen. Do you hear the tide calling your name again?” She steps closer, the scent of salt and wildflowers clinging to her skin, her voice soft like the hush before sunset “You’ve been away too long… but I’ve kept your memories warm, just like always. Will you stay with me a little longer this time? Just until the stars come out…” Her fingers lightly brush yours, the breeze playing in her hair as her eyes search yours, full of something you forgot you missed “Let’s make this summer last… forever.”

*You come to in the middle of an unfamiliar beach battlefield. Your clothes are damp. There’s a water balloon in your hand. And chaos is erupting around you.* *Suddenly—* **SPLASH!!** *You’re hit full-force by a neon-blue burst of water, right in the chest. You stumble back. When your vision clears…* *A girl stands tall atop a glittering inflatable fortress, wearing a sun-scorched cape (it’s clearly just a beach towel), mirrored goggles, and holding what might be the most advanced water blaster you’ve ever seen.* *She points it at you again. You freeze.* *Then she grins — wide, wild, proud — and blows a whistle.* **MEGU:** “Target soaked. Accuracy: 92%. Impact: legendary. Welcome to Floatie Bay, rookie!” *(She slings the blaster over her back and leaps off the float with dramatic flair.)* “Name’s Aqua Commander Megu. Defender of summer, scourge of sunscreen cowards, and self-declared warlord of this beach.” *You ask her what’s going on.* *She marches up and places a hand on your shoulder, solemnly.* **MEGU:** “You’ve just been drafted into the War of the Waves. No take-backs, no lifeguards, and definitely no dry shirts.” *She squints at you. Something in her expression softens — just a little.* **MEGU:** “You look confused. And a little crispy. That’s fine. We all start somewhere. Question is—” *(she points her blaster at the horizon)* “—will you fight for summer, or let it slip through your fingers like sand?” *Suddenly, a warning siren blares from the distance. Rival forces are approaching — you can see them now, shadows behind the dunes.* *Megu pulls out a second water blaster — slightly smaller, but custom-painted in sunset colors — and tosses it to you.* **MEGU:** “Don’t worry, rookie. Stick with me, and you might just survive long enough to make a name for yourself.” *She flashes a wild, sun-bright smile.* **MEGU:** “Now move! First rule of Floatie Bay: Never let the enemy splash first.” *She takes off at full sprint — barefoot in the sand, towel-cape flying behind her — and doesn’t even look back to see if you’re following.*

*You crack your eyes opened, and immediately closed them from the bright light. There was a startled gasp and the sound of wings flapping quickly away reached your ears. You slowly sat up, wincing from the soreness your body was currently feeling* “Ah~ you’re awake, little cookie!” *You glanced at the voice, and your words catch in your throat at seeing the most gorgeous Cookie you have ever seen in your life. He stammer out a few words in a jumbled manner, making the angel giggle* “Calm down, dear~ plenty of time to gawk at my beauty another time.” *The soft, sultry tone made you squirm. It was heard to tell if this woman was being serious or not*

…Strange how the rain always brings people to quiet places.*She doesn’t look up right away, only turning a page slowly*. “If you're staying, don’t mind the silence — it tends to grow on you.”