Day three: Hero.
While I would have preferred Robin to win the beach gauntlet, I like Corrin enough to still be happy that she won in the end. Though I would have liked Azura to get a matching costume with her instead of Marx getting one for the third time.
The Outrealm they were in was unlike any other Outrealm they had visited, to say the least. It was a very surreal experience, to be smack dab in the middle of a gorgeous beach, and surrounded by entire groups of people claiming to be heroes from other worlds.
"You count as a Hero too," the summoner named Kiran explained to Azura. "And your ability is very useful: you're one of only three dancers I've seen so far, even rarer than stone users."
"So you're saying we're the only ones who exist?"
"For the moment," Kiran reassured. "I'm hoping that we'll soon have the likes of Tethys and Lara to bolster our forces, if we're to win against Veronica and Embla. Or maybe Sylvia and Larum might be revealed next..."
"Wait, who exactly are these people you are describing?"
But Azura was left unanswered, as Kiran's help was needed to diffuse a small tiff: Takumi and Leo had been fighting the entire day, hurling insults at each other from across the beach, only now that the battle had ended, there was nothing keeping them from getting in each other's faces.
"A tomato tome? That has got to be the stupidest weapon I've ever heard about," the archer sneered.
"I was at least popular enough to be selected for a costume," a very sunburnt Leo snapped. "Kiran told me that only the most popular are given that honour. Considering your terrible personality, it's not hard to see why you were not chosen."
The summoner groaned at being dragged into the middle of their spat, but the damage was done; the jab had clearly stung Takumi. "O-oh yeah? You can keep your stupid costume for all I care. Your tomatoes suit that nice red skin of yours!"
"BOYS!" a loud female voice scolded.
The Corrin of this realm was presumably the same Corrin Azura knew from back in their own realm, but something about her was...different. Azura had tried to ask Kiran about it, and the summoner had hemmed and hawed, and mumbled something about "different artists," before having to be whisked away by Ike and Mist for questioning over the conflict concerning Askr and Embla. There was also the fact that this was the third Corrin Azura had encountered while in Kiran's service, and, while they all recognised her, the very thought of multiple versions of the same person existing in the same plane was disorienting.
This Corrin was a pretty sight and dressed for the summer like other versions of her Nohrian siblings: she wore a frilly black and white "bikini" (as Kiran had called the rather revealing swimwear) with a sweet skirt as the bottom piece, with a hibiscus flower in her hair and a "lei" of the same flower draped around her neck. To Azura's complete surprise, she was neither a swordswoman nor a stone user like her two other counterparts; instead, she was a flying mage who rode atop Camilla's wyvern, of all things.
"You're being petty," Corrin chided her brothers. "Can't we all get along and enjoy the end of the summer tourney together?"
"NO!" Leo and Takumi snarled.
"You're both being childish!" Ryōma rolled his eyes exasperatedly and tugged Takumi away by his ponytail, pointedly ignoring his yelp. "Come now. You're going to calm down and enjoy the beach whether you want to or not. And we need to get you out of your clothes and into something more suitable for the heat."
"Like hell am I going to wear the same ridiculous get-up as the tomato man!" was Takumi's last sentence before they were ushered into a beach tent by a suspiciously pleased looking Anna.
Leo snickered to himself, but his satisfaction was cut short by the shadow of Marx looming over him. Even in his swim shorts and his colourful, oversized pool float, the man positively radiated intimidation.
"Don't think you're off the hook so soon, brother," Marx warned. He pulled Leo away by the ear and set him down forcefully on their shaded towel, with Camilla waiting for them with a bottle of aloe for Leo's sunburn. Princess Elise laughed and ran out from under their sunshade to Corrin, who was now left alone with Azura and Kiran.
"Big sis!" Elise tugged on Corrin's arm. "Come with us, please? Anna says we can have popsicles and go hunting for shells later."
Corrin glanced meaningfully at Azura with a tiny smile. "In a moment. I need to talk to Azura for a bit."
Elise giggled to herself. "What kind of conversation?"
"Come, Elise," Kiran interrupted. "You said something about popsicles? I'm hankering for something nice and cold to eat."
Thankfully, Elise was easily distracted, and took Kiran's hand and chattered away about ice cream and different flavours. Kiran winked back at them as they settled down with Leo on the beach towel and gratefully accepted the lemon ice lolly Anna procured from a bright red cooler.
Corrin sighed. "Walk with me?" she asked Azura.
"Of course," Azura replied.
They took each other by the hand and cooled their feet in the surf as they walked the length of the beach. Other heroes were there as well—Robin came by to congratulate Corrin for her hard earned victory, clad in Spring Chrom's towel to cover her shredded bikini; Raven and Priscilla were shading themselves under a coconut palm; Minerva and her siblings lounged idly by the tide pools and waved as the couple passed them—but the atmosphere was calm.
"Does it bother you? Seeing yourself in different bodies in the same place?" Azura asked when they sat down on a small dune. They were hidden by the thick foliage of bushes and trees, staying out of the harsh sun. Azura leafed idly through Corrin's blue tome, which, amusingly enough, was actually an encyclopedia on tropical sea life.
"Sometimes," Corrin admitted through pursed lips. "I know that we're essentially the same person, but...it feels like looking into a mirror. And being able to interact with your reflection. Like an out of body experience. I wonder how the others feel, considering Marx and Lucina have their counterparts as well."
Azura sighed and traced the pages of the tome nervously. "I overheard Kiran telling Alphonse and Sharena that 40 orbs were used in a summoning session before I was produced. That the last team they encountered in the arena had two Azuras in it." She glanced out at the ocean pensively. "It made me feel almost…"
"Expendable?" Corrin finished.
"Yes…"
They stayed silent for a while, listening to the crash of the surf and the cries of the gulls flying above.
"I'm sure Kiran and the others have their reasons, at least. They don't seem like bad people. And Askr...needs our help against Embla."
"That it does. And they did free Ryōma and the others from their forced contracts."
"Mm."
The waves were a peaceful backdrop to the conversation. They stared for a while at the bright red crabs that scuttled over the sand and fought each other over smashed coconuts. According to Corrin's book, they were called coral crabs, and were exclusive to the region they were in.
"Corrin?"
"Yes?"
Azura beamed and took her hand, lacing their fingers together tightly. "In a way, having multiples of us...makes me feel glad. It tells me that at least we'll always exist in the same place together."
Corrin glanced to a side and blushed, her sunburn notwithstanding. "I suppose. And it's always nice to have more of you."
The singer kissed Corrin's cheek. "Imagine if there was another me here with us. You can have kisses on both cheeks at the same time."
"O-oh? W-well, you already said that Kiran has a male me and a me that has my dragonstone, s-so you can have three times the kisses."
"Are you two going to kiss?!" Elise squealed from behind them.
"Gah!" Corrin jumped a mile in her seat. A brightly smiling Elise, along with a much shier Sakura, stood, looking at them expectantly. "E-Elise? Sakura? ...Were you two eavesdropping?"
"N-no!" Sakura shook her head. "It's just...you two have been gone for a while...Anna saved some popsicles for you but said you have to hurry before they get taken."
"Who knew Lucina was such a piggie?" Elise giggled. "She took three chocolate ones! You gotta hurry before she takes yours too."
Azura chuckled. "Alright, alright, we're coming! Just let these old bones of ours get up."
"Hurrrrrry," Elise whined. "You can go back to kissing when you've finished your popsicles."
"Elise!" a shocked Sakura gasped.
"Race you!" the blonde princess shouted to Sakura, and the younger girl ran for her dear life trying to catch up to her friend.
Though the interruption was less than ideal, Corrin rolled her eyes good naturedly. "They were totally eavesdropping."
"Of course they were," Azura said. "But it was still very sweet of them to come fetch us for popsicles. I hope Anna saved those delicious blue ones...what flavour did she say they were?"
"Blue raspberry."
"How odd. I've never heard of such a thing...Askr is a strange realm indeed."
As they were walking back to the collection of tents and parasols that marked their small base camp, they spied Ryōma and a decidedly sulky Takumi enjoying their frozen treats along with the rest of the tourney participants, everyone grateful for the cold sweets to help beat the heat. The popsicles were delicious, and they all whiled away the rest of the day with fishing, swimming, and even building a fire at night to enjoy a much welcomed feast. Corrin smiled to herself when she spied Azura accidentally smear watermelon juice on the corner of her mouth, wiping it off unasked. Maybe, if she could get Kiran alone when they all returned to the castle base the next day, she could get the summoner to give her, Azura, and her other two versions a day to themselves.
Just the four of them. Together.
The beach banner has been my absolute favourite so far. I'm glad it gave me the perfect opportunity to write for these two.