Chapter 5: Beach Serenity
Aqua, sensing that Kairi was feeling more comfortable, turned to Luna. "We were just planning our day. Any suggestions on where to start?"
Lunafreya smiled. "Gentiana and I were about to head to the beach," she said, "It's a perfect day for it after all. Why don't you join us?"
Kairi's eyes lit up. "That sounds great!"
Gentiana nodded in agreement. "The beach it is, then," she said, gracefully. "Shall we?"
The four of them gathered their belongings and made their way to the beach.
As the girls strolled along down the cobblestone path, Aqua and Luna fell into step beside each other, happily catching up.
"It's been ages since we've last seen each other," Luna remarked. "Tell me, Aqua, what kept you away for so long?"
Aqua hesitated, her gaze fixated on the ground. "Uh, y'know," she stammered, "I've been busy with…training. And…other things."
Luna looked at her, confused. "Other things?" she asked, her brow furrowing slightly.
Kairi noticed Aqua's eyes darting nervously, as she struggled to tell her about her being trapped in the Realm of Darkness and saving her friends from Master Xehanort.
"Well, let's just say I've been dealing with dark times."
Luna's eyes popped. "Oh my," she said, exasperated.
"You too, huh?" Gentiana asked.
Aqua was surprised by Gentiana's response. She met Gentiana's calm gaze before turning back to Luna, who seemed hesitant to elaborate.
Luna sighed softly, her eyes reflecting a mixture of relief and unease. "We've also had our share of challenges," she replied vaguely, choosing her words carefully.
Both Kairi and Aqua were surprised to hear Luna sound so mournful.
"But we managed to overcome them, and it's made us both stronger," Gentiana said softly, her voice carrying a soothing quality.
"Uh, r-right!" stammered Kairi. "Anyway, the important thing is we're all together now! So…let's just enjoy the time we have now!"
Aqua nodded, grateful for Kairi's enthusiasm. "Yes, let's focus on the present."
Gentiana smiled. "Kairi's right. Let's make the most of today."
The girls continued on their walk, talking about much lighter topics.
As Aqua and Luna continued to catch up with each other, Kairi and Gentiana walked right behind them. Unlike Aqua and Luna, Kairi and Gentiana kept to themselves. It was partly due to Kairi being too anxious to strike up a conversation with someone she hardly knew and was still slightly intimidated by.
In addition, she had her mind fixated on something else.
With Kairi walking right behind her mentor, Aqua, she couldn't help but look down at her…assets.
With every step, Aqua's rump swayed left-to-right. Kairi clutched onto the strap of her bag and her face went red as she found herself memorized by Aqua's figure. She found Aqua's rear to be slender and firm, absolutely beautiful in every way like the rest of her body.
Suddenly, Kairi heard a soft giggle coming from right next to her. Kairi gasped and her body went stiff as a board. She turned to Gentiana, who had a gentle smile on her face. Kairi's face went even redder as she realized Gentiana caught her staring at Aqua.
Kairi quickly looked away, too embarrassed to face Gentiana.
Gentiana decided to let her off easy and not address her.
Eventually, the girls arrived on the sandy white beach of the Hadaka Beach Resort. Kairi was in awe as the bright sunlight cast a vibrant glow on the sand and the ocean waves. The beach stretched far into the distance, with cliffs and rock formations occasionally breaking the otherwise flat shore. The palm tree leaves swayed freely as a gentle breeze passed through.
"Here we are!" Aqua said, excitedly.
"Wow! This beach looks incredible!" gasped Kairi.
Gentiana smiled. "Thankfully, it doesn't appear to be too busy," she said.
Indeed, only a few people were strolling the beach. Some were lying back and letting the sun bathe their bare bodies with its light. Others were in the ocean, enjoying a clothes-free swim.
"Let's go find a spot," Luna said.
The girls managed to find a spot with ease. As they set their towels down and settled into their spot on the beach, Kairi was eager to experience the water. She slowly walked over to the edge of the sea and let the cool, inviting waves lap around her ankles.
Kairi closed her eyes, savoring the moment. For a moment, the sensation of her feet in the water transported Kairi back to the Destiny Islands, the familiar warmth of the sun and the gentle lapping of the waves evoking memories of simpler times.
As Kairi was lost in her thoughts, Aqua and Luna turned to each other and snickered mischievously. Gentiana grew suspicious of the two as they quietly tiptoed behind Kairi.
Before Kairi knew what happened, Aqua and Luna made their move. In one swift effort, they each grabbed one of Kairi's arms and lifted her off her feet.
Kairi's eyes shot open in surprise as she felt herself being lifted up into the air and carried deeper into the sea.
"Wait, what the—"
Kairi was interrupted when Aqua and Luna dumped her into the sea with a splash.
Kairi quickly swam back up to the surface, sputtering. "Hey! What was that for?" she asked, angrily.
While Gentiana found their behavior juvenile, Aqua and Luna, now standing at the water's edge, laughed heartily. "Sorry Kairi," Luna said, in between laughs.
"We're just a little beach fun!" Aqua said, grinning from ear to ear.
Kairi, still dripping wet, shook her head and pulled her hair back. Her angry pout quickly changed to a chuckle. "Alright, you got me good! But now it's payback time!" she declared.
Kairi reached down and splashed a handful of water towards Aqua and Luna.
As a full-blown splash fight broke out between the three, Gentiana stood farther back and out of the way of the water being flung around.
"Oh, you're going to get it now!" Kairi laughed, her competitive spirit kicking in. She took a step forward and splashed Aqua back, causing a burst of laughter to escape from her friends.
Gentiana couldn't help but laugh with them.
She stayed on the beach, choosing to watch the others play and splash each other. She was happy to see Luna smiling and having fun, something she knew she desperately needed.
And even if she didn't know much about what happened to the two, she knew that Kairi and Aqua needed this moment too.
Eventually, the girls calmed down and ceased their splash fight. Luna went back to grab an inner tube so she, Aqua, and Kairi could relax and float out in the ocean. Luna was laid out inside, while Kairi and Aqua hung onto the sides.
As they bobbed along with the gentle rhythm of the waves, Aqua let out a contented sigh, while Luna adjusted her position on the inner tube, looking relaxed and at ease.
"This truly is a paradise," murmured Luna.
"I wish we can all just say like this forever," Kairi said, resting her head on the inner tube.
"The whole world would be better off if everyone went without clothes," added Aqua.
Luna gulped. "I…I don't know about that," she stammered.
The feeling of the cold water lapping her body took Kairi back to her youth, when she, Sora, and Riku would spend their days out in the ocean relaxing under the hot sun.
How she longed for those days again.
Kairi perked her head up and noticed Gentiana still on the shore, sitting back in a chair under her umbrella. "Hey, how come Gentiana isn't getting in the water?" she asked, curiously.
"Yeah, why isn't she?" asked Aqua.
Luna merely shrugged her shoulders. "Gentiana never cared for swimming," she explained. "She always said the water felt cold whenever she got in."
Kairi felt a little bad for Gentiana being all by herself. "I think I'm going to go and keep her company," she said.
"Suit yourself," Luna said. "We'll be right here if you need us."
Kairi let go of the inner tube and began swimming back to shore.
As Kairi approached the shore, she could see Gentiana leaning back into her chair, relaxed with her eyes closed.
Kairi found herself enamored by the tall, black-haired beauty sitting next to her. She couldn't take her eyes off Gentiana. She reminded her a lot of Aqua: a majestic and refined woman, with a slender yet curvaceous form that spoke of both strength and poise. A thick but groomed patch of black hair graced her womanhood, adding to her overall mature appearance.
Kairi figured that nudity wasn't a problem for her. Why would it be with her thin, model figure? Her large breasts, long legs, and shapely bottom certainly helped as well.
Gentiana opened her eyes. "Oh! Hello Kairi," she said, gently. "Tired of the water already?"
Kairi jumped as she realized she had been caught again. "I-I-I just saw that you were lonely," she said, "so I thought I'd come and keep you company."
"How very considerate of you," smiled Gentiana, "but I was not lonely. I was just meditating and appreciating the peacefulness."
"Oh," Kairi said, bashfully. "I'm sorry to disturb you."
"No need to apologize," assured Gentiana. "You may stay if you like."
Kairi laid out her towel beside Gentiana and sat down.
Things were quiet between the two. Kairi and Gentiana looked out to the horizon, where they saw Lunafreya and Aqua, still out floating in the ocean, talking and laughing with each other.
Again, Kairi thought back to her days on the Destiny Islands with Sora and Riku.
However, instead of feeling nostalgic for days gone by, she began to feel a little guilty. Riku was out in the Quadratum world trying to find and rescue Sora. And here Kairi was relaxing and playing at the beach.
And with no clothes on to boot.
She suddenly felt that she should go back to her training to go and help the two of them. But she also knew she still wasn't ready to go in after them.
She then began wondering if she would ever be ready.
"They look happy," mused Gentiana, breaking Kairi out of her thoughts. "I think this is the most I've seen Lunafreya laughing and smiling."
Gentiana thought back to when she and Lunafreya visited the Hadaka Beach Resort. "I owe a lot to Aqua," she murmured. "If it wasn't for her, Lunafreya wouldn't have embraced the nudist lifestyle. She would have become a victim to her own insecurities."
"Huh?" Kairi asked, confused. "What do you mean?"
Gentiana closed her eyes. "Lunafreya may be a confident nudist now," she began, "but she wasn't always willing to be nude around others. On our first visit years ago, she was unwilling to disrobe and join in. Seeing me nude didn't help either, as she felt she wasn't "pretty enough" to be a nudist. I explained to her that there was no such thing, but she didn't believe me. She said it was easy for me to say."
Kairi gulped, as she remembered feeling the same way before coming to the Hadaka Beach Resort. "S-so, what made her accept nudism?" she asked.
There was a brief pause before Gentiana answered.
"Seeing the different nudist women and the variety of body types certainly helped," continued Gentiana, "but it was meeting Aqua that truly helped her overcome her insecurities."
"It…did?" Kairi asked, sounding somewhat hopeful.
"I was surprised," continued Gentiana. "I could tell young Aqua was also facing her own insecurities. And yet, she was able to connect with Lunafreya and help her shed both her clothes and her worries."
Gentiana turned to face Kairi. "I'm guessing that's why you're here as well?" she asked.
Kairi tucked her legs in towards her chest. "Kind of," she said, somewhat nervously. "I've been struggling with training. There's just been a lot on my mind. Aqua brought me because she thinks it'll help me to relax and find peace."
Gentiana nodded her head. "And how has that been going for you?" she asked.
It took a moment for Kairi to answer as she had to think hard about how being nude has helped her. "I…I like it," she admitted, "everyone has been so nice and welcoming. But will this whole nudist thing really help me in the long run?"
Gentiana laughed softly. "Lunafreya said the same thing," she murmured. "Give it some time. There's more to nudism than just going around without clothes on. I'm sure Aimi told you this already, but nudism is more about opening up to yourself and others, shedding not just your clothes but also the insecurities and barriers you've built up over time."
Kairi was caught by surprise when Gentiana grabbed her hand tenderly. "But do not overthink it, Kairi," she said. "Go for a swim. Play a game of volleyball. Make new friends. Enjoy yourself, even if only for a few days."
Kairi felt less intimidated by Gentiana the more she spoke. "You're right," she said, nodding her head. "Thanks, Gentiana."
"Well, you're the one who said we should enjoy the time we have together," Gentiana said, politely. "And who knows what you'll discover about yourself. Or about Aqua."
Gentiana's words lingered in the air, filling Kairi with a newfound sense of hope. The two continued to stare out to the serene sea, where Aqua and Lunafreya were still enjoying their time together.
Gentiana's final words left an impression on Kairi.
What did she mean by what she'll discover about herself and Aqua?
TO BE CONTINUED
A/N: I haven't played Final Fantasy XV yet, so I hope I did Lunafreya and Gentiana justice.