Holy Templar Sanctum (Aincrad)

[Apollymi]

As always, Charles was choosing to be more dramatic than the situation called for. Still, Angelica found this to be one of his more endearing qualities. She couldn't help but shake her head at his notion that if he got swallowed up by a fish, he should be considered a lost cause. "Come now, unlike you I don't consider you are really a lost cause just because a fish swallowed you. If you don't get out, you'll never recover being cool, and I don't think you have that in you..." she said in a haphazard way.

Moving on, and according to Charles, they weren't going to eat either of the two big fish she'd caught so this one was pretty big and edible. "I wouldn't mind sharing," she said. "Also I didn't think that one was edible," she said about the big one. "And it's definitely not my friend," she said with her nose turned up in the air. Of course, such dramatics were part of her own soul as well... Still apparently the lesson went on, and they'd need a stick with a sharpened end if they were to share this particular fish. "Fine, I'll make it happen," she said handing the lad back his fish after he finally managed to pull himself up. She went to get a stick and a rock. Based on all of Charles other advice, she went to find a stick a bit bigger than the fish was long and upon finding one, she began sharpening the end of it with the rock she picked up. She had no idea what it was going to be used for, but figured this was the right way to begin. Once she had it in hand she rejoined Charles. "So, why a sharp stick?"

[Bloodedge]

One of them wouldn't consider him a lost cause if he were swallowed by a grotesque fish, but Charlemagne was not that one. Nothing could possibly be more uncool than that; his only option would be death in such an event. "That's a total lost cause scenario! It's so far from cool, it might burn every structure on the planet down!" he stated.

Regardless of hypothetical fish-swallowing, Charlemagne did have to get out of the lake eventually... lest another creature of the sea find its way to him accidentally. He pulled himself up onto the dock in time for Angelica to return the one fish they'd be eating, and Angelica went about acquiring the sort of stick he mentioned them needing. Of course, she also expressed her opinion on the edibility of that giant... thing. "I'm pretty sure it's not. If it is, I say we sell it to whoever wants to eat it, and then never even look in that person's direction again." These words were accompanied by a firm nod while Charlemagne took his place by the fire. With that fish flopping in his hand, he awaited the return of Angelica, who questioned the stick she'd been preparing. "Sharp so we can stab the fish easier. To cook this thing out in the wilderness like this, we can run it through with a stick and keep it held near the fire," he said, taking his free forefinger and gliding it along the fish's body from front to back as example. "In the mouth, all the way through the body until it comes out the other side. Then we just jam the other end of the stick into the ground, angling it toward the fire, and wait."

[Apollymi]

"Chuck, you're being dramatic..." these were Angelica's words about the supposed lost cause. He truly couldn't believe that something as simple as being swallowed by a fish would leave her feeling any differently about him. Sure, it'd be worth teasing over, but that'd only be short term. What Charles really needed in Angelica's mind was the tiniest hint of flexibility in his understanding of coolness.

Regardless the other fish she caught wasn't edible and that was fine with Angelica, Charles suggested they sell it but she couldn't be bothered with something so trivial. "Or you could just give it to anyone who wants it. It was fun catching them but it isn't like I need funding for anything..." she said calmly. This was the generosity of the Holy Princess, as some would call it. But in truth, Angelica simply didn't see the point in selling something she couldn't use if someone else could get use out of it. All the while she sharpened that stick to hear out an explanation from Charles complete with a visual demonstration. Apparently they'd be running the stick through the fish and then just roasting it whole. That was a novel way to cook something she supposed. "I see. So are you going to do it or am I?" she asked holding out the stick in one hand and leaving her other open. The option here was for Charles to either give her the fish for her to run it through or for him to take the stick and do so himself. she couldn't say she'd mind either outcome but he was the one being weirdly picky about the hand she'd used to punch the other fish, so she'd leave it to him to decide.

[Bloodedge]

"Angie, you're being under-dramatic," Charlemagne reacted with the most deadpan expression he could manage. For a moment, it seemed he actually held coolness factor in the highest possible regard. Sometimes, that sort of statement may have even been true... but no matter. It seemed Angelica was more willing to give away that nasty fish instead of selling it. Charlemagne would agree based on the likelihood of it being an unwanted creature. He supposed Angelica also had zero use for monetary exchange; her life had been set for a thousand years. They were having the experience of living off the land, however, so... "It might still be worthwhile to keep some funds handy. What if something terrible happens and Aincrad is destroyed in some massive attack? If you survive the fall to the lower world, you'll be stranded. A few septims would help you survive until you got back on your feet."

Moving on, Angelica wished to know which of them would actually be piercing the fish they'd soon eat. A few moments of consideration were given. He could have shown her by example, or he could have led her to understanding more directly. There was, however, a method of doing both... so he used the pointed stick that was still in Angelica's hand, letting her keep hold of it while positioning the fish's mouth at its tip. "Why not both? I'll hold it steady, you put it where it needs to go!"

[Apollymi]

"There is nothing wrong with being reasonable, Chuck..." she stated plainly. This lad had his extremes but she knew he wasn't being quite as serious as his deadpan expression would have led some to believe. Of course, she couldn't help but stifle a giggle after thinking about it for a few more seconds. What else was happening? Well, Charles was explaining the need for funds. Not for right now, but for the future, just in case of some sort of disaster or catastrophe. He claimed she might need a few Septims for picking herself back up. Ah, but there was something missing here. Angelica had heard that other places didn't accept foreign currency in a straightforward way. And some places didn't even require it. "Emergency funding seems like preparing for an eventual doom. That being said, I thought other places didn't accept Septims as currency..." she said seeming to think about it from multiple perspectives. She supposed there was nothing wrong with being prepared though it seemed contradictory to assume the failure of a place that had been standing for a thousand years or more.

Beyond the discussion of money and its necessity for potential futures, Charles came up with the idea of a cooperative effort. He'd hold the fish and she could put the stick where it needed to go. "Okay, here I go..." she claimed. He even went so far as the place the stick in the mouth of the fish allowing Angelica to push against it making sure it went where it needed to go. There was something strange about being in charge of this part of this particular action. But she couldn't quite place her finger on it. As such, she continued to push forward with the stick following the guidance of Charles until she poked it out the other end.

[Bloodedge]

Angelica's counterargument about septims' lack of acceptance in other nations was a fair one, albeit slightly dated. He couldn't blame her for that. It had been ages since they last saw one another, and hardly as much time since great change came to the world around this floating organization. "There are a lot more places accepting the septim nowadays, and even more places accepting a currency exchange. At this rate, the septim will be the world's main currency in a matter of decades... probably," he explained, thinking ahead to the future spoken of by Father An.

Whether the currency issue was of major importance or not, they had a fish to cook, and that required driving a stick through the still-squirming creature's body. Angelica managed that with ease, quickly putting a stop to all that dry flopping in the process. "Aaaaand there we go!" said Charlemagne while he took the stick in hand. They could move on from matters of fish for the moment, starting with Charlemagne's effort to prop up the fish. Just by the fire, he jammed the stick into the ground. It boasted enough of an angle that their dinner fish hovered just out of the flame's direct reach. Since they planned to swim, a slower cook was what he aimed for. "Alright! Once it's gone dark, it's ready. Just uh... don't expect it to taste like a gourmet dish. The only thing seasoning it is the burned scales... maybe~"

[Apollymi]

According to Charles more places accepted Septims as currency now than they did before. He even claimed it could potentially be something which took over the whole of the world at some point. This was the overarching thought of Father An. She was sure it was his plan to spread the word of god to the entire world. Still that sort of thing always seemed a bit odd. Though she wasn't sure what about it she found so odd. "I mean I guess it would be helpful," she said. There were many long term things she couldn't have considered like the fact that if something happened with Aincrad things developed from it would likely lose value rather quickly.

Whatever, that wasn't a right now conversation. Right now, there was the matter of their fish which was properly situated on its stick and then placed next to the fire. According to Charles she shouldn't expect a gourmet meal but it would be cooked through. He even explained the signs she should look for, including a blackened outside. Strange, but she figured if Charles had eaten it before it couldn't really be bad. "I don't really mind. I am not really that picky..." she claimed, which was the truth. She ate what she did because it was prepared for her, but she'd never tasted anything she didn't like on these outings. Whatever the case, now was the time for their fun to continue as they progressed through this date. "So, we going for a swim?" she asked remembering that to be one of the key points of this entire endeavor.

[Bloodedge]

In an ideal situation, Charlemagne could see it all. The septim would be the world's singular accepted currency, and the word of God would be spread just as far. What a wonderful world that would be. Soon, he'd do his part to ensure righteousness was established everywhere. That was for another time, though. Satisfaction would be known to all when the time came, but today, Charlemagne himself would relax and take in the little things.

Among those little things to appreciate, there was the swimming they agreed to do when visiting the lake. He couldn't have put on swim trunks and sat through Angelica's bikini-related shenanigans for no reason, after all. First though, Angelica claimed she was fine with unseasoned fish straight out of the lake. If she insisted, he'd assume all would be well. "If you say so. I figured your tastes would be more refined. I personally like the charred flavor, but I'm used to stuff like that," he said with a casual shrug. "Anyway, yeah! Though I've already gotten an early start on the whole swimming thing─" There was jest, yet honesty in Charlemagne's final clause. If not for it being part of the original plan, he probably would have foregone swimming entirely. Since things had already been decided however, he stepped away from the cooking fish and moved toward the dock's edge.

[Apollymi]

The future was an interesting thing to think about. Angelica wasn't sure of the full details but she hoped it would involve more outings for her and more time spent with Charles.

Moving on from that though, there was the matter of their established swim, for which Charles made his way to the end of the dock. Angelica would do the same all while prociessing this 'charred' flavor bit. Ah, he thought her tastes were more refined, she found that odd given their earlier discussion about beer drinking. She would leave that one behind for a moment or two though... "Yeah, not really. I don't know what it'll taste like but I'm not super concerned," she said willing to give it and many other things a try simply because Charles made the suggestion. As for the start of their swimming adventure Charles claimed to have a head start. "Fine me first!" she claimed only to launch herself off the edge of the dock while abandoning her wrap and then making a ceremonious dive into the water. A few seconds after sinking towards the bottom she'd be found half floating on the surface. "Come on, Charlie, you've already been in the water already~" she claimed, knowing that he knew the temperature was nice and the whole situation was likely supposed to be relaxing.

[Bloodedge]

"I'm pretty sure it's going to taste like..." Charlemagne had a thing of great importance to say regarding the fish's flavor. There was a long, dramatic pause to the answer he had, which was one to encompass every facet of flavor, the very bouquet of the dish they'd be enjoying later. Its umami, its texture, its spiritual effects would all surely be explained by what he had to say. "...Fish. It'll taste like fish."

Ah yes, that was certainly the best way to explain it. Maybe it was a little sarcastic, but... oh well. Angelica had the go-ahead to dive, and she took it with what seemed to be the minimum amount of finesse she exemplified in anything... except apparently fish-punching. Upon rising from the depths, Angelica urged him to jump in as well. True enough, he'd already been in the lake once today. "Yeah yeah, I'm coming!" he announced. First and foremost, Charlemagne had to determine the coolest possible entry. Once he was sure what the method would be, he hyped himself up a bit. "Alright! Here I go!" he announced. With that, Charlemagne crouched low to launch himself high into the air. Easily clearing the tree line, he performed a series of spins which flung the wetness of the previous dip from his body. Such a maneuver reached its conclusion in favor of a tuck and three forward rolls on the way down, all ending in what appeared to be a sideways swan dive with his chest protruding toward the water. Charlemagne wasn't sure exactly where he'd land, but he was certain it wouldn't be in the shallows.