From All The Fallen Stories
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How about you show me around the lake? There's a lot to see there.
Yes, let's go to the beach! And visit the café too!
Actually it's more a diner these days, but it started as a café where you could buy some drinks and ice cream. Nowadays they've also got pizza, burgers and street food as well!
Are there a lot of cottages around too?
Not near the public beach, there aren't. They're all further down the road away from the village.
I know! We should also go for a little swim! Did you bring any swimwear?
No, but we can visit my place first since it's close to the beach anyway.
Grab some money too so we can eat out!
I think that the booth's empty. Let's go change to something more appropriate.
Lemme lock the door, so nobody's getting in.
Growing up I didn't really think much of it because I was oblivious to everything, but that lock is really, really terrible. For starters, you could totally peek through the gap, and you can even open it from the outside with the right tool. Not only that, but a grown-up could probably break through the damn thing. Maybe that's by design since you can only lock it from the inside, and if something were to happen here… Yeah, that makes sense… and at least the lockers have proper padlocks, so my stuff's safe…
Well, time to change to a swimsuit then. Still, even though they're both girls, but I still can't help but feel a little embarrassed of being topless around them… I'm just gonna change as quickly as possible…
What are you groping her for, you pervert?
Just wanted to get a feel of a nice, well-toned body of a future tennis superstar!
♪
T-there are people outside!
Let's test how ticklish you are!
W-wait, n-no! N-not there!
Sheesh, let her change in peace!
I could totally feel her chest press against my back there, and the fact that she's topless too… Good grief, she's getting way too comfortable…
Her breasts are a little bigger than mine, but only a little… Because she barely has some, while I have none. Heidi's body seems to be more like mine, although she's maybe a little bit taller than me.
…Why am I checking out their chests though…
Wow, Milka, you've bought yourself a two-piece?
Yep! My first one, and my first time wearing it! Isn't it sexy!?
Yeah, it looks great on you!
Hee-hee, just look at my sexy body!
♪
Oh, Emilia… *giggle* What a childish and plain little one-piece!
What? Nothing wrong with it.
It's the only one I have anyway…
Don't get me wrong, I think it's cute too. It has a certain charm to it, if you know what I mean.
Yours isn't too dissimilar, isn't it? It's also a blue one-piece.
Mine is definitely sexier, just you wait! Lemme give you a little spin…
See～?
She's right. It doesn't cover as much of her hips, plus her back is partially exposed. Mine really looks childish in comparison.
Well, I think we're done. It's nice that these keys have rubber bands linked to them, so we can wear them on our wrists or ankles and not accidentally lose them.
Yeah, and the lifeguard's got a master key for every lock anyway, so no biggie if you lose it.
Let's go hit on some guys!
You mean play in the water?
★ Did I stutter? Hit on some guys!
Just don't forget why we're here! To show Emilia around!
Yeah, yeah. Although If I
do get picked on, I'm totally going for it…
I was worried that the water would be cold, but it's really comfortable out here, just like the air. Then again, 28°C is pretty damn hot for this climate, so maybe it was more or less expected.
My star seems to have washed away…
Maybe that's for the better, since we're not here to seduce boys anyway.
I guess…
Speaking of boys, those three hotheads seem to be having fun.
Would you look at that, the boys from the school are here to also enjoy summer.
Only Jorn is the same year as us, but we all study in the same classroom most of the time.
I know! Let's go talk to them!
What's there to be embarrassed about? They're all in swimwear too, silly!
That honestly just makes it worse…
Oh, you're here too! Hi girls!
We brought a new friend. Her name's Emilia, and…
Hey, stop hiding behind my back!
They're all staring at me… in my swimwear…
As you can see, she's a bit shy.
Yeah, so be nice to her, or else…
Nice to meet you, Emilia. I'm Otto!
There's no need to be shy! We're all friends here!
Nice to meet you too, Otto…
Okay… Okay… Deep breaths… I'll be fine…
I never had any male friends growing up, our class was so big, and everyone only hung out in gender-segregated groups, so this feels weird… Boys and girls getting along and playing together is something that's gonna take a while to get used to…
That carrot-head is Jorn. He's the same year as us.
Stop calling me a carrot!
Wait, so Emilia's also starting 4th grade next semester? Am I seriously gonna share a class with three girls now?!
Yes you are, and you're gonna like it!
♪
We all know he likes it, even though he doesn't admit it!
And finally, there's Eric!
He's a bit quiet and moody, but he's also nice, so don't be afraid of him!
Nice to meet you all, I hope we get along.
So, wanna hang out? Haven't played anything since school ended.
We're actually showing her around, so you three can now go back to whatever you were doing.
Oh shucks, don't you want us to join you too?
Yeah, stay away from her!
Well then, Emilia. Don't be afraid to grab us if you need anything! See you around!
They seemed like alright people…
So, uhm, do girls and boys hang out here more often?
We mostly hang out in our own groups, but we all get very well along with each other and even play together sometimes. We kind of have to because there are not too many kids around otherwise. We all even have each other's numbers.
I guess we're more divided into age groups than by gender, if that makes sense. Us grade schoolers hang out with each other, and the middle-schoolers have their own clique…
Okay, makes sense. That makes me wonder, how many kids are there in the elementary school?
There's those you've already met and a few more. There are like… fifteen in total?
Wow, that's one small school.
Yep! A tiny school for a tiny community. I'm actually surprised it's still even operational.
I'm glad it is. I mean, can you imagine traveling to Järpen daily?
Oh, hell no! But if the local school were to lose its funding…
Well, I'm glad it's operational then! Are there any girls besides us?
No, it's mostly boys. Like, there's Eleonora, for starters. She doesn't really hang out with us, since we try to keep the game a secret. She's just seven…
Marianne and Venla are older than us, so they don't really hang out with us either. And… that's about it!
Really? No other girls our age?
Yeah. As I said, it's mostly boys…
Bummer…
By the way, where are we even going? It's rockier here, and not a whole lot of people around.
Yeah, this part of the beach is rockier thanks to those little cliffs and smooth water-beaten rocks. You could say it's not really part of the beach anymore, as here you've got a muddy lakebed and a whole ton of reeds and lily pads. Not really fit for swimming, as you can imagine. It meets up with the swamp near the nature trail and where you've got the designated fishing area.
Because this, my good friend, is what we call the "lover's beach".
Remember what we told you about Lauhatar, the spirit of the late? According to my granny, this exact rocky area is where hundreds of years ago the Sámi settlers communed with her.
Really now? So it's a place of historical importance?
Not really. I mean, there aren't any monuments or anything here, so it's not like
that…
It's more like a place of spiritual importance! The link between the material and the spirit world is weak around the ley lines, and the line runs straight through this very spot.
Honestly, I have no clue what "ley lines" are. I don't want to say anything that could come across as insensitive though, because these old traditions of this land seem to mean a lot to Milka, and she genuinely seems to believe in this stuff. I'm not sure what to believe in, but these stories are fascinating nonetheless. Beats sitting in history class listening to boring lectures any day.
As for why this is nicknamed the lover's beach? Well, as you can see, it's a little bit to the side. You can hide pretty well behind those large rocks and the tall grass.
In other words, it's a perfect little place to go to if you get hit on the beach.
So, does that mean that people come here for the explicit purpose of making out…?
Yeah! Just lay down on a warm rock, with or without a blanket, ride him, or let him ride you… Or perhaps you want to lay your hands against a cliff, bend over on that smaller surface…
But it's right next to the beach…
The magic of Lauhatar protects our secrets here from prying eyes too…
*giggle* I wouldn't be so trusting…
A little crazy to think that those two may have done it in a place like this. Like sure, it's a little bit to the side, but this place is out in the open. Just a little walk from the public beach, and not exactly hidden either. That just sounds so risky…
S-so, you can talk to Lauhatar here then?
Maybe we can! We should try!
Tallemaja! That's what my granny calls her! Oh, wait? What's this? I can hear a voice from beyond the veil…
She says…
Hej, Emilia! Välkommen till Vitsippsdalen!
Well, tell her I said
"Hi" too…
Can we just go eat? And not play around…
I'm getting hungry too, and walking around helped us dry a little too. Should we go change?
Yeah, sure. There's still the other side of the beach for us to see too.
This lakeside's actually really gorgeous. What a lovely part of the town. I'm starting to think that maybe living here might not be so bad after all. And man, these Falafels are so good…
Wow! Look at you stuff your face with balls!
Milka! At least behave in a restaurant!
I'm just surprised these taste so good…
Did
you make these?
…And she's kinda pretty too…
Just let me know if you need anything else!
So, ummm… she goes to the school with us too?
Yep! She's in the last year. Anyway, have you put any thought into where we're going next?
Well, might as well make up your mind while we finish eating!
Well, that's true… Let's see…
