Sand (open) - Bathtub Beach

As she started to come out of the water, the redhead...transformed. She was once again the too-pretty, too-perfect blonde that was the Sheriff. She gave the Caitiff a nod.

"You have my congratulations. If I didn't know who you were from the Prince, I would have never guessed that you were one of us."

What? Huh? Oh shit.
She turned around, blinked, looked momentarily confused and probably a bit shocked too and then staggered and stumbled over her own two feet and fell backwards into the sand, landing on her behind with her hands finding the ground for support as she looked up at the other woman.
Very smooth. Very agile.
Her dexterity tended to fail her when she could've needed it the most.

"I.. uh...."
Very eloquent too.
Awesome.

The blonde laughed, quietly.

"I didn't mean to startle you. My name is Ra'idah Tahan. I'm the Sheriff. And this? Was a much-needed break from my duties. So I do thank you, and I congratulate you. I would not have known, if I did not know who you are from the prince and others."

Sheriff? Ah damn...

"Ehm.... thanks...?" she said somewhat questioningly as if not quite sure what to say or do, which meant she didn't get up right away either, but remained on the ground, hands either side of her body and her knees closed. "And... you're... welcome?" which sounded just as questioningly, or possibly testing, testing to see if she got that right at all.
"That was just me being me..." the blond said softly, not knowing what else to say really because that was the thing. It hadn't been an act, just Teddy being herself.

The blonde, now significantly taller, held out a hand to help Teddy to her feet. She smiled again, shaking water from her blonde curls.

"It's me who owes you thanks. And I fully intend to keep the coffee date and the aquarium one, if you are still interested."

That seemed to help a bit, even if the smile was still a bit hesitant as if still testing to see if the "ice" she was on would hold. She reached out to take the sheriff's hand though so she could get back on her feet, biting her lip for a moment.
"I'd like that..." the Caitiff said. "I don't actually drink.. coffee heh... but I like the scent, so I'd still really like to go. And visit the aquarium. Never been there so, could be fun"

The Sheriff's hand was warm in hers and the blonde obviously had plenty of strength with which to help the Caitiff to her feet. She was smiling, though, looking...content.

"Excellent! Though I can always wear the redheaded face when we go, if you prefer. I can actually still enjoy coffee, so I would likely be fully drinking the cup. And everyone needs to see the aquarium. They just do."

"Go as whoever you prefer to go as. I don't mind either" Teddy said, slipping her hand from Rai's once she was up, to brush a bit of sand off herself. "And I would've had coffee if I could drink it, but I can't so I don't" she added with a soft chuckle, obviously relaxing a bit again now that she seemed fairly certain she wasn't in any kind of trouble.
"And the aquarium? I totally agree"

The blonde leaned against a rock and started letting the water dry on her skin.

"Good. I would have been disappointed if you had taken much offense. Truly, I am sorry for the ruse. I really just needed to get away for a while."

"Mm.. I don't mind" she shrugged, and truly, she didn't. As long as she wasn't in trouble at least. "Everyone needs a break now and then" the blond with the short curls continued, having brushed off enough sand to slip on her underwear and pull her top on again though without bothering with the bra.
Okay, so the clothes would get a bit wet. She didn't really mind as she sat down on her jacket next to Diego who had indeed managed to pull a sock over his head and was currently sprawled out in a passed out kind of way.
"And this is a nice place to take a breather" Teddy smiled over at her, wrapping her arms around her knees.

She wasn't bothering with getting dressed yet. She looked out over the water with an odd, secretive smile on her face.

"It is. I like nothing more than to be in or on the water. So to come here where I can just be in the water? That's amazing."

"Grew up far form any sea" Teddy said, still smiling though. "Was used to lakes though, and rivers. This is different, though good. I like it" she rested her chin on her knees, bright blue eyes on the shifting water.
"And it's funny, that around here, even in January, it's possible to swim and not turn into an icesicle"

She laughed.

"It's quite good, yes. I grew up in a place that was cold nearly year 'round."

"I think the change of the seasons is the only thing this place really lacks" she smiled as she turned her head slightly so she could look over at Rai. "But that's a minor detail, because beyond that? I really like it here"

She laughed, softly.

"Most of the time I like it here. At times, though, I really hate this place."

"It usually comes down to the people in both cases, both the good and the bad really" though so far? So far she couldn't claim anything but good had come from the people she'd met.

She nodded.

"Most of the time, yes. I like the people here. Most of them, anyway."

"Can't like everyone all the time. Though most of them? That's still pretty good"
Preferring to see the bright side of things? Yes, very much so.

She laughed, very softly.

"You're young, aren't you?"

The slightly embarrassed smile as she looked away suggested that yes, yes she was.
"Yeah... it shows that well huh?"

She smiled and looked at Teddy, shaking her head.

"Yes and no. Most of the time, the optimism goes away and is replaced with cynicism. Only the young hold to the optimism, or the older ones who do? They're just burying their head in the sand."

The blond looked at her again with a smile.
"Well, as long as there's something worth being optimistic about I hope to stay this way. I'm not naive though. I know how the world works, I know how we work" even the cotton candy caitiff knew that. "But there are things worth keeping hope for. Worth smiling for. Yeah, I'm young for our kind. Had I been human though I would've been a senior citizen by now. So I have lived a little while at least. Long enough to see both some of the best and worst this world has to offer"

She nodded.

"That's fair. I suppose I've just seen some of the worst of the worst. It's made me paranoid and cynical."

She turned to smile at the blonde.

"You might be surprised."