Florida, as the internet likes to harp on, is a very strange place a times. It makes more sense to think of the state as hundreds of distinct fiefdoms with ambiguous borders than a unified whole in many ways. Cuban enclaves abut yuppie gated communities across the street from redneck towns, all swallowed by a few fair sized cities. Still, at least pretty much everyone can find a group that feels like home within a given twenty mile radius.

Benjamin's full ride to the University of Miami came courtesy of academic achievement. A smaller grant for fencing gives him enough of a stipend to be slightly less broke than most of his fellow freshmen. Classes are, so far, laughably easy although a few of the other fencers warn him that the comp sci professors will use sophomore courses to weed out the dabblers.

The day's practice has wrapped up and its Thursday afternoon so he's free until eight on Friday morning. No big events on his radar but the weather's good and Miami is one of those cities that seems to specialize in killing time.

"See ya tomorrow, Matt!" Benjamin called out to the other freshman who joined the fencing club, one who was quickly becoming his best friend among the team. He had yet to really break a sweat on the piste or even in his classes yet, but that was certain to change in time. His time as a student was still young, but he had time to deal with the burdens of higher education. With no homework due until class time Tuesday, Benjamin had what was basically a three day weekend ahead of him after tomorrow's courses.

He quickly hurried back to his dormitory, dropping his bag off at the foot of the small rectangular prism that was the university's sorry excuse for a bed frame, a thin mattress placed upon it to signify that it's a bed and not a bench. His roommate Jose was rarely home, and this afternoon was no different, not that Ben minded the privacy.

He laid back onto his bed and pulled his phone out, chiming in to the group chat he had with a few of his classmates in the Intro to Computer Science course, asking but a simple question:

"Anyone down to go to the beach?"

While he awaited any replies at all, he pulled up Reddit and began browsing threads; it was, after all, the premiere news source for eighteen-year old boys.

Reddit was afire with rumors of real superheroes. Apparently Thor (or the MCU version) was stomping around Fort Lauderdale. There hadn't been any rain yet but the storm clouds have been hanging over the city for three days now with ominous rumbles. There's a bar where if you drank the right cocktail and left at precisely 1:42 AM a dapper man named Nick would make a deal. It feels like most of these started out as somebody's SCP Wiki entry and the recent weirdness got them reskinned.

Alex said yes. Brad said maybe, which is no because he'll try to nap first. Claire said yes and voluntold Derick. Others may cast their votes, it was only ten minutes since the message was sent.

Huh, a section of Miami's subreddits are going nuts for a visiting performer. The descriptions are a rambling mess but-ah, that explained a few things. He was tall, lanky, a bit like pre-fame Johnny Depp in features. His assistant slash wife was slim with bronzed skin that a sarong and midriff baring shirt showed to hormonal effect. Apparently the show involves him working a small forge, claiming he can make any item the audience names in less than five minutes, then an exhibition fencing match where a hundred bucks bought a five minute contest with his wife. Score two points before time was up and it was worth a grand.

There was a YouTube video, because of course there was, and Benjamin only knows one person who moved like the woman it showed. Him.

Ben wasn't too sure of what to make of the stories; they were certainly believable, given what he himself had experienced, but the internet was far from the bastion of perfect information it was intended to be.

Knowing he had a couple people lined up at the very least, Ben started to get ready as he continued to browse Reddit, sliding out of his non-swimming shorts and putting on the ones designed for swimming. As he continued reading, the performers didn't initially pique his interest, until he saw her move.

His fingers worked themselves into a frenzy as he looked up the place to sign up; he had some cash set aside from his summer job, and even if he didn't win, he needed to meet another like him.

Getting dressed was easy, not like his room has storage for an expansive wardrobe really. There's a half dozen more soft confirmations as he gets ready. Everyone seems to be in a lull and bored, plus about half were newly single freshmen who hadn't waited for the Turkey Drop.

All signs pointed to the exhibition being street theater of an old school. Show up, put your name on the list, cash up front, here's the waiver. They are on the way to the beach. If he squints and makes the route to a less popular stretch of sand.