namu peers out from behind his hiding spot at the retreating form, his eyes widening as he watches the finless move its... its... not-fins to propel it toward the surface. they can't breathe, right? that's always been part of the problem when their ships sink, after all; they just wind up, well, dying, a lot of the time. it's really very sad.
but it definitely saw him. which can't be good.
namu bites down on his bottom lip, wondering if he should chase after it or not. he could also just leave, but there's always a chance that it might be going to get more of its friends to bring them back here and search, and he can't have that. namu can make it forget instead, extend just a bit of his magic, but he'll have to catch it to do that.
with a long sigh he unfurls from his hiding spot and takes off after the finless, catching it under its arms when he gets close enough to propel it even faster to the surface, stopping short of cresting himself as the momentum carries the finless to break through to the air above. namu remains just under the top of the water, peering upward, his tail drifting in the currents below him as he stares and-- oh.
its kinda pretty, isn't it? from what he can see through the surface's distortion. ]
( he's too stunned to react, especially to thrash against the hold this creature (???) has on him. as fantastical as iseul can be, his life is relatively grounded in reality, the fantasy existing on the stage instead. he can feel his heart beating in his ears, almost drowning out the sound of the water rushing past him until he can take a great gasp for air once he touches the surface, long fingers curling into rocky sand.
it takes him a while to steady his breathing as he scrambles to turn around to look into the water again. the land takes a significant dip underneath the water, going from shallow to deep in a near-instant. it gives the creature some cover but iseul can kind of see the shape of it when the sun hits the surface just right.
he knows it's too far away but he reaches down to touch the water lapping at the shore. )
[ he has two options: flee (tempting), or do what he meant to do (not as tempting). but there's a third option, creeping up on him, and that's to stay.
he shouldn't stay.
so clearly that means he pushes himself upward, head and shoulders breaking through the surface of the water. the gills along his neck seal up so that he can continue to breathe properly, the scales along his jaw and neck taking the reflections off the surface of the water to sparkle themselves.
and he tilts his head, curiously, eyes slightly narrowing. ]
( blinking owlishly at the figure that has emerged from the sea, he pushes his long, brown almost black hair away from his eyes. the sun beating down on him has begun to dry his clothes but he still feels a shiver run down his spine when their eyes meet.
it's — he almost looks human. almost. )
I don't know! ( iseul rasps, glued to his spot despite a small voice in the back of his head urging him to leave and forget the whole thing. )
I don't mean any harm, I assure you. You just - you came out of no where.
[ he sounds petulant as he says it, his lips pressed together into a tiny pout. but he doesn't move anywhere, stays where he is, his tail churning water underneath him to keep him afloat.
namu eventually glides closer, the water seeming to just part around him rather than it be him pushing through it. his hands rest on the ledge of the earth where it drops off into the sea, still submerged, and when the end of his tail shimmers above the water for just a moment it matches the color of his eyes. ]
Here?( of course he sounds incredulous. where could one possibly live here? the seaside town hadn't even thought to start building houses down here because the grounds were so rocky.
he loses focus briefly at the sight of that tail and iseul can finally gasp on land, covering his mouth as he leans all the way back, plopping onto his rear in the sand. it is stunning. his bewildered expression says more than he can think to say at this moment. )
I am human. What are you ...? ( at least he asked the question first so it doesn't sound quite as rude as it does in iseul's head. )
[ namu repeats the word to himself a few times, rolling it over on his tongue to get a taste for it. human. a funny word. he likes it.
he giggles brightly, flipping over backwards back into the water. his tail breached fully and follows the motion, looking like an extravagantly fancy dolphin. he pops back up again, still smiling, and rests his hands on the ledge once more. ]
( his lips part in wonder, watching as he disappears and reappears, seeming to show off his entire self even if, as he said, he probably shouldn't. not that iseul would tell anyone... it isn't as if anyone would believe such a story anyway. )
A mer...? ( he automatically wants to add "-maid" but there isn't much "maiden" about it. him. even so, the entire sight is something to behold. he looks at back at him reverently. )
Up here, we're usually told creatures like you do not exist.
That's what we want you all to think, so it looks like we're doing our job!
[ namu pauses at that, his lips pressing together a little. ]
Except me, I guess. I should really be erasing your memory right now!
[ he hums quietly and eventually presses his palms flat against the ledge and pushes up, lifting himself upward so that he can sit on the sand, still mostly submerged. his tail coils with him, half on the sandy bank and half drifting lazily in the water with him. the scales continue following the major lines of his body, iridescent in their coloring and shifting from blue to green. ]
But I don't want to. You feel...
[ he closes his eyes and cants his head to the side, a small smile on his face ]
( the very thought makes him chuckle behind his hand. he doesn't mean to mock him but there aren't many people who would call him "pure." "unusual," maybe. but then again, he seems to be the first person to tell this mer what humans actually are. )
That's what's stopping you? You've only just met me! It isn't too late for you to do what is right. I would be sad for a moment but, well, that is that. ( he's sincere as always, shaking his head as he speaks. ) You shouldn't get in trouble because I was intruding on your home.
I haven't always thought it's what's right, really. Just that it's what's always been done.
[ he tips his head back and gazes skyward for a moment, eyes clear as he watches a seagull sail overhead. interesting things, birds. he wonders what it's like. ]
Namu. What a lovely name, ( he murmurs dreamily, unable to take his eyes off his face, only occasionally flicking up to watch the movement of his tail. while he does love his shipwreck history, he isn't quite as familiar with sea life and momentarily tries to figure out what the beautiful fins remind him of... )
Iseul.
( he extends a hand to shake his, not quite knowing the customs amongst the mer people but wanting to be polite anyway. saving face or something after so rudely intruding on his personal space. )
[ he lowers his gaze, eyes alight with a smile, though the glint in them turns confused as he gazes at the extended hand.
namu reaches out, the webbing between his fingers almost thin enough to not be noticeable at first, and he lightly takes a hold of iseul's hand with both of his own staring intently at the palm for a moment. waiting.
it doesn't do anything, but namu doesn't let go. he just looks up with a confused, questioning gaze. ]
( his hand is smooth compared to the webbed hand but he likes how it feels, how strange it is. while bowing his head, he slowly shakes it before gently releasing it and even resting it back on the sand. )
It is how many of us greet each other here. A handshake. ( he smiles and wiggles his fingers before pulling both his hands back into his lap, adjusting his legs so they're folded close to him. )
[ namu watches their hands shake (the name makes sense) before he withdraws his own back to him. he finally holds one palm up lets out a noise--a trill, really, is about the closest word to describe it--before he lowers his hand again. ]
We just-- we do that.
[ his gaze goes back to the water at the question and he shakes his head. ]
No. Well-- yes, actually, a box, but it's locked, and then you showed up and I dropped it. Oh! I could go back down and get it!
Oh. Goodness. ( he claps appreciatively, happy for the demonstration. ) You truly learn something new everyday. In my case, a new species.
I am truly sorry that I startled you – perhaps you should get it. You might find something valuable or magical. ( iseul leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, chin in both his hands.)
I'll go get it. Stay here! We can open it together!
[ namu turns back toward the water and shoves himself off of the bank, disappearing beneath the waves lapping along the shore with nothing more but one last flick of his tail.
it doesn't take him long to locate the box again and he clasps it tightly between his hands, smiling to himself as he takes a moment to simply bask in the absolute giddiness settling inside of him. this is fun. this is even more fun than his usual exploring is! iseul is so nice and... and pretty, and he has such a lovely aura that namu could find himself simply lounging around with it all day.
he breathes in deep before pushing himself back up toward the surface again, his arms breaking through with the box (small chest, really) first before the rest of him follows. ]
Tada!
[ he nudges the chest as close to dry land as possible before hauling himself back up into the spot he was sitting on before, triumphant. ]
I promise I shall wait here for you. ( iseul even crosses his heart while namu is still above water.
when he disappears, he takes a moment to lean back, pressing his palms against the sand and letting out a great exhale. there are a great many things he can take in stride, but to have met a mer ... he doesn't suppose they will stay in touch for very long, but this certainly isn't something he would like to forget. especially if he ends up waking up tomorrow only to find out that this has just been a wonderful dream. )
My, my, ( he croons when the chest is above water as well. ) It looks about two centuries old at the very least!
[ namu makes a little 'o' face at that, his eyes gazing at the chest with wonderment. ]
Ooh... that's almost as old as my dad!
[ just gonna casually drop that little bit of information out there. it's normal.
he drums his fingers lightly against the lid, head tipping to the side as he tries to figure out the best way to crack it open without actually cracking it open. he hopes the lock will break easily. ]
What do you think's inside? I bet there's a necklace.
( iseul doesn't finish his question, shaking his head with a short chuckle to himself.
the treasure chest is clearly the most important thing today. he switches his position again, laying on his stomach so he can get a closer look at what namu has uncovered. what good luck today! and he didn't even have to do much diving at all! )
I say ... gold coins. Perhaps that is to be expected but, ah. That is what so many of us picture when we imagine a chest rescued from a ship.
[ namu closes his eyes and lets out a breath, his hands on either side of the chest. his palms start to glow, just a little, the light almost missable under the sun. there are a few clicks of the locks opening a moment later and he opens his eyes with a bright smile as he swings the lid open. ]
( iseul furrows his brow, wondering how he intends to open this with so much damage done to the lock on the front that makes it difficult to pry open. but all that worry was for nought as he seems to open it without an issue. magic, of course. how could he be so silly to assume there would be another, more difficult solution!
he marvels at him before looking at the trinkets in his webbed hands, nodding appreciatively. )
She is tempestuous most days, isn't she? I suppose I should be grateful for my finds.
[ namu places the necklace and its gem, dulled by algae but he's certain that it's going to be brilliant once he can get it cleaned, back down into the chest before he reaches out and places the coins into iseul's hands. ]
But she's happy today.
[ he looks up at iseul briefly before flicking his gaze away again with a faint smile. ]
All the more reason to be glad of our meeting, I think.
I'm very grateful that you've spared me, ( iseul murmurs, curling his fingers around the cold gold coins in his hands. he isn't certain what he wants to do with them. perhaps frame them or keep them somewhere secret to remind him of the day he met namu. what could be more real than a solid souvenir? )
I was worried for what you would do when you ... well, when you grabbed me back there. ( admittedly, it felt thrilling at the same time, even fos someone who isn't quite an adrenaline junkie. danger and most outdoor activities don't suit him very well. )
[ namu pokes around inside of the chest, his head tipped to the side. there's a few more coins in there, a disintegrating ribbon that looks like it may have once held together some parchment, but nothing more. looks like the best part was the necklace, in his opinion.
his gaze lifts, maybe a little shy? it's a strange sensation on his part, at least. ]
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namu peers out from behind his hiding spot at the retreating form, his eyes widening as he watches the finless move its... its... not-fins to propel it toward the surface. they can't breathe, right? that's always been part of the problem when their ships sink, after all; they just wind up, well, dying, a lot of the time. it's really very sad.
but it definitely saw him. which can't be good.
namu bites down on his bottom lip, wondering if he should chase after it or not. he could also just leave, but there's always a chance that it might be going to get more of its friends to bring them back here and search, and he can't have that. namu can make it forget instead, extend just a bit of his magic, but he'll have to catch it to do that.
with a long sigh he unfurls from his hiding spot and takes off after the finless, catching it under its arms when he gets close enough to propel it even faster to the surface, stopping short of cresting himself as the momentum carries the finless to break through to the air above. namu remains just under the top of the water, peering upward, his tail drifting in the currents below him as he stares and-- oh.
its kinda pretty, isn't it? from what he can see through the surface's distortion. ]
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it takes him a while to steady his breathing as he scrambles to turn around to look into the water again. the land takes a significant dip underneath the water, going from shallow to deep in a near-instant. it gives the creature some cover but iseul can kind of see the shape of it when the sun hits the surface just right.
he knows it's too far away but he reaches down to touch the water lapping at the shore. )
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he shouldn't stay.
so clearly that means he pushes himself upward, head and shoulders breaking through the surface of the water. the gills along his neck seal up so that he can continue to breathe properly, the scales along his jaw and neck taking the reflections off the surface of the water to sparkle themselves.
and he tilts his head, curiously, eyes slightly narrowing. ]
I should make you forget. Why don't I want to?
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it's — he almost looks human. almost. )
I don't know! ( iseul rasps, glued to his spot despite a small voice in the back of his head urging him to leave and forget the whole thing. )
I don't mean any harm, I assure you. You just - you came out of no where.
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[ he sounds petulant as he says it, his lips pressed together into a tiny pout. but he doesn't move anywhere, stays where he is, his tail churning water underneath him to keep him afloat.
namu eventually glides closer, the water seeming to just part around him rather than it be him pushing through it. his hands rest on the ledge of the earth where it drops off into the sea, still submerged, and when the end of his tail shimmers above the water for just a moment it matches the color of his eyes. ]
What are you?
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he loses focus briefly at the sight of that tail and iseul can finally gasp on land, covering his mouth as he leans all the way back, plopping onto his rear in the sand. it is stunning. his bewildered expression says more than he can think to say at this moment. )
I am human. What are you ...? ( at least he asked the question first so it doesn't sound quite as rude as it does in iseul's head. )
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[ namu repeats the word to himself a few times, rolling it over on his tongue to get a taste for it. human. a funny word. he likes it.
he giggles brightly, flipping over backwards back into the water. his tail breached fully and follows the motion, looking like an extravagantly fancy dolphin. he pops back up again, still smiling, and rests his hands on the ledge once more. ]
I'm a mer.
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A mer...? ( he automatically wants to add "-maid" but there isn't much "maiden" about it. him. even so, the entire sight is something to behold. he looks at back at him reverently. )
Up here, we're usually told creatures like you do not exist.
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[ namu pauses at that, his lips pressing together a little. ]
Except me, I guess. I should really be erasing your memory right now!
[ he hums quietly and eventually presses his palms flat against the ledge and pushes up, lifting himself upward so that he can sit on the sand, still mostly submerged. his tail coils with him, half on the sandy bank and half drifting lazily in the water with him. the scales continue following the major lines of his body, iridescent in their coloring and shifting from blue to green. ]
But I don't want to. You feel...
[ he closes his eyes and cants his head to the side, a small smile on his face ]
...pure.
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( the very thought makes him chuckle behind his hand. he doesn't mean to mock him but there aren't many people who would call him "pure." "unusual," maybe. but then again, he seems to be the first person to tell this mer what humans actually are. )
That's what's stopping you? You've only just met me! It isn't too late for you to do what is right. I would be sad for a moment but, well, that is that. ( he's sincere as always, shaking his head as he speaks. ) You shouldn't get in trouble because I was intruding on your home.
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[ he's uh. kind of a big deal. ]
I haven't always thought it's what's right, really. Just that it's what's always been done.
[ he tips his head back and gazes skyward for a moment, eyes clear as he watches a seagull sail overhead. interesting things, birds. he wonders what it's like. ]
I'm Namu.
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Iseul.
( he extends a hand to shake his, not quite knowing the customs amongst the mer people but wanting to be polite anyway. saving face or something after so rudely intruding on his personal space. )
A pleasure to meet you.
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[ he lowers his gaze, eyes alight with a smile, though the glint in them turns confused as he gazes at the extended hand.
namu reaches out, the webbing between his fingers almost thin enough to not be noticeable at first, and he lightly takes a hold of iseul's hand with both of his own staring intently at the palm for a moment. waiting.
it doesn't do anything, but namu doesn't let go. he just looks up with a confused, questioning gaze. ]
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It is how many of us greet each other here. A handshake. ( he smiles and wiggles his fingers before pulling both his hands back into his lap, adjusting his legs so they're folded close to him. )
Did you find anything down there?
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[ namu watches their hands shake (the name makes sense) before he withdraws his own back to him. he finally holds one palm up lets out a noise--a trill, really, is about the closest word to describe it--before he lowers his hand again. ]
We just-- we do that.
[ his gaze goes back to the water at the question and he shakes his head. ]
No. Well-- yes, actually, a box, but it's locked, and then you showed up and I dropped it. Oh! I could go back down and get it!
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I am truly sorry that I startled you – perhaps you should get it. You might find something valuable or magical. ( iseul leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, chin in both his hands.)
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[ namu turns back toward the water and shoves himself off of the bank, disappearing beneath the waves lapping along the shore with nothing more but one last flick of his tail.
it doesn't take him long to locate the box again and he clasps it tightly between his hands, smiling to himself as he takes a moment to simply bask in the absolute giddiness settling inside of him. this is fun. this is even more fun than his usual exploring is! iseul is so nice and... and pretty, and he has such a lovely aura that namu could find himself simply lounging around with it all day.
he breathes in deep before pushing himself back up toward the surface again, his arms breaking through with the box (small chest, really) first before the rest of him follows. ]
Tada!
[ he nudges the chest as close to dry land as possible before hauling himself back up into the spot he was sitting on before, triumphant. ]
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when he disappears, he takes a moment to lean back, pressing his palms against the sand and letting out a great exhale. there are a great many things he can take in stride, but to have met a mer ... he doesn't suppose they will stay in touch for very long, but this certainly isn't something he would like to forget. especially if he ends up waking up tomorrow only to find out that this has just been a wonderful dream. )
My, my, ( he croons when the chest is above water as well. ) It looks about two centuries old at the very least!
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Ooh... that's almost as old as my dad!
[ just gonna casually drop that little bit of information out there. it's normal.
he drums his fingers lightly against the lid, head tipping to the side as he tries to figure out the best way to crack it open without actually cracking it open. he hopes the lock will break easily. ]
What do you think's inside? I bet there's a necklace.
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( iseul doesn't finish his question, shaking his head with a short chuckle to himself.
the treasure chest is clearly the most important thing today. he switches his position again, laying on his stomach so he can get a closer look at what namu has uncovered. what good luck today! and he didn't even have to do much diving at all! )
I say ... gold coins. Perhaps that is to be expected but, ah. That is what so many of us picture when we imagine a chest rescued from a ship.
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[ namu closes his eyes and lets out a breath, his hands on either side of the chest. his palms start to glow, just a little, the light almost missable under the sun. there are a few clicks of the locks opening a moment later and he opens his eyes with a bright smile as he swings the lid open. ]
Ooooooh!
[ he holds up both gold coins AND a necklace! ]
The seas favor us today.
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he marvels at him before looking at the trinkets in his webbed hands, nodding appreciatively. )
She is tempestuous most days, isn't she? I suppose I should be grateful for my finds.
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[ namu places the necklace and its gem, dulled by algae but he's certain that it's going to be brilliant once he can get it cleaned, back down into the chest before he reaches out and places the coins into iseul's hands. ]
But she's happy today.
[ he looks up at iseul briefly before flicking his gaze away again with a faint smile. ]
All the more reason to be glad of our meeting, I think.
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I was worried for what you would do when you ... well, when you grabbed me back there. ( admittedly, it felt thrilling at the same time, even fos someone who isn't quite an adrenaline junkie. danger and most outdoor activities don't suit him very well. )
Will you be off now?
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[ namu pokes around inside of the chest, his head tipped to the side. there's a few more coins in there, a disintegrating ribbon that looks like it may have once held together some parchment, but nothing more. looks like the best part was the necklace, in his opinion.
his gaze lifts, maybe a little shy? it's a strange sensation on his part, at least. ]
Unless you've somewhere you need to be.
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