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Swimming Through Life
- Setting - High school students are wandering all about the neighborhood. The days are getting warmer as Summer approaches. Summer school is starting while the rest of the students head out for vacation. A real bummer, right? Well, let me tell you: things aren't always as boring as you think they are. With the sea-side view from the homes along the beach, dolphins are sometimes seen. Sharks are freakishly rare, though the occasional tourist complains about feeling something scaly brush their legs. What wimps. I'm out in the water all the time: That's what I like to call them. All those wimpy, silly people. I hate tourists. I hate how they complain when the waves are too low. I hate the towels all over the beach, and how the seagulls eat everything that you look away from for more than two seconds. I guess one thing I don't truly hate is my school, though it smells like old shoes and damp wood. It's the same school I'm stuck in for the entire summer while all my friends are out having fun. I'm the last high-schooler left in town from my class. It is time to either meet someone new, or just . . . die of boredom. The only good thing I have left to do is swim around on my own. And surf. That's fun, though I wish my friends were here to hang around with. - Characters - http://www.menewsha.com/forum/pictur...ictureid=32384 Name: Seth Age: 17 Race: Human Other: He hates living near the beach, but loves the ocean. Honestly, he just likes to complain. Has dark blue eyes. -- http://api.ning.com/files/v5GTAkvxPF...qtZp/RIKU..jpg Name: Cyan Age: Roughly 18 Race: Merman Other: Cyan has pale blue scales and bright blue eyes with hints of silver; silver hair and strangely pale skin. He smiles often and can be easily frightened. Quote:
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Seth sighed moodily, flicking the pebble from the pier. He sat near the edge, his feet hanging out over the water. It was a short drop, and he wasn't worried: despite the railing being broken, he wouldn't fall. Summer was finally starting . . . and he was stuck in town. All his friends left, and the only interesting people there were all tourists. He hated tourists.
His blue eyes raked over the ocean's smooth surface. There were no waves today. The breeze could hardly tousle Seth's hair. Hearing the pebble hit the water below him (it was only a few feet below), he leaned back, supporting himself with his hands pressed against the gritty wood behind him. I hate this. Listening as a mother and her little girl walked by, he ignored their passing. Judging by the sound of their cameras clinking and their water bottles sloshing, they were tourists. Seth smiled grimly, standing. After a swift brush of his hands over his legs, he headed down the beach. There was nothing that annoyed him more (in that moment) than the high-pitched voices full of excitement and awe. As he left them behind, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked (barefoot) along the water's edge. I'm stuck in the most boring place on earth while everyone else just up and ditched me. Thanks, guys. Not caring if his pant legs got wet, Seth continued walking. He'd head back when it started getting dark. ((Lame first post. :XD LOL)) |
(Hey, I think it works just fine! :) I hope mines okay!)
Vaesian sighs and turns around to swim backwards as she raises her eyesbrows at the merman behind her. "Honestly, Cyan, you could move a little faster." Her oddly accented voice seemed to purr in the water. "I know your as curious as I am to see what they look like!" She grins at her friend, a toothy mix of humor and delight in teasing him. "Besides, nobody's going to find out that we're here. Madrin is saying that we went to the garden cave again. Come on!" Without batting an eyelash, she flipped again so that she could grab a hold of the boys arm before he could move away and tried to propel him faster, still grinning. "Your so slow!" Summer scowled out at the blue water, obviously not enjoying being at the beach. In the sand next to her was a girl about four trying to build an ugly-looking sandcastle. Her parents were close by, chatting with her aunt and uncle about who knows what and she was stuck baby-sitting. Again. Throwing up a hand in front of her face, she deflected the flying sand and glared at her younger sister. "Aria, really? You know better." The girl giggles. "I'll tell mom and dad and they'll stop taking you." That shut her up and Summer looked back along the beach. She frowns when she sees someone walking along the waterline. I thought I was the only one who got left behind. Her scowl quickly returns as she turned her attention back to Aria, hoping that Seth didn't notice she was looking at him. Of all the people... |
((:D Your post is awesome, too! YAY for movement!! :boogie:))
"Faster?" Cyan blinked, his bright eyes filling with laughter. "If we moved any faster, our fins would fall off!" Not true, but he enjoyed the sarcasm. The merman flicked his blue tail with a bit more enthusiasm, his grin widening. "Curious? Oh, this feeling is not curiosity. It's a burning desire." Just as Vaesian's fingers took hold of his arm, Cyan laughed. "I'm sorry! I've done nothing but study for weeks!" Sort of. He'd sneaked away from the city a few times with his friend, and they always went to the caves. This time, though, they decided they were going to indulge their curiosity. Humans lived along the ocean shore, and both of the finned teens were more than eager to see them. Forbidden or not, they'd made up their minds. It wasn't long before they were propelled toward the sea's edge. The light shifted, and the sands grew closer. "I wonder if they have fingers. And noses. Wouldn't it be odd if they didn't have them?" Cyan pulled away from Vaesian, swimming away from her so quickly that it left the female in a torrent of water currents. The youth surfaced a few seconds later, tossing black hair from his face. The sun reflected off of the water's silvery surface, blinding him momentarily. By the time he recovered, he realized that they were quite a ways off. The humans might have seen something in the water, but . . . not clearly. "Look at them!" Pointing, Cyan's blue eyes widened. "They have legs, just like the stories say!" - Hearing another high-pitched giggle, Seth frowned. His gaze moved over to little Aria as she tossed sand at her sitter. Huh. It looked like someone from an entirely different clique (if she even had one) was still in town. That didn't matter much, though. Seth rarely spoke to people outside of his little group of friends. He didn't enjoy making new ones, and it was painfully awkward talking with people he didn't know. His glance had been quick, and the male turned his gaze back out to the ocean. Is there something out there? It kind of looked like a bird resting on top of the water at first. Maybe some driftwood? It looked to solid to be seaweed. . . . Seth slowed down, pausing for a moment and looking out at the floating object. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to make it out. It was just out of his range of vision. |
Vaesian laughed as she twirled in his left over currents. She quickly righted herself though, and sped after her friend. She surfaced gracefully beside Cyan and her purples eyes grew huge as she took in the sights. She wasn't sure what she was expecting but she really didn't believe they those limbs where their fins should be. "Legs!" She squealed. "I can't believe it!" She looked at her friend as a giant grin spread on her lips. "How about a game?" She flipped her fin slightly, just enough to propel her closer to shore by four feet. She turned her gaze back to him, her grin now very wicked. "Who do you think can get the closest without being anemones about it?" (anemones=chicken XD)Summer watched Seth for a few more seconds then turned her attention to her parents when they spoke. "We're going to head home." "I'm going to stay here for a while longer. I'll catch up by curfew." The parents merely nodded and were on their way with Aria and the rest of the little party. Summer grabbed her white beach bag, the one that matched her bathing suit, before they could pack it along with them. She pulled out the short sarong and tied it around her waist. Her eyes were not focused on what she was doing though. Her gaze had followed where it seemed Seth's was pointing at. A frown shadowed her face as she saw the things just beyond recognization. We don't have seals here. Once the cloth was tied around her waist, she found her feet floating towards the water as she tried to focus on the blurs. She stopped just before water could touch her feet, realizing how close she had come. A scowl now marred her looks and she back pedaled a few feet. Seth was close by and without really thinking about it, her voice flit across the small distance between them. "What do you think those are?" |
"Oh, you're on!" Cyan glanced toward the humans on the shore once more before darting forward. He grabbed Vaesian's arms and twirled her about, switching places with her before pedaling backward a bit. "I'm not letting you beat me this time!" Cyan had supposedly "let" his friend win their last bout of "anemone" when they'd messed around with some puffer fish.
- Seth didn't hear anyone leave or approach. He was too focused on the blurry specks just too far for him to see clearly. When he heard Summer's voice, the teen looked in her direction. He was almost startled she was talking to him, but . . . they were the only two people on the entire beach. "I don't know. Aliens, maybe?" He then scoffed, looking almost annoyed. "Your guess is as good as mine." There it was: his usual sarcastic shield. He wore it around his friends, around his family, and . . . well, everywhere. He could be quite the bitter person when he spoke to others. Sometimes he annoyed himself by how he treated everyone, but . . . he wasn't willing to change. He looked back out to the water with a sigh, and then narrowed his eyes again. The floating objects had moved closer. Maybe they were coming in with the tide. "It's probably just trash or something." |
Vaesian's eyes flashed with nasty and her grin only got bigger. "Oh, we will see, Cyan. I accept that challenge!" She swam to where he now stayed and flicked her tail to go farther, splashing the male with water in the process. She went a little farther from him then she did last time, a bubble of laughter starting to catch in her throat.
Summer rolls her eyes. Why did I even bother? She was about to walk away when she also noticed that they were getting closer. If I swam, I would go out and see what they are. She humpfed then had to chuckle a little. "Trash? You really think that's trash? I'd believe the alien story before that." She frowns again. "Too bad we couldn't get closer." She had no idea why she kept talking to him. He was a jerk and she didn't like associating with most people, especially when they had an attitude. |
Cyan let a laugh leave his lips as he chased after Vaesian. Surely the humans couldn't swim as well as they could with their fins, right? So . . . they would be able to get away quickly, right? Fear snagged his mind, but the merman refused to acknowledge it. He had to beat his friend this time, anyway.
- "Closer," Seth muttered to himself. There was a brief moment of silence before the male turned on his heel and started walking away. He continued on for a while before heading toward the pier. He returned with his surf board when the objects were floating just out of range. Instead of offering to take Summer with him, he merely headed out into the waves. Yes, he would suffer from soaked pants . . . but he tossed his shirt back onto the dry sand before stepping into the water. With a sigh, he pushed himself off from the shore, heading toward the two objects. Though he acted haughty, Seth really was curious. What on earth are they? - Stifling his laughter, Cyan saw one of the humans enter the water. "Uhm, Vaesian?" |
Vaesian raised her eyebrows at the tone in Cyan's voice and turned to look back at shore. She growled in surprise, a noise that her mother always yelled at her for. It wasn't very ladylike, she would say. Her purples eyes darkened as she turned her gaze back to Cyan, a grin on her face once again. She flipped away even closer to the oncoming human, her challenge still standing as laughter started to bubble from her wet lips. Whenever she was about to do something dangerous and that she knew she shouldn't do, her eyes changed shades. Sometimes, they got dark enough to look black. Summer grunts as Seth went out to sea. She couldn't, wouldn't follow him and it was killing her. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she ran along the shoreline until she came to the rocky part of the beach that jutted out into the ocean. She picked her way along the rocks, going farther and farther out from the beach. The rocks curved in, creating a little barrier between this part of the beach and the next. She knew that if she managed to get to the end, she would be close enough to see the drifting things, whatever they may be. Her foot slipped, causing her to almost fall from the safety of the rocks to the moving water below. She just managed to catch herself, her breath coming in gasps. She was shaking even as she continued along, trying to ignore the ocean. Her curiosity was stronger then her fear. |
Cyan's blue eyes widened as Vaesian darted closer to the approaching human. The merman paused, hesitating as Seth floated closer. Cyan could make out the human's dark hair and sharp features by then. With one last look at his friend, Cyan dipped below the surface soundlessly.
Seth frowned. There had been two objects, and now there was only one. He could have sworn he'd heard a girl's laughter, too. His dark gaze focused on the remaining object as he pushed his board ever closer. Sadly, the youth was unaware of Summer's plight and narrow escape from plunging into the ocean. Just as he got close enough to make out the floating thing, Seth's eyes narrowed. A girl? "What are you doing out here?" he asked, looking confused. She must have some crazy leg strength to keep herself afloat like this for so long. . . . "Need a ride back to shore?" A pale hand shot out of the water, grasping Seth's arm. Suddenly, the male was in the water, pulled off balance. Cyan broke the surface. "I win," he said with a laugh. His blue eyes then focused on the oddity before him. Seth coughed and reached for his board, sending a baleful glare at the boy who appeared beside him. "What the hell was that for?" he asked, finally catching his breath. Cyan looked surprised that a small dip into the water had caused this guy to choke. Didn't he have gills too? "I was just curious!" the merman said defensively. That, of course, was when Seth saw something gleam in the water. "Shark!" He pulled himself back up on the board and reached for the girl's arm. Pulling her to him, he eyed the ocean once more. "Get on the board! We have to get back to shore!" Cyan frowned. There were no sharks around the area. The merfolk could sense them. "But . . . there are no-" "Come on!" Three people on one board? Right. They weren't going anywhere anytime soon. Still, it was better than sitting there and waiting to be eaten. |
Vaesian's violet eyes grow huge with the shock of being touched by the human and pulled thus. She struggled, trying to loosen Seth's hard grip. "Let go!" She managed to sputter out. Yanking fiercely, she tried to pull her arm away but instead pulled the youth off the board. She gasped a little and swam a few feet from him. Even we all of her bravery, fear of being near humans was still ingrained in her. Her gaze flicked to Cyan, slight amusement appearing in them before returning to the human. "There are no sharks in this place." Summer stopped at the end of the land, her eyes watching what was happening. Humans? Really? She snorts as she realized how stupid she had been to think it might have been something else. It was curious that they had been swimming out there for so long but she let that drop away from her mind. From the horseplay, she assumed they must be Seth's friends. She shakes her head and turns away to head back to shore, and thus back to home. But she miscalculated. Her sandeled foot slipped, causing a gash to appear on her leg as she fell. It was like she was in slow motion. She felt herself falling, even as she wanted to right herself. The churning water below her was going to be cold, she knew. She panicked. She hit the water, all air for the scream knocked from her lungs as the sound was cut away. She instantly sank, trying to catch air. There was no floating for her, even as she flailed. And sucked in water even as her head hit a rock. She would have tried to scream again but she knew it was useful. I'm really going to die this time, she thought as she continued to sink before hitting the rocks on the bottom. She never even closed her eyes. Things were starting to go black as she slowly lost consciousness. Pain was everywhere, swirling with colors under the water. Blue is such a pretty color against the black. It flashed close by, she thought, near where the others were rough-housing. That was the last thought she could remember. (Yes, very cliche for Summer but I couldn't resist ^^) |
((I had to do it. I changed Cyan's picture. <3))
Seth let out an exclamation as he was yanked into the water once again. "What's WRONG with you people?!" The teen raked wet hair from his face, angrily growling at them. "What, you don't believe me?" He reached for his board again. Cyan glanced at Vaesian with a slight smile. "I know. He's just being silly." His blue eyes flickered to the human as he pulled himself back onto the board. "No, we don't." The merman rolled his eyes, looking less tense. This human wasn't dangerous. He was a bit shocking, yes, but not frightening. The youth's blue eyes watched in curiosity as Seth pulled himself up onto his board. He eyed the human's legs, not sure if they were much use for swimming. How long could they last in the water with THOSE? Cyan ducked under the water. That was the moment something caught his attention. A form hit the water - hard. The youth didn't give it a second thought. With a flick of his fin, the merman darted toward the rocky shore nearby. It was a cliff-like area, leaving room for creatures to fall into the churning waters below. "I'll be right back!" The male saw it then. Clearly. It was a girl. A human girl. And she was not swimming, like the other one was. Cyan surged forward, immediately discarding any caution. He could sense blood. "Hey!" Cyan tried to make a mental link with the girl, but something was ... off. Maybe was her lack of mer-blood, or the fact that it was her HEAD that was bleeding. The merman caught her eye as he floated before her, but who knew if she actually saw him. He reached for her, easily pulling her to him. "Come on, you. You're hurt! You shouldn't be swimming like this." Cyan recalled how the boy human had choked on the water. What if they didn't breathe underwater? The thought made him panic. What if she was suffocating?! Cyan surged for the surface, breaking and swimming for shore. It wasn't long before he had Summer on the beach. Wet sand clung to her, but it was better than knowing she was sinking underwater. "Can you breathe?" he asked, not really sure what he should do. Things didn't drown where he came from. The silver-haired male cautiously brushed wet hair from Summer's face, frowning. Cyan shivered as the air hit his scales. It was uncomfortable. His tail splashed water up over him, and he turned his blue eyes back to Summer. "Can you hear me?" - Seth's incredulous look was nearly comical. He ignored the boy as he dipped beneath the surface. "Seriously?" His gaze darted from one swimmer to the other. "You guys are crazy." The male glanced at the water, scanning for any signs of the supposed shark. He didn't react until a flicker of movement beside Vaesian caught his attention. "Get out of the water!" With a worried expression, he pulled the girl to him. How he'd managed to grab her was beyond Cyan's comprehension. Apparently, humans could do incredible things when they were excited. Seth froze. The girl that now was pulled partially onto his surfboard ... had a fin. A big, purple, scaly fin. Like a .... Stunned, the teen stared. He tried to say something a few times, but nothing left his lips. Blue eyes darted up to meet Vaesian's gaze. His shock slowly shifted to defensive sarcasm. "Y-you're kidding, right? How'd you do that?" It HAD to be some kind of costume. Maybe these were some of those freak anime club kids.... |
(I had noticed that :P And I really am not surprised :P)
Vaesian's purple eyes were round with shock as the boy pulled her onto his board. She didn't know what to really expect of humans but strength like that was not one of them. She stared at him as he spoke, her breath catching every time she drew in air (only partly because she wasn't used to it). It was obvious she hadn't really heard what he said or noticed that Cyan had left. One of her delicate pale hands reached up hesitantly, as if she was almost scared to touch him. Slowly, as if nothing else mattered, she gently pushed some of Seth's damp hair from his face, her violet eyes staring intently into his own. She was captivated in awe. They were a color, a shade she had never seen before in all the oceans. Her voice was soft as she exhaled, "Magic." (And yes, you get to pick what color they are O.O :D)Stormy grey eyes snapped open, only to be squeezed shut again. Summer shot up to sitting, coughing, only to find her self staring into eyes of such a blue that she had only seen the ocean and the sky that color once. It was only one startling breath before she leaned over and threw up water...and embarrassingly, the remainder of her lunch Skittles and red vines. Tears managed to escape from her eyes as she realized it had happened again. Finally managing to gain back some of her composure, she wipes the tears away and tries a tiny smile as she turns now lighter grey eyes to the boy she assumed had gotten her out of the sea. "Thank y-" She stopped with a rather embarrassing squeak. Her eyes went from scales, to his astonishing handsome face, back to his tail again and then finally stayed locked on the blue orbs that seemed to dance. "Uh..." her voice shook as her brain continued to try to process the tail instead of legs. She still hadn't noticed the thin trickle of blood coming from her hairline. "Um..." |
((I'm going to be very simple and make both of them have blue eyes. xD Cyan's will be bright, deep blue with a hint of silver while Seth's are very dark blue. :3))
Seth stared back as the girl brushed hair from his face. His first reaction was to pull away in irritation, but that didn't happen. In fact, nothing happened. They both sat there and stared at one another for a while. "Magic," he repeated, finally blinking. Seth forced himself to let go of her arm, seeing as he might be cutting off the healthy flow of blood. The teen cleared his throat, blinking away his dazed expression. "It looks ... real." Unable to stop himself, he reached out to touch the purple scales. Seth was rather surprised to find that they felt real, too. Jerking his hand back, Seth's dark eyes widened. "It feels real." As though remembering something, Seth worriedly glanced back to the water. It wasn't until he'd finished searching the ocean before he suddenly realized something. "There ... is no shark, is there?" It was just her fin that he'd seen. Fin. Fin. It had to be fake. - Cyan worriedly gave the girl room as she rolled onto her side. His hand was on her shoulder as though to steady her as she heaved up whatever she'd swallowed - and then some. The merman watched, his concern deepening when he saw that the girl was crying. She was human. Human. This girl wasn't a mermaid - she had legs. Poor thing. Did all humans have such full forms? Did they have such beautiful eyes, and flowing hair? Cyan smiled a bit when the girl spoke, trying to thank him. "You're welcome." The words felt clumsy on his lips. Most of the time, the merfolk communicated through mental links. It made their voices watery, and it was far more effective than trying to use air to speak underwater. Suddenly self-conscious, the male glanced at his tail. The pale blue scales were shining brightly - they were hard to miss, even if the human had hit her head badly. "Are you okay?" Cyan shifted uncomfortably on the wet sand, looking ready to dive back into the sea. He didn't like how she stared. Sure, he'd stared at her while she was semi-conscious, but still. It was more than enough to make someone self-conscious. That, of course, was when he noticed the blood. "You're bleeding." The words were said calmly, as though there was nothing to worry about. Sadly, there was no fabric to press to the wound. Cyan didn't really wear anything... His cold hand pressed to the side Summer's head. "Do you have a family?" Cyan's tail flicked again, sending a fair amount of water over the two of them. The merman shivered in the process, still uncomfortable with the feeling of such dry air. "Is anyone looking for you? Are you lost?" |
Her chuckle was reminiscent of a chirping, bubbling creek as she shakes her head. "No, silly seahorse." Vaesian smiles at him warmly. "I meant your eyes are magic." She giggles after dropping her hand away from his face. His skin was so warm... "You shouldn't touch my tail like that. It tickles. Because it's real. And no, no sharks. You humans are so odd." She frowns a little bit. She wasn't used to speaking so much aloud and her voice was starting to sound a bit parched. "Can you not communicate using your thoughts?" It was an innocent, reasonable question. Summer's gray eyes blinked a few times as she processed that he was speaking again. His hand felt cool to the touch, similar to the cold waters she just had to be rescued from. Oddly enough though, it did not bother her. It was almost comforting in a weird way. She frowns as she looks up into his eyes again, the fin suddenly momentarily forgotten. "Um..." Her thoughts were having a hard time coming together, though from the head injury or the merman's closeness, she would never be sure. "I do have a family but they won't be looking for me for a couple of hours. My curfew isn't up yet." Her hand suddenly reaches forward and gently lights on his fin. Her eyes widen a little. "This can't be real," she breaths, the words catching as she runs her hand slowly across the scales. His eyes were beautiful, the tail doubly so. And he was handsome, his torso very nice eye candy for her. How was that even possible? I must be hallucinating. This isn't real. I must have hit my head too hard. |
((I also just changed their ages slightly ... I can't stand them being the same age as my younger siblings... xD))
Upon being corrected, Seth sniffed in irritation. The sound, though, was a tell-tale sign of him getting cold. He was nice and wet, and the sun was setting. With a frown, the male looked at her tail again. His hand moved away from the purple scales, and he shook his head in disbelief. He was trying - I mean, REALLY trying - to fathom that this was real. Maybe he had drowned. This wasn't real. Vaesian's question brought a laugh from his lips, despite the odd situation. "No, we don't read minds." He shook his head, laughing again. "What, do you? Don't tell me mermaids read minds." Seth suddenly realized that the girl was looking ... uncomfortable. "Your voice," he leaned back on his board, eyeing her for a few moments. She was definitely something to look at.... "It sounds ... dry." - She looked so confused. This human ... this poor girl. She must have really hit her head. Or ... was it possible she wasn't aware of the merfolk? No, that couldn't be it. That definitely couldn't be it. Cyan kept his hand pressed to her head. It seemed as though he had very few, if any, personal boundaries. The merman shifted closer so he could apply more pressure to Summer's head. His second hand lifted Summer's head, tilting it so he could see her better. She looked alright, though ... pale. Scared, maybe. That expression faded from the human's face as she spoke of her family. "Can you find them, then?" Cyan kept his hands on her face, inspecting her for signs of a major concussion. So far, she was just dazed.... Cyan gasped in surprise as he felt her hand on his scales. In his culture, that was just about the same thing as putting one's hand on someone's inner thigh.... Despite that awkward tinge to the action, Cyan stared at her hand. "So warm," he said quietly, frowning a bit. Swallowing thickly, the merman pulled his hands from the girl's face. He gently removed her hand from his scales, his unblinking gaze meeting hers. He wasn't sure what she was thinking, but that action would have angered plenty of his kind.... Water splashed up at him again as the merman tried to keep himself comfortable. It was getting increasingly difficult to stay on land. His discomfort was growing. It was too warm, too dry ... and that breeze kept making him shiver. "You're confused," he said, reaching for her head again. Cyan pressed his palm to the wound for a while, knowing that it would stop bleeding if only she sat still. "You hit your head. Everything is going to feel strange for a while." His blue eyes flickered to hers again, hints of silver gleaming in the setting sun. "Can you tell me your name?" |
Vaesian's purple eyesbrows raised upon his answer and comment. She spoke a little slower, her vocal chords still straining. "We communicate through our thoughts. Not so much mind reading. It's near impossible to speak words under the water. That's why my voice sounds like it does. Normally it's more..." she moved her hand around, trying to find the right word for it. "more musical, I think. That may just be my imagination." She stops. The last sentence had come out grating. She pushes off the board and dips under the water for a second, coming right back up wet and feeling better. She swallowed the water that was in her mouth, wetting it so her speech came out better. She tilts her head to the side a little. "Why don't you swim instead of lounge on that piece of driftwood?" Summer managed a small smile. "I'm Summer. Silly name but befitting this area I suppose." She then muttered, "I must have hit my head pretty hard." She frowns at him. "Your real aren't you? I'm not imagining you because of my fall?" She almost wished he would say no, that she was making him up. At the same time, she felt a tinge of sadness at the thought that she was and that she'd likely never see him again after he vanishes from her mind. She shivers slightly at the breeze, cool because the sun had started to disappear on the horizon. Vaesian's head suddenly snaps to attention, her eyes widening a little as she realizes where the yellow orb was at. That would mean it was near dark in the water, darker still in the deep and on the way to her homeland. And darkness meant... She looks around quickly for Cyan, just realizing that he's on the beach. She calls to him, waving frantically, "Cyan! The light!" She looks back to Seth, a sadness coming as she realizes she can't wait for his answer and that she'd have to leave. "I have to go." She reaches up behind her neck with one hand and unclasps the little beaded necklace she almost always wore. She quickly wraps it around one of the boys wrists, fastening it there. "If you want to see me again, just sink under the water and, " she pauses, desperately thinking of the right word, "just sink and think my name, Vaesian, while touching this. I should hear you. Don't forget." Not able to wait for a response, wishing she had had the time to ask his name, she flips under the water and disappears into the blue. |
Seth was stunned as Vaesian slipped back underwater. Blinking, he wondered if he'd imagined her. Maybe I'm hallucinating. His blue eyes filled with relief when he saw the girl return. Her voice was soothed by the water, it seemed. Still, her question made him stiffen. "This isn't driftwood," he said, looking hurt. "I surf. I catch waves with this thing, you kn-"
The mermaid seemed to startle suddenly. Traces of dim light were fading in the sky now. Vaesian motioned toward her companion, and Seth narrowed his eyes to see two figures just on the beach. Was that Summer? "Wait, go?" Seth was surprised when Vaesian introduced herself and slipped something cold about his wrist. She disappeared before he could say anything else. "... okay." His dark blue eyes moved down to the beaded necklace fastened about his wrist. How strange... he'd never seen anything like this before. Looking up, he saw movement on the shore once again. It was getting dark. He wasn't stupid enough to stay out on the waves once the sun set. Seth headed for the shore, sending a final glance back to where he'd last seen Vaesian. What the hell just happened? - "Summer," Cyan repeated the name. "It's beautiful." His blue eyes took in her pale skin and dark hair. She was quite the creature, this human. So different from his kin! The merman tilted his head, listening to Summer's question. He laughed with a light sound, like bubbles of voice breaking the surface of water. "Yes, I'm real. You didn't hit your head hard enough to have visions." Cyan carefully pulled his hand away from Summer's temple. It seemed to have stopped bleeding. His blue eyes met hers again. She was so warm. Yet ... she was shivering. With a frown, Cyan glanced further up the shore. "You should go back to your family, Summer." A mental voice suddenly burst into his mind, making Cyan flinch in surprise. Blinking, he turned his gaze to Vaesian as she motioned for him. Beat you home! The merman flicked his blue tail again, spraying himself with water before looking back to Summer. "I have to go." In fact, now that the sun was setting.... Cyan's heart quickened. Obviously uncomfortable, the merman frowned. "Will you come back tomorrow?" He looked toward the fading sun, waiting for an answer. With a swift movement, he was back in the water and drifting toward his companion. He waited before an answer before flashing a flawless smile and disappearing, his silvery form blending with the water. Meeting up with Vaesian, the merman mentally bonded with her once again. "They're warmer than I expected. And ... nicer." And prettier, but he didn't mention that. There was a moment of silence before he flickered ahead of his friend. "Beat you home." Everything always had to be a challenge.... |
Vaesian merely rolled her eyes at her friend. She knew that accepting meant getting them home quicker so she just flashed him a brief smile that did not reach her eyes and nodded in agreement. She only hoped that the way was uneventful. There were many things that lurked after dark that was more then willing to make a mermaids life difficult. She flicked her tail and sped away at an incredible speed, hoping that Cyan would keep up with her as he always did and would not fall behind. "Try to hurry, my friend." Summer remained where she was, mouth slightly open, still ready to respond to his question before he just left. She lifted a hand to where she had been bleeding, still feeling his cool touch there. She blinked when Seth pulled ashore, closing her mouth. She stood very shakily, trying to gauge whether she should go to the local clinic or not. She couldn't tell if she had a concussion or not. She wobbled a little as her legs took her weight but managed to keep aloft. Her vision blurred slightly as she got a little dizzy but it quickly went away. She looked at the boy from her class with a small frown. Her voice was hesitant and didn't sound very strong as she called softly, "Seth?" She took a few halting steps towards him. She pauses. Her voice was barely a whisper as she remembered the handsome merman that had saved her, "Was that real? Is it possible-?" Her eyes locked on his, trying desperately to not feel reliance on the guy before to tell her if she was crazy or not. She barely even knew him even if they had a few of the same classes during the school year. |
"Do I look like I'm sight seeing?" Cyan swiftly darted beside Vaesian, the sarcasm the only thing keeping them sane. They were never allowed out past dark. Too many things dwelt in the ocean to even think about venturing past the city walls beyond dark.
As the city came into view, the silver-haired merman mentally sighed in relief. They'd be fine. The guards could probably see them by that time, which meant that if anything happened, they wouldn't be alone. "The humans...." Cyan turned his blue eyes to Vaesian as they swam to the city, observed by a few guards as they entered. "They ... they're nice. They aren't anything like I thought they'd be, or what we've learned about in class." The male frowned, and then brushed Vaesian with his tail lightly. Breaking the seriousness of the moment, the merman grinned slyly and shot past his friend. Without a word, he headed toward the small den-like room that he'd called his own. It was part of the coral-like structure that was his family's building, and Vaesian was a good friend - she was allowed to come and go at any time she pleased. Cyan disappeared into the coral, a pale light coming from within moments later. If Vaesian should follow, she would enter to find the room empty ... until Cyan pounced upon her, laughing. He always enjoyed their little romps. Almost as much as he enjoyed their banter, actually! "You've got the biggest eyes," Cyan said, scuffing his friend's hair. Honestly, he'd had a crush on Vaesian since they were very young. It hadn't faded, and had only gotten worse. "I'm surprised you can't see in the dark with those, fish-brain." - As Seth pulled his board up under his arm, he eyed Summer warily. "You look like you're about to die," he said bluntly. Watching as the girl's legs slowly became steady beneath her, the male shook wet hair from his face and stepped a bit closer to her. Her whispered question, though, made his scowl slowly fade. "Yeah," he breathed, looking a bit shocked. "I think it was." Shaking his head, Seth stepped closer to Summer. "But you ... what happened?" Reaching for her arm, he took hold of her to steady her. It wasn't the nicest grip, but it certainly helped keep Summer on her feet. "You hit your head?" Seth shifted his board under his arm again, then looped an arm around Summer's shoulders and started walking toward the dock. "Let's get back. It's getting too dark to see." He seemed to want to avoid talking about the merfolk. He wasn't sure if he wanted to believe it, either. Blinking, the male's blue eyes darted to Summer's face. He was starting to get worried. She'd obviously been hurt. Should he take her in somewhere, or just get her home? Wait, where did Summer live? "Which way home?" Seth asked, shaking thoughts of the event from mind. |
Vaesian frowned at his comment on the humans, nodding along absently in agreement. She laughed quietly, not fully in a humorous mood but appreciating the absurdity anyway. She speeds after her friend, trying to catch him before he can get to his room. She knows full well that he likes to "attack" her if he can get to a place where he can hide first. She entered cautiously, only to be grabbed from behind. She lets out a real laugh and pushes his hand from her hair roughly, a grin on her face. "Oh please, scale slime. If I could see in the dark, you'd no longer be able to grab at me and I'm sure you'd be sorely disappointed if that were the case." It was like normal, happiness at being with her closet, dearest friend; a lightness that they always shared. Except...her heart didn't beat nearly as fast as it usually did when he touched her and held her for those brief seconds before she found a way out of his grasp. She had always assumed that her and the merman before her would one day... A flash of very dark blue eyes went through her mind and she gulped, trying to push the feeling away. Her purple orbs look up to Cyan and she grabs his hand, turning unusually serious for them. "Cyan, I...You...We...Things just changed, didn't they?" She wasn't sure how to voice her thoughts, something unusual for her. As much as she hated to admit it, Summer very much appreciated the steadying arm Seth offered. Her head wasn't pounding as much as before but she was still a little unstable. She could only nod when he asked if she hit her head. She almost pushed his arm away when it wound up across her shoulders but she wasn't sure she'd make it home without falling if he didn't. Seth of all freaking people. She sighs. Her eyes lift to his with an eyebrow raised at his question. A scowl marred her features as she replies, looking back to watch where they were walking. "Really? Seth, I've only lived down the street from your house for the last few years. I usually even follow you to school in the mornings." She wasn't too surprised he never noticed her in the mornings. She had always tried to keep her distance, trying to be unnoticed. She shakes her head with exasperation only to instantly regret it. A hand went to her forehead. She lets out an "ow" before allowing her hand fall. She sighs. "Sorry." She wasn't entirely sure what she was apologizing for but she felt like she should, especially since he was actually being nice enough to help her home. She just hoped he wouldn't terrorize her once he found out where she lived. A smile lit her face as the idea crossed her mind, trying to hold back a sudden want to laugh. They weren't little kids anymore. |
"Oh, so disappointed." Cyan smiled, but his expression slowly sobered. He looked ready to pull away when Vaesian grabbed his hand. How desperately he wanted to deny it. The very thought of things changing, as she said, made the merman cringe. Things couldn't change. Cyan didn't want them to.
His blue eyes met and held Vaesian's gaze for a long moment. This was the single most serious, heavy moment they'd ever experienced together. The male wanted to say no. Honestly, he almost did, just keep things at least partially normal. That was when Summer's brown hair and curious expression flickered into his mind. Cyan hesitated, but managed a slight nod. "I think they did." At least for one of them, that was obvious. Vaesian felt different now. Cyan ... wasn't sure. A strange weight he'd never felt before settled over him. He was losing his best friend, even if they both denied it. "Maybe that's why humans are dangerous." The humor of his tone didn't match the look in his eyes, but Cyan didn't want to acknowledge the fear or dread he was feeling. "We'll see how things turn out, Sian." His hand left hers, and Cyan briefly smiled. "Let's get some dinner. No one thinks twice about us disappearing all day, but my mother gives me hell for skipping meals." - His question sparked the wrong way. Seth scowled right back at Summer as she told him they lived near one another. They did ...? The male kept quiet, for once having no biting remark to accompany his frown. Honestly, he felt a bit ashamed that he'd never noticed. Seth was so wrapped up in his own world, he hadn't even noticed Summer living nearby for years. How conceited was that? Seth awkwardly kept his arm about Summer, his frown remaining. The silence that followed was broken by the girl's apology. "Yeah, me too." Seth said nothing else until they were closer to home. Looking at the houses, he wracked his brain to try and label one of them as Summer's. Sure, he'd seen her around, but ... he supposed he'd never thought about seeing the brunette in his own neighborhood. "Which one, Sparky?" Seth felt increasingly uncomfortable with his arm about Summer. This was not only unnatural, but it was obvious that they weren't exactly friends. That didn't erase the fact that they both had just experienced something that no one else had, though. They shared a secret now, however unlikely that they would ever speak to one another again. |
Vaesian sighs and nods. "Alright, Cy. Your mum does cook the best meals. Even compared to my dad's professional cook." She grins. "Race you!" And she takes off to head to the dinning area, where she had no doubt that Cyan's mother was putting out the dishes. Which means she had better be careful. If she knocked over another plate, she wasn't sure that sweet woman would allow her for in the house for meals again. So despite the competition she always enjoyed with her best friend, she slowed down just before she reached the room only to have him race by her. She laughs and takes a seat next to him with a smile for his mom. "Is it alright for me to join you today?" Summer grimaced a little as she disentangled from Seth's helping arm. She points over at the sky blue house down a little and to the left. "That ones my home. I can go from here. Um, thank you for helping me." She bit her bottom lip, feeling incredibly awkward and not really sure what she should say. She honestly didn't really want to go inside her house knowing that her parents were going to freak out about her head injury. But it was getting dark and a little chilly so she knew she had to. Soon. She looks at him, her stormy eyes holding a question she wasn't sure she wanted to ask. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, still feeling out of place. Normally she would be with her small group of friends but everyone was gone for summer. Looks like she was stuck with Seth. And now they shared....she frowns and whispers, "Do you think we will see them again?" She then smiles slightly. "Spikey." It was only fair that if he called her Sparky, she got to call him something. And that somehow fit in her mind. |
Cyan's mother frowned in disapproval as her son darted toward the seat he usually took. "Cyan, we have guests. Please."
The silver-haired youth immediately sobered, turning into the most polite noble-blooded merman he could on such short notice. It was a complete change, as though he'd grown up in mere seconds. As he composed himself, Cyan's mother sent a soft smile to Vaesian. "We set a place for you beside Cyan," she said with a nod. "Be on your best behavior, the both of you. We have visitors from another city tonight, and I want them to feel welcome." Cyan took his place, introducing himself to the rather wild looking merman at the other end of the table. Luckily, there was a lot of distance between them. The guests were from a warrior-based society from the look of them. They had scars. Were those claws hanging around their necks? Blue eyes moved back to Vaesian, and he stared at her for a moment as he tried to bottle up the questions he knew were inappropriate for their current situation. "I wonder if they're used to raw foods," he whispered into his friend's mind, unable to contain everything. - Seth looked relieved when Summer pointed out the correct house. He released her, setting his board down for a moment. "Yeah. No problem." Right. Obviously he wasn't happy with having to guide her home. Both of them stood there for a few moments, not sure what to say. Seth's dark eyes flickered to the house again. He wouldn't forget it now. Not after all this. Seth's frown darkened, but disappeared when he heard Summer's question. "I don't know." Then, she added on the nickname. Spikey. Hah. "Guess we'll find out tomorrow, won't we?" Seth smirked, and smacked the back of his hand against Summer's arm. That was as much as an invitation to hang out as she'd ever get from the boy. Seth sighed, and stepped back. "I still think I'm going to wake up in a few minutes and laugh at myself for this. I must really be missing my friends or something." The male looked back to Summer's house. He saw movement in one of the windows. Whether it was someone walking by the window, or someone watching them, Seth seemed to have the same reaction. "I should get home. I haven't been in since early this morning." Seth frowned, looking down the street. Ah, home. What a joyous place, that home. "I plan on being back in the water when the tide falls." Nudging Summer's arm again, he smiled slightly. "Get that taken care of, Sparks. You look like you're going to pass out on the porch. I'm sure momma wouldn't appreciate that." With a slight wave, Seth tucked his board under his arm and walked up the street. It was literally only three houses down. How had he never noticed? ((I'm assuming that both sides of the world here will have dinner, go to sleep, and then head out in the morning. :O LOL)) |
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