Alex-065
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Post by Alex-065 on Sept 8, 2009 16:25:05 GMT -5
"The Higher Races are not exalted because we are so far above the other living creatures of the world. It is because through understanding them, we elevate the very concept of life." ~ Vlana Velandas, Dark Elf Scholar.
The sea was a sheet of sparkling cerulean glass. The scattered clouds that had been in the sky at dawn had since disappeared, whisked away by a strong easterly wind. The sun was now at midday, shining down on a trio of verdant volcanic peaks that was alone for thousands of miles in every direction. The tropical air was hot and humid. It was just the kind of weather that the mermaids adored.
For thee days, Ian Hackett and the crew of the Elysian Sojourner had been surveying the waters of the Aaron Islands for the exotic, seagoing beauties. Not to kill or capture, but to study and understand. A daunting task given the many dangerous reefs the ship had to skirt past and the long stretches of rocky, boat-eating shores that made everyone on board a little uneasy. Naturally, the mermaids loved them.
On their first day in the Isles, Ian had seen several of them sunbathing on the rocks before they caught sight of the ship and slipped back into the water. By the bright orange color of their tails, he had identified them as sisters in the Sea Fire Clan, one of three other such extended families that made their home in these waters. With any luck, he would be able to see them up close today.
Conditions on the Blue Ring Bay were better than Ian had hopped. It was a perfect day to make his first dive. The Elysian Sojourner was now anchored in 126 feet of water with Ian suiting up on deck with the help of half a dozen other crewmen. He had been able to slip inside the baggy coveralls easy enough, but it took extra help to seal the heavy diving suit and to check and recheck everything.
Ian got the sense it might have been too big for him. The gloves and coveralls were extremely baggy and as deeply wrinkled as walrus hide. Truer to fact, the suite was made from rubber, oil treated leather, and steel mesh but still, it was so over-sized that Ian could have drawn his arms up out of the sleeves and freely scratched his back while inside the suit.
The boots and helmet were another source of discomfort. The boots might have been lined with wool and cotton on the inside, but since they were made from iron and brass they weighed a ton. Ian’s helmet was made of the same stuff, and weighed just as much. It would be the last piece of put into place before Ian was lowered into the water to begin his work.
The good doctor stood still and gathered his thoughts as the seals around his writs and ankles were checked. Wearing the aging suite might have been a bother, but it was an essential measure of safety. Until Ian knew exactly how the mermaids would react to a human presence in their domain he didn’t want to risk a standard wet suite that would afford him less protection. He liked to think that they wouldn’t see him as a threat. But not for the first time he reminded himself that though beautiful and intelligent, he would be coming face to face with the apex predators of the of all the world's ocean's. Mermaids were a force of nature that deserved his utmost respect... He took a deep breath and gazed out at the waves, lost in thought.
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Terethin
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The dragon of the darkness flame will consume you.
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Post by Terethin on Sept 8, 2009 22:25:20 GMT -5
Massive in size, even by mermaid standards, and with bright yellow tail with an orange star-burst marking, Mokuva Sune was always easy to find in a group. Being an older warrior, she was watching the others in her clan as the ship came. She let out a warning to those sun-bathing that the boat was approaching them. She then told the young mermaids to head home and inform the matriarch of their arrival, and that she would join them later.
"Why are the humans here?" Mokuva thought as she watched them from afar. She had been keeping an eye on them after she warned those sunbathing of their approach. "Foolishness to be sunbathing like that." She thought, "I've told them a thousand times it's dangerous to relax your guard like that. But, i guess i''l let them have their little pleasures, they will stay safe if I stay on guard."
As she looked closer, she could see no real weaponry that poachers usually had....."Maybe I could approach them later if they prove harmless. I understand enough to know if they mean harm, if they do not, i'll get what they need and have them leave this place. It makes me far to uneasy with them nearby."
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Post by Ninmast on Sept 8, 2009 22:51:52 GMT -5
In another part of the islands, blue-tailed beauties darted in and out of a large shoal of fish, giggling like schoolgirls - or the psionic equivalent thereof - as they corralled them up, darted through to snatch a bite, corralled them up again and repeated the process. Some mythologists might have imagined the consuming of fish by fish-maidens to be some sort of unthinkably barbaric cannibalism, but in truth, it was no different to them than hunting quail or deer to humans.
So playful were they in their task, however, that the due process of lunch would take a good hour to complete. One of their numbers, more dedicated to the task, finished her meal and slipped away long before the rest were complete. After she was a ways away, she turned back to watch them, a swirl of glittering blue beautifully swirling around dots of light, the reflections off of the much, much smaller fish they were keeping securely in place. Occasionally, she would catch a flicker of a purple or pink tail, signs of her two "twin" sisters giggling amongst them. They would stay among the Tide Water clan for quite some time as they each built up their own numbers before breaking away to form new clans.
This stray maiden, however, bearing the signature blue tail of Tide Water despite her parentage, would stay among them for the duration of her natural life. The thought drew a despondent sigh from her lips and she flittered away further into the waters. There, she sought out a great underwater plateau and perched upon its lip, her favored position for quiet self-meditation both for the distance from the giggling gaggle of the main clan and for the view of the sea, unobstructed for miles, and in the far distance, she could just make out another set of underwater volcanoes, surely toasty warm and home to many succulent fish. Despite her recent meal, she licked away a spot of drool at the thought. Her sisters were considering relocating there when they moved away. Meanwhile, she would still be stuck here, listening to her mother pleading with her constantly to find some men and turn herself into their play toy like she had. Babies were all-important to Tide Water, and due to the higher reproductive rate from intercoursing with humans, strong, virile men came in at a close second.
Well, Mairsile was not like the rest of Tide Water, nor was she like her sisters, who took after their mother. Instead, she liked to imagine she was more like her father, from whom, or so she had been told, she had inherited her magical powers, even a match, as untrained as they were, for a number of Moon Scale maidens she had had the pleasure of meeting once a couple years back. They and their parents had invited her to come back and study with them, and she pleaded with her mother for many days on the matter, but to her, there was only one proper purpose for a mermaid, and that was adding to the number of one's clan by producing as many healthy, screaming babies as possible, not practicing with flashing lights and electricity. "Had the goddesses meant for us to zap our prey with pretty lights," she had told her then, "they would have made us eels, or perhaps angler fish. Instead, they gave us wombs and the ability to bring life into those vessels as an utmost priority, even in lieu of a mate. Their intentions for us are clear, Mairsile. Do not question them lightly."
Of course, the advantages her magic lent them in hunting was overlooked, taken for granted. It was her magic that had tracked multiple shoals and drawn them together, supplementing their numbers with the illusion of the ones necessary to cover the wider area and amass such a great, writhing ball of fish flesh. No, unlike her sisters, she would never leave. She was Tide Water, and it was her ancestral duty to help in any way possible, so why would they expect her to do any less?
Mairsile sighed deeply, tasting the salt water roll through the filters on her neck like bittersweet tears, and stared down as she twiddled the tip of her tail. As she watched it, it shifted to two long, smooth, perfect human legs that she kicked back and forth in the water, feeling the resistance as the salty substance flowed back and forth between them. She sighed again as she brought them back together and they merged once more into a glittering blue sapphire tail. Maybe she'd walk back on the sea floor. She did ever so love the way the sand tickled as it sifted between her ... what were they called again? Toes?
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zandyne
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Post by zandyne on Sept 9, 2009 0:11:36 GMT -5
Jack was still wobbly on the ship, on the brighter side of things he wasn't sea-sick anymore. However considering the potential of the trip and the fact he'd been invited at all, the vomiting and dizziness had been a very small price to pay. Despite that rationale, he'd missed seeing the mermaid sightings reported up to that point because his eyes had been glued to the bucket he'd been nursing.
That wasn't so much of an issue after taking the medicine that had been offered to him by one of the other crew mates. So now he had time to actually see his surroundings and enjoy them. In fact in his mind it was turning more and more into the perfect business-trip ever.
He'd observed Dr. Hackett suiting up, careful to stay a good deal away because of how little he knew about the equipment and wary of somehow sabotaging the doctor's preparations with his ignorance. The perimeter was the minimum precaution on the matter as far as he knew.
But that didn't stop him from talking, words were harmless.
He inched closer, "Dr. Hackett, are you nervous?"
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Alex-065
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Post by Alex-065 on Sept 10, 2009 16:18:51 GMT -5
A current of cold water swept over Mairsile and suddenly she was not alone. Floating over her was a slim figure silhouetted against the shimmering rays of the sun, scattered by the waves above. The black shape descended on Mairsile, slowly resolving into the form of black-tailed mermaid from Dark Fathom, and a sorceress as well. There was no mistaking the energies that seemed to resonate in the staff she carried with her, or the sour frown on her eerily pale-purple face.
For a long moment, the imposing maiden's mind was closed to Mairsile - not speaking, not listening. She was determined only to float and glare at the girl with intense scrutiny as her ebony locks flared and swayed in the current, poised with one hand on her hip where skin and scales merged and the other tightly gripping the magic staff who's bottom end was firmly planted in the sand. Suddenly it's crystal-crowned head was pointed directly at Mairsile's blue tail.
"Show me," the sorceress demanded, calmly but firmly. The look in her golden eyes told Mairsile she was expected to obey, weather she wanted to or not.
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Post by Ninmast on Sept 10, 2009 21:47:04 GMT -5
When the cold current washed over her, Mairsile looked up and watched the Dark Fathom maiden slowly descend with a curious but not truly startled gaze. Her eyes drifted over the staff for a time, but soon went back to the young woman. Even after the woman settled down and glared at her silently for a time, Mairsile simply stared back. Her impression at a glance was that the young woman was roughly about her age, though she bore the markings of Dark Fathom. She didn't see them often, very rarely, actually, so she found them curious, with their adaptations so different yet being the same species as she. This one was silent, but that was fine. Mairsile was content to simply watch and study.
Show me, the dark maiden suddenly demanded, motioning with that clearly mystical staff toward Mairsile's tail. Indeed, the girl didn't mind repeating the trick, and she only glanced back as to verify where she was pointing and the tail shifted into legs once more that she kicked back and forth before glancing once more to the Dark Fathom clanswoman to gauge her response.
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Alex-065
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Post by Alex-065 on Sept 10, 2009 23:37:32 GMT -5
The Dark Fathom sorceress was greatly pleased by the transformation. She smiled as her own tail dived into a pair of shapely legs, long and full of lean muscle. They each ended in a quintet of toes who's nails were as jet black as obsidian glass. The transformed mermaid stood proudly with her new feet on the sea floor and struck a pose with her staff, showing off her body to the much younger girl, expressing her dominance over her with a wink. She might not have known it yet, but Mairsile would soon learn her place.
"So I was not mistaken, then. We both share a rare and wonderful gift." Chuckling lightly, she rose off the sandy bottom and her tail reappeared. "Just as I, you must surely be in the grace and favor of the goddesses to be so blessed." With a curious look in her eye, she slowly began to circle Mairsile. "So do tell me, child, what brings you out this far from your lovely cove? Who's daughter are you?" She already knew the answers. The words she wove here would be the first of many to help her ensnare the young girl.
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Post by Ninmast on Sept 11, 2009 20:33:05 GMT -5
The girl, Mairsile, applauded jubilantly at the Dark Fathom's showing, impressed by another doing so. As the other mermaid circled her, Mairsile drew her feet up under her and brushed the sand off of them as she stood. "I come out here a lot to think." She pointed off in the distance, the direction she had come from. "We just finished a large hunt and I ate my fill, then came out here since we were close. It's nice and quiet here, so I can think away from all of the giggling. I am Mairsile, third daughter of Roswen Tide-Water, fifth daughter of Dostilla Tide-Water, two-hundred-fourteenth daughter of the Matriarch of Tide Water."
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Alex-065
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Post by Alex-065 on Sept 12, 2009 12:42:24 GMT -5
"Mmm, and I am Olyandra. I am the first and only daughter of Matriarch Annemette."
Oylandra let the weight of her words press upon Mairsile, grinning smugly as she continued to drift in casual circles around the impressionable girl. It was a powerful claim. A mermaid could live her whole live and never meet and only-child, since most lived long enough to produce two or more, or none at all because of one misfortune or another. But most electrifying of all, if Oylandra's boasting were true... If she really was the only-child of a matriarch...
She chortled softly, watching the girl's face. Oylandra would make no claim to the obvious. She knew how smart Mairsile was. Gullible perhaps, but never stupid. The young maiden would immediately realize who she was talking to.
The matriarch regarded her young companion with another curious look. "How rare is it for two souls to be so alike. How wonderful... And rarer still for a daughter of the promiscuous Tide Water clan to have such power over shaping magic. Indeed, any family able to bare a daughter as endowed as us is truly blessed."
"But I wonder," Oylandra mused, turning to face Mairsile with a flourish of her tail. "Are there greater spells you can command? Hm? Demonstrate them for me..."
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Post by Ninmast on Sept 12, 2009 18:13:01 GMT -5
"Oh!" As the girl's tail reformed, she curtsied on the spot to the Matriarch of Dark Fathom. "It is an honor to be in your presence, Your Highness. Your words flatter me. I do know some other spells, but not a great deal. I would gladly show them to you if you'd like, but I worry you may be disappointed. I am not permitted to study a great deal."
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Alex-065
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Post by Alex-065 on Sept 13, 2009 2:43:37 GMT -5
Ian smiled and swallowed the knot that had snuck into his throat. "A little on edge, but I ought to manage well enough. Thank you, Mr. Graves." The young doctor's attention was momentarily shifted to another deck hand who briefed Ian on the limited supply of air he would have to carry with him in the suit's twin tanks--rather than the usual length of hose to a compressor aboard ship, which had apparently gone missing. Ian gave the sailor an affirming nod. "We'll be alright without it." In truth, Ian didn’t expect to be at the bottom for very long before the subjects of his study made themselves known. “Mermaids don’t miss much,” he said confidently, squinting at Jack in the bright sunlight. “I'll wager better than half of the girls know we’re here by now. And if they don't, they soon will. It just depends if any feel like having a closer look once I'm down there." He shrugged, having to greatly exaggerate the gesture in order for it to be read through the suit. "There might even be a few circling under us as we speak.” There were no guarantees but Ian hoped he was right. He had settled on diving in Blue Ring Bay because he'd noticed it was something of a neutral zone. A shared hunting ground that mermaids from all four clans could roam without fear of reprisals for trespassing. This also put him at less of a risk for being punished for the same offense, but still... There were no guarantees. "Jack, once I'm in, head below and open the belly hatch for Flower. I think she's been cooped up long enough." Ian chuckled, knowing that his restless mermaid mentor to already be a little stir crazy. Once he was ready to gamble with his life, Ian's diving helmet was carefully lowered over his head and firmly locked into place. His field of view shrank to the fit the four view-ports arrayed in front and on either side of his face. The interior was spacious enough to allow Ian to turn his head, but cramped enough that he'd have tasted brass if he were to stick his tongue out. Once the docking collar was sealed, someone behind him opened the regulator valves connecting his bulbous helmet to the pair of pressurized tanks on his back. The air inside them smelled and tasted allot like spare change. The regulators opened and closed in a steady rhythm that kept pace with his own breathing. Phaa-ssst... Phaa-ssst... Phaa-ssst...One of the deckhands peeked into the main view-port and held up the "Okay" sign to ask if that was indeed the case. Ian returned the sign with his thick fingers to confirmed it was so. Everything checked out. He was ready to dive. Like a golem made from leather and brass, Ian lumbered towards the rigged scaffold that would lower him into the water, careful not to trip. The tanks and helmet made him very top heavy, and the suit as a whole made him close to 110 pounds heavier. After carefully stepping onto the lift, over an inch high threshold he'd have to bend over to see, Ian turned and gave the thumbs-up to Louis and the crew manning the wench. They cranked the gearbox, feeding it lengths of rope until Ian was lifted into the air. Ian swallowed the knot in his throat and felt adrenalin make him lighter. A crane arm gingerly swung him out over the waves lapping at the side of the ship. After signaling thumbs-down, the faceless emissary was slowly lowered to the bottom of the sea. ***** Oylandra scoffed indignantly. "I thought so. You have nothing more to impress me. I am wasting my time" She fell silent and turned her back on her, allowing Mairsile to feel burn of scorn and rejection. The better to sweeten the girl's relief when Oylanra's mock disdain was suddenly countermanded. "You can hardly be blamed, though. Not all of us were meant to grow in strength and stature, beyond what we were fated. Which is fine for some, I suppose." Oylandra cradled her staff and admired it with a sly grin, flaunting her mastery of magic. "Besides," she mused. "Power is only a means to an end, and not an end in it's self. And what greater end can their be than producing healthy daughters? A life spent in the pursuit of abundant motherhood, in service to one's species; what more could a girl want?"
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Terethin
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The dragon of the darkness flame will consume you.
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Post by Terethin on Sept 13, 2009 11:05:20 GMT -5
"Is he stupid? Mokuva thought as she watch him being lifted in the crane...."He's nothing but sitting duck in that suit, they can't possibly mean harm.....that or they are ignorant enough to know no better. I will approach with caution, just to be safe, They can't catch me if I deem them unsafe, they will take to long to pull the fool in." Mokuva then came out from behind the rock and started slowly approaching the foolish human in the suit, stopping about thirty feet away, to gauge his response.
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zandyne
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This is NOT Zetsu. DX
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Post by zandyne on Sept 13, 2009 15:12:19 GMT -5
Jack had saluted quickly with an energetic "Yes sir!" The holding area for Flower was one of the one ones he knew the route to besides his own quarters, even then he knew the fastest route to get there.
After navigating all of the corridors and past the other crew mates he made it to where Flower resided. One of the lock-valves was neatly labeled 'deploy' and with an corresponding arrow direction.
He briefly smiled and waved at Flower, "Dr. Hackett is already outside waiting for you."
He followed the mechanism's instructions, a heavy suction sound assured him that way was open for her now. He waved at her again.
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Post by Ninmast on Sept 14, 2009 11:59:13 GMT -5
Mairsile didn't feel sweet relief, she just burned more. She would have had more to show had she been allowed to study, but her mother ... all that was important to her mother ...
And then Oylandra said it, told her what her mother was always telling her. What more could a girl want than to be a baby factory? She couldn't help herself. She shouted at the queen of Dark Fathom, unleashing the fury and anger she had built up toward her mother and her own people on her fellow mage. At the same time, four more Mairsile's appeared on either side of her, physical enough that their verbal screams reverberated the water, shrill enough to cause physical pain as all five mentally shouted, "I REFUSE TO BE A WHORE ALL MY LIFE!!!"
The ripples in the water settled down and the magical clones faded away as the girl settled down, hunching over shamefully. "Forgive me ..." she transmitted, barely an receivable whisper. "But there are other ways to help the clan besides just having children ... I have a gift, and I want to learn how to use it, but they won't let me ... They're perfectly happy to let me use it to hunt, but to further it? To study and learn and improve? Sure, if I could just suddenly be a master mage, they'd love it, but to spend time not dedicated to reproducing, my mother, at least, sees it as absolutely sacreligious ..."
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Alex-065
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Post by Alex-065 on Sept 15, 2009 23:07:59 GMT -5
Oylandra grinned and listened, inwardly raveling in Mairsile's vehement discontent. Now that the girl's raw emotions had been lured to the surface, Oylandra's sly hand could begin to shape them along the paths she desired. But she sensed Mairsile was withdrawing, seemingly startled by her own ferocity and intimidated by Oylandra's powerful presence. The matriarch subtly intervened, snaking an arm around her shoulders and gently batting her tail fin with her own. "Do not be troubled, young one," Oylandra whispered, her thoughts gently caressing Mairsile's mind. "Your mother has made you a close student of your egg cycle and placed the clan above your happiness, your dreams... But I can make them a reality." ***** Ordinarily, a large jar of peanut butter was enough to keep Flower happy and entertained for several hours. Whether she was underwater with it or not, no mermaid had ever enjoyed the human delicacy quite as well as she did. But no amount of peanut butter, or even her favorite swim toys could distract Flower from the anticipation of her big day. Ever since she had been told they had arrived at the Aaron Isles, the feisty mermaid had restlessly swum in circles around her tank in the belly of the Sojourner, constantly asking any who approached. "Is it time? Is it time? Is is time?" Every time she was told no only aggravated the torture of having to wait. Float and wait while she could sense the psychic echoes of distant mermaids she was so eager to contact. So had so many questions and she hated having to wait for answers. "Soon and not yet," Ian had told her, asking for her to call on patience she didn't have. Ian had left her to focus on his work and as much as she hated being ignored, Flower hated being told to wait even more. Finally, Flower could tell the day had come. She could hear many more footsteps above her than usual, and many more raised voices all shouting the familiar noises of human speech. A trail of echoing footfalls brought the man called "Jack" to see her with a smile on his face. Flower lounged at the glass and pressed herself flat against it with her tail flailing in hope and excitement as she repeatedly pinged him with the same psychic plea. "Is it time? Is it time?" He waved and with the push of a button, set Flower loose on the world. ***** Ian was alone with the sound of his own breathing as the lift descended. The word outside his helmet’s round viewports was a great blue void. Slanted and ghostly columns of sunlight came and went. The feeling of weightlessness that came over Ian made him smile. His nerves had settled considerably, and he was even beginning to enjoy himself. At last, he had come to the heart of his endeavor. The lift settled softly on the sea floor, and a whole new word came into view. The water was crystal clear, fading into a royal blue on the horizon. A vast plain of rippled sand stretched on and on in every direction. Scattered all across it were dark, barnacle-encrusted rocks, pebbles and boulders alike. Among them all were swaying patches of lime colored seaweed and groups of busily swimming fish, great and small. Shimmering light from the surface danced upon everything. Ian had arrived in an under water garden. The splendor of it all was inspiring. Small clouds of white-gray sand bloomed around Ian’s boots as he stepped off the lift. He paused and turned himself left and right to further examine his surroundings, and just barley caught sight of what looked like a pink torpedo before it slammed into him. "Ian! Is that you?" The voice of flower filled his mind and her jubilant smile filled his front viewport as he fought to hold himself upright. A difficult struggle given the awkward weight of the suit as the fact that flower had her tail tightly wrapped around his legs. "Yes, Khepri" Ian assured her, wincing as he finally won the fight to keep his balance. The mermaid pouted at him. "You said you would still call me Flower." Ian did his best to convey an apologetic tone. "Yes, I did. I'm sorry." Flower's smile returned as she released her human partner. Slowly she turned to take in the sights around her. She darted off examine a large rock, then briefly chased after some fish before Ian caught her attention again. "So how does it feel?" The distance between Ian and Flower shrank back to nothing in the blink of an eye. This time he was able to brace himself before he was wrapped up again "It feels too wonderful to be real!" Flower actually tried to nuzzle Ian through the suit, not seeming to mind the hard shell of his helmet. "Thank you so much... I never thought this day would come. And now look where we are. It's amazing. The water tastes so much different here." Ian chuckled. "I imagine it does. There's no filtration system out here." Flower cocked her head to one side, regarding Ian with a curious look that was almost childish. "How come the water isn't dirty at all?" Again, he had to laugh at Flower's innocence. "It's all very complicated," he told her, thinking they ought to return to the business of their mission. His tone became more serious as he pressed for Flower to keep her attention on him and not on a pile of scallops she'd found. "Do you sense any mermaids nearby?" "I do." She replied before trying to bite into one of the scallops she had picked up. Flower chirped in happy surprise as she shellfish shattered into a cloud of meaty, white morsels. "It's delicious!" Ian huffed in mild exasperation, sending another chain of bubbles up to the surface. "Please, Flower, I need you to focus. Do you remember the call I had you practice?" Nor it was Flower's turn to huff. "Of course I do! I already knew how to do it the first time you asked, just like the hundredth." She inhaled the last of her snack and finally seemed to recommit herself. "So, can I do it now?" Ian smiled. "Yes, now's the time." With that, a psychic message suddenly exploded from Flower's mind, rushing outwards in every direction like a shock wave. The message had shades of meaning that were difficult for even Ian to fully understand, but grasped that what he heard was a greeting that emphasized hello, happy, and important or urgent. He knew it didn't say anything about him, or his purpose in the isles, but every mermaid who heard Flower's broadcast would be alerted to something new in their waters. When they came to investigate, Ian would be able to introduce himself. That is, if he could manage to summon the nerve once they arrived. It's not so serious, Ian thought, just to try and kid himself. Just tell them you're here to apologize for five hundred years of torture, kidnapping and genocide.
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