From Beneath the Waves

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A bright lantern. It would be enough, at least, for him to poke his head out of the water some distance away and see it, or if it was dark enough he might not even need to do that. He thought it could work.

Korin barely knew what a 'cell phone' was enough to find the humor, smiling a little while also looking slightly bewildered. "Mmm, before sunset, maybe? The fishermen go out very early sometimes." Often they were the first boats on the water, and he liked to observe them sometimes but it was best to avoid them. There weren't any very close to where he and Olivia sat, in their mostly isolated little beach, he was only being cautious.

"I'll have to think of something." He said with a little frown, looking thoughtfully up towards the sky for a moment. "Something that makes noise . . . or a light? I'm not sure yet, but I'll figure something out." For now, they would just have to wait until they both saw each other. He might have to hover around the dock for a while a couple of times, but that would be all right. By the end of the day he wouldn't have too much to do.
 
Catching his slight bewildered expression her smile widened with amusement, once again realising there was a lot of things she was going to have to explain.

Still she thought it was a fun task to look forward too, rather than a tedious one. When he confirmed sunset would work best, she nodded a little, it would be easier for her too. "Alright, that works fine for me too."

She was curious to see what he would come up with, wondering what exactly he and his people had access too. Just as he hoped to learn from her, she hoped she could learn from him, about him, his people, his culture and world.

"Well good, so when are you free to visit again?" Wondering if he'd be back as soon as tomorrow, or if it would be a few days.
 
Olivia seemed happy at the prospect of seeing him again. Even if just for that, he found himself feeling excited about it too. Minamet would tell him he was too trusting, that he needed to learn to doubt people more, but he couldn't help himself. When someone seemed Good, he wanted to believe it.

"I don't really have somewhere specific to be," he said thoughtfully in reply, wondering what sort of schedule she had, herself. "I have tasks to do, and I have to feed myself, but I don't need to do it at a special time or day. . . How long will it take you to find the things you want to trade?"

Really, given that he lived alone most of his life was exploring. As long as his home wasn't invaded by any creatures and he hunted well enough to feed himself he didn't often have much that needed doing. Unlike the pod all living together, he had no projects to work on for the greater good. Unless Minamet asked him for something or he felt like visiting her, he didn't often go back.
 
She was curious about his day to day life, wondering what his tasks were. Did he have a job? Though if they had no currency and traded items instead, what would be the point?

Of course it could have to do with creating or finding things to trade, or doing things to help each other and their community, or maybe it was just to stave off boredom.

She seemed amused again, "well I can go shopping for the ingredients I need today or tomorrow so I can have it ready by tomorrow evening."

"Not that you have to be ready that soon." She added quickly, not wanting him to feel rushed. She was currently studying remotely so at least in the evenings, she was pretty much free to make her own schedule.
 
Tomorrow evening. It was early still, so it gave him plenty of time to organize his chores and make sure he had food set aside and nothing around that needed tidying. The fact that he was starting to get excited about it already was probably a sign he was over eager, but he hoped it didn't show too horribly.

"I can come back!" He reassured when she told him he didn't have to come, though he hoped it wasn't too quickly. "I'll come just before sunset, so it won't be too dark." At least the light would linger for a bit after the sun was fully gone. They wouldn't have a large amount of time before it was dark, but his eyes were decent at seeing in dim light. Perhaps the moon and stars would shine bright enough for them, or her lantern would make it possible for him to stay longer.
 
She thought his excitement was sweet, and pretty infectious as she found herself feeling excited as well. It would be fun to show him all the different things he'd never seen before, especially if he was going to be this excited for each one.

Besides that she was eager to learn from him, it still felt a little surreal, talking with an actual myth come to life. She had a million and one questions to ask, but she didn't want to overwhelm or offend him.

There was time for that, she was sure of it. Along with everything else it was also just nice to make a new friend, especially when she was missing hers so much.

"Okay, well that's great then." She said brightly, but then she frowned a little in thought. "I can't believe I didn't think of this before, uh do your people have doctors?"
 
Korin was smiling and pleased, looking forward to their meeting together despite all the doubts still swimming idly around in the back of his head. He shouldn't be here and he knew it - but who would catch him? No one had any interest in him or what he did each day, not unless they wanted his help with something. He couldn't be found if there was no one to look for him.

When Olivia asked her question, though, his smile faded a bit into something confused, wondering if he should be concerned. "Doctors? We have healers, yes. Why? Is something wrong?" He couldn't bring one to her, and he was not the best at healing arts. He hoped she wasn't hurt. Maybe she thought he was hurt.
 
Noticing his confusion she shook her head a little, smiling softly to reassure him a bit. "No, no, nothing's wrong." "It's just that there's a problem that can effect humans sometimes and I don't know if its possible for it to effect you too so I just want to be safe you know?"

"Certain people can be allergic to different things like animals or plants, but also food." "Some people can get really sick and I just don't want you too."

Her tone was gentle and still bright, not wanting him to worry. "Normally I'd ask someone if they're allergic to anything before I cook for them, but obviously I can't with you so I'm just making sure you can get help if you need it."

"But I wouldn't worry, it's not super common and it might not even be something that can happen to you."
 
"Oooh," Korin murmured softly as she explained, catching on quickly enough with a little twitch of his fins at the idea. A negative reaction to something someone ate was even less common for merfolk than it was for humans. If she was so worried about it as to mention it, it must happen a lot. It was nice of her to worry about him, though.

"I don't think it will happen. . ." He said thoughtfully, giving a little tilt of his head as he considered it. "But I can go and ask the mer that raised me, if you think I must. I don't remember anything bad happening, but she would know. Merfolk have very tough stomachs. Some things in the sea are very poisonous to things that aren't us." He assumed they were poisonous to humans, as well, but he had always done just fine with them.
 
She was glad he seemed to understand, despite it seeming like he didn't know much about the surface world, he seemed pretty smart and to be a fast learner.

"Okay well I'm sure it'll be fine then, I can avoid using the worst offenders anyway." She said thoughtfully, looking at him with curiosity when he mentioned his parent, or at least, the person who raised him.

"If that would make you feel safer about it, sure go ahead but...." She hesitated for a moment, "would she be okay with you talking to me?"

She was a stranger and a human after all and judging by his initial reaction to her, and his insistence no-one else see him made her think he might be bending or breaking a rule.
 
Korin was only nodding along at first, thinking of just how he would word the request to Minamet and if she would be suspicious enough to press him, but when Olivia touched on thoughts he was already having he made a soft, almost guilty sort of sound.

"No. . ." He admitted reluctantly, sinking lower where he rested until his chin rested on his arms, head fins pressing down even as a light flush dusted over his cheeks. "But I wouldn't tell her why. I can tell her I felt sick and thought maybe it was something I ate. . ."

He didn't like the idea of lying to Minamet, but what other choice did he have? He couldn't just tell her. Part of him thought that she wouldn't vilify him so readily as others might, given how much she had taught him about the surface world already, but he couldn't help being worried still. It was the most important rule, one that he'd been taught for as long as he could remember.
 
She looked at him with concern, feeling guilty for upsetting him. She wasn't sure if he felt guilty for lying to his guardian, for breaking an important rule, or both.

"Alright, if that's what you need to do." "I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you, and I really don't want to get you into any trouble." She said softly, unsure how to help him feel better.

There were obviously things she didn't know or understand about his people, still she could understand feeling guilty about lying to those close to you.
 
"It's okay," Korin reassured with a shake of his head, despite the somewhat morose tone to his voice. "It's my fault. . ."

He had been the one who chose to save her, and then afterwards to let his curiosity get the best of him and come to return her oars. He should have never come back, should have disappeared the moment she started speaking - should have, should have, should have. But he hadn't, and he was here now, and despite everything he'd been taught telling him to go he wanted to stay. It was confusing, but it wasn't her fault.

"I'll think about it more later." He said finally, tail fin giving a little slap against the water as he picked himself up again and tried to mentally shake himself out of it. "But . . . But I should probably go for now, so no one sees me. I'll come back. The night after tomorrow."
 
She frowned a little at him blaming himself but held her tongue, not wanting to dwell on it since she didn't really have anything she could say to make it better.

The night after tomorrow, that would give her plenty of time to go shopping for food, get a light, and download some music, she had a pretty good collection already but there was always more to add.

She smiled warmly, glad to see him perk back up a little. "Okay that's great." Getting to her feet, she smiled brightly. "I'll see you then, I'm looking forward to it."
 
Korin couldn't help smiling back when she looked at him, pushing away from the dock and sinking back down to his shoulders in the water, getting ready to go just as she was ready to return to her home. "I am, too," he agreed, feeling warm and pleased inside at the idea of someone else looking forward to meeting again. "Have a safe trip home."

When she was free of the dock he ducked back down beneath the water and swam off, going fast for a while if only to burn some of the antsy energy left in him. He wasn't sure if he would ask Minamet about strange foods after all, not wanting to earn her suspicion, but he thought he would go and see her again. Maybe some day, if he and Olivia became friends, he would find the courage to tell his caretaker all about her.
 
She stifled a laugh as he wished her a safe trip home, she didn't want him to think she was making fun of him or his sweet gesture. Yes such an ardous journey I have in front of me, she thought in amusement.

"You have a safe trip too." She replied brightly, waving gently until he was out of sight. For a moment she simply stood there, staring at the horizon, where the sky met the sea, and wondered once again if this was really happening.

She would keep her mouth shut, but she did wish she could talk about this. She never would though, besides not wanting to seem insane, she didn't break her promises.

As she made her way back up the beach towards her temporary home, she started to think about what she should cook for him, and what she'd need for it.
 
The idea of having plans to meet someone kept Korin distracted for the better part of the day. It was something little, to most people, but he spent so much time alone and was often uncomfortable around the mer he did speak to, it felt like something to celebrate. When he wasn't working to feed himself he searched for pearls, knowing he had some stashed away but that it would be good to have more in case he and Olivia kept trading. He did not, in the end, go and see Minamet to ask questions, chickening out at the last second and unable to convince himself to go. He was sure it would be fine. He would just take a healing charm with him just in case.

When the day finally came to go and see Olivia, he selected the pearls he thought were the prettiest, getting her one white, one pink, and one black pearl to bring with him. He placed them inside an old clam shell, wrapped tightly closed with seaweed to keep them from escaping, and placed them in a mesh bag with a long strap meant to carry his things and let water flow through it while he swam. He arrived early, making thorough checks to be sure that there were no boats close enough to see the beach and no humans near enough to worry they would venture onto it. Finally, when the sun was just beginning to go down, he swam to the dock to see if Olivia was there waiting for him already.
 
Olivia spent the majority of her free time preparing for her next visit with Korin, she had most of what she needed already so she spent most of her time thinking of things to ask him about him and his people.

She felt a little like a palaeontologist unearthing a fossil from an undiscovered dinosaur, or an anthropologist finding a language long thought lost.

Of course unlike someone like them, she had no real idea what to ask. She planned to go easy on the questions though, she didnt want him to feel like he was being interrogated.

The night of his visit, she made her way down to the beach, carrying a large cooler a heavy looking backpack, and a large camping lantern.

She moved to the end of the dock and set everything down, she checked once again that she was alone, seeing the area was still deserted, she turned on her lantern and held it up towards the ocean.

The lantern was extremely bright, making it very easy to see from a distance, it would give them plenty of light to see by.
 
The light was only just beginning to fade when Korin finally approached the beach, but Olivia's light was easy enough to see still. He approached her from underwater for safety's sake, staying exposed as little as possible, and didn't come up until he was beneath the dock, just as he had before. Unsure if she had seen him swim by and not wanting to scare her, he was quiet for a moment before coming out to the side of the platform nearby.

"I'm here. . ." He said softly, hoping he wouldn't startle her, and moved around to where she could see him with a little wave. "You brought such a big box!" He pushed himself up in the water enough to rest his arms on the dock as before and look at it all, debating with himself whether or not he would stay there or if he would pull himself up next to her. He felt underprepared, honestly, given he had only a small mesh bag with him and she had so much stuff.
 
She hadn't seen him so she set down the lantern and sat down, crossing her legs as she watched the ocean. She was content to wait, enjoying the soft sound of the waves lapping against the shore.

When he arrived she was startled but only a little, a part of her had been afraid this had all been in her head after all, or that he just wouldn't show up.

"Hey!" "I'm glad you made it!" A bright smile on her face, though when he mentioned the stuff she'd brought, she blushed a little. "I know, I went a bit overboard but I wanted to make sure you could try a few things, and that there'd be something you liked."

"Besides, I'm technically hosting this visit and I was raised to be a good host who makes sure no one goes home hungry." She said with clear pride for her family, but also shyness at how cheesy it sounded.
 
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