{ summer beach episode 2023 }

[dreamposts]

SUMMER BEACH EPISODE

Thanks to the Dreamsortium's aggressive advertising in town and around the Wildlands, the Forever Dreams resort's grand opening is a bustling and lively one with both dreamers and local fae alike coming by. Even the dragons from Dragefjell are coming down to enjoy luxurious sunbathing.

Just remember, only the first night is free! After that, one must either pay or help fulfill some "odd jobs" around the resort for the Dreamsortium.

More details on everything can be found here.

I. FOREVER DREAMS RESORT

A. Resort Amenities. Everyone will have a room to stay in, though there are also camping options for those who might want to stay outdoors.

🧑‍🍳Outdoor Dining. There are outdoor kitchen patios that are available for guests who would like to prepare their own food, however while the resort will provide with some ingredients, guests will have to bring their own. Perfect for those who try their hand at fishing and want to enjoy their catch. Just beware of the sea gulls that will try to pilfer anything left unattended.
♨️Spa and Massage. Need a break? Relax those sore muscles? The resort boasts only the best and have a special spa for those who can gather and relax with a drink and snack. They have also hired friendly dragons and orcs who specialize in providing the best massage possible.
🦀 Crab Shuffleboard. There are some shuffleboard courts setup that are said to be more unusual than normal, which is quickly revealed by the usual round "discs" used for play. The discs work well enough regardless…until at some point legs appear to reveal they are strange little crabs! They are sturdy little ones so some consider their traveling as part of the game, but others might want to catch them. (Note, they are not normal crabs and are Karka hatchlings.)

B. Animal Control. Unfortunately the construction agitated and displaced a few of the local creatures in the area, and while most have just moved on, others are less willing to leave their original habitats. Some are making it work, while others are hostile. Perhaps creating a newer, better habitat will make them more willing? Or figure out ways to coexist.

🐍Sea Snakes. Completely harmless, these aquatic snakes would nest in the tall seaweed that grows near the beach by the resort. Most of them were able to be relocated in other places, but there are some patches that haven't been moved because of their nests. By now the eggs have hatched, but the babies are still hiding out. Help move them to a safer location!
🦦Seaweed Otters. The otters prefer the clams that can be found in the shallows which is why they can be found lounging about. They're cute and friendly, but also mischievous, stealing other food and toys from beach goers. Although relatively harmless, it's dangerous for them. Good news, the same types of clams can be found further down. Catch the otters and guide them towards the new location. Alternatively, have them try different foods from other areas of the beach to encourage them to move elsewhere.
🦉Pineapple Owls. Pineapples are popular to serve, but harvesting them has been difficult. There are some owls that are dive bombing those who try. It doesn't help their eggs look like small pineapples! Help locate the affected trees to mark them and find empty trees to safely harvest from.
🦀Karka. KARKA ROOOOOLLL. Appearing by the coves on the edge of the Wasteland, these giant, monstrous creatures have a tough outer shell that is difficult to penetrate and requires using a special acidic solvent that somehow the Dreamsortium are able to prepare quickly. They appear to be very agitated and while they mostly stay where they are, some will come close to the resort to attack. Maybe returning some of those "little crabs" from the shuffleboard courts would help…

C. Beach Fun. There are some casual fun beachside activities that everyone can partake in! For those who didn't bring their own, towels and beach chairs are available to rent.

🤿Snorkeling. Grab your gear and do some snorkeling in the clear shallows around the resort! Might make a new finny friend or two.
🐚 Shell Collecting. There are a number of beautiful shells, and they say the large conch shells will whisper a dreamy tune that could help one sleep. There are also contests and requests to collect certain shells.
🏐 Games. Various games are set up, such as beach volleyball, watermelon smashing, water balloons and water guns, and the return of the fruit slicer, where one must slice a barrage of fruit with only dreamotion.
🍈Melon Dodgeball. A new game that's becoming an explosive hit is a dodgeball game using special melons. These melons are sensitive to the temperament and dreamotion of the players, so the more tense and energetic they are, the more likely they will explode and splatter their target instead. Still counts as out!
🐢 Boating. The turtle shell boats are back! Toting large clams shells big enough for two people, these giant sea turtles will happily pull people for either a relaxing cruise, or a fast paced ride through the water. Small sailboats are also available to rent.

D. Special Businesses. Some of the local businesses are putting up stalls on the beach!

🍷 At Day's End.Two days a week during the month of July, At Day's End will have a booth available at the beach resort! The bar and winery's offerings include a number of fine drinks and cocktails designed with summer in mind, such as: the Champagne-like Dew of the Ether; the luck-changing, naturally cold Azure Omen; the floral and sweet Divine Retribution, available with or without alcohol; and the minty and light fruit punch, Dawn in the Wildlands. Other drinks will also be available at the beach stall, though in limited quantities compared to the town's location.

Much like the services provided to patrons of the establishment proper, van Zieks will be available to provide cooling through his personal dreamotion abilities, though in exchange for passing out pamphlets or helping him serve drinks. He can't do anything about sunburns, though, you're on your own there.

🌸Wild Harvest. There is nothing unusual about the Wild Harvest's stall, and at a glance, it is exactly as you'd expect. There are flowers for the taking, set decoratively inside a vase beside a stack of fliers for any new dreamers who don't know about the establishment yet. A list of names that seems to be a sign-up for something called You Be the Chef also sits in front of whichever staff member may be running the booth, and if asked, they'll happily speak about the contest.

There is a grill set up with sticks of freshly grilled kebabs, also for the taking to sample, and nearby, a wooden-looking slide of sorts has been set up. Those who have visited the Harvest in recent weeks will know this is for the nagashi somen, or flowing noodles, for anyone who'd like to "catch" them. Chopsticks are provided, as well as the complementary dipping sauce.

In addition, as a dessert, there is also a station set up with cups of shaved ice for passersby to create their own Summer Dreams. Various toppings, condensed milk, slices of fruit and fruity syrups are provided. Even emoji-fruit with positive emotions are used! And if patrons are unable to infuse their sample with their own positive dreamotion, the staff is more than happy to assist.

II. ATLANTIS

At some point during the grand opening, some merfolk will surface and wave at the beachgoers. With reassurance from the Dreamsortium, anyone who wishes to visit the underwater city Atlantis may do so and will be given a special potion that will allow them to transform into some kind of merfolk or aquatic creature. They can last for several hours and will automatically bring them back to the surface before it wears out. Enjoy~ And beware the sirens.

A. Around Atlantis. The city is vast at the bottom of the ocean with so many things to see and do, with numerous shops opening their doors and the locals curious to meet their land based neighbors. So much so, perhaps another visit will be in order. For now, here are some highlights, and for those less inclined to try the potion, they could try and figure out a different way down there. Surely someone with enough dreamotion talents can come up with an idea?

🎣 Jellyfish Hunting. A favorite game of the Atlantians, there are special schools of jellyfish that swim around the city that come in a total of five different colors: blue, pink, yellow, green, and orange. If one catches at least one of each jellyfish, a small chest of jewels will be given as a prize. The jellyfish are friendly and harmless, though they might still try to sting out of defense.
🍴 Look at this Stuff. A young mermaid has been watching the "landdwellers" for a while now and has started to create her own collection of items only found on land. She asks any visitor she encounters whether they have or could find some trinket to add to her collection.
✨ Glowing Coral. The city is filled with beautiful, large coral patches and large reef gardens, especially just outside the city. Of particular note are special coral that sing, and one particular group of merfolk request some help in harvesting these to be used for everyday purposes in the city. Visitors are welcome to gather some for themselves—with careful moderation of course. As long as they are cut properly and kept in sea water, the coral will continue to thrive and potentially grow.

B. Temple of Saudade and Hiraeth. An ancient temple that is partially submerged just outside of Atlantis, and there is an indiscernible melody or song that can be heard faintly throughout the temple. The merfolk are still excavating it to find what all is within it, but it's a difficult endeavor due to the effects of the temple. It has a large amount of dreamotion energy and there are certain areas where people can become trapped in an illusory vision of a memory or unrealized dream with a very strong emotional tie to the individual. This will make the individual more emotionally reactive and must be calmed and talked out of their illusion. If the emotion is strong enough, whatever the character is seeing or wishing to be real will form.

C. Sirens. While not targeting the visitors swimming through Atlantis, there are sirens and other hostile fae that dwell in the ocean depths that don't take too kindly to the visitors. Stray too far from the safety of Atlantis or drift too deep into the shadows and they may appear to either harass or downright attack. Their songs are not as effective while someone is in merfolk/aquatic creature form, but they do have some effect to at least try and lure them for attention. Those who are afflicted with nightmares or have more nightmare energy will also be more susceptible.

❄️ Christmas Carols!? One siren in particular may be familiar to those from around Christmas. Called "Sirenia Caviary," she is one of the more "friendlier" sirens, but her voice wails through the waters as she is suffering from writer's block. Help her come up with new Christmas songs and the sirens may look more favorably on everyone.
🍌 Treasured Bananas. One reason why the sirens are hostile towards outsiders is due to a recent "plunder" of their precious chest of bananas. Seasalted Bananas are a delicacy and hard to come by since bananas are not found underwater. Bring some bananas to the sirens and their mood may improve.
♻️ Underwater Cleanup. Another reason for the sirens' hostility is the amount of trash and litter that has accrued both during the construction of the resort and the large influx of visitors thanks to it. While it wouldn't be enough to make them as friendly as their Atlantian cousins, clearing out some of that trash would at least make them less inclined to attack and chase upon sight. The collector in Atlantis might also find some use out of the items.

D. Thieves. There are some suspicious individuals (pirates) that appear around Atlantis trying to steal various treasures and items from the city and from the temple. Try to stop and catch them–but even if they are caught, they somehow escape. There is always an odd "click" and "buzz" sound before they disappear in black smoke that has a hint of nightmare energy in them…

Comments

iii. a

[lethechained]

[ In light of what Link's about at the moment, perhaps the feeling of being watched shouldn't be a surprise.

Whether he senses it or not, presently something shifts under the water, lifting up from the depths and drawing closer to the surface, not far from where he's holding the bananas. Whatever it is, it lingers far enough down (keeping an almost cautious distance) that it's hard to make out beneath the shifting surface of the waves. It's a strange shape, this entity - what little of it's visible through the distortion of the water seems to swirl and change, like a pale vortex; it's a ghostly white, save for when the rays of the sun catch it just so and subtle flecks of color flash by across its surface.

It lingers a few moments as if observing him, and then-- it darts away.

One minute passes. Two minutes pass. And... there it is again.

This time, the shape moves even closer, creeping quietly up to the edge of his little platform of land from a different angle. More color becomes visible in the midst of it, like a silvery gold somewhere near its center. Not long thereafter and without warning, an object suddenly breaks the surface and flops onto the ground at his feet.

It's... a waterproof bag full of ginger cookies? ]

[skyglider]

[At first, Link isn't sure what to make of the swirling shape beneath the water. One of the sirens he's heard about? Are the sirens another smokescreen for the Yiga, somehow? That seems unlikely, and yet, meeting them once more underground had also seemed unlikely, at the time. You can never really be sure, it seems.

The white sheen beneath the water catches his attention, causes the bananas to hover for a moment as he loses focus on them and--] ah--! [... His hold on them firms up again just moments before they would hit the water.

This...certainly is not the Yiga, and he's no longer certain it has anything to do with the sirens, either. It lacks the bombasticness of the former, and is somewhat too cautious for him to believe it may be the latter. So what--?

As something tumbles out of the waves and onto his small patch of land, he really does lose his grip, this time, and the bananas fall into the water with a lifeless plunk! Well, that's alright. He has a few more bunches, and this sudden turn of events is more curious to him, anyway. Cautiously, he approaches the bundle that has surfaced, picking it up. It's...food? Link has seen many strange things wash up on shore before: bottles, treasure chests, the occasional weapon or fruit. But never baked goods. Curious, he stands and looks around.]

Is... [His voice is quiet at first, so he begins again.] Is someone there...?

[lethechained]

[ There's no immediate response to Link's words. Whatever was underneath the surface remains temporarily out of sight, the absence making for an almost tangible pause. Whether it's hiding or has simply departed isn't clear at first, but eventually a quiet disturbance indicates movement to the side of his island where the ground is closest to the surface of the water.

One delicate webbed hand flattens on the edge of the rock, and from there, half of a face that probably ought to be familiar peeks over the stone. Naminé regards him primarily as a pair of searching blue eyes and water-slicked strands of pale blonde hair, peering cautiously past her cover with an expression that suggests she's rather uncertain about this particular venture. (Inasmuch as one can tell from just the top half of her face, that is.)

Having chosen her direction of approach carefully, she's difficult to see like this - which might be why, after a brief hesitation to gauge the situation, she finally lifts that slender arm of hers as she calls a soft, ]

... Over here.

[ that sounds as though it belongs to the end of a train of thought possessing not inconsiderable length. She has her reasons, surely, not to show herself right away, but... well. He did ask. ]

[skyglider]

[He wonders, at first, if he had just been imagining things. If perhaps the bag had washed ashore by chance, or strange coincidence...it wouldn't be the strangest thing that's happened to him recently, would it? Nonetheless, Link watches the water for a few more moments, curious and, if he's being honest, hopeful that something --or someone-- really will appear.

The voice in the distance is quiet as a whisper, and he pauses a moment to make sure he really did hear something before turning to find it. His little spot of land is small enough that finding the source does not take long, but he still hesitates in his response. Her face...he knows her, doesn't he? Memories are still slipping back into place, people he used to know, people he called friends, and so, her name is murky in his mind for a moment. He has to search for it...especially in this unusual context of the ocean.]

... Naminé?

[He knows it's right as soon as he's said it, but there's still a question in his voice. Nonetheless, he strides toward the end of the platform where she sits beneath the water, and crouches down. He's not quite at eye level, but he's closer, at least.]

It's you...right?

[lethechained]

[ Watching him from her careful perch, Naminé has a few very specific misgivings - ones she's even had time to arrange neatly in her mind and come to terms with.

First, and the most relevant to the present, is that he's changed. Not in the physical sense (she's already seen proof of that, given the shift in his appearance) but rather in the ways that mean more to her than that. As such, keen-eyed creature that she is, it's not lost on Naminé that he pauses. In consequence, she steels herself, waiting for Link not to recognize her, to ask who she is as if they've never met, like she's been dreading. Were she more self-aware, she might wonder if he simply couldn't see her properly, but it doesn't cross her mind, overshadowed easily by an old and well-learned fear.

And yet, despite her concerns, he successfully produces her name. Her surprise, though quickly reined in, is briefly visible in the slight jump of her brows, the way her fingers pull back faintly from where they've planted themselves, as if in question. While he draws nearer, the young lady follows him with her eyes, her remaining hand reaching up to settle itself on the rock as well. Only once he's close to the edge does she lift herself up slightly, the rest of her wondering face and a pair of slim shoulders appearing, though no more of her does than that. Still, she looks glad to see him as she cranes her neck to look up. ]

Yes-- it's me.

[ She's just a little breathless, and presently the corners of her mouth lift in a cautious, gentle smile. Although she's generally as he might remember her, there's the addition of her more aquatic features at the moment. Aside from the webbed fingers, there are subtle patches of texture here and there on her skin, a shade paler than the tone thereof. They catch the light and bend it into colors, and as she smiles, a hint of that distortion appears along the curves of her cheeks, like otherwise hidden freckles. ]

You really do remember me? [ Obviously, Naminé-- and just after saying it, she bobs a tiny bit lower down again, almost embarrassed at herself, and tucks her chin. But the cat's out of the bag, so-- ] After you disappeared, I was afraid you would forget all about me.

[skyglider]

[Something small and fleeting lurches in his chest -- guilt, or regret, or a combination of both, perhaps tinged by farther-reaching associations that her words stir in him. Because--]

I...when I was gone, I thought you were a dream. [Ah-- not entirely what he meant. He rubs the back of his neck beneath his hair.] That is...this whole place felt like a dream.

[A good dream, to be sure. One he wished he had been able to repeat. But just as the nightmares about Calamity Ganon had stopped, just as his feelings over duty and destiny had calmed, so, too, had that nice dream been a single experience. Perhaps you could say it's the nature of Songerein. Perhaps it had something to do with his growth at home...it's hard for him to say for certain.

... Ah, but he's leaving his words on a bit of a down note, letting that thread linger untethered and unfinished.]

... I remember now, though.

[Her, this place, the things they've all been through. His own home here, as well, though he's still not been back there -- and won't be, for several days at least. ...That's a thought he wants not to linger over, though. Instead he gestures quietly at her hands, the slight changes there.]

Although I don't remember this.

[His voice sounds lighter, there. He knows about the changes, but-- he wasn't entirely expecting Naminé to try out the exploration aspect.]

[lethechained]

[ Given her history with being forgotten... of course, there's a hint of sadness that begins to creep into Naminé's expression as Link explains. But compared to how she was all too quickly imagining this meeting would go - it's by far the lesser evil. That being the case, some of the upturned shape of her mouth remains so even as it presses slightly, her head tipping a few degrees to acknowledge his change in phrasing. (She'd felt certain the amended version was what he meant from the beginning; she hardly considers herself worthy of being a hopeful fabrication all on her own.)

In any case, she's asked her one stupid question for the moment. His answer to it soothes her more than she might have expected, just hearing him say aloud that he remembers her now, regardless of the past. ]

That's not so bad, [ she concedes finally, kindly, hoping to head off any regret on his part. ] I'd rather be part of a dream than be nothing at all.

[ Relieved as she is, she even emits the faintest breath of a laugh when his gesture brings her gaze down toward her hands. As if to satisfy a mutual curiosity, she turns one of them over, palm up. Their fine-boned shape is as it ever was, but there's a dusting of that textured skin there, too, even aside from where the webbing is. (That, and her normal skin's getting a little pruney; belatedly embarrassed, she lets her fingers curl shut after a beat or two.) ]

I'm trying something new, [ she claims, yet it's in that mild, carefully humorous tone she uses when they work together to lighten the mood. Fainter, ] ... Sort of.

[ This is one type of transformation she's had a little practice with, at least. But acknowledging that also means at least a nod to the elephant in the room, and on cue, Naminé's eyes shift from Link's face down to that peculiar new arm of his. They trace it briefly, without lingering, and yet-- there's a weight in that look, like there so often is in her attention. From there, she raises her gaze again to study his face, just for a moment. Then, ]

You're not quite the way I remember you, either. [ The question in her tone is subtle but perceptible, left to linger in the air without demanding response. Perhaps further to prevent him from feeling any such pressure, she notes a belated, ] I'm pretty sure I've never seen you do that trick with the bananas before.

[skyglider]

[There is something about her reaction, something he can't quite a finger on just yet, that makes him want to ask questions. Something about the slight hint of sadness in her expression, the relief in her face... Memories had been a talking point for them, before, he knows that much. What else he knows of her past is lacking, but he's not sure just yet how to ask. Maybe, in time, he'll figure it out.

For now, he remains crouched near the edge of the water, thoughtfully cupping his chin in one hand as they speak.]

I don't think you could be nothing. Or rather...I'm sure I'm not the only one here you've made an impact on.

[The details are still working themselves out, but-- that much he remembers with certainty. There are many people that he remembers, both close and distant. Naminé, he counts in the former category. Whatever her history with memories or being forgotten --being nothing at all, as she words it-- there is no denying that being here seems to afford the dreamers a different way of life.

His own state notwithstanding, he can't help a faint smile at her words and tone.]

Very adventurous. [He means that honestly, in spite of the smile. He certainly hasn't been up for that particular adventure...not right now, at least.

His expression changes as she points out the obvious; he lifts his head once again, holding his arm out a little bit, quiet and thoughtful. You're not quite the way I remember you...hm. Perhaps not. It's been some time, after all.]

No-- that's new. A lot has happened. It's a very clever trick, though.

[As if to prove the point, he uses the same ability to lift the package of cookies just a few inches off of the ground, nodding toward them.] ...Was that you, as well?

[lethechained]

[ If he's aware of it already, maybe there's only more evidence that she has some personal feelings about falling out of people's recollection in how she stills at his claim. Couldn't be nothing...

There's so much she hasn't told him, she realizes abruptly, eyes just a little a wider a beat before they fall. A subtle wryness touches her features, one that covers over quiet regret; despite herself, the corners of her mouth flicker up about the time her gaze finally lifts as well, somewhere between grateful and apologetic.

'You might be surprised, Link,' her face says. But her lips say, ]

Well... I do hope I've been able to do at least a little good here, after all this time.

[ That and being memorable, though, are not one and the same. She's not at all reluctant to leave that topic behind, however, and takes the opportunity to lift herself a bit higher against the rock. Her arms fold together to keep her steady, but the position isn't wholly comfortable. Still, she seems reluctant to pull herself onto the platform entirely... hm.

Though she nods at his assessment with a jovial hum, it doesn't take long for Naminé to sober as she watches his face change. 'A lot has happened,' he says, as her focus flickers over his features. It wasn't wholly a pleasant experience, she gathers, and so she doesn't ask for the details; they'll find their way to those later if need be, and to chase after them now feels tactless. Instead, she'll offer a gentle murmur of, ]

Impressive...!

[ as he lifts the cookies. His question, of course, is a valid one, and her tiny hesitation before answering suggests as much. Even so, she's not reluctant to admit, ]

... Mm. It was. [ But the sheepishness comes along in the wake of her, ] I made them for you, so... I thought that I should make sure you got them, whether you remembered me or not.

[ -- Ah? There must be a story behind that, surely; the cookies don't look like they've been sitting around for the weeks he was gone, at least. Her shoulders rise a smidge and her head sinks a little lower, like she might set it on her arms, though it doesn't go quite so far. Genuinely apologetic, ]

I didn't mean to frighten you...!

[skyglider]

[Would he be surprised? It's hard to say, but that definitely seems to be written on her face. Perhaps he should understand that more; there was a time, once, when he woke with no memories, having forgotten everything he had ever known. Every person, every event...even his own family. People forget, sometimes, for any number of reasons. Even he did, when he returned home. That is the nature of dreams.

... He does wish it could be otherwise, though.]

I'm sure that's the case.

[It has been for him, at least. Now that his memories of Songerein have begun to surface once more, it's clear just how much she's helped him in the past. Not just her, either -- he's surprised to recall just how many friends he's made. How many people here are important to him. He hopes that can still be a case, even in light of how things have changed.

His face changes at her words, eyebrows lifting a moment before he shakes his head.] Don't worry. You didn't. [But that does beg the question--] You...made them for me?

[Why do such a thing?]

[lethechained]

[ The brief hint of extra warmth in her expression at his vote of confidence ebbs away into hesitation after he echoes her other words. Tipping her head slightly, ]

It's... kind of a long story.

[ But one she owes him, she figures, and so she takes a beat to organize her thoughts. ]

A few days ago, I heard some of the people in town talking about a person who was living out in the woods. It-- sounded a lot like they were describing you, but... they seemed to think whoever it was didn't look so good.

[ You know it's bad when even the townsfolk think you're going through some stuff... ]

I was worried, but - none of them mentioned your name, or where the camp was. So since I was headed out of town to gather herbs for one of the shops anyway, I decided I would make some cookies to bring along, just in case I did happen to find you. Only, I... didn't see you, of course.

[ If she had, they'd probably have already had a similar conversation to this one. Having grown increasingly sheepish, Naminé admits, ]

... When I say it out loud, it sounds silly. But I guess-- no matter what the odds were, I wanted to be sure that I would have a way to help, even if it was only with something small.

[skyglider]

[... Oh. Oh.

That's-- slightly embarrassing, actually.

Link is aware of how news travels, even in Songerein, but he's been too preoccupied to think much on it or to wonder if he was being too...er, weird? Notable? Is there a charitable way to describe the way he's been acting...? He's starting to feel a little self-conscious about it, recently. Awkward, a little sheepish, he rubs the back of his neck.]

I...see.

[He's caught up in that embarrassment, for a moment, too much to give a proper response, which would be thank you. He is grateful, even while he's beginning to feel a little bit of regret from acting the way he was.]

You're very kind, Naminé.

[He means it both as an observation and as a way of saying thanks. That being said, he moves to a sitting position from where he was crouched on the ground, tilting his head.]

Would you like to share them with me?

[Doesn't have to be now, of course, but there's not a moment in this boy's entire life where he would ever turn down a snack break, so there's that.]

[lethechained]

[ As caught up as Naminé was in her own embarrassment, the notion that he might feel the same way hadn't occurred to her. Recognizing it for what it is when she spots it on his face, her eyes blink a little wider open, but-- what can she say, when she's perhaps said too much already? Mouth pursed, she watches him searchingly, still trying to determine whether there's some way to ease the sting of the realization that yes, he did catch some unwanted attention while lurking in the woods like a forest gremlin.

She's stumped, truthfully, and thinks this might be one of those incidents where time's the best medicine - and, quite possibly, some good old fashioned friendship. At Link's words of gratitude, the lass gives a narrow, bashful shake of her head, unconsciously sinking even lower past the edge of the rock. It doesn't feel quite right to accept thanks for flustering the poor guy, but she manages a weak smile. ]

Just-- trying to look out for you, that's all.

[ Well, add that one to her long list of blunt overexplanations that only made things worse.

Anyway, it's a relief that he provides a distraction himself, and a welcome one. Perking a little, the Nobody gives a tiny, 'oh!' and a sincere, ]

... Sure, Link. I'd like that.

[ It might, in fact, be somewhere in the 'best-case scenario' she would have imagined if she'd thought that far ahead. She's not inclined to turn him down, in any case, but... as she starts to consider the logistics, Naminé realizes she's not wild about the idea of trying to eat said cookies while bobbing in the sea clinging awkwardly to a rock. The alternative to that, though, is one she's thus far been avoiding.

For fear of seeming impersonal... no, she has to go through with it, doesn't she? He doesn't seem the type to fuss over something like a magic potion's-- interesting aesthetic decisions. Telling herself as much in different words, Naminé hesitates for a deep breath before carefully shifting her grip on the platform and, with a small effort, pulling herself up onto the edge of it.

The top half of her transformation was easy enough to imagine; it matches her arms and face, with hints of texture here and there but an otherwise humanoid shape (and the broad band of a modest swimsuit top.) The lower half, however...

Well, if there's a ladylike way to sit with tentacles instead of legs, Naminé's doing her level best to achieve it, strange appendages tucked mostly to one side with their long ends trailing down into the water. Clearing her throat, she's not entirely certain whether or not to address it, and regards Link carefully from the tops of her eyes for any sign of whether he's-- not noticed, perhaps, but noticed in a bad way.

She's... also going to hope she at least hasn't put him off his appetite. ]

[skyglider]

[If there's one thing Naminé needn't fear, it's putting Link off his appetite. In fact, if there's one thing that simply has not changed in the several years since their last meeting, it's the fact that he still will eat practically anything, and is going to do so at least once, consequences be damned.

... Which is not to say he has no reaction at all, of course. His mouth hangs open for a moment, but mostly because the last time he saw a sea creature with eight legs was when it was trying to kill him with a rock. Octoroks. They're a whole thing. Ah-- she probably doesn't know that, though. He'd better shut his mouth, he doesn't want her to feel self-conscious about it. (Does she already, though? Hm. He may be fretting over his reaction a little bit, now.)

Ahem. He tugs off his boots to put his feet in the water so they can sit more comfortably side-by-side. Then he unwraps the biscuits and puts the bag between them.]

... Did it hurt? [He blurts out the question before realizing he said it aloud and freezes, mid cookie-grab, as he notes what a wildly intrusive thing that is to ask.] Ah-- sorry. You don't have to answer that.

[It's not exactly that he's concerned, or anything. He doesn't seem afraid at all. It's just been on his mind lately, thanks to recent events and memories.]

[lethechained]

[ Surreptitiously peering at Link as she is, Naminé is quick to recognize the surprise on his face - and equally prompt turning her own head half away, so as not to be caught staring at him staring. It's only natural for him to have some kind of reaction, and as concerned as he might be about making her self-conscious, she's concerned about doing the same to him. It isn't his fault, after all, that she's found yet another way to not be a regular person correctly.

No matter how she might try not to show it, though, there's meaning in the subtle curve of her back, the slight hunch of her shoulders, as if she would prefer there be something else to hide behind aside from her own narrow arms. Hearing him shift, she finally chances another look, only to find Link settling down to sit next to her properly with a companionable air. Her attention follows his hand down toward the bag, and despite herself, she can feel some of the tension easing away.

Wordless acceptance is just as good as any other kind, in her book. Letting out a quiet breath of relief that she hopes he doesn't hear, she begins to reach for the bag, too - only for her fingers to freeze and then curl slightly when she stops short at his question. Looking up at him through his subsequent withdrawal of the inquiry, she takes a second to process the words with a quiet echo of, 'Hurt?'

Ah. Well, there's really only one thing he could mean. A few of the tentacles in question shift as she thinks of them, finding new purchase on the stone. She doesn't finish reaching into the bag, but-- her voice is only slightly embarrassed as she admits, ]

It does seem like it should have. But when I think about it, I don't remember it being painful at all.

[ A valid question, nevertheless. Cautiously, she offers the flicker of a smile, as if to negate his apology. ]

Mostly, it was just confusing. Being one way for most of your life, and then suddenly being totally different, it... [ She doesn't mean to look at that new arm of his, but when her eyes fall, they naturally find it before she can avoid doing so. ] ... Takes some getting used to, that's all.

[ She has the good sense not to let her gaze linger in any meaningful way, yet there's still just the tiniest hint of contrition in her expression when she lifts her face toward his again. ]

But if it makes you feel any better - you probably wouldn't look like me. [ If he decided to try the potion, that is. ] Almost everyone else seems to grow tails instead, like a fish or a dolphin.

[skyglider]

[Sorry, Namine, but Link does hear that small sigh. As for whether he acknowledges it, that's another story -- he doesn't, in fact. It seems they're both doing an excellent job of making one another feel awkward, even though neither of them wants it. It's hard, in a sense, figuring out how to be here again. He remembers so much about this place, the people here -- more and more as time goes on. But the adjustment is so much harder this time. More painful.

He makes a quiet hm sound at her words. It would be impossible for his mind not to go to other parallels, at this point, but he tries not to brood on them.]

If I'm remembering right... [he pauses there, going back through old memories: porcelain arms and cookie bodies.] ... That seems fairly on track for this place.

[It all seems so innocent, looking back, doesn't it? He had sort of just...gone along with it. They all had. He can't really express in words why it feels so much more personal right now; not without falling back into gloom, at least. Still, he sees flashes of it in his mind: a last gasp and a flash of light. Impossibly large eyes filled with tears.

He tears his mind away again, forcing himself to focus on her words.]

Tails? [Ah -- right. Sora had mentioned something like that, long ago. Would it really be the same for him? Would he be more like a Zora instead? A brief smile touches his expression.] That sounds like it'd be hard to get used to, as well.

[But...he's glad to hear it wasn't painful. That somehow makes sense for Songerein, as well. Absently, he bites into one of the biscuits.]

This-- is really good.

[He sounds a little surprised, despite himself. Perhaps it has something to do with the sudden burst of flavors interrupting his intrusive thoughts.]

[lethechained]

[ More focused on Link than the cookies, Naminé watches with a slightly tilted head as he sorts through his recollections, then offers a shallow but faintly smiling nod at his assessment. ]

Dreams do make a lot of things much easier.

[ Like substantial physical changes, for instance. Of course, there's plenty of implication to be taken from the fact that whatever's happened to him almost certainly didn't occur on the plane of sleep. Still, Naminé resists her curiosity enough not to pry, and instead pauses with a cookie newly clasped in hand to elaborate on her own words with a quiet murmur of, 'instead of legs,' just in case he was picturing something even stranger than your typical merperson. Sympathetically, ]

It looks that way. I've seen a few people struggling, but... there's only so much someone like me can do to help.

[ Since she doesn't actually have personal experience with a tail, and the secondhand kind only goes so far.

Naminé's partway through taking her own first bite of the snack when Link reacts to the flavor, which-- prompts her first to perk, then to realize she oughtn't talk with her mouth full, and then to proceed to spend a few seconds crunching her way through that bite with her splayed fingers covering her mouth before she dares to speak. ]

I learned the recipe from a dear friend. [ She's flattered in her own shy way, but giving credit where it's due does help her recover somewhat. ] I guess I have had a lot of practice with it by now, so maybe it's just that I've finally managed to do it right.

[ Kind of a relief, honestly; it would have been a shame if the cookies were disappointing after she was lucky enough to catch up with Link. As that sentiment crosses her mind, though, Naminé comes to another realization. ]

By the way, what... brought you so far out here all by yourself? Did I interrupt something important?

[skyglider]

[He tries with some earnesty to return the smile, but it's difficult. Knowing the nature of this place, knowing what he's left behind, trying to sit with the knowledge working its way through his mind...easier is not the way he would describe the way this place has made things, at least for right now. Truth be told, he might have had an easier time working through it all at home. He is in no way ready to face the Demon King, not without the Master Sword, but...at least he could work toward something at home.

... That said, perhaps she's right, at least about physical changes.]

It may be the sort of thing people have to work through themselves.

[There is something to be said for experience, after all. It was the same for him, with the strange powers from his arm -- Rauru could have explained everything in detail for him, but he wouldn't have understood it without actually doing it.

Link absently pulls another of the confections from the bag. He pauses at her question, feeling a guilty flush of faint redness color his ears and cheeks.]

Not as such, no. [At least when it comes to the idea of an interruption. Truth is, he's not entirely sure how to accomplish what he was working on.] The sirens... If I remember right, I'm the one who stole their bananas. [Well, him and Percy, but. Details.] I was trying to replace them.

[He gestures to the pile of banana bunches nearby. He certainly has a lot of them.]

[lethechained]

[ Naminé's not unaware of his preoccupation - of the sense that he's got a lot on his mind. It differs from his typical level of rumination in a few ways, but the weakness of his smile is perhaps one of the most obvious. Still, it was never a hard guess that he's been through a lot since last they met; she does her best to smile back that much more completely, to help make up some of the difference. If he wants to talk about it, he will, she assumes, and in the meantime-- ]

I think so, too. There's no replacement for experience.

[ Which is a concept she's been all too familiar with for most of her life. Halfway through another bite of her first cookie - she's been taking her time with it, it seems - Naminé pauses at his pause, eyes darting briefly over the change in Link's complexion. She's baffled by it at first, but when he explains... ]

You--?

[ Her tone is surprised indeed, and she lowers her remaining chunk of cookie without actually having bitten off any part of it. The treat lingers forgotten for the moment in the clasp of her uncertain fingers as she peers at her companion, delicate brow immediately pinching together in concern. ]

But... why? You don't seem like someone who would start trouble for no reason.

[ ... On purpose, anyway. And it has sounded to her like quite a bit of trouble indeed, going by what she's heard in passing. ]

[skyglider]

[Ah-- he can hear the surprise in her voice, and for a moment, he guiltily wonders if perhaps her opinion of him is somewhat too high. It's certainly not the first time he's started trouble, and he can't even say he's never done it for no reason. Curiosity means that sometimes, you do things just to see what happens. He is certainly guilty of that.

... Very guilty, at times.

But on this occasion, she's right, and it shows in the sheepishness of his expression. He shifts a bit, frowning guiltily as he rolls the biscuit between his fingers.]

It...wasn't on purpose. They were in a chest in the ocean.

[What kind of protag can resist a treasure chest? None. None whatsoever.]

But-- I do tend to take things I find like that.

[After all, that's a good part of how he's survived this long: borrowed clothes and scavenged items. He thought very little of it. Even now, he's not certain he'd say he's "learned his lesson" or anything of the sort.]

[lethechained]

[ There's no question that she thinks highly of him, really - if her words hadn't stated as much clearly, then there'd still be the fact she's taken pains to aid him whenever she can. Perhaps she might even have a few words to offer on the subject if he spoke his misgivings aloud; after all, there's curiosity and then there's malice...

The latter of the two is the one more offensive to her, and the more troublesome to try to fit into her own mental image of Link's personality. It doesn't become any easier, of course, when he looks so contrite about the whole thing, which prompts an expectant, searching sort of look from his companion. It seems the whole matter not being on purpose was excuse enough for her, judging by the slight fall of her shoulders and the way she sits back again a little after he says it. ]

Just... in a chest all by themselves?

[ Why not some kind of food storage device instead? ... What do they even use for that underwater, anyhow? There are a lot of questions that pop up in her mind logistically, but-- ]

Well, I suppose they might not have pantries or baskets. Still, that is a pretty strange place to leave food lying around.

[ Stranger, perhaps, to then take said food from it, but... she'll give Link the benefit of the doubt, she figures, after a considering look at him. ]

So I can see why you might not have thought anything of it. [ Settling slightly, she finally shifts her grip on the remainder of her cookie again, evidently intending to finish it off. Before she does, though, she admits a faintly sheepish, ] You're-- actually not the only person I know who tends to pick things up wherever they go.

[skyglider]

[It's strange, trying to think back to the whole affair after this long. Songerein had seemed like a long-ago dream, when he returned to Hyrule, and so much had happened since then...it may have only been four years, but those four years were so busy and eventful that it feels like much longer. The version of him that sailed the ocean with Percy and the others...almost feels like a different person, sometimes.

But he manages a lopsided smile at the question -- at the incredulous tone of her voice.]

All by themselves. Under the water.

[Strange, right? Very strange. Oddly, it's not the first time he's found food in a chest, but...the circumstances were bizarre. And alarming, too, if he remembers right. He had spent a while looking over his shoulder for Yiga agents afterward.

His smile only grows at her admission. He's never been self-conscious about any of this, but it's still nice to know he's not the only one.]

It's hard to resist, when you find useful things. [He picks up another bunch of bananas and puts it beside the edge of the water. Maybe the sirens will be appeased by the offering, even if they don't take it immediately.] ... I've been stranded with no clothes or weapons more times than I can count. Taking what you can is the only way to survive, when that happens.

[No matter how it sounds, he seems to speak of it almost fondly. Scavenging for survival has never been a problem for him -- in some ways, it's like a puzzle to solve. He likes puzzles.]

[lethechained]

[ Even knowing he must have been gone longer than it seemed from Reverein's perspective, Naminé finds she only sees the differences in bits and pieces - never quite sure whether they're real changes or simply things she'd never learned about Link before. Her eyes, therefore, are curious, searching as she regards him; yet he doesn't feel like someone else entirely, and her gaze is as kind as ever as she gives a hum of thoughtful acknowledgement.

Leaving the bananas unguarded like that, it almost sounds like it a trap for eager adventurers-- though any such thoughts fall by the wayside as she watches Link set the bananas he's brought near the edge of their platform. She considers briefly whether she ought to offer assistance of some kind, but decides it can wait, at least for the moment.

Whatever she'd meant to say, though, gets usurped by his hint of what sounds like a long story. Her confusion is so abrupt and palpable that not only do her fair brows jump, a few of her tentacles follow suit, rolling briefly to new purchase on the rock. (Any resemble to a literal question marks is purely coincidental.) Her baffled silence lasts a moment before she gets the better of her failed attempt to imagine any scenario in which that type of predicament would be so regular an occurrence. ]

You must have heard this before now, [ she starts, looking bemused, ] ... but it sounds like you've had a very interesting life, Link.

[ Even for a hero. She's not sure she wants to ask, but-- her wondering does finally win out after a beat of hesitation. ]

How-- exactly do you keep losing your clothes?

[ Weapons she can understand - not everyone's lucky enough to have the sort that bind to one's soul and appear at their will - but clothing? ]

[skyglider]

[Link has never seen a mer-creature before -- or perhaps it would be more accurate to say he had never seen one before this place. The Zora were different, fairly humanoid for an aquatic race. So he watches Naminé's movements with interest, trying not to look as amused as he feels when one of the tentacles really does begin to resemble a question mark. She's already self-conscious about her appearance, and he certainly doesn't want to make her uncomfortable. Or more uncomfortable, as the case may be.

An interesting life. That can be a good or bad thing. In Reverein, "interesting" was always...somewhat fun, at least for him. In Hyrule, he would have easily taken a boring life over the interesting that things have become recently.

...

He sets that aside for now.]

That's a good question, [said somewhat drily.] I wasn't often awake for it...

[... wait, that sounds bad-- he blanches a bitand rubs the back of his neck.]

--That is, when I was injured. I sort of woke up that way afterwards. I was on my own, so I had to scavenge.

[This is one of those if I had a blue rupee situations, isn't it? If he had a blue rupee for every time he woke up in his underwear after being injured...he'd have two, but it's weird that it happened twice.]

[lethechained]

[ If Naminé takes note of him taking note of one of the many emergent peculiarities of her current state, it doesn't show on her face. She's far more occupied looking at Link with a curious perplexity - one which becomes increasingly concerned as he explains that this repeated loss of clothing has happened without his awareness. She's just leaning back in surprise with a parting of her lips to speak when he amends it, which deflates some of her reaction. ]

Ah-- oh.

[ Well, that does present a whole new set of strange variables to consider. Sinking back down slightly, Naminé tips her head one way, then the other. ]

Then... maybe you were robbed. Or-- someone took care of you, but didn't stay to wait for you to wake up. But then - if they wanted to help, why would they take your...?

[ Yeesh. Her head's starting to hurt trying to make sense of all this, and Naminé curls a hand unconsciously over the damp strands of her hair, still placed atop her shoulder as they usually are. With a sigh, she tries a weak, ]

It's not too cold where you come from, is it?

[ Because she can't think of any other reason why people would be so dedicated to stealing clothing. ]