This is hardly his first time coming to the surface and it likely won't be his last. Sometimes he likes to sit at the end of the wharf in his natural form and soak up all of the attention from the humans getting to see a seal up close. The cooing and the delighted squeals, some humans clamouring to find fish to throw to him. Eventually the attention would get to be too much for him and he'd slip back into the water, or some important seeming human with an authoritative voice would come along to shoo people away from the seal. When the beach is a little quieter, sometimes he'll pull himself up onto the sand just to get some sun. And of course there are times when he finds a secluded spot where he can shed his pelt and hang out among the humans as one of them.
Rarely, though, does he venture too far beyond the beach. He thinks of himself as brave, but not that brave. He normally likes to stay close to the water, close to where he's hidden his pelt. Every so often, he'll venture toward the buildings just at the edge of the beach, watch humans walk into them empty-handed and walk around with all of these nice looking items and delicious smelling foods. He's never gotten up the courage to go inside though. But he did cross the street before. Twice! It was absolutely terrifying! He spent days excitedly telling his friends about it.
Today, he once again finds himself a nice, secluded spot where no one will notice him so he can pull off his pelt and spend some time as a human. Today, he ventures toward those buildings again, the ones that he saw all of those humans wandering into. He still doesn't make it inside, though. There's a delicious smell coming from somewhere outside this time! He trots down the sidewalk a little way, following the scent to a human with a metal stand that has all of this great smelling foods on it. Aqua watches a few humans walk up, give the food stand human something and then leave with something delicious smelling. Oh he can do that!!
Aqua walks up to the food human and holds out a rock he found on the beach. It's a very nice rock! It's the same grey as his fur and it's got a pretty shimmery bit running through it. He was going to show it to some of his herd but he doesn't mind giving it to the human. "Can I try one?" he asks, still holding out the rock with one hand, and pointing to some of the food with the other.
The gentleman running the food cart looks down at the rock and then back at Aqua. "You can buy it."
Aqua, too, looks down at the rock in his hand. "I don't understand. Is it like trading?" He knows trade. He's traded before! And he's pretty sure it's what he saw the humans doing before he approached the food man.
"If you mean trading money for goods and services, then yes. But I only accept money."
All the man gets for his trouble is Aqua tearing his eyes away from the rock he's holding to blink in confusion at the man. Honestly, his whole face is just the picture of befuddlement.
"...do you have any money, son?"
Aqua smiles brightly because that's something he understands (mostly) and a question he knows the answer to. He shakes his head enthusiastically. "No!"
"Then you can't try any."
"Okay!" Aqua happily pulls his rock back, excited that he gets to keep it, but now what? He turns away from the food and steps aside, getting out of the way of the people behind him. Does all the human food require money? Normally he just catches it for himself or looks cute and waits for humans to give it to him. He's never really spent enough time on the surface in his human form to worry about having to eat here. "What do I do about food now? Should I just go back?" Or take it from the human without giving him the money he wants? What happens if he does that?
Myca, on the other hand, isn’t brave enough to get too close to the sea. It calls to him endlessly and he fears that so much as one lap of seawater against his bare feet will lure him back to long abandoned home. It isn’t that he doesn’t love his home. It’s the memory of watching everyone who tried to love him drown that makes him melancholy about it. It’s what prompted him to leave and live among humans on the land.
Years later, he still wanders to the beach now and then. The song of the sea calls to him, but her voice is soothing, too. So familiar, so pleasant after the din of traffic, the vibrations of human machines, the hum of their electricity, their constant talking on the streets around him. Of course he misses home, but he dare not go back.
And his years on land have been lonely ones. It’s his voice that drives them mad, so when Myca left the ocean, he vowed to never speak again. He didn’t realize how difficult it would be to create friendships without speaking. Under the waves, there were other ways to communicate; ways that seem to be absent here. OR maybe these people are too involved in their own thoughts to read the subtleties of expression and body language.
In spite of his worries, Myca likes spending his evenings at the beach. He likes listening to the water lap at the sand, to the children laughing and cheering when the waves chase them, the splashing. It’s a small but definite happiness that helps the dark memories that drove him to land. He’s less lonely there, surrounded by people who seem to be so carefree, at least for the moment.
He likes the little shops and the whole ecosystem that’s sprung up around it. Humans keep their shops at a respectful distance lest the sea swallow them up. They keep their more irksome noises (traffic) away from the water. But the shops are filled with shiny baubles and keepsakes to remind the humans of their day in the sun and sand.
And the food!
Myca happens to be a few people behind Aqua in the line. The strange exchange told him volumes. This boy wasn’t from the land either. He didn’t understand the way humans bought and sold things (everything!) for paper and metal deemed to have value. A strange thing, but one that Myca learned to adapt to. So, when his turn comes, he orders two. And while the selkie is pondering his next move beside the food cart, Myca gently taps his shoulder and holds out the food he bought for Aqua.
The human's sounds are quite irksome. And a little scary. Actually a lot scary. Their city is so loud and it makes so many noises that he's still so unfamiliar with. Constant hums and sudden loud noises. And the sounds are so much sharper up here than they are in the water. Everything has a much softer quality to it down there. If he's going to be spending any extended amount of time up here, he's going to have to get used to it. If he's going to venture any further into the city, he's going to have to get used to it. Right here, he still has the sounds of the ocean to comfort him and make him feel safe. The further into the city he ventures, the more he loses that. The further into the city he ventures, the more its sounds will press down around him. Its sounds and the unfamiliar smells (though at least he can mostly carry the ocean's smells with him. Even in this form, the scent of salt water and fish cling to him). But he wants to explore. He wants to go further into the city and see all the things it has to offer. He wants to be the brave little selkie. And that means having to leave his comfort zone and just deal with all of the scary sounds and strange smells.
Lost in thought about what to do next, Aqua jumps when Myca taps him on the shoulder and he spins around to see whose way he's he gotten into or something. The stranger (who doesn't seem to be upset that Aqua is just standing here sort of in the way or isn't trying to push past him or... whatever else) is greeted with the same confused blinking that the food man had just gotten moments before. His eyes drop to the food in Myca's outstretched hand and then points to himself. "For me?" he asks, then takes the food without giving Myca a chance to give any sort of response, pressing the nice rock that he'd offered to the food man into Myca's now empty hand. "For you." See? He knows about trade.
The only response is a nod of affirmation. He doesn't expect anything in return, but when Aqua presses the rock into his hand, he doesn't resist it. He wants to, but he doesn't. It's a nice rock and he'll find an excuse at some point to give it back. But while it's in his possession, he'll take very good care of it.
Myca gently tucks the rock into the messenger bag he carries, making sure it would be safe until he returned home (or returned it to Aqua).
Trading is a familiar thing from his life under the sea. Even the sirens would collect lovely shells and trinkets they recovered from those who dashed themselves against their rocks for trade. Not every creature under the waves spends all its waking hours on the hunt. Some kept dens they wanted to make pretty.
Offering the sea creature a gentle smile, Myca gestures with his now free hand to invite Aqua to walk with him. If he wants to, of course. It's already somewhat pleasant to be in the presence of something with the familiar behaviors and scents of Myca's home.
And Aqua will find every excuse to not take it back. It's Myca's rock now. Granted, that also means it's Myca's rock to give away as he pleases, but Aqua is an off limits recipient. He would only take it back if he could return what he received for it, and in about three minutes, that will no longer be possible. Technically it's already no longer possible, simply because Aqua doesn't want to return the food. It smells really good and unlike anything he's ever eaten before. Even in his previous visits to the surface, he's never had any of the human's food. Smelled it plenty, especially when people would bring their food to the beach, but he's never tried it himself. Anytime he got hungry, he'd just slip back into the ocean. Simple.
But now! Oh no, he's not giving this back.
Aqua holds the food delicately in both of his hands and lifts it up to smell it more closely. It really does smell delicious. He looks over at the stranger and quickly nods his head (he'll walk with... his new friend?) before letting himself get too distracted by the food. Once he's agreed, he finally allows himself a bite of food. The first thing he does is wrinkle his nose. It's not done in disgust or anything but it's much different than he expected. He's used to fish and mollusks and things like that. This texture is... very different. It also tastes very strongly! Both are very good, he just wasn't ready for it. It caught him off guard. He's quick to take a second bite. He could definitely get used to human food if it's all like this.
"My name is... mmm..." What was it he called himself on land again? "Oh! My name is Aqua! It's nice, right?" He picked it himself.
It took a while for Myca to adjust to human food. Some myths and legends say they're divine and need not eat to survive. Others say they devoured those lured by their songs. The truth is neither. They're omnivores who mostly scavenge. Did they lure humans to them for the purpose of eating them? No. Did they eat them after they died? Absolutely.
While Aqua's a fellow marine creature, Myca didn't dare speak to him. He didn't know if his voice could drive Aqua mad while on land. Plus, there are so many humans around. It's a risk he won't take. So, instead, he lifts his chin slightly and taps his fingers to his throat to indicate he can't speak. Then, he pulls his mobile phone from his pocket and types out: My name is Myca. The phone then articulates it.
For the moment, the food in Aqua's hands is all but forgotten once Myca pulls out his phone. He's seen humans on this beach with them but he's never been brave enough to walk up to one of them and ask what it was. They spoke into it and tapped their fingers against it. Sometimes voices came out of it, sometimes music, sometimes a strange mix of sounds that made no sense to Aqua. He's seen both the adult humans and their pups seemingly entranced by the little rectangle. He did find one in the water once, but it didn't do anything when he touched it. Maybe it was because of his lack of human fingers, since he doesn't have those when he's in the water. Did it know he wasn't human?! Amazing.
"Myca," he repeats thoughtfully. It sounds nice. He likes it. He shifts the food so it's only in one hand, allowing him to point to Myca's phone with the other. "So that talks for you? Wow."
It could also be that these magical rectangles aren't very resistant to exposure to water. They've gotten better over the years, but if someone loses their phone in the water, it's not long for this world in terms of function. And there's the fact that Aqua doesn't have prehensile limbs in his seal form. That certainly makes using a mobile phone more difficult.
Myca's smile brightens when his new friend isn't immediately put off communicating in this manner. He nods in answer to the question, then slowly types (since he's doing it one-handed since he still has food, too): Are you familiar with this device? I can teach you about it, if not.
Aqua touched the rectangle with his nose but it didn't light up the way Myca's seems to. Humans don't touch their with their noses though and he couldn't really maneuver himself properly to get a flipper on it, so he assumes his lack of human fingers really was his downfall. It was actually the sea water. Turns out salt water is really bad for cell phones!
Myca's smile brings out another equally bright smile from the selkie. He's not at all pull off by Myca communicating in this way because he just assumes this is how he speaks! So are the voices that he heard coming from the rectangles others using them to speak as well? Oh that's neat. He leans a little closer as Myca taps on the device, unsure of what his new friend is doing and unsure of what he's even seeing. It's interesting though! Aqua shakes his head when the rectangle speaks. "No. I mean, I've seen them before, but I don't know what they are or what they do."
Myca takes a quick bite of his food before clumsily typing with his other hand. He explains that it's called a phone and it's used to communicate in various ways. You can talk to someone across the world, you can type messages for them to read, you can see each other as if you were face-to-face. It also doubles as a way to access information and entertainment like games. While explaining, Myca shows Aqua some examples: opens an internet browser, shows up a couple of puzzle games.
After watching and listening as Myca goes through his explanation of the weird little rectangle, he holds his empty hand out, palm up, in a silent offer to allow Myca to put his food in Aqua's hand. He can hold it so Myca can more easily tap on the rectangle. His phone. What a strange word. As though all human words don't have at least a little bit of strangeness to them. But a good sort of strangeness. The sort that makes him want to hear more. He wants to keep listening to human speech and learning words that are unfamiliar to him. Like phone! He even silently mouths the word a few times, trying to get a feel for how his mouth moves when he says it. Weird.
Aqua shoves the last of his food into his mouth, then holds out his second hand next to the first, allowing for more surface area for Myca to put his food down on should he so choose. "Does it help other people speak too?" he asks around the food in his mouth, his words a little muffled. "I've heard it-" He stops to chew and swallow his food. "I've heard it speak in other voices too. Or is that the talking across the world part? Are those other human's voices or do those voices belong to the people holding the rectangle? I mean phone. Though I do see them speaking back to the rect- phone sometimes. Would that be them talking to people who're far away?" Excuse the incessant questioning. He's really trying to understand.
There's no need to excuse the questions. When Myca was new to the world above the waves, he wishes someone could have explained things to him. It was even harder to get answers because he doesn't speak. Being unable to give voice to questions left him having to learn much on his own. So, he doesn't mind being able to help someone else. There's a lot of mysteries in the human world, after all!
Ah, Myca brightens a little when he realizes what Aqua's doing. He hands over his food so he can type his replies more quickly. Most times, it's probably another human they're talking to. Normally, he would've said 'person,' but he's trying to mimic the language Aqua uses. Perhaps trying to convey that he also isn't human.
It's hard to imagine the difficulties Myca would've faced with his inability to really communicate with people effectively. He doesn't yet know that Myca had to learn about the whole human world on his own, but even the smallest of things have an added difficulty when there's such a huge language barrier. He doesn't think Myca is human but that's not an assumption he really wants to make. If Myca is human, then asking him if he's something else could potentially point toward Aqua, himself, being something other than human. Sure, he's not really doing much to hide the fact that he isn't human, but he's not trying to advertise it either. He just doesn't know how this place operates and what words to use to make himself fit in. He should've paid more attention those few other times he's come to the surface. He should've listened closer and watched what they did. But it seems he has Myca to help him with that, at least.
Aqua keeps his hands as flat as he can and walks especially carefully when Myca hands over his precious food. Myca is trusting him with this and he will protect it as best he can. Which also means staring at the food as he walks, glancing away periodically just to make sure he's not going to walk into anyone or anything. "Oh! Oh that makes sense. That's probably why I keep hearing so many voices coming from the phone. They're talking to other humans." It doesn't escape Aqua's notice that Myca refers to them as 'human' as well instead of 'person'. Aqua knows that 'person' and 'people' is what they call each other but he doesn't like using it (even if it is probably a word that would help him to fit in. But is it really that strange of a world for him to use? He doesn't think so). He's not one of them and it sort of feels like a word that's not his to use. It would be like hearing humans calling him by what he and the rest of his herd call themselves instead of humans just saying 'seal' (or 'selkie' if they know a little too much). It's not right. Is that why Myca is referring to them that way too?
Yes, it's dangerous for non-human creatures to advertise that they are, in fact, not human. Myca hasn't experienced it much personally as he's done all he can to blend in among humans: contacts to hide his inhuman eyes, high collars and hairstyles to mask his gills. They gills he knew to hide right away. His eyes took longer. But he fits in at a glance now and that's what matters.
They communicate that way often. Sometimes they live very far apart and that's the only way they can communicate.
He couldn't imagine that for himself. He, a thing without a voice. Or rather, a thing with a dangerous voice. Even these very modern people in little peril of being lured by a siren's call still reference it. He's heard and read it.
Myca does pass for human at a glance. He's certainly making Aqua question whether he's really understanding human or something else entirely. Which is actually a little difficult to deal with for the selkie. He wants to be able to ask more pointed questions, or make certain comments but without knowing a little more about Myca, he can't. And maybe Myca is thinking the same of him. Appearance-wise, Aqua has never had an issue passing for human. To look at him, most would think that's exactly what he is. It's in speaking to him where things start to fall apart a little. People wouldn't necessarily peg him as something different, but they'd likely see him as rather strange. Gaps in his knowledge where there shouldn't be and the like. But Myca doesn't seem to mind. He's been very helpful without question and is working around the things that Aqua doesn't know.
Human or not, maybe they're both just a little odd.
Aqua wrinkles his nose at Myca's response. "Why would they live so far apart?" He lives with everyone he knows and can't imagine it any other way. Even now with him on the surface, his loved ones aren't that far away. He always knew things were different up here, but he didn't know they were that different. Living far enough away from your people to need to talk to them on one of those phones. It sounds lonely.
"No, I just-" Pulled himself out of the ocean to temporarily join human society to see what all the fuss is about. He shakes his head. "No, I don't have one. Where do they come from?"
It's been hard for Myca living away from his sisters. There are times, very late at night when the beach is quiet, that he swears he can hear them singing in the distance. Do they miss him? Did they mourn him? Do they think him dead? He wonders sometimes. And sometimes, he knows it's just his imagination that brings those familiar voices to the shore with the waves.
If you're going to spend any significant amount of time on land, we should get one for you.
He could at least let Myca know when he's visiting. It could be something similar to what the siren has: one of those pay as you go deals.
Aqua nods his head enthusiastically. They're very strange indeed. He's been gone only a short while and he already desperately wants to go back and surround himself with his loved ones. He would never dream of living so far from them that he'd need some kind of weird device just to hear their voices. This isn't even the longest he's been out of the ocean but he already longs to go back. Maybe it's all this talk of such long distances between humans that's putting that intense feeling in him.
Suddenly, Aqua stops walking and turns toward the ocean. He should steer Myca away from thinking he's not something that lives on land to keep up the charade that he might be human for as long as possible, but that's not really the part of Myca's statement that Aqua really latched on to. It's the 'significant amount of time' part that really got him. He's never been away from home for very long before. Should he just call this off? Exploration and adventure over?
Aqua shakes away the thoughts and turns his attention back to Myca. "What would I use it for? Everyone I know is nearby."
A warm smile touches his lips. Humans are very strange mammals. That's very true. Somewhere along the lines in their evolution, they seemed to have lost (or suppressed?) their need to be communal animals. So strange. But also interesting!
If you wanted to see me again. You could use it to let me know when you're at the beach.
Edited (small typo) 2024-07-28 21:00 (UTC)
every time you mention typo, i go back to the original notif in my inbox and look for it LMFAO
They live far away from their loved ones, yet they often gather in groups. Whenever Aqua has seen fit to pull himself ashore, or whenever he's poked his head above the surface of the water and looked toward the beach, he's so rarely seen humans sitting alone. There's the odd one dotted here and there, but mostly it's groups large and small.
Living alone but coming together as groups for other tasks. Strange creatures. Aqua doesn't get it. He doesn't really want to get it either.
"I do want to see you again!" He's been so nice. And interesting and helpful and not at all put off or judgmental about Aqua stumbling his way through the strange, human way of doing things. Whether he knows he's being non-judgmental with something not human or not (though he suspects that Myca knows... something). "So you can show me where to get one?"
They are very different from the sorts of creatures Myca's always been around. Perhaps that makes his loneliness sharper. Perhaps that's what makes him so eager to make this new friend, who smells like sea salt and acts so new to life above the waves. Maybe Myca's projecting something he misses onto Aqua, but... maybe he's not wrong that he's something other than human.
It will cost human money. But we can trade for it. I will get it for you today if you promise to tell me whenever you visit this beach.
having a way to check the answer after i've gone hunting for the typo would not be unwelcome!! LMFAO
Maybe Myca is simply projecting something he misses onto Aqua. Maybe Aqua is nothing more than a strange young man that lead an incredibly sheltered life. Sheltered enough that he knows virtually nothing of the world around him. Or maybe he's not wrong, and Aqua really is something other than human. It could simply be that Aqua is, indeed, a creature who just crawled out of the ocean. Something here to unknowingly help ward off just a bit of Myca's loneliness.
When Myca calls money 'human money', Aqua practically vibrates. He wants so badly to ask Myca if he's also something other than human. Maybe he's a selkie too and they don't need to hide it from each other. But it's dangerous to ask those kinds of questions. They risk outing someone who doesn't want to be outed. They risk outing Aqua too.
"I promise. I promise to tell you every single time I'm at the beach. And I can bring you beautiful rocks and seashells and I'm really good at catching fish if you like those and, um, I don't know what else. But please can I have one of those phones?" As though Myca didn't already say he would do it based on a single condition that Aqua quickly agreed to.
Myca laughs silently at Aqua's enthusiasm. The little selkie is absolutely adorable. Not unlike how Myca was when he first came to shore. It's admirable for anything who lives in the sea to swallow back its natural fears to explore the land.
I like all of those things very much. But you're never obligated to bring me anything.
You'll need a safe, dry place for your phone. It don't work if it gets wets.
It's terrifying and exciting, being on land and venturing further in than just the beach. Striking out on his own (as though he isn't still close enough to take a few dozen steps and bury his feet in the sand, or take a few dozen more and jump into the ocean) and being so brave. There's so many new sights and sounds and smells and it's all so overwhelming and it would be so easy to run back into the ocean but his curiosity is winning out over everything else.
It's hard to explain just how big of a difference it is, especially given he's been on land before. But he was always here as a seal. He rarely shed his pelt and walked around as a human, and even on the occasions that he did, it was always still at the water's edge, hovering near where he'd hidden his pelt. If only he knew that Myca understood.
"No I want to! I want you bring you things. You're doing something really nice for me and I want to do something nice for you too. Lots of nice things." He blinks curiously a Myca, and then nods his head enthusiastically. "I have a safe, dry place! It won't get wet at all. I'll take really good care of it, I promise."
Edited (thought of a little more to add right after i sent it lmao oops ) 2024-11-02 12:59 (UTC)
If anyone could understand, it might be someone like Myca. Someone who also left the sea for land. Though, unlike Aqua, he's not here just for a day to explore. No, Myca can never go back to the sea. It calls to him, his sisters call to him. But he knows if he gets too close, he'll never be able to resist going back out to sea with the tide... and watching everyone who tries to love him die.
So maybe he doesn't understand how different the world even just some steps from the beach feels for Aqua. Myca knew he'd never go back, that he was leaving one home to make another.
Okay. As long as you know you don't have to bring me things. I'll accept anything you give me.
Treasure them, even. Because chances are anything Aqua brings him will come from the sea. Their beloved sea.
There's a shop just across the street we can get a phone from. Will you come with me?
Someone who understands, but doesn't quite understand. Someone whose situation is the same but vastly different. Their similarities practically overlap, but their differences are quite significant. Myca purposefully banished himself to a life on land and Aqua will slip back under the waves tonight. Or tomorrow. Or two days from now. Whenever it is that he misses his true home, he can go back. Whenever it is that things on land get to be a little too overwhelming for him, he'll simply go back to the ocean.
Aqua is a guest and Myca is home.
"Don't worry. I know I don't have to." Everything Aqua brings will be from the ocean. As lovely as things on land have been, nothing compares to the ocean. Nothing at all can compare to the beautiful, wondrous things from there. And Aqua's sweet new friend deserves the most beautiful things Aqua can find for him.
At the mention of the street (a word he's familiar enough with. He's heard humans talking about it and saw them pointing to it even just today), Aqua turns to look at it. And more importantly, at the vehicles moving up and down it. The street is close enough to one of his favourite beaches that the sounds no longer startle him quite so much (minus the loud honking noises they make. That still gets him) but he doesn't like the idea of going out there with the cars. That seems dangerous, and a little terrifying.
Aqua follows Myca's hand, looking toward the crosswalk and his eyes grow wide and he quickly shakes his head. That looks no more safe that crossing right where they are. There are still cars driving up and down the street there too. He doesn't understand how that spot is supposed to be any safer. Even as he shakes his head though, he reaches out to grab Myca's hand.
Typing on his phone becomes a little harder with one hand, but he manages. There's a signal that will make it safe for us to cross. The cars will stop.
Aqua squeeze Myca's hand tightly and wraps his arm around the arm of his friend. Even with Myca's reassurance, he clearly doesn't feel all that great about this crossing the street thing. He trusts Myca to not lead him astray (it helps that anything that happens to Aqua upon crossing would happen to Myca too, given the way the selkie is wrapping himself around him. An unintentional way of assuring his own safety) but he's still nervous about it. "The signal makes them stop? Are you sure?"
He's lived on land for a while, so he's no longer afraid of everyday things like traffic and crossing streets. It wasn't always that way. And, unlike Aqua, Myca didn't have anyone to help him.
Aqua looks toward the traffic lights then at the traffic itself. His eyes are wide and his face pales as he watches all of the vehicles pass. They're loud and fast! And they're so big. How could they possibly stop in time to keep from hitting him and Myca, even with the light that makes them stop? And how does it make them stop? He steps in closer to Myca, pressing tightly against his side. Despite his fears, despite all of his questions, he nods his head.
Watch the light across from us. It's red now to tell us it's unsafe to walk across. But when it turns green, the cars will stop and we'll be safe to cross.
And, of course, Myca will be there to guide him across. To check to make sure the cars have stopped before he steps them out into the street. In just a moment more, the traffic begins to slow and does, in fact, come to a halt. Just in time for the crossing signal Myca indicated to turn green and beep for them to cross. Myca checked the traffic in both directions, then stepped out, nudging Aqua to come along with him.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
adventicius) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
marothius2024-06-14 04:07 am
no subject
Rarely, though, does he venture too far beyond the beach. He thinks of himself as brave, but not that brave. He normally likes to stay close to the water, close to where he's hidden his pelt. Every so often, he'll venture toward the buildings just at the edge of the beach, watch humans walk into them empty-handed and walk around with all of these nice looking items and delicious smelling foods. He's never gotten up the courage to go inside though. But he did cross the street before. Twice! It was absolutely terrifying! He spent days excitedly telling his friends about it.
Today, he once again finds himself a nice, secluded spot where no one will notice him so he can pull off his pelt and spend some time as a human. Today, he ventures toward those buildings again, the ones that he saw all of those humans wandering into. He still doesn't make it inside, though. There's a delicious smell coming from somewhere outside this time! He trots down the sidewalk a little way, following the scent to a human with a metal stand that has all of this great smelling foods on it. Aqua watches a few humans walk up, give the food stand human something and then leave with something delicious smelling. Oh he can do that!!
Aqua walks up to the food human and holds out a rock he found on the beach. It's a very nice rock! It's the same grey as his fur and it's got a pretty shimmery bit running through it. He was going to show it to some of his herd but he doesn't mind giving it to the human. "Can I try one?" he asks, still holding out the rock with one hand, and pointing to some of the food with the other.
The gentleman running the food cart looks down at the rock and then back at Aqua. "You can buy it."
Aqua, too, looks down at the rock in his hand. "I don't understand. Is it like trading?" He knows trade. He's traded before! And he's pretty sure it's what he saw the humans doing before he approached the food man.
"If you mean trading money for goods and services, then yes. But I only accept money."
All the man gets for his trouble is Aqua tearing his eyes away from the rock he's holding to blink in confusion at the man. Honestly, his whole face is just the picture of befuddlement.
"...do you have any money, son?"
Aqua smiles brightly because that's something he understands (mostly) and a question he knows the answer to. He shakes his head enthusiastically. "No!"
"Then you can't try any."
"Okay!" Aqua happily pulls his rock back, excited that he gets to keep it, but now what? He turns away from the food and steps aside, getting out of the way of the people behind him. Does all the human food require money? Normally he just catches it for himself or looks cute and waits for humans to give it to him. He's never really spent enough time on the surface in his human form to worry about having to eat here. "What do I do about food now? Should I just go back?" Or take it from the human without giving him the money he wants? What happens if he does that?
no subject
Years later, he still wanders to the beach now and then. The song of the sea calls to him, but her voice is soothing, too. So familiar, so pleasant after the din of traffic, the vibrations of human machines, the hum of their electricity, their constant talking on the streets around him. Of course he misses home, but he dare not go back.
And his years on land have been lonely ones. It’s his voice that drives them mad, so when Myca left the ocean, he vowed to never speak again. He didn’t realize how difficult it would be to create friendships without speaking. Under the waves, there were other ways to communicate; ways that seem to be absent here. OR maybe these people are too involved in their own thoughts to read the subtleties of expression and body language.
In spite of his worries, Myca likes spending his evenings at the beach. He likes listening to the water lap at the sand, to the children laughing and cheering when the waves chase them, the splashing. It’s a small but definite happiness that helps the dark memories that drove him to land. He’s less lonely there, surrounded by people who seem to be so carefree, at least for the moment.
He likes the little shops and the whole ecosystem that’s sprung up around it. Humans keep their shops at a respectful distance lest the sea swallow them up. They keep their more irksome noises (traffic) away from the water. But the shops are filled with shiny baubles and keepsakes to remind the humans of their day in the sun and sand.
And the food!
Myca happens to be a few people behind Aqua in the line. The strange exchange told him volumes. This boy wasn’t from the land either. He didn’t understand the way humans bought and sold things (everything!) for paper and metal deemed to have value. A strange thing, but one that Myca learned to adapt to. So, when his turn comes, he orders two. And while the selkie is pondering his next move beside the food cart, Myca gently taps his shoulder and holds out the food he bought for Aqua.
no subject
Lost in thought about what to do next, Aqua jumps when Myca taps him on the shoulder and he spins around to see whose way he's he gotten into or something. The stranger (who doesn't seem to be upset that Aqua is just standing here sort of in the way or isn't trying to push past him or... whatever else) is greeted with the same confused blinking that the food man had just gotten moments before. His eyes drop to the food in Myca's outstretched hand and then points to himself. "For me?" he asks, then takes the food without giving Myca a chance to give any sort of response, pressing the nice rock that he'd offered to the food man into Myca's now empty hand. "For you." See? He knows about trade.
no subject
Myca gently tucks the rock into the messenger bag he carries, making sure it would be safe until he returned home (or returned it to Aqua).
Trading is a familiar thing from his life under the sea. Even the sirens would collect lovely shells and trinkets they recovered from those who dashed themselves against their rocks for trade. Not every creature under the waves spends all its waking hours on the hunt. Some kept dens they wanted to make pretty.
Offering the sea creature a gentle smile, Myca gestures with his now free hand to invite Aqua to walk with him. If he wants to, of course. It's already somewhat pleasant to be in the presence of something with the familiar behaviors and scents of Myca's home.
no subject
But now! Oh no, he's not giving this back.
Aqua holds the food delicately in both of his hands and lifts it up to smell it more closely. It really does smell delicious. He looks over at the stranger and quickly nods his head (he'll walk with... his new friend?) before letting himself get too distracted by the food. Once he's agreed, he finally allows himself a bite of food. The first thing he does is wrinkle his nose. It's not done in disgust or anything but it's much different than he expected. He's used to fish and mollusks and things like that. This texture is... very different. It also tastes very strongly! Both are very good, he just wasn't ready for it. It caught him off guard. He's quick to take a second bite. He could definitely get used to human food if it's all like this.
"My name is... mmm..." What was it he called himself on land again? "Oh! My name is Aqua! It's nice, right?" He picked it himself.
cw: mentions of eating people
While Aqua's a fellow marine creature, Myca didn't dare speak to him. He didn't know if his voice could drive Aqua mad while on land. Plus, there are so many humans around. It's a risk he won't take. So, instead, he lifts his chin slightly and taps his fingers to his throat to indicate he can't speak. Then, he pulls his mobile phone from his pocket and types out: My name is Myca. The phone then articulates it.
Re: cw: mentions of eating people
"Myca," he repeats thoughtfully. It sounds nice. He likes it. He shifts the food so it's only in one hand, allowing him to point to Myca's phone with the other. "So that talks for you? Wow."
no subject
Myca's smile brightens when his new friend isn't immediately put off communicating in this manner. He nods in answer to the question, then slowly types (since he's doing it one-handed since he still has food, too): Are you familiar with this device? I can teach you about it, if not.
no subject
Myca's smile brings out another equally bright smile from the selkie. He's not at all pull off by Myca communicating in this way because he just assumes this is how he speaks! So are the voices that he heard coming from the rectangles others using them to speak as well? Oh that's neat. He leans a little closer as Myca taps on the device, unsure of what his new friend is doing and unsure of what he's even seeing. It's interesting though! Aqua shakes his head when the rectangle speaks. "No. I mean, I've seen them before, but I don't know what they are or what they do."
no subject
And for me, it helps me speak.
no subject
Aqua shoves the last of his food into his mouth, then holds out his second hand next to the first, allowing for more surface area for Myca to put his food down on should he so choose. "Does it help other people speak too?" he asks around the food in his mouth, his words a little muffled. "I've heard it-" He stops to chew and swallow his food. "I've heard it speak in other voices too. Or is that the talking across the world part? Are those other human's voices or do those voices belong to the people holding the rectangle? I mean phone. Though I do see them speaking back to the rect- phone sometimes. Would that be them talking to people who're far away?" Excuse the incessant questioning. He's really trying to understand.
no subject
Ah, Myca brightens a little when he realizes what Aqua's doing. He hands over his food so he can type his replies more quickly. Most times, it's probably another human they're talking to. Normally, he would've said 'person,' but he's trying to mimic the language Aqua uses. Perhaps trying to convey that he also isn't human.
no subject
Aqua keeps his hands as flat as he can and walks especially carefully when Myca hands over his precious food. Myca is trusting him with this and he will protect it as best he can. Which also means staring at the food as he walks, glancing away periodically just to make sure he's not going to walk into anyone or anything. "Oh! Oh that makes sense. That's probably why I keep hearing so many voices coming from the phone. They're talking to other humans." It doesn't escape Aqua's notice that Myca refers to them as 'human' as well instead of 'person'. Aqua knows that 'person' and 'people' is what they call each other but he doesn't like using it (even if it is probably a word that would help him to fit in. But is it really that strange of a world for him to use? He doesn't think so). He's not one of them and it sort of feels like a word that's not his to use. It would be like hearing humans calling him by what he and the rest of his herd call themselves instead of humans just saying 'seal' (or 'selkie' if they know a little too much). It's not right. Is that why Myca is referring to them that way too?
no subject
They communicate that way often. Sometimes they live very far apart and that's the only way they can communicate.
He couldn't imagine that for himself. He, a thing without a voice. Or rather, a thing with a dangerous voice. Even these very modern people in little peril of being lured by a siren's call still reference it. He's heard and read it.
Do you have a phone?
no subject
Human or not, maybe they're both just a little odd.
Aqua wrinkles his nose at Myca's response. "Why would they live so far apart?" He lives with everyone he knows and can't imagine it any other way. Even now with him on the surface, his loved ones aren't that far away. He always knew things were different up here, but he didn't know they were that different. Living far enough away from your people to need to talk to them on one of those phones. It sounds lonely.
"No, I just-" Pulled himself out of the ocean to temporarily join human society to see what all the fuss is about. He shakes his head. "No, I don't have one. Where do they come from?"
no subject
It's been hard for Myca living away from his sisters. There are times, very late at night when the beach is quiet, that he swears he can hear them singing in the distance. Do they miss him? Did they mourn him? Do they think him dead? He wonders sometimes. And sometimes, he knows it's just his imagination that brings those familiar voices to the shore with the waves.
If you're going to spend any significant amount of time on land, we should get one for you.
He could at least let Myca know when he's visiting. It could be something similar to what the siren has: one of those pay as you go deals.
no subject
Suddenly, Aqua stops walking and turns toward the ocean. He should steer Myca away from thinking he's not something that lives on land to keep up the charade that he might be human for as long as possible, but that's not really the part of Myca's statement that Aqua really latched on to. It's the 'significant amount of time' part that really got him. He's never been away from home for very long before. Should he just call this off? Exploration and adventure over?
Aqua shakes away the thoughts and turns his attention back to Myca. "What would I use it for? Everyone I know is nearby."
no subject
If you wanted to see me again. You could use it to let me know when you're at the beach.
every time you mention typo, i go back to the original notif in my inbox and look for it LMFAO
Living alone but coming together as groups for other tasks. Strange creatures. Aqua doesn't get it. He doesn't really want to get it either.
"I do want to see you again!" He's been so nice. And interesting and helpful and not at all put off or judgmental about Aqua stumbling his way through the strange, human way of doing things. Whether he knows he's being non-judgmental with something not human or not (though he suspects that Myca knows... something). "So you can show me where to get one?"
I can tell you exactly what it is lol
It will cost human money. But we can trade for it. I will get it for you today if you promise to tell me whenever you visit this beach.
having a way to check the answer after i've gone hunting for the typo would not be unwelcome!! LMFAO
When Myca calls money 'human money', Aqua practically vibrates. He wants so badly to ask Myca if he's also something other than human. Maybe he's a selkie too and they don't need to hide it from each other. But it's dangerous to ask those kinds of questions. They risk outing someone who doesn't want to be outed. They risk outing Aqua too.
"I promise. I promise to tell you every single time I'm at the beach. And I can bring you beautiful rocks and seashells and I'm really good at catching fish if you like those and, um, I don't know what else. But please can I have one of those phones?" As though Myca didn't already say he would do it based on a single condition that Aqua quickly agreed to.
no subject
I like all of those things very much. But you're never obligated to bring me anything.
You'll need a safe, dry place for your phone. It don't work if it gets wets.
no subject
It's hard to explain just how big of a difference it is, especially given he's been on land before. But he was always here as a seal. He rarely shed his pelt and walked around as a human, and even on the occasions that he did, it was always still at the water's edge, hovering near where he'd hidden his pelt. If only he knew that Myca understood.
"No I want to! I want you bring you things. You're doing something really nice for me and I want to do something nice for you too. Lots of nice things." He blinks curiously a Myca, and then nods his head enthusiastically. "I have a safe, dry place! It won't get wet at all. I'll take really good care of it, I promise."
no subject
So maybe he doesn't understand how different the world even just some steps from the beach feels for Aqua. Myca knew he'd never go back, that he was leaving one home to make another.
Okay. As long as you know you don't have to bring me things. I'll accept anything you give me.
Treasure them, even. Because chances are anything Aqua brings him will come from the sea. Their beloved sea.
There's a shop just across the street we can get a phone from. Will you come with me?
no subject
Aqua is a guest and Myca is home.
"Don't worry. I know I don't have to." Everything Aqua brings will be from the ocean. As lovely as things on land have been, nothing compares to the ocean. Nothing at all can compare to the beautiful, wondrous things from there. And Aqua's sweet new friend deserves the most beautiful things Aqua can find for him.
At the mention of the street (a word he's familiar enough with. He's heard humans talking about it and saw them pointing to it even just today), Aqua turns to look at it. And more importantly, at the vehicles moving up and down it. The street is close enough to one of his favourite beaches that the sounds no longer startle him quite so much (minus the loud honking noises they make. That still gets him) but he doesn't like the idea of going out there with the cars. That seems dangerous, and a little terrifying.
"Can't we stay on this side?"
no subject
Myca points ahead to a traffic signal with a crosswalk. Then he gives an encouraging smile.
I can hold your hand if it helps.
no subject
"That doesn't look safe either."
no subject
no subject
no subject
He's lived on land for a while, so he's no longer afraid of everyday things like traffic and crossing streets. It wasn't always that way. And, unlike Aqua, Myca didn't have anyone to help him.
Will you trust me?
no subject
"I'll trust you."
no subject
And, of course, Myca will be there to guide him across. To check to make sure the cars have stopped before he steps them out into the street. In just a moment more, the traffic begins to slow and does, in fact, come to a halt. Just in time for the crossing signal Myca indicated to turn green and beep for them to cross. Myca checked the traffic in both directions, then stepped out, nudging Aqua to come along with him.