escordvi | closed 🌠⚡ you and me, living in symphony

[There's a wry grin at the memory before he nods.]

Might be for the best. The guides did say that they should be hatching today, so we shouldn't have to wait for too long.

[And then as if trying to be a little more lighthearted—]

Could always build a little tunnel or channel for them to shuffle through towards the water.

[Isn't that what they did the first time!?]

Seemed to work for us back then. Hopefully the big guy doesn't mind us moving the sand on his back around.

[Would it tickle?

But she stops on the beach and takes a glance around them, trying to find an unattended dark spot in the sand.]

[I twas a little rough the last time!! This time they have more time to prepare.]

We just need to make it deeper and wider.

[A light smile as he joins her in the search before he thinks he spots something not too far in the distance.]

Let's check over there.

[She follows his gaze and takes his hand, leading them towards that little nest that she is pretty sure he's pointed out. There are actually a few, a small cluster of them set close together, and she kneels down in front of one, placing her hand on the darker sand, like checking for a heartbeat.]

I didn't bring any tools, so we're going to have to really get our hands dirty.

[Not that she minds, of course.]

That's fine.

[A light smile. Of course he had his bags and his weapons, but nothing that would really be useful as a shovel. All of which he's setting down to the side for now.]

I did see some driftwood we could use to help dig.

Do you wanna gather a few sturdy pieces? I'll keep watch over the nests, since it should be any minute now.

[Tifa glances up to the sky, and at the sun's position.]

[He gives a small nod at that.]

Anything else I should pick up? A few shells to decorate their path?

[A wry grin as he also takes off his boots because might as well especially since they'll likely have to walk in the water a bit.]

[Is he joking? Because she is totally not when she says—]

Actually, yeah! If you find any, try bringing a few back. Wanna make sure their first trip across the beach is a memorable one.

[Flashing him a slightly cheeky grin.]

[Half and half, he expected her answer and there is just a wry grin as he starts walking away.]

No complaints for what I choose.

It's not my nest that you'll be decorating, so I'll leave that up to the turtles.

[She gives him a wave as he walks away, and she goes back to looking over the nests, already starting to draw a line in the sand for where their little shelled path is going to go while she waits for him to return.]

[He won't take too long. Perhaps because they've done shell collecting several times before now, he can more easily pick out certain shells and stones that he thinks are suitable—particularly towards Tifa's taste. Colorful large shells, with a little more towards blues, yellows, and reds. Some might not even be for the turtles...

By the time he returns, he'll have quite a number that he's collected in the hem of his shirt along with two sturdy pieces of driftwood tucked under his arm.]

[She's drawn quite the line in the sand with her fingers by the time he returns, which isn't long at all, and when he does and her eyes land on the shells he's carrying, her eyes light up.]

More than I thought.

[She pushes herself to her feet and brushes off the sand to go to him and immediately reaches for a shell.]

And surprisingly pretty, too.

You could say I was inspired.

[He lets her take one before he starts to set them all down, shaking the sand off his shirt.]

But I thought you might like some to keep. There were a few I had never seen before.

[He holds up a particularly spiny conch shell that is of different colors and seems to shimmer in the light.]

[She sets down the shell in her hands so that she can examine the conch shell closer, her expression warming as she smiles at him and gently takes it.]

So thoughtful. I'll need to find somewhere to display them and show them off to everyone.

[Along with her collection of other pretty things they've gathered in their time together.]

You're going to need a separate shelf at this rate.

[He'll look at the lines she drew before he grabs one of the "driftwood shovels." He chose pieces that had a flatter end and had already broken off parts to shape it more to make it easier for them to use.]

So just follow this line?

Yeah. I did what I could, but we're gonna have to weave around some of these other nests.

[She motions to some of the others on the way to the beach, some being tended to and others remaining empty.]

We could probably work our way through them. Get some of the other turtles in there, if you think we can handle it.

That's what I was thinking.

[He nods in agreement as he surveys the area, as if plotting out his route.]

It would be easier especially since they are in the way, anyway. We'll just try to make to wider to accommodate the number.

[Her brows arch as she picks up the other piece of driftwood to start working on another part of their path.]

How many do you think we'll end up seeing?

That I'm not so sure. But if what the guide said is accurate, then we may see most if not all of these nests hatch.

[Yeah, but is that twenty turtles or two hundred—

And just as she's in the middle of digging in the sand by dragging the wood through it, she sees a little wriggle of movement in the corner of her eye.]

Wait, did you see that?

[Except when she looks back at the nest, nothing is happening.]

[...Maybe not that many—

In the middle of digging a wide path on his side, he looks up and over at her question.]

Hm?

[...But there's nothing that he can see.

Instead, from Tifa's point she'll be able to see another wriggle. On another nest.]

[Her head snaps in that direction, just a few feet away at another unattended nest altogether, and her eyes go wide.]

Not again...

[And out pops a little head from the sand, and its mouth yawns wiiiide open.]

Eustace!

[It still takes him a moment, but now he sees the little head... Already???]

Over here, too.

[The other nest has two popping out...and of course, the nest they picked out is still quiet as a mouse.]

Should we keep trying or just let it go?

We should at least try, shouldn't we?

[She's already swerving around to start digging in that direction.]

Then we can't say that we didn't. I'll take care of these ones for now while you finish up there. Think we've got a little bit of time before they start moving.

[He looks at her worriedly, but nods.]

I'll try to get through quick, but shout if you need help.

[With that, he immediately digs deep and hard into the sand, scooping and scraping as much as he can from the original nest down towards the closest point he can branch off near Tifa. As he works he continues to glance at the nest, hoping there won't be movement until he gets closer to Tifa.

Fortunately for Tifa, the turtles are having some difficulty getting out as they smack against each other while trying to dig out of the sand. So she has some more time...

But around the time Eustace is three-fourths of the way there, he hears the flutter of wings and notices some shadows passing overhead.

Dammit.]

Tifa, seagulls! Keep an eye out for them!

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