escordvi | closed 🌠⚡ it's far too easy to miss the beauty in the simple things

[She does shoot him a terrifying glare, but actually that's not a terrible idea...

And she really does mull it over for a moment before she starts to scoot forward, then lean back, then forward, trying to get some momentum going.]

Give me a hand!

[Yes, she's really going to do this!!!]

[He watches, wondering if she really would before he holds back a snort—barely. She really did look like a gerbil, and with a quiet laugh he gives her a little nudge.

Neat her butt.]

[Rude!!

She huffs loudly and squeakily at him when she feels that nudge, and the surprise touch from the other side startles her that she ends up rolling over. It's enough that the bubble itself starts to roll across the table, bumping into shells and broken pieces of coral, jars of sand as she goes and goes, knocking a few of them over, until she finally rolls to a slow stop right up against the shell that she had wanted to look at. Only problem is that now she is upside-down, but she glances up at it anyway.]

... Well, at least I can get a closer look?

[As the mermaid returns with several items cradled in her hands and she nearly drops them in surprise. "Oh my, what happened?"]

[There's only some alarm at first before he has to hold back the laugh while reaching out to catch any that threaten to fall off the table. Fortunately he does and when Tifa stops he stops himself from poking her again.]

Pushed a little too hard.

[He'll admit fault as he tries to fix of the few bumped things.]

[The mermaid looks down at Tifa, and then the shell, and she sets everything on the table in front of her so that she can pick it up and show it off. "This is a rare one that I found near the bottom of the ocean. Don't know how it got to be so pearly, but it also glows a little when it's dark enough. It was how I managed to find it lodged in the sand. You like it?"

Tifa gives a small nod, but not before shooting Eustace a look.]

I do. I like to put stuff like this up at my bar—random things that I find around and collect.

[The mermaid giggles. "A bar for other seabunnies? How tiny are the drinks!?"

Tifa puffs up again, and she laughs.

"Well, it's for sale if you want it, but I brought what I could find from my crates for what you need for that potion."]

[Ignoring the look~]

We'll take it, along with the ingredients.

[He'll reach into his back to pull out a few doubloons to pay while the mermaid started to pack everything using kelp.

"I also marked off what you got here from the list. You should be able to get some of the others from the nearby stalls... But you may some trouble with Granny Maura. She's sweet, but doesn't take to outsiders that quick. If you have trouble you can call me for help!"

So far they seem to have a lot better luck with the mermaids here... But maybe that's because they're mermaids and not sirens?]

Oh.

[Tifa is a little surprised when Eustace just happily agrees to buying the shell for her, and that surprise is made known in her voice.]

You're sure? I didn't want to impose, and... we can always come back here later.

[The mermaid clicks her tongue. "Just take the shell, you silly little bunny!"]

[There's just a wry grin down at her.]

We can still come back later and if there's something else you can get it then.

[And the mermaid just winks as she hands over the stuff that he will tuck into the bag.]

[He is too good to her... and she can feel her little cheeks growing warm.]

... Okay. So now we have to find Maura? Will she have whatever we need?

[The mermaid shrugs. "Probably, but like I said, you'll have to work for her favour if you want her help. With everything going on right now, she's been a little on edge more than usual. And don't even think about trying to bribe her with money."

A laugh.

"Though she might take well to her." She points to Tifa. "She's cute, hard to resist that. So put on your cutest smile."]

[There's just a slight arch of the brow, but he'll move to pick up Tifa.]

Looks like we'll have to take advantage of your form after all.

[He did joke earlier about it...]

[The mermaid waves to them. "Good luck~"

And Tifa waves her ears at her in thanks, her voice too small to carry very far as he picks her up again.]

Guess so. Think it'll work okay? If I wiggle my ears like this, it might win her over...

[There's just a quiet laugh as he holds her a little closer to his face as they swim away. Since the stalls are relatively close, they can leave the seahorse where it's tied up. It has other seahorses to pal around with so it won't be lonely at least.]

That and maybe trying to roll around again.

That trick is a little harder.

[She rolls around inside the bubble instead, showing off this new skill.]

Was it really that cute? Felt more clumsy to me, and I don't wanna upset this vendor if I can help it.

I thought the clumsiness was part of the charm, but it would be better if you didn't knock over things...

What about just through the water?

[Although even this was pretty cute he thought.]

Like this?

[She tumbles along the bottom of the bubble, pushing it with her whole body. It does take quite a bit of effort, but...]

Oh, I think I got it! A little easier than trying to roll across a table, that's for sure!

[Wheeee! And oops, she rolls a little too hard and yanks on the string, right as they come up to said vendor stall—]

[He's just going to quiet laugh as he watches her, finding her very adorable before he has to try and stop her—

"What's this? Who's the bastard keeping a seabunny as a pet!?"

...Well. This is a great start.]

[Any cute moment that they could have had dies the moment that she hears that voice, and she whips around in its direction to puff defensively.]

Not a pet. And it would be nice if one person around here would bother asking what's going on before making assumptions!

[Listen! One can get a little short-fused and grumpy when they are the size of a pinky finger and stuck having to travel inside a bubble balloon!]

[Before the old whale can say anything more, Eustace releases a small exhale and gently put his hand beneath Tifa's bubble.]

We're here to buy some ingredients for a potion that would help change her back.

[However, that might not have helped, either, as the whale's small eyes narrow.

"Oh? Did ye get caught in the trap then? Tch, then serves you right! Already showing your true colors, trying to trick me, are ye!?"]

[Okay, maybe that was the wrong call on both of their parts, but she's tired of people accusing her boyfriend of keeping her as a pet!?

So, she takes a deep breath and gives the whale her most imploring, pleading look. Not that she can see any of it, but she tries to make herself look extra cute. Whether it's working or not, she'll have to find out.]

Sorry about that... I didn't know...

[No, you know what? She shouldn't have jumped to so many conclusions, but she's going to find her thread of patience, short and frayed now as it is, and try again.]

Anyway. Um. We made it through the maze, if that's what you're talking about, but I think I was sold a faulty potion by the sirens? Or... maybe I had a reaction to it? I don't know, but...

[Tifa's ears tap tap tap together.]

We came from Sandra's apothecary, if that helps at all.

[The whale taps her fin against the table, eyes still narrowed. "So ye made it through the maze, did ye? And still, ye got yerselves caught in this right mess? And what exactly do ye have Sandra doin'?"]

Edited 2025-06-02 20:39 (UTC)

[Eustace just maintains an even countenance.]

To help change her back. She was able to confirm that it was magic from the potion, nothing else.

[The whale still looks at them suspiciously.

"Fine, show me the list. And know it won't come cheap."

Well. It's progress? As he hands out the list and the whale looks at it all, she tuts again after noticing they got help from the other mermaid.

"Soft hearted lot they are, should learn from their cousins... You wait right there and don't THINK about touchin' any of my wares!"

With a grumble that whale looks to see what she has.

Meanwhile, Eustace will put some respectable distance back and hold Tifa close to him.]

...Worse than I expected.

[It's a good thing that she can't see Tifa's face, or the way she is shooting this whale a glare for her horrible customer service. She lowers her voice in turn as she's brought back closer to Eustace so that she can whisper to him.]

Don't know why, but I was expecting someone a lot nicer with a name like that.

[A glance over to make sure that she is out of earshot. She's willing to let a lot slide, but rude people trying to sell her things is not one of them.]

A wonder anyone is brave enough to come around and buy her stuff...

She did warn us that she was more hostile towards outsiders, and wasn't wrong about that.

[And as if to answer Tifa's question, the moment a whalefolk shows up to pick up an item, the old granny is all kind smiles and chatting them like old friends.]

[Tifa narrows her gaze.]

It's not as if we didn't make it through that maze, or we aren't trying to help... I get that they're wary to outsiders, but no need to be rude about it.

Would you feel friendly if most of your species was hunted down by people who lived on the surface?

[Honestly, he can't blame them, or that old whale at all. So as much as he'd like to side with Tifa...]

Considering her age, too... Wouldn't be surprised if she experienced something personal herself.

[She sighs, a little defeated.]

Well, no. But I still wouldn't be rude to anyone. It's not like we did anything, so making other people pay the price for someone else's misdeeds seems a little unfair, doesn't it?

[The brands that they were all given and had to suffer through for that first month are a perfect example of that, but...]

It's something that they can control.

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