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

[She'd just been about to give him a playful gasp when she shrinks with satisfaction at his answer.]

Good. I was about to say that you're walking on thin ice here!

[Her giggle is so high-pitched that she even hears the difference in her own head for that one.]

Well. Hopefully once this is done, I can finally swim beside you again...

I hope so, too.

[He gives her another little pet before setting her on top of his head.]

So let's get these materials. Ready?

[She settles in easily, just like she had before... only this time, she wriggles her way into the thick locks of his hair as it wisps around from the water. A little nest, if you will.]

Okay. I'm nice and snug, but just ease into it.

[He can somewhat feel her settle in, a slight ticklish feeling.]

Hang on.

[And with that the seahorse moves forward, first at a nice slow walk and increasing slowly until they're at a safe and steady speed to get through the town. Fortunately most people will move out of the way, and it won't take long before they are out of the town and swimming through the road that would lead towards the fields of that seagrass. And as the old whale had said, the sand and the grass seems to shimmer with the glass hidden beneath.]

There's not too much more that we need to find out here, so shouldn't take too long.

It's so pretty...

[Her little eyes "widen" at the sight in front of them. The way that the glass shimmers in the soft, white sand, and the seaweed that billows in the currents of the water. The way that they dance makes it look like the sand is quite literally sparkling with how the light hits it.

And now she's even more sad that she can't swim around here with him, and her ears droop.]

... Should definitely come back here later.

[He doesn't see those ears since she's still on his head, but he can hear it in her voice.]

We will, I promise.

[And once they reach a good place, he'll dismount and reach up to take her back into his hand.]

... Do you think we could pick up a few pieces of the glass here?

[Can he hear that pleading look in her voice, too?]

Maybe we can grab some pretty ones for the whale, too.

[There's a quiet laugh as he swims them over to the field.]

Of course we can. Do you want to try and find some...?

[...Or would that be a mistake. Should he tie the ribbon around her body and use the bubble as a tracking balloon instead—]

[No, she can swim fine!!! As long as he stays close.]

I can swim around while you collect the seaweed and sand? Since I'm not gonna be all that useful there.

All right.

[Still eyeing her.]

I should tie the ribbon around you just in case...

[JUST GOING TO VOICE IT OUT LOUD.]

[There are one, two, three, and then several more bristles that pop up on her back one by one, as if to "threaten" him.]

No ribbons today. Worst case scenario? I get tangled up in the seaweed, and given our track record, wouldn't be surprised.

[...Okay but she looks so cute and is now reminded of a little hedgehog...

Still, he looks a little worried and it will take a few seconds before he lets out a small sigh, relenting.]

All right. But let's stay close regardless. Remember the old whale warned us about dolphins, and while I don't see any around here... Can't be too careful.

What I wouldn't have given to swim with some dolphins at my full size...

[She deflates those quills with a whimsy sigh.]

I'll be fine. Just put me down, and I'll hide in the weeds.

Didn't we have a chance last year?

[Remembering it, he smiles a little before he sets her down.]

But you should be able as soon as we find the final ingredients. Besides the sand and sea grass for the whale, we need to harvest some coral.

[She floats down to the sand and to the weeds, landing on a half-buried purple shard.]

There should be some of that around here too, yeah? That we could use? Don't think she specified what kind.

Only that it had to be blue and fresh, which is why we couldn't get it from the markets.

[He hovers near her and starts pulling out some of the sea grass, remembering to get the roots, too.]

I'm sure we can find some. These fields are... pretty big, I think?

[Big for a little bunny slug, at least. Maybe they'd be smaller when she's the correct size.

But she starts to dig into the sand with the end of her "nose", or whatever, to try and get this sea glass out.]

I wonder if I can dig my way under these and pop them out that way...

[He's watching her a little worried when she pushes against the glass. It's quite small for him so it would be hard for him to pick up so her doing this actually helps quite a bit... But...]

Careful you don't cut yourself.

[He's going to hover around all overprotective.]

[He's so cute when he worries about her like that... He looks like a sad puppy, and she can't help but puff up a little with affection.]

Don't worry. I think the bristles will protect me from the worst of it, and the glass itself isn't that sharp...

Edited 2025-06-07 18:25 (UTC)

This must be natural sea glass and not broken pieces from above...

[Which might help with any sharp edges, but he still can't help but watch with some worry!!]

But your size does help here.

Natural sea glass?

[She burrows just beneath the sand with some wiggling and shoves herself beneath the shard.]

Makes you wonder how... it's... made!

[And with that last word and some strained exertion, the glass pops right out of the sand and drifts up through the water for him to catch.]

See!? Told you I could do it.

[...

Oh.

Oh no, that was cute, and he almost fumbles the glass because he was so distracted by how she moved to pop it out. But when he does, there's a smile and then a small laugh.]

Yeah, you did. Now you need to do this at least ten more times.

[A wry grin.]

Should be easy.

[She wiggles her way out of the sand and shakes herself off. Not that it does her much good.]

It's like doing a set of push-ups, right?

Imagining a slug doing push-ups...

[He can't help but chuckle as he pulls up some grass around her to help loosen the dirt around more prospective sea glass.]

Just don't pull a muscle.

[Do bunny sea slugs even have muscles? Well, they must if she's able to pull off such a feat. But she sniffs around at the glass before deciding that yes, he has good taste. She likes this one. And she'll do the same thing and start to burrow under.]

You're right. I forgot to do my stretches.

[And then she disappears under the sand. This one is a little tougher to get out due to its slightly bigger size and the fact that it's in there, but after a few more pushes and shoves and puffs, she manages to pop this one out as well. And it's a cycle that she'll repeat over and over, with Eustace carrying her closer to shards that catch her eye in between his tasks, even a few that are more pearly white than clear shades, or some that are mixed two or more different colours.

Again and again until she's gathered a very small pile (it looks much bigger for her because she is tinier than they are), and she rests against them, catching her breath.]

Been a while since I've had that kind of workout. Wonder if I'll still feel it when I turn back.

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