i don't know when, i don't know how

[lovetheshore]

So this is starting right now?

What does ginger mean? What's a ginger? Does ginger refer to merfolk?

-ooh, wait until his mother hears about all the humans he's planning to interact with. GASP-

My mother will kill you all! She's not really a fan of humans.

...what does canon mean? What's a canon? It doesn't burn like fire, right? But you can use fire? I read that in a flatscroll somewhere. Maybe I'll ask Scuttle, she might know!

Comments

[particulier]

[Oh wow, so many questions.]

Ginger is talking about your hair color. It's a British thing.

[lovetheshore]

Brit-tish?

-he stares then reaches and pokes her legs that are peeking out form under her dress-

[particulier]

[Le gasp! She steps away.]

Yes, it's a country. Are you not from around here?

[lovetheshore]

Atlantica, actually.

-he stays in his little portable swimming pool for now-

[onejoyfultear]

Your mother is right, then. You should be wary of humans.

[particulier]

Atlantica? I do not think I have heard of it before...

[lovetheshore]

Why, when they have so many interesting things?

[lovetheshore]

-he reaches and pokes at her leg again-

Of course not, we stay away from humans.

[particulier]

[Belle walks around the tub and blinks in surprise.]

Oh, my! You're a mermaid!

[lovetheshore]

-he chuckles and his green tail flops over the side of the tub he's in-

Merlad, actually. Mother sat me down for the guppy talk.

-he waves his hand-

You know. Where babies come from.

[particulier]

Oh, that. It is the same for you then?

Not eggs, like fish or birds?

[lovetheshore]

-he rests his arms on the side of the tub and rests his head on it. He perks up when she asks not eggs-

You don't--with eggs?

[particulier]

Well... no.

[GAH THINK GIRL THINK]

Oh, that's right! We're more like sea horses! Live births.

[lovetheshore]

Yes and they have eggs too.

-he's giving a funny look to you, human-

[onejoyfultear]

Because they are dangerous. They hunt our kind.

[lovetheshore]

-siiiiiigh. He sinks more into the kiddie pool that he's currently residing in-

You and my mother.

[onejoyfultear]

You do not believe the word of your own mother?

[lovetheshore]

If they're so terrifying, why do they create wonderful things?

[particulier]

Well, the eggs aren't laid in a nest or something, are they?

[Ah, analogy failed.]

[lovetheshore]

No? They're in pouches. When's the last time you spoke with a merfolk?

[particulier]

...oh.

Well, this is my first time actually! Maybe seals would have been better?

[lovetheshore]

-he rolls his eyes-

Seals think they know everything.

[particulier]

You mean they don't?

[She teases.]

[lovetheshore]

Not really. They're great for stories about the human world but nothing else.

[particulier]

[She laughs.]

Books are great for stories too.

[lovetheshore]

Books?!

-he perks up at that-

You can read? Show me!

[particulier]

Of course! I would love to.

[Belle turns around so they are sitting next to one another and opens to a page.]

Do you know the letters?

[lovetheshore]

-he reaches out and touches the ink on the page-

Not human letters.

[particulier]

[She smiles.]

That's alright. I can teach you! Maybe we can find some sand or spare paper and ink...

[lovetheshore]

Paper? Ink?

-he's excited about it-

[particulier]

[She beams, excited as well, and then finds a stick.]

Here we go!

[Carefully, she draws the alphabet.]

[lovetheshore]

-he imitates her drawings, the symbols not really having meaning to him-

[particulier]

[She smiled as he got better at writing the letters.]

Here, now we can spell your name.

[lovetheshore]

How would you write Ariel, then? Show me!

[particulier]

[Belle beams and traces the letters in the sand.]

There you go!

[lovetheshore]

-he reaches with his fingers and writes his own name in the sand as well. It's not as nice as Belle's but-

Like this?

[particulier]

Yes! Practice it some more, it's kind of like drawing.

[lovetheshore]

-he writes his name over and over again-

It's not too different. Less loops, it looks like.

[particulier]

Exactly. And when you have practiced how to write the letters, writing other words is so much easier. Until you can write hundreds of them.

[lovetheshore]

Are you a bard, then? A writer?

[particulier]

Oh, no. I just love books.

[lovetheshore]

And? Have you read books on Atlantica?

[particulier]

No, I am afraid I have not come across any books mentioning that place.

Can you tell me what it's like?

[lovetheshore]

-he thinks on it-

There are castle spires that reach into nearly the upper waters. All sorts of fish and merfolk swim around from all walks of life. And everyone, almost everyone, is happy under my mother's rule.