Violet Seabreeze

It's late and I'm awake. I have no other choice- a storm is coming, and the calm that precedes it can hardly be called that. I see the moon intermittenly through slowly-closing holes in patchwork clouds, scattered across the sky like Heaven couldn't decide where She wanted to put them. The accompanying wind isn't much better either; I hear its hammer-like banging at the walls of the cabin. "Sorry, I don't take crew," I mutter to myself as the wheel nearly slips out of my hand for the umpteenth time. My hands are slick with sweat, and I'm not sure how much longer I can wrestle the waves yanking my rudder back and forth, or how much longer the week's haul will stay on the boat. Luckily, I can see the rock I call home in the distance. It rises out of the sea, the cliffs looming over the barely-visible docks. At the rate I'm going it'll be twenty minutes before I get there, all I gotta do is hunker down and pray to Heaven with all my might that [[nothing goes wrong before I arrive->Hayate Wo Iru Gotoki Yaiba Uruwashiki Wa Sen No Hana...]].

Bump. It felt like an eternity, but the 20 minutes have passed and I've hit land. The cliffs lend me shelter from the wind, and as I drag the fish to the storage bin with aching arms I find myself thankful for not being able to get waves on dry land. It takes a Herculean effort, tossing the net into the steel box. I'm about ready to abandon all thought of going home and just sleep in the boat when, above the skirling of the wind beyond the rocks, I hear a groan- Not the dreadful, grating groan metal makes when it's strained, but a _human_ one -coming from behind the nearby rocks. My tired bones groan as loudly as that person did, but it's not enough to stop me going to [[check it out->Omoide Mo Hokori Mo Hitofuri No Raimei E To...]].

config.body.transition.duration: "500ms" -- [align center] [after 1s] Prologue [after 1750ms] [align center] **The Girl in the Tide Pool** [after 2750ms] [align center] [[Start->Ya-Haiya, Setsuna Hibiku...]]

I step forward, my feet surprisingly stable despite the wetness of the rocks they're on. Another two steps take me to the edge of the pool, within arm's reach of this stranger. "You seem pretty roughed up-" My hand gestures to her injuries -"and this weather's not safe for a girl like you. Can you move?" She takes her hand off her side, attempting to get up. She's about halfway there when she flinches, her hand shooting back to its previous position as she begin to fall. "...careful!" I forget where I am and lunge forward, catching her before her head is dashed on the rocks. "Easy there." I feel the water soak my legs through my dress as I kneel in the tide pool. "Mind if I help you up, miss..." "...soulinari," she mutters, holding onto me so she can get up. "No, I..." The feeling in my legs becomes exponentionally more unpleasant as I stand, letting the already-cold night air blow on my soaked clothing. "...I want to know your _name_." "...yeah, that's it." Her voice is a little louder this time. "My name is Soulinari." Weird name, but OK. We start walking, the girl leaning on me as we begin the journey to my little bungalow. "Nice to meet you, Soulinari. I'm Carina." "The... feeling is mutual, I suppose. Where are we going...?" "My house," I reply before I can properly process what she's saying. "It's not that far from here and I've got a spare room you can use." "Alright..." She nods, and goes silent for the [[rest of the trip->Musō Ni Takeru Honō]].

It's a girl. Within the tide pool formed by the rocks is a girl. She lies in the water, one of her arms crossed over her body. I can't tell from this angle, but it looks like she's clutching her side. I step closer to get a better look, and notice she's all cut up. This... is kind of out of my comfort zone. I'd like to leave, but right as I begin doing just that the girl turns her head toward me, an apologetic smile on her face. "...sorry..." She speaks in a quiet voice, and it's hard to hear her. "...i seem to be in... something of a bind here, miss..." Slowly, the girl bows her head, and the moon illuminates some of the seaweed she's got caught in it. I look around for someone else to shoulder the burden of rescuing her, but there's no one else- _Why would there be?_ I ask myself, _I live alone, after all._ [[God damn it->Sarinasai!]].

"We're here," I announce as I approach the wooden door. It takes a Herculean effort not to just collapse through it and fall asleep on the floor, but I manage it. Soulinari gets off of me, shuffling over to the dining table and unceremoniously tossing herself down on one of the chairs with a groan. "...everything okay, Soulinari?" She groans again, staring listlessly at the door. I kneel down next to her. "You're not too badly hurt, are you...?" No response. Not like she needs to give one anyway; I move to raise her shirt and look at the wounds- namely, that one in her side she was clutching. The cloth this thing's made from is... really soft, even while it's soaking wet. On that note: Are those _seaweed shorts_ she's wearing? It's tough, but I manage to take my mind off her shorts and back onto getting a look at the wound. The shirt's stuck to the girl's body, and no sooner do I start to move it than she pushes my hand away. "Don't." "Huh?" "The seawater in that shirt's stopping the bleeding." Soulinari gestures to the wound. Specifically, the faint blue mark present where she points. What the hell is she talking about? "Uh, explain, please?" "...oh, right." She brings a pale hand to her chin, then continues: "The salt in seawater turns our blood jelly-like. It's so it doesn't get swept away by the currents, see..." Yeah, uh, I didn't get any of that. It must've shown on my face, because she immediately follows that explanation with a sentence that I should- but couldn't -have seen coming. "O-oh, yeah, I didn't tell you- [[I'm a nymph->Kagura no Kaze ni Meshi Sangese yo!]]."

"...Excuse me, you're _what_?" "...like I said, I'm a nymph?" She raises a brow, like it's the most normal thing in the world. "You know, a sea nymph? Naiad, oceanid, nereid? Any of these ring a bell?" I can practically hear her thinking, _does this woman live under a rock?_ Needless to say, that dispels the idea that she's faking it faster than the wounds or blue blood could. "N-No, it's just that..." My train of thought stops and starts- I've lived for 23 years and never once did the question of how to tell a mythical creature that she's a mythical creature cross my mind. "...you, uh..." "...?" Soulinari tilts her head. Fuck it. "...nobody in the world, myself included until a few seconds ago, thinks you're real. You're like... The stuff of myths." Silence from the nymph as she lets this sink in, followed by a frown. "...wow. Real respectful of you guys." She crosses her arms, the frown giving way to a pout. "We work day and night out here fixing the mess you make and you don't even think we're real." I don't know what to say to that. Thankfully I don't need to, because she immediately slumps forward on the table, groaning again. "...gah, I'm starving. You got anything to eat?" "Yeah, actually." I head into the kitchen, and return with a bowl of... > [[...fruit salad-> Yami wo Sake Suikyō no Iroha Uta yo...]]. > [[...fish stew-> ...Rin to Ai wo Kazashite!]].

gaveSoulinariFruit: true heardAboutHeaven: false soulinariPreferredFood: 'fruit salad' -- "Um," she pokes the bowl, staring at the fruit. "What in the seven seas is this?" "Fruit salad. It's... Exactly what it says on the tin. A bunch of fruits all mixed up together." Her azure eyes meet my own, and in them I see that she didn't understand a single word of that. "...just try it," I sigh. "If anything, the sugar should give you back some of the energy you lost walking here." She continues to stare at me. "...for the love of- Please eat the fruit salad, Soulinari. It's all I have right now." She continues to stare at me, even as she grabs the fork and puts a chunk of watermelon in her mouth. Her eyes close, and a large smile spreads across her face. "...i-it's...!" When she opens her eyes again, they're the size of dinner plates. Her hand moves with speed I wouldn't expect from a trained martial artist, let alone an injured girl, as she shovels half of the fruit in the bowl into her gullet. It's kinda cute, actually, but I worry. "Careful with that, you'll choke." This stops Soulinari dead in her tracks, and her cheeks tinge with blue as she _slowly_ chews on the fruit in her mouth, the only sound in the awkward silence I caused. She swallows, her eating slowing to a reasonable pace as the nymph regains control of herself. "I-It's... really good, you know." Her embarrassed expression gives way to a tiny smile. "You don't... You don't usually get something this sweet or varied in flavor down in the ocean, y'know." "Yeah, I figured." I'd forgotten how tired I was, but that quickly changes as I move toward the door leading to my room. "...I'll go get a room sorted out for you- [[Call me when you're done eating->Seilien Coffin Airgetlamh Tron...]]."

gaveSoulinariFruit: false heardAboutHeaven: true soulinariPreferredFood: 'fish stew' -- "...wow. You're a real class act, aren't you Carina?" Soulinari raises a brow at the sight of the fish stew in my hands. I'm about to give her an indignant response when she bursts into laughter. "I kid, fish are the most important part of our diet. Gimme!" I sigh, sliding the bowl across the table over to her. The way this girl moves, you'd find it hard to believe she's injured. "That's news to me, you know. I figured, since it's your job to maintain nature..." "...oh, yeah, that's perfectly valid. Pretty sure Heaven forgot there wasn't actually very much to eat down here when She created us." I'm almost at the door leading to my room when I properly process what she's just said. "...hold on, who created you?" "Heaven!" The nymph declares through a mouthful of fish. She swallows, then continues. "She's like, the entity that-" "No, no, I know about Heaven- I follow Her myself." I pause for a second. "It's just... Really weird, knowing this isn't a human-only religion. Or, frankly, that there can even _be_ a religion that isn't exclusive to humans." "Whaddaya mean?" Soulinari points at me with a spoon full of stew. "We _started_ this party, you guys invited yourselves a century or three late." "...I... see..." No, no I don't. "You can tell me more about that later, I'll get the spare room set up for you. Lemme know [[when you're done eating, okay->Seilien Coffin Airgetlamh Tron...]]?"

"...done!" Her voice comes from the living room right as I'm done making the guest bed, followed by footsteps as she heads over. She already looks way more alive than when she came in, and her skin seems a little less pale. "Right on time-" I start, but Soulinari walks right on past and unceremoniously tosses herself onto the bed. I'm about to continue talking when I hear soft snoring coming from her. [["Good night, I guess."->Ginwan Airgetlam]]

[align center] [after 1s] Chapter One [after 1750ms] [align center] **Recovery of an Injured Sea Spirit** [after 2750ms] [align center] [[Start->Shin no Tsuyosa to wa Nani ga?]]

I wake up late, with the sun in my face. It blinds me for a split second, but that split second is all it takes for me to roll right off the soft, warm mattress and onto the cold, hard wooden floor. "God damn it!" I slowly get up, all thought of sleep knocked out of my head by the sudden impact and subsequent pain in the left side of my body. I've gotta get the fish to market today... [[It's in the spare room, right?->Sagashi Samayou]]

[align center] **Dedications** [continue] I, Shiza, programmed and wrote this story. That much is true. However, this was not a one-person project. The people in this section have helped me, knowingly or otherwise, in a number of ways. Thus, I owe my thanks to: [after 1s] **Pokson:** For being the greatest help anyone can ask for. Studio Élan inspired me to get *started* on this project, but Pokson's support is the reason I kept going with this! [after 2s] **Amaya:** For being the other member of the Bavarian Illuminati and helping playtest the game! [after 3s] **[[Studio Élan->http://vnstudioelan.com]]:** Heart of the Woods was what inspired me to turn what would've otherwise been a static story forever stuck in the depths of the failing ASUS I wrote this on into a Twine game and publish it!

Turns out the answer's no. Instead, the bed's been made and there's a pale-skinned girl lying there, looking out the window. The events of last night hit me like a truck, and I decide that maybe giving myself away as a fisherwoman might not be the best idea. "...Morning, Soulinari." Was that a good enough 'I didn't completely forget you existed and come here expecting to find a whole bunch of fish' voice? "Morning, Carina." She doesn't even look away from the window. I wish she would though- Maybe looking at her face would spare me all the thinking about it I did last night. "Slept well?" "Not _well_," she sighs, "but I sure did sleep. It's so _dry_ in here!" She crosses her arms, and I can see her pout. "How do you _live_ like this?!" "I mean..." I've never really had to think about this, but then again I've never had a goddamn nymph living in my house before. "...we spend our whole lives up here, so... We're used to it, I guess?" I hear her chuckle. "Heaven really gave you the short end of the straw when She made you, huh?" [unless heardAboutHeaven] "Yeah, I-" The sentence dies in my throat as I fully process what she's said. "Wait, did you say Heaven?" "Um, yeah?" She turns her face to me, raising a brow. "Why d'you ask?" "It's, uh... I didn't exactly expect you to mention Her like that." I mirror her gesture. "Heaven worship is... I didn't really think anyone other than us did it too." Or that any other species capable of religion existed, but that turned out dead wrong, so... The nymph lets out a strangled groan. "Oh my *god*. We _started_ this party, you lot and your 'Saint' Carina just stole it from us." She slumps, cradling her head in her hands. "I hope you're not as awful to each other as you were to us, at least..." Yeah, I'm not telling her about our history. "It's, uh, it's complicated." "Complicated how?" "It's, like... We're still that bad to each other, you can say, but like... It's not as visible as it used to be, I guess? Like, twenty, thirty years ago if I tried to tall people I was a girl I'd probably be dead or worse. Now... I just get weird looks every once in a while, but as you can see I don't deal with people a lot, so..." [else] "Hey," I snap back, "at least we get to see snow. And climb mountains. And fly in-" "Wait." Her head turns to mine almost instantly, and the switch from looking at her hair to staring right into those brilliant azure eyes disorients me a little. "You can _fly?_" "Er... K... Kind of...? In a way-" "Do it!" Soulinari grins, her eyes growing to the size of dinner plates. Even her voice goes a little high-pitched. "Fly for me!" "I- No, It's..." I can't say no to that face, but I can't fly either. After what seems like an eternity, I decide I'd rather disappoint her now than lead her on and disappoint her later. "...I can't. Not on my own power, that's what airplanes are for." "Air... planes?" She echoes, her puppy-like excitement giving way to a puppy-like curiosity. Ow, my heart. By the time it occurs to me I have no idea how to explain airplanes to a girl who's spent most of her life under the sea, I'm already halfway through telling her what aerodynamics are. Doing a pretty good job of it too, judging by how she's leaning in closer to better listen to my explanation. [continue] "...I see." She nods once she's sure I'm done talking. Her hand drifts to her side, and she winces. "Gah. I need to soak, I think my shirt's dried. That pool from last night... It's close, right?" I nod. "Shouldn't be five minutes' walk... Want me to walk you there?" "It'd be appreciated." She gets out of the bed, biting her lip as she gets up and the wound in her side stings her. I step closer and she leans on me, continuing as we walk out the door: "It'd also be nice if [[you explained to me what a 'minute' is->Hokoru Koto?]]."

"...sorry, could you go over that again?" An apologetic laugh escapes Soulinari as she lowers herself into the tide pool. A groan leaves me before I can stop it, and I sit down on a rock at the edge of the pool where she can see me clearly. "No, my jaw's tired. Why don't _you_ explain to _me_ how your time works until I recover?" "It's..." She shrugs. "...There's not actually all that much to explain. We just have movements- those are what you call days -and everything just sorta builds from there. The only reason I even know what months and years are is because-" She stops talking. "...yeah, I'm not sure I'm allowed to tell you that." "Come on, why not?" I lean forward. She simply turns her face away from mine. "Personal reasons." "...oh, alright. Sorry." I back away, and her gaze returns to its original position. "No, wait, don't apologize." She brings her hands to her chest, waving them frantically. "It's not _that_ kind of personal reason, it's just that, like... Okay, fine, the reason I know what I do about you guys is because my dad's a noble, so he got me a human studies tutor. No idea _where_ he found zir in the first place, but ze's why I know about you." Really? "Really? I mean, no offense but... You don't really strike me as a noble's daughter." I'm starting to envy her, sitting in the water while the sun bears down on me, so I doff my boots and join her in the pool. "Yeah, I've never really fancied wearing the clothes noble kids like me are expected to wear. I mean, I'll wear them at home sure, but when I'm out..." Her hands move to indicate her clothing, and a nagging thought comes back to the forefront of my mind. "...yeah, actually, about that-" I feel a laugh trying to force its way out of my throat, and an otherwise innocuous question turns into a race against time as I struggle not to guffaw. "-those... those things on your legs... They're..." I giggle. "They're... Are you wearing _seaweed shorts_?" Her face turns bright blue, and she frowns. "Hey, what's so funny?!" That's it, I can't take it anymore. The laughter comes out before I can process what's happening. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" I manage to eke out. "It's just... Fucking _seaweed shorts_!" "Shut up!" Soulinari's face turns even bluer. "They're a better idea than they look to you, okay?!" "I--" The sentence coming out of my mouth is blocked, then overpowered by a salty, very slightly coppery taste. She splashed me! I return the favor, and her response is a wave of not just water, but laughter as well. We continue like this [[well into the afternoon, laughing all the way->Chigiru Koto?]].

By the time our laughter dies down and the splashing loses its novelty, the sun is beginning to sink toward the west. Even then, Soulinari's still smiling when she asks me to go home. I've realized I'm pretty damn hungry myself, so it's not a bad idea by any stretch of the term. I get up first, then offer Soulinari my hand. "You know, Carina..." The nymph pulls herself up, leaning against me like she did on the way here. "...you're not bad, for a human. I had fun here." I don't know how to respond to that first bit, so I take it as a compliment and move on, beginning to walk her home. "Me too. I'll be honest with you..." A giggle comes from somewhere, and I realize that somewhere is me a couple of seconds after the fact. "...I don't think I've laughed like that in a long time." "...really?" Soulinari's smile falls, morphing into a frown. Her voice has changed, too; the haughtiness I've gotten to know over the past day is gone, its place taken by unexpected gentleness. "Why's that so...?" "..." The softness in her voice takes me by surprise, and I pause to parse it. The answer comes out soon after, though. "No, no, it's not that my life is miserable or anything. There's just... You've seen how this island is. We're the only ones on it. I see people sometimes, but never to..." Putting the sentence together takes a little time, but I manage it. "I've never _played_ with anyone, or even by myself, since I was a child." She doesn't answer. I feel her hand gently patting my side, and my lips stretching into a small smile. "My life isn't all work and no play, you know. Like I said, I see people. We talk, joke, tell stories. We just don't sit down in a tide pool barely big enough for the two of us and splash each other with seawater for hours, y'know?" "..." She smiles, no longer patting me. "Well, I guess some good did come out of getting tossed into that tidepool." We arrive, and she opens the door before I can do so myself, then lets go of me to sit at the table, in the exact place she did last night. Instead of staring at the door all glassy-eyed, though, she places her hands behind her head, her haughty tone returning. "...anyway, I'm starving! You got any {soulinariPreferredFood}?" "Yeah, sure- You just sit tight." I go to the kitchen, and [[get to work->Mada Miezu...]].

With how hungry I am, two bowls of {soulinariPreferredFood} make it to the table instead of just the one. I sit across from her, and there's silence between us as we eat. "So," she's the first to break it, pointing her [if soulinariPreferredFood = 'fruit salad'] [append] fork [else] [append] spoon [continue] [append] at me. Hearing her talk so suddenly is a bit jarring, but better than being left to my own devices. I look up from my bowl and into her eyes, and she continues. "You've been awful quiet for someone who's just met a so-called 'mythical creature'- Where's the questioning routine?" "Huh?" I tilt my head, setting my own [if soulinariPreferredFood = 'fruit salad'] [append] fork [else] [append] spoon [continue] [append] in the bowl. "Oh, no, it's just... A _lot_ has gone on in this past day, and..." I trail off, and it occurs to me I've been too busy caring for Soulinari to properly parse all that's happened. "...I'm not complaining." She nods her head. "In fact I'm kinda grateful. You haven't really asked me any questions, you've just treated me like I'm one of your own." She's right. I've only asked like, one question. Two at most. The words leave my mouth before I'm done thinking about them. "I just saw you were hurt, and that's all I care about, really." "I see..." That gentleness from earlier returns, her expression visibly softening. "...thank you. I mean it." "It's fine, Soulinari." My lips stretch into a smile. "Thank me when you're fully healed." Once these words leave my mouth, I realize the mood's become way heavier than I'd have liked. Thankfully, Soulinari's given me a perfect out. "That said..." I start, but realize she's already beaten me to it. I let her continue. "[[Is it okay if I ask you a couple of questions->Omoide no Hohoemi ni Toikake Tsudzuketa]]?"

By the time I'm done answering Soulinari's latest question- what a train is -it's late into the night. She's been sitting there the entire time, positively enraptured. I've half a heart to reach out and ruffle her hair, but she snaps out of it before I can act on that impulse with a massive yawn, revealing her tongue and the inside of her mouth to be just as blue as her lips. I'm about to ask what's with that when my eyelids gain about a million pounds and every bone in my body starts aching. I yawn too, and Soulinari puts my thoughts into words. "Haaa... I'm so _tired_!" She moves her bowl out of the way, then slumps on the table. "Is it okay if I just sleep here?" I feel you, Soulinari, but it's hard not to laugh. "You _could_, but you're already in enough pain as is _without_ the pain that comes from sleeping funny. Come on, I'll take you to bed." "But I don't wanna waaaaalk!" She whines, turning her head. It's kind of adorable, but I worry. "Do... D'you want me to carry you?" No answer. "...okay, fine. I'll carry you." I get up and walk over to her. "I'll count to three, and then I'm picking you up and hauling you to bed." Still no answer. "Uno." I hear her mumble something, but I can't tell what it is. "Due." Silence again. "Tre." She mumbles again, then squeaks as I pick her up. As much as I'd like to jacknife her over my shoulder and see how she reacts, that'd probably exacerbate her injuries, so she gets bridal-carried to bed. I set her down, and I'm about to leave when I hear her call my name. "...yeah?" I turn, standing in the doorway. "Could..." She yawns again, and curls up. "...could ya carry me like that more often? It was... really nice." I nod, then realize she probably can't see it. "Sure, if you want. It's more fun when we're less tired, anyway." "Got it." I hear a rustling noise, and take that to mean she's nodding. "Good night." "Good night," I echo, and [[head to my own bed.->Mada Nokoru te no Netsu wo Wasure wa Shinai!]]

I wake up just as late the next day as I did the previous one, but I manage to remember Soulinari exists. Hooray for progress! I head over to her room, and find her already sitting on the bed. "Mornin', Carina!" She gives me a little wave, and I find myself returning it. "Morning. Has your shirt dried?" "Surprisingly, not yet. I get the feeling that's gonna change soon though, so..." She shrugs. "...mind carryin' me to the pool?" "Sure." *** I set the nymph down in the tidepool, then sit with her. There's no need to lose the boots; I left them here yesterday, and they're still there. The question that's hounded me since last night makes its way to the forefront of my mind, and I decide there's no harm in asking. "Say, Soulinari..." "Yeah?" "I've noticed your mouth and tongue are... blue." "And? Yours are red, that's pretty weird to me." "No, I know, I'm just wondering if you know why that's so?" I wasn't expecting an answer, but she gives me one. "There's this substance in our blood, we call it..." A pause, while she searches for the name. "...right, we call it _aimetallos_, it's a kind of metal..." "Hold up," I catch myself interrupting her, but I'm too far gone to stop. "Is that from your human studies mentor?" "What," her brow rises, "y'mean the metal part?" "Yeah, I expected you guys didn't have much by way of technology? Like, I'm pretty sure you've got magic..." "...yeah, we have magic, but that's no reason not to know more about the world!" Soulinari crosses her arms and pouts at me, and I find myself fighting down the temptation to pinch her cheeks. "_Anyway_, as I was _saying_, aimetallos floats in our blood- I think the 'ai' part comes from a word meaning 'blood', actually -and that's why it's blue. There's a lot of blood vessels under our mouths and tongues, so that's why they're blue. "I see... It's the same for us, but the stuff in our blood is red. What would you call that?" "Oh, that's an easy one! Our scientific word for red is 'erythro', so it'd be _erythroaimetallos_!" She beams, a small laugh following her answer. I wish my science teachers were this cute. "I... see... No offense, I didn't really think you'd be able to answer that..." "...hey, I know I don't look that smart, but you should know that looks can deceive by now." She places her hands behind her head, still smiling. "My science grades were straight alphas back in school." I know enough Greek to understand what she's saying, and I'm actually kind of jealous. "Really? I never got above a B- That's a beta in your system, I think." "Really?" She tries to be neutral, but I hear the mocking tone. "I thought you looked smarter than that." Hey! "I _am_! I just never paid attention during science classes!" "Haha, sure. Dork." Why, you-! "Hey, it's not my fault none of my science teachers were this cute!" Her face turns bright blue, and I feel my own redden as what I've just said hits me. A brief silence takes shape between us, and then she laughs- noticeably quieter than last time, though. "...sure... dork." Alright, that's it. I put my hands in the water and splash her with all I've got while her mouth is still open. She pauses for a second, her face returning to its original tone, and then splashes me back even harder. I retaliate, and the events of yesterday's pool conversation play out again, [[with just as much merriment as last time.->Madoi Mayoi Kurushimu Koto de!]]

We finish considerably earlier than last time, and I'm about to pick Soulinari up from the pool when she gently swats my hand away. "I can walk by myself, thank you very much." The last remnants of today's laughter leave her, then she takes my outstretched hand to pull herself up. "Besides, you've spoiled me enough this morning." "Really? Just last night you were asking me to carry you more often." I let go of her hand, offering her my shoulder. She doesn't take it, opting to stay on her feet. "I still want that, but I can't enjoy it without feeling like a burden, y'know?" She takes a tentative step, then another. When the wound in her side remains inert, she begins to walk home. I jog the few steps she has on me, then slow down to keep pace with her. "But you're not a burden, you're hurt." I indicate the blue stain under her clothes, already much smaller than it was two nights ago. "I know, but it feels kinda wrong to just sit there and do nothing while you carry me to and fro and cook for me..." She sighs, looking out at the sea and the late-afternoon sun bouncing off of the waves. "It's _fine_, Soulinari. I swear. I don't expect anything from you in return." She shakes her head. "Maybe it's fine for you, but that's not how I was raised. My dad always says we nobles are a bigger drain on society than your average nereid, so we have to work harder than average to make up for it. So for you to be this kind to me without me doing anything to repay you is..." "Oh my God." It's my turn to sigh. "Soulinari. You didn't do anything for me in return because you physically _couldn't_. Don't beat yourself up too much about it." We arrive, and she opens the door for me to enter. The nymph hesitates for a moment, then walks in herself. "I know you say I'm not a burden, but I can't help feeling like one, so... Is it okay if I cook dinner with you today?" A moment's pause- but I don't need to think much about my decision. "Sure," I answer, and she follows me into the kitchen. "So, what are we making tonight?" She leans against the counter, waiting for my answer. "Something new, please, I could do with a change from the usual." "Okay," I pause to think, then reply... > [["We're making pasta."->Tsumi wo Eguri Kakushi Nigezu Ni!]] > [["How's some cake sound?"->Moroi Jibun Subete Sarashite!]]

soulinariHelpedMake: 'pasta' -- "Pasta? What's that?" "Your human studies tutor never told you that? Time to fix zir mistake." I pull out a large pot from one of the cupboards, placing it on the table, then gesture to a cupboard. "The pasta's in there." I head to the fridge to grab the rest of the ingredients. "You'll see a bag with a bunch of yellow bands in it, that's the pasta. Once ya find it, put it in the pot over there." "Got it!" She shouts, and I hear her heading over to the pot to add the pasta. I go to join her, ingredients in hand, and set everything down on the counter. "Okay, you can stop now." I place a hand on her shoulder once she's placed what I think is enough pasta into the pot. "Now, we gotta get the salt and water-" "Won't be necessary." "Huh?" I tilt my head, and feel my brow rising. "Like I said," she points a finger gun at the pot, and water flows from her fingertip into the pot. "Won't be necessary." "You can _do_ that?" I watch her, wide-eyed. "Yeah." She turns her head to me, and grins. "Sea spirit, remember?" "Right." I watch the flow of water from her finger into the pot, then signal her to stop once there's enough. I take the pot and place it on the stove. "This is gonna be here a while, so..." "...hm?" She sits on the counter, and I follow suit. "That whole _aimetallos_ thing... You said you have a scientific name for things, right?" "Oh, you mean Epistiglossa?" "Pardon?" "Epistiglossa is what we call our scientific language. _If_ I remember right you have a language close to it... Corsican, I think?" A memory of one of the few things I _did_ catch in school surfaces. "No, the one you're looking for is _Greek_. Incidentally, your name... There's a Greek town by that name. It's nowhere near the sea, though, so-" "Oh yeah, I know about the town. There's a river nearby, and since I was born there I took the name of the town- I'm one quarter naiad, see. Though I guess the distinction doesn't really matter all that much." "Hey, it's interesting to me." "Yeah, but that's all it is, interesting. Not much of a practical difference, you know? Especially when it's such a small part." She looks at the pot, then back at me. "Still not done?" "No. By my estimate it's only been a minute. [[Seven more need to pass before we can continue.->Aru ga Mama no Jibun wo Koe de!]]"

soulinariHelpedMake: 'cake' -- "Cake?" Soulinari smiles, cracking her knuckles. "Yeah, I think I know how to make that." Really? That's news to me, but... "Not up here you don't." The confidence vanishes off her face practially _instantly_, and it's hard not to laugh- Even with me trying my best, I see her frown when she hears me snort. "Hey, what's so funny?" "N-Nothing, it's just..." I manage to control myself, and continue with my voice steady. "...the confidence vanished off your face so _fast_. Like one second you were in your depth and then suddenly- 'oh shit'. Anyway, making cake on land is a little different from what you're used to, I imagine." "Hit me." Her confidence has returned, and she both looks _and_ sounds ready to face just about anything. "Okay, _andiamo!_" I pull out the utensils we'll need, along with a couple of bowls. "I'm gonna need... Six eggs from the fridge." Now, I could easily get these myself... but I get the feeling it won't be as funny as having Soulinari do it. I stop to watch her open the fridge and the movement of her head as she looks up and down, down and up, up and down again for the eggs... "Yeah, I don't see any eggs in here." She steps back with a resigned sigh, and begins to close the door. I stop her before she can do that though. "No, there are eggs here. Specifically..." I reach in, and grab one, two, three eggs, her eyes following me all the while. "...here." "...what." She blinks, staring at the white, oblong things in my hand. "What... What the hell?" I set the eggs down on the table, and she stares at them with a look of undiluted confusion. "Th- I- _Are you fucking serious, *that's* what your eggs look like?_" She pokes one with a finger, and it rolls onto its side. "You've got to be pulling my leg." "Nope. That's what our eggs look like." I take the rest of the eggs out of the fridge, and separate the yolks from the whites. "...there's flour in that cupboard up there. Get me that and some sugar- they should be marked pretty clearly." "O... kay..." I can tell she still hasn't gotten over the eggs, and even her steps sound unsteady as she places the flour and sugar next to me. "Nice work." I pour half of the requisite sugar into the bowl, then go to town with the mixer. Soulinari watches wide-eyed, her azure irises following the movement of my hand and the slow, but certain, change in color and consistency of the mixture. "What? I thought you knew how to make cakes?" "I _do_, it's just that... our dough doesn't turn... that color." She points at the batter. "What's that color even _called_?" I shrug. "I think it's just called cream or something like that... You wanna take over mixing for a bit? My hand's getting tired, and someone's gotta get the baking powder and cornstarch anyway." "Sure," comes her reply, and I demonstrate the mixing process to her one last time before going to fetch the rest of the ingredients. Silence follows, right up until [[we put the cake in the oven.->Tatoe Hiza wo Tsuku hi ga Kite mo!]]

promisedMainlandVisit: false -- Eight minutes have passed, and the pot is positively boiling. "Right," I start, "there's a colander in that cupboard under you. Go put it in the sink, and I'll bring the pasta over." With a nod, Soulinari complies, retreiving the colander and placing it in the sink while I take the pot off the stove. She's humming some kind of ditty, and I find myself mimicking her while I strain the pasta. I leave the pasta in the colander, pouring some of the water into a smaller pot before putting the big pot back on the stove. "See the butter over there?" "What's that, again?" "Those yellow rectangle things." I gesture to the stick of butter on the table. "Get a tablespoon- those are the big ones -from that drawer over there-" I point her to the spoon drawer "-and put four spoonfuls of butter in the pot, then fill the spoon halfway and put that in as well." I hear her doing that, followed by a sharp "Done, next!" "OK, get me a measuring cup from that cupboard over by the window." While she grabs the cup I retrieve some parmigiano-reggiano and a cheese grater. I hear her place the cup on the table, and satisfy her request for further instruction before she makes it: "See the heavy cream? Put a cup and half of that in the pot." "Roger!" She snaps off a salute, doing as instructed while I grate the cheese. There's a brief silence between us while she does this, and then- "Done, next!" "Alright- Could ya take over the cheese grating for me?" I step aside, sliding the cheese across the grater one last time to show Soulinari how it's done. Once I'm sure she's doing it right, I pour half a cup of the pasta water into the pot. "Uh, is this enough?" The grating stops, and I turn to see an absolutely massive pile of grated cheese on the cutting board and a sheepish-looking Soulinari holding the grater in one hand and the cheese wedge in the other. On closer inspection... "...yeah, that's good. If there's any extra we'll just toss it in the fridge for later. Be a dear and put it in the cup for me, will ya?" "..." She continues to look at me with that sheepish expression. "Is... Is there a problem?" "Yeah, uh..." She stops for a moment, probably canvassing solutions for whatever problem she has, then continues. "...how, exactly, do I do that?" "Don't you need to finely cut stuff back home?" "Yeah, but..." She rubs the back of her head. "...Mom never let me handle any of that, and maids do all the cooking. Noble's girl, remember?" "Right, right... Not gonna lie, I kinda expected more, since you clearly know your way around your kitchen utensils. Anyway, you hold the edge of the cutting board over the cup like this..." Again I show her how it's done, pushing small amounts of parmigiano-reggiano into the cup before I hand her the knife. She mimics the movements I've shown her- slowly, at first, then faster as she finds her groove. It doesn't take long for the cup to fill up, and she's about to go put the cheese in the fridge before I stop her. "But you said to put the extra in the fridge!" "I know," I explain, pouring the cheese into the pot. "I just need a quarter cup more." With a resigned sigh, she fills a quarter of the cup with grated cheese, then goes to put it in the fridge. I put the cheese in, then bring the pot to simmer and start stirring- _Clack._ What? _Clack._ _What?_ I turn to the source of the noise behind me, and am greeted by the sight of Soulinari. Attempting to stuff the cutting board into the fridge. "...um, Nari..." "..." She turns to look at me. "...yeah, this isn't gonna fit." "Of course it's not, you need a bag to put the cheese in first, hold on." While the pot simmers in the background, I open a nearby drawer to get a plastic baggie. Footsteps sound as she goes over to see what I'm doing, and then she gasps. "There's so _many!_ You could make so many things with that much material!" "Yeah, I- Wait, what?" "O-oh, these things are... We use the stuff they're made of to make most of our technology." I pause to parse this. "You mean... You make your tech out of _trash_?" "Hey. The nautilus' corpse is the hermit crab's home." Jesus, that's the darkest take on that saying I've ever heard. "Anyway, yeah, we have... A lot of these. We call 'em ziplocks, because..." I open the bag, then close it again. Her eyes widen, and she tries it for herself. "...hey, I think I have a jacket that kinda works like that." Huh, these guys are more like us than I thought... I reach out my hand. She stares at it, then at me, then back at my hand. "Um, the _bag_..." "...oh, right! Sorry." She hands it back with an apologetic grin, and I can't help but ruffle her hair. "It's fine, it's fine. You go stir the pot, I'll get this into the fridge and grab the pasta." Soulinari nods, and the rest of the process [[goes off without a hitch.->Killiter Ichaival Tron...]]

[if soulinariHelpedMake === 'pasta'] "Right," I start, but trail off once I realize I don't actually have anything to say. Luckily, Soulinari's the better talker of the two of us and saves the day with her own question. "Do you know anyone? Like, anyone _at all_? The only other life I've seen on this island are the fish in the shallows and the birds over by the tidepool." "Yeah, I go to the mainland every few weeks to pick up food and supplies, not a lot of food or fuel out here, you see." I gesture vaguely toward the back of the house, where the generator is, then start eating. "Ah, so you _do_ see other people... Guessing you live here because you like being alone, then?" She follows suit, but her focus is entirely on her concentration so she just keeps overspooling the fork and dropping all the fettucine. "Yeah, you got that right. Sometimes I'll stay a night or two on the mainland, but that's gotten rarer and rarer recently. Summer brings... Way too many people for my liking, to be honest." "Oh, yeah." Soulinari laughs, properly balancing her focus so she can actually eat the pasta. "I can relate. My town's a popular vacation spot so during the summer all the naiads and oceanids come on down and it's _so annoying._" She sighs. "Mostly, though, I just like being on my own. That said though... My human studies tutor says you guys have devices you operate just by touching them. Is that true or is ze just making it up?" "Oh, no, that's true." The answer comes out more matter-of-fact than I'd anticipated, and it seems to have magnified Soulinari's reaction- her eyes widen to the size of the plates we're eating from, and the fork nearly falls out of her hand. "Whoa, that's... That's so cool!" Even through a mouthful of pasta she sounds like a little kid. It's tempting to lean across and ruffle her hair, but the effort... "How do they work?!" "I'm afraid I can't tell you that, sorry." I see her deflate, and my chest hurts a little. "Tell ya what, though- Next time I go to the mainland, I'll see if I can't ask around and see if I can't find someone who knows how they work." "...please do!" Her eyes widen again, and the temptation grows too much to resist. Her hair feels as soft as ever when I tousle it, and she doesn't complain in the slightest. [else] I'm still a bit dazed by the time we sit down, and when Soulinari speaks her voice only reaches me a couple of seconds after I'm done registering the movements of her mouth. "...?" I try my best to neither look nor sound like I'd zoned out for the past couple of minutes. I wonder if it worked? "I said, it's sweet but a bit bland." "O-Oh, yeah, that's because this is the kind of cake that works best with toppings, fillings, et cetera. I haven't got any of those, though... Maybe on my next trip to the mainland." "And when's that gonna be?" "I was thinking maybe after tomorrow, but now that you've shown up I'm not so sure anymore." "Why, what's the big deal? I'm well enough to walk!" She pouts. "I know you're well enough to walk, but you're also... You're a goddamn _mythological creature_, how do you think the townspeople on Capraia Isola are gonna take that?" "_You_ had trouble believing me when I told you to your face..." Soulinari points out through a mouthful of cake. "Yeah, but I'm not representative of everyone. Besides, you dress in a way no sane person would- Come on, seaweed shorts -and your blood is _blue_, someone's going to notice something's off." "Why don'tcha lend me some of your clothes, then?" I'm about to object, but she continues. "Your body isn't all that different from mine, anything that fits on you should fit me pretty well." My one objection to her idea gone, all I have to offer her is a resigned sigh and a nod. "Alright, you can come with- Just be careful not to let anyone see that blue blood of yours, okay? I can only talk us out of so much." "Roger!" She grins, and I briefly consider ruffling her hair again. The chance of her touching my hand and getting a repeat of a few minutes ago is unacceptable, though, so I refrain, instead letting her continue: "So, where's this Capraia Isola place?" "Oh, it's..." I describe to her where it is, and we spend our meal going over the details of the coastal town that links me to the world at large. [continue] By the time we're done eating, the sun's sunk below the horizon and the stars are visible, clear as day. No sooner do I finish my last bite than exhaustion hits me like a truck- and Soulinari's no better off too, judging by the size of the yawn she's just let out. She rises first, limping to the door leading to our rooms. I follow her myself, barely mustering up the strength to leave the relative comfort of the chair and _walk_ all that distance. The hallway behind the door splits off in opposite directions, with each one leading to a different room. I'm about to head off to mine when Soulinari touches my shoulder. "...what's up?" I turn to her, and find that gentle look I've seen once or twice is on her face again. I don't know if it's because she's closer than last time, or because I'm tired as sin, but I feel my heart skip a beat and my face get just a bit warmer. "Thanks for letting me help with dinner tonight," I hear her say over my repeated attempts at figuring out why I'm feeling like this. "It was... I had fun. I don't feel like nearly as much of a burden, either." "Thanks, I- No, wait..." I stumble over my words, my tongue basically acting of its own accord. If she's noticed, though, she hasn't let on. "...don't worry, it's nothing at all. We can do it tomorrow too, if you'd like..." I take a deep breath to calm myself. "Yeah, I'd like that. See you tomorrow, Carina." She leans in close, then steps away as if she's reconsidered whatever she was planning to do. Instead, she turns and heads to her room, leaving me alone with my thoughts in the hallway. [["Goodnight, Soulinari."->Makyuu Ichaival]]

promisedMainlandVisit: true -- Once the cake is in, all that's left to do is wait- and wait we do. The sound of the oven dominates the silence as Soulinari and I watch the cake inside, neither of us able to come up with something to say... "...so, how long is this gonna take?" God damn it, I was hoping she was having trouble too. "35 minutes, give or take." "...and how long is that?" Oh, right. "That's about... enough time for us to walk to the pool three times, and back here four times." It's a clumsy explanation, but considering we haven't gone over minutes and seconds yet... I come to a realization. "Actually, speaking of which, I think I've figured out how to better explain our time to you." "Sure, hit me." Soulinari turns to face me. I raise my hands, then tap my left palm with my right index. A second passes, and I do it again. "See this? Between every tap of my finger, a second passes." She gives me no response beyond a thoughtful 'hmm', which I take as a cue to continue. "A minute is sixty seconds, and an hour is sixty minutes." Soulinari nods, then puts her finger to her chin. "...so a day is sixty hours?" Her voice is completely serious, and I realize she's not joking. At the same time, it hits me that her question makes perfect sense. "Uh... No, actually. A day has 24 hours in it." "..." She blinks once, twice, then her brow rises. "...what? You had a perfectly good system going, and then you... _what?_" She brings a pale hand up to her forehead, massaging it. "...how?!" "Yeah, it's..." I shrug. "...that's just how it is, I didn't make the rules. Not sure _why_ it's like that, but..." A sigh escapes me. "Anyway, Soulinari. Tell me about you." "You as in...?" "As in _you_. Your culture and all that is interesting but I just realized I don't know anything about you, at all." "Fair enough..." She leans back and stretches, only to be reminded the hard way that she's still injured. I hear her gasp, then she doubles over and nearly falls off the counter. A snort follows after, but that's from me, not her. "You okay there, Nari?" "I- yeah." She replies, clutching her side. "Just... forgot about that. Anyway..." Slowly, shakily, she straightens up again. "...there's really not that much to talk about regarding me, I guess. I know I _sound_ interesting to you because you didn't even know I was real until two nights ago, but there's... really nothing worth knowing about me." "You sure about that?" "Yeah, seriously. I'm just a noble's daughter, that's the only thing that really matters about me, all the 'mythical creature' stuff on your end notwithstanding." [if gaveSoulinariFruit] "I dunno about that... Your sweet tooth is pretty interesting to me." "My...?" I know she's not familiar with human sayings, but something tells me she's tried to forget the embarrassment of two nights ago. "Your liking for sweet things." She tilts her head, and I take that as a cue to continue. "You know, like fruit salad." "Fruit salad... o-oh." If that reply wasn't enough evidence that she's tried to forget, her face turning bright blue and her frantic efforts to find something to cover it would definitely fit the bill. "...sorry about that..." Her voice comes out muffled, thanks to her hiding her face in her hands. "Don't apologize, Nari." I reach out to ruffle her hair, the surprisingly soft locks flowing between my fingers like the water she comes from. "I like it, actually. It's cute." [else] "Mmm... I wouldn't say that... Knowing you're good at science was pretty interesting." "You say that, but what kind of person goes up to anyone else and asks 'hey, what're your grades like?' I mean, it makes sense if you're in school, but... Neither of us are in school, obviously." "What, you want me to bring up that you're easily flustered instead?" My lips form into a smirk, one that only grows when she blushes and frowns at me. "Why, you...!" Soulinari lunges at me, but she's stopped dead in her tracks by the sensation of my hand ruffling her hair. A laugh escapes me unbidden, and her gaze drops to the floor in response. "Told you, easily flustered. I can't tell which of your responses is cuter, though- Hiding your head in your hands, or getting all defensive like this. [continue] "Th-there you go again, calling me cute... I'm not cute!" She vehemently rejects the compliment, but does nothing to stop me playing with her hair. Something touches me, and it takes me a moment to process the pale hand resting atop mine. My face warms, and I'm pretty sure I'm blushing myself. Silence reigns, and then- _Ding!_ "...that's the cake, isn't it?" Soulinari gently moves away from my hand, acting like nothing's ever happened. I want to follow suit, but my body won't respond. I feel like a passenger in my body- the eyes that watch her cut the cake aren't mine, nor are the ears that hear her beckoning me to follow. Landing on the floor clears my senses a bit, but there's still one thing on my mind as I walk into the living room. [[Heaven, her hand felt nice.->Killiter Ichaival Tron...]]

[align center] [after 1s] Chapter Two [after 1750ms] [align center] **Painting the Town Blue** [after 2750ms] [align center] [[Start->Gimon, Gumon...!]]

Hi! You've reached the end of the road for the current build of *Violet Seabreeze*! The game is planned to be an episodic release, so I hope you don't mind seeing this screen often! What you've just completed is episode two, _On That Day, When the Star Became Music..._. Do rest assured, this is **not** the end of the story- though it may certainly be taken that way if you'd like to do so -and episode 3 is in fact on the way! As always, I'd like to thank you for sticking with me this far- your support means a lot to me! Shiza [after 2s] Roadmap [after 3s] **Meteoroid-Falling, Burning, and Disappear, Then...** - *Complete* [after 3500ms] **On That Day, When the Star Became Music...** - *Complete* [after 4s] **Believe in Justice and Hold a Determination to Fist** - *In Development* [after 4500ms] **By Shedding Many Tears, the Reality You Face is...** - TBA [after 5s] **Create a History, With the Light God Could Not Know.** -TBA

For the first time since I found Soulinari, I wake up at sunrise. The return to my usual sleep schedule is refreshing, but that's a hell of a lot more than can be said for the sleep I had last night. I haven't been able to keep her out of my thoughts long enough to get a moment's rest, and now that the sun's up any chance of that is completely shot. I get up, ignoring my aching bones, and go to check on my guest. She's there, clearly awake- Though her eyes are hidden in the crook of her arm, the way she shifts and groans is more than enough to tell me she's no better off than me. It's a small consolation, and I almost feel bad for what I'm about to do. "...morning, Cari." My greeting dies in my throat, replaced by mild indignation that she's beaten me to the punch. I'm about to comment on her arbitarily assigning me a nickname, but given that I've already been calling her 'Nari'... yeah, it'd be hypocritical. "Morning, Nari." "...you can call me Sol, you know. All my friends call me that, so..." The nymph stretches, and gets out of bed. I see her wince as her wounded side is moved, but she's able to get to her feet without my help. "...yeah." "Mmm... I think I'll stick with 'Nari'. It's closer to your real name, _and_ I made it up myself." "Fair enough," she laughs, stepping past me to head outside. I follow her all the way to the front door before she turns and stops me. "By the way, you don't have to come with if you don't wanna, I think I can manage on my own." "Right. I'm starving, so I'll catch up with you after breakfast." I watch her go, then head into the kitchen to [[prepare breakfast->Shodo Inspire]].

It's amazing how even a few days' abstinence makes coffee taste different. It occurs to me as I go to place everything in the sink that I haven't washed the dishes since I found Nari- Right now, the pile of dirty plates doesn't look all that bad, but it's still bad enough that I feel a little guilty about adding to it... Maybe I'll deal with it this evening. I turn, and make it all the way to the doorway before I realize: She hasn't had breakfast, so she must be starving. I turn right back around and make a beeline for the fridge, an idea forming in my head. *** When I arrive, Nari's gaze is turned skyward- what she's looking at, I can't begin to guess -and she stays that way until I'm right next to her. "...hey, Cari." "Could you choose something that sounds a _little_ less awkward? Anyway, hey." I seat myself in the pool with her, briefly wondering why the cold water isn't such a relief before realizing it's not as late in the day as it usually is when we come here. "The nickname you're using for me is literally the last four letters of my name, you don't get to pick and choose." She crosses her arms, staring me in the eyes- or at least trying to. Her irises seem to be trembling, like she's putting in a conscious effort not to look away. "Yeah, but see- I came up with it first, so you calling me 'Cari' just sounds like you're ripping off my idea. It's a context kind of thing, y'know?" "..." Soulinari sighs, turning her gaze downward. "Alright, you win." She chuckles, then splashes me. I raise my hands to cover myself, and stop her before she does it again. "Hey, hey. I know you wanna get payback, but first..." I show her what I've brought with me today: Two bowls of {soulinariPreferredFood}. "It's a bit simple compared to yesterday, but I bet you're starving... Am I right?" [if soulinariPreferredFood = 'fruit salad'] "!!!" Her eyes light up, and she almost snatches the bowl out of my hand. "You... You really shouldn't have, Rina!" I can't tell if it's because of the nickname or because of how excited she looks, but I feel my face heat up in response regardless. Trying to distract myself, I point out to her that if she tries to eat it too fast, she'll choke. Her face turns blue the same way it did that first night, but she doesn't try to hide it anymore. Even at her slowed pace, the fruit salad runs out quicker than Soulinari would've liked, and she lets out a sad whimper once her bowl's empty. I look at the second bowl... I'd meant it for myself, but seeing her like that's made me realize I'm not that hungry after all. I hand that to her as well, and watch her try to ration the food so it lasts longer. Unfortunately (for her, at least) her sweet tooth is strong, and she practically inhales this bowl too. She turns to me, hoping for a third... But all I have to offer her is a shrug. [else] "...yeah, you're right." She takes the bowl, adopting an expression that's... not quite noble-like. "You're drooling." "...oh." She washes it away with a spurt of water from her finger, digging into the fish stew. I figure she'd be bored of it, but the enthusiasm with which she's eating gives that the lie- It's like she hasn't eaten in months. She makes short work of the bowl, and I hand her the other one- not like I'm partictularly hungry right now. She tears through that one too, albeit somewhat slower than the first. Once she's done, she turns to me... But I don't have anything more substantial than an apologetic shake of my head to give her in return. [continue] "Aww, come on- That's all you brought?" She frowns, visibly deflating when she gets the news. A hand places itself on her head, and I only realize it's mine when I feel her hair running through my fingers. "Yeah... Sorry, Nari. I'll bring more next time, if you want." "Nah, it's fine. I don't wanna get too used to it anyway, since I'm probably not gonna stick around for much longer. Maybe a couple more days, then it's back to the sea for me." I should be relieved that she'll be fully healed, but instead it feels like my heart's been torn apart. My expression must've changed, because Nari lays a hand on my shoulder. "What's wrong?" What do I say? I don't want to lie to her, but if I tell her the truth it'll just make her feel bad... "...it's because I'm leaving, isn't it?" Her question is like a spear, breaking through my chaotic deliberations to hit me right where it hurts. I blink once, twice- and then she's right in my face. Her eyes meet mine, and that softness I saw in them last night is there. My face heats up, and I try to muster a response but every word dies in my throat. Through all this I notice something else: My heart's beating a mile a minute. "I..." "...don't worry, Rina. It's for... It's for the best. The sea needs me, and I can't stay here forever- But Heaven knows I'd like to. I'm having more fun up here with you than I've ever had back home, but..." Nari sighs, wrapping her arms around me. "...I know it's a small consolation, but we still have a couple of days before I've got to leave." [if promisedMainlandVisit] "You're right- And I _did_ say I was gonna show you the mainland tomorrow, didn't I? Guess I'll have to make it extra special to compensate, huh?" I can already feel my mood lifting; this girl is a miracle worker. "Yeah! We'll need to be up early tomorrow though, won't we? It's a pretty long journey, even for me..." "Oh, no, don't worry- I've got that covered. We'll take my boat." "You mean that thing?" She indicates my fishing boat, and I can't help but laugh. "No, no, I have another one. I'll show you tomorrow... but you're right about that waking up early thing. I've got chores to do at home and they'll take some time, so it's probably best to head back now." [else] "Yeah, you have a point... I don't really know what to do though, you've seen, well, everything there is to see on this island." "There's other places, aren't there?" "Huh?" "I know you go to the mainland every once in a while- can you take me there while I'm staying with you?" "Yeah, I..." I pause. It's not that bad of an idea, actually... "...yeah, I'm actually going to go tomorrow. If you wanna come with, feel free." "Now we're talking. Thanks, Rina!" "Anytime, Nari. Anytime." I feel my lips forming into a smile, and my hand reaching up to ruffle her hair again. "Anyway, we'll need to go to bed early, so... It's best to head back now." "But the sun's still high up!" "It is, but I haven't washed the dishes since you got here and I've got a ton of other things to do- It'll be nightfall by the time I'm done, I'm telling you now." [continue] "Alright." She nods, and I take that as our cue to leave. I move to get up, and in doing so realize she hasn't actually stopped hugging me. This realization seems to occur to Soulinari too, and she quickly lets go of me, her face turning as blue as her eyes. My own face is on fire, and there's a bit of an awkward silence as we both get out of the pool. Regardless, the embarrassment we feel isn't enough to preclude her from brushing her hand against mine, or me from taking it- And it certainly isn't enough to stop us [[walking all the way home with our fingers entwined->Zetsu! Understand?!]].

My estimate's correct, and by the time I finish my chores the sun's long gone. Soulinari's been helping- mostly simple stuff like washing the dishes -but it's not enough to accelerate the work in any meaningful way. The house _is_ clean though, so it's not that bad of a deal. "Gah, I'm starving." Nari groans, and I hear a gentle thud as she unceremoniously falls into one of the dining room chairs. "What's for dinner?" "Mmm... I'm really tired right now, so... you can make something yourself, can't you?" She groans again, shaking her head. "It feels like my bones have just... stopped working... I can't even stay standing!" She slowly gets to her feet, holding onto the table for support. Her face blues faintly when she finds that staying on her feet is easier than she imagined, and a sheepish smile replaces her tired expression. "...okay, spoke too soon, but you get the point." "...yeah. Don't you live underwater, though? This shouldn't be tiring for you at all, especially since you do more work than the average nereid." "You know as well as I do about our magic, most of the work I do is barely physical- and even then, we don't do it in an environment as dry as this." "What's the dryness got to do with anything?" "It's hard to focus when your throat's on fire." "...fair enough." I nod, and she mimics the motion. "Well, I'm not feeling up to cooking right now, so I'll just... I dunno, grab you a sandwich or something." "A... what?" Nari sits back down, her face a picture of utter confusion. "...you know, a sandwich?" "You have magic? Actually, wait, isn't that cannibalism anyway?" "..." It takes me a moment to process what she's saying, and that moment's more than enough for laughter to bubble in my chest and force its way out. Out of the corner of my eye I see Soulinari frown in response, and that kills the laughter right quick. "No, no. A sandwich is like... Two pieces of bread, and there's something between them." "Oh," understanding dawns on Soulinari's face, "you mean a wyandotte." It's my turn to be confused. "A what now?" "A wyandotte is what you'd call a sandwich. We call it that because the idea came from Wyandot." "I'm, uh, I'm not sure I understand." "Wyandot's a lake... Practically on the other side of the world from here- I've never been, but apparently it's pretty there -and occasionally people go there on vacation or come here from Wyandot on vacation. Anyway, I'm not sure what your name for it is, so I can't really give you that." "Fair's fair, I guess. Anyway, I'll make you a sandwich and head to bed. Gotta wake up early tomorrow, you see." "Yeah, yeah, sure. You do that." She waves her hand, and I can't tell if she's being dismissive out of impatience or because she just wants me to sleep. Whatever the intention behind the gesture, I still heed it and go into the kitchen. A minute later, I come out with a fish sandwich [if gaveSoulinariFruit] [append] - I don't know if she'll find this offensive, but even if she did I'm guessing we're both too tired to care - [continue] [append] and, without stopping, make my way to the door. It's there that I stop, to say my last words for the day: [["Goodnight, Nari."->Konma Sanbyō mo]]

Blue. The first thing I see when I wake up is blue. My vision soon clears however, and I realize I'm looking at a face. Specifically, Nari's face. "...morning, nari..." My voice is barely there, and for a second I worry that she hasn't heard it- but she immediately gives that the lie. "Hi, Rina! I, uh, I didn't _wake_ you or anything, did I...?" "No, no..." A yawn escapes me, and she echoes it. "I'm... I was gonna wake up right about now anyway. I have to ask why exactly you were staring at my face while I was sleeping, though." "I-I wasn't... OK, maybe I _was_, but only after you'd started stirring." "So... you watched me sleep?" "No! Well, I mean... I wanted to wake you up, but..." Her face turns bright blue, and she shakes her head. "...a-anyway, that mainland visit..." "...yeah, I'm sure you've been waiting. Let's have our breakfast and we can get going." *** By the time we're done, the sun's about halfway visible over the horizon. Nari moves to leave, but I stop her. "?" She turns to me, tilting her head. "You're still wearing your nymph clothes." "..." She looks down and, yep, she's still wearing that strange white shirt and her seaweed shorts- which somehow haven't come apart in this dry air. It's weird. "...yeah, you're right. You wanna lend me some of yours?" "Yeah. I'm gonna change out of this thing anyway," I gesture to my dress- its original grey color has been almost completely replaced by salt white. "It's gonna take... Quite a bit of washing to get this out..." "Hey, I'm not the one who made you get into that tidepool every day for, what, four days straight?" "Yeah, fair enough- Anyway, let's get changed." She nods, and follows me to my room. A brief silence ensues as I wait for her to enter and, presumably, she waits for me to enter, then I decide to take the initiative for once. Once I'm done, she heads in, and I wait for her to finish. And wait. And wait. And wait. "..." I knock on the door. "...everything okay in there, Nari?" "Why do you have so many clothes!?" "What're you talking about?" "..." Even through the door I can hear her sigh. She unlocks the door, and practically drags me in to show me the contents of my own closet. "_This!_" She practically shouts, "_this_ is what I'm talking about! Why do you have so many of these?!" She's not wrong, I do have a fair amount of clothes but... "That's... That's a problem...?" "...what do you _mean_? Do you even use most of this?!" "Uh..." It's hard not to laugh once I've got a good grasp of the situation. "...yeah? I haven't had time to change my clothes because I was busy taking care of you, but... yeah? How many have _you_ got at home...?" "Like..." Nari pauses, trying to recall. "...Five shirts, two pairs of shorts, three pairs of pants and my formal robes." "That's... Not a lot." "Yeah, I don't really need that much by way of outfits, just something to keep me covered." "Anyway, so... Should I pick something out for you or are you fine?" "Come on, Rina." She crosses her arms, glancing at me. "I'm not a kid- With that many choices I'll have no trouble coming up with something." "Alright then," I step toward the door, pausing just long enough to add: "I'm gonna be at the dock, [[meet me there when you're done->Shinjō...? Enjō!]]."

The sun was halfway up, now it's three quarters of the way up. I check the speedboat once, twice, thrice- All good to go. Now where the hell is Nari? Turns out I don't have to wonder much longer- A pair of pale hands close over my eyes, and a giggle sounds behind me. "Guess who?" "...Nari, it's just the two of us here. Who _else_ could it be?" "Aw, come on. Lighten up!" She removes her hands, stepping in front of me. She's still wearing a shirt and shorts, albeit a blue shirt and beige cargo shorts, and I can tell she's helped herself to more than just my wardrobe since her hair's in a ponytail and she's acquired a pair of sunglasses. It kind of pisses me off, actually, how my clothes look so much better on her than they do on me. "Alright, alright. Now I'm guessing you've seen these things from below..." I turn the key in the ignition, and the boat's engine roars to life. "...and so you've got no idea what it's like actually _being_ on this thing, so I'll warn you right now: Hold onto something." "Come on, it can't be that ba-" Her sentence dies in her throat, replaced by a cry as the boat takes off full throttle and she nearly falls over. It's hard not to laugh, and it becomes flat-out impossible when she responds to my giggling with nothing less than an indignant squeak. I hear her sandaled feet against the deck, and then cold water against my head. I'd get angry, but honestly? I had that coming, so I apologize instead- or at least _try_ to, though I'm still laughing so she's probably not taking it seriously. I turn to look at her and sure enough, her face is bright blue and she's wearing an indignant pout on it. The temptation to pinch her cheeks rises and, seeing that we'll be going straight ahead for close to an hour, I let it overcome me. Soulinari whines, but that's about as much as she does to deter me. Soon enough I let go, and we continue in silence for a while. *** "...are we there yet?" Nari groans, lying on one of the seats with her face toward the sun and her eyes in the crook of her elbow. "Yeah, I'll give it... what, twenty minutes?" The boat crests a particularly large wave, and there's a series of dull thuds as the nymph gets tossed into the air, comes down on the seat and bounces off onto the deck. "Oww..." "...yeah, speaking from experience, 'ow' is right." Most of my focus is on steering the boat, but enough is left over that I can spare Nari a glance. "Anyway, you're gonna wanna check this out." "Check..." She finishes rubbing her head, and once she gets a look at the sight ahead of us her eyes widen to the size of dinner plates. "...oh my gosh!" Her voice takes on that cute, high-pitched tone she makes when she's excited, and I find myself struggling to concentrate on much else- A task made much harder by the sheer amount of things she points out [[for the remainder of the journey->Motto, Motto, Motto, Motto Motto- Break!!]].

The boat docks with a gentle bump. We disembark, and Soulinari takes advantage of the time I spend mooring the boat to look around some more. Her head darts, birdlike, between the buildings and the people walking around, and once I'm done tying the boat down Nari takes my hand and practically drags me into town to get a closer look at everything. A few people do look at us, but it's mostly to greet me- if anyone's noticed how Nari's acting, they don't show it. We carry on like this for a couple of minutes before the nymph finally slows down, and I can take the lead. "So, um, Rina..." She starts as we take our seats at an open-air cafe, pausing to gather her thoughts. "...Your... Your buildings are really tall. What's up with that?" "Your human studies tutor never told you?" "...no, ze didn't think it was particularly important, so it wasn't covered." "I... I see. Anyway, it's a space thing. Like, the second floor there-" I point at an electronics store nearby, "-is offices and stuff, sometimes even a residence." "I see, I see..." Soulinari nods, but her attention doesn't return to me; she's still staring at the electronics shop. I can't see it, but I imagine her jaw must be hanging open right now. "Something catch your eye?" "N-No!" Her head whips around to meet mine, and her face turns bright blue when I raise my brow. "...okay, yeah, that shop there..." She points toward the electronics store. "Oh, that?" I ask her, and she simply nods in response. I'm about to reply when- "May I take your order- Oh, hey Carina!" -oh. Looking up, I find myself looking at a familiar, violet-eyed face- One I've known for 17 years. Laughter escapes me, and I'm about to greet Teodora when Nari cuts me off. "Surprise me. What about you, Rina?" Her voice is a little louder than necessary, and I can feel her hand close around mine under the table. Wait, she can't be... "I'm not hungry right now, thanks. I'll take a water though." "Alright, so a water and... Just anything?" We both nod, and Teo leaves to pass the order on. No sooner does she turn her back than Soulinari's hand squeezes mine and pulls it closer to her. In the interest of experimentation, I try to move my hand away- but she squeezes it again and pulls it even closer. Oh my god, I think she's jealous. "...hey, Nari?" "Yeah?" "Everything okay?" "Yeah, why d'you ask?" "Well, uh..." I give my hand a little shake. Nari's actions seem to catch up to her, and she turns bright azure. A moment passes, then her eyes widen to the size of dinner plates and she lets go of my hand to grab a menu and raise it in front of her still-blue face. She stays like this for about a minute, and when she lowers the menu again she's back to her usual pale, faintly-bluish complexion. "...sorry," she mumbles, "I just saw the way she greeted you and..." "It's fine, it's fine." I tousle Nari's hair, and watch her cheeks turn a faint sky blue for a moment. "I, ah, probably should've told you about Teodora." "Teodora, huh?" She nods, taking note of the name. "I like it. It's a nice name." "Yeah, it is. Doesn't beat yours though." "..." That sky blue tinge returns, and she shakes her head to dispel it. "Anyway, you two know each other?" "Yup. For 17 years now. She's like family to me." "I see, I see..." We kill a little time talking about our childhood friends- Teodora for me, Sireniana for Soulinari -until Teodora arrives with our orders. I've got my water, and Soulinari's got... A chocolate milkshake? Damn, now I wish I'd asked for a surprise myself. Nari stares at it, then raises her gaze to me. "Hey, Rina, what's this?" "It's a chocolate milkshake." "...so that's chocolate?" "Yup." I nod. "Give it a shot, see how you like it." "Alright..." She wraps her lips around the straw, and gives the drink a taste... "!!" Soulinari's eyes widen, and she beams at me. [if gaveSoulinariFruit] [append] I'd missed that look, and find myself mirroring it. [else] [append] My heart skips a beat, and my face warms. [continue] [append] It's decided then, I'm going to learn how to make chocolate milkshakes for her sake- Wait, no. The realization that she's leaving hits like a truck, and a weight like a haul of fish bigger than any I've ever snared settles on my heart. I try to focus on the here and now, the smile on Nari's face and the happy noises she's making, but it just reminds me I won't have them for long. "...Rina?" She looks at me, her mouth half-open and worry in her eyes. I shake my head, putting on my best face. "I'm fine, don't worry." "...if you say so." She brushes it off, but I can tell she's not buying it even before she gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. Feeling a little better, I decide to change the subject. "So... how's the milkshake?" "Oh, it's great!" She grins, giving me a thumbs up. "A bit cold, but not too much so, and the flavor..." Nari sighs, a blissful expression forming on her face as I tousle her hair. "Why can't we have anything this good at home?" "At home as in...?" "You know what I mean, underwater!" "Oh. I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess only you and your tutor know it even exists." "...probably." She gets back to her drink, and there's a brief silence before she sets the cup down on the table. Right on time, too, as Teodora passes by us. I call her over, and ask for the bill. Once our drinks are paid for, we head over to [[the electronics store-> Kizu Goto Egureba Wasurerareru tte Koto Daro? ]]

"Hi, how may I help you today?" There's a girl at the counter, but she's not Lella. I'm about to ask where she's gone, but decide against it; too time-consuming. Instead, I just get straight to the point. "We'd like a room, please." "A room, right. Guessing you want a double?" "Yeah, please." Nari answers before I do. "Alright, that'll be... 50 lire." That's... Not as cheap as I wanted, but cheaper than I expected. As I sift through my wallet for the money, I hear Nari asking the receptionist a question. "Say, what's with all the decorations being hung up outside?" "Oh, those? The World Cup finals are on tonight, and we're in- I'm guessing they're in preparation for us winning or something." She shrugs. "If you head on down to Cataldi's they're setting up a viewing party. Got a giant TV and everything." Shit, the *World Cup finals*? With *us* in them? I knew the Italian team'd pull through, eventually... We can't miss this! My expression must've changed, because Nari gently pokes my side once I'm done handing over the money. "Why don't we go check out Cataldi's? Maybe get some good places for the party?" "Yeah, good idea." I turn my attention back to the receptionist. "What time's the party?" "Oh, it's in..." She takes a key off the wall, then turns to offer it to us. "...ten minutes. Here's your room key. Would you like to-" That's enough to get my heart beating like a drum. With a Herculean effort, I manage to not snatch it out of the receptionist's hands, and I'm able to keep my excitement contained right up until we leave- even if it does mean not getting to see the room. No sooner are we out than I take off running, practically dragging Soulinari [[toward our destination->Haha!! Sā IT'S SHOW TIME!]].

We arrive at Cataldi's and, sure enough, there's a giant screen set up in preparation for the party! The place is practically deserted though... We didn't come _too_ early, did we? "Piccoli!" A voice sounds behind me. I turn, and there's Cataldi themself. "It has been a _while_!" They wrap their arms around me, then step back- and their jaw drops once they see my hand holding Nari's. "Oh my god, Angelica just got 10 lire richer!" Wait, what? A second of confusion precedes a memory surfacing, and then my face catches fire. "W-Wait, hold on, Yuuna, I- We- She's not my--" I stammer, sentences surging out of my throat and falling over each other in a heap at my mouth. Nari must've understood what Yuuna meant, because we say the same thing at the same time: _"She's not my girlfriend!"_ ... Would that really be so bad, though? Yuuna laughs, their tricolore scarf bouncing on their shoulders. "You say that, but I notice you're still holding hands!" "H-Hey, she's new here... Just wanted to make sure she didn't get lost, you know..." As true as that statement is, I'm keenly aware it's a flimsy excuse- but the alternative is letting go of Nari's hand, so it's worth a try anyway. "Yeah, I'll accept that. She doesn't seem local." Yuuna shrugs, then steps closer to me so they can whisper: "What wild new adventure did you get roped into this time, Carina?" ...what? Brief confusion again, and then... Oh. Oh, shit. I glance at Nari, and see her move her hands to cover her blue cheeks- but it's too little, too late. Yuuna knows. I sigh; whatever, they're easily the most trustworthy person on this island. "...Yuuna, can we talk inside? As adventures go, this one's... A real fucking trip." "Really?" They raise a brow, a grin forming on their face. "Sure, let's have a chat- This has gotta be good if you're asking to talk in private." *** "...and, well, yeah. That's all there is to it so far." I finish explaining Soulinari's situation to Yuuna, who simply nods. "So she's like... A _bona fide_ nereid?" "Yeah, with water magic and everything." "I can demonstrate, if you want?" Nari lifts her shades up to her forehead, pointing a finger in the air in preparation. "Nah, I believe you. It's just..." Cataldi wrings their hands, then rests their chin on them. "...a genuine sea spirit... That's one hell of a coincidence." "Coincidence?" I lean forward, my eyes narrowing into a frown. "Oh, uh, right- Some vlogger showed up a couple days ago, talking about that exact kind of thing: Sea spirits and whatnot. Could just be dumb luck, but... You clearly don't want anyone finding out Souli's a nereid, so..." "Yeah, it's probably-" That last sentence sinks in properly, and I change course. "Wait, are they still in town?" "Yeah, she is, that's why I'm bringing this up in the first place. Thankfully she's impossible to miss; hair this red-" They hold up their scarf, pointing to the bright red stripe on it "-tends to have that kind of effect." "I... See. Thanks." I nod my gratitude, and Nari does the same. "Anytime. Now, with that out of the way- The match should begin in a few, so why don't we go grab ourselves [[the best seats in the house?->Kazan no yō Satsubatsu Rain!]]"

Silence falls over the square. The match is in the final minutes, with the score tied at 3-3. Our team's putting up a good fight, but the Germans just aren't letting us get anywhere. Even Nari's constant questions have stopped, and she stares at the screen just as- no, arguably even _more_ -intently as Yuuna and I. The clock ticks down. Five minutes. Four minutes. Three... "An excellent play by Attanasio, passing the German defense... He's approaching the line..." The commentator speaks, his booming voice made even louder by the anticipation in the crowd. A German defender almost gets Attanasio, but he manages to get away safely... He shoots. He scores. **He scores!** The commentary- and, indeed, everything else -is completely drowned out by the subsequent roar from the crowd. I find myself joining in too, cheering the Italian victory. Yuuna laughs, pulling me and Nari into a tight hug as the viewing party turns into a conventional party. Song fills the square before long, accompanied by music from a local band. Soon enough the party spills out of the square, and the three of us are swept up in a tide of celebration that floods the streets of Capraia Isola, gathering steam as it goes. We lose Yuuna along the way, amidst all the hugs we're getting, but neither of us could care less- we're having way too much fun right now. As it spreads, the parting mass eventually loses density, and soon enough there's enough room to dance. I'm not the only one to notice- in fact, the only reason I've noticed this at all is because of all the couples taking the opportunity to dance together. I see waltzes, tangos, and all manner of other dances whose names I either don't know, or can't recall. They seem to be having a blast, too... Shame I have no one to dance with. Or do I? I grab Nari's hand. She clearly understands what I want to do, because it's not long before we're one of the couples dancing in the street. She takes the lead, her movements far more graceful than I'd anticipated and quite unlike anything I've ever seen. I just go with what I know: Most of a tango and a little bit of a waltz, an awkward combination made even more awkward by the fact that I haven't danced in years- but Nari's movements compensate for my awkwardness, and then some. I'm vaguely aware, as Nari spins around me, of the state of the street. Of the other couples stopping dead to watch us go. Of the envious glares we're getting from people who'd fancied themselves the best dancers around. I know all that is going on, but I simply don't care. We're in our own little world, one far more important than the one out there. She performs a final twirl, exploiting the momentum to pull me toward her. I fall backward for a split second, then find myself in her arms, gazing up at her face. She casts me a wink and a soft smile, and I feel my heart palpitate. [[Oh my God, she's beautiful.->Sā Omaera no]]

All good things must come to an end, and unforunately that dance was no exception. We make our way back to the hotel amid celebrations still going strong, our bodies barely able to support their own weight. Thankfully, word spreads fast in this town, and the impression we left with our dancing means people part as we go, exchanging awed whispers. In better circumstances I'd have enjoyed this attention, but right now my mind's dead set on staying awake long enough to get to the hotel. I glance at Nari, who seems just as tired as I am. She's looking at me, and no sooner do we make eye contact than her face turns ever so slightly blue and her eyes move away, a reaction I'm sure I'm mimicking. Something happened between us during that dance, and I can't tell if we don't know what that something was, or if we do but we're too afraid to admit it. Thankfully, we arrive at the hotel before long, and it's not much longer before we're standing at the door to our room. I unlock it, open the door, and- "This isn't a romance game!" Nari's shout catches me off-guard, and it takes me a moment to catch up with things and realize two things: One, that was my shout, not Nari's. Two, there's only one bed. I sigh, staring at the bed and trying to figure out what to do. A hand lands on my shoulder, and when I turn to face the owner I find Nari looking worried. "What's wrong?" "It's..." I sigh again, massaging my temples. "There's just one bed, Nari." "...yeah, and...? What's the big deal?" "You... You know what this means, right?" "...yeah, and? I don't really mind sleeping in the same bed. Not if it's with you." My face warms, and I'm sure the only reason I'm not beet red right now is because I'm too tired for it. The blush that's appeared on my face is clearly visible, though, because Nari's cheeks turn sky blue and she averts her gaze. "I-I mean... You're familiar to me, you know? It's not as much of an issue if we _have_ to share the bed." Yeah, okay, I can accept that. Now that I think on it, I don't mind sharing a bed with her myself- it doesn't feel quite so embarrassing as it would with, say, Yuuna or Teodora. With a resigned shrug, I throw myself on the bed. Soulinari follows suit, and we just barely manage to wish each other a good night [[before sleep claims us->Zenbu Zenbu Zenbu Zenbu Ze-n-bu!!]].

I can't tell how long I've been asleep, but it's obviously been a long bloody time- The sun coming through the windows angles to the west, and the sky's put on its afternoon colors. Dammit, all the time we'd gained by staying the night has been spent. I get up- or at least try to. Something stops me, and after a moment's thought I realize something: Soulinari is holding onto me, and I'm holding her in return. I'm about to move her arm off of me, but then my gaze lands on her face and I find I haven't the heart to disturb her. Not when she looks this peaceful. Instead, I just lie there and watch, waiting for her to wake up so I don't feel bad about getting up and waking her myself. Soon enough, she stirs. A single eye slides open, followed by the other. "Morning, Nari." "...morning, rina..." She takes her arm off me, and I finally feel free to sit up. "Slept well?" She nods, rubbing her eyes to get the sleep out. "...what time is it?" "It's, uh..." I've walked Nari through the concept of hours and minutes, but never really told her how we keep time, or how to read clocks. Not a big deal, though. "...mid-afternoon, I wanna say." "...damn. I guess we're gonna have to head home soon, huh...?" "No, no, we got a couple hours to kill if we get up now. Anything you wanna do today?" "Nah..." She shrugs. "I've had my fill of fun last night, I'd say. We can head home whenever you'd like." "Hmm... Actually, how about a boat tour?" "A...?" "It doesn't really look it, but there's more to this island than just the town we're in." I get off the bed, stretching. "I can take you around with the boat, if you want?" "Sure, why not?" She gets up as well, grabbing her shades off the bedside table. "Doesn't feel right being this far from the sea anyway." "...doesn't your name come from a _landlocked_ Greek town?" [if soulinariHelpedMake === 'pasta'] "We've gone over this before, I'm part naiad- but only _part_." [else] "Yeah, I was born in the river near it." She shrugs. "Thing is, I'm only a quarter naiad to three-quarters nereid, so it's not really noticeable- about the only noteworthy difference it makes is I can conjure fresh _and_ salt water, but, yanno, besides the point." [continue] "Oh, OK- Fair enough. Now let's go get you close to the sea, yeah?" "Ready when you are!" She winks at me, then realizes I can't see through her shades and raises them just so she can wink at me again. Dork. "Alright then, let's go!" I cry out and, before she can respond, take her hand and [[drag her out the door, heading for the docks->Balwisyall Nescell Gungnir Tron...]].

"There we go, that's **much** better!" Nari laughs into the wind as we speed away from the island, swinging into a wide circle that'll take us all the way around. "Feeling better now, I take it?" "Hell yeah!" She grabs my shoulders and gently shakes me, then looks out at Capraia. "...so _that's_ what your towns look like... I kinda expected something bigger, to be honest." "Oh, this is nothing- You should see Roma, or even Napoli." "...huh?" "Roma and Napoli are cities. They're... I don't know the specifics, but they're _way_ bigger than just this tiny isle. I'd take you, but it's way too far." "Aw. That's okay, I'll look for them myself!" Her lips curl into a smile, which immediately turns upside down as it sinks in- for both of us -that she's leaving. Silence follows, until Nari finds it in her to speak up. "...hey, Rina...?" "Yeah?" "I'm... I'm going to miss you." "..." I sigh. Do we really have to talk about this? "The feeling's mutual, Soulinari. It's fun, having you around." Nari doesn't respond verbally. Instead, she stands behind my seat and gives me a hug. I wish I could return it, but the boat won't drive itself. Silence again, for about a minute, and then- "What's that?" She points to a massive stone fortress. "Oh, that's the _Forte di San Giorgio_. It's... Probably the oldest building on the island. It's not open to visitors, though, or I'd have taken you." "A fortress, huh...?" "Yeah." "It's... different." "Huh?" "Like..." She shrugs, watching the fort pass us by. "I'm aware that your buildings are really different from ours- _used_ to it, even -but your fortresses are... _way_ different." "Different... how?" "Well, from what I can see, the top of it is completely undefended- It's just wide open for an attack from above. The position's way too precarious, too- whoever built this sacrificed the advantage of building it on the ground by having it on a cliff like that- what if someone tries to hit you from below? Also, that tower is just _asking_ for trouble, it's a plainly visible target coming from the sides and basically a free pathway to the heart if you come at it from above..." I blink. So this girl's got an eye for fortress-building, huh? Or at least, I imagine that's what it would be like if we were underwater. Which we're not. "Um, Nari..." "...that said though the low profile of the rest of the fort makes it-- Hm?" "Flight, for us, is kind of a new thing. This was built before airplanes were invented, so an attack from above wasn't much of a concern. Nor, for that matter, were people scaling the cliff face below." "...oh, is that so?" "Yeah. The only real threat back then came from the sides- which these walls do more than a good job of protecting." "Huh. You guys are a lot safer than we are, then." "What do you mean?" "Come on, Rina, your species and mine are extremely similar- you think we don't have politics and war too?" "Um... I'll admit I haven't really thought about that..." "Well, we do. If I'm being honest, we probably have a lot more war than you guys do, too, because there's just so many different countries that can't agree on anything- There's like _11_ of the things in this stretch of sea and at least three of them are itching to fight each other at any given moment- but I'm digressing." "..." I let this all sink in, then something occurs to me: "You know, I don't think you've told me anywhere _near_ as much about your world as I've told you about mine." "I was waiting for you to ask..." "...and I didn't want to ask, because I worried about seeming disrespectful." "I wouldn't have taken offense! ...though I'll admit that one's kind of on me for not making it clear, sorry." "It's fine- but it's a bit late for that now, isn't it?" "Not necessarily, Rina." She gives me a reassuring smile. "Luck- or fate -led me to you once before, it might bring us together again. Hell, I might even get a chance to _show_ you my world." A warmth builds in my chest. Alien, but familiar at the same time- _Excitement_. Now there's something I haven't felt in ages. I nod, a chuckle rising from my throat and breaking out of me before I can stop it. "I'm looking forward to it." "Me too." Nari reaches down, playing with my hair just like I do with hers. My cheeks warm slightly, and I find my eyes mysteriously drawn away from her. Still, it's a nice feeling, and it's hard not to feel sad when she takes her hand off me. "...you know what I'm _really_ looking forward to right now, though?" "...what?" "Pointing this thing homeward. Like I said, I've about had enough of Capraia for now." I laugh. "Alright, then- [[Let's head home, why don't we?->Gekisou Gungnir]]

[align center] [after 1s] Chapter Three [after 1750ms] [align center] **Separation** [after 2750ms] [align center] [[Start->Zettai Ni, Hanasanai kono Tsunaida te wa...]]

_Soulinari is leaving._ I've known this for days now, but the fact only hits me now as I stand on the dock, having a last word with her. She should've been gone hours ago, but every time she's about to leave one of us thinks of something to say and we stay where we are. My vision is faintly blurred, but I try to tell myself it's not tears. I try to tell myself I'm not crying, but lying was never my forte. The most I can do is hide it, but... "...Rina...?" Her voice is unusually shaky, and it's clear as day we're in the same boat here. "What's... What's up?" "There's... something I wanna tell you before I go." "Look, just... Just go. It's not doing either of us any good to stay here constantly coming up with things to say to avoid parting ways. I can tell you're about to cry, and-" A strange taste comes to my attention. Salty, but not unpleasantly so, accompanied by a softness against my lips. It takes me a moment to process it, but once I see Nari's face drift away from mine I put two and two together: **She kissed me.** I'm still reeling from the shock, but the last words she gives me before she plunges into the sea reach me loud and clear: "I love you, Rina." I stand there, regrouping. Watching Soulinari's silhouette fade away under the orange stained-glass sea, my defenses break one by one. A dull ache in my legs, and a second later I realize I've fallen to my knees. Water stains my clothes and, with just the same delay as before, I realize it's my tears. Nari's not around to worry anymore, so there's no reason for me to hold back- I cry and cry, until my throat's on fire and my eyes run out of tears. Through shaky sobs, I manage to get out the words I'd always wanted to say, but never knew I did: [["...I love you too..."->Nankai Naita no ka?]]

[align center] [after 1s] Act Four [after 1750ms] [align center] **Violent Spear GUNGNIR** [after 2750ms] [align center] [[Start->Kort el fes Gungnir! Kort el fes Gungnir!]]

Double-click this passage to edit it.

soulinariDrink: random.d4 -- The boat docks with a gentle bump. We disembark, and Soulinari takes advantage of the time I spend mooring the boat to look around some more. Her head darts, birdlike, between the buildings and the people walking around, and once I'm done tying the boat down Nari takes my hand and practically drags me into town to get a closer look at everything. A few people do look at us, but it's mostly to greet me- if anyone's noticed how Nari's acting, they don't show it. We carry on like this for a couple of minutes before the nymph finally slows down, and I can take the lead. "So, um, Rina..." She starts as we take our seats at an open-air cafe, pausing to gather her thoughts. "...Your... Your buildings are really tall. What's up with that?" "Your human studies tutor never told you?" "...no, ze didn't think it was particularly important, so it wasn't covered." "I... I see. Anyway, it's a space thing. Like, the second floor there-" I point at an electronics store nearby, "-is offices and stuff, sometimes even a residence." "I see, I see..." Soulinari nods, but her attention doesn't return to me; she's still staring at the electronics shop. I can't see it, but I imagine her jaw must be hanging open right now. "Something catch your eye?" "N-No!" Her head whips around to meet mine, and her face turns bright blue when I raise my brow. "...okay, yeah, that shop there..." She points toward the electronics store. "Oh, that?" I ask her, and she simply nods in response. I'm about to reply when- "May I take your order- Oh, hey Carina!" -oh. Looking up, I find myself looking at a familiar, violet-eyed face- One I've known for 17 years. Laughter escapes me, and I'm about to greet Teodora when Nari cuts me off. "Surprise me. What about you, Rina?" Her voice is a little louder than necessary, and I can feel her hand close around mine under the table. Wait, she can't be... "I'm not hungry right now, thanks. I'll take a water though." "Alright, so a water and... Just anything?" We both nod, and Teo leaves to pass the order on. No sooner does she turn her back than Soulinari's hand squeezes mine and pulls it closer to her. In the interest of experimentation, I try to move my hand away- but she squeezes it again and pulls it even closer. Oh my god, I think she's jealous. "...hey, Nari?" "Yeah?" "Everything okay?" "Yeah, why d'you ask?" "Well, uh..." I give my hand a little shake. Nari's actions seem to catch up to her, and she turns bright azure. A moment passes, then her eyes widen to the size of dinner plates and she lets go of my hand to grab a menu and raise it in front of her still-blue face. She stays like this for about a minute, and when she lowers the menu again she's back to her usual pale, faintly-bluish complexion. "...sorry," she mumbles, "I just saw the way she greeted you and..." "It's fine, it's fine." I tousle Nari's hair, and watch her cheeks turn a faint sky blue for a moment. "I, ah, probably should've told you about Teodora." "Teodora, huh?" She nods, taking note of the name. "I like it. It's a nice name." "Yeah, it is. Doesn't beat yours though." "..." That sky blue tinge returns, and she shakes her head to dispel it. "Anyway, you two know each other?" "Yup. For 17 years now. She's like family to me." "I see, I see..." We kill a little time talking about our childhood friends- Teodora for me, Sireniana for Soulinari -until Teodora arrives with our orders. I've got my water, and Soulinari's got [if soulinariDrink === 1] [append] a cappuccino in a tall glass- venti, if I had to guess. I don't know much about nymphs, but I think I know enough to conclude that her reaction's going to be hilarious, or at least amusing. She reaches out to touch it and immediately recoils with a hiss. "Oww!" "Everything okay?" "It's so _hot!_" She sucks on her finger- are those tears welling up in her eyes? -as she speaks. "Yeah, I, uh... I figure I should've warned you. Hot drinks up here are probably way hotter than what you have down there." "N-No, it's fine." She wrings her hand, then moves to take the cappuccino again. My eyes feel a bit dry, and I realize when she manages to grab the coffee without issue that she's probably using magic. I look down at Nari's hands and sure enough, they're soaking wet. Thankfully it's not immediately visible to those around us, so I'll let it fly. [else] [if soulinariDrink === 2] [append] ... A chocolate milkshake? Damn, now I wish I'd asked for a surprise myself. Nari stares at it, then raises her gaze to me. "Hey, Rina, what's this?" "It's a chocolate milkshake." "...so that's chocolate?" "Yup." I nod. "Give it a shot, see how you like it." "Alright..." She wraps her lips around the straw, and gives the drink a taste... "!!" Soulinari's eyes widen, and she beams at me. [if gaveSoulinariFruit] [append] I'd missed that look on her face, and find myself mirroring it. [else] [append] My heart skips a beat, and my face warms. [continue] [append] It's decided then, I'm going to learn how to make chocolate milkshakes for her sake- Wait, no. The realization that she's leaving hits like a truck, and a weight like a haul of fish bigger than any I've ever snared settles on my heart. I try to focus on the here and now, on that smile- but I can't. [else] [if soulinariDrink === 3] [append] a cup of milk tea. [else] [if soulinariDrink === 4] [append] black tea. Not any black tea, either- it's Ceylon! As much as I want her to have fun, I can't help wanting her to find the tea not to her liking so I can take it off her... [continue]

"Buon giorno, Carina!" The owner of the shop greets us when we arrive, and I find, once I get a closer look, that I recognize him. "Buon giorno, Bruno." "Brought a friend along, I see?" For a second I wonder what he's talking about, then I spot Soulinari wandering the shelves and it clicks into place. "Yeah." "What's her name?" [after 1s] **Fuck.** [after 2s] [append] I briefly consider using her real name- but that'd raise too many questions. Instead, I give Bruno the first name that comes to mind. "...she's Bianca." "Bianca, eh?" The shopkeeper laughs. "She's a pretty one." Damn right she is. And she's mine. ... Huh, is this what she felt when Teodora came over to our table? In the interest of not making myself look like a total loon, I nod. "I'll pass on the compliment." "Alright. Now that that's outta the way- how may I help you?" [if soulinariHelpedMake = 'pasta'] "Actually..." My conversation with Nari two nights ago comes to mind, and I figure Bruno's as good a bet as any. "...I've been wondering if you could tell me how touchscreens work." "What, you mean like touchscreens specifically or...?" "Yeah." "Well..." He shrugs. "I don't know the details, but there's like-" "-hold it there for a sec, please." I can't see Nari, and I can't hear her either, so it's probably a good idea to go find her so she can hear the explanation. I find her staring at a mobile phone, and it takes a bit of effort before I can convince her to follow me back to where Bruno is. "OK, carry on." "Right," he nods, starting over for Nari's benefit. "So, I couldn't tell you the specific terminology and all that, but the long and short of it is, There's some kinda electric grid on top of the screen, and when you put your finger in it it disrupts the flow or something like that." ...oh. That was kind of an underwhelming explanation in my opinion, but Nari clearly disagrees. She's about to ask a question, but I decide to pre-empt her so she doesn't end up blowing her cover somehow. "Actually, on that note, could you tell us- or mainly Bianca, really -about how computers are built?" "Of course, of course!" Bruno nods, launching into an explanation which immediately loses me because I can only understand roughly 2% of the words in any given sentence of said explanation. [else] "Well, ah, Bianca was considering getting a computer, so I brought her here to have a look around." "Really?" Bruno beams. "I'm flattered you came to me first! Come, come!" He calls, partly to me but mostly to Nari, who obliges. "I'll show you the best this little joint has to offer!" *** Oh my god. Why are computers so complicated? I'd always assumed they were a simple kind of thing but now, as Bruno introduces me and Nari (but mostly Nari) to like the tenth manufacturer- Syzygy Systems, apparently based in Genova -I start to think they're more a pain in the ass than anything. Nari doesn't seem to share this sentiment, though- she keeps running over to devices that catch her interest and asking what Bruno knows about them. It'd get on my nerves if she wasn't so damn cute. [continue] We leave the electronics shop... I can't rightly say when, but I know it's been at least a couple of hours since we went in; Nari's an energetic one. Unfortunately, though, this means we don't have the time to do everything I'd have liked to do. Unless... "Hey, Nari?" "Yeah?" "You wouldn't mind staying the night here, would you?" "Huh? Why?" "Well, there's some places here that only open at night, and it gives us the option of doing more things tomorrow..." "Isn't that a bit dangerous, though? Like, the longer we spend here the more opportunities there are for someone to find out what I am." "Well, when you put it that way..." I pause to consider what she's just said, then make my decision. "...still, though- where are you supposed to find the fun in life if you don't take risks?" A grin forms on Soulinari's face, and she gently slugs my shoulder. "I like that attitude~" "First things first, though: Let's book a room now so we don't have to deal with it later. I know a place." "Of course you do... Lead the way!" She takes my hand, and [[off we go->Ī Ko-chan na Seigi Nante Hagashite Yarō ka?]].