Completed Along the Harbor's Water

[Ariann]

At the sudden disruption of the water's edges, the song coming from Ariann halted in its tracks, the water sloshing down and falling still as the sea-creature turned around to look up at the humanoid's feet, her emerald eyes glowing under the water. Her curiosity grew tenfold when his feet touched the water.

It can't hurt me in the water... She thought naively, taking a few strides forward until she was within reaching distance before stopping. She squatted, her body folded over to keep her head under water, bubbles coming out of her lips as she breathed out carbon dioxide. It's so... fleshy...

She reached up and plucked at the man's feet, her slippery smooth skin touching his rough, land-born skin. After the first contact, she withdrew her hand quickly, clasping it to her chest. Then the string of yelling and questions met her ears, delayed by the water's slowness. The Charoda's head lifted out of the water to look at Leila, her entire body now visible under the water to Ricky, including her seaweed attire.

What are you? Who are you? What are you doing? Why are you scaring away all the fish? Why are you afraid of the land? And why aren't you being more respectful to Ricky?

She didn't know how to respond, tilting her fish-like head to the side and staring at Leila with emerald eyes as she spoke in the common tongue. "Charoda, Ariannaliese, squatting, am not scaring, cause it's bad, because he looked scary." Came the swift replies of the underwater creature, which retracted its head beneath the waters again to stare at Ricky's feet with amazement. She reached out and poked his big toe again softly, repeating the action thrice before looking up at Ricky. Ariann was timid, but she was far more curious than she was afraid.

[Leila]

Leila wrapped the remaining line around her pole, and considered for a moment swatting the rude Charoda in the head with it. But she was always determined to be the more polite one. Then she noticed the Charoda playing with Ricky's bare toes, and found a temper rising in her cheeks. She wasn't even sure as to why, but she didn't appreciate this... fish being so physical with Ricky, especially since they'd just met. She packed up her fishing kit, told Shaco to come, and went around to Ricky's pier. She set her pole and kit next to one of the pier's poles at the end, then walked toward the Wave Guard. Right before reaching him, she tripped on something. She caught herself on his shoulder, "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry Ricky, my feet hate me sometimes," now blushing from embarrassment. She didn't know what it was about this man, but she always managed to do something dumb in front of him. Using his shoulder, she lowered herself to sit next to him. She slipped her own bare feet into the cool water, "Well it is my pleasure to meet you Ariannaliese. Sorry for my rude behavior earlier, I've never met, or even heard of, Charoda. Don't worry about my furry friend Shaco, really, he's a big sweetheart. What brings you to Zeltiva?"

[Ricky Maze]

'So this is a Charoda then. Pretty damn curious creatures, but interesting nonetheless.' He chuckled a bit as the poking sensations continued. That's when Leila used Ricky as an anchor, as she had nearly tripped when she came close. "Ye ain't done me any harm." He gave a reassured grin to her as the color filled her cheeks, somehow she always did something she found embarrassing around him. Ricky found it a bit funny really, considering the worst she had done was walk into Loveless. Still it was entertaining to just be around her, and now it seems there were two ladies near Ricky. One of land and one of sea, and the one of the sea enjoyed poking his toes.

Leila spoke after she dipped her feet in the sea, she gave an apology and assurance that Shaco was the soft loveable dog he was. Ricky chuckled with a warm smile as he looked from the dog back down to Arianna. "It's a unusually interestin way to meet you Ariannaliese. I'm Ricky and this be Leila," He patted her on the shoulder gently when he introduced her, "What brings ya to the city of Zeltiva?" He was relaxed and positive, his warm smile a reflection of the kind heart he still had. Even after the nightmares he'd been through, he somehow remained intact with his good will. The intincts he had to be natural with things still remained alive within him, and even though he was still almost the same Ricky as before he knew better; his perspective would always be, and always will, changed from that time. That was life, and he found it better to live in the present then dawdle in the past.

[Ariann]

Bubbles came from Ariann's nose as Leila placed her feet in the water, startling her slightly and causing her to leap back deeper into the water for a moment. When she realized it was another pair of feet, she relaxed and returned to the shallow spot in front of the pier, poking her head out of the water to listen to Ricky and Leila. She tilted her head slightly to the side when he asked her why she was here. "The fish... they spoke of this area and I came to see why they were so afraid." She explained, her timid look still plain on her face. "I see why, though. It's because of land-dwellers with things like that..." She pointed at the pole that Leila had rested against the pier's side. "Using those to take away the fish."

She sat back on her heels, running a hand down her left arm, stopping on the fin-like protrusion that jutted out of her arm on the outer side. There was one on her right arm and both legs as well. Ricky and Leila would notice that her hair were also similar protrusions, although thinner width-wise and longer than the ones on her limbs. The ones that came out of her head like hair numbered seven in total and appeared to move and flex by themselves, held together by a ring of Seaweed.

"R-...Rik..." She fumbled with the name, the tongue not entirely known to her yet, "Ricky." She states, tilting her head. "Why do they call Ricky Wave-Guard?" She asked no one in particular, looking at Ricky's feet before reaching out and grabbing his big toe and pinky toe and trying to gently pull them apart to look at the space between them. His feet are different. They have no webs. She thought to herself, raising her own webbed feet up to press against his as she laid on her back. She curiously looked and compared his large feet to her smaller ones. Hers felt like silk while his felt like sandpaper. His feet are big and rough... I wonder if my feet will be rough if I go ashore... Her emerald orbs turned to Leila's feet. Hers look soft... land-dwellers are strange... She poked the bottom of the arch on Leila's foot, moving her finger around in a circular motion along the bottom of her feet. Although they both seem kind-ish...

[Leila]

Leila couldn't help but notice the sharp, pointed teeth. They looked to be made for eating meat and fish, similar to sharks she'd seen hauled in at the docks. "Do you not eat fish? You have the teeth for it." Leila wanted to draw this strange creature, this... Charoda. She had growths coming out of limbs and places that she'd never seen on anything else before. She also dressed in seaweed, which led Leila to wonder if this woman knew anything about underwater herbs. Leila decided to let Ricky answer the question as to his position, her eyes flowing over the womans natural curves. Aside from her teeth, this woman seemed to be all natural curves, no sharp lines or angles. Then something tickled the bottom of Leila's foot, and out of reflex, she kicked outward, snorting and giggling loudly. She fell backwards on the dock, in a fit of mirth, one arm grabbing at Ricky. When she managed to compose herself, she pushed herself up, using the Wave Guard as leverage. "Would you like to come up, maybe explore the town a little?"

[Ricky Maze]

"The Wave Guard is what protects the city from any danger, and I'm one of the guards that take the job very seriously." He assured Ariann with a friendly grin, he couldn't help but laugh as Leila flailed about when she was being tickled. The Charoda was actually more curious then she let on really, and who better to guide her through the city then the two of them. Leila seemed to have the same idea too.

"Aye, capital idea that be!" Ricky enthused as he looked down to the Charoda, hopeful that her emerald eyes were full of wonder. He figured they could try to appeal to her better sense of safety if the two of them gave her the tour. "C'mon up and ye can count on me to keep ye safe! Ye'll be in my company after all, and I take good care of people when I'm on watch." It was the best he could offer, and if the enthusiasm wasn't enough, then clearly Ricky needed better persuasion. Still he kept his attitude warm and his tone positive, and that was the best he could do anyway.

[Ariann]

The sudden outward motion of the kick was met with a loud, shrill cry as Ariann dodged the foot, which narrowly missed her face. A swift, downward kick of her legs caused her to shoot off and away from the docks out of fright, moving in excess of thirty feet in a second. The Charoda did a swift flip in the water, her head ducking under as her body flipped around and her feet planted into the soft dirt at the bottom of the waterbed. She sat there, appearing nothing more than a blue splotch with two green, glowing eyes. She waited for a moment, watching as Leila recomposed herself. She heard Ricky offer to escort her through the town and her emerald orbs lit up, widening in awe and curiosity. Then, she was gone again in a puff of dirt, having swiftly moved twenty feet forwards getting nearer to the docks. Within ten feet of reaching the docks, the water surged outwards as Ariann broke out of the surface, her finned arms appearing as fish-like wings as she flew vertically in the air a decent ten feet, arching forward and flying towards the docks. "REALLY!?!" She asked, a broad smile crossing her lips as she flew, but the smile quickly flipped when she realized she was making a crash-course for the pair of humans.

It happened in a mere second, but Ariann managed to steer herself back towards the other side of the docks, narrowly missing Ricky's head and Leila as she slammed into the wooden planks, face first. Her body wasn't done moving, though. She rolled over three times, heading away from the pair before coming to a stop on her back. She laid there stunned for a mere moment before she let out a shrill cry of pain, clapping her hands over her face and writhing in pain. "OWIE! Owie owie owie owie owie!" She cried, rolling from side to side and kicking her legs violently as if trying to swim away still. "Ow, it hurts! Oh, my face it hurts! Owie owie owie! Why does land hurt so much?! Owie owie owie!" She began to sob, tears coming out of her fish-like eyes, which were clenched tight in pain.

[Leila]

Leila watched with wide eyes as the Charoda moved through the water faster than she'd seen any fish move. She didn't know things so large could move so fast. Then there was an explosion of water, and Leila was sprayed by the brine. She saw the curious creature seeming to soar through the air, then come to a crashing stop on the dock near them, in fits of pain, having nearly collided with them. Leila quickly scrambled upright, over to the creature, now able to see it fully in the light of Syna. Leila quickly took command, her training in herbalism kicking in. "Ricky, go get an herbal kit, there should be some at the Customs Office, they load them onto ships all the time. I'll take care of her." Leila turned to the flailing woman, put her hands on her shoulders, "Calm down Ariannaliese, it's going to be okay. I need you to stop moving, you may have broken something. Lay still, so I can check you over!" Leila wasn't even sure if Charoda had similar bodies to them, but it was the best she could go on. She needed to examine the woman to the best of her ability, and was prepared to treat cuts, scrapes, and the like.

[Ricky Maze]

One moment he's soaked by a flying Charoda, which was a disappointment considering he wanted to keep his uniform dry, then the next he's sent to obtain an item of importance. Although Ricky was usually the quick one to take defense in someone when their injured he was fine to follow with Leila's instruction. Really all Ricky was in this situation was more of a protector then a healer, which is exactly where Leila had came in on her part. Without any hesitation Ricky quickly ran his way over to the Customs Office, already a little guilty that Ariann was facing her first injury when he should've prevented it. Had he known a Charoda could swim at such a speed, and that she would vault onto the docks the way she did, he would've tried to catch her or at least break her dive. Such guilt was what slowed him down though, and he needed to be quick about this. Even though his feet would hurt from hitting the wooden docks he paid no attention to it, he had a job to do and time was of the essence as always.

It was about five chimes before he finally was given the herbal kit, thankfully it was without question since he was in his uniform. Now he just had to rush on back to Leila, and help out any further way he could. 'Just hurry along and see to it ye get there quick!' He urged himself in silence, his feet pounded with a tap as he rushed onward. Finally he arrived back to the two with the kit in hand; ready to be used for Leila's expense. "Sorry it took as long as it did, they had to find one they could spare. Got here as quick as I could." He huffed as he knelt down next to Ariann, he was worried enough to see what damage had been done. "She gonna be ok?" He inquired as the small guilt came back to haunt him, he would have to be sure to think extra careful around this creature.

[Ariann]

Ariann should be thankful that Charodae don't have noses, for she would have smashed hers inward when she fell. Her slick, wet skin was now jaggedly cut up with scrapes along the small extension over her nostril-slits, which flared violently when she had began to cry. The water around her churned and twisted in agony to reflect Ariann's pain. The water surged out in a broken circle, raising and forming tendrils in the air before falling apart and crashing back to the surface. It took a while, but after a few moments Ariann stopped writhing in pain, although she still sobbed softly. She slowly removed her hands from her cherubic face, her big emerald eyes opening and looking at Leila as he nostrils flared some more.

Any Charodae healer would know she was fine, but to a human Ariann looked as if she had gotten run over by a cart. Along her cheeks were bluish hued bruises. Her lips were the color of the sea, a deep blue like someone who had just frozen to death. Her hair wasn't really hair. They were dorsal fins of a sort, seven in total that moved on their own, appearing like strange tentacle hair. Her skin was soft to the touch, but despite all her soft features, her teeth appeared to be the most menacing. They were jagged and triangular, appearing as if they'd never had been maintained in her life. They were made for eating meat and appeared to be capable of tearing through skin and flesh easily. Her fingertips had fingernails that were the same soft blue of her skin. They were softly rounded and trimmed, kept to the lengths they were at so she couldn't scratch anyone. Her body was practically wrapped in seaweed and if she had some rice, she'd be a sushi roll. The seaweed was leathery, braided together to form a fabric which was made into her chest-binds and skirt. Her feet were also wrapped in seaweed along the ankles and on the bridge of her foot.

She sniffles slightly, her nose scrunching upwards again as the water around her began to settle. "It hurts so bad..." She whimpered, reaching a hand up to touch the bruises and scrapes on her face.