[The Beach] Come Away To The Water (Gianne)

[Naeya]

Timestamp: Season of Summer, 26th Day, 512 AV The evening sun had already begun its slow drift from the center of the sky when Naeya stepped onto Riverfall’s beach. Her green eyes looked out hungrily at the vast, clear blue sea that spread out before her. She had finally escaped the dullest conversation she’d been a part of in a long time, and immediately made for the water. The man, an Akalak, had been eager to find someone (anyone!) willing to listen to him prattle on about his travels, and Naeya was the unfortunate soul who took the bait. She was hoping to obtain a name from him – someone who could take her and her companions to Mura. Unfortunately, all she ended up receiving was an earful about the “embarrassing quality of wine” in other cities. After much “mhm-ing” and “ahh-ing,” she’d made up an excuse about washing her hair and snuck quietly out of the tavern. Thank Goddess. As expected, Naeya was not the only person who had chosen to escape to the beach. Couples lay on the coast, holding hands and exchanging quiet kisses. Others, alone like herself, simply walked, relaxed, or enjoyed an early evening swim. And, under the watchful eyes of their parents, giggling children built rickety homes made of sand and chased one another in erratic circles. Warm sand squished between her toes as Naeya approached the water’s edge, stopping just feet away from the surf. Her blonde hair was swept quickly over her left shoulder. With deft hands, she loosened her dress’ hold around her neck and let it fall to her ankles in a dark green heap. . Pastel-coloured scales shone on her feet, legs, hands, and back, clearly marking her as Konti. Her undergarments remained on for modesty’s sake, though she would have much preferred to unfasten them as well Naeya stepped forward, and a radiant smile lit up her face as the cool water washed over her toes. Laviku’s home never failed to erase her troubles. After taking a moment to enjoy the delicious feeling of cold on a hot summer day, she splashed ahead until half of her waist was engulfed by the sea. Her desire to dive under was nearly overwhelming, but she teased herself a bit longer. Slender fingers trailed along the top of the Suvan, floating up and down in unison with the gentle waves. Naeya breathed in deeply. Happily. Right now, the sea was all she needed.

[Gianne Basete]

This was her first time swimming in a powerful surf. Zeltiva's waters, Mathew's Bay, had normally been relatively calm aside from stormy weather. Nothing like the roaring waves that crashed against stone and sand on the Suvan coast. Or at least that's what it seemed like at the moment. All she could think of now was how powerful these waters were, and how unprepared she'd been. Gianne had wanted to dive for shells, something she'd never tried before. This was a mistake. A wave had pulled her down and bounced her off the shore, throwing her around like a piece of seaweed. She floundered a moment until another wave crashed onto her head, flinging her effortlessly in another direction. One leg breached the top of the water but as she rolled back into the depths it quickly submerged with the rest of her. I need to breathe, she thought painfully. Her lungs were starting to burn and her muscles were feeling heavier by the second. Each kick and paddle felt weaker than the last. Yet another wave threw her despite efforts to breach the surface. In a way, though, this last wave was a blessing; she bowled right into the beach, skidding along the sand up into shallow waters. Gianne sputtered and scrabbled higher onto the wet shore, climbing clumsily to her feet and sloshing unsteadily through the water. Her eyes were burning with salt and with each cough she belched out a little more sea water. Not in the slightest watching where she was going, for she was rubbing at her eyes and pushing the sodden hair from her face, she smacked right into a Konti woman's side. They splashed straight into the water in a tangled, half-naked heap.

[Naeya]

Peace turned into chaos as Naeya felt something (someone?) crash into her side. “Oh!” Her intense preoccupation with the Suvan had resulted in failure to notice the disoriented individual who had splashed so clumsily into her personal space. She instinctively threw out her hands, hoping to stabilize by grabbing onto whoever had hit her, but within seconds the seawater savagely pulled them both beneath its surface. Naeya gasped in surprise, and took in the aquatic landscape with a sense of mild confusion. Her body had transitioned seamlessly from lungs to gills, but her mind was still stuck on memories of beach and sky. Flailing feet struggled to find the sea’s sandy base; the stranger’s former disorientation had become Naeya's own. Her cold hands continued to clutch at the woman beside her, a surreal vision of swirling brown hair and pale skin. The woman was her compass; she would help Naeya find “up.” At least, that was the idea. In reality, the water was not very deep and Naeya’s toes soon found sand through basic trial-and-error. She happily kicked for the surface and, in doing so, attempted to pull the stranger along with her. Bright sunlight momentarily blinded her as she pushed upward through the waves. The Konti now seemed to be a parody of her earlier, and far more orderly, self. Drenched blonde hair hung limply around her oval face, and her bangs lay crisscrossed over her forehead in a misdirected tangle. Water droplets fell off her upper body in droves, racing to get back into the sea. Her undergarments, which she had so consciously and carefully kept on, clung immodestly to her skin, leaving no question of what lay beneath. Well, that didn’t quite go as planned. Naeya squinted at the stranger. She was torn between being annoyed at the taller woman’s clumsiness and amused at the hilarity of the situation. “It’s really too bad that this beach is so small,” she remarked dryly, her half-grin and teasing tone denoting her decision to be friendly. As the Konti spoke, soaked hair was pulled off of and back from her face. “I mean, the crowds alone…” One of her dripping wet arms gestured vaguely to the empty space surrounding the two women. A pause, and then an afterthought. “Are you all right?”

[Gianne Basete]

Fingers were gripping her as she submerged again and for a moment she felt a sense of sheer panic. Was something going to drag her back into the depths? Gianne was on the verge of fighting furiously until her head broke the surface of the water and she was pulled awkwardly back to her unsteady feet. A racking cough shook her body as she purged the last of the seawater and rubbed harshly at the salt in her eyes. Carelessly she pushed the mop of wet hair back from her face, yanking her fingers from the tangles and snarls it made. That was going to be a pain to brush out. Gianne blinked blearily at the woman standing in front of her. Not a sea monster about to drag her down to a watery grave, but a Konti. "I... what?" She hadn't heard much of what the woman had said thanks to her coughing and trying to recover some former senses. "Yes yes, I'm fine," she finally rasped. The Konti's undergarments had been thrown very askew, and Gianne felt a little self conscious at what she could see. Her own undergarments weren't faring so well either. Her bottoms had nearly been tugged off and she could feel the cold sea water on her bare rear. "I'm really sorry for running into you," she added lamely. Her eyes were puffy and red rimmed from the sea water and her throat was swollen and dry. "Are you okay?" she offered,trying out her raw voice again. The Konti seemed fine at least. Still very beautiful where Gianne was probably a disheveled mess.

[Naeya]

Poor thing. Naeya's expression changed from amused to sympathetic as she took in the half-drowned creature in front of her. She has a distinct feeling that she was looking at a mirror of her own dishevelled self - without the blonde hair, short size, and scales, of course. Without the severe reaction to being pulled into the sea, as well. As the woman broke out into a coughing fit, Naeya winced and felt the sudden urge to slap her on the back (though prudently refrained). She often forgot that the human race wasn't blessed with gills and could not breathe easily underwater. Imagine! Having to constantly interrupt swims and exploration with something as time-consuming as breathing... At that moment, she felt profoundly sad for the stranger and the rest the human race. "Oh, don't worry about me," Naeya responded, waving away the question. Her own words were tinged with apology, as though she were personally responsible for the stranger's gill-less plight. She was so consumed with existential sadness, however, that she didn't remember to apologize for what she was actually to blame - dragging the girl into the sea. She glanced down at her racily positioned undergarments and went to work adjusting them as she considered what to do next. Laviku was waiting for her to join him in his mortal domain, and she couldn't resist the sea king's call. She was determined to enjoy a swim despite her rude introduction to the water. But Naeya still felt a hint of regret at having to leave the woman on such a poor note, especially since she didn't seem to be having the best day. Crashing into strangers, being tugged underwater, living with only a set of lungs... Tragic. "I'm Naeya," she offered, attempting to prolong the conversation. "Were you just going for an early evening swim?" As she asked the simple question, the tendrils of a thought began to form in her mind. If the girl was going for an evening swim and she was going for an evening swim, then perhaps they could swim together! Naeya didn't exactly know how that would work, since she generally enjoyed being completely submerged by the water, but maybe swimming with this human would teach her to better appreciate mixing sky with sea. It might give her an entirely new perspective on the Suvan. "Perhaps we could swim together? If you aren't too exhausted, of course." She motioned to the sky above. "It wouldn't be for long, as the sun will be setting soon, but I know I would enjoy the company. It might be fun!" And, she added silently, hopefully collision-free.

[Gianne Basete]

How could she possibly say no to the flawless creature in front of her? Despite being dripping with sea water and trying to get her clothing rearranged back into more appropriate positions, the Konti seemed completely at ease, even after being drug underwater. Gianne was the opposite. Her throat felt like she'd swallowed sand and her red rimmed eyes burned like she was sitting too close to a fire. Absently she pulled her bottoms higher over her hips, the fabric making a wet slap as it snapped back into place over her skin. She stood a little unsteady, bracing her legs wide apart under the water as the waves rocked against her side, trying their best to push her over and further up the beach. "I wasn't just going for a swim. I was trying to find shells. More specifically a conch. I like collecting things." Her cheeks colored noticeably and she shrugged, embarrassed by having to admit her little hobby. After all, it was obvious she hadn't had much luck. "And I'm Gianne. It's nice to meet you. Despite the circumstances." She was able to offer a tentative smile at that last bit. The Konti's offer took her off guard. The next wave that splashed against her legs was like a wave of uncertainty. It probably shown plainly on her face. "I'm not exhausted, but... This was my first try swimming underwater in the ocean. Didn't go so well. I don't know if I should do it again. I know you would have no problem; you've got gills after all." Gianne sighed gustily. "Must be convenient. I always liked swimming, and that was just at the surface." She scratched the back of her head, feeling the wet locks tangle further. It made her wince a little. "I guess I could give it another go. If you want to give me some pointers." Naeya would be like a fish in the water, she knew. Ironic, what with the gills and all. She pulled at her bottoms, letting them slap into place again with a wet smack. "Compared to you I'm probably like someone just throwing a rock into the water." Now her smile was a lot easier. Jokes at her own expense always lightened the mood. Plus the Konti seemed easy to talk to. Very nice and full of smiles.

[Taylani]

Naeya

Skills :

+2 socialization

Lores :

Need to go to Mura
Laviku’s Home eases troubles
Pity that humans don’t have gills
Gianna: Enjoys Collecting things

Gianne Basete

Skills :

+3 socialization
+1 swimming

Lores :

Swimming: Riverfall waters more dangerous than Zeltiva waters

Notes :

PM me if you have concerns with the grade, also don’t forget to delete/you’re your Grade request