[PRP] The Beautiful Briny Sea is ... (Fanaqua)

[tefla]

There was something unsettling about being apart from Yukine. He had shared everything with his twin since they both came out of their shells. How was it that he could have ever agreed to the deal of separating and exploring the world on his own? At first the idea had seemed grand but now the mer wasn't sure. It was rather lonely swimming in the vast waters of the ocean. He kept expecting Yuki's voice to tell him to slow down but there was nothing. Fanaqua sighed and watched the stream of bubbles escape in front of him. How sad was he to sit around and mope?

He had tried exploring the caverns and reefs found in the deeper waters but had soon lost interest. There was nothing new to discover in the direction that he had gone. Would it look like he was following Yukine if he turned around and headed back towards the mainland?
 

[tefla]

It was time to make a final decision. Fanaqua swam around in circles as he thought over his options. His mane billowed around him suddenly as he stopped. It was time to end this folly. The mer sighed again before flipping around in the water and heading in the opposite direction that he had been traveling in. He was going to find Yukine.

There was no hint of any right direction to follow so it was with a random choice that had the mer stallion traveling towards the shallower waters of the mainland. Trying to locate Yuki would take time. Time was something though that he had a lot of. The stallion sighed once more before giving himself a small pep talk. He would find his twin no matter what.

It would be a matter of being persistent and Fanaqua knew that the search wouldn't be easy knowing Yuki's fondness for pranks. But perhaps that was how he would track down where he had gone: follow the trail of upset Soquili.
 

[tefla]

At first he thought he was imagining things. Fanaqua had been plagued with a sense of being watched for the past few hours and the sensation was seriously beginning to annoy him to no end. Every time that he craned his neck to peer more intently at his surroundings he came up blank. The idea that someone was spying on him unnerved Fanaqua more than he cared to admit.

Perhaps it was just his loneliness that was causing him to imagine such banal tricks of the mind. Fanaqua drifted in the gentle current in quiet contemplation before realizing that something was slowly coming into his range of visibility. Just what in the world was he looking at? It swam more awkwardly then he did and curiosity aroused he made a move to follow the strange-looking creature.


 

[tefla]

Seriously, what was this creature?

Fanaqua growled slightly as he attempted to clear the substance from his eyes that had shot out from the creature. Obviously it had been aware that he was following it. Why else would have tried to lose him by such a strange tactic? He growled again before launching himself into the kelp bed that the creature had disappeared into. He was determined now to catch this thing and make it pay.

All thoughts of attempting to locate Yukine flew out from his mind as he began to swim cautiously through the massive tangle of kelp. Fanaqua knew that as long as he kept his movements slow and steady that there was no chance that he would become entangled. It was the last thing that he needed.
 

[tefla]

Fanaqua swore under his breath. No matter how hard he had tried to pursue the creature that had essentially inked and marked him it had escaped. He muttered about plans of revenge as he slowly emerged from the kelp bed. Surely someone would have knowledge about what it was that he had encountered. For that he would have to seek out others. The mer was wondering who would best give him answers as he floated serenely in the current.

Shaking his head at his own folly Fanaqua grimaced. He'd was on one side of the kelp bed and although he assumed the creature had already cleared the vegetation perhaps he would wait a little bit longer to see if anything changed. He was irate but not foolish.
 

[tefla]

The waiting game had paid off. Fanaqua had made himself wait longer than he had been comfortable doing so but eventually he caught sight of a flash of green leaving the kelp bed. The stallion sighed before realizing that pursuit could possibly lead to another shower of ink. There was another method to go about his dilemma and that was just to slowly follow and observe this strange many-armed thing as it left the area. Perhaps he could even properly introduce himself in time. Fanaqua growled softly before gently flipping around a few times in frustration. It was time to make a decision. Follow the creature or try to forget about it.

A moment of uncertainty passed and Fanaqua found himself slowly swimming in the direction that the creature had taken. He would follow discreetly for a little while to see what came of observation.
 

[tefla]

There was not anything really creepy about this was there? That was Fanaqua's main thought as he continued to trail the unknown, multiple-armed, green thing through the waters. The mer stallion was pleased to note that his unobtrusive method of merely staying a set distance away or greater did not seem to bother the unknown subject. The task however was starting to get dull again and Fanaqua was tempted to just end the observation and find something else to do. Stubbornness kept him on track and he slowly began to realize that his target up ahead had stopped moving.

With this realization came the knowledge that if he stopped as well that it would look suspicious. Moving at a sedate pace brought him to within a few feet of the creature. Swimming by it slowly Fanaqua's right eye kept flicking to the abnormality of so many legs. He was continuing on his set path when he felt something wrap around the fins on his tail. A slight tugging resulted in Fanaqua peering behind him to see that the creature had latched onto him. There was a moment in which Fanaqua was without a doubt certain that he was going to be mauled by this entity. That brief moment had him flicking his tail fins rapidly to dislodge the creature without any success. Finally he came to grips with the situation and merely craned his neck to stare at the green animal. With a calmness that belied the fear spiking through him Fanaqua spoke softly, "It seems rather rude of you to play with your meal. If you are going to kill me than do so quickly instead of toying with me and causing me great anxiety."

The response that he got was not one that he was expecting. Something that sounded eerily like laughter met his ears. The stream of bubbles that was released from the green thing only confirmed his suspicions. Slowly Fanaqua felt the tugging on his fins dissipate and he gently pulled away from the embrace that had held him so very tightly the last few moments. His eyes took in the smug expression that the other wore before shaking his head in disbelief. Moments passed in which both he and the creature stared at each other before its arms waved around. Seeing that it was not fleeing or trying to grab a hold of him again Fanaqua sighed. "What are you?"

There was a moment when the mer's face registered shock at the answer that he received. Apparently this thing was an octopus. It did eat fish but generally smaller ones. Fanaqua had been mistaken for food albeit briefly before the octopus had decided to toy with him a little in payback. Shaking his head on hearing that Fanaqua realized that his earlier actions could have been interpreted the same way. He knew that he owed this new discovery an apology and thus he gave one. What ended up really being surprising was the octopus wanting to join him on the journey home. The female explained that it would be safer swimming together and Fanaqua concurred. It would be safer. The duo talked for a while longer before setting back off into the murkiness of the deep waters.
 

[tefla]

After a few moments of just relaxing and attempting to focus his bearings Fanaqua turned over the information that the creature had given to him in his mind. Apparently this creature was called an octopus. When she, for it was a female, had given her name to Fanaqua the mer could not help but raise his eyes in surprised amusement. How had this octopus chosen a name that reflected what he called his brother?

It had to be a sign. Fanaqua grimaced momentarily at the thought of Yukine out there all alone. Perhaps it was time to meet up with his twin. He could not put off the feeling of uncertainty that something wrong had befallen Yuki.
 

[tefla]

After talking with the octopus some more Fanaqua made up his mind. The creature had agreed to come with him. The mer stallion sighed before giving a mental shrug. It was not the worst idea that he had heard of. Yuki would be an extra set of eyes that could scan the waters for potential dangers. Having someone to converse with was just a bonus it seemed. Yuki spoke of her life with reverence. She clung gently to his back with suckered appendages. It felt strange to have someone riding piggyback.

Fanaqua began to explain the situation to Yuki as he swam. He told the female about his brother and how he wanted to find him again. He left out his brother's name on purpose. It would be too funny to see Yukine's reaction to learning that there was one out there that shared his nickname.