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 Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 9:46 pm
 Tam sighed as he moved through the waters. He was closer to the surface than his father usually liked to go, but he found it pleasant. There was something mysterious about the way one could almost see the sky through the water, about that ever shifting almost magical line that separated the two. Was it water raging against sky, or sky pushing down on water? Or was it more peaceful than either alternative? Maybe that line was where sea and sky met to dally together; mayhaps as friends, or perhaps even as more... intimate companions. It was interesting, but what could be born of sea and sky, he wondered.
Chuckling to himself at the odd turn of his thoughts, Tam did a small flip end over end in the water, keeping himself JUST within it, teasing that ever shifting boundary. He knew he was a grown Mer, and that he should act his age, but every once in a while, it was fun to be a foal again, when no one was around. Fun to just... let his mind and body wander where they will, to not worry about expectations and stress and the world. To just think and daydream, to float mentally and physically, until such a time as he was needed again or he was ready to face the world once more.
He dove a bit deeper into the cool embrace of the marginally deeper waters, and rolled over to float on his back, staring up at the faint light of the sun that he could almost see overhead. Such an odd world, once one left the water. His father, Nenmau never wanted to go out of the ocean's depths, and was sure that anyone who was out there must surly be miserable, but Tam was less sure. Happiness was where you found it, right?
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 1:44 am
 How often had she lived by the sea but not taken the time out of her busy schedule to actually enjoy it's depths? Often, she'd swam some in shallow waters--but she'd never really had much time or thought to go and do more. Until recently, she'd always thought that there would be time to do whatever she wanted later. For now, she had to do her work--do her lot. She needed to take care of her job and charges. But in the long run, she'd not been taking care of her. When she first noticed the shadows that creeped into the corner of her eyes, she thought they would fade and that she was just tired. But more and more they came to stay, until the constant blemishes remained rather than disappeared. She'd never thought to fear it, as is often the case, until she realized she was losing it. She had left her station without word or explanation, and found a way to live what was left of her life while there was sight left to live. Wading into the soothing almost greenish water, she closed her eyes, trying to both experience the feeling and the sight to memory that would fade long before she wished.
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Nyx Queen of Darkness Crew
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 1:59 am
Tam saw a shadow atop the water. Something on the shore leaning over the waves. He sighed. It seemed as though his time to himself was over. Not that it was really a bad thing, and he certainly didn't resent helping others. Still, no matter how one loved the rest of their life, it was always a bit sad to see the end of a vacation, no matter how brief it had been.
Tam stretched, then poked his head out of the water, smiling warmly at the mare he saw there. "Hello, miss," he offered, pushing his wet mane back with a hoof. He knew that his father loved Tam's long locks, and wished to have them himself. Tam liked his hair well enough when he was in the depths, but it always seemed to paste itself across his eyes when his head broke the surface. Maybe that was part of why his father so detested being dry. Tam had never stayed out long enough to truly dry off, but hair certainly moved oddly out of the water, even still wet.
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 1:30 am
Lights and shadows reflected and danced oddly back up at her. She heard his presence before opening her eyes. It pained her how much they ached already, how the sharp contrasts and contours were quickly becoming unrefined. The rules and lines by which she'd led her life were now fluctuating oddly and seemingly blurring into an unreality.
The lines would fade away until everything was shadow...
She sighed as she looked at the bright stallion, a mer--not often had she seen one. His colouring was distinct, the patterns beautiful but she feared more muted to her eyes than they should have been.
"Hello, kind sir," she inclined her head. "I hope I'm not intruding. But...I'm on a journey to experience the world and I heard tale of this place. I hope I have not...inconvieneced you?"
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Nyx Queen of Darkness Crew
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 1:41 am
He smiled warmly at her and shook his head, spraying her lightly with salty surf. "Not at all," he assured her, pushing back some of the hair that flung itself free when he shook his head. Again, he liked it well enough when swimming but... how did air bound soqs with long hair cope? Maybe he should just cut it? Nah, he didn't spend that much time above water. Anyway, he had to focus on the mare before him. "You are not intruding at all, ma'am," he informed her. "What have you heard about this place?" He was curious, and more, he wanted to know how to help.
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Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 12:18 am
She smiled warmly in his direction, looking at the peachy hue through her dimmed eyes. "I heard that there was coral here so bright it's almost blinding. That there are creatures here, so charming they're unbelievable. There are shells so beautiful that it's unbelievable that they were formed in the ocean." She blushed lightly, "That's what I heard. Was I told right?"
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Nyx Queen of Darkness Crew
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Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:04 am
He considered. There was a deep cave with coral that gave off the only illumination, so the path to them left one in pitch darkness for several minutes. Was that what she meant by blinding? He had no clue what was meant by charming creatures. The shells, were pretty, he supposed, he never really looked that closely. So could he help her with the first while he tried to puzzle out the other things that she was looking for. Probably. Alright then, he would... oh. He studied her again. He knew very little about land bound Soquili. But he was pretty sure that they couldn't breathe underwater like her could. But then, he could always be mistaken. Maybe she did have that capacity. Only one way to find out... well, no. Just only one acceptable way. He presumed pulling her down and holding her under water would work, however, it was reprehensible. So instead, he would simply ask.
"I might know about the coral," he told her, "but how well can you hold your breath? Or can you breathe beneath the waves as I can?" If she couldn't, could he find her some way to extend her breath? He had heard that there were some plants that stored air, and maybe he could convince a puffer fish to help... Could a Jelly store air? He shuddered ever so slightly, sure that his neck was still bruised from Squishy. Maybe not a jellyfish...
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 4:30 am
Tethys smiled politely at his question, mentally thanking him again for his kindness. "I can hold my breath for a good bit, not as long as you can stand under. I'm a good swimmer too, but I'm definately not on level with you or a kelpie." Her voice was a bit sad, the longing for an ocean life had never parted from her but she had not been born right for that.
"Is the coral as beautiful as they say? I've traveled miles...waited years..." She could feel the excitement bubbling in her skin.
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Nyx Queen of Darkness Crew
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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:19 am
"I know little of what they say," he informed her regretfully, "so I can little answer as to their accuracy... but..." he hesitated, then gave her the best, most encouraging smile he could manage. "I can see if there are any air bladders, or other fish or plants, or anything that might help you stay under to see the coral longer, if you wanted me to." He was offering the best he could, but feared that he could not do enough for her. He hated to disappoint her, so he really hoped he could some how aid her, some how make her smile.
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Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:19 am
"Would you please?" She blinked her eyes, tried to discern him better. "It would mean so much to me this kindness."
Tethys could feel the excitement coursing through her body. "I'm...short on time, would it be possible do this sooner rather than later? You see..."She paused not sure how much to say, "I don't have much time to see the world, and it's important that I do."
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Nyx Queen of Darkness Crew
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 2:34 am
Not much time to see the world? What did that mean? A lot of possibilities raced through his mind, and they were all across the surf, some good, some ill. She could be starting a family, or settling down with a life-mate. Those would be good, even if she couldn't travel much. But what if she had an ailing parent or sibling and she'd be bound to them and that would be why she could not travel? That would be sad. But a sadder thought came to him. What if she herself were dying? He saw no one with her, no sign she came aught but alone. What if she were dying, lonely and lost, trying to see the wonders of her home before she passed on? What happened when a Soq died? Would she be some sort of spirit, chained ti the place of her death? Or... would she just... cease to be? He shuddered involuntarily at the abnormally dark tack his thoughts had taken. If she was dying...
He had to get her to see those coral... and everything else. But how? It was so far down, even with an air bladder, could she make it? He didn't know what ailed her, if it were her heart or lungs, straining could hasten the grim specter of death. He could not let her shorten her life... but neither could he refuse what might well be her last request.
He wracked his brain for a solution. There had to be some... answer, some fundamentally correct answer, some way to safely bring her to the coral.
Bring her... to... the... OH! What if he brought the coral to her! Brilliant! Then she could rest while he swam down and... wait... no.... he deflated some. Wouldn't that kill the coral? Could he trade one life for another that way? To eat was one thing, but to see it... if she was dying, would she be comforted seeing something that was dead? How insensitive could he be? Fool! Idiot! But there had to be...something... Wait... maybe....
He ducked his head under water and breathed a reflexive sigh of relief when his hair moved as hair was meant to, once more. He whistled sharply and when his familiar arrived, he nuzzled her. "Cara, could you look for some air bladders, or something else that will let a land bound creature come and spend time with us down here?" he asked, nuzzling the small seal. The creature nodded and jetted off. His head broke the surface, and again, blast it, his hair plastered across his face. He shoved it away with a hoof. "Cara is off to look for air bladders, but I had another idea, would you be so kind as to wait just a few moments? I should be back before she anyway," he assured. Did she have the moments to wait? He hoped so. He had to get down to the luminescent coral and see if any of it was willing to let him transplant it. If he just explained the situation, surely some of the coral would be moved by sympathy and be willing to take a trip to the surface...
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Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:14 am
"Sure," Tethys closed her weary eyes. The journey had taken it's toil on her. Her eyes were blurring more and more each day. She did not want to go blind, there was too much colour to see in the world. She would never see the face of a foal of her own. Everything was slipping away.
She would be alive, but everything would be paler than before. Life would be a husk of what it once was unless she changed her mindset. She needed to realign her beliefs, her hopes and dreams. She needed to make peace with this. Just let me see a few more things, let me know the face I will love forever...Let me find someone other than Uroko. Let me be happy. Please, just let me find peace and strength to accept it. She kept up her inner mantra as she waited for the mer to come back.
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Nyx Queen of Darkness Crew
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Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 11:11 pm
Tam dove deep as fast as he could. He had to help her, had to fulfill what might be her last wish! Had to! His tail moved with all the power he could muster, and his hair trailed like a banner behind him, reaching back up the way he came. He finally reached his goal, the bright glowing coral she had so wished to see. He also kept his eyes open for the shells. He would do all he could to bring her both. Perhaps he could make her so happy it could help her fight whatever ailment was killing her.
At the seabed he found shells with myriad colors and swirls. Were these the shells she had wished to see? He hoped so. He poked through them carefully, looking for one that had nothing living in it. Finally he found one, a large conch shell with bright orange swirls over a deep cream base. He barely got his mouth around it to carry it.
Then he powered off for the coral. He found the glow and followed it. Deeper and deeper until the coral was the only light to see by. He found the reef, and had trouble looking directly at it, as he approached faster than his eyes could adjust. This must be what she had meant. He swam close, then set down the shell carefully. He started trying to talk to the coral, to find a section willing to be transplanted.
Have you ever tried to talk to coral?
He hoped he was translating the waving properly on one piece. He carefully separated it from it's brethren and settled it with some sand from the bottom into the shell. He carefully gripped the shell in his teeth and swam powerfully for the surface again. As he surfaced, the coral seemed less and less bright, and he feared he had killed it after all. Then he realized with painful clarity the folly of his mission. What was so bright below, would be less so against the sun. He had failed. He broke the surface, despondent, the coral hardly seeming luminescent at all.
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:21 am
The silence went on as the mer stayed emerged beneath the surface. She shut her eyes and turned her face up to the sun. The warmth radiated over her skin, a feeling of content washed over her.
Maybe this was what acceptance felt like? Maybe she was finally accepting that this...this going blind. But the thought choked off, still painful. She had to accept it though, she wouldn't live in sorrow. She would--
She heard the mer break the surface and she looked on him with hazy eyes. Dimly, she could make out the coral he had brought her up. The colours were bright, beautiful as she had dreamed. Her heart skipped a beat. "Thank you," she looked down at the coral. "Can I touch it?"
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Nyx Queen of Darkness Crew
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:49 am
(PINK LINK!!!)
He placed the shell with the coral as carefully as he could in the sand, wedging it in so that it would stay standing for her. "Why not?" he gasped, out of breath from swimming back so hard and fast. He let himself fall to his side on the sand, his tail in the water. He was exhausted and spent. But if she was happy...if he had pulled this off for her, then it was all worth it, right? Right. His eyes closed and his head lolled.
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