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 Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:49 pm
"Go out and make some good memories, Pounamu!” The hybrid’s aunt gave her a final nudge and with a gentle smile waved her niece off towards the reefs. The shadow of a child hesitated one last time, her bi-colored gaze pleading towards her aunt before she finally relented and went forward. It wasn’t like the reefs were far from the market and her aunt would be nearby so she wasn’t completely stranded. It still didn’t do much to ease her nerves as she saw all the bobbing figures who moved throughout the maze of brilliantly colored coral and seaweed. So many hapuna were out and about today and she felt like a blot of ink against their colored canvas.
Instinctively she darted towards the areas that had the least amount of sunlight. Maybe she could just linger here and then when the area seemed emptier she could go scouting for materials then? The hope was quickly dashed when a blur of scarlet came straight for her hiding spot.
Oh no…
[Pounamu 1]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:49 pm
Another day for Naia to explore. The little hapuna was a bundle of energy as she darted about the crowd. Her brothers were someplace getting supplies for their grandmother so she had conned them into letting her go and play for a bit. As long as you stay within yelling distance. Hopefully her brothers could really yell then because after a few moments of lingering near them the girl had simply disappeared into the moving crowd.
But it seemed they were more alert for her antics today and it was only a few minutes later that Naia let out a gasp before darting off. Nuo had almost caught her! Heart racing the girl went for the darkest area of reef that she could find and was surprised a few seconds later to realize that the reef she clung against was actually moving….
“My bad!” She hissed under her breath as she slowly let go of the other child’s arms and then slowly ever so slowly blinked as she realized she was staring at someone who seemed quite different from your average hapuna.
[Naia 1]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:50 pm
Pounamu felt her breath hitch as the hapuna cuddled closer to her in the darkness. Even if it was only for a few short moments the hybrid felt like her heart could explode from the intensity of the experience. She was so antisocial that she rarely let anyone even a few strokes near her let alone touching her! Only her aunt was ever this close! Her dark cheeks darkened even more as the golden hapuna finally backed up a few spaces and then stared at her. Always with the staring. Instinctively she darted her gaze towards the ocean floor before mumbling a soft, “I-It’s okay.” Surprisingly despite her overwhelming shyness Pounamu found a quiet question tumbling from her quivering lips, “A-are you okay?”
[Pounamu 2]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:50 pm
Was that the sound of the seaweed weaving back and forth in the ocean current? It was so quiet that Naia almost disregarded the possibility that the other child was actually speaking with her! Immediately a giggle left her lips and she had to raise her hands to quickly cover her traitorous mouth, “Sorry! You just seem...so scared of me that it’s funny.” She blinked, her eyes gleaming like jewels as she studied the stranger, “Was that rude? Probably, right? I just couldn’t help it since no one has ever seemed afraid of me before.”
Thoughtfully she glanced over her shoulder, “I’m okay - I was just avoiding some trouble when I came here. I really didn’t mean to startle ya so badly.” It looked like the danger was over since she didn’t see any of her brothers and so Naia let out a sigh of relief, “Whatcha doin’ hiding here anyways?” She did so wish the other child was out in the open since it was hard to see exactly what was so different about her.
[Naia 2]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:50 pm
She seemed nice. Pounamu had to keep reminding herself to breathe and as the other girl talked she was thankful. If the other girl was loud then that meant she didn’t have to do a lot of talking. Her aunt had customers like this before who came in for jewelry and ended up spending half of the afternoon just telling her aunt everything about their lives. Eventually the orders were placed and the trades made and all her aunt had to do was politely listen and give the appropriate responses whenever necessary.
If that was all she had to do then Pounamu was slightly confident in her chances of surviving this encounter. At least she was until the question was dropped, “E-eh?” Why was she hiding here? Did the other girl really need to know that?! If she wasn’t already embarrassed Pounamu definitely was now. How did she confess to someone that she was trying to hide from the rest of the ocean?
It definitely would sound silly to someone who appeared so confident, right?
[Pounamu 3]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:50 pm
Oh come on. Naia bit the inside of her cheek impatiently as she tried to gently nudge the other girl into the light. There was just something strange about how well she blended in with the shadows. Naia had never seen any hapuna blend in so well with the darkness before. Even she had to dip and dodge around her brothers because of her golden skin and bright red hair. It was pretty troublesome when she was trying to sneak around them but that’s why she had learned to be so quick in the waters. She definitely was a slippery one!
Speaking of which...Naia glanced over her shoulder nervously. Had Nuo caught up to her yet? Looks like he’s gone the wrong way. Nice! Her lips turned upwards into a mischievous grin before she glanced back towards the shadows. Had the other child spoken yet? How can I tell anything if she won’t talk much? Naia definitely was not accustomed to quiet people, especially since her whole family was a mess of noise when they came together.
“You okay there? Did you say something?” She finally asked, her voice a bit louder now that she was confident that the coast was clear for now.
[Naia 3]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:51 pm
“I uh…” Pounamu’s voice was the opposite of the stranger’s strong tones. She had hoped that while the other girl seemed distracted that she could slip backwards but instead the other girl had focused back on her. A deep blush darkened her cheeks before she shook her head, “I didn’t say anything.” She murmured back sheepishly. She still didn’t know how to really interact with strangers let alone confess that she was trying to hide!
Good job Pounamu. You hid from meeting anyone and yet somehow managed to find a stranger at the same time. The youngling couldn’t help but to feel miserable as she peered back towards the other girl, “Di-did your trouble go away?” She finally managed out hoping to avoid the topic of why she was hiding in the first place.
Where was her aunt? Could she come back soon? If only I was that lucky.
[Pounamu 4]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:51 pm
“My trouble?” Naia frowned as the shadow fish asked her the question, “I think so yeah.” She blinked once more before glancing around, “So I guess we can both come outside of this hidey hole now!” With a giggle and without any hesitation the little hapuna tugged at the other girl’s hands until they both tumbled from the shadowed area and into an open patch of ocean where the sunlight reflected lazily from the surface above.
As the other youngling came into the light Naia couldn’t help but to gasp. Oh! She wasn’t a hapuna! Or wait...was she? Tilting her head Naia pursed her lips thoughtfully, “You’re strange.” She blurted out finally before quickly adding, “Not that it’s bad! It’s just new!”
[Naia 4]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:51 pm
Oh, no, no, no! This was not okay. Pounamu’s bi-colored eyes widened in surprise as she was dragged out into the light. Immediately her reaction was to swim back a bit, slowly inching her way towards the darkness, when the reaction from the other girl stopped her. Without meaning to Pounamu felt tears starting to well up in her eyes. She was strange, right? Who would want to play with someone strange like her?
Auntie should have just left me back home.
[Pounamu 5]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:51 pm
Shoot! She totally had said the wrong thing. Naia felt her own breath hitch as the other girl seemed almost ready to burst into tears, “I’m sorry!” She rushed forward to move towards the other girl, “I didn’t mean it in a bad way, promise!” Naia offered a smile, “I think it’s pretty cool how you look. I just was surprised...you’re not from around here, right?”
Her toes curled nervously as she lingered near the other girl, close enough to chase yet far enough away to give her some space to hopefully calm down. The last thing the young hapuna wanted was to make anyone cry.
[Naia 5]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:52 pm
Rubbing her hands against her eyes, Pounamu slowly nodded. She had to get better control of herself! Her aunty would chastize her for crying so quickly. I just….I don’t know how to deal with people when I’m so different. She thought sadly before the next words from the girl halted her jumbled thoughts, “Co-cool?” She remarked with a slight frown. She was pretty cool and not just weird?
Taking a deep gulp of water she tried to calm her racing nerves, “Actually...I am kinda from here.” Pounamu glanced sheepishly around, “I just usually don’t come out often because I feel….” Her words trailed off and she stared down towards the sandy ocean floor. How could she dare to say she was shy because of how she felt so different when this other girl seemed so disturbed already?
[Pounamu 6]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:52 pm
Oh how did she fix this? Naia wiggled in the water thoughtfully as she studied the other girl. She was a bundle of untamed energy herself but the other girl seemed so unnerved by her! Naia felt so guilty, especially when she saw the other youngling rubbing her eyes. Her gramma had raised her to be kind and gentle to others and to never bully. So how had this happened? If only she could reset their meeting….
I blame my brother. She pouted. If she hadn’t been running away then she wouldn’t have slammed into the other girl like that. Still, “I don’t even know your name.” Naia blinked at the realization, “Let’s start over, okay? I really didn’t mean to upset you. I’m Naia!” She reached out a hand before awkwardly bringing it back to her chest. Would the other girl want her to touch her hand even?
“Also, wait.” She tilted her head, “You’re actually from here? Are you a hapuna like me then after all?” They did have some similar features now that she was looking closely over the other girl.
[Naia 6]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:53 pm
Pounamu slowly offered a soft smile towards Naia. It really did look like the other girl was making an effort to be nice. A hand strayed down to touch the patterned shirt that she was wearing. I can only add patches if I make memories. She reminded herself quietly before finally responding, “Pounamu. My name is Pounamu.”
“My aunty runs a jewelry shop here.” She managed trying her best to be bold despite the wavering of her soft voice, “Kinda...my mother was a hapuna…” Shyly she peered towards the other girl thoughtfully. It was rare but it wasn’t like there was anything wrong with her parentage, so why did she feel so hesitant in sharing it?
[Pounamu 7]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:53 pm
A name! Naia found herself grinning happily, “Pounamu! Is it okay if I call you Namu for short? I’m awfully fond of nicknames.” She giggled happily before catching herself. She shouldn’t get too excited, right? The last thing Naia wanted to do was scare Pounamu away with her energetic nature. They seemed to be so different in that regard. Pounamu was so soft spoken and shy while Naia was bold and very loud, completely different indeed.
“Oooh so your mother was a hapuna….but why…” She trailed off sheepishly, “Was your papa a hapuna too?” Oh shoot! The question had just slipped past her lips but she was just so curious! Pounamu was like a living shadow and now that Naia knew her mother was a hapuna it was even more intriguing. She had never seen a hapuna like this before after all!
[Naia 7]
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:53 pm
Pounamu’s expression shifted ever so slightly as the questions went towards her father. The youngling was shy but had expected the question. Her aunty got asked the same thing whenever she introduced Pounamu to customers. If only Aunty was here to handle all of this. But the longer she stayed here with Naia the more she understood that the other girl really was just curious and didn’t mean any harm. So why not try speaking with her?
I am supposed to make memories after all.
“He wasn’t.” Pounamu shook her head, “He was Moakai. So I am only half hapuna.” She whispered quietly before slowly raising her gaze to see what the other girl’s reaction would be to the revelation. She had never met anyone like her in this area before so she had no idea what the response from another youngling would be like.
[Pounamu 8]
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