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 Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:42 am
[Hummus via Discord]
The others didn't think that Quiana would actually take them up on their dare but here she was strolling along the beach south of their central village while waiting on a date with one of the islanders. Or as Quiana liked to call them the 'fishlings' even though they did live on land like the others it was still fascinating to her that they could be underwater for so long. It would be interesting to learn more about their kind, especially after she had met Pounamu. The young Aishan warrior was always full of questions and she loved to learn more about the Kahi, especially if it was something that her Sisters would find strange. So when a few had been teasing about a group of Kahi who had wandered too closely one day and set up a date of sorts between them and their friends Quiana had not hesitated to agree with the idea. The rest of the girls had thought she would bail out, especially since she was fond of pulling any excuse to be lazy but today she had surprised them by showing up and venturing towards the beach where she had agreed to meet her date.
"Alright, now where are you?" She murmured to herself as she paced the beach and waited on her date. Maybe they had brought something interesting from the ocean? All she had was a tangle of rare herbs, something that smelled pleasant and would linger after being dried out in the sunlight. Quiana enjoyed shiny things but she also believed in giving useful gifts so hopefully the bouquet could count for something.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:43 am
[1/7]
It wasn’t in U’ilani’s nature to follow along with the whims of their mother, but she’d been insistent upon this one. The young hunter had only meant to come around others to visit with family, little more, though it seemed that fate had other ideas. She’d met up with a few elidae and arranged for a date between one of their kind and U’ilani which wouldn’t have sounded terrible if U’ilani had actually seen an elidae.
Up until that point in their life they’d spent no time at all around the Aishans. At best U’ilani had seen a traveler or two at port, but they were what were known as ‘earthlings’ and not those that had taken up residence on the islands. So maybe their mother knew more about them then they did? The hybrid held a wrapped gift in the crook of their arm as they walked along the beach, looking for anything odd and odd is what they found.
It was like an earthling but taller, right around their height, with antennae like a Moakai and eyes almost like a Kawena’s? “Quiana?”
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:44 am
[Sabra]
Her bright green eyes blinked slowly as she registered her name. "U'ilani?" She tilted her head with interest as she studied the Kahi before her. The other Elidae had mentioned that this particular fishling went by they which was another new twist on her whole concept of the different races and their physical bodies. Aishans were only female, save for those rare hybrids she heard about at that lived mostly on the main continent, and to hear that the Kahi were a bit more flexible with their physiology intrigued her. Either way she shifted to hold the bouquet out towards them. They were interesting enough with colorful hair and a darker body, but it was the horn that caught her interest the most. Did it serve any purpose or was it simply something that they had? She had so many questions! But patience was a virtue, so she had been told, and so Quiana simply smiled.
"I suppose we're supposed to go on a date, right?" She studied them some more while an amused smile lingered on her lips. "Do the Kahi have certain things they do for dates? I've never been on one myself before today so honestly I'm not even certain what to do. Most of the Aishans like to train or hunt...not much time for leisurely activities." At least that was how her mother had tried to raise her even though Quiana constantly sneaked away to do whatever she liked which always included lazing about in some manner unless it was collecting treasures.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:45 am
[2/7]
A bouquet? U’ilani took it skeptically, not nearly rude enough to say they didn’t care for flowers this early on…until they noticed it wasn’t flowers at all. “What sort of herbs are these?” That was interesting; they’d never seen a gift quite like this before. In exchange they handed over their wrapped present. A thin blue muslin cloth covered a fish bone that was covered entirely with carved images. Pictures of a story that was popular among the Kawena; something their craftsman took great efforts to carve and retell.
“I’ve never been on a date so I wouldn’t know.” Adjusting the bouquet, U’ilani settled it into the crook of their arm much like the bone had been. “Not all Kahi are like Aishans it seems, but my father is. I’d much prefer a hunt to anything that’s supposed to relax me.” Thinking on it, they asked, “You refer to yourself as Aishan but I was told you were Elidae. Are you a hybrid then?”
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:47 am
[Sabra]
"Fragrant ones. The smell is nice and also supposed to drive away any pesky bugs." Quiana knew it was popular to hang around Elidae homes since those who lived near the swampier areas used to wake up with bites if they left any windows or doors open to cool down their homes during the hotter months. "They should last a few weeks...above water that is." She offered before accepting the covered present. So it had been a smart move to pick something just in case. Though her expression did shift as she moved the cloth and noticed the intricate carving. "Is this something that you made? It's interesting." She held it up and twisted it in the sunlight, her gaze skimming over the images as she tried to interpret the story they told.
"I guess we're both in the dark then." Quiana gave a slight shrug. "So then I suppose the question is what are you in the mood to do right now? As long as it doesn't involve something akin to training I would be interested." She admitted with a small smile. "Ah, so a hunter then. My grandmother would adore you....well for someone who isn't Aishan." Her cheeks flushed at the sudden question and a laugh escaped her. "Oh! I think the others would have a fit if there was actually an Elidae hybrid! No offense, the Aishans have hybrids but our tree only gives life to pure Elidae like me. I only reference Aishan since my grandmother is Alkidike and I've picked up her habits of speaking like that." Her birth mother was Elarian and her grandmother an Alkidike so it was hard to just reference their whole community which had quite a few Elaria and some older Alkidike living there as simply the Elidae. "What about you? Are you a pure Kahi? I've met only one of you before and I believe she was something mixed...I can't recall which though she had lovely bi-colored eyes."
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:47 am
[3/7]
“It’s the rib of a Kulkai, a large creature that lives in the caves my people originate from. The carvings were engraved by an elder; if I tried then it wouldn’t look like much. The story is a romantic tale of two kawena hunters who were separated during a hunt only to be reunited under a full moon. I thought it fitting for a date, though admittedly it’s sappier than I’m used to.” If they were truly trying to impress a potential mate then perhaps it would have meant more, but if nothing else then Quiana would have something interesting to show friends.
“What is an Alkidike then?” They furrowed their brow. So there were different species, but no hybrids? At least, not yet and there were trees? “Mother’s told me about your tree before and I don’t claim to fully understand it, but my kind must seem strange to you too.” U’ilani themselves must seem like an oddity by not claiming one gender over the other when they’d heard that all Elidae were women. “I’m a hybrid; my father is Kawena and my mother is Kaha’iko. As far as I’m aware I’m the only of my kind so far, but there are other hybrids between the other clans.”
What did one usually do on a date? If hunting and training were out of the question, U’ilani wasn’t sure… “I have an idea.” They nodded back the way they’d come and turned to start walking. “There’s a spot near the tide pools I’d like to show you.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:49 am
[Sabra]
"It's nice even if it is a bit sappy." Admitted Quiana as her fingers trailed over the carvings. The story was really nice and she knew that she would treasure the piece even if it wasn't something that some may sneer at. Even if they didn't like the fact there were many similarities in the story that U'ilani told her with ones that she had grown up hearing as an Elidae. Her expression softened at the realization before she covered the piece again and tucked it safely away in her satchel bag. "Thank you. I'll treasure it."
"I see." Quiana nodded. "It seems we have a bit to share about each other's backgrounds, right? An Alkidike is what I like to consider the mother race. They started us all with their tree known as Aisha where they bloom their daughters who eventually planted their own trees across the world. They're like me but with straighter antenna and yellowish skin with green and teal markings." She gestured towards her face. "Their eyes are black as well instead of green while they had daughters from Yael who are grayish with pink and cream markings and antenna like mine with similar eyes. Those are the Elaria." She gave a slight shrug. "You'll mostly see Elaria and Elidae here since not many Alkidikes came over with us and often stay on Chibale or in some new place called...Chiume?" She shook her head. It was definitely a bit complicated when one tried to learn about them all at once but she figured most races were probably complicated with a lot of different cultures within the groups.
"Interested. So Kawena annd Kaha'iko." She repeated with a small nod. "I'm guessing there's a bunch of differences between your races too. I prefer to think of all Aishans as cousins since we come from trees even though some really sneer at that idea." She didn't like to judge though which was another reason she had come to this meeting instead of raising her nose at it.
"The tide pools?" Her expression immediately brightened. "That sounds delightful. Lead the way."
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:55 am
[4/7]
"So what I've heard about the trees is true? That you actually come from them?" As much as they wanted to have some form of tack, for their mother's sake, U'ilani couldn't help asking. It was just so far from anything they'd heard before. "Elaria are darker...Alkidike are more green...and then your kind are the Elidae but there are others that live in Chiume." It was a lot to take in, but solid information, never the less. "Good to know."
As they walked the ground itself shifted from the sandy beach into large, smooth stones that could be slick if one walked too fast. U'ilani took their time, though, and hoped it was a sign enough for Quiana to do the same. "The Kaha'iko are the silver river folk while the Kawena spend a lot of time hunting in caves. There are Menehune in the swamps, Hapuna in the reefs and Moakai in the depths, though I doubt you'll see many of them." Or the Kawena, for that matter. Not every tribe were as sociable as the Hapuna.
When the rocks starts to climb U'ilani held out a hand for Quiana to take. While the 'cliff' itself wasn't high by any means ascending too fast could lead to a nasty fall and that wouldn't make for much of a date. "They're just over this ridge, just be steady."
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 3:21 pm
[Sabra]
"Well from their blooms but yes." Replied Quiana with a sly smile. "And your kind comes from the waves for any parents, correct?" It seemed every race had their own unique traits and quirks, something she noted as they continued speaking about the other Kahi. Even though her attention was on the Kahi (she would have honestly been taking notes if this wasn't supposed to be a date!) Quiana was still careful to match their movements and walk gracefully across the rocks. She was accustomed to racing across the beaches, her drive to explore constantly taking her away from the main village and more into the wilderness.
At first she almost rejected the hand out of pride, but Quiana remembered they were simply being courteous and not looking down on her. Plus what did their hands even feel like? It was a good move to gather information and so Quiana's fingers closed around theirs as they traveled up the rocks. "I didn't expect you to enjoy climbing." She teased quietly. "It seems we are getting further from the tidepools." Her hands were not as calloused as other Aishans but her grip was still strong as she kept hold of the Kahi, her green gaze bright as she glanced around. "It's strange to know your kind are so close yet so far away. We truly haven't really gotten to know much about our neighbors at all."
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 3:32 pm
[5/7]
"So long as you have want for a child then anything is possible." Instead of answering outright, U'ilani popped off the line with a smooth smirk. Unlike her own, U'ilani's hands were naturally cool with an almost sticky texture that border lined smooth. Almost as if there were a thin layer of slime coating them, naturally helping their skin to retain moisture.
"I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of climbing, but-" Looking down below them at the tide pools, U'ilani couldn't help smiling. Being up this high gave them an unblocked view of the tide pools as well as an added feature. Several stones made a natural slide that went into one of the deeper pools, creating quite the nice little wonder.
"It would be hard to know us when we can hide so well from your kind. We can follow you into the woods, but there's only so much you can do under water."
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 4:02 pm
[Sabra]
It was an interesting feeling to hold onto those cool hands. Quiana almost wanted to let go and then grab again and repeat just to see how sticky the Kahi's skin truly was. Still, while others may have been a bit thrown off by the sensation the Elidae was more fascinated than anything else. While there was not really a romantic feeling in the air she was enjoying the company and it was definitely fun to learn more about the other species. "Oh." Quiana's antenna twitched as she finally saw the scene that U'ilani had brought them to. It was truly pretty and she would be lying if she said that the natural stones did not tempt her to have some fun later. "I see why you opted to climb up here." She teased lightly. "Dare I ask what we do now that we're here?"
Quiana nodded. "That's fair. We aren't really meant for that aspect of your world." Even though she could hold her breath and swim well the Elidae knew that there were areas that she would never see which was truly disheartening. Maybe if there was a magic that allowed them to breathe underwater she could try one day but so far nothing like that had really gotten her attention. Most of her kind simply focused on the hunt and working together to keep their territory and strength. The unknown world of the water creatures was just there for stories and nothing more since they could not truly benefit from it all.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 4:05 pm
[6/7]
"Who says I didn't bring you up here to shove you down and run off?" For a moment U'ilani's expression was fairly serious until a little smile broke through. As much as they truly didn't want to be on a 'date' it wasn't as if it was terrible and they didn't like causing trouble when they didn't have to.
"If we walk around the edge we can go down to explore the tide pools? There may be some crabs you can take back to cook or even an octopus." In all honesty having a little snack might not be too bad, even if the aspect was technically 'hunting'.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 4:14 pm
[Sabra]
"Well I suppose it wouldn't be the worst way to go." Quipped back Quiana with a grin towards U'ilani, her expression amused despite the serious tone that had lingered before they broke into a smile. "At least the view would be nice." She gestured towards the rocks almost playfully as she studied the area again. "Honestly it looks like it may be fun to slide down those if you're feeling bold later." She suggested, a playful gleam brightening her gaze. Maybe on a day after the rains had hit they could especially slide down as long as the tidepool beneath was fairly safe without any deadly surprises lingering beneath the surface. Maybe some of her bolder sisters would be interested? Either way it wouldn't be the best idea to kill her Kahi companion and so Quiana behaved and simply nodded at the suggestion.
"That sounds good. I wouldn't mind sharing a meal. I can make a good pot of seafood stew." She offered with a small smile before inching forward, ready to explore the tidepools and make the best out of this strange date that she had agreed to participate in.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 4:17 pm
[FIN]
"Maybe." They didn't want to settle on the idea, mostly because U'ilani couldn't say if they would actually be around later or not. More than likely this was one of the last days they would be in the area before traveling on which was admittedly a little...sad? Maybe if they'd met more people like Quiana then they would have found a reason to stick around.
Not for much longer, but still.
Waiting for her to lead the way, U'ilani made their way behind her and thought on the whole 'date' thing. It wasn't nearly as romantic as their mother made it out to be, but it wasn't bad. If they had to do it again they might not fuss as much.
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