[PRP]Off the Deep End (Chaetodon x SmackDaddy)

[Kira of Flames]

Chaetodon hummed happily as the current of the ocean pushed and pulled softly around her, swimming easily through the kelp forest that was off the southern end of the island as she took care not to tangle herself or break any of the long fronds that reached up to the surface. This particular place was her place, and it was where she spent most of her time observing the ocean life that lived there.

Specifically the Sea Urchins.

"Ah! There you are, Stibble! I was looking for you, I see you're here for another day, unlike Points. An otter got to him the other day, but I suppose that's how it's got to be to keep this forest healthy!" She smiled at the slow moving ball of spikes, gently touching the tip of its points as it chewed at some algae on a rock, before flitting on to continue her count of the local population.

This was such a typical day for her, and she loved every moment of every day that she got to be out watching life happen. Fascinating, all of it, how each thing effected another. How on population's growth could cause a decline in another, and how just watching a single species could show the health of the entire area. It was just... extraordinary.

Fea Line

 

[Fea Line]

Smackdaddy McSkittles Feesh, otherwise known as Echino (though he hardly liked to go by that name unless you happened to catch him on a rather off day) was a movin' and a groovin' to the beats in his head. His fingers snapped to an unheard tune, his glorious hair billowing behind him. The reflections of light from the surface causing the purple-fading-to-silver strands to sparkle. Every so often he'd bust out some lyrics of a made up song and talk to himself, complimenting the way he glided about. How silky smooth his fins were, never mind all wear and tear. It only brought character!

Today he was off to pay a visit to the kelp fields, an idea in mind to make his next breath taking outfit from them. Though for however highly he thought of himself, Echino wasn't the most graceful of naiad. Case in point as he was now tied up inside the kelp field and all his twistin' and a'turnin' didn't seem to help matters any. Only get him tangled up further. "Ahhw come now. Let go little kelpies, I got places to be!" he grunted to himself, trying to tear himself free of the kelp. "Sights to see, people to entertain!" he groaned again, flicking his tail as hard as he could. Though it seemed his voice wasn't the only one in the kelp fields.

"Is that you, little kelpies? Talkin' back to me? No no you say? Don't wanna adorn my body?! The heartbreak!" he blinked, glancing around, letting himself go limp and quiet to listen for the direction it came from. "Nawww that's no little kelpie, thats a lady! Hey, hey missus, over here now darlin'!" he called out louder, resuming his efforts to free himself. He at least managed to keep his spectacular locks free and he wasted no time in running his hands through his hair several times before flipping it back over his shoulder. Action complete with one stellar grin that he gave to no one but himself.

Kira of Flames

 

[Kira of Flames]

The kelp-green naiad perked up as she heard someone's voice, and the sudden scattering of fish told her that it was probably someone in trouble. A small frown came over her face as she heard whoever it was calling out to her, having obviously heard her talking to Stibble.

"I'm coming!" She sang out as she easily glided through the water. She couldn't help but admire how beautiful it was here, the kelp filtering the light through in amazing beams of light that particles dance through. It was surreal how the light played off of every living thing down here: flashes of scales as they reflected the light and the colors, oh the colors!

She was brought out of her little daydream as she saw a kelp frond ahead moving violently. "Oh no! Please stop or someone will get hurt!" She kicked herself into a sprint through the last yards, emerging from the surrounding forest to see the purplish orang-pink Naiad struggling in the frond, tangled helplessly in the blades and stipe of the kelp. With a near shriek of horror, she was by his side. "Stop struggling! You'll damage it! Please!"

Her fingers worked quickly, and withing moments the male was free of the kelp blades and able to swim away. A sad look came over her face as she held one of the ripped blades in her hand. "Oh you poor thing...."

Fea Line

 

[Fea Line]

Oh a savior at least! Ah and what a lady she was!

So green, so yellow. She almost blended right into the kelp. In fact at first he wasn't sure which one she was until a flash of the pearls around her neck pin pointed her out. "Uunnhnn what a savior, what a lady!" he beamed proudly, letting her get to work.

She was so concerned over him and she hardly even knew him! It almost brought a tear to his eye!

"Now now, no need to worry, Smackdaddy is free of the fronds and unharmed!" he beamed once he was set loose, almost as if he were singing praise. He flashed her a brilliant smile and flicked his hair back over his shoulders. He aimed to reach out and wipe what looked like would be tears from her saddening features....and then he realized she was talking to the kelp and not him.

"I...uhhn... wait...what?" he blinked, tilting his head in confusion as he drifted over to her, blue eyes glancing down at the ripped blades in her hands. "Don't you care that I'm free? Why does this little kelpie get your attention and not the magnificence that is Smackdaddy?!" he asked in a sort of pouty tone, pointing down at the blade in her hand.

Kira of Flames

 

[Kira of Flames]

Chae's heart sank like a rock as she realized that the blade wasn't to be saved. In fact, with closer inspection, she could see that the entire frond that had caught the other Naiad had been damaged to the point of pulling. "Oh you poor thing..." she muttered softly, ignoring the babbling of the company behind her. Gracefully, she dove down through the swaying fronds of the kelp, circling it as she dove to prevent being caught in it's blades and rope like 'stems', until she was at the sea floor. There, she chose a long piece of sea grass, plucked it, and brought it back up to the damaged blade. Using the sea grass, she very tenderly tied the entire frond segment to another from the same kelp and secured it in a sort of splint. Maybe if its movements were limited, the kelp could recover that part of it. If not, the piece would simply end up detached and either be eaten or be washed ashore to rot.

Finally done tending to the kelp, she turned her dark eyes to her still squawking rescue. "I gave the kelp attention because it was damaged. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that only your pride or dignity would be mildly bruised at best." Her tone wasn't angry, but rather calm and matter of fact. A smile came over her face as she tilted her head. "Your accent is strange, where do you come from? And may I ask why you call yourself 'Smackdaddy'? It is the most unusual of names that I have heard."

Fea Line

 

[Fea Line]

Echino blinked, taken aback. He, at first, wasn't sure he was hearing correctly and had to replay the words in his head. "My pride may be bruised yes little lady, but I could have been seriously damaged too! Unhhnn." he pouted again, crossing his arms and shooting a dagger glance at the kelp frond she had attempted to tie back into the plant.

Sighing, he ran his hands through his hair again before eyeing her up and down once more. "But I guess you are a pretty little mama, I can forgive you." he smiled, holding out his hand to address her other questions. "That's my stage name baby, Smackdaddy McSkittles Feesh at your service! As for where I come from well... I come from where I came from but I'm here now so don't you worry your pretty little head over it anymore uuhnnhuuhhnn." he grined, striking a pose and flicking his pointed index fingers at her, thumbs up in the air, rest curled into his palm.

Kira of Flames

 

[Kira of Flames]

A laughter escaped her and Chae simply rolled her eyes. "Very rarely does a kelp hurt a Naiad, but I suppose there's always the exception. However, I advise note forgiving simply off of looks. That's a quick way to get in trouble."

She circled around him a couple of times, curious about him, then laughed a bit more: wasn't he a quirky catfish! "A stage name! But what about a regular name. A name that you are called when there is no stage, like now. And please do tell where you are from! I'm curious to know!" She finally stopped swimming and floated there, her head tilted to the side with a smile on her face.

Fea Line

 

[Fea Line]

The male grinned at her some more, chuckling a bit at her comment, turning only his head ever so slightly as she began to circle him. But his name? His name when he wasn't on the stage being fabulous? "Bahpssh. I'm always on stage little lady, lifes a stage! You gotta live it up! Up until the very last moment when it lets ya down uhnnhuh." he nodded.... before pausing.

Scratching his head a little, he tilted it sideways then spoke in a rather soft voice. "But if... you must insist. Echino. And I am just a run of the mill naiad like yourself....ah don't come from anywhere special, just the sea. Since then moved to the lake." he said honestly, a very different look coming over his face as he glanced around as if he couldn't risk anyone else hearing him 'break character'.

Kira of Flames

 

[Kira of Flames]

Chae stopped her circling, watching the male as he spoke, listening to the change in his voice, even his personality. How interesting, it was almost as if there were two naiads in one! "It is wonderful to meet you, Echino. My name is Chaetodon, but Chae is much easier to say."

She floated a little in the current, letting herself get turned upside down and not really mind it too much. "Ah! I knew I recognized those style of fins! My birthplace is the ocean as well! Though I've since moved to the Lake as well. I live closer towards the mouth outwards though, and spend most of my time out here taking count of the urchin population. They're so simple, but so curious." She paused to roll herself back 'right side up' and tilted her head.

"You're a performer, though? Have you performed in the palace before?"

Fea Line

 

[Fea Line]

Echino, the real Echino, watched her float carelessly in the current, even letting herself get carried upside down. A small smile formed over his lips, one much different from Smackdaddy's cocky grin. She was simple with a passion for urchins, yet beautiful. He could tell she really cared for them. Yet at mention of the palace, his demeanor changed back to that of what it had been. A performer.

"Ah the palace! The grand marvelous palace! Why I dream of it so, oh yes little lady. One day my name will be most renown through out the place uhhhun." he grinned, clasping his hand into a fist and giving it a soft pump as he shut his eyes and bent his chin down to his chest. Slowly he let his eyes re open, the smile softening just a bit at his next statement. "As of yet though...no. But working on it cutie, you betcha. S'why I chose my home near to it. Wake up every morn to gaze upon its beauty and let it inspire me soo..." he drawled on, now lost in a daydream as his eyes began to sparkle.

Kira of Flames

 

[Kira of Flames]

Chae's eyes softened as she listened to him gush, his dreams grand and full of passion. She certainly could relate to that, considering how much she loved her urchins. Now she understood him a bit better. This stage life, this persona... that was his urchin!

"That would be incredible, to perform in the palace. What do you do on the stage? Sing? Play an instrument? What is it like in show?" Genuinely, she was curious to know more about what he did, what it was like to do what he did.

Fea Line

 

[Fea Line]

The way she inquired about his stage performances seemed to go to his head and stars near about shone from his eyes. "I sing little lady uhhun. Best voice under the waters!" he grinned slicking his hair back. Of course that was debatable, but hey, self confidence was his thing. "Its a grand display of a show if I do say so myself...and I do. Maybe one day you can see it for yourself mmhm. Why I'd even treat a pretty little thing like you to front row seats!" he beamed again, flashing her a rather cheesy grin with some equally cheesy eyebrow waggling.

How could she resit?!

Kira of Flames

 

[Kira of Flames]

"You sing? That is incredible!" Chae felt a sense of admiration for Echino, as she was a horrid singer herself: fish went belly up hearing her carry a tune. Her cheeks tinted pink a little as she nodded, feeling a tad flustered under his beaming smile. Cheesy as his grin was, this was the first time in a long time that another Naiad had paid her such attention. It felt... nice.

"I would really enjoy that, seeing one of your performances. I wouldn't wish to impose though, especially on a friend. Besides, I'd have a hard time going out and having a good time without my other half. It would be awful if he was stuck at home while I was enjoying a good time." Chae thought of her darling pet, Snowball, who was a rescued albino sea urchin.

Fea Line