your toes dig into the sand on the beach as you walk along the shore. it gets stuck in your webbing.

a violetblood dives gracefully from a rock that juts out of the sea. she doesn't so much as make a splash.

you step into the water and watch her swim, amazed. her movements mesmerize you, and you wonder how someone can move so elegantly in the sea.

she reminds you of the famous ballereapers you'd always look up to. you can't help but feel a little envious; you could never swim like her, cursed with malformed gills whose only purpose is to make you a target for drones and purist highbloods.

you'll never be able to dance like your idols, either. you'd say you're okay at dancing--great, even--but you're horribly lethargic, and it's hard to learn those complicated moves when you're so tired that you trip over your own feet.

as you're wrapped up in all your thoughts, the waves pull you towards her.

when you get closer, she resurfaces, hair billowing around her like a cape. she squints at you for a good, long moment, then returns to her place beneath the surface.

you sit down and continue to watch, your eyelids growing heavier with each moment. it can't hurt to take a little nap, can it?

you rest your head in the sand, feeling the waves lap at your gills.

sleep comes as quickly as it always does.

XIERRA: o+) hey (+o

you open your eyes to a tall blur with a strange accent.

a few blinks, and you recognize the figure as the violet you were watching earlier. you sit up and shake the sand out of your hair.

XIERRA: o+) tides risin (+o

XIERRA: o+) youre gonna drown if you sleep here any longer (+o

LVERNA: oh...

LVERNA thanks for waking me up.

XIERRA: o+) uh huh (+o

XIERRA: o+) were you watchin me swim (+o

LVERNA: ...ye.

LVERNA: youre rea\\y good at it.

LVERNA: wish i cou\d swim \ike that...

LVERNA: youre like a prima ba\\ereaper of the sea. :)

XIERRA: o+) uh thanks (+o

her fins flare in humble embarrassment. one of them has an enormous tear, and the wound looks fresh. you stand, staring long enough that she notices.

XIERRA: o+) you never seen a seadweller before or somethin (+o

LVERNA: no i have but i...

LVERNA: um. i didnt mean to stare...

LVERNA: its just that ha\f of one of your fins is missing.

LVERNA: are you ok?

XIERRA: o+) its a long story (+o

LVERNA: ok.

LVERNA: ...so you can breathe underwater right?

XIERRA: o+) did you really just ask a seadweller that (+o

XIERRA: o+) its kind of a given (+o

XIERRA: o+) we got gills for a reason (+o

LVERNA: ok that was rea\\y rea\\y dumb of me to ask.

LVERNA: but... i dont know.

LVERNA: i mean i have gi\\s too but they dont let me breathe underwater so i thought maybe thats not a\ways the case?

you must look like a complete idiot right now. you brush your hair aside to reveal your own fins and gills as some sort of justification for your obvious question.

XIERRA: o+) what (+o

XIERRA: o+) youve got (+o

XIERRA: o+) but youre a blueblood (+o

XIERRA: o+) your hairs white too (+o

XIERRA: o+) are you a mutant (+o

LVERNA: probab\y.

XIERRA: o+) okay wasnt expectin the first troll i met on land to be a literal mutant but here we are (+o

LVERNA: oh im the first?

XIERRA: o+) yup (+o

LVERNA: coo\. :)

XIERRA: o+) sure (+o

XIERRA: o+) you know you uh (+o

XIERRA: o+) probably shouldnt go around flauntin your gills to just anyone (+o

XIERRA: o+) pretty sure that can get you culled (+o

XIERRA: o+) actually here (+o

XIERRA: o+) cover your gills with this (+o

she fiddles with the silk scarf around her waist and offers it to you. you hesitate and stare at it blankly, confused by this stranger's sudden generosity.

when you don't make any effort to reach for it, she ties the scarf around your neck herself.

LVERNA: ...youre he\ping me?

XIERRA: o+) would you rather i sic a drone on you (+o

LVERNA: no but...

LVERNA: i mean thats what peop\e usua\\y do.

LVERNA: ca\\ the drones i mean.

LVERNA: i dont know how im sti\\ a\ive actua\\y its happened a few times...

XIERRA: o+) a few (+o

XIERRA: o+) wow (+o

XIERRA: o+) well you dont gotta worry about me tellin anyone (+o

XIERRA: o+) i aint that kinda gal (+o

XIERRA: o+) n if i went to any sorta authority right now theyd take me away too (+o

LVERNA: why?

she pauses, looking you up and down to make sure your gills are hidden. her fingers move your hair so it covers your fins once more.

XIERRA: o+) you aint gonna snitch if i tell you a secret right (+o

LVERNA: no. i\\ probab\y forget it honest\y...

XIERRA: o+) sweet cause if you say a word ill hunt you down (+o

LVERNA: ok i wasnt going to but now i rea\\y wont.

XIERRA: o+) long story short i stole from the castle n then killed someone so it would be kinda hypocritical of me to rat you out (+o

LVERNA: oh. wow thats a heck of a secret...

LVERNA: is that why youre hanging around the shore now?

XIERRA: o+) pretty much (+o

XIERRA: o+) ran away n now im here (+o

XIERRA: o+) chillin in that sea cave right over there cause im sorta hiveless right now (+o

LVERNA: hive\ess? that sucks. :(

LVERNA: you cou\d stay with me?

XIERRA: o+) we just met (+o

XIERRA: o+) i dont even know your name (+o

LVERNA: oops. i forgot thats something you do when you meet new peop\e...

LVERNA: im \verna. whats your name?

XIERRA: o+) ...xierra (+o

LVERNA: very nice to meet you xierra. and thank you for the scarf. :)

LVERNA: can i keep it?

XIERRA: o+) sure i dont really care (+o

LVERNA: ok.

LVERNA: now that you know my name you can stay in my hive if you want. my \usus wont mind at a\\. :)

XIERRA: o+) uhh i dunno (+o

XIERRA: o+) no offense but youre a lil strange (+o

XIERRA: o+) you fell asleep in the sea watchin me swim (+o

XIERRA: o+) i may be new to land but i dont think thats normal (+o

LVERNA: oh sorry about that... i wasnt watching for very \ong i just thought you \ooked coo\.

LVERNA: i \ike dancing and you swim so e\egantly that you \ooked \ike you were dancing but in the water...

LVERNA: a\so i get tired and fa\\ as\eep a \ot. very quick\y.

LVERNA: even if im not somewhere i should be s\eeping it just kinda hits me and im out...

LVERNA: its a huge prob\em actua\\y.

XIERRA: o+) maybe you should get that checked out (+o

LVERNA: youre probab\y right but they wou\d figure out im a mutant very fast and i wou\d get cu\\ed.

LVERNA: however if im dead that wou\d put an end to my s\eeping prob\ems...

XIERRA: o+) pfft (+o

XIERRA: o+) anyway i think im fine stayin on the beach for a while (+o

LVERNA: if youre sure. :)

LVERNA: have you gone anywhere other than the beach yet?

XIERRA: o+) nah (+o

XIERRA: o+) prefer swimmin over walkin (+o

XIERRA: o+) n its nice here (+o

LVERNA: ok. its very nice out there too just so you know. :)

LVERNA: i dont know you very we\\ but im sure theres a \ot of new things youd \ike...

LVERNA: omg what if i gave you a tour of the city! i dont \ive very c\ose to it but i visit from time to time so i know a\\ the best p\aces.

LVERNA: you dont have to stay in my hive you can a\ways come back to the beach.

XIERRA: o+) that doesnt sound too bad but its a general rule of mine to not go to unfamiliar places with strangers (+o

XIERRA: o+) you dont look very threatenin and youre kinda funny but i dont think ill take any chances yet (+o

XIERRA: o+) if i see you again n we get to know each other better then maybe (+o

LVERNA: ok. i come here a \ot so you wi\\ probab\y be seeing more of me.

XIERRA: o+) uh huh (+o

LVERNA: hmm...

LVERNA: oh do you use tro\\ian?

LVERNA: hehe who am i kidding everyone uses it.

XIERRA: o+) must be a landdweller thing cause ive never heard of it (+o

LVERNA: rea\\y? :0

LVERNA: i know seadwe\\ers who use it though...

LVERNA: and ones that sti\\ \ive in the sea.

LVERNA: its an app where you can ta\k to peop\e. a\\ of my friends use it.

XIERRA: o+) okay then its prolly an outside the castle thing cause when it came to tech our contact was very (+o

XIERRA: o+) limited (+o

LVERNA: wait...

LVERNA: did you work in the cast\e?

XIERRA: o+) where else would i have run away from (+o

LVERNA: i thought you just sto\e from it. thats so coo\...

XIERRA: o+) its almost impossible to sneak in if you dont already work there (+o

LVERNA: whats it \ike? ive never heard anything about it.

XIERRA: o+) were sposed to keep things under wraps but its kinda shit actually (+o

XIERRA: o+) i know you aint exactly a seadweller but i wouldnt recommend workin there (+o

LVERNA: oh wow...

LVERNA: can i ask why?

she frowns, and you get the sense that she doesn't want to delve any deeper into the subject. or dive any deeper. hehe.

XIERRA: o+) id tell ya but id be talkin all night (+o

XIERRA: o+) ive got stuff to do n im sure you do too (+o

LVERNA: oh thats true... im craving a coup\e munchies...

LVERNA: so i suppose i\\ be getting back to my hive.

LVERNA: id \ove to hear more \ater though. :)

XIERRA: o+) maybe next time i see ya (+o

LVERNA: ok.

LVERNA: i\\ be seeing you...

LVERNA: what was your name again?

XIERRA: xierra

LVERNA: i\\ be seeing you xierra.

XIERRA: o+) seeya (+o

XIERRA: o+) dont fall asleep on your way there (+o

LVERNA: i wont. :)

you yawn.

LVERNA: ok maybe i wi\\ but i\\ try not to.

XIERRA: o+) pff alright (+o

XIERRA: o+) n be careful with showin those gills ya hear (+o

LVERNA: ok. :)