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OUT IN THE OCEAN - EVENING
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Sammi: While Sammi had been perfectly happy in her little pool under the waterfall, she was much more of a natural in the ocean. Often she would dive off the ship, and vanish for several hours, heading down deep into the seas. Today she had gone fishing! She emerged beside the ship, with a small net, and tied said net to the side of ship to be winched up, before starting her the ladder. She picked up a quiet part of the ship. Sailors are superstitious at the best of the time, and she's literally one of the spooky stories that sailors talk about..even if she doesn't actually lure sailors into the deeps to devour and ravish them. Or at least she denies it.
Gareth is leaning against the gunwale of the ship near the ladder Sammi's been using to get back onto the boat after her time spent below the waves. He yawns a bit, just kind of mentally challenging himself by mentally comparing the ship's current course with the last position the captain marked on the map. Without much other than the stars to sail by at the moment, his best guess places the ship... maybe a day or two away from Orela. It's not until he hears the splashing of Sammi and her net resurfacing that he peers over the side of the boat and smiles upon seeing Sammi climbing up. He offers her a hand up for the last few rungs of the ladder. "Evenin', Sammi. Looks like ye had a good time huntin', today."
Sammi: "Oh, It's not too bad!" She tugs the winch up, and the net is pretty full. There's plenty of normal fish, but there's also a number of 'deep sea' creatures, with their decidedly bizarre appearance. "Mostly I just found some of the older fish, or the ones that were a bit lost. They're easier to yanno, coax into nets" She settles down, sitting on a crate "The water's pretty nice though. Bit Quieter than usual" She seems just a touch concerned by that "I'm sure its fine though. It Comes and Goes"
Gareth blinks and tilts his head as he gets a look at the fish caught in the net. "Huh... don't think I've ever seen some o' these fish ye've caught." He looks over at Sammi as he helps her get the net onto the boat proper and secure the winch, "The water's been quiet, hm? How so?"
Sammi: "It's the whole..Spooky underwater stuff. It's all less Spooky than normal" She shifts through the net, and pulls out a small fishie, and eats it whole, chewing on it thoughtfully "Maybe that's a good thing though! Papa might have just gotten everything well under control..but..what about you?" She changes the subject "How are you liking being back on sea again?"
Gareth hums and smiles a bit. "Bein' back on the sea is nice. It almost feels like I never left, really, even if I've been in Respite fer some months before now. Fresh salt air, cool days, cooler evenin's..." He nods at the net, "Fresh fish to eat whenever we want. It's really nice, bein' back out on the waves again."
Sammi: "Yeah. I've liked being back here for a bit..the salt's nice to be around" She yawns a little "Even if it makes me sleepy. Like..when other people talk about being in front of a warm fire? If that makes sense..Comfy"
Gareth nods. "I get it, aye. Calmin', nice and cozy. Ye grew up in the ocean, so I can imagine it all feels comfortin' to be in it again."
Sammi: "Yeah.." She stretches herself out "I won't mind going back to the waterfall though. There was something nice about all the sound, and well.." She leans in a little "I don't think the sailors like me much"
Piper sits up from her claimed place on the deck, stretching slightly as she eyes up the pair chatting nearby. Her scales creak dryly and the clothes made just for her protest to the movement a bit. "Sailors don't like much that don't belong. All make them nervous. Pirate. Heavy cargo. Old god." She points at each Gareth, herself, and Sammi in turn, stifling a yawn.
Sammi: "I'm not old!" She objects, almost reflexively
Sammi: "Oh..or a God"
Gareth seems a little discomfited, but nods. "They're just merchant sailors, so all those stories the surface folks have about the denizens of the deep are a lot harder to let go o'." He chuckles after a moment, "And aye, that too. Our entire group's probably puttin' them a bit on edge."
Piper grins at Sammi, shrugging. "Poor name, sorry."
Sammi: "It's fine.." She grumbles, taking another minnow, and eating it "The stories all get it wrong. We're trying to help them, nothing else! We're on your side"
Gareth chuckles a bit and gives Sammi a little one-armed hug. "Don't ye worry about it, Sammi. Some o' us surface folks are just superstitious." He pauses, then bobs his head, "Maybe a bit dumb, too. We'll figure it out sooner or later."
Piper shrugs again, looking away from the pair and out towards the horizon which they are retreating from, stifling another yawn. "All perception, very flawed."
Sammi: "Hey!" Sammi gives Gareth a smile smile "They're not all dumb~"
Gareth smiles a bit more warmly at Sammi. "Some o' us are, but not all of us, aye. Not everyone gets the opportunity to talk to folks o' the deep on the regular."
Piper grunts, nodding. "Gareth is right. You might help, with making friends. Make a new name." She leans forward, cloth and scale creaking as the large croc stands and stretches properly. "Is dinner on?"
Sammi: "But I like my name..." She's still not great at turns of phrase "Oh, and there's plenty of fish there" She gestures to the net. Most of the fish are normal..but there's certainly a few that look pretty 'Deep-Sea'.
Gareth shakes his head a bit. "Nah, Piper means ye can work to show folks the underwater isn't bad, since yer up here on the surface. Sammi's a good name, though, I agree."
Piper glances at the fish, then toward Sammi with a slight head shake. "Thank you, no. Fish don't settle well. Double at sea."
Sammi: "Oh! Um..." She roots through the fish, and pulls out something that looks like a weird lobster "This isn't a fish! How about this one?" She looks up earnestly at Piper, holding the creature, which also seems to be looking at her, with little eye stalk thingies...
Piper looks into the eyes of the little lobster critter, around a mouthful for her, turning to give Gareth a look before turning back to Sammi. "You're kind, we'll get along. Please don't offer me sea creatures."
Sammi: "Oookay" She lets the lobster creature back down "I understand" She's a little disappointed, but understands.
Piper reaches out and pats Sammi once gently on the head before stepping backward to the middle of the boat, having felt a bit of shift in the sway when she moved forward, even if it were just a swell.
Gareth looks at Piper and just gives her a bit of a shrug. He braces a little against the ship's side as it moves. "Everyone's got their own tastes in food."
Sammi: "Yeah, I suppose" She idly starts sorting through the fish, moving them into 'crunchy' and 'notsocrunchy' piles "So..um..Piper! How have you been keeping? Do you like the sea too?"
Piper chuckles three quiet, grumbly notes. "No. Ships sway, turns stomach. Like lakes, big rivers. The calms between islands at home, too. Could float for hours and only move down shore."
Gareth smiles as he looks between the two. "Sounds like ye should show Piper around a bit when we get back to Aephix, Sammi. Ye know the waterways pretty well by now, aye?"
Sammi: "I suppose I do. It's not too complicated, though I don't go into the underground much, there's water down there..but its stinky"
Piper perks up a bit. "I thought Respite was desert?"
Gareth shakes his head. "Only towards the inner part o' the continent. Respite's kind o' on the edge o' the desert. Between Bairnell's Folly and Respite, there are some nice forests and such, and there's a really nice waterfall and river a bit out from Respite." He looks over at Sammi for a moment, "Guessin' that's because the underground doesn't have much o' a current to keep the water fresh?"
Sammi: "I dunno. It's just all bad, and nasty" Sammi doesn't understand sanitation works "The waterfall is super nice though! I can't wait to show you!"
Piper hums, nodding after a moment. "Look forward to it." She sniffs at the salty air, picking up some cooking smells from the galley. "Excuse me. Must raid the soup pot." She gives a quick wave, turning toward the steep staircase down to the main deck.
Gareth chuckles and waves as Piper departs. "Have a good meal, Piper. Make sure to save a bit fer us, too!"
Sammi: "Um..yeah!" She agrees, mostly to just agree, before quietly settling into Gareth's side. Almost...defensively? She gets just a liiiiittle wary around Gareth's 'popularity' with other ladies.
Piper grins, looking over the stairs at the other two... After full descending them. "No promises." She ducks inside, but does indeed not eat everything in sight. After all, she's barely moved since they left Sarn.
Gareth seems content to just relax against the ship's deck railing, one arm wrapped comfortably around Sammi. After a bit, he smiles over at her. "So, how are ye feelin', Sammi? If ye've got the energy, we'll be landin' in Orela in a day or two, so we can take in the sights like we did in Sarn."
Sammi: "That might be nice" She yawns "Still feel a bit tired, but..I'll be okay, I think" Her eyes drift over to the shore idly, and the little occasional bit of civilization there "..Maybe get some more rest than usual, try to find a balance, or something"
Gareth nods. "Aye, we'll find a good place to rest fer a bit before we continue back to Aephix. I figure my errand will take a couple o' days, at least, so we'll have time to rest up."
Sammi: "That sounds like fun! Anyway..." Sammi starts drifting off into the random sea life and sights down below, before eventually just sort of dosing off where she is.