weakahoshi | Adventure 1- The Surface [Action]

IIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

[Anyone in the area of Luceti's beach has probably just heard an ear-splitting, sonic screech. The astute observer (or, even the non-astute observer) may notice uncharacteristically large waves breaking up on the beach. For any curious enough, if they look out to sea, they'll notice something spectacular. A large pink mermaid is splashing about, swimming quickly one direction, then crying out- much more quietly now- and changing directions suddenly. She does this a number of times, then dives deep, only to surface a few minutes later, looking for all the world like she's trying to beat the world record for "longest surface jump made by a fish". Whatever her goal is, she doesn't appear to be achieving it, because the process repeats itself over and over.

Those with extremely good eyesight, or who are brave (or stupid) enough to try getting closer may notice a bit of flotsam trailing along behind her.

A Malnosso-issued journal.]

[OOC Note: Tags may also come from

cryinghoshi or

runawayhoshi. Thank you!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Shirahoshi hears more words coming from the book, and so she takes a deep breath, gathering up literally every single drop of courage she has, in order to...

Flip the book over with the tip of her finger, then shy away as if it were a giant, disgusting bug.]

I- I'm sorry, Book Lady-sama. I c- couldn't hear you very well.

[The video now clearly catches Shirahoshi's face, streaming with tears. IT WAS SCARY TO TOUCH IT OKAY?]

[O...kay. This is something you don't see every day. Just how big are you? Tears Nami's not so good with, but hey, it is her first day in Luceti, so she tries making her voice sound at least a little reassuring. (Which isn't so hot when she has to half yell to be heard.]

Okay. My name's not Book Lady-sama. It's Nami, and I'm talking with you through the book from somewhere else. You can pick it up, it won't bite.

N- Namichin-sama!

[She begins crying again, but she sounds relieved.]

I'm s- sorry, I promised I wouldn't cry so much..!

['chin'...? Her first thought is of Keimi, and that's when Nami really looks at the gigantic mermaid. Didn't...Brook mention something about--

...uh--]

Shira...hoshi?

[Shirahoshi wipes her face with water, then smiles down at the book, sniffling.]

I'm so glad to see you! It was scary! I th- [hic!] thought the book was from Vander Decken-sama 'cuz it was following me.

[...oh, man. This is someone she hasn't met yet, but Nami figures she's going to some time in the near future at home. Vander Decken? She doesn't have the heart to say she doesn't remember Shirahoshi, especially given Nami suspects she might start crying again, so she gives an awkward smile back.]

No, it's not from Vander Decken-sa-- Vander Decken. It's a book everyone gets here so they can talk to other people in the village. Are you all alone out there, Shirahoshi?

[She bites her lip and nods, blinking the last of the tears from her eyes.]

All right. I'm gonna stop talking to you on the book now, but that's only because I'm coming out to where you are, okay?

Okay, Namichin-sama. Should I go to the bea-

[Her eyes go wide, and she gasps]

Namichin-sama, I'm on the surface!

Yeah, you are. [Bemused, because she's probably missing something there. Though common sense means...] You're not used to the surface, huh? It's okay. There's nothing up here that will hurt you.

[Except, you know. Humans.

Nami gets a thoroughly befuddled, blank stare from Shirahoshi.]

A- are you sure?

[And WHY was this never mentioned?]

I'm sure. [She's reminded that the Grand Line trades in mermaids, so she smiles in an attempt to be reassuring.] This is a special place-- there's no discrimination against fishmen and mermaids here, and nobody trying to sell you. I'll explain some more when I get there, okay?

Special place?

[Shirahoshi thinks about this, then nods her head.]

Alright, I'll wait for you. Will you be bringing the Thousand Sunny?

Not this time. Something a lot smaller. But I'll find you, no problem!

{Because a gigantic mermaid is really not very hard to spot. See you shortly, Shirahoshi; Nami's incoming on Biri. Flying electrical duck heading your way. |D]

Okay, Namichin-sama!

[Shirahoshi pokes at the journal a few times, trying to get used to it. Then Biri appears in the sky and she gapes in wonder. She's never seen an actual bird before!]

Uwaaaaah! Pretty!

[Biri has a moment of crisis in which he decides the very large woman below is possibly dangerous and tries to veer away-- at which point Nami swerves him right back with a whole bunch of swearing.]

It's okay, she's not going to hurt you!

KAAA~!

[Shirahoshi cups her hands and raises them up in the air to give Biri a place to land.]

I promise not to drop you, Bird-sama!

[And okay, once they get closer, Shirahoshi realizes the bird might be bigger than she first thought.

And Nami too.

Didn't Nami used to fit nicely in the palm of her hand? Now it doesn't look like she could hold her in her hands at all...

Shirahoshi bites her lip, determined not to let this sudden strangeness frighten her.]

Or... maybe we should go over to the dry land instead...

[Sadly Nami has no idea she used to be bigger, though she does glance at her cupped hands with a puzzled look. Hm.] If you'd like. [It seems Biri will be less freaked out that way; she guides him back shoreward, flying in small circles so she won't outstrip Shirahoshi.] Come on, then.

[Shirahoshi can move pretty fast. There's nothing faster in the One Piece world than a mermaid in water, after all. She comes up on the beach timidly, crawling gracefully to a point where the waves still wash around her soothingly, but Namichin-sama and her Bird-sama can both stand on dry ground if they'd like.

Nami really has grown. It's a little bit intimidating.]

Um, i- is here okay?

[Nami slides down off Biri's back (at which point he scuttles back a bit and walks back and forth like he's not sure what to think) and smiles up as reassuringly as she can.]

Here's fine. Look, uh... [Wow, you're big.] You've met Sanji-kun and Chopper, right? They're here, too. Luffy was, but he's... he's gone for a while.

I've met all of you. Don't you remember, Namichin-sama?

[...there's no real getting around that. Nami smiles a little painfully.] About that, Shirahoshi... time is different here. I know I've met you, and I bet we're friends. But the last thing I remember was getting to Fishman Island.

Um, s- so you don't remember Jimbei-sama talking to you a- about Fisher Tiger-sama and Mother-sama?

[Cuz that was kind of the bonding moment.]

No...sorry.

Adventure 1- The Surface [Action]

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