Tropical Tranquility

[Vio]

¹

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Clear as crystal were the waters that surrounded Baterilla Island – the waters through which Ffion van Pierre swam freely and fluidly. Beyond the ripples of the ocean’s surface her amaranth eyes could see the lush emerald splashes of the palm trees, shimmering against the vivid blue of the heavens above. Beneath her, the sodden sands were broken by all manner of jade fronds and branches of vibrancy; a veritable canvas of nature’s greatest beauty, where the land and the sea doth met. It was all so peaceful, listening to the voice of the Mother Blue as she ebbed and flowed.

“This kelp could be useful for dressings,” the mermaid muttered to herself as she explored the off-shore reefs of the isle, anchoring herself to a rock as she cut away a few fronds of light brown seaweed with a pair of scissors. Not too much, of course. The sea was both a giver and a taker – the tides would mercilessly tear away from the land what the land took from it, and so it made perfect sense to Ffion to not take any more than was necessary of the fleshy fronds that wrapped about the rock like hair.

Stowing her takings in her satchel, Miss Pierre smiled and looked about. In the distance, she could make out the dark silhouette of a ship sailing steadily towards the port – or was it a whale? At this distance, it was hard for her to tell. Beyond that, the sea turned to a dye of deepest turquoise, suspended above the inky plane of the deep ocean that swallowed the island’s geological shelf of stone and sand. A sweep of golden brown and yellow evolved, splashed with the colours of wondrous corals and the life that called this place home, as she let her eyes wander.

Up she swam.

Shwlosh! No more than a minute later did she break the surface, her fuchsia locks framing her fair façade as she took a breath of fresh and salty air. The sun’s rays were warming as the waters were cooling, providing a pleasant contrast to Fifi’s form as she paddled with shoulders above the water. Nearby, her destination was basking in the warm glow of the amber sphere above, signifying the lazy late afternoon. A tranquil bay surrounded by towering palms awaited the waterborne woman, laced with dark basalt and topped with a spread of soft sand, separated from the nearby coastal town by little more than a shallow bluff woven with hanging vines…

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SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

to meet Jonas!

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Starring…

_{Ffion van Pierre (e52b50)}

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[Alyc, King Of Bees]

A Fish Out Of Water

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Jonas had just finished with his business in Baterilla’s main port town. He had retrieved medicinal supplies (and some extras, just to be prepared) after brief scuffle with some upstart ne’er-do-wells and a somewhat bizarre encounter with a swordsman and a peculiar sword; one that cannot be unsheathed for reasons unknown. ‘The Bushido Ken, eh..? A mysterious blade indeed. It warrants research, that’s for sure.’ Jonas thought to himself as he made his way along the beach.

The palm trees of Baterilla swayed back and forth in perfect synchronization with each other with aid from the wind. The tide would flow in much the same way. Tension from the earlier situation was gone, and the peace of the island was restored. Jonas continued his wandering before he reached an enclave, a strange dip in the beach that housed a somewhat startling surplus of palm trees- these palm trees however bent inwards into the enclave, and had grey trunks as well as glistening semi-clear seafoam leaves in contrast to the regular ones that had brown trunks and green leaves. “Hm.. Couldn’t hurt to check it out.” The young fishman wondered aloud as he inched closer, weaving his way through the odd trees and into the bay’s enclave…

Jonas would soon witness a strangely beautiful scene, the way the trees bent inwards filtered the light of the sun’s glow in such a way that the area had a slight green tint to it. “Woah!” He exclaimed, blinking a few times and rubbing his eyes, hardly believing said eyes. The illusion was broken when he heard a strained warble; a small seagull was sprawled out on the sand, trying with all of its might to wrestle away from the water… It had a broken wing. If it doesn’t get the chance to properly heal then… “It can’t fly…”

Without a moment to lose, Jonas quickly approached the little bird, making absolutely sure that in doing so his motions presented no threat to its survival. “H-hey, settle down-- I-I can help you.” The fishman’s nervous yet gentle voice calmed the seagull somewhat, allowing Jonas to at least dampen the suffering by correcting the wing’s alignment and applying a splint and bandage to it. “That’s the best I can do right now… Uhh…”

He couldn’t abandon the poor creature, but he couldn’t completely fix the problem either. While thinking of what course of action to take, someone had breached the water’s surface-- it was a mermaid! “Huh? Oh- Uhm. H-hello!” Jonas waved-- probably a bit longer than he should have as well, he looked quite silly overextending a greeting like that.

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OOC: Heere's Jonas! Text code; #a96bd5
TAG: Vio , sorry I took so long~

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[Vio]

²

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Seafoam fronds seemed to paint the sands a fair shade of green as the sun’s rays piercing the palm leaf canopy. Quite the contrast it was to the amaranth hues of Ffion van Pierre’s own body as the brought herself to the shoreline proper, using one arm to steady herself upon the rocky ridge that sat just inches above the ebb of the tide. Her eyes scanned the quite cove, but soon set upon an unusual sight – someone across the way was waving to her. At least, she assumed they were. From this distance, her vision was limited, prompting her to pull her glasses up and rest them upon her nose.

“Oh! What a surprise,” she said cheerfully as her senses adjusted. Lo and behold, upon the shores of Baterilla squatted someone of similar Piscean descent – either that or the colour of the palms above were dying fair skin such a shade of turquoise as they were the figure’s bleach hair. But no, he or she was most definitely Gyojin, as was soon revealed by the orange rays of the fin-folk. There was no mistaking that feature.

Up we go! As not one, but three suckered extremities poked free from the waters and secured themselves to the sand-covered rock, the Vampire Squid Mermaid’s own ‘wings’ of pink furled themselves atop her head. By the time she’d climbed onto the beach proper, running her fingers through her fuchsia hair to shake free excess saltwater, such protrusions resembled a neat bow.

^{She raised a hand and waved back.
Her face lit up with a smile:
“Hello to you, too!”}

Squawk! The maritime medic’s response was answered nigh immediately by the stuttering wail of another. Beside the stranger stood a bird – a seagull whose mannerisms seemed oddly erratic for an avian of such size. They were usually somewhat flighty, coming near only when food was presented to them. Perhaps this one was unlike its kin? Waddling forwards across the sands, her sextuplet of tendrils carrying her gracefully as the tide, Fifi soon saw the reason as to why such a creature was acting out of the ordinary.

Its wing is broken? As she approached, she studied the seabird’s side. It held one wing loosely, the flesh no doubt tender from the breakage of bone and the partial tearing of musculature. She was no veterinarian, but even Miss Pierre knew a thing or two about basic medical treatment when it came to animals. By that, she could not help but find satisfaction in the proper use of bandage and splint that had been applied to its wounded wing.

^{“Excuse me,” she inquired softly:
“Are you the one who fixed this gull’s wing…?}

“If so, you did a great job!” Approaching with an aura of tranquillity about her, the freckled femme too did squat down in a show of pacifism, removing her glasses as she did so. The bird seemed to a tad edgy about the situation, but otherwise did nothing but watch as the mermaid’s body dropped down. Beneath her, a multitude of flexible legs formed a cushion of glossy pink on the sand. Now she had a better look at the situation. The rather feminine-faced Fishman indeed had skin the colour of seafoam, the smooth texture of hydrodynamics showing as a light lustre upon his skin, while unusual rays of orange sat upon his back with wings. His hair, dyed a rainbow by the variable illuminations of the atmosphere, was a cloudy white, while his fine eyes were a deep grey.

The seagull was less impressive from an aesthetic standpoint, but if anyone was going to judge people by their appearances, it certainly would not be Ffion. What she saw was a marvel of life on the mend, clad in sleek feathers of ivory and decorated with trims of basalt black. A shiny yellow bill matched the colour of its feet, with webbed toes, and dark beads for eyes observed with curious caution.

^{“My name’s Ffion,” she added.
She addressed both Fishman and bird.}

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SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

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Starring…

_{Ffion van Pierre (e52b50)}

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[Alyc, King Of Bees]

A Fish Out Of Water

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“Bwark~!” Eventually, the tone of the grounded bird’s noises and body language had shifted. It was far less strained, more relaxed. It was likely still in some form of pain, but now it wasn’t going to stop it from being mobile and somewhat balanced. Whatever Jonas had done to help, it certainly worked! The seagull waddled around nearby, pecking at the seashells and mussels next to the rocks. “Woah woah, hey, don’t wander off now-” Jonas sputtered just as the seagull honked again to interrupt him. Now, Jonas didn’t speak bird, but since the seagull hadn’t scampered off already, that more or less said enough on its own without the need for words. “Uh.. Okay.” Jonas looked off to the side awkwardly. He literally just got scolded by a bird. That would be quite the story to tell people one day.

While straightening out his bandanna, his vest and dusting himself off, Jonas turned to face the new arrival properly. Indeed, just as he thought, this person was a mermaid-- After all, nothing on this planet could swim and command the water like a mermaid could, even Fishmen like Jonas had their work cut out for them when trying to keep up!

Jonas bowed politely as he was addressed, it was something of a habit that he had grown up with on Karate Island; whenever you greet someone in good will, one would perform a short bow to acknowledge the presence of the other person or people. “Ah, yes, I did.” He nodded when he was asked about the seagull’s injury. “I’m just glad there was no serious inflammation or signs of internal bleeding… I just..” He winced and shook his head to be rid of such a nasty thought. “Sorry, eheh… It might sound odd, but I have a somethin’ of a soft-spot for animals; birds in particular.” Bringing out a glowing smile he gave a snorty laugh and scratched the back of his neck. “Thank you though. I’m guessin’ you know a thing or two about medicine? S’mostly other medics or doctors that give compliments bout this kinda thing from my experience.”

When the newcomer finally approached, Jonas also got a better look at her; taking into account the fact that she had tentacles rather than a single tail- which was a rarity in and of itself as far as Jonas knew- she would be roughly Jonas’s height, if not slightly shorter. Her more fair upper body came under a similar effect to Jonas’s own hair in this interesting light brought on by the trees. Unlike Jonas whose skin was simply a tone of seafoamy teal with orange lining his fins, the mermaid had speckles of pink and red along her arms and chest- her lower body posed quite the amazing contrast too; being mostly a shade of mauve.

It wasn’t often that Jonas encountered Fishmen, he had even more scarce encounters with Merfolk, and when he did encounter them he was often caught slightly off guard by their trademark beauty and elegance, and this was no exception. “Oh, aw jeez, where are my diddly darn manners, sorry- I’m Jonas!” The Fishman instantly held out his hand in order to offer a handshake, anything to get attention away from today's embarrassing level of goofiness.

The seagull had finally managed to pick out some scraps from within the rocks and gave another comical “Bwark!” in response to the noises the other two were making.

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TAG: Vio , and then, 9000 years later, I post!

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[Vio]

³

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“I’m guessing you know a thing or two about medicine?” asked the stranger, responding to Ffion van Pierre’s offered praise after revealing a little about himself. The seagull, busied by a need for sustenance to keep up its energy, pecked at washed up shells and scoured the sands for scraps. Just the sight of the wounded avian fairing for itself again was grand – a marvel of nature’s tenacity in the face of adversity and injury. With a hasty apology, the Fishman introduced himself:

^{“I’m Jonas!”}

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jonas!” Fifi smiled. “And yes, I’m a doctor. I’ve still got a lot to learn, though, but I do whatever’s necessary for the well-being of others. I have to say, it’s nice to meet someone who shares that love! On behalf of the Seagull, I thank you!”

Such expression of gratitude might have seemed strange to some, but to the Vampire Squid Mermaid, it was almost as natural as swimming. Knowing that there were other doctors and medical practitioners out on the many countries of the world was one thing, but seeing them act as selflessly as Jonas had done only served to further reinforce her belief in the doctor’s code. To practice medicine was one thing, but to be willing to provide that skill in times of need – no matter the parties involved – was a whole different ordeal. Thanks to him, the seagull would perhaps live to fly another day, though there was no denying that it would take weeks to fully recover from its injuries. Broken bones were no quick fix.

^{“So, I’m interested to know,” Ffion asked:
“Where did you learn to be a doctor?”}

Whether or not Jonas was an actual qualified doctor or not did not make the least bit of difference. For Miss Pierre, and indeed for many other ‘Finfolk’ who specialised in medicine, qualifications were hard to come by. With the vastness of the human world, their kind was often shunned, the reasons often varying. It did not help that several notorious piratical organisations had attempted to make their mark upon humans as an act of vengeance, but that was knowledge that did not really sway her way of thinking hither or to. There lay the wound in society – the target of all of her desires continued to fester silently with few signs of natural healing.

I shouldn’t get side-tracked… Keeping her own spirits high by watching the inquisitive avian rearrange its ruffled plumage, the fair-skinned femme considered her own past. Her father, Heulfryn van Pierre, had been the font of medical knowledge from whence she had drunk. His skills with surgical tools could disgrace any swordsman – the scalpel was his weapon of choice and his means for slaying the foul beasts that threatened the lives of men, women and children. While she could not say she had picked up such prowess, she had her own talents, but her intrigue was far more focused upon Jonas’ origins as a doctor than her own…

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SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

hort, but it will do! Shorter posts might be better for this one, anyway? Unless we somehow develop a deeper plot.

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Starring…

_{Ffion van Pierre (e52b50)
Jonas (a96bd5)}

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[Alyc, King Of Bees]

A Fish Out Of Water

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Everyone that knew him generally responded to his medicine with the usual gratitude that comes from being put on the road to recovery, so praise of this kind wasn’t something that Jonas often experienced. Of course, Jonas was no stranger to the odd compliment here and there, as other doctors and medics encouraged him and gave him pointers.

However, compliments he received were usually related to his martial arts techniques and crafty quick thinking.

With that said, Jonas still had an absolutely beaming grin across his face, it always warmed his heart to hear such kind words about one of his passions! “Just doing what I do, y’know how it is!” He gave Fifi a decisive thumbs up before checking where the seagull had gotten to, and it was still nearby chowing down on its food. “I might have to keep an eye on that lil’ one for a while...”

With his attention back on Fifi, his smile ever present, he would almost jump at the opportunity to tell her about where he learned medicine from… For one simple reason. “Oh, same place as where I was born; Karate Island!” He was proud. Proud of his home and the way it was, proud of its people and who they were. “I bet you’ve heard of it, yeah? Either way, long story short, people there tend to get scrapes and bruises more often than any other place really; nothing all too serious mind you. In the many martial arts schools, dojos and sparring areas there is always at least a few medics around at all times depending on their availability-- it rotates essentially-- and I felt like contributing to the cause, to show appreciation to those that helped me; to see both sides of the story; the fighter and the healer so that I could appreciate the whole picture!” Jonas quickly noticed that he might’ve been rambling a little, so he gave pause for Fifi to ask any questions or make any comments before continuing. “I’m not as experienced as many are, and us on-site medics really only stabilize people so that they can get proper treatment… I wouldn’t mind learning more though-- Oh, oh, right, my teacher is totally super cool too-- Her name is Bolin Tsiar, I dunno what it is about her but she seems kinda popular? Maybe you’ve heard of her?” It might have just been the fact that Jonas looked up to his tutor, and regarded them with utmost respect, but he wasn’t exactly incorrect with his assessment.

Though mostly enigmatic, Bolin Tsiar was also quite the talented woman. She reacted a lot quicker than most doctors on Karate Island, and always did her best to help... Though Jonas was certain there was more to her than that alone.

Perhaps Jonas is her student due to their complementing and similar personalities… Or that she saw a spark in the lad, who knows.

“Heh, enough from me for now… So, where’d you study? Who was your teacher?”

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OOC: Ye,thats cool, sometimes its good to just chill~
TAG: Vio

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[Vio]

⁴

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Karate Island, is it? I’ve never heard of such a place… She shook her head softly. Listening intently to the ramblings of Jonas, Ffion van Pierre could not help but experience some degree of wonderment about the words that spouted from the Fishman’s lips. Passionate was he about his proclaimed duty to the people of his homeland, telling her of his unsworn oath to the cause of medicine. A healer he was, but it appeared his specialisation lay within the ability to treat on the spot – minor injuries such as sprains, scrapes and cuts were easy to mend, but no less important than the more serious of wounds.

As a maiden of medicine, Miss Pierre could easily relate to her present company’s passions. Albeit, Mister Jones seemed to partake of something different in the form of combat – not something she had sworn herself to out of desire. No. Rather, the mermaid’s own combative prowess had been forced upon her; the world was harsh and, as much as it might have pained her, being incapable of defending herself was a risk she could not take. Fortunately, she had managed to root herself quite deeply within more passive martial arts, but that was neither here nor there.

“I wouldn’t mind learning a bit more though. Oh. Oh! Right, my teacher is totally super cool, too!” Jonas announced somewhat ecstatically, piquing the pink-haired pacifist’s interest further. “Her name is Bolin Tsiar – I dunno what it is about her, but she seems kinda popular? Maybe you’ve heard of her?”

Bolin Tsiar… Bolin… The question hung for a moment. The name rang no immediate bells, unfortunately. Indeed, even as she travelled into the depths of her knowledge and studies, Ffion could not put a finger on such a name. When it came to doctors of medicine, many had made more astounding developments in recent years, earning themselves fame and notoriety among their acquaintances whilst the rest of the globe suffered in silence until decades passed. Ingenuity might have been commonplace, but it struggled to travel on the winds as quickly as the diseases they fought against.

^{“No, I’m sorry,” the mermaid replied:
“I’m not familiar with the name.”}

“Heh, enough from me now,” Jonas continued: “So, where’d you study? Who was your teacher?”

“I also studied in my home country – Fishman Island,” the fuchsia femme answered peacefully. Talking about home was – at least in some sense – a little painful. Sometimes choices opened wounds that were not so easily healed. “I was an apprentice nurse under my father’s teachings, learning most of what I know now from him. He’s a professional surgeon – probably one of the best at the hospital. As far as surgery and physiotherapy goes, I couldn’t have gotten to where I am without him. I learned from other doctors, too, but he’s likely one of the best teachers as well! Heulfryn van Pierre is his name, though I doubt you’ll have heard of him if you weren’t born and raised on Fishman Island?”

Though her own lack of knowledge on the name of Miss Bolin Tsiar was a tad embarrassing, she could safely say that there was little to no chance of Jonas falling into the same trap. He was an anomaly, having been born outside of the great undersea country from whence their kind originated. Aside from his surgical prowess, Heulfryn was not exactly a prestigious man of medicine. Though he had earned the thanks of many a patient in his lengthy, healthy career, he had pioneered very little in the way of new techniques or treatments. Admittedly, he had the surprising gift of being able to discern a person’s physiological quirks – no matter their racial origins – from just a glance; that was a gift which she had not wholly inherited and was yet to hone.

“Everything else I’ve learned from books and developed on my own,” Miss Pierre continued, looking to the tranquil horizon of the ocean wide: “As doctors we can only learn so much with the help of others – if we didn’t strike out and try and develop further, then I’m certain modern medical practise would never have made it this far! That’s part of why I travel, too; so that I can learn from others and combine the knowledge to find answers to questions medicine has not yet solved. Ah, forgive me, it seems I’m getting a little carried away…!”

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SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

--

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Starring…

_{Ffion van Pierre (e52b50)
Jonas (a96bd5)}

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[Alyc, King Of Bees]

A Fish Out Of Water

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“Mhm, that’s fine-- no worries! I was just curious, she is quite…” Jonas looked upwards in thought, looking for the perfect way to momentarily describe one of his teacher’s primary traits. “Well, ‘enigmatic’ is as close as I’ll get to the right word I guess. Like I said, I’m not sure about what makes her tick, sure is an awesome doctor though~”

Giving Fifi a polite smile, Jonas simply allowed her to speak of her studies. She too studied where she was born; Fishman Island. The lad’s mother Kara was also born there much like the vast majority of Finfolk. Jonas tapped his chin as he mulled over the name of Fifi’s father. It wasn’t immediately familiar to him personally.. However, when his mother would briefly speak of Fishman Island and various related topics, Jonas recalled that she might’ve mentioned Heulfryn at least once. “No, I don’t know him... But I think my mum might’ve mentioned him at some point in passing. Maybe he was her GP or somethin’?”

That was still, unfortunately, the best he could rustle up. Jonas was in a similar spot to Fifi as he basically knew bugger all about Heulfryn beyond ‘he for sure exists!’. However, the mermaid’s words held a very honest sense of gratitude-- as a result Jonas couldn’t help but wonder; ‘what could they teach me if I meet them one day?’.

That being said, he could also learn from Fifi herself! “Y’know, thats pretty amazing. D’you think you could teach me too? Ooh, we could exchange knowledge, that’d be neat!”

Jonas couldn’t help but crack a big goofy smile when Fifi spoke of her dream; to solve the mysteries of medicine through the collection of multiple perspectives-- it seems as though Jonas had the right idea. “You’re so right, I totally agree.” The odd Fishman stammered, fumbled and tripped over some form of sentence when Fifi implied she was getting carried away and it took him a second to actually say something. “W-w-wha!? Carried away--? Not at all!” Truth be told, Jonas was actually relieved that there was someone else out there that was so passionate about their chosen craft that they could end up rambling. He felt less alone because of this experience. “Please, don’t sell yourself short like that. What you’re aspiring to do is fantastic. I think you’ll go quite far.”

"They say the sky is the limit, right?” Looking out into the horizon himself for a moment, he would turn his gaze back to Fifi. “I think its just the beginning."

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OOC: Sorry for the lateness. I really need to get into a posting rhythm here, reeee.

TAG: Vio

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[Vio]

⁵

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“They say the sky’s the limit, right? I think it’s just the beginning,” Jonas stated cheerily, the young man’s ideology perhaps shining through his slate eyes as he too gazed upon the horizon. Ever the empathetic one, Ffion van Pierre was quick to pick up on his apparent love of the sky, though the exact reasons as to why this was the case remained unknown. She could read emotions, but the cause of such things was always kept behind closed doors. To that end, she was respectful of the fellow Finfolk’s privacy, but a curiosity soon made itself known within her own steady flow of thoughts.

^{“Truth be told,” she began to state modestly:
“I have a dream of my own I want to see come to life.”}

Swlash… Swlash… The gentle rhythm of the waves comforting, even if she was not currently bathed within the brine, the Vampire Squid Mermaid was overcome by a sense of determination. Just thinking about her ultimate goals brought about the most bizarre cocktail of internal emotions, from excitement that bubbled like a brook to a weighty darkness like that of the deepest ocean. Despite all her optimism – a driving factor in who she was – there was always that sense of a burden upon her shoulders. Nonetheless, this was a task she had taken upon herself. She knew for a fact that she could not do it alone, but first she needed to find like-minded individuals.

“This might seem a bit naïve of me to want to take on such a burden, but – here goes…” Ffion took a deep breath, letting the sweet and saline air fill her lungs, ready to speak her mind about something that had always been considered a norm in the world. An unprecedented and despicable example of a normalcy, but it was one all the same. “Someday, I wish to put my doctoring skills to good use. Not just to tend to the sick and the injured, but to heal a wound that’s been festering for quite some time. It’s been around as long as I remember – perhaps even as long as history remembers – but I feel as if I can’t stand by and watch it continue to fill with venom. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about, Jonas; there’s a deep gash in the very being of the world, separating people on such a level that entire islands seem to fall prey to the toxins that course…”

Nervous intonation having been replaced with a much greater confidence, Fifi could not help but falter a little at this slightly uncharacteristic display of determination. Her own metaphors also startled her a bit, but that could not be helped – medicine was the closest comparison to what she was attempting to strike out against. As far as he was concerned, her somewhat childish belief in how the world should work was a tangible certainty for the future, provided those with the gall and expertise could band together. She clapped her hands together in front of her bosom, delicate fingers meshing as if to emphasise exactly what she was trying to convey.

“I want to mend the divide,” she affirmed: “The divide between our kind and humanity! It can be done – I know it! I also know it’s probably well outside of what I’ll be capable of for quite some time. I still have a lot to learn, but as I go I’ll make sure to teach as well. Maybe someday we’ll all be able to band together and live in peace, but until that day comes, I need to make progress towards it. I’ll find a way – I always do!”

Miss Pierre smiled again.

^{“If I may… What’s your dream, Jonas…?”}

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SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

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Starring…

_{Ffion van Pierre (e52b50)
Jonas (a96bd5)}

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[Alyc, King Of Bees]

A Fish Out Of Water

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Jonas tilted his head to the side slightly. There was more on her mind than the wonders of medicine? A form of fierceness suddenly awoke in the mermaid’s eyes, and that alone had Jonas intrigued. Not one to interrupt such a moment, he nodded attentively, allowing Fifi to simply continue of her own accord.

The Fishman had only needed to hear that he might know what she meant by an infected wound that was a gash upon the history of the world. There was only one possibility, and Fifi would soon confirm Jonas’s theory true; it was the horrifying rift that divided the denizens of the ocean below to those that walked the land. It wasn’t something that Jonas often experience due to the open mindedness of his birth-island, but even still, knew the sting of this menace. He could feel the looks people gave him sometimes, caught the whispers and lies they would so readily spin… Shuddering, he found himself thankful that he was disciplined enough to conduct himself properly, often causing more than deserved embarrassment for those that would judge blindly.

Almost losing himself to the negativity, Fifi’s declaration brought him back to a more peppy mode, perhaps even beyond what he would normally convey. There was a definitive truth reverberating from Fifi’s voice, Jonas knew this much. She might not be cut from the same cloth as Jonas, but she was still... A defender, like Jonas. “I don’t think you have much to worry about.” Closing his eyes for a moment, he simply listened to the ambiance of their seaside location. Bumping one hand over his chest, he opened his eyes, giving Fifi a wink. “Your shield is good.” Of course, he was once again caught up in the moment and wouldn’t realize that she likely didn’t understand such a phrase, the young man was simply far too enamored with such determination to achieve a noble goal.

Looking out towards the open ocean again, Jonas gave Fifi’s query a fair bit of thought. He had goals, yes, but did he have a dream? What was a dream in this context? To answer her question with the respect it deserved, Jonas had to first figure that conundrum out.

If their conversation was any indication; then the desire to mend the festering wound that plagued their people and the surface dwellers was something that she had for a long time, since her youth… Did Jonas experience anything similar?

Of course he did.

Aside from finding a mystical island that eluded his mother, beyond the desire that he now had to assist Fifi thanks to her passionate speech, he wanted one thing, he wanted to... “Fly. That’s my dream. I want to fly.” Jonas pointed triumphantly towards the horizon. “Whether I build something that does it, or I find something that makes me able to-- I don’t care! I’m gonna do it!” The seagull from earlier had sneakily managed to waddle over between Fifi and Jonas, without making a single sound, the bird simply stared at Jonas. The Fishman had a different kind of grin on his face, a sparkle in his eye that matched the light of the horizon beyond.

After a clean minute and a half, his mind would leave the clouds and return to Earth, where he would awkwardly scratch the back of his neck. “Eehehe, besides that lil’ bit of silly selfishness though? There’s a place I need to get to for my mum’s sake. A mystical island that floats, not unlike Skypeia, where it is said some wizards that can manipulate weather live, and…” Jonas paused, looking to Fifi with an encouraging smile. “You. I want to help you. Most medicines have more than a single ingredient, after all.”

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OOC: blblblbblb
TAG: Vio

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[Vio]

⁶

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“Your shield is good,” Jonas said. To that, Ffion van Pierre could only tilt her head in bemusement, unsure of what her fellow Finfolk even meant by such a statement. Was it some metaphor he had picked up in the past? For now, that was about the only answer she dared to consider – it probably had some deeper meaning than she could comprehend at present. Perhaps, she mused silently, he was using shield as a synonym for something. All she could dredge up from her memories were thoughts of protective gels and silver, the likes of which were used to ward away infection in certain medical treatments.

He wishes to fly? What an interesting ideal… Listening attentively to the words that were spewed from the Flying Fishman’s lips, Fifi could not help but smile and consider the man’s dream through her own mind’s eye. The concept of flight – soaring high through the endless sky – was often one that captivated children of a young age. It was a considerably ‘Human’ dream to possess, she noted; most all Gyojin and Merfolk were content with swimming the deeper blues of the globe, not taking to the paler winds above. For a moment, she considered whether or not the two processes were vastly different. In her own unique way, she ‘flew’ through the water. Somehow she knew that a simple pair of fleshy flaps would not be enough to achieve flight.

^{“An island that floats?” the Mermaid muttered:
“I’ve never heard of such a thing. Sorry for not being useful…”}

Indubitably being a little too apologetic given the elusive nature of Mister Jones’ desire, Miss Pierre gave a polite, courteous bow. There were many fairy tales in the world – so much mystery had generated its fair share of peculiar stories. The origins of such things were, at the best of times, nigh impossible for the average person to track to the source. The Grand Line always saw to that. Snapping herself out of an admittedly brief bout of sorrowful regret at not being able to help, Ffion took a deep breath, swallowing saline air.

“Your help, Jonas,” she smiled, “would be most welcome! If ever I am able, I’d like to help you achieve your dream, too. Though, I’m not sure how much I can contribute towards flying or finding an island full of Wizards. The closest thing to flying that I’ve ever experienced was being thrown out of the water, and I honestly know nothing about islands such as the ones you speak of…”

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SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

[/sub]

Starring…

_{Ffion van Pierre (e52b50)
Jonas (a96bd5)}

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[Alyc, King Of Bees]

A Fish Out Of Water

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Ordinarily, seeing someone react to Jonas’ quirky phrases in the same way that Fifi did; he would’ve started to fly off on a tangent to explain all of the deeper meanings. Jonas was by no means abysmally unaware of the world outside of Karate Island…. But when one grows up speaking in a certain unabashedly honest and sincere way; it could catch him off guard when someone didn’t know what he meant.

This situation however; wasn’t ordinary. Here on this island, here in this beautifully unique circle of trees and refracting light two people with similar ancestry yet vastly different backgrounds made their wildest dreams and most earnest aspirations known to each other without even the slightest iota of worry. Without fear of being bullied, reprimanded or laughed at; Jonas and Fifi had essentially worn their hearts on their sleeves. Yes, it was only briefly that they did this; but it was not without purpose.

A strangely strong sense of camaraderie could be cultivated from this encounter in the near future.

“Oh, it’s no big deal. Don’t worry about it. Nobody knows everything; after all.” Jonas waved off Fifi’s concerns regarding her not being ‘much help’ due to lacking knowledge of islands in the sky. However, her talk of being ‘useful’ flipped a bit of a switch in the young man and he became quite stern. “I’m not so sure ‘being useful’ is even a thing. We aren’t tools. Tools have uses. We’re people, we have feelings.” It was not out of anger, no. His tone was far more in line with that of concern as he aimed to lift Fifi’s spirits. “Besides; not knowing something is the first step to learning about it~!” He chirped as his more chipper tone returned. In an instant Jonas realized something… He could teach her what he knew right now! Skypiea was similarly heaven-bound and he knew a fair bit about it given what his father Locke had told him.

Jonas waited patiently for Fifi to finish speaking before responding with an idea of his own. “Well, you could always patch me up if I’m to injured to do it myself, y’know~” He began, humming to himself for a moment. “Anywho; if you’re interested I could teach you what I know about my father’s homeland: Skypiea. It’s also a series of floating islands. Ooo, you could probably learn about some new medical techniques there? I think some people there also use Dials for medicine since that is where Dials originate from. Using all available resources makes sense, doesn't it?”

Tapping his chin, it seemed as though the young man had hatched an idea! “Come to think of it, do you know what Dials are since you haven't heard of any floating islands? I mean, there's a chance, but hang on...” Jonas asked as he fiddled around with his utility belt and harness to bring out the piece of his Torrent Rounder that had the Jet Dial installed on it as well as his Tone Dial. “Here; these are the two I have on hand. The Jet Dial produces gusts of wind-- I’ve put it into my thus far greatest invention; the Torrent Rounder~!” Jonas said, grinning with pride for once. “This other one is a Tone Dial; it records messages. My mother gave it to me to keep as I go on my journeys.”

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OOC: LIFE CAN'T CATCH ME NOW. AAAAAAAAAA
TAG: Vio

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