entry 505

it’s your best friend kokomi’s birthday tomorrow, and you've been planning her party for the past three weeks! everything's gone wonderfully, perfect venue, perfect shopping spree, everything!

you're looking for some seashells to add to her gifts. she's always admired the sea, and loved gathering different types for her collection.

despite the cold breeze, and moonlight coating the shore, you persevere. stepping over delicate shells, all beautiful yes, but none quite fit the image of what you're looking for.

at a particularly biting gust of wind, you pause and rub your icy fingers together. "maybe i’ll just have to head home, sorry koko. i can try again in the morning..?" you say to no one in particular, eyes on the moon high above.

it must be around midnight now. you reach for your phone, and sure enough, it's technically already the day of her twenty first. and right before you can ask someone for a ride, your phone dies.

"why?! who brings a dead phone to the beach alone at night? me! of course. of course."

right before you turn your back to start walking back home —not too far, but enough to make you regret the late hour— you do a last scan across the sand. and while you find no shining perfect shell like you'd hope, you see an opening.

it seems to be a.. cove of sorts? nothing big, but you see the faint glistening of a lagoon. and judging by the trees extending completely over, and moss clinging to the stone, it's untouched.

"am i really about to explore? it's like I’m asking to be in some.. horror documentary. at least i have a pretty jacket on but– who am i kidding, this'll be the most interesting thing to happen to me."

once you reach it, you push the vines over. they move almost too easily under your hand, but that's most likely the wind that's been following you since you arrived. wind comes with night, so you haven't paid it mind.

it's dark. small, not enough to be cramped, but enough for it to be evident not much can happen. the stones beneath your boots have sand all over them, and after retrieving your torch, it's revealed there's sand piles and shells all in the corners. aaand.. as it seems like this whole night, nothing catches your eye.

"really? nothing?" there's satchels, a few pieces of cutlery, and a hairbrush too. perhaps they drifted over when this lagoon in the center overfilled?

looking over to the water, it looks significantly lighter than the sea. more turquoise compared to the dark blues of the shore. curiously, you throw a rock in, and don't hear a drop.

must be a lot deeper than it seems. and at the back, it seems to curve, leading back to the sea. a seagull loudly flies past outside, and quickly adjusting your clothes, you turn to head back.

and then you see something. a sliver of moonlight, shining through the vines almost perfectly onto a sand covered shell.

from what you can tell, it's pink, curled into a swirl, with blue etched like waves all over its smooth surface. you've spent far too long out to not leave with something, so this'll do.

right before you can reach for it, a massive splash of water spills from the lagoon.

you quickly turn to the noise, first instinct that the water may rise and flood, but instead lays a.. person.

"are you alright?" you ask, walking closer while holding your flashlight. he (?) has dark blue hair, a braid on each side of his face that's tipped with teal. he sits on the stone edge of the water, yet his bottom half is still submerged.

he simply tilts his head. you blink. yeah you're probably hallucinating, "it's too late for this.." reaching for the shell this time, a voice suddenly stops you. "ah, english! that's the one you speak," the man says playfully.

"..yeah? and you are?" at your prompt, he smirks, leaning a cheek on his hand as he further stretches against the stone.

"you can call me.." his eyes dart over the room, landing on a plastic cup, before finishing, "venti!" he blinks innocently.

you narrow your eyes. "you just got that off the starbucks cup."

"nuh uh."

"yuh uh."

"nope!"

"i literally saw you look at it."

he sighs. "so what? interrogation is considered rude, no? just like taking someone else's stuff?" at your confused expression, he gestures to the shell. "i found it first."

"look. i need it for a friend, ill give you whatever i have. who knows why you're swimming out this late but here, get up, I'll help," as you extend a hand, he suddenly goes back into the sea, until when you see him, it's just his head, which he shakes as a no.

are you really going to negotiate for a shell with some weird ass water man? yes, yes you are. kokomi better like this shell—

you can't believe you're actually doing this. talking with him. but it's.. nice. in a very strange way. whenever you bring up technology, he seems quite confused. even a homeless guy has at least heard of a phone..

not only that, you've also noticed that he hasn't left the water. at all. unable to contain the question, you ask, "isn't it cold?"

"huh?"

"the water. isn't it cold?" you repeat. and just to make your point, you dip a finger in there, but immediately pull back. that's freezing. how does he not have hyperthermia or something..?

his turquoise eyes widen, and a nervous chuckle follows. "don't worry about it!"

before a protest can escape your lips, he cuts you off. "you know, you ask a lot of questions for someone who's just met me." hypercrite— "i don't even know your name. how unfair." he pouts dramatically.

before a reply can follow, he speaks once more, "you remind me of those flowers.. the ones at the top of the cliff nearby. cecilias?" you nod in confirmation of the name. "how about i call you that instead! my cecilia!"

"you talk a lot. but there's also windblumes, and—" before your plant knowledge can let you ramble further, you shake your head. "sure, call me that. anyways, are you going to tell me why you’re in here? if not i’ll just leave, and fight you for this shell if i have to." you can't fight at all, but it's the sentiment that counts right?

venti sighs. "my cecilia, you're really not going to let this go? you'll never see me again! we can just.. keep this a secret?" at your look, he winces. "alright, alright! but don't get a fright?"

"that's not reassuring at all. just say."

he doesn't say anything more. and you wait a minute. two. and as your mouth opens, you notice.

..okay. okay so i’ve actually gone insane out here. great. hallucinations. is it because i haven't slept? of course it is. great [name], you're actually imagining things, or is this all some weird lucid dream—

"..surprise?" his voice snaps you out of your thoughts, and he flicks his tail once in emphasis. you just stare. for five whole minutes. and he just lets you. eventually, he begins humming. which slowly seems to let you process it all. "you can touch it if you'd like."

"no. no thanks. it's pretty though?" despite refusing his offer, he watches as you lean over, trying to see under the water. it's murky, but as he moves around, it eventually clears enough to where you can see. and sure enough, he has a tail.

and you weren't lying. it's very pretty. beautiful. teal and white scales shimmering like silver, fading into his torso gracefully.

"you're taking this pretty well considering human standards." you nod, not quite sure what to say. thankfully, he fills the silence.

"all of us are forbidden from coming to the shore. but i can't help it, y'know? it feels so.. free. besides, i didn't think anyone would stumble into my little getaway."

as he keeps rambling, your eyes feel heavy. not because you don't care for what he's saying, you are interested —if only because it's so foreign— but simply due to the late hour. he finally seems to notice, and offers, "you can rest here."

"i just met you," you point out flatly.

"mhm, but you're going to pass out if you try walk home now. and i guess the light up box you mentioned earlier doesn't work?" venti replies. "a phone?—" he nods, "yes, that! either way it's your choice though! however, you said your home was far? ..just saying, it'd be a lot warmer in here compared to sleeping on the sand outside. oh wait, i know!"

he dives into the water, and for some reason, you find yourself actually waiting for him instead of leaving. and you aren't left long.

when he returns, he has seaweed in his hair, but is holding something. "ah, you stayed! here. i tried to be quick."

it's a pearl. holding it up, one can't help but see the resemblance it has to some sort of polished jewel. "for your friend."

you sit on the stone edge, back against the cove. "this doesn't mean i’m gonna stay. also if i accept this, is there some weird mermaid-siren thing where you own my soul now?" that seems to amuse him, as he giggles.

"what would i do with a soul? perhaps show you around the sea, but apart from that, i have no use for them, ehe! what, do you think we burn them? steal them? ew, eat them? gross!"

now you're both laughing. you're tired, quieter, but clearly at least a little more at ease. venti hums, before suddenly swimming over to you.

"you really look like you could use some sleep.." your yawn unfortunately confirms his observation, despite your glare. and then he begins singing with a wink.

"i have things to do. what are you.. even.. trying to– mphh.. do…" the question dies from your lips, and before you know it, you're asleep. sitting up.

he shakes his head. "can't be comfortable.." he muses, before gently moving you, not sure what to do with your legs, but shifting you so you're laying down.

he then glaces at the glittery powder in his hands. "a human who i didn't have to use this on.. do i have to?" he asks no one in particular.

yes barbatos, you know the rules.

"but.. she didn't try to hurt me. not all of them are bad.."

and just like every time he tried to tell them that, they reply the same, maybe, but we've endured enough from humans. return home already.

but venti despises their strict rules. and so he always comes far too close to the shore. and he knows they know, hence why they said, fine, visit them. but their minds are far too weak to ever be able to fully process us. you. so use the glitter to make them forget you. don't bother caring.

he shakes his head. can't be any harm in letting just one remember.. "i’ll be here until you wake up, in the meantime, i'll find you more pretty pearls and shells for your human, windblume."