Under the Boardwalk [Edge / Fao / Una]

[hadopelagic]

During the day, the Banana Stand was a hotspot on the boardwalk. Tourists and locals would mill around the bright yellow stand, eating frozen, chocolate-dipped bananas (dusted with optional sprinkles or crushed peanuts) on wooden sticks. Indeed! By day, this section of Wathais bustled with cheery activity!

However, the Banana Stand at 1 AM had an entirely different vibe. One might describe it as ominously dark and quiet. The nearby street lamp flickered and went dim, its bulb slowly dying. A mist rose from the ocean and settled thickly over the boardwalk, turning distant people and structures into vague shadows. Unperturbed, Una paced around the shuttered stand, absentmindedly humming a haunting song. To her, it was the perfect night: pleasantly chilly and damp, with a half moon glowing over the coast. When her new friends arrived, she'd show them something brighter than the moon. 

About twenty feet away, a seven-foot-tall behemoth of a person in a long, hooded cloak sat hunched on a metal bench. Una had asked her sister to be present for safety. Robbers and other dangerous sorts came out at night. However, Una hadn't expected her sister to leave the ocean.

"Don't lurk too much," she thought at her sister, who snorted audibly in response.

Hopefully, Fao and Edge didn't notice the giant lady. If they did, Una might have to make introductions, which could get awkward, as her sister knew very little about human customs.

Una resumed humming and pacing, waiting for her friends to arrive.

[qhostqrowls]

As Una paced, the quiet noise of a conversation grew louder. There were two faint figures in the distance, arms linked, their pace leisurely and the tone of their voices soft and conversational.

“She’s actually really nice. A little odd, but she is from the bottom of the ocean. So, you know. A few cultural differences.”

Faolan smiled up at Edge. Una’s request for the time and place of the hangout had initially given him pause, but August had assured him she wasn’t a man-eater - and that she didn’t do well in daylight. Bringing Edge was just another layer of security, and he’d wanted the Darai to meet the siren regardless.

The doctor slowed as they neared the stand. His gaze settled briefly on the hooded figure, flicking apprehensively up and down the length of their body. He squeezed Edge’s arm briefly, and then waved at the mermaid.

“Hey, Una.” He said softly, smiling. “Nice to see you again.”

[NightshadeVII]

Tonight was one of the few times where Faolan saw his boyfriend tense and apprehensive. He carried himself differently, down to the way he walked. Normally Edge was a calm, laid back individual by all means, but when Faolan told him that he had been asked to meet someone, alone, on a remote broadwalk at 1 am, he was more than a little suspicious.
The two had talked it through and quickly agreed that the Darai would go with him, for both their sakes. Had Edge stayed at home, he probably would have worried himself sick or worn a hole in the floor pacing.

Luckily, it was a nice night for a walk, the faint smell of sea water in the air a nice change from all the smells of the city. In the dark, the Darai’s amethyst eyes seemed almost luminescent, scanning the broadwalk every once in a while, before filling with warmth as he looked back at Faolan.

A chuckle began in his throat.
“Well, I can’t exactly judge cultural differences now can I?“, Edge joked softly, “and hey, if nothing else, we’ve had a romantic little starry night walk.”

When Faolan squeeze his arm, Edge couldn’t help but smile, his free hand coming to rest on top of Faolan’s, thumb stroking gentle circles on the back of the blonde’s hand. Looking around again, a figure caugh his eye. Much too tall to be human and cloaked, somehow seeming out of place even in a dark, empty broadwalk. Maybe they should ask Una if she knew the person.
Back in the present moment, the Darai looked in the direction his boyfriend had waved, seeing someone he could only assume to be Una.

“Hello”, Edge smiled as he greeted the other, voice soft, “it’s good to meet you.”

[hadopelagic]

Although Una normally wore bicycle shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, she'd dressed extra nice to impress her new friends (August had helped expand her wardrobe; he was a very fashionable young vampire). She'd paired a sparkly silver blouse with black athletic leggings, and there was a red heart barrette in her loose, stringy black hair. A grocery bag dangled from her shoulder; she'd filled it with all her necessities!

Distracted by the mental argument with her sister, Una didn't notice Faolan and Edge until they were close. Her expression switched from serious to elated the moment she saw them. They were such an interesting couple, and clearly very fond of each other. As a fan of Hollywood Romances, Una was always fascinated by real love stories. Perhaps she'd ask them how they met. Excitedly, she ran up to the pair.

"Doctor Faolan!" Una greeted. "It is nice! And hello! You must be Edge."

Una reached into her grocery bag and held up a baggie of guitar picks.

"I brought you a present. It's a bribe, because I want you to sing for me tonight."

If the guitar picks didn't persuade him, she'd also packed a couple doubloons.

"Dr. Faolan told me that you are a musician." Speaking of. "Oh!" Una grabbed a baggie full of colorful Band-Aids. "I brought a present for you, too, Doctor. I don't know what it's like to be a healthcare provider for WDSA, but maybe these can help! They aren't magical, though. Just regular bandages."

Behind her, Una's Sister leaned over slightly, as if trying to listen to the exchange. The bench creaked under her weight.

[qhostqrowls]

"Awww! Thank you, that's very thoughtful. Can never have too many band-aids, I'll definitely use these." Faolans eyes narrowed as he smiled, genuinely touched - and a little amused - by the gift.

"If we'd known you were bringing presents, we would've got one for you too." He continued, thinking over what they could get a being from the deep sea. A sushi-train voucher? A swimsuit? He wasn't sure, but they'd figure something out. "And Edge doesn't need a bribe for a performance, but now he definitely has to put on a good show."

He glanced up at his boyfriend as the mermaid handed him his present, smile still in place, and a little teasingly smug now.

[NightshadeVII]

For a brief moment, as Una came running towards them, old reflexes stirred in the Darai and his grip on his boyfriend’s hand tightened slightly, for just a moment.
However, soon introductions were made and the mood lightened considerably, Edge coming to relax again.

With a surprised chuckle, he accepted the baggie of multicolored guitar picks, the thin pieces of plastic making a recognizable hollow sound as they moved around. Normally, he worked with wooden picks, as the sound was slightly different, but for live performances, the plastic ones were definitely preferable.
“These are great, Una, thank you”, Edge grinned, “I always loose these at gigs, so it’s nice to have some backups. We’ll think of something nice to get you in the future for sure!”

And then, suddenly the two had ganged up on him requesting music, Una with her earnest enthusiasm and Faolan with that teasingly smug grin the Darai knew so well. There was no getting out of this one.

“Oh gee, a song huh? Didn’t think I’d need my guitar, but it seems like I was wrong”, Edge rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he spoke, “well, is there any music you don’t like, Una?”

[hadopelagic]

Una was so pleased that her new friends liked their presents! She'd spent a long time thinking about them. According to social etiquette, as an acquaintance, she couldn't get Fao and Edge something too extravagant. But she'd wanted to give personalized gifts. Just to show that she cared about their uniqueness.

Una thought about Edge's question. Was there music she didn't like? A long thirty seconds passed. She wanted to say no, but ...

"Ah!" she exclaimed. "Yes! I loathe violent songs of magical power, the perverse melodies that create destruction, death or madness. But in terms of musical genres, they're all inspiring in different ways!"

She gestured to a ladder on the edge of the boardwalk. "Over here! You can play for us along the water. Aren't the waves a natural metronome? I think so. It's nice to be at the cusp of land and ocean. There's always rhythm. Plus, the bioluminescent plankton are out tonight. That's why I called you here. Maybe they'll glow when you sing."

Excitedly, Una ran to the ladder and started descending. From the bench, her lumbering sister stood to her full height. Eight feet! Couldn't she be more discrete? Fao and Edge must notice her by now.

"That's my bodyguard," Una explained, pointing. "She is also my sister. Sometimes, when I go wandering at night, people try to steal my wallet. I'm not a violent person, and I dislike fighting, so she can protect us from human criminals. My sister did not have to be so tall, however."

Her sister make a clicking sound, amused. Her face was hidden behind the dark hood.

[qhostqrowls]

Faolan’s calm gaze flicked between the two as they conversed. Violent songs of magical power weren’t exactly on the playlist for tonight, thankfully.

“Oh, i’ve always wanted to see them!” He enthused, trailing after the siren. His hand found Edge’s again as he walked, fingers curling gently against the Darai’s. His partner had told him that many creatures of his home world were bioluminescent, even some of his own species. Something similar in a world so alien - would it make him homesick or happy?

The human cast a wary look towards the bench as the figure unfolded themselves to tower above the trio. Just as he moved closer to Edge, Una spoke up.

“Oh, wow….nice to meet you.” Faolan craned his neck back to look up at her sister, looking equal parts hesitant and impressed. If Una’s sister was anything like her, there was no need to be afraid. His curiosity spiked again as he looked at the shadows obscuring her face, and the length of her form. He had so many questions about their species, but that could wait.

[NightshadeVII]

Edge chuckled, surprised by Una’s answer. He had expected her to maybe dislike death metal or country music, maybe something like techno, but magical songs of destruction and madness certainly were a valid choice.
“Got it, I’ll make sure to avoid songs like that then.”

At a leisurely pace, Edge followed Una, impressed that she was so awake at this time. Perhaps she slept during the day?

“Bioluminescent plankton?”, Edge’s eyes lit up in recognition, “oh that sounds wonderful, I haven’t seen something like that in years”
The prospect was bittersweet. Of course, the sight in itself would be undeniably beautiful, nothing less than a sea of stars, on the other hand, it would no doubt remind him of home, of the gently glowing lakes and forests, unlike anything he had found in this world so far.
Edge squeezed Faolan’s hand softly in return, purple eyes turning to look at him with fondness. There was a hint of concern in those soft golden eyes. It would seem they had thought the same thing, his boyfriend remembering the stories Edge had told of Veraeth, how he had comforted him when his homesickness was at its worst. Hopefully, tonight would be different, but if it wasn’t, the darai was glad that Faolan was there with him, familiar when this world reminded him of its otherness.

Then as the hooded figure rose without warning, a startled, defensive growl rose in Edge’s throat, the reaction more instinctive than anything else. Thankfully, Una was quick to explain, revealing the figure to be her sister, there as a protective measure. The less human noise he had been making died unuttered and he lowered his head in a nod, a little embarrassed that old habits from another world still had such a hold on him.
“Oh, hello there…”, Edge greeted, composing himself. It was unlike him to be this jumpy, but then again, it was unlike him to be a place like this at this time of day. Faolan at least seemed more curious than anything else, which was good to see- easily made it all worth it.

[hadopelagic]

"Where were you the last time you saw bioluminescence, Edge?" Una asked; she climbed back up the ladder and stood on the boardwalk. "It is the only light we have at the bottom of the ocean." Intentionally, Una made her voice extra pleasant so her new friends would not suspect that she was a liiiiittle worried about her sister. To be absolutely careful, she sent out a psychic warning, "Do not attempt to impress them with your strength, Biggest Sister. They will not be impressed."


Her sister was curious about the people of land, and Una didn't blame her. However, she underestimated the amount of preparation it required to seamlessly blend in with humans and human-adjacent species.


Biggest Sister extended a hand toward Faolan; she'd given herself eight fingers, which were fanned out and connected by a thin membrane of gray skin, almost like a flipper. They flexed open, waiting for a handshake. From up close, Faolon and Edge could see her face, which was unusually average, with two eyes, one broad nose, and a single mouth with bow-shaped lips. But her black eyes were perhaps too wide and unblinking, like a doll's eyes.


"She says she is pleased to meet you both," Una translated. "And ... oh! Really, Sister? Why didn't you tell me earlier? That's a very serious matter!"


With a frown, Una turned to her friends and explained, "My sister tells me that I was wise to invite her. This place is not safe. In fact, somebody was calling for help in that building." She pointed to a dark apartment complex behind the boardwalk; it loomed ten stories high. "She heard it not long ago, but does not know why he is shouting. Perhaps he needs a doctor?"

[qhostqrowls]

Faolan shook the flipper-hand politely, his skin warm and dry against hers.

“Pleased to meet you too,” He said enthusiastically, smiling up at her, gold staring into pitch-black. He’d met his fair share of mermaids and sirens, but never deep-sea ones, and hoped he didn’t seem too over-excited at the prospect.

“Oh - no, that’s not good.” He glanced towards the building, brow furrowing. “What - was he shouting about?”

He looked between the two mer-people, a little unsure of which to speak to, but settled on facing Una since she seemed to be doing the translating.

“Maybe we should call 911?…”

[NightshadeVII]

“The last time? Oh that would have had to been back home… some eight years ago now I think”, his tone took on an almost wistful quality as he spoke, but it was clear he didn’t want to bring the mood down, “though it was quite different from this- other colours. This is very beautiful too.”

When the Darai met Una’s sister’s dark gaze, he smiled warmly.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too”
Edge couldn’t help but smile at his boyfriend’s enthusiasm. Faolan always spoke of the mermaids he had worked with with such excitement that it was infectious, but it was even better to see it in person than to hear it retold. And it was easy to tell what the fuss was about, Edge had never met mer-people before tonight. There was still so much he didn’t know about this world.

The Darai’s brows furrowed at Una’s description and the look of the dark apartment complex. A shout for help here was just out of place enough to seem off. It could be genuine, of course, but this place was abandoned this time of day, demanding caution.
For a moment, he wished his habits hadn’t changed to much after coming to Wathais; back home he would have always carried a flashlight on him, the nature of the world dictated it, but here it was easy to forget.

“Yeah, that might be a good idea”, Edge fished his phone out of his pocket, ready to call the suggested number, “they should be able to make it out here fairly quickly this time of day, yeah?”

Instinctively, he flicked on the phone’s flashlight and pointed it towards the building. The light didn’t illuminate much, but perhaps it could give some clues as to what had happened. The building loomed large and imposing, like a sleeping giant, it’s dark windows like a hundred vacant eyes. It looked like something he would have seen in North Rift, or any of the other abandoned towns back home. Hopefully it wouldn’t hold as unpleasant inhabitants.

[hadopelagic]

Una stared, unblinking, at the apartment building with its many windows and rooms, as complex as a sea cave under limestone mountains. Edge’s phone light illuminated crumbling gargoyles leering down at the boardwalk; their heads were painted with seagull poop. At the late hour, there were very few signs of life. However, there were people awake on the third, second, and fifth floors, their shadows stretched across curtains. Mentally, Una interrogated her sister.

Why do you think the human was dying?
*He screamed in anguish, and his heart rate changed.*
You can hear his heartbeat? His voice?
*For a moment, Sister. No longer.*
Because he is dead?
*Because my concentration faltered.*
Can you find him again?
*Perhaps. However, it’s unlikely. There are many voices in the building. If we go closer, it will be easier.*

“Yes,” Una decided, agreeing with Fao. “We should call the emergency services.”

What else could they do? It was a big building full of humans, and her sister was being unhelpful. This is why Una warned her not to eavesdrop on the vibrations of the upper world. The web was chaotic, threads of sound easily lost. Plus, it was considered rude.

She took out her speech-controlled phone and said, “Device, call nine-one-one.” That way, Edge could continue using his phone as a light. Una didn’t know how sensitive their night vision was; Fao had an interesting set of eyeballs, somewhat reminiscent of cat eyes, which functioned well in the dark, but he was also human, a diurnal species.

A moment later, on speakers, a deep voice intoned, “Nine-one-one. What is your emergency?”

Una thrust the phone toward her new friends, who were more knowledgeable about niche social interactions, such as reporting a potential death.