sailortakewarning

[sailortakewarning]

"Yeah. That's where I learned pretty much everything I know so far."

A regulator had shown him? Most of the people Sandra had met there had warned her about them specifically. Weird.

"Sailortakewarning, if you ever want to look me up." Not the best name, now that she knew what she knew. She also wasn't sure she wanted Eoin to contact her, but it seemed like the thing to say.

sailortakewarning​:

“No.” Sandra was glad for the change of subject, awkward as it was to admit. “I only found out they existed a couple months ago.

“I guess I have a lot more to learn. But that’s what I’m trying to do.”

“Mhm.” Eoin tapped his finger in thought. “You use that… fumblr? Regulator showed me.”

And he hadn’t touched it since that first day.

[sailortakewarning]

"No." Sandra was glad for the change of subject, awkward as it was to admit. "I only found out they existed a couple months ago.

"I guess I have a lot more to learn. But that's what I'm trying to do."

sailortakewarning​:

When it’s on its way here?!

Sandra was quiet for a few minutes as that all sorted itself out in her head. Or tried to. It was a lot.

“God. I’m- I’m so sorry.”

Much easier to focus on Eoin’s loss than the thought that this thing might be coming to Earth.

Eoin grunted. Sorry didn’t mean much, though he got the intent. He took his time replying—why not, she had.

“You don’t talk to many others like us? Non-humans?” 

[sailortakewarning]

When it's on its way here?!

Sandra was quiet for a few minutes as that all sorted itself out in her head. Or tried to. It was a lot.

"God. I'm- I'm so sorry."

Much easier to focus on Eoin's loss than the thought that this thing might be coming to Earth.

sailortakewarning​:

Ate the Trenches?

“… What’s the Entity?”

… Fuck.

The wheel went slack in Eoin’s hands. He’d seen it. All of them had. Supposed that sealed it. Who could ask what the Entity was with that kind of sincerity, unless they truly didn’t know? Fuck. A bit of the tenseness fell from his stance.

“World eater.” He grabbed the wheel again and gave it a hard tug to set them back on course. “Like a riptide, but for the stars. Makes its way from planet to planet, picking them off. Regulators said there’s usually warning, somehow. We’ll know when it’s on it’s way here.”

[sailortakewarning]

Ate the Trenches?

"... What's the Entity?"

sailortakewarning​:

Sandra let out a breath of relief when Eoin moved toward the wheel. Soon she’d be out of this awkward hell.

He was still watching her. Fine. She kept her eyes on him too. Those eyes widened though when he offered more answers. She hadn’t been expecting that.

“Uh, a-anything. Whatever you can tell me about them. Are there still any on Trenches?”

She couldn’t know, of course she didn’t know. Eoin’s shoulders still stiffened with the question.

“No. Regs only found us—Abyssal.” Poor substitute for what they were called, but fine. “Got some of us out before the Entity ate the Trenches. Any of your selkies and your voices left died years ago.”

[sailortakewarning]

Sandra let out a breath of relief when Eoin moved toward the wheel. Soon she'd be out of this awkward hell.

He was still watching her. Fine. She kept her eyes on him too. Those eyes widened though when he offered more answers. She hadn't been expecting that.

"Uh, a-anything. Whatever you can tell me about them. Are there still any on Trenches?"

sailortakewarning​:

“You didn’t,” Sandra countered. “But I get it. You don’t like them. They did bad things. I’m not part of any of that. I was raised in California by my human grandparents. I’m just trying to figure out what I am and what to do with it.” It was more complicated than that, but she didn’t want to get him any angrier.

“And more immediately, I’m trying to get back to the beach so I can go home. If you can help me with that, we never have to deal with each other again.”

That, he could do. Eoin slid off the rail, still watching her, and headed to the wheel. He stood sideways at it, enough to keep an eye on her. Could he fight her, if she tried again?

Hadn’t worked for everyone else they took, why would he be any different. Stupid a thought as the damn boat.

So he’d jump if she tried it. Jump and abandon the crappy, broken boat, swim til she died from exhaustion or he gave in. 

Until then.

“… What do you want to know?” Caution tinged the question. 

[sailortakewarning]

"You didn't," Sandra countered. "But I get it. You don't like them. They did bad things. I'm not part of any of that. I was raised in California by my human grandparents. I'm just trying to figure out what I am and what to do with it." It was more complicated than that, but she didn't want to get him any angrier.

"And more immediately, I'm trying to get back to the beach so I can go home. If you can help me with that, we never have to deal with each other again."

sailortakewarning​:

“Trenches is… your planet?”

Sandra was doing her best to piece this together. Trenches was his home, or had been. It seemed like most non-humans were aliens. Was she an alien?

“I don’t know either.” She leaned against the railing opposite Eoin, talking half to herself. “My mother was from somewhere near Maroa. That’s why I’m here. But I’ve never met or heard of anyone else like me.”

“Said so, yes. Planet. It’s…” Eoin leaned back, peering up at the stars. Where had they said his world was from here?

… Ugh, it wasn’t up there now. Stars were new; he’d never navigated with them before, just with the markings on the rock walls and the taste of the ocean in his gills. He sat back up, scowl in place full force.

“Should count yourself lucky you haven’t.” His people were violent; they were hunters. Hers?

Killers.

[sailortakewarning]

"Trenches is... your planet?"

Sandra was doing her best to piece this together. Trenches was his home, or had been. It seemed like most non-humans were aliens. Was she an alien?

"I don't know either." She leaned against the railing opposite Eoin, talking half to herself. "My mother was from somewhere near Maroa. That's why I'm here. But I've never met or heard of anyone else like me."

sailortakewarning​:

“I’m sorry.”

She meant it, as much as she could having just learned about all of this. And ignoring her completely irrational, unemotional need to strangle him to death. Which… she’d have to unpack later.

What was she?

“Where did this happen?…”

“Trenches,” he repeated. “Back home. Don’t know how they ended up here.”

Didn’t make sense, either. The Regulators had said they’d never been to the his planet before. They hadn’t had a clue there was anyone living below the surface until someone had gone up.

[sailortakewarning]

"I'm sorry."

She meant it, as much as she could having just learned about all of this. And ignoring her completely irrational, unemotional need to strangle him to death. Which... she'd have to unpack later.

What was she?

"Where did this happen?..."

sailortakewarning​:

What was she supposed to say to that?

“I don’t know anything about ‘my people!’ Or yours.” Sandra understood his attitude now, or at least was starting to. That didn’t mean she was letting her guard down, but she should probably try to de-escalate this. “I’m not gonna hurt you, okay? I want to know more about what I am. But if you don’t want to talk about it, just give me a ride back to shore, and we’ll go our separate ways.”

She hoped that sounded convincing to Eoin, because she wasn’t fooling herself. Despite wanting to know what he knew, and hidden beneath her instinct for self-preservation,

she did want to hurt him.

It had been much stronger when she’d been changed, but she could still feel it now. The desire to drag him into the water, wrap her tentacles around his throat, and squeeze until he stopped struggling.

Maybe he was right about her people.

Could be full of shit. This could all be a manipulation, that damned voice tricking him into not even hearing it. But if not, she was as alone as he was.

That thought won. Eoin stayed backed up against the rail.

“Never met any. Came out of nowhere, vanished as quick, before I hunted. Lured us on the beaches with that—” He caught himself before he could raise a finger again. “—song. Started going into the water when food got scarce, hunted down the rest.”

The invaders had nearly obliterated his shiver. They’d been lucky. And now one was here. Cursed planet wasn’t ready.

[sailortakewarning]

What was she supposed to say to that?

"I don't know anything about 'my people!' Or yours." Sandra understood his attitude now, or at least was starting to. That didn't mean she was letting her guard down, but she should probably try to de-escalate this. "I'm not gonna hurt you, okay? I want to know more about what I am. But if you don't want to talk about it, just give me a ride back to shore, and we'll go our separate ways."

She hoped that sounded convincing to Eoin, because she wasn't fooling herself. Despite wanting to know what he knew, and hidden beneath her instinct for self-preservation,

she did want to hurt him.

It had been much stronger when she'd been changed, but she could still feel it now. The desire to drag him into the water, wrap her tentacles around his throat, and squeeze until he stopped struggling.

Maybe he was right about her people.

sailortakewarning​:

“If that’s what’s keeping you away, no deal!” Sandra shot back. “What’s your problem?”

Those instincts were back, telling her to get away, get to the water. If he came after her there, she’d have a few surprises for him. But he knew what she was. At least he seemed to, and that was more than she’d gotten from anyone else. She had to find out what else he knew.

“I’ll change, but you need to stay over there.” She emphasized the command, having no idea if it would hold when she was back in human form.

It took a minute for her to calm herself enough to change back. When she did, there was no spreading outward from a single point. Blue skin, gills, tendrils, and claws all seemed to fade away together, leaving her in her human form again.

The command, thankfully, for Eoin’s sake, didn’t hold once Sandra shifted back. His tense limbs relaxed once the secondary form faded away, as much as they could, knowing what she was. No sudden movements—got it.

“My problem,” he growled, “is your people tried to destroy mine.”

[sailortakewarning]

"If that's what's keeping you away, no deal!" Sandra shot back. "What's your problem?"

Those instincts were back, telling her to get away, get to the water. If he came after her there, she'd have a few surprises for him. But he knew what she was. At least he seemed to, and that was more than she'd gotten from anyone else. She had to find out what else he knew.

"I'll change, but you need to stay over there." She emphasized the command, having no idea if it would hold when she was back in human form.

It took a minute for her to calm herself enough to change back. When she did, there was no spreading outward from a single point. Blue skin, gills, tendrils, and claws all seemed to fade away together, leaving her in her human form again.

sailortakewarning​:

Sandra had already been put on edge by Eoin’s hostility, so when he reached for her (as she perceived it), she acted instinctively and let out a piercing scream.

It wasn’t deafening or painful, but it was disorienting. Dizzying. She used the distraction to immediately back away several feet.

“Stay back!” This time, her voice had an air of command and a strong push of suggestion.

Eoin swayed, and both hands snapped back to clench again on the rail. He hadn’t wanted to get closer, but now? Now it was the last thing on his mind. Half of him said to hold his ground, while the other told him to shift and abandon ship—and that side was winning out. He tried to remind himself she didn’t know, had said as much. Unless that was a lie. Stories like that always had a drop of truth in them.

“Don’t want to be anywhere near you—like that. Change back,” he snapped again.

[sailortakewarning]

Sandra gave Caper a reassuring smile in return. "You were willing to listen and believe me and try to help. That's better than the weird looks and zero answers I've been getting so far."

She listened when they mentioned Regulators. Others had warned her about them before. Cops. Not her first choice to ask for help. Still...

"How would I find a 'sympathetic' one?"

sailortakewarning​:

“No, no leads,” Sandra answered, wrapping her jacket around her shoulders but not putting it on. “And no siblings, unless that’s another thing they didn’t tell me.

“Dad didn’t talk about mom, except that she was sweet and kind and beautiful and all that. My grandparents never met her. I got the impression they didn’t approve of her, but they didn’t have much to say.

“I’ve got pictures of her. And her name. Medea. That’s about it.”

cloudcaper​:

Caper couldn’t help but feel sorrowful for Sandra. She and Delve had had their parents until they were teens, and their heritage and history were some of the most important things in their life. She would Sandra would have a happy ending to her search.

“Sorry we couldn’t be of much help right now…” She smiled apologetically. “Maybe there are people local to Maroa that know something. But I would be careful who I ask. I think a Regulator would get really nosy about it.”

“If changes keep happening, Regulators will get involved, anyway.” Delve added quietly. She chewed over what she knew, and thought about who she could ask. She might have answers for Sandra eventually. “Maybe someone who’s lived here longer can help you find a more sympathetic one.”

[sailortakewarning]

Sandra had already been put on edge by Eoin's hostility, so when he reached for her (as she perceived it), she acted instinctively and let out a piercing scream.

It wasn't deafening or painful, but it was disorienting. Dizzying. She used the distraction to immediately back away several feet.

"Stay back!" This time, her voice had an air of command and a strong push of suggestion.

sailortakewarning​:

She froze.

“Selkie?”

Sandra had been searching for a name for what she was for so long. To hear it just blurted out like that, and in such a hostile tone…

“Is that what I am?”

Eoin stiffened. 

“Don’t know your own stories? Selkie.” He jabbed a finger at her. “Change back. Now. Don’t pull the voice on me.”

That did assume she couldn’t affect him in her human form, but at least he knew now. Least this was more what he’d prepared for.

[sailortakewarning]

She froze.

"Selkie?"

Sandra had been searching for a name for what she was for so long. To hear it just blurted out like that, and in such a hostile tone...

"Is that what I am?"

sailortakewarning​:

“Alright,” Sandra sighed. Show & tell time again. She stood and pulled off the sweater he’d given her, dropping it to the deck.

This wasn’t the part that bothered her so much. She didn’t care much either way about being seen naked in her human form. But for some reason, showing people her other body - her real body? - made her feel much more exposed.

Still, it was all she had. Explaining it wasn’t quite the same.

Sandra closed her eyes, feeling the gentle rocking of the boat in the water, listening to the waves lapping against the side. She thought back to earlier when she’d been gliding through the water. Soaring. There really wasn’t any other word for it. It had come so naturally, almost more so than walking. Like it was what she was meant to do.

Her skin blossomed into a luminous blue, spreading outward from the center of her chest. When it reached her hair, the individual strands seemed to meld together into thicker blue tendrils. Gills flexed open on the sides of her neck. Her fingers and toes became webbed and clawed. When she opened her eyes, they were black.

“I can do more if I get in the water,” she said, revealing her pointed teeth. Her voice had a strange, alluring quality to it now. “Weren’t you about to go for a swim?”

For a second, nothing seemed to be happening. Maybe she was full of shit, here to fuck with his head, make him think he might find a trace more familiarity on this planet (he didn’t deserve it—the reefs had been more than he’d bet on, the trenches more that he should have had). But then, there she was, an eerily familiar sight, so much so he felt himself rise to his feet. She was like him, more than he’d expected she might, there wasn’t really human heritage there, was there…?

The awe, and the spell cast on him, lasted until she spoke. Her voice drew him in as much as he pushed himself away. She wasn’t Abyssal, she was—fuck, thought they’d died out—

“Not swimming near you.” His shoulders had hunched and glamoured nails dug into the rail he’d backed into. “Fuckin’ selkie.”

[sailortakewarning]

"Alright," Sandra sighed. Show & tell time again. She stood and pulled off the sweater he'd given her, dropping it to the deck.

This wasn't the part that bothered her so much. She didn't care much either way about being seen naked in her human form. But for some reason, showing people her other body - her real body? - made her feel much more exposed.

Still, it was all she had. Explaining it wasn't quite the same.

Sandra closed her eyes, feeling the gentle rocking of the boat in the water, listening to the waves lapping against the side. She thought back to earlier when she'd been gliding through the water. Soaring. There really wasn't any other word for it. It had come so naturally, almost more so than walking. Like it was what she was meant to do.

Her skin blossomed into a luminous blue, spreading outward from the center of her chest. When it reached her hair, the individual strands seemed to meld together into thicker blue tendrils. Gills flexed open on the sides of her neck. Her fingers and toes became webbed and clawed. When she opened her eyes, they were black.

"I can do more if I get in the water," she said, revealing her pointed teeth. Her voice had a strange, alluring quality to it now. "Weren't you about to go for a swim?"

sailortakewarning​:

Sandra let her hand drop. She really hoped Eoin would warm up to her, considering she needed him to get her back to shore. But he had let her onto his boat and wasn’t being an obvious creep, so she took that as a good sign.

“I just learned about aliens recently,” she admitted. “And regulators and all that. So not much.”

“You not know you’re an alien at all?” Weird, the Regulators hadn’t seemed the kind to miss someone like that. Eoin narrowed his eyes. Again, though, if there was a chance… “Show me.”

[sailortakewarning]

Sandra let her hand drop. She really hoped Eoin would warm up to her, considering she needed him to get her back to shore. But he had let her onto his boat and wasn't being an obvious creep, so she took that as a good sign.

"I just learned about aliens recently," she admitted. "And regulators and all that. So not much."

sailortakewarning​:

Trenches?

“Not as a specific place, no.”

She was getting the definite sense that this person didn’t want to talk, especially about this. Which sucked, since she very much wanted to talk about it.

“I’m Sandra, by the way.” She held out her hand to shake. Maybe names were a better place to start.

Eoin spared a glance at the hand. He ignored it, not bothering to conceal his disinterest in the gesture. … He did, though, relent enough to stop glaring quite so much.

“Eoin. What have you heard of?” If nothing of the trenches, or her own heritage. As he spoke, he perched on one of the sturdier rails, bare feet propped on a small ledge below. 

[sailortakewarning]

Trenches?

"Not as a specific place, no."

She was getting the definite sense that this person didn't want to talk, especially about this. Which sucked, since she very much wanted to talk about it.

"I'm Sandra, by the way." She held out her hand to shake. Maybe names were a better place to start.

sailortakewarning​:

“Orphaned,” she corrected. “Dad was human. Don’t know what mom was.”

It felt odd to be talking about this as much as she’d been in the past few weeks, and with a complete stranger, but this might be the closest she’d gotten to finding her answers.

“Where are you from?”

One human parent and one unknown? Didn’t know that was possible. Or permitted. Eoin cocked a brow in thought. There was an obvious reply—none of your business, or straight up silence—but if there was any chance of familiarity to be found…

“Trenches. Heard of it?”

… or any of another swim, he’d take it.

[sailortakewarning]

"Orphaned," she corrected. "Dad was human. Don't know what mom was."

It felt odd to be talking about this as much as she'd been in the past few weeks, and with a complete stranger, but this might be the closest she'd gotten to finding her answers.

"Where are you from?"

sailortakewarning​:

“Abyssal,” she said slowly, testing the word for any familiarity. Abyss. Deep, dark… maybe?

“I don’t know. I’m not sure what I am.”

Eoin froze midway to the sails. 

“You abandoned?”

Possible someone could have been picked up and dropped off, like him, but young, before they knew. Didn’t quite make sense, unless those Regulators didn’t know.

So: abandoned.