#jellyfish cove

[niinnyu]

Stupid bideogaem making me wanna draw backgrounds and shit 🤢🤮

[wanderingskychild]

🩷They knew what they’re doing with these two!💕

HUGS!!! 🤗

[cornbabylaughter]

jellyfish cove is magnificent

[leahsskyblog]

I’ve been neglecting the blog by not posting the millions of pictures i take. All feature myself and some with my friends, Alicia in the first three, Kellis in the fourth. and of course i have some with the deer from the third quest, the last was taken today in Jellyfish Cove. happy Days of Love 🤍

[kissingandroidsforfun]

Some of my doodles from last year (I found them and decided to show them)

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My current persona :

Some portal related stuff :

My boyfriend's pony oc (mlp) :

And all the rest :

I definitely need to find drawings from a few years ago and compare them to what I'm drawing now

[somethingthatsaysbubbles]

Five Comfort Characters, Five Tags

Tagged by the ever-illustrious @nbraraeaves <3 Thank you for the tag, babe! (I will also being cheating just a bit.)

1. Howl and Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle

There is a reason why I have a half-sleeve tattoo of a bunch of Studio Ghibli characters and watch a Studio Ghibli movie for my birthday every year. Hayao Miyazaki’s ability to romanticize the mundane is unparalleled, and my love for his style of storytelling and animation began with Howl’s Moving Castle. (I saw Spirited Away first, but it scared the shit out of baby-me.) Yes, Howl can literally do magic, and there’s a million other fantastical elements to the story, but I’m here to talk about Howl cooking breakfast and Sophie cleaning his nasty-ass house—it’s the small moments, the field of wildflowers in a world of magic and curses. Howl’s Moving Castle is my favorite movie, and Howl and Sophie will always have a special place in my heart.

2. Morticia and Gomez Addams

These two fundamentally changed who I am as a person, or maybe they just gave my already freaky, little heart a home. Before I knew about goth fashion, alternative music, or had any labels or way to describe what I am into/what I’m about—the Addams family made me feel a little less alone in the world. Not to mention that Morticia and Gomez are 100% relationship goals. I yearn to experience love like theirs, to live life and appreciate death with the same passion that they do. Whenever I’m having a particularly rough time™, I throw on The Addams Family (1991) and just cease to think.

3. Tsukimi from Princess Jellyfish

I like anime; this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. I grew up watching Sailor Moon, and I had a Naruto phase, but I didn’t really enjoy everything it had to offer as a mode of storytelling until I watched Princess Jellyfish. I discovered this show when I started community college, and I was very lonely and struggling with my gender identity and presentation—I felt so much like Tsukimi at that point in my life, and watching her learn to love herself—watching her come out of her shell and her relationship with Kuranosuke healed me in a way that I may never be able to fully articulate. I love her so much, and I really hope I can own the manga some day.

4. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds

Criminal Minds is and will always be one of my biggest re-watch shows. I can’t fully explain why, but, maybe, it’s because when my world seems like too much, it’s comforting to watch people win bigger fights than what I’m dealing with. Out of all the amazing characters on that show, I’ve always connected the most with Spencer—especially first-few-seasons-super-sweet-and-socially-awkward-just-a-little-guy-who’s-probably-autistic-Spencer. He just wants so badly to connect with people, but he often bungles it, and I relate. His competence when it comes to his job, his intelligence, and care is comforting and makes me feel better about myself.

5. Cove Holden from Our Life: Beginnings & Always

This was tough. I have so many comfort characters, and arguably Cove shouldn’t be in my Top Five; I don’t think about him that often (by comparison), but when I do—Listen, I’ve played a lot of visual novels, especially ones centered around or involving romance and interpersonal relationships. Our Life: Beginning & Always is forever going to be one of my favorites. I love Cove so much; his character is so beautifully crafted, and the romance is just so sweet and compelling. When I get super stressed, I replay parts of the story. Cove gives me the same feeling as receiving a nice, warm hug—it’s a soft, gentle, and reliable kind of comfort. Please, go play the game, if you haven’t already.

Honorable Mentions:

Laszlo Kreizler receives the “That’s my comfort character!” “Bitch, he can’t even comfort himself!” award, and I present a certificate of “Of course, I know them. Those are the comfort blorbos who live in my friend’s brain.” to @morvantmortuary.

No pressure tags: @lightinthedarkuniverse @trelaney @bigtiddythanos @eldritchcircus @lorna-d-m​ and anyone else who’s feeling froggy! <3

[vestaignis]

Перевернутая медуза-Кассиопея Андромеда. Upside-down jellyfish - Cassiopeia Andromeda.

Кассиопея Андромеда – медуза средних раз­­­меров( максимальную шир­и­ну 30 см) в процессе эв­олюции перешедшая от свободноплавающе­го (пелагического) об­ра­за жизни к прик­ре­пле­нному. Скопле­ния Кас­сиопеи Андро­меды мож­но видеть в теплых водах по всему миру, на мелково­дье, в защ­ище­нных от волн бух­тах и лагун­ах, в мелких заводях и каналах,в мангровых болотах и других подобных местообитаниях. Неискушенные наблюда­­­тели часто принима­ют этих медуз за акт­и­н­ий .

Эти красивые медузы переворачиваются кверху вниз и плывут на дно, прижимаются к нему желто-коричневый с белыми пятнами куполом и продолжают мягко пульсир­овать создавая восходя­щие токи воды. У Кас­сиопеи Андр­оме­ды ветвистые щупальца, иногда довольно яркой синей окраски, но чаще бледно-зеленые или светло-коричневые. Своими вытян­ут­ыми щупа­ль­цами медузы стараются выл­овить из потока пропускаемой через себя воды, чт­о-нибудь съедоб­ное . Кассиопея Андромеда питается – зоопланкт­­­оном, однако подоб­но другим кишечнопол­о­с­тным, в тканях они выращивают зоокса­нт­ел­л( симбиотическая водоросль), которым нео­бхо­дим солнечный св­ет. Эти водоросли поставляют свои излишки пищи медузам, которые ими питаются.

Стрекательными клетками эти медузы тоже не обделены и хоть и не сильно, но могут «ужалить» и человека. Кстати, стрекательные клетки Кассиопея выпускает в виде облачка полупрозрачной слизи, так что взбалтывать воду ластами при погружении рядом с этими медузами крайне не рекомендуется.

Cassiopeia Andromeda is a medium–sized jellyfish (maximum width 30 cm) that has evolved from a free-swimming (pelagic) lifestyle to an attached one. Clusters of Cassiopeia Andromeda can be seen in warm waters around the world, in shallow waters, in sheltered coves and lagoons, in shallow backwaters and channels, in mangrove swamps and other similar habitats. Inexperienced observers often mistake these jellyfish for anemones.

These beautiful jellyfish turn upside down and swim to the bottom, cling to it with a yellow-brown dome with white spots and continue to gently pulsate creating ascending currents of water. Cassiopeia Andromeda has branched tentacles, sometimes quite bright blue in color, but more often pale green or light brown. With their outstretched tentacles, the jellyfish try to catch something edible from the stream of water flowing through them. Cassiopeia Andromeda feeds on zooplankton, but like other coelenterates, they grow zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae) in their tissues, which need sunlight. These algae supply their surplus food to the jellyfish that feed on them.

These jellyfish are also not deprived of stinging cells, and although not much, they can "sting" a person. By the way, Cassiopeia releases stinging cells in the form of a cloud of translucent mucus, so it is highly discouraged to shake the water with flippers when diving next to these jellyfish.

Источник:https://www.youtube.com/watchv=4S9dT2nSYOg&ab_channel=vitaliy6447Kalutskyi,/www.projectnoah.org/spottings/17179815/fullscreen, /www.whatsthatfish.com/fish/upsidedown-jellyfish/2145#8, seaforum.aqualogo.ru/topic/54092-кассиопея-андромеда-cassiopea-androme%C2%ADda/, /rtraveler.ru/photo/337448/, /ok.ru/moychetv/topic/152205231908215, /ru.frwiki.wiki/wiki/Cassiopea, http://www.lensart.ru/picture-pid-6fb7f.htm, /lysmata-shop.ru/meduzyi/meduza-sidyachaya-kassiopeya-6-8-sm#prettyPhoto.

[aveegrex]

MERMAN OSAMU X READER (PART 2)

PART 1 | PART 2 kinktober masterlist

pairing: merman!osamu x reader genre: fluff, smut word count: 2,2k cw: fingering, oral (f!receiving), penetration (f!receiving), a little bit of swearing, heated makeouts, two-dick osamu, virginity loss, somewhat underwater sex, mentions of atsumu and his lovelife. author's note: again, thank you @flycloudddd for your amazing artwork. give her love, my dear reader, and hope y'all enjoy this one too.

“you… you have two?”

osamu’s been persistent. for the past few weeks, he’s been coming to your house every single night. you’ve even learned to detect his presence by the distinctive splash his tail made when he romantically leaned on the pier to watch you run down the porch. 

he managed to catch you first on the third night after he shyly introduced himself. blushing and stern, he presented you with the damned ring, membraned hands so careful when placing it on your lap. 

on the fifth night, he learnt your name, and for a while it became his “yes”. until he memorised the real thing, that is. 

you first heard him speak his language when you slipped on the wet spot, almost hitting your head as you not so gracefully fell into the water. tiny chirps and coos, fused with some very indecent (as you later learned) clicks, and you were caught bridal-style, worry and shock splaying in his eyes right above the blooming cheeks. 

by week four, you managed to teach him a good hundred of words, yet he was shy, skittish even when using them, usually opting to listening to you talk instead. he’d only utter a couple of timid phrases when your sleepy eyes fixated on his fin, glimmering under moonlight with soft undertones of gold and aquamarine. a whine about tsumu and his new boyfriend making too much noise, or a babble about how good jellyfish paired up with nori, and sometimes a reluctant question on human habits - he walked in babysteps, but his ears always betrayed him, fluttering under praise. 

once, he turned up wearing a thin silver band around his head. unable to keep his wide grin away, he chirped about how atsumu is finally married and moving to the neighboring reef to annoy someone else with his loud mating. you, on the other hand, were too baffled by the absolutely ethereal look of a prince-like samu, and effectively shut him up with a clumsy rushed kiss. 

after that, things progressed pretty quickly. a few broken words for the sake of manners, and you two hid in the adjacent cove, lips chasing lips, hands chasing waists and necks to bring the two of you closer and closer. sleepless, you returned home by the dawn, perfecting the way you opened the door to avoid its creaks and squeaks. lovelorn, he swam back to his cave, counting hours till he’d feel your lips mapping out his neck and chest next time. 

he probably even forgot some words, but surely learnt a few new ones, worse ones, but these were way better to huff in the midst of swallowing your moans. 

your moans, oh, those drove him wild. now the grudge he held against atsumu died down a bit. the moans were the best part, falling from your lips each time his tongue twirled sweetly just above your collarbone. the moans that he bathed in as you were grinding on his tail, placing open mouth kisses up his jaw. 

the moans that you let out when his hand accidentally brushed between your thighs. it was so hot there, and so alluring, yet for some reason he felt like he broke some sort of rule by letting his hand there. he glared at you, timid and bewitched, till you pulled his hand back and pushed it under the soft fabric, eyes rolling back the moment his fingers met your slick. 

that night he learned that humans love getting wet too. 

entranced, he watched as you pushed your panties off and moved his fingers to your liking, snaking them inside just to pull out a second later and circle them around a tiny sensitive bud. the noises you made that night, oh, samu couldn’t forget them to save his own life, imagining them as he humped the pitiful anemone later that day, lips pressed tight as his seed spilled out and your name blazed across his mind. 

just as it was with vocabulary, samu picked up on things quickly. soon enough, his skillful fingers were plunging in and out of you by the end of your every date, lips latched to your neck to drink the whines straight from the source. he was a little freak even, shyly suggesting that he’d use his tail, and succeeding with flying colors as gentle tissue of the fin rubbed so deliciously across your weeping folds, working you through the nth orgasm of the night. 

being a curious little foodie, samu wanted to have a taste as well, and that was another way for him to fixate on you. he was drunk and hungry, head almost immediately diving between your thighs as you nestled on the stones beside him. strong hands holding your legs apart, little fins fluttering each time another wave of arousal hit him, he lapped and licked and suckled, swallowing all your generous cunt could give. he wouldn’t even stop after you’ve cum twice, his mind hazy of how good the human essence tasted. of how good you tasted, and how feral he felt when your hands clutched onto his damp hair, pressing him into the best place there was above and under water. 

his adventurous side finally kicked in when once, caught up in the act, you two didn’t notice you were slowly sliding down into the sea and he ended up overstimulating you completely submerged. 

although, osamu never really asked you to return the favor. you weren’t even sure how that was supposed to go, given there were no body parts visible to do so. night after night he’d make you the happiest girl alive, blessing your lips and neck with the most erotic kisses and then tending to your lower needs, but never uttered a single word about his own pleasure. 

so tonight, as he was about to repeat the ritual, you caught his head, cradling his puzzled lovesick face in your hands, and questioned him about the details of his anatomy. 

“su-sure?” he pouted, membraned hands clutching on your knees nervously. “you’re sm-ch-small”

you nodded eagerly (and a little enthusiastically after that remark), and he lowered his gaze, yanking his lower half out of the water to nestle beside you on the mossy rock. both of you were quite pent up after the hour long makeout, raw lips puffy of all bites and kisses shared. he pulled you beside him, and you were quick to latch on to the sweet spot behind his ear, where scarce scales mixed with thin skin. during the previous night you’ve learned how sensitive he was to touch, how responsive his body was to all your caresses, and used it to your advantage, riling up innocent samu into the whining mess. a ghosting drag of your fingers across his waist, a gentle circle around his nipple, and a dig of your nails into his meaty pec, and he was buzzing already, human swearing babbled up in mush with his coos and clicks. 

you were about to repeat the ritual, as he caught your wrist and moved your hand way lower, somewhere just below the root of his tail, and you felt a previously invisible slit there opening up. curious, you’ve broken the kiss, pressing tighter to the spot, and samu’s head felt back. bemused, you did it again, and again, and a few more times again, every touch eliciting a whine out of your seaprince, until something prodded through the opening, quickly gaining in size. 

it took everything he got for samu to prop himself up on his elbows and watch your face as two large dicks grew above the scales, light purple and streaming with translucent slick, curved up and thick, with a slightly sharper tip compared to human. samu gulped, watching as your hand stilled beside them, eyes trained on the discovery. he was slowly growing frantic, feeling too open, too on display, too ashamed to ever present you with his physique, but your voice stilled him. 

your voice, filled to the brim with thrill. 

“you… you have two?”

samu nodded, ears flat against his head and neck, and quickly vocalised. “yes, two” he sounded skittish again, like when the two of you first met. “small a-and /click/ big”

“they’re both big”

for some reason, it helped him exhale, puffy chest heaving with intensity. 

“can i…” you finally looked at him and samu blushed under your lustful gaze. “can i ride you?”

“m-mhm” he managed, leading your hand to the base of the upper - smaller - one, and you felt your hole clench in anticipation as your hand barely closed around his girth. osamu barely held in a whine, the softness of your fingers so delicious against his neglected need. 

eyes darting between him and his dicks, you attempted a little pump at the base, and he threw his head back, a bubbly gurgle resounding off the rocks. once more, a little tighter, a little longer, and his tail twitched, mouth hanging open in search for air. 

he looked so good like this, so easily manipulated into the prettiest mess. unlike when he was pleasuring you, here he lost all focus, fingers clutching aimlessly at the grayish moss. Moving your hand up and down, dousing him in his own slick, you were hypnotized by this samu, a foolish little puddle of need and want, so extremely sensitive, so very pretty with tears in his eyes and lips quivering. Shy and bordering on crying, he was like a… wait. 

“are you a virgin?’ your hand stilled at his tip, thumbing mindlessly over the slit. forced to open his eyes, he tilted his head again, ears twitching in confusion. “vir-”

“first time?” you saved him the embarrassment, playful grin pulling at your lips as he dropped his gaze again, nodding. 

snaking your hand under his chin, you brought his face closer, leaving reassuring pecks all across the blooming cheeks. “you want to do it?” 

“yes” a rushed answer igniting your core with tingles, you left one last peck to his lips and straddled him, skirt tossed aside to the thickets of grass. 

teasing mood getting the best of you, you let your folds brush against his lengths, adding to the moisture. samu’s eyes were fixed on where the two of you connected, body all still except for the happily fluttering ears. “no no, watch me” you cooed, raising his chin up with your finger and tossing the rest of your clothes aside, hips picking up the pace as you humped on his pulsating cocks. 

samu gulped down the huff and obliged, hands finding purchase on your hips. his tail flapped lightly across the stone, body seizing up every other second as his tips brushed against your entrance. it was intoxicating, watching this hunk of a man so sheepish and eager while not even in, little whines and chirps bubbling up in his chest all because of you. 

dragging your pussy over him one more time, you lined his lower dick with your entrance and sank down, the stretch burning just a tiny bit. he was so thick, so heavy nestled all the way up to your belly, and your walls twitched uncontrollably, trapping him inside. 

“fu-fuck” he cried, fingers digging into your thighs and ass, eyes screwed shut of the sheer pleasure your tightness provided. your own legs shook, thighs splayed over his lower half, and you felt too drunk, suddenly, realising how hard it will be to last long on top of him like that. so pretty, so innocent even after his mouth has been devilishly good to your arousal, and stretching you out so perfectly, he was truly a gift. 

with one of your hands on his chest and another enveloping his upper cock, you tried to move, jerking your hips up and down, and your vision turned white for a second. he pressed against all the right places, the drag of soft ridges and curves hooking you up in an instant, and you moaned, trying the movement again. 

samu thrashed under you, eyes glassy, mouth hanging open in silent scream, and bucked up into you, shifting the angle just a bit and

“ah, samuu, ah-” you cried, nails digging into his chest. “m-more, like that”

fat chance he didn’t really hear you, too lost in bliss and chasing his own high like feral, he bucked up more and faster, faster, fingers digging into the plush of your ass. you bounced on top, choking up on your own sobs, your essence streaming down your thighs and letting out the sinful squelching sounds as you two neared your high. 

“sa-samu, oh, like tha-at” you whined, your hand pumping his upper dick on its own, all rhythm lost to overwhelming pleasure as you felt the familiar yet much bigger knot tying up inside. 

“mmhm, like that, mhmm, ah-” he echoed, foolish grin tugging at his lips, crazed eyes fixated on your fucked out face right above his own, as his thrusts became deeper, harsher, aiming right at your sweet spot inside. “gon’ mmm, gon’ c-cu-”

“saamuu!” you cried, toes curling as your hand tightened around his other cock and the knot snapped loose, orgasm washing over you like a tsunami. he followed right after, runny copious loads painting your insides, his body shaking and seizing up as he hugged you tight, face hidden in the crook of your neck. 

as you two came down your high, you kissed his chest, propping up yourself to smile at his blissed out features. 

“wanna go again?”

MDNI, reblogs and comments are welcome, double wrap for double d

taglist: @hoohoohope, @justanothernpcartist @the-b-u-n-n-y to join the taglist, please leave a comment on my kinktober masterlist or dm me (pls remember u have to have ur age in bio)

© 2022 AVEEGREX, all rights reserved. reposting and copying my works without my consent is forbidden.

[wanderingskychild]

💖Sibling Love💕

[a-rat-who-writes]

Cove's Alphabet SFW

The safe-for-work version of Cove Holden's Alphabet is finally here! Enjoy my lovelies. (Took so much longer to write because it has over double the word count than the NSFW one <3) ALSO! This version is for all genders, so if you find something that is tailored specifically to a woman or male, lmk and I'll correct it :)

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?) Cove loves to hold your hand and do the little thumb thing where he rubs it against the side of your hand. He often holds your hand whenever you two are around each other, no matter the circumstance. You two are walking to a beach? He’ll hold your hand. He’s kissing you? He reaches for your hand. It’s a little intimate act that doesn’t make him embarrassed, and it means a lot to be able to stay within arms reach of you at all times. He also has a thing for placing his lips somewhere where you did or eating a portion of food where you also ate part of it. For example, if you two are out on a little date night and you both get different desserts, he will ask to try whatever dessert you’re eating only because he likes the idea of indirectly kissing like this. If you offer him any food, he will almost always put his mouth not directly, but on half of the area you already bit out of rather than on the opposite side of the food, like a sandwich.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?) You two met when you both were very young, obviously, and you two bonded more over how Cove didn’t know how to deal with his trauma with his family's divorce and moving to a new place. If we are sticking with this idea, he grew fond of you very quickly because you were the first person he met in Sunset Bird, and you always tried your best to include him in different activities or to spend one-on-one time with him to learn about his interests; he naturally also began doing that with you too! If we are wanting to be a bit annoying and say you two really became friends in step 2 or 3, he already knew you since he often saw you when he went to the beach and because you lived right across the street. He made small gestures like offering you a drink (A Caprisun or something) and you would accept it. Or.. he would ask you something about school since you two went to the same one, like: "MC, um… do you happen to know how to solve for x?" or "I’m stuck on my fourth quote. Can you help me find something to use? I looked so many times, but nothing fits with my topic sentence." Of course, you would always help him because you either had no clue yourself or because you were better at the subject he asked about, which allowed you two to bond more often. When helping him with something, he always got sidetracked by pointing something out about your room or telling you something that went on in his day and wanting your opinion about it. Regardless of when you both became friends, he always had little inside jokes with you, and you both often wore them out too quickly, or he would always tell you random facts he learned about the sea, like: "Did you know jellyfish are just floating blobs and they don’t think?" or: "The male seahorse actually gives birth instead of the female one, so do you think that means they still have the same lower regions like humans or do you think it’s swapped?" Regardless, there is always something stewing in Cove’s mind that he is more than happy to ask you about.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?) Cove is an absolute sucker for cuddling—just not in his bed. You two have cuddled on multiple occasions when you were both friends, such as when the two of you watched a movie together, he often sat next to you, and somehow you both ended up falling asleep, his head resting on yours. If the two of you are dating, he often gets too flustered to sleep next to you in his bed because he can get very flustered when being absolutely alone with you and in such intimate proximity. He often lets you cuddle him when the two of you are just relaxing at his house on a couch, or if he is exhausted from his work shift, he will make a beeline for your house after work and rest his head on your lap while mindlessly telling you about the random shenanigans of his work day. (Bonus points if you put Cove’s front hair into a ponytail or if you just thread your fingers through his hair, which often makes him blush due to how good it feels.)

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?) At some point, he wouldn’t be against moving in regardless of you two being friends, dating, or engaged. He won’t ever tell you he is a bit of a messy person, and you will find out the exact day you move in that he is a little bit of a slob. He doesn’t leave random dishes around, but he has random shirts strewn across his room, and sometimes he’ll leave dishes unwashed for days, but he eventually gets to doing it. He also barely uses his closet. He often just picks out shirts and pants from the basket he threw them in after washing his clothes, rather than putting them away like a civil human being. (You’ll just have to deal with the sand problem because somehow, regardless of whether he was going swimming that day, he tracks sand into the main entryway.) He also cannot cook for shit, but he can prepare miscellaneous foods that his mom taught him to cook, like chicken or tacos. His cooking abilities are very limited, but if there is a food you really enjoy, he will take the time while you are out to figure out how to cook it and eventually master it and cook it for you one night to impress you.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?) Cove would always try to fix any problems between you two, but if things just became too much to bear, i.e: you constantly cheating on him or you doing something he’s told you make him uncomfortable too many times, he will find a way regardless of what you did to be nice until the end. He would sit you down wherever you live and have a genuine calm conversation with you, and when it gets to the point where he has to say the five words (We need to break up), he begins to tear up himself. During the whole conversation, he will hold your hand to try and comfort you, but really, it’s him coming to terms that it will be the last time he will be doing something like that with you or whoever he is breaking up with. After the conversation is done, which probably takes an hour and a half because he often beats around the bush, he will leave and beat himself up for the next couple of days before he gets over it.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?) Cove would definitely love to make you his wife/partner/husband at some point after you two are somewhat stable. Depending on when you propose to him or he proposes to you (If step 3), he prefers to stay engaged to you for a couple years before marrying you, then wait a little while longer before having kids. If you have issues or you just prefer not to be married, Cove totally understands, and he is willing to treat you like his forever partner, even if you both aren’t engaged. Ideally, Cove would like to marry you on the spot because you have such a chokehold on him, but, realistically, you two get married when you canonically would, so around 24. Regardless of when you get engaged, he will wait a couple years or whenever you are ready to settle down.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?) More often than not, Cove is a gentle person over a rough one. Especially when the two of you are getting intimate, he will always stay really gentle—more so the first couple of times—but he will treat you with respect. Physically, he always tries to gently hold your hand or caress your cheek gently before you two kiss to make things not only more sensual but also more comfortable. Emotionally, he will often not directly address an issue between you two but instead hint at it, trying his best to not hurt your feelings, even if he is the one annoyed by whatever.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?) Cove loves hugs. He isn’t an overhugger, but he won’t ever turn you down if you ask for one. Especially if he is sad about something, he will cling to you like a sloth to a tree, crying into your shoulder, because we all know he is a bit of a crybaby. (In the best way possible, of course.) He often goes under rather than over, so he can hold your waist and put his face down on your shoulder. If you are sad and need a hug, he will always tightly hold you (especially if you have sensory issues) and keep you pressed against him while gently rubbing circles with his palm into your back. If you two are being intimate, the first thing he will do after you two finish is hug you tightly, even if it was a quickie and you needed to leave ASAP.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?) He didn’t want to spring the three words on you too quickly in case you weren’t comfortable with admitting that to him yourself, so he waited, but also because he was a little nervous himself to admit he had such strong feelings for you. After 1 to 3 months, he will accidentally let it slip once. The very first time he said it to you was when you two were having a mini movie night at his house and the two of you were cuddled up on one of the main floor's couches, sharing a fleece blanket. At some point during the movie, you two end up kissing, and after he pulls away he rubs your cheek with his thumb gently and looks into your eyes before whispering under his breath: "God, I love you so much…". Your eyes almost popped out of your head when he said that, and when the words processed in his head, his hand that caressed your cheek instantly went to his mouth. You look a bit anxious yourself, reassuring him that it was adorable (Bonus points if this is when you also tell him you love him for the first time). You put your hands on either side of his head, sitting on your knees now, and you tell him how you are so glad he told you, and it means so much to you that he was finally able to say it. This makes you wonder, though: how many times before did he think about saying I love you in his head but never verbally?

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?) Cove is pretty good when it comes to jealousy, so he won’t ever get nervous when you have any guy or girl friends (Depending on your gender and your sexuality). He believes in loyalty and faith, so he puts his full trust in you, but when someone flirts with you and you play into it a little, whether you’re aware of it yourself or not, he will shift over to you and put a hand on your waist, or he will pull a: "How’re you feeling [insert pet name you enjoy], good, I hope?" and he gives you a kiss on the forehead. This is usually enough to shut whatever down, but if it isn't, he will begin glaring at whoever is flirting with you, and he will insert himself into whatever conversation, acting a bit passive-aggressive because whoever wasn’t taking the hint.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?) Usually, Cove gets nervous with PDA, so the kisses you share are often short and sweet, such as quick pecks on the lips or a few seconds, but he makes up for it by following up with a kiss on your cheek. When the two of you are alone, the kisses are usually more lengthy, and he likes giving you quiet praise after you two finish (exactly how he accidentally let ‘I love you’ slip because it was natural). He likes to be kissed anywhere, honestly. On his head, hand, arms, chest, stomach, and, if you’re feeling a bit risque, on his inner thighs. Every kiss you give him, he cherishes, regardless of the placement. He often likes to kiss your cheeks, forehead, and the back of your palm. If he is feeling a bit risque, then he likes to give you kisses on your ankles (Bonus points if you are wearing an anklet).

L = Little ones (How are they around children?) You’d think he would get flustered around kids, but he is surprisingly good with them because Derek would sometimes bring Nico and Jorge over to Cove’s place, or Cove would go over to help watch them. Derek showed Cove the different tactics Nico often pulled to get his way, and he made sure to tell Cove all the important details about children, such as how to entertain them and what things to keep away from them. Cove can often handle children, even when they do gross things such as pick their noses or poop in their diapers, which he often takes care of himself, and if you two choose to have a child, he will be the primary one to take care of that. If you two have children or adopt, he is definitely the type to cry when you point out how old they're getting, even if they are 2.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?) Cove will often wake up a bit late, such as 10–11 am if he isn’t needed to go out anywhere, and he likes cuddling with you even while you both are awake in bed. He could spend a whole day just not getting out of bed and shifting positions with you in bed because he enjoys your warmth. If you are more of an early bird, he will often tighten his arms around your waist and keep you close to him, nuzzling his nose into the crease of your neck until you shake him off. If you two don’t spend the night together, you often go over to his house and wake him up by tugging at his hair, to which he will grab your hand and pull you closer to him if the two of you are dating. He won’t realize what he did at first, but when he does, he will get flustered and turn over, apologizing. He is slow to get out of bed and to brush his teeth, so his hair often goes unbrushed until after breakfast, unless you decide to brush it for him (Bonus points if you give him head kisses while you brush his hair).

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?) If you two are dating, he won’t bring up sleeping next to each other but instead ‘cuddle before you go home’. You don’t tell him, but you love it when he is so nervous about this because if he had just asked you directly, it wasn’t as if you’d turn him down anyway. He tries to stay up as late as you do, so if you go to sleep early, he will often watch a show or something while playing with your hair and giving you the occasional head kiss. He also loves nuzzling your nose when you’re sleepy, don’t ask him why, he just does. If you often stay up late, then he will try his best to stay by your side, whether he falls asleep in your bed or is sitting down beside your desk on the floor and falls asleep with his head against the seat of your chair. You will wake him up when you’re done, and he groggily gets up, clinging to you until you get in bed. Even if you need to change into pajamas, he will often just lend you his shirt, regardless of whether he has a spare, so you can lay down quicker with him. Or, if you need to brush your teeth, he will have his hands across your stomach and his head on top of yours / on your shoulder until you're done, and then he gets a little giddy when you tell him you’re done, laying down with him.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?) You two were friends before you both began dating, so you already knew a lot about him. If you ask him anything, he doesn’t mind telling you (especially if you ask him when you’re making/getting him a gift, he’ll pretend he has no idea why you’re asking him the question just to see your happy face when you give it to him). He isn’t a closed-off person; instead, he is more of an open book, but he is a bit nervous to tell you about what he likes intimately (Canon), but he will tell you in a quiet voice. Don’t ask him to repeat what he likes in intimate scenarios after he tells you once or twice in the same conversation because he will get too flustered and shut down. It’s a bit of a turn-on for him when you know all the little things about him, so he often mentions if he likes something mid-conversation if you two are on the topic about it.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?) He is a pretty patient guy. Obviously, if you don’t understand something he doesn’t mind re-explaining it to you, and he actually finds it funny if you need something repeated more than twice. He is also patient when you get ready for dates if you’re the type to take over an hour to get ready. He enjoys sitting in the bathroom with you and watching you put on makeup (If you put it on) or style your hair / put it up. (If you do.) If you two are meeting up for a date, then he will wait all day for you, but how could you ever leave him waiting?

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?) For Cove, it’s a mix of it all. There are weirdly specific things he memorizes about you, like if you don’t like a specific condiment or if you put your hair behind your ear / tie it up when you are looking down at something, but he can’t remember your favorite color some days. If you bring up a music artist you often listen to, he will silently remind himself to keep it in mind, and he will write it down on his phone’s notes app so he doesn’t forget. He won’t tell you, but it got to the point where his notes app had too long of a list, so he switched over to Google Docs, and he has over 3 pages worth of information about what you like/dislike and why. Things he specifically memorizes are physical stuff about you, like your favorite jewelry or how you like to dress. When the two of you go out and spend a day together or go on a date, he, for some reason, counts the number of different pieces of jewelry you wear (if you do), as if you’ll ask him at the end of the night.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?) Every day with you is something special to Cove, so it would be hard for Cove to choose a specific moment, but back when you two were younger (Step 2) and you two went on that road trip, he’s really fond of the entire trip because he not only enjoyed the get-together and mix of your families, but he also likes that you specifically wear anklets for him now on because that was when you first found out he liked them. Despite him hitting his head on the top of the RV, he finds it funny now, and he can make fun of his little self for how flustered he was. (Bonus points if you tell him he isn’t any different currently.) (Bonus bonus points if you do something that makes him extremely flustered to prove your point.)

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?) Typically, Cove would prefer to handle things with words rather than physically needing to deal with someone, so if someone were to badger you or annoy you, he would put his arm in front of you and be straightforward with a stern voice. Cove believes you can handle yourself for the most part, but he will always step in if you give him a glance or if you seem overwhelmed by someone. Typically, when Cove talks about something important, he beats around the bush a bit, but he won’t ever stand for someone disrespecting you. He will make sure you feel safe, and after everything is dealt with, he'll give you many kisses.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?) Cove is definitely dedicated to any and all relationships he was/is in, so no matter what, he will remember your birthday, the time you two had your first date, and your anniversary, making sure to give you something or take you somewhere on that day. Just as it is important to you, it’s important to Cove to celebrate the days you both start a new beginning with each other, even if it���s a small step like when you two first kissed. (A little HC is that on your birthday he had a small gift he gave to you when the two of you were alone, and it was an anklet in your favorite color.) If there is something you typically need as an everyday thing, such as a hug, compliment, kiss, or even simple good morning/goodnight texts, Cove will make sure to pick up on those habits and do them as much as possible.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?) Canonically, Cove often wipes his hands on his shorts, so multiple of his shorts have tiny stains on them. Staying on the food topic, Cove definitely is also a bit of a messy eater, leaving crumbs around his lips and on his shorts/pants after a meal. (Bonus points if you wipe it off for him.) (Bonus, BONUS points if you wipe a condiment off the side of his mouth and then lick it off your finger.) Cove also gives off naive vibes, so if you lie about something such as, "Cove, did you know that if you sneeze with your eyes open, they’ll pop out of your head?" Cove at first didn’t believe you, but the more he thought about it, the more he freaked out about it, and he now makes sure to always close his eyes.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?) For the most part, Cove is pretty laid-back about his appearance, but he always makes sure he is wearing matching clothes. Somehow he never wears matching socks, but that’s beside the point. Something that he is a bit more strict about is his hair, though. He can spend roughly 10 minutes just trying to make his hair sweep around his cheeks properly because the night before he slept on it funny. He groans when it doesn’t look normal in the mirror after the first initial brushes, and then he increasingly feels the need to make it perfect before his dad or you usher him out of the bathroom.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?) Nope. Plain and simple, if he ever lost (as in died), he would never be able to forgive himself if he ever moved on from you, and he would spend the rest of his life indulging in the things you liked and weren’t able to do yet. On a less intense note, though, he doesn’t like to go more than a week without speaking to you, especially when he goes to visit his mom. As you are his childhood best friend, you are probably—no, definitely—the most important thing in his life, regardless of whether the two of you end up dating. He often spends a lot of his time just thinking about you, if not hanging out with or talking to you. He has a life outside of you with other friends and his parents, but a lot of his life is surrounded by you, and he wouldn’t have it any other way because you’ve made such an impact on him.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.) Cove is the type to overload you with different memes and tiktoks. Even if the two of you are sitting next to each other, he will either text you a tiktok or send it to your account and watch your reaction. At the end of the day, if you don’t avidly keep up with his messages, you’ll end up with around 30 messages—if not more from Cove just consisting of tiktoks that are the ones that say ‘Us’ and then a picture, or a tiktok of a random fact if you are a girl, and ask "IS THIS TRUE???" and then send a tiktok of a girl peeling her skin off, explaining that she needs to shed her old skin on her period.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?) Canonically, Cove dislikes people who often push back plans or don’t follow through with them, such as pushing a date back multiple times because you wanted to hang out with your friends. He also dislikes people who won’t accept help and who are adamant about not accepting any sort of gift from him. He is the type to spoil his partner, and if you won’t accept any of his gifts, that will often put him down and make him uneasy. Something else that would irk Cove, since he is a bit of a messy person, is if his partner was someone super strict about cleaning or organization and pushed their rules onto him, he would be reluctant to date you, knowing his habits would make you frustrated and him too.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?) Cove love, love, loves to cuddle when he finally gets comfortable sleeping in the same bed/area with you. He ideally likes to cuddle where the two of you are facing each other or where one of you has your head in the other's chest while holding each other. If he is having a rough day, he definitely sleeps on his stomach and tends to shift positions a lot at night. He also has a habit of quietly snoring if you two do a lot in the day or after the two of you were intimate. Don’t ask me why, but Cove definitely is a blanket hog, but after you wake him up to have him give you some of the blankets, he will sleepily and excessively apologize.

[leahsskyblog]

I’ve been neglecting the blog by not posting the millions of pictures i take. All feature myself and some with my friends, Alicia in the first three, Kellis in the fourth. and of course i have some with the deer from the third quest, the last was taken today in Jellyfish Cove. happy Days of Love 🤍

[frozenjokes]

An Extremely Dangerous, Incredibly Bloodthirsty, Unimaginably Terrifying Sleeping Bag

Humans were damn clever, and Mumbo was starting to think this might be a cause for concern. When he woke up, as in really woke up in the morning, not just stolen moments of consciousness throughout the night, he had a new splint and no idea how it had gotten there. There was no conceivable way the humans would have been able to maneuver something like this on him, even asleep- he would have noticed even if his entire bottom half didn’t feel like bursting into flames every time he moved it.

Mumbo wasn’t.. He wasn’t angry or anything. Really confused, yes, a bit unnerved, certainly. But he.. What Scar was doing, that was for him. The splint itself was extremely impressive; the thing was hardy, the materials much stronger than what mermaids used, but most fascinating, the parts were smooth. No pokey bits or rough edges; something like this would be incredibly expensive in the deep. Mumbo had more than a few chaffed and sore scales because of it. The parts where they attached too, the leather bases at his waist and most of the way down his tail, they were padded. Tight, yes, but they looked adjustable? Yes, they were, Mumbo remembered vaguely Scar fiddling with the straps while he was making the splint; he had definitely designed it with that in mind. And those flat white pieces- they sat where his tail touched the sand, supposedly a bit more padding? Scar must have noticed how going too shallow was bothering him, though Mumbo was pretty sure it had more to do with his own weight out of the water than touching the sand. Still, what a clever thought.

Mumbo would be extremely impressed if he wasn’t so concerned about how they had gotten this on him. Well. Who was he kidding, he was still extremely impressed. But he had words to share once the humans returned to the cove.

And then, as he lifted his head above the water, something moved out of the corner of his eye. Sitting on the shore there was- well- there was something. Bundled tight in a colorful shell, Mumbo could only make out a vague ovular shape- what kind of creature-? Mumbo’s skin crawled as the thing pulsed, his fins raising in alarm. Then, a head poked out one end- Scar’s head, his hair horribly disheveled, face red and almost sickly looking- he was being consumed!

“Mumbo?” Scar’s voice was hoarse, goodness, how long had he been stuck? How was he still alive? Mumbo felt his fins rustle, but the land creature kept pulsing, not looking like it planned to release its meal despite his warning, “Hey, you okay, bud?”

Scar was so weak he could hardly speak, and Mumbo felt adrenaline torrent through his blood. “Mumbo? Whoa there,” Scar said, and Mumbo saw him heave with great effort to escape his captor, but it was no use. Grian wasn’t here, and someone had to help.

Maybe it was adrenaline, or maybe he was aided by the human made supports below his tail, but Mumbo had never traveled so quickly across land. Scar screamed, but Mumbo hardly heard him, he hardly even felt pain as he tore through the land monster’s soft skin, the riiiiip almost as satisfying as the kill. He turned, the mutilated thing dropping Scar as Mumbo dragged it back to the water to drowndrowndrown. The only thing he heard was the roaring in his ears and the only thing he tasted was- well- it was a little odd he didn’t taste blood, wasn’t it?

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m-” Scar was still chattering and flailing on the shore when Mumbo resurfaced (land creature sufficiently killed), which was reasonable, who knew how long he’d been stuck, but mercifully, he didn’t look injured.

With the realization that the human was alright came the return of his pain, agony like jellyfish stings, so much so, Mumbo couldn’t do anything but lay down and endure it with flaring gills.

Not much point in a new splint if he immediately went and put weight on it. But he did go on to land. And it didn’t break. So damn clever. (Of course those would be the thoughts running through his head, pushing through even the most intense waves of throbbing agony he may have ever experienced in his life)

Through glazed eyes, Mumbo glanced back at the pieces that remained of the land creature, bits of its skin floating off in every direction. It didn’t smell very much like food.. It would be just Mumbo’s luck that the one creature that got close enough to the water to hunt wouldn’t be edible. What kind of inedible horrors lived on land anyway? At least it was weak enough to be killed quickly.

“Mumbo,” Scar was still whining from the surface, clearly traumatized from almost being eaten. Maybe now was not the time to be bitter, Scar had just experienced a near death encounter. Mumbo was still uneasy about the splint and his spotty memory of the day before, but now was clearly not the time to ask questions. The human was in distress, and needed to be comforted. But why had Scar come to the cove so early, anyway? Where was Grian? How long had Scar been being attacked?

Despite the pain, Mumbo surfaced to see his human, who immediately continued with his blathering, “Mumbo, I’m sorry, I understand if you’re angry, I would be too, I just wanted to help you, I promise I only meant to help you! You were doing alright, but you were really out of it for so much longer than I thought you’d be- I stayed to keep an eye on you and Grian had some camping stuff, but he’s asleep in his car, I’m really sorry-”

“Scar.”

Scar looked up from where he was sitting, covered in sand, disheveled; a complete mess. “Yeah?” Mumbo stared. Scar stared back. “Oh. Right.” Mumbo hoped that was an acknowledgement that he had no idea what Scar was expecting from him. But Scar was still so upset; all his hairs were out of alignment, his muscles were tense- if Scar had fins, Mumbo was sure they’d all be on end. How were you supposed to help a human in distress? Would Scar freak out like Grian did if he sang? Maybe it would be worth trying.. If Scar had any internal injuries, Mumbo might be able to help.

Though, just like Grian, when Mumbo started to sing, Scar tensed immediately, just as afraid as he was before when Mumbo saved him from the land creature. And again, just like his human friend, Scar covered his ears. Why did they think that would work anyway, and why were they so afraid? How else was Mumbo supposed to communicate his intentions?

“Mumbo, I’m sorry, Grian’s going to be really mad at me if you eat me and even if you just take an arm or a leg or two I really need those and we’re kinda far from a hospital and this may come as a surprise to a few people but I don’t want to die!”

But Scar did relax just as Grian did before, and then he- well, shit, Mumbo mixed up the healing song and the sleeping song again- gosh, he really did need to brush up on his music. But at least Scar wasn’t babbling anymore, and maybe a peaceful little nap is what the human needed after a stressful morning.

Well. Mumbo was satisfied with that. Given the throbbing in his tail, he was pretty sure now would be a good time to take a nap of his own, just to try and sleep off some of the pain. Yeah.. that would be good.

Mumbo settled somewhere shallow, but deep enough to where he would be entirely submerged so long as he kept his head down. He figured if anything else tried to attack, Mumbo would hear it first, and scare it off before it made any moves on his human.

It would have to do. Hopefully Grian would come and pick his friend up soon.

[sluggsy]

supposedly its back up...

[jurassicateer]

Kid-Friendliest Dinosaur Activities at Jurassic World

While we can all be excited about the recent unveiling of Indominus Rex, we want everyone to have a good time at Jurassic World, and that includes the little hatchlings. If you have young children of a timid nature at the park, you may not be sure of the best way to show them a good time. Rest assured, we have some suggestions!

Visit the Gentle Giants Petting Zoo: the perfect way to introduce your young ones to the wonder of dinosaurs! Start by hanging around the fence with some Dino Kibble ($5.00). Let the dinosaurs come to you. The baby apatosaurs especially love to graze here for snacks, and their sweet demeanors will more than make up for their messy eating habits.

Walk the Botanical Gardens: We know, we know, but hear us out. The Gardens aren't just home to plants. There are also several zoo-style exhibits featuring small or low-maintenance prehistoric species. Take the bridge over Compsognathus Cove, and watch the little compies scamper after you. Visit the Lystrosaurus Layaway, and ask the keepers about taking a closer look. Keep an eye out for Meganeura, the giant dragonflies that buzz freely about the Gardens.

Check Out the Living Fossils: Work your way up to the Mosasaurus Feeding Show with this happy little aquarium off the Underwater Observatory. While the species housed here (horseshoe crabs, jellyfish, coelacanth, nautilus) aren't technically prehistoric, they've been in existence for millions of years, giving us a humbling perspective on the nature of evolution and extinction.

Take a Drone Tour: Now premiering in the Innovation Center, this short but sweet experience allows your children to take virtual control of an aerial drone, similar to those used by park rangers to monitor the dinosaurs. Zoom over the jungles for an enviable look at our magnificent herds without fear. The drone's security sensors will keep your children from getting too close, and hopefully help them to conquer their fear of the dinosaurs. Before you know it, they'll be begging for a ride on the Gyrosphere or the Jurassic Tour!

[radioactivepeasant]

Fic Prompts: Meddling Mar Monday

(From a bit later in the story)

The waters surrounding the coastal desert were cool and green, and so undisturbed within the cove that beyond the breakers everything took on a breathtaking clarity. Colorful fish darted back and forth after food, while poisonous eels floated serenely in place beneath the dock, enjoying the shade. Deeper down, the light that filtered through the waves colored the world a watery blue, disguising brighter colors.

Jak kicked his feet and spiraled down to the edge of a slightly sickly coral reef. It seemed to span the entire mouth of the cove, turning it into more of a lagoon. Just beyond, the depth dropped sharply. Jak stared down into an abrupt expanse of dark water and couldn't shake the feeling that something was staring back. He would have expected that to frighten him, or at least unsettle him. But somehow, Jak wasn't afraid. He swam backwards a foot or so, and eagerly scanned the depths for a glimpse of larger animals. He knew he'd seen something from Damas’s tower. Was it watching him now? Was it bigger than even the various species of Lurker Sharks?

Jak had glimpsed the Colossal Shark Brutter kept at the fish cannery once. He'd been overwhelmed by the sheer size of the fish. The idea that creatures so powerful and vast still swam in their waters in spite of everything was really sort of humbling. Brutter kept it in captivity simply because he could think of no way to safely release it without mass casualties. Jak wasn't even sure how he'd caught the thing in the first place.

An orange jellyfish drifted along behind Jak, and its tentacles briefly grazed his shoulder. A jolt of pain, not unlike electricity, shot down his arm. Annoyed, Jak shook the limb out, sending the oblivious jelly tumbling away. Well, they couldn't all be harmless, he supposed. Shrugging off the pain as he always did, Jak made a leisurely climb to the surface to suck in another lungful of air, then dove below again to immerse himself in the jewel colored world beneath the water. A glint of metal caught his eye, yards away, and he grinned. There we go.

When he was a kid in Sandover, there were always orbs washing up on the shore from sunken Precursor cities and research stations. Surely, the Wastelanders couldn't have found all of them.

While nowhere near the tens of orbs he and Daxter used to scoop out of the shallows, the orb Jak found encrusted with barnacles was worth perhaps thrice as much as it had been when he was Mar’s age. Satisfaction filled his chest as he examined the sand-scoured weight. This would at least give them a start on buying enough food and water to last the week. Jak carefully slid the orb into the pouch he'd made out of his scarf, taking care not to damage the two small conch shells and three cone shells he'd already picked up. An orb wouldn't do him much good if it smashed his rent payment, now would it.

Though he was reluctant to leave the lagoon, Jak knew his supply of air was finite. In his dark form, he could've stayed under for far longer. But he was not ready to let these people know about that part of his life. Even if the ocean did seem like a safe place to release dark eco buildup.

When Jak waded out of the surf, his fingers were wrinkled and his hair was a mess, but he couldn't have cared less. It was as if months of tension had uncoiled and drifted away in the lagoon, leaving him lighter for it. Humming cheerfully, Jak wrung seawater out of his tunic and bent down to pick up his boots. A glance upward made him pause.

Mar was still with the six kids who had been playing with catapults on the shore, but now they were all clustered together, staring at him.

"What?" Jak asked self-consciously. His mood was beginning to deflate.

The oldest child there, roughly twelve or thirteen, pointed at the water.

"You went to the edge of the reef!"

Confused, Jak looked to the one-armed teacher for explanation. She looked as startled as her charges, but also a little impressed.

"You've got guts, I'll give you that," she said after a second, "But then, Seek here says you're new to Spargus, so I guess no one told you about the reef."

Jak laced up his boots and stood, brushing off sand. "Oh. Well, I didn't touch it, if that's what you're worried about. It doesn't look that healthy."

The teacher -- Korah, Daxter would later tell him -- grimaced.

"Yeah, that's our fault. Last generation didn't understand the damage yellow eco residue can do to coral. Took a couple years to pinpoint the shells ejected from the turret as the problem."

She shrugged.

"It's healing at its own pace. But that's not what the kids are concerned about. They thought you were going to go over the reef."

Jak actually laughed, surprising himself.

"Into dark water before I've had a chance to get a headlamp? Right. I'd want to be able to see what's down there."

A boy about Mar's age grimaced comically. "That's not allowed! You'll get eaten!"

"No I won't."

"Yeah you will!"

Jak boldly tousled the kid’s already messy black hair.

"I'm not afraid of sharks."

Korah cleared her throat.

"It's not sharks you have to watch for."

She pointed out towards the small island Jak had spotted past the reef. "That's Mother and Child Island. We don't swim there, and we don't take motorized boats there. The sounds attract the Scylla."

Daxter left off playing some kind of marble game with a little girl and cringed. "Uh...you mean the beastie on the edge of old maps? The "here there be monsters" Scylla?"

"I thought those were made up!" Jak looked just a little too eager.

"Nope." Korah shook her shaved head. "She's real, alright. Don't know how many of her kind there are out there, but she likes this coast for the smaller squid that hang around, and the occasional swimmer."

Daxter's fur puffed out. "Jak, if you try to take me past that reef, I'm gonna unionize."

Jak shaded his eyes and stared at the water as if he could see the colossal squid.

"So has anybody fought her or chased her off before?"

Korah's tone turned sharp. "Don't even think about it, newbie. Not only is that a fool's errand, it would unbalance the ecosystem."

Another one of the two older kids nodded. "The Scylla eats the squid and smaller sharks so they don't come bother us. If there's no Scylla, something bigger will move in."

Intrigued, Mar asked, "Bigger like what?"

The girl bent slightly to look him in the eye. "Ever seen the Colossal Blue shark?"

"No," answered Mar, and at the same time Jak and Daxter answered, "Yes!" With wildly different levels of enthusiasm.

"Yeah." The girl tossed auburn hair over her shoulder and straightened. "The Scylla keeps the Colossal Blues out of the area. Teacher says we give her her space, and she gives us ours as long as we don't swim past the reef."

Reluctantly, Jak agreed that the rule made sense in context. But now he really wanted to see the giant scylla.