mers oh my

[shikosuki]

Merchoro PSL

Comments

[karappo]

O-of course I did! Why wouldn't I?

[shikosuki]

THAT'S SO EMBARRASSING IT'S PAINFUL! SERIOUSLY PAINFUL...!

[karappo]

I-it...it is not! I wrote it myself! You were babies!

[YOU CRIED BLOODY MURDER IF HE DIDN'T SING IT EVERY NIGHT UNTIL YOU SLEPT...]

[shikosuki]

...I guess... for a baby... it's fine...

[karappo]

See?

[Poseidon sighs, looking off to the side. He seems a little flustered by Choromatsu's response.]

I did not realize you would have forgotten it...but...I suppose you were too young to remember...

[shikosuki]

Probably too young to really understand too.

...I remembered the tune though. And your voice.

[ just not. the lyrics. ]

[karappo]

[...okay, that makes him feel a little better.]

I am glad. You all seemed very fond of music even from such a young age. But it is not surprising...all merfolk are predispositioned to be musically inclined.

[That doesn't mean he didn't brag about you guys constantly when you were small, though.]

1/2

[shikosuki]

Right... that's why humans came up with the ship sinking myth, yeah? [ he laughs ]

[shikosuki]

[ pause ]

...That is just a myth, right.

[karappo]

Eh?

[Oh. Uh.]

Of course, of course it is a myth! Why...would we have the ability to do such things...

[shikosuki]

Oh... okay. That's what I thought!

I wondered sometimes if that was part of why we weren't allowed on the surface...

[ because sinking ships is a problem.... right......... ]

[karappo]

[RIGHT...]

Well, er...you must understand, Choromatsu, that human ships are very dangerous for us. Not only are they vantage points to be seen by them...it is easy to be caught up with them when they pass by. Or are fishing.

[He doesn't elaborate on that. He thinks Choromatsu knows that well enough.

Then, he clears his throat.]

And besides...there are many other myths that humans believe about us that make nearing the surface very dangerous. I think you would recall a few.

[shikosuki]

[ ah. yeah that... that doesn't need much elaboration.

he sinks a little. he sure did accidentally bring the mood down ]

...like eating us granting immortality?

[karappo]

Precisely.

[He leans back a little, patting Choromatsu's shoulder with his thumb.]

Humans do not understand many things about us, and that misunderstanding is all the more reason why we are so much safer here beneath the sea. Perhaps not all humans think this way...but the ones we must watch out for, the fishermen that live atop our sea...they certainly do.

[shikosuki]

[ he... wonders about that. both Takumi and Dia weren't familiar with such a myth... ]

If... if you say so.

[karappo]

[Poseidon tilts his head a little, smiling.]

Do not look so glum, my son. It is not like that is anything you will ever have to worry about. So long as you know your limits and keep yourself safe, you will be fine.

[Somehow...he doesn't even suspect that Choromatsu might be seeing humans again.

...or maybe he just wants to believe that.]

[shikosuki]

[ SWEATS... ]

R-Right.

...If I look around and sing more, would you mind?

[ he's pretty sure he knows the answer but hey ]

[karappo]

Of course I don't. You are welcome to stay with me as long as you want to, Choromatsu.

[He lowers his hand with Choromatsu on it back to the sea floor.]

And, if you...perhaps wanted...you could sleep in my area of the reef...like...you did when you were little...

[shikosuki]

[ he starts swimming in the direction of a shiny, then stops ]

Where'd that come from?

[karappo]

[Why did you have to point it out..now he's embarrassed.]

N...nothing- never mind, do not worry about it, go back to looking around it is fine!

[shikosuki]

...Well... all right.

[ he goes back to looking around at all of Poseidon's stuff, humming to himself. The melody this time is different from the other song he was teaching Poseidon. ]

[karappo]

[He goes silent for a bit then, just watching Choromatsu look around while he sits on a rock outcropping nearby.]

...

Just...if you ever wanted space from your brothers...you know...

[shikosuki]

[ he stops and look at Poseidon ]

...Dad are you lonely?

[karappo]

[...he pauses for a long moment, his tail sweeping across the sand. He doesn't look Choro's way.]

...how could I be? I was lonely before you six came along.

[shikosuki]

[ ...

he swims closer ]

...what about when you sleep in here at night?