[ Choromatsu's blood runs cold and his heart stops. He pivots in time to see his father and all words, for the moment, are stolen from him with a gasp.
He thought about this happening before. Feared it. But over time he'd gotten sloppy and fearless and had dismissed this scenario as one that would never happen.
And now? Now he's petrified. He doesn't even know where to begin with protecting his hoard from his father's eyes, so instead he doesn't move at all ]
[There's no need for him to try, really. Poseidon can see everything just from a glance as rocks and coral continue to crumble, deliberately broken so they will not collapse onto Choromatsu himself. He can see everything laid out below on shelves or just out in plain sight, pretty much everything imaginable from pointless artifacts to real, dangerous weapons.
As soon as the hole is large enough for Poseidon to fit through, he swims down immediately with the very water he displaces seeming to churn around him, causing his hair to whip from one side to the other.
It is abundantly clear that he is Not Happy.]
What is the meaning of this?
[He has...a lot more he could say, but he'll see if Choromatsu can explain himself first.]
[ Choromatsu tries to swim back and out of the way but he doesn't have much else to go and he knows that trying to go through his tunnel right now won't go well for him. He can only watch in horror as the crumbling rocks miss him but inevitably hit some of his collection instead.
He looks wide eyed at his father, brain scrambling to find ANYTHING to say ]
[Poseidon's tail whips below him, churning the sand at the bottom of the grotto. Luckily for Choromatsu's things, the rocks are starting to peter off now that he's actually in the grotto proper, but that does not by any means mean they are safe. Nor is Choromatsu, for that matter.
His gaze narrows, and he forces his voice to remain level, albeit loud and imposing.]
[He was prepared to wait as long as it took for Choromatsu to stammer out his answer, but then he starts to try to swim away. And honestly, Poseidon doesn't let him get far. He lifts his trident, bringing the end of it down against the sand with enough force to cause the already disrupted water to change direction, forcibly pushing Choromatsu back into the grotto and preventing him from actually getting around his father.
And whether or not he was going to keep trying to talk, Poseidon interrupts him with a sharp, barking retort.]
[The silence that stretches between them, then, is stifling. But after it's actually silent for a moment, the water's current starts to wane. It likely won't remain that way if Choromatsu tries to leave again, but...]
...I...couldn't find you.
[His grip on his trident tightens, and his expression becomes very dark. Very somber.]
[It might not be on Choromatsu's terms exactly, but Poseidon would have been largely more upset if he'd tried to lie to his face. At least this is somewhat more acceptable. Still not at all okay, because there is a lot of ground to cover and a lot to discuss.
...and suddenly, he finds that he really doesn't want to be here. In this grotto, surrounded by...all of these human things. But he holds himself back from snatching Choromatsu up and leaving just yet, because this is probably the best, most secluded place they have to talk, never mind all of the evidence for his argument is out in plain sight.
Poseidon can feel his chest ache with the revelation, but it could not be more clear.
But in spite of everything...part of him still wants to deny it. Wants to maybe just...believe that Choromatsu's friends are simply wreckless thrill seekers, and that Choromatsu got himself dragged into their ways much like the trouble he and Osomatsu got into as children.]
[Poseidon has always been...rather easily persuaded, even gullible at times when it comes to his children. He loves them, wants to believe them and trust them wholeheartedly in everything they do. But this is a situation in which he has reason to believe he's been lied to, but he's also not going to accuse him outright of that.
This isn't getting them anywhere.]
But what about the rest. Your friends gave them to you...am I right?
[He sighs, feeling his anger starting to return. It isn't like Choromatsu to be so short and cagey. He's hiding something from him.]
You have been to the surface today...and we will discuss that in due time. But what I need you to tell me right now is if that has been the only time you have ventured up there.
[The only reason he caught Choromatsu...was because he abused his powers to go looking for him, something he vowed never to do unless it was an emergency.]
[ And Choromatsu in turn is starting to feel frustrated. He knows his dad is not stupid... oblivious and gullible but far from stupid. And if he already heard Choromatsu talking to himself then he should be able to put two and two together with what he's already been told. At this point he's just making Choromatsu say it in his own words... and he hates this. ]
[Perhaps he just wanted to hear it from him himself. To not assume what he already knew to be true.
But that doesn't make it any better, far from it.
The god raises up in the water just slightly, staring down at Choromatsu with an expression that is almost hard to read with the mix of emotions there.]
Choromatsu. Not only have you deliberately been disobeying me, but you- of all of your brothers- I believed would understand the dangers of the surface more than anyone. You nearly died by the hands of humans, and yet you- you-
[He suddenly slams his trident into the sand again, unable to keep his composure any longer.]
[ He flinches at the trident and at those words but he tries to keep himself together ]
It... it doesn't matter! Dad, if you met them you'd understand! Please! They're good to me! They treat me well and always protect me! Please dad, I can introduce you to them tomorrow, please--!!
No- No! It does matter, you are meeting with humans!! Humans, Choromatsu!
[His voice is at a pitch that it punches through Choromatsu like a solid wall, and it causes everything in the grotto to shake and tremble, some items even falling from their perches because of it.]
This is precisely why I could not ever risk you going to the surface again!!!
[ Okay that REALLY makes him flinch, but the instant he realizes some of his things are falling again he dives to catch what's nearest to him: a comb from Dia.
But his father's words confuse him ]
Wh... What do you mean, AGAIN?! What are you--
[ But then suddenly, while cradling the comb in his hands and thinking of Dia... things start to click together.
The feeling of an important memory he couldn't recall, Dia insisting that they'd met before and been friends, that he SAVED her, his brothers mentioning something similar...
His father is a god. He very often forsakes this, doesn't think about it much. ]
Father...
[ His voice is cold and loveless ]
...Are you the reason I forgot her?
[ His father could, theoretically, do almost anything. ]
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He thought about this happening before. Feared it. But over time he'd gotten sloppy and fearless and had dismissed this scenario as one that would never happen.
And now? Now he's petrified. He doesn't even know where to begin with protecting his hoard from his father's eyes, so instead he doesn't move at all ]
D-Dad...!
god Im not gonna have enough Angry icons for this
As soon as the hole is large enough for Poseidon to fit through, he swims down immediately with the very water he displaces seeming to churn around him, causing his hair to whip from one side to the other.
It is abundantly clear that he is Not Happy.]
What is the meaning of this?
[He has...a lot more he could say, but he'll see if Choromatsu can explain himself first.]
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He looks wide eyed at his father, brain scrambling to find ANYTHING to say ]
I-I just... I-I-I lost track of time...
[ yeah sure that'll work ]
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His gaze narrows, and he forces his voice to remain level, albeit loud and imposing.]
And? Tell me where you were.
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W... With my f-friends...
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That was not what I asked, Choromatsu.
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D-Does it matter? [ he tries to swim around his dad to act like this is no deal, let's just head home ] We were just hanging out--
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And whether or not he was going to keep trying to talk, Poseidon interrupts him with a sharp, barking retort.]
I could not find you, Choromatsu!
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...I...
[ but he goes silent, unable to find anything to say ]
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...I...couldn't find you.
[His grip on his trident tightens, and his expression becomes very dark. Very somber.]
Where were you.
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His hands go up and protectively clasp around the pendant, as if begging it for support. ]
The...
[ his grip tightens and he refuses to look at his father ]
The shore...
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...and suddenly, he finds that he really doesn't want to be here. In this grotto, surrounded by...all of these human things. But he holds himself back from snatching Choromatsu up and leaving just yet, because this is probably the best, most secluded place they have to talk, never mind all of the evidence for his argument is out in plain sight.
Poseidon can feel his chest ache with the revelation, but it could not be more clear.
But in spite of everything...part of him still wants to deny it. Wants to maybe just...believe that Choromatsu's friends are simply wreckless thrill seekers, and that Choromatsu got himself dragged into their ways much like the trouble he and Osomatsu got into as children.]
...Choromatsu.
Where do your friends live?
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He doesn't answer. ]
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[That's going to be a problem, because Poseidon doesn't say anything else. He just waits.]
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...H... Hoshido...
[ the kingdom on land in that direction ]
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"It's really from the surface. The surface."
[Poseidon repeats Choromatu's words back at him, each one dripping with disappointment.]
All of these things...they are from the surface.
[He hisses the word like a curse, starting to move closer.]
You cannot get the things you have simply by collecting them on a beach. Can you?
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Dad heard. Dad heard everything. ]
M-Most of them are f-from sunken sh-ships...
[ Which is true, he was very dedicated... but a good amount of it... is in too good condition... ]
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This isn't getting them anywhere.]
But what about the rest. Your friends gave them to you...am I right?
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...Some.
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You have been to the surface today...and we will discuss that in due time. But what I need you to tell me right now is if that has been the only time you have ventured up there.
[The only reason he caught Choromatsu...was because he abused his powers to go looking for him, something he vowed never to do unless it was an emergency.]
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...You already know the answer to that.
My friends can't come see me, after all.
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But that doesn't make it any better, far from it.
The god raises up in the water just slightly, staring down at Choromatsu with an expression that is almost hard to read with the mix of emotions there.]
Choromatsu. Not only have you deliberately been disobeying me, but you- of all of your brothers- I believed would understand the dangers of the surface more than anyone. You nearly died by the hands of humans, and yet you- you-
[He suddenly slams his trident into the sand again, unable to keep his composure any longer.]
Have you lost your mind!?
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It... it doesn't matter! Dad, if you met them you'd understand! Please! They're good to me! They treat me well and always protect me! Please dad, I can introduce you to them tomorrow, please--!!
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[His voice is at a pitch that it punches through Choromatsu like a solid wall, and it causes everything in the grotto to shake and tremble, some items even falling from their perches because of it.]
This is precisely why I could not ever risk you going to the surface again!!!
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But his father's words confuse him ]
Wh... What do you mean, AGAIN?! What are you--
[ But then suddenly, while cradling the comb in his hands and thinking of Dia... things start to click together.
The feeling of an important memory he couldn't recall, Dia insisting that they'd met before and been friends, that he SAVED her, his brothers mentioning something similar...
His father is a god. He very often forsakes this, doesn't think about it much. ]
Father...
[ His voice is cold and loveless ]
...Are you the reason I forgot her?
[ His father could, theoretically, do almost anything. ]
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