[This new sight that Poseidon is presented with is sobering. It's easily enough to nearly shock him out of his reverie with the anger it fills him with, especially since he initially thought the first image was the real one.
Now everything is just...so tarnished. Devoid of care and previous signs of the reverence it once had...and it makes him very, very angry to see.
He grits his teeth as the first image melts back into view, but now he knows the truth. It's hard to go back.]
What a waste.
[He says with disdain, and it's clear that if he ever met the god of the volcanoe, only one of them would be around to talk about it.]
I am so sorry. It...you never deserved what happened to it.
[ Megami for this part... doesn't seem to realize he showed Poseidon the current state of the lake. So he presumes Poseidon is only speaking of the memory.
He also doesn't want to dwell, so he tries to brighten up. ]
A-Anyway-- h-here, here!
[ the viewer in the memory (Megami himself obviously) moves to the edge of the lake then and peers over. Between the lotus leaves, tiny black "fish" are swimming about, a frog closely watching atop a lotus leaf. ]
See! That's a frog there! And those are her babies! They're called tadpoles!
[He doesn't have much of a chance to continue to stew on what he's seen, because Megami is suddenly- excitedly- showing him these mysterious frogs that he speaks of.
And...the young look nothing like the actual frog, and that baffles Poseidon greatly.]
My...why would they ever grow legs to live on the land? Are they not perfectly happy in the lake?
They do like the lake... they need the lake in fact! But they like to be out of the lake too and do things they can't do without legs!
[ Memory-Megami reaches down at that point and picks up the mother frog carefully. She doesn't seem to mind but that's probably because Megami is friends with the frogs and they're comfortable with him. The closer to view the memory brings it the clearer it becomes that the chirping sound was coming from the frogs. ]
Without legs you can't climb trees or walk on land or--
[ and then very suddenly the frog leaps out of hand, back towards the water with a splash. As it does, other frogs in the area get startled and hop away to other lotus pads ]
[Seeing and hearing Megami talk about the frogs is...really endearing, honestly. Maybe he doesn't understand why they are the way they are, but he can tell that Megami likes them very much regardless. Poseidon himself can't help but be charmed as well.
...do frogs climb trees? He supposes they would, if Megami mentioned it...what a strange and quite long shift from water to land for such small creatures.]
My goodness. They do seem rather energetic! And there are quite a few of them besides.
The turtles...they look rather different from the ones I am used to. Very......round.
They're cute, aren't they? I very much love their shell patterns.
[ The view gets closer to the ground then - Memory Megami is crouching and looking at the plants ]
Ah- but these are possibly my favorite thing besides the frogs. I grew them myself!
[ A hand comes into view to caress a flower ]
It's call a lotus. The humans in this region think very highly of them. Even though they grow from the mud, dirt cannot stick to them and they rise above to bloom beautifully. Because of that they're viewed by many as a symbol of the journey to enlightenment. Overcoming hardship and humble beginnings to rise above to heaven...
[ then he laughs sheepishly ]
Ah... but my reasons for growing them are not that deep I'm afraid.
[He just barely stops himself from commenting on how they are beautiful like he is, but he's...not interested in severing the connection to this memory just yet. He's enjoying getting to see what Megami's home used to be like. What it should still be like.]
And meaningful, regardless for your reasons for letting them grow. And I am sure the animals appreciate them very much...especially the frogs.
[ He's silently grateful Poseidon isn't asking what the actual reason was. Because the answer to that is they make good snacks. And that's embarrassing. ]
They do. And the humans appreciated them too. Each part of them is edible, you know! They used to gather up the pods after they were shed and left me all sorts of meals as offerings...
[ Okay he needs to stop thinking about that before he gets too sad. Or before Poseidon realizes his true intent. ]
[ The viewpoint shifts and dives into the water and now there's a full view below the surface...
The most surprising thing is probably that... the center is suddenly not that deep at all. The lake is still quite deep but nothing in comparison to where the merfolk live obviously and the going ons above are still visible. It's definitely not as deep as that dark blue center might have suggested. ]
Ah-- I apologize if it's a little surprising. There is a spell cast on the surface to make it look much more intimidating so as to dissuade humans from trying to get down here. It's also to give me some privacy.
[ He heads to the center. Unlike Poseidon's reef where their children have a bed places to sit, to eat, things to play with... Megami has nothing. Not even a bed carved out of stone. There is a pile of trinkets, gold coins, children's toys, little statues, etc... and that's... it. ]
[Poseidon is admittedly very excited to see what's beneath the surface, having expected it to be huge and deep...when in reality, it's actually quite claustrophobic for someone his size and what space he's used to living in. It's very sad to him, seeing how sparse it all is...there are a lot of trinkets and things here, but nothing about it really screams home. But that's probably narrow sighted to think, considering the fact that Poseidon's home is the entire ocean. It's not like Megami could fit much down here, especially not now that he has so little power.
But for what it's worth...it's still very peaceful and serene. There is something to be said about that, he thinks. So he tries to keep his response positive, not wanting to make Megami feel self conscious about it.]
Non non, it is fine. If anything, that makes it all the more unique...
[ The attention turns solely to the pile of things now and Megami stays quiet for a while ]
...Perhaps one day, if he wishes, he may have all these.
They are ah... tokens of gratitude from the people I helped. And things people dropped into the lake to summon me. It may do me good to pass them on to someone else.
I-I am not saying you have to...but they tend to be very, how shall I put this...particular about this sort of thing. If one gets something, it is only fair that they all get it.
I have had to break up quite a few squabbles over trivialities like this.
[ and then the image changes again, without Megami even realizing it, as he thinks back to the only memory he still has from before he came to his lake.
It's hazy. A large man appears to be holding memory-Megami in a massive hand, and either Megami was much smaller than a normal baby or the man is much larger than even Poseidon, because at least 50 other children surround Megami in that same hand. Boys, girls... some of them have mer tails like the sextuplets do, others snake tails like Megami, some even have human legs... and then a good few have bull heads??? Weird. There's a similarly large woman beside the man and even more babies... in their hands, on their laps...
Babies everywhere.
The scene is bathed in light, but it's hard to tell if it originally was or if that's just the way Megami's mind fills in what he can't remember, and beyond fond smiles the faces of the parents are obscured in the haze. ]
3000 sisters, [ the few shifts to a pretty baby girl with a mer tail on one side of Megami ] and 2999 brothers. [ and then to his other side, with one of the snake tailed ones. ]
[...never in his life has he seen this many babies at once. It's kindof overwhelming...and he thought just raising six was difficult. The variety of children is interesting too, to say the least.]
Wow...have...have you seen any of them since you grew, if you do not mind me asking?
[ The image shifts again, and that same large figure is lowering his hand. The Megami in this one is alone but surrounded with a handful of water. Him and the water are deposited in a clearing and it becomes clear that this is the creation of his lake (and that the hand's owner IS bigger than Poseidon, as the entire lake fits in his palm). ]
We are Oceanids and Potamoi... we make up the lakes and rivers of the world... so we weren't with our parents for long.
[ And then the large figure is just. Gone. And Megami is alone. ]
The others may have met each other but... I never have. Because I've always been here.
[Much like himself, Megami has been around since nearly the creation of this world. It's hard to fathom that so many siblings exist, but...thinking about how many bodies of water there must be all over the earth, it makes sense.]
Does that mean...you are permanently duty bound to live with your lake? Regardless of the fact that it makes up your very heart...it sounds like your sole purpose was to be here. On this island.
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Now everything is just...so tarnished. Devoid of care and previous signs of the reverence it once had...and it makes him very, very angry to see.
He grits his teeth as the first image melts back into view, but now he knows the truth. It's hard to go back.]
What a waste.
[He says with disdain, and it's clear that if he ever met the god of the volcanoe, only one of them would be around to talk about it.]
I am so sorry. It...you never deserved what happened to it.
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He also doesn't want to dwell, so he tries to brighten up. ]
A-Anyway-- h-here, here!
[ the viewer in the memory (Megami himself obviously) moves to the edge of the lake then and peers over. Between the lotus leaves, tiny black "fish" are swimming about, a frog closely watching atop a lotus leaf. ]
See! That's a frog there! And those are her babies! They're called tadpoles!
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[He doesn't have much of a chance to continue to stew on what he's seen, because Megami is suddenly- excitedly- showing him these mysterious frogs that he speaks of.
And...the young look nothing like the actual frog, and that baffles Poseidon greatly.]
My...why would they ever grow legs to live on the land? Are they not perfectly happy in the lake?
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[ Memory-Megami reaches down at that point and picks up the mother frog carefully. She doesn't seem to mind but that's probably because Megami is friends with the frogs and they're comfortable with him. The closer to view the memory brings it the clearer it becomes that the chirping sound was coming from the frogs. ]
Without legs you can't climb trees or walk on land or--
[ and then very suddenly the frog leaps out of hand, back towards the water with a splash. As it does, other frogs in the area get startled and hop away to other lotus pads ]
Jump!!
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...do frogs climb trees? He supposes they would, if Megami mentioned it...what a strange and quite long shift from water to land for such small creatures.]
My goodness. They do seem rather energetic! And there are quite a few of them besides.
The turtles...they look rather different from the ones I am used to. Very......round.
[Kindof dumpy, but cute.]
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They're cute, aren't they? I very much love their shell patterns.
[ The view gets closer to the ground then - Memory Megami is crouching and looking at the plants ]
Ah- but these are possibly my favorite thing besides the frogs. I grew them myself!
[ A hand comes into view to caress a flower ]
It's call a lotus. The humans in this region think very highly of them. Even though they grow from the mud, dirt cannot stick to them and they rise above to bloom beautifully. Because of that they're viewed by many as a symbol of the journey to enlightenment. Overcoming hardship and humble beginnings to rise above to heaven...
[ then he laughs sheepishly ]
Ah... but my reasons for growing them are not that deep I'm afraid.
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[He just barely stops himself from commenting on how they are beautiful like he is, but he's...not interested in severing the connection to this memory just yet. He's enjoying getting to see what Megami's home used to be like. What it should still be like.]
And meaningful, regardless for your reasons for letting them grow. And I am sure the animals appreciate them very much...especially the frogs.
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They do. And the humans appreciated them too. Each part of them is edible, you know! They used to gather up the pods after they were shed and left me all sorts of meals as offerings...
[ Okay he needs to stop thinking about that before he gets too sad. Or before Poseidon realizes his true intent. ]
...Would you like to see below the surface?
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[Funnily enough, he might not have even found that weird. He and his sons munch on seaweed and similar things all the time.
But yes, let's not get Sad here, this is supposed to be enjoyable.]
Oh, yes I would!
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[ The viewpoint shifts and dives into the water and now there's a full view below the surface...
The most surprising thing is probably that... the center is suddenly not that deep at all. The lake is still quite deep but nothing in comparison to where the merfolk live obviously and the going ons above are still visible. It's definitely not as deep as that dark blue center might have suggested. ]
Ah-- I apologize if it's a little surprising. There is a spell cast on the surface to make it look much more intimidating so as to dissuade humans from trying to get down here. It's also to give me some privacy.
[ He heads to the center. Unlike Poseidon's reef where their children have a bed places to sit, to eat, things to play with... Megami has nothing. Not even a bed carved out of stone. There is a pile of trinkets, gold coins, children's toys, little statues, etc... and that's... it. ]
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But for what it's worth...it's still very peaceful and serene. There is something to be said about that, he thinks. So he tries to keep his response positive, not wanting to make Megami feel self conscious about it.]
Non non, it is fine. If anything, that makes it all the more unique...
[...]
It reminds me of Choromatsu's grotto...actually.
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Choromatsu's...? Oh!
...You mean the one that was...
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[He gives a soft noise of agreement, unsure if Megami could see him nodding.]
It was a bit larger still than your lake, but...it was full of objects...mainly human things.
He would have liked to have seen this.
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...Perhaps one day, if he wishes, he may have all these.
They are ah... tokens of gratitude from the people I helped. And things people dropped into the lake to summon me. It may do me good to pass them on to someone else.
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I would be careful doing that...the others would probably complain that they did not receive a gift too.
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Sh-Should I find gifts for them as well then?!
[ he doesn't wanna show favoritism O_O ]
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I have had to break up quite a few squabbles over trivialities like this.
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[ he's dealt with some of the village children but those are not his children and he never dared step in for their parents ]
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You...have siblings?
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5999 of them!
[ .......what ]
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[...]
Eeeehh!?
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[ and then the image changes again, without Megami even realizing it, as he thinks back to the only memory he still has from before he came to his lake.
It's hazy. A large man appears to be holding memory-Megami in a massive hand, and either Megami was much smaller than a normal baby or the man is much larger than even Poseidon, because at least 50 other children surround Megami in that same hand. Boys, girls... some of them have mer tails like the sextuplets do, others snake tails like Megami, some even have human legs... and then a good few have bull heads??? Weird. There's a similarly large woman beside the man and even more babies... in their hands, on their laps...
Babies everywhere.
The scene is bathed in light, but it's hard to tell if it originally was or if that's just the way Megami's mind fills in what he can't remember, and beyond fond smiles the faces of the parents are obscured in the haze. ]
3000 sisters, [ the few shifts to a pretty baby girl with a mer tail on one side of Megami ] and 2999 brothers. [ and then to his other side, with one of the snake tailed ones. ]
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Wow...have...have you seen any of them since you grew, if you do not mind me asking?
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[ The image shifts again, and that same large figure is lowering his hand. The Megami in this one is alone but surrounded with a handful of water. Him and the water are deposited in a clearing and it becomes clear that this is the creation of his lake (and that the hand's owner IS bigger than Poseidon, as the entire lake fits in his palm). ]
We are Oceanids and Potamoi... we make up the lakes and rivers of the world... so we weren't with our parents for long.
[ And then the large figure is just. Gone. And Megami is alone. ]
The others may have met each other but... I never have. Because I've always been here.
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[Much like himself, Megami has been around since nearly the creation of this world. It's hard to fathom that so many siblings exist, but...thinking about how many bodies of water there must be all over the earth, it makes sense.]
Does that mean...you are permanently duty bound to live with your lake? Regardless of the fact that it makes up your very heart...it sounds like your sole purpose was to be here. On this island.
tmw you accidentally show your future husband your baby photos
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