+- Court of the Fallen (https://cotf-rpg.com)
+-- Forum: Out of Character (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=26)
+--- Forum: Important (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=27)
+---- Forum: Archives (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=38)
+---- Thread: You gimme those ocean eyes (/showthread.php?tid=10289)
You gimme those ocean eyes - Thalassa - 11-03-2024
The tide pulled against her legs as Thal made her way onto the shore. Each step away from the Underwater City increased the familiar ache in her chest. Annoyance radiated from her in waves as she waited for the mermaid to settle in the shallows. She'd hoped for a reprieve from her stresses, a peaceful exploration of the merfolk's city with her friend, an escape. Instead, she'd been accosted by this woman, and dragged into a conversation on the surface. Her only rationale being the possibility for this person to know something about her past. If that proved to be false, Thal couldn't promise Hadama that this mermaid would make it back below water.
Her fangs flashed in a vicious sneer. [say]”Who are you and what do you want?”[/say] The tone was blunt and sharp, no warmth marring the words. No illusions of her feelings going into this conversation, and warning that an undesirable answer could result in physical harm.
RE: You gimme those ocean eyes - NPC - 11-03-2024
Their reunion underwater had not gone as Athena had always dreamed, but nothing seemed to be going right. She'd searched for over two years with no traces of her daughter, only to randomly run into her when greeting the King. As much as she wanted to take that as a good sign, things felt wrong. The woman before her walked with such dangerous confidence, stalking around with that familiar face twisted into a violent expression of hatred. It didn't resemble any of the loving, cheerful mermaid she'd raised. Maybe if she could just reason with her...
Athena made her way as close to the shore as she dared, her silver tail dragging through the sand until she propped up on a nearby rock. It was as close as she could get, lacking the ability to shift into legs. [say]”Lassie, I know you were angry when you left, but please – please don’t pretend. Don't pretend like you don't know me.”[/say] She reached out a hand longingly, flinching as she saw the suspicious confusion that made the woman withdraw. It wrenched her heart out of her chest in a ragged, gruesome evisceration, spilling out the tension and hope that had built up behind a wall of polite strength.
[say]”You - you really don’t recognize me?”[/say] Her voice broke at the question, hoping that it wasn’t true with every fiber of her being.
Her own daughter?
It didn't seem like it could be true. What had she done to deserve such a punishment from the gods? Had she been a bad mother, unworthy of raising her child? Had she released some cosmic evil into the world, warranting the intervention of some deity? Or had she just failed to show her daughter that she was loved?
Whatever the reason, Lassie didn't show any signs of warmth or familial recognition. Her face was stoic with unbridled annoyance, forcing Athena to push beyond her own feelings. Looking past the familiar face of her baby girl, she took in the arcing horns, flicking tail, and sharp fangs that accompanied the new bristly personality. They were all characteristics of an Ancient. It meant that Hadama hadn’t been lying. As much as she wished it, the woman before her wasn’t her Lassie. Not anymore. This was Captain Thalassa.
Athena felt a chill run down her spine, eerily similar to dread. She wrapped her arms around herself as if it might provide the comfort she needed. [say]”You’ve... changed.”[/say]
RE: You gimme those ocean eyes - Thalassa - 11-13-2024
'Lassie.'
The name made her flinch. It was hers, in a way, but... not. An uncomfortable necklace that sparkled prettily but sat too tight against her throat. A beautifully unintentional noose.
Her mouth opened to respond to the unwarranted accusations but snapped closed at the hand that reached forward. As much as she suspected some connection between them, she didn't welcome any physical contact from the stranger. Thal didn't know this woman, and she wouldn't pretend that she did just to spare her feelings. She kept a cautious distance from the waterline, eyes taking in each flicker of emotion that flashed by.
The question felt rhetorical, more for the mermaid's sake than her own, yet she found herself returning to the void, expecting a name to magically appear after years of effort. When nothing revealed itself, Thal wanted to lash out, disappointed in the weak hope that had blossomed momentarily. Crossing her arms, she shook her head, annoyed and suspicious. [say]”No... Should I?”[/say] Her defensiveness rose as a familiar prideful shield, not wanting to admit the gap in her memories, even if this woman had already been homing in on that very fact. She'd spent so long searching for answers in herself, it felt like admitting failure by acknowledging that the discovery was beyond her abilities.
Thal reeled back at the softly spoken words, an abundance of knowledge and implications behind their meaning. She nearly snarled, settling for a sharp snap of her jaw. [say]”What does that mean?”[/say] It was accusatory, hiding the painful anticipation building in her chest. It'd taken her so long to come to terms with her own identity as an Ancient. To have it so starkly highlighted, by someone who possibly knew her before, brought back the old aches and insecurities. It made her want to hide the characteristic horns and tail. Shame bubbled in her chest, souring like curdled milk.
RE: You gimme those ocean eyes - NPC - 11-13-2024
The words tore through her. She didn’t register the bite, too consumed by the revelation. Her voice came out weak, a melancholy smile on her lips. [say]”I would hope you could recognize your own mother.”[/say] Tears gathered in her eyes. Could it really be true? Had her daughter changed so much that she’d forgotten who she was? Forgotten where she’d come from?
It was almost too much for her to take in. A panic spread through her body, a need to shake Thalassa out of whatever magic had its hold on her. She wanted to scream and cry out to the gods like a mad woman. How did this happen? How could she fix this? Who could she blame? Athena nearly burst apart at the seems, agony for what had been stolen from her.
But had she been the only one to suffer?
Cold realization finally settled in, the final nail in her coffin of grief. She had to hold back the urge to fall apart, to let this be the end. For Thalassa, she had to be strong. She gave a sad smile, wiping the tears from her eyes and taking a shaky breath to strengthen her resolve. [say]”But I guess that’s not the case.”[/say] Like all mothers, she compartmentalized her feelings, preparing to deal with them once alone.
It didn't make her immune to the snap of Thalassa's question. Athena flinched at the tone, picking her response carefully. [say]”You’re...”[/say] an Ancient [say]”different than before.”[/say] She didn't want to alienate her daughter further, yet she couldn't deny the facts. Her appearance wasn't the only thing that had changed. The standoffish and defensive aggression wasn't something she'd ever seen in Lassie. As if it might help, she asked, [Say]"Do you remember anything?"[/say] Unlike Thalassa, there was no accusation in her voice, just a soft probing, a desire to understand. Maybe there was a reason she'd left. Maybe there was still a chance for them to salvage what remained.
RE: You gimme those ocean eyes - Thalassa - 11-13-2024
Mother?
The singular word hit like a dagger to the chest. She clench her teeth against the shock, taking in the mermaid before her. The graying hair still held evidence of the dark hair of youth, blue eyes were framed by the gentle wrinkles of smile lines, even the pleasing frown of her soft lips seemed similar to her own persistent cocky grin. They all gave Thal the sense that she was looking into a magic mirror, slightly warped as it glanced into her future. It was too much for her to process, forcing her to look at the surrounding beach. She barely registed as the woman finally accepted the truth, too busy drifting amongst the waves, feeling untethered.
’Do you remember anything?’
That was the question of her existence, wasn’t it? Who was she? And how did she wind up here?
The anger leaked from her, a tiredness for the same questions, now shared by another once more. She still kept her distance, but her expression softened somewhat. [say]”I - I don’t know.”[/say] It was painful to admit to this stranger, however, if this woman was who she claimed to be, she might know something about Thal's past, and that might be worth the wound setting aside her pride.