The Beach, Early Morning Saturday

[built_fjord_tough]

Fjord had been stuck on this island a few weeks now, and it seemed as though every new day brought around another series of questions. Today's, it seemed, were going to be about simpler things, at least. More familiar things. His first sunrise on the island had been something steeped in confusion, spent wondering at the missing moon and the all-wrong stars and the uncomfortable feeling of waking up on the beach again, so soon after what had come before.

Today, he intended to actually take that sunrise in. And so he'd made his way from the hotel to the shore a little before dawn, looking up at the lone waxing crescent moon set up in the sky until the first rays of morning light began to draw his attention down over the water's surface.

In Port Damali, it would have been the sunset he was watching over the water. At sea, either. The novelty of sitting on dry land and watching the sun creep up over the sea was something, too, that made him ache for home. But he made the best of it, planting his palms in the sand, leaning back, and drinking it in all the same.

At least, he supposed, he'd been kidnapped away to an island. If he'd been landlocked on top of the rest of it, he likely wouldn't have been handling this half as well.

[OOC: Open beach is open!]

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[1000yearstoolate]

The squirrels had woken her up early, and it was a while until she had to open Covent Garden Flowers, so Seivarden walked along the beach, her eyes on the sand in front of her until she saw a figure in the corner of her eye. She looked up.

"Oh. Good morning."

[built_fjord_tough]

Fjord glanced up at Seivarden, paused, and then smiled upon recognizing a familiar face.

"Seivarden, good to see you." He nodded toward the sunrise. "You're up early."

[1000yearstoolate]

"It's the squirrels' fault," Seivarden said, smiling back. "What's your excuse?"

[built_fjord_tough]

"I was curious, I suppose," Fjord mused. "I come from a port city, myself. Spent many evenings watching the sun setting over the sea. I wanted to know what it was like to see the sun come up from the shore, instead."

[1000yearstoolate]

"Well, it is beautiful," Seivarden said, glancing out across the water. "Look, I own you an explanation. I didn't mean to leave you like that in the tea house."

[built_fjord_tough]

Fjord glanced up from the sunrise, giving Seivarden a mild, if curious look.

"You seemed upset about something," he noted. "And Hernando seemed rather distressed after you left as well. I figured it would be best to let you have your space and mind my own business."

[1000yearstoolate]

"I found the photos disturbing," Seivarden said. "And I'm quite sure someone else meant for me to be upset by them. Hernando didn't understand an they... don't have the same meaning for him."

[built_fjord_tough]

"Hm," Fjord replied. The pictures on the walls, he reminded himself, placing the word 'photos.' "That's a shame. What was their meaning, if you don't mind my asking?"

[1000yearstoolate]

"Someone didn't want to sell tea to me and bought it all for himself to spite me," Seivarden said. "He likes nail polish and knows very well that showing your hands without wearing gloves is indecent where I'm from."

Seivarden dug a foot into the sand. "I think Hernando didn't know, but I'm also fed up with people trying to get me to like things around here that's... I mean, food porn isn't my thing. I don't judge, but not my thing. Especially not on the walls in a teahouse."

[in_sidon_we_trust]

At some point, Fjord or anyone else on the beach at that time might have noticed a few incongruous ripples in the water that morning; a closer inspection or particularly sharp eyes might be able to pick out the small red fin or the flip of a small red head-tail within that ripple. There would be no denying the source of said ripple, however, once the Zora Prince emerged from the water with a mighty burst, getting an impressive amount of air as he flipped across the backdrop of sunset and landed gracefully, seemingly effortlessly on his feet in the shallows. He shook himself off and trudged for the beach, grinning wide to discover that it was not empty this morning.

"Good morning, Mr. Fjord!" Sidon lifted one arm in a wave, then lifted the other to show off a long string of large fish, the spoils for him morning excursion. "Might I interest you in some freshly caught breakfast?"

[built_fjord_tough]

"Good morning, Prince Sidon," Fjord replied, remaining seated, but holding up a hand in greeting in return. He was grinning outright at the display; it was always fascinating to see a person so thoroughly in their element. "That offer is mighty kind, and as a matter of fact, I haven't eaten yet today, thank you."

[in_sidon_we_trust]

"Marvelous!" Sidon beamed, opening his arms for a second, sending the fish out in a rainbow of glittering scales in the sunrise as he did, and then he easier broke off the large one at the end, with the silvery scales and a pale blue streak, still slightly twitching though probably not for long. He tossed it easily underhand at his instructor, and then went for the second one for himself.

"It has been a spectacular morning for fishing," he said. "I suspect I shall try for another round at least one more time before the day gets too far ahead of itself, and I expect just as good a bounty as this! What an incredible way to start a splendid Saturday, wouldn't you agree?"

[built_fjord_tough]

Fjord caught the fish, not seeming terribly put off by the size or the fact that it was still alive. He grinned and nodded his thanks again at Sidon.

"I have to say, it's definitely one of the better mornings I've had here," he decided, producing a small blade from his belt and, after giving the fish a quick death with a stab to the brain, took the blade to one of the fish's main arteries to bleed it out.

He'd done 'fish for breakfast' more than a few times before.

"Made a point to come around early enough to watch the sunrise today. I figure that alone made it worthwhile, though the company and unexpected breakfast was a pleasant surprise."

[in_sidon_we_trust]

Sidon's method of consuming his fish was far less delicate, more along the lines of just picking out a smaller one as a tiny morsel for now, chewing and swallowing, bones and all, quickly before speaking again, as he would never imagine being so uncouth as to speak with his mouth full.

"After having been here for a full year now," he mused, "I would have to say that this time of year is my favorite. Perhaps it just the nostalgia that corresponds with the excitement of my arrival on this fair isle, but I like to think these beautiful sunrises, the rainy weather, the cooler temperatures have just as much to do with as anything else."

[built_fjord_tough]

Fjord continued to smile as he set to work scaling the fish next, in neat, quick movements of the blade from the tail up to his meal's head.

"Is that what it's like where you're from? Cool and rainy?"

[in_sidon_we_trust]

"I would say," said Sidon thoughtfully, "equal parts sun and rain, but always temperate, never too hot nor too cold. The rains seemed to have increased, though, lately. It has not been to distressing levels, yet, but there are some who fear it more than just a fluke and that we will have need to be concerned if it does not cease soon..."

He frowned a little, delicately using his claws to peel away a strip of meat from a larger fish. The problems facing the Domain were always and forever in the back of his mind, but he tried not to let them bubble up to concern others, so he smiled again and turned it toward his company.

"But what of your world, Mr. Fjord? How's the weather there, and how does it compare to what you find here?"

[built_fjord_tough]

"The weather in Port Damali isn't terribly different from the weather I've encountered here so far," Fjord replied, smiling faintly. "I suppose I'll see what the rest of the year brings. I haven't been here terrbily long, haven't had a chance to see the seasons change yet."

The increased rains... that sounded like something to keep one's eyes on. Huh.

"Home is... quite different." He continued scraping scales from the fish, looking thoughtful. "The scientific progress here alone is like nothing we've ever seen back home. It's almost dizzying."

[mages_suck]

Fjord had mentioned going to the beach to catch the sunrise. Fenris felt that was a slightly abominable hour to have to deal with people, and he had learned that going anywhere on this island meant dealing with people, so he waited until a whole hour later before following.

He stopped at the coffee bar and used his rectangle like he knew how, procuring two cups of the beverage in paper cups. He considered the experiment a success and was a little pleased with the result.

Carrying them, he made his way to the beach and walked until he found Fjord contemplating the morning and silently offered him one of the cups.

[built_fjord_tough]

Fjord, in turn, glanced at Fenris, and gave him a silent nod in thanks as he took the offered drink and looked back out toward the water.

"It isn't home," he noted, simply. "Nice enough for what it is, I suppose."

So, that had answered that question.

[mages_suck]

Fenris nodded and glanced at the sunrise. "Pretty. Confusing, but pretty. At least the people seem decent enough."

[built_fjord_tough]

"Confusing but pretty," Fjord echoed in agreement. "And most of the people I've encountered here have been too kind. I'm going to need to find Peter before too long and thank him again for his hospitality. Now that I'm being paid, I can begin handling payments to the hotel, myself."

... It had taken a few weeks to break him of calling it an inn.

[mages_suck]

"I can help. The rectangle..debit card.. works," Fenris said quietly.

After a moment, he asked, "We seem to get along in a small confined space. Would you be interested in continuing that association? Perhaps looking for someplace a little less transient than the..hotel?"

He still wanted to call it an inn. Because it was an inn. Even if it didn't have a decent bar attached.

[built_fjord_tough]

At least the food wasn't terrible?

"It does seem as though we're both going to be here for... quite some time," Fjord noted, biting back a heavy sigh to go with that statement. "Perhaps a more permanent roof over our heads would in fact be a good plan. And," he turned another quick grin in Fenris' direction, "you're probably the only person I've met here who makes any manner of fuckin' sense."

There were plenty of pleasant people here. Not so many pleasant people that Fjord really understood.

[mages_suck]

"Likewise," Fenris inclined his head. It was true enough. "Everyone else here is so.. nice."

He sounded a little baffled, because he was. He wasn't at all used to this treatment. "Even the humans."

[built_fjord_tough]

"Even the humans," Fjord agreed, sounding somewhat bemused, himself. "Here on the island, at least. I've been warned away from the mainland."

By several people, in fact.