*Frogue came barreling into the blue kingdom, pushing down on the lily pad on his head to flatten it out. He ran up to Shan and let out an excited ribbit.*
âHi Shan! Can you maybe please put me in a bubble?â
@ribbitrogue
(Take your time responding, I just wanted to make sure we get a Frogue and Shan interaction :D)
âohâ!â shan blinks, surprised by the sudden ribbit. âuh⊠sure?? hold still.â
she plants the end of her staff into the soft ground with a quiet tap. shan tilts her staff in a slow circle. water follows the motion, spiraling together until it gathers into a clear, wobbling sphere. it shimmers faintly, sunlight bending through it in wavering lines.
with a small flick of her staff, the bubble pops around him, lifting him gently off the ground.
âis that good?â she asks, head tilting slightly.
*He swam around in the bubble, ribbiting happily. His eyes were incredibly wide right now as he moved around like an actual frog in the water.*
âYes it is Shan! Thank you very much! Iâve missed these bubbles, amazing honestly.â
*He settled at the bottom of the bubble and closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself relax despite the drama within the kingdoms. He let out another ribbit, much smaller this time and almost sounding a bit awkward.*
âHave you been well? I donât think Iâve heard from you in a while.â
shan watches the bubble bob a little as frogue reviles in it, blinking before letting out a small laugh before shrugging a bit.
âiâve been good. just⊠busy.â she says, leaning lightly on her staff, eyes flickering briefly toward the kingdom gates in the distance.
she glanced back at him in the bubble, smiling lightly. âwhat about you? you seem pretty happy in there.â
*Frogue opened one eye, he seemed more relaxed than he normally was but that couldâve just been because he was in the bubble.*
âEh. I could be better but it is what it is. The bubble is very nice, pretty calming in here.â
*He hummed to himself as he watched her, still just resting in the bubble. Despite his very relaxed demeanor, his eyes darted between her and the kingdomâs gates.*
shan leans a little heavier on her staff as the bubble drifts in place, its surface trembling faintly.
using bubble capture took more focus than most of her spells. the water wave was easyâa burst of power and it was done. even holding water didnât last too long. but the bubble needed constant attention, little threads of magic keeping the surface sealed and steady. to keep whoever was in it breathing.
but⊠frogue looks comfortable in there. calmer than sheâs seen him in a while.
so instead of dropping it, she glances back at him through the watery surface, giving a small tilt of her head. sh exhales slow, steadying the bubble.
ââŠso,â she says softly, resting her chin on the top of her staff, eyebrows pinched in concentration, âhow was it? when you were king, i mean.â she pauses again before adding, "i know it can be hard..."
*He looked away and let out a quiet croak. Part of him wanted to ignore the question but ultimately he decided to answer.*
âIt was eh- it was alright. The rule itself wasnât rough. Maybe the consequences of my, according to some people, very impulsive and brutal actions might be the actual hard part.â
*He rubbed the back of his neck. His entire demeanor had shifted to a more defensive one. His eyes narrowed and he kept his eyes on the ground.*
shandrea watches the bubble drift, giving it a small tap with the end of her staff when it starts to wobble. âi get that,â she says, shrugging a little.
the corner of her mouth twitches slightly.
âwhen i wore the crown, it was mostly just fixing things after the war. gates, canals, people arguing, that sort of thing.â she rolls her shoulder a bit, still keeping the spell steady. ânot really the same kind of ruling you had... from what i've heard..â
âstill,â she adds, âbeing in charge of a whole kingdom does weird things to people. make them act... impulsively.â
*He glanced at her before taking a deep breath. He started croaking a lot but they were muffled, as if he was suppressing them.*
âWell Iâm glad someoneâs run as the ruler better than mine did.â
*He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He huffed and shook his head.*
âAnd impulsive is a word for it I guess.â
she snorts a little at that, the bubble wobbling as she shifts her weight.
âhey, donât say that,â she says, tilting her head and looking at him through the bubble.
âat least people will remember your reign.â she gives a small shrug. âmine was months of fixing damage from a war i wasnât even here for and then everyone kinda.. brushed me aside.â
âat least yours was memorable,â
âYeah, I guess, but mine was so memorable that I was kicked out of the Red Kingdom.â
*He froze as soon as he said that. He wasnât sure if she already knew about that but he was not fond of the idea that he mightâve just offered that information up willingly. He started kicking at the bubble, attempting to escape and run off.*
shan blinks.
âwaitâyou actuallyââ
then he starts kicking the bubble, causing her to grip her staff tighter, instinctively focusing on the spell. instead of weakening, the bubble pulls tighter, wobbling but holding firm as he kicks at it.
she squints at him through the water.
ââŠi thought that was a rumor? did you actually get kicked out?â
*He stayed silent for a moment and continued kicking the bubble, when he realized his attempts were futile he gave up and glanced at her. His eyes were narrowed but also filled with- fear perhaps?*
âIf you must know, then yes. Iâve been kicked out.â
âoh, frogueâŠâ
the spell slips away instantly, the bubble dissolving into mist and dropping him from where heâd been floating.
shan shifts her grip on her staff as the awkward silence grows thin, before blurting out, âdo you want to go to the lagoon with me?â
*He hit the ground with a gentle thud, pushing himself off the ground. He looked away and nodded, refusing to make eye contact now.*
âIf you can stand being around me, then sure.*
*He stared at the ground, every fiber of his being just yelling at him to run. However he stayed.*
she snorts softly, âi invited you, frogue,â she says, a little amused. âif i couldnât stand you i wouldnât have.â
she twirls her staff once in her hand, glancing down the path towards the gates. then she starts walking a few steps, then looks back at him and smiles, gesturing for him to follow.
*He hesitated for a moment before following her. He made a few more muffled croaking sounds as they walked. He wasnât quite sure what to say, not knowing if this was even safe, so he decided to just shut his mouth for once.*
shan walks a little ahead, staff tapping lightly against the ground as they head down the path. after a bit she glances back at him, noticing how quiet he is.
ââŠyou know you donât have to be that quiet,â she says, smiling gently. âitâs kinda weird not hearing you speak every five seconds.â
*He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets.*
âI mean- what am I supposed to talk about? How Iâm going to be living alone in the Fark Hall forever now?â
*He let out a small huff as he spoke, kicking a pebble along the path.*
âNot much for me to talk about otherwise.â
shan hums lightly, before walking quietly beside him for a moment, staff tapping lightly against the path. then she glances over at him.
âwhatâs your favorite color?â her tone is casual, like sheâs just handing him something else to talk about. something to distract them both.
*His eyes widened, clearly not expecting such a basic question.*
âOh uh- green probably. I like green. Itâs a really nice color, it feels- safe? If that makes sense. I assume your favorite color would be blue?â
*He tilted his head. His body relaxed at the less intense conversation topic, though he still seemed relatively cautious.*
âpurple, actually,â she says with a smile. âeveryone just assumes blue.â she nudges a pebble off the path with the end of her staff as they keep walking.
after a moment she adds, with a small shrug, âgreenâs a good one though.â
âOh. Well purple is nice, that wouldâve been my second guess.â
*He hummed softly as they walked down the path. His tongue occasionally flicked out to grab an insect.*
âWhatâs your favorite food?â
shan walks beside him, staff resting over her shoulder as she thinks for a second.
"fish,â she says, smiling. then she glances at him and adds with a small shrug, âgrilled, usually. or sometimes just salted.â
she pushes a curl behind her ear, looking towards him. âwhat about you?â
*He ran a hand along his face as he thought about his answer.*
âWell now that Iâm a humanoid frog my diet is limited to insects and whatnot. I mean I can eat normal food but itâs just not as nutritious for me.â
*He looked up at the sky before looking back at her.*
âAs I am currently, Iâd say fruit flies. Moths arenât terrible but theyâve got a weird aftertaste. Before I was a frog though, Iâd probably say chicken wings.â
âyeah, chicken wings are pretty good,â she says with a nodding.
the path opens up into sand, waves rolling steadily onto the shore. shan slows a bit when they reach the beach.
the closer she gets to the water, the louder the familiar murmuring gets in the back of her headâdistant voices layered together, like something carried in on the tide. she tightens her grip on the staff for a second, eyes flicking out across the water.
then she exhales, stepping onto the sand.
âjust in time for the sunset!!â she smiles, thought it appears a little more.. pained then before.
*Frogue nodded, he glanced at her and tilted his head.*
âYeah. It should be pretty.â
*He paused and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to do.*
âYou alright? You seem a bit- out of it?â
*He looked at the water, half tempted to run over and sit in it but he instead chose to continue walking with her.*
shan blinks when he touches her shoulder, like heâs pulled her back from somewhere. she waves a hand quickly. âiâm.. iâm fine.â
the voices press harder at the back of her mind, rising like a high tide. she tenses for a second before forcing her shoulders to relax.
not now, she thinks. this isnât about you.
shan drags the end of her staff through the sand as she keeps walking. after a moment she turns toward him, nodding out toward the water.
âcâmon,â she says. âthe sunsets are always prettier out on the open sea!!â she flinches slightly before smiling as if to cover it up.
*He nodded and started towards the water. The edges of the lilypad on his head began to wrap downward as he walked. He glanced at her every once in a while, trying to figure out what could be wrong but not wanting to pry.*
âItâs been a while since I actually took the time to watch a sunset.â
shan hums quietly as they reach the shoreline, spinning her staff once in her hand. the voices get louder near the water, but she just focuses on the horizon instead.
ââŠyeah,â she says after a moment. âi donât think iâve really watched one in a while either.â
she gives a small shrug before offering her hand. âcâmon letâs watch it together,â
*He hesitated but took her hand. His hand was kind of slimy, as if holding a literal frog.*
âI donât think anyone has really had the time to.â
*He watched the waves for a moment before looking out at the horizon himself. He took a deep breath and let out a small croak as he said something unexpected.*
âThank you for inviting me to come see this.â
she glances towards him when he thanks her, shoulders lifting in a small shrug.
âthanks for letting me show you.â shan squeezes his hand lightly before staring at the sunset, smiling softly.
the voices seem to lull then. still there, they always were, but here under the setting sun, they quieted. she takes a breath.
âwe should start heading out, huh?â she taps the side of a neat rowboat, still smiling.
*He nodded and hopped into the rowboat.*
âThat we should.â
*He watched her for a moment before looking at the water. His tongue flicked out into the water, causing a small fish to swim away. He gave a small chuckle as he watched it dart off.*
she laughs at his antics before stepping into the rowboat after him, steadying it with one hand on the side. she pushes them off from the sand before settling onto the seat and picking up the oars.
she dips the oars into the water and starts rowing, the boat rocking gently as they move farther from shore.
âitâs beautiful, isnât it?â she asks, staring off into the sunset, a smile on her face.
*He nodded, leaning over the edge of the boat. He watched the sunset, the lilypad on his head folding down into a hood.*
âIt really is beautiful.â
*He croaked quietly, a small smile on his face as he observed the scene around them.*
shan lets the boat drift once theyâre far enough out, resting the oars across the sides. she watches the horizon for a moment, the water gently rocking beneath them.
ââŠyeah,â she says after a second, a small smile tugging at her mouth.
she leans to the side a little, trailing her fingers through the water beside the boat. her breath slows as she lets the boat drift, soaking in the sunlight.
she hasnât felt peace like this for.. a while.
âohâwe made it,â she says quietly, gesturing into the depths to the sea lanterns of the night market.
*He looked into the depths and tilted his head, eyes widening.*
âOh is this where everyone went that one time when I slept in? With the weird fish guy and the shark?â
*He leaned over further, only just barely in the boat as he tried to get a better look. His eyes sifted between the visible buildings and such.*
âi think so..?â she tilts her head slightly. âi wasnât there either..â
shan leans over the side of the boat, peering down into the shifting blue below. the shapes of buildings and stone blur faintly beneath the surface.
for a second she just watches the dark blue below, fingers tightening slightly on the edge of the boat, nausea whirl pooling in her stomach.
then, quieter, more to herself than himâ
ââŠyou ready?â
*Frogue glanced at her before nodding. He rolled out of the boat and into the water, he floated there for a moment before diving down under. He swam around, occasionally looking back to see what Shan doing.*
when frogue slips into the water, the boat rocks gently. shan watches the ripples for a second, then takes a slow breath.
another.
then she slides over the edge of the boat and into the water.
she forces herself to stay calm, taking one last deep breath before dipping under and swimming down, pushing through the water with steady strokes. the cold closes around her as she swims down, pushing forward with quick, determined strokes.
shan pushes through the hole into the lagoon, arms burning slightly from holding her breath that long.
the moment her head breaks the surface she gasps, dragging in a sharp breath of air before grabbing onto the stone edge beside the entrance. for a second she just stays there, breathing hard, water dripping from her hair.
then she wipes her face with one hand and turns back toward the opening she came through, peering down into the darker water behind her.
"frogue?" she calls out into the darkness.
*It took a couple more minutes before he poked his head out of the water. He blinked one eye at a time for a moment before announcing his arrival rather loudly.*
âIâm here! I got distracted, thereâs a lot to look at around here. Weird looking fish and whatnot.â
*He swam over but let himself lay back in the water near the stone edge.*
âYou alright?â
shan glances over when he finally pops up, letting out a small breath she didnât realize sheâd been holding.
âyeah, yeah, iâm fine,â she says quickly.
she pulls herself up onto the sandy edge of the lagoon, water dripping from her clothes as she stands. brushing some wet hair out of her face, she offers him a hand.
âcâmon,â she adds, nodding further into the lagoon. âtime to go fishing.â
*He nodded and grabbed her hand, letting her help him up. He snickered to himself as he stepped onto the sand.*
âImagine Owain trying to make that swim. I canât imagine that would go well with how heavy his armor is.â
*He hummed and looked around the lagoon, trying to find a good spot to set everything up.*
she lets out a small laugh, brushing some wet hair out of her face. âyeah,â she says. âthat armor would drag him straight to the bottom.â
she glances out across the lagoon for a moment, then crouches near the edge of the sand where a couple fishing rods are leaning against a rock. she grabs one and straightens, giving it a small spin in her hand before offering the other toward frogue. then she nods toward the water.
âhere,â she says. âmight as well actually catch something.â
*He took the fishing rod from her and waddled over to the water. He sat down on the edge of it and cast the line, watching as it moved in the water.*
âYou go fishing often?â
*His gaze didnât move away from the bobber, simply watching as he impatiently waited for something to happen, his hand fidgeting with the handle.*
shan walks over and drops down onto the sand a little ways from him before casting a line out into the water, the line arcing out before the bobber settles on the rippling surface.
ânot really,â she admits with a small shrug, eyes flicking to the water.
âi meanâi like fish,â she adds, a little offhand. "just don't have the time anymore..."
she shifts slightly in the sand, watching her bobber drift with the slow movement of the lagoon. âwhat about you?â
*He shook his head.*
âNah. Iâve never been one for fishing. Takes forever for a little reward.â
*He hummed, keeping his focus on his bobber. He frowned slightly as it stayed afloat, getting a bit annoyed with it.*
âI mean they take forever and half the time theyâre like- the size of a kitten.â
shan watches her bobber drift for a moment before shrugging a little. âyeah, it can take a while,â
she rests her forearms on her knees, rod angled loosely toward the water. âwhere i come from people fished all the time,â she adds after a second. âi used to,â she says with a small shrug. âkinda hard not to when youâre around the ocean all the time.â
her eyes flick back to the water.
"though i could never sit still enough to catch anything bigger than a guppy." she laughs lightly at the memory, though her shoulders are tight.
*Frogue glanced at her, considering how to respond. He let out a little croak before shaking his head.*
âHm. Mustâve been nice. Having a community that did that sort of stuff I mean.â
*He looked back at his fishing rod, though he clearly wasnât focused on the activity anymore. He shifted, leaning back on his elbows.*
âYeah sitting still is hard. Iâm certainly no good at it. Itâs just so dull and boring.â
shan glances over at him when he says that and for a second she doesnât answer.
mustâve been nice.
the words echo a little louder in her head than they should. the voices press in with themâoverlapping murmurs she tries not to listen to.
you remember how that ended.
her grip tightens slightly on the fishing rod. she forces the thought away before it can settle. ââŠyeah,â she says after a moment, voice quieter than before. her gaze drifts back to the water, watching the slow bob of the float on the lagoonâs surface.
âit was nice.â
the voices donât really stop, but she pushes them to the back of her mind. before shrugging lightly. âbannerfallâs not too bad either.â
*He looked at her again, feeling the energy shift. He scooted a bit closer, unsure of what to do. He decided to attempt to be humorous by gently bonking her head like one might bonk some bongos.*
âEh. Bannerfall is its own flavor of nonsense. Itâs not terrible yeah, but itâs definitely got its faults.â
*He decided to attempt to play into the humor a bit more by just throwing out a random comparison.*
âItâs like a burnt pie. Like yeah itâs good, itâs pie, but itâs also burnt.â
she looks over at him, eyes squinting in confusion for a second before she suddenly snorts and bursts into laughter.
âa burnt pie?â she repeats, still laughing a little as she shakes her head.
she glances back out at the lagoon, her bobber drifting lazily across the surface. ââŠyeah,â she says with a small shrug, still giggling. âthat sounds about right.â
she smiles brightly towards him, still laughing lightly.
âYep. Burnt pie.â
*He nodded with a chuckle, smiling back at her. He reeled in his fishing rod and put it to the side, knowing he was over it.*
âMaybe a burnt pancake but thatâs pushing it.â
*He leaned backwards, using his arms to keep him sat up just enough to watch Shan fish.*
shanâs laughter fades into a small grin as she looks back at the water, rod still resting loosely in her hands. "giving up already?"
her bobber dips suddenly.
shan straightens a bit, giving the line a quick tug before reeling it in. when the line breaks the surface, it isnât a fish dangling there but a small shell. she pulls it closer, prying it open with her fingers before a small, pale pearl rolls into her palm.
for a second she just looks at it, then dips her hand into the lagoon and gently swishes it through the water to rinse the sand off.
she stares at it for a moment, twisting it between two fingers, watching the way its shines under the lagoon's glow. then she holds it out toward frogue.
âhere,â she says simply, smiling.
âWell yeah Iâm giving up already! Itâs boringggg.â
*He paused when she hooked something, watching intently as she reeled it in.*
âOh!â
*He carefully took the pearl from her and rolled it around in his hand for a bit. He watched it with wide eyes.*
âI- oh uh- thank you. I didnât even know these could look this nice, especially straight out of the shell.â
*He hummed quietly as he continued to rotate the pearl in his hand, being incredibly careful as to not drop it back into the water.*
shan watches him turn the pearl over in his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
âyeah,â she agrees, smiling softly. she props her elbows on her knees, rod already angled lazily toward the water.
âdid you know they come in different colors?â she adds after a moment. ânot just white?â
she looks toward the pearl in his hand.
âthereâs pink ones, black ones⊠even gold ones sometimes.â
*His eyes got even wider as he turned to look at her.*
âThey can be different colors?! What the heck! Nobody told me that! Why does everyone just wear the white ones then?!â
*He looked back at the pearl before carefully sliding it into the most secure pocket he had, no way was he going to lose it.*
shan watches his reaction, and a quiet laugh slips out of her before she can stop it. she twirls the end of the fishing rod between her fingers, then nods toward the pocket he tucked it into.
âeach colorâs supposed to mean something too.â
her voice is casual, like itâs just a random fact sheâs remembering.
âwhite onesâlike that oneâusually mean new beginnings.â
for a second her gaze drifts across the lagoon water, the glow berries light rippling over the surface. then she shrugs lightly.
âseems like you got a pretty fitting one.â it comes out light hearted, though something quieter sits beneath it.
*He glanced back at his pocket when she said that, a small smile crossing his face before he nodded.*
âSeems it is fitting, for good or for bad I suppose.â
*He looked back at the water, watching the ripples of light but also trying to see where the fish in here were.*
âI mean I guess thatâs a good reason to wear white pearls then. Maybe Iâll figure out how to put this one on a bracelet or something.â
*He mumbled he last sentence quietly, like he didnât intend to say it out loud.*
shan reels the line in slightly, making sure the hook's still set before letting it drift back out across the water.
"a bracelet could work," she says, thoughtfully. "or a necklace."
she glances over at him, "if you want, i could help."
"used to make some of my own," she adds with a small shrug. "nothing fancy or anything... but enough to make it wearable."
*He looked at her, considering the offer. After a moment he let out a little ribbit and nodded.*
âIf it wouldnât be too much of a hassle, Iâd appreciate it. You donât have to though.â
*He pulled the pearl out of his pocket to look at it, rolling it around in his hand once more. He looked back up to watch her fishing rod again, his attention split between the two things.*
shan glances over when he pulls the pearl back out, the line of her mouth curving faintly.
âitâs not a hassle,â she says. âpromise.â
after a moment she nods toward the pearl in his palm.
âjust need some cord. maybe a clasp if weâre being fancy.â her fingers wander back up to her one of own necklaces, absentmindedly turning one of the pearls between them.
âi could make it into a bracelet pretty easy,â she adds. âit would suit you.â
*He hummed, continuing to roll the pearl around.*
âI should have some cord back at the Fark Hall. Not a clasp though but thatâs fine. Even a clasp might be too fancy for me.â
*He looked at her and smiled. A peaceful expression on his face as he thought about the current situation.*
shan glances over at him and a matching smile spreads across her face.âwell,â she says lightly, âwhen you find that cord, bring it on by.â
she shifts the fishing rod a little, watching the bobber drift across the water.
she turns to face him, a smile still on her lips. âiâll make it into something for you.â
*He grinned, putting the pearl back into his pocket. He croaked a couple times in a quick succession.*
âWill do. Gives me an opportunity to snoop around the blue kingdom too.â
*He giggled a bit, watching the fishing rod again.*
âMaybe Iâll get myself a froglight from 4c while Iâm at it.â
shan snorts softly at first, like sheâs about to laugh along with him before stilling at the word âfroglightâ her fishing rod stills in her hands. she glances over at him, brows lifting a little.
âhey,â she says, tone light but firm. âdonât go farming 4c.â she nudges his shoulder with hers, not hardâmore of a warning tap than anything.
âheâs a person, not a resource.â
âyou can snoop around all you want,â she adds, glancing back at the water, âbut leave him out of it.â
*He sighed, shifting awkwardly now as he realized that he hadnât been very funny with that one.*
âI- sorry. Youâre right I guess.â
*He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the sand.*
âThe froglights are just pretty and like- everyone in the red kingdom was pestering me about getting them for a while. Obviously not an excuse so-â
*He paused before rummaging through one of his other pockets, not the one with the pearl. He pulled a surprisingly dry envelope out.*
âI did actually try to write him an apology letter. Looks kind of bad though, hard to write with frog hands.â
shan watches him pull the envelope out, and something in her expression softens.
âyou already wrote one,â she echoes quietly. she looks at the letter for a second before glancing back toward the water, the rod shifting slightly in her hands.
ââŠsorry,â she adds after a moment, a little awkward. âi justââ
she pauses, searching for the words.
âi just⊠donât like when people talk about him like that.â she whispers, eyes still glued to the ripples in the water. âi just⊠iâm sorryâŠâ
*He shook his head.*
âNo no Iâm the one who should be sorry. Iâm the one whoâs be harassing him since day one basically. Your reaction was totally fair.â
*He slid the envelope back into his pocket as he sighed.*
âLike I said, itâs a bad letter. I do have a couple froggy tokens packed into here though so maybe that would make up for my awful handwriting.â
shan watches him slide the envelope back into his pocket, quiet for a moment. âiâd offer to rewrite it for you,â she says after a second, glancing over, âbut i have dyslexia...â
she gives a small shrug, mouth tilting a little.
âso mine would probably end up worse.â
her gaze drifts back to the water, rod shifting lightly in her hands.
âbut the effortâs what matters anyways.â she smiles, turning towards him âiâm sure heâll forgive you,â
âOh! I didnât know that.â
*He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back and laying in the sand.*
âI mean I hope heâll accept it. Iâll admit I was definitely less than polite though so if I were him I probably wouldnât accept it. Thatâs just if I were him though.â
she listens quietly, the line drifting across the lagoon while he talks.
â4câs⊠pretty forgiving,â she says after a moment. her eyes stay on the water, but her focus drifts somewhere else for a second.
she remembers the look on his face when she told himâhalting, uncertain words about her tribe, about the blood and the silence and the way the memories never lined up quite right. the way sheâd expected anger. or fear.
and how he had just pulled her close, rubbing circles onto her back.
shan blinks, pulling herself back to the present.
âheâs forgiven me for worse,â she adds, voice light like itâs just another passing thought, but the words linger. she gives a small shrug, rod shifting in her hands.
âso⊠i think youâll be fine.â
*Frogue looked at her, tilting his head a bit. He scooted a bit closer. He was clearly curious about what sheâd done that supposedly needed forgiveness, however he didnât ask about it.*
âHuh. Good for him. Most rogues arenât the most forgiving, though apologies also arenât given often to most rogues.â
*He sat up, flicking his tongue out to grab a nearby bug.*
âBut yeah, I trust your word so if you think heâll forgive me then Iâll take your word for it.â
she watches the slow drift of the bobber for a moment before she speaks again. â4c is. mae is too.â
her eyes stay on the water, following the small rings the line makes on the surface. âtheyâre probably two of the most forgiving people iâve met.â
thereâs a brief pause. then, quieterâalmost like she didnât mean to say it out loudâ
ââŠtheyâre more than i deserve.â
she goes still for a second after that, like the words slipped out without permission. then she clears her throat, ignoring the tears building up, eyes glued to the bobber.
*Frogue frowned and scooted closer, slowly wrapping his arms around her. He carefully pat her head, croaking quietly in a way that was his attempt at being calming.*
âI obviously donât know what youâve been through but personally, I think you deserve more than what life has been giving you.â
*He looked at the bobber before looking back at her, trying to figure out the right thing to say.*
âLife is mean. Just because certain things happened, doesnât mean you arenât deserving of good moments.â
shan stiffens a little when he wraps his arms around her, not pulling awayâjust going still for a second like she isnât used to it.
his words sit in the air.
she watches the bobber instead of looking at him.
"i don't deserve it..." she admits, voice softened by acceptance. she stares at the lagoon, eyes sparkling with tears as they track the bobber. "i'm a monster, frogue..."
the words come out as a whisper. there was no flourish or drama. just acceptance. sharp and brittle.
certain.
*He hummed, shaking his head.*
âI donât think so and even if you were, arenât we all monsters to some extent? I mean- look at what Iâve done recently. Or Sausage.â
*He sighed and squeezed her a bit, doing his best to help without being overwhelming.*
âSomeone who doesnât deserve nice things wouldnât care. They wouldnât be questioning if they deserve something nice, they would assume that they do deserve it.â
*He sighed and adjusted the way he was hugging her, now more of a side hug as he was unsure if the hug was helping or making the situation worse.*
his words donât seem to landâor maybe they do, just somewhere she doesnât know how to reach. her grip tightens slightly around the fishing rod before loosening again.
ââŠthatâs notââ she starts, but the sentence falls apart halfway through. she swallows, hard and for a second it looks like sheâs not going to say anything else. thenâ
âi killed them,â she says, the words catching on the way out.
quiet. uneven.
she doesn't look at him.
âall of them.â her breathing starts to go shallow, just slightly off. âmy wholeââ she cuts herself off, jaw tightening.
ââŠeveryone.â
silence.
then her vision blurs. she blinks once. twice.
it doesnât help.
the tears slip over anyway, slow and quiet, trailing down without a sound. her shoulders draw in a little, like sheâs trying to make herself smaller, breath stuttering just enough to not be steady anymore. she wants to hug him back, truly, but she can't move. she can't move
*He paused for a moment before wrapping himself around her in a proper hug once more. He shut his mouth this time, knowing more about the situation. There wasnât much he could say to help and he knew that, so he opted to just hold her and try his best without saying anything.*
*He carefully removed the fishing rod from her hand and tossed it off to the side, not wanting it to end up harming her in some way. His eyes closed once he did that, unsure what exactly would help. Part of him wanted to run off and go get someone else to deal with the situation, but he stayed put.*
she tenses when he pulls her into a tighter hug, breath catching for a secondâbut she doesnât pull away.
the fishing rod leaving her hands barely registers.her hands curl weakly into the fabric of his clothes instead, like she needs something to hold onto.her breathing stutters, uneven, trying and failing to steady.
she shakes her head slightly against him.âi didnâtââ she tries, voice breaking.
another breath, sharper this time.
âi didnât mean toââ the words fall apart before they can finish.
her shoulders hitch, silent tears pressing harder now, slipping down without restraint. she presses her face into him, like hiding will make it stopâlike if she doesnât see anything, it wonât feel so loud.
but it doesnât quiet.
her breathing getting quicker, thinner, like she canât quite get enough air. still, she doesnât push him away. she just holds on, like letting go would make everything worse.
âOf course you didnâtâŠâ
*He mumbled quietly, giving her a small squeeze. He rubbed her back gently, trying to help ground her.*
âIâm here, Iâve got you. Iâm right here and you can let out as much as you need to.â
*He let her hold onto him, figuring this would probably help. Gods did he wish he were anyone else right now and actually knew what to do. Though he pushed that feeling down to make room in his head for the present moment.*
âIâm here for you, no matter what.â
*He continued rubbing her back, occasionally reaching his other hand up to attempt to wipe away the tears coming down her face.*
âi-i didnâtââ she tries, but it tangles, breaks apart.
her fingers clutch tighter into his clothes. her breathing keeps slipping, uneven, too fast... like she couldn't quite catch it. she presses her face further into him when he tries to wipe her tears, not pulling away, just hiding.
âtheyâreââ she starts, voice shaking. âtheyâre all goneââ
another hitch in her breath.
her shoulders tremble under his hands, silent sobs building now instead of just quiet tears. âi canâtââ she gasps softly, the words barely there. âi canât fix itââ
she curls in closer, like sheâs trying to fold in on herself, but she doesnât let go of him. not even a little. it's like heâs the only thing keeping her anchored while everything else slips.
"i-i can't save them."
*He held her tighter, just doing his best to be there for her. He gently moved her head so they were making eye contact.*
âHey, look at me. Iâm here and nothing bad is going to happen. It wonât happen again.â
*He took a deep breath, scrambling internally to figure out what to do.*
âOkay um⊠letâs uh-â
*He glanced at the water before looking back at her again, shaking his head.*
âItâs not going to happen again.â
her eyes dart back up to his, wide and unfocused, like sheâs seeing something that isnât there.
ânoâyou donâtââ her voice catches, breath stuttering. her grip on him tightens. âiâm going to lose you,â she says, the words rushing out, uneven and breathless. âiâm going to lose everyoneââ
you couldnât save them you let them drown it was your fault.
her shoulders hitch at the voices, tears spilling faster now.
she presses closer like sheâs trying to hold onto something she already believes is slipping away, her breathing uneven and shallow, like she canât escape the thought looping in her head.
âNo youâre not. Iâm not going anywhere, nobody is going anywhere. I promise you that I wonât let that happen.â
*He hummed, continuing to hold her tightly. His eyes were locked onto hers as he just started saying whatever he could.*
âI promise you that youâre not going to lose everyone again. Look at me, I promise.â
she shakes her head, sharp and certain.
âyou canât promise that,â she says, breath uneven, voice breaking around the edges. her grip tightens, almost desperate now. âyou donâtââ she chokes on the words, breath hitching. âyou donât know what i can doââ
her shoulders tremble, tears spilling faster, silent but relentless.
youâll do it again you'll let them drown again
she squeezes her eyes shut for a second, like she can block it outâ
it doesnât work.
âi'm a monster,â she whispers, voice small but certain. âi've hurt people. i've killed peopleââ
her hands twist tighter in his clothes, like sheâs afraid if she lets go even slightly, heâll disappear. her breathing stays uneven, shallow, the panic still sitting heavy in her chestâeven with him right there.
*He paused, genuinely unsure how to help now. He hugged her even tighter and spoke quietly, figuring his words werenât doing much regardless.*
âYouâre not a monster, Shan. Youâre just- a person. Youâve done really bad things, yes, and it is important to acknowledge that. But youâve also done amazing things that also deserve acknowledgment.â
*He continued to rub her back, with a bit more force now though in hopes of that doing literally anything.*
âMaybe youâre right about how I canât promise it wonât happen again but- I can sure try to prevent it.â
shanâs grip tightens weakly in his clothes as she looks up at him.
"how..?" she asks, voice thin and shaking. her eyes search his, unfocused but desperate. "how can you prevent the inevitable?"
her breath stutters, uneven, panic threading through every word.
âiâve tried already,â she says. âi triedâi tried to stop it the first time, i tried, i swear i didââ
her voice breaks, shoulders hitching.
âbut there was so much blood,â she chokes, the words catching hard. âand i donât rememberâi donât remember anything but them screamingââ
âi donât remember,â she repeats, quieter, shaking.
âI donât know, if Iâm being honest with you. I wouldnât know until it actually happened, but I promise you that Iâd do my best to prevent as much of the damage as I could in the moment.â
*He frowned, his eyes carefully watching hers. He shook his head and made a small croaking noise.*
âIâll figure something out because youâre not alone in this. Not anymore. Iâm here to help however I can.â
shan goes quiet at that. her breathing is still uneven, catching every few seconds, but she doesnât try to push him away anymore.
instead, she just leans into him fully. her arms wrap around him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder.
âiâm sorry,â she whispers, voice small and breaking.
itâs not clear what sheâs apologizing for.
everything, maybe.
her grip tightens just a little more, like sheâs afraid if she lets go, sheâll fall apart again.
*He shook his head, letting her lean into him. He closed his eyes and just let himself be clung to.*
âYouâve got nothing to apologize for, especially not to me. Just focus on yourself right now.â
*He gently pat her head with one hand while the other held her.*
shan shakes her head weakly against him, but she doesnât argue again. her grip stays tight for a moment longer⊠then slowly, just slightly, eases.
her breathing is still uneven, but it starts to slowâlittle by little.
she squeezes her eyes shut, pressing her face into his shoulder.
ââŠiâm sorry,â she murmurs again, softer now.
she stays there, holding onto him, letting herself just sit in it for a moment instead of fighting it, like she doesnât trust herself to move yet.
âItâs alrightâŠâ
*He held her, glad that she seemed to be calming down now. He hummed a soft tune as he watched over her for the moment.*
âJust take a minute, focus on whatâs going on right now. Everything else can buzz off right now.â
she doesnât respond right away. her eyes stay closed, breath still a little shaky, but steadier than before. she leans into him, letting his voice sit there without fighting it.
after a moment, her grip shiftsânot as desperate now, just⊠holding.
grounding.
she takes a slow breath. then another.
ââŠokay,â she murmurs quietly. her voice is small, but itâs there.
she stays like that, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of something realâhis arms around her, the sand beneath them, the sound of the water nearbyâletting everything else fade just a little.
a breath.
"thank you..." she whispers, breath finally slow.
*He nodded and smiled slightly, his eyes shifting back to the water.*
âAnytime.â
*He looked around before sighing.*
âShould we perhaps head back to the kingdoms? Weâve been out here a while and lord knows what the other weirdos around here mightâve been up to.â
*He looked back at her and gave her a little squeeze.*
âOr we can stay here a while longer, whatever works for you. Iâve got nowhere to be.â
after a second, she shifts slightlyâtilting her head and resting it against his shoulder, her gaze drifting out over the lagoon.
ââŠmaybe a little longer,â she murmurs.
then, after a quiet beatâ
âhow did we even end up like this?â she asks, voice soft, a little worn but lighter now.
âtwo ex-monarchs,â she adds faintly, a breath of a laugh slipping through, âsitting in the sand having a breakdown over fishing.â
a faint laugh slips out of her at that, soft and a little shaky, shaking her head from where it rests on his shoulder.
âkinda pathetic, huh?â she says, though thereâs no real bite to it.
âWell if this is pathetic, so are the kingdoms. Iâd say our situation is reflective of the kingdoms as a whole.â
*He chuckled a little, letting her remain where she was. He let out a couple happy sounding ribbits.*
âItâs symbolic in a way I suppose.â
shan hums softly at that, the sound low and thoughtful. her head stays resting against his shoulder, eyes drifting over the lagoon as the water moves in slow, quiet ripples.
ââŠyeah,â she murmurs.
thereâs a small pause.
âsymbolic, huhâŠâ
she shifts slightly, not pulling awayâjust settling more comfortably.
âstill better than being alone,â she adds after a moment, voice quiet but steady. her gaze stays on the water, the faintest hint of a smile lingering as she lets the quiet sit between them.
âOh I can definitely agree with that.â
*He nodded, being quiet after he spoke. He hummed a soft tune as he considered what to do. He leaned back a bit, moving one arm to keep himself propped up.*
*He started to zone out a bit as he thought about what led him here and that thought slowly drifted to speculation about the other people in the kingdoms. He shook his head, shaking himself of it.*
âDo you ever think about how weird it is that everyone ended up here? Like there is such an interesting variety of people here.â
shan is quiet for a moment, watching the water as he speaks.
ââŠyeah,â she says after a second.
her fingers brush idly through the sand, her eyes following the slow ripple of the water, expression softer now. âitâs strangeâŠâ
she hesitates, just for a second, like she almost doesnât say the next part. ââŠi think i like it, though.â
another small pause, quieter this time.
"everyone kinda just... belongs.." she trails off. "no matter how different they are."
*He nodded, glancing at the water. He smiled softly as he thought a bit more.*
âEveryone does belong here. Makes this place unique. How many places can say they welcomed a frog rogue, eh? Or a slimy fellow like 4c or- 90% of us really.â
*He chuckled a bit.*
âIâd bet 10 Froggy Tokens that no other kingdoms could say that stuff.â
shan lets out a small huff of a laugh at that, but it fades quickly into something softer. her gaze drifts out over the water, fingers idly brushing through the sand, "yeah..."
a small pause.
âiâve never really been⊠accepted anywhere else.â
she shrugs lightly, like sheâs trying to make it sound like it doesnât matter. âalways been⊠'different'.â her eyes flick back to the lagoon, expression calmer now. ââŠbannerfallâs different, though.â another pause.
âiâve thought about leaving,â she admits, her eyes staying on the lagoon.
âjust⊠figured itâd be easier for everyone.. if i was.. goneâ she trails off slightly.
another small shrug.
ââŠbut i never did.â
"guess that says something.."
*Frogue gently elbowed her.*
âI was thinking the same thing honestly. Just leaving. Sometimes I still consider it, actually. Sometimes I climb on top of the Fark Hall and look out into the forest and just contemplate that for hours.â
*He shrugged, looking at the water once more. He shook his head after a moment.*
âBut I mean yeah, weâre still here.â
she' s quiet for a moment, gaze fixed on the water.
ââŠweâre still here,â she echoes softly.
the words sit with her.
she doesnât add anything else. just stays where she is, hands resting loosely in the sand, letting the quiet stretch out between them as the lagoon ripples gently ahead.
"i like being here," she says with a small smile.
*He nodded, letting himself watch the water.*
âItâs nice.â
*He hummed softly. He put one hand in his pocket as he watched the gentle ripples of the lagoon, fidgeting with lining of his pocket. His gaze occasionally shifted between the water and the glowberry vines.*
shan hums softly in agreement, eyes following the slow current of the lagoon.
ââŠyeah,â she murmurs.
she leans back slightly, resting her weight on her hands in the sand, gaze drifting along the waterâs edge.
a small pause.
ââŠwe should probably head back soon,â she adds, voice light, like she doesnât really want to move just yet.
*He groaned, rolling his head back.*
âBut I donât wannaaaaaaaaa.â
*He crossed his arms, making an exaggerated pouty expression. He laughed a little before continuing to play this game of having an attitude akin to that of an upset bunny.*
âNuh uh. Iâm not moving. In fact, I live right here now. Yep.â
shan blinks at him for a secondâthen snorts, a quiet laugh slipping out.
âoh, do you now?â another soft laugh slips out. âwhat about your fark hall?â she teases, tilting her head slightly, still smiling.
*He paused, breaking the pouty act.*
âOkay maybe you have a point. I do gotta get back there, make sure nobodyâs done anything stupid.â
*He chuckled a bit.*
âexactly,â she says, smiling.
she pushes herself up to her feet, brushing the sand from her skirt, movements unhurried. then she holds out her hand, "c'mon,"
*He giggled a bit, taking her hand and pushing himself up.*
âYeah yeah Iâm coming.â
she gives his hand a small tug to help him up, then she turns to walk towards the hole leading up to the surface
her gaze lifts up toward the opening above, seawater spilling down in a constant, shimmering waterfall from the higher break in the caverns ceiling.
her smile fades a little. not goneâjust thinner.
before she can think too much about it, she steps into the pool, swimming up and out of the lagoon.
when she makes it to the boat, inhales sharply, pushing herself up and onto the wooden surface. she glances down into the water, waiting for the frog.
*He swam through the water, getting momentarily distracted by the fish moving around him. He shook his head and swam up to the surface, popping his head out of the water.*
âThereâs so many fish down there.â
*He took a moment before he pushed himself up onto the boat. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and began to wring it out.*
shan lets out a soft, light laugh, still dripping from the swim. âyeah⊠there really are,â she says, voice easy, eyes following the fish darting beneath the boat.
she runs a hand through her wet hair, and shakes her head slightly, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
âit⊠kinda reminds me of my home,â she adds softly, fingers brushing along the small, ocean waves.
âHm. Canât relate.â
*Frogue shrugged, still working on wringing his shirt out.*
âItâs good that they remind you of that though. I think.â
*He glanced at her before nodding to himself. He leaned against the rail of the boat.*
âyeah,â she says lightly, shrugging a little, ignoring the way the voices heightened.
she glances down at the water once more, then reaches for the oars, settling them into place.
the boat shifts slightly as she starts rowing, movements steady and unhurried, guiding them back toward land while the fish scatter beneath the surface.
*He kept his eyes on the water, as if he thought there was going to be some crazy creature down there that intended to prevent them from going. He hummed softly before leaning back.*
âThis was fun.â
shan glances over at him, a small smile already forming. âyeah,â she agrees softly.
she keeps rowing, the steady rhythm of it easy now.
ââŠwe should do this again sometime,â she adds after a moment, her gaze drifting back to the water, but the smile lingers.
âOh definitely.â
*He stuck his froggy hand in the water as the boat moved along.*
âMaybe we bring someone else along next time too. Iâm sure someone else would enjoy it.*
âyeahâŠâ she trails off, watching the moonâs reflection ripple across the water for a moment, before perking up again.
âooh!! maybe we could invite 4c!! and then you could apologize to him and give him the letter! and then he would forgive you!! oh thatâd be joyous!! joyous day!!â she smiles brightly, clearly excited by her plan.
âOh we could! Hopefully.â
*He chuckled, glancing at her for a moment before looking back at the water.*
she smiles a little at that, glancing over at him briefly before looking back ahead.
âhe will,â she says, voice easy with certainty. she keeps rowing, the rhythm steady, cutting through the water as the shoreline slowly comes closer. âi promiseâ
*Frogue nodded, watching the oars glide through the water. His tongue flicked out just to bother a fish, getting a small chuckle out of himself.*
âYeah yeah. Iâm sure he will.â
she hums softly at that, the faintest smile lingering as she keeps rowing. the shoreline grows closer, the dark shape of the beach coming into view as the water shallows.
she slows the boat a little, letting it glide the last stretch, before stepping out and offering her hand.
*He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling himself out of the boat. He nearly landed on his face but managed to catch himself before he fell.*
âDo you want to walk to the bridge together or split off here?â
*He glanced around, as if looking to see if there was anyone nearby who mightâve seen them.*
shan steadies him when he stumbles, a soft laugh slipping out.
âwe can walk to the bridge,â she says quietly.
then she glances around the quiet shoreline, then her gaze drifts upwardâthe moon hanging high, light spilling softly across the water.
ââŠitâs late,â she murmurs. her eyes linger there for a second before dropping back to him, expression gentler now. âno oneâll see us,â
*He nodded and started walking, one hand in his pocket.*
âGood. I donât exactly want there to be a whole misunderstanding and then a fight to happen right now.â
*He kept glancing around, just to be sure.*
shan huffs a quiet breath at that, a small, amused smile tugging at her lips.
âyeah,â she agrees lightly. âi really donât need another fight..â she walks alongside him at an easy pace, hands brushing lightly against her skirt as she moves.
âhow do you think itâs gonna end? the war, i mean?â the question was far too simple for what it was asking.
*He crossed his arms and looked at the ground as they walked.*
âWell that depends. Do you want my honest answer or my more optimistic one?â
*He huffed quietly, pausing in his step for a moment as he thought about it a little more.*
she slows a little when he pauses, glancing over at him. she already knows how it was gonna end.
they all did.
her gaze drifts ahead again, expression softening just slightly. ââŠoptimistic,â she says instead, quieter this time.
âjust this once.â
she keeps walking, eyes on the path, like sheâs choosing to believe itâat least for now.
âThen I think that the kingdoms could get along. Make friends and all that. Could maybe because one kingdom again even. Potentially.â
*He walked with a bit more speed in order to catch up, his gaze straight ahead.*
sheâs quiet for a moment as she walks beside him, letting his words settle. her gaze drifts slightly, like sheâs picturing it.
ââŠthatâd be nice,â she admits softly. her expression shifts, something a little more thoughtful, a little more wistful.
âi think iâd like that.â
âIt would be nice, Iâll admit.â
*He hummed softly, unsure of how to continue.*
âI genuinely think it would be for the benefit of both kingdoms and all the people within.â
*He crossed his arms as they walked together.*
she walks quietly beside him for a moment, eyes on the path ahead. ââŠyeah,â she murmurs.
âitâs justâŠâ she hesitates slightly, like sheâs choosing her words. âkinda stupid, isnât it?â
she glances over at him briefly.
âweâre all fighting a war that half of us donât even know the cause of.â her gaze drifts forward again.
ââŠfeels like weâre just running in circles at this point,â
âOh kinda is an understatement. Itâs so stupid even the kingdom of Soluna could see it Iâm sure.â
*He rolled his eyes before letting his gaze rest on the ground.*
âIn the rogue guild Iâm from, weâd call this situation a âcast of fogâ. A group of people gets involved in a situation that they can leave but donât seem to realize they can leave.â
*He rolled his shoulders as he thought about the rogue guild. He shook his head after a moment.*
shan lets out a quiet breath at that, gaze drifting ahead as she walks.
ââcast of fog,â huhâŠâ she repeats, like sheâs turning the words over. ââŠsounds about right.â
âdoesnât really seem like anyone wants to leave,â she trails off, eyes tracing the horizon. âi mean⊠some of them have been here their whole lives, and othersâŠâ she hesitates slightly.
ââŠthis is the first place thatâs accepted them...â