Cordelia Meyer

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

In the past week, Cordelia has been showered with nothing but care. Her tank was always clean, belly always full, and she’s had a proper medical checkup with pills to account for vitamin deficiencies and pain. It was nicer than anything she’s had for awhile.

Elijah often peeked his head in to hang out or show her a new section of this vast castle. The styles varied from medieval to fantasy to being based on a shipwreck.

Saris was similar, often taking on a more caretaker role. She made sure she was eating enough but was a tad avoidant of some topics.

This time, Saris came into her room in a hurry, unlike her typical relaxed nature, “Cordelia, honey, we need to go now.”

@lepi-rp-sideblog

She gets up out of bed and looks at Saris with fear in her eyes.

“W-what? What happened?”

She grabs the small handmade plush she always keeps and slithers to Saris. There’s one thought plaguing her mind but she doesn’t want to let herself acknowledge it until she can prove it.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Later.”

Saris grabbed onto her wrist and her skin was melting away like wax. It felt like cool clay and her typically manicured nails were hanging on for dear life on skin that dropped against the floor. If she looked closely, she could see the flesh underneath and a tiny bit of bone.

She was dragged through a maze of hallways, ones she’s never been through. They went up and down a thousand stairs and she was eventually picked up like a princess.

Her skin continued to melt and melt, barely held on.

“We’ll be okay. We’ll be okay,” it sounded more like reassurance for herself.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She held on tight to Saris’ melting hand, terrified to lose the first good thing she’s had in so long.

“Saris? You’re scaring me!”

It’s not said accusatorily, more so because didn’t know what was going on.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We’ll be fine.”

It was more insistent, trying to prove it to herself. The noise was nearly inhuman, like a growl.

“My skin just…does this. It’s god stuff, honey.”

She raced down a massive flight of stairs with her tonal shift not matching the urgency. That time, the words were as sweet as candy, unmistakably human.

“We’ll be there in a second…”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

Saris’ words made Cordelia’s skin crawl, but she nods anyway.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

In the past week, Cordelia has been showered with nothing but care. Her tank was always clean, belly always full, and she’s had a proper medical checkup with pills to account for vitamin deficiencies and pain. It was nicer than anything she’s had for awhile.

Elijah often peeked his head in to hang out or show her a new section of this vast castle. The styles varied from medieval to fantasy to being based on a shipwreck.

Saris was similar, often taking on a more caretaker role. She made sure she was eating enough but was a tad avoidant of some topics.

This time, Saris came into her room in a hurry, unlike her typical relaxed nature, “Cordelia, honey, we need to go now.”

@lepi-rp-sideblog

She gets up out of bed and looks at Saris with fear in her eyes.

“W-what? What happened?”

She grabs the small handmade plush she always keeps and slithers to Saris. There’s one thought plaguing her mind but she doesn’t want to let herself acknowledge it until she can prove it.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Later.”

Saris grabbed onto her wrist and her skin was melting away like wax. It felt like cool clay and her typically manicured nails were hanging on for dear life on skin that dropped against the floor. If she looked closely, she could see the flesh underneath and a tiny bit of bone.

She was dragged through a maze of hallways, ones she’s never been through. They went up and down a thousand stairs and she was eventually picked up like a princess.

Her skin continued to melt and melt, barely held on.

“We’ll be okay. We’ll be okay,” it sounded more like reassurance for herself.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She held on tight to Saris’ melting hand, terrified to lose the first good thing she’s had in so long.

“Saris? You’re scaring me!”

It’s not said accusatorily, more so because didn’t know what was going on.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

In the past week, Cordelia has been showered with nothing but care. Her tank was always clean, belly always full, and she’s had a proper medical checkup with pills to account for vitamin deficiencies and pain. It was nicer than anything she’s had for awhile.

Elijah often peeked his head in to hang out or show her a new section of this vast castle. The styles varied from medieval to fantasy to being based on a shipwreck.

Saris was similar, often taking on a more caretaker role. She made sure she was eating enough but was a tad avoidant of some topics.

This time, Saris came into her room in a hurry, unlike her typical relaxed nature, “Cordelia, honey, we need to go now.”

@lepi-rp-sideblog

She gets up out of bed and looks at Saris with fear in her eyes.

“W-what? What happened?”

She grabs the small handmade plush she always keeps and slithers to Saris. There’s one thought plaguing her mind but she doesn’t want to let herself acknowledge it until she can prove it.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We have a place that’s practically perfect for observing the animals! I’m sure Saris would let you swim with them too if you asked and do all your testing. Being a god and all she’s able to have some species that should be long since extinct.”

Elijah opened a door and lo and behold, it was a glass tunnel with benches where fish and sharks and critters of all came swam together. There wasn’t an ounce of fear from the ‘prey’ animals when a shark came a tad close.

“Now, they’re all trained to be docile so the behavior is a bit different but once again, ask for some feral ones and she’ll happily do so.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She marveled at all the species in harmony. So many different things all together to create one beautiful thing.

If only she could see that in herself.

Fish she’d only ever seen in textbooks, things that were traditionally so aggressive, and animals that cowered beneath rocks back home all swam together.

“Wow,” was all she could manage.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah grinned and glanced over his shoulder where a door led into a closet.

“You want to swim among them?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She looked at Elijah he’d sprouted another arm.

“I can do that?”

She looked back out at the seemingly endless expanse of blue. It was more beautiful each time she returned her gaze to it.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Yeah! You can do that anytime,” he opened the door that he was eying up before.

Inside was diving gear for people like him without gills. Above there was a hatch with a metal ladder leading up to it, clear and allowing a perfect view into the expansive blue.

“I can join you in a second if you’d like. There’s plenty of entry points like this.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

With a fair amount of difficulty, she pulls her way up the ladder. She looks back behind her one last time to make sure it was okay, before slipping into the water.

It felt like heaven against a body that was unused to clean water. She pulled oxygen through her gills and it felt right.

The space was open and she could stretch her tail all the way out, unlike the small and restrictive tanks at the facility.

The light was warm against her skin, unlike the suffocating LED’s of the observation room.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The cool water was like a glass of water on a sweltering summer day. It slid against her gills and allowed her to truly breathe for the first time in awhile where she could stretch out her body.

While the light was artificial, it was no where close to fluorescent. It came from multiple sources scatters throughout the deep sea, hidden or invisible entirely.

The fish welcomes her with open arms, the school swimming a circle around her. When Elijah came up in his diving gear, a great white shark did the same.

“Awww, Hi, Arthur,” he spoke as if never underwater, petting the shark’s head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She was living everything she’d ever dreamed as a girl. Swimming among the fish, being accepted as theirs.

For the first time, she didn’t hate the body she was forced into.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The great white, “Arthur”, swam closer to Cordelia now. With an open mouth, it tried to fit her arm in their mouth. It wasn’t looking to eat, no, it had plenty of food here, but it was just exploring this new person.

Elijah giggled, bubbles floating into the water, “Aw, he likes you!”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She grinned wide, petting Arthur with her free hand.

“He’s so cute!!”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The shark chomped down on her arm, nearly piercing skin.

“Don’t let him eat you!” He swam over to lead Arthur away.

He wasn’t the most pleased at being redirected but he got over it quickly, doing a loop to try and swim back to Cordelia.

“He won’t mean to hurt you but he ain’t the smartest.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She didn’t really notice how hard he was biting, she was just happy to get to see a shark again. A real one, not one that’s been butchered and attached to her.

“I love swimming with sharks. It was always my favorite, before— well, before all this.” She gestures to her fishy bits.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“I know the basics but am I allowed to ask how all of that even happened..? Not the fine details just like…why? Why would someone do that to another human being?”

Arthur came around and headbutted her, circling around her to repeat the same process. Elijah just sighed and shook his head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She huffed a giggle at Arthur’s insistent headbutting, then turned back to Elijah.

“I used to be a marine biologist. I worked years to even have a chance of working with this company. Eventually, they sent me on a year-long expedition, which— I must not have done a good enough job. I learned what they were really doing, the ones higher up. They didn’t like that, and… they did this.”

She thinks that’s probably the most words she’s spoken in… years. Since before the expedition.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He was terrified he pushed too far but was beyond grateful to not have caused some sort of break down. Elijah let out a sigh of relief, chuckling a bit at Arthur’s insistence. Geez, that fellow loved her.

“That’s horrible…” his nose wrinkled. “I always thought I was going to be a priest when I grew up and in a way, I sorta am? Stuff just sorta hit the fan for me. I think I would’ve loved to be a marine biologist.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“I always knew I wanted to be a marine biologist. You should have seen me when I was little, I begged my parents for a fully blue room, shark plushies, the whole nine yards. I had a fish in college, actually.”

She missed that room. At least she has somewhere to be herself as a girl.

“I worked so hard. And it all kinda… fell flat.”

She is well aware she has a habit of downplaying how bad things actually were. She was just glad to be under the water, where it wasn’t as obvious she was tearing up.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah was decent at reading expressions typically but not when the water washed away tears, made tone hard to hear, and the dim lighting hide her face. It was difficult to blame him for staying on this topic.

“Oh, I was always in the church as a kid. Most people in my community were but I think I was caught sleeping there one time. Saris was next to me when I woke up, my head in her lap with a blanket over me. All I’ve ever wanted to do was serve someone who has helped me so dearly.”

His tone was one of pure devotion and love. It was a dedication intertwined within his own being, the reason he breathed every day.

“Maybe, in a world without Saris, I wouldn’t gone down the marine route. I don’t know who I’d be without her though.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods, blinking. She kind of just… floats for a moment.

She wonders what it would have been like if the God she spent so long trying to trust and believe in were there protecting her. Maybe then she could bring herself to love that God. To worship and praise and devote herself to Him.

Her life didn’t work that way, and no god was there to protect her.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah blinked in confusion and desperately tried to read her silence, “You okay?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She looked back up at him, nodding.

“Yeah. I’m good.”

She pauses for a moment trying to think of what to say. She has so many questions and emotions that it’ll all eat her alive someday.

Instead she let herself drift through the vast water as small creatures swam around her.

“I always wanted something like this.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We have a place that’s practically perfect for observing the animals! I’m sure Saris would let you swim with them too if you asked and do all your testing. Being a god and all she’s able to have some species that should be long since extinct.”

Elijah opened a door and lo and behold, it was a glass tunnel with benches where fish and sharks and critters of all came swam together. There wasn’t an ounce of fear from the ‘prey’ animals when a shark came a tad close.

“Now, they’re all trained to be docile so the behavior is a bit different but once again, ask for some feral ones and she’ll happily do so.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She marveled at all the species in harmony. So many different things all together to create one beautiful thing.

If only she could see that in herself.

Fish she’d only ever seen in textbooks, things that were traditionally so aggressive, and animals that cowered beneath rocks back home all swam together.

“Wow,” was all she could manage.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah grinned and glanced over his shoulder where a door led into a closet.

“You want to swim among them?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She looked at Elijah he’d sprouted another arm.

“I can do that?”

She looked back out at the seemingly endless expanse of blue. It was more beautiful each time she returned her gaze to it.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Yeah! You can do that anytime,” he opened the door that he was eying up before.

Inside was diving gear for people like him without gills. Above there was a hatch with a metal ladder leading up to it, clear and allowing a perfect view into the expansive blue.

“I can join you in a second if you’d like. There’s plenty of entry points like this.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

With a fair amount of difficulty, she pulls her way up the ladder. She looks back behind her one last time to make sure it was okay, before slipping into the water.

It felt like heaven against a body that was unused to clean water. She pulled oxygen through her gills and it felt right.

The space was open and she could stretch her tail all the way out, unlike the small and restrictive tanks at the facility.

The light was warm against her skin, unlike the suffocating LED’s of the observation room.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The cool water was like a glass of water on a sweltering summer day. It slid against her gills and allowed her to truly breathe for the first time in awhile where she could stretch out her body.

While the light was artificial, it was no where close to fluorescent. It came from multiple sources scatters throughout the deep sea, hidden or invisible entirely.

The fish welcomes her with open arms, the school swimming a circle around her. When Elijah came up in his diving gear, a great white shark did the same.

“Awww, Hi, Arthur,” he spoke as if never underwater, petting the shark’s head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She was living everything she’d ever dreamed as a girl. Swimming among the fish, being accepted as theirs.

For the first time, she didn’t hate the body she was forced into.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The great white, “Arthur”, swam closer to Cordelia now. With an open mouth, it tried to fit her arm in their mouth. It wasn’t looking to eat, no, it had plenty of food here, but it was just exploring this new person.

Elijah giggled, bubbles floating into the water, “Aw, he likes you!”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She grinned wide, petting Arthur with her free hand.

“He’s so cute!!”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The shark chomped down on her arm, nearly piercing skin.

“Don’t let him eat you!” He swam over to lead Arthur away.

He wasn’t the most pleased at being redirected but he got over it quickly, doing a loop to try and swim back to Cordelia.

“He won’t mean to hurt you but he ain’t the smartest.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She didn’t really notice how hard he was biting, she was just happy to get to see a shark again. A real one, not one that’s been butchered and attached to her.

“I love swimming with sharks. It was always my favorite, before— well, before all this.” She gestures to her fishy bits.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“I know the basics but am I allowed to ask how all of that even happened..? Not the fine details just like…why? Why would someone do that to another human being?”

Arthur came around and headbutted her, circling around her to repeat the same process. Elijah just sighed and shook his head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She huffed a giggle at Arthur’s insistent headbutting, then turned back to Elijah.

“I used to be a marine biologist. I worked years to even have a chance of working with this company. Eventually, they sent me on a year-long expedition, which— I must not have done a good enough job. I learned what they were really doing, the ones higher up. They didn’t like that, and… they did this.”

She thinks that’s probably the most words she’s spoken in… years. Since before the expedition.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He was terrified he pushed too far but was beyond grateful to not have caused some sort of break down. Elijah let out a sigh of relief, chuckling a bit at Arthur’s insistence. Geez, that fellow loved her.

“That’s horrible…” his nose wrinkled. “I always thought I was going to be a priest when I grew up and in a way, I sorta am? Stuff just sorta hit the fan for me. I think I would’ve loved to be a marine biologist.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“I always knew I wanted to be a marine biologist. You should have seen me when I was little, I begged my parents for a fully blue room, shark plushies, the whole nine yards. I had a fish in college, actually.”

She missed that room. At least she has somewhere to be herself as a girl.

“I worked so hard. And it all kinda… fell flat.”

She is well aware she has a habit of downplaying how bad things actually were. She was just glad to be under the water, where it wasn’t as obvious she was tearing up.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah was decent at reading expressions typically but not when the water washed away tears, made tone hard to hear, and the dim lighting hide her face. It was difficult to blame him for staying on this topic.

“Oh, I was always in the church as a kid. Most people in my community were but I think I was caught sleeping there one time. Saris was next to me when I woke up, my head in her lap with a blanket over me. All I’ve ever wanted to do was serve someone who has helped me so dearly.”

His tone was one of pure devotion and love. It was a dedication intertwined within his own being, the reason he breathed every day.

“Maybe, in a world without Saris, I wouldn’t gone down the marine route. I don’t know who I’d be without her though.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods, blinking. She kind of just… floats for a moment.

She wonders what it would have been like if the God she spent so long trying to trust and believe in were there protecting her. Maybe then she could bring herself to love that God. To worship and praise and devote herself to Him.

Her life didn’t work that way, and no god was there to protect her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We have a place that’s practically perfect for observing the animals! I’m sure Saris would let you swim with them too if you asked and do all your testing. Being a god and all she’s able to have some species that should be long since extinct.”

Elijah opened a door and lo and behold, it was a glass tunnel with benches where fish and sharks and critters of all came swam together. There wasn’t an ounce of fear from the ‘prey’ animals when a shark came a tad close.

“Now, they’re all trained to be docile so the behavior is a bit different but once again, ask for some feral ones and she’ll happily do so.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She marveled at all the species in harmony. So many different things all together to create one beautiful thing.

If only she could see that in herself.

Fish she’d only ever seen in textbooks, things that were traditionally so aggressive, and animals that cowered beneath rocks back home all swam together.

“Wow,” was all she could manage.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah grinned and glanced over his shoulder where a door led into a closet.

“You want to swim among them?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She looked at Elijah he’d sprouted another arm.

“I can do that?”

She looked back out at the seemingly endless expanse of blue. It was more beautiful each time she returned her gaze to it.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Yeah! You can do that anytime,” he opened the door that he was eying up before.

Inside was diving gear for people like him without gills. Above there was a hatch with a metal ladder leading up to it, clear and allowing a perfect view into the expansive blue.

“I can join you in a second if you’d like. There’s plenty of entry points like this.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

With a fair amount of difficulty, she pulls her way up the ladder. She looks back behind her one last time to make sure it was okay, before slipping into the water.

It felt like heaven against a body that was unused to clean water. She pulled oxygen through her gills and it felt right.

The space was open and she could stretch her tail all the way out, unlike the small and restrictive tanks at the facility.

The light was warm against her skin, unlike the suffocating LED’s of the observation room.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The cool water was like a glass of water on a sweltering summer day. It slid against her gills and allowed her to truly breathe for the first time in awhile where she could stretch out her body.

While the light was artificial, it was no where close to fluorescent. It came from multiple sources scatters throughout the deep sea, hidden or invisible entirely.

The fish welcomes her with open arms, the school swimming a circle around her. When Elijah came up in his diving gear, a great white shark did the same.

“Awww, Hi, Arthur,” he spoke as if never underwater, petting the shark’s head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She was living everything she’d ever dreamed as a girl. Swimming among the fish, being accepted as theirs.

For the first time, she didn’t hate the body she was forced into.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The great white, “Arthur”, swam closer to Cordelia now. With an open mouth, it tried to fit her arm in their mouth. It wasn’t looking to eat, no, it had plenty of food here, but it was just exploring this new person.

Elijah giggled, bubbles floating into the water, “Aw, he likes you!”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She grinned wide, petting Arthur with her free hand.

“He’s so cute!!”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The shark chomped down on her arm, nearly piercing skin.

“Don’t let him eat you!” He swam over to lead Arthur away.

He wasn’t the most pleased at being redirected but he got over it quickly, doing a loop to try and swim back to Cordelia.

“He won’t mean to hurt you but he ain’t the smartest.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She didn’t really notice how hard he was biting, she was just happy to get to see a shark again. A real one, not one that’s been butchered and attached to her.

“I love swimming with sharks. It was always my favorite, before— well, before all this.” She gestures to her fishy bits.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“I know the basics but am I allowed to ask how all of that even happened..? Not the fine details just like…why? Why would someone do that to another human being?”

Arthur came around and headbutted her, circling around her to repeat the same process. Elijah just sighed and shook his head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She huffed a giggle at Arthur’s insistent headbutting, then turned back to Elijah.

“I used to be a marine biologist. I worked years to even have a chance of working with this company. Eventually, they sent me on a year-long expedition, which— I must not have done a good enough job. I learned what they were really doing, the ones higher up. They didn’t like that, and… they did this.”

She thinks that’s probably the most words she’s spoken in… years. Since before the expedition.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He was terrified he pushed too far but was beyond grateful to not have caused some sort of break down. Elijah let out a sigh of relief, chuckling a bit at Arthur’s insistence. Geez, that fellow loved her.

“That’s horrible…” his nose wrinkled. “I always thought I was going to be a priest when I grew up and in a way, I sorta am? Stuff just sorta hit the fan for me. I think I would’ve loved to be a marine biologist.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“I always knew I wanted to be a marine biologist. You should have seen me when I was little, I begged my parents for a fully blue room, shark plushies, the whole nine yards. I had a fish in college, actually.”

She missed that room. At least she has somewhere to be herself as a girl.

“I worked so hard. And it all kinda… fell flat.”

She is well aware she has a habit of downplaying how bad things actually were. She was just glad to be under the water, where it wasn’t as obvious she was tearing up.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We have a place that’s practically perfect for observing the animals! I’m sure Saris would let you swim with them too if you asked and do all your testing. Being a god and all she’s able to have some species that should be long since extinct.”

Elijah opened a door and lo and behold, it was a glass tunnel with benches where fish and sharks and critters of all came swam together. There wasn’t an ounce of fear from the ‘prey’ animals when a shark came a tad close.

“Now, they’re all trained to be docile so the behavior is a bit different but once again, ask for some feral ones and she’ll happily do so.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She marveled at all the species in harmony. So many different things all together to create one beautiful thing.

If only she could see that in herself.

Fish she’d only ever seen in textbooks, things that were traditionally so aggressive, and animals that cowered beneath rocks back home all swam together.

“Wow,” was all she could manage.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah grinned and glanced over his shoulder where a door led into a closet.

“You want to swim among them?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She looked at Elijah he’d sprouted another arm.

“I can do that?”

She looked back out at the seemingly endless expanse of blue. It was more beautiful each time she returned her gaze to it.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Yeah! You can do that anytime,” he opened the door that he was eying up before.

Inside was diving gear for people like him without gills. Above there was a hatch with a metal ladder leading up to it, clear and allowing a perfect view into the expansive blue.

“I can join you in a second if you’d like. There’s plenty of entry points like this.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

With a fair amount of difficulty, she pulls her way up the ladder. She looks back behind her one last time to make sure it was okay, before slipping into the water.

It felt like heaven against a body that was unused to clean water. She pulled oxygen through her gills and it felt right.

The space was open and she could stretch her tail all the way out, unlike the small and restrictive tanks at the facility.

The light was warm against her skin, unlike the suffocating LED’s of the observation room.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The cool water was like a glass of water on a sweltering summer day. It slid against her gills and allowed her to truly breathe for the first time in awhile where she could stretch out her body.

While the light was artificial, it was no where close to fluorescent. It came from multiple sources scatters throughout the deep sea, hidden or invisible entirely.

The fish welcomes her with open arms, the school swimming a circle around her. When Elijah came up in his diving gear, a great white shark did the same.

“Awww, Hi, Arthur,” he spoke as if never underwater, petting the shark’s head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She was living everything she’d ever dreamed as a girl. Swimming among the fish, being accepted as theirs.

For the first time, she didn’t hate the body she was forced into.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The great white, “Arthur”, swam closer to Cordelia now. With an open mouth, it tried to fit her arm in their mouth. It wasn’t looking to eat, no, it had plenty of food here, but it was just exploring this new person.

Elijah giggled, bubbles floating into the water, “Aw, he likes you!”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She grinned wide, petting Arthur with her free hand.

“He’s so cute!!”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The shark chomped down on her arm, nearly piercing skin.

“Don’t let him eat you!” He swam over to lead Arthur away.

He wasn’t the most pleased at being redirected but he got over it quickly, doing a loop to try and swim back to Cordelia.

“He won’t mean to hurt you but he ain’t the smartest.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She didn’t really notice how hard he was biting, she was just happy to get to see a shark again. A real one, not one that’s been butchered and attached to her.

“I love swimming with sharks. It was always my favorite, before— well, before all this.” She gestures to her fishy bits.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“I know the basics but am I allowed to ask how all of that even happened..? Not the fine details just like…why? Why would someone do that to another human being?”

Arthur came around and headbutted her, circling around her to repeat the same process. Elijah just sighed and shook his head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She huffed a giggle at Arthur’s insistent headbutting, then turned back to Elijah.

“I used to be a marine biologist. I worked years to even have a chance of working with this company. Eventually, they sent me on a year-long expedition, which— I must not have done a good enough job. I learned what they were really doing, the ones higher up. They didn’t like that, and… they did this.”

She thinks that’s probably the most words she’s spoken in… years. Since before the expedition.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We have a place that’s practically perfect for observing the animals! I’m sure Saris would let you swim with them too if you asked and do all your testing. Being a god and all she’s able to have some species that should be long since extinct.”

Elijah opened a door and lo and behold, it was a glass tunnel with benches where fish and sharks and critters of all came swam together. There wasn’t an ounce of fear from the ‘prey’ animals when a shark came a tad close.

“Now, they’re all trained to be docile so the behavior is a bit different but once again, ask for some feral ones and she’ll happily do so.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She marveled at all the species in harmony. So many different things all together to create one beautiful thing.

If only she could see that in herself.

Fish she’d only ever seen in textbooks, things that were traditionally so aggressive, and animals that cowered beneath rocks back home all swam together.

“Wow,” was all she could manage.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah grinned and glanced over his shoulder where a door led into a closet.

“You want to swim among them?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She looked at Elijah he’d sprouted another arm.

“I can do that?”

She looked back out at the seemingly endless expanse of blue. It was more beautiful each time she returned her gaze to it.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Yeah! You can do that anytime,” he opened the door that he was eying up before.

Inside was diving gear for people like him without gills. Above there was a hatch with a metal ladder leading up to it, clear and allowing a perfect view into the expansive blue.

“I can join you in a second if you’d like. There’s plenty of entry points like this.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

With a fair amount of difficulty, she pulls her way up the ladder. She looks back behind her one last time to make sure it was okay, before slipping into the water.

It felt like heaven against a body that was unused to clean water. She pulled oxygen through her gills and it felt right.

The space was open and she could stretch her tail all the way out, unlike the small and restrictive tanks at the facility.

The light was warm against her skin, unlike the suffocating LED’s of the observation room.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The cool water was like a glass of water on a sweltering summer day. It slid against her gills and allowed her to truly breathe for the first time in awhile where she could stretch out her body.

While the light was artificial, it was no where close to fluorescent. It came from multiple sources scatters throughout the deep sea, hidden or invisible entirely.

The fish welcomes her with open arms, the school swimming a circle around her. When Elijah came up in his diving gear, a great white shark did the same.

“Awww, Hi, Arthur,” he spoke as if never underwater, petting the shark’s head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She was living everything she’d ever dreamed as a girl. Swimming among the fish, being accepted as theirs.

For the first time, she didn’t hate the body she was forced into.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The great white, “Arthur”, swam closer to Cordelia now. With an open mouth, it tried to fit her arm in their mouth. It wasn’t looking to eat, no, it had plenty of food here, but it was just exploring this new person.

Elijah giggled, bubbles floating into the water, “Aw, he likes you!”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She grinned wide, petting Arthur with her free hand.

“He’s so cute!!”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The shark chomped down on her arm, nearly piercing skin.

“Don’t let him eat you!” He swam over to lead Arthur away.

He wasn’t the most pleased at being redirected but he got over it quickly, doing a loop to try and swim back to Cordelia.

“He won’t mean to hurt you but he ain’t the smartest.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She didn’t really notice how hard he was biting, she was just happy to get to see a shark again. A real one, not one that’s been butchered and attached to her.

“I love swimming with sharks. It was always my favorite, before— well, before all this.” She gestures to her fishy bits.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We have a place that’s practically perfect for observing the animals! I’m sure Saris would let you swim with them too if you asked and do all your testing. Being a god and all she’s able to have some species that should be long since extinct.”

Elijah opened a door and lo and behold, it was a glass tunnel with benches where fish and sharks and critters of all came swam together. There wasn’t an ounce of fear from the ‘prey’ animals when a shark came a tad close.

“Now, they’re all trained to be docile so the behavior is a bit different but once again, ask for some feral ones and she’ll happily do so.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She marveled at all the species in harmony. So many different things all together to create one beautiful thing.

If only she could see that in herself.

Fish she’d only ever seen in textbooks, things that were traditionally so aggressive, and animals that cowered beneath rocks back home all swam together.

“Wow,” was all she could manage.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah grinned and glanced over his shoulder where a door led into a closet.

“You want to swim among them?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She looked at Elijah he’d sprouted another arm.

“I can do that?”

She looked back out at the seemingly endless expanse of blue. It was more beautiful each time she returned her gaze to it.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Yeah! You can do that anytime,” he opened the door that he was eying up before.

Inside was diving gear for people like him without gills. Above there was a hatch with a metal ladder leading up to it, clear and allowing a perfect view into the expansive blue.

“I can join you in a second if you’d like. There’s plenty of entry points like this.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

With a fair amount of difficulty, she pulls her way up the ladder. She looks back behind her one last time to make sure it was okay, before slipping into the water.

It felt like heaven against a body that was unused to clean water. She pulled oxygen through her gills and it felt right.

The space was open and she could stretch her tail all the way out, unlike the small and restrictive tanks at the facility.

The light was warm against her skin, unlike the suffocating LED’s of the observation room.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The cool water was like a glass of water on a sweltering summer day. It slid against her gills and allowed her to truly breathe for the first time in awhile where she could stretch out her body.

While the light was artificial, it was no where close to fluorescent. It came from multiple sources scatters throughout the deep sea, hidden or invisible entirely.

The fish welcomes her with open arms, the school swimming a circle around her. When Elijah came up in his diving gear, a great white shark did the same.

“Awww, Hi, Arthur,” he spoke as if never underwater, petting the shark’s head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She was living everything she’d ever dreamed as a girl. Swimming among the fish, being accepted as theirs.

For the first time, she didn’t hate the body she was forced into.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The great white, “Arthur”, swam closer to Cordelia now. With an open mouth, it tried to fit her arm in their mouth. It wasn’t looking to eat, no, it had plenty of food here, but it was just exploring this new person.

Elijah giggled, bubbles floating into the water, “Aw, he likes you!”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She grinned wide, petting Arthur with her free hand.

“He’s so cute!!”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We have a place that’s practically perfect for observing the animals! I’m sure Saris would let you swim with them too if you asked and do all your testing. Being a god and all she’s able to have some species that should be long since extinct.”

Elijah opened a door and lo and behold, it was a glass tunnel with benches where fish and sharks and critters of all came swam together. There wasn’t an ounce of fear from the ‘prey’ animals when a shark came a tad close.

“Now, they’re all trained to be docile so the behavior is a bit different but once again, ask for some feral ones and she’ll happily do so.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She marveled at all the species in harmony. So many different things all together to create one beautiful thing.

If only she could see that in herself.

Fish she’d only ever seen in textbooks, things that were traditionally so aggressive, and animals that cowered beneath rocks back home all swam together.

“Wow,” was all she could manage.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah grinned and glanced over his shoulder where a door led into a closet.

“You want to swim among them?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She looked at Elijah he’d sprouted another arm.

“I can do that?”

She looked back out at the seemingly endless expanse of blue. It was more beautiful each time she returned her gaze to it.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Yeah! You can do that anytime,” he opened the door that he was eying up before.

Inside was diving gear for people like him without gills. Above there was a hatch with a metal ladder leading up to it, clear and allowing a perfect view into the expansive blue.

“I can join you in a second if you’d like. There’s plenty of entry points like this.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

With a fair amount of difficulty, she pulls her way up the ladder. She looks back behind her one last time to make sure it was okay, before slipping into the water.

It felt like heaven against a body that was unused to clean water. She pulled oxygen through her gills and it felt right.

The space was open and she could stretch her tail all the way out, unlike the small and restrictive tanks at the facility.

The light was warm against her skin, unlike the suffocating LED’s of the observation room.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The cool water was like a glass of water on a sweltering summer day. It slid against her gills and allowed her to truly breathe for the first time in awhile where she could stretch out her body.

While the light was artificial, it was no where close to fluorescent. It came from multiple sources scatters throughout the deep sea, hidden or invisible entirely.

The fish welcomes her with open arms, the school swimming a circle around her. When Elijah came up in his diving gear, a great white shark did the same.

“Awww, Hi, Arthur,” he spoke as if never underwater, petting the shark’s head.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She was living everything she’d ever dreamed as a girl. Swimming among the fish, being accepted as theirs.

For the first time, she didn’t hate the body she was forced into.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We have a place that’s practically perfect for observing the animals! I’m sure Saris would let you swim with them too if you asked and do all your testing. Being a god and all she’s able to have some species that should be long since extinct.”

Elijah opened a door and lo and behold, it was a glass tunnel with benches where fish and sharks and critters of all came swam together. There wasn’t an ounce of fear from the ‘prey’ animals when a shark came a tad close.

“Now, they’re all trained to be docile so the behavior is a bit different but once again, ask for some feral ones and she’ll happily do so.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She marveled at all the species in harmony. So many different things all together to create one beautiful thing.

If only she could see that in herself.

Fish she’d only ever seen in textbooks, things that were traditionally so aggressive, and animals that cowered beneath rocks back home all swam together.

“Wow,” was all she could manage.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah grinned and glanced over his shoulder where a door led into a closet.

“You want to swim among them?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She looked at Elijah he’d sprouted another arm.

“I can do that?”

She looked back out at the seemingly endless expanse of blue. It was more beautiful each time she returned her gaze to it.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Yeah! You can do that anytime,” he opened the door that he was eying up before.

Inside was diving gear for people like him without gills. Above there was a hatch with a metal ladder leading up to it, clear and allowing a perfect view into the expansive blue.

“I can join you in a second if you’d like. There’s plenty of entry points like this.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

With a fair amount of difficulty, she pulls her way up the ladder. She looks back behind her one last time to make sure it was okay, before slipping into the water.

It felt like heaven against a body that was unused to clean water. She pulled oxygen through her gills and it felt right.

The space was open and she could stretch her tail all the way out, unlike the small and restrictive tanks at the facility.

The light was warm against her skin, unlike the suffocating LED’s of the observation room.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We have a place that’s practically perfect for observing the animals! I’m sure Saris would let you swim with them too if you asked and do all your testing. Being a god and all she’s able to have some species that should be long since extinct.”

Elijah opened a door and lo and behold, it was a glass tunnel with benches where fish and sharks and critters of all came swam together. There wasn’t an ounce of fear from the ‘prey’ animals when a shark came a tad close.

“Now, they’re all trained to be docile so the behavior is a bit different but once again, ask for some feral ones and she’ll happily do so.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She marveled at all the species in harmony. So many different things all together to create one beautiful thing.

If only she could see that in herself.

Fish she’d only ever seen in textbooks, things that were traditionally so aggressive, and animals that cowered beneath rocks back home all swam together.

“Wow,” was all she could manage.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah grinned and glanced over his shoulder where a door led into a closet.

“You want to swim among them?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She looked at Elijah he’d sprouted another arm.

“I can do that?”

She looked back out at the seemingly endless expanse of blue. It was more beautiful each time she returned her gaze to it.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“We have a place that’s practically perfect for observing the animals! I’m sure Saris would let you swim with them too if you asked and do all your testing. Being a god and all she’s able to have some species that should be long since extinct.”

Elijah opened a door and lo and behold, it was a glass tunnel with benches where fish and sharks and critters of all came swam together. There wasn’t an ounce of fear from the ‘prey’ animals when a shark came a tad close.

“Now, they’re all trained to be docile so the behavior is a bit different but once again, ask for some feral ones and she’ll happily do so.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She marveled at all the species in harmony. So many different things all together to create one beautiful thing.

If only she could see that in herself.

Fish she’d only ever seen in textbooks, things that were traditionally so aggressive, and animals that cowered beneath rocks back home all swam together.

“Wow,” was all she could manage.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He smiled and waved her to follow him, pure excitement glittering in his gaze.

“You were a marine biologist right?”

Elijah was taking her down some winding hall that didn’t make much sense to her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nods. “I was. It was my dream since I was little.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, I’m okay. What were you gonna show me?”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Is there anything you want to get off your chest? I have something I want to show you but I don’t wanna pull you away if you just need to chill and talk.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She shakes her head.

“No, you go ahead.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

The next day, a gentle knock hit against her door in a tippity-tap pattern. The voice on the other side wasn’t a familiar one but just as timid as the knocks.

“I just wanted to drop by if that’s okay..?”

“Um— sure, come in?”

She tidies her bed and tries to make herself presentable.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

The man creaks open the door holding a basket of some kind. His crow’s feet crinkle with his polite smile but his deep eyebags stand in stark contrast to the joy. Something in his slumped posture and sweater that’s three sizes too big held a stark contrast to the joyful light he was trying to imitate. He just looked exhausted.

“Saris told me she might bring you in today so I thought I’d give you a house warming gift! I’m Elijah.”

He offered her the basket which was full of various sweets, including macarons, and even had little whale shark plushie.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She accepted the basket, still so unused to all the kindness.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah! I’m Cordelia.”

She figured he already knew that, but it felt nice to introduce herself by something other than a number.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

He did already know that but there was no need to point it out. That was just the natural way this conversation flowed.

“How are you settling in?”

Elijah’s voice was void of most energy and his frame didn’t do well to dispute it as something larger. Even through the baggy clothes, he looked as scrawny as her.

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

“It’s… a lot. Nice, of course, but— I’m not used to this.”

She curls into herself. She doesn’t need to be spiraling right now. Especially when the man before here looked like he wasn’t much better off.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Would it help to know you’re far from the only one who reacted poorly to this kind of stuff? My sister, Raelynn, god, she was a mess when she got here. She threw stuff around, cried, threatened to hurt anyone that got too close.”

His voice cracked, almost…longing? As if talking about a dead woman.

“It’s completely normal, I promise you. You’ll get used to it.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She nodded, thinking. It did make her feel a little better.

“I know. I’m just— hm. Never mind.”

Her arms wrapped around herself and her tail curled up to her chest.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

“Hey…”

He sat next to her on the bed but kept his distance in fear of freaking her out.

“You don’t have to tell me but if you want to then I’m all ears.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She takes a shaky deep breath.

“I don’t know why I’m here. Why me? What did I do different that I deserve all this and the others didn’t?”

She blinks back tears. She doesn’t need to be crying in front of this person she barely knows.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

There was nothing but empathy on his expression. He knew the sentiment all too well himself, especially when he didn’t see himself as anything special. As a matter of fact, he viewed himself as quite the opposite.

“You know, gods are weird sometimes,” he sighed.

“I’ve long since made peace with that fact. They do things that humans can’t comprehend but in the end? We just have to trust them. They’ve been around for who knows how long, longer than humanity, that’s for sure. All we can do is put our trust in their plan.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She’s heard those words plenty of times before. She’d trusted them before. That was what ended her up looking like this. Trusting in some god that told her that everything happened for a reason.

All that got her was the years of her life she never got, and all the years from now she’ll never have.

[lepi-rp-sideblog]

Elijah sighed and patted her on the back. His gaze remained gentle.

“It sounds weird, I know, especially if you’re not from a background like mine but you’ll understand. I grew up in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[reaching-for-the-ripples]

She offers a weak smile, and nods. She knows she’ll like it here. Even if she doesn’t quite understand it yet.