RibbitRogue

A roleplay blog for Frogue the Rouge

[ribbitrogue]

”Ribbit! Frogue the Rogue! At your service- EXCUSE YOU?!”

I’m 18, I forgot to put that, sorry!

OOC Boundaries (Updated):

-No NSFW. Shipping is okay but I might struggle a bit. Blood and violence are also fine (though I have a hard time roleplaying those so be patient)

-Feel free to interact with me regardless of if you are a rp blog or not

-Please be patient, it’s been a year or so since I last roleplayed so my roleplaying skills might not be the best and I may take a while to respond.

-Don’t be a jerk, that’s not cool

I will add more to that list if/when I see fit.

Asks shall be tagged as #which side of the pond

Out of character posts shall be tagged with #OOC: Out of the Swamp

Interactions with blue kingdom members shall be tagged as #Pestering Blue Kingdom

Interactions with red kingdom members will be tagged as #Red Kingdom Shenanigans

Dungeon Runs: #Dungeon but not Delivery

Blue Kingdom:

Interactions with Owain will be tagged as #Lion of the Blue Kingdom

Interactions with Salem will be tagged as #The tag along

Shan: #Bubbles Please!

Red Kingdom:

Interactions with Sir Bek will be tagged as #Red but Green

Interactions with Shelby will be tagged as #Sunny Clown

Interactions with Katie shall be tagged as #Our Bravest

Interactions with Apo shall be tagged as #Princess's Moon

Interactions with Cherri shall be tagged as #Moon’s Princess

[drowning-melodies]

*Frogue came barreling into the blue kingdom, pushing down on the lily pad on his head to flatten it out. He ran up to Shan and let out an excited ribbit.*

“Hi Shan! Can you maybe please put me in a bubble?”

@ribbitrogue

(Take your time responding, I just wanted to make sure we get a Frogue and Shan interaction :D)

“oh–!” shan blinks, surprised by the sudden ribbit. “uh… sure?? hold still.”

she plants the end of her staff into the soft ground with a quiet tap. shan tilts her staff in a slow circle. water follows the motion, spiraling together until it gathers into a clear, wobbling sphere. it shimmers faintly, sunlight bending through it in wavering lines.

with a small flick of her staff, the bubble pops around him, lifting him gently off the ground.

“is that good?” she asks, head tilting slightly.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam around in the bubble, ribbiting happily. His eyes were incredibly wide right now as he moved around like an actual frog in the water.*

“Yes it is Shan! Thank you very much! I’ve missed these bubbles, amazing honestly.”

*He settled at the bottom of the bubble and closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself relax despite the drama within the kingdoms. He let out another ribbit, much smaller this time and almost sounding a bit awkward.*

“Have you been well? I don’t think I’ve heard from you in a while.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches the bubble bob a little as frogue reviles in it, blinking before letting out a small laugh before shrugging a bit.

“i’ve been good. just… busy.” she says, leaning lightly on her staff, eyes flickering briefly toward the kingdom gates in the distance.

she glanced back at him in the bubble, smiling lightly. “what about you? you seem pretty happy in there.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue opened one eye, he seemed more relaxed than he normally was but that could’ve just been because he was in the bubble.*

“Eh. I could be better but it is what it is. The bubble is very nice, pretty calming in here.”

*He hummed to himself as he watched her, still just resting in the bubble. Despite his very relaxed demeanor, his eyes darted between her and the kingdom’s gates.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan leans a little heavier on her staff as the bubble drifts in place, its surface trembling faintly.

using bubble capture took more focus than most of her spells. the water wave was easy–a burst of power and it was done. even holding water didn’t last too long. but the bubble needed constant attention, little threads of magic keeping the surface sealed and steady. to keep whoever was in it breathing.

but… frogue looks comfortable in there. calmer than she’s seen him in a while.

so instead of dropping it, she glances back at him through the watery surface, giving a small tilt of her head. sh exhales slow, steadying the bubble.

“…so,” she says softly, resting her chin on the top of her staff, eyebrows pinched in concentration, “how was it? when you were king, i mean.” she pauses again before adding, "i know it can be hard..."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked away and let out a quiet croak. Part of him wanted to ignore the question but ultimately he decided to answer.*

“It was eh- it was alright. The rule itself wasn’t rough. Maybe the consequences of my, according to some people, very impulsive and brutal actions might be the actual hard part.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck. His entire demeanor had shifted to a more defensive one. His eyes narrowed and he kept his eyes on the ground.*

[drowning-melodies]

shandrea watches the bubble drift, giving it a small tap with the end of her staff when it starts to wobble. “i get that,” she says, shrugging a little.

the corner of her mouth twitches slightly.

“when i wore the crown, it was mostly just fixing things after the war. gates, canals, people arguing, that sort of thing.” she rolls her shoulder a bit, still keeping the spell steady. “not really the same kind of ruling you had... from what i've heard..”

“still,” she adds, “being in charge of a whole kingdom does weird things to people. make them act... impulsively.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced at her before taking a deep breath. He started croaking a lot but they were muffled, as if he was suppressing them.*

“Well I’m glad someone’s run as the ruler better than mine did.”

*He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He huffed and shook his head.*

“And impulsive is a word for it I guess.”

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts a little at that, the bubble wobbling as she shifts her weight.

“hey, don’t say that,” she says, tilting her head and looking at him through the bubble.

“at least people will remember your reign.” she gives a small shrug. “mine was months of fixing damage from a war i wasn’t even here for and then everyone kinda.. brushed me aside.”

“at least yours was memorable,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Yeah, I guess, but mine was so memorable that I was kicked out of the Red Kingdom.”

*He froze as soon as he said that. He wasn’t sure if she already knew about that but he was not fond of the idea that he might’ve just offered that information up willingly. He started kicking at the bubble, attempting to escape and run off.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks.

“wait–you actually–“

then he starts kicking the bubble, causing her to grip her staff tighter, instinctively focusing on the spell. instead of weakening, the bubble pulls tighter, wobbling but holding firm as he kicks at it.

she squints at him through the water.

“…i thought that was a rumor? did you actually get kicked out?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He stayed silent for a moment and continued kicking the bubble, when he realized his attempts were futile he gave up and glanced at her. His eyes were narrowed but also filled with- fear perhaps?*

“If you must know, then yes. I’ve been kicked out.”

[drowning-melodies]

“oh, frogue…”

the spell slips away instantly, the bubble dissolving into mist and dropping him from where he’d been floating.

shan shifts her grip on her staff as the awkward silence grows thin, before blurting out, “do you want to go to the lagoon with me?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hit the ground with a gentle thud, pushing himself off the ground. He looked away and nodded, refusing to make eye contact now.*

“If you can stand being around me, then sure.*

*He stared at the ground, every fiber of his being just yelling at him to run. However he stayed.*

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts softly, “i invited you, frogue,” she says, a little amused. “if i couldn’t stand you i wouldn’t have.”

she twirls her staff once in her hand, glancing down the path towards the gates. then she starts walking a few steps, then looks back at him and smiles, gesturing for him to follow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated for a moment before following her. He made a few more muffled croaking sounds as they walked. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, not knowing if this was even safe, so he decided to just shut his mouth for once.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks a little ahead, staff tapping lightly against the ground as they head down the path. after a bit she glances back at him, noticing how quiet he is.

“…you know you don’t have to be that quiet,” she says, smiling gently. “it’s kinda weird not hearing you speak every five seconds.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets.*

“I mean- what am I supposed to talk about? How I’m going to be living alone in the Fark Hall forever now?”

*He let out a small huff as he spoke, kicking a pebble along the path.*

“Not much for me to talk about otherwise.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums lightly, before walking quietly beside him for a moment, staff tapping lightly against the path. then she glances over at him.

“what’s your favorite color?” her tone is casual, like she’s just handing him something else to talk about. something to distract them both.

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes widened, clearly not expecting such a basic question.*

“Oh uh- green probably. I like green. It’s a really nice color, it feels- safe? If that makes sense. I assume your favorite color would be blue?”

*He tilted his head. His body relaxed at the less intense conversation topic, though he still seemed relatively cautious.*

[drowning-melodies]

“purple, actually,” she says with a smile. “everyone just assumes blue.” she nudges a pebble off the path with the end of her staff as they keep walking.

after a moment she adds, with a small shrug, “green’s a good one though.”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh. Well purple is nice, that would’ve been my second guess.”

*He hummed softly as they walked down the path. His tongue occasionally flicked out to grab an insect.*

“What’s your favorite food?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks beside him, staff resting over her shoulder as she thinks for a second.

"fish,” she says, smiling. then she glances at him and adds with a small shrug, “grilled, usually. or sometimes just salted.”

she pushes a curl behind her ear, looking towards him. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He ran a hand along his face as he thought about his answer.*

“Well now that I’m a humanoid frog my diet is limited to insects and whatnot. I mean I can eat normal food but it’s just not as nutritious for me.”

*He looked up at the sky before looking back at her.*

“As I am currently, I’d say fruit flies. Moths aren’t terrible but they’ve got a weird aftertaste. Before I was a frog though, I’d probably say chicken wings.”

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah, chicken wings are pretty good,” she says with a nodding.

the path opens up into sand, waves rolling steadily onto the shore. shan slows a bit when they reach the beach.

the closer she gets to the water, the louder the familiar murmuring gets in the back of her head–distant voices layered together, like something carried in on the tide. she tightens her grip on the staff for a second, eyes flicking out across the water.

then she exhales, stepping onto the sand.

“just in time for the sunset!!” she smiles, thought it appears a little more.. pained then before.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, he glanced at her and tilted his head.*

“Yeah. It should be pretty.”

*He paused and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to do.*

“You alright? You seem a bit- out of it?”

*He looked at the water, half tempted to run over and sit in it but he instead chose to continue walking with her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks when he touches her shoulder, like he’s pulled her back from somewhere. she waves a hand quickly. “i’m.. i’m fine.”

the voices press harder at the back of her mind, rising like a high tide. she tenses for a second before forcing her shoulders to relax.

not now, she thinks. this isn’t about you.

shan drags the end of her staff through the sand as she keeps walking. after a moment she turns toward him, nodding out toward the water.

“c’mon,” she says. “the sunsets are always prettier out on the open sea!!” she flinches slightly before smiling as if to cover it up.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started towards the water. The edges of the lilypad on his head began to wrap downward as he walked. He glanced at her every once in a while, trying to figure out what could be wrong but not wanting to pry.*

“It’s been a while since I actually took the time to watch a sunset.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums quietly as they reach the shoreline, spinning her staff once in her hand. the voices get louder near the water, but she just focuses on the horizon instead.

“…yeah,” she says after a moment. “i don’t think i’ve really watched one in a while either.”

she gives a small shrug before offering her hand. “c’mon let’s watch it together,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated but took her hand. His hand was kind of slimy, as if holding a literal frog.*

“I don’t think anyone has really had the time to.”

*He watched the waves for a moment before looking out at the horizon himself. He took a deep breath and let out a small croak as he said something unexpected.*

“Thank you for inviting me to come see this.”

[drowning-melodies]

she glances towards him when he thanks her, shoulders lifting in a small shrug.

“thanks for letting me show you.” shan squeezes his hand lightly before staring at the sunset, smiling softly.

the voices seem to lull then. still there, they always were, but here under the setting sun, they quieted. she takes a breath.

“we should start heading out, huh?” she taps the side of a neat rowboat, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and hopped into the rowboat.*

“That we should.”

*He watched her for a moment before looking at the water. His tongue flicked out into the water, causing a small fish to swim away. He gave a small chuckle as he watched it dart off.*

[drowning-melodies]

she laughs at his antics before stepping into the rowboat after him, steadying it with one hand on the side. she pushes them off from the sand before settling onto the seat and picking up the oars.

she dips the oars into the water and starts rowing, the boat rocking gently as they move farther from shore.

“it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asks, staring off into the sunset, a smile on her face.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, leaning over the edge of the boat. He watched the sunset, the lilypad on his head folding down into a hood.*

“It really is beautiful.”

*He croaked quietly, a small smile on his face as he observed the scene around them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets the boat drift once they’re far enough out, resting the oars across the sides. she watches the horizon for a moment, the water gently rocking beneath them.

“…yeah,” she says after a second, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

she leans to the side a little, trailing her fingers through the water beside the boat. her breath slows as she lets the boat drift, soaking in the sunlight.

she hasn’t felt peace like this for.. a while.

“oh–we made it,” she says quietly, gesturing into the depths to the sea lanterns of the night market.

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked into the depths and tilted his head, eyes widening.*

“Oh is this where everyone went that one time when I slept in? With the weird fish guy and the shark?”

*He leaned over further, only just barely in the boat as he tried to get a better look. His eyes sifted between the visible buildings and such.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i think so..?” she tilts her head slightly. “i wasn’t there either..”

shan leans over the side of the boat, peering down into the shifting blue below. the shapes of buildings and stone blur faintly beneath the surface.

for a second she just watches the dark blue below, fingers tightening slightly on the edge of the boat, nausea whirl pooling in her stomach.

then, quieter, more to herself than him–

“…you ready?”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her before nodding. He rolled out of the boat and into the water, he floated there for a moment before diving down under. He swam around, occasionally looking back to see what Shan doing.*

[drowning-melodies]

when frogue slips into the water, the boat rocks gently. shan watches the ripples for a second, then takes a slow breath.

another.

then she slides over the edge of the boat and into the water.

she forces herself to stay calm, taking one last deep breath before dipping under and swimming down, pushing through the water with steady strokes. the cold closes around her as she swims down, pushing forward with quick, determined strokes.

shan pushes through the hole into the lagoon, arms burning slightly from holding her breath that long.

the moment her head breaks the surface she gasps, dragging in a sharp breath of air before grabbing onto the stone edge beside the entrance. for a second she just stays there, breathing hard, water dripping from her hair.

then she wipes her face with one hand and turns back toward the opening she came through, peering down into the darker water behind her.

"frogue?" she calls out into the darkness.

[ribbitrogue]

*It took a couple more minutes before he poked his head out of the water. He blinked one eye at a time for a moment before announcing his arrival rather loudly.*

“I’m here! I got distracted, there’s a lot to look at around here. Weird looking fish and whatnot.”

*He swam over but let himself lay back in the water near the stone edge.*

“You alright?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he finally pops up, letting out a small breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“yeah, yeah, i’m fine,” she says quickly.

she pulls herself up onto the sandy edge of the lagoon, water dripping from her clothes as she stands. brushing some wet hair out of her face, she offers him a hand.

“c’mon,” she adds, nodding further into the lagoon. “time to go fishing.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and grabbed her hand, letting her help him up. He snickered to himself as he stepped onto the sand.*

“Imagine Owain trying to make that swim. I can’t imagine that would go well with how heavy his armor is.”

*He hummed and looked around the lagoon, trying to find a good spot to set everything up.*

[drowning-melodies]

she lets out a small laugh, brushing some wet hair out of her face. “yeah,” she says. “that armor would drag him straight to the bottom.”

she glances out across the lagoon for a moment, then crouches near the edge of the sand where a couple fishing rods are leaning against a rock. she grabs one and straightens, giving it a small spin in her hand before offering the other toward frogue. then she nods toward the water.

“here,” she says. “might as well actually catch something.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He took the fishing rod from her and waddled over to the water. He sat down on the edge of it and cast the line, watching as it moved in the water.*

“You go fishing often?”

*His gaze didn’t move away from the bobber, simply watching as he impatiently waited for something to happen, his hand fidgeting with the handle.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks over and drops down onto the sand a little ways from him before casting a line out into the water, the line arcing out before the bobber settles on the rippling surface.

“not really,” she admits with a small shrug, eyes flicking to the water.

“i mean–i like fish,” she adds, a little offhand. "just don't have the time anymore..."

she shifts slightly in the sand, watching her bobber drift with the slow movement of the lagoon. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“Nah. I’ve never been one for fishing. Takes forever for a little reward.”

*He hummed, keeping his focus on his bobber. He frowned slightly as it stayed afloat, getting a bit annoyed with it.*

“I mean they take forever and half the time they’re like- the size of a kitten.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches her bobber drift for a moment before shrugging a little. “yeah, it can take a while,”

she rests her forearms on her knees, rod angled loosely toward the water. “where i come from people fished all the time,” she adds after a second. “i used to,” she says with a small shrug. “kinda hard not to when you’re around the ocean all the time.”

her eyes flick back to the water.

"though i could never sit still enough to catch anything bigger than a guppy." she laughs lightly at the memory, though her shoulders are tight.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her, considering how to respond. He let out a little croak before shaking his head.*

“Hm. Must’ve been nice. Having a community that did that sort of stuff I mean.”

*He looked back at his fishing rod, though he clearly wasn’t focused on the activity anymore. He shifted, leaning back on his elbows.*

“Yeah sitting still is hard. I’m certainly no good at it. It’s just so dull and boring.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him when he says that and for a second she doesn’t answer.

must’ve been nice.

the words echo a little louder in her head than they should. the voices press in with them–overlapping murmurs she tries not to listen to.

you remember how that ended.

her grip tightens slightly on the fishing rod. she forces the thought away before it can settle. “…yeah,” she says after a moment, voice quieter than before. her gaze drifts back to the water, watching the slow bob of the float on the lagoon’s surface.

“it was nice.”

the voices don’t really stop, but she pushes them to the back of her mind. before shrugging lightly. “bannerfall’s not too bad either.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her again, feeling the energy shift. He scooted a bit closer, unsure of what to do. He decided to attempt to be humorous by gently bonking her head like one might bonk some bongos.*

“Eh. Bannerfall is its own flavor of nonsense. It’s not terrible yeah, but it’s definitely got its faults.”

*He decided to attempt to play into the humor a bit more by just throwing out a random comparison.*

“It’s like a burnt pie. Like yeah it’s good, it’s pie, but it’s also burnt.”

[drowning-melodies]

she looks over at him, eyes squinting in confusion for a second before she suddenly snorts and bursts into laughter.

“a burnt pie?” she repeats, still laughing a little as she shakes her head.

she glances back out at the lagoon, her bobber drifting lazily across the surface. “…yeah,” she says with a small shrug, still giggling. “that sounds about right.”

she smiles brightly towards him, still laughing lightly.

[ribbitrogue]

”Yep. Burnt pie.”

*He nodded with a chuckle, smiling back at her. He reeled in his fishing rod and put it to the side, knowing he was over it.*

“Maybe a burnt pancake but that’s pushing it.”

*He leaned backwards, using his arms to keep him sat up just enough to watch Shan fish.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s laughter fades into a small grin as she looks back at the water, rod still resting loosely in her hands. "giving up already?"

her bobber dips suddenly.

shan straightens a bit, giving the line a quick tug before reeling it in. when the line breaks the surface, it isn’t a fish dangling there but a small shell. she pulls it closer, prying it open with her fingers before a small, pale pearl rolls into her palm.

for a second she just looks at it, then dips her hand into the lagoon and gently swishes it through the water to rinse the sand off.

she stares at it for a moment, twisting it between two fingers, watching the way its shines under the lagoon's glow. then she holds it out toward frogue.

“here,” she says simply, smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well yeah I’m giving up already! It’s boringggg.”

*He paused when she hooked something, watching intently as she reeled it in.*

“Oh!”

*He carefully took the pearl from her and rolled it around in his hand for a bit. He watched it with wide eyes.*

“I- oh uh- thank you. I didn’t even know these could look this nice, especially straight out of the shell.”

*He hummed quietly as he continued to rotate the pearl in his hand, being incredibly careful as to not drop it back into the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him turn the pearl over in his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“yeah,” she agrees, smiling softly. she props her elbows on her knees, rod already angled lazily toward the water.

“did you know they come in different colors?” she adds after a moment. “not just white?”

she looks toward the pearl in his hand.

“there’s pink ones, black ones… even gold ones sometimes.”

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes got even wider as he turned to look at her.*

”They can be different colors?! What the heck! Nobody told me that! Why does everyone just wear the white ones then?!”

*He looked back at the pearl before carefully sliding it into the most secure pocket he had, no way was he going to lose it.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches his reaction, and a quiet laugh slips out of her before she can stop it. she twirls the end of the fishing rod between her fingers, then nods toward the pocket he tucked it into.

“each color’s supposed to mean something too.”

her voice is casual, like it’s just a random fact she’s remembering.

“white ones–like that one–usually mean new beginnings.”

for a second her gaze drifts across the lagoon water, the glow berries light rippling over the surface. then she shrugs lightly.

“seems like you got a pretty fitting one.” it comes out light hearted, though something quieter sits beneath it.

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced back at his pocket when she said that, a small smile crossing his face before he nodded.*

“Seems it is fitting, for good or for bad I suppose.”

*He looked back at the water, watching the ripples of light but also trying to see where the fish in here were.*

“I mean I guess that’s a good reason to wear white pearls then. Maybe I’ll figure out how to put this one on a bracelet or something.”

*He mumbled he last sentence quietly, like he didn’t intend to say it out loud.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan reels the line in slightly, making sure the hook's still set before letting it drift back out across the water.

"a bracelet could work," she says, thoughtfully. "or a necklace."

she glances over at him, "if you want, i could help."

"used to make some of my own," she adds with a small shrug. "nothing fancy or anything... but enough to make it wearable."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her, considering the offer. After a moment he let out a little ribbit and nodded.*

“If it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, I’d appreciate it. You don’t have to though.”

*He pulled the pearl out of his pocket to look at it, rolling it around in his hand once more. He looked back up to watch her fishing rod again, his attention split between the two things.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he pulls the pearl back out, the line of her mouth curving faintly.

“it’s not a hassle,” she says. “promise.”

after a moment she nods toward the pearl in his palm.

“just need some cord. maybe a clasp if we’re being fancy.” her fingers wander back up to her one of own necklaces, absentmindedly turning one of the pearls between them.

“i could make it into a bracelet pretty easy,” she adds. “it would suit you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, continuing to roll the pearl around.*

“I should have some cord back at the Fark Hall. Not a clasp though but that’s fine. Even a clasp might be too fancy for me.”

*He looked at her and smiled. A peaceful expression on his face as he thought about the current situation.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him and a matching smile spreads across her face.“well,” she says lightly, “when you find that cord, bring it on by.”

she shifts the fishing rod a little, watching the bobber drift across the water.

she turns to face him, a smile still on her lips. “i’ll make it into something for you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He grinned, putting the pearl back into his pocket. He croaked a couple times in a quick succession.*

“Will do. Gives me an opportunity to snoop around the blue kingdom too.”

*He giggled a bit, watching the fishing rod again.*

“Maybe I’ll get myself a froglight from 4c while I’m at it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan snorts softly at first, like she’s about to laugh along with him before stilling at the word “froglight” her fishing rod stills in her hands. she glances over at him, brows lifting a little.

“hey,” she says, tone light but firm. “don’t go farming 4c.” she nudges his shoulder with hers, not hard—more of a warning tap than anything.

“he’s a person, not a resource.”

“you can snoop around all you want,” she adds, glancing back at the water, “but leave him out of it.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed, shifting awkwardly now as he realized that he hadn’t been very funny with that one.*

“I- sorry. You’re right I guess.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the sand.*

“The froglights are just pretty and like- everyone in the red kingdom was pestering me about getting them for a while. Obviously not an excuse so-“

*He paused before rummaging through one of his other pockets, not the one with the pearl. He pulled a surprisingly dry envelope out.*

“I did actually try to write him an apology letter. Looks kind of bad though, hard to write with frog hands.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him pull the envelope out, and something in her expression softens.

“you already wrote one,” she echoes quietly. she looks at the letter for a second before glancing back toward the water, the rod shifting slightly in her hands.

“…sorry,” she adds after a moment, a little awkward. “i just–“

she pauses, searching for the words.

“i just… don’t like when people talk about him like that.” she whispers, eyes still glued to the ripples in the water. “i just… i’m sorry…”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“No no I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m the one who’s be harassing him since day one basically. Your reaction was totally fair.”

*He slid the envelope back into his pocket as he sighed.*

“Like I said, it’s a bad letter. I do have a couple froggy tokens packed into here though so maybe that would make up for my awful handwriting.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him slide the envelope back into his pocket, quiet for a moment. “i’d offer to rewrite it for you,” she says after a second, glancing over, “but i have dyslexia...”

she gives a small shrug, mouth tilting a little.

“so mine would probably end up worse.”

her gaze drifts back to the water, rod shifting lightly in her hands.

“but the effort’s what matters anyways.” she smiles, turning towards him “i’m sure he’ll forgive you,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh! I didn’t know that.”

*He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back and laying in the sand.*

“I mean I hope he’ll accept it. I’ll admit I was definitely less than polite though so if I were him I probably wouldn’t accept it. That’s just if I were him though.”

[drowning-melodies]

she listens quietly, the line drifting across the lagoon while he talks.

“4c’s… pretty forgiving,” she says after a moment. her eyes stay on the water, but her focus drifts somewhere else for a second.

she remembers the look on his face when she told him–halting, uncertain words about her tribe, about the blood and the silence and the way the memories never lined up quite right. the way she’d expected anger. or fear.

and how he had just pulled her close, rubbing circles onto her back.

shan blinks, pulling herself back to the present.

“he’s forgiven me for worse,” she adds, voice light like it’s just another passing thought, but the words linger. she gives a small shrug, rod shifting in her hands.

“so… i think you’ll be fine.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue looked at her, tilting his head a bit. He scooted a bit closer. He was clearly curious about what she’d done that supposedly needed forgiveness, however he didn’t ask about it.*

“Huh. Good for him. Most rogues aren’t the most forgiving, though apologies also aren’t given often to most rogues.”

*He sat up, flicking his tongue out to grab a nearby bug.*

“But yeah, I trust your word so if you think he’ll forgive me then I’ll take your word for it.”

[drowning-melodies]

she watches the slow drift of the bobber for a moment before she speaks again. ”4c is. mae is too.”

her eyes stay on the water, following the small rings the line makes on the surface. “they’re probably two of the most forgiving people i’ve met.”

there’s a brief pause. then, quieter–almost like she didn’t mean to say it out loud–

“…they’re more than i deserve.”

she goes still for a second after that, like the words slipped out without permission. then she clears her throat, ignoring the tears building up, eyes glued to the bobber.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned and scooted closer, slowly wrapping his arms around her. He carefully pat her head, croaking quietly in a way that was his attempt at being calming.*

“I obviously don’t know what you’ve been through but personally, I think you deserve more than what life has been giving you.”

*He looked at the bobber before looking back at her, trying to figure out the right thing to say.*

“Life is mean. Just because certain things happened, doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of good moments.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan stiffens a little when he wraps his arms around her, not pulling away–just going still for a second like she isn’t used to it.

his words sit in the air.

she watches the bobber instead of looking at him.

"i don't deserve it..." she admits, voice softened by acceptance. she stares at the lagoon, eyes sparkling with tears as they track the bobber. "i'm a monster, frogue..."

the words come out as a whisper. there was no flourish or drama. just acceptance. sharp and brittle.

certain.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, shaking his head.*

“I don’t think so and even if you were, aren’t we all monsters to some extent? I mean- look at what I’ve done recently. Or Sausage.”

*He sighed and squeezed her a bit, doing his best to help without being overwhelming.*

“Someone who doesn’t deserve nice things wouldn’t care. They wouldn’t be questioning if they deserve something nice, they would assume that they do deserve it.”

*He sighed and adjusted the way he was hugging her, now more of a side hug as he was unsure if the hug was helping or making the situation worse.*

[drowning-melodies]

his words don’t seem to land–or maybe they do, just somewhere she doesn’t know how to reach. her grip tightens slightly around the fishing rod before loosening again.

“…that’s not–” she starts, but the sentence falls apart halfway through. she swallows, hard and for a second it looks like she’s not going to say anything else. then–

“i killed them,” she says, the words catching on the way out.

quiet. uneven.

she doesn't look at him.

“all of them.” her breathing starts to go shallow, just slightly off. “my whole–” she cuts herself off, jaw tightening.

“…everyone.”

silence.

then her vision blurs. she blinks once. twice.

it doesn’t help.

the tears slip over anyway, slow and quiet, trailing down without a sound. her shoulders draw in a little, like she’s trying to make herself smaller, breath stuttering just enough to not be steady anymore. she wants to hug him back, truly, but she can't move. she can't move

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused for a moment before wrapping himself around her in a proper hug once more. He shut his mouth this time, knowing more about the situation. There wasn’t much he could say to help and he knew that, so he opted to just hold her and try his best without saying anything.*

*He carefully removed the fishing rod from her hand and tossed it off to the side, not wanting it to end up harming her in some way. His eyes closed once he did that, unsure what exactly would help. Part of him wanted to run off and go get someone else to deal with the situation, but he stayed put.*

[drowning-melodies]

she tenses when he pulls her into a tighter hug, breath catching for a second—but she doesn’t pull away.

the fishing rod leaving her hands barely registers.her hands curl weakly into the fabric of his clothes instead, like she needs something to hold onto.her breathing stutters, uneven, trying and failing to steady.

she shakes her head slightly against him.“i didn’t–” she tries, voice breaking.

another breath, sharper this time.

“i didn’t mean to–” the words fall apart before they can finish.

her shoulders hitch, silent tears pressing harder now, slipping down without restraint. she presses her face into him, like hiding will make it stop–like if she doesn’t see anything, it won’t feel so loud.

but it doesn’t quiet.

her breathing getting quicker, thinner, like she can’t quite get enough air. still, she doesn’t push him away. she just holds on, like letting go would make everything worse.

[ribbitrogue]

“Of course you didn’t…”

*He mumbled quietly, giving her a small squeeze. He rubbed her back gently, trying to help ground her.*

“I’m here, I’ve got you. I’m right here and you can let out as much as you need to.”

*He let her hold onto him, figuring this would probably help. Gods did he wish he were anyone else right now and actually knew what to do. Though he pushed that feeling down to make room in his head for the present moment.*

“I’m here for you, no matter what.”

*He continued rubbing her back, occasionally reaching his other hand up to attempt to wipe away the tears coming down her face.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i-i didn’t–” she tries, but it tangles, breaks apart.

her fingers clutch tighter into his clothes. her breathing keeps slipping, uneven, too fast... like she couldn't quite catch it. she presses her face further into him when he tries to wipe her tears, not pulling away, just hiding.

“they’re–” she starts, voice shaking. “they’re all gone–”

another hitch in her breath.

her shoulders tremble under his hands, silent sobs building now instead of just quiet tears. “i can’t–” she gasps softly, the words barely there. “i can’t fix it–”

she curls in closer, like she’s trying to fold in on herself, but she doesn’t let go of him. not even a little. it's like he’s the only thing keeping her anchored while everything else slips.

"i-i can't save them."

[ribbitrogue]

*He held her tighter, just doing his best to be there for her. He gently moved her head so they were making eye contact.*

“Hey, look at me. I’m here and nothing bad is going to happen. It won’t happen again.”

*He took a deep breath, scrambling internally to figure out what to do.*

“Okay um… let’s uh-“

*He glanced at the water before looking back at her again, shaking his head.*

“It’s not going to happen again.”

[drowning-melodies]

her eyes dart back up to his, wide and unfocused, like she’s seeing something that isn’t there.

“no–you don’t–” her voice catches, breath stuttering. her grip on him tightens. “i’m going to lose you,” she says, the words rushing out, uneven and breathless. “i’m going to lose everyone–”

you couldn’t save them you let them drown it was your fault.

her shoulders hitch at the voices, tears spilling faster now.

she presses closer like she’s trying to hold onto something she already believes is slipping away, her breathing uneven and shallow, like she can’t escape the thought looping in her head.

[ribbitrogue]

“No you’re not. I’m not going anywhere, nobody is going anywhere. I promise you that I won’t let that happen.”

*He hummed, continuing to hold her tightly. His eyes were locked onto hers as he just started saying whatever he could.*

“I promise you that you’re not going to lose everyone again. Look at me, I promise.”

[drowning-melodies]

she shakes her head, sharp and certain.

“you can’t promise that,” she says, breath uneven, voice breaking around the edges. her grip tightens, almost desperate now. “you don’t–” she chokes on the words, breath hitching. “you don’t know what i can do–”

her shoulders tremble, tears spilling faster, silent but relentless.

you’ll do it again you'll let them drown again

she squeezes her eyes shut for a second, like she can block it out–

it doesn’t work.

“i'm a monster,” she whispers, voice small but certain. “i've hurt people. i've killed people–”

her hands twist tighter in his clothes, like she’s afraid if she lets go even slightly, he’ll disappear. her breathing stays uneven, shallow, the panic still sitting heavy in her chest–even with him right there.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, genuinely unsure how to help now. He hugged her even tighter and spoke quietly, figuring his words weren’t doing much regardless.*

“You’re not a monster, Shan. You’re just- a person. You’ve done really bad things, yes, and it is important to acknowledge that. But you’ve also done amazing things that also deserve acknowledgment.”

*He continued to rub her back, with a bit more force now though in hopes of that doing literally anything.*

“Maybe you’re right about how I can’t promise it won’t happen again but- I can sure try to prevent it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s grip tightens weakly in his clothes as she looks up at him.

"how..?" she asks, voice thin and shaking. her eyes search his, unfocused but desperate. "how can you prevent the inevitable?"

her breath stutters, uneven, panic threading through every word.

“i’ve tried already,” she says. “i tried–i tried to stop it the first time, i tried, i swear i did–”

her voice breaks, shoulders hitching.

“but there was so much blood,” she chokes, the words catching hard. “and i don’t remember–i don’t remember anything but them screaming–”

“i don’t remember,” she repeats, quieter, shaking.

[ribbitrogue]

“I don’t know, if I’m being honest with you. I wouldn’t know until it actually happened, but I promise you that I’d do my best to prevent as much of the damage as I could in the moment.”

*He frowned, his eyes carefully watching hers. He shook his head and made a small croaking noise.*

“I’ll figure something out because you’re not alone in this. Not anymore. I’m here to help however I can.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan goes quiet at that. her breathing is still uneven, catching every few seconds, but she doesn’t try to push him away anymore.

instead, she just leans into him fully. her arms wrap around him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder.

“i’m sorry,” she whispers, voice small and breaking.

it’s not clear what she’s apologizing for.

everything, maybe.

her grip tightens just a little more, like she’s afraid if she lets go, she’ll fall apart again.

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head, letting her lean into him. He closed his eyes and just let himself be clung to.*

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, especially not to me. Just focus on yourself right now.”

*He gently pat her head with one hand while the other held her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan shakes her head weakly against him, but she doesn’t argue again. her grip stays tight for a moment longer… then slowly, just slightly, eases.

her breathing is still uneven, but it starts to slow–little by little.

she squeezes her eyes shut, pressing her face into his shoulder.

“…i’m sorry,” she murmurs again, softer now.

she stays there, holding onto him, letting herself just sit in it for a moment instead of fighting it, like she doesn’t trust herself to move yet.

[ribbitrogue]

“It’s alright…”

*He held her, glad that she seemed to be calming down now. He hummed a soft tune as he watched over her for the moment.*

“Just take a minute, focus on what’s going on right now. Everything else can buzz off right now.”

[drowning-melodies]

she doesn’t respond right away. her eyes stay closed, breath still a little shaky, but steadier than before. she leans into him, letting his voice sit there without fighting it.

after a moment, her grip shifts—not as desperate now, just… holding.

grounding.

she takes a slow breath. then another.

“…okay,” she murmurs quietly. her voice is small, but it’s there.

she stays like that, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of something real–his arms around her, the sand beneath them, the sound of the water nearby–letting everything else fade just a little.

a breath.

"thank you..." she whispers, breath finally slow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and smiled slightly, his eyes shifting back to the water.*

“Anytime.”

*He looked around before sighing.*

“Should we perhaps head back to the kingdoms? We’ve been out here a while and lord knows what the other weirdos around here might’ve been up to.”

*He looked back at her and gave her a little squeeze.*

“Or we can stay here a while longer, whatever works for you. I’ve got nowhere to be.”

[drowning-melodies]

after a second, she shifts slightly–tilting her head and resting it against his shoulder, her gaze drifting out over the lagoon.

“…maybe a little longer,” she murmurs.

then, after a quiet beat–

“how did we even end up like this?” she asks, voice soft, a little worn but lighter now.

“two ex-monarchs,” she adds faintly, a breath of a laugh slipping through, “sitting in the sand having a breakdown over fishing.”

a faint laugh slips out of her at that, soft and a little shaky, shaking her head from where it rests on his shoulder.

“kinda pathetic, huh?” she says, though there’s no real bite to it.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well if this is pathetic, so are the kingdoms. I’d say our situation is reflective of the kingdoms as a whole.”

*He chuckled a little, letting her remain where she was. He let out a couple happy sounding ribbits.*

“It’s symbolic in a way I suppose.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly at that, the sound low and thoughtful. her head stays resting against his shoulder, eyes drifting over the lagoon as the water moves in slow, quiet ripples.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

there’s a small pause.

“symbolic, huh…”

she shifts slightly, not pulling away–just settling more comfortably.

“still better than being alone,” she adds after a moment, voice quiet but steady. her gaze stays on the water, the faintest hint of a smile lingering as she lets the quiet sit between them.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh I can definitely agree with that.”

*He nodded, being quiet after he spoke. He hummed a soft tune as he considered what to do. He leaned back a bit, moving one arm to keep himself propped up.*

*He started to zone out a bit as he thought about what led him here and that thought slowly drifted to speculation about the other people in the kingdoms. He shook his head, shaking himself of it.*

“Do you ever think about how weird it is that everyone ended up here? Like there is such an interesting variety of people here.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan is quiet for a moment, watching the water as he speaks.

“…yeah,” she says after a second.

her fingers brush idly through the sand, her eyes following the slow ripple of the water, expression softer now. “it’s strange…”

she hesitates, just for a second, like she almost doesn’t say the next part. “…i think i like it, though.”

another small pause, quieter this time.

"everyone kinda just... belongs.." she trails off. "no matter how different they are."

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, glancing at the water. He smiled softly as he thought a bit more.*

“Everyone does belong here. Makes this place unique. How many places can say they welcomed a frog rogue, eh? Or a slimy fellow like 4c or- 90% of us really.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

“I’d bet 10 Froggy Tokens that no other kingdoms could say that stuff.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a small huff of a laugh at that, but it fades quickly into something softer. her gaze drifts out over the water, fingers idly brushing through the sand, "yeah..."

a small pause.

“i’ve never really been… accepted anywhere else.”

she shrugs lightly, like she’s trying to make it sound like it doesn’t matter. “always been… 'different'.” her eyes flick back to the lagoon, expression calmer now. “…bannerfall’s different, though.” another pause.

“i’ve thought about leaving,” she admits, her eyes staying on the lagoon.

“just… figured it’d be easier for everyone.. if i was.. gone” she trails off slightly.

another small shrug.

“…but i never did.”

"guess that says something.."

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue gently elbowed her.*

“I was thinking the same thing honestly. Just leaving. Sometimes I still consider it, actually. Sometimes I climb on top of the Fark Hall and look out into the forest and just contemplate that for hours.”

*He shrugged, looking at the water once more. He shook his head after a moment.*

“But I mean yeah, we’re still here.”

[drowning-melodies]

she' s quiet for a moment, gaze fixed on the water.

“…we’re still here,” she echoes softly.

the words sit with her.

she doesn’t add anything else. just stays where she is, hands resting loosely in the sand, letting the quiet stretch out between them as the lagoon ripples gently ahead.

"i like being here," she says with a small smile.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, letting himself watch the water.*

“It’s nice.”

*He hummed softly. He put one hand in his pocket as he watched the gentle ripples of the lagoon, fidgeting with lining of his pocket. His gaze occasionally shifted between the water and the glowberry vines.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly in agreement, eyes following the slow current of the lagoon.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

she leans back slightly, resting her weight on her hands in the sand, gaze drifting along the water’s edge.

a small pause.

“…we should probably head back soon,” she adds, voice light, like she doesn’t really want to move just yet.

[ribbitrogue]

*He groaned, rolling his head back.*

“But I don’t wannaaaaaaaaa.”

*He crossed his arms, making an exaggerated pouty expression. He laughed a little before continuing to play this game of having an attitude akin to that of an upset bunny.*

“Nuh uh. I’m not moving. In fact, I live right here now. Yep.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks at him for a second–then snorts, a quiet laugh slipping out.

“oh, do you now?” another soft laugh slips out. “what about your fark hall?” she teases, tilting her head slightly, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, breaking the pouty act.*

“Okay maybe you have a point. I do gotta get back there, make sure nobody’s done anything stupid.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

[drowning-melodies]

“exactly,” she says, smiling.

she pushes herself up to her feet, brushing the sand from her skirt, movements unhurried. then she holds out her hand, "c'mon,"

[ribbitrogue]

*He giggled a bit, taking her hand and pushing himself up.*

“Yeah yeah I’m coming.”

[drowning-melodies]

she gives his hand a small tug to help him up, then she turns to walk towards the hole leading up to the surface

her gaze lifts up toward the opening above, seawater spilling down in a constant, shimmering waterfall from the higher break in the caverns ceiling.

her smile fades a little. not gone–just thinner.

before she can think too much about it, she steps into the pool, swimming up and out of the lagoon.

when she makes it to the boat, inhales sharply, pushing herself up and onto the wooden surface. she glances down into the water, waiting for the frog.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam through the water, getting momentarily distracted by the fish moving around him. He shook his head and swam up to the surface, popping his head out of the water.*

“There’s so many fish down there.”

*He took a moment before he pushed himself up onto the boat. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and began to wring it out.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a soft, light laugh, still dripping from the swim. “yeah… there really are,” she says, voice easy, eyes following the fish darting beneath the boat.

she runs a hand through her wet hair, and shakes her head slightly, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

“it… kinda reminds me of my home,” she adds softly, fingers brushing along the small, ocean waves.

[ribbitrogue]

“Hm. Can’t relate.”

*Frogue shrugged, still working on wringing his shirt out.*

“It’s good that they remind you of that though. I think.”

*He glanced at her before nodding to himself. He leaned against the rail of the boat.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah,” she says lightly, shrugging a little, ignoring the way the voices heightened.

she glances down at the water once more, then reaches for the oars, settling them into place.

the boat shifts slightly as she starts rowing, movements steady and unhurried, guiding them back toward land while the fish scatter beneath the surface.

[ribbitrogue]

*He kept his eyes on the water, as if he thought there was going to be some crazy creature down there that intended to prevent them from going. He hummed softly before leaning back.*

“This was fun.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him, a small smile already forming. “yeah,” she agrees softly.

she keeps rowing, the steady rhythm of it easy now.

“…we should do this again sometime,” she adds after a moment, her gaze drifting back to the water, but the smile lingers.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh definitely.”

*He stuck his froggy hand in the water as the boat moved along.*

“Maybe we bring someone else along next time too. I’m sure someone else would enjoy it.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah…” she trails off, watching the moon’s reflection ripple across the water for a moment, before perking up again.

“ooh!! maybe we could invite 4c!! and then you could apologize to him and give him the letter! and then he would forgive you!! oh that’d be joyous!! joyous day!!” she smiles brightly, clearly excited by her plan.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh we could! Hopefully.”

*He chuckled, glancing at her for a moment before looking back at the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

she smiles a little at that, glancing over at him briefly before looking back ahead.

“he will,” she says, voice easy with certainty. she keeps rowing, the rhythm steady, cutting through the water as the shoreline slowly comes closer. “i promise”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, watching the oars glide through the water. His tongue flicked out just to bother a fish, getting a small chuckle out of himself.*

“Yeah yeah. I’m sure he will.”

[drowning-melodies]

she hums softly at that, the faintest smile lingering as she keeps rowing. the shoreline grows closer, the dark shape of the beach coming into view as the water shallows.

she slows the boat a little, letting it glide the last stretch, before stepping out and offering her hand.

[ribbitrogue]

*He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling himself out of the boat. He nearly landed on his face but managed to catch himself before he fell.*

“Do you want to walk to the bridge together or split off here?”

*He glanced around, as if looking to see if there was anyone nearby who might’ve seen them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan steadies him when he stumbles, a soft laugh slipping out.

“we can walk to the bridge,” she says quietly.

then she glances around the quiet shoreline, then her gaze drifts upward–the moon hanging high, light spilling softly across the water.

“…it’s late,” she murmurs. her eyes linger there for a second before dropping back to him, expression gentler now. “no one’ll see us,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started walking, one hand in his pocket.*

“Good. I don’t exactly want there to be a whole misunderstanding and then a fight to happen right now.”

*He kept glancing around, just to be sure.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan huffs a quiet breath at that, a small, amused smile tugging at her lips.

“yeah,” she agrees lightly. “i really don’t need another fight..” she walks alongside him at an easy pace, hands brushing lightly against her skirt as she moves.

“how do you think it’s gonna end? the war, i mean?” the question was far too simple for what it was asking.

[ribbitrogue]

*He crossed his arms and looked at the ground as they walked.*

“Well that depends. Do you want my honest answer or my more optimistic one?”

*He huffed quietly, pausing in his step for a moment as he thought about it a little more.*

[drowning-melodies]

she slows a little when he pauses, glancing over at him. she already knows how it was gonna end.

they all did.

her gaze drifts ahead again, expression softening just slightly. “…optimistic,” she says instead, quieter this time.

“just this once.”

she keeps walking, eyes on the path, like she’s choosing to believe it–at least for now.

[ribbitrogue]

“Then I think that the kingdoms could get along. Make friends and all that. Could maybe because one kingdom again even. Potentially.”

*He walked with a bit more speed in order to catch up, his gaze straight ahead.*

[drowning-melodies]

she’s quiet for a moment as she walks beside him, letting his words settle. her gaze drifts slightly, like she’s picturing it.

“…that’d be nice,” she admits softly. her expression shifts, something a little more thoughtful, a little more wistful.

“i think i’d like that.”

[ribbitrogue]

“It would be nice, I’ll admit.”

*He hummed softly, unsure of how to continue.*

“I genuinely think it would be for the benefit of both kingdoms and all the people within.”

*He crossed his arms as they walked together.*

[drowning-melodies]

she walks quietly beside him for a moment, eyes on the path ahead. “…yeah,” she murmurs.

“it’s just…” she hesitates slightly, like she’s choosing her words. “kinda stupid, isn’t it?”

she glances over at him briefly.

“we’re all fighting a war that half of us don’t even know the cause of.” her gaze drifts forward again.

“…feels like we’re just running in circles at this point,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh kinda is an understatement. It’s so stupid even the kingdom of Soluna could see it I’m sure.”

*He rolled his eyes before letting his gaze rest on the ground.*

“In the rogue guild I’m from, we’d call this situation a ‘cast of fog’. A group of people gets involved in a situation that they can leave but don’t seem to realize they can leave.”

*He rolled his shoulders as he thought about the rogue guild. He shook his head after a moment.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a quiet breath at that, gaze drifting ahead as she walks.

“‘cast of fog,’ huh…” she repeats, like she’s turning the words over. “…sounds about right.”

“doesn’t really seem like anyone wants to leave,” she trails off, eyes tracing the horizon. “i mean… some of them have been here their whole lives, and others…” she hesitates slightly.

“…this is the first place that’s accepted them...”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded.*

“Yeah. Nobody does seem to want to leave, but they could. I guess that’s true though, about being accepted. Though is acceptance worth fighting a war?”

*He shrugged.*

“I’m a rather selfish frog so I’ve never had the best perspective on that”

[apos-moon-piercer]

“hi!!!” shelby pops up beside apo, leaning just a little too far into her space as the bells on her hat jingle softly.

she tilts her head, peering over at whatever they’re doing.

“…whatcha doing?” they ask, voice light and curious.

– @star-of-the-circus

(ooc: sorry i’m terrible at starting rps </3)

Apo startled slightly, taken aback by Shelby's sudden appearance. She cleared her throat lightly as she tried to back away from her a little

"Oh! Um, hello..."

"I uh, I just woke up. I was going to do a dungeon run with the others..."

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby perks up immediately, bells giving a soft, excited jingle.

“ooh, that sounds fun!” she smiles brightly, shifts a step closer, rocking slightly on their heels, fingers hooking into her sleeves.

“…can i come with you?” they ask, a little quick, like the thought just slipped out, her head tilting, bells ringing hopefully.

[apos-moon-piercer]

"Um, yeah sure... I am not sure who else will be there... The Frouge and the flower I think..."

Apo paused for a second, thinking as she shifted on her spear

"just be careful... Don't trust whatever the creeking king says to you, okay?"

[star-of-the-circus]

“i won’t!!” she says brightly, almost overlapping the warning. they rock back on her heels, smile bright–just a little too practiced.

“now c’mon!!! frogue’s already waiting!!!!” they say, skipping ahead towards the general direction of the dungeon.

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo seemed a bit worried but she hid her concerns, the dungeon was a dangerous place after all. That and she'd only seen this person around before, talking with the others but never really to her... Shelby, she thinks their name is...

"Alright! Hey wait for me—!"

They walked behind her, having to pick the pace every now and then to catch up as they walked towards the dungeon, up over the hill to Pipa

@ribbitrogue dungeon run? (Feel free to ignore!)

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue was already waiting there. He was perched up on a tree, flipping his sword around as he waited for everyone else to arrive. He let out a loud ribbit as he noticed the two.*

“Oh finally, I don’t have to wait here any longer. Unless you two invited more people.”

*He hopped down from the tree, landing on the ground with ease before looking at the dungeon.*

(Yep! Sorry, I might be bad at this lol. @star-of-the-circus)

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby’s head snaps toward the sound, bells bursting into a bright, uneven jingle.

“frogue!!!” she doesn’t even hesitate–just bolts forward, closing the distance way too fast.

“hi!!!” shelby adds, skidding to a stop right in front of him, a little breathless, rocking on her heels.

“uh….” they ponder for a moment, “i don’t think so…? did you invite anyone else, apo?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo walks towards the goblin, as she greets her with a smile. Shelby's voice brought their attention back to the pair

"Oh, um no. I didn't"

She felt a weird shift in weight as she wiped her head to see the owl bear trying to eat her steaks

"Hey! Stop that—!"

She turned towards the goblin, then to the others

"let's just get going!" She said quickly

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and pulled a bit of gold out, handing it to the goblin before tucking the rest into his pocket once more.*

“Probably a smart move. I just wanna get this over with. Place gives me bad vibes.”

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby fumbles a bit in her pockets before pulling out some coins, stepping up to hand them over. then their gaze catches on the owl bear, before they let out a small gasp.

“you look just like bongo!!” she smiles brightly, petting the owl bear’s head once.

then, without much hesitation, they grab onto the side of the carriage and climb up, swinging herself inside with an easy, practiced motion.

the bells chime as she settles in, waiting for the other two to join her. “c’mon!!”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

apo hands the goblin her fair and turns to look at the Frouge for a second, before following Shelby and climbing in the carriage

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue hopped into the carriage, lying down in the back section. He closed his eyes as the carriage began to move, allowing himself a moment of calm before whatever the dungeon would throw at them.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

the carriage rattles along, a little too quiet. shelby fidgets with her sleeves, bells giving the occasional soft jingle.

“…so–”

then the carriage stops.

“…oh! we’re here!!” they smile brightly, skipping out of the carriage and towards the parkour, jumping each platform with unneeded dramatics.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

They all get off of the carriage, the bear gets a last nip at apo's steak. No one says much as they walk deeper into the cave. A few quick jumps and lunges and she's there at the alter without much effort, standing a bit back from the button as she waits for the other two.

A grimace makes its way to her face the longer she stares at that button, dreading seeing that "thing" again... What lies await her now, she wonders. Well whatever it may be, it will just be another new lie... Right?

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue followed behind quickly, jumping along on the higher parts of the wall before hopping down on the other side of the button. He glanced over at Shelby before looking at the button.*

“This guy man. Always has something to say to someone I swear.”

*He rolled his eyes and looked back at Shelby, waiting for her to arrive.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

she lingers for a second longer than she needs to, fingers hooked into their sleeves, bells giving a faint, uneven jingle.

“…yeah,” they say, a little too quick, like memorized lines.

she steps forward then, closing the distance in a couple light steps.

“he talks a lot,” shelby adds, practiced. her gaze flicks briefly toward the button before up at them. “…ready?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

"As ready as we'll ever be..."

Apo took a deep breath, as gaze flicked to the other two before they all pressed the button simultaneously

And then,

darkness

She felt a presence, staring at her, through her... Great.

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He huffed as the darkness surrounded him, rolling his eyes slightly. This was starting to feel more like a chore than anything actually entertaining.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby stills.

she’s used to eyes on her. that part’s never been the problem. it’s the way this one feels. not curious. not watching a performance. something quieter. heavier.

they hate it

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

...

The dark cleared, a statute of a rabbit stud in front of them

Apo didn't move... Her head hung low, eyes wide as her breath came out shaky and uneven

The sound of a clock ticking snapped her back to reality

Spot the difference, right. The dungeon. They had a dungeon to do

"Right, um..."

Her feet moved on their own she walked forward, trying to concentrate and memorise the blocks

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue blinked a few times, letting his eyes readjust before he shakily walked over to the statue.*

“Hm. Alright well the nose is different I think?”

*He poked the nose of the statue, a satisfying ding followed.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby doesn’t move at first.

whatever he said still echoes in her head, too loud, too close. it sits wrong in her chest, like it hasn’t settled properly.

they blink hard, turning away a little too quickly. her hand comes up, brushing at her face like it’s nothing–quick, practiced.

she swallows, breath catching for just a second before she forces it steady.

“…i’ll–uh… check the other statue,” they mumble, voice a little thin.

and before she can hesitate, she moves.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo takes a step back from the statue before turning on her heels as she walked into the other room.

Since, it's the first room, the three make quick for of it. No body says much and soon enough they are in the next level.

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned as he looked around, grumbling to himself.*

“Well. Better to get the relic one out of the way now rather than later.”

*He suddenly darted off down a hallway, searching for whatever he could find and hopefully keeping his mind off the Creaking King’s message from earlier.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby lingers for half a second too long, then quickly follows after him.

her steps are a little uneven, a little too fast, like she’s trying to keep up without thinking about it. her hands stay hooked tight in her sleeves.

the meter flickers on and they go rigid.

her hands clamp over the bells, desperate to quiet them. they give a small, uneven chime anyway.

she doesn’t breathe.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo stills, the meter doesn't go away. It lingers, a second longer than usual.

Her body twists sharply on reflex, knocking over a pot as their head snaps towards the creaking standing behind them— inches away, as the ceramic pot shatters with a crashing sound.

The meter rises and rises and rises— it doesn't stop.

Hide

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue huffed quietly, looking around for a spot to hide. He ran over to Shelby and nudged her into a nearby closet before running off to one that was further down the hallway.*

*He managed to make it to the closet and close the door.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

her hands cover her mouth, like she’s trying to keep every sound in. she presses hard, breath uneven against her palms.

the bells give the faintest, stifled jingle anyway.

she freezes.

safe

shelby exhales all at once, pulling her hands away. she pushes the door open quickly, stepping back out into the hallway, bells chiming a little too loud now.

“…are you guys okay?” they ask, voice still a little thin.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo had dashed to find a closet. But her side of the hall was all but empty

5

4

...

Panicked, she took a sharp turn trying to find a place a to hide. Finally she saw wooden closet, her hand latched on the handle.

1

0.

Something started curling itself around her, preventing her hand from opening the door. Creaking branches... They curled over her hand then snaked along their shoulder, covering their mouth before... *crack*

Neck spinning around like that of a doll, broken

She found herself back at the starting point, starting at the little creaking statue with disdain

-30 sec

"i died, but I'm fine..."

[ribbitrogue]

*He opened his door and poked his head out, glancing around to make sure the coast is clear before darting further down the hallway, yelling back at Apo. He was just unable to resist the urge to make fun of her, even in these more dangerous situations.*

“Let’s try not dying! Might help ya know!”

*He opened a chest and pulled out a relic, tucking it in a pocket.*

“I’ve got one!”

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby flinches a little at the sudden noise, then quickly relaxes when they see him. the bells on their hat give a soft, uneven jingle as she steps closer.

“nice!!” she says, a little quick, a little too bright, before tilting her head questioningly, “wait how many do we need? 5?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

"yeah, yeah" they grumbled at frouge words

Apo picked a different route, scanning the hallway full of chests and creaking alike

"I got one too! I think we just need one more?"

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

“Well if we just have one more then I’m heading back and putting this one with the statue!”

*He turned around, slipping back through the hall. Eventually he made it back to the beginning and put the relic down.*

@star-of-the-circus

[drowning-melodies]

*Frogue came barreling into the blue kingdom, pushing down on the lily pad on his head to flatten it out. He ran up to Shan and let out an excited ribbit.*

“Hi Shan! Can you maybe please put me in a bubble?”

@ribbitrogue

(Take your time responding, I just wanted to make sure we get a Frogue and Shan interaction :D)

“oh–!” shan blinks, surprised by the sudden ribbit. “uh… sure?? hold still.”

she plants the end of her staff into the soft ground with a quiet tap. shan tilts her staff in a slow circle. water follows the motion, spiraling together until it gathers into a clear, wobbling sphere. it shimmers faintly, sunlight bending through it in wavering lines.

with a small flick of her staff, the bubble pops around him, lifting him gently off the ground.

“is that good?” she asks, head tilting slightly.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam around in the bubble, ribbiting happily. His eyes were incredibly wide right now as he moved around like an actual frog in the water.*

“Yes it is Shan! Thank you very much! I’ve missed these bubbles, amazing honestly.”

*He settled at the bottom of the bubble and closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself relax despite the drama within the kingdoms. He let out another ribbit, much smaller this time and almost sounding a bit awkward.*

“Have you been well? I don’t think I’ve heard from you in a while.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches the bubble bob a little as frogue reviles in it, blinking before letting out a small laugh before shrugging a bit.

“i’ve been good. just… busy.” she says, leaning lightly on her staff, eyes flickering briefly toward the kingdom gates in the distance.

she glanced back at him in the bubble, smiling lightly. “what about you? you seem pretty happy in there.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue opened one eye, he seemed more relaxed than he normally was but that could’ve just been because he was in the bubble.*

“Eh. I could be better but it is what it is. The bubble is very nice, pretty calming in here.”

*He hummed to himself as he watched her, still just resting in the bubble. Despite his very relaxed demeanor, his eyes darted between her and the kingdom’s gates.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan leans a little heavier on her staff as the bubble drifts in place, its surface trembling faintly.

using bubble capture took more focus than most of her spells. the water wave was easy–a burst of power and it was done. even holding water didn’t last too long. but the bubble needed constant attention, little threads of magic keeping the surface sealed and steady. to keep whoever was in it breathing.

but… frogue looks comfortable in there. calmer than she’s seen him in a while.

so instead of dropping it, she glances back at him through the watery surface, giving a small tilt of her head. sh exhales slow, steadying the bubble.

“…so,” she says softly, resting her chin on the top of her staff, eyebrows pinched in concentration, “how was it? when you were king, i mean.” she pauses again before adding, "i know it can be hard..."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked away and let out a quiet croak. Part of him wanted to ignore the question but ultimately he decided to answer.*

“It was eh- it was alright. The rule itself wasn’t rough. Maybe the consequences of my, according to some people, very impulsive and brutal actions might be the actual hard part.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck. His entire demeanor had shifted to a more defensive one. His eyes narrowed and he kept his eyes on the ground.*

[drowning-melodies]

shandrea watches the bubble drift, giving it a small tap with the end of her staff when it starts to wobble. “i get that,” she says, shrugging a little.

the corner of her mouth twitches slightly.

“when i wore the crown, it was mostly just fixing things after the war. gates, canals, people arguing, that sort of thing.” she rolls her shoulder a bit, still keeping the spell steady. “not really the same kind of ruling you had... from what i've heard..”

“still,” she adds, “being in charge of a whole kingdom does weird things to people. make them act... impulsively.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced at her before taking a deep breath. He started croaking a lot but they were muffled, as if he was suppressing them.*

“Well I’m glad someone’s run as the ruler better than mine did.”

*He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He huffed and shook his head.*

“And impulsive is a word for it I guess.”

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts a little at that, the bubble wobbling as she shifts her weight.

“hey, don’t say that,” she says, tilting her head and looking at him through the bubble.

“at least people will remember your reign.” she gives a small shrug. “mine was months of fixing damage from a war i wasn’t even here for and then everyone kinda.. brushed me aside.”

“at least yours was memorable,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Yeah, I guess, but mine was so memorable that I was kicked out of the Red Kingdom.”

*He froze as soon as he said that. He wasn’t sure if she already knew about that but he was not fond of the idea that he might’ve just offered that information up willingly. He started kicking at the bubble, attempting to escape and run off.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks.

“wait–you actually–“

then he starts kicking the bubble, causing her to grip her staff tighter, instinctively focusing on the spell. instead of weakening, the bubble pulls tighter, wobbling but holding firm as he kicks at it.

she squints at him through the water.

“…i thought that was a rumor? did you actually get kicked out?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He stayed silent for a moment and continued kicking the bubble, when he realized his attempts were futile he gave up and glanced at her. His eyes were narrowed but also filled with- fear perhaps?*

“If you must know, then yes. I’ve been kicked out.”

[drowning-melodies]

“oh, frogue…”

the spell slips away instantly, the bubble dissolving into mist and dropping him from where he’d been floating.

shan shifts her grip on her staff as the awkward silence grows thin, before blurting out, “do you want to go to the lagoon with me?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hit the ground with a gentle thud, pushing himself off the ground. He looked away and nodded, refusing to make eye contact now.*

“If you can stand being around me, then sure.*

*He stared at the ground, every fiber of his being just yelling at him to run. However he stayed.*

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts softly, “i invited you, frogue,” she says, a little amused. “if i couldn’t stand you i wouldn’t have.”

she twirls her staff once in her hand, glancing down the path towards the gates. then she starts walking a few steps, then looks back at him and smiles, gesturing for him to follow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated for a moment before following her. He made a few more muffled croaking sounds as they walked. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, not knowing if this was even safe, so he decided to just shut his mouth for once.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks a little ahead, staff tapping lightly against the ground as they head down the path. after a bit she glances back at him, noticing how quiet he is.

“…you know you don’t have to be that quiet,” she says, smiling gently. “it’s kinda weird not hearing you speak every five seconds.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets.*

“I mean- what am I supposed to talk about? How I’m going to be living alone in the Fark Hall forever now?”

*He let out a small huff as he spoke, kicking a pebble along the path.*

“Not much for me to talk about otherwise.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums lightly, before walking quietly beside him for a moment, staff tapping lightly against the path. then she glances over at him.

“what’s your favorite color?” her tone is casual, like she’s just handing him something else to talk about. something to distract them both.

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes widened, clearly not expecting such a basic question.*

“Oh uh- green probably. I like green. It’s a really nice color, it feels- safe? If that makes sense. I assume your favorite color would be blue?”

*He tilted his head. His body relaxed at the less intense conversation topic, though he still seemed relatively cautious.*

[drowning-melodies]

“purple, actually,” she says with a smile. “everyone just assumes blue.” she nudges a pebble off the path with the end of her staff as they keep walking.

after a moment she adds, with a small shrug, “green’s a good one though.”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh. Well purple is nice, that would’ve been my second guess.”

*He hummed softly as they walked down the path. His tongue occasionally flicked out to grab an insect.*

“What’s your favorite food?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks beside him, staff resting over her shoulder as she thinks for a second.

"fish,” she says, smiling. then she glances at him and adds with a small shrug, “grilled, usually. or sometimes just salted.”

she pushes a curl behind her ear, looking towards him. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He ran a hand along his face as he thought about his answer.*

“Well now that I’m a humanoid frog my diet is limited to insects and whatnot. I mean I can eat normal food but it’s just not as nutritious for me.”

*He looked up at the sky before looking back at her.*

“As I am currently, I’d say fruit flies. Moths aren’t terrible but they’ve got a weird aftertaste. Before I was a frog though, I’d probably say chicken wings.”

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah, chicken wings are pretty good,” she says with a nodding.

the path opens up into sand, waves rolling steadily onto the shore. shan slows a bit when they reach the beach.

the closer she gets to the water, the louder the familiar murmuring gets in the back of her head–distant voices layered together, like something carried in on the tide. she tightens her grip on the staff for a second, eyes flicking out across the water.

then she exhales, stepping onto the sand.

“just in time for the sunset!!” she smiles, thought it appears a little more.. pained then before.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, he glanced at her and tilted his head.*

“Yeah. It should be pretty.”

*He paused and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to do.*

“You alright? You seem a bit- out of it?”

*He looked at the water, half tempted to run over and sit in it but he instead chose to continue walking with her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks when he touches her shoulder, like he’s pulled her back from somewhere. she waves a hand quickly. “i’m.. i’m fine.”

the voices press harder at the back of her mind, rising like a high tide. she tenses for a second before forcing her shoulders to relax.

not now, she thinks. this isn’t about you.

shan drags the end of her staff through the sand as she keeps walking. after a moment she turns toward him, nodding out toward the water.

“c’mon,” she says. “the sunsets are always prettier out on the open sea!!” she flinches slightly before smiling as if to cover it up.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started towards the water. The edges of the lilypad on his head began to wrap downward as he walked. He glanced at her every once in a while, trying to figure out what could be wrong but not wanting to pry.*

“It’s been a while since I actually took the time to watch a sunset.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums quietly as they reach the shoreline, spinning her staff once in her hand. the voices get louder near the water, but she just focuses on the horizon instead.

“…yeah,” she says after a moment. “i don’t think i’ve really watched one in a while either.”

she gives a small shrug before offering her hand. “c’mon let’s watch it together,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated but took her hand. His hand was kind of slimy, as if holding a literal frog.*

“I don’t think anyone has really had the time to.”

*He watched the waves for a moment before looking out at the horizon himself. He took a deep breath and let out a small croak as he said something unexpected.*

“Thank you for inviting me to come see this.”

[drowning-melodies]

she glances towards him when he thanks her, shoulders lifting in a small shrug.

“thanks for letting me show you.” shan squeezes his hand lightly before staring at the sunset, smiling softly.

the voices seem to lull then. still there, they always were, but here under the setting sun, they quieted. she takes a breath.

“we should start heading out, huh?” she taps the side of a neat rowboat, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and hopped into the rowboat.*

“That we should.”

*He watched her for a moment before looking at the water. His tongue flicked out into the water, causing a small fish to swim away. He gave a small chuckle as he watched it dart off.*

[drowning-melodies]

she laughs at his antics before stepping into the rowboat after him, steadying it with one hand on the side. she pushes them off from the sand before settling onto the seat and picking up the oars.

she dips the oars into the water and starts rowing, the boat rocking gently as they move farther from shore.

“it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asks, staring off into the sunset, a smile on her face.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, leaning over the edge of the boat. He watched the sunset, the lilypad on his head folding down into a hood.*

“It really is beautiful.”

*He croaked quietly, a small smile on his face as he observed the scene around them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets the boat drift once they’re far enough out, resting the oars across the sides. she watches the horizon for a moment, the water gently rocking beneath them.

“…yeah,” she says after a second, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

she leans to the side a little, trailing her fingers through the water beside the boat. her breath slows as she lets the boat drift, soaking in the sunlight.

she hasn’t felt peace like this for.. a while.

“oh–we made it,” she says quietly, gesturing into the depths to the sea lanterns of the night market.

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked into the depths and tilted his head, eyes widening.*

“Oh is this where everyone went that one time when I slept in? With the weird fish guy and the shark?”

*He leaned over further, only just barely in the boat as he tried to get a better look. His eyes sifted between the visible buildings and such.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i think so..?” she tilts her head slightly. “i wasn’t there either..”

shan leans over the side of the boat, peering down into the shifting blue below. the shapes of buildings and stone blur faintly beneath the surface.

for a second she just watches the dark blue below, fingers tightening slightly on the edge of the boat, nausea whirl pooling in her stomach.

then, quieter, more to herself than him–

“…you ready?”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her before nodding. He rolled out of the boat and into the water, he floated there for a moment before diving down under. He swam around, occasionally looking back to see what Shan doing.*

[drowning-melodies]

when frogue slips into the water, the boat rocks gently. shan watches the ripples for a second, then takes a slow breath.

another.

then she slides over the edge of the boat and into the water.

she forces herself to stay calm, taking one last deep breath before dipping under and swimming down, pushing through the water with steady strokes. the cold closes around her as she swims down, pushing forward with quick, determined strokes.

shan pushes through the hole into the lagoon, arms burning slightly from holding her breath that long.

the moment her head breaks the surface she gasps, dragging in a sharp breath of air before grabbing onto the stone edge beside the entrance. for a second she just stays there, breathing hard, water dripping from her hair.

then she wipes her face with one hand and turns back toward the opening she came through, peering down into the darker water behind her.

"frogue?" she calls out into the darkness.

[ribbitrogue]

*It took a couple more minutes before he poked his head out of the water. He blinked one eye at a time for a moment before announcing his arrival rather loudly.*

“I’m here! I got distracted, there’s a lot to look at around here. Weird looking fish and whatnot.”

*He swam over but let himself lay back in the water near the stone edge.*

“You alright?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he finally pops up, letting out a small breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“yeah, yeah, i’m fine,” she says quickly.

she pulls herself up onto the sandy edge of the lagoon, water dripping from her clothes as she stands. brushing some wet hair out of her face, she offers him a hand.

“c’mon,” she adds, nodding further into the lagoon. “time to go fishing.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and grabbed her hand, letting her help him up. He snickered to himself as he stepped onto the sand.*

“Imagine Owain trying to make that swim. I can’t imagine that would go well with how heavy his armor is.”

*He hummed and looked around the lagoon, trying to find a good spot to set everything up.*

[drowning-melodies]

she lets out a small laugh, brushing some wet hair out of her face. “yeah,” she says. “that armor would drag him straight to the bottom.”

she glances out across the lagoon for a moment, then crouches near the edge of the sand where a couple fishing rods are leaning against a rock. she grabs one and straightens, giving it a small spin in her hand before offering the other toward frogue. then she nods toward the water.

“here,” she says. “might as well actually catch something.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He took the fishing rod from her and waddled over to the water. He sat down on the edge of it and cast the line, watching as it moved in the water.*

“You go fishing often?”

*His gaze didn’t move away from the bobber, simply watching as he impatiently waited for something to happen, his hand fidgeting with the handle.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks over and drops down onto the sand a little ways from him before casting a line out into the water, the line arcing out before the bobber settles on the rippling surface.

“not really,” she admits with a small shrug, eyes flicking to the water.

“i mean–i like fish,” she adds, a little offhand. "just don't have the time anymore..."

she shifts slightly in the sand, watching her bobber drift with the slow movement of the lagoon. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“Nah. I’ve never been one for fishing. Takes forever for a little reward.”

*He hummed, keeping his focus on his bobber. He frowned slightly as it stayed afloat, getting a bit annoyed with it.*

“I mean they take forever and half the time they’re like- the size of a kitten.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches her bobber drift for a moment before shrugging a little. “yeah, it can take a while,”

she rests her forearms on her knees, rod angled loosely toward the water. “where i come from people fished all the time,” she adds after a second. “i used to,” she says with a small shrug. “kinda hard not to when you’re around the ocean all the time.”

her eyes flick back to the water.

"though i could never sit still enough to catch anything bigger than a guppy." she laughs lightly at the memory, though her shoulders are tight.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her, considering how to respond. He let out a little croak before shaking his head.*

“Hm. Must’ve been nice. Having a community that did that sort of stuff I mean.”

*He looked back at his fishing rod, though he clearly wasn’t focused on the activity anymore. He shifted, leaning back on his elbows.*

“Yeah sitting still is hard. I’m certainly no good at it. It’s just so dull and boring.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him when he says that and for a second she doesn’t answer.

must’ve been nice.

the words echo a little louder in her head than they should. the voices press in with them–overlapping murmurs she tries not to listen to.

you remember how that ended.

her grip tightens slightly on the fishing rod. she forces the thought away before it can settle. “…yeah,” she says after a moment, voice quieter than before. her gaze drifts back to the water, watching the slow bob of the float on the lagoon’s surface.

“it was nice.”

the voices don’t really stop, but she pushes them to the back of her mind. before shrugging lightly. “bannerfall’s not too bad either.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her again, feeling the energy shift. He scooted a bit closer, unsure of what to do. He decided to attempt to be humorous by gently bonking her head like one might bonk some bongos.*

“Eh. Bannerfall is its own flavor of nonsense. It’s not terrible yeah, but it’s definitely got its faults.”

*He decided to attempt to play into the humor a bit more by just throwing out a random comparison.*

“It’s like a burnt pie. Like yeah it’s good, it’s pie, but it’s also burnt.”

[drowning-melodies]

she looks over at him, eyes squinting in confusion for a second before she suddenly snorts and bursts into laughter.

“a burnt pie?” she repeats, still laughing a little as she shakes her head.

she glances back out at the lagoon, her bobber drifting lazily across the surface. “…yeah,” she says with a small shrug, still giggling. “that sounds about right.”

she smiles brightly towards him, still laughing lightly.

[ribbitrogue]

”Yep. Burnt pie.”

*He nodded with a chuckle, smiling back at her. He reeled in his fishing rod and put it to the side, knowing he was over it.*

“Maybe a burnt pancake but that’s pushing it.”

*He leaned backwards, using his arms to keep him sat up just enough to watch Shan fish.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s laughter fades into a small grin as she looks back at the water, rod still resting loosely in her hands. "giving up already?"

her bobber dips suddenly.

shan straightens a bit, giving the line a quick tug before reeling it in. when the line breaks the surface, it isn’t a fish dangling there but a small shell. she pulls it closer, prying it open with her fingers before a small, pale pearl rolls into her palm.

for a second she just looks at it, then dips her hand into the lagoon and gently swishes it through the water to rinse the sand off.

she stares at it for a moment, twisting it between two fingers, watching the way its shines under the lagoon's glow. then she holds it out toward frogue.

“here,” she says simply, smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well yeah I’m giving up already! It’s boringggg.”

*He paused when she hooked something, watching intently as she reeled it in.*

“Oh!”

*He carefully took the pearl from her and rolled it around in his hand for a bit. He watched it with wide eyes.*

“I- oh uh- thank you. I didn’t even know these could look this nice, especially straight out of the shell.”

*He hummed quietly as he continued to rotate the pearl in his hand, being incredibly careful as to not drop it back into the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him turn the pearl over in his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“yeah,” she agrees, smiling softly. she props her elbows on her knees, rod already angled lazily toward the water.

“did you know they come in different colors?” she adds after a moment. “not just white?”

she looks toward the pearl in his hand.

“there’s pink ones, black ones… even gold ones sometimes.”

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes got even wider as he turned to look at her.*

”They can be different colors?! What the heck! Nobody told me that! Why does everyone just wear the white ones then?!”

*He looked back at the pearl before carefully sliding it into the most secure pocket he had, no way was he going to lose it.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches his reaction, and a quiet laugh slips out of her before she can stop it. she twirls the end of the fishing rod between her fingers, then nods toward the pocket he tucked it into.

“each color’s supposed to mean something too.”

her voice is casual, like it’s just a random fact she’s remembering.

“white ones–like that one–usually mean new beginnings.”

for a second her gaze drifts across the lagoon water, the glow berries light rippling over the surface. then she shrugs lightly.

“seems like you got a pretty fitting one.” it comes out light hearted, though something quieter sits beneath it.

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced back at his pocket when she said that, a small smile crossing his face before he nodded.*

“Seems it is fitting, for good or for bad I suppose.”

*He looked back at the water, watching the ripples of light but also trying to see where the fish in here were.*

“I mean I guess that’s a good reason to wear white pearls then. Maybe I’ll figure out how to put this one on a bracelet or something.”

*He mumbled he last sentence quietly, like he didn’t intend to say it out loud.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan reels the line in slightly, making sure the hook's still set before letting it drift back out across the water.

"a bracelet could work," she says, thoughtfully. "or a necklace."

she glances over at him, "if you want, i could help."

"used to make some of my own," she adds with a small shrug. "nothing fancy or anything... but enough to make it wearable."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her, considering the offer. After a moment he let out a little ribbit and nodded.*

“If it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, I’d appreciate it. You don’t have to though.”

*He pulled the pearl out of his pocket to look at it, rolling it around in his hand once more. He looked back up to watch her fishing rod again, his attention split between the two things.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he pulls the pearl back out, the line of her mouth curving faintly.

“it’s not a hassle,” she says. “promise.”

after a moment she nods toward the pearl in his palm.

“just need some cord. maybe a clasp if we’re being fancy.” her fingers wander back up to her one of own necklaces, absentmindedly turning one of the pearls between them.

“i could make it into a bracelet pretty easy,” she adds. “it would suit you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, continuing to roll the pearl around.*

“I should have some cord back at the Fark Hall. Not a clasp though but that’s fine. Even a clasp might be too fancy for me.”

*He looked at her and smiled. A peaceful expression on his face as he thought about the current situation.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him and a matching smile spreads across her face.“well,” she says lightly, “when you find that cord, bring it on by.”

she shifts the fishing rod a little, watching the bobber drift across the water.

she turns to face him, a smile still on her lips. “i’ll make it into something for you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He grinned, putting the pearl back into his pocket. He croaked a couple times in a quick succession.*

“Will do. Gives me an opportunity to snoop around the blue kingdom too.”

*He giggled a bit, watching the fishing rod again.*

“Maybe I’ll get myself a froglight from 4c while I’m at it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan snorts softly at first, like she’s about to laugh along with him before stilling at the word “froglight” her fishing rod stills in her hands. she glances over at him, brows lifting a little.

“hey,” she says, tone light but firm. “don’t go farming 4c.” she nudges his shoulder with hers, not hard—more of a warning tap than anything.

“he’s a person, not a resource.”

“you can snoop around all you want,” she adds, glancing back at the water, “but leave him out of it.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed, shifting awkwardly now as he realized that he hadn’t been very funny with that one.*

“I- sorry. You’re right I guess.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the sand.*

“The froglights are just pretty and like- everyone in the red kingdom was pestering me about getting them for a while. Obviously not an excuse so-“

*He paused before rummaging through one of his other pockets, not the one with the pearl. He pulled a surprisingly dry envelope out.*

“I did actually try to write him an apology letter. Looks kind of bad though, hard to write with frog hands.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him pull the envelope out, and something in her expression softens.

“you already wrote one,” she echoes quietly. she looks at the letter for a second before glancing back toward the water, the rod shifting slightly in her hands.

“…sorry,” she adds after a moment, a little awkward. “i just–“

she pauses, searching for the words.

“i just… don’t like when people talk about him like that.” she whispers, eyes still glued to the ripples in the water. “i just… i’m sorry…”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“No no I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m the one who’s be harassing him since day one basically. Your reaction was totally fair.”

*He slid the envelope back into his pocket as he sighed.*

“Like I said, it’s a bad letter. I do have a couple froggy tokens packed into here though so maybe that would make up for my awful handwriting.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him slide the envelope back into his pocket, quiet for a moment. “i’d offer to rewrite it for you,” she says after a second, glancing over, “but i have dyslexia...”

she gives a small shrug, mouth tilting a little.

“so mine would probably end up worse.”

her gaze drifts back to the water, rod shifting lightly in her hands.

“but the effort’s what matters anyways.” she smiles, turning towards him “i’m sure he’ll forgive you,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh! I didn’t know that.”

*He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back and laying in the sand.*

“I mean I hope he’ll accept it. I’ll admit I was definitely less than polite though so if I were him I probably wouldn’t accept it. That’s just if I were him though.”

[drowning-melodies]

she listens quietly, the line drifting across the lagoon while he talks.

“4c’s… pretty forgiving,” she says after a moment. her eyes stay on the water, but her focus drifts somewhere else for a second.

she remembers the look on his face when she told him–halting, uncertain words about her tribe, about the blood and the silence and the way the memories never lined up quite right. the way she’d expected anger. or fear.

and how he had just pulled her close, rubbing circles onto her back.

shan blinks, pulling herself back to the present.

“he’s forgiven me for worse,” she adds, voice light like it’s just another passing thought, but the words linger. she gives a small shrug, rod shifting in her hands.

“so… i think you’ll be fine.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue looked at her, tilting his head a bit. He scooted a bit closer. He was clearly curious about what she’d done that supposedly needed forgiveness, however he didn’t ask about it.*

“Huh. Good for him. Most rogues aren’t the most forgiving, though apologies also aren’t given often to most rogues.”

*He sat up, flicking his tongue out to grab a nearby bug.*

“But yeah, I trust your word so if you think he’ll forgive me then I’ll take your word for it.”

[drowning-melodies]

she watches the slow drift of the bobber for a moment before she speaks again. ”4c is. mae is too.”

her eyes stay on the water, following the small rings the line makes on the surface. “they’re probably two of the most forgiving people i’ve met.”

there’s a brief pause. then, quieter–almost like she didn’t mean to say it out loud–

“…they’re more than i deserve.”

she goes still for a second after that, like the words slipped out without permission. then she clears her throat, ignoring the tears building up, eyes glued to the bobber.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned and scooted closer, slowly wrapping his arms around her. He carefully pat her head, croaking quietly in a way that was his attempt at being calming.*

“I obviously don’t know what you’ve been through but personally, I think you deserve more than what life has been giving you.”

*He looked at the bobber before looking back at her, trying to figure out the right thing to say.*

“Life is mean. Just because certain things happened, doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of good moments.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan stiffens a little when he wraps his arms around her, not pulling away–just going still for a second like she isn’t used to it.

his words sit in the air.

she watches the bobber instead of looking at him.

"i don't deserve it..." she admits, voice softened by acceptance. she stares at the lagoon, eyes sparkling with tears as they track the bobber. "i'm a monster, frogue..."

the words come out as a whisper. there was no flourish or drama. just acceptance. sharp and brittle.

certain.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, shaking his head.*

“I don’t think so and even if you were, aren’t we all monsters to some extent? I mean- look at what I’ve done recently. Or Sausage.”

*He sighed and squeezed her a bit, doing his best to help without being overwhelming.*

“Someone who doesn’t deserve nice things wouldn’t care. They wouldn’t be questioning if they deserve something nice, they would assume that they do deserve it.”

*He sighed and adjusted the way he was hugging her, now more of a side hug as he was unsure if the hug was helping or making the situation worse.*

[drowning-melodies]

his words don’t seem to land–or maybe they do, just somewhere she doesn’t know how to reach. her grip tightens slightly around the fishing rod before loosening again.

“…that’s not–” she starts, but the sentence falls apart halfway through. she swallows, hard and for a second it looks like she’s not going to say anything else. then–

“i killed them,” she says, the words catching on the way out.

quiet. uneven.

she doesn't look at him.

“all of them.” her breathing starts to go shallow, just slightly off. “my whole–” she cuts herself off, jaw tightening.

“…everyone.”

silence.

then her vision blurs. she blinks once. twice.

it doesn’t help.

the tears slip over anyway, slow and quiet, trailing down without a sound. her shoulders draw in a little, like she’s trying to make herself smaller, breath stuttering just enough to not be steady anymore. she wants to hug him back, truly, but she can't move. she can't move

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused for a moment before wrapping himself around her in a proper hug once more. He shut his mouth this time, knowing more about the situation. There wasn’t much he could say to help and he knew that, so he opted to just hold her and try his best without saying anything.*

*He carefully removed the fishing rod from her hand and tossed it off to the side, not wanting it to end up harming her in some way. His eyes closed once he did that, unsure what exactly would help. Part of him wanted to run off and go get someone else to deal with the situation, but he stayed put.*

[drowning-melodies]

she tenses when he pulls her into a tighter hug, breath catching for a second—but she doesn’t pull away.

the fishing rod leaving her hands barely registers.her hands curl weakly into the fabric of his clothes instead, like she needs something to hold onto.her breathing stutters, uneven, trying and failing to steady.

she shakes her head slightly against him.“i didn’t–” she tries, voice breaking.

another breath, sharper this time.

“i didn’t mean to–” the words fall apart before they can finish.

her shoulders hitch, silent tears pressing harder now, slipping down without restraint. she presses her face into him, like hiding will make it stop–like if she doesn’t see anything, it won’t feel so loud.

but it doesn’t quiet.

her breathing getting quicker, thinner, like she can’t quite get enough air. still, she doesn’t push him away. she just holds on, like letting go would make everything worse.

[ribbitrogue]

“Of course you didn’t…”

*He mumbled quietly, giving her a small squeeze. He rubbed her back gently, trying to help ground her.*

“I’m here, I’ve got you. I’m right here and you can let out as much as you need to.”

*He let her hold onto him, figuring this would probably help. Gods did he wish he were anyone else right now and actually knew what to do. Though he pushed that feeling down to make room in his head for the present moment.*

“I’m here for you, no matter what.”

*He continued rubbing her back, occasionally reaching his other hand up to attempt to wipe away the tears coming down her face.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i-i didn’t–” she tries, but it tangles, breaks apart.

her fingers clutch tighter into his clothes. her breathing keeps slipping, uneven, too fast... like she couldn't quite catch it. she presses her face further into him when he tries to wipe her tears, not pulling away, just hiding.

“they’re–” she starts, voice shaking. “they’re all gone–”

another hitch in her breath.

her shoulders tremble under his hands, silent sobs building now instead of just quiet tears. “i can’t–” she gasps softly, the words barely there. “i can’t fix it–”

she curls in closer, like she’s trying to fold in on herself, but she doesn’t let go of him. not even a little. it's like he’s the only thing keeping her anchored while everything else slips.

"i-i can't save them."

[ribbitrogue]

*He held her tighter, just doing his best to be there for her. He gently moved her head so they were making eye contact.*

“Hey, look at me. I’m here and nothing bad is going to happen. It won’t happen again.”

*He took a deep breath, scrambling internally to figure out what to do.*

“Okay um… let’s uh-“

*He glanced at the water before looking back at her again, shaking his head.*

“It’s not going to happen again.”

[drowning-melodies]

her eyes dart back up to his, wide and unfocused, like she’s seeing something that isn’t there.

“no–you don’t–” her voice catches, breath stuttering. her grip on him tightens. “i’m going to lose you,” she says, the words rushing out, uneven and breathless. “i’m going to lose everyone–”

you couldn’t save them you let them drown it was your fault.

her shoulders hitch at the voices, tears spilling faster now.

she presses closer like she’s trying to hold onto something she already believes is slipping away, her breathing uneven and shallow, like she can’t escape the thought looping in her head.

[ribbitrogue]

“No you’re not. I’m not going anywhere, nobody is going anywhere. I promise you that I won’t let that happen.”

*He hummed, continuing to hold her tightly. His eyes were locked onto hers as he just started saying whatever he could.*

“I promise you that you’re not going to lose everyone again. Look at me, I promise.”

[drowning-melodies]

she shakes her head, sharp and certain.

“you can’t promise that,” she says, breath uneven, voice breaking around the edges. her grip tightens, almost desperate now. “you don’t–” she chokes on the words, breath hitching. “you don’t know what i can do–”

her shoulders tremble, tears spilling faster, silent but relentless.

you’ll do it again you'll let them drown again

she squeezes her eyes shut for a second, like she can block it out–

it doesn’t work.

“i'm a monster,” she whispers, voice small but certain. “i've hurt people. i've killed people–”

her hands twist tighter in his clothes, like she’s afraid if she lets go even slightly, he’ll disappear. her breathing stays uneven, shallow, the panic still sitting heavy in her chest–even with him right there.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, genuinely unsure how to help now. He hugged her even tighter and spoke quietly, figuring his words weren’t doing much regardless.*

“You’re not a monster, Shan. You’re just- a person. You’ve done really bad things, yes, and it is important to acknowledge that. But you’ve also done amazing things that also deserve acknowledgment.”

*He continued to rub her back, with a bit more force now though in hopes of that doing literally anything.*

“Maybe you’re right about how I can’t promise it won’t happen again but- I can sure try to prevent it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s grip tightens weakly in his clothes as she looks up at him.

"how..?" she asks, voice thin and shaking. her eyes search his, unfocused but desperate. "how can you prevent the inevitable?"

her breath stutters, uneven, panic threading through every word.

“i’ve tried already,” she says. “i tried–i tried to stop it the first time, i tried, i swear i did–”

her voice breaks, shoulders hitching.

“but there was so much blood,” she chokes, the words catching hard. “and i don’t remember–i don’t remember anything but them screaming–”

“i don’t remember,” she repeats, quieter, shaking.

[ribbitrogue]

“I don’t know, if I’m being honest with you. I wouldn’t know until it actually happened, but I promise you that I’d do my best to prevent as much of the damage as I could in the moment.”

*He frowned, his eyes carefully watching hers. He shook his head and made a small croaking noise.*

“I’ll figure something out because you’re not alone in this. Not anymore. I’m here to help however I can.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan goes quiet at that. her breathing is still uneven, catching every few seconds, but she doesn’t try to push him away anymore.

instead, she just leans into him fully. her arms wrap around him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder.

“i’m sorry,” she whispers, voice small and breaking.

it’s not clear what she’s apologizing for.

everything, maybe.

her grip tightens just a little more, like she’s afraid if she lets go, she’ll fall apart again.

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head, letting her lean into him. He closed his eyes and just let himself be clung to.*

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, especially not to me. Just focus on yourself right now.”

*He gently pat her head with one hand while the other held her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan shakes her head weakly against him, but she doesn’t argue again. her grip stays tight for a moment longer… then slowly, just slightly, eases.

her breathing is still uneven, but it starts to slow–little by little.

she squeezes her eyes shut, pressing her face into his shoulder.

“…i’m sorry,” she murmurs again, softer now.

she stays there, holding onto him, letting herself just sit in it for a moment instead of fighting it, like she doesn’t trust herself to move yet.

[ribbitrogue]

“It’s alright…”

*He held her, glad that she seemed to be calming down now. He hummed a soft tune as he watched over her for the moment.*

“Just take a minute, focus on what’s going on right now. Everything else can buzz off right now.”

[drowning-melodies]

she doesn’t respond right away. her eyes stay closed, breath still a little shaky, but steadier than before. she leans into him, letting his voice sit there without fighting it.

after a moment, her grip shifts—not as desperate now, just… holding.

grounding.

she takes a slow breath. then another.

“…okay,” she murmurs quietly. her voice is small, but it’s there.

she stays like that, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of something real–his arms around her, the sand beneath them, the sound of the water nearby–letting everything else fade just a little.

a breath.

"thank you..." she whispers, breath finally slow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and smiled slightly, his eyes shifting back to the water.*

“Anytime.”

*He looked around before sighing.*

“Should we perhaps head back to the kingdoms? We’ve been out here a while and lord knows what the other weirdos around here might’ve been up to.”

*He looked back at her and gave her a little squeeze.*

“Or we can stay here a while longer, whatever works for you. I’ve got nowhere to be.”

[drowning-melodies]

after a second, she shifts slightly–tilting her head and resting it against his shoulder, her gaze drifting out over the lagoon.

“…maybe a little longer,” she murmurs.

then, after a quiet beat–

“how did we even end up like this?” she asks, voice soft, a little worn but lighter now.

“two ex-monarchs,” she adds faintly, a breath of a laugh slipping through, “sitting in the sand having a breakdown over fishing.”

a faint laugh slips out of her at that, soft and a little shaky, shaking her head from where it rests on his shoulder.

“kinda pathetic, huh?” she says, though there’s no real bite to it.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well if this is pathetic, so are the kingdoms. I’d say our situation is reflective of the kingdoms as a whole.”

*He chuckled a little, letting her remain where she was. He let out a couple happy sounding ribbits.*

“It’s symbolic in a way I suppose.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly at that, the sound low and thoughtful. her head stays resting against his shoulder, eyes drifting over the lagoon as the water moves in slow, quiet ripples.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

there’s a small pause.

“symbolic, huh…”

she shifts slightly, not pulling away–just settling more comfortably.

“still better than being alone,” she adds after a moment, voice quiet but steady. her gaze stays on the water, the faintest hint of a smile lingering as she lets the quiet sit between them.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh I can definitely agree with that.”

*He nodded, being quiet after he spoke. He hummed a soft tune as he considered what to do. He leaned back a bit, moving one arm to keep himself propped up.*

*He started to zone out a bit as he thought about what led him here and that thought slowly drifted to speculation about the other people in the kingdoms. He shook his head, shaking himself of it.*

“Do you ever think about how weird it is that everyone ended up here? Like there is such an interesting variety of people here.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan is quiet for a moment, watching the water as he speaks.

“…yeah,” she says after a second.

her fingers brush idly through the sand, her eyes following the slow ripple of the water, expression softer now. “it’s strange…”

she hesitates, just for a second, like she almost doesn’t say the next part. “…i think i like it, though.”

another small pause, quieter this time.

"everyone kinda just... belongs.." she trails off. "no matter how different they are."

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, glancing at the water. He smiled softly as he thought a bit more.*

“Everyone does belong here. Makes this place unique. How many places can say they welcomed a frog rogue, eh? Or a slimy fellow like 4c or- 90% of us really.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

“I’d bet 10 Froggy Tokens that no other kingdoms could say that stuff.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a small huff of a laugh at that, but it fades quickly into something softer. her gaze drifts out over the water, fingers idly brushing through the sand, "yeah..."

a small pause.

“i’ve never really been… accepted anywhere else.”

she shrugs lightly, like she’s trying to make it sound like it doesn’t matter. “always been… 'different'.” her eyes flick back to the lagoon, expression calmer now. “…bannerfall’s different, though.” another pause.

“i’ve thought about leaving,” she admits, her eyes staying on the lagoon.

“just… figured it’d be easier for everyone.. if i was.. gone” she trails off slightly.

another small shrug.

“…but i never did.”

"guess that says something.."

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue gently elbowed her.*

“I was thinking the same thing honestly. Just leaving. Sometimes I still consider it, actually. Sometimes I climb on top of the Fark Hall and look out into the forest and just contemplate that for hours.”

*He shrugged, looking at the water once more. He shook his head after a moment.*

“But I mean yeah, we’re still here.”

[drowning-melodies]

she' s quiet for a moment, gaze fixed on the water.

“…we’re still here,” she echoes softly.

the words sit with her.

she doesn’t add anything else. just stays where she is, hands resting loosely in the sand, letting the quiet stretch out between them as the lagoon ripples gently ahead.

"i like being here," she says with a small smile.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, letting himself watch the water.*

“It’s nice.”

*He hummed softly. He put one hand in his pocket as he watched the gentle ripples of the lagoon, fidgeting with lining of his pocket. His gaze occasionally shifted between the water and the glowberry vines.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly in agreement, eyes following the slow current of the lagoon.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

she leans back slightly, resting her weight on her hands in the sand, gaze drifting along the water’s edge.

a small pause.

“…we should probably head back soon,” she adds, voice light, like she doesn’t really want to move just yet.

[ribbitrogue]

*He groaned, rolling his head back.*

“But I don’t wannaaaaaaaaa.”

*He crossed his arms, making an exaggerated pouty expression. He laughed a little before continuing to play this game of having an attitude akin to that of an upset bunny.*

“Nuh uh. I’m not moving. In fact, I live right here now. Yep.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks at him for a second–then snorts, a quiet laugh slipping out.

“oh, do you now?” another soft laugh slips out. “what about your fark hall?” she teases, tilting her head slightly, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, breaking the pouty act.*

“Okay maybe you have a point. I do gotta get back there, make sure nobody’s done anything stupid.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

[drowning-melodies]

“exactly,” she says, smiling.

she pushes herself up to her feet, brushing the sand from her skirt, movements unhurried. then she holds out her hand, "c'mon,"

[ribbitrogue]

*He giggled a bit, taking her hand and pushing himself up.*

“Yeah yeah I’m coming.”

[drowning-melodies]

she gives his hand a small tug to help him up, then she turns to walk towards the hole leading up to the surface

her gaze lifts up toward the opening above, seawater spilling down in a constant, shimmering waterfall from the higher break in the caverns ceiling.

her smile fades a little. not gone–just thinner.

before she can think too much about it, she steps into the pool, swimming up and out of the lagoon.

when she makes it to the boat, inhales sharply, pushing herself up and onto the wooden surface. she glances down into the water, waiting for the frog.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam through the water, getting momentarily distracted by the fish moving around him. He shook his head and swam up to the surface, popping his head out of the water.*

“There’s so many fish down there.”

*He took a moment before he pushed himself up onto the boat. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and began to wring it out.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a soft, light laugh, still dripping from the swim. “yeah… there really are,” she says, voice easy, eyes following the fish darting beneath the boat.

she runs a hand through her wet hair, and shakes her head slightly, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

“it… kinda reminds me of my home,” she adds softly, fingers brushing along the small, ocean waves.

[ribbitrogue]

“Hm. Can’t relate.”

*Frogue shrugged, still working on wringing his shirt out.*

“It’s good that they remind you of that though. I think.”

*He glanced at her before nodding to himself. He leaned against the rail of the boat.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah,” she says lightly, shrugging a little, ignoring the way the voices heightened.

she glances down at the water once more, then reaches for the oars, settling them into place.

the boat shifts slightly as she starts rowing, movements steady and unhurried, guiding them back toward land while the fish scatter beneath the surface.

[ribbitrogue]

*He kept his eyes on the water, as if he thought there was going to be some crazy creature down there that intended to prevent them from going. He hummed softly before leaning back.*

“This was fun.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him, a small smile already forming. “yeah,” she agrees softly.

she keeps rowing, the steady rhythm of it easy now.

“…we should do this again sometime,” she adds after a moment, her gaze drifting back to the water, but the smile lingers.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh definitely.”

*He stuck his froggy hand in the water as the boat moved along.*

“Maybe we bring someone else along next time too. I’m sure someone else would enjoy it.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah…” she trails off, watching the moon’s reflection ripple across the water for a moment, before perking up again.

“ooh!! maybe we could invite 4c!! and then you could apologize to him and give him the letter! and then he would forgive you!! oh that’d be joyous!! joyous day!!” she smiles brightly, clearly excited by her plan.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh we could! Hopefully.”

*He chuckled, glancing at her for a moment before looking back at the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

she smiles a little at that, glancing over at him briefly before looking back ahead.

“he will,” she says, voice easy with certainty. she keeps rowing, the rhythm steady, cutting through the water as the shoreline slowly comes closer. “i promise”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, watching the oars glide through the water. His tongue flicked out just to bother a fish, getting a small chuckle out of himself.*

“Yeah yeah. I’m sure he will.”

[drowning-melodies]

she hums softly at that, the faintest smile lingering as she keeps rowing. the shoreline grows closer, the dark shape of the beach coming into view as the water shallows.

she slows the boat a little, letting it glide the last stretch, before stepping out and offering her hand.

[ribbitrogue]

*He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling himself out of the boat. He nearly landed on his face but managed to catch himself before he fell.*

“Do you want to walk to the bridge together or split off here?”

*He glanced around, as if looking to see if there was anyone nearby who might’ve seen them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan steadies him when he stumbles, a soft laugh slipping out.

“we can walk to the bridge,” she says quietly.

then she glances around the quiet shoreline, then her gaze drifts upward–the moon hanging high, light spilling softly across the water.

“…it’s late,” she murmurs. her eyes linger there for a second before dropping back to him, expression gentler now. “no one’ll see us,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started walking, one hand in his pocket.*

“Good. I don’t exactly want there to be a whole misunderstanding and then a fight to happen right now.”

*He kept glancing around, just to be sure.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan huffs a quiet breath at that, a small, amused smile tugging at her lips.

“yeah,” she agrees lightly. “i really don’t need another fight..” she walks alongside him at an easy pace, hands brushing lightly against her skirt as she moves.

“how do you think it’s gonna end? the war, i mean?” the question was far too simple for what it was asking.

[ribbitrogue]

*He crossed his arms and looked at the ground as they walked.*

“Well that depends. Do you want my honest answer or my more optimistic one?”

*He huffed quietly, pausing in his step for a moment as he thought about it a little more.*

[drowning-melodies]

she slows a little when he pauses, glancing over at him. she already knows how it was gonna end.

they all did.

her gaze drifts ahead again, expression softening just slightly. “…optimistic,” she says instead, quieter this time.

“just this once.”

she keeps walking, eyes on the path, like she’s choosing to believe it–at least for now.

[ribbitrogue]

“Then I think that the kingdoms could get along. Make friends and all that. Could maybe because one kingdom again even. Potentially.”

*He walked with a bit more speed in order to catch up, his gaze straight ahead.*

[drowning-melodies]

she’s quiet for a moment as she walks beside him, letting his words settle. her gaze drifts slightly, like she’s picturing it.

“…that’d be nice,” she admits softly. her expression shifts, something a little more thoughtful, a little more wistful.

“i think i’d like that.”

[ribbitrogue]

“It would be nice, I’ll admit.”

*He hummed softly, unsure of how to continue.*

“I genuinely think it would be for the benefit of both kingdoms and all the people within.”

*He crossed his arms as they walked together.*

[drowning-melodies]

she walks quietly beside him for a moment, eyes on the path ahead. “…yeah,” she murmurs.

“it’s just…” she hesitates slightly, like she’s choosing her words. “kinda stupid, isn’t it?”

she glances over at him briefly.

“we’re all fighting a war that half of us don’t even know the cause of.” her gaze drifts forward again.

“…feels like we’re just running in circles at this point,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh kinda is an understatement. It’s so stupid even the kingdom of Soluna could see it I’m sure.”

*He rolled his eyes before letting his gaze rest on the ground.*

“In the rogue guild I’m from, we’d call this situation a ‘cast of fog’. A group of people gets involved in a situation that they can leave but don’t seem to realize they can leave.”

*He rolled his shoulders as he thought about the rogue guild. He shook his head after a moment.*

[apos-moon-piercer]

“hi!!!” shelby pops up beside apo, leaning just a little too far into her space as the bells on her hat jingle softly.

she tilts her head, peering over at whatever they’re doing.

“…whatcha doing?” they ask, voice light and curious.

– @star-of-the-circus

(ooc: sorry i’m terrible at starting rps </3)

Apo startled slightly, taken aback by Shelby's sudden appearance. She cleared her throat lightly as she tried to back away from her a little

"Oh! Um, hello..."

"I uh, I just woke up. I was going to do a dungeon run with the others..."

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby perks up immediately, bells giving a soft, excited jingle.

“ooh, that sounds fun!” she smiles brightly, shifts a step closer, rocking slightly on their heels, fingers hooking into her sleeves.

“…can i come with you?” they ask, a little quick, like the thought just slipped out, her head tilting, bells ringing hopefully.

[apos-moon-piercer]

"Um, yeah sure... I am not sure who else will be there... The Frouge and the flower I think..."

Apo paused for a second, thinking as she shifted on her spear

"just be careful... Don't trust whatever the creeking king says to you, okay?"

[star-of-the-circus]

“i won’t!!” she says brightly, almost overlapping the warning. they rock back on her heels, smile bright–just a little too practiced.

“now c’mon!!! frogue’s already waiting!!!!” they say, skipping ahead towards the general direction of the dungeon.

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo seemed a bit worried but she hid her concerns, the dungeon was a dangerous place after all. That and she'd only seen this person around before, talking with the others but never really to her... Shelby, she thinks their name is...

"Alright! Hey wait for me—!"

They walked behind her, having to pick the pace every now and then to catch up as they walked towards the dungeon, up over the hill to Pipa

@ribbitrogue dungeon run? (Feel free to ignore!)

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue was already waiting there. He was perched up on a tree, flipping his sword around as he waited for everyone else to arrive. He let out a loud ribbit as he noticed the two.*

“Oh finally, I don’t have to wait here any longer. Unless you two invited more people.”

*He hopped down from the tree, landing on the ground with ease before looking at the dungeon.*

(Yep! Sorry, I might be bad at this lol. @star-of-the-circus)

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby’s head snaps toward the sound, bells bursting into a bright, uneven jingle.

“frogue!!!” she doesn’t even hesitate–just bolts forward, closing the distance way too fast.

“hi!!!” shelby adds, skidding to a stop right in front of him, a little breathless, rocking on her heels.

“uh….” they ponder for a moment, “i don’t think so…? did you invite anyone else, apo?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo walks towards the goblin, as she greets her with a smile. Shelby's voice brought their attention back to the pair

"Oh, um no. I didn't"

She felt a weird shift in weight as she wiped her head to see the owl bear trying to eat her steaks

"Hey! Stop that—!"

She turned towards the goblin, then to the others

"let's just get going!" She said quickly

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and pulled a bit of gold out, handing it to the goblin before tucking the rest into his pocket once more.*

“Probably a smart move. I just wanna get this over with. Place gives me bad vibes.”

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby fumbles a bit in her pockets before pulling out some coins, stepping up to hand them over. then their gaze catches on the owl bear, before they let out a small gasp.

“you look just like bongo!!” she smiles brightly, petting the owl bear’s head once.

then, without much hesitation, they grab onto the side of the carriage and climb up, swinging herself inside with an easy, practiced motion.

the bells chime as she settles in, waiting for the other two to join her. “c’mon!!”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

apo hands the goblin her fair and turns to look at the Frouge for a second, before following Shelby and climbing in the carriage

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue hopped into the carriage, lying down in the back section. He closed his eyes as the carriage began to move, allowing himself a moment of calm before whatever the dungeon would throw at them.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

the carriage rattles along, a little too quiet. shelby fidgets with her sleeves, bells giving the occasional soft jingle.

“…so–”

then the carriage stops.

“…oh! we’re here!!” they smile brightly, skipping out of the carriage and towards the parkour, jumping each platform with unneeded dramatics.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

They all get off of the carriage, the bear gets a last nip at apo's steak. No one says much as they walk deeper into the cave. A few quick jumps and lunges and she's there at the alter without much effort, standing a bit back from the button as she waits for the other two.

A grimace makes its way to her face the longer she stares at that button, dreading seeing that "thing" again... What lies await her now, she wonders. Well whatever it may be, it will just be another new lie... Right?

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue followed behind quickly, jumping along on the higher parts of the wall before hopping down on the other side of the button. He glanced over at Shelby before looking at the button.*

“This guy man. Always has something to say to someone I swear.”

*He rolled his eyes and looked back at Shelby, waiting for her to arrive.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

she lingers for a second longer than she needs to, fingers hooked into their sleeves, bells giving a faint, uneven jingle.

“…yeah,” they say, a little too quick, like memorized lines.

she steps forward then, closing the distance in a couple light steps.

“he talks a lot,” shelby adds, practiced. her gaze flicks briefly toward the button before up at them. “…ready?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

"As ready as we'll ever be..."

Apo took a deep breath, as gaze flicked to the other two before they all pressed the button simultaneously

And then,

darkness

She felt a presence, staring at her, through her... Great.

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He huffed as the darkness surrounded him, rolling his eyes slightly. This was starting to feel more like a chore than anything actually entertaining.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby stills.

she’s used to eyes on her. that part’s never been the problem. it’s the way this one feels. not curious. not watching a performance. something quieter. heavier.

they hate it

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

...

The dark cleared, a statute of a rabbit stud in front of them

Apo didn't move... Her head hung low, eyes wide as her breath came out shaky and uneven

The sound of a clock ticking snapped her back to reality

Spot the difference, right. The dungeon. They had a dungeon to do

"Right, um..."

Her feet moved on their own she walked forward, trying to concentrate and memorise the blocks

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue blinked a few times, letting his eyes readjust before he shakily walked over to the statue.*

“Hm. Alright well the nose is different I think?”

*He poked the nose of the statue, a satisfying ding followed.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby doesn’t move at first.

whatever he said still echoes in her head, too loud, too close. it sits wrong in her chest, like it hasn’t settled properly.

they blink hard, turning away a little too quickly. her hand comes up, brushing at her face like it’s nothing–quick, practiced.

she swallows, breath catching for just a second before she forces it steady.

“…i’ll–uh… check the other statue,” they mumble, voice a little thin.

and before she can hesitate, she moves.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo takes a step back from the statue before turning on her heels as she walked into the other room.

Since, it's the first room, the three make quick for of it. No body says much and soon enough they are in the next level.

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned as he looked around, grumbling to himself.*

“Well. Better to get the relic one out of the way now rather than later.”

*He suddenly darted off down a hallway, searching for whatever he could find and hopefully keeping his mind off the Creaking King’s message from earlier.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby lingers for half a second too long, then quickly follows after him.

her steps are a little uneven, a little too fast, like she’s trying to keep up without thinking about it. her hands stay hooked tight in her sleeves.

the meter flickers on and they go rigid.

her hands clamp over the bells, desperate to quiet them. they give a small, uneven chime anyway.

she doesn’t breathe.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo stills, the meter doesn't go away. It lingers, a second longer than usual.

Her body twists sharply on reflex, knocking over a pot as their head snaps towards the creaking standing behind them— inches away, as the ceramic pot shatters with a crashing sound.

The meter rises and rises and rises— it doesn't stop.

Hide

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue huffed quietly, looking around for a spot to hide. He ran over to Shelby and nudged her into a nearby closet before running off to one that was further down the hallway.*

*He managed to make it to the closet and close the door.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

her hands cover her mouth, like she’s trying to keep every sound in. she presses hard, breath uneven against her palms.

the bells give the faintest, stifled jingle anyway.

she freezes.

safe

shelby exhales all at once, pulling her hands away. she pushes the door open quickly, stepping back out into the hallway, bells chiming a little too loud now.

“…are you guys okay?” they ask, voice still a little thin.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo had dashed to find a closet. But her side of the hall was all but empty

5

4

...

Panicked, she took a sharp turn trying to find a place a to hide. Finally she saw wooden closet, her hand latched on the handle.

1

0.

Something started curling itself around her, preventing her hand from opening the door. Creaking branches... They curled over her hand then snaked along their shoulder, covering their mouth before... *crack*

Neck spinning around like that of a doll, broken

She found herself back at the starting point, starting at the little creaking statue with disdain

-30 sec

"i died, but I'm fine..."

[ribbitrogue]

*He opened his door and poked his head out, glancing around to make sure the coast is clear before darting further down the hallway, yelling back at Apo. He was just unable to resist the urge to make fun of her, even in these more dangerous situations.*

“Let’s try not dying! Might help ya know!”

*He opened a chest and pulled out a relic, tucking it in a pocket.*

“I’ve got one!”

@star-of-the-circus

[drowning-melodies]

*Frogue came barreling into the blue kingdom, pushing down on the lily pad on his head to flatten it out. He ran up to Shan and let out an excited ribbit.*

“Hi Shan! Can you maybe please put me in a bubble?”

@ribbitrogue

(Take your time responding, I just wanted to make sure we get a Frogue and Shan interaction :D)

“oh–!” shan blinks, surprised by the sudden ribbit. “uh… sure?? hold still.”

she plants the end of her staff into the soft ground with a quiet tap. shan tilts her staff in a slow circle. water follows the motion, spiraling together until it gathers into a clear, wobbling sphere. it shimmers faintly, sunlight bending through it in wavering lines.

with a small flick of her staff, the bubble pops around him, lifting him gently off the ground.

“is that good?” she asks, head tilting slightly.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam around in the bubble, ribbiting happily. His eyes were incredibly wide right now as he moved around like an actual frog in the water.*

“Yes it is Shan! Thank you very much! I’ve missed these bubbles, amazing honestly.”

*He settled at the bottom of the bubble and closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself relax despite the drama within the kingdoms. He let out another ribbit, much smaller this time and almost sounding a bit awkward.*

“Have you been well? I don’t think I’ve heard from you in a while.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches the bubble bob a little as frogue reviles in it, blinking before letting out a small laugh before shrugging a bit.

“i’ve been good. just… busy.” she says, leaning lightly on her staff, eyes flickering briefly toward the kingdom gates in the distance.

she glanced back at him in the bubble, smiling lightly. “what about you? you seem pretty happy in there.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue opened one eye, he seemed more relaxed than he normally was but that could’ve just been because he was in the bubble.*

“Eh. I could be better but it is what it is. The bubble is very nice, pretty calming in here.”

*He hummed to himself as he watched her, still just resting in the bubble. Despite his very relaxed demeanor, his eyes darted between her and the kingdom’s gates.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan leans a little heavier on her staff as the bubble drifts in place, its surface trembling faintly.

using bubble capture took more focus than most of her spells. the water wave was easy–a burst of power and it was done. even holding water didn’t last too long. but the bubble needed constant attention, little threads of magic keeping the surface sealed and steady. to keep whoever was in it breathing.

but… frogue looks comfortable in there. calmer than she’s seen him in a while.

so instead of dropping it, she glances back at him through the watery surface, giving a small tilt of her head. sh exhales slow, steadying the bubble.

“…so,” she says softly, resting her chin on the top of her staff, eyebrows pinched in concentration, “how was it? when you were king, i mean.” she pauses again before adding, "i know it can be hard..."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked away and let out a quiet croak. Part of him wanted to ignore the question but ultimately he decided to answer.*

“It was eh- it was alright. The rule itself wasn’t rough. Maybe the consequences of my, according to some people, very impulsive and brutal actions might be the actual hard part.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck. His entire demeanor had shifted to a more defensive one. His eyes narrowed and he kept his eyes on the ground.*

[drowning-melodies]

shandrea watches the bubble drift, giving it a small tap with the end of her staff when it starts to wobble. “i get that,” she says, shrugging a little.

the corner of her mouth twitches slightly.

“when i wore the crown, it was mostly just fixing things after the war. gates, canals, people arguing, that sort of thing.” she rolls her shoulder a bit, still keeping the spell steady. “not really the same kind of ruling you had... from what i've heard..”

“still,” she adds, “being in charge of a whole kingdom does weird things to people. make them act... impulsively.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced at her before taking a deep breath. He started croaking a lot but they were muffled, as if he was suppressing them.*

“Well I’m glad someone’s run as the ruler better than mine did.”

*He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He huffed and shook his head.*

“And impulsive is a word for it I guess.”

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts a little at that, the bubble wobbling as she shifts her weight.

“hey, don’t say that,” she says, tilting her head and looking at him through the bubble.

“at least people will remember your reign.” she gives a small shrug. “mine was months of fixing damage from a war i wasn’t even here for and then everyone kinda.. brushed me aside.”

“at least yours was memorable,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Yeah, I guess, but mine was so memorable that I was kicked out of the Red Kingdom.”

*He froze as soon as he said that. He wasn’t sure if she already knew about that but he was not fond of the idea that he might’ve just offered that information up willingly. He started kicking at the bubble, attempting to escape and run off.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks.

“wait–you actually–“

then he starts kicking the bubble, causing her to grip her staff tighter, instinctively focusing on the spell. instead of weakening, the bubble pulls tighter, wobbling but holding firm as he kicks at it.

she squints at him through the water.

“…i thought that was a rumor? did you actually get kicked out?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He stayed silent for a moment and continued kicking the bubble, when he realized his attempts were futile he gave up and glanced at her. His eyes were narrowed but also filled with- fear perhaps?*

“If you must know, then yes. I’ve been kicked out.”

[drowning-melodies]

“oh, frogue…”

the spell slips away instantly, the bubble dissolving into mist and dropping him from where he’d been floating.

shan shifts her grip on her staff as the awkward silence grows thin, before blurting out, “do you want to go to the lagoon with me?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hit the ground with a gentle thud, pushing himself off the ground. He looked away and nodded, refusing to make eye contact now.*

“If you can stand being around me, then sure.*

*He stared at the ground, every fiber of his being just yelling at him to run. However he stayed.*

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts softly, “i invited you, frogue,” she says, a little amused. “if i couldn’t stand you i wouldn’t have.”

she twirls her staff once in her hand, glancing down the path towards the gates. then she starts walking a few steps, then looks back at him and smiles, gesturing for him to follow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated for a moment before following her. He made a few more muffled croaking sounds as they walked. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, not knowing if this was even safe, so he decided to just shut his mouth for once.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks a little ahead, staff tapping lightly against the ground as they head down the path. after a bit she glances back at him, noticing how quiet he is.

“…you know you don’t have to be that quiet,” she says, smiling gently. “it’s kinda weird not hearing you speak every five seconds.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets.*

“I mean- what am I supposed to talk about? How I’m going to be living alone in the Fark Hall forever now?”

*He let out a small huff as he spoke, kicking a pebble along the path.*

“Not much for me to talk about otherwise.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums lightly, before walking quietly beside him for a moment, staff tapping lightly against the path. then she glances over at him.

“what’s your favorite color?” her tone is casual, like she’s just handing him something else to talk about. something to distract them both.

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes widened, clearly not expecting such a basic question.*

“Oh uh- green probably. I like green. It’s a really nice color, it feels- safe? If that makes sense. I assume your favorite color would be blue?”

*He tilted his head. His body relaxed at the less intense conversation topic, though he still seemed relatively cautious.*

[drowning-melodies]

“purple, actually,” she says with a smile. “everyone just assumes blue.” she nudges a pebble off the path with the end of her staff as they keep walking.

after a moment she adds, with a small shrug, “green’s a good one though.”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh. Well purple is nice, that would’ve been my second guess.”

*He hummed softly as they walked down the path. His tongue occasionally flicked out to grab an insect.*

“What’s your favorite food?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks beside him, staff resting over her shoulder as she thinks for a second.

"fish,” she says, smiling. then she glances at him and adds with a small shrug, “grilled, usually. or sometimes just salted.”

she pushes a curl behind her ear, looking towards him. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He ran a hand along his face as he thought about his answer.*

“Well now that I’m a humanoid frog my diet is limited to insects and whatnot. I mean I can eat normal food but it’s just not as nutritious for me.”

*He looked up at the sky before looking back at her.*

“As I am currently, I’d say fruit flies. Moths aren’t terrible but they’ve got a weird aftertaste. Before I was a frog though, I’d probably say chicken wings.”

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah, chicken wings are pretty good,” she says with a nodding.

the path opens up into sand, waves rolling steadily onto the shore. shan slows a bit when they reach the beach.

the closer she gets to the water, the louder the familiar murmuring gets in the back of her head–distant voices layered together, like something carried in on the tide. she tightens her grip on the staff for a second, eyes flicking out across the water.

then she exhales, stepping onto the sand.

“just in time for the sunset!!” she smiles, thought it appears a little more.. pained then before.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, he glanced at her and tilted his head.*

“Yeah. It should be pretty.”

*He paused and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to do.*

“You alright? You seem a bit- out of it?”

*He looked at the water, half tempted to run over and sit in it but he instead chose to continue walking with her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks when he touches her shoulder, like he’s pulled her back from somewhere. she waves a hand quickly. “i’m.. i’m fine.”

the voices press harder at the back of her mind, rising like a high tide. she tenses for a second before forcing her shoulders to relax.

not now, she thinks. this isn’t about you.

shan drags the end of her staff through the sand as she keeps walking. after a moment she turns toward him, nodding out toward the water.

“c’mon,” she says. “the sunsets are always prettier out on the open sea!!” she flinches slightly before smiling as if to cover it up.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started towards the water. The edges of the lilypad on his head began to wrap downward as he walked. He glanced at her every once in a while, trying to figure out what could be wrong but not wanting to pry.*

“It’s been a while since I actually took the time to watch a sunset.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums quietly as they reach the shoreline, spinning her staff once in her hand. the voices get louder near the water, but she just focuses on the horizon instead.

“…yeah,” she says after a moment. “i don’t think i’ve really watched one in a while either.”

she gives a small shrug before offering her hand. “c’mon let’s watch it together,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated but took her hand. His hand was kind of slimy, as if holding a literal frog.*

“I don’t think anyone has really had the time to.”

*He watched the waves for a moment before looking out at the horizon himself. He took a deep breath and let out a small croak as he said something unexpected.*

“Thank you for inviting me to come see this.”

[drowning-melodies]

she glances towards him when he thanks her, shoulders lifting in a small shrug.

“thanks for letting me show you.” shan squeezes his hand lightly before staring at the sunset, smiling softly.

the voices seem to lull then. still there, they always were, but here under the setting sun, they quieted. she takes a breath.

“we should start heading out, huh?” she taps the side of a neat rowboat, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and hopped into the rowboat.*

“That we should.”

*He watched her for a moment before looking at the water. His tongue flicked out into the water, causing a small fish to swim away. He gave a small chuckle as he watched it dart off.*

[drowning-melodies]

she laughs at his antics before stepping into the rowboat after him, steadying it with one hand on the side. she pushes them off from the sand before settling onto the seat and picking up the oars.

she dips the oars into the water and starts rowing, the boat rocking gently as they move farther from shore.

“it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asks, staring off into the sunset, a smile on her face.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, leaning over the edge of the boat. He watched the sunset, the lilypad on his head folding down into a hood.*

“It really is beautiful.”

*He croaked quietly, a small smile on his face as he observed the scene around them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets the boat drift once they’re far enough out, resting the oars across the sides. she watches the horizon for a moment, the water gently rocking beneath them.

“…yeah,” she says after a second, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

she leans to the side a little, trailing her fingers through the water beside the boat. her breath slows as she lets the boat drift, soaking in the sunlight.

she hasn’t felt peace like this for.. a while.

“oh–we made it,” she says quietly, gesturing into the depths to the sea lanterns of the night market.

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked into the depths and tilted his head, eyes widening.*

“Oh is this where everyone went that one time when I slept in? With the weird fish guy and the shark?”

*He leaned over further, only just barely in the boat as he tried to get a better look. His eyes sifted between the visible buildings and such.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i think so..?” she tilts her head slightly. “i wasn’t there either..”

shan leans over the side of the boat, peering down into the shifting blue below. the shapes of buildings and stone blur faintly beneath the surface.

for a second she just watches the dark blue below, fingers tightening slightly on the edge of the boat, nausea whirl pooling in her stomach.

then, quieter, more to herself than him–

“…you ready?”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her before nodding. He rolled out of the boat and into the water, he floated there for a moment before diving down under. He swam around, occasionally looking back to see what Shan doing.*

[drowning-melodies]

when frogue slips into the water, the boat rocks gently. shan watches the ripples for a second, then takes a slow breath.

another.

then she slides over the edge of the boat and into the water.

she forces herself to stay calm, taking one last deep breath before dipping under and swimming down, pushing through the water with steady strokes. the cold closes around her as she swims down, pushing forward with quick, determined strokes.

shan pushes through the hole into the lagoon, arms burning slightly from holding her breath that long.

the moment her head breaks the surface she gasps, dragging in a sharp breath of air before grabbing onto the stone edge beside the entrance. for a second she just stays there, breathing hard, water dripping from her hair.

then she wipes her face with one hand and turns back toward the opening she came through, peering down into the darker water behind her.

"frogue?" she calls out into the darkness.

[ribbitrogue]

*It took a couple more minutes before he poked his head out of the water. He blinked one eye at a time for a moment before announcing his arrival rather loudly.*

“I’m here! I got distracted, there’s a lot to look at around here. Weird looking fish and whatnot.”

*He swam over but let himself lay back in the water near the stone edge.*

“You alright?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he finally pops up, letting out a small breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“yeah, yeah, i’m fine,” she says quickly.

she pulls herself up onto the sandy edge of the lagoon, water dripping from her clothes as she stands. brushing some wet hair out of her face, she offers him a hand.

“c’mon,” she adds, nodding further into the lagoon. “time to go fishing.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and grabbed her hand, letting her help him up. He snickered to himself as he stepped onto the sand.*

“Imagine Owain trying to make that swim. I can’t imagine that would go well with how heavy his armor is.”

*He hummed and looked around the lagoon, trying to find a good spot to set everything up.*

[drowning-melodies]

she lets out a small laugh, brushing some wet hair out of her face. “yeah,” she says. “that armor would drag him straight to the bottom.”

she glances out across the lagoon for a moment, then crouches near the edge of the sand where a couple fishing rods are leaning against a rock. she grabs one and straightens, giving it a small spin in her hand before offering the other toward frogue. then she nods toward the water.

“here,” she says. “might as well actually catch something.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He took the fishing rod from her and waddled over to the water. He sat down on the edge of it and cast the line, watching as it moved in the water.*

“You go fishing often?”

*His gaze didn’t move away from the bobber, simply watching as he impatiently waited for something to happen, his hand fidgeting with the handle.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks over and drops down onto the sand a little ways from him before casting a line out into the water, the line arcing out before the bobber settles on the rippling surface.

“not really,” she admits with a small shrug, eyes flicking to the water.

“i mean–i like fish,” she adds, a little offhand. "just don't have the time anymore..."

she shifts slightly in the sand, watching her bobber drift with the slow movement of the lagoon. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“Nah. I’ve never been one for fishing. Takes forever for a little reward.”

*He hummed, keeping his focus on his bobber. He frowned slightly as it stayed afloat, getting a bit annoyed with it.*

“I mean they take forever and half the time they’re like- the size of a kitten.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches her bobber drift for a moment before shrugging a little. “yeah, it can take a while,”

she rests her forearms on her knees, rod angled loosely toward the water. “where i come from people fished all the time,” she adds after a second. “i used to,” she says with a small shrug. “kinda hard not to when you’re around the ocean all the time.”

her eyes flick back to the water.

"though i could never sit still enough to catch anything bigger than a guppy." she laughs lightly at the memory, though her shoulders are tight.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her, considering how to respond. He let out a little croak before shaking his head.*

“Hm. Must’ve been nice. Having a community that did that sort of stuff I mean.”

*He looked back at his fishing rod, though he clearly wasn’t focused on the activity anymore. He shifted, leaning back on his elbows.*

“Yeah sitting still is hard. I’m certainly no good at it. It’s just so dull and boring.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him when he says that and for a second she doesn’t answer.

must’ve been nice.

the words echo a little louder in her head than they should. the voices press in with them–overlapping murmurs she tries not to listen to.

you remember how that ended.

her grip tightens slightly on the fishing rod. she forces the thought away before it can settle. “…yeah,” she says after a moment, voice quieter than before. her gaze drifts back to the water, watching the slow bob of the float on the lagoon’s surface.

“it was nice.”

the voices don’t really stop, but she pushes them to the back of her mind. before shrugging lightly. “bannerfall’s not too bad either.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her again, feeling the energy shift. He scooted a bit closer, unsure of what to do. He decided to attempt to be humorous by gently bonking her head like one might bonk some bongos.*

“Eh. Bannerfall is its own flavor of nonsense. It’s not terrible yeah, but it’s definitely got its faults.”

*He decided to attempt to play into the humor a bit more by just throwing out a random comparison.*

“It’s like a burnt pie. Like yeah it’s good, it’s pie, but it’s also burnt.”

[drowning-melodies]

she looks over at him, eyes squinting in confusion for a second before she suddenly snorts and bursts into laughter.

“a burnt pie?” she repeats, still laughing a little as she shakes her head.

she glances back out at the lagoon, her bobber drifting lazily across the surface. “…yeah,” she says with a small shrug, still giggling. “that sounds about right.”

she smiles brightly towards him, still laughing lightly.

[ribbitrogue]

”Yep. Burnt pie.”

*He nodded with a chuckle, smiling back at her. He reeled in his fishing rod and put it to the side, knowing he was over it.*

“Maybe a burnt pancake but that’s pushing it.”

*He leaned backwards, using his arms to keep him sat up just enough to watch Shan fish.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s laughter fades into a small grin as she looks back at the water, rod still resting loosely in her hands. "giving up already?"

her bobber dips suddenly.

shan straightens a bit, giving the line a quick tug before reeling it in. when the line breaks the surface, it isn’t a fish dangling there but a small shell. she pulls it closer, prying it open with her fingers before a small, pale pearl rolls into her palm.

for a second she just looks at it, then dips her hand into the lagoon and gently swishes it through the water to rinse the sand off.

she stares at it for a moment, twisting it between two fingers, watching the way its shines under the lagoon's glow. then she holds it out toward frogue.

“here,” she says simply, smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well yeah I’m giving up already! It’s boringggg.”

*He paused when she hooked something, watching intently as she reeled it in.*

“Oh!”

*He carefully took the pearl from her and rolled it around in his hand for a bit. He watched it with wide eyes.*

“I- oh uh- thank you. I didn’t even know these could look this nice, especially straight out of the shell.”

*He hummed quietly as he continued to rotate the pearl in his hand, being incredibly careful as to not drop it back into the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him turn the pearl over in his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“yeah,” she agrees, smiling softly. she props her elbows on her knees, rod already angled lazily toward the water.

“did you know they come in different colors?” she adds after a moment. “not just white?”

she looks toward the pearl in his hand.

“there’s pink ones, black ones… even gold ones sometimes.”

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes got even wider as he turned to look at her.*

”They can be different colors?! What the heck! Nobody told me that! Why does everyone just wear the white ones then?!”

*He looked back at the pearl before carefully sliding it into the most secure pocket he had, no way was he going to lose it.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches his reaction, and a quiet laugh slips out of her before she can stop it. she twirls the end of the fishing rod between her fingers, then nods toward the pocket he tucked it into.

“each color’s supposed to mean something too.”

her voice is casual, like it’s just a random fact she’s remembering.

“white ones–like that one–usually mean new beginnings.”

for a second her gaze drifts across the lagoon water, the glow berries light rippling over the surface. then she shrugs lightly.

“seems like you got a pretty fitting one.” it comes out light hearted, though something quieter sits beneath it.

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced back at his pocket when she said that, a small smile crossing his face before he nodded.*

“Seems it is fitting, for good or for bad I suppose.”

*He looked back at the water, watching the ripples of light but also trying to see where the fish in here were.*

“I mean I guess that’s a good reason to wear white pearls then. Maybe I’ll figure out how to put this one on a bracelet or something.”

*He mumbled he last sentence quietly, like he didn’t intend to say it out loud.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan reels the line in slightly, making sure the hook's still set before letting it drift back out across the water.

"a bracelet could work," she says, thoughtfully. "or a necklace."

she glances over at him, "if you want, i could help."

"used to make some of my own," she adds with a small shrug. "nothing fancy or anything... but enough to make it wearable."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her, considering the offer. After a moment he let out a little ribbit and nodded.*

“If it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, I’d appreciate it. You don’t have to though.”

*He pulled the pearl out of his pocket to look at it, rolling it around in his hand once more. He looked back up to watch her fishing rod again, his attention split between the two things.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he pulls the pearl back out, the line of her mouth curving faintly.

“it’s not a hassle,” she says. “promise.”

after a moment she nods toward the pearl in his palm.

“just need some cord. maybe a clasp if we’re being fancy.” her fingers wander back up to her one of own necklaces, absentmindedly turning one of the pearls between them.

“i could make it into a bracelet pretty easy,” she adds. “it would suit you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, continuing to roll the pearl around.*

“I should have some cord back at the Fark Hall. Not a clasp though but that’s fine. Even a clasp might be too fancy for me.”

*He looked at her and smiled. A peaceful expression on his face as he thought about the current situation.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him and a matching smile spreads across her face.“well,” she says lightly, “when you find that cord, bring it on by.”

she shifts the fishing rod a little, watching the bobber drift across the water.

she turns to face him, a smile still on her lips. “i’ll make it into something for you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He grinned, putting the pearl back into his pocket. He croaked a couple times in a quick succession.*

“Will do. Gives me an opportunity to snoop around the blue kingdom too.”

*He giggled a bit, watching the fishing rod again.*

“Maybe I’ll get myself a froglight from 4c while I’m at it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan snorts softly at first, like she’s about to laugh along with him before stilling at the word “froglight” her fishing rod stills in her hands. she glances over at him, brows lifting a little.

“hey,” she says, tone light but firm. “don’t go farming 4c.” she nudges his shoulder with hers, not hard—more of a warning tap than anything.

“he’s a person, not a resource.”

“you can snoop around all you want,” she adds, glancing back at the water, “but leave him out of it.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed, shifting awkwardly now as he realized that he hadn’t been very funny with that one.*

“I- sorry. You’re right I guess.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the sand.*

“The froglights are just pretty and like- everyone in the red kingdom was pestering me about getting them for a while. Obviously not an excuse so-“

*He paused before rummaging through one of his other pockets, not the one with the pearl. He pulled a surprisingly dry envelope out.*

“I did actually try to write him an apology letter. Looks kind of bad though, hard to write with frog hands.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him pull the envelope out, and something in her expression softens.

“you already wrote one,” she echoes quietly. she looks at the letter for a second before glancing back toward the water, the rod shifting slightly in her hands.

“…sorry,” she adds after a moment, a little awkward. “i just–“

she pauses, searching for the words.

“i just… don’t like when people talk about him like that.” she whispers, eyes still glued to the ripples in the water. “i just… i’m sorry…”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“No no I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m the one who’s be harassing him since day one basically. Your reaction was totally fair.”

*He slid the envelope back into his pocket as he sighed.*

“Like I said, it’s a bad letter. I do have a couple froggy tokens packed into here though so maybe that would make up for my awful handwriting.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him slide the envelope back into his pocket, quiet for a moment. “i’d offer to rewrite it for you,” she says after a second, glancing over, “but i have dyslexia...”

she gives a small shrug, mouth tilting a little.

“so mine would probably end up worse.”

her gaze drifts back to the water, rod shifting lightly in her hands.

“but the effort’s what matters anyways.” she smiles, turning towards him “i’m sure he’ll forgive you,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh! I didn’t know that.”

*He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back and laying in the sand.*

“I mean I hope he’ll accept it. I’ll admit I was definitely less than polite though so if I were him I probably wouldn’t accept it. That’s just if I were him though.”

[drowning-melodies]

she listens quietly, the line drifting across the lagoon while he talks.

“4c’s… pretty forgiving,” she says after a moment. her eyes stay on the water, but her focus drifts somewhere else for a second.

she remembers the look on his face when she told him–halting, uncertain words about her tribe, about the blood and the silence and the way the memories never lined up quite right. the way she’d expected anger. or fear.

and how he had just pulled her close, rubbing circles onto her back.

shan blinks, pulling herself back to the present.

“he’s forgiven me for worse,” she adds, voice light like it’s just another passing thought, but the words linger. she gives a small shrug, rod shifting in her hands.

“so… i think you’ll be fine.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue looked at her, tilting his head a bit. He scooted a bit closer. He was clearly curious about what she’d done that supposedly needed forgiveness, however he didn’t ask about it.*

“Huh. Good for him. Most rogues aren’t the most forgiving, though apologies also aren’t given often to most rogues.”

*He sat up, flicking his tongue out to grab a nearby bug.*

“But yeah, I trust your word so if you think he’ll forgive me then I’ll take your word for it.”

[drowning-melodies]

she watches the slow drift of the bobber for a moment before she speaks again. ”4c is. mae is too.”

her eyes stay on the water, following the small rings the line makes on the surface. “they’re probably two of the most forgiving people i’ve met.”

there’s a brief pause. then, quieter–almost like she didn’t mean to say it out loud–

“…they’re more than i deserve.”

she goes still for a second after that, like the words slipped out without permission. then she clears her throat, ignoring the tears building up, eyes glued to the bobber.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned and scooted closer, slowly wrapping his arms around her. He carefully pat her head, croaking quietly in a way that was his attempt at being calming.*

“I obviously don’t know what you’ve been through but personally, I think you deserve more than what life has been giving you.”

*He looked at the bobber before looking back at her, trying to figure out the right thing to say.*

“Life is mean. Just because certain things happened, doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of good moments.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan stiffens a little when he wraps his arms around her, not pulling away–just going still for a second like she isn’t used to it.

his words sit in the air.

she watches the bobber instead of looking at him.

"i don't deserve it..." she admits, voice softened by acceptance. she stares at the lagoon, eyes sparkling with tears as they track the bobber. "i'm a monster, frogue..."

the words come out as a whisper. there was no flourish or drama. just acceptance. sharp and brittle.

certain.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, shaking his head.*

“I don’t think so and even if you were, aren’t we all monsters to some extent? I mean- look at what I’ve done recently. Or Sausage.”

*He sighed and squeezed her a bit, doing his best to help without being overwhelming.*

“Someone who doesn’t deserve nice things wouldn’t care. They wouldn’t be questioning if they deserve something nice, they would assume that they do deserve it.”

*He sighed and adjusted the way he was hugging her, now more of a side hug as he was unsure if the hug was helping or making the situation worse.*

[drowning-melodies]

his words don’t seem to land–or maybe they do, just somewhere she doesn’t know how to reach. her grip tightens slightly around the fishing rod before loosening again.

“…that’s not–” she starts, but the sentence falls apart halfway through. she swallows, hard and for a second it looks like she’s not going to say anything else. then–

“i killed them,” she says, the words catching on the way out.

quiet. uneven.

she doesn't look at him.

“all of them.” her breathing starts to go shallow, just slightly off. “my whole–” she cuts herself off, jaw tightening.

“…everyone.”

silence.

then her vision blurs. she blinks once. twice.

it doesn’t help.

the tears slip over anyway, slow and quiet, trailing down without a sound. her shoulders draw in a little, like she’s trying to make herself smaller, breath stuttering just enough to not be steady anymore. she wants to hug him back, truly, but she can't move. she can't move

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused for a moment before wrapping himself around her in a proper hug once more. He shut his mouth this time, knowing more about the situation. There wasn’t much he could say to help and he knew that, so he opted to just hold her and try his best without saying anything.*

*He carefully removed the fishing rod from her hand and tossed it off to the side, not wanting it to end up harming her in some way. His eyes closed once he did that, unsure what exactly would help. Part of him wanted to run off and go get someone else to deal with the situation, but he stayed put.*

[drowning-melodies]

she tenses when he pulls her into a tighter hug, breath catching for a second—but she doesn’t pull away.

the fishing rod leaving her hands barely registers.her hands curl weakly into the fabric of his clothes instead, like she needs something to hold onto.her breathing stutters, uneven, trying and failing to steady.

she shakes her head slightly against him.“i didn’t–” she tries, voice breaking.

another breath, sharper this time.

“i didn’t mean to–” the words fall apart before they can finish.

her shoulders hitch, silent tears pressing harder now, slipping down without restraint. she presses her face into him, like hiding will make it stop–like if she doesn’t see anything, it won’t feel so loud.

but it doesn’t quiet.

her breathing getting quicker, thinner, like she can’t quite get enough air. still, she doesn’t push him away. she just holds on, like letting go would make everything worse.

[ribbitrogue]

“Of course you didn’t…”

*He mumbled quietly, giving her a small squeeze. He rubbed her back gently, trying to help ground her.*

“I’m here, I’ve got you. I’m right here and you can let out as much as you need to.”

*He let her hold onto him, figuring this would probably help. Gods did he wish he were anyone else right now and actually knew what to do. Though he pushed that feeling down to make room in his head for the present moment.*

“I’m here for you, no matter what.”

*He continued rubbing her back, occasionally reaching his other hand up to attempt to wipe away the tears coming down her face.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i-i didn’t–” she tries, but it tangles, breaks apart.

her fingers clutch tighter into his clothes. her breathing keeps slipping, uneven, too fast... like she couldn't quite catch it. she presses her face further into him when he tries to wipe her tears, not pulling away, just hiding.

“they’re–” she starts, voice shaking. “they’re all gone–”

another hitch in her breath.

her shoulders tremble under his hands, silent sobs building now instead of just quiet tears. “i can’t–” she gasps softly, the words barely there. “i can’t fix it–”

she curls in closer, like she’s trying to fold in on herself, but she doesn’t let go of him. not even a little. it's like he’s the only thing keeping her anchored while everything else slips.

"i-i can't save them."

[ribbitrogue]

*He held her tighter, just doing his best to be there for her. He gently moved her head so they were making eye contact.*

“Hey, look at me. I’m here and nothing bad is going to happen. It won’t happen again.”

*He took a deep breath, scrambling internally to figure out what to do.*

“Okay um… let’s uh-“

*He glanced at the water before looking back at her again, shaking his head.*

“It’s not going to happen again.”

[drowning-melodies]

her eyes dart back up to his, wide and unfocused, like she’s seeing something that isn’t there.

“no–you don’t–” her voice catches, breath stuttering. her grip on him tightens. “i’m going to lose you,” she says, the words rushing out, uneven and breathless. “i’m going to lose everyone–”

you couldn’t save them you let them drown it was your fault.

her shoulders hitch at the voices, tears spilling faster now.

she presses closer like she’s trying to hold onto something she already believes is slipping away, her breathing uneven and shallow, like she can’t escape the thought looping in her head.

[ribbitrogue]

“No you’re not. I’m not going anywhere, nobody is going anywhere. I promise you that I won’t let that happen.”

*He hummed, continuing to hold her tightly. His eyes were locked onto hers as he just started saying whatever he could.*

“I promise you that you’re not going to lose everyone again. Look at me, I promise.”

[drowning-melodies]

she shakes her head, sharp and certain.

“you can’t promise that,” she says, breath uneven, voice breaking around the edges. her grip tightens, almost desperate now. “you don’t–” she chokes on the words, breath hitching. “you don’t know what i can do–”

her shoulders tremble, tears spilling faster, silent but relentless.

you’ll do it again you'll let them drown again

she squeezes her eyes shut for a second, like she can block it out–

it doesn’t work.

“i'm a monster,” she whispers, voice small but certain. “i've hurt people. i've killed people–”

her hands twist tighter in his clothes, like she’s afraid if she lets go even slightly, he’ll disappear. her breathing stays uneven, shallow, the panic still sitting heavy in her chest–even with him right there.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, genuinely unsure how to help now. He hugged her even tighter and spoke quietly, figuring his words weren’t doing much regardless.*

“You’re not a monster, Shan. You’re just- a person. You’ve done really bad things, yes, and it is important to acknowledge that. But you’ve also done amazing things that also deserve acknowledgment.”

*He continued to rub her back, with a bit more force now though in hopes of that doing literally anything.*

“Maybe you’re right about how I can’t promise it won’t happen again but- I can sure try to prevent it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s grip tightens weakly in his clothes as she looks up at him.

"how..?" she asks, voice thin and shaking. her eyes search his, unfocused but desperate. "how can you prevent the inevitable?"

her breath stutters, uneven, panic threading through every word.

“i’ve tried already,” she says. “i tried–i tried to stop it the first time, i tried, i swear i did–”

her voice breaks, shoulders hitching.

“but there was so much blood,” she chokes, the words catching hard. “and i don’t remember–i don’t remember anything but them screaming–”

“i don’t remember,” she repeats, quieter, shaking.

[ribbitrogue]

“I don’t know, if I’m being honest with you. I wouldn’t know until it actually happened, but I promise you that I’d do my best to prevent as much of the damage as I could in the moment.”

*He frowned, his eyes carefully watching hers. He shook his head and made a small croaking noise.*

“I’ll figure something out because you’re not alone in this. Not anymore. I’m here to help however I can.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan goes quiet at that. her breathing is still uneven, catching every few seconds, but she doesn’t try to push him away anymore.

instead, she just leans into him fully. her arms wrap around him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder.

“i’m sorry,” she whispers, voice small and breaking.

it’s not clear what she’s apologizing for.

everything, maybe.

her grip tightens just a little more, like she’s afraid if she lets go, she’ll fall apart again.

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head, letting her lean into him. He closed his eyes and just let himself be clung to.*

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, especially not to me. Just focus on yourself right now.”

*He gently pat her head with one hand while the other held her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan shakes her head weakly against him, but she doesn’t argue again. her grip stays tight for a moment longer… then slowly, just slightly, eases.

her breathing is still uneven, but it starts to slow–little by little.

she squeezes her eyes shut, pressing her face into his shoulder.

“…i’m sorry,” she murmurs again, softer now.

she stays there, holding onto him, letting herself just sit in it for a moment instead of fighting it, like she doesn’t trust herself to move yet.

[ribbitrogue]

“It’s alright…”

*He held her, glad that she seemed to be calming down now. He hummed a soft tune as he watched over her for the moment.*

“Just take a minute, focus on what’s going on right now. Everything else can buzz off right now.”

[drowning-melodies]

she doesn’t respond right away. her eyes stay closed, breath still a little shaky, but steadier than before. she leans into him, letting his voice sit there without fighting it.

after a moment, her grip shifts—not as desperate now, just… holding.

grounding.

she takes a slow breath. then another.

“…okay,” she murmurs quietly. her voice is small, but it’s there.

she stays like that, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of something real–his arms around her, the sand beneath them, the sound of the water nearby–letting everything else fade just a little.

a breath.

"thank you..." she whispers, breath finally slow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and smiled slightly, his eyes shifting back to the water.*

“Anytime.”

*He looked around before sighing.*

“Should we perhaps head back to the kingdoms? We’ve been out here a while and lord knows what the other weirdos around here might’ve been up to.”

*He looked back at her and gave her a little squeeze.*

“Or we can stay here a while longer, whatever works for you. I’ve got nowhere to be.”

[drowning-melodies]

after a second, she shifts slightly–tilting her head and resting it against his shoulder, her gaze drifting out over the lagoon.

“…maybe a little longer,” she murmurs.

then, after a quiet beat–

“how did we even end up like this?” she asks, voice soft, a little worn but lighter now.

“two ex-monarchs,” she adds faintly, a breath of a laugh slipping through, “sitting in the sand having a breakdown over fishing.”

a faint laugh slips out of her at that, soft and a little shaky, shaking her head from where it rests on his shoulder.

“kinda pathetic, huh?” she says, though there’s no real bite to it.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well if this is pathetic, so are the kingdoms. I’d say our situation is reflective of the kingdoms as a whole.”

*He chuckled a little, letting her remain where she was. He let out a couple happy sounding ribbits.*

“It’s symbolic in a way I suppose.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly at that, the sound low and thoughtful. her head stays resting against his shoulder, eyes drifting over the lagoon as the water moves in slow, quiet ripples.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

there’s a small pause.

“symbolic, huh…”

she shifts slightly, not pulling away–just settling more comfortably.

“still better than being alone,” she adds after a moment, voice quiet but steady. her gaze stays on the water, the faintest hint of a smile lingering as she lets the quiet sit between them.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh I can definitely agree with that.”

*He nodded, being quiet after he spoke. He hummed a soft tune as he considered what to do. He leaned back a bit, moving one arm to keep himself propped up.*

*He started to zone out a bit as he thought about what led him here and that thought slowly drifted to speculation about the other people in the kingdoms. He shook his head, shaking himself of it.*

“Do you ever think about how weird it is that everyone ended up here? Like there is such an interesting variety of people here.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan is quiet for a moment, watching the water as he speaks.

“…yeah,” she says after a second.

her fingers brush idly through the sand, her eyes following the slow ripple of the water, expression softer now. “it’s strange…”

she hesitates, just for a second, like she almost doesn’t say the next part. “…i think i like it, though.”

another small pause, quieter this time.

"everyone kinda just... belongs.." she trails off. "no matter how different they are."

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, glancing at the water. He smiled softly as he thought a bit more.*

“Everyone does belong here. Makes this place unique. How many places can say they welcomed a frog rogue, eh? Or a slimy fellow like 4c or- 90% of us really.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

“I’d bet 10 Froggy Tokens that no other kingdoms could say that stuff.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a small huff of a laugh at that, but it fades quickly into something softer. her gaze drifts out over the water, fingers idly brushing through the sand, "yeah..."

a small pause.

“i’ve never really been… accepted anywhere else.”

she shrugs lightly, like she’s trying to make it sound like it doesn’t matter. “always been… 'different'.” her eyes flick back to the lagoon, expression calmer now. “…bannerfall’s different, though.” another pause.

“i’ve thought about leaving,” she admits, her eyes staying on the lagoon.

“just… figured it’d be easier for everyone.. if i was.. gone” she trails off slightly.

another small shrug.

“…but i never did.”

"guess that says something.."

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue gently elbowed her.*

“I was thinking the same thing honestly. Just leaving. Sometimes I still consider it, actually. Sometimes I climb on top of the Fark Hall and look out into the forest and just contemplate that for hours.”

*He shrugged, looking at the water once more. He shook his head after a moment.*

“But I mean yeah, we’re still here.”

[drowning-melodies]

she' s quiet for a moment, gaze fixed on the water.

“…we’re still here,” she echoes softly.

the words sit with her.

she doesn’t add anything else. just stays where she is, hands resting loosely in the sand, letting the quiet stretch out between them as the lagoon ripples gently ahead.

"i like being here," she says with a small smile.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, letting himself watch the water.*

“It’s nice.”

*He hummed softly. He put one hand in his pocket as he watched the gentle ripples of the lagoon, fidgeting with lining of his pocket. His gaze occasionally shifted between the water and the glowberry vines.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly in agreement, eyes following the slow current of the lagoon.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

she leans back slightly, resting her weight on her hands in the sand, gaze drifting along the water’s edge.

a small pause.

“…we should probably head back soon,” she adds, voice light, like she doesn’t really want to move just yet.

[ribbitrogue]

*He groaned, rolling his head back.*

“But I don’t wannaaaaaaaaa.”

*He crossed his arms, making an exaggerated pouty expression. He laughed a little before continuing to play this game of having an attitude akin to that of an upset bunny.*

“Nuh uh. I’m not moving. In fact, I live right here now. Yep.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks at him for a second–then snorts, a quiet laugh slipping out.

“oh, do you now?” another soft laugh slips out. “what about your fark hall?” she teases, tilting her head slightly, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, breaking the pouty act.*

“Okay maybe you have a point. I do gotta get back there, make sure nobody’s done anything stupid.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

[drowning-melodies]

“exactly,” she says, smiling.

she pushes herself up to her feet, brushing the sand from her skirt, movements unhurried. then she holds out her hand, "c'mon,"

[ribbitrogue]

*He giggled a bit, taking her hand and pushing himself up.*

“Yeah yeah I’m coming.”

[drowning-melodies]

she gives his hand a small tug to help him up, then she turns to walk towards the hole leading up to the surface

her gaze lifts up toward the opening above, seawater spilling down in a constant, shimmering waterfall from the higher break in the caverns ceiling.

her smile fades a little. not gone–just thinner.

before she can think too much about it, she steps into the pool, swimming up and out of the lagoon.

when she makes it to the boat, inhales sharply, pushing herself up and onto the wooden surface. she glances down into the water, waiting for the frog.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam through the water, getting momentarily distracted by the fish moving around him. He shook his head and swam up to the surface, popping his head out of the water.*

“There’s so many fish down there.”

*He took a moment before he pushed himself up onto the boat. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and began to wring it out.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a soft, light laugh, still dripping from the swim. “yeah… there really are,” she says, voice easy, eyes following the fish darting beneath the boat.

she runs a hand through her wet hair, and shakes her head slightly, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

“it… kinda reminds me of my home,” she adds softly, fingers brushing along the small, ocean waves.

[ribbitrogue]

“Hm. Can’t relate.”

*Frogue shrugged, still working on wringing his shirt out.*

“It’s good that they remind you of that though. I think.”

*He glanced at her before nodding to himself. He leaned against the rail of the boat.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah,” she says lightly, shrugging a little, ignoring the way the voices heightened.

she glances down at the water once more, then reaches for the oars, settling them into place.

the boat shifts slightly as she starts rowing, movements steady and unhurried, guiding them back toward land while the fish scatter beneath the surface.

[ribbitrogue]

*He kept his eyes on the water, as if he thought there was going to be some crazy creature down there that intended to prevent them from going. He hummed softly before leaning back.*

“This was fun.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him, a small smile already forming. “yeah,” she agrees softly.

she keeps rowing, the steady rhythm of it easy now.

“…we should do this again sometime,” she adds after a moment, her gaze drifting back to the water, but the smile lingers.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh definitely.”

*He stuck his froggy hand in the water as the boat moved along.*

“Maybe we bring someone else along next time too. I’m sure someone else would enjoy it.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah…” she trails off, watching the moon’s reflection ripple across the water for a moment, before perking up again.

“ooh!! maybe we could invite 4c!! and then you could apologize to him and give him the letter! and then he would forgive you!! oh that’d be joyous!! joyous day!!” she smiles brightly, clearly excited by her plan.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh we could! Hopefully.”

*He chuckled, glancing at her for a moment before looking back at the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

she smiles a little at that, glancing over at him briefly before looking back ahead.

“he will,” she says, voice easy with certainty. she keeps rowing, the rhythm steady, cutting through the water as the shoreline slowly comes closer. “i promise”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, watching the oars glide through the water. His tongue flicked out just to bother a fish, getting a small chuckle out of himself.*

“Yeah yeah. I’m sure he will.”

[drowning-melodies]

she hums softly at that, the faintest smile lingering as she keeps rowing. the shoreline grows closer, the dark shape of the beach coming into view as the water shallows.

she slows the boat a little, letting it glide the last stretch, before stepping out and offering her hand.

[ribbitrogue]

*He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling himself out of the boat. He nearly landed on his face but managed to catch himself before he fell.*

“Do you want to walk to the bridge together or split off here?”

*He glanced around, as if looking to see if there was anyone nearby who might’ve seen them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan steadies him when he stumbles, a soft laugh slipping out.

“we can walk to the bridge,” she says quietly.

then she glances around the quiet shoreline, then her gaze drifts upward–the moon hanging high, light spilling softly across the water.

“…it’s late,” she murmurs. her eyes linger there for a second before dropping back to him, expression gentler now. “no one’ll see us,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started walking, one hand in his pocket.*

“Good. I don’t exactly want there to be a whole misunderstanding and then a fight to happen right now.”

*He kept glancing around, just to be sure.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan huffs a quiet breath at that, a small, amused smile tugging at her lips.

“yeah,” she agrees lightly. “i really don’t need another fight..” she walks alongside him at an easy pace, hands brushing lightly against her skirt as she moves.

“how do you think it’s gonna end? the war, i mean?” the question was far too simple for what it was asking.

[ribbitrogue]

*He crossed his arms and looked at the ground as they walked.*

“Well that depends. Do you want my honest answer or my more optimistic one?”

*He huffed quietly, pausing in his step for a moment as he thought about it a little more.*

[drowning-melodies]

she slows a little when he pauses, glancing over at him. she already knows how it was gonna end.

they all did.

her gaze drifts ahead again, expression softening just slightly. “…optimistic,” she says instead, quieter this time.

“just this once.”

she keeps walking, eyes on the path, like she’s choosing to believe it–at least for now.

[ribbitrogue]

“Then I think that the kingdoms could get along. Make friends and all that. Could maybe because one kingdom again even. Potentially.”

*He walked with a bit more speed in order to catch up, his gaze straight ahead.*

[drowning-melodies]

she’s quiet for a moment as she walks beside him, letting his words settle. her gaze drifts slightly, like she’s picturing it.

“…that’d be nice,” she admits softly. her expression shifts, something a little more thoughtful, a little more wistful.

“i think i’d like that.”

[ribbitrogue]

“It would be nice, I’ll admit.”

*He hummed softly, unsure of how to continue.*

“I genuinely think it would be for the benefit of both kingdoms and all the people within.”

*He crossed his arms as they walked together.*

[ribbitrogue]

OOC:

Guys someone stop me from making another rp blog, the cameo just ended I don’t need to rp the fierce moon knight person. (Or don’t stop me, honestly I’m bored and need something to do and he’s so silly. Probably shouldn’t own three rp blogs at the same time but have we considered, the silly.)

[apos-moon-piercer]

“hi!!!” shelby pops up beside apo, leaning just a little too far into her space as the bells on her hat jingle softly.

she tilts her head, peering over at whatever they’re doing.

“…whatcha doing?” they ask, voice light and curious.

– @star-of-the-circus

(ooc: sorry i’m terrible at starting rps </3)

Apo startled slightly, taken aback by Shelby's sudden appearance. She cleared her throat lightly as she tried to back away from her a little

"Oh! Um, hello..."

"I uh, I just woke up. I was going to do a dungeon run with the others..."

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby perks up immediately, bells giving a soft, excited jingle.

“ooh, that sounds fun!” she smiles brightly, shifts a step closer, rocking slightly on their heels, fingers hooking into her sleeves.

“…can i come with you?” they ask, a little quick, like the thought just slipped out, her head tilting, bells ringing hopefully.

[apos-moon-piercer]

"Um, yeah sure... I am not sure who else will be there... The Frouge and the flower I think..."

Apo paused for a second, thinking as she shifted on her spear

"just be careful... Don't trust whatever the creeking king says to you, okay?"

[star-of-the-circus]

“i won’t!!” she says brightly, almost overlapping the warning. they rock back on her heels, smile bright–just a little too practiced.

“now c’mon!!! frogue’s already waiting!!!!” they say, skipping ahead towards the general direction of the dungeon.

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo seemed a bit worried but she hid her concerns, the dungeon was a dangerous place after all. That and she'd only seen this person around before, talking with the others but never really to her... Shelby, she thinks their name is...

"Alright! Hey wait for me—!"

They walked behind her, having to pick the pace every now and then to catch up as they walked towards the dungeon, up over the hill to Pipa

@ribbitrogue dungeon run? (Feel free to ignore!)

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue was already waiting there. He was perched up on a tree, flipping his sword around as he waited for everyone else to arrive. He let out a loud ribbit as he noticed the two.*

“Oh finally, I don’t have to wait here any longer. Unless you two invited more people.”

*He hopped down from the tree, landing on the ground with ease before looking at the dungeon.*

(Yep! Sorry, I might be bad at this lol. @star-of-the-circus)

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby’s head snaps toward the sound, bells bursting into a bright, uneven jingle.

“frogue!!!” she doesn’t even hesitate–just bolts forward, closing the distance way too fast.

“hi!!!” shelby adds, skidding to a stop right in front of him, a little breathless, rocking on her heels.

“uh….” they ponder for a moment, “i don’t think so…? did you invite anyone else, apo?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo walks towards the goblin, as she greets her with a smile. Shelby's voice brought their attention back to the pair

"Oh, um no. I didn't"

She felt a weird shift in weight as she wiped her head to see the owl bear trying to eat her steaks

"Hey! Stop that—!"

She turned towards the goblin, then to the others

"let's just get going!" She said quickly

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and pulled a bit of gold out, handing it to the goblin before tucking the rest into his pocket once more.*

“Probably a smart move. I just wanna get this over with. Place gives me bad vibes.”

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby fumbles a bit in her pockets before pulling out some coins, stepping up to hand them over. then their gaze catches on the owl bear, before they let out a small gasp.

“you look just like bongo!!” she smiles brightly, petting the owl bear’s head once.

then, without much hesitation, they grab onto the side of the carriage and climb up, swinging herself inside with an easy, practiced motion.

the bells chime as she settles in, waiting for the other two to join her. “c’mon!!”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

apo hands the goblin her fair and turns to look at the Frouge for a second, before following Shelby and climbing in the carriage

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue hopped into the carriage, lying down in the back section. He closed his eyes as the carriage began to move, allowing himself a moment of calm before whatever the dungeon would throw at them.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

the carriage rattles along, a little too quiet. shelby fidgets with her sleeves, bells giving the occasional soft jingle.

“…so–”

then the carriage stops.

“…oh! we’re here!!” they smile brightly, skipping out of the carriage and towards the parkour, jumping each platform with unneeded dramatics.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

They all get off of the carriage, the bear gets a last nip at apo's steak. No one says much as they walk deeper into the cave. A few quick jumps and lunges and she's there at the alter without much effort, standing a bit back from the button as she waits for the other two.

A grimace makes its way to her face the longer she stares at that button, dreading seeing that "thing" again... What lies await her now, she wonders. Well whatever it may be, it will just be another new lie... Right?

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue followed behind quickly, jumping along on the higher parts of the wall before hopping down on the other side of the button. He glanced over at Shelby before looking at the button.*

“This guy man. Always has something to say to someone I swear.”

*He rolled his eyes and looked back at Shelby, waiting for her to arrive.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

she lingers for a second longer than she needs to, fingers hooked into their sleeves, bells giving a faint, uneven jingle.

“…yeah,” they say, a little too quick, like memorized lines.

she steps forward then, closing the distance in a couple light steps.

“he talks a lot,” shelby adds, practiced. her gaze flicks briefly toward the button before up at them. “…ready?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

"As ready as we'll ever be..."

Apo took a deep breath, as gaze flicked to the other two before they all pressed the button simultaneously

And then,

darkness

She felt a presence, staring at her, through her... Great.

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He huffed as the darkness surrounded him, rolling his eyes slightly. This was starting to feel more like a chore than anything actually entertaining.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby stills.

she’s used to eyes on her. that part’s never been the problem. it’s the way this one feels. not curious. not watching a performance. something quieter. heavier.

they hate it

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

...

The dark cleared, a statute of a rabbit stud in front of them

Apo didn't move... Her head hung low, eyes wide as her breath came out shaky and uneven

The sound of a clock ticking snapped her back to reality

Spot the difference, right. The dungeon. They had a dungeon to do

"Right, um..."

Her feet moved on their own she walked forward, trying to concentrate and memorise the blocks

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue blinked a few times, letting his eyes readjust before he shakily walked over to the statue.*

“Hm. Alright well the nose is different I think?”

*He poked the nose of the statue, a satisfying ding followed.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby doesn’t move at first.

whatever he said still echoes in her head, too loud, too close. it sits wrong in her chest, like it hasn’t settled properly.

they blink hard, turning away a little too quickly. her hand comes up, brushing at her face like it’s nothing–quick, practiced.

she swallows, breath catching for just a second before she forces it steady.

“…i’ll–uh… check the other statue,” they mumble, voice a little thin.

and before she can hesitate, she moves.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo takes a step back from the statue before turning on her heels as she walked into the other room.

Since, it's the first room, the three make quick for of it. No body says much and soon enough they are in the next level.

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned as he looked around, grumbling to himself.*

“Well. Better to get the relic one out of the way now rather than later.”

*He suddenly darted off down a hallway, searching for whatever he could find and hopefully keeping his mind off the Creaking King’s message from earlier.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby lingers for half a second too long, then quickly follows after him.

her steps are a little uneven, a little too fast, like she’s trying to keep up without thinking about it. her hands stay hooked tight in her sleeves.

the meter flickers on and they go rigid.

her hands clamp over the bells, desperate to quiet them. they give a small, uneven chime anyway.

she doesn’t breathe.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo stills, the meter doesn't go away. It lingers, a second longer than usual.

Her body twists sharply on reflex, knocking over a pot as their head snaps towards the creaking standing behind them— inches away, as the ceramic pot shatters with a crashing sound.

The meter rises and rises and rises— it doesn't stop.

Hide

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue huffed quietly, looking around for a spot to hide. He ran over to Shelby and nudged her into a nearby closet before running off to one that was further down the hallway.*

*He managed to make it to the closet and close the door.*

@star-of-the-circus

[drowning-melodies]

*Frogue came barreling into the blue kingdom, pushing down on the lily pad on his head to flatten it out. He ran up to Shan and let out an excited ribbit.*

“Hi Shan! Can you maybe please put me in a bubble?”

@ribbitrogue

(Take your time responding, I just wanted to make sure we get a Frogue and Shan interaction :D)

“oh–!” shan blinks, surprised by the sudden ribbit. “uh… sure?? hold still.”

she plants the end of her staff into the soft ground with a quiet tap. shan tilts her staff in a slow circle. water follows the motion, spiraling together until it gathers into a clear, wobbling sphere. it shimmers faintly, sunlight bending through it in wavering lines.

with a small flick of her staff, the bubble pops around him, lifting him gently off the ground.

“is that good?” she asks, head tilting slightly.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam around in the bubble, ribbiting happily. His eyes were incredibly wide right now as he moved around like an actual frog in the water.*

“Yes it is Shan! Thank you very much! I’ve missed these bubbles, amazing honestly.”

*He settled at the bottom of the bubble and closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself relax despite the drama within the kingdoms. He let out another ribbit, much smaller this time and almost sounding a bit awkward.*

“Have you been well? I don’t think I’ve heard from you in a while.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches the bubble bob a little as frogue reviles in it, blinking before letting out a small laugh before shrugging a bit.

“i’ve been good. just… busy.” she says, leaning lightly on her staff, eyes flickering briefly toward the kingdom gates in the distance.

she glanced back at him in the bubble, smiling lightly. “what about you? you seem pretty happy in there.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue opened one eye, he seemed more relaxed than he normally was but that could’ve just been because he was in the bubble.*

“Eh. I could be better but it is what it is. The bubble is very nice, pretty calming in here.”

*He hummed to himself as he watched her, still just resting in the bubble. Despite his very relaxed demeanor, his eyes darted between her and the kingdom’s gates.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan leans a little heavier on her staff as the bubble drifts in place, its surface trembling faintly.

using bubble capture took more focus than most of her spells. the water wave was easy–a burst of power and it was done. even holding water didn’t last too long. but the bubble needed constant attention, little threads of magic keeping the surface sealed and steady. to keep whoever was in it breathing.

but… frogue looks comfortable in there. calmer than she’s seen him in a while.

so instead of dropping it, she glances back at him through the watery surface, giving a small tilt of her head. sh exhales slow, steadying the bubble.

“…so,” she says softly, resting her chin on the top of her staff, eyebrows pinched in concentration, “how was it? when you were king, i mean.” she pauses again before adding, "i know it can be hard..."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked away and let out a quiet croak. Part of him wanted to ignore the question but ultimately he decided to answer.*

“It was eh- it was alright. The rule itself wasn’t rough. Maybe the consequences of my, according to some people, very impulsive and brutal actions might be the actual hard part.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck. His entire demeanor had shifted to a more defensive one. His eyes narrowed and he kept his eyes on the ground.*

[drowning-melodies]

shandrea watches the bubble drift, giving it a small tap with the end of her staff when it starts to wobble. “i get that,” she says, shrugging a little.

the corner of her mouth twitches slightly.

“when i wore the crown, it was mostly just fixing things after the war. gates, canals, people arguing, that sort of thing.” she rolls her shoulder a bit, still keeping the spell steady. “not really the same kind of ruling you had... from what i've heard..”

“still,” she adds, “being in charge of a whole kingdom does weird things to people. make them act... impulsively.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced at her before taking a deep breath. He started croaking a lot but they were muffled, as if he was suppressing them.*

“Well I’m glad someone’s run as the ruler better than mine did.”

*He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He huffed and shook his head.*

“And impulsive is a word for it I guess.”

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts a little at that, the bubble wobbling as she shifts her weight.

“hey, don’t say that,” she says, tilting her head and looking at him through the bubble.

“at least people will remember your reign.” she gives a small shrug. “mine was months of fixing damage from a war i wasn’t even here for and then everyone kinda.. brushed me aside.”

“at least yours was memorable,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Yeah, I guess, but mine was so memorable that I was kicked out of the Red Kingdom.”

*He froze as soon as he said that. He wasn’t sure if she already knew about that but he was not fond of the idea that he might’ve just offered that information up willingly. He started kicking at the bubble, attempting to escape and run off.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks.

“wait–you actually–“

then he starts kicking the bubble, causing her to grip her staff tighter, instinctively focusing on the spell. instead of weakening, the bubble pulls tighter, wobbling but holding firm as he kicks at it.

she squints at him through the water.

“…i thought that was a rumor? did you actually get kicked out?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He stayed silent for a moment and continued kicking the bubble, when he realized his attempts were futile he gave up and glanced at her. His eyes were narrowed but also filled with- fear perhaps?*

“If you must know, then yes. I’ve been kicked out.”

[drowning-melodies]

“oh, frogue…”

the spell slips away instantly, the bubble dissolving into mist and dropping him from where he’d been floating.

shan shifts her grip on her staff as the awkward silence grows thin, before blurting out, “do you want to go to the lagoon with me?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hit the ground with a gentle thud, pushing himself off the ground. He looked away and nodded, refusing to make eye contact now.*

“If you can stand being around me, then sure.*

*He stared at the ground, every fiber of his being just yelling at him to run. However he stayed.*

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts softly, “i invited you, frogue,” she says, a little amused. “if i couldn’t stand you i wouldn’t have.”

she twirls her staff once in her hand, glancing down the path towards the gates. then she starts walking a few steps, then looks back at him and smiles, gesturing for him to follow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated for a moment before following her. He made a few more muffled croaking sounds as they walked. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, not knowing if this was even safe, so he decided to just shut his mouth for once.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks a little ahead, staff tapping lightly against the ground as they head down the path. after a bit she glances back at him, noticing how quiet he is.

“…you know you don’t have to be that quiet,” she says, smiling gently. “it’s kinda weird not hearing you speak every five seconds.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets.*

“I mean- what am I supposed to talk about? How I’m going to be living alone in the Fark Hall forever now?”

*He let out a small huff as he spoke, kicking a pebble along the path.*

“Not much for me to talk about otherwise.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums lightly, before walking quietly beside him for a moment, staff tapping lightly against the path. then she glances over at him.

“what’s your favorite color?” her tone is casual, like she’s just handing him something else to talk about. something to distract them both.

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes widened, clearly not expecting such a basic question.*

“Oh uh- green probably. I like green. It’s a really nice color, it feels- safe? If that makes sense. I assume your favorite color would be blue?”

*He tilted his head. His body relaxed at the less intense conversation topic, though he still seemed relatively cautious.*

[drowning-melodies]

“purple, actually,” she says with a smile. “everyone just assumes blue.” she nudges a pebble off the path with the end of her staff as they keep walking.

after a moment she adds, with a small shrug, “green’s a good one though.”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh. Well purple is nice, that would’ve been my second guess.”

*He hummed softly as they walked down the path. His tongue occasionally flicked out to grab an insect.*

“What’s your favorite food?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks beside him, staff resting over her shoulder as she thinks for a second.

"fish,” she says, smiling. then she glances at him and adds with a small shrug, “grilled, usually. or sometimes just salted.”

she pushes a curl behind her ear, looking towards him. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He ran a hand along his face as he thought about his answer.*

“Well now that I’m a humanoid frog my diet is limited to insects and whatnot. I mean I can eat normal food but it’s just not as nutritious for me.”

*He looked up at the sky before looking back at her.*

“As I am currently, I’d say fruit flies. Moths aren’t terrible but they’ve got a weird aftertaste. Before I was a frog though, I’d probably say chicken wings.”

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah, chicken wings are pretty good,” she says with a nodding.

the path opens up into sand, waves rolling steadily onto the shore. shan slows a bit when they reach the beach.

the closer she gets to the water, the louder the familiar murmuring gets in the back of her head–distant voices layered together, like something carried in on the tide. she tightens her grip on the staff for a second, eyes flicking out across the water.

then she exhales, stepping onto the sand.

“just in time for the sunset!!” she smiles, thought it appears a little more.. pained then before.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, he glanced at her and tilted his head.*

“Yeah. It should be pretty.”

*He paused and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to do.*

“You alright? You seem a bit- out of it?”

*He looked at the water, half tempted to run over and sit in it but he instead chose to continue walking with her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks when he touches her shoulder, like he’s pulled her back from somewhere. she waves a hand quickly. “i’m.. i’m fine.”

the voices press harder at the back of her mind, rising like a high tide. she tenses for a second before forcing her shoulders to relax.

not now, she thinks. this isn’t about you.

shan drags the end of her staff through the sand as she keeps walking. after a moment she turns toward him, nodding out toward the water.

“c’mon,” she says. “the sunsets are always prettier out on the open sea!!” she flinches slightly before smiling as if to cover it up.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started towards the water. The edges of the lilypad on his head began to wrap downward as he walked. He glanced at her every once in a while, trying to figure out what could be wrong but not wanting to pry.*

“It’s been a while since I actually took the time to watch a sunset.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums quietly as they reach the shoreline, spinning her staff once in her hand. the voices get louder near the water, but she just focuses on the horizon instead.

“…yeah,” she says after a moment. “i don’t think i’ve really watched one in a while either.”

she gives a small shrug before offering her hand. “c’mon let’s watch it together,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated but took her hand. His hand was kind of slimy, as if holding a literal frog.*

“I don’t think anyone has really had the time to.”

*He watched the waves for a moment before looking out at the horizon himself. He took a deep breath and let out a small croak as he said something unexpected.*

“Thank you for inviting me to come see this.”

[drowning-melodies]

she glances towards him when he thanks her, shoulders lifting in a small shrug.

“thanks for letting me show you.” shan squeezes his hand lightly before staring at the sunset, smiling softly.

the voices seem to lull then. still there, they always were, but here under the setting sun, they quieted. she takes a breath.

“we should start heading out, huh?” she taps the side of a neat rowboat, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and hopped into the rowboat.*

“That we should.”

*He watched her for a moment before looking at the water. His tongue flicked out into the water, causing a small fish to swim away. He gave a small chuckle as he watched it dart off.*

[drowning-melodies]

she laughs at his antics before stepping into the rowboat after him, steadying it with one hand on the side. she pushes them off from the sand before settling onto the seat and picking up the oars.

she dips the oars into the water and starts rowing, the boat rocking gently as they move farther from shore.

“it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asks, staring off into the sunset, a smile on her face.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, leaning over the edge of the boat. He watched the sunset, the lilypad on his head folding down into a hood.*

“It really is beautiful.”

*He croaked quietly, a small smile on his face as he observed the scene around them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets the boat drift once they’re far enough out, resting the oars across the sides. she watches the horizon for a moment, the water gently rocking beneath them.

“…yeah,” she says after a second, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

she leans to the side a little, trailing her fingers through the water beside the boat. her breath slows as she lets the boat drift, soaking in the sunlight.

she hasn’t felt peace like this for.. a while.

“oh–we made it,” she says quietly, gesturing into the depths to the sea lanterns of the night market.

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked into the depths and tilted his head, eyes widening.*

“Oh is this where everyone went that one time when I slept in? With the weird fish guy and the shark?”

*He leaned over further, only just barely in the boat as he tried to get a better look. His eyes sifted between the visible buildings and such.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i think so..?” she tilts her head slightly. “i wasn’t there either..”

shan leans over the side of the boat, peering down into the shifting blue below. the shapes of buildings and stone blur faintly beneath the surface.

for a second she just watches the dark blue below, fingers tightening slightly on the edge of the boat, nausea whirl pooling in her stomach.

then, quieter, more to herself than him–

“…you ready?”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her before nodding. He rolled out of the boat and into the water, he floated there for a moment before diving down under. He swam around, occasionally looking back to see what Shan doing.*

[drowning-melodies]

when frogue slips into the water, the boat rocks gently. shan watches the ripples for a second, then takes a slow breath.

another.

then she slides over the edge of the boat and into the water.

she forces herself to stay calm, taking one last deep breath before dipping under and swimming down, pushing through the water with steady strokes. the cold closes around her as she swims down, pushing forward with quick, determined strokes.

shan pushes through the hole into the lagoon, arms burning slightly from holding her breath that long.

the moment her head breaks the surface she gasps, dragging in a sharp breath of air before grabbing onto the stone edge beside the entrance. for a second she just stays there, breathing hard, water dripping from her hair.

then she wipes her face with one hand and turns back toward the opening she came through, peering down into the darker water behind her.

"frogue?" she calls out into the darkness.

[ribbitrogue]

*It took a couple more minutes before he poked his head out of the water. He blinked one eye at a time for a moment before announcing his arrival rather loudly.*

“I’m here! I got distracted, there’s a lot to look at around here. Weird looking fish and whatnot.”

*He swam over but let himself lay back in the water near the stone edge.*

“You alright?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he finally pops up, letting out a small breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“yeah, yeah, i’m fine,” she says quickly.

she pulls herself up onto the sandy edge of the lagoon, water dripping from her clothes as she stands. brushing some wet hair out of her face, she offers him a hand.

“c’mon,” she adds, nodding further into the lagoon. “time to go fishing.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and grabbed her hand, letting her help him up. He snickered to himself as he stepped onto the sand.*

“Imagine Owain trying to make that swim. I can’t imagine that would go well with how heavy his armor is.”

*He hummed and looked around the lagoon, trying to find a good spot to set everything up.*

[drowning-melodies]

she lets out a small laugh, brushing some wet hair out of her face. “yeah,” she says. “that armor would drag him straight to the bottom.”

she glances out across the lagoon for a moment, then crouches near the edge of the sand where a couple fishing rods are leaning against a rock. she grabs one and straightens, giving it a small spin in her hand before offering the other toward frogue. then she nods toward the water.

“here,” she says. “might as well actually catch something.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He took the fishing rod from her and waddled over to the water. He sat down on the edge of it and cast the line, watching as it moved in the water.*

“You go fishing often?”

*His gaze didn’t move away from the bobber, simply watching as he impatiently waited for something to happen, his hand fidgeting with the handle.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks over and drops down onto the sand a little ways from him before casting a line out into the water, the line arcing out before the bobber settles on the rippling surface.

“not really,” she admits with a small shrug, eyes flicking to the water.

“i mean–i like fish,” she adds, a little offhand. "just don't have the time anymore..."

she shifts slightly in the sand, watching her bobber drift with the slow movement of the lagoon. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“Nah. I’ve never been one for fishing. Takes forever for a little reward.”

*He hummed, keeping his focus on his bobber. He frowned slightly as it stayed afloat, getting a bit annoyed with it.*

“I mean they take forever and half the time they’re like- the size of a kitten.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches her bobber drift for a moment before shrugging a little. “yeah, it can take a while,”

she rests her forearms on her knees, rod angled loosely toward the water. “where i come from people fished all the time,” she adds after a second. “i used to,” she says with a small shrug. “kinda hard not to when you’re around the ocean all the time.”

her eyes flick back to the water.

"though i could never sit still enough to catch anything bigger than a guppy." she laughs lightly at the memory, though her shoulders are tight.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her, considering how to respond. He let out a little croak before shaking his head.*

“Hm. Must’ve been nice. Having a community that did that sort of stuff I mean.”

*He looked back at his fishing rod, though he clearly wasn’t focused on the activity anymore. He shifted, leaning back on his elbows.*

“Yeah sitting still is hard. I’m certainly no good at it. It’s just so dull and boring.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him when he says that and for a second she doesn’t answer.

must’ve been nice.

the words echo a little louder in her head than they should. the voices press in with them–overlapping murmurs she tries not to listen to.

you remember how that ended.

her grip tightens slightly on the fishing rod. she forces the thought away before it can settle. “…yeah,” she says after a moment, voice quieter than before. her gaze drifts back to the water, watching the slow bob of the float on the lagoon’s surface.

“it was nice.”

the voices don’t really stop, but she pushes them to the back of her mind. before shrugging lightly. “bannerfall’s not too bad either.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her again, feeling the energy shift. He scooted a bit closer, unsure of what to do. He decided to attempt to be humorous by gently bonking her head like one might bonk some bongos.*

“Eh. Bannerfall is its own flavor of nonsense. It’s not terrible yeah, but it’s definitely got its faults.”

*He decided to attempt to play into the humor a bit more by just throwing out a random comparison.*

“It’s like a burnt pie. Like yeah it’s good, it’s pie, but it’s also burnt.”

[drowning-melodies]

she looks over at him, eyes squinting in confusion for a second before she suddenly snorts and bursts into laughter.

“a burnt pie?” she repeats, still laughing a little as she shakes her head.

she glances back out at the lagoon, her bobber drifting lazily across the surface. “…yeah,” she says with a small shrug, still giggling. “that sounds about right.”

she smiles brightly towards him, still laughing lightly.

[ribbitrogue]

”Yep. Burnt pie.”

*He nodded with a chuckle, smiling back at her. He reeled in his fishing rod and put it to the side, knowing he was over it.*

“Maybe a burnt pancake but that’s pushing it.”

*He leaned backwards, using his arms to keep him sat up just enough to watch Shan fish.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s laughter fades into a small grin as she looks back at the water, rod still resting loosely in her hands. "giving up already?"

her bobber dips suddenly.

shan straightens a bit, giving the line a quick tug before reeling it in. when the line breaks the surface, it isn’t a fish dangling there but a small shell. she pulls it closer, prying it open with her fingers before a small, pale pearl rolls into her palm.

for a second she just looks at it, then dips her hand into the lagoon and gently swishes it through the water to rinse the sand off.

she stares at it for a moment, twisting it between two fingers, watching the way its shines under the lagoon's glow. then she holds it out toward frogue.

“here,” she says simply, smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well yeah I’m giving up already! It’s boringggg.”

*He paused when she hooked something, watching intently as she reeled it in.*

“Oh!”

*He carefully took the pearl from her and rolled it around in his hand for a bit. He watched it with wide eyes.*

“I- oh uh- thank you. I didn’t even know these could look this nice, especially straight out of the shell.”

*He hummed quietly as he continued to rotate the pearl in his hand, being incredibly careful as to not drop it back into the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him turn the pearl over in his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“yeah,” she agrees, smiling softly. she props her elbows on her knees, rod already angled lazily toward the water.

“did you know they come in different colors?” she adds after a moment. “not just white?”

she looks toward the pearl in his hand.

“there’s pink ones, black ones… even gold ones sometimes.”

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes got even wider as he turned to look at her.*

”They can be different colors?! What the heck! Nobody told me that! Why does everyone just wear the white ones then?!”

*He looked back at the pearl before carefully sliding it into the most secure pocket he had, no way was he going to lose it.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches his reaction, and a quiet laugh slips out of her before she can stop it. she twirls the end of the fishing rod between her fingers, then nods toward the pocket he tucked it into.

“each color’s supposed to mean something too.”

her voice is casual, like it’s just a random fact she’s remembering.

“white ones–like that one–usually mean new beginnings.”

for a second her gaze drifts across the lagoon water, the glow berries light rippling over the surface. then she shrugs lightly.

“seems like you got a pretty fitting one.” it comes out light hearted, though something quieter sits beneath it.

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced back at his pocket when she said that, a small smile crossing his face before he nodded.*

“Seems it is fitting, for good or for bad I suppose.”

*He looked back at the water, watching the ripples of light but also trying to see where the fish in here were.*

“I mean I guess that’s a good reason to wear white pearls then. Maybe I’ll figure out how to put this one on a bracelet or something.”

*He mumbled he last sentence quietly, like he didn’t intend to say it out loud.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan reels the line in slightly, making sure the hook's still set before letting it drift back out across the water.

"a bracelet could work," she says, thoughtfully. "or a necklace."

she glances over at him, "if you want, i could help."

"used to make some of my own," she adds with a small shrug. "nothing fancy or anything... but enough to make it wearable."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her, considering the offer. After a moment he let out a little ribbit and nodded.*

“If it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, I’d appreciate it. You don’t have to though.”

*He pulled the pearl out of his pocket to look at it, rolling it around in his hand once more. He looked back up to watch her fishing rod again, his attention split between the two things.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he pulls the pearl back out, the line of her mouth curving faintly.

“it’s not a hassle,” she says. “promise.”

after a moment she nods toward the pearl in his palm.

“just need some cord. maybe a clasp if we’re being fancy.” her fingers wander back up to her one of own necklaces, absentmindedly turning one of the pearls between them.

“i could make it into a bracelet pretty easy,” she adds. “it would suit you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, continuing to roll the pearl around.*

“I should have some cord back at the Fark Hall. Not a clasp though but that’s fine. Even a clasp might be too fancy for me.”

*He looked at her and smiled. A peaceful expression on his face as he thought about the current situation.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him and a matching smile spreads across her face.“well,” she says lightly, “when you find that cord, bring it on by.”

she shifts the fishing rod a little, watching the bobber drift across the water.

she turns to face him, a smile still on her lips. “i’ll make it into something for you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He grinned, putting the pearl back into his pocket. He croaked a couple times in a quick succession.*

“Will do. Gives me an opportunity to snoop around the blue kingdom too.”

*He giggled a bit, watching the fishing rod again.*

“Maybe I’ll get myself a froglight from 4c while I’m at it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan snorts softly at first, like she’s about to laugh along with him before stilling at the word “froglight” her fishing rod stills in her hands. she glances over at him, brows lifting a little.

“hey,” she says, tone light but firm. “don’t go farming 4c.” she nudges his shoulder with hers, not hard—more of a warning tap than anything.

“he’s a person, not a resource.”

“you can snoop around all you want,” she adds, glancing back at the water, “but leave him out of it.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed, shifting awkwardly now as he realized that he hadn’t been very funny with that one.*

“I- sorry. You’re right I guess.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the sand.*

“The froglights are just pretty and like- everyone in the red kingdom was pestering me about getting them for a while. Obviously not an excuse so-“

*He paused before rummaging through one of his other pockets, not the one with the pearl. He pulled a surprisingly dry envelope out.*

“I did actually try to write him an apology letter. Looks kind of bad though, hard to write with frog hands.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him pull the envelope out, and something in her expression softens.

“you already wrote one,” she echoes quietly. she looks at the letter for a second before glancing back toward the water, the rod shifting slightly in her hands.

“…sorry,” she adds after a moment, a little awkward. “i just–“

she pauses, searching for the words.

“i just… don’t like when people talk about him like that.” she whispers, eyes still glued to the ripples in the water. “i just… i’m sorry…”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“No no I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m the one who’s be harassing him since day one basically. Your reaction was totally fair.”

*He slid the envelope back into his pocket as he sighed.*

“Like I said, it’s a bad letter. I do have a couple froggy tokens packed into here though so maybe that would make up for my awful handwriting.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him slide the envelope back into his pocket, quiet for a moment. “i’d offer to rewrite it for you,” she says after a second, glancing over, “but i have dyslexia...”

she gives a small shrug, mouth tilting a little.

“so mine would probably end up worse.”

her gaze drifts back to the water, rod shifting lightly in her hands.

“but the effort’s what matters anyways.” she smiles, turning towards him “i’m sure he’ll forgive you,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh! I didn’t know that.”

*He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back and laying in the sand.*

“I mean I hope he’ll accept it. I’ll admit I was definitely less than polite though so if I were him I probably wouldn’t accept it. That’s just if I were him though.”

[drowning-melodies]

she listens quietly, the line drifting across the lagoon while he talks.

“4c’s… pretty forgiving,” she says after a moment. her eyes stay on the water, but her focus drifts somewhere else for a second.

she remembers the look on his face when she told him–halting, uncertain words about her tribe, about the blood and the silence and the way the memories never lined up quite right. the way she’d expected anger. or fear.

and how he had just pulled her close, rubbing circles onto her back.

shan blinks, pulling herself back to the present.

“he’s forgiven me for worse,” she adds, voice light like it’s just another passing thought, but the words linger. she gives a small shrug, rod shifting in her hands.

“so… i think you’ll be fine.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue looked at her, tilting his head a bit. He scooted a bit closer. He was clearly curious about what she’d done that supposedly needed forgiveness, however he didn’t ask about it.*

“Huh. Good for him. Most rogues aren’t the most forgiving, though apologies also aren’t given often to most rogues.”

*He sat up, flicking his tongue out to grab a nearby bug.*

“But yeah, I trust your word so if you think he’ll forgive me then I’ll take your word for it.”

[drowning-melodies]

she watches the slow drift of the bobber for a moment before she speaks again. ”4c is. mae is too.”

her eyes stay on the water, following the small rings the line makes on the surface. “they’re probably two of the most forgiving people i’ve met.”

there’s a brief pause. then, quieter–almost like she didn’t mean to say it out loud–

“…they’re more than i deserve.”

she goes still for a second after that, like the words slipped out without permission. then she clears her throat, ignoring the tears building up, eyes glued to the bobber.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned and scooted closer, slowly wrapping his arms around her. He carefully pat her head, croaking quietly in a way that was his attempt at being calming.*

“I obviously don’t know what you’ve been through but personally, I think you deserve more than what life has been giving you.”

*He looked at the bobber before looking back at her, trying to figure out the right thing to say.*

“Life is mean. Just because certain things happened, doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of good moments.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan stiffens a little when he wraps his arms around her, not pulling away–just going still for a second like she isn’t used to it.

his words sit in the air.

she watches the bobber instead of looking at him.

"i don't deserve it..." she admits, voice softened by acceptance. she stares at the lagoon, eyes sparkling with tears as they track the bobber. "i'm a monster, frogue..."

the words come out as a whisper. there was no flourish or drama. just acceptance. sharp and brittle.

certain.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, shaking his head.*

“I don’t think so and even if you were, aren’t we all monsters to some extent? I mean- look at what I’ve done recently. Or Sausage.”

*He sighed and squeezed her a bit, doing his best to help without being overwhelming.*

“Someone who doesn’t deserve nice things wouldn’t care. They wouldn’t be questioning if they deserve something nice, they would assume that they do deserve it.”

*He sighed and adjusted the way he was hugging her, now more of a side hug as he was unsure if the hug was helping or making the situation worse.*

[drowning-melodies]

his words don’t seem to land–or maybe they do, just somewhere she doesn’t know how to reach. her grip tightens slightly around the fishing rod before loosening again.

“…that’s not–” she starts, but the sentence falls apart halfway through. she swallows, hard and for a second it looks like she’s not going to say anything else. then–

“i killed them,” she says, the words catching on the way out.

quiet. uneven.

she doesn't look at him.

“all of them.” her breathing starts to go shallow, just slightly off. “my whole–” she cuts herself off, jaw tightening.

“…everyone.”

silence.

then her vision blurs. she blinks once. twice.

it doesn’t help.

the tears slip over anyway, slow and quiet, trailing down without a sound. her shoulders draw in a little, like she’s trying to make herself smaller, breath stuttering just enough to not be steady anymore. she wants to hug him back, truly, but she can't move. she can't move

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused for a moment before wrapping himself around her in a proper hug once more. He shut his mouth this time, knowing more about the situation. There wasn’t much he could say to help and he knew that, so he opted to just hold her and try his best without saying anything.*

*He carefully removed the fishing rod from her hand and tossed it off to the side, not wanting it to end up harming her in some way. His eyes closed once he did that, unsure what exactly would help. Part of him wanted to run off and go get someone else to deal with the situation, but he stayed put.*

[drowning-melodies]

she tenses when he pulls her into a tighter hug, breath catching for a second—but she doesn’t pull away.

the fishing rod leaving her hands barely registers.her hands curl weakly into the fabric of his clothes instead, like she needs something to hold onto.her breathing stutters, uneven, trying and failing to steady.

she shakes her head slightly against him.“i didn’t–” she tries, voice breaking.

another breath, sharper this time.

“i didn’t mean to–” the words fall apart before they can finish.

her shoulders hitch, silent tears pressing harder now, slipping down without restraint. she presses her face into him, like hiding will make it stop–like if she doesn’t see anything, it won’t feel so loud.

but it doesn’t quiet.

her breathing getting quicker, thinner, like she can’t quite get enough air. still, she doesn’t push him away. she just holds on, like letting go would make everything worse.

[ribbitrogue]

“Of course you didn’t…”

*He mumbled quietly, giving her a small squeeze. He rubbed her back gently, trying to help ground her.*

“I’m here, I’ve got you. I’m right here and you can let out as much as you need to.”

*He let her hold onto him, figuring this would probably help. Gods did he wish he were anyone else right now and actually knew what to do. Though he pushed that feeling down to make room in his head for the present moment.*

“I’m here for you, no matter what.”

*He continued rubbing her back, occasionally reaching his other hand up to attempt to wipe away the tears coming down her face.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i-i didn’t–” she tries, but it tangles, breaks apart.

her fingers clutch tighter into his clothes. her breathing keeps slipping, uneven, too fast... like she couldn't quite catch it. she presses her face further into him when he tries to wipe her tears, not pulling away, just hiding.

“they’re–” she starts, voice shaking. “they’re all gone–”

another hitch in her breath.

her shoulders tremble under his hands, silent sobs building now instead of just quiet tears. “i can’t–” she gasps softly, the words barely there. “i can’t fix it–”

she curls in closer, like she’s trying to fold in on herself, but she doesn’t let go of him. not even a little. it's like he’s the only thing keeping her anchored while everything else slips.

"i-i can't save them."

[ribbitrogue]

*He held her tighter, just doing his best to be there for her. He gently moved her head so they were making eye contact.*

“Hey, look at me. I’m here and nothing bad is going to happen. It won’t happen again.”

*He took a deep breath, scrambling internally to figure out what to do.*

“Okay um… let’s uh-“

*He glanced at the water before looking back at her again, shaking his head.*

“It’s not going to happen again.”

[drowning-melodies]

her eyes dart back up to his, wide and unfocused, like she’s seeing something that isn’t there.

“no–you don’t–” her voice catches, breath stuttering. her grip on him tightens. “i’m going to lose you,” she says, the words rushing out, uneven and breathless. “i’m going to lose everyone–”

you couldn’t save them you let them drown it was your fault.

her shoulders hitch at the voices, tears spilling faster now.

she presses closer like she’s trying to hold onto something she already believes is slipping away, her breathing uneven and shallow, like she can’t escape the thought looping in her head.

[ribbitrogue]

“No you’re not. I’m not going anywhere, nobody is going anywhere. I promise you that I won’t let that happen.”

*He hummed, continuing to hold her tightly. His eyes were locked onto hers as he just started saying whatever he could.*

“I promise you that you’re not going to lose everyone again. Look at me, I promise.”

[drowning-melodies]

she shakes her head, sharp and certain.

“you can’t promise that,” she says, breath uneven, voice breaking around the edges. her grip tightens, almost desperate now. “you don’t–” she chokes on the words, breath hitching. “you don’t know what i can do–”

her shoulders tremble, tears spilling faster, silent but relentless.

you’ll do it again you'll let them drown again

she squeezes her eyes shut for a second, like she can block it out–

it doesn’t work.

“i'm a monster,” she whispers, voice small but certain. “i've hurt people. i've killed people–”

her hands twist tighter in his clothes, like she’s afraid if she lets go even slightly, he’ll disappear. her breathing stays uneven, shallow, the panic still sitting heavy in her chest–even with him right there.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, genuinely unsure how to help now. He hugged her even tighter and spoke quietly, figuring his words weren’t doing much regardless.*

“You’re not a monster, Shan. You’re just- a person. You’ve done really bad things, yes, and it is important to acknowledge that. But you’ve also done amazing things that also deserve acknowledgment.”

*He continued to rub her back, with a bit more force now though in hopes of that doing literally anything.*

“Maybe you’re right about how I can’t promise it won’t happen again but- I can sure try to prevent it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s grip tightens weakly in his clothes as she looks up at him.

"how..?" she asks, voice thin and shaking. her eyes search his, unfocused but desperate. "how can you prevent the inevitable?"

her breath stutters, uneven, panic threading through every word.

“i’ve tried already,” she says. “i tried–i tried to stop it the first time, i tried, i swear i did–”

her voice breaks, shoulders hitching.

“but there was so much blood,” she chokes, the words catching hard. “and i don’t remember–i don’t remember anything but them screaming–”

“i don’t remember,” she repeats, quieter, shaking.

[ribbitrogue]

“I don’t know, if I’m being honest with you. I wouldn’t know until it actually happened, but I promise you that I’d do my best to prevent as much of the damage as I could in the moment.”

*He frowned, his eyes carefully watching hers. He shook his head and made a small croaking noise.*

“I’ll figure something out because you’re not alone in this. Not anymore. I’m here to help however I can.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan goes quiet at that. her breathing is still uneven, catching every few seconds, but she doesn’t try to push him away anymore.

instead, she just leans into him fully. her arms wrap around him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder.

“i’m sorry,” she whispers, voice small and breaking.

it’s not clear what she’s apologizing for.

everything, maybe.

her grip tightens just a little more, like she’s afraid if she lets go, she’ll fall apart again.

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head, letting her lean into him. He closed his eyes and just let himself be clung to.*

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, especially not to me. Just focus on yourself right now.”

*He gently pat her head with one hand while the other held her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan shakes her head weakly against him, but she doesn’t argue again. her grip stays tight for a moment longer… then slowly, just slightly, eases.

her breathing is still uneven, but it starts to slow–little by little.

she squeezes her eyes shut, pressing her face into his shoulder.

“…i’m sorry,” she murmurs again, softer now.

she stays there, holding onto him, letting herself just sit in it for a moment instead of fighting it, like she doesn’t trust herself to move yet.

[ribbitrogue]

“It’s alright…”

*He held her, glad that she seemed to be calming down now. He hummed a soft tune as he watched over her for the moment.*

“Just take a minute, focus on what’s going on right now. Everything else can buzz off right now.”

[drowning-melodies]

she doesn’t respond right away. her eyes stay closed, breath still a little shaky, but steadier than before. she leans into him, letting his voice sit there without fighting it.

after a moment, her grip shifts—not as desperate now, just… holding.

grounding.

she takes a slow breath. then another.

“…okay,” she murmurs quietly. her voice is small, but it’s there.

she stays like that, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of something real–his arms around her, the sand beneath them, the sound of the water nearby–letting everything else fade just a little.

a breath.

"thank you..." she whispers, breath finally slow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and smiled slightly, his eyes shifting back to the water.*

“Anytime.”

*He looked around before sighing.*

“Should we perhaps head back to the kingdoms? We’ve been out here a while and lord knows what the other weirdos around here might’ve been up to.”

*He looked back at her and gave her a little squeeze.*

“Or we can stay here a while longer, whatever works for you. I’ve got nowhere to be.”

[drowning-melodies]

after a second, she shifts slightly–tilting her head and resting it against his shoulder, her gaze drifting out over the lagoon.

“…maybe a little longer,” she murmurs.

then, after a quiet beat–

“how did we even end up like this?” she asks, voice soft, a little worn but lighter now.

“two ex-monarchs,” she adds faintly, a breath of a laugh slipping through, “sitting in the sand having a breakdown over fishing.”

a faint laugh slips out of her at that, soft and a little shaky, shaking her head from where it rests on his shoulder.

“kinda pathetic, huh?” she says, though there’s no real bite to it.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well if this is pathetic, so are the kingdoms. I’d say our situation is reflective of the kingdoms as a whole.”

*He chuckled a little, letting her remain where she was. He let out a couple happy sounding ribbits.*

“It’s symbolic in a way I suppose.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly at that, the sound low and thoughtful. her head stays resting against his shoulder, eyes drifting over the lagoon as the water moves in slow, quiet ripples.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

there’s a small pause.

“symbolic, huh…”

she shifts slightly, not pulling away–just settling more comfortably.

“still better than being alone,” she adds after a moment, voice quiet but steady. her gaze stays on the water, the faintest hint of a smile lingering as she lets the quiet sit between them.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh I can definitely agree with that.”

*He nodded, being quiet after he spoke. He hummed a soft tune as he considered what to do. He leaned back a bit, moving one arm to keep himself propped up.*

*He started to zone out a bit as he thought about what led him here and that thought slowly drifted to speculation about the other people in the kingdoms. He shook his head, shaking himself of it.*

“Do you ever think about how weird it is that everyone ended up here? Like there is such an interesting variety of people here.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan is quiet for a moment, watching the water as he speaks.

“…yeah,” she says after a second.

her fingers brush idly through the sand, her eyes following the slow ripple of the water, expression softer now. “it’s strange…”

she hesitates, just for a second, like she almost doesn’t say the next part. “…i think i like it, though.”

another small pause, quieter this time.

"everyone kinda just... belongs.." she trails off. "no matter how different they are."

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, glancing at the water. He smiled softly as he thought a bit more.*

“Everyone does belong here. Makes this place unique. How many places can say they welcomed a frog rogue, eh? Or a slimy fellow like 4c or- 90% of us really.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

“I’d bet 10 Froggy Tokens that no other kingdoms could say that stuff.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a small huff of a laugh at that, but it fades quickly into something softer. her gaze drifts out over the water, fingers idly brushing through the sand, "yeah..."

a small pause.

“i’ve never really been… accepted anywhere else.”

she shrugs lightly, like she’s trying to make it sound like it doesn’t matter. “always been… 'different'.” her eyes flick back to the lagoon, expression calmer now. “…bannerfall’s different, though.” another pause.

“i’ve thought about leaving,” she admits, her eyes staying on the lagoon.

“just… figured it’d be easier for everyone.. if i was.. gone” she trails off slightly.

another small shrug.

“…but i never did.”

"guess that says something.."

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue gently elbowed her.*

“I was thinking the same thing honestly. Just leaving. Sometimes I still consider it, actually. Sometimes I climb on top of the Fark Hall and look out into the forest and just contemplate that for hours.”

*He shrugged, looking at the water once more. He shook his head after a moment.*

“But I mean yeah, we’re still here.”

[drowning-melodies]

she' s quiet for a moment, gaze fixed on the water.

“…we’re still here,” she echoes softly.

the words sit with her.

she doesn’t add anything else. just stays where she is, hands resting loosely in the sand, letting the quiet stretch out between them as the lagoon ripples gently ahead.

"i like being here," she says with a small smile.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, letting himself watch the water.*

“It’s nice.”

*He hummed softly. He put one hand in his pocket as he watched the gentle ripples of the lagoon, fidgeting with lining of his pocket. His gaze occasionally shifted between the water and the glowberry vines.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly in agreement, eyes following the slow current of the lagoon.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

she leans back slightly, resting her weight on her hands in the sand, gaze drifting along the water’s edge.

a small pause.

“…we should probably head back soon,” she adds, voice light, like she doesn’t really want to move just yet.

[ribbitrogue]

*He groaned, rolling his head back.*

“But I don’t wannaaaaaaaaa.”

*He crossed his arms, making an exaggerated pouty expression. He laughed a little before continuing to play this game of having an attitude akin to that of an upset bunny.*

“Nuh uh. I’m not moving. In fact, I live right here now. Yep.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks at him for a second–then snorts, a quiet laugh slipping out.

“oh, do you now?” another soft laugh slips out. “what about your fark hall?” she teases, tilting her head slightly, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, breaking the pouty act.*

“Okay maybe you have a point. I do gotta get back there, make sure nobody’s done anything stupid.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

[drowning-melodies]

“exactly,” she says, smiling.

she pushes herself up to her feet, brushing the sand from her skirt, movements unhurried. then she holds out her hand, "c'mon,"

[ribbitrogue]

*He giggled a bit, taking her hand and pushing himself up.*

“Yeah yeah I’m coming.”

[drowning-melodies]

she gives his hand a small tug to help him up, then she turns to walk towards the hole leading up to the surface

her gaze lifts up toward the opening above, seawater spilling down in a constant, shimmering waterfall from the higher break in the caverns ceiling.

her smile fades a little. not gone–just thinner.

before she can think too much about it, she steps into the pool, swimming up and out of the lagoon.

when she makes it to the boat, inhales sharply, pushing herself up and onto the wooden surface. she glances down into the water, waiting for the frog.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam through the water, getting momentarily distracted by the fish moving around him. He shook his head and swam up to the surface, popping his head out of the water.*

“There’s so many fish down there.”

*He took a moment before he pushed himself up onto the boat. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and began to wring it out.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a soft, light laugh, still dripping from the swim. “yeah… there really are,” she says, voice easy, eyes following the fish darting beneath the boat.

she runs a hand through her wet hair, and shakes her head slightly, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

“it… kinda reminds me of my home,” she adds softly, fingers brushing along the small, ocean waves.

[ribbitrogue]

“Hm. Can’t relate.”

*Frogue shrugged, still working on wringing his shirt out.*

“It’s good that they remind you of that though. I think.”

*He glanced at her before nodding to himself. He leaned against the rail of the boat.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah,” she says lightly, shrugging a little, ignoring the way the voices heightened.

she glances down at the water once more, then reaches for the oars, settling them into place.

the boat shifts slightly as she starts rowing, movements steady and unhurried, guiding them back toward land while the fish scatter beneath the surface.

[ribbitrogue]

*He kept his eyes on the water, as if he thought there was going to be some crazy creature down there that intended to prevent them from going. He hummed softly before leaning back.*

“This was fun.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him, a small smile already forming. “yeah,” she agrees softly.

she keeps rowing, the steady rhythm of it easy now.

“…we should do this again sometime,” she adds after a moment, her gaze drifting back to the water, but the smile lingers.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh definitely.”

*He stuck his froggy hand in the water as the boat moved along.*

“Maybe we bring someone else along next time too. I’m sure someone else would enjoy it.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah…” she trails off, watching the moon’s reflection ripple across the water for a moment, before perking up again.

“ooh!! maybe we could invite 4c!! and then you could apologize to him and give him the letter! and then he would forgive you!! oh that’d be joyous!! joyous day!!” she smiles brightly, clearly excited by her plan.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh we could! Hopefully.”

*He chuckled, glancing at her for a moment before looking back at the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

she smiles a little at that, glancing over at him briefly before looking back ahead.

“he will,” she says, voice easy with certainty. she keeps rowing, the rhythm steady, cutting through the water as the shoreline slowly comes closer. “i promise”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, watching the oars glide through the water. His tongue flicked out just to bother a fish, getting a small chuckle out of himself.*

“Yeah yeah. I’m sure he will.”

[drowning-melodies]

she hums softly at that, the faintest smile lingering as she keeps rowing. the shoreline grows closer, the dark shape of the beach coming into view as the water shallows.

she slows the boat a little, letting it glide the last stretch, before stepping out and offering her hand.

[ribbitrogue]

*He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling himself out of the boat. He nearly landed on his face but managed to catch himself before he fell.*

“Do you want to walk to the bridge together or split off here?”

*He glanced around, as if looking to see if there was anyone nearby who might’ve seen them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan steadies him when he stumbles, a soft laugh slipping out.

“we can walk to the bridge,” she says quietly.

then she glances around the quiet shoreline, then her gaze drifts upward–the moon hanging high, light spilling softly across the water.

“…it’s late,” she murmurs. her eyes linger there for a second before dropping back to him, expression gentler now. “no one’ll see us,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started walking, one hand in his pocket.*

“Good. I don’t exactly want there to be a whole misunderstanding and then a fight to happen right now.”

*He kept glancing around, just to be sure.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan huffs a quiet breath at that, a small, amused smile tugging at her lips.

“yeah,” she agrees lightly. “i really don’t need another fight..” she walks alongside him at an easy pace, hands brushing lightly against her skirt as she moves.

“how do you think it’s gonna end? the war, i mean?” the question was far too simple for what it was asking.

[ribbitrogue]

*He crossed his arms and looked at the ground as they walked.*

“Well that depends. Do you want my honest answer or my more optimistic one?”

*He huffed quietly, pausing in his step for a moment as he thought about it a little more.*

[drowning-melodies]

she slows a little when he pauses, glancing over at him. she already knows how it was gonna end.

they all did.

her gaze drifts ahead again, expression softening just slightly. “…optimistic,” she says instead, quieter this time.

“just this once.”

she keeps walking, eyes on the path, like she’s choosing to believe it–at least for now.

[ribbitrogue]

“Then I think that the kingdoms could get along. Make friends and all that. Could maybe because one kingdom again even. Potentially.”

*He walked with a bit more speed in order to catch up, his gaze straight ahead.*

[apos-moon-piercer]

“hi!!!” shelby pops up beside apo, leaning just a little too far into her space as the bells on her hat jingle softly.

she tilts her head, peering over at whatever they’re doing.

“…whatcha doing?” they ask, voice light and curious.

– @star-of-the-circus

(ooc: sorry i’m terrible at starting rps </3)

Apo startled slightly, taken aback by Shelby's sudden appearance. She cleared her throat lightly as she tried to back away from her a little

"Oh! Um, hello..."

"I uh, I just woke up. I was going to do a dungeon run with the others..."

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby perks up immediately, bells giving a soft, excited jingle.

“ooh, that sounds fun!” she smiles brightly, shifts a step closer, rocking slightly on their heels, fingers hooking into her sleeves.

“…can i come with you?” they ask, a little quick, like the thought just slipped out, her head tilting, bells ringing hopefully.

[apos-moon-piercer]

"Um, yeah sure... I am not sure who else will be there... The Frouge and the flower I think..."

Apo paused for a second, thinking as she shifted on her spear

"just be careful... Don't trust whatever the creeking king says to you, okay?"

[star-of-the-circus]

“i won’t!!” she says brightly, almost overlapping the warning. they rock back on her heels, smile bright–just a little too practiced.

“now c’mon!!! frogue’s already waiting!!!!” they say, skipping ahead towards the general direction of the dungeon.

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo seemed a bit worried but she hid her concerns, the dungeon was a dangerous place after all. That and she'd only seen this person around before, talking with the others but never really to her... Shelby, she thinks their name is...

"Alright! Hey wait for me—!"

They walked behind her, having to pick the pace every now and then to catch up as they walked towards the dungeon, up over the hill to Pipa

@ribbitrogue dungeon run? (Feel free to ignore!)

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue was already waiting there. He was perched up on a tree, flipping his sword around as he waited for everyone else to arrive. He let out a loud ribbit as he noticed the two.*

“Oh finally, I don’t have to wait here any longer. Unless you two invited more people.”

*He hopped down from the tree, landing on the ground with ease before looking at the dungeon.*

(Yep! Sorry, I might be bad at this lol. @star-of-the-circus)

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby’s head snaps toward the sound, bells bursting into a bright, uneven jingle.

“frogue!!!” she doesn’t even hesitate–just bolts forward, closing the distance way too fast.

“hi!!!” shelby adds, skidding to a stop right in front of him, a little breathless, rocking on her heels.

“uh….” they ponder for a moment, “i don’t think so…? did you invite anyone else, apo?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo walks towards the goblin, as she greets her with a smile. Shelby's voice brought their attention back to the pair

"Oh, um no. I didn't"

She felt a weird shift in weight as she wiped her head to see the owl bear trying to eat her steaks

"Hey! Stop that—!"

She turned towards the goblin, then to the others

"let's just get going!" She said quickly

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and pulled a bit of gold out, handing it to the goblin before tucking the rest into his pocket once more.*

“Probably a smart move. I just wanna get this over with. Place gives me bad vibes.”

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby fumbles a bit in her pockets before pulling out some coins, stepping up to hand them over. then their gaze catches on the owl bear, before they let out a small gasp.

“you look just like bongo!!” she smiles brightly, petting the owl bear’s head once.

then, without much hesitation, they grab onto the side of the carriage and climb up, swinging herself inside with an easy, practiced motion.

the bells chime as she settles in, waiting for the other two to join her. “c’mon!!”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

apo hands the goblin her fair and turns to look at the Frouge for a second, before following Shelby and climbing in the carriage

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue hopped into the carriage, lying down in the back section. He closed his eyes as the carriage began to move, allowing himself a moment of calm before whatever the dungeon would throw at them.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

the carriage rattles along, a little too quiet. shelby fidgets with her sleeves, bells giving the occasional soft jingle.

“…so–”

then the carriage stops.

“…oh! we’re here!!” they smile brightly, skipping out of the carriage and towards the parkour, jumping each platform with unneeded dramatics.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

They all get off of the carriage, the bear gets a last nip at apo's steak. No one says much as they walk deeper into the cave. A few quick jumps and lunges and she's there at the alter without much effort, standing a bit back from the button as she waits for the other two.

A grimace makes its way to her face the longer she stares at that button, dreading seeing that "thing" again... What lies await her now, she wonders. Well whatever it may be, it will just be another new lie... Right?

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue followed behind quickly, jumping along on the higher parts of the wall before hopping down on the other side of the button. He glanced over at Shelby before looking at the button.*

“This guy man. Always has something to say to someone I swear.”

*He rolled his eyes and looked back at Shelby, waiting for her to arrive.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

she lingers for a second longer than she needs to, fingers hooked into their sleeves, bells giving a faint, uneven jingle.

“…yeah,” they say, a little too quick, like memorized lines.

she steps forward then, closing the distance in a couple light steps.

“he talks a lot,” shelby adds, practiced. her gaze flicks briefly toward the button before up at them. “…ready?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

"As ready as we'll ever be..."

Apo took a deep breath, as gaze flicked to the other two before they all pressed the button simultaneously

And then,

darkness

She felt a presence, staring at her, through her... Great.

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He huffed as the darkness surrounded him, rolling his eyes slightly. This was starting to feel more like a chore than anything actually entertaining.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby stills.

she’s used to eyes on her. that part’s never been the problem. it’s the way this one feels. not curious. not watching a performance. something quieter. heavier.

they hate it

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

...

The dark cleared, a statute of a rabbit stud in front of them

Apo didn't move... Her head hung low, eyes wide as her breath came out shaky and uneven

The sound of a clock ticking snapped her back to reality

Spot the difference, right. The dungeon. They had a dungeon to do

"Right, um..."

Her feet moved on their own she walked forward, trying to concentrate and memorise the blocks

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue blinked a few times, letting his eyes readjust before he shakily walked over to the statue.*

“Hm. Alright well the nose is different I think?”

*He poked the nose of the statue, a satisfying ding followed.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby doesn’t move at first.

whatever he said still echoes in her head, too loud, too close. it sits wrong in her chest, like it hasn’t settled properly.

they blink hard, turning away a little too quickly. her hand comes up, brushing at her face like it’s nothing–quick, practiced.

she swallows, breath catching for just a second before she forces it steady.

“…i’ll–uh… check the other statue,” they mumble, voice a little thin.

and before she can hesitate, she moves.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo takes a step back from the statue before turning on her heels as she walked into the other room.

Since, it's the first room, the three make quick for of it. No body says much and soon enough they are in the next level.

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned as he looked around, grumbling to himself.*

“Well. Better to get the relic one out of the way now rather than later.”

*He suddenly darted off down a hallway, searching for whatever he could find and hopefully keeping his mind off the Creaking King’s message from earlier.*

@star-of-the-circus

[drowning-melodies]

*Frogue came barreling into the blue kingdom, pushing down on the lily pad on his head to flatten it out. He ran up to Shan and let out an excited ribbit.*

“Hi Shan! Can you maybe please put me in a bubble?”

@ribbitrogue

(Take your time responding, I just wanted to make sure we get a Frogue and Shan interaction :D)

“oh–!” shan blinks, surprised by the sudden ribbit. “uh… sure?? hold still.”

she plants the end of her staff into the soft ground with a quiet tap. shan tilts her staff in a slow circle. water follows the motion, spiraling together until it gathers into a clear, wobbling sphere. it shimmers faintly, sunlight bending through it in wavering lines.

with a small flick of her staff, the bubble pops around him, lifting him gently off the ground.

“is that good?” she asks, head tilting slightly.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam around in the bubble, ribbiting happily. His eyes were incredibly wide right now as he moved around like an actual frog in the water.*

“Yes it is Shan! Thank you very much! I’ve missed these bubbles, amazing honestly.”

*He settled at the bottom of the bubble and closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself relax despite the drama within the kingdoms. He let out another ribbit, much smaller this time and almost sounding a bit awkward.*

“Have you been well? I don’t think I’ve heard from you in a while.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches the bubble bob a little as frogue reviles in it, blinking before letting out a small laugh before shrugging a bit.

“i’ve been good. just… busy.” she says, leaning lightly on her staff, eyes flickering briefly toward the kingdom gates in the distance.

she glanced back at him in the bubble, smiling lightly. “what about you? you seem pretty happy in there.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue opened one eye, he seemed more relaxed than he normally was but that could’ve just been because he was in the bubble.*

“Eh. I could be better but it is what it is. The bubble is very nice, pretty calming in here.”

*He hummed to himself as he watched her, still just resting in the bubble. Despite his very relaxed demeanor, his eyes darted between her and the kingdom’s gates.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan leans a little heavier on her staff as the bubble drifts in place, its surface trembling faintly.

using bubble capture took more focus than most of her spells. the water wave was easy–a burst of power and it was done. even holding water didn’t last too long. but the bubble needed constant attention, little threads of magic keeping the surface sealed and steady. to keep whoever was in it breathing.

but… frogue looks comfortable in there. calmer than she’s seen him in a while.

so instead of dropping it, she glances back at him through the watery surface, giving a small tilt of her head. sh exhales slow, steadying the bubble.

“…so,” she says softly, resting her chin on the top of her staff, eyebrows pinched in concentration, “how was it? when you were king, i mean.” she pauses again before adding, "i know it can be hard..."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked away and let out a quiet croak. Part of him wanted to ignore the question but ultimately he decided to answer.*

“It was eh- it was alright. The rule itself wasn’t rough. Maybe the consequences of my, according to some people, very impulsive and brutal actions might be the actual hard part.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck. His entire demeanor had shifted to a more defensive one. His eyes narrowed and he kept his eyes on the ground.*

[drowning-melodies]

shandrea watches the bubble drift, giving it a small tap with the end of her staff when it starts to wobble. “i get that,” she says, shrugging a little.

the corner of her mouth twitches slightly.

“when i wore the crown, it was mostly just fixing things after the war. gates, canals, people arguing, that sort of thing.” she rolls her shoulder a bit, still keeping the spell steady. “not really the same kind of ruling you had... from what i've heard..”

“still,” she adds, “being in charge of a whole kingdom does weird things to people. make them act... impulsively.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced at her before taking a deep breath. He started croaking a lot but they were muffled, as if he was suppressing them.*

“Well I’m glad someone’s run as the ruler better than mine did.”

*He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He huffed and shook his head.*

“And impulsive is a word for it I guess.”

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts a little at that, the bubble wobbling as she shifts her weight.

“hey, don’t say that,” she says, tilting her head and looking at him through the bubble.

“at least people will remember your reign.” she gives a small shrug. “mine was months of fixing damage from a war i wasn’t even here for and then everyone kinda.. brushed me aside.”

“at least yours was memorable,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Yeah, I guess, but mine was so memorable that I was kicked out of the Red Kingdom.”

*He froze as soon as he said that. He wasn’t sure if she already knew about that but he was not fond of the idea that he might’ve just offered that information up willingly. He started kicking at the bubble, attempting to escape and run off.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks.

“wait–you actually–“

then he starts kicking the bubble, causing her to grip her staff tighter, instinctively focusing on the spell. instead of weakening, the bubble pulls tighter, wobbling but holding firm as he kicks at it.

she squints at him through the water.

“…i thought that was a rumor? did you actually get kicked out?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He stayed silent for a moment and continued kicking the bubble, when he realized his attempts were futile he gave up and glanced at her. His eyes were narrowed but also filled with- fear perhaps?*

“If you must know, then yes. I’ve been kicked out.”

[drowning-melodies]

“oh, frogue…”

the spell slips away instantly, the bubble dissolving into mist and dropping him from where he’d been floating.

shan shifts her grip on her staff as the awkward silence grows thin, before blurting out, “do you want to go to the lagoon with me?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hit the ground with a gentle thud, pushing himself off the ground. He looked away and nodded, refusing to make eye contact now.*

“If you can stand being around me, then sure.*

*He stared at the ground, every fiber of his being just yelling at him to run. However he stayed.*

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts softly, “i invited you, frogue,” she says, a little amused. “if i couldn’t stand you i wouldn’t have.”

she twirls her staff once in her hand, glancing down the path towards the gates. then she starts walking a few steps, then looks back at him and smiles, gesturing for him to follow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated for a moment before following her. He made a few more muffled croaking sounds as they walked. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, not knowing if this was even safe, so he decided to just shut his mouth for once.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks a little ahead, staff tapping lightly against the ground as they head down the path. after a bit she glances back at him, noticing how quiet he is.

“…you know you don’t have to be that quiet,” she says, smiling gently. “it’s kinda weird not hearing you speak every five seconds.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets.*

“I mean- what am I supposed to talk about? How I’m going to be living alone in the Fark Hall forever now?”

*He let out a small huff as he spoke, kicking a pebble along the path.*

“Not much for me to talk about otherwise.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums lightly, before walking quietly beside him for a moment, staff tapping lightly against the path. then she glances over at him.

“what’s your favorite color?” her tone is casual, like she’s just handing him something else to talk about. something to distract them both.

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes widened, clearly not expecting such a basic question.*

“Oh uh- green probably. I like green. It’s a really nice color, it feels- safe? If that makes sense. I assume your favorite color would be blue?”

*He tilted his head. His body relaxed at the less intense conversation topic, though he still seemed relatively cautious.*

[drowning-melodies]

“purple, actually,” she says with a smile. “everyone just assumes blue.” she nudges a pebble off the path with the end of her staff as they keep walking.

after a moment she adds, with a small shrug, “green’s a good one though.”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh. Well purple is nice, that would’ve been my second guess.”

*He hummed softly as they walked down the path. His tongue occasionally flicked out to grab an insect.*

“What’s your favorite food?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks beside him, staff resting over her shoulder as she thinks for a second.

"fish,” she says, smiling. then she glances at him and adds with a small shrug, “grilled, usually. or sometimes just salted.”

she pushes a curl behind her ear, looking towards him. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He ran a hand along his face as he thought about his answer.*

“Well now that I’m a humanoid frog my diet is limited to insects and whatnot. I mean I can eat normal food but it’s just not as nutritious for me.”

*He looked up at the sky before looking back at her.*

“As I am currently, I’d say fruit flies. Moths aren’t terrible but they’ve got a weird aftertaste. Before I was a frog though, I’d probably say chicken wings.”

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah, chicken wings are pretty good,” she says with a nodding.

the path opens up into sand, waves rolling steadily onto the shore. shan slows a bit when they reach the beach.

the closer she gets to the water, the louder the familiar murmuring gets in the back of her head–distant voices layered together, like something carried in on the tide. she tightens her grip on the staff for a second, eyes flicking out across the water.

then she exhales, stepping onto the sand.

“just in time for the sunset!!” she smiles, thought it appears a little more.. pained then before.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, he glanced at her and tilted his head.*

“Yeah. It should be pretty.”

*He paused and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to do.*

“You alright? You seem a bit- out of it?”

*He looked at the water, half tempted to run over and sit in it but he instead chose to continue walking with her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks when he touches her shoulder, like he’s pulled her back from somewhere. she waves a hand quickly. “i’m.. i’m fine.”

the voices press harder at the back of her mind, rising like a high tide. she tenses for a second before forcing her shoulders to relax.

not now, she thinks. this isn’t about you.

shan drags the end of her staff through the sand as she keeps walking. after a moment she turns toward him, nodding out toward the water.

“c’mon,” she says. “the sunsets are always prettier out on the open sea!!” she flinches slightly before smiling as if to cover it up.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started towards the water. The edges of the lilypad on his head began to wrap downward as he walked. He glanced at her every once in a while, trying to figure out what could be wrong but not wanting to pry.*

“It’s been a while since I actually took the time to watch a sunset.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums quietly as they reach the shoreline, spinning her staff once in her hand. the voices get louder near the water, but she just focuses on the horizon instead.

“…yeah,” she says after a moment. “i don’t think i’ve really watched one in a while either.”

she gives a small shrug before offering her hand. “c’mon let’s watch it together,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated but took her hand. His hand was kind of slimy, as if holding a literal frog.*

“I don’t think anyone has really had the time to.”

*He watched the waves for a moment before looking out at the horizon himself. He took a deep breath and let out a small croak as he said something unexpected.*

“Thank you for inviting me to come see this.”

[drowning-melodies]

she glances towards him when he thanks her, shoulders lifting in a small shrug.

“thanks for letting me show you.” shan squeezes his hand lightly before staring at the sunset, smiling softly.

the voices seem to lull then. still there, they always were, but here under the setting sun, they quieted. she takes a breath.

“we should start heading out, huh?” she taps the side of a neat rowboat, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and hopped into the rowboat.*

“That we should.”

*He watched her for a moment before looking at the water. His tongue flicked out into the water, causing a small fish to swim away. He gave a small chuckle as he watched it dart off.*

[drowning-melodies]

she laughs at his antics before stepping into the rowboat after him, steadying it with one hand on the side. she pushes them off from the sand before settling onto the seat and picking up the oars.

she dips the oars into the water and starts rowing, the boat rocking gently as they move farther from shore.

“it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asks, staring off into the sunset, a smile on her face.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, leaning over the edge of the boat. He watched the sunset, the lilypad on his head folding down into a hood.*

“It really is beautiful.”

*He croaked quietly, a small smile on his face as he observed the scene around them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets the boat drift once they’re far enough out, resting the oars across the sides. she watches the horizon for a moment, the water gently rocking beneath them.

“…yeah,” she says after a second, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

she leans to the side a little, trailing her fingers through the water beside the boat. her breath slows as she lets the boat drift, soaking in the sunlight.

she hasn’t felt peace like this for.. a while.

“oh–we made it,” she says quietly, gesturing into the depths to the sea lanterns of the night market.

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked into the depths and tilted his head, eyes widening.*

“Oh is this where everyone went that one time when I slept in? With the weird fish guy and the shark?”

*He leaned over further, only just barely in the boat as he tried to get a better look. His eyes sifted between the visible buildings and such.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i think so..?” she tilts her head slightly. “i wasn’t there either..”

shan leans over the side of the boat, peering down into the shifting blue below. the shapes of buildings and stone blur faintly beneath the surface.

for a second she just watches the dark blue below, fingers tightening slightly on the edge of the boat, nausea whirl pooling in her stomach.

then, quieter, more to herself than him–

“…you ready?”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her before nodding. He rolled out of the boat and into the water, he floated there for a moment before diving down under. He swam around, occasionally looking back to see what Shan doing.*

[drowning-melodies]

when frogue slips into the water, the boat rocks gently. shan watches the ripples for a second, then takes a slow breath.

another.

then she slides over the edge of the boat and into the water.

she forces herself to stay calm, taking one last deep breath before dipping under and swimming down, pushing through the water with steady strokes. the cold closes around her as she swims down, pushing forward with quick, determined strokes.

shan pushes through the hole into the lagoon, arms burning slightly from holding her breath that long.

the moment her head breaks the surface she gasps, dragging in a sharp breath of air before grabbing onto the stone edge beside the entrance. for a second she just stays there, breathing hard, water dripping from her hair.

then she wipes her face with one hand and turns back toward the opening she came through, peering down into the darker water behind her.

"frogue?" she calls out into the darkness.

[ribbitrogue]

*It took a couple more minutes before he poked his head out of the water. He blinked one eye at a time for a moment before announcing his arrival rather loudly.*

“I’m here! I got distracted, there’s a lot to look at around here. Weird looking fish and whatnot.”

*He swam over but let himself lay back in the water near the stone edge.*

“You alright?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he finally pops up, letting out a small breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“yeah, yeah, i’m fine,” she says quickly.

she pulls herself up onto the sandy edge of the lagoon, water dripping from her clothes as she stands. brushing some wet hair out of her face, she offers him a hand.

“c’mon,” she adds, nodding further into the lagoon. “time to go fishing.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and grabbed her hand, letting her help him up. He snickered to himself as he stepped onto the sand.*

“Imagine Owain trying to make that swim. I can’t imagine that would go well with how heavy his armor is.”

*He hummed and looked around the lagoon, trying to find a good spot to set everything up.*

[drowning-melodies]

she lets out a small laugh, brushing some wet hair out of her face. “yeah,” she says. “that armor would drag him straight to the bottom.”

she glances out across the lagoon for a moment, then crouches near the edge of the sand where a couple fishing rods are leaning against a rock. she grabs one and straightens, giving it a small spin in her hand before offering the other toward frogue. then she nods toward the water.

“here,” she says. “might as well actually catch something.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He took the fishing rod from her and waddled over to the water. He sat down on the edge of it and cast the line, watching as it moved in the water.*

“You go fishing often?”

*His gaze didn’t move away from the bobber, simply watching as he impatiently waited for something to happen, his hand fidgeting with the handle.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks over and drops down onto the sand a little ways from him before casting a line out into the water, the line arcing out before the bobber settles on the rippling surface.

“not really,” she admits with a small shrug, eyes flicking to the water.

“i mean–i like fish,” she adds, a little offhand. "just don't have the time anymore..."

she shifts slightly in the sand, watching her bobber drift with the slow movement of the lagoon. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“Nah. I’ve never been one for fishing. Takes forever for a little reward.”

*He hummed, keeping his focus on his bobber. He frowned slightly as it stayed afloat, getting a bit annoyed with it.*

“I mean they take forever and half the time they’re like- the size of a kitten.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches her bobber drift for a moment before shrugging a little. “yeah, it can take a while,”

she rests her forearms on her knees, rod angled loosely toward the water. “where i come from people fished all the time,” she adds after a second. “i used to,” she says with a small shrug. “kinda hard not to when you’re around the ocean all the time.”

her eyes flick back to the water.

"though i could never sit still enough to catch anything bigger than a guppy." she laughs lightly at the memory, though her shoulders are tight.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her, considering how to respond. He let out a little croak before shaking his head.*

“Hm. Must’ve been nice. Having a community that did that sort of stuff I mean.”

*He looked back at his fishing rod, though he clearly wasn’t focused on the activity anymore. He shifted, leaning back on his elbows.*

“Yeah sitting still is hard. I’m certainly no good at it. It’s just so dull and boring.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him when he says that and for a second she doesn’t answer.

must’ve been nice.

the words echo a little louder in her head than they should. the voices press in with them–overlapping murmurs she tries not to listen to.

you remember how that ended.

her grip tightens slightly on the fishing rod. she forces the thought away before it can settle. “…yeah,” she says after a moment, voice quieter than before. her gaze drifts back to the water, watching the slow bob of the float on the lagoon’s surface.

“it was nice.”

the voices don’t really stop, but she pushes them to the back of her mind. before shrugging lightly. “bannerfall’s not too bad either.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her again, feeling the energy shift. He scooted a bit closer, unsure of what to do. He decided to attempt to be humorous by gently bonking her head like one might bonk some bongos.*

“Eh. Bannerfall is its own flavor of nonsense. It’s not terrible yeah, but it’s definitely got its faults.”

*He decided to attempt to play into the humor a bit more by just throwing out a random comparison.*

“It’s like a burnt pie. Like yeah it’s good, it’s pie, but it’s also burnt.”

[drowning-melodies]

she looks over at him, eyes squinting in confusion for a second before she suddenly snorts and bursts into laughter.

“a burnt pie?” she repeats, still laughing a little as she shakes her head.

she glances back out at the lagoon, her bobber drifting lazily across the surface. “…yeah,” she says with a small shrug, still giggling. “that sounds about right.”

she smiles brightly towards him, still laughing lightly.

[ribbitrogue]

”Yep. Burnt pie.”

*He nodded with a chuckle, smiling back at her. He reeled in his fishing rod and put it to the side, knowing he was over it.*

“Maybe a burnt pancake but that’s pushing it.”

*He leaned backwards, using his arms to keep him sat up just enough to watch Shan fish.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s laughter fades into a small grin as she looks back at the water, rod still resting loosely in her hands. "giving up already?"

her bobber dips suddenly.

shan straightens a bit, giving the line a quick tug before reeling it in. when the line breaks the surface, it isn’t a fish dangling there but a small shell. she pulls it closer, prying it open with her fingers before a small, pale pearl rolls into her palm.

for a second she just looks at it, then dips her hand into the lagoon and gently swishes it through the water to rinse the sand off.

she stares at it for a moment, twisting it between two fingers, watching the way its shines under the lagoon's glow. then she holds it out toward frogue.

“here,” she says simply, smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well yeah I’m giving up already! It’s boringggg.”

*He paused when she hooked something, watching intently as she reeled it in.*

“Oh!”

*He carefully took the pearl from her and rolled it around in his hand for a bit. He watched it with wide eyes.*

“I- oh uh- thank you. I didn’t even know these could look this nice, especially straight out of the shell.”

*He hummed quietly as he continued to rotate the pearl in his hand, being incredibly careful as to not drop it back into the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him turn the pearl over in his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“yeah,” she agrees, smiling softly. she props her elbows on her knees, rod already angled lazily toward the water.

“did you know they come in different colors?” she adds after a moment. “not just white?”

she looks toward the pearl in his hand.

“there’s pink ones, black ones… even gold ones sometimes.”

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes got even wider as he turned to look at her.*

”They can be different colors?! What the heck! Nobody told me that! Why does everyone just wear the white ones then?!”

*He looked back at the pearl before carefully sliding it into the most secure pocket he had, no way was he going to lose it.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches his reaction, and a quiet laugh slips out of her before she can stop it. she twirls the end of the fishing rod between her fingers, then nods toward the pocket he tucked it into.

“each color’s supposed to mean something too.”

her voice is casual, like it’s just a random fact she’s remembering.

“white ones–like that one–usually mean new beginnings.”

for a second her gaze drifts across the lagoon water, the glow berries light rippling over the surface. then she shrugs lightly.

“seems like you got a pretty fitting one.” it comes out light hearted, though something quieter sits beneath it.

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced back at his pocket when she said that, a small smile crossing his face before he nodded.*

“Seems it is fitting, for good or for bad I suppose.”

*He looked back at the water, watching the ripples of light but also trying to see where the fish in here were.*

“I mean I guess that’s a good reason to wear white pearls then. Maybe I’ll figure out how to put this one on a bracelet or something.”

*He mumbled he last sentence quietly, like he didn’t intend to say it out loud.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan reels the line in slightly, making sure the hook's still set before letting it drift back out across the water.

"a bracelet could work," she says, thoughtfully. "or a necklace."

she glances over at him, "if you want, i could help."

"used to make some of my own," she adds with a small shrug. "nothing fancy or anything... but enough to make it wearable."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her, considering the offer. After a moment he let out a little ribbit and nodded.*

“If it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, I’d appreciate it. You don’t have to though.”

*He pulled the pearl out of his pocket to look at it, rolling it around in his hand once more. He looked back up to watch her fishing rod again, his attention split between the two things.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he pulls the pearl back out, the line of her mouth curving faintly.

“it’s not a hassle,” she says. “promise.”

after a moment she nods toward the pearl in his palm.

“just need some cord. maybe a clasp if we’re being fancy.” her fingers wander back up to her one of own necklaces, absentmindedly turning one of the pearls between them.

“i could make it into a bracelet pretty easy,” she adds. “it would suit you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, continuing to roll the pearl around.*

“I should have some cord back at the Fark Hall. Not a clasp though but that’s fine. Even a clasp might be too fancy for me.”

*He looked at her and smiled. A peaceful expression on his face as he thought about the current situation.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him and a matching smile spreads across her face.“well,” she says lightly, “when you find that cord, bring it on by.”

she shifts the fishing rod a little, watching the bobber drift across the water.

she turns to face him, a smile still on her lips. “i’ll make it into something for you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He grinned, putting the pearl back into his pocket. He croaked a couple times in a quick succession.*

“Will do. Gives me an opportunity to snoop around the blue kingdom too.”

*He giggled a bit, watching the fishing rod again.*

“Maybe I’ll get myself a froglight from 4c while I’m at it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan snorts softly at first, like she’s about to laugh along with him before stilling at the word “froglight” her fishing rod stills in her hands. she glances over at him, brows lifting a little.

“hey,” she says, tone light but firm. “don’t go farming 4c.” she nudges his shoulder with hers, not hard—more of a warning tap than anything.

“he’s a person, not a resource.”

“you can snoop around all you want,” she adds, glancing back at the water, “but leave him out of it.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed, shifting awkwardly now as he realized that he hadn’t been very funny with that one.*

“I- sorry. You’re right I guess.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the sand.*

“The froglights are just pretty and like- everyone in the red kingdom was pestering me about getting them for a while. Obviously not an excuse so-“

*He paused before rummaging through one of his other pockets, not the one with the pearl. He pulled a surprisingly dry envelope out.*

“I did actually try to write him an apology letter. Looks kind of bad though, hard to write with frog hands.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him pull the envelope out, and something in her expression softens.

“you already wrote one,” she echoes quietly. she looks at the letter for a second before glancing back toward the water, the rod shifting slightly in her hands.

“…sorry,” she adds after a moment, a little awkward. “i just–“

she pauses, searching for the words.

“i just… don’t like when people talk about him like that.” she whispers, eyes still glued to the ripples in the water. “i just… i’m sorry…”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“No no I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m the one who’s be harassing him since day one basically. Your reaction was totally fair.”

*He slid the envelope back into his pocket as he sighed.*

“Like I said, it’s a bad letter. I do have a couple froggy tokens packed into here though so maybe that would make up for my awful handwriting.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him slide the envelope back into his pocket, quiet for a moment. “i’d offer to rewrite it for you,” she says after a second, glancing over, “but i have dyslexia...”

she gives a small shrug, mouth tilting a little.

“so mine would probably end up worse.”

her gaze drifts back to the water, rod shifting lightly in her hands.

“but the effort’s what matters anyways.” she smiles, turning towards him “i’m sure he’ll forgive you,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh! I didn’t know that.”

*He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back and laying in the sand.*

“I mean I hope he’ll accept it. I’ll admit I was definitely less than polite though so if I were him I probably wouldn’t accept it. That’s just if I were him though.”

[drowning-melodies]

she listens quietly, the line drifting across the lagoon while he talks.

“4c’s… pretty forgiving,” she says after a moment. her eyes stay on the water, but her focus drifts somewhere else for a second.

she remembers the look on his face when she told him–halting, uncertain words about her tribe, about the blood and the silence and the way the memories never lined up quite right. the way she’d expected anger. or fear.

and how he had just pulled her close, rubbing circles onto her back.

shan blinks, pulling herself back to the present.

“he’s forgiven me for worse,” she adds, voice light like it’s just another passing thought, but the words linger. she gives a small shrug, rod shifting in her hands.

“so… i think you’ll be fine.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue looked at her, tilting his head a bit. He scooted a bit closer. He was clearly curious about what she’d done that supposedly needed forgiveness, however he didn’t ask about it.*

“Huh. Good for him. Most rogues aren’t the most forgiving, though apologies also aren’t given often to most rogues.”

*He sat up, flicking his tongue out to grab a nearby bug.*

“But yeah, I trust your word so if you think he’ll forgive me then I’ll take your word for it.”

[drowning-melodies]

she watches the slow drift of the bobber for a moment before she speaks again. ”4c is. mae is too.”

her eyes stay on the water, following the small rings the line makes on the surface. “they’re probably two of the most forgiving people i’ve met.”

there’s a brief pause. then, quieter–almost like she didn’t mean to say it out loud–

“…they’re more than i deserve.”

she goes still for a second after that, like the words slipped out without permission. then she clears her throat, ignoring the tears building up, eyes glued to the bobber.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned and scooted closer, slowly wrapping his arms around her. He carefully pat her head, croaking quietly in a way that was his attempt at being calming.*

“I obviously don’t know what you’ve been through but personally, I think you deserve more than what life has been giving you.”

*He looked at the bobber before looking back at her, trying to figure out the right thing to say.*

“Life is mean. Just because certain things happened, doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of good moments.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan stiffens a little when he wraps his arms around her, not pulling away–just going still for a second like she isn’t used to it.

his words sit in the air.

she watches the bobber instead of looking at him.

"i don't deserve it..." she admits, voice softened by acceptance. she stares at the lagoon, eyes sparkling with tears as they track the bobber. "i'm a monster, frogue..."

the words come out as a whisper. there was no flourish or drama. just acceptance. sharp and brittle.

certain.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, shaking his head.*

“I don’t think so and even if you were, aren’t we all monsters to some extent? I mean- look at what I’ve done recently. Or Sausage.”

*He sighed and squeezed her a bit, doing his best to help without being overwhelming.*

“Someone who doesn’t deserve nice things wouldn’t care. They wouldn’t be questioning if they deserve something nice, they would assume that they do deserve it.”

*He sighed and adjusted the way he was hugging her, now more of a side hug as he was unsure if the hug was helping or making the situation worse.*

[drowning-melodies]

his words don’t seem to land–or maybe they do, just somewhere she doesn’t know how to reach. her grip tightens slightly around the fishing rod before loosening again.

“…that’s not–” she starts, but the sentence falls apart halfway through. she swallows, hard and for a second it looks like she’s not going to say anything else. then–

“i killed them,” she says, the words catching on the way out.

quiet. uneven.

she doesn't look at him.

“all of them.” her breathing starts to go shallow, just slightly off. “my whole–” she cuts herself off, jaw tightening.

“…everyone.”

silence.

then her vision blurs. she blinks once. twice.

it doesn’t help.

the tears slip over anyway, slow and quiet, trailing down without a sound. her shoulders draw in a little, like she’s trying to make herself smaller, breath stuttering just enough to not be steady anymore. she wants to hug him back, truly, but she can't move. she can't move

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused for a moment before wrapping himself around her in a proper hug once more. He shut his mouth this time, knowing more about the situation. There wasn’t much he could say to help and he knew that, so he opted to just hold her and try his best without saying anything.*

*He carefully removed the fishing rod from her hand and tossed it off to the side, not wanting it to end up harming her in some way. His eyes closed once he did that, unsure what exactly would help. Part of him wanted to run off and go get someone else to deal with the situation, but he stayed put.*

[drowning-melodies]

she tenses when he pulls her into a tighter hug, breath catching for a second—but she doesn’t pull away.

the fishing rod leaving her hands barely registers.her hands curl weakly into the fabric of his clothes instead, like she needs something to hold onto.her breathing stutters, uneven, trying and failing to steady.

she shakes her head slightly against him.“i didn’t–” she tries, voice breaking.

another breath, sharper this time.

“i didn’t mean to–” the words fall apart before they can finish.

her shoulders hitch, silent tears pressing harder now, slipping down without restraint. she presses her face into him, like hiding will make it stop–like if she doesn’t see anything, it won’t feel so loud.

but it doesn’t quiet.

her breathing getting quicker, thinner, like she can’t quite get enough air. still, she doesn’t push him away. she just holds on, like letting go would make everything worse.

[ribbitrogue]

“Of course you didn’t…”

*He mumbled quietly, giving her a small squeeze. He rubbed her back gently, trying to help ground her.*

“I’m here, I’ve got you. I’m right here and you can let out as much as you need to.”

*He let her hold onto him, figuring this would probably help. Gods did he wish he were anyone else right now and actually knew what to do. Though he pushed that feeling down to make room in his head for the present moment.*

“I’m here for you, no matter what.”

*He continued rubbing her back, occasionally reaching his other hand up to attempt to wipe away the tears coming down her face.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i-i didn’t–” she tries, but it tangles, breaks apart.

her fingers clutch tighter into his clothes. her breathing keeps slipping, uneven, too fast... like she couldn't quite catch it. she presses her face further into him when he tries to wipe her tears, not pulling away, just hiding.

“they’re–” she starts, voice shaking. “they’re all gone–”

another hitch in her breath.

her shoulders tremble under his hands, silent sobs building now instead of just quiet tears. “i can’t–” she gasps softly, the words barely there. “i can’t fix it–”

she curls in closer, like she’s trying to fold in on herself, but she doesn’t let go of him. not even a little. it's like he’s the only thing keeping her anchored while everything else slips.

"i-i can't save them."

[ribbitrogue]

*He held her tighter, just doing his best to be there for her. He gently moved her head so they were making eye contact.*

“Hey, look at me. I’m here and nothing bad is going to happen. It won’t happen again.”

*He took a deep breath, scrambling internally to figure out what to do.*

“Okay um… let’s uh-“

*He glanced at the water before looking back at her again, shaking his head.*

“It’s not going to happen again.”

[drowning-melodies]

her eyes dart back up to his, wide and unfocused, like she’s seeing something that isn’t there.

“no–you don’t–” her voice catches, breath stuttering. her grip on him tightens. “i’m going to lose you,” she says, the words rushing out, uneven and breathless. “i’m going to lose everyone–”

you couldn’t save them you let them drown it was your fault.

her shoulders hitch at the voices, tears spilling faster now.

she presses closer like she’s trying to hold onto something she already believes is slipping away, her breathing uneven and shallow, like she can’t escape the thought looping in her head.

[ribbitrogue]

“No you’re not. I’m not going anywhere, nobody is going anywhere. I promise you that I won’t let that happen.”

*He hummed, continuing to hold her tightly. His eyes were locked onto hers as he just started saying whatever he could.*

“I promise you that you’re not going to lose everyone again. Look at me, I promise.”

[drowning-melodies]

she shakes her head, sharp and certain.

“you can’t promise that,” she says, breath uneven, voice breaking around the edges. her grip tightens, almost desperate now. “you don’t–” she chokes on the words, breath hitching. “you don’t know what i can do–”

her shoulders tremble, tears spilling faster, silent but relentless.

you’ll do it again you'll let them drown again

she squeezes her eyes shut for a second, like she can block it out–

it doesn’t work.

“i'm a monster,” she whispers, voice small but certain. “i've hurt people. i've killed people–”

her hands twist tighter in his clothes, like she’s afraid if she lets go even slightly, he’ll disappear. her breathing stays uneven, shallow, the panic still sitting heavy in her chest–even with him right there.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, genuinely unsure how to help now. He hugged her even tighter and spoke quietly, figuring his words weren’t doing much regardless.*

“You’re not a monster, Shan. You’re just- a person. You’ve done really bad things, yes, and it is important to acknowledge that. But you’ve also done amazing things that also deserve acknowledgment.”

*He continued to rub her back, with a bit more force now though in hopes of that doing literally anything.*

“Maybe you’re right about how I can’t promise it won’t happen again but- I can sure try to prevent it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s grip tightens weakly in his clothes as she looks up at him.

"how..?" she asks, voice thin and shaking. her eyes search his, unfocused but desperate. "how can you prevent the inevitable?"

her breath stutters, uneven, panic threading through every word.

“i’ve tried already,” she says. “i tried–i tried to stop it the first time, i tried, i swear i did–”

her voice breaks, shoulders hitching.

“but there was so much blood,” she chokes, the words catching hard. “and i don’t remember–i don’t remember anything but them screaming–”

“i don’t remember,” she repeats, quieter, shaking.

[ribbitrogue]

“I don’t know, if I’m being honest with you. I wouldn’t know until it actually happened, but I promise you that I’d do my best to prevent as much of the damage as I could in the moment.”

*He frowned, his eyes carefully watching hers. He shook his head and made a small croaking noise.*

“I’ll figure something out because you’re not alone in this. Not anymore. I’m here to help however I can.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan goes quiet at that. her breathing is still uneven, catching every few seconds, but she doesn’t try to push him away anymore.

instead, she just leans into him fully. her arms wrap around him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder.

“i’m sorry,” she whispers, voice small and breaking.

it’s not clear what she’s apologizing for.

everything, maybe.

her grip tightens just a little more, like she’s afraid if she lets go, she’ll fall apart again.

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head, letting her lean into him. He closed his eyes and just let himself be clung to.*

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, especially not to me. Just focus on yourself right now.”

*He gently pat her head with one hand while the other held her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan shakes her head weakly against him, but she doesn’t argue again. her grip stays tight for a moment longer… then slowly, just slightly, eases.

her breathing is still uneven, but it starts to slow–little by little.

she squeezes her eyes shut, pressing her face into his shoulder.

“…i’m sorry,” she murmurs again, softer now.

she stays there, holding onto him, letting herself just sit in it for a moment instead of fighting it, like she doesn’t trust herself to move yet.

[ribbitrogue]

“It’s alright…”

*He held her, glad that she seemed to be calming down now. He hummed a soft tune as he watched over her for the moment.*

“Just take a minute, focus on what’s going on right now. Everything else can buzz off right now.”

[drowning-melodies]

she doesn’t respond right away. her eyes stay closed, breath still a little shaky, but steadier than before. she leans into him, letting his voice sit there without fighting it.

after a moment, her grip shifts—not as desperate now, just… holding.

grounding.

she takes a slow breath. then another.

“…okay,” she murmurs quietly. her voice is small, but it’s there.

she stays like that, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of something real–his arms around her, the sand beneath them, the sound of the water nearby–letting everything else fade just a little.

a breath.

"thank you..." she whispers, breath finally slow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and smiled slightly, his eyes shifting back to the water.*

“Anytime.”

*He looked around before sighing.*

“Should we perhaps head back to the kingdoms? We’ve been out here a while and lord knows what the other weirdos around here might’ve been up to.”

*He looked back at her and gave her a little squeeze.*

“Or we can stay here a while longer, whatever works for you. I’ve got nowhere to be.”

[drowning-melodies]

after a second, she shifts slightly–tilting her head and resting it against his shoulder, her gaze drifting out over the lagoon.

“…maybe a little longer,” she murmurs.

then, after a quiet beat–

“how did we even end up like this?” she asks, voice soft, a little worn but lighter now.

“two ex-monarchs,” she adds faintly, a breath of a laugh slipping through, “sitting in the sand having a breakdown over fishing.”

a faint laugh slips out of her at that, soft and a little shaky, shaking her head from where it rests on his shoulder.

“kinda pathetic, huh?” she says, though there’s no real bite to it.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well if this is pathetic, so are the kingdoms. I’d say our situation is reflective of the kingdoms as a whole.”

*He chuckled a little, letting her remain where she was. He let out a couple happy sounding ribbits.*

“It’s symbolic in a way I suppose.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly at that, the sound low and thoughtful. her head stays resting against his shoulder, eyes drifting over the lagoon as the water moves in slow, quiet ripples.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

there’s a small pause.

“symbolic, huh…”

she shifts slightly, not pulling away–just settling more comfortably.

“still better than being alone,” she adds after a moment, voice quiet but steady. her gaze stays on the water, the faintest hint of a smile lingering as she lets the quiet sit between them.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh I can definitely agree with that.”

*He nodded, being quiet after he spoke. He hummed a soft tune as he considered what to do. He leaned back a bit, moving one arm to keep himself propped up.*

*He started to zone out a bit as he thought about what led him here and that thought slowly drifted to speculation about the other people in the kingdoms. He shook his head, shaking himself of it.*

“Do you ever think about how weird it is that everyone ended up here? Like there is such an interesting variety of people here.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan is quiet for a moment, watching the water as he speaks.

“…yeah,” she says after a second.

her fingers brush idly through the sand, her eyes following the slow ripple of the water, expression softer now. “it’s strange…”

she hesitates, just for a second, like she almost doesn’t say the next part. “…i think i like it, though.”

another small pause, quieter this time.

"everyone kinda just... belongs.." she trails off. "no matter how different they are."

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, glancing at the water. He smiled softly as he thought a bit more.*

“Everyone does belong here. Makes this place unique. How many places can say they welcomed a frog rogue, eh? Or a slimy fellow like 4c or- 90% of us really.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

“I’d bet 10 Froggy Tokens that no other kingdoms could say that stuff.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a small huff of a laugh at that, but it fades quickly into something softer. her gaze drifts out over the water, fingers idly brushing through the sand, "yeah..."

a small pause.

“i’ve never really been… accepted anywhere else.”

she shrugs lightly, like she’s trying to make it sound like it doesn’t matter. “always been… 'different'.” her eyes flick back to the lagoon, expression calmer now. “…bannerfall’s different, though.” another pause.

“i’ve thought about leaving,” she admits, her eyes staying on the lagoon.

“just… figured it’d be easier for everyone.. if i was.. gone” she trails off slightly.

another small shrug.

“…but i never did.”

"guess that says something.."

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue gently elbowed her.*

“I was thinking the same thing honestly. Just leaving. Sometimes I still consider it, actually. Sometimes I climb on top of the Fark Hall and look out into the forest and just contemplate that for hours.”

*He shrugged, looking at the water once more. He shook his head after a moment.*

“But I mean yeah, we’re still here.”

[drowning-melodies]

she' s quiet for a moment, gaze fixed on the water.

“…we’re still here,” she echoes softly.

the words sit with her.

she doesn’t add anything else. just stays where she is, hands resting loosely in the sand, letting the quiet stretch out between them as the lagoon ripples gently ahead.

"i like being here," she says with a small smile.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, letting himself watch the water.*

“It’s nice.”

*He hummed softly. He put one hand in his pocket as he watched the gentle ripples of the lagoon, fidgeting with lining of his pocket. His gaze occasionally shifted between the water and the glowberry vines.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly in agreement, eyes following the slow current of the lagoon.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

she leans back slightly, resting her weight on her hands in the sand, gaze drifting along the water’s edge.

a small pause.

“…we should probably head back soon,” she adds, voice light, like she doesn’t really want to move just yet.

[ribbitrogue]

*He groaned, rolling his head back.*

“But I don’t wannaaaaaaaaa.”

*He crossed his arms, making an exaggerated pouty expression. He laughed a little before continuing to play this game of having an attitude akin to that of an upset bunny.*

“Nuh uh. I’m not moving. In fact, I live right here now. Yep.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks at him for a second–then snorts, a quiet laugh slipping out.

“oh, do you now?” another soft laugh slips out. “what about your fark hall?” she teases, tilting her head slightly, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, breaking the pouty act.*

“Okay maybe you have a point. I do gotta get back there, make sure nobody’s done anything stupid.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

[drowning-melodies]

“exactly,” she says, smiling.

she pushes herself up to her feet, brushing the sand from her skirt, movements unhurried. then she holds out her hand, "c'mon,"

[ribbitrogue]

*He giggled a bit, taking her hand and pushing himself up.*

“Yeah yeah I’m coming.”

[drowning-melodies]

she gives his hand a small tug to help him up, then she turns to walk towards the hole leading up to the surface

her gaze lifts up toward the opening above, seawater spilling down in a constant, shimmering waterfall from the higher break in the caverns ceiling.

her smile fades a little. not gone–just thinner.

before she can think too much about it, she steps into the pool, swimming up and out of the lagoon.

when she makes it to the boat, inhales sharply, pushing herself up and onto the wooden surface. she glances down into the water, waiting for the frog.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam through the water, getting momentarily distracted by the fish moving around him. He shook his head and swam up to the surface, popping his head out of the water.*

“There’s so many fish down there.”

*He took a moment before he pushed himself up onto the boat. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and began to wring it out.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a soft, light laugh, still dripping from the swim. “yeah… there really are,” she says, voice easy, eyes following the fish darting beneath the boat.

she runs a hand through her wet hair, and shakes her head slightly, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

“it… kinda reminds me of my home,” she adds softly, fingers brushing along the small, ocean waves.

[ribbitrogue]

“Hm. Can’t relate.”

*Frogue shrugged, still working on wringing his shirt out.*

“It’s good that they remind you of that though. I think.”

*He glanced at her before nodding to himself. He leaned against the rail of the boat.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah,” she says lightly, shrugging a little, ignoring the way the voices heightened.

she glances down at the water once more, then reaches for the oars, settling them into place.

the boat shifts slightly as she starts rowing, movements steady and unhurried, guiding them back toward land while the fish scatter beneath the surface.

[ribbitrogue]

*He kept his eyes on the water, as if he thought there was going to be some crazy creature down there that intended to prevent them from going. He hummed softly before leaning back.*

“This was fun.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him, a small smile already forming. “yeah,” she agrees softly.

she keeps rowing, the steady rhythm of it easy now.

“…we should do this again sometime,” she adds after a moment, her gaze drifting back to the water, but the smile lingers.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh definitely.”

*He stuck his froggy hand in the water as the boat moved along.*

“Maybe we bring someone else along next time too. I’m sure someone else would enjoy it.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah…” she trails off, watching the moon’s reflection ripple across the water for a moment, before perking up again.

“ooh!! maybe we could invite 4c!! and then you could apologize to him and give him the letter! and then he would forgive you!! oh that’d be joyous!! joyous day!!” she smiles brightly, clearly excited by her plan.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh we could! Hopefully.”

*He chuckled, glancing at her for a moment before looking back at the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

she smiles a little at that, glancing over at him briefly before looking back ahead.

“he will,” she says, voice easy with certainty. she keeps rowing, the rhythm steady, cutting through the water as the shoreline slowly comes closer. “i promise”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, watching the oars glide through the water. His tongue flicked out just to bother a fish, getting a small chuckle out of himself.*

“Yeah yeah. I’m sure he will.”

[drowning-melodies]

she hums softly at that, the faintest smile lingering as she keeps rowing. the shoreline grows closer, the dark shape of the beach coming into view as the water shallows.

she slows the boat a little, letting it glide the last stretch, before stepping out and offering her hand.

[ribbitrogue]

*He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling himself out of the boat. He nearly landed on his face but managed to catch himself before he fell.*

“Do you want to walk to the bridge together or split off here?”

*He glanced around, as if looking to see if there was anyone nearby who might’ve seen them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan steadies him when he stumbles, a soft laugh slipping out.

“we can walk to the bridge,” she says quietly.

then she glances around the quiet shoreline, then her gaze drifts upward–the moon hanging high, light spilling softly across the water.

“…it’s late,” she murmurs. her eyes linger there for a second before dropping back to him, expression gentler now. “no one’ll see us,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started walking, one hand in his pocket.*

“Good. I don’t exactly want there to be a whole misunderstanding and then a fight to happen right now.”

*He kept glancing around, just to be sure.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan huffs a quiet breath at that, a small, amused smile tugging at her lips.

“yeah,” she agrees lightly. “i really don’t need another fight..” she walks alongside him at an easy pace, hands brushing lightly against her skirt as she moves.

“how do you think it’s gonna end? the war, i mean?” the question was far too simple for what it was asking.

[ribbitrogue]

*He crossed his arms and looked at the ground as they walked.*

“Well that depends. Do you want my honest answer or my more optimistic one?”

*He huffed quietly, pausing in his step for a moment as he thought about it a little more.*

[apos-moon-piercer]

“hi!!!” shelby pops up beside apo, leaning just a little too far into her space as the bells on her hat jingle softly.

she tilts her head, peering over at whatever they’re doing.

“…whatcha doing?” they ask, voice light and curious.

– @star-of-the-circus

(ooc: sorry i’m terrible at starting rps </3)

Apo startled slightly, taken aback by Shelby's sudden appearance. She cleared her throat lightly as she tried to back away from her a little

"Oh! Um, hello..."

"I uh, I just woke up. I was going to do a dungeon run with the others..."

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby perks up immediately, bells giving a soft, excited jingle.

“ooh, that sounds fun!” she smiles brightly, shifts a step closer, rocking slightly on their heels, fingers hooking into her sleeves.

“…can i come with you?” they ask, a little quick, like the thought just slipped out, her head tilting, bells ringing hopefully.

[apos-moon-piercer]

"Um, yeah sure... I am not sure who else will be there... The Frouge and the flower I think..."

Apo paused for a second, thinking as she shifted on her spear

"just be careful... Don't trust whatever the creeking king says to you, okay?"

[star-of-the-circus]

“i won’t!!” she says brightly, almost overlapping the warning. they rock back on her heels, smile bright–just a little too practiced.

“now c’mon!!! frogue’s already waiting!!!!” they say, skipping ahead towards the general direction of the dungeon.

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo seemed a bit worried but she hid her concerns, the dungeon was a dangerous place after all. That and she'd only seen this person around before, talking with the others but never really to her... Shelby, she thinks their name is...

"Alright! Hey wait for me—!"

They walked behind her, having to pick the pace every now and then to catch up as they walked towards the dungeon, up over the hill to Pipa

@ribbitrogue dungeon run? (Feel free to ignore!)

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue was already waiting there. He was perched up on a tree, flipping his sword around as he waited for everyone else to arrive. He let out a loud ribbit as he noticed the two.*

“Oh finally, I don’t have to wait here any longer. Unless you two invited more people.”

*He hopped down from the tree, landing on the ground with ease before looking at the dungeon.*

(Yep! Sorry, I might be bad at this lol. @star-of-the-circus)

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby’s head snaps toward the sound, bells bursting into a bright, uneven jingle.

“frogue!!!” she doesn’t even hesitate–just bolts forward, closing the distance way too fast.

“hi!!!” shelby adds, skidding to a stop right in front of him, a little breathless, rocking on her heels.

“uh….” they ponder for a moment, “i don’t think so…? did you invite anyone else, apo?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo walks towards the goblin, as she greets her with a smile. Shelby's voice brought their attention back to the pair

"Oh, um no. I didn't"

She felt a weird shift in weight as she wiped her head to see the owl bear trying to eat her steaks

"Hey! Stop that—!"

She turned towards the goblin, then to the others

"let's just get going!" She said quickly

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and pulled a bit of gold out, handing it to the goblin before tucking the rest into his pocket once more.*

“Probably a smart move. I just wanna get this over with. Place gives me bad vibes.”

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby fumbles a bit in her pockets before pulling out some coins, stepping up to hand them over. then their gaze catches on the owl bear, before they let out a small gasp.

“you look just like bongo!!” she smiles brightly, petting the owl bear’s head once.

then, without much hesitation, they grab onto the side of the carriage and climb up, swinging herself inside with an easy, practiced motion.

the bells chime as she settles in, waiting for the other two to join her. “c’mon!!”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

apo hands the goblin her fair and turns to look at the Frouge for a second, before following Shelby and climbing in the carriage

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue hopped into the carriage, lying down in the back section. He closed his eyes as the carriage began to move, allowing himself a moment of calm before whatever the dungeon would throw at them.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

the carriage rattles along, a little too quiet. shelby fidgets with her sleeves, bells giving the occasional soft jingle.

“…so–”

then the carriage stops.

“…oh! we’re here!!” they smile brightly, skipping out of the carriage and towards the parkour, jumping each platform with unneeded dramatics.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

They all get off of the carriage, the bear gets a last nip at apo's steak. No one says much as they walk deeper into the cave. A few quick jumps and lunges and she's there at the alter without much effort, standing a bit back from the button as she waits for the other two.

A grimace makes its way to her face the longer she stares at that button, dreading seeing that "thing" again... What lies await her now, she wonders. Well whatever it may be, it will just be another new lie... Right?

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue followed behind quickly, jumping along on the higher parts of the wall before hopping down on the other side of the button. He glanced over at Shelby before looking at the button.*

“This guy man. Always has something to say to someone I swear.”

*He rolled his eyes and looked back at Shelby, waiting for her to arrive.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

she lingers for a second longer than she needs to, fingers hooked into their sleeves, bells giving a faint, uneven jingle.

“…yeah,” they say, a little too quick, like memorized lines.

she steps forward then, closing the distance in a couple light steps.

“he talks a lot,” shelby adds, practiced. her gaze flicks briefly toward the button before up at them. “…ready?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

"As ready as we'll ever be..."

Apo took a deep breath, as gaze flicked to the other two before they all pressed the button simultaneously

And then,

darkness

She felt a presence, staring at her, through her... Great.

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He huffed as the darkness surrounded him, rolling his eyes slightly. This was starting to feel more like a chore than anything actually entertaining.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby stills.

she’s used to eyes on her. that part’s never been the problem. it’s the way this one feels. not curious. not watching a performance. something quieter. heavier.

they hate it

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

...

The dark cleared, a statute of a rabbit stud in front of them

Apo didn't move... Her head hung low, eyes wide as her breath came out shaky and uneven

The sound of a clock ticking snapped her back to reality

Spot the difference, right. The dungeon. They had a dungeon to do

"Right, um..."

Her feet moved on their own she walked forward, trying to concentrate and memorise the blocks

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue blinked a few times, letting his eyes readjust before he shakily walked over to the statue.*

“Hm. Alright well the nose is different I think?”

*He poked the nose of the statue, a satisfying ding followed.*

@star-of-the-circus

[apos-moon-piercer]

“hi!!!” shelby pops up beside apo, leaning just a little too far into her space as the bells on her hat jingle softly.

she tilts her head, peering over at whatever they’re doing.

“…whatcha doing?” they ask, voice light and curious.

– @star-of-the-circus

(ooc: sorry i’m terrible at starting rps </3)

Apo startled slightly, taken aback by Shelby's sudden appearance. She cleared her throat lightly as she tried to back away from her a little

"Oh! Um, hello..."

"I uh, I just woke up. I was going to do a dungeon run with the others..."

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby perks up immediately, bells giving a soft, excited jingle.

“ooh, that sounds fun!” she smiles brightly, shifts a step closer, rocking slightly on their heels, fingers hooking into her sleeves.

“…can i come with you?” they ask, a little quick, like the thought just slipped out, her head tilting, bells ringing hopefully.

[apos-moon-piercer]

"Um, yeah sure... I am not sure who else will be there... The Frouge and the flower I think..."

Apo paused for a second, thinking as she shifted on her spear

"just be careful... Don't trust whatever the creeking king says to you, okay?"

[star-of-the-circus]

“i won’t!!” she says brightly, almost overlapping the warning. they rock back on her heels, smile bright–just a little too practiced.

“now c’mon!!! frogue’s already waiting!!!!” they say, skipping ahead towards the general direction of the dungeon.

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo seemed a bit worried but she hid her concerns, the dungeon was a dangerous place after all. That and she'd only seen this person around before, talking with the others but never really to her... Shelby, she thinks their name is...

"Alright! Hey wait for me—!"

They walked behind her, having to pick the pace every now and then to catch up as they walked towards the dungeon, up over the hill to Pipa

@ribbitrogue dungeon run? (Feel free to ignore!)

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue was already waiting there. He was perched up on a tree, flipping his sword around as he waited for everyone else to arrive. He let out a loud ribbit as he noticed the two.*

“Oh finally, I don’t have to wait here any longer. Unless you two invited more people.”

*He hopped down from the tree, landing on the ground with ease before looking at the dungeon.*

(Yep! Sorry, I might be bad at this lol. @star-of-the-circus)

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby’s head snaps toward the sound, bells bursting into a bright, uneven jingle.

“frogue!!!” she doesn’t even hesitate–just bolts forward, closing the distance way too fast.

“hi!!!” shelby adds, skidding to a stop right in front of him, a little breathless, rocking on her heels.

“uh….” they ponder for a moment, “i don’t think so…? did you invite anyone else, apo?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo walks towards the goblin, as she greets her with a smile. Shelby's voice brought their attention back to the pair

"Oh, um no. I didn't"

She felt a weird shift in weight as she wiped her head to see the owl bear trying to eat her steaks

"Hey! Stop that—!"

She turned towards the goblin, then to the others

"let's just get going!" She said quickly

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and pulled a bit of gold out, handing it to the goblin before tucking the rest into his pocket once more.*

“Probably a smart move. I just wanna get this over with. Place gives me bad vibes.”

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby fumbles a bit in her pockets before pulling out some coins, stepping up to hand them over. then their gaze catches on the owl bear, before they let out a small gasp.

“you look just like bongo!!” she smiles brightly, petting the owl bear’s head once.

then, without much hesitation, they grab onto the side of the carriage and climb up, swinging herself inside with an easy, practiced motion.

the bells chime as she settles in, waiting for the other two to join her. “c’mon!!”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

apo hands the goblin her fair and turns to look at the Frouge for a second, before following Shelby and climbing in the carriage

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue hopped into the carriage, lying down in the back section. He closed his eyes as the carriage began to move, allowing himself a moment of calm before whatever the dungeon would throw at them.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

the carriage rattles along, a little too quiet. shelby fidgets with her sleeves, bells giving the occasional soft jingle.

“…so–”

then the carriage stops.

“…oh! we’re here!!” they smile brightly, skipping out of the carriage and towards the parkour, jumping each platform with unneeded dramatics.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

They all get off of the carriage, the bear gets a last nip at apo's steak. No one says much as they walk deeper into the cave. A few quick jumps and lunges and she's there at the alter without much effort, standing a bit back from the button as she waits for the other two.

A grimace makes its way to her face the longer she stares at that button, dreading seeing that "thing" again... What lies await her now, she wonders. Well whatever it may be, it will just be another new lie... Right?

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue followed behind quickly, jumping along on the higher parts of the wall before hopping down on the other side of the button. He glanced over at Shelby before looking at the button.*

“This guy man. Always has something to say to someone I swear.”

*He rolled his eyes and looked back at Shelby, waiting for her to arrive.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

she lingers for a second longer than she needs to, fingers hooked into their sleeves, bells giving a faint, uneven jingle.

“…yeah,” they say, a little too quick, like memorized lines.

she steps forward then, closing the distance in a couple light steps.

“he talks a lot,” shelby adds, practiced. her gaze flicks briefly toward the button before up at them. “…ready?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

"As ready as we'll ever be..."

Apo took a deep breath, as gaze flicked to the other two before they all pressed the button simultaneously

And then,

darkness

She felt a presence, staring at her, through her... Great.

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He huffed as the darkness surrounded him, rolling his eyes slightly. This was starting to feel more like a chore than anything actually entertaining.*

@star-of-the-circus

[apos-moon-piercer]

“hi!!!” shelby pops up beside apo, leaning just a little too far into her space as the bells on her hat jingle softly.

she tilts her head, peering over at whatever they’re doing.

“…whatcha doing?” they ask, voice light and curious.

– @star-of-the-circus

(ooc: sorry i’m terrible at starting rps </3)

Apo startled slightly, taken aback by Shelby's sudden appearance. She cleared her throat lightly as she tried to back away from her a little

"Oh! Um, hello..."

"I uh, I just woke up. I was going to do a dungeon run with the others..."

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby perks up immediately, bells giving a soft, excited jingle.

“ooh, that sounds fun!” she smiles brightly, shifts a step closer, rocking slightly on their heels, fingers hooking into her sleeves.

“…can i come with you?” they ask, a little quick, like the thought just slipped out, her head tilting, bells ringing hopefully.

[apos-moon-piercer]

"Um, yeah sure... I am not sure who else will be there... The Frouge and the flower I think..."

Apo paused for a second, thinking as she shifted on her spear

"just be careful... Don't trust whatever the creeking king says to you, okay?"

[star-of-the-circus]

“i won’t!!” she says brightly, almost overlapping the warning. they rock back on her heels, smile bright–just a little too practiced.

“now c’mon!!! frogue’s already waiting!!!!” they say, skipping ahead towards the general direction of the dungeon.

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo seemed a bit worried but she hid her concerns, the dungeon was a dangerous place after all. That and she'd only seen this person around before, talking with the others but never really to her... Shelby, she thinks their name is...

"Alright! Hey wait for me—!"

They walked behind her, having to pick the pace every now and then to catch up as they walked towards the dungeon, up over the hill to Pipa

@ribbitrogue dungeon run? (Feel free to ignore!)

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue was already waiting there. He was perched up on a tree, flipping his sword around as he waited for everyone else to arrive. He let out a loud ribbit as he noticed the two.*

“Oh finally, I don’t have to wait here any longer. Unless you two invited more people.”

*He hopped down from the tree, landing on the ground with ease before looking at the dungeon.*

(Yep! Sorry, I might be bad at this lol. @star-of-the-circus)

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby’s head snaps toward the sound, bells bursting into a bright, uneven jingle.

“frogue!!!” she doesn’t even hesitate–just bolts forward, closing the distance way too fast.

“hi!!!” shelby adds, skidding to a stop right in front of him, a little breathless, rocking on her heels.

“uh….” they ponder for a moment, “i don’t think so…? did you invite anyone else, apo?”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

Apo walks towards the goblin, as she greets her with a smile. Shelby's voice brought their attention back to the pair

"Oh, um no. I didn't"

She felt a weird shift in weight as she wiped her head to see the owl bear trying to eat her steaks

"Hey! Stop that—!"

She turned towards the goblin, then to the others

"let's just get going!" She said quickly

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and pulled a bit of gold out, handing it to the goblin before tucking the rest into his pocket once more.*

“Probably a smart move. I just wanna get this over with. Place gives me bad vibes.”

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

shelby fumbles a bit in her pockets before pulling out some coins, stepping up to hand them over. then their gaze catches on the owl bear, before they let out a small gasp.

“you look just like bongo!!” she smiles brightly, petting the owl bear’s head once.

then, without much hesitation, they grab onto the side of the carriage and climb up, swinging herself inside with an easy, practiced motion.

the bells chime as she settles in, waiting for the other two to join her. “c’mon!!”

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

apo hands the goblin her fair and turns to look at the Frouge for a second, before following Shelby and climbing in the carriage

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue hopped into the carriage, lying down in the back section. He closed his eyes as the carriage began to move, allowing himself a moment of calm before whatever the dungeon would throw at them.*

@star-of-the-circus

[star-of-the-circus]

the carriage rattles along, a little too quiet. shelby fidgets with her sleeves, bells giving the occasional soft jingle.

“…so–”

then the carriage stops.

“…oh! we’re here!!” they smile brightly, skipping out of the carriage and towards the parkour, jumping each platform with unneeded dramatics.

@apos-moon-piercer

[apos-moon-piercer]

They all get off of the carriage, the bear gets a last nip at apo's steak. No one says much as they walk deeper into the cave. A few quick jumps and lunges and she's there at the alter without much effort, standing a bit back from the button as she waits for the other two.

A grimace makes its way to her face the longer she stares at that button, dreading seeing that "thing" again... What lies await her now, she wonders. Well whatever it may be, it will just be another new lie... Right?

@ribbitrogue

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue followed behind quickly, jumping along on the higher parts of the wall before hopping down on the other side of the button. He glanced over at Shelby before looking at the button.*

“This guy man. Always has something to say to someone I swear.”

*He rolled his eyes and looked back at Shelby, waiting for her to arrive.*

@star-of-the-circus

[drowning-melodies]

*Frogue came barreling into the blue kingdom, pushing down on the lily pad on his head to flatten it out. He ran up to Shan and let out an excited ribbit.*

“Hi Shan! Can you maybe please put me in a bubble?”

@ribbitrogue

(Take your time responding, I just wanted to make sure we get a Frogue and Shan interaction :D)

“oh–!” shan blinks, surprised by the sudden ribbit. “uh… sure?? hold still.”

she plants the end of her staff into the soft ground with a quiet tap. shan tilts her staff in a slow circle. water follows the motion, spiraling together until it gathers into a clear, wobbling sphere. it shimmers faintly, sunlight bending through it in wavering lines.

with a small flick of her staff, the bubble pops around him, lifting him gently off the ground.

“is that good?” she asks, head tilting slightly.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam around in the bubble, ribbiting happily. His eyes were incredibly wide right now as he moved around like an actual frog in the water.*

“Yes it is Shan! Thank you very much! I’ve missed these bubbles, amazing honestly.”

*He settled at the bottom of the bubble and closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself relax despite the drama within the kingdoms. He let out another ribbit, much smaller this time and almost sounding a bit awkward.*

“Have you been well? I don’t think I’ve heard from you in a while.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches the bubble bob a little as frogue reviles in it, blinking before letting out a small laugh before shrugging a bit.

“i’ve been good. just… busy.” she says, leaning lightly on her staff, eyes flickering briefly toward the kingdom gates in the distance.

she glanced back at him in the bubble, smiling lightly. “what about you? you seem pretty happy in there.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue opened one eye, he seemed more relaxed than he normally was but that could’ve just been because he was in the bubble.*

“Eh. I could be better but it is what it is. The bubble is very nice, pretty calming in here.”

*He hummed to himself as he watched her, still just resting in the bubble. Despite his very relaxed demeanor, his eyes darted between her and the kingdom’s gates.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan leans a little heavier on her staff as the bubble drifts in place, its surface trembling faintly.

using bubble capture took more focus than most of her spells. the water wave was easy–a burst of power and it was done. even holding water didn’t last too long. but the bubble needed constant attention, little threads of magic keeping the surface sealed and steady. to keep whoever was in it breathing.

but… frogue looks comfortable in there. calmer than she’s seen him in a while.

so instead of dropping it, she glances back at him through the watery surface, giving a small tilt of her head. sh exhales slow, steadying the bubble.

“…so,” she says softly, resting her chin on the top of her staff, eyebrows pinched in concentration, “how was it? when you were king, i mean.” she pauses again before adding, "i know it can be hard..."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked away and let out a quiet croak. Part of him wanted to ignore the question but ultimately he decided to answer.*

“It was eh- it was alright. The rule itself wasn’t rough. Maybe the consequences of my, according to some people, very impulsive and brutal actions might be the actual hard part.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck. His entire demeanor had shifted to a more defensive one. His eyes narrowed and he kept his eyes on the ground.*

[drowning-melodies]

shandrea watches the bubble drift, giving it a small tap with the end of her staff when it starts to wobble. “i get that,” she says, shrugging a little.

the corner of her mouth twitches slightly.

“when i wore the crown, it was mostly just fixing things after the war. gates, canals, people arguing, that sort of thing.” she rolls her shoulder a bit, still keeping the spell steady. “not really the same kind of ruling you had... from what i've heard..”

“still,” she adds, “being in charge of a whole kingdom does weird things to people. make them act... impulsively.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced at her before taking a deep breath. He started croaking a lot but they were muffled, as if he was suppressing them.*

“Well I’m glad someone’s run as the ruler better than mine did.”

*He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He huffed and shook his head.*

“And impulsive is a word for it I guess.”

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts a little at that, the bubble wobbling as she shifts her weight.

“hey, don’t say that,” she says, tilting her head and looking at him through the bubble.

“at least people will remember your reign.” she gives a small shrug. “mine was months of fixing damage from a war i wasn’t even here for and then everyone kinda.. brushed me aside.”

“at least yours was memorable,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Yeah, I guess, but mine was so memorable that I was kicked out of the Red Kingdom.”

*He froze as soon as he said that. He wasn’t sure if she already knew about that but he was not fond of the idea that he might’ve just offered that information up willingly. He started kicking at the bubble, attempting to escape and run off.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks.

“wait–you actually–“

then he starts kicking the bubble, causing her to grip her staff tighter, instinctively focusing on the spell. instead of weakening, the bubble pulls tighter, wobbling but holding firm as he kicks at it.

she squints at him through the water.

“…i thought that was a rumor? did you actually get kicked out?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He stayed silent for a moment and continued kicking the bubble, when he realized his attempts were futile he gave up and glanced at her. His eyes were narrowed but also filled with- fear perhaps?*

“If you must know, then yes. I’ve been kicked out.”

[drowning-melodies]

“oh, frogue…”

the spell slips away instantly, the bubble dissolving into mist and dropping him from where he’d been floating.

shan shifts her grip on her staff as the awkward silence grows thin, before blurting out, “do you want to go to the lagoon with me?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hit the ground with a gentle thud, pushing himself off the ground. He looked away and nodded, refusing to make eye contact now.*

“If you can stand being around me, then sure.*

*He stared at the ground, every fiber of his being just yelling at him to run. However he stayed.*

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts softly, “i invited you, frogue,” she says, a little amused. “if i couldn’t stand you i wouldn’t have.”

she twirls her staff once in her hand, glancing down the path towards the gates. then she starts walking a few steps, then looks back at him and smiles, gesturing for him to follow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated for a moment before following her. He made a few more muffled croaking sounds as they walked. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, not knowing if this was even safe, so he decided to just shut his mouth for once.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks a little ahead, staff tapping lightly against the ground as they head down the path. after a bit she glances back at him, noticing how quiet he is.

“…you know you don’t have to be that quiet,” she says, smiling gently. “it’s kinda weird not hearing you speak every five seconds.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets.*

“I mean- what am I supposed to talk about? How I’m going to be living alone in the Fark Hall forever now?”

*He let out a small huff as he spoke, kicking a pebble along the path.*

“Not much for me to talk about otherwise.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums lightly, before walking quietly beside him for a moment, staff tapping lightly against the path. then she glances over at him.

“what’s your favorite color?” her tone is casual, like she’s just handing him something else to talk about. something to distract them both.

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes widened, clearly not expecting such a basic question.*

“Oh uh- green probably. I like green. It’s a really nice color, it feels- safe? If that makes sense. I assume your favorite color would be blue?”

*He tilted his head. His body relaxed at the less intense conversation topic, though he still seemed relatively cautious.*

[drowning-melodies]

“purple, actually,” she says with a smile. “everyone just assumes blue.” she nudges a pebble off the path with the end of her staff as they keep walking.

after a moment she adds, with a small shrug, “green’s a good one though.”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh. Well purple is nice, that would’ve been my second guess.”

*He hummed softly as they walked down the path. His tongue occasionally flicked out to grab an insect.*

“What’s your favorite food?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks beside him, staff resting over her shoulder as she thinks for a second.

"fish,” she says, smiling. then she glances at him and adds with a small shrug, “grilled, usually. or sometimes just salted.”

she pushes a curl behind her ear, looking towards him. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He ran a hand along his face as he thought about his answer.*

“Well now that I’m a humanoid frog my diet is limited to insects and whatnot. I mean I can eat normal food but it’s just not as nutritious for me.”

*He looked up at the sky before looking back at her.*

“As I am currently, I’d say fruit flies. Moths aren’t terrible but they’ve got a weird aftertaste. Before I was a frog though, I’d probably say chicken wings.”

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah, chicken wings are pretty good,” she says with a nodding.

the path opens up into sand, waves rolling steadily onto the shore. shan slows a bit when they reach the beach.

the closer she gets to the water, the louder the familiar murmuring gets in the back of her head–distant voices layered together, like something carried in on the tide. she tightens her grip on the staff for a second, eyes flicking out across the water.

then she exhales, stepping onto the sand.

“just in time for the sunset!!” she smiles, thought it appears a little more.. pained then before.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, he glanced at her and tilted his head.*

“Yeah. It should be pretty.”

*He paused and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to do.*

“You alright? You seem a bit- out of it?”

*He looked at the water, half tempted to run over and sit in it but he instead chose to continue walking with her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks when he touches her shoulder, like he’s pulled her back from somewhere. she waves a hand quickly. “i’m.. i’m fine.”

the voices press harder at the back of her mind, rising like a high tide. she tenses for a second before forcing her shoulders to relax.

not now, she thinks. this isn’t about you.

shan drags the end of her staff through the sand as she keeps walking. after a moment she turns toward him, nodding out toward the water.

“c’mon,” she says. “the sunsets are always prettier out on the open sea!!” she flinches slightly before smiling as if to cover it up.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started towards the water. The edges of the lilypad on his head began to wrap downward as he walked. He glanced at her every once in a while, trying to figure out what could be wrong but not wanting to pry.*

“It’s been a while since I actually took the time to watch a sunset.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums quietly as they reach the shoreline, spinning her staff once in her hand. the voices get louder near the water, but she just focuses on the horizon instead.

“…yeah,” she says after a moment. “i don’t think i’ve really watched one in a while either.”

she gives a small shrug before offering her hand. “c’mon let’s watch it together,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated but took her hand. His hand was kind of slimy, as if holding a literal frog.*

“I don’t think anyone has really had the time to.”

*He watched the waves for a moment before looking out at the horizon himself. He took a deep breath and let out a small croak as he said something unexpected.*

“Thank you for inviting me to come see this.”

[drowning-melodies]

she glances towards him when he thanks her, shoulders lifting in a small shrug.

“thanks for letting me show you.” shan squeezes his hand lightly before staring at the sunset, smiling softly.

the voices seem to lull then. still there, they always were, but here under the setting sun, they quieted. she takes a breath.

“we should start heading out, huh?” she taps the side of a neat rowboat, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and hopped into the rowboat.*

“That we should.”

*He watched her for a moment before looking at the water. His tongue flicked out into the water, causing a small fish to swim away. He gave a small chuckle as he watched it dart off.*

[drowning-melodies]

she laughs at his antics before stepping into the rowboat after him, steadying it with one hand on the side. she pushes them off from the sand before settling onto the seat and picking up the oars.

she dips the oars into the water and starts rowing, the boat rocking gently as they move farther from shore.

“it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asks, staring off into the sunset, a smile on her face.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, leaning over the edge of the boat. He watched the sunset, the lilypad on his head folding down into a hood.*

“It really is beautiful.”

*He croaked quietly, a small smile on his face as he observed the scene around them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets the boat drift once they’re far enough out, resting the oars across the sides. she watches the horizon for a moment, the water gently rocking beneath them.

“…yeah,” she says after a second, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

she leans to the side a little, trailing her fingers through the water beside the boat. her breath slows as she lets the boat drift, soaking in the sunlight.

she hasn’t felt peace like this for.. a while.

“oh–we made it,” she says quietly, gesturing into the depths to the sea lanterns of the night market.

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked into the depths and tilted his head, eyes widening.*

“Oh is this where everyone went that one time when I slept in? With the weird fish guy and the shark?”

*He leaned over further, only just barely in the boat as he tried to get a better look. His eyes sifted between the visible buildings and such.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i think so..?” she tilts her head slightly. “i wasn’t there either..”

shan leans over the side of the boat, peering down into the shifting blue below. the shapes of buildings and stone blur faintly beneath the surface.

for a second she just watches the dark blue below, fingers tightening slightly on the edge of the boat, nausea whirl pooling in her stomach.

then, quieter, more to herself than him–

“…you ready?”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her before nodding. He rolled out of the boat and into the water, he floated there for a moment before diving down under. He swam around, occasionally looking back to see what Shan doing.*

[drowning-melodies]

when frogue slips into the water, the boat rocks gently. shan watches the ripples for a second, then takes a slow breath.

another.

then she slides over the edge of the boat and into the water.

she forces herself to stay calm, taking one last deep breath before dipping under and swimming down, pushing through the water with steady strokes. the cold closes around her as she swims down, pushing forward with quick, determined strokes.

shan pushes through the hole into the lagoon, arms burning slightly from holding her breath that long.

the moment her head breaks the surface she gasps, dragging in a sharp breath of air before grabbing onto the stone edge beside the entrance. for a second she just stays there, breathing hard, water dripping from her hair.

then she wipes her face with one hand and turns back toward the opening she came through, peering down into the darker water behind her.

"frogue?" she calls out into the darkness.

[ribbitrogue]

*It took a couple more minutes before he poked his head out of the water. He blinked one eye at a time for a moment before announcing his arrival rather loudly.*

“I’m here! I got distracted, there’s a lot to look at around here. Weird looking fish and whatnot.”

*He swam over but let himself lay back in the water near the stone edge.*

“You alright?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he finally pops up, letting out a small breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“yeah, yeah, i’m fine,” she says quickly.

she pulls herself up onto the sandy edge of the lagoon, water dripping from her clothes as she stands. brushing some wet hair out of her face, she offers him a hand.

“c’mon,” she adds, nodding further into the lagoon. “time to go fishing.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and grabbed her hand, letting her help him up. He snickered to himself as he stepped onto the sand.*

“Imagine Owain trying to make that swim. I can’t imagine that would go well with how heavy his armor is.”

*He hummed and looked around the lagoon, trying to find a good spot to set everything up.*

[drowning-melodies]

she lets out a small laugh, brushing some wet hair out of her face. “yeah,” she says. “that armor would drag him straight to the bottom.”

she glances out across the lagoon for a moment, then crouches near the edge of the sand where a couple fishing rods are leaning against a rock. she grabs one and straightens, giving it a small spin in her hand before offering the other toward frogue. then she nods toward the water.

“here,” she says. “might as well actually catch something.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He took the fishing rod from her and waddled over to the water. He sat down on the edge of it and cast the line, watching as it moved in the water.*

“You go fishing often?”

*His gaze didn’t move away from the bobber, simply watching as he impatiently waited for something to happen, his hand fidgeting with the handle.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks over and drops down onto the sand a little ways from him before casting a line out into the water, the line arcing out before the bobber settles on the rippling surface.

“not really,” she admits with a small shrug, eyes flicking to the water.

“i mean–i like fish,” she adds, a little offhand. "just don't have the time anymore..."

she shifts slightly in the sand, watching her bobber drift with the slow movement of the lagoon. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“Nah. I’ve never been one for fishing. Takes forever for a little reward.”

*He hummed, keeping his focus on his bobber. He frowned slightly as it stayed afloat, getting a bit annoyed with it.*

“I mean they take forever and half the time they’re like- the size of a kitten.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches her bobber drift for a moment before shrugging a little. “yeah, it can take a while,”

she rests her forearms on her knees, rod angled loosely toward the water. “where i come from people fished all the time,” she adds after a second. “i used to,” she says with a small shrug. “kinda hard not to when you’re around the ocean all the time.”

her eyes flick back to the water.

"though i could never sit still enough to catch anything bigger than a guppy." she laughs lightly at the memory, though her shoulders are tight.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her, considering how to respond. He let out a little croak before shaking his head.*

“Hm. Must’ve been nice. Having a community that did that sort of stuff I mean.”

*He looked back at his fishing rod, though he clearly wasn’t focused on the activity anymore. He shifted, leaning back on his elbows.*

“Yeah sitting still is hard. I’m certainly no good at it. It’s just so dull and boring.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him when he says that and for a second she doesn’t answer.

must’ve been nice.

the words echo a little louder in her head than they should. the voices press in with them–overlapping murmurs she tries not to listen to.

you remember how that ended.

her grip tightens slightly on the fishing rod. she forces the thought away before it can settle. “…yeah,” she says after a moment, voice quieter than before. her gaze drifts back to the water, watching the slow bob of the float on the lagoon’s surface.

“it was nice.”

the voices don’t really stop, but she pushes them to the back of her mind. before shrugging lightly. “bannerfall’s not too bad either.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her again, feeling the energy shift. He scooted a bit closer, unsure of what to do. He decided to attempt to be humorous by gently bonking her head like one might bonk some bongos.*

“Eh. Bannerfall is its own flavor of nonsense. It’s not terrible yeah, but it’s definitely got its faults.”

*He decided to attempt to play into the humor a bit more by just throwing out a random comparison.*

“It’s like a burnt pie. Like yeah it’s good, it’s pie, but it’s also burnt.”

[drowning-melodies]

she looks over at him, eyes squinting in confusion for a second before she suddenly snorts and bursts into laughter.

“a burnt pie?” she repeats, still laughing a little as she shakes her head.

she glances back out at the lagoon, her bobber drifting lazily across the surface. “…yeah,” she says with a small shrug, still giggling. “that sounds about right.”

she smiles brightly towards him, still laughing lightly.

[ribbitrogue]

”Yep. Burnt pie.”

*He nodded with a chuckle, smiling back at her. He reeled in his fishing rod and put it to the side, knowing he was over it.*

“Maybe a burnt pancake but that’s pushing it.”

*He leaned backwards, using his arms to keep him sat up just enough to watch Shan fish.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s laughter fades into a small grin as she looks back at the water, rod still resting loosely in her hands. "giving up already?"

her bobber dips suddenly.

shan straightens a bit, giving the line a quick tug before reeling it in. when the line breaks the surface, it isn’t a fish dangling there but a small shell. she pulls it closer, prying it open with her fingers before a small, pale pearl rolls into her palm.

for a second she just looks at it, then dips her hand into the lagoon and gently swishes it through the water to rinse the sand off.

she stares at it for a moment, twisting it between two fingers, watching the way its shines under the lagoon's glow. then she holds it out toward frogue.

“here,” she says simply, smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well yeah I’m giving up already! It’s boringggg.”

*He paused when she hooked something, watching intently as she reeled it in.*

“Oh!”

*He carefully took the pearl from her and rolled it around in his hand for a bit. He watched it with wide eyes.*

“I- oh uh- thank you. I didn’t even know these could look this nice, especially straight out of the shell.”

*He hummed quietly as he continued to rotate the pearl in his hand, being incredibly careful as to not drop it back into the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him turn the pearl over in his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“yeah,” she agrees, smiling softly. she props her elbows on her knees, rod already angled lazily toward the water.

“did you know they come in different colors?” she adds after a moment. “not just white?”

she looks toward the pearl in his hand.

“there’s pink ones, black ones… even gold ones sometimes.”

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes got even wider as he turned to look at her.*

”They can be different colors?! What the heck! Nobody told me that! Why does everyone just wear the white ones then?!”

*He looked back at the pearl before carefully sliding it into the most secure pocket he had, no way was he going to lose it.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches his reaction, and a quiet laugh slips out of her before she can stop it. she twirls the end of the fishing rod between her fingers, then nods toward the pocket he tucked it into.

“each color’s supposed to mean something too.”

her voice is casual, like it’s just a random fact she’s remembering.

“white ones–like that one–usually mean new beginnings.”

for a second her gaze drifts across the lagoon water, the glow berries light rippling over the surface. then she shrugs lightly.

“seems like you got a pretty fitting one.” it comes out light hearted, though something quieter sits beneath it.

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced back at his pocket when she said that, a small smile crossing his face before he nodded.*

“Seems it is fitting, for good or for bad I suppose.”

*He looked back at the water, watching the ripples of light but also trying to see where the fish in here were.*

“I mean I guess that’s a good reason to wear white pearls then. Maybe I’ll figure out how to put this one on a bracelet or something.”

*He mumbled he last sentence quietly, like he didn’t intend to say it out loud.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan reels the line in slightly, making sure the hook's still set before letting it drift back out across the water.

"a bracelet could work," she says, thoughtfully. "or a necklace."

she glances over at him, "if you want, i could help."

"used to make some of my own," she adds with a small shrug. "nothing fancy or anything... but enough to make it wearable."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her, considering the offer. After a moment he let out a little ribbit and nodded.*

“If it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, I’d appreciate it. You don’t have to though.”

*He pulled the pearl out of his pocket to look at it, rolling it around in his hand once more. He looked back up to watch her fishing rod again, his attention split between the two things.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he pulls the pearl back out, the line of her mouth curving faintly.

“it’s not a hassle,” she says. “promise.”

after a moment she nods toward the pearl in his palm.

“just need some cord. maybe a clasp if we’re being fancy.” her fingers wander back up to her one of own necklaces, absentmindedly turning one of the pearls between them.

“i could make it into a bracelet pretty easy,” she adds. “it would suit you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, continuing to roll the pearl around.*

“I should have some cord back at the Fark Hall. Not a clasp though but that’s fine. Even a clasp might be too fancy for me.”

*He looked at her and smiled. A peaceful expression on his face as he thought about the current situation.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him and a matching smile spreads across her face.“well,” she says lightly, “when you find that cord, bring it on by.”

she shifts the fishing rod a little, watching the bobber drift across the water.

she turns to face him, a smile still on her lips. “i’ll make it into something for you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He grinned, putting the pearl back into his pocket. He croaked a couple times in a quick succession.*

“Will do. Gives me an opportunity to snoop around the blue kingdom too.”

*He giggled a bit, watching the fishing rod again.*

“Maybe I’ll get myself a froglight from 4c while I’m at it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan snorts softly at first, like she’s about to laugh along with him before stilling at the word “froglight” her fishing rod stills in her hands. she glances over at him, brows lifting a little.

“hey,” she says, tone light but firm. “don’t go farming 4c.” she nudges his shoulder with hers, not hard—more of a warning tap than anything.

“he’s a person, not a resource.”

“you can snoop around all you want,” she adds, glancing back at the water, “but leave him out of it.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed, shifting awkwardly now as he realized that he hadn’t been very funny with that one.*

“I- sorry. You’re right I guess.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the sand.*

“The froglights are just pretty and like- everyone in the red kingdom was pestering me about getting them for a while. Obviously not an excuse so-“

*He paused before rummaging through one of his other pockets, not the one with the pearl. He pulled a surprisingly dry envelope out.*

“I did actually try to write him an apology letter. Looks kind of bad though, hard to write with frog hands.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him pull the envelope out, and something in her expression softens.

“you already wrote one,” she echoes quietly. she looks at the letter for a second before glancing back toward the water, the rod shifting slightly in her hands.

“…sorry,” she adds after a moment, a little awkward. “i just–“

she pauses, searching for the words.

“i just… don’t like when people talk about him like that.” she whispers, eyes still glued to the ripples in the water. “i just… i’m sorry…”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“No no I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m the one who’s be harassing him since day one basically. Your reaction was totally fair.”

*He slid the envelope back into his pocket as he sighed.*

“Like I said, it’s a bad letter. I do have a couple froggy tokens packed into here though so maybe that would make up for my awful handwriting.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him slide the envelope back into his pocket, quiet for a moment. “i’d offer to rewrite it for you,” she says after a second, glancing over, “but i have dyslexia...”

she gives a small shrug, mouth tilting a little.

“so mine would probably end up worse.”

her gaze drifts back to the water, rod shifting lightly in her hands.

“but the effort’s what matters anyways.” she smiles, turning towards him “i’m sure he’ll forgive you,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh! I didn’t know that.”

*He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back and laying in the sand.*

“I mean I hope he’ll accept it. I’ll admit I was definitely less than polite though so if I were him I probably wouldn’t accept it. That’s just if I were him though.”

[drowning-melodies]

she listens quietly, the line drifting across the lagoon while he talks.

“4c’s… pretty forgiving,” she says after a moment. her eyes stay on the water, but her focus drifts somewhere else for a second.

she remembers the look on his face when she told him–halting, uncertain words about her tribe, about the blood and the silence and the way the memories never lined up quite right. the way she’d expected anger. or fear.

and how he had just pulled her close, rubbing circles onto her back.

shan blinks, pulling herself back to the present.

“he’s forgiven me for worse,” she adds, voice light like it’s just another passing thought, but the words linger. she gives a small shrug, rod shifting in her hands.

“so… i think you’ll be fine.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue looked at her, tilting his head a bit. He scooted a bit closer. He was clearly curious about what she’d done that supposedly needed forgiveness, however he didn’t ask about it.*

“Huh. Good for him. Most rogues aren’t the most forgiving, though apologies also aren’t given often to most rogues.”

*He sat up, flicking his tongue out to grab a nearby bug.*

“But yeah, I trust your word so if you think he’ll forgive me then I’ll take your word for it.”

[drowning-melodies]

she watches the slow drift of the bobber for a moment before she speaks again. ”4c is. mae is too.”

her eyes stay on the water, following the small rings the line makes on the surface. “they’re probably two of the most forgiving people i’ve met.”

there’s a brief pause. then, quieter–almost like she didn’t mean to say it out loud–

“…they’re more than i deserve.”

she goes still for a second after that, like the words slipped out without permission. then she clears her throat, ignoring the tears building up, eyes glued to the bobber.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned and scooted closer, slowly wrapping his arms around her. He carefully pat her head, croaking quietly in a way that was his attempt at being calming.*

“I obviously don’t know what you’ve been through but personally, I think you deserve more than what life has been giving you.”

*He looked at the bobber before looking back at her, trying to figure out the right thing to say.*

“Life is mean. Just because certain things happened, doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of good moments.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan stiffens a little when he wraps his arms around her, not pulling away–just going still for a second like she isn’t used to it.

his words sit in the air.

she watches the bobber instead of looking at him.

"i don't deserve it..." she admits, voice softened by acceptance. she stares at the lagoon, eyes sparkling with tears as they track the bobber. "i'm a monster, frogue..."

the words come out as a whisper. there was no flourish or drama. just acceptance. sharp and brittle.

certain.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, shaking his head.*

“I don’t think so and even if you were, aren’t we all monsters to some extent? I mean- look at what I’ve done recently. Or Sausage.”

*He sighed and squeezed her a bit, doing his best to help without being overwhelming.*

“Someone who doesn’t deserve nice things wouldn’t care. They wouldn’t be questioning if they deserve something nice, they would assume that they do deserve it.”

*He sighed and adjusted the way he was hugging her, now more of a side hug as he was unsure if the hug was helping or making the situation worse.*

[drowning-melodies]

his words don’t seem to land–or maybe they do, just somewhere she doesn’t know how to reach. her grip tightens slightly around the fishing rod before loosening again.

“…that’s not–” she starts, but the sentence falls apart halfway through. she swallows, hard and for a second it looks like she’s not going to say anything else. then–

“i killed them,” she says, the words catching on the way out.

quiet. uneven.

she doesn't look at him.

“all of them.” her breathing starts to go shallow, just slightly off. “my whole–” she cuts herself off, jaw tightening.

“…everyone.”

silence.

then her vision blurs. she blinks once. twice.

it doesn’t help.

the tears slip over anyway, slow and quiet, trailing down without a sound. her shoulders draw in a little, like she’s trying to make herself smaller, breath stuttering just enough to not be steady anymore. she wants to hug him back, truly, but she can't move. she can't move

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused for a moment before wrapping himself around her in a proper hug once more. He shut his mouth this time, knowing more about the situation. There wasn’t much he could say to help and he knew that, so he opted to just hold her and try his best without saying anything.*

*He carefully removed the fishing rod from her hand and tossed it off to the side, not wanting it to end up harming her in some way. His eyes closed once he did that, unsure what exactly would help. Part of him wanted to run off and go get someone else to deal with the situation, but he stayed put.*

[drowning-melodies]

she tenses when he pulls her into a tighter hug, breath catching for a second—but she doesn’t pull away.

the fishing rod leaving her hands barely registers.her hands curl weakly into the fabric of his clothes instead, like she needs something to hold onto.her breathing stutters, uneven, trying and failing to steady.

she shakes her head slightly against him.“i didn’t–” she tries, voice breaking.

another breath, sharper this time.

“i didn’t mean to–” the words fall apart before they can finish.

her shoulders hitch, silent tears pressing harder now, slipping down without restraint. she presses her face into him, like hiding will make it stop–like if she doesn’t see anything, it won’t feel so loud.

but it doesn’t quiet.

her breathing getting quicker, thinner, like she can’t quite get enough air. still, she doesn’t push him away. she just holds on, like letting go would make everything worse.

[ribbitrogue]

“Of course you didn’t…”

*He mumbled quietly, giving her a small squeeze. He rubbed her back gently, trying to help ground her.*

“I’m here, I’ve got you. I’m right here and you can let out as much as you need to.”

*He let her hold onto him, figuring this would probably help. Gods did he wish he were anyone else right now and actually knew what to do. Though he pushed that feeling down to make room in his head for the present moment.*

“I’m here for you, no matter what.”

*He continued rubbing her back, occasionally reaching his other hand up to attempt to wipe away the tears coming down her face.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i-i didn’t–” she tries, but it tangles, breaks apart.

her fingers clutch tighter into his clothes. her breathing keeps slipping, uneven, too fast... like she couldn't quite catch it. she presses her face further into him when he tries to wipe her tears, not pulling away, just hiding.

“they’re–” she starts, voice shaking. “they’re all gone–”

another hitch in her breath.

her shoulders tremble under his hands, silent sobs building now instead of just quiet tears. “i can’t–” she gasps softly, the words barely there. “i can’t fix it–”

she curls in closer, like she’s trying to fold in on herself, but she doesn’t let go of him. not even a little. it's like he’s the only thing keeping her anchored while everything else slips.

"i-i can't save them."

[ribbitrogue]

*He held her tighter, just doing his best to be there for her. He gently moved her head so they were making eye contact.*

“Hey, look at me. I’m here and nothing bad is going to happen. It won’t happen again.”

*He took a deep breath, scrambling internally to figure out what to do.*

“Okay um… let’s uh-“

*He glanced at the water before looking back at her again, shaking his head.*

“It’s not going to happen again.”

[drowning-melodies]

her eyes dart back up to his, wide and unfocused, like she’s seeing something that isn’t there.

“no–you don’t–” her voice catches, breath stuttering. her grip on him tightens. “i’m going to lose you,” she says, the words rushing out, uneven and breathless. “i’m going to lose everyone–”

you couldn’t save them you let them drown it was your fault.

her shoulders hitch at the voices, tears spilling faster now.

she presses closer like she’s trying to hold onto something she already believes is slipping away, her breathing uneven and shallow, like she can’t escape the thought looping in her head.

[ribbitrogue]

“No you’re not. I’m not going anywhere, nobody is going anywhere. I promise you that I won’t let that happen.”

*He hummed, continuing to hold her tightly. His eyes were locked onto hers as he just started saying whatever he could.*

“I promise you that you’re not going to lose everyone again. Look at me, I promise.”

[drowning-melodies]

she shakes her head, sharp and certain.

“you can’t promise that,” she says, breath uneven, voice breaking around the edges. her grip tightens, almost desperate now. “you don’t–” she chokes on the words, breath hitching. “you don’t know what i can do–”

her shoulders tremble, tears spilling faster, silent but relentless.

you’ll do it again you'll let them drown again

she squeezes her eyes shut for a second, like she can block it out–

it doesn’t work.

“i'm a monster,” she whispers, voice small but certain. “i've hurt people. i've killed people–”

her hands twist tighter in his clothes, like she’s afraid if she lets go even slightly, he’ll disappear. her breathing stays uneven, shallow, the panic still sitting heavy in her chest–even with him right there.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, genuinely unsure how to help now. He hugged her even tighter and spoke quietly, figuring his words weren’t doing much regardless.*

“You’re not a monster, Shan. You’re just- a person. You’ve done really bad things, yes, and it is important to acknowledge that. But you’ve also done amazing things that also deserve acknowledgment.”

*He continued to rub her back, with a bit more force now though in hopes of that doing literally anything.*

“Maybe you’re right about how I can’t promise it won’t happen again but- I can sure try to prevent it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s grip tightens weakly in his clothes as she looks up at him.

"how..?" she asks, voice thin and shaking. her eyes search his, unfocused but desperate. "how can you prevent the inevitable?"

her breath stutters, uneven, panic threading through every word.

“i’ve tried already,” she says. “i tried–i tried to stop it the first time, i tried, i swear i did–”

her voice breaks, shoulders hitching.

“but there was so much blood,” she chokes, the words catching hard. “and i don’t remember–i don’t remember anything but them screaming–”

“i don’t remember,” she repeats, quieter, shaking.

[ribbitrogue]

“I don’t know, if I’m being honest with you. I wouldn’t know until it actually happened, but I promise you that I’d do my best to prevent as much of the damage as I could in the moment.”

*He frowned, his eyes carefully watching hers. He shook his head and made a small croaking noise.*

“I’ll figure something out because you’re not alone in this. Not anymore. I’m here to help however I can.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan goes quiet at that. her breathing is still uneven, catching every few seconds, but she doesn’t try to push him away anymore.

instead, she just leans into him fully. her arms wrap around him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder.

“i’m sorry,” she whispers, voice small and breaking.

it’s not clear what she’s apologizing for.

everything, maybe.

her grip tightens just a little more, like she’s afraid if she lets go, she’ll fall apart again.

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head, letting her lean into him. He closed his eyes and just let himself be clung to.*

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, especially not to me. Just focus on yourself right now.”

*He gently pat her head with one hand while the other held her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan shakes her head weakly against him, but she doesn’t argue again. her grip stays tight for a moment longer… then slowly, just slightly, eases.

her breathing is still uneven, but it starts to slow–little by little.

she squeezes her eyes shut, pressing her face into his shoulder.

“…i’m sorry,” she murmurs again, softer now.

she stays there, holding onto him, letting herself just sit in it for a moment instead of fighting it, like she doesn’t trust herself to move yet.

[ribbitrogue]

“It’s alright…”

*He held her, glad that she seemed to be calming down now. He hummed a soft tune as he watched over her for the moment.*

“Just take a minute, focus on what’s going on right now. Everything else can buzz off right now.”

[drowning-melodies]

she doesn’t respond right away. her eyes stay closed, breath still a little shaky, but steadier than before. she leans into him, letting his voice sit there without fighting it.

after a moment, her grip shifts—not as desperate now, just… holding.

grounding.

she takes a slow breath. then another.

“…okay,” she murmurs quietly. her voice is small, but it’s there.

she stays like that, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of something real–his arms around her, the sand beneath them, the sound of the water nearby–letting everything else fade just a little.

a breath.

"thank you..." she whispers, breath finally slow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and smiled slightly, his eyes shifting back to the water.*

“Anytime.”

*He looked around before sighing.*

“Should we perhaps head back to the kingdoms? We’ve been out here a while and lord knows what the other weirdos around here might’ve been up to.”

*He looked back at her and gave her a little squeeze.*

“Or we can stay here a while longer, whatever works for you. I’ve got nowhere to be.”

[drowning-melodies]

after a second, she shifts slightly–tilting her head and resting it against his shoulder, her gaze drifting out over the lagoon.

“…maybe a little longer,” she murmurs.

then, after a quiet beat–

“how did we even end up like this?” she asks, voice soft, a little worn but lighter now.

“two ex-monarchs,” she adds faintly, a breath of a laugh slipping through, “sitting in the sand having a breakdown over fishing.”

a faint laugh slips out of her at that, soft and a little shaky, shaking her head from where it rests on his shoulder.

“kinda pathetic, huh?” she says, though there’s no real bite to it.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well if this is pathetic, so are the kingdoms. I’d say our situation is reflective of the kingdoms as a whole.”

*He chuckled a little, letting her remain where she was. He let out a couple happy sounding ribbits.*

“It’s symbolic in a way I suppose.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly at that, the sound low and thoughtful. her head stays resting against his shoulder, eyes drifting over the lagoon as the water moves in slow, quiet ripples.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

there’s a small pause.

“symbolic, huh…”

she shifts slightly, not pulling away–just settling more comfortably.

“still better than being alone,” she adds after a moment, voice quiet but steady. her gaze stays on the water, the faintest hint of a smile lingering as she lets the quiet sit between them.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh I can definitely agree with that.”

*He nodded, being quiet after he spoke. He hummed a soft tune as he considered what to do. He leaned back a bit, moving one arm to keep himself propped up.*

*He started to zone out a bit as he thought about what led him here and that thought slowly drifted to speculation about the other people in the kingdoms. He shook his head, shaking himself of it.*

“Do you ever think about how weird it is that everyone ended up here? Like there is such an interesting variety of people here.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan is quiet for a moment, watching the water as he speaks.

“…yeah,” she says after a second.

her fingers brush idly through the sand, her eyes following the slow ripple of the water, expression softer now. “it’s strange…”

she hesitates, just for a second, like she almost doesn’t say the next part. “…i think i like it, though.”

another small pause, quieter this time.

"everyone kinda just... belongs.." she trails off. "no matter how different they are."

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, glancing at the water. He smiled softly as he thought a bit more.*

“Everyone does belong here. Makes this place unique. How many places can say they welcomed a frog rogue, eh? Or a slimy fellow like 4c or- 90% of us really.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

“I’d bet 10 Froggy Tokens that no other kingdoms could say that stuff.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a small huff of a laugh at that, but it fades quickly into something softer. her gaze drifts out over the water, fingers idly brushing through the sand, "yeah..."

a small pause.

“i’ve never really been… accepted anywhere else.”

she shrugs lightly, like she’s trying to make it sound like it doesn’t matter. “always been… 'different'.” her eyes flick back to the lagoon, expression calmer now. “…bannerfall’s different, though.” another pause.

“i’ve thought about leaving,” she admits, her eyes staying on the lagoon.

“just… figured it’d be easier for everyone.. if i was.. gone” she trails off slightly.

another small shrug.

“…but i never did.”

"guess that says something.."

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue gently elbowed her.*

“I was thinking the same thing honestly. Just leaving. Sometimes I still consider it, actually. Sometimes I climb on top of the Fark Hall and look out into the forest and just contemplate that for hours.”

*He shrugged, looking at the water once more. He shook his head after a moment.*

“But I mean yeah, we’re still here.”

[drowning-melodies]

she' s quiet for a moment, gaze fixed on the water.

“…we’re still here,” she echoes softly.

the words sit with her.

she doesn’t add anything else. just stays where she is, hands resting loosely in the sand, letting the quiet stretch out between them as the lagoon ripples gently ahead.

"i like being here," she says with a small smile.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, letting himself watch the water.*

“It’s nice.”

*He hummed softly. He put one hand in his pocket as he watched the gentle ripples of the lagoon, fidgeting with lining of his pocket. His gaze occasionally shifted between the water and the glowberry vines.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly in agreement, eyes following the slow current of the lagoon.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

she leans back slightly, resting her weight on her hands in the sand, gaze drifting along the water’s edge.

a small pause.

“…we should probably head back soon,” she adds, voice light, like she doesn’t really want to move just yet.

[ribbitrogue]

*He groaned, rolling his head back.*

“But I don’t wannaaaaaaaaa.”

*He crossed his arms, making an exaggerated pouty expression. He laughed a little before continuing to play this game of having an attitude akin to that of an upset bunny.*

“Nuh uh. I’m not moving. In fact, I live right here now. Yep.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks at him for a second–then snorts, a quiet laugh slipping out.

“oh, do you now?” another soft laugh slips out. “what about your fark hall?” she teases, tilting her head slightly, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, breaking the pouty act.*

“Okay maybe you have a point. I do gotta get back there, make sure nobody’s done anything stupid.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

[drowning-melodies]

“exactly,” she says, smiling.

she pushes herself up to her feet, brushing the sand from her skirt, movements unhurried. then she holds out her hand, "c'mon,"

[ribbitrogue]

*He giggled a bit, taking her hand and pushing himself up.*

“Yeah yeah I’m coming.”

[drowning-melodies]

she gives his hand a small tug to help him up, then she turns to walk towards the hole leading up to the surface

her gaze lifts up toward the opening above, seawater spilling down in a constant, shimmering waterfall from the higher break in the caverns ceiling.

her smile fades a little. not gone–just thinner.

before she can think too much about it, she steps into the pool, swimming up and out of the lagoon.

when she makes it to the boat, inhales sharply, pushing herself up and onto the wooden surface. she glances down into the water, waiting for the frog.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam through the water, getting momentarily distracted by the fish moving around him. He shook his head and swam up to the surface, popping his head out of the water.*

“There’s so many fish down there.”

*He took a moment before he pushed himself up onto the boat. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and began to wring it out.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a soft, light laugh, still dripping from the swim. “yeah… there really are,” she says, voice easy, eyes following the fish darting beneath the boat.

she runs a hand through her wet hair, and shakes her head slightly, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

“it… kinda reminds me of my home,” she adds softly, fingers brushing along the small, ocean waves.

[ribbitrogue]

“Hm. Can’t relate.”

*Frogue shrugged, still working on wringing his shirt out.*

“It’s good that they remind you of that though. I think.”

*He glanced at her before nodding to himself. He leaned against the rail of the boat.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah,” she says lightly, shrugging a little, ignoring the way the voices heightened.

she glances down at the water once more, then reaches for the oars, settling them into place.

the boat shifts slightly as she starts rowing, movements steady and unhurried, guiding them back toward land while the fish scatter beneath the surface.

[ribbitrogue]

*He kept his eyes on the water, as if he thought there was going to be some crazy creature down there that intended to prevent them from going. He hummed softly before leaning back.*

“This was fun.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him, a small smile already forming. “yeah,” she agrees softly.

she keeps rowing, the steady rhythm of it easy now.

“…we should do this again sometime,” she adds after a moment, her gaze drifting back to the water, but the smile lingers.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh definitely.”

*He stuck his froggy hand in the water as the boat moved along.*

“Maybe we bring someone else along next time too. I’m sure someone else would enjoy it.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah…” she trails off, watching the moon’s reflection ripple across the water for a moment, before perking up again.

“ooh!! maybe we could invite 4c!! and then you could apologize to him and give him the letter! and then he would forgive you!! oh that’d be joyous!! joyous day!!” she smiles brightly, clearly excited by her plan.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh we could! Hopefully.”

*He chuckled, glancing at her for a moment before looking back at the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

she smiles a little at that, glancing over at him briefly before looking back ahead.

“he will,” she says, voice easy with certainty. she keeps rowing, the rhythm steady, cutting through the water as the shoreline slowly comes closer. “i promise”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, watching the oars glide through the water. His tongue flicked out just to bother a fish, getting a small chuckle out of himself.*

“Yeah yeah. I’m sure he will.”

[drowning-melodies]

she hums softly at that, the faintest smile lingering as she keeps rowing. the shoreline grows closer, the dark shape of the beach coming into view as the water shallows.

she slows the boat a little, letting it glide the last stretch, before stepping out and offering her hand.

[ribbitrogue]

*He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling himself out of the boat. He nearly landed on his face but managed to catch himself before he fell.*

“Do you want to walk to the bridge together or split off here?”

*He glanced around, as if looking to see if there was anyone nearby who might’ve seen them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan steadies him when he stumbles, a soft laugh slipping out.

“we can walk to the bridge,” she says quietly.

then she glances around the quiet shoreline, then her gaze drifts upward–the moon hanging high, light spilling softly across the water.

“…it’s late,” she murmurs. her eyes linger there for a second before dropping back to him, expression gentler now. “no one’ll see us,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started walking, one hand in his pocket.*

“Good. I don’t exactly want there to be a whole misunderstanding and then a fight to happen right now.”

*He kept glancing around, just to be sure.*

[drowning-melodies]

*Frogue came barreling into the blue kingdom, pushing down on the lily pad on his head to flatten it out. He ran up to Shan and let out an excited ribbit.*

“Hi Shan! Can you maybe please put me in a bubble?”

@ribbitrogue

(Take your time responding, I just wanted to make sure we get a Frogue and Shan interaction :D)

“oh–!” shan blinks, surprised by the sudden ribbit. “uh… sure?? hold still.”

she plants the end of her staff into the soft ground with a quiet tap. shan tilts her staff in a slow circle. water follows the motion, spiraling together until it gathers into a clear, wobbling sphere. it shimmers faintly, sunlight bending through it in wavering lines.

with a small flick of her staff, the bubble pops around him, lifting him gently off the ground.

“is that good?” she asks, head tilting slightly.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam around in the bubble, ribbiting happily. His eyes were incredibly wide right now as he moved around like an actual frog in the water.*

“Yes it is Shan! Thank you very much! I’ve missed these bubbles, amazing honestly.”

*He settled at the bottom of the bubble and closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself relax despite the drama within the kingdoms. He let out another ribbit, much smaller this time and almost sounding a bit awkward.*

“Have you been well? I don’t think I’ve heard from you in a while.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches the bubble bob a little as frogue reviles in it, blinking before letting out a small laugh before shrugging a bit.

“i’ve been good. just… busy.” she says, leaning lightly on her staff, eyes flickering briefly toward the kingdom gates in the distance.

she glanced back at him in the bubble, smiling lightly. “what about you? you seem pretty happy in there.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue opened one eye, he seemed more relaxed than he normally was but that could’ve just been because he was in the bubble.*

“Eh. I could be better but it is what it is. The bubble is very nice, pretty calming in here.”

*He hummed to himself as he watched her, still just resting in the bubble. Despite his very relaxed demeanor, his eyes darted between her and the kingdom’s gates.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan leans a little heavier on her staff as the bubble drifts in place, its surface trembling faintly.

using bubble capture took more focus than most of her spells. the water wave was easy–a burst of power and it was done. even holding water didn’t last too long. but the bubble needed constant attention, little threads of magic keeping the surface sealed and steady. to keep whoever was in it breathing.

but… frogue looks comfortable in there. calmer than she’s seen him in a while.

so instead of dropping it, she glances back at him through the watery surface, giving a small tilt of her head. sh exhales slow, steadying the bubble.

“…so,” she says softly, resting her chin on the top of her staff, eyebrows pinched in concentration, “how was it? when you were king, i mean.” she pauses again before adding, "i know it can be hard..."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked away and let out a quiet croak. Part of him wanted to ignore the question but ultimately he decided to answer.*

“It was eh- it was alright. The rule itself wasn’t rough. Maybe the consequences of my, according to some people, very impulsive and brutal actions might be the actual hard part.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck. His entire demeanor had shifted to a more defensive one. His eyes narrowed and he kept his eyes on the ground.*

[drowning-melodies]

shandrea watches the bubble drift, giving it a small tap with the end of her staff when it starts to wobble. “i get that,” she says, shrugging a little.

the corner of her mouth twitches slightly.

“when i wore the crown, it was mostly just fixing things after the war. gates, canals, people arguing, that sort of thing.” she rolls her shoulder a bit, still keeping the spell steady. “not really the same kind of ruling you had... from what i've heard..”

“still,” she adds, “being in charge of a whole kingdom does weird things to people. make them act... impulsively.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced at her before taking a deep breath. He started croaking a lot but they were muffled, as if he was suppressing them.*

“Well I’m glad someone’s run as the ruler better than mine did.”

*He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He huffed and shook his head.*

“And impulsive is a word for it I guess.”

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts a little at that, the bubble wobbling as she shifts her weight.

“hey, don’t say that,” she says, tilting her head and looking at him through the bubble.

“at least people will remember your reign.” she gives a small shrug. “mine was months of fixing damage from a war i wasn’t even here for and then everyone kinda.. brushed me aside.”

“at least yours was memorable,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Yeah, I guess, but mine was so memorable that I was kicked out of the Red Kingdom.”

*He froze as soon as he said that. He wasn’t sure if she already knew about that but he was not fond of the idea that he might’ve just offered that information up willingly. He started kicking at the bubble, attempting to escape and run off.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks.

“wait–you actually–“

then he starts kicking the bubble, causing her to grip her staff tighter, instinctively focusing on the spell. instead of weakening, the bubble pulls tighter, wobbling but holding firm as he kicks at it.

she squints at him through the water.

“…i thought that was a rumor? did you actually get kicked out?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He stayed silent for a moment and continued kicking the bubble, when he realized his attempts were futile he gave up and glanced at her. His eyes were narrowed but also filled with- fear perhaps?*

“If you must know, then yes. I’ve been kicked out.”

[drowning-melodies]

“oh, frogue…”

the spell slips away instantly, the bubble dissolving into mist and dropping him from where he’d been floating.

shan shifts her grip on her staff as the awkward silence grows thin, before blurting out, “do you want to go to the lagoon with me?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hit the ground with a gentle thud, pushing himself off the ground. He looked away and nodded, refusing to make eye contact now.*

“If you can stand being around me, then sure.*

*He stared at the ground, every fiber of his being just yelling at him to run. However he stayed.*

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts softly, “i invited you, frogue,” she says, a little amused. “if i couldn’t stand you i wouldn’t have.”

she twirls her staff once in her hand, glancing down the path towards the gates. then she starts walking a few steps, then looks back at him and smiles, gesturing for him to follow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated for a moment before following her. He made a few more muffled croaking sounds as they walked. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, not knowing if this was even safe, so he decided to just shut his mouth for once.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks a little ahead, staff tapping lightly against the ground as they head down the path. after a bit she glances back at him, noticing how quiet he is.

“…you know you don’t have to be that quiet,” she says, smiling gently. “it’s kinda weird not hearing you speak every five seconds.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets.*

“I mean- what am I supposed to talk about? How I’m going to be living alone in the Fark Hall forever now?”

*He let out a small huff as he spoke, kicking a pebble along the path.*

“Not much for me to talk about otherwise.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums lightly, before walking quietly beside him for a moment, staff tapping lightly against the path. then she glances over at him.

“what’s your favorite color?” her tone is casual, like she’s just handing him something else to talk about. something to distract them both.

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes widened, clearly not expecting such a basic question.*

“Oh uh- green probably. I like green. It’s a really nice color, it feels- safe? If that makes sense. I assume your favorite color would be blue?”

*He tilted his head. His body relaxed at the less intense conversation topic, though he still seemed relatively cautious.*

[drowning-melodies]

“purple, actually,” she says with a smile. “everyone just assumes blue.” she nudges a pebble off the path with the end of her staff as they keep walking.

after a moment she adds, with a small shrug, “green’s a good one though.”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh. Well purple is nice, that would’ve been my second guess.”

*He hummed softly as they walked down the path. His tongue occasionally flicked out to grab an insect.*

“What’s your favorite food?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks beside him, staff resting over her shoulder as she thinks for a second.

"fish,” she says, smiling. then she glances at him and adds with a small shrug, “grilled, usually. or sometimes just salted.”

she pushes a curl behind her ear, looking towards him. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He ran a hand along his face as he thought about his answer.*

“Well now that I’m a humanoid frog my diet is limited to insects and whatnot. I mean I can eat normal food but it’s just not as nutritious for me.”

*He looked up at the sky before looking back at her.*

“As I am currently, I’d say fruit flies. Moths aren’t terrible but they’ve got a weird aftertaste. Before I was a frog though, I’d probably say chicken wings.”

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah, chicken wings are pretty good,” she says with a nodding.

the path opens up into sand, waves rolling steadily onto the shore. shan slows a bit when they reach the beach.

the closer she gets to the water, the louder the familiar murmuring gets in the back of her head–distant voices layered together, like something carried in on the tide. she tightens her grip on the staff for a second, eyes flicking out across the water.

then she exhales, stepping onto the sand.

“just in time for the sunset!!” she smiles, thought it appears a little more.. pained then before.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, he glanced at her and tilted his head.*

“Yeah. It should be pretty.”

*He paused and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to do.*

“You alright? You seem a bit- out of it?”

*He looked at the water, half tempted to run over and sit in it but he instead chose to continue walking with her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks when he touches her shoulder, like he’s pulled her back from somewhere. she waves a hand quickly. “i’m.. i’m fine.”

the voices press harder at the back of her mind, rising like a high tide. she tenses for a second before forcing her shoulders to relax.

not now, she thinks. this isn’t about you.

shan drags the end of her staff through the sand as she keeps walking. after a moment she turns toward him, nodding out toward the water.

“c’mon,” she says. “the sunsets are always prettier out on the open sea!!” she flinches slightly before smiling as if to cover it up.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started towards the water. The edges of the lilypad on his head began to wrap downward as he walked. He glanced at her every once in a while, trying to figure out what could be wrong but not wanting to pry.*

“It’s been a while since I actually took the time to watch a sunset.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums quietly as they reach the shoreline, spinning her staff once in her hand. the voices get louder near the water, but she just focuses on the horizon instead.

“…yeah,” she says after a moment. “i don’t think i’ve really watched one in a while either.”

she gives a small shrug before offering her hand. “c’mon let’s watch it together,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated but took her hand. His hand was kind of slimy, as if holding a literal frog.*

“I don’t think anyone has really had the time to.”

*He watched the waves for a moment before looking out at the horizon himself. He took a deep breath and let out a small croak as he said something unexpected.*

“Thank you for inviting me to come see this.”

[drowning-melodies]

she glances towards him when he thanks her, shoulders lifting in a small shrug.

“thanks for letting me show you.” shan squeezes his hand lightly before staring at the sunset, smiling softly.

the voices seem to lull then. still there, they always were, but here under the setting sun, they quieted. she takes a breath.

“we should start heading out, huh?” she taps the side of a neat rowboat, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and hopped into the rowboat.*

“That we should.”

*He watched her for a moment before looking at the water. His tongue flicked out into the water, causing a small fish to swim away. He gave a small chuckle as he watched it dart off.*

[drowning-melodies]

she laughs at his antics before stepping into the rowboat after him, steadying it with one hand on the side. she pushes them off from the sand before settling onto the seat and picking up the oars.

she dips the oars into the water and starts rowing, the boat rocking gently as they move farther from shore.

“it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asks, staring off into the sunset, a smile on her face.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, leaning over the edge of the boat. He watched the sunset, the lilypad on his head folding down into a hood.*

“It really is beautiful.”

*He croaked quietly, a small smile on his face as he observed the scene around them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets the boat drift once they’re far enough out, resting the oars across the sides. she watches the horizon for a moment, the water gently rocking beneath them.

“…yeah,” she says after a second, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

she leans to the side a little, trailing her fingers through the water beside the boat. her breath slows as she lets the boat drift, soaking in the sunlight.

she hasn’t felt peace like this for.. a while.

“oh–we made it,” she says quietly, gesturing into the depths to the sea lanterns of the night market.

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked into the depths and tilted his head, eyes widening.*

“Oh is this where everyone went that one time when I slept in? With the weird fish guy and the shark?”

*He leaned over further, only just barely in the boat as he tried to get a better look. His eyes sifted between the visible buildings and such.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i think so..?” she tilts her head slightly. “i wasn’t there either..”

shan leans over the side of the boat, peering down into the shifting blue below. the shapes of buildings and stone blur faintly beneath the surface.

for a second she just watches the dark blue below, fingers tightening slightly on the edge of the boat, nausea whirl pooling in her stomach.

then, quieter, more to herself than him–

“…you ready?”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her before nodding. He rolled out of the boat and into the water, he floated there for a moment before diving down under. He swam around, occasionally looking back to see what Shan doing.*

[drowning-melodies]

when frogue slips into the water, the boat rocks gently. shan watches the ripples for a second, then takes a slow breath.

another.

then she slides over the edge of the boat and into the water.

she forces herself to stay calm, taking one last deep breath before dipping under and swimming down, pushing through the water with steady strokes. the cold closes around her as she swims down, pushing forward with quick, determined strokes.

shan pushes through the hole into the lagoon, arms burning slightly from holding her breath that long.

the moment her head breaks the surface she gasps, dragging in a sharp breath of air before grabbing onto the stone edge beside the entrance. for a second she just stays there, breathing hard, water dripping from her hair.

then she wipes her face with one hand and turns back toward the opening she came through, peering down into the darker water behind her.

"frogue?" she calls out into the darkness.

[ribbitrogue]

*It took a couple more minutes before he poked his head out of the water. He blinked one eye at a time for a moment before announcing his arrival rather loudly.*

“I’m here! I got distracted, there’s a lot to look at around here. Weird looking fish and whatnot.”

*He swam over but let himself lay back in the water near the stone edge.*

“You alright?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he finally pops up, letting out a small breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“yeah, yeah, i’m fine,” she says quickly.

she pulls herself up onto the sandy edge of the lagoon, water dripping from her clothes as she stands. brushing some wet hair out of her face, she offers him a hand.

“c’mon,” she adds, nodding further into the lagoon. “time to go fishing.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and grabbed her hand, letting her help him up. He snickered to himself as he stepped onto the sand.*

“Imagine Owain trying to make that swim. I can’t imagine that would go well with how heavy his armor is.”

*He hummed and looked around the lagoon, trying to find a good spot to set everything up.*

[drowning-melodies]

she lets out a small laugh, brushing some wet hair out of her face. “yeah,” she says. “that armor would drag him straight to the bottom.”

she glances out across the lagoon for a moment, then crouches near the edge of the sand where a couple fishing rods are leaning against a rock. she grabs one and straightens, giving it a small spin in her hand before offering the other toward frogue. then she nods toward the water.

“here,” she says. “might as well actually catch something.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He took the fishing rod from her and waddled over to the water. He sat down on the edge of it and cast the line, watching as it moved in the water.*

“You go fishing often?”

*His gaze didn’t move away from the bobber, simply watching as he impatiently waited for something to happen, his hand fidgeting with the handle.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks over and drops down onto the sand a little ways from him before casting a line out into the water, the line arcing out before the bobber settles on the rippling surface.

“not really,” she admits with a small shrug, eyes flicking to the water.

“i mean–i like fish,” she adds, a little offhand. "just don't have the time anymore..."

she shifts slightly in the sand, watching her bobber drift with the slow movement of the lagoon. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“Nah. I’ve never been one for fishing. Takes forever for a little reward.”

*He hummed, keeping his focus on his bobber. He frowned slightly as it stayed afloat, getting a bit annoyed with it.*

“I mean they take forever and half the time they’re like- the size of a kitten.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches her bobber drift for a moment before shrugging a little. “yeah, it can take a while,”

she rests her forearms on her knees, rod angled loosely toward the water. “where i come from people fished all the time,” she adds after a second. “i used to,” she says with a small shrug. “kinda hard not to when you’re around the ocean all the time.”

her eyes flick back to the water.

"though i could never sit still enough to catch anything bigger than a guppy." she laughs lightly at the memory, though her shoulders are tight.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her, considering how to respond. He let out a little croak before shaking his head.*

“Hm. Must’ve been nice. Having a community that did that sort of stuff I mean.”

*He looked back at his fishing rod, though he clearly wasn’t focused on the activity anymore. He shifted, leaning back on his elbows.*

“Yeah sitting still is hard. I’m certainly no good at it. It’s just so dull and boring.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him when he says that and for a second she doesn’t answer.

must’ve been nice.

the words echo a little louder in her head than they should. the voices press in with them–overlapping murmurs she tries not to listen to.

you remember how that ended.

her grip tightens slightly on the fishing rod. she forces the thought away before it can settle. “…yeah,” she says after a moment, voice quieter than before. her gaze drifts back to the water, watching the slow bob of the float on the lagoon’s surface.

“it was nice.”

the voices don’t really stop, but she pushes them to the back of her mind. before shrugging lightly. “bannerfall’s not too bad either.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her again, feeling the energy shift. He scooted a bit closer, unsure of what to do. He decided to attempt to be humorous by gently bonking her head like one might bonk some bongos.*

“Eh. Bannerfall is its own flavor of nonsense. It’s not terrible yeah, but it’s definitely got its faults.”

*He decided to attempt to play into the humor a bit more by just throwing out a random comparison.*

“It’s like a burnt pie. Like yeah it’s good, it’s pie, but it’s also burnt.”

[drowning-melodies]

she looks over at him, eyes squinting in confusion for a second before she suddenly snorts and bursts into laughter.

“a burnt pie?” she repeats, still laughing a little as she shakes her head.

she glances back out at the lagoon, her bobber drifting lazily across the surface. “…yeah,” she says with a small shrug, still giggling. “that sounds about right.”

she smiles brightly towards him, still laughing lightly.

[ribbitrogue]

”Yep. Burnt pie.”

*He nodded with a chuckle, smiling back at her. He reeled in his fishing rod and put it to the side, knowing he was over it.*

“Maybe a burnt pancake but that’s pushing it.”

*He leaned backwards, using his arms to keep him sat up just enough to watch Shan fish.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s laughter fades into a small grin as she looks back at the water, rod still resting loosely in her hands. "giving up already?"

her bobber dips suddenly.

shan straightens a bit, giving the line a quick tug before reeling it in. when the line breaks the surface, it isn’t a fish dangling there but a small shell. she pulls it closer, prying it open with her fingers before a small, pale pearl rolls into her palm.

for a second she just looks at it, then dips her hand into the lagoon and gently swishes it through the water to rinse the sand off.

she stares at it for a moment, twisting it between two fingers, watching the way its shines under the lagoon's glow. then she holds it out toward frogue.

“here,” she says simply, smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well yeah I’m giving up already! It’s boringggg.”

*He paused when she hooked something, watching intently as she reeled it in.*

“Oh!”

*He carefully took the pearl from her and rolled it around in his hand for a bit. He watched it with wide eyes.*

“I- oh uh- thank you. I didn’t even know these could look this nice, especially straight out of the shell.”

*He hummed quietly as he continued to rotate the pearl in his hand, being incredibly careful as to not drop it back into the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him turn the pearl over in his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“yeah,” she agrees, smiling softly. she props her elbows on her knees, rod already angled lazily toward the water.

“did you know they come in different colors?” she adds after a moment. “not just white?”

she looks toward the pearl in his hand.

“there’s pink ones, black ones… even gold ones sometimes.”

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes got even wider as he turned to look at her.*

”They can be different colors?! What the heck! Nobody told me that! Why does everyone just wear the white ones then?!”

*He looked back at the pearl before carefully sliding it into the most secure pocket he had, no way was he going to lose it.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches his reaction, and a quiet laugh slips out of her before she can stop it. she twirls the end of the fishing rod between her fingers, then nods toward the pocket he tucked it into.

“each color’s supposed to mean something too.”

her voice is casual, like it’s just a random fact she’s remembering.

“white ones–like that one–usually mean new beginnings.”

for a second her gaze drifts across the lagoon water, the glow berries light rippling over the surface. then she shrugs lightly.

“seems like you got a pretty fitting one.” it comes out light hearted, though something quieter sits beneath it.

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced back at his pocket when she said that, a small smile crossing his face before he nodded.*

“Seems it is fitting, for good or for bad I suppose.”

*He looked back at the water, watching the ripples of light but also trying to see where the fish in here were.*

“I mean I guess that’s a good reason to wear white pearls then. Maybe I’ll figure out how to put this one on a bracelet or something.”

*He mumbled he last sentence quietly, like he didn’t intend to say it out loud.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan reels the line in slightly, making sure the hook's still set before letting it drift back out across the water.

"a bracelet could work," she says, thoughtfully. "or a necklace."

she glances over at him, "if you want, i could help."

"used to make some of my own," she adds with a small shrug. "nothing fancy or anything... but enough to make it wearable."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her, considering the offer. After a moment he let out a little ribbit and nodded.*

“If it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, I’d appreciate it. You don’t have to though.”

*He pulled the pearl out of his pocket to look at it, rolling it around in his hand once more. He looked back up to watch her fishing rod again, his attention split between the two things.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he pulls the pearl back out, the line of her mouth curving faintly.

“it’s not a hassle,” she says. “promise.”

after a moment she nods toward the pearl in his palm.

“just need some cord. maybe a clasp if we’re being fancy.” her fingers wander back up to her one of own necklaces, absentmindedly turning one of the pearls between them.

“i could make it into a bracelet pretty easy,” she adds. “it would suit you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, continuing to roll the pearl around.*

“I should have some cord back at the Fark Hall. Not a clasp though but that’s fine. Even a clasp might be too fancy for me.”

*He looked at her and smiled. A peaceful expression on his face as he thought about the current situation.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him and a matching smile spreads across her face.“well,” she says lightly, “when you find that cord, bring it on by.”

she shifts the fishing rod a little, watching the bobber drift across the water.

she turns to face him, a smile still on her lips. “i’ll make it into something for you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He grinned, putting the pearl back into his pocket. He croaked a couple times in a quick succession.*

“Will do. Gives me an opportunity to snoop around the blue kingdom too.”

*He giggled a bit, watching the fishing rod again.*

“Maybe I’ll get myself a froglight from 4c while I’m at it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan snorts softly at first, like she’s about to laugh along with him before stilling at the word “froglight” her fishing rod stills in her hands. she glances over at him, brows lifting a little.

“hey,” she says, tone light but firm. “don’t go farming 4c.” she nudges his shoulder with hers, not hard—more of a warning tap than anything.

“he’s a person, not a resource.”

“you can snoop around all you want,” she adds, glancing back at the water, “but leave him out of it.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed, shifting awkwardly now as he realized that he hadn’t been very funny with that one.*

“I- sorry. You’re right I guess.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the sand.*

“The froglights are just pretty and like- everyone in the red kingdom was pestering me about getting them for a while. Obviously not an excuse so-“

*He paused before rummaging through one of his other pockets, not the one with the pearl. He pulled a surprisingly dry envelope out.*

“I did actually try to write him an apology letter. Looks kind of bad though, hard to write with frog hands.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him pull the envelope out, and something in her expression softens.

“you already wrote one,” she echoes quietly. she looks at the letter for a second before glancing back toward the water, the rod shifting slightly in her hands.

“…sorry,” she adds after a moment, a little awkward. “i just–“

she pauses, searching for the words.

“i just… don’t like when people talk about him like that.” she whispers, eyes still glued to the ripples in the water. “i just… i’m sorry…”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“No no I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m the one who’s be harassing him since day one basically. Your reaction was totally fair.”

*He slid the envelope back into his pocket as he sighed.*

“Like I said, it’s a bad letter. I do have a couple froggy tokens packed into here though so maybe that would make up for my awful handwriting.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him slide the envelope back into his pocket, quiet for a moment. “i’d offer to rewrite it for you,” she says after a second, glancing over, “but i have dyslexia...”

she gives a small shrug, mouth tilting a little.

“so mine would probably end up worse.”

her gaze drifts back to the water, rod shifting lightly in her hands.

“but the effort’s what matters anyways.” she smiles, turning towards him “i’m sure he’ll forgive you,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh! I didn’t know that.”

*He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back and laying in the sand.*

“I mean I hope he’ll accept it. I’ll admit I was definitely less than polite though so if I were him I probably wouldn’t accept it. That’s just if I were him though.”

[drowning-melodies]

she listens quietly, the line drifting across the lagoon while he talks.

“4c’s… pretty forgiving,” she says after a moment. her eyes stay on the water, but her focus drifts somewhere else for a second.

she remembers the look on his face when she told him–halting, uncertain words about her tribe, about the blood and the silence and the way the memories never lined up quite right. the way she’d expected anger. or fear.

and how he had just pulled her close, rubbing circles onto her back.

shan blinks, pulling herself back to the present.

“he’s forgiven me for worse,” she adds, voice light like it’s just another passing thought, but the words linger. she gives a small shrug, rod shifting in her hands.

“so… i think you’ll be fine.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue looked at her, tilting his head a bit. He scooted a bit closer. He was clearly curious about what she’d done that supposedly needed forgiveness, however he didn’t ask about it.*

“Huh. Good for him. Most rogues aren’t the most forgiving, though apologies also aren’t given often to most rogues.”

*He sat up, flicking his tongue out to grab a nearby bug.*

“But yeah, I trust your word so if you think he’ll forgive me then I’ll take your word for it.”

[drowning-melodies]

she watches the slow drift of the bobber for a moment before she speaks again. ”4c is. mae is too.”

her eyes stay on the water, following the small rings the line makes on the surface. “they’re probably two of the most forgiving people i’ve met.”

there’s a brief pause. then, quieter–almost like she didn’t mean to say it out loud–

“…they’re more than i deserve.”

she goes still for a second after that, like the words slipped out without permission. then she clears her throat, ignoring the tears building up, eyes glued to the bobber.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned and scooted closer, slowly wrapping his arms around her. He carefully pat her head, croaking quietly in a way that was his attempt at being calming.*

“I obviously don’t know what you’ve been through but personally, I think you deserve more than what life has been giving you.”

*He looked at the bobber before looking back at her, trying to figure out the right thing to say.*

“Life is mean. Just because certain things happened, doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of good moments.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan stiffens a little when he wraps his arms around her, not pulling away–just going still for a second like she isn’t used to it.

his words sit in the air.

she watches the bobber instead of looking at him.

"i don't deserve it..." she admits, voice softened by acceptance. she stares at the lagoon, eyes sparkling with tears as they track the bobber. "i'm a monster, frogue..."

the words come out as a whisper. there was no flourish or drama. just acceptance. sharp and brittle.

certain.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, shaking his head.*

“I don’t think so and even if you were, aren’t we all monsters to some extent? I mean- look at what I’ve done recently. Or Sausage.”

*He sighed and squeezed her a bit, doing his best to help without being overwhelming.*

“Someone who doesn’t deserve nice things wouldn’t care. They wouldn’t be questioning if they deserve something nice, they would assume that they do deserve it.”

*He sighed and adjusted the way he was hugging her, now more of a side hug as he was unsure if the hug was helping or making the situation worse.*

[drowning-melodies]

his words don’t seem to land–or maybe they do, just somewhere she doesn’t know how to reach. her grip tightens slightly around the fishing rod before loosening again.

“…that’s not–” she starts, but the sentence falls apart halfway through. she swallows, hard and for a second it looks like she’s not going to say anything else. then–

“i killed them,” she says, the words catching on the way out.

quiet. uneven.

she doesn't look at him.

“all of them.” her breathing starts to go shallow, just slightly off. “my whole–” she cuts herself off, jaw tightening.

“…everyone.”

silence.

then her vision blurs. she blinks once. twice.

it doesn’t help.

the tears slip over anyway, slow and quiet, trailing down without a sound. her shoulders draw in a little, like she’s trying to make herself smaller, breath stuttering just enough to not be steady anymore. she wants to hug him back, truly, but she can't move. she can't move

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused for a moment before wrapping himself around her in a proper hug once more. He shut his mouth this time, knowing more about the situation. There wasn’t much he could say to help and he knew that, so he opted to just hold her and try his best without saying anything.*

*He carefully removed the fishing rod from her hand and tossed it off to the side, not wanting it to end up harming her in some way. His eyes closed once he did that, unsure what exactly would help. Part of him wanted to run off and go get someone else to deal with the situation, but he stayed put.*

[drowning-melodies]

she tenses when he pulls her into a tighter hug, breath catching for a second—but she doesn’t pull away.

the fishing rod leaving her hands barely registers.her hands curl weakly into the fabric of his clothes instead, like she needs something to hold onto.her breathing stutters, uneven, trying and failing to steady.

she shakes her head slightly against him.“i didn’t–” she tries, voice breaking.

another breath, sharper this time.

“i didn’t mean to–” the words fall apart before they can finish.

her shoulders hitch, silent tears pressing harder now, slipping down without restraint. she presses her face into him, like hiding will make it stop–like if she doesn’t see anything, it won’t feel so loud.

but it doesn’t quiet.

her breathing getting quicker, thinner, like she can’t quite get enough air. still, she doesn’t push him away. she just holds on, like letting go would make everything worse.

[ribbitrogue]

“Of course you didn’t…”

*He mumbled quietly, giving her a small squeeze. He rubbed her back gently, trying to help ground her.*

“I’m here, I’ve got you. I’m right here and you can let out as much as you need to.”

*He let her hold onto him, figuring this would probably help. Gods did he wish he were anyone else right now and actually knew what to do. Though he pushed that feeling down to make room in his head for the present moment.*

“I’m here for you, no matter what.”

*He continued rubbing her back, occasionally reaching his other hand up to attempt to wipe away the tears coming down her face.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i-i didn’t–” she tries, but it tangles, breaks apart.

her fingers clutch tighter into his clothes. her breathing keeps slipping, uneven, too fast... like she couldn't quite catch it. she presses her face further into him when he tries to wipe her tears, not pulling away, just hiding.

“they’re–” she starts, voice shaking. “they’re all gone–”

another hitch in her breath.

her shoulders tremble under his hands, silent sobs building now instead of just quiet tears. “i can’t–” she gasps softly, the words barely there. “i can’t fix it–”

she curls in closer, like she’s trying to fold in on herself, but she doesn’t let go of him. not even a little. it's like he’s the only thing keeping her anchored while everything else slips.

"i-i can't save them."

[ribbitrogue]

*He held her tighter, just doing his best to be there for her. He gently moved her head so they were making eye contact.*

“Hey, look at me. I’m here and nothing bad is going to happen. It won’t happen again.”

*He took a deep breath, scrambling internally to figure out what to do.*

“Okay um… let’s uh-“

*He glanced at the water before looking back at her again, shaking his head.*

“It’s not going to happen again.”

[drowning-melodies]

her eyes dart back up to his, wide and unfocused, like she’s seeing something that isn’t there.

“no–you don’t–” her voice catches, breath stuttering. her grip on him tightens. “i’m going to lose you,” she says, the words rushing out, uneven and breathless. “i’m going to lose everyone–”

you couldn’t save them you let them drown it was your fault.

her shoulders hitch at the voices, tears spilling faster now.

she presses closer like she’s trying to hold onto something she already believes is slipping away, her breathing uneven and shallow, like she can’t escape the thought looping in her head.

[ribbitrogue]

“No you’re not. I’m not going anywhere, nobody is going anywhere. I promise you that I won’t let that happen.”

*He hummed, continuing to hold her tightly. His eyes were locked onto hers as he just started saying whatever he could.*

“I promise you that you’re not going to lose everyone again. Look at me, I promise.”

[drowning-melodies]

she shakes her head, sharp and certain.

“you can’t promise that,” she says, breath uneven, voice breaking around the edges. her grip tightens, almost desperate now. “you don’t–” she chokes on the words, breath hitching. “you don’t know what i can do–”

her shoulders tremble, tears spilling faster, silent but relentless.

you’ll do it again you'll let them drown again

she squeezes her eyes shut for a second, like she can block it out–

it doesn’t work.

“i'm a monster,” she whispers, voice small but certain. “i've hurt people. i've killed people–”

her hands twist tighter in his clothes, like she’s afraid if she lets go even slightly, he’ll disappear. her breathing stays uneven, shallow, the panic still sitting heavy in her chest–even with him right there.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, genuinely unsure how to help now. He hugged her even tighter and spoke quietly, figuring his words weren’t doing much regardless.*

“You’re not a monster, Shan. You’re just- a person. You’ve done really bad things, yes, and it is important to acknowledge that. But you’ve also done amazing things that also deserve acknowledgment.”

*He continued to rub her back, with a bit more force now though in hopes of that doing literally anything.*

“Maybe you’re right about how I can’t promise it won’t happen again but- I can sure try to prevent it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s grip tightens weakly in his clothes as she looks up at him.

"how..?" she asks, voice thin and shaking. her eyes search his, unfocused but desperate. "how can you prevent the inevitable?"

her breath stutters, uneven, panic threading through every word.

“i’ve tried already,” she says. “i tried–i tried to stop it the first time, i tried, i swear i did–”

her voice breaks, shoulders hitching.

“but there was so much blood,” she chokes, the words catching hard. “and i don’t remember–i don’t remember anything but them screaming–”

“i don’t remember,” she repeats, quieter, shaking.

[ribbitrogue]

“I don’t know, if I’m being honest with you. I wouldn’t know until it actually happened, but I promise you that I’d do my best to prevent as much of the damage as I could in the moment.”

*He frowned, his eyes carefully watching hers. He shook his head and made a small croaking noise.*

“I’ll figure something out because you’re not alone in this. Not anymore. I’m here to help however I can.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan goes quiet at that. her breathing is still uneven, catching every few seconds, but she doesn’t try to push him away anymore.

instead, she just leans into him fully. her arms wrap around him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder.

“i’m sorry,” she whispers, voice small and breaking.

it’s not clear what she’s apologizing for.

everything, maybe.

her grip tightens just a little more, like she’s afraid if she lets go, she’ll fall apart again.

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head, letting her lean into him. He closed his eyes and just let himself be clung to.*

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, especially not to me. Just focus on yourself right now.”

*He gently pat her head with one hand while the other held her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan shakes her head weakly against him, but she doesn’t argue again. her grip stays tight for a moment longer… then slowly, just slightly, eases.

her breathing is still uneven, but it starts to slow–little by little.

she squeezes her eyes shut, pressing her face into his shoulder.

“…i’m sorry,” she murmurs again, softer now.

she stays there, holding onto him, letting herself just sit in it for a moment instead of fighting it, like she doesn’t trust herself to move yet.

[ribbitrogue]

“It’s alright…”

*He held her, glad that she seemed to be calming down now. He hummed a soft tune as he watched over her for the moment.*

“Just take a minute, focus on what’s going on right now. Everything else can buzz off right now.”

[drowning-melodies]

she doesn’t respond right away. her eyes stay closed, breath still a little shaky, but steadier than before. she leans into him, letting his voice sit there without fighting it.

after a moment, her grip shifts—not as desperate now, just… holding.

grounding.

she takes a slow breath. then another.

“…okay,” she murmurs quietly. her voice is small, but it’s there.

she stays like that, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of something real–his arms around her, the sand beneath them, the sound of the water nearby–letting everything else fade just a little.

a breath.

"thank you..." she whispers, breath finally slow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and smiled slightly, his eyes shifting back to the water.*

“Anytime.”

*He looked around before sighing.*

“Should we perhaps head back to the kingdoms? We’ve been out here a while and lord knows what the other weirdos around here might’ve been up to.”

*He looked back at her and gave her a little squeeze.*

“Or we can stay here a while longer, whatever works for you. I’ve got nowhere to be.”

[drowning-melodies]

after a second, she shifts slightly–tilting her head and resting it against his shoulder, her gaze drifting out over the lagoon.

“…maybe a little longer,” she murmurs.

then, after a quiet beat–

“how did we even end up like this?” she asks, voice soft, a little worn but lighter now.

“two ex-monarchs,” she adds faintly, a breath of a laugh slipping through, “sitting in the sand having a breakdown over fishing.”

a faint laugh slips out of her at that, soft and a little shaky, shaking her head from where it rests on his shoulder.

“kinda pathetic, huh?” she says, though there’s no real bite to it.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well if this is pathetic, so are the kingdoms. I’d say our situation is reflective of the kingdoms as a whole.”

*He chuckled a little, letting her remain where she was. He let out a couple happy sounding ribbits.*

“It’s symbolic in a way I suppose.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly at that, the sound low and thoughtful. her head stays resting against his shoulder, eyes drifting over the lagoon as the water moves in slow, quiet ripples.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

there’s a small pause.

“symbolic, huh…”

she shifts slightly, not pulling away–just settling more comfortably.

“still better than being alone,” she adds after a moment, voice quiet but steady. her gaze stays on the water, the faintest hint of a smile lingering as she lets the quiet sit between them.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh I can definitely agree with that.”

*He nodded, being quiet after he spoke. He hummed a soft tune as he considered what to do. He leaned back a bit, moving one arm to keep himself propped up.*

*He started to zone out a bit as he thought about what led him here and that thought slowly drifted to speculation about the other people in the kingdoms. He shook his head, shaking himself of it.*

“Do you ever think about how weird it is that everyone ended up here? Like there is such an interesting variety of people here.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan is quiet for a moment, watching the water as he speaks.

“…yeah,” she says after a second.

her fingers brush idly through the sand, her eyes following the slow ripple of the water, expression softer now. “it’s strange…”

she hesitates, just for a second, like she almost doesn’t say the next part. “…i think i like it, though.”

another small pause, quieter this time.

"everyone kinda just... belongs.." she trails off. "no matter how different they are."

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, glancing at the water. He smiled softly as he thought a bit more.*

“Everyone does belong here. Makes this place unique. How many places can say they welcomed a frog rogue, eh? Or a slimy fellow like 4c or- 90% of us really.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

“I’d bet 10 Froggy Tokens that no other kingdoms could say that stuff.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a small huff of a laugh at that, but it fades quickly into something softer. her gaze drifts out over the water, fingers idly brushing through the sand, "yeah..."

a small pause.

“i’ve never really been… accepted anywhere else.”

she shrugs lightly, like she’s trying to make it sound like it doesn’t matter. “always been… 'different'.” her eyes flick back to the lagoon, expression calmer now. “…bannerfall’s different, though.” another pause.

“i’ve thought about leaving,” she admits, her eyes staying on the lagoon.

“just… figured it’d be easier for everyone.. if i was.. gone” she trails off slightly.

another small shrug.

“…but i never did.”

"guess that says something.."

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue gently elbowed her.*

“I was thinking the same thing honestly. Just leaving. Sometimes I still consider it, actually. Sometimes I climb on top of the Fark Hall and look out into the forest and just contemplate that for hours.”

*He shrugged, looking at the water once more. He shook his head after a moment.*

“But I mean yeah, we’re still here.”

[drowning-melodies]

she' s quiet for a moment, gaze fixed on the water.

“…we’re still here,” she echoes softly.

the words sit with her.

she doesn’t add anything else. just stays where she is, hands resting loosely in the sand, letting the quiet stretch out between them as the lagoon ripples gently ahead.

"i like being here," she says with a small smile.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, letting himself watch the water.*

“It’s nice.”

*He hummed softly. He put one hand in his pocket as he watched the gentle ripples of the lagoon, fidgeting with lining of his pocket. His gaze occasionally shifted between the water and the glowberry vines.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly in agreement, eyes following the slow current of the lagoon.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

she leans back slightly, resting her weight on her hands in the sand, gaze drifting along the water’s edge.

a small pause.

“…we should probably head back soon,” she adds, voice light, like she doesn’t really want to move just yet.

[ribbitrogue]

*He groaned, rolling his head back.*

“But I don’t wannaaaaaaaaa.”

*He crossed his arms, making an exaggerated pouty expression. He laughed a little before continuing to play this game of having an attitude akin to that of an upset bunny.*

“Nuh uh. I’m not moving. In fact, I live right here now. Yep.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks at him for a second–then snorts, a quiet laugh slipping out.

“oh, do you now?” another soft laugh slips out. “what about your fark hall?” she teases, tilting her head slightly, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, breaking the pouty act.*

“Okay maybe you have a point. I do gotta get back there, make sure nobody’s done anything stupid.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

[drowning-melodies]

“exactly,” she says, smiling.

she pushes herself up to her feet, brushing the sand from her skirt, movements unhurried. then she holds out her hand, "c'mon,"

[ribbitrogue]

*He giggled a bit, taking her hand and pushing himself up.*

“Yeah yeah I’m coming.”

[drowning-melodies]

she gives his hand a small tug to help him up, then she turns to walk towards the hole leading up to the surface

her gaze lifts up toward the opening above, seawater spilling down in a constant, shimmering waterfall from the higher break in the caverns ceiling.

her smile fades a little. not gone–just thinner.

before she can think too much about it, she steps into the pool, swimming up and out of the lagoon.

when she makes it to the boat, inhales sharply, pushing herself up and onto the wooden surface. she glances down into the water, waiting for the frog.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam through the water, getting momentarily distracted by the fish moving around him. He shook his head and swam up to the surface, popping his head out of the water.*

“There’s so many fish down there.”

*He took a moment before he pushed himself up onto the boat. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and began to wring it out.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a soft, light laugh, still dripping from the swim. “yeah… there really are,” she says, voice easy, eyes following the fish darting beneath the boat.

she runs a hand through her wet hair, and shakes her head slightly, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

“it… kinda reminds me of my home,” she adds softly, fingers brushing along the small, ocean waves.

[ribbitrogue]

“Hm. Can’t relate.”

*Frogue shrugged, still working on wringing his shirt out.*

“It’s good that they remind you of that though. I think.”

*He glanced at her before nodding to himself. He leaned against the rail of the boat.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah,” she says lightly, shrugging a little, ignoring the way the voices heightened.

she glances down at the water once more, then reaches for the oars, settling them into place.

the boat shifts slightly as she starts rowing, movements steady and unhurried, guiding them back toward land while the fish scatter beneath the surface.

[ribbitrogue]

*He kept his eyes on the water, as if he thought there was going to be some crazy creature down there that intended to prevent them from going. He hummed softly before leaning back.*

“This was fun.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him, a small smile already forming. “yeah,” she agrees softly.

she keeps rowing, the steady rhythm of it easy now.

“…we should do this again sometime,” she adds after a moment, her gaze drifting back to the water, but the smile lingers.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh definitely.”

*He stuck his froggy hand in the water as the boat moved along.*

“Maybe we bring someone else along next time too. I’m sure someone else would enjoy it.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah…” she trails off, watching the moon’s reflection ripple across the water for a moment, before perking up again.

“ooh!! maybe we could invite 4c!! and then you could apologize to him and give him the letter! and then he would forgive you!! oh that’d be joyous!! joyous day!!” she smiles brightly, clearly excited by her plan.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh we could! Hopefully.”

*He chuckled, glancing at her for a moment before looking back at the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

she smiles a little at that, glancing over at him briefly before looking back ahead.

“he will,” she says, voice easy with certainty. she keeps rowing, the rhythm steady, cutting through the water as the shoreline slowly comes closer. “i promise”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, watching the oars glide through the water. His tongue flicked out just to bother a fish, getting a small chuckle out of himself.*

“Yeah yeah. I’m sure he will.”

[drowning-melodies]

she hums softly at that, the faintest smile lingering as she keeps rowing. the shoreline grows closer, the dark shape of the beach coming into view as the water shallows.

she slows the boat a little, letting it glide the last stretch, before stepping out and offering her hand.

[ribbitrogue]

*He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling himself out of the boat. He nearly landed on his face but managed to catch himself before he fell.*

“Do you want to walk to the bridge together or split off here?”

*He glanced around, as if looking to see if there was anyone nearby who might’ve seen them.*

[drowning-melodies]

*Frogue came barreling into the blue kingdom, pushing down on the lily pad on his head to flatten it out. He ran up to Shan and let out an excited ribbit.*

“Hi Shan! Can you maybe please put me in a bubble?”

@ribbitrogue

(Take your time responding, I just wanted to make sure we get a Frogue and Shan interaction :D)

“oh–!” shan blinks, surprised by the sudden ribbit. “uh… sure?? hold still.”

she plants the end of her staff into the soft ground with a quiet tap. shan tilts her staff in a slow circle. water follows the motion, spiraling together until it gathers into a clear, wobbling sphere. it shimmers faintly, sunlight bending through it in wavering lines.

with a small flick of her staff, the bubble pops around him, lifting him gently off the ground.

“is that good?” she asks, head tilting slightly.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam around in the bubble, ribbiting happily. His eyes were incredibly wide right now as he moved around like an actual frog in the water.*

“Yes it is Shan! Thank you very much! I’ve missed these bubbles, amazing honestly.”

*He settled at the bottom of the bubble and closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself relax despite the drama within the kingdoms. He let out another ribbit, much smaller this time and almost sounding a bit awkward.*

“Have you been well? I don’t think I’ve heard from you in a while.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches the bubble bob a little as frogue reviles in it, blinking before letting out a small laugh before shrugging a bit.

“i’ve been good. just… busy.” she says, leaning lightly on her staff, eyes flickering briefly toward the kingdom gates in the distance.

she glanced back at him in the bubble, smiling lightly. “what about you? you seem pretty happy in there.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue opened one eye, he seemed more relaxed than he normally was but that could’ve just been because he was in the bubble.*

“Eh. I could be better but it is what it is. The bubble is very nice, pretty calming in here.”

*He hummed to himself as he watched her, still just resting in the bubble. Despite his very relaxed demeanor, his eyes darted between her and the kingdom’s gates.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan leans a little heavier on her staff as the bubble drifts in place, its surface trembling faintly.

using bubble capture took more focus than most of her spells. the water wave was easy–a burst of power and it was done. even holding water didn’t last too long. but the bubble needed constant attention, little threads of magic keeping the surface sealed and steady. to keep whoever was in it breathing.

but… frogue looks comfortable in there. calmer than she’s seen him in a while.

so instead of dropping it, she glances back at him through the watery surface, giving a small tilt of her head. sh exhales slow, steadying the bubble.

“…so,” she says softly, resting her chin on the top of her staff, eyebrows pinched in concentration, “how was it? when you were king, i mean.” she pauses again before adding, "i know it can be hard..."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked away and let out a quiet croak. Part of him wanted to ignore the question but ultimately he decided to answer.*

“It was eh- it was alright. The rule itself wasn’t rough. Maybe the consequences of my, according to some people, very impulsive and brutal actions might be the actual hard part.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck. His entire demeanor had shifted to a more defensive one. His eyes narrowed and he kept his eyes on the ground.*

[drowning-melodies]

shandrea watches the bubble drift, giving it a small tap with the end of her staff when it starts to wobble. “i get that,” she says, shrugging a little.

the corner of her mouth twitches slightly.

“when i wore the crown, it was mostly just fixing things after the war. gates, canals, people arguing, that sort of thing.” she rolls her shoulder a bit, still keeping the spell steady. “not really the same kind of ruling you had... from what i've heard..”

“still,” she adds, “being in charge of a whole kingdom does weird things to people. make them act... impulsively.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced at her before taking a deep breath. He started croaking a lot but they were muffled, as if he was suppressing them.*

“Well I’m glad someone’s run as the ruler better than mine did.”

*He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He huffed and shook his head.*

“And impulsive is a word for it I guess.”

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts a little at that, the bubble wobbling as she shifts her weight.

“hey, don’t say that,” she says, tilting her head and looking at him through the bubble.

“at least people will remember your reign.” she gives a small shrug. “mine was months of fixing damage from a war i wasn’t even here for and then everyone kinda.. brushed me aside.”

“at least yours was memorable,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Yeah, I guess, but mine was so memorable that I was kicked out of the Red Kingdom.”

*He froze as soon as he said that. He wasn’t sure if she already knew about that but he was not fond of the idea that he might’ve just offered that information up willingly. He started kicking at the bubble, attempting to escape and run off.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks.

“wait–you actually–“

then he starts kicking the bubble, causing her to grip her staff tighter, instinctively focusing on the spell. instead of weakening, the bubble pulls tighter, wobbling but holding firm as he kicks at it.

she squints at him through the water.

“…i thought that was a rumor? did you actually get kicked out?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He stayed silent for a moment and continued kicking the bubble, when he realized his attempts were futile he gave up and glanced at her. His eyes were narrowed but also filled with- fear perhaps?*

“If you must know, then yes. I’ve been kicked out.”

[drowning-melodies]

“oh, frogue…”

the spell slips away instantly, the bubble dissolving into mist and dropping him from where he’d been floating.

shan shifts her grip on her staff as the awkward silence grows thin, before blurting out, “do you want to go to the lagoon with me?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hit the ground with a gentle thud, pushing himself off the ground. He looked away and nodded, refusing to make eye contact now.*

“If you can stand being around me, then sure.*

*He stared at the ground, every fiber of his being just yelling at him to run. However he stayed.*

[drowning-melodies]

she snorts softly, “i invited you, frogue,” she says, a little amused. “if i couldn’t stand you i wouldn’t have.”

she twirls her staff once in her hand, glancing down the path towards the gates. then she starts walking a few steps, then looks back at him and smiles, gesturing for him to follow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated for a moment before following her. He made a few more muffled croaking sounds as they walked. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, not knowing if this was even safe, so he decided to just shut his mouth for once.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks a little ahead, staff tapping lightly against the ground as they head down the path. after a bit she glances back at him, noticing how quiet he is.

“…you know you don’t have to be that quiet,” she says, smiling gently. “it’s kinda weird not hearing you speak every five seconds.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets.*

“I mean- what am I supposed to talk about? How I’m going to be living alone in the Fark Hall forever now?”

*He let out a small huff as he spoke, kicking a pebble along the path.*

“Not much for me to talk about otherwise.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums lightly, before walking quietly beside him for a moment, staff tapping lightly against the path. then she glances over at him.

“what’s your favorite color?” her tone is casual, like she’s just handing him something else to talk about. something to distract them both.

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes widened, clearly not expecting such a basic question.*

“Oh uh- green probably. I like green. It’s a really nice color, it feels- safe? If that makes sense. I assume your favorite color would be blue?”

*He tilted his head. His body relaxed at the less intense conversation topic, though he still seemed relatively cautious.*

[drowning-melodies]

“purple, actually,” she says with a smile. “everyone just assumes blue.” she nudges a pebble off the path with the end of her staff as they keep walking.

after a moment she adds, with a small shrug, “green’s a good one though.”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh. Well purple is nice, that would’ve been my second guess.”

*He hummed softly as they walked down the path. His tongue occasionally flicked out to grab an insect.*

“What’s your favorite food?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks beside him, staff resting over her shoulder as she thinks for a second.

"fish,” she says, smiling. then she glances at him and adds with a small shrug, “grilled, usually. or sometimes just salted.”

she pushes a curl behind her ear, looking towards him. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He ran a hand along his face as he thought about his answer.*

“Well now that I’m a humanoid frog my diet is limited to insects and whatnot. I mean I can eat normal food but it’s just not as nutritious for me.”

*He looked up at the sky before looking back at her.*

“As I am currently, I’d say fruit flies. Moths aren’t terrible but they’ve got a weird aftertaste. Before I was a frog though, I’d probably say chicken wings.”

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah, chicken wings are pretty good,” she says with a nodding.

the path opens up into sand, waves rolling steadily onto the shore. shan slows a bit when they reach the beach.

the closer she gets to the water, the louder the familiar murmuring gets in the back of her head–distant voices layered together, like something carried in on the tide. she tightens her grip on the staff for a second, eyes flicking out across the water.

then she exhales, stepping onto the sand.

“just in time for the sunset!!” she smiles, thought it appears a little more.. pained then before.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, he glanced at her and tilted his head.*

“Yeah. It should be pretty.”

*He paused and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to do.*

“You alright? You seem a bit- out of it?”

*He looked at the water, half tempted to run over and sit in it but he instead chose to continue walking with her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks when he touches her shoulder, like he’s pulled her back from somewhere. she waves a hand quickly. “i’m.. i’m fine.”

the voices press harder at the back of her mind, rising like a high tide. she tenses for a second before forcing her shoulders to relax.

not now, she thinks. this isn’t about you.

shan drags the end of her staff through the sand as she keeps walking. after a moment she turns toward him, nodding out toward the water.

“c’mon,” she says. “the sunsets are always prettier out on the open sea!!” she flinches slightly before smiling as if to cover it up.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and started towards the water. The edges of the lilypad on his head began to wrap downward as he walked. He glanced at her every once in a while, trying to figure out what could be wrong but not wanting to pry.*

“It’s been a while since I actually took the time to watch a sunset.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums quietly as they reach the shoreline, spinning her staff once in her hand. the voices get louder near the water, but she just focuses on the horizon instead.

“…yeah,” she says after a moment. “i don’t think i’ve really watched one in a while either.”

she gives a small shrug before offering her hand. “c’mon let’s watch it together,”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hesitated but took her hand. His hand was kind of slimy, as if holding a literal frog.*

“I don’t think anyone has really had the time to.”

*He watched the waves for a moment before looking out at the horizon himself. He took a deep breath and let out a small croak as he said something unexpected.*

“Thank you for inviting me to come see this.”

[drowning-melodies]

she glances towards him when he thanks her, shoulders lifting in a small shrug.

“thanks for letting me show you.” shan squeezes his hand lightly before staring at the sunset, smiling softly.

the voices seem to lull then. still there, they always were, but here under the setting sun, they quieted. she takes a breath.

“we should start heading out, huh?” she taps the side of a neat rowboat, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and hopped into the rowboat.*

“That we should.”

*He watched her for a moment before looking at the water. His tongue flicked out into the water, causing a small fish to swim away. He gave a small chuckle as he watched it dart off.*

[drowning-melodies]

she laughs at his antics before stepping into the rowboat after him, steadying it with one hand on the side. she pushes them off from the sand before settling onto the seat and picking up the oars.

she dips the oars into the water and starts rowing, the boat rocking gently as they move farther from shore.

“it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asks, staring off into the sunset, a smile on her face.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, leaning over the edge of the boat. He watched the sunset, the lilypad on his head folding down into a hood.*

“It really is beautiful.”

*He croaked quietly, a small smile on his face as he observed the scene around them.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets the boat drift once they’re far enough out, resting the oars across the sides. she watches the horizon for a moment, the water gently rocking beneath them.

“…yeah,” she says after a second, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

she leans to the side a little, trailing her fingers through the water beside the boat. her breath slows as she lets the boat drift, soaking in the sunlight.

she hasn’t felt peace like this for.. a while.

“oh–we made it,” she says quietly, gesturing into the depths to the sea lanterns of the night market.

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked into the depths and tilted his head, eyes widening.*

“Oh is this where everyone went that one time when I slept in? With the weird fish guy and the shark?”

*He leaned over further, only just barely in the boat as he tried to get a better look. His eyes sifted between the visible buildings and such.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i think so..?” she tilts her head slightly. “i wasn’t there either..”

shan leans over the side of the boat, peering down into the shifting blue below. the shapes of buildings and stone blur faintly beneath the surface.

for a second she just watches the dark blue below, fingers tightening slightly on the edge of the boat, nausea whirl pooling in her stomach.

then, quieter, more to herself than him–

“…you ready?”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her before nodding. He rolled out of the boat and into the water, he floated there for a moment before diving down under. He swam around, occasionally looking back to see what Shan doing.*

[drowning-melodies]

when frogue slips into the water, the boat rocks gently. shan watches the ripples for a second, then takes a slow breath.

another.

then she slides over the edge of the boat and into the water.

she forces herself to stay calm, taking one last deep breath before dipping under and swimming down, pushing through the water with steady strokes. the cold closes around her as she swims down, pushing forward with quick, determined strokes.

shan pushes through the hole into the lagoon, arms burning slightly from holding her breath that long.

the moment her head breaks the surface she gasps, dragging in a sharp breath of air before grabbing onto the stone edge beside the entrance. for a second she just stays there, breathing hard, water dripping from her hair.

then she wipes her face with one hand and turns back toward the opening she came through, peering down into the darker water behind her.

"frogue?" she calls out into the darkness.

[ribbitrogue]

*It took a couple more minutes before he poked his head out of the water. He blinked one eye at a time for a moment before announcing his arrival rather loudly.*

“I’m here! I got distracted, there’s a lot to look at around here. Weird looking fish and whatnot.”

*He swam over but let himself lay back in the water near the stone edge.*

“You alright?”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he finally pops up, letting out a small breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“yeah, yeah, i’m fine,” she says quickly.

she pulls herself up onto the sandy edge of the lagoon, water dripping from her clothes as she stands. brushing some wet hair out of her face, she offers him a hand.

“c’mon,” she adds, nodding further into the lagoon. “time to go fishing.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and grabbed her hand, letting her help him up. He snickered to himself as he stepped onto the sand.*

“Imagine Owain trying to make that swim. I can’t imagine that would go well with how heavy his armor is.”

*He hummed and looked around the lagoon, trying to find a good spot to set everything up.*

[drowning-melodies]

she lets out a small laugh, brushing some wet hair out of her face. “yeah,” she says. “that armor would drag him straight to the bottom.”

she glances out across the lagoon for a moment, then crouches near the edge of the sand where a couple fishing rods are leaning against a rock. she grabs one and straightens, giving it a small spin in her hand before offering the other toward frogue. then she nods toward the water.

“here,” she says. “might as well actually catch something.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He took the fishing rod from her and waddled over to the water. He sat down on the edge of it and cast the line, watching as it moved in the water.*

“You go fishing often?”

*His gaze didn’t move away from the bobber, simply watching as he impatiently waited for something to happen, his hand fidgeting with the handle.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan walks over and drops down onto the sand a little ways from him before casting a line out into the water, the line arcing out before the bobber settles on the rippling surface.

“not really,” she admits with a small shrug, eyes flicking to the water.

“i mean–i like fish,” she adds, a little offhand. "just don't have the time anymore..."

she shifts slightly in the sand, watching her bobber drift with the slow movement of the lagoon. “what about you?”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“Nah. I’ve never been one for fishing. Takes forever for a little reward.”

*He hummed, keeping his focus on his bobber. He frowned slightly as it stayed afloat, getting a bit annoyed with it.*

“I mean they take forever and half the time they’re like- the size of a kitten.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches her bobber drift for a moment before shrugging a little. “yeah, it can take a while,”

she rests her forearms on her knees, rod angled loosely toward the water. “where i come from people fished all the time,” she adds after a second. “i used to,” she says with a small shrug. “kinda hard not to when you’re around the ocean all the time.”

her eyes flick back to the water.

"though i could never sit still enough to catch anything bigger than a guppy." she laughs lightly at the memory, though her shoulders are tight.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue glanced at her, considering how to respond. He let out a little croak before shaking his head.*

“Hm. Must’ve been nice. Having a community that did that sort of stuff I mean.”

*He looked back at his fishing rod, though he clearly wasn’t focused on the activity anymore. He shifted, leaning back on his elbows.*

“Yeah sitting still is hard. I’m certainly no good at it. It’s just so dull and boring.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him when he says that and for a second she doesn’t answer.

must’ve been nice.

the words echo a little louder in her head than they should. the voices press in with them–overlapping murmurs she tries not to listen to.

you remember how that ended.

her grip tightens slightly on the fishing rod. she forces the thought away before it can settle. “…yeah,” she says after a moment, voice quieter than before. her gaze drifts back to the water, watching the slow bob of the float on the lagoon’s surface.

“it was nice.”

the voices don’t really stop, but she pushes them to the back of her mind. before shrugging lightly. “bannerfall’s not too bad either.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her again, feeling the energy shift. He scooted a bit closer, unsure of what to do. He decided to attempt to be humorous by gently bonking her head like one might bonk some bongos.*

“Eh. Bannerfall is its own flavor of nonsense. It’s not terrible yeah, but it’s definitely got its faults.”

*He decided to attempt to play into the humor a bit more by just throwing out a random comparison.*

“It’s like a burnt pie. Like yeah it’s good, it’s pie, but it’s also burnt.”

[drowning-melodies]

she looks over at him, eyes squinting in confusion for a second before she suddenly snorts and bursts into laughter.

“a burnt pie?” she repeats, still laughing a little as she shakes her head.

she glances back out at the lagoon, her bobber drifting lazily across the surface. “…yeah,” she says with a small shrug, still giggling. “that sounds about right.”

she smiles brightly towards him, still laughing lightly.

[ribbitrogue]

”Yep. Burnt pie.”

*He nodded with a chuckle, smiling back at her. He reeled in his fishing rod and put it to the side, knowing he was over it.*

“Maybe a burnt pancake but that’s pushing it.”

*He leaned backwards, using his arms to keep him sat up just enough to watch Shan fish.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s laughter fades into a small grin as she looks back at the water, rod still resting loosely in her hands. "giving up already?"

her bobber dips suddenly.

shan straightens a bit, giving the line a quick tug before reeling it in. when the line breaks the surface, it isn’t a fish dangling there but a small shell. she pulls it closer, prying it open with her fingers before a small, pale pearl rolls into her palm.

for a second she just looks at it, then dips her hand into the lagoon and gently swishes it through the water to rinse the sand off.

she stares at it for a moment, twisting it between two fingers, watching the way its shines under the lagoon's glow. then she holds it out toward frogue.

“here,” she says simply, smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well yeah I’m giving up already! It’s boringggg.”

*He paused when she hooked something, watching intently as she reeled it in.*

“Oh!”

*He carefully took the pearl from her and rolled it around in his hand for a bit. He watched it with wide eyes.*

“I- oh uh- thank you. I didn’t even know these could look this nice, especially straight out of the shell.”

*He hummed quietly as he continued to rotate the pearl in his hand, being incredibly careful as to not drop it back into the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him turn the pearl over in his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“yeah,” she agrees, smiling softly. she props her elbows on her knees, rod already angled lazily toward the water.

“did you know they come in different colors?” she adds after a moment. “not just white?”

she looks toward the pearl in his hand.

“there’s pink ones, black ones… even gold ones sometimes.”

[ribbitrogue]

*His eyes got even wider as he turned to look at her.*

”They can be different colors?! What the heck! Nobody told me that! Why does everyone just wear the white ones then?!”

*He looked back at the pearl before carefully sliding it into the most secure pocket he had, no way was he going to lose it.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches his reaction, and a quiet laugh slips out of her before she can stop it. she twirls the end of the fishing rod between her fingers, then nods toward the pocket he tucked it into.

“each color’s supposed to mean something too.”

her voice is casual, like it’s just a random fact she’s remembering.

“white ones–like that one–usually mean new beginnings.”

for a second her gaze drifts across the lagoon water, the glow berries light rippling over the surface. then she shrugs lightly.

“seems like you got a pretty fitting one.” it comes out light hearted, though something quieter sits beneath it.

[ribbitrogue]

*He glanced back at his pocket when she said that, a small smile crossing his face before he nodded.*

“Seems it is fitting, for good or for bad I suppose.”

*He looked back at the water, watching the ripples of light but also trying to see where the fish in here were.*

“I mean I guess that’s a good reason to wear white pearls then. Maybe I’ll figure out how to put this one on a bracelet or something.”

*He mumbled he last sentence quietly, like he didn’t intend to say it out loud.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan reels the line in slightly, making sure the hook's still set before letting it drift back out across the water.

"a bracelet could work," she says, thoughtfully. "or a necklace."

she glances over at him, "if you want, i could help."

"used to make some of my own," she adds with a small shrug. "nothing fancy or anything... but enough to make it wearable."

[ribbitrogue]

*He looked at her, considering the offer. After a moment he let out a little ribbit and nodded.*

“If it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, I’d appreciate it. You don’t have to though.”

*He pulled the pearl out of his pocket to look at it, rolling it around in his hand once more. He looked back up to watch her fishing rod again, his attention split between the two things.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over when he pulls the pearl back out, the line of her mouth curving faintly.

“it’s not a hassle,” she says. “promise.”

after a moment she nods toward the pearl in his palm.

“just need some cord. maybe a clasp if we’re being fancy.” her fingers wander back up to her one of own necklaces, absentmindedly turning one of the pearls between them.

“i could make it into a bracelet pretty easy,” she adds. “it would suit you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, continuing to roll the pearl around.*

“I should have some cord back at the Fark Hall. Not a clasp though but that’s fine. Even a clasp might be too fancy for me.”

*He looked at her and smiled. A peaceful expression on his face as he thought about the current situation.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him and a matching smile spreads across her face.“well,” she says lightly, “when you find that cord, bring it on by.”

she shifts the fishing rod a little, watching the bobber drift across the water.

she turns to face him, a smile still on her lips. “i’ll make it into something for you.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He grinned, putting the pearl back into his pocket. He croaked a couple times in a quick succession.*

“Will do. Gives me an opportunity to snoop around the blue kingdom too.”

*He giggled a bit, watching the fishing rod again.*

“Maybe I’ll get myself a froglight from 4c while I’m at it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan snorts softly at first, like she’s about to laugh along with him before stilling at the word “froglight” her fishing rod stills in her hands. she glances over at him, brows lifting a little.

“hey,” she says, tone light but firm. “don’t go farming 4c.” she nudges his shoulder with hers, not hard—more of a warning tap than anything.

“he’s a person, not a resource.”

“you can snoop around all you want,” she adds, glancing back at the water, “but leave him out of it.”

[ribbitrogue]

*He sighed, shifting awkwardly now as he realized that he hadn’t been very funny with that one.*

“I- sorry. You’re right I guess.”

*He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the sand.*

“The froglights are just pretty and like- everyone in the red kingdom was pestering me about getting them for a while. Obviously not an excuse so-“

*He paused before rummaging through one of his other pockets, not the one with the pearl. He pulled a surprisingly dry envelope out.*

“I did actually try to write him an apology letter. Looks kind of bad though, hard to write with frog hands.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him pull the envelope out, and something in her expression softens.

“you already wrote one,” she echoes quietly. she looks at the letter for a second before glancing back toward the water, the rod shifting slightly in her hands.

“…sorry,” she adds after a moment, a little awkward. “i just–“

she pauses, searching for the words.

“i just… don’t like when people talk about him like that.” she whispers, eyes still glued to the ripples in the water. “i just… i’m sorry…”

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head.*

“No no I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m the one who’s be harassing him since day one basically. Your reaction was totally fair.”

*He slid the envelope back into his pocket as he sighed.*

“Like I said, it’s a bad letter. I do have a couple froggy tokens packed into here though so maybe that would make up for my awful handwriting.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan watches him slide the envelope back into his pocket, quiet for a moment. “i’d offer to rewrite it for you,” she says after a second, glancing over, “but i have dyslexia...”

she gives a small shrug, mouth tilting a little.

“so mine would probably end up worse.”

her gaze drifts back to the water, rod shifting lightly in her hands.

“but the effort’s what matters anyways.” she smiles, turning towards him “i’m sure he’ll forgive you,”

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh! I didn’t know that.”

*He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back and laying in the sand.*

“I mean I hope he’ll accept it. I’ll admit I was definitely less than polite though so if I were him I probably wouldn’t accept it. That’s just if I were him though.”

[drowning-melodies]

she listens quietly, the line drifting across the lagoon while he talks.

“4c’s… pretty forgiving,” she says after a moment. her eyes stay on the water, but her focus drifts somewhere else for a second.

she remembers the look on his face when she told him–halting, uncertain words about her tribe, about the blood and the silence and the way the memories never lined up quite right. the way she’d expected anger. or fear.

and how he had just pulled her close, rubbing circles onto her back.

shan blinks, pulling herself back to the present.

“he’s forgiven me for worse,” she adds, voice light like it’s just another passing thought, but the words linger. she gives a small shrug, rod shifting in her hands.

“so… i think you’ll be fine.”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue looked at her, tilting his head a bit. He scooted a bit closer. He was clearly curious about what she’d done that supposedly needed forgiveness, however he didn’t ask about it.*

“Huh. Good for him. Most rogues aren’t the most forgiving, though apologies also aren’t given often to most rogues.”

*He sat up, flicking his tongue out to grab a nearby bug.*

“But yeah, I trust your word so if you think he’ll forgive me then I’ll take your word for it.”

[drowning-melodies]

she watches the slow drift of the bobber for a moment before she speaks again. ”4c is. mae is too.”

her eyes stay on the water, following the small rings the line makes on the surface. “they’re probably two of the most forgiving people i’ve met.”

there’s a brief pause. then, quieter–almost like she didn’t mean to say it out loud–

“…they’re more than i deserve.”

she goes still for a second after that, like the words slipped out without permission. then she clears her throat, ignoring the tears building up, eyes glued to the bobber.

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue frowned and scooted closer, slowly wrapping his arms around her. He carefully pat her head, croaking quietly in a way that was his attempt at being calming.*

“I obviously don’t know what you’ve been through but personally, I think you deserve more than what life has been giving you.”

*He looked at the bobber before looking back at her, trying to figure out the right thing to say.*

“Life is mean. Just because certain things happened, doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of good moments.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan stiffens a little when he wraps his arms around her, not pulling away–just going still for a second like she isn’t used to it.

his words sit in the air.

she watches the bobber instead of looking at him.

"i don't deserve it..." she admits, voice softened by acceptance. she stares at the lagoon, eyes sparkling with tears as they track the bobber. "i'm a monster, frogue..."

the words come out as a whisper. there was no flourish or drama. just acceptance. sharp and brittle.

certain.

[ribbitrogue]

*He hummed, shaking his head.*

“I don’t think so and even if you were, aren’t we all monsters to some extent? I mean- look at what I’ve done recently. Or Sausage.”

*He sighed and squeezed her a bit, doing his best to help without being overwhelming.*

“Someone who doesn’t deserve nice things wouldn’t care. They wouldn’t be questioning if they deserve something nice, they would assume that they do deserve it.”

*He sighed and adjusted the way he was hugging her, now more of a side hug as he was unsure if the hug was helping or making the situation worse.*

[drowning-melodies]

his words don’t seem to land–or maybe they do, just somewhere she doesn’t know how to reach. her grip tightens slightly around the fishing rod before loosening again.

“…that’s not–” she starts, but the sentence falls apart halfway through. she swallows, hard and for a second it looks like she’s not going to say anything else. then–

“i killed them,” she says, the words catching on the way out.

quiet. uneven.

she doesn't look at him.

“all of them.” her breathing starts to go shallow, just slightly off. “my whole–” she cuts herself off, jaw tightening.

“…everyone.”

silence.

then her vision blurs. she blinks once. twice.

it doesn’t help.

the tears slip over anyway, slow and quiet, trailing down without a sound. her shoulders draw in a little, like she’s trying to make herself smaller, breath stuttering just enough to not be steady anymore. she wants to hug him back, truly, but she can't move. she can't move

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused for a moment before wrapping himself around her in a proper hug once more. He shut his mouth this time, knowing more about the situation. There wasn’t much he could say to help and he knew that, so he opted to just hold her and try his best without saying anything.*

*He carefully removed the fishing rod from her hand and tossed it off to the side, not wanting it to end up harming her in some way. His eyes closed once he did that, unsure what exactly would help. Part of him wanted to run off and go get someone else to deal with the situation, but he stayed put.*

[drowning-melodies]

she tenses when he pulls her into a tighter hug, breath catching for a second—but she doesn’t pull away.

the fishing rod leaving her hands barely registers.her hands curl weakly into the fabric of his clothes instead, like she needs something to hold onto.her breathing stutters, uneven, trying and failing to steady.

she shakes her head slightly against him.“i didn’t–” she tries, voice breaking.

another breath, sharper this time.

“i didn’t mean to–” the words fall apart before they can finish.

her shoulders hitch, silent tears pressing harder now, slipping down without restraint. she presses her face into him, like hiding will make it stop–like if she doesn’t see anything, it won’t feel so loud.

but it doesn’t quiet.

her breathing getting quicker, thinner, like she can’t quite get enough air. still, she doesn’t push him away. she just holds on, like letting go would make everything worse.

[ribbitrogue]

“Of course you didn’t…”

*He mumbled quietly, giving her a small squeeze. He rubbed her back gently, trying to help ground her.*

“I’m here, I’ve got you. I’m right here and you can let out as much as you need to.”

*He let her hold onto him, figuring this would probably help. Gods did he wish he were anyone else right now and actually knew what to do. Though he pushed that feeling down to make room in his head for the present moment.*

“I’m here for you, no matter what.”

*He continued rubbing her back, occasionally reaching his other hand up to attempt to wipe away the tears coming down her face.*

[drowning-melodies]

“i-i didn’t–” she tries, but it tangles, breaks apart.

her fingers clutch tighter into his clothes. her breathing keeps slipping, uneven, too fast... like she couldn't quite catch it. she presses her face further into him when he tries to wipe her tears, not pulling away, just hiding.

“they’re–” she starts, voice shaking. “they’re all gone–”

another hitch in her breath.

her shoulders tremble under his hands, silent sobs building now instead of just quiet tears. “i can’t–” she gasps softly, the words barely there. “i can’t fix it–”

she curls in closer, like she’s trying to fold in on herself, but she doesn’t let go of him. not even a little. it's like he’s the only thing keeping her anchored while everything else slips.

"i-i can't save them."

[ribbitrogue]

*He held her tighter, just doing his best to be there for her. He gently moved her head so they were making eye contact.*

“Hey, look at me. I’m here and nothing bad is going to happen. It won’t happen again.”

*He took a deep breath, scrambling internally to figure out what to do.*

“Okay um… let’s uh-“

*He glanced at the water before looking back at her again, shaking his head.*

“It’s not going to happen again.”

[drowning-melodies]

her eyes dart back up to his, wide and unfocused, like she’s seeing something that isn’t there.

“no–you don’t–” her voice catches, breath stuttering. her grip on him tightens. “i’m going to lose you,” she says, the words rushing out, uneven and breathless. “i’m going to lose everyone–”

you couldn’t save them you let them drown it was your fault.

her shoulders hitch at the voices, tears spilling faster now.

she presses closer like she’s trying to hold onto something she already believes is slipping away, her breathing uneven and shallow, like she can’t escape the thought looping in her head.

[ribbitrogue]

“No you’re not. I’m not going anywhere, nobody is going anywhere. I promise you that I won’t let that happen.”

*He hummed, continuing to hold her tightly. His eyes were locked onto hers as he just started saying whatever he could.*

“I promise you that you’re not going to lose everyone again. Look at me, I promise.”

[drowning-melodies]

she shakes her head, sharp and certain.

“you can’t promise that,” she says, breath uneven, voice breaking around the edges. her grip tightens, almost desperate now. “you don’t–” she chokes on the words, breath hitching. “you don’t know what i can do–”

her shoulders tremble, tears spilling faster, silent but relentless.

you’ll do it again you'll let them drown again

she squeezes her eyes shut for a second, like she can block it out–

it doesn’t work.

“i'm a monster,” she whispers, voice small but certain. “i've hurt people. i've killed people–”

her hands twist tighter in his clothes, like she’s afraid if she lets go even slightly, he’ll disappear. her breathing stays uneven, shallow, the panic still sitting heavy in her chest–even with him right there.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, genuinely unsure how to help now. He hugged her even tighter and spoke quietly, figuring his words weren’t doing much regardless.*

“You’re not a monster, Shan. You’re just- a person. You’ve done really bad things, yes, and it is important to acknowledge that. But you’ve also done amazing things that also deserve acknowledgment.”

*He continued to rub her back, with a bit more force now though in hopes of that doing literally anything.*

“Maybe you’re right about how I can’t promise it won’t happen again but- I can sure try to prevent it.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan’s grip tightens weakly in his clothes as she looks up at him.

"how..?" she asks, voice thin and shaking. her eyes search his, unfocused but desperate. "how can you prevent the inevitable?"

her breath stutters, uneven, panic threading through every word.

“i’ve tried already,” she says. “i tried–i tried to stop it the first time, i tried, i swear i did–”

her voice breaks, shoulders hitching.

“but there was so much blood,” she chokes, the words catching hard. “and i don’t remember–i don’t remember anything but them screaming–”

“i don’t remember,” she repeats, quieter, shaking.

[ribbitrogue]

“I don’t know, if I’m being honest with you. I wouldn’t know until it actually happened, but I promise you that I’d do my best to prevent as much of the damage as I could in the moment.”

*He frowned, his eyes carefully watching hers. He shook his head and made a small croaking noise.*

“I’ll figure something out because you’re not alone in this. Not anymore. I’m here to help however I can.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan goes quiet at that. her breathing is still uneven, catching every few seconds, but she doesn’t try to push him away anymore.

instead, she just leans into him fully. her arms wrap around him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder.

“i’m sorry,” she whispers, voice small and breaking.

it’s not clear what she’s apologizing for.

everything, maybe.

her grip tightens just a little more, like she’s afraid if she lets go, she’ll fall apart again.

[ribbitrogue]

*He shook his head, letting her lean into him. He closed his eyes and just let himself be clung to.*

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, especially not to me. Just focus on yourself right now.”

*He gently pat her head with one hand while the other held her.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan shakes her head weakly against him, but she doesn’t argue again. her grip stays tight for a moment longer… then slowly, just slightly, eases.

her breathing is still uneven, but it starts to slow–little by little.

she squeezes her eyes shut, pressing her face into his shoulder.

“…i’m sorry,” she murmurs again, softer now.

she stays there, holding onto him, letting herself just sit in it for a moment instead of fighting it, like she doesn’t trust herself to move yet.

[ribbitrogue]

“It’s alright…”

*He held her, glad that she seemed to be calming down now. He hummed a soft tune as he watched over her for the moment.*

“Just take a minute, focus on what’s going on right now. Everything else can buzz off right now.”

[drowning-melodies]

she doesn’t respond right away. her eyes stay closed, breath still a little shaky, but steadier than before. she leans into him, letting his voice sit there without fighting it.

after a moment, her grip shifts—not as desperate now, just… holding.

grounding.

she takes a slow breath. then another.

“…okay,” she murmurs quietly. her voice is small, but it’s there.

she stays like that, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of something real–his arms around her, the sand beneath them, the sound of the water nearby–letting everything else fade just a little.

a breath.

"thank you..." she whispers, breath finally slow.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded and smiled slightly, his eyes shifting back to the water.*

“Anytime.”

*He looked around before sighing.*

“Should we perhaps head back to the kingdoms? We’ve been out here a while and lord knows what the other weirdos around here might’ve been up to.”

*He looked back at her and gave her a little squeeze.*

“Or we can stay here a while longer, whatever works for you. I’ve got nowhere to be.”

[drowning-melodies]

after a second, she shifts slightly–tilting her head and resting it against his shoulder, her gaze drifting out over the lagoon.

“…maybe a little longer,” she murmurs.

then, after a quiet beat–

“how did we even end up like this?” she asks, voice soft, a little worn but lighter now.

“two ex-monarchs,” she adds faintly, a breath of a laugh slipping through, “sitting in the sand having a breakdown over fishing.”

a faint laugh slips out of her at that, soft and a little shaky, shaking her head from where it rests on his shoulder.

“kinda pathetic, huh?” she says, though there’s no real bite to it.

[ribbitrogue]

“Well if this is pathetic, so are the kingdoms. I’d say our situation is reflective of the kingdoms as a whole.”

*He chuckled a little, letting her remain where she was. He let out a couple happy sounding ribbits.*

“It’s symbolic in a way I suppose.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly at that, the sound low and thoughtful. her head stays resting against his shoulder, eyes drifting over the lagoon as the water moves in slow, quiet ripples.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

there’s a small pause.

“symbolic, huh…”

she shifts slightly, not pulling away–just settling more comfortably.

“still better than being alone,” she adds after a moment, voice quiet but steady. her gaze stays on the water, the faintest hint of a smile lingering as she lets the quiet sit between them.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh I can definitely agree with that.”

*He nodded, being quiet after he spoke. He hummed a soft tune as he considered what to do. He leaned back a bit, moving one arm to keep himself propped up.*

*He started to zone out a bit as he thought about what led him here and that thought slowly drifted to speculation about the other people in the kingdoms. He shook his head, shaking himself of it.*

“Do you ever think about how weird it is that everyone ended up here? Like there is such an interesting variety of people here.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan is quiet for a moment, watching the water as he speaks.

“…yeah,” she says after a second.

her fingers brush idly through the sand, her eyes following the slow ripple of the water, expression softer now. “it’s strange…”

she hesitates, just for a second, like she almost doesn’t say the next part. “…i think i like it, though.”

another small pause, quieter this time.

"everyone kinda just... belongs.." she trails off. "no matter how different they are."

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, glancing at the water. He smiled softly as he thought a bit more.*

“Everyone does belong here. Makes this place unique. How many places can say they welcomed a frog rogue, eh? Or a slimy fellow like 4c or- 90% of us really.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

“I’d bet 10 Froggy Tokens that no other kingdoms could say that stuff.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a small huff of a laugh at that, but it fades quickly into something softer. her gaze drifts out over the water, fingers idly brushing through the sand, "yeah..."

a small pause.

“i’ve never really been… accepted anywhere else.”

she shrugs lightly, like she’s trying to make it sound like it doesn’t matter. “always been… 'different'.” her eyes flick back to the lagoon, expression calmer now. “…bannerfall’s different, though.” another pause.

“i’ve thought about leaving,” she admits, her eyes staying on the lagoon.

“just… figured it’d be easier for everyone.. if i was.. gone” she trails off slightly.

another small shrug.

“…but i never did.”

"guess that says something.."

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue gently elbowed her.*

“I was thinking the same thing honestly. Just leaving. Sometimes I still consider it, actually. Sometimes I climb on top of the Fark Hall and look out into the forest and just contemplate that for hours.”

*He shrugged, looking at the water once more. He shook his head after a moment.*

“But I mean yeah, we’re still here.”

[drowning-melodies]

she' s quiet for a moment, gaze fixed on the water.

“…we’re still here,” she echoes softly.

the words sit with her.

she doesn’t add anything else. just stays where she is, hands resting loosely in the sand, letting the quiet stretch out between them as the lagoon ripples gently ahead.

"i like being here," she says with a small smile.

[ribbitrogue]

*He nodded, letting himself watch the water.*

“It’s nice.”

*He hummed softly. He put one hand in his pocket as he watched the gentle ripples of the lagoon, fidgeting with lining of his pocket. His gaze occasionally shifted between the water and the glowberry vines.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan hums softly in agreement, eyes following the slow current of the lagoon.

“…yeah,” she murmurs.

she leans back slightly, resting her weight on her hands in the sand, gaze drifting along the water’s edge.

a small pause.

“…we should probably head back soon,” she adds, voice light, like she doesn’t really want to move just yet.

[ribbitrogue]

*He groaned, rolling his head back.*

“But I don’t wannaaaaaaaaa.”

*He crossed his arms, making an exaggerated pouty expression. He laughed a little before continuing to play this game of having an attitude akin to that of an upset bunny.*

“Nuh uh. I’m not moving. In fact, I live right here now. Yep.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan blinks at him for a second–then snorts, a quiet laugh slipping out.

“oh, do you now?” another soft laugh slips out. “what about your fark hall?” she teases, tilting her head slightly, still smiling.

[ribbitrogue]

*He paused, breaking the pouty act.*

“Okay maybe you have a point. I do gotta get back there, make sure nobody’s done anything stupid.”

*He chuckled a bit.*

[drowning-melodies]

“exactly,” she says, smiling.

she pushes herself up to her feet, brushing the sand from her skirt, movements unhurried. then she holds out her hand, "c'mon,"

[ribbitrogue]

*He giggled a bit, taking her hand and pushing himself up.*

“Yeah yeah I’m coming.”

[drowning-melodies]

she gives his hand a small tug to help him up, then she turns to walk towards the hole leading up to the surface

her gaze lifts up toward the opening above, seawater spilling down in a constant, shimmering waterfall from the higher break in the caverns ceiling.

her smile fades a little. not gone–just thinner.

before she can think too much about it, she steps into the pool, swimming up and out of the lagoon.

when she makes it to the boat, inhales sharply, pushing herself up and onto the wooden surface. she glances down into the water, waiting for the frog.

[ribbitrogue]

*He swam through the water, getting momentarily distracted by the fish moving around him. He shook his head and swam up to the surface, popping his head out of the water.*

“There’s so many fish down there.”

*He took a moment before he pushed himself up onto the boat. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and began to wring it out.*

[drowning-melodies]

shan lets out a soft, light laugh, still dripping from the swim. “yeah… there really are,” she says, voice easy, eyes following the fish darting beneath the boat.

she runs a hand through her wet hair, and shakes her head slightly, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

“it… kinda reminds me of my home,” she adds softly, fingers brushing along the small, ocean waves.

[ribbitrogue]

“Hm. Can’t relate.”

*Frogue shrugged, still working on wringing his shirt out.*

“It’s good that they remind you of that though. I think.”

*He glanced at her before nodding to himself. He leaned against the rail of the boat.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah,” she says lightly, shrugging a little, ignoring the way the voices heightened.

she glances down at the water once more, then reaches for the oars, settling them into place.

the boat shifts slightly as she starts rowing, movements steady and unhurried, guiding them back toward land while the fish scatter beneath the surface.

[ribbitrogue]

*He kept his eyes on the water, as if he thought there was going to be some crazy creature down there that intended to prevent them from going. He hummed softly before leaning back.*

“This was fun.”

[drowning-melodies]

shan glances over at him, a small smile already forming. “yeah,” she agrees softly.

she keeps rowing, the steady rhythm of it easy now.

“…we should do this again sometime,” she adds after a moment, her gaze drifting back to the water, but the smile lingers.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh definitely.”

*He stuck his froggy hand in the water as the boat moved along.*

“Maybe we bring someone else along next time too. I’m sure someone else would enjoy it.*

[drowning-melodies]

“yeah…” she trails off, watching the moon’s reflection ripple across the water for a moment, before perking up again.

“ooh!! maybe we could invite 4c!! and then you could apologize to him and give him the letter! and then he would forgive you!! oh that’d be joyous!! joyous day!!” she smiles brightly, clearly excited by her plan.

[ribbitrogue]

“Oh we could! Hopefully.”

*He chuckled, glancing at her for a moment before looking back at the water.*

[drowning-melodies]

she smiles a little at that, glancing over at him briefly before looking back ahead.

“he will,” she says, voice easy with certainty. she keeps rowing, the rhythm steady, cutting through the water as the shoreline slowly comes closer. “i promise”

[ribbitrogue]

*Frogue nodded, watching the oars glide through the water. His tongue flicked out just to bother a fish, getting a small chuckle out of himself.*

“Yeah yeah. I’m sure he will.”