࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝑰 A͜͡𝑀 𝓣𝐻𝙀 𝑺T͜O͜𝙍𝑀 𝑇𝙃𝘼T͜ 𝑊𝙄𝐿𝑳 𝐒𝐼N͜͡K͜͡ 𝑌𝓞𝙐𝑹 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀ 𝐓H͜E͜ 𝑬𝑴𝑩𝑶𝑫𝑰M͜E͜N͜T͜ ⠀O͜͡𝑭 ℬ𝑬𝑨𝑼𝑻𝒀 ﹐ ⠀ O̴𝑹⠀ 𝘛𝑯𝑬 ⠀𝑺O͜U͜𝙍𝘾𝙀 ꩜F͜⠀𝗗𝘐𝘚𝘈𝘚T͜E͜𝘙 .ᐣ
⠀

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
｡˚ Is that truly all there is? ˚.•

꒰ Incredulous surprise etched upon features, then skepticism at his embarrassment. A pale brow raises in sync with the tilt of its head. ꒱
ㅤ

["𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧" @eldritchenvain]

[He blushes at that, quickly looking back up at her. He's clearly embarrassed, shuffling his feet and clearing his throat.]

Aah, uhm... academic enlightenment. A b-bit tame.

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
꒰ Nodding its head to his words, an unusual expression of contentment relaxing her features. ꒱

｡˚ What is your reason? ˚.•

꒰ It attempts to decipher by his appearance. ꒱

｡˚ If it is worth sharing. ˚.•
ㅤ

["𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧" @eldritchenvain]

[Nadir pauses before his brows furrow. Tapping his chin, he's hesitant to nod.]

... I see. Not an act of fate, b-but rather, our own undoing... I-I see why you might believe it, considering... the reasons we came.

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
꒰ It settles a clammy palm beneath an elbow, wrist bending below its tilting chin. ꒱

˚.• Close . . . but not quite.

I believe every soul that has found themselves here is deserving of it. ｡˚

꒰ Vague, yet she hopes to witness the librarian's response. ꒱
ㅤ

["𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧" @eldritchenvain]

[A slight nod, adjusting his glasses before averting his gaze as he thinks.]

You.. think we're supposed to be here. Y-You must have a specific reason for thinking that, I'd assume.. Perhaps based on your own f-fate, or, religion, or...

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
˚.• They could, at the very least, learn not to meddle in things that should be left alone. ｡˚

꒰ Shaking its head in disdain, recalling unwelcome visitors searching for treasures or blessings from her shores. ꒱

˚.• By any chance, have you found . . . exceptions ? ｡˚
ㅤ

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
꒰ Taking in his words, spoken with careful thought, with much of her own reflection. ꒱

｡˚ Then . . . perhaps you and I are more alike after all. ˚.•

｡˚ You seemed to be in a hurry. Are you searching for something? ˚.•
ㅤ

[⚞ 𝑅𝑖𝑝 -- 𝖙𝖎𝖉𝖊 ★ @lonecanary__]

This causes a slight pause to him. He considers for a moment, thinking of his own nature, his actions. He sighs.

" .. I suppose that is up to individual interpretation.. I'm cruel, but many of those I harm are worse. "

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

@BABELSFALSEGOD ㅤ
꒰ Glimmers of light from above the waves reach and bounce off the blade, as if sending a warning.

Luckily, she is quick enough to release the tyrant and swim away. It leaves a trail of disturbed water and bubbles along the way, watching the king struggle to surface. ꒱
ㅤ

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
꒰ The siren perches itself on a boulder near the seashore, sharpening her trident. Unusually serene compared to its habitual hostility. ꒱
ㅤ

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
｡˚ Would you describe yourself the same way you describe your kind? ˚.•

꒰ Curious. Perhaps a bit skeptical. Regrettably too familiar with mankind's nature. ꒱
ㅤ

[⚞ 𝑅𝑖𝑝 -- 𝖙𝖎𝖉𝖊 ★ @lonecanary__]

" Many times. Humans are innately selfish and cruel. "

He hums, not minding the assumption nor the question itself.

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

@Th3W4tch1ng

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

@Th3W4tch1ng ㅤ
｡˚ You sound as if you are convincing yourself . . . ˚.•
ㅤ

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

@Th3W4tch1ng ㅤ
꒰ Doubting it . . . 💭 ꒱

｡˚ Whatever you say . ˚.•
ㅤ

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
｡˚ How interesting . ˚.•

꒰ Hands halt and hover in uncertainty for a moment, trying to recall the right word. ꒱

｡˚ Empathy, is it not . . . ?
Then . . . how do you believe I think and feel ? ˚.•
ㅤ

["𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧" @eldritchenvain]

Of course.

[He had no reason to be dishonest. Not now at the very least, anyway.]

I-I pride myself on.. being able to, uhm, understand others. The way that they think, and feel.

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

@Th3W4tch1ng ㅤ
｡˚ 💬 . . . The next moment may be his last. ˚.•
ㅤ

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

🫧 https://t.co/cF10G4ivUD replies Soon guys i swear. just feeling a little silly

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

@Th3W4tch1ng ㅤ
｡˚ Oh my. Will you not go and attempt to rescue him . . . ? ˚.•
ㅤ

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

@BABELSFALSEGOD ㅤ
꒰ Rude . . . though expected, it irks like an itch yet to be scratched nonetheless. ꒱

｡˚ Who said my fins serve no purpose beyond the waves? ˚.•

꒰ It'd love to prove a point . . . but she gets a different idea instead — namely, lunging at the king into the water. ꒱
ㅤ

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
｡˚ They have disturbed you as well? ˚.•

꒰ Disappointment no longer comes as a surprise. Mankind's foolishness had become something to expect. ꒱

｡˚ That is a shame . . . ˚.•
ㅤ

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
｡˚ Only if you are honest. ˚.•

꒰ Though sensing that any dishonesty from him would stem not from malice, she probes for an answer. ꒱
ㅤ

["𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧" @eldritchenvain]

[He leans back slightly, blushing and shrugging.]

I-I.. yes. Yes, really. Is that alright..?

[࿔ 𝑻𝘙E͜A͜C͜H͜𝑬𝘙꩜𝘜S͜͡ 𝑾𝘈ꪜE͜S͜ ༄ @abyssaltrident]

ㅤ
꒰ The peculiar, dejected look on the stranger's face, paired with unexpected words, captures her curiosity. ꒱

｡˚ So you, too, have witnessed humanity's cruelty. ˚.•

꒰ A slight tilt of its head. An assumption, but also a question. ꒱
ㅤ

[⚞ 𝑅𝑖𝑝 -- 𝖙𝖎𝖉𝖊 ★ @lonecanary__]

Kasra hums.. he nods . Her words didn't surprise him. Not much did anymore. Yokohama was odd like that.

" I see.. I don't blame you "

It's almost like he could sense the undercurrent of pain. Pain he knew himself.