exsiliumlogs | (open) i wanna sink to the bottom with you

Entry tags:

(open) i wanna sink to the bottom with you

Date & Time: January 21st and onward
Location: The Hold's indoor swimming pool
Characters: Collette, Gamora, & ( this space left intentionally blank )
Summary: Gamora is getting swimming lessons from the brave denizens of Exsilium, by which I mean the Transports, by which I mean people are swimming with a five year old and a morphed bottlenose dolphin. Or people are in the area and staring and asking what's up. Booyah!
Warnings: No one will probably actually drown in this log. We think.

( Collette sat on the edge of the pool, smiling over at Gamora. They were at the shallow end, one far corner with the steps coming out. )

We'll wait for them right here for now. You can stand on the top three steps, or sit on the top one if you want! I'm going to get changed into my dolphin self.

( She winks before lowering herself into the water with minimal splash, reaching for her stopwatch. )

It'll only take a minute, and I promise no matter how weird this looks, I'm entirely okay the whole time.

( She says before depressing the lever and starting her count down, giving her thirty seconds of time no one but she noticed passing. When time starts rolling for the rest of the world again, Collette's halfway through morph and completely submerged. It's hard to make out what's going on, but less than thirty seconds later, a bulbous head and a long, almost smiling nose breaches the water's surface. )

< Flipper's on the scene! >

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[ Gamora decides that sitting was a far better plan - getting used to the temperature of the water slowly but surely. It wasn't quite the lagoon she'd been expecting but better in a way.

When she sees Collette as a dolphin her face breaks out into an even wider grin. ]

Wow!

[ This was better than she thought it was going to be. And while it still nags at her that Thanos hadn't come for her yet and she's no closer to going home than she was a few days ago, Gamora reasoned it would be okay for a few days longer.

After all, it probably took time to break through other timelines. ]

( Collette rolls on her side to show her flipper to Gamora, using her tail to propel her lazily by. )

< Now we're really almost ready. Want me to take you for a round around the pool before the instructor gets here? >

( NO COLLETTE DAMMIT THIS IS WHY YOU WERE GOING TO WAIT )

< ... Or maybe after the lesson. As a reward for having done well, 'cause I know you'll be great! >

I would like that very much!

[ Grinning still, and standing up so she can go down a step. It's still cold so she wraps her arms around herself in an attempt to keep warm. ]

Are you a Skrull? [ She's never met one personally, but she knows they're shape shifters and tend to look like whatever species they're trying to invade. But as Thanos doesn't consider them a threat to him, Gamora doesn't see them as anything but another species in the galaxy. ] I won't tell if you are.

[Ezio had already done way more exploring than any normal person would have. It's in his nature, he can't help being so curious and wanting to get into something at least once. He'd seen pools, of course, in the public baths and, uh, other places, but not quite like this.

Especially not with a young green-skinned girl and an... animal? With his head cocked slightly over to one side, he approaches the edge of the pool.]

I didn't know there were animals here like this.

( Collette's come in carefully closer to Gamora, judging general depths and glad there's no particular pull of the water to mess around with her careful machinations to get a five year old attached to one fin.

She rolls onto her side enough to show some of her belly to Gamora, getting a better angle to catch sight of Ezio near the pool's edge. )

< We're a special by-request service. >

( Collette let amusement color her mental tone, widening her targets from just Gamora to encompass Ezio as well. )

< Any chance you're here to teach swim lessons too? >

Hello! [ A wave at Ezio, bright and cheerful. ] We haven't started yet.

[ Meant as consolation if he was here for teaching her how to swim - one hand going out to grab Collette's fin. Even if no one here was Thanos, Gamora didn't want to disappoint anyone. That would be unthinkable. ]

[Oddly enough, Ezio is not surprised by the voice. Somehow it's... familiar. Like he's seen this before. He can't quite put his finger on it, but he'll figure it out later.

He kneels down to Gamora's level, sizing her up a little. She's young, a little scrawny, but she looks smart enough.]

Have you ever swam before today?

( Collette keeps herself in place, waiting for Gamora to tighten her grip. She sends a private Thought Speak question her way: )

< Got a good hold on me? I can roll toward you if you want to grab on to my back fin too. >

( She leaves Gamora to answer the question Ezio poses. )

No, but Master Thanos sometimes takes me to the lagoon to see the dolphins if I've done well.

[ When she's learned her lessons and surpassed his expectations. Five might be limiting, but she knows where to shoot someone and how to hold a gun and how to use a knife as well as the foundation of a decent education. Actually doing it successfully is another thing. But she nods at Collette. ]

Yes, please.

Master?

[Ezio doesn't like the sound of that.]

Well, I think it's time for you to learn properly then!

( Collette figures Gamora has enough of a hold on her to venture slowly rolling so her dorsal fin is in reach. )

< What're you waiting for? Come on in, the water's great! >

Yes. [ She answers as she moves to grab Collette's dorsal fin. ] I'll act for him when he can't.

[ Gamora doesn't think it's strange at all. It's just what she was saved for, what she's being raised to do. ]

[Ezio choose to sit down cross-legged at the edge of the pool, watching the little girl with the green skin and the dolphin take off.

What a curious sight.]

I see.

< When you say master that way, he sounds like a teacher. >

( Collette tries not to think so much about the things people are sharing inadvertently at their different ages. When younger, it's a glimpse of what will always change.

Though she supposes most five year olds don't stay the same their whole lives as it is.

With Gamora attached, she slowly turns them toward the center of the pool, testing for maneuverability in this water (such a difference from where there was salt water!) and getting a feel for the strength of Gamora's hold. She does wide, lazy serpentines, calling out the direction changes to Gamora before she makes them. )

[ For the moment she's so enraptured with the fact that she's actually swimming with a dolphin to reply - grinning widely and kicking with her legs (and trying not to hit Collette when she does so). ]

He's that too! I'm his ward.

[Isaac was happy to be able to swim and meet someone nice. He was sure now that he was somewhere strange and different and that his family wasn't here, but they would come right? Right. So all he had to do was stay safe until then.

And swimming was always fun! So he trotted down to the pool, about on time, and anyone watching would see a 7-year-old with long, carefully braided hair, and a t-shirt and pants. No shoes, and no sign of anything that someone would normally bring for swimming, but he was looking around excitedly all the same.]

( Collette was already in the water, arms folded over the side of the pool while she watched the entrance. Not so many people use the pool as to make it hard to spot a new face -- she grins, then lifts one hand high to wve. )

Hey! Here to swim for me?

Yeah! But I don't wanna swim in wet clothes so--

[He's already pulling off his shirt and looking for somewhere dry to put it. Next come the pants--

This kid does not have a nudity taboo at all, nope.]

( Collette hold one hand up, catching on to what he's doing a moment too -- well. Uh. He is a kid... Oh gosh. Halibel was way worse, this should be okay, right?

Collette buried her face in the crook of her other arm. )

You totally should have asked to borrow a pair of swimtrunks, kid. Guess it's too late now! Just tell me when you're in, yeah?

( Or she'll listen for the splash of water. )

[The splash comes not long after, along with a sputter.]

Eugh. Pools have bad water!

[He sputters some more, but it's more for show than anything else as he paddles around. A graceful swimmer he's definitely not, but he's a strong one, for all the splashing, and completely unafraid. It's only after a minute or two that he remembers what she said.]

Why would anybody wear clothes to swim? They'd get all wet!

[Child-logic, isn't it special.]

Some clothes are designed just to get wet! We call them swimsuits, you know? Like what I'm wearing.

( Letting herself down into the water and treading as she looks his way. )

Yeah, don't drink the water in here. It's totally gross!

[And yes, he can see that she is wearing something. Isaac knows about swimsuits in a vague way, but they still don't make any sense to him at all.

On the other hand, he does feel a little awkward being naked when she isn't. ...for about 30 seconds, then he's swimming again.]

It makes my nose burn too.

Yeah, that's probably the chlorine, or whatever passes for future chlorine.

( Pulling further away from the side, she watches him swim around with a smile. )

You're a pretty good swimmer! Just like you said.

It's nasty! Why do they put it in? Water's better in the river.

[He seems to glow at the praise, swimming closer.]

Uh-huh! But not as good as my big brother.

How good is he?

( She asks, continuing to move away from the wall. Really, it's a slower invitation to starting off across the length of the pool. )

Really really good! He caught a salmon once with his bare hands!

[Which was luck as much as skill, but little Isaac can't really tell the difference, and also might idolize his big brother a little.

He also laughs and follows her, happy to swim around in circles or do laps or anything else.]

Sounds like a useful guy to know! What's his name, again?

( Sibling idolization was something she could understand to degrees. Collette looks up to her own older brother with a mixture of emotions stirring in her own breast! )

My big brother is Dylan! He just broke his leg bad, so he can't swim right now. He was complaining a lot before...

[And whoops, that was a mood killer.]

Don't worry, you'll get to listen to the rest of his complaining right where you left off as soon as you're back!

( Since surely, that must be what the trailing off must be about. It was for most the people around here, wasn't it? )

Yeah, I can tell him all about how I was here and didn't even get very scared.

[An attempt at childish bravado, because he's still pretty scared and alone.]

Do you have brothers and sisters?

One brother, older. His name's Phillip! As for yours, I'm sure he'll be proud of you when he hears.

( Continuing her slower swim to the other side. )

Proud and jealous!

[He giggles a little, until water gets in his mouth again from his splashing. Then he sputters and spits.]

Yeah! I'll have lots to tell him!

[And he's starting to get bored with keeping pace with her so he slips away, swimming fast all the way to the other end. Lots of splashing, but not bad as far as speed.

After a moment he swims back.]

You swim slow! Do you like it that way?

Only when I'm not racing, speedy! Why, are you begging for one?

( She grins, not changing pace for now. )

You'd have to match stroke if we do. Think you're up for that challenge?

Match stroke? But yeah, a race would be fun! And later we can race on the ground too. Even though he's bigger, my brother never wins!

Only if you're up for racing something on four legs! Oh, or wheels. I've got monopolies on things I can do with both of those!

[That catches his attention and with a lot of splashing he's suddenly very close to Collette. He takes a big sniff--but only sneezes and sputters.]

Eugh, all I can smell is the pool. I didn't know you were one of us! What are you? Oh! If you're really fast I bet you're a deer!

If we're racing on four legs I get to be too; it's only fair.

( One of us? Collette blinks in surprise -- then smiles. )

Not exactly, though there were several people like you here not long ago. I can be several things, so it's different! THough if we're racing? I'm thinking... oh, maybe horse. Or coyote! Then we can both be on four legs and see who's really faster!

Coyote! A horse would be way bigger than me!

[He's assuming, of course, a Were-sized coyote, which would be nearly pony-sized anyway, and only somewhat larger than his puppy-self.]

But how can you be several things? I've never heard of something like that!

It's a different kind of shape-shifting than what you do. I'm not sure it's all that common outside my world! It's... well, different than you expect.

( If she does try coyote, she'll laugh once she sees the marked size difference. Mongolian horse it'll be, all the way! )

I want to know! Tell me more! Can you do it all the time? I'm still little so I have to wait for my cycle to change.

( She shakes her head at first, nodding toward the far side. )

Wait until I've crossed over! Treading like this for too long's going to make me drown sooner than talk, you know!

( She's not serious -- in fact, she's close to laughing again -- but it is something she keeps in mind. If the kid wants to talk, they'll be better served if she can do so while holding on to something with greater buoyancy than she herself has.

So she picks up speed, cutting off conversation for the sake of concentration on the task at hand. )

[He splashes his way to the side, happy for a moment to rest anyway. It's easier to concentrate on talking when he isn't trying not to get water in his mouth.

He's not still though, nearly wiggling and bouncing in the water. The impression is very much like a little puppy wanting to play.]

Okay! Now tell me!

( Holding on to the side, she laughs, pulling herself up just enough to rest her arms both comfortably over the lip of the pool. )

Okay, buster, calm down! What was it you were wanting to know again?

Everything!

[But he's smart enough to realize that's not a good answer so after a moment of deep thought.]

How can you change into so many? And can you change all the time?

Doesn't it get confusing if you're a horse and a coyote? 'cause a coyote is a hunter and a horse isn't.

It's how my changing works, I can change as long as I've got the energy for it, but only for two hours at a time, and the instincts are different, sure, you learn how to keep control over both kinds!

Wow! I can't change for less than all night! 'cause it would hurt me bad if I changed too soon.

How do you do it? Control everything all the time? It sounds hard, 'cause they're so different and both together...

[He makes an 'I don't know gesture' and shrugs, trying to understand how she can have conflicting instincts all the time.]

I've got a lot of willpower. ( She winks. ) Plus a really good sense of myself. All the other stuff's there, but it's like something interesting to listen to, not something big and scary and necessary and taking away my control.

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(open) i wanna sink to the bottom with you

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