The Exudaloff is wandering along an empty beach, looking for trouble so he can stop it.
Mia: Look! That lady is going to drown!
Exudaloff: What? Where?
Mia: Turn your head!
Exudaloff: Turns around. Where? I can't see her? Where am I looking?
Mia: Well, now I can't see her!
Exudaloff: You can't see her either? Then how do we know she exists?
Mia: Turn back around and then look over your shoulder so that I can point her out to you, and then…
Exudaloff: That's her! Oh my gosh, she's going to drown!
Mia: Call the coastguard!
Exudaloff: How?
Mia: You don't have a phone, do you?
Exudaloff: Why would I have a phone?
Mia: Because then you can call the coastguard when you spot someone drowning! Among other purposes…
Exudaloff: Not to worry. My species are notoriously good swimmers.
Mia: Really, it never occurred to me that you would- ahh!
The Exudaloff charges across the beach and dives into the water. He swims towards the woman who is bobbing against the fierce waves, struggling to keep her head above water.
Woman: Help me!
Mia: We're here to help.
Exudaloff: Looks at hands Uhhh, Mia…
Mia: Yes?
Exudaloff: We have a problem...
The woman tries to grab onto the Exudaloff, who swiftly moves his arm from her grasp.
Woman: What did you do that for? Are you here to help me or not?
Exudaloff: I… I can't touch you.
Woman: You can't touch me? What do you mean you can't touch me?
Exudaloff: Turns around. If I touch you, this will happen to you.
Mia: Ohhhh...
Woman: Then why didn't you come in that boat on the beach?
Exudaloff: Looks at the beach to see a small rowing boat, with oars, parked on the sand. Oh… I didn't see that. Hold on! I'll get the boat! Begins to swim back to shore.
Woman: Tiredly. I'll try.
Exudaloff: Starts to swim back to shore.
Mia: She's drowning!
Exudaloff: What?
Mia: She couldn't stay afloat! She's sinking!
Exudaloff: Turns around and starts swimming back towards the woman.
Mia: What are you going to do? Absorb her?
Exudaloff: I've never tried this before, Mia. But I have heard stories of my kind successfully managing to touch people without absorbing them. Seems like it's time to try it out.
Mia: Was it easy?
Exudaloff: Nope. Dives underwater.
The Exudaloff finds the woman who is sinking into the sea, and touches her arm.
Exudaloff: Swimming back to the surface. Aaaaahhhhhh!
Mia: You can do this…
Exudaloff: Every instinct is trying to make me absorb her!
Mia: But you are stronger than that. Keep going. We're nearly back to land!
Exudaloff: Nnnnnnnnngggg!
Woman: My hand! My hand just disappeared!
Exudaloff: You have to resist it! And so do I.
The Exudaloff finally reaches the beach, and stands up. He tries to push the woman away from him, but her hand is buried up to the wrist.
Exudaloff: OK, your hand isn't properly absorbed. You can remove it still. Pull away!
The Exudaloff and the woman both lean backwards in an attempt to pull their arms away from each other.
The woman's arm starts to be absorbed further.
Exudaloff: Blinking back tears. I'm sorry…
Woman: What… what's going to happen to me?
Mia: Oh… no…
The Abzorbaloff's hand is now touching the woman's elbow.
Mia: Exudaloff! How did the legends go?
Exudaloff: There was one about a victim who was so problematic that the hero of the tale changed his mind mid absorption.
Mia: And what did he do to stop it?
Exudaloff: He thought about what a terrible burden the victim would be, and the body rejected them. Oh… wait… I've got it! Looks at the woman. Pull away!
Woman: My arm! My arm's coming back!
Exudaloff: Yeah!
Both the Exudaloff and the woman fall backwards onto the sand. The Exudaloff is looking into the sky, smiling to himself.
Mia: Mmm! Mmmmf!
Exudaloff: What was that Mia?
Mia: Mmmmmmfffff!
Exudaloff: I can't… oh, sorry… Stands up. What did you say?
Mia: Coughs out a mouthful of sand. I wanted to know what you thought of to stop yourself absorbing her.
Exudaloff: Oh… I just imagined her being the same as you.
Mia: Charming.
Exudaloff: You're welcome.
Woman: Stands up, and starts to dance around on the beach, looking out to sea with her arms raised above her head. I'm alive! You! Looks at the Exudaloff. You saved my life! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!
The woman tries to hug the Exudaloff, who quickly staggers backwards.
Woman: Right… yes… good call.
Exudaloff: Nods in agreement.
Woman: I must repay you for saving my life. What can I get you?
Exudaloff: Ah… nothing really. I'm not one of your species. My needs aren't the same as yours. I just want to know that you are enjoying the life that you still have.
Woman: That I will. Thank you… what is your name?
Exudaloff: I am the Exudaloff. This behind me is Mia.
Woman: Audrey. Thank you both so much again, Exudaloff. Mia.
Mia: You're welcome.
Exudaloff: Smiles to himself. It's what I do.
The Exudaloff watches Audrey dance across the beach in celebration of her life.
Exudaloff: Are you alright, Mia?
Mia: Yeah.
Exudaloff: You helped me save a life.
Mia: I did. I just… no, never mind.
Exudaloff: Okay.
Mia: I can't help but wish the same had happened to me as had happened to Audrey. That I were still able to dance across the beach like she is.
Exudaloff: I know. I'm sorry.
Mia: I know.
Exudaloff: I didn't want to see the same happen to Audrey that happened to you, Mia. That was what I thought would be a burden if I absorbed her. I find it hard enough thinking about how I'm responsible for you being stuck to me. I couldn't bear the thought of another person being like you. That was what made me reject her.
Mia: Oh… I see.
Exudaloff: Here. Why don't I turn around and let you look out to sea?
Mia: Okay.
The Exudaloff turns around, and Mia watches the water crash against the beach, the smell of the coastal air allowed to reach her face.
Mia: Thank you, Exudaloff. Thank you for changing your ways.
The Exudaloff smiles a warm smile as he watches Audrey run jubilently from the beach.