Chapter 20
A field of flowers and grass, not weeds
Bend to the will of wind, not tide
Above me: the blue of sky, not sea
The creatures around me don't swim, but fly
"WEEKEND!!! WEEKENDWEEKENDWEEKENDWEEKEND!!!"
"Who in Din's mercy is yelling out there?" Tijo complained, dropping his breakfast trout.
"Mnnuh, whhua?" Mikau answered groggily from the bedroom. The Zorian Hero was usually up before the sun, but makes special exceptions for the weekends. This was the first time since they've lived together that Tijo was up earlier than Mikau.
"I'll go see what's going on." Tijo announced and opened the dorm door. He was immediately bowled over by Japas.
"WEEKEND!!! WEEKENDWEEKEND!!! Mikau, wake up you floppy fillet o' fish!" Japas ignored Tijo completely and launched himself onto the second level of Mikau's bunk bed, pulling the Zorian Hero down by the tail. They landed on the moss carpet with a dull thud. Mikau tried to get Japas in a headlock to repay him for his rude awakening, but the smaller Zora anticipated this and expertly dodged the attacks.
Tijo ran into the room. "No! Go somewhere else to wrestle! My drum set is in here!" The Bottom-feeder stood with his back to his instruments, pushing Mikau and Japas away when they rolled too close. The bedroom was getting quite crowded with three people in there all moving at once.
"Um, hello? I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" A feminine voice called out from the still-open front door. Japas and Mikau halted, their scruffle temporarily forgotten, and Tijo hurried to greet Lulu at the door.
"Good morning, Lulu. You're just in time for another episode of Japas vs. Mikau." The Bottom-feeder led Lulu in by the hand. Lulu's other arm was wrapped around Evan's crooked arm, who in turn was holding a cloth-wrapped bundle in his remaining appendage. Japas poked his head out of the bedroom, curious to see the visitors. Mikau followed, still yawning dispite the bit of morning exercise with his friend.
"Hey, fellow frat boys!" Evan announced heartily. "What are you guys planning to do this weekend, the first weekend of university?"
Mikau, Tijo, and Japas looked at each other and shrugged. "We could stay here, play charades, order takeout, and do homework." Tijo suggested.
Evan barked out a laugh. "Goddesses, you guys need a life!"
Lulu humorously agreed. "We're going to the mainland and staying there until Sunday evening. Are you interested in coming with us?"
"Huh?" Mikau goggled at the sudden proposal. "The mainland? But we don't know our way around! And where will we stay for the night?"
Japas rolled his eyes. "We'll camp out on the surf, of course! Don't tell me you've never done that before!" He was obviously very taken with the idea of a short vacation. They might not have another chance to relax on weekends once the homework starts piling up.
Evan sensed Mikau's hesitation. "C'mon! It'll be fun!" He prompted.
"Guppy...guppy..." Japas chanted.
"We'll leave you all alone if you don't go." Lulu threatened.
"Alright! Alright! I never said I won't go!" The Zorian Hero waved off all his pestering friends. "It just seems so sudden, that's all."
Mikau turned to his roommate, who hadn't said anything for a while. "Hey Tijo, you're coming, aren't you?"
"Hmm..." The Bottom-feeder had his lips curled up and eyes closed in deep thought. Actually, he was looking forward to some quiet time at home, but he doesn't want to be the odd one out either. "Well, if I don't go, you guys'll probably torment me to no end. Fine! I'll tag along."
"Excellent. Well, let's make waves already." Evan turned to leave, but Japas stopped him.
"Hey, wait. We're going to visit Veritora while we're there, aren't we?" Japas asked. Evan nodded. "Well, that's a human village. Shouldn't we bring clothes? Y'know, some humans are a bit touchy about that."
"Nah. This village gets Zora tourists all the time since it's so close to the university. They'd be used to it by now."
Japas looked thoughtful. "Oh, okay. I've lived for a while in Holodrum, and they don't get Zoras very often. I had to wear clothes while I was there."
"Let's go already! The tide won't stay high forever!" Tijo yelled with extra enthusiasm, showing none of his previous hesitation. He began to fill a bag with various traveling supplies.
"What are you doing?" Evan said, pulling Tijo away. "The theme for this vacation is minimalism! If we're hungry, there's plenty to catch in the ocean. If we're sleepy, we'll just camp out on the surf."
The Bottom-feeder resisted. "I don't think so! I mean, how often do we visit the mainland? I'm not gonna miss the exotic land foods we'll come across. At least let me bring a few rupees."
"Yeah, and if we're not gonna bring anything, what's with that package?" Mikau pointed to the bundle Evan was holding under his arm.
"That's my stuff." Lulu said quickly.
Evan rolled his eyes. "Daughter of a diva. Can't live without a decent wardrobe." Lulu gave him a disgusted look that got a laugh out of everyone else.
The only thing that delayed them further was Mikau locking up his dorm door. Then the five of them dived into the ocean and headed towards the mainland, streaks of silvery blue.
The tides were high this morning, causing a host of marine animals to swarm around the tidal pools. Japas, Mikau and Evan hugged the shoreline, swimming rapidly to catch the creatures in their open mouths while they traveled. Tijo was slower than the others, but had a bigger mouth, so he caught just as many shrimp and fry as the rest of them. Lulu abstained from eating to prevent stomach cramps, which both Evan and Tijo ended up with later on.
Mikau's excitement grew as he woke more fully. This vacation's gonna be great! He hasn't been to any mainland for over a year, and now he gets to go with his best friend, his roommate, Evan and Lulu. Now that he thought about it, he wondered why Lulu came at all. A female would just get in the way of four guys and their fun. But nobody else seemed to mind, and in all actuality, Mikau's glad that she's coming along.
The ocean floor suddenly dropped away in front of the school of Zoras and they were hit with a blast of warm water.
"Nayru's mercy, what was that?!" Lulu exclaimed, recoiling at the uncomfortable heat. Evan and Mikau both rushed to her side, but the Zorian Hero veered off sheepishly, letting the eel-Zora escort her.
Japas swam deeper into the heat and did a loop-de-loop. "C'mon, it's just water from the volcanic vents. We're passing over the Chaotic Rim." He lead the rest of them over the underwater canyon, although it was tiring work for everyone. Warm water distorts a Zora's sense of current and visibility, but once they passed over the Rim, they were only a mile from the village of Veritora.
"Finally!" Evan announced, spreading his arms wide as he stepped onto the warm, dry sand. "The fishing village of Veritora, gateway to the oceans, population 4000!"
"When did you become the expert?" Japas asked rhetorically. He shook his head free of lingering water droplets, splashing them all over everyone else.
The five Zoras adjusted quickly to the airside enviorment, folding in their fins and relaxing their tails. The sun and wind dried up any remaining moisture on their rubbery bodies, forcing them to retreat under a shady tree while they rested from the journey. Tijo had a harder time on land than any of the others because Bottom-feeders are simply not built for surface movement.
Mikau breathed in deeply from his lungs, finding the air refreshing. It's not the same as the moist, fishy air of Zora homes right over the ocean. There's a multitude of exotic scents from the airside plants and animals, but the smell that stuck out the most was of fire, an element that Zoras rarely use. Someone's cooking something nearby, probably in one of the village huts.
Actually, the Zorian Hero felt literally, and proverbially, like a fish out of water. As far as he could tell, out of his four friends, he's the Zora with the least exposure to life on land. Both Evan and Japas looked comfortable on the sand, the former radiating his ever-present confidence and the latter actually standing out in the sun, protected by the fins on his head. Mikau knew that Lulu had visited many airside cities and Tijo probably also had his share of traveling abroad.
"So, what should we do first?" Tijo wondered aloud.
"Breakfast." "Lunch." Mikau and Japas said simultaneously. They looked at each other in mild surprise, then to the rest of the group, searching for approval.
Evan and Tijo stared at them increduously. Haven't they had enough to eat on the way here? But Lulu smiled at Japas and Mikau. "Sounds great!" She turned to the other two accusingly. "Didn't you consider the fact that I haven't eaten anything on the way here? How thoughtless of you guys."
Evan coughed and nervously scratched his tail, but Tijo was smoother than that. "Ah, but I thought you were simply trying to maintain your fantastic figure." The Bottom-feeder said pleasantly. Lulu couldn't think of a retort fast enough, so before she could, Tijo announced to the others, "Alright! You heard the lady, it's time for some grub!"
"Actually, I don't think we'll be able to find any grubs in Veritora." Evan mentioned casually as they neared the city. "Most humans have qualms against eating insects, last I heard."
Tijo frowned. "It's just a saying, fish! Must you contradict everything I say? Goddesses, it's becoming a bad habit of yours."
"More like a hobby." Japas whispered loudly to Mikau. Lulu also heard and she laughed.
The sand gave way to rocks, then to grassy packed dirt, then to the cobblestones of city streets. The airside buildings seemed to be bulkier and heavier than underwater buildings to compensate for the heavier gravity. And their doors were located only on the ground since the inhabitants can't simply swim up to the second level of a house. What a restricted life these landgoers live, able to move in only two dimensions.
The seaside villagers didn't pay the Zoras much attention; they have many Zora traders living in Veritora. But Mikau spent a good deal of time staring at all the different shapes and sizes of people, a variety of which he hadn't seen in years. He was especially awestruck by a large Goron lumbering among the colorful crowd of humans, who parted like water to make way for the behemoth.
Evan nudged the Zorian Hero. "Don't stare. It's not polite."
Mikau winced at his error and smiled apologetically. Lulu suddenly grabbed Evan's arm. "Hey, that place looks good! Let's go there!" She pointed to a wooden building painted brick red with a 'fork and knife' sign hanging over the front door. Chatter and laughter, as well as the delicious smell of cooking food, wafted from the inside.
Evan shrugged in agreement and let himself be dragged into a bustling restaurant with the other Zoras in tow. Lulu picked out a table and once seated, immediately began reading the menu. She must be pretty hungry. The boys she was with all displayed some degree of guilt on their faces for being so inconsiderate.
Hungry himself, though he had just eaten, Japas picked up a menu and mulled it over, running a finger from the top of the page to the bottom as he read. "Hey, an egg and bacon sandwich! That sounds pretty good."
"Mmmmmm. That does sounds good." Tijo commented. "I want a honey raisin cake and an order of smoked salmon."
"I suggest you don't order any seafood." Evan said. "We can eat that stuff all the time in the ocean. No point in getting it here. Pick something more exotic."
Before long, everyone ordered what they wanted and they sat idly waiting for the food to come in. There were a lot of customers coming in and out of the restaurant, and at one point, Japas turned to look at some people who just entered. He abrubtly turned forward again, lips pulled back in a snarl.
Mikau looked up quizzically from his meal. "What is it, Japas?" He asked.
Japas stared at his food and was careful not to raise his head. "Don't look now, but you see those guys that just walked in? They're from the Black Nulia."
From the corner of his eye, Mikau watched the eight or so Zoras seat themselves at a table. They were a rough looking bunch with shady velvet eyes and dry skin from living airside so long. All of them had blackened fin or tail tips. A few people hastily finished their meals and left the restaurant rather than risking conflict with members of this gang.
"What should we do?" Lulu asked anxiously. She was worried, but still calm (or hungry) enough to put another chip in her mouth.
Evan clicked his tongue twice, thinking. "I think we should stay and finish off our food. But we don't want to provoke them. Hey Japas, what do you think we should do?"
Japas looked up in surprise. He didn't expect Evan to ask him for his opinion, especially since he associates with Crybax gang members. He knows that the eel-Zora was already biased against him because of that little fact. Japas hoped the Black Nulia wouldn't try to cause any trouble because of him. If they do, what would Mikau and the others think of him?
"Well, I'll tell you what I know. The Black Nulia are based here in Veritora and they live more on land than we do. They're traders who do sea- to-land business or the children of traders. As a mark of their group, they burn the tips of their fins and tails black, hence their name." The other Zoras shuddered. Getting a flame wound is very, very unusual and painful for members of their aquatic race. Japas continued. "They're known for alcohol related incidents and for starting fights with other rival gangs. Other than that, they're not as bad as most people think. So yeah, I think we should play it cool."
"Alright, then." Evan took a casual sip of his drink. "How are your potatoes, Lulu?"
"Huh? Fine, I guess." She ate another chip to comfirm this fact. It was obvious that Evan was trying to get everyone to relax by changing the subject. It worked rather well, actually. Before long, everyone was chatting freely again, having almost completely forgotten about the Black Nulia. Everyone except Mikau. Maybe it was his imagination, but he noticed how some of those Zoras stole glances in his direction. One of them even pointed directly at him, then turned to say something to his friends. This made him so nervous that his arm blades started stiffening on their own.
Evan and the others had just finished their meal and were waiting for the bill when the Black Nulia made their move. One of them grabbed a spare chair and sat between Mikau and Tijo. The Bottom-feeder shuffled away discreetly while the Zorian Hero had the guts to appear annoyed at the intrusion. Japas, on the other side of Mikau, tensed himself for action and Evan shifted closer to Lulu, protectively.
"Hi!" The gang member said cheerfully to Mikau. She was rather thin and non-threatening compared to the other Black Nulias, and young. Her damaged fins would probably never reach the flowing elegance of maturity, although the rest of her spoke of a child of maybe sixteen years or more. She had rather tasteful chiseled features and a beaming smile that wouldn't go away.
"Uh, hi." Mikau answered. He tried to relax, seeing that this Zora was only a girl, but felt the eyes of her fellows on him. Sending her was obviously a calculated move on their part ment to put him at ease. His blades lengthened even more.
"I couldn't help but notice your paint job!" She said with genuine interest. She pointed to the colorful markings on Mikau's head and right arm. "Those tattoos help you stand out in a crowd, don't they! I have to ask: what exactly do they represent? Did it hurt to get them?"
"Not really. They actually fade away after a few months." Mikau was now more confused than annoyed or frightened. He held his arm in front of him and looked at it from different angles. "The body paint is in a traditional Zorian Hero pattern. Most of the blue parts represent the eternal ocean and the red is the blood spilt by my ancestors in protecting the Zoras. Each picture tells its own unique story."
The Zora's eyes and mouth now consisted of three large 'O's of amazement. "You're a Zorian Hero?!" She said incredulously. "That is so cool! I've never seen a Zorian Hero before! Hey, Pertuous, have you ever seen one?"
"Nope. Never in my life."
Mikau whirled around in his seat and found himself staring at the 'Pertuous' she was addressing. Staring at his protruding stomach, actually. The guy was about as tall as Mikau if they were both standing up, but he could easily be twice the Zorian Hero's weight. Judging by his tail and shoulders, he was obviously a Sleek, but he could easily be mistaken for a Bottom-feeder from a distance. His arms and legs were bulging with the muscle that it takes to hold him up on land.
"Hey, there. My name's Pertuous." He held out a hand, expecting Mikau to shake it.
"Name's Mikau." The Zorian Hero put on his best social smile and took the hand in his own. He was rewarded with a crushing handshake that left his hand numb for a while.
"Oh! And my name's Wavvern!" The girl chirped from behind him. Both she and Pertuous completely ignored Mikau's companions.
The waitress came and gave Evan the bill. He paid and stood up as if he was about to leave. The others did so as well, and waited for Mikau to do the same. Japas coughed.
"Uh, it's nice meeting you guys, but I gotta go." Mikau began. "My friends and I are visiting Veritora and we still have a lot to see."
"Then why don't we show you around, Mikau?" Pertuous put an arm on the Zorian Hero's shoulder as if they were old friends. Mikau sagged under the weight. "After all, I live 'round here. I can show you all the sights. How about it?"
"Yeah!" Wavvern cried before Mikau could answer. She pulled him away with surprising strength, making Pertuous lose his balance. "C'mon! I want to introduce you to all my friends!"
Mikau wasn't able to pull away from Wavvern when all of her 'friends' stood up to meet the Zorian Hero. They ushered him out of the restaurant, away from his friends, and he couldn't do anything to escape the Black Nulia without provoking them. Mikau took one last glance back at Japas, Lulu, Evan and Tijo before losing sight of them for good.
End of Chapter 20
Can't talk. Busy playing Wind Waker. Well, replaying it, actually. Dang it, I so wanted to somehow stuff the Rito species into Ocean Eternal, but due to circumstances in WW beyond my control, I am unable to. Don't know what I'm talking about? Heh heh heh, too bad, it's a Wind Waker spoiler.
A field of flowers and grass, not weeds
Bend to the will of wind, not tide
Above me: the blue of sky, not sea
The creatures around me don't swim, but fly
"WEEKEND!!! WEEKENDWEEKENDWEEKENDWEEKEND!!!"
"Who in Din's mercy is yelling out there?" Tijo complained, dropping his breakfast trout.
"Mnnuh, whhua?" Mikau answered groggily from the bedroom. The Zorian Hero was usually up before the sun, but makes special exceptions for the weekends. This was the first time since they've lived together that Tijo was up earlier than Mikau.
"I'll go see what's going on." Tijo announced and opened the dorm door. He was immediately bowled over by Japas.
"WEEKEND!!! WEEKENDWEEKEND!!! Mikau, wake up you floppy fillet o' fish!" Japas ignored Tijo completely and launched himself onto the second level of Mikau's bunk bed, pulling the Zorian Hero down by the tail. They landed on the moss carpet with a dull thud. Mikau tried to get Japas in a headlock to repay him for his rude awakening, but the smaller Zora anticipated this and expertly dodged the attacks.
Tijo ran into the room. "No! Go somewhere else to wrestle! My drum set is in here!" The Bottom-feeder stood with his back to his instruments, pushing Mikau and Japas away when they rolled too close. The bedroom was getting quite crowded with three people in there all moving at once.
"Um, hello? I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" A feminine voice called out from the still-open front door. Japas and Mikau halted, their scruffle temporarily forgotten, and Tijo hurried to greet Lulu at the door.
"Good morning, Lulu. You're just in time for another episode of Japas vs. Mikau." The Bottom-feeder led Lulu in by the hand. Lulu's other arm was wrapped around Evan's crooked arm, who in turn was holding a cloth-wrapped bundle in his remaining appendage. Japas poked his head out of the bedroom, curious to see the visitors. Mikau followed, still yawning dispite the bit of morning exercise with his friend.
"Hey, fellow frat boys!" Evan announced heartily. "What are you guys planning to do this weekend, the first weekend of university?"
Mikau, Tijo, and Japas looked at each other and shrugged. "We could stay here, play charades, order takeout, and do homework." Tijo suggested.
Evan barked out a laugh. "Goddesses, you guys need a life!"
Lulu humorously agreed. "We're going to the mainland and staying there until Sunday evening. Are you interested in coming with us?"
"Huh?" Mikau goggled at the sudden proposal. "The mainland? But we don't know our way around! And where will we stay for the night?"
Japas rolled his eyes. "We'll camp out on the surf, of course! Don't tell me you've never done that before!" He was obviously very taken with the idea of a short vacation. They might not have another chance to relax on weekends once the homework starts piling up.
Evan sensed Mikau's hesitation. "C'mon! It'll be fun!" He prompted.
"Guppy...guppy..." Japas chanted.
"We'll leave you all alone if you don't go." Lulu threatened.
"Alright! Alright! I never said I won't go!" The Zorian Hero waved off all his pestering friends. "It just seems so sudden, that's all."
Mikau turned to his roommate, who hadn't said anything for a while. "Hey Tijo, you're coming, aren't you?"
"Hmm..." The Bottom-feeder had his lips curled up and eyes closed in deep thought. Actually, he was looking forward to some quiet time at home, but he doesn't want to be the odd one out either. "Well, if I don't go, you guys'll probably torment me to no end. Fine! I'll tag along."
"Excellent. Well, let's make waves already." Evan turned to leave, but Japas stopped him.
"Hey, wait. We're going to visit Veritora while we're there, aren't we?" Japas asked. Evan nodded. "Well, that's a human village. Shouldn't we bring clothes? Y'know, some humans are a bit touchy about that."
"Nah. This village gets Zora tourists all the time since it's so close to the university. They'd be used to it by now."
Japas looked thoughtful. "Oh, okay. I've lived for a while in Holodrum, and they don't get Zoras very often. I had to wear clothes while I was there."
"Let's go already! The tide won't stay high forever!" Tijo yelled with extra enthusiasm, showing none of his previous hesitation. He began to fill a bag with various traveling supplies.
"What are you doing?" Evan said, pulling Tijo away. "The theme for this vacation is minimalism! If we're hungry, there's plenty to catch in the ocean. If we're sleepy, we'll just camp out on the surf."
The Bottom-feeder resisted. "I don't think so! I mean, how often do we visit the mainland? I'm not gonna miss the exotic land foods we'll come across. At least let me bring a few rupees."
"Yeah, and if we're not gonna bring anything, what's with that package?" Mikau pointed to the bundle Evan was holding under his arm.
"That's my stuff." Lulu said quickly.
Evan rolled his eyes. "Daughter of a diva. Can't live without a decent wardrobe." Lulu gave him a disgusted look that got a laugh out of everyone else.
The only thing that delayed them further was Mikau locking up his dorm door. Then the five of them dived into the ocean and headed towards the mainland, streaks of silvery blue.
The tides were high this morning, causing a host of marine animals to swarm around the tidal pools. Japas, Mikau and Evan hugged the shoreline, swimming rapidly to catch the creatures in their open mouths while they traveled. Tijo was slower than the others, but had a bigger mouth, so he caught just as many shrimp and fry as the rest of them. Lulu abstained from eating to prevent stomach cramps, which both Evan and Tijo ended up with later on.
Mikau's excitement grew as he woke more fully. This vacation's gonna be great! He hasn't been to any mainland for over a year, and now he gets to go with his best friend, his roommate, Evan and Lulu. Now that he thought about it, he wondered why Lulu came at all. A female would just get in the way of four guys and their fun. But nobody else seemed to mind, and in all actuality, Mikau's glad that she's coming along.
The ocean floor suddenly dropped away in front of the school of Zoras and they were hit with a blast of warm water.
"Nayru's mercy, what was that?!" Lulu exclaimed, recoiling at the uncomfortable heat. Evan and Mikau both rushed to her side, but the Zorian Hero veered off sheepishly, letting the eel-Zora escort her.
Japas swam deeper into the heat and did a loop-de-loop. "C'mon, it's just water from the volcanic vents. We're passing over the Chaotic Rim." He lead the rest of them over the underwater canyon, although it was tiring work for everyone. Warm water distorts a Zora's sense of current and visibility, but once they passed over the Rim, they were only a mile from the village of Veritora.
"Finally!" Evan announced, spreading his arms wide as he stepped onto the warm, dry sand. "The fishing village of Veritora, gateway to the oceans, population 4000!"
"When did you become the expert?" Japas asked rhetorically. He shook his head free of lingering water droplets, splashing them all over everyone else.
The five Zoras adjusted quickly to the airside enviorment, folding in their fins and relaxing their tails. The sun and wind dried up any remaining moisture on their rubbery bodies, forcing them to retreat under a shady tree while they rested from the journey. Tijo had a harder time on land than any of the others because Bottom-feeders are simply not built for surface movement.
Mikau breathed in deeply from his lungs, finding the air refreshing. It's not the same as the moist, fishy air of Zora homes right over the ocean. There's a multitude of exotic scents from the airside plants and animals, but the smell that stuck out the most was of fire, an element that Zoras rarely use. Someone's cooking something nearby, probably in one of the village huts.
Actually, the Zorian Hero felt literally, and proverbially, like a fish out of water. As far as he could tell, out of his four friends, he's the Zora with the least exposure to life on land. Both Evan and Japas looked comfortable on the sand, the former radiating his ever-present confidence and the latter actually standing out in the sun, protected by the fins on his head. Mikau knew that Lulu had visited many airside cities and Tijo probably also had his share of traveling abroad.
"So, what should we do first?" Tijo wondered aloud.
"Breakfast." "Lunch." Mikau and Japas said simultaneously. They looked at each other in mild surprise, then to the rest of the group, searching for approval.
Evan and Tijo stared at them increduously. Haven't they had enough to eat on the way here? But Lulu smiled at Japas and Mikau. "Sounds great!" She turned to the other two accusingly. "Didn't you consider the fact that I haven't eaten anything on the way here? How thoughtless of you guys."
Evan coughed and nervously scratched his tail, but Tijo was smoother than that. "Ah, but I thought you were simply trying to maintain your fantastic figure." The Bottom-feeder said pleasantly. Lulu couldn't think of a retort fast enough, so before she could, Tijo announced to the others, "Alright! You heard the lady, it's time for some grub!"
"Actually, I don't think we'll be able to find any grubs in Veritora." Evan mentioned casually as they neared the city. "Most humans have qualms against eating insects, last I heard."
Tijo frowned. "It's just a saying, fish! Must you contradict everything I say? Goddesses, it's becoming a bad habit of yours."
"More like a hobby." Japas whispered loudly to Mikau. Lulu also heard and she laughed.
The sand gave way to rocks, then to grassy packed dirt, then to the cobblestones of city streets. The airside buildings seemed to be bulkier and heavier than underwater buildings to compensate for the heavier gravity. And their doors were located only on the ground since the inhabitants can't simply swim up to the second level of a house. What a restricted life these landgoers live, able to move in only two dimensions.
The seaside villagers didn't pay the Zoras much attention; they have many Zora traders living in Veritora. But Mikau spent a good deal of time staring at all the different shapes and sizes of people, a variety of which he hadn't seen in years. He was especially awestruck by a large Goron lumbering among the colorful crowd of humans, who parted like water to make way for the behemoth.
Evan nudged the Zorian Hero. "Don't stare. It's not polite."
Mikau winced at his error and smiled apologetically. Lulu suddenly grabbed Evan's arm. "Hey, that place looks good! Let's go there!" She pointed to a wooden building painted brick red with a 'fork and knife' sign hanging over the front door. Chatter and laughter, as well as the delicious smell of cooking food, wafted from the inside.
Evan shrugged in agreement and let himself be dragged into a bustling restaurant with the other Zoras in tow. Lulu picked out a table and once seated, immediately began reading the menu. She must be pretty hungry. The boys she was with all displayed some degree of guilt on their faces for being so inconsiderate.
Hungry himself, though he had just eaten, Japas picked up a menu and mulled it over, running a finger from the top of the page to the bottom as he read. "Hey, an egg and bacon sandwich! That sounds pretty good."
"Mmmmmm. That does sounds good." Tijo commented. "I want a honey raisin cake and an order of smoked salmon."
"I suggest you don't order any seafood." Evan said. "We can eat that stuff all the time in the ocean. No point in getting it here. Pick something more exotic."
Before long, everyone ordered what they wanted and they sat idly waiting for the food to come in. There were a lot of customers coming in and out of the restaurant, and at one point, Japas turned to look at some people who just entered. He abrubtly turned forward again, lips pulled back in a snarl.
Mikau looked up quizzically from his meal. "What is it, Japas?" He asked.
Japas stared at his food and was careful not to raise his head. "Don't look now, but you see those guys that just walked in? They're from the Black Nulia."
From the corner of his eye, Mikau watched the eight or so Zoras seat themselves at a table. They were a rough looking bunch with shady velvet eyes and dry skin from living airside so long. All of them had blackened fin or tail tips. A few people hastily finished their meals and left the restaurant rather than risking conflict with members of this gang.
"What should we do?" Lulu asked anxiously. She was worried, but still calm (or hungry) enough to put another chip in her mouth.
Evan clicked his tongue twice, thinking. "I think we should stay and finish off our food. But we don't want to provoke them. Hey Japas, what do you think we should do?"
Japas looked up in surprise. He didn't expect Evan to ask him for his opinion, especially since he associates with Crybax gang members. He knows that the eel-Zora was already biased against him because of that little fact. Japas hoped the Black Nulia wouldn't try to cause any trouble because of him. If they do, what would Mikau and the others think of him?
"Well, I'll tell you what I know. The Black Nulia are based here in Veritora and they live more on land than we do. They're traders who do sea- to-land business or the children of traders. As a mark of their group, they burn the tips of their fins and tails black, hence their name." The other Zoras shuddered. Getting a flame wound is very, very unusual and painful for members of their aquatic race. Japas continued. "They're known for alcohol related incidents and for starting fights with other rival gangs. Other than that, they're not as bad as most people think. So yeah, I think we should play it cool."
"Alright, then." Evan took a casual sip of his drink. "How are your potatoes, Lulu?"
"Huh? Fine, I guess." She ate another chip to comfirm this fact. It was obvious that Evan was trying to get everyone to relax by changing the subject. It worked rather well, actually. Before long, everyone was chatting freely again, having almost completely forgotten about the Black Nulia. Everyone except Mikau. Maybe it was his imagination, but he noticed how some of those Zoras stole glances in his direction. One of them even pointed directly at him, then turned to say something to his friends. This made him so nervous that his arm blades started stiffening on their own.
Evan and the others had just finished their meal and were waiting for the bill when the Black Nulia made their move. One of them grabbed a spare chair and sat between Mikau and Tijo. The Bottom-feeder shuffled away discreetly while the Zorian Hero had the guts to appear annoyed at the intrusion. Japas, on the other side of Mikau, tensed himself for action and Evan shifted closer to Lulu, protectively.
"Hi!" The gang member said cheerfully to Mikau. She was rather thin and non-threatening compared to the other Black Nulias, and young. Her damaged fins would probably never reach the flowing elegance of maturity, although the rest of her spoke of a child of maybe sixteen years or more. She had rather tasteful chiseled features and a beaming smile that wouldn't go away.
"Uh, hi." Mikau answered. He tried to relax, seeing that this Zora was only a girl, but felt the eyes of her fellows on him. Sending her was obviously a calculated move on their part ment to put him at ease. His blades lengthened even more.
"I couldn't help but notice your paint job!" She said with genuine interest. She pointed to the colorful markings on Mikau's head and right arm. "Those tattoos help you stand out in a crowd, don't they! I have to ask: what exactly do they represent? Did it hurt to get them?"
"Not really. They actually fade away after a few months." Mikau was now more confused than annoyed or frightened. He held his arm in front of him and looked at it from different angles. "The body paint is in a traditional Zorian Hero pattern. Most of the blue parts represent the eternal ocean and the red is the blood spilt by my ancestors in protecting the Zoras. Each picture tells its own unique story."
The Zora's eyes and mouth now consisted of three large 'O's of amazement. "You're a Zorian Hero?!" She said incredulously. "That is so cool! I've never seen a Zorian Hero before! Hey, Pertuous, have you ever seen one?"
"Nope. Never in my life."
Mikau whirled around in his seat and found himself staring at the 'Pertuous' she was addressing. Staring at his protruding stomach, actually. The guy was about as tall as Mikau if they were both standing up, but he could easily be twice the Zorian Hero's weight. Judging by his tail and shoulders, he was obviously a Sleek, but he could easily be mistaken for a Bottom-feeder from a distance. His arms and legs were bulging with the muscle that it takes to hold him up on land.
"Hey, there. My name's Pertuous." He held out a hand, expecting Mikau to shake it.
"Name's Mikau." The Zorian Hero put on his best social smile and took the hand in his own. He was rewarded with a crushing handshake that left his hand numb for a while.
"Oh! And my name's Wavvern!" The girl chirped from behind him. Both she and Pertuous completely ignored Mikau's companions.
The waitress came and gave Evan the bill. He paid and stood up as if he was about to leave. The others did so as well, and waited for Mikau to do the same. Japas coughed.
"Uh, it's nice meeting you guys, but I gotta go." Mikau began. "My friends and I are visiting Veritora and we still have a lot to see."
"Then why don't we show you around, Mikau?" Pertuous put an arm on the Zorian Hero's shoulder as if they were old friends. Mikau sagged under the weight. "After all, I live 'round here. I can show you all the sights. How about it?"
"Yeah!" Wavvern cried before Mikau could answer. She pulled him away with surprising strength, making Pertuous lose his balance. "C'mon! I want to introduce you to all my friends!"
Mikau wasn't able to pull away from Wavvern when all of her 'friends' stood up to meet the Zorian Hero. They ushered him out of the restaurant, away from his friends, and he couldn't do anything to escape the Black Nulia without provoking them. Mikau took one last glance back at Japas, Lulu, Evan and Tijo before losing sight of them for good.
End of Chapter 20
Can't talk. Busy playing Wind Waker. Well, replaying it, actually. Dang it, I so wanted to somehow stuff the Rito species into Ocean Eternal, but due to circumstances in WW beyond my control, I am unable to. Don't know what I'm talking about? Heh heh heh, too bad, it's a Wind Waker spoiler.