Quoted By:
Part of you wants to join Pepper just in case... after everything that's happened, how can you <span class="mu-i">not?</span> But something about the confidence in her gaze sets your mind at ease... something that tells you this is something she needs to do herself!
Giving your date an encouraging nod, Pepper returns the gesture with an appreciative smile as you watch from afar…
Taking a steadying breath as her arm shakes at her side she lets out one last long breath before stepping into the water! For a moment, all is quiet save for the ruckus on the pier above and the distant crashing of the waves along the coast.
Standing there as the gentle tides lap at her feet, the girl's face is ALIGHT with glee--so much so that she takes another step deeper! And another!
Before you can intervene, Pepper is splashing and twirling around like a very confused ballerina kicking waves and sending water and sand all over the place and laughing all the while! Dancing and leaping to and fro, the performance ends and her laughter trails off as she quietly bends over and grabs something from the water!
Trotting back over with a sheepish look in her eyes, the girl steps back into her sandy shoes with an apologetic smile as her face continues to glow with elation!
She... she did it, you remark with quiet, but impressed reverence, she... she went in the water!
The girl merely grins as you pull her into your embrace!
"For years... just <span class="mu-i">hearing</span> waves in the distance... smelling that salty air... it'd make my legs freeze up... hair stand on end... when I closed my eyes I could still feel the water burning my throat and lungs... that gnarled claw pulling on my right ankle... and those <span class="mu-i">eyes</span>... those horrible yellow glowing eyes..."
Swallowing a lump growing in her throat, the girl continues with a smile on her face. "But I haven't felt any of that all night, Diesel..." and never thought I'd touch the sea again... well, not <span class="mu-i">voluntarily</span>, but..." Shaking the thought out of her head, the girl giggles again as she holds out a prize to her date... a <span class="mu-s">RED SEASHELL</span>!
"It's no axolotl, but..." She stammers with growing embarrassment in her voice, "But you deserve a treat too... more than I can package into one night..."
>CONTD.
