On the surface of the rolling waves, someone floated like a piece of driftwood being carried by the sea. The sky was a cloudy grey and the high-pitched shrieking of seabirds sounded overhead. Gerard had folded his hands together as if reclining on an ottoman, rocking back and forth in the cold waters of the Nyella. He was only half a mile off the coast of the nearest shore, but it felt like he was all by himself. Breathing deeply the salty spray filled his lungs, as waves carrying sea foam washed over his face. It was one of the few precious moments where he was in a state of complete tranquility, and his mind was free. The peaceful quiet was punctuated by the bellows of a foghorn, signalling the approach of a ship. By the sound he knew it was still far off, and didn't bother swimming away. Closing his eyes he let his mind wander, enjoying the sensation of the rippling tides lapping around his feet. He felt something brush by his back; likely a school of small fish.

He soon wrinkled his brow as he heard the shouts of sailors and bells clanging. It was probably one of those fishing schooners again, or a sailboat. He especially hated fishing ships–they were noisy, sat on the surface of the water in groups like seagulls, and smelled terrible. Normally they would stay close to the shoreline but on occasion they would sail out further for a catch when the waters were less choppy. So absorbed was he in his own thoughts that he failed to notice the nets closing in, and was rudely awakened by the forceful pull of thickly braided ropes trawling him through the water. Opening his mouth to yell, his voice was muffled by the incoming rush of water over his head and the cold writhing bodies of scaled fish struggling to get free. As he vainly kicked to reach the bottom of the net, the surrounding water started to drain away as it was hoisted up onto a slippery deck. The loaded catch hit the wooden boards with a thud, and the trapped fish began jumping about gasping for air. Buried beneath several pounds of fresh bass and mackerel, Gerard found himself unable to move or see.

As the fishing boat drew close to shore, the fishermen discovered something extra while sorting their daily catch. "Ye gods! Is that a drowned corpse?!" "Nah mun, look–it's still breathin'. Boys, looks like we've caught ourselves a mermaid!" "Don'tcha mean merman? An' look, it's got legs!" A clamor came from the boat as they discussed the finer points of mythical sea life.

The sea had always held appeal to her, but Harmony hadn't set foot on a boat in many years.  It was time to change that, and the fishing boat was glad of the coin she offered.  She had only a couple of simple requests, and they were happy with them.  Even if she looked a bit strange hanging off the bow of the ship, they didn't object.  Plus it was the best way for Harmony to smell the air without the nasty smell of fish interfering.  And the spray of salt water was refreshing, something that she missed.  In the transition to this world, she had lost a few things, but her love of sensation was not one of them.

It wasn't until she heard the sailors shouted to each other that she realized anything was amiss.  Nimbly swinging back onto the deck, Harmony quietly made her way to where the men were gathered, and an eyebrow went up.  She wasn't entirely sure as to how he had ended up within the fishing net, but he didn't look too happy about it.  As the sailors tried to figure out just what they had found, Harmony acted.  She moved towards the man, pushing the heavier fish off his chest.  "Well, you don't belong in a net, do you?  Want to stay on deck, or should you be thrown back into the water?" she asked, sapphire eyes sparkling with humor.  The sailors looked sheepish, realizing that the stranger could have died while they were trying to figure out what he was, and started to help unbury him from the fishing net.  "I'm Harmony, by the way," she added, letting the sailors do the heavy work they were accustomed to doing.

"I'd rather go back into the water myself, thank you very much." He responded dryly to her humorous remark, before following up with introducing himself. "The name's Gerard." Gerard, now freed from the fishing net looked somewhat disheveled having been forced into a small space with several varieties of salt-water fish. He spit out a piece of seaweed which had gotten trapped in the holes of the trawling net and ended up in his mouth in his attempts to yell. He meticulously picked off the scales and sea debris one by one out of his hair and off himself while he sat on the deck of the fishing boat. He was dressed in his swimming costume, and his clothes were elsewhere on shore. Shaking out the water from his ears, the first thing he would do once on solid land again would be to rinse off all the salt and sea brine off his body. He took a whiff of his forearm and wrinkled his nose in distaste that the fishy smell from the day's catch had rubbed off on him.  After every piece of fish scale, kelp frond, and sea grass had been removed from his person, he washed his hands in a bucket of fresh water. The rest of the contents he poured over himself, and rinsed his feet. Not enough to qualify for a cleaning, but it would have to do for now.

The boat's bell clanged as it was drawing closer to shore, and soon the fishermen would be unloading their stock to send to the markets. The nokken sat on the edge of the deck, his black hair now bearing closer resemblance to the clumped fronds of matted seaweed. Things had gone quite unexpectedly, but at the end no harm had been done. "A few more hours and a storm would've started to roll in," He mused aloud, still a bit sour over having his private time disrupted. Even if a sea storm had hit, he would've already made his way back to shore. Though he couldn't drown, it wasn't pleasant to be tossed about from one wave to the next, like a ball between children. Unless you dove deep below the waves, it was difficult to get anywhere. Being as old as he was, he had seen his share of storms. The ones here were tempestuous and sudden, contrasting with the advancing torrential rain of the storms near the west coast of Parvpora. They always seemed to intensify around Abed, as there were few islands to break their impact before landfall. Nisshoki then would receive the hurricanes after they were weakened.

"So, taking some leisure time to tour the edges of the Nyella?" The bard asked the woman. Most people when they wanted to see the ocean would take a schooner or skiff, not hitch a ride on a fishing boat. In comparison, the fishing boats were cramped and small with little space once the nets were in. 

It was funny to her, watching the man meticulously clear the sea debris off himself.  She had never quite realized just how full of random things the sea could be.  "It's good to meet you, Gerard.  My name is Harmony.  For someone who seems to enjoy floating on it, you certainly don't seem to enjoy the detritus that floats about in the ocean," she observed with a chuckle.  The fishermen were moving around the pair, still having their work to do.  She was slightly disappointed they were heading back to shore already, but she knew they had their jobs to keep up.  Harmony knew she was lucky in that regard, she no longer had a family to worry over or support.

The man's question jarred her out of her thoughts.  "Mhm, and a fishing boat was much more interesting to me.  They tend to go into the more dangerous areas, like the shoals over there.  Safe is boring, and I've had quite enough of safe," Harmony answered, pointing at she indicated where the white capped waves showed a dangerous area to sail in.  But the fishermen had told her that a rich catch awaited anyone brave enough to stay in that area for a length of time.  "And the fishermen have much more interesting stories too.  They told me about the time a whale got caught in their nets, and almost dragged the boat under.  But they managed to cut the nets free before anyone drowned, and got home safely.  Though it's much better hearing them tell the story.  I just like listening, I'm no bard," Harmony said with a slight grin.  She did enjoy gathering stories and memorizing the details, she just had little talent for retelling them.

"They certainly are more interesting, I'll agree with that. And not just for catching fish." He remarked, knowing those areas were where the best underwater finds would lie. Most people didn't go pearl-diving in rough waters, but being a nokken meant it was no less difficult than hiking up a sloping hill. Corals were harder to come by, especially if you waited for pieces to break off naturally from collisions with flotsam. Although they resembled colorful stone structures, corals were alive–and when put in that context people who took pieces still attached were ripping off bits and pieces of their bodies for profit. That was why he appreciated areas with turbulent waters. They discouraged over-collection of natural resources. "The sea itself is enjoyable, but only when the waters are clean. As a result, I prefer swimming out into the open further from the shoreline. There's less unsightly things floating about, and the water quality is far better. The coasts are often a terrible mess during peak storm season. Boats and ships bail whatever they can over the decks hoping to relieve their cargo's load, but no one picks them up after. Sure they're still afloat, but I'd rather not run headfirst into a crate of waterlogged spices making the area smell like poorly seasoned stew."

The experiences he recounted weren't likely to be things most swimmers would know firsthand, but he wanted at least one person to hear. Typical land-dwellers had the misconception that the sea was a bottomless pit filled with water. That especially was not the case, as indeed the ocean did have a floor and throwing things into it meant it ended up in someone else's space. Fortunately his abode was near bodies of freshwater miles away, or else he would be spending his weekends making the shallows presentable. He nodded as Harmony told him of the story of fishermen snagging a whale in their nets. It was hard to believe, as whales typically were too large to be caught. "Perhaps it was a small one, as I can't picture a great blue fitting its front end into such narrow netting." There were smaller mammalian versions of sea life that resembled the blue giants, maybe it was one of their young. "I haven't had time to sit by the docks in a while to listen to sea stories. I'll need to set some time aside in my schedule later on."

Once they docked, Gerard stepped off the deck to wring out any additional brine from his hair. The clouds above were an ashen grey and voluminous like cotton bolls. The distinct scent of petrichor was already in the air, and he could feel the humidity rise. A little sprinkling against his skin signaled the start of the incoming thunderstorm, and he breathed the moisture in. "I'd better get my clothes, the rain will start pouring any minute now." He gave a polite nod to Harmony before dashing down the rocky slopes in search of his belongings. He had placed them in a hard-to-reach spot, an isolated outcropping surrounded by choppy waters. There were plenty of other natural deterrents which prevented possible theft by nosy people, but he was running short on time with the storm rolling in. From Harmony's perspective, she would see Gerard clamber down the shore to dive back into the water towards a large flat-topped rock jutting out of the sea. Holding his dry clothes and violin up above his head, he moved the water around him so he was only waist-deep, making walking back easier. 

He was running back to take cover under the eaves of a fisherman's shack as fat rain droplets were starting to pelt the ground faster and faster. Everyone else was ducking under roofs and into buildings as the boom of thunder announced the coastal storm had officially arrived. A bit of water melding removed the rest of the moisture in his swimming costume, and for the time being he wore his shirt, trousers, and black tailored overcoat on top of it. 

She could appreciate the sentiment about clean water, it had been a precious commodity on her first home, and carefully guarded.  The people of her second home could be careless, yet there were still beautiful places to be found.  And here, it was much the same.  "I think in the heat of the moment, at least when it comes to storms, people are mostly concerned with their own survival and keeping the boat afloat.  But it is a pity that they do not take care to clean up once everyone is safe," she suggested, knowing there were always at least three sides to every situation.  And that was a minimum.  It was a real pity that most people only could see the black and white.

Her head canted to one side as she contemplated what her new friend had just said about the whales, that made sense once she thought about it.  But in the moment of storytelling, Harmony hadn't even thought about that element.  "I've never actually seen a whale.  I've only heard the stories, truth be told.  I'd like to see a great blue some time," she said wistfully, staring across the waves, as if willing her wish to be true would bring it to reality.  Alas, that was not the case, and they were soon back at the docks.  The clouds were growing, and the smell of rain was near.  But Harmony had never feared a storm, she had found them calming since she had been a young child.  And it wasn't until Gerard had already left that she realized he had offered a polite farewell.  She watched him for a few moments, then headed to the beach.

There was a mostly abandoned shack that she had claimed for the day, and it was here that her boots and bag were stashed.  While she didn't mind her clothing getting wet, her footware was another story.  The smell of wet leather was a highly unpleasant one.  Digging her toes in the sand, she walked along the shoreline, enjoying the deluge of clean rain on her skin.  It took a few minutes for her to noticed that Gerard had returned from where he'd gone to, and was taking shelter near where the rest of her things were stashed.  She raised a hand in greeting before joining him under the eaves.  "I've always loved storms.  Most people are afraid of them, but I find them very calming.  My parents gave up on locking the windows to keep me inside when I was three," Harmony said with a laugh, watching the lightning with a vivid fascination.  There was a magic to it, one she hoped to learn some day.

Seated atop a barrel re-purposed into a makeshift chair, Gerard nodded in agreement with Harmony. "Yes, the same here. Contrary to most people, I quite like the rain and the moisture it brings. A little rain every now and then does the soil good, compared to going for a long spell without a drizzle here and there. It's actually worse if there isn't periodic showers. Have you ever seen a flash flood? When the ground goes without water for too long, it becomes so dry that it can barely take up water as soon as its coming in. Damp soil absorbs the water in seconds, but dry ground can take more than thrice the amount of time just for a few drams of liquid. When there's so much water rushing in like that, the results are destructive. Rapid erosion, sitting pools of water, and drowning incidents are just a few of the problems."

 The rhythmic pitter-patter of the rain falling from the roof eaves were like the beat of a small muffled drum. Gerard relaxed more when the initial downpour reduced to something more manageable. It was rare for him to speak with others about the environment and the cycles of nature without having the other party move away from the topic. In fact, most people hardly bothered to think about the issues he spoke of at all. It was disappointing that so few of the general population had such a casual attitude towards their surroundings, even if it didn't affect them immediately. A clap of thunder brought him back to the present, and he was back to thinking up on what to speak of next. Small talk and casual conversation were not his strongest suits. Admittedly he was too used to initiating debates, intentional or not. He just couldn't bring himself to be comfortable with discussing matters that had no weight to them. Finally he found something that would be acceptable socially to ask in a first meeting.

"…So speaking of your family, where are you from? I've been around both continents, but mostly around the coastlines." He couldn't infer any possible locations from what she had told him. Maybe he had visited or passed by her hometown at some point in his life. Hopefully he wasn't prying into her personal affairs too much by doing this. Otherwise it was back to square one, and that had been his only idea from there.

She was glad for the company, and that her new friend didn't ask her to go away.  Some people enjoyed their solitude, and it was something that Harmony understood well.  Her eyes widened as Gerard described a flash flood, it wasn't something she had seen before.  "That sounds like something you would not want to see from up close.  I'm guessing that flash floods only occur in desert areas?  That's one place I tend to avoid, I don't like the dryness," she admitted, though curiosity would eventually drive her to explore those areas.  Just not quite yet.  And whatever information she could glean ahead of time would save her a whole heap of trouble later.  

Staring across the turbulent ocean for a moment, Harmony considered best how to answer the question.  It wasn't an easy thing, and she had only just met him a few hours ago.  But she didn't sense any malevolence in his tone, and Harmony knew she could defend herself well enough, should the need arise.  Not to mention she was somewhat sure that she was just being paranoid.  "I'm not really from here.  Or the other continent.  I came from another world entirely, one that's gone now.  It was my father and I alone for a long time, and now he's gone too.  So I've been exploring these lands, haven't really found a place I want to call home yet," she said with a sad smile and wistful tone.  The idea of having somewhere to go back to, to rest and recharge, was a pleasant one.  But Harmony had yet to find that place.

"Ah I see. An 'other-worlder'. It must have been hard for you and your father." He was more careful with his words and tone now. Even if she was just a stranger, he didn't want to offend her unintentionally. "It must be difficult, moving from place to place looking for a place to call home. I understand the feeling, to a certain degree. Before settling down, I spent years wandering along the coast between both continents. During that time I rarely remained in a single place for longer than a year. No matter how kind the people were, in the end I couldn't stay." Gerard stopped there, deciding not to continue. Even now, he was still getting used to his 'new home' in the Highlands. To tell the truth, he had been living there for at least twenty years now. But compared to the fifty years he had spent around Jasumin Lake and Parvpora's coast, it was short. 

There was another reason why it was difficult for him to stay in one place. Though one wouldn't know from a glance, he wasn't human. He might look and sound the part, but eventually people would begin to notice when his appearance remained the same year after year. Once people became suspicious, they would turn to fear and panic. To save himself the trouble and to prevent them from misunderstanding, he would often stage an incident where they wouldn't continue to search for him. Then, he would swim on until he found a new place where no one would recognize him. This repeated cycle of pretending and disappearing was tiring. So finally, he made up his mind to find a place far away from the hustle and bustle of the cities, where he could stay for years to come. 

When Harmony spoke of her father, it struck a cord in Gerard. Family…that was something he had never experienced. His earliest memories were the sea, waking up in the cold waters of the Nyella. If he had parents, he had never known them. The thought had never occurred to him as he lived in Jasumin. There he met other aquatic beings, like water nymphs and merfolk. Before then he had lived his life like the seals and the fish, living from day to day without a second thought. It was then he learned to interact with others like him, and later on the people on land. The conversation had taken an awkward turn, unexpectedly. He wasn't sure what else to say to her afterwards.