Nightshift 37: Courtyard

[usoppsenchou]

[from here]Unlike usual, he didn't pause on the wall for his partner. It wasn't that Usopp didn't care if Sai made it over, or that Usopp wasn't worried about what might be on the other side, but perching in a high place seemed like a really bad idea

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[tsunagari]

The ninja released the hold on his chakra as he reached the top of the wall, jumping up to land beside Usopp at the top of it. He had to pause for a moment, panting. As expected, the use of chakra was far more draining than it should be. He couldn't use it as often as he might wish.

A glimpse around the area revealed nothing. Unlike the previous area, this one didn't seem to have any other patients running about. That wasn't necessarily a good thing, as it meant the two of them would then be the first targets for anything less friendly.

"We should probably make a run for the shed," he advised. There was nothing else they could do, really, but move quickly and hope to avoid any potential danger.

[damned_monsters]

The courtyard was quiet and apparently empty for a moment, but short moments after the pair dropped off the wall that changed.

A blue-skinned woman lifted head and shoulders above the water of the pond, white hair spilling down to float around her, partially clothing her bare skin. She blinked at the two men, head tilting to one side in an almost curious gesture, then opened her mouth and began to sing softly.

It was an elusive, faint melody, barely audible and yet somehow enthralling, driving into the baser impulses of the brain to attract the listener and drive him closer.

[tiassa]

[usoppsenchou]

He didn't notice the creature emerging, too preoccupied with Sai's arrival on the scene. It was only when she started singing that Usopp turned his head, surprised and initially alarmed by the unexpected sound.

The little pond had been his favorite part of the Institute, just on general principle, even if they'd had to use it to subdue Chopper only two nights earlier. Usopp had been away from the sea for longer, but it had never felt longer. And the previous night, what he'd seen, or at least thought he'd seen in the dark, a perversion of waters murky with something unspeakable and surrounded by death...

Even at night, the pond was quiet and peaceful. Beautiful. He'd never seen a fishwoman before, he realized absently, and hadn't expected them to be so pretty. Or maybe this was a mermaid..? He knew mermaids were supposed to be like humans above the waist, but maybe they looked just a little different, explaining the skin and hair. He'd never be able to tell from here, anyway, she was still too far under the water. Usopp

[tsunagari]

It was hard to see what the creature in the water was from where they were, but the song caused Sai to falter, staring out towards the water in a sort of half-daze. Usopp was already moving in that direction. Shouldn't he be following as well?

They had a goal for that night, and they should be moving towards it, but somehow it didn't seem like such a bad idea just to side-track for a moment. This creature was a curiosity, and he couldn't help but want to see it closer. It? Her? It was hard to say. The voice sounded feminine at least.

He followed after the pirate, basic ninja instincts ignored for the moment.

[damned_monsters]

The undine rose farther from the water as she allowed her song to grow in volume, her arms lifting to reach toward the two men in a pleading gesture, beckoning them closer. Something about her expression spoke of loneliness and longing, and it was reflected in the melody she sang.

The creature appeared quite human from the waist up, her damp hair both concealing and revealing as it clung to her decidedly female curves. At her waist, though, just visible above the surface of the pond, one could see the beginnings of her tail, the scales glimmering like jewels in the moonlight.

She was almost at the edge of the pond, but just barely out of reach from the solid ground. Anyone who wished to approach her would have to wade into the water itself to be close enough to touch.

[usoppsenchou]

So she was a mermaid. Or maybe something between a mermaid and a fishperson, something that didn't exist in the huge oceans of Usopp's home. She still looked like water personified, with some extra curves along the way. People always referred to the sea as a lady and a mistress, didn't they?

He remembered Sai was with him, and for a second paused. They were here for something important. What was he doing? But Sai was so reliable, if he was coming along too...

"Hello." Usopp's voice was a little shaky as he stepped forward again, and again, almost within reach of the water, shy. Why didn't she talk? She seemed so lonely. "Are you all right?" He started to reach out shakily towards her. Other sea stories rang in the back of his mind, just at the tip of memory, but he ignored them for now.

[tsunagari]

The unfortunate thing about the undine's choice in prey, unfortunate for her at least, was that Sai's interests in women were rather questionable. (If, in fact, it could be said that he had any interest in women at all.) When the two of them got closer, and the creature became more visible, his steps slowed and eventually stopped. He watched her with a look of mild confusion - as though wondering why he'd been walking towards her to begin with.

She was, after all, not the least bit attractive.

Her expression didn't tug at any heartstrings, either, for he could hardly recognize emotions in others, especially subtle ones like loneliness. All he could see now was that she was reaching for his friend, and if it wasn't a patient then nothing outside at night could be any good.

He moved quickly, stepping up to grab Usopp's shoulder and yank him back.

[damned_monsters]

One of the men was drawing so very close, almost to her. The other, though, stopped advancing, much to the undine's confusion. Was she not lovely enough? Tempting enough? Tears welled up in her deep blue eyes as she subtly increased the volume of the song, trying to bring both of them to her.

The second man remained stubbornly unaffected, though, and even tried to interfere and pull the first away. That she couldn't allow to happen, and she strained to reach out, trying to grasp Usopp's hand before she lost him entirely. She couldn't move closer to the shore, though, and tried to plead with him through face and voice to come to her, despite the other's actions.

[usoppsenchou]

Usopp was startled when Sai grabbed him, and for a moment turned to stare at Sai, then look back at the creature waiting in the pond, immensely confused. She was... calling...

"Sai?" Usopp's voice was weak still, shaky. He found himself still reaching for the creature despite Sai's efforts, but his other hand reached back blindly to grab for his companion. "Sai, what are we..." It was so hard to concentrate over that voice. Usopp found himself pleading with her again, "Is something wrong? Do you need help?" He could feel that something was wrong with the whole situation, now, but it didn't help as her song seemed to grow louder, crowding out his thoughts.

[tsunagari]

The pirate was still trying to move closer and Sai made every effort to force him backwards, tossing him back if he had to. This creature was going to pull him under at best, he was sure. There was nothing natural about this.

"Usopp," his voice was stern. "We're going to the shed. Lawnmower, remember?" If the creature didn't stop singing then he might have to do something about it, though he wanted to avoid any and all fights if possible - especially those that would obviously take place in the enemy's home environment.

[damned_monsters]

The man's hand was just barely out of reach, the undine's fingertips almost brushing his as she tried to reach him. At the question she nodded, a single tear trailing down her cheek as her wordless song begged and pled for her. See how lovely she was, it said, how desirable; all he had to do was come a little closer and all would be better, and he'd have bliss beyond measure.

The other man she ignored for the moment; there was little she could do with him out of reach except try to overwhelm his influence on her target. She could drown out his voice not with volume, but with the coercion inherent in her song and the lure of her own beauty.

[usoppsenchou]

Shoved back forcefully by Sai, Usopp stumbled, and tried to concentrate again. Who was Sai? Sai was his good friend from another world. Where were they? In the courtyard, by the pond. What were they doing?

"Lawnmower." Usopp repeated obediently, closing his eyes tightly. But no matter how much he tried, he couldn't ignore that voice, pulling at something inside of him. Why wasn't Sai running to her? How could anyone..?

Instead of the right story, another came up to mind, and he mumbled it under his breath, half trying to drown out the undine's call with the familiar song. "My father was the keeper of the Eddystone Light, he married a mermaid one fine night..." But he couldn't remember the rest. "Sai. Sai!" Usopp started to struggle forward yet again, torn between his friend, his instincts and that voice. "Sai, it's going to eat me!"

Where had that momentary hysteria come from, and why was he still trying to walk ahead anyway? How could something so delicate and beautiful be dangerous? She'd said she needed help.

[tsunagari]

Sai moved to wrap both of his arms under Usopp's armpits, effectively holding his arms back, and pull him further away. He didn't understand how his friend was being enticed by the woman in the water so easily. Then again, there were a lot of things about attraction between people that he didn't understand.

If she wasn't moving from the water, then keeping Usopp away from her would hopefully be enough. "Come on. She's not going to get you." He spoke quietly for some reason, voice low and near the pirate's ear - difficult to hear over the singing. "I have you."

[damned_monsters]

It was too late, and her allure clearly wasn't enough. The man was being all but dragged away and still he doubted her. All was lost.

The undine's song fell to silence again as she drew back, covering her face with her hands as she began to weep. Her shoulders trembled with her wordless sobs, and she looked the very picture of despair and misery.

[usoppsenchou]

Usopp was still torn between the two voices, and two different intentions. But one was physically pulling him back, and that made the difference. Sai's reassuringly familiar voice reminded Usopp of his own fear, even though he couldn't remember the story that had prompted the abruptly clear moment of hysteria.

Or was there more to the story than that? Singing, water, death... He squeezed his eyes shut again, and this time did his best to bring up his hands to cover his ears around Sai's grip on him. He tried to turn in the direction he thought the shed was, trusting Sai to guide him. "The lawnmower." It wasn't a very romantic thought, but at least it was something to concentrate on.

[tsunagari]

"Yes. That's the goal." Sai kept moving, every step bringing the shed closer. Once he got to it, everything would hopefully become easier.

He took out a trowel as they arrived, using it to crack open the weak lock rather than risk bruising his shoulder trying to break in while keeping hold of his friend.

"Come on."

[to here]