First Entrance: A Mermaid On Stranger Tides...

[areyoumyjolly]

And now, there is a mermaid in the lake

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[not_his_pa]

There's a rock that sits on the edge of the inlet of the lake that William likes since it gets some of the best breezes.

He's done most of his chores and is reading some Jules Verne and enjoying being near so much water.

[areyoumyjolly]

Answers first. Hunting maybe later. One doesn't preclude the other.

Tamara swims to where the boy is sitting. Just the right age for a young sailor to be on his second or third voyage, to have heard old tales but not yet be cautious, just curious.

Just the right age.

[not_his_pa]

He doesn't notice her yet as the Nautilus is fighting off a giant squid.

[areyoumyjolly]

She swims closer. Oh, the boy is reading. It's a learned boy -- maybe an ensign, rather than a little common sailor.

He probably doesn't even believe in mermaids.

Tamara drifts among the rocks now. On one of the rocks, a bit away from the boy, there's one of these creatures humans keep for fun, sprawling as they do, padded paws stretched out in front. If the boy gets away, or catching him seems inadvisable, she could try her luck with that tame predator.

She leans on a rock near the boy, and sweetly says, "Hello! You're quite the learned sailor lad, aren't you?"

[not_his_pa]

When she speaks, he almost drops his book and looks around for her and swallows when he spots her in the water,

"I ain't a sailor."

[areyoumyjolly]

"No?" she says. "Going to be an officer, are you?"

Clever sweet little thing. She gives him a smile, drifting closer.

[not_his_pa]

"I'm a cowboy, ma'am. Where'd you swim in from?"

He didn't think there were any boats out on the lake.

[areyoumyjolly]

"Where are your cows?" she giggles. "I came in from the sea, of course!"

[not_his_pa]

"Back home in Arizona, ma'am. This is Milliways,"

Maybe she doesn't know that and he doesn't think he looks like a sailor.

[areyoumyjolly]

All humans are sailors in some way, to a mermaid.-

"How do you get here, then?" Tamara asks.

Milliways. Interesting -- so that's what the place is called. Definitely not anywhere she's ever heard about.

[not_his_pa]

He turns to point at the Bar building,

"Through a door in there or sometimes I ride in."

[areyoumyjolly]

"Ride?" she asks. "On a horse?"

She's seen horses. People come to the shore on them to board ships. Tamara has sometimes observed humans in their ports. Sometimes, there's even female humans! And little ones.

Little ones can be cute.

[not_his_pa]

"Yes, ma'am, there's a stable here and I take care of horses."

[areyoumyjolly]

"Horses and cows both?" she says. "Is it fun?"

[not_his_pa]

"Ain't sure fun's the right word for it, but I'm good at it,"

Its just what he does to keep the ranch running and he likes horses, it was fun being one for a few days.

[areyoumyjolly]

"Do you know cowboy songs?" she asks, sweetly.