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It's easy enough to reach Stone Pony. Just a drive down to Ashbury Park, to The Stone Pony--a bar with a long history of rock concerts and wild beach parties. Live bravely, die gloriously, and party hard. The Stone Pony way. The sky is filled with dark clouds, and it's raining outside: perhaps an omen.
Ziv, along with the others who had volunteered, are welcomed into the bar, offered drinks by the cluster of Lost there to meet them. The air is electric, energized, these Lost perhaps... a bit too eager to sail to their possible deaths. There's not many of them, far less than Shackamaxon, their numbers not even breaking a dozen Lost. Their small numbers don't seem to cause them any pause, though.
Then through a Hedge Door and into their Freehold: A seaside stronghold made of sturdy sea-salt marked stone, built onto the top of a massive cliff. Looking down over one side of the walls has one looking over a murky Pine Barren, while the other side gives a good view of the ocean... Which, currently, looks like a hurricane is about to hit. The waves crash against the cliffs below hard enough that it sounds like thunder. The wind is strong, and one cannot see the ocean's horizon due to the rain and clouds in the distance. Kites and flags hang all over the tops of the freehold's towers and outer walls, flapping about chaotically--but defiantly, against the wind.
The other group breaks away, escorted by a stern faced Dryad with one milky eye, covered in scars. Ziv, meanwhile, is approached by a tall, muscular lost that looks like a storm given human form--all dark clouds and flickering lightning. The smell of ozone and tingle in the air follows zir, and the Hedge's wind seems to curl around zir like a robe, bowing to zir whims. This person is hella wyrd.
Zie smiles down at the mer, zir voice echoing and crackling, but pleasant. "Seems you're with me." The Stormcaller holds out a hand. "I'm Stormcaller. Blake to my friends."
That is also one hella big Spring mantle radiating off of zir.(edited)
There are many stereotypes that Ziv meets about being a queer, and one of them is that Ziv. Does not. Drive. So someone else did the driving out to Jersey, and Ziv sat in the back seat, humming to themself and playing with their phone. When they get close enough to the shore, no matter how cold it is, it's time to crack a window and smell the salt air. Probably annoys other people but there we are.
Once they get there, they follow everyone else inside. Ziv's wearing a long, flowy black skirt, their pink leather coat, and a comfortable black t-shirt with the words 'YOU ARE ENOUGH' on them in rainbow print. The electricity in the air seems to buoy Ziv along, like a bit of detritus floating on the waves. They absently gnaw on their lower lip, accept a virgin sour (daquiri mix with sour mix, no alcohol, ice) and drink it quickly.
Their own Spring Mantle isn't quite the massive punch to the face that Blake's is, but it's nothing to sneeze at -- and they offer their webbed hand in response. "Looks like it!" The glass gets set down, and they clear their throat. "Ziv."
"Nice to meet you," the Stormcaller says, smiling as lightning crackles throughout zir beard. Even shaking zir hand feels like an electric shock going up Ziv's arm--no pain, but brief lingering numbness in their fingers.
"I've sent a couple of my own ahead, to find our allies closest to the shore. But there are still some unaccounted for, that are likely trapped further out at sea." Zie dips zir head a little. "It will just be you and I. We can move fastest that way, get in before the hunt begins and turns the sea to a typhoon. But I understand if you do not want to take that risk, knowing this."
They laugh aloud, a brief startle, as the electricity travels up their arm. Nothing unpleasant exactly, just -- oh, they didn't quite expect that.
Ziv listens, screwing their mouth to the side, and tips their head to look up at the Stormcaller as zie explains. "I signed up for it. I'll take the risk. Besides, if you -- I mean I'd want someone to come for me." That's really the only proper response, apparently.
Rieko, who has been here the whole-ass time, is standing behind her partner with arms crossed over her chest like the terrifying heavenly bodyguard she is. At her belt sits that enormous machete-like Bowie knife, and on her back rests the terrifyingly large odachi she's become well recognizable in the Freehold for carrying. She's dressed in her usual lazy-ish workout chic, featuring a drape-y crop top and some very loudly printed harem pants. Her Summer mantle radiates that scent of post-storm rain, and the accompanying humidity that often follows.
Zie had also shaken Rieko's hand, grateful to also have her along. Zir smile spreads, nodding zir approval. "Good. You will both fit in well here. We survive together."
With that, the Stormcaller turns and leads the duo down a walkway that leads underground, down a winding stairway. They can hear the waves crashing against the stone on the other side, but when they eventually come out they have winded around to a slightly calmer spot, a tiny bay where a couple ships are currently docked. One is much larger, a full on warship with hedgespun cannons and tall sails. But it's a far, far tinier boat that Blake leads them to. Its only big enough for a handful of Lost, and has a small sail. Still, it's a sleek thing, and the figurehead is carved to look like a sea serpent's head. In fact, as they approach, that head turns a little, just enough to suggest that their vessel is alive, somehow--and acknowledging them.
Blake climbs aboard and moves to stand behind... not a wheel, but a massive drum. "If you don't trust your sealegs, there is rope to tether yourself to the boat."
Ziv follows after, stopping at one point just before the stairs to shuck off their boots and carry them in one hand. They're sort of -- quiet -- and maybe content? as they head onto the boat. There's a wry twist to their expression, there. "I trust my sea legs better than my land ones," they offer mildly, but there's rope near where they settle anyway, in case they want to grab on.
Rieko trusts her sea legs, but given that she cannot breathe underwater, she ties the lifeline around her waist just in case the sea is truly too rough for her to handle. Standing barefooted (are your feet really bare when they're covered in armored chitin?) atop the deck, she inclines her head, letting the salty sea air batter and blow her shaggy mane of glowing hair in every which direction.
The Stormcaller doesn't dawdle. Once they're settled zie takes up massive drum sticks and... starts to drum a steady rhythm. Zir voice joins the song a few seconds after, zir voice booming like thunder and echoing around them all--and with that the ship comes to life fully, the wood seeming to almost breathe under their feet. Wind snaps into the sails, and they move forward onto the ocean, climbing high wave after high wave...
The Hedge has the Edge. The roll to not be swept into the sea is Dexterity+Athletics. You can choose something else if you want! I believe it just costs no 10-again and -1 each turn you don't use the right pool.
Rieko could've trusted her sea legs. It's easy to fall into the rhythm of the waves, and to anticipate the rolling, rollicking movement of the sea when your movement is being piloted by music. The oni holds fast, occasionally humming along to the Stormcaller's shanty, and managing to lean into the roughness of the spray with relative ease.
Of course, it probably helps that she's grown more and more at home in the hedge these past months.
Ziv does trust their sea legs, especially when they sing. They put one hand on a rope to steady themself at first and then start meandering up and down the deck. Everyone knows that a shanty perfectly matches the rising and falling of waves if you sing it right. Ziv layers harmonies over top of the Stormcaller's singing, and moves lightfooted in the spray, padding up to the prow and peering over the edge as the salt rimes their eyelashes and scatters in their hair.
It's not a pleasant ride... The sea does everything it can to crash against the little ship, wind clawing at the sails, waves that look far too much like hands reaching out. And soon they no longer are staring forward at the storm--they're in it. The wind is nearly deafening, and it starts to rain all around, making the wood slick.
RIeko weathers it all, steady and solid, but it's the song that slices through the storm like a sword. Waves are cut apart as they climb them, making the ocean cascade down to either side, away from them. The drumbeat and harmonized voices mingle into the wind, twisting it around to fill their sail. Forward they sail.
It's Rieko that hears it first--a second song, a reply to their own. Hauntingly enchanting, almost like Ziv's... The wind and rain nearly swallow it up, but even at a distance Rieko picks it up--and then Ziv.
Squinting through the rain, Rieko can spot something in the distance, to the left of the ship. A tiny patch of land that is swallowed up by wave after wave, with four figures clinging to it. https://open.spotify.com/track/5fuKtAl42ZpFPPPHJsIJnK?si=AO7bHKvtSmSsjhIL1UG5tA
The deck of a ship is no place for a scout to sit when they need to see. Finding the effort mildly frustrating, Rieko slips off towards the ship's mast, scampering about half-way up the rigging, and peering out at the sea around them. She was quite literally made to spot people in trouble, and with every aspect of her considerable focus directed outwards, she manages to sight them.
"That way," she hollers down over the sound of rain and wind, pointing towards the port-side island. "I see... four people, and they are clearly going to need our help before too long."
The Siren clings to the edge of the boat even as it tries to fling them off; it's easy when you're following the rhythm of the waves in your song. At least, it's easy for Ziv. They hear the other tone, the voice similar to theirs, and a shimmer of white-gold light runs through their river-in-a-glass-bottle body, their black eyes widening and trying to find the source.
Stormcaller nods, banging the left side of the drum--and the serpent's head turns and the sails realign, and the ship cuts across the top of a wave, down into another, fighting the strong current to bring them closer to the patch of land. Though a few hundred feet away the figurehead lets out a snarl and reers, and the ship cuts to the side abruptly, seconds before it would have come up onto something. Looking over the edge they can see that this is not an island, but a coral reef, part of it having grown out of the surf--but it's sharp and treacherous. The ship isn't going to get any closer.
But it's close enough that all of them can see the cluster of merfolk clinging to the coral desperately, three of their heads turning to look in their direction, while the fourth stares further out to sea, continuing to sing a longing, desperate song. The others have hands on her, as if trying to pull her away, but she is clearly resisting.
Lightning cracks, lighting up the dark sea for a flash--and in the far distance they see the shadow of a massive sea creature, too large for them to comprehend even at this distance, it's coils churning the ocean and calling up a hurricane that will no doubt be upon them... very soon.
As the lightning crackles, casting light over the unfathomable mass of writhing coils beneath the waves, Rieko falters for a moment. Not from terror or nerves, but excitement.
Her lips split into an awestruck grin at the sheer size of the monster, and then she scampers back down the rigging.
"Alright. What's the plan, Stormcaller?"
Sorry, were they supposed to wait? Ziv shucks off their leather jacket, drops it on the deck and... oh. Well, diving in to the ocean and heading for the shoal is one way to handle it, isn't it?
"I don't know why they won't come to us, but we don't have long--" zie replies, then looks to Ziv as they jump over--welp! Zie looks back to Rieko, continuing, "I'll calm the storm as much as I can, give you a few moments to swim to them, get the ship as close as possible," zie calls back over the storm, still not stopping the steady drumbeat. "But hurry!"
Rieko reaches down to the lifeline she'd fastened before, dexterously untying it and rolling her shoulders. Watching Ziv leap overboard was about all the instruction she needed, and without much of a second thought, she's gracefully diving over after them...
The water is Ziv's home, let's be honest. They shed their clothing in the water, having rather forgotten to do that on the boat. It'll be a cold ride back for them, but they don't seem to mind it too much at the moment. Their legs meld into an eel-like tail, sleek and dark blue with neon shimmering through it, as they swim for the coral and pull themselves up onto it. Their gills flare at the sides of their throat as they come up from underwater. "We're here to help," they lead.
Ziv's tail propels them forward through the rough waves, darting around the clusters of corral without even getting close. Rieko's size ends up being her downfall here--it's hard to swim through those smaller gaps without getting scraped against, but she manages to avoid getting anything more than some superficial bruises and scrapes.
Three of the mers turn to watch as they reach the patch of coral that is above ground, staring with solid black eyes that... it's somewhere in between a shark and a doll's eyes. They seem... not quite right. Not quite finished. Features smoothed over rather than defined, with that uneasy uncanny valley effect. Like someone was trying to make a mermaid, but didn't quite manage. Their hair is long and silvered, and there's age lines around their almost black-button eyes, their scales dull with age.
The fourth keeps singing, ignoring the two clambering up alongside the group. Waves crash down around them, threatening to smash them all against the razor sharp coral at any moment.
"She won't go," one of the mer-dolls says to Ziv, voice filled with anxiety and sorrow. "We can't leave her."
"Why won't she go?" Ziv asks, looking over their shoulder toward Eko. The salt water crashes in against them and they rock in time with the waves, an instinctive sort of gesture, as if this is all very normal and natural and how things should be. The usually silly and frippery Ziv is gone, somehow, replaced by someone cool and sleek, focused and somehow folded into the water. "What is she singing to?"
Rieko is pretty used to knicks and cuts and bruises, so they don't seem to really hamper her much here, thankfully.
Content to let Ziv take the lead in their natural element, she takes the backseat here, only really chiming in to offer: "I could try and carry her?"
"The Brackish King," another answers Ziv uneasily. The merfolk look at Rieko uneasily, clearly not liking the idea of their friend being manhandled, but doesn't outright object.
The one lost in her song inhales sharply, voice cracking with emotion, eyes wide as she stares out at sea, pausing the song long enough to speak in a voice that near hysterical, "He's come back for us. Don't you see? This is for us, to call us back. He finally wants us back."
"This isn't for us," one of the mer insists desperately, gripping the other old mer's arm. "We will die if we stay here, Naithe!"
There's a long moment of silence, as Ziv looks between all three of the mermaids, and then their voice is quiet and calm, cutting through the roar of the ocean, the pounding of the waves on the coral. "Eko, please take the other three to the boat." They turn their attention to those three, smiling softly, that total calm still in place. "You're not abandoning her if you go first. Please go with my Eko. Let me talk to her. I know this song."
While Ziv is distracted by the merfolk, Rieko's senses are alert, her eyes drawn upwards towards the storm above, which is growing darker and thicker. Thunder booms right over top of them. It's as if time slows down as she smells the air becoming more electric, the clouds lighting up. She only has a split-second to react before lightning reigns down over them all.
The trio of mers frown, clearly not liking this idea, but their sense of self preservation is rising.
"You promise you will bring her with you?" one asks, oblivious to the storm building above.
With only a moment to spare, Rieko does the first thing that comes to her mind. Size may not have been her ally while swimming over towards the little sanctuary, but hopefully it'll be a boon to her allies in the event that her plan fails.
She begins to grow, and the change is... terrifying. Bones crackle, and sinew snaps as her form begins to stretch and grow and expand. Breaking and healing and reforming into the colossal guardian she once was in Arcadia. Knowing the lightning will almost assuredly hit her at her new gargantuan height, her hand falls to the hilt of her sword. With her between the Merfolk, and danger the corded red ropes unravel, allowing the Emperor's Favorite to be pulled from it's scabbard.
Her shining, magical blade practically sings through the air, shearing through rain and storm alike, and creating a silent, peaceful tear in the hedge around them. Then the crashing bolt falls upon the odachi's edge, and splinters off harmlessly around her.
A terrible boom of thunder shatters the momentary silence, and then the storm returns in full force.(edited)
"I won't abandon her," Ziv answers, which isn't the same thing, but it's very close, actually! They reach their hands out to gently touch each of them on the arm. "Please. Go with Eko -- "
And then Rieko starts doing her He-Man By the Power of Greyskull impersonation, and Ziv just ... stops. And stares. And if they could literally have hearts bubbling up through their black eyes, they would, but instead it's just a soft pink neon illumination washing through their glass-bottle body.
The world lights up for an instant, and the boom from the lightning hitting Rieko's blade is nearly deafening. The blade cuts through the bolt of lightning which would have sure blown the more squishy merfolk away, sending dozens of tiny streaks of light cascading down all around them harmlessly. Her blade shines and the edge almost looks red-hot for a moment, but even Rieko is saved from the lightning's blast.
This has the benefit of making the merfolk scream in fright, and they make no further objections. The three twist to jump off of the coral and into the water, swimming towards the boat.
Leaving the one alone with Rieko and Ziv. She had stopped singing long enough to cowar from the lightning blast, but now she's back at it with renewed desperation.
With the merfolk swimming for the boat, Rieko returns her sword to the sheath.
"I'm going to make sure they get there safely," her booming voice is clearly audible even over the storm. "Please be safe, and... yell if you need help. I will hear."
With that, the fucking house-sized Oni wades back towards the ship. It's difficult to traverse the corral, but she manages to wade through the water safely... and the first of her strides only almost felt like stepping on a Lego.(edited)
Ziv gives Eko a lopsided look, and a smile they probably intend to be sympathetic. "I'll call you, Eko," they promise, and bite their lower lip before turning back to the woman who refuses to leave. To the mermaid who clings on to hope.
"Naithe," Ziv offers quietly, reaching their webbed hand out to rest on her arm. "You can't sing for him anymore. He's not coming for you." They take a small breath in, let it out. "He abandoned me, too. And once he does, he won't come back."
"Please, come with us, so you don't drown?"
"Don't die for someone who never loved you, and isn't coming back. Please. I know. It's terrible to be alone."
With Rieko's immense size, it's almost trivial--she's able to walk through the waves to the edge of the corral reef, the water only coming up to her shoulders by the time she reaches it--though beyond even her size isn't enough to feel the bottom of the ocean. But it's there that Stormcaller has brought the ship around. A few of the merfolx are battered by the waves and coral, sporting some small cuts, but thankfully don't have to worry about the current sweeping them away from the boat when they leave the corral. Despite it being wracked by the waves, she's able to just... pick up the merfolk and carefully set them on the deck. They cling to her arms and then scramble onto the ship, moving to tie themself to the mast. Their fish tail is not the best for keeping secure footing.
Stormcaller calls out over the storm, voice booming, "I don't think my ship will carry you like this, Lightning-Cleaver!" Which, you know, is true, because Rieko is now the same size as the boat.
The old mer's song softens after a beat, then quiets after a few seconds more. A heaviness seems to settle upon her, her shoulders sinking, head hanging.
"I am tired of wandering," she says, voice cracking, sounding defeated and hopeless. "I'm tired of not having a home."
"Throw my lifeline overboard, please. I'm going to need it when I shrink back down," Rieko flashes a fanged grin at the nickname. Her earlier excitement spilling back into her expression despite the current danger they all face. "I'll shrink back down and come aboard when Ziv and Naithe are safely aboard, too. The return is incredibly painful, and I'd hate to have to do it more than once."
"I know," answers Ziv quietly. "But the only solution to that is to stop wandering and make a home that you want to make." The Siren's voice goes a little brittle, their smile a little fractured, and they reach a hand out to take hers. "The Stone Pony can help you find a home, but it'll be up to you to make it your home."
Stormcaller switches the drumstick to one hand, still banging away at it steadily, but his other grabs a rope off of his belt, which he unravels with a whip-like motion, then throws out towards Rieko.
Naithe looks up slowly to Ziv, staring at her a second or two, then reaches to take their webbed hand with her own. She reluctantly lets go of the corral she was clinging to, and moves to slip back into the water, seconds before a massive wave comes crashing down around them.
The waters are cold and dark and deep, and it would be easy to let the waves smash them both against the coral, but Ziv is a creature of those cold, dark, deep waters. They dive down while holding on to Naithe's hand, going underneath the waves to where it's calmer, quieter, gentler, and bring her up on the opposite side of the boat, so even if they get pushed by the waves, they get pushed toward the boat. "Bring her up!" they call, and only once the fourth mermaid is actually in the boat does Ziv consent to being pulled up, too. It's cold, they're naked, but, you know, tits out for saving people.
... and with both merfolk safely aboard, Rieko begins the terrible, awful process of shrinking back down to a human size. Bones and muscles shift, and shrink, and grind from a shape they desperately longed to stay, back into one they almost forgot existed. Now small, Rieko's stomach churns, and she barely holds back from spilling her guts as she bobs on the waves for a moment.
Thankfully the lifeline is there, and she clings to it for a moment to catch her breath as they assist her in climbing back to the deck.(edited)
The other mers reach out to embrace their friend, pulling each other into a tight hug, shivering against the cold rain and wind. Stormcaller pulls mightily, helping lift up Rieko into the boat.
"We're in for a rocky ride!" Stormcaller calls. "Ready yourself!" He lets go of the rope and returns to drumming with both hands, taking up his travel shanty. The wind twists enough to turn the sail, making them turn back towards shore... they think. Navigating the open ocean when you can barely see five feet in front of you isn't the easiest thing.
Ziv still has Flickering Hours up, so you both can choose what you roll for the Hedge Chase home. But, also give me a Strength+Stamina-5 roll. If you tied yourself to the boat, it'll just be -3.
Back on the deck, Rieko fastens the lifeline around her waist just as she had before. She clings to the rope as though her life depends on it, but her other hand never leaves the magical odachi.
The ship sails quickly, but... the hurricane is now fully upon them. The waves are tall enough that they tower above the boat, forcing them to weave around and through tunnels seconds before they crash down upon them--but once, they're too slow. The full force of the angry Hedge ocean comes smashing down onto the deck of the ship. The dragon figurehead roars and only barely manages to keep from going end over end, while Ziv and Rieko cling tightly to their ropes and whatever else they can keep hold of, managing to avoid getting blown off the ship.
But when the wave clears and the ship bobs back to the surface, two of the merfolx have been swept off and into the water--As well as Stormcaller.
Thankfully all of them have ropes tied to them, which are currently pulled very tight. The risk of them snapping under the pressure of the waves is certainly a risk if they don't act quickly...
Rieko's fatigue is seemingly forgotten as she shakes free of the crashing wave-induced stupor. Leaping to her feet, she skitters across the deck, gripping Stormcaller's lifeline with both hands. Her sore muscles strain against the weight, as the rain pounds against her skin, and soaking wet clothing clings to her form like weights. Fortunately, her energy hasn't left her yet, and she throws everything she has into reeling their helmsman back up out of the water...
The Darkling casts their gaze around the boat, at the mermaids literally at the ends of their tethers, and then their gaze catches on literally the only shiny thing on the damn boat: Eko's weapons.
"Rieko!" Ziv yells above the wind. "Would you give up your knife to save them?"
Like they know the answer already, because they know how Eko is wired, but these are the questions you have to ask. "If yes, give me the damn thing and ... get hold of their hands!"
Rieko heaves with all her might, and below light is seen just below the water--the crackle of lighting, that spiderwebs out over the surface as Stormcaller's head appears out of the surf, taking a deep breath. Rieko draws him in close enough that he's able to grab the side of the boat, starting to pull himself up--but too slow to offer any real help to them currently.
The remaining merfolx are desperately pulling at the ropes, but strength is clearly not their strong point.(edited)
Rieko is not a subtle person. Her heart is always on her sleeve, and it's easy to see exactly how she's feeling. Her heart breaks as she looks down at the leather-wrapped hilt of her Bowie knife. It was one of the last remnants of her home in Texas. One of the last remnants of the old men who'd taken her in.
... but there would be time to mourn it's loss -- and celebrate her father's memory in other ways -- later. Her clawed fingers grip the hilt of the knife one last time, and she pulls it free from it's sheath, and flips it in the palm of her hand, handing it over to Ziv hilt-first.
Then, the once-buoyant Rieko moves on to perform her duty. Her hands grip the furthest lifeline, and she pours all of her sadness and frustration into the effort.
The mermaid -- still sporting a tail and supporting themself quite handily on same -- takes the knife and stabs it into the wood next to them. The look they give their beloved is understanding -- so much gets abandoned and left behind, so much that you have to let go in order to help others -- and then their webbed hands grab hold of the rope, pulling the other mermaid up. Ziv has incredible spaghetti arms, but somehow they manage to pull the other mermaid up, too.
Once everyone's up on the deck, Ziv yells over the crashing of the waves, "We don't have much time, so... everyone hold hands!"
The merfolx help Ziv pull--they're not that much help, but together they manage, clinging to their fellows. A second later Stormcaller heaves zirself onto the deck, panting for breath. They all look towards Ziv, trusting them in the moment--and reach out to grab onto the nymph.
Rieko joins hands with the others, slinging her odachi over her back with a nod.
Ziv stares at the reflective surface on the bowie knife for a moment, and then stretches their hand out, flat, slipping their fingers into the knife, and through the knife, where it's stuck into the wood of the boat...
... and then breath later, they all come tumbling out of the mirror behind the bar in the Stone Pony.
Ziv flails around, looking for another reflective surface, as the mirror remains a portal to the boat and all its howling winds. "I'll be right back," they offer, grabbing a metal platter that's behind the bar and pushing back through the mirror.
"You're an absolute madman!" Stormcaller says with a bellowing laugh as they all go toppling through into the bar, lightning crackling around him. Zie doesn't seem concerned about leaving the sentient boat behind, at least.
But then zie is distracted by the merfolx freaking the fuck out because they do not do well with being out of the Hedge, woops. But you know, they're alive, at least. So zie quickly stands and moves about carrying them through the hedge gate, to the safety of the Freehold.
Rieko is keen on keeping herself busy, so she immediately starts helping Stormcaller move the the merms to the Freehold...
They go diving through the mirror again, laughing wildly at the words Stormcaller says. No one can follow them through, because going back and forth through the mirror portal? Actually requires Ziv's permission, and no one is allowed to be as reckless as Ziv is being right now.
They skid across the deck, and grab both the knife and their pink leather jacket, which is probably ruined, to be honest. And then they drop the platter on the deck, and shove their hand through it, tumbling this time out of the glass in the door and landing on the floor. They're holding the bowie knife, and their jacket, naked, with an eel tail.
You know, like you do.
The merms quickly calm down once in the safety of the Hedge, clustering together to rest, looking utterly exhausted and a bit beaten up from the trials, but whole and well.
"I got em," Stormcaller tells Rieko. "You go make sure Ziv got back." Zie then claps her on the shoulder, smiling broadly, looking like zie just had the time of zir fucking life.
Ziv bursts back through the mirror, just a split-second before another wave crashes down onto the deck. They can feel the water hitting their back as they jump through the mirror portal.
It's about this time that the realization that Ziv ran back into the hedge dawns on the sulking Rieko. Her eyes go wide and she darts back through the hedgegate, champing at the bit once she's back Ironside.
... and when she sees them, Rieko scoops Ziv up into an enormous bear hug that lifts the little Siren off the ground. "What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck?" It takes a moment for Rieko to wrangle her metaphorical horses.
"... Sea Sparkle," there's a deep breath. "You wouldn't happen to have brought a change of clothes, huh?"
They have no clothing, save the pink leather jacket that they drop, sodden, onto the bar's floor as they let both of the portals fall closed. Ziv is exhausted, and doesn't fight when they're being picked up by Eko. "I got your knife," they offer weakly, waggling one hand tiredly, holding on to the bowie knife.
"No." A beat, and they add, "Oh. I'm naked." Yes, dear, you are.
"... yeah, that's why I asked-"
Rieko does a doubletake, her gaze dropping to the knife for a second before shooting back to Ziv, and then returning. "You- Wha-?" Rieko reaches out for the knife, cautiously -- as if doubting it's actually real -- before returning it to it's sheath, and then doubling down on her bear hug. "Thank you," her voice is muffled on account of being buried in Ziv's neck...
The crushing weight of reality and returned memories dim Ziv's gaze, and they wrap their arms around Eko's neck. Someone will surely find Ziv some clothes. At least an oversized t-shirt or something.
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