He Came from the Ocean (Coffee-Tastic and Yukio Takamiya)

[Yukio Takamiya]

(Haha...I laughed at the carrying part. A unique reasoning for Nett.)

 

"Yeah...staying isn't an option," Mar smiled sadly at Nett but he still attempted to joke. "Of course, I'm hard not to like. But you'll miss me carrying you around? If I do that too much, I'll turn into a hunchback even before moving to the city. Not too good for a boy my age." Mar fell back onto the sand and stared at the night sky. "If I could, I wouldn't mind taking you with me. You're about the only one I could tolerate, everyone there are idiots." If Nett were to miraculously grow legs, it would be a blessing. Because living by himself again would be no different from before. Perhaps he could put Nett in a large bag and smuggle him to the city and keep him in the bathtub. Except that people would get suspicious with a fifteen year old boy lugging a seven foot long bag over his back. Mar giggled at the image.

 

"You done? If you are, I'll give you another of those carries that you like so much back to the cabin," Mar stood up and began clearing up. Soon, Nett was once again on his back and they moved in silence back to the cabin. After replacing the sheets on the mattress, Mar transferred Nett from the stool to the bed. He slept beside Nett that night.

[Coffee-Tastic]

(Sure is x'3 )

 

Nett liked sleeping in a bed, himself being used to sleeping on the sea floor, ending up in new places because of currents, being in lost underwater caves, which were cold and hard, or finding a place to lean on in the coral, the place where fish liked to nip his body to eat off any bacteria. Those were like kisses, but it wasn't easy sleeping when he kept feeling them on him. Mar's bed was solid, comfy and nothing bothered him except for when he was woken up. As he thought, he appreciated the human with him. It was warm and he got an even stronger sense of not being alone.

 

He'd be alone soon though, sadly. The merman opened his eyes after a while, not being able to sleep despite the tiredness in the rings under his eyes. How did he expect to live after being so happy? He couldn't live in isolation after experiencing this. Nett stared at Mar as he slept, coming closer to him and touching his hair gently. He really didn't want him to go. After watching him sleep more, the raven haired beast crawled on top of Mar, playing with his hair more. If his tail weren't feeling so numb, it would be moving around again, relaxed being there, "Hm..." Staring was his habit since forever, being here and on Mar, he stared at him until he put his head on his shoulder and fell asleep, his dead weight body staying on him the whole night.

 

When the morning were to roll by, he'd still be on him. The bottom half of Netts body would be extra slimy from that final layer of dead, molt skin off of him, however instead of having one limb being his tail, he had two legs pressed against together. He couldn't feel any difference in him and he remained in deep sleep, dreaming of the time he saw his first carnival on the beach dock. It had tons of bright lights and interesting smells. People were screaming too for some reason... That was actually just people on a roller coaster, but he couldn't see that far up on the dock sadly.

[Yukio Takamiya]

Mar woke up that morning feeling particularly uncomfortable with a weight pressing upon his body. Opening his eyes, he realised that Net was sleeping on top of him, was it that cramp? Still, he didn't think that mermans could also have bad sleeping postures. Still staring at the ceiling, Mar had yet to notice Net's legs. He was reluctant to get up feeling rather lazy at the moment. Eventually, he nudged Nett to get off and he got off the bed, rubbing his eyes, Mar yawned and turned to look at Nett. Then his eyes moved towards the bare legs at the end of the bed.

 

Mar blinked and walked back to the bed, pushing Nett aside and going back to sleep. He was probably dreaming, sleeping in his dream might bring him back to reality. But he couldn't sleep, getting up he pinched himself, it hurt. Mar couldn't believe his eyes when he had first spotted Nett, but it was even more unbelievable to see that Nett had grown legs. He remembered his wish the previous night and mumbled,"I must be god." He got off the bed again and prod at Nett's legs. They were real. "You know what? I think Poseidon took pity on you being so lonely." Moving towards his closet, Mar rummaged about and looked for one of his bigger pants.

 

Mar couldn't help but laughed at Nett. The guy was taller than him but still shorter than the average male. His pants also looked very weird on the black haired individual. "You got legs but they're rather short don't you think? Not that they're short enough to look weird but I expected you to be taller than this. You're like what...five feet ten?" His mood was rather good upon discovering that Nett had adapted to land and grew legs. They could be together for a longer period of time now. Solitude was no longer a problem, Nett was sure to be happier now.

 

"Hey, since you've grown legs you can follow me to the city right? Or are you still uncomfortable around humans? If you are, I would feel really lonely you know?" Mar hoped that Nett would come. Just for better measure, he put on an expression full of hope to persuade him.

[Coffee-Tastic]

Being woken up to this, Nett of course thought this was a dream and closed his eyes again, ignoring him and his expression, "My dreams are getting more and more cruel... People screaming and now this." He never heard of his kind getting legs before. If it was possible, he never knew... He probably just didn't know now that he thought about it... Wait, no. He forgot it was a dream. Nett moved them just like how he'd move his tail and his toes wiggled, lifted up his legs. He peeped his eyes open and looked at them. He stared at them. He stared at them hard... And wiggled them again.

 

"Oh. It is real." He said normally, but all the color in his face and his eyes drained out in shock. How would you like it if your tail, something you had ever since birth, split into two and became legs? Nett picked up his knees, touching the pants on him and shivering, "I might faint... But if that happens, I want to say to you that I will go with you. Because I do not want to be lonely and you will be as well..." Nett was feeling faint indeed, but if he were going to pass out, he wanted to touch himself better. He grabbed the hem of his pants and pulled them off half way, grabbing his meaty, human legs. They were smooth and white... Not blue... "My scales are gone. That makes me sad... I got this though."

 

Nett pointed at his junk and stared at Mar with a sparkle in his eyes. He couldn't lie and say he's never seen a human penis before. Sometimes, men chose not to wear their baiting suits in the water and his eyes would see it. Simple as that. And now he had his own. That made him really happy for some reason. "All males have this right? Can I see yours?" He had legs like Mar. Toes like Mar. Would they have the same sex org and as well?

 

All he could do right now was think in the moment. He did want to go with Mar, even if it was into a human populated city. It's not like he had to leave the house anyways, right? But that besides the point, Nett wouldn't have to be left off at the ocean anymore. He could have Mar with him at all times, a comforting thing to know in the back of his head. It was significant to have adapted so differently than normal. Mar might think that a wish came true, but it happened for natural causes. Getting more food on land, having a partner, having a better place to sleep, not needing to swim for the past two days... His internal updater saw this and nodded it's head, demanding to change and leave the ocean, where he nearly starved to death.

[Yukio Takamiya]

"Yes, I know you have a dildo. Please stop pointing at it while looking so happy, it looks wrong." Mar said turning away to hide his blush. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head when he heard Nett's question. "Of course you can't! How could you even ask such a thing?!" He asked, flaberghasted that Nett would ask to see his penis. "Yes, all males have that. I can tell you that mine looks the same but I can't let you see it. When we get to the city, please do not ever ask to see someone's private part. Humans treat this as something serious, you would be mistaken as a pervert." Mar 's face was incredibly red. Even if it was Nett who knew nothing about human habits, it still flustered him that someone would talk so openly about private parts.

 

He was glad that Nett had agreed to come but it was going to be tough teaching him how to live like humans. Mermans had different habits and had not seen all of human technology. Mar wondered how Nett would react to machines and other mechanics. "You're going to be fascinated when you see the city. Its nothing like what you see over here." Mar said beaming happily once his blush had subsided. "But try to bear with other humans. They don't think before speaking, you'll get frustrated once you realise how dumb they are. But of course not all of them are the same." This was truly what Mar thought of his kind who lived in the city. They lived life too comfortably and knew nothing out of they're comfort zone. The way they spoke annoyed him which was why he preferred to leave in isolation despite the solitude. But with Nett around, perhaps it would be more tolerable.

[Coffee-Tastic]

Nett blinked innocently when Mar blushed and looked away. Was it something humans were embarrassed about? He was completely naked all this time, he had no idea... That would explain why humans wore clothes all the time. Well. If he didn't take body parts serious and was interested in it, then maybe he was a pervert after all. He didn't feel ashamed of that, but for Mar, he picked up his pants again, his eyes sticking on the human like glue, observing his redness and watching it go away slowly.

 

"Hm. I didn't think they were as dumb as you say. They build structures well and are smart enough to get fish fast. But I don't have experience with humans." He moved slightly in the bed and furrowed his eyebrows slightly, reaching behind him and grabbing one of his cheeks, which were new. After groping himself more, he continued his speaking, "So maybe they're dumb and selfish... Except you. Which is why I like you. But maybe there are better people out there than you. People who will let me compare body parts."

 

He said that as a joke, but his voice didn't show any sarcasm at all and even he picked up this for once. "I'm just joking. Nobody is better than Mar."

 

Nett appreciated the warning. He never as been on land this far up until meeting Mar and even this place wasn't too far from the water. If they were going where he thought they were... It would be around those big buildings he saw in the distance. The one that lit up at night like fireflies... It was bittersweet looking at the human made structures. Nett's heart longed for the life and energy he got from looking out to the city, but fear as well. The merman wasn't afraid of this cabin because he never felt danger being there with Mar. A city? That's where all the humans came from.... It was sure to be the scariest thing he's ever done, but also the most exciting. "I wonder how it will be. I'll probably see females up close for the first time too... Hm." Nett looked at his feet and kept touching his toes.

[Yukio Takamiya]

"Never thought I would get to see a day that Nett jokes," Mar said smiling at Nett. "But if you're joking, try putting on a smile will you?" Mar analysed Nett from top to bottom before deciding that the merman probably needed some clothes. He would have to go to the city again soon, Nett could just wear his pants like that, it was actually almost too small for him.

 

"Females? I guess so, but I can't really tell you much about them. The first female that I have ever talked to was the lady at the clothes shop and the second is the landlady. I haven't really got the chance to get to know females." This was true. Mar spent his whole life on the island only going to the city to get necessary supplies and sell fish to the wet markets. Of course people would give him weird looks seeing as he was so young and selling fishes at eight years old.

 

"Are your toes that fascinating?" Watching Nett touch his toes was a little odd, but still better than watching him grope himself. Mar wriggled his own toes and laughed. "I guess its a little weird to you huh? Growing legs all of a sudden, won't you miss your tail?"

 

Leaving Nett to admire his new legs, Mar grabbed the net and went out of the cabin. Once again, it was time to fish.

[Coffee-Tastic]

So... He needed to smile when he made jokes, huh? Nett didn't smile too much because it was a lot of effort to do that... Everything took practice, he supposed. He fiddled with his toes still, looking at the door as it closed with Mar exiting. Did he have to bring up his tail? He didn't want to miss it, but that was going to be hard. He had it his whole life and he didn't even have scales anymore. He was no different that someone else now. That individuality was taken away, it wouldn't be back until the day his tail came back, whenever that was. As long as he was with Mar in the city, it shouldn't come back at all.

 

Being alone there with his new legs, Nett looked around and took it upon himself to try walking now. He put his feet on the floor over the side of the bed, taking a deep breath and getting up, only to instantly topple over like someone that tried using stilts for the first time. It hurt more to fall this time, which was a bummer. Gravity was responsible for a lot of his distain recently. He kept trying and kept on falling, getting scratches over his body from falling over and over again.

 

He eventually made it outside, wobbling and falling, tripping and falling, falling and falling and falling... Now he was covered in dirt and scratches. Not the kind of improvement he was looking for. He managed to get the same distance he had gotten when he tried to leave the house with his tail. Similar to that time, he gave up right there and laid there with his face down. Nett was still excited about having legs and toes, so besides looking dead, his toes wiggled from time to time. "I'll just wait here then..."

[Yukio Takamiya]

Mar got back two hours later to find Nett, once again lying face down on the ground. "Is this your favourite spot? Look at your face, so much mud." Mar laughed and wiped Nett's face with his shirt. "Should I perhaps build you a tent here and let you stay here the remaining two weeks?" He joked again. Once again, he picked Nett up and carried him over his back to the cabin. Nett was much lighter this time without his tail but they looked a little awkward together with Mar carrying the larger male.

 

Mar had to admit that he enjoyed taking care of Nett. It gave him a purpose for living rather than just living life as a routine. "I'll just get breakfast ready first. " mar said placing Nett on the stool. "I'll teach you the art of walking later," winking at Nett, he left the cabin.

 

"You've got to balance yourself first before walking.' Mar said supporting Nett while instructing. "Take the first step slowly, get your weight transfer right before taking the next step." Mar slowly let go of Nett's hand. "Ha ha, you remind me of a baby giraffe," Mar couldn't help but laugh. A baby giraffe balanced itself by sticking its knees together, Nett looked like he was doing the same thing.

[Coffee-Tastic]

"I'm not familiar... On what that is. Sorry." He said with his eyes glued to his legs, making sure he stayed balanced and didn't fall. It was the longest that he was on his feet compared to when he was trying on his own, Mar's presence and voice alone gave him encouragement to try his best. Nett had a strong tail, a body part of his that made him swim super fast if he needed to, and also give him perfect stability and control. He wanted his legs to be useful too, it was very different. Having two things to control instead of just one.

 

It apparently was all in the mind. He commanded his body to move and it did. The only trouble now was keeping concentrated on not toppling over like he had done countless of times before.

 

"Also. You'll have to do me the favor sometime and tell me what creatures inhabit land and what are the main..." He pouted slightly, thinking of the correct word he had in mind. He said it in his language a few times in a mumble before mumbling in human, "Preedaters? Prodators?" He looked at Mar slowly and then looked down again, slightly embarrassed he couldn't find e right word for it, "Bad, dangerous animals. Like a shark... Because you can imagine, I have no way of knowing myself." He planned on staying inside a lot of the time, but to him, a creature that was technically an animal himself, it was important information. He'd ask what the main prey source was, but he assumed it was fish because that's all he saw humans hunting for.

[Yukio Takamiya]

"Hmm...we do have bad and dangerous animals on land. But humans have their ways of keeping them under control, those are usually locked up. What I mean is that its perfectly safe to walk on the streets." Mar explained. Animals were kept in the zoo, it wasn't like he was going to take Nett into a jungle or anything. Just stray dogs and cats couldn't be considered predators. But of course they would get angry if provoked, otherwise they enjoyed attention given to them by humans.

 

Mar grabbed Nett's hand again and guided him back to the stool. "I guess the main and more dangerous predators would be humans themselves. Those that don't know how to behave. I can't even began to describe how dangerous they are. Anyways, just stay away from those that gives off a negative vibe and you'll be fine." He didn't get why Nett would be interested in all this. After all, the merman would be staying in the house most of the time, but still he worried if Nett would be fine alone in the house. "I wouldn't be home most of the time. Would you be able to take care of yourself without me?"

 

"Oh yeah I almost forgot. Nett how about going with me to the city with me later. You'll need some clothes." Mar clenched his right hand and hit it on his left as he spoke suddenly remembering that Nett needed garments to wear. But he had to lend Nett a shirt and some shoes.

[Coffee-Tastic]

Nett was quite relieved that he won't have to worry about anything dangerous besides humans... Humans to him weren't that bad either. The only harm they might do to him was probably scare him from having too many around him at the same time. In the water, he was capable of staying safe from sharks, giant fish with sharp teeth and no morals. Humans were fleshy and their teeth were mostly flat for omnivore diets. They didn't compare.

 

 

Net was not relieved to hear what came next. What did Mar mean he wasn't going to be home most of the time? The black haired merman clenched the sides of the stool he sat on and kept on listening. Clothes... He supposed he needed them... "Yes. I will like to go so you into the city. It will be a nice, new experience I hope..." He looked at the human and stared at him with eyes that didn't blink, "What was what you said about not being home that much? Why not?"

 

 

The stare was quite unsettling, but he looked down after it and blinked slowly and sadly, "I believed that we would stay together if we lived together in the city. I did not know you would have to leave..." Of course he'd have to leave in order to hunt and such, but that wouldn't take that long.

[Yukio Takamiya]

Mar smiled sadly at Nett. "In order to survive in human society, one has to have a job. Like humans that hunt for fish, fishing is their job. They catch the fishes for other humans that will trade something called money for the fish. Money is used to trade for supplies and things that we want. It will eventually run out. In order to earn more, we work to earn what we deserve. Without money in the city, we can't eat or buy things like clothes, not even a house. So I'll be out most of the time working to earn money, but I'll be around at night. You won't be lonely then."

 

"Now, if you don't mind, I need to get changed to go into the city," Mar said leading Nett to the bed. "Cover your face with the blanket. No peeking." Mar covered Nett's face with the blanket and opened his closet to take out some presentable clothes. He stripped quickly with his back facing Nett and wore his garments just as fast. After that he rummaged about the closet for an over sized shirt for Nett and slippers that belonged to the old man.

 

"You can look now. Wear this shirt , then the slippers. After that we're good to go." Mar said dropping the shirt into Nett's arms and placing the slippers by the bed.

[Coffee-Tastic]

So... Money is the most important thing on land? It was taboo to hear that food wasn't the main importance, but in a high society the humans had, Nett should have expected something less barbaric than how he lived. It was unfortunate to hear that Mar would have to be away during the day, but if it was necessary, then it as necessary. Nothing he could do about it. He did want to know what kinds of things humans did for money though. There was sure to be another, more better time to ask.

 

Pulling off the blanket over his head a second before being told to, he kind of wished he peeked at what the human body looked like. More specifically what Mar looked like. There was always other times, he guessed... "Why are you self conscious about what I see and what you see? I didn't have any clothes before and it didn't bother you and it didn't bother me... I don't understand." Nett put his feet into the slippers, seeing how a foot belonged in the 'slot'. The shirt though had three holes and he had no idea what to do with it. He squeezed the shirt in his hands and murmured, "If you had let me seen you get dressed, I would have a better understanding on how to put his on." He said, getting his head through the bottom and coming out in one of he arm holes. It didn't look right, so he pulled it off of him and dropped it away from him with childlike frustration.

[Yukio Takamiya]

Mar chuckled at Nett's childish antics and picked up the shirt. He placed the neck hole of the shirt over Nett's head and pulled it down then instructed Nett to push his arms through the sleeves. "You aren't bothered when I see you without clothes because of your habits in the sea. But humans like me tend to be conscious of modesty around others." He explained, straightening the shirt that was now on Nett's body. "Its more of the way we think. We know how the body of others look like but we don't see them out of respect for the other."

 

Taking his wallet from the desk, Mar grabbed Nett's hand again and led him slowly out of the cabin. "Once you get accutomed to moving your muscles the way you want them to, walking won't be a problem anymore." Mar said as they walked slowly towards the direction of the pier where his boat was. After helping Nett into the boat, he got in and switched on the engine. The boat rumbled to life and sped off.

[Coffee-Tastic]

He thought the idea of clothes to be useless, since everything was born without clothes, what did it even matter? Respect? Who would want to cover up their body and their natural form? Hm... Maybe seeing people in their natural, naked state was something special. A form of courtship? Trust? If it was the case, then how come Mar has seen him naked and he hasn't seen Mar naked? Humans were so confusing.

 

On the boat, he sat and looked over the edge at the water with the sea water mirroring in his eyes. He's never been on a boat before so it was odd being on one for the first time. The engine purred loudly like an angry animal, but even he knew better than to think of it as one. It was a machine. Humans used them a lot on boats. Nett has seen large metal arms pulling up giant nets because he swore that people didn't have the strength to do it on their own. And he saw that some people could use paddles to move their boat, to go faster, Mar used the machine. He felt very smart for understanding this concept and smiled a little watching the ocean water froth and move behind the boat as they moved.

 

"I'm happy to be going to the city with you. I give you gratitude and say thank you." He glanced at Mar and turned his head to look at where they were going.

[Yukio Takamiya]

Mar blinked upon hearing Nett's words of gratitude before turning away. "You don't have to thank me. I would have taken you even if you hadn't grown legs. Rather, I'm thankful that you agreed to come. It's really unpleasant being alone." Mar thought that Nett was uncomfortable around humans, why would Nett thank him for taking him to a city full of them? The way the merman thought was a mystery to Mar. Could it be that all merfolk thought the same way that Nett did? Regardless, Mar liked Nett the way he was. The way the merman acted and spoke, it only made Mar want to take care of him more. Especially when the world was so unpredictable, who knew that he would be able to meet a merman in the first place.

 

"We're here," Mar announced helpimg Nett out of the boat. He paid the man at the dock to guard his boat and left with Nett to the nearest bus station. He looking forward to seeing Nett's reaction to the human society. The bus came and Mar paid the fare before leading Nett to a vacant seat.

[Coffee-Tastic]

He felt entertained with the thought of Mar trying to take him into the city. Of course, if Mar really did want to try, he'd allow it. Even if that would be a horrible idea that would lead to his slow demise in a dark room with evil fishermen. He was more glad to have legs so they didn't have to find out what would happen. Nett was left with a boiling mix inside of him made of fear, curiosity and wonder called excitement. He didn't care about seeing people at all. He's seen enough of them on the beach. He was more interested in seeing a world different from his own. Already, sitting down in the seat, he was pressing himself so close to the window that his cheek was smushed against the surface, looking out and watching them move.

 

He saw more kinds people, he saw other machines that drove, lights and... Everything you'd see on the road. Everything in his eyes was amazing to him, even if he only kept a straight face. If anything, his expression was even more flat from taking in so many different things at the same time, causing an overload in his brain that failed any kind of amazement to register in his face. Nett pulled away from the window and looked at Mar, "I never thought I'd see things like this. Humans are more civilized than I thought." Says the uncivilized ocean creature. "Why is the grass black and gray?" He asked, referring to the concrete sidewalk and road. When he walked on it before, it wasn't soft like the ground by the cabin either, nor like sand. It was flat and hard.

 

He couldn't imagine if he came here without legs. What if he had to drag himself across this kind of surface? He would have gotten scraped up harder and he would have lost more scales trying to move on this surface than getting scratched by that rock before he molted.

[Yukio Takamiya]

Mar thought hard about Nett's question. Living on the island most of the time, he didn't really think much about why the grounds were built differently. He knew that roads were built rough to increase friction so that less accidents occurred. But he couldn't think of a reason why concrete was used to walk on. Was it so that shoes don't get caked in mud? "Those aren't grass, its concrete for pedestrians and granite for the cars. Rough materials are used for the roads so that accidents happen less often." Mar wrecked his brains for a suitable explaination for the path. "Uhh.. as for the path...I guess flat land is easier to walk than uneven ground."

 

From behind them, Mar suddenly heard snickers and turned. The two students that had been laughing at their conversation cleared their throats and turned away to mind their own business. Mar frowned at them and turned back, perhaps they seemed a little stupid to city folks. After all, he was explaining basic technology to Nett.

 

The bus finally reached their stop in the busy streets and they alighted. Mar led Nett to the clothes shop across the road and entered the auto matic doors.

[Coffee-Tastic]

Nett looked at those students as well. He saw them before, but didn't think of them as important until Mar looked behind to look at them when they made noise. What was funny? Nett didn't know at first and if he did know, he wouldn't have minded. They didn't know where he came from, of course they wouldn't be giggling and snickering if they knew he was a merman that got the ability to walk on land after 30 plus years. He ignored them too and quickly had looked back out the window after Mar's expatiation, trying to absorb everything he was seeing.

 

He stopped between the doors for a second, looking at the doors that had pulled back for them. Nett knew humans didn't know magic, magic didn't exist after all, so he believed it was truly correct to assume everything he couldn't explain was because of technology. And boy did technology take tons of different forms. There wasn't anything in the ocean like this that he's heard of. On top of that, inside the store, everything was so organized and put in place. In the ocean, there was no kind of order. Rocks weren't placed in a specific way. Coral grew however way it wanted to. Sand never stayed in once spot on the ocean floor even... It kind of made Nett want to scatter everything he saw in sight just to make it disorganized and 'normal' in his book.

 

That didn't happen thankfully. He knew that would be a bad thing to do and would be far too out of line to be normal in human standards. He looked all around, his neck doing serious work with him trying to see everything at once. If he were to wander on his own, there was no doubt that his curiosities would lead him into places he shouldn't go to... so he stayed close, pulling the boy's shirt as he finally fixed his eyes on one thing, that thing being Mar, "What is this place named?"

[Yukio Takamiya]

"This place? Its a store. We buy things that we need from a store. Of course because we're looking for clothes so we come to this particular one." Mar explained. He understood that the ocean didn't have stores or any technology. Creatures of the ocean hunt for food which was about the only thing they ever need. "Come. Let's have your measurements taken then you can try on some clothes."

 

Mar couldn't remember the last time he had laughed so much. The salesperson had recommended a few choices of clothes for Nett. Perhaps she thought the clothes suited Nett just fine but Mar couldn't get used to seeing Nett wear clothes. Nett and clothes just didn't go together. People had already started to give him weird looks but he ignored them and tried to stifle his giggles. "Don't mind me Nett, you look just fine in them," he said choking on his words.

 

"We'll take those few that he's already tried on," Mar told the sales person and went to the cashier counter to pay. Upon leaving the shop, Mar spoke,"those few clothes probanly aren't enough, I'll get you more when we move here. Speaking of which, we still have a little time. I'll take you to browse the streets."

[Coffee-Tastic]

"That would be nice." He answered him after a full twenty seconds of delay. He was still thinking about how Mar actually laughed back in the store. He wasn't bothered by being the reason of why he was laughing because his half of the laugh was seeing Mar smile and be happy... If he knew the reason of why he was laughing, he'd just agree. Nett still didn't like the idea of wearing clothes. Even if clothes were light, he could tell the difference that it made him feel weighed down compared to not wearing anything at all. He'd have to get used to it more, but he was certain he would take off everything on him besides his pants when they got back to their cabin, or when they were living in the city apartment.

 

"I also don't think I need a lot of clothes. For me. This would be en...enough..." he stopped walking and staggered back a step when he saw something walking down the street towards them that freaked him out. It was a big white poodle dog with poofed up hair, naked legs and it's tongue hanging out. Dogs weren't allowed on the beach at all, so he's never seen anything like it. The thing walked on four legs and it was nothing like a human. "Is that..." He paused, noticing the leash and the human holding the other end of the leash, "What is that?" He asked, stepping back more the closer they went. The dog didn't seem like it cared too much for Nett, but it did stare at him intensely as it came by, its eyes black like the eyes of a blood hungry shark. That connection made him even more ready to attack the thing if it tried getting closer.

 

The woman with the dog stared at Nett oddly just like the dog. He had his head lowered and he was staring at her dog like if he was going to hurt it. She got chills and pulled the leash of the dog, turning around and walking away faster. "...It left." Nett obviously stated, "Its not dangerous then I assume." That was a relief.

[Yukio Takamiya]

Mar patted Nett on the back. "Don't need to be so tense, of course its not dangerous. That was a dog and the lady is its master. Humans keep pets like dogs and cats all the time." He explained. "Though I don't really know what's so great about them. Because they're cute?" He was more of questioning himself. Mar had never had a pet before nor did he ever thought of having one. It was just troublesome to raise them. Why people would want to have pets would always be a mystery to him. Of course one might ask if Nett was his pet seeing as he wasn't human. But Mar had never thought of Nett as a pet, Nett was a friend not something to be owned.

 

Up front, Mar spotted a street vendor selling crepes. He quickly pulled Nett along. "You've only ever eaten seafood right? I'll let you try other varieties of human food." He bought two and gave one to Nett before finishing his quickly. Crepe was actually one of his favourite foods aside from fish. When he was younger, he would always make sure to get one every time he went to the city. He took Nett's arm and marched down the street, looking around and wondering where they should go next. After all, he himself wasn't all that familiar about the city.

[Coffee-Tastic]

Seafood was indeed all he has had, besides resorting to seaweed recently with the fish problem. Eating greens didn't do anything for his health at all and with the crepe he was given, it tasted... okay... there was nothing he was familiar with inside of it and the texture was so new that it didn't go down his throat easily. He ate the whole thing just like Mar did, but only because of monkey see, monkey do. His stomach churned after a few steps with the food in his gut, it wasn't so pleasing to walk around anymore. Nett looked at the ground with a sweat on his head, trying to keep from making any weird noises. Hiccuping and swallowing down thick saliva, the merman felt the crepe settle down in him finally, letting out a small breath. He didn't feel like he could eat anything else for a bit.

 

"I think that I will stick to fish the next time." Nett kept from telling Mar that he didn't want to try any more food at all, but Mar looked happy to let him try a crepe and didn't want to put him down for it... He looked back down the street to see if he could still see the dog and the lady again, but they were gone. If dogs weren't people, then... "Is it okay to eat dogs? Maybe humans keep them around to eat them later." Forget a crepe. Fish and other animals were made of meat, which always tasted good and was the only thing he ever felt good after eating. "I like to be around turtles, but they also happen to taste better than other things I catch."

[Yukio Takamiya]

"Hmm? You don't like it?" Mar asked and glanced sideways at Nett. "Well I suppose you're not really used to textures different from fishes." But Nett had eaten the crepe so quickly when he wasn't used to it, of course he wouldn't feel good. Perhaps he shouldn't have eaten it so quicky too. Nett was going to depend on him to adapt to human lifestyle which meant that he would be taking Mar as an example for many things. He should change the way he did things in future to the proper way.

 

"Dogs getting eaten?" Mar asked and thought hard. "I suppose that in some other place I don't know about, people could be eating dogs." Giving Nett a big smile, he continued,"but I can assure you that the people in this country do not eat dogs. They only keep them for perhaps companionship or entertainment?" Again he wasn't sure what the exact reason for keeping pets were but he didn't want to seem clueless in front of Nett.

 

"You don't look well. Was it because of the crepe?" Mar asked worriedly, Nett was looking somewhat a little green in the face. "I think you need to sit down. Look, there's a bench there." Mar pointed at a bench up front and practically dragged Nett over to let him rest.