Old School Week This time with f-eel-ing

[Lysander Summers]

Lysander stood at the edge of the pier with a jar full of gillyweed. He hoped to spot the eel again today, or get close enough to finding the mermaid village.

 

[Nicole Fisk]

Despite the smell the lake got sometimes when it was hot, Nicole was enjoying the weather by the lake. She frowned when she spotted Lysander, edging over to him suspiciously. "What's in the jar?"

 

[Lysander Summers]

Lysander was busy unscrewing the jar lid when Nicole joined him. He paused, holding it up so she could see the slimy plant inside. "Gillyweed. It lets you breathe underwater for an hour or so if you eat it." He said brightly. "It's like, you become a fish person for a bit."

 

[Nicole Fisk]

Nicole wrinkled her nose at Lysander's explanation, ducking her head away from the open jar. "Ew, I thought you were collecting sprats or something."

 

[The Golden Eel]

The eel lurked quietly in the depths, ripples glistening from its back as it cut through the dark water. Close, but never too close to the shore.

 

[Lysander Summers]

Lysander had to resist the urge to roll his eyes, and shook the jar in front of Nicole. "This is way cooler than that." He said. He caught sight of the tail end of a ripple gliding down past the dock and glanced out into the lake with a suspicious look. Eel? Merfolk? Sprat? It could have been anything causing a disturbance. He reached into the jar and took out a handful of gillyweed. "So, you coming?"​

 

[Nicole Fisk]

Nicole had never tried gillyweed and as much as she did not want to go into the lake, she didn't want Lysander to think she was stuck up or something. "Fine, only cause I don't want you to drown or something," she said stiffly, taking a moment to transfigure her clothes into something more waterproof.

 

[Lysander Summers]

Lysander grinned and handed over a handful of gillyweed. "Please, I think I know what I'm doing." He said, and held up his own handful of the plant to scarf down. "Bottoms up!" He said, and cannon-balled into the lake.

 

[Nicole Fisk]

"Gross," Nicole said quietly as she took the plant from Lysander, grimacing as he scarfed his down before leaping in the lake. She hesitated trying not to gag as she tried to swallow her own before tiptoeing into the lake after him. "EW! It's cold still!" She shouted after Lysander, ducking her head under the water as became harder to breathe.

 

[Lysander Summers]

Lysander could barely make out the words Nicole was shouting from beneath the water, but he got the gist and rolled his eyes, more focused on the gills forming along his neck. "You'll get used to it." He blubbed in response, beckoning toward her with a webbed hand. "Come on, I'll show you my favourite caves."

 

[The Golden Eel]

The eel stilled at the sound of a distance splash, turning idly towards the sound. Staying close to the lakebed, it wound itself closer to the shore.

 

[Nicole Fisk]

Despite Summer being soon, the water was still freezing and Nicole suppressed a shiver as she tried to follow after Lysander. "Don't go too deep!" She called after him in a stream of bubbles, paddling to try and keep up.

 

[Lysander Summers]

Lysander paused to float, and give Nicole time to catch up. "That's where we're going!" He shouted back. "There's nothing in the shallow water. Come on!" He continued impatiently. The lake was full of nothing but junk close to the shore. He kicked his legs to continue swimming further in, but paused again when he spotted some disturbed sand kicked up from the depths. "Do you see that?" He said, pointing down.​

 

[Nicole Fisk]

Nicole kept grimly thinking about all the ways this was a terrible idea as she followed Lysander further into the lake but at least maybe he wouldn't drown with her here. "See what? It's dark and it's cold, why is this fun?" She griped, squinting in the murky water at some sort of dirt cloud that Lysander seemed excited.

 

[Lysander Summers]

If Lysander had been breathing through his mouth instead of his gills, the long groan that escaped him probably would have produced a rather large bubble of air. "Are you gonna be like this the whole time? Where's your sense of adventure?" He said as he swam further in. This was like Connor and his fear of dragons all over again. Why did no one know how to have fun anymore? "No one ever goes down here. There's secrets, and treasures, and...and a giant lake creature that no one can really figure out. This is fun."​

 

[Nicole Fisk]

"What? I'm adventurous! Look I'm here aren't I?" Nicole said, affronted. Frowning, she squinted harder into the dark water. This was exactly what she'd been worried about; Lysander thinking she was boring. It was creepy down there though, and Lysander's mention of lake creatures wasn't comforting. "Fine, you first then," she said hesitantly.