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i hate this

the sky has been leaking for DAYs... WEEKS??

it's so cold my eyes are frozen!

i hate this weird white water

i want to go outside...

[ A photo of a colored pencil drawing is attached... depicting Alberto "(in a blanket)" beside his familiar Carlo and his pet compsognathus Sofia, trapped inside his home "(forever?)," labeled "cold, alone... and fed up!" beneath falling snow — AKA "weird white water??? (every day...!!!)" — outside the window... All of them clearly "very unhappy" — the sheer image of misery itself. ]

SO!
let's trade!!!
anyone who can help me find or make something like this, i'll cook you food or something, whatever, we'll talk......
but as soon as possible,
i need one of THESE:

[ Another image is attached of Alberto wearing what... seems to be a diver's suit? Or something??? Holding a "giant umbrella" in one hand and Sofia on a leash in a harness in the other, Carlo floating above, all "dry, safe, warm, and NOT at home..." There's still plenty of ~~snow~~ white water around them, "but not on Alberto!" Most importantly, though, in this drawing, they're all happy! — as... baffling as it is to anyone else, surely... No thanks, no niceties, just complaints and demands, urgent, desperate, and maybe a little, um, bizarre? Un po. The kid's gone mad with cabin fever, possibly? This is... well... th-this is something. Definitely something. Ahem. ]

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[If Jade isn't going to push him, it's largely because there's no reward in it. And logically, he does understand. He's still deciding on whether or not he wants to attend school here. But is it really the same without the classmates he's become accustomed to back home?]

Ah well, hard work is good too. So many people cannot do it, even if it's the only thing they have. A person should know themselves and it sounds like you are almost there.

[Oh there is so much Jade has figured out during this whole situation. This boy is an open book to begin with. A dangerously open one. One should not talk to strangers. If Alberto had grown up in Jade's hometown, he'd be one of the children spirited away by ghosts, that much Jade is sure of.]

But hiking you say? I too am quite fond of that pastime. And mountain climbing. There's nothing more refreshing, is there?

[Well now that we have brought up one of Jade's fixations...]

[ "A person should know themselves and it sounds like you are almost there" is one of the most validating things anyone's ever told Alberto...? He thinks so, too! But— he second-guesses it sometimes, as well. Hearing a total stranger/new friend(?) see this and reassure him of this on their very first meeting is far more profound to the child than Jade even knows. Were it not that Jade told him he's from the sea and makes the Change like Alberto does, Alberto likely wouldn't have told him almost any of this. But once that detail was revealed, it's like the veil was lifted — the man behind the curtain stepped out. It's also an incredible rarity that Alberto should be so candid, far more than Jade knows, as well.

...Not that he wouldn't get stolen and spirited away by ghosts, probably, but maybe not for these reasons. But he is quick to trust at the first inkling that he should trust someone, even if he almost always comes to second-guess that, too.

Hiking and adventuring, though? A far more comfortable topic for Alberto, too. ]

Yeah, yeah! I love that stuff! On my island back home, there was this huge cliff on the top of the hill — I used to jump off it into the sea all the time! It was so fun! Oh, oh, and me and my dad lived in this cool tower thing, I dunno— but I used to jump off that, too! It was great~!

[ ...Th-That is neither hiking nor mountain-climbing... Th-That's just falling, Alberto. ]

[If Jade's validating, it's mostly sincere, but there's also an element of saying what he thinks is most desirable in this situation. A natural instinct to adjust so that he has a favorable image with others.

But, it is also hard not to feel some genuine affection. The boy is so charming and open. And most importantly, he's been interesting. The one thing Jade hates most is boredom and predictability and this meet has been anything but.]

Jumping? Ahaha...

[Oh dear, he has to keep himself from blanching at the thought. Jade might like mountain climbing, but he actually gets wary of his legs being off the ground. It's why he's always so uncomfortable when riding a broomstick. There's just air below you, no ocean to support you. And mountains are solid, rooted, and safe. For the most part. Sure he's nearly fallen a few times, but that's different.]

Perhaps, if you wish we could go climbing sometime> I do not know if there are any good jumping-off points here, but if there are, we could find them.

[ Alberto grins eagerly at the suggestion. This has definitely been the farthest from boredom and predictability — and he gets free clothes out of it! Well, free for a favor. Counts as free in his book. Free clothes and a cool friend maybe?! He's convinced at least two people to jump off cliffs with him here... He's kind of vying for a third now. While Jade may feel uncomfortable free-falling because he values the suspension of being in the water, Alberto is thrilled by the novelty of gravity, even though he's... more than used to it than the lack of it underwater, frankly. He really just likes the thrill by this point. Oy. ]

Yeah, we should go climbing! And hiking! And jumping! I know great jumping spots, too— Y'know down by the lake, those shores where we all showed up, yeah? There are these giant hands that come out of the cliff if you jump off the stairs! And if you keep jumping, it'll keep catching you...! I do it all the time~ Me and the mountain-monster-thing are buddies now, hah.

[ Alberto is not buddies with the Cliff Beast. The Cliff Beast has absolutely let him fall before, and Alberto was saved by his familiar — but thinks he saved himself, so... it was all just part of the game. Alberto made this a hobby for quite a long time, though, when the weather was better and he had more opportunity to get out of the city, before he adopted Sofia. It's not like he had any obligations like school or work, so... that was his special staycation. Going to the lake to jump off the Cliff Beast's hands. THE Activity. He'd also fish while he was there, but, y'know, it was all about the jumping spot. ]

[Friendship? Perhaps.

It helps that Jade only has one friend from home here. His best friend, but he's always believed in having a wide social circle. It's advantageous and educational, and as said before, it keeps life interesting.]

Giant hands? Well, now I shall have to see that for myself! I imagine one could even use those hands as a springboard. And try and do parkour...

[Well, that's what Floyd would have done, but Jade can imagine what his brother would do in that situation well enough, so he should be able to do it. In theory.

But he also does have to ask something about this jumping hobby now.]

So are you always jumping into bodies of water then? And have you broken any bones?

[Let him know what he might be signing up for here.]

[ Alberto grins at the suggestion of parkour. He doesn't know exactly what that is, but he's way ahead of him; been there, done that. He keeps his grin in place as he shakes his head No smugly, though. ]

Mm-mmn! Never! Well— I mean— Not here, doing that. Heh. So don't worry about it~ And if the hands don't catch me, I can make a magic net or a magic slide and save myself. Or my cat will save us!

[ Carlo's nowhere to be seen so far, the familiar freer to come and go as he pleases than the dinosaur or Alberto, so it's not really apparent that he's talking about his magic flying cat, a familiar, and not just... a normal pet housecat. Strange boy. Stranger yet. ]

Your cat? Well, it is nice to know that in case of emergencies, we are in safe hands. Or paws rather.

[Even if Alberto hadn't specified the type of cat, Jade can accept the possibility of a cat that might be able to save one. Familiars do exist back home. And there is Grim, who is technically a cat. Or is it Tanuki? Or weasel? Who knows?]

That said, it shouldn't come to that. Hopefully. One just needs to make sure they have plenty of rope.

It'll be fiiiine~ I've done it with my other friends plenty of times, too.

[ Way too nonchalant about endangering his physical safety — and by extension, Jade's, too. ]

Have you gone underwater in the Lake yet? Have you met the sea monsters — err, mer-whatever — the people who live down there?

Then I shall trust you on that since you are an expert.

[Guess he'll just have to keep one eye on this guy, in case something happens to him.]

Not fully. Only near the surface, due to the time of the year. I don't mind a little cold, but that deep, I think I'd get a little sluggish and I prefer to be on my A-game when meeting new fish.

[Most Lake creatures are fairly weak back home, but he knows he can't take the same chance beforehand.]

I might just drag Azul with me yet since I imagine he's gone by now.

[ Someone else calling Alberto an "expert," on anything, even if it's just jumping off cliffs without dying or sustaining serious injury?! Wow! His heart is soaring. Usually it's just him calling himself an expert, this is great.

But they've got important matters at hand to discuss now. ]

I've been. They're jerks. S'not worth it. They won't even let you in their village! I mean— I did it anyway, but they threatened us and said if we didn't leave, they'd curse us to stay down there forever, soooo... yeah. Not the friendliest.

[ Alberto completely misinterpreted their warnings and intentions, but also, he was lying to them and sneaking around town with some humans cursed to look like sea monsters, not revealing that he wasn't cursed...! But they probably guessed it because he looks nothing like them. Jade and Azul would fit in. Alberto stuck out like a sore fin. ]

Oh, they are those sorts? That just makes it more interesting? Now I really do have to ask Azul what they're like. Maybe we can negotiate together.

[Which means that Jade will have to break some people's bones. Sure he doesn't have any actual attack magic anymore, but much like his brother, he is talented in "squeezing" people.]

Though I wouldn't want to stay down there forever. Lakes are alright to swim in sometimes, but the ocean is better.

Yeah, yeah, the ocean is better, but I just don't wanna be stuck underwater period. Everything good is above the surface. So, uh, yeah, ask Azul. I'm not really interested in going back down there and risk getting trapped on a kelp farm forever. Knock yourself out.

[ His tone is dismissive and derisive, sarcastic, standing contraposto hands on his hips, his brow cocked with a look of skepticism. Alberto doesn't mince his words. He's not interested in living below the surface with other sea monsters and scarcely ever has been. He strongly feels he belongs on land, if he belongs anywhere... ]

Then I shall not bother you with such a thing. Though really, the surface has everything good?

[He chuckles, though admittedly, his own feelings on the matter were complex. His first year above had been one of the most frustrating experiences in his existence. Granted, by now he'd changed his mind a bit...

But still.]

We can still go mountain climbing though, can't we? That definitely doesn't involve kelp farming.

Yeah-hah, definitely! The forest on the edge of town is really cool, too — I mean, to me, at least. My island didn't look anything like that...!

[ He's quick to shed that sarcastic energy, still excited by the idea of exploring and hiking and mountain climbing above all. ]

I take my lizard monster there all the ti– Oh! Heh! D'you wanna meet her!? Sofia! She's under the bed~ Ahah, I mean— you've been here long enough and she hasn't come out to bite you yet, so... S'probably fine, eheh!

[ As... confidence-inspiring as any introduction can be. But his excitement doubles as the idea strikes him, clearly. The kid goes a mile a minute. ]

[It is fortunate that Alberto is so easy to steer away from bad moods. And well, visiting the forest genuinely does sound wonderful.

He raises an eyebrow at that.]

If she does bite me, I shall survive. I can heal myself and even if I can't, it's not like I haven't had worse misadventures.

[When he first started exploring the mountains back home, he'd had a bad habit of wanting to pet any forest creature he got close to. And still hadn't learned his lesson.]

Oooh, you're a healer? Good to know~

[ Alberto throws him a smile as he takes note of that bit of information, mildly foreboding as it is that he's taking note of that at all... but all the same, he's grinning as he drops to the ground, crawling on his hands and knees to the edge of the bed with his head lowered. His face becomes more focused as he peers underneath the bed, searching for his pet in the dark through narrowed eyes. She's not the only thing under there, unsurprisingly, so he's gotta discern which dark lump is alive and which dark lump is just more accumulated crap.

He slides even lower, pressing his chest almost flat to the floor as he crawls forward on his belly, his rear still in the air with his knees bent, not quite lying flat. The erratic way kids move — the erratic way this particular kid moves — is ridiculous; he doesn't even know how funny he looks half the time. He sticks his head halfway under the bed, cheek squished to the floorboard, before he starts reaching both arms out into the depths, cooing in a sweet, coaxing, singsongy voice as he does. ]

Sofiii~ina~ Mia bambina~

[ And as much as there was surely something foreboding about this from the start... of course it comes true. There's a soft scuffling from underneath, a strange chirping hissing sound ~~(what the hell sound do dinosaurs make, after all?)~~, and then an audible chomp, before Alberto lets out a yelp in pain and scrambles out from under the bed, falling backwards to clumsily sit crosslegged holding his hand protectively with a strained and incredulous look on his face, staring a bit frantically into the unseen depths.

Yeeeaaahhh... She definitely just bit 'im. ]

[It's a funny image, watching this kid crawl around on the floor and peek under his bed. Not worth snapping a covert picture of or anything like that, since Jade doubts Alberto can be blackmailed with embarrassing pictures. At least not like this.

Not that Jade is thinking of blackmailing him. No. But it's also the default his mind always goes to. Always looking for info that can be used at a later time, to gain an advantage.

Still, when the bite does happen, Jade flinches then gets up and walks over to him.]

Perhaps she is in a bad mood, especially since she has a stranger in her home.

[He kneels down and holds out a hand.]

Is it bad? Let me see it.

[His voice is gentle, but a perceptive person might notice a spark of excitement in his eyes. He's still fascinated by the ability to heal and every chance to try it out is a welcome one.]

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