[img]https://www.soquiliera.com/soquili/images/geyser/certs/JuliTakutai.jpg[img]
It was a beautiful day in Koa Ahi's neighborhood, as it usually was. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the waves were lapping lightly against his hooves. Koa lived a relatively unbothered life, and that was how he liked it - he knew some Soquili tended to overdramatize or sulk about their lot in life, but he'd never been the kind. He was, at his core, a mostly happy, laid-back kind of guy, and he lived a happy, laid-back kind of life.
He was used to things being peaceful, so when a discordant cry reached his ears, he was immediately at attention. Who was trying to ruin his ten- millionth nice day in a row? He thought maybe it had been a bird, but then he heard it again, louder and more desperate this time; definitely not a bird.
Someone needed help.
Koa took off at a light trot toward the sound of the noise; he felt he would've heard or sensed something if it was a real emergency that required him to run. He rounded a bend in the beach and spotted two floating pink blobs near the rocky outcropping - that seemed to be the source of the noise.
"What's wrong?" Koa called as he got closer. He could see now - one was a small water-bound Soquili, and the blob next to him appeared to be... "Is that a jellyfish?" A flutter in in Koa's chest reminded him that jellyfish could sting - but if this Soquili was getting stung, why didn't he swim away?
Was it kind of embarrassing to have to call for help like some kind of damsel in distress? Yes. Was it also necessary?
Apparently.
Because Taku had been just having fun with his familiar, as he did all the time - hundreds and hundreds of times, he had done this same activity! He'd even done it in the same spot a few times before.
This was so embarrassing.
"Yeah," Takutai grumbled. "He's mine. And he's not being very helpful right now!" Taku added, shooting a poisonous glare at his familiar, Scully, who did nothing but bob with the ebb and flow of the waves they were in.
Taku looked back at the Soquili that had come to - hopefully - his rescue. "You're big," he said, sizing him up. "Can you help me? My tail is stuck between some rocks," he tried not to sound too plaintive, but his tail really hurt, and he just wanted to go home and be done with today, even though it was barely midmorning.
Koa Ahi let out a low whistle as the fish explained his predicament. "Suuuuuuure," he said slowly, drawing out the word as he considered. "But, uh, your buddy isn't going to sting me, is he? Like, he knows I'm trying to help you? He's not like, an attack jellyfish or something, right?"
"What, Scully?" Taku snorted derisively. "An attack jellyfish sounds awesome, but, uh, no, he mostly just..." Takutai jerked his head in the jellyfish's direction. "Mostly he just does that." He looked back at the stallion. "What's your name, anyway? I'm Takutai, and like I said, that's Scully."
"Koa Ahi," he said, wading cautiously into the water to join Takutai and Scully. In spite of Takutai's reassurance, he still gave the jellyfish a wide berth. When he was close enough, he ducked underneath the water and saw that Takutai was telling the truth - his tail was caught painfully between the jagged edges of two heavy rocks that must have dislodged on top of him. Really, he was lucky he hadn't been hurt worse, all things being equal...
It took a few minutes, but finally Koa was able to shove his shoulder and neck against the top rock with enough force to allow Takutai to wiggle his tail free. Koa returned to the surface and grinned at his new little buddy.
"How's that feel?"
"Thank you," Takutai said, genuinely intensely grateful for perhaps the first time in his life. "Really. I, uh, woulda been stuck here forever. So, um, thanks a bunch and also don't tell anybody about this, okay?" At Koa's surprised expression, Takutai rolled his eyes. "I can't let everybody know I got beat by rocks! So don't tell anybody, okay?" He waited for Koa's slow, confused nod, then continued. "Um, I gotta go home and fix my tail but uh - I owe you one, okay? Thanks. Bye!"
And then he dipped beneath the surface and was gone, his jellyfish bobbling along beside him. Although Takutai tended toward impish and jovial and perhaps a bit unserious, he had meant what he said - he did owe Koa Ahi one, and he'd find a way, somehow, to pay him back. Someday.
((Koa WC: 434
Taku WC: 351))
