[PRP] Oh Joy, Complications... (Serefina and Kahlua/Brandy)

[Teigra]

The sun beat down on the open beach, it's warming rays cutting through the mild temperature change that marked what was now 'winter' for the tropical Isle. Below, flicking a stray lock of dark brown hair from her eyes, the bright fiery Naiad reflected on recent events.

She used to complain about being alone, about life being boring because nothing exciting ever happened.

Remind her to never take that for granted again.

Between the entire isle falling to the sea, opening up access to a whole new ocean to explore, followed by strange Naiads appearing from that same ocean and arriving at her lake home to cue enormous, magical palaces to rise from the lakebed...well, she certainly couldn't call her life boring anymore. And that was all separate from that weirdness regarding those arrow-shooting, maniac Pae just recently.

The entire week was still a bit of a haze. A haze filled with lots of pointy arrows...she remembered that much anyway. And a massive headache after one day in particular...a day she'd woken up near some stranger. Didn't get much weirder than that and she'd been quick to take her leave and return to the lake as soon as possible. Lucky for her she'd fallen sleep near the surf at least, so she wasn't completely dried out from the air.

For now, she stared out over the waters of the lake, tail flicking up out of the water to become legs...then dropping it once more in the surf to revert forms. How odd. She stared as if fascinated by the process, no matter how many times it happened, then sighed and leaned back. Her eyes on the newly-established Naiad court in the distance, she mused on whether this chaotic new existence was really all that much better than the boring, humdrum life she'd wished away in exchange.  

[Kira of Flames]

Kahlua stepped out to the sands of the beach, looking around rather franticly for the female Naiad In her arms lay an infant Naiad bundled in cool, wet clothe. The angel Pae was completely frazzled; she hardly knew how to take care of a regular pae, let alone one that was part fish.

The sand was warm against her feet, as was the sun, and it was the typical tropical day on the island. Farther along the beach, she saw the familiar Naiad, then broke into a run to get to her. "E-excuse me! Excuse me, miss! Do you remember me...?"

The little Naiad in her arms gave a big yawns, snuggling into the wet clothes she was wrapped in.  

[Teigra]

Serefina nearly jumped as the voice startled her out of her reverie. Blinking and looking around the beach for the source of the voice, she had to bite back her immediate reaction response of 'No, who the hell are you?'. She was socially awkward from minimal contact with others in some time...not an asshat.

Instead, she frowned at the angel in momentarily confusion, her expression blank and devoid of recognition. "Sorry, but...I don't think so?" she answered aloud, turning to the side and leaning on her hand. Only then did she realize she had actually been approached by a pair of Pae'il, given the yawning, wriggling bundle in the young woman's arms.

What the...? Was that a baby Naiad?  

[Kira of Flames]

Kahlua bit her lip. "I'm the one you woke up next to that morning... apparently something happened that night..." She gently held the bundle out to the female Naiad. "She's yours.... ours." Taking a deep breath Kahlua gathered her courage. "I need your help. I don't know how to raise a Naiad."

Nervously, she waited for Sere's reaction, hoping the girl wouldn't leave her completely stranded.  

[Teigra]

Crap, so much for a clean escape that morning. She'd been noticed. Well, didn't matter, since she had no idea what the hell had happened anyway. Couldn't be her fault if she didn't remember what it was anyway. She was guilty of nothing other than falling asleep on land like an idiot.

"No, no, I don't have any kids. She's not mine," she shook her head, mishearing at first. Did the woman think she'd lost her kid or something? If she'd even HAD a kid in the first place, she wouldn't have been stupid enough or careless enough to LOSE it somewhere. Must be some other Naiad's kid...

...wait a minute, what?

"What'd you say?" she muttered, turning to stare at the pair more closely.  

[Kira of Flames]

Kahlua took in a slow and shaky breath before repeating herself. "We have a child." After that statement, words began to blurt from her mouth. "I don't expect you to help raise her or take her or anything. I need advice on how I'm supposed to take care of her though. I have no Naiad friends, and I have no idea how to raise a Naiad.... Please, I beg you, help me."

The angel pae watched the Naiad with hope in her eyes, holding the infant in her arms out to her. "Her name is Brandy...."  

[Teigra]

Still frowning at the pair and obviously confused, Serefina shook her head. "No, no, no, I'm pretty sure that's not how things work. She can't be mine...or ours. That makes no sense." First of all, Serefina barely knew the odd woman standing in front of her, holding a baby. Second...she was a woman. From what Serefina had observed from a life filled with observations in the lake...that's not where babies came from.

Almost delicately, she continued, "Are you sure you're not mistaken? Maybe some other Naiad...a male? I haven't seen too many lately, but there was one about recently. I'm sure there's plenty ore somewhere...even if I haven't seen them..." She didn't want to imply anything rude, but really...this made no sense whatsoever.

Plus, if this woman had her, then shouldn't she realize where the child came from? Babies didn't just drop out of the air like magic. Not that Serefina had ever seen, certainly. The idea was just absurd and unbelievable.

Still, the strange woman seemed desperate and Serefina raised an eyebrow while glancing at the baby. "First of all, I'd suggest getting her into some water. Those wraps aren't going to work for long." She patted the couple inches of water washing in and out slowly over the sands where she sat.  

[Kira of Flames]

Kahlua nodded and hurried to put Brandy into the water, sitting down in the water with her toddler. "I'm quite certain it was you, Serefina. The fairy who dropped her off made sure to tell me with all certainty it was you. I really don't know how it happened, and like I said, I'll take complete care of her.... I jest need to know how." She gave the other Naiad a weak smile. "Like knowing how long I'd be able to keep her out of water, or in moist wraps before I need to put her in real water. Or what would be good for her to be eating in her early years."  

[Teigra]

Okay, seriously...what in Telrunya had happened that night and why didn't Serefina remember any of it? Seriously, she could barely recognize the woman who seemed to act like she knew her at least...

"Wait...fairy? What 'fairy who dropped her off'?" She seemed completely bewildered by this revelation. "You didn't...'have' her yourself?" she puzzled aloud. Okay...apparently nature was out of the picture and magic it was. Magic and an absolute absence of all logic whatsoever.

Massaging her temples, Serefina could feel a headache coming on. "I'm not sure I can absorb something this...'insane' right now..." she muttered, half to herself. "Maybe...if I just treat this as being an advisor or something for the situation..."

She sighed softly, feeling this was way too much insanity to absorb at once. "Look, you'll have to keep a close eye on her in that case. As she gets older, she'll be able to tell you when she's getting too dry, but you'll have to watch her skin while she's young. If she gets too dry, she's going to start itching and hurting. Fortunately for you, since the Isle crashed into the ocean, the air has been more humid and it takes longer to dry out while on land. A lot depends on the weather and what you're doing, really."

Slowing down, Serefina drew up her tail like a land Pae would their knees, resting one arm there, her cheek on her wrist while she watched the tot play in the shallow water. Was it possible? Was this somehow...by some magic...her child?

She'd never even dreamed...  

[Kira of Flames]

Kahlua listed carefully and with great intensity as Serefina talked to her about the Naiad's skin. She was going to have to make sure to keep a close eye on the her daughter's comfort level. This would have been so much easier if she actually knew someone who was a Naiad whom she could have used for help in at least babysitting.

"What about food? What's the best thing I should be feeding her?" Kahlua generally liked eating mainly fruits and veggies with a small mix of eggs in it, but she was pretty sure that Brandy would be more on a seafood diet.  

[Teigra]

Serefina quirked a brow at the question, growing slightly concerned that the woman seemed to know nothing about children in general, let alone Naiads. Plus, she was biting back the urge to give a deadpan response of 'lobster, fresh-caught, three times a day' or something otherwise as snarky. Honestly, she was feeling a bit too drained right now from all this to be that mean.

It'd probably take too much energy afterward to explain that she wasn't serious anyway.

With a slight sigh, she shook her head before answering. "You do realize, Naiads are still Pae'il, right? Tastes may differ from one individual to the next, but we're all basically omnivores. So, the same thing you'd feed any baby Pae'il, though you'll probably have to try a few things to see what she likes. Though a balanced diet is still a good idea."

Good guardians, was she going to have to teach this woman everything? She was starting to feel sorry for the poor kid.

"Honestly, I was never a baby Naiad anyway, so it's not like I'd really know much more than you would," she muttered, reaching up to rub between her eyes. Yep, headache coming on. Wait, she'd probably confuse the poor girl even more with that...oy... "Um...long story." She still didn't quite understand it herself.

Shooting the odd angel a sideways glance, she questioned, "...you sure you're ready to take on a kid? Let alone a baby Naiad?"  

[Kira of Flames]

Kahlua nodded in understanding as Serefina talked about Naiads. Her mind thought about all the different foods out there, and she wondered if the little baby would like the same things she did. She also wondered what vegetables would be appropriate for the child and if the little toddler would be ok eating most solid foods. She would certainly need the help of her father and her aunts and uncles in this, since she'd never raised a child before.

At Serefina's last question, Kahlua paused and looked down at Brandy. The little Naiad was happily playing in the water and sand, splashing around and giggling. Giving a slow sigh, she looked back to the other girl and nodded in determination. "Yes, I'm ready. I may need to find help along the way, but I'm ready to take on this responsibility...." She'd probably need to find a Naiad babysitter as well...  

[Teigra]

Serefina sighed, not for the first or last time. "If you say so," she muttered in reluctance. She watched the little Naiad tot splashing in the waves and shook her head. Where had she come from, really? A fairy? It made no sense, but she should really know better than to question the strange, magical things that could happen on Telrunya. Afterall, as she herself had admitted, Serefina wasn't even born a Naiad, and yet here she was.

"Look," she started hestitantly, trying to choose her words, "If I had any idea this could even happen, I wouldn't have...well...whatever it is that we apparently did. I didn't even consider this a possibility, even if I was thinking at all." Why was everything still so hazy?