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Rui had been residing in a small village for a while now, collecting all sorts of resources on his travels. Once he was satisfied, he would return to his own home, and he could finally experiment with all the new and exciting things he had found. Some were things that, admittedly, he could find at home, but he was always enticed by the prospect of having more herbs and such. However, some were things that he could only dream of getting his hands on before. Maybe these rare ingredients were found just on the side of a trail, though some he did pay a pretty penny for…but that was beside the point. He had finally gotten his hands on them. There was just one more thing he wanted, one thing that would make this whole trip more than worthwhile. A rare herb that only grew in caverns when exposed to the moonlight above, usually situated near puddles or small ponds in said caves. He had asked around, but no one was directly selling it. Of course, he wasn’t one to take the easy way out anyway, if he could help it that is. After traveling on foot for quite some time, he was certain he was getting close. A small pond situated near some modest hills, buried within them. However, to his surprise, it was not a cavern, but a small area near the connected ocean, shielded by tall trees. The glistening water was a sight to behold, and he wished he had a camera to capture its beauty. His eyes did just fine though. He then began recalling the shopkeeper's words, specifically about being hasty with his excursion. It’s not like he didn’t appreciate the man's concern, but he could more than handle himself here, even on rough terrain. After all, ever since he was young he had been climbing trees and exploring the small forests behind his childhood home. He was more than used to this, wasn’t he? Circling the pond, he looked around for the herb, its appearance hard to miss. Sure enough, there it was, a small stock of the herb, glistening just like the water did in the moonlight. He dropped his bag off to the side, walking over to kneel beside it. He examined its stem, gently holding it, yet to rip the plant out of the ground. This wasn’t the perfect condition for it to grow in, so the leaves were withered slightly, making it less effective. But an herb as potent as this one didn’t have to be at its best to be interesting to him. Suddenly, the sound of water splashing filled his ears, and he hastily turned his head to look at the pond.
Nothing.
Surely he hadn’t misheard, right? The silhouette of something stuck out to him though, but with how dark it was, the moonlight not being much help, he couldn’t trust his own judgment. Maybe it’d be best if he just took the herb with him and returned after all. He wrapped his hands around the stock, ripping it out of the ground carefully. He was staring at its intricate roots when that same splashing could be heard once more. This time, a girl seemed to emerge from the pond's water. The two stared at one another, Rui surprised.
“S-stop!” she suddenly spoke up, her hands holding onto the ledge of the pond. He stared back at her, batting his eyes innocently before smiling.
“Hello, you startled me. Just how long were you hiding there?” he asked, placing the herb stock down atop the plush soil. She allowed herself to sink just a bit, the water covering her mouth as she stared at him with contempt.
“Are you not keen on answering?” he asked, turning to face her, sitting with his hands in his lap.
“That’s quite impressive for you to hold your breath for so long. Perhaps you’re from the village?” he continued his questions, the girl pausing before pulling herself up once more.
“...I’m not from the village, you fool,” she mumbled a snide remark, his smile never faltering. She seemed quite defensive, but he couldn’t quite place his finger on why. But, sitting there and staring at her made him realize something, and if his conjecture was true, well then…
“Tell me,” he spoke quickly, situating himself on one knee, positioned closer to the pond’s edge.
“Would you be a mermaid?” he asked, the difference in his tone and the glimmer in his ever-curious eyes not going unnoticed. She pulled away slightly, only giving a nod in response.
“Yes, it all makes sense now! After all, what human could hold their breath so long, and in such cold water at that? Remarkable,” he rambled on, much more interested in her now. She was somewhat suspicious of him though, and the longer he kept this up, the more her gut feeling grew. Meanwhile, Rui could only think of all the potions he could brew using mermaid scales, special seaweed, and the powder of specific shells- yes, this discovery was worth more than anything else he had come across thus far! Despite his thoughts only thinking of how she could benefit him, he did have to say, he was intrigued by her as well.
“Say, won’t you tell me your name?” he asked, her eyes scanning over him for some sort of sign that he wasn’t to be trusted. Though for some reason, she felt inclined to tell him.
“...It’s Nene,”
“And what of your last name?”
“I don’t have one,” she mumbled, surprised by the childlike wonder that seemed to consume him at this moment. She hadn’t expected him to be this intrigued.
“I’m not human, so why bother with something so trivial…” she remarked, his nodding following suit. He wanted to know all that she could tell, but he had other matters first.
“So, Nene, is there a reason you didn’t want me to take this?” he asked, dragging his hand along the rocks and soil to grasp the herb once more. She paused, glancing away from him.
“It’s dangerous…that plant isn’t the one you’re looking for, probably…” she explained, and he listened intently.
“It looks similar to another plant, one that’s quite sought after, but-” she continued, suddenly being cut off.
“I think there’s a misunderstanding here, Nene. It’s poisonous to humans, right?” he asked, her eyes widening slightly before she nodded in response.
“But in small doses, this plant works wonders as an anesthetic! I came here knowing that,” he explained, Nene listening, though not exactly understanding.
“...I never knew…” she admitted, sinking into the water slightly in shame. He laughed, gently placing a hand atop her head.
“You’ve been here, making sure that humans don’t take it because of how dangerous it is, right? That’s why the shopkeeper warned me about coming here, and why no one else had the plant,” he smiled fondly, imagining such a timid girl trying her best in the only way she could bring herself to.
“Humans are foolish…that’s why…” she muttered, bubbles coming up in the water. He laughed, finding her quite amusing.
“And what about me? Am I also foolish?” he asked, awaiting her answer with enthusiasm behind his eyes. That innocent stare made it hard to say anything mean.
“...I suppose you aren’t. Though…if I had to describe you…” she thought for a while, his eyes glistening. He had taken quite a liking to her.
“Yes?” he asked impatiently, forgetting all about the herbs by this point.
“Bothersome.”