Work Text:
In one of the lakes of Fontaine, which was surrounded by hydro-eidolons, lived an overly curious oceanid, Daeira. It was said that she left her mistress for a more secluded place to observe the nature around her, and especially the people.
Humans visited her a lot and was surprised by the suddenly appearing water spirit. But all the people who came to her only asked Daeira for a blessing and never returned. Oceanid did not think that her stay in this place would be so lonely, but one of the boring days that were beginning, a little girl entered the forest territory where the oceanid's home was located, as curious as Daeira.
Oceanid, in order to surprise the child, hid well in the water so that not even a ripple could be seen, having previously told her hydro assistants not to harm the child and to let her through to the lake.
The girl, seeing the butterfly that greeted her, immediately ran after it, laughing loudly, but in a completely different direction from the lake, running between trees and bushes.
"Oh, humans are such unusual creatures! They can laugh sincerely, like this child now... If only I could feel that, become a human for at least a day!" Daeira thought dreamily, hearing girl through the water.
The child came out from behind the thick bushes, out of breath. She was very thirsty and, seeing a lake in the distance, she quickly ran towards it to drink the refreshing cold water. Seeing how the large bubbling drops, incomprehensible to her, parted before her, the girl slowed down.
"Who are you?" she asked, but none of the creatures answered her. The Eidolons did not even approach her, they simply looked in her direction and blinked their one eye.
"How strange!" thought girl and continued her way, being very close to the water's edge. Daeira, who had waited for her moment, immediately jumped out of the water at full height. Girl, with her eyes wide with amazement, ran away from the lake.
"And who are you?" the child asked. There was not a drop of fear in her words from such a large creature compared to a human.
“A human!” Daira exclaimed joyfully, not hearing the child’s question due to her happiness.
"You? A human?" girl laughed, "But you don't look like me at all! You look like a fish and you don't even have legs."
"No, no!" The oceanid shook her head, "I am not a human. "I am an oceanid, an elemental hydro being."
The girl was even more surprised and her eyebrows rose higher. She probably had never seen these water spirits.
"Then who are these? Are these little oceanids?"
The child pointed her finger at one of the hydro-eidolons, who had not taken his eyes off her since the stranger’s arrival and now trembled when talking about him.
"Oh, not at all! These creatures, even though we are from the same element, are not exactly related to us. But if the oceanid suddenly weakens greatly, it will become the same droplet until it gets into a body of water!" Daeira patiently explained, pointing with her fin first at herself, and then at the eidolon.
"So you live here? Then please, may I have some water to drink?" girl came closer to the flying creature again. Oceanid nodded and, when the child sat down on the grass, asked:
"What's your name?"
Taking a sip, child, smiling modestly, as if she was embarrassed to meet her, replied:
"Furina! Mom said that this name means "fury". So no enemy can harm me!" Furina stuck out her chest, making a bold pose, and then asked in response, "And your name? It must be something powerful, just like you look?"
The creature laughed. The laughter echoed through the forest, which could not help but fascinate the girl, who still had little understanding of the nature of these creatures.
"The Mistress called me Daira, but I don't know its meaning. I think it's something good"
"A beautiful name. It suits you very well!"
So they both became friends in one evening. When it began to get dark, the girl quickly went home, having promised Daeira that they would meet again soon.
Furina did come, though not every day, spent hours by the lake and went home as happy as she had come. But almost two decades had passed since the girl stopped coming. During the entire time of waiting, the oceanid also met people, but none of them could compare to Furina. They also did not stay long, even though they trusted the water spirit.
Daeira, who spent most of her time interacting with her assistants every day, increasingly began to think that she was destined to be abandoned. Forgotten.
These thoughts lasted until one day, on one of the boring days that were beginning, Daeira decided to take on a human form. She studied their behavior for a long time, the appearance of each person who came here, as she had chosen her own appearance for a long time. Oceanid had an idea that as soon as she learned simple human things, she would go to a nearby village and get rid of her melancholy and loneliness.
At the moment when Daeira was already tidying herself up, decorating her hair with the glowing water lilies growing everywhere, a young girl came into the forest. Her hair was a very familiar color: white, with blue strands, looking at which the Oceanid always admired human beauty. As far as she remembered, her friend had the same, only longer. As soon as the girl came closer, Daeira understood without the onset of denials that this was Furina. That Furina who had not lost her radiant smile and the squint of her multi-colored eyes and the one who visited her again.
"Excuse me, miss," the girl said to Daeira, "have you by any chance met a water spirit here?"
Oceanid quickly rose from the grass, revealing herself to Furina in all her glory. She interrupted her speech, covering her mouth with her hands.
"Daeira? Are you a human now? You look a lot like me! Even my individual lock of hair is exactly the same," friend smiled widely, reaching out to hug her. Daeira, blinking, hesitantly approached the outstretched hands and was instantly grabbed.
"Oh! Is that how people greet each other? I saw them waving..." Oceanid fell silent, doubting her own words.
Furina tightened her grip on her friend's shoulders.
"That's how friends greet each other, best friends, by the way! By the way, what do you think about having legs? They're much more comfortable, tell me?"
Furina was unpredictable. Even Daeira sometimes found it difficult to understand her.
"I hope you don't mind that I took your appearance?"
"Of course not! But I look more familiar with white hair," Furina involuntarily laid her head on the girl's shoulder, "don't get me wrong, you're very beautiful."
Daeira's hands found their way to Furina's back, hugging her back gently.
"I'm glad to see you."