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At times, when the nation's official affairs were left behind, Furina would make her way to the seashore. There, amidst the incoming waves, she played with the blubberbeasts that had hauled themselves out of the water. Occasionally, a jellyfish curious about the human world would hide among the round-bodied creatures.
One might think a jellyfish would wither instantly should a powerful wave cast it onto the shore. The Hydro Archon ought to bury the child of the seas with all due honors; instead, she engages it in soulful conversation, and the creature listens intently, asking intriguing questions.
The reason is that the jellyfish is but a part of a whole being. If one directs their attention to its other half, they could boldly claim that standing before them is a girl far too similar to the Archon of the Hydro nation: the same soft features, the same hairstyle, even the same heterochromatic eyes.
They differed only in their gaze. In Furina’s eyes, the entire spectrum of emotion—from extreme joy to profound sorrow—was reflected, changing as if at the snap of a finger. One could never tell at a glance exactly what the goddess was feeling.
The mermaid was her complete opposite. Her face held only serenity, like a calm, mirror-like sea. She displayed other emotions quite rarely, usually only when it concerned some great upheaval or the object of her affection.
After meeting Furina, the mermaid unhesitatingly began calling herself Focalors. In her opinion, the name sounded exceedingly beautiful. The goddess, in her company, began to use her mortal name, casting aside the "Lady" title so solemn to the people.
On the way to the shore, Furina looked about in a futile attempt to find a spot to hide from the persistent sun. If there were any trees near the sand, they were small and stunted by the surrounding aridity, drawing only loud sighs from the goddess. It was a good thing she brought her parasol—the beautiful hat perched on the side of her head certainly wouldn't have helped.
With slow steps, Furina approached the water's edge. An unnatural chill emanated from the sea. At the sudden shift in temperature, Furina flinched and tightened her grip on the parasol’s handle.
By a large boulder covered in pale green algae to her right, loud splashes were heard. Today, the waves lapped at the shore quietly; they did not make such sounds after meeting with the various rocks.
Furina did not dare approach the boulder, but she deemed it worthwhile to observe. No sooner had the goddess turned her attention to the stone than pale feminine hands gripped the boulder, followed by a head. Furina could not make out the face—the figure’s wet hair clung to most of it, leaving only the chin visible. The girl brushed her hair aside and smoothed it back with the back of her hand. Spotting de Fontaine standing on the shore, she exclaimed joyfully:
"Furina!"
The goddess jolted; the parasol tilted dangerously, nearly slipping from her fingers. She blinked rapidly, trying to regain her composure. The mermaid did not wait for de Fontaine to approach; she dove deftly under the water and swam closer, rhythmically treading with her lacy, jellyfish tentacles. Her movements were somewhat less graceful now: in the first moments she wriggled like a half-dead fish, and upon reaching the shore, she nearly buried her nose in the sand. The culprit was her hands, which were pressed tightly together.
Out of curiosity, Furina leaned forward, covering her mouth with her free, white-gloved hand. Seeing the girl's reaction, the mermaid delayed no longer and opened her palms, revealing a collection of pearls glistening in the sun, iridescent shells of various colors, and lumitoiles.
Furina gasped. "How beautiful! What are these for? For your new mosaic, or..."
"For you," Focalors said, placing the sea treasures on the sand and pushing them closer to the goddess. "Do you like them? I knew the Hydro Goddess had impeccable taste!"
De Fontaine lowered her gaze to the heap of shimmering sea treasures. Her mismatched eyes widened, reflecting a kaleidoscope of surprise and admiration. She nervously shifted her gaze to the mermaid and back to the finds, not knowing what should be said first. A blush rapidly burned her cheeks, which she tried in vain to hide by slightly lowering the brim of her hat.
"Oh," Furina stammered immediately. From embarrassment, her voice nearly jumped an octave higher. "You didn't have to gather this for me. Sea creatures do not serve the Hydro Archon."
Focalors laughed melodically. Her tranquil gaze slightly soothed the goddess's rapidly beating heart.
"Is the first thing the Hydro Archon thinks of really offerings?" The mermaid tilted her head mischievously. A smile spread across her thin lips, taking pleasure in watching the girl’s darting eyes. "Don't friends give each other gifts? Isn't that how it's done in your human society? Besides, you love lumitoiles so much that it would have been a grave oversight had I not found the very best ones."
The tips of Furina’s ears turned red. She wasn't used to seeing someone who truly listened to her desires. De Fontaine gave in. She knelt down and reached out toward the sea stars.
"Since you put it that way..." she said timidly, with a sincere smile. "Thank you so much! I will certainly give you something in return. It’s only fair."