Aleki stood at the edge of an elevated piece of land above the surf. He unfurled his enormous wings and jumped, allowing the updraft to carry him high into the air. A few wing beats later had him flying out over the crystal blue water.
It was a beautiful day with not a cloud in sight; the warm wind felt good in Aleki's feathers. He wasn't supposed to be all the way out here--he was supposed to be helping his mother prepare dinner. But he wanted to bring back something even better than the vegetables they usually had.
Aleki scanned the waves for any fish or birds he might catch. Maybe he would impress the others with something even bigger, like a seal! Well, that was probably out of the question. He knew he couldn't drag it back to shore by himself.
A dark shadow beneath the waves alerted the boy to a shoal of fish. "Perfect!" he thought. The boy gripped the spear in his hand tightly before flying closer to the water. He trained his eye on a particularly large fish and threw, the spear making a satisfying 'thunk' as it hit its target. The end of the spear was attached to Aleki's wrist by a long rope. This way, he wouldn't lose it in the water.
Aleki caught two more fish in this way before having too much in his net. He'd spent long enough in the air, and even he was starting to get tired. He flew back to shore in a much less graceful way than he'd come, bogged down by the heavy load he was carrying.
A nasty gust of wind suddenly knocked the boy aside just as he was about to reach shore. With his heavy net, Aleki couldn't right himself in time.
It looked like this was going to be another crash landing.
In a spray of sand, he landed face down, wings thrashing and fish flying. Aleki lay there for a second and then sat up, rubbing his nose. "Well, that was...mostly successful. Now where are all my fish?"
A stream of salt water krept up the sandy terrain. This water moved unnaturally, seemingly in defiance of the cyclical ebb and flow of the surf. It moved with calm purpose towards the now earthbound creature.
It continued its slow movement, until it was within a short distance of the boy in the sand. It rose into the shape of a pillar only five feet in height. In width, it was just wide enough to keep certain items stored safely. Inside the watery form was held the boy's net, as well as the three dead fish kept formerly within.
"Umm... D-Did you drop these...? If not, I can take it back..."
The voice was timid in nature. It's source was not yet present.
Aleki stared at the column of water for a good 5 seconds before he screamed and shuffled backwards. His giant wings didn't help with his escape efforts, and he ended up falling backwards into the sand once more.
The boy shot back up, eyes wide until he finally realized he might be overreacting. This was magic, wasn't it? He quickly recovered, standing up and clearing his throat. He eyed the strange column of water suspiciously.
"Er, sorry for screaming. I just don't see magic too often. I never have actually. That's what you're doing, right? Magic?" Aleki finally noticed his three missing fish within the column of water. "Oh! You got my fish for me! Thank you..." he said, taking a step forward. He hesitated, though. Should he just reach in and take it? Would that be rude? His mother was always nagging him about being polite.
"Oh! I am sorry." the voice said softly as the startled boy retreated.
It, too, moved away from him some feet over the sand. Everything remained suspended within. The column remained motionless as the boy recovered. It was completely harmless in nature, shrinking somewhat, seemingly cautiously, in response to any sudden movement towards it.
"No... It is my fault. Really..."
The water began to retreat once more towards the safety of the ocean behind it, keeping a small distance between it and the boy. It paused before making contact with the surf.
"Magic? I... do not know... Uhm, these are yours."
As the column moved once more away, the net and fish were deposited on the dry sand in its path. They were also dry, as the water that had coated them joined the mass of seawater.
"I should go now..." said the voice as the surf crept up the beach towards mobile and watery pillar.
"Wait! It's not your fault!"
Aleki moved forward, scooping up the net and hastily placing his fish inside. He looked back up towards the column of water, who seemed to be ready to return to the sea at any moment.
"What's your name?" The boy asked. "Oh, I'm Aleki," he paused, "but most people around here just call me a troublemaker," he muttered, a small smile on his lips.
The flowing pillar stopped as the boy spoke up. However, a wave came before a response was returned. The strange moving water collapsed into the surf as it surged forward. The wave retreated, seemingly taking the anomaly along with it. Moments of silence passed before two soft words could be heard.
"T-Trouble... maker?"
Water rose once again from the soaked sand. It gently moved forward, leaving a patch of dry sand behind. This renewed column twisted and bent, taking a quasi-humanoid appearance. A single orb rose above the new form. A face formed on it, with small gaps making one eye and a mouth. Water surged and bubbled over where the other eye was supposed to be, forming pseudo-hair. Two arms met at the hands in front of the main pillar's "chest".
"I have been called... Fluvial..." it said timidly as it halted its slow glide up the beach.
Aleki realized he'd held his breath to see if the strange column of water would leave or not. It seemed to return, though, and he relaxed. The boy looked in wonder as the pillar took a humanoid shape and announced its name.
"Fluvial...that's a nice name. I've never heard of anything like it around here. Where do you come from?"
"Please, I do not deserve such kindness..." the figure replied.
One of Fluvial's hands detached itself from his body. Despite its consciousnesses, this one was still a being of water. Such was it that its shapes and parts did not follow the same structure of a being of flesh.
The orb floated up and hovered before the face of the elemental being. It made a look of confusion, changing only slightly from the nervous expression it had styled before. With a soft and timid voice, Fluvial continued.
"I am sorry, but I do not understand. Come from?"
Aleki sat in the sand, letting his enormous wings stretch out on either side of him. "Where you come from...like where you were born, or where you were before you were here," he explained, watching Fluvial's movements with interest.
"Uh, for example, I'm from here, the Yoreiqi isles." Aleki picked up a handful of sand, watching it drizzle from his fingertips into a cone-shaped pile on the ground. "I've always been here, and I probably always will be." He said the last part with a hint of sadness. "Do you get to travel around a lot?"
"I... uhm... I do not..."
Fluvial was utterly confused by the questions. He did not understand such concepts as birth, or know the names of worldly locations.
"I came from the water... It carries me around..."
The bashful elemental shrunk away somewhat. He was not used to so much attention, and it made him visually uncomfortable.
"I am sorry. I cannot answer your questions..."
Aleki hid his disappointment in Fluvial's answer. He had hoped the being would tell him stories about other places.
"Well, that's understandable. I wouldn't know the name of places if no one told me." Aleki cocked his head at Fluvial's timid movements but remained unaware of the elemental's shyness. "I hear there's a huge landmass far away from here. Merchants call it a continent. They travel the ocean currents on huge ships, much bigger than I could've ever imagined. Maybe you came from the place they did..." he stopped, realizing he was rambling.
"Yes..." the elemental replied calmly, refusing to make eye contact.
"There is a big dry place... uhm... That way..."
With one of his floating "hands", Fluvial pointed out to sea. That was the direction of the main continent. Only a second or two passed before he drew it back in towards himself. He looked down to the sandy earth before speaking once again.
"I have been there... There are rivers I... uhm... like to visit..."
Aleki looked off in the direction where Fluvial had pointed, a wistful look in his eyes.
"How long do you think it takes to get there...? I hope to one day fly there, but everyone says that's impossible, even for me." He squinted in the golden light of sunset until his eyes widened.
"Oh no!" He exclaimed, standing quickly. Sand rained down from his wings. He was supposed to have gotten back home before sunset... "Well, I have to go. My mother will give me a lecture if I'm late again."
He was reluctant to leave Fluvial, who was probably the most interesting creature he'd ever met. Aleki scooped up his net, shaking some more sand from it.
Fluvial recoiled with shock from the quickly moving boy. He was already awkwardly on edge before any sudden movements. The news that Aleki had to go home was somewhat worrying. Fluvial usually did not mind being left alone. He was quite used to it. However, sometimes it felt nicer to the elemental to be around someone who was not fearful.
"Should... Should I leave?" he asked nervously.
Fluvial sounded a bit sad. Aleki turned back to the elemental, flinging his net over his shoulder. "Would you like to...join me and my family for our evening meal? As thanks for getting my fish for me," he added. The boy wondered if Fluvial even ate anything, but perhaps he would enjoy the company.
"I... uhm! Well...!"
In a somewhat terrified manner, Fluvial stuttered on. Talking to one person was hard enough for him to do. Now there were more?
"Uhm... W-Will they... Will they be afraid? Sometimes... humans are afraid..."
"Oh! My mother wouldn't be afraid. She practices water magic, actually."
Aleki tilted his head, and as if sensing the elemental's hesitation, he added, "it'll just be me and her." He tucked his wings closely to his back and pointed to a narrow trail through the lush vegetation. "Come on, it's this way. We should get going before any...scary things come out," he said with a shudder.
Fluvial had his own reservations about traveling inland. Regardless of the location or what he was going to face, moving away from water always made him naturally uncomfortable.
The elemental wanted to retreat, to go back to the ocean where he could hide and move freely. Yet, he could not seem to do it. Something was stopping the timid water being. Perhaps it was the presence of someone so kind, so unafraid as others had been. The offer to travel to a dwelling of such creatures that would welcome him was tempting to Fluvial. Even if Aleki had misjudged the others of his kind, it was worth a try, and that was what kept the elemental standing there.
He replied after moments of contemplation, with his own answer surprising himself. "Alright..."
Aleki brightened at that, beckoning the elemental to follow him. He normally would have flown, but he wasn't too keen on making another crash landing back home. The boy squinted in the growing darkness, wishing he had brought a light. Oh well, he knew the path like the back of his hand anyways.
The jungle was always alive, even at twilight; various animals and insects were making quiet noises, camouflaged by the thick foliage. "We'll be there soon," Aleki said, seeing torchlight up ahead. "Oh, if you remember this path, then you can visit anytime you want."
Fluvial followed closely and silently. He did not walk as this being did, with foot moving over the other. Instead, he simply glided along the ground.
The watery elemental heard the boy's words, but was too timid to conjure an adequate response. Instead he moved on anxiously. He hoped that Aleki was not mistaken when he said the others would not be afraid. It would be nice if others were as welcoming as the boy had been.
Aleki finally caught sight of the small hut beside a well-beaten path. A quick look around confirmed no one was about—but then again, why would anyone come here? He and his mother lived at the end of the road, well away from the other people.
He tightened his grip on his net of fish, preparing himself for his mother's lecture that was sure to come from his staying out so late. Hopefully she would be more preoccupied with Fluvial.
"Mama! I'm back!"
Immediately, a woman with a worried face appeared in the hut's doorway, her eyes easing in relief upon seeing her son. "Aleki! I told you to be back before sunset!"
Aleki rolled his eyes, pointing at the sun that had just disappeared over the horizon. "It's not technically after sunset yet," he said, "and look! I got some fish!"
The woman's eyes wandered to where Fluvial stood. As someone who had strong water magic, she immediately recognized the being as a water elemental. She had seen creatures like this before...but certainly not standing outside her door. "Aleki...who is this?"
"Oh! This is my friend Fluvial. He helped me get my fish after I crash-dropped them."
Fluvial was struck speechless.
He had become intimidated beyond words with the larger creature's reprimand, even though it was not directed at him. The elemental froze in place as she looked him over, trying and failing to summon the courage to greet her. Excess water soaked the earth as his form began to shrink under her gaze.
All Fluvial could do was raise a one of the watery orbs he used for hands in a meek wave. his "mouth"opened, but no sound could be heard.
Aleki leaned in closer to his mother. "Uh, he's a little...shy." The woman nodded.
"You don't say." The woman tried to make her demeanor seem a bit more gentle, and she eased a smile on her face. "I'm Lailani. Thank you for helping my son—he's always getting into trouble," she said, placing a hand in Aleki's hair to ruffle it.
"Hey!"
Lailani laughed. "Well, come in you two, the meal is ready. Though I suppose I'll roast some fish too."
Aleki tucked his enormous wings closer to himself, leaning down slightly so they could fit through the door. "Come on Fluvial, I'll show you my shell collection."
Fluvial's mouth quivered into a slight smirk as he watched the interaction between the two, but it quickly faded once again. He still would not dare to speak. Even as he followed obediently into the hut, he remained silent. He was conscious to keep all the water bound to himself, leaving not even a drop in his wake.
In his time traveling the rivers, the elemental had seen many different dwellings. Some had been like this, but each one he saw varied in both size and makeup. Fluvial barely understood the concept of a dwelling, and never knew the purpose of constructing one. This showed in his inquisitive scanning of the hut's interior. He looked around in subtle amazement as he followed Aleki.
In the past, these seemed to be merely a place for such beings of the world to hide during the dark night. Seeing the inside of one provided evidence that there was more to that theory...
The hut was not unlike the others one would find in Yoreiq. A small cooking fire burned in a wide hole in the center of the room, casting an orange glow across Aleki and Lailani's faces as the light faded outside. Two sleeping mats lay to the side, covered in soft silks and other fabrics. Some other rolled up mats stashed against the wall suggested guests were frequent.
Hung from the walls and arranged in neat piles lay various trinkets and strange objects. Some were everyday things one would find on the island—shells, feathers, interesting rocks. Others were much different—colorful jewelry boxes, combs and clips, small swathes of fabric, and other unidentifiable things.
Aleki grabbed an elegant looking box from beside his sleeping mat, holding it up for Fluvial to see. "This is from that huge continent I was talking about earlier...they have different trees and metals over there, and they make things like this. I got it from a trader's ship."
Lailani chuckled, untangling the fish from the net. "He says he has a shell collection, but almost everything here is his 'collection'."
Fluvial looked over the gilded container, inspecting it as well as he was able. He was careful not to touch it. He did not know the rules, and would not risk over-stepping some unknown boundary by laying a single drop on the surface. These creatures had many such things as this. They adorned the inside of the dwelling, but seemed to do little else. Aleki's apparent fascination with these items was lost on the oblivious elemental, who could see no logic in it.
"What... What is the purpose of this... collection, of which you speak? I am... sorry if it is obvious..."
"A...purpose? I don't think collections really have a purpose. Maybe for my own personal entertainment?" Aleki said, tilting his head. He put the box back in its place and took a seat by the cooking fire.
"I'm not sure how to ask this, but, uh, being water and all, do you eat?"
Fluvial simply watched as the odd container was stored again.
"No... purpose?" he questioned silently.
The young creature walking away cut the elemental out of his inquisitive daze. He followed quickly behind Aleki and mirrored him, pretending to sit in a watery blob in the middle of the floor. He wanted to appear as similar as he could to appear compliant and non-threatening.
"I... uhm... do not eat, no."
"Well, that's okay. Dinner is for talking, too."
Aleki watched in wonder as Fluvial appeared to sit down. He couldn't quite get used to someone being entirely made of water—but it looked pretty cool.
Lailani speared some fish with a thin stick, placing them over the fire to cook. She picked up a small wooden cup and filled it with water, dropping a mixture of herbs and berries into the liquid. She waved her hand over the cup, and the water turned a deep red color.
Fluvial "sat" still as the two readied themselves to eat. All the elemental could do was stay silent and try not to make anyone uncomfortable as he observed. A minute spark of interest could be seen as he witnessed the elder of the two perform some manner of magic with the water in the small container.
Lailani finished with her mixture, setting it over the cooking fire to warm. "It's a recipe for a sweet drink. It also has some healing properties."
"Fluvial, perhaps you could do this also. You seem to have a predisposition for magic, and this is only simple water magic. Would you like to try?"
Fluvial looked to the liquid he had been presented with.
"If that would please you..." he replied solemnly.
Once the same ingredients are added, the water would seem to move almost by itself. The process was simple, and the elemental did not even need to move to recreate what Aleki's mother had done.
Lailani's eyes widened, clearly pleased. "Amazing! Your magic must be strong, Fluvial."
Aleki blinked, peering down at the dish before turning to his mother. "Hmm...I guess you're not the best with magic on this island like you said..." he joked. Lailani ruffled his hair, leaving the boy tugging at knots with a grumble.
"Its no fair you two can do magic. I can't do anything."
Fluvial shrank from the cup, a look of regret displayed on his face of molded water. The elemental had done only what he was offered to do. This was not the desired reaction.
"I am sorry... I did not mean to upset anyone, to make anyone feel inferior..."
Aleki chuckled, meaning to give the elemental a pat on the back only to have his hand pass right through. The boy blinked, a little flustered, before regainingg his composure. "Oh, I'm just joking—and besides, I've got these." He shifted his wings, knocking over an empty bowl in the process. "Whoops."
The elemental was unfazed, even as his fluid composure rippled from the touch. Aleki's wings had once again gotten the his curious attention. That is, until he saw the falling bowl.
Fluvial reacted quickly. He had seen firsthand what gravity did to such objects, and these creatures valued their possessions like all the rest. This compelled the elemental to act, to keep the falling object whole if he could. An orb of water encased the falling object, catching it in midair before lowering it gently to the ground.
Aleki watched in awe at how easily Fluvial could manipulate water—but the guy was made of the stuff, so maybe that was to be expected. "Thanks."
Lailani looked on with interest, chin resting on her hand. An idea formed in her mind. "Say, Fluvial, is there anywhere you're going to go after this?"
The water lifted off the bowl, leaving its surface devoid of even any humidity.
Fluvial looked to Lailani as the liquid rejoined his form. His expression was that of subtle confusion.
"Anywhere... to go? Well... when you tell me to leave, I can go back to the ocean...
Is that a suitable answer?"
'When you tell me to leave,' huh? Lailani shrugged. "Hm, let me rephrase that: do you want to go back to the ocean?"
There was a visible shift in the Fluvial's expression. Never before has someone inquired to what the elemental wanted. The feeling of personal desire was something he usually ignored, or actively suppressed when in the company of intelligent beings. If anything, he wanted to stay. His desire was to be in the company of creatures that were comfortable with his presence, that had treated him so well.
Still, there was a chance that this would end soon. For all Fluvial knew, these two would grow tired of him by sunrise.At that time, he would have to go back to his travels along the ocean currents. After a moment or two of internal inflection, he responded.
"I will go back to the ocean when you tell me to leave..."
Lailani, still unsatisfied with the vague answer, decided a different approach. "The reason I ask is that you are very talented in water magic. I was wondering if it wasn't too much trouble for you to stay and help my students."
Aleki was surprised at his mother's forward proposal. "My mom teaches water magic to the kids on the island that can use it."
Lailani nodded. "While I try to show my students as much as I can, I think they could all learn a lot if you demonstrated a few things." Secretly, she had another reason for asking Fluvial to stay. Aleki was always so competitive and stubborn when it came to the other children, and there weren't many his age on the island. The elemental, surprisingly, was someone her son got along with. Perhaps it was selfish, but...every mother wanted her child to have a friend.
Fluvial was very obviously confused by the request. He repeated some words after they had been spoken
"Students..? Teaches..?"
"I do not understand. I am sorry, these words are new to me.
If I could ever help... I will. I can leave when you need me to..."
So many apologies, even when he had done nothing wrong. But Lailani didn't say this out loud. This Fluvial was certainly a fragile soul, and it reminded her of someone she once knew...
"Hmm...a student is someone who wants to learn something. A teacher helps the student understand what they want to know."
"Of course, whether you agree or not is up to you. I realize this is a bit of a large request..."
Aleki looked from his mother to Fluvial, wondering what the elemental would say. He got the feeling Fluvial had never been asked something like this before.
"I... agree.
To assist if I can..."
The elemental was feeling something entirely new to him. No longer was he simply going along with whatever happened around him. Fluvial was making a decision for himself. Such a sensation felt... pleasing. Still, something about it also felt improper, or even unnatural. Therefore, the elemental kept such feeling to himself for now.
"Just tell me what I need to do..."