One Seashell - Action

[upthere]

[When Ariel burst out of the sea, she had expected to still be in the water. What she wasn't expected was to be stuck up in a tree.

At least, she thinks it's called a tree. Whatever it is, she's stuck in it, and the ground is pretty far beneath her.

She leans over to cling to the trunk of the tree and stares down, wondering how she got up here and how to get down and - and is that... is that the ground?

Then she... She's on the land?

Ariel slowly looks over to her legs. Legs. Legs! She can't help stretching one out, and the shock on her face turns into elation. It worked! The spell worked! Oh, she has to find Eric now! She -

She's so happy that she very nearly falls out of the tree, and she holds tightly to the trunk again. Yeaaah, she should. Probably not move much right now, even for Eric.

Maybe someone will come along...]

Comments

Couldn't resist of course XP

[tailasoldastime]

[Beast finally manages to get beyond just the edge of the woods and comes into it for the first time since that strange fairy tale event all the way back in September. It's not too different from the woods near his castle, but the lack of wolves is very pleasant.

Wait... is there something in that tree? He sees red... white...

Oh, it's a girl... a very pretty girl. She... reminds him of Belle somehow, or is that just him...? Well, she definitely doesn't look as sure as Belle, but then again, she's wearing that white dress so she must be new. Is... is she stuck?]

H... h-hello?

Come to my arms Beast |D

[upthere]

[Maybe it's the eyes. Dat Disney-eyed look.

Ariel was just look down at the ground and wondering how to get down there when that deep voice rumbled, and she looks up to the source of it. She's surprised, yes, because she's never seen anything like that before... But more curious than anything. He doesn't seem like he wants to eat her or anything, like a shark would. In fact, he sounds kind of unsure.

So, after a moment, Ariel smiles and waves. Hello! I am stuck in a tree. You?]

/Gets covered in fur XD

[tailasoldastime]

[Of course, she and Beast were animated by the same person. Not that either of them know that.

Good, he's not scaring her... in fact, she seems happy.] Uh... d-do you need help?

Well this is a different experience :|

[upthere]

[Her smile turns more unsure and helpless as she nods and adjusts her grip on the tree's trunk, clinging tightly to it even more so. She's not sure what counts as help, or what anyone could do to get her out of here except... catch her, or something. Though this guy looks like he could do that easily.]

Here's hoping you're not wet XP

[tailasoldastime]

[He thought she needed help... but how to do this? Should he climb up the tree - wait, that might make her fall before he got to her. He'll have to catch her.

Holding out his hairy arms awkwardly...] Ih... i-if you let go, I-I can catch you.

I'm never going to get this fur off D|

[upthere]

[Let go? Goodness... If this were the sea, she'd have no trouble with that. But this is the land, and falling seems kind of dangerous up in a tree. Danger's never really stopped her before... but she's so unsure about how to use her legs and everything that she can't help feeling nervous.

She glances away, at her legs... then looks down at him again, frowns and bites her lower lip, but gives a determined smile all the same... and lets go, pushing off slightly with her shins. The fall makes her frown and the biting of her lip increase some, but she just hopes, and trusts, that this person - animal? - catches her.]

/Hands over towel that will hopefully help

[tailasoldastime]

[And indeed he does, quite easily. This is the moment when he notices how much hair she has... and how light she is. Makes him think of when he carried Rapunzel - no, that's too sad to think about.]

... Y-you alright?

Now the towel has fur :|

[upthere]

[She had clung to his shoulders when he caught her, because even though she trusted that he'd catch her, it's still a pretty terrifying thing to fall from that high up to the hard ground below. But once he asks that question, Ariel... smiles, and lets out a long, relieved sigh.

... Oh, and she nods. She'll even lean up to kiss his cheek, as a symbol of her thanks. You know, considering she can't actually say it like she normally would.]

That's what washing is for!

[tailasoldastime]

[The clinging is definitely something he's not used to, and it tenses him up a little because... well, this is a rather beautiful girl he's carrying here and her using him for support is quite-

... What did she just...?

... She kissed him.

... She... kissed... him.

...

Oh mon Dieu she kissed him.

Is he rigid? He must be rigid. Don't shake, Beast, don't shake, you're holding up a girl... a girl who kissed him... and she wasn't shuddering or anything... is this real? He's probably making faces... indescribably strange faces right now... she kissed him...]

... This is true. :|a THIRD TIME'S A CHARM

[upthere]

[... Okay she can't help giggling a little at the faces he's making, silent as they are. It's just a kiss on the cheek, what's so weird about that?

While he's doing that, Ariel shifts slightly, as she's quite eager to feel the ground against her feet. And sure enough, using just one of Beast's arms as support, she's down on the ground, and she stares down at her feet with a big smile.

She's... she's standing. She's standing on her very own two legs! And... okay, she's getting some help, but she's sort of standing on her own! And it feels absolutely incredible, even though her legs shake under the new weight.]

^^

[tailasoldastime]

[She's laughing? Why is she lau- oh no, he looks strange, doesn't he. Calm down, Beast, don't embarrass yourself.

Alright, it's easier to relax now that she's off him, though he keeps his arm firmly out as soon as she starts leaning against it.

... She looks so happy... is it because of him? (She did... kiss him, after all...) Or is it because she's on the ground? Uh oh, her legs don't look very stable... He should say something, though it'll take some effort to retrieve his voice...] Y... y-you alright...?

[upthere]

[She glances up at him to nod, but then just focuses on her feet again. Despite the wobbliness of her legs, she still moves one leg forward and sets her foot down with a sway of her hip, the way she envisions people walking on land. ... Well. It causes her to sway and hold on to his arm tightly, and it probably looks stupid. But it still makes her smile wide, because OH GOSH SHE'S WALKING. KIND OF.]

[tailasoldastime]

[Gulp, that's a tight grip... has she not walked in a long time?] Uh... [He very slowly starts to move forward to match her pace, hopefully giving her more space for walking.] D... d-does this help...?

[upthere]

[... Oh hey, that does work! Now she can keep up and actually start moving. It immediately becomes clear that the way she was walking a second ago was completely wrong, seeing how her balance just swayed to the side when she tried it again.

Ariel looks at Beast's feet, and she tries to match that step he took. It's pretty wide, and that doesn't feel right either... But she does look up and nod with a big smile. She really appreciates his help, especially since he's a very solid figure. She doesn't really have to worry about falling now.]

[tailasoldastime]

[He notices her looking at his feet (leaving a blush that the fur hides), and very very slowly heads out of the woods at an ideal pace for Ariel.] Ha... a-are you not used to wa-? [Wait, is that something rude to say? Alright, he won't finish that then.]

[upthere]

[It's pretty easy to guess what he's trying to ask, though. And Ariel doesn't mind, because it's obvious, and it'd probably help her out a little.

So, she shakes her head. She doesn't seem offended, at least. Just sheepish.]

[tailasoldastime]

[Oh no, she hea- but she doesn't mind?] I... r-really?

B-but, but you're... [Sixteen, seventeen years old? How do you not walk for that long?]

[upthere]

[Human? That's how her mind completes it, anyway.

She bites her lip and looks off to the side. Hmm. Maybe trying to explain it wasn't a good idea after all... But it's not like she can just leave it at that. Let's just hope he figures out what she'll try to say next.

Ariel gestures down to her legs with her free hand, then moves that same hand in a way that a dolphin's tail would move under water. Or, rather, a mermaid.]

[tailasoldastime]

[Huh... gesturing again? Can she not talk or something?

He's not always good with these, but he thinks he might know what she's talking about?] You... y-you're used to... swimming?

[upthere]

[She nods. Yes, that's right! Used to swimming and only swimming.

And occasionally sneaking onto ships. But that's a different story.]

[tailasoldastime]

I... [This... takes him back a good ten years... when he was forced to adapt to his present form... suddenly having all of this strength, this fur, trying to hold things with claws... and especially learning how to walk on all fours when his limbs are different on each end.

So quietly, but firmly, he responds with an:] I understand.

[By now they should be able to see a clearing beyond the trees, probably with visible buildings.]