text | un: m.cabrera

[naloxone]

[ turns out? space doesn't give a single fuck about your circadian rhythm. or maybe insomnia is just that attached to her that even the absence of a sun dictating her internal clock doesn't faze it, like an old friend you wish would just forget you already.

one night (?) late into the early hours (???) marta finds herself drifting out of the room she's come to assume will be hers for the indefinite future, passing through stark white walls with all the sterility of a hospital, but none of its familiar chaos.

she's still getting used to the earpiece. still getting used to hearing other people's voices in her head. she doesn't mean to add another in the void, but one of her own thoughts blares out too vividly as she stares out into an actual void: ]

—but where are the stars?

Comments

[doze]

guess that depends on what you think is discouraging

[naloxone]

[ she tries to think of the scariest sea creature she can think of and realizes she doesn't really know of that many to begin with. ah, ignorant bliss. ]

Probably most anything. It's not like I've gone any deeper than the reef, myself.

[doze]

well there are creatures down there bigger than a galleon
some even bigger than that
some travel in packs or alone
you never know whatll show up down there
there are fishmen down there too
but also mermaids ♥

[naloxone]

What's the difference between a fishman and a mermaid?

1/2

[doze]

fishmen are fishmen
mermaids are mermaids

[doze]

merfolk have a human upperbody and a tail for the lower
...kind of anyway
when mermaids reach 30 they get legs! the men dont though
fishmen are fish people
they look kinda like fish and have gills on their necks so they can breathe underwater

[naloxone]

I see. Sort of like the difference between a centaur and a werewolf?

[ that's a stretch, but. ]

[doze]

more like a centaur and a horse
if the horse um
had people legs?

[naloxone]

Sounds terrible, but maybe not terrifying.
So far, not yet discouraged.

[ a? win??? ]

[doze]

tell me that when youve got seven neptunians bearing down on your ship

[naloxone]

So you are trying to be discouraging?

[doze]

no realistic
itd be naive to think something wasnt out there

[naloxone]

Can't it be something nice?

[doze]

it might be
but its smart to be prepared for something not nice too

[naloxone]

I've never even thrown a punch in my entire life.

[doze]

not even a little one

[naloxone]

Not even when my little sister would sit on me and pull my hair.

[doze]

i used to leave my little brother in the woods for less
do you want to learn

[naloxone]

[ bruh. ]

How to throw a punch?
I feel like it would cause more trouble if I tried to fight, instead of just staying out of it.

[doze]

maybe but learning how to defend yourself would come in handy more than it wouldnt

[naloxone]

I can't promise I'd be a very good student...

[doze]

im probably not a great teacher
we will figure it out

[naloxone]

Then, thank you.

I'm Marta.

[doze]

ah so thats what the m is
im ace

[naloxone]

Yes, Cabrera is my last name.
Thanks for offering to help me, Ace.