Aquata Cove Ch. 70

"He doin his own thing with his family; they's volunteering at the Tulip Farm this time."

"Ooohhhhh, the Tulip Farm!" Yuri cooed, "We're going there after this place! I wanna line the car with tulips!"

"Hahaha, sounds like a plan."

~~~

"Wow, what's all this??" Arnaav beamed at a tented area where people are dunking and painting small, oval-round objects.

"Those are the eggs you'll be finding. See? These eggs in particular come from a bird called a 'Chicken'." Yuri answered as she showed him one of the big bowl with a mound of the white eggs, "People like to decorate eggs on Easter, and hide them to find."

Arnaav sniffs the area, "It smells so weird here."

"That would be the vinegar. That's the stuff that makes eggs stay colored," She takes him around, and shows him a fenced area, with a big banner on top of the gateway labeled in decorative letters reading - "EGG HUNT". The place is like a small forest with various trees and obstacles, and many colored eggs placed in random places, with a few humans running around, and plucking them up, "And when there's enough eggs colored, those people over there," She points out the fancifully dressed volunteer - one dressed in neat white and blue clothing and rabbit ears, and the other dressed in bright yellow and pink and a plastic beak on the nose, "They hide all the eggs everyone makes in between hunts."

"I still don't understand it..." Arnaav said. Yuri smiles and picks up a couple of baskets.

"It's ok, you'll get the jist of it. I just need to sign us up for the next hunt."

"Ok..."

~~~

"Oh my God, hi Merrick!"

Merrick turns from his blue and purple egg with a Celtic design, and smiles as he sees Syrinx in a lovely green dress, and Kevin standing beside her in a formal polo shirt and cargo pants, along with a little girl in pink Sunday dress.

"Oh gosh, hi!" Merrick puts down his egg and thin brush, and gets up to greet them. Arnaav looks up from his red and silver egg to see the fellow Amnien. He gasps with glee as he puts his utensils down, and rushes away from his seat next to Yuri.

"Syrinx!" Arnaav sprints over to her, nearly tripping by the time he reaches her.

"Oh my God, Arnaav!" Syrinx picks him right up and hugs the boy, "God, I can't believe you guys are here!" She takes a look at the humanized otter, smiling brightly, "My God, you look so different! You're so cute and handsome!"

"Fancy seeing you here," Merrick says, smiling, before looking at the little lady between them, "Oh, who's this?"

"Ah, this my niece," Kevin said, "My Aunt and Uncle are still parking the car with my parents. She's really shy."

"Hey there," Merrick squats down to smile at the very young girl, "My name's Merrick. What's your name?" The girl shrinks away, and stands by Syrinx closer.

"Awww, I think she just needs to see you welcomed, buddy!" Kevin says with his long, skinny arms holding open, "C'mere, bro!"

"Wait, Kevin, no!" Merrick stands up and backs away by a step, but the taller man hugs him tight, and lifts him up, "OW! AH! Put me down, Kevin!" Merrick ranted as he flails about.

"Quit spazzing, man!" Kevin said as he walks around with a squirming blonde in his thin but strong arms.

"Cut it out! You're snapping my spine!" Merrick demanded. Syrinx laughs out while holding Arnaav, who is also giggling at Merrick's predicament, "Syrinx! Tell him to stop!"

"Stop what?" She taunted.

"Gaaahh, I'm gonna kill yooouu!!" Merrick growled out loud. Adam turns from his own egg, and smirks as he sees Kevin hoisting his boyfriend.

"Hup!" Kevin ducks a little, and maneuvers Merrick over his shoulders.

"Hey! Stop it!!" Merrick demanded as he continues to kick about and pounds at Kevin's back.

"Free spanks!" Kevin called out, "Free spanks! Get him while it's hot!"

"SYRINX! Would you tell him to put me down?!" Merrick shouted, fighting not to crack a smile himself, lest he admit defeat. Syrinx is too busy laughing as Kevin struts about in a circle, patting Merrick's bottom as he calls out.

"Free spanks! Get'em while he's free!"

SMACK!

Adam laughs as he gives the jean-glad rump a hard smack.

"Gaahh! Stop it!!" Merrick flails more.

"Aw, c'mon, man, be a sport!" Jamal teased as he gives Merrick a couple of hard slaps.

"Hahaha," Even Yuri gives a quick slap, "Ok, Kevin, lets put him down now."

"Awww, fine!" Kevin snickers as he slings Merrick down, "You're turn, Yuri!"

"What no, EEEHHH!" Yuri screams as she turns, but Kevin already gives her a hug that lifts her off the grass by several feet. He puts her down after a couple of seconds of her screaming mixed with laughing, "Adam next! Get him here!" Yuri said after grabbing Adam's arm, and yanking him over to the tall, thin Kevin.

"Oh shit, no!!" Adam tries to run away.

"No escape, bro!" Kevin catches Adam, and squeezes him harshly as he slings him over his left shoulder, "Yeah, you like that??" Kevin laughs out.

"Ok! You had your fun! Let me down now!" Adam grunts as he then feels about 5 sudden spanks bite his ass.

"NNNH! There!" Merrick says as he swats Adam's rump. Jamal laughs out loud as he also wales on Adam's behind before Kevin puts him down.

"Me next! Me next!" Arnaav yelped as he reaches out with grabby hands.

"Awww, sure little buddy," Kevin takes the boy from Syrinx's arms, and squeezes him too, patting the kid's back playfully. Arnaav hugs him as tight as he can, before Kevin gives him back to Syrinx.

"Aight, c'mere, dawg!" Jamal opens his arms, "Lemme show ya how a REAL man hugs!"

"Sure thing, Cocoa." Kevin smirks. Jamal and Kevin embrace harshly, before Kevin's sandaled feet leave the ground, "Ah! H-Hoh shit!" He laughs hesitantly as Jamal manhandles him, and swings him about onto his back.

"WOOOOO!" Jamal hollered out as he swung the walking growth-spurt around.

"Wow, where's he get that energy?" Syrinx asked.

"The amount of energy he puts in his sexlife can power Los Vegas for a whole year," Yuri snidely answers while Syrinx covers her mouth to suppress a storm of laughs, "This is nothing."

Syrinx calms herself quickly as she hitches up the boy in her arms, while Kevin picks up his little niece. "So Arnaav, how're you liking the human world?"

"There's everything everywhere!" Arnaav answers with awe, "It's almost too much for me to handle! But it's so fun for so much!"

"Sounds great! Looks like you're gonna need to come to the land as often as you can."

"Speaking of which," Merrick says, "When are you and Kevin gonna come by OUR place? It's a really great dig."

"Merrick, it's a like, a 3-hour drive from our place to yours." Syrinx answered, "We haven't found the time yet."

"Oh yeah right, what if I told you we just had a Jacuzzi installed a few days ago?"

"Oh really?" Kevin raises his brows.

"Yeah, my grandparents own the house," Adam answered, "And they came to visit a couple of months ago, and my grampa was complaining how the glass shower we have doesn't make for a big enough bathtub, so he arranged for a part of the house to be reconstructed to have a hot tub to soak his bad back in."

"I thought you were an ice queen, Merrick." Syrinx teased as she stuck her tongue out, "Won't you melt~?"

"Only if Adam gets too close to me~" Merrick says as he backs up and drapes Adam's arms over his shoulders, "By the way, how's that bracelet holding up?" Merrick asked as he looked at the deep red and pink braid around Syrinx's wrist, laced with decorative beads, "Atarah mentioned that it was a little more complicated than my scales or Deilan's fins.

"Yeah, it works great!" Syrinx says as she showed a spot on the bracelet where the strands of its form are transparent, "Still kinda feels weird to wear my own hair as an accessory. Speaking of which~" She ruffles her hand into Arnaav's own patch of brown hair, "When are YOU gonna get your Water Guard~?"

"Huh?" Arnaav tilts his head, "What's a Water Guard?"

"Atarah, the Forbidden Ancient, is a spirit of a river a long ways from here," Merrick says, "She's always experimenting with all types of substances and working her magic. She was the very first Noita in our history."

"Oh yeah! I remember what you said about her!" Arnaav asked with wonder. "She's the one discovered a way to allow merfolk to be remain human in the water, right?"

"That's right. I use a scale," Merrick plucked up a small, shiny blue disc, "And Syrinx uses a lock of her hair. We just call them 'Water Guards'."

"Ssss, ow," Yuri hissed as if she was in pain, "You yank off your own scales?? Doesn't that hurt?"

"Not really," Merrick answered, "It just feels like plucking out a strand of hair."

"Well, maybe we can set up a tent if and when we come over to your place," Syrinx said, "Kevin's been waiting for an excuse to go camping."

"Pfff. Oh yeah." Kevin scoffed, "Nothin says, 'The Great Outdoors' like camping at a friend's backyard." He looked, and raised and waved his long arm, "Oh hey, here comes my folks."

"Ah, ok," Syrinx gives Arnaav one last hug, before putting him down, "Was great seeing you all, and Happy Easter!"

"You too!" Adam called as Syrinx, Kevin, and his niece went away.

Arnaav turned around, and gasped for a moment. He saw something, but it's gone. His heart is... Pounding... What just happened? He was just looking at the mass of humans, but suddenly, he feels very anxious...

"... Hm?" Yuri turned around, and spotted the boy frozen, looking about at the many Spring-related activites, as if he was looking for something, "Arnaav?" She walks back over to him, and squats down, "You ok, sweetie?"

"I-I, wha- huh?" He snaps out of it, and turns his attention to her.

"What's wrong? You look startled."

"I-I don't know... I just- I'm fine... I'm ok..."

"You sure?" Yuri put a hand to his forehead, and then pressed a couple of fingers to his neck, "Your heart is racing, are you sure you're alright??"

"I-I'm fine!" Arnaav gently pushes her hands away, "C-Can we go back to the eggs now?"

"Alright... Just let me know if you feel ill. I'm a doctor in training, ok?"

"Ok..."

~~~

"Alright, so here are the rules," Announced an Easter-dressed person at the gate of the Egg Hunt area, "No shoving or hitting, no stealing eggs, if you get in a scuffle you will be asked to leave the hunt."

"So, what is it that I'm supposed to do?" Arnaav whispered to Yuri.

"You just get as many eggs as you can," Yuri said, "You're not allowed to take someone else's, and if it looks like someone is about to pick up an egg, you leave them alone. You'll get the hang of it."

"Ok..."

"Now there are two kinds of eggs!" The yellow chick-dressed person continued, holding up a cutely decorated hardboilded eggs, "REAL eggs, that all of you so beautifully colored for everyone in the hunt. AND the PLASTIC eggs!" He holds up a shiny, hollow egg, "These ones have money or small toys and prizes!"

"So please have fun and do your best!" Said the bunny person as she opens up the flowered gates to the tree area, where lots of eggs are hidden all over the place.

"Ready?" The bunny says as they both raised their arms.

"GO!" The chick said as they throw their arms down. The people and children run into the area with their baskets in a mad dash to find their bounty.

For some of the more adult-ish people coming in, they standby and watch over some of the younger players scrambling for the eggs, including Yuri and Jamal, while Adam, Merrick, and Arnaav go running here and there.

"Hah!" Merrick snatched up an egg tucked onto a branch, "Huh... I think Jamal designed this one..." He puts the egg in his basket, and runs forth.

"Ooh, silver!" Adam says as he picks up a plastic egg, and puts it into his basket. He keeps remembering that he needs to hold back and slow down to let some of the kids have fun.

Arnaav pants and laughs as he picks an egg up from a fence post, and sprints away, his basket already half full and getting slightly heavy.

Moments later, Merrick trots up to Yuri and Jamal, hanging out on the side-lines, "Had enough?" Yuri asked with a smile.

"Not at all," Merrick shook his head, before turning, "But Adam told me not to get too into the game. Something about having to be sensitive with the kids and letting THEM have all the fun. Dammit."

"Ya realize that this is mostly fo kids, right?" Jamal asked.

"Yeah, same thing Yuri and Chloe said about Trick-Or-Treating, but I still wanna dress up all weird and get free candy." Merrick argued.

"Hm!" Arnaav puts a dotted, zigzagged egg into his basket, and looks to one of many beds of flowers. He gasps as his sharp Triton eyes lock onto a golden shine within small field of tulips, "MINE!"

The boy dashes forth, almost tripping as the gold practically yanks him forward like a magnet. He skids down, reaching for the golden egg like Harry Potter after a Golden Snitch, when he sees someone else park on the opposite of the flowers. He looks up and gasps as he stops shot of snatching the egg.

A girl is on the other side of the flower bed, wearing an elegant pink with white butterflies printed kimono with her black hair reaching to barely touch her shoulders, holding her own little basket of eggs. Her narrow, slanted eyes look at Arnaav curiously - eyes just like Yuri has.

Arnaav's chest feels wild as he looks at her, trembling as he looks at her. A solid lump seems to pound in his throat as he picks up the golden egg. The girl gives a small pout as she stands up.

"W-Wait, wait!" Arnaav squeaks.

"Huh?" Yuri looks, and sees Arnaav holding his arm out, towards Fumiko, "That's weird. Arnaav is giving an egg to Fumiko over there." She smirks as she sees the Japanese dress that Fumiko is donning, "Good luck egg-hunting in THAT kimono."

"He is?" Merrick looks, and sees him doing this, "That's odd. I thought we were only supposed to keep the eggs to ourselves. Are we also supposed to give the eggs to other players?"

"No, not really." She answers. After Fumiko gives Arnaav a bow and runs off, Arnaav almost stumbles on himself as he turns in her direction. He seems to have forgotten that he's in the middle of a game.

"What's wrong wit him?" Jamal said, "He buggin or something?" Arnaav then idly trots to follow Fumiko.

"I don't know, but it looks like he wants to hunt her instead of the eggs." Merrick says.

"Hah, aight, lil maaan." Jamal grins as he nods with approval, "I think he likes her~"

"Wait, what?? No, he can't!" Yuri said, "Her brother is a asinine jackhole! How can she like HER of all people?! She's RELATED to him, Arnaav is just going to get hurt!" She crosses her arms, "And besides, I thought you said merfolk CAN'T get crushes, Merrick!" She said with an added note of disdain.

"I did. After a Red Moon." Merrick said as he watched Arnaav try to hide around the girl as the hunt continues, "Infatuation is impossible once a bond is made. Now, BEFORE an Eclipse? Now that's a different story."

"But I thought SHE liked YOU. She still does, you know."

"I know. But as you said before, love is fleeting." Merrick shrugged.

"But I still don't get it," Yuri persisted, "You said that crushes and infatuation is not possible. Period!"

"Like I just said, that's only true after a couple is bonded by a Red Moon. But if a merfolk were to become endearingly attached to someone," Arnaav swoons as Fumiko talks to him again, "They're probably fated to be mates."

"Didn't you say that merfolk have to be at a certain age to fall in love? Arnaav looks way too young!"

"As we know it, only merfolk that are of the age of 13 years can be affected by the Red Moon. But it's not unheard of for younger ones to have infatuations. I don't know how old Arnaav is; I need to take him to Atarah. I found out from her how long I've been alive - even down to the month I was born. Though, if I were to guess, I'd say he's like, 9-12, somewhere in that range."

"So you're saying that Arnaav is supposed to be with Fumiko?" Yuri frowned, "Are you sure that's possible??"

"Could be. Or maybe she's just that pretty. A mermaid from my own pod had the hots for another merman for the longest time - he barely even knew she existed, and she was too shy too approach him. It was almost completely one-sided until the Red Moon appeared, and then they were the hottest couple since my Father and Mother."

"Dammit..." Yuri puts a hand to her head, "This isn't good. This REALLY isn't good."

"Aw, gurl," Jamal rolled his eyes and head on his shoulder as he looks at her, "Would you quit bitchin??"

"Yeah. Finding love is hard enough as a LEGAL merfolk," Merrick added, "With a Coshiton, it's nearly impossible because we're technically banned from even talking to other pods."

"So he likes yo ex's sis! Big fuckin deal!"

"That's NOT what I mean, guys." Yuri snapped up, "I don't care that Ryo and I used to date. That isn't the key issue here. Or have you already forgotten?"

Both boys look dumbfounded as she looks at them.

"Ugghh," She rolls her eyes, "Try to keep up." She groans, "Fumiko does NOT live in Hawaii."

"What?"

"What?"

"She moved back to Japan a year ago. She missed her friends and family too much, so Ryo stayed here, while Fumi moved back to Kyoto with her parents."

"Ohhhhh..." Jamal nods.

"That IS a problem..." Merrick looks at the kids. Fumiko doesn't seem nearly as interested in talking as Arnaav is.

"She visits Ryo a couple of times a year, and that's it." Yuri said, "She's going back a couple of days. And Fumi never really bothered to pick up English that well either. America just didn't really sync with her."

"Damn..." Merrick looks at the kids, before sighing, "I'm getting more eggs. I'm playing to win!" With that, he distracts himself as he runs off.

"C-Can we maybe uh..." Arnaav stammers as he follows the Japanese girl, "Can we play? Please, I-I wanna..." He blushes as he tries to find the best way to go about this, even with his mind all scrambled, "We can find eggs together! Please, we-"

Fumiko turns around coyly, "Gomen'nasai. Watashi wa anata o shiranai. Sayōnara." She bows, and scampers off. Arnaav reaches after her, and pouts as he gives up chasing her...

~~~

As the group drives on in the car, Merrick smiles as he hugs a large, adorable, and very elegant and tasteful Easter Egg plush pillow.

"Merrick, I told you to take it easy," Adam said with a smile, sitting next to Arnaav, who has had his face painted, and still thinking about that human girl while gnawing on a chocolate bunny, "Prizes like that are-"

"For little kids, I know, I know!" Merrick said, "But screw that, I'm in it for the fun! And I'm not human, I don't care what other people think!" He smirked with his tongue stuck out, before turning to Yuri, "So where are we going now?"

"Tulip Farm." She answers, "It's this place where they grow tulips in huge rows, and in a big, amazing garden. It's only open during this time of year."

They pay for a parking spot this time, and pull in with a slew of other vehicles and coming out. Arnaav seems to have gotten over his funk from the park, as he beams all around the surroundings. It's completely different from the Easter park, but similar in some way.

Many colorful plants cover and adorn the sides and bushes like lines of cure pigment and bold emotion. So much more flora was instilled into the structure as vines of blue Morning Glories decorate the gateway to the farm.

Arnaav runs up to a rustic windmill, before they walk him through the opening, and entering the petting zoo, "Aw, hey babe!" Jamal spoke up.

Nick looks up, wearing a Tulip Farm apron, as he holds a tray of cups full of animal feed. He smiles wide as his big, black boyfriend comes to him, "Hey, you made it!" He half-hugs Jamal with one arm, and kisses those thick lips, "You know we closing in an hour and half, right?"