ATLOP: Lessons in Water

Gifting Foals

Honestly, so so excited for this scene. Like, I've been so excited for one of these scenes forever, it's been written since July (though edited to fit the stuff that's been written since).

Also this is late cause I just finished a major project and got sudden writing inspiration so chapter 13 is now ready lol.

Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

Come yell at me on my tumblr: Percabeth4Life

OO OO OO OO OO OO

"Now," Triton said. "I'm certain that all these are wonderful presents, but I thought perhaps it would be best to receive mine first, seeing how it's not wrapped."

I perked up, "Not wrapped?"

"Well," he smirked. "It's a bit hard to wrap."

He made a motion to someone behind me and one of the guards swam forward, something cradled in their hands.

My eyes widened as I realized what it was.

"An octopus!"

"A coconut octopus, to be precise," Triton said.

I cooed at the reddish-brown octopus that curled in the guards hands. It's little tentacles poked out as it seemed to look around.

"She isn't named yet," Triton said. "What would you like to name her?"

I gently scooped her out of the guards hand, they slipped back to one of the walls.

"She's so pretty," I murmured as her tentacles curled around my fingers tightly. She was easily small enough to fit in my hands, and so cute too, but her tentacles were strong. "Maybe... Hippolyta?"

"Like the amazon?" Triton mused. "That sounds good."

I beamed, gently petting her head. "Nice to meet you Hippolyta."

"Oh, she's adorable. I want an octopus," Samoa said. "But my parents are shark people."

"Ouch," Rosa said. "Everyone knows Octopi are the best."

I laughed as it started a debate, Two mer were very insistent that sharks are better but Rosa and Samoa were standing strong on octopi being the best.

I rolled my eyes as Fetu passed me a present, Hippolyta being moved to my shoulder for the moment.

"Here," he said. "Open this one."

I almost cried when I opened what was labeled as from Lagi to realize that it was a bunch of books.

Books on mer biology, individual ones on bones, nervous system, circulatory system, and scale and fins. Plus, a side one on how undersea magic interacts with those systems based on how it's drawn forth. And then the books on undersea treatment, one for both fauna and flora and their properties and uses in medicine, plus a book on undersea medicine, and a book on magical treatments in a basic manner.

Oh no.

"Oh," Lagi beamed. "I see you've opened mine."

Triton was snickering, traitor.

"Now you'll be able to begin studying medicine like you said you wanted."

He looked very pleased with himself for his gift, I didn't have the heart to tell him it made me wanna cry.

"Havu," I said, glad that I was underwater to lighten the weight of the books. Hippolyta tried to poke at one of the books with a tentacle. "I'll make sure to read through them."