#anywhere

"Narwhal, narwhal, swimmin' in the ocean, causin' a commotion, 'cause it is so awesome..." Connor sings off key, splashing in the waves.

Siv smiles at that.

Jack scowls

"I'm no a fraid of some FAT Old huge ocean. I just think it needs to stop being so big. "

Connor splashes out, and gives himself a shake. "You wanna find some shells? You could bring a pretty one back to Miss Myrtle Ann."

Foam splashes to show how easy it is

Layne says "It's really not that hard, Jack"

Jack glares at Layne, then says "I... uhm"

"Hey, if you want I'll go out with you.." Siv says

then suddenly, Jack bolts away from the shore

"Jack?" Siv calls out, but no way she can catch the boy

"Piper, please, you can keep up" Siv asks

"Aye, Cap'n." She calls back, already on her way after Jack on fleet hooves.

Piper or Layne are the only ones who migght catch him without a quick silver

and Piper knows Satyr moves better, y'know being one. She gains and catches on the boy who is trying to get to the center of the island away from the ocean. She catches him

she scoops him up, the boy still small enough that she can do so, and does a quick twirl, spinning him to slow the momentum before trotting to a stop and setting him back upright again. "Hup! Whoa there, Jackie. Mind telling me what that was about, little cuz?"

"I can't swim" he yells "I mean. I .. I dog paddle" he blushes with shame "And everyone can swim and it's SO Big.. the ocean I can't even.."

"Ohhhh. Well, you see, Siv grew up on the sea. And Jonas in the islands. Me, I was practically born on the beach in California, and Foam and Connor can both dog paddle. But you know, I happen to know for a fact a few things."

She gives him a chance to calm down a moment.

He needs it. Full satyr panic attack. Bu her patience works and he winds down "...and then i'll drown sucked down by sea monsters while layne LAUGHS at me and Connor shakes his head all sad .."

She pulls him over for a hug. "So you can't swim. You know what? Foam can't run as fast as us. And Connor doesn't know how to grow pretty green things. And Layne can't climb a tree, and have you ever HEARD Jonas sing? But we're friends, right? And that means that we help each other out. And that ALSO means that we don't push if someone doesn't want to do something, either. "

"And.. and I won't be made fun of and be outside again?" He doesn't mean out of indoors. She can tell. He means alone in a crowd, a loner in a group without a friend

"NEVER. Remember, friends who only like you if you do what they say... why, those aren't real friends at all." She says softly. "I learned that before I came here, and learned what real friends are like. Now, about that big ol' ocean. Have you ever heard of chicken fighting?"

"Uhm.. yeah... Tonio used to run illegal games behind the Tyson Warehouse in Memphis. He thought it was funny. I never liked it" A frown "But it wasn't as bad as dog fights. I HATED seeing those"

"Oh no NO." She quickly regrets her phrasing. "Let's see, they also call it Shoulder wars. It's a pool game. But we can play it out here, too." And Piper describes riding on a larger friend's shoulders to try to knock another rider off into the water. "And we just so HAPPEN to have two very sturdy trolls here who I bet might be willing to play, if we asked nicely. And you know that they'd never let you wash away, even if you got dunked. They're TROLLS, after all."

"And." She adds. "If you don't want to play, I bet you'd make a great Referee."

Cautious but then "I bet I could shoulder wars I bet. But.. not to far out?"

"Nope! Just far enough that the water is a good cushion, but close enough that if you put your hooves down, you're still up above the waves. Trust me, the water is a MUCH better cushion than the sand, even when the sand is soft." She dusts at her still -sandy rump.

Jack says "You know, you girls aren't ALL bad" A major concession "Even Layne. But don't tell her I said so"

"You gotta be nice to girls who can kick your butt. And she has twice as many feet." Piper teases a little.

"I STILL think Goat hooves look better than horse hooves. Don't tell Dagmar i said that" A pause 'or Star. She can nip"

"Well, I can't take sides... as an ADULT, you know. But... you can see which ones I fancy." Kicking up her own heels a bit.

He laughs and confides "I'm better now"

"And who knows? Maybe there will be a centaur someday with cloven hooves. Unicorns have them, after all. And I've seen dreamers draw both centaurs AND fauns with deer parts." A thoughtful smile. "Race you back to the beach?"

"Sure.. 3 2.. now!" and he tries to bolt head by one second

"Hey!" It's possible that she's letting him have the head start... but it's also equally possible that he tricked her! And the race is on!

The game of shoulder wars is given a try and a good time is had though Layne passes, as she is definiely a girly girl. Lily howeve shows interest and comes ou of her cave for this. "here comes wriggly dooom" she whispers as they fight

And Foam cheers on Connor

Connor has fun, even if perhaps the point is lost on him!

"Connor, you know you're supposed to try to stay on, right?" Piper asks.

"Yeah, but going SPLOOSH is fun too!"

Siv says "I need to trade kids..." a laugh as Connor dives again from her "This one things I'm a springboard"

Jonas says "No trade. Jack and I are on a winning streak"

An exaggeration, but jack puffs up, and its clear Jonas is building his confidence in water

Siv exchanges a look with Piper as if say Didnn't we pick a fine fellow?

And yes, it is gloriously sunny and WARM!

(End Scene)