Syrena

let the water take me

You don’t come to the Threshold hoping for privacy. It doesn’t happen. She’s learned this much rather quickly. It’s something you notice when you don’t actually like the company of others much either. You learn to deal with it. Because everyone comes to the Threshold, the herd and outcast groups all made up of vultures, when it comes down to it. Herself, it seems, included. A thought that makes her hate herself just a little tiny bit. What level she’s stooped down to in some vain and pathetic effort to be something again. In this land that made her nothing in the first place. What did she owe this place, the Falls, any of it? Nothing. But she did it anyway.

The masked mare gives her something of nod. Maybe a little stiffed, or a little pissed Syrena’s here. But maybe not. And Syrena isn’t paying enough attention to notice any subtleties anyway. Instead, she keeps her eyes on the mare in question, who’s literally backing away. Syrena doesn’t entirely know what to do about that. She’s not the reassuring type. And honestly, if this girl is afraid of Paradox and Syrena, she’s in for a rude awakening the more time she spends in Helovia. Yes, Syrena looks odd, and that mask is interesting and a little bit unsettling, but they aren’t all that impressive in the grand scheme of this place.

Thankfully, the masked mare speaks up, sounding nice and like she actually doesn’t mind babysitting a child. Syrena takes the moment to compose herself, shoving her annoyance aside, glad at least that her face is a mask of impassive disinterest. The masked mare keeps going, rattling on about the Unbound and how they aren’t quite a herd (but are basically a herd except they don’t have a land), and Syrena listens without really paying much attention. She’s heard about the Unbound before, and this isn’t new. Their concept interests her, but she still doesn’t entirely get it. It’s not really all that different than anything else. Except she could live at the beach. That was pretty much the only thing that sounded like it mattered to Syrena.

But it doesn’t matter, because she calls the Falls her home, and mostly she likes it. Everyone is quiet and mostly leaves her alone, which is what she wants. But on occasion, she comes out of her little ponds and pretends to be useful. “This is Helovia,” she offers, guessing this girl probably knows next to nothing about where she’s wound up. “Specifically, you are the Threshold, which is where most horses find themselves on arrival here. There are four official herds, aka groups of equines, pegasi and unicorns that all live together.” She tosses a glance at Paradox, not actually meaning anything by it really, but mostly because she feels a bit like a parrot. And also maybe just slightly to make a point, but that doesn’t show on her face, so it’s hard to be sure.

“I live in the Hidden Falls, and would be glad to show you the place, if you’d want. It’s rather lovely, full of plenty of places to hide out when you want, and jobs to do when you want to better yourself. It’s not unlike the Unbound, except we call our leaders Czar and Czarina, and have a specific land to call home.”

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