A friend from land

You're sitting on a rock close the coast just like everyday.
A lot of people are moving around on the land.
They look like normal humans, but they live on land and have a second pair of arms, which they use to move around. So you call them land humans.

Most of them seem to be working. They mostly carry stuff around.
Others are just relaxing there, enjoying the sun, just like you.
Some of them even entered water. So entering water is not as special to them as leaving water is to you.

They all have very different skins and also differently colored fur on their head.
The same person often has different skins, so these skins must be detachable.
It's probably just some kind of decoration.

The land humans only remove their decoration for swimming.
Their real skins normally have two main colors.
Most of it is usually a rather pale brown or pink, and then they have one or two spots in different sizes in a pretty saturized color.
These spots might also be some kind of fur, though.

To you they seem really interesting.
You would like to know more about them, but you've always been scared to approach them.
They would most likely eat you. At least you would like to taste them if you had the chance.

When it's already late and everyone is gone, you finally dare to get closer to the coast for once.
They left some of their stuff like a sun shield and sitting gear.
So you leave the water and start to crawl around the beach.
It can't be that dangerous. After all they like to swim in water as well.

With only one pair of arms, you're not as fast on land as land humans are.
But you manage to get to one of the sitting devices, so you lie down on one of them and close your eyes. It's really comfortable, you could fall asleep.

After a while you open your eyes again and look around.
A land human is standing directly next to you.
She must have noticed you. She's obviously looking at you.

You get scared, and immediately roll off the device and start to crawl back toward the ocean.
It feels like you don't get closer to the water.

Already exhausted you look back, but the creature didn't move.
Doesn't she want to catch you?

You look into her eyes. She seems kind of friendly.
It might be the chance to get in contact to a land human.
But it might also be very dangerous.

You turn toward her and slowly move back toward her.
She insecurely smiles at you and still doesn't move.
Maybe she's scared as well?

Hi?

She slowly takes a step toward you.
You noticably startle, and almost move back again.
But she already stops moving again.

Hello? Can you understand me?

She really speaks your language, even if she sounds a bit weird.

Yeah, please don't eat me!

Why would I?

You're relieved. She doesn't know, how delicious humans like you are.

She moves closer to you and sits down next to you in the sand.

You look a lot like a human.

So she knows about humans?

But you don't have legs. Are you a mermaid?

No, you just said it. I'm a human.

But I'm a human.

No, but I always call you land humans, because you look like humans and live on land.

Interesting. I also consider myself a human. But we're still different.
You might be right, I'm a land human and you're a water human. Could we agree on that?

But I'm a real human.

I think the same about land humans. Should I rather call you a mermaid instead?

No, water human is fine.

So what are you doing here at the coast?

You land humans go swimming every day.
And you think it's weird if a water human goes crawling?

Good point. But I've just never seen that before.
Interesting to get to know a real human.

Nice to meet you, too.

So what are you going to do here?
Will you stay on land?
Or will you go back into the ocean?

It's probably the best if I go back.
Maybe I should just go back now.
But I'm really happy I got to know you.

You start to crawl toward the water again.

Hey, wait!
Will I see you again?

You look at her confused.

You want to see me again?

Yeah, it would be nice.
I've never seen a mermaid..., uhm, human before.

Sorry, I'm not used to seeing people again.

So you don't have any friends?

I have a lot. We normally have some fun together and never meet again.
The ocean is pretty huge, you know?

I understand.

I could meet you more often.
But I'm not sure if I'd be brave enough to enter land another time.
And I probably wouldn't recognize you anyway.
Most of you land humans look pretty similar.

I like the idea of meeting you again.
You could tell me more about life in the ocean.

Oh, you want to know that?

Sure.

You look at her for a while.
It's weird when someone shows so much interest in you.
Maybe she wants to mate with you?
Is this even possible with land humans?

If you come back, I also wouldn't know if it's you.
But if you promise me to come back tomorrow evening, I'll look for you. If you really come, I think I can be pretty sure it's you.
And you'll also know it's me.

How? Don't you change your skin everyday anyway?
Even if I remember you, I won't recognize you.

You are talking about my clothes?
Doesn't matter. We know each other now.
I could ask you about this day, and if you remember it, it's you.
Or even simpler, we just remember each others names.
So what's your name?

What is she talking about?

My name?

How do people call you?

They normally call me "you".
But I've also heard someone call me "she", "the bluish one", "the little one" or "the tall one".
So it depends.

So when they talk about you, while you're not there, they just use descriptions?

How should I know?

You don't get it.
Whatever, if you want, you can call me Minyo.
That's my name.

You're the only person that's with me.
And you're the only land human I know.
Is there a reason to get into that name thing.

So you really don't have a name?

No, we really don't have this.

Just refer to me as Minyo, okay?
Just use it instead of a description, okay, water human?
If you remember it, we'll know for sure. I'll know it's you, and you'll know it's me.

Okay, I'll try using that name, Minyo. Did I use it correctly?

Yeah, perfect!

That's cool, Minyo. So we'll really meet tomorrow, Minyo?

Yeah, but no need to call me by name after each sentence.

Okay, Minyo- oh, sorry!

It's fine.
So would you like to have a name as well?

Uhm, maybe. Could I just use a word I like?

Sure. Just tell me how you want to be called.

You think about it and have a good idea.

What about Swimmer?
I'm a water human who swims a lot after all.

That's not a real name...
But if you want, I can call you that.

Why isn't that a name?

I'm not sure.
Most names don't have a deeper meaning.
But some do, so...

Well, then it's Swimmer, okay?

Sure, let it be Swimmer.

That's fun, Minyo.

So I should go home now.
You'll be there at the same time, right?

I try to be there, Minyo.

You try to get back into water, but it's not easy to move fast in this sand, so Minyo picks you up and carries you.
Back in water, you immediately swim away.

You're really happy now.
That was a nice conversation.
And you'll even meet her again.

That's pretty weird to you.
Normally you never knew if you would meet someone again.
But now... it feels a bit like cheating.
Can you really be sure she will be back tomorrow? You are still skeptical.
But you definitely want to try it.