“I knew you were comin’. The village tykes—the ones that don’t know any better— they play around up here, and they tell me things,” the shark explained as he invited them in. “So I usually know ahead of time when I’m gonna get a visitor. I was just about ready to give up waitin’ for you lot; it’s nearin’ 11 o’ clock. Didja get lost on the way up here or somethin’…?”

“No, we only left the village about an hour ago. We are unable to travel during the day for…reasons,” said Pitch. Azor flicked his tail and huffed.

“Can’t go out in the day…? You’re gonna have a heck of a time gettin’ to the moon, then…the best way is to get out there before it rises. That’s the fastest way, anyhow…it’d just be a day trip. You could try to catch it when it sets, but I couldn’t tell ya how long that’d take; not right away…”

“How come you can only go when it rises or sets…?” asked Dreadlilocks.

“Well, ‘cause those are the only times the moon touches down on the sea,” answered the shark. “Unless you plan to fly up there…’course, if you could do that, you wouldn’t need little ol’ me, wouldja?” He flashed a brief, toothy grin.

~~

The shark introduced himself as Uriel.

Technically, he looked about accurate to the description they had been given— fish head, big eyes, lots of sharp teeth— but somehow he was altogether less intimidating than those features had implied. With his plain monochrome coloring and the blue coat draped casually about his nonexistent shoulders, he seemed almost mundane, despite being a talking sea creature with legs.

And despite the lateness of the hour, he didn’t seem to mind sitting up with the group to talk with them about their adventure…among (several) other things.

“…They call it insomnia, y’know,” he explained, leaning back in a rocking chair. “Every once in a while, I get in a mood where I can’t sleep a wink, not even if I try. Sometimes it goes on for days…”

“You’re lucky compared to me. I haven’t gone to s-sleep for six whole years,” said Lucy.

“Six years?? Why, that sounds horrible; you must be exhausted! I’m surprised you aren’t dead…they say you can die from that, y’know…”

Lucy grinned, apparently satisfied with this response. “…Well, I’m okay. It’s only because of a magic curse, so I guess it doesn’t count the same as a n-normal person not being able to sleep.”

“Oh, curses…I know all about that…”

“You do? Do you have a curse, too?? I mean, I guess you p-probably do, since you look like…well, I d-don’t mean to be rude, but—”

“No, you’re right; I didn’t always look like this…” he gestured vaguely with his fins, which were all he had left in place of hands. “…I’m guessin’ I’m not the only one, either, eh?” He glanced at Azor, who simply glared back at him.

“Oh, for all we know, he was b-born that way; he never says anything about himself,” said Lucy. “No one does; you’re the f-first person I’ve met on this trip who’s been a-any fun at all to talk to. N-no offense, Dreadli.”

“That’s okay; I know what you mean,” Dreadli replied. “I’ve been wanting to hear an interesting backstory, too. If Mr. Uriel doesn’t mind telling it.”

“Well, to be honest, I’m not sure,” he said. “I’ve never really told it to anyone…before I was too upset and embarrassed, and in any case I haven’t had many chances…people that’d actually listen, y’know? ‘Course, they do say you feel better when you talk about things…”

He resettled himself in the chair and tapped his fins together. “Well…it all started many years ago. When I was young and in love…”