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Once upon a time, there lived a little prince. He was a prince of only his own teacup, but a prince nonetheless.
Okeanós, the world-ocean.
Floating along across the ocean, the little prince encountered many other people in his world, each wrapped in their own fantasy of the world.
One argumentative and invariably contrarian. For some time, he found great company with her, though complicated by her ready temper. One day, she was gone. He never learned why.
Another conniving even when self-defeating. He'd found one such adrift, clutching to the remnant of a teacup handle, and so unknowing, he'd hauled her aboard. They'd talked about life and gathered wool late into the night. When he'd awoken, he'd found her chiseling at a weak point in an attempt to scuttle the whole teacup, and so he set her back out to sea, her cries of foul play soon lost to the winds.
He met a man who raved on (quite calmly and reasonably though) about conspiracies of all manner. The man's conversation was intriguing, of this one could have no doubt, and such things as he pointed out were plausible possible behaviors on others' parts but for one minor point: they were all alone on the wide sea, with only the fish and seabirds to conspire against the man.
Another man insisted that they drink no water, for to do so was lowering the ocean level, and soon the world would run dry! The man presented facts and reams of calculations, but when the little prince pointed to the water levels along the shore not having changed the least throughout his entire life, the man grew livid, insisting that the prince should simply follow the science or at least do proper research.
Some gossiped to no end, turning away from the little prince to tell one another what horrible things he'd just said or done, nodding knowingly in agreement as the others did the same, though he was right there to see this and had neither said nor done any such things. He learned that this was his cue to leave, but only after many failed attempts to defend himself and clear his good name.
Others simply lied and drew in any who would listen to their drama unfold. Most unexpectedly, it turned out that counter to physics and chemistry that the prince had observed of the world thus far, when it came to human affairs of the teacups: where there was smoke, there surely was fire, though usually only the fire that the dramaturges themselves drummed up.
Still others pirated and destroyed what they left behind, more often than not hidden behind a smile and a pretty face, with silken words of honeyed charm.
In some cases they gathered in self-important groups and all followed whatever the Most Important Person told them was important. In one such case, their Most Important Person insisted that if one didn't rub blue mud on one's belly, then one's teacup was sure to capsize, and that those who didn't rub blue mud on their belly were plotting to capsize others' teacups thereby. Once more, the little prince moved on, this time to the furious indignation and derision of the sorely aggrieved and affronted self-important people.
In another case teacups rushed to and fro, all very busy and full of needful things that must be accomplished. Just what these things were was unclear, but they certainly must have been terribly vital for so many people to pursue them with such fervor.
There was once even a Grand Teacup, with portions devoted to entertainment, portions to education, and so on, but nowhere did anyone seek to maintain the Grand Teacup itself nor to supply food and water. When he asked after these things, he was turned away for raising ridiculous questions: after all, wasn't it clear that this was a Grand Teacup indeed, and he should be thankful that they'd been so gracious as to let him aboard? Shrugging and shaking his head, he returned to his own teacup and sailed on.
Everywhere that he looked, they were each alone, and though other people in other teacups glanced over to wave or say hello, such others were each caught up in their own fantasies and paid no attention to those of the people whom he visited.
For a long while, he stopped visiting other teacups, content to float along all day wherever the wind and waters might take him, portals and hatches shut against the world, leaving only to haul in some fish and kelp for the day. With time, this grew increasingly empty, and so he made some allowance to wave at passing teacups, or to pass the time of day at a distance, neither boarding nor having visitors. He found that those in their teacups were likewise content to see him pass by with no more than cursory acknowledgment. They didn't seek his conversation any more than to ensure that he saw them and that they felt validated in this; beyond that, they were satisfied to let him be on his way without further inquiry as to his well being or endeavors.
There was a peace in this, a calm serenity without entanglement, his tacking on in silent contemplation thereafter, emulating the gulls' solo flights above him. This, too, chafed over time.
It was no less peaceful, but yet also unfulfilling.
It was with no little surprise, therefore, that one day he realized that his time was complete.
He could sail along with others or without, and find pleasure in the simple rhythm of the world, taking care of what chores came his way, lending a hand where needed, trading wares and passing time with amenable passersby or just watching the roll of the waves through the day.
Eventually: another teacup came to meet his at various junctures. Its occupant a princess of sorts, they found some common ground, trading views and thoughts with caution and parting ways again only to find one another at the next juncture. Things continued in this manner until they each realized that their teacups had been continuing together for quite some time.
That moment came over a cup of tea, appropriately enough.
They had each taken some toast and glanced up, and when their eyes met, they knew that their teacups would continue along together for some time to come. No words passed between them over this, only a comfortable mutual knowledge.
Nothing had been missing before this, things were now only more complete.
O ~~~ O