phantasmalrift | DUNGEON LOG: KEYSTONE REEF

Expedition day dawns, as usual, with an android mass text -

Okay, so, this time we're aiming to go out and stabilize the Fissure in the reef you can see up a little to the north of here. The waters are usually pretty calm this time of year, so if you can swim instead of needing to take a boat, that'd be a great help. We only have a few of them.

Also, I know that last time was a mess, so I'm just gonna say this: If you need to get out for any reason, just send us a message and a picture of your location. We'll get a drone out to you as soon as we can and bring you home. No questions asked.

( ﾟ▽ﾟ)/ Stay safe out there! When you're ready to go, meet us down at the beach. The rocky, sparkly one, not the sandy one.

Unlike previous expeditions, this time there's no rooftop sendoff - instead, as Charm noted, the tables are set up on Glitterstone beach, along with a series of boats pulled up on the sand. Two rowboats that could maybe sit six people but probably better suited for four, a trio of inflatable rafts (with motors attached to the back, all mismatched) of about the same size, a two-person dinghy and a long canoe that could hold two or three.

Besides the little fleet, there's also the usual bagged lunches (in gallon ziplocs this time, and other such watertight containers), and every boat is equipped with a large number of those chepa dollar-store water bottles, all with their airtight store seals. There's also a selection of life vests and other floatation thingies in a box next to the table. Strange hovers over the setup, checking watertightness of a handful of first aid kits with a spritzer and a bucket to submerge things in. They give a little wave to anyone passing by headed to the boats.

For those who opt instead to swim, everything seems perfectly normal until you reach the border of the Fissure... When, very suddenly, it isn't.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[shallows - above water]

[Mai's... a swordfish mermaid. Her tail and the long horn protruding out of her head are a shiny bronze colour, and she'll swim around with her sword in hand, popping up her head to check on her friends in the boats or on the shore.]

...How are we going to get back.

[shallows - underwater]

[Mai's getting hungry, it seems, and a year fending for yourself in sims with various different food situations gives you some manner of creativity. Which is why she's picked some seaweed, put it on a stick, and is... cooking it over a cluster of boiler coral? Is that even going to taste good?]

[gap]

[Well, time to treasure hunt. You can find Mai looking at dark crystals with some suspicion, staring blankly at jellyfish, and cautiously poking at rocks with her chipped plastic sword to see if she can unearth anything.]

...?

They said they'd come and pick us up if we needed it.

[ That's what Yuuri says, but she sounds a bit doubtful. She hasn't transformed so she's stuck in a boat, but she looks upset and fidgety. ]

And I can't imagine this being permanent.

Probably.

[Mai frowns and swims over, trying not to hit anyone with the horn or whatever this is coming out of her head.]

...Unhappy.

[ She gives Mai a smile, but she's clearly a little distracted. Whether she's aware of it or not, she's started rubbing at her neck. Not itching, not quite yet, but it's like there's something there, irritating her. ]

Is it that obvious?

[Mai touches her own neck and drops a little lower so only her head is sticking out of the water. Maybe it's not the execution scars that are bothering Yuuri, but since they messed Goro up the other day, better safe than not.]

Mm. They would probably let you stay back. But... Thank you. For coming when you didn't have to.

[ Yuuri looks at Mai quietly for a moment and then she moves to the side of the boat. She steadies herself with one hand on the end of the boat and then she reaches out carefully, offering Mai the other hand to hold. ]

I wasn't about to let you all run around unsupervised. [ despite the teasing, there's some real warmth to her voice. ] Someone has to keep an eye on you.

[Mai takes a deep breath and rises up again, even if now it's showing both the claw scars on her neck and the impalement scar on her chest with the swimsuit top she's got. She slowly reaches out and squeezes Yuuri's hand.]

You're a kind person. And you look out for us. So I know we're all grateful.

I can't do a lot of looking out for you while I'm stuck on this boat, but I'll do my best.

[ She gives Mai's hand a gentle squeeze in return. ]

Are you doing okay? It must take a bit of getting used to, being just... changed like that.

[nod]

Difficult. But useful. ...The thing on my head is inconvenient. Are you? All right.

I'm fine. It's just...

[ She's not sure how to explain it or if she should even try. It's the idea of being changed, made into something else with no way yet of coming back. It unsettles her in a way she can't quite put words to.

It reminds her of Megurigaoka. That's never a good thing. ]

I'm a little worried. That's all. It's our first outing and then all this happens.

Mm. ...I'll protect you. And I know you do your best for us.

We'll all protect each other. That's what we're supposed to do, isn't it?

If you get into any sort of trouble, just call for one of us. I might not be able to do much up here, but you've seen how many of us there are around. We'll be okay, Mai-chan.

...

[Yuuri's been around Mai long enough that she can probably recognize the extremely slight uptick in her facial expression as a smile.]

Okay. And there's probably something above the water, too. Something only you can do. So I believe in you.

Well, of course.

[ She gives Mai a grin. ]

I wouldn't be part of this family if I was any good at keeping myself out of trouble, would I?

Probably not. Be safe. We're working for you, too.

... Are you sure that's going to cook properly? Wouldn't just. Getting to the surface and using standard cooking be safer?

[Pidonus knows about the concept of food safety, possibly thanks to someone here, but not a lot of details...]

Maybe. But we'll be here a while. And it's less worry with vegetables.

Mmm... You're right. And this is in destabilized space, so I can't just teleport supplies in and out. Not even sure I can use my ring-space trick while down here.

Sheesh, this place keeps getting more complicated fast, huh.

Always. But we'll fix it. I think.

Wonder what the big annoying problem will end up being this time... Just, remembering the bird.

Bird-san?

It doesn't deserve the respect of a 'san', if you ask me. Damnedable thing...

Oh. Monsters. Maybe there will be. ...Large whale-san. Or something aquatic.

I wonder how dangerous a large whale would be.

DUNGEON LOG: KEYSTONE REEF

no subject

shallows

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Shallows - Underwater

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject