DUNGEON LOG: KEYSTONE REEF

[phantasmods]

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.

Comments

[myocordial]

Yes?

[He fails to understand why this is shocking information, because he still doesn't get that people think he's hot.]

I mean, I assume. He should still be. It's been around fifteen-- sixteen... [oh god numbers again, hang on...] Eigh...teen years... since then?

[Oh he is not nearly lucid enough to the math on this.]

[founderinglight]

Fffffffffffuck, I thought you were just made that way. That's not fair.

[myocordial]

No, I was not. We have to actually copy someone's appearance.

Technically, I could look like anyone I felt like.

[founderinglight]

[If Heart is paying attention, Izunia's tentacles, previously a reddish orange shading more red-pink as the high takes effect, are now a deep, vibrant crimson.]

That's not fair. I can't believe someone just looks like that.

[He buries his face in his hands.]

[myocordial]

[????????]

I don't... understand the problem.

That's how appearances work?

[founderinglight]

I like dangerous men and your face is unfair.

[myocordial]

[??????????????????]

I really don't get what's wrong with my face.

[...]

Dangerous?

[founderinglight]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with your face. It's flawless. That's why it's unfair.

[Beat.]

...What?

[myocordial]

I understand less and less the more you talk. I'm not sure that's because of the-- the me being high thing.

[Headtilt. And then he looks oh so very amused.]

You think I'm dangerous, do you?

[founderinglight]

I would have thought that would be obvious.

[myocordial]

Haaaaaah.

Did you think that before you first saw me transform?

[founderinglight]

Why do you think I wanted medical witness? You're stupid.

[myocordial]

Which was dumb, anyway. But you thought I was scary after that.

That's hilarious.

[founderinglight]

If you wish to poke fun at entirely justified irrational fears, I shall do naught but remind you that you were upset by my eating a cookie.

[myocordial]

Oh, no, the daemon thing or-- that whole thing, I'll give you that? I don't care about any of that.

But you only saw that one punch in the forest.

[founderinglight]

And your point? You punch like my daughter.

[From the tone, this is the highest compliment he could give?]

[myocordial]

That was barely anything.

[founderinglight]

The fact that you think nothing of it does not serve to prove my assessment incorrect.

[myocordial]

I've been severely weakened, I was in my human form, and yet I made such an impression. I wasn't even using the Dead Zone, for goodness' sake.

[Oh, that amusement gives him another rush and he just giggles. To him, this is very much hilarious.]

[founderinglight]

You also quite literally punched out one of my nightmares, I think that would make an impression upon anyone.

[myocordial]

I threw a car at someone once.

[But no, the punch was very impressive too, sure.]

[founderinglight]

[Holy shit. Izunia just presses his hands over his mouth. Everywhere that has the patches of octopus skin, not just his tentacles, is now deeply crimson.]

...That's hot.

[myocordial]

What?




[What?]

[founderinglight]

[Shit he heard that.

Welp, time to own it.]

That is really, very, incredibly attractive.

1/2

[myocordial]

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