Phantasmal Rift Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
phantasmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
phantasmalrift2018-05-31 11:39 pm
phantasmods) wrote in phantasmalrift2018-05-31 11:39 pm
Entry tags:
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.
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.
no subject
[ JUST GRINNING AT THAT REACTION TBH... and, eh, why not? Let's see how annoying we can be. ]
Guess you could say they were fishing for smiles.
no subject
Exactly how many times were you bitten?
no subject
Somewhere between five and fifteen times? I didn't bother counting.
[ AKIRA... ]
no subject
even though he has crazy powers and changed shido's heart... he's still so painfully a teenager.
He gives a sigh.]
And what do these fish look like?
[Well, they look an awful lot like the one that's swimming towards Shido from behind him right now...]
no subject
>Point?
>Give a description?
>Give a description and then point?
> Begin snickering at the universe's perfect timing. ]
no subject
What's so funny now?
[That's when he feels a little bump against his tail, followed by a small, soothing burst of euphoria. He blinks and looks over to see the fish, which darts away a bit at his movement, but not far.]
Ah. There's the little troublemaker.
[... he actually seems a little amused.]
no subject
Guess it heard you asking about it.
[ He's grinning like hell over here. ]
Did it get you, too, then?
no subject
[The little fish comes right back up to him and bites him in another spot. He gives a small chuckle— not wry, for once, before he gently waves it off with a hand.]
Alright, alright. One of us needs to stay somewhat lucid.
no subject
That fish is letting itself get swatted away, and then immediately swimming over to Akira. Who is too distracted by the fact that he just heard Shido...
Was that... a laugh???
Oh- He blinks as he feels the fish suddenly boop him right on the cheek.
And then he starts outright laughing. ]
no subject
no subject
He grins and lightly shoves the old man's shoulder. ]
See? Not such a bad thing after all, right?
no subject
no subject
[ Akira... that's not even-
... what??? ]
no subject
Akira's getting a light bap on the head for that.]
Obviously I'm not talking about me.
no subject
[ he's got this, he's good at stuff right now ]
I knew that??
[ BOY THAT LAUGH SURE IS CONVINCING ISN'T IT ]
no subject
I'm not entirely convinced you know your tail from mine at the moment.
[he's... so amused...]
no subject
[ Akira's... attempting to pretend he's offended, and totally failing, holy shit. A couple of snorts manage to escape. ]
I definitely do!
no subject
[Go on then. Show him how lucid you absolutely are
n't.]no subject
... Okay. [ grinning! ] You're on, then.
[ AND HE'S JUST. GOING TO START FOR SHIDO'S TAIL......
... just kidding; he's going for his own. And grinning like he just won a fucking trophy. ]
See~?
no subject
Very impressive. Though it shouldn't surprise me; you're a sharp boy.
so remember when you said nothing is sacred with me.............
That gets him to stop and stare at Shido for a moment, his expression softening completely. ]
Wh-... I mean, it's... it was just...
[ And it's probably very obvious that High Akira is now completely flustered and unsure how to handle this random compliment from Masayoshi Shido of all people? ]
... a tail?
[ A soft snort slips out. ]
My own dad would say the opposite. [ and before it can even dawn him him what he's saying: ] He'd sooner tell me everything I did wrong in the past ten years, and why I'm always going to disappoint him, than--...
[ Even in this state, there's a soft frown and a look of discomfort flashing. It's dim, but it's there. But, then he just laughs. ]
As if I have any reason to complain, though. Just listen to me... talking like I've got any room to complain about parents. [ yeah, as though this is totally unbelievable stuff ] I'm the guy who's supposed to be okay no matter what, right...?
hey, how about, pushes you off a cliff for the seventeenth time
But the story comes as a surprise. He listens quietly, attentively to his words, his attention raptly on Akira even in his buzzed state.
He chuckles softly again, and swims a bit closer.]
Seems you really do learn something new every day; I wasn't aware you were a robot, Akira.
[A gentle tease, but then he sobers a little again.]
Of course you can't always be okay no matter what. And perhaps you haven't had me for a father, but that hardly invalidates what you've gone through with your own parents.
Now, exactly in what ways have you disappointed him?
man, has it already been that many? I'm on a roll!
Because it's difficult as hell to feel genuinely sad when you're as high as Akira is. And the other thing about being this way? He is having trouble fully grasping Shido's words. He gives a small wry smirk and shakes his head. ]
Well... yeah, it does? How can I properly be there for the people who have been through a lot, if I'm too busy dwelling on things that... weren't really that bad... Not like my dad ever really hit me. And he never drank or anything.
[ And he's left searching his memory at that question. Finally, a small snort slips out. ]
What? You want a list? Well, I guess I can start with the worst - getting arrested. He fully believed that I deserved it and everything that came with it, you know? I should have stuck with the lesson I learned years ago about keeping my head down, according to him.
[ He grins widely. ]
Even if I do technically have you to thank for getting to meet all those wonderful people, I also have you to thank for my parents not calling me once for an entire year. The one time I tried calling, they told me not to bother them until I learned my lesson. Perfect grades, perfect attendance, perfect record in clubs...
[ THIS IS NOT A LAUGHING MATTER, BUT... h e h ]
Dad really wanted it all from me. I had one job.
no subject
...and somehow, because it's Akira, it... hurts even more?]
Sounds like multiple jobs, to me. A full year, hm... [A sigh, then he shakes his head.] What a shame that they would deliberately distance themselves from such a brilliant young man. Truly, they don't know what they lost.
[Waaaas that a lot? That felt... strangely like a lot... but there's no taking it back now.
He coughs a little into his hand.]
In any case, people are just human, Akira. Even parents. And it doesn't excuse demanding so much of you, but it does mean even though he's your father, what he thinks of you doesn't determine your worth.
After all... [His tone grows warm.] You've helped my son through so much. You're part of the reason he's able to smile and laugh and be full of life, even after living through so much pain, misery, and hopelessness. When you're with him, I can tell just by looking how you bring so much joy into his life.
You've made him truly and honestly happy... and for that, I'm eternally grateful.
no subject
Well, needless to say, his expression is softening a little into slight wonder. He blinks a couple of times, and just falls... quiet. The happiness that the kissing fish have caused him is definitely amping up the positive feelings that come with that last part, and...
And, while he's taken it all in (and fully understands what's being said), he doesn't begin to know how to respond to it. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)