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.

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Just...don't mention it.

[From his tone, he's just as confused as Shido. His ears are lowering and flicking intermittently, as if trying to make sense of something he's hearing...or maybe just something he's thinking.

After a moment, he shakes his head and bends down to wash the eel slime off his hands. He doesn't know it's venomous, but it's still gross.]

Can you...travel, I guess is the right word here?

[He takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself from the rush of adrenaline. He then tries slithering in the water, which can't be more than a couple feet of water, tops. There's definitely still some soreness, and he grits his teeth and furrows his brow.]

Y...yes. [Just not without pain.]

[There's a moment where he watches Shido's expression, then he turns toward the middle of the hold. Ghost jellies are already starting to light up, in response to the faint daylight from the upper hallway and the glowing dots in Goro's translucent fins and the tips of his opaque ones.]

Then we should keep going.

[...?????

What the hell was all that about... Either way, he's going to swallow down that pain and trudge on. His breath is still a little unsteady because that was... a lot? It was A Lot.

Hopefully, there's at least something down here to make his suffering worthwhile.]

[He continues swimming through the air, giving curious glances at the ghost jellies as they approach. When he reaches out to touch one, his antennae raise up as an inexplicable sense of something like worry pokes at the back of his mind.]

What...?

[From the other side, where the gash in the hull is, a familiar redhead is peeking into the hold, too. He slips inside smoothly, pulling a flashlight out of his hair and flicking it on as he leaves the bit of light from the gash itself behind.]

Ah... I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to run into you here, Goro.

[...Running into him with Shido is a little more of a surprise.

A number of the jellies flock to the light, of course, bobbing around Kurama. He twitches away from one that gets too close, but too late to avoid the...slightly familiar sensation of a feeling that isn't his.]

Are they imprinting?

[Shido looks up and over (perhaps a bit quickly) when he notices the red out of the corner of his eye and sees the redhead. He gives a small nod in greeting, then looks over at Akechi, then back to Kurama.]

What's wrong?

[He gives Kurama a wave when he sees him, then swims over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.]

It certainly seems like it. Are you on the UG right now?

[He glances back at Shido, and pauses for a second before responding.]

Try touching one. They don't sting, but...

[Kurama politely returns Shido's nod before offering Goro a warm smile and affectionate fingers following one of the stripes on his face.]

I've been defaulting to RG of late. For one thing, Izunia is far too much on the UG frequencies. I'm retuning now...

[Which is an interesting thing, judging from the thoughtful frown spreading over his lips.]

Ghosts.

[Shido blinks, then eyes a jelly near him, after a moment, hesitantly reaching out...

He freezes when his fingers go through it, and he pulls his hand back sharply and practically jumping backwards.]

What?!

[His head snaps in Kurama's direction, expression openly alarmed. He... might also be a bit pale.]

Edited 2018-06-12 19:44 (UTC)

[He nods, not looking at all surprised. At Shido's extreme reaction, though, he snorts a laugh.]

Have you forgotten you're talking to a couple of ghosts? They're not very different from what we were before we became Reapers.

[But amusing as Shido's reaction is, there's something more important here. He shifts his own Frequency and examines the ghosts.]

Except they've probably been dead for a lot longer than we have. They're quite degraded.

[He isn't going to bother saying anything about Goro laughing at Shido's alarm. It's fairly harmless as interactions between those two go.]

This ship's sailors, perhaps? They don't seem to mean any harm, I don't think there's anything to be concerned about.

[Kurama frowns thoughtfully as he examines them a bit more himself.]

With the way all rules seem to apply here... Do you think we might be able to repair them? If they were more coherent, we might be able to figure out why they seem so fretful.

That's a bit different!

[You know what. Shido is just going to. Back the fuck away from all the jellies. A bit more towards where they came from?

... wait a minute, he can't escape that way because he broke the stairs with his fall. Shit.

Guess he lives here now.]

Yes, we're much more physically present. They're harmless, I doubt they can do much more than Imprint basic emotions.

[Still entirely too amused at Shido's distress. Now back to Kurama...]

It's worth a try. They might have other useful information too, depending on just how long they've actually been here.

They're quite weak. And they seem rather anxious. I think I can guarantee we're more dangerous than they are.

[Thaaat...might be paired with a faint sniff at the air as he actually pays attention to the scent of blood coming from what he presumes is the way Goro and Shido came? And a small frown. Before he returns his attention to the actual matter at hand.]

We can but hope.

[Unfortunately, this kind of repair work is definitely not an area he's had practice in and it doesn't seem to be coming naturally to him.]

[. . .

He doesn't answer, instead quietly resuming searching. He's... definitely not still giving the jellyfish a wide berth? That'd be needlessly excessive? He's just... making sure to check over here if they've missed something, that's all...!]

DUNGEON LOG: KEYSTONE REEF

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