DUNGEON LOG: KEYSTONE SHORE

[phantasmods]

The morning of the 9th, everyone will get a message sent to their communication devices -

Okay, guys! I think we have enough stabilizers to try and get the shoreline stable. If you want to help out, grab your supplies and come on up to the roof!

When characters arrive at the roof, they'll find Top - with a wheeling table full of many copies of the same odd-looking device - the two exploratory drones, and a ramp down off the roof to the ground. (The latter looks a little hastily constructed.)

"Okay," Top says, picking up one of the devices. "Here's the stabilizers. Stick them to walls and stuff - mostly out of the way places where they're not going to get knocked off - and then press the buttons along the side."

They demonstrate, unfolding the set of legs at one end of the device before showing the buttons to anyone who's close enough. "Go ahead and take a couple, especially if you've got one of those space-saving inventories going on, I know there's like four of you with those? Strange got some first aid kits together, too, if you want."

Sure enough, another table nearby has the med kits... As well as traditional paper bag lunches, courtesy of Bottom. Don't question it too much.

"We'll be staying back here to keep track of the stabilization progress and work the drones," Top says, "but don't hesitate to call if you get in trouble! We'll send one of these guys down to get you an evac if you need it."

And with that, you're free to go down the ramp... Or to make for the beach however else you might choose to go.

Comments

[thoroff]

With her new passenger aboard, Wren takes to the skies in earnest, and just in time to avoid the awful glitter wind, too. She has her pegasus circle around the monster gull, carefully avoiding melee range, until she's regained some height on it — an effort that's stymied somewhat by the panic that indescribable noise sends Catria into. Thanks, Astolfo. Wren, experienced rider that she is, has no trouble hanging on, but Touma had better have taken her advice to heart...

Once she's in a decent enough position, however, she brings her mount to a stop and pulls a yellow-covered book from her belt.

"Now let's see if we can't clip your wings."

Taking careful consideration of the vague outline of the bird along with its shadow, she points her other arm at her foe. The tome's pages begin to flip rapidly as if by their own will and a series of glowing patterns and runes appear around Wren as she fires a lancing bolt of lightning into the gull's wingspan.

As soon as she's finished casting her spell, she asks, without looking back, "Right, now what's the plan?" It's a question she's more accustomed to receiving than asking, but she doesn't know what exactly it is that Touma intends to do, so the ball's in his court...

[fantasykiller]

"Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Touma let out a terrified scream as the winged horse began to thrash about in panic. He did his best to hang on to Wren using only his left arm, but every jolt from her airborne mount threatened to dislodge him from its back and send him plummeting to his death. Like a drowning man desperately seeking something to keep himself afloat, he instinctively reached out towards Wren with his right hand in order to better secure himself. It took nearly all his willpower to stop himself from touching her. The last thing they needed was for him to accidentally negate something important and doom them both. He had to endure.

Thankfully, the shaking stopped before his arm gave out. Relieved that they were now relatively stable, Touma tried to slow his erratic breathing and calm his thumping heart.

"O-oh, right," Touma stammered. He had been so preoccupied with his fear that he nearly forgot why he was risking his life ridding a magical flying horse to begin with. "Can you try flying above it?"

[thoroff]

"I can, but if I'm going to get anywhere near that thing, you're explaining why first."

Like. Touma did see what it did to that landshark, right?

[fantasykiller]

"I need you fly above it so I can jump onto its back. Otherwise, I can't negate its camouflaging ability."

His plan was the definition of insanity. Despite witnessing the strength of the massive seagull, he still fully intended on throwing himself at it.

[thoroff]

Insanity indeed. Wren is honestly at a loss for words for a moment.

"You want to—Are you mad?!"

[fantasykiller]

"Don't worry, it's not like I need you to stay close to it for long. You don't even need to stop. I can make the jump while you zoom right pass it. That way you can minimize the chance of getting hurt."

Touma tried his best to reassure her. Unfortunately, he seemed to have completely misinterpreted her reaction.

[thoroff]

"That is not the issue here! That creature will tear you apart! Don't you have any concern for your own life?"

She's kind of one to talk there, but.

[fantasykiller]

"Of course I do! I'm absolutely terrified of dying! If I can avoid it, I'd rather not risk my life. Do you honestly think I want to sacrifice myself fighting something as ridiculous as a giant seagull? Hell no! I want nothing more than to abandon this fight and run away! But I can't do that."

Touma gestured at all the people below fighting the seagull.

"Everybody here is risking their lives trying to battle that thing. How can I abandon this fight knowing that? Even if I can't do much, I still want to help," His eyes shone with unwavering conviction. "Please fly me to that seagull. This is something only I can do. Without its camouflage, I'm certain we can end this battle quickly."

[thoroff]

Well, she certainly wasn't expecting such an impassioned speech. Wren looks into Touma's eyes, sees the determination within, and there's no way she can deny him. With a sigh, she nods, before looking outward again, seeking the gull's new position.

"...Fine. You'd better ready yourself."

[fantasykiller]

Touma flashed her a confident grin.

"I've been ready. Now lets go take down that stupid seagull!"

[thoroff]

With no more words and only a second or two's delay, Wren pushes Catria to dash forth, closing the distance between them and their quarry in no time flat. She grits her teeth as they draw nearer, until they're close enough to feel the force of the massive bird's wingflaps...

And she yells "Now!" at the top of her lungs. Time seems to slow as she waits for Touma to make the jump — and then, the moment he's off, she immediately pulls Catria into a sharp rise to escape the bird's reach as quickly as possible.

[fantasykiller]

Touma leaped from Catria without any hesitation. A sense of weightlessness briefly filled him before being quickly replaced with instinctive fear. Despite this being his second time voluntarily jumping into open air, he couldn't stop himself from screaming. His screams, thankfully, were muffled by the turbulent winds surrounding him as he descended towards his destination.

Like a dropped package from a high-speed bomber, Touma was set to impact the monstrous seagull. Once he makes contact, its mirage-like cloaking will be negated thanks to his Imagine Breaker.

[phantasmods]

[The thing about sky predators - especially distracted ones - is that they don't look up. This applies doubly when they're already trying their best to stay in the air...

Better grab on quick and dig your fingers into those feathers, Touma, because it's going to start even wilder flailing in an attempt to throw you off! It's a moving targeted now -

- But a revealed one, at least as long as Touma still has a hold on it, a gull with shimmering iridescent feathers that still throw off a play of light even with their supernatural qualities nullified.]