loop it twice

a ship is safe in harbor
but that's not what ships are for

She couldn’t shake Sohalia’s words away from her mind. But at least, they were down below, within fathoms, where the stretches of the Family couldn’t (?) hear their bonded conversations, their Attuned links, or the plotting of outright sedition. Maybe it gave her trepidation because she wasn’t one for overt violence – even if she wasn’t directly involved. But stripping Dahlia from her seat wouldn’t be simplistic or easy, and something in her heart knew that some of these machinations would remain meaningless – a pipe dream while they tried to dig into more than just aspirations.

Luckily the Moonkissed Reef provided a lush distraction – coral, stone, bright hues and colors all over again, far more awe-inspiring than the looming Basin, presided in softness. Be careful with these, her snout pointed out to some of the sharper portions, before narrowing her eyes at some animals nearby, noting their jagged, serrated, or pointed aspects. And those too.

Lena

And I hope the sun shines and it's a beautiful day
And something reminds you you wish you had stayed

The Moonkissed Reef was warmer then the depths from which they'd come, and Sohalia basked in the comfortable waters as she swam along beside Lena. The coral surrounding them was beautiful, but Soh took a closer look at some of the sharp edges and decided that she'd steer well clear. Smaller fish darted in and out of the reef, amazing her with their fluid grace. Meanwhile, she just tried to do her best not to run her sword-nose into anything.

This is beautiful, she said, trying to move on from their deeper, darker conversation and resume and air of normalcy. If there was a nervous edge to her mental voice, she ignored it, focusing instead on their surroundings. I had no idea there was such variety down here.

You can plan for a change in the weather and time
But I never planned on you changing your mind

Sohalia

a ship is safe in harbor
but that's not what ships are for

Neither did I, in truth, books could only showcase and detail so much. Lena was all the more grateful this particular area didn’t wholly encompass the absolute overbearing weight of dread – as if something were going to come barreling upwards and smite them out of existence.

Instead, it was colorful, if not a little dangerous on its own. There is just so much to it. She’d like to be able to take some plant life home, but not having enough information, or risking damage to the ecosystem, was also not on her agenda. What do you say we roam around here for a couple more turns, and then head out? All in all, they’d had a long, winding adventure, and there was tons to do when they returned.

Lena

And I hope the sun shines and it's a beautiful day
And something reminds you you wish you had stayed

Sohalia much preferred this area to the last, and she made that clear by the way she flicked her tail, slicing through the water with a burst of excited speed. Still, however beautiful the reef was, Soh knew that it would be dangerous to swim too close to the coral and its myriad colors. She wasn’t about to see if the poising contained therein was deadly or not.

Sure, she said to Lena, flashing as much of a smile as she could as a swordfish. They meandered here and there through the reef, pointing out this landmark and that, until Soh noticed a particularly large anemone. What do you think of that one? she asked, gesturing with her long nose.

You can plan for a change in the weather and time
But I never planned on you changing your mind

Sohalia

bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones.

---

You've encountered the OG random event! This allows you to skip one levelling requirement with the character in this thread. (Unfortunately does not count for characters over level 10, how sad.)

a ship is safe in harbor
but that's not what ships are for

Lena’s movements were much more easygoing too; small spurts of movement or a leisurely sway to her tail, content to bask in the warmth and glows, rather than the opposing forces of darkness and looming presences they’d left behind. Isn’t it lovely? she uttered with a gasp, swimming closer to admire it. Make sure not to touch it though. I’m not sure how much down here is poisonous. But she made an dolphin like assessment of it just the same, committing the bright hues and illustrious displays to memory. I can’t wait to jot all these down.

Raising her head, she spotted a hole somewhat nearby, open in the rock and crag. Is that a tunnel?

Lena

And I hope the sun shines and it's a beautiful day
And something reminds you you wish you had stayed

Lovely was certainly one word for their surroundings, which were filled with a deadly beauty that surpassed anything that Soh had seen on the surface. Oh, sure, there were plenty of places on land that could prove fatal, but most of them were lacking in the color and life department.

The Luminary wondered briefly how she would even begin to go about mapping the underwater expanses that they’d explored. Usually, she was able to sit and jot down sketches and notes as she explored, but this would have to be from memory. Perhaps, if they ever entered a new era of peace, the gods could help craft something for her to make her cartography easier even underwater.

In the meantime, though - I wonder where it leads? she said of the tunnel, before swimming closer to investigate.

You can plan for a change in the weather and time
But I never planned on you changing your mind

Sohalia

a ship is safe in harbor
but that's not what ships are for

Lena’s curiosity would still never quite compete with her practicality and safety; because while Sohalia questioned the whereabouts, the dolphin had no intention of going. Perhaps we could come back another time and follow it? She didn’t want herself to be potentially trapped without air, depending on how long the section was – nor lost or marooned into a place she knew very little about. Maybe it was different on land – much more secure, places open and understood, than down below in the depths.

It didn’t stop her from wondering though. Perhaps it goes to portions of Torchline? Or something else with connections.

Lena

And I hope the sun shines and it's a beautiful day
And something reminds you you wish you had stayed

Soh hadn’t been thinking of Lena’s inability to breathe indefinitely underwater, but as soon as her friend suggested coming back another day, Soh was immediately abashed. Of course, she agreed. Besides, they’d wandered quite enough for one day already, swimming here and there beneath the seas of Caido with hardly a care in the world. Soh was certainly getting tired and ready to return to the surface, and she imagined that Lena might be, too.

As for where the tunnel went, Soh might have shrugged, had she been human. As it was, she sent the feeling of a shrug down the bond. It could go anywhere, I suppose. Just depends on how long it is.

You can plan for a change in the weather and time
But I never planned on you changing your mind

Sohalia

a ship is safe in harbor
but that's not what ships are for

Their curiosity would have to be saved for another day then; sometime in the distant future, when places weren’t careening and wholly out of sorts. Lena gave one dolphin-embedded nod, a bit embellished with the framework of the pink head, and beginning a slow drift to the surface. How amazing that someone created it, she hummed, marveling – it must have taken years, and depending on how far it went or what labyrinthine design it held, even longer. We’ll investigate later came along another conviction, like a promise, that there were more things than the wicked doldrums, the void, and any other melancholic tendencies.

And from there, it was a plan – innocence adrift and echoing from all the other intangible lines.

[FIN]

Lena