INTO THE VOID

[oneandmikleonly]

[A STUBBORN AND FOOLHARDY GROUP OF EXPLORERS FALL ASLEEP AND SWIM INTO A DEEP DARK OCEAN ABYSS

There’s no punchline that’s actually what they’re doing. ]

((you can go ahead and join in even if you didn't sign up for the mission in the planning post! read here for info and assume you got a brief background rundown. there’s toplevels for different bits of the trip; go ahead and poke around wherever you want to be and jump each other freely!

if your character would ask a question or perform a particular important action at some point that isn't covered yet, please check with the mods directly at that comment for results!))

Comments

[imsorey]

Yeah! I think for now we can just focus on making the opening wider and see how much that helps.

[It takes a few minutes to rely this to everyone else, but he's ready to try once that's settled.]

[aspearing]

Then--

.[ She closes her eyes then once everyone's ready, focusing everything she can on this single task - on making that opening far wider. ]

[imsorey]

[With everyone focusing, there's some progress--the opening widens bit by bit. Ultimately it isn't enough to free the Emperor, but it's still something.]

Not bad for a first try.

[aspearing]

{ When Alisha opens her eyes and sees how the opening widened, her face lights up, looking clearly relieved. ]

It looks like it's started working! Would it help to try again?

[imsorey]

Yeah, we can try a few times! Nothing's stopping us from going as long as we want.

[There's an implication there that it might still take a while, but he doesn't mind. The fact that they've made progress is already enough to prove they can do it in his eyes.]

[aspearing]

That's true. If it's worked so far, then there's no harm in trying it a few more times.

[ Then, she'll close her eyes. Even if it'll take a while, it'll be worth it as long they can help, in the end. ]

[imsorey]

[He focuses on it for a while too, putting as much of his energy into it as he can. They manage to widen it a considerable amount before the Emperor finally speaks up, saying that she won't leave that place without her children regardless of whether the opening is big enough or not. There's enough stubbornness in that voice to break his concentration so that he can pay attention.]

--Children...?

[aspearing]

... It almost sounds as though she's protecting them by staying there.

[ In that case, it might be better to leave her there, after all. Isn't it common sense that most mothers will put their children first? She may have even chosen to stay in that place for the very purpose of being able to protect her children. ]

[imsorey]

Could staying here protect them somehow?

[What Alisha's saying makes sense to him--if her children were in there with her somewhere, by freeing her they could also free her children. But if they weren't, then the best solution would be to go out and search for them. The fact that she refuses seems to mean staying will protect them.]

Or maybe the question should be "how and why"...

[aspearing]

If she moves, then wouldn't her children be able to follow? Perhaps they can't, or perhaps this is where they're safest.

[ Well, it's just an idea, anyways. They'd have to hear from the source itself. ]

[imsorey]

It doesn't look that safe down there...but I guess that's debatable for them, huh.

[Maybe giant undersea creatures like caves with spikes of malevolence, he doesn't know.]

[aspearing]

That's true. It may be safe for them, even if it doesn't look like that for us. Either way, if it doesn't want to move, it may not be a good idea to force it.

[imsorey]

Agreed.

[That malevolence is concerning him, though, and although his response is firm, he keeps frowning down at the cave.]

When she does want to come out, we'll make sure to be there.

[aspearing]

[ She nods her head in agreement, looking back at the cave. ]

We will. Together.

Shall we move on?