open mingle: 11/4-11/11 (or whatever. follow ur dreams)

[sniptuck]

[ NEW MONTH, NEW US. Are you attempting to figure out ways to solve Naoko and Jenn's respective problems? Helping to make the base island nice and fancy? Or any other type of shenanigan that isn't listed above because I don't know your life and am not privy to every single bad idea to come across the crew? Well, it's time to make all of that happen here!

Anyway have fun and use this for threading. Make sure to check out the November OOC post and there is also a CR meme up. THAT'S IT, HAPPY SCORPIO MONTH!!! ]

Comments

[oneandmikleonly]

[it greets them with tentacles enthusiastically held out, happy to see them; Mikleo half-smiles and gently fistbumps one, right on cue]

I see the Emperor's not the only one who could use visitors more.

[imsorey]

[waiting his turn and fistbumping them too, reaching out to tickle them when they wiggle over close]

Maybe we can let everyone at the base know they should visit. Who could resist these cute little guys?

[oneandmikleonly]

I did bring Dave down here before. Guess he might have been too busy to come again, though...it seems like he's got even more projects than we do sometimes.

[like secret Kharaa assistance programs, apparently. lordy]

It's a little worrying to just send everyone in here considering there's some nasty things, but maybe...

[imsorey]

[Kharaa assistance programs are as important to our peaceful anarchy as talking to Dragons and Emperors, its fair]

Hmm, maybe in groups then? There's a few of us who know what to avoid, and others who can put up a fight if it comes to that.

[oneandmikleonly]

Piscine playdate party formations. Maybe.

[tickles a Cute Fish under its chin, chatting softly to it; he eyebrows go up]

Huh...they do want company. Why are you feeling down--?

[imsorey]

Huh? What's wrong?

[peering at the Cute Fish Mikleo has near him, and then scooping up another one that's closest.]

Are you guys lonely, or is it something else?

[oneandmikleonly]

...they feel down when the Dragon does, huh...?

[he can't feel BAD exactly for their fighting it and wearing it out the way they did last month, but....]

[imsorey]

[but that's still a bummer. giving the Cute Fish an apologetic pat; he doesn't feel bad for fighting the Dragon, but he certainly didn't mean for it to have these kind of side effects.]

That one's probably our fault. Sorry guys.

[oneandmikleonly]

We're going to try and make him feel better, though.

[as an aside to Sorey]

You don't think they're literally baby Dragons, do you?

[imsorey]

[looking mildly alarmed by that though. there are so many of them, how will we pet them all if they get that big???]

They don't act anything like the Dragon we know. But...even if they aren't directly related, they might be similar species, right? I guess we can't rule it out.

[oneandmikleonly]

Dave might be in for a surprise.

[they play with the Cute Fish a while longer -- they really are engaging -- but after a while they do need to descend further down into the Void.]

[imsorey]

[Sorey is successfully distracted by playing with the Cute Fish, promising to make it up to them so that they feel better!!!! but there is still more to be done and their time is limited, so he picks up the pace when they do finally head further down into the Void in an attempt to make up for lost time.]

[oneandmikleonly]

[catches up to him after a moment and puts a hand on his arm]

Take it easy. I'd rather go slower and attract less attention this deep.

[imsorey]

There isn't a lot of attention to attract right now. It seems pretty quiet, don't you think?

[but he does obligingly slow his pace down, careful of where they're swimming]

[oneandmikleonly]

You never know. Remember some of the monsters that showed up on the drone camera? They more or less came out of nowhere.

[imsorey]

If they're going to do that, they'll do it whether we're swimming fast or slow.

[oneandmikleonly]

Depends on the predator. Sometimes if you just drift along you get ignored...it's when you splash around and go fast that you get chased.

...well, let's hope we miss them this time, anyway.

[imsorey]

[Mikleo's urge for caution is enough for him to listen and not just charge ahead, though he's not sure if the damage has already been done. if something had heard them it would probably already be here.]

...We'll go slow and be quiet just in case.

[oneandmikleonly]

[squeezes his shoulder before letting go...

it's a long way down. at least it's not quiet; they have the threads of the Song and the Void Song here to pick apart and find their path.]

[imsorey]

[and having songs to listen to is much better than an oppressive, quiet dark. the path hasn't exactly become a habit yet, but they've been to visit enough times before that there's no chance of them getting lost on the way there]

[oneandmikleonly]

[deep, deep, past the flickers of lava...they know they're in the right place when the dim, distant glow of the Emperor's lights glimmer blue in their vision]

Ah.

[imsorey]

[letting out a sigh of relief--they may know the way, but it doesn't make the Void any less frazzling to travel through. the light is, well, reassuring.]

Here we are, safe and sound. Nothing to worry about.

[oneandmikleonly]

There's plenty to worry about, just...nothing new, I guess. Hopefully.

[pessimist. they drift closer to the lights, carefully navigating around the huge spikes of malevolence permeating the area; Sorey can feel Mikleo throw out a telepathic line in the Emperor's direction, broadcasting a friendly hello.]

[imsorey]

[nudging mikleo for that pessimistic comment before adding his own telepathic greeting, waiting for the vague but positive response from the Emperor before heading in closer.]

[oneandmikleonly]

[the Emperor recognizes them, at least, those distant lights moving forward a little; Mikleo hangs back for Sorey to say his piece, since he's going to be doing a lot of the work today. if they're allowed to, that is]