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]

[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]

[imsorey]

[Consent for being purified has become an oddly important aspect of life on Iniidae; it's more effective if someone wants to be purified, anyways, and less awkward to deal with after. For something this size, with so much connection to the planet itself, it's even more important.]

I know you won't leave without your children, but we wanted to still be able to do something for you to help. We were wondering if it would be okay for us to try and purify you a little to make it easier--it's just sort of like getting rid of bad energy. It doesn't hurt, and it should help you relax a little while we find a better solution.

[Stealing a glance at Mikleo to see if he has anything to add when the Emperor seems unsure.]

[oneandmikleonly]

[Mikleo's humming under his breath, thinking back to their fight against the Dragon...while he doesn't sing this time, the thoughts he lets spill over to Sorey and the Emperor have similar elements: they're less words and more feeling, warmth and belief, assurance that they're not lying, a desire to help. it's much harder to lie this way; he hopes the Emperor can sense that.]

Please...we'd like to help.

[imsorey]

We wouldn't suggest it if we thought something bad would come from it. I know it's asking a lot, but we can't just do nothing when you're stuck like this.

[His face lights up when the Emperor consents, albeit warily.]

[oneandmikleonly]

[he exhales in relief and draws them a bit closer, within range; there's no way for them to bring lights into the Void, but at least the Emperor's mild luminescence is a decent enough landmark. he steers them both closer, more within range, since presumably she doesn't want them, like, firing purification arrows at her. that shit's alarming even with mutual consent]

[imsorey]

Thanks.

[being set on fire is ALWAYS alarming no matter what, presumably more so for sea creatures. he's careful to move slowly and keep within her range of sight, foregoing the use of his sword as a conduit in case that startles her.]

[oneandmikleonly]

Not a problem.

[he's sending a warning to the Emperor, or a quiet reassurance: images of the fire, but also Hotaru smiling through it, Dirk casually taking a picture with the both of them while they're all lit up, the way it sears away darkness at home to leave the rock or stone or animal whole. this is meant to help. don't fear]

[imsorey]

[Sorey puts a little bit of a spin on it; as he calls on the power of purification to ease the malevolence surrounding her he also threads in a soft hum of the Songs they've learned. The malevolence on this planet looks the same as his own, but the forces of Iniidae may have more influence on purifying it than his power alone. He's willing to bet that the planet would like to help the Emperor just as much as they want to.]

[oneandmikleonly]

[maybe it's the influence of Iniidae, maybe it's the fact that Sorey has only been backed up by a water seraph for several months at this point, maybe it's just that they're underwater -- but the flames of purification seem to have an odd refraction to them this time around, a rippling bend that's a little closer to water than fire. they approach the Emperor shoulder to shoulder; Mikleo puts his own power behind what Sorey's called up, giving it as much oomph as they can manage.]

[imsorey]

[he's more confident in his abilities when Mikleo's working with him--the affinity for water helps, when they're constantly surrounded by it, and it's the sort of comforting presence that makes him feel like he can do anything.

he puts as much power behind it as he can muster, picking up a little extra from the Songs and letting it spread through the Emperor as much as he can. she's huge, bigger than anything he's purified before, but she isn't a hellion and there isn't as much malevolence as he's expect from anything back home. there's no less of a sense of success when the malevolence dims through their combined efforts.]

[oneandmikleonly]

[the heavy feeling that comes from being deep in the Void seems to lift a bit, too...they've achieved something here. Mikleo squeezes Sorey's shoulder when they're done...this is the closest they've come in their lives to purifying a true dragon. even though it's a pale shadow of what that experience might be, it's still a triumph.

it's surprising, too, when she swims closer of her own accord and thanks them, her words coming through more clearly.]

[imsorey]

[he was so focused on the effort that it takes a little longer for Sorey to realize what they've done--but the understanding slowly dawns on his face when Mikleo squeezes his shoulder, when she speaks to them, when he fully sees how much they accomplished. he's ecstatic when he responds to her, grabbing Mikleo's hand and squeezing it tightly, beyond words for what it means to them for this to be remotely possible.]

[oneandmikleonly]

[leans his shoulder into Sorey's as he acknowledges the Emperor as well; it's hard to see a smile down here, but one can certainly hear it in their voices.]

...I think it might be okay to just sit and chat for a bit...you did a good job.