March Intro: Head First

[subnauticmods]

≡U.R.S.U.L.A. NAVIGATION

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Arrival!

It was supposed to be a routine mission. Maybe you think you’ve been here for a bit or maybe you just arrived. Either way, you know there was supposed to be a completely normal underwater mission, probably just gathering resources, unless you just arrived, in which case welcome!

Unfortunately, somehow you’ve been dumped somewhere you shouldn’t be. A woman’s voice can be heard, robotic in tone with hints of emotion. That emotion mostly seems to be mild surprise.

"Life signs detected. Life forms are non-native to this planet. They... oh. Oh dear, I wasn’t prepared after all. Please refrain from dying for a moment. Your things are incoming."

Your eyes open underwater. At least you're near the surface. But the moment you break through you'll notice one thing: the ocean, stretching out for miles around you in all directions with no end in sight and only a very distant gleaming metal structure in the far distance. You're not alone but this surely isn't what you expected. In fact, you really can't understand how you managed to get from where you were to underwater so fast.

None of your belongings are with you save the clothing on your body. And the depths below you offer no comfort, the light engulfed before it can reach wherever the sea bottom is.

Somewhere, you hear a sound shaking through the water, like something between a whale and a foghorn.

No turning back now.

Prompts!

A: WHALE OF A TALE
As it turns out, there is hope for those who can't swim or get help from someone who can. Something emerges from the depths, a massive bed of coral that makes that strange sound, allowing people to climb on top of it. Of course, that bed of coral is actually the back of a massive creature that moves how it pleases and occasionally dives back down underwater.

There is a pod of them around the area calling to each other. They're friendly, or at least they don't seem to mind any poking or hangers on. But one of their long tendrils may still give you a good whack on accident.

If you’re really lucky you can probably ride one all the way back to the base. Wouldn’t that be a fantastic entrance?

B: HELP ARRIVES
At least, some assistance arrives. Strange little robots on propellers arrive fifteen or so minutes later, rushing to the scene carrying a floating bin of some sort. They drop it into the ocean and buzz excitedly around it in the hopes of luring people over.

Inside the bin are goggles, breathing devices and knives enough for the new arrivals. The knives have a compass on the hilt that has a marker for the direction of the base. One robot will play a helpful recording from the robotic woman for those getting their gear:

"Please deposit any articles of clothing getting in the way of swimming in the bin. We will be sure they arrive safely at the base. Do not try to swim in anything that will bog you down."

A pause.

"Swimming nude is not recommended. There can be... unpleasant issues. For future reference, please consult me before going on missions like this."

C: UNDER THE SEA
Of course, there's no reason to rush right to the base. This place is certainly beautiful in its own right and has a few caves to explore - watch those stingers hanging from the ceilings - with an abundance of strange and wonderful fish eager to either play with you or dart away as fast as possible. Of course there's plenty of Reefbacks still calling to each other and a large amount of floating rocks with Floaters attached.

D: MATING SEASON
On second thought, maybe heading to the base is a good idea. Occasionally you might see plumes of dust near the ocean floor. Exploring these is a very bad idea. The moment you get close, a Sand Shark will explode out of the sand, ready to attack. They range from five to eight feet in length and will pursue you without mercy. At least they give up if you get near the surface or hide in the right caves.

Unfortunately, it's mating season. That means dozens of them can appear at any time trying to court a female with acts of aggression and skill. And you really don't want to be in the middle of that.

E: HOME SWEET HOME
You did it! You made it to the base. You are probably dead tired by now having swam quite a long distance—or somehow riding a Reefback all the way here—and the sun is beginning to set. Upon arrival, URSULA will welcome you and give you a quick rundown of the lockers (where your personal items can be found, as safe as if you stored them there yourself) and the base's layout if you’re new. She will also recommend that you put on your communication device and settling in. She will then just as quickly apologise by saying that she must finish preparing the base for the others.

"Please give me a few days to finish retooling the base. Oh, I'm so excited. We're going to make a great team, I promise. And don't go back to that biome yet until mating season is over. Sand Sharks are... troublesome."

F: WILDCARD
The ocean is yours to explore! Maybe your characters will find places to take breaks. Maybe they'll start gathering things. Maybe they'll murder fish! Or maybe they'll get lost in the dark and take a rather long time to find the base. Or just crash the kitchen for some of that delicious fish, more fish and seaweed! It's all up to you!

See the Biomes page for the currently accessible areas or details on current wildlife and the Base page for all your base needs. Direct any questions and plotting to the OOC post and have fun!

BASED ON CODE BY TESSISAMESS AND SUPERSUITS

Comments

[upcard]

[........ you're...going to have to bear with her.]

You're...an octopus.

[And, weakly:]

I... I see...

[octoroom]

...Is it surprising?

[She's not the first one.

Fukami's at least chill (cool??) enough that any surprise (if he is surprised) doesn't show on his face.]

[upcard]

[YES????]

Um... I've never spoken to an octopus before.

[But her NEED FOR MANNERS overcomes her utter shock and confusion.]

But... it's still very nice to meet you, and you did save me, so...thank you very much!

[octoroom]

[Oh, she's polite. That's always nice. He's spent too long with Memoca, to whom manners may as well be a foreign language.

Fukami nods.]

You're welcome. [...] What is your name?

[upcard]

Oh...! [Oops.] I'm sorry, I've been rude... My name is Mai. Um, again, it's really nice to meet you.

[Even if you...are an octopus!! Even so!!]

[octoroom]

It is a tough circumstance.

[Excusing her rudeness, BY FAR SHE'S THE POLITEST PERSON HE'S EVER MET. Much less helped from sharks.]

I'm Fukami. [Punctuated by a nod.] Likewise.

[Being an octopus is only weird if you make it weird. Or something.]

I suppose we ought to wait here, for now.

[upcard]

[Politeness is all she has going for her right now!!]

Oh... right. I guess... I can't really swim anywhere.

[... This seems really troublesome.]

Am I...causing trouble for you, Fukami-san?

[octoroom]

Not particularly.

[It's hard to tell that that question threw him off guard for a second...]

I've no pressing matters to attend to, or anything else I need to be doing right away.

[Just in case she was concerned about it!]

[upcard]

[No pressing matters in the middle of the ocean!! You don't say!!

Still, she seems a little relieved at that.]

Oh... then... I'm relieved that I'm not causing you any more trouble. [Since she is kind of helplessly clinging to his tentacle.]

Not after you've been so kind to me.

[octoroom]

[I know right!! What a shock!!!!

Has he been being kind, though? Fukami wonders. Well, he supposes you might call someone who's currently helping you keep from drowning that.]

...I did all-but lead those sharks to you earlier, accidental or not. This is the least I could do.

[upcard]

[Look, keeping her from drowning is pretty kind!!]

Ah... but even so, it was only because I was in the way...

[She's not letting you take on that guilt!]

[octoroom]

[Oh no, she's one of those! Who can't blame others!!]

Not at all. [He's shaking his head.] You hold no responsibility for that.

[upcard]

[She sure is!!]

Mm... if you say so...

[...]

But... if there's anything I can do to thank you--um, please let me know. [...when they're on some sort of solid ground.]

[octoroom]

[Something she can do to thank him...

That's absolutely not necessary, is what he's thinking. However, he knows this type. So, instead.]

I'll let you know.

[About now comes the sound of buzzing--robot buzzing, that is. Things on propellers are approaching.]

[upcard]

[THINGS ON PROPELLERS and Mai can only gape at them for a long moment... but they're apparently coming to help her???

She can't help the way she clings to Fukami a little more tightly, but... but she should trust in this, right?

........ yeah.....]

[octoroom]

[Well, at least Mai is?! Fukami's tensed up, a couple of his tentacles closer to the surface, coiled in the case he needs to smack something out of the air and strangle it a little.

But apparently they're just dropping off shit. And by that I mean a bin.

It bobs close to the two of them and Fukami narrows his eyes at it. Okay. He'll just stretch out a tentacle or two and carefully feel inside of said bin, careful in case it'd close like a steel trap. Nope. No trap.] Hm.

[And then the robots play their recording. Huh.]

[upcard]

[...Huh.

She peers inside the bin, picking out the goggles and breathing device slowly. Does... she know how to use this??? Goggles, yes, breathing device... still up in the air, honestly.

She's fiddling, hang on.

But you're crazy if you think she's taking off her dress, robots!!!!]

[octoroom]

...Do you know what this is?

[He knows what goggles are, even if he doesn't need them himself, so a free tentacle is pointing at the breathing device.

No clue whatsoever what that device is, nope.]

[upcard]

Oh... it looks like um--like equipment for scuba diving...?

I think it's for breathing underwater.

[She supposes it makes sense that an octopus wouldn't know. No need for one, right...?]

...But I've never used one before.

[octoroom]

...I see.

[Fukami eyes it, uncertain himself before his head shakes back and forth.]

I suppose it goes over your face. Best to test it before trying it seriously.

[upcard]

R-right...

[Are you ready for the most impressive display of competency ever, Fukami........

Because she's going to fumble with it, and then try to put it on, and put it on wrong, and fumble with it some more, and try again, and no this isn't going well at all.]

[octoroom]

...

[Well... It certainly is impressive.

Fukami lifts his hands (sleeves), pushing said sleeves back around his elbows. He holds out his hand slightly, a wordless pass it here.]

If I may put it on for you?

[upcard]

Oh... thank you. ...I'm sorry for the trouble.

[She won't argue that. If Fukami can handle this, it'll be better for the both of them.

So she'll just cling to the tub as she passes him the breathing device.]

[octoroom]

[He figured it out from her, ehm, trial and error. Taking the breathing device, he looks it over from all angles before moving in. Look, he'll even do this with his hands and not his tentacles.

He goes about fastening it to her face, pulling back his fingers when he thinks that it's secure.]

I believe that will work. [...probably.]

[upcard]

[Yes, please don't put your tentacles anywhere near her mouth, that's what pixiv is made of.

She'd respond if she could, but she can't, since now she's got a breathing apparatus attached to her face. There's a faint feeling of acknowledgement though. Yes, okay, seems legit.

She should...test it.

Probably.

...She doesn't want to go underwater though, so she's hesitating.]