subnautica | March Intro: Head First

March Intro: Head First

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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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[But... they could kill it. It'd be easy. It might even make a tasty sharkyaki. After eyeing Korosensei, Fukami moves his tentacle-- and unceremoniously flings the shark through the water, down into the depths.

Oh. A little rude, but oh well.

He raises another hand to indicate the surface. Up there? He's guessing Korosensei can't just chat underwater.]

Edited 2016-03-03 14:30 (UTC)

[ he makes a shocked expression when the poor sea critter is thrown cruelly into the ocean depths... Poor thing! Even if it was trying to murder him a second ago. The same could be said of most of his closest companions, honestly. The look he shoots Fukami is vaguely disapproving, even with that toothy grin plastered all over his face, but he's quick to take the hint and shoot up to the surface.

For all his awkward swimming, he sure can head up out of the water quickly. He's expecting to feel a little bit better being partially out of the drink... but, actually, floating in it just kind of makes him feel worse. Good lord. This wetsuit better be airtight. ]

-- You should be kinder to the wildlife, young man! [ instead, he directs his nervous energy towards chastisting Fukami. ] He was here first, after all!

[Fukami pops his head above the water, staring levelly at Korosensei as he's... lectured? He hardly seems guilty. Er, he hardly seems anything, though his eyes do narrow minutely before closing entirely.]

It would have killed and possibly eaten myself or you, given the chance.

[Circle of life. Besides:] What I did wouldn't have killed it. [If he had wanted to, he would have, but he didn't. He is a kind octopus. Kind!]

Nonsense! I wouldn't have let that happen. It will take far more than a shark to kill me. Though I suppose you wouldn't know about that...

[ it's weird talking to people that haven't been trying to assassinate him for like a year. he needs to get used to this. Fukami's lack of expression doesn't seem to put him off; rather, it reminds him that there's something more important at stake here. ]

That's right! More importantly, those tentacles...! [ he sounds urgent. ] Where did you get those tentacles?

[Korosensei looks awfully squishy to him, though...

But at the question, there is a change of expression-- he arches up his eyebrows and raises his head a little more from the water.] 'Those tentacles'... my arms?

[One tentacle flicks lightly above the water.] I was born with them.

[ looks are mighty deceiving brocotopus. ]

... Eh? Born with them? [ in a tone of voice that says "how bizarre," despite the fact that he, too, is covered in tentacles. Curious - and mildly disbelieving - he sinks back under the water to get a better look at Fukami's 'arms,' even reaching out to poke one with one of his own.

It's a little rude, but this is important, okay!! ]

[Fukami's sinking under the water to watch him, suspicious--

At that poke, his tentacle is just going to move to wave Korosensei's away. Just shy of a swat, tbh. HE'S NOT SUPER BIG ON BEING POKED, no matter if it's with another tentacle or a hand or what have you!

It's hard to tell where they connect, though. Definitely under that long coat he wears. How does an octopus guy work, anatomically? It's a mystery.]

[ woah, he's not going to go probing under the poor guy's clothes - even Korosensei isn't that invasive. His hand slips away with surprising agility before Fukami's tentacle can hit it, and he pops back up above the water. ]

Born with them! I see now! Well, that's a relief. [ ish. ] So you're some kind of shark-hating alien, then?

[ pot, kettle ]

[Back above water they go-- just the top of Fukami's head and slightly narrowed eyes. But at the (rather on-point) question, he blinks and lifts his mouth from the water as well.]

I don't hate sharks. [As much. Anymore. Probably.]

And I'm an octopus. Not an alien.

[...] And you are?

Edited 2016-03-05 19:48 (UTC)

An octopus, you say? You're much more talkative than I'd expect a mollusc to be.

[ his way of needling for details. ]

As for me, I'm just a teacher.

[Fukami just lifts an eyebrow at that talkative comment. Oh...]

...But what are you?

[His guess would be some kind of sea creature but he's never seen tentacles like those. Plus, Korosensei isn't a bastion of grace in the water and has to wear that suit...]

Nyu? I just told you. More specifically, I'm a junior high school teacher, if you must know.

[ no, he knows exactly what Fukami is asking. The reality is that even he isn't sure what to call himself. It's a long story, and it's not really one he wants to divulge; he's not a fan of talking about his origins. ]

[He's dodging... Fukami closes his eyes, as though coming to a decision to let the question rest.]

I see.

[But, to address his earlier comment:] Many others from my sea kingdom can speak as I can. [So, nothing unusual, not for Fukami.]

Edited 2016-03-07 06:18 (UTC)

[ this is only the beginning of a long list of ways in which korosensei is frustrating... ]

Sea kingdom? Hmm! That wouldn't happen to be Atlantis, would it?

[ he sounds more amused than anything. maybe he's trying to keep a light attitude to help him forget that he's currently barely treading water in the middle of the ocean. ]

[Luckily, Fukami is chill... Or recognises when he's probably not going to get a straight answer.]

...No.

Deepsea Town [appropriately and obviously named but this is an octopus whose name basically means 'depth/deep place'] is where I live. Our princess lives in a castle there.

Deepsea town, you say... And a princess, too? Hmm... Hmmm...

[ ... honestly, he's not sure where he's going with this. Mostly because he's slowly realizing just how weird this situation is. At first, he'd thought to himself 'well, you are a giant tentacle monster, so you have no right to judge,' but the longer he sits here chatting with Fukami, the more he thinks that this... isn't something that could be happening, based on what he knows about the world. Sure, the government has lots of secrets. Sure, he's one of them - and, to his knowledge, so is this mission. But a human-shaped octopus? An underwater kingdom? With a princess in a castle? Downright absurd.

They've got to be pulling his leg. So, after a moment... ]

-- A-are you serious?! Really serious?! A talking octopus?! A mer-princess?! This isn't an elaborate prank my students are pulling on me, is it?! You can't pull the wool over Sensei's eyes!

.........

[UTTER SILENCE... save for very relaxing water noises. Yep. Listen to that ambiance. He'll just let that elapse for a minute or two. Let this whole situation settle in. No big deal. He even closes his eyes, utterly calm. Is this helpful? No??]

I'm serious. [...] It is up to you whether or not you believe me.

[SHRUG]

Y-you have to understand that this sounds ridiculous! I mean, a human-sized talking octopus?! That's outrageous!

[ someone tsukkomi this idiot ]

It's not that I don't believe you -- rather, it's not that I don't want to believe you! After all, you saved me from a shark, which was very dashing of you, but this -- this is quite a lot for me to take in... Are you a native of this world, maybe?!

No, [plainly. Fukami folds his arms over his chest, floating easily even while doing so.] If I may ask you something, why do you find it so unbelievable when you--

[......]

--appear the way you do.

[He's clearly not an octopus or a sea creature, given the difficulty he seems to have in the water...]

[ ah, he's been caught... Korosensei seems to sober slightly. Just slightly, though. ]

That's a very long story, my boy. But I can tell you that I'm the only one that appears this way! Sensei is a one-of-a-kind existence that doesn't belong anywhere in nature.

[ spoken matter-of-factly rather than with self-loathing. although, in truth, there's probably some self-loathing deep down, too. ]

-- Furthermore, my long story makes perfect sense within the boundaries of science and Earthly knowledge, unlike a submarine kingdom of fishy friends!

Perhaps your story would not make sense within the boundaries of my world.

[Pointedly...

DISCARD COMMON SENSE, SENSEI. You're like a nine foot yellow tentacle guy, suspension of disbelief is important. Also there's the whole different worlds thing. Don't even get Fukami started on witches and the sea of death and shit.]

Edited 2016-03-14 22:50 (UTC)

Your world?

[ squinting his beady little eyes at Fukami now as he feebly treads water. ]

... Are you being metaphorical? Just a moment ago, you said you weren't a native of this planet.

That's correct. I'm not.

[Good thing Fukami's had his memories altered (he'll be mad about that way, way down the road) or he wouldn't be able to explain this in any respects.]

I'm not a native of yours, either, I'm assuming.

In other words... An alien?! Nyuuahh! Of all the times not to bring my camera--!! Wait, since we're underwater, it wouldn't work anyway!!

[ flailing a little bit in excitement!! ]

Ooh! The first contact with an alien, made by me! I could have made so much money!! Enough to buy me lunch for-- n-nyuuaaahhh!! Help!!

[ flailing too much and starting to sink... he really can't swim... ]

[For a moment... Fukami contemplates just... letting him sink. He actually watches sensei flail too much and start to be submerged with a pensive expression.

But, since he is a good, nice octopus he moves to wrap a couple of his tentacles around Korosensei and lift him up. He's surprisingly strong, for someone who appears relatively slight. His tentacles are powerful, okay.]

You shouldn't thrash around like that.

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