004 Strike [Voice/Action for the Friend Ship]

[curries]

[VOICE]
So, I was wondering...

[Actually, he wasn't wondering. He's just got some downtime and he's too riled up from the day's adventures to kick back and relax just yet.]

What's the best thing that's happened to you since you got here and joined a crew? Or, if you can't think of a "best", then how about talking about which islands you visited or what day was the most memorable for you?

[ACTION]
[Asbel closes the journal and rolls over onto his stomach. Man, this is no fun at all. He's been running around everywhere and he's even pretty exhausted, but he just can't fall asleep. Maybe it's because he's started wondering about Mom and Dad and Sophie and everyone else again.]

[It's unbelievable to think he'd be feeling homesick after all this time, right? Heaving a sigh, Asbel's chin clunks down on his arms and he shuts his eyes, feeling the need to announce with seeming indifference:]

Can't sleep.

Comments

voice;

[feetarestrange]

Maybe! Some of my crew didn't like Serenes for whatever reasons they had, but it was just fine for me. [A bit too many trees for her liking, but aside from that?

A+ would travel to again.]

Oh, and I'm what humans refer to as a mermaid.

voice;

[curries]

Huh. Maybe they were looking for more excitement. Serenes doesn't sound too dangerous, after all.

--Wait, a mermaid...? Seriously?

[Whoa! He's heard about them before from stories, but he's never exactly talked to one before. He thinks. Probably.]

Well, in that case, it's no wonder you like swimming so much! I bet you've seen all kinds of cool stuff underwater. Is it true that the bottom of the ocean is completely dark with no light at all?

voice;

[feetarestrange]

[She can always appreciate getting this kind of attention.]

The ocean is full of wonders, but also dangers. Even so, it's my home, and I'll always love it.

It's true that the sun doesn't reach down at the bottom, but we can use other light sources to protect ourselves.

voice;

[curries]

Yeah, I can get that. I guess there's ups and down no matter where you live - even someplace like the ocean. Sure seems like it'd be exciting, though! Floating around everywhere with all the fish, not having to worry about trees or walls or whatever getting in the way.

[He never really thought of light being a form of protection, though. More like a way to see in the dark.]

What kind of light sources? Do your people use cryas, too?

voice;

[feetarestrange]

[Nami laughs.]

You're right about that. For me, living in the ocean is a lot easier than being up here. Everything in the surface world looks similar, especially when there's nothing but buildings and trees.

As for light sources, our most important one is the Moonstone.

We use it to protect ourselves from the... less friendly sea creatures.

voice;

[curries]

[Asbel thinks about it.]

We've got stuff besides just houses and trees, though. There're hills and mountains and fields of flowers. Lakes and caves. And we've got all sorts of weather like wind, rain, and snow. It might not be as awesome as swimming in the ocean or flying through the air, but I wouldn't say it all looks totally the same.

The Moonstone... [It really does sound right out of a fairytale.] So the not-so-friendly sea creatures don't like the light it gives off, huh?

voice;

[feetarestrange]

That's not what it's for. We use the moonstone so that we can keep them away. They don't like the light, so it stops them from attacking us.

[Fairytale ruined.]

But it only lasts one hundred years, and the one we already have is almost that old.

It's up to me to find a new one before it's too late.

voice;

[curries]

Huh.

So, uh, how exactly do you go about getting a new one? Do they all come from the same place, or is it more complicated than that?

voice;

[feetarestrange]

It's up to the Tidecaller, that's me. I had to go to the surface world to make a trade with the moonstone bearer.

But when I finally made it, I couldn't find the bearer anywhere. And without the stone, my people won't have long.