2020-03-25 - Under the Boardwalk
The unfortunates of Gray Harbor suffer losses and, desperate, reach out to anyone for help. Along the way, a short adventure is had, and Jenny Greenteeth is ended.
For the event, Under the boardwalk.
Thanks to Jessica for giving me the idea.
IC Date: 2020-03-25
OOC Date: 2019-10-10
Location: The Veil/The Dreamscape
Related Scenes: None
Plot: None
Scene Number: 4053
Under the Boardwalk
The area's been turned into a camp for the homeless during the harsh, cold winter weather. But now that Spring has sprung, some are beginning to pack up their things and moving on. Some. Some have decided to linger, having moved debris from both the land and the sea and make their temporary camp into something longer lasting. While other tents and cardboard boxes appear to have been abandoned altogether with all the things still left inside.
Not even their fellows seem interested in scavenging inside to steal what was apparently left.
Never, ever give Lyric free reign on a computer at the library. After reading something about land fish (without looking at geographical locations for their breeding exactly) she had gone beneath the boardwalk in search of grunion, hoping to find some of the fish laying their eggs or maybe even some of the eggs hatching! Down on her hands and knees she's trying hard not to disturb the sand too much while looking for the telling signs of the fish that mate on the land. Unfortunately, they only do that in Southern Cali. Of equal misfortune, Lyric didn't read that part. "Here, fishy, fishy," she murmurs to the sand. Oh she likely fits in with the homeless there very well, yep!
Alisha has made this locale part of her daily patrol. In hopes her presence can deter some of the people that would prey on the downtrodden. As well as keep some order for those would linger, ie not getting too much of their stuff stolen. Tonight is no different. Serious cop face on as she makes her way through the area. Eyeing the tents while she walks. Perhaps catching sight of Lyric and nods in her direction, though she seems busy in her own quest.
Lyric glances up when she hears someone nearby and smiles at Alisha, "Hi," the smile is a touch sheepish, but she doesn't bother getting up from where she's at. "I didn't know you work here." It's a place she'd been often, sometimes visiting a friend, sometimes hiding out to be alone(ish) where people didn't bother you. Sometimes to not be alone before she'd got a place with the band. She seemed comfortable enough here anyway. "What'cha doin?"
While Lyric certainly acts the part, she doesn't look the part. To make matters worse, the handful that refuses to pack up their camp and go, so that the city can being in a cleanup crew, are apprehensive of women speaking to the sand fleas. But they have gotten used to a police presence. Be it for goodwill, or to make sure the camp hasn't fallen into a den of drug use and violence, the homeless are used to the presence of those in uniform. So much so that a conversation between the camp inhabits grows louder. Loud enough to be overheard.
"No, I'm going to tell her."
"You can't tell her, she's going to think you're crazy. And you'll bring attention here. Nobody wants that kind of attention."
"And what are we supposed to do? Just sit back and let it happen? What happens when it's you next? Or you? Or your kid?"
A third voice joins in, "Hey, you leave my kid out of this. We're fine."
"No, you're fine now. But we don't talk to someone, this'll just keep goin' on and then there'll be none of us left."
"I'm tellin' ya. It's the cops that's doin' it, man!"
"Jerry, dude, go back in your tent."
The conversation breaks up, then a determined man walks out between the haphazard maze of tents and tarps. Of average height, he wears clothes he looks, and smells like he hasn't taken off in some time. And while his stride is with determination towards the patrol officer, he adjusts his beanie over his brown hair. Like he's trying to cover up more. "Officer. Officer, you gotta help us."
Alisha tilts her head over to Lyric and pauses in her walk. Offering a hint of a smile to Lyric "Hi there. Oh yeah I do come down often. You know just going where the job takes me." not that she is trying to hide her nicer side or anything. "Making sure that people stay safe and things don't get out of hand. You know just work. What about yourself?" she offers. The conversation does get her attention and maybe this is more than the normal bad stuff(tm) that goes on.
She looks at the man who is walking up to her "I'll do what I can. Tell me what is going on." she goes back to stony faced as she speaks.
"Oh." Pondering that, Lyric settles back so she's just on her knees, settling down on them as she wipes her hands together to rid herself of the sand on them before pushing back her hair from her face. "I'm glad you keep the people safe, there's a lot of nice people here." Resting her hands on her legs, she looks between the person walking up. A bright smile is given his way. "Hi Phil!" The greeting is warm enough and familiar. Obviouslyyyy she's not telling Alisha why she's down here or what she was looking for in the sand yet.
He's in his late thirties and other than the nervous move with his beanie, the homeless man approaches the cop with his hands shown and empty. When he gets to them, he opens his mouth to speak and then looks down. It's not that he's blind but determined. But it's that there's another person and perhaps the caution he was already given about being thought of as unhinged. "Uh," is the sound of his doubt.
"Hey. Um."
But his sanity loses out to the safety of the group. His left hand gives a smiling wave while he forces a smile on his face, "Hey. Again. Find your land-fish yet?" he asks, then looks over to Alisha with a look to communicate, if ever there was someone that should be in a warm bed swallowing pills, it's her. A fish on land? C'mon.
His look fades before being replaced with concerned and throwing his arm back, "A couple of us are worried 'cuz some of us are going missing. They're here one minute, and in the morning, they're just gone. Ranger Dan says he saw tracks going deeper under the boardwalk, but ain't nobody else saw 'em. And they left all their stuff here." Phil speaks hurriedly, trying to get his evidence of wrong-doing out quickly before the Fuzz tells him he's nuts or shuts him down.
"It's been happenin' the last couple days!"
Alisha gives another nod at the mention of nice people here. "There are at that." her tone even as she glances back to her old classmate's way. Still wondering why she is here, but not that people really need special reasons.
Her attention back on the homeless man noting his empty handed approach, she has no interest in being stabbed tonight. Trying not to smirk at hearing about Lyric looking for a land fish. To each their own. She listens to what he has to say "Those who have gone missing, they weren't the type to just get up and leave I take it." the tracks and all the possessions left does disturb her some "Are there still tracks around? Do you happen to know which direction Ranger Dan saw them going in?" she asks her questions to attempt to show she is taking him seriously. "So nothing before the last few days." confirming what she heard was correct.
Lyric has never really much cared what people thought about her, that's probably a good thing. So it's with a guileless look that she watches the interaction between Phil and Alisha before piping up to add, "Yeah when people leave they usually take all their things with them, cause this is all that they own." The question about the fish is left unanswered, just about like anything else she doesn't want to say. But the missing people has seemed to pique her interest more than the land fish. At least for now.
Wiping her hands on her jeans she gets to her booted feet and stands closer to the other two. "Is there anything I can do to help? Want to go look further in the dark underneath the boardwalk?"
"Well," Homeless Phil hesitates, looking down to the sand while two grimmy heads appear over tents over his shoulder. Checking upon him. Under less obvious surveillance, Phil points with his left arm deeper under the boardwalk, in the opposite of the crashing surf. A grunion bounty the sea promises. "It's actually more like three. Railroad Rick," Phil uses his fingers to count off, "Frenchie, and Mom." Not his actual Mom, just a matronly woman who earned the nickname. "She was actually the last one, last night."
As for her other questions, and gives it serious thought. stroking the light brown beard on his chin, "Well, Railroad Rick might. I guess. He always says he likes to travel light, but that's only the complaining. He doesn't like pushing a shopping cart through wet sand, I thought. Frenchie wouldn't go anywhere without his french books. And Mom. Well, you know her," he says to Lyric as if seeking confirmation from someone that's had a shower today and not cleaned themselves from the sink of one of the nearby businesses, "she wouldn't leave her trinkets behind." When Lyric speaks, Phill looks from her and then the cop, nodding wide-eyed and pointing.
Phil nods twice, "Yeah, three days, no. Four days ago it was fine. Then Railroad Rick was gone. Then it was Frenchie. And then Mom." He counts them off on his fingers of his right hand before using his left to point past the tent camp, "He said he saw them over there. Going further under the boardwalk. But ain't nobody else saw 'em. Look, they don't want to talk to no cops," he says, lingering. And when Lyric asks if there's anything she can do, Phil smiles at her and holds out his hand, "Got some spare change?" Can't blame a guy for trying.
Alisha was thinking the same as Lyric. It's usually the only things they have that wouldn't fit on their person. The offer of help makes her purse her lips. She usually doesn't want to get other people involved in the unknown. She doesn't want anyone else to get hurt. Still she may need it and Lyric is someone she knows. "I could. Just don't want to put you in a dangerous situation." very much thinking this could be "My thoughts were to check out the area. See if maybe the ocean hasn't washed all the tracks."
Focusing back on poor homeless Phil. Nodding at the list of those gone missing. It's the nature for these communities to be somewhat mobile. The other two don't sound like the type "No one heard anything then either?" she does look in the direction that he points out. "I get not wanting to come to us. I am going to check this out and see if I can't find them, as well as whoever could be responsible." leaving out the possibility of whatever. "In the meantime I could suggest that the rest of you here stick together tonight. Or at least until I get back." she has a little hope that the missing three could still be alive. Likely it's in vein in this town.
Lyric would likely tag along anyway, but she does look curious as to the location of the disappearances. Never had she ventured that far beneath, into those shadows before. Hooking her thumbs into her back pockets of her jeans, she looks between the cop and the homeless man. "I can't believe Mom is missing," she says quietly, unable to keep the concern out of her voice now.
"I have my phone, it'll work as a flashlight, we can go explore over there." The question gets Phil a lopsided smile and the question she always asks. "Gonna buy liquor?" Probably she'll get the same old answer, but she slides one of her hands further into her pocket and tugs out a ten and slides it over into his outstretched hand. "At least get some food, okay?"
Looking mostly at the officer, Homeless Phil, AKA Phil keeps his hand out for Lyric and then shakes his head at the question levied at him, "Naw, or not that they told me. I didn't hear nothing. And by the time Frenchie was missing with his stuff here, everybody knew not to go anywhere alone. There are some sick fucks out there that enjoy beating up a homeless person 'cuz they figure nobody'll miss us. And before you ask, only Mom was taking pills, but those were for her heart. She weren't crazy. She's just lonely. She was talking to her dead cats that's all."
He's quick to accept the money, and give thanks, "Thank you, I promise I'll leave some for the other folks." He smiles with those teeth at Lyric, adding, "Yes'am." and stuffs the bill into his pocket.
The direction Phil's indicating is towards town. Opposite the rising water, and in some cases could even be under buildings. Like the Sweet Retreat. (PLUG!)
Phil's brows uplift when Alison makes mention that she's going to do something, and that little surprise turns to shock when it's that much. Phil turns his torso so he can look behind him and gives the tent town an enthusiastic thumbs-up with a broad, badly hygened smile before turning his focus back to the pair. "That's great. I'll make sure to tell the other guys right away. Ranger Dan'll be happy. He wanted to set up punji stick trap and all sorts of trip wires between the piles. I'll go tell him you guys is gunna look," he says, retreating a few steps, smiling triumphantly, and waving before he turns around and pulls his beanie back. The two other heads pop down, which is where he's heading anyways, to tell them about what happened and the ten-- the five dollar bill he just got.
<FS3> Alisha rolls Alertness: Good Success (8 6 6 3 2) (Rolled by: Everett)
<FS3> Lyric rolls Alertness: Great Success (8 8 8 8 6 5 3 1) (Rolled by: Everett)
Alisha is alright pulling out her flashlight from her belt. "It will help for certain. Probably get a better look with this though." slowly accepting she'll have some backup in this for a change. Only a nod given to Mom being missing. She's been down here enough to some of the names.
She nods to the answer "There are some twisted people who mess with you guys. I wasn't going to ask about what she was taking." she can only imagine whatever gets them through the day is fine. "She never sounded that crazy to me." before adding when he is retreating back "Some sort of warning trap wouldn't be a bad idea. Keep each other safe and I will be back as soon as we can get things sorted out." switching her flashlight on and pointing it in the direction Phil pointed in. "You ready Lyric? You can still back out you know."
Lyric tugs out her cell phone and turns on the flashlight portion. There's plenty of battery charge since she doesn't use it often, never one to be buried in it. There's no hesitation in agreeing to go though and no backing out. With a confident step, she follows up behind Alisha. "Just let me know what I can do!"
The tracks Ranger Dan was talking about do indeed exist. Ranger Dan might not be called a Ranger because he likes to roam. From the camp, they head north, in the opposite direction of the water. There's no chance the ocean will remove these, just time and other people walking the course. There are more than three sets. It's a worn path. As though many people over the course of winter used it without making it a well-worn path. As predicted, it takes one further from the open air, the piles begin to block the light, and seemingly begin to crowd in. It quickly begins necessary to use artificial light to see clearly. Signs of humans, trash, liter begin to get sparser.
Twenty feet in, its dark, and claustrophobic, like the inside of a closet. There are more piles. No longer are they spaced out evenly, but now they seem close enough to be able to touch two with both hand. It's like the walls are closing in as if they breathe. The tracks continue until...
... there's a patch of green again. It stands out against the sand. Like a patch of grass.
>With Lyric's eagle vision, or maybe the light just hitting things right, she can see that there's ... something on the other side of the green patch, on the ground. A jacket, pants? Definitely an article of clothing.
"I will. Things could get dicey. If they do just remember I have a Kevlar vest and you don't." Alisha comments. Not meaning for it to come off rough, just she's a little better protected. She does follow the tracks as they head north. Out of site of the camp she does draw her gun. One hand with the flashlight guiding the way and the other with weapon pointing ahead. No need to waste seconds getting it ready if need be.
Pausing when she spots that green patch. Focusing the beam on it to see if they can't get a better view of it against the black backdrop. "Alright slowly then. Can you make out anything in that green? Looks a little like grass to me." she says quietly to Lyric.
As the path narrows in on them, Lyric backs off from Alisha only a couple of steps to give them both some breathing room. She really didn't know what to expect once they went further in, but it wasn't really all of this. Her light is shining though and she keeps a look out for things both seen and whatever she can hear. The green is assumed to be grass. "Looks like grass. Or maybe a mossy covered pond or something. Sewage from something above the boardwalk?" Who knows?
Suddenly, Lyric spots the clothing across the way and she immediately points it out to Alisha. "Over there, across the grass, there's something. Clothes?" Definitely not land fish, nope!
<FS3> Kailey rolls Wits+Outdoorsmanship: Success (7 7 4 3) (Rolled by: Everett)
Kailey had been collecting sea glass and flat smallish stones beneath the boardwalk. Dressed mostly in black, a knitted cap included, she hadn't really stood out. If anything she could have passed for one of the homeless. The cop and girl had drawn her curiousity. And she had follows carefully and unobtrusively behind. Not close enough to really hear, but that was okay.
Dark, darker, fuck where's my phone? Kailey scowls as it finally gets too dark for her to carefully pick her way along. But someone else's light blooms and it lets her continues. The curious expression she had warn has become guarded and suspicious as she scans the deep dark.
The other women are about fifteen feet ahead. Their lights beacons for her, but allowing her to keep her night sight. But then there is a gun and Kailey really doesn't want to be accidentally shot. So, "Umm...hey, mind If I come closer? I don't want to startle you and get shot..." She calls out to the two women and slowly approaches. And sees the green then. "What's duckweed doing here?" She says in startlement.
Lesser, or Common duckweed is a freshwater plant, and this specimen, if there is water beneath it, overfills the source so much so that there doesn't seem to be any source of water underneath. No undulations of a broken calm water.
Here, around the duckweed, the piles gather tightly that if you were a child, not yet a teen, you would have difficulty squeezing through, while the light suggests the path widens on the other side. Where the clothes are. The dirty, abandoned clothes. Denim. A buzzing. Likely jeans, maybe full Canadian Tuxedo and its a jacket. Lumber jacket, black and red cross sectioned. A boot, with lace untied. Insectoid buzzing. White, wet and sandy socks. In truth, the sand decorates everything, sprinkled on, like glitter. The sock has been pulled down slightly, the denim up. Pale gray Caucasian skin peeks through. A fly buzzes past.
"Could be any of those." Alisha says and hey at least it isn't moving. She tries to get a better look at where Lyric pointed out "Looks like it could be. We'll have to get closer to know for sure." there is a voice from behind and Ali isn't so on edge that she turns shooting. Merely pointing the flashlight back, lowering her gun more towards the ground. Trying to get a look the stranger "A good thing you did speak up. Yeah sure I don't mind if you get closer. Don't want to alone out here in the dark." which yeah obviously. "Duckweed?" assuming that is referring to grass/green patch, but not knowing what it is.
Having accessed that Kailey isn't likely to shot or stab her in the back, and waiting for her to join them. She swings the flashlight back over to the pile. Moving forwards cautiously towards the clothes. And well the likely dead body. Shining the light a bit ahead to see if anymore tracks are visible ahead. Then down to see if she spot anything else on closer inspection.
Lyric ponders it, watching over towards the clothes warily. "Do we have to actually go through that stuff?" Aiming her light to either side and realizing that they'd have to do something like that. No room to go around it appeared. She sticks close to Alisha, especially after hearing the other voice. Turning, she watches the approach and tilts her head. "What is duckweed?" Looking back towards the clothes, she crinkles her nose. "Is that a body? Is it?" Because cops know everything!
Kailey whinces as that beam flies over her and narrows her eyes. There goes her night vision. Oh well. As she approaches Kailey blinks rapidly to clear the spots as she moves up to the other two women. "It's a freshwater plant usually...and it doesn't normally grow like...on the beach," She reaches up to rub the back of her neck. "Grows on ponds and stuff. Ducks love it, that's why it's called that." When the light falls on what looks like a body she makes a soft noise in the back of her throat. "Uhmm..." A pause and she looks at the lady with a gun. "That...is...disturbing," She finally settles on and maybe takes a step behind Alisha. Putting her between herself and a dead body.
"is... disturbing."
The last thing anybody hears.
While Alisha creeps forward after checking out the voice behind them isn't armed and dangerous, and Lyric and Kailey keeping close to the trained officer sworn to protect them, the ground gives out underneath them.
The solid. Sand.
As though it's been turned into mist, through which all three fall through. And fall. Waving lights don't even catch the lip if there was one, but pointing up only shows the roof of the boardwalk as it grows fainter and fainter the further through the fall. The light from their sources doesn't kiss any obstructions forward, back or even to the sides as they plunge down. Just black, as though the photons were being eaten by something waiting for them. Below.
Then,
Like a windowpane, ice scatters without resistance, the grip of frigid water is a shock to the system. With the height of their fall, it covers their heads and.
Light. Streaks of light from around, from through the ice pane show an underwater cavern. Fish dart away from the three, sudden intruders and the air bubbles that suddenly rise, seaweed sways with an underwater current. Slimy, dark crags host life on the walls, on the ceiling in the dimly light, and vast cave over a vast, seemingly bottomless chasm.
Most wondrous of all, turned upside down, a wooden galleon rests, perched precariously between crag and cliff wall, from which, small air bubbles rise.
Streaks of light through the ice pane above shows an underwater cavern. Fish swimming in schools, seaweed swayings with an underwater current. Slimy, dark crags host life on the walls, on the ceiling in the dimly light, and vast cave over a vast, seemingly bottomless chasm. Most wondrous of all, turned upside down, a wooden galleon rests, perched precariously between crag and cliff wall, from which, small air bubbles rise.
<FS3> Lyric rolls Athletics: Success (8 7 4 4 4 1) (Rolled by: Lyric)
<FS3> Kailey rolls Brawn+Athletics: Success (8 7 5 5) (Rolled by: Kailey)
<FS3> Alisha rolls Athletics: Success (7 6 5 1 1) (Rolled by: Alisha)
Kailey has a set of lungs and isn't afraid to use them when she falls. Nope. High and piercing scream. But as they keep falling she stops after a seconds. The hat slips off into the dark. So much for that one. At least it was cheap. Down they fall and instinctively she reaches out to try and grab at either of the other women. So they don't get separated.
"Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck," Kailey states and then gasps. Because cold and wet and human instinct to take a breath hits. For a second she floats there in shock, looking around through the dimly lit water. Not good. Kicking her legs she tries to surface...but there's no surface?
That makes her stop and let her body hand in the worry, eyes wide with sudden fright. That is when she sees the air bubbles. A finger points towards the ship and she begins to kick her legs, driving towards the precious possible air.
There were some things that Alisha was going to say. At least before just falling through the sand. "Fucking hell!" she screams as they all fall. The frigid water a shock to her system as she looks around for a way up. Something to get some oxygen. There doesn't seem to be. Seconds pass as she clears her thoughts and takes in the surroundings. Seeing the air bubbles she is starting to point to the galleon. Seems Kailey has the same idea.
Ali also gestures with her head to Lyric to get across the point it's probably there safest bet. Following behind Kailey towards the sunken ship, she swims forward.
The cold takes Lyric in its icy grip and it's all she can do not to panic after falling through the ice on Gray Pond and getting burned this past winter so badly by the frigid water. For a moment, her mind goes numb and blank before she catches sight of Alisha indicating something with her head. There's no way to talk, but she does look and see the bubbles. Can she hold her breath long enough to get there? She has no idea, but she can't resurface, so she just goes for it..
The underwater current isn't anything to contend with, less so, a hindered swimming while clothed. But spying the galleon, and the bubbles it gives off, wordless, Mentalless coordinated communication extends between this group of strangers. Like they were prepared and knew what they were doing.
Swimming, sinking, the three hold their breath while heading for the galleon, and as they begin to near, their lungs just starting to protest it's felt like electricity in the air before a storm. Only they aren't on land, and the ozone doesn't come from without, but within.
It's high pitched. Suggesting youth.
It's inhumane, an attempt at something to giggle when it's only hurt of how that's done, and to the back of the mind where the sound arises, sounds wrong. FEELS. Wrong.
"Tee hee hee." Even as they swim, the cop, the marine biologist both feel the voice in their heads originating from within the belly of the galleon.
From the pitch dark of the chasm, from where they swim, a sharp squirms free. It's gray, with a hydrodynamic body. The fin on top, iconic. There have been many movies made of this predator. It's great. Its underside is white, and with a toothy grin, it lazily swims from the chasm and makes to swim off to their left, as if not interested in them.
Oh! Hey! Kailey's hat. It floats in the water and startled the woman as she swims. A bubble slipping out her nose as she mistakes it for something coming at her out of the water. But not, just her hat. So she grabs it and keeps swimming down hard. The burning getting real and she tries to ignore it. If she panics that just means her air will last even less. This is not good. But if they're here...
Kailey's eyes glance between the two women and there is a polite knock. A literal ~knock knock~ and pause to allow them to respond or reject her mental voice in their minds. ~Can either of you speak back or do I need to play relay?~ Her mind voice is more melodic than her spoken one. Leaving almost the smell of bubblegum behind.
Closer they swim and then there is a shark. If Kailey had breath or ability she might actualy make an excited cooing. Instead her mind says giddily, ~Look! Oh, that's a beauty. I always -did- want to swim with sharks.~ And her eyes follow the sleek creature as it moves past. It's still a predator. ~Aim for the eyes and nose, that's what the magazine I read said about attacks. Just in case.~ She's trying to be helpful.
One thought consumes Alisha and that is sure they all make it to the sunken ship. Body complaining about the lack of air. She needs to push forward and hope there is air at their destination. Even with the voice coming from ahead. Just forward glances to make sure the others are as well.
Then there is the mental hello, that she opens herself up to. Of course to talk back she needs to channel. Lips curve a little into a look of disgust. Not the best time for her to try. Communication is certainly going to be a plus though. Offering quick thoughts to the both of them, if not pushed back <I can. I'm not sure about Lyric.> mental voice more soft and even gentle then when she normally talks. <Do you both think you can make it? I don't love the idea of what is waiting. I do really like breathing though.>
Eye following the shark as swims by. She's still going to try to keep half-eye on the beast, even though it doesn't seem interested. <Beauty is one way of putting it.> everything about this sucks. Suckage isn't likely to end soon either. <Got it. Let's hope it's more interested in fish then us.> it is helpful as she didn't know that. Her gun is almost certainly useless after being underwater. So fists against a shark...fun?
Knocking? Lyric looks incredulous, or maybe that was still the shock of the icy depths and her lungs starting to protest as she swims down. Her eyes settle on Kailey though as the originator of the knocking and she sends back a tentative acknowledgement, ~Who's there?~ like this is some random knock knock joke or something.
The shark almost her her going back up, but with Kailey calm, she seems to remain calm also. As Alisha adds to the talking minds thing, she remains open to the both of them. ~I can respond~ Lucky her!
As they swim closer still, progress is made to reach the chasm where the shark had wiggled free and a passing thought could be given as to its size. What lurks below with them could be truly gargantuan. A fleeting look to where it's gone, on the left it isn't there, just the ocean floor biome they've fallen into. To the right, more of the same, only darker, less lit than the rest, as the rays of light don't touch from that direction.
Behind them. That's where it slipped to. And no longer disinterested.
When passing them by, the predator of the sea swung around and opened its maw. A maw that should be pink, or an off white at least. A light color.
But this isn't what it shows them as it begins to speed up so it can catch its next meals. It's crooked teeth spin in its mouth, like a chainsaw moves. And rather than usual coloring, its pitch black, like one sees at the end of their life. Like nothing escapes from this maw, not fish, not water, not light.
And not you.
<FS3> Kailey rolls Athletics: Success (8 6 5 1) (Rolled by: Kailey)
<FS3> Alisha rolls Athletics: Failure (4 4 3 1 1) (Rolled by: Alisha)
<FS3> Lyric rolls Athletics: Failure (4 4 4 3 2 1) (Rolled by: Lyric)
Alisha spent a Luck Point on a re-roll.
<FS3> Alisha rolls Athletics: Success (6 5 4 4 2) (Rolled by: Alisha)
<FS3> Kailey rolls Physical: Success (7 6 5 5 4 3) (Rolled by: Kailey)
~Oh. OH! That is -not- normal, run! I mean swim!~ Kailey's mind sends out. Two things come to her mind at once. Swimming faster means air sooner. There is a horrible burning already. She isn't sure she is going to make it without a boost. There's more demand in her body for oxygen than normal. She's never done it before, but she tries anyway to grasp at the air bubbles. But it just doesn't work. Crap. So she just puts extra effort into kicking her legs.
<FS3> Alisha rolls Mental+2: Great Success (8 7 7 6 6 5 4 2 2 2 1) (Rolled by: Alisha)
-A bit of a understatement there.- Chainsaw like sharks. She really hates this town sometimes. There are still the other two and while she's swimming as fast as she can, it isn't like they are out swimming a creature built for this environment. Making a quick choice and channeling her curse again. A flash of underwater lightning like energy towards the monster. Hoping the others keep pace, she'll make herself the last one in the swimming order. Which is obviously a great choice.
<FS3> Lyric rolls Physical: Good Success (8 7 6 5 4 4 3 2 1 1 1) (Rolled by: Lyric)
Lyric isn't going to make it to the ship. She's failing and flailing really badly and her lungs aren't holding out so well. And she's totally not a smoker! Not of cigarettes anyway. Fight or flight and all comes in and there's a shark closing in on them which makes the freak factor not so fun. She opts to use her glimmer to try and survive and with Alisha behind her, she attempts to propel her forward with her as well, to get them both to safety! Hurry, hurry, hurry!
The water is cold and she's a little sluggish, but she manages to do it, manages to get herself and Alisha rocketing forward towards the ship as much as quickly as she can, mentally urging Kailey on too in the process. ~Hurry, faster..~
Closer. D'nuh.
And closer. D'nuh.
The open, black void that is this shark's maw. And the closer it gets the larger its size is revealed to be. It's a race, then, to get to the galleon as fast as possible. With lungs only now starting to scream for air minutes have certainly felt as if to drag on.
The water takes on a static feel when Alisha turns and directs a blast to distract the Megalodon, but it seems unphased. Singed, but unphased as the black pit within its body that swallows everything is rapidly approaching. The wooden vessel nears, almost within reach. Signs over what befell the vessel, a hole, is a mystery. As though the boat were a great fish that simply died and turned over.
And in its sinking, the ancient, unnamed craft lost its aftercastle, debris scattered around. It's only when seen from below, that the reflectivity of the air pocket within the ship can be seen. From the cargo hold, where it currently bleeds through the unsafe listing and causes those air bubbles that brought the woman's attention to it in the first place. Suddenly, filled with the powers of Saint Nicolas Nope, Lyric reaches out and propels herself through the water, taking Alisha with her, only leaving one behind. Those two breaches the surface, followed shortly by Kailey.
The cargo hold of the galleon, aside from being upside down, is in a stay of chaotic disarray. Rotten open barrels, both large and small scatter the puddled floor. Barnacles grow on the ceiling, and the floor as much as they had the outside hull, suggesting the hold was, at one time, underwater as well. Creates join the debris on the ground, with rotted planks that belong to something long since disassembled.
Dim light emanates from the bioluminescent green slime, growing on seaweed, leaving few shadows, but those there are, are stretched and gnarly.
To the far end of the room, lays a Catholic altar. When it was upright. Now, turned upside down like everything else it's dedicated to the worship of something else. Stretched out on the altar, Mom. Her wet face stares at the trio, eyes open. Stunned. Water still drips from her nose. Her many layers have been pulled up to expose her belly and its from there, something has been gnawing and managed to start chewing internal organs. The rot in the room continues up the wood of the altar, that should have been gold, and into the corpse on the altar.
Even to the bowl of assorted fruit that lays next to the altar. A person with glimmer can recognize another; and aparently a person with glimmer can recognize fruit, for this rotting collection glows with similar energy.
Their host?
Absent.
<FS3> Kailey rolls Grit-1: Failure (4 4 3) (Rolled by: Kailey)
Kailey surfaces with a deep gasping breath. Then another as she scrambles to try and get as much out of the water as possible. Hands reach for a handful of slimey wood and to this she clings. It takes a few seconds of gasping before it hits her. The smell. She pales and then turns an obvious green in the bioluminescent glow. "Oh...oh oh ulp," Kailey's other hand claps over her mouth and nose.
Too late. Eyes watering she begins to make stiffled gagging noises. But pretty soon? Lunch hits the water she is still partially in. And between upchucks, "I'm sorry." HURk. "So sorry."
Alisha isn't about to object to being pulled faster along. Surfacing she takes several deep breathes. The not-so sweet air filling her lungs. Followed quickly by trying to get the hell out of the water. The smell is over powering, but first thing's first. Exit the water to the rotting wood and away from Jaw's mutant cousin. If she can manage offering a hand out of the water to the other women. Rather pointily not looking around until they can get to a form of safety.
The gagging and vomit. Well it triggers some gagging from her as well. No keep it down. "Nothing to be sorry for." pushing down bile is never fun.
OMG Lyric had seen her poor pitiful life flash before her eyes and in her panic had almost succumbed to the darkness that was threatening the edges of her vision. Better to drown than get eaten by a shark wasn't it? That was a dark, dark place she seldom went. She breaks the surface and gasps in air then immediately tries to slow her breathing. She coughs though and gags a little. Maybe she'd got some of the water in her mouth or nose in her panic. Pretty sick, being veil water and all. The shark, where was he?
With rounded eyes she turns to look around for it before speaking. "I am not going back out the way I came in. No thank you." But they were here and there was an investigation. "Do you think the missing.." the would-be question just hangs there as she games at the corpse of Mom there on the skewed altar. Music calms her and she starts murmuring a song, "I'm all shook up, shook up on you. We burn like fireflies, burn baby blue. Because I'm so deep, deep into you. You are my church tonight, my holy view." Even Kailey's being sick doesn't alter or interrupt the song.
<FS3> Kailey rolls Grit: Success (7 4 3 1) (Rolled by: Kailey)
Kailey is trying so hard to get control. So hard. And finally she pulls out the seawater drenched cap and presses it over nose and mouth. Breathing through the seawater and wool seem to help. "So...now what do we fucking do?" She asks in a raw voice.
Alisha does pull herself out. Flipping onto what passes for the floor. Quickly getting up and offering her hands to those still in the water. "Great point." she says to Lyric "We'll just find another way out. Shouldn't be too hard right?" and well there was the reason she just focused on getting out of the water first. It is clear that the missing are here. She doesn't want to interrupt the song. Seems like a defense mechanism. "Lyric take my hand. It's still down there. Just try not to think about it. I know we can't bring Mom back, we can make whatever did this pay and not being able to do this to anyone else."
Her gaze going to Kailey "We try to find another way out. And kill the thing that is making meals or whatever out of the homeless." and likely it's a bad time for introductions but distraction from the awfulness of what is around them is a good thing "Never did get your name. I'm Alisha." she offers at least as soon as the purpled haired woman is out of the water.
Lyric follows Alisha, sort of sticking close to the cop. Her singing has ceased at least and she's not getting sick. Dead people were a thing, everyone died. She looks over towards the woman and then back to Alisha. "I can make a way out that we can go through." But not yet, she wanted to see what was here and why they were here. "We always dream and go places for a reason. Let's see why we are here. We need to find Frenchie too."
After a moment, Lyric does take her hand, the offered one.
The mouth of the cargo hold, the hatch through which they've been pulling themselves is clear. At least, temporarily.
She knows how to make an entrance.
A gout of water splashes up further wetting everything in the thick, moist air within the vicinity of the entrance. From which she leaps up and then settles down to peek through the surface of the water, like duckweed floating on the surface of the water. Her forehead bares a fresh scorch mark. She has green, blotchy skin, long green matted hair into which small bones are woven like decorations, and floats on the water. A mouth full of razor-sharp teeth and rags of faded green spanish moss that keep her from mostly decent but show her frame to be green skin pulled tant over skeletal remains. Dead, white eyes, stare unnearvingly and then the source of the unnerve is noticed. She does not blink.
Ever.
"Come into the water, love, Dance beneath the waves, Where dwell the bones of sailor-lads Inside my saffron cave," she says, her voice not unsimilar to the voice that invaded their minds. Her display, though, is not wholly theatric. While she speaks, behind them, a form slowly rolls off the altar, to find its feet and standing. Mom stares at the trio. It licks her lips.
<FS3> Kailey rolls Physical: Success (7 4 3 1 1 1) (Rolled by: Kailey)
Kailey lays on that slick floor for a moment. Not looking at dead body and keeping the hat pressed to her nose and mouth. "Thanks," She says weakly as she lays flat on her back. "Ugh. Uh...oh. Kailey, hey," Says the girl with the purple-hair. Except it looks weird in the green luminescence. "Who is Mom exactly? And Frenchie?I admit I wasn't close enough to hear what was going on before I got sucked into this hellhole like the rest of you." And then...that monster leaps. She shrieks and backs up along the floor back towards the altar. An instant reaction is the air flickering and shimmering around her. Weakly.
<FS3> Lyric rolls Physical: Great Success (8 8 7 7 6 5 4 4 3 2 1) (Rolled by: Lyric)
Alisha nods to Lyric "Good to know. I have no clue how to do that. We do need to try to find Frenchie." not speaking to being here for a reason. It's always just bad luck in her experience and that thought doesn't need to be expressed. "Ok Kailey. So hi." and a quick answer follows "Some homeless folks. Good people both of them as far I knew."
And then Veil things are being so rude. Interrupting talks with their nonsense. She doesn't scream, she's been hunting these things for most of her life. Later she'll be screaming into her pillow and down a bottle of something or other. Not now though she looks for cover at the barrels. There are two civvies here so she doesn't move for them yet. Instead she hostlers her useless weapon. Pulling out her baton and from that hand attempting to arch lightning at the legend's rip-off in the water. Maybe it will go better than the shark.
Lyric's first instinct is to throw up a shield when the two seem to be coming after them. Oh hell, why had she asked about Frenchie? Maybe there won't be three of them! She ducks down a little also instinctively and glances around for something to drop on one of them. Something that wasn't bolted down! Crates and barrels would do. Actually.. eyeing the sharper shards from the busted containers, she gets a battle plan in place! "They are the missing homeless people we were looking for," she hurriedly tells Kailey.
Spying the ladies gathering and hunkering down, the seahag smiles a needle teeth smiles and bobs lower in the water which I don't know why I wasn't calling as cover, but Defensive will do. Throwing a blink less stare behind them the Rotter behind the ground gives a lurch and likewise bends down to pick up a rotting plank with nails still in it, one of which pireces its hand and it doesn't even notice.
Sandhog uses Physical to create a self-shield.
Lyric uses Physical to create a self-shield.
Kailey uses Physical to create a self-shield.
Alisha attacks Seahag with Electrokinesis and HITS! Impaired wound to Chest.
The hat falls from Kailey's face. The smell hits her and that is what makes her turn to stare at the undead with the club. There is a shrill little shriek and she flings her hands up, sparks flying between them and then towards it. "OhJessusfuckingChristnonoNONOOOO!"
Alisha is probably going to be having nightmares for weeks. Figuring that taking the green creature out will take out the Mom corpse as well. More focus and more reliving a not so great memory. The hand with the baton arches the lightning again, or at least she tries to. Still trying to keep a eye on her other two allies. "Try to stay calm." but she also realizes they don't have her training. "Stick to cover if you can." that's likely better advice.
Well, there was one thing to do once Lyric had her shield up! She uses her powers to fling pieces and shards of the broken wood towards the seahag, trying to keep herself as a smaller target in the process, just in case! Hearing Alisha, she just nods, but doesn't take the time to voice anything back.
The lightning bolt that the police officer threw collided with the head that pokes up from the water and takes from Wicked Jenny, her right ear along with a large chunk of her shoulder. The hag screams in pain while the pool she lays in, turns not red, but black from the color of the blood the foul thing oozes from parts of her not cauterized. Even though the smell of ROT is thick, ozone and burning meat being to war for domination. So wounded, Jenny fails at the task she was attempting to do, to make her minion stronger.
Mom was a loveable soul. She would always have time to listen, or watch children. She just asked one thing. To find her cats for her, since they were always running off. Mom didn't own any cats, either. And this Mom, this Mom only wants to show Kailey the rusty nails protruding from this plank, her footsteps splashing in the sometimes ankle deep water as Mom races towards her target, dropping a half consumed kidney to slash on the floor.
<FS3> Kailey rolls Grit: Success (8 7 5 3) (Rolled by: Kailey)
Kailey attacks Sandhog with Electrokinesis. RESIST!
Lyric attacks Seahag with Telekinesis. RESIST!
Sandhog attacks Kailey with Club and HITS! Flesh Wound wound to Right Arm.
Seahag attacks Alisha with Electrokinesis. RESIST!
Alisha attacks Seahag with Electrokinesis. RESIST!
Kailey throws out sparks at the dead thing with the club. But it just scatters in harmful sparks across it. The young woman is trying to scoot back, whimpers in her throat, when that club comes down. She whirls around to protect her middle, throwing up her left arm and catching a nail in the meaty muscle. A scream is bitten off as she pulls away for the debris to hide. Drawing her hands through the air weakly as she goes. Like someone would gathering spiderwebs. Really in her mind it is how she weaves the illusions. Wrapping the background around herself to hide.
And Ali's last attempt likely just hit water. From the electricity coming from the water she ducks down and out the way. Having picked her specialty likely not a great decision on the hag's part. The sound of flesh ripping gets her to look over to Kailey. No words of encouragement are going to help with that. Best way to help is still to take down the thing controlling the other. Gathering herself up and hey third time's the charm. More bolts flying from her hand.
Everything was going on all at once! Lyric tries to pelt the seahag with boards and sticks and pieces of things but she misses! So she gets a bright idea. The brightest of ideas ever and she looks between the seahag and the mom.. evil intent on her features, sort of focusing on that, building up the power she is about to use.. to try.
Seeing as how she's outnumbered, the Wicked Jenny switches targets, screaming while she lifts her other long taloned, green fingers from the black waters and points it at Lyric, lettic the electrical charge jump from fingers, and her palm, causing little purple jumps of light to illuminate her hand, "Come," he says with her high voice, "Come, lovelies. Come into my waters, yes? I will remake you. You will be like US!" he screams the last word, thrusting her hand and the bolt forward, a cackle easy on her lips.
Kailey catches the plank, and the swing keeps going through, the plank having rotted in two like soggy tissue paper. When one of the homeless camp kid's got hurt, and they, of course, couldn't afford healthcare, it was Mom that watched over the kid who didn't have any parents. None that were ever sober or high on glue. And when she found a new batch of kittens, it was Mom that always make sure that Queen cat got fed so she could feed her babies.
Even though the camp, never had kittens in it. Never heard a mew. Never saw Mom with a cat.
Cold, cataract ladden eyes stare at Kailey while she pulls back to hit her with the stump.
Kailey successfully uses a Mental illusion on Sandhog.
Alisha attacks Seahag with Electrokinesis. RESIST!
Lyric attacks Seahag with Telekinesis and HITS! Flesh wound to Chest.
Seahag attacks Lyric with Electrokinesis. RESIST!
Lyric gears up and with all her might, glimmery might that is, she takes the once-maternal Mom turned dead-weight and throws her at the seahag, trying to take them both out at once! It wears on her, but her shield does manage to block the incoming attack from the seahag. She cackles, actually cackles, when she does manage to hit the seahag with the zombie.
Kailey ducks behind some rotted barrels. Adrenaline keeping her from gagging. The nail is pulled out. Then the terror that will haunt her, make her wake screaming for months, is ripped away. As she fades into the background of the ship she slaps a hand over the oozing wound. Soft whimpers coming from her. "Holy shit...holy shit...ow...fuck..." She says softly to herself, pulling her kerchief out and trying to tie it around the wound. It requires using her teeth.
Again Alisha can't use her curse to off the thing. Having to channel so many awful things from her past so quickly, she abandons all forms of defense. Just standing out in the open as she yells at the hag "Just fucking die already!" both hands held out as the smell of ozone gets even thicker. Concern for the others just a fading concern in her angry mind. It's a monster and a monster only deserves one fate. Energy from her flowing into the water and with any luck frying the green and sharp tooth creature.
With a hiss, Jenny sees her snack turned defender coming her way. And not in the way she would like. Not in the way anyone would like. The hag's eyes open. and Mom smacks against Jenny's chest before the projectile sinks. If she, the hag, were determined before, she's even more so now. "Come, my pretty. No fight, just join usSs_SSS_. Be one. Of usssSS."
Mom has never been on a plane before. Never flown, never been outside of Gray Harbor even.
But she flew today.
And her rotted brain, if there even is anything left in the skull, transmits no signals, her face betrays no thoughts. Not as she lands against the creature that pulled her in here, drowned her, and started to consume her. As soon as Mom lands, she starts to dog paddle back to the cargo hole's edge to climb herself out and resume the last orders given.
Lyric attacks Seahag with Telekinesis and HITS! Impaired wound to Chest.
Seahag attacks Lyric with Electrokinesis. RESIST!
Alisha attacks Seahag with Electrokinesis and HITS! Incapacitated wound to Chest.
Kailey attempts to treat Kailey but fails.
Sandhog passes.
Seahag has been *KO'd* ! (Damaged This Turn By: Lyric, Alisha)
Stepping out from behind her cover, the long arm of the Law has had ENOUGH.
The arch traverses into the water and, either the initial hypothesis was correct, or Alisha kills them both. The cargo hold water boils over. From the rage-fueled electricity, give in to your hate, or from the thrashing caused by Wicked Jenny's death throes. She sends her blood-soaked water to the immediate area, getting the two attacking her stained with the memory of what they've done.
The rage causes the feeling of foreboding to ebb.
What was hungry. Is now sated.
For now.
The upside-down cargo hold vanishes slowly, like quick evaporating water, to be replaced with sights and sounds they're more used to. Wounds remain, trophies, but the heroines are no more than ten feet from the homeless camp. Kailey, resting behind a pile, trying to staunch the blood from her arm. The other two looking down at.
Sand.
Kailey is biting on her lower lip trying to one-handed and mouth wrap up the puncture wound on her arm. Now she is gonna have to get a tetanus shot. The very thought begins to make her shake and she just stops trying to tie. Instead wadding it up and pressing it in as she looks over at the other two. Pain in her eyes she says, "Either of you know a doctor who makes house calls?" The pain even bleeds into her voice as it does the shirt around it. Drops fall and hit the sand around her.
Covered in the most disgusting stuff imaginable, Lyric looks down at the sand and blinks.. and blinks again. Of course she will find Phil and let him know not to expect the missing persons back and to avoid going deeper in beneath the boardwalk. Then she looks back to Kailey, to make sure she's not too badly hurt. "I don't know doctors. You can maybe go to the hospital. I don't have a car though, but I can call an ambulance. I need a shower."
Alisha breathes heavily and the dark urge in herself is sated for the now. Putting her baton away if she was ever really holding it at all. So hard to tell with these things. She tries not to overthink it or really think about it at all. Another thing that preyed on the helpless gone. Fury fading she can finally address Kailey. The rage replaced with concern for the injured "I know a paramedic with exceptional skills. I could try, but I slept though first aid training."
Lyric speaks up "There is my patrol car. A trip to the hospital wouldn't be a terrible idea. You and me both." she says to Lyric "As well as a drink and getting laid." that is said to no one in particular. Later she'll go back to the community to tell them are safe as well. Not talking those that are missing.
Kailey cringes at the mention of a hospital and very quickly shakes her head. There is no doubt there is a phobia there from the alarm in her face. "NO! No...thank you. No magic woowoo wagon. Ummm...can you guys help me to the Sweet Retreats? I'm just...a little light headed. And...I don't do hospitals well...do more harm right now but I need a tetanus shot," She pauses and sniffs and wrinkles her nose. "Anyone else smell rotten fruit?" Slowly, bracing her back against a pile, she gets to her feet. Letting Alisha at least lead them back to the boardwalk. The ice cream parlor isn't that far away...
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