Side One, Ep.1 "Holey Ship!"

[Ireth]

Diana

The smoke clears, the skiff settles, and there is no sign of Vincent. Panic seizes my heart, and I lean over the side of the boat, trying to see him. A shadow in the moonlight might be him... I lower my oar into the water, slowly and carefully, not wanting to risk hurting him and making the danger even worse.

Vincent

The icy water is full of bubbles, and I can't quite tell which way is up. Something moves in the water; I can't tell who or what it is. Shan Mai? A frogman? There's something else too, a long thin shape coming toward me from above (or at least, I think it's above). An oar, maybe? I reach for it...

My movements are sluggish, numbed by the cold and hampered by the water. And still the other shape comes closer.

 

[Reaver]

When everything finally settled, I was shocked to see that Vincent and Shan Mai were tossed overboard. I see many bubbles roiling up to the glassy surface.

A chill runs through me. They should have surfaced by now.

I unhook the belt holding my scabbard and katana natana, whisper a silent prayer to The Warrior (even though he has nothing to do with the ocean but hopefully he'll put in a good word), take a deep breath and dive in.

The water is cold, but it doesn't affect me. I've swam with Ursae Arktos in colder water than this. As I kick down deeper into the water, I open my eyes and see a blurred image of pale clothes and pale hair... It has to be Vincent!

For some reason he's paddling and kicking and reaching down into the murky depths! I know that I have to stop him before he drowns, so I use every ounce of strength I have in me to push down next to him and wrap my arms around his chest.

Once I'm certain that I have a good hold, I start kicking with long strokes upward, ascending a at fairly rapid pace. By the time we reach the surface, my lungs feel like they are on fire. I take a couple large gulps of the cool night air and starting pulling the semi-conscious young magician toward the skiff.

"Help me get him on board!"

 

[Philip Overby]

I reach out to Reaver to help him pull Vincent on board. "Please, please don't tip the damn skiff over. You know how hard it was to stay in this flimsy thing?"

 

[Noma Galway]

"Fenella, I don't know how you've been sleeping through all this racket. Come on!" I jump up and down, impatient. If she doesn't get up and out of this room soon, I might just have to go alone.

 

[Ireth]

((@Reaver -- he was reaching up toward Diana's oar, not down. ^^; And I doubt he was paddling or kicking too hard either.))

Vincent

Shapes move in the water, disorienting me; then arms wrap around me, pulling me (hopefully!) upward. I gasp as my head breaks the surface, the wind on my wet face biting harder than the cold sea. I start to shiver as many hands pull me aboard the skiff.

Diana

Reaver dives into the sea, returning quickly with Vincent in his grasp. I set my oar down in the skiff and reach out to help him and the Jackal get Vincent aboard, only to realize Shan Mai is still nowhere to be seen. How can I let the others know that?

Vincent

I reach up to push my hair out of my face, looking up at the others. My words come out in a stammer through chattering teeth. "Th-thank you. There's s-still someone d-down there... I c-couldn't see..."

Diana's thoughts press against my mind, and I add, "Wh-where's Sh-Sshan Mai?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

___

Mariya waits patiently for Fenella to stand up…____…The princess puts her crown on and rises.



((Ruby, no need to roll yet. You can just speak to your muse for now. On Monday, I'll put you in enemy territory, so I'll try to get you up to speed by then.))

 

[Reaver]

Once Vincent is safely aboard, I take several large gulps of air and dive down again. As I kick down into the depths, I open my eyes and am amazed at what I see.

 

[Ireth]

((Got it all squared away... Thanks Ireth!))

 

[Ruby]

"Fenella, I don't know how you've been sleeping through all this racket. Come on!" I jump up and down, impatient. If she doesn't get up and out of this room soon, I might just have to go alone.

Where am I? Who are you? And why have you woken me up? I was just having this delightful dream. I was sitting in a meadow with my horse grazing nearby, while a handsome knight was serenading me on his ukelele!

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((What Reaver sees. That's Shan Mai lying there.))

Vincent is safe. PJ and Diana each grab an arm to help him aboard, while worrying about Shan Mai's fate. Reaver wastes no time. Seeing Vincent is safe, he dives a second time. As his eyes adjust to the moonlit underwater view, he sees Shan Mai on the ocean floor. Shan Mai is no longer disoriented. Though the weight of his weapons sunk him, he is strong enough to swim. Oddly, he finds breathing is not a problem.

Reaver sees the figure that was approaching earlier. He recognizes Daphne, the mermaid tailor who had checked on him when he meditated in skiff.

 

[Noma Galway]

I roll my eyes. "Black and Blue Oyster. Mariya. The ship is under attack," I say, answering her questions rapidly. "Now come on, let's go!"

 

[Ruby]

I roll my eyes. "Black and Blue Oyster. Mariya. The ship is under attack," I say, answering her questions rapidly. "Now come on, let's go!"

"Ah, yes, Mariya. My musical muse. I remember everything now. Didn't you sing me to sleep with a lullaby last night? And yet, you wake me up with such violence? Now, fetch me my breakfast!"

 

[Noma Galway]

I close my eyes as I hear a familiar Voice. When she finishes speaking, I open my eyes and look at Fenella. "Breakfast, right," I chuckle. "Pick up your sword; there's trouble." I hop up to her shoulder...it's so much easier than using the winds to carry me.

 

[Ruby]

My sword is heavy but I pick it up. Luckily my favourite knight taught me swordsmanship without the King's knowledge. He taught me many things. Number one: how to survive in extreme danger. I pick up Mariya. "I'm relying on you to save us," I say. 'Im a novice at this but you have the wisdom to make some moves." ( Ha ha!) We leave the room and walk up onto the deck of the ship. We can see sea and sky. Something has happened. We see Reaver and someone has fallen into the water.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((I'll run with that^…))

Fenella and Mariya do see Reaver diving off the skiff. However, the princess and muse soon realize they are seeing the vision in a giant bubble.

A whistling deckhand mops blood from the deck. He does not react to the bubble, then passes through as if it isn't there. As if an afterthought, he bows and says, "Yer highness," before resuming his work. He cocks his head back, staring at the muse on Fenella's shoulder, then seems to make an effort not to look in that direction.

 

[Ireth]

Vincent

A voice enters my mind, clear as a bell, though I can't see the speaker. I sit up straighter and listen intently, then speak out to the others, making sure Diana can read my lips.

"Everyone arm yourselves, and move to the middle of the skiff. My goddess' servant wants to help us get onto the enemy ship." Thank you, Voice, for sending her to us.

Diana

I blink as I read Vincent's lips, then quickly do as I'm told, drawing my sword from its sheath. I sit still, bracing myself, and wondering just how this is going to work.

 

[Ruby]

Fenella

"Look Mariya, we are seeing a vision in a giant bubble. What can it mean?" I look and I see Diana holding a sword. This is unusual - women do not normally carry swords, although Mariya and I carry one. I speak to the deck hand: "Fetch us some breakfast!"

 

[Noma Galway]

I sigh. "Forget about breakfast, Fenella." This probably wasn't the right thing to say, but at the moment I don't care. "Step into the bubble; it was sent by my mother."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Fenella's POV
"Yes, your highness!" the deckhand says hastily. He drops his mop, almost slips on a lower intestine, takes one last look at the tiny muse. He pauses at her words, but in the next instant he decides it's best to keep moving.

Diana's POV
A bubble rises from the sea. It begins to expand…

 

[Ireth]

Diana

I look on in confusion as a bubble rises from the sea and starts to expand. Vincent's gaze follows mine; he seems barely less confused than I am. I slide my free hand into his, wondering and waiting.