songerein | [open] under the sea darling it's better down where it's wetter

Entry tags:

[open] under the sea darling it's better down where it's wetter

Who: Anyone!
Which: Interactive Dream
Where: Sora's dream of Disney's Atlantica
What: It's May and Sora is dreaming of an under the sea oasis. Turn into mer-creature and explore the Kingdom of Atlantica!
Warnings: Finny Fun

Dreaming of underwater oceans and deep dark depths of the sea could be anyone's dream. But the dream that opens here is one that is uniquely vibrant and full of magnificent colours and glowing corals. Playful schools of fish and seahorses that swirl around while singing songs. Crabs and lobsters clack away to a beat of a song and whales fill the waters with long sweet notes. Dolphins kick and play and push for others to join in. Jellyfish gloop about and nest in hair and whisper secrets. And devoted sharks prowl and patrol around a large standing castle in the distance.

You might find yourself in this dream surrounded by a school of baby guppies that poke and prod at your new form. Half of your body seems to have changed to help you with your new underwater situation. Perhaps you have a powerful dolphin's tail or several long octopus-like tentacles in lieu of where your legs were. Or perhaps you've gained gills and water-cutting fins on your forearms or flippers for feet. Maybe your hair has been littered with starfish and your eyes glow with the ability to see through the darkness in the water. No matter what happens to your body here it seems you're now referred to as Merfolk.

A. Forest of Seaweed. Upon arrival you may find yourself lost in a forest of long strips of green and blue seaweed. The green is almost dizzying as you try to navigate through the wispy plants with your new body. The seaweed seems to easily attach to you or wrap around a limb if you're not careful. Perhaps you need to find a weapon or sharp piece of broken coral to get yourself through it? Or can you adapt quickly to your new fins and are able to dodge your way through the forest?

B. Singing Seahorses. Once free of the slippery pieces of seaweed the ocean opens to a deep and beautiful chasm of glowing rocks, crystals and plants. Schools of fish swim by and all of them seem to be heading towards that beautifully lit castle in the distance. But before you can proceed several dragon seahorses swarm up to you and demand to know your name. They kiss at your cheeks and forehead as if trying to coax information out of you. Asking you all sorts of personal questions like what is your favourite food or asking you to sing them a song or tell them what the real use of a Dinglehopper is. They won't leave you alone until you indulge them!

C. Emotional Seashells. Along the seabed there are several glowing seashells that can catch your eye. If they are picked up they tend to glow a certain colour to reflect your mood or personality. They will look very nice in your water-swept hair! But be careful because if a broken or chipped seashell is picked up and worn it might induce the wrong or opposite emotion into you.

D. Sharky Noctaere. A dream isn't complete without the presence of noctaere. Make a wrong turn and you might find yourself face to face with a noctaere in the shape of a very strange looking shark. These huge beefy sharkmen are not happy to see you and look like they might make a snack out of you if they can get their hands on you. Swim or fight!

E. Atlantica Castle. Upon swimming into the castle grounds you will be greeted by a plethora of merfolk happy to bring you into the castle. They will make sure you are fed with all sorts of underwater treats like fresh scallops, crab bits or kelp cookies. They will shower you with bits of gold jewellery and pearl bracelets as welcoming gifts. There seems to be an entire festival of some sort going on to welcome in all the dreamers. There is a big hustle and bustle about a music performance coming up and they are missing some key players to sing, dance or play instruments. And they want you to do it. A pretty mermaid might try to pull you to her as a dancer or a merman may hand you a set of handheld drums or a coral horn.

"Swim this way, we'll dance and we'll play now it's very easy, come on in! Just take a chance and shake a fin!"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

a:

[Sakura is trying to orient herself, figure this out. It's just taking some adjusting to, for all that she has magic she had never changed physical form like this. That she can now breathe underwater somehow, has fins instead of legs. Unfortunately, as she swims, the seaweed somehow catches her fins and she pauses, reaching to try and free herself.]

This....oh no. Comeon, get free....!

b:

Huh? Um, do I know what a -- what was that? Dingle....hopper? I'm not sure what you mean....?

[Sakura does try answer some of their questions though. Tries to help. Not that she has any clue about what a dinglehopper is or why they want to know her favourite food. She does giggle though, if sheepishly, at the nudges and kisses at her cheeks and forehead.

As for the singing. Well. she might sing a little bit. But not for too long. With the ache in missing Syaoran.]

d:

H-hoeeeeee???!!

[It's a....shark? Person? Sakura isn't sure. But it. Doesn't exactly look friendly. She freezes initially in seeing it, her green eyes widening in shock and instinctive fear. She. Only has the Flight card and she is pretty sure that is probably next to useless right now even if she did have the chance, the time to summon the oversized ribbon that attaches at her back.]

e:

Ah, this is....you don't have to?

[But Sakura also doesn't want to seem rude or something. With the offered jewelry and bracelets. So she still accepts them, if sheepishly, when the merfolk offer her them. She's not so sure on being roped into the performance. Mostly because she can just barely manage the recorder and hasn't had lessons and solos and such like Tomoyo to be really good at music or singing.]

I'm really not....?

[Sensing the girl's trepidation at being urged into performing by the mermaids, Tifa scurries over (as best as she can anyway, she'll never get used to this dolphin tail of hers) and loops her arm carefully through Sakura's. They can be a bit pushy, these ones, as she's experience already herself, so she understands that performing for everyone is not quite for every attendant here.]

There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!

[Play along!

And Tifa turns to the mermaid who was in the middle of trying to stuff a set of shell-shaped drums and a coral horn into Sakura's arms before she had made her appearance.]

I need to borrow her for something. Come on, there was something I wanted you to see!

You have?

[But Sakura does play along, letting Tifa pull her away easily enough. Without really thinking about it. Without questioning it. Simply grateful for the intervention if a little confused. She goes along with it, following Tifa away from the pushy merfolk. It's just a little enthusiastic for her. For her definitely not Tomoyo level of singing or musical talent.]

Mm-hm! Come on, this way!

[Thankfully, Tifa's had some time to get used to her new dolphin tail that she swishes Sakura away from the mermaid, much to her outrage, and she storms off in a huff in the other direction, leaving a trail of bubbles in her wake.

And it's only once they're out of earshot that she lets her arm loosen around Sakura's, though not quite letting go, lest she float away. She is used to her tail, but she is no pro...]

That one's been a little pushy since we got here. Figured I'd save you the trouble. You okay?

Y-yes.....thanks to you. I mean. We had music class at school, but. This is more my friend Tomoyo-chan's thing. She's had solos and everything with her singing!

[She follows, if a little still clumsy about her new fins and all. She just lets Tifa guide her, initially simply believing the other had something to show her, given how gullible Sakura was that she didn't necessarily realize the ruse until Tifa explained once they were out of earshot.]

[Tifa's tail gives a little flick to stop her from starting to tumble and spin in the water with nothing to grab onto, and she doesn't want to subject the poor girl to her clutches if she can help it. She's gotten the hang of the tail, but she hasn't quite learned to completely control it.]

Do you like to sing? I'd think music class and performing in front of a crowd of mermaids you've never met before are two really different things.

[Even Tifa, who can sing, doesn't like the idea of being pushed to do it in front of anyone...]

I guess. At least with music class at school we all perform together and it's my friends? So that's fun! Tomoyo-chan and Akiho-chan are better than I am though. And I'm sure these merfolk are too if they sing a lot.....

[Sakura can't help but to be a little nervous, with these strangers. And others she doesn't know so well here. In comparison to how comfortable she is at school with her friends. Sakura is just a bit more self conscious in figuring that these merfolk sang a lot and were probably much better than she is. That and not all of the instruments she is familiar with exactly.]

Hmm...

[Tifa looks around the room at the people dancing and singing and playing their instruments...]

Are there any instruments that you are interested in playing? Or maybe learning? I don't play a lot myself, but I wouldn't mind seeing what's out there.

[Playing together, or even learning together and doing horribly at it, is a lot more fun than by oneself, after all!]

I'm just learning the recorder at school....I don't know proper instruments, really. But I do enjoy listening. And hearing Tomoyo-chan and Akiho-chan sing. I'm not sure how to play these ones here.

[There is rather a difference. Given the setting and all. Being underwater and not
having access to exactly the same instruments of course. But Sakura is happy enough just
staying nearby, watching and listening with Tifa for now at least.]

They are pretty different, aren't they...

[Tifa's eyes scan the room again, landing on the little band that's started to play on their coral and seashell instruments.]

I only know how to play the piano, and I haven't seen a single one around here.

[Although she does have to ask—]

Sorry, I don't think I've ever seen a recorder before... What are they?

No? Um, it's sort of.....hm. Like a simpler flute? Do you know flutes? Recorders are sort of like that, another smaller wind instrument, you hold it right in front of you though, not like a flute to the side.

[Pianos though. They were bigger, she isn't sure if there would be such an equivalent here. She watches, observing the band, the instruments and trying to compare to ones she knows.]

Hmm. I haven't seen anything like that around here either, but I'm sure if we took a look around, we could.

[Not that Sakura has to play, of course, but the option is always there if she wants to. Although Tifa has the feeling she might be more content to watch and listen rather than participate. So, she looks around for anything else that might keep the two of them busy for the time being, because Tifa is in the same boat.]

You know, I haven't had the chance to take a good look around this place yet. And I'm looking for a friend. I could use the company... Someone to make sure I don't accidentally lose control of my tail and drift off with the current.

Hm? Looking for a friend? Who? Maybe I can try help. Another set of eyes.

[She can try at least. If Tifa tells her who, describes who she is looking for. It isn't like Sakura is much more of a natural with this either, moving underwater swimming so differently to usual. So they probably should stick together. She's okay with that. Wants to help if she can at least.]

[Honestly, Tifa could easily pick him out in a crowd if she wanted to, but the twist here is that she isn't all that keen on going just yet. She promised him that they would leave once she did find him, so she'll take her sweet time.]

Well, he's got an electric tail and a set of big black ears on his head. [She brings her hands up to motion a pair of dog ears.] But it's so crowded in here that I haven't seen him.

[It's entirely likely that he left the festivities to find a quiet place to wait for her, so this feels like the perfect excuse to take a look through the rest of the castle.]

Big black ears? Hmmm.

[Sakura glances around, trying to find such a description, before blinking and narrowing one of her eyes slightly as she glances back to Tifa.]

Wait, electric?

[With the water? Wasn't that supposed to be dangerous? Though she supposes it perhaps is not in fact electric all the time? It isn't like she is that familiar with such things, for all that she loved aquariums back home. They didn't necessarily have these sorts of creatures there. Merfolk and such.]

Electric, yeah.

[She knows how it sounds and she quickly corrects—]

It's not actually that bad! Just make sure you stay away from the tail if you wanna avoid getting zapped.

[Tifa had been zapped a few times before he was able to take better control of it, and while it only tickled and stung a little, it hadn't been a fun experience.

Not that she thinks they'll actually find him for a while. He's probably busy being a wallflower elsewhere, and she doesn't want to be a wallflower!

So, she takes Sakura by the arm.]

You think a castle like this would have a giant library, I wonder?

Oh, okay.....ah, you think they might be at the library?

[Sakura figures, assumes that is what Tifa means? In asking about the library. That maybe that is where her friend might be. Checking the information available about such a place. Though Sakura can't help but to wonder on the idea of a library under water. How that would work? Would still figure that to be books or some other method? She isn't sure if books would last that well, that long underwater.]

[That's exactly the kind of thing Tifa's wondering, too. Do they have special books? Magical?

Her grin breaks a little wider at the realization—]

Actually, you know what... he might be.

[He'd rather find someplace quiet without all of these people, and most of all, no mermaids around to shove instruments into his hands, so the library seems like a fitting place to go for someone like that.

Tifa's tail flicks to propel her forward, but she's still a bit forgetful about how much strength the dolphin tail truly has, and she drags Sakura along with her. Or rather, yanks her along until she spins them both to a stop.]

Ah, sorry—! Still getting used to this...

Can't hurt to check then.

[She hasn't yet met Cloud but she knows some people are more reserved, not quite the types for parties. Generally, Sakura wouldn't mind and is sociable enough. But she is aware others are not as keen on such an atmosphere, so many people. She is willing enough to follow, to let Tifa guide her, though she does give a slight cry of surprise at the strength Tifa has.]

H-hoeeeee? I'm....I'll be okay......

You'd think they'd give first timers something a little simpler.

[She breathes out a sigh, checking over Sakura to make sure that she truly is okay. She didn't yank the poor girl's arm out, did she?]

Gonna have to talk with the person who dragged me in here.

[Tifa starts to swim again, her tail flicking gently—very gently—to move.]

... That reminds me. Have you found out whose dream this is?

Hm. I'm not sure. I can't say if I know who is having this dream. It's certainly different to mine I sometimes have.

[She isn't sure exactly on who it is. On how she might be able to help. In getting everyone safe and back out of the dream? How this works exactly. She's still decently new with this and all. So she is still figuring this out. Sakura stays still, compliant as she tries to reassure Tifa she thinks she is okay as the other checks her over, her arm.]

I think someone mentioned this sort of thing might happen, but I wasn't sure how it works...I don't know what I would do if it were me.

[As they swim out of the ballroom and into the long corridor decorated in gold, she purses her lips together pensively, her eyes glinting with a hint of thoughtfulness to them.]

Well then, I guess we'd see a little piece of your world instead.

[Although she can't say she knows any mermaids around here so...]

If it were you... what kinds of places would you want people to see?

I guess compared with this, Tomoeda would seem kind of boring and normal. It's just a small town near Tokyo in Japan.....

[But well. It is a question. Where in particular she would like to show her friends here? Sakura considers for a moment, following Tifa and blinking for a moment at the gold walls. Was it real gold? She has no idea how to tell. If so it was surely expensive. Important. She raises a hand as if to touch it, as if she could check just from that, before withdrawing.]

I guess. My house, the school and shrine? Oh, the playground! And the tower, are probably the places I know the best. And my friends, their places. But I'm not sure how it works. If we can choose? Where we show for our dreams like this? How much control we have....

I don't think it would be boring.

[For the record. A small town, the school, the shrine... those all sound like the kinds of places that Tifa would love to see. She's lived in a big city for so long that she misses that smaller town feel, and seeing the sights of a world she's never been? That sounds like the dream (no pun intended).]

I like to think we've got some control over what we do sometimes. If we really want to show someone something, then we can. Feels like this one wasn't an accident. Feels too solid, unlike the accidental dreams I've had before.

[Although in Tifa's defense, her memories of those days in the dreams were spotty.]

You think so? I guess I wouldn't know. I haven't had this happen yet. Here. Showing my dreams. But it might happen eventually. I just hope I can have some sort of control over it. I'm not sure which would be more...solid?

[But regardless she figures Tifa probably has more experience in comparison. Sakura gives a shrug, unsure how she would feel on her dreams being exposed like this for others to see. To experience. Some dreams, memories were more dangerous than others. With the cards. Eriol's methods to try and encourage her to finish with switching the last of the cards to using her own magic instead of Clow's, threatening everyone else to be asleep forever if Sakura couldn't pull it off.]

Which way to the library?

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