songerein | [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

Then we should totally hit it up once we get back!

[ Speaking of 'we'... who is this, anyway? A little embarrassed, Mei pulls back. ]

... My name's Mei. Meilin Lee. What's yours?

[ Susato allows her hands to fall back to her sides. She looks down, catching a limpse of herself, for the first time feeling a little embarrassed herself, but she still smiles. ]

Mine is Susato Mikotoba. You're in luck, Mei, because I work there.

I, um... I don't normally look like this.

Well... me neither.

[ She gestures to her own fish tail. ]

I didn't know different dreams could do this! This has been so much fun... and I bet we can find some really cute mermen, too!

[ It... It was fun. It might have been even more fun if she knew the lyrics as intimately as Mei, but that's what practice is for. It also might be more fun of she were a little more boy crazy, or... single.

Still, the tails really do add something to everyone. Definitely "cute." ]

Well, I did see a man earlier. He was trapped in the seaweed, but... I freed him.

[ Delightful little gasp! Gurl, spill the tea! ]

Oooh, you've got to tell me everything that happened! I'm all ears! ... Or, well, gills now.

[ But she just did!? Well, now Susato's got Mei's hopes up. ]

Well... he had long blue hair, and fins like a dolphin. And he had a giant... key.

... A key? Like, to open a door?

[ Unless it's a euphemism for something? Is this about to get PG13?! ]

Yes. Only it was huge. [ She holds out her hands to roughly approximate the length of it, which is pretty sizable, if you're thinking about something like a house key. Then Susato makes a slashing motion with one hand. ] And he wielded it like a sword.

He says he uses it to defend the Light.

[ ...Does Mei play video games? If she does, this might get really weird. If not... well, it'll just be a normal amount of weird.

Either way. Dream. ]

[ It does sound vaguely videogame/anime-ish. Still weird, but... yeah, dream! ]

But he couldn't defend himself from seaweed, huh?

[ A playful little wink and giggle. ]

I thought about watching him struggle for a little longer, but I found a broken piece of coral that seemed sharp enough.

[ So she cut him free. Spoken in a bit of a laugh as she continues: ]

The seaweed stopped bothering us after that, funnily enough.

... Bothering you? Like... it was on purpose?

[ Dreams continue to surprise her! ]

[ It definitely felt that way! ]

It was just terribly easy to get caught in its clutches. Maybe the saltwater was getting to us both.

It... actually took me a moment to realize this was all a dream.

[ She shakes her head, not exactly upset, but - ]

I don't think I'll ever get used to this place.

...Hah. I have been here for half a year, and I am still constantly taken by surprise.

[ She gives a little flick of her tail as she twirls, catching a glimpse of the lights coming from a distance. ]

Have you been to that castle yet?

[ H-Half a year... She swallows thickly... and then pushes the emotions that come with that thought down. We suppress the negative in this household and that's totally healthy! ]

A castle? No, I haven't! Is it, like, full of princesses and stuff?

[ JUST ASIAN THINGS (until you can't suppress them anymore). ]

I don't know... I was going to find out. See there?

[ Susato points. ]

At least I think it's some sort of castle. Would you like to come with me?

Absolutely! Hey, let's all go together!

[ Because she's def including her seahorse groupies into this! ]

I'm sure it'll be sooooo cool! I can't wait to see what or who's inside!

[ Oh? That excitement is contagious. Susato's gaze goes from Mei to the seahorses, who still seem eager to stick around and get to know them more. She gives a nod, laughing as one closes in on her and starts kissing at her face, as if it's their way of saying "please."

But of course, they don't have to. She pushes away slightly, laughing like it tickles. ]

Alright, together then! Lead the way, new friends.

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

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