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

[He's silent for a moment, expression dimming ever so slightly.]

I'm looking for someone. My sister.

[She's been here for a short moment and Aether sometimes wonders if she was just a part of a dream. He misses her so much.

He doesn't want to look or feel down, so he quickly adds with some more energy:]

But I enjoy travelling and exploring. The world is full of mysteries... [He grins.] And this dreamworld is even more mysterious.

Mm... Reminds me of someone I know.

[Gran seeking his father, but at least he knows where he is...presumably. Though even that kind of journey is a difficult one.]

I hope you find her soon. Who knows, she could appear here one day.

[He nods, but his smile again dims.]

Actually... she might have been here for a short moment. Or maybe not. Maybe it was part of a dream.

[He really hasn't been here long enough to know for sure.]

[A small arch of the brow as he just looks at Aether as if waiting for him to continue.]

[Aether blinks, then realizes that the other is waiting for him to continue.]

Ah, w-well... I saw her during the festival. She talked to me, she felt real but I haven't seen her since, so I wonder if maybe she... wasn't actually real.

[He doesn't know.]

[...Ah...]

That was a strange time... I'm not sure how long you've been here, but that was the first we ever experienced the entire town changing, so it's good reason to question. But it's not unusual for people who enter this world to leave just as briefly.

I had a similar experience with someone who returned and left during the festival.

[He nods softly.]

I haven't been here long, so this is the first time I got to experience it...

The person who left... where they important to you?

Yes.

[A small smile.]

But I know he's capable of taking care of himself and that I am there on the other side if he needs my assistance.

That's good. I'm happy to hear that.

[Maybe he should be saying the same about Lumine, but at the same time the last time he saw his sister, she was the leader of the Abyss Order, that Aether has been opposing. Lumine has changed so much... but why? That's still a mystery to him and he likely won't uncover it while here. Not for now, at least.]

I'm Aether, by the way. And your name is...?

Eustace.

Nice to meet you then.

Likewise.

[And there's more calls for music since they had stopped playing to chat a bit instead.]

Looks like they want us to play still. Are you good at improvisation?

Improvising... Well, I will do my best!

[He's not sure how it'll go but he will definitely give it a try.]

I'm not that great either, so don't worry.

[He'll just start with some basic notes, a nice easy rhythmic bass pattern that could be filled in with some kind of simple melody. Unknowingly, it sounds a little bit like Pachelbel Canon in D.]

[Aether tries to follow by adding a melody of his own. At first it doesn't really mesh that well, but soon he finds the right notes that could work. A guitar and lyre is probably an unusual combination to begin with but somehow the melody that flows now sounds nice, even if it's fairly simple.]

[As long as he can keep this bass line, Aether will have something constant to work from. And while it is odd sounding and a bit rough at first, they manage to create a solid duet that by the end they earn genuine applause and cheer.

All Eustace feels is relief as it seems the group is finally moving away from them.]

Looks like we were satisfactory.

[Aether lets a soft laugh.]

We did a good job! Considering we're not pros at this...

[It was fun to him and it's definitely showing.]

...I also admit it was...enjoyable.

[Even if he had been so against it, it's hard to deny that they did make a pretty decent piece given the situation.]

Thank you for your cooperation.

No need to thank me! It was fun.

[Aether gives him a bright smile.]

Maybe we should do it again sometime!

[A somewhat startled look.]

...I'm more surprised that you'd want to.

[He hadn't been, you know, the most willing or friendliest partner here.]

[Aether knows too many people who are like that.]

Why not? We made a nice duo. [He grins.] ...Plus, you don't seem opposed to it.

[Which means he's not as unfriendly as he's trying to look.]

...I don't play instruments all that often.

[...Pause.]

But should an occasion arise, I won't be apposed to it.

[The kid doesn't seem too bad, anyway, and it's true they managed to work together. If he had to do another duet, teaming up with someone he worked with before wouldn't be so bad.]

Great! I'll be looking forward to it.

[He's definitely hoping the occasion will arise sooner than later.]

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

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