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[imsorey]

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[imsorey]

[There's plenty that they could talk about with regards to recent events, but it can wait while they explore. Sorey keeps it light and deliberately steers away from those topics, keeping to the fish and biomes that they pass through. he's not sure if they'll really find a seal, but it's obvious that it is on his mind, and he keeps his eyes peeled for one.]

[oneandmikleonly]

[they dodge some of the less-friendly Stalkers and toss a fish to a couple they're more familiar with; watch the Gasopods graze; have a narrow brush with a Mesmer and some Bleeders (good thing they raised one in the labs and recognize the lure cues now); quietly note where there's still some wreckage sitting on the ocean bed that can be taken apart; pause in the Kelp Forest to take a moment at the dead Reefback's growing reef; chase each other through the coral and plants or poke each other in the ribs through the thin material of their wetsuits. Mikleo holds Sorey's hand when they reach the Dunes and the long swathes of bloodgrass, whenever they're not dodging predators.

all in all, it's well into the afternoon before they surface and spot a faint shadow on the horizon that doesn't correspond to any of the already-known islands...]

That looks promising, doesn't it?

[imsorey]

[squinting at it in the distance and shielding his eyes to try and get a better look at it. they should invest in binocular goggles.]

It's too big to be a reefback, so I'd say it's something.

[oneandmikleonly]

[binocleos]

Hmmm...let's go a little further out and make sure. I'd hate to have it be a hostile animal instead.

[imsorey]

We could fight it if it was unfriendly...

[he grumbles a little bit about having to go out of their way, too used to his JRPG lifestyle of fighting monsters that attack them. but after their recent exhausting endeavors he's plenty happy to go with the cautious, hopefully-pacifist route of just checking things out before engaging]

[oneandmikleonly]

[Mikleo pokes him in the side to try to make him laugh, but gently]

Today is for relaxing, ideally.

[happily, it becomes clear after a while that if it IS a horrible monster masquerading as an island, it's doing a really good job? maybe it is just an island after all]

[imsorey]

[well that's all he needs to keep swimming for it]

It looks like relaxing is winning out.

[oneandmikleonly]

Well, don't jinx it.

[but he is!!! certainly relieved!!!]

[imsorey]

I barely said anything! That's not going to jinx it.

[he's eager to prove the point and doesn't slow until they finally hit the island and he pulls himself up onto the shore of the island for a break. he doesn't bother looking around for signs of life, though, oops?]

[oneandmikleonly]

Sor--

[Mikleo pulls himself up just in time to watch a seal bowl Sorey back into the water]

--ey?!

[imsorey]

[NOT AS PLANNED!! he goes tumbling back in head over heels, taking a large gulp of saltwater in surprise and coming back up coughing and spluttering, trying to clear his lungs and his eyes]

[oneandmikleonly]

[trying to wade between the two of them, staff at the ready . . . he's not super prepared for the seal to get up in HIS face, though, falling back almost into Sorey with a little yelp]

[imsorey]

[Sorey is still coughing up water, but once he sees what it is that shoved him into the water he's less alarmed and more amused. which doesn't stop him from almost going right back under when Mikleo falls back near him]

Th-that's new!

[oneandmikleonly]

I can't believe we actually found one --

[puts out his staff, held sideways, as the seal comes forward to investigate them again...looks a little offended when it starts gnawing on it instead of backing off]

Hey! Oh come on.

[imsorey]

Aww, it likes you.

[swimming up a little closer to it and digging through his pouch for something to feed it. eventually he comes up with a little (soggy) bit of cooked fish]

[oneandmikleonly]

[that distracts it, fortunately; it finally lets Mikleo shake it off the staff, and snuffles towards Sorey's hands]

Should you really be tempting it to knock you over again...

[imsorey]

I'm already in the water, it's not like it can throw me in again.

[he does make sure that it doesn't bite his fingers off when it goes for the fish though]

[oneandmikleonly]

[GOOD. HE CAN'T HEAL THOSE. keeps a wary eye on it, ready to use the water to knock it back in case it gets Ideas]

[imsorey]

[it accepts the food and nuzzles at Sorey for more, enough for Sorey to reach up and pat its nose while it tries to nose its way into his pouch]

We need to eat too, big guy. I can't give you all of it.

[oneandmikleonly]

We can probably catch more on the way home, if we really have to.

[he's hiding a smile, poorly, nudging the waves some to bring them back in toward shore. yes, the seal is coming too]

[imsorey]

[heaving a sigh that's just a little too loud and overdramatic to be real as he pushes himself back up onto shore and offers Mikleo a hand]

He still can't have all of it. That's lunch!

[oneandmikleonly]

[takes his hand to heave himself up, half-laughing; the seal snuffles in the shallows, not following them up all the way]

Better not let it get into your bag too much, then...hey, he doesn't quite look like an Earth seal, does he?

[imsorey]

[scooting far enough away from the edge that he won't be shoved back in again before peering over at the seal to compare it to the pictures of Earth seals]

No way, he's way bigger than an Earth seal. Fluffier too, I think. Theirs don't have this much fur.

[oneandmikleonly]

I wasn't expecting to find even this close a match...

[TAKES...A PHOTO OF IT]

...you'd better find more fish if you want to keep him here, I think.

[imsorey]

There's always a catch. Don't let him swim off, I'll go find something.

[NUDGES HIM TO TAKE MORE PHOTOS TOO while he looks around for fish. there are no fish on the island, obviously, so he scoots over to see if he can spot any swimming around in the water nearby]