GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

[Recaiden]

And one who doesn't need to look like she isn't a predator who goes hunting for her own food.
"You're right. I mean, not being able to breathe water really makes it hard for us."

"You know, I think I will swim after all."
Anchor stands up from the rock and strips off her dry clothes, revealing that she was wearing a (really very modest) swimsuit underneath, and exchanging her sunglasses for sungoggles. I suspect magic was involved. Then she creeps up to the shoreline and dips a toe into the water.
Why did she decide to do this again!?
"So, uh, what made you start researching land-dwellers?"

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

"I-I don't really know, I just sort of thought the best thing to do would be to, um, to not cause more problems? I haven't really- I-I could see if anyone else wants to discuss this, i-if you want?" She asks, sheepishly. Why hadn't she sat down and discussed this properly with Spak-

Well, that's what they're doing now, isn't it?

And Sophie helps. Sophie helps a lot. Stay calm.

[5a Violista]

That's true.
Most mermaids don't look like predators until they're ready to eat.

Coraline starts swimming in circles but tries to keep an eye on Anchor regardless of which way she's swimming. After all, it's rude to not look at the person you're talking with.

"It's a long story," she says, "but I suppose these things always are, right?"

"Let's see how I can shorten it..." She swims a couple more times around before switching to figure-eights, giving her more time to think. "My fiance went missing," she says in a measured tone, "and I felt nobody else was doing enough to find him, so I'm taking it in my own hands to find out."

"Basically, that. Nothing was getting done underwater." Even though that doesn't directly answer the question, the mermaid feels like it does.

[Recaiden]

"You said...I mean, I think you made the story too short; that doesn't really explain anything. How did you get from finding your lost fiance to studying the differences caused by living on land?"
I think that sums up Anchor's confusion.

She takes one step further into the water, flinches, and then jumps in the rest of the way with a splash.

[5a Violista]

The mermaid waits for Anchor to be fully in the lake and stable before answering.
"I did say it was a long story, didn't I?" the mermaid asks. "Give me some time to think about how it connects."

While thinking, she slowly moves farther out into the lake. She also goes underwater a couple times, but only for a second or two. Hmmm, maybe it's because I think he was taken by something from above the water."

Yeah.

That answer sounds right.

[Deathkeeper]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

Spako looks...less than thrilled.
”Frankly? No, I’m can’t say I’m terribly interested in it. But I will if it helps.”
Personally he would rather not give Sylvess’ mental constructs acknowledgment but he’s not the therapist here.

[Morty]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

"Why don't you want to talk to them, Spako?" Sophie asks. Seems she's trying to get to the bottom of things instead of arranging this conversation just yet.

[Birthday Party]

Blaggut and Oortka look at each other, then back at Zebes, determination in their tiny faces. They scurry over to the dragon and begin to administer pets. Blaggut strokes Zebes' back and head, while Oortka scratches him under the chin and on his belly.

Brinika, meanwhile, nods.

"We've heard our cousins were invited and thought we'd drop by. Khannie seems really nice. I hope she likes our family's present."

[Recaiden]

Anchor splashes about a bit, complaining of the cold of the water (which really isn't that bad).
Her shadow stays on shore, not going to join this foolishness.

Even then, when she's stably in the lake, she doesn't go any further from shore.
"'Maybe'? I mean, do you think that because nothing was getting done underwater?" This mermaid...well, maybe they tell stories strangely underwater too.

[Earl of Purple]

Birthday Party

Maridia might reconsider whether it was worthwhile later, when she's hacking up furballs. But Pookie's unlikely to let go before he's told to, or possibly to eat honey.

"I'm sorry I didn't let you know sooner, but I didn't think to. So, you're Khannie's dad? How'd that happen?" She doesn't remember seeing Khannie about when she was staying there, yet Khannie seems to be about her age, maybe a little older. It's hard to tell with human-sized folk; she can't base it on how tall they are based on her own height. Because they're all taller than she is.

[billtodamax]

Birthday Party

Happy birthday Khannie! Happy birthday! The dwarves say, almost in unison. They hand over their presents to Khannie, before Olon goes in for a hug. This birthday party is going to go great Khannie.

Endok meanwhile is distracted by this ADORABLE TINY ANIMAL. Can I pet it? What's its name? He asks Khannie, going in to pet the little faerie dragon regardless of her answer. Oh my god and it's climbing all over a tiny bear. Khannie is this your bear too? Hello! Pookie and Maridia will find themselves subject to a ruthless petting assault from Endok.

[Rebonack]

[Birthday Party]

Sometimes cake is merely an ideal. A perfect future to look forward to rather than an attainable thing.

Not this cake, though. Just gotta wait for the games and stuff to be finished first.

"Thanks! You probably didn't bring any presents but that's okay, you can still have some cake too when it's time to eat cake," Khannie offers magnanimously.

And then gifts!

"Thanks guys I'm-" she deftly scoots out of hugging range. "-just gunna go over here and put this with the other presents."

Wow look at her go. She seems far more adverse to hugging that Maridia is.

"Maridia's my familiar! Having her helps me do magic better. Wizards can summon familiars too, I think. I learned the ritual for how to do it and I think anyone can do it so long as they know a little magic but I'm not sure if baking a cake counts as magic," Khannie says as she evades her way around the gift table to set the new presents on it. "That isn't my bear, though, I don't have a bear. Daddy has a dog."

Maridia, meanwhile, is hugged, petted, and continues licking honey. "Ohmygosh this is the best! I love birthdays," the little dragon squeaks.

[Deathkeeper]

Birthday Party

Jace seems...reluctant to answer that question.
”There was...some magic involved.” Jace says, avoiding eye contact. He really hopes that Khannie doesn’t tell people how any of that happened.

Double Dragon Therapy

Spako’s attitude shatters immediately as he’s put on the spot, looking back between Sophie and Sylvess and choosing to stare at the floor.
”Um. Well. Sylvess is...he’s a great actor, you know? He’s done routines for me. Sylvie. The doom dragon for Halloween. It’s really cute actually but these extra people just seem like it’s when it gets too far and they start talking on their own. So I- I’ve tried not to encourage them by asking him to bring them out. You know?”

[5a Violista]

[Lake]

Since Anchor isn't going any deeper, Coraline starts to return towards the shore a little and stays at an enticing distance from her.

She continues swimming back and forth, letting her muscles stretch and rest and not be cramped. "Exactly," the mermaid says. "Nothing was happening, everyone gave up, so I decided to take it in my hands to search the only place nobody else had. And, in order to survive on land, I have to understand how land works."

[Morty]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

Sophie, as ever, listens patiently and makes some notes in her book.

"I think I see a difference in perspective between you two. Sylvess spoke to me about his other personalities as if they were people who control the same body as he does. You, Spako, seem to treat them as roles he plays and takes too far sometimes."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

"I-I mean, Spako is, um, he is right about that though, i-isn't he? They're not real. I just...when they've been people for so long, I-I can't just make them go away again, i-i-it's not enough to just say they're not real." Sylvie leans enough to gently rest a hand on Spako's shoulder. "A-and I guess he's seen what happens when I start getting carried away now."

[Gullara]

[Birthday Party]

"Thanks!" Rosabel grins. Cake is the best. Especially surprise cake she never knew she was gonna get.

She looks around at the other. Definitely lots of kids here. "Hey. Do you go to daycare too?" Rosabel points at Oortka at random. They must, but she never saw them before.

[Recaiden]

[Lake]

Since Anchor isn't going any deeper, Coraline starts to return towards the shore a little and stays at an enticing distance from her.

She continues swimming back and forth, letting her muscles stretch and rest and not be cramped. "Exactly," the mermaid says. "Nothing was happening, everyone gave up, so I decided to take it in my hands to search the only place nobody else had. And, in order to survive on land, I have to understand how land works."

Anchor stays splashing around in the shallows, keeping her gaze on the enticing mermaid, but it only makes her aware how bad she is at swimming in comparison. She could never swish back and forth out there so quickly. Better not go any deeper and embarrass herself.
"Well, uh, the land is still pretty big and complicated. I mean, I'm sure it would take well, a lot to go from understanding the big picture to finding one merman."

[Deathkeeper]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

Spako nods.
"I mean yeah, that. I just don't want to make him feel bad about it. And I don't want to make it any worse for him." Sylvess doesn't seem like he wants his brain to be a personality hotel. So he doesn't like telling Sylvess to give any of them the keys to the door again. Except Lucy, who Sylvess seems to really rely on for some reason.

[Birthday Party]

Zebes leans back, eyes closed.
"Mmm. Not bad. Not bad. Mmmm. I think I've give you a B plus or so..." he hums, and it's hard to tell if he's being serious or not.

[Morty]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

"That is good to know," Sophie says, writing something down, then goes on to provide more feedback. "I think you've got the right approach to this, Spako. Trying to be too forceful about Sylvess' personalities could have unwelcome consequences. What I think we need is a safe way to pull Sylvess back when he feels himself drawn into one of the alternate personalities. Simply asserting that they're not real won't work, like you've said. Not yet, at least."

[Birthday Party]

The two little goblins grin when the cute small dragon praises their petting skills. But then their attention is drawn to the red-skinned girl with a tail.

"We don't," Oortka says. "But our cousins do." She points at Tuskfang, Brinika and Cheasadh. Only one of whom is a goblin, the other two being a half-goblin and not a goblin at all. "We've met Khannie before and she invited us to her party, thouh."

[Earl of Purple]

Birthday Party

"So Khannie's a magic-based clone or something?" That seems a reasonable assumption. It's that or she was dumped on his doorstep by her mother via portal and Jace had no idea he had a daughter beforehand.

Pookie has a response for Maridia. "Teddi... URSA!" The last bit is accompanied by a squeeze as Pookie hugs the faerie dragon tight, and then tries to lick the dragon back. He doesn't protest to the dwarfs stroking him, though they'll find his fur to be sticky and smelling of honey. Despite being sticky, the honey doesn't stick to Pookie's fur very well, so it doesn't pull his fur out. Just clogs their fingers up.

[5a Violista]

[Lake]

"Probably," the mermaid responds. "But somebody's got to do it. Giving up just because it would take a lot means nothing would get done." Coraline likes her own logic, so she's sticking with it.

Then, she adds: "If you lost someone you cared about, you probably wouldn't give up in finding them, either." But don't worry about not being as good at swimming as a mermaid: they've been swimming their whole lives. And I'm sure Anchor is better at swimming than the mermaid is at walking.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

"I-I wish it was that simple. I don't know how to make them leave, but, um, these sessions have been helping. Some of them have been much quieter. I don't think i-it's quite as simple for Lucy, a-and Jack hasn't been very, uh, happy about all this..." That last bit about Jack is new. That's the first time Sylvess has suggested anyone of the personalities are unhappy about this.

[Deathkeeper]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

Spako’s ears raise inquisitively.
”I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you mention Jack has an opinion on anything. I’m also fairly sure this is, at most, the second time you’ve ever mentioned him.” And Spako is fighting to remember if there was a first time.

[Recaiden]

[Lake]

"Probably," the mermaid responds. "But somebody's got to do it. Giving up just because it would take a lot means nothing would get done." Coraline likes her own logic, so she's sticking with it.

Then, she adds: "If you lost someone you cared about, you probably wouldn't give up in finding them, either." But don't worry about not being as good at swimming as a mermaid: they've been swimming their whole lives. And I'm sure Anchor is better at swimming than the mermaid is at walking.

Anchor was bad at walking for a long time too.

"I haven't given up." Even if it's completely impossible.
"I just mean there might be a faster way to find them than understanding everything about land."

[Morty]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

"What exactly are they saying? And I haven't heard much about this Jack either. Lucy seems to be your most prominent other self," Sophie observes.

[5a Violista]

[Lake]

"And neither have I:" Coraline stops swimming. "I've tried magic, I've tried divination, I've tried religion, I've tried asking and I've tried searching...I can't think of anything else that will work, but I don't want to give up, I refuse to just do nothing."

[Recaiden]

"Well, I mean, you haven't asked for my help or anything, but what if studying land doesn't work? Sometimes you have to stick with a technique to make progress."
If none of those approaches turned up any clues, well, that's pretty peculiar. It sounds like a conspiracy among the merpeople, or like the poor fiance is just gone.
Anchor swims a tiny bit closer to the mermaid.

[5a Violista]

Given how everyone seemed to just...give up after a certain point, all at the same time, it's very likely there's a conspiracy. Of course, Coraline doesn't suspect them because if you just accuse everybody of conspiracy then sooner or later you're going to be thought of as crazy.

"If it doesn't work," she says, "then...I don't know. Maybe I should just stick with it until it does, then," since Anchor just suggested sticking with a method that hasn't worked.

[Recaiden]

She meant a method that was less crazy, Coraline!
Anchor considers that for a moment, "Mhm. You might also want to revisit some of the old investigation techniques. Sometimes clues turn up on multiple fronts and all that."

[bc56]

Flight School

Sekhmet is waiting nervously. The half-fiend is sitting on a rock in the middle of a ring of small fires and melted snow just off the path. She's wearing a pair of black leggings and a blue backless top that contrasts with her red skin. Unfortunately, even though it leaves her wings free, it's not exactly good attire for the winter weather, and every once in a while, she shivers, and the fires around her flare in intensity. Her tail twitches nervously back and forth. She adjusts her ponytail and her glasses several times and stretches her wings out repeatedly. She's excited and worried, excited that she might finally learn how to fly, and worried she won't be able to. Geneva should be here soon, then they can start. At least the snow will be soft when she crashes.