driftfleet | Just Keeping Swimming

Just Keeping Swimming | March Planet Mingle

Who: Everyone!
Broadcast: If you want!
Action: Anywhere on Mafik
When: The month of March

[Welcome to Mafik, the water world! Hope you brought your best swimming gear and don't have a paralyzing fear of water, because that's all that's here! So get out those wet suits and enjoy life under the sea!

In other words, it's a mingle! ]

> System Information

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No, but I equip robes. I'd look like a drowned ghost or something, and it'd be hard to move.

Is there any way to tie back the parts that might cause you trouble?

[He knows exactly squat about robes, but she just described exactly why he neither wears them or bothers with mage class. ...Well, one of the reasons, anyway.]

... I don't think so. Not in any way that wouldn't restrict movement.

[she hasn't seen the wetsuits yet, because she hasn't even tried to go out. but even so, she's starting to put her hair in a braid now.]

[Oof. Well, he's useless with hair, so he goes to stand against the wall, waiting for her.]

We... could cross that bridge when we come to it, I guess.

I... guess. We can try, anyway.

[She braids it pretty quickly, and then ties it up in a loop so it doesn't float out behind her.]

Do you know where these dungeons are?

I don't have a specific quest point yet, so I figured we could check around. Supposedly there's a bunch of them out in the wild. I'm sure we can find one easy enough!

If you say so...

['wander and look for a quest' sounds like a terrible plan underwater

but ok]

Lead the way, then.

[WOO HOO BLACK MAGE: GET]

Awesome, follow me!

[Now we just need the rest of the roster and they'll be golden...]

[Well. Sort of golden. Because she's following him, and once she sees that wetsuit, she's equipping it immediately.

The problem is, once they're dropped in the water, she... well, see the toplevel. Shrieking, flailing, very obvious panic attack, all of that.

She's swinging her staff like she's trying to seriously injure anyone in its radius, so good luck, Kirito.]

[Fun fact: his luck stat is super shit. He turns towards her as soon as she starts shrieking, worried, and immediately gets smacked right in the forehead with the staff.

Thank goodness she's a mage, but still- owwww.]

N-Nightingale...!

[...wow, wait, he heard that. He hears her. This water is super weird!!]

[She doesn't appear to have heard him. Instead, her staff is now on fire as she flails it.

Also, in her panic, she seems to think Kirito is an enemy.

Good luck.]

[Wow, that. That sure is fire. Underwater. What the hell, magic.

He doesn't particularly want to fight, but he can't have her hurting anyone else around them, so he hastily draws one of the swords at his back and blocks her next swing, shoving back against the staff to try and unbalance her.]

Night- hey! Listen, it's me! It's Kirito!

[What the hell is she screaming about?]

[MAGIC'S AWESOME

is what she would say if she was coherent. Instead, she's just got her eyes wide, and if he is looking closely, completely unfocused- Whatever she's seeing is in her own head, not what's around her.

His parry works, and she's off-balance, but it's not stopping her from flailing wildly. Her screaming is mostly wordless, just panic, but occasionally, there's a mutter of 'choose' under it all. Surely that's not relevant.]

[Ugh, okay, this isn't working so well. Time for a more forceful approach. He mutters a swift apology, batting aside her staff again with more force. With her off-balance a second time, he summons his wings to speed up his movement, flipping over her through the water and wrapping around her from behind, pinning her arms to her sides.]

Hey! Hey! Take it easy, stop fighting! You're okay!

[She's grabbed easily- Any of her normal fighting prowess or intelligence are all gone. She's operating entirely on fear. She just struggles futilely, unable to even speak.

But panic burns itself out eventually, and if Kirito holds onto her for a few minutes, her struggling becomes weaker, and eventually stops.]

... Kirito...?

[He doesn't let go, even though she's no longer struggling, but he does ease his grip a little as she calls his name.]

...Hey. You back to yourself again?

[she sounds like she's crying, so]

Air- Please, air- Take me back up-!

[Ohgod. Why do girls always end up crying when he's around.]

Hey- take it easy, you're safe here. You can breathe in this- it's magic or something. They dropped us down, so I don't know how to get us back up yet. Just... try breathing.

I- I can't- I'm-

[She's trying to breath. She knows she can breathe, she's talking, after all.

But she can feel the water over her head again. She can see the glass wall in front of her. Even if it's not real, even if it's only a memory...[

[Ahhh, geez. Alright, this is serious, whatever it is. Beyond just the shock of falling in, she's actually genuinely freaking out.]

Okay... listen, I'm gonna let go. Don't start fighting, I'm still right here.

[Very carefully he moves his body to release her from behind and turn her around to face him instead, keeping his hands on her arms so she's supported and floating near him instead of drifting away. He doesn't know what's going on, but seeing her face to face gives him a better idea.]

Focus on me, okay? Watch me. I'm breathing- in, out. We'll do it together.

[She screws her eyes shut, and under her breath, she whispers one name aloud: "Bluebird..."

But after that, she opens her eyes again, looking at him, and the fear is evident in her eyes.]

I... O- Okay. Please...

[She doesn't even know what she wants to say there. Please don't be upset. Please don't leave her alone.

Please don't let her drown again.

Her eyes wide and fear evident, she still watches, breathing with him, slowly calming down.]

[Bluebird... something to do with her team, then. Another memory that's hard to unpack.]

...Yeah. It's okay, I've got you.

[It doesn't really matter what she's asking for. He keeps breathing for her, with her, in and out, in and out, his eyes on hers so she has something else to focus on.]

[After a few minutes, it's worked. She's gone from panic to... well, she still looks scared, but calmer now. And tired. The panic's burned itself out, and now she kind of just wants to pass out on the spot.]

... I'm sorry.

[She doesn't look so good, so he keeps holding on to her, just in case.]

You don't need to apologize. You couldn't help it.

[It's not even a question; he knows what a panic attack looks like. He's seen it in the mirror enough times already.]

[She looks away, but the contact is honestly helping, and she is definitely not pulling away.]

I- I should have at least warned you.

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