Just Keeping Swimming | March Planet Mingle

[thespaceopera]

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

Comments

[experiencepoints]

[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...?

[huaaaaagh]

[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?

[experiencepoints]

[she sounds like she's crying, so]

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

[huaaaaagh]

[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.

[experiencepoints]

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...[

[huaaaaagh]

[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.

[experiencepoints]

[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.]

[huaaaaagh]

[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.]

[experiencepoints]

[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.

[huaaaaagh]

[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.]

[experiencepoints]

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

I- I should have at least warned you.

[huaaaaagh]

...Probably, but I can't blame you for not wanting to. I doubt I'd have said anything if it was me.

[Pride is part of it, or the desire to look stronger than you feel. Maybe it's just the willpower to be stronger. "If I believe I can hide it, no one has to know."

Whatever the motive, it's understandable.]

What is it?

[experiencepoints]

... I'm afraid of water.

[It sounds pathetic when she says it like that, even to her own ears. Small, and meek, and each breath is another that fills her lungs with water, and terrifies her all over again.]

[huaaaaagh]

Afraid of... water?

[Okay you might need to give him a little more than that.]

[experiencepoints]

Yeah. Pathetic, isn't it?

[The old memories, the old fears, all coming out, are bringing out her old perceptions of herself. She's better than she used to be, but a sudden shock like this hit her slowly-built-up self-confidence hard.]

[huaaaaagh]

I dunno about that. Aren't fears supposed to be irrational? To other people it might look that way, but there must be a reason for it.

[experiencepoints]

[She tries to breathe deeply, but stops- Breathing in the water, no matter that it works, still freaks her out.]

... That's definitely not a story I want to tell sober, or you want to hear sober.

[huaaaaagh]

We can save it for later, if you're not comfortable.

[This place isn't exactly private. And he sure as hell isn't carrying any booze.]

I just... don't know how else to help you. Should I get Opal?

[experiencepoints]

Wait-! Let me- Let me calm down first-

[opal would help a lot, but on the other hand, she doesn't want opal to see her freaking out like this. she wants to look cool for the gf :(]

[huaaaaagh]

Okay, okay, hang on. Let's- maybe if you sit down first, get your feet on solid ground or something.

[He'll try guiding them down to the ground beneath them. For an underwater area, it's surprisingly... normal down here, now that he has a chance to look. Lived in, well-lit, not some undersea cave.]

[experiencepoints]

[She nods, and kicks off towards the ground. Perhaps surprisingly, for someone who is scared of water, she's surprisingly good in an environment like this, moving around with no issue.]

[huaaaaagh]

[He manages to track down a bench, which he carefully guides them towards and sits her down. Between her actually swimming with him and the wings speeding them along, it only takes a minute. Once she's settled, he crouches beside her, silently offering his hand out in support. If she needs some time to calm down, or talk it out, Opal can wait.]

[experiencepoints]

[She takes his hand and holds it. Human contact helps. A lot. And he's warm, the water's warm- Much warmer than what she was afraid of.]

... Sorry. It was just- It was so sudden...

[huaaaaagh]

It's okay, don't push yourself. There's no reason to rush.

[experiencepoints]

[She nods.]

... Still... I'm sorry.