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sticksandbones2024-05-03 05:05 pm
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in sticksandbones2024-05-03 05:05 pm
Entry tags:
- !event,
- !npc: beiwe,
- !npc: callan,
- !npc: moder,
- !npc: ourania,
- !npc: rusty,
- !npc: terho,
- !tdm,
- arknights: gnosis,
- arknights: mizuki,
- arknights: passenger,
- arknights: phantom,
- arknights: sesa,
- arknights: silverash,
- cookie run: affogato cookie,
- cookie run: clotted cream cookie,
- cookie run: dark cacao cookie,
- cookie run: pure vanilla cookie,
- cookie run: sparkling cookie,
- cookie run: timekeeper cookie,
- elsword: ain,
- elsword: harque ebalon,
- gravity falls: dipper pines,
- original: felicity morais,
- original: kiera canorus,
- original: luca aurelius,
- the owl house: hunter,
- the world ends with you: beat,
- the world ends with you: joshua,
- trigun: livio,
- trigun: nai,
- trigun: vash,
- trigun: wolfwood,
- trigun: zazie the beast
EVENT & TDM 012
IT'S GONNA BE MAY
WAKE UP
You open your eyes, and with a jolt, find yourself within the clearing of a miniscule town surrounded by trees and thick, black fog. Despite the ominous backdrop, nature seems to be thriving — it’s a pleasantly chill spring day, as far as anyone can tell, and everything is vibrant and blooming… even some of the animals. At some point, a friendly old dog with red fur approaches, carrying a basket in his jaws. Inside are blackberries and apples other fruits. Did he find this himself? Or did someone give them to him to bring to new arrivals? Regardless, he very clearly hopes that you’ll share.
A giant golden brown turtle sits by a tent, napping in the sunlight. Two statues sit in the courtyard by an old well — a haloed woman marked as the Goddess of the Sun, Beiwe, and a gentle woman looking adoringly at her counterpart, marked as the Goddess of the Moon, Ourania. If you pay your respects, the air feels gentle and warm in the day, and like a fresh cool breeze at night.
As you explore more, perhaps the bloomed animals will approach — a mossy squirrel, or a frog who happens to also be a lilypad. It’s charming, almost. Whimsical and kind.
Shame that the wall of fog looms ever on, watching. Waiting.
A giant golden brown turtle sits by a tent, napping in the sunlight. Two statues sit in the courtyard by an old well — a haloed woman marked as the Goddess of the Sun, Beiwe, and a gentle woman looking adoringly at her counterpart, marked as the Goddess of the Moon, Ourania. If you pay your respects, the air feels gentle and warm in the day, and like a fresh cool breeze at night.
As you explore more, perhaps the bloomed animals will approach — a mossy squirrel, or a frog who happens to also be a lilypad. It’s charming, almost. Whimsical and kind.
Shame that the wall of fog looms ever on, watching. Waiting.
SHINING, SHIMMERING, SPLENDID
cw: hallucinations, compulsions, near-death experiences
For a while, spring seems gentle, almost. Peaceful. The previous month may have been full of jokes, but things are actually safe. Of course, that can’t last forever. Every night, a purple, shimmering mist floods the town. It does not breach the doors and windows, even if left open, but looking at it is… enticing.
Should you give in, the mist is cool and gentle, swaying around you like smoke. The longer you stay in, the more your eyes feel blissfully heavy. Soon, you find yourself surrounded by loved ones, in a place that brings you joy — a childhood home, a vacation spot, some place warm and safe and dear to your heart. Everyone is playing and having so much fun. Join them! Join them!
Of course, by the time you do jump into the fun, you’ll find yourself awakened with a start, just about to fall into danger. Perhaps you climbed a tree and were about to leap to the ground from too high up. Or maybe you stuck your head in the river and your lungs were about to empty. Regardless, the happy dream shatters with imminent danger, and perhaps you’d better hope that someone else is nearby to help you. … Especially since with each night you give in, the more enticing the mist is the next night.
For a while, spring seems gentle, almost. Peaceful. The previous month may have been full of jokes, but things are actually safe. Of course, that can’t last forever. Every night, a purple, shimmering mist floods the town. It does not breach the doors and windows, even if left open, but looking at it is… enticing.
Should you give in, the mist is cool and gentle, swaying around you like smoke. The longer you stay in, the more your eyes feel blissfully heavy. Soon, you find yourself surrounded by loved ones, in a place that brings you joy — a childhood home, a vacation spot, some place warm and safe and dear to your heart. Everyone is playing and having so much fun. Join them! Join them!
Of course, by the time you do jump into the fun, you’ll find yourself awakened with a start, just about to fall into danger. Perhaps you climbed a tree and were about to leap to the ground from too high up. Or maybe you stuck your head in the river and your lungs were about to empty. Regardless, the happy dream shatters with imminent danger, and perhaps you’d better hope that someone else is nearby to help you. … Especially since with each night you give in, the more enticing the mist is the next night.
DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY
At some point, the mist is forcibly dissipated and instead the moon shines brightly, almost like a spotlight. Investigation will reveal an absurdly large capybara that seems more like a vehicle than an animal, even with the jasmine flowers hanging off of it, siting down with the ‘door’ accessible to anyone willing to climb in.
“Come with me, and I will bring you to a night of festivities.” is all that it says when asked. And it knows that you will — you’re all curious as kittens, after all. Once the last person takes a fuzzy seat within the capybara, it slowly stands up and begins walking through the woods, and for the first time, everything seems peaceful. Normal, even. Why, there’s not even a monster or misshapen, grabby tree! Just a moonlit forest, and fireflies in the distance.
Eventually it brings you to a small but beautiful cabin, crouching down to let everyone out again. Outside is a layer of marble surrounded by pillars decorated with sheer fabrics and an abundance of lilies and calendula, jasmine and marigolds, hydrangeas and gladiolus. A buffet table has also been spread out, and within the cabin are changing rooms with a multitude of ornate gowns and suits, alongside sitting rooms and other potential necessities — though you get the feeling that you should still be on your best behavior here.
Gentle music plays from an unknown source. The capybara is resting, until it’s time to leave come sunrise. For one night, everything is at peace. You may as well enjoy it, and dance to your heart’s content.
“Come with me, and I will bring you to a night of festivities.” is all that it says when asked. And it knows that you will — you’re all curious as kittens, after all. Once the last person takes a fuzzy seat within the capybara, it slowly stands up and begins walking through the woods, and for the first time, everything seems peaceful. Normal, even. Why, there’s not even a monster or misshapen, grabby tree! Just a moonlit forest, and fireflies in the distance.
Eventually it brings you to a small but beautiful cabin, crouching down to let everyone out again. Outside is a layer of marble surrounded by pillars decorated with sheer fabrics and an abundance of lilies and calendula, jasmine and marigolds, hydrangeas and gladiolus. A buffet table has also been spread out, and within the cabin are changing rooms with a multitude of ornate gowns and suits, alongside sitting rooms and other potential necessities — though you get the feeling that you should still be on your best behavior here.
Gentle music plays from an unknown source. The capybara is resting, until it’s time to leave come sunrise. For one night, everything is at peace. You may as well enjoy it, and dance to your heart’s content.
SPARK NOTES
CLICK TO EXPAND!
WAKE UP
Welcome to Aldric's Grove! The fog wall is a little creepy, but worry not: A dog has brought you a snack, and the plant-bearing wildlife are pretty friendly. If you've been here for a while, no worry: You, too, are getting a basket of treats from the dog.
SHINING, SHIMMERING, SPLENDID
A purple mist fills the Grove at night, and stepping into it makes you experience a euphoric dream... shortly before you wake up because you nearly walked into death. Be careful, because the mists are addicting, and you may not have an easy time avoiding their temptation the following nights.
DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY
For one night, the mists clear up and peace settles over the forest. A giant capybara gleefully takes everyone to the site of a grand dance, where the clothing and food are all free, and the music swells with joy. Dance your hearts out until dawn breaks, and then the capybara will take you back home.
OOC
Happy May! This is a reminder that TDMs are game canon. Enjoy your dreams, enjoy your prom night, enjoy the capybara. OOC Plotting Lives Here if you'd like to plot anything out!
UPDATES
❖ None yet!
I
Are you new here? Do you need help?
time for fwens!
Haha, wow! You just didn't care I did that! Used to it? Don't need help but I am new here!
[ He swings their clasped hands, amused. ]
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[ Mizuki's also liable to do weird things. He's often getting very odd responses to things he says and believes are totally normal. So, uh, clearly there's just some things he doesn't understand, and he's decided that's fine, and that he doesn't need to. He'll gladly keep his hands swaying with Zazie's. How fun~! He doesn't usually get to meet too many people who are this delightful. ]
That's understandable! It's nice to meet you, anyway. I'm Mizuki! I've been here for a bit, so if you have any questions, you can just let me know.
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[ Their hand is cool. Could be a Water Plant but there's something super off. Bugs buzz around them, a few landing on them, sorry about the smalls walking along you, Mizuki, as Zazie learns. ]
Oh super, nice to meet you too! They call me Zazie, and call us "Worms". We're really more like bugs, mind you. They just call us worms in the ground and bugs in the air.
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Mmh, no, not a plant. I know the leaves in my hair might be deceiving. I'm a sea jelly. Who gave you that name? Are you, like... a bunch of worms in a fleshy trenchcoat? [ Mizuki- ] I get it. Sort of. Our trenchcoat is sort of metaphorical, though, and not physical. It's harder for Us to provide a home so far from here, though.
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[ That makes him laugh because Mizuki isn't far off? And he catches that Us too, it's the same way he uses it. Hivemind! His masks pops on and the wings unfurl from it, beating rapidly like a dragonflies to lift him into the air. He doesn't let go of Mizuki's hand though, instead breaking apart into all those bugs.
They swarm around Mizuki but don't hurt him. Instead a few land on him, one crawls from his hand onto his wrist and sits there, wings vibrating. The other's simply hover or circle, their underbellies glowing bright green. ]
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Oh? Oh, there's wings now-- Oh they work! There's a few rapid blinks from Mizuki as he tries to figure out, maybe, if he had said something wrong, and this was Zazie's way of saying "bye". Maybe being called a fleshy trenchcoat was offensive? ...He supposes that's fair, actually. But before he can start to put together an apology for there, the hand he's holding onto isn't there, and there's just bugs. Just a lot of bugs.
Fascinating. Truly, he's met such remarkable people here. Mizuki holds his other arm out to allow for more perches to be available for the worms. ]
Ehehe, I see~! [ Hello, glowy bugs. Mizuki glows right back with a blue bioluminescence of his own. ] In that case, it's very nice to meet all of you! How incredible that you've evolved in such a way you can make yourselves look like person and imitate speech. Our kin couldn't do that for some time on Our own.
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The bugs land on the offered space, wings beating in a wave, their own melody and rhythm. Zazie's voice comes from them, the underlying hum forming it. The way they pulsate, the way their wings vibrate. ]
It took us a few years as well. We met Knives as the first alien being on our planet. He treated us with respect, understanding he was on our home. We formed Zazie to be our Conduit, to better focus our thoughts, to speak with him.
[ The swarm moves again to settle in front of Mizuki and forms back into Zazie, who tucks their arms behind their head to grin at Mizuki. ]
Are you Many as One? Or One as Many? I have not met someone else who can network like us!
[ Swarm portraying, or individually connected by the whole, like their various forms. ]
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Mizuki puts his arms back down when the worms have flown off of him, shifting his weight from foot to foot with the same polite smile. Mizuki would be lying if he said this was his first other hivemind he'd met, but it's a little disorienting to meet another one all the same and have it confirmed so fast, too. He had sooooo many questions he could feel bubbling up to his mind, but he didn't want to completely overwhelm them, right? He wanted to know how it worked, if they were completely in tune with one another, if they held onto their individuality, if they felt whole.
But he swallows that all back. ]
Many as One. Those outside of Our kin call Us Seaborn. We refer to Ourselves as We Many. [ Mizuki gives his head a little bow downward. ] Were you often not often treated with respect, then?
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[ Have your hand taken again Mizuki, finally someone doing it first. Holding hands is funny, they like it, it's amusing and human.
The question makes them laugh. ]
We are the ecosystem. We are everything. Humans weren't able to understand us to be able to treat us with respect. They hunted us when they needed food. Used us for their clothing, their vices. They're stumbling, brief things, and we thought they would fade out, so we didn't mind when they took. But they sure do build. And breed.
[ And in the few "short" years, they were building large cities, building lives. But would they have been good in the long run? They lift Mizuki's hand, admiring the fact human "fronts" seem to look alike throughout the system. Same amount of fingers! ]
Is this you or is this an illusion? Was Mizuki created to speak to the humans, like I was?
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[ Funnily enough, Mizuki was seconds from picking up his own hand to try and grab Zazie's again. When they initiated it instead, though?? Completely wild. No one ever does that, what the fuck?? Mizuki just ends up staring at their hands with something halfway between delighted and shocked. An innocent sort of wonder that only 'Mizuki' feels. He's allowed his emotions, after all. His will. His individualism. As much as he may not care for it. But who could deny him his little giggle of joy? ]
Ohh? That sounds a bit like what We dealt with, too. A sharing of territory that turned to too much being taken by humans... [ And it's something that lead to contention between the Firstborn, so it's not exactly easy for We Many to go explaining the rest of it without conflicting information. Fortunately, Mizuki just opts to move on. ] No, I'm really here! I can make illusions, and I can camouflage and stuff, but I'm here. I wasn't always Seaborn, but I am now, so I learned how to speak before joining We Many. We tend not to need to speak to those outside of the Collective, but... uh, well, I like to!
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Is it like Earth? The humans planet before they went space faring? I hear that ones pretty much water too. Or, was. Before they destroyed it.
[ The giggle of joy makes Zazie grin, and they spin the other hivemind around. Without the older worms, their hivemind is younger. There's... things here, for sure, that are old. Old old old. But they haven't reached them, and won't for a while. And their new ones are growing, adapting. So the childishness is enhanced. But that's all right.
They mmhmm - that sounds like humans all right. ]
Oooh, I get it! It would be like if a human joined Us. They would have been outside first, but Us in the end. Hey! How do others join the Seaborn?
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Compositionally, maybe. I’m sure it was made to be inhabitable like Earth. The planet was a terraforming project, though.
[ Despite Mizuki’s distance from the Firstborn, his connection doesn’t really feel all that weak, so he’s got that going for him…? Depending on what your feelings about having Eldritch deities in your head is, maybe. The sea jelly is certainly fine with it. He’s even being spun now!
Oh, it’s been too long since he’s been able to be childish and silly with someone he’s just met, though. The serotonin is way up, thanks. ]
Mhm, exactly. One has to consume enough of our vestige if they wanna join Us.
[ And if Zazie stops spinning with him at any point, he’s getting tugged so they both go tumbling back into the grass. ]
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They will stop spinning cause they're getting dizzy - giving yourself an inner ear tends to do that - and they get flung into the grass with a giggle of their own. They'll lay there and grab their head to stop the spinning, woo. ]
So if we eat you, we'll be Seaborn? Or worms still. Sea worms. We know humans eating us doesn't turn humans into Us, it would have been really helpful for their species to adapt.
[ And kind of funny, really. Can't even say it's because they cook them, Wolfwood being the little freak he is and eating their eyes whole. Though that might have been because of the treatment.
Hm! Time to test it! They tilt their head back and dip their fingers into their mouth, their tongue becoming coated in a thick goo that helps the removal of a rather large bug. Long bug. The goo dries quickly and soon there's a new bug. Gross. They then hold it out to Mizuki, with a grin. ]
Wanna help Us test something? I want to see if eating Us without being a weirdo like the Punisher and not cooked, will have you join Us a little. I doubt one little (lmao) bug will do anything but let you hear us, though.
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Aaaand another bug being pulled out of their mouth. Haha gross. He feels like he'd be a lot less accepted as a Seaborn if he went around pulling babies out of his mouth. He still willingly takes the bug and pops it into his mouth without question. He doesn't think it's going to work, but who is he to turn down free food? He's put weirder shit in his mouth. Like a fucking rock-
Still, he does his best to crunch the bug to kill it fast without actually causing it all that much pain. Does it hurt? How do bugs work...? He's not sure if it'll work or not, considering Seaborn tend not to assimilate with that's that they deem detrimental to the Collective, but maybe it's fine? ]
What should I be listenin' for?
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[ They wait until the eye is devoured, then close theirs. Hm. Can they hear anything? See anything from Mizuki? Feel anything? No, as they thought. Maybe they would have to actually infest the other. ]
Do you hear us? We sound like a tiny buzzing sound. Most humans can't hear it. Oh, you're not human though, could you hear it before?
[ They didn't consider that, they're not used to non-humans or Plants, and Mizuki is neither. Oh well, if anything, Mizuki got the chance to eat a worm and hey! That's apparently a hit back home so why not here. ]
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Lead with that next time, Zazie.It wouldn't be the first time he's put something potentially poisonous in his mouth, anyway. Truly, Mizuki doesn't know fear when it comes to food. And, alas, nothing really happens. Perhaps that's not a surprise, when We Many outright reject assimilation with things that they can't bring into their own, or deem detrimental. This is more than former than the latter, of course. But it was worth a shot, anyway!Mizuki closes his eyes to listen, though. He hears... well, the usual. The deep ocean, the sound of the tides, the whispers of the Firstborn, the anguish of the Arbor... Nothing new, though. His hearing is a little better than the average person, but only because he has to hear things underwater. He does try to cup a hand around one of his ears, anyway, and truly tries to listen. ]
...I think I hear it...? [ He doesn't. ] That might just be my imagination, actually...
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Oh well, it was worth a shot. Too bad things can't be so easy. We could have just assimilated the humans and not had to worry about anything.
[ They throw themselves onto their back, tucking their arms under their head. Pap pap pap. ]
... Sooooooo? How'd it taste? Come on, you gotta tell me, worms don't process it the same way humans do.
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Mizuki flips himself onto his stomach and puts his chin in his hands, kicking his legs up in the air to the same rhythm as Zazie. Pap pap pap… ]
Oh, I think the same, but for some reason humans value their individuality, so it’s not that easy. [ “for some reason” ]
You can’t? I guess that makes sense. Y’don’t have taste buds or nothin’. Do you have any sort of preference for food, though? I know bees and ants like sugary things — are worms similar?
And I liked it! The wings were a weird texture uncooked, but the taste was still good. A bit like a somewhat juicy nut? I think if I had baked it with some salt and added a bit of cheese, it would’ve tasted perfect.
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[ They sigh and stare up at the ... black sky. Really, there should be stars up there, right? It feels like being in a cave, almost. If it wasn't so damp, it would feel like home. ]
Taste buds are an evolutionary disadvantage. And this form was merely illusion until I came here, so "tastes" are still a unique experience to me. As for food, it was whatever we could get! We made up the entirety of our world. We were our world. We flew in the skies, we swam through the sand, we crawled and died on the surface. We at ourselves. Humans when they arrived.
[ The heck are bees and ants. Wait, no, they know ants, they can feel a bunch in a nest nearby. Very very tiny. Very quiet, hard to hear. ]
We can try again later, then, with your cheese and salt. I want to taste too.
[ And they reach over to grab Mizuki's hand, bring it up to their mouth, and bite. It's a shockingly gentle bite at any rate. They're mostly licking. Expression super thoughtful. They are Conferring.]
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Stuff like that. [ Y'know. Torture. For science. He never did these things to Mizuki, of course. He might've not been a very good person in the eyes of others, but he was a fantastic adoptive dad. ] That said, though, I like having friends and being in love and stuff. Without that, I wouldn't have anyone to play games with, or have anyone to hold. [ Sorry, Zazie, you're just Wrong about this part, actually, and Mizuki won't change his mind about it.
Anyway, can't wait to show Zazie the biblically accurate bees. ]
Oh, but you do have them here? That's actually very exciting. I can't wait to show you what you've been missing out on. Good food is easily the most important thing, as most species are happy to have it, regardless.
Also I don't think that's going to be very tasty. I'm flattered, though~ Ehe... would you really like to try a part of me, even after what I said before about assimilation and such?
no subject
Can't relate. Even in our early days we've never known emotions.
[ Yet, by creating Zazie, they've been experiencing them bit by bit. Boredom, amusement, annoyance, curiosity. But aren't those just basic emotions? Nothing higher like love, friendship, loyalty. Those are weaknesses. ]
You taste- [ No, they have no ready words for the taste. Good, bad, that's irrelevant and they wouldn't know what tastes good or bad anyways. What does damp taste like? ] - ah! You kind of taste like the thing in the clear cold sand I ate. [ Fish. Just less crunchy and meaty.
That gets them to sit up though, looking intrigued. ]
Yes! We want to learn.
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Mizuki doesn't lament this. Rather, he's more focused on Zazie's excitement. More specifically, Zazie's willingness to try Mizuki. There's not many who like to, and even when they do, they're less curious and joyful and more... just sinister, really. It catches him off guard and Mizuki... flusters? Just a bit. His cheeks are just a little bit darker hue and his shy giggling is there. It's fine, don't worry about it, he's just having a whole moment of "Holy shit, someone really wants to cannibalize me~??"
You know. Like a freakass.
Anyway, Mizuki takes the harpooned tip of his umbrella and holds it out to catch one of the camouflaged tendrils, slicing it off and revealing the inky black tentacle that oozes a viscus slime. It's about the size of Mizuki's forearm, and he offers over the piece to Zazie. ]
Here~
no subject
Weird weird weird.
They take their hands back and watch as Mizuki uses his umbrella, oooh'ing and clapping as they slice and a tendril appears, then takes it to investigate it. And like a child, they use all their senses. They sniff, they squeeze it, they move it around to look at it. ]
Wow, this was on you? We never had to figure out camouflage like that, we blend into the sands.
[ Have the most disturbing voring of this tentacle in the world, as Zazie simply tilts their head back and opens their mouth. Unhinges almost, as their body is malleable, and slides the tentacle in like a damn sword swallower. Their throat doesn't even flex to swallow, because there's no need. They're bugs. They begin to break down and process the piece instantly, their eyes closed. ]
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As for the noodle... it's better cooked, of course, but Mizuki's stingers are very pointedly good tasting. It's like the biggest reason he puts them in his meat dishes so frequently. There's a sweetness that's hard to pinpoint, even.
Mizuki sets his head down to the grass when he's let go, a big stupid grin as Zazie investigates the tendril. ] Mmh, We tend to rapidly evolve to suit Our surroundings. We take on many shapes to suit Our needs and help with Our preservation. [ He flickers out of sight entirely like a glitch, with static and low quality artifacts to boot, before he reappears a few seconds later, this time on the other side of Zazie, lying down on his back with his hands folded over his stomach, and the same dumb smile. ]
Humans tend to get dayterrors if they stare at my stingers for too long, so I try to keep them hidden so they don't get upset. Maybe you don't have to worry about that, though?
[ But, you know, surprisingly, there aren't any Seaborn that unhinge their whole jaw to eat something. There's leviathans big enough to open their mouth just a little and they could still eat a whole boat, and seaborn with essentially crocodile jaws, and seaborn that spit acid to dissolve their food and slorp up the people soup, but not this. Mizuki is fascinated, thanks. ]
...You Worms are so cool. [ High praise! He'd like you to meet Sesa, the other coolest person he knows- ]
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