[Action: Open]

[schoolingfish]

WHO: Luca and you!
WHERE: Somewhere in the city
WHEN: Right after Luca's arrival
WHAT: He just got out of the labyrinth, found a weird device with directions on how to use it, and he's trying to figure out what's going on
WARNINGS: Fear of extreme isolation and mentions of whale carcass


Luca doesn't know how he got here. One moment he's on Genova, the next he's suddenly deep underwater. He's never been to the part of the sea he finds himself in before, but he instantly knows where he is, because it's exactly how he pictured it. The Deep.

It's dark. Completely pitch black, nothing to see. Nothing to hear, either. It's quiet, incredibly quiet, enough to make him feel alone and isolated because clearly there aren't any other sea monsters around. He doesn't even hear any other fish or sea life around to catch his interest. There's just...nothing to see or do, just endless emptiness with nothing to engage him but his thoughts...and the smell of rotting whale meat that seems to permeate the water.

Why is he here? He was in Genova, on land. His parents had gone back on this, they weren't going to send him here. He shouldn't be here!

Terrified, not of any imminent threat because there certainly doesn't seem to be one, but of being trapped in this place while he slowly goes mad from the endless monotony, living off the bits and pieces of floating whale carcass that he feels brush past his skin as they float past, he screams.

"No! No, no, no, no, no! I'm not supposed to be here!" he yells out to no one, because no one's there to hear.

Luca then takes off, desperately swimming up to escape the Deep, even though he can't see any signs of even the slightest sliver of light piercing the darkness to indicate that he might be escaping.

He's in such a frenzied panic that he doesn't even know how he ends up reaching land, only that he finds himself in a new place he's never been before. He quickly shakes himself off to remove any remaining droplets of water, triggering his transformation back into his human form. Still trembling slightly from the sheer panic of thinking he'd be trapped in the Deep, he looks around and spots a nearby bench and decides to have a seat. That's when he notices the strange, rectangular device next to where he's sitting, and under the device is a little booklet with directions on it's use. Strange...why would something like this just be left here? Is it for anyone to just pick up and use? It must be, because why else would someone leave it with step by step instructions on how to use it?

Curious, Luca picks up and starts messing with the strange device, following the instructions to try and understand it.

Comments

[letmewin]

Asriel is about to answer his first question, only... how could he not pause when he's asked about the humans here? This person looks very much human to him, but so did Alberto.

More than that, he can't help but feel sympathy for any monster who's had run-ins with humans that didn't turn out well. He's had his own share of experiences with humans who thought that monsters were dangerous.

"... No." He shakes his head. "The humans here don't seem to want to hurt monsters. I've met some kind ones, even if it was kind of scary to be around so many at first."

He stops for a moment before taking a seat next to Luca, paw-like hands pressing against the bench - feet dangling inches away from the ground.

"I met someone who said they were a monster, but... they looked an awful lot like a human at first. Are you a sea monster like them?"

[schoolingfish]

"Oh! Well, that's good!"

He's definitely glad to hear that. Sure, everything back home turned out great in the end, but he'd rather not be chased by another harpoon wielding jerk to get to that point here, too. Luca freezes when this other monster correctly guesses that he's a sea monster, though. He'd thought he was being discreet. Lots of humans would ask about how the humans in a given place would be, right? But then...he says he met another sea monster...Luca's curious, though he knows it's a long shot to think that the sea monster this guy would have met would be anyone he'd have known.

"How did you know? And...there's another sea monster here?

[letmewin]

"Oh, uhm -- it was kind of a lucky guess, heehee." Asriel offers a bright smile, kicking his feet back and forth.

"I have a friend who's a lot like you. Even though he looks a lot like other humans, he's actually a sea monster."

It was surprising, at first. In fact, Asriel had his doubts that he was in fact a monster. After all, he's never seen a monster that looks so much like a human. The monsters at home were all so unique -- whether it be in appearance or size.

"Gosh, maybe the both of you came from the same place!"

[schoolingfish]

"Oh?"

There are lots of sea monsters in the world. There's no reason to think it's anyone Luca's ever met, much less reason to think it's someone close to him, and yet...and yet...

Even if it's a stranger, this is great news. He's glad to know he's not alone in this place. At the same time, there's part of him that's hoping this isn't just a coincidence.

"Maybe! What's his name? I'll tell you if it's someone I know!"

[letmewin]

"His name is Alberto! I never met a sea monster before, but -- maybe there's a lot more of them where you're from."

And Asriel is familiar with the monsters at home to the point where he can point out where each monster lives -- their name and story. He's lived a long enough life to do so despite how old he actually looks.

[schoolingfish]

"Alberto?" he asks, shocked that it's not only someone he knows, but someone so important to him. Shock soon gives way to excitement. "I know him! He's my best friend!"

[letmewin]

He feels strange upon hearing those words -- a mixture of both happiness and jealousy. He can't imagine the relief and happiness he feels when he knows that his best friend is here. Asriel knows that it's nothing he'll really be familiar with himself.

But... he's happy for him all the same. That in itself is more than enough for him to push away any negativity he feels right now. After all, this isn't about him -- it's about his newfound friend here, and the person who seemed anxious only moments ago.

"Really? Gosh, that's great! I bet he'll be really happy to see you!"

[schoolingfish]

"Oh, yeah, definitely! I can't wait to see him! How's he doing? He's not all alone, is he? I don't want him to be alone here."

After all, Alberto was on his own long enough as far as Luca's concerned and he'd hate to think he ended up in the same situation he was in before because of some weird magic. But then, he realizes, Alberto wouldn't be in the same situation as before, because he's in a place filled with people and Luca knows he already made at least one friend.

"Well, I guess if he had you he's probably been fine!"

[letmewin]

Asriel looks a bit sheepish at that. It takes him a moment to answer Luca.

"Gosh, well... you don't have to worry - even if Alberto and I hadn't met, I don't think he'd feel lonely here. There's a lot of really nice people here."

It's one thing that Asriel's noticed. Even if Asriel's situation has been fairly confusing to others -- having come from the Underground and all -- that hasn't stopped anyone from wanting to help him.

[schoolingfish]

"Yeah, you're right. And it's not like Alberto's shy. If there are people around to meet, he will meet them."

Still, Luca's glad to know Alberto knows at least one person he doesn't have to hide what he is from, because he knows that can be tough sometimes.

[letmewin]

"Yeah, you're right! I-I think... that's part of why we were able to become friends so quickly."

Alberto was so friendly -- and... well, straight-forward. His energy could be overwhelming at times, but Asriel knows that he means well.

"I was-- really scared when I first got here. But, he helped a lot."

[schoolingfish]

"Oh, yeah. Alberto's great at that. He helped me get over my fears when I first met him!"

Luca knows he'd never have been brave enough to go to the human town without him. Or to leave the water at all, for that matter.

[letmewin]

"It sounds like the both of you made a really good team."

Asriel responds softly.

"I had a best friend like that, too -- so... uhm... I know how much fun it can be when you have someone like that by your side."

[schoolingfish]

"Oh yeah. Together we can do anything."

He'd believed it when Alberto first told him that, and everything they saw and experienced since them only confirmed it.

"Oh? Maybe your friend will show up here, too!"

At least, he hopes so. He'd hate to think of someone stuck here without their best friend, after all, because he knows how much it hurt to be separated from Alberto.

[letmewin]

Asriel's expression becomes more sheepish then. The truth of the answer to his words is something difficult to talk to a stranger about. It's all the more reason to change the topic back one more about Luca than himself.

"That's not really something that's possible, but... uhm... that's alright." His expression shifts to one more genuinely cheerful.

"I got to meet you and Alberto. S-So.... even if they don't end up coming here, then I'm still not alone."

[schoolingfish]

"It's..."

He's about to say 'it's not', but then he hesitates, thinking about why that might be. Maybe this guy's friend is dead? If that's the case...maybe it's better not to pry.

"Yeah! No matter what, we're here so you're not alone!"

[letmewin]

Asriel can't help but pause at that before smiling.

"Gosh, I know we just met, but... I can already tell that you're a really good friend." It was no wonder Alberto was so fond of him.

[schoolingfish]

"Thanks. I try to be."

But Luca knows he can sometimes fail at that. Like when he wasn't ready to come out as a sea monster, so he threw Alberto under the bus and almost got him killed. The guilt from that still gnaws at him sometimes, but he's done his best since then to be a better friend to Alberto than he was in that moment.

[letmewin]

"I hope I can be a good friend in return, too."

He honestly means that. He hasn't been a very good friend in the past to either of those he called his best friends. Maybe-- meeting people like Luca and Alberto can be a new start.

"Uhm, but... Did you have any other questions about this place...?"

[schoolingfish]

"Oh, a lot! Why are people ending up here? Are we going to go back home at some point? Why was I stuck in that place before showing up here?"

Maybe questions this guy couldn't answer, but they were definitely questions Luca wanted the answer to.

[letmewin]

".... I don't know."

Asriel answers him honestly. There's a lot of answers that he's still looking for.

"I-I had my own maze, too. But, uhm -- I have a feeling that yours was different than my own."

After all, his looked just like Chara's village. He... has a feeling that that isn't just a coincidence.

[schoolingfish]

"Yeah. Mine was...a place my uncle told me about. It's not somewhere you'd be able to go."

Because Asriel would drown.

"So it makes sense that we all get our own that are tied to us in some way.

[letmewin]

Asriel brushes off what he says as not being able to go, assuming that it may be because his maze disappeared, much like his own.

"It's almost like someone knows a lot about us."

It's... uncomfortable, to say the least. Not that what happened to him is a secret at this point in time. Many of the monsters in the underground knew what happened between him and Chara. But, if they knew that much, how much more did they know?

[schoolingfish]

"So wait...you think someone is actually making the places we have to find our way out of before we come here?"

Luca had just assumed it just...existed. He hadn't really considered why or how.

[letmewin]

"I don't know."

Asriel doesn't hesitate to admit to that. There's a lot about their situation that he doesn't know. A lot of his conclusions are really just guesses at this point.

"But, I don't really know why they know about us, either. They had to know us somehow."