applesaucedream | And the Boats Drift On [Open to All]

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The water is calm, and the night sky is filled with stars. The only light is natural: a patchy, bioluminescent glow coming from the water below, and the bright swath of the Milky Way above. It's not much, but it's more than enough to see by.

The dreamers will find themselves sitting in their own little rowboats, each stocked with two oars, a length of rope, some cushions, and a little picnic basket full of snacks. There is no visible shoreline, but it won't take the dreamers long to realize theirs are not the only boats in this shallow sea. Anything stirring in the water, be it fish or paddle, causes phosphorescent plankton to glow a bright blue, so there isn't really anywhere to hide.

Feel free to paddle around and visit the other dreamers, perhaps tying your boats together and sharing your snacks in an impromptu picnic. Or you could go for a swim - the bioluminescence makes it difficult to see the bottom, but it's not too terribly deep, so the risk of drowning is all but nonexistent. ~~This setting, unlike the last one, isn't actively out to kill you.~~ Or you could simply lie back and look at the stars.

[ooc: Same drill as always, folks. All are welcome, regardless of whether or not your character is in the game. Characters may remember or forget dream shenanigans at the player's discretion.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Even without her enhanced hearing, that shriek would be hard to miss. Daine streaks toward the sound, expecting to find that someone's gone overboard. But the woman who screamed is still in her boat, and nothing appears to be outwardly amiss. Daine circles the area, wondering if she's just missed a shark or somesuch, but she doesn't hear anything bigger or scarier than fish.

Concerned, and a little perplexed, Daine bobs up out of the water alongside the woman's boat. What's wrong? she asks. Then, as she gets a proper look at her, … Dana?

Dana is trying to tell herself to keep calm, and that she probably isn't in serious danger and people supposedly go on boats all the time and are just fine, when a voice cuts into her thoughts.

It's a familiar, friendly voice, and though it seems to be associated with the thing in the water (gods below, is that a dolphin?), Dana immediately thinks of a world of dinosaurs, and a cheery girl who befriended a pterodactyl.

"Daine, is that you?" she asks, peering over the side as far as she can. Which isn't far, the boat keeps rocking and the water is all glowy and swirly and making her dizzy. "Wait, is this some sort of a dream?" If so, Dana's immediate concern is whether she can drown in a dream.

Yes, it's me, Daine confirms, giving an extra push with her tail so the front half of her body rises out of the water. She can't really hold that height without moving backwards, though, and a moment later she flops back beneath the surface. And we're dreaming, she says as she returns to the boat and pokes her head back out of the water, so we should be safe enough. I've yet to come across anyone nasty.

She turns a little to examine Dana with first one eye, then the other. Are you all right?

well this is...actually it is pretty helpful information, that this is another dream like before. Her acquaintance is a dolphin, and this boat is probably not going to tip over and kill her. Okay.

Dana takes a deep, shaky breath before answering. "I've never been on a boat before," she says, trying to keep her voice calm and not hysterical. "I'm...I lived all my life in the desert, so this is a little alarming."

I've been on a couple, but they take some getting used to. It's easier when the boat's bigger, Daine acknowledges. There's a reason she abandoned hers straightaway - well, reasons besides just wanting to take an oceangoing shape.

But it's not much fun - or much help - being stuck in the water with someone who definitely won't be leaving her boat, so Daine shifts, taking otter shape. Mind if I come aboard? I'll try not to rock the boat overmuch.

"Oh!" Dana's surprised to see the transformation, and also delighted, because who doesn't love otters? "You're adorable!" The novelty distracts Dana a little from the motion of the sea. "Yes, of course, please come in."

Daine lets out a little squeak of amusement: an otter giggle. Thank you! Otters are cute little things, she'll get no argument there.

It's the work of a moment for Daine to hook her claws on the gunwale and heave herself into the boat, which only rocks a little in response. She courteously scrambles as far from Dana as the boat allows before giving herself a brisk little shake to rid her fur of water, then she parks herself in the bottom of the boat with her forepaws resting on one of the thwarts.

Boats aren't so bad, she reassures her. So long as you don't lean too far over either side, you'll be fine.

Dana marvels at the ottery agility, and steadies herself as Daine climbs into the boat.

"That makes sense," she says with a nervous smile as the rocking gradually subsides. "I feel a little silly now, being so anxious in this situation, but...I'm glad I'm not alone out here."

She considers picking up an oar and trying to figure out how to propel the boat, but she's hesitant to induce more motion than she has to. And anyway, there's something she's been wondering about since she came through the Rift, and Daine's presence gives her an opportunity to ask.

"Daine," she begins, speaking slowly, "if it's not too rude to ask, were you always able to transform like this? I mean I've heard some people get, well...powers, I guess, when they come here but what you can do seems so spectacular, you know?"

Daine blinks, then shakes her head, both in response to the idea of it being rude to ask and to the larger question. I've always had wild magic - that's what it's called back home. But for most of my life, all I could do was talk to animals. Learning how to heal them and take their shape are things I've picked up in the past few years.

After a beat, she adds, The rift didn't have anything to do with it. I know it changes folk sometimes, but I don't think it did anything to me. Aside from bringing her through, which was plenty of ruction in and of itself. Canting her head a little to one side, she blinks beady eyes at Dana. Did it give you anything?

For a moment, all Dana can say is "Wow." She tries to wrap her mind around a world where magic like that is just real and matter of fact, but it seems alien. "That's so different from what I know, from my world, I mean, you'd hear on the news sometimes of people being transformed by something, consequences of city council meetings, but it was never...something so positive, I suppose. I can't do anything, at least I don't think the Rift did anything to me. I think I'd know if I had some sort of fantastic power, right?"

This whole power business does bear some investigation, though, if Dana can remember this conversation enough when she wakes up.

"We should meet in the waking world sometime," Dana suggests. "I still don't know all that many people here, and it would be good to talk...not in a boat," she finishes, with a little laugh.

Daine blinks again, this time in astonishment. It's one thing to transform yourself; changing other folk is a whole different matter (and requires a lot more power). She's seen it happen, but only in a battle between mages, not a… a council meeting. Horse lords. She considers asking for some elaboration, but Dana barrels on as if it's not the least bit remarkable for people to get transformed into other things, so Daine just tucks the information away for later. Outside a dream, perhaps, when she's more likely to remember what she hears, anyway.

We should! she agrees with a little squeak for emphasis. I'm in the park every day, but I know my way around most of the island. Granted, meeting in the park would be preferred, since it's familiar territory and getting there doesn't have to involve public transport. Where are you staying?

And the Boats Drift On [Open to All]

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