[text] there is water at the bottom of the ocean

[nonscriptum]

[Originally, it started out as a well-meaning adventurous foray for personal edification, yadda, yadda, yadda. Time moves so slowly in Hadriel that Nate has been clawing at ways to occupy it, and since he's exhausted the library of any texts that aren't in gibberish it stands to reason he might seek personal fulfillment elsewhere. After waking up with the usual restlessness he considered the wide expanse of lakeside real estate out his window and thought, yeah, a swim sounds nice.

The swim was less than nice.

Several minor explosions and some (honestly) impressive spell-work later sees him soaked to the skin but otherwise unscathed outside of minor lacerations on one arm - there's really only so much you can do when trying to evade a shark with two fucking heads - scribbling quickly in a notebook with the sort of fervor reserved for the truly mad. Lake-adjacent, blessedly on the shore with a towel slung around bare shoulders, he quickly snaps a photograph of his work with his phone and hits SEND TO ALL.

The message is as follows:]

does anyone know what the hell this is
i found it at the bottom of the lake

Attachment: [monster.jpg]

p.s. don't go swimming in the lake

Comments

[pocketspa]

[Ugh c'mon Nate swoon into his arms or something. But hey, Taako can appreciate a driven man. He lifts a hand to his chin to tap thoughtfully on his lips.]

That where you've been all day? What with all the, uh, wet hair and crunchy pants?

[He can tell from a distance those things aren't drying well.]

What're you lookin' for, buddy?

[restinglichface]

[Taako may be a little focused on the state of Nate's pants (hard to blame him), but Lup visibly perks up at the mention of the man's diving project. As much as she may love to sort through their combined wardrobe to try and sneak away some of the best pieces for herself, the cabin fever of not having something significant to do with her time has begun to set in.

So, without even knowing the full details, Lup already feels ready to jump in to this adventure. In fact, she's so ready that she isn't even throwing down her usual 'what's in it for us'.]

Lay down the deets, my man. If it involves watching you go for a swim, we're already in.

[nonscriptum]

Waterproof lights.

[It's the first thing that makes it out of his mouth, even if he knows his priorities should be bigger than just being able to see what intends to rip him open and chew on his insides. Nate shifts uncomfortably - partly because of the wet pants thing, partly because it feels weird soliciting help outside someone's doorway like a vacuum salesman - and better explains:]

...I wanted to see what was at the bottom of the lake, but I got about twenty feet down and saw a shark the size of a school bus. And a shark with tentacles. I can't get to the bottom if I can't reach it without the local fauna taking a bite out of me, and there might be something down there.

You're the only people I know who might be willing to be an- uh, explosive diversion.

[With the kind of naive purity that no thirty-nine year-old adult man should be able to employ, Nate executes the most hangdog look he can manage.]

I need help.

[pocketspa]

[Taako listens when he actually speaks, mind already reeling through spells he knows, contrasting with the experience. But it's when he actually looks pleading, he can't stop his mouth from breaking into a wide, wide smile.]

Buddy, you're thinkin' like, way too small here. We could literally just all be sharks. Hell, did you go down there just holdin' your breath, because that's super small time, my guy.

[He's a transmutation wizard! He turns things into other things! Focus on the big picture, Nate!]

Seriously. I can fuckin' turn you into anything you want, man. You could be bioluminescent. Think fancier.

[restinglichface]

[Shit, Nate works that kicked puppy look pretty well. What the hell is he doing wasting it on them? If Lup didn't have magic at her disposable and could pull off that doe-eyed look as well as he could, she'd be grifting every sucker in Hadriel for all they had.

Sure, Taako's way of doing things was pretty fun, but alternatively--]

Or I could just blow up the sharks. Which kind of sounds like, no offense, babe, but way more fun. [She can't rock the turning into animal thing like Taako can. Somehow, he makes gills work.]

Can you imagine a fucking fireball blasting that stupid shark out of the water? It doesn't stand a chance.

[nonscriptum]

...okay, fireballs and transformations, that's... [The weirdest dive kit he's ever come up with.] ...a start.

[It isn't that the temptation to become a shark for a short period of time isn't extremely persuasive, but Nate doesn't want to go into hostile waters wearing the body of something he does not know how to control. Or. However "transmutation" magic works. They need to finagle something more efficient - much like breaking into a world-renowned museum, this is going to require a certain percentage of relative expertise.

Nate shifts, folding his arms over his chest.]

You got anything that'll just help me breathe underwater? Add some lights and I'm covered, I can get down there myself, but the explosions might keep Jaws 1 through 12 from turning me into fish food.

[pocketspa]

[Now it's Taako's turn to make a face close to a pout. Wow, everyone around here stifling his good goddamn time.]

What part about being a shark isn't fun?

[Seriously, Lup he takes offence to that. But he rolls his eyes and drops it. Whatever, he can go back and do the shark stuff whenever he wants.]

But yeah, I can totally do that, natch. Water breathing's easy. And I guess I can put together a light show for you and figure something out for fighting sharks. Taako, he does it all.

[He adds a little jazz hands display to the end of that, just for emphasis.]

[restinglichface]

[Lup: 1, Taako: 0.

There's an attempt to hide the incredibly smug grin that tugs at Lup's mouth when Nate agrees to her plan over Taako's, but as far as rolls go, it's an absolute critical fail. The elbow resting on Taako's shoulder drops as his sister's posture straightens, the woman stretching her arms out in front of her before cracking her knuckles. Just to rub a little salt in the would, she reaches over to ruffle Taako's hair.]

It's okay, Taako. We'll do your whole fish thing next time.

[She turns that too-toothy grin of hers on Nate now, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder.] Pop a squat, my man. We'll need to prep for this. [Not prep magic, of course, they just need some sweet ass outfits.]