Ocean Shadows Event

Livius fidgets as their friends - at least he hopes he can them friends - present their findings to Queen Corundum. He does his best to still his nerves as they speak. Aborakota details how he helped Amlin disengage the core from the control panel, and Amlin backs him up, stating how he was so careful that nothing else was damaged on the board, and that as long as it wasn't corroded they could retrieve it for more parts. He fidgets as everyone speaks, waiting for his turn as planned. Then, the voices stop, and he can feel their gazes on him. He takes a deep breath to steady himself, and stop the shaking that threatens to overcome him.

"Greetings, I have a report here that your people might be interested in, on possible relations various flora and fauna here have to elsewhere," he manages to say.

Corundum nods her head, and says, "Thank yeh. Yeh all worked hard, go get some rest."

Then, it was over. In a whirlwind, they were back out of the room. Livia is next to him, bumping shoulders. Feelings of fire and ice flood his body,and his legs turn to jelly. Varsha and Livia catch him before he collapses just outside the doors. They talk to him, but their voices are just noise amongst the ringing in his ears. He's distantly aware of Aborakota pulling something from his bag and waving it under his muzzle. Then, Livius feels himself pulling back together, and as he comes to is embarrassed to see several guards looking his way. He murmurs apologies to everyone and gets up with minimal help. Aborakota is the first to speak. 

"Hey, how's your head?" he asks.

Livius pauses to think before answering, "I'm doing better now, the nerves, exhaustion, and excitement got to me."

"That's a shame, I was going to show ya'll around. I can help show you somewhere you can rest your head for a bit if you want?" Varsha says with concern.

"No, I'm alright, just, no more meetings with monarchs, please? I don't think I could handle it without fainting at her feet. Despite what others may think, flying through the floating islands is easier on me," he says, cracking a smile.

Amlin and Varsha's jaws drop, and they ask in unison, "Flying?!"

He laughs, "yeah, I can tell you all about it as you show me the sights?"

Varsha nods her head, "that sounds good to me!"

He sees Aborakota and Livia looking at him curiously, too. He grins, and starts telling them about his beloved wyvern, Giaris. She was young still, but plenty big enough for flights through the islands. They listen as he tells about raising her, the training process, and how much he was looking forward to getting back to her. Aborakota's eyes light up as Livius talks passionately about the nuances of care, and her own preferences compared to other wyverns. As he speaks, he feels his body relax, his heart rate slow down. They approach a set of shops, set back in a square, and Amlin points out a store that he'd be interested in; a book store. His head whips around and looks hungrily at the displays he can see, and the rest of his body follows as he walks in, the others close behind him.

The shopkeeper greets him courteously, but he can sense the edge of caution there. Stories of the ne'er do wells must've spread, he thinks to himself as he looks at the unfamiliar titles and bindings. A hand taps his shoulder, and Livia holds out a book with plants and corals on it. His intrigue has him reach out,and carefully leaf through the pages, admiring the illustrations. 

Amlin notices it, and grins, "that's a good one! If you buy it, I have a waterproof bag you can use to take it back surface-side with ya. It'll keep it nice and dry."

"Thank you! That's very kind of you," he says warmly. 

"Hey, if we pool out funds together, we should be able to buy several books each, right? Plus a translation guide, maybe?" Livia asks.

Livius mulls it over, "that's not a bad idea. I didn't think to bring too much coin with me, if they even accept what I have. I'm okay with that."

Aborakota nods his head, too. They go through the shop with excitement, and he finds a few more books to add to his pile. Livia and Aborakota have a few titles of their own to take to the shopkeeper. He notices that Aborakota's books have a similar theme to his own, and Livia's are folktales. He grins as they walk up to the shopkeeper who lifts their brow at the pile of books.

"You all find everything you wanted, and need a uh, waterproof bag to go with it?" they ask, as they tally up the cost of the books.

Livia nods his head, "yeah we did, thank you! But we don't need the bags."

The shopkeeper grunts in acknowledgement as they finish the tally, and show the final price tag. Livius fishes out his coins, and the other two toas do the same when a large hand drops the remaining balance before they can fish it out of their pockets. Varsha smiles at them.

"Consider it a gift for time well spent amongst you, it's been a pleasure," she says.

They thank her profusely, then grab their purchases and leave to avoid bothering the shopkeeper. Then it hits him like a cold front; they would be leaving soon. Part of him aches with that realization; he longs to return to the surface, but, he'd also desperately miss those down here in Paschara. The others must've been thinking the same thing, it was written on their faces clear as a letter.

"Hey now, you're all welcome to come back to visit. Don't be sad yet, you haven't left yet. Let's make the most of our time here. After all, we have that control board to retrieve still," Varsha grins.

He let's the tension bleed out of him. She's right, I can be sad and pine after we leave. Then, he holds in the groan as he realizes that they'd be going back out into the water.

Oh well, it's what I signed up for. Maybe I can read up on the local ecosystem enough before we go that I can put it into practice, he thinks as they continue on down the road.