[center][h2][color=silver]~ Vikki ~[/color][/h2][/center]

It took awhile for Vikki to finally lower her weapon from its vertically-held attention. The bounty hunter listened intently to the sea woman speak, looking at her and the snake with an expression of tentative distrust, but not enough to make her immediately rule out what Kailani was saying. She became more intrigued as the mermaid went on, but then immediately filled with apprehension when transforming into mermaids was mentioned. Not because that sounded impossible...this was Lavanya, after all...but rather because [color=silver][i]This kind of thing never ends well.[/i][/color] Also, there was the practical problem of her not knowing how to fight as a mermaid or use her weapons effectively underwater.

However, the prospect of helping the Atlantian had its good points, which she articulated when the blue-haired woman walked up to her and asked her for her plan of action. (This was something Vikki met with relief, knowing that the werewolf still knew where she resided in the current chain of leadership.)

[color=silver]"As much as I'm wary of missions involving transformation, and knowing that we're still on the clock, this detour does still have relevance,"[/color] she began as she looked back and forth between Rain and the two Atlantians. [color=silver]"The temple being the source of the evil may mean it contains valuable intel about Marcus. In addition, if we paid it forward and helped out the Atlantians, it's likely they would return the favor and fight with us against Marcus. After all, it's probably the same source, and we'll need all the help we can get. They could be a valuable ally,"[/color] she explained. [color=silver]"But based on the prospect of being mermaid-ified and losing valuable time I could go either way."[/color] The bounty hunter paced back and forth. [color=silver]"This is a new one,"[/color] she admitted. [color=silver]"But I think possible intel and future help is too good to pass up,"[/color] she finished, turning to the rest of the group and the two Atlantians.

[color=silver]"Alright, here's the deal. I'm going down to check out this temple - there could be valuable intel to help us against Marcus. Anyone who doesn't want to go down and get mermified can stay on the boat and go on ahead to Elaniel. Everyone else will join the Atlantians and me,"[/color] she announced. Turning specifically to Kailani and Maruki, she added, [color=silver]"We're on a schedule, but we - or at least I - will help you in any way we can. It might end up beneficial to the both of us."[/color]

[center][h2][color=red]~ Mizuki ~[/color][/h2][/center]

Mizuki walked around the boat, passing the time by performing the impressive multitask of moving her legs and brooding. An equally impressive feat would be doing anything else and brooding, but her current accommodations meant that there was nothing to do except look at the water and walk around. It was times like these that made Mizuki consider buying a smartphone. The only trouble was that every smartphone she had ever owned was incinerated, smashed, or otherwise turned into an expensive paperweight almost immediately after she began using it, so she tended to ignore the idea. After all, with nothing to distract her mind she could spend more mental energy devising new ways to brood.

In this case her thoughts focused mostly on where it was she was going. She was following a robotic man and a shapeshifter to Europe, in hopes of (apparently) finding a weapon in a museum. The amount of times she wanted to yell "why?" when everything was being explained was literally more than three.

Before she could continue her happy thoughts, however, she simultaneously heard a sputter and felt something wet hit her from below. She instinctively whipped around on one heel, to only find she was the only one in sight. [color=red][i][b]"WHAAAAAAAAAAT...?!"[/b][/i][/color] she roared, whipping her head around a few more times before she looked up...and then down. And then took a step back and looked down again.

[color=red]".........!!!"[/color] was all she could say, before adding [color=red]"You have five seconds to explain exactly who you are and why you're down there before I alert everyone else on the ship."[/color]

[color=red]"Or just burn it all down,"[/color] she added after a short period of thought.