Guardian Angel Haruki

Drowning

Ripley looked back to Kassy, still breathing underwater...which is a weird thought to be processing right now, and listened to her speak. Even her panicked state, she could still tell that Kassy thought was insane. She tried to clarify to Kassy, slowly becoming slightly distressed again, "No! Nononono! You don't understand! Merpeople don't exist! My family and friends are back on land-" She then stopped and realized something with wide eyes. Apparently she can get back her legs and go back if this woman's words were right.

She slowly restated that thought, "I can go back to land...it's possible for me to go back to land and get my legs back?!" She then started to move, "You know, maybe I'll take that swim with you, I-WO-WOOOOAAAH!" As she had moved, she found herself falling off of the grotto shelf she was on, down the very short distance to the grotto floor. She muttered "Ow..." as she picked herself up.

As she moved her tail once again, she found that while she may be able to feel it, she has no idea how to use it. To Kassy, it would be reminiscent to how a very young child learns how to swim for the first time. She grumbled "What...? Oh come on! How hard can it be to use this thing?!" No matter how hard she kicked, the tail wasn't working as she wanted it to. With a groan, Ripley relented and said "You know what? Never mind. This is fine. This is totally fine!" Her voice was laced with sarcasm. She then decided "I'll just crawl my way back to land then..." She then started crawling, now determined to get herself back home.

---

Gill seemed to freeze and stare at Brendan like a wild animal when he spoke to him. While Brendan spoke on the phone, he would hear the familiar voice of the customer from earlier shout in the phone, "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH RIPLEY YOU SICKO!?"
Another voice could be heard on the other side, clearly trying to calm down the shouting voice, "Zack! Calm down! It didn't sound like he was holding her hostage! He said he found her phone on the beach,"
"Maybe that's what this guy wants us to believe!"

While the two on the other end argued, Brendan asked his question to the geezer. Gill answered, his voice feeble and shaking "Oh...? I found it on that cliff up there," He then points upward towards a jagged rock on the cliff that overlooked the ocean above the hidden beach. The cliff looks precarious, like if someone jumped or fell, they would definitely land in the ocean...

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia at first was about to just leave when she noticed that Pylia was simply finishing washing clothes and was bathing herself, but she stopped when she noticed Pylia's back. Was that a rash...? No. It was too perfect of a circle to be a mere rash. It looked more like a scar. She gasped at the sight.

"What the heck...?!"

Who did this to Pylia? And why?!

The questions remained unanswered of course, as she backed away while Pylia moved to put on her robe and headed towards her. She didn't want Pylia to pass through her and tip her off that she was nearby in astral form. She quickly made her way back to Buddy. She told him, "She was simply finishing laundry and washing. But...she had a scar on her back. A circle with outer designs. The design kind of reminds me of...an eclipse,"

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia let out a sigh in relief when she finished possessing Buddy. She looked around the room and noticed how dark it was getting. She also looks to the water closet as she heard the splashing in there. She answered Buddy, "Yeeaaah...I don't think those are good ideas," She then continued, "I'm gonna check on her again," She then headed towards the water closet and phased through once more to see what Pylia is doing.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia watched as the scene played once more for her and Buddy. She listened to Buddy as he made his comments on what he could decipher from the event. She questioned, clearly thinking out loud, "A servant...but who does it serve...?" Soon enough the scene finished playing, and it started to repeat. When Buddy mentioned that they had seen enough, she nodded in agreement, and answered "Right. Let's head back," She then started trying to turn around and walk back the way we came, trying to end the possession she has on Buddy.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia was a little disappointed to hear that Buddy didn't understand the language any more than she did, but she did feel better that he can try to record it and they can find a translator later. She sighed through her nose as she approached Buddy and she answered him, "OK. Let's give this a shot," Once she was standing in front of Buddy, placed her hand on his chest once more, and she closed her eyes. She thought she might have a better chance of showing him the memory if she brought it to focus in her own mind first and concentrated on it, before stepping further to possess Buddy. She focused on the red smoke, the visage of the blackened skeleton, Pylia's cold hardened expression, the graveyard around them, and their words as she stepped through Buddy.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia ran her hand through her hair as she answered Buddy, "I haven't spoken to her about it yet. I wanted to talk to her about what the doll told me earlier, but she went off to meet with Skeletor all of a sudden," She watched as Shortfang left to go to sleep, and Buddy tended to the fire. She answered him clearly in thought over his words, "I want to speak to her about it, and I intend to. But I think it may be wise to do it away from bystanders,"

She then asked Buddy, "Hey, Buddy...I was able to see your memories when I possessed you. But do you think it's possible for me to show you my memories? I heard their conversation, but I couldn't understand the language they were speaking. Maybe understanding that conversation will give us a better idea of the undead's intentions..."

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia blinked as she watched Pylia smoke from a pipe and summon up a cloud of smoke. She watched the smoke and saw the images play out. Were they...Pylia's memories? And that other girl...was she the profane skeleton she saw earlier? When she saw that the images were on repeat, she pulled herself out of the water closet and back to Buddy. She told him, "She is doing laundry, as well as smoking. I think she's watching a memory of hers on repeat. It's when she was a little girl, and she found a skull with another girl..."

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia answered Buddy’s questions “There wasn’t any fighting between them. Heck, she wasn’t even bothered when it appeared. The doll said it was an old friend, new enemy, so I’m getting the impression that Pylia May have been in contact with this thing longer than just that night and now,”

She watched as Pylia re-emerged from the water closet and grabbed her pack. When Buddy asked his question, Sylvia commented “That’s what she said...but I don’t think it’ll hurt to double check. Just in case. Hang on a sec,”

She then moved to the water closet and peeked in to see if Pylia was truly doing the laundry. She hated suspecting Pylia, but she knew she had no idea what she and the skeleton were talking about, and if it told her to do something here...

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia sighed as she appeared next to Buddy. She crossed her arms, and she answered Buddy, “I was able to follow her and not get caught until the both of us were back in the inn. I was concerned before, now I’m worried about Pylia,”

She continued, “I saw the red smoke you mentioned before, Buddy...along with something else. There was a blackened skeleton, and It had a short conversation with Pylia about something. I couldn’t understand a word they said. Pylia made it leave by touching her holy symbol,”

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Sylvia nodded to Pylia and after looking at Buddy for a second, she told her friends, “Okay. I’m gonna hit the hay. Night guys,” She then headed for her bed, and lied down. She was planning on telling Buddy what she saw while going through the usual out of body experience. Maybe he will know something about what she saw. It did not take long for Sylvia to close her eyes and get herself to sleep.