>>5258578“Talk about convenient, ey?” Remarks your skeleton as you hold up <span class="mu-i">another</span> <span class="mu-g">SEA CLOAK.</span> Sure, you shrug, but what’s the deal here? Are these things mass-produced or something?
“Can’t hear ya, cupcake.” Ly interjects as he pokes a spectral finger at the garment. “Say, why don’t ya’ put dat’ on an-”
<span class="mu-s">HOLD THAT THOUGHT!</span>
Feeling something whip through the water behind you, you duck to the side just in time to avoid a long, razor-sharp spear whizzing past your cheek! Embedding itself into the rock, the spear’s tip crackles with electricity before a hair-thin wire yanks it back from where it came from!
“Oops! Let’s call that one a warning toss, ‘kay?”
Oh <span class="mu-i">HELL</span> no. Snatching the <span class="mu-g">SECOND SEA CLOAK</span> from the container, you wrap it around you as fast as you can as you turn to face your assailant!
… oops, make that assailant<span class="mu-i">S</span>.
“Well, well, well, look what the catfish dragged in! You’re looking healthy, Stanley!”
Spread out in a triangle formation in the water above you floats a pack of <span class="mu-r">MERMAIDS–</span> each carrying one of those nasty <span class="mu-g">STORM STAVES</span> and a manic grin hidden behind those stupid helmets they like to wear.
“Awww <span class="mu-i">cripes</span>...” Ly groans as you rip your rebreather out of your mouth. What the hell are these jerks doing here anyways? Didn’t you warcrime the heck outta’ their town?
“Yep! <span class="mu-r">THE DEEP MOTHER</span> was real sore about it!” Explains the leader with a giggle! “And when she heard you were heading for <span class="mu-r">THE FORBIDDEN ZONE,</span> she got really mad! Now you’ve gotta go back to the <span class="mu-g">PRISON!</span> Mom’s orders!”
Spinning her staff menacingly, the leader points the crackling tip in your direction and winks! “You escaped before, but no one eludes me for long! I’ve got the nose of a dogfish!”
Adopting a fighting stance, you can’t help but falter a bit as a distressing thought comes to mind–you, uh, you’re erm.. You’re not <span class="mu-i">RACIST</span> or anything, but uh… who was she again? They all look the same to you. Not in, like, a <span class="mu-i">RACIST</span> way, though! You had a mermaid friend once!
She tried to eat you and you didn’t <span class="mu-i">want</span> to be her friend, but-
“Kee hee <span class="mu-i">HEE</span>! Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already!” Replies the ringleader amidst a chorus of giggles from her pals, “It’s me, Stan–your old friend <span class="mu-g">GUPPY!</span> I led you to <span class="mu-g">FLOTSAM</span> before you destroyed it, remember?”
Ah. <span class="mu-i">This</span> bitch...
>CONTD. 