>>5281461<span class="mu-g">LEAF secured, you turn towards the radio once more. But what if y-
“You won’t.”
Okay, but what will it-
“It will earn you the job.”
But what if Syb as-
“She won’t.”
… and if you tell-
“You don’t need to.”
The faint scent of hookah smoke tickles your nostrils as you continue to blindly stumble through the fog. But what about your-
“They’ll be fine.”
Well, you gulp, skidding to a halt in what might very well be your original position, that, uh, that covers you, you guess.
“Yes.” Hisses Darby, “It does. Steady on, Stanley–we reward h</span>ard work around here…”
Yea, but-
Before you can finish your sentence, the fog clears from the water around you. Freezing in place, you find yourself peering over a gaping trench in the seafloor as two people struggle to pull you back from the abyss!
“<span class="mu-i">DAMN IT,</span> Stanley!” Sybil growls, tugging away at your jumpsuit collar, “Don’t you even <span class="mu-i">THINK</span> of falling now!”
Tugging at your ankle with her tiny teeth, Lil’ Stanley chitters a similar-sounding response. She… she <span class="mu-i">does</span> care! Just when you’re feeling warm and fuzzy, the trash panda swipes at a chip crumb hanging off your waist. Ah. Nevermind.
“Sorry in advance, cupcake.”
Before you can ask for what, you feel Ly take control of your body! Bending your wobbly knees, your skeleton makes you leap away from the trench and land on top of Sybil and Lil’ Stanley!
“I swear, sometimes you can be so… so <span class="mu-i">FRUSTRATING!</span>” The Goth spits as Lil’ Stanley yelps in distress underneath you! “It’s not enough that you forced Professor Darby and the others to hang up with your ‘<span class="mu-i">static</span>’ shenanigans–you had to almost wander off a <span class="mu-i">cliff</span> too!?”
Angrily rising to her high-booted feet, Sybil begrudgingly helps you up with a telekinetic hand, much to your raccoon’s relief. “I told Denise that you’ll call them back.” She huffs. “We’ve already got Arti-erm, <span class="mu-i">ART</span> and the rest on the way… along with that <span class="mu-r">SEA DEMON,</span> no doubt.”
Yea, you mumble as if waking from a deep sleep, but-
“No buts, Stanley. That <span class="mu-g">NEUTRALIZER</span> I held onto worked, but I was almost too late.” Grabbing you by the shoulders, The Goth looks you dead in the eyes with a mix of frustration and concern. “You… we <span class="mu-i">really</span> can’t afford any mistakes, Stanley. Not at this point.”
Your mind says ‘I was talking to a <span class="mu-g">FAERIE,</span> but the words come out differently:
I got a little sidetracked, Sybil. Sorry.
“Yes, well…” She sighs, bringing you in for a quick hug, “That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? And you’d do the same for me.”
Pulling away with a small smile forming on her pale face, Sybil gives your nose a playful tweak before tapping your <span class="mu-g">RADIO</span>. “Now rise and shine, clumsy–we’ve got an attack to plan.”
Sure, you reply in a drowsy voice, you’re on it…
>CONTD. 