Under layers of cold rock and earth, hidden beneath the ruins that covered Orion, ran a river - one that connected to every other room in the caves. The water was calm and cold, cradling the object that lay on the riverbed below. It was huge, partially buried in the dirt that covered the river's bottom, and shiny, almost seeming to glow whenever a flash of light happened to catch on its crystalline surface.

From within, the object hummed softly, a lilting, helpless noise, as if something inside was trapped, unable to escape. Indeed, this was the case: if one looked closely, a shape was encased within the egg, black pelt stark against the pale white-blue of the rock. Though the babe struggled continuously, flippers smacking into the chrysalis again and again, it would not give.

Panting, the Gembound took a break, squeezing its eyes shut to try and think of some way to escape. Aaaeeeeh. A deep breath, and the little one - although it wasn't exactly little, already the size of a small boat - focused hard, trying to find some way out.

post roll:
And just like that, a sharp whistle erupted from the baby orca, echoing about the inside of the chrysalis, bouncing from edge to edge, giving her a better picture of what, exactly, they were in. Eki eee ah? Another whap of flesh against crystal, and a crack formed in the egg, letting in fresh waves of water. Tired out, the babe relaxed, focused on breathing deep and easy for the time being.

sea language land language thoughts

hover over sea language for translations

@Eeya @Bartos

Darkness. This was what it belonged in.

But what was 'it'? Gembound? The sound was familiar.

What gender was it? Male... it felt masculine. A boy.

What creature was it? A mammal. He had a nose atop his head, and two little flippers that he could shift back and forth. For a moment, the creature was entranced by the motion. Back and forth, side to side, up and down. He was an Orca. An Orca! A creature for the water! But he wasn't in water. The creature was floating in a shell filled with plasma, his nose hole posted just above the surface to breathe.

Freedom. He desired freedom. A low-pitched whine escaped the creature. "Ekaaaiii!" Maybe those big flippers would be useful. Swishing them around in the plasma, the creature used those fins, weakly slapping at the shell of whatever he was trapped in. It didn't yield. Another whine came, and he headbutted the shell with all the might that he had. "Aie ekaaaiii!" No use. The chrysalis did not even crack. There was a swaying of the plasma, however... and the Gembound could feel it. He was thrown against the side of his prison, then the other side. No! He didn't want that! He wanted out! Of course, he was very oblivious to the fact that there was something below his opalescent chrysalis. Stone. He was not even that high up, to be fair. Not more than seven feet. Surely someone would notice.

Suddenly, the chrysalis split from the stone above, falling down on stone with a great CRASH! Soon, the creature was blinded by a whole new light, but he felt like he was free. Lifting his tail and arcing his neck so he could look up, the creature gazed around. What was this? There was nobody around. He couldn't smell anyone. There was liquid, like what was in his chrysalis. And so he wiggled toward the swishing sounds.

Unfortunately.

He had landed about ten feet from water. It would be a long journey. But he would make it.

ooc: hover over blue text for translation. c:

@Moana @Eeya @Bartos

Exporing, exploring! That's what he was doing! Bevy-leader would want him to go searching for new members for the group. He swam underneath the tunnels, stopping every once in a while to stick his blowhole above the water to take a breath before continuing onwards. He was traveling to new tunnels today and happened upon something strange. There was a shiny gem, a large egg by the looks of it, at the bottom of the water. He could tell because of the slight glint and after sending out a click of echolocation he could see it. Another land critter hatching? He was glad he came upon it before it had got out or else it could be bad! No matter. He would help it hatch and then take it to the surface.

He kicked his tailfin and sped himself up, aiming his long beak at the chrysalis. He was about to power right to it and bust a hole so that he could rescue the creature but stopped when he heard a muffled but perfectly legible sea critter word. Aaaeeeeh! For a moment he was stunned into immovability. Was... Was there another like him? The idea sent a thrill of joy throughout his entire body. A new gembound like him! Oh! Happy day!

The dolphin let out a whistle of pure joy as he powered forward again, however, he didn't slam into the chrysalis as time wasn't of the essence if it wasn't a land critter. "Haaiiiiii! Areeh aaaeeekoo!" Haaiiiiii! This One will help you! Then he began to tap at the crack with his beak, tapping harder and harder in hopes of freeing the babe within. "Ekoo eekii?" Are you a sea critter? Because he could hardly believe it himself.

Above him he could hear sounds of exertion but that was above the water, out of his domain. He would see to that though. As soon as this other babe was freed.
____

words: 323
tagged: @Moana @Arrh Bartos
ooc: I'm assuming Arrh is not in the water? Also... -casually adds new words to the sea critter dictionary-
muse: 6/10

"Talking"
Thinking

table and code © chelsea of ORIGIN

Oh, Bartos was happy to mind his own business, walking around his room of stars on one of his regular routine patrols. It wasn't really a patrol, and more like a... daily check for anything that may have changed, looking around for any cool rocks, etc. The cat didn't expect any to just show up out of the blue, but every now and then something did, or he'd detect something with his magic, and just like that, he was off on a new mission to find yet another rock to add to his collection. He enjoyed the solitude - his mind wasn't so committed to thinking as it was to just absorbing the scenery around him. It was hard for him to walk around and think of stuff at the same time, so Bartos mostly just focused on absorbing the cave room and looking at the buildings, examining the rocks he found there.

Nearby he could hear the sound of rushing water. Bartos had decided to visit the spring, and after taking a drink from the water, almost immediately he felt his bladder swell. Oh geez. I need to pee! The kitten bit his lip for a moment. It wasn't often that his urges found him in the middle of a walk - he had a designated bathroom area, after all, so this? This was a little awkward for him. Drawing his legs together, Bartos took a quick glance around. Well... there wasn't really anybody here... he could probably get away with letting loose behind a wall or something. With a sniff, Bartos ran over towards a building, hiding himself away behind the wall. There was still considerable space between him and the wall of the room, but at least he wouldn't be in front of prying eyes. There, the cat lowered himself into a squat, preparing to relinquish the pressure in his bladder-

When a loud CRASH and a blast of air announced the shattering of a chrysalis from above, and a massive creature suddenly fell out of nowhere, landing on the ground behind him. Bartos shrieked, jumping and whirling around before promptly wetting himself.

It was a whale. A whole, giant, goddamn whale.

@Moana

Out of the corner of her milky eyesight, the Gembound within the crystalline egg saw a flash of grey. The sudden movement made them jump, whacking into one side of the chrysalis with rubbery flesh. Working herself into a panic, the little one only stopped when a clear whistle rang through the water, and she clicked back, trying to worm closer to the crack that had split the egg. "Aaaeee areeh ah!" At the sound and feel of tapping, the orca whistled in relief, clicking picking up speed as they practically danced about inside the egg. When the query came, filtering through the slowly widening opening into the chrysalis, the child stilled, clicking thoughtfully.

"Areeh e eekii," she called back, tilting her head to peer out of the crack with a curious eye. The orca practically beamed at the sight of Eeya, taking in the dolphin with a happy whistle. "Koo oooara kaaa Moana!" Another trill, and she reeled back, slamming her tail into the egg's new weakness as hard as she could. With a dull crack! the chrysalis fell open, and the orca shimmied out of it with a bob of her head, swimming closer to the friendly dolphin, vibrant grey-blue eyes practically shining with gratitude.

"Koo eee ee Moana?"

sea language land language thoughts

hover over sea language for translations

@Arrh @Eeya @Bartos

He was so confused... so so confused. Clicking mournfully, the newly hatched Gembound threw his head up and arched his tail, trying to take in what he could. "Kikikiiiiii ak." Where (am) I? As he blew out of his newly discovered blowhole, the Orca turned his head to the side and saw something. His vision was blurry, but he could barely make out that it was some other creature. Was it like him? Clicking once again, he moaned. "Weee Arrh?" Like Arrh? So the small creature began to try and do some work with his great big fins.

Nothing.

He was too exhausted from his escape to propel the big mass that was his body toward the cat, so he sighed in expaseration, moaning once again. "Kiaaaaaaarrh." Water. he cried out. Maybe there was someone in the water who could help him. He had completely forgotten about the cat before him, and now he attempted to wriggle toward the water. And he made it maybe a few inches before he sighed again and blew out of his blowhole. He really needed to be in water. He felt at home in water. It called him like a siren song. Breathing inwards, Arrh gave a long call. "Aikeeeeeee!" Heeeeeeeelp! Someone had to come, right?

@Eeya

It was! It was another sea critter! He peered through the crack at the shining gray eye. His heart leaped with joy. Finally! Another creature that could swim about in the water like he could! Oh! They would have so much fun together! He dipped his head up and down as the orca began to shimmy out of the crack and out into the open water. With a shrill trill of laughter he turned a flip under the water before settling down to float in front of the orca. So... This One was called Moana? It was a nice, very, much-nice name! "Eeya e kriaaa aaaeee!" Eeya is happy to help! He'd help a thousand times over if it meant he could have a friend to swim with forever!

At her question he bobbed his head up and down in an affirmative. "Kir! Kir! Areeh e eekii aaraakoo! Eekii iiya eee ee!" Yes! Yes! This One is (a) sea critter like you! Sea critters always speak see! Well, as far as he knew they all did. It was the universal language under the water just as the land critters had their own language.

His head tilted upwards as he heard a plaintive call from the surface. It sounded like another one of their kind but far too far away to be from under the water. He blinked down at Moana before whistling, "Kiiaalooaarareeh!" Follow me closely! With that he took off towards the surface and poked his head above the water, taking a breath automatically. He peered around but from his vantage point he could see nothing. "Haaiiiii? Ah aaaeeareeh!" Hello? This One here to help! His whistle was loud and piercing, a call to let anyone nearby know that Eeya was there and waiting.
____

words: 295
tagged: @Moana @Arrh Bartos
ooc: ---
muse: 6/10

"Talking"
Thinking

table and code © chelsea of ORIGIN