[Author's Note: Hello everyone. This is your narrator and writer asking you in a lovely welsh accent to please give me your critiques of my writing. This will be only chapter one in what is hopefully a long series to come. I thank you sincerely for taking the time to read this, and thank you even more so if you submit any correction you believe would improve the story. Until I hear from you, Good Day-Sincerely, 8 Icecestro Xi 8 ]
"GODDAMMIT! WHY THE FUCK WOULDN'T WE BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NOOK-SUCKING OCEAN?" exclaimed one of ten shadows emerging from a single cement stairwell in the center of a deserted plateau, precariously set only feet above the violently churning ocean swells. The plateau itself was made of stable, grey stone, but was slick and cold with the wet spray crashing over its sides.
"If I May Interject," requested a pleasant-sounding voice, "It Would Have Not Have Benefitted Them If They Had Constructed A Facility Beneath A Place Of High Population, Where All Sorts Of Problematic Occurrences May Have Arisen." The owner of this voice was another shadow; this one remained huddling in the doorway for protection against the battering wind and bitter cold.
A figure beside the pleasant-sounding shadow added, "Yeah, what she said. Now, can we get a move on? This wind is almost as cool as I am, and the last time I checked Mother-Fucking-Nature doesn't do rap battles." The figure leaned against the doorframe apathetically, not expressing any sign of actually being cold. If he was in fact, cold, then he wasn't about to show it outwardly any time soon.
"I WAS BEING RHETORIC KANAYA. AND IF WE WERE ABLE TO GO ANY FURTHER, WOULD I HAVE FUCKING STOPPED, DUMBASS?" replied the first shadow in disbelief, thoroughly vexed and contemplating exactly how idiotic his travelling companions actually were.
Another figure stepped up from the stairwell, and walked uncertainly to the center of the plateau. "uMMM, I tHINK I cAN dO sOMETHING aBOUT tHE wINd iF, uHHHH, tHAT'S aLRIGHT?" the figure stammered shyly, before being answered enthusiastically by the loud, annoyed shadow.
"YES, TAVROS. THAT WOULD BE ACTUALLY. FUCKING. HELPFUL. WHICH IS MORE THAN I CAN SAY FOR THESE BULGE-TENDERS OVER HERE IN THE SHELTER." he stated, running a palm down his face both in frustration and to remove the condensing water droplets.
"uHH, oKAY. tHANK yOU, I gUESS." the figure named Tavros replied carefully, before turning away from the others and focusing in on himself, taming the flux of emotions inside. From him emanated a bright blue light, splashing over the surroundings and giving way to a surreal blue sphere of perfect calm. The wind and crashing waves immediately around the island stopped, but outwards from that the storm continued to rage.
"2peak for your2elf KK. Wiithout me you wouldn't have even reached the electroniicly coded lock2, much le22 gotten two the door. You're the only one that diidn't do 2hiit." another figure emerging from the doorway stated matter-of-factly, wringing out his shirt to remove the excess moisture. "Bee2iide2, we don't even know where we're going yet, and ii really doubt that you do eiither."
"OF COURSE I KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING. I'M THE LEADER. THAT'S MY JOB. IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE IF YOU GAVE OUT THE ORDERS BECAUSE ONE: NO ONE WOULD FUCKING UNDERSTAND YOU, YOU LISPY DOUCHEBAG, AND TWO: I'M THE LEADER. I HAD TEREZI SCOUT THE MINDS OF THE GUARDS TO SEE HOW THEY GOT HERE. THAT'S HOW I KNOW WHERE WE WILL GO. NOW WHAT ASSHOLE?" replied the loud shadow triumphantly.
"Where do we go then." asked the lispy shadow rhetorically, already knowing that their 'leader' had no idea where to go, or how to get there. Luckily, one of the others cut in before the loud one could create a loop of words to guard himself from admitting he didn't actually know where to go.
"TH3Y 4RR1V3D 1N H3L1C0PT3RS, K4RKL3S." the newest arrival said to a chorus of disheartened sighs and groans, "TH3Y L3FT FR0M 4 L4RG3 C1TY 4L0NG TH3 C04ST 4ND 1T W4SN'T TH4T F4R FR0M 0UR CURR3NT P0S1T10N, B3C4US3 TH3 FL1GHT W4S 0NLY TW0 H0URS L0NG, B4S3D 0N H1S M3M0RY."
This new exposition seemed to bring a little bit of hope back to the group, who all moved onto the platform to get acquainted with their bleak surroundings. One-by-one, eventually all ten members of the party were meandering on the washed-out floor of the platform enjoying what was there only view of the outside world for years. The reassuring crash of the waves, while startling at first, proved as an anchor to draw them back to the reality: They had finally done it. Their dream was finally coming to fruition. What lay all around them- the ocean, the rock, the screaming gulls overhead- was all real.
"That 2tiill doe2n't an2wer how we are going two get there, TZ." Lispy replied again, still unconvinced and pessimistic.
"There is a city to the west of us that is fairly close. By air it would be around two hours, like Terezi has confirmed for us. Even more to our luck, there were a pair of inflatable rafts in a compartment set into the wall of the stairwell that Dave was leaning against." the other seer, Rose, informed.
"SEE. MY PLANS ARE ALWAYS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THINGS. WE GET BONUSES UP THE ASS THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT SOLLUX? OH, THAT'S RIGHT. YOU CAN'T THINK. IT'S TOO FAR ABOVE YOU." stated the loud shadow smugly.
"That's not much of a bonus. It will still be two days hard sailing in the S.S. SEASTRIDER before we touch ground, and that's only if we don't ironically die of thirst." said the one named Dave, who nonetheless went back and removed one of the durable orange inflatable rafts.
Sollux ignored the loud one and replied "Not iif we use Eriidan. Hey fii2h-fuck! We could actually u2e your help now!"
"Oh, wwhat's this Sol? You land-dwwellers havve finally realized howw badly you all need me? It took you long enough." a cloaked individual stated proudly, continuing "So, wwhat is it that you actually wwant?"
"Pu2h our boat2 liimp-bulge. Iit will get u2 to 2hore fa2ter." replied Sollux shortly, walking over to help Dave inflate the rafts. "We could do iit our2elve2, but iit'2 fa2ter iif we ju2t u2e you for your only good a2pect."
"Wwhatevver Sol, you knoww you wwant me, and I'll be here until you realize it." Eridan muttered sulkily, before strutting away from the group to the edge of the plateau to dangle his feet above the ocean's water until the rafts were blown up.
A little way down from him, also sitting on the rim were two other figures perched over the water, talking amongst themselves. The sudden change from calm to rage in the ebb and flow of the ocean was still in effect and gave them something to watch as they spoke.
"I wish I c0uld've been a bit m0re useful here…. N0ne 0f the spirits in the facility were guards th0ugh. They were all 0nly patients. N0ne of which had any inf0rmati0n about the 0utside w0rld." said figure one, sighing in a disappointed manner.
"Don't be so )(ard on yours)(ellf. I wasn't even asked to do anyfin', so you already did more t)(an I )(ave." replied the other brightly, attempting to cheer up the first figure.
"Thanks Feferi. I'll try t0 keep that in mind." replied the first, getting to her feet and then helping the one named Feferi up before clustering around the now-inflated means of escape.