#world basking shark day!

[thatoneacecryptid]

Happy World Basking Shark Day!

[geek-jpeg]

🦈Shark Awareness Day🦈

July 14th - Sharks, skates and rays belong to a subclass of fish called 'Elasmobranchii', being notable for their primarily cartilaginous skeletons and unique diversity. Sharks play a vital role in maintaining stable ocean environments; by removing sickly fish, and controlling overpopulation of either invasive or smaller predatory fish in certain ecosystems. Filter feeders and sand sifters are just as important, being a part of the ocean's clean-up crew and nutrient cyclists. Unfortunately, over one-third of these species are at risk or threatened with extinction due to climate change and misconceptions being spurred on by popular media over the years (Jaws, Shark Week, etc.). The loss of these animals would lead to a decline in ocean ecosystem health around the world.

[umeshu21135]

quick fat basking shark i did for world basking shark day

[kriskross]

have you told your local basking shark that you love them?

[dickgumshoesconfettishredder]

my pc suddenly got processed by John Microsoft and beamed edge propaganda into my soul. i love bing culture of making new and fun days celebrarting the little guys in life!

happy world basking shark day to all who celebrate!! they struck gold with the name, not gonna lie, these dudes really do be basking!

[dickgumshoesconfettishredder]

tee hee

my dads response could not have been better

[pinkquartzgeode]

HAPPY DAY!!!!!!!!🦈🦈🦈✨✨✨✨✨

[natalievoncatte]

Kara knows, and that’s the problem.

She knows.

How does she know?

To put it simply, she’s Kryptonian. More specifically: a Kryptonian under a yellow sun, whose wavelengths of light bring forth her genetic heritage when she basks in its rays. If long lost Rao was once her father, Sol is her mother, raising her up to be all that she can be. A creation of a lost super-science, a power to rival gods, a force that made the Guardians tremble in their emerald tower.

Kara can see everything.

The world is alive with light. It cascades and bounces and caroms off of everything. More than that, Kara’s world is bathed in a thousand thousand hues the human eye will never know. When she looks at a person she can see the electrical conductivity of their skin and the heat bloom of their flesh and a myriad of other details, some of which other humans can pick up on a subconscious level, others that humans haven’t even discovered yet.

Kara can hear everything.

She can hear dog whistles and butterfly wings beating and the secret language of cats. She can hear the crackle of radio waves beating the atmosphere and the music of the spheres. She can memorize human heartbeats and pick out the slightest variation, the tiniest wobble that the owner of the heart never feels.

Kara can smell everything. She can sift between the scents of ingredients in her honey bun, detect poisons in a friend’s wine or flowers in a park half a state away. Sharks would be jealous of her. She can scent people but also their moods; fear smells horrific, sickly sweet and rotten. Joy smells hot and bold. When someone walks in the room, she can tell what they had for breakfast, smell of they’re sick, pick out the fragrances of their emotions.

Kara can feel everything. A touch can betray or affirm. To hear a heartbeat is one thing, to feel it another. Her fingertips can read the surface of another’s skin like braille and she can detect the slightest changes in temperature or perspiration, feel the thrum of contentment or fear in an embrace. Her touch is not dulled by her invulnerability. It as sensitive as her other senses.

Kara can remember everything. The day she stepped from her pod into the brilliant golden sunlight beneath a blue sky was the last time she would every forget; her now empowered brain can recall events in the finest detail, down to the soft timbre of another’s voice or the way her hair fell over her shoulder or the softness in her gaze. And so Kara’s memory is hers to be kept forever, never to lose the sight of her.

That is how Kara knows, and knowing that Lena Luthor loves her is a pain so terrible that she almost wishes she could be spared that pain. When Lena sees Kara, her heart leaps and her breath softens and she comes alive with light, bathed in an auric glow more beautiful than a red sunrise. Kara wishes that Lena could see herself as Kara sees her. Radiant, angelic, a little holy.

Lena loves Kara Danvers, the bumbling awkward nerdy shy girl from Vaguely Canada who brings her burgers and donuts and OTPs.

She doesn’t love Supergirl and Kara doesn’t think she could.

That’s how the torture happens. Kara’s infinite perception becomes a self-imposed exile. She sees and smells the way James lusts after Lena, right in front of her. Baffled, she listens to the calm in her heart when they kiss and once she wakes frantically in the night, reaching about to sift through the city soundscape when she hears Lena’s voice cry out, then the sound of Lena’s heart racing and other sounds, and not for the first time, she pleads with a god she doesn’t know to make her human and free her from this curse.

She seeks feeling of her own. It’s pleasant enough but it lacks something undefinable, like a pleasant chocolate cake that becomes unbearable because she could have had something far sweeter and more filling instead. He tries in a fumbling way but it’s to please his own ego more than sate her desire. Then one day he is gone and in his absence all Kara can feel is a dull numbness, a ragged wound with all the nerves scraped out so that only a dull absence has been left behind, leaving her broken in a way that cannot be defined much less repaired.

Kara cannot help but snap her attention to the sound of Lena growing agitated, no matter how distant or minor. She hears harsh words and the heavy thud of a limo door closing and hears the sharp intake of breath as James realizes the mistake he’s made, and though he is her friend and he matters to him she feels a feral, possessive joy that borders on the cruel. It is a hard feeling, a red feeling, a sharp smelling mean feeling that tastes cold on her tongue, this resentment of the man for having a pale shadow of what she could have but wouldn’t.

Lena loves Kara Danvers and Kara Danvers loves her back, but she can never know because to know she must know all of her. Know the Other, the Super, the Alien.

Kara is two people and one of those people has been, well, a bitch.

Because Kara feels spending else. A green feeling, a sick feeling, the feeling of blades flensing flesh from bone while her veins turn to glass and her body burns to ash, the shocking pain of a little piece of home. A little piece that Lena made and didn’t tell her, and Kara makes the worst mistake.

She stops being Supergirl and is just Kara Danvers in a colorful suit, angrily refusing to ask Lena the question: I love you, how could you do this to me?

She does love her. She loves her laugh and her secret smiles and how soft she looks when she’s deep in thought. She loves the pain in her, the mirror of her own. She cherishes it as she wants hers to be cherished, held close by someone who knows what it’s like to watch your world explode or slip beneath still waters and be gone forever. She knows what it’s like to wonder what could have been and know the price you paid for what you have now.

She wants Lena so terribly that she’d almost choose the pain of Kryptonite instead of an eternity of this longing. She needs her, craves her, thirsts for her.

One night Kara realizes what she’s been doomed to. Another will succeed where James failed, and Kara will be spared none of it, and it will endure forever. She will carry memories of Lena in another’s arms into the sun dies.

No.

“I don’t know why I agreed to this,” Lena says.

Kara -Supergirl- says nothing at first.

“I have to fly you.”

Lena nods. She’s doing this for Kara, because Kara asked. When Supergirl extends a hand, Lena takes it and Kara gently lifts her from the ground into a bridal carry, and they fly.

The trip takes nearly an hour. Kara can’t fly too fast or too high. Lena accepts it without complaint.

They land far north of National City, where the warmer climate yields to deciduous rainforest. Kara brings them down on a bare hilltop, an island in a vast ocean of trees. Nearby on a folding table is a basket. It might be important later or it might not. She might have a life of joy or she might spend the rest of forever in a wasteland, waking each day to grief.

There’s only one way to find out. Part of her, the part that hopes, the part that makes her Supergirl, believes in this, in herself, in this moment. She has to, because the chain of events that led her here, flung across endless space to stand in starlight with the most beautiful woman in this world, it demands that it happen. This is fate. It has to be.

Supergirl stands beside Lena. She raises an arm and points.

“There. Second star on the left, and straight on till morning.”

Lena quirks an eyebrow and looks at her.

“You brought me out here for this?”

“Do you see that red light?” Kara asks. “It’s very faint. I don’t know if a human can see it or not.”

“I just see stars.”

“It’s Rao, my sun. I can see him. If I had a powerful enough telescope, I could see it. Krypton. The explosion won’t be visible to Earth for a thousand years.”

Lena looks up, her features bathed in moonlight- alive with a chaotic explosion of hues she’ll never see. She blazes in the night, her eyes a kaleidoscope from which Kara can never truly look away. She’s a rainbow.

Kara falters. Whatever she does tonight, this is it. This is forever.

“You said Kara would meet me here,” Lena says.

“Wait here, please.”

Kara turns quickly and walks into the dark, cape spreading behind her. Once she’s out of sight, she changes without restraining her speed, and walks back to Lena in a hoodie and leggings, hair in a loose ponytail and the back of her neck and hands in her pockets.

She walks back to Lena and stands beside her.

“Hello, Kara.”

“Hi, Lena.”

There is a tense silence between them. Kara devours the moment, consumes it so it will live forever, just in case this is the last time she sees Lena.

“We’re not far from the reservoir,” says Lena. “Why did you ask Supergirl to bring us here?”

Kara swallows hard. “I realized something really important near here.”

Lena turns to her. “What was that?”

“That there was someone who mattered to me a lot, and that I was willing to risk a lot to protect her. There was a moment where I thought I was going to have time make a choice, you or the chemicals. I didn’t have to but I would have. I would have picked you. I will always pick you. I can’t help it.”

Lena is not stunned. Her heart doesn’t miss a beat, but Kara can sense her apprehension, her fear, and something deeper than that.

“You’re Supergirl.”

Kara lets out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding and her legs wobble. There it is. It’s done. She’s free.

“I should have told you sooner.”

“You should have. You should have told me when we fought about the Kryptonite. I thought you would, hoped you would. I wanted you to so desperately, wanted you to trust me.”

Kara’s heart sinks.

“Wait, you knew? How?”

Lena laughs softly.

“The way you touch me. When you pick me up and carry me somewhere, you have this way about you. When I’m in your arms I feel like I’m the most precious thing in the world.”

“You are,” Kara says.

“That and you told me you flew to my office on a bus.”

Kara makes a small, choked sound.

“Oh.”

Lena scuffs the heel of her boot against the ground.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I was scared. I thought if I did, you’d see it as a confrontation and feel threatened. What about you?”

“I’m Kara. Supergirl is something I do, not what I am. When I’m with you I’m just me. I lose that with everyone when they find out. Kara isn’t my secret identity. Supergirl is. I’m just me. I just want to be me, I need to be me, and when I’m with you I am most myself. It’s like laying down all my burdens.”

“Same,” Lena said, softly. “You’re the only one who doesn’t treat me like an extension of my brother.”

Kara sighed. “Should we talk about the Kryptonite?”

“No,” Lena says. “Fuck the Kryptonite. Why’d you bring me out here?”

“To tell you.”

“Great, you told me. What did you think would happen next?”

“I thought you’d be mad.”

Lena nods and seems to think about that for a moment. Her pulse has quickened and her jaw is tight.

“Let me ask you a different question. What did you want to happen?”

Kara swallowed hard. “What I wanted was… for us to make up. Be friends. Work it out. I don’t want to lose you.”

Lena turns and looks at her.

“Bullshit.”

Kara flinches.

“That’s bullshit, Kara, and we both know it. You’re a terrible liar. I wouldn’t be surprised if half the staff at CatCo know who you are. Don’t lie to me. Please. Give me the truth.”

Kara looks up briefly, past Lena. She sees that faint red glow and her heart swells in her chest.

“I love you. That’s the truth. I’ve been in love with you probably since our first lunch together and I want you so badly that I can’t breathe when I think about it. I know a dozen languages and half of them aren’t from Earth, and there aren’t enough words in all of them to tell you how kind and wonderful and beautiful you are. I love you so much that sometimes I think,” Kara fights the tightening of her throat, “I think I’m almost glad that I’m here and not back up there under that red glow. I don’t think I could choose a life without you.”

Lena lets out a long breath and Kara is bombarded with sensations. Lena’s pulse races and her shoulders relax and her skin blooms with an ethereal luminous riot of color.

“I’ll never lie to you again. I promise.”

Kara can taste everything.

Right now the only thing she can taste is Lena.

[omatoxin]

Happy world basking shark day!! he wants to sing you a song!!!

[catnoli]

happy world basking shark day! 🦈💙

basking shark!

[sinisternymphette]

sheep!reader - a concept

✦ sheep!reader loves the outdoors, and is usually found basking under the sun as they daydream or running around the grassy plains as they chase butterflies. However, they value the company and prefer to spend their time with others, thriving in groups rather than in their solitude.

✦ sheep!reader is kind in their nature, and would do anything for their loved ones. They also like to show their affection physically, always ready to give a warm hug to someone who needs it, or shower their significant other with pretty little kisses all over their face.

✦ sheep!reader is, however, oblivious to the evil in others. They trust those they love, and want to fit in so desperately that they're easy to mold- easy to manipulate. They like to see the good in others, but often forget that evil also exists.

✦ sheep!reader, who is easily spooked or surprised. They feel squeamish at the sight of a single drop of blood and shiver in fear when they hear a strange sound. Though they'll often try to mask it underneath an awkward close-mouthed smile or giggle. If you ask them to watch a true-crime show with you, they'll still accept even if they don't want to deep inside.

✦ sheep!reader, who likes to do arts and crafts in their free time. They're dreamers and like to put their creativity into something of their own, such as their own plushies, clothing, diy home decorations and many more.

✦ sheep!reader, who likes collecting vintage items like precious moments figurines, vinyl, and even fabrics. Their song library is also full of old songs and classical music, not having a liking for rap, rock and metal music. They listen to their music either on their iPod or record player. Their musical muses are mazzy star, kate bush, the cranberries, phil collins, autumn's grey solace and the smiths.

✦ sheep!reader, who loves wearing soft and lighter colors, no matter the season. They nail the southern belle, farmer's daughter and cottagecore aesthetics, giving them an angelic appearance; radiating joy and innocence and beauty that surely catches many eyes, though they never seem to notice as they're in their own little world.

✦ sheep!reader, who tries their best at everything, but often feel like they're doing everything wrong. They often find themselves cringing about something they said in a conversation from days ago, tripping and falling in front of everyone at the worst moment possible, or not being able to concentrate on their studies and understanding the subjects they're taught. They're emotionally fragile, easily overwhelmed and stressed.

✦ sheep!reader, who loves animals and is 100% a future cat lady. They find almost every animal cute and adorable- from spiders to sharks. Despite their skittishness to most things, animals are the only thing they aren't scared of. They love watching animal documentaries for hours- and they never get bored.

✦ sheep!reader, who likes to draw people they find pretty. Honestly, they find everyone beautiful, but those who are kind-hearted and have beauty inside and outside are ought to get at least one drawing from them.

ib: @princessbrunette !!

a/n: everyone is free to send me an ask with sheep!reader in any of the universes mentioned in my rules and I'll do my best to make them fit in the story/au! if it's an anime, modern!au is preferred. I based them a little off myself, so I hope you all like them!

@sinisternymphette 2024

[imagine-darksiders]

Okay, so that post you made about Death getting burried by children at the beach got me daydreaming, what would the other horsemen hypothetically be doing on a beach day?

War and Strife are digging a hole, it's only been like, 30 minutes and it's already 10ft deep. Fury wandered off and is either looking at tide pools or is attempting to scale a beachside cliff.

Strife absolutely ropes War into digging to the other side of the world like those teens over there told him was possible. Otherwise, War can be found commandeering one half of a beach volleyball team and is teaching them strategies to crush the enemy team.

Death is in charge of all the stuff and is doing everything he can to avoid the sun, basking underneath any bit of shade he can find. Unbeknownst to anyone else, he's surreptitiously keeping an eye on the water, looking for any humans who might be in trouble.

Fury has been swimming around underwater for an outrageous amount of time just desperate to see a shark. She's also busy accidentally on purpose freaking out swimmers when her hair brushes past their ankles.

Bonus: Death at the beach with Y/n.

You try to convince Death to help you make the most amazing sandcastle ever, big enough for people to stand up in! It doesn't take much convincing. After all, if you can convince the Grim Reaper to put down his scythe and join you at the beach for a day, you can talk him into sandcastle building. He uses his magics, and his ghouls, all the while grousing half-heartedly that this is hardly worth the mana he's expending. But when all is said and done, seeing the delight on your sun-warmed face at something he created might just be its own reward.

[bethanythebogwitch]

Australian Pokemon - single stages

Another set of Fakemon for my Goorda region, based on a combination of Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. Previous posts: non-natives, regional standards, creepy lines, regional variants, birds, early-game standards, misc 2, misc 1, variant starters, starters

Wakaremai, the Transport Pokemon, water/dragon type. They have been used since ancient times as transportation, carrying humans between islands with the canoes growing from their backs. Some scientists believe ancient Goordan people created the species, but are not sure how. SOme legends say that people were first brought to Goorda on the back of a gigantic Wakaremai. While massive, Wakaremai are gentle giants who feed exclusively on plankton and are easily tamed by humans. Since the invention of motorboats, Wakaremai have become more common in the wild.

Wakaremai is a combination basking shark and waka, Maori canoes. I based the design on this reconstruction waka. It fills the same niche as Lapras in being a transport focused water type and Lapras are either not native to Goorda or where never used for transport. Real life basking sharks are plankton-eating gentle giants just like Wakaremai. The story of Wakaremai bringing people to Goorda is based on Maori stories of how they first came to Aotearoa on canoes. I did make two boat sharks in the same region, but Wakaremai is a gentle giant and defensively oriented while Davalossam (in a previous post) is very hostile and offensively oriented. Wakaremai's name comes from "waka" and "reremai", the Maori word for basking shark.

Mimicrag, the Thin Pokemon, fairy/rock type. Their bodies are paper-thin, making them incredibly flexible, but they are so light that the wind will blow them away. They live inside cracks in rocks and only emerge on windless days. Mimicrag are intelligent and mischievous Pokemon that have been known to prank hikers, but they seem to mean no harm. Legends say that the Mimicrag taught the first humans in Goorda how to survive in their new homes.

Mimicrag is based on the mimi, mythical creatures from north Australia who had to live in cracks in rocks because their bodies were so thin wind could kill them. They were believed to have inhabited Australia before humanity and taught humans how to hunt and make rock art. Depictions of the mimi are found in a lot of petroglyphs, which inspired the rock typing. Mimicrag would be a very fast and lightweight, but defensively poor Pokemon, the opposite of most rock types. The name comes from "mimi" and "crag".

Windipet, the Carpet Shark Pokemon, flying type. These airborne Pokemon normally dwell high in the sky and eat clouds, but they occasionally come low enough to encounter humans. They are strong enough to carry a human, but need training as their normal flying style would quickly send the rider falling. Windipet are know to be playful and will spend hours playing with each other when they meet.

Windipet is a flying carpet that is a carpet shark. Specifically, it's a tasseled wobbegong and a tasseled carpet. Them living in the atmosphere and rarely coming down is a reference to atmospheric beasts, cryptids that allegedly live their entire lives in the sky. Windipet comes from "windy" and "carpet" and I tried to mimic the word wobbegong.

Didgeridoodlebug, the Noisy Pokemon, bug/normal type. It has eight horn-like organs on its back that it can move air through to create a very loud noise. Smaller, stick-like organs coating its back are banged together to make more noises. During mating season, Didgeridoodlebug create cacophonous symphonies to attract mates, much to the dismay of any nearby humans trying to sleep.

Didgeridoodlebug is based on two Australian musical instruments and Thopha saccata, a species of Australian cicada that is a contender for the loudest insect in the world. Much like real cicadas, their songs can be very frustrating for humans. The musical instruments are the didgeridoo and clapsticks, both of which are used by Aboriginal peoples. I made it part normal type both because we don't have a bug/normal yet and to give it STAB on moves like hyper voice and uproar. Its name comes from "didgeridoo" and "doodlebug". Cicadas aren't doodlebugs, but I just couldn't pass up on that pun.

[dragcnbreak]

Your Caregiver head cannons for Mike = chefs kiss 💋!

Anyways if you taking requests I think it would be and adorable scene to have CG!Mike bring Little!reader ( fem or gn ) a cute stuffie ( I’m OBSESSED with whale sharks and would actually crumble if someone gave me a whale shark plush ) after they’ve had a rough week and it’s all cute ! If not that’s totally ok ! Have a wonderful day/night and stay healthy! 💙

HI ANGEL tysm for reading <3 today is world basking shark day so i thought i’d get to ur request today 🫡 thank u for the kind words, here’s a drabble for u

◞♡࿐

You were so tired. Work and life in general had caught up to you this week and you just wanted to relax. So, you found yourself at the Schmidts’ house, home to two of the most beloved people in your life: Mike and Abby. You had a special relationship with the former and the latter could lighten up your day no matter how bad it was.

But you unfortunately realized that it was still Friday, a weekday, and Abby would still be at school. And Mike’s car wasn’t in the driveway so you used your key to get in and bundled yourself up in blankets on the couch.

You were mindlessly watching the television when Mike came home through the front door. “Mikey!” You greeted him when he came in, peering around the couch to look at him. He saw you in your bundle of blankets and gave you a small smile when he realized you were most likely regressed.

“Hi, baby.” he said back, putting his things down on the dining table before coming over to you. He then ruffled your hair and kissed your forehead. “How was your week?” The question caused you to frown, your brain busy trying not to recall the reasons you had regressed in the first place.

Mike saw this and his smile dimmed slightly before brightening up a bit. “I just remembered. I got something for you. I left it in the car; I’ll be right back.” You perked up at the sudden change in subject, your eyes never leaving Mike as he walked back out the front door.

When he came in the second time after being gone for a minute, he was holding something behind his back. You sat up expectantly with bright eyes. “What is it, Mikey?” You had begun to stim, rocking back and forth on the couch in excitement. The aforementioned man smirked slightly and showed you what he was holding.

It was a big stuffed animal, a whale shark. You squealed in excitement as you beheld one of your favorite animals ever in a huge plush form. You made grabby hands and it made Mike laugh, something that also delighted you. He handed it to you and you squeezed it, reveling in the softness of it.

“Thank you, Mikey!” You chirped appreciatively, still remembering your manners. “You’re welcome.” Mike sat down with you, grinning fondly as your ran your hands over the shark again and again. You didn’t have very many materials things as never having too much money was something you had in common with Mike. He had to have known how much it would mean to you (and you would question him over the cost of it later when you weren’t regressed).

“What are you going to name him? Or her?” Mike hummed, getting comfortable by leaning back. “I think ‘m gonna call him… MJ!” You had already had an idea in your head of what you would name your first stuffie: something that meant a lot to you. “Do the letters stand for anything?”

“Mikey Junior!” You grinned. Mike blinked owlishly in a stupor before smiling again. He leaned forward towards you and peppered your face in a multitude of kisses. “I love you, baby.” He said softly, almost unheard from the amount of giggles you were emitting. “I love you too, Mikey.”

[ancha-aus]

Sansnautica sneak peak - Cuddlefish and the... selkie?

:3 so... i went ham... and look at that...

A drabble :3 Just for you guys :3 sneak peak of Cross and Sans meeting.

POV Cross :D

-----------

Cross looks around nervously.

This seem calm…

But then again there had been an intruder ship again.

Sure it had fallen and crashed but it was also poisoning their world with radiation.

Farm had explained to them what radiation could do. He had been a landdweller back before the floods after all, long before the Precursors even came to this planet. Before Nightmare and Dream gifted him his mer form to be safe in the water.

Cross didn’t like being away from the others. But he was the only one immune to this poison that infected their planet.

And so the only safe option to scout the area to see how bad it had gotten.

His shiver hadn’t wanted him to go but Cross offered. He wanted to do this. He wanted to do this for the very people who saved him from the isolation he had been in. The prison of hibernation he hadn’t been able to escape himself.

The Precursors… XGaster had put him in a hibernation and on ice. Something about his immune system and stuff being helpful.

Cross didn’t care. All he remembers from that time was invasive hands. Of being stuck on cold metal tables. Of knives cutting into him and pain.

When he woke up from another forced sleep he had been met with Dream. Dream looking at him full of worry before Dream brought him out of the partly flooded base.

Cross had been ready to pass out with fear when he saw the gigantic black form of Nightmare. Only for Nightmare to easily take both him and Dream and keep them both safe as he left the area with lava and that disgusting building that had held him prisoner for so so so long.

The world had completely changed since he had been last outside.

At least the shiver was nice. They helped him. The taught him about the world and helped him rediscover old forgotten instincts. Helped him relearn the language of the mers that still sounded like singing to him.

He owned them so much.

The least he can do is swim into this radiation to make sure that it wasn’t getting closer to them or getting worse.

Cross takes a deep breath as he nears the shallows. Time to go to where the ship crashed and reaper territory.

Cross nears the area and waits.

Huh… No poison?

Cross frowns as he speeds of. Easily dodging any of the sand sharks that pop out. Cross makes grins at the sight of them. They remind him of Horror and Horror is such a sweet mate. It makes Cross not worry about the sand sharks at all. He just remembers the way that Horror would lay partly buried in sand as he basks in the sun and warm sand.

Cross grins as he twirls in the sea. Nearing the sight of the disaster and ruined reaper territory.

He manages to get all the way to the ship and frowns. Where is the pressure of the poison? The way it will feel like a sludge over his being? It isn’t here at all?

Cross frowns and makes sure to remain near for a while. Maybe it is one of those slow acting ones?

But nothing happens. No pressure. No weird side effects. No slightly hazy sight.

It is gone.

But how is it gone?

Cross backs up and frowns.

They had already checked the metal shells that had shot off the ship. All of them holding creatures from the ship but none of the surviving for longer than a day or two.

Cross did feel bad about that. Same for the rest of his shiver. They hadn’t wanted to interfere or risk themselves but coming back from checking something else only to find a broken open shell and ruined items? Yeah. Cross doesn’t feel good about it.

Still he frowns as he hears the first reaper. Best to get back to the others now and report that the radiation is gone.

It is good. It means they can all start really searching and investigating the area to make sure nothing is trying to settle or nothing dangerous entered the planet again.

Nightmare said nature was already in a fragile balance after the Precursors infected them with this illness.

Cros is very happy that his shiver seemed immune to it but he had seen the green spots appearing on others and seen them die quickly. The shiver had told him stories about this little group that had crashed here ages ago. How the three had kept moving before one killed a reaper and caused another one to attack their little nest area.

Cross grieved for those in private.

He swims by the shallows when he suddenly freezes.

That…

That is one of those creatures!

Those shell creatures!

Cross knows because he can see the like second skin and the obvious brands on that skin of the symbol of the crashed ones.

The other catches a peeper and turns and stops.

Their face is just a blank sheet and Cross feels very nervous.

They continue the stare at him before slowly starting to move closer and Cross feels himself tense. The other stops and tilts their head slightly. They slowly raise the hand not holding the peeper and Cross gets ready to rush away. But then the other grabs the underside of their own face and just pulls it back and-

It reminds him of when Geno or Blue undoes part of their seal skin to show their landdweller form.

And suddenly there is a skeleton skull staring back at him. Large sockets and soft little pure white eye lights.

Cross swims a little closer as his mind races. There had been mers on that ship? Why? Why would- the brand. The branding on the skin… does… was… are they? Where they like him? Trapped? And the crash knocked something lose?

Is that why Cross only sees them now? Is this the first time this selkie managed to get ot and explore?

Maybe they had their skin hidden away. And they managed to reclaim it before escaping the ship…

Cross’s mind is spinning when the selkie looks at the fish they are holding. They seem to be having trouble with staying afloat. Having to use this tool on their back to propeller upwards before having to keep moving the little flippers to try and stay at least on the same level.

The little selkie offers him the peeper.

Cross feels his soul start to melt. The little guy is trying to share. Poor selkie was probably locked away and it desperately looking for food only to be willing to share… maybe they thing Cross was also a captive?

Cross inches closer. Trying very hard to not seem dangerous to the other.

Cross decides not to go too close and uses his tentacle to take the peeper. The selkie just stares at the limb. So very curious and Cross can see the other’s hand inch towards him before being pulled back.

Cross quickly backs away. He doesn’t want to scare them. This is fragile. They are vulnerable and have no idea what they can eat… Oh! Maybe if Cross shows it is completely fine to eat they will feel more reassured? The selkie tilts their skull at them and Cross quickly looks to the fish and eats it quickly.

Some movement and Cross glances up to see a tiny tiny grin on their face. As soon as they notice him looking they make sure their face is normal again. Cross quickly focusses on the fish. Why aren’t they emoting? Weren’t they allowed to do that? Cross knows that XGaster hated him emoting… maybe this also happened to the other?

Cross finishes the fish and sees that the selkie is still watching him curiously. Cross decides to be a bit bold and swims a few circles around the selkie, going down a bit with him as the other continues to sink slowly.

Cross can see that the other starts to look at his form more curiously and Cross takes the time to study the other. The brands seem fully intergraded into the other’s skin… That can’t be good. He isn’t even sure if Dream would be able to heal this… poor guy… Cross reaches for the brand on one side of him. Were the leg, or well leg-fins? Seem to start. He tries to be gentle as he touches it.

The selkie immediately twists around and backs up a bit. Okay! Oh no! That hurt apparently! Oh Cross feels terrible! He can’t stop the whine as he gives the other more room. He didn’t mean to hurt him… but that this imply that this is a new brand? Or that they were just rebranded?

The selkie looks annoyed and guarded as they cross their arms and frowns at them. Cross feels even worse. He didn’t mean to hurt Little Flippers! He just wanted to make sure it wasn’t hurting him!

The selkie relaxes a bit and frowns a little before relaxing. A small grin appears on their face and Cross feels a bit better.

Then they take out a tool and hold it up hopefully. Euh.. what is that?

They make a show of using it on themselves before showing him the other side of the thing. It seems to be text of some type, not that Cross can read this one. And there seems to be a picture of a skeleton on it.

Oh! Maybe it is to show the form under the skin of a selkie? Maybe he is curious about it Cross is like them! Cross holds out an arm and waits with held breath.

Cross feels his anxiety leaves when they look so excited after using the tool on him. Staring at the screen eagerly before tilting their skull slightly confused. Cross follows after him and takes a glance himself. It doesn’t make sense to him but it seems to have worked.

The selkie stares at him and Cross tilts his skull at them. Trying to get them to interact with him again.

Cross sees no real reaction aside from some confusion on their face so he backs of. Oh wait! Maybe doing little tricks helps? A bit of playing? Cross makes a backwards flip before looking at Little Flippers again.

Little Flippers just look confused. Don’t… don’t they know about playing?

They sink a bit and use their items to geta bit higher in the water again.

Why can’t Little Flippers swim okay? Did those other creatures hurt them? Is that why they can’t swim anymore? They don’t look bothered by it as they give a shrug but Cross does not agree. It is dangerous if he can’t swim fully. What if something gets him?!

Wait! Why hasn’t he even tried to!?

Cross focusses on the other “Hey… I am Cross. Who are you? Do you need help?”

Little Flipper shakes their skull before swimming up?! Why?!

Cross watches as they break the surface before coming down again and they make a few sounds as small bubble of air leave their mouth. It sounds deeper with sharper tunes than what Cross is used to but not bad per se.

Though there is no way this sound or language will travel far through the water.

Cross feels another sense of loss. Did those creatures force him to adapt? Were they trying to force a poor selkie to adapt out of the water? Is that why he is branded? And can’t swim? And seems to need air to communicate even when he looks fine without air in the water?

Little Flippers makes a few more sounds and seems happy to at least try and talk to Cross.

A roar breaks their little moment and Cross turns to see stalkers attacking. Cross doesn’t think as he rushes them as Little Flippers barely manages to dodge one attacking them!

No! Don’t touch them!

More stalkers appear and Cross makes it obvious they are not welcome. Cross growls and scares them off easily enough.

But by the time he turns back Little Flippers is gone.

Cross spends more time searching the shallows for Little Flippers. They wouldn’t have gone too deep right? With them not being a strong swimmer? But he finds nothing.

Cross can only hope they are holed up somewhere safe. Made a little nest for themselves to remain safely in.

Cross knows he needs to inform the others quickly and rushes off to get to them.

[dickgumshoesconfettishredder]