=== Mermaid City - part 7

[So what are we going to do next? Did you have fun with whatever you have been doing guys? I did! I meet like real mermaids! They said that they actually live here and stuff, like every day they would look outside to see if they could find a man and...Actually no, it's more like they are looking for fun people to play with. Can you believe that they actually talked with me? Does that mean I'm actually someone they got interested in? Oh gee, I feel a little embarrassed tell you guys about this now.]

[Corona, I'm sure that's an interesting story, but Jielby is waiting...for me to kick her butt again. I'm going to win for sure, and just to show just to show her I can beat her fair and square, we can’t have anyone intervene us. Thus, we are going the test sever thing. This is why you need to be there in person.]

[Okay I understand. But say Oddie, they actually mentioned that you were near somewhere...like they saw you swimming around. Is that true? Did you see them as well? I mean did you notice how detailed are their outfits? Like they shimmer underwater, like silent waves or something. Did you spot how the clothes act as if there were alive? This jellyfish one had even feeler, they were moving on their own, scanning the area and wiggling and...Oh my goodness! Don't leave me! I'm coming right away.]

[Better for you, I mean you don't want to miss the opportunity of playing around with normal people too, right? It's fun, especially when you get to mortify someone who has a birdbrain and been annoying for the entire time you were just simply trying to get a party going...]

Yea, something like that. I don't have the nerve to finish that sentence, since there is no point if she is not here. Anyway, after Corona left the mermaid's apartment, she was searching primary for me, so I had no choice but to uncover myself at last. It was strange how natural it looked. I sat on a swinging bench, fixed to one of many moss wires, and finished the food I had with me. With only that in my mind, she approached me and said hello, which I didn't answer right away. Maybe she took the bait due hunger?

So, with me sharing some of the seafood I already tried, we both swam towards our next location. This time it would be another ride, the zipline one. What is so interesting about it? It's obviously not your normal single dimensional thrill that is quite commonplace. This one you had control over some things, and that made it ten times better. That's cause it was made into a game, like the ball one.

If this was to be a competition I saw no objections to take on the pink fearless commander who was in good humour today. Strangely, everyone shared the same smiley, which started to infect me as well. When I and the fairy arrived, others were done with stretching. On the side of the duct where people were waiting was a secret hatch that allowed us to enter the special instance. After passing...

[Yuppie, this actually works. I knew I was smarts, but this looks exactly the same, sans all those additional fishes. Jeepers, what if we would get lost in this totals alternative universe without the means to get back? All those hours that we still have! Ishishi~ just kidders, there is always a way to reset a dungeon right? Like there is this swing-bling button that takes you back. Sho my dearly-silly squidies, who is going to be first one to challenge this monster huh? It's defins swinging fun I tell you.]

[Thank you for putting everyone at ease my child, but I don't think it was necessary to mention that in the first place. Might you be as kind as to go first? I will be grateful, since that would give me the opportunity to learn about how this ride works. There seems to be this handle, attached to the rope that goes to the portal. It must be like the previous one, my wisdom tells me, so I think I can persevere on my own.]

[Yup, you go through like this mirror to another world, and then to next one...exactly like the ball ride. Jelly-swealy, I didn't know you were smarts as well Noctia? You always are silent about thinge-dingle, but you can speak for yourself. It must be the effect of this here ocean isn't it? Maybe the oil that made your tongue more slippery? Kidders! Ishishi~]

[If you imprint my account like that my child, I'm a little obligated to untwist it them. Let it be known before God that...]

As she was preaching, in the wrong time again, I have decided that I will just have a go first, without waiting on them.

[You guys can have fun with your stuff, I'm going on ahead. Be it a test ride, I'm going to see if this thing works.]

[Wait, that's totals low-school and unfair! You don't get to have a test ride—you only get one chance with me.]

[Ehh...whatever you say Jielby. I don't remember you saying anything about rules, it's just who is the fastest in the end.]

[Butters! You waitie-swaytie here miss fancy pants! I'm going to catch you before...Wowzers, she is fast!]

There was no point in waiting, the sooner we are done with this, the earlier we can do other rides as well. Not turning back, I jumped towards one of the handles above my head and filmy grabbed it with both of my hands. As expected it started moving. At the same time our silly leader tried to tug at my swimsuit, but obviously she accomplished nothing. That's how it works—you can't affect clothing or body position, especially if the person is in motion. Slowly gaining speed I entered through the portal.

Not surprised, as I did enter a whole different world, it seems that Jielby was following me, or rather appeared on my side. It was constructed in such a way you would be able to see your partner during the ride, although she far out of my reach. This was a fair battle now, and my plan worked of course. I'm curious how she feels now when I used her trick against her.

[Hey you are no fun-bun, you did this just to get me all fired up? Humph! You wanted this yourself, so be prepared to lose!]

[Seriously, you can keep your mumble for someone else. You are always saying the same things.]

[Whaa, such a harshie Oddie. I thought I was doing this to make you all funnie-sunny, but you are still grumpy little octie.]

[Why thanks, I be sure to ink my way on the podium. See you at the finish line.]

Right, maybe I didn't read up on the rules, but I assume there was a punishment for failing this ride as well. If anything, it's going to be a surprise for us both so I can't complain. As we looked at each other boiling faces, the battle commenced.

In front of me, there was a track made by a single rope. It had some obstacles before it, like coral rocks or adorable octies, and I didn't know yet how I would avoid them. Thinking about the simplest and most obvious method, I pulled my tiny legs upwards, which was enough to get over the traps laid on the ground, but at the same time, I noticed that I can also do the same with hands. This combination gave me the insight how I should deal with one thing, but didn't really help with what was about to come later.

With speed that I couldn't control, accelerating ever so slowly, I approached another obstacle that was a giant rock column. No way could I just simply squeeze my way through, under or over it. There must be another way, I figured, but I have to figure it out before it was too late. I would hate to lose at the very start.

[Look at those rockie-smoke! We must be inside of some volcanic cavern underwater. Like all those grey colours and fumes, they do sure work miracles on your beauty-mutty. Also, this gentle warmth current sure turns the heat up, righto Oddie?]

[If I could I would smack you right in your beauty spot now, but I'm preoccupied by this heavy predicament.]

Right, the current does feels nice but it's also in the wrong direction. It's the side so...wait a moment here, I know why. This might be a tip on how to control this zipline device. I instantly started to swing to the side with my entire petite body—the handle seemed to follow my movements. With this, though the rope went right through all other objects, I had a possibility. All I have to do now is to properly time my swings that, when I enter the vicinity of the column, I would be on the side of it.

Miraculously I managed to miss the rock just by an inch, grazing it a little with my thighs. That sudden impulse in my bottom resonated with my entire body, making it realise that this wasn't going to be an easy task. Just out of that imminent danger, there were more of them, various hindrances left and right, wild marine life with tentacles and gushing out dim smoke geysers. With my vision obscured and my wobbling hands swinging, along with my shaking legs raised, I was not going to make it, probably.

But that did not happen, I somehow managed to get in a good rhythm, and avoid all the dangers so far. The same could be said for her, the pink monkey girl who was not even breaking a sweat all this time. What agility, she was really born with the body to climb trees.

[Having fun with your little monkey-business? Don't worry about losing. I'm going to get you a consolidation prize, a chocobanana.]

[How sweetie-jitty for you to think about nourishment in the middle of this exercise! But sorry to burst your bubble, you are not supposed to digest during physical stress, unless it's water. But there is plenty of that here! Ishishi~]

[Oh sure, I would give you a lot of water if I had a water gun, all of it actually. Take that!]

[Hey no splashy-washy here! I can do the same you know? Uya!]

As silly at it looked, handing on one hand, we both started waving at one another, trying to direct the fumes away from us, and into the opponent's face. And I thought that we couldn't really mess with other players. I was wrong but nevertheless...

There was something more worrying ahead. It was a tiny squid plushie which, despite being terribly cute, had its eyes dead on me. Sitting in the middle, on a small pedestal, it was pouting its lips, and that was obviously not a good sign. As I came nearby it started aiming at me, slightly turning the piper upwards. It's going to shoot! I thought, without any idea what should I do.

Sparing not a single moment for me to look at Jielby’s side, it started shooting a stream of black ink towards me. Utterly shocked, I pulled my body upwards, with closing my eyes. To be honest, I could have just cover my face with one of my hands, but oh well. When I opened them again, I realised that the danger was over, but also that something has landed on my chest. It was that slimy, sticky and inky emission that was aimed my face, but luckily I evaded that terrible fate. Bit by bit it started oozing down my...

[Ekk! I can't get it off now! The ride is too fast! Dammit! This is so icky!]

[Oh you tell me squid sister, but at least saves your deary-silly face didn't ya?]

[How did you evade...]

[It's simple, I baited the shot. I ish smarts after all! Don't worry I...]

While she was playing around with her technically right solution, she didn't notice one of them on her track. The results of that, as one would expect, was the same as mine, and now we were both in the same page, as if fresh out an old-type printer. As for my side, I quickly did what she did, and evaded the duplicated fate. The trick was surprisingly easy. All you had to do was to pull yourself upwards first, to make it shoot upwards, and then you lower yourself, so the ink would fly over your head. Knowing that method works, the ride continued for the both of us.

This time there something unusual appeared during this twisted carousel, full of curves which went in and out of various caves. In front of my face there was a tall upward oriented rope and as my handle entered the area, the ride started to slow down. There was just a moment before the line would end, and that meant I would fall down. This must be where I need to jump, right?

With that in mind, I started swinging forward and backwards, to gain enough momentum for my leap. I didn't have much time left, and quite frankly, there was no other brilliant plan left to try. So with only one try at this, I let go of the monkey bar, and flew over a huge and empty hole below. That moment I was thinking...”Will I make it?”, “Was that enough speed?”, “I hope Jielby fails at this.”. As my eyes were focused on the bar on the other side, my limbs were flapping, trying to grasp it. Yet, neither my hands nor legs could reach it. It seems that I overshoot my jump and flew over it...

[Dammit! They tricked me! Why in the world you would they set it up like that?]

[To cool down squidie-greedy like ourselves. Oh my gee, no surprise! I goofed at well!]

[You did that too? How fitting for you...yet you know what happens to us now?]

[We go back! In a very fishy-dishy fashion as well! You will see!]

Falling down as if I were sitting down with my legs apart, with Jielby on my side that was free falling, we entered the darkness, and the portal that was hidden there. In a brief moment we were transported to a place filled with hemp webs all around our bodies. It was a net that we got caught into and pulled up like fishes trawled by humans. After we gained some height we were back to start, the entry room with Corona and Noctia also in the same situation. Well, at least I didn't have that pink cuttlefish beat me.

[It seems that when you don't succeed and fall down, you are caught in this net and forced to watch. After you two children went in, I followed Corona as well. All this could have been avoided if we...]

[And that’s the finish line for you my dampy-humpy fish sisters! Oh should I say fisher line? Upsie...]

[Oh yea it was super fun! We should go again girls. I think I got a good idea how to control this now! Oh my goodness! You're all covered by ink! It is like a secret strategy? Is this like a new mechanic or so? By the way, who won?]

No one won yet fairy, it seems that we are just starting our games now, I said to myself as we were all forced out of the nets.