![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
[3.8★] "Too much water" — Yelp Reviewer
It's like a fish tank, but bigger.
The sea is a vast expanse of water that covers 70% of our planet Earth. It is also home to various marine life that dwell within the very depths. Then one day, someone decided to bring the ocean to the surface for Reasons. So now everyone gets the chance to see all sorts of seafaring creatures — man-eating sharks, living fossils, and whatever horrors found deep in the ocean trenches all safely confined inside these oversized aquariums.
Somehow, your character got their hands on some tickets. So why not dive right in and spend some of that free time to hang out with the fishes? Learn something about the ocean, pet a cute penguin, or even plot to free a killer whale. It'll be an experience they won't forget.
This is just an open RP post with a sandbox-like setting. While there's some scenarios premade for your roleplaying needs, you can mess around with it as much or as little as you want. Feel free to use it for voicetesting, create cross-canon shenanigans, or develop a ship even further. You can carry the story over to your musebox if you'd like too. And you can re-use this post as many times as you'd like (until it hits the comment limit.) So bring your blorbos, your originals, your AUs, your friends and your friends' friends along for the fun!
- Comment with your character's name and series in the subject.
- Follow it up with a starter, and state your preferences too.
- Label any warnings when necessary.
- Reply to other characters!
- Most importantly, just don't worry and have fun!
Upon arrival, the attendant greets you as she collects your ticket. She hands over a brochure of the park containing a map, and descriptions of each featured exhibit that you can access. Afterwards she explains some guidelines for you to follow while within the park premises:
- No smoking.
- Don't leave your children unattended.
- Don't tap or slam against the glass.
- Please keep your valuables with you.
- Don't bring food or drinks inside any of the exhibit rooms.
- Use of flash photography is strictly prohibited.
- Ignore the noises coming from the backrooms.
- Keep a safe distance from the pools, otherwise you will get wet.
Once she's done, she slaps a wristband over your arm and gestures to make your way into the main lobby where all of the other visitors are gathered. From here you may begin exploring around the facility on your own, with your partner, or tag along with a tour guide as they show you the way. There's a lot of places to be, and plenty of fish to see!
The Sea-Through Tunnel is the main attraction of the Oceanarium, and the highlight in most advertisements you find about this place. And you now understand why after seeing it up-close.
It is a long glass tunnel that passes through the large indoor aquarium, giving you a glimpse of the wonders of the sea. And like an aquarium, the exhibit presents a near-perfect replication of the seabed and the various kinds of marine life found exclusively under the sea. Though it comes with a few bits and bobs you expect from any fish tank like a shipwrecked galleon or a treasure chest. If you peruse through the brochure, you take note of the description of the tunnel as follows:
Apparently this exhibit is also popular among families and young couples according to the guide that you overheard. They explained how with the vivid blue water, the colorful coral covering the surface, and an assortment of marine life swimming by, certainly all of these make for a perfect backdrop for any special occasion.
"First meetings, reunions, confessions, wedding proposals, you name it!" the tour guide enthused, "What could be more memorable than having a heartfelt moment or two take place underwater and being surrounded by thousands of fish?"
Another popular attraction in the Oceanarium is The Cold Spot, showcasing images and dioramas of wildlife that survive within polar habitats. And to really add to the experience, the temperature in the room is a bit lower than usual. So as the name implies, it does get a little chilly inside.
Though what draws people the most is the large penguin enclosure within the exhibit. It's where guests get to see these dapper-looking birds clumsily waddle around on the snow-covered surface or diving gracefully into the waters of the indoor pool. Many of them are seen idling by either at their nests, the fake rocks, or at the edge of the pool with little concern of their spectators standing behind the glass barrier with fascination and glee.
Then you notice some smaller text at the bottom of the Cold Spot's description.
Other than that, if you're not up to paying for meeting penguins, there are a couple of penguin statues and a photo stand-in of a penguin with its face cut-out so you can pretend to be one just for laughs.
But as it turns out, there was more to it than meets the eye.
Maybe it's something you caught word of before entering the facility, but you heard rumors that there were plans from the staff behind the scenes about getting rid of one of their poorest performers in the bunch. The Oceanarium has a bit of a seedy reputation regarding the welfare of these seafaring mammals, and have even called into question how they handled them in captivity. You don't know what they'll do to that poor creature, and wouldn't want to think the worst of it to happen. Frankly it's not your business to pry, yet you feel you have to do something if any of that is true.
Now driven to save the creature, you and your partner sneak into the backrooms and make an attempt to set it free.
You figured there's a good reason why this exhibit is called The Abyssal Zone, as it is almost pitch black inside upon entering. This makes it impossible to read the brochure in such darkness. And the only sources of light that you could find are the tiny LED lights embedded on the floor to illuminate your path, and the soft eerie blue glow coming from the fish tanks.
Apparently all of the specimens featured here are mostly found within the deepest trenches of the ocean and are highly sensitive to bright lights. That would explain why the attendant from earlier discouraged you to use flash photography. The tour guide mentions how a handful of them are species that have been around since the prehistoric era. They even proudly boast that the Oceanarium seems to be the only marine park that has the rare "Deep Sea Pucker-Faced Lanternfish" in captivity, thought to have been extinct during the Paleocene era. Seeing how these species of fish managed to survive for over millions of years makes you wonder what else could be lurking beneath the depths.
You then take notice of a few fish that seem to be glowing by themselves. One of them at a distance looked rather... humanoid in shape based on the silhouette. Though maybe you're just seeing things.
"...Oh and did you know?" you hear the guide continue, "Some of these fishes are able to produce their own light naturally – mostly to lure in their prey."
Somehow, you're getting the sense that you're being watched by whatever it is behind the glass.
Slight body horror.
Something's wrong.
Your body swiftly jumps and aches as your nerves begin to connect to your sudden awareness. It's like you are weighted down with lead for muscles, your limbs are uncooperative at every attempt. Not only that, but there's an odd sensation coming from your hands and feet like they felt stuck together. And for some reason, it's become a chore to breathe through your throat as you rasp loudly. And as you awake, bright lights glare before your eyes and you immediately shield them away with your hand. And that's the first oddity you've discovered – the skin between your digits are stitched together, webbed like fins of a fish. The second is finding yourself atop an operating table.
A sharp chill takes over you completely.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary before you got here. But whatever reason you have for visiting the Oceanarium, someone had their sights on you and knocked you unconscious when no one's watching. And now you've found yourself in a strange yet horrifying predicament. Everything about you has changed, and you dread how your life will be like from this point onwards. It's become certain that you've regretted ever coming to the park in the first place.
There's no time to think about this any further. There's only one goal in mind right now – You have to get out of here. And you can only hope and pray the people running this place don't catch you if you're spotted.
Had enough excitement for today? It sure seems like it.
Well, your time here in the Oceanarium is finally over. Maybe you got to learn a thing or two about the sea, that you found some appreciation towards our fishy friends. Or maybe you've just decided for yourself that you're going to stay far away from the ocean permanently. Either one of these is a valid response really. Just don't let the staff know about the latter part.
But before you leave, the tour guide encourages everyone to stop by at the gift shop and bring home a souvenir or two for you and your friends. There's Oceanarium-themed keychains, fridge magnets, bottle openers, t-shirts, baseball caps, and even plush toys of critters such as penguins, dolphins, octopi, a legally distinct clownfish, or the pucker-faced lanternfish that you can have as a new companion on your way back out.
Alternatively you can sit back, relax, and grab some bubble tea or try out some fish and chips at the indoor café. Of course there's more options you can choose from in the menu, with some food items specially catered towards those who are either vegan, vegetarian, have specific allergies, or just a really picky eater.
If you're not feeling any of these prompts, or have some other ideas in mind, then go wild!
You can mix and match scenarios or come up with your own. Swap roles where you play the villain and your partner would be the hero or the other way around. You can even expand the setting with new locations, or AU it up and rebuild it into your own version of the setting if you'd like. There's no limits to what your imagination can create. It's free real estate here, and the world is your oyster! (No pun intended.)
no subject
No. Like, Green Hills, the small town in the middle of Montana. It's actually pretty quiet too, surrounded by mountains and forests and lakes.
[Some might find his adopted hometown boring, but to Sonic it was perfect. It had everything: space to run, woods to explore, and people who felt like family.]
Psycho-what?
[He paid close attention to what the other was doing, and gaped as he saw the plush starting to float. No way, that was almost like Jedi-level stuff. Like, full-on Force powers. And he was just admiring them, not being a tiny bit jealous.] Okay. That is awesome. And I don't say that often about floating stuffed animals.
no subject
"That sounds really pretty in general too! Lakes first thing in the morning with mist across it are the prettiest!"
[Sunny's hands glowed softly as he floated the plush around, making sure not to hit anyone by accident and then floated it back down to his hands, grabbing it out of the air and the teal glow dissipated. Sonic shouldn't worry about it, Sunny thinks, cause Sunny couldn't pronounce it at first either.]
"Thanks! It took a lot of practice to be able to do this, lots of focus too. I'm not not the best at it either, but I'm gettin' better by the day!"
no subject
Well, I don't wanna brag, but I'm pretty fast. Like really, really fast. The fastest you'll ever see, if you manage to see me, that's it. [Heh. Okay, maybe he did want to brag a little bit.] Anyway, I'm Sonic! What's your name?
no subject
[Which was, in fact, why he wore a hoodie over it in the first place. Maybe when he was older it'd get warmer... Ugh.]
"I can fly fast using my powers, but I wanna go really fast one day. It'd be really fun, I think!"
[Sunny liked feeling the wind through his quills and fur, honestly.]
"I'm Silver, but my friends call me Sunny! So you can call me that too if you want!"
no subject
How fast are we talking about? Either way we should race! Even if you probably won't be able to best me, but it could be, like, training or something.
[Don't question his logic. Also he has to agree with that one hundred percent. The wind going through your quills was the best feeling.
And did Silver (Sunny??) just implied they could be friends? Well, of course! Right? That's how friendship worked, probably. Just two hedgehogs, hanging out and bam, they're friends. Don't be weird, Sonic.]
Sure, I'll be your friend. I know all about having friends. Well, you can call me Sonic. Everyone calls me that. [And by everyone he meant Tom, and Maddie, and Wade, and Crazy Carl, sometimes. And... that was about it.] But I'm also known as the Blue Blur, sometimes the Blue Devil, most recently, the Spiny Sentinel, and Blue Justice! Trademark pending.
no subject
[The one winter he's lived through in the present so far was not pleasant, but at least blankets and hot cocoa existed. The question made Sunny pause and tilt his head in thought. How fast can he fly?]
"Hmmm.... I actually have no idea! Usually I practice alone cause I don't wanna get distracted, so I've never tested how fast I go. I only start practicing a year ago though, I don't think I'm fast as I wanna be yet. It'd be fun getting a concrete answer though! I don't have a lot of stamina though, fair warning."
[He hoped he was at least much better than the pitiful 5 mph he started at... Maybe he's hit triple digits finally? And yippee! A brand new friend! Sunny practically sparkled happily!]
"That's a lot of epit-"
[Oh no. Sunny's face started going pink, standing out against his silvery-white fur. This is what he gets for trying to pronounce a word he's only read.]
"Epitu- Epithee-... Heck. Words."
no subject
I guess there's only one way to find out. [And that's racing, of course!]
Epit..? [Unfortunately, Sonic's not exactly a master of vocabulary here. There's only so much you can learn by yourself, watching Sesame Street and reading second-hand comic books, and some really old National Geographic magazines, after all. But, while he might not quite actually know the exact word Sunny wanted to use, he gets an idea, through the context.] If you're talking about names or... titles or whatever, a hero's gotta have them, sometimes more than one! And they gotta be catchy, something that sticks in people's heads, leave an impression and all.
no subject
[At least he didn't need to get anywhere shaved when he first dropped into the present or that would've been awful.]
"True! How about after we explore some more, then have something to eat so we're both fueled up?"
[Hopefully he's got enough for another big meal. At the word 'titles', Sunny's ears perked straight up and he pointed at Sonic with one hand.]
"Titles, yes, thank you! Sorry about that, I only ever read that one in books..."
no subject
He grins at Sunny, happy to have helped him out somehow.]
I'm more of a comic book kind of hedgehog. And movies! Specially the action ones, those are my favorites.
no subject
[Sunny didn't have a lot of experience eating at cafes but the aquarium's is probably the best he's had so far. He tilted his head in interest, adjusting his grip on his whale shark plush while he shuffled into his bag with one hand to pull out a notebook and a pastel green pen with little stars around it.]
"I've never read comic books, but I've seen a couple movies and I'd like to see more! Do you recommend any? I can see if I can find them when I get home."
no subject
Oh boy, okay. The one you absolutely gotta see first is called Speed. It's about a bomb on a bus. And if it goes under fifty miles per hour? Boom! it explodes! And the best part isn't even that! It has Keanu on it, and that guy's the best, he's an absolute national treasure! Actually, you should binge all of his movies. Seriously, they're all great. Like Matrix! The scene with him fighting all the Agent Smiths? Mwah! Pure cinema! But If you're into cars and high-speed action, you can watch the Fast & Furious, or at least the first few. After a while, they kind of forget the laws of physics... and logic. But at least they're still fun, it's all about family, you know? [He's gonna keep going, you gotta stop him at some point, Sunny, you know that, right? Or he's gonna talk your ear off. Also, maybe some of his recommendations aren't PG-13 at all, like Die Hard or Lethal Weapon, or The Terminator, but who needs adult supervision, amirite.]
no subject
[Sunny's sure he has enough money for a ticket into the Enclosure, he wants to pet one... He floated his pen and it starts writing on the notepad, his PK handwriting is still better than his hand handwriting. Each movie name he writes down, writing 'Keyanu' next to Speed. He pauses for a moment after writing a lot of them down, looking back at 'Matricks' and 'hm'ing.]
"Uh, hang on one sec, can you spell Matrix for me-"
[Sunny stops mid-sentence, feeling something rumble in his chest and the lights from above the water suddenly dim significantly. He blinks and mismatched eyes look up and-]
"Oh, a whale!"
no subject
Whoa, that's huge.
no subject
[Sunny almost vibrated in response to hearing the whale call through the reinforced glass, the noise rumbling in his ribs. There's a second, differently toned call and Sunny instantly realizes before it passes over the tunnel.]
"Sonic, there's another!"
no subject
[Sonic keeps staring at them in awe. He had learned about whales in Discovery Channel, of course, but it was one thing to have a number of their size on your head and actually seeing them live.]
no subject
[Well. Compared to his own height at least. Sunny was sure the orca at the beach wasn't that large, right? He saw something out of the corner of his eye and had to put his little notepad away for now and went back over to the glass, mismatched eyes wide.]
"There's more dolphins!"
no subject
He looks at the dolphins playing around too. Staring at what looked like the huge vast of the ocean was still a little scary, he wasn't gonna lie. But it was also very interesting and cool to look at. He could start to see the appeal of aquariums.] Looks like they have everything here.
no subject
[There had been a fair few in the Resistance, one of them liked letting Sunny sit on a shoulder while he worked as long as Sunny didn't swing his legs. Sunny watched the dolphins play around and one bopped its nose against the glass exactly where Sunny's was and he laughed brightly.]
"I hope they do! I also wanna see that deep section at some point if they don't have a certain one here, cause one of the ones I've always wanted to see is jellyfish. I saw them in a book I was learning how to read with and I've wanted to see a real one ever since!"
no subject
[In his experience, the only friendly animal he has encountered on Earth had been Ozzy, and the deers, kind of. Raccoons have stolen his food way too many times, and he won't even talk about the skunks.]
Well, let's go check it out, to see if they have 'em.
no subject
[Miss Amy told him while he was learning that there were all sorts of species out there, and the number in the Resistance was only scratching the surface, so Sunny definitely just not met the kind Sonic was talking about yet is all. Sunny perked up as he watched a tuna swim past.]
"Yeah! After that, we can finish off with the penguins and then go to the cafe. Let's go!"
[He was absolutely ready to go to the dark exhibit, excited to see if they had jellyfish.]