VIDEO | UN: SEEINGTHEWORLD - CW: Luca finding the parasites from the TDM, minor injury

[schoolingfish]

[The video comes on. The feed is shaky, and the person holding whatever's being used to record seems to be backing up. But with what's on the feed, it's hardly surprising. It's a shot of the beach, and from the waves scurry dozens of fish on long, skinny insect legs.]

Sharks! What is that? What's wrong with those fish?

[Fortunately, there were no actual sharks coming out of the water, making it clear that he's using it as an expletive. Unfortunately, while all the fish are small, there are a lot of them and they're now racing toward him. Luca lets out a scream, and the viewers might see his tail whip into view of the camera to knock a few of the parasite filled fish away from him, making it clear that he likely was just in the water the parasite filled fish are now racing out of.]

Ohcarpohcarpohcarp get them away!

[With a final shrill cry, the 'camera' seems to get dropped to the ground and suddenly stops transmitting.]

Comments

[schoolingfish]

[Luca lets out a yelp as the first parasite gets impaled, splattering him with...well, he'll just assume that counts as blood. He's less startled when he sees the next spider leg, because he realizes what this is...and that he knows the person it's attached to. He looks up to see Zib. He's not particularly surprised to see the device on the back of Zib's head since...well, he's seen the spider leg before, and he figured it had to have been coming out of something.]

I am now, thanks to you.

[Sure, he's bleeding a little, but overall he's fine and he figures he'll worry about that later. He scrambles to his feet as quickly as he can and looks as more parasites seem to be on their way.]

Come on, we should run before more come.

[zib]

That'd probably be best.

[He says, even though the spider legs twitch in the air here, as if itching to try to impale something again.]

But where should we go from here? It might be bad if they follow us somewhere that would lead them to more people, or a dead end.

[schoolingfish]

Um...yeah, but...

[Luca has no ideas.]

I don't know! I mean, growing up I'd just swim into an underwater cave when I was scared, but that's obviously not going to help here!

[And his next instinct was to run to somewhere else that seemed safe, like his home, but he definitely doesn't want to lead them there.]

[zib]

Right...

[Zib seems to be thinking for a moment, before he seems to have an idea.]

Hey, remember when I told you about my ship here? We could try to go hide there, even confuse them a bit if we pilot it somewhere else that they can't follow to that easily?

[schoolingfish]

That's a great idea! I don't know where your ship is, so you'll have to lead the way.

[But as both a hiding place and a method of transportation, the ship seems like a perfect idea.]

[zib]

Follow me. And let me know if you notice anything else following us before I do.

[He retracts the spider legs back into the PAK before pulling his hood up back over his head, likely because he doesn't want them drawing further attention to him and Luca here now. He then gestures for Luca to start following him as he carefully makes his way back in the direction he remembers parking his ship at in this area.]

Are you sure you're okay? That looked... uh, painful when I found you dealing with those things.

[schoolingfish]

[Luca nods and follows Zib, but when asked about his well being...he looks down at his front. It hurts a bit where the parasite tried to burrow in, and he's definitely bleeding, but he didn't really have time to worry about that before because he was too worried about getting away. He still is, actually.]

I'm bleeding but...I'll be fine. I'll bandage it when I get home.

[zib]

I can see if I have any bandages in the ship, maybe.

[Zib sounds unsure though, as if it's only occurring to him now that maybe he's forgotten to make sure he has supplies like that on board.]

If not, I'm sure there's something we can use to deal with it until you get home.

[schoolingfish]

Okay, sure...but even if you don't, I think I'll be fine. I'm not bleeding that much.

[zib]

Okay, if you're sure...

[But then Zib goes quiet again, spotting some parasites that's busy trying to burrow it's way into some more dead fish washed up on the beach, not noticing them yet. He puts a hand up to his mouth to indicate that Luca should try to be quiet as we attempt to sneak past them--he's a little worried that running immediately will draw the parasites after them...]

[schoolingfish]

[Luca looks at the parasites burrowing their way into a dead fish and shudders, knowing that was nearly him. Looking to Zib, he nods and tip toes past, glad his bare feet make his footsteps quieter.]