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Scirocco, the Playful Wind (Part 2)

Scene details

Setting: Placeholder description of scene plz change k thx bai

Log


PREVIOUS, ON STAR CHASER STORY MUSH:

 Ivo follows Reize, still in a bit of a daze from his close call earlier, and enters the cavern, the passage painted violet by the lights that shift and flow like lava lamps. He instinctively rests his hand on Hauteclare's hilt despite the sword's currently damaged state, only noticing then that his hand is shaking, momentarily numbed by confusion and desperation to the fear and adrenaline that is still coursing through him. Despite this, at Ruidosa's sharp words, he looks to her and grins. There is something reassuring about her manner.
 "Of course," he says. "Perhaps we may parley with this lady. One of such refinement may be willing to comport herself reasonably."
 "You enfleshed," an unfamiliar lilt replies, "are so very charming."

> BGM Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06NMfUTYbXQ

 The cavern before them resembles a temple set for a sacred ritual, shrouded at first in respectful shadow. Though fading into darkness in the distance, intricate lined designs have been carved upon the rock on all sides, giving one the sense that one is surrounded by a cross between a vast pictograph and a decorative maze to be navigated by pencil or pen. The stone is smoothed out beyond the capacity of mortal tools to accomplish, a grandeur produced by carefully managed winds. The source of the voice is not initially clear.
 "I never tire of your optimism, your hope," the feminine voice continues. "To think you'd try to leap across that chasm, despite your limitations! I couldn't bear to let you perish."
 "Then you..." Ivo replies, hoarse at first, before clearing his throat and bowing gracefully. If he were wearing his cloak, it would have rippled with quite the nice flourish. "Lady Scirocco, we Star Chasers are honored to be so welcomed and graced by your presence. We come to humbly beg a boon."
 "To lift the winds, yes? Ah, well..."
 The same purplish glow that had endowed the sconces without begins to flow through the maze of lines upon the smooth walls and thereby reveal the full extent of the cavern. There are all manner of tastefully appointed furnishings arranged upon the floor, purchased or salvaged, resembling an aristocrat's home, and local flora are arranged in charming vases and amphora. But the speaker is not to be found upon the ground. Floating in the air are lazily spinning purple crystals, concentrated vacuum aether of the very sort that Ivo and Fabroxo had themselves distilled, suspended by their own relative magnetism, arranged to hover perpetually as a kind of airborne decoration. And high above, in the center of the high cavern, is a sort of devan couch formed of solid gemstone, where a lovely tanned woman arrayed in purple silks and golden accessories gazes down with an enigmatic smile.
 "That is not within my power," she says, untroubled. "The Infernex has taken on a life of its own, and neither Wuther nor I may quell it ourselves. Only the beastkin of eld ever managed such a feat."
 "Then you know of how it may be done!" Ivo responds, before restraining his excitement in the name of decorum. "Please, if you would impart unto us this history--"
 "Even if I did," Scirocco interrupts, "I wouldn't. For you see, I find the Infernex quite convenient--" She gestures to the glow and gemstones about her. "--and harmless to myself. Besides, if you quelled it, then you could leave. And of all the enfleshed I have encountered, I have found you *most* amusing."
 She lifts a finger, and suddenly, a wall of surging winds of a sandy hue bars our heroes' exit. Scirocco's smile, high above, widens.
 "So then, if you must needs depart," she adds, "do amuse me until I am content. I know... why don't... you strike me once?"
 Dust devils begin to whip up before the party, the carefully arrayed furnishings trembling as more sandy-hued columns of wind begin to emerge on the ground floor and slowly advance. Above, the lazily spinning purple crystals begin to glow, and one may begin to feel an insistent pull from many directions as their vacuum essence is activated. It is clear why Scirocco looks so confident: it seems like any ranged attack up toward her is likely to be diverted by these many floating gems. And while they are large enough to perch upon, one who is stuck upon them might struggle to escape its pull and reach another.
 "If you continue to please me," she says, somehow audible above her own winds despite not raising her voice, "I won't let you fall."

> Scirocco, the Playful Wind, is attacking!



  There is no trust in Reize. He cannot believe that Ruidosa would believe that Reize would be discourteous to a noble. "Wh---I am good at being on my best behavior."

 Cue flashback to Reize, in a sea madden state, assaulting Wuther while foaming in the mouth in his crusade for his scarf.

 As they continue, they find the environment looking darkened at first, until the light of the purple glow more of the structure, fititng of nobility. Reize cannot help but be impressed.

  The introduction of Scirroco once again earns a frown. "...So you're not able to do so yourself." Ivo's optimism regarding their liberation has Reize a bit doubtful, considering when he last met her in the bout against Wuther. The doubts are re-affirmed as she plans to keep them here.

  That is when Reize draws both of his boomerangs, ready for battle. Standing fiercely, he adopts the aggressive stance. "Round two, then!" As the dust devils kick up, he watches for the furnishing. He decides to run over towards the furnishing, leaping over towards one of them to propel himself into the air.

  He rolls himself up until he can find himself up to a wall. Then, he kicks himself off from the wall to meet with the airborne woman. However, he doesn't aim for her. He's going to strike over towards one of those spinning, floating purple crystals.

 

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Lore Check: Magical Absorbing Crystals?
Roll(s): 14. Total result is 14. This is a success (by 4).

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Flying Kick on Crystal
Roll(s): 19. Total result is 19. This is a success (by 9).

Ruidosa La Crima is quickly, in the wind, consulting her book about magical absorbing crystals! Even in the wind she manages to keep the pages from turning wildly as she quickly reads passages. There is a specific entry..,

There is a quick story, from an earlier time, from Lady Lacrima when she had the book and was writing it about overloading something similar by just shoving energy into it until it got full and exploded.

So that's what Ruidosa La Crima tries to do, just project a beam of dark , destructive force towards one of the crystals. Just feeding it. Either it'll explode like in her mom's story soon. Or maybe this is a bad idea and she's feeding something worse.


 Ivo shakes his head in a rare flicker of open consternation. His adventures with the Star Chasers have acclimated him to the rougher life that his father seemed to think he could nevr handle, but at his core, he still detests violence when alternatives exist. In part, his sensitive soul fears conflict, driving him ever to diplomatic solutions, however absurd or ill-conceived. But fundamentally, even though he now knows the potential sublimity and thrill of combat, his aesthetic sensibility rebels against it still. Surely there are more interesting solutions to problems than fighting or risking killing one another. Surely a fellow aesthete would understand!
 But no. Perhaps Ivo himself may not be aware that, beneath his own occasional frivolity, is an ethical core: there are some lines he would never cross just because he was bored. Scirocco might have saved his life on a whim, but she does not possess that, well--
 "Reize!"
 Humanity.
 "Careful!" Ivo shouts. "I've worked with those crystals! You'll need to push off hard! And if they get too close to one another--"
 By expertly launching himself off of the furnishings and triangle-jumping off of the wall, Reize is able to maneuver safely around the dust devils that gradually advance on the rest of the party. With exceptional agility, he successfully lands on one of the floating purple crystals, only to feel himself practically suctioned to it, struggling to move his feet. He can see Scirocco, playfully smirking, idly wave her hand with a jingle of golden accessories. And then, a gust of wind disturbing his ahoge, the crystal on which he stands, and to which he seems almost magnetically bound, moves just a little toward another one.
 "--they'll collide!"
 There's no wind anymore, but the crystal is moving faster. No, wait, the other crystal is also moving toward the one on which Reize stands, making the movement seem even faster than it is. It seems that the crystals were perfectly poised to be suspended in place, and the slightest change has started attracting them to each other. In moments, they'll collide -- and unless Reize can somehow break free of this magnetic grip, reminiscent of his own Hook Shot EX's capacities, he might be crushed between the two crystals!
 So much for not "letting them fall," or whatever.
 "Oh-- nice, Rui!"
 But as Reize might be struggling to break free, Ruidosa, inspired by her mother's legacy, feeds Destruction aether into the crystal hurtling toward Reize, causing it, as hoped, to explode into shards moments before it would impact against him. Scirocco can be seen impulsively applauding, looking thrilled, and unconcerned.
 "Try to clear a path for him if you can," Ivo says, "and I'll try to fend off these whirlwinds...!" The dust devils aren't upon them yet, but they're slowly approaching. The Cosmopolitan draws Hauteclare, glances at its blade, and then winces. Being used as a lightning rod has put it in a bad state, and trying to attack through winds or gravitational crystals will not only definitely fail but probably break it. He starts fishing through his elespheres instead, considering the ideal solution.
 In the meantime, while Reize does not quite have a clear path to Scirocco through the air, yet, the crystal on which he stands is still moving and, if he generates enough force and times it right, he might be able to get much closer, to another crystal near her.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Crystal Hopping
Roll(s): 14. Total result is 14. This is a success (by 4).



 It is a good thing that Reize has gotten good with heights. There was a bit of trouble when Reize was pulled in by the force of the crystal. "Wh--hoaaa!" His eyes widen. He struggles, trying to move his arms and legs, shifting away to strike at the other crystal.

 As they are about to collide, he braces for the worst....

 *SHATTER!*

 As Ruidosa manages to invoke her power to protect him, he brightens into a smile.

 There are traces of darkness flowing into the crystal boomerangs. As the essence of the Destruction is seeping towards the crystal boomerangs, the runes let out a faint glow of energy. The boomerangs subtly becomes darker, but the runes are a little brighter.

> Crystal Boomerangs are imbued with power.

 "Thanks, Rui!" He looks back over towards Ivo and he nods. He turns his head over the crystal. He gives another kick against the crystal, even smacking it with the crystal boomerangs to give him closer.

  He makes a daring leap to the next crystal to get closer to Scirocco.

 

Ruidosa looks pleased when he attack attempt at the crystal, to feed it until it explodes, works. This is not an exact science, but these things can't have unlimited capacity, right? It has a limit which is good.

Reize gets an (Unintended) boost and Ruidosa gives a pleased smile as if she intended for this to happen (she did not.). So instead she starts feeding magic into the next crystal in Reize's path, trying to clear them one by one for him. This may not be a quick process, but it's working, for now.

"Okay, what now!?" she sputters.

Ivo Galvan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Using a vacuum elesphere to fend off advancing dust devils!?
Roll(s): 1. Total result is 1. This is a failure (by 9).


 As Ivo steps toward the advancing dust devils, seemingly concocting some sort of plan regarding how he'll cover for Ruidosa while she focuses on overloading the floating crystals that bar Reize's way, the lounging Scirocco raises a sculpted eyebrow. An amused smile plays about her lips as she observes Reize's valiant efforts. Despite the many differences between her and her fellow sapient elemental Wuther...
 "How fun!"
 ...they both seem very bored.
 Scirocco lifts her hands in an elegant gesture and begins to sweep at the air as though she were a conductor of an orchestra. The floating purple crystals begin to move en masse, suddenly compounding the difficulties of navigating closer to her. Reize may notice one crystal remaining rather still, but if his intuition is keen, it may seem like bait, as though Scirocco is all too ready to pull it out of his reach after he leaps. A better bet might be one she is already in the midst of moving, even though it requires a greater feat of agility, so that it is more difficult to adjust mid-flight. The real danger, though, is intimated by Scirocco's widening smirk. As Reize considers his next move, she is bringing a sizable crystal down in what may be a blind spot, aiming to wallop him from behind and dislodge him. She is not trying to hurt him, not really, but if he gets hurt, she will probably find it funny.
 Ivo, unfortunately, is not in a position to warn Reize. He is entirely focused on his noble task, and seems to have decided on a method. Withdrawing a vacuum-aspected elesphere, of the same nature as the crystals above, he aims, awaiting the approach of the dust devils until they enter close enough proximity of one another...
 "Hah!"
 ...and then elicits a minor gravity well amidst them all by tossing the elesphere and shattering it upon the floor. As planned, the dust devils are halted in their advance and drawn together, pinned in place.
 "...aaaaah!"
 *Not* as planned, the dust devils, by approaching one another or by drawing from the elesphere's power or both, increase in size and intensity. While they remain temporarily forestalled from approaching Ruidosa, Ivo himself is too close. He is sucked into their combined vortex and disappears from view, save for the occasional sound of his yelling and a limb poking out in a random location as he is spun around and around.
 Scirocco, momentarily distracted from Reize and her crystal conducting, laughs and claps in delight.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Avoiding Sneak Attack from Crystal
Roll(s): 4. Total result is 4. This is a failure (by 6).

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=12.
Comment: Hook Shot EX, Save Me!
Roll(s): 2. Total result is 2. This is a failure (by 10).

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d2.
Comment: Did Reize Take Bait? 1 yes 2 no
Roll(s): 2. Total result is 2.

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Warning Reize with a "LOOK OUT!"
Roll(s): 2. Total result is 2. This is a failure (by 8).



  After managing to get onto the first crystal, he eyes the next steps to try to get close to Scirocco to strike her. He sees a crystal standing still, just waiting for him to hop on it. He eyes the crystal and instead shifts his eyes over towards another crystal to catch mid-flight. He is pushes a foot off of the crystal to spring up and leap onto that one.

  ...Except another crystal from his blindspot strikes him from behind. "Ahhhh!" His eyes widen as the impact strikes him and sends him sprawling to the ground. As the storm stirs, Reize brings a hand up to his satchel to pull out a hookshot. "I got it....!" As he extends his hand out to send the Hook Shot EX out....

  ...It doesn't activate.

  "No! No! No! No!!"

  Crunch! Reize lands on his back, grimacing on the ground in pain. "Nngghh...."

  Platforming style boss fights suck, man.

 

Ruidosa is trying to destroy more crystals. And notices them moving, making them difficult to target and feed energy into. She frowns as she notices the pattern forming and she tries to yell out to Reize. And she does! But the suddenly powerful dust devils make too much wind near her to be heard. And the wind is making it harder to keep her book open as she curses under her breath and snaps it shut.

"I swear to god, if I have to unleash hell over this.. this ''game'' I'm gonna be so cross with you!" she yells.

She starts randomly blasting into the dust devils now. She might be trying to attack them! ... or she's just angrily trying to release frustration into the void.

Also Ivo's in there. She knows this.

Maybe it's helping her release frustration more!

Ivo Galvan rolls 1d20+3>=10.
Comment: Boost toss!?
Roll(s): 18. Total result is 21. This is a success (by 11).


 Ivo is nowhere to be seen, save the occasional glimpse of a limb poking out of the dust devils as they continue to close in on each other. Ruidosa, in a fit of frustration, is channeling even more Destruction energy into them. As with the balance of aether in the crystals, it looks like the cyclones are starting to destabilize, but rather than collapse just yet, they begin to fuse together completely, becoming one big cyclone. It is impossible to tell if Ivo has been hit by any stray Ruidosa blasts.
 He's probably fine.
 This does cause some trouble for Reize, momentarily, though. Collapsed on the ground, the boy may find himself dragged over toward the now singular cyclone as he recovers, possibly requiring some rapid button presses from the player. Prospects look dim for our heroes, and Scirocco clearly finds all of this very funny.
 Until...
 "Reize!"
 Ivo's voice sounds all too distant despite his proximity. His face cannot be seen through the roaring purplish winds. But his arm reaches out, as Reize is dragged closer, and seeks to take their fearless leader's hand...
 "Go!"
 ...and pull him upward, to catch the powerful updraft of the cyclone, potentially blasting him high up, cutting up under and through the veritable asteroid belt of crystals that Scirocco has assembled to take a shortcut straight to her floating crystal divan. It is a prospect that, in her fits of laughter, she genuinely does not seem to have imagined.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Heroic Comeback Strike
Roll(s): 14. Total result is 14. This is a success (by 4).



 The young explorer is lying on his back, grimacing. He rolls back over to his stomach and gets to his feet. His eyes widen as the cyclone start to suck him in. "...Oh no!" His eyes widen before he is sucked in.

 ...Until Ivo catches him. As Ivo reaches out his arm, Reize extends his own arm out and the two grasp hands.

 "Here I go!"

 As he is launched up into the air, the boy is caught in the updrift of the cyclone. He soars up along the sky and he rides the storm. As the aether manifests around him, he sweeps across the current of the wind, and then he springs off from the cyclone.

  He spins around to dish out a round house kick towards Scirocco. "Special delivery!"

 

"Argggh--oh I should stop that now, huh." she says, having finally blown off enough steam to come to her senses, enough. There's no shadow transition here at least, as she frowns and looks at the crystals. Maybe she can blow them all up in one big go---

Wait, Reize is coming in with a boosted jump down towards the wind elemental!

Please hit her, she thinks, in her stupid face, so this game can end.


 Scirocco's laughter is unexpectedly cut short. Mid-giggle, half-closed eyes suddenly widen as the dusky-skinned beauty finds herself confronted with a determined young adventurer complete with madness-curing yellow scarf. Her hands raise as though to catch the kick, a buffer of wind emerging instantly to facilitate her block, but the aether-imbued impact diffuses about her forcefully, mussing her carefully coiffed hair and knocking a golden accessory askew. It falls from her perch upon her floating crystal divan, descending before Reize, and lands with a pinging sound that seems to cut through the cacophony of the raging winds.
 In fact, the sounds seem to have stilled all at once. The crystals cease to glow, slowing and stopping, resuming their careful floating balance. The cyclone dies down, depositing a heap vaguely resembling Ivo. And Scirocco's crystal slowly floats down as Reize lands, settling at ground level amongst the other furniture, which seems to have somehow survived the melee, perhaps warded from too much disturbance. With a gesture of her hand, Scirocco returns her fallen accessory to her and adjusts it daintily.
 "Well," she remarks, "that was amusing." Her adversaries may disagree. "Now, then, you must have some questions. I can at least tell you more than Wuther can about the Infernex and its origins. While I cannot cease the tempest myself, as I said, I do, of course, have an idea about how you might quell it."
 Despite her initial reluctance, her eyes are sparkling with interest. It seems that she is quite adaptable, and thinks that witnessing how the party tries to solve this problem will be interesting in its own right. Fortunately, the party's resident exposition machine is slowly getting to his feet. The ever diplomatic Ivo takes a deep breath--
 "WHAT were you THINKING?"
 --and marches over to Rui, his eyebrow twitching.
 "I was WONDERING why the cyclone HURT so much! You were HITTING me!" he shouts. "What are you? The Doom Chicken? Are you an overgrown chicken!? Is that it!? Ruidosa La Chicken!?"
 Scirocco stares blankly at Ivo. Reize may have to handle this dialogue tree.



  After delivering the kick, the young man spins around and he prepares for his descent upon recovery. The young man brings both arms up in the air and then he starts descending to the ground.

 After the surroundings start to lower, Reize lands on the ground carefully. Both feet settle on the ground. He lets out a sigh and takes a deep breath.

 "Whew." He looks quite relieved. When she comments about offering about the way out, Reize looks back towards Ruidosa and Ivo.

 ...Only to see argument.

 Sigh.

 "Well, we are looking for a way out of here. We're planning to get back to Granse and we want to clear of the source of what's causing this phenomenon."

 

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: SHIN KICK IVO
Roll(s): 7. Total result is 7. This is a failure (by 3).

Ruidosa La Crima looks pleased when this 'game', a word that should come with it's own free visible air quotes in this tense, is over- she relaxes and hugs her book to her chest. "I hate this kind of silliness." she says.

Then Ivo starts to get in her face, compare her to the doom chicken and she ''gasps'' hard and seems taken aback!

"IVO GALVAN! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT CYCLONE AND YOU HAVE IN COMMON!?"

"YOU BOTH SUCK!" she yells before she tries to kick Ivo in the shin with a hard ''kick''! angrily.


 "WHAT'S THAT!?" Ivo yells back at Rui. The Cosmopolitan has clearly snapped, a rather rare occurrence, though one somewhat undercut by the fact that the vacuum effects of the cyclone have caused his typically tousled dark hair to stand straight up, as though evidence of his awakening to a new power level. "I DON'T UNDERSTAND CHICKEN! ALL I HEAR IS BAWK BAWK, BAWK BA-- OWW!"
 Rui may successfully kick Ivo's shin, and he of course will not physically retaliate, but there is a chance that in her outrage, she receives some instant karma in the form of a stubbed toe.
 "A goal that we share," Scirocco says to Reize casually, as though none of this is happening, and with an air that belies how unbelievable this statement is considering how hard of a time she just gave the party. "The old coot and I have long since tired of our squabbles and miss the mortals that would visit bearing tribute in exchange for our blessings." Her fingers play along the golden accessory she retrieved. It seems that while the pirates gave Wuther random trash, they offered up to her rather more expensive tithes. "But as you cannot leave, so they cannot approach, and cannot help us resolve this issue. I, however, remember what the curmudgeon has likely forgotten. Long ago, the beastkin once subdued the winds around this island with an edifice built upon the very waters, a tower that rose from the sea."
 She smiles to Reize.
 "Seek those underwater ruins," she advises, "and find whatever relic those ancient mortals used to quell the tempests. Only it, restored, can stop the Infernex now, and calm the fury of those disturbed by the winds."

Ruidosa La Crima hits Ivo's shin, victory! She then pauses as PAIN reverberates throughout her foot and she jumps back and grabs her foot, hopping around a moment, cursing up a storm in Spanish.

SOMEWHERE, ON A BEACH: Lady La Crima looks up and narrows her eyes, looking towards her sandal, for no reason.

Ruidosa shakes her foot and crosses her arms and ''HRMPHS'' at Ivo as she looks away , but listens.

Underwater ruins?

"...Reize you can't swim!" she complains. "Now what!?"



  There is a frown from Reize; one from the squabble between Ruidosa and Ivo and the other is from from the answer received Sciroccos. "Underground ruins..." He gives out a sigh, giving a glance towards Ivo and Ruidosa.

  "We'll regroup and think over." He looks over to the group with a smile. He tries to get Ivo back to reality, "Any other questions that you have for her? We have the main next steps that we need to get out of here."

 


 Ivo, who is also hopping around on one foot due to the pain in his shin and thus cannot celebrate his own partial victory, pauses at Reize's question. Instinctively, he reaches up to smooth down his hair, apparently finding this to be the next most important thing to do after yelling at Rui.
 "Do you know anything about the beastkin who created this edifice and relic?" he asks Scirocco, calming down. "Whence they hailed? Or what manner of beastkin they were?"
 The sapient elemental with the aristocratic bearing shrugs carelessly, seemingly already growing bored.
 "It was so long ago," she breezily replies. "All kinds, I think. A collaborative effort, I imagine, between the fishy ones and the... less so."
 "Certainly during their golden age, then," Ivo murmurs to himself, at last back on track, the prospect of lore-gathering ever stoking his imagination and curiosity. "Perhaps a collaboration between Aurita Meloda and Atina Lurias..." He looks up. "One last question. With the power of wind, could you imbue us with water breathing?"
 Scirocco blinks. Now this seems to interest her.
 "Perhaps," she says, a playful smile beginning to spread again. "Though it would be easier if a certain other senior elemental were to assist me... not that he would."
 Ivo glances to Reize, quirking a smile of his own.
 "I think," he says, "we might be able to convince him."
 With another persuasive suplex, presumably.

Ruidosa La Crima ughs. "I don't need to breathe!" she practically brags. Because Undead. "That's a you two thing and a whoever else is coming thing that isn't one of my family because they can handle underwater just fine, thank you!" she says.%R%RThen she thinks about Wurther and then looks between Ivo and Reize. "Ugh, Do you mean with ''Tobacco Tea''?" she asks. Remembering the situation as she thinks back queasingly.



  Reize furrows his eyebrows about having to see Wuther again. He exhales a sigh and he looks at the group. "Yeah, we'll try to get our hands on Wuther and convince him." The young boy looks at Ruidosa. "Let's get him."

 



  Reize furrows his eyebrows about having to see Wuther again. He exhales a sigh and he looks at the group. "Yeah, we'll try to get our hands on Wuther and convince him." The young boy looks at Ruidosa and Ivo. "Let's convince him to assist us."

 


 "That's true," Ivo replies to Rui, "but you have your own disadvantages underwater. You might inconveniently lay an egg at any moment."
 He may be on this chicken kick for a while.
 "One way or another, we'll make it work," he continues optimstically, as Scirocco watches on with a lively gaze, clearly heartened that something exciting is happening on this isle. "Besides, Reize and I have some experience navigating underwater while enhanced with water breathing. We did that deep dive into Lake Gerisia, after all."
 He's silent for a moment.
 "I'm sure this time will turn out better," he adds.
 Promising.