12962/Outlaw Oceans: No Good Deed

Outlaw Oceans: No Good Deed
Date of Scene:	04 November 2022
Location:	Indian Ocean
Synopsis:	The disco leafy sea-dragon and the Inhuman colony hidden in the Indian Ocean welcome friends! The party gets started, someone gets stabbed, and all heck breaks loose. Watch the Secret Warriors save their friends and complete their mission... with extra salt!
Cast of Characters:	Jane Foster, Alexander Aaron, Daisy Johnson, Mary Jane Watson, Leopold Fitz, Jessica Drew, Monica Chang, Jemma Simmons

---

Jane Foster has posed:
Somewhere in the central Indian Ocean...

Tropical blue waters crash against nearly untouched white and pink sand beaches of an island on no map. Were anyone to survey this stretch of the Indian Ocean, they'd find no references whatsoever to a few mile-round atoll fringed in reefs and capped in greenery. With the clever use of a Quinjet and one of the fishing boats, the Secret Warriors arrive. Their backup won't be much longer, bringing any who wasn't on the initial run scrambled to rescue the survivors.

The survivors shiver under blankets, hungry and spent, but clearly delighted to be returning to their settlement. They speak in hushed tones in a mix of Hindi, Dhivehi, and very broken English, maybe a few choice Chinese words peppered in between. The island doesn't look remotely populated. No docks or buildings, even humble, greet the visitors. After a few odd whistles and wading through the surf, though, it's clear that people live here. They rush out in ones and twos to stare uncertainly at the SHIELD agents. To eye them up uneasily, and then take stock of the few captive sailors who made it back.

A whoop goes up. Cries and animated whistles ring through the trees. Then what was a meeting of maybe six or seven becomes closer to twenty in short order.

The most obvious of the Inhumans -- the one who literally blew a pulse through the ocean and into the sky -- guides his guests through the heavy undergrowth away from the beach. "I show you a good place," he tries to convey, though for Alexander, he's actually entirely communicative. It's more like "I'll show you to a special place," special having the connotations like "I'm taking you to Grandma's house and she's gonna spoil the heck out of you!"

They're lead to what looks like a bright turquoise cenote. Except not quite so much of one, the clear signs of a shelf cut from the coral like a lip that three people could sit side by side on. Add some bubbles, it would be great.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    As the leader of the Inhumans speaks, Alexander will remain nearby to offer up a translation of his words. To most everyone it sounds like he's giving a pitch perfect relay of the fellow's dialogue. To the Inhuman leader it sounds like he's just saying the same thing back and repeating everything he says.
    "He says, 'I'll show you to a special place,'" a nod is given as he walks along, tilting his head toward Daisy, "I'm taking you to my grandmother's house and she's going to spoil the heck out of you."
    A small smile is given back to the man as he nods and tells him, "That's great, man." Though if Daisy has words or anyone else for him Alex will offer to translate. Though then it's like he's just pulling a Sigourney Weaver in GalaxyQuest and repeating everything they're saying only in a slightly different tone.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
That there's a living, breathing island of people on the Indian Ocean is marvel to Daisy. She smiles once they are ashore, her eyes going to their guide as he leads them through the place, "Are there more like you here?" she asks, perhaps not entirely certain yet on what they should expect of all of this.

To the rest of the Secret Warriors she nods and tells them. "Let's keep our attention up. In case some of those pirates are still around." and also to keep an eye on their hosts. But she leaves that part unsaid. She knows they will know what to do.

For her part Daisy is keeping her attention up too, feeling the vibrations around them for anything out of the ordinary. There's a faint grin to Alexander. "Grandmother's house? Well, just ask him if there are more like him here. Or in this case like us.." she gesturing between her and the apparent leader.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson is along with the group, wearing a SHIELD field uniform that's lightly reinforced with ceraming plating underneath the uniform to give some extra aromr underneath the padding. Over her back is the large sword that Sonja favors. She's being quiet now and just listening. Now is not the time for any sort of aggression.

Still, Mary Jane cedes some of her attention to Sonja, letting the paranoid's perspective of her brain evaluate the area for threats, analysis,a dn anything else that stands out that might go after them.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
With the landing of the Quin that handled the towing of one of the foundered ships, Dr Fitz exits the back as the ramp descends, his expression looking a little wary but otherwise relieved. "Now, doesn't this look like a vacation spot," exits the man, though he does take a look up into the sky; they're in the tropics, certainly, and twisting around, he curses softly, "Forgot my sunscreen," is murmured. "Wouldn't y'know it."

There goes his vacation.

Alexander's translation has the man stepping forward, the wariness slowly leaving, with relief and that feeling of a 'job well done' rising to his shoulders. "Pirates, here," is given over with a gesture towards those that are now coming out of the proverbial woodwork, "I think that lot would say as much, wouldn't they?"

Jessica Drew has posed:
After the hellish conditions on the boat who wouldn't be smiling with relief. Jessica disembarks with the rest, wind ruffling her hair which she brushes back with one hand, squinting against the slant of the sun as she listens to Alexander translate for the rest of them.

"It's a wonder," she observes, "is there a village further inland."

Monica Chang has posed:
The second Quinjet lands not that far away on the beach. Far enough not to be causing any sandstorms in the vicinity of the people. The back opens, allowing some additional people to join the gathering.

Monica is one of those, heading the direction of the gathering on the beach at a quick jog to close the distance as they seem to be heading somewhere.

Due to some mechanical issues with the Quinjet, they had been a bit delayed but they were here now and she joined the group, listening instead of talking so she could catch up on the goings-on.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
For the biology fans in the initial group, of which there is most likely just one, the initial read of the island is that it is anything but 'primitive.' Though, someone has taken great pain to make it seem as such. The scientist is alert, even without Daisy's warning, as the landing party is led along, though she hardly looks the scientific type. Yet, with that wrist-mounted computer, Jemma is taking notes...and coming up with fascinating results. Which...both excites and entices Jemma with questions.

Meaning....that Jemma is rather pleased at the moment.

"Do you see what I am seeing? This...this isn't wild." By 'this', Jemma indicates the vines and bushes as they walk by. "It is meant to look like it...but it is really obfuscated agriculture. See this? This particular type of flora isn't this bountiful with produce. At least, not under normal wild conditions. This is manicured...tended to both provide for those that are aware and fool those that stumble along this particular location. It is meant to look uninhabited...but...I wager..."

As the group continue further along, guided by their enthusiastic host, Jemma lets out an exclamation of confirmation. "Aha! See, over there about 10 meters? That is vertical horticulture, designed to maximize output with limited space...and it is far enough away from our camouflaged plantation here to be invisible to casual glances. There is much more to here that casual observation would betray."

Yes, the resident scientist is intrigued.

Jane Foster has posed:
"There are my people here. We have been separated for too long, and I want to see my family's faces again." Their guide into all this mess scrapes away some of the plants fringing the pool that gleams with a bioluminescent light from the speckling of plants around the wall. "I am called Koimala. You are welcome to our home today." Koimala, then, scoops up a handful of water and runs it across the slitted gills against his blue-tinged throat. He sighs in satisfaction and then steps back towards the ring of trees, giving the guests space to approach the pool if they want to.

Another of the rescued sailors almost gratefully buries his face into the water for a moment, collapsing to his knees in exhausted gratitude. "Why are you so serious? I'm glad to not be dead! Hi. I'm Niyami," he gurgles once the axolotl-like fringes around his face sparkle with water droplets. His liquid black eyes brighten at the noise of the Quinjet engines ruffling the trees, and glances up. The chatter between the other celebrants coming out of hiding carries notes of unease the freed sailors wave off. Thus Monica gets a wave as she draws nearer, helped to be ushered in.

Koimala nods to one of the older men wearing a rather simple robe belted by coral and shells. "Guests here are not very common. The elders could bring you food, drink, if you would like to stay on the surface. The feast will be down there but it is a great moment for us."

Among the twenty or so people, they're all dressed similarly in light tunics or robes for the great heat of an equatorial island in the Indian Ocean. Except the sailors saved from the pirates, they all look essentially human with few exceptions.

Jemma's exclamations don't translate, but her enthusiasm and wonder can. A few knowing looks follow.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Turning back to the Inhuman leader, Alex asks, "Are there more of your people here?" Though he looks toward Fitz for a moment he inclines an eyebrow asking silently if he wants to convey that question to their host, and if needs be then he'll do so. The same for Jess when she asks about a village.
    Though as he keeps up that role as translator he does keep an eye out around them for something that... his uncle might well appreciate as a sacrifice. Though for now he rubs at his chin and absently asks Agent Johnson, "How do you feel about a crab bake?" Since there seemed to be no shortage of those at least. And it's not so much the value of the sacrifice as the effort.
    When their host speaks he relays the words, "His name is Koimala, we are welcome to their home today."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"A crab bake?" Daisy tilts her head to the side, thoughtful about Alex's proposal but then she nods. "Don't see why not, but you were wanting to hunt some?" she seems perhaps a touch confused but then chuckles as Jemma decides to turn this into a school field trip. 'Look at that vertical flora indeed'. Though Daisy seems just as fascinated with what they are finding out here on the island.

Once Niyami is closer she nods her head in a greeting. "It's good to meet you. And we are honored that you are receiving us here today. We thank you for the hospitality." she waits for Alex to translate that.

With the backup Warriors joining in there's a smile of welcome. "Our hosts wish us to come and feast with them. Let's try and figure out what kind of community they have here. And if there are more Inhumans we need to figure out how we can help them." a beat, "If they want to be helped."

To Alex she then asks. "Can you ask them what they mean with 'going down there?'"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
There's no particular interest in the eyes of Mary Jane and the ones that they've rescued. No particular sympathy, no particular signs of caring. She has other things over on her mind now. Namely looking for signs of the attack and other things of use throughout the area. If they were going to assume a defensive position for now.. Then it would be good to assess the layout. The back and forth amongst the others confirmed that this was well established and suited for concealment for a self supporting area. Good.

That made her job easier. Mary Jane has enough control now that there's no particular rapid fire questions from Sonja and none of her glares.. But she's still focused on remaining on guard and evaluating things for threats. She leaves diplomacy to the others. Quite more than content to look out for signs of attacks, even if there was not the slightest thing present for kilometers upon kilometers in every direction.

Too much of the barbarian's spark within her was that the most peaceable areas were dangerous in ways beyond even the blackest pits. Because you were induced to let your guard down. Sweeping the paths through the jungle, taking note of the wildlife.. Lack of large animals, predators.. Normal jungle for this area. Pathways.. Normal ones that the inhabitants would take for foraging and gathering water and other things for survival. Nothing seemingly amiss so far. She would continue her surveillance, mostly staying quiet. Diplomacy being left to others.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
The walk of wonder does have Fitz smiling a little bit more; watching her work, and the enthusiastic excitement for the newly discovered hints of a settlement that would escape others' notices. Including his own. "Would y'look at that," is given in support, his own little discoveries within Jemma's area of expertise, "They're quite clever."

Alexander's question does take the engineer's attention, and with a quick nod, his blue eyes are on the man, "Yes, please." After a second, he continues, "There's nothing that'd keep their presence hidden, other than the obviously carefully crafted hidey-holes." Thus, the importance to maintaining the illusion that it's all wild and untouched.

Looking at the center pool of water, Fitz straightens and looks about the immediate area for any hint of housing. "What exactly does 'stay on the surface' mean?"

Jessica Drew has posed:
Jessica gives Simmons an amused glance as she obviously relishes botany in the area. It all looks normal to her. She takes a curious step closer to the horizontal plantings, not seeing what the scientist sees until she discerns the artificial underpinnings the plants are climbing.

"Thanks for translating, Aaron. Have we been invited to a luau?" After turning in place, she chimes in with Daisy, "But where? Tell him thank you and that we are glad to have brought everyone home.

"With a broad grin to the other agents, "Looks like a party? But where?"

Crouched on the edge of the pool, Jess dips her hand into the water, looking into the depths of the pool. "Down there? It's lit somehow."

Monica Chang has posed:
As she continues to listen to the translations, Monica is able to pick up a few words here or there from languages she knows. But yet another surprise for her is that Alexander is able to translate all of it. There are people gifted in languages though. It simply was something she didn't know. Though, to be honest, there was a lot she didn't know about her teammates since she was the newest to join the crew.

At mention of going down there for the feast, she looked at the area. Then the pool of water. Then back to their host. She was just about to ask that question when the others asked instead.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
Oh yes, Jemma is in her element. With her observations and knowledge, she most certainly can tell that there is more to this tropical paradise than meets the eye. There is more babble from Jemma as she rattles off unique farming strategies and oh, did you see that is a vineyard over there and other such polite yet enthusiastic bio-techno babble that most others have probably blocked out or gloss over by now.

However, that is not to say that Jemma herself is not observant. As Alexander translates, stating ' The feast will be down there but it is a great moment for us', Jemma pauses in mid-sentence...and turns to regard the demigod with a clinical gaze. Those that know Jemma know that look well.

It is the look that Jemma gives when she catches an error. And...it appears she caught something with that translation.

"You said that the feast is down there. Also, that the elders would bring items if we were to stay on the surface." It isn't a question, but more a statement of fact. That statement passes into silence as Jemma shifts to look over not only their guide, but the other island dwellers. And....the fact that there seems to be so many of them, but no apparent signs of living quarters on the dry earth. And...it doesn't take long for Jemma to come to a conclusion.

"They are all amphibious, somehow. That has to be the answer. While the mutation is rather apparent with our guide...somehow they are all aquatic. But...how can that be?"

Questions need to be answered, and Jemma has that innate need to know. The plant-life is placed to the side for now. It is apparent to Jemma that the surface is merely the equivalent of farm fields. But....the pool of water in the middle. That has her attention....enough to the point where she considers extracting her portable laboratory to run analysis of the water right then and there. She inches closer, even to the point where she kneels down by the water's edge...but doesn't touch it.

Yet...

Jane Foster has posed:
"Down there. We live in the heart of the island where it's safe and comfortable," Koimala nods agreeably to anyone who asks. "You are our guests. You helped us. We will welcome you up here if you like it better." His broken English serves well to convey delight: "The water is good. It's warm. We swim, you see?" To demonstrate, he elbows Niyami and the younger man with the peculiarly cheerful frill arrangement puts his hands on the smoothed edge of the pool. He drops in sleek as a seal, treading water and patting the surface to encourage them. Jessica won't sense any danger from the tunnel.

Discussions about a crab bake, with the appropriate translation, earn some chortles and warnings the red crabs can put up a fight. They have fat tasty claws, a vote for Daisy and Alexander's plans. No taboos about eating the seafood, then.

Koimala scratches one of the welts on his arms. "Do you swim? We have fandita-le," the word doesn't exactly translate other than 'the water root', "for the water. For children, they are not good at swimming? They eat it, they are good to swim all the way."

Some instructions with 'fandita-le' repeated a few times produces an enthusiastic response. An elder shuffles along to pick a few leaves from one of the vines cultivated to climb up a tree. A younger woman joins him, and they start tearing the foliage to produce a milky sap. Another starts mashing up a taro-like root in a clay basket, and they add the juice from the vine. In a few minutes, there are neat little leaf-wrapped squares with the mashed root plopped in the middle for anyone who wants to try. It doesn't taste too bad, a mild starchy vegetable.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Not bothering to take the food, Mary Jane stays on lookout. Musing over, "So w'ere just staying here for now to establish contact and give aid as necessary?" She focuses her attention on Jemma. The other girl has some sort of idea and it has Mary Jane's interest and curiousity. Not necessarily something she can help with..

But going into the village and having food from the locals. Then she's glancing over towards the water, and moves to check her watch, picks up a large stone, and drops it in. Checking for how long it takes to sink to get an idea if she can of the depths.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Johnny on the spot, Agent Aaron provides the translation though when he catches sight of Monica's approach he lifts a hand in a wave of recognition. He provides the back and forth between Daisy and Koimala, trying his best to keep to the exact translation, only changing when unavoidable.
    Though when Jess thanks him he gives a silent thumbs up back in her direction, tinged with a hint of a smile. Fitz' words are also relayed dutifully as he looks back and forth between the sea leader and Leopold.
    Though as the amphibious beings tell them about how things are better down where it's wetter... Agent Aaron maintains a calm facade and nods as he performs his role dutifully. But when they give him positive feedback about the clam bake he smiles and nods to them, apparently setting himself down that path for now.
    Then he pauses, 'Fandita-le,' he shoots a glance at the others as that apparently doesn't translate well, so he tries to get clarification by offering a few options but does not press too hard.

Jane Foster has posed:
Mary Jane's rock sinks. And sinks. The tunnel isn't perfectly vertical in terms of access, and the first plunk lands somewhere around fifty feet down. In short, not a nice easy dive for anyone.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
A choice between staying up here or going down to the depths to explore? It's a no-brainer for Daisy. She picks on some of those mashed roots, or fandita-le. Takes a sniff, then gets on munching on that root. Because if someone has to turn purple it better be her instead of the rest of the group! Sacrifices!

Once she is satisfied with all the munching she takes in a breath and looks down at the pool. "Not everyone needs to come if they don't want." she tells them.

But who would choose to stay up on the surface when there's a whole new world to explore? Not Daisy! So she dives in.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
Fitz still has his backpack, and therewithin, the DWARVES. Electronics might not be a thing down there; and while some of his things are rated at depths, it's not necessarily fool- and waterproof. Moving forward to look at the pool, he kneels beside it after reaching the edge. Fitz has his own analyzers, though nothing that'll touch all the spectra like Jemma does. He's not the biochemist, after all.

Jemma's observations echo his own thoughts, though she's put them into words and 'out there' to the rest of the crew. Daisy's 'devil may care' ingestion of the plant, and subsequent swan dive in has Fitz pulling back, and lifts his attention back to his partner in crime. "Would it be safe for us, Jemma? Our body chemistries, an' such." Not such a good idea, perhaps? "Obviously it works on them, as they're suited to it."

Jessica Drew has posed:
For an extraordinary situation, Jessica feels no sense of imminent danger. If only spider-sense would tingle for happy situations, think of all the fun, she may have missed. Jess rises from the side of the pool, curiosity pushing her to taste the food. The agent has been impervious to most poisons since the first mutant changes she was subjected to - she'll try anything once.

"Oh, it tastes something like cassava," she remarks, licking the last bit off her fingers.

"This is going to help me breathe? All the better!"

Without a second thought, she kicks off her shoes. Back at the pool's edge, she takes the plunge, head first, with her fingers and toes pointed. As she paddles after the rest, bubbles rise around her, tinged green in the bioluminescent light.

Monica Chang has posed:
The little bundle is examined as Monica accepts it with a murmured "Thank you" to the person passing them out. Then she watches as some of the party take the plunge. The more scientific minds being more cautious.

Monica was torn. One side of her was saying oh-hell-no. Partly because this was an unknown substance being introduced to their bodies. Partly because it was unknown people and, while they seemed nice enough, she'd learned paranoia on a certain level was never a bad thing. But the hole beckoned in ways, the unknown, the curiosity dragging her to throwing caution to the wind.

"What the hell," she muttered to herself as she popped the morsel in her mouth. Like Jessica, she had not run into a toxin that had taken her out yet thanks to the serum running in her blood. So she probably would survive. The others? Ehnnn, guess they might be finding out.

But that gear was too much for long term swimming so she quickly removed her boots. Then the rest of the gear followed. Leaving her in a form fitting black bodysuit. She took a deep breath and dove into the water, starting to kick her way down. Though she would pause about ten feet down to see how this whole Fandita-le worked.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
To Jemma's trained senses (which is just basically a taste test) the pool of water is not seawater, but rather fresh water. Not impossible, but an actual welcomed surprise. For Jemma, it immediately brings up visions of either an old dormant volcanic cauldron, filled with decades of rainwater, or quite possibly a freshwater spring. In either case, the thought intrigues.

Still, there is the question. Is it safe? Daisy already took the offering and jumped in...and doesn't seem to have any immediate ill effects. And Jessica, as well. Knowing of their particular biological idiosyncrasies (it's good to be the team's medical doctor), Jemma could easily surmise that, at least in Jessica's case, she would not have taken it if she sensed any potential danger. And...judging from the flora used, there are no immediate physical signs that it is potentially dangerous.

Still...should she? Fitz deserves an answer...and Jemma offers her honest opinion. "This group is a genetically diverse unit, with only really Agent Watson, you, and I that could be considered un-augmented human." That is a fair assessment, considering that the three that have taken the dive are Inhuman, mutant, and genetically modified super-soldier, respectively. "However, from my initial analysis, if there was going to be an adverse reaction, we should be seeing it with the testing pool. And I do not see anything that would naturally indicate naturally occurring toxicity."

Translation? Jemma doesn't think it will hurt. Of course, she doesn't mention that she also doesn't sense anything amiss with the root either, but trying to explain that she feels it safe to a scientist that deals in absolutes is not going to go well for her. Especially since Jemma herself is similar. However, in any case...

"Without proper testing, there is truly only one way to find out." And, with that, the biochem researcher does the unthinkable. She reaches out and partakes of the root. Then, without glancing back to Leo to see what is most likely his shocked expression, Jemma works to strip herself of her tactical pack and her wrist computer. Not because it isn't waterproof, because it most certainly is, but because it is a potential snagging hazard.

Finally, down to just her black and green catsuit, Jemma gives a glance towards Fitz. "I feel no ill effects." Perhaps a bit premature...but she doesn't give any more insight. Instead, she follows the trio before her...and jumps in.

Jane Foster has posed:
The elders drop in too, though the DWARFs get a lot of funny looks when Fitz brings them out. The devices will detect a strong mineral content to the freshwater, a higher than average oxygenation level, temperatures warmer than the surrounding sea by three degrees. Warm!

Daisy taking the fandita-le earns great excitement from the islanders. They eagerly clap. Niyami takes a deep gulp of breath and points down before he underducks, kicking to get further into the water. His starburst of frills tilt back flat to his head and neck. He leads the way for any swimmers like Daisy down the tunnel, stopping as they might get tired. The route he takes is into a wide coral arch yawning like a mouth, fringed in short sea-grasses and sea-nuts. Not that anyone should be looking at that.

They really ought to be looking at the sculpted terraces in a huge blue grotto. The positively oversized sea-dragon the height of a bungalow grazing on some of the red and purple striated kelp mostly ignores them. There are ones only the size of a ladder in other grottos between the terraces, one scritching its belly on barnacles. The big one turns a dark eye on Jessica; must detect the bio-energy there. Smaller fish swarm around, kept in check by some kind of nearly invisible light 'net.' The occasional bright reef fish darts around, and a couple eels steer well and truly clear of the sea-dragon and its Inhuman friends.

Several flat terraces rise from the watery cavern floor like flower pots. Coral walls and small, elaborately decorated huts top the terraces: the village. Obviously a feast is in progress, people working busily to fill clay and stone vessels with tuna filets, more of the taro-like roots, kelp wraps, fish soups, banana flower sauce poured over banana, sago puddings, and the like. Savory snacks on humble plates are a thing. Nothing here has a primitive feel of people living underwater or adjacent to it, nothing minimally tribal. On the other hand, it's like falling into a 1970s movie about Xanadu or something quasi-futuristic with a soft light filter. Music spills through the coral structures, fed by narrow metal tubes that bear a weird resemblance to certain alien technology. Ten points if you can say 'Centaurian' ten times fast.

Koimala, having gills, has absolutely no problems adjusting to the water. He offers a hand who anyone who wants in.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    It was when Daisy made the decision that Alexander followed through. He pulled off his own boots and waited for his own taste of Fandita-le. Then he stepped up toward the edge of the water, taking off his gear and equipment for now as he murmured quietly.
    "I promise, uncle. I'll get right to it. I'm busy, please have patience." And with that he makes the leap into the water, executing a quick butterfly stroke as he dives and trying to propel himself quickly to catch up.
    He manages to reach just beside the SHIELD leader and floats there for a time, frowning a little as he blows a few bubbles then shakes his head.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Daisy may be a bit of a cheater because she sorta uses her powers to propel her inside water, as if she had her own personal motors to get her going. CHEATER! It's why she gets to do it all dressed up instead of going down to her catsuit maybe. Her eyes go here and there, watching the beauty all around them and then off she goes, spearheading into that village.

A feats indeed. She looks at Alex a moment, watches the bubbles, then the crabs, then Alex again. Then the others coming after. A grin as most seem to be coming..

She points at the crabs as if saying 'Go ahead'.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would consider for a few moments over and glance over at the others. Presuming they're going to take the reeds proferred, Mary Jane is going to take one as well. She also does something slightly strange. Taking out a sheep's bladder that was sealed,s he would move to start pressing it to get it inflated and full of air. Making sure it was then sealed tight, like a balloon, she would clasp it over her back then, making sure to secure it and tie it off.
    Glancing at the others then and getting ready to join whomever was taking the undersea excursion.
    Her sword is still with her, and anything else.. Well, she's gone deep diving before. There might not even be a lurking leviathan underneath the waves.
    Which was a shame.

Jane Foster has posed:
Daisy's powers generate vibrations. Vibrations keenly affect fish since water transmits them better than air, and several of the smaller leafy sea-dragons go rushing away in slow-motion to huddle near the big one. The explosion of bright coloured fins probably looks like a psychedelic forest sprang up among the pink, orange, and red corals branching off every which way. Yes, in freshwater.

The big sea-dragon defiantly munches some kelp through its formidably long, unnaturally dainty snoot. It might even dramatically wave its fins in a technicolour display at the Inhuman.

Come to think, that -is- a rather dazzling display that tends to act like a lulling effect. The sort of subtle take on an effect that takes the edge off, an awful lot like a certain fear god can heighten or diminish it. This is just more like sparkle-pants chilling out.

A disco dragon at the undersea party, guys. Totally normal.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
The readings are gained and gathered, collated and set to memory even as he listens to Jemma. She gets it; she understands exactly what he's asking, in her own parlance. "Agent Watson has.." an entity within that presumably would do anything to keep the host alive. "You.."

There's nothing special about Dr Leopold Fitz. "Right," he says slowly, and he's looking a little nervous about it all. He can swim, but he's not a //strong// swimmer. Not like the others, but he's also an Agent as he tells others that are higher ranking than he, and should be given the opportunity for field work. Well, here he is. Field work.

Rocking back on his heels, Fitz rolls his head forward in a moment of thought, and finally decision. It's a done deal, of course, when Jemma partakes. His backpack comes off, and with a quiet, "You lads stay here. I'll be back for you," he also lays his tablet down. His tac-jacket comes off, boots and socks before he requests his own bit of water-breathing food.

Jemma's in the water, then, when he takes his own bites. "Wait.. how long does it take to take effect?" before he's sighing, a softly accented, 'Bloody hell' follows before he, too, is in the water, following the others.

Once in, the water feels good. It's warm, but not too uncomfortably warm. Cooling, refreshing, and welcoming. With his head down and swimming, it looks absolutely amazing in natural formations. It's a little hard to sink, so the push to swim to get any depth is something of a workout, but not unmanageable. It's the sea-life, however, that gains Fitz' attention. Pausing in his padding, he's 'hovering', watching it. It's lovely, innit? Something not normally seen in the world, or at least not recognized as such.

Jessica Drew has posed:
The plunge is gorgeous. Bubbles trip past Jess as she kicks downward, feeling no need for air. Fascinated by the beauty, she ascribes her faint chill to temperature change and the unaccustomed sensation of being underwater for so long without needing air.

First glimpse of the graceful sea creature gives her pause. It munching kelp and paying no attention to the group swimming past reassures her enough to swim blithely by with the others.

Yes, the water is cooler down this far, yet the tingles continue. That's not cold but a sense of something not being right. How is she going to warn the others? She wonders if she had left her senses behind when she jumped into the water.

Trailing bubbles as she looks around, Jess puts on the speed, trying to catch up to let the others know that something is definitely out of kilter.

Monica Chang has posed:
Once in the water, Monica waits a moment. Then she lets out the air slowly from her lungs, allowing herself to draw liquid back in. No panic, no freaking out, just taking her time to try this and carefully controlling her body since this is a lot like drowning! But a moment later, she finds herself breathing. Sort of. Somehow her lungs were now processing the high oxygen levels from the pool. She wasn't sure if she would trust this in the ocean but in this protected area, it seemed quite effective.

Then she began to follow now that she was figuring it out. Though the dragons certainly had her attention. A father and offspring? Or was it mother? Seahorses were different. But she notices she was starting to relax as she watched the psychadelic display. And that suddenly had her tensing and looking away. This would explain the chill atmosphere though.

She was about to follow toward where the party was up in the air bubble in what she was guessing was this natural cave formation when she saw Jess out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly putting on speed. Monica shifted her path toward the other agent, trying to discern what was going on with the lack of verbal communication in their current predicament.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
The question as to how long it takes to go into effect? Yeah, not heard over the initial rush of water to the eardrums. However, the answer? Immediate. While more detailed research would certainly be in order, for the moment Jemma can determine two distinct things. One, the pressing need to breath is not present, signifying that the water root is perhaps increasing the efficiency of the oxygen exchange...translating to the very idiom of 'less is more'. And two...while highly theoretical and seemingly only possible with other liquids such as fluorocarbons, it...might be possible to so do here. And that tells Jemma what the drones have already detected...that there is a higher than normal oxygen content in the water...high enough to allow for prolonged submersion, at any rate.

It is a truly fascinating experience.

In this underwater grotto, with sights beyond what one would expect, Jemma missed the reaction from one Agent Drew. No, instead Jemma catches the sea dragon and its reaction to a figure in the water that has to be Daisy, judging from the self propulsion. And....is that a greeting? It certainly seems that way! And...wait.....really? Something tells Jemma that the sea dragon is more than just visually stunning. A revelation that must be shared.

Jemma's first choice to share? Daisy. She is going to want to know what Jemma suspects, most certainly.

Jane Foster has posed:
Niyami surfaces first, a few elders following him. The people having a grand time around the feast tables vibe in time with the music and the flashing spectacle, nodding their heads or swaying a bit while they arrange food. The rules are pretty clear, mimed eating and scooping up banana flower sauce with a crisped skin to show the guests can come help themselves. Generous as the spread is, it's paltry next to the wide smiles and arms opened to the battered sailors who receive their low-key, chill homecoming. The group hug becomes more of a cool group lean.

"We've been sick being away from here," he confesses to anyone above water to hear him. Well, with some translation assistance. "Can we go to the great pool to be restored?"

Koimala pops up above the surface, unrushed, floating with his arms wide. He makes his way eventually to one of the flat spots where the terrace meets the water, in no rush. No one here really is, the very big leafy sea-dragon still protectively positioned in front of its smaller posse of fan dancers. The disco luminescence keeps on going, strobing slowly, and the leafy sea-dragon goes back to munching another piece of grass. But it has an eye on them, enjoying its snack cautiously now the water doesn't seem to be beset by some localized temblor.

"Do they need to go to the pool too? Did you even -ask-, Niyami?" A laid-back warning. Has to be Mum.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
There is something soothing, sparling, calling about the water. Then Mary Jane sees the giant sea-dragon swimming within it. And then the part that is Sonja rages to the top as Mary Jane is suppressed. There's a look of glee on her face as she goes to dive deep. Improvised oxygen tank with her, she's not bothering to try and do anything else. Unsheatin her sword, she's going to take a running dive over into the water. Many cannot use a weapon underwater due to how slow they would mvoe thanks to the depths.

Sonja does, however. For better or worse. Towards that shining, soothing, sparkling sea dragon.. There's a restrained, mad look of glee over on Red Sonja's face as she goes to dive.. Dive.. Dive..

STAB.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The decision is made. The hit is put out.
    Those crabs must go. A tilt of his head is given toward Daisy as more bubbles blurble upwards. Then he shakes his head, his blond hair flowing around him as he does so. The next moment he turns and kicks toward those crabs, starting to drift off in that direction.
    With his translation services no longer needed in such an environment, he instead shifts to his next love. The culinary arts. Hopefully none of the team will steal the occasional glance in that direction. For the crabpocalypse is likely to be epic.
    Though as he floats a bit of the way he turns over and faces Daisy. Two fingers point at his eyes, then he points at her, then the dragon. Eyes on the dragon. Something about it has him wary.
    And then suddenly there's a Mary Jane on the scene.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Crabs are fine. They had been given permission to go hunt the crabs. So Daisy continues on her little swim up to the surface, just her head popping off on the other side and in this case on the village. She looks at the villagers, for a moment listening to what they say but without the translator here she has a little trouble figuring all of it out. Something about a cleaning on a pool?

But she doesn't get to go all the way out of the water, still waiting for the rest of the gang to arrive. All until she sees Alex calling her attention to something happening over yonder, MJ diving on towards the sea dragon..

No, not MJ, that's Sonja. "No, no..." she murmurs, eyes a touch wide. She lifts one hand and sends a concussion wave through the water. She is perhaps too far away to really interfere too directly, but maybe it will stop some of that momentum that Sonja is getting towards the creature.

Jane Foster has posed:
Daisy generates a fair bit of wave action around herself, but shoving water rather than displacing air takes considerably more energy. The outward concussion washes awry in the partly-submerged cavern, not hitting MJ or the frantic leafy sea-dragon that just got stabbed. Most of the people here cannot scream underwater.

The psychedelic disco dragon absolutely can. Its vocal structure is completely distorted next to a human's, but sounds of pain are universal. An animal wouldn't make that noise when the sword slides through its slender belly. The splash of wild colours start strobing in frantic oranges, purples, and blues. Littler ones hang in place. The people on shore who can see this stay still, staring. The lulling effect is strong on them.

Thanks to Alexander's efforts, it's much less so on the SHIELD agents.

But one wild card remains. Koimala jerks his head back at the scream, mouth open. Distress reflexively sends up a wave of boiling ionized energy around him, the very same that blew a pulse out to upset a satellite and produce that video making the rounds on social media. The other effect stops him from just exploding then and there, but the pin is out of that grenade.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
As if breaking his trance, MJ swims into sight and has a sword.. (a sword?!) and is brandishing it against the dragon. A quick bad-pedal stroke has him breaking the brief trance, and when he looks around quickly, a hint of rising panic in his throat, he searches for that path upward.

Even as he rises towards what he perceives as light, there's comes a concussive //blast// that sends the engineer head over heels rolling back in an uncontrolled motion. Over and over with the concussive waves acting as a push, it sends Fitz and and beyond, past MJ and down into the darker levels.

In his head, Fitz can hear, no, he can feel the anger, the distant sonambulist that wakens at the threat of violence against it or its kind. Fitz is in a drowsy daze now, the buffering first of the calm mental energies communicated to him, and then the disorienting spins. Finally, with the seething anger, there is little to protect him from any of it. Down Fitz goes, hard now to determine if it's the water around him that darkens, or the fact that he's losing consciousness in the increasing chill of the environment.

With a soft thud, no hint of bouancy anymore, he lands sideways on the floor by a dark grotto. Just beyond, a glow breaks through the deeps.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Electricity races up and down Jessica's spine, screaming danger. She is mute in the water, unable to communicate the rising sense of threat to her fellow agents. Pushing hard, she swims for Alexander and Daisy just as MJ goes mad and bad on a sea dragon. A cloud of blood darkens the water when she turns to look back but the injured animal is not the focal point.

Swimming hard toward Alexander she gestures to the mouth of a grotto then crosses her hands, shaking her head. She points urgently toward the village, hoping he will follow her to air and speech when the world goes sideways for a moment, terrible pressure in the water making her feel faint. Hands clasped to her ears she rides the pain out.

The sensation passes quickly. Jess catches sight of Daisy on the terrace edge between two worlds. She settles next to her with relief and leans, speaking quickly, only for her ears. "You saw what happened? There is something out there."

Frowning in frustration at how vague she must seem, "There is a real danger, Daisy, from one of those caves we passed."

Monica Chang has posed:
Monica was just about to get out of that water when everything went topsy turvy. Thankfully, she was at the edge and didn't get the brunt of it. Unlike some of the others.

Sonja is going ham on Puff the Magic Dragon. But now she sees there are two different problems. Well, three if one counts the dragon getting attacked when it wasn't doing anything. Or was it? She had no idea at this point!

First, Fitz just got sent down down down in that pool. But the other side of that coin was that the guy on shore had lit up like a roman candle. Since she wasn't there for the first part of the mission, as she'd been on the other Quinjet, she wasn't positive but she had the feeling this was very bad.

"Koimala was the one that made the big boom earlier, right? Cause he looks like he's about to go nuclear here."

And she used those flat stones to get her out of the water, to try to approach. "Koimala, c'mon and breathe.." And she realized she was probably not getting anything across without their translator. But she made sure to repeat the words in both Chinese and Hindi. Maybe they could get a word here or there and figure it out? "Calm down. You don't want to hurt anyone here by losing control..."

Jemma Simmons has posed:
What the bloody hell?!? No! Don't do that!!

Jemma's eyes grow wide as she catches Mary Jane...no, Red Sonja gleefully going for the kill on the sea dragon. And, while Jemma cannot say how she knows or even vocalize her thoughts while in the water, she knows...without the shadow of a doubt....that the entity that MJ just stabbed...

...is an Inhuman.

And, in that moment, there isn't a plan in Jemma's head. There is only gut instinct. No hesitation....just pure instinct. Jemma immediately swims for the injured dragon...the Inhuman in need. As quickly as she possibly can. Not even a sideward glance is given towards Agent Watson as Jemma makes her approach, though the medical doctor winces in pain as the scream rocks her to her core.

Yet, Jemma is not done.

Soundlessly, the sword is yanked free in one fluid motion as Jemma pulls it straight out, then down to the bottom of the pool...away from causing any more harm. Wasting no time at all, both of her hands reach out, towards the gaping wound in the dragon, perhaps in an effort to hold the wound at bay. But....what could Jemma possibly be thinking, to attempt to provide medical triage underwater, with no equipment to help her?

That...is when her hands seemingly start to glow. Faintly at first, which could have been passed off by the natural bioluminescence of the cavern. But then, the glow is more pronounced...an emerald hue, centered right upon the wound. Somehow, some way...the flesh begins to knit itself, to heal.

Some would say regeneration. Others may say accelerated healing. But, whatever it is, it is obvious that the grievous injury that was inflicted by over zealous barbarians is dissipating clearly before multiple witnesses....

...and that it is Jemma herself doing it.

Jane Foster has posed:
The traumatized Inhuman's skin darkens, gills flashing against his neck and the energy hissing over his skin in a dangerous warning for anyone coming too close. The pressure is rising for an eruption, and unlike Daisy, his control over casting off explosive hydrological waves lacks focused precision. His eyes, dark and liquid black, blink in the slowed confusion of the mesmerism holding him in check. Monica speaks his name and he twists a little, looking at her. "Why?" A plaintive sound against all the hurts inflicted on the world. "They hurt him. He is ... is..."

His broken English slurs into the search for a word, the muzzy acquisition of Hindi easiest. "<Guard?>" Repeating it a few times slowly rounds the contours of grief. She is understood in Hindi so he settles on that. "<He stays with us. They get sick far away from here, from the cleansing pool. He showed us the way...>" But the Black Widow has him talking, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes, while his peers are left swaying. Unaware of the grotto where Fitz disappeared into full of shifting light and peculiar shadows painted on the walls where something is moving.

Something that is shifting beneath the floor, leaving cracks and humps spreading across it. Coral dust softly rains down from within there.

The leafy sea-dragon -- an Inhuman who has seen the other side of terrigenesis -- still utters painful noises from being stabbed. It can't shoot off at immense speeds being that size, but it sure can swim in a flashy path -to- the chamber where something larger is waking up.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
It takes Sonja a few moments while she would be driven away and disarmed to growl, sword dropping away. There's a heavily irritated glance over on her face. Her glancing down at Jemma, noticing.. Saying nothing, one hand going to retrieve her blade while glancing at the sea dragon with her face obscured by her improvised air sack.. It's not -quite- apology, but close enough. She stays at hand to see if any of the others need a hand up in going to surface, while being continuously irritated over at the situation.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
The sudden scream of the creature has Daisy grit her teeth but she fights through her pain because there's priorities here. She looks at Jessica first, at the news of a danger underneath. "Help the rest out of the water, Spiderwoman.", a beat, "We need to get them up here to regroup. If whatever danger is waking up..." and by the sounds of it seems like it is. "We will need everyone up here... I will look for Fitz, you have the lead while I am gone, Spider."

She gets herself out of the water just a moment, watching Monica handle the near-exploding Inhuman. There's a nod out of her and while she catches those glowing hands out of the corner of her eye from Poppins she really doesn't focus on it for -too- long.

No, her focus is elsewhere. On the missing member she can't see anywhere.

So she dives back down, exhaling as she creates a vibrational shield around her. And then dives down at full speed with the use of her powers to go search for Fitz, soon disappearing in the depths.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
Lying on the floor of the water's bed, Fitz is curled in a fetal position almost within a grotto. There's no purposeful movement from the engineer now; no fighting, no swimming, nothing. Only the shifting of the sea floor causes his body to move gently with the motion. The water's quality is most definitely different than above, closer to the surface, closer to life. It's heavier, it's colder, and tries to hold on to its secrets and its treasures.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Some would qualify this part of the mission as a glorious cluster. All the best laid plans and intentions gone awry. MJ lost control. Fitz is gone. Jemma's hands are glowing? Which in itself is not a bad thing, just...Jemma's hand don't do that. Behind her Monica succeeds in calming one of the Inhumans. Koimala? And below them real danger lurks.

Fearing that any good will they may have earned rescuing the Inhumans is gone, wasted. She rises from the ledge and walks over to join Monica, giving Koimala a conciliatory nod.

Speaking in a low calm voice to Monica, her eyes on the Inhuman, "My Hindi is rotten. What has he been saying? Fitz disappeared, Jemma is still down below, I'm going to bring her up, if I can."

Without another word, Jess returns to the ledge and drops underwater. In the shadow of a large frond of fresh water kelp she spies a a dark form floating. Jemma! Swimming at top speed, she shoots through the water and fires a lasso of webbing at their dear scientist, pulling her upward back toward the little village.