# Ch.24: Arrival

Let's continue with the suits, which were so good they even had pockets.

F6: So, how am I supposed to put on these things?

Z: That would be rather complicated,

so it's easier to just build them in place.

Stand still for a second.

Since zippers are hard,

the layers were synthesised directly on top of their bodies.

Z: Now, you should put on the helmet.

Make sure to tuck your hair or there will unfortunate consequences.

F2: So, why is Freya's hair like that?

J: I thought it would be funny.

G: And you're lucky I stopped him at a reasonable length.

F2: Can you do that with me?

J: No.

F2: Awww...

Then everyone put on their helmets.

The camo was so good their heads seemed to disappear,

except for a thin outline.

Now we have dullahan foxes!

F4: Everyone is looking kinda weird...

J: Fashion a mirror?

The tentacles showed him his own reflection.

F4: Ah!

F5: So these are like the earmuffs, but for the entire head?

G: More or less, yeah.

J: Now that we have sorted that out, here's your gear.

The tentacles gave them their backpacks and some flippers.

Z: Don't put on the flippers immediately.

They are for when you're about to start swimming.

J: You better be thankful,

because redesigning them to fit your feet was a nightmare.

F4: I-is it to late to clarify that I don't know how to swim?

J: You'll manage.

F3: What does this backpack contain?

Z: Slime.

...

F1: What should we do with the slime, sir?

J: Just name a tool and it will come out, jeez!

F5: BFR.

A BFR appeared on one of the backpack's side pockets.

F5: Cool!

G: Now, how about we all summon our sidearms just to be sure?

They summoned their sidearms.

G: Great! Now that everything is done here, let's go to the moon pool.

To the moon! Pool.

They also put on their flippers.

J: Now, you'll be diving thirty meters under the sea level, towards the coast.

F6: And how do we avoid getting lost?

J: Your helmets should give you PLENTY of indications.

Z: Your guns will still work underwater, but they'll have reduced range,

so make sure to consider that if you're attacked.

F5: Reduced by how much?

Z: Dunno.

The author is too lazy to do the maths.

J: Alright, you've been in here long enough, get out!

Some tentacles kicked them out into the water.

After the initial commotion, they got swimming.

F4: I guess this isn't that hard.

J: See? And you were already crying.

F4: I wasn't crying!

G: From a one to ten, how would you rate the drysuit experience?

F2: Hmmm... I think that I would give it a-

A man-eating shark appeared!

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

However, it wasn't interested in foxy abominations, so it swam away.

F2: ...I would give it a-

A fox-eating shark appeared!

However, it wasn't interested in HUMANOID foxes, so it swam away.

F2: I think I'll just shut up.

F6: I give it a 10.

A fox-man-eating shark appeared!

How oddly specific!

Fortunately, it wasn't immune to the all new and improved,

osmium-core ULTRARRAPE bullets.

F5: The guns worked just fine.

J: Who wants shark for dinner?

F1-6: ...

J: Just kidding!

F3: I do wonder, aren't we at risk from decompression sickness?

Z: The suits operate under atmospheric pressure at these depths.

F4: And that means?

Z: You won't get the bends.

F4: Huh?

J: Do any of you know anything about diving!?

F3: I once read a pamphlet about it.

J: I don't know why this surprises me anymore.

Eventually, and after a mere ~20 chapters,

our characters finally got to where everyone else was.

They arrived early in the morning near a town,

and since all the villa(i)ns were lazy bastards,

that meant no one was around.

F2: Ohhh, the sand is so pretty!

J: It looks like cheap glitter to me.

G: Why must you complain about everything ever?

J: It is what it is!

Z: Please take off your helmets and place them inside your backpacks.

F4: Wouldn't that be less safe?

Z: Yes,

but people tend to have negative biases towards people without a visible face,

or head.

J: Remember, you have to look trustworthy before you stab them in the back!

Z: Guns are also considered dishonourable, so you will have to part with them.

Or at least hide them well enough.

G: While I don't agree, I can get why they think that.

J: Let me guess, because glorified butter knives are way worse at their job,

and therefore using them makes you more of a macho man?

G: More or less, yeah.

F5: That's so stupid!

F3: Weren't you like that until a few days ago?

F5: Well, now I can admit that it was stupid.

Z: Anyways, you should put on your clothing.

They changed their gear, and simply put their onesies on top of the drysuits.

They also put on some boots for digitigrades,

which looked kinda weird because of their foot structure,

but hey, standard clothing.

Since a BFR is not exactly what you would call a 'concealment gun',

everyone CC'd some berettas.

How does that work on an onesie anyways?

Oh, they just hid them in their backpacks, nevermind.

G: From my observations,

I also saw that polearms were considered dishonourable.

J: Ok, they are taking a piss!

What's next,

axes are dishonourable because real men chop trees with their hands!?

G: What would happen in the hypothetical case I maybe said yes?

J: I WOULD BURN THIS PLACE TO THE GROUND!

G: Well, thank god that didn't happen.

J: Now you left me with the doubt. I'm killing everyone just in case.

F1: Does that include us?

J: NO, YOU ASS!

F6: Can we have breakfast? I haven't had anything this morning.

G: Yes. One of your backpack pockets should come with non-radioactive MREs.

I can assure you they're not as bad as 'A' Said.

J: I can assure you he's lying.

They unpacked the stuff.

F2: How do I eat this thing?

Z: You must add water to the food, add water to the heat pack,

put it at an angle on a rock or something and wait for a while.

F2: Well, at least we've got plenty of water!

F4: I don't think that drinking seawater would be a good idea.

F5: Yeah, no shit.

J: At least some of you aren't lethally stupid in this case!

Get the filters, pump some water into a bucket, and use that.

F6: They're this thing?

J: Yes, the thing that says 'REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER FILTER' is a fucking filter!

F6: How does this-?

J: Figure it out.

G: Uhh, you're supposed to-

J: shut

After unsuccessfully trying to collect seawater from the waves,

the foxes dug a hole in the sand and filtered out the salt.

J: See? Shovels save lives.

F2: The chewing gum is pretty good.

J: WHO PUT NON-FOODSTUFFS IN MY MRE'S!?

G: Relax, man. Why can't they have candy?

After getting chewing gum in his hair, he cursed the flavoured rubber.

It remembered him of the bad old days,

not to be confused with the bad new days.

They also prepared the MREs. Surprisingly, they were edible.

F6: I guess this tastes alright.

F3: It's a bit bland, in my opinion.

F2: I got berries!

J: Cloudberries.

F4: By the way, where do I go to the bathroom?

J: Hahaha!

Z: Dig a hole.

G: Sorry, but we can't afford such luxuries here.

F5: Ok, but how would I take the suit off in that case?

G: You must unzip it very carefully,

then zip it even more carefully when finished.

F4: I don't like the idea of being vulnerable in the middle of a beach.

J: Then set up a tent? Fortifications save lives.

After having breakfast, half of the function keys moved on.

F1: Where should we go now?

J: To that pawn shop situated conveniently in front of you.

We've got to make a quick buck before fucking everyone up.

See lads? The interlude wasn't filler at all.