The island would've been the perfect vacation getaway–the coral reefs at the edge of the shoreline, the tall coconut trees, and the sparkling shells washing ashore. Too bad it was raining, the fluffy grey clouds above unleashing a constant drip of cold drops. Jushio shivered a bit, feeling far from the warm sun of the highlands of Mireh. Sharkbait stood empathetically beside him, staring off at the two saltwater tsabhua, Aisling and Brennegan, as they splashed in the tidepools.

They weren't just here to play or soak up the non-existent suns, but to forage for edible (or at least useful) plants. Each had a basket, battered as they were, and Aisling wore a brightly beaded friendship bracelet. "Jushio," Brennegan called from nearby. A small wave crashed over his head–he rose up again, coughing and sputtering a little. "Uck, that's salt water! It burns!" He grabbed his nose, and Aisling gave a little giggle. "What is it?" Aisling asked, accidentally brushing Sharkbait next to him with his tail.

"There's some kelp along 'ere!" Aisling picked up for the male tsabhua, gesturing with one of her front finned-paws towards the sand edging the water. It was a deeper shade, moister than the rest of the beach–and sure enough, it was slewn with seaweed: Some bright green and fresh, and others fading towards brown. Sharkbait lead the way, trotting across the sand as Jushio followed. "I suppose we could use that," he shrugged, even if it wasn't so sure–maybe kelp could be used to act as rope, or a source of food.

Sharkbait gingerly picked up the long strands of kelp with his tough claws, spooling them into the battered basket and then walking it to the next patch. Laughter fell over them as Aisling and Brennegan kicked water at each other. "Are you two just playing around, or searching for plants?" Jushio called out. "Searching!" Aisling called out, even if it meant lying. "C'mon, Aisling," Brennegan called out, "There's got to be some coral around here!" The reefs weren't much further than a few swim-paddles past the boulders.

"Didn't you say that you used to live underwater?" Jushio asked, trying to make small-talk with the other belemoid as he plucked some fresh kelp off the sand. "Our base is still down there somewhere," Sharkbait stared longingly at the sea, "But we can't get there without a submarine." Jushio nodded–it sounded like the Sea-Cucumbers had been much further down then than the shallow reefs where the kelp or coral would be. "I love the water!" Brennegan piped up on his own, even though he wasn't asked. "Really?" Quipped Aisling, "I like caves more!"

"But what about coral, did you find any of that?" Jushio mused. The two tsabhua both groaned, and one of them–the grey one–dipped below the waves to search for some. "What color do you want?" Brennegan asked. "Color?" Jushio prompted, confused. "Blue coral and green coral are the most rare!" Sharkbait called back, "Orange is common, but it still has some uses." The shaman's knowledge might be of some use here. "Ah," Aisling surfaced from the water now too, with a slight splash. "We can get it, it's not that far!" She beamed, small raindrops hitting her on the head.

The beach was picked clean of kelp until only the sparkly grains of sand and the crunchy shells remained. Jushio even found some driftwood–a bit soggy, but maybe useful for something decorative. "That's the last of it," Sharkbait said as he tucked the last one into his battered basket. Aisling and Brennegan took turns diving at the corals below the water, taking a deep breath and seeing who could hold it the longest before they shot back up through the waves. "I got one that time!" Aisling mumbled through a bright orange coral in her maw.

"Mind if we join you?" Jushio offered, but there was little question about it. "Hey, take this!" Aisling offered the stick of coral to Sharkbait, who added it to his basket. Bubbles rose to the surface before Brennegan rose, gasping loudly. "Gh–I got my leg stuck on some of the coral! I barely made it back!" He exclaimed. Jushio let out a "hmm," and glanced back towards the beach where the two had dropped their baskets. "Why don't you use these to scoop up the coral, rather than fight with it?" He pointed out.

"That could work," Aisling thought aloud, "I don't need it though–Looks like I can hold my breath the longest after all!" She dove under again cheerfully, while Brennegan rolled his eyes over his loss. "Well, when we're all done collecting coral," Sharkbait piped up helpfully, "I saw some coconut trees, too. Who's up for a smoothie?" Barely surfaced with another branch of orange coral, Aisling called out, "Me me me!" Jushio nodded in agreement, his throat feeling dry. It might not have been the weather for the beverage–but after all, why not?

Total Wordcount: 833
1 to 200
The island would've been the perfect vacation getaway the coral reefs at the edge of the shoreline, the tall coconut trees, and the sparkling shells washing ashore. Too bad it was raining, the fluffy grey clouds above unleashing a constant drip of cold drops. Jushio shivered a bit, feeling far from the warm sun of the highlands of Mireh. Sharkbait stood empathetically beside him, staring off at the two saltwater tsabhua, Aisling and Brennegan, as they splashed in the tidepools. They weren't just here to play or soak up the non-existent suns, but to forage for edible (or at least useful) plants. Each had a basket, battered as they were, and Aisling wore a brightly beaded friendship bracelet. "Jushio," Brennegan called from nearby. A small wave crashed over his head he rose up again, coughing and sputtering a little. "Uck, that's salt water! It burns!" He grabbed his nose, and Aisling gave a little giggle. "What is it?" Aisling asked, accidentally brushing Sharkbait next to him with his tail. "There's some kelp along 'ere!" Aisling picked up for the male tsabhua, gesturing with one of her front finned-paws towards the sand edging the water. It was a deeper shade, moister
Mention Counter
Jushio: 2 mentions
Sharkbait: 2 mentions
Brennegan: 2 mentions
Aisling: 5 mentions

201 to 400
than the rest of the beach and sure enough, it was slewn with seaweed: Some bright green and fresh, and others fading towards brown. Sharkbait lead the way, trotting across the sand as Jushio followed. "I suppose we could use that," he shrugged, even if it wasn't so sure maybe kelp could be used to act as rope, or a source of food. Sharkbait gingerly picked up the long strands of kelp with his tough claws, spooling them into the battered basket and then walking it to the next patch. Laughter fell over them as Aisling and Brennegan kicked water at each other. "Are you two just playing around, or searching for plants?" Jushio called out. "Searching!" Aisling called out, even if it meant lying. "C'mon, Aisling," Brennegan called out, "There's got to be some coral around here!" The reefs weren't much further than a few swim-paddles past the boulders. "Didn't you say that you used to live underwater?" Jushio asked, trying to make small-talk with the other belemoid as he plucked some fresh kelp off the sand. "Our base is still down there somewhere," Sharkbait stared longingly at the sea, "But we can't get there without a submarine." Jushio
Mention Counter
Jushio: 4 mentions
Sharkbait: 3 mentions
Brennegan: 2 mentions
Aisling: 3 mentions

401 to 600
nodded it sounded like the Sea-Cucumbers had been much further down then than the shallow reefs where the kelp or coral would be. "I love the water!" Brennegan piped up on his own, even though he wasn't asked. "Really?" Quipped Aisling, "I like caves more!" "But what about coral, did you find any of that?" Jushio mused. The two tsabhua both groaned, and one of them the grey one dipped below the waves to search for some. "What color do you want?" Brennegan asked. "Color?" Jushio prompted, confused. "Blue coral and green coral are the most rare!" Sharkbait called back, "Orange is common, but it still has some uses." The shaman's knowledge might be of some use here. "Ah," Aisling surfaced from the water now too, with a slight splash. "We can get it, it's not that far!" She beamed, small raindrops hitting her on the head. The beach was picked clean of kelp until only the sparkly grains of sand and the crunchy shells remained. Jushio even found some driftwood a bit soggy, but maybe useful for something decorative. "That's the last of it," Sharkbait said as he tucked the last one into his battered basket. Aisling and Brennegan
Mention Counter
Jushio: 3 mentions
Sharkbait: 2 mentions
Brennegan: 3 mentions
Aisling: 3 mentions

601 to 800
took turns diving at the corals below the water, taking a deep breath and seeing who could hold it the longest before they shot back up through the waves. "I got one that time!" Aisling mumbled through a bright orange coral in her maw. "Mind if we join you?" Jushio offered, but there was little question about it. "Hey, take this!" Aisling offered the stick of coral to Sharkbait, who added it to his basket. Bubbles rose to the surface before Brennegan rose, gasping loudly. "Gh I got my leg stuck on some of the coral! I barely made it back!" He exclaimed. Jushio let out a "hmm," and glanced back towards the beach where the two had dropped their baskets. "Why don't you use these to scoop up the coral, rather than fight with it?" He pointed out. "That could work," Aisling thought aloud, "I don't need it though Looks like I can hold my breath the longest after all!" She dove under again cheerfully, while Brennegan rolled his eyes over his loss. "Well, when we're all done collecting coral," Sharkbait piped up helpfully, "I saw some coconut trees, too. Who's up for a smoothie?" Barely surfaced with another
Mention Counter
Jushio: 2 mentions
Sharkbait: 2 mentions
Brennegan: 2 mentions
Aisling: 3 mentions

801 to 833
branch of orange coral, Aisling called out, "Me me me!" Jushio nodded in agreement, his throat feeling dry. It might not have been the weather for the beverage but after all, why not?
Mention Counter
Jushio: 1 mentions
Aisling: 1 mentions
Jushio is in 5 chunks
Sharkbait is in 4 chunks
Brennegan is in 4 chunks
Aisling is in 5 chunks
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[Comm] Cool Beach Days

In Foraging ・ By Sea-Cucumbers ・ 1 Favourite ・ 0 Comments

FOCUS Colonist/s: Sharkbait 2231, Jushio 0855, Aisling 2327, Brennegan 2131

Relevant Items: Battered Baskets (All), Friendship Bracelet (Aisling)
Relevant Research: Research Plus

Experience Breakdown: 

All Characters
800 Words: 8
Environment: +2
Total: 10

Research Points Breakdown: 
10 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 40
Research Plus: +40
Total: 80


Submitted By Sea-Cucumbers for Foraging ・ Location: Ocean (Xiunus) ・ View Favorites
Submitted 1 month ago ・ Last Updated 3 weeks ago
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Commissioned:   Or'sol
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[thumb=1982]

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[[Comm] Cool Beach Days by Sea-Cucumbers (Literature)](https://www.xiun.us/gallery/view/1982)
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