Apocalypse Reset: My Crab Can Heal the World!

"So, it's true, then…"

Barns voice creaks. Even after everything that has happened, he struggles to believe it. But the evidence is overwhelming.

Haima is the killer.

"We had the police search high and low," Maria says quietly. "There is no sign of Haima. None at all."

Her final words echo in his mind. She'd said she was going somewhere - somewhere to cultivate her power.

Likely somewhere far from Dimartino. Where is the Gore Family from, again? Barns can't remember.

"I know this is shocking, but we can't let it get in the way of our planning. The Sentinels can return at any time, and we must be vigilant."

Barns takes a deep breath. "Indeed."

As he thinks over the events of the day, he realizes that there's something missing from it all. They just added twenty thousand new humans to their ranks, but the vibe is very much 'doom and gloom' from the upper administration.

Even with the threat of the Sentinels looming, there's something that needs to be done - not just for Barns' sake, but for everyone.

"You know, Maria…before the Apocalypse, I used to hear stories about Ordella. They held a massive festival every summer, and people from all over the world would come to see."

Maria rolls her eyes. "Oh, right. Carnivalli. I went a couple times. A pretty raucous and classless affair, if you ask me. Meat everywhere…" she shudders.

"Maybe this seems out of the blue, but I'd like to bring that back. Maybe not exactly how it was - but something. A celebration for our entire kingdom - Dimartino and Ordella. Do you think you can make it happen?"

Maria lets out one quick and incredulous laugh. "Hah. Why not? I think you're right, anyway. Morale could use a boost."

"I'll let you get to it, then," Barns smiles. "Me, on the other hand. I've got some training to do."

Barns leaves Maria to her devices and finds Clancy by the castle pool. It's quiet, now, and nobody else is around - the sunbathing Jordan has long departed.

Barns looks into the water. It's sparkling and fresh - he couldn't believe he'd never used the pool since they got the castle back up and running. He loves swimming, after all. But his goal today wouldn't just be to swim - he's going to attempt to master a new technique.

He sits by the pool, his feet splashing in the water as he talks to his crab. It's a multi-tier pool, the image of opulence - water gushes from built-in fountains, and the air glistens with cool mist.

"So, what do I have to do again?" Barns asks. He was a little distracted for Clancy's first explanation - he's got Haima on the brain.

"WATCH."

Clancy dives headfirst into the pool, and the giant crab sinks to the bottom. Barns leans over to try and see, but the uneven surface of the water makes it hard to make out any details.

He sees the mighty crab form a bubble underwater that floats around his mouth, although the exact mechanisms as to HOW to do it are completely unclear. After a couple minutes, Clancy scuttles back out of the pool and returns to Barns' side.

"That's cool," Barns quips. "But I was thinking maybe an explanation and not just a demonstration? It's not like I've ever blown magical bubbles before, King."

Clancy clicks his claws together nervously, unsure of what to say.

"EXPLANATION. THOUGHTS ERRATIC. FILL LUNGS, BREATHE DEEP. IMAGINE BUBBLES. IMAGINE HARDEN BODY BUT INSIDE."

"Harden Body…inside?" Barns thinks. It didn't make a lot of sense. When he uses Harden Body, all he needs to think about is the idea of becoming impervious to everything around him.

"I need to…steel my lungs…" Barns ponders, putting together a plan of some sort. It was vague, but at least he had an idea.

"STEEL LUNGS!" Clancy bounces at the words. "CORRECT. CORRECT! THEN THINK BUBBLE. AIR IN LUNGS FRESH. BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT. NO WATER."

Barns' eyes glaze over as they usually do when Clancy tries to give an explanation. Even if the crab were the most eloquent being alive, he's still working with a completely different set of biological facts.

At least, Barns was pretty sure crab lungs were nothing like Barnacle lungs… Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire

"Alright. I guess there's nothing to it but to try."

Barns jumps to his feet and strips down to his underwear - he supposes he should have thought ahead and brought some swim shorts, but that's a problem for another day.

He splashes into the water, and is pleasantly surprised at how warm the pool feels. "Oh man, Clancy - you didn't tell me how good it feels!"

The crab clicks happily as Barns wades around a bit, enjoying the vibe. He takes a deep breath and readies himself.

"Here goes nothing…" Barns says, filling his lungs and diving under the water.

'Okay, Barns. You can do this. Think! Steel your lungs…and imagine a bubble…"

He closes his eyes as he sinks to the bottom of the pool. His focus is unyielding. Slowly. Surely. Steadily. His lungs were like bubbles. He imagines magical air. He wonders - the skill description indicated that he'd be able to 'blow bubbles' even on the surface and 'put people to sleep' with them.

'How does that all fit together?'

He's still under the water, but the air in his lungs is starting to run out. From what Clancy said, the perfected technique would allow him to 'breathe' in the water without actually filling his lungs with it.

He supposes he could give that a try. He opens his mouth slightly and attempts to breathe in the oxygen but not the fluid.

Immediately, he starts choking. He erupts into a panic, swimming quickly to the surface of the water and spitting out a mouthful of water.

"Bleh!" Barns frets, treading water and looking up to Clancy. "That…did NOT work."

"PRACTICE INCREASES PERFECTION AMOUNT!" Clancy says encouragingly. "EASIER THAN HARDEN BODY!"

"Maybe for you," Barns snips back. "Alright. Here's to round two, King."