[GrayGriffin]

"Are you sure this is safe?" asked the serpentine creature as it circled slowly around the crystal and the device, placed floating in a single bubble. The crystal was glowing slightly, a faint blue color that seemed to reflect the surrounding sea.

"Well...I can't be 100% certain," admitted the bandaged dolphin, leaning forwards to poke the bubble slightly with his snout. "That's why I'm here, you know? And everyone else is on shore waiting to be a backup if it goes catastrophically wrong."

[GrayGriffin]

"Well, I appreciate your assistance in that matter," chuckled Rewhister. "Still, I believe my own abilities should be quite capable of handling things before they truly do go wrong. I simply wanted to know how prepared I should be for that to happen."

Arion circled the bubble some more, as if thinking, before sighing. "You know what?" he said. "Go ahead and act as if the worst possible thing might happen here. Just in case."

[GrayGriffin]

Rewhister blinked. "Are you really so skeptical of that merchant's claims?" he asked. Arion's bandages, hovering beside him, moved in the equivalent of a shrug.

"Not really skeptical, per se. It's just that...it seems that there's always such a big chance for things to go wrong with us, and I'd rather not risk being caught unawares, you know?" It seemed so rare now that they'd get a simple case that remained simple all the way through.

[GrayGriffin]

"I...suppose I understand that caution," said Rewhister, still staring at the crystal. His horns started to glow slightly, as did several markings along his sides. His hair started to float strangely, no longer following the ocean's currents. "Very well then, I shall be on the highest alert I can be."

"Yeah, same here," muttered Arion, his bandages unspooling into the water around him, preparing to be used as bindings or weapons should the crystal suddenly explode into a monstrous form.

[GrayGriffin]

They watched as the crystal started glowing brighter and brighter, its light shining on them and reflecting off the sides of the bubble. Arion supposed they had that reflecting light to thank for what happened next, because it was only thanks to the light that he saw the dark shape rushing towards them. Instantly, he sent his bandages flying at the attacker, wrapping around and immobilizing them. Before he could relax, though, he realized there were more shapes swimming towards them.

[GrayGriffin]

Arion swung the creature wrapped by his bandages around, sending it spinning away into the distance. With the glow from the crystal increasing, he could now see that they were surrounded by snarling Kalamarei, a strange feral gleam shining in their canine eyes.

That was...probably not good.

"What are they all doing here?" whispered Rewhister. "Kalamarei don't usually hunt in packs like this." His tail lashed out to slap away most of the Kalamarei that came close to him, bursts of magic sending them off into the deeper distance.

[GrayGriffin]

"I'm not sure!" muttered Arion, just as a Kalamarei managed to avoid his lashing bandages and dive at the bubble. Rewhister quickly grabbed it out of the way in his foreclaws, the Kalamarei's lunge finding no purchase as it skidded off his scales.

"The crystal!" both of them cried simultaneously, gazing down at it in mixed wonder and horror.

"How much longer will it take to charge?" demanded Rewhister, now the target of the pack due to having it directly on hand.

[GrayGriffin]

"I think the glow is supposed to be an indicator?" muttered Arion, doing a barrel roll to avoid another set of claws. "But I have no idea how bright it can actually get!" He noticed Rewhister having a much harder time dodging now, even with his powers enhancing his strikes. It was at least partially because he now had the crystal and its bubble to protect, probably, since a stray strike from either side could pop it and ruin everything.

[GrayGriffin]

"Throw it to me!" called Arion, sending all his bandages reaching out to bat the Kalamarei swarm away from him, before rocketing upwards. Rewhister nodded, hurling the sphere in a rather inexpert way. Well, he supposed living underwater didn't give you much chance to practice your basketball skills...

Despite the awkward throw, Arion managed to grab it in his bandages, before rocketing higher and momentarily breaching the water.

"Everyone, we need your help!" he called.

[GrayGriffin]

Immediately, the rest of the squad charged in. Lorisa was right in front, her bladed wings spread viciously. "Arion, what do you need?" she called.

"We're being attacked!" he called. "I think they want the crystal, we have to keep it away from them!" Even as he called out, one of the Kalamarei breached the water as well, its fangs nearly brushing the tip of Lorisa's wing. She slashed out, knocking it back into the water.

[GrayGriffin]

"Got it!" she called. "Send it to me!" Arion balance the sphere on his nose, before nudging it upwards into her talons. At the same time, Akegane-sama was already diving into the water, her water bubble merging with the ocean itself. As more Kalamarei came snapping and snarling at Lorisa, she quickly flew ahead, before snapping her talons so that the sphere flew towards the Werebetta, who wrapped it in her tailfins as delicately as she could.

[GrayGriffin]

"Holmes, your turn," hissed Akegane as she dove through the water, weaving circles around the attacking Kalamarei. The Baskerville was already diving in as well, the enchanted water bubble forming around him as he paddled towards her in human form. She flicked her tail, sending the sphere flying, and he caught it with both hands.

"Gotcha," he growled, before starting to paddle upwards, taking a breath as his head breached the water's surface. "Watson, are you there? It's your turn now!"

[GrayGriffin]

The Drakel let out an encouraging chirp as he swung through the air, skinflaps spread wide as he glided over the ocean. Lorisa was gliding beneath him, providing him with a tailwind to keep him upright. Sherlock reached out of the water, drawing his arms back and throwing the sphere right before a Kalamarei could pounce on it. Watson dove forward, wrapping his body around it completely and landing safely on Lorisa's back, before waving and squeaking to let them know he was fine.

[GrayGriffin]

Finally, it was all down to Nutina. The Merham, now in full mermaid form, dove into the ocean as Lorisa zigzagged back and forth, right before Watson dropped the sphere and Nutina grabbed it in her arms, diving downwards as fast as she could. The glow was getting brighter and brighter now, almost filling the entire sphere. She could hear the Kalamarei pack fast on her heels, and there was no time to throw to anyone else! She just had to hope this would be enough.

[GrayGriffin]

As Nutina dove deeper and deeper, the sphere within her arms glowed brighter and brighter. As she was about to reach the limit of how deep she could go on her own, the glow suddenly erupted and expanded, surrounding her and everyone else in the ocean.

As the light faded, she blinked slowly, trying to get her eyes back in working order. Gazing upwards, she saw the Kalamarei start to scatter, looking extremely confused about why they'd all come here.

She sighed in relief. "It worked," she murmured.

[Crystal Synthesis Complete]