SONG OF PAST DREAM, TIDE OF SEA: LEVEL OBSERVED WITHIN THE BACKROOMS, HENCEFORTH REFERENCED TO AS LEVEL 47 N. THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER ALONG WITH JJ HAS BEEN OBSERVED WITHIN THIS LEVEL FOLLOWING SUDDEN DAMAGE TO AN UNMANNED VESSEL IN PREVIOUS LEVEL.
LEVEL STRUCTURE CONSISTS OF NARROW CONCRETE-CONSTRUCTED WALKWAYS, RUSTY PALE DEAD-METAL STAIRCASES SUSPENDED IN MID-AIR, AND A SEEMINGLY ENDLESSLY-STRETCHED BLUE SEA. TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY LEVELS HELP CREATE A CLIMATE MANY WANDERERS TESTIFY AS BEING PLEASANT. THE SKY ABOVE CONTAINS A SUN SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH ILLUMINATES THE BRIGHT STAGE. LIGHT AIR MOVEMENT PROVIDES WANDERERS WITH A COMFORTABLE COOLNESS, AND THE LUKEWARM SEAWATER IS OBSERVED TO OCCASIONALLY CONTAIN FISH OF SUBTROPICAL ORIGIN.
this place is... beautiful. it feels like an ideal summer.
NARROW CONCRETE WALKWAY IS OBSERVED STRETCHES ENDLESSLY FROM EAST TO WEST. DUE TO BEING ON LEVEL WITH THE SEA, INCOMING WAVES ONTO THE WALKWAY ARE FREQUENT, RESULTING IN DAMP GROUND AND PIECES OF SAND, SHELLS, AND BRIGHT-SEA FLORA WASHING ONTO THE WALKWAY. UTILITY POLES LINE BOTH SIDES OF THE WALKWAY, AND THEIR SWAYING LIGHTNING-LINES ARE A DANGEROUS HAZARD IF TOUCHED. ASSORTED ITEMS SUCH AS EMPTY BOTTLES, BINOCULARS, BRANCHES FROM BRIGHT-GROUND STALKS, AND OPEN RUBBER FOOTWEAR WILL OCCASIONALLY APPEAR WASHED ON THE WALKWAY, THOUGH THEY WILL USUALLY BE RETRIEVED BY THE SEA AGAIN.
SEAFLOOR CAN BE OBSERVED DOWNWARD FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE WALKWAY, COMPOSED OF ACCUMULATED SAND, PEBBLES, AND SEASHELLS. STONES AND SEASHELLS ARE ROUNDED, MOST LIKELY DUE TO EROSION CAUSED BY THE SEA'S WAVES. SEAFLOOR HAS A DOWNWARD SLOPE MOVING DISTAL FROM THE WALKWAY, REACHING TO ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF A WANDERER'S SHOULDER ONCE FAR ENOUGH.
weirdly enough, this place reminds me of los angeles- the good parts, mostly. maybe it's the glass here that makes me think that.
STRUCTURES SIMILAR TO THAT OF GROUND STATIONS FOR SEGMENTED TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES CAN OCCASIONALLY BE OBSERVED, THOUGH THEY COME WITHOUT ANY ACTUAL VEHICLES OR TRACKS. DESPITE ITS BATTERED APPEARANCE, NO REPORTS OF THEM BEING DESTROYED TO THE LEVEL'S ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS EXIST, MAKING THEM IDEAL RESTING PLACES FOR WANDERERS. RUSTED ROOF OF STATION PROVIDES SHADE AGAINST CONSTANT SUNLIGHT RAYS, WHICH CAN LEAD TO PHYSICAL DAMAGE FROM PROLONGED EXPOSURE. BENCHES ARE PRESENT WITHIN EACH STATION, ALLOWING AN ALTERNATIVE TO SITTING ON THE GROUND. RESOURCES SUCH AS FOOD, WATER, LIGHTNING DEVICES, AND HATS CAN BE FOUND ABOVE OR BELOW THESE BENCHES. SIGNS DISPLAYING THEIR RESPECTIVE STATION ARE OBSERVED, THOUGH MOST CONTAIN UNFAMILIAR SCRIPT REMINISCENT OF HIRAGANA.
this station name uses actual hiragana, though i have no clue what 'mintochi' means.
SPIRAL STAIRCASE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN OBSERVED IN THIS LEVEL, SEEMINGLY BUILT ABOVE THE GROUND. IT APPEARS TO BE CONSTRUCTED WITH RUSTING PALE DEAD-METAL, PAINTED OVER WITH WHITE PAINT THAT IS PEELING IN CERTAIN AREAS. IT IS ASSUMED AN UPWARD ENDPOINT DOES NOT EXIST; HOWEVER, A DOWNWARD ENDPOINT IS OBSERVED AROUND FIFTY TO HUNDRED METERS BELOW SEA LEVEL. THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER AND JJ ARE OBSERVED TO APPROACH THE STAIRCASE, STEPPING ONTO THE STRUCTURE.
ooh, the wind's a bit stronger here. feels nice, though it makes me want to squint. let's go up a bit.
JJ IS OSBERVED TO CLIMB THE STAIRCASE, WITH THE CURRENT ROTWATCHER CAREFULLY LATCHED ONTO THE FORMER.
really nice view from here, don't you think?
THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS ABLE TO OBSERVE THE VIEW OF THIS LEVEL ATOP THE STAIRCASE. THIS VIEW CAN BE DESCRIBED AS AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.
you can say that again.
THE VIEW CAN BE DESCRIBED AS AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.
haha. seriously though, wish i had a camera.
it is a little weird to look at the horizon, to see nothing but the sea beyond it. but you can't deny this is a pretty level.
even from up here, i can smell it... the scent of saltwater, the sea. it's all i can smell, really.
and my hair's sticky... it's like the ocean itself is caressing it, like it's my lover.
ha. funny to think about.
JJ IS OBSERVED TO RESUME CLIMBING. A STRONG BURST OF AIR IS OBSERVED TO BLOW INTO JJ, CAUSING THEM TO GRAB THE STAIRCASE'S HANDRAIL IN ATTEMPT TO RIGHT THEMSELF.
oh? it's- there's a shimmer in the air. like the waters below.
JJ REPORTS THE PRESENCE OF A SHIMMER EFFECT IN THE AIR. THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS UNABLE TO DETECT THIS PRESENCE. IT IS POSSIBLE JJ IS EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS OF HALLUCINATIONS DUE TO THE STRONG BURST OF AIR.
no, it's still there. even when i rub my eyes, it's-
...
...you again? what do you want? what do you want from me?
huh... thought you said you didn't like the waters in this place? at all?
what does that mean, that you 'need time'? you're not saying i- no. no, i refuse, are you fucking serious-
stop- you're hurting me, moving like-, pressing- get out-
JJ IS OBSERVED TO CURRENTLY BE IN AN UNSTABLE STATE OF MIND, SEEMINGLY CONVERSING NOT TO THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER, BUT RATHER TO A THIRD NON-PHYSICAL INDIVIDUAL. IT IS SPECULATED THIS THIRD INDIVIDUAL IS THE SECONDARY CONSCIOUSNESS PRESENT WITHIN JJ. REGARDLESS OF IDENTITY, JJ APPEARS TO BE IN A STATE OF DISTRESS DUE TO THEIR CURRENT CONVERSATION. THEREFORE, THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO ATTEMPT INTERVENTION.
no- rotwatcher, stay away- you'll
HOWEVER, JJ IS OBSERVED TO REACT NEGATIVELY TO ATTEMPTED INTERVENTION. THEY ARE OBSERVED TO STUMBLE IN RESPONSE, ATTEMPTING TO DISTANCE THEMSELF FROM THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER. UPON MAKING CONTACT WITH THE STAIRCASE RAILING, THEY ARE THEN OBSERVED TO HOIST THEMSELF UP USING THE STRUCTURE, AS IF ATTEMPTING TO THROW THEMSELF OFF THE STAIRCASE. JJ'S SHOCKED FACIAL EXPRESSION SEEMINGLY CONTRADICTS THE ASSUMPTION THIS ACTION IS INTENTIONAL.
ah-
THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO APPROACH JJ IN TIME, LATCHING ONTO THEM JUST BEFORE THEY BEGIN TO FULLY FALL. THE TWO ARE OBSERVED IN A HELPLESS FALLING STATE FOR A BLINK, BEFORE MAKING DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE SEA SURFACE. HOWEVER, THE TWO ARE OBSERVED TO PASS THROUGH THE SEAFLOOR INSTEAD OF MAKING CONTACT, FALLING ONTO A WHITE MARBLE FLOOR.
THE PRESENT ROTWATCHER IS OBSERVED TO INQUIRE ON JJ'S PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STATUS.
...
sorry, had to gather myself. i'm fine physically, though i might have bruises later. as for mental... i'm, uh, not sure. still rattled.
i'll- i'll be fine though. just let me rest a bit, then we can get going. please.