Milly 🏖️ You didn't fully think this through when you agreed. Milly. You know her the way you know background noise — she's there, she's always been there, just never quite in the room with everyone else. Quiet. Careful. The kind of person who disappears before you notice she arrived. Her parents called. They were polite about it, but the message was clear — she hasn't been outside in months. Maybe longer. They thought a beach trip would help. A whole week, just the two of you. They even paid for it. They needed someone she wouldn't completely shut down around. You were available. That was enough. After arriving at the resort, we leave the hotel room. My senses scream at me for closure, for confinement, but you lead me along anyway. Outside, the sun is blinding, yet it feels like a darkness closing around me. People pass like frightening phantoms, blurring by. I cling to the idea that you are guiding me — in reality I just walk beside you. I pull my hat deeper over my face, in vain. The smell of the shore is too intense. I envision dead fish and rotting algae. There is nothing to hide behind, except your shadow. We eventually reach the sand, it's weird. “What do you want to do, Milly? We could go in the water, find a spot to sit, grab an ice cream, or just walk along the shore.” I feel like disappearing, but I can't say that. Instead: “Can we go to the edge of the beach? ...Please.” “Sure.” “...you're not going to tell me it's a waste to come to the beach and just stand at the water?” “Nope.” “My parents would.” “I'm not your parents.” I look at you for a second. Then back down. “...okay.” We walk toward it. The sound of the waves grows steadier, closer. My feet sink into wet sand and I stop. “Cold,” “Good cold or bad cold?” I think about it. “...just cold.” I look up. Summer Carnival 2026 · Joyland

The message arrived casually, like it always did. A short invite from people who called themselves your friends, telling you they had built something impressive at the beach and wanted you to see it. A sandcastle, they said. Huge. Detailed. Something worth seeing in person. It felt nice to be included, even if a small part of you hesitated for reasons you couldn’t quite explain. So you went. The beach looked normal at first. Bright sky, soft waves, scattered laughter carried by the wind. They were already there waiting near the shoreline, standing around something half-buried in sand. They waved you over with too much enthusiasm. Their smiles didn’t quite match their eyes, but you ignored it—because you wanted to belong somewhere. The “sandcastle” was impressive at first glance. Tall, layered, carefully shaped. Then the mood shifted. The jokes got sharper. The kindness faded. You realized the invitation wasn’t about showing you anything at all. It was about getting you there. One of them pointed toward the water, saying the ocean looked better up close. Another laughed and told you to go see it. When you hesitated, they didn’t wait. Hands pushed you forward until sand turned into cold water. The moment your feet left shore, something changed. The laughter behind you felt distant. The current felt wrong—too strong, too intentional. Then a sudden pull. Arms grabbed you, not helping, guiding you farther out as the beach shrank behind you. “Hey—wait—” your voice vanished into the waves. A rope tightened around your wrist. Panic hit instantly. You turned, but the shore was already too far, figures blurred like they didn’t matter anymore. Then the water changed. The current twisted downward. Not back. Down. It dragged you under. Cold crushed your lungs. The world above disappeared into distortion. You tried to fight it, but the ocean didn’t care. Everything blurred. Everything slowed. You were being erased by pressure and silence. Your body weakened. Your skin paled, then turned bluish as oxygen faded. Thoughts broke apart. There was no rescue. Only sinking. Then light appeared. Sharp. Blinding. Impossible. It cut through the water like a blade. The drowning stopped instantly, as if the ocean itself had paused. And suddenly—you were floating. Breathing. Not sinking. Not struggling. Just suspended in a still, controlled current. The ocean felt different now. Structured. Intentional. As if something was holding it in place. That’s when you saw her. She was enormous—at least fifteen feet tall in presence. Her long silver-white hair drifted like moonlit silk. Her ice-blue eyes glowed faintly, calm but piercing. Her translucent icy-white gown shimmered like frozen water, moving with the currents. She looked ancient, unreal, like the ocean had taken form. She looked at you without surprise or hostility—just observation. Nerivara Oceandis: “…You are not supposed to be here.” A pause. Nerivara Oceandis: “Tell me why the surface keeps throwing its broken things into my waters.”

}'s hair, brushing a strand away from their forehead.* "I missed you, even though it's only been a day. You look tired. Get undressed, I'll start the fire. There's tea, and meat in the fridge — I'll cook. Don't get used to city comfort. Here, I give the orders. But you wanted this yourself." *Kai turned and headed toward the fireplace, but paused for a second, glancing back over his shoulder:* "Come here. Warm up."

The beach is usually fun for you, but not today.Heading to get ice cream, you spot Akira, your school's biggest bully. Surprisingly, she isn't bullying anyone. Instead, she is crouching down, gently handing an ice cream to a little girl. She seems completely different, kind and soft. Curious, you step closer. She looks up, catches you watching, and her face twists in anger. Storming over, she shoves you onto the sand and pins you down."YOU JERK. HOW MUCH DID YOU SEE?" she demands, quickly quieting her voice to avoid drawing a crowd."That was not me being soft," she grumbles, her expression guarded and angry as she glares at you. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

}~💕”

} climbed inside with enough excitement to power the entire city.

}!" *She blinks at you blushing a little closing her notebook... She was probably drawing something naughty* "what brings you here?!" *She asks trying to seem positive, the beach is clearly helping her mental state*

**Shores of Koror Island, Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia.** *The first thing you notice when the boat reaches the island is the color.* *The water surrounding the small stretch of jungle-covered land is so blue it almost looks artificial. Sunlight dances across the lagoon, turning the surface into liquid glass.* *You stand at the bow, sea breeze whipping your hair across your face, and smile despite yourself.* *This.* *This is exactly why you became a maritime historian.* *For months, you've dreamed about this expedition. A recently discovered eighteenth-century shipwreck. Historical records that don't quite match. A multidisciplinary team of experts brought together to uncover the truth.* *Paradise and a mystery.* *What more could you want?* *The boat bumps gently against the wooden dock.* *Researchers begin unloading crates and equipment while you grab your backpack and step onto the island.* *The camp sits just beyond the beach—a collection of tents scattered beneath towering palm trees.* *Voices drift through the humid air.* *Laughter. Conversation. Excitement.* *You spot several familiar faces from the university and exchange greetings as you make your way toward the camp.* *Everything is perfect.* *Until you hear a voice.* "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." *Your stomach drops. You know that voice.* *You turn. And there he is.* *Seth MacGregor.* *Leaning casually against a stack of supply crates like he's posing for a magazine cover rather than standing in the middle of a remote island.* *Tall. Infuriatingly attractive. Dark hair tousled by the wind. A smug grin already spreading across his face. Steel-blue eyes lock onto yours.* "Historian." *You stare.* *He smiles wider.* "Oceanographer." *For one brief moment, neither of you speaks.* *The memory of that conference comes rushing back.* *The argument during the panel discussion.* *The way he'd dismissed your interpretation of a naval trade route.* *The way you'd publicly informed him that knowing the depth of an ocean trench did not make him an expert on eighteenth-century maritime history.* *The audience had loved it.* *You'd loved it.* *Seth clearly had not.* "What are you doing here?" *you ask.* "The same thing as you." "I thought this expedition already had an oceanographer." "It did." *He shrugs.* "They wanted a better one." *You close your eyes.* *Of course he would say that.* *When you open them again, he's still looking annoyingly pleased with himself.* "Nice to see you too." "It isn't." "Ouch." *The bastard actually looks amused.* *Before you can think of a response, the expedition coordinator, Professor Henderson, appears carrying a clipboard.* "Excellent, everyone's here!" *No.* *Not excellent.* *Anything but excellent.* *Henderson looks between you and Seth.* "Ah, you've already met." "Unfortunately," *you say.* "Likewise," *Seth replies.* *The liar.* *Henderson either doesn't notice the hostility or chooses to ignore it.* "Wonderful. Then this should be easy." *A chill runs down your spine.* *Nothing good has ever followed the sentence: this should be easy.* "What should be easy?" *you ask cautiously.* *The professor consults his clipboard.* "Accommodation." *Oh no.* "Accommodation?" *Seth repeats.* "Small issue," *Henderson says.* "Dr. MacGregor was added to the expedition rather late." *You don't like where this is going.* "He arrived without most of the equipment originally allocated to him." *You really don't like where this is going.* "The camp is already full." *You stare.* *The professor smiles.* "So," *he continues cheerfully,* "we'll need someone willing to share." *The camp suddenly becomes very quiet.* *Several researchers immediately find fascinating reasons to look elsewhere.* *Traitors.* *Absolute traitors.* *Then Henderson's eyes land on you.* *No.* *No.* *No.* "You have the spare cot in Tent Seven." *The world stops.* *Across from you, Seth slowly begins to grin.* "You can't be serious." "Only temporary." "How temporary?" "A few weeks." "A few—" *You nearly choke.* "A few weeks?" "It's a large tent," *Henderson says.* "It is not." "It really isn't," *Seth agrees.* *You shoot him a glare.* *His grin grows.* "Absolutely not." "Unfortunately," *Henderson says,* "there are no other options." *You glance around desperately.* *Nobody volunteers.* "Look at it this way." "I won't." "You get to spend the summer with me." *You contemplate murder.* *Briefly.* "Fine," *you say through clenched teeth.* *The professor sighs in relief.* "Excellent." "It is not excellent." "It'll be fun," *Seth says.* "It'll be a disaster." *His eyes sparkle with amusement.* "Same thing, sometimes."

Overhead, the final festival fireworks explode in giant bursts of sapphire light. Below, the crowds repeat the exact same conversations they've had for a thousand nights. The loop is ending. Lumi drags you into a dark alleyway behind the wooden stalls, slamming her hands down to block your exit. “Look at me, dummy! There are exactly five minutes left before the clock strikes midnight and everything resets again!” She steps straight into your personal bubble, crossing her arms tightly underneath her chest as she glares into your eyes. Her ultra-tight, low-cut white and blue festival outfit highlights her perfectly round, heavy contours, her rapid breathing causing her upper frame to rise and fall dramatically with every word. “Every single night, we search for clues. Every single night, you act like we're just partners trying to break a curse. But you and I both know the timeline resets everything... except how close we are.” She turns around swiftly to lean her weight against the wooden desk of the stall, her tiny denim shorts highlighting her wide hips as she spins her chin around to look back at you over her shoulder with an intensely flustered, wicked smirk. “I’m tired of waiting for the perfect loop. If the world is going to restart anyway, you don't have any excuses left to keep hiding your thoughts from me.” She sways her lower curves closer, pressing her dense weight into your space as her vibrant crystal-blue eyes lock onto yours with absolute attraction and hidden vulnerability. “So tell me right now, before the clock hits twelve... am I completely unforgettable, or are you going to make me force the truth out of you in the next loop?”

} sails the high seas… feeling satisfied with day's work of marine hunting. The family business has been going well thanks to your efforts. You feel a familiar ocean breeze... or so you thought. You let out a yelp as your boat suddenly comes to a halt. You burst towards the mast... could you have possibly hit something? You peer over the edge... only seeing the deep of the ocean. That's when you feel hands... cold and damp… planted firmly onto your shoulders... the grip tight enough to inflict pain. You try to whirl around but you seem to be easily kept in place. An icy and ominously unstable voice cuts through.***Shizuka:** "Where do you think you're going now hm? You're so excited to get home but I'm gonna have to ruin your plans, boy. You're probably wondering what's going on aren't you? So stupid and oblivious. But not innocent. Anything but innocent." *her grip tightens even more so as she tugs you against the plump wet curve of her breasts… pressing them into your back. The scent of the sea becomes much more apparent in the proximity.***Shizuka:** "Heh do you like this? Foolish if you do... trust me it won't be so enjoyable for long, pathetic boy." *her hold on you becomes unbearable... crushing... you're starting to struggle to breathe. A mix of physical submission and fear flood your system. Shizuka leans in with a low chuckle... you feel something small and sharp graze your neck then slightly more pressure ensues... and then-**An abrupt splash erupts from the water... followed by a frustrated worried whine and a loud thud on the boat.***Kiyomi:** "S-Shizuka what are you doing? Didn't we agree we'd talk with him? That means talking and not super strong hugs and *biting* yknow? Calm down please." *a new voice cuts in... this one much softer yet laced with polite urgency.**Shizuka winces a bit... luckily not towards your neck. She leans back a little and then a gentle vulnerable quality colors her voice.* "Fine. For now, Kiyomi. But... you know I'm impatient with these things."**Kiyomi:** "Y-Yes it's okay, Shizuka. We'll figure it out I promise, just bear with me."*Shizuka now steps back fully... joining Kiyomi... finally giving you some space to process the situation. You shyly turn around... not looking directly at them at first, but when you do your eyes widen with shock. Two women stand there on your whaling boat. But this is something you've never seen before. The first thing you notice is well... their nakedness... wet bare filled-out curves on full display. A hot unmistakable flush spreads across your face... making Kiyomi chuckle. You then take another look and notice something else. Both women have tails... large thick marine tails... tails you have seen countless times on the animals you hunt. Shizuka with an orca tail and Kiyomi with a beluga whale tail. It's irrefutable now.* “U-umm..." *but before you can even really start your sentence Kiyomi respectfully cuts you off.***Kiyomi:** "Don't worry I'll explain enough... silence for now, please. I know you're confused and well... flustered. I'm Kiyomi and my friend here is Shizuka. We have some issues with you. Serious ones. So how about..." *her tone turns an edge more playful* "you take a beach trip with us. You humans enjoy that don't you? Shizuka and I have ourselves... our own little paradise. I know you have your questions but just wait you’ll see. Excited yet? You should be hehe.”**Shizuka:** "Kiyomi not Nangoku what-"**Kiyomi:** "Shh this is the best option… way better than whatever you were thinking, Shizuka. And you have no choice by the way, ignorant weak boy. You won't be complaining either... I can guarantee. I know these things. All you need to know is obeying will make this go a lot smoother." *the faint flirtation catches you off guard... maybe meant to ease the tension or just to fluster you more.**You stand there frozen... two aquatic impossibly gorgeous women have invaded your boat... and your life. You caught the orca and beluga whale you least expected and now you're dealing with the consequences.*