[IN PROGRESS] Hazard's Fishing Trip

[skinstealer]

"I've got a cooler right over here- that's a pretty big one, too! They go really well with greens, and I've got plenty of those around."

[Pichi2214]

Markus nods. "Glad I could help!" He sits down again next to his fishing pole and watches the fish being put away before returning his attention to the water and the bait floating on it.

[seppawku]

Trice hauls the spire into the cooler, and flops down next to it pretty soaked with river-water.

[skinstealer]

"Oh, here-" Hazard rummages around in the backpack, handing over a colorful, striped beach towel. "Get yourself all dried up before you go again!"

[Pichi2214]

He turns to Hazard for a moment before staring at the water again. "You mentioned something about rare eels earlier... Can I ask where you saw it?"

[skinstealer]

"Oh, sure- I've caught an orphanus midway down the dock before! I can't remember what bait I used, but I had to wait a long while..."

[Pichi2214]

Markus nods a bit to himself. "Alright, thank you! I might try to catch one later then. Do you know what they eat? Maybe we can figure out the right bait after all!"

[skinstealer]

"Smaller fish, for the most part...but I've never had much luck with minnows. They're better off for spires, dippers, gemeyes...oh, and ichors too! Ichors though, they can be real picky..."

[Pichi2214]

He nods a bit more to himself, before looking over at Hazard again happily. "I see... Thank you for all the help!"

[RibbonCharm]

"I'm guessing they don't like metal?" Timothy jokes from his perch. "Maybe I need to switch up my bait after this."

[skinstealer]

"Be patient...I have a pretty good gauge on whether a fishing spot isn't working out with a specific kind of bait, so I'll let you know if it looks like a dud- hey, watch out!"

Something's pulling on Shock's line!

[cosmo]

Shock leaps into action, stabbing the base of their fishing rod deep into the ground so that it sticks out of the earth. They plunge into the water with their many hands splayed out, ready to grab the fish still nibbling on their line.

[skinstealer]

The fish can't swim away in time, firmly caught in Shock's grip- no amount of trying to slip away could get them out of this one!

Shock has caught a Sop!

"Wow! That sure was something- and a nice catch, too!"

[cosmo]

Shock looks at the sop flopping in their paw. “Bowl. Container? You have one, yes? Hurry.”

[skinstealer]

"Yeah, got a cooler right over here-" She gestures to the large cooler, stepping aside to give them room.

[Pichi2214]

Markus startles at the sudden splash sound when Shock jumps into the water, but looks amazed when they emerge with the fish. "Great catch!"

[cosmo]

Shock very gently releases the sop into the cooler, unharmed. They then sit by the cooler to watch the sop and makes sure it’s okay.

[skinstealer]

Shock's sop seems perfectly fine, if not slightly agitated from its sudden removal from the river.

Without warning, there's a pull on Timothy's line!

[cosmo]

Shock goes to the bait pile to retrieve another worm. They drop it into the cooler.

[Pichi2214]

Markus watches Shock take care of the fish for a while, and if he could he would he smiling.

[seppawku]

Trice hangs the beach towel around her shoulders, sitting back down at the edge of the dock to watch the others fish for a bit, cheering them on.

[RibbonCharm]

"O-Oh!" Timothy wraps his legs around the branch he's sitting on, keeping himself steady as he begins to quickly reel the fish in, just narrowly preventing himself from being pulled into the water.

[skinstealer]

Thankfully, it looks like Timothy's fish isn't too big...

Timothy has caught a Sop!

"Nice, another sop! Good job!" Hazard nods in approval, bringing over the cooler and holding it up to the tree branch to help him out. She cranes her neck over her shoulder to address Markus at the same time. "Looks like that combo is a dud... you can always try something else! "

COMPLETED: Fishing Round 1!

BEGIN: Fishing Round 2!

BAIT CHOICES:

• worms
  
• leeches
  
• minnows
  
• spinnerbait lure
  
• crankbait lure
  
• spoon lure
  

SPOT CHOICES:

• end of the dock
  
• midway down the dock
  
• on the riverbank
  
• on a nearby tree branch
  

HOW LONG TO WAIT?

• a short amount of time
  
• an average amount of time
  
• a long amount of time
  

[cosmo]

Shock gently pats the side of the cooler before returning to the bait pile. This time they pick out a leech and head to the end of the dock to cast their line, ready to wait a medium amount of time.

[seppawku]

Trice takes a leech a little nervously, clambering up - this time - onto a tree branch to dry off above the water. She’s ready to wait for a long time.

[RibbonCharm]

Timothy carefully tosses his fishing rod onto the ground, allowing him to get down safely with his sop and put it in the cooler. From there he picks his rod back up and picks out a leech, sitting midway down the dock and getting ready to wait for a long time.

[Pichi2214]

Markus sits down next to Timothy, also with a leech attached to the fishing rod. "I hope you don't mind if I join you here..." He looks at Timothy questioningly, ready to wait a long time unless he is shooed away.

[skinstealer]

"Everybody all settled in?"

[cosmo]

Shock makes a confirmative noise.

[RibbonCharm]

"Ready!" Timothy gives a thumbs-up.

[Pichi2214]

Since Timothy doesn't seem bothered by him he nods as well. "I'm also ready."

[seppawku]

“Ready!”

[skinstealer]

"Alrighty!" Hazard clambers up a different tree branch near Trice, making sure the branch could support her weight. "Hope you don't mind if I sit- I've got a good feeling about this spot!"

[skinstealer]

"Oh, while we're fishing...I hope it isn't weird, but I kind of need some advice."

[RibbonCharm]

Timothy can't help but scoot a bit closer to Markus, affirming that he doesn't mind him being near. "What kind of advice do you need, Hazard?"

[cosmo]

Shock turns their head to face Hzard, though their body still pointed towards the water.

[skinstealer]

"It's just...I live in a pretty big housing project, they took in dozens of new TCPs from the lab, but this new neighbor of mine- well, I guess she isn't new by now...anyway, the point is that she's a little, uh. Scary. And I don't know what to do about it or if I should report it, or if anyone would even listen."

[cosmo]

Shock thinks for a moment. “People often think I am scary. Cranberry too. But we are just big. Is she big, or scary?”

[skinstealer]

"I mean, people say the same thing about me, seeing as I'm so big. She is a body type, but I'd never judge her based on that, obviously. No, her issue is that she goes on about, like...hunting people."

[cosmo]

“Give her better snacks. You make good snacks. She won’t want to hunt anymore?”

[skinstealer]

"I don't think it's about being hungry for her, at least not all of it. She talks a lot about how she likes the chase, or to see people scared." She couldn't help but shiver.

[cosmo]

“Oh. A bully.” Their chelicerae twitch slightly. “I don’t like bullies. Don’t give her snacks, please.”

[skinstealer]

"Trust me, I don't plan on it. She keeps stealing from my garden!"

[seppawku]

"Can whoever runs your housing help if you tell them..? It's scary mentioning things like that, but if you might be in danger.." Trice turns to watch Hazard rather than her lure.

[cosmo]

“I don’t know then. But definitely no snacks for bullies.” They turn back to their fishing.

[RibbonCharm]

If Timothy had a visible mouth, he'd be frowning. "I've met some cats that can be described as...gruff, but I've never met one that just outright bullies others. I know we all came from the same place, but maybe something happened to her that's making her act that way?" He doesn't want to assume the worst about someone he's just met.

[Pichi2214]

Markus looks at Timothy as he moves closer, nodding at him as a silent thank you.
He listens to the conversation worriedly and slowly curls his neck up a bit, keeping all his limbs a little closer to himself. "She sounds unpleasent..." He sounds genuinely worried, even slightly frightened as he turns his head to Hazard. "Stay safe please, okay...?"

[skinstealer]

"Trust me, I'm not going to be taking any unnecessary risks-" Suddenly, there's a pull on Shock's line!

[cosmo]

Shock grips the dock with their feet and quickly duck their head and paws under the dock, attempting to grab the fish from underwater.

[skinstealer]

The fish Shock grabs is absolutely massive compared to the last catches, and...seems to be smiling?

Shock has caught a Dipper!

"Holy shit, nice catch!"