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Duel of Fathoms 24

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FMS Episode One 26

(Three minutes and seven. Eight, nine…)

Chihaya looked down at her wrist dial again. Since Aya did her vertical dive down and went out of sight, there have been no signs of her. Since the ship’s hull was tilted and her porthole was pointed slightly upward, Chihaya was not really able to make out what was happening underneath. Did something go wrong? Aya was indeed a superb free diver and breath holder, but the prolonged wait has made Chihaya nervous.

(Don’t tell me you are�...

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

How Frieren: Beyind Journey's End characters are like vocabulary for first year German learners...:-)

FMS Episode One 25

Aya bumped her head hard against cast iron lid that had sealed the supposed passageway.

(Oww)

Aya quickly reached with her hands and studied the rough surface of the hatch lid. It felt heavy and relentless. Probably, after she had had her initial exploration here, due to advanced corrosion or something the lid came down and closed the passage shut. Aya had thought the rust of the hinges would hold the lid in place and this was unexpected.

(Well…)

Aya positioned her f...

Duel of Fathoms 23

Jane: "C'mon! What‘s wrong with this da*n pane!”

Llulu: "Save your air. They will come."

Tiki: “Who?”

Llulu: “Hold your breath.”

Tiki: "Yes…”

FMS Episode One 24

Aya's hand touched down on the white sandy bottom forty meters deep. A fluff of dust swirled up and disturbed some little fish with spiny fins out of their hideouts in the sand. The enormous dark red hull of Yaeyama Maru loomed in front of Aya, resting on the bottom with a slight lean to one side. Aya looked up and squinted, and after noting the gap that led to inside the ship, she approached with swift strokes and kicks along the sea bottom like she was diving in a shallow twenty-fi...

Duel of Fathoms 22

Tiki: "No...it's no use..."

Jane: "Let me handle it!!....<brreak>>"

Llulu: "Yikes.."

FMS Episode One 23

"Aya!" Chihaya clung to the porthole rim. "Please. Don't, don’t overdo it. Please go up and get air. I’ll be fine."

Then Aya pinched her nose and leaned backwards. She made another acute vertical turn and her head was again headed down towards the bottom. Smile had returned to her face, and Aya looked joyful and triumphant, like she was just able to pull off a major prank. Apparently, she had been acting like she needed air.

"Aya!" Chihaya shouted out. In response, Aya curled ...

Duel of Fathoms 21

Llulu: “No use….this is locked shut.”

Tiki: “Princess…”

Jane: “Whatever, I was ready to die in the duel.”

Llulu: “Jane, I don’t think the Atoll is ready to lose two generals and a princess on a same day.”

Which Is Your More Favorite Elf?

Underwater Stroll

Mitsuki is taking her daily walk…

FMS Episode One 22

Suddenly, someone tapped from outside the porthole.

Chihaya turned her face in surprise. Then she she then saw Aya's face, outside the porthole and upside down. Smiling, she held up Chihaya's swimming goggles in her hands and placed them against her face.

“Aya…” She was now like an underwater acrobat, curling her body tight and doing a somersault to an upright position. She then casually took off her swimming goggles. They must have been full of water anyway. It was good tha...

Duel of Fathoms 20

….

FMS Episode One 21

"I'll go find them."

Aya said. After taking a quick deep breath, she rose and swiftly dove from the bunk beside Chihaya into the surface below.

"Aya!"

Chihaya called out and looked down where Aya had made a splash. But as the ripples faded, her tanned body or her navy-blue swimsuit were nowhere to be seen.

At first, Chihaya thought she would dive and follow, but since Aya was quite familiar with the interiors of the ship, Chihaya might end up to be just a hindrance wit...

Duel of Fathoms 19

"So, tell me about your business in my Fathoms."

Accusatory Llulu had switched to no air talk. Though the Princess's lips movement was clear, Tiki hesitated in her response.

"Princess, we were...." 

"We were in a duel," Jane 'said,' defiantly.

There was a moment of silence. Then, before Llulu could frame her next words, the entire structure began to shake.

"....!!?"

FMS Episode One 20

“Chihaya, you think you can you swim now?”

"I-I think so."

Thanks to the brief rest within the air pocket, Chihaya felt her body had recovered considerably.

I should probably remember the way back to the front deck, she thought.  And it would be less of an effort to swim up than down. But then, Chihaya remembered something as she touched her forehead with her hand. Something important was missing.

"Oh, my goggles…"

She couldn’t help not sayi...

Duel of Fathoms 18

...:-)

FMS Episode One 19

Chihaya then peered out into the sea through that hole. Down below she could make out the white of the sea bottom – sunken Yaeyama Maru was leaning to a side in such a way that she felt like she was hovering over the coarse sandy surface. Next, Chihaya turned her eyes up and saw the glittering ocean surface, very far away and almost out of reach. A small school of thin silvery fish suddenly sped across her eyes.

"Wow," Chihaya gasped. "It's like being in an aquarium."

"...

2024

I wish all of you a wonderful year ahead.

  - Saki  Elisabeth

明けましておめでとうございます

日本時間での新年は世界に先駆ける！ということで、一足早めにご挨拶を。

新造フェリー「さんふらわあ　むらさき」（大阪⇔別府航路）で初日の出を迎える雷ちゃん電ちゃん。

A happy new year (Japan time) from Ikazuchi and Inazuma aboard JS Sunflower Murasaki.

Duel of Fathoms 17

(The Orb!)

Once inside, the sea generals duo immediately begin their probe for their game. But little did they know that their usually keen senses were impaired due to the long an-aerobic exercise. And that, behind them.... 

A Good Year End to You…

kuribocchi (n) (adj)

(colloquial) (expression) someone who spends Christmas alone / state of spending Christmas alone

...Anyway, we hope that you will end the year 2023 with a smile and the coming year will even be more productive. Thank you for all your support :-)

FMS Episode One 18

"Until now, you’re the only one who’s been able to come down to my cabin."

"Your cabin?" Chihaya has finally managed to lift herself onto the top bunk beside Aya with her both arms, like when she was doing the high bar during a PE class.

"Yes. Captain Aya’s quarters,,,hehe. Well actually, this ship is called Yaeyama Maru 5. It belonged to Uncle Mamiya from the north reef and sank during a storm while he was out fishing this spring. He has the buoy up because I think...

FMS Episode One 17

Suddenly, Chihaya's head popped up above the surface. She was in the back of a cabin, and it still took a few moments to realize she was in a pocket of breathable air.

"Glup, guulp!! Puff, puff, pufff."

Chihaya coughed violently and vomited out the water she had swallowed. She was safe. I never knew air could taste so sweet, Chihaya thought. Aya, who had surfaced first, was perched on a bench and looking down at Chihaya, treading water with her feet. Surprisingly, she was...

Osaka Metro

Series 400 (Chuo Line)

Arguably the most futuristic subway car out there! :-)

FMS Episode One 16

Like a fish, Aya flipped her body around and swam into the hallway at the back of the mess hall. Watching, Chihaya kicked off the wall hard like she did at the start of a swim match and started to count up in her head as she followed the young marine girl.

(Thirteen, fourteen)

After passing by what seemed to be a galley and a sick bay, Chihaya made a few short sharp turns, and swam past an array of steel doors that had probably been living quarters for officers and men.

(Twe...

Happy Holidays!

~ From Eri & Yuri

Diving Shop Marrea staff @ Ocean Clean Up Initiative!

FMS Episode One 15

Thirty seconds, Chihaya guessed. But thirty seconds to what? Aya next let out an underwater sigh and pointed at the mini column of air bubbles that she had created.

(…Air?)

Chihaya asked with her eyes. Aya nodded.

For this long, Chihaya had never dived underwater before, nor had she held her breath even on land. She wasn’t sure she was able to do another thirty seconds of breath hold. But what was the alternative? Stay here, and wait till her lungs get ...

2011.3.11 (End)

The finale of my tour in Fukushima was a guided tour to the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant reactors 1 through 3. Being at the site felt eerie, due to its sheer size as well as its location, where its 10~20 kilometers' radius has been reduced to an essential no man's land due to the prolonged forced evacuation. But still, there was a sense of hope owing to the presence of thousands of engineers and workers at the site, attempting to undo what was done, trying to resolve a catastrophe that was nev...

FMS Episode One 14

Panicked, Chihaya slid her hands over her head and groped for the exit, only to feel her nails scratch against coarse wooden panels of the ceilng.  Chihaya was now completely disoriented. Glup. Glup. No matter how she tried, she was unable to suppress the small air bubbles that her straind lungs ushered out of her lips.

(Drowning) (I'm drowning)

Then something grabbed Chihaya's shoulder.

(Chihaya)

It was Aya. Letting her short hair sway in the water, she ...