—██████
[How Hhhh—Kshhhhh would Hhhh—Kshhhhh you Hhhh—Kshhhhh do Hhhh—Kshhhhh that?] Evelyn asked, her breath still ragged but curiosity was a powerful driving force for humans, I was once a human too after all
"I'll just use my authorities to swap my consciousness with the 'other me' for a bit" I said nonchalantly as if was the most normal thing ever
[Wh—Hhhh—Kshhhhh Hhhh—Kshhhhh Hhhh—Kshhhhh Hhhh—Kshhhhh] The other me tried to say something but it was quickly interrupted by her still ragged breathing.
Let's see… I'd have to sync it so I'll have to use Finality's Time… Domination can probably help connect it and Sentience to ensure nothing goes wrong, ah but before that… Binding is necessary
As I willed the authority of Binding in me to seal all my authorities except the bare minimum required, while also reducing the physical specs of this body to match what the other me would probably be feeling.
It's not that I'm restricting my authorities on purpose, they just work in a… difficult way to explain, I had to train myself for a while before I could even control them correctly.
I also need to reduce the amount of perception this body has to ensure her brain doesn't overload—Done, gotta ensure somethings still run, and I guess I'll put a time limit, when I'm in her body I can't use my authority after all…
"Hey, how long would be a good time?"
I waited for an answer but the 2 of them were either too focused or too disoriented to even answer me, well let's see… 1 hour should be fine I guess?
Snap
For what felt like a second the world went dark for me, and then…
"H—Ksh. H—Ksh. H—Ksh. Hh—Kshh. Hh—Kshh. " I was breathing, my thoughts slowed down like it couldn't handle the amount of information I was thinking, I could feel the hormones, the biological processes of the body.
My emotions ran rampant, my body was twitching, I could feel every breath I took, every time Evelyn touched me the suit clinging onto my body, it was a weird feeling, if I were to describe it in a way people could understand,
it would be like going from 5G network to 2G
As I looked through the helmet, I could see Evelyn still not realizing a single thing, my eyes were blurry, limited, in the HUD I could see a few parameters
[Current Depth : 10667 metres / 34996.719 feet, approximate pressure : 1000± of the surface, Suit & Helmet integrity [67%] microfractures detected (Currently dropping at 0.0067% per second)]
It showed, I could feel the suit clinging onto my skin, like it was a second skin as I checked the oxygen parameters. It showed remaining oxygen 67% Coincidence? I couldn't tell, however this was truly a unique feeling.
**—██████
[I'll just use my authorities to swap my consciousness with the 'other me' for a bit] The other me said, I was trying my best to stay conscious through my ragged breathing and Evelyn's teasing
I was struggling and felt extremely sensitive with this airflow, on the other hand, Evelyn was somehow still able to function rather 'normally' and suddenly the world went completely silent.
The last thing I could hear was a snap before my consciousness faded to black, and suddenly. "I" woke up
I was standing there as I looked through the helmet, it showed.
[Current Depth : 10667 metres / 34996.719 feet, approximate pressure : 1000± of the surface, Suit & Helmet integrity [67%] microfractures detected (Currently dropping at 0.0067% per second)]
It looked normal but as I looked at the remaining oxygen it showed 100% the world suddenly felt slow in my mind, as I looked around I could see my original body and Evelyn still intertwined, still twitching.
[H—Ksh. H—Ksh. H—Ksh. Hh—Kshh. Hh—Kshh.] I could hear their ragged breathing in a very clear way, the world felt absurdly slow, absurdly fragile, I couldn't feel the suit clinging onto me—No I could but I just knew it was just there.
"…" It was difficult to describe this feeling, my eyes felt exceptionally clear, my brain felt too fast, I could feel something dormant in my body, like it was sealed, It felt like something I could break but I didn't know how to
I felt panic, disoriented but it was only for a moment before the emotions all disappeared, like it was fed into a black hole, emptiness filled me, I couldn't feel any sensation.
Was this how the other me feels all the time?
—Evelyn
"H—Ksh. H—Ksh. H—Ksh. Hh—Kshh. Hh—Kshh." My breathing still ragged, but something felt wrong, not with me but with Gaby, she was definitely still breathing, still twitching, her face was still red through the fogged helmet but…
[So that's H—Ksh. H—Ksh. How it H—Ksh. H—Ksh. Feels.] Her tone different, emotionless to be exact, I couldn't exactly describe it any other way possible, on the other hand Kiana was confused
She was standing there completely still, then out of nowhere she blurted
"Was this how the other me feels all the time?"
Ah? Ah. Kiana did say she was gonna swap their bodies for a bit, that means… The one in Gaby's body is Kiana and the one in Kiana's body is Gaby, well that explains.
"H—Ksh. Gaby H—Ksh. A little H—Ksh. Help H—Ksh. Over here" and the one who moved was Kiana, not Gaby, she instantly came closer to me slowly, it was different, she wasn't floating but actually swimming to me.
Clunk—Click
HSSSSSSSSS
The demand valve was opened completely as fresh air surged through my helmet, it was going to take a while before I could breathe normally again as I needed to readjust my breathing
—
"Hhhh—Kshhhhh." my breathing had stabilized, as I looked at Kiana? Who was still standing there absolutely still, on the other hand Gaby? Was still breathing raggedly, whoops forgot to turn her valve completely
Clunk—Click
HSSSSSSSSS
It took Gaby? 2 minutes before her breathing completely stabilizes, far faster than any human could, remnant? I don't know but that confirms my theory, they were swapping their bodies at this moment.
[Hhhh—Kshhhhh so this is how it feels to breathe… ] Gaby? said as she was examining her own body, she was touching it everywhere, sometimes she'd flinch, sometimes she'd look curious.
"So how long will the body swap Hhhh—Kshhhhh last?"
[1 hour, so it should've been…]
[42 minutes and 48 seconds counting down] Kiana? said her tone was still quite emotionless, she was also touching her body but unlike Gaby? who was flinching every now and then she didn't react even after touching what would've been some rather sensitive spots…
[Then shall we explore for a bit? Hhhh—Kshhhhh] Gaby? said before swimming ahead, she was swimming naturally like it was ingrained in her body, I honestly thought she'd need some time to learn how to swim…
[By the way, some underwater Remnants are coming our way]
"Eh? Hhhh—Kshhhhh I thought you were hiding us?"
[Ah. Hhhh—Kshhhhh I forgot, I sealed it]
"…"
SHRIEKKKKKKKK
The screams of countless Remnants could be heard, even underwater, I couldn't see it but the fact Kiana? could can only mean one thing, until they swap back, we're quite literally exposed.
—???
It was a Juvenile Gargantuan Leviathan, if humans were to classify it, it would most likely be a Paradox | Epsilon | Cataclysm class Remnant, transported to this new environment, it was confused, but it quickly adapted,
In this new environment, there was an abundance of food, but the upper parts were rather dull and boring, the creatures there were quite weak and didn't fill its stomach. So it returned to where it came from.
There were other creatures, some powerful some not, there were times it had almost died, but they were filling its stomach fast, a single meal could last it a few weeks, thus this became its new territory
It did not know when but a while back, 3 tiny creatures appeared near its territory, they were small, they were unfulfilling but they were in its territory so it wanted to kill them but…
—!!!
As it was about to come closer, its instincts shuddered a powerful presence, one that made even it feel an emotion it has never felt before, so it ran, it ran as far away as possible from whatever that was.
As it swam away, it could also see countless others who were also running away, they all felt it, an instinct, the feeling of absolute end, it knew if it were to try it would be dead, every single part of it was telling it to run
Then suddenly the feeling disappeared, it thought that maybe the presence had left but it was still wary. It saw some creature that returned instantly after the presence disappeared, but it was still wary.
After ensuring the presence had completely disappeared, it returned to its territory and continued hunting. It had just eaten one of the other creatures when suddenly it could see 3 small presence in the distance
It was wary at first, were these 3 small presence the source of the feeling? Yet none of the 3 small ones exuded the same feeling, and they were at its territory, so it did what it always does to those entering its territory. It hunted them
SHRIEKKKKKK
—Evelyn
The moment we actually swam seriously, everything changed
FWSH FWSH FWSH
"Hhhh—Kshhhhh. Hhhh—Kshhhhh. Hhhh—Kshhhhh" My breathing turned louder instantly, not because of the valve, not because my airflow was restricted, because my body was in full panic mode.
The HUD flickered in the corner of my helmet, it was now glowing yellow instead of the usual blue
[Current Depth : 10667 metres / 34996.719 feet, approximate pressure : 1000± of the surface, Suit & Helmet integrity [61.2%] microfractures spread increasing (Currently dropping at 0.0070% per second) Remaining oxygen : 52%]
The numbers were dropping faster than before, every kicked burned, every pull through the water made the suit strain against my body as the pressure pressed from every direction imaginable
"Hhhh—Kshhhhh. Hhhh—Kshhhhh. Hhhh—Kshhhhh" My regulator hissed louder with every inhale, trying desperately to keep up with my breathing, the sound inside my helmet no longer felt comforting, it felt frantic.
SHRIEKKKKKK
The water vibrated, quite literally, I could physically feel it through my suit, tiny ripples trembled across my arms and stomach as marine snow scattered into the darkness around us
"Hhhh—Kshhhhh Why is it Hhhh—Kshhhhh so close" I asked, trying to remain calm amidst the warnings my body was telling me, my lungs burned, I could barely feel my legs.
[Because it's Hhhh—Kshhhhh faster than us Hhhh—Kshhhhh] Gaby? answered calmly—too calmly, even while breathing harder than usual, her tone remained steady, meanwhile Kiana? was silent
She swam with robotic-like accuracy, like an AI trained to simulate human movement as accurately as possible, her blue eyes staring into the darkness beyond the reach of our eyesights.
SHRIEEEEEKKKKKK
This time it felt too close, far too close for comfort, my vision flickered as something massive moved somewhere beyond the darkness, for a moment I thought it was an underwater cliff.
Than the "wall" blinked, my blood ran cold
NO NO ABSOLUTELY NOT, I didn't even want to verbalize it, that thing was huge, not a 'whale' like huge, it was a terrain, a living piece of the Mariana Trench itself, its body disappearing from my sight, and its eyes—no eye.
I could only see one. A gigantic eye slowly rotating toward us somewhere in the dark
"Hhhh—Kshhhhh KIANA? Hhhh—Kshhhhh WHAT DO WE DO?" I didn't care which was Kiana which was Gaby anymore.
[There should Hhhh—Kshhhhh be a crevice Hhhh—Kshhhhh nearby] she answered instantly, still calm even after everything.
"NEARBY Hhhh—Kshhhhh WHERE?"
[I see it, approximately 50 meters from here, probably 40 seconds at our current pace] Kiana? Gaby? AH WHATEVER WHAT MATTERS IS THAT IT'S CLOSE. I forced my body to move beyond its current limits.
Thirty meters
Fifteen
Four—
"MOVE"
The 3 of us slammed into the narrow crevice just as the water behind us—
BOOOMMMM
The crevice was shaking, as the exit closed, stones cracked, sediments exploded everywhere, then silence—not true silence, just distant vibrations, The remnant circled outside. Waiting. Searching
My entire body trembled as I pressed against the stone wall, breathing so hard the helmet kept fogging over, the only thing I could hear was my pounding heartbeat and ragged breathing, through the comms I could only hear Gaby's? Breathing
[Hhhh—Kshhhhh. Hhhh—Kshhhhh. This feels—interesting…] and Kiana? was absolutely silent.
"Hhhh—Kshhhhh. Hhhh—Kshhhhh." My own breathing ragged, my chest pounding, the suit that once felt perfect like a second skin now felt like it was breathing back at me, warm, damp against my skin.
Every movement pressing moisture I couldn't escape into corners I couldn't reach. Inside my gloves my hands felt slick but I didn't care as I pressed them harder against the stone, but—
"Hhhh—Kshhhhh Hey. Hhhh—Kshhhhh Hhhh—Kshhhhh At least Hhhh—Kshhhhh we're Hhhh—Kshhhhh Hhhh—Kshhhhh safe."