fanfiction Florian's Journal Chapter 12 (Leedsichthys)

[FlorianWind9]

WELCOME!!!

For those of you who have played Ark Survival Evolved extensively enough on The Island map, particularly concerning the deep ocean areas, I'm sure you can guess where this chapter is going just by reading its title. That's the intent; you're already supposed to be feeling the dreaded anticipation of the events to come, if you happen to have an experienced enough background within the game to know what the title means. Don't worry though; reading through the chapter should be entertaining enough even if you might already have an idea of what to expect. For those of you who haven't witnessed the game comprehensively enough to be able to see what's coming based upon this single word, lets just say that the things I've expressed in previous posts show true to form in this chapter; 1) that you shouldn't get too attached because nothing lasts for long, certainly not forever, in wildcard's Ark; 2) especially since wildcard has become consistent over the years in their implementing of new content and "fixes" which only render a growing list of creative solutions, cool creatures, and fun experiences invalid; thus reducing the variety of freedom and enjoyment within the game.

To Celebrate the Existence of This Game, and to Mourn the approach of its Death, come follow me into the ravenous icy maw of The Island's watery depths!

FIRSTLY: I would like to state that this story is NONFICTION, meaning that every event is completely true and really did happen. wildcard did not provide a nonfiction prefix for me to choose, only a fanfiction one, so I guess that's what I have to go with...

SECONDLY:

IMPORTANT CONTEXT!!

                   The events of this story are Very Heavily based upon the true life events experienced through the perspective of the player character Florian, Nine, Wind. The events are marginally smoothed to convert video game aspects into real life description, and ever so slightly dramatized for entertainment purposes; to make the story more enjoyable.

                  These events occurred within the online video game “Ark Survival Evolved” which is owned by “Studio Wildcard”. So…while the original life events occurred through Florian and the other player characters mentioned within this story; the world scenery and visual assets, as well as the in-game story elements, were created by and are owned by “Studio Wildcard”.

                   These events occurred majoritively upon the “Official The Island Server 39”, with only the very ending occurring upon the “Official The Island Server 2”; and the planned Epilogue on the “Official Ragnarok Server 65”; all of which no longer exist. Server 39 and 2 would be considered "Legacy Servers" if they still existed. Server 65 would be considered a "Modern Server Soon To Be Ended" if it also still existed.

                   The player created events of this story occurred between the time period of the game’s early access launch, on the online video-game hosting service “Steam” owned by “Valve”, which debuted on June 2, 2015; and just slightly beyond the game’s "full 1.0 release" on August 29, 2017. More specifically; the story of Florian’s journey, which would be depicted within the completed version of this book(If I ever manage to fully complete it), transpired approximately between November 28, 2015 and November 4, 2017.

                     I am hoping that this story will be a way for people who love Ark; that have friends that don't like playing video games; or not open world sand box video games; but who may like to read; to show those friends what the game Ark Survival Evolved is really like; or at least what it CAN be. I am also hoping to convey to those who may read it what This Video Game Has Meant To Me Personally.

                   So...Without Further ADO...I Hope You Enjoy!  

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Chapter 12

Leedsichthys

                 I opened the door of our raft-house, to a brisk and sunny morning. Breathing deeply of the fresh sea air, I took stock of everything that we’d accomplished so far; during our time living on the ocean.

              It had been a little over three weeks since we’d first set sail… In that time, we’d shallowly explored the coastline along the entire Southern half of the island; making both mental maps of the landscape, as well as physical ones constructed of berry juice printed onto fiber-cloth canvases.

               As we’d explored the shoreline, we had managed to build a sizeable stockpile of resources; both through unlocking supply drops, as well as gathering by hand. We now had quite the large supply of ready to use spears… cloth clothing… hide water-skins… stone hatchets… stone pickaxes… slingshots… food… wood… thatch… fiber… hide… flint-rock… stone…and a few sparkling, metallic-ore filled rocks. In-fact…we’d even recently begun constructing bows and arrows; and learning how to use them.

                  Through Pqpe’s experimenting, we’d figured out how to use the implant communication system; so as to keep in contact over long distances…and had also discovered how to open the implants’ information panel; which gave us greater access to its uses, such as officially registering as a tribe; ‘whatever that meant.’

              By listening to the Island-Wide chat, Pqpe had managed to tame a couple of deadly Giant Scorpions; which he’d sentimentally named Sugarplum and Plumtail…both now acting as gentle pets under our care.

              We had expanded the size of our floating home…to not only include the initial boat-house, but also two exploration rafts and a creature holding pen; all of which were tethered together by long fiber ropes, in a square-like formation, to prevent them from drifting apart.

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                Using a building technique that I’d discovered from another individual living upon the sea, I’d even constructed a large…floating…stone-encased raft-house, to better protect our more valuable items from theft; mostly filled with hide and metal ore at the moment, it now floated far off the back-side of the crescent-shaped islet down South.

                Yes…it certainly felt as though I’d come a long way…as though WE’D come a long way…since first waking up naked and confused; upon the sandy shore of this mysterious island.

                Now that we had a secure and safe shelter to regroup at, a decent stockpile of weapons along with other resources to fuel our exploration, and had gotten in a good deal of practice dealing with the known dangers of this isle; I finally felt that today was the day…we would venture deep into the island’s inner regions…in search of its hidden answers!

                 Just as I was about to head back inside, to wake Pqpe from his slumber, some movement beneath the ocean’s surface abruptly caught my attention.

               I watched curiously as a dark, shadowy form far below our house-boat gradually grew in size…until it became larger than the raft-house itself!

               Suddenly realizing what the figure must be; I barely had a second to leap from our floating home, into the cold ocean water, as a colossal fish-like mouth burst into the open air swallowing it whole!

               Its jaws clamped shut with a thundering crash of ocean spray…as it slowly sank back into the icy depths!

                The massive displacement of water created a powerful vortex as it slipped beneath the surface, which dragged me about three meters down into the murk. Opening my eyes as the involuntary movement ceased, I got a blurry look at the monster; while it struggled to finish consuming its catch amidst a cloud of slowly sinking wooden debris.

               It was indeed an enormous fish; that looked to be about a hundred and fifty feet long! I remained floating beneath the surface…stunned in absolute disbelief…at the size of the creature before me.

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                Its jaw appeared to be about twenty feet wide by twenty-four feet tall, with an eye as large as my whole body on either side of its head! It had two massive, forty foot long fins near the base of its cranium; and a sixty foot tall tailfin on its other end! Near the point where its lengthy tail connected to its colossal body, there looked to be a pair of fifteen foot long fins as well; with a twenty foot tall dorsal fin along its spine above them! Its whole body was covered in dark, blue-green scales; which camouflaged it near perfectly against the dark ocean water.

                Bubbles streamed from my mouth, as I reached desperately towards the creature shouting; “PQPE!” My scream muffled by the water, I quickly brought my hands up to cover my mouth and nose; as my panic-stricken brain abruptly remembered that I couldn’t breathe underwater.

                The creature, seeming not to care or notice my presence, then began to move back towards the surface with a wave of its powerful tail!

                Turning to glance towards the shimmering boundary myself…I realized what its next target would be, as dread swiftly filled my heart; ‘the Scorpions! Pqpe and I could just revive when we die…but what about the creatures?!’

               In frenzied desperation, I tried with all my strength to reach them first; and free them from their soon to be coffin…but the colossal fish was too fast…and knocked me away with a casual swipe of its fin; sending me reeling even farther into the depths!

                From deep below…I watched in horror…as it crunched the Scorpion pen into splinters…leaving no trace of the creatures inside.

                My lungs feeling as though they were about to burst from lack of oxygen, I swam frantically towards the surface with all my strength! Reaching one of the still floating exploration rafts, I gasped deeply for air as I clambered aboard; and swiftly released its sail!

               The wind immediately catching hold, I steered towards land; as I looked back to see the enormous fish swallowing the other expedition raft with an earsplitting crunch! ‘In a matter of minutes… In a matter of minutes, nearly everything we’d worked so hard for over the past three weeks…was gone... And there had been nothing we could do about it.’

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               Landing ashore, about a mile or so South of the swamp, the first thing I did was call out through my implant; “Pqpe! Are you okay! Are you there! …It’s all gone! …An enormous whale-like fish swallowed all our rafts whole! …I tried…but there was nothing I could do!”

               Tears beginning to stream down my face over the loss…a familiar male voice suddenly boomed over the implant communication, with an Australian accent; “Oh man! Sorry to hear that mate! Got visited by a Leedsichthys did ya? Yeah, they’re fairly passive and chill most of the time. Despite their colossal size, they only eat small fish and plankton…but for some reason, they go after rafts and boats like a raging bull charges a matador! Yeah, the deep ocean ain’t safe mate! Stay in the shallower water near the shore!”

               Looking at my implant through watery eyes…I realized that it was turned to the white setting……Island Wide chat.

              Slowly swiping until it showed green…I pressed down, and repeated my plea; “Pqpe! Are you there! Please…speak to me!”

              After a brief moment of silence…Pqpe’s voice finally came crackling through; “I’m sorry Florian… After everything that’s happened… Not being able to build a simple hut on the shore without someone murdering you for it… All that work we’ve went through trying to stay out of everyone’s way… All those materials gathered; structures built… My Scorpions gone; DEAD! …Now even floating out on the ocean isn’t safe, because of a giant fish that’ll randomly swallow your entire craft in one bite?! …I’m sorry Florian… I just can’t take all this…”

               An even deeper sorrow beginning to well up within me, at the realization of what he was saying, I called out to him again; “NO! PQPE! Please, stay with me! …Maybe your pets are dead…maybe we need to strategize another new place to build safely…but we can do it! …We can revive! …We can come back and try again as many times as we need to!” …Hearing nothing but a static hiss in response, I softly restated my plea; “Pqpe… Please… We can try again…”

              Pqpe’s voice sounded hollow, and devoid of all hope as he responded; “No… Florian… I just can’t…”

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               A brief moment later…Pqpe’s voice again flowed quietly through my implant, amidst a chorus of fizzling pops; “I’m not saying goodbye forever necessarily... Maybe I’ll decide to come back after a while, and find you if you’re still around…but for right now…I think I just need some alone time in the void... I can always come back from it anytime I want right? So…for now…I’m just going to let this monster digest me……and kill me… See you later my friend.”

             No-matter how many times I pleaded into my wrist after that…I was met only with silence.

              We’d come so far…just to be knocked back down to the bottom…and now; Pqpe had left me as well.

          Kneeling there in the sand beside my remaining raft…amidst sobbing convulsions…I once again found myself to be; ‘alone…’