Episode 9

*Talk Page*

We RIDE

Pezci tries, and fails spectacularly, crossing the trench. Scypho begins losing patience with her, and he's about to go and get her, when he spies Madam Louv's watercar in the distance. Just as Pezci's about to try again, he grabs her arm and pulls her down into the trench, surprising a short wail out of her. The Madam stops the watercar when she hears Pezci's wail, and she looks around. Facing the depths from the side of the trench, she's unable to keep quiet, and Pezci starts wailing again. This time it's the Mirror that takes action, and it grows a waterjet engine, and it sweeps the couple away over the trench. Madam Louv sees them and, with a triumphant shout, goes in pursuit.

## Cast of Characters

* Pezci
* Scypho
* The Mirror
* Madam Louv
* Madam's bodyguards

## Synopsis

While Scypho impatiently treads water out over the deep trench, Pezci is swimming away from the lip of the trench with her eyes tightly closed, thinking to herself, "Don't freak out, don't freak out, don't freak out." From beneath her a large cluster of bubbles is rising. Several feet away from the edge, she makes a crucial mistake … she opens one eye and looks down. The sight of the depths beneath her prove too much, and she starts wailing loudly as she shudders uncontrollably. Much to the aggravated jellyfish's chagrin, Pezci returns to the ledge overhanging the trench faster than thought.

Scypho has had enough, and raising a hand, he demands to know if he has to go over there and get her. Still in a panic, she tells him no, claiming she can do it. She peeks over the edge into the depths, then she waves a hand over the edge. When nothing happens, she tries flapping her tail over the edge, looking abashed while doing it. Scypho yells at her to hurry up, and she yells back not to rush her, promising that she can do it. Putting on a grumpy face, he hunches his shoulders thinking they're going to be there all day. When some rising bubbles make a hissing sounds as they pass, he also has the thought that the place is starting to creep him out. Looking over at Pezci lying on the seabed staring at the abyss, he figures maybe he should just go get her. Speaking aloud, he says they're not gonna make progress if she keeps…

Something surprises him and gets his undivided attention. It's Madam Louv's watercar passing in the distance. In the foreground, Pezci is looking just plain miserable. He squawks when he realizes they can easily be seen. The Mirror is of the opinion they're all dead. Pezci squats by the edge of the trench, thinking that on three, she'll shut her eyes and just swim for it. She gets to one when Scypho pops up in front of her, a grim look on his face, and he grabs the arm bearing the Golden key. Turning away, she waves her free arm, yelling that she didn't say three yet. He pulls her over and down into the trench, forcing a short wail from her. The watercar comes to a sudden halt right across from where they are. A tense moment follows, then the cabin of Madam Louv's watercar slams open, and the Madam stands up. Her bodyguards sit nonchalantly, while the Madam stands in the pilot's seat and glares at the world. Looking put out, she claims she heard something, while one of her bodyguards offers it could've been anything and mentioning the currents are supposed to be strong today.

From where they hide just below the edge of the trench, Pezci and Scypho listen to the Madam take insult at the guard's suggestion, telling him she didn't hear the currents and calling him a simpleton. He tries to placate her, saying currents sometimes make whooshing sounds. Pezci is shuddering and slowly freaking out from facing the depths in front of her. The Mirror sticks out a bloodshot eye on a green tentacle, looking up to see where everybody is. Scypho pleads with Pezci, begging her to not scream, telling her they can't be noticed, but she's too far gone to care anymore. She draws in a deep breath with a loud wheeze. Madam's voice drifts down to them, saying she didn't hear a "whoosh" sound, that she definitely heard a "wah!" Right on cue, Pezci starts wailing in fear, blasting out an extended "wah!" at full volume, startling the Mirror, and making Scypho cover his head and bell.

Taking control of matters as they were, the Mirror pivots on its carry strap to rest sideways across both Pezci and Scypho's backs, startling an epithet from the jellyfish, while the damselfish doesn't even notice as she wails. The sight of some type of nozzle springing out of the Mirror' surface silences both of them, even as the device begins coming to life with a whirring sound. The device turns out to be waterjet engine, and the Mirror's staff presses against the pair, swiftly carrying them out over the trench. The sudden pressure from the staff startles a wailing "Aaahhh" from them both. Out of nowhere, the buckle on the carry strap separates all on its own with a solid click.

At the same moment, their activities, and wails, are noticed by Madam Louv, and she gives a triumphant cry of discovery. Pointing at the fleeing couple, she tells her bodyguard, "Let's get 'em!"