Jump Start followed Collapse's example and moved away from the edge as well. With that little test over, Magloria got up again and led them onwards.

Not much else happened on the rest of the way, since they knew what they had to deal with, though Jump Start did complain that the diet of pure mushrooms was getting a bit stale.

They finally reached the lakes of Pearlth again. Magloria could finally create a new ice raft without it being impractical to use, so that's exactly what she did, letting everyone on it once it was completed.

Based on the doctor's estimations that applied the water breathing spell, the time that the spell would last on them was getting close to it's end. They would have until they fell asleep again before it wore off.

(Probably isn't that out of the realm of possibility, who knows what lies down there.)

Collapse followed along the way and basically performed the same actions she did on the way here. When she would levitate Magloria and Jump Start across those gaps she would do so with gentle care. She also agreed with Jump Start. Mushrooms are good and all but she stated that when they arrive back at Pearlth they can look around and see what kinds of meals they had. Probably fish and kelp, if she had any guesses.

When they reached the lake Collapse would sigh with relief that made it back alive. She boarded the raft and said that she would like to tell the seaponies about what they had found. After that, they should likely get some rest. Collapse was quite eager to tell them all about what they had found, and show them the bulbs as well as the crystal. They should hopefully be able to analyze them and give more clues about them.

Magloria nodded and started moving the raft over to where she remembered the location that Deep Current worked at.

"Well, at least we're getting wet anyway, so that waterfall didn't matter much." Jump Start said as she squeezed some of the water out of her mane from the latest interaction with gravity-assisted water.

Once they were in the right spot, Magloria dove overboard and swam down to the building before entering, Jump Start in pursuit.

Collapse dove in and followed. The light bulbs in her mane glowed under the water which was interesting to see, as well as it was pretty. Her mane would keep the bulbs in place as she swam in pursuit. "Glad we are back to safety. Almost feels like home." Collapse remarked to Jump Start.

The hues of blue, purple and orange light that followed them around the place attracted the attention of seaponies everywhere around the general area they were in. Most were naturally curious about what the strange creatures they had seem a few days ago brought this time.

Getting permission to see Deep Current was a simple affair, and they quickly came to the entrance to her office. Magloria announced their presence, to the mild delight of the busy seapony.

"Oh, you're back! How did it go, did you find what you were looking for?" Current asked.

Collapse would sit down on one of the seats and look to Current. She was almost happy with the way the 3 of them got the attention. "Well, we found out why nobody would want to go to the exit. There is this massive blockade of Feline like creatures there. One of them attacked us but we fended them off. We decided to turn back because there was just too many of them and it was too risky to proceed forward." she stated.

Collapse would also tell them about the mushroom forest, the Void Crags and the various things along the way. Magloria and Jump Start could fill in on what happened if they wished. She also would show Deep Current the bulbs and the crystal they retrieved.

Deep Current took all of the information in, looking worried when Collapse explained about the felines, but intrigued when she mentioned the mushroom forest and showed the results of their brief exploration into it.

"These are extremely interesting..." she said as she brushed a flipper over one of the bulbs on display. "They're like the stuff we use down here, but work on the surface as well. I wonder if some of the plants could be brought here for use? In any case, I'm sure you could find someone that would pay for them."

"That crystal though... I have no idea what it could be for, though now that you mention it, I do recall something about a crystal filled mushroom forest... be right back." She swam out of the room and off to somewhere else in the building.

Eventually she came back with a tablet. "Here it is. Records of a 'Luneshine Forest'. Some seaponies took a wrong turn coming back from the exit and ended up encountering a strangely enchanting mushroom forest. They had to backtrack to the exit to find the river again."

Collapse nodded and took in the information that was told. While Deep Current was gone Collapse told Magloria and Jump Start they can sell 3 of the bulbs or however many they wanted to sell in order to have a longer lasting underwater spell perhaps, or something else that could be of use.

When Deep Current returned Collapse looked over the tablet. "Luneshine forest, hmm. Interesting name. It also has an interesting effect on your mind. When we went in there, there was this strange mist and effects that makes everything look pretty. If anything it is like being on some kind of drug." she states, as she looks at the record she told Deep Current of the path they took to get there.

"As for the crystal I would like to find some sort of scientist to analyze the crystal. Perhaps it has some sort of property that can be useful, or refined. As for the bulbs I suppose they can just be good decoration or neat things to have around. It would be cool if we had a cloning spell and could clone these bulbs. I would say it would be a possible idea to have seaponies return to the forest and harvest the resources that are there although I'd recommend them to be armed and prepared, those felines are extremely elusive and fast." she added.

Magloria replied that they would do so after they had finished their business here, since missing out on this would obviously be something that she wouldn't do. Jump Start agreed, stating she'd rather be here learning things.

Deep Current scanned the tablet further for information, before replying. "Yep, that sort of thing is what the seaponies recorded happening to them. Made it impossible for them to find the river going through the forest itself. That's why they backtracked through the exit tunnel until they found the river again."

"We don't really have a lot of scientists in this district, and even less that are geologists. You might need to go to the Hymid district or the Truhye district. There are more scientific institutes in those places."

Her whiskers flickered nervously when Collapse mentioned sending seaponies to the forest. "I'd rather not bring that up. It sounded dangerous even for you, and you could freely walk on land. We can't. We'd be at far greater risk if we went, and unless we properly study what you brought back and find them to be of incredible value, they're not worth collecting." she stated.


Collapse nodded in understanding to what was spoken and would keep the district names in mind although she requested a diagram or a map of where all the districts were in relation to one another so they could understand where they were in relation to one another.

 "Yeah its understandable you wouldn't want to go in that direction so I don't blame you for that. The Void Crags are quite surreal too, I stood right at the edge and dropped a light that I made out of my magic and watched it fall. There truly was no bottom that we could see for all intents and purposes. It was unlike anything that I've seen before." she stated.

"As for the forests that we saw before there was the blue mushroom forest and then the one closer to Descent with green, red and blue mushrooms. I wonder what those forests are named and if you have knowledge of areas we haven't been to yet as we passed through that area, here, and then what we told you of. Is there any areas that are like that? That we haven't been to?" she asked.


Deep Current gave a casual shrug at the mention of the other types of mushrooms. "I wouldn't really worry about those mushroom forests if I were you. They're spread around everywhere, and are often used as food plantations for the different settlements. I think our closest one is... Sporesilt Forest? Just a blue plantation and one of our main food sources." she said.

"As for areas you've not been to, there are plenty of areas you haven't been to. There are many river branches leading to other settlements, which then go even further beyond from there. At least a dozen locations where we've settled, and even more which are wild."


Collapse nods. "Plenty of exploration to be done however we should take care of what we can here first such as the scientists taking a look at those bulbs and the crystal. Maybe we could get some kind appraisal for them to see how much they would sell for. Just an idea." she commented casually on what was being stated by Deep Current.

"Anything else you want to cover here, Magloria? Jump Start? I think that might be everything." Collapse commented on with a sweet grin.


"Yes, actually." Magloria said before looking directly at Deep Current. "You said that the seaponies found the Luneshine Forest after taking a wrong path from the exit, correct?" Deep Current nodded.

Magloria continued. "How far were they to the exit when they found the other path?" she asked.

Deep Current looked at the tablet again. "It doesn't specifically say, but they were near the end where they could see light coming from above."

Magloria thought about this. "We didn't even get far enough to see daylight, so then that means... It's possible that this is a path that leads around the massive blockade that the felines have set up." she stated.


Collapse's eyes widen at what Magloria stated there. "Woah...yeah, that is definitely something to look into. We missed that path then. Are there any references or knowledge of what exactly the light is what they saw? It could be referring to something else because as far as I know above us is the ocean itself so in order to see daylight we would have to reach a spot of land up above, not only that, we'd have to go up in relation to the surface too. Unless...there is a landmass we missed due to the storm and there was a massive valley on it, so to speak." Collapse stated, thinking deeply.