We searched by land, by sea, and by air and we couldn't find a thing! Aaargh! Where ARE you, little cryptid?!

Man, I thought searching by air was such a good idea too. I guess we could try searching underwater again? I'll dive this time!

Hmm, I dunno about that. If it's down really deep in the ocean, I think it'd be pretty tough for any of us to find it.

And it doesn't look like any new info's been posted online.

Maybe it's not in our ocean anymore? Maybe it's gone off to a different ocean?

The ocean is connected everywhere, so that's totally possible. Or, it could just be that the sightings were all made up, or that they were just seeing things.

There's no way! I just know the cryptid is out there!

Whoa! S-Sorry.

She's right! It's too early to throw in the towel just yet!

Ai! What's with that jar?

Heh heh heh! The ultimate weapon for our cryptid crusade: my grandma's super yummy homemade pickles!

We've been searching high and low and it was all for nothin'. I think that means the cryptid is somewhere we can't get to on our own!

So I say, let's lure it out with something it might like! It's the only choice we have left! I call this strategy, “The Pickle Plan: Catch a Cryptid with Crunchy Cuisine!”

So you're saying we should use those pickles as bait? Why pickles?

Well, a kappa is a kind of water cryptid, and they love cucumbers, right? I just happened to have some pickled cucumbers at home, so I was like, oh, this'll work!

Why would you… I mean, I guess they ARE cryptids, and they ARE in the water, but…

These are like, a hundred times tastier and are jam-packed with nutrients, so I just know a cryptid would latch right onto 'em!

This could work! We're totally gonna find that cryptid this time! Let's do it! How do we use these, Ai?

Well, normally I'd say you should put it on a hook and cast it like you were fishing… But I don't have a rod, so I'm just gonna throw it in with my bare hands!

Whaaat?! B-But then it'll just sink to the bottom of the ocean! You don't wanna do that, do you?!

They're just vegetables, and you don't use oil when you make them or anything, so it should be fine!

That's not what I'm worried about…!

Here we go! I sure hope these pickles don't sour your opinion of us, little cryptid!

Hahaha! Your puns are hilarious, Ai! Don't you think so too, Hanayo… *Gasp* GAHHH!

Whoa, you totally scared me!

What's wrong, Hono… EEK?!

Ack!

Whaaat?! No way?!

It's… It's…

…A SEAL!