TEST DRIVE MEME #7

[sailmods]

1. before she hung up, she said she was a skeleton

[there is no note in your cabin. no forces stall your legs if you decide to walk anywhere but the atrium. in fact, for the first time in hundreds of years, newly arrived passengers on the Serena Eterna are waking up with absolutely no guidance. nothing but your fellow passengers in the halls - or maybe in your bed.

perhaps you end up in the atrium eventually anyway. it is where guest services is, and where Gal Friday… actually hasn’t been in a few days. until today. and she is visibly frazzled, her hair uncoiffed, her suit rumpled, something a bit like a bruise blossoming down from her hairline and over her smooth features. more papers than ever cover her desk, and when she turns to face you, her voice is as cheerful as ever, but audibly strained.]

Welcome aboard the Serene Eterna! [a pause] You know how to work a life vest, right? Everyone knows that! You don’t need me to teach you that!

[a light bulb burns out behind her head.]

… I’ll get right on that!

[freedom includes the freedom to not know what the fuck is happening. maybe you should reflect on that.]

2. grandma went and can't stop screaming

[it’s something about the lighting fixtures, this month. has the Bellona always had a massive chandelier? maybe. who knows. don’t ask questions. either way, in the stillness of the night, or day, or late afternoon, there is a noise like a cord being cut, and the chandelier plunges into the audience below.

it hits nothing, of course. no one is ever in the theater. and that, perhaps, is what the trouble is.

so, the chandelier starts to… travel, one could say. it starts to hang in various rooms: the dining halls, the bars, the clubs… sometimes, if you’re out on the pool deck and suddenly realized you’re under a shadow, you can glance up and see it suspended 20 feet above your head, securely fastened to nothing in particular and yet remaining perfectly in place.

until it isn’t. until it falls, crystal shattering on whatever surface it lands on: floor, table, person… and, wherever the chandelier goes, a lilting childish voice follows it, singing without any obvious source.]

Ring-a-ring of roses, a pocket full of posies… ashes, ashes, we all…

3. jeff bezos murdered the infinite tommy bahama

[the lights of the Infinite Tommy Bahama go out three days into October.

barely an hour after its closure, the lights go on again, and a new banner is unfurled.



physically, it is the same store. you can even see the old signs hidden behind the new ones. however, long gone are the tropical prints and khaki dress shorts. now, one can purchase any number of officially licensed or legally distinct Halloween costumes, decorations, and various other haunted accoutrements, leading back as far as the eye can see, and then farther still. is that a Gal Friday mask? spooky! well, at least you’ll be good and ready for the Halloween party at the end of the month, which is absolutely just a normal party and in no way whatsoever anything even remotely resembling a trick. there are only treats at The Infinite Spirit Halloween!

note: bahamanuel is still here! somewhere! it kinda looks like dan bongino.]

Comments

[pinballer]

Way more terrifying. You're lucky you missed the disco party. [ Vance doesn't know Eddie, but he makes an educated guess by his aesthetic that he might not be into disco. ]

Rad. It's over...here, I think.

[ And he takes off down one of the infinite aisles. ]

[opheliac]

Wrong, Lullaby. We got Gods here who they think you're on top of the world. And it's fine if they wanna do that, but they can 'least trust humans with respect.

(at her suggestion though, jinx snorts with a shake of her head. there's a brief smile but it quickly drops.)

Cute, but that never works well for me. I get better responses from a wall. — And they're waaaaay chatter than you'd think.

(what.)

[starryeyedsongstress]

Gods... [ Like the Aspects, then? It's been a while since she's heard of them. She's only ever heard stories, but even if they're here, that doesn't deter her at all. She's a stubborn idol with a strong dream and she absolutely won't back down from it. ]

Well, maybe it hasn't worked because you never had the medium to be heard. The thing about people is... they never really want to hear. Really hear. And part of it is because people think they know what the other person is thinking. As if people aren't something intricately complex, or as if we don't all have stories to be told.

But I think that that's why it's important to have a medium by which you let yourself be heard. There's a lot of ways to do that, you know... but... if you'd like... I could listen to you? Then, if you'll let me, I can put your thoughts and feelings into a song.

Sylvie Laufeydottir | Marvel's Loki

[daggerlike]

I.

[If Sylvie were thinking clearly, she would probably be grateful that she woke up in a cabin, where her initial panic could go unobserved by potentially hostile strangers. After all, the last place she had been - the Citadel at the End of Time - and what had happened there... well, whatever she had expected to happen afterwards, this was emphatically not it. She was in a strange new place and with no weapon and no way back - it was terrifying in a bone-deep sort of way, a way she had thought she couldn't feel anymore after the first dozen apocalypses she had fled through.

[Some time passed before she was calm enough to dare exploring, though she was still far from what any rational person would call calm. She stalked the deck like an alley cat that knew any shadow could be a coyote or a car, frustrated by the barriers of rail and sea that made it abundantly clear that she was caught. Caught by what, she wondered as she walked, looking for information or signs of life. Was this some sort of cosmic punishment? Had the Citadel ceased to be without its occupant and she had been thrown here by chance? She had many questions, and she knew instinctively that no one here would be able to give her any of the answers she sought. After all, what would they know?

[They were probably doomed. This was probably another dead-end timeline. Assuming that made the entire situation easier to digest, even if it meant she was going to die. She had figured on that, anyway. She'd never worked out what to do when she'd finished her mission, and part of her didn't believe that she would ever get the chance.

[(Not that she didn't have regret. Not for going through with it. Not for finishing her mission. But for not getting a chance to figure out the rest with him.)

[She has no more answers by the time she reaches the atrium as she had when she started. The bizarre presence of the battered, uniform-clad woman attracts her attention, but she doesn't take well to being ignored.]

Excuse me? What the fuck is this place?

[Her words are really more of a demand than a question. She feels uncomfortably certain that she isn't going to get a solid answer.]


cyoa

[Please feel free to stop and talk to the angry-looking, petite, obviously-dyed-blonde woman who looks somewhat personally offended by the entirety of existence as she walks around the decks trying to get a better feel for the limitations of her new "home."]

[bigbadrose]

Sorry! [She squeak-whisper-yells apologetically, trying not to hyperventilate.]

[And shakes her head no.] F-First time it's happened to me. [She's fine. She's fine... except she's shaking. She wasn't even hit, she was rescued, and yet--]

[She offers a hand up to the knight, but cocks her head to listen.]

Do you hear singing?

[opheliac]

I dunno...

(jinx sinks further in her seat and this time, adverts her gaze from seraphine. maybe if she arrived onboard way in the beginning of her journey, she would give that a try. but so much has happened, so many deaths, fights, misunderstandings, and heartache that now... now she is worn down of it all. when jenny told her the captain was going to shatter her, jinx had no clue how right she was.

it seems every second of her day, her mind cracks just a little more. and what can one do when they get pushed so far, they no longer feel the passion to move?)

I'm too tired. I don't... want to do much of anything, anymore. Now a days? I just want to disappear.

[originaldragoon]

[Rose takes the other woman's hand and stands up. Her leg felt bruised but nothing serious. Definitely, something that won't affect her movement that's for sure.

[At the mention of singing, she paused and listened.]

Like the eerie sound of ghost children? I do.

[And the first thing she does is look up since she heard the singing before she saw the chandelier the first time.]

[bigbadrose]

[Buries face in hands!] Oh, that is so not on!

The ghosts disappear only for maximum poltergeist vibes? Just run the movies, you ain't gotta live it!

[originaldragoon]

[Well, at least it looks like the chandelier isn't directly above them this time.

[She looks back at the other one and arches a brow.]

"Movies?"

[What is she talking about?]

3

[touchofcashmere]

Now this is a store worth having!

[Stede is immediately pleased]

Well it's a night of ghosts and goblins and fancy dress it looks like! Anything catch your preference? I'm wondering what this Sexy Babadook is they're referring to.

I

[touchofcashmere]

Hell. Or well, purgatory at any rate. [but he's sipping on a Bloody Mary so it's not too bad]

It's either boring or horrifying, but we make do.

Stede Bonnet, by the way, pleasure to meet you.

[bigbadrose]

They're um... You ever see a play before? On a stage? A bunch of actors getting together to tell a story, by acting it out? A movie is like the book version of that. You can re-watch it on demand.

[Thank you Muppets for giving her a chance to get used to explaining this!]

[originaldragoon]

[She is not quite sure she gets it.]

How does one rewatch a play on demand? Do you have actors employed to act it out when you feel like it?

[She's heard about royal families doing something like that but not someone who is common.]

[originaldragoon]

I see... It sounds like some of the autumn festivals back where I am from.

[Though they were never this level of flashy.]

I'm not sure how anything "sexy" fits in with the whole ghosts and goblins thing though.

[bigbadrose]

No, it's um... Not done live, the actors perform it once, and then it's recorded, and the movie replays it. On a special screen.

[Rose Tyler does her best to discreetly make sure the knight(?) is okay. Also: that's so cool. A FEMALE KNIGHT! Right on.]

Re: I

[daggerlike]

You've got to be kidding me. [She says it flatly, incredulous.] Why do you think this is Hell? Or whatever.

[If nothing else, there is an instinct in her to figure out where she is and find a way out. Borne from the hundreds of apocalyptic events she's outrun, from an entire lifetime with only one goal: Escape and survive.]

I guess that means there's no way off this ship? So how did we get here? Did you just wake up here as well?

[She thinks about letting the questions stand and ignoring his introduction - it's how she's operated often enough in the past, not wanting to let people know who she is or how she got there. But this... this is a different sort of puzzle. And maybe he'd tell her more of what he knows if she didn't blow him off. So, after a moment, she tells him,]

I'm Sylvie.

Jonathan Sims | The Magnus Archives

[eyediot]

Bad dreams make me get up and walk

[The waking up is easy. He'd done it most of his entire life, until recently when he didn't have to anymore. Then it was difficult. But this felt like every other day of his life before it wasn't really his control anymore. But walking out of the cabin, Jon knew immediately something was wrong.]

Martin?

[They'd just been together. They were talking, they were holding each other, they were-

Well. One of them was in worse condition. Jon still looks in worse condition, shirt and clothes splattered with mud and blood. But the life jacket and card are odd; exactly his particular brand of odd. So he's clutching the (at the moment) useless life jacket in both arms to his chest as he makes his way up to the deck, looking around for any sign of anything familiar or known to him.

He'll stop the nearest person, though, whether that person looks like they just woke up or not. This poor man covered head to toe in different scars and hideously worn clothes looking all the world like a caged animal trying to get his bearings.]

Excuse me, I'm sorry. I'm- I just was somewhere else and - Have you seen a tall, broad ginger here? Answers to Martin?

Can't stop screaming

What...

[He looks up as the chandelier seemingly appears out of nothing. It wasn't there before, not twenty seconds ago and Jon can't seem to pin down what exactly caused it to arrive here in the dining hall. For anyone watching, the man who has yet to change out of his blood and mud-caked clothes is standing perfectly still staring right up at it.

That is until he suddenly jumps back about ten steps before the thing crashes with a yelp.]

Are you all right? Christ...

Gnashin plastic fangs casting shadows

[Jon is standing in front of the shop and... Not entering, but he looks mildly displeased. Or maybe that's just his face. But he still looks unhappy about it. No Martin, still in his current condition, no sign of His Particular Brand Of Problems so far.]

I see otherworldly ships are not quite immune to nonsense.

01.

[opheliac]

(jinx isn't sure what exactly what she is looking at. one would think the chandelier would be the strangest part -- the way it just appeared and dropped. but for jinx, the weirdest part is the sheep. but maybe it's not so weird. after all, hallucination and trying to figure out what's real or fiction is a daily thing.

so.

this is definitely one of those. and since it is, she might as well indulge it. there's no harm, right? besides with all she's been through lately, jinx wouldn't mind dealing with something cute and adorable.)

Why are you cleanin'? It's not like you did it.

Loki | Marvel's Loki (Post all but the last few seconds of the show)

[truthless]

1. Wandering Completely Unlike a Lost Puppy to...
[There'd been a moment where he woke and wondered how much of the past few nights had been a dream. If he was going to wake imprisoned in Asgard after his defeat on Midgard. But he woke to a torn and dirty white shirt, the sleeves rolled up his arms and a feeling in his chest that all of it had been very, very real. He looked around the room while pretending not to, despite the fact that there was no one but himself to fool. But whatever he was looking for; be it the door or her... it wasn't there.

[A part of him wanted to scream. Then, he remembered He Who Remains and the promise of a Multiversal war. He Who By Now No Longer Remained. He wondered what would happen to that castle at the end of the everything now, and he wondered if Sylvie was okay. But he couldn't breathe while thinking of her, and there was a voice in his head telling him that he should warn the TVA. That they should know. It moved him to his feet. It moved him through the halls of the ship.]

3. A Store of Lies
[Loki finally stops walking outside of the costume shop. He's been wandering the ship, more out of aimlessness than curiosity since he woke with the sort of urgency that comes with not remembering having fallen asleep. In all honestly his heart was still racing, as well as his mind, and he knew which one had the lead.

[He presses his lips together as if trying to hold onto something, and then he closes his eyes. He smiles. He strides with more purpose into the shop and the rows of lies. This wasn't the TVA and he had no way to contact them. No idea where he was, other than some ship. When, where? Did it matter? The world didn't seem to have ended yet.]

You would think they'd have a better sign, with a place this big.

[Loki says to no one. Or maybe he says it to the 'Lightning Viking' costume his eye catches, all red-wig and oversized incredibly plastic hammer. He scoffs, and crosses his arms]

I mean, really? I guess size isn't everything.

can't stop screaming

[tempingainteasy]

Jon has happened to stop beside a table in the dining hall, and that table has someone sitting at it. She was sitting there before, of course, don't you remember? They sure look like they've been seated there for awhile, nursing half a martini. The gin half, going by the bottle beside her arm.

She doesn't stop sipping her gin as the chandelier crashes down, and even putting her glass down happens after Jon's response more by coincidence than intent.

"Yeah, yeah." she says, waving her other hand, the picture of casual indifference (whatever you think that looks like). "Just another day ending in Y, here. You get used to it."

bad dreams make me get up and walk!

[nyktifanis]

Ah...

( it's always like this when a person wakes up on this vessel, and they show worry for the person that's on their mind. pollux was the same too, before when she first arrived without her brother by her side. luckily for her, someone was able to reunite them, and so perhaps she can do the same for this individual.

his way of dress worries her as if he's been through too much, and she wonders if she should take him back to her room while trying to find the person he's looking for. at least he can take a bath, and she can offer him some clothes that might suit him better— the tommy bahama has changed for the season, so perhaps that would be more fitting.

pollux places a hand to her chest, settled over her heart. )

I'm afraid I haven't, but that doesn't mean I won't assist you in searching for them. Perhaps you two had woken up apart.

( or so she hopes. )

iv.

[nyktifanis]

It's correct, actually!

( pollux nods, looking inside of the shop as she eyes some of the outfits inside. it's normally not like this, but seasons come and go along with holidays, and so maybe this store is capable of doing the same thing.

it's not as odd considering where she comes from. )

I didn't learn about it until my recent summoning, but it reminds me of Apokries. ( she moves on with a smile on her face. ) For humans, it's a special day where they are allowed to dress up and tell scary stories.

[eyediot]

The casualness rubs him wrong. Another place like this, like what he was certain he just left. Had he not? Jon would rather not think about it, if he doesn't have to.

His gaze is fixed on where the pieces of the chandelier were until they weren't, but he feels something odd about the voice.

"More of the same, then. How long has that particular quirk been happening?"

[eyediot]

[Pollux, you're not ready to try and clean this sad man up, it took Salesa hours.

But the offer of help doesn't go unnoticed. But what does she want for it? What should he be expecting?]

Very likely. I-

It is very important I find him.

[Sure he's dead, but Martin can't be, Martin shouldn't be, but he promised-]

[nyktifanis]

( give her some credit, she's a goddess, maybe she can be the change that he needs!!

she pauses, hearing the concern in his voice which helps with her decision. )

Of course, what always is when it comes to those a person would worry themselves sick over.

( she's unsure if it's the same as her, but it's the way her words thread together that makes her believe that the key word of importance is heavy here. )

We can check every deck, from top to bottom... each and every room as well. You must keep hope that Martin is safe, even if we do not find him.

( some would call being here a type of underworld, but even her uncle would never reside over a place like this. )