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sailmods ([personal profile] sailmods) wrote in [community profile] sail_ooc2023-05-23 12:55 am
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TEST DRIVE MEME #10



a. that's where we both belong


[you wake up.

it doesn't matter where you were before. going to bed? dying? opening the door to face a great evil? same result. you wake up in a soft bed with starched sheets in a cool, darkened room, sunlight peeking out from behind thick curtains. maybe you're alone; maybe you aren't. maybe you immediately notice the folded paper on the bedside table near your head. if you don't, you better fix that real quick: you won't be able to even open the door before you read it.

the note itself is written in a neat hand on white card stock; there is a stylized logo of a ship with the words SERENA ETERNA printed underneath. the note reads as follows:

Dear Passenger(s),

As your cruise director, it is my great honor to welcome you aboard the Serena Eterna, your destination for fun and adventure! We know you could have chosen any cruise line for your vacation, and we're very grateful you chose ours! On behalf of the Captain, I would like to assure each and every passenger that will we do whatever it takes to fulfill all your needs and desires during your journey with us.

At your earliest possible convenience, please attend the mandatory lifeboat drill by the end of the day. I'm sure everyone is very eager to get started on all the fun and sun, but safety always comes first! You can find your life jacket in your cabin's closet; carry it to your assigned muster station on deck one, where I will take you through the drill. If you can't find me in the crowd, just look for the gal with the winning smile!

See You Real Soon!

Sincerely,
Gal Friday


you walk to deck one. you have no other choice: every time you try to step in a direction some unseen being considers "not towards deck one," you find your legs no longer move, staying stock still, frozen. whether compelled quickly by curiosity, or delayed by pure stubbornness, the result is the same, and you are left milling around with other similarly curious or stubborn people.

you see someone in uniform near the front of the crowd. she seems to be a gal, but is missing the winning smile, along with most of her other features. she seems to see you, though, rushing to your side and placing a lei around your neck with great formality. a voice, cheery but artificial, sees to come from nowhere and everywhere.]


Welcome aboard! I'm so happy you could join us!

[you touch the lei. rooster feathers, lotus seeds, and a carved circle of something white and hard, linked onto a silk string.

after the drill is completed, you are seemingly free to go. or, well, your legs work, now. and maybe that's as good as it's gonna get.]


b. and there's plenty of that down by the sea

[it’s strange to think about, isn’t it? how all those new passengers, the ones grumbling or shouting their way through the forced muster drill, have absolutely no idea what happened just last month. no idea about the labyrinth. no concept of why anyone around them would be a bit more hesitant around shadows.

they’ll learn.

sometimes a shadow is darker than it’s supposed to be. very rarely does anything come of that; just a vague sense that someone is watching you, and little more. sometimes, though, the shadows move. sometimes they grab at your ankles as you walk. sometimes they give you a shove as you go down the stairs. sometimes they pull your hair, or pinch your arm.

sometimes you feel something sharp cut into your lower leg.

that’s not a shadow, though. that’s a fiddler crab. you see the crab, sometimes. the cut isn’t from its claws, which don’t look very intimating; it’s not a very large crab. the cut is from the large kitchen knife crudely taped onto its back. it’s probably fine. it's not chasing you. there isn't evil in its heart. probably.]


c. think I'll go back to the Keys


[one day, in the atrium, two pedestals suddenly appear. on each is a large button: one green, and one blue. pressing the blue button gives you a little treat, popping out of thin air next to you. pressing the green button sends a small electric shock through your body. weird, but, hey, pretty avoidable, right?

except, it seems to be spreading. to every other button on board.

in the elevator. on the soda machine. the arcade. your phone. the bell on Friday’s desk.]
serialskiller: (wtf)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2023-08-05 06:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"Give the people on this ship time. They'll find you, too."

That is a threat.

"Do you need help back to your cabin? I can carry you."

[personal profile] professionalriot 2023-08-05 06:19 pm (UTC)(link)
His whole face lights up as he laughs. Ashley shakes his head.

"You can only carry me if you're going to stay and cuddle."

Before that could be taken seriously he adds, "I'm good. I can walk. Thanks for the offer though, appreciate it."
serialskiller: (taking orders)

[personal profile] serialskiller 2023-08-05 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
The funny thing is, Security is pretty cuddly, with the people who it considers crew. But Ash isn't nearly on that list yet.

"Then get home safely, okay?"

[personal profile] professionalriot 2023-08-05 06:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"I will, thanks." He takes a few steps away and stops. Turning back he adds, "I'm Ash. See you around."
Edited 2023-08-05 18:30 (UTC)
businessorlibation: (pic#15460884)

[personal profile] businessorlibation 2023-08-06 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
"A teapot that walks on a hand. How...unique."

Right, he's beginning to get a vibe here, but he can't quite see through to the core of the Madgod yet.

"And yes, the ship is often quite lively. There's people with all sorts of opinions that they will let you know at the top of their lungs at all hours. May I pour you a glass?" He has a bottle of Bushmills 1975 in hand, a particularly fine vintage for that distillery.
blindwatchersees: (Default)

[personal profile] blindwatchersees 2023-08-06 03:06 am (UTC)(link)
"Please."

He sits down, his cane resting against his leg, and for a moment the brushed golden topper somehow seems to... blink? Or perhaps it was just a trick of the light.

"You know, Mr. Summer, it's not that strange of a notion to me to think of people screaming at the top of their lungs about whatever is on their mind. You could say I'm a caretaker of such people, where I come from."
businessorlibation: (pic#15460896)

[personal profile] businessorlibation 2023-08-06 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
Johnny doesn't respond to Sheogorath's words immediately, but when he does lift his head, there's a hint of humor. "A keeper of teenagers? Are you, sir, some sort of schoolmaster?"
blindwatchersees: (pic#16611376)

[personal profile] blindwatchersees 2023-08-06 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
"Well, I do teach lessons, from time to time. They're hardly all adolescents, though. I've quite a range of folks in my care. Young and old, rich and poor, educated and uneducated. But almost all of them tend to have something to scream about at some point, unless they're the sort that don't speak at all."

"To serve gives one status, don't you think?"
businessorlibation: (pic#15460865)

[personal profile] businessorlibation 2023-08-06 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
"I don't understand." That's not quite true, the words heavy on his lips as he slowly comes around to the realization of what Sheogorath is speaking of. The invisible wall that kept him inside the Margrave building for years, feet leaden and immovable. The secret of Sir Mimley and the fire in his eyes as he argued with Dame Doctor Agatha Sampat. Ducky's suspicion turned upon him, while she buried her feelings too deep to acknowledge in herself.

Madness.
blindwatchersees: (pic#16611376)

[personal profile] blindwatchersees 2023-08-06 04:07 am (UTC)(link)
There's a gleam in his eyes, and they seem to grow a little brighter as that word crosses Johnny's mind.

"My dear Mr. Summer, is something the matter? If you have any questions, you only need to ask. Metaphorically, I'm all ears. Physically, that would be a terrible design choice."
businessorlibation: (pic#15460849)

Let the record show, a typo in workshopping almost autocorrected to worshipping.

[personal profile] businessorlibation 2023-08-06 04:30 am (UTC)(link)
“No, sir, nothing wrong at all. I…” a shuddering breath, and he passes Sheogorath his glass, workshopping wording on the fly.

“If you are an entity associated with madness, I suppose it only makes sense for me to meet you. And there are others on this ship, as well, with whom you should become acquainted. Or already are?”
blindwatchersees: (pic#16611376)

[personal profile] blindwatchersees 2023-08-06 04:34 am (UTC)(link)
"Now, who said I was an entity? My good sir, I merely said I was a caretaker. But then again, you are rather perceptive, aren't you?" His grin only deepens. He's the Cheshire Cat in human form.

"Oh, there are many people on this ship that I'm well-acquainted with, just not with this name, and not with this face. Speaking of... have you met a Daedric Prince before, perchance?"
decohere: (Default)

[personal profile] decohere 2023-08-06 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
[there's an appropriate amount of fight, because she doesn't want it to seem too easy when she allows herself to be reeled in. wrapped completely around the string, she rides it up and up out of the water.]
businessorlibation: (pic#15460842)

[personal profile] businessorlibation 2023-08-06 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
“Sir, you changed shape before introducing yourself to me. While not all shapechangers are entities, I tend to err on the side of assuming people doing strange and magical things are more powerful and thus deserving of the height of respect.”

It comes from being one of the most human things on the ship still (for now. Spring is about to speak up…)

“Anyway. No, I haven’t heard of such a thing.”
hate_gettin_older: (grin)

[personal profile] hate_gettin_older 2023-08-06 05:30 am (UTC)(link)
"Right then," he grins at her, "let's go have a look round."

Well that'll be interesting ...
bubblegumheart: (pic#16258394)

[personal profile] bubblegumheart 2023-08-06 05:31 am (UTC)(link)
It's not really the answer she's expecting, so Chrissy can't help but feel a little bad about unintentionally poking at a sore spot.

"That must have been really tough. I'm sorry."
blindwatchersees: (Default)

[personal profile] blindwatchersees 2023-08-06 06:02 am (UTC)(link)
"Well, probably better for you that you haven't! Terribly petty, Daedric Princes. Spiteful, conniving, vindictive. Still probably better company than your friend the mayor, though."

He takes a sip of his wine, enjoying it in a completely ordinary manner.

"Now, shall we speak with one another plainly, or shall we lead a merry little dance and pretend none of this came up?"
businessorlibation: (Default)

[personal profile] businessorlibation 2023-08-06 06:09 am (UTC)(link)
“I am very good at pretending.” He exhales heavily. “But no, let’s talk as you wish. I am known to live with a phobia, which is diagnosably a form of mental illness.”

As if that’s the only seed of madness within him.
spiritcarer: (Cooking)

[personal profile] spiritcarer 2023-08-06 10:16 am (UTC)(link)
For once, I guess I am! [Stella rises out of her chair now, letting the fishing rod shift back into its usual state - a small ball of light she sticks on her belt buckle. She can take the moment to shake Phil's hand. It's a little more important than fish.]

I'm Stella! Nice to meet you!

[And, since it's practically a reflex at this point, Stella gives Phil a very quick hug.]
spiritcarer: (Fond of them)

[personal profile] spiritcarer 2023-08-06 10:28 am (UTC)(link)
[Huzzah! And to the victor...]

Another octopus? I guess I could make some squid skewer... Oh! Or calamari rings!

[The culinary possibilities are near endless. And there's so many passengers here...]
yournewsidekick: (metal. >:DDDDD)

[personal profile] yournewsidekick 2023-08-06 01:55 pm (UTC)(link)
"Metal," she declares, grinning just a little too wide in reply.

If the creepy invisible force shoving her toward muster wanted her to go this way, then the only logical thing to do now that she's free is go that way instead. She skips up the deck, picking a path that'll hopefully take 'em to all the good stuff Big Creepy Force didn't want her to see before.
goodweather: (8)

[personal profile] goodweather 2023-08-06 03:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[ That ball of light is a curious thing, but he barely has time to process it before— ]

—Oh!

[ He startles for a moment before bringing his arms around, a hand settling on her shoulder. Not his wings, in case that’s too forward. Part of him wants to though. Who all hugs him these days? Darcy and Security, mostly, and Darcy’s about as repressed as you can get. Cassandra has twice. Erin must have at some point. Other than that…

It reminds him, however briefly, of the Punxsutawney folks. Always so bright and forward and well-meaning and patient and…

And then Stella pulls away.
] You’ve practiced that, haven’t you?
Edited 2023-08-06 15:43 (UTC)
hate_gettin_older: (well hey)

[personal profile] hate_gettin_older 2023-08-06 08:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Edgar ambles along behind her, vaguely bemused. It's not like he's in charge of her, or has any obligation to look out for her (or for anyone potentially in danger from her), but ... yeah, he's gonna. Because somebody's got to, right?

(There are all sorts of potential comparisons that are not, at the moment, consciously occurring to him.)
yournewsidekick: (hey boss!)

[personal profile] yournewsidekick 2023-08-06 09:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Nimona... is not subtle. It might not be her first joust, but from the way she bounces along, singing some fast-paced rock song under her breath, past jousts probably involved blasting the other guy off his horse with a rocket launcher.

So she doesn't bother keeping her voice down as she calls over her shoulder, "You see anything worth checking out while we were all getting herded down that way?"

Ooh, stairs! And a big sign with an arrow saying PROMENADE THIS WAY. That seems promising!
saltwaterlungs: (Absolutely not)

[personal profile] saltwaterlungs 2023-08-06 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
...

"Record player, saint statues and a skull on the desk, kid's drawing on the wall?"

Jesus Christ.

"Would you believe this is the second time this has happened to me?"