TEST DRIVE MEME #10

[sailmods]

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.]

Comments

Clarissa Morningstar | OC

[flashedglass]

A

Clarissa is here only because that was her only option. The whole compulsion thing. Yeah. But she listens, playing with the lei, observing everyone else who has been dragged into this initiation. The woman leading the muster is...very odd, but it's not polite to stare so she's just...looking anywhere but at the woman's face.

"You ever been on a cruise before?" She asks the person next to her.

B

Clarissa screeches when something grabs her shoulder, jumping away like she's stepped into a spider web and looking around wildly. She's no so foolish as to think this place is normal, but moving shadows were not on her bingo list. She holds her hands to her chest, still eyeing the shadows around her. There is literally no one but herself here.

Something sharp pokes her leg and she looks down to see a kitchen knife on a crab. The crab's shadow seems wrong. Then the shadows moves, but it doesn't match the crab, who has poked her again. NOPE.

She's not a coward, but she's certainly not sticking around. The crab scuttles after her and she screeches again, sprinting away from the tiny creature. Hopefully she won't run into anyone while she's looking over her shoulder.

C

She eagerly pokes the button to the elevator, ready to explore the ship a little more.

"Ouch. Hey."

That was rude. She pokes it again and again it shocks her. She pouts a moment, then the door opens and she slips inside, pressing the button for the next floor up.

"OW. Jesus! FINE." Clarissa steps back out of the elevator, letting it leave without her.

"Gods, what is wrong with this place?"

B

[be_seeing_you]

"He's feeling spirited today, I see," Says Number 6 as he calmly scoops the crab up from behind. It snaps its claw impotently, but 6 has it held at just the right angle to keep it from getting any purchase.

"Don't worry, my dear, it can't hurt you now."

Nothing strange to see here, just a man with giant duck wings sprouting right out of his back. Perfectly ordinary.

[flashedglass]

Clarissa stops, eyes wide, staring at him and the small crab. It's an angel of some kind. Maybe. But duck wings are new. None of the books ever said anything about angels with duck wings. And yet. Angels are not real. So this is just a man. With wings. Yes.

"You have wings."

He's probably aware of this fact, but it's the first thing to burst out of her mouth.

[be_seeing_you]

"Obviously." His expression is as deadpan as humanly possible.

"You will encounter far stranger manner of people here than me, I can assure you. What is your name, young lady?"

[flashedglass]

Oh. Right. Yes. Of course he knows. She bites her lip.

"I..." She kinda gestures at the wings and the crab with the knife and the shadows. "This place is not normal."

Clarissa takes a breath. New York was crazy too. Just not this crazy. People had fake wings, not real ones. Maybe he's cosplaying? People did that at conventions. Some of her friends made fantastic costumes. This would certainly be the best one she's seen. There's no harness for one thing.

Oh. He asked a question several thoughts ago. Oops.

"Clarissa. My name is Clarissa." Beat. "Why does the crab have a knife?"

[be_seeing_you]

"No," he says with a breathy laugh. "It is not. But you will have to adapt to that quickly." He considers telling her that he wasn't born with these wings, that they were given to him here, but on second thought... that might scare her too much to hear.

"It's a pleasure, Clarissa. I am Peter Smith. As for the crab..." he shakes his head at it while it continues trying to pinch him. "I haven't the foggiest idea. I don't know if someone thought to do it as a prank, or if it might have acquired the knife all on its own. But I think we'd better get it back to its home all the same."

c

[skaikru]

Man, what a question. Once upon a time, Clarke would have been up for fielding the familiar and repetitive confusion of newcomers, complete with unsubtly interjecting her own hot takes and speculations while also highlighting the low points of life on board. But this time?

...yeah, this time she just sighs.

"A lot. But — come on, there's a staircase just around here."

Tucked a little behind the glass tubing of the elevator, a utility door with a push-bar to open it. That probably doesn't count as a button, right? Either way, she's already walking that way, not particularly fussed if Clarissa follows or not.

[flashedglass]

She spins at the sound of the voice. Oh. It's just a girl. Which tracks. She hates being blind here. Not knowing what is going to happen next.

"A lot?"

The woman sounds quite resigned and tired, probably a past recipient of the aforementioned 'a lot' that is wrong with this place.

"Sorry." She breathes, following the blond to the staircase. "I'm not like...lazy. I just. Didn't know there were stairs. This place is not designed well."

Or like. At all. It doesn't even seem totally...solid at times.

[skaikru]

Having shown up bright and early to this round of the Serena Eterna's passenger manifest, yeah. Clarke feels particularly well versed in a lot. But she also remembers what it's like to be a newcomer, overwhelmed and out of touch with the amenities offered, and the window dressings of opulence. It's all just lost the sheen of comfort after a while, and if there's any way around this newest problem it's probably a very simple solution — like taking the stairs. But.

"It's not laziness to take the elevator. Convenience is convenient until it starts shocking you, after all."

And yeah, the ship feels very alien and weird at first blush, but —

"You'll get used to it." They reach the door to the stairwell, and Clarke leans on the push-bar with her whole body, pleasantly surprised it doesn't shock her. She'll hold the door open for Clarissa next.

[flashedglass]

"Is it something I want to get used to?"

On one hand, she can't feel the universe here, and if she is no longer impacted by that universe, then maybe the strings of fate cannot reach here. That is a perk in favor of this place. But also, the elevator made her its personal enemy.

Noticing Clarke is holding the door for her she briskly passes the other girl.

[skaikru]

Want is so far off from even being a factor here, that it's almost laughable. However, even clouded over with a perpetually sour mood, Clarke has better taste than to simply grind out: you don't have a choice. Adapt or die is a very human dilemma, and seems to touch even those far stronger and mysterious than base mortals. Just because the newcomer looks human might not mean she actually is, and in the end it wouldn't even matter.

The question is ultimately ignored.

She waits for Clarissa to cross the threshold to let go of the door. It closes with a solid thunk that echoes in the otherwise empty stairwell.

"The floors are numbered. Where were you trying to go?"

c

[light_mischief]

Well, now he knows not to touch the buttons on the elevator.

"Oh, there's too much wrong to list," he says, approaching with his hands tucked in his jacket pockets. Not that it does much to hide the fact that he's a tall-ass skeleton... "But that's very much a new feature."

[flashedglass]

Oh no. Oh. No. It's talking. Not only that, but it is walking. It's not even alive. Execept it is. Shit. Is this actually Hell? If not. Why is there a walking, talking, skeleton wandering around. She doesn't back away, but she kind of leans in that direction like she might be itching to flee. At least he is dressed nicely.

"How would you know it is new. It's not like..." Wait. That's rude. Don't tell the living skeleton he can't feel stuff because he has no nerve endings. "Umm. I mean. I haven't been here long so I certainly wouldn't know."

[light_mischief]

He comes to a stop a few feet away, maintaining the same respectable distance any stranger would warrant.

"No, I can't imagine you've been here very long at all. You wouldn't be cringing quite so hard if you were used to seeing me wander around." He seems positively delighted by her wariness, tilting his head as he looks at the elevator buttons. "First day?"

[flashedglass]

Unfortunately, the skeleton's idea of a respectable distance does not match up with hers and she does take a step back.

"Yes. Yes it is." Her voice breaks ever so slightly as she tries not to panic.

The creepy lady with no face was one thing, but now there is a skeleton too. At least they both seem nice? Maybe?

[light_mischief]

"You don't have to worry," he says. "I'm a nice skeleton. Not a lich, or a zombie, or a physical manifestation of death itself."

He used to be a lot better at calming down new passengers, but that was before the sobering bout of madness he suffered.

"Why don't we start off easy. My name is Skulduggery Pleasant. And you are...?"

A

[aurthor]

"As a noun? No." Verb? All the time. At least he has the sense not to say that aloud. Arthur closes his sapphire eyes behind the glasses in thought. "Have you? It's supposed to be a holiday sort of thing, I take it?" Is he being kidnapped on holiday from his holiday? But where is Saint-Germaine or Leonardo then?

[flashedglass]

At least this person looks normal.

"I haven't. Been on my own for awhile and well, I'm a college student and therefore always broke."

Clarissa glances at the one called Friday again. The lack of a face causes her to cringe.

"Usually they are a type of vacation. I'm not convinced this one is."

[aurthor]

Looks can be deceiving!

Arthur's face is pure amusement, however. "What decade is that rule of thumb? In my time usually only the affluent can afford university whatsoever. What college are you attending?"

Glancing over at the faceless Friday, he keeps grinning all the same, "Now now, I have to wonder what strange affliction caused that. She bears well under the strain, doesn't she? Such a cheerful bird! We can at least pretend to her attentive chicks, especially if this isn't much holiday."

[flashedglass]

Clarissa frowns. "Columbia. I'm there on scholarship"

The strange person seems oddly cheerful for such a circumstance. Though, this place might not be a bad place to be. Cruises always looked like fun and she's been fairly carefree aside from the whole what happens after 21.

"I'm hoping it will be more holiday than not."

[aurthor]

"Brilliant! In lumine Tuo videbimus lumen." Columbia's motto: In thy light, we shall see the light. "Are you studying business then?" His reasoning is twofold, those who are always broke know the depths of its affliction better than those who never were, and why to fear it the most and willingly do what it takes to avoid succumbing, even if it means working so much harder than everyone else. Afgluwnt might go to study the arts, but a perpetually broke ambitious hungry type studied finance, and good on them for it. Secondly, Columbia in the Big Apple: the financial sector of the world, is well known for its business school above else. Cliches are only a cliche for a reason, and if she has full scholarship, she almost certainly has that potential to spread their reputation, as universities always scout. Thirdly, and privately, maybe it's wishful thinking. Theodorus is Arthur's best friend and a business genius. He doesn't miss him yet, but there's a reason Theo is his best friend, they get along so well! And cutthroat business leaders are the opposite of naive, always a relief in a potentially dangerous situation, however much he might be trying to lighten her mood and convince her to embrace the sunshine and motif.

"Always good to take breaks, pretty bird. Spread your wings and horizons. I'm Arthur, by the way," he offers her a handshake, shifting the life vest to do so. "Usually my holidays are more city affairs. It might be fun to try something new." It belies the anxiety threatening to bubble. Where are they? How did they get here? Where are his friends, his patron, Paris, his dog, the rest? Opposite Sherlock Holmes: Arthur will go out of his way to act hopeful to try to bring out smiles.

A

[intersected]

"Hm?" Chuck looks up when he's addressed, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. "Huh? Me? No, no way, kind of not a huge fan of the ocean." He looks out over the water, extending into infinity. "But I guess it's not like I have a choice but to be here. You know, short of going full Mutiny on the Bounty and all, but, uh...not really confident in my ability to do that."

Not that he couldn't, probably. But the damn Intersect is...well, he's trying to run Call of Duty on an Apple II here, so to speak.

"What about you? I hope at least someone is having fun."

[flashedglass]

"I. I don't know. I haven't been here long enough to decide."

She looks him up and down, he's a total nerd, she can tell just at a glance. But that's ok. So is she.

"I'm Clarissa."

[intersected]

"Chuck," he says, and holds his hand out to shake. For a total nerd, he looks like he's been through the wringer lately. This is a guy who's just come out of a fight, and looks like he's come off worse.

"So do you have any idea what's up with these leis? They don't seem particularly...usual."

[flashedglass]

"Nice to meet you, Chuck."

Clarissa glances down at the lei and grabs it to examine it more closely. It's a very odd lei.

"Hmm. I've never seen a lei made with bones before. It almost seems more like a...talisman of some kind. Maybe protective?" She shrugs, then gives him a big smile. "I'm excited to just kinda vibe though."

Escaping her fate might be easier than she thought.