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TEST DRIVE MEME #3
1. you're the only one you owe (GUEST STARRING:
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selenokinesis and creepyoldguy)[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 Passengers(s),
You'll be unable to leave your cabin until you read this note. Congratulations on making it past the first step. Keep reading if you wish, as I have information to share with you, as a fellow passenger stuck aboard this ship. Or don't continue reading, and burn the note. I'm not particularly invested either way, especially if you choose to throw away valuable warnings.
Watch out for the Captain.
Be cautious what you sign up for.
If you die, you'll come back to life eventually, though I would recommend you try not to die.
Your life is the Captain's plaything.
Do not think for one moment that someone isn't watching you.
With that aside, I am now contractually obligated to tell you the following: You will find a life jacket within your cabin's closet, and you are required to bring it with you to your assigned muster station on deck one. A companion and I will take you through the drill. If you cannot find us, look for a tall male with white hair and blue eyes and a friendly-looking man with unkept brown hair and a winning smile.
Respectfully,
Moon Master Ebalon
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 two people standing at the front of the crowd: an exhausted-looking man with white hair who seems rather displeased that he's been roped into this, and a man with a wide grin, bright green tips on his hair, and amber eyes. the latter is waving cheerfully, having an armful of leis. he quite happily puts them around people’s necks and while they’re distracted, attempts to dip them into a kiss.
as he’s basically a walking corpse, and smells like one to boot, it’s not exactly hitting the jackpot. but, he does at least listen to the word “NO”.
the tired-seeming man ignores this and announces over the drone of chattering passengers like yourself,]
Welcome to the Serena Eterna. Do try to enjoy your stay here; it is rather permanent in nature, huhu.
[and from next to his companion, the… er, overly-affectionate man who sounds as though he smokes ten packs a day rasps,]
You’re all doomed!
[you touch the lei. rooster feathers, lotus seeds, and a carved circle of something white and hard, linked onto a silk string.
after the duo complete the drill, you'll find that your legs suddenly obey your command, for what that's worth.
welcome aboard, passenger. we hope you enjoy your stay.]
2. one by one they'll do you in
[it starts, as most things do, with a table lamp. floating down a hallway, or the length of the promenade. ambling at a distinct clip: one-two-three-KICK, one-two-three-KICK.
and that's... not immediately concerning. after all, things float around here all the time; usually plates and drinks, but maybe the shades want to mix it up a bit. the lamp is alone for about a half hour before it is joined by others. a pillow. some knickknack from the ship store. Friday's clipboard. an empty vodka bottle. all have lined up, one in front of the other, and lead a procession snaking around the ship, growing with each passing hour. anyone familiar with the concept would begin to recognize it as a massive conga line.
there is a small chance you will want to join of your own free will. most likely, you will not want that. this does not matter: something compels you, like pins and needles in your feet, to join the dance. and once you have joined in... your body fights your mind on the subject, even as it grows more and more tired.
you pass by a familiar face. they could help pull you out. or you could pull them in.]
3. the price of vice foretold
[the scent of citrus and coconut rum hangs heavy in the air. there is a new storefront on the promenade, tucked between Sand Dollars and John's in a place where you are very certain there was not enough space to tuck a store before.
the clothes for sale are... a lot. like, a lot a lot. but, there are quite a lot of choices, though they do seem to repeat a little, once you've gone in far enough. in fact, even if you actively attempt to find it, you can't seem to find the back of the store. you can see a wall, sure, but it never seems to get any closer, even as you walk towards it.
be forewarned: the infinite tommy bahama does not have food or water.]
no subject
[He offers a smile, cordial and thin and clearly tired since he's repeating his intentions to Law. Placing his hand to his chest, he offers a half-bow.]
Master Ebalon. A pleasure to meet you. As for the Captain... he spends most of his time locked away steering the ship, and in many cases, cannot be interacted with. On rare occasion, he makes himself known... [His face twists in disdain.] He's certainly not mortal. That, and he seems to have access to the life stories, secrets, and knowledge that all passengers aboard this ship have. This means he likely knows far too much about you, and therefore, should be considered an enemy well before he has the opportunity to turn your secrets against you.
no subject
On the one hand, he does have experience with it. ]
I'm Trafalgar Law. [ Seems only right to introduce himself in response.
Law tucks the card away into an inside pocket in his jacket, so now he only has to juggle his sword and the life jacket.
He's sure this guy doesn't want to stand around and answer questions from any newcomer who finally stumbles by, dazed expression on their face and life jacket in hand, but Law cares a little more about getting what answers he can than he cares about not inconveniencing someone who's already shown himself to be at least somewhat knowledgeable and forthcoming.
Not that Law completely trusts anything he's been told yet. It's nothing personal. ]
I'm not exactly thrilled about waking up on another captain's ship, but it sounds like he isn't exactly making himself available for... passengers. [ There's a lot of disdain in that word.
But that's fine - Law can wait for the man in charge to appear. It'll give him time to get his bearings, learn more, and plan a method of attack. ]
You seem to know a lot. How long have you been here?
no subject
I arrived roughly three months ago, give or take some. Within that time period, I have seen the Captain exactly one time, though I do believe that he has shown himself to others a time or two. Still, that ought to put it into perspective for you exactly how unavailable he is.
[Ebalon shakes his head, but perhaps of more interest to him now is the mention of "another captain's ship".]
If you don't mind my inquiry — are you versed in seafaring at all? Your mention of waking up on "another" ship makes it seem so.
no subject
Well, it's fine if he's hiding. Just like Kaido, he'll need to be drawn out. ]
I'm a pirate. [ He expects some reaction to this, and statistically, not a positive one. ] I can't sense any of my crew here, so it seems like I was the only one grabbed.
What was it like, the one time you saw the Captain?
no subject
I believe, based on anecdotal evidence, there are other pirates stuck here. You may find that you aren't alone in that. But, to answer your other question... the Captain is, first and foremost, immune to magic — from what I can gather, anyhow. Secondly, the first time I saw him in person, he manifested into the room via turning into smoke and slipping into the enclosed space from underneath the door. At which point, he proceeded to kill a woman named Gal Friday who is usually at the service desk here and normally runs these drills.
...
The first revelation came about because I tried to retaliate against the Captain after that, huhu. My magic phased through him as if I had thrown a stone into water.
no subject
What sort of magic? [ Because it's good to get an idea of what, exactly, has been tried, right? ] What did you try to do to him?