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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
[ She says matter-of-factly with a broad sweep of her arms. ]
None of us like being stuck here, but standing around in some fucking hallway is a shitty way to protest. At least get the drill over with so you can start flipping tables, ehn?
no subject
It's... that's just not the point, okay? I know I gotta do the drill. I would have done the drill if they let me walk there myself! I just can't!
[And the longer he fights that compelling urge to turn back, the more his panic is amping up. He can feel static prickling at the back of his neck, and he reaches up to hold his head, pressing the palms of his hands into his eyes to try to focus on that pressure instead of the pressure rising in his skull.
Eventually, he speaks again, voice a little weaker.]
Listen. I know you're a stranger and I sound fucking crazy right now but. Do you know any way I can get them to stop this whole part of the cruise experience? The controlling my body thing. Specifically.
no subject
Nope. Welcome aboard, the Captain can control our bodies whenever he wants, and it only ends when he wants it to end. If it makes you feel better, he's only done it to me at the drill and once at a party. I don't know why you have an issue with it, but... there's other people here who have issues with being controlled, ehn?
no subject
[He can feel his knees shaking and starting to buckle, though he doesn't even know if this weird compulsion will allow him to collapse or not.]
I have an issue with it because I literally just promised myself I wouldn't get dragged around like a meat puppet again, and I'd honestly rather die than break that promise. Seriously. This is way too fucked!
no subject
It fucking sucks, but at least you've had experience with it, then. Go through shit, come back stronger, ehn? Do you want me to carry you up to the drill?
[ It was offered in earnest. The kid was kind of shrimpy and she trusted her own strength to prevail where the kid's wouldn't. ]
no subject
[And yes, there is a tiny part of him yelling at himself for accepting the fact that a girl is strong enough to pick him up, but he can ignore his own ingrained misogyny for the sake of his own sanity.]
I just really don't wanna do this, to the point where I, uh, don't even physically know if I could accept it.
no subject
[ Darcy's probably not even exaggerating. She mentally calculates the quickest way up to the deck, then picks him up in a fireman's carry. Sure, it's not fun carrying the weight of a whole person, but she can always use the exercise. ]
Like I said, we all have shit. You don't have to scream it from the rooftops or anything, but-
[ Some-when else, in an apartment in Lyon, a girl is crying, and a spirit watching over her says- ]
-people can't really help if they don't know something's wrong. And people suck, obviously, but some people here are cool.
no subject
[Rich yelps a bit with surprise as he's suddenly hoisted over the girl's shoulder. She did not look strong enough to do that so suddenly. It's all right, though, once he gets over the bit of dizziness. Carrying him will help. And... what she's saying helps a bit too.]
...I get you. I... thanks. I'm not really used to talking about the stuff that bugs me. Or I cover it up with a lot of anger.
no subject
[ The conversation had suddenly veered way to close to home for her comfort, so Darcy engages in her most reliable defense mechanism; a silence that could freeze most to the bone. After a short while, she starts listing out the points of interest, taking the opportunity to stop for short moments. Kid's surprisingly dense. ]
There's a dining room upstairs, but I think most people usually eat at the buffet. The food's okay. There's... honestly not a lot of shit to do. Hope you like reading. Or arcades, I guess.
[ Not that she's been in it. It's kind of sad going to an arcade by yourself. ]
no subject
Huh, multiple dining rooms? Guess we're getting full service here. Swanky.
[He beams when she mentions the arcade though.]
Hey, that sounds fun! Reading maybe if I'm absolutely desperate, but arcades have got DDR! And Sonic, probably! Maybe if we're lucky, there's a fighting game and we can get a tourny going.
no subject
[ She defrosts a bit, now that the topic has changed to the reality of life aboard the ship. ]
I haven't really been in there. But I'll kick your ass in anything, I think I'd be good at DDR.
no subject
[Brooke always talked about going, but he can't remember if he took her up on the offer to check out the new boba shop before everything went to shit.
He snorts at her confidence, shaking his head.]
You can't just think you'd be good at DDR! You've gotta actually try it first! It's way different than dancing.
no subject
[ She does a little shuffle in place to demonstrate. Then immediately regrets it, because he's fucking heavy. But hey, that might be an idea for training... ]
Just means I'll need to work a little harder to kick your ass.
no subject
[He grins, even if she... still can't see it like this.]
Tell you what. I can kick your ass in DDR, and then you can kick my ass fencing, right? That'll be a good workout.
no subject
[ Finally at the right spot, and Darcy's limbs all ached with the strain. ]
I'll see you around then, ehn, short stack?
no subject
Yeah... um. After this, I'll treat you to dessert or something? You look like you could use the sugar. Sorry... for making you carry me all this way.
no subject
[ She dismisses herself with a small salute, and goes to make her way back to her cabin again, slightly less hurried than she had been before. She was absolutely going to just pass out on the couch once she got back. ]
no subject
[He barely has time to question such a bizarre statement before she's on her way away from the deck. What a weird girl... but it's not like Rich has room to talk. He'll have to track her down some other time and try to get her to agree to hanging out a little longer.]