TEST DRIVE MEME #3

[sailmods]

1. you're the only one you owe (GUEST STARRING: 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.]

Comments

[opheliac]

(there is something about how alex is behaving that makes her wiggle a brow -- her gaze start from her toes to her head; observing her very carefully before a grin spreads wide along her face. is she nervous around her? good. jinx enjoys making people nervous and uncomfortable, at times. they're easier to mess with when they're that way. although alex is attempting to keep distance, jinx only takes a few steps closer. she sways to her innocently but there's something hidden there in her movement. playful? fliratious? mixture of both?

clicking her tongue slowly, her chemical pinkish eyes resumes to glimpse over her with even another step closer.)

Hmm~. That's where you're wrong. You're plenty interestin'. Like, you're cute, for starters. That gets ya a point.

[colorwheels]

[ Just like before, the behavior might be more menacing if she could sense any real ill-intent from Jinx. Liking making people nervous... It could be worse. Jinx certainly isn't the first.

It's an act she's familiar with by now, done too many times to count, always with some new girl in the group home. At least now it feels more playful, rather than the troubled kid equivalent of cats testing the hierarchy.

Still, she has a little too much pride to let Jinx walk away thinking she could be made nervous so easily. The flirtation might be a little infectious itself.

There are worse things to do than flirt with pretty girls, really. ]

Maybe I shouldn't mention I also play guitar, then?

[ THERE IS NO GAY PANIC IN THE HOUSE OF CHEN. -- Gabe, probably. ]

[opheliac]

Oh, really? You just got yourself another point there. — Look at you, rackin' up.

(a grin and wink before taking a step back; now allowing her to give her some space.)

What kinda songs do you usually play? I got a few recorders of my own at my place. Maybe I oughta let ya borrow them, see whatcha think.

(sadly, it's just three but hey - better than listening to some of the music the ship provides. some are... a bit horrible, in her opinion.)

[colorwheels]

Covers, mostly. But I write my own music too. That usually stays in my journal, though.

[ The lack of her guitar is a true tragedy. ]

And I'd be willing to listen. I usually have headphones, but.. [ vague gestures at her poor, empty neck. ] Something to listen to would be awesome.

[opheliac]

Great! We'll make a play date sometime. The ship's got its own lil' karaoke thing, too. I don't mess with it much buuuut you can do your thing there.

(and for the first time in long while, jinx is actually feeling happy and excited over this! maybe someone ordinary was exactly what jinx needed in her life. sure, alex isn't the only one on this ship that's normal that she interacts with but almost all of them started off such a rocky start. some ended out smoothly and the other half continued on the rocky boat. so it's nice that with alex, it's still going rather nicely!)

[colorwheels]

[ It's impossible not to smile at that.

Yellow is definitely the best color. Making someone happy and knowing just feels good. ]

Sounds like a plan. I'm in cabin 132 if you ever want to stop by. If I ever find a guitar, maybe we could make some more music.

[opheliac]

Yes and double yes! One thirty two, got it...! Oh! — Should I show you around? I got time to spare.

(well, technically, they all sorta do. usually, she would start breaking things along the ship to start making new bombs but she'll make it today her day off.)

[colorwheels]

Sure. You mentioned a buffet?

[ Presuming that wasn't a sure fire way to being poisoned for the Captain's amusement. ]

[opheliac]

Yeah, yeah! Ya hungry? 'Cuz I'm starvin'. Sorta missed breakfast, eh heh heh...

('what am i doing? this is stupid. she's not going to like me in the long run, why am i even bothering? no one here really wants to be my friend. they're just fakes.' jinx turns on her heel with a spin -- braids flying around as she leads the way.)

— By the way, the food is preeettty good. Some I've never seen before.

[colorwheels]

[ Ouch. Been there.

It's not a feeling she can soothe automatically, though it's her first internal reaction. Maybe she should keep an eye out?

Here five minutes and already trying to save someone. I can hear Steph already. ]

I'm open to any and all recommendations.

[opheliac]

Okayokay, have you heard of "chicken bites"? I tried them once and it was the BOMB! — Especially the hot ones.

[colorwheels]

I have, but only the cheap kind where it's 99% breading. My cooking skills are...lacking.

[opheliac]

Looks like we're gonna have to teach ya, huh?

[colorwheels]

Would they let us into the kitchen here? Everything I've heard says cruise staff handles everything.

[opheliac]

(with a spin to face alex, there's that mischievous grin again as she sways back and forth -- braids flowing along.)

That's why we break in, silly.

[colorwheels]

[ In any other situation, she might be inclined to refuse that idea.

But if they were trapped in this weird ship anyway? ]

You know what? Why not. It's not like we chose to be here.

[opheliac]

That's the spirit, Goggles! — Let's raise SOME HAVOC!!

(jinx practically crackles in sheer glee as she bolts off the direction of the windjammer. she is totally forgetting that a) alex is new and doesn't know the way herself and b) she is mixed with shimmer so she moving faster than the norm. but luckily for alex, she isn't too far off -- she might still can hear her call out.)

[colorwheels]

[ AND SHE'S OFF.

Alex is left standing there dumb-founded for a moment, Jinx's speed alone more than enough to leave her dumbstruck. ]

Uh, Jinx. I don't know what way we're going?

[opheliac]

(she skids into a halt as she glimpse over to alex from a distance. oh. so she speeds right back by her side.)

Whoops, my bad!! We're goin' that way. (she points straight ahead.) — Then we're goin' in the elevator to the food palce.

[colorwheels]

Straight and then to the elevator. Got it.

[ Tucking her hands into the pockets of her jeans, Alex gives her a once over. ]

You on the track team? I don't think I've ever seen anyone run that fast.

[opheliac]

What's a "track team"?

[colorwheels]

A team of people who are so good at running they do it professionally. They win awards, I think.

[opheliac]

Huh. Nope, me runnin' fast is a recent thing. Kiiinda still gettin' use to the kinks of it. — Comes in handy, though.

[colorwheels]

[ If Jinx didn't know what a track team was, she definitely wouldn't understand any of the references that come to mind. ]

It's pretty amazing. I've never met anyone who moves that fast.