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]

(finally, she stops and swings around to face her -- eyes narrowing and removing her hands away from her ears out of frustration.)

Ugh! — Shut UP, already!! Why haven't you left yet?! I've already said you weren't here so you're suppose to be gone!

(well, usually. sometimes even when she acknowledges that something isn't there, it doesn't necessarily go away just because of it. exasperated, she exhales out a groan while pinching the bridge of her nose.)

I'm not gonna do the dumb feather thing. It...It takes too long and I can't focus right now. So just...go away, please.

[ex_heaved685]

[ Vi has only seen her sister caught up in an episode twice now, it’s still unfamiliar and she has yet to piece together exactly what or who she is trying to address, but it doesn’t sit right with her. She doesn’t want to say the wrong thing, especially with so much Shimmer flowing through Powder that has no obvious source.

But… ]

Feather thing? Like the chair?

[ The “Jinx” chair. With its crown of feathers from a most definitely dead bird. But why would that be here? Vi shakes her head. ]

Powder, I’m not a… I’m here. Really here. See?

[ Vi slows her walk to fish out a set of keys from her jacket pocket. Her room keys. She gestures, miming throwing them underhand as a heads up before actually throwing them. They chime as they sail through the air. ]

Head to that room. I gotta pee, anyway.

[ She gives Powder a grin, trying to encourage levity into the situation. See? It’s all fine. ]

[opheliac]

(real or fiction? real or fiction? it's so hard to tell for her but when the key flies to her direction, jinx catches it and peers down -- now noticing this whole time she's been trembling -- well, her hands are anyway. jinx exchange glances between her sister and that room; thinking if this will lead her to danger or nothing at all.

what vi might see that is probably very strange is while her little sister is standing completely still, the end of her braids seem to be sway very faintly on its own? and for jinx, she feels a small gust along her cheek. they are definitely in an area with no breeze can swarm through at all. so how is her hair doing that? her sister will find it very weird but not to jinx, seeing she knows exactly where this little wind is coming from.

with a deep breath, she tightens her grip on the key and cautiously heads to the door. and what's surprising to her that it unlocks, so that's...real? but she still feels so unsure so slowly she pushes the door with her palm but then quickly backs away from it. thanks to jenny almost drowning her in the pool, sometimes her hallucinations deal with whenever she opens anything, she'll get flooded with water. but this time, it's not happening. it's just an ordinary cabin like all the others.)

...

[ex_heaved685]

[ Powder’s body language shifts, and Vi smiles a little to herself at that mild win. Then her eyes catch on her braids rustling in an unseen breeze. Where is there a breeze in a sealed off haul? Her eyes flick upwards to the vents in the ceiling, but she can’t feel air pumping out of them and she’s taller than Powder… so, where—

The sound of her cabin door opening distracts her from that line of thought. Powder is hesitating and Vi curses when she remembers the state of her room. ]

Yeah, sorry. Don’t worry about the mess, it’s from my fist. I just haven’t had time to clean it up. It’s all mine.

[ She thinks the blood smears against the wall is what has given Powder pause. As quietly as she can manage, Vi jogs the rest of the distance until she’s right up against Powder’s elbow. She takes two fingers and gently presses against her sister’s arm to encourage her inside. But Vi is tense. She definitely remembers how fast Powder moves now. How easily she got the drop of her when she was least expecting it. She has to be ready for violence, it seems like the inevitable of their family now. ]

C’mon, Pow-pow. Bet a place this fancy has huge ship rats ready to bite idle ankles.

[ Maybe that will cheer her up. If Vi’s memory serves correctly, Powder always had a love for mice and furry critters. ]

[opheliac]

(she is listening but not listening all the same. she is still trying to distinguish what is her reality and what's not. jinx thinks maybe if she starts with the basics and then work her way up, maybe then she can separate this in two columns. right so first things first, she is real. a dumb way to start but it is a starting point.

the ship, itself, is also real. her feet hitting against the floorboards, stairs, and the feel of the cool metal to her palm against doors are proof of that. so the question of the day is if her sister is real. but before she could even fathom over that thought, vi is beside her and the touch of her fingers against her arm sends waves of electricity down her spine. inhaling a small gasp, her gaze quickly moves to her hand then up to her. she...touched her. her hallucinations never touch her -- so this meant...)

(her body is moving on her own as she step inside along with vi until finally, she snaps herself out of her daze.)

Vi, wait, wait.

(dare she try to touch her back? there's a huge lump in her throat down and her lips are like sandpaper dry before hesitatingly lifting a hand -- her finger press along the sleeve of her jacket. she feels the material...)

You...you really are here.

(her voice is barely above a whisper -- so hushed.)

[ex_heaved685]

[ Vi stops at the tug on her jacket and she glances back at Powder. It’s an eerie sense of deja-vu, a conversation they’ve had before. She looks so hopeful and Vi doesn’t know what to think about that. Not when the sting of Powder’s– no, Jinx’s rejection still hangs heavy in Vi’s mind.

Vi would have tried to understand Powder and help her in any way. Would have torn down Piltover's best institutes and buildings to get it done if she had to.

But Jinx couldn’t accept that Vi wanted her to be better. To be Powder. She had ended their future, before it even had gotten started.

A lump forms in Vi’s throat but she tries her best to swallow that down along with the sting of being unwanted. ]

Yeah, it’s me. I’m here.

[ Does she address the elephant in the room? ]

Listen, Powder, I know you– I just wanted to make sure you’re okay, okay? You don’t have to talk to me again if that’s what you really want, but–

[ What’s she trying to say here exactly? Vi doesn’t know. She inhales, shakily. ]

Are you hurt?

cw: death and suicide thoughts cause that's fun yaaaay...

[opheliac]

(what in the world is she talking about? of course she wants to talk to her again. for three months, it's just been her on this boat and no one else she knew. and at first, she thought maybe it was a blessing in disguise -- to forget everything happening in zaun, piltover, them, to just start anew and make this her second shot in life. and in the beginning, it started off that way. she was gaining friends little by little and her world was slowly becoming colorful and beautiful again. even with pirate jenny storming in (literally), insulting her and even haunting her to this day, jinx still managed to have support through it.

but it was when she hosted her party when the colors for her started to fade. she experienced, well, not her first boy crush -- a second one but her very first rejection; her first heartbreak. she didn't know how to handle it or deal with it. she always hoped vi would be there when it came to those things but...she wasn't there. jinx, luckily, had a few that helped her through it but often times, she was left alone to cry. then the battle royale fiasco happened -- she killed someone that day and even now, she is proud of it. but when she was going up against lucy, how she injured jinx so horribly to where she couldn't even crawl for safety -- she decided to just...off herself with her own explosive.

jinx always imagined her death being that way; alone with no one. but when that reality hit her of it actually happening, she thought of fio, venti, silco, and vi then cried as she pulled the pin. when she woke the next day, her world was just dark after that. she roamed around for hours like the dead and even attempted to just burn the entire ship down -- didn't work, of course. fio, whom was on the boat watching the battle royale on the TV screens, she saw jinx crackling in madness and in full smiles while she killed. and she distanted herself from her and then at the same time, venti made a decison to be with mizuki instead of her. )

(everything had been crushing for her and she was losing so much hope to the point she even considered the captain's offer to get rid of her curse. if she let him feed off of her jinx, she will die permanently and she was ready to be fine with that. rin stopped her from doing so, she still isn't sure why a cyborg wanted her to reconsider and claimed it'll miss her if she were gone but. then ekko showed up out of nowhere and then the day after, instantly she got thrown back to zaun. and so much happened back home that she is still trying to figure out what's what. vi left her for caityln again on the bridge and then being brought to singed as an attempt to save her life.

the procedure was so painful -- all she can remember was screaming and begging it all to just stop. and when she opened her eyes again, here she was once more on this stupid boat. so when vi asks her if she is hurt, jinx can't control herself as her pink tears stream rapidly down her cheeks.)

"Hurt"...? All I've been feeling is hurt.

(sobbing, she throws herself into vi's arms and clings into an embrace desperately.)

Why...Why won't it all just stop?

yaaay.....

[ex_heaved685]

[ This is such a far cry from the tone of their last confrontation that Vi feels nothing but alarm. While Jinx had been filled with fire and retribution this just seems hurt and wounded. Vi catches her sister’s weight easily, using one of her legs to stop her from tipping ass-backwards into the cabin. They stay upright, but just so.

Panic seizes Vi because what if something is seriously wrong, she couldn't even begin to fix the damage between them before let alone additional problems, but—

She swears and loops her arms under Jinx's legs to haul her up bridal style, swing the door shut behind them with her hip. She walks over to the bed and sets Jinx down on her side, rubbing a hand up and down her arm, soothing. ]

Hey, hey, hey... it's okay.

[ It's so stupid, Vi is aware. How are empty words like that suppose to help? But it's somewhere to start. ]

Just breath, Powder, okay? It's going to be alright. I promise.

[ A dangerous promise to make, but Vi is aware that in the past Jinx would hold on to her every word like it was written in stone gospel, so maybe believing she'll be okay will win half this battle for them. ]

After everything you think a dumb ship is going get the best of us?

[opheliac]

(jinx doesn't bother to protest or jerk away when she is carried. and much, much later, she will kick herself for showing such weakness especially to her of all people. she is suppose to prove she can live on without her -- that she didn't need her stupid big sister.

but just like pirate jenny predicted, "you were already broken before you got here, weren't you? And he is going to shatter you." -- and funny how this can both lead to either the captain or venti. for her, the two of them are just different kinds of cruel.)

as she peers up to her -- her fingers still clinging to her jacket -- rapidly shaking her head.)

No, no it's not going to be okay. I-I've been here alone for so long. A-And this place is horrible! I hate it here. No matter what I do, I just..keep...ruining everything.

(it might be a little difficult to understand her with her speaking through sobs and choking up.)

I tried to...to make friends and they — (a pause.) —people keep leaving me.

[ex_heaved685]

[ Vi lets her talk, it's better for her to speak to Vi than spectres that Vi can't see or touch, but one part of her distressed rambling catches Vi's attention. ]

Powder... You...

[ How does she put this? ]

How long is long?

[ Vi's mind races through calculations... to her perception, Jinx could have only been out of her sight for at most 14 hours. Vi watched her leave with the crystal to carry out whatever fucked up thing Silco had assigned her. But... maybe she really was sleeping much longer than she had thought. ]

[opheliac]

(whenever jinx gets over this overwhelming emotion and shock, she is going to have to give vi a very long harsh talk about calling her, "powder". she build a reputation here after all and the last she needs is having the entire ship referring her to that name. but for now and for today, she'll let it slide.

finally letting go of her grip, she uses her forearm to dry away her tears then a sniff.)

Three months? Give or take. — Boy Savior's here too but he's only been here for a couple of weeks. Before that, it's just been me. This place is all... magic-y so time is whacked.

[ex_heaved685]

[ It's like a blow to the head. Vi already sort of got the impression that the ship wasn't normal. Not with the descriptions of a faceless hostess, indestructible captain, and people coming back to life. But for some reason, having her sister confirm that the happenings of the ship are well beyond anything hextech or the arcane could dream up is very sobering.]

Ekko's here?

[ Vi hears herself ask the question, it's a temporary thing to say with her mouth as her thoughts race around and bump into one another. Vi sits down on the bed, perched on the edge next to where Jinx lays. ]

Months. We just saw each other, Powder. We were having a conversation and then you left when—

[ The words stick in her throat. She can't say it. ]

How did they get you?

[opheliac]

I don't know. The Captain told me in his words, "he swoops up whoever falls in his net". And I left here before but then he brought me right back.

(she scoffs before combing her fingers through her bangs.)

Guess he missed feedin' off of me or somethin'.

[ex_heaved685]

[ A lot is getting laid out quickly here, but that last sentence gives Vi a large pause. She twists her body to look Jinx straight in the face. ]

Feeding on you? What the hell does that mean?

[ Her eyes flick over Jinx to see if there's any obvious sign of... bites? Vi really doesn't know how to interpret that other than flesh ]

[opheliac]

Not just me, on all of us. The way the Captain gets stronger is by feedin' off of our fear, anger, sadness, all of that.

(and she doesn't need to say much more to that. even jinx is aware she tend to get extremely angry and that emotion is like a giant meal for the captain to have. and with vi having her own anger, that just makes the two sisters being the greatest buffet for him.)

[ex_heaved685]

[ Vi watches Jinx carefully, turning it over. Maybe it's another one of those Arcane things. A power, magic, energy, that doesn't make sense to anyone but those who have it. And this Captain does. ]

Someone told me he can't be beat. Have you ever seen him?

[opheliac]

Yeah, you try hittin' him or stabbin' him, he just absorbs your blow or it just goes right through him.

(deciding to get a little more comfortable, jinx removes her boots and begins to settle more in on her bed. lying there on her back, she rests her hands on her stomach and stares up at the cabin's ceiling.)

Yyyep! Had a full blown conversation with him, actually. ... He knew about Zaun and everythin' so... that was unsettlin'. — Reeallly hate when people know so much about us but we don't know a thing about 'em.

[ex_heaved685]

[ It's a small relief now that Jinx's tears are starting to dry and she's getting more relaxed. Vi wonders if she can maybe coax her to sleep a little. The deathly pallor of her skin and the permanent black smudges under her eyes makes her heavily suspect that Jinx isn't getting near enough sleep. ]

'Everything'? So, he's like... what. Exactly. Why is someone that powerful wasting their time on a boat? There's got to be like a million better things to do out there.

[ It's a rhetorical question. Vi doesn't expect Jinx to know more than she can guess the reason, but it feels helpful to express the disbelief out loud. ]

[opheliac]

(vi definitely has a very good eye because she hadn't been sleeping. with her own personal problems, still getting use to her new shimmer self, and with hallucinations and nightmares worsening -- she may only get three hours in, tops. )

Who knows. Maybe he's a magic-y being who just get crazy bored.

(she gives out a nonchalant shrug while swinging her feet gingerly.)

— I mean I sorta get it. I get pretty bored easily too and I get an itch of wantin' to blow up buildings. Makes the day exciting so I guess it's a lil' like that for him, too.

[ex_heaved685]

Bored, huh?

[ It's been a long time since Vi has had the luxury of being bored. Stillwater thrived on keeping mental stimulation low, and over time Vi settled into the feeling of ennui and became comfortable with feeling bored out of her skull. But if she had the power and ability to rip it all apart… it would be tempting. She has to admit that much.

Vi hunches forward, leg bouncing as she thinks it over. ]

Let’s keep the bombs off the ship, yeah?

[opheliac]

(she makes raspberry sounds with her lips and almost sink into a laugh -- assuming she's joking. but then for second, jinx glances over to her sister with her eyebrows raise and a smirk of disbelief.)

Oh, wait. You're actually serious? — Weelllll, hate to break the news to ya, Vi. But they're already on the ship. And my pistol, and machine gun, Oh oh! And you can't forget my lovely Fishbones. He's a lil' useless, though. He was gifted to me without a rocket. Now all he does is yammer on to me about table manners.

[ex_heaved685]

[ An arched eyebrow gets angled at Jinx. ]

I mean let's not set them off, Powder.

[ Vi eyes her over large hoodie, suddenly very suspicious that the large swaths of fabric might be hiding some sparkles or cherry bombs in its depths. ]

I can't believe they even gave you those. Even without the rocket.

[ She doesn't address the table manners thing, because well, she doesn't really know what to think about that. ]

[opheliac]

Killjoy. (and even playfully sticks her tongue out of her.) — I mean the whole point of this place is to off each other so why wouldn't he? I'm just surprised no one has tried to rob 'em from me yet.

(she arches her back in a small stretch while letting out a sigh. jinx has almost forgotten how soft these beds can be. but some nights, the beds are a little too soft for her to be comfortable.)

Buuuut doin' that will be a quick death wish for anyone.

[ex_heaved685]

[ That gives Vi a very long pause, her mood suddenly shifting to sullen and melancholy. She's picking at the fabric of the bed's comforter, her fingers finding a loose thread to play with and pry into a longer piece. ]

Have you ever shot something that big before? At anyone?

[opheliac]

Huh, whaddya mean? You mean with Fishbones?

(she's a bit puzzled by her question because shooting is something that she does overall? and from jinx's point of view, everything she does is big. either go big or go home is one of her many mottos.)