TEST DRIVE MEME #1

[sailmods]

1. now it's fun to wake up in a strange chateau

[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! We're so glad to have you!

[you touch the lei. rooster feathers, lotus seeds, and a carved circle of something white and hard, linked onto a silk string.]

2. messing with my mind was fun at the time

[freshly lei'd, your legs are forced to lead out onto the deck and towards your muster station. the same woman is there, carrying a clipboard. this time, she introduces herself as Gal Friday, the cruise director, before immediately going into the muster drill spiel. it is very boring, and you are not allowed to move, except when you are required to show you know how to put your life vest on. you could try to not do this, but Friday will move to stand in front of you very closely and just. look in your direction until such a time that you decide to do it. and I'm sure your fellow passengers want you to just get on with it, too.

but, once it ends? she reiterates her desire to welcome you aboard. and, then, you're free.

well, free to move about the ship at your own leisure, of course. which is a kind of free, and probably the best one you can hope for. you could try to escape, maybe, if you have the means to; Friday certainly won't be one to stop you. that's what the barrier is for, after all.

but, wouldn't you much rather have fun?

the buffet is full. the pool is open. the casino jingles and chimes.

welcome aboard.]

3. lots of mystery in the history of the devils I knew

[you were never alone.

a few days have passed since you first arrived on the Serena Eterna. perhaps you've made yourself a little routine, and settled in a bit. or maybe you haven't done that at all. either way, you're here, and it looks like somebody is pretty pissed off about it.

it starts small. sometimes nearby plates skid off tables, or a pool chair upends while you're walking next to it. and sometimes that chair is aimed right at your head. objects are moving with quickly increasing frequency, and a wide variety of styles: some are dropped, or pushed, and others and others are tossed, but a few of the items are thrown, with great force and odd accuracy. if Friday is around during the lighter moments, she simply titters and cleans up whatever mess is made. if a pot of soup sails off the buffet line and nearly drenches you in boiling minestrone, she simply walks away.

and then there's the voices. hundreds, maybe thousands, calling out. not all are intelligible English, but you seem to understand them anyway. some sound scared, or angry. some are screams, others whispers. some sound entirely strange, while others are achingly familiar. and they're all saying the same exact thing:

Get Out.]

Comments

Wisely | D.Gray-man

[hoboish]

A) it's fun to wake up

[ Perhaps you are Wisely's bunkmate. Perhaps you run into him on the "walk" toward deck one, since everyone so conveniently has a choice and all. Either way, what you are faced with is a young-looking man with stark white hair, some sort of weird belly shirt going on, oh and what looks like up to 3 extra eyes on his forehead (rest assured there are three there, but their appearance is open to interpretation). Despite everyone rousing from slumber, he maybe looks like he hasn't slept ever. ]

I don't remember signing up for a vacation, but I'd take one.

[ He pauses a moment, watching some people come and go. What he's actually doing is reading their thoughts, frowning after two or three of them. ]

... If it wasn't guaranteed to be a giant headache.

[ Are you looking at him? But he's just having a completely normal conversation with himself. ]

Can I help you?

B) Fun to mess with your mind

[ Despite the rocky start, he's still content to try and have himself a good time. If they're going to give free refreshments and poolside service, then??? Why waste it. Also gambling is very easy when you can read minds.

He's not hanging around the casino though. At the moment, he's by the pool, wearing just his pants, and the bandana around his head. He's lounging in a chair with his normal eyes closed, a fruity drink with a lil umbrella settled beside him. Careful not to think enviously of it (it will be a challenge, he knows)!

But also, invite him to swim or exchange conversation? He sucks at both. ]

Oh I'm just here for show. Don't block my sun.

C) Devils I knew

— Well that was very rude.

[ He's commenting about Friday just wandering away from him as he narrowly escapes a falling cauldron of hot soup. He can already sense that things are "off" about this boat ... aside from the obvious "nobody knows how they got here or why they can't leave" part. But the least their host can do is be ... hospitable!! Always!

Anyway, despite finding some time to relax and enjoy himself and eat to his heart's content, Wisely is back to being highly irritated. Other passengers' were bad enough. But he keeps hearing hundreds and hundreds of those other voices. Normally the terror would excite him but it's just too much. He sometimes snaps at people who get too close to him, even though his lashing out is meant for a bodyless voice. ]

No you get out.

( Note!: If you cannot tell already, Wisely is a telepath! Please let me know if your character is immune to this. Likewise, if he is able to read their thoughts, feel free to give me some fodder in your tags lmao. He can choose not to listen, so if you'd rather he not, he could play nice for a little. Only a little though. Let me know if you have questions! )

A!

[selenokinesis]

[Mindreader, meet someone with mind magic. Well, except that Ebalon isn't using any right now, though he has a preternatural sense of when someone's skimming his thoughts. He allows this for the time being, as it's the most entertaining thing that's happened to him all morning. Wisely gets to hear such fun things as,

"Oh, that certainly is several extra eyes. Connections to Henir, perhaps?"

"Is he speaking with himself? —Yes, yes he is. Alright then."

When their eyes lock, Ebalon manages a low, soft laugh.]

You're quite talkative, aren't you?

Mitsunari Ishida | Sengoku Basara

[calloutpost]

Red Path.
[ Fellow passengers might quickly come to recognize Mitsunari as That Guy-- you know, the jackass who tossed his lei on the ground, then stalled the lifejacket fitting process for everyone by bluntly asking what the point of a "life" vest is to the dead? And then spent a full minute in a staring contest with a woman with no eyes before finally putting it on? He didn't even thank her for showing him how to do it. Maybe that's even why someone would choose to approach him.

He also just naturally stands out with his intense, gloomy aura and equally edgy spiked armour. Even his hair tapers on a sharp point. Japanese history buffs might even recognize the crest embossed on his chestplate.

He stands on the deck after the presentation, glowering sullenly at the watery expanse for quite some time before he withdraws to the room he woke up in. He doesn't reemerge until the voices start. ]

Blue Path.
[ Get out.

Get out.

Get out.

Shuuut UP.

Mitsunari can't pinpoint where the voices are coming from, but he knows right away that they irritate him to no end. Some gaggle of idiots sure thinks they're funny.

It doesn't take very long for him to snap at thin air when the voices follow him into the halls. He spreads his arms wide in exasperation. ]

So be it! Go ahead and part the sea itself if you wish me gone! I will gladly walk away from this accursed wreck.

[ His sarcasm is just as barbed as the rest of him.

Truth is, Mitsunari has already come to the conclusion that this is some vessel for lost souls, an eternal punishment for those who had one job and failed miserably beyond repentance. He accepts that he'll be miserable here. He deserves it. But can't he at least be tormented in a way that makes sense?

He whirls on the next poor soul he happens to come across, getting all up in their face with a scowl on his. ]

You, tell me-- Whose voice is that? And how much do they value their tongue?

[ That sword he carries at all times, though sheathed, isn't just for show. ]

Mystery Path
[ Choose your own adventure! Maybe someone particularly friendly/bold/foolish wants to chat him up. Maybe he has a roommate. Maybe someone finds him struggling to force down some sushi rice at the Mikabo because he finally got hungry but he's also seasick. Maybe he cuts down a chair flying at somebody's head in tge nick of time-- not to save them, but for the 1.2 seconds of stress relief it provides him. Or maybe you have something else in mind. Go nuts. ]

blue path;

[seclusionary]

[Shenhe has to try very, very hard not to lash out when an unfamiliar man turns to her with venom on his tongue, tamping down her instinct to respond to... well, to respond to everything with violence. This place is probably not exactly what her Master imagined for her future when Shenhe left the mountains, but they probably wouldn't appreciate senseless violence either.

Still, she tenses and remains poised to fight, because maybe this man is a threat. Her guard will never be let down.]

...

[...]

I don't think these spirits have tongues.

[They seem to be lacking a bit when it comes to corporeality.]

shenhe | genshin impact

[seclusionary]

i;
[When Shenhe wakes up in an unfamiliar room, her first instinct is to get out of there. A totally reasonable desire, except all of her focuses channels on the door and the neatly folded note gets barely a glance.

Which is unfortunate for whoever's still sleeping in the other bed, because the sound of someone hitting the door at full force is incredibly loud. The door doesn't budge at all, but at least Shenhe isn't going to keep hitting the door. She's familiar enough with adeptal realms to assume that if physical force won't work on the door, there must be something else that will open it.

If only she knew what that was and there was a clue right in front of her that she could see.]

ii;
[This ship is unlike any she's ever seen before, though Shenhe hasn't actually been on a ship before. Liyue is a harbor city, certainly, and she's not bad terms with Captain Beidou or anything, but she's never felt compelled to board one. There are probably a few similarities, but no ship she's seen dock in Liyue has been quite as large as this one. You just couldn't fit all of these different, extravagant rooms even on the Pearl Galley. There's not enough space on something that's not tied to an adeptal realm.

Which she doesn't think this place is, as odd and unfamiliar as it is. It doesn't feel the same as her Master's abode and no sign of adeptal energy. Something else, then, but as she explores the ship she gets less and less answers and more and more questions.

Most of the questions are just "what is that?", though.

She explores as much of the ship as she can, annoyed at the barrier and inaccessible areas before she moves on. There's so much to see and so many things she doesn't recognize that she can be found lingering in most spaces. Eventually she'll settle in the buffet, grabbing a plate of flowers and herbs, and will slowly pick at them as she watches the people around her.

There's so many.]

...Hello.

[She's not alone at this table, and it's probably good practice to speak to the people she's going to be stuck with for the foreseeable future. It's a pity she's not very good at that, yet.]

iii;
[You could say that Shenhe has some experience with evil spirits and dark beasts - you could say that horrid creatures shaped her life more then even the adepti and it wouldn't even be wrong. So once things start moving on their own and the whispers begin, Shenhe isn't necessarily surprised. She might not have been able to train in the exorcism techniques of her family, but she knows the adeptal arts and a thing or two about fighting.

Also, she has fantastic reflexes.

The sailing chair hits a wall of ice, clattering to the floor harmlessly. She can't see whoever threw the chair, but she nods at the other person in the room, holding a talisman made of wispy, pale blue energy.]

I will protect you, but it might be for the best if you leave.

[This isn't a foe that you can win against, she finds, as the whispers of spirits she does not know and cannot see chant in her mind. Still, perhaps for the best to not stay in one place for too long.]

wildcard;
[Feel free to throw whatever you want at me, or reach out to hash out some plans by PMing this journal!]

ii.

[fortify]

[ Zhongli knows that voice. He knows it enough that he lowers the book he has taken from the library to obtain a visual confirmation as to whom it is. ] Shenhe. You have found yourself here, as well.

[ he's glad to see her, but also concerned that she is stuck here, as well. The ex-archon immediately looks to her plate in dismay, however. Maybe he should focus on what she's eating first before being worried about the grand picture of their situation. ]

Ah... are those flowers edible? Some of the flowers here I have found are not... real.

[ please don't eat plastic or something else equally unhealthy, shenhe. he knows why she is choosing to eat as she did back home, but... ] It may be a wise decision for you to consume more of the human realm's food while we are here. I am skeptical of the nutrients content being anywhere near what you normally require.

[ he is sorry he is being such a grandpa and fussing on what she's eating like he's a parent... just not sorry enough to not do it. ]

clarke griffin | the 100

[skaikru]

II. radiation burns & chocolate cake ( messing with my mind )

( when does a welcome not feel like a welcome? oh yeah, when it's tacked onto the end of your abduction indoctrination by the faceless embodiment of harlan ellison's worst nightmare. nothing about this entire experience is entirely tracking, and looking past the boxy green hazmat suit and the burnt, blistering skin on her face (somewhere between how are you alive? and that's a really terrible sunburn), all the churning gears in clarke griffin's head are clearly displayed on her face. a tight set in her jaw, the deep crease between her brows, and the hard way she looks left and right — trying to gauge immediate danger and any exit routes.

not that an exit route into the middle of some landmark-less stretch of ocean was really a viable option. she's not an amazing swimmer, and an even worse captive.

but they're given leave to roam, and she's off like an arrow seeking a weak point in enemy armor. feel free to encounter this crispy blonde bulldozer:

a. lurking around staircases, having acquired a piece of paper and a pencil somewhere, and very obviously trying to go places she shouldn't. the tallest point of the ship, for example, set to glare out across sun-streaked water until she goes blind or sees a bird.

b. very briefly passing the entrance to the casino, admittedly sidetracked by the musical jingles and chatter. bright lights and the pleasant thrum of modern (ancient) human life are almost more alien than faceless cruise directors and nameless bodies of water, and she's still staring into the gambling pit when starting to walk again. which makes for an easy collision course for either a human being or a large decorative potted plant.

or c. holding up the buffet line with an otherwise empty tray, staring down a huge piece of chocolate cake. is it poisoned or drugged? even if it was, could it still be worth it to eat as much as she could before dying here? jury's out. )

III. suspicion & salad ( mystery in the history )

( not her first ghost, not the first time it's felt like the dead are whispering in her ear. not even really her first time navigating a creepy ship, though that had been a crash landed space station with creepy music box melodies leading her into trap.

but — this is the first time clarke hasn't felt so isolated in her haunting. everyone around seems startled when chairs start slamming into walls and splintering. some seem to be the targets

this is also the first time she's ever been hit in the face with a big metal salad bowl and sent sprawling. lettuce and cheese and croutons sticking in her hair and now sporting a slightly bloodied lip in addition to semi-healed radiation burns. there's a ringing in her ears, accompanied by the unpleasant (but not unfamiliar) hiss of get out. geeeet out. getoutgetoutgetout. this is the definition of a breaking point. )

And go where? ( clarke snaps at no one in particular. time to lose it a little in a semi-public setting. ) Tell me where to go, and I'll go.

IV. calling all scallywags ( flyers in the hallways )

( taking a brief break from being a suspicious, sneaky, and kinda shifty looking herself, clarke still has the capacity to want to help other passengers. so you'll find a few hand written flyers taped along main egress and entrance points, advocating for the best ways to deal with: )

Seasickness

If you're still feel ill, try:
1. Facing the direction we're sailing.
2. Go outside and look at the horizon.
3. Light meals: crackers and water/carbonated beverages are best.
4. Lay down before you fall down.
5. There's a pressure point on your left wrist, where you'd take your pulse. Press there.
6. There's a store on Deck 1, or hospital wing is on Deck 0, if you need or trust their medication.

Any questions? You can reach me through your ShipTalk: Clarke Griffin, Room (XXX)

wildcard ( !!! )

( ooc | hit me with whatever strikes your fancy! clarke's a cranky, put-upon, teenage apocalypse warlord who's a little fixated on the fact she should be dead, and currently covered in radiation burns after narrowly escaping a deathwave. feel free to pm to hash out any details, or hit me up on plurk inb4circlejerk )

II.a

[sailmods]

[it is exceeding difficult to keep track of all her rascally new charges on the first day. it's hard and nobody understands.

but, her call is Service, and boy howdy did she notice someone in dire need of it at the latest muster drill. it's just that this particular one is... well.

the captain has never explicitly told her to keep passengers from climbing the mast and radio antenna? but, she feels like it was at least heavily implied.]

Miss Griffin! That isn't very safe! You'll get picked off by eagles! [there are absolutely no birds anywhere, at all.]

Abe no Seimei | Omyouji OC

[emyoji]

i. what are safety drills?

[Seimei has very little objection to going to deck one and accepting the questionable gift, although he does examine the lei that is placed uninvited over his head. It's definitely questionable, with all the red flags of a cursed object, but he allows it to stay for the meeting at least, smiling pleasantly at the decidedly unpleasant face of his host. When the life jacket drill commences, he holds still, politely but firmly refraining from any movement.

When Gal comes close and stares, he continues to smile and wait, holding his ground. Or testing to see just how far this entity will go to push him. Sorry, fellow passengers, he's annoying by nature.]

I'm not sure I understand the directions. Can you repeat them?

ii. exploring the boat

[When all the fuss is out of the way, Seimei sets to work being the nuisance he is. Whether it is leaning over the railing of the top deck to see what lies below or how far out he can actually see or snooping through the corridors of lower floors and poking into rooms that are off-limits, the exorcist is searching every corner and wall of the ship for signs of what keeps it together. Symbols, talismans, cracks in the wallpaper or even reality itself--he's feeling his way over every square inch.

If you're trying to relax in your room, you may hear steady, persistent knocking as he works his way down the hall foot by foot, tapping the floor and the wall to see if there is any change. He might even walk right in if the door is unlocked, flipping your bed covers and pillows to the floor so he can check the mattress and bed frame.]

Ah, sorry if I'm interrupting you. I promise not to take too long.

iii. buffet

At least we're being fed.

[Let's count the positives, right? Seimei is standing at the buffet, taking in the long tables full of various food options with a skeptical eye.]

Unless it isn't actually food and we're being fooled. It would be a shame to find that we were actually sitting in a field slowly starving while imagining we were on a ship.

How do you like it so far?

iv. just some light poltergeisting

[A fallen picture here or a flipped platter there are easy to ignore at first. But the escalation from flying objects to screams and cries gets worse, and eventually Seimei can't deny that the yelling is actually violent. Dodging a flying ladle in the dining area, he retrieves a tale cloth for defense. If it was from your table, he's sorry?]

I think we've outstayed our welcome. I don't suppose our dear captain will let us exit soon?

[ooc: Feel free to encounter Seimei in any of the locations, poking into rooms or snagging things he probably shouldn't. If you have a different idea for a thread, toss it at me! I'm fine rolling with new things.]

buffet

[businessorlibation]

It could be worse. I wonder about it, though--I haven't seen a chef yet, or where the kitchen is. And I'm also curious how they source their ingredients out here.

[Johnny's doing a certain amount of mental math over the buffet even as he fills his plate. Back home, he ran a champagne lounge that served dinner; he knows something about what kind of work and money is going into the meals.]

Brickston | Blades in the Dark (oc) [cw: drug mention]

[historicallyloaded]

1) Arrival

[ All of this is very overwhelming, and the only reason Bricks isn't freaking out is because he's done a good job of convincing himself this is a particularly lucid drug trip. He certainly doesn't feel stoned, and if conjuring up something as mundane as a weird cruise ship is the best he can come up with then he's got other additional questions for himself andor his most recent drug dealer... but the compulsion to walk in directions he doesn't want to go, the static fuzz on the back of his neck that unnervingly reminds him of the Ghost Field, the woman with the Smiling Face giving the announcements; the surreality of all that does very well to sell the lie to himself.

So when he is bequeathed the lei he takes it in stride, investigating it with an earnest curiosity. It clashes horribly with his Victorian-esque ruffle tie, dark green and gold accent vest, and high-rise pants. He shakes the lotus pod and the seeds rattle inside, he rubs one of the feathers across his upper lip, and finally furrows his brow at the white hard carved circle. He pinches it delicately between his fingers, and turns to the nearest passenger to casually ask with a smile, but speaking with all the poshness of a young nobleman who is not taking any of this very seriously. ] Bit of an eclectic mix, all this. What do you make of this one?

2) Exploring

[ Once given his freedom Bricks takes it, exploring all over the ship but finding most interest the library on deck 3, and the various vice-serving establishments such as Playback, Hurikane, Sand Dollars, and Tauva on deck 5. He also occasionally sits at the Pool Bar on deck 6, content to slouch over the bar with more than a few fancy cocktails under his nose.

Naturally, he's also fascinated with the given phone, not ever having seen such wonderous telecommunication technology in his world. He'll readily respond to anyone who has his name and number.

At some point exploring the All and Sundries shop on deck 1 however, he encounters that weird little quirk when trying to check out. He tries very hard to pay honestly with the coin in his pocket. He's not for lacking! And throwing money at problems tends to fix them for him! He does grow impatient eventually and walks off with two small paperback books, then immediately gets caught and chided by Friday for it.

He's back at the shop puzzling how to work this out. Just... "check out as you normally would"...? He turns to the next waiting customer, in line or not, and hands them one of his books. ]

I beg your pardon but could you hold this for me just a tick? I need to experiment with something.

3) Oh god oh man oh god oh MAN

[ So it's been days and now it's very patently clear this isn't a good or even a bad drug trip, which means he's really wanting actual drugs to cope with all of this... but this ship is in frustratingly short supply. He staves off the mental hunger, the sweat on his brow, the nervous tremors in his fingers by keeping on the move. He tries very hard to temper his anxiety with self imposed scientific excursions.

Though ghosts were a fairly normal and accepted occurrences in Doskvol they were no less intimidating for Bricks to deal with. At first he's scared—throws his hands up in the air placatingly at the very first get out and does leave whatever room he wandered into... only to wander back about a few minutes later, curiosity fueled by what was expressly apparently forbidden. He tries to be nice, to reason with them— maybe it seems to work for a few moments... until it doesn't.

His further trepidatious but increasingly brazen attempts also only seem to get him so far; when a rug is pulled out from under him he pinwheels his arms and hops from foot to foot trying to keep his balance (possibly falling into the nearest other passenger—maybe you). When a chair is thrown at him he yelps and ducks and cowers behind tables (or the nearest other passenger—maybe you). He can only take so much of that invisible aggression.

Frustrated, he storms out and plops himself down at one of the waiting room lounge chairs, away from the forbidden but haunted room. His fingers clench through his blonde hair hard and he groans, almost whines. Get out. Get out. Get out and go where?! They're trapped on this infernal ship. ] I bloody can't take any more of this. I'm going to build an electroplasmic grenade so strong it'll reduce all these spectral nuisances into miserable piles of ash and vapor...!

4) Wildcard

[[ Anything you want! More info is in his journal, I'll match brackets or prose! ]]

1. Arrival

[businessorlibation]

[Johnny recognizes both the style of clothing Brickston's wearing (perhaps a tad old-fashioned by his standards, but nothing wildly unacceptable), and the posh tone of voice. Here's someone more similar to him than anyone else he's seen so far--though Johnny's certainly no noble, and he has an accent that comes from no place Brickston's heard of, most likely. Alternate histories do mess with accents.]

Quite a surprise, waking up here. I won't say I didn't need a vacation, but this doesn't feel like the one I'd have tried to take.

Isabela Madrigal | Encanto

[deeplymadlytruly]

1. hey everybody, clear the way.

[ She's never been on a boat before.

Well, to be more accurate, she's never been out of the encanto before. She's never seen a body of water this big. And while she should mostly be alarmed - and believe her, she is - there's a part of her heart that opens wide with untapped curiosity. How many other things has she yet to experience? What else can she see if she pulls against her chains enough?

And pull she does, trying to will her legs to move down a different hallway that's caught her interest. She makes a noise of great effort, leaning down to try and physically lift her feet off of the floor. ]

Move! Mooooove! I said move!

[ ...It's not very effective. ]

2. making waves, changing minds.

[ Isabela takes the free range to explore gladly, bustling from one edge of the ship to the other with renewed vigor. And while much interests her - the lights from the casino, the smell of warm food from the buffet, and all of the mingling she hears about - none of it draws her in quite like the endless ocean they've found themselves surrounded by.

She finds herself at the edge of deck six, hanging onto the guard rail and taking in the scent of the ocean breeze. She hasn't yet noticed the plant life blooming all around her - winding vines, prickly cacti, and flowers in a cacophony of colors. Orchids, sundew, birds of paradise, all clinging to the ship as if that's where they belong. ]

3. i wanna feel the shiver of something new.

[ Isabela can be found by the buffet's salad bar, hunched behind a comically large cactus. Every so often, she'll peek above the top of it before shrinking back down with an audible squeak. ]

It's... i-it moved!

[ She gestures wildly for a few moments, seemingly at a loss for words. She comes very close to pricking herself on the cactus in the process. ]

I was going to grab a plate, but they - one of them just flew off!

[ She turns away from the scene entirely, back to her cactus, eyes wide as saucers. Still, there's a ferocity in her tone when she speaks next. ]

Something is seriously wrong with this place!

2

[sailmods]

[she may hear the clatter of something plastic hitting the deck, first. or maybe the "Oh!" that comes after, a burst of startled, childish delight.

either way, if she turns around, she'll find that Friday is kneeling next to the plants, seeming to peer at them curiously. she just keeps kinda. pressing her hand into a cactus' spines.]

Kim Kitsuragi | Disco Elysium | OTA

[coupris]

II.

[Despite living in a coastal city, Kim had never been the seafaring type, especially not on ships this large. The only familiar thing so far is the sound of the horn echoing across empty water, and the distant cries of gulls in response. However, they do little to put him at ease.

Though Kim spends the drill standing stock straight, his attention is on everything but the long, droning exposition. Almost everyone looked just as alarmed or confused as he did when he first awoke in his cabin, and the sensation of his feet being locked in place keeps him on edge. From their view on the deck, there's no land in sight. He's sure he couldn't have slept long enough for that to happen. And the woman, Miss Friday-- her face turned the blood in his veins to ice. Formless, like the memories of those who wander too far into the Pale. It has to be some kind of mask.

At the very least, no one seems to have come to any harm, but once they're released, Kim does offer a shoulder to lean on for those still wobbly at the knees.

Once he's satisfied that no one in sight seems to need urgent medical assistance, Kim wanders back inside the ship. He meets no resistance at turns in the corridors now, and slowly starts to create a mental map. He hasn't been on many cruise liners, but this one seems impossibly large. The deeper below deck he roams, the more he can hear the creak and groan of the hull against the ocean's current. He found a few emergency phones, but they all connected back to that woman. He plays the part of vacationer just so he can ask her to connect him to the RCM, but she claims to never have heard of it, before the line goes dead.

Eventually, Kim ends up in the buffet, a sandwich on the plate in front of him without so much as a bite taken out of it. He appears deep in thought, his hands preoccupied with a notebook that he occasionally stops and scrawls in.]

III.

[Kim believed Harry when he said he heard voices. Not because of anything supernatural, but because his fellow detective had enough mental trauma to manifest such delusions. Eventually, as they worked together, after the Phasmid, something deep in Kim questioned whether it was delusion after all, but it was a notion easily dismissed by other irrational actions by a man who'd ingested enough mind altering substances over the course of his adulthood to kill a herd of elephants.

It was only Harry's influence when he heard half of a woman's whispers on the wind, particularly in the church. Cities don't talk. Not literally.

That voice, however, and even the ones Harry described, were utterly at odds with what keeps crossing his mind now. An angry scream of what he imagined Seolite to sound like was his only warning before he managed to avoid a butter knife embedding itself in the wall behind him. A few more plates crash to the ground along with it, and Kim instinctively draws his gun. Once the activity fades, he tucks it back into its holster and starts to investigate the porcelain shards scattered on the ground. There had to be something inside that propelled them.]

II

[businessorlibation]

[It's the notebook that draws Johnny's attention. Clearly the sign of a thinking man, that he wants to get his observations on paper. He approaches, setting a hand on the chair across from Kim at his table and clearing his throat.

Johnny Summer is a slender man, dressed in a dinner suit with a white jacket and a black bowtie. His hair is slicked back, his eyes are sharp, and the particularly observant might note the way his jacket hangs a little heavier on his left side, likely due to some weapon tucked in an inner pocket.]

What are you thinking about all of this, chum?

Peter Parker | Spider-Man Far From Home

[heyunderoos]

[A. Fun to wake up]

[Peter has tried his best to argue his way off of the ship, the Geneva Conventions have come up a couple of times to no avail. Gal Friday lei'd Peter and ran off to the next person in the crowd, leaving the teenager just fiddling with the lei around his neck. He was supposed to be on his school trip, maybe winning MJ over.

Now he's here.

Why is his luck like this?]

This is... really not what my summer vacation is supposed to be like.

[And then Peter realizes he's said that aloud. He stands up a little straighter, biting back a grimace as he looks over at his fellow kidnapee] Uh, have you been here... long?

[Smooth.]

[B. Messing with my mind, at the buffet]

[Like any teenager, Peter is drawn to free food first and foremost. He stands awkwardly in the entryway just kind of staring. He finally forces himself forward to more properly stare at the food.

His stomach is already growling, and he's trying his best to ignore that. He should have eaten a lot more on the plane, but hadn't thought about it.]

Wait, are we actually allowed to have this? Is this like a kidnapping perk or something? [He can't stop himself from talking.] I mean, I know this is a serious situation, but- why all the food?

[C. Lots of Mysteries]

[Peter still isn't thrilled about being on the cruise ship, but he's trying to make the best of it. There isn't much else he can really do.

Trying to make his way off the ship hadn't gotten very far, and trying to reach out to Ned or Aunt May hasn't yielded much of anything. All he can do is bid his time.

The teenager is halfway down the buffet line when plates go flying. He jolts back. He ducks the initial handful of plates but is dinged by another bouncing off of his shoulder. He reaches up and out, grabbing a plate out of the air, slapping another away. Shards of glass just rain down on the carpeted floor. Just as quickly as the attack started, it stops.

Peter realizes his reaction isn't normal and awkwardly drops the plate still in his hand. It shatters on the ground with the rest of the broken dishware.] Uh, ghosts! The- buffet is haunted!

[That is the more pressing matter, here. Obviously.]

B

[creepyoldguy]

Lots'a reasons, kid. One: we're pets. Two: we're prisoners and our jailers are following the Lady Gaga convention or something.

[Beetlejuice filled his own plate while he spoke.] Three, it's a bribe.

Four, it's poisoned and we all--- [He stopped and made a show of looking around.] OKay, so, last time I made a joke about the food the sexy faceless lady chewed me out. Just so we're clear, I'm kidding about the poison. And short answer? I dunno why.

[He added a handful of green olives, ignoring the serving utensils.]

Rita Mordio | Tales of Vesperia (360 version)

[myagic]

1. waking up

[Rita's patience is thin on a good day, and she's already used up what little of it there was, judging from her almost nonstop unholy screeching about, well, everything.]

You've got some nerve to kidnap me!

Who the hell's responsible for this?! Show yourself!

Like hell I'm going to some drill!

[...Et cetera. Her entire trip to the muster station continues in this very, very loud way, as stubbornness will only get one so far when they can't move anywhere else and she's left with little choice but to stomp (as angrily as possible, of course) to the safety drill.]

Okay, who the hell's in cha...

[Her latest screech quickly fades out, as little more beyond oh hell no hell no hell no echoes in her mind at the faceless woman. Only when she's about to get the lei-]

Wha--no, s-stay away from me!

---

2. no yelling in the library

[Well. Friday and the Captain are far too terrifying not exactly helpful at giving out answers, so Rita quickly locates the library. After spending just long enough to peruse the general contents of each shelf, she shouts in renewed indignation-]

What the hell kind of library is this supposed to be?! These books are all useless!

---

3. need a vacation from this vacation

[So this whole thing is obviously very wrong, but somehow it grows worse. Rita is doing her best to explore and find something she can work with. She spends as little time as possible at the buffet and restaurants as if largely refusing to eat is actually some kind of helpful resistance (it's not, and eventually she has to snack on something, gravitating almost entirely towards the desserts--but still reluctantly, mind you!).

And she's having another dessert binge when it starts to happen. Shadows, movements, noises--]

Th...they're just figments of my imagination. I'm going stir crazy on this stupid ship. That's all!

[Yes, she's talking to herself. No, she doesn't sound convincing at all. Someone brushing up against her by accident would be all it takes to draw out a shrill shriek.]

---

4. wildcard!

3

[neverleave]

[Natsuno doesn't want to touch ANYTHING in this weird place, but since people have been eating the food for a few days now and no one dropped dead (or worse) he figures he should eat something as well.

The mystery voices trying to knock the food off his hands REALLY don't help his appetite though.]

You woke up on a weird ship with a bunch of strangers and a faceless woman in charge, but flying plates is where you draw the line?

[withinhandsreach]

i. A Strange Chateau

Until her Dominious joined the campaign against Spartacus, Kore has never slept in a room alone. Most times she retired to quarters reserved for the household's important slaves, to a room she shared with several others. More rarely she'd retire to the bed of a fellow slave, a friend, for the comfort of loving company. The follow's camp had been an ordeal for so many reasons. And then in the city, and on the run with the other runaway slaves, she'd returned to sharing her sleeping spaces. So when she wakes in a bed that feels like sinking, on fabric she knows is more expensive than people, all these factors hit after the familiar sounds of others in slumber. Kore is confused and frightened, trying to thrash quietly to find something without waking others - but there is some noise, of chains and iron.

The note is a point of utter confusion and she plays with her fingers while she puzzles it out. With practiced ease, she rose silently to her feet and marveled at the carpet under her bare feet. Hopefully, someone will wake and help her because she can't figure this out.

Once someone does Kore took to walking, thinking someone would be able to direct her, only to find her body isn't working. Finding herself with her body not doing what she wants it to do gives her a panic, leading to her jumping and retreating, and near tears by the time she finds the crowd. And the...woman. She doesn't scream but instead makes a half-strangled sound as she stood still. Completely still as the lei is dropped over her and her chains.

"Gratitude?" Her voice is quiet and shaking.


ii. Messing with my Mind

Free from the faceless monster, and somewhat sure she is dead (she's sure she's dead) and this is some cursed afterlife, Kore flees. She's not crying, but she is shaking and even forgets she's still wearing the lifevest over her yellow dress and isn't even paying attention to where's she going or where she came from until she finds a sheltered spot to hyperventilate.

Eventually, the scent of food got the better of her, and she cautiously followed that - walking to a buffet and once again, just staring.


iii. Mystery in the History

She's both acquired a routine and not - early rising and late retiring, meals roughly the same time each day. Luckily someone helped her remove her collar and chains and gave her more freedom that first day. The rest of her time? Exploring. She loves the jewelry store and even if she never attempts to buy or take anything, she does evaluate the pieces. As well as the shoes and other clothing in the shops but still doesn't try to take anything - she has no money and she knows it.

Her other favorite place? The spa, where she spends some time relaxing each and every night before bed, using the sauna, soaking in a hot tub and then a cold one, back and forth in Roman fashion.

Kore tried her best to ignore the voices, the oddities. She's dead, she must be, this is punishment, but for all she spooks, she tries to ignore things. But she can be heard muttering prayers under her breath at times when she's most stressed.

ii

[sailmods]

[s'up, monster here, suddenly Existing at her side where she had not been seconds before.]

It can be a bit much at first, can't it?

Keith | Voltron: Legendary Defender | OTAA

[marmoron]

I.making good first impressions

[ keith is cooperating, but the surly look on his face makes it obvious enough that this is extremely liable to change.

but okay. his body refuses to move in any direction other than the one clearly being outlined here, and so he stomps towards deck one. dressed in futuristic red space armor, and for some reason inexplicably holding onto a white pacifier, keith looks obviously out of place. in fact, he's not even looking or paying attention as their apparent host speaks, instead peering this way and that like he expects to find a camera rolling somewhere in the distance or hear a laugh track play in the background.

the second he's able to move freely again, keith turns this way and that, before launching the pacifier as hard as he can into the sky with a frustrated growl. ]

I don't have time for another round of Garfle Warfle Snick, Bob. Get me out of here!

[ the pacifier lands back on the deck, and this time keith gives it a hefty kick off the side of the cruiser ... only for it to ricochet off an invisible barrier and smacks you, an innocent by passer. keith stares for a moment, then: ]

Uh... wasn't expecting that to happen.

[ which begs the question, what the heck was he expecting to happen anyway.... ]

II. exploring the Ship

[ there has to be a goddamn way off the ship. there's important shit going on back in his reality and this is all very weird and cute, but keith is on a mission. muttering to himself, he starts at deck zero and finds himself pushing through the doors into the morgue. ]

What skeletons are they hiding down here....

[ and whereas most would do the sensible thing and leave feeling unsettled, keith just walks right on in and starts trying to find whatever records he can. when that search gets him fuck all, he starts opening up one of the morgue lockers. stop him? encourage this? profit. ]

III. bruh

[ for anyone who happens to be passing through the cabin area, you might just happen to hear the sound of a door slamming shut as keith scrambles to get into the hallway with just a towel wrapped around his hips to preserve his modesty and brandishing a knife. there are still soap suds in his mullet hair as he rounds on whoever happens to be passing through the area. ]

Is your bathroom fucking haunted?

IV. Wildcard

[ feel free to hit me up with anything else! pm this journal or contact me @ partyraven! ]

I

[chefbaeyardee]

[Unfortunately, Hunk just happens to be walking by at the exact moment the pacifier goes flying that last time. Moments later, he's being assaulted by the plastic thing before he even has time to react. He bends to retrieve the cursed object, brandishing it with one hand as he turns to look for its owner.]

Ow! Hey, I think you dropped your- Keith?

[Nonsensical statement notwithstanding, he's virtually unharmed. Still, it's kind of odd to see the other guy here. Sure, he'd been hoping the others would show up, but that was mostly so he'd have someone familiar around to talk to.]

What are you doing?

Natsuno Yuuki | Shiki

[neverleave]

I. UNWANTED AWAKWENING
[Natsuno doesn't expect to wake up. He was supposed to die back there in the pit – he was supposed to make sure that this time death would stick. So when he finds himself completely conscious on a ship, forced into a path by some unseen force, he's understandbly rattled.

The shock is the only reason he cooporates at first. In fact, Friday may need to repeat the drill spill a couple of times because Natsuno is busy staring down at himself like he still can't believe his limbs are all attached.

Finally though, he recovers enough to say- ]

This better not be the afterlife.

III. THIS BETTER NOT BE THE UNDEAD AGAIN
[So apparently the ship is haunted, like it wasn't suspicious enough already. Natsuno never dealt with ghosts, or poltegriest or - WHATEVER this is - but if vampires exist, ghosts might as well.

He really wishes they would stop throwing things at him. He'd be happy to get out, and is immensly frustrated that those things won't tell him how or why. Which means he should try to communicate with them. Natsuno falls back on the only method he has for dealing with the occult - horror fiction.

Natsuno can be found in the library, using a book as an improvised ouija board. He placed a fork on the page, since the ghosts seem to like messing with his food.

He's fully aware of how dumb this is, so if anyone looks his way he'll say:]

Do you have a better way to talk to them?

I

[sailmods]

[she perks up at his words, and lets out a little. laugh? it sounds like the kind of laugh you'd make if you'd only ever heard other people do it and weren't quite sure what the process involved.]

So many people use that as their first guess! I really don't know why...

Claudia | Interview with the Vampire | OTA

[the_infant_death]

A. It’s midnight, the sun is gone, and there is a little girl walking the halls. The lei is in her hands, and she’s gently dismembering it as she goes, trailing rooster feathers. She’s wearing an old-fashioned dress, silk and lace and ruffles, with small leather shoes and silken stockings. Her hair cascades down her back, golden curls, and her dark blue eyes are bright in her pale little kewpie doll face.

All of five years old, maybe, soft little face and Cupid-bow lips, pale and silent, turning to you with a soft kind of surprise in her face, her blue eyes fever-bright under the lights.

“I’m lost,” she says softly, her voice accented with a New Orleans drawl, heavy on the French influence, her tiny voice clear like little silver bells.

B. Claudia watches with delighted fascination as something unseen flings a pool chair past her and right into the pool. It ruffles her skirts but she doesn’t flinch, entirely unchildlike.

“And what is this?” she muses, tilting her head to take in the flicker of…something. Like light glancing off silk in the dark. She has heard of hauntings - she lived in New Orleans! - but she has never witnessed anything like this!

GET OUT!, and the next pool chair is aimed right for her.

A careless swipe of her hand, too fast for mortals to follow: she catches the chair by a leg and flicks it into the pool herself, effortlessly.

A

[neverreallyalone]

Luke sees the little girl.

He can't not, after all, she's standing right there, talking to him. But it's too close to when he was much younger, his friend who everyone thought was imaginary when she wasn't, not really. It sends a chill down his spine, and for a moment he closes his eyes tight. Tells himself she's probably not really there, that he should keep walking. It's the middle of the night, he should be in bed. Should be asleep. But he can't sleep.

He counts to seven then opens his eyes, and she's still there. Okay. He'd better deal with it, then.

"Where are you trying to go?"

Nymphadora Tonks \ HP \ OTA

[wotches]

devils I knew

[ If the ghosts are going to yell at her to get out, Nymphdora Tonks is going to yell right back. It's only fair! Catch her on her live-in-action tour around the cruise ship! ]

Get out? Gladly! Get out. Ooooh. So intimidating.

[ She mocks the ghosts after getting hit in the shoulder with a life preserver. ]

No one wants to be here, mates. Hate to break it to you! No bonus points for originality. None.

[ Later that same day, she tries to enjoy a dip in the pool only to get whacked in the knees with a moving chair. She falls on her backside and glares. She likes the color purple but not the purple that comes from bruises. ]

I know. I know. Get out! How's about I leave you lot alone and you lot stop trying to kill me. I'm already clumsy. I don't need help.

[ At the buffet, she's done when a whole pitcher of margaritas gets dropped on her, soaking her from head to toe. RIP her dress. RIP the booze. ]

It's not my bloody fault you didn't cross over! What d'you want me to do about it?

[palfriday]

[helpfully standing nearby with a towel! which she holds out.]

Gosh, today is just nobody's day, is it? Must be a full moon!

Tabia | OC | OTA

[learntoread]

-2-

[ Well, this is the weirdest thing that's ever happened to her.

Everything about Tabia's surroundings is so strange and alien that she barely has the energy to focus on the fact that her body is being possessed by an unseen force. She's seen boats, of course, but only on the Nile, and nothing close to this absurd size. Is this the ocean? Just how far from home is she?

The note from 'Gal Friday' - in a foreign language, she notes to unpack later - does almost nothing to make the situation easier to understand. Even if she understands the language, the muster drill goes over her head. The faceless woman is certainly some sort of demon, but even beyond that, nothing here makes sense. The words are unfamiliar, the construction is unfamiliar, the clothing is unfamiliar, even the people look strangely pale. Surely this is no land she's ever even heard of. Could it be the underworld? No, the sun is still overhead in the sky. Still, what else could any of this be?

Tabia stumbles slightly when released from her spell, and immediately staggers back and flees deeper into the ship, putting as much distance between herself and that faceless creature as she can. When she stops to catch her breath and steady her shaking legs, it occurs to her that she's even more lost than she was before. Is there any safe place to be found here? Is every corridor and every room the domain of evil forces beyond understanding?

Lacking any answers to those questions, she calls out to the first passerby who doesn't obviously look like a demon. ]

Excuse me! I am Tabia, scribe of the house of Thoth. Forgive my rudeness, but I have so many questions about this place that I don't know where to begin.


-3-

[ This, strangely, feels better than the insincere friendless of their surreal hosts. Objects hurtling through the air, accompanied by ghostly voices? This is she understands. Evil spirits are at work, and Tabia knows how to deal with evil spirits.

Or at least, she has an idea. This particular situation doesn't quite fit any of the spells she knows by heart, so she'll have to improvise a bit. While ducking thrown chairs and shattered plates, she braces herself against the assault and begins to incant in loud confidence. ]

Oh, you who calculates this spell! Any male dead, any female dead, any male enemy, any female enemy, any male spirit, any female spirit, be it in my neighborhood or as something seen from afar! To those following Horus, to this one under Thoth's supervision, let the name of this magic be known! You shall not surrender me to any misfortune, for I am Ra, who appears in his eye! I have arisen as Sekhmet! I am Atun, who sojourns in the Two Lands! I will not fall to your curses!

[ The spell goes on in this way for some time. As it does... is the supernatural attack's force diminishing? Or is it your imagination? Certainly, her ringing voice of authority makes you want to believe that it's having some effect. ]

2

[withinhandsreach]

[ Kore's at least gotten out of her chains and taken the lifevest off and folded/tied into a bundle she can carry instead of wearing it. When she hears a young woman calling out, she turns towards the voice. ][ Kore, unlike probably most of the cruise passengers, can and does in fact pronounce her name and her patron God completely correctly to Tabia's ears. ]

-I am Kore of Rome. I do not have many answers but I will share with you what I know.

dimitri alexandre blaiddyd | fe3h

[stubboarn]

GHOSTS / DINING ROOM

[ he'd never been in a ship before, and he's quickly realizing: he doesn't like it. he feels a little sick, and he hopes it passes quickly. what also isn't welcome: the fact that the haunting seems persistently, terribly real. at a supposed shop he freezes as he watches a fellow go through the motions of 'buying' and feels ill. that morning, he finds himself walking briskly to the breakfast hall, not wanting to interact with any of them. he feels terribly uncomfortable.

entertaining the reality that he has died is miserable. entertaining the possibility he'd been kidnapped is all that's been in his mind. it's plausible, but also, he highly doubts that the ship even knew who he was or even cared, considering the crew they have. based on dimitri's observations, there must've been a mistake and somehow he'd been magicked from faerghus all the way here. which he didn't even think was possible. and yet.

for now he tries to relax while drinking tea. the brand isn't something he's comfortable with, but nothing here is.

something calls out to him while he reaches for the cream, several voices that lilt above the noise, and -

- dimitri drops the teacup on the floor, which rolls on the carpet as it breaks.

not knowing which ghosts are his own and which ones are the ones that came with the ship, he slips into an uncomfortable silence as he listens to the voices that call. when none of them sound familiar, when none of them call his name, he lets out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and his hand shakes slightly as he takes the shards in his hands. he has his greaves on, so nothing will really hurt him, but it's embarrassing to have made a mess.

aware that he's keeping the line, dimitri, rather stiffly, says, ]

Apologies. I'll clean up after this mess.

[ he's more than happy to dispose of the shards, but he feels, all of a sudden, that he's lost his appetite. not that he's got enough of it to begin with. ]



OPEN CABIN

[ he's kept his room open in a friendly gesture, not that he expects anyone he knows in this place. his lance is kept standing on the side of his bed, and dimitri is studying the smart phone they've been provided. he comes from a medieval fantasy land, this is fairly uncommon.

thankfully, it seems fairly straightforward, but he does have to try the text function. if he sees you, he'll call out, with a smile on his face - ]

Hello. Sorry to be a bother, but would you mind testing something for me?

cabin

[neverleave]

[Natsuno has been exploring the ship deck-by-deck, trying - and failing - to find any useful clues. The moment he approaches the open door, he's struck with the feeling of being unwelcom, like an invisible barrier. Stupid vampire weakness. Common areas are fine, but apparently individual cabins are off limits.

Okay then. He stands by the doorframe instead.]

Okay. What is it?

[Who knows, maybe it'll help him figure something out.]

Kara | Detroit: android > human

[deathroadtocanada]

[A: Diverging paths]
[For Kara, the silent demand to move forward is confusing at first, then distressing, and finally settles on something between maddening and frightening. She has, after all, already fought this kind of command in her mind long ago. So... what's changed? Why isn't she free?

The effect is quite the same for most of the passengers; you'll spot a woman with short blonde hair in the halls leading upward to the deck. She'd be entirely motionless were it not for her frantic struggling. Both hands reach down in a desperate attempt to control one of her legs, tugging at it fruitlessly. It's like it's been nailed to the ground.]

No... I won't... be controlled like this!

[B: Kara will remember this]
Please- I just need to know if Alice is alright-

[Who is this Gal Friday? And what does she want? Whether she was an android - and a strange model at that - or not, she was adamant on Kara completing this life preserver test.

She knows what to do. Of course she does; it's imprinted somewhere in the miles of data she has stored. Important information for any AX400 to know. Apparently.

Once it's over, Gal Friday seems content to move on, but not without Kara trying to chase after.]

Wait, please! I-I just need answers. You have to listen to-

[She's being ignored. This is a dead end, and by all accounts, Kara has no idea what to do next. Other than stand there, in-between all the other "passengers" on this "cruise", in her life preserver, looking less and less certain about anything in the world at this moment.]

...I never even tried to get on a boat.

[C: Aw, my breadsticks!]
[This incessant, surreal life continues on, and Kara is forced to adapt. But it seems she just can't adapt quickly enough. Sure, she doesn't eat, but she winds up at the buffet regardless, right around the moment that the forces that be deemed it was time for all hell to break loose.

A plate sails off a nearby table and Kara barely has time to duck under it before it shatters into splinters of ceramic against the wall behind her. Then, comes another plate. And another.

Get out.

Get out?]

Who-

[She stands up at an inopportune time. A fork leaps from the buffet line and sinks into her right shoulder. By all accounts, she's probably less fazed than anyone else about this. Probably because she's trying to pinpoint the location of that voice. Voices? What could it mean?

If you're unlucky enough to be huddled nearby, you'll probably have to listen to her come to terms with it possibly not mattering.]

I-I had no idea buffets were this violent.

C (cw: alcohol mention)

[dontworkfortoons]

They're not 'sposed to be. 'Cept for maybe on Prime Rib Tuesdays.

[ Eddie probably shouldn't crack wise around this kid, who is obviously scared and confused. That being said, he feels he's earned the right to crack wise, seeing how many times he's been on the receiving end of sudden violence and haphazardly thrown dinnerware. It lends him an air of emotional detachment.

The flask in his hands, held for dear life, doesn't help things.

Crouched behind the buffet line, he calls out to Kara. ]

You hear where those are coming from?

[ The voices, he means. ]

Osamu / Destiny Child / OTA

[wannabedemon]

1. One Strange Chateau

[Now, Osamu isn't one to scoff at free vacations. If anything, he was in desperate need of a break from the Archfiend Contest and all the annoyances in his life - particularly a certain trio of succubi who seem to take pleasure in making his life a living hell.

But to be dragged into one against his will? He isn't very keen on that. He's just about done with being forced to do things against his will.

It's specially annoying when he can't even walk around freely, being guided by some unseen force to the lifeboat drill. He wants to shout and complain about his predicament but... without any of his aides or Childs around to hear him it feels kinda empty and pointless, so he just resigns himself to going to that stupid drill.

Thankfully, the whole thing is over soon - Osamu can't really say he's shocked by seeing a woman without a face, considering he's fresh out of seeing Babel's mutated Childs - and he's free to wonder about as he pleases.

And while that's all fine and dandy... He just stands there, looking down at the lei around his neck and wondering why he feels so weirdly alone.]

2. Out and About

a. Deck

[Osamu decides he needs some fresh air, so he goes down the deck to get just that. He stares out into the ocean that stretches as far as the eye can see, not a single spot of land in sight.

The fact no one seems to be able to leave this ship isn't what bothers Osamu the most. Neither are the ghosts. He's a demon so spirits and unexplained events aren't really going to phase him. What really bothers him is the fact that even if people were able to escape, he wouldn't be able to do so on his own. He doesn't have any outstanding powers, even as a demon, and that makes him let out a big, frustrated sigh.

He really is a failure as a demon, isn't he?]

b. Mikabo

[Tired of feeling sorry for himself, Osamu decides that if he's going to be trapped in this place, he's going to indulge in everything it has to offer. And the first order of business is stuffing his face with fine sushi.

He eats plate after plate from the conveyor belt, sighing happily with every lil' sushi that goes in his mouth. It's so good being able to eat in peace, without anyone bothering him about pacts and striving to win the contest. Just peace and quiet and good food. When was the last time his life was this tranquil? Maybe this boat ain't so bad!]

3. Breaking Dishes

[Spoke too soon! This place is bad! It's bad news all over!

For the past, what, two days? Osamu honestly lost track, but he's being haunted, he's sure of it! Heavy and dangerous things keep falling just a hair away from him, ad he keeps hearing disembodied voices telling him to get out.

Get out how?? Even if he wanted to, he can't! At some point, while walking down one of the hallways, he grows far too annoyed by the constant voice and snaps.]

SHUT UP!! I can't leave this damn place so piss off whoever wants me to leave! Why can't I have a single day of peace? Why am I cursed this way? [Someone should probably tell him not to scream to himself in the middle of the hallway...]

b.

[yourotherleft]

[so sorry to disrupt the tranquility here but...]

Oi. Is that octopus? Grab me some of that, will ya?

[rude enough to ask someone to do the work for him, not rude enough to actually reach over Osamu and grab the plate himself. Never mind that he has four plates stacked in one hand already...

Diana Abel | Vampire: The Masquerade (OC)

[diana_abel]

1. now it's fun to wake up in a strange chateau
Well, it wasn't the first time Diana had woken up in a strange place, without remembering how she'd gotten there. Usually, that kind of awakening involved a cute boy and/or one of her sisters yanking on her hair until she swatted them away and asked what she'd missed. This, however, was the first time she woke up complete alone. On a ship. And that part was really the alarming part. Between the horrendous experiences she'd had crossing the Atlantic the first time, the intense danger when it came to sunlight, and the fact that she couldn't swim...yeah. It wasn't exactly going to be a groovy kind of awakening.

Compared to all of those other fears, Diana could barely spare much concern to the fact that she seemed to be totally compelled to follow instructions. And yet, there she was, making her way through the ship like she'd been there her whole life, heading straight up for deck one. Her white, plastic go-go boots squeaked. The many strings of love beads around her neck clacked. And the butt of her guitar softly thumped against her back.

She was a walking symphony. Kind of hard to miss.

2. messing with my mind was fun at the time
She appreciated the flowers, anyway. That was kind of nice. The rest of this, however, was traveling far beyond even Diana's weirdest trip. And she'd taken quite a few, over the last two hundred-odd years.

After the drill, she slipped back down into the atrium. From the top of the stairs, she felt like she was in the title number from Hello Dolly!. A part of her immediately expected a bunch of dancing boys in tuxedoes to tap their way up to her, grabbing her by her extended arms and carrying her down while she pointed her toes and belted out her best, "I feel the room swaying, while the band's playing!"

That didn't happen, of course.

So she just walked down the steps herself, determined to get the lay of the land. It was the only thing she could think to do at the moment. And she figured it was what her sisters would have done. Well, what her younger sister would have done. Selene would probably have thrown someone through a window, by now.

3. wildcard!
[OOC: Come at me with pretty much anything! Totally open. I will also switch to action, if that's your preference! If you're a supernatural critter (vampire, mage, werewolf, changeling, etc.), let me know if it's okay for Diana to recognize you as such.]

2. messing with my mind was fun at the time

[withinhandsreach]

Kore had paused outside one doorway, before starting down the steps of the atrium. Her feet were bare, her hair was loose, her yellow dress was hanging neatly but giving how much skin it showed and how, she probably stuck out. Or else the net bag she'd made from stolen dinner napkins, on left intact, and others cut with a knife into strips and woven and knotted together to form the bag and strap hung over her shoulder and down, allowing her to easily slip her hand inside. Given it contained breads and fruits, it's clearly food taken from the buffet. Or perhaps the sheath tied to her bare arm, a large (stolen) steak knife tucked inside, the sheath also made with stolen and reworked dinner napkins stood out.

The woman on the other side of the stairs caught Kore's attention, enough for her shyly (slyly) look her over before she smiled warmly and inclined her head. The beads and boots the woman wore were interesting but she couldn't imagine a reason to wear squeaky boots.

Reigen Arataka | Mob Psycho 100

[techniques]

Now It's Fun To Wake Up

[Listen, the last time Reigen was on anything close to a "vacation", he got stuck in a haunted train for a month and had almost no chance of enjoying the hot springs with Mob and Serizawa. So upon waking on a suspicious cruise ship, Reigen is immediately trying to go literally anywhere other than deck one--at one point he even attempts to take a running leap toward the side of the boat as if planning on making a break swimming for land. But, his legs end up being frozen in place, until finally he seems to give up and proceeds to throw his hands into the air in exasperation.]

Goddamnit, are you serious!? Why does this keep happening to me!?

Messing With My Mind

[Okay so once he has been forced to attend the world's most boring safety drills, when it comes to his turn, instead of complying with what's being asked of him, he instead raises a hand.]

Before I agree to do any of this, I have just one question. One very, very important question that can't go unanswered any longer and if you expect my cooperation, it needs to be attended to immediately.

[Pause for dramatic effect and some rather exaggerated hand movements, and then--]

How much is this so-called vacation going to cost me? As a businessman, I can't afford to take expensive vacations like this without knowing what price I'm supposed to be paying for it here.

[Really, Reigen, why is this your important question to ask here?]

Lots of Mystery

[When the voices start up, Reigen has a plan to act on here... albeit, not in any conventional way a normal person might in this situation.]

Begone, evil spirits!

[Suddenly, Reigen is throwing a handful of salt in the direction of wherever the voices are shouting "get out" from this time. Which, doesn't really seem to do anything other than create a pile of salt on the floor? Or maybe this direction is unfortunately in the spot you happen to be standing in, and you end up getting hit in the face with salt. While you're trying to brush it out of hair, you'll find that it appears to be regular table salt that's probably available in the cruise ship's restaurant.

Sorry about that.]

Wildcard

[Here's the wildcard option for anything that doesn't fit in the above! Feel free to hit me up via PM or wailords if you want to talk specifics about anything.]

Lots of Mystery!

[wannabedemon]

[Osamu, with his infinite talent of always being at the wrong place at the wrong time, gets pelted in the face with salt seemingly out of nowhere as some guy shouts at him to 'begone'.

OK, he's a demon, but he thought he was being very inconspicuous so far, even with his tail swinging about.]

Wha- What the hell! Why did you that? [He's at least glad that, even though he's on the weaker side, demon wise, salt doesn't really do anything to him.]

Fio | NieR Re[in]carnation

[sabigoe]

i.

[ That Friday lady sure talks strangely! But she seems nice, Fio thinks. The lei is kind of nice too. Does she truly deserve to wear something like this? Coming from a village where her social standing was considered the lowest of the low, she feels like some sort of princess! This ship is far too grand for her. More fitting for a Noble, which she absolutely is not.

As instructed, she heads to deck one and goes through the drill spiel like every other passenger. Her manner of attire is telling enough that she's someone of poor status sticking out in the crowd: tattered, dirtied white dress. And a peculiar collar around her neck. With many others around, she's sort of expecting to be laughed at and have unkind words thrown at her. Those concerns are pushed to the back of her mind, as she focuses her attention like an obedient student at school. ]

ii.

[ Fio's stomach had been hurting. When was the last time she ate a proper meal? Naturally, she makes a beeline for the buffet. Once she arrives to see all sorts of food for the taking, she stares wide-eyed. Despite her hunger, she doesn't dig in just yet. This is okay...?

She looks around worriedly, as though waiting for someone to tell her it's fine for her to eat. ]

iii.

[ It seems her nightmares have finally come to an end ever since her arrival. No more running around the Cage either. Admittedly, she found it fun being together with Mr. Monster and the Carrier. Far better than her normal life. She can only hope her former companions turn up on the ship someday. Just when she thought she was growing comfortable in what may be her new home, a new problem begins to arise.]

Uhm...

[ Get out, she hears. Making a sound of discomfort, she attempts to ignore the voices no matter how noisy they are. A frown tugs at the little girl's lips, clearly unsettled. Yet she continues to go about the regular routine she had adopted since awakening in her cabin. As she walks past a pool chair, it upends with a loud clatter. Startled, Fio lets out a squeak.

Then the voices grow more aggressive. Finally, she pays them some mind, whoever they might be. ]

Hello? Who's here? Where are all of you? [ Awkwardly she calls out to seemingly nothing. ] Why do you want me to get out? Was I... bad?

iv. wildcard

[ ooc: Anything goes! If you're not sure, feel free to PM me! Also if you see I typed something dumb and need to fix it, feel free to PM me regarding that too lol. I haven't really RPed in a year (formerly endbringer on plurk, which I don't use anymore) and I apologize my journal is under construction... if you need a little bit of extra info on Fio for tags, she has a wiki here. ]

ii

[palfriday]

[crouching next to her. was she there five seconds ago? don't ask questions.]

Do you need help deciding? It can be a lot for your first time!

Ravi Chakrabarti | iZombie

[boutofthezombies]

1. Fun to wake up

Well this is... a particularly new and interesting kind of hell.

Ravi, in all his six-foot-four, lab-coat-adorned glory, is currently standing in the hallway, at the corner of an intersection, looking down at his own legs with both a deep frown and a growing sense of scientific inquiry. Because they don't want to take him backwards. Or even sideways - he'd just wanted to go a different way down the intersection and his legs had suddenly locked up.

"Alright, uh. How about...?" He holds up both hands, there's a look of exertion on his face, but- nothing. "Damn. Okay, so..." Then he leans back, like he can make himself fall, but all that happens is his arms flail wildly as he stumbles forward on sheer reflex to catch himself. So he folds his arms and frowns.

"Positing the theory that this restriction is sight related..." he mutters to himself, before he covers his eyes with one hand, and-- spins violently in a circle - several circles - before he comes to a stumbling stop. "And here we go."

2. Messing with my mind

This is definitely making this entire affair feel more like a horror movie. He would have questioned the woman with no face, but given his general line of work he's more concerned with how she can breathe.

It's easy to catch Ravi after the meeting: he's examining the lei with a mildly horrified intensity - particularly that weird carved charm in the center, which he--

Licks. And then frowns deeper, opens his mouth, and clamps his teeth on it. It doesn't leave a mark but he spits it out immediately and wipes his mouth with his sleeve and a horrified sound. "Right. Okay. Officially in a horror movie."

3. I have no idea who these devils are

He's not wearing his labcoat now, but he's got the same sweater due to a lack of any other real options, and is taking a stroll on the deck to try and scope out his surroundings better. He's retained some information from Major and their games - find your vantage points and learn how to use them.

When he walks towards one of the deck chairs, he actually jumps backwards when it suddenly flips away from him, and he's so busy staring at it that he doesn't notice the giant umbrella picking itself up to point at him like a javelin.

2

[businessorlibation]

"Why would you stick that in your mouth?"

The question comes from a man in a dinner suit with a white jacket and black bow tie, looking like something out of a James Bond movie with slicked back hair and piercing near-golden eyes. His accent's hard to place (because he's not from a country that exists in Ravi's timeline), and he's clearly confused, but as much by Ravi's actions as anything else that's happened since he woke up.

César Salazar | Generator Rex | OTA

[pineapplesalmon]

2B. [Any Location] How do vacation; can you eat it?

One minute, César had been at work, doing things that made his heart sick. The next, he woke up in a room that wasn't his own. He read the note, bewildered. Bewilderment is joined by alarm when he can only go to the muster drill, during it, and after.

But he hides that by being quiet, expression only mildly worried. He watches the other people react normally. César knew this sort of thing is possible; it's not a worry. Instead, he worries about all the things left undone back home.

Ten minutes later, César regains his resolve, face set and determined as he begins a brisk walk. He doesn't know what's going on. So his first order of business is to memorize the layout of the ship and learn what else he can.

... Unfortunately, as careful as he tries to be while looking around and walking quickly, it's quite possible he might accidentally bump into someone at any point in the ship. Or, well, appear suspicious. It's not his fault he looks good in a goatee and quiff, all right?


2B. [Atrium] This, clearly, was not how to vacation; whoops

César's grateful he kept up with the gym. But even with that, he's definitely spent the last several hours exploring the large ship from top to bottom. While forgetting to do important things like drink water or eat anything, such was his hyper-focus. Such was his hyper-focus back on Earth, too, as he had drunk only coffee and water.

Several mistakes were made.

He'd be laughing at himself if he wasn't just dizzy and fatigue enough that flopping onto a comfortable seat in the atrium is about all he can muster. Right. All his physical cues to eat and drink were left at home.

César isn't the type to ask for help, but he's clearly not feeling too hot right now. Not badly so, but enough that someone could help him recover a bit faster before taking care of things himself.


3. [Library] Who gets in trouble if the library itself is loud?

Still not sure what to do about this, César decides to unload the problem onto his subconscious self. Which means distracting his conscious self. Books are a good distraction, especially since it's been forever since he's read one.

And it'll be a while longer, because the moment he reaches for an interesting sounding title, another flies from the shelf takes aim for his head. It misses because of the bad angle. The second book that flies off gets him right in the shoulder.

César dives behind a solid looking chair, peeks out from behind it, and then ducks back down when another book takes aim for his head.

Get Out.

César's eyes widen, his body stiffens. He even winces as another couple of books whizz by his chair. Yet, his voice is eerily calm. "Oh. This can't be good."

2b

[lightconductor]

Also in the process of exploring, Watson strolls through the atrium in a cautious way. This is all very impressive, or it would be if it wasn't also very unsettling. So in that way, it's good to run into a fellow passenger, someone who seems remarkably real and normal, but on the other hand, he is, among other things, a doctor.

"Here, now," he says, stepping close, "you don't look at all well. I'm a doctor, you can tell me all about it."

Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[vibing]

A. Poolside
[ Something about waking up on a ship for a vacation isn't as weird as it should be. Maybe it's because Yuri is decently sure that he's dead, and this is just some strange kind of afterlife. He never really thought about what the afterlife would be, but he isn't mad. Sure, the cruise director is pushy and annoying, but he has a fun flower lei and a cocktail, and he leans back on a lounge chair by the pool on the deck of the ship, his shirt open, eyes closed. The only thing odd about this picture is the sword leaning against the chair. Yeah, he could get used to this.

Or, well. He could, until someone (or something), knocks the drink right out of his hand, splashing all over his stomach. Yuri sputters, eyes flying open, his hand going to that sword, and his eyes land on you, whoever you are ]

Hey-- what the hell?

B. Bric A Brac
[ Maybe Yuri doesn't have any money, but that doesn't stop him from heading to the gift shop. Sue him, his black-on-black ensemble is great for traveling, but not for an (as far as he's concerned afterlife) cruise. Find him picking out the most lurid and awful Hawaiian shirts. He holds up a particularly awful one with hula girls and the Serena Eterna logo on it and looks in the mirror to admire himself ]

Not bad, not bad.

[ Aaand then he's just changing right there in the store. ]

C. Get out
[ The voices have been plaguing Yuri for a while now, making it hard to sleep and making it hard to relax. He's on vacation, let him relax! It's the middle of the night and he's at the cafe with a large coffee and every pastry they still had available. He dips a madeleine into his coffee as the voices surge up around him ]

Yeah, yeah. I get it. So how about you get me out, then? We're kind of in the middle of the ocean.

D. Wildcard
[ Hit me with anything! ]

b

[thinkfirst]

You can't be serious.

[ What, exactly, does Flynn have a problem with? It's unclear, because Yuri is committing several crims here: that shirt alone is a crime, and he's just changing in the middle of the shop. Flynn shifts furtively to one side, half-shielding Yuri from the open door and also from any passing eyes. ]