sail_ooc | TEST DRIVE MEME #1

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TEST DRIVE MEME #1

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.]

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Huhu... depending on how formal you want to be, "Master Ebalon" or simply "Ebalon" is fine.

[He pauses for a half-second there before adding,]

The title is due to my status. I am considered a master of moon magic where I come from, you see. When I promise information, I do not do so lightly, given the prestigious title.

[Ebalon offers a slight smile. Polite, formal. Nothing entirely friendly, like all of his interactions are measured carefully before he even allows an expression to form on his features.]

What is your name, now?

[Poor girl, running in circles trying to reason out the unreasonable. Roxanne listens with a sympathetic look for a moment before she finally reaches out and moves to gently lay a hand on Rita's shoulder. If the other woman pulls away Roxanne won't exactly chase her down, mind you.

Either way her tone is comfortingly warm.]

Hey now, don't run in a circle trying to figure this out. It's really strange and there's bound to be some sort of explanation but it's not something that needs to be figured out immediately.

Oh, very much so! [ She takes a book off the top of the stack, flipping through it curiously. Whatever this language it is that's been imprinted into her mind, the writing system is quite ingenious - like a simpler, more elegant version of Demotic script. Perhaps it could be adapted to be used back home, if she recalls enough details? ]

There are libraries there, of course, but I've never seen this way of binding writings together. Creating even one of these must be a massive undertaking.

[It's hard to tell what he's thinking...but it's hardly enough to deter her.]

Hmm... Is that so?

[She says it matter-of-factly; since both he and his magic are unknown to her, she can't yet judge how impressive his title is to her. But she isn't dismissive, either. If he is a master, this could be a rare opportunity to learn.

Continuing in the exact same tone, she introduces herself.]

Rita Mordio. Genius mage.

[(An observer might think they were rather similar despite the very different temperaments.)]

[ he might be willing to openly disagree here. hasn't she ever seen someone get 'kidnapped' to go do something fun? there's no hesitation in his mind that this could be a possibility...

just. maybe not in this case. maybe! ]

No. I woke up in my room. I was just leaving the café for the day, and...

[ and then he was on a boat. ]

... were you grabbed?

[Damen nods. He remembers all too keenly what they felt like. He's not sure he'll ever be able to forget.]

I would have offered either way. I just like to know ahead of time if I'll need to fight someone.

[He puts down his plate of food and frowns as he looks the chains over. He hopes he can get them off without a key. He's very strong. It's possible he'll be able to break them with his sword, or even his bare hands. But he wants to make sure he doesn't hurt her in the process.]

[She pauses, a slightly-uncomfortable feeling rising in her that she can now recognize--embarrassment at being comforted by a total stranger. It at least gets her to stop spiralling down that rabbit hole (for now), and this stubborn teen crosses her arms, clears her throat, and tries to pretend that she wasn't about to lose her head.]

Well...you can't figure something out if you don't think about it! Aren't you taking all this a little too lightly?

[What sets it apart for Rita is that they didn't even ask to be kidnapped--or at least she didn't; she can't speak for the other passengers.

Either way, she sighs.]

No, it was about the same for me. I was just on my way to the edge of town, but then the whole city was just...replaced by this boat. And they kind of interrupted something important!

[And now she's irritated again. And...a little worried. At least she figured out something to keep her friend safe, but there was still more to do...]

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?

[ Kore's chains are lax at least enough to allow her to move, but they are still coarse, and chafe. Not to mention the weight - she's short and the chains are nearly the length she is tall, and pulls on her hair, and hurts when they thump against her chest. ]

I...do not think Marcus Crassius would and as paterfamilias his wish would stand. His son Tiberius however...

[ Involuntarily, she shivered and pulled her arms around herself. ]

[ 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.

[ It's certainly good to have someone closer to her own era! Unfortunately, the name 'Rome' doesn't ring any bells, since she still predates its founding by about 600 years. ]

It's a pleasure, Kore of Rome. Are we in Rome now? I hail from Hermopolis in the kingdom of Egypt, and I don't have the faintest idea how I ended up here.

[ WEEEELL... he probably ought to avoid mentioning how many humans still existed. Not only was it seemingly irrelevant here, but it was depressing. ]

There are other possibilities. However, I'm not sure how much I like any of them, either.

"Well, yea. I don't have any nicknames or reasons to change it." Sure, it might lead to situations like this, but Hunk generally just shrugs it off with a chuckle. This time is no different.

"Hmm. Down first, I think." They may as well get the worst of it out of the way.

Are we calling ghosts puppies now?

[Rochelle quirks a brow - then starts to laugh. She shakes her head.]

I'm Rochelle, by the way. Thanks for sticking your neck out over some chicken strips. [Her smile turns lopsided.] I haven't had a decent meal in a while so... I appreciate it.

[Brio dips his glass and waves a hand.]

Ah, she's t-t-technically an experiment, but she's from a different dimension. We've only met in p-p-passing before.

[ he looks at that hand of ebalon's, so tempting... even if there's a shield there in front of him, can't robin find a way through it? though he's not a very strong vampire to begin with and his control over magic is incredibly limited, perhaps if he attempted to reach through it slowly... he won't be stopped? ]

You have a hand right there.

[ yes. robin can try. after all, vampires can turn into mist--- into smoke. if he focuses hard enough, maybe he can make his hand faze through? with his tongue peeking out from between his lips and brows furrowed inward with as much determination and focus he can muster, all he accomplishes is making his limb appear a little translucent. that's it. ]

[ Given she's from the city Roma herself but also the Republic itself is a little confusing. ]

No, we are not. I'm sure where we are, although I know we are in the sea somewhere, but those are vast and many. No one sees to know how we arrived here. The 'Captain' likely does, but he is not giving answers.

Restless spirits?

[ Despite all he'd encountered, Zouichi wasn't sure he was ready to embrace the concept of ghosts -- at least not the classical kind. There were hands that reached out from the past, certainly, grasping humanity about the neck and squeezing with all their malevolent strength.

But they belonged to those who refused to die.

Well. Best to ask the owners of these voices what they were about. ]

If you've got any idea how we can get out of here, I'd like nothing better. I'm sure most of the passengers would agree.

[ Another inarticulate wail. ]

...Or is there something we could do to help you out?

[ there are so many better life choices keith could be making right now than getting indignant at a guy with a battle axe while he's half dressed, but you know what....

today just ain't the day for better life decisions. ]

I didn't do anything! [ haughty? yep. defensive? double yep. ] I was trying to take a shower in the designated place where you take a shower! The hell is wrong with this ship that it's got some invisible pervs on it?

[ keith looks up briefly when someone new enters the morgue, relaxing only when it's clear the new arrival isn't one gal friday. it's been what, all of ten seconds, and already he's decided he approves of this guy. quick and to the point, no dithering about bodies. he nods, then turns his attention to opening up the first locker. ]

I'll let you know if I find anything.

[ and so far, that appears to be nothing at all. the locker opens easily enough, revealing an unoccupied steel frame tray. ]

I'm Keith.

Do you always brandish your weapon so when you bathe?

[He has absolutely no room to talk when it comes to picking fights, but if he was going to have to make an uneducated guess as to who was at fault here… he was siding with the bathroom ghosts on this one. Granted he was more familiar with ghosts than the bathrooms in his home worlds.]

[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.

Edited 2022-02-17 06:02 (UTC)

[ /squint. squinting so much. ]

No. I'm usually bathing when I bathe. But when ghosts start trying to strangle me with the shower curtains, I might grab my knife, yeah.

[ .... which is to say, the knife sticks pretty close at all times. ]

And if you're seriously suggesting that the ghosts feel threatened by my knife, why haven't they attakced you? Can't help noticing you're just wandering around like you're ready to throw hands.

We have to try something, Hunk. We can't just stay on this cruise ship playing nice with Bob's cousin or whatever Gal Friday is.

[ fate of the universe, all that jazz. this is all being stated rather matter of factly, keith clearly assuming that hunk will know exactly what he's talking about since they last saw each other not that long ago.. at least, in his head anyway.

but as he gets closer to gal friday, keith just stops. there's no invisible wall or anything, his legs just refuse to move. ]

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Page 37 of 102

TEST DRIVE MEME #1

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dimitri alexandre blaiddyd | fe3h

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lmfao i did the same thing tbh

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Kara | Detroit: android > human

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