And we're all adrift together through the cold mist, 'til we're lifeless together

[dokkalfheimr]

[The preparations hit differently this time.

Last weekend was at least an attempt at being festive, even with the light supplies they have; at being joyous, at giving people at least one nice thing to look back upon before things inevitably took a turn for the worse. And now two people are dead, and instead of trying to figure out structure placement and how best to keep everyone entertained and occupied and well-fed, the preparations now are given to much more practical purposes.

Large amounts of bottled water from the machine. Bagels and bread and muffins, light starchy things to avoid forcing anyone to keep meat or seafood down after seeing a corpse. Fruit for the sake of providing energy. Avoiding including bananas for any reason. Quietly pulling aside one of the first people she sees with any experience in the matter and asking them to help her make tea.

Once she's got one of the tables at the party zone set up and the tea is on its way to being prepared, she'll set around letting people know; the invitations are simple, written in Freyja's broad, elegant handwriting:

I think another gathering tonight would be beneficial. Not to celebrate, but to remember; perhaps more importantly, to ensure that no one is alone if they don't want to be.

Tonight is hard. There is nothing further to do but get through it.]

Comments

[calx]

[ Like he has with most everything here, Albedo watched the trial with rapt attention. He had no reaction to the execution other than to lean forward and get a better look at the creature from below; no fear, no anger and no apprehension. Time continue onwards, another minute, another hour and soon another day.

He's likely one of the first to show up to the party, quickly availing himself to the spread of food: his selection is several muffins as long as they're not bran or corn, and a cup of grapes with a side of cherries. ]

All thing's considered, today was a success.

[ After he's done eating he doesn't linger, opting to go up on the deck with some paper and a pen. Curious eyes will find he's sketching the kraken they all became more acquainted with several hours earlier. ]

[dokkalfheimr]

Perhaps so.

[She doesn't seem off-put by the assertion; just seeing how he's doing only to be greeted with Albedo's...that.]

More of us lived than died, after all.

[calx]

[ Evidently he is...himself. Maybe a positive? ]

Yes, precisely. The possibility existed that Shard could have succeeded, however long or short the odds of that were. Despite how difficult the events of today may be, it is important to keep perspective in mind.

[dokkalfheimr]

[Better that than not himself, she supposes.]

I don't disagree with you. I imagine tonight finds you well enough, with that in mind?

[calx]

[ This is very true. ]

Yes it does, though I realize I may be one of the few in that regard. And yourself?

[dokkalfheimr]

I'm doing well enough, though I admit that I did not know either of them well.

[calx]

Even still, familiarity isn't the only reason for unease. There were several who seemed shaken by the fact that a kill happened in the first place, or that Shard would lie given the rules that were established.

All of these reasons are logical on their own.

[dokkalfheimr]

[...Albedo, has anyone ever told you that you're kind of odd...]

Of course. Though I believe it to be both naive and oddly arrogant to assume our lives so important that he wouldn't lie about it, even knowing the stakes.

[calx]

[ ...he gets it sometimes. But then again, he doesn't interact with others too much either, oh the joys of being a scientist with a remote mountain lab. ]

Arrogance is not something I had heard today, until this moment. [ He tilts his head and thinks on it. ]

As most life is inherently selfish, it is easy to overlook.

[dokkalfheimr]

I suppose so. I just find it difficult to find another way to describe expecting someone to permit their world to perish to spare the lives of less than thirty people that they have known for less than a fortnight.

[calx]

Ah, but that implies that they believed in the validity of the threat.

deck

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ She's just gonna look over his shoulder... ]

That's a pretty good drawing of that thing. You really got all that detail just from a quick look at it?

[ Granted it was pretty up close, but the sentiment still stands. ]

[calx]

Yes. My memory is not eidetic, but is fairly good. I'm also used to sketching subjects that don't linger too long for one reason or another.

[ He doesn't seem to mind being snooped on, though it does cause him to pause his work. ]

[conceivesfrenzy]

Huh. Like studying monsters or wildlife or whatever?

[calx]

Yes, but I have studied people on occasion.

[conceivesfrenzy]

Oh? Have you found out anything interesting, then?

[ like how humanity is the real monster or something??? ]

[calx]

Many interesting things.

[ Gee thanks for the explanation Albedo. ]

I study what interests me, the who or what or in between doesn't matter. Before I was taken to this place, my subject was an individual from another land who had stumbled into mine. I performed various experiments on him but in the end, it seemed all the differences between him and the humans of my world came down to unique properties belonging to his person. There were not for instance extra organs or blood made up of an entirely different substances.

who has time for parties, it's decking time

[ignobel]

[But luckily for at least one of those involved, it's the literal definition of deck on this fine post-trial not-quite-any-longer-day; Allenby arrives late at the party and doesn't tarry too late, she mostly just grabs a bagel, makes a round and then skedaddles for fresh air after that.

Okay, she might go back for seconds.

It's not a proper party, but it's a sight better than whatever else they were doing all day. And Albedo's sketch is a sight in itself as well -- maybe surprisingly she watches closely and mostly quietly from a respectable distance, only piping up after it looks like he's gotten the bulk of the work out of the way.]

... Come to think of it, I still don't get half the stuff in your profile, but the drawing one makes sense. You're real good at drawing monsters.

/sleighbells jingle in the distance, i almost wrote slaybells

[calx]

[ There's a bit of delay in a response as he finishes the line he was drawing, clipping his pen to the page after. ]

What don't you understand? But thank you—it is a hobby of mine and not a profession, but it is useful and a form of relaxation.

I mean slaybells would super fit around here......

[ignobel]

You don't have to stop on my account. I'm just curious.

[Though she's not shifting to go away anytime soon; though that being said, if he's done she's too much of an art novice to tell -- these artists and their endless drawing and redrawing and lines and crosshatching and whatnot.

How detailed is this kraken. There is no sketch vs. painting comparison here, but is it giving a high-five. Inquiring minds need to know. Allenby tilts her head all the way to the side.]

Alchemy, babysitting, sprats... You've got one heck of a profile. I mean, most of us do, but I'm just saying.

[calx]

Very well then.

[ It's not like he's shy about her watching, more that he's aware that people like to be the sole focus of attention when they're engaged in conversations. And while there are plenty of times he ignores this himself, alchemy takes precedent over everything else so it really shouldn't count.

As for the painting—he doesn't have a brush set so he's made due with what details he can get across with a ballpoint pen. The end result is something like this but more sketchy. The amount of detail on the Kraken is somewhere in the middle given that he didn't really have the time to take in everything considering what was going on, but he captured it's form pretty well all things considered. For the time being he goes back to darkening certain lines, making them more bold to give weight. ]

By that do you mean diverse?

[ignobel]

More stuff I haven't seen before! I know what alchemy is, but I don't got a clue what that's got to do with elevators. I mean, not that mine makes all that much more sense.

[Why is she a danger goose. Your guess is as good as hers, apparently -- though she doesn't seem especially hung up on it. Far more interesting things to poke at in this day and age and cruise ship. Despite the energy in her greeting and talking, she stays relatively still to observe.

Wouldn't do to mess up a guy's art after he's letting her hang around, after all. Plus, who doesn't want a better look at their seamonster. Despite, you know, the morbid stuff.]

Is it the elevators you're babysitting?

[calx]

Ah—I actually did not know what an elevator was either. I had to research the term shortly after I arrived. I still haven't come up with a satisfactory hypothesis as to why I was given that title in particular.

Therefore I'm afraid I can't answer your question, though I find it highly unlikely that Klee would be considered an elevator unless there's a further definition I am not aware of.

[ Knowing your enemy is a part of the battle! Klee does not deserve this also. ]

[ignobel]

Hang on-- You don't even know what an elevator is??

[She seems to be momentarily just. Stalled on the fact that he's an elevator attendant without a working knowledge of elevators, which would make sense if you were talking, say, mechanical stuff. But? But??

After a moment she manages to get past that (mostly) and stare back on it like a particularly unfortunate passing elephant.]

I guess I have it better than that, but mmm, if the Captain was the one writing these things... might just be messing with us. What's Klee?

[calx]

Not until I researched the term in the library here.

[ The danger of having a meta title!!! ]

I believe him being ridiculous and nonsensical is part of his plan, yes. [ A beat. ] Ah, Klee is not a what, but a who. A young girl I am in charge of watching, who has a fascination with pyrotechnics.