WEEK 8

[bathymetric]

Good morning, passengers. Happy Sunday. Happy New Year.

Your numbers have officially dropped to single digits. One of you managed to kill the first of the major living obstacles to your collective freedom. A ghost or demon or something nearly killed you. It was a weird week.

The cruise continues on, roller coaster back up and running as ever, arcade free and clear of coins. The last free floor of the ship is open, as well as part of the top deck with... well, something you might expect to see way more on a cruise ship than anything else here. One way or another, you get a feeling you can't shake - things are going to end soon.

No rain yet, but the clouds are closing in fast above you. A cold wind blows during the night, sending the ship gently rocking. Around midnight or so, if you head to the deck, you can hear thunder in the distance.



SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to week 8, everyone! Remember to turn in AC here and coins for regains over here! If you wish to get in contact with the npcs, Davy Jones is over here, and "The Captain" is over here! And as requested, profiles are accessible here. ]

Comments

[guffawsungraciously]

Most certainly. To tell the truth, I believe more monsters can be approached civilly than not... under perfect circumstances, anyway.

[scouserer]

And none of us are, either--at least, not individually.

[But together? Together, they might at least stand a chance.

...Who is he kidding himself, of course they can't. Not with their current resources or knowledge.]

Hey, if you're so inclined to use that camera, why don't you ask the Captain for a picture? See if he shows up on film and all that.

[cethflayn]

Hm...that would certainly make life much easier. Beasts of ill intent are not so easily swayed in Fodlan.

[sivard]

[Well, that... gets him to stop feeling sorry for himself, at least for the moment. He looks more worried about Constantine now.]

This has happened to you before?

[scouserer]

[That's just the natural magic of Filbo Fiddlepie, (Former) Mayor of Snaxburg! A sort of dry, tired smile tugs on the corners of Constantine's mouth.]

Believe me, what I wouldn't give for a proper night's rest for the first time in fifty years.

[It's always been nightmares, magical crises, and more. He's gotten used to it, sure, but just because he's gotten used to it doesn't mean it's any more pleasant. And, as much as he hates to admit it, he's not getting any younger. He leans against the billiards table.]

And, hey, maybe a vacation with a bunch of fuzzy Grumpuses...Grumpus?...is just what I need. Sure beats a cruise ship filled with murder, or someone angrily shouting my name in a local pub to try and square up....

CW: The Hallucination Motive

[ahelpingpaw]

[It's one thing to be the one that says you're not as good as you should be, or that you have failed others, or that everyone hates you. It's another altogether when it's the voices of the people you know. And they're saying such things unbearably often. On Tuesday it was a murmur every few hours, stuff he could brush off. On Wednesday voices would come one after another in bursts. Today it's almost constant, as if there was an entire crowd of people jeering him. Doesn't help he didn't sleep much the last two nights. By now Filbo looks tense, sometimes pausing and staring at the floor with a hurt expression.

That morning he is walking around the ship during the breaks from sewing bags, holding a camera from the photo lab. Filbo is taking so many photos of everything! Every room gets three or four photos, showing everything he can find. The minigolf gets special attention because he takes pictures of the courses, trying to capture those little pieces of everybody else's worlds. He even takes photos of the clouds]

You know, I'm glad there's a camera. I have a journal, but photos will make everything easier to remember!

[Both the good and the bad. He's going to take so, so many photos he'll need one of his bags to carry them all, hah.

Still, it's not all perfect because the motive. At some point while he's fooling around with the camera he just...stands still. The voices have been cruel -- and it doesn't help that half of them are memories. 'You're truly are as useful as a beaker without a bottom'. 'I knew Filbo wouldn't be able to handle any of this'. 'Shouldn't have given 'im a chance'. Things he imagined his friends would say because he had gone missing when his mayoral term had barely gotten started. Stuff he was ready to face, really.

Then came one he didn't expect to ever hear so clearly:

'As it stands I intend to kill everyone on this entire godforsaken boat'

Filbo gasps loudly and steps back, slamming his back against the wall and looking around. That was one hell of a bitter memory, even though he had already tried to leave it behind. Still, he knew what it meant:

He was starting to hear voices belonging to his friends on the ship mingled with those from home. They were loved ones, after all. Would he hear repudiation from the friends that were still alive? He really didn't want to find out, but it probably was matter of time.

For now there he is, leaning against the wall, eyes wide open, clutching the camera as if he feared it was going to vanish in thin air]

[scouserer]

Unfortunately. But the reminders were much more persistent, mind you.

[He rubs the back of his neck, looking somewhat irked.]

Before I came on this ship, it was all too common to look over my shoulder and see the ghosts of those I've met and died for my stupid mistakes. It's been quiet since I've arrived here, but now....

[A sort of wry smile tugs on the corners of his mouth.]

S'not any worse than what I can tell myself, anyways.

[sivard]

Antiquated, really? It looks pretty advanced to me.

[He says, sounding genuinely curious.

Well, here goes a nice smile for the picture!]

[sivard]

I take it you mean that literally and not figuratively?

[....]

Theodora and I were taking care of these orphans until recently. Three little kids, whose parents died and left them on their own. It's risky doing that as a malak, but Theodora did it anyway, so I helped her out. After she [....] passed away, I was able to find them a family. A human couple, who had no children of their own, willing to raise three children they'd never met before.

Even now, with what Jack has been doing to us, with what this spirit is doing to us... I believe the good outweighs the bad in humanity. In malakhim, too.

Good people can make mistakes, screw up in spectacular ways... what matters is that they keep going. Keep being themselves. At least I think so.

[You're good people, Constantine.]

[ahelpingpaw]

You'd be hounded by the press. There'd be so many photos of you in the media for a while, and even more once you leave the world and return home. A friend of mine would probably ask you very strange questions about yourself for the sake of science.

[Filbo sounds amused]

cw: auditory hallucinations

[scouserer]

[A nod confirms that, yes, he does mean literally. Ghosts are fucked, yo. Anyways, he falls quiet for a few moments, listening attentively to Zaveid.

Is he hearing this right? Is Zaveid implying that he actually think Constantine is a good person? Were he not in the presence of others right now, he'd probably just laugh out loud. Alas, he bites his tongue and just looks away. If Zaveid wants to believe that for now, he's free to do so.

Lying by omission is still lying, John--but perhaps it's not the worst of your sins. No, you know what's the worst part of you? You're a black hole masquerading as a man, eating away at all those in his orbit. What gives you any right to think you'll be able to get out of this one?]

Whatever you say, mate.

[He lets out a grunt, crossing his arms.]

cw: hallucinations

[scythegun]

[Yeager's been doing his best to seem unaffected by the motive, but Thursday's definitely not a good day. He hasn't managed to do anything productive since the motive, and today's another day spent restlessly wandering the ship like maybe he'll find something different to do today to take his mind off of it.

He hears something and turns a corner to find Filbo looking like he's seen a ghost.]

...Are you alright, Filbo?

[Probably a stupid question given everything this motive's decided to be, but hopefully Filbo's physically okay??]

[ahelpingpaw]

[It takes him a moment to register Yeager's simple question. Was that an insult? No, it wasn't. Therefore it probably was real. Most likely. Taking a moment to notice he was once again hearing people from home instead of anyone on the ship, he shook his head]

...I'm...well, uh...I think I'm not okay.

[If he has to evaluate from now on if what he hears was true or not then he probably isn't 'okay', he thinks. But at least he steps away from the wall and seems able to function. That's as good as he can ask of himself, really]

Sorry, sorry, I just--I guess I wasn't prepared for any of what's happening right now due to the motive.

cw: auditory hallucinations

[sivard]

[The voice is still there in his own mind, hissing, but Zaveid is trying to ignore it. It's not real, it's not real... You're a fool who gave your True Name to the man who killed your savior, what makes you think you can trust anyone?

He grimaces, trying to shake the words out of his head.]

I'm... gonna tell you what I told Freyja, before she...

[well]

When Eizen and I first met, we fought. I mean we really fought. Bruises and cuts and everything. Three times, maybe four...?

I guess what I'm saying is, we need to trust each other. And sometimes the best way to do that is punching each other in the face until we all get along.

[not... literally in this case]

[scythegun]

...I don't think anyone is, really.

[Hearing loved ones who aren't here is one thing, but the barrage of insults preying on insecurities? It's certainly cruel in a different way from Jack's motives.]

Do you... want to talk about it? Honestly, I don't know if that will help or make it worse, but I'll listen, if you'd like.

[bathymetric]

[ Your power knows no bounds.

Oh yeah, we got shanties! You wanna see the Wellerman? Well, you can listen to some men sing about how they want that Wellerman to get over there.

There's nothing particularly notable about the song selection, but there do appear to be a few entries in the song history before you spam them down too far with all that Bjölk. ]

[ltcommandroid]

It is. Any number of medical or environmental conditions could result in similar hallucinations. Why do you ask?

[ltcommandroid]

Antiquated by my standards, at least.

[He takes the picture! It's film so we don't get to see it for a while, rip]

Though of course there are still artists who prefer to use film.

[guffawsungraciously]

They do, yes. I have had the pleasure of sitting for one or two myself, though not quite as many as several individuals I know.

[scouserer]

[Constantine lets out a short, surprised laugh--enough to silence the wavering voices for a few moments.]

I suppose that's true. Happens all the time--Gilgamesh and Enkidu.

[Not that Zaveid would get it, but....the first thing he and Plumeria did after the first trial was just punch the shit out of each other.]

[bathymetric]

[ Actually, I can give you a photo reference! ]

[ltcommandroid]

I can sing. Though I have not done much dancing...I suppose if I knew the steps, it would be simple to write a program.

[bathymetric]

[ Interesting that you ask! The name of the ship isn't visible, but on that price tag is printed:

PARADISELINERNEWYEARSCARD

$1.50

What a ripoff! ]

[ahelpingpaw]

You'd...you'd listen?

[That actually seems to surprise Filbo. He really holds Yeager in very high esteem, but like he said to Freyja weeks ago Yeager really didn't seem like the kind of person he'd be able to talk about his insecurities with. While Filbo thankfully is in a much healthier emotional state than when he had a breakdown in front of Freyja, the motive is picking at healing wounds and even though he's far better prepared to face them, it hurts.

Still, Yeager is offering. What'd be the harm, he thinks. If it helps, then great. If it doesn't help, well, not great, but certainly wouldn't tear him apart]

I mean, if you're sure then...I guess...I could?

[He definitely wasn't prepared for Yeager of all people to offer such a thing to him, all things considered, hah]

[scythegun]

[As predicted, the price means nothing to him....... what the hell is a dollar.........

But "Paradise Liner", huh? That's definitely not the same name of this ship... that's possibly important!! Anything else to note about the postcard or in here in general?]