unknownseas | WEEK 8

Entry tags:

round 2,
week 8

WEEK 8

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. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[God, I love the thought of Yeager excusing himself to go mess with the jukebox for like five minutes to queue the songs for the next day and half while Filbo sits somewhere like a lemon and watches that happen, hah. Oh well, maybe it happened in some alternate universe.

Filbo does take a seat to the counter, nervously staring forward while Yeager gets comfortable. Oh boy, he has no idea how this will go but it's not like he can back down now, can he?]

...uh...w-well, I guess I should...just say what happened? Well, it was that, uh--I heard Freyja's voice. From when she threatened to kill us all, back then during that meeting.

I really didn't expect to be hearing that again, you know? Because, well, it's...it's something that kinda scared me a lot back then. Maybe I should have known this whole thing the Captain did this week would dig that up again because it knows it...well, it hits me where it hurts.

[Filbo is spared....... this time.

Anyway, he takes a seat across from Filbo, inclining his head a bit as Filbo starts to speak.]

Freyja's voice?

[Uh oh. Well, here's hoping he won't start hearing voices from the people who died here because that's going to be a lot harder to ignore!!]

I can certainly understand that. The two of you were very close - that came out of nowhere for all of us, but I imagine it was even harder on you.

[He didn't exactly take it well to begin with, but poor goddamn Filbo...]

It's... difficult to hear the people you care about insult you and tear you down like this, but I think this situation is somehow even worse - because it did happen. It's a painful reminder of Freyja and how difficult that week was.

I'm sorry, Filbo. That sounds dreadful.

I know, right? I think I'd have been fine if that hadn't happened. I really fear it's gonna get worse later today.

[...]

You know, it--it took me some time to actually start believing that many around here cared about me. Freyja did a lot in making me realize that because, well...she did listen to me when I was falling apart, pretty much. The friends I have at home didn't really like me at first, and most people who voted for me didn't do it because they knew me as a person. But here...

...there was no reason to care about me, but many of you did. Somehow. Even though I was a complete stranger from another species? I-I'm not used to being, well, to being liked. So, well...

...it's...gonna be tough to hear the voices of people around here say the things I once feared I'd hear from many of you because, well, it's the stuff I once feared you all thought about me.

[It already hit Filbo hard to get a reminder he once feared Freyja would just watch him be executed and not care about that at all. The thought that later he may hear other friends disparage him is something he's so not looking forward to. What if Freyja's voice gets more personal? And others join too? Everyone who has died, blaming him. Everyone still alive, for not being good enough. Uf, the thought that, say, Sylvando all of a sudden says something like how he's not living up to his legacy or something is a very real possibility]

I know it's not real! But it's gonna be really, really hard to ignore...

[...]

I understand that. Truthfully, I didn't think it was possible for anyone here to genuinely care about anyone else. Decus, Alice, Freyja, and Plumeria aside, I mean.

[Obviously they started out caring about each other, but the rest? Sylvando and Jasper knew each other, but they weren't exactly friends.]

But a lot of people here are kind and genuine and... nothing like I was expecting, really. People like Sylvando... there aren't many people like him, ja? Those who truly do want to look out for and care about everyone, no matter what. Even in these circumstances, we came together more than we tried to tear each other apart. So many of us still prioritize getting out or dealing with the Captain more than hating one another.

I suppose it sounds a bit silly, but it really did help restore my faith in... well, humanity, but that applies to non-humans as well! I certainly wouldn't have reached this point all on my own - so thank you, Filbo. You certainly have helped out a lot. I know I can't stop you from hearing those voices, but I want you to know that anything you hear from me that isn't a compliment is a complete lie and you can safely ignore it.

[It wasn't hard for Filbo to try and see the good things in others. Lizbert was great at getting people to show their best sides, so of course Filbo believed people have something good in them -- people like Jack being very, very rare exceptions. Even Magica has salvageable stuff amidst the evil because being awful doesn't mean you don't have good points others can like about you.

In his opinion, that despite everything many on the murdercruise had been so willing to reach out to others while others also started opening up after some time, himself included, confirmed that particular way to view the world, really. Maybe if he can cling to that he can try to ignore the voices.

Probably won't work, but it sure would be worth a try. And hey, if he does hear Yeager's voice later insulting him, how can he listen to it when here's the very real Yeager telling him something like this?]

...I guess that even though this all probably started as most of us just playing nice to avoid trouble it all turned into something more!

[Those who were eagerly trying to befriend others from the start probably could be counted in one hand, really]

I don't think it's silly that something like that was restored. I mean, it's...if it doesn't happen here then where, really? This has been a whole lot of horrible stuff happening, so all of us either had to unite and show the best we had, or we'd all die. It's...that's just how it is.

Precisely. We had the option to tear ourselves apart, and we chose instead to ally against the one who did this to us. It certainly helps that Jack was so dreadful.

You're right though, certainly. I'm glad things have worked out this way. So let's try to keep moving, and try to remember that the voices aren't correct at all in what they're saying - I have a hard time believing that anyone who died here could truly hate you.

[...Alice probably didn't hate you, right...]

[Curiously enough, Alice and Filbo got along decently enough. Mutual zero trust and she was definitely talking to him for her own amusement more than anything else, but at least she didn't hate him when he wasn't swinging flaming spears in her vicinity! That's as good as it could get, really]

...I guess...you're right? It may be--uh...you know, I once knew someone who seriously hated me because...I dunno why, actually? I never asked her, but other than Alice a couple times nobody really was as horrible as her. I suppose I can try to think if anybody sounds like her it's probably just a lie.

[Probably was because Beffica's view of interpersonal relationships was very bitter and cynical and the sight of Filbo's genuine friendliness really irked her, but who knows for sure, really. At least they made amends and are okay with each other nowadays]

[See?? Even Alice couldn't hate Filbo, because Filbo is too powerful.]

I think that's a safe bet! There will always be people you don't get along with, but whatever happened with that person sounds like it was very different. I don't think anyone here hated you that much - you likely would have known if that was the case!

[So no, on this boat we stan Filbo.]

I hope you're able to start ignoring those voices a little easier now! It certainly isn't easy to shut them out, but a lot of what they're telling you are lies.

I think it'll be easier. It's hard to do it, but...honestly I think you helped. A lot. Thanks, Yeager. I owe you one...once again.

[As if he's keeping a tally, hah]

You seem to be having far less trouble than me, at least? I hope so. Have you at least been getting sleep?

I'm glad I could help.

[Those questions get him to pause for a moment.]

...It isn't as though I've been unaffected. This... isn't particularly easy for me either. But the voices I've been hearing... well, I can at least know that two of them are lies. Gauche and Droite may have some problems with how I've handled things, but they've never once said anything like this to me.

[So there's that, at least. It's easier to tune it out when it already sounds weird coming from them.]

There is one that is... harder to ignore. Because quite frankly, she's right. She really would be quite upset with me... but she died ten years ago. It isn't as though she really can judge me, after all.

[It can't be her opinions in the first place because she isn't around to have them.]

[Of course the daughters would be some of what Yeager was hearing...at least he can handle those, he knows Gauche and Droite better than anyone. The other one, though...]

Oh...I'm so sorry to hear that, Yeager. I dunno what kinda things you're hearing with her voice? But whatever it is, even if it sounds like she's right...

[Hm, what kind of view should he suggest to make this somewhat easier for Yeager...]

...it's the Captain speaking through her. The things he thinks would break you, and using her voice for that. Maybe try to think of this as the Captain himself using her voice.

[To Filbo that's harder to believe in his own case because half of what he hears are memories and the other half are things he has imagined friends at home and on the boat would say, but for Yeager perhaps he'd be able to use that particular argument easier than Filbo would, he thinks. Perhaps it'd work]

Yes. I know that's what it is - it's a rather painful reminder, but it's one designed to push me into acting on the motive, same as all these other threats and offers have been. If last week couldn't get me to break, nothing will.

[He sounds certain about that, at least.]

It's troublesome and difficult, but that doesn't mean that I can't handle it. Thank you for worrying about me, Filbo, but I won't let you down.

At this point I don't think you could ever let me or anyone else down. I mean, look at yourself! You're still around even though...many of us aren't anymore, and you're still keeping your head up, and even though some very painful and unfair stuff were used against you you still are the same guy who isn't afraid of messing with jukeboxes for no reason other than you think it's funny.

[Filbo sounds absolutely glad about all that, really]

I think the word is...sturdy? No, that isn't it. It's...uh...indomitable! That's more like it.

[The word he was trying to use definitely was 'resilient' but he couldn't remember it]

[let's be honest, "indomitable" is slightly more accurate for his murdergame development here........]

I do like the sound of that, you know!

But I don't pretend that I haven't had my hardships. Truly, the reason why I'm still able to keep my head up is because there isn't much that can be worse than what I already experienced back home. It took me awhile to see that, but our current Captain is going to have to try harder to get me to break.

That sounds both great and incredibly worrying, Yeager.

[Because wow, what kind of thing have you gone through at home that murdercruise and its motives aren't up to par? Filbo refrains from asking for details, but really, that Yeager is saying that speaks volumes already]

...the past is in the past, anyway? I hope you don't have to go through whatever you experienced back home ever again.

[The first part just gets a laugh from him, but he isn't interested in going into detail so you'll be spared!! That is absolutely the correct response to this, thanks, Filbo.]

It is, ja. And it isn't likely to happen again, so once we've found a way out of here, everything should work out just fine.

Got any big plans for the future already?

[Looks like Filbo still is talking as if having decided they'll survive and return home. What can he say, he's an optimist]

[That gets a laugh out of him, but truly, the optimism is appreciated. He's found himself relying on it more and more as well, because at least if you can fake it, you may eventually make it.]

I wouldn't say they're big plans, but I do intend to go home and reunite with my daughters! There's quite a bit I need to tell them and apologize for... And after that, I think I'll work on some reforms within Leviathan's Claw. Not that I've been doing a bad job running the guild, of course, it's just that there's plenty I can improve on, and I'd like to support them as best I can.

What about you, Filbo?

That's right! There's always room for improvement. And surely you're still strong as always, you're gonna be able to stay in charge for so many years to come they're gonna want nobody else.

[If someone tried to usurp the top spot Filbo has no doubt Yeager will swoop by and claim it back in no time at all. Probably. Guilds have started to sound like a sort of cutthroat organization, Terce Lumireis is such a tough place]

I'm...not sure? I mean, I doubt I can be the mayor anymore if any time has passed. There's no way I'm gonna be able to explain any of this to the public. But after taking a long break and, well, trying to explain to my friends why I went missing, I guess...I'll find some other way to help out. Being a mayor can't be the only way, you know! Other than that I have no idea.

[Politics probably won't work anymore, but hey, he'll figure something out. At least he sounds sure he can]

[The first part gets a nod; he's certainly confident in that much, at least!! As for Filbo's plans...]

Ja, I think that's reasonable. You've proven that you don't need to be a leader to help - you're plenty helpful as it is! While I do think your friends would be more understanding of it in time, it may be a good idea to set your sights on something new to explore!

[Just so you aren't disappointed if everyone else isn't willing to give you another shot at being mayor...]

No matter what it is you end up doing, I'm sure you'll be just fine. You're very resilient, Filbo!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

WEEK 8

cw: yup, motive

cw: motive all the way down from here, probably

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject