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

buffet

[scouserer]

[Constantine is here, picking listlessly at a kebab. A slightly smoldering cigarette has been stubbed out in a nearby glass. He glances up when Flayn speaks, and...oh.]

Uh, a pub of some sort. Photo lab. A water park on the top deck and various other amusements.

[He falls silent for a moment, studying her carefully. The ship is much more quiet, now that their numbers are dwindling to the single digits.]

How are you feeling, Flayn?

[He feels he already knows the answer, but....]

[cethflayn]

...I am depressed.

[Looks at a pickle on her plate. Decides...yeah, let's cut it in half and hollow out the halves and put the tuna salad in there. Weird sad times.]

What is a water park?

[scouserer]

Who could blame you?

[She didn't have to tell him for him to know that, but he bites his tongue. Now's not the time to be a smart-ass, now's the time to support Flayn. He leans forward, resting his chin against his hand. The kebab is abandoned for now.]

It's like an amusement park, 'cept with water. Things like slides, lazy rivers, that kind of thing. Mostly a way for people to spend loads of money to swim in tepid water.

[He shrugs.]

Never went to any as a kid. S'not like I could.

[cethflayn]

[See, she doesn't think he's being sarcastic? She's just answering his question honestly.]

...It looks like it could begin raining, though. Why bother to give us such a place when the weather could turn?

[scouserer]

[Oh, Flayn.....]

Not sure. Maybe he's hoping that someone idiot'll get up on the slides and get themselves murdered.

[A pause.]

Also, s'not like weather ever stopped anyone from going to water parks. There's always those people who insist on going places despite thunderstorms and the like.

[cethflayn]

I think I will not go there to play in the water for now.

[If they suddenly get a sunny day, maybe. But...she's really not feeling it.]

And, what is a Photo Lab?

[scouserer]

Oh--s'where you got to develop photographs and stuff. You know...uh...there's a lot of chemicals and stuff involved, so you gotta wear gloves, and it takes a bit of work, but you get some nice pictures in return.

[A pause.]

I mean, if you'd like, we can probably go and take a look. Better than sittin' around and being miserable.

[cethflayn]

Pictures...[Like portraits? She thinks about that for a second.] Yes, I would like to see it.

[Does Constantine mind Flayn's doll and cat entourage]

[scouserer]

[He's completely okay with this! This is just Constantine's life, now. He helps Flayn up from her seat and heads off towards the stairwell.]

Personally, never really all that interested in photography, but s'pretty interesting, from a scientific perspective. Also had to take a few photos for my work back in the eighties and nineties, so I have to know the process and all that.

[Once they reach the photo lab, Constantine pushes open the door and spreads his arms. Scattered across the tables, there's quite a lot of analog cameras and a few photo frames to display your treasured memories! He picks up a camera to show Flayn, pointing out the various parts of the machine as he speaks.]

See--you look through the viewfinder, point the lens towards whatever you want to take a picture of, and press this. Once you've filled up everything, you go and develop it, but that's a whole other process.

[cethflayn]

[She has Emily in her arms and Jimmy Bear in her pocket, and Kissa follows behind curiously as they make their way to the new area. Hm, that new floor smell. Or is that just the stuff for developing film?

Anyway, she listens attentively as Constantine explains the camera, seeming to lighten a bit in her expression as he does so. Focusing on a new thing is very useful in that regard.]

And when you "develop" it, does that make it...a portrait? One that you have pressed a button to make, instead of having to draw or paint it?

[scouserer]

[Constantine nods.]

Exactly. Let's see if we can find somethin' that doesn't take ages to develop....

[He scans the table, searching for something in particular...aha! His eyes light up as he spots a Polaroid camera. He picks it up, gingerly cradling it as he holds it out for Flayn to take.]

Here. This one spits out a photo in a few seconds. Give it a go, see what you can do.

[cethflayn]

Really? So quickly?

[But yeah, she's just going to take that and sort of...think about what she'd like to take a picture of. Maybe not do so in the dark room, let's go right outside...]

Here, Emily, you stand here.

[She props Emily up against the wall and helps her hold the tiny unnamed teddy Flayn made for her, and awkwardly holds up the camera-

Click! Whrrrrrrrr...]

Oh!! A paper came out!

[scouserer]

Careful, don't touch the middle bit--just hold the white bits like this, see? And let it air out for a bit.

[He grabs the strip of white on the end of the photograph and begins fanning it. Every so often, he checks it, until he seems satisfied and presents it to Flayn. The photo is still somewhat dark, but as the seconds pass, it seems to grow more and more clear....]

See? Just like that!

[He offers Flayn a surprisingly pleasant grin.]

[cethflayn]

[She does as Constantine instructs, holding the photo gingerly on the white bits, until the image comes through. Emily is only in half the picture, and it is a touch blurry, but she gasps in amazement all the same.]

This is - this is a true wonder! The portrait is so true to life, and it appeared so quickly! I-

[There's a hitch in her breath as something sort of. Gently dawns on her.]

I - I wish we had this earlier on.

[scouserer]

Ah.

[Constantine's face falls ever so slightly when he realizes what Flayn means. After a moment's hesitation, he gathers himself up and offers Flayn another grin--this time, the corners of his mouth seem a little widely stretched. He nudges her ever so slightly, then gestures towards the camera.]

Well, you know what they say--no time like the present, eh? You and I could take a picture, if you'd like. But make sure to get my good side, alright?

[cethflayn]

[She means it less as "I wish we had it last week" and more "I wish we had it on Week One" - just so there was a proper portrait of everyone.]

Can we? I - but we have to look through the view-finder, yes? How do we look through it if we are taking a picture of ourselves?

[Constantine are you going to tell her about selfies]

[scouserer]

[Don't worry, Constantine understood her intent! He misses the others as much as she does, even if...he doesn't verbalize it.

Anyways, he grins, gesturing for Flayn to hand over the camera.]

Oh, you don't have to look through the viewfinder. If you'd like, you can point it at yourself and press the button--though, you might get some variable results.

[Smartphones have really shitty photo-taking qualities in 2004, so Constantine is more familiar with this method of selfies, anyways.]

[cethflayn]

Ah, then, maybe you should do that. I think I will need to practice more before I try.

[Offers the camera back!]

[scouserer]

Sure. Gimme a sec to line it up....

[Fun fact--I just realized that Flayn is a solid foot smaller than Constantine based on her profile! Constantine positions the camera best he can, leaning in close to Flayn and crouching down slightly so that both of their faces can get in the shot.]

Smile for the camera, love.

[Click! Whrrrrrr......

Out comes a Polaroid, which Constantine promptly hands over to Flayn to watch as it develops. It's probably tilted and slightly off-center, but it's...fine?]

There you go! See how that looks.

[cethflayn]

[It's like I joked, she's gotta fight Magica for the position of the ship's smallest passenger

But she stands on her tiptoes as much as she can so Constantine doesn't have to crouch too much, and gives a very subdued version of her usual smile. She takes the polaroid when given to her, waiting, waiting...]

...Oh my goodness, that is us!

[It's a little slanted, but it looks like Constantine got 'em both in frame!]

[scouserer]

See? With a little practice, you'll be able to take your own pictures like this.

[He tilts his head to the side, an almost fond expression on his face.]

Keep it safe, will you?

[cethflayn]

I shall! I shall keep it very safe!

[Into the go bag, tucked into her book of fables it shall go!]

Oh, but I must be sure to capture everyone else's likenesses as well. It would not be fair. [Does Magica even want her picture taken? Who knows, man.]

[scouserer]

[Constantine tilts his head to the side, smirking.]

Y'know, you could probably go and make a photo album. I mean...you probably wouldn't necessarily want to remember the things that happened here, but maybe remembering the people might help.

[cethflayn]

An album of photos...I would assume that is kept in a type of book. [Context clues!] There are some things I would like to remember other than the people. Like the different foods, and the wonderous new things I have seen here. Surely that could go in an album as well?

[scouserer]

It could, yeah! Hell, you could probably make a whole scrapbook, if you wanted.

["That Time I Was Kidnapped to Participate In A Murder Cruise And Met A Bunch Of Friends Along The Way"?]

Lots of people spend ages scrapbooking--you know, all to preserve memories and pass 'em down to other people.