COMMENCE VOYAGE

[bathymetric]

Fun Fact: Did you know the Atlantic Ocean has a surface area of 41.1 million square miles? No reason.

...

There's something uneasy in the air as you come to.

Well, "come to" is an interesting word in this case. It implies waking up, which is not exactly what happens. None of you are in beds, nor are you really asleep in the traditional sense. One moment you're somewhere else, doing something else with your time, and the next? You're somewhere on board a massive cruise ship - maybe lounging on a deck chair by the pool, maybe getting some Gains in the exercise room, maybe enjoying the tasteful décor in the buffet - and you have no idea how you got here or how you might get back. This is not your beautiful house. If you have a beautiful wife, she isn't here.

What you do have, apart from 25 other unlucky souls, is a small smartphone-like device in your pocket with only a handful of things on it: a clock reading 11PM, a pdf of a ticket in your name on a special Atlantic Liners New Year's Eve Cruise, an app labeled Passenger Profiles with some basic information on your traveling companions, and a message:

Welcome aboard, passenger! Please feel free to partake of any of the facilities while you wait for the big event! Remember: when midnight comes, you better make your way to the theatre at the back of Level 1 for the main event! The Captain and the First Mate will be there to take care of you all personally, and to help you ring in the new year in style!

Well, that's a start. But what you do until then, it seems, is up to you!

Comments

[scouserer]

[Constantine shrugs. He takes a moment to rattle the lock, as if making sure it was actually locked firmly in place, then shoves his hands into his pockets.]

Didn't your mum tell you it's bad to judge people based on appearances?

[See, it's funny because John never met his mother....oh, nevermind. He eyes the water dripping onto the floor.]

What'd you do, take a dip off the side of the boat?

[hellahighwater]

[ Chloe's casual expression dips a bit. Her mom. Oh, she's probably...having a fucking time of it, isn't she? At least Max can...

She shakes herself out of it, quite literally, with a shake of her head. Drops of water splish about. ]

More like got caught out in the rain. This is pre-cruise attire.

[scouserer]

[Constantine blinks. Now, that's information that might potentially be useful.]

Instantaneous teleportation, then? [He frowns, rubbing the back of his neck.] Would they go through the effort of making it seem like you just came from...whenever you remember leaving?

[Hm. Then again, their captain seems to have the capabilities--or have someone under his rule--to be able to pull people from anywhere and anytime.]

[hellahighwater]

Uhhh... I was just rolling with teleportation. [ She pulls at a wet strand of hair. ] Smells like rain water, dude.

[scouserer]

[Constantine tilts his head to the side, squinting at Chloe.]

You seem rather calm with this all. [Said with a rather unconcerned tone.] You happen to get teleported onto random cruise ships regularly?

[hellahighwater]

[ Chloe breathes out through her teeth. ]

You ever have, like...just, so much weird shit happen that you're just like...yeah, this might as well happen?

[scouserer]

[That gets a single, harsh laugh out of Constantine.]

Kid, you've just described my entire life. [He smirks, tilting his head to the side.] So--what was it? Demons? Rifts opening in the space-time continuum? Spill.

[hellahighwater]

[ Chloe actually looks kind of surprised, but. She rolls with it. ]

Uhhh. Closest to that last one, actually. Not...exactly that, but, space and time being little bitches, that's about it.

[scouserer]

[Listen, when you go through as much bullshit as Constantine has been through, you rarely become surprised by weird shit happening. He smirks.]

Sounds about right. [because when aren't space and time being little bitches?] You wanna know what I was doing before I ended up here? Sending a demon back to hell where he belonged.

[There certainly was a lot more than that, but...it's the simplest explanation. He'd be here all day otherwise.]

[hellahighwater]

[ Her eyes go a bit wide and she breathes out. ]

Shit. And I thought I was dealing with regular ol' Apocalypse City... You think that demon's got anything to do with [ gesturing around at the ship ] you know. All this?

[scouserer]

[Constantine thinks for a moment, glancing at the tacky New Year's decorations.]

Probably not. Usually, when I get kidnapped by demons, they try to cut to the chase and target me personally. This seems like a more generalized kidnapping.

[Especially since there isn't anyone here he recognizes!]

Besides, there's a distinctive lack of horrific imagery--if you ignore everything about Margaritaville, at least.

[hellahighwater]

[ A single raised eyebrow. ]

Hey... What's your problem with The Buff? Like, okay, he's kinda lame, but he's got his own Boozeland, that's something to respect, right?

[scouserer]

[Constantine hesitates a little. On the one hand, he could go into a big rant on how tacky it is and how it reflects the shallowness of consumerism and island aesthetics. On the other hand, he thinks it's funnier to just say--]

Easy. The man murdered my mum and dad in cold blood, and I've been been out for his life ever since.

[He's clearly joking.]

[hellahighwater]

Oh. Well.

[ A beat. ]

I'll skin the bastard for ya, in that case.

[scouserer]

Good on ya.

[Oh, he likes this girl. Constantine grins, extending a weathered hand for a shake.]

John Constantine. Given titles range from 'that fucking bastard' to 'stupid cunt'. You?

cw: emetophobia mention

[hellahighwater]

[ Hmm. A grown man who doesn't make her want to throw up and break a mirror. How quaint! Chloe goes instead for a fist bump, however. ]

Chloe Price. 'Ungrateful ingrate' to 'universe's punching bag.'

[scouserer]

[He'll take a fist bump!]

Charmed, Ms. Price.

[He grins.]

What say you and I see if we can cause a little more trouble for whoever brought us here, hm?

[hellahighwater]

Now you're speaking my language, old man. [ ...Wait that's probably- ] Uhhhhhh Constantine, I mean.

[scouserer]

[Constantine lets out another laugh. He doesn't seem offended at all.]

It'll at least send a message that we won't take this kidnappin' lightly.

[hellahighwater]

Ohh, I am so ready to raise hella chaos.

[ Chloe takes a moment to just...wring out her beanie. ]