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

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ Funny you should mention it, she was literally in the middle of grabbing another one when Filbo asks her not to do it. She considers ignoring him, but probably figures it's not best to annoy.... whatever he is too much. ]

Ffffffine.

[ She puts it down and pouts. ]

So what kind of monster are you, anyway? I've never seen anything like you before, much less one that talks.

[ahelpingpaw]

[Oh, thank goodness. She actually listened. Maybe he'll actually get along with her, he hopes. Oh, Filbo, if only]

I have been hearing that a lot today.

[It's a weird thing to be hearing, but frankly he'd be saying the same thing to everyone else if he didn't have manners]

I'm a grumpus. We're not...monsters, but I guess that to you all I am?

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ Oh, Filbo. You sweet, summer child. That's probably guaranteed to change. ]

Oh, so sorry, I didn't mean to be rude.

[ Her tone doesn't sound sorry at all. She twirls a piece of her hair as she looks over him. ]

What else would you be? I mean, you're definitely not a Katz. And you're not elemental-y enough to maybe a Centurion. What else is there other than some kind of monster?

[ahelpingpaw]

[Most likely it'll change. How long before Filbo refers to Alice as an awful person? Probably not long]

I dunno, but it doesn't really matter, right?

[A Centurion...a Centurion...ah! That reminds him!]

By the way, did you find Decus yet?

[This is Alice! Filbo had been too busy trying to deal with the confetti to realize he was talking to Alice]

1/2

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ She giggles. ]

Of course it matters, silly. How else am I supposed to figure out if -

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ Wait. This thing said Decus' name. Great. She kind of seems to visibly deflate a little with a sigh. ]

Yeah. He found me a little while ago.

[ And also got a popper to the face. ]

He didn't say anything weird to you, did he?

[ahelpingpaw]

[are party poppers your way to greet someone alice???

But yeah, somebody sure seemed to deflate a little once Decus was mentioned!]

Ah, he...no, he didn't. He just showed me your photo and asked me to tell you he'd be with you soon, that was it.

[Should he...say Decus said she was his reason for living and he had pledged his heart and soul to her?

...ah...maybe he'll let Decus say that part himself, Filbo figures. This is a bit of an awkward thing to say]

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ yeah it's an old tradition in sylvarant. don't you remember that from the first game?????

She kind of squints at Filbo, more so than she was already doing. ]

Oh, was that all? [ Something about that doesn't seem right, but she's certainly not gonna complain if that's what actually happened. ] Well, I guess it doesn't matter either way. I wouldn't really listen to anything that he says, if I were you.

[ To be fair, he probably shouldn't listen to her, either, but he doesn't know that yet! ]

[ahelpingpaw]

Well we didn't really talk for long, he was in a hurry. I think he got the idea I was this Centurion thing you mentioned, so he left as soon as he could.

[Good enough cover...? Filbo still doesn't have the faintest idea what a Centurion is, but hey, apparently it's some sort of monster? So maybe Decus would be wary of him because of that. Yeah, maybe that'll work]

Who is he, anyway? I just know his name, that he's very purple, and that he...can't seem to stay still?

[And also the cloud of perfume around him, but at the time Filbo still had too much of a numbed sense of smell after almost drowning, so it really didn't hit him as hard as it'd have otherwise]

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ That seems to satisfy her, as she doesn’t press anymore into figuring out what he said. Alice is sure it was probably stupid, but she wasn’t exactly sure she cared enough to find out more.

Filbo’s description of Decus makes her laugh, though. That’s putting it mildly. ]

Oh, he’s no one important. He’s just my slave, is all. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that he’s here, all things considered.

[ Yes, she says that with more or less of a straight face. ]

[ahelpingpaw]

Ah, your slave. Right. That explains a lot.

[Sounds pretty dang awful. Filbo's sympathies go for Decus, that's for certain]

Wait, why'd this Captain person bring him too? If we got kidnapped wouldn't he just leave him behind and bring you alone to make you have a hard time?