BATTLE ROYALE EVENT: ISLAND

[sailmods]

[Friday's cheerful voice comes over the morning announcements, requesting that everyone who signed up for the shore excursion gather in the atrium to board the tender. when they have assembled, she leads them over,

the door shuts. there is a noise, like air coming from a nozzle. they lose consciousness shortly after that.

they wake up on a cement floor; solid, with none of the sway they'd grown used to with weeks on the sea. there are quite a few things they could notice first. perhaps the fact that, whatever they were wearing before they got into the tender, they are now wearing school uniforms. perhaps they notice the collars around their neck first: metal, tight enough to be a nuisance but not enough to choke. they could notice that there are no windows, but that there is a door, sealed though it is.

and maybe they notice the TV set up in the front of the room, playing despite not seeming to be plugged into anything. but, they'll definitely notice the very familiar face on screen, even though she's not dressed as she usually is.]

Welcome, Serena Eterna passengers, to your first shore excursion! I'm Gal Friday, your friendly cruise director, and I'm here to explain the rules!

[her voice and manner are, somehow, even more artificial-sounding than they usually are.]

You are currently on a completely deserted tropical island, with no fresh water or sources of nutrition outside of what we're going to give you! Over the course of the next few days, you are all going to engage in a no-holds-barred battle to the death! Only one of you can come back to the ship alive, so do your best to make sure you're that person! I'll be there to pick up the winner in the morning!

Now, I'm sure some of you are going to be very upset that you'll have to kill people - but, that's okay! After all, we need people to die, too, right? That can be you! Of course, if all of you decide to not kill anybody, that's a bit of a problem... [her shoulders droop dramatically, but then she brightens up again.] That's what the collars are for! If nobody takes a life by midnight on the first day, the collars will activate, like...

[there is a noise like an airgun being fired. Friday's body jerks, but then returns to normal.]

That! The collar will also activate if you attempt to take it off, or if you attempt to leave the island! Not that you can, anyway; the barrier is very much still active!

You have all the weapons and powers you brought with you, and a special bonus: Along with some basic survival gear, and enough food and water rations for three days, you will also get a random weapon! It could be something very good, or very bad! It's just a matter of luck!

[Friday lifts a duffel bag up to the camera, visibly struggling to hoist it onto a nearby table. she unzips the bag, pulling out an AK-47.]

Oh, I guess I got lucky! I'm sure you guys will be, too! Now, be sure to do your best, but be mindful of the time! We only have three days until we leave port; if you guys haven't finished by then, the collars of everyone remaining will--

[a violent spasm sends her collapsing to the floor. she pulls herself up once more, but can't seem to vocalize anything beyond choking noises. eventually, she falls again, and the tape continues to run with little more than agonized yelps and desperate attempts to breathe. it will continue to play for another two hours before going silent, but they're not likely to stay for that. shortly after she falls, the door opens.

it is early morning on an unnaturally quiet tropical beach. when everyone exits what appears to be a sort of bunker, the door slams shut again. on the white sands before them are a series of duffel bags, branded with the Serena Eterna's logo and embroidered with everyone's name.

Welcome to Battle Royale.

I'd run.]

Comments

Natsuno Yuuki | OTA

[neverleave]

[Somehow, he's still alive. Covered in Clarke's blood, carrying a flamethrower Jade would no longer be needing, weaving through the carnage without so much as a scratch.

This isn't his first time a scene like this, but back in Sotoba, he didn't care for most of the victims, and when he did care - he only saw the aftermath. Never held them as they bled out, never saw the light gone from their eyes. Most importantly, Sotoba was final. But here? Everyone will probably end up back on the ship like nothing happened, only to go through it again and again.

Not that Natsuno cares much right now. He's too disconnected to feel anything. Even the anger is locked somewhere deep inside him, simmering. Occasionally he reaches out for his collar ("DUMB BABY" it says, weird salt to injury) only to drop his hand. What's the point?

He mostly tries to avoid people, relying on his heightened senses to hide before they notice him. But he's not always successful. Should anyone come across him, Natsuno just stares at them tiredly.]

I'm not playing this game. How about you just walk away.

(OOC: if your character survives past day 1, feel free to apply this prompt to day 2 as well, before Natsuno joins with Lumine! )

day 2

[opheliac]

(it's day two of this survival game and jinx is no longer intact mentally -- completely dissociated. she had her first kill yesterday and it felt ecstatic to her to get some sort of payback from months before. but also during day one, some things happened with her team in which caused her to just branch off completely. hurt, betrayal, sorrow, anger, it's all mixing into a huge puddle of a mess and it pushed her to just...let. go. for her to be that loose cannon she is known for; to be that ticking bomb waiting to happen.

she's been hurt for so long and so many times -- back home and on this cruise ship. it seems to be a never-ending thing. and now all she wants is for everyone to get hurt, too. they all deserve to get hurt and to feel pain, way worse than her. silco once told her that the pain of betrayal can eat you from the inside out. to either allow it to break her or forge it into something greater. and jinx will choose to be greater now. no. better than that. she is going raise up and sit on that throne that's calling out to her. this time, she's no longer going to be the loser, she's going to win. they'll see. they'll all see.)

(she cocks her head to the side in an innocent sort of way when she comes across natsuno -- a smile is on her face but there's something so off about it. )

Hmm, hmm~. If you're not gonna play then you should probably, y'know...—

(jinx's grin widens as she points her index at the collar they're all wearing, even letting her fingernail lightly tap at it so she can hear that beautiful sound of metal.)

[neverleave]

[There's definitely something off about Jinx's smile, like something behind it cracked, but Natsuno isn't particularly alarmed. First, because any emotion has been bottled up for an unknown later and second, Jinx never seemed like she'd have trouble killing someone. From what little they talked, destruction seemed to make her... happy.

(There's no judgment in that thought. Just observation).]

I guess. [He holds up his own hand, mirroring her.] But I'm not interested in slowly choking to death, either.

[He suspects there's something else in his collar, considering the writing and the fact poison doesn't affect him. But he's certain it will be just as horrible and drawn out.]

[opheliac]

Don't wanna play but don't wanna die, sounds like a real jam if I ever saw one!

(there's a skip in her step as she finds a nice rock to sit. she pulls her legs up so she can sit cross-legged. the smile is still there -- looking rather joyful, too. jinx playfully grabs one of her long braids and twirl it around in a circle.)

You suuuuure you don't need me to help ya decide? I'll make it quick, I promise. 'Less you wanna make it painfully slow which I'm totally votin' for a yes!

[neverleave]

[Natsuno remains still, only following her movements with a gaze. He's silent for a few moments, as if seriously considering Jinx's offer.]

...Pass. I think you'll enjoy it way too much.

[The only spark of emotion left in him is spite. He doesn't want to die as someone else's entertainment - more than he already is, on this damn island and damn ship.]

[opheliac]

(she frowns at the decline and rolls her eyes like any teenager would if they got denied to go out on a friday night with friends.)

Ugh! — Such a spoilsport and a waste of skin. I oughta kill you just for being boring.

(but then she lifts up her hand then chips off some of the colored polish off her nails.)

But that'll mean wastin' my bullets on someone whose weak. And that's not "strenuous" enough for me.

(ha, get it? she should get points for using the word of the day.)

[neverleave]

[He doesn't react to the insult, staring at Jinx blankly. She's fully committed to this "game", and Natsuno has to reassess his intentions here. He won't attack her - he's not playing and he doubts he'd be a match for her anyway - but every second Jinx spends here with him is a second away from other victims.

(Natsuno's not doing it for the other passengers. He's doing it to be a buzzkill.)]

Maybe I am boring. But you're just doing what the captain wants you to. Doesn't that bother you?

[opheliac]

Ya mean goin' around, be WILD, and let me shoot and blow people up without any rhythm or reason?

(she giggles while biting her lower lip; lightly bouncing in her seat on the rock.)

Eh heh heh. — Sounds like my kinda man.

[neverleave]

[That's one deranged giggle. Was she always like this and just needed the right trigger, or snapped the previous day?]

I'm sure he's pleased with you. [That's not a compliment.] Think you'll win this?

[opheliac]

Oh, definitely!! If everyone is like you, this oughta be a breeze.

(and if she wins, she can prove that she isn't weak to everyone. she'll sit on that throne while the rest will be in agony and in tears for once. they will get to experience the pain she's been feeling for who knows how long if not worse. they'll get to be the walking omen this time, not her.)

Jinx :(

[neverleave]

...hm.

[Another pause to consider.]

I've made up my mind, too. I'm going to wait until time is up. Then we all lose.

>:(

[opheliac]

That does sound like a swell idea...!

(she pushes herself off to stand up and very innocently making her way closer -- a sway in her step.)

Too bad I can't let ya do that. Losin' isn't part of my schedule today.

[neverleave]

[Ah, now it's a familiar situation. Facing off a smiling creep in the woods, knowing full well he can't win - but that's fine, because he what he wants is to screw BOTH of them over...]

Tough luck.

[Natsuno sprints into the brush, bracing himself for pain. He's faster than a human, but can't outrun a bullet.]

late day 1

[vibing]

[ Yuri is on edge. That really goes without saying. If someone isn't on edge in this place, there might be something wrong with them. Yuri rushes out of the brush, on a mission to find Flynn or Rita, cursing himself for having lost them earlier in the day because of his own stupid pride, when he runs into Natsuno.

Despite the sheathed sword dangling from his wrist, he raises his hands in surrender ]

Not looking to play, man.

[ But, hold on. This guy knows Flynn and Rita-- ]

You run into anyone else?

[neverleave]

[Natsuno's shoulders relax ever so slightly. He doesn't know Yuri very well, but trusts him enough to stay true to his word and not attack.

Unfortunately, it seems he has to be the bearer of bad news. There are only two "anyone else" Yuri can mean.]

...yeah. Rita's gone. [The bodies were gone by the time Natsuno passed by, but the scent of blood was unmistakable. His kind are built to detect those subtilties.] Don't know about Flynn.

[vibing]

[ Even if he had an inkling about it, hearing Natsuno say it out loud is like a punch to the gut. She's gone. She's been through so damn much on this "vacation", and more than half of it is Yuri's fault. He can't help but think that he should have been there, he should have been there to help her, to fight with her, to protect her. He knows first hand that she's no good in a fight alone, but with others to protect her while she casts? She's the more dangerous mage on the field.

His expression falls, along with his arms, his sword hitting the ground. He isn't going to break, no, he still has things to do, he still has to try and find Flynn, he still has to see if he can help anyone, anyone survive this. ]

Fuck.

[ It's not Natsuno's fault-- probably. He looks the guy over, wondering, for a second, if he did it-- ]

What happened?

[neverleave]

[Natsuno levels back a quiet look. The front of his uniform is bloody - black blood, soaked into the clothes like he was holding someone for a while.]

I'm not sure. There was blood... but I got there too late.

[vibing]

...shit.

[ He lets out a breath, looking away from Natsuno for a long moment. ]

Which way?

[ Like he can do anything to help, but... he has to see for himself.

And also, before he starts to move: ]

You okay? [ That's a lot of blood, man ]

[neverleave]

[Natsuno inclines the direction with his head. Then:]

I'm fine. [The physically goes without saying.] It's not mine.

[Clarke's back on the ship by now. She'll wake up safe in her cabin tomorrow. It's fine, it's fine, it's fine.]

[vibing]

[ That way, good. He can... go see for himself.

But he doesn't exactly what to leave Natsuno like this, not if he just saw someone die, or if he just killed someone. And if Rita is already dead, getting there a few minutes faster won't do anything, anyway.

It feels a little weird, but he manages to make the words come out of his mouth: ]

You wanna talk about it?

[neverleave]

What's there to talk about?

[There's no anger or sadness in his voice. It's all just... flat.]

Someone killed her. Then the killer died. They'll all be alive on the ship by tomorrow. For nothing.

[Some of the buried rage seeps into that final word, simmering like magma. What's the point in talking about it, reliving it like the scene hasn't been burnt into his memory already?]

[vibing]

...yeah.

[ It's fair, it's all fair. Yuri looks away, something tightening in his throat. He doesn't know who "her" is, but it doesn't take a genius to connect her to the blood on Natsuno's clothes.

He's a bit at a loss. This isn't his strength at all. Maybe if Estelle were here, she would know what to say ]

Least it sounds like justice, some kind of justice, already happened. If the killer is dead, too.

[ Then it really is pointless. This whole exercise is. Yuri just wants it to be over, wants to bite it now so he doesn't have to see this through.

But Rita and Flynn wouldn't want that, would they? Rita would probably yell at him for giving up and call him an idiot. Flynn would give him that look he gives Yuri sometimes, like he knows that Yuri can do better. ]

Best thing we can do [ He starts, even though he doesn't fully believe what he's saying ] is try to survive for them. [ Can he believe that more than one of them can get out of here? He's not sure. He wishes he did, but he's seen what the Captain is capable of. ]

[neverleave]

[Try to survive for them, huh? It sounds so empty. Natsuno is good at dying for others. He gave up on surviving the moment his best friend's new fangs sank in his throat.]

I don't plan on surviving. But I won't play either. I'll wait until time's up.

[vibing]

[ Yuri watches him, feeling something familiar there, something unmovable. He nods his head, once, and starts to move in the direction Natsuno pointed Rita was in ]

If there is an end. [ If people don't die, will it drag on forever? ] Good luck, man.

[neverleave]

...yeah.

See you back on the ship.