pleased to meet you

[sailmods]

CW: murder

[it is the morning of the 17th when the usual morning announcement is replaced with the sort of tentative, nervous tone that Friday takes on immediately before something insane happens.]

Good morning, passengers! It's, um... Well, I sure hope everyone had an interesting time on their shore excursion! The Captain sure did! In fact, he had such a good time, he's asked me to inform you all that, tonight, he's going to be hosting his usual captain's formal in the main dining room, but with a twist! This time, it's going to be a, um... victory party! For Natsuno! Because he won! [small laugh] And also to celebrate the opening of a new shop on the Promenade! Gosh, and that really is something to celebrate; I haven't seen that happen since he--

[LOUD STATIC NOISES]

-- Yes, well! The dress code will be cruise formal; everyone can find a new set of clothes in their cabin to celebrate the occasion! I-- Oh, right, we'll see you all tonight! 8PM sharp!

[the connection cuts off. today, for the first time that anyone can remember, Friday can't be found in the atrium. or any other room. smoke 'em if you got 'em.

at 8PM sharp, the door to the dining room swings open. it is mostly empty: the only tables left are a dozen or so under the main chandelier. there are name cards at each table setting, written in Friday's neat script; the seatings seem mostly random, except for everyone who was on the island, who will find themselves at a table with their killer and/or victim(s). except Natsuno, of course, whose name is displayed proudly at the head table, next to an unnamed place. once they are inside, all of them find themselves under the same sort of compulsion that they felt during the muster drill, and their legs will stop working until they have gone to their assigned seats.

Friday enters the room first, dressed up nicely, but with hunched shoulders and her hands clasped firmly in front of her. the door shuts behind her. she says nothing, and acknowledges no one, not even Natsuno, as she takes her spot behind the chair.

a few fashionable minutes pass. it starts as smoke pouring out from under the door, moving towards the table as it slowly solidifies into the form of... a rather normal-looking man. he sits, cross-legged, in the chair that Friday pulls out for him. he looks over the assembled crowd, visibly considering something... there is a flash of silver in the light, and the knife he'd had in his sleeve is across Friday's throat quicker than she can react, and she falls bonelessly to the ground, a spray of arterial blood across the table setting.]

There, perfect.

[he looks out at them again. and he smiles. the knife is placed back in his sleeve, and he holds his hands out, palms up.]

Well. Here's your chance. [he waves a hand lazily, and the compulsion keeping them seated fades like pins and needles.] Try not to embarrass yourselves.

Comments

[neverleave]

[Poor Lumine. Her (lack of) expression is the one thing that makes Natsuno feel a little bad for flipping the table. But at least the Moon Fucker is now on the other side of the room.]

...hey. Sorry - did something fall on you?

[luminessense]

[ Oh, hey, that voice…! She blinks out of her daze and expectantly looks to Natsuno. Hi! Yes! Hello! The boy of this massively fucked up hour. Natsuno does not need to feel bad for flipping the table if it made him feel better, honestly. He needs it, as far as she's concerned. ]

Hey. No, don't worry about it. [ She's less concerned about the butter and seafood than she is about Friday's blood, really. ] If anything, I'm sorry that you were forced into this. It's a joke, celebrating something like this.

...

I wanted to come, though. To thank you properly, like I said I would.

[neverleave]

[It doesn't make him feel better, but whatever. At least he gave La Pluma a piece of his mind.]

It is a joke. But when Friday said he'll show up...

[He squashed the anger to satisfy his curiosity. He learned a few things, sure, but it's hard to appreciate right now when they're surrounded by chaos, giving the captain the entertainment he wants.]

You shouldn't thank me, though. I still ended up playing.

[luminessense]

[ A glance over at the Captain. Yeah, she had a few choice words for him, personally, but Lumine keeps them to herself for now. If only because she’s seen other people up there and none of the interactions had gone in their favor. She’ll make an effort once he’s alone. Maybe once the doors are open? ]

We’ll call it begrudging participation at best. You were trying to stop a monster, not win a game. I… tried to stall it out, too. I’m sorry we couldn’t get our way at the end, but as far as I’m concerned, no one really “won”.

Besides, I appreciate you staying with me, all the same. It was kind of you to trust me in that kind of situation.

Cw: slight suicidal ideation

[neverleave]

[It's true everyone lost one way or another. Natsuno's glad the more willing players didn't get their way, but after hearing from the captain that his collar had a bomb instead of poison... he should've taken it off to kill both Ebalon and himself.]

If you weren't trustworthy, you would've used your sword on me. [...] Thank you. Not a lot of people agreed with the decision I made.

[luminessense]

[ She lulls her head off to the side for a sigh. ]

I suppose. But everyone was not in their right mind. To truly trust a stranger that they won't panic closer to the deadline- [ Oh, that is such an unfortunate choice of word. She pauses a moment, but continues ultimately when she decides she shouldn't linger on it. ] -is incredibly compassionate of you.

Your decision was the correct one, as far as I'm concerned. If we could have convinced more people for it...

...

I have something for you, if that's alright.

[neverleave]

[Another shrug. He doesn't know if he'd call it compassion, or maybe it's just difficult to accept kindness right now.

Difficult to accept anything, really, judging by the pure confusion that briefly passes on his face when Lumina says she has something for him.]

Hm? Yeah, sure...

[luminessense]

[ She procures one of the flowers she had pressed a while ago to keep preserved as she passes it over to Natsuno, on a piece of paper that looks like it was torn from a random library book. Whoops? Flowers are apparently more important than whatever fiction garbage the Captain had for them. ]

Unfortunately, I don't really have much to give, but I figure, maybe, this might suffice? I had them on me when I arrived here. I can't say they'll give you the same comfort they give me, but I wanted you to have one all the same.

[neverleave]

[Oh.

Natsuno doesn't have the best experience with presents: a card sent by a stalker from beyond the grave, flowers by his window from a dear friend that killed him. He'd hide in a tree and watch Tohru leave them every night for a week and speak about every new victim he fed on, like Natsuno's abandoned window could offer him absolution.

Lumine's is not one those flowers. Still, he doesn't quite know what to do with it.]

You know you don't have to give me anything.

[He'll take it, though, and try to be graceful about it, because this time he can appreciate the intent.]

...thanks.

[luminessense]

I'm aware. But I wanted to.

[ It's a good thing Lumine can't read minds right about now, because she would feel miserable about this, otherwise. She can't though, so Natsuno gets a very genuine smile out of her, which contrasts how she's been… well, since the excursion started, really. Feels like years have passed instead of days, so a smile like this is almost foreign to her once more. ]

I figured that... while it probably won't counteract this atrocity, [ She gestures around. ] it might feel a bit more... kind?

[neverleave]

...it is kind.

[Personal trauma aside. He may not know Lumine's history, but after the island it feels like he knows the things that matter. She's strong, brave and yes, kind. The kind of ally you need on this ship.]

I guess it helps... to know not everything about tonight is to make fun of me.

[luminessense]

... [ The smile's gone now. This party is truly draining, in general, but it had to be especially so for Natsuno. Is that the point of this party? Most definitely. But, (un)surprisingly, that makes it worse. ]

I wish I could do more. Not just for you, but everyone.

...

I guess if any one person could do that, though, then the Captain wouldn't have them on this ship.