APRIL EVENT: YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME (EPILOGUE)

[sailmods]

[one by one, they are brought out of the dream, finding themselves in a brightly lit world of sand and broken glass, of familiar faces and audible relief.

as they pass through the crew quarters, they may notice that some tubes seem to be unoccupied, merely sand and empty air.

when they finally push open the heavy door, they find themselves on deck zero. the familiar terrain of the Serena Eterna. they never really left at all.

it is still and quiet; none of the usual ghostly presences can be found anywhere on the ship; in fact, it seems as if there’s barely enough of… whatever it is to keep the lights on, and they’ll find that all internal locations are dimly lit, making it difficult to search them. and they will be searching.

because Fio wasn’t in any of the tubes.

and neither was the Captain.

and Sparkles is somewhere to be found.]

Comments

[maximumcake]

Yeah, that's exactly it. A lot of food like that started out as a necessity but stuck around as a kind of cultural staple after the fact. Besides, blood, bones, and organ meats are really nutritionally rich foods. It's not gross at all. You should really try something first before you knock it.

[myagic]

[She clicks her tongue, first with annoyance at Dimitri, and then with renewed disgust at Max.]

I don't see anyone starving to death here, so excuse me for not eating something that just sounds gross.

[This will surely not come back to bite her with the impending ship changes, right?]

[maximumcake]

It wouldn't hurt you to keep an open mind about things, you know.

[And soon she may just be eating her words.]

[theotherright]

Makes me wonder if anything from my time made it into common food parlance. [ Half asking, half just musing to himself. It's not something that's occurred to him before. ] What's your year, Max? I don't suppose there's a great demand for chipped beef or rice pudding in Earth's future.

[maximumcake]

I'm from 2011, like, just on the verge of it being 2012 though. It was New Year's Eve when I left.

Actually, both of those foods are still around. I'd argue that chipped beef, especially, is considered a comfort food itself in my day.

[theotherright]

Really? [ There's a laugh in his voice and a small, delighted smile on his face at that news. ] You don't say. That's... something of a nice thought.

[maximumcake]

Yeah, really. Man, I'd love to sit and pick your brain about all this some time. I'd especially love it if I could try to revive some recipes you know that we don't have around anymore.

[theotherright]

[ A quiet snort, amused. ] I-I hate to let you down, but I never... recipes were never my area of expertise. I could tell you about all the things I've cooked in a can on the stove, if you like.

[maximumcake]

I wouldn't mind hearing about that, either.

[His tail wags against Arthur's leg. Look, he's just happy to have any excuse to hang out with people.]

Anything you'd feel like sharing, I'd love to know.

[theotherright]

[ Wait what's that bumping Arthur's-- oh my god he forgot he was talking to a dog for a hot minute. ]

Really? [ He's disarmed! Max is disarming! ] Well, I... I don't know. I suppose I did make a mean potato and hot dog scramble. [ Arthur that's... no. Don't be proud about that. No. ]

You know, [ he's thoughtful now, ] we -- my business partner and I -- tried once or twice to recreate something I used to have as a boy, called an apricot charlotte. [ There's an 'and' to that sentence, but Arthur doesn't get to it immediately; he hadn't thought about this in a while, hadn't really expected to again, and now he's halfway in his thoughts. ]

[maximumcake]

[That's right! And the happy tail thumping only gets harder.]

Oh, really? What a weird coincidence, because I have an entire closet of raw potatoes and a box of endless hot dogs. I could definitely make that.

[He could make enough for the entire ship twice over.]

Mm. Apricot Charlotte sounds good. I did something similar for Lady de Rolo while we were in that winter hotel. I could try recreating your apricot dish for you too.

I'm a little afraid to ask, though... how did yours turn out?

[theotherright]

...W- why?

[ What mad god would bring into being a box of endless hot dogs? Actually -- huh, maybe that's kind of a great idea. ]

Not well, [ and he sounds nostalgic now, ] at least not at first. The first time we tried it, he spilled the sugar and I nearly set the stove on fire. Later attempts were more successful. I think we drizzled the juice from the can of apricots over each slice. [ Parker ate his with lightning speed that Arthur, an only child, could fain but wonder at. God, it lurches over him sometimes how much he misses Parker; he misses Parker so, so fucking much. ]

[maximumcake]

I don't know. They showed up as gifts. The hot dog box almost killed me. They just wouldn't stop! I had to tie the whole thing closed and throw it over the side.

[But don't worry, it will be back thanks to Eleanor.]

Oh no! That sounds like quite the misadventure. I'm glad you managed to make it work in the end. The best kinds of memories are ones like that, though. You'll always have something to laugh about together.

[theotherright]

[ Arthur laughs aloud at the image of an exploding jack-in-the-box of hot dogs. You can tell it's his real laugh, because it's kind of high and dumb instead of low and sarcastic. Amused: ]

God, if it's not one thing it's the other, eh?

[ The smile slips at that last sentiment, and returns a little smaller and less natural. He replies normally, though. It's not as if Max knows how little time 'always' was, in the end, and Arthur prefers it that way. ]

Yes. Nothing's so bad if you can laugh about it later.

I-- do you cook a lot, then? You certainly seemed to handle the friers at the fair like a natural.

[maximumcake]

[What a wonderful sound that is, now more than ever. Laughter in a room full of anguish and fear is like a healing balm for the soul. But Max is observant, more than he lets on. He's noticed that melancholy dip. But it could just be homesickness. They are all still trapped here, after all. Not everyone is happy about it the way Max is.]

Do I cook a lot? Cooking, and especially baking, is what I live for. It's my favorite thing in the world. I was attending culinary school and everything before I had to drop out. It's all I ever wanted to do with my life.

[theotherright]

[ If you asked him, Arthur wouldn't be able to tell you how he laughs in this place, at this time -- only that he's also laughed in worse. At some point, compartmentalisation becomes a survival instinct. ]

Oh- was it you who had that- that stall around valentine's? [ Or just for valentines? Arthur forgets the date, but he did hear it talked about, and the mention of baking brings it suddenly to mind.

Delicately, but he physically can't not ask: ] What made you have to drop out?

[maximumcake]

Yes! [THUMP THUMP, the tail is going even harder.] I thought it would be a nice way to celebrate and spread some love. People seemed to like it.

[Uh oh. The tail stops now.]

Well... that's kind of a long story. I um. I had to move in with my master and uh... change my name and kind of... fake my death.

[theotherright]

But imagine the hair net you must have needed for the baking.

[ It's easier to make a joke than it is to think about celebrating valentines right now.

The wagging is so cute. There, he said it. Arthur can't resist-- he crouches and finds Max's back with one hand, and pets it, grinning lopsidedly. And then his grin slides off and his hand stills as Max reluctantly shares what happened.

And sure, who hasn't changed their name or faked their death or something else along those lines around here, but, uh... ]

Your master?

[ It's not a demanding tone: he makes sure of that. It's surprised, though, and suddenly serious. ]

[maximumcake]

You know I'm not a dog all the time, right?

[They just keep meeting when he is. Not that Max is sorry when Arthur is so willing to give him all the pets. Now, he kind'a wishes he hadn't said anything so they could just keep going on like that.]

Vampire master. Yeah. I was his human servant for seven years.

[theotherright]

You say that, but you have yet to prove it to me. [ He's messing with him.

Sorry, Max, but this revelation has made the petting feel weird all over again. Arthur's hand doesn't leave his flank, though. How's... what? ]

Oh.

[ It's the multi-syllabic 'oh' of a man digesting so much information that he might get stomach ache. Arthur's from a time and place where referring to servants isn't odd, but every other detail makes it seem... less good. Less good in a way that has his stomach lurching uneasily.

And that's without even getting into Max being employed by fucking Dracula apparently. ]

How did you come to enter into that arrangement?

[ Arthur has slipped without thinking about it into a neutral, friendly tone, interested but not pressuring: the one he used to use when interviewing the potential victim of a crime. ]

[maximumcake]

I would, but then I'd be naked in front of everyone so... I'll have to save that for another time.

[Aw... the petting stopped. And, oh no, he knows that tone of voice now. That's how all the paranormal agents used to talk to him during his yearly interviews. Ostensibly, they were supposed to check on him and make sure he doesn't need help, but mostly they just came, asked their questions, and left.]

Like I said, it's a long story. I'd rather not get into it here.

[theotherright]

[ Arthur snorts quietly, but finds himself unsure how to continue the joke without saying something over-familiar (nope), or mentioning his relationship status or possible lack thereof (thanks but he'd rather die). And then the moment to continue it is gone.

When Max backs away from the subject a second time, much more clearly and directly than before, Arthur backs away too. He's right: not the time or place. But christ alive, he has to consciously tell himself to back away. ]

Of course. I apologise for prying. [ He gives Max's side a few more pats, hoping it's reassuring, and wonders what the fuck happened to this poor guy, and exactly how much coercion was involved from his """"master"""". You don't leave your entire, very wanted life behind because something really cool and awesome happened, he knows that much for damn sure. ]

[maximumcake]

It's okay. I can't blame anyone for being curious.

[The extra pats are reassuring. The apology is too, just because it reminds him that he actually is allowed to set his boundaries. That's still a work in progress.]

It looks like things are starting to um... wrap up. I think I should go try to find Valdis now.