But it seems the closest that I'll ever be

[decohere]

Who: Ava & Friends
When: Throughout July, pre-excursion
What: getting a gift, drinking, Octopus adventures... and discussions about upcoming excursion
Warnings: not really unless you're iffy about octopus

i. Someday, my body will be just a body
(cafe, ota)

The package is innocuous enough, sitting upon the table wrapped in its familiar patterned paper. But Ava squints at it from over her cup of tea, assessing. There's always a bit of risk associated with opening these. Maximilien is the latest victim on her mind, receiving the physiological requirement of sleep. Ava hums uncertainly, glancing around to see if there's somebody she can convince to open it for her instead. Just in case.

She has been talking about explosives a lot lately, and knowing her luck this thing might be rigged to blow. (It's not.)

ii. And a big white light before me lets me know these days will end
(poolside, ota)

She's splayed out in a deck chair, wearing a floppy straw hat and oversized sunglasses despite it being sunset, and halfway through her bottle of rum that she's mixing with cola to make more palatable. "I don't know when the side effects are supposed to kick in," she remarks offhandedly, clearly a bit tipsy but otherwise the same as ever as she inspects her arm. She's not sure why that seems so disappointing.

iii. But I got today and the only plan I've made
(room 114, closed to 6)

So maybe drinking the entire bottle of rum in one go was a bad idea, and after stumbling back to her room and passing out for awhile, Ava awoke to a rather predictably nasty hangover. She usually didn't drink so much, so the recovery process wasn't one she had much practice with. Trying to smother her face underneath a pillow certainly wasn't helping. But getting in a quick shower to feel a bit less nasty was what finally motivated her out of bed.

Groaning in annoyance at the too bright lights and the way her head spins, Ava steps underneath the hot stream of water. She doesn't even have time to sigh in relief before her body collapses all at once to the tile floor. With an unusual wet squelch. Disoriented, Ava tries moving her strangely boneless arms, and finds far more limbs than she was used to responding. Eight tentacles frantically twist and try to push herself up, and slam against the glass door of the shower in panic.

iv. Is to love like I might never get to love someone again
(hallway, ota)

So Ava quickly discovers that an octopus can move around outside of the water, but it's an awkward process in a body she's not used to. One that Ava decides she needs practice with anyway, because she has no plans of being caught unaware and unable to defend herself in this form. She slowly climbs up the wall in the hallway, making use of the suckers on her arms, and is surprised at how fun crawling upon surfaces actually is.

She overestimates her newfound abilities once she makes it to the ceiling, clinging on tightly but she begins slipping, and whoever is unlucky enough to be passing by below suddenly gets slapped in the face by a flailing falling white octopus.

v. Taking lots of reckless drives to ease the edge of reckless minds
(sushi restaurant, ota)

Ava remembers Max talking about learning how to eat as a dog, and how a dog biscuit didn't taste all that great to him even in the new form. Ava figures an octopus eats seafood given its habitat even if she has no idea if they have a preference for fish or crab or shrimp, but she's an enthusiastic connoisseur as well, so it's actually a perfect excuse to haul herself to the sushi restaurant for a snack... which quickly becomes a full meal.

Anyone entering might find a white octopus draped casually over the bar, surrounded by plates stacked high. One of the knives goes flying, and she easily catches it with a tentacle, unbothered as she shamelessly clears another plate of tuna.

vi. I never thought that I would feel this close to myself
(hot tub, ota)

Hanging out in the hot tub sure feels like a dangerous game now. Ava's relaxing in her regular human shape. Pondering why sometimes when she gets wet, she transforms. And other times like now, she remains herself. But she's enjoying her shrimp cocktail either way, staring up at the stars and trying to remember the stories that her and Fio came up about them.

"Did you sign up?" she asks whoever joins her.

vii. Laughing so I wouldn't cry and crying 'cause I don't know why
(gym, ota)

The anticipation of the dangerous excursions starting up again has Ava a bit restless throughout July. She feels as if she needs to prepare herself somehow. Even knowing that they're all going to die, that these efforts are futile and nothing will actually save her. At least training gets her back into that mission ready mindset, a reminder of her purpose. Ava focuses on the weights machine, capable of lifting more than what seems expected for her slight build, but still an area she considers her weakness when she comes from a world of beefed up super soldiers.

"Think it's going to be another Battle Royale?" she wonders aloud. There's certainly a different mixture of abilities than the first time around.

viii. But feein' every feelin' always seems to help
(wildcard, ota)

Comments

iv

[neverleave]

Natsuno first met Ava Starr over a year ago, when she phased through the decks during Jenny's storm and landed right on top of him.

It's only fitting that he will first meet her new form when it lands on him like a frantic facehugger.

Natsuno yelps, blinded by octopus, and instinctively tries to peel the obstruction off. If Ava is paying attention in this state, his face and hands are ice cold.

[decohere]

She's braced for hitting the ground but without bones there's not too much she can do but expect to ungracefully splat. Further startled by the unexpected yelp, Ava's tentacles latch on instinctively before she can even register who she's landing upon, wrapping tightly around Natsuno's head and neck.

"Agh!"

[neverleave]

Luckily for Natsuno, he doesn't need to breath.

Unluckily, there is still an octopus wrapped around his face and he no longer has the super strength to remove it. Every time he peels off one tentacles, another one tightens and oh god these suction caps -

Wait, where did the floor go?

Blind and disoriented, Natsuno ends up stumbling down the staircase.

i.

[decrypter]

Fortunately, she has a ready and willing participant since none of Helena's boxes from Sundries have led to her being suspicious. And the young woman is in the cafe, reading - it's Stephen King's Carrie, a little too late to get the prom gag but enough to catch up on the pop culture references. Though she's on a break from the book, having got up to refill her drink, carefully counting to remember where she had gotten it earlier.

Listen, they can poke the box with her cane. She knows it's indestructible now.

[decohere]

"Good book, right?" Ava comments a bit casually, drifting closer to her friend. She doesn't want to startle Helena too badly and have her spill her still hot drink.

[decrypter]

"Oh, it's wonderful!" Her expression is bright, hearing her friend's voice, as she carefully carries the drink with her free hand back to her table. Small steps, that's what she needs. "I wish I'd read it prior to the dance - I had been looking up tales of similar ones to know what to expect. But now I have my own experience to compare it to. Still, poor girl..."

She would have been nicer to Carrie, she knows. These bullies don't deserve the time of day. Nor does that woman sound anything like a mother.

vii

[pinballer]

Vance is in the gym a lot, not to prepare for anything but mostly just to stay in shape and also get tougher than Darcy so he can win if they ever duel again.

"Probably. I hear they used to happen all the fucking time."

And it's a point in favor of Ava's side that they no longer do, but Vance is just as grumpy about it anyway.

[decohere]

"I almost made it to the end, that last one," which isn't much of a brag, just wistfully reminiscing on just how far she's come since then. There wasn't much to her performance to be proud of. She pauses to lift, controlling her breathing.

"Doubt I will this time around, though. Everyone's much more powerful, and I got turned into a cephalopod." A roll of her eyes, as if she isn't enjoying it anyway.

"Just hoping the kids stay out of it this time." She lets the weights down easily, releases her grip and rubs her sweaty palms off on the side of her sweatpants.

[pinballer]

"If you mean Fio, she'll probably stay out of it. If you mean the kids that're my age, I wouldn't get your hopes up too high."

He knows at least a few of them are going. And having an adult try and convince them not to go would only make them want to sign up even more.

"What's a cephalopod?"

v

[actuallyawolf]

Sushi is delicious, and Ylva is here for a snack; the discovery of an octopus, however, is entirely unexpected. This is a creature she has only ever really seen as food, cut into pieces, the occasional whole tentacle, or deep-fried. She's never seen one alive, and for a moment she's just stunned enough to hang back, staring.

"Oh, wow."

[decohere]

As if to illustrate that thought, Ava slips some calamari underneath her limbs and into her beaklike mouth, still getting used to the strange placement of her rearranged anatomy.

The whole situation should feel more abnormal, but after witnessing so many others on the ship gain shapeshifting forms, she's pretty resigned to this fate, relieved she isn't something pathetic like a kitten.

And Ylva was one of the first she met, as a cute little otter in the swimming pool. She waves eagerly at seeing her enter, flailing the knife about. It's meant to be friendly, might look vaguely threatening. She slurps down the rest of the calamari before adding in a "hello!"

iv

[goodweather]

Phil walks the hallways of the Serena Eterna with his back straight, his gait confident, and his head held high. His pace is even and relaxed; his bearing is as smooth as the surface of a piano. There's an air to him that he hasn't been able to wear in a very, very long time, but that he fits as naturally as his own skin. Because though it may look strange, it is.

Unlike with the wings, this is a shape that seems built exactly with him in mind. He's pretty sure that there's some magic stuff going on about that, but it feels good. And that's good, right? But he isn't sure what to make of the fact that this is a feeling he only gets in a shape even more estranged from his human self and from some magic trinket. The fact that he gets a "break" from the wings at all and the fact that Erin and Peter don't. Then again, now he's got tails to deal with. But...

Mm. Either way he feels suave as fuck like this and he can afford to be a little selfish and feel good in his body, right?

An octopus falls from the ceiling and slaps him in the face.

"Augh!"

[decohere]

She scrambles to latch onto what she can, trying to steady herself with tentacles draped over his shoulders, winding tightly around arms, the rest of them dangling helplessly beneath her. When she takes one look at the creature she's landed upon, with sharp teeth on display from the resulting shout.

And Ava drenches him in ink before she realizes that's a thing she can even do. How embarrassing...

iv.

[busball]

It's just an ordinary, post wedding day. Or like a few days post wedding because they've been a little busy staying in their room. Still, they're feeling pretty good for their first outing and things don't seem particularly doom-y. Except that there's that sign up sheet that they've sort of avoided so far.

And it would probably have continued to be a normal day except they feel the slap of a tentacle on their face, instinct kicking in as they threw the creature away from them. Once they realize it's Ava, they'll feel worse about it, but for now, "What the hell?"

[decohere]

She goes flying, tentacles flailing with nothing to grasp onto, unable to position her body in a way to brace for the landing and instead skids and splats against the floor several feet away.

She lays there, twitching pathetically. Trying to make Klaus feel bad. Because that hurt, like a badly executed belly flop, but not as much as she's putting on now with pained chitters.

[stalksthedarkness]

"You'll know when you limbs are loose and your legs feel like noodles."

He's eyeing that rum she's downing. He sounds sarcastic, but he was also wondering what might happen.

"Want it quick? You should just down the bottle by itself."

[decohere]

Ava gives a tiny huff of amusement, a glance from over her shades. Little does she know how accurate that description will come to be...

"Nah, then I probably wouldn't be able to keep it down." Diluted with coke at least paces her. "This stuff straight tastes like something you use to clean."

iii

[be_seeing_you]

He's elected to stay in this morning rather than go to his usual workout routine, partially out of concern for Ava and partially because he does so enjoy watching her grumble in regret at her own poor decision. It's the simple things in life, sometimes.

But, as he's pulling on his socks and shoes (he was awake hours before her, and has already showered as a result) he hears an uncharacteristic splat in the bathroom.

"Ava? Is everything alright?" He finishes knotting his shoelace quickly and rushes to the bathroom door to peer in. She's not there. The water is still on but she's... wait? Is that an octopus? Oh, heavens. Please don't tell him that's...

"Ava?!"

[decohere]

Yes yes she's aware that she made a rather deliberate choice to get to the bottom of the mysterious bottle by committing to getting to the literal bottom of it... in one day. Nothing had appeared to come of it other than the awful hangover, and 6's smug little I-told-you-so expression.

But now she's scrambling about with the most obvious in retrospect side effect, new senses firing at her far too rapidly. Luckily the brain capacity of her new form allows her to keep up with the overwhelming amount of input.

She can taste the glass of the shower door with her suckers, sticking to it as she tries to nudge it back open, because the flow of the shower raining down on her is far more intense of a feeling to her new skin.

And her nearly panoramic view with her eyes catches the movement of the bathroom door opening, the atypical angle she's caught staring up at 6 and his expression of shock. It's when she realizes that something about the way she's viewing colors is quite off. She chitters at him, and then flails slightly at the unexpected sound...

"Octopus..." is all she's able to respond in obvious explanation, like a pokemon only repeating its own name. She's somewhat surprised to discover she can actually speak. She covers her face with a couple tentacles, bashful. Oh no he's going to think she's some weird freak now.

VI

[redlightgreenlight]

"No."

She slips into the hot tub, holding something fruity and cold with a cherry sinking into the whipped cream.

"I saw your name though."

[decohere]

"Not a surprise, I'm sure," she already knows of the conversation between her and Peter the night of the announcement, and the sentiment Valdis had passed on through him.

"I know it's not ideal," almost apologetic.

V

[maximumcake]

Sushi is one of those things Max actually will not make for himself. It's an art form all on its own and it would be an insult to the work and training sushi chefs go through to try and recreate it without a proper mentor. Good thing they have a sushi restaurant here that he can visit instead when the ever-increasing craving for sushi-grade fish hits him. (A side effect of having a year's worth of memories from living in Japan now.)

Imagine his surprise when he walks in and finds one of the entrées sitting there with a stack of empty plates. Wait. Wait... is that a passenger?

"Uh... hi?"

[decohere]

There's of course awareness that Max is a talented chef that has Ava brandishing the knife at him with a wave of her tentacles. Lest he mistake her for his next course.

"Don't get any funny ideas."

vi. I never thought that I would feel this close to myself

[crushed_pearls]

Here's the thing - Erin doesn't make a lot of changes to her routine. But the aggravating anticipation of the excursion, the worry and the strange gnawing guilt, it calls for desperate measures. Maybe a step out of her comfort zone to try a new thing? So here she is in a one-piece swimsuit thinking about the hot tub when oh Christ on a fucking pogo stick Ava's here, Erin was really hoping zero people would be here.

Aaaaaaaand Ava's greeted her, retreat not possible.

(Calm our tits, remember, she's shy too, it's okay.)

Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yep. Yeah. It'll be fine. Yep.

"No," Erin answers, with a helpless little shrug. "...I was...asked not to, so I didn't. Not like there won't be a - listen, before we keep going with this what's your over/under on comfort with me having no eyes in my skull here."

[decohere]

As a frequent visitor of the hot tub to soothe her aches and pains and calm her mind in the evenings, Ava has grown more accustomed to sharing the space than she had a year and a half prior. When she had snapped at anyone trying to get in with her.

"Neither of my best friends have eyes in their skulls. And Sharky usually hangs out in here completely naked," Ava responds casually. Took herself awhile to get comfortable with it, but her time spent with Sharky in these waters has been invaluable to Ava's growth in becoming more comfortable with herself as well. At least in these situations. "Promise I really don't care."

She shifts slightly, to make sure there's plenty of room for Erin to step in. "Who asked that of you?" Not a challenge, just curiosity.