come_sailaway | JUNE EVENT: CAMP

JUNE EVENT: CAMP

early on June 10th, Friday's morning announcements end with a request for everyone going on the latest excursion to meet her in the atrium. she seems in noticeably better spirits than she had been last time, and she leads them cheerfully to the tender. once they are all aboard, and the door is securely shut, the interior fills with gas, and, perhaps, their last thought before they slip into unconsciousness is "oh shit, not again."

passengers wake up on a rickety old school bus, driving down a dirt road surrounded by woods. what is it that they notice first? that, no matter what they were wearing before, they are now wearing a camp t-shirt and legitimately horrifyingly short shorts? the overstuffed backpack between their knees? the words "take one down and pass it around" dying on their lips? the fact that Friday is absolutely driving the bus?

or, maybe the fact that it's already slowing down, pulling up in front of a massive wooden sign, saying:

CAMP AION

when they get out of the bus, Friday is the one to divide them up into their cabin groups, and she is the one to give the counselors their very official-looking clipboards and whistles. she explains that they are in charge, and that she will be back to pick them up in a week, and... very little else. she responds to nothing outside of whatever is on her unseen little script, and she gets back on the bus shortly after, leaving them there.

welcome to camp. let's make some summer memories!

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By now, Skulduggery is rather used to the brief pauses that seem to come with Jade's attention drawn inward, and this particular conversation more than warrants it. After all, it's difficult trying to boil down huge, world-changing events into something succinct. He knows from experience that there are many winding threads that have to be ignored in order to get to the most basic story.

Basically, summing this kind of stuff up is difficult, and Skulduggery won't begrudge Jade's momentary distractions.

"Oh-ho," Skulduggery chuckles, pushing himself up to sit with his arms folded over his knees, "You've certainly come prepared." As if he can't tell that Jade has a natural tendency toward lectures... He definitely wants to see this, so don't mind his craned neck any!

It wouldn't be the only embarrassing thing about him. [ZING! Cheap shots are fine against the man who forced them into these outfits.]

That's what I think, though. Whatever power he's trying to gain has a price to pay, and I think he's paid quite a bit of it in his own blood. I just don't see what the point is. Nothing good comes from having that much power and that little sense of self.

[Not that he's talking from personal experience, of course. Just a general knowledge that comes with dealing with so many psychotic sorcerers, obviously!

The bits of color trail off into the trees, and Skulduggery looks back the way they came. They're far enough in that they can't see any of the buildings, although there's still clearly the occasional sound of life from that direction.] I wonder if they're likely to disappear once we reach the boundary? [He doubts it will be that easy, but he can hope, can't he?]

She would much prefer not to embarrass herself, it's true. And Max isn't scolding her for the misstep, so she relaxes again, nodding. This time she follows along with the proper foot, not quite in time, but at least she's able to anticipate the next few steps as she figures out the pattern. It isn't overly complicated at all, but she still stumbles a few steps as she forgets which foot she's on.

"This might be easier with music," Ava admits, getting comfortable with it at the slow pace.

"Of course, having fun is important," Ava reassures Fio softly. "It's what chases the sadness away, so it doesn't swallow us whole. I was quite sad and alone a lot, at your age. So I learned to have my own fun."

She glances out the window wistfully, a bit of a last look at everything they're leaving behind. A place that will no longer have any use, once they're gone. And so will probably no longer be. "The good times will remind us what we're living for, so they're the most important of all."

"I suggest," she returned the arrow to her quiver and boops him on the forehead, right in the middle of the array of lights on his forehead, "you learn some patience. I'll get another sword eventually, or someone will show up with one I can borrow, and then I'll teach you. There's subtleties to using a sword that using other things can't teach you. And it's not like either of us are going anywhere, ehn? There's plenty of time."

Then don't. Do better.

[Natsuno's sympathetic, he really is, but there only so many ways he can say "you are important to me and I don't give a crap about faceless victims from another reality even if there are a 1000 of them."]

I told you what I think. Do with that what you will.

[He's not going anywhere, but if Clarke wants to keep self-flagellating, that's on her.]

"A drag?" Your slang was not around in the 1500s, Jeff. But he seems to get it, though. "Yes, to die in that way would...drag. It'd be incredibly unpleasant. I've seen it happen a few times in the past. Why, have you already eaten any of the mushrooms?"

Nostradamus doesn't understand the names of the fish. Or even the measurement of a 'meter'. But. He understands one thing.

"Is it possible that...the waters are bottomless? Endless? What would that even mean, in terms of...anything?"

What that marble the enforcer that was tagging around with Vi wanted? Didn't know we were keeping that one a secret. Besides I need a bit more than a wrench and a bit of tape for something like that.

(Ekko didn't really have that good of a look at it in the first hand, he knew it was a lot more powerful and compact than the power core for the boards though and he would like to see what he could do with it.)

I can do a lot with bolts and bits I find laying around, but that's going to take some serious equipment. Too bad we get the golden boy's notebook or something. Don't think we'll be teleporting anywhere with gates though.

We would need somewhere to hide it too. So they don't take it.

(Being looked down on because of where they were born, where they lived, treated as if they were less than the top siders. Ekko remembered the times that they'd caused trouble as kids, and the times they narrowly got away with it. Things hadn't improved much as they grew up, if anything the instigation became worse.

Having to live by strict rules set in place by someone who didn't know anything about the streets, it wasn't the way Zaun was supposed to be. The idea of living free from their control, and free from the fear, that was his ideal. Something a bit closer to this.)

Sounds good, but if only it was that easy.

I can make the platform thingie we need it for. That's pretty easy. — And I'm tellin' you, we JUST need stab a magic user.

(she pushes herself off the cabinet then resumes back to scooping around their cabin for any goodies.)

It's gotta be in their blood, right? So get their blood and then, I dunno, put it in my bombs? Maybe we'll get a reaction. Might not be able to teleport us outta here but could knock the Cap's door down. Fight magic with magic?

Hmm, these are valid points. [There's a faint note of approval in Jade's tone, alongside the short nod that accompanies his words. No, Murderbot's observations here certainly don't ring with wide-eyed optimism...but it is a pragmatic take, that Jade hadn't actually considered himself. Being of a rather more pessimist bent, really, where the captain's motives happen to be concerned--] I'd figured there'd be some way to eventually force us onto these excursions, should participation eventually dwindle...but the element of personal accountability does apply a rather psychological twist to it all.

I must say, though--even if this does happen to be one of the "good" and murder-free sorts of excursions, to keep us tempted...I'm not yet sure I quite understand the appeal of this one. This whole setup reminds me rather a lot more of a military outpost, yet without any of the actual discipline. Is all this supposed to be enjoyable, I wonder? [Here, a wry sidelong look Murderbot's way.] Are you perhaps enjoying yourself particularly, so far?

[Jade shifts a bit where he's seated, posture subconsciously drawing more upright as the mood of the conversation chills a bit in this fashion. The serious expression on Rita's face is quite plain, to say the least--and Jade would indeed call it worried for a fact, if he had to guess. Not as if he could blame her, after all--she speaks of someone she knows from home, after all...]

...I did notice he hadn't accompanied Flynn this time around. I'd guessed perhaps they had some sort of falling-out...Flynn has been acting rather strained these last couple of days, after all. [Because there's assuredly a distinct difference, as far as Jade's concerned, between the sensible even keel Flynn maintains on a normal basis, and the decidedly forced cheer he's seemed to be exhibiting in the few glimpses and passing greetings Jade's exchanged with him since the start of this excursion.

Rita's shining quite a different light of context on it all now, though, and Jade's frowning faintly in turn.]

If that isn't actually the case, and more a matter of neither of you being able to locate him at all beforehand--no, I'd say Flynn's hopes may very well be unfortunately unfounded. ...I don't think either of you will see him when we return.

[Rita seems reluctant to verbalize it, but Jade has no qualms about promptly peeling off the bandage for her, seeing as the angle at which she trails off remains quite plain anyhow. The pause that follows between them is certainly a heavier one, all told; Jade watches her speculatively, and wonders what it is she'd actually rather hear about now. ...Technically none of this is really any of his business, objectively, but still--his impressions of Yuri had been favorable enough, between the surface-level acquaintance they'd had and the way Flynn and Rita both seem to hold him in high regard. And with that considered...the blow of the loss is doubtless considerable for both of them, even if Rita seems to be holding steady enough for now.

Hm.]

Of course, there's questions to ask at this point. Some scenarios, perhaps, to consider. ...Would you like to discuss it?

You know, you're actually not the first to question that...I don't know why it's such an unbelievable idea...

[More of a mutter again at this point, though, because no his sweating habits are not a perfectly normal conversation topic and he's really more tempted to just move on from there thanks...! (Getting crammed on a crowded bus at some point later sure would be one way to discover all aspects of this topic though huh....) ~~(Also nam flashbacks to that volcano skit continue to intensify, "air-conditioned uniforms" honestly--)~~]

You do know the definition of "hoarding" is more about gathering too much of a given thing in one place, right? All the more worrisome if the kitchen restocks on its own time, really...I can't imagine how many bags of marshmallows must be under your bed by now!

[Very cheerfully going full-in on this slander, yeah, what of it! Can you even really deny it, Rita!! The amusement is only compounded by the fact Rita's actually taking the sandwich after all, honestly--but it's probably a good thing, too. Gotta keep your food-groups at least kind of balanced, girl...

Retrieving a sandwich of his own, Jade's setting the bag aside for the meantime and taking a seat at one of the benches at length, idly starting to unwrap it but returning Rita's look with arched eyebrows in turn.]

Who came up with a factoid like that, I wonder? There are probably old men somewhere out there who eat nothing but sweets, for all either of us know. ...But that aside, I'd almost think there's some very rude implications being made about now! [Not that he sounds particularly offended, of course, but still. With an infuriatingly virtuous sort of air:] I'll have you know I've been told I'm remarkably youthful, for my age. Besides, I don't recall ever saying I dislike sweets...

No. But I've seen that some people are, and I'm glad for that.

[It pauses, considering the question more thoroughly.] I did make a rabbit figurine using the provided craft supplies. That was sort of nice, I guess. But beyond that, the whole of the experience has not been particularly pleasant. It feels like...

...like jumping into watching a new genre of serial, or one from a corporation you don't know, so you don't understand the tropes the show is playing on. This is all referencing something that holds meaning to some people, but I'm not one of them.

[From his position further back, Jade's certainly observing with rapt attention as Rita goes through her own motions of casting this time. The confidence of her stance, the precision with which she handles her sash, actively sketching the outline of what must be the 'formula' she's spoken of several times at this point--whole and flawless, this time, none of the wavering or imperfection her last attempt at a Thunder Blade had been back on the island. Ah, this display in its entirety is a far cry from the desperate scramble of the royale in just about every way...and there's a part of Jade that's assuredly quite glad to see it. ...Really, considering how important her sash actually seems to be to the process, it's a little more impressive she'd been able to put together any formulas at all without it back there...

But it's certainly an enlightening thing to see her in proper action now. This time there's no element to detect, no, but the reason becomes clear enough when the large blade actually materializes before her; it's a surprising enough development for Jade to take a startled step back, despite already being out of range anyhow, when it starts spinning around her like that. But, seeing Rita move forward with it too, as she does...interesting. The target is in ribbons by the time the spell's dismissed, of course, and Jade's promptly drawing back forward to reach conversational range as she speaks again, intrigue plain on his own features.]

Ah--and so, this is the base that you use when casting your own Thunder Blade, I take it? [Incorporating wind and fire elements to an element-free base...it makes sense, though the prospect still strikes Jade as considerably impressive. To say nothing of how just the Blade Roll had actually manifested in itself--] Quite interesting...you know, I don't believe I've ever seen an arte with a structure quite like that before. That was almost more of a weapon construct, hm? Although the range indeed seems quite limited...

[Honestly, the nearest equivalent he has in his own arsenal would be the blades of sixth fonons summoned for a Prism Sword--and even those serve more as reflective barriers to focus the rest of the arte, as opposed actual offensive weapons.]

Repurposing it into another arte entirely is a prudent enough choice. Have you tested to see if you could control the angle of the blade in its original instance, though? There are probably some fairly niche but useful applications to be had there, with some adjustments...

[Vague as Jade might still be on the concept of serials as a whole, the metaphor still manages to convey all the same. Tropes going over one's head specifically--now there's something relatable, to say the least!]

Not understanding the tropes--yes, exactly. I'm glad you've put the words to it about like this, actually...I daresay that's about how the whole thing has been parsing for myself, as well. Much in the same way the last excursion was apparently based off the plot of some sort of book...all this surely does feel like it's referencing something or another, doesn't it? [Here, a bit of a scoff, though at least it's directed more at the general situation than Murderbot particularly.] You aren't alone in missing it, at least; I can't make any connections for the life of me either. ...I imagine it must be some sort of Earth thing. The captain seems so terribly fond of Earth, for some reason.

[Multitudes of Earth-origin passengers, apparently Earth aspects to the cruise ship...and general Earth references abounds, too. Oh, not that Jade's about to complain too much, of course. It'd be even more unsettling if there were more overt references being made at Auldrant's expense, probably...but it's still kind of exasperating all the same, too.

Although. After a slight pause, a bit in Murderbot's earlier words does sink in belatedly, too.] Made something with arts and crafts, though, did you? Are figurines something you'd make in the past, or was this more of an experimental sort of thing? [Jade does recall Murderbot essentially implying it doesn't usually have much in the way of idle hobbies, he thinks, in a conversation awhile back...]

"It's my first time with cabins and crafts, too. I spent almost eight months travelling across Anima— uh, one of the continents on Remnant," she's getting used to adding explanations to words people don't know, at least, "and we had to camp a lot for that. Mostly just with sleeping bags, though."

It was a long, tiring trip and one of the only reasons she can imagine camping. It's just not an activity that can really be a hobby when stepping outside your settlements without a weapon means probably dying sooner rather than later.

It would be Earth-centric. Humanity's abandoned the planet long before I was manufactured. While some historical serials reference it, this doesn't align with any of them, particularly. [There's a distinct eyeroll there, before it responds to the more personal question.]

More experimental. Trying to make the best use of the time and the resources available. Or a use, at least. I read about rabbits in a book and thought the fuzzy colored sticks might make a good one. [Pipe cleaners, MB. They're called pipe cleaners.]

I think I'm going to give it to Friday.

She's half-way to commenting on the tasting nasty thing before getting immediately distracted by:

"Hippie... mystic? Uh, not exactly, heh, Aura's a specific thing in my world. Sort of like a personal shield that comes from the soul. You could hit me and it wouldn't like, actually hit me. If that makes sense?" A beat. "...uh. Sorry that people you knew disappeared into a cult, though?"

[Oh, he does feel that eyeroll in his soul--always so nice, to find somebody else excluded from the Earth club, even if apparently there's a very vague association in a more historic sense on Murderbot's own part. Still, Jade's happy to take the mutual scorn they both seem to share for the highly overt Earth biases afoot here...! Really, at this rate there ought to be some sort of club for non-Earth people. For commiseration purposes in these trying times, you know...

But anyway. "Fuzzy colored sticks" is as good a descriptor as any; having no idea what pipe cleaners are supposed to be called himself, Jade certainly isn't about to correct Murderbot on that front.]

Ah, the ones with metal that bend quite easily, yes? They do seem quite conducive to shapes in such ways. ...I'm sure Miss Friday would appreciate such a thing. [Huh, peering a bit speculatively at Murderbot as the connection's made...well, both it and Friday are 'artificial' in one sense or another; no surprise it's been associating with her lately at least enough to think of her with these sorts of tokens. --But then Jade realizes the thoughtful pause and similarly thoughtful look being leveled Murderbot's way are probably both lasting a second or two longer than entirely necessary, and he's breezily continuing on.] That does remind me I've not really sat down and thought about the intended applications of those crafts myself...I've been borrowing them more for future tools, really. --But you've probably already made far more progress than I, on the crafting front. [Cheerfully:] I haven't a single creative bone in my body, after all! Or so I've been told, anyway...

('it could be if you would just follow silco's plan.' that's what is dancing along her tongue but refrains for obvious reasons. if he and his firelights could just surrender and comply to silco's vision, then they can have the independence they both wanted. sure, it would mean more deaths but he can't expect for them to reach that goal unscathed.)

Yeah...

(she will just response with a single word and nothing else. again, fighting desperately to add more to that but this isn't the time nor the place. honestly, does it even matter? because in truth, she... doesn't want to go back to zaun or their realm. she would go back to silco but beyond that, what's else is waiting for her there? she's hated by so many and many wish to have her captive or dead.

and what she hadn't told ekko nor anyone else that when she did "return home" briefly to be "up to speed", jinx had no memory of her time on the boat or any of the crewmates. she tossed up the idea that maybe she was just far too busy with what was going on with zaun, the gemstone, and everything else to think of it. but... with how important fio is to her and venti, at the time, she would had thought of them at least once.)

(but she didn't. which got her thinking if they do somehow return home, would it be as if this whole experience would had never happen? everything they've been through, the friendships, the relationships...it wouldn't matter.)

(jinx stops dancing which it is good timing because the song ended too with something very upbeat. and the loudness of the song did snap her a little out of her spiraling thoughts of anguish. she lifts her head over to the boombox and then over to ekko. ah, ... what now?)

[It almost sort of ducks away from that thoughtful look, definitely uncomfortable with being perceived.]

You can't be worse at creative endeavors than Max is. He's literally just not programmed with the capacity. [And Murderbot is ever-so-slightly smug about that, that it has some ability Max doesn't. Even if it means leaning into human-brain thinking a little more than it likes to.]

[Everything else may be dubiously terrible at the moment, but hey...! At least they're scrunchie buddies. Which clearly means that things could be worse, right? Right.

Still, while Jade could probably name more disorienting ways to wake up...all this is ranking pretty high up the list regardless. For the long minute or so that passes before the advent of the sign, they couldn't be more contrasting points of exterior emotion from an outside perspective--Clarke swallowing down imminent panic with all the heavy breathing and harried looks entailed, Jade practically frigid with his lack of actual expression beside her, glance sharp in its assessment of every other passenger seated closer to them. Both responses on the opposite ends of the same spectrum, though, where the inherent unknowns of the situation might be concerned--a mutual bracing for the worst that might be yet to come, while the battle royale of last time sits so freshly on both their minds...

But the sign--does little to clarify. And the buildings now swinging into view don't either, really...it does look more like some sort of miniature village out there, doesn't it? Jade's frowning alongside Clarke's question aloud, squinting harder out the window beside her as if a harder look would somehow peel more answers from the surroundings. (It doesn't, of course.)]

Looks more like a small outpost, if anything...oh-- [Musing is cut off as the jarring motion of the vehicle suddenly draws to a halt, the crunch of gravel giving way to a collected discomfited murmur of sound from the people around them as the bus door creaks open and--is that Friday, who was at the wheel? Seems she's disbanding now, and...others are starting to follow suit...well then.] --Suppose we'll find out rather shortly for ourselves. Will you be alright, on your feet?

[Considering the effects of the gas, as well as Clarke's very recent disorientation. It's asked as Jade draws upright from his own half of the seat--and a decidedly unfamiliar brush of air on skin has him glancing down at--oh. Oh, the shorts...the presence of which are only just now sinking in, before Jade is very promptly casting the pang of ~~psychic damage and~~ discomfort to find them very promptly aside. (Ah, he'd have taken the school uniforms over this, a thousand times over, good gracious--) Don't mind the briefest of wooden pauses, there, before he's bending down to pick up his bag with the most impassive expression he can muster and properly returning his attention to Clarke.

Look, the main thing is he won't be fully moving into the aisle until he confirms Clarke can follow after him, alright!]

Probably behind that stupid door no one can go through.

(after all, it is the one place no one's been in and unable to explore.)

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Page 158 of 178

JUNE EVENT: CAMP

CAMP AION

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it was too good to let go to waste ok...!! ❤❤

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