come_sailaway | Whatever it Takes

Who: Valdis and Open with Some Closed
What: Valdis does stuff around the Serena Eterna, feel free to join her
When: November
Where: All over
Warnings: In each starter

I’m a Product of the System | Open | CW: None

She’s mostly been forgiven for Tiamat’s actions, but it’s still all out there for people to look at on the photo wall. Valdis remembers some of these, but thankfully Ash’s death isn’t on there. There are other photos since the last time she was here, with other passengers, which is of course why she is here, to see what everyone else has been up to. She’s not the only murderer on the ship, they all play their parts when needed.

“When was the last time you killed someone,” she asks absently to the next approaching person.

A Catastrophe | Open | CW: None

Part of her no longer cares about dying, and with the daggers out of the way and the important people having their names to protect them, Tiamat has no more power. Or at least not enough to scare her. She has the twin blades out and practices with them, slashing with a speed that would terrify most. Valdis isn’t afraid to show off her power and skill, they are necessary to survival. With a single, swift slash one of the dummies falls into two pieces and she turns on the other, prepared to ruin that one as well.

And Yet a Masterpiece | Max and Ash | CW: Probably gonna be NSFW

Being in love with three people isn’t fair, but it is wonderful that she has found them all at the same time. Valdis had gone from no one, to so many she doesn’t want to ever leave the Eterna and lose them, but that might not be something that is up to any of them, and all good things eventually end. Still Ash’s emotions upon hearing that she knows when he and Max are together shows her a very missed opportunity. So she will text both.

Max, I still haven’t properly made it up to you after Tiamat and I think we need to talk to Ash about how all this is going to work. Dinner at 8?

Ash, we’ve been dating for a bit now, and I know you are also dating Max, and I am also dating Max. We should discuss this, don’t you think? Dinner at 8?

But I’m Half-diseased | Open | CW: Blood

Valdis sits in Sand Dollar, sketching scene after scene, person after person. Some are passengers and others people from her past. One might be familiar to those who went on the excursion, Fenrir. Occasionally she’ll close her eyes and hold her breath until something passes, other moments she is paler than usual, and some of the drawings have red splatters on them. She has several empty cups of coffee on the table and several red stained napkins. Anyone looking at her would know she is clearly unwell, but she’ll greet anyone who approaches with a smile and a polite greeting.

Wildcard | PM or just go for it

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Fear! I mean, fear universe, right?" She grins, and then quickly reassures Valdis. "But don't worry, we're not like the Captain or anything! All I have to do is sit by a tripping hazard for a few hours and I'm good to go! And April has all of this, plus the boost they get anytime they can't be remembered! It's honestly a pretty good little system!"

"Well, I feed on souls, so I can't judge."

So fear isn't that different really, though she does ask permission first, and she doesn't need it to survive, it just helps.

"Though it's not a secret and I have several people who are donors."

"You could judge! But I'm glad you don't! Everybody's got to eat!" She tucks her thumbs into the pockets of her overalls. "It's nice that you don't have to be secret about it! I'm half-open at this point but like, people get freaked out! So it's usually best not to tell them unless they're open to it! ... though I'm going to tell April about asking people to donate because that's sooooooo funny! Agreeing to something you can't even remember three seconds later!"

"I would say it is worth asking," she says with a small smile. "It's funny though, isn;t it? How so many people are willing to offer their suffering to fuel this prison, but look upon creatures like us and think that those who help are slightly insane."

"Y'know, I haven't actually had anyone who like, signs up for the expeditions think I'm cuckoo for eating fear! I think those guys get it! Like I said, everybody's got to eat - and some of us have a hankering for more than mashed potatoes and gravy! I'm mostly careful about telling the people who think the Captain and Sparkles should like, just die. Like I get that it sucks to realize you're not the top of the food chain anymore but that's life!" She shrugs good-naturedly about it. Flan doesn't like being cooped up but it's what it is!

"Plus like, on the grand scale of bad shit happening to people, this is still pretty low. I've heard about WAY way worse than a cruise ship where people are mostly chill!"

"Even people who like me aren't keen on letting me touch their souls, but I really don't mind. The few who are willing to help are enough to keep me going. Oddly enough, those that don't like the Captain are mostly ok with me, because I don't force anyone to contribute. I'm sure if I did they wouldn't like me much."

Although Flan is oddly chipper, she is at least easy to talk to, and her emotions are bright and happy, which make her easy to be around and tune out.

"This is certainly not the worst place I've been."

"I think is is the worst one I've been in, but before now, I could always leave anywhere I didn't like!" Flan keeps on beaming happily through this. She's got perspective after all - she's met so many people, seen so many powerful creatures like her who had their own little personal hells to put people through. This might be the worst thing to happen to her, but she knows it's a paper cut in the grand scheme of things.

"What sorts places have you been before? Everyone comes from vastly different universes, it's soooooo fun to find out all the differences!"

"Only my own world and here. I like to think my world was fairly normal, but...not everyone has angels, demons and gods running around causing problems for humanity from time to time."

She honestly hadn't noticed them for a long time, until a demon had started murdering people in her city.

"I've seen a lot of my world though. I never stay somewhere more than three to five years. Never let people get too close, nor do I form attachments. It's easier that way."

"Oh yeah, those guys aren't like, entirely standard across the board, but they're not-not standard either, y'know? We got all of them running around in one form or another! And most worlds without them still believe in them, it's funny!"

She ooooo's a little to hear how often Valdis has moved around. She's also quick to nod. "Yeah! Oh my god I get it, it's soooooo much easier! I moved around constantly until I was like, mid-twenties when I got my job and I've been in the same town since then, but I also like, regularly vanish for the weekends and stuff. My favorite co-workers are like me though, so it's way easier to be friends with them than normal people! It's like, if you aren't pretty fucked up in some way, we're just not going to be able to be long-term friends, and most people are just regular levels of traumatized. I need you to be like, kept in a bunker and fed human flesh, or kept as a vampire's slave, or raised on a train at the end of the world, or y'know like, that level of messed up. Then we can vibe! Other people just can't keep up!"

"Which honestly? I'm sooooo glad everyone on the ship is like, on the same level. We're all fucked up little guys!"

"It does make life easier, not having to hide who I am all the time. Mileage varies of course, but everyone here accepts me in one way or another."

Even that bastard, Arthur.

Whatever it Takes

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