AUGUST EVENT: DRAGSTRIP RIOT

[sailmods]

[it begins with a PA announcement on the morning of the 12th, Friday’s voice coming through clear and cheerful.]

Any passengers that wish to debark to our latest port of call can exit the ship through the metal detectors on deck zero! Please be advised that all alcohol will be confiscated prior to your exit!

[and whoever heads down to the lowest deck will find that what she said was true: there is a metal detector set up there, with Friday manning it. after placing all metal objects (including weapons, and all your weapons) onto the tray, she gestures for the passenger to step through the metal detector.

they exit in an entirely different location. suffering from a splitting headache, and wearing an entirely different outfit than they had put on this morning, but unscathed. they even got their weapons back!

the interior of the diner is essentially your average jonathan rockets establishment. the narrow lane between booths and counter is manned by an entirely mute Friday clone, who cheerily takes orders and serves up food (cooked??? somewhere???) with an almost unnatural talent for roller blading. there is a jukebox in the corner that can be fed with quarters passengers will inexplicably find on their person. the available songs range from the 50s to the 80s, with a particularly wide selection of songs from the platters.

outside, the diner is a great chrome boxcar, circled by a small parking lot. a large neon sign proclaims it to be GIL’S; it buzzes and flickers on and off often. passengers who have regained vehicles will find these vehicles parked outside. there are also a handful of midcentury American cars; none of them seem to require keys, and the gas tank seems set at full.

past the parking lot is a seemingly endless expanse of desert sand and scrubland, bisecting by the empty highway that the diner abuts. a few miles down this highway, the road forks into a smaller one, which winds its way up a steep, ragged mountain until plateauing into another parking lot, with only a small, old wooden fence between the cars and the edge of the cliff.

should they wish to return to the ship, passengers can leave at any time the same way they entered: walking through a doorway that now claims to be a mop closet. passing through will leave them on deck zero, again with a splitting headache. it’s probably fine.]

Comments

She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean

[makesomedeals]

1. [CLOSED to Skulduggery and Ava] - Metal Detectors
An unannounced excursion is suspicious to say the least, but Max is more irritable than he has been in the past. How dare the Captain give him the keys to his car and not the car. That is a level of cruelty that even Max wouldn't stoop to.

Okay that's a lie, he would, but he is appalled that someone would use that against him! The nerve.

So of course he's going to go on whatever this little travel outing is. Maybe he'll get another machine gun and be able to shoot Ebalon instead this time. That'd be refreshing. He finds Skulduggery heading the same way as him, down to deck zero they go.

"Ah, I haven't seen you to tell you. I received another item from home. A rifle this time, and a sufficiently decent amount of ammo. I was tempted to bring it but..." He gestures to the metal detectors.

Friday ruining all his fun.

2. Parking Lot
Max's car is black, sleek, shiny and floating. And to keep it that way Max is definitely polishing it and wiping off dust. Keeping his baby all spotless even in the middle of a dusty desert. Oh her poor fendors and exhaust. Gonna need a deep clean after this.

On the other hand, watching a guy who definitely looks like a metal 1950's mob boss do the manual labor of cleaning a car might be amusing. Especially if anyone actually knows Max because he sure doesn't seem like someone who would lift a finger to do anything physical if he didn't have to.

Also he's wearing a cool fedora at a jaunty angle and he definitely looks very snazzy. He will accept all compliments on his nice new suit thank you.

3. Beep Beep Motherfuckers
His car is fast, and it corners on a dime because well, it floats and has no ground resistance - also future science tech. So if anyone wants to race him it's almost like he's cheating. Still, in straightaways the combustion engines of normal cars will probably give him a run for his money.

He's going to spend a lot of time driving around, so feel free to call shotgun assuming you don't bring any food into his car Ava or put your feet on the dash also Ava. Because he will unceremoniously dump you out at 160 km/h. Also he's going to be getting up to speeds that the human stomach might not appreciate. Ride at your own risk.

1. metal detectors

[light_mischief]

Of course, as soon as he heard the announcement, Skulduggery was making his way down to deck zero, serviced guns holstered under his jacket and at least three different doomsday scenarios circling through his mind. The Captain is going to need power, and that means they're going to suffer. Which of course means that he needs to be there, too.

Max falls in beside him on the way, which is reassuring. Sort of? At least he knows someone will be having fun this weekend...

"I considered leaving my own weapons, but..." As much as the metal detector surprises him, he imagines that any weapons confiscated will be returned at some point. After all, they've got to have ways to kill each other, right? "I haven't been without them since I came back." Aside from the pool party, obviously. You don't bring guns where they can get wet!

[makesomedeals]

"I'd like to not have mine vaporized or confiscated before I get to use it. I spent too much time compiling options..." Which is about as close as he's going to admit to Skulduggery that he has a ship manifest that he's using as a neatly ordered hit list. Though he has mentioned that to Jade before he realized the two of them talked. Sure he and Skulduggery are friends, which is why he can imagine the disappointed look the skeleton would give him to find out he'd pondered if he should kill Fio before Watson and Max wants avoid those shaming eyesockets of his.

"I wonder if I'm even going to be allowed to leave." He straightens his tie, smooths out his suit and heads for the metal detector. He looks directly at Friday, "I hope you appreciate me testing your security apparatus." As expected it beeps at him angrily, the light on the side flashing red to alert Friday that the metal Omnic that walked through there is indeed, made of metal.

Unfortunately he doesn't get to gloat or say anything else extremely catty because he's abruptly elsewhere, and hopefully Skulduggery doesn't immediately follow and hear the quite embarrassing whirring noise he makes when he realizes he's in different clothes. Again.

[decohere]

She doesn't bring anything with her. She doesn't need anything unlike everyone else so attached to their weapons, but mostly doesn't want to get held up at security. Ava's wary of what they're getting into, watching others disembark and disappear through the metal detector.

She hears the conversation between two familiar voices, and quietly wanders in closer to join Skulduggery and Maximillien in line. Yes, she shamelessly cuts in front of others to do so, but it's not like they can be mad about it. She's invisible, though gives Friday a small little wave knowing she's able to see her.

However, what gives her away is failing to hide a giggle at the security machine beeping at Max, but she can't properly make fun of him because he's GONE and Ava hurriedly goes after.

And everything she wants to say about the whirring noise that she witnesses on the other side is cut short by a sudden splitting headache.

"FUCK," she snaps, hands pressed to her temples, stumbling right into the Omnic.

2

[wimdy]

[ very unfortunately for max, it seems venti is really intent on trying to help him out somehow. and that means...

appearing right next to his car, wearing a ridiculous cherry dress and a beaming smile, and carrying a matching ridiculous cherry-print handkerchief and a bucket of soapy water, like the worst maid to ever exist in the world. ] Hi, Mr Maximilien~

Could I help with cleaning this... this... this thing? [ he doesn't know what a car is he's a fantasy bard. quick, do you have a weapon. time to air him out. ]

[makesomedeals]

[Max is in a fairly good mood because CAR so he doesn't immediately yeet Venti into the stratosphere to see if he splats against the barrier.]

This thing is a one-of-a-kind custom recreation of a 1937 Talbot-Lago that I had specifically commissioned. And no. I thought you were going to protect me from mazes or somesush.

[wimdy]

[ well it's what he deserves, which is why it's disappointing it's not happening. unless...?

also he sure doesn't know whatever a talbot-lago is but, ] I'll take your word for it~ and yes, I did offer that. But surely I could do both, right? Your life could be worth more than a little cleaning and trap-springing, if a maze does somehow suddenly appear here.

2

[sabigoe]

Finally, Fio can see Max in a suit and... he does look great in it, as she expected! And what are these things? What is a car? Definitely not like the bus they rode to camp. This one's far more prettier. Surely she has seen similar vehicles in her dreams where technology is advanced in comparison to her own home. But she wouldn't know what word to use. A carriage...?

Like everyone else with their new clothing, she's in a brand new checked-pattern dress, with short puffy sleeves and full skirt. For now, she doesn't say anything, because Max looks busy doing a very important job! Arms tucked behind her back, she silently stands nearby to observe.

[makesomedeals]

Max will do this for five hours if left alone, what is time to someone who only needs to sleep once a month and doesn't get hungry? But he eventually notices her, wiping his hands with the polishing cloth he's been using even though the car is literally spotless.

"Hello again. I see we both have better outfits than what was given to us at camp." He sounds like he's in a good mood even!

[sabigoe]

"Hello again, Max!" Her face lights up, when he finally addresses her. It's a huge difference from when she saw him sulking in camp. This good mood he has now, makes her happy. "It's so much better. You look great in your suit." And she means it. The hat really completes the look too, very stylish.

She takes a step closer to the vehicle, to take a better look. Keeping her hands to herself, because she knows better than to be putting her hands all over someone else's belongings! Especially after watching Max polish it repeatedly. She knows it's precious.

"And this is... um..." Trailing off, as she struggles to search for a word. She really does not know what this is. "It reminds me of a carriage." But, not...

2. Parking Lot

[secondtick]

As soon as Ekko saw the car he knew one thing. No matter what, at some point before they got back on the ship he was getting under the hood of that thing. If he had the chance he'd be investigating every inch of it.

Sliding over next to it, he takes a squat and seems to be inspecting the means that it uses to keep hovering. Scoping it out and even passing his hand under if possible.

[makesomedeals]

The back of the metal tires appears to be projecting a disc of light that feels like two wrong ends of magnets together if touched. It won't hurt, but the sensation is uncomfortable.

Max huffs, walking back over from where he'd been talking to someone else. It figures, he leaves his car for ten minutes...

"Hello." He doesn't sound exceptionally pleased to have someone touching his car but, since it's at least someone he knows, he isn't going to kick Ekko away. "Something you're looking for?"

[secondtick]

Max should be glad that Ekko wasn't in the midst of trying to take a part already just to see what exactly it had on it and how all of it worked. He'd already taken a look under the hood of most of the other street racers around. And that need for speed was why he'd borrowed one of them and was adding non=stock boosters to it. But seeing that it was using electromagnetism he seemed to think, it would provide for a smoother but possible less responsive guild to areas like a park. But put it on a grid, like say a city subway, or pipelines, then it would board his board to shame hands down.

Seeing Max come over he seemed like a kid in a candy store.

"You got to let me go for a ride in it? What's the top speed? How much current do you have passing through the coils to generate that strong of a magnetic field? Take a peak under the hood?

Parking lot

[be_seeing_you]

Number 6 is sporting a leather jacket and flat cap that both look nearly tailor-made for him. It wasn't too long ago he actually was wearing such things, so he feels right at home.

He approaches the robot lovingly dusting down that car with a wry twist of a smile on his lips. Yes, he might be just a little surprised to see this snob doing his own labor.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you and that car were having an affair."

[makesomedeals]

He huffs, the voice instantly pinging his sensors to remind him who this fellow is, and their last interaction that had been anything but satisfactory. Narrowing his eyes he turns to glare at him, which is pretty much his default look anyway.

"I'm sure you think that's clever."

Also affair implies he's cheating on his car and he would never.

2, and I'm terribly sorry.

[firewalled]

So... last time Rich saw this rob- omnic, apparently... things had gotten pretty heated. He'd definitely let his fear get the better of him, and looking back at it with a calmer eye, it was also clear that Max was doing the same. Now that they're in a sort of safer location, it might be best to offer a proverbial olive branch.

...On the other hand, it's funny watching rich people freak out over the most minor of things. So Rich is coming over, nice, greasy, practically dripping cheeseburger in one hand, and he's leaning against the floating car, probably getting god knows what all over the hood.

"Hey! Pretty sweet ride. Can't imagine how much this would have cost you!"

Rich please....

[makesomedeals]

If he knew that Rich thought this a 'minor thing' Max would be crumpling him into a tiny ball and squashing him into the trunk never to be heard from again.

He makes an angry whirring noise, the kind a graphics card would make while trying to multi-window nine video games at once, and reaches out to haul Rich off the car before any of that hamburger grease touches it. "I had it custom built, a fortune, and don't touch it!"

As soon as he's off the car Max will let him go, he's less concerned with peeling his skin from his bones, than with making sure the paint isn't peeling from being tainted with human grossness.

3

[mooninthewater]

[ Max is absolutely getting waved at when Mizuki sees a cool floating car?! Terra is pretty futuristic in some places, but not floating car futuristic, hot damn. He is more than happy to bound over to Max's window before he's able to just take off. No burgers in hand. Mizuki is a very polite boy and he doesn't want to get anyone's car dirty. Maybe a little water wouldn't hurt, but Mizuki is notably dry now. ]

Max!!! Your car is so cool?! [ Understatement of the century, but— ] Do you… do you think I could ride with you?!

[makesomedeals]

Why thank you. [All but purred because he loves compliments, and complimenting his car is the easiest way to get on his good side.]

Certainly, provided you're not going to try and eat in here. [He unlocks the passenger door, which also pops it open. Sure, there's door handles, but this way is much more fun and high-tech.] It would be nice if there was somewhere to drive to but at least it is something.

2 - Night

[the_infant_death]

"Yours doesn't look like the others," Claudia observes, standing still and quiet. She hasn't spoken much to Max, but she can certainly recognize him on sight, giving his vehicle what might be a final wipe-down for the night.

She's wearing different clothes, and waits for him to either offer an explanation or a dismissal.

[makesomedeals]

"As it should, it's mine from my world that has been brought here. Not some American recreation of a combustion engine on wheels." Clearly he has a low opinion of the other cars out there.

"I had this custom made. And I received the keys from the sundries shop several weeks ago without being able to access the actual vehicle. Until now."

Actual. Literal. Torment.

2

[configuration_birdwatcher]

When Bastion enters the diner to get out of the blazing sun at some point in the morning, Maximilien is performing maintenance on his car, the only one in the lot with modern lev-rims; when they leave the building again in the early evening, he's still polishing away every speck of dust.

They wave, and boop a greeting. Max gets to see their cool(?) new humanoid-style outfit, although they've at least ditched the extremely pointless gun-glove. // How are you not overheating?

[makesomedeals]

"It takes far more than this for me to overheat." He sounds extremely cheerful, and he is. He could just hang out and polish his car all day, which he's pretty much been doing anyway. "You look extremely... swishy."

The way Bastion walks sure makes that dress accentuate his legs.

"Though yes, it's probably not good long term for my finish to be out in the sun at this temperature." Also if he wasn't wearing this suit he'd definitely be blinding people with the gold plated joints.

[wimdy]

[ might as well backtag this but. so. after being super pranked by skully into thinking he's totally going to transform into a car, venti hunts down max for desperate advice on what to do. wherever he might be, whatever he might be doing, he might just find himself with venti possibly popping in out of nowhere in the passenger seat or patting at him frantically in the diner or something incredibly annoying that deserves killing. ]

Maxi... Maximilien... I, I know I offered my help to you if you're in trouble but it seems I might have to ask you for a favor instead!

It's extremely urgent--!! [ his body is on the line here!!...?? ]

[makesomedeals]

[He actually startles and recoils because while he's used to Ava appearing out of nowhere, he is not used to Venti doing it. And Ava never starts patting at him and whining.]

Stop doing that! Or I'm going to inadvertently cave your face in, and I won't even get to enjoy it because I'll be too startled.

[Huffing he adjusts his tie and smooths his suit out because those are the priorities here. Then smacks Venti's hands away.]

Yes yes. What is it?