SEPTEMBER EVENT: SKULLY'S ANGELS

[sailmods]

[around 10:30PM, after Friday has returned from bringing all the other guests back to the ship, she parks the tender just off the shore, idling. she sticks her head out of the door.]

Good luck! Just come get me if you need anything! [beat] But, only if it’s something I can do without stepping outside! [beat] Have fun!

[she then pops back inside. they’re on their own, for now.

the salamander villagers have returned to their homes for the night, it seems… all but one, a smaller one, bedecked in leather armor and carrying a spear. they watch the group as they leave the beach, eyes fixed… and then, slowly but distinctly, they toss their head in the direction of inland, and turn away from them to begin a sort of watch.

perhaps that was salamander for good luck. you’ll need it.]

Comments

A brief aside before the action starts

[saltwaterlungs]

[ It's finally time to go. Darcy's got her backpack from camp stocked with some pretty basic first aid supplies, the panacea bottle Skulduggery gave her, a couple of bottles of water and... really she didn't know what else to bring. Clarke's garotte is on one wrist and Undine's bracelet is on the other, her rapier and misericorde are both at her hip. She's as ready as she's ever going to be.

But there's one thing she needs to handle before they go in. The opportunity to address it before now got away from her, in the wake of all the other shit she was dealing with. She sidles up next to Izzy, not looking in his direction or making much indication that she's speaking to him at all. ]

I shouldn't have hit you. Everything else we can talk about when [ not if ] we get back, but I shouldn't have hit you. That's it.

[ninetoes]

[Three times since their fight Izzy had gone to seek out Darcy and three times he had chickened out as the last moment. They'd really done a sterling job of avoiding each other. Never had the Serena Eterna felt both so large and so small.

He didn't know what to pack, not used to packing much of anything on a mission, so Izzy was wearing his usual with the small addition of the bone shiv he'd made on the last excursion tucked in the waist of his leather trousers and a skeleton ring on the middle finger of his naked hand.

Izzy's been fucking dreading this for weeks. Fucking dreading it.

Not even the mission, just the Darcy part. He wants to glance over, he really does, tensed for a fight but one doesn't come. Just words that somehow hurt more than her little fist ever could. Izzy keeps his head straight, his eyes on the group in front of them. He's had enough time to cycle through anger and regret three or four times and we are currently deep in another regret dip. Fuck off, he should say. You meant what you said, he should say. It doesn't matter, he should say, keep your head in the game. Then again, if they were going to die out here, outside the Captain's sphere of control, what would be the fucking point.]

It was fair. I deserved it.

[They don't have to speak. They don't have to do anything at all, and it's that (and definitely not at all the threat of emotion too vulnerable to put to word) which propels him to motion inland.]

[saltwaterlungs]

No it wasn't and no you didn't.

[ Darcy ties the sleeves of her hoodie around her waist a little tighter. ]

Later, alright? Just... if shit goes down, I don't want us getting hurt because we can't trust each other over a dumb fucking choice I made. I didn't ask Skulduggery to take you off the team after our fight because I do trust you. I trust your abilities, I trust you're going to do everything you can to get the job done. Like I said, the rest of it we can talk about after.

[ninetoes]

[Izzy stops and closes his eyes for a second, head tilting as he tried to figure out what the fuck they were doing right then if it wasn't talking. That's what this is. they're talking. About It. Ghooood, fuuuuuck! Fine-]

I trust you too, Darcy. And I respect your decision to do what you did. I didn't mean what I said to you, but-

-but that's just what life is, ay. There isn't anything else to talk about. Now, can we just focus on the mission?

Pre-Action as well

[makesomedeals]

[ Max ignores the salamander person, not really caring and expecting to have to shoot them later anyway.

Instead all his attention is on a tiny speck in the distance out on the water, something that was once a raft with people on it but now nothing but a doomed dot sailing to its demise. He watches as it recedes until suddenly, it plummets.

And Max bursts into slightly unhinged laughter. Oh that image will sustain him for weeks to come.]

[decohere]

[Ghost's mouth might be hidden behind her mask, but she raises gloved fingertips to it anyway, a small shake of her shoulders giving away the fact she's suppressing a laugh of her own.

She quietly elbows Max in the side. Stop that. It's time to focus.]

extremely important pre-action tidbit here tbh

[fonomena]

[Max.......

Like, yeah, that sure was...definitely a Thing to watch, as their little motley group here had stood on the beach waiting for the last tender to depart and the go-ahead from Friday upon her return to be given. Standing a bit to the side from Max and attention similarly mildly morbidly drawn to the progression of the raft and its three passengers across the sea, Jade himself doesn't react in any particular way when the makeshift vessel just--vanishes, at that dark boundary over there. A slight and almost exasperated deepening of the pensive frown on his features, perhaps.

--But watching the horizon with curiosity as to whether the raft will re-emerge is interrupted by the downright gleeful laughter now also happening over here, and Jade's attention shifts Max's way with slightly arched eyebrows.]

My my. I admit I may be missing the humor here, but...I take it you know who those men were on that raft, over there?

[saltwaterlungs]

That was the thing Peter was on, right?

[ Doesn't make any attempt to stifle a snort. ]

Fucking prick.

[ninetoes]

[Literally the same reaction. Did they say it in echo? Who knows. ]

[makesomedeals]

Yes. Yes it was.

[ As far as he's concerned the mission is a success right here. Pack it in guys, we got what we came for.]

The Action

[light_mischief]

[Friday's lack of guidance or instruction isn't surprising, but it is a little annoying. On the bright side, it appears he won't have to immediately shoot the amiable lizardfolk. Honestly, that's the best news he's heard all day.

Skulduggery seems downright upbeat as he straightens his suit jacket and waits for everyone to get done with their personal asides, general preparations, and of course, laughing at the idiots on the raft who are likely getting a first-hand demonstration of why nobody tries to break through the barrier surrounding the ship. A hard lesson to learn, but hopefully, they'll use it to warn others off trying the same thing.

Once they're done, and their salamander ally(??) has given them some distance, Skulduggery addresses them directly.]

As you all know, we're here to retrieve an item of indeterminate origin, size, and composition. We have no idea who hid it, nor do we know where to go, or what we're going to have to do when we get there. The only thing we know for sure is that it's likely not going to cause any direct harm to the passengers. Which I think is a pretty good piece of information to have, all things considered.

Plus, now we know we won't have to immediately murder a village of friendly if cautious salamander people. Another good sign. So... Assuming everyone is well equipped, properly fed, sober, and not inclined to any last-minute backstabbing, we might as well get this over with.

[Skulduggery pauses there, considers saying something else, and then just nods. Yep. Nailed it.]

[saltwaterlungs]

Some pretty good news. Hopefully we'll be able to find it by 'vibes' too.

[ He's not here to hear it but that doesn't mean she's not going to dunk on the Captain. Darcy assumes the plucky sidekick position by his side. ]

Five of those shells the salamanders gave us says it's in like a temple or something.

START: GOLDEN END?

[stormpirate]

[Jenny’s estimation was correct: the journey to the temple isn’t much of a hike, and doesn’t take more than ten or twenty minutes at a decent pace. when they arrive, they walk into a large clearing. in front of them, a massive golden pyramid rises from the jungle floor, gleaming in the moonlight.

Jenny gestures vaguely.]

See? Stairs.

[light_mischief]

[...okay that is a considerable staircase. Good thing he's spry for 450 years old!!!]

Alright, anyone who isn't coming in is staying here. The rest of us are about to enjoy some proper calisthenics. Try not to fall, it'll be a long way down.

[He re-conjures some fire to see by so he doesn't trip going up the stairs himself.]

[decohere]

Oooh...

[with all that hype the stairs honestly don't look that bad

and oh no it looks so much fun... and she's sidelined herself.

just going to continue invisibly sulking in the back.]

EXPEDITION END (?)

[sictransitgloriamundi]

[once they have left that reality, the madness fades. the screaming stops. the unconscious wake up. Friday's glamour returned the second she stepped on the tender. Jenny is absolutely still bleeding to death, but she is still a goddess, and apparently they've got like way more blood than you'd think? or can live with way less of it? wild.

the tender pulls up to the Serena Eterna, where one of these things has been set up sticking out of deck zero. the Captain stands on it, hands folded behind his back.

when the door opens, he looks at them with absolutely zero indication that he has in any way noticed the absolute state of them.]

Did you get it?

[light_mischief]

[oh brother, this guy.

Izzy is the one maintaining pressure on Jenny's throat, leaving Skulduggery free to grab Max's bag and stalk from the tender to the gangway. He honestly doesn't know what's in there, at this point -- Darcy's got the knife and the paw, he has the silver coin and bracelet, but the rest is up in the air.

It doesn't matter. The right item will get to the Captain as soon as the rest is dealt with. He rattles the bag loudly, gestures to the mess of the group behind him, and snaps with unbridled irritation,] Obviously.

[It's the last sputtering bit of venom he has for the man at the moment, and he sounds tired when he continues.]

We got everything but a can of beans. But first, [points at Jenny,] do me a favor and help her.

[sictransitgloriamundi]

[peers around him. stares at her.

...]

Why?

[ninetoes]

[you all go deal with this, Izzy’s busy pressing a piece of cloth to Jenny’s bleeding neck. What cloth? Why, he tore off the sleeve of his shirt. This is more important to him than you might think. Very important. He loves this shirt. He is devastated. But he doesn’t like losing men to shitty raids for no fucking reason.

Izzy’s a deft hand at raid wounds and needs must.

There is, however, an alarming amount of blood. Everywhere. Do you have any idea how pressurised your blood is, especially in your neck??]

[makesomedeals]

[Hopefully where Max collapsed in a pile was convenient because he is 300 pounds of flopped out tungsten and is not moving until he fully reboots. Which will be right about...

Now.

There's a soft whirring, a few quiet beeps, and all the lights in his head and eyes come back on. He hefts himself up to see Jade also unconscious, Ava slumped over, Izzy's hands covered in blood and Skulduggery and the Captain yelling at each other. Well at least that last one seems familiar.

Groaning he gets up on his hands and knees.]

What have I missed?

[makesomedeals]

[ Welp looks like Skulduggery and the Captain are off on some sort of tryst to celebrate the excursion and Max is so fucking done. Just one hundred percent over this.

He shoves the rest of them to the side, literally steps over Jenny's corpse and Friday holding her, and he gets off the boat and storms off to his room. He is not doing this again, in fact he might not leave his room ever again. Screw all of this.

He didn't even get to shoot anything.]

[decohere]

[she's remained uselessly slumped on the floor the entire exchange, no real visible difference since the catatonic state has worn off, nothing to contribute and nothing to gain as poor Jenny's life is bargained for without her own input and objects are offered over... and apparently it's none of it and she doesn't even have the energy to laugh.

then Max is getting up, shoving, storming off, leaving her behind, and her only movement is the barest lift of her head and a hand, a protest dying in her throat as he and a few others make their retreats.

she'll just stay here.]

[THE BRIDGE.]

[light_mischief]

[eventually, Skulduggery makes his way to the bridge. he has the gem, coin and bangle tucked into his jacket pockets, although he's decided to leave the literal monkey's paw in his room. feels like maybe not a thing to give to a guy prone to recklessly using magic???

but, here he is in his dirty suit and muddy shoes, outside the bridge door.]

[sictransitgloriamundi]

[he's actually sitting in front of the bridge door when he arrives. knees drawn up. staring at the ground. he doesn't acknowledge him.]

[light_mischief]

[the last time they were in this position, Skulduggery had kicked him in the head. that would probably make him feel better now, too, but he refrains.

instead, he slumps back against the opposite wall. it's honestly all he can do not to sprawl to the ground himself. he reaches into his pocket to rub idly at the coin, turning it over as he thinks over what he should say first. there are a lot of things he needs to cover here...]

Where shall we begin?