come_sailaway | SEPTEMBER EVENT: SKULLY'S ANGELS

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SEPTEMBER EVENT: SKULLY'S ANGELS

[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.]

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[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.]

[as Max ices him out entirely, Skulduggery looks to Ava's slumped position. it's impossible to tell her expression under the mask, but he knows that her first bout with curses hasn't gone any better than Max's. not to mention the tension in Jenny's camp...

he has literally the worst track record in this affair, but he can't just leave her there. he'd already failed to go after her the first time.

he comes up and crouches in front of her.]

Ava. We're back on the ship. You were cursed for some time. I'm sorry, I should have warned you what that might be like.

[no response.

she figures if she just stays very still he'll leave and attend to the important things and go celebrate his success with the Captain.

her least favorite part about missions are the debriefings and the reports and the going over her failures. it'll be worse to hear it from him.]

[touching her would be a bad idea. it doesn't stop him from reaching out for her hand. his only concern is that she's unable to cope with the trauma of being cursed, and that she might be falling further into it.]

You're alright. A hot shower and some sleep will help.

[her fingers twitch in response, and she's tempted to activate the claws. but it's not Skulduggery she's mad at. she just wishes he weren't here to witness this, think even less of her.

she closes her eyes tightly at his well-meaning suggestion. she's been alternating between crying under scalding hot water and sleeping most of the days away for the last few weeks. it hasn't really helped at all. but if that's what makes him feel better, she'll agree.]

Okay. [her tone flat, she makes no attempt to move.]

[Brief conversation with Izzy drawn to a close, and Jenny now truly bleeding out to her death, Jade's more ready than ever to step out of the tender properly...but there is still the matter of Ava's condition, something clearly weighing her down well beyond the curses they'd activated back on the island at this point. It's enough for Jade to draw to a halt beside Skulduggery all the same, even if there's a slight hesitance; Skulduggery might be better equipped for this, after all, considering that in the past Ava seemed to consider him very highly...while she and Jade are still approximate acquaintances at best, drawn together mostly by unlucky circumstance and intersecting friend circles alike.

Still, though, even Skulduggery seems to be having a difficult time coaxing her to her feet at this point...and it's bad form to leave a party member behind when they're in this sort of state.]

...If it's a matter of heading back to the cabins, perhaps we could join you on the way over there. I think I'd like to return to my own myself...though the walk feels a bit daunting, at the moment. Maybe we can lean upon each other on the way, hm? We'd be evenly dividing the embarrassment that way, at least...

[Jade, too, isn't quite sure whether extending a hand to her would be wise at the moment--Skulduggery might still be the best candidate for that. But there's a suggestion of aid in the process, at least, even if on Jade's part it's lined with a very dry and tired sort of humor--easy enough for Ava to discount, if she so wishes. Or at least, that's how he's attempting to frame it...]

[Skulduggery doesn't turn his head to acknowledge Jade, but he does nod in agreement when the other suggests they go back together. It's bad form indeed to leave Ava sitting here like this, and she won't appreciate being left alone once the shock wears off.

It's either lucky or unlucky that he doesn't realize the real problem Ava is having, beyond the curses and lackluster rewards for their hard work. He'd want to talk about it now, deal with it while it's still raw, before it has a chance to fester -- and that certainly isn't something seems up to.

For now, he just reaches out to take Ava's arm in his. He'll try to pull her to her feet, but only as quickly as she seems willing to go.]

He's right. The hardest part is going home, and we're already halfway there.

[it's not that she doesn't hear Jade, she's aware of him speaking in that wordy way she's become familiar with. but none of it registers that he might be speaking to her or about her. just he's preparing to leave because it's all over. and she gives no real acknowledgment even though it'd probably be polite to say goodbye and check that he's well. he always seems so kind.

she's vaguely aware she should too, to get out of the way if nothing else because Friday already has more than enough to deal with. but there's nowhere she particularly wants to go, doesn't want to disturb Undine from either her sleep or possible reunion with Darcy. she's spent most of her time isolated in her room lately anyway.

all her focus remains on watching Friday and Jenny, as the goddess bleeds out and will become bound once more to the ship she gave up everything to escape. it's bittersweet and romantic and it feels so much easier to invest all her feelings of hope into people that aren't her, as Friday made it clear she shouldn't.

everything's worked out. there's no reason to feel so defeated when she doesn't even have a scratch.

she's closing her eyes when her arm is grabbed, and gives a small sound of protest as she's forced back to aching legs. between the stairs and the curse forcing her to speeds she normally doesn't, then having to double all the way back to catch up, her legs wobble but at least don't give out. because she's used to far worse pain than this.

home? she gives Skulduggery the most unconvincing look that he can't even see.]

Okay.

[It's not hard to miss, no, how his own words seem to have absolutely no effect on Ava whatsoever; even with the mask still in place, the length of her silence and the folded bent of her frame speak a volume or two in their own right. Though from this vantage, she seems uninjured externally...still, there's quite clearly something that's impacted Ava in a rather thorough way. Several things, perhaps...

Difficult to say where the issue precisely lies, though. All Jade can offer on his own part are these empty sorts of platitudes, with his wry sort of humor, and none of them seem to be getting reciprocated much at present anyhow. At least Skulduggery seems to feel fit to take the lead from here; he's taking Ava's arm in his own, and tugging her up to her feet. When she wobbles, Jade's easing gingerly into her space in turn, if only to prudently join her other side and offer a hand at her elbow there too. Between himself and Skulduggery, perhaps, some balance for her might yet be achieved...!]

There you go--another hard part done. Now, to make our way off this tender and onto an elevator...seems we'll be entering deck zero, from here.

[The wryly cheery lilt in Jade's tone will remain, in this fashion, if they start to move collectively for the tender entrance. Though Jade does cast a glance more directly to Skulduggery across the way, as they proceed.] Will you be remaining with us to the cabins? I assume you'll be wanting to head to the bridge fairly soon...

[Fairly neutral in tone, this, for all that there's certainly several other questions tied in it all. Jade's not about to assume that Skulduggery's anywhere near willing to answer them anytime soon, though...no, it'll probably have to be later. After the fact. ...Which, in some ways, might perhaps be for the better...]

[Skulduggery wouldn't acknowledge the look even if he'd seen it. The word had slipped out and yet -- it's true, isn't it? For better or worse, this is home, for now. One day, hopefully, it'll be nothing more than a memory, but for now, this is all they have.

Ava wobbles on her feet and Skulduggery holds on just a little more firmly than before as they begin leading her off the tender. At Jade's question, he nods, patting his free hand over the bag slung over his shoulder.]

To the cabins, yes. Then directly up to the bridge. ...I'll tell you both what I learn. [Even if he thinks, maybe, that isn't strictly true. It really depends on what he learns, doesn't it...]

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SEPTEMBER EVENT: SKULLY'S ANGELS

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