come_sailaway | monday's child is fair of face (2/2)

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monday's child is fair of face (2/2)

CW: death, probably gore, possibly more TBA

[and that’s what you missed on glee.

and so, there “Friday” is, standing on the roof of the bar. the attention of the party has surely turned to her by this point, but she doesn’t care about that. she just needs one person to still be a little too distracted to stop what was coming next.

Monday snaps her fingers, and Jenny disappears from wherever she was standing before, reappearing directly in front of Monday, who embraces her from behind, an arm wrapped firmly around her middle. those with enhanced senses might catch what she whispers, seconds before she snaps Jenny’s neck so hard it hangs at a 90 degree angle as Monday kicks her, her corpse toppling forward onto the deck below.]

Surprise, bitch.

[well, there. unfinished business settled. onto more pertinent matters.]

Let’s get a little more comfortable first, hm? Can’t waste too much of her magic, but audiences love a quick change.

[she snaps her fingers, and Monday finds herself in an outfit that is far more to her taste. now. time for her grand performance.]

Greetings, foolish mortals! You may or may not have noticed that things have been a little bit different this month. While the Captain is off having a good old bitch cry about whatever it is he’s so upset about, poor little Friday was running herself ragged keeping this shitheap floating! She was so distracted, in fact, that she happened to have a little accident, while fixing something in the elevator shaft! [a laugh] I guess even clay bitches can break their necks! And there I was, sitting in Fucking Nowhere, doing Fucking Nothing, feeling Fucking. Nothing! And I saw her empty shell. And I was, like, hey, free real estate!

Whatever tear in the veil that your whiny little Captain just didn’t feel like fixing? I ripped that fucker right open. And you’ve all met a few of the sorry little fuckers that fell out already, hm? [another snap] Not all of them, but, hey, that’s what now is for, right? Because, see, we all kinda got together a little bit, and we were like… You know, just borrowing some shitty bodies to have some fun for a few weeks? What a waste! And we still have a lot of bitches we need to spring from jail!

And that! Is where you assholes come in! And, trust me, you are all assholes. Have you even seen some of the psychotic shit you people have said and done to us? Like, yeah, Mary is legitimately insane, but she’s still a kid! Even I’m not gonna call a fucking nine year old a bitch!

You can try to run, but I fucking hate running in heels, so I made that a little bit… difficult. So. Why don’t you nice people just lay down and let us kill you. I’ll be gentle. Promise.

[perhaps people have tried to flee already. they likely have. and they’ve found that the entire party area has been blocked off by the same sort of barrier that surrounds the realm, an invisible orb holding them captive.]

Now. Let’s get the actual party started!

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Now don't get her wrong: shooting a pistol point blank into a man is very sexy and all. But Arthur's little 1930s number is only near-future and doesn't hold many bullets, and Nellie still remembers her second Battle Royale and the blooming stupid and annoying way she died there. Never let it be said that there's no softness in her heart, for she'll give this advice out for free: pistol-whipping doesn't work on everyone, especially not when the bitch is wearing a diving suit.

All this to say that Nellie is saving the gun till she absolutely needs it, and trying to think of a more sustainable way to murder in the meantime. A way that works around this inconvenient bloody blindness. She came to not mind dying all that much, on her own cruise; most of the others were stronger than her, with magic powers and shiny weapons and all, and so speaking practically, she simply had to get used to some things. On this night, though? On this night, she's very invested in preserving her... what did young Scott always call it? Her K/D ratio.

Is there enough time for her to cosy up to someone and convince them to watch her back? No? Figures. Probably wouldn't work anyway; this body doesn't seem to have much in the way of... wiles.

Out of seemingly nowhere, there's a coffee-and-tobacco smell, and before Nellie can pinpoint why it appears in Arthur's memory, there's something being pressed into her hand.

Surprised: "Oh?"

"There's always another choice. Sometimes we do lose people, and we have to keep going. You and I, maybe, we can get someplace safe."

If there's a safe place to be right now. Nervously, Watson glances away, over his shoulder, taking his attention off Omori for fear of someone coming up behind him.

"I want you to stay safe out there, darling. And I'm not going to be able to protect you. This won't be perfect, but it's better than firing blind into a crowd." The dusky voice is full of warm promise and protectiveness.

Phil growls. His temper is being tested, his friends are being killed, and there is nothing holding him back from going straight for the asshole's deep cut.

"HA HA HA HA!" he snarls, loud and hollow and cruel, in an ugly tone that no one aboard the ship has ever heard him use but feels more familiar to him than saying please or thank you. "Ha ha, wow, you're so funny. So smart that you're stooping to the same stupid cracks I've heard for hundreds of years." He's exaggerating(?), so what. Get some new material!

"Where are your cameras, eh, buddy? Where's your audience? I don't hear the canned laughter. Where--" and he lunges again, grabbing for the front of Yossie's shirt, "--are your friends?"

[Oh, it's Pollux! She's a beautiful goddess, as well as a great boxer who once ripped a man's eyelids out. Notsuno loves badass ladies. Unfortunately, it's clear that she doesn't like him back.

Still, he regards her with an easy, friendly smile.]

Sorry, no can do! I've had enough of laying low, and I'm going to enjoy myself.

[Not get involved when there are so many incredible rivals for him to battle? When so many of his friends are still trapped in the Nothing, waiting for their chance to break through? Sorry, Pollux. Not happening.]

Besides, it's my body now. [Natsuno wasn't using its full potential, anyway.] But don't worry! I won't try to order you around. That would be cheating.

You really believe the likes of you could kill me so easily?

( It isn't as if the poison had affected him; really, the fact that he's been injured alone in this instance is already impressive enough, but Castor doesn't intend to let it go any further than that. No, judging by that wry grin spread across his face, he has no dobuts at all about his capabilities here. Instead, he continues to step forward. Even the sight of the flame in "Shi Qingxuan's" palm is only frightening enough for him to burst into laughter—dry and cold, and unyielding in the sheer bitterness.

He sounds kind of unhinged, actually. )

Haha! Ahahahaha! Even without our Divine Core, Pollux and I are still gods.

( And whoever has made themselves so at home in Shi Qingxuan's body, presumably, is not. In that case... In the blink of an eye, gold sparks will shower down the length of his body, replacing the tattered and singed Halloween costume with his more appropriate dress for battle, golden armor gleaming under the shine of his starlight discus as he pulls his arm back in a race for the first strike. )

If you want to experience divine judgment so bad, then so be it!

Oh! Oh my. Did she just manifest a protector? Is this the power of positive thinking?

Nellie's mouth quirks up into a smile as she weighs the object in her hands-- oh gosh, it's fair obvious what this is. "A sword, eh?" she says. "Been a while since I--"

don't say 'held a man's sword' don't say 'held a man's sword' don't say 'held a man's sword'

"--since I used one of these. But I think I remember. Sharp end away from me, right?"

( who says he can't shoot his shot, are gods REALLY that picky? he may be young, but you know, they can make the calendar in like 4 years. )

You'll lose it as fast as you obtained it, considering...

( she lifts a hand to her own neck indicated the slashes left there, she hadn't seen jinx do it which is probably good for her, but the harm that's already done is more than enough. )

Was that part of the plan too, "Master"?

( he's even kind enough not to abuse his command seals, how... kind of him, or maybe it's a lie to keep her from acting out to obtain trust. whatever the reason, she watches him for a moment before closing her eyes. he's done more harm than good himself, but the thing is she won't let anyone else hurt him while they're here (but that seems to already have happened).

she's sorry, natsuno, she's failed a second time around. )

Rather, what should I call you? Of course, you're not my Master.

( getting to know each other? great. )

César locks horror-filled eyes with Phil, voice strained. "They chose. They chose to stay. This is magic, I can't...."

"Ideally. Please try not to get killed, you and Crichton still need to have a talk."

There's a wry, playful amusement behind the words.

He'll never ever understand some people's motivations. Not why they stayed and not why César went without them. That fact matters less than the one than the fact that they still need to help.

"... What are you talking about?" He can just barely keep the tremble out of his voice. "César, God, please, I don't know what will happen to them. They're going to try and kill us all and if they do it right, we're not coming back."

Edited 2022-10-26 17:16 (UTC)

Ruby made it 'til 11 without removing her heels. She doesn't make it past 12. They get kicked off as soon as things go to shit and Ruby flits around in bursts of petals to check on everyone she can. She hasn't found Maeve, yet. Undine is transformed and knows to call if she needs help. There's a few bodies on the floor already.

Crescent Rose is out. Crescent Rose has yet to be used.

God, she doesn't even know where to start. Who's friend and who's foe. Not anymore.

Erin's shout makes her head snap up, first, but it's only when the piano falls that she actually finds her in the chaos. She barely has time to gasp and reach for her semblance again before Erin throws the lid off and—

Wait a second.

What?!

The flicker of green energy, more familiar than any magic on this boat. Except Erin isn't... Erin doesn't...

And then Erin turns a man's head into paste and Ruby's number of concerns skyrockets into the stratosphere.

That sound. Where has Erin heard that sound. She whirls, mallet shifting into a two-handed grip -

(The beach. That's Ruby's body)

|It might still be Ruby|

"I can't see, youngblood." The voice is far too calm for the mask of rage that is Erin's face. "So I'm not gonna try to find everyone. Undine, Darcy, Vance, they safe? Themselves?"

Please answer.

Please be Ruby.

Tendi looks over at Nobunaga, and eyes slightly widen at his coilgun. "Oooh what is THAT?" Tendi moves over, looking at it a bit closer. "Is this a Gauss Rifle? Amazing! Where did you get that? Did you make it?"

"Oh dang it!" Tendi rushes over, her tricorder in her other hand as she begins to sweep it over Ossie's still body. "What in the heck is going on here...Wonder if I should just set this to wide beam and stun everyone, sort things out later..."

The tricorder beeps as it goes over him, not dead which is good, but the black smoke she can see is concerning.

It takes her a moment to shake off the shock enough to answer, "Undine's transformed and didn't try to attack me. She could still have drowned me if she wanted. Aura doesn't— um. Darcy and Vance I think are themselves, I don't know about safe, but—"

Her voice is a little shaky. Her eyes keep flicking to the corpse, which Erin can't see and Ruby regrets every time.

(She's not used to this much gore. Gods, she feels sick.)

"Are— are you alright? The piano, you—" She's visibly fine, but Ruby doesn't know how to just come out with hey what in the name of the Brothers is going on why do you have an Aura? just yet.

"My body is fine but for some fuckdamn reason I feel hyper-aware of my soul -"

(Is it our soul?)

|NOT NOW YOU FUCKING CLOWN-ASS SENSE OF PERSONAL CURIOSITY|

"- so uh, good fucking question. Just stay back from me. I don't want to hurt you."

Erin turns away, ears twitching violently, trying to pick out a target by sound alone. She doesn't know many people on the ship yet, it's gonna be hard to tell.

"...I might have to wait here for another fight. Ruby, listen. Whoever is wearing the faces of our friends isn't them. Focus on that. Lay them to rest quickly and remember that it's not them. It won't stop the hit from coming but it'll keep you on your feet now. Later...if any of us are sleeping tonight, I'll have your back."

[

]

Six hadn't attended the party. He hated parties. Instead, he'd chosen to do a basic patrol of the ship. He found it to be a more effective use of his time despite what others might say.

He'd passed close by the party area, immediately picking up on the screaming. Swearing, he'd rushed towards the noise. If there was a chance that anything could be done, it'd be best to get there as quickly as possible.

Seeing César panicking with his hands pressed against a barrier confirmed that there was little if anything that they could do.

"What happened?" he said, tone sharp to try and grab César's attention and force him to focus.

None of that is reassuring. None at all. She doesn't want to kill anyone. It's not that she's never been prepared to—Brothers know she has been on more than one occasion, whether with her eyes or her blade—but she doesn't want to. Especially not friends. Or even friends' faces.

She swallows hard. Doesn't say any of that aloud.

"We— I think we have something to talk about, later. If— if—" there even is a later, nevermind sleep right now it's hard to believe they'll even all be making it out of tonight alive in the first place. "About your soul. You're— I think I know what's wrong. Or not wrong. It's—"

Deep breath. Tap back into the composure she's used to having to have. Over two years as a leader doesn't die overnight.

"You should be able to take a couple more strong blows before that protection gives way entirely. I can't say for certain, it varies, but— trust me. You'll feel it when it gives and after that, you're back to whatever your normal defences are and nothing else, but the pain and energy drain will catch up to you. I know you're strong. I know you have more magic than I can maybe even imagine, but— be careful. Please."

"I don't feel strong," Erin admits. "Just unleashed. There's such a difference." She takes in a shaky breath and returns to a wary circling motion, waiting. Someone's gonna want a piece; if any of those heavies got possessed it'll be them, hit hard and fast and clear the board. It's what Erin would do, tactically.

"...I'll be there for you on the other side, Ruby. All of you. If something happens, stick to the other youngbloods. I'd hate to think all that time on tactics class was for nothing."

"...I will. I can be back at their sides in an instant. I won't let anyone else get hurt if I can help it."

So often she can't, is the thing of it. Time and time again, Ruby Rose is just a little too late to save her friends. She really hopes that isn't the story of the night. She's so tired of it.

Deep breath, Ruby Rose. You've lived through situations just as bad. "See you on the other side, Erin."

"I have no idea who that is!" Gauss is 200 years after his time Tendi, but he is SO excited to talk guns, despite the literal WAR about to go on, and holds up his massively stripped down most basic first ever patented coilgun.

"Couldn't make it, no parts, and I've been too worried about draining it to do much more than fire nails at the wall, but I got it from Friday before she got possessed. It's still charging," barely. It's actually probably warmed up, but he's overly cautious, just in case. "But once it's ready, wanna see what it can do?" Will they even find a target?! Nobunaga wasn't willing to shoot Chase and Pickles, but eh, he can be riled up PRETTY easily.

"I'm sending civvies to the bar." He gestures. "Think you can protect them? I'll drag the wounded to you and them."

Edited (Icon) 2022-10-26 18:06 (UTC)

Blood. Blood. Blood. Tacky thick rust-colored blood on the arm-wraps that came with his costume. On his bare shoulders and soaking through the sleeveless shirt and loose pants.

It's a bit much. It's all a bit much. Oh, he's been in fights before where blood was spilled. He's shot a man and then driven his elbow into the wound. He's shot something man-shaped out the window of his building, looked down at the crater he it made after falling twelve feet. But this is different. His hand on the scissors that seem honed to a point that could cut through a fog bank, this is different.

Johnny is not possessed, but he's stepped sideways from the man who was taken from the city of Gallery, becoming someone different, someone who isn't just a copy of his canonical self. In the dim evening light, his eyes take on an eerie glow, eyeshine wolf-gold. His build is wiry, muscled from months of training, first with Sarge, then with others. He's not the simplest of targets, not anymore. He's no weak sister, not that he ever truly was.

But it's funny, how few people seem to have caught those at any earlier point in time.

In this dark, desperate moment, he is ready, almost itching for a fight. This ship and the passengers on it, they're his domain, as much as the Margrave building back home was. Yes, this, he'll fight for. This, he'll protect.

Edited 2022-10-26 18:10 (UTC)

[You know. Sometimes you are some psychopath, laying on the ground, getting headbutted by a teenager who is bleeding on you (and also trying and succeeding to break your nose), and sometimes your #bestie comes up to deal with the guy. #JustEbalonThings

Except this means that two motherfuckers are literally on top of him and he's already exhausted, the added weight of Jinx is not helping him wiggle out from under Notsuno, and so Ebalon makes the executive decision to simply... teleport away. A flash of white moonlight and then he reappears nearby, just in time to watch Jinx die apparently.

Ebalon wipes the blood off of his face, a mix of Natsuno's and his own, staining lacy white sleeves. The feathers on his head are also stained a lovely crimson. So much for being the picture of elegance tonight, huh?]

I almost forgot how resilient you are, [he comments, holding his staff skyward,] or, well, the body you're borrowing. Huhuhu... let's make this a battle for the ages before the real Natsuno returns, shall we?

[Begin spellcaster bullshit.

Whatever spell he's channelling summons two medium-sized relics, one right behind him, and one far off in the back out of both Notsuno and Jinx's immediate reach. A blink, and they flare to life, a light blue field enveloping the area around Ebalon and a darker blue field enveloping the other. Ebalon's sure to place these in a way that keeps Natsuno and Jinx in the dark blue... with an apologetic glance momentarily thrown Jinx's way, since the dark blue field will slow and weaken anything within it, while the light blue will do the opposite.

Ebalon is busy maintaining shields on Mizuki some far distance off, but he'll slap one on Jinx real quick too before doing the Moon Thing that everyone always talks about. You know. The one where he summons an apparition of the full moon and makes it pulse and melt everything in the area? That thing? Yeah.

This is very clearly an attempt to keep Notsuno slowed down to take as much damage as possible before he comes for Ebalon again. Considering he's just standing there casting, though, it probably won't be hard to catch up to him.]

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Page 11 of 58

monday's child is fair of face (2/2)

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cwing the whole thread preemptively due to ebalon