Ava Starr (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
decohere) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
come_sailaway2022-11-15 08:13 pm
decohere) wrote in come_sailaway2022-11-15 08:13 pm
If I am telling the truth, watching my friends break their hearts into two
Who: Ava & whoever
What: learning to fly~ and happy thoughts
When: throughout November
Warnings: possible misunderstanding of learning to fly as suicidal attempt, but fear not. no avas were harmed in the making of this post.
On her birthday, Ava received a suspiciously light box from the sundries that she shoved under her bed and waited several days to unwrap. Partially overwhelmed from all her other gifts, mostly wary. For all that it had made her nervous anticipating what could be inside, all she found was a single white feather. Ava stared at it suspiciously, shook the box upside down until it fluttered out upon her sheets, expecting something else to happen. But that was it. She tucked the feather into her hair, and hadn't thought much more of it since.
She hasn't made any connection between that, and her sudden ability to float at unexpected moments. Beginning with stealing a quick smooch from 6. Nothing that she's been able to sustain for more than a few seconds, but it's a start just as she'd given up ever thinking it was possible.
After spending the last several days straining herself so very intently, she can't figure out how to do it again. It must have been a fluke? Somebody playing a trick on her because they had caught on to what she was trying to learn with the paperclip. A weird side effect, like months ago with the water? Except nobody else seems to be experiencing it that she's noticed.
But she's determined, because she can't tell Skulduggery that it's finally worked if she can't even prove it.
i. If I could choose anything, I would be good and bad one day
ota- dining room
For awhile she tries jumping off tables with no success. In the dining room, because that's usually less popular than the buffet. Although the sorts that prefer the formal dining are probably the sorts more likely to judge what she's doing, as she steps over place settings and nearly topples right off the side when her foot slips on a plate.
ii. I would fall into love and stay, would fall into love
ota- deck rails
Next she's climbing up on the rails at the edge of the pool deck, something higher. Like a baby bird being pushed from the nest, maybe that's what she needs. A good fear of splatting to get her going. Except... she stares down at the water over the side of the ship and feels far too much self doubt and can't quite bring herself to jump. It seems cold and wet and she doesn't know how to swim all that well.
"Don't worry," she assures whoever might look concerned as they pass by. "It's not what it looks like."
iii. And it's not fair
ota- sand dollars
"Eueughh!!" Ava cries in exasperation after another day of no progress, before allowing her forehead to clunk against the cafe table, her tacky mug (a bday gift from Friday!) rattling but luckily the tea inside is low enough not to slosh in retaliation. "This doesn't make any sense. I can do it, but I can't."
She has no idea that her defeated mindset is exactly what's preventing her from doing it again.
iv. I keep on writing a sequel to stories I know that are not there
ota- various
Once she finally figures out that it's maybe linked to her mood, Ava tries improving it. She's seeking out things around the ship that she enjoys doing. Pulling out her stolen camp boat and floating out in the middle of the pool, with an iced coffee and a book. Dragging her new giant squishmallow around to inflict it upon others. Piling up her plate at the buffet with an obscene amount of shrimp. Singing Spice Girls songs on the karaoke when she thinks nobody else is watching. Slipping into the hot tub late at night to watch the stars and relax.
Come contribute to her good mood! Or absolutely ruin it. You know, whichever.
v. I don't wanna die but I don't wanna live like this
ota- hallways, promenade
After a week's worth of practice, Ava's manages to reliably get herself hovering a few feet off the ground, without losing her balance or immediately crashing right back down. She's having fun avoiding walking as much as possible, gliding with one foot hooked back behind her other ankle. But she's still not quite at the point where she trusts herself to go much higher or faster. Just doing lazy sorts of twirls and showing off to any of her acquaintances she passes.
She's lucky she's having a rather good month and is able to maintain happy enough thoughts!
vi. I just wanna feel something, I just wanna feel
ota- outside your window
By the end of the month, she's at the point where she's getting a bit more daring with her stunts. Any of her friends, or random strangers, might notice Ava floating around the outside of the ship, peering through and knocking at cabin windows. And waving.
No, she's not spying! But she might accidentally catch some moments that weren't meant to be seen, oops.
vii. wildcard
ota- hit me up on discord for any plotting plans, or just go for it!
What: learning to fly~ and happy thoughts
When: throughout November
Warnings: possible misunderstanding of learning to fly as suicidal attempt, but fear not. no avas were harmed in the making of this post.
On her birthday, Ava received a suspiciously light box from the sundries that she shoved under her bed and waited several days to unwrap. Partially overwhelmed from all her other gifts, mostly wary. For all that it had made her nervous anticipating what could be inside, all she found was a single white feather. Ava stared at it suspiciously, shook the box upside down until it fluttered out upon her sheets, expecting something else to happen. But that was it. She tucked the feather into her hair, and hadn't thought much more of it since.
She hasn't made any connection between that, and her sudden ability to float at unexpected moments. Beginning with stealing a quick smooch from 6. Nothing that she's been able to sustain for more than a few seconds, but it's a start just as she'd given up ever thinking it was possible.
After spending the last several days straining herself so very intently, she can't figure out how to do it again. It must have been a fluke? Somebody playing a trick on her because they had caught on to what she was trying to learn with the paperclip. A weird side effect, like months ago with the water? Except nobody else seems to be experiencing it that she's noticed.
But she's determined, because she can't tell Skulduggery that it's finally worked if she can't even prove it.
i. If I could choose anything, I would be good and bad one day
ota- dining room
For awhile she tries jumping off tables with no success. In the dining room, because that's usually less popular than the buffet. Although the sorts that prefer the formal dining are probably the sorts more likely to judge what she's doing, as she steps over place settings and nearly topples right off the side when her foot slips on a plate.
ii. I would fall into love and stay, would fall into love
ota- deck rails
Next she's climbing up on the rails at the edge of the pool deck, something higher. Like a baby bird being pushed from the nest, maybe that's what she needs. A good fear of splatting to get her going. Except... she stares down at the water over the side of the ship and feels far too much self doubt and can't quite bring herself to jump. It seems cold and wet and she doesn't know how to swim all that well.
"Don't worry," she assures whoever might look concerned as they pass by. "It's not what it looks like."
iii. And it's not fair
ota- sand dollars
"Eueughh!!" Ava cries in exasperation after another day of no progress, before allowing her forehead to clunk against the cafe table, her tacky mug (a bday gift from Friday!) rattling but luckily the tea inside is low enough not to slosh in retaliation. "This doesn't make any sense. I can do it, but I can't."
She has no idea that her defeated mindset is exactly what's preventing her from doing it again.
iv. I keep on writing a sequel to stories I know that are not there
ota- various
Once she finally figures out that it's maybe linked to her mood, Ava tries improving it. She's seeking out things around the ship that she enjoys doing. Pulling out her stolen camp boat and floating out in the middle of the pool, with an iced coffee and a book. Dragging her new giant squishmallow around to inflict it upon others. Piling up her plate at the buffet with an obscene amount of shrimp. Singing Spice Girls songs on the karaoke when she thinks nobody else is watching. Slipping into the hot tub late at night to watch the stars and relax.
Come contribute to her good mood! Or absolutely ruin it. You know, whichever.
v. I don't wanna die but I don't wanna live like this
ota- hallways, promenade
After a week's worth of practice, Ava's manages to reliably get herself hovering a few feet off the ground, without losing her balance or immediately crashing right back down. She's having fun avoiding walking as much as possible, gliding with one foot hooked back behind her other ankle. But she's still not quite at the point where she trusts herself to go much higher or faster. Just doing lazy sorts of twirls and showing off to any of her acquaintances she passes.
She's lucky she's having a rather good month and is able to maintain happy enough thoughts!
vi. I just wanna feel something, I just wanna feel
ota- outside your window
By the end of the month, she's at the point where she's getting a bit more daring with her stunts. Any of her friends, or random strangers, might notice Ava floating around the outside of the ship, peering through and knocking at cabin windows. And waving.
No, she's not spying! But she might accidentally catch some moments that weren't meant to be seen, oops.
vii. wildcard
ota- hit me up on discord for any plotting plans, or just go for it!
no subject
But if the Captain has strictly chosen to shut her out, then she'll respect that choice by further avoiding sharing any details about him.
She gives a sort of unhappy shrug at Skulduggery labelling her as... unsuccessful, trying not to be so discouraged. She'll figure it out. "You caught somebody else's magic?" Ava sounds wary. "Is that something you do? Absorb from others?" Is that what she's trying to do with her project? Collect everyone else's magic as her own?
"Start what with them?" The mention of Maximilien has her guard further up. She's rather defensive over her best friend.
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Hands come down. Erin takes in a deep breath. "My magic is extrinsic, mostly. This shapeshifting trick doesn't come from me, it's a very old pact I signed on to. Catching this...Aura, thing, off Ruby is new to me. I've got theories, maybe Skullduggery does too, but ultimately like, she didn't give me hers. It's more like I awakened one like someone from her world would have. Completely normal...if I wasn't me."
Deep breath again. "Likewise folks like Maximilien and SecUnit seem impossible from my perspective; they come from worlds where physics seem just. Wildly different as far as my never-finished-high-school ass can tell. So like...if I'm curious about how our worlds combine I've gotta factor them in but how? I'm not a technical boy."
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Being ignored was her own preference, so it's difficult to relate. Not drawing much attention to herself, avoiding making herself a target. Letting everyone else deal with the consequences of rocking the literal boat. But from her perspective, the Captain is easy to get along with, she enjoys his company more than she'll outright admit. So what did this woman do that even she's unaware of?
"Are you that concerned with his approval?" she asks, because she had a bit of her own doubts whether Skulduggery's claims were true or just his own bias. "Ah. You're somebody that values social hierarchy, I bet."
She squeezes another lemon wedge over her plate, licks the excess juice from her fingers. "Hm. Not seeing what you're failing to understand. It works because it works. That's all."
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And why she's so protective against any possible threats against it. Erin is clearly somebody with Motives, and Ava's the sort that will dig her claws deep in to expose them. And never quite understand why so many of her first meetings don't go well.
"But I don't see why that requires a personal audience with the Captain."
no subject
There's some holes in it.
"Requires might be a strong word," Erin admits at last, after devastating her shrimp (the horseradish sauce was a bad idea too). "But...insofar as this place has a god, it's him. The gods where I'm from are. Bad. Pillagers from beyond the world who torment the forgotten, the lonely, the beat-down and kicked around. I look at my new community and I see a lot of people carrying a heavy weight. Even Miss Fio seemed like she's trying very hard not to think about something awful that never should have happened. The Captain collects us and puts us here and I have some concerns about that. It feels. Painfully familiar. The Black Binder claims he wants divinity. I want to know what kind of god he's looking to be about that. Especially if I want to live here."
"...But I'm not sure, really, what a better god should even be like. I've never met one."
no subject
"But it is a fascinating topic, isn't it? We've discussed it, some," months ago, and nothing she put into the black binder. Outside of the Captain's favorite knock knock joke. A spy deals in information, and she never gives hers away for free. But of course Fio's name catches her attention.
"I do worry about Fio," Ava admits, her main motivation that she's never attempted to hide. "But if you don't like the answers. What is there even to be done about it? We have no power here. Like you said. It is his world. Whether we're happy about it or not, we are here."
no subject
A lonely shrimp gets pushed around her plate.
"...Sorry for taking up the conversation. And uh. Thanks. You gave me something to think about at least."
no subject
"Oh, it's fine," as if she hadn't deliberately pushed the issue for more information, she's fine allowing Erin to think that was her own doing. "Those who know me best appreciate," said derisively, "my tendency to overthink everything far too much. Last month I wouldn't stop going off about infiltration conspiracies. That's how Peter and I, well, stumbled into a different perspective of our relationship."
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"But unfortunately for your poetic interpretation, there were no actual strings attached. Mostly a web of tangled misunderstanding. We suspected the other of being an imposter, due to a miscalculation on my part."
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(Stop nerding out at her there's HOT GOSS!)
I'm aware! I am AWARE, me!
"Part of me says I should decline to hear the story since he didn't share it himself." Erin's got a shit-eating grin a mile wide. "But I'm all ears if you're telling, this sounds amazing."
no subject
Which is to say she's distracting a bit from the story Erin is really asking for. She goes poking back at her own shrimp. She's not as fast as an eater. "Given Peter's previous stance on romance, I figured the best way to test his identity was to... flirt with him. Which worked. Except the part where I didn't factor in his reaction, where it made him suspect I was the one compromised by a ghost instead. Quite embarrassing."
By tradition I declare: damn OCs and their one-liners
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"But you know how he is."
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"Probably convinced him with my paranoid ramblings. Nobody could fake that."
no subject
She makes a thoughtful sound. "...Hey, think I could ask for some thoughts from you as like, one of the exactly two mothers I've met here? I uh. Find myself giving advice to a lot of the teens on board and that's. New, for me. I don't want to steer 'em wrong."
Is Erin making an assumption based on what Fio said? Sure is!
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And she hesitates, because she does view Fio like a daughter. Even if she knows it's not in a traditional sort of sense. Even if she's not exactly the mom sort of material. But at the mention of the teens, at least she has an easy out. "I can't really help you with that one," Ava admits. "The only teenager I've any successful interaction with is Undine." Her roommate. "I never had much of a... teen experience. Myself. So it's difficult to relate to their perspective."
no subject
The admission is difficult.
no subject
"Undine does a very good job of convincing everyone that she's mature and experienced enough to handle her own business, and I didn't want to disrespect that by interfering. Just because I'm her roommate. I figured if she needed anything from me, she'd know to ask. But. I am aware she's having some struggles."
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A small, helpless shrug; what can you do?
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