[Tired Magic DadTM solidarity strikes again!! Really, though, as if there's any other way to react to confirmed news that all their lives in fact collectively sit in the palm of some eldritch abomination that's actually just winging things, supposedly, apparently--]
Hm, I suppose a civil conversation is generally possible. Things stayed fairly cordial last we spoke, but it's been a little while since then...and I noticed she has a persistent habit of ignoring or circumventing certain kinds of questions. Perhaps that might be different now, however, if she's as susceptible to water as the rest of us currently. The lack of a face becomes bearable enough when you stop trying to make eye contact, I've found! [There is a brief urge, here, to interject something about Skulduggery being similarly kind of face-lacking when you split certain semantics, really, but....well, not important. Anyway!] Duly noted about the morgue, that's interesting...
Honestly, though, it's somehow worse that he's not actually anything in the way of a mastermind puppeteering us while he holds carefully calculated cards in hand...and yet so many things make so much more sense, in this context! It's no wonder it's so difficult to pin down a pattern in his whims, when it essentially sounds as if he's grabbing up magic systems across realities and tossing them periodically at a wall to see what sticks. [Atrocious, positively atrocious...] Well, I suppose there's small consolation to take from the fact he's probably finding this particular incident terribly embarrassing.
At any rate: duly noted, where vacation terminations are concerned! It does seem as if you've experienced quite a healthy repair in ego as well, always a pretty good sign. It is truly reassuring to know we've such a talented detective on the case of preserving our tenuous existences aboard this vessel! ♥ [You know, throwing a heart in there to dilute the actual sincerity of that line....since it has been nice, honestly, to have such an analytical mind to bounce off when it comes to theories about the ship. Before Skulduggery's unfortunate memory incident, anyway--but Jade does hope this can still be the case even afterwards, too. This exchange, at least, feels like something quite a bit closer than their last interaction...it's, nice?] ...Hm, is there any reason the breakdown would be at the Chatterbox in particular? I don't recall anything being very notable in there. Unless that's the point, I suppose...
You'll be glad to know she's affected without the necessity of water. No need to make embarrassing overtures towards dousing her, she'll likely be truthful to a fault. Her own fault, I'm thinking. It's likely that once the Captain realizes just how much Friday has been telling passengers, he'll take it out on her in the only way he apparently knows how.
You'll love this. I told him that how magic works is important, too, and he said to me, and I paraphrase, "you sound like you're lying." So. That's the level of critical thinking we're working with. He's capable with the magic required to form reality to his whim, but I do wonder if this is all just the tip of the iceberg. What could he do if he actually learned what he was and how to apply this power in a meaningful way?
Friday said he was embarrassed, so I'm inclined to believe that. But when I spoke to him, he only seemed tired. I think he'd used a memory charm on himself, likely prior to my showing up. Or maybe in response to my showing up... Either way. He was only half a man for most of the conversation.
[Flattery has started to work on him again, even if it's only amusement that it elicits. Of course, he did say as much himself...]
The Chatterbox is quiet. People don't go there unless it's for karaoke, which is only supposed to be at certain times of the day. Genius requires an even-tempered mind to function, and my temper has been less-than-even, as you might have noticed. Hopefully I don't fail to disappoint the misanthropic teenagers who we've been entrusted to protect!
Oh, and here I was so looking forward to giving her a bit of a spritz with a spray bottle! 🚿 Still, being redundant about it probably wouldn't be particularly helpful all the same, would it? Duly noted, then. ...I suppose the possibility is at least high that she's quite used to the captain being unhappy with her anyhow, by this point in her existence.
[You know, if he had to hazard a guess. On an objective level that really is the least of their problems, of course--and sacrifices must often be made in these ways--but for Jade's part it's a notion that still sets something vaguely leaden and discomfited in the pit of his chest when he thinks on it overly long. (Friday still reminds him...a lot, of a more poorly-cobbled sort of replica. It's a knee-jerk sense of pity by that sort of association, perhaps unwarranted, but all the same...)
Well, all the same, that hardly warrants bringing up here and now. Since it hardly changes anything. And besides, now there's that next tidbit, which sure is--]
You know, you're absolutely right, I do love this. Words cannot describe the level of awe I seem to be experiencing about now. My, and here I thought such a level of utterly nonexistent critical thinking could surely only be reserved for the pettiest of humans! ...It does beg the question as to what he'd be capable of if he ever actually tried a bit harder, though...perhaps we shouldn't encourage him to focus his talents overly much, just yet.
Friday once told me he maintains a low-key awareness of just about anything transpiring aboard the ship. Likened it to "listening to music while being busy with other things", or something along those lines? Though occasionally he focuses more upon anything interesting enough to catch his attention. With this in mind, he could very well have applied that charm in response to you heading over...which is rather flattering for you, isn't it? If you think about it. That would mean he actually went through some active effort to evade your prodding; you must have quite the method of questioning about you! ...Half a man in the rhetorical or literal sense, I wonder?
[Since, you know, it sure seems like these semantics really could go either way, where the captain's concerned...but anyway.]
Oh, I wouldn't worry too much about disappointing misanthropic teenagers one way or the other. They're practically constantly disappointed about something anyway, with or without our own inputs on the matter; I think it's just a state of mind, around that age! Fair enough about the Chatterbox, though. Quiet is generally good for a lot of things, where less-than-even tempers might be concerned.
What is 'karaoke', though? The term sounds a bit familiar, but...
Don't let me stop you if the mood arises. She said it only makes her hair frizzy. Hardly a massive insult to her, in that case. Nothing worse than what the Captain will do.
[Skulduggery has moved from having one solid emotion about Friday -- fear -- and moved on to having a more complicated set of emotions in her regard. She's no longer frightening to him, but he still finds her almost-real presence unnerving, and combined with what Palamedes had told him about Friday's being an overt ally to them... Distrust, unease, and a rising sense of concern have taken hold.
So, if Jade wants to squirt her with a spray bottle, he isn't going to stop him.]
It seems to be a combination of lack of interest, distraction, and frustration that has caused him to turn his search for powerful magics into a frantic game of racquetball. The only thing I'm trying to encourage at the moment is him resting and not getting us all into further trouble. If he sleeps through the next week or two, that would be nice. Alright, I'm also helping investigate his origins, but that is out of professional interest.
It makes sense. I wonder if he can use the shades as a sort of one-way radio, to hear what's going on around us. Or otherwise, he may simply have sigils built into the corridors to project chatter back to the bridge. Hm. Something to consider asking him on a later date, I suppose. He did say he felt he needed a lawyer when talking with me. It's a common refrain. It may surprise you to learn that I, too, have been known to be a bit insufferable from time to time when it comes to my investigative habits. Maybe I intimidate him more than he has already let on. 🤐
[Not that he genuinely believes that. All he knows is that he hardly felt intimidated, even when...]
I'm afraid I mean it rather literally. Half of his human facade was disengaged, and he appeared made of shadow. A bit like how he looked when I touched the void, really. Except it moved. By the time we finished talking, he'd managed to regain the facade, but I'm more certain than ever that he isn't human at all.
But never mind all of that. You've never been to karaoke? I suppose not, it is an Earth affair... You should try it, although I think it pays to either be a bit mad or a bit drunk when you do. The machine seems to have songs from every different reality represented aboard, so you'd likely find something familiar enough for you to sing.
Frizzy hair actually really is a remarkably inconvenient sort of thing, though! [You know, to speak as a long-hair-having person himself. Though it occurs to Jade that Skulduggery probably couldn't relate to such woes anyway, considering......how long it's apparently been since he had any hair of his own. Ah well.] Perhaps as a last resort sort of gesture, then.
[The news of her rather surprising extent of agency even under the captain's thumb is assuredly interesting; Jade doesn't necessarily share the same fears as Skulduggery in that sense, considering their rather differing experiences with 'human-shaped constructs'. Something to discuss beyond the necessity of spray bottles at some point in the future, perhaps...]
Lack of interest, distraction, frustration...all truly the antitheses of good practice with artes, to be sure. If he could sleep for a few months I'm sure we'd all be quite content with that! Although, of course, I expect we won't be nearly so fortunate. It sounds as if he's gathering his energy together for a particularly interesting excursion next month...or so I've been told, from somebody who received the news from you in turn. Doubtless whatever transpires will replenish his reserves quite a bit as well. [Ugh, to say nothing of the twinge of disgust that arises every time Jade thinks about the fact they're all basically finite soul batteries around here...anyway--] This entire 'world' we currently exist within seems to be his own fabrication; it would be unsurprising that he can sense a great deal within it by extension, whether it's via sigils or other means. ...It's interesting to hear that he is actually capable of growing weary, though. This shadowy form you speak of...it may very well be his more naturally-inclined sort of shape. More low-effort. He's probably not fatigued enough to compromise in any given way even now, though, if he was still willing to meet you in person even despite a weakened state and some apparent trepidation in interacting with you. A pity, but notable all the same; always good to know there's a least one person around here he feels more cautious of! You ought to at least pat yourself on the back for that, you know! ⭐
[Even if they both know it's probably nothing quite so acute as actual intimidation--still, every bit they can scrape together, and all that. ...But, you know, onwards to the actual most important topic of all here:] No, I have never 'been to karaoke' before, so far as I'm aware. I think I've heard the term bandied about here and there on this ship on occasion...but I didn't realize there were songs involved! Interesting. Alas, most of my singing experience stems from obligation, for hymns and psalms and such. Not sure such pieces would be available in a setup that apparently best involves singing of the mad and/or drunk variety...but now I'm curious, I'll admit!
Whatever he sets up for us this time around will no doubt be... catastrophic. I have no Earthly idea what he might have planned, but I do know that Natsuno showed passing interest in seeing a reality the Captain keeps tucked away for a rainy day. Obviously, this MUST have been a challenge, and not mere curiosity. 🙄🙄 Now we'll be subjected to something of personal interest to him. Considering he told me that he'll be taking more energy from us thanks to his woefully misguided attempt, I imagine it will be something awful. Oh. He also informed me that whoever digs anything up this go-around will find themselves living without teeth for a month. So, you know. Maybe we won't do that.
[Still! He's glad to know that the information is actually being circulated. It would be literal hell if he had to sit down and text every person individually.]
I think we can solidly rule out "purely human" from the list of things the Captain may be. It's possible that his natural form causes mortals discomfort and unease; the shadows did carry a sort of underlying dread. I only noticed it when it was over. Despite the exhaustion, I was under no illusion that we would be able to fight him in his current state. Not to mention, we have absolutely no plan for such an altercation. If I'm being entirely honest with you, I don't see the point. It would be more beneficial for all of us if we worked together to try and secure our safety, and our safety at the moment relies on the Captain and the ship. Then again, maybe I've just worked out my pent up aggression on him already. He ought to set up a punching booth. Let everyone have a go, and then we can all move on with our lives.
[But there's something so much better to talk about, of course, and that is his newfound favorite pastime:]
There is a dearth in skeleton-friendly activities aboard the ship, so I've found myself circling back to aimlessly singing in an empty room time and again. Oh! You should join me sometime. I'll humiliate myself to make you feel better about having to do the same. Although I will absolutely not allow hymns, psalms, or any sort of Gregorian tomfoolery.
Yes, Natsuno did tell me something to that effect. Too much to hope we could end up with an utterly harmless camping trip a second time around...though I can't say it surprises me either. ...Truth be told I am somewhat worried he also plans to rub it especially hard in Natsuno's face somehow, but I suppose only time will tell us just how petty the captain decides to be about that. I expect I'll have to try keeping a closer eye on him during the excursion, if it's at all possible...there won't be any persuading him not to go. [At the brief risk of sounding even more like a tired dad, for a bit there.... The sigh around this point is inaudible but perhaps palpable, all the same.] Not sure if it'll be better or worse to have some warning beforehand, about how remarkably unpleasant it's bound to be. But at least we won't be surprised when it falls apart in the most horrific fashion possible! 🎉
At any rate. If that shadow form of the captain's is anything even vaguely like that void in his skull, a moderate amount of dread is to be generally expected. He is assuredly fully human human no longer, though I do still wonder if he was normally human once before. His mindset towards many things remains so strangely mundane for a foreign being. ...No, but you're likely correct; with how intrinsically this entire plane of existence is allegedly tied to his abilities, his demise would likely indeed only lead to our own as things are right now. As utterly satisfying as it would be to destroy the man. Still, our priorities are better applied to building contingencies of survival beyond his grasp first, before we entirely rid ourselves of it.
You know, though, that dinner party after the battle royale probably was his idea of a punching booth. 😒 Considering how he basically opened himself up to a free-for-all for a bit there...
[Besides, Jade personally wouldn't find swinging at a smug patch of shifting shadow particularly satisfying by any stretch. But, to each their own--sounds like Skulduggery probably tried to get in a hit or two himself, in the last few conversations he'd had with the captain. More power to him managing not to get himself killed in the process, apparently...?!]
You'll not be finding any judgment here, where a hunt for activities aboard this vessel might be concerned! Honestly, these spells of monotony are just barely tolerable even for fleshier humans! Or maybe it's just me being quite unaccustomed to downtime this extensive...either way, there are probably worse pasttimes than singing to an empty room! Perhaps I'll take you up on that invitation sometime, if only to get an idea of what all this karaoke fuss is about. Seeing as the humiliation would be mutual, and all ❤
I've no idea what "Gregorian tomfoolery" might mean, but I suppose the hymns and psalms in question here do qualify as a sort of Yulian tomfoolery. Don't you worry, though! I mention them only on account of them being the majority of songs I actually know by heart, and the memorization was not exactly of my own volition anyway. The Curtiss family is very devout and particular about tradition, let's say...but, beside the point. Adding new songs to the mental list at this point might be more beneficial, let's say.
[Boy, if Skulduggery doesn't have some similar Tired Dad feelings... Darcy has actively pressed the Captain twice at this point, both times to her detriment. He has no reason to doubt she won't try again, and this time, it will most certainly end in more bloodshed and tears.]
Perhaps we could trick all of the teenagers prone to starting fights into the arcade, and lock them in there for the duration of the excursion? Ah, but they would likely turn to bloodshed, wouldn't they? And I would hate to be the one to fight the inevitable winner of that cage match... No, we'll have to simply keep an eye on Natsuno and the rest of them, in case they draw unwanted attention. Darcy apparently tried to hug the Captain at the end of our camping excursion and was nearly stabbed through the heart in the process. So we seem to have our work cut out for us...
You won't be the first traditionalist I've introduced to decent music, but you would be the first from another reality. The karaoke machine comes out at 9PM every night, but I admit that I've been dragging it out for my own amusement during the day. I find it easier to enjoy myself when I don't have to worry about other people waiting for their turn.
[He knows he hasn't said exactly what karaoke actually is, but he trusts Jade's figured out the basics.]
[Honestly though! Apparently you don't truly qualify as a proper Anger Teen on the Serena Eterna until you've threatened the captain (and gotten threatened in turn) at least one time or two.....]
Inspired as your proposal might be, it would almost certainly lead to bloodshed, yes. Or, worse yet, a concerted effort at escape! Backed by a youthful fury we'd surely be on the receiving end of whether they fail or succeed in breaking out early. Never mind having to fight them, I have to room with at least one of them...I'll have you know, Natsuno keeps a very unnecessarily large assortment of knives underneath his mattress! Which he doesn't even sleep on half the time, but claimed as his own anyhow to delegate me to the couch, when I first arrived. To be petty, as he has since informed me. Children these days, honestly...
[It's more affectionate complaining at this point, of course, another one of those Tired Dad sorts of things. At least Skulduggery can be thankful he doesn't share a cabin with his own feral teen just yet?? Still...]
Transitioning from attempted stabbing to attempting hugging, I see...well, points must be allotted to Darcy for being willing to experiment across the spectrum. Not the next approach I'd have thought of myself, personally--though it certainly sounds like the captain doesn't care for affectionate physical contact at all, in that case. Something else to add to the dossier on his potential weaknesses, even if a footnote of "stabbing likely to occur afterwards" must be annotated on it. [And honestly? Big Mood.....not that Jade would ever actually admit to sharing any preferences with the captain aloud. Still, hugs are indeed weird and vaguely uncomfortable and he never knows how to deal with them on the extremely rare occasions they happen--though he does know that stabbing isn't generally the answer! At the very least!! Get it together captain--!!!] She didn't actually die from that wound, did she? I would certainly hope not, or that she's at least alright presently.
Is the machine generally operated by the ghosts here? Well, like most everything else, I suppose. At any rate, I'd certainly hope I won't be cramping your enjoyment if I ever decide to poke my head in the Chatterbox on a whim and see what all the fuss is about, at some point in the future!
[Yes, Jade is certainly picking up on at least a few basics about now, based off vague impressions--he figures the machine produces the accompanying music or something, anyway. If it's turn-based, does that render it some sort of competition when there's more than one player...? Questions to investigate in the future, clearly.]
I can hardly judge him, although I feel that a mattress full of knives would be... uncomfortable? To sleep on. But what do I know? I don't sleep. And Lucius, thankfully, seems disinclined to storing weapons around the room... It seems that you've truly gotten the short end of the stick with your teenage cabinmate!
Between you and me, I can... appreciate the distaste for physical contact. Especially when you know it isn't for respectable reasons. If I thought Darcy actually intended the hug in good faith, I'd probably be more upset at the reaction. But as it is...
[It wasn't too long ago that Skulduggery had found physical affection... strange, but comforting. Nowadays, it's only comforting under very specific circumstances, with very specific people. One of those people being Darcy herself...]
I've just been assuming as much. Maybe it's sentient, like Friday? I have no clue. I just know it's a good way to stop thinking for approximately 2-3 minutes, which is something I haven't been able to easily accomplish here on the ship. You'll like it. Or I'll enjoy watching you hate it. Either way, I win. 💀
You'd think, wouldn't you? I suppose he has them arranged a certain way...not that I'm exactly about to start intensively investigating that particular matter anytime soon. Every time he reclines on the bed to read a book he doesn't get up stabbed through the back, so I suppose it's the least I could ask for really 🤷♂️
It's honestly not my first time having to split a room with a rude teenager or two, at least! Though past occasions were generally more temporary matters, in limited inn accommodations and such, [you know, as you do, in jrpg journeying,] so this more permanent setup is a bit new. But things could be worse! To begin with he didn't even want to come in through the door while I was inside, believe it or not. [Granted, Jade suspects nowadays that had more to do with some intrinsic feature of Natsuno's non-human status, actively keeping him out without invitation...as opposed to the brattily contrary first impression it had appeared to be. But, you know, details. Phrasing it this way is funnier, and at least a bit true, and besides--] Yet still, we've actually reached something of a decent compromise by now! Knife placement aside, anyway. I'd be happy to impart my wisdom of experience upon you, if you ever end up having to room with a teenager yourself for some amount of time 😊
[Honestly, the atmosphere in 109's downright comfortable nowadays; things have settled into a mutual daily tradition of snark that's lost a great deal of the barbs of earlier days ever since the battle royale, for several different reasons that Jade isn't about to get into right now. (Because that would be going into gross feelings territory, and obviously there's no need to talk about any of that--)]
It is fairly natural to not care for suspicious contact from others, perhaps, though attempting to impale someone through the heart in response is decidedly less natural. Not that I'm an expert in such matters, but I daresay a shove does just as well and doesn't spill half as much blood, and all that. [Still not planning to admit that he maybe relates to the captain just a bit on that front himself, though...! For all that Skulduggery actually does, as it turns out. ...Well, but that's alright anyway, divorcing the captain from the general concept. This is a note mentally filed away as a note of future prudence, at least where interactions with Skulduggery might be concerned; Jade isn't a touchy-feely sort of person anyway, of course, but it seems like a little thing to keep in mind should contact with Skulduggery ever be needed at some point. Depending on what may or may not unfold in the future, you know...anyway--] True, though, if she'd actually been angling for a genuine good-faith hug I'd be wondering if there's something amiss. Considering her last contact with the captain involved rather a lot more very aggressive attempted stabbing, and all that. [From what he recalls from the victory dinner, anyway...it might have been brief, but the girl had certainly made a very strong impression where her opinions and her methods of expressing those opinions might be concerned. At least on surface level!]
Hmm, achieving sentience only to spit out tunes for whoever happens to drop by...my, maybe it might be for the better if it isn't sentient after all! That sounds like an 'existential nightmare' sort of thing, doesn't it? But, that aside, any means of ceasing thought for several minutes at a time is always something worth looking into. Consider me quite sold, if it proves to be effective! Since, yes, I may hate it if not. Free amusement for you for an afternoon, either way; what a flexible win condition indeed!
I'll have to thank Lucius for remaining as my cabinmate. The last thing I want is to have him be replaced by a teenager. Or anybody, for that matter. It would be so much work to explain everything to a new passenger who was forced to bunk with me.
[Lucius is great! Funny, smart, can read and write, plus he has a penchant for finding his way into gossip that he then promptly shares. He also uses emojis, which encourages Skulduggery to do the same! It's win-win.]
I hadn't thought about it like that. I suppose that's why you're not meant to turn everything in your house into a living creature... Now I'm properly excited. You'll find me there more often than not these days. More fun than browsing the library for the nth time.
[Yeah, he's...he's pretty sure turning everything in one's house into a living creature isn't something any normal person would be inclined to do?? (Barring the captain, of course, who is a freak well within the realm of these exceptions, as they all know--) Well, but no matter. Setting that weird hypothetical aside, Skulduggery's apparent future penchant for being in the Chatterbox is noted idly in the back of thought, as an apparent higher priority over the library--which, honestly, fair enough. Jade has broken down to a point of finally taking a look at some of the books here and there out of sheer need to spend time, but even now he still just can't particularly get any degree of invested in fiction. It's perpetually infuriating, honestly!
But, to focus on this roommate tangent now...]
Hmmm, true, I suppose your face would tend to be a bit of a shock to the uninitiated...doubly so in a new roommate situation, no doubt. To say nothing of the fact that we could probably do with fewer sudden disappearances all around, anyhow. I still don't care for the likely implications of what exactly happens to the vanished. [Yuri and then Flynn's disappearances have weighed off and on in thought for a good chunk of this month, all told, considering how Rita's been trying to handle the losses.....but wait, that's a depressing tangent to get into, he wasn't trying to be depressing for once?? Whoops.] That aside! I suppose this 'Lucius' roommate of yours has adjusted quite thoroughly to your presence by now, just by the sound of it. Did he himself take it well initially? Hailing from a reality where animate skeletons such as yourself are in fact more common, perhaps?
[Skulduggery is absolutely thinking about Mickey Mouse animating a bunch of cleaning supplies in Fantasia, and not about any real-world example to be had. (Not to say he hasn't dealt with a sentient house before...! It just happened to be the house of a powerful sorcerer's ghost. Nothing remotely similar to their situation now...)]
It doesn't bode well for us, no. Hopefully, the number of disappearances will remain at a minimum. I actually don't know of anyone personally who's disappeared yet, but I'm sadly certain that will change before the year is out.
When he first arrived, he was drunk, Darcy was helping him stand up straight, and he immediately went and threw up in the toilet. Which was considerate, considering I've had people throw up on my shoes before. Actually, you may know him. He works for Stede Bonnet. I'm sure you've seen him around.
[Alas, Auldrant also lacks the ever-looming presence of the Disney franchise, along with pretty much every other aspect of Earth pop culture...yet another reference to woefully sail over Jade's head, though maybe in this case it's for the better.]
There are a few people I've known among the vanished myself at this point...much as I'd hope it won't be the same for you, it seems more inevitable than not, with the passage of time and the rather limited overall population here. Bound to recognize almost everyone at least superficially, sooner or later. I do wish there were some way to discern a rhyme or reason behind the sudden vanishings, though...
[Mysteries that may yet hang in the air--until he gets some very interesting and unfortunate news from Rita on the matter, anyway, later in the month. Doubtless at some point it'll be relayed to Skulduggery in turn, but until then--]
My my, quite the powerful first impression if I ever heard one! It almost sounds more as if he ended up doing rather more roommate terrorizing than you actually did; quite impressive! With a start like that, I daresay things only could go uphill from there.
Hmm, Stede Bonnet? The name is indeed familiar, I think? [The man truly is difficult to not hear about at least in vague passing, anyway, considering how very conspicuously word of an improvised pirate crew tends to fly around--which is slotting neatly back into memory now, as Jade thinks about it.] Oh, yes, the pirate! I did bump into him at one time, trying to recruit a pirate crew with signed forms. Ignoring the remarkable juxtaposition there--Lucius is one of the ones roped in, then? Or perhaps he was a pirate on arrival? The drunkenness does track...
[A lot of mysteries are going to be solved, or at least further discussed, later on in the month... but the vanishings are probably less likely to come up again, so:]
For every one who's left, it seems at least one more has arrived. Which worryingly tells us that the Captain is continuing to pull in fuel, with very little indication of stopping.
I don't know if there's a way to figure it out. They seem to go at random. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Zoro in... quite a while. It's likely he's vanished as well... Whether they're shades wandering the halls or completely gone from this reality, we owe it to them to keep it from happening to others. At the very least, we cannot let another group of passengers go through all of this.
Lucius was part of Captain Bonnet's crew originally. He arrived relatively shortly after Stede and Blackbeard. Actually, he showed up right before Stede had a bit of a breakdown over the Battle Royale. I posited at the time that perhaps we had some more pull on those who come aboard -- maybe our needs help shape the realities that the ship takes from? -- but now I think it's simply a coincidence. A great one, to be sure, but a coincidence nonetheless.
Stede's crew includes a fair few of us, now. Clarke, Darcy, Jinx, Ava, myself... even the Captain has technically signed aboard. Which... does sort of make the whole thing feel a bit futile, but I'm not about to turn down the chance to be a pirate. 🏴☠️
[There are still simply far too many unknown variables surrounding the disappearances on the whole, it's true...though, on the other end of the spectrum, the same could indeed be said for the selection of arrivals as well. Truly, Jade's not entirely sure if it's better or worse that the distribution seems more random than not--if it were some mechanic of pull depending on need, as Skulduggery had once posited, it would perhaps be easier to put more effort into pointedly trying not to invoke anyone from home showing up here. Because for his part, Jade never wants to see a face that he actually recognizes from Auldrant in this place, in any capacity at all. Not so long as this ship remains the prison it currently is. Leaving it up to chance...the odds might be impossibly thin, between the countless realities out there, but--
--well. But actually. ...Pardon Jade while he proceeds to set the rest of that entirely aside, because that very last bit of this string of messages is now actually catching his attention and...hold up.]
Wait, beg pardon. The captain actually signed on to that? ...Assuredly that defeats the purpose in entirety, as I was under the impression that the pirate crew forming was intended to commandeer this ship at some point. [Meager and likely fruitless as such attempts were likely to be--or so Jade's thought process had gone, at that time, when he'd drifted by Stede hosting those signups and picked up a vague gist of the purpose. .......More importantly, though--?] So, then, the captain is still...just, part of it? How is that being dealt with? Surely planning some sort of mutiny becomes rather difficult, when the person you're plotting the mutiny against is literally sitting in on the meeting. [Or...something??? This is. Jade still feels like he's missing some key bit of context here?! But really though.....]
We've only had the one meeting, so there hasn't been much need to worry about it. At that meeting, he sat behind me and made fun of Stede and Blackbeard.
[And then namedropped Lord Vile... But that's neither here nor there. What is here is that he has to now navigate around the Hiram bit, without admitting to helping maintain the ruse -- no matter if it's for good reason, people will likely judge him for falling in line with one of the Captain's pranks, no matter how minor it may be.]
He signed on under an alias, and he generally tries not to draw attention to himself. One would get the mistaken impression that he's shy.
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come_sailaway
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Hm, I suppose a civil conversation is generally possible. Things stayed fairly cordial last we spoke, but it's been a little while since then...and I noticed she has a persistent habit of ignoring or circumventing certain kinds of questions. Perhaps that might be different now, however, if she's as susceptible to water as the rest of us currently. The lack of a face becomes bearable enough when you stop trying to make eye contact, I've found! [There is a brief urge, here, to interject something about Skulduggery being similarly kind of face-lacking when you split certain semantics, really, but....well, not important. Anyway!] Duly noted about the morgue, that's interesting...
Honestly, though, it's somehow worse that he's not actually anything in the way of a mastermind puppeteering us while he holds carefully calculated cards in hand...and yet so many things make so much more sense, in this context! It's no wonder it's so difficult to pin down a pattern in his whims, when it essentially sounds as if he's grabbing up magic systems across realities and tossing them periodically at a wall to see what sticks. [Atrocious, positively atrocious...] Well, I suppose there's small consolation to take from the fact he's probably finding this particular incident terribly embarrassing.
At any rate: duly noted, where vacation terminations are concerned! It does seem as if you've experienced quite a healthy repair in ego as well, always a pretty good sign. It is truly reassuring to know we've such a talented detective on the case of preserving our tenuous existences aboard this vessel! ♥ [You know, throwing a heart in there to dilute the actual sincerity of that line....since it has been nice, honestly, to have such an analytical mind to bounce off when it comes to theories about the ship. Before Skulduggery's unfortunate memory incident, anyway--but Jade does hope this can still be the case even afterwards, too. This exchange, at least, feels like something quite a bit closer than their last interaction...it's, nice?] ...Hm, is there any reason the breakdown would be at the Chatterbox in particular? I don't recall anything being very notable in there. Unless that's the point, I suppose...
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make embarrassing overtures towards dousing her, she'll likely be truthful to a
fault. Her own fault, I'm thinking. It's likely that once the Captain realizes
just how much Friday has been telling passengers, he'll take it out on her in the
only way he apparently knows how.
[By... killing her, probably. Woops. Well, that's not really Skulduggery's problem...]
You'll love this. I told him that how magic works is important, too, and he said to
me, and I paraphrase, "you sound like you're lying." So. That's the level of critical
thinking we're working with. He's capable with the magic required to form reality to
his whim, but I do wonder if this is all just the tip of the iceberg. What could he
do if he actually learned what he was and how to apply this power in a meaningful way?
Friday said he was embarrassed, so I'm inclined to believe that. But when I
spoke to him, he only seemed tired. I think he'd used a memory charm on himself,
likely prior to my showing up. Or maybe in response to my showing up...
Either way. He was only half a man for most of the conversation.
[Flattery has started to work on him again, even if it's only amusement that it elicits. Of course, he did say as much himself...]
The Chatterbox is quiet. People don't go there unless it's for karaoke, which is only
supposed to be at certain times of the day. Genius requires an even-tempered mind to
function, and my temper has been less-than-even, as you might have noticed. Hopefully
I don't fail to disappoint the misanthropic teenagers who we've been entrusted to protect!
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[You know, if he had to hazard a guess. On an objective level that really is the least of their problems, of course--and sacrifices must often be made in these ways--but for Jade's part it's a notion that still sets something vaguely leaden and discomfited in the pit of his chest when he thinks on it overly long. (Friday still reminds him...a lot, of a more poorly-cobbled sort of replica. It's a knee-jerk sense of pity by that sort of association, perhaps unwarranted, but all the same...)
Well, all the same, that hardly warrants bringing up here and now. Since it hardly changes anything. And besides, now there's that next tidbit, which sure is--]
You know, you're absolutely right, I do love this. Words cannot describe the level of awe I seem to be experiencing about now. My, and here I thought such a level of utterly nonexistent critical thinking could surely only be reserved for the pettiest of humans! ...It does beg the question as to what he'd be capable of if he ever actually tried a bit harder, though...perhaps we shouldn't encourage him to focus his talents overly much, just yet.
Friday once told me he maintains a low-key awareness of just about anything transpiring aboard the ship. Likened it to "listening to music while being busy with other things", or something along those lines? Though occasionally he focuses more upon anything interesting enough to catch his attention. With this in mind, he could very well have applied that charm in response to you heading over...which is rather flattering for you, isn't it? If you think about it. That would mean he actually went through some active effort to evade your prodding; you must have quite the method of questioning about you! ...Half a man in the rhetorical or literal sense, I wonder?
[Since, you know, it sure seems like these semantics really could go either way, where the captain's concerned...but anyway.]
Oh, I wouldn't worry too much about disappointing misanthropic teenagers one way or the other. They're practically constantly disappointed about something anyway, with or without our own inputs on the matter; I think it's just a state of mind, around that age! Fair enough about the Chatterbox, though. Quiet is generally good for a lot of things, where less-than-even tempers might be concerned.
What is 'karaoke', though? The term sounds a bit familiar, but...
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a massive insult to her, in that case. Nothing worse than what the Captain will do.
[Skulduggery has moved from having one solid emotion about Friday -- fear -- and moved on to having a more complicated set of emotions in her regard. She's no longer frightening to him, but he still finds her almost-real presence unnerving, and combined with what Palamedes had told him about Friday's being an overt ally to them... Distrust, unease, and a rising sense of concern have taken hold.
So, if Jade wants to squirt her with a spray bottle, he isn't going to stop him.]
It seems to be a combination of lack of interest, distraction, and frustration that has
caused him to turn his search for powerful magics into a frantic game of racquetball.
The only thing I'm trying to encourage at the moment is him resting and not getting us
all into further trouble. If he sleeps through the next week or two, that would be nice.
Alright, I'm also helping investigate his origins, but that is out of professional interest.
It makes sense. I wonder if he can use the shades as a sort of one-way radio, to hear
what's going on around us. Or otherwise, he may simply have sigils built into the
corridors to project chatter back to the bridge. Hm. Something to consider asking him
on a later date, I suppose.
He did say he felt he needed a lawyer when talking with me. It's a common refrain. It
may surprise you to learn that I, too, have been known to be a bit insufferable from time
to time when it comes to my investigative habits. Maybe I intimidate him more than he
has already let on. 🤐
[Not that he genuinely believes that. All he knows is that he hardly felt intimidated, even when...]
I'm afraid I mean it rather literally. Half of his human facade was disengaged, and he
appeared made of shadow. A bit like how he looked when I touched the void, really.
Except it moved. By the time we finished talking, he'd managed to regain the facade, but
I'm more certain than ever that he isn't human at all.
But never mind all of that. You've never been to karaoke? I suppose not, it is an Earth
affair... You should try it, although I think it pays to either be a bit mad or a bit
drunk when you do. The machine seems to have songs from every different reality represented
aboard, so you'd likely find something familiar enough for you to sing.
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[The news of her rather surprising extent of agency even under the captain's thumb is assuredly interesting; Jade doesn't necessarily share the same fears as Skulduggery in that sense, considering their rather differing experiences with 'human-shaped constructs'. Something to discuss beyond the necessity of spray bottles at some point in the future, perhaps...]
Lack of interest, distraction, frustration...all truly the antitheses of good practice with artes, to be sure. If he could sleep for a few months I'm sure we'd all be quite content with that! Although, of course, I expect we won't be nearly so fortunate. It sounds as if he's gathering his energy together for a particularly interesting excursion next month...or so I've been told, from somebody who received the news from you in turn. Doubtless whatever transpires will replenish his reserves quite a bit as well. [Ugh, to say nothing of the twinge of disgust that arises every time Jade thinks about the fact they're all basically finite soul batteries around here...anyway--] This entire 'world' we currently exist within seems to be his own fabrication; it would be unsurprising that he can sense a great deal within it by extension, whether it's via sigils or other means. ...It's interesting to hear that he is actually capable of growing weary, though. This shadowy form you speak of...it may very well be his more naturally-inclined sort of shape. More low-effort. He's probably not fatigued enough to compromise in any given way even now, though, if he was still willing to meet you in person even despite a weakened state and some apparent trepidation in interacting with you. A pity, but notable all the same; always good to know there's a least one person around here he feels more cautious of! You ought to at least pat yourself on the back for that, you know! ⭐
[Even if they both know it's probably nothing quite so acute as actual intimidation--still, every bit they can scrape together, and all that. ...But, you know, onwards to the actual most important topic of all here:] No, I have never 'been to karaoke' before, so far as I'm aware. I think I've heard the term bandied about here and there on this ship on occasion...but I didn't realize there were songs involved! Interesting. Alas, most of my singing experience stems from obligation, for hymns and psalms and such. Not sure such pieces would be available in a setup that apparently best involves singing of the mad and/or drunk variety...but now I'm curious, I'll admit!
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Earthly idea what he might have planned, but I do know that Natsuno showed passing interest
in seeing a reality the Captain keeps tucked away for a rainy day. Obviously, this MUST
have been a challenge, and not mere curiosity. 🙄🙄 Now we'll be subjected to something
of personal interest to him. Considering he told me that he'll be taking more energy
from us thanks to his woefully misguided attempt, I imagine it will be something awful.
Oh. He also informed me that whoever digs anything up this go-around will find themselves
living without teeth for a month. So, you know. Maybe we won't do that.
[Still! He's glad to know that the information is actually being circulated. It would be literal hell if he had to sit down and text every person individually.]
I think we can solidly rule out "purely human" from the list of things the Captain may be.
It's possible that his natural form causes mortals discomfort and unease; the shadows
did carry a sort of underlying dread. I only noticed it when it was over.
Despite the exhaustion, I was under no illusion that we would be able to fight him in his
current state. Not to mention, we have absolutely no plan for such an altercation. If
I'm being entirely honest with you, I don't see the point. It would be more beneficial
for all of us if we worked together to try and secure our safety, and our safety at the
moment relies on the Captain and the ship.
Then again, maybe I've just worked out my pent up aggression on him already. He ought
to set up a punching booth. Let everyone have a go, and then we can all move on with
our lives.
[But there's something so much better to talk about, of course, and that is his newfound favorite pastime:]
There is a dearth in skeleton-friendly activities aboard the ship, so I've found myself
circling back to aimlessly singing in an empty room time and again. Oh! You should join
me sometime. I'll humiliate myself to make you feel better about having to do the same.
Although I will absolutely not allow hymns, psalms, or any sort of Gregorian tomfoolery.
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At the brief risk of sounding even more like a tired dad, for a bit there....The sigh around this point is inaudible but perhaps palpable, all the same.] Not sure if it'll be better or worse to have some warning beforehand, about how remarkably unpleasant it's bound to be. But at least we won't be surprised when it falls apart in the most horrific fashion possible! 🎉At any rate. If that shadow form of the captain's is anything even vaguely like that void in his skull, a moderate amount of dread is to be generally expected. He is assuredly fully human human no longer, though I do still wonder if he was normally human once before. His mindset towards many things remains so strangely mundane for a foreign being. ...No, but you're likely correct; with how intrinsically this entire plane of existence is allegedly tied to his abilities, his demise would likely indeed only lead to our own as things are right now. As utterly satisfying as it would be to destroy the man. Still, our priorities are better applied to building contingencies of survival beyond his grasp first, before we entirely rid ourselves of it.
You know, though, that dinner party after the battle royale probably was his idea of a punching booth. 😒 Considering how he basically opened himself up to a free-for-all for a bit there...
[Besides, Jade personally wouldn't find swinging at a smug patch of shifting shadow particularly satisfying by any stretch. But, to each their own--sounds like Skulduggery probably tried to get in a hit or two himself, in the last few conversations he'd had with the captain. More power to him managing not to get himself killed in the process, apparently...?!]
You'll not be finding any judgment here, where a hunt for activities aboard this vessel might be concerned! Honestly, these spells of monotony are just barely tolerable even for fleshier humans! Or maybe it's just me being quite unaccustomed to downtime this extensive...either way, there are probably worse pasttimes than singing to an empty room! Perhaps I'll take you up on that invitation sometime, if only to get an idea of what all this karaoke fuss is about. Seeing as the humiliation would be mutual, and all ❤
I've no idea what "Gregorian tomfoolery" might mean, but I suppose the hymns and psalms in question here do qualify as a sort of Yulian tomfoolery. Don't you worry, though! I mention them only on account of them being the majority of songs I actually know by heart, and the memorization was not exactly of my own volition anyway. The Curtiss family is very devout and particular about tradition, let's say...but, beside the point. Adding new songs to the mental list at this point might be more beneficial, let's say.
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Perhaps we could trick all of the teenagers prone to starting fights into the arcade, and
lock them in there for the duration of the excursion? Ah, but they would likely turn
to bloodshed, wouldn't they? And I would hate to be the one to fight the inevitable winner
of that cage match...
No, we'll have to simply keep an eye on Natsuno and the rest of them, in case they draw
unwanted attention. Darcy apparently tried to hug the Captain at the end of our camping
excursion and was nearly stabbed through the heart in the process. So we seem to have
our work cut out for us...
You won't be the first traditionalist I've introduced to decent music, but you would be
the first from another reality. The karaoke machine comes out at 9PM every night, but
I admit that I've been dragging it out for my own amusement during the day. I find it
easier to enjoy myself when I don't have to worry about other people waiting for their
turn.
[He knows he hasn't said exactly what karaoke actually is, but he trusts Jade's figured out the basics.]
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Inspired as your proposal might be, it would almost certainly lead to bloodshed, yes. Or, worse yet, a concerted effort at escape! Backed by a youthful fury we'd surely be on the receiving end of whether they fail or succeed in breaking out early. Never mind having to fight them, I have to room with at least one of them...I'll have you know, Natsuno keeps a very unnecessarily large assortment of knives underneath his mattress! Which he doesn't even sleep on half the time, but claimed as his own anyhow to delegate me to the couch, when I first arrived. To be petty, as he has since informed me. Children these days, honestly...
[It's more affectionate complaining at this point, of course, another one of those Tired Dad sorts of things. At least Skulduggery can be thankful he doesn't share a cabin with his own feral teen just yet?? Still...]
Transitioning from attempted stabbing to attempting hugging, I see...well, points must be allotted to Darcy for being willing to experiment across the spectrum. Not the next approach I'd have thought of myself, personally--though it certainly sounds like the captain doesn't care for affectionate physical contact at all, in that case. Something else to add to the dossier on his potential weaknesses, even if a footnote of "stabbing likely to occur afterwards" must be annotated on it. [And honestly? Big Mood.....not that Jade would ever actually admit to sharing any preferences with the captain aloud. Still, hugs are indeed weird and vaguely uncomfortable and he never knows how to deal with them on the extremely rare occasions they happen--though he does know that stabbing isn't generally the answer! At the very least!! Get it together captain--!!!] She didn't actually die from that wound, did she? I would certainly hope not, or that she's at least alright presently.
Is the machine generally operated by the ghosts here? Well, like most everything else, I suppose. At any rate, I'd certainly hope I won't be cramping your enjoyment if I ever decide to poke my head in the Chatterbox on a whim and see what all the fuss is about, at some point in the future!
[Yes, Jade is certainly picking up on at least a few basics about now, based off vague impressions--he figures the machine produces the accompanying music or something, anyway. If it's turn-based, does that render it some sort of competition when there's more than one player...? Questions to investigate in the future, clearly.]
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uncomfortable? To sleep on. But what do I know? I don't sleep. And Lucius, thankfully,
seems disinclined to storing weapons around the room...
It seems that you've truly gotten the short end of the stick with your teenage cabinmate!
Between you and me, I can... appreciate the distaste for physical contact. Especially when
you know it isn't for respectable reasons. If I thought Darcy actually intended the
hug in good faith, I'd probably be more upset at the reaction. But as it is...
[It wasn't too long ago that Skulduggery had found physical affection... strange, but comforting. Nowadays, it's only comforting under very specific circumstances, with very specific people. One of those people being Darcy herself...]
I've just been assuming as much. Maybe it's sentient, like Friday?
I have no clue. I just know it's a good way to stop thinking for approximately 2-3 minutes,
which is something I haven't been able to easily accomplish here on the ship. You'll
like it. Or I'll enjoy watching you hate it. Either way, I win. 💀
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It's honestly not my first time having to split a room with a rude teenager or two, at least! Though past occasions were generally more temporary matters, in limited inn accommodations and such, [you know, as you do, in jrpg journeying,] so this more permanent setup is a bit new. But things could be worse! To begin with he didn't even want to come in through the door while I was inside, believe it or not. [Granted, Jade suspects nowadays that had more to do with some intrinsic feature of Natsuno's non-human status, actively keeping him out without invitation...as opposed to the brattily contrary first impression it had appeared to be. But, you know, details. Phrasing it this way is funnier, and at least a bit true, and besides--] Yet still, we've actually reached something of a decent compromise by now! Knife placement aside, anyway. I'd be happy to impart my wisdom of experience upon you, if you ever end up having to room with a teenager yourself for some amount of time 😊
[Honestly, the atmosphere in 109's downright comfortable nowadays; things have settled into a mutual daily tradition of snark that's lost a great deal of the barbs of earlier days ever since the battle royale, for several different reasons that Jade isn't about to get into right now. (Because that would be going into gross feelings territory, and obviously there's no need to talk about any of that--)]
It is fairly natural to not care for suspicious contact from others, perhaps, though attempting to impale someone through the heart in response is decidedly less natural. Not that I'm an expert in such matters, but I daresay a shove does just as well and doesn't spill half as much blood, and all that. [Still not planning to admit that he maybe relates to the captain just a bit on that front himself, though...! For all that Skulduggery actually does, as it turns out. ...Well, but that's alright anyway, divorcing the captain from the general concept. This is a note mentally filed away as a note of future prudence, at least where interactions with Skulduggery might be concerned; Jade isn't a touchy-feely sort of person anyway, of course, but it seems like a little thing to keep in mind should contact with Skulduggery ever be needed at some point. Depending on what may or may not unfold in the future, you know...anyway--] True, though, if she'd actually been angling for a genuine good-faith hug I'd be wondering if there's something amiss. Considering her last contact with the captain involved rather a lot more very aggressive attempted stabbing, and all that. [From what he recalls from the victory dinner, anyway...it might have been brief, but the girl had certainly made a very strong impression where her opinions and her methods of expressing those opinions might be concerned. At least on surface level!]
Hmm, achieving sentience only to spit out tunes for whoever happens to drop by...my, maybe it might be for the better if it isn't sentient after all! That sounds like an 'existential nightmare' sort of thing, doesn't it? But, that aside, any means of ceasing thought for several minutes at a time is always something worth looking into. Consider me quite sold, if it proves to be effective! Since, yes, I may hate it if not. Free amusement for you for an afternoon, either way; what a flexible win condition indeed!
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him be replaced by a teenager. Or anybody, for that matter. It would be so much work to
explain everything to a new passenger who was forced to bunk with me.
[Lucius is great! Funny, smart, can read and write, plus he has a penchant for finding his way into gossip that he then promptly shares. He also uses emojis, which encourages Skulduggery to do the same! It's win-win.]
I hadn't thought about it like that. I suppose that's why you're not meant to
turn everything in your house into a living creature...
Now I'm properly excited. You'll find me there more often than not these days. More fun
than browsing the library for the nth time.
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But, to focus on this roommate tangent now...]
Hmmm, true, I suppose your face would tend to be a bit of a shock to the uninitiated...doubly so in a new roommate situation, no doubt. To say nothing of the fact that we could probably do with fewer sudden disappearances all around, anyhow. I still don't care for the likely implications of what exactly happens to the vanished. [Yuri and then Flynn's disappearances have weighed off and on in thought for a good chunk of this month, all told, considering how Rita's been trying to handle the losses.....but wait, that's a depressing tangent to get into, he wasn't trying to be depressing for once?? Whoops.] That aside! I suppose this 'Lucius' roommate of yours has adjusted quite thoroughly to your presence by now, just by the sound of it. Did he himself take it well initially? Hailing from a reality where animate skeletons such as yourself are in fact more common, perhaps?
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It doesn't bode well for us, no. Hopefully, the number of disappearances will remain at
a minimum. I actually don't know of anyone personally who's disappeared yet, but I'm sadly
certain that will change before the year is out.
When he first arrived, he was drunk, Darcy was helping him stand up straight, and he
immediately went and threw up in the toilet. Which was considerate, considering I've
had people throw up on my shoes before.
Actually, you may know him. He works for Stede Bonnet. I'm sure you've seen him around.
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There are a few people I've known among the vanished myself at this point...much as I'd hope it won't be the same for you, it seems more inevitable than not, with the passage of time and the rather limited overall population here. Bound to recognize almost everyone at least superficially, sooner or later. I do wish there were some way to discern a rhyme or reason behind the sudden vanishings, though...
[Mysteries that may yet hang in the air--until he gets some very interesting and unfortunate news from Rita on the matter, anyway, later in the month. Doubtless at some point it'll be relayed to Skulduggery in turn, but until then--]
My my, quite the powerful first impression if I ever heard one! It almost sounds more as if he ended up doing rather more roommate terrorizing than you actually did; quite impressive! With a start like that, I daresay things only could go uphill from there.
Hmm, Stede Bonnet? The name is indeed familiar, I think? [The man truly is difficult to not hear about at least in vague passing, anyway, considering how very conspicuously word of an improvised pirate crew tends to fly around--which is slotting neatly back into memory now, as Jade thinks about it.] Oh, yes, the pirate! I did bump into him at one time, trying to recruit a pirate crew with signed forms. Ignoring the remarkable juxtaposition there--Lucius is one of the ones roped in, then? Or perhaps he was a pirate on arrival? The drunkenness does track...
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For every one who's left, it seems at least one more has arrived. Which worryingly tells us that the Captain is continuing to pull in fuel, with very little indication of stopping.
I don't know if there's a way to figure it out. They seem to go at random. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Zoro in... quite a while. It's likely he's vanished as well...
Whether they're shades wandering the halls or completely gone from this reality, we owe it to them to keep it from happening to others. At the very least, we cannot let another group of passengers go through all of this.
Lucius was part of Captain Bonnet's crew originally. He arrived relatively shortly after Stede and Blackbeard. Actually, he showed up right before Stede had a bit of a breakdown over the Battle Royale. I posited at the time that perhaps we had some more pull on those who come aboard -- maybe our needs help shape the realities that the ship takes from? -- but now I think it's simply a coincidence. A great one, to be sure, but a coincidence nonetheless.
Stede's crew includes a fair few of us, now. Clarke, Darcy, Jinx, Ava, myself... even the Captain has technically signed aboard. Which... does sort of make the whole thing feel a bit futile, but I'm not about to turn down the chance to be a pirate. 🏴☠️
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--well. But actually. ...Pardon Jade while he proceeds to set the rest of that entirely aside, because that very last bit of this string of messages is now actually catching his attention and...hold up.]
Wait, beg pardon. The captain actually signed on to that? ...Assuredly that defeats the purpose in entirety, as I was under the impression that the pirate crew forming was intended to commandeer this ship at some point. [Meager and likely fruitless as such attempts were likely to be--or so Jade's thought process had gone, at that time, when he'd drifted by Stede hosting those signups and picked up a vague gist of the purpose. .......More importantly, though--?] So, then, the captain is still...just, part of it? How is that being dealt with? Surely planning some sort of mutiny becomes rather difficult, when the person you're plotting the mutiny against is literally sitting in on the meeting. [Or...something??? This is. Jade still feels like he's missing some key bit of context here?! But really though.....]
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We've only had the one meeting, so there hasn't been much need to worry about it. At that meeting, he sat behind me and made fun of Stede and Blackbeard.
[And then namedropped Lord Vile... But that's neither here nor there. What is here is that he has to now navigate around the Hiram bit, without admitting to helping maintain the ruse -- no matter if it's for good reason, people will likely judge him for falling in line with one of the Captain's pranks, no matter how minor it may be.]He signed on under an alias, and he generally tries not to draw attention to himself. One would get the mistaken impression that he's shy.