audio. un: no.

[growlies]

Y'know, these things are nice and all, but where's the fuckin' internet when you need it? Not that the service in my last place was great. ( Mostly relegated to what exists in the Underworld - definitely no real connection to the living and definitely not the Internet in all its glory like she's heard about, but better than these communication devices that stick to an even more limited amount of connection.

She is clutching a post on the top of a pirate ship to keep from falling over. )

I've got at least three questions to ask, and so I guess I'll use ya'll as my google.

1. How do I stop the entire damn ship from making me feel like I'm gonna puke my guts out and there is no ground?

2. What's the top 3 rules of traveling in the multiverse?

3. What are some unique, clever come backs for misogynist pirates? I'm running out

Hit me up or don't.

Comments

[log]

[growlies]

Her knees land on the top of the pirate ship first, roughly scraping against the top of the deck. She hisses out a sound as her hands grasp for purchase. Her heart, newly formed- mostly human now, pounds within her chest so loud she can't breathe through it. She's shaking.

Him.

It's her first thought like a scream. She stands up straight - muscles tense and waiting. It was too easy. Traveling across the River Styx even with a goddess at her side wasn't enough, Hades was bound to catch up to her eventually. He just wanted the cruelty of her thinking maybe she'd survive, maybe she could live the human life she's been craving before he ripped the goddamn rug out from underneath her and left her sprawling, struggling.

She wants for Hades to lift his hand and punish her, to rewrite the way she was made to obey him entirely instead, to destroy her with a simple flick of her hand - deem her an unworthy experiment and end her.

She waits, waits, waits but it never comes.

Red swallows sharp and thick before she forces her eyes open- still in a panic, but no one is around. Not Hades, not anything else. Her heart careens and shoves further at her chest. The world feels uneven, unsteady, and now she's realizing there's this sound she's never heard before, crashing.

She's on a ship. What the ever loving Zeus on a cracker fuck is going on here.

She darts forward, jumping and wrapping her arms and legs around the first pole she can find. Her arms and legs tighten further around it, and she wants to scream but doesn't, swallows up the sound. This is fine. This is perfectly fine and absolutely what she signed up for when she took the trip across the river Styx.

[snowcleave]

There's not a single aspect of her current situation that Fei finds enjoyable. The ship is weird, the men running it are vile, the air is damp, and she still cannot find her husband. With nothing to trust about her surroundings, she relies on herself, staying above decks where she can keep an eye on the horizon, half-ready to leap out of the boat at the first sign of familiar shores.

The sound of rushing footsteps pulls her focus from the futile quest for familiarity and sends her hand to the pommel of her sword while she turns to look over her shoulder. Her eyes land on the slight form of the girl hugging onto one of the poles, Fei sizes her up quickly before scanning the rest of the deck for any sign of whatever danger's upset the young woman so badly. She keeps her hand on her weapon as she approaches the girl, halting in front of her with a concerned scowl on her face.

"What happened? Did someone hurt you? Where are they?"

Someone afraid and upset on their own, regardless of whether she knows them or not, is enough to draw Fei in. While she lacks the soft edges of a caregiver (indeed even the questions she's asked of the stranger are so direct in their delivery they land more like demands than inquisitions), Fei protects people when they need her help, and she crushes danger when she finds it.

Besides, getting into a fight would be the first normal thing that's happened to Fei since ending up here - part of her can't help but get its hopes up.

[growlies]

Red tightens her arms around the pole as she turns her gaze toward the woman with the weapon. Her fingertips dig into the wood even as she breathes in and breathes out and then searches for the right words.

"...uh, no. I mean, kinda. You see any gods around - specifically one's named Hades?"

She continues gripping to the pole - doesn't even wait for an answer. No need to shatter her idea of the world around her. She'll just barrel on through.

"But this whole ship thing's making me feel nauseous, Badass Lady."

[snowcleave]

"Gods?" The thought makes the hand gripping her sword handle slacken, leaving Fei glancing around them, momentarily baffled and intrigued. She's never seen a god face to face before, but she's confident if she ends up having to cross swords with one, it'll work out absolutely fine.

When the younger woman doesn't wait for a more definitive response, instead charging a head to mention her seasickness, Fei looks back at her, frowning.

"Nauseous? The pole won't help you. Come. Press your feet down hard when you walk. Don't let the boat move you. Move with it."

Does she know if it'll work? No. If nothing else, maybe the girl will focus on trying to move with the ship instead of her queasiness. While she waits to see if the stranger lets the pole she's clutching onto go, Fei brings a loosely balled fist up, letting it meet her open palm before she leans forward in a fast, curt little bow.

"My name is not Badass Lady."

Though, that would be badass. "I am Zhou Fei, from 48 Strongholds." The full introduction might not be necessary under the circumstances, but Fei wants to see if the name of her home brings out even a slight spark of recognition on the young woman's face. Despite all evidence suggesting otherwise, she has yet to be completely convinced that she can't just walk home if she tries, if this girl knows the strongholds, it might help prove to herself that that's so.

[growlies]

Those sure are a lot of words that Badass Lady is saying.

Red doesn't process all of that though. She only processes the badass lady with the weapon is standing so fucking strong, introducing herself like it's nothing. Red stares at her in awe, in surprise, in goddamn apology for the display of her body velcro-ing to a wooden pole-

Then she leaps away from the wood over to the woman instead. Her arms reach out, and she stops herself from latching hold like some goddamn leach. The ship moves against the wood, and she steadies herself with difficulty.

"Sorry."

She frowns. There's no recognition.

"Zhou Fei from the 48 Strongholds who is also fuckin' badass as fuck, I'm sorry, but you're standing there like that-" She swallows and makes a face, stares down at the wood beneath her feet. "Move with the ship, huh?"

It's a question as she changes the subject.

[snowcleave]

Not expecting to be jumped at like that, the best Fei can do is offer an arm for the other woman to steady herself on when she springs away from the pole, shaking her head at her while she settles again.

"Move with it," Fei does her best to emphasize the way she adjusts her posture along with the ship when it rocks, taking a few steps backward as she leads the girl away from the pole, trying to encourage her to walk it off.

"Old Madam Wang showed me what acupoint it was that makes your stomach calm down when I was a child. I can try it on you?" Without waiting for a response Fei gestures at the inside of her wrist, at a spot just a few inches away from where one might feel for a pulse. "Press there, keep moving."

[growlies]

Red stares at her as she walks away from the pole, following where she leads. She speaks of something that might calm the child- Is that how she sees her? It's not like it's entirely inaccurate with how sick Red feels, but Fei is-

She's so fucking beautiful.

Red swallows that up though - swallows up that reaction as if it never existed, and she stumbles after Fei with a tiny smile.

"Yeah?" She stretches her arm out toward her, seeing the spot Fei indicates at the inside of her wrist. "Okay. I can do that." Her other hand reaches out to wrap around that spot - thumb pressing against the places where she- where she indicated before. Her eyes close, and she breathes in and out until some part of her settles. Then her gaze opens once more.

"...Madam Wang?"

audio; un: dickmon

[reaction]

Ginger's good if you're suffering from motion sickness. Drink it with water and some sugar or honey if you can get hold of that from the galley. There should be a pitcher of ginger water left, last I checked. ( since he'd made some to keep people from puking all over the deck. the place isn't smelling great as is. no need to make things worse. )

[growlies]

( nausea swims around in the pit of her stomach - cerberus, the dog portion of her is not used to this: the swimming, the boat moving against the waves. she swallows down her bile. )

How the fuck do you know that there's a pitcher left?

You suffering from sea-sickness too?

[reaction]

Because I made it before I left the kitchen, grouchy. Been volunteering to cook whenever I can because otherwise the food kind of sucks. ( he's incredibly fussy. ) And nuh-uh, I don't get sick.

You should get that ginger water in you. It'll help. Trust me.

[growlies]

Well, aren't you just a good fucking samaritan?

( she grimaces as the ship moves again, and she grips more tightly to the pole nearest to her. )

I guess the worst that can happen is you laughing in my face so. I'll go find the water. ( and she'll swallow down the ginger water as soon as she does, as soon as she can she lets it settle in her gut, neutralize the nausea she'd felt before.

jesus. )

[reaction]

( he'll wait a bit before checking in on the newbie. ) Still alive and kicking? ( honestly, he could've just left it at that, but he's bored enough to play nice. ) If you made it below deck, get hold of some dry crackers and bread for when you get hungry later. I'd avoid eating anything else unless you want to spend the rest of the day feeling like crap.

[growlies]

Yep. It worked actually, but I'm avoiding moving annnnd definitely avoiding eating. Thanks for the help.

( she'll just be taking sips of this from here on out. )

So how long you been with the group?

katie sent me!! - audio - slothbaby

[cosplayqueen]

[Time for a human ray of hyperactive sunshine.] Oh! My Ammi, that's my mom, has a really great chai recipe for motion sickness. I can make it for you.

Just let me know what everyone has to say about multiverse travel since all I've got is movies to go on. Not sure how much of that is real. And the pirates since I suck at conflict.

hi!! happy to help with samples :D so glad you tagged

[growlies]

( ...OH she sounds young... like really young and most definitely too-good-for-this-shit-world. red thought maybe landing here was some type of punishment from hades, but now that there's so many random people from random worlds falling through, she's starting to think it's just some massive accident. some glitch in the universes. )

You'd do that? ( that's really sweet. she's currently gripping the side wall of the ship to keep from falling over. ) No news yet on the whole multiverse travel deal, but y'know movies are definitely not a thing here so we're in a whole other time zone. But as for the pirates, not engaging's probably the smartest way to go- not like they'll change their minds, and they do hold our lives in their scurvy ridden hands. Just ignore all the shit they spew out of their mouths. I'm just possibly too prone to conflict so I can't keep my mouth shut.

thank you! really appreciated. she's been talking up this game to me forever!

[cosplayqueen]

[Kamala lets out a soft, brief laugh. She comes from a community that genuinely looks after one another. The idea of not taking care of someone in your sphere is unthinkable.] Yeah! Of course I would. We're all in this together. I can't have you feeling all sick and gross when there's something I can do about it.

But, cool... okay not cool, but I know how to ignore people saying dumb stuff. Just be careful, okay? Maybe argue back around someone with super strength! There's gotta to be some superheroes here, right? Statistically speaking.

i've been in it about a year, and it's super fun. kamala is so cute tho!!

[growlies]

Well. That's, uh, real sweet of you, sunshine. My stomach appreciates you. ( the nickname feels apt for someone so caring. it's not like red's used to it. the afterlife is, of course, not a place of warmth and caring ordinarily despite whatever version it is, but especially not when it's a high school and especially not when she's hades' guard dog. )

...superheroes are real where you're from? Cause I've only ever heard of 'em in the fictional variety. ( they've got gods, and once upon a time, there was hercules so also, half gods with super strength, but no one would call demigods superheroes anymore. )

that is a great endorsement! and thank you! she's one of my faves.

[cosplayqueen]

[The blush is somehow manages to seep into her voice.] Aww thanks! I'll get right on that.

[There is a whooshing noise as she literally runs to get started. She never stops being full of energy.] Oh they're so real and amazing! Some of them even have podcasts where they talk about how they saved the planet. It's so cool! I can tell you all about them if you want.

[growlies]

Yeah, yeah, I'd be down to listen. Might keep my mind off the whole world spinning thing that's happening on top of this deck. I'll just sit here on the floor and listen about your real life superheroes with my head between my knees cause that's where I feel less like I'm gonna puke.

( She wrinkles her noes after a moment though with her face against her knees. ) ...with a podcast? What the hell's the podcast called? Or wait, you said podcasts as in more than one?

audio;

[matermali]

[ The voice summoned through the magical network is quiet; deep in a manner reminiscent of sandpaper worn nearly through. Her tone is soft, with a playful lilt betraying interest at such youthful vulgarity, ]

Why waste your cleverness or uniqueness on men of such nature? There can be simpler ways to leave them bewildered and shamed.

[growlies]

( She is pretty new to actually living a life of her own so she has a feeling it'll take her time to figure out what-the-fuck she can use her cleverness and uniqueness on. Time to realizes she maybe has both of those things too. )

Well, don't leave me in suspense, Oh Shamer of Men.

[matermali]

Hardly, but I wouldn't endanger you with careless advice. There's a limit to a man's shame; too much stifles the soul and releases the beast.

[ They still deserve to be put in their place. ]

Have any laid a hand on you, or has their boldness yet to reach beyond their words?

[growlies]

I'm not afraid of their beasts, but I get it. We need 'em.

( They are on a small ship, and it could get complicated quick. She has a beast of her own though - is one, but releasing that on a small ship where people already think women are like demons isn't the smartest idea. She just hates allowing their comments go without responding in some way. )

No. They just go on and on about how women are curses, how they'll be doomed with so many of us on board. All that fun bullshit.

[matermali]

[ Vanessa knows something of inner beasts and curses, but she also knows of simple, boorish men. At least this time it is singularly the latter that is the problem, because her curse has been silent. It's such a relief that she hasn't given much thought to the piteous superstitions spat out by simple men. She's been called worse by family, by Lucifer, and surely by God.

Not something she would wish for someone who sounds so young, even if the girl's tongue is sharp enough to rival that of the pirates'. She'll sigh, and it's almost a laugh. She's amused at the worst of times, Vanessa is. ]

Probably best to bide our time, at least until we have sturdy footing and land at our back. But they do impersonate harbingers, don't they? They ought to be more silent in deference to curses and their bearers. Who knows what they may incur.

[growlies]

Yeah. If I knew a damn thing about sailing, I might be tempted to say 'fuck it', but-

( Red doesn't which is evident about how nauseas she is - on a ship for the first time in the middle of some damned ocean. She keeps a hand on the railing near her, wrinkling her nose. )

You'd think if they were so frightened of us. They wouldn't be spilling their insults out of their mouth as much, but- ( She rolls her eyes. ) So I won't use 'em- I get having to be smart around these assholes, but what other ways do you shame men? Outta curiosity's sake.