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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:28 pm
Her face still split into an awkward smile, Tabitha took the boil's arm gratefully as the hand holding the suitcase waved off his apology and nearly hit them both in the face. While she was at once sorry, impressed with his change, and curious about everything in general she didn't know where to begin. "I'm sorry too that I almost hit you- Can you change like that all the time- I hope none of us get thrown overboard." So apparently she'd chosen to address all issues at once. "Thank you, by the way, for offering your arm."
Turning just her head around to address the demon boil behind them her smile turned upside down by a hair. "Are we in your way? I am so sorry! Please- Go on ahead of us. I'm sure ... Hm. I'm sure neither of us mind mo- OH! MY HAT! THANK YOU!" Tabitha's attentions were quickly taken off politeness and filled with visions of her lovely hat in the hands of a very lovely dressed haunt. Spinning her head back to it's original position she smiled as brightly as she could at her 'plank companion'. "My name is Tabitha Skulling, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance! May I ask your name?"
She really didn't mean to ignore anyone...
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 7:05 pm
Mac's attention shifted, turning from the sick looking Gryphon to instead stare at the owner of the drawling voice. Well, there went his good mood. His smile fell into a thin line and his already black eyes seemed to darken.
"Wow, what faith you have in your friend." Mac murmured sarcastically, mentally adding a few alterations to keep his distain to himself. He didn't like Demons as a general rule, but he was stuck on a boat with them, so he had to at least try to be nice and civil. Plus, the gryphon seemed to know the Demon, and was mostly friends with him...it wasn' t in his best interest to mouth off like he wanted to. This trip was going to be pure hell, he could tell already. Why did there have to be demons?!
"Mac." He gave his nickname, looking back at the Gryphon instead of the Demon; he could pass this off as concern for the sea-sick one, after all! "I'm not sure how this'll work, we'll find out." There was something short and strained to his tone. His gaze shot towards yet another Demon, a female this time, and he nodded lightly to her, but otherwise said nothing. Besides, he had a conversation to finish!
"Scario Kart. Good game. I've been playing Pokemon and Final Nightmare, lately." On whether he knew anyone though, he turned his dark gaze from one person to the next; the demons, the undead horse, the skeleton ghoul, and the headless-or-invisible one. "No, but..." He pointed to Alwine. "I met her yesterday. Her friend is psycho so unless you want to be gutted, don't let that one get hurt." It was good to pass along that sort of thing, right? Right.
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 7:32 pm
He had caught it; that shift in Mac's expression. The tone of voice the boil used startled Ren out of feeling sorry for himself, and he turned golden eyes towards the other, blinking slowly. He did not know exactly what that tone was - it seemed to be a mixture of things - but it had not seemed very nice, to say the least. And the vague disdain(?) Ren caught did not seem to be directed at him, since when Mac had addressed him first, he had seemed perfectly pleasant. What had changed? His gaze slid towards Gabrian. Hmmm... thought Ren, eyes narrowing slightly as he leaned against the demon beside him almost automatically, growing steadily more suspicious of Mac. However, to judge one so quickly was not really very gentlemanlike - perhaps he had been mistaken.
"Aww, don't worry," Ren said lightly. "Gabrian is just looking out for me; after all, he has my best interests at heart, don't you, Sir Snake? Besides, he's right. For the most part."
He cast a playful wink at the both boils, and then said "Never played either of those. I like to stick to the classics, and Scario Kart is where it's at, man."
This was all said very cheerfully (Well. As cheerfully as a sickly looking gryphon who hated / was terrified of water could get) as Ren followed Mac's gaze around at the students. He lifted a brow at the boil's description of the headless ghoul's friend, but said nothing, only nodded demurely as he took in everything.
"I don't really know anyone, either," Ren said. "Except for Gabrian, here, I mean," he added, jabbing a finger at the demon beside him. "But other than that, I think most of his here are strangers to one another." He shrugged, fingers absently running over the bag in his arms. "Hopefully we can all get along just fine."
Although I'm pretty sure that isn't going to happen, for some reason, Ren thought, looking first at Mac, then back at Gabrian, then over at the headless ghoul.
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:21 pm
If Rosc had eyes to roll, they would have shifted skyward. The horse hadn't heard him and the ghoul's attention seemed as scattered as one of Ban's jackrabbit flunkies, as he had started to call the rabbit-like creatures she had taken to leaving in his room. His frown deepened slightly but then he decided not to wait anymore.
Rather than push through the students blocking the ramp, he moved away, a few paces farther down the dock. Far enough away by his standards, he turned to face the ramp (And Efflo, Tabitha, and Alwine by default). Wings tucked firmly against his back, one hand moved to clutch the hand-straps of his dufflebag while the shoulder-strap remained in place. A short running start, a long-legged leap, and he landed on the plank with a audible thud in front of the pair blocking the ramp, dipping into something of a crouch until one knee bent down to touch the wood. While it probably looked cool, it wasn't for show. If he had tried to stay standing when he landed, there was a strong likelihood he would have ended up in the water between dock and boat.
Past Efflo and Tabitha now, Rosc straightened, brushed something from his pants, and walked the rest of the way onto the boat, his wings shivering slightly as they adjusted out of the tightened position they had been in.
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:53 pm
"I-- I'm glad you got your hat back..." Alwine took a step back and shrugged her shoulders in response to the scatterbrained skeleton. Well, at least she was happy! That's what mattered.
As the two undead moved out of her focus, Alwine perked up and she looked around.
"I feel like someone just walked on my grave..."
No, not really, but Mac was doing a good job of getting people scared of Mandy-- and herself by association.
She continued to glance around at the groups, shifting from one foot to the next in nervousness when Rosciel made his way past the horse and skeleton. It might not have been for show, but Alwine was impressed easily and gave the demon a round of hearty applause. There was no way the clumsy ghost could've done something like that!!
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 9:11 pm
Rosc stopped walking when he heard applause behind him, turning with a frown to see who it was. The invisible, headless ghoul... His frown faded back into the realms of neutrality as he remembered her; she was the one who kept throwing her bow about the music room while he was helping the little undead ghoul get a smaller cello from Blue. How she had managed to not hang on to the bow, he'd never know.
But that was beside he point. Except Blue was their captain... Beside the point. Rosc gave her a small nod before continuing back up and onto the boat. Ren and Gabrian he recognized from Music Class and Human Studies, Gabrian had also been at Sin and her friend's party. But he knew them only by appearance. The other boil (Mac) he had never seen before. And Arachne... well, Arachne he knew. But he promised he would be civil with her. If she didn't want to do the same, he could just avoid her.
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 9:36 pm
Efflo stared as Rosciel as he made his impressive leap, snorting softly. He hadn't realized that the he had might have wanted to get by, a realization that slowly dawned upon him. He snorted softly, well! If he had really wanted them to move, he could have made more of a point to ask! He shook his head, turning back to the skeleton.
He smiled at her questions, pulling gently at her arm, inviting her to follow him up the ramp. Somehow the moths fluttering in his stomach over the questionable path were gone, her questions gave him something else to focus on. He thought quickly, his brow furrowing.
"No, no, it would have only been fair if you had, after all. And, uh, yes! I think so.. at least, I haven't not been able to yet... And I hope I won't ever not be able to. Having two legs is awfully odd! Oh, me too! That would be terrible, though somehow I am not sure if swimming would be better or worse than being on this boat... I do not have a good feeling, er, Tabitha!" Turns out he had rambled while she lost her focus, and didn't even notice her mind had drifted elsewhere before returning to their conversation.
"I'm Efflo! The pleasure is all mine, to meet such a lovely lady."
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:07 pm
The demon making his leap simultaneously made Tabitha impressed and irritated. Hadn't she made it clear that they were sorry and would move? The nerve- But that was demons for you. Or so she'd been told. Returning her sopping hat back to her shining dome and all of her attention to Efflo she followed him up the ramp with her hand still holding to his arm carefully. He was nice and it was easier walking the wood plank with him then if she'd tried to go it alone. Before no time they were on the boat and she had learned all kinds of neat and interesting things about the boil. "Nooo~ Accidents shouldn't be rewarded with getting hit! So you were totally a horse before ... dying? I'm sorry for that. I was raised from a whole collection of random bones so there aren't any memories of life for me. Either way, I am really impressed that you can change like that! Does that mean swimming is easier for you with four legs? It must be nice to be able to swim at all!"
The skeleton was rambling again and though she'd been reminded several times that it was more than a little obnoxious it seemed to her that Efflo didn't mind. "I'm still kind of new here but you're right ... I heard the Christmas Town visit was all kinds of horrible and these boats don't seem like they're going to be much safer." Glancing about nervously at that she couldn't help but grin a little more shyly(and would have blushed if able to) at the compliment. "The pleasure has to surely be shared when such a wonderful gentleman has my arm." She'd never, ever, been called lovely before! Even if it was just simple chatter.
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 1:17 am
Arachne looked from the boils to the others that were just arriving..it was certainly an interesting, and possibly motley crew that was assembling on this boat of theirs, and she eyed each one with curiosity, not unfriendly looks either. She snorted faintly at the boil who was talking to Ren and Gabrian, and held a hand out to Ren introducing herself properly to this sick looking monster, who despite being so, was coming across as friendly, and someone she wouldn't feel bad for knowing.
'I know we saw each other briefly in a lesson, I'm Arachne Tangleweave. Are you okay?'
She turned her head a moment, seeing Rosciel approach after his showy entrance and stiffened, turning her head away from him again. She would definately not be speaking to him unless she had to.
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:57 am
Gabrian was a lot of things, but if anything, he liked to think he was far from dumb. Needless to say, he'd caught the sarcastic tone that Mac had used to speak to him, not to mention the slight disdain(?) he'd employ not only when talking, but when looking at him and for a moment, the demon found himself racking his brain in an attempt to figure out if he'd previously met this boil or caused a unfavorable impression on him. He came out empty handed from the self reflection, and, in fact, was considering asking the boil if there was something wrong when... Arachne joined them. There it was again; the same disdain and perhaps just a little bit of anger too.
Now, it could have been that this boil knew Arachne, but something about the way the demoness introduced herself seemed to point out that she'd never seen him in her life. The only thing Gabrian could think of, off the top of his mind that he and Arachne had in common... was the fact that they were both demons. Did this boil dislike them merely due to being demons? Surely that couldn't be the reason, could it?
Shaking himself back into the there and now, he felt Ren lean against him, "Oh, well," finally deciding he'd had enough, he placed his bag on the ground, taking a moment to steady the gryphon, "It's not a lack of a faith; any other time, I'd trust him with my life. It's the fact I've been around Ren long enough to know how he reacts around water. Everyone has his weaknesses," he paused briefly to shoot a side glance at Arachne, but his gaze soon enough returned to Mac, "Also, you know. It's polite to look someone in the eyes when you're talking to them. Not to mention one should always take the time to greet a ghoul properly. Even if you don't like them," just as he'd said that, Ren apparently took the time to formally introduce himself to the demoness, even despite his apparent sickness; it caused the nix to smile slightly, "My dear, it's a pleasure to see you here," he told her softly, "I hope you brought those tarot cards with you; I bet Ren could use the distraction, seeing as how he's seasick... and we haven't yet gotten out of the port."
That done, he turned to take note of the other students slowly coming on board, and his eyes landed on Rosciel; he knew him from the demon party and music class, but hadn't really taken the time to get to know him. He made note to talk to him later. That aside there seemed to be two skeletal beings which he did not know, one obviously a ghoul, the other... a horse like creature (or so he thought). And of course, there was also Alwine, "I recall her from the scarentine auction, actually, but I've never spoken to her," he turned and looked directly at Mac, "Whom is her psychotic friend, if I may ask? Not that it really matters, seeing as how... well, we're in this together. If christmas taught me something, it's that we're probably going to have to rely on each other as a group, if we want to make it through this alive," a pause as he reconsidered this, "Or at least in one piece. I personally don't like the idea of having to visit the nurse," he technically had very little faith in school field trips, given how disastrous the last one had been.
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:48 am
Arachne returned Gabrian's smile with a warm one of her own; the longer she knew this elegant boil, the more she liked him, he had manners, and seemed a good sort as well - he was obviously friends with Ren, and she saw that he was taking care of him. That must be nice. She glanced from him to the one she didn't knew, an eyebrow arching upwards. She knew why she and Rosciel didn't get along, but this one? They'd never even met..
'Oh I bought the whole bag of tricks, minus my crystal. Like your friend, that won't travel well.' she gave a soft chuckle, at least there would be a couple on this journey who would make it bearable.
'There's been a trip like this before?' she queried, wondering how well that had gone. It must have happened whilst she was back home.
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 2:35 pm
exclaim Hey!
"Line up over here crew, yes kids that''s you! I'm the Sleuth, and no you don't need my names, or to introduce yourselves, I know who you are. Look this isn't a vacation got it? This a mission and you may think I'm just here to babysit or entertain or whatever but I'm not! I'm here to make sure this ship stays afloat, you all survive to get back to school and become productive members of our society. Got it?
Now being on the ship I dare to ask...does anyone here NOT know how to swim?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 2:58 pm
Ren accepted Arachne's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze in greeting. "Ah, a pleasure to meet you," he said, smiling rather weakly as he hugged his bag to his chest. "Call me Ren. And yes, I remember seeing you." He cast a glance back at Gabrian before answering the ghoul's next question. "Erm. Yes. Well. Sort of. Kinda. Not really. But anyway - " Ren quickly moved on, letting out a slightly strained laugh. "How are you liking the boat? It's pretty, uh...shiny...isn't it?"
Gabrian was speaking to Mac, now, and Ren pressed himself against the demon's side, fingers gripping the nix's arm to keep himself up right. Gabrian had been kind enough to set down his bags in order to steady him, and although Ren felt pretty ridiculously pathetic at the current moment, he couldn't help but feel grateful to his best friend for the gesture.
Especially since Ren would probably need a rather large bucket as soon as the boat began moving.
"...does anyone here NOT know how to swim?"
Ren froze in the middle of fiddling with the straps on his bag and turned a vaguely panicky glance towards the Sleuth standing a few feet away. Swim? he thought, feeling a sense of dread low in his stomach. ...swim?
He did not like water. That being said, he did not particularly want to admit that he had no earthly idea of how to swim. As a gryphon, when he was not traveling by foot, it was by air; he had never seen the point of learning how to swim, especially seeing as how much he was afrai - er, that was, didn't like water.
Ren's face was very nearly crimson in color as he mumbled, barely audibly and so quickly it was almost garbled, "I...dunnohowtoswim....."
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:06 pm
Mac sighed mentally. Yup. Exhausting trip ahead of him.
"Ah, well they're both great. Pokemon might be closer to what you're used to, though. If you're up for a change in pace I have some extra handheld consoles at home if you like." Though, he added mentally, they wouldn't be for free...maybe. Mac extended the offer regardless; he had a rather large box filled with the little pins, after all! What better way to get rid of them than to pass them off to casual gamers looking for something new.
"This is a great way to make friends." Mac said in response to Ren, sliding his hands into his own pockets. Black eyes turned to regard Gabrian from under the brim of his hat; first, this demon interrupted his conversation and in the process slurred his attempt to help the Gryphon, and now he was giving him lessons in chivalry? Where did he get off? Mac bit back a scowl, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before commenting...but not on his manners. No, the conversation had moved since then.
"I never did catch her friend's name. She's short and had large, furry ears though. A bear of some kind, probably." He shrugged. All he remembered was being threatened with his well-being, and that he had to protect the headless-or-invisible-man-he-should-really-find-out-which ghoul. "Either way, I'm sure we'll end up just fine; I have no intentions of seeing the nurse, either." Which was pretty much Mac-speak for creating a truce. He didn't like Demons, he had heard nothing but terrible things about them (with the exception of Charlie), but the boat seemed to be filled with them, so he'd try to be nice. Try.
He had settled to watching Alwine out of the corner of his eye when the Sleuth asked them a question. Could he swim? He could! He rather enjoyed swimming, like he enjoyed boats. However, as the Sleuth was trying to find those who couldn't swim, he said nothing. Poor Ren, it was obvious that the gryphon wouldn't be able to swim; hopefully nothing terrible happened, like say...'learning on the job' so to speak. Instead of worrying about it though, he went back to watching Alwine; his health was at stake, after all.
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:27 pm
"Yes well, I don't think crystal balls agree with movement of any sort," Gabrian's response was drawled out, closely followed by a small smirk which he directed at Arachne as he spoke, "Ren on the other hand just has trouble with movement of the watery kind - he's rather good mid air, aren't you?" he turned when Ren leaned even more heavily against him, and the demon took a moment to shove his bags aside with his foot just in case the gryphon... decided he couldn't wait to find a bucket, "Well, he is usually anyhow," he paused and leaned in closer to whisper his next words near his friend's ear, "Cling all you want, Ren, but... please try not to be sick on me. I don't want to have to go to explain why I need a change of clothes before we even get off the port. Are you feeling alright?" the demoness' question about the previous field trip caught the nix's attention, but despite turning his gaze towards her, he reached up with his hand to feel the gryphon's forehead.
"Aaaah... yes. They had another field trip before this one," his hand retreated from the gryphon's forehead once Gabrian determined his friend's temperature was adequate; the last time Ren had been near (rather, in) water, his temperature had spiked. Then again... that last time it had been storming, "It involved trains, snow, lots of cold, drunken trees and a raid on Christmas town. It was worse than it sounds. To make matters worse, those of use with secondary forms seemed to have trouble sticking to one form," he looked at Mac and Arachne both, "was that before both your enrollments then?" his eyes landed on Alwine again when the reaper gestured towards her, "Ah.... I'm afraid I don't know her then. Sounds rather protective of her friends," which in a way, he deeply approved of, actually. That said though, his gaze returned to the reaper, "Well then, we might as well help keep each other out of the nurse's office then, shall we?" perhaps either sensing his 'truce' or simply initiating his own, he extended his hand for Mac to shake.
It was right around then that Sleuth showed up, asking them if the could swim, and Gabrian found himself smile, his hand patting Ren's shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. He could not only swim but also breathe underwater.
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