[party post] come sail away with me

[varymydays]

You've come through a door, and you are on a boat. Specifically, you're on a cruise ship in the middle of some giant body of water. You've come through the door behind you which is attached to nothing and may now be locked. It's relatively empty as giant as it appears to be. The only other passengers that are here appear to also have come through the door for the most part and it is not nearly enough to fill up this entire cruise ship.

Also, who knows who the hell is driving this thing since all of the employees appear to be either ghosts or holograms...

Is this your first time here or your hundredth time here? Do you want a drink or a dip in the pool? Is it day or night? Do you stumble on your room or some other situation either fun or painful within its many rooms, shops, and facilities? Do you run into someone you know or a complete stranger?

The possibilities are unlimited!

Comments

ota }

[mayoralty]

So apparently the afterlife was a cruise ship.

Not that Carol's complaining because it's better than some of the things she had drawn out for her in church every Sunday, but that doesn't make this afterlife any less ... final. And cruises were never her favorite vacation anyway.

All the same, it could have been worse. It could be somewhere where she couldn't drink.

(Don't judge her for it.)

It takes her some time to adjust to things, process what exactly happened - the fact that she's dead, the fact that Tyler is alone now. It isn't that she didn't know what she was doing when Klaus found her. Tyler living is the better option, by far. But that doesn't mean she doesn't miss him and worry about him all the same.

Eventually, however, she picks herself up. She makes herself useful and given that the ship is enormous she tries to organize small events to keep the fellow visitors busy. People come and go, doors open and close, but Carol's never does, but that's okay. She doesn't really want it to.

She's currently in one of the ballrooms, studying a set of tables that are being circled around by the staff. She's just having a small get-together, drinks, food, a chance for everyone to mingle with the uptick in people on the ship as of late. She drums her fingers against her chin for a moment before holding up her hand, taking a few steps closer to the staff member in question.

"No, no - try a little more to the left. We want to have some room to move ... "

[lockwood]

It had been his first night back in the Lockwood mansion (thanks, Rebekah) and Tyler had done his fair share of drinking when he stumbles to get off the couch to go use the bathroom (yes, hybrids pee). But when he opens the door he doesn't enter the bathroom at all.

Where he stumbles into is a ballroom -- which is he so not dressed for. He thinks briefly to himself that his mother would kill him for being someplace so nice in basically just his sleep wear. The thought makes his heart ache a little but not as much as it does when he hears that familiar voice.

He focuses his hearing. He has to be dreaming. It can't be. She's -- she's dead. Because he couldn't save her. Because of Klaus. Because of him. Any confusion or anything else he might be feeling about the situation stops dead in that moment because he's turning around, scanning the area until finally he spots her.

His mother.

Tyler's never been one to show how much things affect him if he can help it and yet in that moment he can't blink back the tears threatening his eyes. Nor can he stop himself before he's coming up to her, throwing his arms around her tightly

Sorry person she was talking to. Except her's not sorry at all.

Give him a moment or two and he might even find words.

If this is a dream he doesn't want to wake up.

[mayoralty]

" ... Tyler ... "

She catches sight of Tyler about a split second before he's hugging her, the shock of the sudden weight of him against her drowning out everything else. She hugs him back on instinct, holding him close, letting him take whatever he needs because they've never exactly been an affectionate family, at least her boys weren't. Not unless it was needed, and Carol has more than a few ideas of why it could be needed here.

At the same time, her heart is sinking into her stomach. There's a part of her that logically knows that some people arrive here who aren't dead, who have a world to go back to when the time comes, but in this moment, she knows her life, Tyler's life. She knows how things ended for her, and what Tyler was up against. A part of her is already thinking the worst, but she tries not to let that creep to the surface. One hand comes up to stroke against the back of his neck and her eyes close, just trying to focus on the fact that he's here, and she could hold him again, one last time.

"It's okay," she whispers. "It'll be okay."

[lockwood]

Tyler's never been the overtly affectionate type (Caroline being the large exception to that) and yet when he spots his mother there he can't think of anything other than hugging here. It's not like he thought he would ever get the chance to do so again. There's so many things that come to his head at once -- like how he didn't make it to graduation like she wanted and he's sorry. He's sorry he failed her. That he didn't keep her safe. That she came at the cost of his war on Klaus.

(and then he kept fighting it because he doesn't know what else to do with himself any more)

It takes him a while to even find his voice, but eventually he whispers softly.

"I'm sorry."

It's not enough but it's a start.

[mayoralty]

If there weren't tears the moment she saw him, there are definitely tears now. She feels them slip from the corners of her eyes, trying to find the words to tell him that he doesn't need to be sorry. That she failed him in far more ways than he ever did her.

She may have been a cost, but she knew the cost the second she saw Klaus. And she couldn't live with two ghosts in that house, but there's a part of her that knows that's what she forced him to do instead.

(But he's always been stronger than her.)

"It's not your fault," she says softy, keeping her voice low and calm. "I knew what I was doing." It may not have seemed like it, the drunk pleas of a mother with nothing else left, but she's smarter than people give her credit for, and she would do whatever it took to protect her son.

(It's a shame she couldn't do that years ago with Richard, could have been strong enough to tell Bill Forbes no that night when he tried to drag her back, but in the end, Tyler was even more than she could have dreamed of, and she wouldn't change him for the world.)

[lockwood]

All he has left back home is that house.

His dad. His mom. Mason. His pack. Everyone's dead and he's left with the ghosts and honestly? He doesn't feel that strong anymore. He's fought and fought and where has it gotten him? He's so tired, so weary from it. But he has a big ass house that he has no idea what to do with.

His own voice is soft, laced with guilt and sadness. He doesn't pull back or let go of her. Not yet. He's not ready to just yet. "I should of known." That it wouldn't be that easy. That Klaus would always, always have the upper hand. The house always wins. He gets that now, he's learned it time and time again the most brutal ways possible.

[mayoralty]

The house doesn't always have to win. There are stories of underdogs rising up over their abusers. History is covered in them - you simply have to be on the right side with the right people, and Carol has faith that Tyler will be able to find that. He has the time. He just needs the right plan and the right people.

"I'm sorry I left you." She told him after Richard died that she didn't want him to be alone, and in the end that was where she left him, alone. But she will never not see the upside to her son surviving.

Parents aren't supposed to outlive their children.

"I'm sorry there wasn't another way."

[lockwood]

He's not so good at the plan part. His last "plan" nearly got himself killed in New Orleans -- truth be told Klaus had been a little right in that part of him almost had hoped the Original would just get it over with and kill him.

At least if he was dead he was free.

"It's not your fault."

It's Klaus'. And his own. But he would never, ever blame his mother for what happened. He knows if given a choice she'd never choose to leave him. But this wasn't a story about choice.

[mayoralty]

He'll figure it out. Or he'll find someone who will, someone he can trust. There is always a way, and nothing is perfect - even if she doesn't know anything about magic or balance or any of that. She just knows the stories of what people have overcome, and she knows that her son is a leader.

Even if he doesn't feel like it at the moment.

Eventually she pulls back, wanting to actually look at him, but it's not enough to leave touching distance. Her hands slide from his shoulders to cup his face gently, and she knows that she's a mess of tears and smeared make up, but for right now, she doesn't really care.

"But that doesn't matter. You're here, and he's not, and hopefully your door won't be opening anytime soon. We have time."

Because his door better be opening. She will not deal with the fact that her son is dead right now, so even if he is, he better lie to her.

(Kidding.)

( ... Probably not kidding.)

[lockwood]

It's hard to feel it anymore, that there is a way out. It just feels endless, especially since he's going to live forever. He knows he has to find a way to keep going, but that's easier said than done, honestly.

(but he owes it to his mother to survive, he refuses to let her death be in vain)

His eyes flutter shut for a moment as she cups his face gently.

"What is this place anyway?"

It seems like maybe the time to finally ask that.

[mayoralty]

They would have gotten around to it eventually, probably. And honestly, the answer to that question is a little ridiculous, so she probably wouldn't have minded putting it off for as long as she could. Now, however, it seems like an ideal way to break the tension.

"It's ... a giant cruise ship."

Because really, that's what it is.

"Only we don't exactly seem to be going anywhere, we're just ... drifting."

[lockwood]

"A cruise ship?"

He pulls away to give her a skeptical sort of look at that. Sorry, but it's a little hard to believe, all things considered. He's seeing his mother for the first time since she died and it's on a cruise ship?

Tyler's heard a lot of strange, weird things in his life -- this might be one of the weirdest.

[mayoralty]

Yeah, it's pretty weird. Her face says as much and she slides an arm around his shoulders before leading the way out of the ballroom and onto the deck. As they walk out the doors, the expanse of the ocean opens beneath them.

"I know. It's weird. But it's ... not that bad, once you get used to it."

idk why this idea amused me so much :x

[uncompliant]

One day Logan will be able to stop reacting suspiciously to anyone who happens to be on the cruise ship too. That day is not today, and he happens upon the woman in the ballroom who is speaking to the staff, having them move things here or there.

He lifts an eyebrow at her. There's a beer in his hand cause he feels the alcohol is helpful in a place like this, and his arms are lightly folded across his chest.

"You in charge or are you just good at giving orders?"

you brought this upon yourself

[mayoralty]

"More of the latter. I'm just trying to organize a bit for the event tonight." Because there's always an event. She's Carol Lockwood. And right now she's studying Logan like she's trying to size him up for something. The beer would have to go somewhere else but otherwise ...

"Are you busy?"

LMFAO omg i love it

[uncompliant]

"Event?" When did a ghost ship start throwing events? He'd be more confused about this if he didn't notice how she seemed to be sizing him up, and then-- He narrows his gaze a bit, clutching to the bottle of beer.

"...don't even think about it." No, he is not busy at all. Ahem.

[mayoralty]

"Just a little mix and mingle, nothing fancy. I mean, we're all here stuck with each other, we might as well get to know each other better." It's practical. Also helps her keep an eye on who's going in and out from day to day.

And yeah, she's totally thinking about it.

She gives him a level look, before glancing around. "You sure? Because it'll only take five minutes."

[uncompliant]

Logan raises an eyebrow at that, and it is... true, but he has never really seen the need to get to know other people. He is also a big loner.

And he sees that level look that she sends his way. Five minutes. Does he really need to get on people's bad sides this quickly? And it's not like he has anything else to do, Logan takes a long drink from the beer in his hand.

"...what do you need?"

[mayoralty]

A bright smile crosses her face when she gets her way, before pointing to some of the tables that are still sitting on the rack, legs folded up under it. "Those tables. You haul, I'll tell you where to put them?"

[uncompliant]

Logan smirks lightly despite himself, waving a hand before he downs the beer, wondering how this became his life. "Hauling I can do," he says easily with a shrug, heading toward the first table which he easily lifts up. Mutant strength and all.

[mayoralty]

Well then. Seems like she made the ideal choice in that respect. She gives directions as to where to set it up, before eyeing him curiously.

"I'm Carol, by the way."

[uncompliant]

"Logan," he answers, looking back her way as he moves the tables as she directs him to. Seems like as good a time as any to get some information at least. Physical labor in exchange for questions. Not that he thinks anyone knows a thing about this place. "So how long have you been here if you're organizing shindigs like this one?"

[mayoralty]

"A few months?" she says with a bit of a shrug. It's not like they keep calendars, but given the fact that she has been there longer than most, she's tried to keep track of the days if she can. "Give or take. It can be a little hard to tell."

[uncompliant]

Logan stares at her at what she says, and he shakes his head, tensing mid-table placement, because that can't actually be-- She has no reason to lie to him after all, but it is hard to process it. "Months?" He sets the table down. "I don't want to be here for months."

In the middle of the sea, it's unsettling to him, makes him on edge at the thought.

[mayoralty]

"I don't think anyone wants to be here for months." Except for maybe her. She's here because she has to be, because if she goes back home, she's going back to nothingness. She doesn't want her door to open. All the same ...

"My stay isn't typical. Some leave within a few days, some within a few weeks - it depends on when your door opens."