[ alek hale was in no rush to discover his second animal form.

logan is a turtle. ethan is a chipmunk. connor is a raccoon. he doesn't know if adam's been notified of his own alternative, and he has a feeling if it's as embarrassing as the rest of theirs, they likely won't find out unless he lands in a similar predicament.

which is to say, alek's been gone for a couple of weeks, give or take, and when he's returned to the ship, he is returned as a lamb.

a baby lamb.

a very displeased baby lamb that's still discovering how this whole walking thing works.

do with him what you must. ]

The ship may seem quieter lately than usual.

It is a quietness that is both eerie and noticeable even to those who may not be as perceptive as others. The stars are brighter or perhaps it is that the sky that they are blanketed across is somehow darker. The waves seem to kick up so loud against the sides of the ship that it can be heard from the top of the deck.

The holograms and ghosts have all but disappeared for the time being.

Maybe it feels like the calm before the storm.

It should.

On the deck of the ship, there is a man who has a very specific purpose for being here. He is clearly not a hologram or a ghost. He is quite obviously very real, but there is something noticeably different about him that would be picked up on immediately whether you find him at the bar having a drink or find him smoking out by the railing. He is in black and white while the world around him remains in color. Ever seen Pleasantville? It's exactly like that.

Clark is specifically looking for Elena Gilbert but is happy to talk to anyone who might approach him. Elena is the one started looking for answers about the ship to find a way to prevent someone she loves from returning to the world he is from. The looking set forward a chain of events. More people are looking for the answers now too wherever they can, trying to poke into pieces of the ship.

The universe took notice, and now he is here.

The answers are out there, and Clark has been given the task of showing them the way to get those answers. He doesn't know the answers himself. All in all, it feels like he knows very little, like he is as much as a part of the mess as all of the people on this ship (even more so perhaps). He only knows what he is supposed to do, what his role is to play, and Clark intends to play that role whatever it takes.

On the evening of the twenty-ninth, the ballroom on the main deck of the boat is decked out in lavish black and gold, thanks to Carol and Sophie, and the assistance of the very strong men they enlisted to help (thank you, boys). It's been a while since Carol has thrown a full out ball, and she liked the chance to stretch her event planning limbs again, even if those attending are mostly the ghost robots in their cater waiter wear.

A soft music is playing over the guests as they enter. As they pass through the threshold, there's a table with simple masks for them to choose from, in case they've forgotten their's. Once they pass through the main archway, they'll find their way to the large dance space where the ghost robot band is sitting, because live music is so much better than a recording, and they actually don't sound half-bad, all things considered. They also take requests, so feel free to tell them that song where you always wondered what it would sound like with a full orchestral backing. There's a large, expansive dance floor in the middle, and you're welcome to get out there and shake your groove thing whenever you see fit.

Tables with food line the far left wall of the room, as well as clusters of tables for the guests to sit when they so choose. There's also an open bar nestled into the far corner, for all your alcoholic needs. There are also plenty of dark corners to slip into, if you don't want anyone to see what you're doing, however the narration suggests watching those dark corners carefully. Rabbit holes lurk in pretty much every shadowed area of the ballroom and while they won't always drop you into a strange location of your choosing, there's a high chance they will. There's probably a high turnover of people arriving back in the ballroom, looking like they've gone five rounds with a bull.

Probably because they have.

The boat seem to want to promote this event as much as possible. While not everyone loves a good ball, some non-attenders may suddenly find themselves in attendance, completely dressed and no idea of how they got there. Trying to leave? Might not go so well either. For some, socializing isn't so much a choice as a punishment, but there are probably plenty of people to help you have a good time.

Or you could go on a trip to Narnia. One never really knows.

[OKAY BALL IS GO sorry I was late getting this up. Rabbit Holes are to be used at your discretion, but if you need suggestions or want me to randomize something for you, just shoot me a PM/private plurk/ping me (iluvroadrunner6) and I will give you a scenario. Otherwise, mix, mingle and have fun with all the pretty formal wear. o7 Actionspam/prose/whatever floats your boat for this, it was easier to just write up the top part in prose.]

[ greetings, voyagers.

this is sadly not the elena you are likely used to by now. no, this is an elena that has ended up in once-golden city called teleios, and is currently working off her substantial debt in the alleged hope she may one day see utopia. there are gods, dragons, and realms unlike she never imagined. she likes it there more than she'll admit to, and is perennially aggravated by it in other ways.

she is also not expecting to once again be led to a red door when she exits the library she currently works at, but it's also not the strangest thing that's ever happened to her. she just doesn't remember it whenever she gets sent back to pre-utopia.

for reasons no one will ever be able to figure out, the lower deck is flooded with teleporting kittens and puppies. y'know, the kind you're used to from the chicago. the kittens and puppies that don't age, are surprisingly self-sufficient, and pick their owner to soulbond with. so be careful. because they are everywhere. everywhere.. ]

What the ...

[ a puppy has teleported into her arms. it is now looking at her very, very expectantly. ]


( OOC: TREAT THIS AS A PARTY POST IF YOU'D LIKE. EVERYONE SHOULD GET TO ENJOY PUPPIES. )

Cora is still not really sure what she's doing on this ship.

It's a ship going nowhere. The cabins are nice, but the rooms are insane and there are people here who's faces she knows but they aren't. They're different people from different places and different worlds, and it's a little unnerving, honestly, and if she didn't have her nose, she might be even more confused than she already is. It takes one run in with a Lydia lookalike to figure out that she does not want to do that again. If she is going to be stuck here, she's steering clear of familiar faces.

Except for Derek. Derek is probably going to be sick of her by the time this is over, but this is what he signed up for when he decided to take her on a road trip.

Sort of.

Regardless, he's family and doesn't get a choice in the matter.

Right now, however, she's not considering any of that. She's sitting on a lounge chair near one of the pools, legs crossed under her, staring at the yellow thing in front of her that has latched onto her since her run in with Mary Jane. She's tried several different ways of getting rid of it, and it doesn't seem to want to go anywhere.

It's annoying. It's relentless. It kind of reminds her of a stubby, yellow, incoherent Stiles.

She doesn't want a stubby, yellow, incoherent Stiles.

Unfortunately, it's sort of in love with her, so it's not really going anywhere. So she's just letting it babble until it gets bored or she can decide what to do with it, whichever comes first. Eventually it stops talking, staring at her intently as though it wishes for her to contribute, and she's not even sure what she's supposed to be contributing to.

"I'm not feeding you." She just wants to make sure that's clear.

[ mary jane watson has a brand new admirer.

this is nothing new. if anything, she thinks she should have more admirers. there can never be too much adulation. really, have you taken a good look at her lately? she's kind of fab. she just has to admit this is new, even for her. the level of weird she is used to doesn't include ghost ships or strange beings attaching themselves to her hip.

for one, it's not even human. for another, it is a startlingly bright shade of yellow. it also won't stop following her around, asking for what appears to be a banana. so that's what she's doing. looking for a banana to give it, so maybe it will leave her alone.

except it's kind of cute. and does everything she tells it to, at least half the time. she might just end up keeping it.

we have no idea who decided mary jane should acquire a minion of her very own, but it is safe to say the universe is decidedly screwed. god help you all if there are more of them. ]