cradleproject | WEEK 14 - I have been — and always shall be

WEEK 14 - I have been — and always shall be — your friend.

the pygmalion. . .

ONLINE

CAPTAIN'S LOG:
WEEK (14)

monday

(41) survivors

You stand with your friends, your family, and your enemies, shoulder to shoulder. The deceased and the living are the same, now, and you've been reunited with the person trapped on the opposite ship.

You have four choices.

Four options laid before you - five, if you're smart about it. You have the option of staying on the Nuwa, a ship pre-programmed to land somewhere safe, soon, and then it's your's for the taking. You have the option of entering the Nuwa's virtual reality and crafting your own perfect world, but knowing it was a perfect world created by your own hand. Your third option is one of the Cradles, a machine created to bring you bliss, and permit you the dream you've always wanted, without the knowledge it's a virtual reality. Your fourth option lays in front of you, on the bridge of the Nuwa, and it's a tear in the fabric of reality, but you can see your home waiting for you. It looks idyllic, perfect, just the way you'd want it to be. Your fifth option lies in another tear - the tear of a friend. Perhaps their heart is kind enough to take in a stray.

The choice is your's to make, and whatever you choose, know that, for the first time in fourteen weeks, it's your choice.

taken list
profiles
private conversations
setting
rulebook

ENTER COMMAND_

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ there's a small pink haired girl wielding a machete wandering the ship, and she looks like she's seen better days. both of her arms are bandaged heavily, though the forearm wrappings are burned and it looks like the flesh beneath has been seared, too. she's donning a pair of black boots with killer heels (why) and over her black minidress is a tattered black robe (again, why). a majority of people will know that yuno's still keeping her leg burns wrapped up tight.

as pale as she is, she's smiling - and it's worth noting that yuno's got an origami ring on her finger, too. she'll wander the ship, supposedly aimlessly. some nuwa residents might recognize her as saika's daughter, but she makes no attempt to reach out to her mother, so perhaps that bridge has been burned. yuno's easy to find if you want to - thanks to her leg injuries, walking is still awkward, so she's floating several feet off the ground constantly. it's easiest. it's hard to miss her now that she's at eye level for most of you, right?

but when she settles into the room with tears, yuno turns to everyone, beaming. she has an announcement to make, apparently? can someone stop her ]

I know we're all going our separate ways, but I want to lay down some ground rules before that happens. Dave Strider is my husband, and if anyone looks at him wrong, I'll make you regret it. If you know Adrien Agreste, don't hurt him, either. I'll definitely make you cry. If anyone does anything to Elizabeth, I'll absolutely destroy them completely. And the same goes for Marinette, Clover, Judar, Jack, and Rhys.

[ she claps her hands together, and she looks perfectly innocent. ] Those people mean so much to me, so I'll protect them until they go home.

[ ... ] And definitely don't forget Dave is my husband now. [ apparently this is the most important part, holy shit. why did no one stop her ]

[ So more or less right after Jack says his quick goodbyes to the very, very few people he cares enough to say one too, he's definitely bouncing. Like, he sees his opportunity here, and he's definitely not about to squander it before people wisen up and consider that maybe, just maybe, letting Jack return to Pandora is pretty bad for Pandora.

So, pretty lucky (??) for him that Yuno declares this so nicely, and is one of the people he does care enough to give a farewell to. Once she makes her announcement, Jack definitely laughs with amusement clear in his tone, but he approaches her all the same. ]

Y'know, it's appreciated, kiddo, but you don't need to be making threats on my behalf.

[ Yet he doesn't sound disapproving at all. He sounds more flattered than anything else. ]

Hey, but, also not gonna be complaining here? Always glad for someone in my corner. [ He beckons her closer at this point, since she's pretty injured and he wants to be careful. ] C'mere.

[ who cares about her injuries. yuno doesn't care at all, personally. as soon as jack beckons her closer, she's shooting over to him, crashing into his midsection with all the grace of a newborn doe. ]

There you are! I missed you!

[ it's graceless but heartfelt, the hug that yuno gives him. there's a million questions, but she knows that the biggest one ("where are you going?") has an answer that she might not like. regardless, she'll settle for a hug. jack looks like he's got some hella dad hugs, and she hasn't had one of those in...

well, years, actually. ]

You made it out okay, and you're here, now, I'm so glad, I really am.

Woahhh, careful there! You're- [ He pauses to laugh ] Hey, I got my sweater back, so don't bleed on it so soon.

[ He's joking... About the sweater part. He's never getting that back at this rate, probably. But since she's hugged him so enthusiastically herself, he hugs her back tightly after a moment's hesitation. It's one of those hugs where the breath is squeezed out of her a little, but it's brief. Since, yeah, he's not looking to hurt her here. ]

I'm glad to see you too, Yuno. Figured— Okay, well, I'm not the kinda guy that gives up, but. Call it being a realist instead. Our odds weren't looking the best there for a while. Or, uh, feasible at all.

[ But here they are all the same, and Jack is of course glad for it. In a way, this is the end he always knew would come about. He's the hero, so of course death wouldn't stop him, and of course he would be given his happy ending. Though of course, he had some doubt along the way. It's certainly enough that he also knows that he can't linger too long, lest anyone else remember those stories of just how dangerous he was. He's not worried about it from Yuno, of course, and it's why he kisses her hair in an affectionate and fond way. ]

I'm glad you're okay too, Yuno. Looks like you went through a hell of a wringer for it.

[ he might be joking, but she's a gullible child through and through, so she leans back to check for a moment, looking worried about the potential state of jack's sweater. of course, it's fine. yuno's wounds aren't healed, not by a long shot, but she realizes belatedly that he must have been joking. yuno opens her mouth to respond, but instead jack bear hugs her and places a kiss atop her head.

and again, for such a simple gesture, it reminds her that jack has down so, so much more for her than her own father had (in yuno's warped opinion). it's an affectionate gesture she would have appreciated a few years ago, when dad came home from work.

...she'll take this in a heartbeat, though. jack's even better. ]

I'm fine... I really am. There's no way that I'm going to give up so soon. It's not how you do it, right? And I always said I was going to help you. Me and Elizabeth - we did it, together. Are...

[ she might be smiling, but when she looks up at jack, there's tears in her eyes, and she has to balance her chin on him. ]

Are you proud of me?

[ it's a tiny, tiny question, posed so softly that it'd be easy to miss, and one of the many she wants to ask. ]

[ His smile grows warmer and more genuine when Yuno says she won't give up, though he actually doesn't comment on why. Selfishly, since he's just a self-absorbed person, he thinks that's coming from their conversation, though objectively he knows it's probably much more than that. Still. He'll mentally take the credit for it and take the ego boost that comes with it all the same.

When Yuno shifts, Jack does too so that hug becomes loose enough for her to move as she wishes. He'll let go soon enough, but for now, she seems to be taking comfort in it, and he's ultimately just a physical person. Her small, quiet question gets surprise to bloom across his face, but it's just as smoothly replaced by a smile that's warm and confident. From his expression, there's no doubt at all that what he says is the truth. ]

Are you kidding? I'm so proud of you.

[ There's an emphasis on that "so" that's almost emotional, but it's brief. He looks away from Yuno briefly to those portals that are about. ]

This- All of this? The two of you... I mean, you did something friggin' amazing here. I- We all have second chances. Can't exactly say thank you enough for that.

[ his words hit home hard and her reaction is immediate - though yuno makes a point to keep her tears from making contact with jack's beloved sweater, she's a child who melts in his arms all over. one of her hands raises, covers her mouth and she lets out a choked wail that dies down into an easy sob.

because as much as she wants to hear it, jack's words hit a chord inside yuno that takes her back to being shoved inside a cage and told she wasn't good enough. she thinks about her mother's voice and the hysterical way she looked at her, as if hardly present in the moment. she could turn to look at saika right now, but she doesn't. she muffles her sobs with a bandaged hand, staring up at jack. in comparison to her mother, she sees logic and reason in his features, and she thinks jack is really looking at her. her adoptive father had seen through her, ignoring the situation, never once raising a finger to help her. yuno's sobbing openly because she sees the difference in handsome jack and the two people who brought her home; he doesn't look down at her with shame and regret, but he stares at her with a fondness she hasn't experienced in a long, long time.

rhys had told her that jack's daughters tend to die, but she doesn't care. jack wouldn't ever hurt her. she knows that, and this only cements it. ]

You're... you were more of a father to me than my real dad had been.

[ maybe jack knows that, too. maybe he realizes that yuno had taken to him like a father figure. he's smart, and he's always right, just like rhys had told her. jack is the hero, no matter what anyone says to her. jack's the good guy, the man who'd been fighting to keep her and so many others safe. in her eyes, there's no one cooler than handsome jack - even if he's wearing vans. ]

I wish it'd been you. I wish you'd adopted me and not them. [ but apparently it's confession hour, and she's trying to wipe away at her tears, but they're openly falling. big fat crocodile tears spilling over as she hiccups. ] It's not fair, Jack, it's not fair. She's still alive after all this, after I killed her, and she deserved it. I know you wouldn't have hurt me like that, I know it, I know that, but still - am I... supposed to go with her? I won't. You understand why, right? We're the same. I know that, now.

[ because of course yuno had watched jack's secret. of course she stuck her nose where it didn't belong, but she only sees jack as proof that she, too, can be successful.

maybe she'll go into computers instead of becoming an accountant. ]

And now I have to leave you? We can't be together? That's not fair. It's not fair at all! I don't want this, I don't want it, Jack. I- Can I- I'll find you. I'm not letting go of you, Jack. It doesn't matter; I can jump around worlds, so nothing is going to stop me.

this cr was a mistake i am dying

refactor - 2016-09-09 18:56 (UTC) - Expand

[oh my god yuno. oh my god

like. Clover should be concerned? she really should? but the thing is her name is on that list of people who mean so much to Yuno and Clover's hanging towards the back of the room of tears, not quite liking being here, meaning to just pass it by with her brother in tow but she lingers just long enough to hear this, and...

Clover can't really put together a reason she would mean much of anything to Yuno—to most people, frankly. It isn't self-depreciation so much as it is fierce, furious independence; there are so few people Clover will tether herself to, and doing so is as all-or-nothing as everything else Clover does.

But. She wouldn't play Super Bass for just anyone's wedding, either.

There's a small pink haired girl wielding a meat cleaver wandering the ship with her brother, and she looks like she's seen better days, but she's taking pause to listen to her friend promise to protect her and she's confused, but she's smiling.

She hangs back a little longer, lets the others go in for hugs and hellos and goodbyes, but doesn't wait too long to come up to Yuno, smiling gently and raising her fist. Pound it, Mrs. Strider.]

[ it's strange to look over to clover with a smile, when not weeks ago she had been threatening her for saying roxy's name. the thing is, a part of yuno thinks that clover had been right about grell, now, so there's an apologetic twinge the smile she offers her. there's not a lot of people she'd fist bump at this point in time, but yuno raises her fist. weeks ago, this was a foreign gesture to her, but after spending so much time with people her age and making so many friends and gaining her own family, it's as natural as rain.

their fists touch gently, and yuno tilts her head.

a lot of things have changed. they narrowly exchanged death, clover's brother came back. things have been hard, but that doesn't mean that friendship has to be, yuno realizes.

and for once, yuno sees clover as the woman she is - good natured, sweet, independent, strong. a survivor. ]

Take care of your brother.

[There's a moment where Clover goes still and tense, and her free hand reaches back to take Light's like she needs to make sure he's still there—she'll take care of him, she won't lose him this time. She nods, short and certain.

It must sound a little silly when all she can think to follow up with is:] Take care of your husband. And yourself, too.

[She pauses, and....she lets go of Light's hand to hold her arms open, and that feels more sincere.]

I want a hug, but I don't wanna bug your burns, either. [like she isn't walking around with a stomach wound??? but c'mere yuno]

Sorry. I don't like ignoring when someone dies.

[ this is a lie, in a way. yuno blatantly disregarded jack's death just a week ago. at the same time, she acknowledged her mother and father's death, and she's found herself with a new, solid family that's already done more for her than them, in her opinion. in a way, she understands how clover feels: yuno blinks and looks toward dave at her words with a fond smile. ] I'll take your advice to heart.

[ clover's words are light to yuno, as if she's talking to an old friend, and she's almost shocked to see her opening her arms. but then she realizes that no, it's fine. judar was like a brother to clover, too. in a way, that makes them some kind of messed up soul siblings, she decides. ] My burns... they'll itch no matter what. Might as well give them a good reason to.

[ honestly, she could heal herself, but that's dave's handiwork, and she doesn't want to disturb it. whatever he does for her, she wants to cherish. she'd tell clover, because maybe clover of all people would get that, but she'll settle, instead for a hug. she's not used to touching people, still. but yuno's earnest in her effort, holding clover tight like she is, actually, an old friend. ]

If you're taking care of him, then you need to be well. Hold still.

[ her left hand slips down to the wound to graze against the gash itself, and clover will find that despite the unusual cool feeling, her wound heals in seconds. ]

[Uncomfortable as talking about it is, she can't be upset with Yuno for it, either, remembering everyone else talking circles around Hancock's death, always always always, and Yuno saying Light, too. Even if maybe don't do that right in front of him!!!

But Clover has only ever lived in extremes; liking Yuno is more than enough to pull her into her arms and hug her tight for maybe a little too long, only feeling a little guilty about doing it despite her burns. She's all impulse and instinct, and she's leaped into the arms of plenty of friends without thinking any further than fondness. If they're never going to see each other again, Clover wants this to count.

Even so, she starts when Yuno's hand comes to her stomach, wincing to have her wound touched and—and then it's gone, cold and cured.]

...No way. [Sometimes Clover thinks nothing is going to surprise her anymore, and every single time, something proves her wrong—that Yuno can do this, that Yuno would do, has done it for her.

A pause, and then, quietly:] You could do this all this time and you're still running around like that?

[like, you know. covered in burns. what part of "take care of yourself" didn't you hear yuno!!!!]

[ her reaction garners a laugh, because it's honestly so simple to make a wish and make someone's stomach wound fade away. but it's nice, too, the wonder it gives people when they see what she can do it. it makes yuno feel bigger than she is, like she matters a little bit.

but yuno doesn't end the hug, instead opting to let it continue for however long clover wants. maybe that's all she really wanted the entire game, yuno thinks: a little chit chat and some warmth. ]

These? I can live with them. Dave's helping me, and I think it's better that way. [ it's an honest admission. ] I like when he does things for me.

[ yuno is. not a smart girl, clover. sorry. ]

[okay well kougyoku is definitely in the background fuming at the implication that she can't protect judar just as well as this interloper who does she think she is

Judar, meanwhile, flicks her and Yuno a horrified glance before clearing his throat loudly. why you gotta doxx him like this yuno]

What? You got married? When did this happen? Huh, good thing there was another priest on this ship who definitely isn't me because I had absolutely nothing to do with this. At all.

[Okay, incredibly believable lie over with, he'll move on to the actual important stuff.]

So...where are you planning to head to now? Not much of a honeymoon if you and Dave gotta split up into different worlds.

[

isn't that the girl that she and dave thought was judar's girlfriend. wtf. ]

Don't play dumb, you big stupid head. You and your magical disco ball.

[ that was so dumb! but she loved it, oh my god. setting the mood, huh? it was more than enough for her, and then judar put his own spin on it. it's a silly thing to be thankful for, but she is. she's so thankful. ]

We're not. I'm going with him, you know. But for the two of us, I think I want to go to Paris.

[ she pauses, but it's short. yuno floats over to judar staring at him with a curious gaze. ] You know, I took to you like you were family to me.

Shh, not so loud! Word gets around, everyone's gonna be demanding I marry them off to the first hot guy they see.

['everyone' in this case meaning kougyoku who yuno might be detecting fellow pink-haired yandere vibes from at this point...]

Really? Where Adrien and Marinette live? That sounds...[horrifically boring is what he's about to say, but then he remembers that these two nerds' ideal paradise is a fucking day at school]...yeah, that sounds about right. All the powers you two have and shit you can do though, you really think you'll be satisfied in a normal world like that?

[raising an eyebrow at her] Never had one of those, so I can't tell you what that's like. [but god fine since he honestly did not expect either of them to be alive at this point and it's the end of everything anyway, he'll reluctantly clamp down on his immediate NO GET AWAY FROM ME reaction.] But I guess as far as that sort of shit goes, there could be worse litt-- [hrrk] little si-- [gag] little siiiiiis--

[oh my god he literally can't say it]

Dave's not the first hot guy I saw. [ she's folding her arms, looking incredulous. but yes, she's getting the fellow yan vibes - honestly, she'd probably like kougyoku. she looks to her with raised brows and then back to judar. they're a cute pair.

but judar interrupts her potential match-maker thoughts with the inability to call her a little sister. oh my god. hopefully that gets kougyoku to chill, but also, oh my god. oh my good god. ]

You're ridiculous. I don't remember why I like you so much all of a sudden. [ but she's laughing pretty openly?? ok, yuno. ]

I think it'll be a fun adventure for us. Dave can study paleontology and we don't have to leave Adrien alone. I think I want to be an accountant? I'm not sure. I've got a lot of time to decide. But I'm going with my family.

[ hint, hint. ]

Why not come with? I hear Paris has some of the best food on the planet.

No...no, I'm pretty sure he is. [look the only thing he remembers about yukki is how incredibly bland the guy was, and as far as he's concerned no other dude on this ship close to yuno's age is as cool as dave??? it's just him.]

Don't ask me. And anyway, I never asked you to like me to begin with!

An accountant? Seriously? At least go into something more useful or interesting than math. Not even useful math at that, you'd just be stuck working for a bunch of lazy nobles and merchants. [listen this is definitely how accounting works and also yuno love yourself and pick a better career

also he is 100% oblivious so that hint flies completely over his head alas]

And be stuck with those two saps all the time? Not much point in surviving if I want to jump off a bridge after a day. [still, part of him does look tempted - he likes dave and yuno enough to tolerate the furries, and he's not exactly looking forward to going home. plus there's cool tech and nicki minaj in paris. he sighs eventually though.] Plus if I abandon him now, Hakuryuu's almost definitely gonna get his ass killed or worse by mother dearest. Really can't give the old bitch the satisfaction.

I met you before I met Dave, though? [ is she calling judar hot... maybe if his hair wasn't stupid. ]

You didn't, no. It just kind of happened. That's how it works, you know. [ but she knows what it is that made her like judar, honestly. it's still relevant to her, even if she's leaving it behind. as far as yuno's concerned, it's a chapter of her life she's leaving behind. the person who drew it is far more important to her than the artwork. ]

What do you suggest, then? I'm open to it. Numbers are just... all I know. It's what they taught me. Saika and Ushio owned a bank, so I had numbers all around me, all the time. I could do it in my sleep, I think. [ she doesn't sound convinced, though, and yuno probably really should love herself more. who wants to be an accountant. man. ]

Have you thought about it, though? Paris is really nice. The fruit's supposed to be great all year around. There's television and radio, and nice views. You could hang out in a tree and nap all day and wake up to a pretty sunset while Dave and I are out at school. And when we get back, you could work on a webcomic or something with him. A blaugh. [ GOD. BLAUGH. ] If it's about unfinished business back home, do you think the extent of my abilities was helping Elizabeth? World hopping is the first thing I learned to do. It's easy! Now that I know where it is, I could totally go back with you and help you do what you need to do. We can even bring him back, if you want to? [ yuno is just. moving people in with adrien. look at all these strays adrien found. ] It's only a suggestion, but at least consider it.

(no subject)

douchemag - 2016-09-09 06:13 (UTC) - Expand

[...kids these days.]

Can't believe I missed the third wedding on this damn ship. Are congratulations in order? [He's not being serious, but he had to chime in anyway because Luke is a terrible adult-shaped teenager.] That's a pretty hefty list of people, too.

[ luke isn't something yuno was sure she'd seek out, but she's not surprised to see him, truthfully. it's a tired smile she offers him. ]

I'm still pretty mad at you. You said I'm biased about my husband.

[ there's something like a sense of betrayal that sticks to her when she looks to luke, but there's also the memory of burning down the fuel reserve room with him and adam. now she kind of wishes she hadn't have shoved his letter in her mouth and ate it; that'd be a lot easier to give him than talking to him. desperate anger means desperate actions, though. ]

Did you miss it? Clover was playing Superbass for us. The Nicki Minaj song. I'll take congratulations, though. Maybe Dave will, too, if he's willing to listen.

[He's also not really expecting her forgiveness. He knows he acted shitty and he also knows he won't back down from that. There were plenty of people who didn't forgive him at home. What's a few here? Still, she's not immediately freaking out and that allows him to relax his shoulders a little bit.]

I'm still not wrong, am I? [But he doesn't sound angry about it this time, just thoughtful. While she's giving a tired smile, she gets a strained one. He's had a lot of time to think.]

Afraid I did, Yuno. I've had a lot of things to take care of before I leave this place. If I don't see Dave myself you can pass them on for me. Does that mean you're really going back with him? Or are you two going somewhere else?

Are you teasing me, or do you really think that pushing Dave as the only clear during the trial was wrong? Keep in that none of us had any of the information you did. Your list was right, but it wasn't fair to someone who thought she was on equal ground with you. [ her arms are folded here, despite better judgement. wounded or not, she has displeasure to show. but it isn't said with anger or spite. actually, luke is one of the few people she thinks really does understand where she's coming from. if she's saying goodbye to him, she wants to do it on the right food.

still. teen angst. ]

I'll invite you when we sign the legal papers in France, then. [ they had a ceremony, but the legal aspect has to be handled, you know. judar's cthulhu priest powers are POWERFUL but not legal ] I'll go wherever he goes, but I want to take Elizabeth to France... maybe he'll honeymoon with me in Paris. I hear there's a black cat over there that's a little down in the dumps.

You're going with Adam, aren't you?

[He doesn't quite mirror her stance, but he does size her up like he's considering his words.]

If you're asking me if there's anything I'd change about that trial, the answer's yes. There's a lot I wish I had more time for, a lot I wish I could have changed but…desperate times. I wasn't thinking as clearly as I should have been. Call it a flaw, if you will.

[It's not quite an apology, but he does know they could have handled it better.] …you would do anything for people you love, wouldn't you? That was me, Yuno. I had someone on the Nuwa that I'd do anything for. Someone I've done anything for. It's part of the reason I'm dead in my own world. [May as well be up-front about that.] It doesn't excuse everything, but I hope maybe someday you can understand that. All we can do is move forward and not make the same mistakes. Hopefully.

[He grins a little.] Never been to France before. I think I could probably swing by…Paris is supposedly romantic right? [A beat.] All three of them deserve to be happy. Paris sounds like a good place to start. [It should also be obvious Yuno's included there even if he doesn't say so. When she brings up Adam though he nods slowly.]

I told him a long time ago that I would. I don't know what would happen to me if I did go home, if I'd go back to the way I was. A year's passed since I died. It wouldn't be the weirdest thing for me to show up again but…[A lot of people sure would be pissed, and he'd still have to go back to the Underworld probably.] I'm pretty done breaking promises for a while.

[ it's not really what she wants to hear, but yuno's got stability propping her up with this conversation. she knows that she doesn't have to brute force what she wants out of luke - he'll say what he wants, she thinks. neither of them are the kind of person to hold back, he's right. she inhales and holds her breath, listening to his voice and where he places emphasis. ]

...Make sure to keep a spot open for me at your dinner table. Maybe I can stop by sometime. [ and it's not quite an "apology accepted" but it's a confirmation she wouldn't mind seeing him again. ] Elizabeth found that world and I think that I'll be able to remember where it is. If Adam's cool with it, I'll come visit. [ ... and this time, her smile is lopsided. ] No promises on bringing Dave with me. You did threaten some of the people most important to him during that trial.

[ a beat, and then: ] Were you really going to kill everyone if you got it wrong? Maybe it was a joke, but... you guys shouldn't joke about that kind of thing. There's people like me who'll turn a world into nothingness for another person, you know?

That's not a threat, by the way. Just a fact. You know that. [ luke probably gets the whole god powers thing a little bit better than anyone else here, she thinks. elizabeth can control her's - yuno doesn't have any kind of finesse with her abilities. ]

WEEK 14 - I have been — and always shall be — your friend.

no subject

i promised

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

this cr was a mistake i am dying

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)