Good. That's good. [some relief, there; at least that's one mind-altering magic done away with.]
There's... Hm. I think I've seen hints of something more behind the facade, but you're the expert. Do you think there's something there that can be... helped? Or is he too far gone to save? [shoving his hands into his pockets before he starts wringing them] I'm still not entirely convinced I'm not getting conned as it is. It would make sense. He's already owned up to it, after all...
[the fact that he's trusting Friday with all of this -- regardless of whether or not it gets back to the Captain -- goes unmentioned.]
I don't really know! I'm not even sure what "help" would mean... [pause] So, I'm definitely not the expert on that! You already have a better idea of it after months than I had in centuries...
[that... is alarming to learn, although it shouldn't be such a surprise. shouldn't she -- but of course not. she's the Captain's construct, so how would she know more than him? but it does vindicate his methodology, and he does enjoy being a trailblazer...
he definitely did stop pacing there while he processed all that]
I don't even know what I mean when I say it. That's probably the problem. [word-vomiting that particularly sensitive information to the Captain's construct is still out, but there is one thing they can focus on:]
Right now, I suppose helping him means going to an island to steal something for him. How much do you know about that?
( her eyes close at the comment as she knows a king doesn't have ro folkow the rules of their world, but they garner so much more respect when they do. she couldn't imagine losing castor in this way or have him be antagonized, and if she had to seem like easier prey so that eyes remove off of him onto her.
then she would.
rather than focus on the loss, she instead takes in the excitement that comes from friday in waves. if games are her thing, then she'll have to come back around and visit more often, but for now. )
( stop... castor isn't easy to antagonize... leave him alone, look how hard he's about to try here. )
Is Deck One hot or cold?
( it's unlikely that his first shot will hit the target, but he has heard a rather interesting theory about that jewelry shop of theirs. if not, well, it will narrow down their potential guesses by a little bit. )
[Jade has visited the bridge exactly once, in the time he's spent aboard the Serena Eterna before now. It was part of a thorough canvass of the entire ship, in that first week or so of utter disorientation; the hall leading up to the bridge was examined, and the handle on the door was idly tested, but nothing was found and nothing was yielded, and he was hardly inclined towards making much racket at that time.
...Not once has he attempted to directly visit it since. If anything, truth be entirely told, any desire to do so has only diminished over the passage of time, with the more he learns about the shape of the entity on the other side.
But that's changing today! ...Oh, not the reluctance, necessarily--but the counter of visits is now finally ticking up to "two", for a variety of reasons, as Jade draws to a halt before the door and spends a moment or so peering speculatively at it. No move is being made to try the handle or attempt so much as a knock, this time; instead he stands with his right hand tucked idly in a pocket, and the left holding...an item of some pretty high recommendation.
It's six pens taped together lengthwise, though. To take up a concept and further improve its potential, you know!]
...I wonder how many times you have people knocking upon this door, in a given day. Is the frequency fairly uniform, or something that comes in bursts?
"A lot of us do. He's special," Ava smiles weakly.
"And the rest of us are... disposable," she glances down. So many that have faded away for being too weak, most of them already forgotten. Her first roommate and Conan and Lucy who she never got to attempt apologizing to... "Could I... ask you for something else?"
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