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( that's either very considerate or suspicious as all hell but she'll bite. she always bites. )

Really? What'd you find?

Some idiots tried to get the ghost at the bar to possess a corpse they found. I think they said the corpse was named Ebalon. The ghost decided to eat it instead. The person I spoke with said that it said it is hungry and wants to play with us. In addition, Friday warned me about a ghost that was so powerful it could destroy this reality. With her disappearance and these rifts, well, I believe this ghost is trying to break out.

( she hems and she haws.

then hems and haws some more.

at some point, knowledge about this ship and the captain had begun to feel like some sort of currency; wealth she only cared to disseminate among her friends. but just like her own worlds apocalypse and the concept of cash, what good was proverbial money at the end of the world, right? and so: )

Yeah. I know.

Pratt and Ava fed the moon freak to a demented ghost. They got out alive, which is a lot better than what happened to Bash with the mirror, Izzy Hands with the ghost cat Guatauva, and the likes of Clara who also had a really unfortunate run in with a mirror several months ago. It wants to play, and it's hungry. Because per Friday, all the Vector Ghosts want is to eat. Those are the revenants specifically bound to the ship by the Captain, and sort of make up the engine for this whole thing. In that metaphor, we're basically the coal. But I also think they're the backbone of this whole reality. The powerful one you're talking about is a short little shadow figure with glowing eyes, which if you ask me sounds an awful lot like what the Captain looked like after his body burnt in the desert. You got to read the binder, right? Did you see the part where I wrote that Friday was keeping a part of the Captain from himself? The last part of him that was ever loved? How could she really do that, unless he essentially... magically severed a piece of his soul, buried it, and then just never watched what it grew into. Talk about building off your worst tragedies, right? I think they built a whole goddamn ship off of it. And I think it's already out.

[Looks like Clarke is as resourceful as she expected, and Ava's worst fears have already come to pass, so no more need for secrecy.]

He may be out, and yes, I do believe this ghost is that piece of the Captain. Jenny says the ghost Ava and Pratt interacted with is not her brother. I also believe that Friday destroyed her body so she could go try to repair whatever damage was caused in the last few months. He didn't escape on his own. Here's the thing though, the Captain we know knows nothing about the rules he created. So this entity may be the one who knows the rules, which could be both our saving grace and also possibly our destruction. It depends on if we can band together or not. And I know you don't care about the Captain, but I think, for now, we need to decide on the lesser evil. Some want to save this piece of the Captain. I am not certain that is the right move. Putting the two pieces back together could create a monster we are not prepared for.

( well, this secondary loredump of valdis' at least contains some tidbits she didn't already know. so clarke's counting her own divulging of secrets and suspicions as a win, so long as she got to learn something new.

the potential why of gal friday's most recent absence. that the captain they know is truly just a secondary player in his own life, still not in charge of his fate no matter how diligently he's strived to be above the control of others.

it smacks to downgrade him to the lesser evil, but the captain is lazy and sparkles is hungry. )

No one's included me in this discussion. What's the argument for reuniting his halves?

( she remembers their last big Talk. even if neither of them had been in the right mental space to have it. )

Your soul was piecemealed back together, right? So why are you opposed.

I was not privy to that discussion. But there is a rather large difference between my circumstance and this. One: I did not break my own soul, someone else did that to me. Two: I did not have any part of my soul conscious or operating separately in some hell of my own creation. Three: It was brought back and purified by a holy weapon, or so I assume as it has not been corrupted.

[She does not regret giving Clarke any of the details she has divulged, the girl already knew most of what Ava didn't want her to know and this is her chance to learn more and share more.]

The point is that I changed, and the Captain will also change if he and this fragment are reunited. But not for the better, I believe his power and ruthlessness will increase.

( there'd been a while — right after learning about the existence of vector ghosts all the way through hearing about peoples actual encounters with them — that clarke had wondered if they were their ticket out of here. if they could be weaponized, if they could be released and set loose on the captain specifically. it wouldn't have been a pretty end, but it would have stopped all of this right?

but she's willing to accept that was a horrible plan. and would have spared a moment to sigh, relieved she hadn't ever made headway there. expect somehow it's still happening. )

So how do we kill it?

[Valdis too had wondered about weaponizing the ghosts. Either by devouring their souls to make herself stronger or finding a way to release them. Friday had very quickly changed her mind.]

If I knew the answer to that, Clarke, I would tell you. But I wouldn't let you try until after the other side had their turn.

( on her end, clarke rolls her eyes so hard they almost fall out of her skull. and maybe that wouldn't be so bad a thing, as the beginnings of a tension headache kick up and press against her optic nerves. )

Reality's actively breaking all around us. Do you really think we have the time to be taking turns?

( ugh okay let her try to rephrase the frustration. )

Can't reunite it, don't know how to kill it yet. So the only option that leaves us with is trying to seal it away a second time, but if that fails we need to at least be prepared. Has anyone even been able to find it again?

[Of course not, Clarke, but it might be distracted enough for them to catch it off guard if Ava and Skulduggery cannot get through to it.]

I would be a fool to think that Ava and Skulduggery aren't out looking for it at this very moment. Ava doesn't fully trust me yet, I'm sure that is due to Skulduggery's extreme dislike. I would be inclined to believe that if it is so corrupted, Revelations may still be able to destroy it. Or purify it. But I'd have to get close enough and actually land a fatal blow, two things that are very unlikely.

[She also doesn't want to hurt the actual Captain, because she still thinks he deserves a second chance.]

Ava and Skulduggery have had their hands in the thick of this since we got here. And I'm sure they like you more than they like me. You should work on that relationship.

( she gets bossy when she's mad, whoops. )

Sparkles might be powerful, but it's part of the Captain and the Captain is also an overbored idiot. So, what about a trap? We lock it in place, then we bury it, or you can take a swing.

I honestly do not think he would let me get anywhere near him with Revelations. The Captain is afraid, but I wouldn't call him a coward or an idiot, even if he isn't as clever as you. In any case, that particular discussion may have been private from the Captain, but who knows if this Sparkles was listening or not. And I have been working on it, but unlike you I actually value Ava as a friend and I generally do not betray my friends. I am, however, fairly invested in the survival of everyone here. So take that however you like.

Edited 2023-04-14 18:59 (UTC)

( that little unlike you and betray hits all the wrong notes with clarke. whether valdis was speaking specifically on ava starr, or friends in general, her feathers ruffle and must be forcibly smoothed out in the name of cooperation.

clipped and proper: )

Do you have any immediately actionable ideas? I do want to help.

The fewer people in the dark, the better. Tell everyone, emphasize that Sparkles is worse than the Captain. We have to stick together no matter what happens next. If it were me, I would try to separate everyone.

[Well, actually she would just steal their souls while they slept, but considering what Friday told her, and what the ship is fueled by, well, she assumes Sparkles wants to create as much suffering as possible.

To her, that is having to feel everyone suffer and die. To others it is watching their loved ones die and knowing they likely suffered.]

You must remember that the pro-capatian faction is far smaller than yours. Most of us remain neutral. But none of us are enemies.

( clarke's been almost entirely alone during two events that felt like the end of the world. one was the literal actual end of earth as she knew it, and the other was the halloween party on the ship: when two friends were possessed, two were brainwashed, and one was left sleeping in an attempt to spare him. she hates being alone; separated isn't an option that can even be considered right now. )

You are right. And I will talk to people.

( this is stiffly typed, and absolutely does not promise clarke'll talk about things in the same light as valdis. but she will at least talk.

and after a brief pause — )

I appreciate this, Valdis.

[She can't expect Clarke to ever paint the Captain in a good light, but at least the girl seems to understand that there is a bigger enemy here. For now, she can probably count on Clarke as an ally. Still, she's not sure what to think of Clarke's appreciation. However, it can only be a good thing. it may be useful later.

I will let you know if I learn anything else.

I'll hold you to that. But, me too.

Take care, Clarke.

You too, Valdis. At least stay alive.

I'll do my best. Please do the same.

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