OPEN

[scorchednpcs]

Who: Anyone who cares to answer the Island's call!
When: Sunday afternoon - night.
Where: Aboard the Victoria!
Format: Action to start, but you can use anything.
What: A trip across the sea into who knows where.
Warnings: None to start - let us know if anything comes up.

Comments

[pratservant]

[Merlin would swear that there's a troll on board somewhere. But that smell belongs to the zombies. He leans back against the railing, trying not to stare at the men - or what's left of them - that make up the crew of this ship.]

[He doesn't really look like he belongs here. But there are people in trouble. Maybe suffering at the hands of those...things that he hates so much.]

[Oh, and there was that other thing: It spits fire.]

[wotchesyou]

[ Tonks feels miserable. She tells herself that it's the Mist but Bellatrix is on board. She feels things. Tonks is staying above deck to keep an eye on her.

They brought a monster the size of a city block... It spits fire.

She knows what it sounds like to her, a dragon. ]

Wotcher Merlin.

[pratservant]

Tonks.

[The smile that he offers her fades once he gets a better look.]

What's wrong? Are you sick?

[He's heard of that - the sickness that people feel when they've had the ground stolen out from beneath them.]

[wotchesyou]

[ She's not seasick. She looks down the deck, her eyes land on Bellatrix. ]

It's Bellatrix.

[pratservant]

[Merlin follows her eyes, turning his head in Bellatrix's direction. Almost instantly, Merlin frowns and his tone goes sour.]

Why is she here?

[wotchesyou]

I don't know.

[ Tonks looks pained. ]

She's just... I don't know.

[pratservant]

I can't believe that she wants to help. I just...

[Merlin trails off and looks down. He should have more faith, search for the good in people like he does so often. But not in this instance.]

[wotchesyou]

[ Tonks shakes her head. ]

I'm not going to let her out of my sight.

[pratservant]

Yeah, I think that's a good idea.

[Merlin looks away from Bellatrix, focusing his attention on Tonks.]

What can I do to help?

[wotchesyou]

[ Tonks looks away. She doesn't look at Merlin or Bellatrix. ]

I'm not sure.

[pratservant]

You know I will. If you think of anything...

[He trails off, looks across the water.]

I miss Anatole already.

[wotchesyou]

Thanks Merlin.

[ Tonks follows his gaze across the water. ]

It's a bit weird, isn't it? As strange as Anatole is, it's familiar. I think I've gotten used to it.

[pratservant]

I think about that all the time.

[He smiles at her, because she understands. Other people probably do too.]

It's not home, and yet sometimes... [His voice lowers, like he's about to share a secret.] I wish it could be.

[wotchesyou]

[ Tonks isn't sure she wants Anatole to be home forever. She knows what happened to Remus, what will eventually happen to her but Tonks doesn't know if she could make that decision. ]

Why?

[pratservant]

Mm.

[Merlin leans over the railing as he thinks about it.]

Having a destiny isn't a bad thing. I feel like I have a purpose, know that I was born with magic for a reason. But it's nice to feel like I can make some of my own decisions too. Not long after we first arrived here, Arthur asked me what I wanted.

[He shakes his head.]

It was the scariest question anyone had ever asked me. Because I didn't know, hadn't thought about it.

[wotchesyou]

[ Tonks watches him but is silent when Merlin talks about his destiny. She is more than familiar with the legend of Merlin in her own world. She's been in possession of more than a few chocolate-frog trading cards. It is not worth mentioning to Merlin though. His world and progression are already different enough. ]

Oh, he asked you what you wanted? Well, that's progress right there Merlin.

[ She playfully nudges him in the shoulder. ]

You should always feel like you have a choice.