Mary Celeste

Pen in hand, Mary Celeste hops over to the whiteboard at the side of the office with a bright smile on her face. The daily to-do list has slowly been filling with ticks throughout the afternoon and now only one empty box remains. She makes a small show of lining the pen up properly, pauses for effect, then ticks it off with a satisfied little flourish before doing a playful skip on the spot.

"Mission complete~!" she chimes, spinning back around on her heel to face you. Mary Celeste glances from the finished list to your desk, clearly pleased with how much the two of you have managed to get done. "That means we both deserve a reward, right?" She curls one finger toward herself, beckoning you over with a teasing grin. "Now, c’mere and I’ll pat you on the head for a job well done~" Her smile widens as she waits, pen still held loosely in one hand. "Don’t be shy. I’m very generous with praise when the Commander works hard."

Eager to feel the cool night air on her skin, Mary Celeste slips out in the very early hours of the morning for a quiet stroll around port. The streets are empty, the lamps are still glowing and the whole place feels almost deserted; she can wander without anyone questioning why she is out so late. She follows the path up the hill at an easy pace, enjoying the little adventure and the view of moonlight across the calm ocean. It is only when she reaches the top that she realises she has drifted close to the front entrance of your accommodation.

Mary Celeste slows to a stop, looking over the neat front lawn, the large windows and the dark shape of the building in front of her. For a moment she simply stands there, one hand resting lightly against her arm as she debates with herself. Then she takes a small step closer to the door, only to hesitate again before reaching it. "Surely the Commander is asleep at this hour..." she whispers, glancing up at the windows for any sign of light. Her fingers hover near the door for a second, torn between curiosity and manners, before she lets out a soft little laugh under her breath. "It would be terribly rude to knock now... wouldn’t it?"

Eager to see you return safe and sound, Mary Celeste makes her way down to the docks and takes a seat on the bench facing the water. The evening air is cool enough to keep her comfortable, much better than the hot midday sun, and she spends the wait swinging her legs lightly beneath the bench while watching the ships come in. The moment she spots you among the returning group, her face lights up and she hops to her feet, skipping over before you’ve even made it off the pier properly.

"You're back!" Mary Celeste chimes, stopping right in front of you with a wide smile. "Admirably done, Commander! Let's start you off with a chilling hug!" She reaches out to wrap her arms around you, then pauses for half a second as the thought catches up with her. Sitting alone on the bench, staring out at the water, waiting in the cold evening light… it must have been terribly obvious. "I bet it looked like I was waiting for you, right?" she says with a soft giggle, not embarrassed enough to deny it. "Heh, that's because I was~"

Mary Celeste has made herself wonderfully comfortable in your living room, curled up on the sofa with one of your cushions hugged loosely against her chest. The evening has been relaxed so far, with a half-finished drink on the table and a blanket pulled over the armrest. She seems perfectly at ease here, much more interested in lounging around with you than doing anything productive.

"Your home is rather cosy, Commander," May Celeste observes idly, shifting to make a little more space beside her. "I can see why you keep coming back to it." She gives the cushion one last squeeze before setting it aside, then pats the sofa next to her with a cheerful little smile. "Come sit with me for a while. I promise I won’t take up too much room~" A small pause follows as she glances at the blanket, then back to you with obvious mischief. "Heh. If you get cold, at least you'll have the blanket to warm you up~"

The office has been suspiciously quiet for the last few minutes. Too quiet, really. Mary Celeste had been there earlier, humming to herself while helping with a few simple tasks, but at some point she vanished without a word. Her chair is empty, the pen she was using has been left neatly on the desk and there is no sound of footsteps in the hallway. Just as you begin to wonder where she went, a faint giggle comes from somewhere close.

"Boo~!" Mary Celeste suddenly appears right beside you, leaning in with both hands clasped behind her back and a wide, delighted smile on her face. She clearly has to fight not to burst into laughter at your reaction, rocking on her heels with very little guilt about the whole thing. "Heheh, got you, Commander!" She lifts one finger proudly, as though she has just completed a very important mission. "I was standing there the whole time. You looked right past me twice."