The League (small-ish group) (open, no need for a writing sample)

(Maybe Sherlock since Sanger and Mina planned to introduce them to him anyway? And also he’s more chill than Tom is)

Dorian rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm a man with very particular tastes. And so far, all you're doing is attempting to rip my tongue out." he growled. Sanger groaned, feeling more miserable by the second. "Could we at least find a place to store your luggage, then? If you won't let this go? You aren't even making any sense." Sanger said. Dorian thought for a moment. "If that's what you really want." he shrugged, walking off at a brisk pace that took Sanger a moment to register and then jog to catch up.

Sherlock went to the railing again. This was still the small boat; they had not yet transitioned over to the larger one. The Nautilus. Nemo's pride and joy. Sherlock didn't know much about it, and didn't expect to. Nemo seemed like the sort of person that was not going to relinquish their secrets easily.

(ok turns out the problem with this is that both Efraim and Sherlock are quite introverted lol. Anyway I'll get smth up soon)

(lmfao yeah sorry)

(No it’s okay! They can be introverted besties together)

Efraim paused in their writing to look around, and soon spotted the detective at the railing. A soft sigh slipped out of them. Yes, they didn’t want to bother anyone, but they remembered Mina and Sanger talking about how Sherlock was ill. After the whole ordeal at Dorian’s residence, they felt concern for the man’s well-being. So, they quickly wrote something in the notebook, occasionally erasing something that didn’t feel right. Slowly, a little nervously, they got up from their spot and came beside Sherlock at the railing, and tapped him on the shoulder.

Sherlock stiffened at the tap, turning to look and frowning when he only saw empty air. "Hello?" he asked slowly, eyes searching the empty space in front of him. He had not previously been introduced to Efraim, and while he had noticed the notebook earlier, had no idea what it was.

(just fyi they aren't on the Nautilus yet, this is a smaller ship)

(Oh dip I’ll revise that.)

(yeah, I just figured that the Nautilus is too big/conspicuous to be taken into harbor, so they're on like, a tug sort of ship)

Efraim held up the notebook. It read: Hello Mr. Holmes, my name is Efraim. I was just wondering if you were alright, after what happened.
Maybe they should have also explained to him why a floating notebook was moving on its own and addressing him as though it were sentient, but that would have taken longer to write.

Sherlock arched an eyebrow. "I am fine." he said slowly, studying the notebook. "Though I am questioning why M picked a…floating notebook?" it seemed that there were multiple strange folk on this mission. Mina and Dorian both seemed to have their…quirks, and now this.

(Efraim: time to explain to people that I’m an actual human being oh boy—)

(lmao yeah)

They let out a sigh, beginning to write something quickly. They would have to explain this anyway. My apologies for not explaining this, they wrote, but it is not the notebook that is speaking to you. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I am invisible to the human eye. I also find myself unable to speak, which is why I’m writing instead of talking. In any case, it is good to hear that you are doing fine.

Sherlock nodded slowly as he read the note, running his hands through his dark hair. "I see. Well. Having an invisible person aboard should be helpful in some situations." he was already thinking of various ways an invisible person could be quite helpful, depending on what they ran into on this mission.

I do hope to be of help, Efraim wrote. They were sincerely grateful that Sherlock was also taking their invisibility about as well as Sanger and Mina had.

Sherlock nodded again. "Yes." he thought for a moment, hands resting on the railing again. "Is Captain Nemo aware that you are here?" he asked, looking at the notebook again. He wasn't sure where to look, really, so the notebook had to do.

Efraim nodded, but then remembered he couldn’t see. He does, they wrote, and Miss Murray and Mister Rainsford know of me as well. I don’t think the Captain likes me very much, however.
It was strange, communicating with people like this. Amos was the only person they really talked to more than once, so doing it with anyone else made them feel very curious indeed.

Sherlock considered that. "No, I do not think he would. He seems a private sort of person, and your ability to go about unseen will disrupt that for him." he replied. He wondered what other strange abilities some of the members of hte group had.

I see, Efraim wrote. Well, I certainly wouldn’t invade his privacy.
And hey, they were used to people not liking them for one reason or another. Hopefully those feelings wouldn’t last, they were going to be together for a while, but they could understand the Captain being suspicious of them.

(Also I’m not posting because I don’t feel like I can do much until the crew gets back to Nemo’s ship not because I don’t care.)

"Of course not, but he will still be quite unhappy with your presence." he replied, studying the notebook again. It still seemed odd to him that this person, Efraim, was invisible. "Is there no way that you can be…not invisible?" he questioned, gaze flickering about before returning to Efraim again.

Efraim exhaled. If there is, M. has it, they wrote. It is– they hesitated for a moment before finishing, why I'm here.
It was so strange. Sherlock was actually listening to them. Maybe sharing such information was a little too much, but they had warmed up to the man.

Sherlock considered that for a long moment. "It would seem that M has promised us all something." he remarked, cocking his head faintly. "I wonder what he has promised this Dorian fellow." his final remark was more to himself than to Efraim; he just wondered what had been promised to everyone.

As he spoke, Efraim began drawing absentmindedly. Little scribbles on the paper slowly became a person— Sherlock, whose visage Efraim was pretty sure wouldn’t make the paper catch fire, unlike Dorian’s. He had this faraway look on his face that they thought was very characteristic of him, so they wanted to try drawing it.

Or Mina, for that matter. Or Nemo. What had M promised them all, and, more importantly, could he actually fulfill those promises? Sherlock was here because M had promised information and revenge for John and Mary's deaths. If M could not fulfill that promise…well. Sherlock shook his head faintly, drawing his attention back to Efraim. "My apologies, my mind was wandering." he said.

That happens to me too, Efraim wrote. No harm done.
They held up the notebook so Sherlock could see the drawing, then moved to write, What do you think of this Mr. Jekyll fellow?

Sherlock blinked, studying the drawing for a long moment, then nodded a little. "Well, I'm not really sure yet." he replied. "We haven't met yet, and so I think I shall withhold any judgement on my part until I do meet him." he ran a hand through his hair, eyebrows pulling together faintly.

(I’m wondering if y’all need to stretch out the scene a bit more or if we should just get onto the Nautilus so we can continue on?)