"Skill and survival are the only things that matter" [open]

[swordofajerk]

[There's a moment of disorientation, of feeling like he's slipping into (or out of) something, and then suddenly there is a Spectre in the middle of Limbo yelling and shoving the other Spectres nearby out of his way and reaching for something that should be on his hip but isn't and all he can thing of is he needs something.

Sword? Maybe? That feels right, he needs a sword. Where can he get one, why doesn't he have one, why does he want one, why the hell is he suddenly aware of the fact that he is dead?]

Dammit. What the hell is going on--

Comments

[swordofajerk]

I don't think taking the word of someone who apparently tried to kill you is a good idea.

[You, ma'am, are Batshit.]

So you're taking the word of one person no one can vouch for, and the word of a woman who tried to kill you. [A beat.] A...gain?

[mementomoritz]

The terminology does get really confusing, doesn't it... I've been working on some potential alternate terms! How do you feel about diapausation? I like the implications, but I feel like it might be a little clunky to say.

[swordofajerk]

I don't know what that word means.

YEET

[phantasmagorial]

[ Thankfully, Rei's been hanging around Limbo a little more than she usually would when they have a new Layer to explore, mostly because Avaritia kind of gives her a migraine if she stays there too long. So it doesn't take her too long for her to come and find Medic and their new ally, but the first words out of her mouth when she arrives, out of breath from having run the entire goddamn way– ]

I–I'm sorry I'm late! Or um– that I took so... n–never mind!

[ They haven't even exchanged a word and she's already gotten herself flustered. ]

[swordofajerk]

[And now he is sizing this girl up.]

Are you Rei?

[phantasmagorial]

[ Visibly intimidated, she pulls herself up to her full height. Which........... is not particularly tall, but she's doing her best. ]

Y–yes...! Has Medic already explained everything to you, then?

[swordofajerk]

She said you can get me a sword. That's the only thing I remember--needing a sword.

[So. No. No she hasn't, but in her defense the guy didn't really care to ask for details.]

[phantasmagorial]

[ There's a pause as Rei looks from Medic, to this new Specter, to Medic again and then back to Scary Sword Boy, as if hoping an explanation will be forthcoming. ]

Um... I–I don't know if I can promise it'd be a sword, but...

[swordofajerk]

I'm not sure what else it could be.

[Nope. No explanation.]

Whatever it is, I'm in. For now.

[phantasmagorial]

A–are you absolutely sure?!

[ SHE SOUNDS A LITTLE STUNNED ]

Do you know about the fighting and the Authorities and the Cogs and– a–are you really sure you want to agree so easily?

[ She feels bad enough asking for their help at all, and the last thing she wants to do is spring Executor status on someone who doesn't know the full story. ]

[swordofajerk]

She mentioned something about "fixing" Purgatory. Is that what you mean by cogs and authorities?

[phantasmagorial]

Yes. We're fighting our way down to the bottom of Purgatory so we can try and repair the Cogs of Renewal. If they've broken down, no one will be able to move onto their next life and... well, things need to be fixed. But it's not easy, and you could get hurt.

[swordofajerk]

"Could get hurt" comes part and parcel with fighting, you know.

[phantasmagorial]

W–well, yes, but...

[ She stares at him for a moment. ]

You really don't care?

[swordofajerk]

[And he just stares back.]

No. Should I?

[phantasmagorial]

I... I guess not...

[ Come to think of it – had any of the other Executors cared? She's sure to ask them every single time, but every single one of them has agreed as if it weren't even a question in the first place.

She's not sure how she feels about that. ]

Then I'll... establish the contract?

[ But she'll give him one last out. Just in case. ]

[swordofajerk]

[And the man just stands there.

Waiting.]

Well? Get on with it.

[phantasmagorial]

[ This is ABOUT as wild a contract she's ever made, so forgive her if she's a little out of sorts. ]

Th–then I'll establish the contract...!

And... so she does! It's a little hurried because she's a bit thrown off, but it's the same as usual. Rei pulls down her sleeve to reveal the Executor mark on the inside of her wrist. Once it's exposed to the light, it begins to glow with a pale gold that washes out everything in their vision, if just for a moment before the world reasserts itself.

Contract established.

With that, you're free to claim both your freebie starter power and you also have a free Memoria Regain, and a free Ideato use as you'd like! ]