"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

[alcahest]

[ there's a lot going on in Avaritia and Invidia, and it makes it easy for any commotion to fade into the background — but in Limbo, someone causing a scene stands out. Mona is on her way home when she hears it, and she turns on her heel to find the source. at first she worries that a Revenant has escaped the Underside somehow, or even, in a different vein, that her friends are having an argument. maybe someone got back a bad memory, maybe Lion or Chiron are struggling with their ghosts again—

she's a little surprised to see an unfamiliar face. it makes sense that the disruption would be a newly awakened Eidolon, but she's not usually the one to find them. for a moment, she considers ringing one of the others for help, probably Lion who has far more experience with this, but... she should intervene first.

Mona hurries to step in between the confused Spectres and the equally confused young man. she raises her voice (though even then, it is still soft and level in tone) to address the Spectres first: ]

I'm sorry, he's a friend of mine! Please just give him some space. [ once they back off, begrudging, and begin to wander away, she turns to the man. she takes a quiet breath to calm her nerves. ] It's alright. I know you're confused, but I can explain.

[swordofajerk]

I'm not your friend--

[But it seems the woman's lie gets the gathered crowd to disperse, so really he's not sure he can argue too much. The man looks around, seemingly angry but really mostly confused.]

Where the hell am I? What's happening?

[alcahest]

[ his hostility doesn't bother Mona. her gaze is serene and clear. ]

You know that you're dead, don't you? [ he must have realised, to be awake, but she thinks it might help to hear it said out loud by someone else. it makes it feel more real than that vague, half-remembered awareness. ] This is... the afterlife. It's called Purgatory.

[mementomoritz]

Oh, you're dead! [Well, that's an alarmingly cheerful tone to hear that phrase in.]

This is the first layer of the afterlife, and you probably don't remember anything yet because it takes a while for your memories to come back. It's nice to meet you, though!

[Hey, just because she died doesn't mean she needs to be rude about it.]

[swordofajerk]

[It does help to hear it, but that doesn't make any less absurd sounding, even if he knows it's true.]

Okay, so I'm dead. What happened?

[How did he die or how did he realize he died, either or.]

[swordofajerk]

[The man just gives this oddly chipper woman the flattest of looks. He'll get back to the dead thing in a second.]

Who are you?

[mementomoritz]

I'm Medic! Do you know your... title, I guess would be the closest term? People usually remember some word or phrase that feels right to describe themselves, when they first wake up. Not a name, but the closest thing you have, when you start out.

[swordofajerk]

The only thing I remember is needing a sword.

[Which is a stupid name.]

[mementomoritz]

[She shrugs. Sometimes a dude just needs a sword, apparently. She isn't going to judge.] Well, if that's the only thing, it was probably important somehow.

[She considers the matter briefly.]

I think they have some at the mall, but honestly I'm not too sure about the quality. [Get this man a mall katana. Do it.]

[swordofajerk]

[. . .]

If you're not sure about the quality then why even bring it up in the first place?

[mementomoritz]

Well, some people might prefer a badly-made sword to no sword at all. I have no idea what your priorities are.

[She just met him and all she knows about his personality is "swords", there's not really much room for assumptions at this point.]

Besides, the only other way I'm aware of to get a sword would be to accept the duty of becoming an Executor, meet with Rei to have her bestow on you the power to guard the afterlife itself, and just hope the form you take in battle comes with a sword included. Which seemed like a lot to start off with right away?

[BUT OPENING WITH "GOOD MORNING, YOU DIED" WAS FINE???]

[swordofajerk]

[Yeah, the man is giving her a Look again.

But also.]

Fine. Where is she?

[mementomoritz]

I'll just call her... [She pulls out her cell phone, snaps a quick picture of him, and sends it to the group chat captioned miss rei i found another one.]

[There's also an image description that says new eidolon, tall, dark-haired, REALLY wants a sword, because she wants to make sure Phoenix feels included.]

She'll probably be here soon!

[schardynfreude]

[Don't mind a lurker, lurking, watching. Probably won't mind him at all unless he looks up! What with Chiron crouched atop a lamppost, watching the yelling and raving.]

I daresay, [he calls down, mildly entertained] that's a rather rude way to go about it.

[swordofajerk]

[He flinches against the flash of the camera, and he looks even more annoyed (a feat previously thought impossible).]

What was that?

[swordofajerk]

[He starts, looking around for the speaker and glaring up at the other man when he spots him.]

Who are you?

[mementomoritz]

Oh, this is a cell phone! You can use them to send words and images over long distances, see? [Holding up the screen so he can see it.]

They're pretty useful, we can get you one if you want.

[swordofajerk]

[He gives it a cursory glance and then scoffs.]

I'll pass. If it's important I'll just find whoever it is I need to talk to, assuming there's more than you, me, and this Rei woman around.

[mementomoritz]

Oh, there's over a dozen of us at least! Which isn't a lot, when you consider the totality of everyone who's ever died, but it's still a lot more than we started with.

[swordofajerk]

And you are all...Executors?

[mementomoritz]

Yep! Executors are supposed to help protect the dead as they pass through the layers of Purgatory until they reach the bottom, so they can get reincarnated. It's a pretty straightforward system- but not the most efficient, if you ask me.

Then again, it's been broken for a while, so I might not have the clearest view. After all, I've never seen Purgatory working like it was really meant to- it'd be irresponsible of me to just assume it's never been any better.

[schardynfreude]

It seems to me that the more pertinent question is: who are you?

[swordofajerk]

[A flat Look. Again.]

If you've never seen it working like it was "supposed to", why do you think it works at all?

[swordofajerk]

I asked first.

[mementomoritz]

Rei says it used to, and I am choosing to take her word for it. Partially because I respect her, but mostly because we don't have any other concrete data and I have to start theorizing somewhere if I want to get anything done.

[Well, can't say she's not practical about it.]