Superbia Intro Log

[cancrymods]

SUPERBIA

With the dragon of greed thoroughly slain, the Executors are at last free to escape the sensory hell of the Avaritia Underside and descend to the next Layer. There's still sound and chatter, of course, but compared to where you've been spending all your time until now. Welcome to Superbia. And make yourself comfortable... because now that you've arrived, the stairs that guided you down here have disappeared and you won't be leaving any time soon. Feel free to use this arrival log to chronicle your initial misadventures in the Pride Layer of Purgatory. As noted in the location page, several locations will require further investigation if you'd like to get some information on them, so get investigating! Drop a comment down to the Investigation Request subheader if you'd like to explore. Get out there and have fun!

Comments

[ourtomorrow]

[ Around the School ]

Excuse me.

[ Here's Monarch, brusque as ever, pushing past his fellow Executor into whatever room they happen to be occupying. His face is intent and his gaze trained forward, as if he absolutely Must Not look behind himself, No Matter What.

He proceeds to attempt to hide himself anywhere in the room it looks like a tall young boy can fit. The reason quickly becomes apparent: in hot pursuit, there's a crowd of...uh...

"Monarch-kuuuuuun~!"

Uh it's. It's girls. It's a crowd of girls.

"Monarch-kun, come back!"
"Is he shy?"
"That's adorable!"
"I want a little brother like Monarch-kun!"

Monarch's cheeks are bright red and he tries not to look at the Executor, either. What is this? What IS this? He's never hung out with other kids in his afterlife! He had no idea!

It can't be possible that he is

a cute boy! ]

[ Dorms - closed to Amber ]

[ He's sharing a dorm.

He's sharing a dorm. Monarch does not remember if he has ever done this before. Did he share a room with his brother? He's not certain. He feels like he might have, if his resentment of his brother "getting everything" had been so strong. (Did his brother not play soccer? Is that why remembering it is so exciting?) He hopes he is not an annoying roommate. He hopes there isn't anything ugly inside him waiting to resent this person, as well.

But the other Executors have told Monarch that it's how he chooses to act, not how he can't help feeling, that determines who he is moving forward. He's not a Specter, he's awoken, so he can choose his own future. But his roommate will be a Specter, won't he...? Monarch will have to be careful not to behave strangely. Whatever. That means. Perhaps he should just try not to interact with his roommate. Is that cowardly or prudent?

Anyway, the long and short of it is, Amber - whether you're also just approaching the room, or whether you're opening the door with the intent to leave, Monarch is dithering in the hall. He starts upon realizing he's being observed. ]

Um!

[ THIS BODES WELL. ]

Dorms

[alchemistake]

[As it turns out, Amber had just been returning to the dorms after a long day of School Activity(tm). By this point, he's been given the whole rundown and has become an Executor officially, but....holy shit, it's been a day. He's tired, still buzzing from information overload, and dealing with an aching black eye. The day could have gone better, but it also could have gone a lot worse.

So when he comes up on his room with somebody awkwardly standing there, he comes to a stop himself and raises his brows, sort of just...waiting to be noticed.]

Heeey...this is my-

[...wait. What had that teacher told him before?]

Oh, wait. You're probably who I'm supposed to be sharing this room with, right?

[ourtomorrow]

[ His...Ah.

Monarch and Amber figure it out about the same time. He supposes now he just needs to motor through and do his best. The other boy looks a little older...

He nods. ] Yes. I'm Monarch. Nice meeting you.

[ And he...steps out of the way, despite it being his place too. ] Excuse me.

[ What are you doing? he asks himself. Which is rather telling, as he has to admit the answer is....that he doesn't know. ]

[alchemistake]

[The way Monarch steps out of his way causes Amber to slowly raise one brow, tilting his head as he peers into the room, then back at Monarch.]

I'm Amber. [He pauses, bracing himself just in case he's going to laugh like all the homeroom kids did.] And uh...you know, you've got as much right to this room as I do. I mean, I can't blame you if you'd prefer to just be solo, but...

[He shrugs one shoulder.]

I'm not sure if they'd allow anything else.

[ourtomorrow]

No, I didn't mean -

[ He messed this up. Far from laughing, Monarch looks worried. Nervous, and obviously trying not to show it.

In other words, he is really bad at the "not showing it" part. ] Let's go in.

[alchemistake]

[...huh. That wasn't the kind of reaction he was expecting. So far, most of the students here have been relatively outgoing, not exactly shy wallflower types. Either they're that, or they're bullies. Amber can't help but wonder...]

Right.

[He'll let Monarch step in first (because he looks like he wants to melt into the floor) before he follows shortly after, pulling the door shut behind him.]

So uh...I guess we must not share all of the same classes. I figured I would've run into you before now.

[ourtomorrow]

I'm new.

[ Monarch's possessions are few: a small bag (of supplies he'd brought intending to do a cursory examination of the Layer) and a soccer ball (...impractical, but it makes him feel brave, so he'd brought it, too.) He looks around for a good place to put his things.

Okay. Infiltrating. His roommate is still trying to make conversation, which means he's trying to welcome Monarch. Which means it's OK for Monarch to be here, which means he can try to relax. This is part of the mission, too. He just has to focus. And ask the right questions. ]

Is this a good school?

[alchemistake]

[Funnily enough, Monarch seems more prepared for school than Amber is, who...doesn't have any supplies visibly with him. Maybe his bag is still somewhere in the dorm? Either way, it's not something that seems to be too pressing for him right now either way as he makes his way over to "his" side of the room. Or, what he supposes will be...it's near the bed he woke up in, so that's what he's choosing to go with.]

Good? Well, uh...

[Amber, not known as someone who minces words, wobbles one hand a little.]

It's alright...I guess. I mean, when you're getting along with everybody? Sure.

[That black eye he has is probably hard to miss.]

But all of the classes are pretty easy, so. It can beeee a little bit of a chore.

[ourtomorrow]

[ Monarch hadn't wanted to inquire. Everyone has things they'd rather not talk about! But that information, in conjunction with the black eye....

Does that mean what he thinks it means? Is this the kind of school where.....where people are...

Well, it's Purgatory. Monarch schools himself (no pun intended by him, anyway) for expecting - what had he even expected? He isn't sure. But he has a mental concept of School with no room for physical violence. It's a place to study.

More importantly, Amber. He might have hit a sore spot. But more than that...

His gaze sharpens in concern. He looks, if such a thing is possible in Purgatory, alive. ]

Are you all right?

[alchemistake]

[The concern is...a bit surprising, he'll admit, but not unwelcome. Usually he'd deflect, but he's pretty sure if he doesn't say what happened, Monarch would figure it out on his own eventually. It's probably gotten around the whole school, by now.]

I'm fine, yeah. Just got into it with some other kid who thought they'd be able to push me around.

"it's funny because he sucks at talking", she thinks, then feels bad about no tag hooks...

[ourtomorrow]

I see.

[ Push him around....Would Monarch do the same, in that situation? No. He doesn't think he would. But it would eat at him, from within. He feels ashamed.

Does that mean he's...beginning to value himself, a little? That he doesn't want people to get the better of him? It could also just imply he's sensitive about being vulnerable, but he hopes it's the former. He has to take care of his heart. He promised Rei-san. ]

SOMETIMES THATS HOW IT BE

[alchemistake]

[Amber eyes Monarch for a moment as a bit of a silence lapses between them. Now normally, Specters are going to likely act a lot less...perceptive. Like they're still about as functional as people as you'd expect, but they probably wouldn't be watching Monarch the way Amber is watching him now, very pointedly as if trying to gauge what his deal is.

He moves to take a seat on the edge of the bed he woke up on, claiming it more-or-less as his own.]

It's no big deal though, it's been dealt with. Turns out the Guidance Counselor here is...actually pretty good.

[ourtomorrow]

Are they...?

[ That was - was that one of his fellow Executors? Monarch feels like he's heard something along those lines. Mona-san is in the infirmary, and Medic-san is....well, not supposed to be in the infirmary, but frequently there anyway....

....and Amber is still watching him, even as he thinks. Did Monarch do something suspicious already? He thought he'd been far more conspicuous in Avaritia and the Specters there had...

....

.......it can't be. Can it?

He rests his things on the other bed. ]

Sorry. May I ask a question?

[mementomoritz]

[It's theoretically possible that he is cute, but I wouldn't ask Medic for advice on that one. As any gossip magazine in Invidia can now tell you, she's definitely not inclined that way.]

[Fortunately, she is a ride or die bro, and when Monarch comes powerwalking into the library just ahead of his fanclub, she smiles cheerfully at them with no trace of nervousness whatsoever.]

Hi, did you need something? [Spoken like a woman who definitely didn't just see her teammate duck frantically behind a bookcase, nope.]

[ourtomorrow]

[ "Ah! We, uh..."

"Where's Monarch-ku---"

The girl with no tact or canniness is talked over by one of her compatriots. "I've been feeling, like, so dizzy and weak in the knees all day!"

Another girl has a better idea. "And I'm here to check up on a sick classmate! His name is Monarch - did he come in here?"

The bookcase is emitting an aura of tension. ]

[mementomoritz]

Oh, don't worry- if anyone were sick, I'd fix it right away! [She's smiling very happily. It's kind of creepy.]

Now, did you say you were feeling dizzy? Weakness in the joints? Any other symptoms? [She's put her book down and is approaching the unfortunate girl with Scientific Intent. It's currently limited to quickly putting the back of her hand to the girl's forehead to check her temperature, but there's the definite sense that she's one signed waiver away from making her a case study in Spectral illness.] Hmm, you don't seem feverish... From one to ten, how would you rate your level of vertigo?

[ourtomorrow]

[ "Uh........" The girl swallows. Her heart rate (such as it may be in Purgatory) is definitely increasing, and she shows a number of symptoms of anxiety the closer the nurse gets!

Her friends shift in place too. "Sooooo....uh, was Monarch-kun here or not?"

"No!" the 'sick' girl squeaks. "It's fine! Everything's fine! I feel a lot better all of a sudden!! Let's just! Let's go!!"

......Monarch is not sure what to think about Medic's bedside manner. She's doing that for - for him? How nice of her. To risk alienating her patients for his sake. ]

[mementomoritz]

[Medic waves cheerily as they flee, calling after them:] Remember to visit the nurse's office if you feel sick at all! I'm in there a lot!

[She's not, like. Actually supposed to be. She just keeps showing up and Mona is too nice to throw her out.]

[A passing librarian gives her a pointed look, so she sits back down and lowers her voice. This is a library, after all.]

[Addressing the bookshelf:] So, why were you hiding from them? Is it a game? [Listen, hide and seek can get intense, she's not judging.]

[ourtomorrow]

[ Monarch confirms the coast is clear, then steps out, hanging his head so he can hide behind his hair. ] I wasn't...

[ ....hiding.....

Except yes he was. He debates what to say. Decides that if he doesn't fully understand the truth himself, perhaps Medic-san will... ]

They startled me.

[mementomoritz]

They were pretty loud. [Listen, sometimes you just can't People today, it's fine. She can understand that.] What were they so worked up about, anyway? You'd think they could have just left a note in your locker if they needed to talk to you so badly...

[Wait, do they even have lockers here? ...And should they be taking bets on how long we have before Wolfsbane shoves someone into one?]

[ourtomorrow]

I don't know.

[ Except he does, and his cheeks are bright red. He knows what it sounded like they were after, but that's impossible, right? Not with...him. It doesn't make sense.

It's too much. They were pushing into his space too fast. He doesn't want to think about it, even though that makes him feel like he's still running from something. ]

A-anyway, they wouldn't know who the Authority is. We have to focus on that.

[mementomoritz]

This layer is called Superbia, right? If they're still matching up to the Latin names, that means the sin here is pride.

[She shrugs.]

So... keep an eye out for anyone who seems like they have a really big ego, I guess?

[ourtomorrow]

[ Pride....Pride. High opinion of oneself, but not just that. There's a lot of nuance to the concept. A person who holds themselves above all others - a person who holds themselves to high standards, and won't compromise, for fear of what that would imply about their identity. A person who wants to be unassailable.

It's disturbingly familiar, like Esme's envy.

But, even so: ]

I might have two leads.

[mementomoritz]

Oh? [Medic looks pleased as always to learn something new, flipping open one of her ever-present research journals and pulling out a pen.] That's a promising start, tell me more!

[ourtomorrow]

[ Monarch distills what he learned from joining the soccer team and listening to the other kids. ]

A festival's being held this week. Normally the principal opposes events, but the student council president insisted. She's a good student...

[ Put the president in a rough spot, apparently. ]

Both the president and the principal have strong personalities.