sixth loop

[cancrymods]

SUPERBIA

On midnight of the seventh day, it happens again. Time rewinds itself back to the Executors' starting point, putting them right back at the beginning of the loop. This is now their sixth time experiencing the events of the Superbia loop. Some of the school's long hidden secrets are starting to come to light... but is it enough to bring them close to breaking the loop once and for all? Only time will tell. Use this log to investigate during this seven day period and drop a comment down to the Investigation Request subheader if you'd like to explore. If you're continuing or building off of a previous loop's investigation results, please link to it in your comment. If you need a refresher on the loop mechanics, check out this post. Good luck, Executors.

Comments

[cancrymods]

[ It's easier this time – either because the Executors know what they're looking for or because Miss President's fast asleep.

That said, it's not particularly easy to make sense of. The strong emotions that guided you through the other memories are absent here – there's a sense of numbness and going through the motions here that makes the days bleed into each other. The only thing that's really clear is the monotony – the days looping into each other again and again with the Vice President – or rather, the new Student Council President – helpless to make it stop.

Eventually, she starts to tell herself that she's happy like this. After all, like this, she gets to stay in this school that she loves so much. She gets to be happy. So maybe while she's here... her purpose could be to help everyone else be happy too.

Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Wouldn't... that...

The thread of memory breaks off there. ]

[discutio]

…Well, this could admittedly be worse.

[still sucks, though. And it felt uncomfortable, in a way Phoenix couldn’t place right now.]

Are we all in agreement that we’ll gently explain matters without overwhelming the poor girl further? If we admit we might be able to assist, she might turn over the Authority as soon as we figure out how to do that.

[daughterofthemark]

I agree.

[WOW, WHAT A SURPRISE. WE ARE ALL SHOCKED BY THIS TRULY UNEXPECTED TURN OF EVENTS.]

Though I must admit to being uncertain as to how to broach certain aspects of the situation. In particular, it seems as though any explanation will lead inevitably to the subject of purgatory, and the status of those who inhabit it.

[i.e. Surprise, Miss President, You've Been Dead All Along]

[discutio]

We tell her the truth in framework, then. That we can set her friend to rest, and perhaps try to allow time to move forward again.

[swordofajerk]

If you think it'll work, then I'll try it. But if she starts to lose it, I won't hesitate.

[daughterofthemark]

[MAYBE A LITTLE HESITATION WOULD BE FINE???]

[etincelledefierte]

I think we need to continue working with her, threatening her hasn't done anything except making her more upset and hesitant. Can we have a little chill, please?

Whenever we're ready, we can try that new power again.

[swordofajerk]

[Sword just gives this new girl a look that screams "you must be new here", but he gestures towards the President. He's not going to do it, but y'all sure can.]

[cancrymods]

[ Before they get a chance to do so, however, Miss President suddenly stirs. ]

Mm...

[ She sits up, looking more than a little disoriented and lifts a hand to rub her eyes. ]

D–did I... fall asleep...?

[daughterofthemark]

[IS SHE UNSTEADY? DOES SHE NEED A HAND? VEIL IS HERE TO HELP]

[discutio]

Something like that. You’re alright, don’t worry.

[Where to even begin. Keeping his voice even and gentle, Phoenix knelt down in front of her with a small smile he hoped was reassuring.]

…We know what happened, and we think that we may be able to help you. It’s a difficult and complex thing to explain at length, but this kind of stagnation is dangerous. We think the previous student council president had…a sort of power causing this timeloop, and it’s possible she may have passed it to you. We want to take that off your shoulders so time can move normally again, and so we can make sure your friend is able to rest as well.

Does any of that make sense?

[etincelledefierte]

I know that this is a lot to take in. I'm new to the team, too, and I understand just how overwhelming it is. We really do want to help if we can, though. I'll ask Veil and Phoenix to handle any other questions you might have, but I'll be right here to support you. Fair?

[swordofajerk]

[Giving the new girl a Look but not actually protesting being ignored here.]

[daughterofthemark]

[Smile smile!]

[cancrymods]

[ As you might imagine, Miss President looks a little overwhelmed to start with, but gradually, her dubious expression makes way for tentative understanding. ]

S–so... what happened to her... it wasn't because of the graduation? [ And then, with the gradual alarm of someone realizing something kind of Yikes: ] I–it was because we spent such a long time looping things over and over, isn't it?

[discutio]

…It’s a possibility.

[Almost definite, but at least Phoenix could be tactful.]

But there’s no way either of you could ever have known that. No one could truly be held at fault for simply…wanting things to stay as they are.

[Even if it wasn’t right, even if somehow he knew it wasn’t right, sone selfish part of him still felt that was the truth.]

[Moving onwards. Accepting consequences. Never looking back.]

[All so much easier said than done.]

We want to help, not accuse or assign blame. Genuinely, I mean that.

[swordofajerk]

[Part of Sword is just disgusted by all of this. Time moves on, that's how it works, and keeping things the same just hurts everyone involved.

But some small part of him is almost...sad. Hurt? Sympathetic? It's some emotion he doesn't like to think about, whatever it is.

Moving on.]

It was an accident, what happened to her. I'm assuming you don't know how to make it stop--we do.

[cancrymods]

[ She stares all of them down in silence for just a while longer, still uncertain about all this. It's happening so fast and so out of nowhere that it's hard to believe, but... somehow, it's hard to mistrust these strange people. ]

Nobody else will get hurt... right? I–if I really do give you this power... will you swear that nobody else will be hurt?

[etincelledefierte]

I promise. We don’t want anyone else to be hurt, and that includes you.

[She moves to give Miss President’s hand a little squeeze.]

[discutio]

We aren’t here to hurt anyone.

[Phoenix held out his hand towards her, in an offer of a handshake.]

I give you my word on that.

[cancrymods]

[ It takes a moment for her to be coaxed into conviction but eventually, Miss President reaches out and takes both Etoile and Phoenix's hands in her own. For a moment of anticlimax, nothing happens.

And then... time suddenly seems to shift.

All the Executors feel it, even if Phoenix and Etoile are the ones with the strongest sense for it. You feel something straining and shuddering to move, mechanisms screaming back into motion after so long spent inert they've forgotten that they could move at all. The world tilts to and fro in a dizzying dance that makes your stomach leap into your throat. And then just as suddenly as it started, it stops again as if nothing had happened.

But something has changed. For the first time in far too many years.

Authority Reclaimed. ]

[daughterofthemark]

...gracious. Did everyone else feel that?

[She's including Miss President in this question, for the record.]

[etincelledefierte]

Yes. Like a clock that's been rusted and immobile for entirely too long finally starting to work again.

[there's something else, too, but she's not sure how to describe it.]

[discutio]

I felt it, too. I can't quite explain it past what Etoile said, but...I think we've everything well in hand at the moment.

[swordofajerk]

Finally.

[Is he upset that there was no fighting this time or is he just Typical Cranky? Yes.]

We should let the others know, and then get ready.