⚔ //001;

[discutio]

[He awoke in darkness in the coffee shop, of all places.]

[Abruptly aware of a dozen and more sounds and scents, someone was calmly pensive as if sudden self-awareness of one's postmortem existence was an everyday occurrence. It certainly seemed nothing that panicking would help with, and nothing that wouldn't await examination until after he'd finished his coffee.]

[Which he did, of course. Later on he would be found exploring the city in very cautious and deliberate steps, hand occasionally on a wall for guidance. He found he didn't have much difficulty maneuvering despite the chaotic layout--a strange problem not to have, and perhaps one warranting consideration as to what kind of person he was. An interesting quandary to examine, and more so if he wasn't the only such person.]

[...One thing he did already know for certain, however.]

[His name, if indeed that was what he was called, was almost comically ironic.]

Comments

[alcahest]

[ not all of the Executors live together, or nearby, but for those of them that do, Magnum Opus likes to be the one doing grocery runs. something about it feels familiar, but more than that, she likes that it's something she can do to be useful. she worries, lately, that when it comes time to fight, she won't be of much help. and if that's the case, then she should do much, much more to make herself useful to the others outside of combat. she just isn't sure yet what she can do, and she lacks the force of will to try anything that isn't as certain as these little chores.

that's on her mind, her arms full of groceries, when she walks by the man exploring the city in a manner that is very much not the mindless, mechanical patterns of a Specter. he hears the click, click of her boots as she passes him. a moment of silent realisation, her steps halted, hesitating. and then: clickclickclick, hurrying back in his direction— ]

Um, excuse me... Are you one of us?

[ top 10 things to say that make you sound like you're in a cult. ]

[discutio]

I might assume that I am, yes.

[He'd stopped walking when the clicking approached, on guard against what could have been a threat but finding he wasn't overly concerned about the possibility. Her voice set that idea aside fairly well, at any rate.]

[alcahest]

Oh... I didn't know people were still waking up.

[ her voice is soft and serene, even edging into slightly monotonous. she speaks slowly, mechanical. there's a rustling as she shifts the grocery bags in her arms — what should she do... when everyone woke up at the same time, it meant they were on the same page. she just followed everyone else's lead. but in this situation, she actually has more experience than someone else, so she should help him somehow, shouldn't she...?

... she's not really sure how. she has the desire to help. the element that would translate that desire into wilful or independent action still seems to be missing. ]

Do you... need any help? We don't all live together, but I can show you where some of the houses are...

[discutio]

That would be of some help to me, actually. I'm afraid I'm just a bit at a loss for what to do in the short term of things. [which is a lot of words to say: now what]

[alcahest]

[ she picked a helpful thing...!! even if he can't see it, she nods sagely in response to his sentiment. ]

I'm the same... It's hard to know what to do with yourself. [ especially in this empty, pointless place, though she means it in general too. over the days since they woke up, she's found that if no one tells her what she should do, she's a little lost. out of sympathy for that feeling, she adds: ] We have meetings at the coffee bar every morning... and we've been training to help Rei.

[ while they talk, she turns to start walking at a leisurely pace in the direction she was headed earlier. he didn't seem to need any assistance getting around when she saw him, so she only looks back to make sure that he's following. ]