new year, new you

[cancrymods]

It's been some time since the Executors made their way down to the Gula layer and while things have been quiet, that doesn't necessarily mean they haven't been busy. The snow that had been falling steadily for the past week or so has finally eased, even if a thick blanket of the stuff seems to remain in all the Layers you've travelled to. The ever present threat of an Authority has been mitigated somewhat by Gerda being... well, Gerda and though her intentions and the full scope of her motivations are still a mystery, she at least seems to be willing to assist the Executors so long as they do the same for her in turn.

All the errands they've been running have done a lot to help the Undercity – the kitchen is stocked, and the communal areas feel fuller and livelier. Music often rings out from the stage and all in all, things seem fuller and warmer here.

And yet, that quiet hunger continues to nip at you every moment you spend in Gula. Even if it weren't for the Gluttony Layer's effects, though, there would be answers aplenty to be hungering after – the mysterious butterfly accompanying Ariel, the question of Rei's lack of memories... and of course, the mystery girl who seems determined to see you all returned to mindless Specters once again.

Do you still believe you have what it takes to travel to the bottom of Purgatory and restore things to their natural order?

There's only one way to find out for sure.

[ ... And we're back! After our holiday break, the Gula chapter of Can Cry's metaplot is now continuing! Happy New Year, Executors - let's see what you make of it! ]

Comments

[alcahest]

Oh — [ Mona grabs onto his arm with both hands, excited. ] Lion, that's a brilliant idea...!

[ she can't think of any reason why it wouldn't work, but — she looks around at the others to see if anyone knows, desperately hopeful. ]

[daughterofthemark]

If Executors can become Authorities, why not the reverse?

[It's not rhetorical. She's trying really hard to think whether there's an answer to that.]

[phantasmagorial]

I... I can't think of any reason why it shouldn't... but you can imagine why I haven't wanted to experiment with that kind of thing in the past.

[ can y'all even imagine esme or greta as executors??? ]

[swordofajerk]

A better question is: do we trust her enough to try? What if we make her one and she turns on us?

[mementomoritz]

Well, you were okay with fighting her to the death anyway, right?

[Just cheerfully putting that out there, no judgement, no shame.]

Either it works out and you don't have to fight her, which is better- or it goes wrong and you do, which at least isn't any worse than what you were planning to do already.

[emberserker]

Precisely. Honestly, you with your one-track mind.

[swordofajerk]

[Sword just pauses, considering, before nodding. She's got a point.

Also ignoring Wolfsbane, again.]

[emberserker]

[she is going to set you on FIRE]

[crypddyd]

If it turns out it was a mistake, in the end, she would be a new Executor- and by experience and numbers it should be no difficulty to... subdue her.

[The glint in his eye says 'remurder' but he's being good for Mona's sake]

The question then is who should approach her about it?

[swordofajerk]

Whoever it is shouldn't be alone. I'll go with them, just in case.

[alcahest]

... I'd like to do it, if that's alright. I want this to resolve peacefully.

[emberserker]

You'd better not get yourself destroyed. But you've been around from the beginning; you should be strong enough should something go wrong.

[You know, "around from the beginning," that thing that doesn't apply to Sword. Two can play this game.]

[alcahest]

... Does being here since the beginning have anything to do with strength...?

[ ???????? no idea what's going on. sorry to undercut your shade at Sword, Wolfsbane. ]

[emberserker]

It means you've trained for eventualities, doesn't it? You haven't just been thrown into this and dragged along while trying to act like you're better. Like me, for example, I was born for this sort of thing.

[alcahest]

... I don't think I have.

[ starting to look mildly distressed. like, wait, is that something i was supposed to be doing this whole time??? ]

[swordofajerk]

Ignore her.

[Seriously, Wolfsbane?]

Anyone else?

[emberserker]

Excuse me. It's bad enough that you've been ignoring my existence for months on end, even when I tried to cooperate with you! I don't care if you weren't trying to usurp me, trying to cut me out entirely is worse!

[swordofajerk]

You haven't done anything of the sort, and right now you're just being petty and upsetting Mona.

[mementomoritz]

I'll go! I'd love to observe the results of turning an Authority into an Executor, whatever happens.

Besides, you should probably have a healer on hand in case things go wrong.

[swordofajerk]

...fair enough.

[emberserker]

What.

[The resulting stare can only be described as "incredulous disdain."]

What have you been doing all this time? We've been given a rare opportunity by fate itself. Born and died for this, to change the universe and repair the reincarnation cycle to what it's supposed to be. We awoke at the right place and time to be granted the power we were! You can't just waste it by not honing it.

[schardynfreude]

No one is wasting anything.

[emberserker]

[She whirls around to gape at Chiron, as if she didn't expect for a second that he'd say that, even if it were to defend Mona.]

You've been fighting Revenants the same as anyone else. You know how strong we have to be, you know there's no tearing down that demon who locked your memories otherwise!

[twibeast]

[ Normally Achilles would shut down completely whenever Wolfsbane gets this aggro, a defense mechanism to cope with what (or rather who) she reminded him of.

But this time... it's as if something finally clicked into place. ]

Is that what you've been telling yourself to make yourself feel better about this?

[emberserker]

[If Wolfsbane was surprised at Chiron speaking up, Achilles saying anything takes her aback for a second or two. The heat inside her boils, and she breathes in and out, shaking.]

If someone fails, then they were weak. I've never been weak. I've trained day and night to be the best. I threw people away when they weren't useful anymore. My own mother tried to replace me, kept saying I wasn't good enough and oh, dear Ernesta should take the family's spot instead, but I kept on for an entire year! I've proven everyone wrong! And now...

[If she's tearing up, she doesn't notice. She sweeps one arm out and knocks over a vase on a table.]

Every single one of us is dead. We all died and awoke and gained this power -- how could any of it not be the will of the gods that people like us are supposed to fix this afterlife? I was on track to gain all the power in the world! Becoming the one and only true mage!

["Now you can become a mage, too!"

No. There can only be one. That was how it worked.]

Don't you... how do you think that isn't...