Luxuria Intro Log

[cancrymods]

PROCEEDING...

With the real super power of teamwork, the Executors have successfully managed to make their way through the Gula Underside and defeat the previous Authority there. With Gerda now freed from her past regrets and given the power of an Executor, Gula and its inhabitants seem to be in safe hands... for now at least. More interesting – or concerning, perhaps – is the tentative ally you've gained in the form of Birdie, the mysterious girl who attacked some of your number in the Superbia Underside. While she seemed to be nothing but an enemy back then, a surprising connection has been formed with who you now understand to be the Authority of Purgatory itself. While she doesn't necessarily believe the Executors will be able to repair Purgatory, she is at least willing to admit that she shares their goals of wanting to see Purgatory restored... either to its former state, or to something new. But what does that mean for the Executors? And what does that mean for Rei supposedly born from the Authority's discarded heart? There are still many questions the Executors need to answer and as a blast of dry, hot air blows up from the next layer, you can only hope that Luxuria holds the key to at least some of them...

LUXURIA

♪♫ Wet & Dry – Sakuzyo After the humidity and noise of the Gula Underside, passing down to the Lust Layer of Purgatory initially seems like a relief. The air here is dry and sharp and though you hear noise drifting up to meet you and see a whole rainbow of lights clustered together in the dark, it doesn't seem as though it'll be quite as overwhelming as some of the bustling Layers you've had the pleasure of exploring before. But as you set foot down into Luxuria and feel the heat of the ground under your feet, you begin to wonder if you might just have hopped out of the frying pan and into the fire...

Comments

[alcahest]

ARRIVAL

[ on the way down, Mona feels... uneasy, for some reason. it's not a sensation that she can pinpoint a source for; there's just this strange discomfort that has come over her mind like a fog. perhaps she's just nervous, worried about the new Layer beneath them, but — Birdie keeps coming to mind. her cold, blank expression. Rei, a pale reflection, looking back at her mirror image in horror.

it keeps bothering her, and there's nothing she can do, so after some initial marvelling at Luxuria's lights and colour, seeing all there is to see — Mona takes a train up to Limbo, and when she returns, she can be found on a bench in Luxuria, filling out pages in the Executor book. ]

CARNIVAL GAMES

[ you can catch Mona at any of the games and smaller rides in Luxuria, so if there's a thread you want to do, just go for it. she lingers, particularly, at the shooting range. even though she's a spectatularly terrible shot, and she seems to be at least somewhat crestfallen about that. she sighs, and mumbles sulkily: ]

Van Helsing, you could have at least taught me a little...

CASTER

[ considering what a quiet lady she is, you might not expect Mona to go for either of the roller coasters. but sure enough, here she is, gently yet insistently pulling you to the queue for Caster. she bounces on her heels a little when waiting in line, her eyes sparkling and glued to the ride as the cars rocket past. ]

Do you think it's going to be scary...?

FERRIS WHEEL

[ she can't help thinking about how much the people she knew in life would have loved this place. she feels like she has to appreciate the incredible machines and engineering in Impey's place; like she should win prizes not because she wants them, but because Lupin would have. it's not that she's not happy spending time here with her fellow Executors, but — she wishes this could have been something she experienced when she was alive, with the people dear to her.

if she were with them... it would have been Saint-Germain, she thinks, to take her on the Ferris wheel. something peaceful amidst the chaos, with a spectacular view from above the world. even if she rides it alone, she'd like to see it.

(this can either be a chill Ferris wheel hangout prompt OR threading out investigation as we get details from the mod thread!!) ]

Caster

[mementomoritz]

[Medic is bouncing on the balls of her feet, partially out of excitement and partially to get a better look at the coaster, since the crowd is blocking most of her view. ...Hopefully she's not too short to ride it.]

Ooh, I hope so! I'm taking notes on adrenaline responses in Specters!

[...Well, at least that explains why she's duct-taped a notebook to her arm. Apparently, she's not planning to wait until they're off the ride to jot her observations down.]

[alcahest]

[ she's not surprised by Medic's reason, but she is eyeing the notebook. ]

Are you going to be able to write while we're moving...?

[mementomoritz]

I hope so! [It's not like it could make her handwriting that much worse, at this point.] The real challenge is going to be not losing the pen, I think...

[Maybe she should have tied it to her other wrist.]

[alcahest]

Hmm...

[ Mona covers her mouth with her fingers, like she's thinking hard about something; underneath her hand, she's trying not to smile too widely. ]

What if I get scared and want to hold your hand? You won't have any hands free for me.

[mementomoritz]

Oh! That is very important... [Medic's expression of deep thought is, by contrast, entirely genuine. This is a matter that deserves her most careful consideration.] I guess if that happens I'll just have to drop the pen.

[Yes, it's unfortunate, but listen. If a pretty girl needs to hold her hand, that pen is gone. You've got to have your priorities in order.]

[alcahest]

[ she laughs, warm and gentle. ]

That's very sweet of you. I'll do my best not to make you lose your pen.

arrival

[emberserker]

[Wolfsbane looks a little distracted, but she turns to Mona and looks her work over regardless.]

I see. Still at that book, are you?

[alcahest]

[ Mona startles, lost in thought on how to fill out a page, and then she gives Wolfsbane a quick smile. ]

Yes. Not just in case we forget. [ she looks back to the book and, gradually, her expression turns sombre. ] We're getting closer to the Cogs, and... I'd like to leave something behind. So that there's proof that we... we existed here, as us, the way we are now.

[emberserker]

...Because of what Esme went on about back then, is it? The fear of being someone else.

[alcahest]

Mhm. That's what reincarnation is... We'll be different people.

Just like... we were different people when we were alive. I don't want this time to be forgotten just because it's "in between" lifetimes.

[emberserker]

...Is that something you're afraid of too, then? Because you don't want to be here. You don't fight, you don't train.

[alcahest]

[ Mona shakes her head. ]

It's not because I don't want to be here. I don't fight because I don't want to hurt anyone. I know Revenants aren't people anymore, but... where I came from, it isn't normal to fight. I won't be responsible for causing a death, even if it's a Revenant.

... But of course I'm afraid of that, too. The thought that I'll disappear and be replaced by someone who both is and isn't me. Doesn't it scare you?

[emberserker]

Of course it does.

[Her eyes dart to Mona, then away.]

But I don't want to sit back and deal with the absolute mess of this Purgatory by not dealing with it, either. Every successive layer is worse and more irritating than the last. Gula warped our minds every second we were in there. Of course I'd love to finish what I started when I was alive! I still want my revenge, and I want my life back! But...

Well, no matter. It isn't as if I even know for sure I failed.

[alcahest]

You're right. We can't stay here forever. And I'm trying not to run away from it, too. Even if I can't fight, I'll still help however I can.

And when we get to the Cogs, I'll...

[ she trails off, struggling to say the obvious: I'll go. her eyes close. she looks pained, faintly, and after a moment of silence she switches track to try putting it a different way: ]

... It's not that I want to go back, not really. It's just — sometimes, it's very easy to forget that we're already dead.

[emberserker]

...So you want to move on, but it worries you at the same time, then.

[alcahest]

Yes. Because I don't feel dead. So when I think that I'm going to disappear forever... what my heart is saying is, "But I don't want to die."

carnival games

[syrinfacet]

Seems like you're focusing too hard.

[ shooting can be hard though, she understands. ]

Aiming tends to be the hardest part.

[alcahest]

[ she pauses, and after a moment, lowers the rifle to turn and look at Lilac, puzzled. ]

... Isn't aiming the only part?

[syrinfacet]

In a sense?

[ she offers an apologetic laugh and tries again. ]

Let me clarify: I think you're focusing too hard on what's directly in front of you. Long distance requires taking in the whole picture, as it were.

[alcahest]

Oh... I understand.

[ she doesn't understand at all, but the look on her face is determined nonetheless. ]

Alright. Take in the whole picture... and don't focus too hard. I've got it.

[ once again, she raises the toy rifle, takes aim, fires — and misses completely in the opposite direction of her shot last time. ]

wheel! just chill, lest we break causality

[daughterofthemark]

You were intrigued by this as well, Dame Mona?

[It's nice and slow and stable-looking!]

[alcahest]

Yes. It seems like it'll be very relaxing, and I'm sure the view will be wonderful.

[ when the wheel stops and the lowest car opens its doors to let its passengers off, Mona holds out a hand to Veil. ]

Shall we go together, Veil?

[daughterofthemark]

Oh! Yes, I'd like that.

[Veil takes Mona's hand, in a shocking move that comes as a surprise to everyone I'm sure, and starts off toward the loading area.]

[alcahest]

[ when they're ushered towards the car, Mona stops by the open door and gestures with the hand that isn't joined with Veil's — she indicates for Veil to climb aboard first, like a lady being escorted by Mona. ]

Have you been on many of the other rides yet?