time ticks on

[cancrymods]

TRACING A PATH

True to her word, following the fight in the Luxuria Underside, Lana shows the Executors where they can travel further down into Purgatory. From the now familiar set of stairs, though, comes something unexpected – a cold, damp breeze that chills you to the bone and makes you feel oddly sleepy. The sense of unease this generates is amplified by the reaction of the accompanying Executors – Rei seems particularly susceptable to the drowsiness inducing effect and while Birdie doesn't seem to be affected, she's nevertheless oddly quiet and a little brooding, like she has something on her mind. Either way, it seems wise to prepare for whatever may lay ahead before proceeding. Take your time to spar, train or whatever you need to do before proceeding to the next Layer...

Comments

[schardynfreude]

"Whyever would we keep anything from them at this point?" A glance to her. And her outstretched hands. "You think they'll turn on you. Abandon you."

The irony. He's torn. Because he knows they won't. They've all collectively done this song and dance before; they will stay by her side through it all.

His life tells him otherwise. That they'll abandon her just as easily as they trusted her.

[phantasmagorial]

"N–no, but..."

Or so she tries to say, but the way her eyes slide away from his makes it clear her answer is yes, actually.

"I kept things from them. And I... let them all pity me and care for me because of what they thought had happened to me, even though I should've known better. At the very least, they'll be angry with me."

[schardynfreude]

"And?" he prompts.

"And then what? Some will be angry." Phoenix will not, annoyingly. Wolfsbane and Sword, perhaps. Medic and Veil will be mindlessly uncaring. "Is your skin so paper thin that it cannot take a single negative glance your direction? Would it not be worse to keep lying to them?"

[phantasmagorial]

"I–I know it would be, but...!"

She tries to meet his gaze again, but she finds she's not quite able to do it and they flick away to the horizon.

"... I'm scared. And... I don't even know how to start explaining it to them."

[schardynfreude]

"From the top is the usual way to do it."

He unfolds himself again, stretching up fingers high (do some joints pop look shh maybe) and up on his toes, before relaxing again and taking a deep breath.

"Look at it this way: it's going to come out sooner or later. When do you think it would be better? Sooner, while we're collectively waiting with bated breath to altogether descend into whatever new madness awaits us, or later when we're standing before the Cogs you told us about in the first place so long ago when we entrusted ourselves to you?"

[phantasmagorial]

"... I'm being unfair, aren't I?"

They've placed so much trust in her – they've had to, because who else did they even have in Purgatory? And here Rei is, thinking the worst of them, refusing to give them any of that trust in return. Before he can give her a response, Rei takes a deep breath of her own and tries her best to steel herself a little.

"I... want to tell them. I don't understand all of it, but if we all talk about it together... I'm sure we can come up with an answer."