investigation wrap...?

[cancrymods]

Well that all sure... uh, happened!

Despite the initial hostility, you've gotten a lot of important information to chew over: Esme, the one who holds Authority over Invidia has made it very clear that she opposes the Executors and their intended goal of repairing the Cogs of Renewal at the bottom of Purgatory. And thanks to that, and Esme's degree of control over Invidia, the gang are stuck here until they can find a way to bypass Esme and continue descending the layers of Purgatory.

Surely, everyone will be on the same page about how to handle that!

Either way, with discussions with Esme wrapped up and the Executors on their way, now's a good time to put your heads together and see if you can't work out where to proceed from here.

Or you know, just kick back and relax in Invidia for a bit. You've had a tough weekend!

Comments

[alcahest]

I... I think maybe people were angry with the things I said, before... and angry with me because I didn't understand anything...

[ people, she says, but with the way she's avoiding eye contact, she's clearly more concerned at current with him, specifically. ]

So... I'm sorry if I overstepped, or...

[schardynfreude]

Dear. No one is angry with you. Certainly not me. Your point of view is one that is concerning, but it's understandable in its own fashion. If this is because of how I snapped at Veil...

[He does not say 'it's because she's dumber than a sack of bricks sunk to the bottom of a lake', but.]

You do understand. You understand, and that which you don't, you want to understand so terribly.

[He laughs a little, in spite of himself, reaching to brush some hair from her face.] All this time, I thought you were upset with me.

[alcahest]

[ she's gotten used to his touch now, and she doesn't flinch away — instead, she meets his eye and she sways towards that fleeting contact, her face tilting into his touch without her notice. ]

Oh — I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you... [ she had been so afraid that he was angry with her that it hadn't actually occurred to her he might think the same. ] I just— I didn't know how to face everyone, when... when it turned out that I really was just being a naive fool.

[ and it hadn't felt right to linger on that when she wasn't one of the ones suffering for Esme's deception. it had been guilt that overwhelmed her own sadness for the hand she offered and had had rejected. even more so: ]

And I still don't... want to fight her. [ she hesitates to admit that, shrinking away. even though Phoenix reassured her that it was alright to feel that way, she just— it seems like such a terrible thing to do. it feels like she's abandoning the others. it makes her useless. ] I don't think I can. So I was ashamed...

[schardynfreude]

You don't have to fight. [Time to get his old knees off the ground so he can take a seat beside her, taking one of her hands in both of his.]

Everything that we do here is a choice. We chose to believe Rei, and we chose to wield powers beyond compare, and as we move forward, we will all keep making decisions.

Now, that does not mean we will simply allow one of our number to do something we know will get them hurt, if we can help it, but...it has to be your choice, in the end. You do not wish to fight her? Then don't. There are plans in place...to break the base of her power. If we don't do that, then we cannot move forward. You don't have to be part of any of those plans.

[He thinks Aera would like Mona, would approve of her caring heart, the strength of her resolve.]

Maybe you were being naive, but I don't think that's a bad sign. You had hopes, and you thought you saw a side that others weren't willing to entertain. It didn't work out. You are so full of light and love and hope and care that you are fit to burst with it. And I hope you hold on to that. It's a fine balance compared to the lot that want to pull a weapon at the drop of a hat. We need your kindness. We need your compassion. We need someone to reach out a hand when everyone else is too stubborn to.

So I do hope you'll stay with us.