#I have a soft spot for cults as a phenomenon i think its very interesting how they function and the things that drive them to function

[no-light-left-on]

thinking still about how the Heart calls the Whalers 'puppets' and the amount of mystery there is around them, when playing as Corvo and perceiving them through the Heart, in comparison to how they are in reality.

we see them talk to each other in a manner any people would. they consider insubordination, they talk badly of Daud behind his back, we have Billie betray him. there are some that are loyal, yes, be it because they believe in Daud or because they see gain in this path, but by no means are they a monolyth.

however, we do hear from the Heart about a 'fog that surrounds them and hides their secrets' and it is even confirmed, by Billie (and also Galia in the books) that leaving Daud made them 'think clearly for the first time in years'

I've seen a couple theories and I do want to dive into each, to an extent.

there's the suggestion of the Heart talking badly of them, calling them mindless drones that only kill out of hatred and hurt. which, valid. the Heart also says certain things about Daud, 'why did you bring me here? do you expect me to forgive him?', so it's not unlikely that their attitude towards human lives and their willingness to kill for Daud is repulsive enough that the Heart does not see past it

another option is that the mindless puppets is more of a metaphor and is meant to talk about how the Whalers are, in a sense, a cult. which would be incredibly interesting to explore if we had more information on how the Whalers function. now I do want to point out that by cult I do not mean it in a Secluded Religious Organization but as a sociological thing. a literal cult if you will, with a leader that charms their followers, the seclusion and all the unhealthy attitudes of losing oneself to the group. and, that does check out - the loss of individuality, they are as one, following someone's orders without hesitation, someone they would die for. there are a lot of unsavory implications here (if you know how cults work, you probably had some cross your mind already), but arguably Daud is not charming enough to be a proper cult leader. the appeal is the magic, and his excellent skills as an assassin and a leader. maybe it's because of the time we see the Whalers at, right before a collapse, but Daud is regularly doubted and we see a lot of insubordination. the Whalers are not necessarily loyal to him because of who he is as a person. they want the power, they want the influence, maybe the protection, and the things keeping them from disobeying are fear, rather than loyalty.

the third thought or theory is, then, that many of these symptoms can be explained by the influence of the Void. we know the Void affects people, both physically as we see with Delilah's Witches or the Eyeless, as it influences them mentally, if the high numbers of people going mad because of their worship are something to go by. if, then, the Whalers are bound to the Void through Daud, it only makes sense that they would be influenced by this link to something that messes with people's brains. Galia saying she feels better after her Arcane Bond faded could easily mean that the influence the Void had on her has faded, and the creeping madness of it has subsided significantly.

all of these most likely come into play. one of the Heart's lines in dh2, if we point at a Witch, is reciting some of the recipes the Witches chant before quickly apologising. we do learn significantly more about them than we do about the Whalers, of course, possibly because Jessamine has more ill will towards the Whalers than to the Witches. still we see the Void affect the Heart. there is also a notion that the Witches are 'not quite human' due to their Arcane bond.

there's no real conclusion. it's just interesting

[zelphin124]

LCB-3: Chapter 1

A written account of the LCB-3 adventures from the perspective of LCB sinner Dr. Jekyll. My GOSH this is SO long. SO much happened the first day, but! I wanted to take you all on Jekyll's journey, so here is the first of the many written accounts of the adventures from the LCB.

Masterpost N/A -> Chapter 2

Lmk if you all enjoy stories like this!

~o0o~

One would often think the evening skies are as beautiful as midday on a summer afternoon. However, such a train of thought never occurred to those in the City, where the smoke and clouds covered the upper atmosphere for all the days of their life. To have the skies clear would be a sign of a catastrophe, and the gloomier it was, the happier the people were. In retrospect, happiness was a rare phenomenon of its own. 

The city at night was always empty, for people lived in fear in the crook of their homes to avoid the Sweepers cleaning the streets every night. Commonfolk stood no combative chance against the cult purging the roads like wildfire. 

Though some – either from stupidity, bravery, or sheer dominance – ventured at night. Each is for their different reasons, each risking their death. Yet to find a person in the streets at night was never a good sign. It was told to stay far away from anyone after the sun hit its face. 

That was the first thought that crossed the woman’s mind as she approached the bus. She approached another woman, with short white hair and a circular face, one with a look of absolute omniscience and a uniform kin to the vehicle behind her. She held a long sword by her side, and it was clear she had already spotted her. 

The woman approaching the bus was an average-height doctor. Her black hair was slicked back into a tight bun, woven around a headpiece that supported a red monocle on her left eye. Her uniform was of no importance or visible interest; the only conclusion one could draw from it was the association of its similarities with M Corp. However, the interest was in the weapon she carried. At first glance, it looked like a spear, but investigating it further would lead to the conclusion that it was a paintbrush. It was taller than the woman wielding it, yet it seemed as if it served well in combat, despite the tendency to believe otherwise. 

It appeared that the woman approaching had recently cleaned and tidied herself up as if to make a first impression. A few moments of caution passed before she approached the white-haired woman next to the bus. 

“You must be Ms. Jekyll,” the woman next to the bus stared her down. 

“Dr. Jekyll, yes, uh-” Jekyll observed the bus with her keen eye, before looking back toward her. “Is this…” she paused, before pulling out a mediocre invitation from her jacket. She unfolded the papers carefully and read them with quick precision. “Limbus Company?” 

“That it is.” The woman gently bowed her head. 

Jekyll adjusted the brush to rest on her back before extending her hand awkwardly to the woman. “Pleasure to meet you… Ms…” 

“Faust.”

“Faust. Are you my assigned manager?” The doctor asked, her eyes raised in a hopeful expression. She handed the paper that she signed to join the company to Faust. 

Faust shook her head, “That you are mistaken. The manager you seek is inside the bus, to which you will enter shortly, and give that paper to.” 

Jekyll’s face drooped disappointingly, retracting her hand and folding the paper back into the envelope. “I see. I shall follow you in, then…?”

“Faust will not be entering Metastolphilies.” She explained in a matter-of-fact tone. “Faust will stand by to wait for the last member joining the party. You may keep Faust company if you wish, your presence would be delightful.” 

“Very well,” Jekyll gave a soft smile, strolling to Faust’s side and holding her hands into a folded position in front of her. She rocked back and forth, looking at the sky before back to the ground repeatedly. 

The ever-growing silence bothered the doctor, it was only disturbed by the night sounds of the city. It had been a bit since Jekyll attempted small talk with someone new, but if she wanted to succeed in this place, and get away from where she came from, she saw it worth a try. 

“Have you ever seen the stars?” Jekyll asked, tilting her head towards her. 

“Faust has seen the stars many, many times.” 

Jekyll gave a soft smile. “I hope to see them one day. I hope they are as great as people make them out to be.” 

Faust did not reply, she only turned her head toward the front of the bus, before walking towards the man that stood in front of it. 

Jekyll followed suit to gaze upon the approaching man. She first noticed his shaggy blonde hair combed in strands His face was littered with scars across his eyes and cheeks, but they weren’t as attention-demanding as the disgusted scowl plastered across his lips and hazel eyes. His clothes almost complimented his attitude; his button-up shirt and shaggy shorts came off as uptight, and tough-looking. He carried a blunt weapon that Jekyll could not identify, and she was not curious enough to find out. 

“Mark, is it not?” Faust began to extend a greeting in his direction. 

“It would be a very unfortunate disgrace if this is Limbus Company. What kind of pathetic trash is this?” 

Despite Jekyll having experience with sour mouths, she never failed to zone out the moment more than a few curse words flew through the air. She took into account how the man – presumably Mark – complained about the poor travel experience via W Corp train transportation and how he was unimpressed with the company’s procedure of doing things. 

From Jekyll’s perspective, he yapped about stupid things, complaining despite the luxurious treatment the company had offered him. As far as she was concerned, she was not offered a first-class ticket to a W Corp train, she walked here, taking days in advance to map out her journey. She tuned in and out to the conversation, staying relatively behind Faust in hopes of not being noticed. Jekyll wondered if Mark knew any other words in the common language besides curses. 

After a long and painful conversation, Mark had agreed to head inside the bus, that Faust had named previously but Jekyll could not recall. However, when Jekyll looked towards the door of the bus, Mark met an obstacle blocking his way. 

The obstacle was another man, with blonde hair in a braid and a goatee, which was more well-kept than Mark’s hair. His eyes were a faint blue as if a war glazed over the beauty he could see. He wore a cocky grin of delight as if causing trouble was amusing to him. The rhino horn on his head and the bug wings on his back were a signature symbol that this man was from the former G Corp. He wore a commander’s bennet and stood a few inches above Mark. 

Mark threw curses towards the man, with a few fancy words such as ‘pansy.’ The man through insults back, but as if he was eager to see Mark’s temper explode. Jekyll was convinced that she never heard so many curses within ten minutes. 

Mark tried to push the man with incredible force, but the commander pushed back, smirking slyly. Mark raised a threat Jekyll did not catch, but her eyes widened as she watched the tensions grow. 

However, uncharacteristically, the man stepped back the moment Mark swung a punch. As if some other force compelled him to oblige for his life. 

Mark stumbled onto the bus and immediately took a seat within view, the anger increasing on his face. 

Jekyll swallowed hard, rubbing her hands together. “How long are these contracts supposed to last?” 

“Depends on how efficient you are at your job,” Faust explained, glancing back towards her. 

Jekyll forced a smile, rubbing her face. “Do I have to go in… right now? Like, are there any other members?” 

Faust gave a slight smile and shook her head. 

Jekyll sighed in defeat, feeling her hopes leave her body. She knew she signed up for difficult work on the move, but she was given zero information about the people she would be working with. She debated whether or not it was worth the gamble, and cashed all her luck in. 

And like gambling, she came out empty-handed. 

“Ngh, well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Faust,” Jekyll took a few steps towards the bus before looking back. “Will I see you again?” 

“Faust believes our paths will cross again in due time.” She nodded softly. “Until then.” 

Jekyll felt a tinge of pain as Faust turned and vanished from sight, so she turned and stepped onto the bus as well, minimizing the thought to process later. 

It took longer than she would have wished for her eyes to adjust to the environment. The bus itself seemed small, with maybe twenty seats, most of them already taken. The bus itself was gray and dull, with little to no room like a soldier's quarters. The windows were tinted, and the only interesting thing was the door at the back of the mini hallway. Jekyll decided to glance and get a general idea of who she’d be working with. 

In the bus driver’s seat was a young woman with symbolic gray clothing and a large hat. Her expression was dull and she paid no mind to the people behind her. Her silver hair fell to her shoes as her feet swung back and forth, listening to the person standing over her. 

Jekyll observed the woman pointing at the map in the bus driver’s hands. Her brunette hair fell to her shoulders in a messy cut perfectly around her face. Her eyes were a gentle turquoise, and her clothes had the appearance of sown scraps with many strings hanging from various places. The colors frequently switched from green, lime, and navy blue from her scarf to her shoes. Her skin glowed a golden color, and she talked in such a joyful and excited tone. Jekyll didn’t realize that kind of happiness still existed. Jekyll was only curious about the small blue necklace she wore around her neck, it seemed out of place for the style she presented. 

Jekyll took a seat in the front, the seat closest to the bus door. In front of her stood a tall, prominent man with gray hair and a red gaze that could pierce through anyone’s soul. His clothes were gray, similar to the bus driver’s. He had a looming presence about him, something that was told in the stories known across the city.

Jekyll searched her mind for the exact tale he reminded her of. The closest she could match the man with was the tale of the Red Gaze, a legendary freelance color fixer. His name was told to be Vergilius, and he hadn’t been seen around the City much despite his fame. 

If he was the Red Gaze, why would he be here? Jekyll thought.

Probably the same reason we are here, idiot. To run away. 

Jekyll shook as the other voice in her head spoke, it was more prominent than the previous days. She clenched her hands, fighting for control of her mind once more. 

She successfully repressed the voice again. She sighed in relief. That was close… too close… 

A figure stood up from one of the seats 8 o’clock from her. She wore a cruel and bland expression on her face as she made her way around to each of the sinners. Jekyll observed her long, black ponytail of hair flow gracefully behind her. Her clothes were black with a shard of yellow through them. She was tall and proud, and her emotions were the same level of pissed-off as the supposedly Red Gaze. 

She walked over to where Mark had sat, his feat spread out and his scowl all the same. Jekyll half-guessed the woman was going to slap him across the back of the head for his attention, but what caught her attention, even more, was the man that he quarreled with earlier was sitting right next to him. 

“Name.” The woman demanded. 

Mark turned around and cursed at her before giving her his name, and she replied curtly before turning toward the man next to Mark. “Name.” 

“Othello, darling.” The man’s voice was high, soothing, almost alluring in a shuddering way. He stood up and bowed, taking up the entire space as he did so. Othello still held that same smirk as he did with Mark. “Yours?” 

“Mallo.” She gave him a disgusted look before turning around to the person behind her. “Name.” 

The person she addressed was a tall man with long white hair to his chin. His eyes glowed like a light in the deep ocean, and he had a courageous aura about him. He stood proud with his spear close to his side, and his gaze was more determined than the others she had seen. “Pen,” he answered quickly with a light nod. 

“Mallo.” The tall woman strode away from him as soon as she said it. 

Jekyll’s gaze would��ve followed Mallo if it hadn’t been for Pen immediately walking over to her. “I like your spear,” he shyly mentioned, his eyes smiling at her. “Are you a hunter too?” 

Jekyll was taken aback by his approach, questions, and comments. He seemed sweet, and she didn’t wish to burn a connection that might or might not be there, so she answered carefully, her stutter getting in the way. “O-Oh, yeah, you know I guess this is a spear o-of some s-sorts, haha!” She adjusted the paintbrush to sit behind her. “I-I-I like your spear, too.” 

“Thank you,” he held his spear high and looked up toward it, smiling softly. “So are you-” 

“Name.” Mallo came forward, her expression bland as she stared at Jekyll. 

“Uh- Uh I’m-”

Say the right name. You know the right name. 

“H- Jekyll.” Jekyll shook her head, sighing in relief. “What about yours?” 

Jekyll knew Mallo would respond with her name and leave, and Jekyll winced as she did exactly that, knowing she already knew Mallo’s name. 

Pen also nodded and took his leave, sitting in a seat out of Jekyll’s initial sight. 

As Mallo went up to the front of the bus, Jekyll turned around to spot one more person she had not met. His hair was black and slicked back on his head in chunks like Mark’s hair, he had a scruffy short beard that could barely be seen on his tan skin. He already wore a uniform dedicated to Limbus Company, and he had a neutral expression any man in his late thirties would have. 

“Hello, I don’t think I’ve met you yet,” Jekyll turned around and waved her hand awkwardly. “I’m Jekyll, what’s your name?” 

“Ah, a pleasure to meet you Jekyll.” The man looked up and gave a short bow from his seat in response. “I’m Jatayu.”

Jekyll nodded and smiled upon receiving his name. “Jatayu, that’s a nice name, it’ll be a pleasure to work with you, hopefully,” she chuckles, shooting a glance at Othello and Mark. 

“Likewise,” Jatayu sighed, sitting back in his chair and looking straight ahead. 

Jekyll followed his gaze, resting on Mallo collecting the names of the people up front. Jekyll barely caught anything before the brown-haired woman started moving her hands excitedly, looking at the Red Gaze.

“Oh my gosh! New people! Can I talk to them now, please?!” Her smile beamed with energy, and she could barely keep her feet off the floor as if she was fighting the urge to jump up and down. 

The older man looked at her with a tired look. “Not just yet, Kuvira.” He name-dropped her as Mallo’s attention turned toward the man. She wore an expression of annoyance as if she was upset the Red Gaze didn’t let the woman speak. 

Jekyll’s attention turned toward the silent quarrel between Othello and Mark. She thought it was odd they both would deliberately sit next to someone they disagreed with. She shivered at the thought of having to do that herself. 

She could never. 

“Alright everyone, take a seat.” The older man raised his voice, holding a book in one hand and flipping to a certain page. “I will begin the welcoming speech shortly.” 

No one seemed to object as everyone turned their attention towards the legend. He sighed as if this was something he did not wish to do again. Jekyll pitied the man, perhaps no one had seen the Red Gaze for so long because he was here. 

He began to speak in a dull tone. “Greetings. Welcome to the LCB-3, otherwise known as the Limbus Company Bus 3. You have all been selected by our brightest minds to embark on a journey to obtain… heh..”

He paused for a moment, with an uncharacteristic smile on his face. “…You know... I’ve already done this... Twice now. I wish to not have a third time.” He turned towards the girl he called Kuvira. “Kuvira. Do you wish to be my assistant? Let us see how well your reading comprehension has gotten. Consider this a test to your… ‘extravagant work and effort’…”

Kuvira’s eyes lit up with glee. “Oh my gosh! Really?! I mean, yes, yes sir, I-” 

Vergilius tore a paper cleanly from his notebook and handed it to her. “Show me how you’ve grown. The Sinners are not the only ones who have to grow here.” He didn’t wait for a response before moving to the front, leaning on the dashboard next to the bus driver. She pouted, he moved, and her frown faded. 

Kuvira collected herself and stepped forward, clearing her throat. “Well! Welcome everyone! Before I begin, I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Kuvira Stone, some call me Kuv; I really don’t care what you call me. I am Vergilius’ assistant! I make sure a lot of the work gets done and eases everyone’s load. If you ever need anything, your gal’s got you, alright?” 

Jekyll leaned back in her chair, sighing. Everyone else seemed to get comfortable as well; everyone could tell it was going to be a long introduction. 

“To begin with a…” Kuvira skimmed the paper in her hands. “Gee, do I need to read all of this? This is long.” 

“If you wish to prove yourself via your reading comprehension, yes,” Vergilius answered. 

Kuvira forced a frown. “Okay okay,” she turned back towards the party. “Let’s start with… Oh! A bit of history and background knowledge. Alright… Limbus Company began in the year 984. 10 years have passed since its origins, and has gone through various developments. For the concerns of you all today, your only concern is the LCB team, or the Limbus Company Bus Team. Before you, 2 previous teams have been formed. The LCB-1, and the LCB-2. You all will form the LCB-3.”

How odd, there had been two teams before them and they have more work to do? Jekyll shuddered, wondering if this was a job that was going to be worth leaving everything else behind for. 

“As you have been made aware of before joining the company, you have all been entered into person-specific contracts,” Kuvira continued with a voice that fluttered like butterflies. However, there was a tinge of sass behind her words. “Each person’s contracts may have different clauses, but you will all receive the same reward for your efforts: your heart’s desire.”

There was a pleasant shift in the atmosphere on the bus. Everyone was reminded of the reason they were here. 

“However, in order to obtain your Heart’s Desire, and earn your greatest wish in this world, you must accomplish various tasks in service to Limbus Company.” Kuvira looked up from the paper, the glow from her skin dimming. “And you must do a good job, don’t think this job is one where you can do whatever you want. There’s a reason you are the third team, and we will expect you to follow the contracts. Hopefully, that is understood.” 

The doctor realized she would have to reread her contract to remind herself of the terms she agreed to. It had been a bit since she looked at it, and she signed the paper in haste.

Kuvira’s sigh snapped Jekyll back into reality. “Okay, this is like… really long bare with me guys. Here are the tasks you will need to complete! Number 1, You must Obtain Golden Boughs. As the name suggests, these are mysterious Golden tree branches or boughs.” Kuvira paused and turned towards Vergilius. “Oh! They’re tree branches? You’ve been collecting the…” she pauses, thinking for a moment. “I will ask that later. That’s just really good to know, huh.”

Vergilius’ face was full of impatience. 

Kuvira cleared her throat and continued. “This is your Primary Objective. Failure to obtain Golden Boughs can result in fewer resources funded to the LCB-3’s budget. Which means,” she looked up from the script again. “If you want good food, do your job well.” She smiled and adjusted the paper to read further. “If you have Questions regarding this task, you may ask your Manager Dante, or his Assistant, Jatayu.” 

Kuvira gestured to the man in the back. Jatayu took the opportunity to stand up, wave to the rest of the party with a slight bow, and sit back down. Jekyll couldn’t tell if everyone looked his way to acknowledge the veteran. 

“Secondly!” Kuvira exclaimed. “You will need to protect Dante with your very lives. Dante is your Manager and has the ability to enter Contracts with certain people. You, after being reviewed by our brightest minds, have been picked out as these special people. Whilst you are under a contract with Dante, you will be referred to with the job title of Sinner(s). This is your secondary objective. If you have any questions as to why regarding this task, you may ask your Manager Dante, or his Assistant, Jatayu.” Kuvira blinked a few times. “I suppose any questions will go to Jatayu or Dante… who doesn’t seem to be here at the moment.” 

Jekyll took that as a red flag. Managers should be at a meeting like this, yet the main one they were supposed to protect was not. Were they supposed to already be protecting him? 

Would she be able to protect the manager from herself? 

“Uhhh thirdly! You will need to Defeat Abnormalities and Collect EGO. EGO is special, reality-defying equipment that will assist you on your adventure. Abnormalities are a special type of monster that can only be fought by Sinners or those with EGO.” Kuvira flattened her face in a silly way. “Don’t get too cocky when fighting these guys. If you don’t have EGO, you will be powerless. I don’t care how dominant you were in your background, these monsters will destroy you without EGO…” She looked back at the paper. “Any other method is ineffective- oh hey it’s like this paper is reading my mind, haha!”

The silence was loud as she flipped the paper over. “There are a lot of intricacies and lore surrounding both, however, this is not the time to explain them. This is your tertiary objective. If you have any questions as to why regarding this task, you may ask-” her face flattened again. “I think you know who can take your questions at this point, so I shall skim over that.” 

Jekyll glanced around the room. In her eyes, the only person truly paying attention was Pen, and even he seemed to be slightly more focused on the woman’s radiant skin than what she was saying. Do they not see this as important information? She glared at Mark and Othello. 

Kuvira sighed. “Okay just a little more guys, I think… Uh fourth, you will need to suppress distortions. Distortions are a phenomenon that occurs when a person reaches a mental breaking point and has been occurring throughout the City. Distortions can be saved or killed. This is your quandary objective. If you have- yeah. Basically, you can distort too, it has happened in the company before… If you’re struggling mentally, please come talk to me. The party and the managers would rather not have you distort and disrupt the mission.” Kuvira sighed, “Speaking of, these are all your objectives. However, there is more to discuss. Should you cause too much trouble for the Company to benefit from, your contract with the company and Dante will be terminated.” 

Kuvira let out a sigh of pain in such a way that seemed off from a person like her. “This has happened,” she began. “I watched this with my own eyes, so please, be on your best behavior. It would be ideal that you see to your contract end. Your work will go to waste if you don’t.” 

Jekyll glanced around again, watching Jatayu shifting uncomfortably. She wondered if he was part of the first team, and had to watch both teams get fired… if they were fired, Jekyll needed to find out more information. It seemed important to know, but not information the company would immediately put out there for the newcomers to acknowledge. 

“Oh hey look, we are almost done, guys. There are just some important locations to know about.” Kuvira cleared her throat once more, holding the end of the paper with both hands. “There are various facilities on the bus that you should be aware of. The Hall is where you will be sleeping. You will have personalized rooms. The technology on the bus will cause the rooms to match your mental States, for better or worse.”

Jekyll froze in terror. Their rooms would match their mental state? Her heart rate started to quicken, and she noticed how she violently held her breath. Surely, they were exaggerating… surely it wouldn’t match what she had to fight every day. 

How would the room betray that, if they were telling the truth? 

“Uhh The Ordeal Gauntlet is where the LCB-3 can face ordeals, which are sub-species of abnormalities. Doing so can not only strengthen and train your body but can yield rewards. To practice yourselves, this seminar will end with a tour of the Ordeal Gauntlet for combat training. The third place is the Mirror Dungeons, this is where certain abnormalities that the LCB-3 and previous teams have failed to properly defeat and suppress the first time around. Using special technology, these abnormalities are located here, waiting for the LCB-3 to dispose of them. The fourth palace is the Refraction Railway, which is relatively new. It is a challenging gauntlet of fights not fully encountered in your adventure and yields treasures that otherwise you wouldn’t receive. There is no guarantee you will succeed and win. But doing the challenge proves yourself enough- this is odd wording. Basically, there are three areas to fight some monsters for rewards, or to let off some steam, if I remember correctly.” 

Jekyll noticed the slight smirk Vergilius temporarily wore on his face. 

“The Lunacy Storage is where Dante goes to extract various identities for the sinners. This will be covered by Jatayu during the combat training seminar.” Kuvira gestured to him in the back again, giving a soft smile. “Lastly, the Corridor. At various times during your time here, the Corridor will expand, with new features to enjoy. However, venturing into the corridor is highly dangerous, and has led to near-catastrophic consequences. Under no circumstances should anyone but Faust enter the Corridor.” 

Faust, the person who left in the dark of night moments ago. She said she wasn’t a manager, so why did Kuvira talk about Faust as if she was? Jekyll had many questions, which she figured she’d have to go out of her way to ask Jatayu about. He seemed nice enough, anyway. 

Kuvira gave a smile as she reached the end of the paper. “These are all the notable features of Mephistopheles, the bus, at this current time. And now, because Faust trusts Vergillius to allow Kuvira to read the remainder of this introduction, Faust would like to task Vergillius with explaining the concepts of EGO Gifts to the Sinners. Kuvira, presuming you are reading this, congratulations are in order-” Kuvira turned around and gave a sly smile to the Red Gaze. “Heh, Faust truly does know all.” 

The sigh from Vergilius was rememberable. 

“To the Sinners, however, this marks the end of the speech. Any questions can be directed to either Dante or Jatayu- as said many times, geez. Uh, when the Sinners are ready, Vergillius - presuming he has proven Faust correct - will lead the combat training seminar. Thank you for joining Limbus Company. Your every desire and wish will be answered.” 

Kuvira ended the welcoming speech with a bow and a smile. No one clapped for her. It didn’t seem to bother her as she stepped backward and handed the papers to Vergilius, looking up at him with glee. “How’d I do? Did I do well?” 

“You did… well, yes.” Vergilius sighed. “You’ve proven your reading comprehension to be quite adequate.” 

Kuvira beamed in delight, the glow on her skin radiating brighter. “Thank you! It seems Faust was also knowledgeable about me reading it, haha!” 

Vergilius placed the pieces of paper back into his notebook, heaving another heavy sigh. “Where is Dante?” He ignored Kuvira’s comment. 

“You know, he should’ve been here, let me go find him!” Kuvira took a step forward before looking back. “If that’s uh… alright with you, and you don’t have anything else for me to do at the current moment.” 

“No, no I don’t. Please, go find Dante. You may join us in watching the combat as well if you’d like.” Vergilius dismissed her with a wave of his hand as he searched through his book. 

Kuvira nodded and strolled across the bus between the sinners, but didn’t get very far as the back door swung open, revealing someone of high status. 

Jekyll turned her head to focus on the person who’d just entered the front of the bus. He had a red clock for a head, with yellow and black flames flickering out of his skull-like hair. He wore a pure red suit with yellow stitches and outlines down to his feet. His hands were covered with black gloves and he held many, many papers in his hands. Despite his lack of a face, Jekyll could tell his expression was panicked. 

“Dante!” Kuvira strode up to him with pride. “So good to see you, finally! We were just talking about you and I was coming to find you!” 

A series of clock noises ensued. 

“Here uh, you missed the speech,” Kuvira said in a more hushed voice, taking the papers from his hands and filing them into hers. “Go introduce yourself to your new sinners, I will take care of this paperwork okay? You got this!” 

Dante bowed in respect as Kuvira used her foot to close the door behind her. He then strolled up to the front of the bus with a proud posture, before turning around, raising his hands, and-

More series of ticking ensued. 

The sinners stared blankly, unable to comprehend what he was saying. Jekyll felt her heart sink into her chest. “I-Is this Dante?” She asked out loud. We’re… working for a manager we can’t understand?

The rest of the sinners mumbled under their breaths, giving judging looks toward Dante. 

“Uh, Dante, they can’t understand you yet,” Jatayu grabbed the manager’s attention. “You haven’t shook their hands yet.” 

Dante slapped his head, frantically going up to the closest sinners and extending his hands towards them. 

Mark was the first, scowling at Dante. “Great, we have a spineless pansy for a manager,” he cursed at him, reluctantly shaking his hand. 

Dante made a few more ticking noises, leaning backward. 

“Mark, now go do the others already,” Mark answered, pulling his hand away from Dante and looking out the window. 

Dante moved towards Othello, offering his hand. Othello shook his hand, with the same smile on his face. “Don’t mind Mariachi over here, he’s in a sour mood,” he teased. “Name’s Othello partner, a pleasure to be working with ye.” 

Dante didn’t hesitate to walk over toward Pen, the next closest. The lad seemed happy to meet him. “You must be Dante, our new manager?” 

Dante nodded, shaking his hand. 

“You’re going to lead me to the star, right?” Pen asked, with hopeful eyes. 

The ticking stopped; Dante looked around before speaking to Pen again in words Jekyll had yet to understand. However, his answer seemed to satisfy Pen. The sinner smiled and sat back down. 

Dante turned to Jekyll next, extending his hand. Jekyll stood up in reply, wiping her hands on her jacket and clearing her throat before extending her hand to greet her new manager. “H-Hi, I’m Jekyll-” 

She cut herself off the moment she touched his hand. Suddenly, it felt like a coil around her soul was unwrapped around her and tied to Dante. The fear of death, the fear of merely having mortality suddenly was attached to this man. Her life and death felt as if it was no longer her concern, but the concern of the one standing before her. 

The ticking noises suddenly became audible. “Jekyll! A pleasure to have you! I’m Dante, as I’m sure you know.” 

Jekyll let out a large sigh of relief. “Oh thank the Arbiters, I can understand you now.” She laughed awkwardly and scratched her head. “I was worried we’d have to communicate by writing or something.” 

“No worries,” Dante nodded before he turned toward the last sinner who needed their hand shook: Mallo.

Dante held his hand to Mallo. “Greetings, I am Dante,” he said in a light-hearted tone. 

Mallo stared at the hand, refusing to shake it. She didn’t understand Dante yet, but it seemed like she didn’t wish to, either. 

“Uh, you need to uh… shake my hand,” Dante scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. 

“You have to shake Dante’s hand for the contract, Mallo,” Jatayu informed her. 

“Nah, I don’t feel like it,” the woman replied, leaning back into her chair. 

Pen wasn’t having it. He walked over, grabbed Mallo’s hand, and forced it into Jatayu’s, shaking it up and down. 

Mallo resisted but failed to do so under the force upon which Pen acted. She cursed at him before reluctantly shaking Dante’s hand up and down herself, binding herself to the contract, binding herself to Dante. 

Mark glanced up with all the commotion going on. He made some comments Jekyll didn’t quite catch, but she paid close attention to the events that followed. 

Othello stood up from Mark’s comment, turning towards him. “Marachi trying to beat Mallo in the worst mood on the bus.” 

“You better shut your mouth before I do it for you,” Mark snapped, standing up to tower over the former commander. 

Othello seemed unphased. “You talk a lot for someone who doesn’t act on his word,” he taunted Mark, freely, belittling him and getting away with it. 

Jekyll could theoretically see steam blowing out of Mark’s ears. He raised his fists and cracked his knuckles. There were a few more lines of cursed banter before Mark hissed at Othello. “Let’s finish what we started, then.”

Othello grinned, raising his own fists. “Gladly.” 

Dante tried to step in, “Guys, it’s the first day! Please let’s not f-”

“Stay out of this, clockface,” both of the men said in unison, their eyes locked on the target. 

Othello lunged for him. He swung first, hitting Mark right in the nose, and sending him back. Mark caught his feet and reeled forward, punching Othello in the nook of his neck and shoulder, making him stumble back. 

Dante stepped forward to step in, but Pen stood up and pulled Dante away, standing between the manager and the fight. His spear was ready to kill if anyone dared to step in his direction. 

Jekyll noticed that Mallo watched with glee, a large smirk on her face. Jekyll’s attention returned to the two men as they collected themselves. It’s only day one, are these idiots serious-

Suddenly, without warning, a sharp, red light blinded everyone on the bus. Othello cried out in pain as he fell onto the floor, blood pouring out of his arms at a rapid rate. Everything up to his elbows had been cut clean off his body, and his clothes were drenched in blood. 

However, Othello was the lucky one of the two. Mark immediately imploded on the spot from the flash, turning into a pile of body remains and a puddle of blood. 

Everyone’s eyes widened in horror as the Red Gaze stepped forward, his eyes glowing with great intensity as he eyed down Othello, who was trying to keep his arms from shaking and losing so much blood. His attempts were futile, and he refused to return his stare at the man before him. 

“Couldn’t even go one day when without breaking a term on your contract,” Vergilius seethed, staring into Othello’s soul. 

Jekyll barely noticed the interaction between Vergilius and Pen, and how the Red Gaze explained how he wasn’t going to hurt Dante, so he didn’t need to stand his guard. Jekyll clenched her head, breathing rapidly. Her heart rate quickened as her gaze was locked on the remains of Mark. She felt her sanity drop alarmingly, and the voice got louder. 

HAH! HAHAHAHAAH- A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE MORE AND I’M FREE! 

No, stop! Stop! Jekyll started to shake, she pressed her hands against her head. Be silent- you-! She couldn’t control the voice. Her vision got hazier, and her control was slipping by the second. Her voice became quieter and quieter as the other got louder. 

Keep staring, Jekyll! Look at the blood on the floor! How beautiful! How enticing! HOWEVER SO MALICIOUS AND-

The voice stopped, it was replaced with the loud sound of a clock rewinding. Jekyll looked up to see Dante clench his fists in pain, before heaving a few breaths and standing upright once more. 

Right before her eyes, Othello’s arms reassembled together, all of the blood put back into place moments before the attack happened. It was as if he had never been attacked in the first place. 

Same with Mark; Mark’s body slowly but surely rose from the ground, assembling in reverse the exact way he was destroyed. Limb by limb, every blood droplet returned to its owner, and Mark stood there, completely unscathed. 

Jekyll sighed in relief, slowing her heart rate down. That was way too close… 

She felt the voice pout. I’m still here idiot. 

Shut the hell up, Jekyll hissed at herself. 

There was more banter thrown between Othello and Mark, but Jekyll had a hard time remembering it and making sure her breathing slowed. Vergilius didn’t seem to address either of them before he went through the back door of the bus and didn’t look behind him as he closed it. 

“Right, you two,” Dante stepped forward. “No fighting your allies, it causes pain to bring me back.” “Ngh, I can do whatever the hell I want!” Mark hissed at Dante. “You're just our personal medic to help us get the job done, with no spine to command us at all. So get out of the way, pansy, and let me finish-” 

“You really want to be imploded again?” Othello smirked, rotating his arms as he got off the floor. “Couldn’t even take a single hit before you died.” 

“Sleep with one eye open, Othello,” Mark roared, getting up with no trouble. “Let’s get on with the tour of this trash, stupid bus already.” 

I love these guys. 

No, no we don’t! Jekyll groaned in pain, massaging her eyes in pain before standing up and giving a polite, passive-aggressive smile to anyone looking in her direction. 

“Right,” Dante sighed, gesturing to Jatayu. “Let’s give them a tour of the bus, I suppose.” 

The party slowly made their way to the back of the bus, which to the newcomer’s surprise, was a lot bigger on the inside than the outside. The hall stretched out to various sections, and each of the doors in the first room they entered were color-coded.

“Right, these are your rooms, where you may stay in your downtime!” Dante began, backing up and resting against the door of his room. “Your uniforms are inside, on your beds. Feel free to explore inside them.” 

Mallo was the first to enter her room, without a word. The others slowly made their way to their rooms, going inside and closing the door behind them. Pen and Jekyll were the last ones remaining outside in the hall, with Pen looking at the exterior of each door to every room, perplexed as if he was wildly suspicious of the bus itself. 

Jekyll shrugged and rested her hand on the door handle. She smiled softly. It’ll be nice to have my own room, thankfully. She opened the door and peeked inside. 

The first thing she noticed was how her room had two very different colors as if it was split down the middle. That was all Jekyll was able to see before she noticed the woman standing in the middle of the room, smiling wickedly at her. 

“Boo.”

Jekyll’s heart stopped. She slammed the door shut, stepping away from it as her hand clenched her chest. Her heart rate picked up again, and she couldn’t catch a breath to save her life. No, no, no, nope, no way, nuh uh, surely there’s another room I can- stay- ack- help-

The door slam caught the other’s attention. Pen was the first one to walk up to her. “Are you okay?” 

Jekyll stood up straight and glanced him in the eyes, unable to stop the laugh that escaped her throat. “Haha! Hahaha, yeah, I’m fine... I’m fine… uh…” 

Pen tilted his head curiously but did not say anything else as Dante came up and asked the same question. 

Jekyll gave him the same reply before her breath finally slowed down. “So sorry- I didn’t mean to alarm everyone, ahah… Do… Do we have to put on the uniforms… right now?” She stared at Dante with a pleading look of pain on her face. 

If Dante could have a facial expression, it would be one of confusion. “Well, I suppose you don’t need it right at this moment-” 

“Oh thank the Arbiters…” Jekyll sighed in relief, clenching her heart before her breath slowed again. 

Pff, weak. The voice mocked her. 

She retorted back. Moron. 

You jumped like a cat, it was hilarious. 

I hate you, I hope you know that. 

That’s the best part. 

Her internal dialogue was caught off as Mark burst the door open, storming up to Dante and grabbing him by the scruff, his eyes raging with fury. “How do you know that?!” He hissed. “How does the company know about what I saw in there?!” 

Jekyll looked around for Pen, but he was nowhere to be found. However, Dante seemed surprisingly calm as he replied. “I don’t- we don’t… We don’t know anything about how your room is, but as explained by Kuvira… your room matches your mental state, and reveals your memories.” 

Mark’s back heaved from the breaths he was taking before he dropped Dante onto the floor and stormed off to the right… He went in the opposite direction that they were supposed to go. 

Jatayu sighed and followed behind Mark from a safe distance, leaving Jekyll and Dante in the hallway alone. However, she didn’t get the chance to say anything before Othello came out of his room, seemingly in a good mood. 

Dante gestured to the left hall, mentioning that was the way to go. Jekyll decided to go immediately, not waiting for the others. She needed time to sort through everything that happened that day. 

To her dismay, Othello followed close behind her. She couldn’t recall if he said something to her or not, but amongst the very, very little small talk they had made, she remembers giving it straight that she would be referred to as Dr. Jekyll. No nicknames, no other names, only Dr. Jekyll. 

She had earned that title and was going to stick with it. 

Aw, I like nicknames though. The voice whined as Jekyll walked ahead of Othello to end the conversation. 

Your opinion is not needed. 

Eventually, Jekyll reached the end of the hallway and entered a spacious room, with some sort of control panel to the left, and another hallway to the right. The control panel only had a few settings on it, and it was labeled Ordeal Gauntlet. Jekyll connected that name to the speech Kuvira gave not too long ago. 

In front of her stood Vergilius with a box in his hands, full of various small equipment. Kuvira was by his side, trying to rummage through the box. Vergilius gently whacked her hand away each time she tried. 

“And what could these be?” Othello strolled up to Vergilius as if nothing happened. 

Jekyll was more hesitant to approach the two. Was it against the contract? Is she allowed to talk to them? Would Vergilius flatten her like a pancake if she tried? Should she even think about trying? Her anxiety spiked as she slowly took a few steps toward the Red Gaze and Kuvira against her better judgment. She vowed to read the contract in detail to make sure she didn’t break any part of it. 

“These are EGO gifts,” Vergilius explained to Othello. “These are for the party to assist them on the journey. Normally, I’d have everyone divide them up to what serves them best. However, seeing as only three of the six of you are here, I suppose it is first come first serve.” 

Jekyll turned around to see Pen walk through the hall into the room. Pen asked her why she was not approaching them, and she explained that she was afraid of the incident that happened in front of the bus.

“I sense no hostility,” Pen shrugged, taking a few steps forward. “I’m sure we will be okay. Come, let’s claim some of the EGO gifts before the others get here.” 

That specific wording triggered something in Jekyll’s brain. She realized the gifts were limited, far and few, and the urge to have the best ones overwhelmed her. She didn’t want to take any chances. Greed overtook her as she went up to the box first, scrummaging through the EGO gifts before choosing three that she thought would benefit her the most. She stepped to the side. Her mind raced as she put the EGO gifts on. 

See? You should listen to me more often. The voice hissed. You get more benefits when you put yourself first. 

Yeah, at the expense of others… Jekyll frowned. 

Do you really want to care about these idiots? No, you take what’s yours. 

I will give them back if someone needs them more, Jekyll argued, putting the last EGO gift on. 

As if I would let you do that. 

“Where are the others?” Vergilius asked openly, staring down the hall. 

“Dante stayed behind to wait for Mallo to exit her room,” Pen explained. “Jatayu and Mark went down the other hall.” 

“Hmm,” He hummed in disapproval, and took a few steps back, resting the box on the floor. 

“Oh my gosh, hi!” The familiar voice of the Red Gaze’s assistant ran through Jekyll’s ears. 

Jekyll glanced up to see Kuvira had approached her, her eyes beaming and her hand extended. Her skin glowed bright, but somehow, it wasn’t blinding. Jekyll was thankful for the recognition and shook her hand. “Good evening… Kuvira, was it?” 

“Yes ma’am! I’m not sure I caught your name, would you be so kind as to tell me?” 

“Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll.” 

“Oh my gosh, you’re a doctor?!” Kuvira’s eyes widened in delight. “That is so cool, like, wow! I’m sure you worked really hard to study for that, and it sure has paid off!” 

Jekyll smiled softly, retracting her hand and giving a slight bow. “Yes, it was hard work, and I appreciate your acknowledgment.” 

“Also before I ask all my questions, I just have to say I love your style, it is beautiful with the simple color scheme, awh! It’s just glorious, and it really compliments you!” 

“Aw, thank you,” Jekyll’s smile widened as she stared at Kuvira. This person is so… oddly kind. People with her energy and happiness would die easily in the city. Heck, most of Jekyll’s clients had stories like that. However, it was nice to finally meet someone with that energy, and still alive. At least, it was nice for Jekyll. 

The voice didn’t seem happy. Disgusting. Let’s kill her. 

“Shut up,” Jekyll’s face soured as she muttered under her breath. 

“Oh, sorry! I didn’t say anything,” Kuvira responded, laughing while messing with her hair. 

“Oh no, I wasn’t saying that to you, I apologize,” Jekyll’s face turned red from embarrassment. “Just… voices in my head, haha-” 

I have a name you know. 

I could care less about your name, Jekyll responded. 

Kuvira shrugged it off, smiling as if it was usual for her. “Just wanted to make sure! I know Vergilius has to tell me to shut up a lot because I ramble like, so much haha! So if I ever need to be quiet just let me know, okay?” 

Jekyll returned her focus to Kuvira. “I don’t think you need to shut up, I would very much like to listen. Preferably, to the answers to some questions I had?” 

“Oh of course!” Kuvira smiled. “I mean, the speech mainly said to give questions to Dante and Jatayu, but I can do my best to assist! What questions do you have, my dear?” 

Jekyll could not get her face to stop turning red, she was not used to this type of friendship and excitement shown to her. “Uhm- uh, f-firstly, I was curious if uh… Have you all been here since LCB-1? How long ago was that?” 

“Oh! Well, I believe Vergilius, Charon the bus driver, and Dante have all been here since LCB-1, Jatayu joined with LCB-2, and I joined midway through LCB-2. It’s been great for most, haha.” 

Jekyll raised an eyebrow. “What about Faust?” 

“Oh, Faust! You probably met her, yes! She was part of the LCB-1, and I believe she still is around as a manager of sorts! She doesn’t work directly with us as much anymore. She has better things to do, anyway!” 

“Right, okay,” Jekyll nodded, taking a mental note. “Is… Vergilius, well, does he kill all of us commonly?” 

“Oh no,” Kuvira glanced over her shoulder at the Red Gaze. “Absolutely not, he mainly gives consultations to the sinners who misbehave or are breaking their contracts. He tries not to kill them when it happens. Why do you ask?” 

“There was an incident at the front of the bus after you left, where…” Jekyll shuddered at the thought. “Mark imploded on the spot, and Othello got his arms ripped off after they started to quarrel.” 

Kuvira sighed. “Ahh, yeah, that might happen for a bit. Every team is bound to quarrel over something sooner or later, but eventually things work out, so I’ve been told.” 

“You mean, this is normal?”

“Yeah, of some sort.” Kuvira shrugged. “After death is no longer in the equation, people get initially violent over disagreements before slowing down. Things settle down after a while. LCB-1 and LCB-2 had that as well, don’t worry.” Kuvira tilted her head as she looked slightly down to meet Jekyll’s eyes. “Which sinners are Mark and Othello again?” 

Jekyll tilted her head and pointed in the direction Othello was heading. “That’s Othello, and Mark… is the one with the blonde shaggy hair.” 

“Gotcha, I will need to learn names eventually, haha!” Kuvira smiled sweetly before glancing over toward Mallo, who had just entered the room. “And she is?” 

“Mallo, if I remember correctly,” Jekyll mimicked Kuvira’s smile. “And over there is Pen.” 

“Gotcha, thank you!” Kuvira gave a soft nod toward Jekyll. “I appreciate the information, I will make sure it goes to good use!” 

“One more question, Kuvira,” Jekyll’s smile faded as she clasped her hands together. The mere thought of asking seemed like a burden, and the voice did not like it. 

I swear if you take one of those things again, I will lash out- 

“Of course! Anything!” Kuvira smiled. 

“Do… Does this workplace provide moonstones to keep our sanity levels the same?” Jekyll asked her visible eye twitching. “It seems our line of work will tamper with our sanity, quite a bit… I wanted to ask if the company had spare moonstones so our sanity can remain fixed.” 

“Oh! M Corp’s singularity,” Kuvira nodded, looking up at the ceiling to think. “Hmm, I don’t know of any moonstones in our possession, perhaps I can ask Vergilius for you, if you wish. I do know that sanity rises and falls when people use EGO, whether or not it's their personal one or ones from a…” Kuvira pauses, clearing her throat. “Abnormalities, so I do know that sanity rising and falling is a key part of the job, but I can see if the company has a moonstone for you. I don’t know if it would be allowed though.” 

Jekyll cursed in her head as the voice laughed with glee. No stability mentally? How was she going to keep sane?

HAHA! Oh, how perfect. 

“But hey,” Kuvira rested a hand on Jekyll’s shoulder. “If you ever need anything from me, to keep mentally sane or just need someone to talk to, I’m your gal, alright? I’m here for you.” 

Jekyll nodded in thanks toward the assistant. “I appreciate you, really. I will… take you up on that sometime, perhaps later, closer to the morning.” 

Kuvira opened her mouth to speak but clamped it shut as Vergilius announced the voting process to fight some ordeals in the gauntlet. She smirked, “Hey, go for the crimson ordeals, I heard they’re better than the amber ones.” 

Jekyll smiled and said her farewell before walking over toward the menu. She did her best to give Mallo space, but they shared proximity as she came closer to view the options. 

Mallo glanced over with a fierce glance at Jekyll. Jekyll met eye contact and started talking without realizing it. “So, have you heard of ordeals before?” 

Mallo’s gaze softened. “Yeah. I've heard of 'em. Nasty things from L Corp. Disgusting things that show up to cause chaos.” She inhaled a large breath from her cigarette and stood up straight, letting it out. 

Jekyll clasped her hands together nervously. It was the first time she heard Mallo speak more than one word. Her voice was quite pleasant. “Ahh... lovely, are they hard to kill?”

Mallo explained how the worms move around and jump, using flavorful curse words to describe them. She elaborated on how they make abnormalities breach and how they explode when killed but reassured it was more annoying than deadly. 

Jekyll nodded and cast her lot. The current votes were two to one, with crimson ordeals being in the lead. She stepped back, sighing. She would have to wait for the others to arrive before actual combat began. She wished not to fight, but it was the job she signed up for. A shudder ran through her spine, she knew what was about to happen. Oh, how wrong you were about this company, Jekyll.