netherwork | npc || amun [ @ hierarchy ]

( ping ping ping. or, y'know, whatever your phone chime is. the face of a man who looks like he's never smiled once in his entire life appears on your screen. you may have seen him before, while you were busy surviving a storm or battling reapers. no matter. you might as well bask in his impromptu company now, because his appearances are few, and his indulgences even fewer. )

Allow me to make this clear. For those of you who wonder still: I am the Hierarchy. You do not come to us; we summon, invite, and hire. Order is of the utmost importance if you wish to survive, and time is of the essence. Do not waste mine.

( behind him, movement. if you squint, you may notice strands of greying hair near the door, though the person it belongs to remains off-screen. )

Your personal troubles are your own. If you expected us to hold your hand, do think again; there are far greater affairs to attend to, so do yourselves a favor, and look for soulmates. We've prepared an application for you, easily accessible from your device's home page. Should you need additional information, perhaps it's time for you to practice self-reliance.

I will not be answering questions.

( and the feed cuts, abruptly, without greetings or a name. )

ooc note

► Amun will not be responding, though you're absolutely welcome to react, comment and discuss amongst yourselves on this post! Other NPCs might show up!
► This is, more or less, Tinder for Soulmates o/ You'll find the permanent post (aka phone application) right HERE! If you're interested, simply fill out the form and comment on the post, and bam. Browse, swipe left or swipe right, and have fun! This is not mandatory.
► Forms and replies should be posted ICly (yes, even if it's located in the OOC comm -- you may choose one (1) thread for october's AC) .
► Another character may post in your character's stead. Additionally, feel free to have their Shadow influence their blurb!
► The application offers all the information your character needs to know! To recap: All that's required for another Restless to become your Soulmate is for them to enter your home, touch your Tethers upon invitation, and from then on, a piece of their soul will merge with yours, fortifying your Self. As a literal extension of your being, they'll easily gain access to your thoughts if you let them (or if you're careless), they'll experience your pains, fears, and joys on weaker levels, and their voice, touch and overall vicinity can become great soothing weapons against your Shadow. However. If two characters already share a powerful bond and one incidentally touches the other's Tethers, it's an accidental done deal. You may thank Naruto's player for this.
► You may have multiple Soulmates!
► If you have questions regarding the app, redirect them here!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Uh, yeah, sure, that's [ Uncertain pause? Yeah, uncertain pause, then, ] cool.

[ Look at him, he can be hip, he can be down with the youth and their words! Ahem, anyway. ]

I'd get it if you decided against it, though. I'm used to living in a literal hole in a wall. Doesn't mean everyone else can deal with that kind of living.

(you're doing so well, sweetie!!!)

Okay, I know you just said "literal hole in a wall," but, like... how literally?

Well, the way you got to it was by going... through... an actual hole in... a wall, so. Um. Very literal?

...

Are you okay? (🥺) Just because you lived that way before doesn't mean you have to live like that again. Things can be... different here.

You know?

[ There's an incredibly long pause. Bruno's turning that thought over in his head for a while. Can things be different? ]

I don't. Actually know how that would work?

I think starting small is probably key.

(isn't that the case for everything new?

new is frightening. change is frightening. it doesn't have to be, not if things are taken slowly.)

Like, yeah, totally go live in and around the chapel, because that's what you wanna do, but start introducing... little things. Like, things that make your life easier and, like, things that make you happy. Then before long, you'll look around and realize things are different.

Maybe.

Uh, I don't really know. I'm still—I'm trying, too, sort of.

Heh, it's fine. You. You don't gotta really know. You'd think someone my age would already have it all figured out...

[ It's difficult not to sound sad at the thought. He should be the one offering advice but he's never even been to a city before. He's never had to figure out a real place to stay or hold down a job or anything, anything like a normal person from outside the valley must have to do.

He can't bring himself to dump that on Jonas, though. He sounded upset simply from knowing that the whole hole-in-a-wall thing was the real deal. Better to not make it worse. ]

It's... it's fine, though. Really. [ Yes, very believable. ] Anyway, I'm Bruno. I don't think I ever had a chance to actually introduce myself before.

Doesn't actually seem like it'll matter much anymore anyway. Honestly, the short version of what I just said is: I think you should treat yourself. (time to get a midlife crisis ferrari, bruno.) That's what I'm probably gonna wind up doing.

(anyway, he can't wait to cut loose and then cry in bed for days afterward. you know how it is.)

Is your last name Madrigal? I saw your username and wondered what it meant, but I've got context now.

...

Actually, first I read it B-M-A-D, like, "be mad." Heheh.

I'm sorry, I should what?

[ Jonas, he's never seen nor heard of Parks and Recreation, what language are you even speaking right now? Sure, someone might treat someone else to a meal but treat himself? Treat himself to what? As if Bruno would ever decide to let loose and have a good time? No, never. That's impossible. ]

...be ma— oh. Oh, no, that's. No. It really is just my name. I'm not. I'm very rarely, uh. Mad. Like, ever?

You sure, Mister Madrigal? They say it's always the quiet ones, you know?

(teasing a grown adult now.)

Don't worry about it. It's a bad joke if no one gets the humour. Are you talking about me telling you to "treat yourself"?

It means... get yourself something nice someday. Something only you can enjoy. Like a meal or some new clothes.

[ He's very easy to tease, isn't he? Aw well. ]

Ah, that's. I'm not really sure that's a thing you're meant to be doing in purgatory, is it?

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know I was speaking to the local expert.

According to you, what are we supposed to be doing in purgatory?

[ Sheesh, rude much? ]

I'm not... I wouldn't say expert. [ He protests. To be entirely honest, he stopped going to mass as soon as he realized he could get away with it. ] But. But it's supposed to be where we atone for our sins so we can, y'know, go to heaven.

(jonas: rude. sassy. a teenager.)

Yeah, so why do you think of treating oneself as sinful? Like, if I wanted to have a nice meal and buy new clothes for once, would that be bad?

Because it's kind of... not being humble if you do that? Kind of greedy, maybe? Look, I don't know, but I died and ended up here, so obviously I did something wrong, y'know?

...

Oh, wow. Okay, (jonas says, audibly quieter. someone thinks he's greedy, which sticks with him like a burr; would it be bad?) This isn't Hell, you realize that, right? Like, none of us have been judged yet. If anything, we've been reborn in this place.

We came out of egg sacks naked, man.

(there's a sigh against the receiver.)

Forget it.

It not being Hell is the point? I mean, I know that. It's still a purgatory. It's... it's like a second chance to get it right? I.

[ But he says to forget it. How can he, though? He sighs. ]

I'm... sorry. I'm not. Not judging you or anyone or anything, I'm just. I don't know what else to do here.

I just—I don't see how, like... buying something you couldn't when you were alive is such a bad thing.

(given a chance to once more act stubborn, jonas does exactly that)

You do whatever makes you comfortable or whatever, it's—everyone has their own opinion, right? My comment telling you to get yourself something nice was stupid; that's on me. All good?

[ There he goes again, making things worse, like always. His Shadow is quick to chime in, reminding him of that. This is his fault. He's made this poor kid feel bad because he's weird and has stupid beliefs and—

Well, it'll rattle on like that until it trails off again and Bruno sighs. ]

...it's fine. [ He answers, voice quiet, incredibly put out about the entire conversation at this point. ] I don't think it's stupid, really, I. I just don't deserve nice things, y'know? But I'm sure you do, so. So don't worry about that.

You don't know anything about me, just like I don't know anything about you. What we do or don't deserve... I guess that's never been up to us.

(surely, for both of their sakes, it'd be best to stick a pin in it. jonas gives his hair a brush through, frustrated at himself and at the situation.)

... I'll see you at the chapel, alright? I'm still coming to see what I can help with.

[ Jonas moves to drop the conversation and Bruno takes the hint to do the same. All he'll say after that is, ]

Right, of course. I'll, uh, see you when I see you, I guess.

npc || amun [ @ hierarchy ]

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