Eroshay Rosales had been pondering the inevitability of death for awhile now. She wondered if she would go to Hell, or maybe Heaven. She'd believed in those places before the complexity of what being a Reaper meant had overruled her life.
Looking back, it felt like an eternity, but it hadn't even been a full year, she didn't think. Back when she'd first met Angelo, been saved from the tsunami's aftermath. When she'd met Klaus, been adopted. All of that was literally a lifetime ago now.
Death, as it turned out for someone like her, was not pearly gates or hellish flames. It was darkness. Not peaceful, exactly, but it was nothing and everything all wrapped into one. Just as she had always been.
At first, she drowned, sucking in a liquid that was too thick to be water, too clear to be blood. It tasted sour and stuck to her throat like honey. Her chest constricted for a time, but soon even that faded, and she breathed the liquid as though she'd been born into the environment.
The inkiness around her ebbed away, not entirely, but it was shot through with shimmers. Thin, thin, sharp threads that traveled from her to hidden places. When she reached down to tug at one, it didn't budge. The sound here was muted until the girl's feet had touched cold, hard ground.
Around her, attached to some surface were mirrors or windows. They played pictures of the past, present, and future. Shay knew they were real and she had the strongest draw to reach out and touch one; if only she were tall enough. They shimmered as if sprinkled by stardust.
Eroshay turned slowly in a circle, watching mistakes, friends, enemies, lovers. Everything that could did and would happen. It should have made sense, but it didn't. Not without sound or context.
This place was desolate. Nothing as far as she could see. Just her, moving images, and darkness broken only by stardust. She held her mouth and fell to her knees, sobbing hard. Overwhelmed by the meaninglessness of it all. Life had led to this? This was all she got? This?
Time didn't matter here, so Shay wasn't sure how long she lie there crying. Long enough that sound resumed and the air was dry once more. It was so still in the void, her cries were unnatural and broke the silence uncomfortably.
She was cold all over. Cold and lonely and lost. The harder Shay tried to figure out what to do, the more lost she was. Until her thoughts were nothing and her body was nothing. She was nothing. She was just the darkness and the light. She was the stars. She was those pictures. Those windows.
"No, no, no. I don't want this. I don't want to be here."
♠♠♠
Limbo, a space that no matter how many times you visit it's never quite the same. Despite having visited here countless times, Regis still could never truly get used to the place. Did he fall in or was he pulled by someone? Trying to get your bearings is pointless. Trying to ascertain how long you've been here is pointless. The reaper drew his scythe and proceeded forward.
This person had lots of people in their life. That was good, strong bonds were always good. He couldn't help but recall his first time in this place, For him it was a strange sort of crossroads but the paths were all blocked off in some way or another. He figured that was just the universe's way of saying, "You're where you need to be."
A frown crossed his face as he saw someone a little way ahead. Someone who felt distinctly familiar, and recent. He moved closer, pausing when he realized who it was. The defeat was palpable as he got closer. This was just depressing, to put it nicely. The reaper stood over her contemplating what to say. Little Eroshay Rosales laying on the ground like a lump. There was too much potential here for her to give up and go to waste. He could be gentle, but then what would she learn from being coddled?
"Damn you look like shit, kid."
@Foxy
This person had lots of people in their life. That was good, strong bonds were always good. He couldn't help but recall his first time in this place, For him it was a strange sort of crossroads but the paths were all blocked off in some way or another. He figured that was just the universe's way of saying, "You're where you need to be."
A frown crossed his face as he saw someone a little way ahead. Someone who felt distinctly familiar, and recent. He moved closer, pausing when he realized who it was. The defeat was palpable as he got closer. This was just depressing, to put it nicely. The reaper stood over her contemplating what to say. Little Eroshay Rosales laying on the ground like a lump. There was too much potential here for her to give up and go to waste. He could be gentle, but then what would she learn from being coddled?
"Damn you look like shit, kid."
@Foxy
Shay sucked in a breath at the new presence. It was cold, like the rest of this place, but it was something. She sat up suddenly and turned to look at the man before her. She knew him from the New Years Party. Regis.
Any other time she wouldn't have been excited to see him. He'd offered somewhat begrudgingly to help her learn the ropes, and she'd denied him on the ground of that disappointed tone. He didn't want to teach her, and Shay didn't want to be taught by someone who didn't want her.
"Regis? Regis!" Her voice echoed for all of two seconds before being swallowed by whatever it was that warped around the two of them.
"W-What is this? Where am I? Why are you here?" She paused, wiped at her red face. "I.... I died. I -- I was murdered. I can't be dreaming. Are you coming to take my soul somewhere?"
More tears welled up at the corner of her eyes, but Shay was quick to wipe them away. Things got only a tad clearer with Regis there. He didn't look like Regis. Not really. He didn't look like someone else, either. It was all abstract and smokey. A shape, but barely one. Yet, she knew who he was. Knew it with absolute certainty.
Shay crawled forward but had to stop short and touch the back of her neck. It felt like needles had pierced her stomach and back, etching something into her skin, drawing blood, but no red came away with her hand when she checked it.
♠♠♠
"Calm down, I'm right here," Regis sighed, she was frantic and confused. And apparently she got murdered. Victims of violent crimes tended to be the most difficult for him to deal with. So change of plans, maybe be a little gentler. But only a little bit. He gently took her hand to help her to her feet. She was part reaper, dying is never a simple when you were a reaper. Some just wake up with bad hangovers, others like himself just couldn't cross over no matter how close they got.
When he met her he had a feeling he would be the one showing her the way. He didn't feel cut out for that kind of job though. Someone else would come along, is what he told himself at the party when he encountered her. It soon became clear that he wasn't there to reap the Campbell family or anything to do with them. He was without a doubt there to be her guide. And given how she ended up here, she needed a guide now more than ever. He studied the area to see if anything had changed. Oh how he hated Limbo and its nonsensical environment.
"No this isn't a dream, this is very real. Now focus on me, it might help with the clarity," he squeezed her hand. His gaze was locked on her face. It was odd, he normally saw a way out to the next stage and a way back to their old bodies. Shay only had one path he could perceive. It took her back to her life but, he'd put that bit of details out of his mind. "I think I'm here to help you find your way back home. Unless you like it here."
@Foxy
When he met her he had a feeling he would be the one showing her the way. He didn't feel cut out for that kind of job though. Someone else would come along, is what he told himself at the party when he encountered her. It soon became clear that he wasn't there to reap the Campbell family or anything to do with them. He was without a doubt there to be her guide. And given how she ended up here, she needed a guide now more than ever. He studied the area to see if anything had changed. Oh how he hated Limbo and its nonsensical environment.
"No this isn't a dream, this is very real. Now focus on me, it might help with the clarity," he squeezed her hand. His gaze was locked on her face. It was odd, he normally saw a way out to the next stage and a way back to their old bodies. Shay only had one path he could perceive. It took her back to her life but, he'd put that bit of details out of his mind. "I think I'm here to help you find your way back home. Unless you like it here."
@Foxy
Shay shook her head. "N-No," she sniffled. She didn't like it here. It was lonely, and the chill of the void tore at her throat.
Shay, too, looked around the area. It was still shadowed over in all directions, but now the shine that had initially guided her to the pictures danced in the air around her. They stung like glass when they touched her skin, but Shay didn't move away. She squeezed Regis' hand.
"Regis, I..."
Her and him, they were so alike. Was this what it was to be a Reaper? Guided by some strange instinct. Connected to two worlds, neither of which you were ever fully a part of?
Eroshay gulped and looked down at herself. She wasn't wearing clothing, but she wasn't nude either. Like the rest of this place, darkness covered her, too. It was like parts of her body were just non-existent.
The Stardust settled on the ground, soft light emanating from them and catching them like a light on glass. Shay looked over her shoulder. There was a clear path, but she couldn't see beyond the mixture of light and dark that shrouded it. Shay was afraid, but there was warmth coming from there.
"What happens if I go back...? Does everything go back to normal? I-It can't." Her shoulders jerked as more tears rolled down her cheeks and dripped from her chin. "Regis, I... It. What happened to me. I can't. What body will I even have to go back to?"
Suddenly, she tugged her hand from his and backed away onto the glass path, feet tearing open and spilling bits of purplish black blood that further exaggerated the shadow around them.
"What are you even doing here?" the girl asked accusatorially. "I said I didn't want you to bother yourself with me. You didn't even want to! So why are you here!"
♠♠♠
He could see the parallels between himself and this kid. Maybe that was another reason why he'd been drawn here upon her death. The existence of a reaper could get complicated to say the very least. Regis understood her fear and hesitation, between the trauma of her death and the confusion of where she ended up. He met her at eye level, with a look on his face that was somewhere between sympathy and empathy.
"No, you died. You come back, life goes on. You're not the first person to come back from murder and you certainly won't be the last. You're gonna be feeling pissed off and all sorts of violated. I can't even imagine the hatred you'll feel. But you have a lot of people that actually care about you. And also you're a reaper, it would be a waste if you just stayed here curled up bawling your eyes out."
He raised an eyebrow as she pulled away from him. Speaking of anger, there was some anger. This was nothing new, plenty of people let loose on him like this. It was all a part of the process. Regis wasn't going anywhere. That being said, her words struck a nerve. "I'm here because this is what I do. I show up for people who need that little push in the right direction. Apparently life's said you've done enough dicking around, it's time to get your shit together. I'm not going to let you wind up like me, now get up. We're stuck together now whether you like it or not."
He kind of wanted to smack her in the back of the head. He also wanted to give her a hug and tell her things get better, but that was a half truth. Things just get weird when you're a reaper. Limbo was such a gross place to be for anyone. Getting her out of this place was the first priority. "Alright Shay, get up, I know you can do that much. And manifest some clothes, you look like a damn magical girl in mid transformation."
@Foxy
"No, you died. You come back, life goes on. You're not the first person to come back from murder and you certainly won't be the last. You're gonna be feeling pissed off and all sorts of violated. I can't even imagine the hatred you'll feel. But you have a lot of people that actually care about you. And also you're a reaper, it would be a waste if you just stayed here curled up bawling your eyes out."
He raised an eyebrow as she pulled away from him. Speaking of anger, there was some anger. This was nothing new, plenty of people let loose on him like this. It was all a part of the process. Regis wasn't going anywhere. That being said, her words struck a nerve. "I'm here because this is what I do. I show up for people who need that little push in the right direction. Apparently life's said you've done enough dicking around, it's time to get your shit together. I'm not going to let you wind up like me, now get up. We're stuck together now whether you like it or not."
He kind of wanted to smack her in the back of the head. He also wanted to give her a hug and tell her things get better, but that was a half truth. Things just get weird when you're a reaper. Limbo was such a gross place to be for anyone. Getting her out of this place was the first priority. "Alright Shay, get up, I know you can do that much. And manifest some clothes, you look like a damn magical girl in mid transformation."
@Foxy
Shay wasn't sure how being brutally murdered and-- well, brutally murdered, was meant to help her get her shit together. Seemed pretty fucking counterproductive of the universe.
It resonated with Shay that Regis wasn't what she wanted, but he was what she needed. She knew that feeling and she saw all the parallel's between them in a way she wasn't able to before. Sometimes, you had to re-break a bone so it could heal properly. That's what they were, in short.
Shay wanted to lash out further, tell him to fuck off and that, if this was what it meant to be a Reaper, then she wanted no damn part of it. That was a lie. In fact, that would have been the only lie Shay had ever told with complete one hundred percent, no truth at all. She wanted to be a Reaper. She wanted to help people, even if they didn't want her.
Eroshay had thought she was standing, but, no. No, she wasn't standing. This place was fucking with her head something fierce. She shakily stood, knees wobbly. Subconsciously, she reached out and grabbed him to keep from falling over at a sudden wave of vertigo and pain.
"Manifest....-- How would I--?"
Shay tried to imagine clothing. The first thing that came to mind. A dark gray, pinstripe suit. The shadow that pooled around her shifted after a few seconds of thinking up details and formed the very thing she was imagining.
Shay blinked, looking down at herself in astonishment. "Holy shit," she breathed. Shay met his eyes, laughing breathless and disbelievingly. "Holy shit!"
♠♠♠
He could tell she was thinking of a million and one nasty things to fire back at him. He didn't really care if she voiced them or not because they both knew he was right and she was full of shit. He watched her struggle to her feet and took an arm to help her along. She'd get used to moving around soon enough. She focused her mind and manifested a suit that was about as tacky as his own. God they were too alike, or maybe tacky sketchy suits was a species trait.
"Oh my god, it's so tacky," he snorted. If nothing else he'd get a good laugh poking fun at her fashion tastes.
The next part was getting her back to where she belonged. This could either be really simple or just plain tricky. Truth be told, he'd never guided another reaper through Limbo like this. In fact, the last time he'd been here with another reaper he was the student, it was a strange feeling.
"When you get back find me as soon as you're up for it," he handed her a card for his office, "Like it or not, we're stuck together. So I might as well mold you into as proper a reaper as I can. Now then, can you walk?"
@Foxy
"Oh my god, it's so tacky," he snorted. If nothing else he'd get a good laugh poking fun at her fashion tastes.
The next part was getting her back to where she belonged. This could either be really simple or just plain tricky. Truth be told, he'd never guided another reaper through Limbo like this. In fact, the last time he'd been here with another reaper he was the student, it was a strange feeling.
"When you get back find me as soon as you're up for it," he handed her a card for his office, "Like it or not, we're stuck together. So I might as well mold you into as proper a reaper as I can. Now then, can you walk?"
@Foxy
"I-It is not tacky!" Shay said, looking down at herself. Okay, it looked pretty fucking tacky, but it reminded her of her family.
When Regis began looking around, so did Shay. The path carved of glass shards was still there. Of course, that was where she'd have to go. Shay would bet her arm on that. It was going to hurt, she knew and would be damn surprised if it didn't.
Eroshay looked at the card in her hand. Would it even stay with her? Who knew. She wanted to tell Regis to stuff it, rather than having to accept this shit. He didn't want her so why the fuck was he fighting? Was it some weird secret Reaper rule.
Shay decided not to address the problem for now. "I can walk," she said, a hint acidic before turning and taking her first step on the path.
Yup. It hurt. It fucking hurt. Shay fell to her hands and knees. She was wearing shoes, but it sure as hell didn't feel like she was. Her skin felt bare against the glass. She waited for blood to come, but it didn't.
Eroshay wasn't going to wait for Regis to tell her to stand again, she got to her feet and made a slow, painful walk into the unknown. It was more of the same, following the path, but there came an end, with a long, jagged cliff and a beam of light from above.
Shay stared up at it, then looked back at Regis like really?
♠♠♠
"It's totally tacky, we could go to funerals and fuck widows. Or rip people off for used cars," he teased. Regis didn't see their relationship becoming much more cordial than this. He could tell she didn't want him around, but then he also probably didn't help with his treatment of her. His actions may fix any false perceptions over time. His demeanor was still relatively serious He watched her struggle forward. It looked like she was feeling pain, but there wasn't much he could do to remedy that for her. He'd hit a point where he was just used to the varied oppressive atmosphere in the place.
She was a tough kid, that was for sure, pushing on without even a word. Regis would simply follow behind and watch her struggle. It was how she wanted it, so who was he to deny her really? They made it down the path a good ways until they came to a new obstacle. Before them stood a tall jagged cliff. The girl looked at him all the disgust she could muster was written on her face. He couldn't say he blamed her though. He was sort of bewildered by it himself. "I know, but you made it this far on your own. You can do this too."
She was stronger than this place, even if she didn't realize it. The pain, this path, even her untimely first death were all things he could move forward from. She just needed to find her strength. He folded his arms and stared back at her expectantly.
@Foxy
She was a tough kid, that was for sure, pushing on without even a word. Regis would simply follow behind and watch her struggle. It was how she wanted it, so who was he to deny her really? They made it down the path a good ways until they came to a new obstacle. Before them stood a tall jagged cliff. The girl looked at him all the disgust she could muster was written on her face. He couldn't say he blamed her though. He was sort of bewildered by it himself. "I know, but you made it this far on your own. You can do this too."
She was stronger than this place, even if she didn't realize it. The pain, this path, even her untimely first death were all things he could move forward from. She just needed to find her strength. He folded his arms and stared back at her expectantly.
@Foxy