I could put a catchphrase here but I refuse!!!

[shadower]

Don't you have something better to do than bother me? I get it, you're bored, but I was doing pretty great over here. Life's good, everything's quiet, and the sky looks amazing today. You could try going for a walk and enjoying some of that, too.

You know. Instead of tossing me into a world haunted by soul-devouring ghost things.

Comments

[wishuponastar]

On the bright there, there is no squad of angels attempting to bring about the Apocalypse and eradicate humanity in favour of Eternal Paradise.

[shadower]

Is that even a thing that happens?

[umuh]

Yeah, but can't you just go home? I mean they don't make you stay there.

[shadower]

Sure, yeah, just go straight past the ghosts that eat souls and crawl through the interdimensional rift in space-time which may or may not take you back to the place you came from.

[wishuponastar]

It is well underway. But so is the opposition, so there might yet be hope. Soul eating ghosts seem so much simpler in comparison.

[umuh]

If the flew us in to the observatory, they can probably fly us back to our windows. As long as they're open.

[ But man, she runs a hand through her hair. ]

Holy crow, this all sounds so crazy. Soul eating non-things, souls as animals, doorways into other worlds? Life isn't supposed to be stranger than fiction.

[shadower]

I'm gonna have to take notes on places I never wanna go. Ever.

[wishuponastar]

It usually is a rather beautiful place. However, ignorance is truly bliss more often than not.

[shadower]

You really trust these guys? I mean they're cutting doorways into other worlds. You're right. Life isn't supposed to be anything like this. They're messing with some serious stuff.

[shadower]

It's hard to appreciate beauty if you're terrified. I'll take safe mediocrity.

[umuh]

I trust them enough when they say they want most of us out of there, and I'm hoping that doesn't mean anything drastic. Things occasionally have to go right, sooner or later.

[ She frowns, looking away. ]

It sure looks like it has the potential for things to go really, really wrong. People have enough trouble getting along when they share just one world. If you open up access to however many you can?

[ Bella lets that statement trail off, as she'd rather not think it through to the end. ]

[shadower]

[Of course he can't help but think of every possible consequence, but he can see he's upsetting her, so he shuts up about it.]

Well... Seems like they've been at it for a while, so they've gotta have some idea what they're doing. I guess.

[malleusmaleficarum]

I don't really see the soul-devouring ghosts as a problem.

[umuh]

[ Shikamaru is a kind teen. Bella can appreciate this not going into an in depth exploration of just how terrible things could be. It's just a little too far outside of what she thinks she can deal with right now. ]

I guess.

[ Echoing his words, with a stark lack of conviction. ]

From the sounds of things, our windows are the result of them getting over-ambitious. We don't even know all the whys behind recruiting people. Exploring new worlds? Okay, maybe I've been surrounded by capitalism my whole life, but that sounds like the perfect exploitation mechanism. Is this all supposed to be pure scientific curiosity? Altruism? I don't get it.

[shadower]

Are you following that statement up with something creepy like "...because I don't have a soul"?

[wishuponastar]

I can understand that. It's a regrettable state of things of souleating ghosts can be considered safe mediocrity. But don't fear. There is always a way to survive.

[malleusmaleficarum]

No. Melodrama was never my style and besides, I have a soul. Or, well, I used to be. I don't know, it's complicated. I just know I don't have a little animal following me around like everybody else.

[shadower]

[What is "capitalism"? Well, anyway -]

They're definitely exploiting us, but it makes sense that they would, even if our involvement is accidental. Anyone would logically take advantage of the situation, if they could. A native's gonna make the best subject of study.

[obstinates]

G-Ghost things?

[shadower]

Except when there isn't.

[shadower]

...Then of course you wouldn't be worried.

[umuh]

Natives willing to stick around and be studied as they work for you, all the better. You'd think that'd have some pretty serious impact, even just healthwise. New worlds, new microbes, whole new systems that aren't used to another world's common cold. How are they close to being equipped to handle that?

[ Thinking smallpox and the Native Americans, or even how flu viruses mutate in different regions and spread like crazy. Oh man oh man can she just go home to Fork and stay in the dreary rain and graduate and forget that her soul is apparently a goat named Washington? ]

[wishuponastar]

You should not be so pessimistic. I mean. Perhaps a little. But really, you can always prevail.

[shadower]

"Spectres". I dunno much about them, except that if they eat my soul-animal then I'm doomed to an exist as a lifeless husk... forever?

[shadower]

That isn't true, though. It's a nice thing to say to someone, but I'm definitely gonna die someday.