The scene that won't fade...

[whitebumblebee]

Her funeral was yesterday. It wasn't a big affair and not many came, but -

I couldn't say good-bye.

I couldn't tell her how sorry I was or how I would spend my life protecting those like her.

It's not heroic. It's penance. For all I could have done and for all I didn't do.

Ariana.

. . .

Mun, please don't distract me from what must be done. I have had enough distractions already. I now see what's important. I see what I must do to protect it.

This time, I won't be selfish.

Albus

Comments

[unholy_terror]

I guess I'm not the only person who lost someone today.

[whitebumblebee]

I sincerely doubt it. Deaths are...far too commonplace.

[unholy_terror]

I know it better than a lot of people.

It's...my job to bring souls into the afterlife.

[whitebumblebee]

(A long pause.)

You are...a guide to those who have...passed?

(He does his best not to grimace.)

A demanding job.

[unholy_terror]

Yes though I'm not the one that explains their condition and this normally doesn't happen but...I ended up having to guide my own twin sister into the afterlife today.

[whitebumblebee]

(He doesn't know what to say. Everything has fallen apart in his life - in his family. Ariana was one of the few bright spots in his life and now...

She has a headstone.)

That couldn't have been easy.

[unholy_terror]

No it wasn't and...I failed to kill her killer.

I promise I'm going to kill her myself but I reacted so quickly.

[whitebumblebee]

(At that, he goes paler.)

I'm sure you will succeed. (The words are incredibly forced.)

[unholy_terror]

Did I say something wrong?

[She looked concerned now. She was very good at forgetting other people's feelings when talking.]

[whitebumblebee]

N-No... (Except...yes.) I fear the funerary proceedings tired me more than I originally realized.

[unholy_terror]

You can be honest with me.

If it makes you feel better I'll share a drink with you that's a thousand times better than anything a wizard could get his hands on.

[whitebumblebee]

So you know. (Of course she would if she was who she said she was.) My name is Albus and a drink sounds lovely.

[unholy_terror]

Not exactly but I can guess.

[She looked up,]

A little help here mun?

[In a moment there would be two skull-shaped mugs in her hand. The liquid didn't look particularly tasty as it was brown and the occasional bubble of sludge blooped up.]

I know it doesn't look appetizing but this is something amazing.