The upcoming month at a glance for vatheon

[symmetrophile]

As far as curses go this one was mild, dare I say even harmless, so I'd appreciate an explanation for all this melancholic sighing, my mundane acquaintance.

[Sure, the grim reaper's powers had been ripped from him, and in their place he had to go around wearing a ridiculous costume and -- of all things -- slinging magical spells. That's right! For two weeks, Vatheon had become a hodge-podge of RPG tropes, and that meant its residents/captives/guinea pigs had to follow along with the theme.]

And even so, I'll be taking Rin Okumura and Maka along on a topside expedition to explore the island. A precisely organized campsite to my exact specifications has already been prepared. This trip is a much-needed reprieve to set all our minds at ease.

[Especially Maka. She's hanging in there like the trooper she is, but can we say depressed? And who goes camping in early spring?!

Don't forget what's coming down the proverbial pipeline, either: did you even see Liz Thompson on the reserves page? What about your impending update?]

First of all, I fail to see how an update should be upsetting. I'm as eager as you to find out how we've been faring back home. For another--

[...]

--Wait, did you say Liz?

Comments

[strongestcoward]

[Hey bro.]

Ke-ke-ke, if you want to put a mind at ease you should just let it go to do what it wants.

[symmetrophile]

[Ha ha ha, Kid, you don't even know. But you sure will. For now, the twist to the otherwise somber line of Kid's mouth speaks of mute revulsion and wariness.]

If anyone followed your advice, I'd hardly call their mind at ease. That sense of accomplishment and peace is a false one, Kishin -- the only attainment found in Madness is the utter damnation of the soul!

[strongestcoward]

[He's just grinning. That stupid crooked grin of his.]

Damnation or salvation, the matter depends on what god you'd rather listen to.

[symmetrophile]

[Few manage to win from Kid such instantaneous contempt, short of beginning their diatribes with "My legend began in the 12th Century".]

Dreaming that you can stand on the same level as my exalted father? You make me sick! The very idea of a soul as corrupt and filthy as yours attaining ultimate sovereignty turns my stomach!

There's only one rightful god of our world!

[unholy_terror]

[Sorry Death but this girl is just going to be staring at you a minute before finally asking,]

Are you really a Death god?

[symmetrophile]

[It's cool -- he's heard this one before. He's heard it a lot.]

Of course. More precisely, I am a grim reaper. My exalted father is Lord Death himself; as his only son and heir, I will inevitably take up that position.

[unholy_terror]

Sorry we just don't exactly have that where I'm from. As far as I know, when it comes to death people like me are it.

[symmetrophile]

People like you?

[Parroting people is just another way of asking for more information. This already sounds intriguing.]

[symmetryguns]

[Oh man Vatheon. That was a long time ago.]

She agreed to go up to the island with you?

[symmetrophile]

Surprising, isn't it? But this is Maka, after all.

[Her courage may be downtrodden, but it never seems to really break.]

[symmetryguns]

How fortunate. [It never seems to really break. Is that so?]

[symmetrophile]

It seems this is a difficult subject for the two of you. For all we know, it may be the presence of Rin that has made her willing to try.

[aeviternity]

Sounds like a pretty cool place. Are the curses like, painful? Or are they fun?

[symmetrophile]

That depends. Those responsible for the curses seem to care little for the comfort of their test subjects.

Only that the end result, presumably, produces a satisfactory amount of emotional energy. Or so the theory goes.

[aeviternity]

Those responsible? Test subjects... are they evil or something?

What do you mean?

[symmetrophile]

Vatheon is, at its core, a laboratory and those of us confined there are their experimental subjects. Some of us believe that the curses are meant to encourage the production of emotional energy, which is then harnessed and used to power the barrier that protects Vatheon.

To ask if they are 'evil' might imply that malice does not exist in all of us, without exception, already.

[styxiedust]

Oh, so you're the one! The son of the Grim Reaper himself, is that right?

[Well this is new, it's a girl in a very very very pink kimono looking him over. She puts her hand to her chin in thought for a moment, then nods.]

I see, I can certainly sense it from your spirit energy. Lots of order. [Yes to her it is very normal for death entities to have rigid rules and order set into their very souls.]

[symmetrophile]

Have we met?

[Kid, your memory, honestly. You've seen her around here.]

I wasn't aware there were others capable of Soul Perception in Vatheon, besides, of course, Professor Stein, Maka, and myself.

[styxiedust]

We haven't, not directly at least. Though my mun has been saying for a while that I should meet you.

[Irony reaper and all.]

Oh, goodness, I didn't look at your soul, I just sensed your spirit energy! How should I explain this? I'm sort of like you? Or, at least, by the perception of humans we're the same.

[Except she wasn't born from any god of death nor does she feel she has any right to exercise power over a living human.]

[proudsister]

And if she did?

[ hi Kid ]

[symmetrophile]

[There are flavors to Kid's somber mien. Certain types of stoicism mask sentiments he has deemed unsuitable or undignified for a reaper to display, and this one remains uncertain if this is an occasion appropriate for celebration.]

So, it's true, then? You'll be arriving in Vatheon?

[Because he's missed you both every day.]

[proudsister]

Seems to be the plan. Even if the mundane seems to be having a fit over needing to write an application.

[ calm your tits girl it'll be fine. ]

[reaperchop]

[Okay, Vatheon. Which Kid is this again? WHEN DID HE GET THIS MANY SONS?!]

Ah, so Liz is going to be coming to visit you, too, hmmm?

And what's this about sighing?

[symmetrophile]

[One need only catch Kid trying to invoke the image of his father in his bedroom's standing mirror to realize how much he misses home and those in it, so it's no surprise that he brightens.

Marginally.

Because Kid's stoicism is almost a universal constant.]

Indeed, exalted father, not that any of us have any say in the matter.

[Oh, right. The mun.]

My mundane acquaintance refuses to elaborate. But it has something to do with--

[GOSH MUN STOP.] --stop screaming into your hands right this minute, I'm trying to have a conversation with my father.

[reaperchop]

[Awwww...Kid, he knew you cared~!]

Tends to be a trend with these mundanes.

...Why is she screaming?