Surtr's Smile [Completed]

[redhot.livejournal.com]

Character(s): Axel, and whoever happens to run into him.
Content: Nothing much, he enters the city in a considerably less flashy way than last time, I suppose.
Setting: Muspelheim.
Time: Midday or so.
Warnings: None.

There was a legend in some ancient religion about a place called Muspelheim. Its name meant "flame land", and was a realm composed of eternal fire; only those who were native to it could survive in that place—and it's populace was composed of fire giants. Their leader, forever stationed at the front of the land to defend it, was one named Surtr, who possessed a sword of fire. One day he was to wage war against the gods themselves, and eventually, burn up the entirety of existence.

A black hand reached out, lengthy, spidery fingers stroking their way down the metallic flames admiringly, almost as if the owner of the appendage was in absolute awe of the structure he stood below.

The owner was a name named Axel; he stood almost six-foot-two, not including that spiky mane of shockingly red hair and protruded from the back of his head (the shortest strand could have not been less than five inches). His body was lean and thin, but he possessed a barrel chest and wide, almost womanly hips—and big hands. His eyes were an intense, stark blue-green, accented with black tattoos below them: vertical, slightly-less-than-an-inch black "tears", and a very slight lining around the bottom, much like permanent eyeliner. Always, he donned a black, form fitting coat with a very deep hood and draw strings for it which were decorated with all sorts of miscellaneous silver beads.

Needless to say, he was quite the interesting looking individual.

He laughed softly as he waited—his hood up, concealing, for the most part, any good view of his face, with his arms casually crossed over his chest after he finished touching the gate. Every so often, he inched forward to compensate for the gaps created when the line he stood in advanced. Sometimes, though, he'd shut his eyes slowly and bow his head down the moment he saw the one in front of him step ahead—and he'd stay in his spot, dormant as if he had fallen asleep right there, while standing up. This, of course, was done intentionally—it provoked various noises of displeasure behind his head: insults, jeers, threats... the agitation of the newcomers of Paixao was just too amusing.

Finally, after a few moments of letting them whine, one of the individuals behind him was so bold to take it upon herself to step out of her place and attempt to cut in front of Axel. She was met with his arm suddenly stretched out inches in front of her face, blocking her path. "Ah-ah-aaah, don't you know it's impolite to skip?" He peeked an eye open and looked down at her, and then winked as he let his arm down and moved ahead accordingly.

The girl paused to give him an odd look, hmphed childishly, and then retreated.

When it was finally his turn, he smiled charmingly at the blond lad that asked for his name and then handed him a journal. "The name's Axel," he replied, grasping for the shiny dark thing. "A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?"

"Ah—yes." The man gave him a hesitant nod and smile, giving the others in line behind Axel an odd uncomfortable look and a shrug.

"Great!" the red-head replied, daring to reach out and pat the boy on the back. "I'm sure I'm going to have a hell of a time here in Paixao."

He looked nervous. Axel chuckled softly and slipped away, out from the gate and into the city.

Comments

[callmedidi.livejournal.com]

Strolling, or rather skipping, through the streets of Paixao, Death is in very amiable mood despite the fact that she just left the one person whose company she enjoys the most; her younger brother Dream. She can come back to him anytime, she figures, but there are some things that she must do, such as finding out about these beings that she does not know. Could they be gods? If they are, then they should be of her brother's realm and it would make complete sense. And yet, these people seem too earthly to be gods, for gods are proud and pompous, never wanting to appear so firmly rooted in the matters of mortals as these beings seem to be. Gods do not meddle; they love, loathe, destroy and create but they never manipulate and meddle mortals for they see no need to. Fools they are, gods, for thinking that they are powerful enough to control these mortals with their own powers. These beings are much wiser than gods.

Shrugging the matter away, she opens up her big black umbrella and twirls it in front of her before placing it on her shoulder and looking up at the tall gate of golden flames that stands before her. "Peachy keen!" she exclaims at the gates. This gate, as well as the one she went through and the other that Dream went through, is very well-made. Whoever forged them must be a very great artisan. Death walks closer to the gigantic gate to inspect it more, but while her attention seem to be fixed on the gates, the presence of one of the beings she was looking for did not pass her unnoticed.

Just as the being pass through the gates, her lips upturn into a smile even though her eyes are still upon the gate. When the being walk by her side, she tilts her head to the side and lets out an amiable giggle directed to the being whose name she does not know, "Hi there, may I know your name?"

[seconddoll.livejournal.com]

It was strange for Rei to be met with other than indifference. She could remember, if she tried hard enough. When she was younger she would say things she shouldn’t, and that ended up getting her in trouble. Grave trouble. But Rei had learned to check her tongue and it was serving her well. Sometimes she sensed the technicians and scientists in NERV feared her, but it didn’t matter. Gendo was proud of her.

Or at least, he had been. Everything had changed since Rei had found herself in this strange place. Since her encounter with a woman by the gate and learning she did not know of NERV, Rei set out to see what she could find.

In the back of her mind, Rei wondered if she should have stayed with the woman, who seemed to be harmless. An ally out of necessity, not want, and Rei would work with her to please Gendo if this were some test. Rei was confused… but she would deal with that as soon as she found out why she was here.

Rei had been walking for quite some time, and the feet of her white plug suit were beginning to show it. She had been keeping to the walls of the city, and had come across none that would seem of help to her. Yet as she came across what appeared to be another gate, she felt the bandage around her head. It was becoming dirty with sweat and blood.

Not hearing the woman speak previously, Rei approached her. “Excuse me, do you know of a convenience store nearby?” She took no notice of the man entering the city.

[redhot.livejournal.com]

Axel was quite well off minding his own business, and Death's presence certainly wasn't expected, but he welcomed it nonetheless. His intense green eyes turned to her, blinking slightly with an enticed curiousity-- what a pretty little girl, in a morbid sort of way, he thought. Polite, too. He couldn't deny a sense of comfort he got when he looked at her.

"Hey there. Name's Axel. And you are?" he asked-- then glanced up at the second individual who approached, someone who apparently didn't even make note of his presence.

He quirked a brow at Rei, and then looked back to Death, blinking slightly a few more times. Ah, Paixao was turning out to be quite an interesting city.

[callmedidi.livejournal.com]

Not quite surprised by Rei's greeting, Death turns around slowly to face the albino, "I'm sorry but I don't." She then smiles lovingly at Rei when she realizes the reason why the young girl needs a convenience store, "I can help you with the bandages though, Rei," another smile. This girl is one of the people that Death finds interesting apart from the Emperor of the United States and Hob Gadling. After all, it is not everyday that she had to take and give life to the same person and yet a different individual altogether.

Death then turns to the man she addressed previously, still with a wide smile genuinely plastered on her face. "Cool name!" she chirps while stepping back a bit so that Rei can see Axel. "People call me Death, and this is Rei," then going straight to the point, "I know everyone, Axel. Well, at least I used to think I do, but I don't know you." Death leans back casually while placing her right hand on her hip, "Enlighten me, oh mysterious one!"

[seconddoll.livejournal.com]

Rei stared dumbly at the woman before her. "How do you know my name?" She asked, and it seemed highly unlikely this woman was a part of NERV. The thought of bandages was pushed into the back of Rei's mind as she slowly took a step back with her right foot, and then rested her weight on it, tense.

She was cautious but not afraid. Something seemed... familiar. And save for the device given to her at the gate, it was the first time Rei could say something felt familiar here. Rei glanced at Axel, but that wasn't where her interest was at the moment. She continued to stare at the woman, as if she could figure her out by doing so.

[paixaonpcs.livejournal.com]

Along with the sense of comfort from the dark girl, there was some sort of familiarity. Vague, at best. A slow grin of understanding appeared on his face when she announced her name. "Death, huh?" He drawled, the grin unwavering. "Things suddenly make a lot more sense." Not that the man thought he was dead. Far from it, in fact, but at least the feeling he got from the girl was explainable, now. Otherwise, he might just think he was turning into a somebody.

"Sorry," Axel said, the tone of his voice not indicating any apologetic feelings, "But I don't really think I want you to know me. No hard feelings~" He laughed, and strode casually past Death and Rei, calling over his shoulder, "Maybe another time!"

[callmedidi.livejournal.com]

Her grin did not waver while Death watches Axel leave her with a laugh. Despite the fact that she has just lost an opportunity to know more about this group of beings she does not know, she is glad that she is able to switch her attention to the albino girl who greeted her. Turning back to Rei, Death shrugs slightly, "well, there's always another time."

Noting how Rei had taken a step backward, Death steps forward once and giggles in amusement, "of course I know you, child, we've met before. But no one ever remembers their first meeting with me, so it's okay if you don't either," Death offers her a handshake, "you're welcome to call me Death."

[seconddoll.livejournal.com]

Rei's eyes followed after the man as he walked past her. She had simply hoped to ask the woman for help and then walk away, as her wounds were becoming increasingly uncomfortable. She knew if she were back in Tokyo-3, she would still be bedridden. Fast healer or not, Rei was starting to feel the negative aspects of walking miles and miles with such injuries.

"Death," Rei repeated, and stood up straight; she no longer looked as if she were ready to bolt. Rei seriously doubted she would be able to make it far, anyway. Was she to believe this was death, personified? Rei knew that wasn't logical, but she extended her hand in turn, stiffly. "I find you familiar," she said, not vocalizing how familiar.

[callmedidi.livejournal.com]

Death is starting to like this albino girl very much. Rei is unlike most cynical and jaded people she knew, which is a very welcome relief. Death's smile widens a little as she shakes Rei's hand slowly, "people often find me familiar," although she would rather be found as familiar by this blue-haired girl compared to by most others. "I like you a lot already!"

Then, reminded of Rei's original motive for approaching her in the first place, Death steps closer to touch the bandage covering Rei's eye. "You look terrible," her brows furrowed in worry, Death looks over the girl with concern. "I don't think I can take care of your injuries, I'm not a doctor. I'm going to take you to a hospital, would that be okay?" Death can guess the girl's reply, but it is not wrong to wish otherwise.

[seconddoll.livejournal.com]

In the back of Rei's mind, she thought of all of the times she had been close to death - or worse. The most recent incident was of course, the freshest in her mind. She could still remember Commander Ikari opening the entry plug with his bare hands, his flesh burning. She wondered if he were angry at her for that.

Rei didn't understand why this woman - Death - would care about her well-being, but didn't press the matter. She was exhausted, hardly recoiling when Death moved closer. Rei had thought she might be able to get by without being back in the hospital, otherwise she would have simply walked there herself. Yet now that she had stopped moving, the pain had increased. Rei nodded once.

[callmedidi.livejournal.com]

She knew that wishing otherwise is not wrong! Death had expected Rei to refuse the offer and had planned to just drag her to a hospital anyway. She is glad that the girl agreed, however, as forcing Rei to go might hurt the severly injured girl. "Wonderful," Death mutters softly as she takes Rei's hand in hers again. "Here we go, then!"

The strange sound of the fluttering of many wings can be heard, and with a blink of an eye, they have arrived right before the entrance of the Aiches Memorial Hospital...