Except the ones who are dead (Open/Active)

[trademark_skull]

Character(s): Emizel, some nameless corpses
Content: Just picking through some of the leftovers, if there happens to be any.
Setting: Ruins of Paixao
Time: Early-late evening to night, week 42
Warnings: Death doing what Death does.
Note: This is gonna be a thing for quite a few hours and possibly over a wide surface area. Therefore I'm gonna use a 'party'-style format for once. Feel free to pick a location and time.

The bustling city had fallen so silent now. Streets that were filled with noise and words were now buried under a thick layer of rock and steel. With only a few landmarks managed to stay standing the city looked nothing more than a barren wasteland, surrounded by broken walls. So eerie, so surreal, it could give almost anyone the creeps just by stepping foot in it. But that was exactly why Emizel had to be here. After all if something isn't done too soon, this place literally will turn into a ghost town. There was little he could do for those that were still alive and kicking, and there was plenty around who could handle that better anyway. But there must be a lot fewer that can actually 'treat' those that didn't make it.

It definitely crossed his mind more than once about how death actually did work here. Did everyone just go to their respectful afterlives or something? Did the castle somehow have one of those too? Did some of the things here even have souls to begin with? Although the further Emizel went, the less sure he was. He started to grip the scythe over his shoulder tighter each time he came across a new body. Crushed, bled to death, all of them died just about the same way. And the number seemed almost endless.

And this... all of this, it all could have been so easily avoided had he not been so careless.

"... I'm sorry," he choked and stopped fidgeting with the scythe so he could tug the hood further down, and not look at the sights anymore. He was supposed to be hunting down spirits, not bodies. They're not going to rest in peace otherwise, not in a hell hole like this. "So, so sorry."

Comments

[trademark_skull]

He did feel some sort of presence getting closer, however even knowing that the touch still made him jump a little (probably thankful that his face was tucked behind a hood right now). And great, it was her again. Emizel really wasn't in the mood for any sort of hijinks and it was not the best time for it.

"I know, I know," he sombrely said. "There really wasn't much I could have done anyway."

[gumdroppizza]

“We all did our best,” Eden said as she looked over everything. She held her hands close to her arms, “I’ve seen things like this happen before over the many years I lived. I can only try and do what I can under what my master is alright with.” She looked to the side with a small smile, “Thankfully she’s alright with me helping others though.”

Eden walked over and started to use her magic to try and clean up to mess. Things slowly came back up to resemble. “Things that fall down, can be picked up,” Eden spoke idly as she worked her magic with clearing out some of the rubble, “It just takes a little bit of time and care.”

[trademark_skull]

He finally did lift the hood up a little to watch the pieces become recognizable parts again, like it never fell. It was impressive, however..

"Even if you could put the whole thing back together again," he looked down and began to nervously grip the pole of the scythe again as he spoke. "It still won't be the same."

[gumdroppizza]

Eden shook her head, “Of course it wouldn’t, life goes on like that. All sorts of changes, rotten ones and good ones.” Assembling what she could from the damage, she glanced over toward him. Noticing he took off his hoodie. She closed her eyes and made a small smile, “To change fate, or chance. It can be very challenging, one could only be careful for what they wish for,” she looked to the side, “It’s one choice, one thought, one feeling. Your heart decides what is right or wrong.”

The structure was almost completed, sparkles magical wind continued flow through her arms, as she continued to speak, “Mistakes can be mended over time. Though what damage was done, can be seen, it’s still has a chance to be whole again,” as the structure was finished, she covered her hands over the cracks, slowly healing them back together, “It may not be the same, but that’s what makes it stronger. One learns from mistakes, regrets, pain, and get back up again.”

[trademark_skull]

Wow, who would've thought the genie could actually be that deep for once. Even if that wasn't quite what he was trying to mean. "That's not really what--"

"Sure you can go ahead and repair everything. But the ones gone now, they're the ones never going to get another chance."

[gumdroppizza]

Eden puts her hands behind her back, “That’s how life is I guess for some it’s short.” She picked up a stray broken jeweled flower on the ground, “I wouldn’t have the chance to forget what they’d want to accomplish though. If they have spoken of their goals, their wishes. Their heart lives on that way.”

She gave a soft smile to Emizel, “I never forget my old masters, even though they are gone. I made their wishes come true before they passed on, though not all of them we’re really ‘ideal’, but when you’re a genie you do your job.”

Putting the flower down, “So knowing them, maybe their wishes live on in others. Or maybe there are those that already had what they needed, instead of what they wanted. Either way, I do believe human nature have their own special way of carrying on.”

[trademark_skull]

"... It still isn't fair," his gaze never left the damaged flower. "They didn't do anything wrong. Well, not all of them anyway. They didn't deserve this."

"Had everything just played out a little bit different.."

Without noticing it right away Emizel had been turning it into his own fault again. It felt like a mistake that was going to possibly haunt him for years to come, and there was he could do to stop it. Other than to shut up now before he cracked again.

[gumdroppizza]

Eden shook her head solemnly, Emizel was right. They didn’t deserve it. For it to suddenly happen was unfair. Although when she looked upon the boy, she can feel the sense of regret. Eden put her hands over her own, as she tilted her head toward him, eyes gazing at him sincerity. She spoke softly, but clear enough for him to hear, “Emizel… It’s not your fault.”

[trademark_skull]

"I know it isn't, but," Emizel was avoiding looking at the genie directly has he spoke.

"I still could have done something more to stop it. I was the only one that could have."

[gumdroppizza]

“Now don’t think that, I know for a fact you weren't the only one,” Eden said with slight firmness, as she shook her head, “Plus it’s not any good to tell yourself what you could have done. It’s more important to tell yourself what you can do now. If all of us dwell in the past, we’d be stuck there forever. Never learning what we can do here and now.” She tilted her gaze toward him in hope he would look back at her, “Please don't doubt yourself so much."

[trademark_skull]

There may have been some success in those words after all. He did glance eye to eye just enough to acknowledge her, then shut them again to look away with a huff. "... Yeah."

She was right, as embarrassing as it was to get lectured at about it. But how does someone stop thinking about it? How do they get rid of that... pain?

[gumdroppizza]

Eden gave out a sigh. It was such a wonder how much patience she had, yet again, years of dealing with all sorts of people will do that sometimes. Emizel was only a child still, regardless of being a demon. She floats down and gives a small smile as she spoke, “How about we go take a break from here. I can get us two root beer floats, they’re very delicious.”

[trademark_skull]

The mention of floats did get Emizel's attention, and even for a moment he looked intrigued and interested. But it wasn't long that he sunk back into a depression and pouted.

"But I still have so much work to do," he held the pole of the scythe a bit closer, almost as if he was worried about loosing it if he let go.

[gumdroppizza]

“Oh I’m sure a little break wouldn’t hurt,” Eden said with an encouraging smile, “We can come straight back to this after we’re done I promise.” She honestly did want to cheer him up at least a little. Perhaps taking a break from all this could do the trick.

[trademark_skull]

"... You sure? We can do that?"

The way it sounded it was more like a hopeful plea than a question. One side of Emizel really did want to get away from all of this, but this was his duty. Even if he really wasn't responsible or not.

[gumdroppizza]

Giving a solid nod, with a small smile, “Of course we can.”

Eden turned to lead the way, and look back at him gently. “Come, everything will be alright. I’m sure.”

[trademark_skull]

Emizel made one last look at the remains of the city and then back at Eden. Then at the city again and back. He really could not believe he was actually agreeing to this.

"Okay," he dismissed the scythe and ran a little ways to catch up, but being careful enough to not trip over any rubble. Surely not much will change if he left for a little while.

[gumdroppizza]

There was almost a glide in Eden’s walk, as she led the way. She had a calm smile on her expression, knowing that really was the best thing to do for him. As soon as they reached a nearby shop that served ice cream and drinks, she entered the establishment with Emi and took a seat in one of the nearby tables. Calling out to the waiter who came by, “Two root beer floats please.”

Eden looked over to Emizel folding her hands across each other as she gave him a sincere smile. Hopefully this will help him relax.

[trademark_skull]

That was strange, he was pretty sure this shop was never here before. And even if it was, it should had been in worse shape than this, and he was sure most native had bailed by now. Emizel had to take a good look around just to check and it really did look like not a single thing was out of place. Like a disaster had ever happened.

This must have been her doing.

".. S, so..." he was feeling a little awkward sitting and waiting for the drink, making it even more apparent as he fidgeted with a sleeve cuff. Getting gazed at like that probably wasn't making him feel much better. "What really is there to talk about?"

[gumdroppizza]

Eden looked over at him. Oh he probably noticed that she did indeed poof this up. Were the bouncing rainbow lamps the give away? Probably… Eden started to sip her root beer float as soon as it was slid over to her. Another root beer float sliding it’s way over to Emizel.

As soon as he asked the question, she blew bubbles in her drink momentarily, before giving a shrug as she looked over to him, “Well many things, for one thing I just found out a new pear and apple pie recipe that I wanted to try cooking up sometime. But I’m wondering if it’d taste better with apricot. What do you think dear?”