starlogs | in fire, in whispers

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in fire, in whispers

WHO: Reaper and YOU, (some private prompts)
WHERE: Down on good ol’ Bajikan.
WHEN: Various days throughout the fleet’s visit
WHAT: A grumpy zombie dad and his (mis)adventures in ‘Paradise’.
WARNINGS: Always warnings for talk about how disfigured he is under his mask.

[ Reaper has, in every meaning of the word, absolutely no interest in surgical procedures that may change the biology of his body (again) or fix the possible effects that a certain angelic doctor’s experiments did to him. Getting ‘fixed’ ran the risk of him either dying for good this time--or it would take away the strange ‘powers’ he’d gained while losing everything else he’d ever given a damn about. He’s this deep in, now, and he has no interest in changing back into who and what he used to be.

But what he is interested in were the rumors he heard through processing about the strange plants on this planet. Their effects, and most especially, the fact that there was no law protecting these plants from being taken back aboard the Eluvio once the little repair mission they were on was over. ]

Side 1 - vanity’s not a good trait - OPEN

[ Might as well start with what was closest, he decides--and he finds himself in the 7th district of this apparent ‘Paradise’ they’ve found themselves in. After a few minutes of wandering around, he’s already realised he’s not made the best choice in places to visit. He’s not interested in ‘perfection’ and ‘beauty’ with a face like his. Hidden under his mask and a torn and rotting mess, he’ll do his damndest to avoid the gaze of damn well everyone he comes across and continues his personal mission of gathering flowers and their respective seeds to bring back to the Eluvio later.

However, after ten minutes of picking through different clusters of flowers and bushes--(allowing his bare hands to brush against the petals of some of the dying ones, watching them wilt as his body draws their life force into his own body)--he starts to feel different. Confident, good. It’s definitely an odd feeling when he actually feels like pulling his mask off to breathe a little easier.

When he stands, pocketing away the seeds he’s collected, he’ll catch a glimpse of his own face in one of the district’s many mirrored surfaces, and he’s met with an image he hasn’t seen in some ten, fifteen years. He doesn’t look dead anymore. The imperfection of unlife hidden by the star-shaped bush he’d absorbed a bit of earlier.

Either stop him from admiring himself in said mirror surface too much here, or leave him be. Whichever you choose, he’s going to look far less grumpy than he has since he’s arrived on Eluvio.]

...It looks good, right?

Side 1.2→ video; UN: REAPER to ░░░░░░ - closed to doxing

Don’t know what trouble you’ve gotten yourself into on this planet yet, but I’ve already found something worthwhile down here. Don’t know where the hell you are, but you have to come see this.

Side 2 - I’m just tired it’s a symptom - OPEN

[And after what promises to be one of the most awkward conversations of his life and a trip to the red district, he decides to never visit it again. And also avoid Sombra for a few days until they both forget the most embarrassing conversation they’ve ever had in their adult lives. And to do that, what better to do than sleep. He’s heard rumors, now, of the blue district that will help him do just that.

Thanks to the pain his constantly regenerating-degenerating body likes to cause him, a decent night’s sleep isn’t one he often gets to enjoy. Trying to shake off the effects of fairy moss tea he’d had a short while ago, here goes another attempt to collect flowers and plants that might help him sleep when he’s back up on the Eluvio.

But this time, he’s a bit.. Unsure about picking them himself. After all, his gloves were back in his room on the ship, and he couldn’t control what his nanites did to organic material once he touched it…

At least his face looks moderately human right now as he turns to look at the person closest to him, a relaxed and nearly harmless tone to his voice as he asks:]

...Can you help me get some seeds out of these? I don’t want to touch them.

[That voice is still unmistakably Reaper’s, isn’t it.]

Side 3 - like a bullet in a battlefield - closed to rockthemonkey

[ And like hell he was going to visit an alien planet and not go see what kind of weapons and weapons technology they had to offer. His personal hell shotguns were rare enough, but reloading them was a pain in the ass and having secondary weapons while out in space was becoming something more apparent as the days passed.

He has no interest in extra training or the fighting pits, and finding places that sell anything other than mixes and ‘aids’ to help in aforementioned battle pits was starting to become a pain in his ass. The worst part, whatever good mood he’d garnered while hanging out in the blue district with some others was starting to wear off, and what was replacing it was an entirely hostile feeling of irritation.

He hadn’t felt this on edge since meeting up with 76 and Ana back in Egypt, and he could feel his teeth grinding under the pressure of how set his jaw was underneath his mask. Seriously, all he needed was one--

One thing. To set him off. And it comes in the shape of a small little monkey kid who barrels into his back without any goddamn warning. Either the kid came running at him full force on purpose, or he wasn’t watching where he was going, but. Whichever it was, Reaper couldn’t find it in himself to bother finding out. Instead, a gun is pulled out from under his belt, and pointed right down at Goku.]

You chose a bad day to play around.

Side 4 - Wildcard

[Anything I didn't write/you want to do? HMU honestly I'm good for w/e]

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[He gives this guy another quiet, flat look. He's so... bright and cheerful, replying with almost mischievous curiosity. Honestly, Reaper's first thought is how allergic to this sort of personality he is.

So much so that thanks to his current too-relaxed mindset--he might take a little longer to reply than what seems normal. If it's not obvious how bad this guy is at social interaction, then something would be seriously missed here.]

...Might not look like it. Thanks to some plants in Superbia. But I'm not as alive as I look.
It's a lot to explain unless you have any experience with nanotechnology.

[So this is his 'please, please don't ask me to explain' face.

...

Eichi's going to ask him to explain, he can feel it.]

Not as alive as you look? It almost sounds as though we have something in common, but it's clear that your meaning is far different from mine.

[He pauses from gathering seeds to look up at him again.] Japan is not so behind in the ways of nanotechnology. Why don't you explain and see what I can grasp?

[Eichi's not so blind to think Reaper is just talking to him casually for fun. He realizes this must be a rare one-time opportunity to talk to someone with this type of personality, and honestly he's grateful for it. He is such a curious guy, after all, and he loves to be nosy.]

Asking someone to explain nanotechnology to you is asking a bit much. [His tone is gruff and nearly irritated, but Eichi can once again thank the fact that they're in a place like Acedia. Otherwise it's entirely likely Reaper would have walked away by now.

He twists his head to the side, his neck giving a small 'pop' as he rolls his eyes at the notion that this honest-to-god prettyboy would have something in common with him of all people.]

Unless you're hiding the fact that you're a modern-day boogeyman under all that smile and cheer of yours, I doubt we have much in common at all. [A gruff sound, nearly like irritation.] Nanomachines are tiny. Damn near microscopic machines that act like a super nucleus. Going under the assumption you got an idea of what a nucleus is.

[Yes, this is much more ideal than following around a man who would probably get annoyed enough to kill him. Probably.]

Even an idol takes basic classes, you know? Of course I do. There's no boogeyman beneath my face, but even a smiling face can hold hands stained with blood. [Metaphorical blood counts??]

Then you're kept alive in a way even I won't be. [He looks back down to the flowers and keeps picking at them to get what he needs.] Technology has advanced so far. I'm happy for you~.

[Probably.]

...An idol. [He's getting slight war flashbacks to two months ago when he'd talked about civilians who didn't belong in a dangerous place like the Eluvio. An Idol. This is the last thing he needed.] This place pulls in all kinds. [Why is this his life now.]

I know enough about bloodstained hands and smiling faces. You don't have to teach me that kind of lesson, kid. And don't be happy for me yet. Nanotechnology might be a god-send and a way to make peoples' lives better and healthier.

But having them trapped in your body and never letting it die is more of a curse than anything else. [Edgy.

But he won't expand on that, merely giving a low scoff--and letting a whisp of black smoke escape out from between his teeth.]

[Should he sing an edgy song to represent Reaper's immortal angst??? Maybe later. For now, he smiles calmly as ever and then slowly climbs to his feet again.]

There are many types of curses, aren't there? A curse where you can't die, a curse where you die too young... I wonder what you're doing with your long life? [Helping people? Or hating on everything? He's just wondering, poetically.]

Fufu, but don't mind my idle rambling. What you really came here to ask me about was this, wasn't it? So I won't hold it back any longer, no matter how I feel. Here you go. ♪ [Gently, he passes over one of his little pouches, now filled with flower seeds.]

[Just sing something from Linkin Park's hit album Meteora from 2003 and you'll be on point.

He looks at the idol with a nearly gruff expression, eyebrows low and furrowed as he talks. Wonder what he's doing with his long life? Hah, as if he'd actually talk to someone he just met about that.]

Do all idols wax poetic like this, or is that just your selling point as a person? [Nearly rude, but... the tone is almost too flat to have any bite that it normally would. He reaches to take the pouch from Eichi, fingers cold as ice maybe brushing against the others' hand momentarily.]

...Appreciate it, in any case. [Thanks. Thanks for not being weird about his request, even if you were annoyingly curious about stuff.]

[Even at those words, Eichi chuckles.] We're all our own individuals. Some are quite noisy and obnoxious, others are stunning and have a way with words, and some enjoy sleeping in coffins. It was no trouble at all to help.

[Maybe he'll leave singing Linkin Park to any UNDEAD members that arrive, actually, that seems fitting. Their hands brush, and while Eichi's are normally colder than anyone else's due to his poor heart, Reaper's are so cold that it gets a reaction out of him. He blinks in surprise, and rather than drawing back in his shock, he reaches out to grab at his hand with both of his own, careful not to knock the seeds out.]

You really are ice cold! Is that because of the technology keeping you alive? I've never met someone with hands colder than my own. I would be lying if I said it wasn't a little exciting.

[he had it in his head to make a comment about coffins. Some comment about the fact that he was dead, but he wasn't that far gone, something like that. He'd even given a small scoff before he was about to reply, but then Eichi grabbed his arm.

The only person on the Eluvio who dare touch him was Sombra. And even her own touches were of a teasing, poking nature, and not against his own skin.

He goes deathly quiet, almost in shock when he's grabbed.]

[And then the moment passes, and a look moves over his face, one of discomfort and nearly anger, rolling over him in a wave of distaste and irritation that bubbles out from under the chill he'd found. And in the next moment, his arm suddenly dissolves, turning into a cloud of black smoke that yanks away from Eichi's hand, reforming at his own side with a low growl escaping Reaper's throat.]

Hands off. Who the hell taught you manners?

[Brown eyes suddenly glow red, flickering underneath the deep furrow of his brow.]

I'm not a fucking side show or petting zoo. How excited you are doesn't give you permission to grab me.

[No matter how Eichi might pretend and smile away, he's still a normal high schooler who doesn't know how this man's arm can dissolve like that. Even nanotechnology is this impressive? It leaves him with chills, slowly withdrawing his hand as he watches.

But he can't show that he's frozen in spot, or admit that he's made a mistake. It's so much easier to do with the relaxing atmosphere they're stuck in, as well. Thank goodness for that.]

Manners should be dropped a little when associating with friends, you know? I was only trying to get closer. Don't be mad. You're so scary. [But the way he says it is as cheery as usual, a calm smile on his face as he now keeps his hands to himself.]

I won't do it again if you hate it so much, so please don't stare at me with such terrifying red eyes.

You grab me like that and then tell me not to be mad? [There's that tone of flat disbelief in his low, almost growling voice as he looks down at the other, snarl still settled on his face.] And if you're saying that 'associating with friends' shit in an attempt to try to say we're friends, you've judged me far too kindly far too quickly.

[He'll watch the other smile and stay calm, despite the fact that he just got stared down by the modern-day boogeyman, and he's going to pass it off on the fact that they're in Acedia that he's not turning tail to run away from him after calling in scary. 'Such terrifying red eyes'. He can feel something in his head ping, and he crosses his arms.]

Then this is your warning not to touch me again. [Calm down, Reyes.]

[He's really, really mad, isn't he? Eichi's smile isn't the brightest, and it seems to dim as Reaper goes on, but largely he remains in place and unfazed. It is in thanks half to his usual composure and half to the mood from this district. The only thing that might reveal that he's startled is a hand that rests gently over his own heart to check that he won't faint from shock. Thankfully, his weak heart seems to be beating fast and hard but not enough to make him dizzy.]

I was hoping that we could become friends, but it seems like I crossed a line I didn't realize was there in the first place. I'm really sorry. I hope you don't actually hate me. [He gets enough hate back home!! Let the cool dead guy be neutral, at least...]

It won't happen again, so please ask me if you ever need help gathering something again.

['I crossed a line that I didn't realise was there in the first place'. There's nothing more true about that line, and he chastises himself again for pitching a fit against another goddamn civilian. Calm down, Reyes, he repeats in his own head, feeling his teeth grit against themselves as Eichi apologises--genuinely--and continues to just fucking smile at him like some sort of weak-hearted angel.

Why did it irritate him so badly?]

...Why would you care if some tired-looking idiot hates you or not. For all you know, you'll never see me again.

Even if you do, you don't want Death as a friend. You already look to be on your last legs as it is. Unless you want to help me in hopes of being pushed over that edge.

[What an interesting thing to say. Eichi doesn't hear the same intimidation from earlier in those words, but something far more insecure. He'd point it out more bluntly if he wasn't so afraid it would only anger him further.]

It's hereditary for members of my family to live short lives, so I'm already thoroughly acquainted with Death. I've also been fighting it since I was young, being told frequently since birth that I only would live a few more days. Fufu, it's not something that I'm worried about.

[That's kind of a lie, everyone is afraid of dying, and he's not ready to yet. But nevermind that!!] I hope this won't be our last meeting. Since you're from the same ship, I would think it more likely that we run into one another again. I'd like to be able to offer you tea, perhaps made from flowers grown from these very seeds.

[...What the hell kind of life is that, being raised to be told that you were going to die? It's something to think about, given he himself dealt with that 'reality' ever day of his unlife ever since he'd come back to life. Whatever was keeping him from decaying enough to die again would eventually run out of steam, so making friends and getting friendly with people was just...]

And yet here you stand. Either you're one hell of a stubborn bastard, or someone likes you enough to keep you around past your time. [He gives a small scoff, raising a hand to wave him off, finally.]

Maybe you're right. Maybe we will run into each other again. But you'll find I've got shitty manners, and I'm fucking terrible at conversations. You'd be happier finding someone else to share Tea with. Familiar with Death or not.

Is that what you think? I've enjoyed this conversation just fine. I often grow confused over my own thoughts and ramble aloud to gain acknowledgement or validation, so I know that this is a bad habit of mine, but you've been rather patient with me.

[He drops his hand from his chest finally, smiling a little brighter. Take his angelic smile, he can be pure when he's not being a little demon.] On the chance that we might run into one another again, can I at least have your name? Mine is Eichi Tenshouin.

It's what I know. [And saying that he enjoyed this conversation was just plain confusing. And he's giving Eichi an expression that flat-out says that, too.]

Deal with a lot more people on this stupid ship then I ever had to back home. Good handful of them have been irritating and a pain in my ass at best. [Jason, Goku, Karamatsu, Suigetsu, Aximili...] Being patient with someone like you is easy so long as you don't get handsy. [Eichi wasn't as frustrating as others were.

He gives the other a look, but he drops his eyes away from that angelic smile. He doesn't want to look at something that bright.]

...It's Reaper. [How is this guy real.]

[SCORE, HE GOT HIS NAME.]

What an interesting name that is. Fufu, did you choose it yourself? [Is this a nickname? It has to be.] It's nice to meet you, Reaper. My hands should be busy collecting more seeds for myself before the pollen gets to me, and I'll remember not to do it again.

[He doesn't want to die...] The ones for relaxing are perfect for tea. I'm a big fan, so I hope to increase my collection. This district does wonders for my heart, so perhaps bringing these flowers back will be beneficial to us both. That's what I hope. ♪

~~[You have to have a social link of 5 or higher to unlock his true name.]~~

I did. For my own reasons. [And he's not offering him any context or any other name. Reaper's what everyone called him(except Sombra)and that's what Eichi would call him, and he's settled with that idea.]

You go... do your collecting thing. ...And avoid Ira, if your heart is really that weak. [At least he was decent enough to offer him that much of a warning.] I've got things to do back on the ship.

[He wasn't lying when he said he was bad at conversations. As he stands here and tries to awkwardly end this one and go back to the ship.]

I like it.

[Of course he'd like the name Reaper. He thinks it's cool, and as a guy who speaks in metaphors most of the time, of course he'd like any meaning that might be behind it. He's very fine with keeping this as the name he calls him.

Already ducking down to the flowers again, he only glances up to give Reaper a little wave.]

I don't want to wind up dead here, so I'll remember that. Thank you. Let's run into each other again, okay? [BUDDY,,,]

...

[You are way too friendly.]

We'll see.

[And with that, he's just going to turn and walk away.]

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in fire, in whispers

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