redjacketthief | 9th Turn [Semi-accidental Video/Action]

[His head hurt.

It was the first problem that Lupin noticed when he awoke in the woods that afternoon, clad only in the pale New Feather garb that all Lucetian’s are granted upon arrival. The sun was too bright and his head hurt, but it was nothing like all of those jobs where he faced everything from bullets to nuclear materials in crystalline form. Simple pain like this was something to be dealt with at a later time, when there was a moment to think and breathe. He had something more important to check on.

Or a group of someones. The thief sat up with the limber energy of a gymnast—and regretted it. The world seemed to shift without his consent and refused to stabilize despite his willing it to do so. He gritted his teeth and pulled himself up; it was just vertigo, probably from being still for too long…

Dealing with a little light headedness was nothing like his stint Cagliostro, both the first and the second time. At least he didn’t need to worry about Fujiko laughing at him. He took one step, two, digging his fingers into the rough bark of the trees for support as he fought against his vision hazing in and out with the vertigo. It was just from being out for too long. A few more steps and he’d--

--collapse into the earth’s embrace.

Lupin stared dumbfounded at the canopy for a breath. He burst into laughter when everything clicked into place.]

That’s right. I died.

[In the facility, with the others. Pops and Fujiko and Adele all told him that this could happen. Hell, he knew it from the outset during that midnight meeting in what should have been the Alps. It was a risk he willingly took, along with the moral implications and responsibilities. No regrets.

It just made life a great deal more complicated.

Death was cheap, however. He didn’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a satin-lined hardwood casket with white lilies piled on top for posterity. A little dizziness was an excellent trade off. Still choking back childish giggles at the absurdity of the situation, Lupin forces himself to sit up again and fight the rolling haze long enough to locate his journal. He gratefully collapsed back into the dirt once he had it in hand, and was doubly grateful when the realization struck that he was fine if he just stayed still. Any little motion sent his mind spinning, but he could think straight if he just stayed and stared up at the canopy.]

[The feed was thrown on without a glance, suddenly treating the residents of the enclosure to a blindingly bright view of the forest from below. The thief himself was not aware if the feed was audio or video—nor did he care. No filters were added, lest he risk another wave of vertigo with just the act of sitting up. It was too much of a bother, especially when the sky was so blue.

Let other people worry about that for now.]

Hey, Lu-ce-ti~ [His tone was oddly humorous and light, with his suppressed laughter hiding just behind his words.] I’m back. [And alive.]

Can anyone around here spare a smoke? Not menthol and filtered, that’s all I want. Oh, and a light.

…who wants to go fishing?

((ooc: Nothing on this post is filtered and nothing will be filtered unless other characters put them up. Work under the assumption that everything said in this post via the journals is fully readable to everyone unless it is filtered, and threadjack away if you wish.

The actual act of picking Lupin up from the woods is locked to Luke Skywalker, though further action may take place around Community House 5 or the Battle Dome. For those with the lie-detect ability or something similar, you are thus warned that most things Lupin will say on non-filtered conversations is a complete lie.

With that noted, have at.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Thanks, Miss Suttcliffe. How's everything been on this front?

Oh...fine. Terrible storm, a draft in space, the usual hijinks.

[...]

12 deaths in a single month. It was a busy time for people it seems.

Twelve?!

[Okay, that was a surprise.]

...that's not a record we want to keep. It gives us a terrible reputation!

Indeed it does. It seems you are all terrible at keeping yourselves alive when it comes down to it. Not that I'm surprised what with that heroism streak most of you seem to have.

Not all of it was heroism, babe. Sometimes people are just unlucky.

[Hm...to tell or not to tell, that is the question. Does she let him in on the secret that isn't a secret, or does she simply toy with him for a bit still? It's fun either way really, and so, for a short time, she's quiet as she considers her options.

This is Smoker's...'friend'? Companion? Something. Something important. With an amused sigh, she shakes her head.]

Like you? That is one of the leading causes of death, you know. Wrong place, wrong time.

[...so she knew, somehow.

Lupin drops the act with a sigh, and turns a little more serious.]

...It was a bad situation altogether, Grell. How many others know?

So it seems.

And not as many as you would think. What I know isn't exactly common knowledge here.

[Her reassurance was a huge relief.]

Okay...good. Please keep it quiet; I'd rather tell people myself. [i.e. Let him tell Smoker.]

How is it that you know then?

It isn't my policy to throw this about, so you needn't worry, love. Well, not for people I like. Others? I'm not so cautious with.

[She laughs lightly.]

It comes with the career, darling. Death is my business.

[He smiles at this.]

Thanks. Seriously.

...how exactly is Death your business?

Death god. [She shrugs] That little Record of your life you see flashing before your eyes as you die? That is us coming to collect your souls.

Which reminds me, did you see something of the sort or was it simply a sudden end?

[Oh. That explained everything. Suddenly her casual talk of death made so much more sense.]

...I was too distracted by being shot to notice anything, and too concerned about the guys who went in with me. The order was given to kill us all.

Aaaah, that would explain it then. I see. I'm afraid your name appeared while I was up in that spaceship nonsense and it was terribly confusing.

Well, terrible luck, but at least it isn't forever, hm? I suppose that bit is a lucky stroke. [Even if her irritation with the cheapness of death here is near tangible in her voice.]

[The source of her irritation is the source of his humor. He never feared death, and the comparative cheapness of it is the greatest irony and joke of them all.]

I am a lucky bastard, my dear. I've played with Death before, but she's never caught me this badly.

...what was it like in space anyway? People can go to the moon in my world, but I've never personally made it.

And playing with Death is one thing. I'll admit there is nothing more thrilling than chasing after a handsome man and running them into a corner, seeing them fight for their very lives and scrape past by the skin of their teeth - or fall to my sweet embrace.

But this place, bringing people back? There is nothing more irritating in the world. Do you have any idea how much paperwork is going into this?

[UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH]

Space was...space. Things float, no one can hear people scream, rather...impersonal to be honest. But it was rather exciting to see everyone fight in such a new environment.

[Lupin chuckles.]

heh. You make it sound like a business! I do admit that it's a little wierd...

You'll need to give me the blow by blow later, or else I'm going to be imagining all of those fun sci-fi movies whenever this comes up.

It's a living. [Har har. She smiles.] Although less of a business and more of a provided service, to be honest.

Oh, I could, but I'm sure the plays and films are so much more interesting.

Oh, so it's like the convenience of indoor plumbing then. People still die without you and yours, right?

...and we can totally have a night where I sit you down to watch some of those films. There's several people around here with nice multimedia set-ups.

....Did you honestly compare what I do to the sewer system? [Watch yourself, Lupin. That was a dangerous comparison.]

I wasn't certain that you'd get references to 'cable television' and 'wi-fi access.'

Lupin, dear, remember that I have a short temper and great pride in my work, hm?

We're more akin to the service one needs - and you do need it - in order to survive as a society. The afterlife doesn't function unless we come pick up your souls and judge them, and you don't even want to know what happens if a soul isn't picked up when their time comes. It is not pleasant.

So what you do is that serious, huh...?

We are Death, my dear. How could you think we are anything but serious?

...Because I try to have fun with everything in life.

[Including Death. Especially Death.]

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9th Turn [Semi-accidental Video/Action]

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