Knell of the Bell

[ultima_mortis]

Who: Death and All
Broadcast: Yes
Action: Planetside
When: Today

Broadcast

[Death is a fan of a few things in life. He loves people. He loves his family. He especially loves a certain animal known for hairballs and purring. Thus, when the feed turns on to show Death in slightly tattered robes, it isn’t immediately noticeable what’s going on. Then a tiny ball on his lap shifts around and a calico colored kitten pokes it’s head out over the ridge made by his knees. The kitten mewls and turns over onto it’s back, pawing up at the sky. Death quite calmly tickles the kitten’s tummy and laughs ever so quietly as his fingers are quickly caught and chewed on.]

I LIKE CATS. I ALWAYS HAVE. THIS ONE IS VERY FEISTY FOR HER AGE. [The kitten mewls at him again and licks his fingers.] WELL, YES, I DO LOOK A BIT FUNNY DON’T I? YOU LOOK RATHER FUZZY TO ME. [Another happy mewl.] THAT WAS THE INTENTION. UNLESS YOU WOULD PREFER TO REMAIN ON THIS PLANET? [The kitten turns itself upright and starts a very bold ascent of Death’s robe. It mewls again.] VERY GOOD, THEN. WE SHALL HAVE TO THINK OF A NAME FOR YOU. A FLOWER. WE CAN MAKE IT A TRADITION IN MY FAMILY FOR THE GIRLS.

[The kitten is on his shoulder now and boops it’s little head against Death’s cheekbone.]

POPPY. IT’S A FUNERAL FLOWER, BUT IT COMES IN BRILLIANT HUES SUCH AS RED AND ORANGE. [He nods at the video feed.] I DON’T THINK IT IS WISE TO GO TRAVELING BELOW THE FOG AND THE CLOUDS, BUT THE REWARDS ARE APPARENTLY APROPOS.

Comments

[ video ]

[dothelokimotion]

. . . Why do you have a cat.

[ video ]

[ultima_mortis]

THE MIST BRINGS MANY THINGS TO PEOPLE. IT GAVE ME POPPY.

[Indeed, the kitten is purring happily on his shoulder. She stares at Loki through the video feed.]

ARE YOU MORE OF A DOG PERSON? IT'S QUITE ALL RIGHT. THIS HAPPENS TO BE MY FAVORITE ANIMAL.

[dothelokimotion]

The mist — The one that recreates one's fear?

[ultima_mortis]

FEAR AND OTHER EMOTIONS DO NOT COME NATURALLY TO ME. IT IS FRAUGHT WITH DANGERS DOWN THERE, BUT THE ONLY THINGS I FEAR FOR ARE SAFE ON MY HOME PLANET. IT MAKES THE...VISIONS MORE BEARABLE.

[dothelokimotion]

[ This is such a baffling concept. ]

What could you possibly have to fear?

[ultima_mortis]

[Death takes up Poppy in his hands and scritches her ears. There's a flicker in the blue of his eyes.]

THE BALANCE OF LIFE AND DEATH. MY SERVANT. MY GRANDDAUGHTER. I WOULD NEVER PERMIT THESE TO COME TO HARM.

[dothelokimotion]

You have family?

[ultima_mortis]

[He nods and lowers his head such that his cowl is covering part of his face.]

I ADOPTED A LITTLE GIRL WHO SHOULD HAVE DIED. SHE MARRIED A YOUNG MAN WHO MADE HER HAPPY. THEY IN TURN HAD A LITTLE GIRL OF THEIR OWN. MY FAMILY IS SMALL, BUT IT EXISTS.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Ah. ]

Then you are fortunate.

[ultima_mortis]

IT IS JUST MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND I NOW, BUT OUR PATHS CROSS OFTEN ENOUGH THAT I AM NEVER TOO FAR FROM HER LIFE. YOU MIGHT LIKE HER. SHE IS A VERY INTELLECTUAL, NO-NONSENSE TYPE.

[dothelokimotion]

That does sound like the kind of person I would prefer.

[ultima_mortis]

SHE APPLIES THE GIFTS INHERENT IN HER BLOOD TO HER JOB AS A TEACHER NOW. RATHER SUCCESSFULLY, THE LAST WE EVER SPOKE OF IT.

[Video]

[fightorflug]

[Hi Muerte-cito.]

"Heh. With that description, I might have thought you meant marigolds."

[Although Cempasúchil doesn't quite have the same ring to it.]

"I didn't know cats were indigenous to this area?"

[Video]

[ultima_mortis]

[He'd love that nickname! The other Horsemen call him Mort.]

MARIGOLDS... I HADN'T CONSIDERED THAT, BUT I WILL NEED TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE TINY MISTRESS.

THEY'RE NOT INDIGENOUS AT ALL. I FOUND HER AFTER DODGING SOMETHING QUITE UNRULY IN THE MIST. IT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT TO LEAVE SOMETHING SO HELPLESS TO IT'S FATE WHEN I HAVE THE CHANCE TO CHANGE THINGS FOR ONCE.

[fightorflug]

[Then it shall have to see use!]

"Ah, it's m-more of a cultural thing, really."

[A bit presumptuous to expect the Death of another world to catch onto a reference of every tradition, but how could he resist? There was always next time a name was needed.]

"That's-- I had only heard of objects being found, n-nothing living."

[But if living things could survive going through the connection one way then..!]

"Do you think there might be a rift of some kind?"

[ultima_mortis]

LIKE A HOLIDAY OR A RITUAL? I HAVE SEEN QUITE A FEW OF THOSE OVER THE YEARS.

[Death picks up the newly named Poppy and tickles her chin.]

WELL, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT I HAVE PROVEN A NEW RULE REGARDING TRAVEL INTO THE MIST.

[He makes a noise and brings the kitten up to his jaw to nuzzle her.]

THERE MIGHT WELL BE. I WOULD HAVE TO GO DOWN AGAIN TO SEE FOR MYSELF, BUT THIS ONE NEEDS A LOT OF ATTENTION.

[fightorflug]

“Let’s say a tradition. Día de Muertos is a day to remember the dead by having their memory celebrated through those still living.”

[Never mind that though! SAY THAT AGAIN?!]

“But—what if it’s an actual way out of here? Atroma might discover it at any moment!”

[Don’t get him wrong, Poppy is cute and all but— Flug can't help but be dismayed at the reaction. THINK. Is there a vessel that can make that kind of trip? He hasn’t gone that deep into the fog before yet!]

“You would really pass up looking into it further?”

[ultima_mortis]

DÍA...DE MUERTOS. A DAY OF THE DEAD? [He's not entirely sure he guessed it right, but it sounds close to what he's hearing.] WHAT A CHARMING TRADITION. IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE THE LIVING PAYING RESPECTS TO THE DEPARTED.

I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT KIND OF RIFT, MORE LIKE... THE BEAST DOWN THERE IS OF A DIFFERENT NATURE ALTOGETHER COMPARED TO THE APPARENT ORDER OF LIFE ON THIS PLANET. IT MIGHT YET BE A CREATURE WHOSE EXISTENCE IS WHAT HAS CAUSED THE PLANET TO LOOK THE WAY IT HAS.

[Death pets the kitten more.] UNLESS SOMEONE CAN CARE FOR THIS KITTEN IN MY ABSENCE, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO BACK DOWN TO FIND OUT WITH CERTAINTY. WHILE THE BEAST CAN BE VIEWED AS HOSTILE, WE MUST ALSO CONSIDER WHAT IS NORMAL FOR IT'S SPECIES.

[fightorflug]

"Yes, the Day of the Dead, correct."

[Flug waves him off quickly, any excitement for the subject quickly paling under of the pressure of the sudden suicide mission he had to undertake. He has to go. Black Hat would never forgive him if he didn't try every possible method if getting back. Oh who is he kidding, he is already way past forgiveness! Flug begins packing up where he is, occasionally popping out of frame, murmuring quietly.]

"I won't disturb the beast if I can. It's involvement here makes little difference to me. My employer possessed the ability to tear into other dimensions, maybe it has similar qualities..."

[He frowns back at the camera.]

"You made the trip once. Any other advice?"

[ultima_mortis]

[Death leans into the device, his face taking up the screen. Poppy climbs up into the hood of his robe and watches the packing frenzy with him.]

I COMMEND YOU FOR TRYING. USUALLY, I AM ABLE TO FIND A CONDUIT OF REALITY FOR MYSELF AND RETURN TO WHERE I AM NEEDED, BUT THERE ARE SOME EVEN I AM NOT ABLE TO ACCESS BECAUSE OF THE BELIEF SYSTEM THAT DESIGNATES THEIR EXISTENCE.

[Death nods.]

BE MINDFUL OF THE MIST. IT GETS INCREDIBLY THICK THE DEEPER YOU GO AND PROLONGED EXPOSURE SEEMS TO CAUSE FITS OF MADNESS IN THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE SUCH THINGS. IT WOULD DO WELL FOR YOU TO GO DOWN WITH SOME SORT OF MEANS TO KEEP THE MIST FROM GETTING INSIDE YOU AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

[fightorflug]

"Belief is essential for some entities, I've found. Hard to have a foothold in a world that was never meant to accommodate you."

[Which really begged to question how it worked with his boss. If Evil ceased to exist would Black Hat as well? Or was Black Hat the origin of evil to begin with? It was a curious subject. Flug takes a deep breathe, nodding in acknowledgement.]

"A breathing apparatus. I could construct that. Armor to handle the winds. Re-calibrate the altimeter... Not like I can get much more mad, really."

[He doubts the ship he sits in now can make the trip, but there has been another he had his eye on. If he wants it, he'll have to be swift. Pity. Where once Death shoving his skullish maw in the camera's face might have inspired fear, Flug found he almost regret having to leave it so soon.]

"We'll chat again."

[And if they don't. Well, perhaps Death would forgive him for just shoving a postcard through the multiverse.]

[warpandweft]

[Oh, hey. More than one person who got a cat out of all of this, apparently.

Alucard's is sprawled across his lap, a big fluffy white cloud of a cat, with striking purple eyes that blink at the camera lazily and mostly uncuriously. Alucard is stroking her, occasionally skritching her under the chin.]

The fiesty ones are always more fun.

[He says, with his totally chill cat.]

[ultima_mortis]

[Death loves many things and few things all at once. Cats are a unique aspect of that love. He nods knowingly, cat owner to cat owner.]

I THINK SHE AND I WILL HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF FUN. YOURS SEEMS TO BE OF QUITE THE OPPOSITE TEMPERAMENT.

[warpandweft]

Yes, well, she's well-traveled. Worldly. Working her up to excitement takes a bit more.

[That's...a lie, because she's a cat. But also not a lie, since she's spent 3 years with him on a ship. They're both well-traveled.]

[ultima_mortis]

HOW EXTRAORDINARY. MY LITTLE POPPY WILL HAVE TO GET USED TO TRAVELLING ON THESE SHIPS WITH ME. HOPEFULLY, SHE WILL ADAPT WELL TO HER NEW HOME.