i. | [video]

[repelled]

[the video comes on in his own suite, very evidently in the fire sector by the blue glows flickering in through the open windows. dressed in simple and casual - if nice - city clothing, chase is watching the video feed with a bored expression, one gloved hand supporting his chin, the other wrapped idly around a cup of tea on the desk.]

Aren't there just so many ... interesting people here, now. [the significant pause indicating that 'interesting' was a few dictionaries away from the word he probably intended to use.] And so many so young, too.

[there's a flicker of a sneer there.]

I'm sure everyone's had their fair share of time trying to figure out precisely what this place is and how you got here, but undoubtedly we've all heard the suggestion that this is, in one way or another, the afterlife. Not an idea I'm entirely fond of, but without any evidence otherwise, I'm forced to consider it a possibility. [very grudgingly, if his tone is anything to go by.]

So - a question. How many of you actually remember dying before your arrival here? A simple yes or no is enough, unless you had a particularly interesting death, in which case feel free to elaborate.

Comments

[video]

[sharpes]

One question. Is 'smarm' a verb?

[video]

[repelled]

Not in my extensive experience, no. But your intention is noted.

[video]

[sharpes]

Oh, cool. So I can use it as an adjective, then. 'You sound smarmy'.

Whew. I feel better already.

[audio]

[stickshift]

And what exactly do you intend to do with the information?

[She sounds curious rather than stand-offish, so there's that, at least.]

[audio]

[repelled]

Consider it. If there's a common factor among those who are actually dead, then we'll know for a fact that it's not necessarily a requirement for arrival.

[audio]

[stickshift]

[Well, that seems reasonable.]

I'm pretty sure I'm not dead. I was sparring with a friend of mine just before I was here. What about you?

video

[sophos]

I don't believe this is the afterlife. And no, I don't remember dying, because I haven't.

video

[repelled]

Then that makes two of us.

[he pauses and eyes her.]

You seem very confident that this absolutely isn't the realm of the dead, though. The living can occasionally make there way to one, in my experience.

video

[sophos]

Because I know it isn't. And I know they can.

[ Video ]

[hairpipes]

No. But that's only one way of getting to the afterlife.

That said, this is functionally very different from what I'm used to, dead-people-wise.

[ Video ]

[repelled]

You deal with the dead frequently?

[ Video ]

[hairpipes]

When I have to. The Underworld's not my favorite place, so I don't make a habit of it.

[dadissues]

I am definitely not dead and there's no way in hell this is the afterlife!

[repelled]

[ow.]

You sound like you're trying to convince yourself of both of those.

[dadissues]

What?! I'm not! I just know for a fact that I'm not dead, okay?!

video

[harthad_uluithiad]

[Good luck ever getting a simple yes or no from Sam.]

I...I don't know if it was dying exactly or not, but I was, well, I suppose I was near drownded, at least that's what I remember last, is going under the water and everything starting to go dark. I remember thinking it was the end and then I woke up here, instead.

video

[repelled]

That does sound like dying, yes. Though there's always the chance you were just very nearly dead. Too vague for a direct answer.

[he's giving sam a careful, considering look.]

Or was that happening when you arrived here?

audio;

[storm_warning]

Yeah. [Disbelief hangs on her every word.] I'm about as dead as a Disney character, and don't bring Mufasa into this.

I don't buy into the afterlife angle.

audio;

[repelled]

[the references go right over his head, but he'll never own up to that.]

Not even a little bit?

[video]

[withoutaworld]

[ Rikki raises her hand, looking more resigned than sad. ] I died. Really, actually dead, not just 'maybe she'll get better' kind of dead. A couple other people I know did too.

[ She tilts her head a little. ] Did you?

[video]

[repelled]

Then you're the first I've heard of. Interesting. So you do recall the absolute of your death?

As for me, I didn't. [or so he's pretty sure of. he'd better not have.]

[video]

[allbend]

Pretty sure I didn't die back in my world. And even if I was, I really doubt that this is the Spirit World that's supposed to be connected to mine.

[video]

[repelled]

Something we can agree on. I'd never guessed that an afterlife would have a rigid monarchical structure ... or that it would be quite so mundane.

text; anonymous

[redjay]

I can tell you right now, this isn't the after life. There is no such thing. If you are dead, you cease to exist. Nothing comes after it, you just black out. There's nothing more, no fucking mystic turtle to carry you off.

This? It's a good illusion.

text

[repelled]

You aren't particularly spiritual, I take it. If this is an illusion, then all we have to do to escape is find the spellcaster and put them down, correct?