[69]

[silversnowfall]

[It was almost a relief, to hear about so many people going home recently, even as more were due to arrive.

It was too sad to mention, knowing that one of those people was Professor Nebilim. That she wasn't really returning to anything. Just to the completion of a sad tale of a boy who thought he should be able to do everything.

And now Nephry is lonely. She has been, off and on, for a while; she feels it especially strongly today. At first she tried cleaning the kitchen but now she's sitting there, chin against her hands, staring at the table. With almost half of the house away or out of commission...things are quiet.

In the silence, she turns to her journal for a while.]

What do you believe happens...when you die?

Comments

[Voice]

[of_sablier]

I'm afraid it's not really as dramatic as all of those stories and books make it seem.

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

I wasn't asking about stories. I wanted to know what individuals think. ...Or, I suppose, what different cultures believe.

[Voice]

[of_sablier]

Oh no, what I meant was that I've already died in my world. It really isn't that exciting or interesting at all.

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

Oh-! ...I'm sorry.

[Voice]

[of_sablier]

Ah, there's no need for you to apologize for that-- it happened over a hundred years ago in my world. I've had more than enough time to come to terms with it since then.

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

A hundred years? Really? ...Still. I'm...you have my sympathy.

[Voice]

[of_sablier]

Sympathy? For what?

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

[For dying, of course.

But he sounds so perplexed she decides not to pursue this.]

Ah, never mind.

[Voice]

[of_sablier]

Ahaha, that probably wasn't the answer you were looking for, was it?

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

It's certainly an unexpected one.

[Voice]

[of_sablier]

Maybe it is. Then again, I admit my experience wasn't exactly what you would call typical at all. I was lucky enough to be able to continue existing as fragments of a soul... ah, but maybe 'lucky' isn't the right word for that either.

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

It sounds terrible, if I may be blunt. Existing as less than yourself.

[Voice]

[of_sablier]

Hmm, perhaps, but I'm still not sure it's worse than being dead in the end.

[After all, he really wouldn't be able to do anything if he were dead-dead.]