silversnowfall

[69]

[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?

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[He is silent for a moment before answering.]

...I know what will happen to me when I die.

[As the King of Bel, Kouki wonders if he's still subjected to the rules of reincarnation for humans.]

That usually depends on what you believe in. Either you join the cycle of reincarnation or get sent to the afterlife.

[Nephry is getting a written response because of all the days to see that sort of question, just had to be on the 11th anniversary of the death of the woman he loved and he had been thinking of that topic all day himself because when he returns home, that is all he has to return to as well.]

I gather you are asking more of our beliefs in our worlds since any who have died here can confirm what happens. [And sadly, he is among those who can confirm that as well.] In my world a child would be told that a person who died went to a far away place and someday when we were much older we'd see the person again. We believe that when a person dies, they are called to Heaven.

Sometimes, people mourn.

If not, you just die.

Body is incinerated, buried, frozen, donated to medical or scientific facilities, or other methods of disposal according to your stated wishes, those who handle the body's stated wishes, and/or the wishes of anyone capable of interfering at any point.

[ if nephry thinks she's fooled him, she's got another thing coming. she's a tough lady, and as good as any at hiding her discomforts, but peony knows her well and though he may behave casually, he's always hyper-aware of her tone of voice, her body language, every nuance of her movements and moods.

but this? she's not even bothering anymore, is she? which means it's time for a little royal intervention here, because he just can't abide an unhappy lady. especially if she happens to be nephry.

so here he is, padding into the kitchen on bare feet, pulling up a chair and sitting in it backwards like the uncivilized rogue that he is. resting his arms on the back of the chair, he drops his chin onto his forearms and watches her through hooded eyes, smiling like a wolf. ]

Hey, you.

Initially? I didn't believe in anything in particular. I thought when you died, that was just it. But at this point in my life, I'm not sure.

[It'd be a real shame if there wasn't someone up there laughing at him. =|]

... What kind of question is that? [ The tone in Natsuno's voice is almost bothered, were it not foremost so apathic-sounding, indifferent. ]

Do you just mean to ask if people here believe in an afterlife or not?

You wake up in Luceti, of course.

What that last girl said. [Yup. He rolls his eyes at the thought.] You wind up in some magical barrier-sealed world with crazy shifts and weird wings. Not such a bad deal, I guess, right?

Oh, this one's easy! First, you gotta wait in a really long line. Then, once you get to the end, Enma looks over all the stuff you did and decides if you go to heaven or hell! Or you can go train with King Kai if you wanna - that's what I did, anyways.

You do? ...Has it happened already in your world?

So you have some kind of minimal choice in the matter?

[She's found that children have a different understanding of death than adults. Not always a lesser one.]

Yes, I was thinking about what different worlds, or different groups in other worlds, believed. What you tell children - do you think it's true?

That sounds very...mechanical. You believe people simply stop?

[She doesn't have the energy to bother anymore.

That smile is so dangerous, Your Majesty. Be careful of your health.]

Hello.

Is there some sort of general belief in your world about what happens?

It could be a personal or a general question. ...You don't have to answer.

[Oh, she almost laughed. That was sweet of you.]

Surely not everyone goes to a Malnosso enclosure to go on living.

Not always. But not everyone here is dead.

A long line? ...Of other...people who have died?

Well it depends on who you ask. Some people believe in reincarnation, but I think the most popular belief is that you will either go to Heaven or Hell depending on the choices you've made in life. I suppose in some beliefs there's also Limbo. A place not quite Heaven and not quite Hell.

What about you? What does your world believe in?

We have...some influences over it. In some religions, our deeds, faith or sins decide whether we deserve a good afterlife or eternal damnation. In others, we reborn as another person without any memories.

Oh... no, not really. [He doesn't need to bring up the Azula incident.] I'm part of this thing called the Avatar Cycle. The Avatar's reincarnated every time he or she dies, each Avatar's spirit remains in the Spirit World where they can help the current Avatar. ...The same will happen to me one day.

[They most definitely did, that is something Leonhardt understands well since he had lost his parents at a young age, and he's raised two children who also had seen death from a young age. They do understand something happened, and it is scary, but the idea that the child will see the dead person again someday can be a comfort.]

I did as a child. I kept on thinking maybe someday they'd return from their journey, then as I grew older I understood better that it is not a journey a person can return from. I will merely follow someday myself.

There is no rational reason to think differently.

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