03 - [Action/Video]

[primordial]

[Action- in front of Daemoniac Inc. Cancer District]

[Walk through the Cancer Ward, and you will probably spot the large building in the middle of it, a state-of-the-art structure that reflects the technological wizardry of the area. One might marvel at it, and the locals do seem to be doing so as their eyes wander over it, but there is one person who does not seem to be marveling at it at all.]

[You might look over this young man sitting on a chair outside an internet cafe, with his disheveled appearance and general unkempt hair that scream "possibly homeless or worse", but his gaze, strangely enough, never seems to leave the building. Look closer, and you'll see that the knuckles on his hand grasping the cup of water before him are white, he's grasping the thing so tightly. And his stare holds a level of malice that contrasts harshly with his general harmless appearance...]

[This is not the image of a man who is happy about what he is looking at, at all.]

[Video]

[Sam Erstwhile appears on screen, frowning sadly- while everyone is busy with the hubbub of the tournament coming up, it seems like he'll be the only person who will always be miserable, no matter what.]

Look, um...I hate to ask this, because it's totally unrelated to anything about the tournament, but I felt I really needed a answer to the question as soon as possible.

[He lets out a sigh as he scratches his shaggy head.]

W-what's the best way to get rid of nightmares?

Comments

[primordial]

...

Even the bad ones?

[acapriciousthing]

No one's creepy on the inside.

[primordial]

[He lets out a slight laugh at that.]

Oh, I know a couple people who definitely are.

[acapriciousthing]

I've met people who thought they were the only real thing in the world, but never actually creepy on the inside. Not out of... trillions of trillions.

[primordial]

[His mouth is suddenly dry as he asks his next question, eyes staring at the camera.]

...What about those who are monsters?

[acapriciousthing]

[A very fond expression comes over her face. She's had this exact conversation before.]

Plenty that have been called monsters. But inside, there was always something worth caring about. One of the dearest to me is a monster.

[She may love everyone, doesn't mean she doesn't have favourites.]

[primordial]

Really?

[He almost looks like he wants to laugh, but is deciding against it.]

Even those who have lost all humanity?

[acapriciousthing]

Even then. They're still alive. There's always something, whether they realize it or not.

[primordial]

....

[That makes him grow silent for a while, his eyes flickering downwards, as if he can't bring himself to look at the camera.]

What...what is that something, then? Because this person I know...there's nothing redeemable about him.

[acapriciousthing]

Deep down, he wanted to connect. He just didn't know how.

And no true monster could possibly like cookies that much.

[primordial]

[A shake of the head.]

Believe me, the person I knew didn't want to connect. Even if he did, he completely did it in a way that hurt everyone else, which he wanted...

[acapriciousthing]

There's always something. Fear and anger are as human as anything else.

[primordial]

Animals feel fear and anger, but that doesn't make them human.

[acapriciousthing]

They're worth caring about too.

[primordial]

Yes, they are...but they don't think and do things like humans do.

[acapriciousthing]

Or ask questions like these.

[primordial]

No, they don't...

But still, just asking questions and all doesn't make you human. The man I knew...there was nothing redeemable about him. Nothing at all.

[acapriciousthing]

I really would find that surprising. Never in ten billion years.

[primordial]

[And his face, usually so pitifully pathetic, suddenly is marred with what can only be described as restrained fury.]

He killed my sister. And you're asking me to treat him like any other human being?

[acapriciousthing]

No, you're mortal. You get to have mortal biases.

[primordial]

That isn't a bias, it's a good reason! I mean, fine, yes you're Death and all that, but that isn't something I can forgive so easily.

[acapriciousthing]

No, I get it, family makes everything complicated. Believe me, I know that one.

[primordial]

...

[A sigh as he thinks about that, clutching his head in his hands. A moment of silence, before:]

Say...if you're Death and all, where do all the dead souls go? Do they just disappear forever?

[acapriciousthing]

It depends a lot on where you're from. The Greeks had their underworld, modern Americans have their heaven and hell. A lot of it comes down to where you think you belong.

[primordial]

So, what, it's just...all up to our own imaginations, then? Like, if I wanted to go to heaven, I would, despite what I've done?