ardent | 007. Video/Action for Ecruteak City

[Well, tonight will see another post from Ishimaru, and while the sun has long since dipped down beneath the horizon, the video is lit by an odd, bright purple light somewhere in front of him, and a dimmer red one that seems to be sort of sliding around slowly just out of view somewhere to his left; he's back in that white uniform, simply because it feels weird to him not to wear it, and while he's definitely outdoors, he seems to be rather high up - really, if the texture of the floor he's kneeling on is any indication, he seems to be on a roof somewhere.

Of course, if you're familiar with Ecruteak City, you'll likely recognize the view just barely visible behind him; he's up atop the Tin Tower today.

Either way, however, he seems in much higher spirits this time around; he's sort of smiling, even, though not quite - he's never really done happiness very well as far as facial expressions go, nor has he really done it very naturally - and his words are quick, rushed with excitement.]

Most of my studies deal in concrete fact - the paranormal, the theistic and the unexplained have never been anything that I've found useful, and so while I know a few of the more common myths from my own world, I've been willing to set them aside as just stories! But since coming here, I've met people who can say those stories are a reality - people who have spoken to ghosts, or been ghosts themselves; people who know of the existence of fairies and done magic themselves, or people from other worlds entirely. It's been interesting, if difficult to believe sometimes!

But it also makes me wonder how many of the myths here are true; I think a lot of it is like our creation mythology back home, just centered around Pokémon - people saw the animals here and attributed the creation of the world to their power, when that might not be the case. I think it warrants further study either way, though!

The place I'm at now...they say that one of the Legendary Pokémon used to call it home, but now it travels the world looking for trainers who are pure-hearted. I'm pretty sure that means I'll never see it, but I'd like to become the sort of person where it's at least a possibility someday.

[He'll be up there for some time longer, after the video cuts out and the feed goes dark; he's got his Litwick up there with him, and he's leaning up against one of the railings, looking out over the city skyline.

He also has a rather small Slugma up on the railing next to him; just...try not to knock it off if you join him, that'd make everyone kind of upset...]

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Oh, well.

[Hey Ishimaru, have a girl staring into the screen with a Mismagius hovering around behind her grinning ominously and occasionally giggling.

The girl seems either oblivious to this or just serenely accepting.]

It comes with the territory, personally. Talking to ghosts, I mean.

[Oh. Well. Hello there! That is...

...that certainly is a thing, um.]

I know there are plenty of ghosts here, at any rate! I have several of the ghost-types myself, though nowhere near all of them; one of the ones I'm closest to is the first form of the one you have there, actually!

But it's seen as unusual to speak to there, where I'm from - I know of one person who supposedly can talk to spirits, but that sort of thing isn't really considered "real" by most. There seem to be more here that are accepting of it, though!

Oh, Sumire? Yes, she was the one I got when I arrived here. Ignore her, she's just being silly. [She waves off the Mismagius, who merely gives her a "oh you did not just do that" look.]

Really? If your friend can talk to the spirits, then maybe they can talk to Ghost Pokemon as well? I was able to speak to animals and spirits back at home, that seems to have translated into speaking to the Pokemon here.

Huh. I haven't asked him, actually!

[Maybe he will eventually. Maybe.]

So are you human where you came from, or are you considered something else?

Oh, I'm a psychopomp.

[Beat.]

Some cultures would call that the Grim Reaper, don't know if you believe in that sort of thing, but there it is.

[Except she looks, sounds and acts way too sunny to be either of those things.]

I'm familiar with the idea, but it's not something I personally believe in! However, whether I believe you or not isn't really the point, is it? Not as far as this world is concerned, anyway!

So you...escort the dead to the afterlife once they pass on, is that it?

Yes, I take them across the River to wherever they're meant to go. Though if they're not ready to go, I leave them alone until they are. Earthbound spirits are difficult to deal with sometimes.

...What tends to cause that sort of thing? The spirit not being ready to go, that is.

[Ohhh lord. Things he should not be fascinated with but ultimately is, um.]

Unfinished business in life, strong emotions tied to a person that's still living or a property that belonged to the deceased, basically the "wait but I have one last thing to do" effect. I and the rest of the ferrywomen can talk to an Earthbound spirit as much as we can, tell them that they're dead and paradise is a nice place so they have nothing to be afraid of, but if they're absolutely not ready to go even after talking to them, we--as non humans--can't interfere with their doings.

[She pauses, looking off to the side as though thinking of something else.]

There's also the...angry or unpleasant ones. We're taught to use our spirit energy to shield ourselves just so an angry ghost won't be able to harm us. The emotions of a human are very strong indeed, some have even caused curses upon the living.

...I can believe that. Especially the first part - sometimes it doesn't matter what sort of paradise you'll be taken to; I can understand why someone wouldn't want to leave. Even if they're dead, even if they can't have an impact on the world of the living anymore in the same way that they used to, sometimes you just have to see things through.

If your sort exist in my world, I expect I'll give them a lot of trouble when I go.

Oh, I understand it completely. If I had any actual say in it, nobody would die at all. But, I don't, so all I can do is be a pleasant guide to the afterlife.

[Hmm...]

Not to say there's absolutely no way that your unfinished business will ever be resolved...I said that as a non-human spirit, I can't interfere, that doesn't mean the spirit of another human being can't help along their fellow in distress. For everything else, there's the Spirit Detective.

[Notice she didn't say "you're awfully young to be thinking about your death."]

Edited (mozart ur typing) 2013-09-30 04:36 (UTC)

[Honestly, if she is what she says she is, then he imagines she's seen a lot of people who have died young. It's unfortunate, but it's a fact of life.]

It's less that I think I'll have unfinished business myself; there are a few people that I'll want to keep an eye on for a while longer, that's all. Once that's over, I'll be all right - but there are a few things I need to see for myself, first.

What you're describing sounds nice, though - the idea that people don't technically die alone.

I see. That feeling is also not uncommon with humans, it's perfectly acceptable.

[She doesn't say that with a tone of distance or "yeah I've seen that a lot," she genuinely sounds like she understands the feeling and can empathize.]

As long as you're not causing trouble, I'd let you watch over the living until you're satisfied. Some of the living find comfort in the idea of their loved ones watching over them, anyway. [There's a quirk of a smile at his last statement, the sunniness seems to be returning to Botan's features.] Ah, well, that is why I applied to become an escort of souls in the first place. So it wouldn't be all that scary for them.

007. Video/Action for Ecruteak City

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