Your New Life

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Another New Life

You wake up to the sound of surf, much, much closer than you've ever heard it unless you moseyed down to Puffin Pier back in the old days. What old days...? Why, the days when you had a body, of course. The memories are probably coming back by now, jumbled along with everything else you lost. What a wake-up call.

But at least the ocean is real, unlike your dubiously fragmented remembrances. This little island out in the middle of nowhere sports a crude sign reading DUCK DAMNED ISLAND that seems like it's really railing against whatever fate you've been left to. There are little seashells and sparkling fragments amongst the sand to the left of your face. If you look further, to the left and right, it seems you're not the only one who's woken up here; it's considerably less cushy than your last wakeup, but maybe that's not a bad thing.

Here, you're free, albeit... kind of incorporeal, as you'll soon find out. The island is covered in pretty little trees that don't quite form a forest, bowed over the really beautiful sandy beach that is way prettier than the one on the mainland. One, slightly rickety treehouse -- bare of anything, because incorporeal ghosts don't need furniture, of course -- peeks out from between the leaves. This is, apparently, your home away from home now.

Finally, there's a small bay-like area on the island that leads you to a strange-looking storm drain, marked with a symbol that's not-quite-an-apple. Stepping in will wash you alllllll the way back up to Puffin Pier, right where the sewers normally let out.

Oh, and once you step onto the mainland? You're now a duck. What kind of quacking afterlife is this.

((OOC: the tldr; about death is here!))

Main NavWeek Two

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[sorathvau]

Sampo…?

[It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see him here - but his is a face that he thought he’d never see again.

There is some wash of relief, some comfort, to see the man who declared himself his friend. In a way, his passing dodged him a bullet, but they’ve still ended up in the same place, haven’t they?]

Despite everything…you’re still talking like that?

[lovebombing]

Haha. Well. Let's just say I got back a little of me I was missing, and I guess when things change, things don't change at all!

[??? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN. He's reaching out to ruffle Beelzebub's hair.]

I saw the whole thing with that execution in person. It was....well, to choose an understated word, pretty rough.

[sorathvau]

[What DOES that mean. Beelzebub makes a face at having his hair ruffled, but he does nothing to stop Sampo from doing it.

He has plenty in response to what he says next, but what gets him most is-]

You were there? How?

[lovebombing]

Oh, I was a duck.

[quack]

[sorathvau]

[…]

What?

[lovebombing]

Your lap was really nice, by the way! Very comfortable. 10/10 stars. Ehe~

[:3]

[sorathvau]

[…oh.


Oh.]

…And if I were to walk into the ocean right now?

[lovebombing]

Iiiiiiiii don't think that's going to work out, buddy. We're still kinda dead! Please don't.

[sorathvau]

That doesn’t seem like a convincing argument.

[Still, he sighs, dropping it. Sure. Ducks. Why not.]

…Why did you watch?

[lovebombing]

...Technically, I came late! The other boys saw the majority of it. I don't know...any performance, no matter how grim, deserves an audience, but this one was too much for me, I have to say...

[A little sigh.]

Besides, Sampo Koski never abandons his friends.

[sorathvau]

[It was a lot, wasn’t it? He wanted nothing less than a brutal end, but the collateral that came with it...]

…Even knowing what I did, what I am…you’d still say that?

[lovebombing]

[Makes a little shrug and an "ehhhhhhh" noise as if this is just him acknowledging he shoplifts snickers bars or something.]

I've known worse. Besides, you're not some kinda full-on heartless killer to the bone. It's more complicated than that, right?

[sorathvau]

[It’s hard to wrap his head around, when he’s believed he’s not deserving of this kind of treatment so staunchly, but…he can’t help but remember what Mio said to him. The last words he heard in that life.

Maybe…maybe he can just accept this.

Maybe it’s okay to, now.]

I suppose…

[It’s hard to come around to. But if dying won’t change anything, what will?]

…Thank you, Sampo. For being my friend.

[lovebombing]

Hehe. I say what I mean, and I mean what I say, my friend!

[He's giving Beelzebub the ^_^ smile. Just an outgoing guy, here!]

Say, that guy's not gonna appear here, right? Satan or whatever?

[sorathvau]

…I don’t know.

[Not the most reassuring answer.]

He…is me. I can’t imagine we can be separated that easily.

[Which is trouble for their friendship, to say the least.]

…But since we’re dead, will it even matter?

[lovebombing]

You never know! Never say dead until the fat lady sings! Maaaybe...we have a chance? Maybe. If we can reverse this duck soul whatever business.

[He pokes the other's chest.]

You may have to compensate me a liiiiitle extra for my services in the future, but if that guy shows up, I'll take care of him. He's no match for Sampo Koski.

[sorathvau]

[It’s such an absurd statement that Beelzebub can’t help but exhale a laugh. This guy…

He shakes his head.]

And what kind of compensation will you be after?

[lovebombing]

You can...put in a good word with your big spenders back home? Business is hard to get by these days...I need more customers, you understand!

[please spread his scam links for him]

[sorathvau]

[Amusement flashes across Beelzebub’s face.]

Do you know who I deal with back home?

[lovebombing]

Sampo Koski's future customers?

[sorathvau]

…A very difficult lot. You’d have to be careful of any deals you make with them.

[lovebombing]

Buddy, they should be careful about any deals they make with me! I. I mean. Achem. This guy right here's dealt with all sorts of customers! Believe me, there's never been a person Sampo Koski didn't charm.

[this confidence....as only a scamlord has...]

[sorathvau]

[This fucking guy……he’s totally transparent, but even so, Beelzebub can’t say he’s immune to his charms.]

I can’t say I wouldn’t be interested to see how you’d pull it off.

[Scamming the Gods themselves…it would be amusing, to say the least.]

I’m afraid my reputation doesn’t have much weight there, though. I can’t do much to bail you out if you get in trouble.

[lovebombing]

[He laughs at that.]

That's alright! As long as I know have your patronage and friendship....that's as valuable as anything, my dear friend!



Besides, I'm a slippery fellow. I'm hard to track down. Hehe.

[sorathvau]

[He shakes his head with another exhaled laugh. Somehow, he doesn’t doubt it.

After a moment, he turns from Sampo to look out to sea. It’s all well and good to joke about the future, but-]

…What happens now?