November Catch-All

[imjustaman]

Who: Sephiroth (imjustaman) & You

What:
Going around Pumpkin Hollow, more exploring, joining the Enforcers, and hanging out in the woods
When:
Throughout November
Where:
All over the Hollow
Warning(s):
One brief mention of child soldier.

Joining the Enforcers

Sephiroth has still been hesitant to actually take the plunge and join the Enforcers. Perhaps it’s because of how much went wrong for him and others at Shinra and now he’s unsettled to think of working for someone else again. Perhaps it’s how he always longed to live a normal life and not be what Shinra wanted him to be. But he has to get some kind of a job and this seems like what he would be the best at. Fighting and protecting are about all he knows after being raised from childhood to be a soldier. And he does still want to protect.

So he goes into the building and smiles congenially at whoever is at the front desk. “Hello. Whom do I see about signing up for the Enforcers?”

Exploring - Outside Larkin Manor

Sephiroth is hardly the type to actually go into a place that looks like it’s been condemned for decades (or that looks like every traditional haunted house in the book). But he stands outside looking at it with a thoughtful frown.

“Do you know the history of this house?” he asks if anyone happens to see him.

Exploring - Cemetery

Sephiroth also isn’t generally fond of visiting cemeteries. But he’s curious about this one, considering how people currently don’t stay dead here. So he’s wandering about amid the headstones, reading the names and dates, and then pausing to study the mausoleum. He may look almost otherworldly from a distance, with his long silver hair and black coat, especially if there’s a fog rolling in.

Into the Woods

Even as a member of the Enforcers, Sephiroth still goes into the woods a lot to protect those foolish or unfortunate enough to have wandered in there. Sometimes he’s on duty, while other times he goes when he’s off-duty.

In general, anyone encountering him in the woods fighting monsters or protecting people from monsters will see him in his Safer form: glowing eyes, whitish hair defying gravity, and purple wings all around his waist. He will be careful not to introduce himself by his name, but if anyone’s good with voices, they should be able to recognize him from that if they’ve previously met him in his normal form or meet him that way later. He is still likely to vanish into the trees without speaking at all unless speaking is necessary or unless someone hails him down for a conversation.

Comments

Hello fellow enforcer!

[ss_buttcrack]

Crichton is not usually the guy manning the desk, but he's covering it today as a favor. And he is very, very bored, so the new face walking in is a godsend for him. Finally, someone to talk to!

"Hey there. The guy in charge is Cerrit, but he's not around at the moment. My name is Commander John Crichton," he offers his hand over the desk, "Nice to meet you. Looking for a thrilling career in enforcement?"

Hello!

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth smiles congenially. "I know Cerrit. I'm Sephiroth. I'm pleased to meet you." He shakes Crichton's hand.

He smirks at this comment. "Yes, you could say that." He's not really in it for the thrills, but he'll go with that.

[ss_buttcrack]

"Great, in that case you're most of the way there." His handshake is one that's been perfected against politicians and project managers alike, so it's firm and politely brief.

"That's a shame," Crichton says with a smirk of his own, "Since it ain't all that thrilling. Most of the time. Every once and while though... we get to fight monsters. You good with that kind of thing?"

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth's handshakes are similar.

"Yes, I am," he says. "I dealt with that a lot back home."

[ss_buttcrack]

"Oh, good." Cue his visible relief. "Then I'm not seeing much reason why you won't fit in with the rest of us. Seems like having a lot to deal with back home is almost a pre-requisite."

Crichton comes around the desk to stand beside the new potential recruit. He can't give the final say, but he can put in some good word.

"How long have you been in town?"

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth chuckles a bit. "It does prepare one for this line of work.

"I've been here several weeks, getting familiar with the isle and the people and learning of all the possible career choices."

[ss_buttcrack]

"Work and life," Crichton agrees. Although, in this particular career the line between that blurs quickly.

"Getting the lay of the land. Smart. I like that. How does all this compare with where you came from? Personally, we're about a century behind in technology compared to what I'm used to."

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth smirks. "It's very far behind what I'm familiar with as well. I'm amazed there are telephones and indoor plumbing here."

cemetery

[lovethyneighb_or]

Mulcahy has been visiting the cemetery to do some light gravesweeping since he got here, but until recently, it had all been rather casual. But then, waking up from death, he found himself on a bench. A little place among the potter’s stones commemorating the unmarked. The forgotten.

He has been more attentive since then, sweeping leaves and trimming bushes.

Mulcahy is unmistakably human, but in some ways looks wraithlike himself; he dresses in black even outside his cassock, as he is now. His hair has gone all silver. There’s this strange affectation about him, like the light isn’t falling on him quite right, like all the color of him is slightly muted.

But he is human. And seeing Sephiroth across the way, he has to stop and squint to try and make out what in the world that is.

…

“Excuse me?” he calls out. “Are you a new arrival?”

Re: cemetery

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth turns to look when he's called. Also very human (although technically a human-alien hybrid due to being injected with alien DNA), but with very long hair, silver despite his young age. His wing is hidden for the moment.

"Yes, I am," he says, starting over. "I arrived here several weeks ago. I've just been exploring everything on the Isle, familiarizing myself with where places are. This is the first time I've seen someone in here."

Maybe he just tends to come at times when people aren't around.

[lovethyneighb_or]

Mulcahy smiles gently, and makes his way over so that they aren't calling at each other over the graves.

"I'm not hired to do this, so I usually only come when I have the time for it. I work for the Temple as a Catholic priest." He holds out a hand to shake. (His skin is oddly discolored there, lightened on the underside and wrapping around the palm to the back. If Sephiroth takes it, he'll notice that his handshake's points of contact roughly line up with it.)

"Have you been settling in well? If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer, and the Temple's doors are open to anyone."

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth heads over too, to meet him halfway. He definitely notices the oddity of the discolorization and the handshake contact. He's not about to ask, but he certainly wonders.

"I see," he says. "I believe we have that denomination on my planet back home." He never investigated much, but the name sounds familiar, at least. "I had thought the Temple here was only for local deities?" He is curious.

"Thank you for your offer. I have been settling in, but it seems there's always more to learn. The cemetery is larger than I was expecting."

[lovethyneighb_or]

“The town has seen a lot of tragedy even before the barrier curse.” His gaze drifts to the Leeds mausoleum. And that’s only one example.

“As for the Temple, yes, it was originally just for the local Mothers. But ever since us come-from-aways started arriving, space has been made to accommodate the practice of the many faiths we’ve brought. If you are of one that we haven’t accounted for, let us know. We’ll arrange something.”

[imjustaman]

"Yes, it would seem so," Sephiroth remarks. Which is sadly true of many locales.

He nods thoughtfully. "That's good of them. And ah, thank you, but I don't really practice any faith."

To say nothing of the fact that he was arrogant enough to believe himself a god in his insanity. He knows he isn't now, at least. But he has a hard time believing any god would want him even if he found a faith that resonated with him.

[lovethyneighb_or]

“That’s alright. We’re still a community resource; we help organize the festivals, and not just for ritual aspects. So if you ever have need of that sort of thing, any kind of organized work, or… even just a sport of advice? Do let us know.”

His eyes flick to the long length of Sephiroth’s hair then. Mulcahy’s seen far, far stranger things, but it still makes him curious. He wonders if it’s indicative of anything in particular.

[imjustaman]

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

Sephiroth is definitely used to people looking at and wondering about his hair. He considers it quite a point of pride, one of the few things about himself he can honestly say he still likes.

"My name is Sephiroth, by the way," he says, realizing he hadn't yet introduced himself.

Cemetery

[redlightgreenlight]

There's always fog rolling in this time of year, and the giant black hound wanders the headstones just as he does, her green eyes almost glowing in the darkness, watching him with interest. She's seen him at the enforcers office, though he probably wouldn't recognize her now, many don't.

She steps out from behind the well and into his sightline.

Greetings. her voice rings in his head. What brings you here so late?

Re: Cemetery

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth is startled to hear a voice in his head. The hound is speaking to him? Hmm, well, it isn't the first time he has encountered a talking animal; back home there is Red XIII. He will take it in stride.

"Hello. I am just exploring, familiarizing myself with the area," he says. "And making certain it's safe." He has been going out at night to patrol for monsters coming into the town.

[redlightgreenlight]

More and more people are coming here at night it seems.

She tips her head, taking him in. He must have experience with talking animals, or he's just good at taking things in stride. Either way, she supposes it does make him an asset to the enforcers.

It's usually just the dead and myself.

[imjustaman]

"Really. How curious." He wonders why.

"Do you live here in the cemetery?"

[redlightgreenlight]

Oh no, I do not live in this form at all times. I go home to a warm house and my lover. The dead are simply more peaceful than the living at times."

Her lips curl back in a wolfish grin.

And it's fun to scare people who venture into the graveyard at night.

[imjustaman]

"Oh, I see. You're a shapeshifter?"

He smirks a bit at her other comments. "It is peaceful here," he agrees. "Do a lot of the people scare easily?"

[redlightgreenlight]

The locals do, those brought by Mortanne have usually seen enough to not judge at first sight, like you.

Satisfied that he's willing to stay and chat, Valdis sits, curling her tail over her paws.

I have seen you before, at the Enforcer's office. Have you settled in well?

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth is amused. "I would have thought the locals would have seen enough by now as well."

He nods. "I like it here for the most part. I hope to return home when possible, but I am content to be here for now."

It's a nice place to heal and to rediscover himself.

one-tag wildcard, as discussed!

[incomingchoppers]

In early November, a hefty paper-and-string-wrapped package turns up on Sephiroth's doorstep with a small note attached. The handwriting looks like the author was doing his best to be neat, but could only manage so much against the overwhelming urge to let his writing devolve into chicken scratch.

Dear Mr. Sephiroth,

This is Radar O'Reilly, Ms. Leeds's assistant who you met last month. I asked her about any books that might be good for you to read since we're not holding Historical Society meetings for a while and this is what she said I should send you!

Thank you again for being so kind to me when I wasn't doing so good. It meant a whole lot.

Sincerely,
Radar O'Reilly
Assistant to Dahlia Leeds

Inside are a selection of books on the history of Marrow Isle, including several that might be useful in researching the curse, and a thesis written by Dahlia herself.