Pan 2014/05/11(Sun)01:14 No. 573946 ID: 0eaf76
File 139979604592.png - (16.69KB , 600x550 , 17.png )

>Ask for her name.

"I call myself Mara." She bowed.

>"The last girl said that. Can we just both accept I can't trust you completely? Has that one eaten before, or was I going to be her first, if you know? Like, was it actually her job at first to protect those like me and she just went like 'Fuck it, I'll quit my job and try it out today'?"

"I understand if you can't trust me. I wouldn't trust me either. This place is probably very frightening to you." Mara nodded sympathetically, her tail bobbing behind her. "I have not seen that Spirin before. Recently a lot have been trying to consume souls. A theory has been brought up that suggests that eating souls can give you power. I don't think that's true..."

Mara scratched at her nose, apparently trying to think this through. She then pointed to the pencil in your hand. "It was lucky that you had a Relic to help you."

>"So was it true what the predator said about this rock heading towards the city, and us eventually being judged by a Council?"

"Yes. As of now we are both heading towards the Main District. That's where most souls are taken to, in order to bide their time. The Council will assess your life eventually, and see what sentence you deserve. It won't be for a while though. Time moves very slowly here. A year here may equate to a week in the mortal world." Mara pointed upwards, suggesting that this realm was somehow underneath the mortal world.

>Also ask what she is, exactly. A demon?

"What am I? You could call me a Spirin. A permanent member of this...place." Mara scrunched up her face. Almost as if she was ashamed to call herself that. "I don't have a specific species name, per say. But if you want to call me a demon, you may." Her face went back to a default smile.

"Did you just get here?"

>>573946
Yes. She called your magic pencil a Relic. What is a Relic exactly, and how common are they? Do we risk having it stolen once we get to the city?

...ah, I think I figured out what happens to people who aren't good enough to enter Heaven or evil enough to deserve Hell. They stay in Limbo, as Spirin. Ask if Spirin used to be mortal souls, to confirm this. If not, where do Spirin come from?

>>573946
If that wasn't obvious enough already

So what generally keeps Spirin's from eating souls if this is a recent development? Have they just not thought of it before and that's all that was stopping them? And what's her motivation to not eat us, exactly, other than it's an assholish thing to do, since, well, permadeath and all?

Spirin's get their own afterlife? Do they have a true role here, or do they just happen to live here and really don't have a place in underworld bureaucracy?

Please do not be an evil devourer either. Two cute girls trying to destroy us would just be too much...
Are all Spirin's cute girls? You seem to be shapeshifters.

Stick to spirin, rather than demon. Might as well use their name for themselves.

So... is there a reason she's a permanent resident of this place, and not trying to get to the next place herself? I mean, you're not sticking around because it doesn't seem you have much choice (things trying to eat you and all). But if Charlotte is to be believed, and spirin used to be like us, then she found a reason and/or a way to stay.

call her cute

Pan 2014/05/11(Sun)11:07 No. 573984 ID: 0eaf76
File 139983164785.png - (16.92KB , 600x550 , 18.png )

>"What is a Relic exactly, and how common are they? Do we risk having it stolen once we get to the city?"

"Oh. I should probably explain." Mara once again pointed at your pencil. "Relics are very powerful here. Their abilities range and vary, but all you need to know is that they are special."

You look down at your pencil, a suspicious look on your face. "It's...difficult to explain." Mara's eyes shifted around, trying to find words. "Things brought from the mortal world...are somehow...amplified here. While that pencil may be an ordinary writing utensil in your realm, here, it can be used to create simple, but effective things."

"Unfortunately, they can be stolen so you should make sure to keep it close to you at all times. But most people have a memento they bring when they die. A wallet, a phone, a key, something like that." In the distance you could see an approaching island, with towering buildings and numerous structures surrounding it. It looked small from far away, but as you got closer, it would expand.

>"So what generally keeps Spirins from eating souls if this is a recent development? Have they just not thought of it before and that's all that was stopping them?"

"Well, Spirins generally thought that eating souls were of no benefit. Then some rumor got passed around that they actually granted you powers. I don't know who started the rumors. It just kind of sprouted up. Just a few months ago, actually." Mara made a disgusted face. "I don't think the Council is very happy with it, but they haven't done much to stop it either..."

>"Ask if Spirin used to be mortal souls, to confirm this. If not, where do Spirin come from?"

"Spirins? Ah..." Her gaze dropped to the ground, tail going a bit limp. "None of us really...know where we came from. For as long as I can remember I've been living in the Ether. Sometimes I think I get visions...of a previous life, perhaps. But they're quick and vague, and I can never make out what happens in them. All I know is that there are a lot of Spirin here. I just don't know why."

>call her cute

"You are aesthetically tolerable as well." Mara smiled.

The giant platform you were both standing on began to slow, as you turned around to find yourself just about to reach the Main District. It looked similar to a large city, except, made out of rock. A large stretch of rock reached out, where other platforms could dock. A hooded figure stood at the end, holding a long, wooden staff. You could not see his face, and he stood taller than 6ft. "Welcome to the Main District." He breathed. His voice was thin and wispy.

>pencil can be lost or stolen
Keep in hand then, or when it's not, in a pocket you're paying attention to. Can't afford to lose it or be pick-pocketed, and it's way to easy for someone to snatch a pencil off your ear.

>Welcome to the Main District.
Uh, hello.

ask him if he's going to eat you

Draw a music score with a few notes in the air. Like, something from Zelda.
To experiment.

give mara a hug before leaving.

Pan 2014/05/11(Sun)12:09 No. 573992 ID: 0eaf76
File 139983539505.png - (23.77KB , 600x550 , 19.png )

>Keep pencil close.

You grip onto your MAGIC PENCIL tightly, stuffing it in your front pocket, with your hand covering it protectively. The hooded figure pointed his staff at you. "Do not cause trouble." He warned. The figure led you and your Spirin friend down the pier to the edge of the city.

>ask him if he's going to eat you

"I do not have the capacity to consume." He sighed. "It is not within my privileges." The buildings were dotted with random windows, that had light streaming through. Passerbys were chattering to each other, some appearing happy, others appearing to be grieving. Supposedly grieving over the fact that they were dead.

Mara then tapped your shoulder, scooting around your body to stand in front of you. "Can I come with? It's terribly lonely sitting in the Ether all by myself." She stuck out her bottom lip, and gave a pouting face. Her red eyes were large and pleading.

Check to see if your clothing and glasses are awesome as well.

Also ask how she got cat ears

I'd suggest going along with Mara. However, let her know you'll be keeping watch--just because you're being a gentleman and letting her come along doesn't mean you fully trust her yet. As Mr. Cloak if that's okay, though. You don't want to be violating the rules.

i see no reason not to.

>>573992
If she's lonely couldn't she just hang around in the city? Or are there rules against Spirins entering the city on their own? If the only way she can go in is with us, then yeah, okay.

so is mara going to act as your guide or did she just stop by to say hi? Also where is this grand council? If we're going to be waiting we might as well get penciled in just to get that out of the way.

>Can I come with?
I don't see why not. What did you do all day, hanging out in an empty skyfield of rocks, anyways?

>Things brought from the mortal world...are somehow...amplified here

Which means that writing things with the pencil will probably have some interesting effects.

Pan 2014/05/11(Sun)14:26 No. 574007 ID: 0eaf76
File 139984359541.png - (28.61KB , 600x550 , 20.png )

>"Are there rules against Spirins entering the city on their own?"

The hooded figure shook his head. "Spirins are allowed within the district."
Mara nodded enthusiastically, running on up ahead a bit. "It's just no fun wandering around here with no one to talk to...it's not exactly easy to make friends in the Ether. Most Spirins keep to themselves, and most mortal souls are too shocked or freaked out to associate themselves with anyone!" The Spirin girl hunched over, letting out an exaggerated sigh.

As you wander throughout the city, you notice that there are various shops and stores you could visit. Restaurants, clubs, shelters, etc. From where you're standing you can easily see 3 buildings.

>First Ethereal Bank

>Bar and Grill

>Edgar's Trinkets and Wares

Ask about the bank. What do they use for money here? As the old expression goes, you didn't exactly take yours with you. (Come to think of it, that might make getting any trinket or bar-fare difficult).

>>574007

ask how one becomes a Spirin

>>574009
She already said she didn't know how she become one, and it seemed a kind of sore subject. I'd think we should leave it, for now.

>>574007
Visit the bank, open an account. If Mara doesn't know how money works, they can tell us. I expect we can make money by working at a job of some sort.

Also, uh, think about what it means to be dead but with no memories to grieve over. Do you even remember your name?

There's a grill, ask if eating is something souls need to do, or if it's optional.

favicon up for approval in /dis/

Pan 2014/05/11(Sun)17:54 No. 574035 ID: 0eaf76
File 139985609064.png - (26.76KB , 600x550 , 21.png )

>ask if eating is something souls need to do, or if it's optional.

Mara shrugged. "I don't think you NEED it. You're already dead. It's kind of here for pleasure purposes. A lot of souls eat when they're sad...and here, you don't gain a single pound when you eat food! So they take advantage of that."

>Ask about the bank. What do they use for money here?

"I've never used money here. I think the currency is in Pents? People probably use them for food or items or something." Mara approached the tiny bank. It looked more like a sideshow hut than a bank. A weird creature that you can only assume is a Spirin, bowed his head gracefully.
"Welcome to the Ethereal Bank. I am the Banker." He reached a bony hand out towards you. "George...George Ivanhoe." He whispered, his voice frail and gentle. Was that your name? "A new face needs a new account." The Banker's arm reached back behind himself, in an almost inhuman fashion, and pulled out a tiny sack from the back drawers. "In this bag contains 50 pents. To start yourself off." The Banker weaved a small string through it and placed it around your neck. It was like a tiny necklace, containing 50 pents...whatever those were. You couldn't believe that 50 pieces of currency could fit in such a tiny bag.

"If you would like to invest your money in a savings account you will earn interest. But it would be much faster to earn a job around the District. To occupy yourself." The Banker gave a curt nod. His black, soulless eyes made you a bit uncomfortable. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Mr. Ivanhoe?"

Your current inventory: MAGIC PENCIL (Relic), 50 PENTS, GLASSES, CLOTHES, CURRENCY SACK

>>574032

Thank you for submitting a favicon ;u;

>>574035
Ask the banker what the basis of this currency is. Is it a valuable material directly, backed by something, or is it fiat currency?

Ask Mara if she has a place in the city. Or if people even have homes at all.

Ask if it is possible to take out a loan from the bank.

>>574035
So do you have a debit card? So I can invest and then spend it when I need to, or does this place do checks?

Umm, since there's only eating for pleasure, does that mean the entire economy is entertainment and real estate based? Is their dead health insurance and a dead hospital, like if we broke our spirit leg we'd go to get it fixed?
Is there job listings anywhere?

>>574035
What kind of jobs are there?

>>574042
there are probably lawyers and wills and stuff though. like if a guy passes to the other side he wants his friend to get any pents he still has.

Pan 2014/05/11(Sun)19:38 No. 574058 ID: 0eaf76
File 139986230682.png - (25.22KB , 659x550 , 22.png )

>Ask if it is possible to take out a loan from the bank.

"I would advise against it. If you do not pay the loan back soon enough, you would put yourself at risk." The Banker waved a bony finger, and Mara just shook her head.

>"So do you have a debit card? So I can invest and then spend it when I need to, or does this place do checks?"

"You are to keep all of your Pents in your pouch, or here in the bank. There is no other way to pay, other than directly out of your pouch." The Banker adjusted his seat, letting out a sigh. "The currency is valuable to Spirin. They can use it to do various...things. Mortal souls were not taken into account when the Pent was created. They are here temporarily, and as such, should not have to save the Pents long-term. When a mortal soul passes on, their money is taken and given back to banks, to be recycled into the economy."

>"Are there job listings anywhere?"

"If you go up the street a ways, you will find a large board, with advertisements on parchment postings. Jobs are always placed there..." The Banker cleared his throat, pointing to a person standing behind you. It was an old man, hunched over with a wooden cane. "Excuse me, boy." The old man hobbled up to the counter to do his business.

You and Mara stepped back, considering the options.

>Ask Mara if she has a place in the city.

"I don't have a home or anything here. Spirins just sleep where they please. The weather here never changes...so we don't see a reason to find shelter."

>Spirins just sleep where they please. No reason to find shelter
Comfort, I suppose? (Although she's a cat, they can certainly sleep anywhere). Interesting that the dead still need to sleep, apparently.

>50 pents
I suppose the obvious question is how much money is that. (A pittance? A meal? Enough to live off of for a week? A month's rent?).

The second question would be if we're even interested in staying long enough for money to be an issue, or if we should be moving on.

...problems for later, I suppose. For now, I think we should keep exploring. See the sights, before we worry about sustainability or travel.

Let's check out the Tinkers and Wares shop now that we have money.

>>574058
Well, Mara seems legit. Party member get?

At the very least, the Pents can prove useful to Mara. Ask her if she ever opened an account there, the banker certainly didn't seem to consider her to be a new face. Anyways, seeing a whole city of friendly Spirins suggests that there's no more need to be suspicious of Mara specifically.
You've learned that your name is George, now that you know this, you should go through introductions again with Mara, just to be formal. Maybe even ask her if she'd be willing to stick around while you wait for your memories to return--unless there's some law requiring you to report to the council immediately, I'd recommend waiting until your memory is back before meeting up with them. Take the time to do some work, learn some of the history to the Ether, etc.

"I guess the next item on the agenda is figuring out what to do around here and where to do it. If I don't need to eat or sleep maybe I don't need shelter for anything besides privacy, security or social function either? That's something to find out about before relying on it unless you would know.
"Since you're the first person I've met here that seems to be good company I'm interested in what you'd like to do as well. What do you find fun, interesting or necessary?"

hit on mara.

Pan 2014/05/11(Sun)22:29 No. 574077 ID: 0eaf76
File 139987255198.png - (27.04KB , 659x550 , 23.png )

It's safe to say that Mara will be sticking around for a while! Party member get: MARA!

>go through introductions again with Mara, just to be formal.

You hold out a hand and introduce yourself as George. Mara put on a big smile and shook your hand with vigor. "I'm Mara, as you already know. It's nice to meet you, George." Her tail waggled back and forth, and it appears that your re-introduction has made her immensely happy. She probably took that as a sign of friendship.

>"Since you're the first person I've met here that seems to be good company I'm interested in what you'd like to do as well. What do you find fun, interesting or necessary?"

"I go rock hopping! Bouncing from one rock to another. I don't think you'd be able to do it, though." The Spirin-girl chewed on one of her fingers. "Necessary? Mmm...I don't really NEED anything. I like talking to people! I dunno what I would do if I didn't have that."

>Let's check out the Tinkers and Wares shop now that we have money.

Ah, yes. Maybe they would have some things that would help you on your...journey...? Or at least it'll perhaps entertain you for a bit.

Both you and Mara head across the street to inside a small building. Trinkets and decorations hung from the ceiling, as well as shelves of random jars and paper-weight things. In the back of the shop, the keeper sat behind a cluttered desk. It was a large man, with silly clothes and a fancy mustache. "Ah! Howdy! My name is Edgar! Welcome to my shop! Feel free to look around! Or if you're looking for anything in particular...I can help ya find it."

I guess look around for now, or maybe ask to get a general idea of what he has.
By the way, ask if there a way to know when the Council will call you over for judgement.

>>574077
Umbrellas? But it doesn't rain.

...hang on, are any of these items Relics? How does he get his stock, anyway?

>>574077
He looks pretty damn human.....

Also mara seems waaay to adorable

>>574077
You Spirin or did you manage to buy a shop in your time waiting?

Let's browse. See what weird stuff is for sale in the afterlife.

>>574077
How can you tell relics from not-relics?
Also, if Mara can rock-hop then does she think there's any chance she could get the stuff that was in your room? The laptop is probably also a relic.

I'd recommend caution in asking about relics. As powerful as they tend to be, people would probably get suspicious if you were asking about obtaining new ones. If you must ask, be casual about it. Something along the lines of, "So, are these all just Luxury, or would I have to worry about having a relic somebody would want to steal?"
I guess that doesn't sound so casual but it does sound like you're worried about somebody having relics that way. The watch actually catches my eye, for some reason, maybe ask about his stock of watches.

>>574128
Relics are powerful, but that doesn't mean rare, expensive, or even useful.

Relics are things brought from the mortal realm. This means everything that was in the bedroom is a relic. Not just the pencil, but also the laptop, sheets, desk, bed, chair, etc...
Do you remember what the banker said? When people move on their money is collected and put back into the economy. It stands to reason the same thing happens with relics, and considering how much stuff came through with George it's a pretty safe bet that this place is absolutely swimming in relics.
Mara said George was lucky to have the pencil because it saved him from being eaten, not because it's rare or particularly valuable.

Pan 2014/05/12(Mon)20:08 No. 574181 ID: 0eaf76
File 139995053830.png - (22.07KB , 600x550 , 24.png )

>"You Spirin or did you manage to buy a shop in your time waiting?"

Edgar blinked a few times, before letting out a hearty chuckle. "I am a Spirin, young lad! I purposefully disguise myself as human, for er...obvious reasons. Would you want to make a bargain with a hideous monster? I think not!" He adjusted his overall straps, then leaned forward on his desk. "In case you didn't know, most Spirins are able to change their appearance! Some decide they'd rather not mess with that, but a lot do try and make themselves look presentable. But for some reason we can never completely change our features. There's always some sort of stone that doesn't get turned, heh. Take my pointy ears for example! Can't seem to quite get these things to tuck in."

>Ask if there a way to know when the Council will call you over for judgement.

"The Council? Young lad, the Council doesn't need you around when they determine your sentence! They are able to look back on all your previous experiences...through...some sort of visual magic, I'd assume. Very few people actually go into the Council Hall, so folks don't really know what it's like! But after the Council decides where you belong, they send a gang of Snatchers to scoop you up and take you where ya need to go." Edgar shivered a bit, making a bubbling sound with his lips. "Snatchers are yucky creatures, they are. Quick, strong and ruthless! I've seen many souls being dragged out of buildings by them Snatchers, kicking and screaming. Doesn't do them much good though. Anyways, enough about that...I shouldn't talk your ears off!"

>Let's browse. See what weird stuff is for sale in the afterlife.

You nod slowly at Edgar's information-spillage, and decide to look around the shop for anything you could use. Various items that you couldn't quite describe lined the shelves of this ware store. Jars of floating orbs, shrunken heads, enclosed boxes, vague sculpture pieces, beads and necklaces...but there were also a lot of human-like things present as well. Hand-crafted ships, umbrellas, hats, pocket watches, spools of thread. Edgar spoke up from his seat behind the desk. "We get a lot of abandoned relics here. Most have no significant use, but occasionally a wandering soul might find something valuable! I don't particularly inspect what I put on my shelves, hohoho. But once ya do find something, I'd be happy to appraise it for ya!"

>Maybe ask about his stock of watches.

"Hmm...watches. Well I do have some...time-related things. Clocks, watches, calendars...do you have anything in particular you want me to look at closely?"

>>574181
We'd like a stop watch
Maybe some Relics that help with healing wounds?
Or Relics that would be useful in a job for making more Pents, if he might have something to suggest. Invest in a Relic that I could potentially make a profit off of?

And uhh, can we talk man-to-man for a second?
How are Spirin-Human relations socially considered here? Taboo? Just curious. Met this nice girl, she seems fun and I'd like to ask her out on a date, you know. But asking her out might insult her because Spirin-Human is not a good thing? New here, after all.

I am totally suggesting you ask Mara out on a formal date. Because, well, why not? YODO.

>>574187
>You Only Die Once
Unless of course a spirin decides to kill you to consume your soul. Then you die twice, but you'll never get a third chance, since a second death means you're erased.

A watch with the ability to gauge how long something takes (stop watch) would be useful. Even if it doesn't have the actual powers we'd expect it to, just being able to time our efforts would help in training for different tasks, such as how long it takes to carry stuff from one place to another.

>>574187
Can we wait until we know Mara just a bit more before attempting any sort of romantic relationship?

Like, I don't know, a few hours maybe.

>>574192
I said a date, maybe something for the future, and the purpose of a date is to get to know one another.

I mean, honestly, what's the difference between asking out the cute coffee counter girl after your first coffee there or after months of buying coffee just to see her, then finally getting the balls to ask her out?

We almost double died today. Shit, we first died today. And we could double die tomorrow. Or be dragged off by snatchers tomorrow even if it's said to take a long ass time to be judged, it certainly isn't a fixed time.
'Sides, we're a college student. Asking a girl out hours after meeting her is par for the course. At least it wasn't minutes.

Alright fine, how about instead we wait until we have an apartment?

>>574181
They have any kinds of glasses or lenses? Look at the shopkeep through them until you either run out of things to look through or you can see his true form. THAT is something you'd want to buy.

A stopwatch that stops time would be nice, though.

>>574190
Erased as far as anybody knows. I think we can pretty much give up on certainty that anything is final death.

>>574187
Ask her our on a casual date so you can get to know her better.

We already are on a casual date, for all intents and purposes.

...seriously, let's not creep on the someone latched onto us out of the sheer desperate need to talk with someone after spending an unknowably long expanse of time hanging out on a barren rock. That feels way too much like taking advantage of someone.

Besides, hell, we're dead. If there's one thing we have, it's time.

>look at watches
If we're going to be watch nerds, find an old style conductor's timepiece.

Pan 2014/05/12(Mon)22:34 No. 574205 ID: 0eaf76
File 139995927818.png - (20.64KB , 600x550 , 25.png )

>"We'd like a stop watch."

"...I think I have something like that in here..." Edgar got himself up from the desk and hobbled past you. He dug around through shelves and piles before pulling out a small, plastic stopwatch. It was red, and was a modern, digital watch. Implying that it was of or around your time era. "This has been lying around here for years! Probably cuz no one took tha time to dig for it." Edgar returned to his desk, placing it down on top of the stack of paper. "Anything else you'd like ta get?"

>"Maybe some Relics that help with healing wounds?
Or Relics that would be useful in a job for making more Pents, if he might have something to suggest. Invest in a Relic that I could potentially make a profit off of?"

The shopkeeper rubbed at his chin for a few moments. "I can't really think of either of those things off tha top of my head. I probably have somethin' that can PREVENT wounds. Shields, armor, stuff like that. Although, tha clothes on your back should help you with that already. They aren't super strong clothes, but it's better than nothing, right? In terms of a job...I might have some work tools. But most jobs here aren't super labor intensive. Spirins just like to take advantage of yer human features. Souls connect better with their own kind, ya know!" Edgar let out a snort and sat back down.

>They have any kinds of glasses or lenses?

You take a step back and dig around in the shop in search of lenses of any kind. You find nothing of the sort...perhaps the glasses on your head could do something...? How and what it does are still a mystery, though. Perhaps you need to activate it somehow...disregarding this, you return back to Edgar.

>"And uhh, can we talk man-to-man for a second?
How are Spirin-Human relations socially considered here? Taboo? Just curious. Met this nice girl, she seems fun and I'd like to ask her out on a date, you know. But asking her out might insult her because Spirin-Human is not a good thing? New here, after all."

"What was that? You talkin' about Soul on Spirin sorta stuff? Ehh...it's murky waters in terms of love. Shouldn't you be concerned about other stuff? I can't really say that the Ether is a great place to hook up with gals." Edgar pushed off a few things on his desk, getting out some paperwork. "But if you're asking about taboos, then I can't say very many Spirins would be surprised. It's happened before, and it doesn't really seem ta hurt anybody. Whaddya gonna do once you get taken away, though? Leave her here ta fend for herself?"

Mara was waiting patiently outside, occupying herself with a few pebbles on the ground.

"Honestly, in my opinion I would leave it alone. But if ya wanna get wrapped up in all that, be my guest." Edgar shrugged his shoulders in a casual manner, giving you a strange look. "This er...stopwatch will cost about 20 Pents. If you're lookin' ta buy it."

>>574205
Well if a soul goes to Heaven, how is that Heaven without their loved ones? The memory loss removes the ties they have to those still on Earth, but not those in Limbo. If there's a second memory wipe then that's... Well... that's probably what happens, isn't it. Everyone in Heaven remembers noone from Earth or Limbo. Ignorance is bliss.

I'm in favor of not pursuing it. We can just be a friend for now. If things go that way naturally then we shouldn't fight it- if she understands that one day we will suddenly get taken away and she still wants to do it then by all means.

Also buy the stopwatch. Is there a day-night cycle here? I'm wondering if a timekeeping device would be useful even if it didn't do anything special.

>>574205
Yeah, we'll buy the stopwatch.
Thanks for the advice. Mind's wanderin' a mile a minute and you're just trying to avoid thinking about the fact you're dead. Which makes one think of the obvious things with hardly any logic to it. Sorry for bein' weird and awkward in his Shop.

Go and try test it out.

let's just go with the flow for now.

Have we double checked that the stopwatch works, yet? Pushed the buttons?

>Mara was waiting patiently outside, occupying herself with a few pebbles on the ground.
What. Why isn't she in here with us, checking out all the cool junk? She wanted to see stuff, I had assumed she'd be joining us in the window shopping.

>Whaddya gonna do once you get taken away, though? Leave her here ta fend for herself?
...why are spirin stuck here, anyways. Is it by choice, or something else?

>I'm in favor of not pursuing it. We can just be a friend for now.
Seconding. Really, she's so desperate for a friend that it feels like creepy taking advantage to push for anything else right now.

Yeah, thank the guy for his advice, buy the stopwatch (even if it doesn't work we can probably obtain a screwdriver relic or something once we've had a chance to get more pents).
Once we finish up with the transaction, let's go check up on Mara. Is she feeling alright? Ask if she'd actually want to join you in working, or even just hang around to cheer you up? Heck, if she wants to go exploring around while you're busy working, you wouldn't be opposed to it. Give her the choices, in such a way that she doesn't feel pressured into things.

get the stopwatch. thank the dude. go back to Mara.

try equipping/unequipping your glasses, see if there's a difference other than the obvious.

Pan 2014/05/13(Tue)20:13 No. 574293 ID: 0eaf76
File 140003720028.png - (15.04KB , 659x550 , 26.png )

>"Yeah, we'll buy the stopwatch."

Edgar clapped his large hands together and smiled. "Good! Since that's 20 Pents, I'll just make a withdrawal." He scribbled down something on a piece of parchment with his quill and ink, mumbling words under his breath. "Ah...there we are." He waved to the pouch on your neck, which magically began to open up. Twenty, small beads of light floated out and settled on the palm of one of Edgar's hands. He counted them up and closed his fist. "It was great doin' business with ya." You blink. Tell him Thank You. Then continue to ask another question.

>"...why are Spirin stuck here, anyways. Is it by choice, or something else?"

"Well, we don't really know how ta leave. We were born here and raised here, as far as we remember. I can't really say we're STUCK here...but in a way, we are. Some people say we were created by the Grand Lord, Asward. He's the big boss in the Ether. Supposedly was the origin of this entire realm. I don't believe it, but hey, he don't bother anybody. I have no reason to revolt against him or nothin'."

Asward, huh? So was he the final straw in this basket of hay? This is the first you've heard of him. Up to this point you thought the Council called all the shots.
You look down at your stopwatch and decide to head on outside, waving good-bye to Edgar as you leave. "Visit again soon, ya hear?" You nod, giving a quick thumbs up before walking up beside Mara.

>Is she feeling alright? Ask if she'd actually want to join you in working, or even just hang around to cheer you up?

You kneel down beside the Spirin, who was suddenly startled by your presence. Mara quickly dropped whatever strange rocks she was holding to look at you. "Ah! George! I didn't see you there. Did you buy anything?" You wrap the stopwatch around your arm, and show it off to her. "Ooh! Cool!"

>"Are you doing okay? You didn't come inside the shop with me."

"Oh...I didn't want to get in your way or anything. It's a small shop, so it might've been crowded with me in it." She lowered her head, ears pointing downwards.

>"Oh...well, did you wanna come with me to find a job, later? Or...?"

Mara's head popped straight up and her eyes went wide. "Would you really let me? I don't wanna impose or anything...I'm sure you're a busy soul with plenty of things to do, don't need me interrupting your progress on life after death, ya know?" She scrambled to her feet, grabbing lightly onto your arm. "But if you insist I guess I'll have to accept...!" A bit sudden, but you got the answer you were looking for, at least.

Pan 2014/05/13(Tue)22:09 No. 574308 ID: 0eaf76
File 140004416811.png - (26.87KB , 659x550 , 27.png )

>Test out the stopwatch.

With Mara officially deciding to stick with you for the time being, you decide to play around with the new Relic that you have so recently purchased. You press a few of the buttons on top and on the actual body. It makes faint beeping noises each time you press a button, but nothing seems to change on the screen. Was it a defect? Mara looked curiously over your shoulder.

"That looks kinda weird. What does it do?"

You continue to try and fiddle with it, and suddenly the numbers on the screen began to go haywire. They scrambled through a bunch of numbers, getting jumbled like some sort of lottery machine. After a few moments, the final numbers appeared on the stopwatch. 10:00 it read. The small numbers in the corner indicating seconds began to count downwards. It reminded you of those time bombs that you saw in the movies. What was it counting down to? You had 10 minutes to figure out what it symbolized.

>>574308
Walk around a bit with the stopwatch, maybe try pushing more buttons while it's counting down.

I doubt it's going to explode. In the best case scenario after the 10 minutes are up it's going to reverse time so that you wind up back here again. That would mean we could use the watch, make some sort of decision, and then see consequences that develop over the next 10 minutes.

>>574293
Poor Mara. She's horribly lonely, and is trying to keep from seeming needy. We'll have to build her confidence in the strength of our shipping.

Tell her the only thing we HAVE to do is wait for the council to decide our case, and if we're going to be waiting then there's nothing we'd like more than to spend it in good company.

Speaking of waiting, how does time work here? Do they keep track of time here? If so, how far back do her memories go?

Later we should ask to see what her true form is like. Not that it matters, just that it would help to be able to recognize her in case something happens.

kinda ignore it but keep an eye on it and head on over to the job posting area and see if we can't find something. Also when that thing gets down to it's least minute put it down somewhere quite walk away while still being able to see it and just wait and see what happens.

Well, Mara wants it to feel like it's your choice, but definitely wants to hang out with you. Go ahead and let her know that, unless something unexpected happens, you don't have a problem with being her friend until the council finishes judging your case, after which you can't really do anything but go along with the Snatchers, anyways... Unless they determine you're fit to stay in Ether.
Something to consider: It may be possible to find Aswad and get permissions to remain in Ether from him, though that's certainly not something to get your hopes up for; no need to go expecting something unlikely. For now, head on over to The District and see if there's anything simple you can do. Even if it's just advertising, like Edward implied is a popular human job, it's something to do... Plus, having Mara there with you will help not only advertise that humans are welcome, but that humans can get along with Spirin just fine.

give hug

try pressing the split button, see if that does anything.

tell Mara you enjoy her company.

>I'm sure you're a busy soul with plenty of things to do
So far as I know, I'm not working under any kind of deadline.

Another potential activity- we could see what there is to eat. You haven't eaten since you can't remember when, and Mara probably hasn't either. Even if you two don't need to, it might be a nice treat.

>stopwatch, counting down
Whups.

Tvtropes here.
Its a magic stopwatch, what do you think it does?
Look around and see if people are paused, judging from the picture it looks like mara was touching you, so shes probably not affected by it.

Pan 2014/05/14(Wed)15:24 No. 574416 ID: 0eaf76
File 140010628644.png - (27.73KB , 600x550 , 28.png )

>Look around and see if people are paused

You look up and watch the city. Nothing had changed. People still passed by, moving as they did normally, both souls and Spirins. Time had not stopped.

>try pressing the split button, see if that does anything.

The only thing that the Split button does is make a beeping noise.

>head on over to the job posting area and see if we can't find something

Deciding to put the stopwatch away for now, you drape it over your neck along with the pouch and walk down the street alongside Mara to find the posting board for job advertisements.

>Be friendly towards Mara.

While the both of you walk, you turn to face Mara and give your bestest smile. "You don't have to worry about being in my way. I enjoy your company, and it's nice to have a friend here." Of course, these words give Mara a mini-heart attack as she squeals with joy, hopping up and down.

"REALLY? You really mean it? Wow...my first friend..." She hugged at your arm, tugging you to the side a bit, causing your legs to tangle. "Thank you! I promise I'll do my best to be a uh...good friend! I know a lot of stuff and erm...I can probably help if you ever need anything!" Her large, red eyes twinkled in this seemingly dull and dreary place. It took only a few minutes to locate the board. It looked a lot like a bulletin board except for the fact that, surprise, surprise, it was made out of rock. Papers and notices were taped all over the board. It was a cluttered mess! You could barely make out what anything was supposed to be! There were a few "MISSING" posters and you could spot bold letters that read "WORK NEEDED" or "NOW HIRING".

You pull off a couple of job posters to read through, before your nose caught a familiar scent. It smelled oddly of BBQ, coming from a nearby restaurant. Normally such a smell would cause your stomach to rumble, but you could feel no physiological difference in your tummy area. Still, you enjoyed the taste of a good meal, so maybe some sort of dinner would be a nice thing to go for next. Anyways, back to the job ad.

HELP WANTED - The Ether Inn and Suites
Positions for room service, concierge or bellhop available. Spirin or Human Soul applicants welcome. Location is 2 blocks South of the Ethereal Bank. Please contact Manager.

A hotel job? Interesting. What did the other poster say?

NOW HIRING - Reforming Department
Need information. Hiring persons willing to investigate cases and scoop out information. Interview is needed, no previous experience required. Department location is 3 block East of Ethereal Bank.

You didn't think the Ether would have detective jobs! That definitely sounded more exciting, but also possibly more dangerous. Which job should you pick?

Is that a wanted poster on the bottom-right? 80,000 Pents is a LOT.

I say go with the detective job. We've already won one fight, and I want to get to the bottom of this whole soul-eating scandal. Considering how long Limbo has been around, soul-eating only happening recently is VERY SUSPICIOUS.

Actually something occurs to me. How long has Mara existed? From what I've heard of the origin of Spirin it sounds like they're supposed to have been around forever, but if this is the first time she's made a friend, what has she been doing until now? Secondly, if Pents are used by Spirin in some manner, shouldn't they have all been consumed? Where do new Pents come from?

Lastly, the mere fact that God has not intervened to prevent souls from being eaten makes me feel as though being eaten is not in fact soul-death. I think they just respawn somehow, like maybe they get another chance at Limbo later on. I don't think it's reincarnation because that would be no different from death if you don't keep any of your memories from the previous life. Oh, and don't forget about the possibility that Limbo is actually a test of character or willpower.

I agree it is a good idea to ask where spirins come from.

>God has not intervened
God who? So far the only authority figures we have heard of are the Council that Grand Lord Asward guy.

>>574419
Heaven and Hell exist (not to mention Limbo), therefore some sort of deity created them.

>>574416
Lets look into the detective job first, but not make any decisions as of yet.

>>574435
My dick exists. Therefore god exists.

>>574489
Is your dick impossible to explain with the laws of physics?

Pan 2014/05/14(Wed)22:24 No. 574497 ID: 0eaf76
File 140013147633.png - (28.73KB , 600x550 , 29.png )

>Go with the detective job.

You pin the hotel advertisement back onto the board. The experience with Charlotte was horrifying enough and you'd hate for it to happen to other innocent souls as well. If you were to become a detective, maybe you'd be able to look farther into why souls were being killed off. As well as gain new knowledge on how and why you're here in the first place.

You follow the directions that were scrawled onto the poster, while your friendly, little Spirin skips along behind you. Now that she seems accompanied and comfortable around you, perhaps you should ask a few questions?

>"So...how long have you been around here anyways? Spirins must have an origin."

Mara stays quiet for a moment or two before responding. "I've been around for a loooong time. I think I lost track of the years...age doesn't really matter here so people don't keep track. Spirins, as far as I know, don't age. We can certainly die but as far as getting older...I don't think that's a factor. Like I said before, we don't remember anything. All we remember is just...suddenly existing." Saying this, Mara seemed to become a bit somber. "I've been stuck here for so long...it all kinda meshes together, ya know?" She gives a defeated shrug of the shoulders, arms behind her back. You can sense her lowered change of mood, and quickly change the subject.

>"Well, then, Pents are consumed by Spirins, right? Where do new Pents come from?"

"Pents are created by the Reformers I think. Reformers are like...a branch of the government but not really...? They make sure everything stays in order and that everything is stable. If the economy runs low on Pents, they just bust out new ones. Some people think that Pents are tiny fragments of mortal energy, harvested from human souls themselves...but that's a big lie." The two of you pass by several groups of people on the way to the department. Most were older folks, but...there was a surprising amount of young children. Young adults, even people carrying infants. In fact, this entire city was comprised of a pretty varied array of demographics. That just proves that anyone, no matter who you are, can die. It makes you feel a bit better about death, at least. If this was even real.

You look down at your stopwatch. It read 5:23. About 5 minutes left...you started to get a bit suspenseful. Thankfully, your attention was distracted by Mara pulling at your arm. "Look! There's the department of reformation!" It was a dull looking building. With a boring sign beside the door that read OFFICE OF REFORMING. You head on in and are greeted with a scarcely decorated, gray room. There was a strange sculpture in the corner and assorted papers posted on the walls. A desk with a large woman was located in the front room. With a door behind her that supposedly led to the back area. The woman was human looking and wore a dirt-stained sundress. She scribbled away at paperwork, occasionally using a stamp to print the words APPROVED or DENIED on the documents. Eventually she looked up at you and frowned. "Can I help you...?" Her voice was nasally and monotonous...she had obnoxious curly, brown hair and secretary glasses that made her look more snobby than necessary.

>squeeee, my first friend
D'AAAAAW

Inquire about the job posting. Also, before you actually accept a job, you might consider asking Mara what she thinks, given that she's a part of this, too.

Suggestion 2014/05/14(Wed)22:44 No. 574500 ID: a1e824

Hm, while it's not surprising that the land of the dead has a pretty diverse populace, the fact that there appear to be people carrying babies and what appears to be families lumped together is pretty interesting. Do people who die together wake up here together? To people recognize people from their time living if they run across them?

>>574498
Ask about the job, first, get the information on it. It might not be as dangerous as you were thinking, and if you're going to ask Mara if she thinks it would be worth it over the hotel job, you'll want to have this job defined.

Oh, and next time she starts getting a little hyperactive over friendship, maybe give a chuckle and, with a happy tone of voice, suggest she tone it down a bit. "While I don't have a problem with it, you'll stand a better chance of making even more friends if you moderate it." Or something to that effect. As long as it's made clear that you won't be bothered either way; no reason to go making a person sad because their first and only friend is upset with them.

>>574500

To clear it up, yes. People who die together (such as families in a car accident or a similar situation) do wake up together. The particular group that George passed were just strangers who were having a conversation, but it's completely possible that people can come into the Ether with another person!

>>574491
The laws of physics are just rules that describe how the world has been tested / proven to work. It's a model, and intrinsically imperfect, as all models are. And it gets revised and updated when we learn new things.

The fact that George has discovered limbo exists, and that Heaven and Hell exist, does not invalidate physics. This merely means we know there is a hell of a lot more physics to understand than we did before. Lots of rules and knowledge and how does this stuff work to be explored.

None of which proves (or disproves) that God, a god, or gods were / are involved. The intelligent scientific position remains that you cannot disprove the existence of god (proving a negative), and there is as of yet no proof.

>spirins eat pents
If she's going to help us with this job then, it would probably behoove us to give her a share when we get paid. Who knows when she last ate.

>Can I help you...?
Yes, I hope so. I'm here about the detective position?

show them the poster and ask about the job

>>574491
Man, you don't even KNOW.

>>574509
We don't know how Spirin consume them. It could be that they turn them into other things instead of eating them.

>>574497
Say you're here to inquire about the detective job.

Just say you're here for the case investigation job. Try to sell yourself as someone curious, neutral and unassuming. Perfect for snooping around. You could also show off your pencil skills and versatility. Draw some simple item like a length of rope and do that magnifying lens trick again (best to stick to tried and tested stuff rather than experimenting during the interview).

Regarding the stopwatch: These things are often associated with running and sports. Do you feel any stronger or faster? Other possibilities might be that the 10 minutes are used to charge up another function or that something or someone will be summoned after the 10 minutes is up. Could be that it will teleport you back to where you were when you triggered it when the 10 minutes are up... A more remote possibility would be that its function is some kind of play on words and it keeps people from scrying or paying very much attention to you, as in it stops people from watching you...

>>574595
Actually, yeah, showing off the pencil skills for making a wall or magnifying lens would be a good idea, but only if they ask what qualifies you. And just showing those off without explanation wouldn't be good, either, probably more something like "Well, I suppose I don't have a lot of experience, but I did learn I can do these tricks."
You could also bring up Mara, saying she'd be a partner you'd refuse to part with just to get the job, and her skills as a Spirin can come in handy. Of course, they said experience isn't required, but that doesn't mean skills won't help.

>>574497
We should make sure that we don't get pulled into an interview immediately, because that could last longer than 5 minutes.

if she's been around for like an eternity, and you're her first friend, there's bound to be a catch.

anyway, apply for the job.

Don't show off unless they ask for it. No sense in letting people know more than they have to.

PanPan 2014/05/19(Mon)15:49 No. 575047 ID: 0eaf76
File 140053974576.png - (28.14KB , 600x550 , 30.png )

>Ask about detective job.

"Hi, yeah, I'm here for the job that you posted on the bulletin board?" The lady at the desk stared at you with a blank expression, before widening her eyes some.

"Oh right. We posted that. Hold on." She tapped her fingers on a small silver bell behind the desk and rang twice before she went back to whatever she was working on. You stand there uncomfortably for a few moments before the door to the backroom opened up. A tall business woman stepped out, shooting you a cold stare. "What is it?"

The desk lady waved a hand. "He's interested in that job you put up." Business lady nodded.

"Ah, alright. Come with me. Leave the Spirin though, we won't need her." You wave to Mara, and she simply waves back before sitting down on the bench in the lobby.

The lady leads you through an office-like area. There were desks aligned in orderly rows with Spirins or humans working behind each individual table. They had scrambled piles of paper stacked high and silver bells, much like the lady at the front desk. It was very similar to a regular office environment that you would see in the human world, except this place was much darker and...primitive. Motivational posters hung on the walls, and doors lined the side walls, most likely leading to personal offices.

You were taken to a particular office in the back. A silver plaque with the words "PRESIDENT TAPP" engraved on it was embedded on the door. "This is my office." The lady explained. Her voice was very stoic, and quite intimidating actually.

Once inside the office you were ordered to sit in a stiff, stone-hard chair that was placed in front of the lady's desk. Business lady sat down. Her desk had papers, much like the others, but she had a little name tag on the corner. It read "VICTORIA M. TAPP". She also possessed little knick knacks and trinkets that were probably just dumb relics she acquired from a store.

"So...you're interested in being an investigative worker. Why?" She leaned forward, not even bothering to ask your name or introduce herself.

"i was attacked shortly after i got here, and i want to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else."

>>575048
Basically this. Also, because it sounds more interesting than being a bellhop.

That's a great start, I was attacked so obviously things are not just straightforward safe. You were able to handle yourself but how many aren't? So you wanna do what you can to make sure others don't have that problem.

>>575047
"It was either working as a gopher while feeling like a gopher or possibly being a gopher and feeling like a groundhog. That sounded way better in my head. Look...I just want to make a small, positive difference here, and it was down to this or working as a bellhop. I also like detective films, does that count?"

From the moment you arrived, you were unfortunate enough to immediately see that things aren't as nice as a lot of humans might think they are. From the get-go, you've been looking into things and doing investigating anyways, so once you noticed there was a posted job for it, you figured you'd try to make your investigations more official.

Seriously, let's try not to give out a bunch of specifics if she doesn't ask for them, give the impression you know how to keep your discoveries secret from those who aren't authorities. If she does ask for them, give a nod, and say that as a figure of authority, you can certainly tell her, and then give her the intel.

Dance to prove yourself worthy of the detective job.

>>575048
Plus- there's a lot I'd like to learn about this place. They say you should take jobs that fit with your interests, when you can.

>>575047
"I was attacked by a soul-eating monster as soon as I arrived, and from what I've been able to gather that's part of a recent and disturbing trend. I want to stop that.

Also, the only other job listing was for a bellhop."