1st - Video

[circumsutus]

[The man (shaggy grey hair, greyish skin, indeterminate age, glasses that reflect the light almost more than glasses should, patchwork clothing, massive screw jammed right through his skull) sits in his Tower apartment and waves.

He seems friendly enough.]

I've still got some time [read: nearly a month] before I get thrown out of the apartments, but there's no time like the present to start looking for a job!

My name is Stein, and I'm looking for a job as a surgeon or as a teacher, I'm not picky, and I have extensive experience in both fields. If you want character references, one of my students and patients, Soul Eater, has been here for a while, and is ... fairly reliable.

Comments

[circumsutus]

You wouldn't happen to be from the same place as Hinamori, would you?

[sequincy]

- Ah. The Shinigami lieutenant. Yes.

[circumsutus]

Oh, is that what she is. She doesn't look much like what I'm used to. [And he's going to have to rework his definition of Shinigami here as well.]

[sequincy]

Yes. The Shinigami organize themselves in a militaristic fashion. Lieutenant, Captain, Captain-Commander. She purifies Hollows - corrupt spirits that devour souls.

You see the similarities I mentioned.

[circumsutus]

Oh, I do. How does this purification process work?

[sequincy]

They end its spiritual life with a special weapon, an extension of their spirit. The Hollow is then returned to the proper cycle and sent to Soul Society as any soul would be.

[some amount of pleasure in his voice - he loves lecturing on things to people]

[circumsutus]

[Stein's pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, jotting down notes. He doesn't mind lectures, though he's much more hands-on, and this boy seems to know what he's talking about.

Some of the terminology is the same, but the concepts are entirely different. Even the role of Shinigami and how the afterlife functions.]

You're going to have to explain the proper cycle to me, since it sounds like even that differs between our worlds.

[The entire process of sending on of souls and the afterlife is the domain of the shinigami, not something that humans are allowed to know.]

[sequincy]

Well, normally a soul passes onto Soul Society, the Spirit World, until it is time for them to be reincarnated into the Living World. This is disrupted if a soul does not pass on. The longer a soul remains in the Living World without properly passing on, the more it is corrupted, until it finally becomes a Hollow - a monstrous soul that devours other souls. A Hollow can be purified and sent on to Soul Society by Shinigami.

However, souls who committed unforgivable atrocities in their human lives do not pass on to Soul Society. Instead, they are sent to Hell and will never be reincarnated.

[circumsutus]

What qualifies as an unforgivable atrocity?

[sequincy]

I'm not sure, to be honest. ...Whatever the Shinigami decide, likely. [bitterly] They enjoy passing judgement.

[circumsutus]

[If this were not Siren's Port, if this were not a discussion about the differences between two different worlds, Ishida's words would have gained him a very powerful, very unforgiving enemy.

Stein goes quiet, pulls a package of cigarettes and a lighter out of his jacket, pulls out a single cigarette and is about to light it before remembering that he's currently in a temporary (and no smoking) apartment, puts everything away instead, and sighs.

The Shinigami that this boy is talking about are not the gods that Stein relies on, but just another species, not better than humans, just different. That's the best way to think of it.]

Is that so?

[sequincy]

[he pushes up his glasses, the lenses catching the light]

Undeniably.

ugh sorry this took so long

[circumsutus]

That sounds personal.

[Stein is not usually one for mental analysis, but the boy is making things very obvious.]

No problem!

[sequincy]

[what are you talking about, he's completely subtle. Completely.]

There's no love lost between us, no. [a beat.] ...But there are some here in the city who are tolerable. Somewhat.

Is there anyone from your world here?

[circumsutus]

Just one, for now.

[sequincy]

Are they also a, ah...? [whatever you are.]

[circumsutus]

He does the same sort of work, but Soul is a weapon, while I'm a meister.

[sequincy]

"Weapon"? In what sense? [learning so much today!]

[circumsutus]

[A smile, a slight chuckle.]

In the most literal sense. He's a scythe.

[sequincy]

[...wat.]

[circumsutus]

[Problem?

Honestly, though, Stein doesn't get the disconnect. Weapons have been around for nearly a thousand years, and Stein honestly can't picture a world without them.]

[sequincy]

Weapons are... inanimate. The spirits of Shinigami zanpakutou aside, someone can't just be a weapon...

[circumsutus]

There are over thirty generations of people who would probably disagree with you.

[sequincy]

But that's illogical! How could that even happen?! How would it work? And it's absurd! A Quincy has a bow, they don't go... courting one! What use would that be?! [HONESTLY UPSET BY THE IMPRACTICALITY]

[circumsutus]

[WHAT IMPRACTICALITY?]

Oh, I assure you, it works quite well.