Chapter Text
"Hm... I hope they'll like it... But what if they won't..?"
On a random bench under the shade sat a nervous player, one leg bouncing nonstop as they stared down at the pavement. A gorgeous bouquet of blue, yellow and white poppies - recently made with a written note placed inside of it - is currently sitting on their lap waiting to be soon gifted.
They'd thanked Larry repeatedly for having taken his time to arrange it before closing his shop early – tied in laced bows of shades of blue and wrapped in golden paper – and in return they'd promised to water his plants for the whole week while he was away for vacation. Hopefully GOD won't mind...
They've been pondering their situation for the past 10 minutes or so, glancing every so often in the cemetary's direction, imagining where the last horseman might make an appearance just like the rest did. Past the graves, through the second gate and just a bit further into that same forest clearing they've already become familiarised with...
In actuality though, the player had no idea if they were going to make an appearance soon just by waiting. And most importantly, they had little idea where exactly they could be meeting the last horseman. They only had a small guess it might be in the same general area where they'd found both Famine and Conquest so far.
Acording to Death, his name is War... also known as "The Sun's Knight". It mainly resurfaces when it's their season.
This time around, the player strived to leave a good impression. GOD had updated them that it was finally time and beckoned them to reawaken back into Dorthpeck.
All I need to do now is wait until something peculiar happens, they think. They've already talked to the few people that were still out and about despite the suffocating heat, explored every nook and cranny the player could for any hints after most of the townsfolk had left, but to no avail.
A good portion of the locals were no longer present here in Dorthpeck anymore, since apparently they'd already prepared on going to the beach to enjoy summer time together.
Anyone who didn't want to or couldn't tag along stayed behind, including the player.
Although... the main reason the player remained here was because they forgot to also include them unfortunately, considering they weren't even present when they colectively planned the trip... but they didn't mind. GOD probably had a reason for waking them up this late, right...? Right.
And so they waited.
In the meantime, the player was still debating if this was too much, too out of the blue. They're just a random person for GOD's sake! And a strange mortal at that!
Well... More like an anomaly, which definitely wasn't helping their case. The Reaper was right, and the player only further proved his point the moment they once more walked through the hotel doors, perfectly alive and healthy, like nothing major had happened when the two officially met just a few months ago.
The Player didn't want to cause any trouble. They truly didn't. But there wasn't much they could've done to change the Reaper's predicament regarding its failed tasks and its Lord's burning scrutiny and judgement over every small mistake it would occasionally make. They hoped it would've figured things out by now. Sigh...
But they want to do better. Somehow. Flowers and a written note may not help with much, but it shows they wish to behave somewhat... Or at least try to. They'd already expected to still be followed by Death itself after coming back alive again, but they hoped currently it would be too busy to watch over them yet. Maybe it'll leave them be for the time being... Hopefully.
...
...They couldn't have been more wrong.
"How... HOW...", it simmered in rage, growing more mad as it simply stalked them from a distance.
Death still didn't have the faintest clue as to how the anomaly keeps coming back. Even after interrogating them, it learned absolutely nothing. No matter how much he tried to explain or threaten, none of it resolved into stopping them from wasting its time and distracting him from his main targets.
In the end, interrogating the mortal accidentally helped them find out even more things they shouldn't have, this time through it alone.
It got enraged too fast. It shattered too soon and killed them the moment he reached his tipping point instead of calming down.
No matter what he did, the anomaly would always just come back to life every time they'd die, even months later like today.
...
...It sickened him.
Now, all it can do is watch. Watch until they receive their new list of targets from the Lord. So far, he's done a pretty decent job at keeping track of everyone, to the point It didn't have anything new to reprimand him for yet thankfully.
Currently he has just enough time to simply observe... The human so far has just been sitting down on a random bench shaded away from the blaring sun, constantly looking down at the dumb bouquet they received from the flourist intown. They keep glancing around nervously, growing more fidgety with each passing moment...
...Are they waiting for someone to arrive right now? Is that what the bouquet is all for...??
...Who could they possibly offer a bouquet to?
Not one particular individual came to mind in that moment. Either way, the so called "Love Lantern Festival" the mortals in this town would hold every year during its season had already ended months ago. Whatever shot they're trying to take right now, if that is the case it thinks, they've picked the worst time of year to do so during one of the hottest months this season has to offer. And of course... it had to be War's. Ugh...
...The thought made him scrunch his face in disgust. Mortals and their stupid crushes... it figured, glaring hard enough at the mortal they might just catch on fire from intensity alone.
The nervous look on the mortal's face made his eye twitch in anger even more. The indignation it felt thinking on how literally dying by its feet barely phased them, but a potential stupid date – with who knows who at this point – is what leaves them sweating in anxiety, second from the high temperature melting everything outside, including the anomaly that's still just sitting there like a fool and waiting... After EVERYTHING this person - presumably - did to Death, the innocent act only served to infuriate it, practically rubbing salt on the wound unintentionally.
"...I hope they get rejected...", it muttered under its own breath.
The moment he said those words out loud, he'd finally snapped out of it – for but a moment – to process just how unbelievably petty it ended up sounding.
...Alas, it was only for just a moment, until the anomaly decided to quickly get off the bench and leave to a different location instead, a determined look in their eyes that, for the most part, spelled out trouble to Death's dismay.
It only took them a few minutes to walk from where they previously were, all the way to-- the cemetary...?
The Reaper followed suit through the tree line outside of it, then spotted the anomaly prying open the second gate and then go-- into the woods??
...Soon, they've finally reached that same old forest clearing. The anomaly then stood still for a moment, listening to the birds happily chirping, to the sounds of life's nature slowly dissipating into a deafening silence. It was almost as if time itself froze in an instant with the arrival of something... or someone.
The human already knew who was causing this shift.
"...Death."
The Reaper was close enough to hear them call out to it. And yet, it did not respond. He noted just through their voice alone how all the anxiety the mortal had previously felt was completely gone by now.
In fact, they seemed more calm and collected than ever, rather certain of exposing themselves like this in the middle of the woods, since they ended up spotting the horseman stalking them through the corners of their eyes, having heard it talk out loud by accident previously.
They're just standing there, glancing at the grass and the sky above them like they're not guilty of anything!
With any other mortal, this would not be the case. In fact, they should be trembling in its wake, begging for-
"...I just want to talk... Please."
The mortal looked around once more, sighing through their nose like they're already growing impatient. Not knowing what else to say to make it show up that won't involve angering it, they've decided to just sit down cross-legged on the grass facing a small patch of marigolds, leaving the bouquet of flowers in their lap for now. They first wiped the sweat off their hands over their legs and breathed in deeply a couple of times, then slowly closed their eyes to relax of all things, as if expecting for it to take a while until he finally decides to show himself. Strangely enough, a magenta like blur slowly started to form around the corners of their eyes, even while they're closed, as though it only silently moved closer to the human in response.
...The silence had only lasted a couple of minutes.
"...The nerve you have, mortal... think I won't kill you again?"
The anomaly jolted in surprise at first, but didn't say anything yet. Trying to locate exactly where the sound was coming from, they noted how the horseman might currently be... behind them? Slightly to their left almost.
They pondered their response for a moment, then randomly clicked their tongue.
"...Mmm... most likely. But until then, could we chat for a minute?"
"..."
"..?"
Then they waited. After a couple more minutes, they could faintly hear random footsteps approaching. Someone's walking towards them...
"...Sigh. It's not like you didn't already spot me earlier, so..."
"..?!!"
The anomaly immediately opened their eyes and looked back to gaze at none other than The Heart Reaper himself. They could feel their confidence exponentially draining away while sitting in its vicinity for some reason, that same pink fogginess slowly growing denser around the edges. It began to cloud their vision and mind further more, making them feel significantly weaker in their bones to prevent the human from making any sudden moves.
"...Here I am in the 'flesh', I guess... Not sure why you look so startled now."
"..."
"...I mean, this is what you wanted, right? ...You called out to me first. It's not the first time we've met... quite far from it, actually."
Balling the grass on the ground into their fists, the anomaly swallowed down their own new-found anxiety, not daring to fully turn around just yet.
Why... Why are they so nervous all of a sudden? The human supposes they just now fully processed how things were no longer going as planned anymore, how things took a dangerous turn already.
Either way, they hoped they could talk to it for a minute without getting killed first. So far, they noted how he hadn't ambushed them again while it hid behind the trees and eventually did agree to talk... For now. Probably because its season had already passed and it still didn't have any proper answers from the player yet... Or maybe because they're in a decent mood today?
"...So?"
Snapping out of it, the player nervously looked to the side while searching for an answer.
"Uhm...I-I suppose I did," they stammered.
"...You 'suppose'? Really?"
The player gulped at the raised tone, eyes averting his only heart-shapped pupil glaring down again, as though scrutinizing them of every "wrongdoing" with just his gaze alone now.
...It seems like they were wrong to make that assumption.
It also seems like he's already getting riled up. Ugh, here we go again...
"Y-You just... You just don't ever get it, do you?!"
Grimacing, the anomaly mentally prepared for the worst.
"...You mocking fool... Why do you always do this?!? Even after I killed you, you still come back?!"
"..."
"...I put so much effort into my work, i-into everything I've done and still do! I was doing so well, I could finally catch my breath after losing so many targets... Until YOU... YOU REAPPEARED!!"
The horseman was now shaking his hands around, slicing the air with its scythes while shouting louder and louder as it continued its rant. Thankfully, they were both far away from Dorthpeck that no one would hear his yelling.
"You shouldn't even be breathing the air around you... You don't deserve it one bit!! What makes you so special from other mortals that YOU come back just fine?!!! How do you just slip away from the afterlife so easily and come back whole?!"
"...I-"
"...Not once were you truly grateful to be alive. You take your life for granted, that I know for sure... You're no different from any other selfish mortal in this world I had to put to rest."
...They had no comeback to most of what it was saying. Not like they wished to. They hoped they could come up with a different plan in mind for this while they continued to yell.
"Ugh...I cannot believe I've wasted so much precious time on such a deplorable, loathesome, DISGUSTING individual like yourself... You are SCUM beneath my feet, you understand that?!! Didn't I tell you last time to stop coming back, huh?!"
"...Uhm-"
"You have NO RIGHT to act like you're above ME. To have the AUDACITY to not stay dead after I finished you off... I'll say it just this once: DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!!"
"...Okay."
"I WILL-- ...what?!"
His rant immediately came to a halt at the anomaly's quiet agreement. It took the Reaper a few seconds to process it, slightly taken aback as he stared at them in surprise, like he couldn't believe what he just heard.
The moment Death fell silent, the mortal immediately took that opportunity to finally speak up.
"...Look, I understand you're more than livid about my continuing existence, that I'm supposed to stay dead, that yada yada... or whatever, but..."
The anomaly finally moved their legs from where they sat to properly face the horseman, although having to crane their neck up slightly just to fully look him in the eye. They're now resting their arms over their knees - fingers rubbings against their palms apprehensively - half wincing from what they're about to say next.
"Sigh... I genuinely don't know why either. I never meant to make your life harder than it needed to be, Reaper... Tch- I highly doubt that's why I'm still here."
The anomaly tried to read its expression, but all they saw was perplexity and confusion about what they'd just said. Then the human fell silent aswell, glancing back down at the bouquet still sitting on their lap. Moving their hand, they mindlessly rub one of the flower's petals with their thumb and index finger, careful to feel the soft texture without accidentally plucking it out. Then they place the flowers to the side as to not ruin them by accident in case anything happens.
The Reaper only silently observed the human fidget, waiting for them to continue on. It felt genuinely conflicted, it felt odd now... why? There was no point in doubting-
"...What makes you think I'd know anyhow?"
Then it blinked once, refocusing back on the present. It slowly made an expression like it furrowed its 'brow' in suspicion.
"...Oh, shut up..! Even now you're playing dumb, human... I can still see right through your pathetic attempts at lying, y'know. You're still just as dishonest as ever."
It crossed its arms, staring down at the anomaly patiently sat on the grass in front of him. Thankfully, their response was surprising enough it had snapped him out of it at least.
The human then shifted so they're sitting on their knees instead, only moving slightly closer to it. With both arms resting on their thighs, they clasp their hands together inbetween them, head hanging low in shame.
Rubbing their thumbs over the back of their hands instead as they thought over their response, they had a look in their eyes and a waver in their tone that suggested slight desperation, knowing very well how even now they're still not believed.
"...I genuinely don't know what else to tell you, Death. I've already told you this during our first... 'official meeting', so to say. Either way, no matter what happens to me... I will always return. And I can't... I can't tell you why and how still, even now. I-I just..."
They pause, audibly drawing another breath in through their nose before letting their words slip out.
"...I'm sorry."
"I--..."
...This is the second time the Reaper's taken aback, but just as quickly he recovers. Shaking its head, it then rubs its eye with the back of its right hand irritated, clearily not buying the apology one bit or feeling moved by their visible display of regret.
"...And you want a medal for that, hm? Just how gullible do you think I am?!"
The human quickly snapped their head to look back up at the Reaper, brows furrowing in worry and confusion at his remark.
"...I've never said that you're gullible, Reaper, I genuinely-"
"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!.. You've already made the fatal mistake of pointlessly calling me just to waste my time like this! I'm not buying your lies, human... You must be faking innocence."
The mortal then loudly sighs, shoulders sagging and head dropping forward again to signify defeat. There was no getting past him it seemed...
Then they rub their forehead for a minute, trying to figure out what to do next and if there was any way to escape this, considering their current predicament.
Peering their eyes up from the ground, they immediately jolt when just mere inches away from their face is the Reaper pointing its scythe at them. Strangely, its expression remains calm, too calm, like it's trying to decide whether it's worth the effort anymore to kill them again right here or not.
"...Hm. I wonder how many times this will take for you to stay dead."
The player gulps while staring forward at the scythe's blade, sunlight reflecting directly off of it as it gets slowly tilted clock-wise to the side.
...It seems as though the Reaper hadn't had another kill in a hot minute. Both scythes are so damn clean they're practically spotless.
Instinctively the player tries to move away from it, but instead they feel the curved blade pull them forward by the neck like a hook, the cold metal making the hair on their nape stand on end. A chill goes down their spine as they shakily exhail, the Reaper leaning down to look at them one final time...
...
...Yet nothing happens.
Instead, the Reaper scans the anomaly's expression, watching sweat form and trickle down their forehead, eyes wide open to showcase their horror as they stare right back at it expectantly.
For the first time ever, they look at the Reaper like they're actually terrified for once.
...
...It really shouldn't have excited them as much as it did in that moment. Somehow, they managed to do this right.
Somehow.
It could sense their heart rate going up, up, up the longer he continued to drag this moment.
How satisfying it would be to make that heart stop beating once more...
The silence lasted for a moment, the player unable to shift their gaze from the glowing heart pupil that was staring directly into their soul.
"...You. Are. Nothing."
"..."
GOD, this conversation again... Might aswell try this time than stay quiet and look even more guilty.
"...I-If I am nothing, then why bother? Why put in all othis effort to try and get rid of me to begin with?"
"You keep getting in my way, you constantly distract me... Your time was up ages ago. You know this already."
"...That's means I'm something then, r-right?"
"...Yeah, a hinderance. An old objective that somehow slipped away from me, as I've already said in the past. You somehow defy the laws that keep this world together from falling into chaos."
"...It's not intentiona-"
"SILENCE!"
The scythe's blade presses even harder against their neck, with just enough self-restraint that it doesn't cut through skin just yet.
"...Now, I'll ask this one final time. How do you keep coming back? And most importantly... Why? What the hell is your purpose?"
"...I've already t-told you... I don't know... I swear I don't know.."
The player could feel their own eyes begin to water, blinking them away as to not let any tears spill in that moment.
...It still couldn't pick up on any lies. One thing it does know after watching them for so long, observing their habits and the way they interact with those around them, is that the anomaly can be a terrible, terrible liar when put under pressure... Even now, there was sincerity in their voice.
His hand then began to gradually shake as he processed this. Thankfully, enough space was made that it stopped pressing so hard against the back of their neck. The player finally exhaled through their nose, not realising they've been holding their breath in at some point expectantly, thinking its stare suggested something else.
"This... This will go on forever... won't it?"
"...what...?"
Instead, something changed in its eye, their expression showing off the slightest bit of doubt. Their voice sounded unsure, but it knew better. It then sharply inhaled, growing quiet now.
...It wondered if it was truly worth the risk. Would it really go back to getting distracted and losing its targets again if he lets them go...?
"...Mghh..."
...But alas, even if he wanted to, he couldn't. Not without Its order. It would be against protocol to kill directly like this unfortunately. Plus, with the new restriction added from it... It only made it impossible to do so without getting in more trouble.
Relunctantly, it withdrew his scythe from their neck as it continued to stare. With a huff, he then turned around and promptly sat down on the grass a few feet away from them, not wanting to look them in the eye anymore.
"...Ugh. I'm so sick and tired of this... You've always been such a thorn on my side, mortal... You're damn lucky I can't kill you again without the Lord's permission. It... prohibited me from doing so if my attempt to get rid of you failed, which... it clearily did. It only sees you as a waste of time, and me as a FOOL for still thinking otherwise."
Said anomaly could only stare back in disbelief. Blinking once, twice, they try regaining their bearings as they placed a hand over their chest.
Death only turned their head around and gave them a weird look while waiting for the human to calm themselves down. Even they were confused by their 'strange' reaction. Normally, the player wouldn't have been this scared about possibly passing away.
"...Since when did you get scared of dying? You've been beaten up, shot, burned, stabbed, eaten, slashed, and so on before this... What in the world is up with you??"
"I-- cough-... I dunno... "
Clearing their throat, the anomaly rubbed their nape nervously, exactly where the scythe had pinched their hairs off where it kept grabbing them. It was so very close to slashing off their head... GOD...
Then they layed down on the grass with a loud thud, crushing some of the marigolds under their weight. They sighed in relief while using the back of their hand to wipe away some of the sweat off that had formed on their forehead. The heat was really starting to get to them now... Maybe that's why they've been acting so off... For sure...
Noticing how the bouquet was momentarily left forgotten on the ground, the Reaper gingerly grabbed it and inspected it closely while the human was distracted. Finding the note buried deep inside it, he took it out to read it, careful not to punch a hole through it or slice it with his scythe by accident.
"...Ugh."
It rolled its eye once, then slid the note back inside where it belonged.
...Might aswell give it to them than throw it away, it decided.
Maybe, in reality, the human never actually had any bad intentions.
...
Following that thought, he pondered once more. Not once did the human prove they did, right? Quite the opposite actually. He muses whatever prejudice he might have about them is only that: a prejudice. Without any actual evidence, it couldn't really prove that they're dangerous in any way, other than for some reason, the laws of this world don't affect them the way they do to any other mortal being.
They also seem to always go out of their way to help others, even if it means hurting themselves in the process... Hm.
"..."
"..."
"...Y'know... You do realise they won't just randomly appear here, right? You'll need someone like me to give this to him."
"...Huh? Oh..."
Tilting their head forward to look at Death, the anomaly spotted him holding the flowers. Then they groaned at his response and what it might imply. They didn't like the thought of having failed their attempt completely one bit.
"Ugghh... Damn it..."
They brought their hands up to drag down their face, groaning even louder from frustration slowly piling up.
"...And Larry worked so hard on thaaat..! I don't want to throw it away, duuude..."
"Mhhmhmhm..."
"...?"
The horseman chuckled dryly, then randomly decided to stand up with the bouquet still in its hand. It then turned back around to look at them.
"You're so stupid... Such methods of trying to prove your innocence despite your strange nature, or well... better said abnormalties... in this world have only been naive at best and plain self-destructive at worst."
"...But-"
"Despite your good intentions... don't be foolish, 'human'. You know what they say... The pathway to hell is often paved with good intentions."
"..."
"...I've seen this happen countless times already. I know how you mortals work and think. I'm only saying this because, well... I recognise my efforts in trying to stop you haven't ever amounted to anything actually useful in the long run. It only dug me deeper into failing my Lord and accidentally misguiding... my colleagues. Ugh..."
The Reaper made an expression like it scrunched its face in disgust at merely mentioning the other horsemen, then it deadpanned.
"...You're just as capable now as you were before I ever killed you. There was no point in going after you, like It said."
Now it was the player's turn to remain silent, to be so shocked they falter altogether for a good minute as they try to process everything it just said.
Is this... progress somehow??
"...Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
"I thought you only had ill intentions this whole time. Now... I'm not too sure. Maybe you don't have any right now, but I can tell you're inexperienced and could be led down the wrong path, if not properly guided... For this, I'll still be keeping an eye on you. I want to make that very clear how that won't ever change."
The player widened their eyes in disbelief at that, immediately wanting to retort to what he said.
"HEY, I'm not some KID-"
"That's not what I meant, you dunce."
"...Hmph."
"...Besides, it's been awhile since anyone's ever bothered to actually listen to me. Most either don't give a damn or don't find what I say as actually important."
Then it paused for moment, carefully picking out its next words while it glanced back down at the flowers in its hand.
"...I suppose... I appreciate you for going out of your way to try at least... unlike last time we met."
"...You're thanking me just 'cause I actually gave a damn to listen???"
The Reaper only deadpanned at them like they're missing the point again, tilting their head to the side unimpressed.
"Uhhh... A-Actually..."
The Reaper with a tired look, slowly 'raised its eyebrow' and then placed its free hand over its hip, waiting for the human to continue on.
"I... I guess I'm also glad I took the chance to hold this conversation with you, Death. This.. cleared a few things up for me to be honest."
It was then the Reaper's turn to look at them confused. The player then stands up smiling, gently patting away the dust and dirt from their behind and off their legs. Stretching their limbs a bit, they release most of the tension that had built up in their body.
"Y'know... when you're not trying to threaten me or some of the people in my town, you're not so bad to hang around with..!"
"...Really? You don't mind 'hanging around' with the literal Reaper right now? You don't find this concerning at all??"
"...Eh, I've done weirder honestly. I'm actually not from around here as you probably know already, so y'know... It's not something you people are 'allowed' to do I think, unlike me. I don't know what I'm doing half the time I'm inside a new world unless I talk to the people around me."
...Another world..? What?!
It was baffling how casually the player briefly explains this. Death shoots them a weird look, but doesn't urge them to elaborate this time. Following that logic, the Reaper then realised it had no clue from what world they exactly originated from to explain their strange mindset and way of acting, or how many they've traveled to before reaching this one...
...Maybe that explains why it can't kill them off permanently. Or why they seem so lost half the time.
Still, so many questions remained unanswered. Maybe it could find a way..?
"...Say, I read the note you placed inside the bouquet. How about we make a small deal so we're both even, hm?..."
"...Uhh..."
"...I will help you deliver these flowers for you to War, as long as you sincerely answer my questions from now on."
"Oh god, not again..."
The player whined while pinching the bridge of their nose.
"Hhhhh... OK, fine! Just don't ask anything too personal... I get you don't know enough about my backround, but don't go too far with the asking or try to threaten me again, alright guy?"
"...Right, sure. On our way there, we can talk. How's that sound?"
"...Deal."
"..."
They both then stared at each other expectantly, waiting for the other to do something first. After a few seconds, the player relented.
"...Sooo, how will we actually get the-"
The Reaper then knocked the player out unconscious, seemingly having changed its mind.