I Kissed the Grim Reaper With My Knuckles

[Ikuar]

Lori stared at the trapped mouse with a hint of dismay. She never really liked killing the poor creatures, but after one bit her cat she could never forgive them and the cat was so old she just didn't try to be useful. Yona yawned in the weird squeaky way she did, her paw bandaged from an infection that Lori hadn't seen until it was too late. Yona was a fighter, a gorgeous albino Maine coon that Lori rescued. When she was a kitten, children were frightened of her because of her red eyes, but Lori thought she was magnificent and she brought her home instantly.
"I caught him, Yona." Lori turned her nose up away from the dead creature and carried it out to the trash. As soon as she dropped it in, however, she heard the refrigerator door open.

[Jayrin]

In many places of the world, strawberries are considered a fruit of passion. This was not something that surprised Seth (pretty-boy extraordinare and grim reaper in training) considering his own passion for the fruit knew no boundaries. Humming a small tube to himself as if applauding his own job well-done, he reached for the small tub of strawberries and popped it open by curling his fingers in between the two plastic pieces serving as a container. With deft hands he plucked the largest berry of the succulent bunch and bit into it with such gusto that might cause one to wonder if he ever ate. The answer was... ,constantly. Though Seth was not technically human or in need of sustinance, he did thoroughly enjoy it - especially strawberries. He swallowed the last bite of the sumo-berry and tossed the green stem back into the container when a solid fist met with his jaw in such a way that an onlooker might call "magically delicious."
It was not magically delicious for Seth. In fact, it was not delicious at all, considering his now beautiful face was pressed against the cold tile of a kitchen floor, and there was a foot placed firmly on his head to hold him down.
"Um..." He stammered, searching for words. "Well, this is new."

[Ikuar]

Yona jingled up to the body of the stranger and decided it was best to sit on him while he was down. "What? Do you normally sneak into people's houses and eat their snacks?" Lori asked, her foot was firmly pressed into his head but she was far too tiny and too light to actually do any significant damage. Though she was rather surprised at the pain in her fist, she hadn't really thought she'd hit him that hard... but apparently she had.
"I sensed a strange aura, but I thought it was just the ghost of that mouse haunting me... are you a demon?" She asked, trying to decide whether it was a good idea to lift her foot from his head. "Because if you are a demon I will have to exorcise you and that's exhausting business."

Yona gave a raspy meow as if in agreement to Lori's statement.

[Jayrin]

"No," Came Seth's desperate response. No, I am in fact a grim reaper. You are not supposed to be able to see me. I came to reap the soul of the rat you killed. I smelled strawberries. The very strawberries scattered all over the floor in a sad montage of despair. Just the sight causes my eyes to cry." He swallowed, and arched one brow. "Will you please let me up? I probably have other souls I need to reap."

[Ikuar]

Lori lifted her foot and stepped back, "I just punched the grim reaper..." she looked at her slightly bloody fist and shakily went to the sink to wash her hands. Her entire face had gone completely pale. "W-Well, better the soul of the rat than my cat or myself..." She turned off the sink and dried her hands, knuckles sore. She decided not to comment on the fact that she could see him.

[Jayrin]

"Oh, no." Seth pushed himself to his feet and straightened his robes with scrutiny. "I am a grim reaper. The Grim Reaper would not share his title with me. I only reap house rodents. Someday, I hope to be promoted to a more studious role, like reaping cats, or even elephants." He touched a hand to his face, drawing away blood. "That really did hurt."

[Ikuar]

"Well I am sorry, you are in my house eating my strawberries." Lori rolled her eyes and began to wrap her knuckles. "So are you technically dead or how does this work? I have always wanted to ask." She suddenly waved a hand dismissively and shook her head, "Never mind that. Just don't tell him that I punched one of his... underlings?"

[Jayrin]

Seth shrugged, conceding that the term "underling" was basically his description. He grasped the rod of his scithe which had been propped against the refrigerator and leaned on it with a flashy grin. Already he could feel a shiny bruise forming at the height of his cheekbone, and he had to give props to the girl for a hard punch. "So? Do you want the life of a long lost pet rabbit to return to you? Do you wish to undo the murder of an innocent rat? Now is your chance to convince me. You have the rare opportunity to plead on behalf of all rodents everywhere."

[Ikuar]

"The innocent rat nearly caused Yona to get an infection... so no, I'm too angry to be restoring any lives right now." Lori picked up Yona when the cat walked up to her. "Anyway, I have some things to do so I guess you are just going to take my rat soul and show yourself out?" She turned around rather sharply as though she weren't interested in talking to him anymore.

Then she stopped. "Well, I suppose there is one thing you could do..."

[Jayrin]

"No," Seth began. His voice was sad, and his sigh as heavy as a casket. "Although I technically have the ability to bring back dead relatives, I do not have the authority to do so. Unfortunately I cannot make an exception for a pretty lady... Even if she does have deliciously good taste in strawberries."

[Ikuar]

"So a grim reaper can read minds too?" Lori sighed heavily and squeezed Yona until she gave a strained squeak. "Her ghost haunts me sometimes and I don't know what she wants because she's too young to speak."

[Jayrin]

Seth stared at the rat murderer for a long moment. Her expression was clearly distraught, and if he was not careful of what he said next, she might just crush her fluffy kitty in her arms. "No, I cannot..." He frowned. "The soul of a child is top priority for our master to reap." He leaned heavily on his staff, using the gesture to help clear his mind for contemplation. "It could be a demon. It is unlikely the child was missed, however demons love to scare their victims. He would have spoken to you by now even if the child form is too young.

[Ikuar]

"Well that's the thing, I have tried most of the mundane removal techniques, and I have even hired friends to come help me in exorcising, but it still appears so I wasn't certain that it really is a demon..." Lori lowered Yona to the floor and the fluffy cat immediately ran off and leaped up into a cave in her cat tower.

[Jayrin]

Seth's expression set into a hard assortment of lines made up of pale skin and light brown freckles. His fingers rapped thoughtfully on the pale white bark of his scithe while he thought of any reason why the little girl might still be around.
"Do you know this girl? Is she a relative of yours...?"

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