Senecio adn Tide II

[Mirach]

Death nodded. "Thank you. Being alone is a need to me, same as the need for sustenance. I'm sorry it's so inconvenient, but I'm really famished for it already."

[VisAnastasis]

" That's the only reason I can bring myself to offer it right now. I know I have inconvenienced you greatly with my constant closeness in last days, but I had to since we were on a run, and now we don't have Erdel who could had monitored you from a distance, and Xia choose to remain with Sage, " Tide whisper." So leaving you in the Soul room is a best choice when leaving you alone. But it still means leaving you alone in a most important room I have, " he whispered seriously." You will be tempted to involve yourself... I know you will. It is to be expected you will desire it, considering your nature... But you must promise me not to interact with any soul. They are very sensitive, and great number are corrupted or half corrupted still. Can I trust you to resist the temptation to do something without me?"

[Mirach]

"I understand," Death said. "I won't touch anything, I promise."

[VisAnastasis]

Tide nodded a little bit, reassured a little, despite hovering uncertainty - it truly seemed like he had strict rules about who could enter, and probably never left people alone there.
" It's good. Just to make it clear first, though... I hope you don't fear punishment from it. Even... even if something happens, I won't punish you for it, okay? I just wouldn't be able to trust you with it. It won't be too bad... just look at it as a test. If you pass it and don't interact with any creature, I can let you go there again when you need alone time, "the demon replied timidly, as he stood up, and gathered all the things Death may need in the bag, so that he won't be lacking anything when he is left in the room alone, first picking everything up before reaching for him.

[Mirach]

"I just crave being left alone," Death said. "You can count me just as another soul there... I won't touch any other."

[VisAnastasis]

Demon nodded, not asking anything else, just looking a little thoughtful. He packed everything in their bag carefully, and then, he reached for Death, and raised him, carrying him comfortably in his arms, with ease and a contemplating expression.

He carried him out of the room, and then, along the hallway, until he reached the end of it, and the prominent secluded room, with a big double door, where one side was white, another black. After glancing towards Death to make sure he was ready and okay with this, Tide whistled something shortly, and the door opened for them on their own.

It wasn't small by any means, but still, it was one of the smallest rooms on the floor. It had no windows, no decorations, nothing excessive, and everything seemed to be devised for simplicity and calmness of the mind. There was a big working table with a chair in one corner with lot of neatly arranged materials and papers, and in the other corner, there was a sofa, simple, grey, with no decorations, but looking rather comfortable, soft, and large enough to fit someone tall like Tide, built for him. There was a small chandelier in the middle of the room, emitting soft and dimmed light from several crystals, and there was a soft gray carpet on the whole length of the floor - and that was all there was to furniture, besides the shelves.

Along the walls, they were spread, filled with many glasses and vials, of different sizes and colours of glass, with different labels. On casual glance, if some human had seen them, they would think them empty, besides emitting a light glow - but Death could see the room was overflowing with souls. There were so many auras, with such rich variety, though, since most of the souls seemed frail and in slumber, one had to focus to feel it all. Spirits, Demons, and Beings in between, little and small ones, half corrupted and almost healthy, some more some less aware of their state and world around them.
One thing was certain though. As Tide stepped forth, with his presence, there was noticeable change in the slumbering room. As if by the instinctual response on pleasant stimuli, the souls grew a little restless, most of them spinning and leaning lightly against their bottles in Demon's direction, much like simple life forms would respond instinctively to the light source.

[Mirach]

Death withdrew his aura from the jars, careful to not touch them with it and alert them to his presence.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide noticed that, and his features relaxed visibly, as it seemed that, while he didn't want to say it in case nothing happens, he was worried if some souls that had already passed through death would recognize his companion and react poorly to his presence. He carefully laid Death on the sofa, adjusting his pillow, tucking him in with the blanket, and in the end, putting the bag with his food and bottles of drink, syringe, balm and other things besides the sofa, so it would be at his hand's reach.

Still, despite not able to feel Death's withdrawn aura, Tide, who was at home here more than in any other room, had his aura overflowing, in light beams around the room, with his content at the reactions of the souls he treasured. Souls were restless with his presence, and with their response, Tide seemed strangely in his element, as if he was glad for the unexpected detour. He made an instinctive step to the first self, and then suddenly he stopped, as he realized he hadn't said anything since they came in here.

" Oh... I do not wish to seem rude, " he whispered, turning to Death hesitantly. " I promise to give you your alone time... But may I stay for a couple of minutes first? Lot of them need indulgence, and they would keep feeling discontented if I were to leave without interacting with them. Let me acknowledge them for a little, at least. "

[Mirach]

"Of course," Death said. "It can't feel good for them, so sense your presence and have you leave right away."

[VisAnastasis]

Tide's eyes shone with approval, as, while he didn't want to go against Death's request for privacy, leaving right away would be going against his own conscience.
He turned towards the shelves again, pausing for a moment, as he glanced along the lines them, taking it all in. Then he walked towards them anew, starting from the corner nearest to the door. Then, he slowly focused and paid attention to every bottle and jar in the room, one by one. Each one, he treated differently, and it seemed bottles were arranged from least severe to most severe - at a start, Death noticed he would take and hold each soul, and caress it for a little, and then kiss the bottle lightly, in a simple, solemn reassurance.
 
Then, as he walked further, his reactions grew to wary. Sometimes, with more vulnerable tense souls, he would just lightly touch and brush along the bottle, sometimes just let the more injured souls get a little taste of his presence, to get a little more used to it. Other times, he would spend a little more time holding the bottles against his chest with closed eyes, and his aura shone brightly as if with pleasure the closeness with faint souls brought him, and it was making the room have a more drowsy, soothing atmosphere. There was no pattern to how to treated souls, which he exposed more to his presence, which he mostly acknowledged, as it seemed he mostly came to know that by instinct and trial and error or learning what each soul welcomed and responded better at. Next to some, his face was happy, next to some, serious and solemn, but it was always gentle, and shone with confidence.

Since most of the souls needed light acknowledgement, it didn't take too long, but the last couple, he spent a little more time with, since they seemed in the worst state, and heavily corrupted. If it wouldn't be for the specially made and sealed bottle, the aura of corruption would be felt around worse - but Tide sealed them all with care and they were not affecting anyone else around badly. From the worst, one seemed to be the Spirit, and three Demons. The flask with the Spirit, he took gently, and as if it was starved for touch, he held the flask, and caressed its sensitive soul lightly, as if in the process of getting it used to the handling it craved and feared. As for the demons, they seemed more frightened and touchy, so he didn't handle them, just let them get a taste of his presence. As he worked, he whistled some calming, soft tune to them, simple and repetitive in its calming pattern, like a lullaby. It seemed most of the souls that were restless before were calming with it, as if, sated by a little bit of Tide's caring that always followed the same reassuring pattern, they could slowly fall into a lethargic slumber once more.

[Mirach]

Death felt some relief at Tide's attention being turned elsewhere and found it soothing to watch him tend to the souls.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide seemed to be lost in his little simple world, as if not noticing Death anymore, and while souls were indulging in his presence, he was indulging equally in their presence, with clear pleasure of handling and interacting with them, such act coming surprisingly naturally to him, his fingertips and presence beaming with joy as he handled them.

After he laid back the last bottle and caressed it, he turned to Death, gazing at him quietly for a moment, as if he had trouble finding words to express himself after the experience.
" Are you ready now, little soul," he finally whispered hoarsely." To be on your own?"

[Mirach]

"Yes, please," Death replied, leaning back on the sofa in anticipation of solitude.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide nodded. He reached for his head and plucked out three strands of hair, and he placed them in Death's bag, so he can use them to summon him.
" May you rest well, then. And do not hesitate to call me... Not only if you 'need' help, alright? " Tide remembered the words Senecio told him once, and brought himself to add." Call me if you 'want' me to come back, whatever the reason. Even if it's just boredom, or some annoyance, don't treat it like a big deal. You are a soul in this room and you may wish for me whenever you feel restless the same as any of them." He said seriously and meaningfully, and then he turned to leave at last and seek for Senecio.

[Mirach]

"Thank you," Death whispered and closed his eyes, finally enjoying a moment of not having to think about the other person in the room and their reactions and just be.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide closed the room behind him, and then, he went to the sewing room, knowing his companions await him there.

While confident when handling souls, he knew Hans is holding a grudge against him, and that made him timid and unsure as he knocked on the door and shyly went in, interrupting their card game.

[Mirach]

Senecio looked up when Tide entered. "How is he doing?" je asked.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide welcomed a question instead of awkward silence, as judging by Hans's distant expression, Spirit definitely wouldn't address him right now.
" It's actually a little better than most times, Usually his soul is always tense and twisted up and it hurts all the more... It seemed more relaxed right now, " demon cleared his throat, explaining shyly, but not more than he had to, not wanting to give Eros who was there any more information than Being could conclude on its own " Still not letting me do anything about the soul, but he let me treat his neck with the balm, and even seemed to like it a little. It made me really happy... "

[Mirach]

"Really? That's a progress, I would say. It seems that he may have... actually enjoyed the play?"

[VisAnastasis]

" Oh, yes." Tide replied shyly, not revealing much, but as much as he could spare, knowing  Senecio would enjoy more details." You guys really did an amazing job, it felt so real, who wouldn't be affected by it?" He tried to smile a little to both, despite Hans's cold straight face." I feel it was a good choice to invite him to watch it, after all. He was rather emotional about it, especially in the end. He seemed so taken aback and pleased when people were applauding at the end. It is a credit to how well everything was put together, written, played, and acted. I... Loved it too. It gave me a new perspective mere recollection of events could not..."

[Mirach]

"I'm glad..." Senecio murmured. "I guess I didn't expect it to have a positive effect... not in such a short term, at least."

[VisAnastasis]

" Do you mean on everyone in general, or on him? On him, in the short term, I think it was a good thing to stir him to think of this more emotionally instead of just intellectually. In the long term, only time will tell, he needs to do a lot of thinking right now. I don't think it magically ticked some box in my desired direction, true, I yet have to build those foundations, but you are selling yourself short right now. It isn't how accurate it was... it is that it truly felt real, " Tide whispered with timid curiosity. " Why don't you sound proud enough of this? I don't have much experience in how other plays are supposed to look and feel, but you seriously raised my bar way too high, on this just like in relationships... My expectations for the next one are through the roof now... "

[Mirach]

"I know it felt real," Senecio smiled a little. "We made it so. I just expected it to be rather hard to swallow and distressing to... some people. But my next play is going to be an improvisation about Alpha for the cost of one ham sandwich, so I think you should pull those expectations down from there," he smirked. 

[VisAnastasis]

" How... is telling me this lowering my expectations? That sounds like it's going to be amazing, I want to watch, " Tide seemed genuinely baffled, not understanding why he would think less of such play. " But yes, regarding this play, it was really distressing, and to a lot of people, but I think I am the odd one out, " he admitted, somewhat timidly, unexpectedly. " You see, I would often try to solve things by talking them through, and I was young as Me, and meek, easily swayed to keep silent. I always tried to help wounded after battles when I would come across them... but I always evaded battles, only acting to save someone when Hans would make a safe plan. I was being a coward-"

" No, you were being smart, " for the first time, Spirit tied in the conversation a little grumpily. " We were still just two guys caught in a war. We couldn't afford to draw too much attention. "

" I know that, but this isn't about what I did... it is about what I wanted. I was always so frightened, " Tide whispered timidly, but glad for Hans talking to him, indirectly as it was. " I always just wanted to get away, to hide, scared out of my mind even when I would intervene to help someone. But today, when I watched it... I didn't feel the want to escape from it. I felt dread, and fear, but what I wanted from the debt of my heart, was not to run away but to help, " a lovely, soft unsure smile beamed on creature's face as it was reflecting its feelings, touching its chest thoughtfully. " I always thought I was and remained a coward... That I didn't change at all, remaining the same while others grew. But experiencing this for the second time... It is astonishing to think that... that I grew, too... "

[Mirach]

"You did. Why would you think yourself incapable of growing?" Senecio asked, a bit taken aback.