shapeupship | Opening & mingling!

[Let's assume she's already run into Giles, they've had a heartfelt reunion, and she's gotten the run down. ~~In which I try to avoid playercesting.~~

Willow's frowning seriously. At another time in her life she might exhibit distress, but right now she's so self-assured as to be arrogant, and she's already checked and realized that her magic is still around. But Giles hadn't had the answers to everything; she still has questions.

Her tone is brisk and almost business-like.] Alright. Let's just say that I don't totally accept what's going on here. I mean, not that I'm doubting Giles' information-- [Her tone breaks off into something less sure, as if doubting Giles' information is unthinkable.] But I'm just saying, I don't see why I need to do a reenactment of "the Five People You Meet in Heaven". I'm not exactly a villain. Firmly on the side of white hats, here.

[The irony of this foreshadowing statement is completely lost on her, of course.]

So, uh... anyone else want to see if we can figure out some answers? Like who's responsible for this, for one. And why I can't teleport, too, cause that one's kinda baffling me.

[Not that she seems super upset about it, but there's a faint undercurrent of tightness to her that suggests that Willow isn't as sanguine about this as she's trying to portray.] Cause I can't have-- have died-- I. I couldn't leave Tara like that. [She bites her lip.] So, anyone?

Maybe you just don't remember? About dying I mean.

Why, do you remember dying? [She's frowning again. (She did die, for the record, she's just in denial.)] I remember-- fighting, and getting injured, but...

Well...that's kind of a long story. When I first came to the Afterlife, I had no memory of who I was or how I died or anything. But I got them back after a while. So maybe it's the same with you?

[A pause.]
I'm sorry, here we are talking about death, and I don't even know what your name is...

Oh, um, probably my fault, [she answers sheepishly.] I was so caught up in-- arriving. I'm Willow.

When you're talking about the Afterlife, do you mean here or somewhere else? And... [She hesitates, but says sincerely,] I'm sorry that you died.

[He smiles, and says somewhat cheerfully]]I'm Otonashi. And it's okay, we all have to die sometime right?

Ah wait...I'm sorry, that may not have been the right thing to say... [Stupid, she just died!]

[He pauses for a bit to collect his thoughts]

This could be just another version of Afterlife. The one I came from is just a normal high school though, not a boat that's sailing through...wherever this is.

Edited 2013-03-30 22:45 (UTC)

No, we do all have to die sometime, but. [Willow frowns.] Sometimes it's not the right time. If we can fight destiny, why shouldn't we?

[She doesn't seem offended, just like she has strong feelings on this that she's trying not to inflict on him.]

Wait... you were in a different Afterlife before this? [She stops, her eyes widening.] And it was a high school? Are you sure it wasn't, uh, hell? [Look, her high school was on top of a portal to hell, it's a legitimate question.]

Well, you can't find everything all the time. Sometimes, you just gotta heighten your sense of adaptability and accept things as they are. That's what someone told me anyway...
[Not that it helped him much, at the time...]

[He smiles a bit as he recalls:]
And I don't think it was hell. It was kinda like this, sort of...
Just a bunch of people trying to find peace...

Maybe you can't fight all the time, but some things you can't give up on, [she counters, visibly determined.] They're... they're worth it.

... Did that work? [She grows more quiet, not wanting to be insensitive on what might be a delicate issue.] Did anyone find peace?

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Why couldn't you have died? Immortal? [SENSITIVE. ALWAYS.]

I dunno about the teleporting, though. [A pause.] Or much else here.

No, I'm not immortal, I just-- I couldn't abandon everyone like that. They need me. [She sounds stressed by the end of that sentence, trying to keep up her denial as she is, but to be fair she does believe firmly that they need her.]

I've done other magic already, minor workings just to check, but. They must be serious about us not leaving.

And how's that mean you can't die? [His tone is casual, at least, as though he were asking about lunch.]

...So, what, you're used to being able to just... pop wherever you wanna be or something?

[Almost softly, as if trying to convince herself,] Because we've been through so much. How could I die now?

No, no, teleporting is major, I hardly ever do that, but I should be able to if I wanted. I'm a witch, a good one.

Same way a good clock stops working when you rip out a cog, I figure.

[.....Sure. Witch. Alright.] Maybe it has to do with the being dead thing.

But-- I'm not a clock! [she protests, the quietness of a second ago crumbling into desperation. Willow knows rationally that she had to have died, and she's not taking it well. She hasn't exactly had a long time to process it, Mr. Suicidal.] That's my life, and, and their lives, and there's some major stuff going on and what if they get killed because I'm not there? What if Tara gets killed? I just got her back-- [Buffy and Tara both, in different ways.]

[She takes a deep breath. No. No crying over the phone to someone whose name you don't even know, Willow, no matter how catastrophic this is.] M-Maybe you should just stop talking for a second.

Then fix whatever needs fixing and choose to go back. That old dude said we could.

[A pause. But... yeah, she's getting emotional and this is weird. He has trouble empathizing with people about this kind of thing. Be it his whole acceptance of death, or his guilt complexes leading to some incredible self-absorption... who knows. But he'll concede.]

Sure.

[Actually that was the right thing to say. ~~Maybe a first for Shinji.~~ She musters herself together, and her emotional turmoil turns into stubborn determination.]

... Yeah, you're right. Whatever they need from me, I can-- I can do that. They just don't understand what I had to do.

[She's assuming she's here for resurrecting Buffy, which is the wrong assumption, but it's the decision she's gotten the most flak over.]

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Whoa, you don't remember dying? Y'know, you're probably lucky for that one. Dying sucks. I really don't recommend making a habit of it. Though I guess this time it's for real...

::He rests his chin on his hand. Please feel free to, y'know, not comment on his uniform. He already regrets showing up to all the trials and such in it, but... Prussia had his reasons. He just didn't expect that he'd still be wearing this in the afterlife, and not his preferred blue uniform. Black is really not his colour.::

Though I'm game for figuring out some shit. I don't need to come to terms with anything; I need to get back. So the sooner this can happen, awesome, and two heads are better than one, right?

[dat uniform what. Willow's eyes narrow, but she doesn't say anything about it yet.]

I know dying sucks, [she says, a little tightly. Ouch, this is a sore point for her.] But I agree, we can't stick around here. My name's Willow. I was thinking the first step should be investigating all the parts of the ship and seeing if we can find any hints.

[It's a clear invitation to join her on traipsing around the ship, looking for clues. Willow might not know this guy from Joe, and he might be wearing a suspicious uniform, but she's desperate and she's sure she can defend herself. (Ah, that arrogance again.)]

::Which name... whiiiich naaaame...

You know, she's already looking at him kind of oddly. Let's not encourage that.::

I'm Gilbert. ::Last name available on request.:: Which is awesome, because now that we know eachother we should get going on that exploring the ship thing! I kinda glanced around a little earlier, but wasn't, y'know, really looking for things. More trying to figure out where everything important was.

::Look, see, he's nice. Maybe overly enthusiastic and showing the potential to be a bit loud, but just ignore the very suspicious uniform. He totally would not have worn it this morning if he'd realised that's what he'd end up wearing for at least a good part of eternity.

Does the afterlife have clothing stores? If not, it needs some, stat.::

[Oh good, a normal name. His enthusiasm makes her relax a little. Having company makes Willow feel a lot better, like she's less alone-- she usually goes traipsing off to investigate mysterious circumstances with someone else, joking all the way to relieve the seriousness. This feels like the most normal thing about the entire situation.

Also she might bring up what he's wearing once they meet in person and cavalierly offer to magic it into something else. As long as he doesn't admit he's actually, you know, a real Nazi of some kind. They might have to take a brief detour into outrage first if that's the case.]

Nice to meetcha, [she answers, some of the tenseness draining out of her now that she has a goal. She perks up a little.] Want to meet on deck, by the uh... the prow? Wait, which one is the prow, the front or the back?

Maybe I'll just go up there and hide my ignorance, [she finishes sheepishly.]

::What, you mean Prussia wouldn't be a normal name? He'd be shocked to hear that. Shocked.

He'll probably be the worst investigative partner, though. He talks too much and isn't always the most aware of what's going on around him. But any offers to change this uniform will be accepted! (And he will be absolutely in disbelief of the magic.) Hopefully it won't be taken away because he was a real Nazi. He'd... really rather not be stuck in this uniform forever. He'll suffer all the detours into outrage if it will get this uniform changed. All of them.::

Why, the prow's the- the- ...It's... um... ...the prow! Whatever that is. Look, I'm not a navy guy by any stretch of the imagination ~~do I look British to you? no. they're the navy guys~~ so how about we just meet at the front of the ship? And pretend we definitely know what a prow is. ::Kehehehe? Rubs the back of his neck nervously.::

[ooc: --shows them what's going on at home after their deaths? Or idk something else those were my two ideas!!]

[Willow doesn't mind if he's bad at investigating. Normally she goes with Xander, who does admittedly have the benefit of being one of her four favorite people in the entire world, but he's not exactly a sleuth. She just wants the company; feeling alone is the hardest thing on her.

And actually, she relaxes even more at his awkward verbal stumbling. Now that is even more familiar. She smiles, an expression that looks much more natural on her.] Pretending is a go, [she says agreeably.] Who needs nautical terminology, anyway? Sailors? Pshhh.

I'll see you there in a couple minutes. [She goes to switch off the computer to meet him up there.]

::That looks way better than the suspicious look, to be sure!:: Awesome! I'll be right up! ::He offers a quick American-style salute -she sounds American enough that he hopes it conveys his meaning properly- and fumbles with turning off his device.

SEVERAL MINUTES LATER

Prussia makes his way up to the front of the ship, hands shoved rather casually into his pockets, which kind of messes up the whole crisp, sharp look of the uniform. (Which, in person, is very obviously either the real deal or an exceedingly accurate reproduction.) When he spots Willow, he waves.::

Ah, awesome! Who needs nautical words to get around anyhow? Kesesese~!

Yeah, we're way better than those-- wait. [Her joking tone trails to a halt upon seeing him, and she grows tense and frowning.]

Please tell me you just came from a reenactment party, or a-- a play, or something.

[Look, she's totally giving him an out, here. From the flat way she says it, the answer better be yes.]