Twenty-Second PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

[The events of the previous few weeks have left their mark upon Lucas.  Following mere hours after Netherlands's droning, mere weeks after his extremely painful and scarring encounter with Billy Smith, the boy hadn't been in any state to be of help during the hazmat attack.  Normally, he would have jumped at the chance to assist the injured; he would even have sacrificed his own life to do so.  But this time . . . he wasn't sure if he could have done so.  Death after death after death, and all he could do was pray that the nightmare would end quickly.  Privately, he recognized the part of him that had wished for the Russian man to be found.

He remembered his encounter with Sergei as clearly as if it had just happened.  The fear upon the man's face, the desperation in his words.  Lucas had promised that he would do everything he could to help -- Yet in the end, he had done nothing, had even hoped that the man would be discovered by his hunters.  For the boy who made emotional bonds so easily and valued human life so greatly . . . the feeling of guilt was immense.]

[He stands in front of City Hall, now, fists clenched and body trembling slightly with emotion as he stares at the corpse.   He had passed by it earlier.  Recognized it immediately.  Recoiled in horror from the sight.

At his side is a bucket of fresh water and a small pile of rags.  He will decide whether or not he dares to release the body from its noose later.  For now, he simply applies his healing PSI to close the open wounds, gently wipes away the blood with his cloth, does for Sergei what he had not been able to do while the man was still alive.

Be at peace.]

Comments

[ex_seventh238]

Burning the body and scattering the remains. I have never spoken to this man personally, and it is still possible that this person is not whom we may think him to be. Still, this town has made enough of a mockery out of both life and death alike as it is. This body doesn't need to undergo more trials; I would choose to cremate it, if it were up to me.

[Nodding at his words, she does so. After having freshly rinsed her cloth of dried blood from the bucket, she stands back up to tend to a part where the shorter Lucas may have a harder time reaching.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . You might be right. It looks like him, but . . . there's no guarantee of that. I think this is something that they would do, though. It's very . . . petty.

Do you know how you'd go about doing that? It would draw a lot of attention, wouldn't it?

[ex_seventh238]

It does not excuse this regardless. We already know that they may toy with both our lives and our deaths. If they are trying to send us another message, it is not falling on deaf ears: rather, there is simply nothing to receive.

Perhaps. The flare could catch attention. It should not take more than a minute, however. The fire would burn stronger than a normal one. [There's faint but hard glint in her eyes.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

You're sure? People don't . . . burn to ashes very easily.

[Having been on the receiving end of magically empowered flame many times himself, Lucas is fairly certain on that part.]

If you think you can . . .

[ex_seventh238]

[He's got a point. A body is difficult to burn because it is composed with a high percentage of water, and her Keys worked best in terms of sealing demons. There's still a way around that, though.] It's most effective on a body of demonic nature, granted, but I may also perform a Dokhma Sacrament before the Cremation Sacrament. The former dehydrates the corpse, which would facilitate the latter. Would you be alright with that?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

U-Um.

I don't know what you said at all, but I'm going to trust that you know what you're doing. I mean . . . I'm not responsible for his body or anything like that . . . This is just something I think should be done.

[ex_seventh238]

You were here first to have acted kindly for this body. I do agree, which is why I have offered, so if you don't mind, I will proceed right away. We've already done this much, haven't we? [That, and she's rather aware that there may be consequences for meddling with the body. And were that to happen, she'd rather take the blunt of it herself, than to have this child do so instead.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

O-OK. Please . . . go ahead.

[Truthfully, Lucas wasn't entirely sure about it. He would feel better if the body was buried, simply because that had been the custom of his home. And perhaps . . . somehow, he thought that if there was still a body, it wouldn't be as likely to reappear here the next day. This was almost what he expected to occur.

However, he backs up a few steps and nods his approval. No matter what happened . . . at least he had done what he could.

Thank you for doing what you could to help us, Sergei . . . Please, rest.]

1/2

[ex_seventh238]

[She picks up the Bible again. Holding it against her with one hand while she crosses herself with the other, she will start with a final prayer. Knowing that this man was likely not a Christian, she'll keep mentions of the Lord to a minimum, but with her religious affiliation, regardless of her previous rank as an Executor, she can, and should, do at least that much.]

Lord, in weakness or in strength we bear your image.
We pray for those we love who now live in a land of shadows,
where the light of memory is dimmed,
where the familiar lies unknown,
where the beloved become as strangers.
Hold them in your everlasting arms and grant to those who care,
a strength to serve,
a patience to persevere,
a love to last,
and a peace that passes human understanding.
Hold us in your everlasting arms, today and for all eternity.

Amen.

2/2

[ex_seventh238]

[That recited, her free hand moves back to the Bible, and touching two pages of it, she creates two Black Keys from them. Squeezing the hilts between her joints, she also takes the opportunity to carve in the respective spell sigils on the hilts with her magic. Then, with care and precision that completely contradict the act, she takes one, and with a low gaze, gingerly slides the blade into the corpse's stomach. No visible blood is spilled from the wound, but the effect is instantaneous.

It's not so much accelerated decay, than just... rapid dehydration. Sergei's corpse seems to almost be sizzling as what appears to be a white vapor rises and evaporates just as quickly from his being. The flesh was swiftly losing volume and the skin was wrinkling, as all the water proceeds to be drained from every pore of the body.

The process only took a few seconds, but it wasn't a pretty sight. The moment that she deemed it enough, she pulls her hand back, and the Key disappears with it. Picking up the second Key that she previously summoned from her other hand, she pierces the body again at the same spot. It immediately bursts into flames and she moves backward, removing the Key as she recalls it too, for it has served its purpose of executing the spell that it was assigned with.

After lingering her gaze on the swiftly burning body for a few more moments, she closes her eyes. If this was a normal corpse, then it should burn down to nothing soon enough.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas is quiet through the prayer, recognizing from the many times he has been forced to church here by his drone father that Ciel is a member of the religion practiced in this world. When she impales the corpse on her sword, he half-turns away. And when she sets it aflame, he averts his eyes entirely. Even the briefest glimpse of the dancing flames was enough to bring back to mind the memories of a burning forest and an impaled body.

After a few moments, it is impossible to stand so close to the pungent smoke and the smell of roasting human; Lucas retreats several dozen feet away. He stands silently until the corpse has burned entirely.]

[ex_seventh238]

[She can understand that. The only reason why she can be so indifferent is because she has seen death too often, and knew it too well. The flames are magical of nature, but she would still be praying for this to be quick, as much as she already did to speed up the process.

If there are no interferences, it won't take long before the mass is reduced to ash. The flames won't spread from the noose, either; they stop at the body of the pierced target. Once it's fully done, she'll open her eyes again and stand up straight, as stray breezes sweep by to blow away the rest of the remains.

...

She'll turn around after a few more moments of silence. She doesn't say anything just yet, but she does look his way with concern.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas begins to make his way back once the fire dies and the smoke dissolves; still, the aroma of burning flesh was still enough to make him feel slightly nauseous.]

. . . Thanks.

[ex_seventh238]

[Shaking off the amazement that nothing is happening to her after what she has done, she offers the boy a small, warm, and sympathizing smile.] There's no need for that. It's the least that we could do.

Will you be staying here for any time longer?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . I don't think so. That's . . . everything.

[ex_seventh238]

[She nods.] Then please go home, make sure to eat properly, and get a good night's sleep. The last few weeks have been tough, but it's over now, so please try to relax a bit. It'll be Halloween tomorrow too, so you should be well-rested to have some fun.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas doesn't even know what Halloween is, but he nods to that.]

It's been a long few weeks for all of us. Please rest, too, miss . . .

[ex_seventh238]

[Grab a random drone, they should be able to answer you. o/; She'd be happy to explain if he asks, but admittedly the mood is way off.

She walks up to him, leans over, and gives him a soft pat on the head.]

I will, thank you. That said, would you like for me to walk back with you to your house? I can help you carry your things, too.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I can manage; it's fine. Thanks.

[ex_seventh238]

If you're sure, then I'll take your word for it. Be careful on your way home, alright?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I will.

[It is a bit of an awkward end to the whole thing, but Lucas slowly leaves after a few moment or two.]

[ex_seventh238]

[She nods him off with a small but earnest smile. She would have liked to insist, but...

This should be fine. Maybe she'll be able to do more, if she ever catches him around in school. She'll stay where she is as she watches him leave, out of the corner of her eye.










Might or might not go out of her way after to make sure that he gets home safely, but she should be subtle enough to not be seen. No need to follow him closely, either: as long as she could see him by a high vantage point from afar, it should be good enough.]