woofus

[bisouled]

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[bisouled]

[ good, because it would be really hard for her to teach him without electrocuting him. ]

Really? It's not any different from running around or climbing things, really. I bet even you did that stuff when you were a kid.

[ 700 years ago or whenever ]

[soulus]

When I was a child . . .

[Things had felt much different back then. In his early years, everything had felt perfect in spite of all the hardship.]

. . . That was a long time ago.

[bisouled]

Must have been! Your profile said you're something like 800 years old?

[ grandpa. ]

I've been meaning to ask you about that, actually. I'm guessing you're not Homs? [ a beat. ] Um, human.

[soulus]

[He's older than that.]

No. I am a Haros.

[bisouled]

[ she's just going off her memory! ]

A Haros?

[ tilting her head curiously! tell her more. ]

[soulus]

. . . Haros are the demons of the Underworld. Unlike mortals, we possess longevity.

[bisouled]

A demon, huh?

[ Fiora eyes him curiously. That explains the ears... maybe? It at least explains the lifespan. She is, perhaps, not as perturbed by this revelation as she should be. ]

By that metric, I suppose you're actually a really nice guy?

[soulus]

What do you mean?

[bisouled]

Demons are supposed to be nasty monsters that love to hurt people. At least, that's how the stories go where I'm from.

[ a smile. ]

But you're just a grumpy guy, and the worst you've ever done is pat me on the head.

[soulus]

The Haros' purpose is supervision—not destruction.

[bisouled]

Supervision? [ a pause. the Bionis doesn't have many analogues with Earth, so it's taking her a moment to put things together. ] Of the Underworld... Don't tell me you're talking about ghosts, or something like that?

[soulus]

I'm talking about the souls of the deceased.

[bisouled]

Oh.

[ no wonder he wasn't surprised when she told him what had happened to her. Fiora's wondering more at the fact that she can just accept such a bizarre statement head-on -- this place has really given her high standards for weirdness. There's a note of concern as she continues. ]

... Rufus, you're not dead, are you?

[soulus]

[It's a reasonable assumption for someone who's never heard of the Underworld, so he answers simply:]

No.

[bisouled]

Well, that's a relief. [ a small laugh. ] It'd be awkward if it was both of us.

[ jokes that rufus isn't going to laugh at, part one ]

[soulus]

[No.]

What would be awkward about that? Everyone dies.

[bisouled]

It was a joke, dummy! I was trying to lighten the mood.

[ not that he would ever laugh at anything.......... ]

[soulus]

If it will lighten the mood, why don't you go for another swim? I will do what is comfortable for me and continue investigating the area.

[bisouled]

Well, it's not as much fun by myself. There's things to investigate under the water, too, you know.

[soulus]

. . . Very well.

[It's now or later, at this rate. Because she told him to earlier, he slides his jacket and boots off, steps up to the edge of the docks, and all but drops into the water feet first.]

[bisouled]

[ wow, he actually did it. Fiora was sure she was fighting a losing battle, but, as always, persistence pays off!! A lesson every little sister learns. She looks delighted (and a little smug) as she swims over to him. ]

That's the spirit! The water's so warm, right?! I can hardly believe it.

[soulus]

[Treading water, he looks decidedly less amused and more his usual deadpan self.]

There have been stranger things in the Realm.

You said you would tell me what's in the water if I jumped in. What is it?

[bisouled]

Oh, yeah! I hope it's still there. Hang on.

[ Fiora takes a big gulp of air, then vanishes under the water, swimming down towards the bottom. She's apparently shockingly waterproof. It takes her a few moments, but soon enough, she's coming back up towards the surface, breaching it with a wet shake of her hair. ]

Look at this guy! [ she holds up a furry sea worm of considerable size, looking absolutely delighted. it's wiggling around. ] Adorable, right?!

[ fiora's favorite thing: worm ]

[soulus]

[As he waits, Rufus looks around the water's surface. Predictably yet disappointingly, there's nothing to be found there other than the ship and boats docked nearby. After Fiora has emerged, he gives the worm a long look.]

Is it edible?

[bisouled]

What?!

[ immediately holding the worm back away from him, cradling it against her non-comfortable metal chest. it wiggles unhappily. considering some of them are falling off against her, it looks like those bristles are probably poisonous, but ineffective against a robot. ]

Rufus, no!