(⠀⠀just a number⠀⠀)

[fivezeroonetwo]

A DATE WITH DEATH ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀一 5012 !

a senior reaper to the underworld system of grim reapers, belonging to the 5th station

doesn't have a human name, assigned the number 5012 and refuses to adopt one as he is now

just like every other reaper, he cannot lie, but he can tell half-truths or simply refuse to answer (which is still just as telling as simply saying the truth)

takes the form of an owl whenever he disguises himself in front of others

like all other reapers, he was once human who later became a grim reaper through the system though he can't recall his past life

「 APPLICATION 」「 STATISTICS 」「 PLOTTER 」

[pyronexus]

Evening patrols were usually entirely uneventful. Just walk the streets, survey the general surrounding area, then make a small report when she returns to the agency. What's usually a simple task has unfortunately been complicated by a funny little thing called sudden fatigue. Thankfully, she's got a nice shop wall to lean against until she feels better. That doesn't stop the concerned passerby, however. "Oh, I'm fine! Promise, I'm just...I just need a moment." So much for that easy patrol.

some quiet backstreet in opalarian market town.

[fivezeroonetwo]

SHE HARDLY GOES UNNOTICED RESTING THERE, sticking out relatively easy in comparison to many others, especially given their little, ongoing bet. still, while it is hardly any of his business on what is happening, it still draws his attention to her in a curious fashion. claiming to be fine, offered with a promise, however, was telling enough. he wonders if this is the fated encounter she had thought of when she spoke those words during that day.

❝ You shouldn't make promises you don't know if you can keep. ❞ straightforward as usual, though he knows what he is talking about. while she doesn't look too bad, the fatigue is fairly apparent, having seen his fair share of less-than-well mortals in his life. despite how he says this, he still remains in place, almost as if giving her the chance to recuperate, his presence acting more as an essence to ward of anyone who might have malicious intentions given the area and time of night.

[pyronexus]

"Want it to be me…" she repeats, mulling his words over. It's only fair that she hold him to this wager, that he'll feel differently when he has garnered enough memorable experiences in this city. In her time here, she had met many a disillusioned person, stubborn and unwilling to change. Maybe she would have even considered becoming one of them if she weren't so desperate for a life outside of Elio's predetermined script.

"Betting your soul is…quite the wager." A pretty steep one, for sure. One that you simply can't accept without giving something equal in return. If it's his soul that he'd put on the line, then she'd have to meet him in kind. Firefly is silent for just another moment before she finally speaks up again, "Then I'll bet my life, short as the rest of it may be." A nod comes after saying that, content that she's offered something to even the odds.

If the others were here, she could only imagine the looks on their faces at her betting something so ridiculous. But after having lived a life so long yet fragile, it felt more than worth it to her. With their wager sealed, it's as if the universe itself acknowledges them as the sky erupted into yet another display of vibrant colors. "I'm…Firefly, by the way." A way overdue introduction, one that leaves her feeling shyer still as a hand moves to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"I really…hope that you come to love this city." They may be captives, but this is the freest she's ever felt in her life. "And I really hope that I see you again, because never seeing the person who my life belongs to would be a little sad, wouldn't it?" A bit dramatic, but still true all the same. Granted, he seemed to be taking it all seriously, so hopefully saying that wasn't too weird.

[fivezeroonetwo]

SHORT AS THE REST OF IT MAY BE. these words are not lost on him in the slightest, something weighted in the way she speaks it, mismatched by that hopeful tone in her voice and only further accentuated with the contented nod she gives. some might find themselves cheated in such a way, that it would be regarded as a half-life, never meant to fulfill a whole bargain when one's end was all but guaranteed. and yet he was hardly among those who had such pitiful views, knowing well that each lifespan was unique, belonging once to a single person, even for those who were reborn as he once was. after all, he would not call it the same life when your memories of who you once were all but disappeared upon your awakening.

so, his lips twitch into a subtle, brief smirk at her courage when others would flinch away such offers. ❝ Impressive... ❞ a genuine compliment, one he would not rescind, not unless she were to retract her words upon a loss.

❝ Firefly, ❞ he repeats, as if assessing it in some way, more so curious at how jarringly different it feels in comparison to mortal names he has heard before, chosen by fellow reapers or otherwise. ❝ 5012. ❞ the numbers are spoken straight-forward, only realizing that some may not understand the same way his kind would. ❝ That is what you can address me as, ❞ he follows with shortly after.

purple gaze drifts to the skies, its dwindling colors erupting further into a layer of vibrancy that many might see only once within a lifetime. to come to love this city... it was a farce, but so were the many unacknowledgeable things that living beings clung to in their ephemeral lives, making all they touch with their soul become something truly real. perhaps that, too, was a miracle in its own right.

❝ If you call it fate that we'd meet a second time, then that means this bet is a wager on that same fate, too. So let us see where it leads us to in this city. ❞ something tells him this meeting would not be their last, nor the next after that... ❝ Your life isn't mine yet, but still make sure nobody else takes it while we're parted. My soul will not be taken, either. ❞

[klaysurging]

The table outside the cafe was set and ready for use, donuts were ordered and Klay in a rare moment had set one aside to the ground, before the very sands devoured it in one go. One second and it was gone, missing.

"As someone who arrived here recently, does one gain new dreams? Perhaps a hobby?" sipping tea and talking of mundane things. How quaint.

[fivezeroonetwo]

CURIOUS, THE WAY HE FEEDS THE GROUND. reapers were of a wide variety, personalities ones which clash as any mortal on earth, and yet their powers remained strictly similar beyond their glamours. this was a case he had never quite witnessed before, leaving him to conclude one, simple thing: the man before him surely wasn't merely human in any capacity.

for now, he tucks that speck of information he has gathered to himself.

❝ If one wanted, I would not consider it a surprise. This place is an anomaly that deviates the laws of life. If that is kept in mind, other anomalous situations could arise from it. Why do you ask? I presume idle chatter. ❞

[fivezeroonetwo]

while 5012 is fairly anti-social, he's unfortunately got to deal with me shoving him into every social situation possible always. so! if you'd like something small with him to start out (think a couple of sentences to a paragraph or two at most) then give this a like! gonna be capping at three, but people who he's met before are welcome to like over for something new for them!

[twoandahalfstudios]

5012 is so mean to me 🥺

(Art by aimeryaa 🌻🌻🌻)

[pyronexus]

Describing their own meeting as a miracle brings her pause. He says it so logically, so matter-of-factly, that it leaves her stunned. An encounter that she may have considered chance, now felt pivotal, in some way. Firefly can't remember the last time she's been at a loss for words, or when she's last felt her heart flutter, only to go away just as quickly. Suddenly embarrassed, she turns away from him, and a hand moves just above her heart to further quiet it. She doesn't answer his question.

Ever since she joined the Stellaron Hunters, following Elio's script had given her a purpose, a reason to go on. As a rule, she had even once promised herself never to stray from whatever path he laid out for her. Here, though, she wondered if that script still mattered; wondered if it was as set in stone as she originally thought.

Her thoughts are interrupted by his voice, bringing her out of her head. "…Maybe you should make that bet," Finally, she speaks up. "I think you might find the answer worth finding out. Experiences are meant to be…had. And life is meant to be lived." That's what she had been told, anyway. Getting to know people here and even meeting him at this very moment felt as though she was finally getting to live her life.

"And getting to live here is being human, or something close to it--I think," That was debatable, but it still felt right to say. She'd gotten to experience so many good things here, so she'd always be grateful in the end. Firefly finally turns to look at him again, but her eyes flit away just as quickly. "And…I guess you could call our meeting a miracle," she can already feel the flames rising, red dusting her cheeks that she hoped he couldn't see. "But sometimes miracles only happen once. So if I met you again, I think I'd call it fate."

[fivezeroonetwo]

IT IS A DEAFENING SILENCE THAT NOW SITS BETWEEN THEM. the flutter of hopes that have once fallen from her lips become quieted, left unspoken in the wake of something he cannot quite perceive, all while a purple gaze observes her as if in seeking that very answer. only none will come to him, unseen no matter how much he looks, nor when she turns away from him. even as she brings herself to speak again, cutting through the hushed air with a resolve incomparable to most others, he can't find himself to be surprised at her encouragement for him to take that gamble. and yet what she says further still only serves to take him aback even moreso.

❝ Is that something you're sure you would like to call it? ❞ fate 一 such a hideous word to behold for so many. ❝ Sometimes a single miracle is better taken at its face value. Even if one may not know it yet. ❞ nor is it spoken as a deterrent for her but, rather, a hint of a warning.

how often has he heard the final laments of those mortals he'd been assigned to reap curse its very existence upon his arrival? by now, it has become too many to count, lost long ago to the ebb of time, just as his decades of 'life' has since melded together in his mind. none who had faced it would ever wish to see the face of death arrive in their dwindling hour, ready to embrace it with arms wide open like an old friend. it is a truth he has embedded into his heart, a thing that weighs as it should. were he intertwined with her own, he could merely think she might find it a cruel thing this world has bequeathed unto her, albeit natural in all of its tragic, ephemeral beauty.

this was a curious woman, one who leaves him just as silenced at such boundless hopes, witnessing the vastness of the world beyond what so many do, as if she can see something they cannot.

❝ Then you'll make a wager with me, ❞ he proposes, unwavering in every word spoken. ❝ I want it to be you. ❞ for... what, exactly? because, if he were to meet his end, it should be at the behest of one who truly believes wholeheartedly in something so inherently human? he can hardly give proper reason, though there is still a held confidence which nestles itself into his chest, making a home deep amidst the cage of his ribs. ❝ 'Will I feel differently when I experience what this city has to offer?' I bet you my soul. That nothing will change from as I am now. ❞

[fullcolorfangirling]

"A-Are you not supposed to? I thought that was the best way to get to know someone." At least with how they go about their hobbies. After all something as simple as that could really get a clearer picture to how one acted. Or maybe that was a tactic geared more towards people her own age rather then individuals like him.

...And definitely not completely different fields of "expertise" entirely.

"During school the usual subjects on the curriculum. Though I guess racing and training prep isn't probably taught to people that aren't gonna do it in the first place." Which seemed to be a lot of people here rather then the smaller numbers back home.

"But I have my own studies as well! If I don't keep up with everything going on involving my oshis. Otherwise I would be doing a disservice to all of them as their biggest fan!"

[fivezeroonetwo]

AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM IN ITS ENTIRETY. where she seems eager to make connection, he was one who as more averse to it, the want to be left alone more apparent than not. when had such a thing served him in his lengthy life? none that he can recall, those years serving as a reaper conglomerating together as one, even to the point that his exact age has become lost to him. all that remains of any possibility is the weighted ring that hangs upon his neck by a silver chain, nothing else otherwise to ground him to this world but his own convictions.

the positive talk of school only makes it more apparent where her eagerness comes from when it comes to things like idols and unbridled admiration. ❝ Racing and training. So a curriculum of track and field, ❞ he surmises aloud, shifting the weight between his feet as he does so.

❝ You should keep that mentality. I have witnessed others who have slacked off to the point of their detriment. ❞ and to the very ending of their life, given how far they have strayed and, further still, which particular rules were broken. but that was nothing this girl needs to know, not inherently. ❝ It never hurts to strive to be like those you look up to. But it seems like that is something you already keep in mind. And it doesn't hurt to take up your own studies so long as it doesn't harm the ones tasked upon you as priority. ❞

[animasend]

the sudden, unknown voice doesn't cause olga marie any alarm. the forests lack most natural woodland sounds and even if the other made none in his approach, she could feel him. neither human nor servant but nothing like the large beasts which roam in the eternal night. cordial, at the very least, given his willingness to call out to her. "Not many, indeed." she offers in response, turning her gaze away from depths of the woods to face the other.

just as she thought– not a familiar face spotted in this ward. her many excursions into the villages gave her enough knowledge of who was who and he was a new one.

" Most hardly leave the villages. It's safer that way for them, though some refuse to listen." but it's necessary, this olga understands, whether to gather those precious flowers or stones for that beloeved festival. she offers her protection when she can, but olga marie understands that's not always enough to stop a stubborn fool. "Once their go to sleep, you'll be hard-pressed finding anyone out."

many would rather suffer their thoughts in the warmth of their home than out in the woods. it makes her an outlier to such. " Are you here to investigate the legends of this place? Or are you looking for the famous flower? If so, you're in the wrong spot."

[fivezeroonetwo]

THIS REALM, TOO, HAS ITS UNSPOKEN LAWS THEN. it is hardly unexpected, mortals and those unlike them similar enough as to pave a structured life, some guidance to follow so that the world around them may function efficiently. nor are there those willing to part with their ways so readily, following its every letter to the proverbial t, whether it would be beneficial for them or not. but here, in this twilit forest which brims with naught but silence and beauty, he cannot imagine a change would be a good thing. were it to be anything, it would be a destructive force, imbalance surely to follow if it was not preserved, not unless there was truly something diabolical that lurks beneath its peaceful surface.

arms cross over his chest as he takes in her words, a display of not only his intention to bring no harm to this place, but also a sense of relaxation. if what she says is true, this very place may just become a spot more frequented at this hour. ❝ There is always someone who refuses for whatever reason they deem fit. It's whether the reason has substantial weight that matters, ❞ he retorts, knowing that perhaps, in a few ways, some things should be changed for the betterment of those affected.

❝ Is that what you are here for? ❞ he returns the questions with one of his own, partially curious as to her own means of being here. ❝ You seem to know the spot, at least. But no. I was drawn here to get away from that lively city, ❞ he admits, uncaring if she were to know that much of him. strangers need not be privy of anything to one another within their own boundaries, the reaper having always made his stance known of how little or more someone needed to know of him. ❝ The legends here are probably what brings in most visitors. I am not actively seeking anything. If I happened to cross its path, it would be a coincidence. ❞

[klaysurging]

"the cliche answer of, it depends." Of course such an answer would even be unsatisfactory even to him. of course there was little else to say about the matter, as much as he started it. It was a weak conversation to be had after all.

"Though, right now I would like something to eat. Do you wish to join? I have no qualms about treating others. After all being generous with money when one has it, is looked at kindly."

[fivezeroonetwo]

IF HIS ANSWER WAS DEEMED CLICHE, then so be it. that was merely how this world works, based much upon factual evidence and how those choose to view it, twisting it to their own whims or otherwise. but he allows this man the last say in that regard, no reason to carry on a dying, pointless conversation when neither would acquiesce to another point of view.

now as for the invitation to join him for something to eat...

❝ It is, ❞ he agrees, though that, too, begs to question what motives the blond may have with stating something so blatantly. what a curious mortal this man was, the way he carries himself more than human, yet still in a way that doesn't feel natural. ❝ I will join you for now. It's not as if there is much else in this place to tend to aside from one's own needs. ❞ work was non-existent in this place to him, something akin to a fleeting dream with the lack of death.

[fullcolorfangirling]

"Wow, you're that good?!"

Something that many might've taken as an insult yet there seemed to be practically no animosity or disdain in the girl's voice. It almost teetered into respect, even if Digital didn't have a single clue what that work really entailed beyond a few guesses. Most of which would've probably been wrong in the first place anyway...

"I guess it's not the worst mentality to have no. Though it's a bit different from what I'm used to back home." Maybe the pinnacle was different from how she saw it. "What is your job actually? I-I mean I'm just a student so all we have are whatever part time ones we can get."

Unless someone managed to strike it big. Which some were lucky enough to get...

[fivezeroonetwo]

OF COURSE HE WAS THAT GOOD 一 or so he likes to believe given his numerous missions and successful soul retrievals. were he not, surely they would not bother him to train the newbies or to discipline those who have strayed from their paths, teetering far too close to the line of insubordination. nor does he think it's bad to be so confident in one's capabilities, thus his mentality, as she so puts it. whatever the case was, he hardly takes offense to what she blurts out, figuring if she had wished to snuff him in any way, it would have been far less exaggerated.

and then she asks about his job, pausing briefly at the question itself. this was hardly something he can lie about, the truth the only thing that can leave his lips, whether half or whole. was it even illegal here to confide what he is to mortals? better to be safe than sorry when he doesn't know how the rules carry over into this realm.

❝ Do you usually ask strangers what their career is after just a few minutes of talking? ❞ while he speaks in earnest, it wasn't intended to be mean despite how it might come off, the man usually an intimidating force just by his usual demeanor. ❝ ... for having only part time jobs alongside your studies, you seem to work hard yourself. What are you even studying for? ❞

[sanctummilitis]

Brief, yet perfect to encapsulate what any unfortunate enough to be faced with the Abyss were undoubtedly consumed with. Even one as energetic as Charlie would be whittled away the longer he stayed — and having been condemned there by a figment that was once a source of distress for him wouldn't have helped. The thought of he, or others she knew to be resilient yet bound by the limit of mortal strength, tormented in those depths chilled her blood.

What intentions had the Stars for such a realm? Similarly did the question echo their routine tests upon the land. There must have been greater meaning than tasteless cruelty or unethical curiousity.

Her sight lingered upon the man whilst his speculations sounded themselves. "were that the case, it would beg question as to where they were contained when the city was a wasteland — and that all the most disconcerting possibility they could hold us, or others, in such a space with no knowledge of those here". An uncomfortable pause lingered. "That said... there have been experiments where they have suppressed our memories and allowed believe we were born of this land. It's well within their power to have brainwashed an entire population".

[fivezeroonetwo]

SO THIS CITY WAS ONCE A RUINOUS WASTELAND. how peculiar, hiding away these so called locals until its construction, leaving him to wonder, just as she, where they may have been kept in waiting. was it a possibility that only once the city became one proper that they were brought in? though that still makes little sense to him the more he pours over it in his mind, leaving no reason for outlanders as them to recall a desolate island, only to populate it thereafter. no matter how much he attempts to unravel this strange, woven tapestry of mystery, it continues onward without relent.

arms cross over his chest as he falls into a silence, gaze cast to the wayside, looking off into the distance as he soaks in the scenery amidst his thinking. and when it comes to the experimentation, that only seems to compound to the mysterious circumstances.

❝ Then it's possible they have brainwashed you all to believe they are locals, too. ❞ whether or not such a thing was true was to be seen, merely a fleeting theory without any substantial proof. ❝ Could gradual integration be their goal? In time, making those brought here comfortable until they may as well call this place their home. ❞ it settles uncomfortably in his stomach, truthfully, how similar it all feels to the realm of reapers as he has only just become to know it.

[klaysurging]

"Rockets only happen once every few years. Cakes are a wonderful human invention that can be enjoyed all year around and bring more joy then other big projects going around."

"Compared to the joy of the first moon landing, to the eternal joy of desserts. I would say that it is one of the best marvels of human creativity. Long term , is it something that people would spend for, more then other great inventions known to humans."

[fivezeroonetwo]

❝ Would that not make the point that rockets more valuable than cakes? ❞ that's what his opinion on the matter is, at the very least. were inventions as those so scarce in comparison to something easily attainable, he finds it strangely incomparable. things such as medication and technological advancements were a little different, garnering breakthroughs after decades of research and searching for the answer than a simple recipe.

❝ That would depend on one's perspective, ❞ he soon adds, arms crossing over his chest as he tilts his head slightly to the side. ❝ People would likely spend on things like that. But if you asked everyone, would their answers all be the same? I doubt it. There are those wanting breakthroughs to contend illness. That would take more priority to them than a slice of cake, wouldn't it? ❞

[klaysurging]

@fivezeroonetwo 

"There nothing wrong with splurging a bit and eating some cake on the sides. Experiencing the wonders of human creativity when it comes to deserts is what makes life worth living." treating people to random snack dates is always something he been doing, having no other plans right now...for now.

[fivezeroonetwo]

❝ I've had cake before. ❞ he says this pointedly, wondering if the other thinks he might not have with how he speaks. why the other had treated him, of all people, is a mystery to him, especially since he had been reading a book on his lonesome until that moment. maybe it was just a case of all mortals being as nosy as that reaper's human lover. ❝ But calling something as simple as dessert a 'wonder of human creativity' might be stretching it. At least when you compare it to more notable things humans have created. ❞

[fivezeroonetwo]

THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE AIR HERE, he thinks soundly to himself. it's the way that the blanket of dusk covers this portion of the ward in a strange, dreary slumber, obscured from all light and sound that this island has to offer between the forest trees. every step taken is one with subtle caution, aware of the risks that come with traversing these lands which belong to creatures beyond the grasp of humanity. perhaps that was why he, too, feels more comfortable here, as if it were a realm akin to the underworld back home, some place that those like him could find some semblance of peace before returning to the waking day of mortal life.

nor was he alone in this particular thought, at least so he assumes given the fact he has only noticed her presence upon following the trail of a beautiful, sapphire butterfly that disappears into the fading darkness of the forest. undoubtedly a stranger, he can tell with ease she is not exactly human, though she doesn't seem like a reaper, either.

❝ Not many come here at this hour. ❞ for now, he decides to address her, wondering the reason for her venturing into this place during the hours of twilight.

@animasend

[gvardi-l]

the guy of all time (gift for a friend)

[fivezeroonetwo]

with the demo for the second game coming out, i have a spike in muse for this guy. if you'd like a small starter, give this a like! capped at three for now so i don't end up overwhelming myself too much, thank you!