caughtinanetwork

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[video]

That's much better, but...

[So says a certain young man dressed in stark monochrome, dark hair interrupted by three parallel lines of white running along only one side of his head, as he regards what appears to be a colorful ball -- the sort of toy meant for felines to caper after, once catnip has been placed inside.

Residents of a certain villa may recognize their foyer.

It's looking significantly tidier, or rather like someone had artfully arranged but one side of it, and proceeded to arrange the other side in a spookily precise mirror image. Even various cat toys found scattered around the premises have been doled out to each corner of the foyer in a bilaterally symmetrical fashion.

Someone even went through the trouble of dusting and sweeping. It veritably sparkles. Death the Kid's hair is a little disheveled, in the way of one who had little choice but to let damp hair dry as it would.

Indeed, the young grim reaper had stood there in the plaza since yesterday afternoon waiting to drip-dry, unable to abide by the thought of moving around while his wet clothes insisted on sticking to him, horrifyingly askew. He has standards.]

What do I do? It's almost perfect, but I can't simply place this in one corner.

[This is sort of stressing him out.]

I'll just have to acquire another that matches this precisely! Residents of this house! Where is the nearest market?

[This, while addressing the starfish communicator held in the other hand, until the reaper's golden eyes dart a brief, distressed glance at his own creased (and still uncomfortably damp) suit.]

...No, I should first change into something suitable. But I can't just leave this unfinished!

[Ahh, he can't decide, what should he do? WHAT SHOULD HE DO??? At last, he decides to stow the catnip ball away, and black, crackling tendrils of skull-capped shadow spirits away the toy out of sight.]

First things first--where can I launder and dry my clothing? Don't delay in supplying in answer, this is essential, I'm filthy.

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...We have a...laundry room...and you can get clothes for free here, but...

[No, she can't pretend this is normal.]

--But oh my god, who are you and why are you in our house!?

[DID SOMEONE NOT LOCK THE DOOR...]

[John didn't actually see Kid's video broadcast, so when he walked in the door, suffice it to say he was pretty well surprised. This was not what he was expecting to see first thing after coming home from his shift at the movie store. Not that he's really complaining. It's been forever since he's actually seen Kid, and while the two were never super close, any friend of Maka and Soul's is a friend of John's.]

Kid?! When did you get back!?

[We'll address the state of the foyer later, not that John will be particularly surprised by it.]

[Guess who didn't bother looking at the network today? Maka has better things to do, honestly!

Not accidentally stepping on one of Kuro's toys when she walks in with the groceries, however, is sort of a clue that something's different.]

Eh?

[Who cleaned up? Nobody else was home when she left.]

Hello? Hellooooo? Rin, is that you?

[...Wow, Maka, that was dumb. Why would Rin be cleaning up? Somehow she can't do anything but stand like an idiot in the entrance way calling for people that aren't there.]

John? Rose?

For free? How is anyone to learn to value what they have if they don't have to pay for anything?

[Oh yeah. The fact that he's in the house should... probably be worth noting.]

Isn't it a little rude not to introduce yourself first? Very well. My name is Death the Kid.

[Like that's supposed to make this okay.]

[Well this wasn't what Rin was expecting to see when he turned on his SFC during break. Sure they've been picking up a lot of new comers lately, but usually Maka informs him of them first.]

... Uh who are you and what the hell are you doin' in my house?

Death the Kid, and you can thank me later. The fact is, I'm here in pursuit of someone.

[And with the matter of the catnip ball presently taken care of (or at least, put away for later), this intruder has the nerve to appear proud of himself.]

[...Typical Kid.]

I can take you to the market later, okay? Sheesh, anyone would think that the world was ending the way you're fussing over things.

...

[Just when Vatheon couldn't get any fucking weirder...]

Thank you for what? What the hell kinda name is Death the Kid, and who are you lookin' for?

... and why should I care?!

[John, are you aware of that particularly cold sort of look when a complete stranger regards someone they don't know, nor particularly care for what they behold?

Because that's exactly how Kid is looking at John.

(More specifically, at the emblem on his blue godtier pajamas.)]

'Get back'..?

[That seems to snap him out of his disapproving reverie; his eyebrows lift.]

This must be the 'returning foreigners' phenomenon I've heard of. Who are you?

Um. Sorry, but I don't consider not introducing myself to a guy that broke into my house any ruder than actually breaking into someone's house.

[She doesn't even know which subject to approach first, but her ears are twitching like mad at all of this extra confusion.]

My name is Jade. Since we have more fancy titles up in here, I am also known as the Witch of Space. I have only been in Vatheon for a few months, but things have always been free to foreigners like us, as long as we show them the tattoos we get on our bodies.

[ So. It's a typical day. Bon's done meditating for the afternoon and he's hungry. Which leads him to wandering from the kitchen to the stairs to head up when he stops.

Takes a few steps backwards.

And stares into the foyer. ]

What in the actual-- who the hell're you.

[No. No he's really, really not. Because John is John and Kid is Kid and he's pretty sure he's never seen Reaper Jr. smile.]

Yup, it sure is. You have been here...at least twice before. Maybe even more than that, but I can't say for sure. But I guess you don't remember, which is normal so it's not really anything to worry about. My name is John though. John Egbert. I am a friend of Maka and Soul.

So you've finally returned.

[The silhouette marked out by the light coming in through the hallway connected to the foyer is unmistakable, the gold eyes of that figure shining eerily across that empty space towards the girl.]

I've been waiting, Maka.

[This is the moment when some asshole would cut to a commercial break.

Kid simply steps forward, pulling his hands from his pockets.]

You'd do best to just hand that over and let me put it away for you.

[Hello, beautiful alien lady deathlawyer on your screen. So beautifully symmetrical too. Her signs, her horns her... oh god. that top. Two buttons on one side and none on the other. Oh god.]

That is truly a very important conundrum you have there, little alien girl.

[What, that is a girl right? Ugh. Aliens. So hard to figure out.]

Have you thought about cutting the little ball precisely down the middle?

What's stopping us from making the trip presently?

[He wants to go noooooow. You don't understand how incredibly uncomfortable being stuck in the same damp clothes for a full day is--unless you're in the same boat yourself, that is.]

...Wait, no. If I were to leave now, I might lose the trail entirely.

[Did he say hand it over?

Because she throws it at him with a sharp scream, legitimately horrified by this...friendly gesture????

There's more going on inside of her head, though, bad memories piling up amid doubts and terrified thoughts of "he's back, does he remember, what's going to happen" repeating over and over again.

Then she stops, rigid and shivering, still looking for all the world like she's seen a ghost.]

Wh-what are you--? When did you get back?

[Wow she's doing a terrible job with not freaking out. Better hope Kid has a good catching instinct.]

You mean aside from the fact that I just woke up from a nap?

[Yes, Soul's been lazing around for most of the day and drifted off to sleep. You're surprised? He runs his fingers through his hair before pausing.]

Who's trail?

[What are you looking at?

The stranger loitering in their foyer (read: obsessively rearranging) coolly regards Bon with an utter lack of shame for being caught trespassing (and not for the first time).]

Death the Kid. Don't worry, it's not you I'm after. Please go about your business.

[As if anyone could just go about their business after something so goddamn cryptic.]

Oh.

[That strangely even skin tone, those brightly colored, angular lenses. Those horns, so elegantly even..! What a picture of sublime perfection! Why, he could even forgive the mistake, for such a magnificently symmetrical creat--

...Wait. What--why are there only two buttons. WHY ARE THERE ONLY TWO BUTTONS ON ONE SIDE.]

Beg your pardon, I'm a man, and a reaper at that.

I would recommend you keep that in mind, but-- [Augh, those impeccably angled horns!] --nevermind all that, it must be two of these. Halving it simply would not do.

To be fair, I didn't break in.

[But he may have simply slipped in behind someone else; Kid's attention only momentarily strays, and the fitful twitching of her ears has more to do with this than he'll ever admit.]

A witch? Normally that would be cause for concern, but nothing is exactly normal these days. Our truce is still in effect, I expect you to hold up your side, Jade.

The matter of these tattoos is an even more pressing reason to acquire dry clothing. If mine happens to be regrettably placed, I'm not sure what I'll do.

[ Yeah no, no one could. Especially not Bon, and especially not when someone calls themselves Death the Kid.

He turns so that he's actually facing into the foyer instead of just looking into it, and he slowly takes a bite of his bread as he eyes Kid up and down. ]

You know, I don't think so. If you're after someone in this house, there're a few steps to take, the first being you knock on the damn door.

Oh dammit, John left the door unlocked aga--...Truce?

[This just got a little weirder. She doesn't recall having to make a truce with anyone that looks vaguely human, only trolls.]

Uh, Death, I don't know what you're talking about but I am certainly not from your world. Whatever "witch" might imply in your world does not apply to me, "Witch of Space" is just a title. The more accurate term to apply to me would be a god. Or just a kid. Or just Jade, I don't know, whichever you prefer. I will certainly not turn you into a frog if that's what you're thinking...my space powers cannot even do that.

[Nonsense, his smiles don't exist. Except when they do, in the presence of his closest friends (or in the face of an unexpectedly beautiful example of his usual obsession).]

Well, then. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, John Egbert, since it seems we have a few acquaintances in common.

[The reaper cants his head, briefly, before leaning it to the other side, eyebrows furrowing in thought.]

I take it to mean they have been here a while? Or at least long enough for me to arrive an additional two times.

[Wow. This sure is the first time an alien is checking out her tits. She must be sexually inticing even to them.

She... she always expected this. And yet now that it is happening, it is just... it's...

FUCK Y3SSSSSSS.]

Mr Reaper Man then. I'm not very familiar with your strange and hornless species yet!

If it is symmetry you are after however, halving it would be as symmetrical as finding a double, wouldn't it?

Mm, yeah. I know Patti and Liz too! So we have quite a few in common. But yeah, Maka has been here for well over a year now. Soul...I don't know. He was here the first time I was. [Kind of adopted him, actually, it was adorable.] But then I left for a while and he wasn't here when I got back. Maka would know better than I about what's up with that.

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