caughtinanetwork | 17; video/action

[There's a dissipating shower of purple flecks behind Walter, this time with more black and belts, when the feed comes on. More than that, half the trademark severity from his features has gone—he's clearly not in the mood to punch someone's lungs out. Which is new.]

Vatheon—[he grasps the cloth wrapped around his hair and pulls it off, suddenly seeing no point in it. His tone is softer from its usual guttural gruffness.]

. . . What's a soul?

action;

[After a moment of waiting, Walter cranes his neck to the side. He hasn't come to the abandoned village in months; the area's about the same as the images his memories convey him. And now, he's a little more keen about disregarding appearances to dig around.

He slides in and out of the broken buildings, taking a moment to wander each interior before moving onto the next. His hands are smeared with grime in minutes, and he rubs the flat of his fingertips against his thumb at a juncture. It's all so familiar in a way, yet he feels nothing more than . . . apathy.

People lived here, once. Probably.

Outside, he leans against what remains of a wall and looks up, his arms crossed.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Typing is not something he's done often in his stay at Vatheon, but it would be inconsistent to continue responding in video. The nature of this mode of communication allows more room for thought anyway. And the answer, already, is a heavy one, if simple.

Perhaps fortunately for Sola, Walter doesn't so much as glance at the identity of the person who's responded—yet.]

What proof is there of its existence?

i dont know if you can tell if you do have one but you can if you dont

[There's a long pause between messages while Sola figures out how to explain.]

it doesnt feel like you belong and when you die-

[Another long pause. This is hard.]

when you die you stop being anything

Isn't that the meaning of death?

[Because that's what it sounds like to him. Death is nothingness.]

It depends. There are races that are able to call upon their soul. Others can't.

other peopple when they die they go to places like heaven or the spirit realm or the neverending light but if you dont have a soul then you cant go to those places

you dont go anywhere or even stay anywhere your just gone

[He stares blankly at his SFC as he sends the message, not sure what he'll do if Walter argues with him about it. Still, it's nice for once not to be coddled on the issue and just be able to say what he thinks.]

How do you know that?

[It's easy enough to assume. The various worldly influences in Vatheon may offer something more concrete than mere assumption on what happens to the soul, but . . . There's always the "but."]

What about those whose souls have shattered?

i know that because i died one time here and one time before vatheon

[He knows because he experienced it first hand. It's terrifying and not an experience he would even wish on his worst enemy.]

can you shatter a soul?

[He's never had one. He doesn't know.]

[If one doesn't have a soul, one can't go places. Isn't it moot to use Vatheon as an example when it's a cage, even for the living?]

[ . . . ] It happened before. Not to me.

[That is pretty much the scariest thing hes ever heard of.]

im sorry that happened were they your friend?

No.

She perished not long after that. So? Using your idea of souls, what happened to her?

i dont know maybe if you were made with a soul originally then you cant live without one

[It's a strict guess based on his own experience, but he's not certain. He's neither a mage nor a scientist, he doesn't know.]

[Probably. There were other factors including fatigue. It must have been that fateful explosion that sealed hers ultimately.]

Would she have gone to any of those places?

umm

i think so as long any part of her soul got away then shes safe and in paradise

[Just don't ask him what paradise is like because he learned from Gamzee. Pretty sure Walter's version doesn't include shitty soda and glitter.]

["Paradise."]

Paradise.

[Paradise.]

What is it?

[And don't tell him it's shitty soda and glitter.]

its heaven or the spirit realm or anywhere that dead people go to be at peace and happy with their friends when they die too

If it's so peaceful, then what point is there to living?

[He doesn't have an answer for that, not right away.]

because people were made to live

[It's the only thing he can think of, and as simple as it is it makes sense to him.]

Then it doesn't make sense for paradise to exist.

[When they live, they live. When they die, they die. That's how he sees it.]

i think its like a reward for being good

[According to Johnny, bad people go to Hell and get punished for their bad deeds.]

And "being good" is?

like being kind to other people even if there mean or helping other people out with stuff

[What more do you expect from him, exactly? He's only been alive about 2 and a half years.]

That's too vague.

[It's the person's opinion, though. He'll give it the credence it's due. (Besides, is this a child or someone who's not big on typing? The lacking punctuation and the spelling aren't exactly up to par with the standard.)]

You're saying that life is meaningless for those who do anything other than "good." And those without soul have no place, even alive?

i dont knwo about meaningless im just saying what i was taught but the second part i know is right becasue thars what i feel!

[He's getting upset now, evidenced by the typos. He's just like the others, telling Sola he's wrong without really knowing. He hates it...]

[An exclamation point. That's a change. A sign of growing tension?]

Did I say you were wrong?

[He never contested that, exactly.]

[The response is downright sulky.]

no but i could tell you think it

It's only my own thoughts. I can't tell you for certain whether you're right or wrong.

[A pause.]

But you're going in circles.

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