Y/N choked as they awoke. As if suffocated by smoke or water, they felt sharp pain in their lungs to the point where they could be convinced they were being torn apart inside of them. Griping an arm of the chair harshly, they bent forward, hitting their with their free hand. Y/N's throat felt positively raw by the time their breathing came to a steady. Leaning back in their chair, Y/N took slow shallow breaths, closing their eyes. They felt a headache coming as memories rushed through them. They remembered all that had happened, from their time in earth, to their deal with Brutus, their life as an undead, and what had occured with that damn red head. One thing they couldn't place however, was how they ended up in the water.
As Y/N opened their eyes, more about this strange place became increasingly vivid. The strangely coloured fire, the walls that seemed to just go up indefinitely without a ceiling to meet, the tall stacks of books and papers along with it, just the name the most glaring parts. Other things were more subtle. The loose papers that moved with a breeze that wasn't there, or the way the fire seemed to give off cool air instead of heat, even the woman sitting across from Y/N, who they swear wasn't there a moment ago.
"Miss.Thana..." Y/N managed to croak out, voice hoarse from the incesint coughing. "Good morning, my dear." She said kindly, looking up from a piece of paper she was reading. In her lap laid an open folder of other papers of the like as well as small blurry photos. Seeing that Y/N was about to try to speak again, she raised a hand to indicate silence. "Before you say anything, you'll have to forgive me for putting you out like that... The manner of bringing back memories is long and painful for the one experiencing it, so it's better for the concoction to also involve a sleeping draft." She explained calmly, fliping the page over in her hand to read the other side. "Besides, I had to secure time to find out more about you and your situation." "Oh..." Y/N murmured weakly. They strained their eyes to see what the writing on the page was, but it seemed to be in another language, the writing consisting of a kind of lettering they'd never seen before. "Your situation is very unique..." Miss.Thana remarked, lowering her paper to look at Y/N directly. "I'd never seen such an... Interesting solution to a grim reaper's failure. Or cause for it." Her smile was mysterious as she spoke, it was a little amused, and a little melancoly, like she couldn't decide how to feel. If anything, she didn't seem to be angry. "Has no one ever left their world before?" Y/N asked, trying to discern her words. "Oh, yes of course! However," Miss.Thana leaned in conspiritorily, "a person's soul alone hasn't. It makes both you and the woman you chase after special. There is one difference." Her intent gaze was backed faintly by awe as she stared at Y/N. "And that is?" Nervous from Ms.Thana's gaze and words, Y/N's voice came out a bit weaker then intended. "While you're soul went through somewhat of a trade between Brutus, the Reaper of you're world, and Erna, the Reaper of the world you currently inhabit. Cecilia, however, seemed to have found a crack between the dimensions that she found a way to wriggle through before Erna could catch up to her a properly reap her soul. Presumedly trying to save Erna from punishment, Brutus went after Cecilia himself after learning she ventured into his world. And well, you know the rest." The woman's gleeful eyes became dark while speaking, remembering the ill fate the two would have to bare due to their actions.
"Wait... So is Brutus going to be punished too now?" Y/N asked nervously. Although it was his fault they were in this mess, Y/N didn't want him to suffer too severely. "For now, it looks like no one has found out about the series of mishaps that led you to my home. But once they do, yes, likely." Y/N breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like they still had some more time to finish their job... If they got out of this place any time soon, that is. "What...sort of punishment?" Y/N asked, trying to get a better grip on the whole affair. "Firstly, both reapers would be striped of their positions, then they would likely be sent into the worlds they previously watched over, destined to live a terrible life, and then have their soul recollected and sent back to me, where I'll repurpose them." While her words with simple and blunt, they were tinged with an almost audible sadness.
"Sent back?" Ignoring the slightly disturbing explaination, Y/N asked about the odd wording Miss.Thana had used. "Oh, silly me, I still haven't properly introduced myself. You can still call me Ms.Thana, but you should probably know what my official title is, which is The Creator(or Mother) Of Reapers." She extending her hand for Y/N to shake, but took it away to quick for Y/N to reciprocate the action. She threw out her arms to address the area around her. "My job is to create reapers, every Grim reaper to live was born here." It seemed that she was meaning whatever realm the two were in, and not just the crampted room. "So Brutus is kind of like your son?" "I do like to look at it that way, my other creations too." A sweet smile crossed Ms.Thana's lips and she brought both of hers hands together to hold over her heart. The find expression was shortlisted however as her brow furrowed and her eyes dropped to the ground. "It does sadden me when I have to break them down to rebuild a new reaper." She was still smiling, but it was now rather melancholy.
Y/N anchored an elbow onto the chair arm and sat their chin on-top of it. There was something they could try, but given that this was a woman...or god more likely, had probably 'recyled' her children countless times before, she may be more dedicated to her job then her heart. Which meant that trying to convince her to not ruin their chances of getting home pretty difficult.
Oh hell.
This was their only option, so who cares. It's fail and die or succed and save not only their own life but two grim Reapers. If they don't try at all the former will be the only possible outcome.
"But like you said... No one has found out yet other then you, right?" Y/N asked, raising their head from their fist. "That's right." "Which means that if this situation was resolved, nothing would happen. No one would ever have to know what happened. No one would be punished." Their tone was slightly airy as Y/N began to propose their plan. "What is it you're trying to say?" It seemed Miss.Thana was catching on, with that wry smile creeping up on her, but she still endorsed Y/N to elaborate. "Well, I've already made a deal, one that makes me have to fix this... And you hold what is likely-", and what they were hoping to be, "-the only concrete proof of any of this happening so far. If that was.... Missplaced...in the time it would have taken anyone else to realise something was a miss without that, the issue would already be resolved." Probably. Hopefully.
The only noise for a long time was the crackling of the oddly coloured flames between the two.
"Well, this room is awfully messy... Much that could be lost amongst the other papers." Miss.Thana mused. Her thin fingers drummed rythmically against the folder in her lap as she gazed about her surroundings. A faraway smile tugged at her cracked lips, one soon joined by a grin from Y/N. "I guess that means we see eye to eye on this matter." "So it does." A silent agreement had been made, a deal almost as strong as the one Y/N made in that hospital bed.
"...now I do have one other little favor to ask of you." Y/N tone was sheepish as they asked. They knew it wasn't something to be shy about, due to its necessity, but it felt awkward asking for more. With a gracious nod, Miss.Thana accepted whatever request it was. "To fulfill my end of the deal I have... I do have to go back up where Cecilia is." As well as the rest of the living folk.
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