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[mwehehe]

From: Futaba Sakura
To: Everyone
Subject: Spooky season

Just to take your mind off the weird vampire things:

What would your ideal Halloween costume be?

[A pause in writing, because...]

Before anyone asks, Halloween is a holiday where I'm from where you dress up in a costume. Some places, kids go door to door and get candy by saying 'trick or treat'. It was an old holiday that celebrated something else entirely, but now it's just a candy holiday with spooky stuff like... well, vampires and ghosts as decor.

...anyway. Maybe we can dream up some costumes that get rid of those dream vamps with some cool power, huh? Feel free to tell someone their idea is silly or cool though, I'm not your mom.

Comments

[holdshisown]

How... odd. What an unpleasant way to die, what sort of spirit goes around snatching the life out of people instead of letting them die in a normal fashion? No spirit comes to us to carry us away or sever our ties to our bodies, and I think it is for the better that they do not. It is more like a pull, than a call, though there is a sense that someone is calling for you. Wether you follow it or not is entirely up to you, of course, but most people do not want to become unhoused spirits wandering about. So I'd imagine most follow it.

They can look however they please, though they usualy take a form that either resembles one of my own people or something that represents their function in the world. Those that serve in Mandos are often veiled or masked. Insubstantial, in a way, or thin wraith-like things not much different than the souls under their care. They rarely have faces at all, though, I suppose they don't really need them when they mostly just deal with those already passed.

[mwehehe]

Most of the time they're already knockin' on his door, so to speak, but sometimes if it's their time— somehow the Reaper knows if it is— they get taken that way. But that way of yours sounds... nice. You don't HAVE to die, you can just keep seeing how the world goes.

Oooh, so they could be ANYONE, huh? If you had to make a costume of that, what would you go with? The ghosty form, or something else?

[holdshisown]

Then what does he need the scythe for? Well... we would still be dead and without bodies. And spirits aren't exactly built to withstand existing in the world without one of those, it will end up changing most of them if they stay. It's why unhoused spirits are often dangerous to deal with, they become cruel and capricious things when the world tears at them without the protection of a physical body.

I suppose they could, but most of them wouldn't want to look like something too antithetical to their nature. One of Yavannas Maiar, for example, would probably not wish to look like they are made of flame. I think, if I were to dress like a Maia of Mandos, I'd need light and flowing robes. Preferably one with many different layers and in different grayish tones. A veil as well, one that covers the entirety of my face... perhaps a glamour as well, to make myself seem less substantial.

[mwehehe]

Just looks. To be threatening, I guess? Death is scary when you think about it, like.. oh no, my life is so... short. And then you think of the Grim Reaper in his creepy robe, skeleton hands and face with a giant scythe... I guess that's just as scary.

Though it sounds like you just become an evil spirit if you're unhoused for too long as a spirit?

[Well that's kind of metal in a bad way, isn't it?]

You should totally go with that though, as a costume. Especially if you get the "my hand will pass through you" look going on. Creepy enough for the holiday but not out of place AND it would be cool.

[holdshisown]

You think so? I don't really see it that way, I think, death is a gift. A kindness, even. Forever is such a very, very long time and the certainty of an ending is a beautiful thing, a reward for a life well lived.

If we don't go to the Halls of Waiting to await our re-embodiment, yes, we're not made to withstand the ravages of the world without a body shielding us.

Perhaps I will. It would be interesting to see if I could manage it.

[mwehehe]

It's kinda final if you don't live for a long time anyway, so it can be kinda scary. Not to say if you've lived for a long time it wouldn't be a kindness though, it could probably be lonely or very... I don't wanna say boring, but after a while you probably run out of things to do.

If you end up going as a Maiar, I wanna see! I know some can use magic here, maybe you can make it a magical effect to look all ghosty?

[holdshisown]

It is final, that is the part I envy your people for. Though I think I can understand why it would be frightening for someone that has not seen how very long an eternity truly is. It's not the lonelyness really that truly bothers me, it's the weight of all those years weighing down on you and knowing with each passing year that great weight will just continue to grow. You see a lot of things you'd rather do without when you live as long as I have...

I just might. I'll let you know if I chose to do so.