sugarcoat what i know is undeniable

[unburden]

Ever since arriving in Darrow, it's become increasingly clear to Rukia that there are multiple cycles through which people's souls run. Nearly disparate worlds that have found different ways to balance within themselves. All of them touch in some way or another, she believes — it's the only way to explain her presence here, the fact that she's been able to leap from one to the other. It's probably not possible to see or comprehend all of them which exist, but at least for those who are in the city, Rukia tries to understand.

She tries to understand what death means.

The library's been one of the best places to research, even though walking among the people often helps as well. Today, though, she's of a mind to keep to herself, not wanting to put up airs or raise smiles where she doesn't feel any. Instead, she remains seated at one of the few tables scattered on the first floor of the library, books piled high beside her as she takes notes.

That's when she feels it — a ghost wandering nearby. The lead in her pencil snaps as she glances up, spotting a young girl walking some space away. There's never an elegant way to go about making directions, but Rukia still wanders to her side, carrying all her books in hand.

A few steps away, she pretends to trip, a couple of volumes about reincarnation skating free and skidding against the ground. "Oh no," she breathes, crouching to try and pick them up. "I'm so sorry about that. Are you okay?"

Comments

[ghost_holder]

Aggie bends and helps to pick up the books, handing them over. "Yes, I'm all right." The fall of books had made her jump, but perhaps Barbara's lessons have helped her stay calm after all. No sparks are trailing through her hair this time.

"What's reincarnation?"

[unburden]

Trying for as innocuous of a smile as she can, Rukia laughs self-deprecatingly as she bends down to gather the fallen volumes with the girl's help. "It's something I've been reading more about recently," Rukia replies, no direct lie in her words. "It's the idea that one's soul or spirit starts a new life of some sort after death. Some people think it's like a cycle, souls being born into new bodies. Others think that there's a separate kind of afterlife. I find it pretty fascinating to think about."

[ghost_holder]

"That's not what happened to me," Aggie replies thoughtfully. "Unless this is supposed to be my new life."

It puts a weight on her heart to think of it that way, like she might never see her mommy again.

[unburden]

So the ghost is self-aware. Rukia's countenance changes slightly, molds into one of quiet respect, because for someone to carry herself so well after death is no small thing. Most people go through heavy periods of denial.

Then again, children always break the pattern.

"So... you've died, then?" she asks, blinking slightly. "Are you a ghost?"

[ghost_holder]

There are so many strange people here that Aggie's lost all fear that her powers will lead to another hanging–as if they could even hang her again. She wouldn't let them touch her.

"Three hundred years ago. They hanged me for witchcraft." Her face darkens then and a few sparks light up the skin under her eyes and on her cheeks.

[unburden]

It's immediately possible to read something in the girl's countenance, something like anger and resentment, with a surety that even makes Rukia give a double-take. But her heart aches with sympathy. While she's never been the object of such persecution herself, she knows what it means to be different, singled-out, to have others feel a mix of fear and uncertainty based on a person's background.

She never died for it, but maybe what she experienced was something close.

Rukia's eyes immediately widen when the sparks flicker across the girl's face. "Maybe we should head somewhere else to talk," she says, not afraid of her, but worried on the girl's behalf. "It's not a good idea to draw too much attention here."

[ghost_holder]

"Barbara works here and looks after me," Aggie replies as explanation. She's twelve, yes, but that doesn't mean she's forgotten her lessons about going off with strangers.

"What'll they do? Hang me again?"

[unburden]

Rukia sighs slightly under her breath. She can understand the girl's reservations, even though she still wishes that they could head somewhere else to discuss a topic that's so sensitive. Maybe no one can really contain either of them, but... given the types of people she's seen in the city so far, Rukia wouldn't be surprised if she's relatively low on the chain, in the grand scheme of things.

"Okay," she says quietly, deciding to simply avoid taking the conversation in too emotional of a turn. "Honestly, I don't know the full extent of what people can do here. But I think it's better not to underestimate it."

[ghost_holder]

Aggie shrugs in return, though she sits quietly for now. She's confident, by now, in her ability to simply blow anyone away if they tried to hurt her or her people, but apparently saying as much seems to alarm people.

"What do you want to know, anyway?"

[unburden]

Rukia takes a small breath, trying to figure out how to explain without giving away too many details about her life and occupation. It isn't the first time she's come across a person who's been so unemotional about death, but usually the correct course of action was still to purify their soul, send them to Soul Society. Here, the girl's cycle must be different.

Learning about that might be key to understanding this place.

"I interact a lot with spirits of people who have passed away, but I've never seen someone be solid in the way that you are. I guess I just... wanted to learn more about that," Rukia says. "My name is Rukia, by the way. I should probably have introduced myself earlier."

[ghost_holder]

That does catch Aggie's interest and she looks up, coming to life a little more. "The ghosts I talked to were transparent and they couldn't do anything but float and talk. And only to me."

Aggie picks up a book just to show that she can handle things once more. "But here I eat and breathe and go to sleep and wake up. But I think I'm still dead."

[unburden]

"Most ghosts that I know... are mostly invisible to the living," Rukia says, nodding slightly in support of the girl's description. "It takes someone with a lot of spiritual awareness and power to see a ghost. And spirits can sometimes affect people on a physical level, but that takes a lot of power, too, from the spirit."

Rukia watches closely as the girl holds a book up with no trouble at all. "If you can do all of these things... does your heart still beat? Do you need to eat and breathe? I haven't really seen many cases like yours before."

[ghost_holder]

It's a good question. Aggie knows that she likes to sleep and eat, though she doesn't know for sure about the breathing. So, again, she shrugs. "I don't know."

She does know, at least, that she can fight if she needs. Or hurt the people who hurt her.

[unburden]

Rukia starts to wonder if her words are overwhelming the young woman too much, if it's better to step back for the time being and not complicate matters for her with considerations that are mostly on Rukia's side. Biting briefly down on her lip, Rukia nods slowly, then tries to offer a comforting smile, although she's careful not to reach out physically yet. Not all people respond well to physical reassurance.

"Do you have someone looking after you here in the city?" Rukia asks quietly. "I'm really glad that you're able to eat and drink. I'm pretty fond of both of those things."

[ghost_holder]

"Uh-huh," Aggie says. She looks around, but can't spot Barbara at her desk. "Barbara works here, so I come here and read. I have a lot to learn."

Then, suddenly, she's a twelve-year-old girl again, as normal as any other, as she says, "Did you know tomatoes aren't poisonous after all?"

[unburden]

Making a mental note to check for someone named Barbara, Rukia smiles faintly at the young girl's love of learning. There are ways in which she certainly stands out in comparison to other children, but more than that, Rukia starts to notice the commonalities between this young girl and others her age. She should be treated as being the same, Rukia thinks to herself. Even as Rukia continues trying to feel for what's unique about this girl's soul.

"I don't think anyone ever told me that tomatoes are poisonous," she says, pursing her lips, as though in deep thought. "Why would anyone try to tell you that?"

[ghost_holder]

"They are in the same family as nightshades. I was told that if you eat one your blood would turn to acid and boil," Aggie explains. Tomatoes had been a highly untrustworthy food until Barbara showed her otherwise.

[unburden]

"Nightshades like... potatoes?" Rukia asks, brows still raised. Of course, it's fully possible that people from other worlds might be somehow allergic to these vegetables and unable to digest them, but it seems like such a random set. "Maybe someone you knew didn't want you taking up their food resources. I've never had trouble with any of those foods. Actually, I'm a big fan of potatoes. They filled me up quickly as a kid, and they weren't too hard to grow."

[ghost_holder]

"Yes, potatoes. But those are only good as animal feed–at least that's what they taught me. And she told me now that water is safe to drink too."

Aggie scrunches up her face, "But maybe I should listen to Barbara and not people who hang you for witchcraft."

[unburden]

"Most food here is very safe," Rukia says with a nod. "But I agree, it's probably best to turn to people who want to look after your welfare if you really want to know whether or not something is safe to eat." She makes a mental note to seek out Barbara for a further talk.

"I'm really glad that you have somewhere here who looks after you. Maybe I can meet her sometime. She sounds like a lovely lady."

[ghost_holder]

Aggie nods. Barbara isn't her Mom, but she's good to Aggie and has taught her how to use all the strange technology in this new time. And she makes potatoes taste good.

"She lives above me, at Dimera."

[unburden]

Encouraged by the young woman's smile, Rukia returns it with one of her own. It feels like a good start to perhaps something more regular — this won't be the last time that she wants to check up on the girl, and it might be worthwhile to see if there are other people Barbara is helping out in the meantime.

"Dimera," Rukia repeats with a nod. "Got it. I'll stop by soon. Before I go, can I ask... what your name is?"

[ghost_holder]

"Agatha Prenderghast," she says, holding back on giving her nickname. Aggie is something her mommie had called her; it has to be saved for people she knows she can trust.

[unburden]

Rukia's smile widens, glad for this amount of trust that the young girl's affording her. There's a lot in a name, in being able to pick a person out from a crowd by calling out to them alone. She tilts her head, then nods. "It's an honor to meet you, Agatha. You can ask for Rukia at Ocean View Apartments if you ever need to find me, or if you just want to spend time together. I think it'd be fun."

[ghost_holder]

"Rukia," she repeats, taking in the unusual name. "Ocean view apartments."

She commits that to memory.