Linton sighed and looked sheepishly down at his clasped hands. "Do you... know who I am? Or what I've done?" If indeed he did, he would know escaping the public eye wouldn't be exactly easy. The human race was a nosy one.

(( Haha! xD Well, that's a pretty cool typo. My post is short for dramatic effect. ))

Cambridge raised an eyebrow at him, "Yes but I tend to retain stuff from my former life. I'm not what you would call a old reaper by any means." At him mentioning the day being busy she chuckled and rain a hand through her blue hair. "It has been a busy day. Granted I've only took two souls today, I'm honestly surprised I haven't taken more with all the near death experiences that seem to be occurring today." Un-clipping the list hooked on her hip and looking at it she stared at it confused."Though I am lost as to why Brodie Fisher is still on The List, No name is on it longer then 5 minutes."

((have to go, I have to get to sleep and wake up in 6 hours to get ready for school. T_T ))

Linton nodded curtly. "Thank you." He paused and added: "But people don't change." He would know first-hand, considering he worked with so many people that claimed to have changed. The truth is that everyone has skeletons in the closet, and it keeps them firmly anchored to their past. As someone once spat at him: "Politic comes from poly, which means many, and tic, which means blood-sucking insect."

We can raise as many walls as we want, wear as many masks, and check into a million rehab centers- but the truth is everyone is evil at heart. People don't change. Situations do.

Adalia lay alone on the top of a building. Today just felt way to suffocating.

Sitting up, she peered at the living below, marvelling at their ability to continue life when they knew it could all end at any moment. Looking at the crowd though, one of them seemed to stand out a little too much. The black silk cloak made him stand out a little bit too much. Either he was not human, or he was just an oddball.

But none of the other children seem to notice him or seem to purposely avoid staring at him.

Adalia stood up slowly, deciding on whether or not to investigate it further. She really did not want to interact with him if he was a reaper, for in her opinion, anyone who chooses to become a reaper must have something terribly wrong with them.
She smiled at this thought.

However, if he is a reaper, maybe he saw what happened earlier today. Time to see if he passes the test.

The reaper swiftly leaped off the building and ran ahead to made sure she stood a few meters ahead of the man. As the man approached her she held her hand straight out and pointed her pointer finger and middle finger toward the man's eyes.

Adalia had a look of slight disappointment on her face as she lowered her arm.

"Hmmm...." she said as she approached him. "I'll give you a 50. You passed the test, but not in the proper way."

Ah, I'm beginning to see the defect with this one. Adalia thought to herself.

Turning around to follow him she replied, "Well that may be the case. But alas, you are in this world and therefore you should still acknowledge them."

"That being the case, " she continued, "whenever someone tries to gouge your eyes out, you have to put up a finger in between the two fingers to stop them. That is the proper way after all. And if you're still wondering as to why I did this, any living being would not have seen me. While the opposite would not be able to ignore me if I stuck my fingers in there face. You just barely passed my test by revealing that you were a reaper, but next time remember the proper way at least." the female reaper concluded as if it was the simplest reason in the world.

"But pushing that aside, what do you mean that I'm the second reaper you've seen today?"

Another reaper? the woman thought as she followed the man into the garage. That's odd, why are there so many gathering in one place...?

"I have a dragon to catch. Do you need a ride somewhere?"

Adalia snapped out of these thoughts at the mention of 'dragon'.
"A dragon?" she repeated, as she suddenly became aware of her surroundings. "What do you know about dragons?"

Adalia remained silent for a moment.
If what he's saying is true...then... she glanced up at the man already in the car.
"Do you need a ride somewhere?" he repeated.

Can I really trust him? she thought to herself as she surveyed the other person. I have heard of such cases, and as we all were human once the possibility for us to defy our rules are very high. However, these cases really are quite rare. But with that odd crash today...

Adalia suddenly looked up at the man realizing that he must have been expecting a reply from her. "Well, while I do not remember much from my previous life, a phrase does pop up to me right now about accepting rides from strangers. I'll have to decline you for now as I do believe Geoffry has had plenty of time to get ready for death. I do hope the next time I see you, that you do explain to me indepth about this so-called idiot dragon friend of yours."

((ooc: aka, time for me to sleep now))

Hideto smiled gently as he watched the children; some singing along with their favorite nursery rhymes, others dancing, and still others giggling over his accent. All seemed to have one thing in common, though - they appreciated that he seemed to be enjoying entertaining them.

The energy began getting to him, and he began playing a more complicated instrumental that he had composed the week before. Even though the kids likely wouldn't be able to appreciate the complexity of it, they would be able to appreciate that he was definitely having fun with it...and that was all that mattered. He began slapping at the strings, and even using the body of the guitar to double as a drum. Several children danced, others laughed, and a few stared on in amazement - he figured their parents must have been musicians. As he finished, one even pulled out a toy guitar and played something of a "response." He wondered if something like this would count as his required community service for his senior year in high school - it was certainly more enjoyable than just the THOUGHT of picking up trash all day.

He felt some kind of presence in the room...it was almost as though he could sense that someone nearby had just passed on. Maybe it was just the incident earlier making him worry, but ugh...he despised that feeling. It was the one thing he disliked about the idea of entertaining in a hospital - the knowledge that someone nearby may very well be dying.

Still, he tried not to let it bother him. He was making these children happy, and for all he knew, happiness just might be enough to save their lives. Smiling warmly, he faced the group.

"Does anyone have any requests?" he asked, laughing slightly. This was very definitely an...interesting day.

A frail little girl who'd been watching the guitarist - though too weak to join in with the other children's antics - closed her eyes, the monitor next to her letting out a piercing wail that announced the lack of a heartbeat.

Nurses and doctors came rushing into the ward with a defibrillator to try to resuscitate the young child.

"Just in time," Shozii sighed, walking out into the hallway once the elevator doors opened. He was a familiar enough face among the hospital that he didn't bother concealing himself. He appeared to be normal looking now, though his physical features would still strike anyone who didn't know him as odd.

Before he reached his destination, once again his pager went off, sending him into a run for the stairs. 'You're not winning this race. Not in MY hospital,' he thought stubbornly, running up two flights of stairs.

He ran back into the hallways and made it to the children's ward to assist the doctors in trying to revive the girl.

He stepped into the ward, getting as close as he could to the girl without getting in the way. Hands in his pockets, he leaned his back against the wall and waited for the doctors to give up. 'Damn, he beat me here. Oh well, it's not like he can save her every time.' He sighed again, not very fond of the current situation; he hated reaping children.

Thankful for the rubber gloves, he was allowed to use his ability to heal without anyone being alarmed by the glowing of his hands. Though the slight glow to his eyes were unavoidable, he had chosen to risk it. He'd saved this girl many times before, and had been one of her doctor's since she was an infant. She was a regular sight in the hospital, as she often fell terribly ill.

After several more attempts by the doctors, they turned off the monitor and looked at the clock to call her time of death. As the pen met the paper, a weak cough escaped the girls body and her eyes slowly opened. Some of the nurses looked positively stunned, though those who'd looked after her in the past didn't seem very surprised.

"Kid, be happy you're alive. You've got one hell of a guardian angel," one of the doctors told her, switching the monitor back on. He gave instructions to those surrounding him except Andrew; he knew Andrew wouldn't leave her side for a while and it was pointless to tell him otherwise.

"Alright, back where you belong," the doctor who'd speculated on guardian angels barked, sending those employees around him scattering to obey him.

Once everyone but Andrew and the visiting boy were gone, orange eyes locked onto blue. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"I'm not in the mood for your whining," Andrew replied coldly. He pulled a chair to the girl's bedside and sat down, holding her hand in a reassuring manner.

((Eheh. Sorry about the length. Kinda got carried away...>.>....))

Hideto shuddered heavily when the sickening alarm sounded. Oh, he despised that sound...more than anything in the world. The very sound of death...it was bad enough in movies; to hear it in real life absolutely turned his stomach. He wanted to just keep playing to calm himself down...but he just couldn't. His hands were shaking too badly. The fact that this was a CHILD just made it all the worse.

His voice trembling, he muttered a line from a song he had written to himself...it was being proven very true. The doctors rushing around him only made everything more frightening. He wanted to comfort the children...but first he had to calm himself!

Suddenly, he heard something...the sound of a normal heartbeat being monitored. And one of the doctors was saying something about a...guardian angel? It wasn't something he had ever given much thought...but today's events were starting to make him almost believe in them.

Still shaking, he looked up again, to see the man he had met earlier, as well as a rather strange-looking man apparently arguing. It would have been an amusing sight, if he hadn't been so shaken up - he couldn't help but notice that they were polar opposites in appearance. An argument between them somehow seemed likely just by their appearances alone. He couldn't help but stare, just out of curiosity...not even noticing how much he was still trembling.

((**Note: I actually wrote the song that line came from (and am currently recording it). I'm proud of myself for it. ;p What the line means is "The cycle of 'life' and 'death' is too relentless." It felt...fitting.))

The children in the ward were unsettled, though the ones who'd been there the longest seemed to almost be used to it. They also seemed to know both of the men in the ward.

"Uncle Andy...? I feel sick..." the girl whispered weakly.

"It's alright, you'll be better in the morning. Go to sleep," he told her in a gentle tone. He raised his hand up and held it just above her eyes, though once again his gloves concealed any light his hand would produce.

"Alright..." she whispered with a yawn, her eyes slipping closed as she instantly fell asleep. He reached over and shut off the monitor.

An eyebrow raised at the blond's actions. "You're actually letting me?"

"Yes," he said sadly, his head hung. "She's in too much pain. Shozii, I just couldn't let her go until her thoughts were calm. She's having a good dream now. Take her and leave." It was clear by the tone in his hushed voice that this was extremely difficult for him.

A look that somewhat resembled the other's crossed his face, only this was concern for the doctor and not the patient. With a sigh, he stood up straight and made his way to the girl's bedside, gently caressing her cheek with his left hand.

Immediately the child's already labored breathing weakened until the rising of her chest had ceased; her heart no longer beating.

"Don't get so attached," he said coldly, turning and heading for the hallway.

"Bye Emma..." several children called softly as the dark-haired man left. He hadn't hidden himself from the children because there was no point to it; they knew what he was, he made sure of that. They didn't fear him, he spent too much time with them to let them be afraid. It was the least he could do for their young souls.

Slowly he stood, pulling the child's blanket over what was exposed of her body, before pulling the curtain around her bed so the other children wouldn't see her. He left the room for a moment to make the call that Emma had died, then returned to the children's ward.

"You look like you're feeling rather sick," he said quietly to Hideto. "Why don't you get a cup of coffee downstairs in the cafeteria?"

"No, no...really, I'm okay...I'm...fine..." Hideto muttered, struggling to hide his obvious discomfort (and failing miserably). "I'm fine, I --" Suddenly the knot in his stomach tightened significantly as what had just happened fully registered. His hands flew up to cover his mouth as he leaped to his feet. "O'TEARI!" he cried, struggling to keep his mouth closed as he practically flew out the door and down the hall to the nearest restroom, the contents of his stomach refusing to stay where they belonged.

As he finished his "business" and shakily walked out of the bathroom, a famous fellow Okinawan came to mind...and he couldn't help but feel bad for acting so weak, especially when so many others have seen so much worse. Having to run out like that in front of everyone...maybe it WOULDN'T be such a good idea to do this for his community service, regardless of whether or not it would count. As he returned, he wiped the sweat from his forehead...and hoped no one would notice that he'd gone as pale as a ghost.

"So...sorry about that..." he muttered, his voice significantly weaker than usual as he returned to the room.

Hideto nodded weakly, but confidently...he came down here prepared for almost anything in regards to his current situation. He might still react strangely to something COMPLETELY absurd...which wasn't exactly seeming that unlikely anymore, and he struggled to prepare himself for even that. But really...it wasn't like he was scheduled to die or something like that, right? He could handle the answers...whatever they were.

((Why yes, I AM a sucker for irony.))