[Introduction] Last Laugh

[death_kl0wn]

The game is over. Nobody won, any more than anyone in the Shinigami realm really won those interminable rounds of gambling. As soon as he realizes the game was coming to an end, that Light's fascinating plan had fallen apart, Ryuk leaves the warehouse, leaving the humans to squabble among themselves and phasing through the iron roof before vaulting

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[the_shooter]

Pasha doesn't explore much. He's spent a lot of time reading, but right now he's enjoying a quiet moment with his eyes half-closed. But just catching a glimpse of the shinigami out of the corner of his eye has him on his feet and staring, and reaching for a gun that isn't there.

"What are you?"

[death_kl0wn]

Another reading dude... what's this with people reading in this place? Is it one of those... whatchamacallem's... Oh yeah, a school? And then the guy reaches like he's carrying a gun like one of the police, or that guy on the bus that Light punked into seeing him, not that a gun would do anything to him.

"Me? Heh-heh, I'm a shinigami," he says. "Don't bother trying to shoot me, even if you were... how do they say it on TV? Oh yeah, even if you were packin' heat."

[the_shooter]

"What is a shinigami?" Pasha is Russian, so the term is not at all familiar to him. "I don't have my gun here." And he misses it. He doesn't believe Ryuk's claims despite his appearance.

[death_kl0wn]

"Well, some people in Japan call us death gods, not that anyone worships us, and not that we really care about that, either," he says. "Most people don't even believe we exist any more." He eyes Pasha, curious. "You must be dead, if you can see me."

[the_shooter]

"How kind of you to remind me. I am or was, or something like that." It wasn't that long ago either. "I don't remember hearing about anything like you." He scowls.

[death_kl0wn]

"Well, they don't talk about us much these days, except in stories, but that doesn't make us not exist," he says. "Not that we care much; actually makes the job easier, though it's fun watching people jump when they see me, but usually they don't. Not unless they're dead or they've got magical talents or they're insane or something."

[the_shooter]

"We've established that I'm dead. Though I'd hoped being dead would mean eternal rest, not a house full of nosy women and weird spirit things where I have to eat and sleep just like normal." Let Pasha dump all his irritation on you, Ryuk, because he's been looking for someone to blame ever since arriving.

[death_kl0wn]

This actually gets a chuckle out of Ryuk: this guy's funny, sort of like Aizawa getting after Matsuda all the time. "Well, I wouldn't exactly count as a spirit-thing, though I can go through walls and things like that," he says. "I can eat apples, and spirits can't do that."

[the_shooter]

Pasha considers this, very seriously. Then he fixes a firm stare on Ryuk. "So, if I give you an apple will you go away?"

[death_kl0wn]

"Sure, whatever, though yah kinda make me laugh," he says, a little annoyed at being blown off like this, but brightening at the prospect of an apple.

[the_shooter]

The Russian isn't certain what he thinks about floating oddities he can't shoot. He's relieved that Ryuk seems to want to take the bribe. "Let me go look in the kitchen."

[death_kl0wn]

"Mind if I follow yah?" the thing asks, like some kind of malevolent-looking puppy, even cocking its head curiously.

[the_shooter]

"Not at all," Pasha says, trying to sound casual, but he does mind. He takes his book with him, and walks down the hall with the stride of a man whose used to people clearing out of his way.

In the kitchen, he looks first in the refrigerator. "You like apples a lot?"

[death_kl0wn]

"You bet!" the thing replies. "We don't have apples like these where I come from. And trust me, as boring as humans can be, they're worth hangin' around the human world for."

[the_shooter]

No apples in the fridge. Pasha straightens and scratches his head, then heads for the cabinets. "What kind do you have?" Apples are apples, aren't they? he thinks.

[death_kl0wn]

"Well, the kind we got have black skin and they taste like sand if yah try takin' a bite out of 'em," the thing replies, hoping an apple turns up in one of the cabinets. "No one in their right minds wants one of those. Blegh..."