73 [Video]

[marsfireignite]

[Rei is sitting on the floor, her knees to her chest. Her back is pressed against an invisible wall -- a chamber, of sorts, made out of energy. She is perfectly still, breathing slow and even, her eyes fixated on whatever is in front of her

Comments

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[feel_nevermore]

[Raven answers several hours later and via text. The last 48 hours have already been among the worst Raven has had in Adstring. And Rei's message lets her suspect it's not about to get any better.]

I suppose this is important. Where do you want to meet?

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[marsfireignite]

The Tower. Two hours.

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[feel_nevermore]

The Tower? ...Are we meeting with Castiel, then?

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[marsfireignite]

no

[Text//Private//Unhackable] -> [Offline]

[feel_nevermore]

Good. I'll be there.

[It's for the better if Castiel's not coming. After the terrible fight they had, she's not really ready to see him again just yet. Maybe Rei wants to talk about Jinx?

She arrives at the tower a little more than an hour later and waits for Rei, meditating.]

[Offline]

[marsfireignite]

[She arrives, quiet, hands deep in her pockets. Rei looks exhausted and withdrawn, as if she doesn't actually want to be outdoors. But she had orders, even if they were old ones. Three people needed to be notified. And Rei was the only one who knew.

She pauses before she meets Raven's eyes. She doesn't comment on the state of the the other girl -- Rei doesn't look good either.]

Castiel is dead.

[Offline]

[feel_nevermore]

[As Rei enters the Tower, Raven stops her meditation and walks slowly to meet the other girl halfway. She looks quite bad. Apparently the past days were hard on her too. She's about to ask about what happened when Rei speaks.]

...dead?

[Raven blinks as if she can't comprehend that notion.]

But... no. We did fight but he was fine. [She's shaking slightly and presses one palm against a wall to steady herself. She repeats the last part in more determined tone.] He was fine.

[Offline]

[marsfireignite]

[Rei immediately starts forward, her heart catching in her throat.]

Did you slam him into a wall?

[Offline]

[feel_nevermore]

[Raven frowns and briefly closes her eyes, briefly replaying the scene. But no, she doesn't remember doing that and the outer wall was way too far, anyway. She did throw someone else into a wall but it wasn't Castiel.]

No. We were in the wastes.

[Offline]

[marsfireignite]

[The barest look of relief -- good. That was good.]

... that's how -- that's what I saw.

[Rei swallows to herself.]

That's how he died.

[Offline]

[feel_nevermore]

[A long pause.]

So... he really is dead.

[But instead of letting sorrow take over, Raven keeps her cool and tries to act as sensibly as she can.]

You saw how he died but not who did it... right? [She steps forward and awkwardly put one hand on Rei's forearm.] What did you see exactly?

[Offline]

[marsfireignite]

I would know if he wasn't.

[Quietly. She just -- knows. He's not alive.]

... I saw him being thrown into a wall. He was facing who did it. His back it it -- the wall crumbled -- and his neck --

[Snapped.]

[Offline]

[feel_nevermore]

[She nods and as she listens to Rei, more memories rush back.]

Memories of my fight with Castiel are a bit blurred. [Except that part when he uses exorcism against her.] ...I couldn't swear I didn't throw him into a wall at some point. But I'm sure he was alive at the end and he had his sword with him.

[And he was so angry.]

He must have picked up a fight with someone else after I left. ...Moron. Anyway if he was facing his opponent when he... died, he should be able to tell us who it was when he comes back.

[Raven remains quiet a moment. Castiel's dead and the last thing she said to him felt oh so ironic right now. 'I don't ever want to see you again'.] Where's his body right now?

[Offline]

[marsfireignite]

[Rei rakes her fingers through her hair -- it's a nervous habit, one she falls into whenever she has nothing else to do with her hands. She's frustrated. Scared. Sick with guilt. And the more that Raven speaks, the more Rei is convinced that Toushirou may be correct. And when Raven says it -- ]

There's only one person in this city that he would pick a fight with that would get angry enough to slam him into a wall.

[It's muttered, and Rei turns on her heel to close her eyes, to feel ahead, to try and find Castiel -- but no. Nothing.]

And I have no idea where his body is. It isn't at the Temple. Where it should be.

[It's added scathingly.]

[Offline]

[feel_nevermore]

Only one? [Raven sounds perplex. Because she thinks of several who could have done it: Lucifer, Raphael and Sonneillon.] Who?

[Now this isn't good news at all. It could mean that the one who killed Castiel would try to convince him not to reveal his identity when he'll be revived.] Nevermind. As soon as he'll be back, he'll contact... you, I'm sure. [She's meant to say 'us', until she realizes Castiel will probably decide not to contact her anymore. And she can't blame him. It's what she asked for after all.]

[Offline]

[marsfireignite]

Raphael.

[The name is practically spit out.]

Lucifer didn't do it. Jinx and Gabriel both told me otherwise.

[She calms, slightly, at Raven's next assurance, and Rei frowns at the girl.]

... neither of you were in your right minds. He's not going to hold what happened against you.