There and back again [Check-In]

The souls kept on coming through, faster than they really should have been. A change that was noticeable, after managing to get a sort of rhythm built with the inspection, and having the other Oni lead them off towards their path of judgment. Not too many of the souls had really stuck out to her.

After doing this work for as long as she had, models and actors were sent off to where they belonged, while she gave the usual small comments on their acceptance with death. Some of them, she was familiar with, in that they had been back here several times, but couldn't recall their first death.

Not too many were willing to go back intact like that, or would really go back to living for multiple times. Though it still managed to leave a bit of a glint in her eye, before she had sent them off. A momentary cure for boredom from what this line of work had entailed. She hadn't yet made any progress with these souls, where she could have some idle rest. But knowing what was going on in that realm, and the change she saw now, it was unsurprising.

That didn't make her mood go any easier, knowing that souls were seem to be dying left and right, a majority of which were coming from the same place. The grip she held on the book that jotted down their lives, still remained precise however, and maintained the way that it was meant to be. So was their judgment and guidance away from this station. There had been times when a soul had asked something she was too attached to, and their visits here had been shorter than their standard. But even so, they were not meant to stick around here for so long anyway. That job belonged to the Kais who were left here.

Time had gone by a little more before a familiar face had appeared again, and one she had checked out only just this morning. The line had been manageable enough by then, for her to rest a hand under a chin, up until this sight. These red eyes of hers, they glinted in a way a mortal would have, if who they knew had come home late, but their appearance was too much of a mess to be enraged over. This expression of his was certainly what she expected.

"With your kind of presence here, this could almost be seen as a conjugal visit."

She had straightened herself up, as it was about time anyhow, as what might be newer souls, should see their gatekeeper took their lives seriously. Although a big part of that, he played a role into, as she gained a glint of interest, even if the cause by it had been through grim means. There was a little twitch of a smile, that anyone else who was capable of blinking, might have mistaken, as she gazed back down towards the book to flip to where his life was.

"I understand your concern, but the signs of it had came far earlier than your current arrival. It says here that you did buy time for two fighting souls, although one had fallen shortly after your offer of the senzu beans. Take that how you will, but it's unlikely the battle here will be victorious for those who defended the city."

For someone like him, there was always going to be one other question she could answer, however it wasn't meant to be a discussion. The souls here needed to be moved on, and given the time to do so, she was sure he would be back in the living realm again. It was only a wonder of what he would come back to.

"If there's anything else on your mind, I'll allow one quick question. You should know the way by now."

These exchanges really did buy her some momentary peace of mind. The work involved with moving along souls was a long one, which not many would give a second thought too, after their judgment. Though even those who did would only be able to offer a few moments of a talk with her. This line never really died down. Things were slow once, long ago, but beings who had grasped higher power, made it to where there was nearly always some movement around here.

For the souls whose achievements were enough to be granted blessings, she could see how easily failure struck at them, believing that things would not be righted and that the balance wouldn't be fixed. There were so many things they were unaware of, and not enough time to be told about it all.

Tears from him, still remained to be like the souls who couldn't accept that they were dead, although she understood just what survival had meant for him. All of the blessings he was given, and the plan to use these efforts to change what was going on down there, only to end up back here again, as if he had never left. She had no comments towards this state of his, only a fraction more patience than she would have, if this had been any other soul.

The one question that she allowed him to ask, also had to do with the battle, particularly regarding one individual. Flipping through the pages of the book again, she had already knew the lives of those he bought time for, hadn't involve this individual. But it wasn't her place to reveal what wasn't necessary.

When the time had come for it, this one would be judged just like any other. For now, this one was just a soul she was only waiting to run into, and nothing more. The titles and efforts that these souls had gained in life meant something, though nothing usually more than a glint for her in this line of work.

"No, she wasn't. There's not much else I can say, beyond the wrath that was born from this battle. Unfortunate as it is, I would also advise you to get to know some of the newer souls who'll be coming in."

Her gavel had been swung, signalling that he should move on, while she had gone to check-in the next soul, and back to the rhythm she had before.