FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I was staring at the night sky, did I wake up from some dream? I looked at the aftermath of the incident, a cable broke, the safety net I setup was ripped by the very platform I stood on as it hangs sideways on a single cable.

'What a stroke of misfortune...' I thought to myself.

But then again, I can see and hear, so that means I managed to survive. And though I can't exactly recall what happened, I did laugh a bit knowing I cheated death. But my laugh sounded a tad off... well, I did have quite the fall. I sat up and looked at my surroundings... but then I realized something.

I couldn't feel the ground and grass, I wasn't breathing in any air, and it felt abnormally cold. In fact, I haven't even blinked a single time... I couldn't blink, and I don't feel a heartbeat.

"Huh?" My voice was airy, as if I was speaking from a wider area, I looked at my hands. My soft scales in the front were desaturated, and the back of my hands no longer shimmered a bright blue, my scales were gray.

"N-No way..." I looked down and saw something otherworldly, I saw two pairs of legs, but one pair was a bit transparent, overlapping the other pair a bit which appeared broken.

I tried to get up, but I floated upward instead, this can't be... I turned to get a good look, and what I saw shook me to my very core, it was me. My legs were contorted in a vomit inducing way, my left arm appeared to be dislocated, and the rest of my body didn't look good either.

I approached my body closer, dried blood saturated my clothing and my long, silver and wavy hair. I wore a white dress shirt with some beige pants, black suspenders, and steel-toed boots. I always had to get a size up since nothing matched my proportions, and even when I got slim pants I always had to wear a belt with my waist being somewhat small, for a dragon that is.

But these observations were all irrelevant, the real question was how I was seeing all this? But then I heard a voice nearby to the left of me, a slight chill creeping down my spine as I turn.

"Welcome child, you have awoken." I turned around and saw that it was her, the grim reaper, the one that approached me. My memories that felt vague slowly became clearer as I started to recall things, my words, my pain and suffering. She was floating slightly below me, looking up at me while phasing through the ground, slowly ascending to eye level.

"W-What happened to me? Am I dead?" How else could you explain this? No blinking or breathing, no pulse or heartbeat, the only thing I could appear to touch was this strange new body.

"No child, you've... become a reaper like me." I stared at her for a good while, a reaper like her? My memories flashed in my head again, everything that happened earlier as I was dying in greater detail. I started turning, floating up, I went to one of the second story windows at the mansion and what I saw was shocking.

"No... no way..." I touched my head which no longer had skin, and the rest of my body that did was devoid of its former color. All that remained on my head was my hair, white instead of silver, and three horns on my snout and forehead. I was exposed with no clothing.

I put a hand to the window, I phased through it, I couldn't touch anything but myself. But I was proven wrong when I felt a hand touch my back, I turned around and it was the reaper.

"Yes child, this is your new body, the new you. You appear confused, you may ask me anything." She looked up at me, the way she spoke was very motherly, and she could interact with me... but how was this possible? Then again, she did manage to touch my dying body...

Still, I needed answers.

"You... what's your name?" I looked at her skull, devoid of expression, but that's obvious, there's no skin or facial musculature to show it.

"You may call me Rose, child." Rose, a strangely fitting name for her. Even in this scenario it was hard not to scan her body... since it was entirely exposed. But then again, I'm in the same situation.

"Do you wear any clothes? It's cold." But even though I said that, I wasn't shivering. I didn't exactly feel the need to stay warm per say, I just didn't exactly want my genitals out in the open like hers, it's quite embarrassing.

"No, there isn't a material that can cling to our bodies, we can't interact with the world like mortals do. But what we can feel and touch is ourselves, those near death, and in this case... each other. Don't worry too much about being exposed, only I and those near death can see us Zane."

She answered in her same soft and soothing voice, she floated with a certain poise, her left leg slightly up in front while the rest of her body was relatively upright. Her position oscillated up and down subtly, her arms were somewhat crossed with her chin resting on her right hand.

Meanwhile I was floating like I had a rope tied around my chest, slouching with my arms slacked while also oscillating in the same way as I tried to go more upright myself.

"Well alright, will I eventually come back to life if I help you out? I recall you mentioned reviving me had a price, I'll pay it back. Afterall, I can't exactly do anything I really enjoyed in this... state, video games and working out especially."

I watched as her body language subtly changed, her head tilting ever so slightly down, appearing sad in some way. She put her left hand on her right arm, I looked at her, though it felt wrong to stare since her breasts and... privates were on full display.

"This is the price child... no, Zane, and there is no coming back from this. You're a reaper like me, forever..." My jaw parted at those words, forever? I was going to have to roam around the Earth like this for eternity?

"H-How do I undo it? After I meet my parents can't you let me rest or come back?" She moved her right hand to where my left cheek would be if I still had skin, looking down like she didn't want to make eye contact... even though we had no eyes.

"I'm... sorry Zane, I can't undo it, I tried to warn you of it. I really did, but you clung to life so desperately, so strongly that I couldn't ignore your wish at the time." I wanted to cry, but I had no eyes to do so, I'm never going to die? I grabbed her forearm with my left hand and squeezed it.

A subtle wind brushed over us and the grass, I guess the air around us can still interact with me, but it only amplified how cold I felt as I looked at my lifeless body.

"Why... why did you do it? Why did you go through with it and turn me into this?" Even if I didn't have a heart anymore, my emotions were still just as intense as I shivered. How was I supposed to enjoy life like this? To enjoy life without being able to partake in my hobbies?

"I'm sorry chi- Zane, I wish I had confirmed things more with you, but you passed out while begging me to let you live. You're the only one I've ever seen in my eternity, the only soul I've seen shimmer with the potential to become a reaper."

She tilted her head back up, even if she didn't have eyes I could tell she's looking into me, perhaps my own soul was what she saw.

"I've reaped many souls, but none had I ever seen with this potential Zane, and I'm not sure of the answer either..."

As I loosened my grip on her forearm, she grabbed my wrist and held it up, tightening her grip before she spoke again.

"But I promise you this Zane, it's my responsibility to show you the way of a reaper, I'll do my best to ensure your eternity won't be aimless."

I swallowed my saliva at her words, I guess I still have a mouth and tongue, even if I'm not exactly mortal anymore. I calmed down and really processed the reality now, I needed to figure things out.

"A-Alright... you mentioned my potential right? How many reapers are there other than me, especially since you've had an eternity to reap them?"

Her grip on my wrist further tightened, she also seemed somewhat shaken up, I could imagine what she'd say next without hearing it yet.

"You're the only other reaper... child, the only reaper other than me since the beginning of time itself. There has never been such a shimmer from a soul before, and I fear that part of my decision to revive you... may have been from my selfishness, my loneliness."

She let go of my wrist and moved her hand from my cheek as she turned away from me, she looked towards the sky. I moved my left hand to my temple, fidgeting with my horns to calm myself down.

"I'm sorry Zane, I really am, I'll leave..." I reached out and grabbed her wrist as she tried to float away with her head down, I gripped her wrist tightly.

"Don't go Rose... please."

She turned around, the wind picking up as it lifts her white hair, she faces me at eye level. I let go once she comes to a standstill, I fidget with my left horn as I think of something to say.

"I know you turned me into this... but you're the only one who approached me during the hardest moment of my life. I know you turned me this way, but I did agree to it, even if I wasn't able to hear the whole warning. So please, don't leave me."

I floated closer to her and hugged her, she reciprocated, her body was shaking. Squeezing me as we embraced, she hummed during the moment.

"You know Zane, the only ones I've been able to touch are those who shortly died afterwards, thank you for this. I won't leave you since you don't want me to, I'm sorry I can't turn you back."

I pulled away from the hug, holding onto her shoulders, looking at her skull. I'm not sure how I'll process all this in the future, but what matters is what I can do for my parents, if I can help them even as a reaper.

"I'm going to leave this area, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth seeing my dead body laying there in the grass, right where I can see it in my peripheral vision..."

I let go of her shoulders and floated above her, I could feel the wind as I ascended upwards, how high could I go? I decided I'd find out later as I took a look at the city a few miles away, the mansion was around this secluded neighborhood. It looked out of place compared the other residencies now that I thought about it, but then again, the whole neighborhood had quite the bizarre structure.

I looked down as I watched Rose follow me up. As I turned my head up to face her I wondered, wondered how my eyes weren't fixed to a certain angle since I didn't have any eyes. But instead I decided to focus on what this new body can do, what I can enjoy with my freedom as a reaper.

"How high can we go? Is there a limit to where our flight can take us?"

Rose shook her head, she looked up at the stars, was she lost in thought? But then after the wind hissed past us, she turned her sight back to mine.

"No... in fact, when I popped into existence, I was floating around. I'm not sure how long I roamed around the cosmos for, but I smelled something... something that drew me here to Earth since the beginning of time."

She suddenly started ascending higher, I followed and matched her pace, we went above the clouds. As I looked down everything shrunk, the density of my view increased as we kept going, and now we were in space... it was much colder.

"You can go anywhere Zane, anywhere in the universe if you so desire, there's no limit when it comes to our reach. A reaper never tires mentally or physically, even so, I sought to connect with others."

I looked at the her side while she was facing Earth. I can understand her view, it sure seems lonely being a reaper, but isn't that contradictory?

"Rose... you say you wished to comnect with others, but then why do you reap souls and end lives?"

Rose turned to face me, there was some mysterious subtly I felt that made me belive she was feeling sad, even if her face couldn't express it.

"I see... you believe I'm the cause of death, however that isn't what reaping is Zane."

I felt a little bad for assuming she ended lives, but before I could apologize she grabbed my arm and yanked me down as we descended back to Earth. She brought me to a cemetery, I let out an audible sigh as I turned my head to the side where countless others lay.

"Reapers don't exist to extinguish life Zane, they exist to comfort those who need it, to allow their spirits to rest after they die."

She moved her head closer to the grave she was in front of, it had the name William written on it, he died long before I was born.

"This man, William, was around your age when he died. In his final moments he was terrified, uncertain as he lost hope, his body becoming cold as his life faded..."

If I still had lips they'd be quivering by now, why was she telling me all of this, did she want to make me feel miserable? But then she put her hands on top of my shoulders, I turned my head to face her as she got close.

"The reason why I'm a reaper Zane, is to put these souls and spirits to rest, to bring them light in their final moment. To tell them it's alright, that they're not all alone while dying..."

I clenched my jaw, her strong emotions stirred mine up, I had many thoughts raving within' me.

"I'm sorry, Rose, I didn't know."

I can see why she was eager to make me a reaper, she could only connect and speak to people who were on their deathbed. And she did this for who knows how long, it must've been so isolating.

She shook her head while looking down, letting out a low hum as she looked back at me.

"It's alright Zane, it is true that only those near death can see me, I can understand the confusion."

Her arms slid off my shoulders and back to her side, she started hovering around, going aross the cemetery. I saw something glow in front one of the graves in the distance, was that light?

"Countless mortals die without a reaper to guide them Zane, some end up lingering across the Earth for many years, in this situation it's my duty to comfort and allow the spirit to rest peacefully."

She reached out and grabbed the little spirit, cradling it in her arms, holding it in a firm hug. She turned all her attention to this spirit in her arms who previously had a life of their own, perhaps having dreams and aspirations too.

"It's going to be alright child, you're no longer lost, I've found you. You can leave all your worries behind, rest and become one with the universe..."

I watched as the spirit she held slowly dispersed into the air, like a drop of dye slowly getting diluted by water, I guess ghosts do exist.

"Lost souls don't appear very often Zane, they appear for many reasons, like possessing a strong will to live. Or perhaps craving vengeance, some appear after having amassed large wealth... reasons like that for intance."

I started inching closer to her as she continued flying around, she went out of the cemetery and drifted towards a city as she ascended a bit higher, I could smell something... something strong.

"Do you smell it Zane? Do you smell that strange and mysterious scent... like it's calling to you?"

I nodded following closely behind her, the smell was strangely alluring, before I was able to confirm I could smell it verbally she continued.

"That's the smell of death, faint for others who have more time, but becomes incredibly strong when their time is short."

She came to a slow stop, turning around to face me above the quiet streets, she clenched her fists as she looked down. She did a low hum as she looked at me face to face, it seemed she was going to ask me something.

"Zane, if you want to, you can leave and do what you want. You don't have to reap souls, it's your choice, I won't force you to. So if you want to explore the Earth or the cosmos, you can."

I thought about it, what do I do with this immortal body? What do I do for the rest of my life? A life that can't end?

I don't know what will become of me years from now, but what I did know was that she was doing this all on her own. She still does it even if she doesn't need to, comforting people near death and granting them peace as they move on from life.

I don't know if she receives anything back, what she sees reaping as. But I can clearly understand that she has a kind and patient soul, that she wants to do this for them. I just had one thing, well... a couple things holding me back.

"Rose, I will reap souls with you... but can you wait a couple, maybe a few centuries? I want to watch over my parents, you probably know dragons can live up to six-hundred years... sorry if the wait is long."

Rose let out a hum, putting her hands behind her back as she leaned down a little, looking up at me as her hair flowed in the wind. Maybe she did this to make it look like she was smiling?

"A couple centuries is but a moment to me Zane, you can watch over your parents. And if you decide to reap their souls at the end of their journey, you'll be able to give them a proper goodbye."

I did the same posture as she did so my jaw could resemble a smile for her, she gave me this opportunity, and now I might be seeing it in a better light. But it also might be a good idea for me to reap a few souls or spirits first.

"By the way Rose, what's the difference between a spirit and a soul, just curious?"

Rose hummed for a bit as she went back to her upright poise, she transitioned to crossing her legs in the air, I mimicked her and did the same.

"What I reaped earlier is what I refer to as a spirit. As for souls, I view them more as the actual body of the spirit, I refer to them as souls when I reap their spirit from the soul."

That makes sense.

But now that I think about it, since we can't hold anything used to write or read, how did she learn English? I stopped myself from asking, she's lived for a long time afterall, it makes sense.

I was ready to try reaping souls or spirits, it looked easy, perhaps I could do it. I uncrossed my legs letting them drop, felt unfamiliar when I always had to move them on the floor.

I looked up, away from her as my thoughts raced, I was ready.

"Rose, before I go watch my parents, I want to try reaping a soul."