Norman
A few ragged crows with dark beady eyes sat on a branch in a budding oak tree, where they stared out at the leaving visitors. Today it seems as though there are not as many people paying the cemetery any attention. Perhaps it was the dreary clouds overhanging the gravesite that drizzled light showers of soft rain. It made the funeral flowers smell ever so much sweeter under this type of weather.

Furthest away amongst the trees sat a lone stranger, dressed in dark clothes with a "Grave Crew" Hat and a white mask worn over his face. It was only Malus in the woods playing his violin with music that sounded hauntingly beautiful. 

It was called The Ghost Song by Max Alblitzer.

The scene felt so mysterious and creepy as the character himself standing amidst the fog snaking across the wet grass. All the trees nearby seem to slightly sway in rhythm in soft creaks. When the cool breeze swept by, it carried along the dead leaves with it.
Megan
The raggedy crows with their raggedy eyes would behold the sight of a young woman in a heavy coat and holding a black case longer lengthwise, trudging down the dew soaked grass with boots. Her face was placid, seemingly unmindful of the odd place and its odd scents, with the odd sounds in the odd air.

Though that odd figure, she was not unmindful of.

There she stood in the far corner of that far corner where Malus was, not quite hidden, but not so obvious either, watching the performance. She juggled in her mind how she might compliment him when the time came, for it was surely a good performance.

Not that she held much affection for such things.

When his set came to a close, Lynn announced her presence with a slow clapping of her hands. "Wonderful." She said, her voice even, though it carried across the distance. "Might I ask what your name is?"
Norman
His light gray eyes opened to a clapping sound to where he spotted a girl. It appeared that she may have been watching his performance. For how long was not determined nor did it mattered all this much. 

He displayed an elegant bow to the one audience before giving her a friendly wave. Looking directly at the girl, his neck exposed a nasty scar slashed across his throat. It looks like a type of injury that any normal creature would have died from. 

Malus quickly fumbled with his instrument as he nimbly put it away into its old casing, then slinging the strap over his arm. He gave the girl a gesture as if to say,*"One moment, please!"* As he fished out his notepad from his pocket.

While he walked to her direction, he wrote on the paper with perfect writing that is easy to read. When he got close, he turned the book around for her to get the message.

*"Name's Malus. It is nice to meet you miss, may I get your name?"*
Megan
Her eyes linger on the scarring on his neck, and only a glance at the writing. "Lynn. Lynn Laurent."

"And," She said, "A shame about your voice. Maybe you had a talent in singing as well?"

She looked around. "Is this your usual place? I can't imagine getting attached to a cemetery of all places myself, but..."

"Well, I'm curious what you think."
Norman
He sheepishly rubs the back of his neck with his free hand before he returns back to writing another message. Malus was used to this by now writing notes in perfect letters, ensuring that the reader can understand it. Then he switched the booklet around for her once again.

*"I'm afraid that I am unable to find out for myself. Unfortunately, I got this when I was born from an accident."*

Then he paused a bit before glancing at the scenery before returning to writing another message for Lynn. *"I find it to be a rather peaceful place that needs care and protection. It feels right at home for me, so I sometimes come here to keep the dead company."*

There's the obvious letters on the front panel of his cap that says,*"Grave Crew,"* That stood boldly. A special item from his former job that he kept since he had no choice but to quit.
Megan
"A shame. A shame indeed." She repeats.

"And you do not find the living agreeable companions?" She asks. "Just joking."

"Certainly, the dead keeps companionable silence. And they do not offend anybody. Perhaps I might learn to appreciate this place as you do, one day."

"Though unfortunately, they are of no use to anyone, either."

She lets the silence hang for a moment. "Say, you come from the Cradle too, don't you? I do feel like you look a bit familiar."
Norman
Something about what she just said was off putting.

**"Though unfortunately, they are of no use to anyone, either."**

With her saying that had rubbed him the wrong way that made him feel an itch. Something inside him just didn't like what she said. He won't show anything while he listens, writing in the notepad to respond.

*"Not quite useless I must say. Even though they take up space, corpses are beneficial toward nature providing nutritional resources. I was kind of thinking about burial trees to help make up for the loss of trees that humans use for lumber."* 

Then there was the awkward silence which left Malus flipping to the next clean page. He wasn't sure how to feel about Lynn yet. The next question made him slightly confused since he barely ever leaves his dorm unless he sneaks out to do classes, hide away in shadows or just go out adventuring.

*"Yes? I believe that I haven't seen you around on campus. Are you from there as well?"*
Megan
Lynn raises a brow at his comment. "Then should we perhaps call for arborists and lumberjacks over cemetery keepers?"

"Haha," She laughs, a very dry, very unamused, but very polite laugh. "You don't have to mind my comments. I have no desire to hurt this cemetery or anything like that. That's not why I'm here."

"Yes." She confirms. "Ahhh, Cradle is a very fitting word, isn't it? They say we have to learn about our... Eccentricities before we can be let back into society."

"Oh, I don't know about others, but I for one need the help of others to figure out mine. It is fortunate, then, that I find myself in the company of many parahumans who might understand me. Won't you help me, Malus?"
Norman
Sketchy.

Very sketchy.

Malus takes a cautious step back as he writes in the notepad before turning it around for Lynn to read. *"Help? What kind? We only have met and already you ask of me?"*

This was starting to make him uneasy. A single bead of sweat slid down his temple, beginning to get the stranger danger vibe from the girl. Sure they are from the same school, similar age, but different powers. 

*"Out of many other parahumans, why choose me in particular...?"*
Megan
"As people from the same facility, we should be acquainted, yes?" She suggests. "Of course, I'd be willing to help you in a matter of your own as well."

"Hmm, it's not quite right, but for the sake of simplicity, call it a large scale project of mine. A lot of help needed." She said. "It's simple. I seek the chosen one. To that end, might you lay hands upon mine sword?"

She shuffles the case around her arms, before pulling it open to reveal an unadorned katana. She carefully lifts it up, holding from both ends.
Norman
"Eh...!?" Malus let out a confused grunt that was static. It hurt the inside of his throat which caused him to cough into the crook of his arm. 

This was a weird experimentation that this weird girl is asking of him. It was making him take another step back, his light gray eyes watching her cautiously. 

It looks like an old Kanata when she is displayed in front of him. He texted Pernilla to let her know what was going on, making sure to send a picture of said girl without the flash or sound to be alerted. This is to take precaution in case something bad is going to happen.

This is the weirdest and dumbest thing that he would have ever done.

*"I'm going to die. I am literally going to die by this stupid thing that I am about to do,"* Malus thought, finding this girl to be incredibly weird. 

A part of him sort of gets a sense that there was some sort of life that he can feel from the blade itself. He removed his glove from his hand, wanting to at least get a taste of what sort of essence this thing provides. The kid was sure damn hungry right now, this sword would do for now.

As his hand touches the hilt, there is a choir of ghostly screams escaping from the object as it begins to reshape itself in the form of a shadow. A gust of freezing wind envelopes them both that stirred up the dead leaves and twigs. Malus wasn't sure but he could have sworn that he felt the earth slightly shaking beneath them like the dead themselves are waking up. Perhaps it was just the power of the blade itself showing its own strength?

The shape of the katana was no more.

In its place is a dark sword with a blue/purple hue glowing in the center of the blade with some sort of gun attached to it? What surprised him the most was the solid, shadow form of a monstrous maw moving around the crossguard? Was it a crossguard? Malus isn't sure but that part looks like a living, organic creature made out of nightmares.It looks like if he'd stab someone with this blade, the maw would grow large to bite them like a Piranha Plant. When he felt the black tendrils squirming up his arm in forms of veins, this is when he quickly let go of the blade.

Nope!

This is the dumbest thing he'd done!

He rubs his hand over his jacket like he'd just touched something that he should have. This crazy girl had come across someone who is akin to being a child of some reaper or nightmare of sorts.