A bit of therapy art.

[CW: Pet euthanasia]

Wagner, my bearded dragon, isn’t doing very well. I had hoped that he’d perk back up after heart treatment so that I could keep him a little longer, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I’m going to call the vet Monday and we’ll see where we’re at. I want to keep him with me forever, but I think he’s ready.

[/CW]

The person he’s with is my interpretation of Death. I’ve got a comic idea with him as the lead which I may or may not ever get around to, but some information about him:

- His appearance varies based on the person looking at him and their perception of death. Usually it doesn’t change very much between American eyes (or, more specifically, a majority that accepts the euro-centric view of death), but it can change drastically to between other cultures. “He/him” is also kind of a loose pronoun assignment, as some versions of death are female, at which point death is “She/her”. This doesn’t bother him/them.

- The interpretation of his appearance also changes. If someone finds him attractive and trustworthy, for instance, they may be clinically depressed or ill and waiting for death as relief.

- He’s not a god, but an anthropomorphic representation of an idea (hence the changes). Belief in and fear of death gives him power, making him one of the most powerful “gods” to exist.

- “Gods” generally pick their handle. Death went by Azriel for a long time, but he’s been told that looks weird on a credit card. War goes by Sun Tzu. Capitalism goes by Napoleon (Napoleon Hill, “Think and Grow Rich”). They change their names periodically if they feel like it’s not a good fit anymore.

- A firm believer in being fair and compassionate, but that means he diligently comes to everyone, takes no bribes, and makes (almost) no deals. To quote Terry Pratchett:

“YOU MUST LEARN COMPASSION PROPER TO YOUR TRADE.”
“And what’s that?”
“A SHARP BLADE.”