[ DRAFT 12 ] For remembrance, for penitance...

[metharchy]

[ OOC: The following open-comment log has been written in third person, as this is not a communicator-post. Please feel free to interrupt what she's doing, in comment-log style, or third, whichever you please. <3 ]

It had been weeks since Meth had completed rebuilding the temple on deck thirteen. She hadn't been back since, instead occupying herself with minor repairs around the ship. On any other day off, she might have kept to herself in the tree house on deck three, but today wasn't a typical day off for Meth.

Her steps were slow and even as she walked across the field of flowers, and in her hands, Meth carried two oversized tote bags, filled to capacity. On her off days, Meth was usually still in work clothes of some variety. She liked to carry small tools with her on the off chance she saw something small that needed fixing. Today, however, her usual garb had been replaced with something quite different. The voluminous pants she wore were made of a thick blue linen that cut short at her calves, and her sleeveless shirt swept across her chest to close in clasps down her side. Instead of heavy work boots, she wore simple flat sandals, leaving her bare feet to be tickled by the flowers as she made her way across the field.

At the entrance of the temple, Meth paused to set her bags down. She looked inside with her expression a mixture of solemnity and apprehension, and with a deep breath, stepped inside to begin.

Comments

[ttlynotawizard.livejournal.com]

The temple on deck 13 was a quiet sort of place. Private, for the most part and Remy spent a lot of his not bartending time there, be it taking a nap in the flowers outside, inside reading a stack of comic books or showing it off to someone. Today he could be found sprawled out in the middle of the floor, a copy of The Dark Knight Returns in his hands. He doesn't even notice Meth enter.

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

She had been hoping to find the temple empty. For a moment, she just stood there, staring at Remy, wondering what to do. If she'd had work to do, if she'd been on the job, she might have simply kicked him out, but Remy had every right to be there, as she did.

Meth cleared her throat, feeling somewhat awkward standing there with her things, in her Aspurran garb.

"Remy?"

[ttlynotawizard.livejournal.com]

"Huh?" He looked out from behind the side of the book. His face broke into a smile before he closed his book and sat up. "Well, hello there, Meth!"

He looks her over a bit. She seemed more casual than she normally did and Remy approved. "You look relaxed today. Taking a much deserved break?"

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

Meth returned his smile with just the barest curve of her lips. "Hello," she replied, voice sounding strange to herself somehow. The day felt so very off to her.

"Yes and no. A break but...not," she added, looking around the rest of the room to see if there was anyone else. Thankfully, it appeared to be just Remy in there. "Actually I'm glad I ran into you. I was hoping I could ask you a couple favors."

Meth felt even more uncomfortable asking him, but today wasn't a day she'd be issuing orders to anyone.

[ttlynotawizard.livejournal.com]

"A break but not, hmm?" That seemed an odd way to put things. He was very curious as to what she needed him for.

"I'd love to help," he said with a smile. "What do you need?"

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

"Two things, actually. One is rather necessary, the other well, only if you want." She was being so very careful with her phrasing, and it was such a foreign thing to act so accommodating as she asked her favors.

"I want to use the temple, and you are laying right in the middle of the space I need." She needed a lot of open space, and would likely center things over the brick symbol in the ground. Meth exhaled. "I'm hoping that once I'm done, you wouldn't mind tending bar for me. I'm going to need several drinks after I leave here today."

Meth felt haunted that day, and feeling as though it showed in her eyes, she averted them.

[ttlynotawizard.livejournal.com]

"So...get out now and get you drinks later? I suppose I could do that." It had been somewhat a dream of his to get her mildly drunk. "Very well. I can find another spot to read in."

He laughed a little. "You did give me I think the politest 'get out' I think I've ever heard."

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

"Enjoy it while you can," she replied dryly, though the smile she gave him then was a bit more amused, more genuine than before. "After today, things return to normal."

Meth turned back to her bags and began to unload them. She pulled out a bag of coals and walked it over to the symbol on the floor. After placing it there carefully, she looked back to Remy hesitantly.

"You don't have to do drinks later of course. I can serve myself if need be," she added, heading back to her bags.

[ttlynotawizard.livejournal.com]

"Miss Meth, I wouldn't dream of turning down the opportunity to serve you alcohol. I've been trying to since you first arrived," he laughed as he ran his hand through his hair."

He eyes the coals curiously before looking back up to her. "I hope you'll tell me what you are doing here over drinks later. I'd love to know. Enjoy yourself."

That said, he left the Temple, off to find something else to occupy his time.

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

[Lenny hadn't been in this room since the day he went scouting with Remy. That day didn't end well. Still, its nice to explore every once in a while, and this place has a whole lot more wing room than the rest of the boat.]

Hey... someone's in that big rock store. What do they sell, anyway?

[Curiosity struck Lenny hard. What if they had fries? There's no turning back now. Lenny hopped into the temple.]

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

[By that point, Meth was more or less done with her preparations. From the trunk in her room, she had retrieved several items, of both material and sentimental value. They'd been placed evenly around the temple to form a wide circle around the symbol set in the floor.

At that moment, Meth was pulling coals from the bag and pyramiding them over the central symbol in the floor. So absorbed in her task, she didn't notice the seagull enter.]

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

Dude, this lady's planning something. Maybe she's gonna, like... sacrifice a guy. or roast marshmallows.

[As he hoped desperately for the latter possibility, Lenny observed Meth's work from far.]

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

[With the last coal set down upon the pile, Meth straightened, brushing her hair out of her eyes. She still hadn't noticed the seagull as it stood far from her work space, and still. She inhaled steadily, held it a moment, and as she exhaled, her breath came out with a shudder.

Meth reached into the pocket of her pants and pulled out a pack of matches. Carefully she knelt down once more and began to light them up. They caught fire easily, and Meth rose up again.]

Though the flame is gone, even now the embers will smolder. In fire, I remember.

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

What's she saying?

[For a brief moment, Lenny forgets caution. He shuffles close to Meth, staring at her face from no more than four feet away with his head turns inquisitively to the side]

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

[It was the noise that drew her attention first. When she looked up to look for the cause, and found herself staring at a sea gull, Meth couldn't think to do anything else but stare back at first. Huh.]

...hello.

[She tilted her head to the opposite side, regarding the bird with some curiosity. Stranger still, she didn't feel immediately irritated at having her ritual interrupted.]

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

[Lenny waved his wing.]

What'cha doooin'~?

[He hops back and forth, observing the coals, the costume, Meth, the temple. Nothing escapes his beady gaze.]

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

[The seagull waved, but from a passenger, that wasn't exactly unexpected. She watched him as he looked around, seeming to try and take everything in. What a curious bird...]

It's a ritual. A remembrance ritual.

[Meth didn't feel stupid talking to the bird, but she wasn't quite sure if he could answer. Probably not, or he would have by then.]

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

[Ritual? What the hell is that? Lenny shrugged his wings at her.]

I have no idea what you're talking about. Looks like a bonfire to me.

[Lenny floats to one of the totebags. Maybe the S'mores stuff is there?]

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

[She can handle the looking, but going into the bags is a definite no-no. Meth panics at first, rushing toward the bird and the bags, until she remembers that they're empty. It wasn't as if she'd taken anything with her that she hadn't needed.]

Nothing in there, unless you were hoping to get packed away with all of my things once I'm done.

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

...Kay... well, if you don't need this right now, I'm just gonna make myself at home here. There we are.

[He settles into the bag, all comfy-cozy.]

Carry on!

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

[Okay well, that was sort of cute, except it also wasn't going to work at this particular moment. She had things to finish. Things she wanted to finish, more than ever. The bird, while somewhat charming, was not part of the plan.

She headed toward Lenny and the bag, and picked up a handle in each hand.]

You can stay in the bag but you can't stay in the temple right now, I'm sorry.

[Carefully, she carried the bag and bird outside the temple, and set it down in the flowers.]

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

[Woah, free ride! Lenny enjoys the momentary thrill before being set down.]

That was fun. You're good at this! Wait...Did she just ditch me?

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

[Thankful that the bird didn't seem to mind the ride, she turned and headed back into the temple.]

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

Her business didn't take as long as expected. While Kouhyarans and Asarians had elaborate, intricate rituals that took entire days, the Aspurrans believed that sometimes the most heartfelt message was straight forward and to the point. In the end, it was more important that Meth carried grief in her heart, than expressed it with a ceremony that dragged on.

Meth had smashed the dying coals with her fists, broken apart the pieces with her fingers, and in doing so, she felt something snap into place inside. It had felt so right to do this at last. Meth had curled her fingers into the ashes and raised them over her head. Dull ash drifted through her fingers into her hair, and she smoothed her dirty hands over her hair, and once more over her face, leaving streaks in their wake.

Bathed in ashes, ceremony completed, Meth gathered her things in one bag, and on a whim, the seagull in the other, and headed to Sergei's bar.

[ttlynotawizard.livejournal.com]

Remy was finishing up wiping down the bar when Meth entered. He'd been waiting there quite a while for her, eager to finally get her to loosen up a bit. He smiles when she enters and he greets her with a wave.

He tilts his head a little as he sees she's not alone. He laughs a bit at the seagull in the bag. "Well hello to the both of you. Making more friends, Miss Meth?"

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

Hey Remy. 'Sup?

[Lenny snaps his beak to greet the bartender. The ride was pretty awesome; he'd ridden on Jared's head before, but add in a bag and you've got yourself a personal sky-bucket.

He just hopes Remy'll give him something even if he stays put. Getting a snack is all well and good but nothing could possibly match bag-service.

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

[Meth set the bag with the bird down and took a seat at the bar. It was good to see Remy there, and she was glad she didn't have to wait for him to show up.]

He found me in the middle of things and made himself at home.

[Leaning her elbows on the counter, she rested her head in her hands. They were all covered in ashes so it wasn't as if they could get dirtier by touching.]

There should be a bottle of vedhir in the back corner. Once I have a shot of that you can serve me whatever you want.

[ttlynotawizard.livejournal.com]

Vedhir...can't say I've had it. What's it like?

[He asks her this as he looks for the bottle in question. He likes to pride himself on the variety of liquor he has imbibed and as such, when he hears of one unfamiliar to him, he has to try it.

Remy finds the unfamiliar bottle with enough searching and pours a shot for her. Lenny, you have a bowl of popcorn.]

sorry for the late tag <3

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

Yes. YES. Awesome.

[Lenny munches away happily. He looks to Meth and nods down at the bowl he just stuck his face in.]

You can have some too.

NP <3

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

It's bitter. Really bitter, actually. Doesn't mix well with anything, and really more of a...drink for certain occasions. I put it there for tonight. Hide it somewhere once I'm done, would you?

[She looks over to the seagull, and raises her eyebrow at the bird a moment, before reaching out and picking up a few pieces of popcorn. Popping them into her mouth, she looked back to Remy. Meth seems to be considering something, and when she decides to speak, it's oddly formal.]

Will you pour a shot for yourself and drink with me, Remy Whitecastle?

[ttlynotawizard.livejournal.com]

Certain occasions, hmm?

[He pours her shot and then looks up as she asks him to pour a second for himself. He gently smiles.]

I'd be honored to, miss Meth.

[He pours himself a shot and looks to Lenny.]

Water for you, then?

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

[Lenny shakes his head. He points a wing at the soda tap.]

Nah, gimme something fizzy.

[He emphasizes his demand with a stern hoot.]

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

Certain occasions. Well, just one in my world. You drink it after remembrance rituals, to toast to your departed.

[Meth took the shot glass in her hands, and stared at it a moment. It didn't look any different from other liquids, but somehow it was still foreign looking. Unrecognizable. She brought it up to her nose, inhaling to catch its scent. Stranger still, and she just couldn't seem to guess how it would taste.

Meth waited for Remy to pour something for the bird. She hadn't expected a bird to join her for the aftermath, but he was polite enough, so Meth found the experience rather novel.]

Tonight we toast to Pel.

[ttlynotawizard.livejournal.com]

Who's Pel, if you don't mind my asking?

[Remy served Lenny a shallow bowl of Sprite. He wasn't sure how birds reacted to caffeine.

He noticed her looking oddly a the shot glass]

Have you had it before?

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

[Shallow's a good idea, Remy. Caffeine isn't so bad but carbonation and birds don't really mesh well. Lenny taps his beak against the bottom of the bowl to enjoy the bubbles popping against his face.]

How do they make stuff like this? It's freaking amazing!

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

Pel is...was, my deity.

[She took a deep breath. It had been so, so difficult to say that. Pel was. Not is.]

In Askoupur, some of us get lucky. We're chosen, somehow, and bonded to a deity. We serve as their anchor to the land, and they give us a gift of power. Pel was mine. My deity, and no one else's.

[ttlynotawizard.livejournal.com]

That must be quite the honor, having your own private deity. What power did they grant you?

[He waits for her to shoot before he would.

A chitter is heard and Bandit hops on the stool near Lenny]

[seagullmun.livejournal.com]

What. The. Hell. Is. That.

[Lenny stares daggers at the horrible rat demon.]

You're not getting any. Go away.

[He snaps his beak- a formal threat!]

[metharchy.livejournal.com]

It was an honor, and the highest one a commoner could hope to be given, really. We were bonded on my sixteenth birthday. Usually a Gifted like myself would spend the birthday doing a celebratory ritual, but since Pel is gone...it was something else.

[She lifted her shot glass. Her words seemed formal at first, though steadily growing more emotional.]

To Pel. In honor of his devotion and contribution to the people of Askoupur, and the bond we shared.

Rest easy, my friend.

[Meth threw back the shot, ignoring the way it burned, or the bitterness that made her want to spit it up again. It tasted awful, and she drank it down in one smooth motion.]