Clean Up and Chill: The Religious Edition [OPEN]

[saltysanta]

Who: Noël Christenbell and you
When: September 23--and possibly all the way until September 30, depending on when you show up during the cleaning process
Where: The Cathedral
What: Noël discovers the one thing that could convince him that Theia really is his home, and proceeds to tackle restoring the cathedral himself like a stubborn butt.
Warnings: Angst, possible language, possible graphic descriptions of violence?

Take These Broken Wings
Noël never had liked churches. They were hollow and meaningless displays of fancy at best, and gaudy monuments of idiocy at worst--why did God need such elaborate houses, and so many of them, when so many people froze and starve on the streets? Why did people work so hard to make worship beautiful, when they ignored how ugly the rest of the world was? Why did God deserve such slavish devotion, when He allowed--no, made! Wasn't He supposed to guide all things to happen according to a plan of His own design?--such terrible things to happen? Even if they had sometimes relied on charity from the church to live, he was convinced that the whole thing was rotten through and through; he didn't believe in God, and he didn't like churches.

The cathedral was an obvious landmark, obvious enough that Noël had actually been avoiding it at first. But there was no sense in giving it a wide berth forever, not when he couldn't even get to the building beyond the scorched debris that surrounded it, anyway. Noël was skirting around it when he saw a chillingly familiar shape in the distance, near the gate to the graveyard: a mighty tree, thick trunk twisting and spiraling up into the heavens, broad limbs spread to throw a wide ring of shade against the late morning sun. For a moment, he froze completely as he stared, unable to breathe, heart and lungs squeezing so tightly in his chest it felt as though they would burst. He approached slowly, step by reluctant step, unwilling to believe--but the closer he got, the more strongly he could feel the presence of the spirit inside the tree.

There was no mistaking it. It was him. "Charles--"

Something inside him broke, suddenly and completely. Noël crumpled as though he was a puppet with cut strings, dropping his cane and sinking to his knees in the crook of the tree's roots. The trunk was far too big to get his arms around, so he simply clutched the roots and held on for dear life, pressing his face into the bark to muffle choked sobs.


Kyrie Eleison
He hated Christmas, and yet somehow, he'd become a Santa Claus. He hated churches, didn't even believe in God--and yet somehow, now he was diligently cleaning up the cathedral grounds and building. Why did he get into situations like this?

Because he had to, he had no other choice. Because this, apparently, really was his home after all. Because..... somehow, it felt right. He couldn't let Charles grow in the midst of such tragedy and devastation.

Noël can be found working doggedly at his tasks not only the entire day, but for days after, possibly even a week or longer. At first, he's clearing the grounds as well as he can, freezing and shattering pieces of debris that are too large to be moved as a whole, and shuttling it all out to where it won't be in the way. The overgrown grass and weeds are far, far easier to deal with; every sharp swing of his cane is accompanied by a flare of power, and biting, icy blasts of wind rush forth to slice through the unruly tangles of plant life. The encroaching monsters make the work considerably more hectic, but this time, instead of simply retreating to his house and waiting it out like he does at night, he stands his ground to fight.

Later in his labors, once he's able to get into the cathedral itself, the work is significantly more domestic. There's dust and cobwebs to be swept away, blood and grime to be scrubbed out, wreckage to be removed, broken furniture and gouged floors and walls to try and repair as best he can, disarrayed furniture to be put back in place, items gathered to replace anything ruined beyond repair..... He might even repaint the outside of the building, if he can find a tall enough ladder and some paint.

It's a tremendously big job for one person, even if he tackles it over such a long period of time. Perhaps you've come to help him, or maybe just to laugh and watch? When do you find him, and what will you do?

Comments

1

[powertotearer]

Eiji tries to keep his eyes open for anyone who might get attacked by any monsters alone. Today, he's doublechecking around the cathedral when he suddenly sees Noël drop to his knees and begin crying.

Immediately, he runs over, trying to see if he's hurt.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?"

/forever apologizes for this guy being a grumpy jerk

[saltysanta]

The only monsters that may be around at this hour are weak and skittish, hiding in dark corners of the ruins to await careless travelers. Honestly, Noël is probably lucky they didn't emerge and decide he was an easy target, alone and distracted like this; he barely even notices Eiji until the man is nearly on top of him. He's not hurt, but he's clearly not in a mood to talk, either; Noël scrubs viciously at his face with his coat sleeve, trying to force his breathing and voice to be steady.

"I-I'm fine. Get out of here."

[notsogreedy]

Ankh might be more of the "laughing and watching" variety, though perhaps it's more quiet smug amusement than laughing. Either way, he's not planning on helping any time soon, and hanging around only because he's bored and because for someone seemingly so invested in doing all the work, the feeling he gets from Noel surrounding it is... interesting. Wanting to do all of this and not wanting to at the same time.

"Why bother with somewhere like this?" He finally asks, from the top of something that might have been a statue once, that Ankh has now decided is his local perch, though it's debatable from his tone whether he's at all invested in getting an answer.

Any preference on where/when this happens? If they're inside, he's been at it for a few days now.

[saltysanta]

He doesn't want to do this. He doesn't want to be here. He's no man of the cloth, or even a believer at all..... But he knows he should, regardless. Someone has to. He wants..... just once, even just a little, to be able to do something honest and good for Charles' sake. He wants to give him a little island of peace in the middle of all this chaos and destruction. Somewhere open and pretty and safe to grow and thrive the way he was always meant to.

He knows it's a stupid thought, really. It shouldn't matter one way or another. But that doesn't stop him from growing filthy and sweaty and exhausted, tackling such devastation with little more than his own two hands. Whether he knew Ankh was there or not, he turns to look up at him now, using a forearm to push the brim of his hat up to get a better view. "We have to start somewhere, don't we? Sure, people are fighting monsters and looking around..... but they aren't really trying to clean this town up yet, either. Not that I've seen."

It's a lie, or something like it. It's not that everything he says isn't true, but..... well, what Noël is saying and what his heart is saying are two very different things.

Whatever works for you

[notsogreedy]

Obviously Ankh isn't a believer, either. He's not even human, much less beholden to any of their beliefs. His creator was a king who would have liked to think himself a god, and was destroyed by it. So really, the last thing that holds any positive significance for him is a church.

Not to mention the part where he senses desires, and while he can't tell exactly what it is Noel is after, he can tell there's a difference between the words and whatever's underneath them.

"Why here, though? There are plenty more useful buildings." The hospital, for one. With all the monsters around here it was only a matter of time before someone got themselves ripped up. And knowing how things tended to go in his life, it was likely to be the stupid human he'd adopted.

[saltysanta]

"Churches are really significant to some people? This is the only one I've seen mostly intact." Noël offers, shrugging; it's a light, casual answer, as though he's actually thinking of the other residents by doing this. Another swipe of his arm to wipe away some sweat trickling into his eyes; he's only just gotten into the cathedral and assessed the damage today, but it sure feels like every square inch of it will need a good hard scrubbing to get rid of all this old gore.

Even if he weren't kneeling on the floor to work, the height difference between them would be pretty solid, with the perch Ankh has chosen; he can already tell any prolonged conversation is going to give him a horrible crick in his neck. "Most other important things, we can find somewhere if we look. Besides, the only other really unique place important enough to clean up is the hospital, don't you think? And it sounded like someone else and his friends were taking care of that, from the message he left on the mirrors."

Squalo had seemed..... loud, to be honest, and probably not especially pleasant company. He'd chosen not to engage, though he'd seen the network post. After all, at that point, he hadn't cared enough to try and set aside his discomfort and get to work. Things are different, now.

[notsogreedy]

"Right, the loud guy," Ankh replied, proving that that was a common assessment. He couldn't blame Noel for not wanting to work with him. Ankh definitely didn't either.

Not that he would be likely to be doing much work on any project like that. Sitting up on a perch and being a bother was more his style. But if it would be possible to rope him into helping with something because it needed to be done, the hospital would be it.

[saltysanta]

"Mmhmm. It's been a little over two weeks now--I wouldn't be surprised if they're finished. I haven't gone to look at the progress, though." He hasn't needed to, to be honest. He does his best to stay inside at night, where he's safe, and he has healing magic of his own. The odds of him needing a hospital are generally pretty low--save when 'well-meaning' acquaintances nearly kill him trying to help him get free from nearly invincible cages.

Either way, as far as he's concerned, that's already well in hand. Which leaves him scrubbing ancient, long-dried bodily fluids off the floor of an apparently badly-ravaged cathedral like some kind of common menial servant, and wondering what exactly had happened to the parishioners here.

it's okay Eiji's used to grumpy jerks

[powertotearer]

There's something very familiar about Noël's reaction, and just by habit, Eiji digs in his heels and gets stubborn.

"Not with monsters around, I'm not."

Poor Eiji never catches a break, does he? /fluffs

[saltysanta]

"It's broad daylight." Noël manages a week glare in spite of the way his eyes still burn, scowling; it's easy to return stubbornness measure for measure. Easier to be angry and defensive than let himself feel the hurt. Why the hell should he talk to someone who's nearly a stranger?

well, he kind of brings it on himself sometimes

[powertotearer]

"It doesn't mean they're not still out here," he points out, crossing his arms.

"Look, I'll help. Just tell me what you need."

[saltysanta]

He can't exactly deny it, so instead, he just ignores it. "I don't need anything."

He needs an awful lot of things..... but very little that Eiji or anyone else can feasibly give him. The only thing Noël can think of right now is just..... getting some space, hiding and going to ground like some prey animal ready to lick its wounds and recover.

2

[gottastaycalm]

[ There's a loud creak of a door as a young Lambo steps through the opening. ]

My, my. It's dusty in here.

[ He tries to wave off the dust but he still manages to breath in enough particulates to make him sneeze. ]

[saltysanta]

Use a handkerchief. It'll probably stay dusty for at least a day or two longer.

[The suggestion floats out from near the back, where Noël is dragging the shattered half of a pew towards the door to be disposed of. There's already a small pile of debris waiting, not far from where Lambo is standing now; Noël has gotten every bit as dusty as the abandoned cathedral, working like this.]

What brings you out here?

[gottastaycalm]

[ He's going to fetch a handkerchief from his pocket which goes a lot slower through his sneezing session. When he finally buries his nose in the cotton cloth. ]

Noel-san.

[ He says in a nasally tone, eyes red as he looks over at him. ]

What are you doing here?

[saltysanta]

I'm cleaning this place up. It's taken a couple days just to clear the area enough to get inside at all.

[gottastaycalm]

[ He sneezes one more time, unexpectedly, which has him losing his balance for a moment, but he quickly regains it as he steps further inside to check on his progress. He sniffs, as he approaches the dust in the air playing havoc on his nose. ]

What are you looking for?

[ Because why else would he clean it? ]

[saltysanta]

Clues, I guess? I don't know.

[His sigh turns into a harsh cough; he's been breathing in all this hanging dust all day, and moving debris around really hasn't done any favors for the air quality in this place. Good thing Santas are probably used to getting filthy from crawling down sooty chimneys, huh?]

I'm not..... looking for anything in particular, really.

[powertotearer]

Yeah, that's not convincing Eiji in the least. He's certainly not leaving him alone.

He sighs and tries to keep himself from sounding too snappish.

"What's wrong? Something's got you upset over here."

[gottastaycalm]

[ By this point, Lambo is keeping that handkerchief on his nose so his voice sounds off and a little nasally. ]

Then, why are you cleaning?

[ Okay, now you're not making sense. ]

[saltysanta]

It's..... mmn.

[It's complicated, and he's not really sure he wants to go into it with Lambo..... but he doesn't have to mention sensitive subjects to address some of his concerns.]

You remember how we were all welcomed home, don't you? How we got told we just..... ran away for some reason, and something happened to our memories?

[There's a long, reluctant pause as he goes to gather a new armful of shattered wood.]

.....I think that might actually be true. For me, at least.

[gottastaycalm]

[ He nods. He guesses the whole thing must be something like his Ten Year Bazooka that altered reality. He's had too much experience with time travel to put to be put off by the whole notion, so he's just going with the flow. Still, he believes Tsuna will find him. Whatever weapon they were using to alter their current reality wouldn't stand up against the Decimo. ]

........

[ He blinks at that statement. ]

True how?

[saltysanta]

He doesn't want anything to do with this. He doesn't want to talk to anyone. He just..... he doesn't know what he wants. Answers, maybe. For this not to have happened. For things to be how they used to be so he could redo his life and make things right.

It doesn't seem like he's going to get anything he wants, though, so Noël just hunches his shoulders instead, blinking hard to try and clear his vision. "Nothing you can do anything about."

[saltysanta]

It's..... there's a big tree behind the church, near the cemetery. You might've seen it coming in.

[Noël sighs again and drops his armload in the pile. He rakes a hand through his hair, knocking his hat askew; it isn't like he can get that much dirtier than he already is.]

There's only one tree like that in the entire world, I could recognize it anywhere. It grew where I used to live. But it's here.

Something..... something must have happened. Something must be wrong with my memories.

[gottastaycalm]

If they brought us here. Why not a tree?

[ His 10 Year Bazooka could transport anything that got shot to the future. It stands to reason if the people in charge managed to get them here then a tree wouldn't be all that difficult. ]