networkinthenight | audio / @hello / open

Hello, um, everyone. This is Aziraphale. I know I haven't met all of you, but I have gotten to know a good number of you as of late, and I've come to like you all a great deal, so it doesn't sit quite right with me not to apologize for recent events.

The sinking of the ferry was inexcusable. Our-- my failure, was a direct result of poor planning and lack of transparency, but I do need all of you to know that the intention had been to find our only way out of Beacon as other methods had been exhausted, and it was always in the plan to make subsequent trips for everyone remaining who wished a return home.

But I know that no amount of good intention will bring it back, nor heal your injuries, nor surface the supplies it was carrying. For all this, I am deeply and terribly sorry; this was, in no way, how I should have repaid all your kindnesses. I understand your anger, and you can direct it at me, if you would like, if you have need of a place to focus your ire.

However, I am afraid, actually, that I must ask a favor. I have, though not for lack of trying, not been able to retrieve much of the sunken raw material - if anyone should lend abilities, magical or otherwise, to help in the rebuilding of the ferry or the docks, you will have my deepest gratitude, for whatever that is worth.

I will try to assist with this as much as I possibly can, and otherwise will be available to assist those who require healing, though my ability to do so has been stunted.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh?

Like what?

[ He's just very interested in this, pardon if he's nosy. ]

[Luckily, Stone loves talking about his people.]

Well, some courts bury their dead on dedicated garden platforms. That's what mine had to do before we moved back to the colony tree and could go back to the old ways. Some make funerary urns and put them in the lower levels of their trees, but usually only royal Raksura get that kind of treatment. Otherwise you'd run out of room pretty quick. Every colony I've been to has death songs, though.

Oh. Well... that does sound beautiful.

Does everyone get their own death song?

Sort of. There's variations. Individual themes for the ones we've lost, weaving into main melody and harmony of the colony song.

Oh.

That is very beautiful.

Do you-- do you know yours?

Afraid not. I was dead by the time anyone sung it. I know a few others, still, though. I've heard a lot in my time. It isn't the same without the whole court, but I can still sing for people I've known.

What a wonderful way to remember the people you love.

Did you die of natural causes, then?

Oh, definitely. Old age. I reached my time, my colors all faded the rest of the way to white, and I had a little over a turn to say my farewells.

Strange. I had a theory going that everyone here had some unfinished business.

But you've led a long, fulfilling life.

Pretty sure if I had any unfinished business, I would know about it. I was ready to go. I even got to see Rorra before I died, somebody managed to get her flying boat into the Reaches for a visit.

[That had been kind of Moon to arrange.]

So unless I'm the exception to your rule, that's probably not it.

Well, we must all have something in common.

I'd say it's being from Earth, but that's not true. Quite new to me, other planets and worlds.

It's pretty new to me, too. No groundling race I ever met thought about life on other planets, and my people sure never would have thought about it. We didn't even have a concept of "other planets".

I guess I'm the exception to a lot of your theories, huh?

Yes, unfortunately, you are.

But that only means I'll have to ask you many questions.

Well, then, it's a good thing I like answering questions, isn't it?

You'll let me know if it's too much? I don't want to make you uncomfortable, I just want to know as much as possible about how and why we are here.

I'm old enough that there's not much that makes me uncomfortable. And I'm used to Arbora and groundlings pestering me with questions, anyway. As long as you're not being rude about it, it's probably fine.

Well. I will have to say this, dear boy, I am certainly no groundling.

[Being called "dear" is one thing. Dear boy is just amusing, when you literally died of old age. There's a sharp little laugh from the other end.]

Groundling just means someone who lives on the ground, rather than in the sea or in the sky. We have so many different intelligent species on my home world that we have general words to lump people together. Otherwise we'd have to remember dozens of names.

If you don't like it, I won't call you that. Though you'll have to tell me what I should call you, instead.

Oh, yes. My name is Aziraphale.

And it's just. Groundling sounds so... cute, and small.

But you are.

[That's only sort of a joke. Aziraphale is cute enough, and he's much smaller than Stone's winged form.]

And I know your name, I meant your species.

Oh yes, right. I'm. Well, I'm an angel.

[ He attaches a selfie with wings. Not a groundling! ]

You have wings, too. Nice. You should fly with me sometime.

["Angel" has no connotations whatsoever for Stone, so he just files it away as an unfamiliar species name.]

Oh yes. There isn't that much room to be flying where the landing is nice, but the crisp night air is always very refreshing to fly into.

I manage. It's awkward, but I manage.

[Given he's a lot bigger in the air than Aziraphale.]

If I didn't get a flight in at least every couple of days, I'd probably go stir-crazy.

Now that wouldn't do. Let me know when you plan on going out for a flight!

audio / @hello / open

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