audio / @hello / open

[lunchbreaks]

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.

Comments

[lunchbreaks]

Ah, alright. I've never been inside the kitchen at the inn. Must be crowded.

[scarsolderthanyou]

It's not too bad. There's not as many people in here as you'd think. Enough that I can hear and smell them, but it's not crowded really.

[lunchbreaks]

Well, no. I just meant. For a kitchen. I think ours is crowded enough with just the three.

[scarsolderthanyou]

I think the kitchen here is bigger than the kitchens in the houses. It's an inn, it's meant for feeding more than just a couple people. Not as big as the kitchens in the colony tree, but still not bad.

[lunchbreaks]

What is a colony tree?

[scarsolderthanyou]

[Really, half the time Stone says these things just for the excuse to talk about home.]

It's what the colony lives in. My people. It's a mountain-tree, bigger around than the village, with hollows in the living wood for rooms and flying wells and plumbing. It's magical, and connected to the court, to the Raksura who live in it.

[lunchbreaks]

Oh. Well that sounds very lovely and heavily based on community.

You must miss it a great deal.

[scarsolderthanyou]

It's a good place. I was ready to go, though, I've been alive longer than anyone I know. I'd probably have been fine with leaving if I hadn't then gotten dragged here instead of properly dying. I had a whole year and then some to get used to the idea.

[lunchbreaks]

Oh, yes. I feel like people who live a long time and have a fulfilling life tend to feel better about it.

I was at peace, I think.

But now we have to go back.

[scarsolderthanyou]

Wait, what? We do?

[Stone is pretty sure if he goes back, he'll just die again. That seems excessive. And annoying.]

[lunchbreaks]

Well, I've got to go back, and stop some terrible things from happening at home!

[scarsolderthanyou]

Oh. Huh. Do you think that's even a thing you can do? You're, you know, dead. Raksura at least don't come back from the dead.

[lunchbreaks]

Well, usually humans cannot. But when I died, I was supposed to... disappear, as it were. My soul destroyed. So anything is possible, I suppose.

[scarsolderthanyou]

My people don't believe in souls. When we're dead, we're dead. So I guess you'd know more than I would.

[lunchbreaks]

You don't? Not even to... return to the Earth or the Sky?

[scarsolderthanyou]

Why would we do that? We're dead.

[The concept of some part of them living on after death isn't exactly foreign-- some groundlings believe that-- but it's not a Raksuran thing.]

My court gives our bodies to the colony tree, to be food for its roots, but some courts do other things.

[lunchbreaks]

Oh?

Like what?

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

[scarsolderthanyou]

[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.

[lunchbreaks]

Oh. Well... that does sound beautiful.

Does everyone get their own death song?

[scarsolderthanyou]

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

[lunchbreaks]

Oh.

That is very beautiful.

Do you-- do you know yours?

[scarsolderthanyou]

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.

[lunchbreaks]

What a wonderful way to remember the people you love.

Did you die of natural causes, then?

[scarsolderthanyou]

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.

[lunchbreaks]

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

But you've led a long, fulfilling life.