[RP] The Inn of Peace - IoP (Open to all)

[Astra_Senpai]

Kyou watched the physical signs of discomfort pass over the woman. Though it wasn't as important. What interesting hair she had, much like Miss Charlotte's but certainly not. It was the color which Kyou found so lovely. "You are a temple maiden then? Which of the ancestors do you serve? You have a lovely hair color. Is this why you were chosen?"  

[The Legendary Knightsoul]

Chris turned to the newcomer, overjoyed to see so many familiar faces. "Hey, Az! Long time, no see. We brought souvenirs."  

[Azana Brown]

"I certainly hope so," Azana said, arms folded. "You're late."

Tyler looked to his untouched plate, offering it to Azana with a resigned shrug. He could get something else...she looked like she had been through some rough spots. "I was just starting to get them caught up. Wanna help?"

"Sure," she answered, taking the plate and sitting down at a table. She'd learned to love pancakes...they now conjured pleasant memories instead of just being some breakfast food. "Kasdeya was being a pain in the a** again, but I think we got it mostly sorted out. Word to the wise: don't piss Orrin off."

"Well, we call the ones in our tradition nuns, or sisters," Marilyn corrected her, "and I serve the Lord Jesus. My hair...? Oh, that has nothing to do with it; in fact, it's usually covered." The last one threw her for a loop, though. She wasn't chosen for the clergy...some days, she even wondered whether she was called to the service. But she was there, nonetheless. "I was chosen...because I know of divine grace and forgiveness of sins."  

[The Legendary Knightsoul]

"Blame the birdbrain. He's the one who just had to spend a week in Monte Carlo, which then turned into three months hiding from a very large loan shark named Ivan."

Nate started chittering defensively. "Oh, don't even try it, feather-face. I tried to tell you what 'high stakes' meant. But did you listen? No!"  

[Astra_Senpai]

Kyou's green eye widened slightly in surprise. She was a what? Kyou slipped to the floor and onto a chair. Making it so the woman did not have to look up and Kyou would now feel as if shouting from above. It was hard remembering to try being within arms reach of anyone. "Nun? I do not understand. I have never heard of this... Lord Jesus. Is he an emperor of very long past or recent? Or was he a shogun or samurai favored by the ancestors? Why would they wish you to hid so unique a feature? Is it seen as unfavorable? What is this 'div..ine grace'? How can you forgive sins? Are you of the kami?"  

[Azana Brown]

Azana chuckled despite her light wounds, her fatigue, and her slight annoyance that they had missed all the fun. "I've missed you two," she said, shaking her head in mild, amused disbelief. "Too bad about the loan shark thing, though. You missed one hell of a Halloween brawl. Continued the odd tradition of fighting with the vamps instead of against 'em like in '07."

Tyler grimaced. Loan sharks were never fun to deal with, and the mention of Kasdeya reminded him of something less pleasant than loan sharks. He was immensely grateful for the progress on the soulfruit project; if he never had to walk back into that cult's church again, it'd be too soon.

"Seems like it went well," he joked, breaking the tension of his own thoughts before pouring out coffee for all involved. Well, except Az. She hated the stuff, at least the way he made it. It was one thing they could never quite reach an agreement on.

"Eh, the streets are clean, but the Kuros aren't done yet. Neither are the Von Helsons...we're working on what our follow-up will be." She silenced herself with a large bite of pancake.

"...you follow Shinto," Marilyn said at last, everything finally making sense. "Jesus is the son of the Lord Almighty, God himself. He was born a miracle, made flesh as the child of the Blessed Virgin, and died as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. He now resides in Heaven with the Father, showing the way and offering forgiveness and promise of Paradise to all who follow Him. As for covering my hair, it is an act of humility and deference to my Lord, beautiful as people may find it."

She was able to explain it all, and she truly believed the message of hope, of being forgiven and receiving peace. "I do not forgive the sins of others; that is the work of the Lord. However...I have been forgiven of much. I was not always as you see now."  

[The Legendary Knightsoul]

"Aww, did we miss the annual brawl? You see what you did, Nate? I hate missing the annual brawl."

Nate stretched and yawned. Jet lag was starting to set in. He wandered off towards the kitchen to get a bedtime snack and to see if his bed in the pantry was where he had left it.

"Not a bad idea, Nate. I hope you guys didn't rent out our rooms, cause I'm bushed. I want to hear all about everything later. It's good to be home," Chris said as he headed towards the stairs.

((Eyelids are doing that annoying thing again. Catch you in the A.M., gang.))  

[Azana Brown]

"Guess we'll see you this evening, then," Tyler waved them off, watching Chris head for his room. It was still available...like they'd ever repurpose someone's room. Except for that one guy...but they knew for certain he wasn't coming back. He sipped his coffee in silence for a bit, looking across the table.

"So, um, Az..."

"Yeah?" She asked between bites, dreading when Sol would finally get downstairs and have a good look at her. They weren't bad at all, but he'd probably still heal her anyway, the worry-wort. As she chewed, she could see Tyler's expression and grinned, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it. Really. I'm fine."

"One of the most common lies," Tyler retorted. "You sure...? This is about as deserted as this place gets..."

"Yes...it explains a lot, but it doesn't change anything," she said. "You're still who you are...there's just more context now."  

[Astra_Senpai]

Kyou sighed and shifted slightly. These concepts were very confusing. "Follow? I do not believe I follow anything but mushi. I have not heard of this Lord Almighty. The name sounds odd, he must have been a boastful Lord. Sacrificed by who? Why was he sacrificed? How can one man purge the sins of so many? A single person cannot be held accountable for all. Why would anyone make a claim so grand? How can he show us anything if he is above us? Does he come to this plane often to teach? If this Lord Jesus spends all his time teaching, what does Lord Almighty do? If he is above us then his right to forgive is for insolence rather than sin. Is that what Lord Almighty does? Which of these two Lords forgives the sins? The ancestors have much enough to do without managing their temples. What is the purpose of a... nun? Why did you need to be forgiven? I do not understand. You seem a kind person. Were you terrible before? Is this why you follow these Lords and hide yourself from them?"

Honey looked to the kitchen door as it opened and gasped. Failing the pancake flip completely as it stuck to the ceiling. Baby blues wide and shimmering with delight, she'd never seen the like of it. Honey loved birds, had no skill with handling them- but this was by far the biggest bird she'd ever seen. The pink haired girl chirped, "Lord Abo'e i's a gian' b'rd! Wow 'ou're 'anso'e! 'Ello! 'Ou wan' pa'ca'es?"

If Azana was correct in her information, Tamriel quietly wished all of which had been divulged, there was suddenly more for her to do. Tamriel covered her muzzle with a dainty paw, she would have to rewrite a few contracts most certainly. The need to contact Kish was greater now, she gave a small whine to the fire.  

[Azana Brown]

The sheer number of questions was dizzying, and Marilyn wondered if she hadn't just fallen into a brand new trap. "Goodness, you're inquisitive...!" She said, noticing Tyler's amused glance. Oh...she does this often...?

"I proclaim to be no expert," she started, not wanting to suddenly become Kyou's religious authority. "Almighty is simply a title, a description; he is our Lord, and holds all power with him. Unlike Shinto, we believe in only one deity, the Creator of the Heavens and Earth. Jesus was our Lord made incarnate, separate and yet still the same. He came to redeem mankind from their own fate in judgment, for we are sinful creatures, and insolence to Him is on that list. Nuns are devoted to the Lord...we live a life of faith and do what we can to spread His word to those, like yourself, who have never heard."

She stopped when they became personal, notably silent on the matter. "I committed terrible acts while following a different, much less benevolent leader. That's all that needs to be said about that."

Azana rolled her eyes, finishing her pancake. There was a reason she had never fully ascribed to the dogma of Christianity. She didn't mind that her friends, or even her husband, did, mostly because they weren't trying to push it on her. They knew where she stood on it, respected it, and let it go.  

[Astra_Senpai]

Confusion reined the obsidian and snow faced being. "I do not follow Shinto. I only know pieces of which I have caught at stakes or beneath temples in the rain. Only one? Only one cannot do everything. It takes many hands. Yes I understand he is a Lord- most have a deal of power it is why we call them as such. But you say he has all the power? Alone? The weight on his shoulders must be great. Separate and still the same? So then this Jesus is an ancestor in disguise? I have heard tales of ancetors splitting into multiple forms to spread their power. However it is not a very good one if everyone already knows. Perhaps that is the point. Are you certain he is not a trickster? Such motives seem suspect if he is the lone creator."

Kyou had shifted now, sitting up taller and tone growing louder and dim in the same instance. It was amazed wonder in the warm tone, "You spread his word as a maiden of his temple, but your words are confusing. Perhaps I do not understand. You live a life of faith in his ability to clear away the darkness? All of the darkness without a thought? Does he not value the balance? You said he claimed to remove sin, however without the dark you cannot have the light. So you are saying he took the darkness from all of the people? Even those who do not praise him? How can that be? In a world full of pleasure and delight there is nothing left but sloth and greed. You cannot have peace without war, light without dark, the sun without the moon, man without mushi. There is no such peace eternal without death and even in this there are things which must be done."

Kyou noted the silence, moving to the back of the soft chair and just out of arms reach. Silence meant a contemplation of violence, this was how it was understood. The woman's words were quick and precise compared to the rest of what she had been speaking on. Kyou's voice dropped, providing a gentle yet insistent tone, "Why must this be all you say? You seem to show remorse for this. Is it so painful this experience you cannot speak on it? Is this why you are willing to follow so complicated an ancestor? But why must you hide away to show humility? Can you not... spread this faith outside of confinement? Tell your tale as a caution to younger lives? Does this Lord request such things of all his followers?"  

[Azana Brown]

"He offers the gift of forgiveness, of light. Not all accept that...some are perfectly content to follow the dark, to be led away. He has allowed the freedom of will and of choice but rewards those who follow with Paradise," Marilyn answered, clearly unaccustomed to the machine-gun barrage of questions from an earnest seeker. Kyou at least understood the idea of the Trinity...kind of. The questions got personal again, and she sat down, finding Tyler strolling by with an extra mug of coffee that someone hadn't touched.

"I...I don't wish to speak on it...in the company of those I hurt," she said at last, very quiet now. "As for my place at the temple...that was more, well, honestly...I'm comfortable, being confined. I don't know what I'd do with the freedom to roam."

Azana blinked, frowning as she couldn't help but overhear. Marilyn was the last to leave Delphi, and even then, it was practically under duress in the wake of her attempts to return Charles to life. Sure, she learned the errors of that very quickly, but Azana hadn't taken even a moment to think of the whole thing's effect on the nun. Delphi was pretty much all she knew...no wonder she joined the closest thing she could find.

Wow...I kind of feel like a b***h, now... She thought, reluctantly sipping on some heavily doctored coffee herself.  

[Astra_Senpai]

Scratching the back of peppered head, Kyou watched the woman with earnest fascination. Kyou seemed content for a moment, letting all of the information sink in and puzzling over this and that. Looking at the floor, Kyou leaned and scooped up a penny, promptly putting it beneath broad tongue. That copper taste was wonderful. Adjusting a little closer on the chair, Kyou questioned, "Why do you not confine yourself here with those who care about you? It is obvious you are wanted. People do not go to war over the unwanted or unloved. There are plenty of rooms and you can lock the doors for days and never see a soul. There are plenty of hearts, from many different paths to listen and help. If you begin to run away from something such as guilt, is there ever a moment you may stop?"

Kyou inched within striking distance, a rarity in spacial availability if one payed close attention, "I am happy to share the rafters if you wish to sit up high. You say those you hurt are in current company and you are seeking forgiveness. Why not seek it from them? Freedom to roam is not all it seems to be, you spend much of your time hungry or lonely with no hearth. Here you may come and go as you please, into the arms of those who will work to keep you despite flaws, dark pasts or heritage. Everyone deserves a second chance. If I have learned anything so far from observing above it is certainly that, Miss Nun."  

[Gren_Eckener]

Gren listened carefully, diligently wiping tables with a small smile.  

[Azana Brown]

"...because they don't care," Marilyn answered, one hand idly holding some of her rosary beads. "I was not fought for because I'm wanted or loved...they went to reclaim me because of what I know. I was spared torment to spite the demoness and protect the Inn, not for my own health or safety." There was bitterness to her voice, but underneath was a very apparent pain, and a tinge of jealousy to match. By one of her predictions, she wasn't even supposed to be alive now...she wanted to believe she was spared for something, and it was easy to rest on God's plan and remain cloistered.

Azana glanced away, clearly guilty. It was true...she hadn't protected or went after Marilyn for her own sake, but for the others. Still, that didn't mean she was heartless; she wouldn't want anyone in Kasdeya's grasp, and the oracle-turned-nun was a fellow victim of Charles' machinations. Honestly, she probably should have cut her a little slack. "You know...I can't turn you away based on my own bias. If you want to stay, you've already got a room..."

"I've been nothing but a burden," Marilyn replied. "The one time I did help was just by staying out of the way...why should I fix something that isn't broken...?"