Our Lady of Fandom, Saturday all day

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

The Cat had returned and was playing with a dead mouse in the aisle. Gabriel felt a little disturbed by the fact that it felt comforting, and also by him feeling comforted by anything. Still, it was better than feeling cold. He decided he needed another coffee.

[The church is open. Also, my internet is back!]

Comments

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

Biff had seen the outside of these kind of buildings before Azriel had flipped past them on the television--they were the home of men with scarily shiny teeth begging for money on behalf of the Lord JeeeeeeSIS.

He rolled his eyes and walked in.

And stared. A lot. At the crucifix on the wall.

Now those were memories he was happier not reliving again, thanks so much, creepy building.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal had come looking for Gabriel, riding plans having been thwarted by the showers, but he stopped in the doorway when he saw someone else.

There was never anyone else in the church.

"Hello?" he ventured, smoothing his robes down nervously. He couldn't help but wonder if this might, at long last, be someone from Gabriel's family.

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

True to his kung fu training, Biff did not squeal like a girl and leap a foot in the air.

So ignore the part where he did that.

"Hello?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal skittered back towards the door when the squealing and leaping didn't happen. "Are you all right?" he asked, eyes wide.

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"I'm fine!" Biff said in a non-high pitched, freaked out voice. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that!"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal really hadn't been sneaking, at least he thought he hadn't, but he just nodded. "My apologies," he said. "Forgive me if this is a rude question, but do you know Gabriel?"

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"They guy that told John the Baptist's mom how great he was going to be?" Biff rolled his eyes. "Only in stories, fortunately."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

After a long moment of not-quite-staring, he replied, "No, this is a different Gabriel."

Karal was actually completely wrong about this, but didn't know it.

"He's the man who lives in the church," he explained. "I thought you might be a friend of his." The news that this wasn't someone who knew Gabriel cheered him immensely. "My name's Karal. I'm very sorry if I startled you."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"Is he in charge of the super creepy decor?" Biff asked, gesturing towards the crucifix.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I believe it came with the church." Karal studied the crucifix and suppressed a shudder. "I have never understood why such pain should be so revered," he said quietly.

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"Because Josh was making a point," Biff said quietly, "but I don't have to see him up there like that. It was hard enough the first time."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

To describe Karal as confused at this point would be to indulge in understatement to a ridiculous degree.

He looked from the crucifix to Biff to the crucifix to Biff and very intelligently said, "What?" It might not be be his faith, but he knew enough to know the event in question had happened long, long ago.

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"That's my best friend. Well, a representation of him, anyway. He hasn't been on the cross for about 2,000 years."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Oh, Bright Flame. Now confusion was getting all mixed up with compassion, which left Karal's mind stuttering around like a drunken lemur.

Thankfully, instinct and training took over, which meant it didn't show and he was able to walk over to stand beside Biff. "I'm sorry. I can ask Gabriel if I could take it down. I truly don't think he would care."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"It's not important," Biff said, turning his back on the cross, "though I'm beginning to understand the appeal of not having graven idols."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I think it depends on what the idols represent," he said, not really understanding what Biff meant. "Do you want to go outside?"

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

Biff nodded, yanking his jacket closer around himself. "I'm Levi of Nazareth, by the way. Call me Biff."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Karal Austreben of Karse, Sun-priest of Vkandis Sunlord. Umm, please call me Karal." He led the way out of the church, wrapping his cloak around himself. "I believe you're one of my teachers."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"A priest." Biff sighed. "Of course."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"It seems to be my week for meeting people who don't like priests," he said, smiling wryly.

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"Don't take it personally but a real festering pustule of a Pharisee married the love of my life. And then a bunch more of them killed my best friend."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He hid a wince. "Well, yes, that would make sense, then," he said slowly. "I won't take it personally, but if you could overcome your dislike enough to not fail me, I'd greatly appreciate it."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

Biff waved a hand. "I wouldn't do that," he said. "The nice thing about being 2,000 years out of your own time is knowing all of the assholes have been dead for a really, really long while."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"My thanks." He looked at Biff curiously. "You really are from that long ago? May I ask how you ended up here?"

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"I was reincarnated to write a new testament to the Bible," Biff said, "since the other books seemed to be written by drunken ferrets."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal sat down on the steps with a thump. "Oh."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

Biff gave him a curious look. "Were you one of the drunken ferrets?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Was I a drunken ferret?" Karal looked up at him, puzzled, then understanding dawned. "Glory, no! I am not even of your faith, your god is not my god. It's just," he waved a hand in the air, "it's not every day that you meet a man who has been resurrected by his god to fix the mistakes of the past."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"Not to mention being incredibly handsome," Biff replied, grinning.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal blinked, and then started to laugh. "Not to mention," he said, relaxing a lot. "You need to meet my friend, Altra. I think you have some things in common."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"Is he also incredibly handsome? I've noticed that's a bit of a trend around here."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"He would say he was," Karal replied, pulling himself to his feet. "He's very proud of his whiskers, especially. I'll ask him to come with me to class, if that's all right, and you can decide for yourself."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"That'd be fine," Biff replied, smiling.

He paused. "You wouldn't be interested in being a what's it--TB?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"TB-- Oh, do you mean a TA?" he asked. "Someone to help you with your classes?"

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

Biff nodded. "Exactly!"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"If you're sure you don't mind having a priest as your assistant, I'd be honoured to." He was smiling a little as he said it, though, to show he truly wasn't taking it personally.

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"It'd certainly be a different perspective," Biff said with a smile.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal laughed again at that. "It certainly will."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"I'll see you in class, then," he said, nodding.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Altra and I will be there," he promised. "If you need me for anything before the first one, please, just call."