Phase 2 - Of Hymns & Religion

[a_clockwork_melody]

♪ BGM: The Other Side of Memories

"You sing beautifully."

Lyner!?

"Do you sing like this often?"

...I'm not that good at singing, so I have to practice...

"You're being too hard on yourself. You were great."

You don't have to lie to me... My Songs don't help anybody. I'm not like Claire... People need her... And I always get in the way... I'm nothing but trouble.

"... So you and Miss Claire grew up together?"

...Yes. Unlike me, Claire can do anything she wants. Just like the concert today... People can count on her when they need her. I joined the Church and tried my best to become a candidate for the Holy Maidens. But, as a Class-D Reyvateil, I couldn't even find a partner. So when the Bishop ordered me to join the Singing Hill mission, it made me so happy. I actually felt like someone needed me.

"But I do need you, Aurica. At the Singing Hill, when I was about to fall...you saved me with your Song Magic."

...

"Don't act like this. You never got in my way..."

...Why are you so nice to me?

"... Huh? Me? Nice? ...I'm just a normal guy..."

No, you are...

"..."

...You're really kind.



[A.) Action / The Church of Salvation:

♪ BGM: Pulse ~Elemia Arrange~

Aurica found out at some point that there was a church in Mayfield, and that their main day of doing things was on Sunday. Curiously, she decides to get dressed and head there on the first Sunday she's here. Unfortunately, it seems she missed the Mass already, not that she knows what that's about. After admiring both the exterior and interior for a little, she'll move to sit on one of the pews and rest her head on her thumbs, both hands clasped in some manner of prayer.

Though, if she's not doing that, chances are she'll be checking out the whole place, observing with wonderment. Or maybe just sitting on the steps outside.]

[B.) Action / 458 Stone Street / Housemates:

♪ BGM: Malta Living

"Uhm..what kind of religion do you have back where you're from?"]

[C.) Action / Outside & Inside 458 Stone Street:

She'll be outside in her usual Mayfield attire, or indoors doing some housework. She'll then close her eyes and begin to sing in a hushed sort of voice:

Amakami o, kakemau, tama sasayaki yueba,
       (If the spiritual murmurings that soar through the heavens were connected,)

Kanmuribi furimichite, nanihito yuki orinase;
       (the crown of fire would completely descend and interweave the happiness of everyone;)

Samidare no, aimi o, tada nagaruru koe wa,
       (The voice that merely drifts in the indigo sea of an early summer rain,)

Utsuroi sakanagi o~boroge na furusato no ne;
       (is the changing, reversed, and faint sound of your birthplace;)

Kanade narifuku gaia, sora ni hibiki ainaseba
       (If the gaias that we are playing resonated together in the skies,)

Tobekaku, inori no uta matoite;
       (they would be clad in the soaring song of a prayer;)


Yasuragi no oka, namida no garasu, kioku no hako omoi no hi,
       (The hill of peace, the glass of tears, the box of memories, the monument of feelings,)

Hitoe ikue no, utsurou kiito, tamashii no ne musubitsunagu;
       (the single and multiple blank silk threads that tie and connect the roots of the souls;)

Tayutau, mu no umi, shourei no kazaiki,
       (The swaying ocean of nothingness, the breath of wind of the spirits,)

Tokeyuu, mandara ni, utai no miko are.
       (The dissolving and tying mandala, and in there, the singing priestesses.)

After that, she'll either go back to whatever she was doing or sing something else. Unless of course she's interrupted or otherwise distracted.]

Comments

[ex_seventh238]

[The wave is responded with a small nod of acknowledgment.]

Good morning, miss. Mass has already finished... May I help you with anything?

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

Oh...what is Mass? I'm sorry, I'm pretty new here. My name is Aurica.

[ex_seventh238]

It's fine, some customs here are new to many. You are a recent arrival then, miss Aurica? [She doesn't show it, but she recognizes the name. A girl who came looking for Misha, her new "daughter", hm? Well then, she might be seeing much more of this girl soon.]

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

[She gets up from her seat at the pews and walks over to the altar area, standing near the podium. She was reminded of what the boy from earlier told her, as he had sat on it.]

Yes...I'm sorry, I met someone here earlier and he told me my beliefs back on my world are a heresy against the others in this town..I was wondering if there was a way to make it not a problem for others here.

[At that, she bowed her head, expecting the worst, if not from the churchwoman then from other people. Heretics back where she came from were brutally dealt with.]

[ex_seventh238]

[The warm smile turns to a small frown.]

Who told you that, if you don't mind me asking? If you don't know that person's name, can you please describe him physically to me?

[What's that? Christianity is a monotheistic religion? Well god has to deal with being put to the back burner by one of His faithfuls. Personal affairs with her co-worker takes precedence, which is what she already suspects to be at work here. 8|]

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

[It takes Aurica some time to collect her thoughts. The girl wondered if maybe the churchwoman would be more forgiving of her than expected. Finally:]

He...had short black hair, and seemed to be part of the church here. White shirt and pants, with some gold on it...

[At some point during her explanation, she subconsciously held an elbow with her other hand, trying to remember him as well as she could. She finally looked up at Ciel.]

He told me many things; He had some psychic ability to know my name, but I don't know what he was talking about...he seemed to like sitting on that podium for some reason... and then he told me that many would think my religion is the wrong one.

[ex_seventh238]

[And her eyes just grew more narrow as Aurica went on. They're completely emotionless by the time she got to "white shirt [...] gold".]

Please disregard everything he's said to you. That was just a troublesome child who enjoys tormenting people by telling them things to confuse them and make them uncomfortable.

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

[She could see something off in Ciel's face as she kept talking on, but she wanted to be as descriptive as she could about her experience.

Aurica breathed a sigh of relief at her reply, thinking the problem was due to the boy and not herself.]

So people won't hurt me here for what I believe in? I'm glad...

But, what's a psychic? He wouldn't tell me. Does it have to do with being part of this church?

[ex_seventh238]

No, they wouldn't, but I would suggest you not bring up faith with the drones. They're not very good to talk to for about any and every topic, so there should be no reason for you to mention it to them.

A... psychic? No, not at all. Why do you ask, miss Aurica? [She looks a bit confused now, too.]

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

Mm...I don't like the drones at all anyway...

W-well, he said that's how he knew my name; he called me Aurica and I never saw him before. He wouldn't explain it to me though.

[ex_seventh238]

That would be for the best.

...

Ah, he was messing around with you. He must have found out about your name through some other means, and used psychic abilities as an excuse. ...Geez, how rotten. He really is just a brat. [Frowning in clear irritation, she seems to be more mumbling to herself now, before turning her attention back to Aurica.]

I do apologize for the confusion and concern that he must have caused you, but please do not take what he says at face value, if you ever speak to him again. That boy has his role here, but he also likes to cause trouble.

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

[She listened, the irritated reaction duly noted. So it was just a troublemaker...]

That's alright, I'll trust you on that.

[Her attention wavers over to the cross hanged on the wall again from earlier, though.]

So what's preached here, Miss...? [Ack. Her eyes turn back to Ciel.] I'm sorry, I don't know how to address you.

[ex_seventh238]

Thank you, miss Aurica.

My name is Ciel, and I'm the nun who overlooks this Church. There is the drone priest, but he's less easy to speak with, I'll admit. The religion practiced here is Christianity, though the exact denomination changes weekly. ...Are you familiar with any of these terms? [Different worlds and all, may as well ask first.]

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

♪ BGM: Truth from Melty Blood (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOCoBxoy3jE) (R) (http://www.youtuberepeat.com/watch?v=cOCoBxoy3jE)

[A single word there sparked curiosity, and makes Aurica wonder why she didn't notice before.

..Ah, but it'd be more polite to answer the question though, wouldn't it? She answers despite her seemingly exaggerated reaction.]

Some of them, yes, but not what Christianity is.

[ex_seventh238]

It's a religion practiced on Earth, and while there are others, Christianity is the most widespread one on the planet. Monotheistic of nature, we believe in an omnipotent and omniscient God who watches over us all. Promoting love and forgiveness over revenge and violence, that is the message that Jesus Christ, son of God, has spread through his teachings during the years that he's walked on Earth. [Super rough summary that would earn a lesser religious figure getting scorned by the superior Father/Mother, but re: she's not a preacher. Pausing a bit, she picks up a Bible from the back of one of the pews.] ...Aha, there is quite a bit about the doctrines, practices, and core beliefs, so it would take all afternoon if I go into detail. My goal isn't to convert you however, though would there be anything about it in particular that you would like to ask about?

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

Love and forgiveness.. that sounds like a great message to teach throughout the world. [A good and warm smile was given at that. Even if she doesn't know anything of what people have done in that person's name. She eyes the book curiously.] May I borrow that?

[She'll ask something else after Ciel's answer, regardless:] What do you mean by denominations, though?

[ex_seventh238]

It is one that Christ has tried to spread, before he was cruxified and died for the sins of mankind. [You mean other than hunt vampires...? >>] Certainly. You may also have one at home, possibly. There are plenty of copies here, so feel free to take it home and read it whenever you have some time. Even if you may not agree with everything, it's still a classic piece of literature with a good story.

Denominations are different branches that follow a common God, but differ in practice and more specific beliefs. It's like there are different types of apples and melons, right? Think of it that way. [Ciel did you really just compare it to fruits...

...Well no it's not totally off but it wouldn't feel very "on" either...]

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

[Nah, I mean the Crusades and all that jazz]

Mm, thank you.

Oh... so I guess similar to a dialect?

[After that, since it's been bugging her for a while:] Your name is, familiar, strangely. Would you be from my world, somehow?

1/2

[ex_seventh238]

[Vampire killing can be considered like a Crusade of sort...??]

You're welcome. You can think of it that way! [No n...not really Ciel the Protestant reformation can't really be compared to a branching off of a different dialect . . . BUT W/E MOVING ON]

2/2

[ex_seventh238]

...Huh? I don't think so, miss Aurica. It is a word in the French language, but if we're from the same world, you must have heard of Christianity somehow, one way or another. Why is it familiar, if you don't mind me asking?

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

♪ BGM: The Azure Sky (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdNblly2rk4) (R) (http://www.youtuberepeat.com/watch?v=mdNblly2rk4)

Hum, I don't know any French, but it's in a language we have where we come from, too. From Hymmnos, it means "world, or sky". [Coincidence?]

It's what we use for the name of our world, Ar Ciel, as well. "The Only World or Sky" that we know of. Or used to know of, before we got sent here.

[ex_seventh238]

Ah... Yes. "Ciel" does mean "Sky" in French, too. It's one of the languages based on Latin, in the same vein as Spanish and Italian. That's... certainly an interesting coincidence! [Not sure what to comment on that, and we're not even touching the fact that Ciel isn't her real name... but yes... o_o;]