Angels Unaware (IC)

[Electra]

Stesha laughed at Jeanne's stories and blushed slightly at the approval from Heyzel's rather intimidating father. "Thank you," she told him, "the work has been more fulfilling than I could possibly have imagined. It's the work of a lifetime, but more than worth it to be able to see it grow again, and to help the people who live there, and the bees who have moved there. It's been a wonderful experience so far."

She chuckled a little at Heyzel's question. "Having a baby is a little bit like being a superhero," she told him. "You can make all the plans you want, but sometimes things just happen. Right now, my plan is to be on Sanctuary with De- Dark Star and my mother. She's a midwife, and she's been taking care of me this whole time, with some high-tech help from Miss Americana. But if anything goes wrong, it's a quick teleport to FMC and the metahuman doctors there. I know Dark Star worries, but everything's been textbook perfect all these months, and I'm feeling... well, about as great as possible in this shape." She laughed. "Just a couple more weeks now."

[trollthumper]

Nick's eyebrows rose when he heard Azrael discuss Fleur's "new world." He knew Fleur was powerful -- the tricks she pulled during the Asbury Park incident certainly backed that up -- but she'd managed to reseed an entire planet? And, by Azrael's words, stave off its heat death for several eons?

I am at dinner with an angel, his warrior mother, his father Azrael, and a quite-possibly-veritable earth goddess, he thought as he munched on his garlic bread. I really cannot say I saw this happening when I started college.

"Good to hear everything's planned for," Nick said. "You've got my best wishes." He took a bite of the salad. "I didn't know you had a planet, Fleur. If you don't mind me asking, how did that happen?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"Well, you see," said Freedom Angel seriously in response to Nick's question, "in the beginning the Earth was without form, and void..." He chuckled a little, then added, "But seriously, Fleur, I've been impressed with that as well. I've met people from dead Earths, both here and on other planes, and what you're doing is very special, and you have every right to feel pride for it. Not just anyone can breathe life into a whole planet the way you've been doing, or make the lives of so many innocents better. Giving people something besides survival is the beginning of giving them their spiritual lives back."

[Electra]

"I found it when I was learning to use my dimensional transit powers," Stesha explained pleasantly, sprinkling sunflower seeds over her salad. "I was with Phantom, who was helping me learn, and we got into a bit of trouble, traveling to a universe where it would've been wiser not to go. We left in a hurry, and instead of going to any familiar coordinates, I simply jumped. Perhaps it was my state of mind, but we ended up on a world that was ruined, almost completely barren. It was surprising that I'd found any plants to transit through at all."

She took a sip of her water, then continued. "Phantom explained that some worlds were like that, misfortune, disease or war wiped them out so that just shells were left behind. I was curious, so we looked around, and I thought there was something that was salvageable. It was awful, yes, but with a lot of plants, a lot of help, there was still hope. The bay was polluted, for instance, but the South River had been naturally dammed up by part of Bayview falling into it, and the water was much cleaner. There were still some plants trying to grow. I figured that if nothing else, it would be a wonderful place to practice and hone my powers without risk of hurting anyone. It wasn't until later, when I was well into the project, that I realized there were still some human survivors, eking out a living underground. I've settled some of them in my reclaimed zone, as well as the giant bee colony I appropriated from the Beekeeper. It's all sort of unfolded very organically, which I suppose is appropriate," she finished with a chuckle.

[trollthumper]

"Wow," Nick said, momentarily at a loss for any other words. He distracted himself by pushing around the lasagna. "I don't think I've ever actually been to any of the parallels. I mean, I've been to a good chunk of the underworlds and a few other halfway points, but I've never really been to an alternate timeline. Mind you, there are some I probably wouldn't want to visit -- I've seen that episode of Star Trek, I know where that goes -- but it'd be interesting to see how things unfolded somewhere else." He took a bite of the salad. "Glad to hear you've got things running right on that planet. Giant bees and all."

[Avenger Assembled]

"There are many Earths in what mortals call the Cosmic Coil," agreed Heyzel. "Some are dreams of grace and love. Others, nightmares of bondage and despair." All the angels nodded at that, though rather sorrowfully, and the angel of freedom added, "But this world is better than most, thanks to the hard work of the heroes of Freedom. Your work here, all of you, is an inspiration to the blessed souls of Heaven. But then," he admitted, "that was one of the things that drew me from the fastness of Heaven in the first place. The reminder that there are those who battle for eternal justice even in this too-brief realm." He shot a look at his parents, and it sounded as if this had been something of a sore point.

"YES, AND THE RIGHTEOUS JOIN US IN HEAVEN, WHILE THE OTHERS GO TO THE PLACES THAT THEY DESERVE," agreed Azrael with fatherly patience. "THAT YOU ENSURE MORE WALK THE SHINING PATH IS A RIGHTEOUS CAUSE."

[Electra]

"You should come and visit sometime," Fleur told Nick cordially. "It's a very nice place, and it's just a beautiful time of year... hmm." She trailed off, her brow furrowing. "Honestly, I'm not sure what you would make of the place," she admitted. "I know that necromancers like Dead Head hear the unquiet dead, and it sometimes bothers them. If you're bothered by areas where there's been violent death, it might not be the best place for you to spend time. Even though I'm rehabilitating the land, I can't do very much for the psychic trauma a place might have."

[trollthumper]

"I can sense them, too," Nick said. "It's the first part of the package that came in, way before all the necrurgy. And, to be honest... it might be for the best, at some point. Not saying I'm there yet -- there are some places in the world, places twisted by death and pain and regret and loathing, that give birth to something twisted on the other side. I've gone up against those a few times, but never in a situation where an entire world died. It might be too much for me." He pushed the garlic bread around the plate. "Then again... spiritual rehabilitation is often necessary. There may be some way to pick at the corners of the thing, help clear up some of the more peaceful lingering spirits. But I'd need to get a good look at the landscape, just so I know which landmines to avoid until I know I can clear them. I doubt I'd be able to clean up the entire world, but... if we could clean what was Freedom, at least..."

[Avenger Assembled]

"Tell me more about the people there," asked Freedom Angel. "Do they have spiritual lives?" For a moment, it sounded like he was about to start preaching, something neither Nick or Fleur had heard much of from the angel from Heaven. "Can they read and write? Do they have lives beyond survival, even with what you've given them?" He didn't sound judgmental, he sounded genuinely worried for them. "If you need help with education, or anything else that can uplift them, you just need to ask. I can work myself, or direct you to teachers I know. Helping someone survive is a great gift; teaching them how to live is even better."

[Electra]

"You're both more than welcome to help," Stesha assured the two men, "there's always something more that can be done. The refugees have a very subsistence-based lifestyle," she told Heyzel, "but they do have culture, an oral history, songs, things like that. Most of them can read and write at least a little, but they could use a teacher, especially for the kids. Ideally I'd love to get people out there to teach them field medicine and agriculture, forestry management, things like that. I mean, it's amazing and a credit to their resourcefulness that they've survived as long as they have, for several generations, but much of that time was living on storage and scraps, staying in caves. This could be a new start for them."

[trollthumper]

"Not sure what I could do there," Nick said, "unless you think they need to know something about rock and roll, funerary practices, art history, or barista work." He paused. "Then again... that's another thing. A lot of ghosts tend to either break out of the post-death stupor or just pass on as the years go by. Given how long ago the catastrophe may have been, it could be that the number of ghosts who accurately remember what happen might be rare. But... I can visit the underworlds, and various other in-between places for the dead. It's just a matter of walking the Cosmic Coil. I've never done it on another world, so I have no idea how accurately it would match up, but... maybe we could find someone in the afterlife who knows just what happened. It'd probably render up an idea of any lingering dangers." He fiddled with his glass, then smacked his forehead. "Oh, yeah. Can't believe I forgot that." He turned to Azrael. "I mean, if anyone knows, it'd probably be you."

[Avenger Assembled]

"SOME BURNED. SOME WERE POISONED. SOME STARVED." The angel of death gave Nick a look terrible in its matter-of-factness. "MY PORTFOLIO IS NOT THE MOVEMENTS OF ARMIES AND THE FATE OF NATIONS, BUT OF THE PASSING OF THE HUMBLEST BABE AND ELDEST KING, AND ALL THAT LIE IN BETWEEN. A LIST OF ONE BILLION SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DEATHS WOULD NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION. NOR MAKE OUR DINNER ANY MORE PALATABLE. I LIKE WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THE ARUGULA HERE," he commented to Fleur.

"He's a great cook," commented Jeanne, "whenever I came home to my little cherub," she said, pinching Heyzel's cheek, "I always knew Azrael had prepared something. If he wasn't working so much all the time, I'd say he should teach."

"Don't sell teaching art short," said Heyzel to Nick. "People have been painting on cave walls since before Adam and Eve. It's basic to the human condition, and if you can expand their portfolio, you can expand their condition. I don't know of anyone like that in our schools," he admitted to Fleur, "but I can look. Some of them may feel the urge to spread their particular belief system, but most of them are interested enough in the idea of pedagogy and spreading the word of knowledge and truth that it shouldn't be a serious concern."

[Electra]

"Well, like I said, you're both more than welcome to come out, even if it's just for a visit to get an idea of the place," Stesha told them. "It will have to be in the next few weeks though, since after that I think I'm going to be busy for awhile." She chuckled, then offered everyone seconds of the food. "I can pack you all up some to take home as well," she offered. "Dark Star is gone right now, and I won't finish it all by myself." She looked sad for just a moment, then pushed it aside with her usual indefatigable cheer. "It turned out too well to let it go to waste."

[trollthumper]

Nick tried to avoid the rather sizable elephant that seemed to have walked into the room. He knew from paying attention to the news that Dark Star's business sometimes took him out of town, but this close to the birth? He'll be back in time, he told himself; the last thing he wanted to do was touch on a sensitive matter, especially after Fleur had invited him into her house and given him dinner.

"I'm open for a field trip," Nick said. "I'll see if I can bring along some books for the locals -- classics to add to the archives, stuff like that. Anything else I could bring along?" He ferried his plate to the kitchen. "And I'll gladly take some of this stuff home. It's incredible, Fleur."

[Avenger Assembled]

The angels stirred uneasily for a moment before Jeanne rose to her feet, getting her husband to his as well. "Thank you so much for your time, Fleur de Joie. I appreciate both your hospitality and your healing. Would you mind if we took some as well?" she asked. "Your hospitality among the angels will be well-remembered." For her part, her husband looked oddly unsettled, peering out the window for a moment before returning to join his wife.

"I WILL NOT SEE YOU AND YOURS FOR...A GREAT AGE," said the angel of death, bowing to her cordially as his wife got some lasagna. "IT WAS A PLEASURE TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE IN THIS WAY RATHER THAN OTHERS. NICK, HEARKEN TO MY WORDS ABOUT A PARTNER. OUR NEXT MEETING WILL NEEDS BE LESS SOCIABLE THAN THIS." Heyzel rose to say his goodbyes to his folks, and watched with a strange expression as they vanished into the air with the faint but unmistakable sound of trumpets.

"I had better head back to the church," he said, "and see if they will still have me." He folded his wings behind him and said, "Thank you as well for the help, Fleur. It's nice to know that there are still friends here, even after all this time." And you as well, Nick. Sometimes I let myself forget that virtue and friendship aren't just heavenly things, but things here on Earth as well. You shame my arrogance with your goodness, just as men and women should do for angels." He added to Fleur "Should there ever be a need in the next few weeks, call me at the church. I have been in at births before."

[Electra]

Stesha packed up pieces of lasagna and garlic bread for everyone, passing them out as the angels said their goodbyes. "It was very nice to meet you," she told Jeanne and Azrael, "and I'm very glad we were able to help you. Take it easy for another day or so and you should be fine. Italian food is good for whatever ails you," she joked. It was impossible to think of a quip for Azrael's parting line, for all she knew it to be true, at least in Derrick's case. The idea that their daughter would have the same sort of protection was comforting.

She answered Nick's earlier question as she gave him his leftovers. "Anything you can find to bring for them would be wonderful. Gabriel has been amazing about finding sources for clothes, toiletries and food items, and is helping me get a foundation set up for their future needs, but they have almost no books right now. I'm sure they would appreciate them, especially anything with pictures. Why don't you give me a call someday when you're free and I'll have you over?"

Heyzel got a hug goodbye, though it was quite awkward between her tummy and his wings. "I'm so glad to see you again," she told him once more, "and I'm glad you're going to be staying. Let me know if you need a place to live or anything to make it homey again and I'll set you up, all right?" She pressed most of the rest of the lasagna onto him, since he didn't have a kitchen. "And the same goes for you, let me know when you're free for a visit. Maybe I'll take both of you at the same time."

[trollthumper]

Nick paused when Azrael talked about "their next meeting"; for a few seconds, he was frozen in place, rooting through the myriad possibilities. Finally, he cracked a smile. "Well, hopefully it's not too dire," he said to Azrael. "I'll take that day when it comes. It was good to see you again, Azrael. Nice to meet the family." He turned to Jeanne. "I'm glad to see you're well, too. I'm sure you'll kick the Unspeakable One's ass." Finally, he turned to Heyzel. "Thank you," he said. "I just... like to think I'm doing my part. Listen, I'll be by Lantern Hill in the next few days; maybe we can talk some more then."

He took the stored lasagna from Fleur and gave her a firm handshake. "There's a good used bookstore just down the street from my shop," he said. "I'll take a look for guides on period art. Everything from cave paintings to Renaissance to Dada."