myironeyes | GLORIA IN EXCELSIS WTF

[Public, video, backdated to the middle of the flood]

[Marsh is wearing an incredibly cheap-looking tinsel halo, and, incongruously, seems to have subsequently manifested actual wings, which rustle softly behind him. Faint, lovely music can also be heard, like delicate wind chimes or distant hymns.]

BE NOT AFRAID.

[He says this very solemnly, which is not unusual for Marsh. He also seems to have deep resonances and echoing reverberations in his voice, which is.]

BE OF GOOD CHEER.

[He frowns, very slightly. He doesn't understand why he's saying this. But - well. It seems like someone should encourage happiness, after everything that has been happening.

[Open Spam]

[Marsh is drifting around the barge. He still has his black cloak, so it's impossible to tell if he's actually floating or just moving very smoothly. Rooms are a little brighter when he enters them, though the light doesn't seem to come from anywhere in particular. Whoever you are, whatever you've done, whether you're sad or happy, Marsh is going to be kind to you right now. And he may or may not do minor miracles.]

[Private to Ned]

MAY I COME SEE YOU?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Marsh tilts his head, in his particular bird-like way, so that the spikes can stare at Cassel straight on. He reaches up a hand, not to remove the strange item, but just to feel it, lightly. A circle of flimsy strips elevated on thin wires. Perplexing.]

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS?

[Was that his voice. What. That. It sounded like roaring waterfalls and the wind in the very tops of trees and the thrum of the deepest bell in a carillon. It sounded like thunder and single raindrops; meaningful and powerful and unspeakably gentle. And, strangely, it felt very much like it was his own.]

[He claps his hands delightedly, leaning back on the wall with a bright grin, and tips his chin up at Marsh winningly.]

Do you like it? I thought it'd suit you.

IT FEELS.

[Not calm, exactly.]

PEACEFUL.

Good.

[Peaceful is all he could ask for.]

It looks very nice. Exactly what you were missing.

[Mystery fashion consultant.]

WHAT IS IT?

[Don't think he didn't notice you not answering the question, mister mysterious.]

[He is too mysterious to answer questions. Well, mostly.]

It's a hat. Thing. Crown thing. Halo, technically. For angels.

[He is addled and also drunk.]

WHAT ARE ANGELS?

[HE is...getting a sense. It's weird, though. Knowledge would be better. Also his back itches.]

Servants of God. They do good things and protect people.

[And sometimes raze cities and stuff but we're not getting into that.]

[Marsh visibly flinches.]

...is that. What they do.

[Like the two halves don't fit together.]

[Even in his mysterious and inebriated state, Cassel realizes he's messed up. Doesn't let it show, but in his kind he's somewhat sluggishly backtracking.]

Yeah. There's a holiday called Christmas that's all about the protection of angels. [This isn't even a particularly good lie, but he doesn't care.] People celebrate with, um, you know pine trees now, I guess? And there's gotta be an angel on the tree, to keep people safe.

[He's dimly aware of the lie. It's hard to lie to angels, apparently. It's sort of sweet. He thinks about Sazed, and that makes it easier. That's what he wants, isn't it? To protect. And Cassel is trying to be kind. He usually is, with Marsh. His expression gentles a little and he shakes his head.]

IF YOU SAY SO.

[Relieved, Cassel grins and straightens up, hands in his pockets and his head on one side. The softness of expression is sort of a Marsh-smile, and so he likes it.]

It fits 'cause that's what you already do here anyway. Protect people.

Plus it's sparkly. [The most important consideration.]

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS WTF

spam

spam

spam

spam

spam

spam

spam

spam

spam

spam

spam

spam