Rome, Italy Thursday Evening Fandom Time

[glacial_queen]

Even in Kaeleer, Karla made sure to keep a Fandom-based calendar handy, so she could keep track of things like friends' birthdays and things like that. A few days ago, she'd noted another anniversary was coming up, but not one as fun or exciting as a birthday.

Thursday, May 10th, was the day that Triela had died, last year. Funny how it felt like both more and less than that long. Funny how much it still hurt, an ache in her heart she doubted would ever go away.

After seeing that, Karla had made a few handwavy calls to people, friends of hers and Triela's that she thought might want to join her sojourn back to Italy. Unsurprisingly, several people had already made separate plans to do just that, but didn't mind combining those plans with hers. Karla couldn't speak for everyone, of course, but she was sure that very few people wanted to go back and remember their friend alone.

For once, Portalocity was willing to work with her, and she was able to set up several portals to meet in Rome for Thursday afternoon and a return set for late Thursday evening. Hopefully that would give everyone time to...do whatever they needed to do today.

[For any friends of Triela's who want to meet up. If you think you'd've gotten a phone call, you absolutely did. Give a sec for OCD. NFB, NFI]

Comments

Arrive

[glacial_queen]

Arrive and mingle, yes, but it's not exactly a party atmosphere.

Re: Arrive

[trigons_child]

Raven had come with Karla, of course. The thought of going had tied her stomach in knots, but she couldn't not go.

Re: Arrive

[heromaniac]

"Raven! You came, too!" Momoko approached her, smiling. "How are you feeling? Can you use a hug?" Or would that be too much, was what Momoko wasn't asking.

Re: Arrive

[glacial_queen]

"Thank you," Karla whispered to her friend. "Thank you for coming with me. I appreciate it more than you know."

Karla didn't handle death very well. It always made her want to run in the opposite direction.

Re: Arrive

[heromaniac]

Momoko had been one of the ones already planning to go. She simply hadn't said anything to the others because she wasn't sure how they felt visiting graves.

She was somber (but not nearly as depressed as she had been the last time she visited Rome) and carrying a basket containing, among other handwavy things, incense sticks, two thermoses, some fresh teacakes and a single teacup.

The teacup was for Triela.

Re: Arrive

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Hey," Dinah said, slipping an arm around Momoko's waist. "Good to see you here."

Re: Arrive

[glacial_queen]

Karla had no words right yet. But she had a hug. Would a hug suffice?

Re: Arrive

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

It was easy for Leda to lose track of time, since Faerie didn't always match up with any other world.

So the call had been helpful. She had no idea if she was late or early or what when she arrived.

Re: Arrive

[icecoldfrost]

Emma was, of course, there after her shift at Dite's, and properly attired for the occasion. If it was a bit short, well, it was because she never would have managed to make Triela wear it.

Re: Arrive

[heromaniac]

Momoko didn't know Emma that well, but she did smile and look appreciatively at the other woman's outfit.

What? It was an awesome dress!

Re: Arrive

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah had brought flowers. And a small teddy-bear; not the one that Triela had given her, but a new one. She hadn't decided whether to leave it at her grave or give it to one of the other girls at Triela's Society yet.

Re: Arrive

[showmetheproof.livejournal.com]

Scully was here, also with flowers, and a very sober expression.

Wander Rome

[glacial_queen]

Or just take some time to do your own thing, either alone or in small groups. There are lots of ways to say goodbye, after all.

Re: Wander Rome

[glacial_queen]

Karla took off for a few hours by herself. She had been given an address by Triela at the very end and she owed that address another visit. She hadn't been there for a year, not since she had given the old cobbler the news of Triela's passing.

He had not cried, simply bowed his head in sorrow and offered her a tiny cup of coffee. When she was done, he'd escorted her out of the shop and flipping the sign as he did so. The sound of a bolt echoing home didn't quite drown out the rise of Italian, slow and even and chanting.

She didn't speak the language. Didn't know the rituals. But Karla knew the sound of a prayer when she heard one.

Today, she was going back. She was wearing her boots, the fancy boots that had accompanied the card with the cobbler's name on it. She was bringing chocolate and fine coffee, both from Kaeleer.

He and Triela had not been friends. At least, she didn't think so. But she had respected him and her had mourned for her, and so Karla would bring him an offering.

For remembrance. As a reminder.

Gather by the Grave

[glacial_queen]

For speeches, goodbyes, talking to Hilshire or any of the other girls, whatever.

Re: Gather by the Grave

[sie-bruder.livejournal.com]

Hilshire looked like he was wearing the same suit he'd had on twelve months ago. And possibly like he hadn't gotten it cleaned or pressed during that time.

He also might have lost his razor somewhere along the way, too.

Re: Gather by the Grave

[heromaniac]

Momoko took a moment to press her hands together and offer a prayer, then busied herself tending her friend's grave. Triela deserved the respect of a clean resting place, so weeds were pulled, twigs removed, and litter picked up. After that, she retrieved her thermos of water and gently poured some on the stone to clean it and left an incense stick burning on the top.

She had more if people wanted to do the same.

After another prayer, Momoko pulled out the solitary teacup and filled it from her second thermos. "Sorry it's not your favourite. But it's a nice soothing blend and it tastes good cooled. I hope you like it. Ah! And I have cookies for you too!" She set the teacup and a cookie next to the base of the stone. "It's a very nice day, today, you know."

Re: Gather by the Grave

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah put her bouquet of tiger-lilies and daffodils in the holder after Momoko had cleared off the grave. She sat down and listened to Momoko talk to Triela, silent, but imagining Triela's side of the conversation, and her own contributions. Wishing.

Re: Gather by the Grave

[glacial_queen]

Karla waited for Momoko to finish her chat, then knelt down by Triela's gravestone. "Hope you have room for more tea," she said softly. "I brought you a bit of mine. It's not one you'd recognize, I think. You remember back when we had the alternate Fandom, right? The one with all the vampires? The you there missed her tea more than almost anything else."

Almost. Losing Hilshire had hit her hard, but she hadn't buckled under the strain.

"When we broke the curse and got our magic back, I called in a box of tea for her. This was the tea inside of it. It was new and different, of course, but she'd liked it. Liked it a lot. Maybe only because it was the first tea she'd drunk in months, but it made her so happy. I hope that wherever you are, Triela, you're happy, too."

She talked to Triela for a little while longer, filling her in on the minutia of her life, telling her about Haven and the Black Widows, about the end of the world and how it came back again, about Leto's daughter Hania, and the tiny knife she'd given the baby.

"I still miss you, Triela, every day. No...not every day. That's not true. Some days, I don't think of you. Others, I think of you and only laugh or sigh or shake my head. Other days, my heart squeezes in my chest and I have to fight back tears. But not every day. And...I think you'd rather it that way. Because we're living. All of us. We're living and dreaming and going on."

Well, except for Hilshire. And something needed to be done about that.

"Thank you for being our friend, Triela. Thank you for being my protector when I was alone and frightened. And thank you for taking care of all of us, whether we needed or not--Hell's fire, whether we knew it or not. I may not get back here every year, but know this, Triela. You're always, always in my heart."

And with that, she poured the contents of the tea over the grass that had grown on Triela's grave and stood.

Re: Gather by the Grave

[showmetheproof.livejournal.com]

Scully added her flowers to Dinah's, and stood by the grave, arms folded, thoughts quiet, as the other girls softly talked. Fingering the cross at her throat, and praying. ...the communion of saints, and life everlasting.

Re: Gather by the Grave

[trigons_child]

Raven hung back a short distance, almost reluctant to approach. She'd tended to the dead in Azarath, but that had not been exactly the same. They'd been mostly strangers to her. Triela was different.

When she finally slipped forward, she lay more flowers on the grave. "I wish I had been able to save you, Triela," she said softly. "I hope you are at peace and free of pain now."

Goodbyes

[glacial_queen]

In case you want to do something after the graveside bit.

OOC

[glacial_queen]

No world-ending!

Re: OOC

[heromaniac]

But but but!

Re: OOC

[heromaniac]

Okay, I've seen Avengers... now can I end the world?