An angel in white

[put_a_ring_on_it]

Who: Lunafreya and you!
What: Doing what she does best
When: June 20th
Where: Department store and then the hospital

[Lunafreya may not have a dedicated shinki beyond the soulless one she was assigned upon arrival, but she reasons there's still plenty she can do besides defeating ayakashi. She still has her powers from home, after all, and the Archangel Raphael is primarily known for healing rather than combat prowess. Once the rash of suicides is dealt with and the aftermath has begun to calm down, she sets to work.

Her first visit is to a department store, where she buys some stuffed animals and small toys. She then takes them to the local children's hospital, taking advantage of her status as a resident of the Far Shore to gain access to the palliative care ward. Healing an entire hospital full of sick children at once would likely cause too much of a stir, but a few at a time shouldn't be a problem.

Other gods and shinki who happen to be visiting the hospital may see her walking around unnoticed by the staff. The rooms she visits briefly glow with a golden light before she moves on, and every so often a white feather can be found on the floor in her wake. By the end of the day, some of the children speak of being visited by an angel. In the coming days, the doctors that work there receive high praise in the news media.

But to residents of the Far Shore, it should be clear enough what's been happening here as Luna walks out of the front entrance smiling serenely.]

Comments

[latentforlife]

[The Department store toy section is a place you'd expect to see children or parents more often then young adults.

Today though Shuusei is eyeing up a stuffed animal mascot that is sitting beside the rest. He fingers the price tag and frowns at it a bit, even muttering a bit.]

I really should get a job. These things are so pricey.

[He also shouldn't spend all his money when he gets it. That'd help. He gives up on this little toy for now and breaks his disappointment with a smile when he sees someone walking down the aisle. Most likely, if it's a person they'll ignore him. If not, there is no way he's going to get caught scowling by a cute goddess or shinki.

First impressions and all.]

[put_a_ring_on_it]

[Luna smiles at the wave, and she nods in recognition as she approaches.]

Hello. Are you out shopping too?

[latentforlife]

[Okay, so not a normal person. Now that he has that down.]

Sort of. More like "looking."

[put_a_ring_on_it]

Window shopping, is it?

[From the way she says it, she's familiar with the idea, but it's clearly something she's never done personally.]

[latentforlife]

Yeah, for now anyways. You shopping for anyone in particular?

[She's cute. Change the subject off of being poor.]

[put_a_ring_on_it]

I thought I would take some gifts to the sick children at the hospital.

[She smiles, picking up one of the teddy bears.]

What do you think of this?

[latentforlife]

That's actually really nice of you. I bet some kid will love that.

[put_a_ring_on_it]

I hope so.

[She gently cradles the bear, looking at it for a moment.]

Children deserve to be able to smile.

[latentforlife]

[He's not sure why that bugs him, but it does. He doesn't respond right away to that bit. He quickly catches on that he's frowning though and turns back to the toys.]

I have a bit of cash on me if you want help gathering up some toys. I'm sort of procrastinating today anyways.

[nibelungvalesti]

[From up high in the spiritual plane, Lenneth notes the sudden emergence of the woman from the hospital, with a slight frown forged from curiosity. A god who so directly meddles in the affairs of mortals is a foreign concept to her, one she does not understand. Is this permitted here? Accepted? Required?]

[The Valkyrie drops down into a side street where few mortals are present; her armor vanishes, replaced by a simple dress that looks like it belongs in feudal times, because it does. Nevertheless, that is her guise in physical realm -- and so attired, seeming nothing more than a normal if oddly-dressed woman, she materializes.]

[A few quick paces have her stepping out towards the front of the hospital, aimed at Lunafreya as she lifts her voice slightly.]

You have been busy.

[put_a_ring_on_it]

[The sudden appearance of a person in strange clothing isn't something that Luna finds particularly surprising, considering her association with spirits like Gentiana. She smiles as she looks toward Lenneth, inclining her head slightly.]

I suppose you could say that, yes.

[nibelungvalesti]

I wish to understand exactly why you are doing this. [There is no hostility in her tones, but no comprehension either. Leaving feathers behind after a visit is more of a Valkyrie thing, and that usually implies the Chooser of the Slain has done her duty at that moment. And besides her, no other gods move in Midgard -- and even she did not interfere.]

[put_a_ring_on_it]

Healing the children, you mean?

[Luna glances back toward the hospital as a brief confirmation of what they're talking about before giving her answer.]

As the Archangel Raphael, it's my duty to heal those in need.

[nibelungvalesti]

It is not normally the purview of gods to interfere in mortal affairs. [She cannot help but sound imperious - that is just how she IS, even when she means the question curiously and nonjudgmentally.] Is this not meddling against fate?

[put_a_ring_on_it]

[Luna frowns, though her posture remains steadfast and confident.]

Perhaps... but these children don't deserve a fate like this.

[nibelungvalesti]

[She can understand the sentiment, even empathize with it, yet at the same time -- well, this is what comes of giving mortal souls divine powers.]

Fate is ill-concerned with matters of worth and merit... though what comes in the life after death is earned.

[put_a_ring_on_it]

Then I, too, have earned this position and the duty that accompanies it.

[All shinki are dead by definition, but not necessarily all gods. That does seem to be the case with Luna, however, if Lenneth reads between the lines here.]

I refuse to have led a life in service to the weak and dying only to abandon it here.

[onerous]

[It's no small wonder Yuri's at the hospital, given her domain and all. Though she's been taking a bit of a break since the latest event draining her so thoroughly, she can't completely ignore the prayers offered to her. Thankfully children can be reasoned out of these desires a little more easily, especially if there is still achance, so Yuri's reasonably sure she cna come out of this unscarred.

She barely spares Luna a glance at first, before she witnesses the glowing room and her curiosity gets the better of her. She peeks her head around a corner, eyeing Luna as she exits a room-- definitely another god, she supposes, though not one Yuri's familiar with. Not that it means much, it's not like she knows every god. And probably not a death god.]

Are you healing them?

[put_a_ring_on_it]

[It's the second time she's been asked, and Luna's already beginning to feel a bit like she might be overstepping her bounds. Even still, she stands up straight and answers with the same conviction as always.]

Yes. The Archangel Raphael is a patron of the healing arts, and sick children are among those in greatest need.

[onerous]

Archangel... Oh, that's Christian mythology, right? [Yuri muses thoughtfully as she walks out from around the corner to approach.] I guess that explains the feathers I've been seeing.

[She eye Luna again, then shakes her head, making a 'don't worry' dismissive hand wave.] ...I'm not going to tell you not to. It makes my job easier too, and this is better for them. I'm not going to say it's 'not right,' when they want to live so badly.

...Have you been given a hard time over it?

[put_a_ring_on_it]

That's right. He's one of four.

[Not entirely accurate, but she also hasn't had much time to research.

Her expression softens at the hand wave, though.]

That's a relief. I'm afraid I may have attracted a little too much attention to myself. Another goddess was asking about it earlier.

[onerous]

[Yuri isn't really up on her Christian myth, so she can't refute it anyhow; she'll take Luna at her word.]

It's probably not a good idea to attract too much attention from the-- regular people,I guess. People don't tend to trust things they don't understand, even if it's something that's good or can be used for good. [She knows that first hand, but haha. NOT BITTER AT ALL.

Okay no, she's more just resigned to that fact.]

But you're doing a good thing. You don't really have to answer to anyone for it. [She glances away, watching a couple nurses coming and going.] I was just curious. You're making my job a lot easier too, so I can't complain.

[put_a_ring_on_it]

It's been an adjustment, but I agree. In my world, healing people in need right out in the open would have been normal. Expected of me, even.

[She frowns for a moment, but seems relieved at the reassurance.]

I'm glad to hear you think so. What is your job, if you don't mind my asking?

[onerous]

[Yuri eyes Luna curiously. She certainly fits the angel sort of stereotype; it seems like it's completely natural that she's an angelic being in this world.] Were you a healer in your world?

[The question is inevitable, so Yuri's not sure why she wasn't expecting it. She winces slightly and runs a hand through her hair, looking away.]

...Here I'm Ixtab. She's the Mayan Goddess of suicide. [She's not really embarrassed about her role, and she does take it seriously, but it's always others' reactions she's wary of.] So, sometimes I gt kids' prayers-- especially in hospitals. I try to talk them out of it, as I can, but if you're here healing them all by some miracle, then it means less work for me. So I'm grateful for it.

[put_a_ring_on_it]

Yes. I was known as the Oracle. Healing the sick was my duty there as well.

[Luna waits patiently for Yuri's answer, and when she gets it, the pity for the poor girl is written plainly on her face.]

...That must be a very difficult role to fill. You have my sympathies.