we're not in soho anymore... [ complete ]
Character(s): Aziraphale.
Content: The angel's obligatory entry in to Paixao, followed by a sudden craving for something stronger than tea...
Setting: Vanaheim gate.
Time: Afternoon.
Warnings: None.
Curious. Very curious.
You would think that you had seen everything there was to see after six millenia on Earth, wouldn't you? No, of course you wouldn't. Humans were always coming up with something newer, something more complex and ultimately more baffling every day, everywhere. But wasn't that what made life so interesting? Aziraphale liked to think so.
Until now.
He could've sworn that, just a minute ago, he was standing on the other side of the door to the back room in his store. In fact, he was still holding the cup of tea he'd prepared in his right hand as he twisted the knob with his left. But, as soon as he stepped through, he found himself approaching the end of a small line leading up to gates he knew he had never seen before in his life.
Before he knew it, the cup slipped out of his loosened grasp and crashed with a loud, yet melodious crash on the path before him. It left a puddle of china shards and untouched Earl Grey, and all the angel could think to say was: "Oh, my."
A quick look behind him confirmed that there was no back door; just a vast expanse of wooded area. It didn't hold much promise in terms of finding a way back home. In fact, the only real sign of life lie beyond the gates, in a rather gaudy-looking (and, of course, unfamiliar) city shielded by a dome. Aziraphale puzzled at it briefly before whoever had assumed a place behind him gave a light shove and gestured to the newly made gap between him and the person before him. Right. Best to keep moving, wasn't it? He mumbled an apology and quickly closed the space between them. The line would let up soon enough.
And it did, as expected. Aziraphale didn't know what the line was leading to, but when he reached the front he was greeted by a blank (and somewhat somber) looking fellow. Had they set up a help desk? Well, that was very thoughtful of them, what with people randomly appearing and all! Although he wasn't sure why they'd placed it outside the city, and why this man had a list... were those names? "Odd..."
The "blank one" seized the opportunity to ask Aziraphale for his name.
"I beg your pardon?" Oh. Oh, right. Name. He thought about it for a moment, then said, "Fell. Mr. Fell, if you please."
And that was exactly what he wrote. A square piece of metallic something-or-other was thrust into Aziraphale's hands with a rather monotonous, "Welcome to Paixao. Next, please," and that was that.
"... Paixao?"
He had never heard the name before. In fact, he was certain that it wasn't any place on Earth... oh, but it had to be. Where else could it be? He'd allowed himself to entertain such a foolish idea for a few seconds, but ony for a few seconds. Well, maybe it could be somewhere else. (Maybe. Just maybe.) Aziraphale resolved to have a look around first before he passed judgment on the place. After all, it could be worse: it could be Australia.
Only after passing through the gates did he turn and look back, mournfully, at the puddle of would-be tea he'd left behind him.
And only after that did he realize it didn't matter anyway; he'd be needing something a lot stronger than tea pretty soon.
Content: The angel's obligatory entry in to Paixao, followed by a sudden craving for something stronger than tea...
Setting: Vanaheim gate.
Time: Afternoon.
Warnings: None.
Curious. Very curious.
You would think that you had seen everything there was to see after six millenia on Earth, wouldn't you? No, of course you wouldn't. Humans were always coming up with something newer, something more complex and ultimately more baffling every day, everywhere. But wasn't that what made life so interesting? Aziraphale liked to think so.
Until now.
He could've sworn that, just a minute ago, he was standing on the other side of the door to the back room in his store. In fact, he was still holding the cup of tea he'd prepared in his right hand as he twisted the knob with his left. But, as soon as he stepped through, he found himself approaching the end of a small line leading up to gates he knew he had never seen before in his life.
Before he knew it, the cup slipped out of his loosened grasp and crashed with a loud, yet melodious crash on the path before him. It left a puddle of china shards and untouched Earl Grey, and all the angel could think to say was: "Oh, my."
A quick look behind him confirmed that there was no back door; just a vast expanse of wooded area. It didn't hold much promise in terms of finding a way back home. In fact, the only real sign of life lie beyond the gates, in a rather gaudy-looking (and, of course, unfamiliar) city shielded by a dome. Aziraphale puzzled at it briefly before whoever had assumed a place behind him gave a light shove and gestured to the newly made gap between him and the person before him. Right. Best to keep moving, wasn't it? He mumbled an apology and quickly closed the space between them. The line would let up soon enough.
And it did, as expected. Aziraphale didn't know what the line was leading to, but when he reached the front he was greeted by a blank (and somewhat somber) looking fellow. Had they set up a help desk? Well, that was very thoughtful of them, what with people randomly appearing and all! Although he wasn't sure why they'd placed it outside the city, and why this man had a list... were those names? "Odd..."
The "blank one" seized the opportunity to ask Aziraphale for his name.
"I beg your pardon?" Oh. Oh, right. Name. He thought about it for a moment, then said, "Fell. Mr. Fell, if you please."
And that was exactly what he wrote. A square piece of metallic something-or-other was thrust into Aziraphale's hands with a rather monotonous, "Welcome to Paixao. Next, please," and that was that.
"... Paixao?"
He had never heard the name before. In fact, he was certain that it wasn't any place on Earth... oh, but it had to be. Where else could it be? He'd allowed himself to entertain such a foolish idea for a few seconds, but ony for a few seconds. Well, maybe it could be somewhere else. (Maybe. Just maybe.) Aziraphale resolved to have a look around first before he passed judgment on the place. After all, it could be worse: it could be Australia.
Only after passing through the gates did he turn and look back, mournfully, at the puddle of would-be tea he'd left behind him.
And only after that did he realize it didn't matter anyway; he'd be needing something a lot stronger than tea pretty soon.