a fond farewell;
[long ago, in a discussion with a certain cute little Ooroo, she and Abel promised themselves that should they ever leave... they wouldn't do so without some measure of closure and a farewell to those who came to be dear to their hearts. so, they'd come up with a plan: to write out letters to their friends and family, and instruct the ghosts to deliver them upon their disappearance from Cair Paradisa. maybe it's a sign of how much he'd grown since he came here -- once upon a time, he would've been happy leaving without much adieu or a word in parting, even to those he cared for the very most.
Abel's side of this two-way promise has been fulfilled, today. he might not be the most verbose with them all -- nor does he send letters to everyone who he doubtlessly came to 'love' in his time here, but he wrote what he could, and offered what little he had. it wasn't much... but it was better than radio silence -- and nothing at all.]
[room filter: Sora]
[the sheet from the Lost Room has been left gently placed upon his pillow, neatly folded and still carrying the faint scent of jasmine perfume belonging to Lilith. this is worth more than any words, but it's atop a note for him to read:]
Sora,
You are the boy Lilith and I called 'son', and always will. However long you stay in Paradisa, don't ever let yourself forget that -- or how much you're loved.
Use this the next time you build a pillow fort. I think you'll have a pleasant surprise when you get to escape to your own little world for a while.
Please take care of Jilly for me, alright?
Love,
Father Abel.
[room filter: Charlie]
[somewhere in Charlie's room today, he'll make a discovery: a friendly neighborhood ghost has left a pocket-watch, the interior of which is engraved with CUSTODIS MUNDI; the chain is currently wrapped around a note for his perusal:]
Lilith gave me this watch to remind me who I am. It seems I won't be able to carry it anymore; how troublesome is that? This castle really is a pain in the ass, little brother.
But if I can't, then... then you should. I can't think of anyone better to give something so precious and expensive to, so don't lose it, or I swear on all things holy you'll regret it.
[a hesitation mark, deep dot in the page.]
Whenever [...] you forget who 'Charlie' is, [...] open it up and remember.
[you're the 'little brother' gifted this watch from someone who loves you. you'll always be his family, like it or not.]
...Take care of yourself, Charlie. That's not a request.
[he'll really, really miss you.]
[room filter: Elektra]
[Abel imagines Elektra's letter will be discovered quickly, if it's not lost in transit by the ghosts. after all, she always was far too tidy for her own good.
it's curled up and been inserted into a ring; on closer examination, said ring would be Abel's wedding band. the words are written simply and his chicken scratch is legible as ever.]
If nothing else... I bet you'll be happy that the Bonsai's stock won't go mysteriously missing whenever I'm on shift.
[haha.]
[a slight hesitation mark.] I know this is no rosary, but I figured since you already had one of those... this might be a better token to leave in your capable hands. I wouldn't trust anyone else with its safekeeping for me while I couldn't look after it myself! I trust you won't do anything untoward I wouldn't approve of while you hold it. If you do, I'll mysteriously know from the dimensional nexus, and haunt you in your dreams. It's absolutely possible, Elektra, so don't you dare give this letter the blank stare I know you're already wearing. Just stop it. You can't be petulant at me when I'm not even there. I guess this means I finally got the upper hand in a fight by the simple grace of being unavailable for counter-attack! HA!
[there's another hesitation... deep line where pen had rested a bit too long on the page.]
...All joking aside...
There's little I could say to you here I haven't said in person before, so I won't waste your time with all that sentimentality again. You'll just roll your eyes, right? And Jyuushiro was much better at all of that than I ever was.
So, I'll write the one thing I want you to be able to read as many times as you need to, for as long as Paradisa keeps you around.
I have faith in you.
You're my family, and I believe in you.
If you ever forget it, so help me God... I will cross dimensions and find a way to punish you for it. I don't do it often, but I might really have to punch a woman. And we don't want that, as we both know I'd just end up getting horribly beaten in retaliation and then you might have to kill me. And no one wants that.
So... remember. Alright?
...Thank you, Elektra.
All the faith in the world,
Abel.
[room filter: Rin]
[this letter was... very hard for him to write. Rin was not like the others; she was just a child, and one he genuinely had wanted to protect and make happy with everything in him.
the teacup she made him for Christmas two years ago is sitting wherever the ghost deigned to leave it; the note has been folded and placed within for her to read at her leisure. it might be a while, all things considered...:]
Rin,
I'm making myself write this to you, even though I'm finding it a lot harder than I thought it'd be. This is my fifth try, so sorry if it's a little hard to read as much as it's hard to write. Knowing my luck it won't make any sense or be illegible or I'll end up spilling tea all over this before I'm done or something, right? I was never very good at this kind of thing, and... all things considered, I guess that's not a surprise, is it?
...I'm sorry. I promised I wouldn't go anywhere. [...] I guess this means you were right, and I didn't have a choice in the end.
There are things You If I
I'll [...] keep this short, or I might ramble at you forever.
...Thank you for being my friend. However hard things have gotten or how terrible we seem to be at keeping in touch at times... you've always been on my mind. You're like family to me, and I refuse to believe the bonds we make here just [...] disappear when we're gone. I will miss you, and I'll be praying that you get the happy ending you deserve. Here, and home. Truth be told... I've wished more than once I could take you back with me if I had to leave... I know it's silly, but-- it's true! I think you'd like the Vatican. And would look adorable in a habit. Esther might be jealous. ♥
[...]
Wherever your path takes you, I'm proud of who you are and I know I will be proud of who you'll be. I don't know if that means all too much coming from someone like me, but -- it's true, for what it's worth.
Please take care of yourself, Rin.
I really mean it.
- Father Abel
[room filter: Nanako]
[somewhere in Nanako's room is a new addition, today. it's a photo album - filled with pictures from Abel's stay here. there's friends and family; some from his wedding; the portrait from home of him with Lilith, Seth and Cain; even some of Nanako and Sora. he had put the camera Eva gave him for Christmas this year to good use.
there's a folded letter settled atop it:]
Dear Nanako,
I'm giving this to you to keep safe for me! I know you'll take the best care of it, Nanako; you're the one person in the castle I can always trust to make me smile, so it makes perfect sense you'd be just the right candidate to look over the smiles inside this book, too.
I know they say we don't take our memories home with us when we leave, but I don't believe that. So, I'm stealing all your hugs to take back with me in hopes I can get the real deal again one day.
Take care of Mr. Dojima, okay? I know you will. He's the luckiest man alive to have you, and I hope he knows that -- and you know that.
Thank you so much for taking care of me.
Love, Hugs, and Embarrassing Mushy Cheek Kisses,
Father Abel.
[room filter: Eva]
[there is a pair of spectacles resting somewhere safe and unobtrusive -- a pair of indestructible spectacles, even. there is a letter folded beneath it that reads rather simply:]
I would've preferred to say goodbye with a terribly sentimental hug that would put that awkward blush on your face, but this will have to do.
...Thank you, Eva. For everything.
[almost in afterthought, there's something else added below:]
Maybe you should try putting the glasses on yourself. I don't know if it would work, but they're supposed to give you perfect vision, aren't they? Maybe you'll be able to see yourself the way I do.
I hope one day you will.
Take care of Rin for me. And yourself, while you're at it. Try not to villain yourself into too much trouble.
- Father Abel.
[room filter: Ken]
[he wasn't sure there were words he hadn't said before that would move this kiddo. actions had always been better, hadn't they? he'd said all he could, and then some. this boy knows how he feels.
so every night like clockwork, a little while after dinnertime, an ice-cream cone is delivered to his door via ghost. he knows Ken will understand the sentiments behind it. it might be a little messy if he forgets to answer his door, but... you know. sacrifices in the name of love and all that.
he'll miss you.]
[room filter: Uru]
[a folded note has been placed somewhere convenient -- unobtrusive, like it belonged with everything else:]
There's a lot I could say here... but I've never had much of a 'poetic license' or however it goes, eh? Not much of a flair for the written word. I guess my terrible stories in the journal were proof enough of that, hm.
--Anyway! Uru... the point of this letter is... well; a thank you. I won't say it's a goodbye... regardless what we might be told and believe, I refuse to accept that everything we've been through and built here simply disappears and vanishes when we go. I'm going to take all my memories home with me, and I won't accept anything less. That's just the way it is! I'm stubborn about it, so -- don't you even hesitate to believe otherwise! First thing I'll do when I get home is probably light my oven on fire trying to duplicate your rainbow cake, and then make some tea like I used to have with Jyuushiro... then I'll tell Esther about how lucky I was to know someone as cute as Evangeline even if she'd kill me if she could hear me say it.
Ah, I'm rambling, aren't I? Even on paper I can't get my head together very well.
In the end, what I really want to say is... that I'm glad I was able to be your friend. I don't want you to give up trying to give other people their happiness -- because I know you can, and I think it'll make you happy in the end, too. I'm really grateful I had the chance to know you, Uru. Even if it's hard... people like me get to smile because we know we have people like you to come back to, wherever we go.
So... thank you.
I hope I'll see you again before too long. Take care of yourself.
- Father Abel.
[room filters: Jilly, Crowley, Cross, Peter, Tomoe, Joshua.]
[Jilly will find the portrait she gifted Abel and Lilith upon their wedding amongst the contents of her room. Crowley will find an expensive bottle of port with two glasses of impeccable quality, along with a note simply saying -- 'thank you' in Abel's chicken scrawl. Cross will find a small rosary attached to beaded chain dangling from his door handled. Peter will find the tea-set Claire gave him for Christmas two years ago outside his door; he hopes you use it with her. Tomoe will find a fine china cup settled within the tea cozy she knitted for him somewhere just inside her door, and Joshua will find that big coat that had dwarfed him folded up neatly and tucked away amongst his things. you'll need something warm for all that exploring in the wilderness you plan to do, kiddo.
then there's no more letters to send; an empty church... and a room left bereft in the Satis tower.]
[ooc: as of this post, Abel's gone. ;( if you got a letter/item, you can feel free to have the ghosts deliver it whenever, lag a few days/weeks, or get lost in transit if you'd rather your character not find it for whatever reason b'aww. ;; /HUGS FOREVER. I'm sorry I couldn't include more letters, but I would be tl;dring forever man. all the love. all of it.]
Abel's side of this two-way promise has been fulfilled, today. he might not be the most verbose with them all -- nor does he send letters to everyone who he doubtlessly came to 'love' in his time here, but he wrote what he could, and offered what little he had. it wasn't much... but it was better than radio silence -- and nothing at all.]
[room filter: Sora]
[the sheet from the Lost Room has been left gently placed upon his pillow, neatly folded and still carrying the faint scent of jasmine perfume belonging to Lilith. this is worth more than any words, but it's atop a note for him to read:]
Sora,
You are the boy Lilith and I called 'son', and always will. However long you stay in Paradisa, don't ever let yourself forget that -- or how much you're loved.
Use this the next time you build a pillow fort. I think you'll have a pleasant surprise when you get to escape to your own little world for a while.
Please take care of Jilly for me, alright?
Love,
Father Abel.
[room filter: Charlie]
[somewhere in Charlie's room today, he'll make a discovery: a friendly neighborhood ghost has left a pocket-watch, the interior of which is engraved with CUSTODIS MUNDI; the chain is currently wrapped around a note for his perusal:]
Lilith gave me this watch to remind me who I am. It seems I won't be able to carry it anymore; how troublesome is that? This castle really is a pain in the ass, little brother.
But if I can't, then... then you should. I can't think of anyone better to give something so precious and expensive to, so don't lose it, or I swear on all things holy you'll regret it.
[a hesitation mark, deep dot in the page.]
Whenever [...] you forget who 'Charlie' is, [...] open it up and remember.
[you're the 'little brother' gifted this watch from someone who loves you. you'll always be his family, like it or not.]
...Take care of yourself, Charlie. That's not a request.
[he'll really, really miss you.]
[room filter: Elektra]
[Abel imagines Elektra's letter will be discovered quickly, if it's not lost in transit by the ghosts. after all, she always was far too tidy for her own good.
it's curled up and been inserted into a ring; on closer examination, said ring would be Abel's wedding band. the words are written simply and his chicken scratch is legible as ever.]
If nothing else... I bet you'll be happy that the Bonsai's stock won't go mysteriously missing whenever I'm on shift.
[haha.]
[a slight hesitation mark.] I know this is no rosary, but I figured since you already had one of those... this might be a better token to leave in your capable hands. I wouldn't trust anyone else with its safekeeping for me while I couldn't look after it myself! I trust you won't do anything untoward I wouldn't approve of while you hold it. If you do, I'll mysteriously know from the dimensional nexus, and haunt you in your dreams. It's absolutely possible, Elektra, so don't you dare give this letter the blank stare I know you're already wearing. Just stop it. You can't be petulant at me when I'm not even there. I guess this means I finally got the upper hand in a fight by the simple grace of being unavailable for counter-attack! HA!
[there's another hesitation... deep line where pen had rested a bit too long on the page.]
...All joking aside...
There's little I could say to you here I haven't said in person before, so I won't waste your time with all that sentimentality again. You'll just roll your eyes, right? And Jyuushiro was much better at all of that than I ever was.
So, I'll write the one thing I want you to be able to read as many times as you need to, for as long as Paradisa keeps you around.
I have faith in you.
You're my family, and I believe in you.
If you ever forget it, so help me God... I will cross dimensions and find a way to punish you for it. I don't do it often, but I might really have to punch a woman. And we don't want that, as we both know I'd just end up getting horribly beaten in retaliation and then you might have to kill me. And no one wants that.
So... remember. Alright?
...Thank you, Elektra.
All the faith in the world,
Abel.
[room filter: Rin]
[this letter was... very hard for him to write. Rin was not like the others; she was just a child, and one he genuinely had wanted to protect and make happy with everything in him.
the teacup she made him for Christmas two years ago is sitting wherever the ghost deigned to leave it; the note has been folded and placed within for her to read at her leisure. it might be a while, all things considered...:]
Rin,
I'm making myself write this to you, even though I'm finding it a lot harder than I thought it'd be. This is my fifth try, so sorry if it's a little hard to read as much as it's hard to write. Knowing my luck it won't make any sense or be illegible or I'll end up spilling tea all over this before I'm done or something, right? I was never very good at this kind of thing, and... all things considered, I guess that's not a surprise, is it?
...I'm sorry. I promised I wouldn't go anywhere. [...] I guess this means you were right, and I didn't have a choice in the end.
There are things You If I
I'll [...] keep this short, or I might ramble at you forever.
...Thank you for being my friend. However hard things have gotten or how terrible we seem to be at keeping in touch at times... you've always been on my mind. You're like family to me, and I refuse to believe the bonds we make here just [...] disappear when we're gone. I will miss you, and I'll be praying that you get the happy ending you deserve. Here, and home. Truth be told... I've wished more than once I could take you back with me if I had to leave... I know it's silly, but-- it's true! I think you'd like the Vatican. And would look adorable in a habit. Esther might be jealous. ♥
[...]
Wherever your path takes you, I'm proud of who you are and I know I will be proud of who you'll be. I don't know if that means all too much coming from someone like me, but -- it's true, for what it's worth.
Please take care of yourself, Rin.
I really mean it.
- Father Abel
[room filter: Nanako]
[somewhere in Nanako's room is a new addition, today. it's a photo album - filled with pictures from Abel's stay here. there's friends and family; some from his wedding; the portrait from home of him with Lilith, Seth and Cain; even some of Nanako and Sora. he had put the camera Eva gave him for Christmas this year to good use.
there's a folded letter settled atop it:]
Dear Nanako,
I'm giving this to you to keep safe for me! I know you'll take the best care of it, Nanako; you're the one person in the castle I can always trust to make me smile, so it makes perfect sense you'd be just the right candidate to look over the smiles inside this book, too.
I know they say we don't take our memories home with us when we leave, but I don't believe that. So, I'm stealing all your hugs to take back with me in hopes I can get the real deal again one day.
Take care of Mr. Dojima, okay? I know you will. He's the luckiest man alive to have you, and I hope he knows that -- and you know that.
Thank you so much for taking care of me.
Love, Hugs, and Embarrassing Mushy Cheek Kisses,
Father Abel.
[room filter: Eva]
[there is a pair of spectacles resting somewhere safe and unobtrusive -- a pair of indestructible spectacles, even. there is a letter folded beneath it that reads rather simply:]
I would've preferred to say goodbye with a terribly sentimental hug that would put that awkward blush on your face, but this will have to do.
...Thank you, Eva. For everything.
[almost in afterthought, there's something else added below:]
Maybe you should try putting the glasses on yourself. I don't know if it would work, but they're supposed to give you perfect vision, aren't they? Maybe you'll be able to see yourself the way I do.
I hope one day you will.
Take care of Rin for me. And yourself, while you're at it. Try not to villain yourself into too much trouble.
- Father Abel.
[room filter: Ken]
[he wasn't sure there were words he hadn't said before that would move this kiddo. actions had always been better, hadn't they? he'd said all he could, and then some. this boy knows how he feels.
so every night like clockwork, a little while after dinnertime, an ice-cream cone is delivered to his door via ghost. he knows Ken will understand the sentiments behind it. it might be a little messy if he forgets to answer his door, but... you know. sacrifices in the name of love and all that.
he'll miss you.]
[room filter: Uru]
[a folded note has been placed somewhere convenient -- unobtrusive, like it belonged with everything else:]
There's a lot I could say here... but I've never had much of a 'poetic license' or however it goes, eh? Not much of a flair for the written word. I guess my terrible stories in the journal were proof enough of that, hm.
--Anyway! Uru... the point of this letter is... well; a thank you. I won't say it's a goodbye... regardless what we might be told and believe, I refuse to accept that everything we've been through and built here simply disappears and vanishes when we go. I'm going to take all my memories home with me, and I won't accept anything less. That's just the way it is! I'm stubborn about it, so -- don't you even hesitate to believe otherwise! First thing I'll do when I get home is probably light my oven on fire trying to duplicate your rainbow cake, and then make some tea like I used to have with Jyuushiro... then I'll tell Esther about how lucky I was to know someone as cute as Evangeline even if she'd kill me if she could hear me say it.
Ah, I'm rambling, aren't I? Even on paper I can't get my head together very well.
In the end, what I really want to say is... that I'm glad I was able to be your friend. I don't want you to give up trying to give other people their happiness -- because I know you can, and I think it'll make you happy in the end, too. I'm really grateful I had the chance to know you, Uru. Even if it's hard... people like me get to smile because we know we have people like you to come back to, wherever we go.
So... thank you.
I hope I'll see you again before too long. Take care of yourself.
- Father Abel.
[room filters: Jilly, Crowley, Cross, Peter, Tomoe, Joshua.]
[Jilly will find the portrait she gifted Abel and Lilith upon their wedding amongst the contents of her room. Crowley will find an expensive bottle of port with two glasses of impeccable quality, along with a note simply saying -- 'thank you' in Abel's chicken scrawl. Cross will find a small rosary attached to beaded chain dangling from his door handled. Peter will find the tea-set Claire gave him for Christmas two years ago outside his door; he hopes you use it with her. Tomoe will find a fine china cup settled within the tea cozy she knitted for him somewhere just inside her door, and Joshua will find that big coat that had dwarfed him folded up neatly and tucked away amongst his things. you'll need something warm for all that exploring in the wilderness you plan to do, kiddo.
then there's no more letters to send; an empty church... and a room left bereft in the Satis tower.]
[ooc: as of this post, Abel's gone. ;( if you got a letter/item, you can feel free to have the ghosts deliver it whenever, lag a few days/weeks, or get lost in transit if you'd rather your character not find it for whatever reason b'aww. ;; /HUGS FOREVER. I'm sorry I couldn't include more letters, but I would be tl;dring forever man. all the love. all of it.]