Embers (Mythklok, Chapter 26)
Jan. 20th, 2011 11:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tikificTitle: Embers (Mythklok, Chapter 26)
Author: tikistitch
Rating: PG-13
Summary: That would be telling. :D
Warnings: Slash, AU, OCs, swearing, smoking.
Notes: This is part 6 of a 6 chapter sequence I’m calling the Volcano Arc. More notes after the jump.
Cross-posted to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
capslokdethklok.
OK, doods, here ya go....
Mythklok is a Metalocalypse AU. If you're behind and for some strange reason wanna catch up, the best place is my fic journal,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tikific, where you are welcome to come visit the bits I’ve written and maybe poke them with a pointed stick. I've also written a general introduction in case you wanna jump in the middle of things, or have forgotten all this stuff due to Real Life.
(As a side note, this fic refers to a couple of the Mythklok Interstitials. In case you missed them and would like to read them, Sariel's dream about Raziel's children is recounted in The Rainbow Ponies of Evil, and the story of Ganesh treating Sariel's deafness is a story called Quiet. You don't gotta read 'em if you don't want to - I mean, this isn't your English class. Just, if you think you're missing something.)
A quick recap: Hey, who was that mysterious figure in the graveyard? QUIT READING THE FREAKIN' RECAP AND GO FIND OUT!
Embers (Mythklok, Chapter 26)
He had walked the earth, searching for the light.
It was the one thing he carried, the memory of the light. It was strong, riotous, blazing, incandescent. But he detected no trace of it.
He walked to places where it had been, where he had known the light before. There was no sign, no trace of its former glory.
But he was patient. And he was determined. And he was as passionate as any spirit who had ever walked. And he persisted, until he found the place in the universe. But then his heart filled with a terrific sorrow. Of his beautiful light, barely an ember remained.
And he seized on to it, and carried it away, back to his home. And he embraced the man, and kissed him. And caressed him, and gave him every pleasure. And he held him tightly for some hours, whispering many sweet and pleasant things to him.
And the fire heated, ever so slightly, and the ember caught fire once again, and he held the flame, as he had never held to anything before.
"What happened?" Sariel asked him. It was the first he could remember the man speaking to him, in the strange physical world. He had his angel in his lap, two sets of arm wrapped tightly around him.
"I went to the nether world, my soul. And Great Brahma told me, your soul is blessed, My Lord. It is time for you to move beyond the universe.
“So I sat myself down in Brahma's garden, beside the pool where bloomed the sacred lotus, and I meditated. And the next day, Great Brahma came by, and he said, My Lord, it is time that your soul passed on, beyond the universe. And I told him, I cannot move on, for part of my soul remains in the world below.
“And so I continued my meditation. And the next day, Great Brahma came upon me, as he was walking up and down, and said, My Lord, it is time that your soul moved on to the next world. And I told him, alas, but part of my heart remains below, in this world, so I cannot move on.
“And so the next day, Great Brahma did pass, and he spoke to me saying, My Lord, it is time for your spirit to take flight, and go beyond the universe. And I told him, a part of my being remains yet, on the world below, I cannot yet pass.
“And so it went on for thirty days, my meditation beside the quiet pool where bloom the sacred lotus. And on the thirtieth day, the Great Brahma passed by again, and he said, well, still here? And I said, yes. And he said, my, you are one stubborn madarchod, aren't you? You may as well get back down there now, and hurry it up. Have you seen the stock market reports? The Eastern Kingdom LLC is down 12 points! My portfolio is turned to shit!"
"Uh," Sariel began, "You mean to tell me you're back because Brahma was worried about his investments?"
"It is a wise thing, to be concerned with one's retirement!" the Hindu god protested. He sighed. "I'm back because I was longing for you, even in the afterlife. Didn't you listen to my fable?" He pushed Sariel away ever so slightly, in his annoyance, and took a good look at his lover's physical being for the first time. "Good gods, you really look like shit. What the hell has happened to your beautiful hair? And what did you do to your leg?"
"I just need some sleep. Maybe a cigarette. Since you're up, would you grab the pack that's in my jacket?" But Shri Ganesha, Lord of Hosts, Remover of Obstacles (for it was he) had pulled on a robe, and was back on the bed, fussing with his medical bag.
"You are feverish," said Ganesh.
"I told you, I just need a goddam cigarette. Wait! You just came back from the dead, and you're giving me a physical? What the fuck?"
Ganesh had a stethoscope on Sariel's thin back. The instrument was cold, and Sariel shivered, and then could not seem to stop. Ganesh tutted, seeing the clear demarkations of each rib under the skin. "Kindly breathe in and out for me. That is, if you are still able to breathe!"
"Did you wake up on the wrong side of the grave or something? All right, all right." And then Sariel suffered to breathe in and out several times, his lungs producing a strange rustling noise as he the air went in and out. Ganesh tutted again.
"I just need a hot shower. And a goddam cigarette."
"Are you experiencing pain?"
"From what?"
"From breathing?"
"Yeah."
"It is pleuretic pain. You almost certainly have pneumonia." Ganesh took off the stereoscope, wrapping it around his neck. "I do not know if it is bacterial or viral in origin, so we will start you immediately on a course of antibiotics. No cigarettes." He was already up, extracting the pack from Sariel's jacket pocket.
"OK. Look. Ganesh. I need to take it easy for a couple of days. Where are you going with....” He heard the flushing sound from the washroom, and despaired for his precious Marlboros. He swung his legs determinedly off the bed, launching a small coughing fit.
"Back!" Gamesh declared. "Back! Up on the bed, under the covers! You are not leaving this room until I see a marked improvement in your condition! I did not return from the afterlife to find my idiot boyfriend dead!" Sariel meekly obeyed.
Ganesh swung open his bedroom door. There were two servants waiting there, though Sariel could not remember Ganesh making any kind of signal. He heard their cries. It was startling. He searched his mind, but couldn't recall any of Ganesh's servants making a noise of any kind prior to this.
"My heart is light to have returned to you, my dear ones," Ganesh told them, kissing each one in turn. "Later we will have dancing, and many joyful celebrations. But I have a small emergency right now, and I would like you to awaken some kitchen staff...."
Ganesh finished his instructions, and then was distracted by a noise. He grabbed something on top of his bureau.
"I have … a text message?" he laughed.
Ganesh began ransacking his wardrobe for suitable attire. He was infinitely saddened to find everything at least a month out of fashion. "What you will need, kindly make a list, I will have it brought here," he told Sariel as he dressed and wondered if his subscriptions to various Vogue magazines had all expired when he himself expired.
"Where are you going?"
"I have some critical errands. I must inform a few parties as to my status, including my family."
"You haven't told Shiva and Parvati yet?"
"As I told you, I returned for you. For you only." He was silent then, for a moment, letting it sink in.
Sariel sat, Ganesh's soft, familiar bedclothes gathered around him. His sides hurt when he took a breath. Why hadn't he noticed this before? He felt sweaty and cold, both at the same time. Ganesh, watching from across the room, saw the aura suddenly brighten. Ah. It was like a fever breaking.
"Who shall sit with you while I am away?" Ganesh asked, running a hand through Sariel's damp grey hair.
"What? I don't know. I don't need a babysitter for Christ's sakes."
"Who has been attending you, back at Mordhaus?"
"Geez, I dunno. Pickles has been following me around..."
"Brilliant!" said Ganesh. He waved his hand, and Pickles stood before them, looking quite confused.
Pickles had been standing at the grave site. He had gone down - run down actually - expecting to find Charles finally dead on the ground. He hadn't told a soul, but he was hoping to find him dead, as he found he could no longer stand to see him alive, his spirit so badly crushed.
"Gannish?" The god smiled and extended his arms. Pickles approached him, touching Ganesh's forehead, as one would checking on a child's fever.
"Holy fuck. It's yoo."
The servants bustled in. Ganesh told Pickles, "I regret I have not the time to speak at length right now, my dear friend. I have something very important for you to do for me. Sariel is quite ill. Stay with him, make certain he finishes his soup, and absolutely no cigarettes."
"Ganish, I don't need-" Sariel started.
"Yeh, yoo fuckin' do. Now eat yer goddam soup like Gannish said!"
"I leave you in good hands," Ganesh grinned.
Lord Ganesh felt himself being smothered. Finally, King Wotan tearfully released him from his mighty embrace.
"I haven't much time. I must to my parent's residence next," Ganesh told the king.
"You haven't seen your father yet?" the king wondered.
"Do not worry. I shall go, and be informed of my numerous failings," Ganesh sighed.
"Go. Go and see your father."
"Yes. But I received Lady Raziel's text...."
He turned to Queen Raziel, who had just run into the room. But he did not embrace her. Instead, he caught her small hands in his. He looked at her aura in wonder. "Oh!" he said.
She smiled. "We haven't really told anyone yet," she said, taking Wotan's hand.
"May I?" Gamesh asked.
She grinned. "Of course!"
Ganesh knelt down before the small angel. He put one hand carefully on her stomach, and inclined his head, as if listening.
He nodded. "Very strong auras!" he said.
"Auras, did you say?" Raziel asked.
"There are two."
"Two?" she asked.
"Two!" boomed Wotan. "Well, what are they? Am I getting my sons?"
“They’re going to be born with vertigo, if you keep swinging me around like this!” Raziel tutted. Wotan put her down, and then proceeded to envelop her and Ganesh in another mighty hug.
Some days later, Queen Raziel apparated in Ganesh's bedroom. She held something that looked like a dry cleaning bag. Sariel was sitting on Ganesh’s bed, his laptop open. She dumped the bag on the bed, held up one finger, covered her mouth, and immediately dashed into the bathroom. Despite strict orders to the contrary, Sariel climbed out of bed to follow her. She was puking her guts up. So, he did the only thing another sentient being can do in the situation: held her hair up out of the way until she was finished.
He walked her back to the bedroom. "Are you sure you shouldn't be the one in bed?"
"I'm fine. I'm fine. Apparating just ... Does that now."
He looked her up and down, confused, and then cocked his head, listening. "SHIT! Raziel, why didn't you tell me?"
"You had other stuff on your mind. I didn't want to add to your ... worries."
"I thought you guys were gonna wait a century or two?"
"Oh, it was important to Wotan. He's so happy."
"Jesus. Raziel." Sariel sat back on the bed. He was wearing a pair of Ganesh's pajamas, and looked lost in them, like a child playing dress up in a parent's clothes. "I know I'm supposed to get all squishy like everyone else, but are you sure what you're doing? It's not safe, mixing up our magic with kids like this! I mean, you saw what happened to Aaron? And.... The Nephilim?" The last was said in a whisper.
"I know. I know. I like Aaron."
"But Raziel!"
"We were...." She sat on the edge of the bed, kicking her legs. "Ganesh said he was gonna help, that he could attend me and we'd try to keep a watch. But, then we lost him, and then I thought we were gonna lose you...." She trailed off, as she had now dissolved into a weeping mess.
"Raziel! I'm sick! Do NOT do this to me now!"
Pickles had just pushed in the door, carrying a tray. He set it down and rushed over to embrace the weeping angel. "Raz! Aw, don't worry, dood! It'll be OK!"
"How do you know it'll all be OK when you don't even fucking know what she's crying about!" Sariel reasoned.
"Cause dat's what yoo say to a crying person if yer not bein' an asshole!"
"I'm OK,” Raziel sobbed, “I'm just being hormonal."
"Yer bein' what?"
"Oh, I'm-"
"Wait!” Sariel told her. “Pickles. You should know this. Look at her spirit, or whatever."
Pickles frowned. He put a hand on Raziel’s forehead, as if he were taking her temperature. Suddenly he blinked. "Wait. Yoo got three spirits, dood!” he sputtered, holding up three fingers. “How did yoo doo dat?"
Raziel smiled, although she was also still crying. "Two of them are for the babies," she said.
"Two?" asked Sariel.
"Yer knocked up?" Pickles gasped.
"Uh, yeah," Raziel laughed, "but, by my husband?"
"Oh. Den I guess dat's OK."
"Two?" Sariel repeated. He scowled. "Two the same? Or two different?"
Raziel laughed and tugged his hand onto her stomach. He flinched, but then listened for a while. "A boy and a girl," he finally said.
"That usually means two different," Raziel grinned. "Just like in your vision!"
"It wasn't a fucking vision, just a bad dream," Sariel grumbled, listening. "And they're ... singing?"
"Oh. Yeah, they do that. Weird, because I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. But, hey, I thought you couldn't hear angel songs?"
"Oh.” He touched his forehead. “Ganesh figured it out. I had a blockage. In my sinuses. All these years. It caused my headaches too."
"Wait, yoo don't get da headaches no more dood?" Pickles asked.
“Uh….”
"Why am I still doing shiatsu?" Raziel wailed.
Sariel actually looked guilty. "Uh. My neck still gets tight?"
"Dood! Yoo are such a douche!" Pickles seemed to be considering something. "Anyway. I t'ought yoo doods was supposed t' be perfect."
Raziel shrugged. "I dunno. Our Father is kind of weird.”
"I need t' tell yoo doods somethin'. Somethin' I saw in da Dreamtime."
"What?" Sariel asked. Raziel nodded.
"Uh, yoo doods know Aaron heard some stuff from da angels?"
Lord Ganesh was tired. He looked sadly at the three beings gathered in his bedroom, talking, as was very uncharacteristic of them, very quietly.
He sat on the bed and took one of Sariel's hands. "Jaanu, could you bear to travel a short distance with me? I hate to ask, but there is something that needs to be done in haste, and it would be better were you there."
"Are you kidding? I'm dying to get out for a couple hours."
"You will watch him?" Ganesh warned Pickles. "No smoking cigarettes, no buying cigarettes, no borrowing cigarettes, no stealing cigarettes, no thinking about cigarettes, no dreaming about cigarettes..."
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Sariel wailed, somewhat undercutting the effect by launching into a coughing fit.
"We'll both watch him," Raziel vowed.
"Are you gonna be able to go?" Sariel choked at Raziel.
"Sure. I think I puked up pretty much everything I've eaten since last March."
"Lady, I would formally ask you come as well," Ganesh told her. "I believe my father desires for Asgard to have a presence."
"Oh!" Raziel quickly stated. "Definitely. I'll need to send a raven to Wotan. He's probably not in cell contact."
"I will fill you in on the way."
"Oh! I brought something for you, Ganesh!" Raziel announced, pointing to the dry cleaning bag. Ganesh opened the zipper, and discovered it was a brand new suit.
"I picked it up in Milan. I hope your measurements haven't changed," Raziel was saying as Ganesh felt the fabric in apparent wonder. "I thought everything in your wardrobe would be a couple months out of style-"
"YOU BROUGHT ME COUTURE!" Ganesh sang, somehow twirling both a very surprised Raziel and the suit around in the air.
"You're gonna make me barf again, Ganesh!" she warned.
"Dat dood is is outta his fekin' mind," Pickles whispered to Sariel, who coughed and laughed and coughed.
They arrived in Shiva's imperial city, all of them staring in horror at the damage from the angelic attack. There were a few construction crews on the job, but the streets were still littered with wreckage.
"So much to do," Ganesh lamented. "Reportedly, my father has not been in a state of mind to effect needed repairs."
"Wotan and I can send some crews over..." Raziel began.
Sariel, as much as he had wanted to get outside for a few hours, realized quickly how ill he was, despite some days spent recovering. While Ganesh and Raziel walked swiftly ahead, deep in conversation, he trailed behind, leaning on Pickles more than he cared to admit. He felt slightly light headed. Not being able to breathe turned out to be rather a handicap. He wondered exactly how he had been managing to get around before Ganesh had found him at the grave site.
They passed a cafe, people sitting scattered in tables, chatting, drinking, and nosing into laptop computers.
"That's what I want," he whispered to Pickles.
"Yoo wanna beer, dood?" Pickles asked.
"No. I wanna sit in the sun. And see the colors."
“Da what?”
"There's so many colors here."
"Uh. OK, dood."
There was already a great assemblage of people inside one of the grand halls of Shiva's palace. Sariel recognized Skanda, standing in the front, under heavy guard. He was surprised to see Skanda was accompanied by a rather substantial group of people. He recognized a few of the women from Raziel and Wotan's engagement party: Skanda's wives. He supposed the other adults to be girlfriends or mistresses, and perhaps the rest were his children?
At last, Shiva and Parvati entered the room. The crowd, which had been fairly subdued to begin with, now silenced.
He was shocked by the change in Parvati: she was still utterly gorgeous, but one side of her face was now lined with still fresh red scars. She took a seat at a raised dais, but Lord Shiva remained standing.
"Hear this, everyone. For this is addressed to the one who calls himself Skanda."
Oh boy, Sariel thought. Hope I never get Shiva mad at me.
"You are no longer my son," Shiva told Skanda. "You are no longer of my house. Nor are your wives. Nor your children. Nor their children. Your property will be taken. Your powers will be taken. Your immortality will be taken."
"You cannot do this," Skanda protested, his wives and consorts gathered around him, wailing.
"It is already done. Your sorrow is nothing - NOTHING - compared to my own. Two sons have been taken from me. You have collaborated with angels. You have dishonored my house. You have brought our beloved city crashing to the ground!”
"Whoa," Pickles whispered to Sariel, who was still gripping his arm for support. "Dat dood is harsh."
“Go. Now,” Shiva stated.
Skanda and his family were ushered out. Pickles recognized the goddess who had given him and Skwisgaar the sack of silver coins. He also noticed with annoyance that Sigyn was not among the group.
"Now," Shiva said, "I will retire from this world, for a time. I leave my only son, Shri Ganesha, in charge of all." Parvati took his arm, and slowly the couple made their way down the aisle.
Shiva paused before Ganesh. "Sariel," he said. Sariel frowned, but released his grip from Pickles's arm and gingerly stepped forward. Shiva spoke softly, in Hindi, and touched a finger to the angel's forehead. His fingerprint left behind a red Tilaka mark. Then Shiva took Parvati's arm once again, and the couple proceeded down the aisle and out of the the great palace.
Sariel turned curiously to Ganesh. "What was that about?" he asked. Ganesh did not reply. Sariel touched the god's arm. Ganesh turned part way back. He was in tears, trying desperately to control his breathing.
Sariel felt a familiar hand entwine with his. Raziel was up on tip-toe, whispering in his ear. "Lord Shiva says the universe has robbed him of one son. But it has blessed him with another."
"Oh."
"I must see off my parents," Ganesh whispered, voice harsh. He hurried off down the aisle after Shiva and Parvati.
Raziel was now gripping Pickles by the elbow. "I think I should go with Ganesh. That's what Wotan would want. Can you keep him out of trouble for a bit?" she asked, pointing towards Sariel.
"I t'ink I know exactly da place," Pickles told her, grinning.
Ganesh had said no smoking, but he hadn't mentioned beer.
Sariel found he had missed the sun. He couldn't remember the last time he had sat outside on a sunny day.
"Sooo, dood," Pickles asked, sipping on his own beer. Sariel looked across the cafe table at him. "Does dat make Parvati yer stepmom?"
"Uh. I guess so?"
"Dood! Yoo gotta hotter stepmom dan Skwisgaar!"
Well. Trust Dethklok to get down to fundamentals. "Pickles. Please don't! When I laugh, it makes my sides hurt, and Ganesh is gonna think I was smoking!"
Sariel hadn't washed off the Tilaka mark. He figured that would probably be disrespectful, although he was actually unsure. He needed to ask Ganesh whenever the god returned. He wondered if the mark would be permanent, given it had been made by a god. He speculated that maybe he would now grow a very cool third eye there, and then would be able to shoot death rays out of his forehead.
He sighed deeply, looking into his beer glass. He was still ill, and hadn't had a lot in his stomach, and in addition hadn't consumed so much as a drop of liquor in a week, and now he had gone and gotten quite drunk on half a glass of beer. If this got back to Dethklok....
"Why are yoo laughin', dood? I though yoo said it made yer side hurt?"
"Are you in pain, Sariel?" a worried Ganesh asked. He and Raziel had just found them.
"How long before this fades?" Sariel asked him, pointing to his forehead.
Ganesh licked his thumb, and used it to wipe off the Tilaka. "I'm head of the religion now I guess, so I can perform miracles," he mused.
"So, if we're brothers, is this now incest?" Sariel asked.
"Yes. Yes it is. Er," he checked Sariel's beer glass. "Did you get him drunk, Pickles?"
"Dis was his first beer, I swear t’ gawd!"
"Ha, he's a bigger lightweight than me now!" Raziel giggled.
"What do yoo do wit' a drunken angel?" Pickles laughed.
"We shall get him back to bed," Ganesh smiled, tugging the unsteady angel to his feet.
"I should probably go straight back to Valhalla, to minimize the barfing," Raziel told them.
Ganesh passed Sariel over to Pickles and held out his arms. Raziel's tiny embrace was amazingly crushing. "I'm the official representative of Asgard now, so I need to hug you for all of Valhalla!" she explained.
"Will you be all right, Lady?" Ganesh asked.
"I'm getting very good at apparating into the bathroom," she said, waving. And then she was gone.
"Are yoo comin', Gannish dood?" Pickles asked, Sariel now pretty much draped over one shoulder.
Ganesh turned and smiled. He embraced them both and said, "Certainly. Let us go home."
****
Author: tikistitch
Rating: PG-13
Summary: That would be telling. :D
Warnings: Slash, AU, OCs, swearing, smoking.
Notes: This is part 6 of a 6 chapter sequence I’m calling the Volcano Arc. More notes after the jump.
Cross-posted to
capslokdethklok.OK, doods, here ya go....
Mythklok is a Metalocalypse AU. If you're behind and for some strange reason wanna catch up, the best place is my fic journal,
tikific, where you are welcome to come visit the bits I’ve written and maybe poke them with a pointed stick. I've also written a general introduction in case you wanna jump in the middle of things, or have forgotten all this stuff due to Real Life.(As a side note, this fic refers to a couple of the Mythklok Interstitials. In case you missed them and would like to read them, Sariel's dream about Raziel's children is recounted in The Rainbow Ponies of Evil, and the story of Ganesh treating Sariel's deafness is a story called Quiet. You don't gotta read 'em if you don't want to - I mean, this isn't your English class. Just, if you think you're missing something.)
A quick recap: Hey, who was that mysterious figure in the graveyard? QUIT READING THE FREAKIN' RECAP AND GO FIND OUT!
Embers (Mythklok, Chapter 26)
He had walked the earth, searching for the light.
It was the one thing he carried, the memory of the light. It was strong, riotous, blazing, incandescent. But he detected no trace of it.
He walked to places where it had been, where he had known the light before. There was no sign, no trace of its former glory.
But he was patient. And he was determined. And he was as passionate as any spirit who had ever walked. And he persisted, until he found the place in the universe. But then his heart filled with a terrific sorrow. Of his beautiful light, barely an ember remained.
And he seized on to it, and carried it away, back to his home. And he embraced the man, and kissed him. And caressed him, and gave him every pleasure. And he held him tightly for some hours, whispering many sweet and pleasant things to him.
And the fire heated, ever so slightly, and the ember caught fire once again, and he held the flame, as he had never held to anything before.
"What happened?" Sariel asked him. It was the first he could remember the man speaking to him, in the strange physical world. He had his angel in his lap, two sets of arm wrapped tightly around him.
"I went to the nether world, my soul. And Great Brahma told me, your soul is blessed, My Lord. It is time for you to move beyond the universe.
“So I sat myself down in Brahma's garden, beside the pool where bloomed the sacred lotus, and I meditated. And the next day, Great Brahma came by, and he said, My Lord, it is time that your soul passed on, beyond the universe. And I told him, I cannot move on, for part of my soul remains in the world below.
“And so I continued my meditation. And the next day, Great Brahma came upon me, as he was walking up and down, and said, My Lord, it is time that your soul moved on to the next world. And I told him, alas, but part of my heart remains below, in this world, so I cannot move on.
“And so the next day, Great Brahma did pass, and he spoke to me saying, My Lord, it is time for your spirit to take flight, and go beyond the universe. And I told him, a part of my being remains yet, on the world below, I cannot yet pass.
“And so it went on for thirty days, my meditation beside the quiet pool where bloom the sacred lotus. And on the thirtieth day, the Great Brahma passed by again, and he said, well, still here? And I said, yes. And he said, my, you are one stubborn madarchod, aren't you? You may as well get back down there now, and hurry it up. Have you seen the stock market reports? The Eastern Kingdom LLC is down 12 points! My portfolio is turned to shit!"
"Uh," Sariel began, "You mean to tell me you're back because Brahma was worried about his investments?"
"It is a wise thing, to be concerned with one's retirement!" the Hindu god protested. He sighed. "I'm back because I was longing for you, even in the afterlife. Didn't you listen to my fable?" He pushed Sariel away ever so slightly, in his annoyance, and took a good look at his lover's physical being for the first time. "Good gods, you really look like shit. What the hell has happened to your beautiful hair? And what did you do to your leg?"
"I just need some sleep. Maybe a cigarette. Since you're up, would you grab the pack that's in my jacket?" But Shri Ganesha, Lord of Hosts, Remover of Obstacles (for it was he) had pulled on a robe, and was back on the bed, fussing with his medical bag.
"You are feverish," said Ganesh.
"I told you, I just need a goddam cigarette. Wait! You just came back from the dead, and you're giving me a physical? What the fuck?"
Ganesh had a stethoscope on Sariel's thin back. The instrument was cold, and Sariel shivered, and then could not seem to stop. Ganesh tutted, seeing the clear demarkations of each rib under the skin. "Kindly breathe in and out for me. That is, if you are still able to breathe!"
"Did you wake up on the wrong side of the grave or something? All right, all right." And then Sariel suffered to breathe in and out several times, his lungs producing a strange rustling noise as he the air went in and out. Ganesh tutted again.
"I just need a hot shower. And a goddam cigarette."
"Are you experiencing pain?"
"From what?"
"From breathing?"
"Yeah."
"It is pleuretic pain. You almost certainly have pneumonia." Ganesh took off the stereoscope, wrapping it around his neck. "I do not know if it is bacterial or viral in origin, so we will start you immediately on a course of antibiotics. No cigarettes." He was already up, extracting the pack from Sariel's jacket pocket.
"OK. Look. Ganesh. I need to take it easy for a couple of days. Where are you going with....” He heard the flushing sound from the washroom, and despaired for his precious Marlboros. He swung his legs determinedly off the bed, launching a small coughing fit.
"Back!" Gamesh declared. "Back! Up on the bed, under the covers! You are not leaving this room until I see a marked improvement in your condition! I did not return from the afterlife to find my idiot boyfriend dead!" Sariel meekly obeyed.
Ganesh swung open his bedroom door. There were two servants waiting there, though Sariel could not remember Ganesh making any kind of signal. He heard their cries. It was startling. He searched his mind, but couldn't recall any of Ganesh's servants making a noise of any kind prior to this.
"My heart is light to have returned to you, my dear ones," Ganesh told them, kissing each one in turn. "Later we will have dancing, and many joyful celebrations. But I have a small emergency right now, and I would like you to awaken some kitchen staff...."
Ganesh finished his instructions, and then was distracted by a noise. He grabbed something on top of his bureau.
"I have … a text message?" he laughed.
Ganesh began ransacking his wardrobe for suitable attire. He was infinitely saddened to find everything at least a month out of fashion. "What you will need, kindly make a list, I will have it brought here," he told Sariel as he dressed and wondered if his subscriptions to various Vogue magazines had all expired when he himself expired.
"Where are you going?"
"I have some critical errands. I must inform a few parties as to my status, including my family."
"You haven't told Shiva and Parvati yet?"
"As I told you, I returned for you. For you only." He was silent then, for a moment, letting it sink in.
Sariel sat, Ganesh's soft, familiar bedclothes gathered around him. His sides hurt when he took a breath. Why hadn't he noticed this before? He felt sweaty and cold, both at the same time. Ganesh, watching from across the room, saw the aura suddenly brighten. Ah. It was like a fever breaking.
"Who shall sit with you while I am away?" Ganesh asked, running a hand through Sariel's damp grey hair.
"What? I don't know. I don't need a babysitter for Christ's sakes."
"Who has been attending you, back at Mordhaus?"
"Geez, I dunno. Pickles has been following me around..."
"Brilliant!" said Ganesh. He waved his hand, and Pickles stood before them, looking quite confused.
Pickles had been standing at the grave site. He had gone down - run down actually - expecting to find Charles finally dead on the ground. He hadn't told a soul, but he was hoping to find him dead, as he found he could no longer stand to see him alive, his spirit so badly crushed.
"Gannish?" The god smiled and extended his arms. Pickles approached him, touching Ganesh's forehead, as one would checking on a child's fever.
"Holy fuck. It's yoo."
The servants bustled in. Ganesh told Pickles, "I regret I have not the time to speak at length right now, my dear friend. I have something very important for you to do for me. Sariel is quite ill. Stay with him, make certain he finishes his soup, and absolutely no cigarettes."
"Ganish, I don't need-" Sariel started.
"Yeh, yoo fuckin' do. Now eat yer goddam soup like Gannish said!"
"I leave you in good hands," Ganesh grinned.
Lord Ganesh felt himself being smothered. Finally, King Wotan tearfully released him from his mighty embrace.
"I haven't much time. I must to my parent's residence next," Ganesh told the king.
"You haven't seen your father yet?" the king wondered.
"Do not worry. I shall go, and be informed of my numerous failings," Ganesh sighed.
"Go. Go and see your father."
"Yes. But I received Lady Raziel's text...."
He turned to Queen Raziel, who had just run into the room. But he did not embrace her. Instead, he caught her small hands in his. He looked at her aura in wonder. "Oh!" he said.
She smiled. "We haven't really told anyone yet," she said, taking Wotan's hand.
"May I?" Gamesh asked.
She grinned. "Of course!"
Ganesh knelt down before the small angel. He put one hand carefully on her stomach, and inclined his head, as if listening.
He nodded. "Very strong auras!" he said.
"Auras, did you say?" Raziel asked.
"There are two."
"Two?" she asked.
"Two!" boomed Wotan. "Well, what are they? Am I getting my sons?"
“They’re going to be born with vertigo, if you keep swinging me around like this!” Raziel tutted. Wotan put her down, and then proceeded to envelop her and Ganesh in another mighty hug.
Some days later, Queen Raziel apparated in Ganesh's bedroom. She held something that looked like a dry cleaning bag. Sariel was sitting on Ganesh’s bed, his laptop open. She dumped the bag on the bed, held up one finger, covered her mouth, and immediately dashed into the bathroom. Despite strict orders to the contrary, Sariel climbed out of bed to follow her. She was puking her guts up. So, he did the only thing another sentient being can do in the situation: held her hair up out of the way until she was finished.
He walked her back to the bedroom. "Are you sure you shouldn't be the one in bed?"
"I'm fine. I'm fine. Apparating just ... Does that now."
He looked her up and down, confused, and then cocked his head, listening. "SHIT! Raziel, why didn't you tell me?"
"You had other stuff on your mind. I didn't want to add to your ... worries."
"I thought you guys were gonna wait a century or two?"
"Oh, it was important to Wotan. He's so happy."
"Jesus. Raziel." Sariel sat back on the bed. He was wearing a pair of Ganesh's pajamas, and looked lost in them, like a child playing dress up in a parent's clothes. "I know I'm supposed to get all squishy like everyone else, but are you sure what you're doing? It's not safe, mixing up our magic with kids like this! I mean, you saw what happened to Aaron? And.... The Nephilim?" The last was said in a whisper.
"I know. I know. I like Aaron."
"But Raziel!"
"We were...." She sat on the edge of the bed, kicking her legs. "Ganesh said he was gonna help, that he could attend me and we'd try to keep a watch. But, then we lost him, and then I thought we were gonna lose you...." She trailed off, as she had now dissolved into a weeping mess.
"Raziel! I'm sick! Do NOT do this to me now!"
Pickles had just pushed in the door, carrying a tray. He set it down and rushed over to embrace the weeping angel. "Raz! Aw, don't worry, dood! It'll be OK!"
"How do you know it'll all be OK when you don't even fucking know what she's crying about!" Sariel reasoned.
"Cause dat's what yoo say to a crying person if yer not bein' an asshole!"
"I'm OK,” Raziel sobbed, “I'm just being hormonal."
"Yer bein' what?"
"Oh, I'm-"
"Wait!” Sariel told her. “Pickles. You should know this. Look at her spirit, or whatever."
Pickles frowned. He put a hand on Raziel’s forehead, as if he were taking her temperature. Suddenly he blinked. "Wait. Yoo got three spirits, dood!” he sputtered, holding up three fingers. “How did yoo doo dat?"
Raziel smiled, although she was also still crying. "Two of them are for the babies," she said.
"Two?" asked Sariel.
"Yer knocked up?" Pickles gasped.
"Uh, yeah," Raziel laughed, "but, by my husband?"
"Oh. Den I guess dat's OK."
"Two?" Sariel repeated. He scowled. "Two the same? Or two different?"
Raziel laughed and tugged his hand onto her stomach. He flinched, but then listened for a while. "A boy and a girl," he finally said.
"That usually means two different," Raziel grinned. "Just like in your vision!"
"It wasn't a fucking vision, just a bad dream," Sariel grumbled, listening. "And they're ... singing?"
"Oh. Yeah, they do that. Weird, because I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. But, hey, I thought you couldn't hear angel songs?"
"Oh.” He touched his forehead. “Ganesh figured it out. I had a blockage. In my sinuses. All these years. It caused my headaches too."
"Wait, yoo don't get da headaches no more dood?" Pickles asked.
“Uh….”
"Why am I still doing shiatsu?" Raziel wailed.
Sariel actually looked guilty. "Uh. My neck still gets tight?"
"Dood! Yoo are such a douche!" Pickles seemed to be considering something. "Anyway. I t'ought yoo doods was supposed t' be perfect."
Raziel shrugged. "I dunno. Our Father is kind of weird.”
"I need t' tell yoo doods somethin'. Somethin' I saw in da Dreamtime."
"What?" Sariel asked. Raziel nodded.
"Uh, yoo doods know Aaron heard some stuff from da angels?"
Lord Ganesh was tired. He looked sadly at the three beings gathered in his bedroom, talking, as was very uncharacteristic of them, very quietly.
He sat on the bed and took one of Sariel's hands. "Jaanu, could you bear to travel a short distance with me? I hate to ask, but there is something that needs to be done in haste, and it would be better were you there."
"Are you kidding? I'm dying to get out for a couple hours."
"You will watch him?" Ganesh warned Pickles. "No smoking cigarettes, no buying cigarettes, no borrowing cigarettes, no stealing cigarettes, no thinking about cigarettes, no dreaming about cigarettes..."
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Sariel wailed, somewhat undercutting the effect by launching into a coughing fit.
"We'll both watch him," Raziel vowed.
"Are you gonna be able to go?" Sariel choked at Raziel.
"Sure. I think I puked up pretty much everything I've eaten since last March."
"Lady, I would formally ask you come as well," Ganesh told her. "I believe my father desires for Asgard to have a presence."
"Oh!" Raziel quickly stated. "Definitely. I'll need to send a raven to Wotan. He's probably not in cell contact."
"I will fill you in on the way."
"Oh! I brought something for you, Ganesh!" Raziel announced, pointing to the dry cleaning bag. Ganesh opened the zipper, and discovered it was a brand new suit.
"I picked it up in Milan. I hope your measurements haven't changed," Raziel was saying as Ganesh felt the fabric in apparent wonder. "I thought everything in your wardrobe would be a couple months out of style-"
"YOU BROUGHT ME COUTURE!" Ganesh sang, somehow twirling both a very surprised Raziel and the suit around in the air.
"You're gonna make me barf again, Ganesh!" she warned.
"Dat dood is is outta his fekin' mind," Pickles whispered to Sariel, who coughed and laughed and coughed.
They arrived in Shiva's imperial city, all of them staring in horror at the damage from the angelic attack. There were a few construction crews on the job, but the streets were still littered with wreckage.
"So much to do," Ganesh lamented. "Reportedly, my father has not been in a state of mind to effect needed repairs."
"Wotan and I can send some crews over..." Raziel began.
Sariel, as much as he had wanted to get outside for a few hours, realized quickly how ill he was, despite some days spent recovering. While Ganesh and Raziel walked swiftly ahead, deep in conversation, he trailed behind, leaning on Pickles more than he cared to admit. He felt slightly light headed. Not being able to breathe turned out to be rather a handicap. He wondered exactly how he had been managing to get around before Ganesh had found him at the grave site.
They passed a cafe, people sitting scattered in tables, chatting, drinking, and nosing into laptop computers.
"That's what I want," he whispered to Pickles.
"Yoo wanna beer, dood?" Pickles asked.
"No. I wanna sit in the sun. And see the colors."
“Da what?”
"There's so many colors here."
"Uh. OK, dood."
There was already a great assemblage of people inside one of the grand halls of Shiva's palace. Sariel recognized Skanda, standing in the front, under heavy guard. He was surprised to see Skanda was accompanied by a rather substantial group of people. He recognized a few of the women from Raziel and Wotan's engagement party: Skanda's wives. He supposed the other adults to be girlfriends or mistresses, and perhaps the rest were his children?
At last, Shiva and Parvati entered the room. The crowd, which had been fairly subdued to begin with, now silenced.
He was shocked by the change in Parvati: she was still utterly gorgeous, but one side of her face was now lined with still fresh red scars. She took a seat at a raised dais, but Lord Shiva remained standing.
"Hear this, everyone. For this is addressed to the one who calls himself Skanda."
Oh boy, Sariel thought. Hope I never get Shiva mad at me.
"You are no longer my son," Shiva told Skanda. "You are no longer of my house. Nor are your wives. Nor your children. Nor their children. Your property will be taken. Your powers will be taken. Your immortality will be taken."
"You cannot do this," Skanda protested, his wives and consorts gathered around him, wailing.
"It is already done. Your sorrow is nothing - NOTHING - compared to my own. Two sons have been taken from me. You have collaborated with angels. You have dishonored my house. You have brought our beloved city crashing to the ground!”
"Whoa," Pickles whispered to Sariel, who was still gripping his arm for support. "Dat dood is harsh."
“Go. Now,” Shiva stated.
Skanda and his family were ushered out. Pickles recognized the goddess who had given him and Skwisgaar the sack of silver coins. He also noticed with annoyance that Sigyn was not among the group.
"Now," Shiva said, "I will retire from this world, for a time. I leave my only son, Shri Ganesha, in charge of all." Parvati took his arm, and slowly the couple made their way down the aisle.
Shiva paused before Ganesh. "Sariel," he said. Sariel frowned, but released his grip from Pickles's arm and gingerly stepped forward. Shiva spoke softly, in Hindi, and touched a finger to the angel's forehead. His fingerprint left behind a red Tilaka mark. Then Shiva took Parvati's arm once again, and the couple proceeded down the aisle and out of the the great palace.
Sariel turned curiously to Ganesh. "What was that about?" he asked. Ganesh did not reply. Sariel touched the god's arm. Ganesh turned part way back. He was in tears, trying desperately to control his breathing.
Sariel felt a familiar hand entwine with his. Raziel was up on tip-toe, whispering in his ear. "Lord Shiva says the universe has robbed him of one son. But it has blessed him with another."
"Oh."
"I must see off my parents," Ganesh whispered, voice harsh. He hurried off down the aisle after Shiva and Parvati.
Raziel was now gripping Pickles by the elbow. "I think I should go with Ganesh. That's what Wotan would want. Can you keep him out of trouble for a bit?" she asked, pointing towards Sariel.
"I t'ink I know exactly da place," Pickles told her, grinning.
Ganesh had said no smoking, but he hadn't mentioned beer.
Sariel found he had missed the sun. He couldn't remember the last time he had sat outside on a sunny day.
"Sooo, dood," Pickles asked, sipping on his own beer. Sariel looked across the cafe table at him. "Does dat make Parvati yer stepmom?"
"Uh. I guess so?"
"Dood! Yoo gotta hotter stepmom dan Skwisgaar!"
Well. Trust Dethklok to get down to fundamentals. "Pickles. Please don't! When I laugh, it makes my sides hurt, and Ganesh is gonna think I was smoking!"
Sariel hadn't washed off the Tilaka mark. He figured that would probably be disrespectful, although he was actually unsure. He needed to ask Ganesh whenever the god returned. He wondered if the mark would be permanent, given it had been made by a god. He speculated that maybe he would now grow a very cool third eye there, and then would be able to shoot death rays out of his forehead.
He sighed deeply, looking into his beer glass. He was still ill, and hadn't had a lot in his stomach, and in addition hadn't consumed so much as a drop of liquor in a week, and now he had gone and gotten quite drunk on half a glass of beer. If this got back to Dethklok....
"Why are yoo laughin', dood? I though yoo said it made yer side hurt?"
"Are you in pain, Sariel?" a worried Ganesh asked. He and Raziel had just found them.
"How long before this fades?" Sariel asked him, pointing to his forehead.
Ganesh licked his thumb, and used it to wipe off the Tilaka. "I'm head of the religion now I guess, so I can perform miracles," he mused.
"So, if we're brothers, is this now incest?" Sariel asked.
"Yes. Yes it is. Er," he checked Sariel's beer glass. "Did you get him drunk, Pickles?"
"Dis was his first beer, I swear t’ gawd!"
"Ha, he's a bigger lightweight than me now!" Raziel giggled.
"What do yoo do wit' a drunken angel?" Pickles laughed.
"We shall get him back to bed," Ganesh smiled, tugging the unsteady angel to his feet.
"I should probably go straight back to Valhalla, to minimize the barfing," Raziel told them.
Ganesh passed Sariel over to Pickles and held out his arms. Raziel's tiny embrace was amazingly crushing. "I'm the official representative of Asgard now, so I need to hug you for all of Valhalla!" she explained.
"Will you be all right, Lady?" Ganesh asked.
"I'm getting very good at apparating into the bathroom," she said, waving. And then she was gone.
"Are yoo comin', Gannish dood?" Pickles asked, Sariel now pretty much draped over one shoulder.
Ganesh turned and smiled. He embraced them both and said, "Certainly. Let us go home."
****
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Date: 2011-01-23 05:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-23 09:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-23 11:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-24 12:15 am (UTC)Yeah, it was left to him by a former SO who was a VP of some huge company - Ganesh being a sort of patron of business and profit, I take it. Need to get him to take it down off the high shelf it's on so I can take some pics of it - for reference, mebbe. Plus I hate to think how that thing could be launched off there in an earthquake - it could probably kill someone.