9921/Matthew 28:20

Matthew 28:20
Date of Scene:	31 January 2022
Location:	Saint Patrick's Cathedral
Synopsis:	Blink meets Wolfsbane at St Patrick's Cathedral. It does not resolve things, nor does Rahne return home.
Cast of Characters:	Rahne Sinclair, Clarice Ferguson
Tinyplot:	Path of Glory

---

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
"And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Rahne's voice calls out to those who have gathered, frightened or worried. There is no sign of harm to her, she actually seems to be healthier than the last time she was seen. Her hair is longer, her skin is unmarked. She seems to have eaten; someone is taking care of her, certainly.

Standing in FRONT of the congregation? She smiles, her accent gentle and welcoming. She has no desperate need for attention, nor a worry in her heart save one. Which is likely why she sent word: I am here. She doubted it would take Clarice long to arrive after that message.

Odd, but apparently people gathered in by the Angels can still use celphones.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Outside the church, there's a flash of purple energy, and Clarice arrives with her blue skinned mentor at her side. The pair stop at the entrance - both seemingly unarmed, one of the Warriors guarding the doors asking about their purpose. "I'm here to speak to Rahne," Clarice asserts forcefully - her gaze going past the man to the red-headed woman standing deeper inside the church. "Rahne!" she calls.
    She doesn't seem to care if she's interrupting a sermon or not - she has been anxious since Rahne's disappearance - deep bags under her eyes a testament to the struggle she's had sleeping over the past few days. And unlike Rahne - she's hardly eaten a bite.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
"We say this. Matthew said this, that th' Laird would be with us until the end. Do nae worry, for we are all, truly, safe. Especially th' fallen." She lowers her head, bowing her head before God, and then says, "I hae someone tae speak with." No more than that. She gives them no commands, she offers no platitudes which those gathered can use to strengthen themselves in troubled times. She simply believes, and steps down.

She's seen Clarice arriving, and heard her voice. So she walks toward the azure woman, hands held quietly at her tummy. Smiling, if sadly. She's still short, but damn, long hair looks pretty good on her.

"Clary."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    It was on wonder the guard has been wary of Clarice's presence in the church - she remains as distinct in appearance as ever, and she's been seen helping Jonathan's Sims forces. As Rahne approaches, however, she's allowed through - and she runs to Rahne, throwing her arms around her tightly, tears springing to her eyes. "I thought you'd been killed..." she confides. "When you disappeared - when Sims told me what happened - I thought..."
    She clings tightly. Everything else can wait for the moment - Rahne is still alive.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne leans her head against Clarice's cheek. She doesn't hug so much as simply leaning toward the warmth she feels from this bright soul, and whispers, "I was ne'er in danger," as she's greeted with happiness, relief. Perhaps more worry, given her odd calm and gentle warmth, instead of the cheer of her norm.

She seems to be in no rush; Rahne lets Clarice hug herself out, happy to be there for the woman. But there -is- something different about her. That odd background hum of worry, of self-hatred, it's gone.

"Clary, ye should eat somethin. Can ah offer y' food? Please, ye be welcome here. Always welcome, love." Who are you and what did you do with Rahne?

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    The relief Clarice feels only lasts so long - before Rahne's words, and the reality of their current location, begins to press back in on her like a heavy weight. She pulls away, wiping at her eyes, and studying Rahne in silence for a moment. "I could eat," she agrees quietly. "You're, umm... you're really staying here?" she asks. "You're really- you're with the angels now? You know they're trying to destroy the world? They'll kill everyone - even Theo."

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne sighs, no longer smiling. She motions toward the back of the room, leading the way if Clarice will come. "Food first. And no, not really." She shakes her head, refusing to go on or continue until she's shown Clarice the food. "We need to eat. Our mortal forms still require this kind of thing. And honestly, eating food is fun."

The food is simple fare. It's also made with apparent love. "I cooked, I hope you dinnae mind simple foods. Ah was ne'er much of a chef."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I don't mind," Clarice answers, as she allows Rahne to guide her - a worried frown pulling at her lips. "I just - I didn't have much of an appetite when I thought you were... dead. That I'd never see you again." She slips into a seat in front of the food, and starts picking at it - slowly and still without much appetite as she watches Rahne.
    She looks good. Perhaps even... happier? More confident? What did that say about the past they shared, their relationship - however brief? "I don't understand, Rahne," she says bluntly.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne sighs again. "I get that," she says, her accent light enough that she can sound clear, even now. "There be a lot of mistakes en how...hrm." She pauses, frowning, then shakes her head. "Not mistakes. That be th' wrong way t' say et. Ye be worried because ah think o' this differently than ye do." She isn't asking, not that she needs to.

"Clary, ah've always believed that when we die, we go somewhere else. Th' main difference now es that I don't just believe it, ah know it tae be true!" She looks like she wants to smile, to be enthusiastic, but this is too important to make light of. "Theo can't die, neither can you. Nor me. When y' know that tae be true, how could ah worry about all this?" She waves to the world outside.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "But people do die. People //are dying// over this," Clarice insists quietly. "They're going to unmake the entire world - all of reality. Do you think that's a good thing?" she asks, watching Rahne in confusion. She picks at her food again, barely nibbling at things - just getting tastes of what's in front of her. Theo and Pete have been trying to get her to eat properly as well - to little avail.
    Most of her calories the last couple days have come from the scotch.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne sits, letting Clarice talk. She reaches for the woman's hand, whichever one isn't involved in food, to hold it. Just that. "Et sure does look that way," she admits. Which isn't agreement. "D'ye realize, hon, tha' we don't know everything yet? We people, little and mortal, dinnae actually know everything about reality? Ah dinnae even say tha' my own beliefs, right now, are whole and true. Ah be still jus' me, jus Rahne."

The redhead sighs, then shakes her head. "Ah'll ne'er know enough tae truly judge. I jus' had tae make a choice, whether tae live in fear o' what comes after, or tae choose faith. Tha' whatever there is, isn't bad. Is worth th' effort we all put in, day to day. Is a place o' rest, and where we'll be safe. Ye dinna have to believe et too."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice stares down at the food, sitting still and silent for a while. Is this really want Rahne believes? Or has something been done to her? Were they influencing her - changing her? But her religion had always been important to her...
    She looks back up at Rahne's features, her expression uncertain, and worried. "I watched the video of one of the battles on the Daily Planet. On it... Michael says it. He says we can submit, and live in peace while he finishes his work, and one day we'll be here, and the next we'll be gone, and we'll never know it - without any pain. He said there was nothing after. I can't let that happen."

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
"I dinnae know everything, Clary," Rahne says softly. "Jus' that ah felt God, for a moment. Ah'm nae raisin my hand tae fight. E'en though ah could now, maybe better than ah ever could before." She leaves that cryptic, shaking her head. "Michael does nae consult wi' me. But ah think...ye should fight."

She sighs. Then she nods. "Michael is a warrior born and made. He respects warriors like you are. Tha be why he isnae jus' endin' it, snap o' his fingers. So...fight, Clary. Fight wi' everything ye have. Ah was never a warrior, not in m' heart."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I don't like us being on opposite sides of this, though," Clarice answers quietly. "None of this feels right." She presses her lips together before she remarks, "Mystique knows someone who can go to other realities, though. He's offered to get her clear of this - if things go badly. She can take six people with her which- she's including me, and Theo, and Pete." ...but not Rahne. Not Lorna. Possibly not even Magneto...
    She stares down at the table for a moment, then across at the redhaired woman as she adds, "I don't want it to come to that."

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
"Clary, ah will not fight ye." Rahne seems pretty clear on that at least. "We dinnae agree on th' background stuff, important or nae, but ah know ah'll ne'er strike ye down. Ah know ye feel the same." She reaches for Clarice's hands, both of them, to hold in her own. She's not gone, not the Rahne who loves.

"If y' want tae go, then go. But ah have a feelin, from this side, tha' th' fight is important. Tha' th' reason mortals are bein allowed tae fight back, is not because Michael can't win easily. It be because the fight is -important-, Clary. Takin one warrior from the mix might change the ending."

She's intense, here. Worried. And given that she may have an inside line on the side of the Angels? She might have something there. "Fight, Clary. Show Michael tha' mortals have evolved. There be things ah cannee say right now, things ah wish ye could know. Fight, Clary." She glances up, then closes her eyes. And her mouth, firmly. Apparently she's already said too much.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I don't intend to run - to give up on this world, or the rest of the universe, or the people here. I wouldn't just give up on you and Lorna," Clarice points out bluntly. "...or Mister Creed, or my dad," both of whom definitely wouldn't be rescued along with her and her brothers.
    "But if things go bad... I need my brothers to survive. You know how much Theo means to me. But I plan to fight. I just... this feels wrong. We should be side by side. ...shouldn't we?"

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
"We are."

She doesn't say it, not out loud. But Rahne mouths the words, holding Clarice's hands. She is finding herself quieted, kept from talking more. But she can mouth words. She can look into Clarice's eyes, worried, but strong. She can squeeze her fingers, held in her own. We are.

Then, as if a switch has turned on, she says, "I have to let you go now, Clary. You don't have to leave, but I have to let you go. We aren't alone anymore."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice squeezes back tightly, watching Rahne's features - and trying to make sense of everything, in a world that has ceased to make sense in the past few weeks, and months. "But you won't come back to the asteroid." It isn't really a question - she wishes it were, but she's fairly confident in the answer, as much as she hates it.
    "I, uhh... I should let Theo and Pete know you're alright," she offers quietly. "They'll be relieved."

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
"I don't really know if I am, anymore," Rahne says. "But it's a place to start." She sighs, then leans and kisses Clarice on the cheek. "I'd tell you to go with God, but at the moment I get the feeling he's hurt his reputation a bit." Oh really, just a bit?

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice smiles, just for a moment, in response to the kiss - and after a moment's hesitation, she returns the gesture. "I want you to stay safe. We'll, uhh... I guess we'll figure all this out after... after the world doesn't end." That was the goal, wasn't it?
    She gazes at Rahne for a long moment - looking like she wants to say more, but clearly unable to find the words. Instead, she leans in towards Rahne, hugging her tightly and fiercely, before turning to stride away without another word.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
"Clarice."

Rahne says that, standing where she was, when Clarice turned to leave. She stands, she waits, and hopefully Clarice will look behind her when called.

"I was taught something," she says, the words crossing the distance. "We mutants, we hold ourselves back. Out of fear. I'm not afraid anymore."

Then she raises her arms, and seems to shimmer. That transformation, to wolf, was always amazing. So fast, so perfect. But this time?

There are five wolves, not one. Running in five directions, vanishing into the exits. Five wolves. Rahne.

To coin an appropriate phrase: Holy F***.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice doesn't stop, looking back with tears in her eyes - only to watch with bafflement as Rahne... splits in five? "...how?" she asks softly. She remains stranding in place for a short time until Mystique approaches, putting her hand on the magenta-hued woman's arm. After a nod, Clarice turns to go again, her mentor beside her once more - wiping tears out of her eyes.
    "Let's go home," she says quietly.