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Aya Jabir:
After giving a talk, enjoying a satisfying Iftar, and offering evening prayers, Aya managed to pull herself away from the masjid to perform a somewhat regular duty of hers. Tonight, she chose this graveyard from the list, coming to check and make sure there's nothing unusual afoot and to contemplate the closeness of Death, its inevitability, and the implications on how one ought to live.
Erik Samuelson:
As Aya did her walkabout she would find a familiar figure crouched down by one of the older headstones, gingerly cleaning off some of the dirt and grime that had built up on it over the years. Erik seemed focused on his work, glancing around now and again to check for anything untowards.
Aya Jabir:
Aya was not untowards, dressed modestly in a dark blue dress and matching hijab that verged on indigo. She approached slowly, but cleared her throat at a fair distance to get his attention before getting in too close, but leaving him to the cleaning in silence and watching for now, a slightly serene expression on her face.
Erik Samuelson:
For his part the Bound was casually dressed in dark jeans and a grey t-shirt, fitting attire for his current task. He glanced up at the throat-clearing, smirking as he gave her a nod. "Hey. How've you been?"
Aya Jabir:
"Hello. I've been doing very well, if a bit busy, thank you. Being an interfaith activist for peace this year has made for a very packed week recently," she nodded back to him and smiled warmly, "But for you, I hope you have been doing well?"
Erik Samuelson:
"I bet." He replied with a chuckle, finishing off one particularly stubborn bit of grime before rinsing his brush off in a nearby bucket. "Easter weekend was busy for us as usual, but overall I can't complain too much."
Aya Jabir:
"Oh, I get the feeling you had some very delicious food to eat," she said with a chuckle. "In any case, would you like my assistance with the clean up, or should I simply make for good company while you tend to it?" She sounded equally amenable to either.
Erik Samuelson:
"Didn't hear many complaints on that front, and the staff enjoyed their meals as well." He nodded, making an 'after you' motion to the cleaning supplies nearby. "Feel free to join in if you like. I believe Mrs. Ramirez is keeping an eye on her granddaughter at the moment so we shouldn't be bothered for a bit."
Aya Jabir:
Aya moves to assist, grabbing a brush as well and getting to the cleaning, "I see. You know Mrs. Ramirez well?" Her brushing is meticulous and careful, with quick and short strokes.
Erik Samuelson:
"I met her here a week or so ago, bemoaning the state of her grave and that her family never bothered to visit anymore, hence the state of this." He motioned to the headstone with his brush before going back to work himself. "I said I would help spruce it up and then see what I can do about getting her son to come by, so here I am."
Aya Jabir:
"I see, then it's good I'm able to help out; I've got a lot of experience scrubbing from volunteer work. We'll get it looking good for her." She doesn't lack for energy as she diligently tends to the stone. "Is that all that disquiets Mrs. Ramirez? Did they ever visit her here? Even at the funeral?" She asked, half curious and half thinking aloud.
Erik Samuelson:
"That's the big thing, yeah. From what she's said he did until he married his current wife and basically cut off that side of his family not long after; she had some foul words for her, as you can imagine."
Aya Jabir:
"Ohhhhh.." She says with recognition of a story heard before in other places. "A mother who feels left out by the new wife, a story as old as humanity, I think." She goes for a deep circular scrub to pull out some deep dirt from a more weathered part on the back of the stone.
"It could be a bit of trouble getting the son to come out, unless you've got something for that? It's sometimes more trouble to get the living to behave," She says with a snort.
Erik Samuelson:
"Mmhmm. According to her the new wife is pulling the whole 'I'm your family now' thing, which is...yeah." He grimaced, smirking a touch at her further comment. "Ain't that the truth."
Aya Jabir:
She rinses her brush and goes in to clear the last bits off the back side. "Oh, that's no good. Why do people do that? Just have a bigger family, it's better." She sighed. "Open minds and open hearts would solve so many problems."
Erik Samuelson:
"Right? I'm the forth of six myself, on top of all the aunts, uncles and cousins and whatnot. Family reunions are an experience."
"That it would." He nodded, shaking his head. "I like doing what I can to change that, though."
Aya Jabir:
"Same for me, as well. Not to say I wouldn't prefer it if most problems to deal with the departed weren't more of the 'make sure my cat goes to a good home' variety, instead."
Erik Samuelson:
"Mmhmm. We do what we can against the tide, though, and help where we're able."
Aya Jabir:
Again to the small swift strokes, getting the details of the inscriptions cleared. "Very true. I pray that I can do more. I've been getting more aware of the limits of my understanding and it's somewhat staggering. I've known that there's a lot more to everything, but I've been reminded more of those things lately."
Erik Samuelson:
"Let me guess, been talking to the mages in town?" He inquired with a small smirk. "I've seen some of them pull off some amazing stuff."
Aya Jabir:
"Yes, they're pretty impressive. I met one recently who specializes in knowledge about Death, our conversation was very enlightening. Another joined me in my meditations, and another gave me a form of sight to see things in a way I couldn't before." She lists them off, giving a smirk or nod with each.
"It can make going back to giving talks or signing books a bit ponderous."
Erik Samuelson:
"Was the first one Kay? If so I've talked with her as well; they're one of the first folks outside of the other Bound here who have gone into the Underworld."
Aya Jabir:
"Yes, it was!" She lights up just a little more, "We actually spoke of that, it highlighted my ignorance with regards to direct knowledge of the Underworld." She wipes her brow with her arm, "And some part of me is bothered by that for some reason."
Erik Samuelson:
"I can get that. The allure of the unknown and whatnot." He nodded quietly. "It's...something to go down there, I will say that."
Aya Jabir:
"Yes.. I'm not exactly in a hurry to go see it myself, but there's a lot about the Life in the Grave that is confusing in what I've been taught." She shrugs, "It's a desire to see and try to put the pieces together mixed with equal parts fear that, astaghfirullah, the pieces won't fit and what that would mean."
Erik Samuelson:
"That is the trick, isn't it. I came into all of this blind myself, barring the stories you hear around a campfire and all that, and learning as I've gone has been very interesting. In the end you make it work for yourself, although it may take a little effort."
Aya Jabir:
"That is one of the benefits of not being an extremist or literalist. I always leave enough room to grow my knowledge," She chuckles as she's brushing off one last bit of grime from the inscription. "What can you tell me of the Underworld?"
Erik Samuelson:
"Good way to go about it." He nodded with a smile, pondering for a long moment at the question. "It's...quiet, almost peaceful in some places. Closer to the gates the tunnels reflect the world above more often than not, having pulled down parts of it over time and put it all together in one mishmash of architecture. You'll find pockets of ghosts that've banded together to keep themselves as safe as they can manage, altars to who knows what and other knicknacks and offerings left behind over time. As you get near the rivers larger settlements pop up here and there, and beyond are the Domains, where things can get sporting depending on which one you end up in."
Aya Jabir:
She listened with rapt attention as he described. She nodded along and scratched her chin in thought throughout. "Fascinating. As with everything I learn of it, it only poses many more questions; how the settlements function, what of these Domains, how did it all come to be in this fashion." She stops and looks to him, "None I'm necessarily posing to you right now. I thank you for telling me what you have."
Erik Samuelson:
"No worries. I get being curious." He nodded, smiling a touch. "I don't think anyone could easily answer the 'how it came to be' question, although I'm sure folks have theories. There's always been something that pulls shades without anchors to their name down below, and it's been shaped over time like water moving through limestone. How it is now isn't necessarily how it was, and there's the possibility for change although it takes monumental effort."
"The settlements can depend, but in general it's a 'make sure we have enough Essence to keep existing' sort of group protection deal. I've seen some that are proper towns in their own right and others that are a couple hovels with a few ghosts holding down the fort as it were." He polished off the last bit of the section he'd been working on, looking over their handiwork. "The Domains are unique in aesthetic but uniform in certain ways: there are what are called Old Laws that are particular to each one which can vary widely from Domain to Domain, and there's always a being called a Kerberos that enforces those Laws. Finding out what they are can be sporting depending on how the Domain's set up, but if you break one you know pretty quick."
Aya Jabir:
She seems to appreciate the metaphor of water going through limestone and nods with a particularly thoughtful expression, and the potential for change gets both her eyebrows up for a moment. "I've heard of those, they sound... unusual. But there's some reason to go to these Domains, right? Otherwise, who would?"
She stands up and likewise gets a look at the now-cleaned stone and dusts off her hands.
Erik Samuelson:
"There is, yeah. Knowledge that's been lost to the surface, relics that can be used to enhance our abilities, particular shades that you need to talk with for whatever reason. There's a lot you can find, but the risk is usually right up there with the reward."
Aya Jabir:
"Even in the Underworld, everything has a cost. Hmm." She smiles, "I think we've gotten this grave about as nice as we can manage."
Erik Samuelson:
"Mmhmm." He nodded, smiling a touch in return as he looked over the headstone. "Agreed. I think she'll like it."
Aya Jabir:
"It's always great to work with you on things, be it cooking or cleaning."
Erik Samuelson:
"Agreed. There's always a good conversation involved." He stood up from his crouch, taking a moment to stretch before going about gathering up the cleaning supplies.
Aya Jabir:
"Very much so." She points up and smirks, "You know, Eid is coming pretty soon, and that's always a good excuse for more cooking."
Erik Samuelson:
"I'm up for that. Think I still owe you that cookie recipe, right?" He replied with a smile.
Aya Jabir:
"Yes, and it's a perfect time for sweets!" Aya looks around and then back to him with a smile, "I'd love to make a really big batch to share."
Erik Samuelson:
"Sounds like a plan. Let me know when you want to come by and I'll get everything ready."
Aya Jabir:
"I will do so," she affirms with a nod. "I don't suppose Mrs. Ramirez gave you a time she would be back?" The question was delivered with wit desiccated by a bone-deep knowledge that ghosts operate on their own time.
Erik Samuelson:
"Other than 'after storytime', not really." He offered with a small smirk. "She tends to tell her an extra one once her stepmother leaves her be for the night."
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