The Funeral of Reverend Pious Michael Hunter - February 7th (Open RP)

This is an open roleplay thread that anyone can join. It focuses on, but not limited to, the funeral service, procession and burial of Pious Michael Hunter, aka The Priest. This thread begins a week ahead of February 7th to avoid character and time delay. In-character wise, invitations have been forwarded to all members of the heroing community who wish to pay respect to his passing. I'll start it off and I'll also be moving it along until the end. Enjoy.

Sunday, February 7th. 6:00 AM.

Reverend Dee Ann Klapp was already up and about the vicarage by the time the bells were rung. She was always very organised and systematically ran through the day in her mind. From the Funeral Mass to the Rite of Committal. Secretly, she looked forward to the latter, some of the heroes from the Freedom Phalanx had RSVP'd and she looked forward to meeting them all, especially Ms. Liberty. She collected her things together and left for Moth Cathedral, just across the yard. Clutched tightly in her chubby hands was a copy of the Funeral Programme, the same one that had been distributed to the people of Paragon City.

Suraya watched the pallbearers lift the white coffin with Pious Hunter. His body had been deep within the vaults of the Nighthunters base under the 'Worn Cover' for the past weeks now. Ever since the start of the wake. The location was a logical and functional one. The Priest had too many powerful enemies that couldn't be allowed to get close to his body. Witches and warlocks, vampires and ghosts... just to name a few.

She was dressed in a black simple dress and had her hair and face partly covered with a black veil.

The way up the stairs wasn't easy... but the men held their own. All staying in respectable silence. While they placed the coffin in the car she walked towards one of the cars that would follow. There was room for a select few close relatives and his family. Suraya stepped in and looked over her shoulder to the car behind her. But the black tinted glass didn't gave way of who was inside.

Sunday, February 7th. 10:00 AM. Just outside Moth Cathedral.

Half an hour before the start of the funeral service, Reverend Dee Ann Klapp was stood by the church entrance greeting the people as they climbed up the stairs. She watched as the hearse carrying Reverend Pious's coffin slowly pulled into the drive way. The pallbearers alighted and proceeded to move the casket ceremoniously into the curch. Reverend Klapp, dressed in a black cope, greeted the coffin at the door of the church, sprinkled it with holy water, and began intoning Pslam 129 and Psalm 50.

When she saw Suraya, the Desert Princess and other fabled members of the Nighthunters arrive, her heart lifted with joy. "You must be Suraya" she greeted with a smile, speaking in a low and solemn voice. "Reverend Pious told me all about you and about the good work you're all doing to purify this world. Here, do you have a copy of the programme?" she asked, offering the sheet that was being handed to every entering person. "To be honest, I'm rather looking forward to the procession. I'm a big fan of the heroing community, so much good work you're all doing."

Suraya accepted the programme and nodded to the reverend. "Yes... I am sure more of the hero community will arrive.", she answered. "But we are just doing our duty... like you do yourself here!"

She looked around Moth Cathedral... It was a long time ago since she set foot in one. It was a grand buidling... so much different then the small Mosque on the border of the city. But then again... Paragon City never had a big population of Islamic people.

There weren't many people in yet. Obviously she was one of the first to arrive. She looked back to the reverend Dee Ann Klapp. "Are there places reserved or can we just take a seat?", she asked after seeying the many benches in the Cathedral. "I don't want to take a place reserved for the next of kin or family. To be honest... Abrâr... eh.. Pious never talked much about family to us!"

The woman known as Lady Arete arrived outside the church in a taxi and stepped out. She was dressed in black as a lady like her should. Her long dark red hair flowing freely as always. As she stepped out of the taxi she found herself at a loss. Why on earth was she here, dressed like this for a man she barely new? She could not tell at the moment.
The last months she had buried herself in her work. Researched in magical tomes, reading grimoars, made various potions, fought beings of magic with magic. She had almost not been a part of the community, yet she had seen the notice. She had held the invitation the New Heroes Union had been given in her hand.
She had barely exchanged words with The Priest and in some way he was... had been something that she had both resented and admired.
So why was she here? Now?
Paying her respect to a man who had been a Priest and named himself that. Who she might easily believe had seen magic as an anathema as another man she had lo... yes she had loved him. She asserted herself in that belief.
Maybe she thought, this was a reason and maybe it was not.
She walked up the stairs with the intent on sitting at the back on the left side. It then struck her, it had been a long time since she last had been in a church.

Drade stood back near the road, dressed in his normal Hunter's guild outfit of a black long coat, dark grey t shirt and black bottoms with high black boots. His swords missing from his back but their holders still there crossed on it.
"This is indeed a sad day, bringing more problems.." He muttered looking over at those entering the building, with a bow of his head he walked slowly up a brief bit of sun lighting his silver hair as he looked up at the door and those at it.

"Come on in dear, have a programme and find yourself a seat, er... who were you to the deceased?"
She looked at the Reverend.
'... I did not know him personally, so I believe none important personally? He was however a friend to the city and thus a friend to a band of heroes I know... so... so I..'
The Lady was struggling with her words. She was filled with doubts if she at all should come, she who had believed in her youth, until her parents had seperated. Would she be like Xyistal and not being able to enter the church? Would she be seen as an anathema amongst these people since she was a sorceress, and a female reverend? That was new. Many thoughts went through her mind and again filled with doubts and the should I really be here? What am I doing? she looked at the Reverend as she continued.
'...I came to pay my respect. Unless this is a closed cermony?'

Detective Jennifer Sula climbed the cathedral's front steps alongside Lieutenant Barry West, feeling faintly ridiculous in her dress uniform. There was something a little unreal about all of this. She'd mourned Pious before, when he was abducted and thought dead. But this time, there was a body, leaving no doubt - well, less doubt. Others had found their way back from the other side, after all. There was no such as "no doubt", not anymore.

No such thing as no hope. Even when Jennifer just wished she could be sure, one way or another.

"Not at all dear, everyone is welcome to pay their respects. Come on right in and have a seat", she replied, inviting the lady in. She noticed the gentleman with silver hair and beamed him in also. When she noticed the young woman and her company approach, she felt they might have been off duty policemen. "Good morning" she greeted the three, "come on right in, find a seat. Hope getting through our town's fog wasn't any trouble?"

Unreal indeed. Even for him. It wasn't the first time, and it probably wouldn't be the last, but sitting here on the sill of that tall window, the magnificent stained glass of the age-old mural stretching to the heights behind him, he still couldn't help but feel it all boundlessly bizarre.

Not that he planned to share that with anyone, a silent witness to the assembly unseen to the naked eye. Hidden upon that sill, cloaked behind a number of obfuscations he hoped at the edge of his mind would keep him concealed, he watched...and waited, the tip of his long tail swaying gently against the wall below his perch. He wasn't sure just what he waited for, but he knew he'd know when the time came. That was the way it worked. That was the way it always worked with him.

He wasn't really sure which was stranger. That a hero had died or that a villain had come to his burial. Oh, he wasn't of high profile or great fame, like so many a relative unknown amongst the greater population of Paragon's saviors, and even within the ranks of those who sought to tear it down. No, Acid Zero wasn't known as a major player. Indeed, he had his doubts that he was known here at all. Still, no sense in taking chances. Getting dog-piled by a church full of heroes wasn't exactly something he desired. So he hid. And watched. And waited. And reflected.

He hadn't really known Pious. Heck, one might say he hadn't known him at all. They'd only met once after all, and that was for less than five minutes. Still, it had been a memorable time. A spat of banter, a rise of the human's hackles, and then Acid had tossed a giant robot at him. Well, more accurately it had been a Cerosian environmental engineer, but the Khelari hadn't told Pious that. He still smiled at the look on the Reverend's face. Good times. Good times.

And now it was over. That made him sad. It was strange. He'd barely known the guy. Yet somehow, some way, he felt like he'd known him all his life. Acid wondered what that meant. Usually, he found the answers in a fight. Now, though...now he doubted he ever would.

So he watched. And he waited. Waited for something to tell him it was time...

She gave a quiet nod to the Reverend and entered the church. She felt nothing as she stood at the entrance. But she knew that if there was any detection against magic of any kind, she would light up like a beacon.
She let her eyes wander, she hoped for... well that the serenity that she felt here would not be disturbed.
From old habit she let her eyes and senses wander, from the glasspaintings, the cealing, the model ship that hanged over their heads as people would walk towards the alter itself. This she knew represented the church sailing towards the eternal kingdom. Lastly her eyes rested on the coffin.
Back in her mind the mage in her hoped he would be cremated, it would be too easy for mages to use his remains. That hope though was not what she as a woman was hit with.
Her eyes was fixed on the coffin for several moments and she was reminded again of her own loss. Her own funeral of her husband and... seemingly so long ago, yet so fresh in her memory.
She held her tears in a way that she only could. Cold and serene. She did not want to cry, not here, not in this place. No. Out of respect she did a short curtsey and nod towards the coffin, before taking a seat near the back of the left side. She sat lost in her thoughts while her senses looked back and forth on the people present.
Her comlink she had put on mute, but she would know if Hal would try and contact her or warn her.
Thus she sat, lone, lost for a moment in her own grief before remembering, she was here to honor Pious and maybe get to know him more now, after his passing.

((You know, I just wanted to bring closure to this character so I can leave this community properly, peacefully. But I've stumbled on some hurtful things that were said about me behind my back, by people I expected better from. Right now I'm just a little upset, and I don't see how I can continue this roleplay. I'm really sorry to you guys who have supported my efforts and shared my interests in this. It's a shame when we can't rise above correctable mistakes and instead reduce to bitter, snide and immature comments. Gonna have to cut the show short and bow out.))

Rachel Hunter, wife of the deceased, approached Reverend Klapp and whispered a change of plans. She asked that the funeral and burial be made a private ceremony instead. A little confused, the Reverend just nodded before closing the doors and taking positions to start the private service.

((For character continuity purposes, please see these notes for what *would happen next. Truly sorry. Wish it didn't end this way. I'm out.))

((The post you are referring too was removed by the moderator there this morning... Some parts of the community can't except their names being used in any way... Even by an ex-long time member. I would love to opt a rule for the unionverse wiki where is stated that when you make a profile or location or artifact there you agree to that being a part of the unionverse. To an extend that it IS there. you can see you heard about a character... you can knock on an open accesable base door... you can call who is in the phone book. Without godmodding the character into doing anything. Knocking on a door can be ignored (or nobody's home). That is still no godmodding. Just creating a Universe.))

((Fun should be in front. If youre annoyed with something... tell. Private tell especially. Otherwise ignore... it is not that hard staying social. We should all be able to play with each other. ))

((I for one enjoyed this thread. And I am sorry pious had to close it the way he did.))

((Aw dang. So did I. I was even fixin' to leave flowers on his grave. Well, I guess sometimes this happens. Happy trails, Pious. We'll miss ya.))

((Same, I looked forward to continue on this thread. And letting the Lady at the same time get to go through her emotions. Specially since she has not been properly in a church since well... before her early teens. I will miss you Pious, so Good luck in what you will do now. Pity that the community now will loose a starter of events. ))

((damn, i was gonna enter soon, well its been major fun rping with you pious and i do truly hope to see you back soon))

((I too was looking forwards to this going ahead, not knowing what post on here as stopped it as it's already gone. It is a great shame to be losing a community member such as Pious, and one I shall miss quite a bit, good luck in what you do pal!))

((It is indeed a pity that you chose not to continue this thread as i had hoped to contribute.

Although the Priest and Britanic crossed paths on only a few occassions a couple of those meetings were massive events in Britanic's life such as the Pocket D Council of War's mission to use MMB's(Still don't know why we dont have a wiki page for that) to strike against the Rikti homeworld, and of course the Priest presiding over Britanic's wedding to White Vampyr. It seemed fitting that Britanic would of attended to pay his respects.

Best of luck for the future P.))