via veritas et vita

[bright_and_beautiful]

Jenny loves the church. It's beautiful even for a small church, of course, but it's just... she feels peaceful here. It's relaxing. She likes it here. She doesn't go to Catechism herself any more, but her siblings are still there for the most part, and she would just have to come back for them anyway. If it was a nice day maybe she would go outside while she was waiting, enjoy the nice weather, but it is one of those cold and miserable sort of drizzle days that no one likes. Even Jenny. So, she'll be in the church, waiting for Catechism to end.

She curls up in the side of one of the pews towards the back and settles into a half doze. So peaceful and quiet. She'll just be here, feeling content, until otherwise disturbed.

Comments

[keyed_up]

Here is a someone, being quiet and unobtrusive and going to siphon some holy water out of the basin.

[bright_and_beautiful]

Jenny doesn't immediately notice her friend, but she passes in front of the light from one of the windows on her way up and Jenny spots her. She doesn't quite chirp- it's church, she will not ruin the atmosphere, she's here for the peace after all- but she does somewhat dance up front towards her classmate. "Soph! Hey! Are you Catholic? I didn't realize."

[keyed_up]

"Uh - no, I'm... not. I was sort of under the impression that you could take the water even if you weren't? Right?"

[bright_and_beautiful]

Jenny blinks at her in confusion, then at the font, then at Soph again. "You- er, sure, it's for everyone. But. Caaaan I ask what for? Unless you're taking the idea of immersive baptism really seriously, it's mostly for stuff in the church anyway."

[keyed_up]

"I'm... not sure you'd believe me."

[bright_and_beautiful]

Jenny shrugs. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me." She smiles. "You can have your secrets with God. That's part of the fun."

[keyed_up]

"Thaaaaaat's... really not it. It's - okay, if you don't believe me, can you acknowledge that I didn't think you would and didn't come in here ranting and raving and I'm not insane?"

[bright_and_beautiful]

"Yesssss? You really don't have to tell me, though. I don't want to make you feel weird about it or anything." She considers. "Unless it is a weird sex thing. I don't think I'm okay with holy water being used for weird sex things."

[keyed_up]

"It's not a sex thing! Not even a non-weird one! It burns vampires."

[bright_and_beautiful]

...well, if Jenny was expecting anything, that was not it. "Vampires?" she repeats blankly.

[keyed_up]

"I'm going to put it in a water gun and carry it around in case I meet vampires."

[bright_and_beautiful]

"And this isn't, like, a really epic game of tag you're playing with people at school or something, and taking super seriously?"

[keyed_up]

"It is not that thing."

[bright_and_beautiful]

"I am halfway between 'why would Soph lie to me, just believe her' and 'I sorta don't want to accept this with proof but this is a terrible horrible awful never actually do that idea and please do not actually prove it to me'."

[keyed_up]

"Well, I don't, like, have a vampire locked up in the basement, but I could do a little magic or you could watch my sister have superpowers?"

[bright_and_beautiful]

Not squealing in church, not squealing in church, not squealing in church. Even if it's not Sunday and no one's here. It is disrespectful. But- "Maaaaaagic?"

[keyed_up]

"Just a little bit, I don't want to overdo it, apparently it's addictive, but I can do a little bit."

[bright_and_beautiful]

"Well, don't be addicted to things on my behalf," Jenny says immediately.

She's still not totally convinced that Soph's okay, she's awfully old to believe in magic, but she's willing to be disproven. Because magic!

[keyed_up]

"Also I'm sort of worried that if I cast a spell in a church someone will decide to burn me for being a witch. I can call you next time I'm going to cast something anyway? A lot of it doesn't look like anything though."

[bright_and_beautiful]

"Whatever you like!" Jenny agrees cheerfully. "I mean, right now I'm stuck here till the ducklings are done with Catechism, but you know me. I don't do much except play mama duck. Time is a thing that I have."

[keyed_up]

"Okay. I'll call you next time I do a spell with like... any visible effect. ...And wear your cross all the time, vampires don't like those either."

She finishes collecting her holy water.

[bright_and_beautiful]

Jenny pulls her necklace out from under her sweater. It is tiny and simple but it is actual gold; it was her confirmation present from her parents and she wears it everywhere.

"Waaaaaay ahead of you!" she reports. She eyes the full container of water Soph's holding. "...should I ask my uncle if he has more of that? It'd be weird if he started running out, I think he usually only checks it after Mass."

[keyed_up]

"I probably won't need more any time soon but it'd be nice if it was there if I did. I'm usually not out after dark, and vampires also don't like sunlight. I just needed a new batch because what we already had is in water balloons, and Bella can throw those hard enough to burst on contact and I really can't."

[bright_and_beautiful]

Jenny cracks up. "You have holy water water balloons? That is the cutest thing ever!"

[keyed_up]

"It's not sacrilegious or anything? Oh, good."