Pmde Tasks 2013 August: Confession

[I really like letting this picture speak for itself, but the following context may help a little nevertheless]

After sitting through Sharon's lecture for half an hour, William was eager to offer to help Sharon clear rocks from the river--after all, the nice fountain idea they had planned would only work with good water pressure.
Oregano, on the other hand, had had quite enough. His bottled resentment for the cathedral came out in an expulsion of distasteful criticisms and mockeries.

"I don't even know why you brought me here. This place doesn't even have anything to do with me! The only job worth doing was down in Alomomola, anyway... Just go, Will! I'm sure the some magical raindrops are ALL the help you need to clear a landslide, anyway."

And so, William left. He looked back, just once.

Those words were the last thing out of Oregano's mouth before he realized he wasn't talking to anyone but the cathedral walls. His eyes stung, his throat was knotted, and as his head began to sink he found that the last company he wanted was himself.

-----

Gabriel had taken some planned time away from Tao Village to visit Cathedral Drop. It wasn't as often as he liked, but he was happy to be able to visit at all. He liked the quieter areas of the church. If there was any excuse he could make for the sects, it was the peace and song the Rain folk helped to keep.

Inevitably, he was not the only one basking in solitude.

Oregano's emotional wreckage washed ashore of Gabriel's arms. William had already risked his life for the Cyndaquil, and yet he had abandoned his partner at the slightest disagreement. Why, Oregano asked, why would I do such a thing? He knew better, he told the Archeops.

"You question and you fight, because you want to understand. You get angry when you cannot. Your friend simply found the answer to a question you never needed to know the answer to. Or, one you felt was irrelevant," Gabriel said slowly. He took Oregano's stream of tiny tears as permission to continue.

"If you try to understand what others believe, you'll stumble and grow hurt trying to walk paths that weren't carved for you. Instead, understand why they believe it, and you can walk beside them.

"Right now, your friend--how would Sharon put it? Alone, he is a single drop of rain: Fall beside him."

And so, Oregano left. He looked back, just once.