The Lone Prophet

Being the mouthpiece of God wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Don't get her wrong, Angie wouldn't change a thing. Living on a perpetually summery island, the sound of surf and the feel of sand always readily available. Being Atua's vessel, his prophet… hearing his messages in her very soul, letting his essence flow through her in order to bring wonderful works of art to life… this was her passion. Her home. Her words sprung people to action, made them drop to their knees in prayer, left them speechless as her work brought to mind miracles, sometimes too much for mere mortals to process!

And the perks! She wasn't just a priestess, she was basically a celebrity on her island. She could go into any store, any home, and she'd be greeted with smiles and muttered awe. When she stepped into any of the island's buildings, small little mixes of hut and modernity with thatch and stick woven alongside cobblestone, she became the priority. She got free goods at the baker's, free clothes at the tailor's, and nothing was off limits. She could demand festivals be thrown on a whim. Everyone believed her desires were Atua's will.

But… it always came back to Atua.

When people spoke to her, they didn't speak to Angie. They spoke to Atua. What was his proclamation? His message? How did he plan on guiding them that day? People would plead with her to bless them, to tell them what their God had in store for the crops and weather… and if their online orders were going to be delivered soon. Her fellow islanders were polite enough, often downright friendly! But it never felt… genuine. Like they wanted to please Atua, not her. Speak to Atua, not her.

…Sometimes, it even felt like her own parents wanted to hear from Atua more than their own daughter. Sometimes, it felt like Atua was the only one she could really talk to.

Of course, she kept these thoughts inside and her sunny disposition on the outside. And she still wouldn't change a thing. Her lot in life was an important one. She spread his holy word and brought guidance to the island, and nothing made her prouder than helping her people. And having fun doing while doing so! Nyahaha!

There were times she didn't want to be the oracle, though. There were times she just wanted to be Angie. But no amount of insisting 'Atua isn't here right now' would deter people from treating her like his personal phone line. Her island had a mountain range rimming its northern reaches, and when it got too much, she liked to disappear to it. If you climbed it for about ten minutes and took a discrete side path, you ended up on a wide rock overlooking the jungle. Atua's Perch, Angie liked to call it. Her secret domain, where for a time, she could just be herself. She'd bring a seat and snacks up there and meditate for hours, having a one on one conversation with her divine inner voice. Even when it felt like no one appreciated her for her, Atua would always be her friend. She just… kind of had to share him with everyone.

When the Hope's Peak talent scout came for her, she was thrilled! Her island wasn't. What were they going to do without their divine guide?! She soothed them, told them to be calm… because her departure, too, was Atua's will. She would return one day, and while she was gone, she'd find many more people to show Atua's light! She'd bring them back eventually, and their island would prosper with all its new followers! She would become a missionary for their God.

That was all the reasons for leaving she said aloud, at least. Inwardly… she kind of hoped maybe things might be a little different off the island. She'd show people Atua's worth… and hopefully, show them her own as well.

She immediately felt out of place when she arrived in Japan. The climate was colder, and in time, she'd come to experience things like autumn and winter for the first time. The buildings here were full brick and slate, a far cry from the mix of her home. Snow would end up leaving her tropical-tuned body a shivering mess until she learned to properly counter it. For once, she felt lost.

Showing people Atua's way was… difficult. Most didn't want to hear one word of it for some reason. It was strange… did they not want to hear the word of the highest being? After years of people doing her bidding at the drop of a hat, it was jarring to be surrounded by people who saw her as an equal. Or a weirdo.

Praising Atua and getting what she wanted were all she knew… it took time to unlearn that. But thanks to some time spent with certain classmates, it went faster than it could've. People who wanted to be with her, not Atua… people who brought her in from the cold and made her feel like a ray of sunshine again.

Some took her teachings to heart, like the gentle giant of an entomologist and the resident robot. Others were resilient. There were two in particular she found herself drawn to. A sleepy magician… er… mage, whose feats of wizardry sounded like tall tales. But who was she to decry the existence of magic when she herself spouted faith? The other, a spunky fighter who kept pulling the mage back from the brink of worship… but Angie didn't mind. If she couldn't bring the mage to her side, that too was Atua's will.

So maybe she wasn't going to get many new followers here. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to mind. Because she'd found something much more valuable… friends. She'd never stop trying to teach them about Atua, of course. But deep down, she knew they were teaching her as well.

Perhaps in a different situation, her self-serving upbringing and devotion would've led to disaster. But here at Hope's Peak… she'd found her heaven on earth.Glad