Why the sky is Blue and Green

Theodora sat huddled by the altar looking at the five martyrs in horror, as they were portrayed as they died, as was tradition. She kept her eyes on most handsome one, her namesake, Theodore of Shelby, Pathfinder who died in a spinning gilded cage who died of raygun blast, disoriented. She did not stare at Benjamin of Chicago, Soldier who died fighting a death of a thousand cuts. Or Iris of New York, Engineer who held her own heart on a plate.

The acolyte entered the room and noticed Theodora's distress. "I see they unnerve you. I dislike celebrating their deaths, even if it was their sacrifice which freed us from the demiurge. I celebrate their lives in my tales, not their deaths," the acolyte said.

"I was raised in the bunkers, we do are not as pious as surface folk, I only know of the The War to End All Wars and the Demiurge and the sacrifice," Theodora said.

"When did you come to the surface, child?" the Acolyte asked.

"Last month when my parents died, the local Wanderer brought me to the nearest temple," Theodora said.

"When did you first see the sky?" the Acolyte asked.

"When I exited the bunker, the sun was setting so it was green and not blue," Theodora said.

"Did you know that the sky was once red and blue before the war and during the reign of the Demiurge it was yellow and brown?" the Acolyte asked.

"The Wanderer told me so, too. But Wanderers are not permitted to tell religious tales, only you are. I have seen the old skies history lessons and on videos, " Theodora said nodding.

"So you do not know why Iris of New York, Engineer, made the sky green and blue instead of yellow and brown when she remade the earth and sky in her image?" The Acolyte asked.

Theodora shook her head, her fear forgotten as she settled to hear a good tale.

"When Iris of New York, was a child, she was hit by a taxi cab. Have you see a Pre-war New York taxi cab, child?" the Acolyte asked.

"Aye, the Wanderer showed me the technology and history museum on the way here to pray to Iris of New York, Engineer and Theodore of Shelby, Pathfinder," Theodora said, "They are yellow with brown checkers."

"Yes, ever since the accident, she could not walk without braces and she hated the color yellow. So when the demiurge took over the world, he made the sky itself yellow at sunset and sunrise to spite her. When the four others sacrificed themselves, Iris, in her last moments remade the earth to be habitable again and the sky to colors she liked. She made them out of the eyes of her two loves, Benjamin of Chicago, Soldier whose eyes were blue and Theodore of Shelby, Pathfinder whose eyes were green. The demiurge called her a bleeding heart, hence her death. But in her dying breath she shut it down for it was merely a machine and not a true god. So we were free." the Acolyte said.

"Thank you for telling me this tale, it was a good one," Theodora said.

"That's what I do, child," the Acolyte said smiling.

The Acolyte smiled as the Matron arrived to take Theodora to her new quarters.

"What is your name child?" asked the Matron.

"Theodora, I was good with direction in the bunker," Theodora said and curtsied.

"I am Wilhemina and this is Acolyte Iris, you are in good hands, Theodora," Wilhemina said.

Outside the temple window the sun began to set coloring the blue sky green. Theodora stared with awe as the sunset was still new to her. The two women smiled knowingly.