SS Hot Mess shows up to mingles 15 minutes late with Starbucks

[notzubats]

Who: The Huntress Crew and Visitors
Broadcast: Maybe!!
Action: SS Huntress!
When: From now until end of the system!

[There's been an elf invasion! And an Ellen Page invasion! Also there's a star system! Come in Huntress, it's been awhile, so it's time for a mingle! ]

Comments

[hearsthesea]

[That gets Shirley to look back up and smile a little again. Thankfully people have her back there, and it's good to remember that.]

The areas with the most dangerous technology isn't easily accessible to many people, thankfully. And the Orerines leaders with the strongest presence on the Legacy also agree with me about how it shouldn't be used, so even in times of trouble I'm not the only one who thinks so.

[Thank goodness for Will and Musette, and the fact that every other citizen of Werites Beacon is a secret Rexalian troop.]

[monolike]

That's definitely helpful! I'm glad the Orerines leaders are compromising with you instead of fighting against you on that. Maybe one day the ship can be safely studied, or at least retired in a way that makes it harmless.

[hearsthesea]

Oh, no. I don't think we can ever retire the Legacy. We all live there now, and it's where the Ferines are starting to come back together after so long. But...yeah, maybe one day we'll be able to make sure the most dangerous parts can't do anyone harm again.

[It's an interesting proposal, trying to put everything permanently out of any threatening operation. Even if some parts of those things, like herself, can't be removed so easily.]

[monolike]

Is the Legacy the only land on your planet? [because that would be amAZING]

[hearsthesea]

No, it's not.

[Sorry to burst your bubble, Sorey.]

There is a mainland, but I never knew much of it outside my home village. But I can say that by now I've been around most of the Legacy.

[monolike]

So you weren't born on the Legacy...what was your village like? Was it a Ferines village? [He imagines it must've been, if she'd been distrustful of Orerines.]

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley nods.]

Yeah, it was. Our village was small, but it was peaceful. My parents died when I was very young, so my sister and I were raised by the rest of the village. People's eyes were on me sometimes because I was the Merines, but...things didn't seem that important until it was time for me to awaken my power.

[What a mess that was, though.]

[monolike]

Why wasn't it important before? This Merines thing they expected you to do, it kind of got dumped on you all at once? [well, considering they also expected her to like, destroy stuff. yeah that makes sense]

[hearsthesea]

Well, um...yes.

[Story of her life, really.]

I didn't understand what becoming Merines would really mean until I was in the middle of the ritual to awaken. It was a shock, but I don't think the people of my village ever expected that I would disagree with Nerifes' will.

[monolike]

That's...I mean... [Sorey's not one to talk smack about anybody, even people who deserve it, but looking at the girl sitting in front of him and imagining people conducting a ritual without even giving her all the details first is more than a little disturbing.] ...I guess they might have found that out if they'd consulted you first.

[hearsthesea]

Looking back, I don't know if it would have mattered. Even if I'd known, or even if I'd disagreed...it wouldn't have changed Nerifes' will, and that was more important to everyone. I don't know what I would have done if that happened.

[Looking at it in that light, it's almost good that she didn't know until the ritual that first time. She could have done better than intentionally failing, but she didn't let the worst come to pass either.]

[monolike]

Shirley, that makes it sound like they valued your purpose as the Merines over your life as a person. [Which isn't a new concept, of course, but it doesn't make it one any less appalling. The people she grew up with, who raised her only wanted her for her ability to carry out the will of the sea? Sorey can't imagine what he would do if he learned something like that.]

[hearsthesea]

Well...I think they did.

[She knows they did, actually. She did too.]

There weren't many people who knew me as just Shirley. Not until recently. But things are changing, so it's not so much like that anymore.

[monolike]

I'm so sorry to hear that. [There are people like that with the Shepherd back home, but not his family. Not the people who raised him and love him. To see your own family think of you that way...

Sorey leans forward to rest a hand atop hers, squeezing slightly.] I'm glad it's changing.

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley smiles at him in response, and shifts her hand slightly to squeeze back. Satisfied as she is with things, the companionship feels good.]

I am too. I'm all right, really. I struggled with what it meant to be Merines for a while, but I've come to a point where I'm happy with the way things are.

[monolike]

[Nods and lets go. Going any further than that would be an insult to how far she's come.] Did the Ferines come to understand your reasoning behind what you did?

[hearsthesea]

Not yet. Right now the Ferines don't completely trust the Orerines, and I didn't expect them to right away. But Nerifes wants peace now, and with time I want to believe the Ferines will understand.

[monolike]

...Shirley, I think you're amazing. [Don't mind this guy you just met today glowing with pride for you, he just thinks you're incredible is all.]

[hearsthesea]

[Too much, Sorey! Shirley's blushing a little, though it's not really a bashful kind. It's a different kind of embarrassment here.]

I don't think I'm very amazing. I've learned to be stronger, but only because I know what will happen if I'm not.

[monolike]

That's not always something people can achieve though. A lot of times people can't pick themselves back up, even with help. I don't think it's wrong for you to be proud that you could.

[hearsthesea]

That's...sad. But thank you.

[It really is sad to think of people in that kind of trouble, but Shirley knows it's a compliment and she appreciates it.]

[monolike]

[Yeah, it really is.]

...ah, anyway. [Sorey scratches his nose, embarrassed at his state and the state of their surroundings.] Do you want to continue this discussion somewhere a little cleaner? I think there might be some snacks Mikleo left in the kitchen if you're hungry.

[hearsthesea]

I don't mind staying where we are. But if you want to move, I wouldn't mind trying those snacks either.

[monolike]

I think we probably should, before my stomach starts shouting. [it'll do that too] And I can give you a tour of the ship, too!

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley's first instinct is to tell him he doesn't have to, she's been on the Huntress before. But on second thought, it sounds like fun and Sorey clearly wants to do it so why not? And it's not as if she's not as familiar with the ship as she used to be. Tour it is.]

I would be honored, Sorey. Thank you.