driftfleet | [MINGLE] One fish, two fish...

[Sokka always makes it a point to check in on the newcomers, make sure they settle in well. But he never, ever neglects the rest of his crew. He likes to talk with them, to see how they're doing- if there was anything worrying them- something he could help with.

He smiles a little, returning the wave, going to rummage around for some tallbird jerky. ]

Penny for your thoughts.

[Leliana admired Sokka's drive, even if at times it reminded her far too much of Josephine and her worrying over her. At least he didn't try to have tea parties to make sure everyone was getting along - thank Andraste.]

Far too many for a penny, I think - but it's trivial for the most part.

[Should she talk to him about Anders? Was that even wise? She didn't want to incite fear and yet this continued inaction bothered her. Part of her wanted to batten down the hatches, so to speak.]

Just thinking of home.

[She'd been in the fleet long enough to have settled and found a place in the crew and in the Interfaith Center but she still felt restless. She'd done her best to keep it underneath the surface but there were moments that those darker thoughts would escape, thoughts that it would just be so much easier to send some sort of message to Justice - to do harm to him and Anders - and yet she had stayed her hand and chose to wait and watch for the inevitable. She hated thinking that way. Anders was a mage and did not deserve to be viewed as a monster, as so many saw him. She didn't want to and yet she continued to watch him and wait, treating him in her mind like a bomb waiting to go off. In reality, it could very well be her own pent up emotions that were the real bomb.]

[His tea parties would be awful anyway. No one wants his attempts at a tea party. ]

That's pretty normal around here, thinking about home.

[His smile softens a little, moving to sit down, happily eating the delicious jerky. Meat, glorious meat. ]

You want to talk about it? I mean- I get it if you don't. I know home-stuff can get pretty complicated.

[His usually is, after all.]

I'm not sure exactly how much is worth saying, to be honest. As I said -it's trivial.

[And the last thing she wants is to bog this poor kid down with Thedas' politics. It wasn't a great situation to be caught in and she doesn't want Riona worrying after her either.]

Edited (eh decided to rewrite it) 2016-10-22 00:17 (UTC)

No worries, so long as it's nothing you-breaking.

[He wants you guys safe and happy, okay?]

How'd you like the bizzaro new planet?

No, nothing so dire, I think.

[Today anyway.]

About the same as the last one. Exploring was interesting - there's quite a bit to their affairs than they let on. I happened upon a slave trader on the surface but it didn't lead to anything.

[Unfortunately, anyway. It lead to him having his chest cavity hollowed out by one surly elf, though.]

[...Well, that's deeply concerning. Sokka's brow furrows. ]

Wait, what. There's slaver traders here? Yeesh. I thought those guys looked shifty, but I never thought of anything like that.

An acqaintance of mine and Riona's from home had a bit of a scuffle with one. I think the man regrets his choice in profession now, after that.

[She gives a bit of an amused smile, sipping her tea and hoping she was inconspicuous enough to her Captain not to sound so glib about the mention of a man possibly being murdered or harmed.]

[Nope, that one sailed right over his head. He's probably been with Aang for too long, it makes a person much less prone to jump to murdery conclusions. ]

Well, good. I know we can't make a huge difference in the long run. I mean, it's not like we ever visit anywhere I>twice. But if we can make a little dent in it, that counts for something.

Change can be good or bad, depending upon your point of view. You're right, however. It does not happen with inaction.

[She takes a sip from her glass, gears turning a bit as she turns over his words and her own. In a way she felt as if she was lying to the poor kid. He didn't need to know what really happeened and he didn't need to know the part she played in it.]

Sometimes, good or bad, it has to happen. There's no to make change work for everyone, someone's gonna lose out whatever way you do it. You just gotta hope you can do what's best for the most people.

[They learned that the hard way. Resettling the world after the hundred years war hasn't been an easy task. Not everyone finds happiness in the newfound peace. ]

You're awfully wise, for someone so young.

[She rests her chin in the palm of her hand, looking up at him with a small smile.]

I gather you learned from experience?

Back home, I've lived through the last years of a war, on the front lines of it all- and then I've been part of the rebuilding of the world after it.

[He chuckles a little awkwardly. ]

I've- experienced a lot in all that.

Ah. A child soldier of sorts?

[Not that she'd ever mistakenly call him a child now. He had aged into his experiences.]

Not an easy thing to shoulder, even with friends at your side. Though, the whole world is heavy, no?

Yeah. I was the only boy my age left in the village, when the men went to war. It was my job to protect the village, and then it got...a little more complicated than just that.

[Protecting the world, in fact. He exhales softly. ]

Yeah. And even now the war is done, it's still a lot to deal with. Rebuilding isn't easy, it doesn't just go back to how it was before the war.

But not all change is for the worst. You survived the war and are helping to reshape the world into a better place. That is commendable. Not many can do such a thing. Not all sides will agree with your views either. It can be a balancing act. Made harder if you are to commit to such a task alone. That's why it's important to have friends and comrades at your side.

[She didn't mean to get preachy but damned if she couldn't relate to him on some level. Justinia had gambled with the fate of nations and it had been her job to deal with the parties that were more violent in their disagreement and might try to harm the Divine.]

[He smiles a little, nodding.]

That's very true. My friend, Aang, he's got it worse. Everyone is looking up to him, for answers, for a way to make peace work again. It's not an enviable place to be, I'll tell you that. But we stick by him, help how we can, try to make the transition as smooth as possible. And another friend is the Fire Lord now - he's trying to mend his country the best he can. Change them from would-be conquerors to being on even keel with everyone else. His job is pretty hard, too.

[He just hopes the Fire Nation doesn't tear itself apart in the process.]

And you? I doubt your contributions have been small.

[C'mon Sokka you're surrounded by these impressive friends and you don't talk about yourself?]

[His smile is soft, a little humble. A few years ago, he would have been a braggart about it, these days...well.]

I was the plan guy. I led them around, doing my best to make sure they were where they needed to be and as prepared as they could be. I uh...helped a lot with the final battle plan, too.

A strategist is no small job. Commander Cullen - I am not sure if you two met or not - is the Inquisition's strategists and one of the best at what he does.

[Although he annoyed her to no end at times. Sokka didn't annoy her. He was young and bright and full of promise. That sort of thing was admirable to her. It reminded her of herself when she'd first met Marjolaine.]

I think I talked to him once or twice while he was here.

[He liked the guy, he wasn't close, but still. He seemed pretty okay. ]

Oh yeah, it's not easy. Especially when the people you're strategist for are- well, when they get distracted by the tiniest little thing and it ends up a little like herding cats.

You are young and your friends must have been young as well. It isn't easy when you're children. The world seems much bigger than it is.

[Not to say that he's still a child, of course.]

[His smile fades a little, his eyes becoming distant. ]

...Yeah, well. You don't really get much chance to be a kid when the world's tearing itself apart. We didn't really have much option, and we were already used to...well, everything.

And that is not so much a bad thing, I think. You only became an adult sooner than others might have wished for you. You may have regrets or wish things were different, but don't underestimate who you are now because of the things you've experienced.

I know...I don't, is what I mean. Do I wish some things had been different? Sure I do.

[His mother being one of them. She didn't deserve to die. It was just so... pointless. ]

But things are what they are, I am who I am. Can't change that, so I might as well live with it.

[MINGLE] One fish, two fish...

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