[MINGLE] One fish, two fish...

[alwayscomeback]

Who: Everyone aboard the Best Ship (Aka The SS Blue Fish)
Broadcast: Maybe?
Action: The Blue Fish
When: Today!

[Not one, but TWO people have arrived on the Blue Fish today in the shuffle. Greet them! Otherwise, hang out together, bring your guests aboard, have fun! It's a mingle ya'll ]

Comments

[nugqueen]

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?

[alwayscomeback]

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.

[nugqueen]

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?

[alwayscomeback]

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.

[nugqueen]

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.]

[alwayscomeback]

[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.]

[nugqueen]

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?]

[alwayscomeback]

[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.

[nugqueen]

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.]

[alwayscomeback]

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.

[nugqueen]

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.]

[alwayscomeback]

[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.

[nugqueen]

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.

[alwayscomeback]

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.