interfaith dinner mingle!!

[stefanged]

Who: Interfaith Center regulars & the not-so-regulars (party crashers are welcome too!!)
Broadcast: Nope
Action: Interfaith Center on the Iskaulit
When: Forward-dated to November 4th

[The Interfaith Center sounds far more bustling and busy than usual - and anyone peering inside would quickly figure out that a communal dinner is underway! Take off your shoes and walk in: the lounge has extra tablecloths on the floor as well as buffet tables with non-alcoholic beverages and all sorts of food, including Jordanian cuisine (or the outer space equivalent of Jordanian food).

The board games are out of their hiding nooks; the furniture's arranged for the maximum seating possible; and even the teddy bears donated by Kitty & Winn are out for cuddling, should anyone want them.

The kitchen's bustling with helpers - Stefan's running around at vamp-speed to make sure everything's a) done on time and b) cooked to perfection - but he sure wouldn't mind an extra hand. And if you're still not up for some food? Well, the prayer rooms are open as usual. There's always a quiet moment to be found, even if the laughter's louder and the scent of freshly-baked mansaf's wafting through the long corridors.

Anyone and everyone who's ever been inside the Interfaith Center has been invited (via text message - and Stefan even used the fancy emoji). If you're not particularly faithful or devout? Well, drop by anyways. There's more than enough food to spare.]

Comments

[hearsthesea]

You must really enjoy it, then. It certainly sounds like you're up to a lot, even if it doesn't feel like work.

[No matter how much Shirley believes in what she does, it still registers as work of some kind when she has to go discuss migration logistics with a monarch. Then again, this isn't quite so complicated as politics - or so she hopes!]

[mistyday]

I like feeling part of something bigger than myself, you know?

[hearsthesea]

I think I understand. But I have to be careful about it, for myself. It's good if you don't have to be.

[mistyday]

[Misty's brow furrows.]

What do you mean?

[hearsthesea]

Ah...

[Shirley looks a little embarrassed. Or frustrated. Or both?]

I've done things like that for the Ferines, back home. I wasn't very good at handling the pressure at first. But you don't sound like you're having trouble at all.

[mistyday]

The Ferines? Who're they?

[hearsthesea]

It's a little complicated, but that's what some of the people in my world call themselves. Ferines, people of the water, for our relationship with the sea. The name tells us apart us from the Orerines, the people of the land.

[mistyday]

Oh, okay, kinda like nations. What's your religion like then, if you don't mind my asking?

[hearsthesea]

Um...

[Shirley has to consider Misty's words for a second before responding.]

I suppose you could say that we're both, actually. The Ferines are defined by their origins in the sea and their obedience to the sea's will. The Orerines have several nations but we've have been spread out for a long time, but we've recently begun bringing people together again on the Legacy, which is considered neutral territory.

[mistyday]

Sounds like you got a lot on your plate.

[hearsthesea]

It's something I think about often. Even here...I've learned a lot that I might be able to use at home one day, seeing all these new places when we travel.

[mistyday]

[Misty always gets a little uncomfortable talking about the notion of going back but... that's hardly Shirley's fault.]

Yeah? What would you want to bring back?

[hearsthesea]

Everything I've learned about how people live together out in space, or even on the same planet. It's something we've been working on back home.

[Hence why she's always thinking about the people at home. She'll make it work, though.]

[mistyday]

Yeah? Us too, though we're not so good at it.

[hearsthesea]

We haven't been, either. But we're trying, and that's made a lot of difference so far.

[Having the backing of Nerifes helps a lot, admittedly.]

[mistyday]

I'm glad. [She smiles.] It's nice to see that people from different places can get along, isn't it?

[hearsthesea]

It's wonderful. I can see a new future for the Ferines, because of that.

[She's clearly very optimistic about this subject. Almost has to be, really.]

[mistyday]

I hope you get to go home soon then.

[hearsthesea]

I'd like to.

[She's not the most hopeful about "soon," but she also has to believe she'll go home eventually to stay sane. In the meantime, though...]

What about you? Is there anything you want to do when you go home?

[mistyday]

Oh well...

[She smiles gently.]

I consider here to be my home now.

[That's the most positive way she can think of to put it.]

[hearsthesea]

Oh, all right.

[Shirley's met others who say the same in one way or another, so she doesn't question that much. Not her place to pry, anyway.]

You seem happy here, so it fits you.

[mistyday]

Thank you - I am very happy... Happier than I've probably ever been.

[hearsthesea]

That's wonderful. I know some people on my crew who have said similar things. And I want to go home myself, but...I like it here too, most of the time.

[And, well, sometimes not. An incident involving Vash, a birthday cake, and the Three Twins sprinkler system comes to mind.]

[mistyday]

Yeah, it's not too bad - but I get why people are sad to be here too, if they got people back where they came from.

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley can notice that probably means something about Misty, but still figures it's not her business right now. It makes her think of her friends, though, and how they came together on the Legacy.]

Right. I guess what really matters is where your life is.