How many wonders can one bubble hold?

[sorcery_fledgling]

Who: Rinoa and YOU! And you, and you and you and you.
Where: All over the damn place. She's exploring.
When: Anytime, from morning until evening.
Style: Either!
Status: Open~

[With so many questions and very few answers, Rinoa has decided to take things into her own hands and give the bubble and the island a good lookover. Packing a satchel and donned with good "exploration" clothes, Rinoa will be all over the place today. She'll be poking her head into corners and strange holes and inspecting whatever attracts her curiosity.

More than likely the eager but slightly naive girl will be found in some strange position or another while investigating, and if approached, she may just have a question in store. Or at the very least, an awkward explanation as to what she's doing.]

Comments

[bufudine]

[He nods; yeah, he knows Selphie. She confuses him a lot. But he tilts his head.]

Your faction?

[Is Rinoa a leader, too?]

[sorcery_fledgling]

[Don't feel bad, Rinoa doesn't fully understand Selphie most of the time, either.]

Yeah! I sort of co-lead a resistance faction called the Forest Owls back home.

[bufudine]

[Serph's voice is curious when he speaks.]

What were you resisting?

[sorcery_fledgling]

The Galbadian government. They invaded Timber 17 years ago and life has been pretty hard on the residents since then. There are resistance factions all over, but mine's the only active one, currently.

[bufudine]

[Okay, he can guess that Timber is a place -- which is going to utterly confuse him when he finds out cut wood can be called timber -- but...]

Is 'government' a Tribe?

[sorcery_fledgling]

[Let's hope he doesn't?]

Ah... government is a body of people that help run and rule a country or a place. I don't know how your Tribes work so I guess?

[bufudine]

[Okay he can understand running a place -- territory -- but what the heck is a country? A question for later, perhaps. First he'll answer Rinoa's question.]

In my world, Tribes are people who are united under a leader. Territory is associated with each Tribe, and encroaching on another's territory was deemed an act of war.

[A small pause.]

Members care for and guard each other. I was told this is much like what family is like.

[sorcery_fledgling]

That's pretty similar to how a country is, basically. Although encroaching on a country's land didn't necessarily mean war, unless the intentions were hostile.

[There's a little smile there.]

Pretty close, yeah. My understanding of family isn't great, but that's what a good family does.

[bufudine]

[Serph tilts his head, noting the phrasing of those words.]

You don't have family?

[sorcery_fledgling]

[...Oh this is going to be fun to explain.]

Well... technically, yes. My mother died right before I turned five years old. My father is still alive, but... we haven't gotten along in years. I ran away from home over a year ago because I couldn't stand being there anymore. [There is a lot more to that story, but she still hasn't told any of her friends the whole story, and she's not sure if she's ready quite yet.]

So, basically, I do, but it doesn't feel like a family. The closest thing I have are the others in the resistance faction with me.

[bufudine]

[Serph listens carefully to Rinoa's story. So... one can have parents, but not be family?]

But they are not family?

[By "they", he means the others in the resistance faction.]

[sorcery_fledgling]

I don't think I'd call them that. I'm close with some of the members, but there's always been that little bit of distance between us.

[Mainly due to the fact that they're all Timber folk who are fighting for their home while she's a General's daughter from the opposing side who's fighting because it's right. The fact that they keep calling her "Princess" doesn't help matters, either.]

[bufudine]

[Oh. And no mention of the same closeness with her other friends? That's a shame. He holds out his hand -- dry, now that he's been standing in the sun for a while -- palm facing upwards.]

There is always room for you in my family.

[Time is usually a prerequisite to becoming family, to becoming comrades, but it isn't that way with Serph.]

[sorcery_fledgling]

[Rinoa adores her friends, but in many ways she still feels like the outsider. They had their past and their ties to Garden to unite them. What did she have as ties but a contract and circumstance throwing them together? Calling them family would feel so presumptuous, even as much as she wants to.

So when Serph extends his hand to her, it takes everything she has not to tear up, because that's the sweetest thing anyone has ever offered her.]

Me? Are... Are you sure? What about the other members in your family, your tribe? Wouldn't they be upset?

And Squall...

[Oh man, what would he say? He would probably drop kick her on her rearend.]

[bufudine]

[Serph nods; he's sure. If there's one thing he's learnt in the Junkyard and in Vatheon, it's how people don't need to be from the same backgrounds to still be family.]

It will be fine.

[SQUALL CAN JUST DEAL WITH IT B| ]

[sorcery_fledgling]

[Something Rinoa will learn in time in Disc 3, pretty much]

...If you're sure.

[And with a tentative smile, she places her hand in his outstretched one, accepting his offer, because truly, how could she not?

EASY FOR YOU TO SAY YOU WON'T FACE HIS WRATH but okay ;; ]

[bufudine]

[Serph gives her an encouraging nod. He can give Squall a good talking to if he objects to Rinoa's presence, though he doubts Squall would.

If Rinoa will allow it, Serph will pull her into a hug. It's a firm, but not smothering one. A reassurance that he cares. Leader gives the best hugs.]

[sorcery_fledgling]

[She would appreciate it, because even as well as she's getting to know Squall, she really can't predict his reaction to this.

lfjalskjaldjada hugs!

Rinoa's surprised again - not quite as much as the offer but still enough - that she's stiff for a moment, before she quietly tears up and returns the gesture.]

[bufudine]

[Awww Rinoa, there there. Serph lets her cry on his shoulder, it's okay. He doesn't really understand what it's like to be alone (or to feel alone) like Rinoa and Squall; he's always remembered being part of something. His Tribe, mostly. But he feels no one should have to be alone.

Serph will only let go of Rinoa when she's ready to.]

[sorcery_fledgling]

[Rinoa's stubborn enough to fight the tears, even though she has to wipe at her eyes once or twice. She doesn't want to try and appear she's upset by everything.

Once she's collected herself, she pulls back with a smile, although it's still kind of obvious she had been tearing up, as much as she wants to think otherwise.]

Ah, thanks for that!

[bufudine]

[It's okay, Rinoa. But... Serph tilts his head.]

Are you... sad?

[Her tone suggests otherwise, but those look like the beginning of tears to him. And he's only seen tears when people are sad.]

[sorcery_fledgling]

No! No no no. I'm just... overwhelmed. In a good way.

[bufudine]

[Oh. Okay then. He'll take Rinoa's word for it.]

Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?

[sorcery_fledgling]

Not exactly. I was just exploring Vatheon and the island.

[bufudine]

[He nods in understanding.]

I won't interrupt you.

[Sometimes it's nice to just explore the strange world without anyone else, so he doesn't offer to tag along. Everyone needs time to themselves, after all.]