Week 1, Saturday, Post-Trial; Nino

[sylfied]

[ Is she looking for anyone during her beach stroll? No, not really. Fie's fine with being alone.

But she pauses when she spots a familiar figure coming her way, and finally decides to speak up-- because with Nino, ignoring her probably won't work. ]

That wasn't a good idea, earlier.

Comments

[learnings]

[WHOOPS.

Nino sure is taking a bit of a breather from all of this EMOTION, walking along the beach quietly, fiddling with her locket--but when she hearts Fie, she immediately lifts her head.

...Ah.]

Fie...

[...]

Are you here to scold me...? [She can't tell if she's amused or touched or a little frustrated--maybe all three.]

[sylfied]

Nope.

[ well, that was easy. ]

I don't have to know Jaffar all that well to know you've probably heard it already.

[learnings]

[ayup.

Nino just shuffles in the sand, embarrassed.]

... I really scared him, I think. I feel bad, but... I still don't think it was wrong. My brothers... their names were Lloyd and Linus. One of them was killed... by a very bad person. Linus was so angry that he assumed the culprit was someone innocent...and a lot of innocent people died.

... I didn't want to make the same mistake. I couldn't.

[sylfied]

... You know that you were innocent too, though. I think that's different from making an entirely wrong decision because you were too angry to think straight.

[ basically-- ]

You should care about your life at least a little more.

[ DIDN'T YOU SAY THERE WOULDN'T BE SCOLDING, FIE. ]

[learnings]

[WOW...

Not that Fie is wrong, but still.]

... But...

[She frowns a little, toeing the sand.]

I don't know... what would've been right.

[sylfied]

This... probably isn't the kind of game you'll be able to get through by always doing the right thing. But maybe doing the thing that won't scare your boyfriend might work.

[learnings]

[... Ugh.]

...I have to... not worry Jaffar, you're right. He's already been through so much...

[SHE'LL THINK ON IT.]

[sylfied]

Then that's fine. I don't know what'll happen tomorrow, but you should rest up before then.

[ you know, in case it's traumatizing/painful/full of regret. ]

[learnings]

[...Yeah, for that reason alone, she's not ready to sleep yet.]

... Fie... do you mind if--

[...Um.]

... if we talk for a little bit?

[sylfied]

[ ... oh no, she doesn't think she's got a high enough energy level to deal with this. ]

...

[ ugh. ]

If it's for a little bit.

[learnings]

Just a little bit! I promise!

[A beat, and then...she just plops onto the sand.]

... I just wanted to ask about... your home!

[Really, she's a little scared of what tomorrow will bring too, and isn't ready to face it yet. But she is sincerely interested in what she's asking about.]

[sylfied]

[ ... well, she can't say she doesn't figure Nino's trying not to think about what happens tomorrow, but she didn't really expect that.

Still, Fie shrugs and sits down. ]

We're kind of in the middle of a civil war right now.

[learnings]

Oh...

[HEY THEY JUST GOT OUT OF THAT.]

Are you fighting in it?

[sylfied]

Kinda. We're not affiliated with either side, so we're more of a neutral party just trying to help out the civilians.

[learnings]

Oh... I see...

[She tilts her head thoughtfully.

It's not that different from what the Black Fang--used to be.]

That must be difficult. It's such an important job, though.

[sylfied]

Everyone just wants to know whether their friends and family are safe. It's not something warring factions care about as much.

[ no matter what they claim. ]

[learnings]

My family used to do something like that... they would fight to protect civilians and innocent people from those who abused their positions, in war or otherwise!

[She's really proud of them, that's for sure.]

So I'm sure...that you and your friends are helping a lot of people!

[sylfied]

... There's not much I can do from here.

[ but Nino's family sure sounds like family #2. ]

[learnings]

... Not yet, but... your friends will wait for you, right? And when you get home, you can go back to it!

[sylfied]

... Mm.

I do want to get back to them.

[learnings]

Then... you'll definitely make it back to them. I'm sure of it.

You want to that badly, so... it has to happen!

[sylfied]

I'm not sure that's how it works.

... But I'll try, anyway.

[learnings]

Let's do it together, Fie.

Let's both make it home, okay?

To our families.

[Well. Fie's family, anyway. Nino's is dead.]