[Action] buy stuff.

[distantbird]

[Raven has been crafting again, and this time she's made enough to share. Or, rather, sell.

Today, she's brought a small table to the Quad, and placed her projects all over it. There's two knitted hats, because the middle of summer is the perfect time to be selling woolen accessories, but it's mostly jewellery. Most of them are pendants, but there's a couple of rings, earrings and bracelets as well. Each has a little label on them stating the price, which could be anything from 500 gil to 5000.

However, Raven's not always been the best of salespeople, even if that is her job at home. She stands there, silently, all wrapped up in her heavy coat and scarf regardless of the warm weather, watching her fellow cadets. Nobody even gets as much as a smile from her - if anything, she seems to be frowning.]

Comments

[fierybluebird]

[Blinks in surprise.]

Wonderful. [A birdlike headtilt.] I can't imagine anything better.

[distantbird]

It doesn't worry you? It's not scary to... to you, or to anyone who knows?

[fierybluebird]

No.

If anything I'd like my phoenix form to be scarier. Most people call it "cute" which is hella embarrassing.

It means I have to fight harder to make enemies take me seriously.

[distantbird]

Cute?

[A huge bird can be considered cute? If that was the case, perhaps she wouldn't mind so much...]

At home... a lot of people would cry "monster" and run away. In the Garden, it seems different. Because of the off-worlders.

[fierybluebird]

[Wry grin.]

There are a few in my world like that, but I find I don't really want to know anyone like that. Here the worst that happens is people think I'm someone's pet or a guardian force.

But my whole family and allies, and the islands I protected back home were protected because of my phoenix side. So they loved it. And here, like I said, most people don't care much. And if they do, that just tells me who to avoid.

[distantbird]

To protect...

[She frowns slightly as she thinks about it. There's no way she could protect Gaius and Karina and Sofia as a monster - no, wait, she doesn't care about them, not that much, not... no!

She shakes her head.

It must be nice, though. Having people accepting you regardless of you being a monster or not.]

You're strong. I... couldn't do it.

[fierybluebird]

I bet you could.

In my world it's a curse, so there's a price that comes with it, but I've never regretted it for a second.

And you're a good kid. I bet you could do it. [Head ruffle.]

[distantbird]

[...curse?

All of a sudden, Raven's entire demeanor changes. She snaps her attention away from Marco, quickly and carelessly shovels all her hard work into the bag she'd brought it in with, and starts marching off.

It's nothing personal. It's really not. But to Raven, it just seems as though Marco's just confirmed something Raven's always suspected: the "curse" and her firebird form are linked.]

[fierybluebird]

[Marco freezes. He hasn't gotten that kind of reaction for hearing that in a very very long time. Being rejected for not being human, for living far too long, always having to stay on the run, never let anyone find him... those days were over, weren't they? Why would she given him the pin and then just--?

He snaps out of his frozen state. Those days were over! He had nakama, family, a loving father, 1600 brothers, and now Grell on top of it all. No. Curse was for those who were jealous.

He tears after her and whistles sharply to get her attention.]

Raven! That's not what I mean! The curse is I'd drown.

[distantbird]

Leave me alone!

Everyone should...

[It takes a moment for Marco's words to catch up with her, but when they do, she turns on her heel and stares at the ground.

The price he pays for being a phoenix is that he'll drown? That's barely a price at all. She, on the other hand...

She takes the feather from her pocket and holds it out, refusing to look at Marco - it's up to him to figure out what she's trying to say.]

...anyyone who gets close to me. They'll disappear.

[fierybluebird]

You...

[Getting angry, but he fights it down and switches to a phoenix, quickly nudging her hand with his head. He sits down and holds out a wing, before switching back to human, still with a wing stretched over her knees.]

I have to outlive everyone that matters to me. Watch my family fall to time or wounds that I could heal, but that they cannot. That's my burden but the reward is living each moment to more joy than I could ever have otherwise.

Humans are frail, but you're not cursed. Raven, I'm still here aren't I?

Sometimes people fall or disappear when they don't want to, or they're not strong enough. But someone will come along who won't. Who'll stay no matter what. My Pops found me when I'd just about given up. My brothers wouldn't let me stay alone.

Sometimes it hurts! But being true to yourself is always worth it!

[distantbird]

It's not because of time, or they leave, or they're weak, or anything. It's because of me. The light... it takes them away.

I'm not strong enough.

[fierybluebird]

Which light? [Gets back up to his feet, standing near enough that it's like he wants to kick things away from her. Just in case.]

[distantbird]

A large, bright glowing light. It comes, and then it goes.

[She doesn't know if it'll come here. But she doesn't really want to risk it.]

[fierybluebird]

I don't think that's a matter of not being strong enough then, eh.

[distantbird]

[Silence. Raven stares at the floor.]

[fierybluebird]

There will always be reasons not to trust people, not to let anyone close, but there are also far better reasons to let people into your life.

[distantbird]

There are people. That doesn't mean I have to be close to them. If it's safer for them to stay away, then they will stay away - if they don't, I will stay away from them.

But... it's not fair... and it must be because of what I am, but I can't change that.

[fierybluebird]

Then start with one. One other person. It doesn't matter what you are, just who. [He doesn't mean to get angry, but he's definitely getting a little intense about it. This is something he's very strongly convicted on.]

If you don't let anyone close to you they can't prove you wrong either and that's not fair to them. "For their own safety" is just an excuse. If you don't let them decide for themselves you're taking away their choice and assuming they're weak before they can even prove they're not.

[distantbird]

Then I suppose I'm the one who's weak. I can't handle it.

[fierybluebird]

[Gently rests an arm around her shoulders.]

Look, I'm cursed too. But there's no curse that friends can't overcome. And don't sell yourself short either, eh.

You'll find someone who will stick by you no matter what, just don't be so ready to slam the door in their face.

[distantbird]

[Complete silence for a moment. She doesn't know what she should say or do - her defenses tell her not to agree, it's not safe, but it's just that lonely that she wants to know he's right.

Safest option: CHANGE SUBJECT.]

I... wanted to show you something.

[fierybluebird]

[Nods.]

Okay. Anything I should do first?

[distantbird]

[Looks around.]

It needs to be somewhere else. With no people.

[fierybluebird]

Training center, rooftop, courtyard?