PM to Commander Zabala // And a Public Post // Action

[fierybluebird]

[Locked PM to Commander Zabala:]

Dear Commander,

I wish to schedule some time to speak to you in person about a job, not the secretary position.

[Unlocked BBS Post:]

In my world, we have people called "Heroes." Truth told, I kind of hate them. They're the kind of person who will give up everything they want in life for the sake of strangers. For the sake of what they believe to be "good" and "right" or "justice." A hero is the kind of person who has to give up their food, or booze, or even their beloved family members for the sake of the good of the world. I hate heroes. They got in my way, and you could never convince them they're wrong because they were sure in their heart of hearts, that they were right. That they were doing what was good for another, even though it forced them to sacrifice so much.

Someone here once told me heroes are just another word for the people you look up and admire. In that case, my "hero," if you'll forgive the term, was my father. Much like Cid here, he took in all the outcasts of my world and gave us a home, a flag to fly under, a purpose in life, and a father to respect and love. He was widely respected as the strong man in the world, but he only ever used that power and brilliant mind to protect his family and the islands of his friends and loved ones. He stood up where the Heroes of my world were afraid to, and did his best to stop and prevent slavery. He was the first person I gave a valentine to and received one from, and I'm eternally grateful that he lived to officiate my wedding last year.

I'll never be a hero, the very idea irritates me to no end. But I think so long as I always do things that I know he'd be proud of, then I'll be happy with myself, and these last three years, that's worked pretty well for me.

What about you? Who are your heroes or those you admire? Are they one and the same?


[Option C: After that, Marco will be making a bunch of handmade valentines with puns and pirate things and birds, feel free to catch him at it, or even come join him!]

Comments

[fierybluebird]

A phoenix. I'd like to see you do better.

[ascendit]

Never seen one. [If he hadn't seen pastel ponies around, this would be disdainful; as it is, it's just matter-of-fact and a little sullen, because if he had seen one he would be all over that challenge.] But I bet they look different from that.

[fierybluebird]

Hey, screw you, they do not. [Folds his arms.]

[ascendit]

What, you got a photo or something? Prove it.

[fierybluebird]

Gladly.

[Switches into a phoenix and chirps. :|]

[ascendit]

[Nate jumps back.] Holy crap!

[But it's half in excitement, not just shock. He walks around him for a moment, before he pulls out a small journal and a pencil from his back pocket and starts drawing.]

[fierybluebird]

[Tilts his head and chirps curiously, wondering what he's doing with the writing. He can't talk like this, but he can still hear and understand humans just fine.]

[ascendit]

No habla la lengua de los fénixes. [Nate doesn't wear a translator. If someone's gonna talk to him in a language he doesn't understand, he's gonna do the same thing right back. Sorry, Nate's a brat. But while the language use is certainly obnoxious, his tone's just distracted; he's more focused on getting down the flowing lines of this new (to him) shiny legendary bird species.]

[fierybluebird]

[Phoenix shrugs and hops back up to his seat and puts the pen in his beak to try and draw.]



[It might be obvious now why his art sucks.]

[ascendit]

Crap. [Nate shifts a step or so over to get closer to his old angle, then keeps drawing.] I hope you didn't draw the cards like that.

[fierybluebird]

[Switches back because he can't talk as a bird, and really can't talk with a pen in his mouth and gives him a deadpan look.]

What's wrong with it?

[ascendit]

[Nate tsks his tongue, because he wasn't finished damnit, and now he's looking entirely at his drawing rather than at Marco.] Not as much control over your pen.

[fierybluebird]

[Rolls his eyes.] It's fine. Never heard of, "It's the thought that counts?"

[Switches back to birdie!]

[ascendit]

Heard of it, never put much stock in - thank you! [Just finishing touches now.]

[fierybluebird]

[Has to use the pen to write out:]

How sad. Luckily the people these Valentines these are for are much nicer.

[And then he just waves a wing because whatever. He could stay in bird-mode for a long time if it weren't for the inability to speak to most people.]

[ascendit]

[He leans over to squint at the writing, and rolls his eyes before getting back to his drawing. He doesn't need random strangers pointing out how sad his life is. Not when he's trying to make a new one and leave that one behind.

[At last, Nate holds up his notebook to show Marco the portrait of him he's just sketched.] There. [His drawing style is clean and almost photographic, and yes, being a bit of an art snob, he considers it better than Marco's efforts.]

[fierybluebird]

[Switches back to human, and okay he's impressed but he's not going to admit it.]

Is everyone in this place good at drawing except me?

[ascendit]

[That's good enough for Nate, who smirks.] Haven't seen anyone else's drawings yet. [Because it's like his first day.]

ooc: SORRY THIS IS SO LATE AND SNARKY!!!

[fierybluebird]

If you're this judgmental on everyone else, I don't expect that you will either.

[Just, all the deadpan forever and ever.]

nah, I'M sorry Nate's a DICK

[ascendit]

That's fine by me. [It's casual because as far as he's concerned, it's true.]