tushanshu | 03 [Video]

[There are two things immediately noticeable about Yue when the video comes on. The first is that she's wearing her hair down, instead of the usual Water Tribe braids and hair loopies. The second is that she looks nervous. ... More than usual, anyway.]

I was wondering. [Um.]

We all have duties that need tending to back in our own worlds, yes? But... if we can't really return to those lives, even if we went home. Um. [Almost absently, she starts touching the betrothal necklace around her neck.]

It wouldn't be abandoning those duties if you tried to pursue your own life here... would it?

[This was only slightly prompted by her earlier conversation with Steph. Really, it's been something Yue has been worrying about for a while now. She knows if she goes home, it'll be to become the new Moon Spirit. So, really, trying to make a life for herself and just acting as Yue instead of Princess Yue shouldn't be so bad.

Of course, that hasn't stopped her from feeling guilty about it, either.]

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I don't think so. I mean... I don't know, I guess it depends on the sort of duty you're talking about, but mostly...

[ She takes a deep breath and blows it out, cupping her chin in her hand as she leans against the keyboard of the console. ]

We don't know if we're going to get home. Any of us. We just... That's not something we can count on, even if there's a chance of going back. And some of us won't no matter what. And we're alive here, now, and it's not fair to us to ask us to put our lives on hold for something we might never get back. You know?

[ A thin smile. ] I've sort of... done something like this before. So I've had a lot of time to think about it, I guess. Building a new life with whatever you've got... I think that might be the only way to stay sane, in a situation like this.

[She matches Rikki's smile with one of her own, although it's a bit meek.]

That's true. I've been trying to live here with that in mind, although some days it's harder for me to put everything behind me.

I don't think they would hold it against me for wanting to move on, though. [She laughs a little.] Or at least I hope they wouldn't.

If they'd hold it against you, then they're selfish jerks. I know that doesn't make you stop caring, if they're people really important to you, but it's true. No one has any right to expect that of you, and real friends... they'd understand that.

That's... [Hm.] That's true. And I don't think they would fault me for wanting to live my life here, especially since I won't be able to if I go back home. [She's certain her father wouldn't mind, at least.]

[ She nods firmly. ] I'm glad. Dealing with all of this is hard enough without worrying what people at home would think of you, y'know?

Definitely. It certainly feels like there's already enough to worry about here, after all.

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