03 [Video]

[lunargoodness]

[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.]

Comments

[Video]

[whoneedsbending]

[Sokka's watched the video and spent some time thinking about it. He saw the way her hair was down, and he couldn't lie that his heart skipped a little beat when she touched her betrothal necklace. Not sure if it was jealousy or not. Hahn didn't deserve her.]

I think that you should...that you should go with what your heart tells you. I mean we're stuck here for the time being, things are different here. I don't think it's really abandonment.

[Sokka scratches his chin and his brow creases.]

That makes sense, right? I mean...The war is still going on back home and yeah it's hard being here and not being able to help but...I can't do anything about that.

[Video]

[lunargoodness]

[Going with what her heart tells her to do would certainly make things easier, at any rate.]

It makes sense. [It made sense in regards to accepting this place as a second chance, and it should be the same in this case. She sighs.]

I don't know. There isn't much I can do, but a part of me feels like I'm still somehow doing something wrong. [And she hates that she feels this way.]

[Video]

[whoneedsbending]

You aren't. Well, I don't think you are. I mean...here there's the moon, and you weren't brought here as a spirit, so it can't be because you haven't become the moon. And...we're on a turtle swimming about so...there's no Water Tribe.

[He shrugs and goes quiet for a moment. He was meant to be going somewhere with this, but...well he sorta lost it.]

There isn't any commitments here?

[Video]

[lunargoodness]

No, I suppose not. [She laughs a little weakly.]

I suppose I'm so used to always having to do things for other people. Wanting to do something for myself just feels strange.

video

[agentdork]

Don't think anyone back home would get mad at you for havin' your own life right now, kiddo.

Either you stay caught up in the past or you move on and it's healthier to move on, I think.

video

[lunargoodness]

[She thinks on that for a moment, and... no. Even with the odd feelings of guilt she has, Yue doesn't think her father or her people would hold something like this against her. Or at least, she hopes not. What other option is there in a place like this?]

That's true. I've been trying to do that. [She really has.]

But I suppose some days it's harder to let go.

video

[agentdork]

Yeah, I can get that. Just make sure you're doin' what's best for you and no one else.

video

[lunargoodness]

[What's best for her... that's almost funny. Considering her whole life was spent doing everything for the sake of others.]

I'm slowly starting to learn how to do that, I think.

[ video ]

[iwaspromisedtea]

Not at all. I mean, I can't really speak for any of the duties you might've had, but it's a bit silly to expect anyone to continue them here as well, isn't it? You are more than your duties you know.

[ video ]

[lunargoodness]

I know, it's just... [She sounds a bit sheepish, now.]

For most of my life it's felt like I wasn't. More than my duties, I mean. [There isn't any bitterness in her voice. Just uncertainty. Yue's dedicated her entire life to her duties as princess so she could serve her people to the best of her abilities. Even if it meant she would sometimes have to do things that made her unhappy, in the end it was always for sake of keeping her people happy.

But now that she doesn't have that... well. Yue isn't sure what to do with herself.]

[ video ]

[iwaspromisedtea]

Then I think it's been long enough that you've put off doing something for yourself, isn't it? Doesn't have to be something big.

[ He's saying this gently, with a hint of a smile, not pushing her at all because he's met plenty of people who've likely had similar responsibilities as hers. ]

[ video ]

[lunargoodness]

Well, I've been trying to learn new skills. [Umm.] I've been learning how to swim - I was never actually taught how back in my tribe. Every time I fell into the canals, there was always a waterbender around to fish me out.

[And while there may be a few waterbenders here, Yue would rather learn how to take care of herself.]

[video]

[withoutaworld]

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.

[video]

[lunargoodness]

[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.

[video]

[withoutaworld]

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.

[video]

[lunargoodness]

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.]

voice;

[skort]

If there's really no way at all to go back to your old life... starting over may actually be the best choice. You can't perform your previous duties, and clinging to a past you can't get back to will only end poorly.

voice;

[lunargoodness]

That seems to be the common answer. [She laughs a little weakly.] I suppose it's a bit of a stupid question, isn't it?

voice;

[skort]

It's not stupid. Being in a new place is disorienting to say the least. Wondering what you do once you get there is more than understandable.

voice;

[lunargoodness]

Mm. It's definitely been disorienting. Now that I don't have anything to focus on, I'm just stuck on what to do with myself. It just feels odd.

[wherethestoryis]

Honestly? I'd say it depends on what that duty is.

Say a policeman turned up here. We can't join the force, but the moment we can--if ever--he probably would. Or the way that a lot of the people who helped with the gang wars are heroes back home. That's kind of an ethical sort of duty, one by choice. It doesn't matter where, you can still do it.

[Thinking of her husband? Why would you ask.]

Or the way a couple of us displaced reporters are starting up a newspaper here. Not a duty, but same idea.

[lunargoodness]

It wasn't anything like that back home. I... was a princess, so my life was focused on my responsibilities to my tribe.

A couple of my people are here, but they're from my future, and I don't know what expectations they would have of me, if any. So, I'm sort of at a loss for what to do. [She knows she can't really do anything, but she still feels bad about it.]

[wherethestoryis]

What kinds of responsibilities? [Insatiably curious Lois is insatiably curious.]

text;

[redjay]

I don't think anyone's checking if you're trying to have a life here.

video;

[lunargoodness]

I would hope not. [Although that certainly hasn't stopped her from worrying about living her life here.]