fourteen | Entries tagged with growing up is hard

[ When Xion arrived back home from a grueling month-long mission, the first thing she did was not check her journal. She headed home. Home, where Luke is. He'd been there, which was wonderful.

He'd also filled her in on all that she'd missed, which wasn't so wonderful. ]

It's scary, sometimes... how much things change. I missed so much while I was gone. I'm so sorry, everyone. I'm home now.

Sometimes, I feel like I've been here such a long time... maybe because it has been a long time. It'll be three years in November... won't it? I don't remember anymore when I got here... I'm pretty sure it was November. It feels like so long ago. Like lifetimes have passed since then. I've grown up so much in this place... and so many people have come and gone. [ Kairi.

A beat. ]

I'm sorry. I shouldn't be rambling like this.

We're starting to get some New Feathers in, right? My name is Xion. I work at the clinic, I'm part of the S.O.S Brigade, and I'm head of the Kyoshi warriors. If you ever need help, you can come talk to me. I'll do anything I can.

Um... I guess I have one last thing I want to talk about. I've got a lot of points now from going on missions... what do you guys do with your points? Or what would you do, if you had them? I sort of know what I want, but I guess I'm looking for other ideas, too.

Thanks, everyone.

[ It's been just over a week since the storm and the infiltration, and the self-repair Shifts are finally kicking in. It's been a busy time, and Xion has been throwing most of her energy into helping fix what's been broken. But with things finally starting to calm down, and with lingering thoughts of the draft and a certain conviction on her mind, she settles down with her journal to make an announcement. ]

... for those of you who knew Suki, you knew she also headed the Kyoshi Warriors here in Luceti. Now that she's gone home... [ A deep breath. ] ... I'd like to see the group continue. So, if none of the existing members have any objections ... I'll be leading the Kyoshi Warriors from now on. For those who don't know me, my name is Xion.

[ It's a little more formal than she might normally speak. But this isn't really a casual thing, is it? She feels a certain pressure - both to live up to Suki's teachings, and what may well be Sokka's expectations. More than anything, she feels a need to do right by Suki's memory for Sokka's sake - and for the sake of all the other girls in the group. ]

The purpose of the Kyoshi Warriors ... was to teach people how to fight. Or a different way, if you already know. It's a group just for girls, right now. [ She pauses. It strikes her as strange, in a way, to separate out the genders. Deep down, she never saw the point. ] Considering things happen like the drafts... everyone should have a basic understanding of combat, if they want. Just to stay safe. You don't have to know anything about combat to be a part of it. We'll teach you. So if you want to join, come talk to me.

( Filtered to the existing members )

Anyway, guys, I think we should keep practicing every Sunday like we've always been. I know we missed about two weeks with the draft and Suki going home and everything... but we'll just have to make up for it!

Oh, and I guess, while I'm here... what do you all think about letting boys in?

[ There is a girl in the village plaza who looks rather out of sorts as she sits on the ground, legs out to her sides, in a random sort of spot. She is kind of blank-faced as she stares at the other passers-by, with only a hint of confusion in her brow to betray how she's feeling.

Though it might be hard to see her face clearly under that short cape she's got on. It's black, with silver tassels. And though she's trying to watch what's going on around her, at the same time, it's like she wants to hide. But then, why isn't she moving away?

Maybe it has something to do with the carton of eggs on the ground next to her.

Though it probably has something to do with the fact that she now has white wings for arms. Can't really pick up a carton of eggs when you don't have hands, can you?

So the strange hooded girl with the feathered arms, at a loss, will just sit there for a while trying to figure out what to do.

God help you if you step on her eggs, though.

"'Poor little ugly duckling!" she would say. 'Why are you so different from the others?' And the ugly duckling felt worse than ever. He secretly wept at night. He felt nobody wanted him.

'Nobody loves me, they all tease me! Why am I different from my brothers?'" ]

(ooc; The Ugly Duckling, everybody. And yes, the pic is just a reference -- her feathers are actually white, not brown, and she's not wearing any other pieces of that costume. Cape, bird arms, and then her normal clothing beneath.)

[ It's been a long few days. Not nearly as long as it was for those on the draft -- a fact of which she is keenly aware -- but her heart feels so sore. Miyabi is dead, Kairi returned with a broken leg, Elicia reverted back to a little girl and left her that message that was so bittersweet... She feels a powerful need to find Nami and Sanji, to talk to both of them, but ... that ... maybe that should wait. Until she can look at them without crying... and comfort them, instead of being a burden. In the meantime, she needs to focus on something else -- actually put her energy into something useful.

An idea has been brewing in her mind for some time. And all of this mess -- all the pain and the fighting -- and Luke, coming to her just days before with a request -- has finally prompted her to act on it.

In her room there are quite a lot of books. They vary widely in subject, but there is one solid section dedicated entirely to medical texts, ranging wildly in their complexity. Teaching herself has been difficult; basic first aid is all well and good until you have to use it in an emergency situation, and anything beyond that...

Well. You just can't learn everything from a book. She knows that... has known for a long while she probably needed to do something like this. So when she opens up the journal, turning on the video function, she looks pensive.... but also quite serious. ]

Are there any doctors in the village who'd be willing to take on a student? I -- I know some magic methods of healing, but ... [ She shakes her head. ] I want to learn the real thing. I promise I'll work hard. Really hard. This means a lot to me.

[ A beat. ] And, if ... anyone in the village would like to learn some healing magic... [ She's already been teaching Haruhi, and now Luke. ] ... I'd like to help. I know some magic from my own world, plus I've got a lot of practice with Nala.

[ After that, a thought occurs to her. ]

( Draco | Locked 90% )

Can I ask you something?

( Filtered To Longshot | Locked 80% )

Hey, are you free today?

( /filter )

[ after a certain devastatingly awful conversation, Xion's had a lot to think about in the days following. She's been offered so much different advice by so many people that by now, frankly, she just feels confused and tired. What she could really use is a break -- just some time to think to herself and try and sort it out on her own.

So she turned up at the barracks fairly early this morning, bow in hand, intent on practicing quietly. On doctor's orders, she's got a splint on her arm, and it's making things a little bit harder -- but she plows ahead anyway, steadfastly nocking arrows, pulling back, and letting fly at a target she managed to scrounge up.

She's gotten pretty good.

Feel free to bother the girl with the arm splint and the bow. Just don't get in her way -- she'd prefer not to accidentally shoot anybody today. ]

(ooc; forward-dated a bit to tomorrow morning. like, a sane time of morning.)

( Filtered From the Entire KH Crew | Locked 100% )

... is it strange to sometimes wish you could go home? Even if there's nothing there for you? [ nothing except death, in her case. this isn't hilariously morbid or anything, no. ]

I'm just not sure when or how things got so ... complicated. Is this just what life is like...?

[ Xion is outside today, somewhere a little more quiet. She's sitting on the railing of the bridge that passes over the river between houses 14 and 35, swinging her legs gently as she holds onto the rail with one hand and the journal with her other. It ... doesn't seem terribly safe, but then again, she's used to much higher places. Feel free to startle her from her contemplation. She could use it. ]