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(no subject)

Character(s): Rikku and Mjrn
Location: Library, then perhaps Training Center
Rating: G
Open/closed/finished: Mostly closed to Mjrn
Summary: Two girls meet and hilarity ensues. Also, hell breaks loose.

Well, Rikku would lie if she said she wasn't happy that classes were over for this week. She definitely enjoyed some free time... but not for long. She realized she was ultimately bored. Walking around the Garden to know it better didn't do it for her anymore. She could easily walk around with her eyes closed and figured out by the sound where she was.

That's why she decided that today would be a good day to check the library out. Not that she was much into books - way too impatient for that - but she did find this world's computers fun. Machina here was so different from Spira's, and she was glad to mess around with it.

She sat by the computer and started with checking out the BBS. Nothing interesting here. So then she decided to check some material from classes she wanted to remember better. But that quickly got boring too.

"Is there anything fun to do here?!" she exclaimed quite loudly. She remembered that she's supposed to keep quiet at the library, but...

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Mjrn had been hard at work all day, trying to catch up on her classes. At least she had arrived early enough in the quarter to join classes, though arriving at the end of the second full week meant there was still a lot to do. Thus, she had been spending considerable time in the library for the past few days. Even her meals were often spent with an open book, either catching up or in some cases, reaching ahead.

At the moment, the young Viera slouching a little as she stared at her own computer. The device was still a novelty, though a polite inquiry meant that she knew how to check the BBS as well. Not finding much of interest, she stared at her textbooks and was trying to make a decision when the shout made her jump. She glanced over, uncertain of what to say or if she ought say anything.

"...fun? You mean in general or...here?"

Rikku turned her head at the direction of the voice. Well, that was surprising. She was rather expecting some annoyed student than a girl with... bunny ears? Rikku just kind of stared for a moment there before finally opening her mouth to speak.

"Both, actually. I was having fun all week, but now I just can't find anything to do for myself."

She then leaned closer to check what her sudden companion was doing. "Do you have any better idea?"

Mjrn was almost starting to get used to the stares, though there was still that rush of self-consciousness that followed. She figured that the best thing to do was ignore it. People couldn't help but notice someone different from them, after all.

She bit her lip, thinking. "I had not considered it for myself, as of late. I am a new arrival, and there has been much to do in terms of 'catching up.' I thought perhaps later...." But it was pretty evident that her plans were vague, at best. "My only extracurricular goal was to perhaps adjourn to the Training Center in a short time."

"New arrival, huh? Well, can't say I'm exactly a veteran here." Rikku giggled and scratched her nose. "I do try to catch up to stuff, too, but I just can't concentrate on reading for too long. You know, I prefer talking to people, to hear stories, to be able to become part of what they've experienced for a short while. Reading is boring compared to that."

Of course she would already speak too much about herself. Oh well, that's how she is.

"Training Center, huh? I've been there for a moment, but didn't spend too much time there."

Rikku wasn't completely oblivious to how Mjrn must feel to every stare she gets for her ears. After all, she knew the problem firsthand.

"Say... I know it might be stupid of me to ask, but are you a different race too?"

Curious about the talkative girl, Mjrn didn't notice any dirty looks shot in their direction thanks to Rikku's rambling. She nodded at the question, seeing no reason not to get that over with.

"Aye. My people are known as the Viera, and hail from Ivalice. Thus far, I believe I am the only one present in this Garden...." A little downcast at that, as she was hoping to see at least one of the again. Still, she tries to brush aside that feeling for now--and something else catches her attention. She peers at Rikku curiously in turn. "I have never seen a Hume with eyes such as yours." Green, yes, but...swirls?

Edited 2010-05-23 21:48 (UTC)

Despite the shots she was fully aware of, Rikku didn't get any more quiet than she was. Perhaps if she noticed the library committee members gathering behind her she might've calm herself down.

"Viera, huh?" Rikku looked hard in her memory, but the name didn't ring any bells. "But hey, I know something about being the only one of your kind in this place." This time Rikku's laughter was a bit sad.

"No wonder you haven't seen any Hume like me, because, you see, I'm not a Hume. I'm an Al Bhed. Not as many differences as in our case, but still. Especially in perceiving things, I suppose."

"Al Bhed...." Mjrn echoed, wonderingly. She had seen other races, but never one that was all but indistinguishable from a Hume before. Still, she moved back a little, not wanting to be rude.

"It seems this school is a gathering for greater diversity than I previously suspected. I am glad, however. What do you mean, by perception?" Did she mean senses? Did Al Bhed have any to match the Viera? Yet her ears were as small as a Hume's....

Rikku has always been tolerant for people being close to her even if they weren't familiar to her because, well, she was like that too. And as such, she acted towards Mjrn as if they were big friends already.

When Mjrn asked her a question, though, she had to think a little. How to explain it well? "You know, the way they see the world. Most of humans feel like they need the guidance of some deity, and they follow it blindly, while in reality you can create your own fate..." She then thought that maybe it's different for Vieras, too. "How do you see those things?" She asked that mostly because of curiosity.

"Ah, I see." Mjrn nodded, enlightened though feeling foolish. She had interpreted too literally. There was a pause as she tried to figure out how to explain in terms that a Hume would understand. "Viera live in the Wood, believing themselves to be a part of Her. Through Her, they learn all that passes in their domain. In return, the Viera protect Her. The law states that they keep apart from others, that they live in the Wood always. To depart is to depart forever, to become an exile. There is no forgiveness."

Her shoulders slumped, knowing all too well what that was like, but resolve kicked in a moment later. "Such were the circumstances in which I was raised...yet, I yearned for more. I, too, wish to create my own fate."

Rikku was listening very intrigued. While Mjrn's story sounded a bit like Spira's Yu Yevon's worshippers, it was entirely different.

"I can understand why you did it" she sighed. "Having a Home is nice and dandy, but if it means being closed to the outside world forever..."

Rikku scratched her head. Suddenly the atmosphere became too grumpy and the air was way too heavy for her taste. She jumped out of her chair, stretched her hands and legs and asked cheerfully. "Hey, you wanna go to the Training Center? I sure would love to kick off some steam there, how about you?"

The changet in subject was a bit of an abrupt shift for Mjrn, still dwelling on the past, and she glanced up blankly for a moment before perking up, gathering her things. "Aye, that would be welcome. What style of combat do you prefer?"

Dirty was the first thing that came to Rikku's mind when Mjrn asked her. Of course she knew better to say it out loud, but seriously, how else would you call fighting like her?
"Oh, you know, I like to steal items from enemies, mix items to create bombs and other useful things..." she stopped for a moment. Maybe she meant something different. "O-or do you mean if I prefer fighting monsters or with training partner?"

Perhaps she would make an awkward fool of herself even more, if suddenly a Library Committee member didn't appear.
"You two there! This is a library! How long do you intend to bother other students with your loud discussions?! Do you want to get a detention?!"
Yikes!
"Oopsie... Mjrn, I think we'd better run!"

Mjrn was about to explain what she meant in better detail when they were confronted. Grabbing her things, she backed away. "I am sorry! I--"

Realizing that Rikku's plan was probably for the best, she headed for the doors. If they wanted quiet, it was best to give it to them without protest.

When they run from the Library and the door closed on them, Rikku stopped to catch her breath. "Phew..."

It didn't take her a long time to burst out laughing. "That was quite a ride, huh? I don't know how I always end up in situations like that!"

Still laughing, she turned to Mjrn. "I'm sorry about that, it's probably my fault!"

At that, Mjrn shook her head, though there was a smile on her lips. "The fault is not yours alone. I was not as discreet as I could have been. I encouraged you to continue, did I not? In any case, the deed is done. We may proceed without harrasssment."

Still grinning, Rikku was back to her bouncy self. She thought at first that the way Mjrn was speaking was kind of stiff, but now she knew for sure it was probably her world's thing. Despite being definitely less straightforward than Rikku, Mjrn seemed to be a great possible friend and young Al-Bhed loved the idea.

"True, what's done is done! C'mon, let's go to the Training Center! By the way, you were saying something before that stick-in-the-mud interrupted us. What was it again?"

Mjrn followed, eager to leave the library behind. "Ah, I wished to know your fighting style. It would be of aid to know this, when we enter. You...create bombs?" She tilted her head, interested.

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