Video - Worry Wart (backdated to May 6th)

[replicatedcourage]

[When the video clicks on in the early afternoon, there's a quick view of the cloudy sky and the similarly grey ocean waves before Sola appears on the screen. He knows he shouldn't talk about the teams going down into the bubble on their mission lest the scientists try to block them for whatever reason, but he's worried and Johnny isn't here to ramble at about his worries. Especially since Johnny is kind of the cause of his worries...

So he'll just talk.]

I have a question. It's something I've been thinking about for awhile. Everyone wants to take care of the people they care about and keep them safe, right? But they also want those people to be happy and to do what they feel is right.

What do you do when the thing they want to do, or have to do, isn't something that's safe?

[Hopefully that's vague enough.]

Comments

[radiantwingedone]

Then you worry, and do your best to find a way to make it... less-unsafe, without stopping them.

[replicatedcourage]

What if there isn't a way to make it safer?

[He sighs, a little frustrated that he can't just say what exactly it is, but Duke's a smart guy. Hopefully he'll understand.]

[radiantwingedone]

Do you trust them?

[replicatedcourage]

Of course I do!

[What kind of question is that?]

I'm just worried he'll get hurt.

[radiantwingedone]

Then trust him to do his best to come back, and if it comes with injuries, it comes with injuries.

[ A pause, that's not particularly reassuring. ]

If you cannot make it safer, prepare things to patch him up.

[replicatedcourage]

I have two potions left and there's a bunch of supplies we saved from when the bubble cracked, but I'd still prefer if he didn't get hurt at all...

[But he'd let him go anyway. Really he hadn't felt he could stop him. Johnny wants to protect everyone just as much as Sola does, after all. Only Sola had stayed behind to watch out for everyone up here while Johnny put himself in harms way to ensure their future. He's worried, certainly, but he has a measure of pride for the actions of his matesprit as well.]

...this is really hard.

[radiantwingedone]

Understandable.

[ And really, that word applies to just about everything Sola has said. He doesn't want his important person hurt, but he doesn't want to keep them from doing what they want, so it is hard. ]

[replicatedcourage]

[Hmm... that looks like empathy to him.]

Did someone you care about go too?

[radiantwingedone]

[ Oops. ]

... Someone important to the last one I share a world with, yes.

[replicatedcourage]

I'm sure they'll be okay.

[Just like he's sure Johnny will be okay. He's just afraid that he won't be. That's different, right?]

[video]

[runawayrival]

There's not really a whole lot you can do. You can warn them about the dangers and let them know you care about them, but ultimately it's their decision.

[video]

[replicatedcourage]

I know. I understand that when people worry about me.

[It's part of why he'd stayed behind this time, after all.]

I just don't like not being able to do anything.

[video]

[runawayrival]

Well... instead of worrying you could always plan something special for when they get back. Like bake a cake! Then you'll have something positive to concentrate on, you won't worry so much about all the 'what ifs'.

[video]

[replicatedcourage]

That's a great idea!

[Oh wow stranger, you made his day!]

Johnny's been teaching me to bake anyway. I can surprise him with cupcakes!

[And make a total and complete mess of the kitchen in the mean time! Hooray!(?)]

[video]

[runawayrival]

Cupcakes are great!

[ He grins a little. Looks like he managed to cheer him up a little. ]

Just don't forget the sprinkles. That's one of the most important parts!

[video]

[replicatedcourage]

Of course! I don't know if we brought sprinkles up here though. I'll have to look.

Hey, what's your name?

[New friend?]

[video]

[runawayrival]

I'm Wally!

[ He taps his chin thoughtfully ]

They're not the same as sprinkles but I have a whole bunch of berries from my world with me, a lot of them look pretty fancy. I'll give some to you if you can't find any.

[video]

[replicatedcourage]

Fancy berries would be perfect! Do you want to come help me make them? We can decorate them together!

My name is Sola, by the way. It's really good to meet you! Are you new?

[radiantwingedone]

Yes.

[ He doesn't have healing spells and bandages ready for nothing, though. ]

[replicatedcourage]

[The silence stretches for a bit. You're kind of hard to carry on a conversation with, Duke.]

Um...

[Yup.]

[Voice]

[ourfirststeps]

It sounds more about what they want to do rather then what you want to do.

[Voice]

[replicatedcourage]

Huh?

[He has to take a minute to sort out that sentence.]

...well but what they're doing is right and needs to be done, I just... I dunno, wish they weren't the one doing it. Or that I was doing it too.

[Voice]

[ourfirststeps]

Hm...have you talked to them about it? Because maybe they might not know what you're feeling about this whole thing so it's better to talk it out!

[...if it were only that simple...]

[livingvessel]

Well, you shouldn't stop them, right? It's their decision... even though you think it's not the right one for them.

[She knows a certain overly stubborn person that did those sorts of things... all the time. Not that she could really stop him at that point, but there was also much more than just his own life at stake. And living his own life was such a foreign idea to him, too.

Ilya would say she understands the situation.]

Video

[goodnightsweetprince]

Then you trust in their skills and heroic ability!

[ A short pause. ]

And if you can't do that, you help in any way you can by knitting them a warm sweater, providing nourishment for their journey or insisting they wear a helmet.