Twenty-Fifth Shooting Star - voice;

[risingwinds]

[It's been a while now since Fuuko's departure. During that time, Ven's been quieter than usual. Not tearful, but a bit more subdued than his usual, goofy self.

Even when he addresses the journal, his tone's a bit soft.]

You know, I gotta wonder. I know lots of you guys have found love here, but how do you guys deal when that person disappears? D'you keep waiting 'til they come back, or do you just... move forward? It's kinda tough spot for me. I'm not gonna let it bring me down or anything, but it's still sad. And it's just like when anyone else leaves-- unexpected.

But it was nice while it lasted. Fuuko's a great person, and I think she brought something special to the village. Who else would go outta their way to throw a huge starfish festival? To tell you the truth, I don't think I'll ever look at starfish the same way.

[He pauses.]

Wonder what Terra and Aqua'd think, though. It's been almost three years now...

[He doesn't expect anyone to react to that last bit. After all, his friends haven't shown up in a long time.]

Comments

[Voice]

[knightofratatosk]

Fuuko went home?

... I'm happy for her. She'd been here a really long time.

[Voice]

[risingwinds]

Yeah. Longer than a lot of people.

[Heh. Maybe that's why it surprised him so much.]

I hope she's doing okay. All her friends were probably waiting for her back home.

[Voice]

[knightofratatosk]

I'm sure someone like her must have a lot of friends. She was really nice, even if she was a little strange sometimes. It was hard not to like her.

[Voice]

[generalflirt]

[Well shit]

You won't let it get you down?

[Voice]

[risingwinds]

I've gotta at least try! Fuuko wouldn't wanna see me sad.

[Nor would Terra and Aqua, or Minako... Or a lot of people.]

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

I... I always look at starfish in different ways. But I'm gonna miss her. I had a lot of plans for that next starfish festival, too...

[Voice]

[risingwinds]

Well, who says we can't throw one ourselves? Like... in Fuuko's honor. I think she'd still want us to keep celebrating the starfish.

[voice]

[corrinesbell]

You must be Ven.

[Sheena hasn't met him that she can remember, but he might have heard a lot about the tea shop from Fuuko.]

[voice]

[risingwinds]

Yep, that's me. And you're... Sheena? The lady running the tea shop, right?

[Ven probably heard her name at least in passing, though man. Talk about somber circumstances for a first meeting.]

[selphie_t]

[That question honestly tugs at Selphie's heartstrings but she doesn't understand why. In the end, she concludes that it's ultimately due to empathy that she's feeling for Ventus more than anything else.]

I think the only thing you can really do is move forward. The person you love wouldn't want you to be sad. Don't get me wrong, it's okay to be sad but you can't stay that way forever, right?

Besides, it looks like you're on the right track anyway. Remember the good time you spent with them and the amazing person they are.

Friends of yours?

[risingwinds]

See, that's what I'm trying to do. Like... it's sad. I'd have to be crazy to think otherwise, but it's just no fun being sad forever. How would I ever see the sunny spots in life if I latched onto all the shadows? There was always a chance this'd happen.

And you're right about Terra and Aqua! They're not just my friends; they're my best friends.

[Voice]

[amberguardian]

I felt painfully hurt, and stuck.

[Even now, being a few hundred years older, she's still trying to figure out what she should feel like.]

[Voice]

[risingwinds]

[Pain? Yeah, he understands that. And feeling stuck... hm, sometimes it feels that way. Ven's been in Luceti so long, while his friends have come and gone, never staying for more than a few months.

Sure, friendship's different than romantic love, but both kinds of bonds are important.]

Does it still hurt even now?

[distressedude]

...I think everyone deals with it a little differently. There's no right or wrong way to handle it. Some people might not want to move on, or may think it'd be too difficult to even consider, in case they ever did come back.

[Something Ion knows from experience.]

But it also gets easier over time. After all, moving on doesn't mean you need to forget how that person made you feel while they were here, right?

[risingwinds]

True. And it's not like I'm gonna go find a new girlfriend tomorrow. That'd just be wrong.

[It's too soon. He can't even imagine finding someone new that grabs his heart the way that she did.]

You're right about memories, though. As long as I think back on all the good times, it'll be like she never left at all. We'll still be connected no matter what.

[voice]

[not_a_troll]

There is no proper way to deal with such a thing. Some reside to their hobbies, others mope and cannot cope. Others try to forget. Some turn to the friends they do have. And there are those who pretend to cope while they are not able to.

[voice]

[risingwinds]

Well, there are a couple things I could do as a distraction. I definitely don't wanna mope. If anything, that'd just make an already bad situation even worse.

I was thinking about picking up where Fuuko left off and trying to make some wooden starfish. Aang and I talked about trying to keep the starfish festival alive, too. Basically, I wanna keep the momentum going in her place.

[After all, it's probably what she'd want to see.]

[mischiefbreeder]

Well... That's love for you. Sometimes, love just hurts. Sometimes, it hurts a lot. [He's speaking from experience right now, having just lost his own girlfriend to the cruelty that is Luceti, and it reflects in his tone.]

...But you're right. You can't just sit around bein' mopey about it.

[risingwinds]

Yeah. And this isn't the first time I've felt it, either.

[Ven carries a soft, somber tone when he speaks, complete with a sigh.]

First Minako and now Fuuko. I got through it before, so I'm gonna do my best to pull through again. It's just something you never expect... at least, I never expect it.

[Funny, given how he's been in Luceti for so long.]

[ voice ]

[magicmaestro]

Moving forward from the grief of losing your loved one is always hard. But do not push yourself.

[He hopes his voice can be a bit of a comfort for the boy.]

I do believe you'll get through this, Ventus.

[ voice ]

[risingwinds]

Thanks, Frederic. I don't wanna give up hope just yet.

[Luceti's got its dark spots, but he can't forget all the good he's experienced. It's always disheartening when friends and loved ones vanish, but there's always a brighter tomorrow.]

Besides, I bet if Fuuko was here right now, she'd want me to cheer up and smile. It's not her fault that she left, so for her sake, I've gotta keep moving forward.

[voice]

[fellpool]

Waiting's so ... passive. We're already stuck in this perpetual waiting game just being in the game; I don't think it's healthy to add to it by waiting and making yourself miserable. [It sucked that this kind of conversation wasn't new at all.]

...But I agree that people leaving unexpectedly is sad. I don't think anyone's ever left that I've been prepared to see leave.

[voice]

[risingwinds]

Yeah. That's the problem, huh? I feel like... well, being here's kinda a gamble. Sooner or later, someone's gonna leave or pop up and the experiments and drafts'll happen. There's always gonna be a chance for things to go downhill.

[He pauses for a few seconds, uttering a soft laugh.]

But there's also that chance that they won't go wrong. You've always got exceptions. Just look at us-- we've been here for the long haul. What's stopping the same from happening to others, too?

[toujoursfluer]

You wait and move on at the same time. Wonder when your turn will be if ever. Try to think of creative ways with which to eviscerate the Malnosso one screaming moment at a time.

[though she may be exaggerating mildly with the last]

Though missing others can be difficult.

[risingwinds]

Eviscerate? Isn't that kinda harsh? I understand being mad at 'em, but sheesh...

[Removing their innards? Ven shudders at the mere thought.]