5th Floor Common Room, Monday Early Evening

[intraspective]

Really, she ought to be asleep despite the ridiculously early hour. A weekend spent with little sleep and using loads of energy meant by all rights that she should be dead to the world at the moment. Ino had spent about an hour after her last class staring up at the ceiling before giving that idea up for a lost cause and wandered out to the common room to see what she could find that was entertaining enough to keep her from getting bored.

Normally Ino wasn't much of one for movies, but poking around turned up The Continuous Tale and it looked interesting enough for her to stare at while she tried to convince herself to unwind enough to actually sleep. Score!

That decided on, she made popcorn (because if she was going to do this movie thing, she was going to do it right) and curled up on the couch, hitting play. And, okay, maybe snuggle into a blanket as well. That counted as part of the whole movie thing, right? Right?

It totally did. She could even be convinced to share, if asked nicely.

[Ooopen as a common room is, yes!]

Comments

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"If there's one things the priests know, it's how to come up with an excuse for anything," Helen said with a sigh. "But I do hope they'll let me return sometime, unlikely though that may be."

She was quiet for a moment. "It's odd. It's not a pleasant world at all. And I, well... I was not well liked there - or anywhere, I suppose - but I still miss it."

[intraspective]

"Isn't that natural?" Ino asked curiously. "I mean, it's your home. You get people in my world stayin' in places where they could be killed 'cause they love their homes. You get people here livin' in the middle of areas that're known for tornadoes and stuff and they don't leave 'cause of that."

Home meant good and bad.

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen nodded. "Yes, exactly. It's home. And as hard and lonely as life in the temple with the priests was, it's the only home I've ever had."

[intraspective]

"Could you be a doctor or something 'round there?" she wondered.

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Could she be? Not likely. Women were not valued there. Not often. She'd been an exception because of her arm and what it meant to the priests.

She shook her head slowly. "I... I am not sure, but I don't think so. Unless I only practiced in the temple and... I'm not sure I could. But I honestly don't know."

[intraspective]

...

"...why would you have to practice only in a temple?"

Ino was confused, yes. Gender equality was pretty much just that in her world: equal.

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"Women aren't well valued there, other than to have children and care for the home. Except in rare cases, such as mine, they wouldn't be allowed much education, nor would they be trusted with such a position."

It wasn't fair or right, given the things she'd seen in other places, but it was the way things were.

[intraspective]

Ewwww.

"Maybe you can go on being different? Be a revolutionary! Show people that women can do the same things guys can?"

Ino, that was a rather huge dream to natter on about.

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen considered. "I suppose anything is possible. For now, though, I am trying to work on what I have here. To learn to get along better with people and hide away less."

[intraspective]

"If it makes you feel better," Ino commented, "I ain't really having a problem with you?"

Ah honesty.

"And you ain't whacked me for all my questions so hey, that's a nice thing."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

She had to consider all of that for a moment.

"I do think I've been less... bitchy?... this evening. Perhaps I'm learning?"

And she blushed a little. "It actually, it reminded me a bit of home when the priests would question me about everything I had learned and knew."

[intraspective]

Now Ino was just going to look a bit abashed, yes.

"Um," Ino said, trying not to go pink. "Well, hopefully you didn't mind being reminded of that?"

Disease with words. Where she said them. It was totally a thing, here.

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"No," Helen said quickly. "It was rather nice. I do miss home."

[intraspective]

Ino gave a relieved little sigh at that.

"Just--tell me if I'm asking too many, yeah? And I'll try not to."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen nodded. "It's okay. I just... it's nice to talk to someone about home sometimes."

[intraspective]

She nodded.

"I can get that," Ino admitted. "It's a huge part of you, yeah? And not talking about it is like pretending it don't exist or matter."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Helen said with relief. "It is. And I miss it so much and not talking about it just makes it worse."

[intraspective]

She smoothed her hair back absently. "Well," Ino offered, "I ain't got no end to my questions."

Seriously. Pages and pages and pages of them.

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen laughed. "Well, I have lots of answers."

[intraspective]

"It's a good match up, that way!"

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"It definitely is," Helen said with a smile. "And I would very much like to hear about your home sometime."

[intraspective]

“Maybe,” Ino answered impishly. “But I don’t think it’ll remind you much of what you’re missing.”

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen laughed. "I think I can survive," she said drily.