one/ video/ count your blessings, not your flaws

[odinbolt]

( The video opens to half a second of Serah looking vaguely unsure about what she's doing before a smile crosses her face when her phone begins recording. )

Hi. ( Start with manners. It's only polite. ) I'm Serah. I'm one of the newer people here. And, well, back home I was a teacher. I know this place doesn't have a proper school or anything, but I wanted to help with that.

( Which is why she's stood in a building, one which has seen better days but is in one piece. )

I think, if we fix this place a little, we could use the rooms for hosting lessons.

( How can you say no to that optimistic little voice.

A breath before she speaks again- )

That's all I wanted to say. Thank you for listening.

( Serah Farron out. )

Comments

[odinbolt]

It's nice to meet you.

( It's easy to keep your spirits up when people are being so helpful and nice about it all. )

Well, I could use some help cleaning. ( She pans the camera around to the rest of the room as she speaks. It's not exactly a derelict building by any means, but clearly in need of touch ups and dusting. )

[claritatis]

[How could anyone not be nice to someone who is so obviously just trying to do a good thing? It might not work out how she expects, but that's surely no reason not to try.]

Hm... It does appear that you could. [Ignis has tidied worse.]

Just let me know when, and where.

[odinbolt]

( Because Hadriel. But it'd be like kicking a puppy, right? )

Sure. I'll send you the directions.

( Which she does. )

And, well, you can come over any time. ( So far, this is really all she's got going on. )

[claritatis]

[He checks the directions quickly, nodding.]

Very well. I'll be with you presently.

[Right now, he has nothing else going on, and his next Guard shift isn't for a while.]

[odinbolt]

Great.

( She will be there, if more than a little covered in dust and smelling like cleaning products. )

[claritatis]

[When he arrives, which is not too long after, he knocks on the door frame as he comes through it and scans the first room he comes into for the young woman he'd spoken to.

It looks like she's made some progress already.]

Hello?

[odinbolt]

( A warm smile greets him as Serah sticks her head out of the kitchen area. There's been a lot of help already but she appreciates each one as much as the last. )

Ignis, right?

[claritatis]

Right.

[He crosses the room to her, ducking into the kitchen area and taking a quick look around.]

You've taken on quite the project here, Serah.

[odinbolt]

( It's not as bad as trying to build an entire village, so we're good. Now that was a project to be involved with. Thank goodness they had plenty of help. )

Yeah. ( She exhales as she replies, looking around at the kitchen space. Thankfully, she's got a start with cleaning the cabinets. ) But I've had lots of help.

( Thank you, Hadrielites. You're good people. )

[claritatis]

I'd have no doubt of that. Many people here enjoy a project.

[Though he doesn't doubt she's had some resistance, particularly from the people she would be trying to teach.

He looks around the room, silently marking where she's already cleaned and tidied up. Ignis can appreciate someone who puts this kind of effort in, especially when it's to benefit others.]

Where shall I begin?

[odinbolt]

( Well, in the time since the post's gone up, she's mopped and dusted several rooms, and built up a pile of "things that need to be thrown out or repurposed". But the kitchen's still in need of a bit more help. )

Hmm... The sink needs cleaning.

( Enjoy the rust, I guess? )

[claritatis]

[Ignis doesn't waste time. He's already pushing his sleeves up on his way to the sink - a man of obvious refinement who is clearly equally used to hard work - and checking under it for something to clean it with. A soft 'hm' follows the commencement of this investigation, and a moment later he sets a few metal-wire scourers on the counter top.]

These should do nicely, though my hands won't thank me.

[He shoots her a quick smile.]

Do you intend to cook here, as well as teach?

[odinbolt]

( But the sink will. And isn't that the real gift of this project? )

Well, it can be used for cooking lessons. ( She's no Lebreau, but Serah has taught her kids back in New Bodhum the basics, and she's certain the list of people who want to help included some cooks. )

[claritatis]

[This whole project is a gift, though that's somewhat too forward for Ignis to say out loud at this point.

He straightens up, lightly brushing himself off and straightening his glasses.]

Ah, you had some volunteers, then. The number of people here who routinely ask for instruction in basic culinary skills is shocking.

[odinbolt]

( Oh. Oh dear. She sort of expected it from the younger ones, maybe, but... )

Is it that bad?

( Don't crush her hope that the adults know what they're doing. )

[claritatis]

From personal observation.

[The personal observation of a young man who has been cooking since the age of nine. He gives her a small, reassuring smile.]

I'm sure they can be set to rights.

you wanna wrap this up here and we can just focus on the guard thread?

[odinbolt]

( Then it's a very good job she elected to keep this space rather than hand it over to Rosie because of the acoustics. )

You're right.

( People can always, always learn. But for now, they can clean. )