<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/ZQc7Deq.jpg)</div><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Rin</span></strong>(https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=337368.msg16018996#msg16018996)<br/><strong>Time:</strong><em>Start of Year 2</em><br/><strong>Tags:</strong><em></em><br/><strong>Actions:</strong><em>A big expedition</em><br/><br/>Rin had hugged into the tight hug as tightly as she could possibly hug Blossoms. She was glad her words had reached the spirit. She would have missed her greatly had she left. Bubbles words surprised her, though she knew that everyone floated along a different path. Maybe they would meet again someday...maybe not. But Bubbles had been a good spirit to the island and hoped that she would find what she wanted out there. She gave her a wave and a smile, making sure she always knew she was welcome back.<br/><br/>When the Happy Little Spirit stole some of her fluffcorn, Rin giggled and gave chase to the equally giggling spirit. Just for a moment...a few moments...she was that sneaky little spirit who had scampered about the grove. She couldn't stay that way forever, but it was nice to be that way again, if only for a little while.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Rin continued watching her charges, learning as she did. While the Reaper did visit, understanding things more as she did now, Rin only gave a little wave to the scary, but necessary, figure. She learned much about the mortals including the other side of the Reaper's job. Ewwwww..that's where wriggle monsters came from? So much yelling and screaming and they looked all...squidgy when they arrived. But they smooth out later. So she supposed she couldn't hold their origins against them of course. She made sure to report each of her new findings to Blossoms, including the very important discovery of a delicious sweet treat that the mortals harvested from the sticky pointy trees. Rin had flown very fast and talked very very quickly that day...and then slept quite a long time afterwards in the grove.<br/><br/>She played with the little mortals and babyphants and even their new friend the not so sleepy bear cub. She did her best to keep him well fed, though she certainly had help with it. Everyone was eager to share and be friends and the bear cub had some wonderful stories about fishing with Mommybear and all his brothers and sisters. She made sure Scampers was ok, and his family and made sure he knew they were invited to say hello to the mortals, and share all his adventuring tails. She learned much, including that she could not always protect the littles. Some fell, some hurt themselves, one even grew very very sick despite all the warmth she could give. Though the little mortal grew better, they were...smaller somehow. Less. Like a fire without enough fuel. She made sure she visited them often.<br/><br/>But....but still. She had lectured Blossoms on responsibilities and while she lived up to the ones she had put forth, those were the ones that were easy. She thought of one neglected and though she worried about what might happen next, she steeled herself.<br/><br/>She left in the cave a smaller little fire, where Rin's Rompers could contact her through, a bit of fire magic that took a lot out of her for a while. She would hear the words in the fire, and warned them it was not a toy. It was for super extra special emergencies only.  She made sure they knew to be good and kind to each other and she hoped to not be gone long but she knew she was going to a scary place. But still.<br/><br/>Rin considered packing things for her expedition but knew they would not survive the trip. She knew she might not either, she understood these things now after talking with Blossoms and observing the Reaper and the Mortals. But still.<br/><br/>She forged on, wriggling and squirming her way into that place again, and then going further, deeper then she had ever gone before. It was very warm, so very warm even to a fire spirit like her. But she had to try and she had to know. That was part of who she was. She heard a few of the little mortals say they hoped she was ok, through the fire and she forgave them for it not being a super big time emergency.<br/><br/>It felt funny pushing on, but she finally made it as deep as she could and sat there, pressing her hands to the rocks she found. Something twinge inside of her..regret from before? A feeling that she should have done this sooner...she couldn't say. She opened her mouth a few times and stopped, thinking about what to say next.<br/><br/>"I....I don't know if you can hear me but...I'm sorry. I'm sorry you feel bad and are angry and maybe sad. I'm sorry we didn't do more to help before. Blossom..or Blades if you remember her that way....shared some things that might explain it." Rin could swear she felt the mountain rumble a bit at that, though it might have been her imagination. She took a deep breath and continued on "If you are from the before times then maybe you remember how things got bad. We're trying to make sure they don't become that way again, but that's not why I'm here." She reached out a hand towards all that heat, all that pressure. She reached and stretched and pushed out her hand in hope and in fear. One more big breath, as she spoke the words she should have the first time she encountered this being. "Whatever you need....I will help you..."<br/><br/>Her eyes were open, as she watched that heat swirl around, and hoped for the Grumpus' reply.<br/><br/>