searched | first paradox

[ The video starts with a shot of the ground, Serah's feet and a Starly chirping at her determinedly nearby. When it appears Serah's more focused on the PokéGear in her hands, the Starly shoots forward and knocks it away so it goes clattering across the ground. ]

Hey! [ From a slightly awkward angle, Serah is visible with her hands on her hips. ] Okay, that's enough out of you! You'll have to sit still for a few minutes longer!

[ The Starly looks appropriately scolded, so it just nods and goes back to chirping more quietly. Serah moves over to the PokéGear, picking it up, her face now more clearly visible in the shot. ]

Sorry about that. [ All smiles and politeness, now. Noel was right about one thing: Serah can go from smiling angel to angry ogre, and vice versa. ]

I only just arrived here a few hours ago, and... I'm still a little confused. Is there anyone else who's not supposed to be here?

[ At this point, the Starly barges back onscreen. Serah laughs. ] All right, you can move around again now. [ With that, the video cuts. ]

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Oh. [ Well, that's comforting, actually. ] So everyone arrives in the house with that woman who... says she's your mother?

[ How bizarre. ]

Ah, most people do, yes. It's rather... disconcerting.

Disconcerting is one word for it. Have you been here long?

Two and half... very nearly three years now, I believe.

[ Wait what. ]

Three years? It's really possible to stay here that long?

It seems so. There are people who have been here longer than me, in fact.

Really? [ She's not sure whether to think of that as a good or bad thing, considering the circumstances. ] What's it like... being away from home that long?

[ A pause, and she backtracks a little. ] Sorry, that was a rude question.

No, no. It's a perfectly valid question. The prospect of being here for years is daunting when you've just arrived.

I still get homesick, and I miss my family something fierce, but my team has also become family to me. I have a lot of friends here, too. I don't know how long I'll be here, but I think after all this time I've achieved some kind of balance.

I understand... [ Serah imagines what it would be like, to stay here for that long. Her sister, Hope and Vanille are here - that's far more than she expected when she first arrived in this strange place. But then... what if she never saw Snow again, in all that time? Or Noel or Mog? Fang and Sazh too, even... "daunting" was the word for it. ]

You just have to make the most of it, right? This place doesn't seem so bad. [ Apart from the, uh... strangeness when her "mother" spoke to her. ] So... no one you knew was here, when you got here?

That's right. It's all in how you treat the situation, I think.

[ loooong pause ] Ah, I've never met anyone I know from home here, actually.

Oh... I'm sorry. [ Now she feels bad. :( ] That... must be tough.

Ah, no. It's fine, really. I'm hardly alone now, after all, and I have so many new friends. I see it as just another part of the journey.

Right... [ Serah smiles. ] It's good to have a chance to make new friends, and see new places.

Exactly.

Have you come across anyone you know here?

I have... actually. My sister, Lightning, is here! [ She sounds super excited about that. ] As well as two friends of mine from home, Hope and Vanille.

You're Lightning's sister? [ now that she mentions it, there is a family resemblance there ] She's a friend of mine, actually. My name is Talim.

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