Former Vice Delegate Aivintis tipped his comically long top hat to the audience and bowed, before tossing the hat like a frisbee into the crowd. His part was lame, he thought, as he heard a muffled thump in the plaza, but the overall play was rather funny. As he dropped into the audience and took his leave, he made sure to congratulate all of the other OGO winners. They certainly deserved it for everything they had done for the region. He made a mental note to privately thank Serge for everything he had done as well.
After leaving the Plaza, Aivintis strolled casually along the stone path past the government buildings and up his little mountain. It wasn’t a steep climb, and there was still a little bit of a path, but it was certainly out of the way. Once he reached the top he beheld his little retirement cottage - an old rustic thing overlooking the ocean below a cliff face. As he unlocked the door and stepped inside, Aivintis tossed his crimson tailcoat onto a nearby coat rack, revealing his clean white poet shirt (a relic of his immortal life), and slumped into his home office chair.
His computer booted up in front of him. He was no longer a High Official in TEP - and his office was already emptied out - so he would be doing government work from the cottage. He looked at the Order of the Golden Ocelot and the Parrot Award on his desk and smiled. Turning back to the computer, Aivintis began to type his farewell message.
“I can’t believe we’re already electing a new Delegate. I mean it feels like just yesterday that I was appointed second-in-command over the whole Executive branch. Hell, it feels like yesterday that I joined TEP for the first time. But we are, and this is the end of an era.
Now that I’m leaving the office, I think I’m safe to tell you that I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING THE ENTIRE TIME. Like honestly, I was winging half of it and doing the other half based on what I learned from example. From Marrabuk, from Libertanny, from Zukchiva. I honestly can’t believe it worked. But it did.
I remember when Serge reached out to me about appointing me Vice Delegate. He told me he needed an active Vice Delegate, he needed me to be around whenever possible and help whenever possible. I was worried that I couldn’t do it. Not just then, but the entire time. I was worried I would miss something too important for me to miss, or do something wrong that was too important to do wrong. But, strangely, I didn’t.
After the initial shock of the offer and the standard “What will I have to do?” question was answered, I remember the first thing I said was, “Why me?” I didn’t think I would be able to be as good as my predecessors, or to live up to the expectations of me as the second-in-command of such a large institution. But, somehow, I did.
I rarely took initiative. Maybe only during STEP, when I wrote for the RMB - still my favorite part of TEP. But, as Serge pointed out as he repeatedly tried to convince me that I was doing a good job, I was always there. And when Serge was absent, I was there to fill in on giving people the go ahead on their good ideas. I was there when I was needed, and seemingly that was enough.
Now, I’m leaving the office. I’ve practically left already. It is uncertain if the next Delegate will abolish the office or fill it, but either way, I wanted to share my experience, and I wanted to personally thank every single person - in government, forum RP, or the RMB - that helped me in any way, not just in my capacity as Vice Delegate but also in every single aspect of my NS career. You guys are the reason I’m still here.
It may be worth noting that, while I’m leaving the Vice Delegacy and my position as Senior Diplomat, I will not relinquish my positions as Magister, Professor of NS Politics and History, or Diplomat to The Free Nations Region. In fact, I will likely become even more involved in the University. In the FNR, I will be continuing my service as Justice, and I will be lending my legislative ability to fix the Judicial Procedures Act. In Kaer Solas, I will finish up my FA Dispatch and figure where I truly belong within that community. I will also be continuing to focus on RP above all. My goal is one meaningful RP per week, barring complications. TAZE/C and Valsora will have my main attention, but I will try to make a comeback to Urth, as I am already working with Dylan on something involving organized crime. But you did not click on this forum post to hear me ramble about my future, so let me cut myself off right there.
Thank you all, and goodnight.”
Aivintis raised his hands from the keyboard and sat back. Serge’s farewell was issued, and so was his own. He had been awarded for his service, contrary to his initial predictions, and all that awaited was a new horizon and the rising of a new sun in The East Pacific.