File under: sky pirates, guild level-ups, and true companions (nakama) The problem isn't her, it's her folks. Seren is tired of living a lonely life on the island, but every time she brings up the lack of community to her parents, they tell her that it's better that way. Better not to have anyone else around. Better to have dad-vetted "friends" in touch only by mail. Better to not go near the transportation area and to report anything "strange." And she tries. She really does. When it becomes crystal clear that nothing will change, the lure of far off horizons is louder than ever. The last straw is when an attempt to abide by the rules fails and even small pleasures are taken from her. Opportunity knocks and she throws open the door, determined to prove that she can take care of herself. Too bad the world is just as determined to prove otherwise.  (Story is aiming for PG-13 levels of content at the moment. Tagged with Profanity & Gore just to be safe.) LGBTQIA+ friendly with neopronoun use. [Participant in the April 2023 Royal Road Writathon challenge]