[video + closed action]

[soupguy]

So people sell Pokemon eggs, right? That's what you do...?

[Boober is holding one egg carefully against his chest, and carefully standing as still as he can manage. His mouth is pulled into a very nervous frown.]

Traveler and Tales have four more, too. It'd be nice if people wanted them, because five is a lot to take care of... More than I can do. So if anyone wants to buy one for 300P, just tell me. Traveler is my Hisuian Growlithe, and Tales is a Patra-- Well, no wait, he's a Watchog now.

...About that. Evolution is kind of weird, isn't it? It's like deciding to have a birthday, but then they change how they look too, and that just happens all at once.

(ooc: The post for claiming eggs is here! Please make sure to hit that up if you want one, regardless of if you tag here.)


Mando: Outside of Mt Moon
[Boober can't avoid the training he and Mando agreed on forever, no matter how many seconds thoughts he's having. He should know how to escape from dangerous situations, after all, and it doesn't seem like Mando expects him to actually fight. Still, he's hesitant as he goes over to Mando.]

Um... I think I'm ready to learn that stuff you told me about.


Riz: Inside Mt Moon
[The amount of preparation Riz is doing for the upcoming tournament is admirable. He's even got Boober in on it, by making flashcards he can use to test Riz's knowledge-- Which Boober much rather do than help with actual practice battles. It's helping him learn more, too, which is important. He can't avoid every challenge, especially with Archie so eager to fight. So usually, Boober pays close attention during these quiz sessions, but as they walk through the caves of Mt Moon, he's very distracted. It's such a nice, homey place for a little Fraggle.]

Wait a second... Darn. [He sighs as he flips the top flashcard back over to the question side.] I read that one wrong again. It should've been the use for a charti berry, not a cheri berry. Sorry, Riz.

Comments

[outofsynth]

We had to learn about it in school. At least the basics. I've never heard of a Fraggle, but I think that's just aging? Or lack of aging. Evolution is usually something that you'd see in super distant descendants, not the same person. Or, uh... creature?

[Probably a person if he's talking about birthdays? Maybe? Wtf is a Fraggle?]

Either way, that's definitely not what it means here.

[soupguy]

Well, I thought evolution was just aging for Pokemon. That it was like a birthday when they evolved? I don't know, there's not school back home.

[outofsynth]

But they don't evolve on a set day, right? I thought it was usually to do with levels.

[Which also makes no sense.]

[soupguy]

Why would it be on a set day?

Although... I have heard it's about levels or certain items, and not just a choice they make.

[outofsynth]

Because it's your day of birth. You can't change that. Can you?

[Why are other worlds so weird? Why can't he even be certain of basic facts anymore?]

Yeah, that's what I heard. My Vulpix needs an Ice Stone if she wants to evolve. I think sometimes they can choose not to, but I'm not sure how.

[soupguy]

...Wait, really? That's how birthdays work where you're from?

[Although when phrased that way - "it's your day of birth" - he can't deny it makes more sense than what he's used to. It's just so strange to think about.]

We always just celebrate when it feels like the right time.

[outofsynth]

Yeah. How can you just celebrate when it feels right? How do you even decide something like that?

[This makes no sense.]

[soupguy]

Well, haven't you ever had the feeling you've grown in some way? I mean inside, like as a person. That's when we'd celebrate our birthdays.

[Even as he gives the explanation, though, he sounds kind of unsure. Like he's wavering a bit.]

[outofsynth]

Sure, but that doesn't mean I get to have my birthday then. It's always on the same day. Sort of like an anniversary.

[Although celebrating personal growth does seem like a good idea actually, even if this method does still seem really confusing.]

So a birthday doesn't actually have anything to do with aging where you come from?

[He might have picked up on Boober's uncertainty, but his mind is filled with questions that distract him from his demeanour.

Are there (physically) 50 year olds still going around saying they're still 20, and (physically) 20 year olds who claim they're much older? How does age restriction work when you can just pick and choose when you have your birthday?]

[soupguy]

No, they don't, really. I guess for us, there's not much reason to keep track.

[He looks down at the egg in his hands as he goes on.]

Well, I mean, you can tell when a Fraggle is really little. Of course, babies are babies, but even for a few years after you can tell when someone's a little kid... But after that, it takes a long time for how we look to change.

I never thought it was anything but normal, but what you said about your birthday being the day of your birth does make a lot of sense. It's there in the name.

[outofsynth]

Not all words make sense when you think about them. [Although he absolutely prefers it when they do.] Like... pre-plan. How can you pre-plan? That's just planning. I guess birthday just has a different meaning where you are.

It's weird, but I guess if that's how everyone does it then that's what makes sense to you.

[soupguy]

That's true. Although if you ask me, all words should make sense. It'd be better.

But even if having birthdays that way work for Fraggles, I'm not one anymore. Maybe I should have one on a certain day, I just... Don't know when it would've been.

[outofsynth]

It would be!

[Finally, someone who Gets It.]

It might make things easier, but if you're choosing it yourself then why not make it a day that feels like your definition of a birthday? Unless you know what date you were born you might as well still pick something that already feels special.

[soupguy]

Hmmm, I see what you mean. I'm not sure what day that would be, but... I'll give it some thought.

...Listen, I'm sorry if it was annoying to explain so much, but thanks for teaching me these things.

[outofsynth]

You can take your time. If it's something you're going to keep, you might as well make sure it's one you're happy with.

It's not annoying. I learned some stuff too. I'm Min-Gi, by the way.

[Because he's realising he forgot to introduce himself before bombarding him with questions. Oops.]

[soupguy]

My name is Boober.

[He gives a shrug and asmall smile.]

You know, it's been pretty weird to learn how different the things I'm used to are, compared to what others here know. But... The other part of it, where I can tell people about my home, it's kind of nice.

[outofsynth]

Yeah, that does sound nice. I guess in my case a lot of people are from Earth, but it seems like most of them are ahead of me, so I can sort of understand.

Are there other Fraggles here?

[soupguy]

Yeah, that would be strange too, but I guess... Maybe a good thing, to know what might be coming up? But it's hard to say if that's the case, since it seems most of us come from places that are at least sort of different from each other.

There aren't other Fraggles here, no, but there are other people who weren't si- humans before. It's not the same thing, of course, but it can be a nice common ground.

[outofsynth]

Woah. I hadn't thought of that. You could prepare for just about anything.

[As long as the world turned out to actually be the same one as yours anyway.]

It's not the same, but it's always nice to have things in common. Maybe someday another Fraggle will show up here.

[soupguy]

Maybe.

[Boober hardly sounds convinced. He hasn't really let himself think much about others from home being here. It's too wild a hope to pin anything on.]

To be honest, I'm not counting on it.

[outofsynth]

[Ah. That was the wrong thing to say.]

Sorry, man. I didn't mean to make you sad.

[soupguy]

That's alright. Some things are worth feeling sad over. It doesn't bother me too much.

[outofsynth]

Are they?

[Maybe he shouldn't question this, but also... Boober, why?]

[soupguy]

Well, yeah. I mean, I think so. A lot of people don't.

...But really, I don't know why not. Sometimes things are just bad, right? I always hear how it doesn't make sense to ignore the good things, but doesn't that go the other way too?

[outofsynth]

[That's... not really too far off his philosophy for himself, but he kind of hates that for other people. Still, he can't really argue with the logic.]

Huh. I guess you're right.