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[ahappylie]

[It's such a nice day out that Okita has decided to take the House 50 pets for a walk. Around mid-morning after he finishes his training, Okita can be found wandering around the village with the yellow chocobo Tammy in tow. And on her back? A disgruntled Saizou, wishing he could be down from the heathen bird. Tammy doesn't seem to care since

Comments

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert here is not a New Feather by any stretch of the word, but he is an astrobiologist, and that Chocobo - something he's never seen before - is summarily grabbing his attention in a death grip.

He is pretty much completely enamoured, floored and surprised all at once. Regardless of how depressed, terrible or in general melancholy his demeanour might be right now from wherever he's hiding to make this post, this is an opportunity for Science and it will not be passed up.]

What an absolutely remarkable avian specimen. Is that a ratite? It reminds me of a Dinornis robustus from extinct Terran biota...

[Voice]

[ahappylie]

[....Hur? Okita didn't understand any of that, but he'll try to respond.]

Her name is Tammy. I don't know what she is really.

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[Sorry, Okita. This is Robert in full-on astrobiologist mode.]

Would you... h-happen to know somebody who might know her species, then?

... Would she perhaps know?

[There is a wavery, watery quality about Robert's voice right now that might suggest to Okita that he has been having a hard time, and that this exchange is something that serves mostly to cover other stuff.

... Or if he fails as hard at emotion as Robert does he might not notice anything, but hey.]

[Voice]

[ahappylie]

...

[Nope, Okita notices. He knows it very well and so he debates for a moment about saying anything. Instead, he'll let Robert have this moment.]

She might know. Let's ask.

Tammy?

[The bird warks.]

What are you?

Tammy!

No, what are you?

Tammy!

[Souji smiles apologetically at the journal.]

This might take some time.

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

Perhaps she does not have a... word-equivalent in her dialect that translates. [Robert is still not entirely sure how the word translation works with non-sapients, or species without a syntax structure to their communications.

Thinking about it distracts from the pain of the loss of Vivi, and so he allows himself to focus on the strange tall yellow bird, and this slender little person that he has never met before. (At least the person seems gentle and nice. These are positive qualities - albeit they remind him some way of Vivi, but everything does right now.)]

[Voice]

[ahappylie]

It's possible, yes. She's still very young after all, so maybe she just doesn't understand.

Tammy!

[Okita laughs and pats the bird on the head, continuing their walk.]

I don't believe we've met before - although I've seen you around on the network. May I ask your name?

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

I c-cannot recall having spoken to you either... my apologies.

[Robert introduces himself - the same way he always does, or at least the way he's done it since being in Luceti.] My name is Professor Robert Alexander Hastings.

... And yourself, if I may ask...?

[Speaking to a stranger: hard at the best of times, harder now. Five months in Luceti have made this less challenging, but being in pain has not helped.]

[Voice]

[ahappylie]

Oh, you don't have to apologize. There's so many people, it's hard to keep track. It's nice to meet you, Hastings-san. My name is Okita S-- Souji Okita. That is the correct order, yes?

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

It d-depends on which order you would like me to use...

... But if your name is like my friend's, then yes, I suppose it would be Souji Okita; h-however, I will address you whichever way you personally prefer.

[That's a point of Terran ethics: using the name and/or title and/or pronouns a person is most comfortable with using.]

I have been here about... f-five months, now... but there are still many people I have not s-spoken to...

[Voice]

[ahappylie]

I tend to be called by my last name by those who don't know me as well, so I suppose that for now.

Five months! That's quite a long time.

[And while he knows not to ask the next question, his curiosity is getting the best of him.]

...Are you alright?

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert is quiet a moment before he replies to this. It's hard to really say what's bothering him, but...]

I...

... [Softly:] M-My... foster d-daughter here in Luceti, Miss V-Vivi Aislinn, was... r-recently sent home.

...

I-I... I miss her. V-Very much.

[It isn't just missing her, though. It's the realization that she's forgotten everything, and the fear of getting close to somebody and then having that ripped away, and the terror of it happening to any of his close friends or himself...]

[Voice]

[ahappylie]

...I'm so sorry.

[There is little else that can be said. A person going home means many things, sometimes good and sometimes bad. The way Robert is acting, it's bad.]

...I really am.

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[It's a selfish kind of bad. And so Robert tries to express this somehow because he feels so guilty.]

... Sh-she, she has a mother to g-go home to, and... a-and...

... Sh-she won't be alone, I hope.

I just...

I-Is, is it unethical to... t-to want her here?

I, I had never had a daughter before... and I... I-I, I love her...

[He hides his face in his hands and tries not to cry. He's cried enough.]

[Voice]

[ahappylie]

It's not unethical. Who wouldn't want someone they care about at their side?

...It is selfish, however. But that is how people are.

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

I-I... I would not wish to... b-be selfish...

... I... I just want her to be happy, and safe... But...

... I-It... is terrifying that people can simply just disappear and then forget and...

[He trails off, his voice choked by a sob he tries in vain to cut off.]

[Voice]

[ahappylie]

It is, isn't it.

But do you think she'd want you being like this?