You'll get to fly around in space and have battles? And your very own spaceship?
Hang on! [He rummages in the pockets of his too-big shorts, which are more like pants on him, and pulls out several rubber bands, a plastic spider, an unbent paperclip, and what he's looking for: a game cartridge.] This is one where your guy's a spaceship and you shoot space bees and stuff!
< Yes! Maybe if I'm good enough, I'll even get to be a Prince someday. That's one of the highest military ranks, you know. >
[He watches curiously as Mail digs through his possessions, and all four of Elfangor's eyes snap up at the mention of insects.]
< Are there space slugs, too? My people are in a war against evil slugs that crawl inside your ear and take control of your body. > [He shivers, thinking of how totally creepy that is.]
That's disgusting! [Mail's still more impressed than grossed-out.]
Maybe they have those in the higher-up levels. [He doesn't really think so, but he wants Elfangor to be happy. He swaps out the cartridges and holds out the GameBoy.]
'kay, it's sorta broke, so you hafta hold it like this. [He demonstrates, putting his hand on the back to hold the batteries in.] When I grow up, I'm gonna be a programmer. Unless there's space battles! Then maybe I can help you!
[Elfangor takes the device carefully, making sure to hold it just the way Mail showed him, and his eyes light up at the pixelated images scrolling across the screen. Only two-dimensional movement? A challenge, then...]
< You can be a programmer and a warrior! You need to be able to fix your ship if, you know, anything goes wrong with the computer. >
[He focuses intently on the game, thumbs tapping away at the d-pad and buttons furiously, his stalk eyes even hunching down as though that might somehow help.]
[Mail thinks that's funny, the way all four of Elfangor's eyes are so focused on the screen. He'd do that, too, if he had four. He scoots around and watches over his shoulder.]
Right! 'cause if you said, like, 'Earl Grey tea, hot,' and it gave you, like, pop, you'd have to know how to debug it.
Okay, see that tractor beam thing? Let it get your guy. 'cause then you can shoot the bee-thing that has it, and have a double ship!
[Tea? Pop? Elfangor has no idea what these things are, but he assumes that whatever they are, they must be very important to humans.]
< How can you fly two ships at once? > [Utter bewilderment, but he tries it anyway.] < Ah! No! It took my-- > [Frustrated, he shoots the captured ship.] < Oh. >
[If Andalites could grin? He would be doing that right now. He flicks his tail excitedly and turns a stalk eye to Mail.] < Did you see that? This game is excellent! >
[Elfangor jumps, completely forgetting the game for a moment--and then watching in dismay as the screen goes dark when the batteries fall out, but he keeps his main eyes tracked on Mail in alarm and tries (in vain) to will down his once again fluffed-up fur.]
[Mail jerks his hand back, his shoulders hunching and his cheeks going bright red. He really isn't sure which is worse, losing an awesome game in the middle, or freaking Elfangor out.]
Um. I dunno. It's like a human thing? To, uh. Say 'good job,' or something?
[Humans... really touch so casually? It baffles Elfangor, and yet, he can't help but be curious about it. And the strange red tinge to Mail's face.
But he does recognize the way Mail's curled in on himself, and shame pries at his mind for reacting in what must have seemed such a negative way, if humans do use touch like that.]
< Sorry... > [He reaches out, tentatively, and pats awkwardly at Mail's shoulder.]
[Mail's still blushing, but now he's smiling shyly, too, and he unhunches. He thinks if Elfangor has a mom and dad (do aliens have moms and dads?), they probably hug him, but that's different.]
It's okay. What do Anda- um, Andalites do, when they're friends?
< I-- I don't know. > [He drags a hoof along the ground anxiously, flicking his tail in uncertainty.] < I don't really... have any. >
[It's not his fault! He's still young, his parents don't let him very far out of their sight.]
< I've seen older kids--sometimes they touch tail blades? But, you don't have a tail, so... human gestures are okay. > [Elfangor blinks.] < Does that mean we're friends? >
Oh. [Mail chews on his lower lip for a second, then blurts out:] I kinda don't either, 'cause I move around so much.
[This is fine by him. They can figure out how to be friends together. Elfangor's way cooler than any human kid, anyway.]
But yeah, we can be friends!
[He's glad Elfangor mentioned his tail, because Mail's sort of been trying to get a better look at it without getting too close. Now he sort of feels like he has permission to blatantly look.] Wouldn' it hurt? It looks, um, heavy. And sharp!
[Elfangor brings his tail forward, inordinately pleased that Mail seems so impressed with it. It is not nearly as impressive as a full-grown Andalite's blade, but it is decent enough for his age, he thinks.]
< It'll get a lot bigger and sharper by the time I grow up! And it doesn't hurt to touch them. It only hurts when you get the tip stuck in something. > [He's learned that the hard way.]
[After a moment's thought, and fighting down a new wave of embarrassment, he adds,] < You can touch it if you want to. Just... be careful of the edge. >
[Mail very carefully reaches out just one finger, and touches the blade, pulling his hand back almost as soon as he makes contact, and he laughs a little.]
I wish I had one! That'd be wicked.
[He has a vague feeling that he wants to make a gesture in return, something like that, but of course, he doesn't have an awesome tail. Oh, inspiration! He pulls his goggles all the way off and holds them out.]
Wanna have a look at these? They're cool an' they make everything orange.
[He might pretend, sometimes, that they also make him invisible.]
Um. Hi. Have you seen a double-a battery?
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[Mail is very impressed.]
You'll get to fly around in space and have battles? And your very own spaceship?
Hang on! [He rummages in the pockets of his too-big shorts, which are more like pants on him, and pulls out several rubber bands, a plastic spider, an unbent paperclip, and what he's looking for: a game cartridge.] This is one where your guy's a spaceship and you shoot space bees and stuff!
Reply
[He watches curiously as Mail digs through his possessions, and all four of Elfangor's eyes snap up at the mention of insects.]
< Are there space slugs, too? My people are in a war against evil slugs that crawl inside your ear and take control of your body. > [He shivers, thinking of how totally creepy that is.]
Reply
Maybe they have those in the higher-up levels. [He doesn't really think so, but he wants Elfangor to be happy. He swaps out the cartridges and holds out the GameBoy.]
'kay, it's sorta broke, so you hafta hold it like this. [He demonstrates, putting his hand on the back to hold the batteries in.] When I grow up, I'm gonna be a programmer. Unless there's space battles! Then maybe I can help you!
Reply
< You can be a programmer and a warrior! You need to be able to fix your ship if, you know, anything goes wrong with the computer. >
[He focuses intently on the game, thumbs tapping away at the d-pad and buttons furiously, his stalk eyes even hunching down as though that might somehow help.]
Reply
Right! 'cause if you said, like, 'Earl Grey tea, hot,' and it gave you, like, pop, you'd have to know how to debug it.
Okay, see that tractor beam thing? Let it get your guy. 'cause then you can shoot the bee-thing that has it, and have a double ship!
Reply
< How can you fly two ships at once? > [Utter bewilderment, but he tries it anyway.] < Ah! No! It took my-- > [Frustrated, he shoots the captured ship.] < Oh. >
[If Andalites could grin? He would be doing that right now. He flicks his tail excitedly and turns a stalk eye to Mail.] < Did you see that? This game is excellent! >
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[He's excited too, and proud on behalf of Earth video games.]
Now they're gonna start going faster. But you have all those extra fingers, so you're really quick, yeah?
[Mail's still finding his new friend's fuzziness hard to resist, so he gives him an encouraging pat on the shoulder.]
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< W-Why'd you do that? >
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[Mail jerks his hand back, his shoulders hunching and his cheeks going bright red. He really isn't sure which is worse, losing an awesome game in the middle, or freaking Elfangor out.]
Um. I dunno. It's like a human thing? To, uh. Say 'good job,' or something?
Reply
[Humans... really touch so casually? It baffles Elfangor, and yet, he can't help but be curious about it. And the strange red tinge to Mail's face.
But he does recognize the way Mail's curled in on himself, and shame pries at his mind for reacting in what must have seemed such a negative way, if humans do use touch like that.]
< Sorry... > [He reaches out, tentatively, and pats awkwardly at Mail's shoulder.]
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It's okay. What do Anda- um, Andalites do, when they're friends?
Reply
[It's not his fault! He's still young, his parents don't let him very far out of their sight.]
< I've seen older kids--sometimes they touch tail blades? But, you don't have a tail, so... human gestures are okay. > [Elfangor blinks.] < Does that mean we're friends? >
Reply
[This is fine by him. They can figure out how to be friends together. Elfangor's way cooler than any human kid, anyway.]
But yeah, we can be friends!
[He's glad Elfangor mentioned his tail, because Mail's sort of been trying to get a better look at it without getting too close. Now he sort of feels like he has permission to blatantly look.] Wouldn' it hurt? It looks, um, heavy. And sharp!
Reply
< It'll get a lot bigger and sharper by the time I grow up! And it doesn't hurt to touch them. It only hurts when you get the tip stuck in something. > [He's learned that the hard way.]
[After a moment's thought, and fighting down a new wave of embarrassment, he adds,] < You can touch it if you want to. Just... be careful of the edge. >
Reply
I wish I had one! That'd be wicked.
[He has a vague feeling that he wants to make a gesture in return, something like that, but of course, he doesn't have an awesome tail. Oh, inspiration! He pulls his goggles all the way off and holds them out.]
Wanna have a look at these? They're cool an' they make everything orange.
[He might pretend, sometimes, that they also make him invisible.]
Reply
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