Nineteen [Video/Action for Goldenrod]

[trouser_chimp]

[You can see the ocean from Goldenrod, you just can't travel it. But Ritsu, dressed as a woman as per the norm, is letting his little Lapras swim there, and he watches it with quiet contemplation. After a while, he turns on the video

Comments

[ voice ]

[lavigation]

You're an adult when you can take care of yourself, I guess.

[ voice ]

[trouser_chimp]

What about taking care about others?

[ voice ]

[lavigation]

Yeah...I think that would count.

[ voice ]

[trouser_chimp]

Good... That is what's most important to me...

Video;

[usedtherapy]

That's quite a question, with a variety of answers.

Going by technicality, being adult is being of age, depending on where you live. For my home, it was eighteen.

Going by the values held by society, it's paying your taxes, living apart of and ending your dependence upon your parents and family, getting a job and paying for the things you need on your own, getting married with a nice man or woman and furthering the human populace with them, until the day you die. Taking responsibility, following through with your words.

Video;

[trouser_chimp]

I don't think you can do a lot of those things in Johto... but the word 'responsibility' has been used a lot.

Video;

[usedtherapy]

Actually, it's quite possible to achieve most of those things here, from everything I've heard about from the native inhabitants.

At the age of ten you're sent out on your "Pokemon Journey" alone with nothing but a Pokemon at your side. In most cases you must find a way to earn money on your own, so you may rent a room to stay in, purchase food and supplies for yourself and your Pokemon along the way. You need to take responsibility not only for yourself but your Pokemon as well. There are families and children living here, so marriage and reproduction are certainly still part of life here.

Of course, being an adult could have a completely different meaning in Johto as well. I wouldn't be surprised.

Video;

[trouser_chimp]

That makes it sound like some things are truly universal... Yes, I really ought to take better care of my Pokemon better...

[Video]

[hasavision]

...I don't know. Sometimes I wonder...

[Video]

[trouser_chimp]

I'm sorry to have troubled you, Wataru.

[Video]

[hasavision]

Huh? It's not troubling me.

[Video]

[trouser_chimp]

Forget I said anything.

[action]

[biteisbigger]

[ Kisa doesn't actually answer, but hi, cousin, she's going to reach for your hand now. ]

[action]

[trouser_chimp]

[he smiles down at her, and lightly squeezes her hand.]

You're probably wondering why I asked that...

[action]

[biteisbigger]

... [ nods quietly. ]

[action]

[trouser_chimp]

... I was so relieved to see Kazuma-san and Hatori-san here, because they could be better... 'leaders'... of our family here. Until they came here, I was oldest of us. But now, I know it was selfish of me to think of it as 'relief'. I'm still an adult... and I still should do my best to take care of my family.

At least... I want to be an adult.

[video]

[gochuugoku]

[He's in Goldenrod too, but he's all the way on the other side of the city.]

That's a good question, aru... But I guess it depends on people's culture, personal views and opinions, and the society they were surrounded by.

[A thoughtful pause.]

In my opinion, what makes a person into an adult is when they realize they have to let go. Whether it's power or a high status, aru.

[video]

[trouser_chimp]

Letting go... I wonder about that...

[video]

[gochuugoku]

Where is this coming from all of a sudden, anyway?

[video]

[trouser_chimp]

... I need to be an adult, a real one.