008 [Video]

[thechoiceisyours]

[Chris smiles and gives a small wave at the camera when the feed starts, then turns his hand to show Hope's blessing on the back of it.]

So uh, who else got one? And are they all from Hope, or...?

[This is so cool you guys he wants to see who else got what. And for something else slightly less important by still cool--]

Oh, also, my iPhone was up and working for a bit thanks to Pell, and I managed to get some music off it. I'll share on the condition no one makes fun of my taste.

[The last comment is a joke--he's really not going to be too hurt by jabs about his choice in music--but the offer is serious, and attached is a download of the music he's copied off so far. It's kind of a slow process, so there's still more on the phone that he can transfer later.]

Comments

[thechoiceisyours]

[Well that's... The opposite reaction he normally gets when he tells people here his age.]

Do um... Do people not live very long in your world? Humans can make it to over a hundred, though eighty's a more common lifespan.

[thechoiceisyours]

[Well that answers that question, but now he's really curious--]

How uh, how old are you?

[thechoiceisyours]

Do you have like, an approximate guess?

[He won't pry as to why Shadow might not be totally sure.]

[thechoiceisyours]

Wow. That's uh... Really young.

[He's guessing there's a major species difference there and maybe it's not as young as he expects, just like how Shadow sees him as being old, but still.]

For humans, we're uh... We're not considered adults until like, eighteen. Eighteen years old, I mean.

[Making it clear he doesn't mean months there.]

[thechoiceisyours]

[He's never sure what people know okay and he's trying to be culturally--and species-ly?--sensitive here.]

Oh. Huh. That's um... Not something that's really possible in my world, so I totally have a bunch of questions but I think they'd just be kind of...

[Rude.]

[thechoiceisyours]

No, it's cool, you uh... Definitely don't have to apologize. And uh, you totally don't have to answer even if you can.

[Just making that clear, and Chris still feels kind of like a jerk for deciding to go ahead, but he's too curious not to.]

So you're like... Physically and mentally adult or adultish, but you only have five months of actual experiences?

[thechoiceisyours]

Wow. That um... That must be really difficult.

[It's hard enough to judge what to do and why with nearly twenty years of experience, let alone five months.]

[thechoiceisyours]

[Chris smiles at a little at that.]

Yeah, apparently. Since you've um, been here in Hadriel awhile I'm guessing a lot of stuff you've learned has been here? Anything that particularly stands out?

[Since this place definitely leads to acquiring some strange skills and knowledge.]

[thechoiceisyours]

[Cursing is really important, okay?

And wow, that's not the response he's expecting and he gives a surprised but genuine laugh.]

Those have been uh, the big topics of discussion lately, yeah. But I mean, they're not actually the most important things to humans. All humans. All the time, anyway.

[A pause.]

Uh, as for the library, there's some stuff in there to read but... Yeah. Even if you can understand it it's usually not anything actually interesting. I started a whole organizing project thing, but didn't really do much with it.

[thechoiceisyours]

Food.

[It's an immediate response but it's also still kind of a joke; he realizes belatedly it might not come across that way though, and so he adds--]

But no, seriously, people all have really different priorities, and they um... Change really fast, too. Depends on the situation and your personality what's the like, utmost important thing, though.

[He raises his eyebrows slightly at Shadow's last comment.]

I uh, appreciate the sentiment, but I can reach the top of a bookshelf. I'm like six feet tall.

['Like' because he is not actually six feet tall but damnit he will pretend he is because close enough.]

[thechoiceisyours]

Do you want the same thing all the time?

[It isn't pointed, just a question, because who knows maybe Shadow really does only find one thing important. Chris just doubts it, and this is a good way to point that out if not.]

I'm pretty sure. I mean, I've been in the library, so I know I can reach the top of the bookshelves.

[thechoiceisyours]

That's uh... Not exactly an answer.

[But he'll let it go if Shadow insists.]

Okay, awesome. I'll check next time I'm over that way, thanks.

[thechoiceisyours]

[Chris offers an innocent shrug.]

Nothing. I just, you know. A goal, even if you're set on it, isn't necessarily always the most important thing at every moment.