babel_hacker | DAY 53

So my fourth (yep, 4th) anniversary of being here is coming up this weekend. Normally, I’d get all sappy and nostalgic about how long I’ve been here, as well as thinking about everything that’s just normal here compared to back home. And maybe ask for suggestions for what to do to celebrate yet another year in this world.

But I picked up one of those shiny feathers lying around earlier and I rather ask about that first.

So any ideas? Speculations? It’s the first time I see feathers like this around, so I doubt it’s a normal thing that happens. When I picked it up, I don’t feel anything different so it seems harmless.

But I wouldn’t be surprised if something happened. On the other hand, it’d be kinda nice if just an odd case of sudden shiny feathers and nothing terrible will pop up to torment us. I think the only thing against that is it’s still April and Halloween’s far away. On the other hand, maybe the Forces That Be might switched things around because following traditions is getting boring and think things need to get mixed up!

[Atsuro, no.]

Still… It kind of say something that after a while, I try to pinpoint any patterns in these sorts of things. Like sure, it might make some things easier. But on the other hand, somehow, this place always find a way to really surprise you when you don’t expect it. Like when you think you get into a routine and starting to think everything’s normal? Surprise!

Or maybe the surprise this time is just these feathers. Who knows?

...This is rather rambly. The thought of my fourth anniversary is coming up still get to me. [That and the dull aching homesickness.] So I guess I want to vent out my feelings into any topic.

But I’m still open to anniversary ideas. I’m in Goldenrod right now, if that helps with thinking up suggestions!

...Do you think it’s a bad idea to use these feathers as a quill pen?

[Atsuro.]

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[It doesn't take much for Atsuro to switch over to video. Because hey, this guy knows what's up.]

Thanks! I'm thinking of doing that, but I haven't been in Goldenrod in ages, so I'm not sure what's still here or not. I could bake a cake later and share it with everyone.

And yeah, it's something I thought up on a whim, but I'm thinking of giving it a try. A lot of discoveries do come from trials and errors, no matter what field it's in! Like what's the worst that could happen from using them as a quill pen? Changing the ink's properties?

Ah, that makes sense I suppose. Like I said, I'm relatively new here, so I'm probably not the best source of information about what's happening in Goldenrod, but baking a cake sounds fun to me! There's lots of science involved in baking a cake, after all!

...Well, a lot of things could potentially happen, it's just that the probability isn't very high. At least, it seems like weird things don't happen here all that often, so you're probably safe? [Wait to be reassuring Carlos.]

Ooh, you're fairly new? Stick around long enough and you can join the rest of us long timers in guessing what this place would come up with. And science can be fun sometimes! Although technology and software is more my thing.

[Hardware, data, programming, things he can manipulate with just his hands and a good, sharp mind.]

And even if something do happen, I have my team with me for protection. [Un...less he get separated from them.]

That's right. I've only been here for a little more than a month. Which. Seems like a long time to me, but for someone who's been here for years, that's probably nothing. Oh yeah? That's cool! I like building machines, myself, although, I tend to do so for scientific purposes.

Well, that is good to know. They must be really well trained and strong if you've been around so long.

Definitely! Most of my Pokemon are all really strong and well trained, and I'm working on raising my newer Pokemon right now.

And that's right. A month is barely any time here, depending on how busy it is and if you're on the road or in the cities. And ooh, what kind of machines?

That's great! So then I imagine you've won a lot of badges?

Yeah, it took me that long just to get to Goldenrod, and I'm still not quite sure what I'm doing here, exactly. Beyond exploring of course. Well, scientific equipment, mostly. Some of my own design! Mostly out of necessity. The town that I was living in has a lot of....oddities. So I needed a way to accurately measure dangerous situations. Thus, the danger meter! I'm quite proud of it, really. It's a highly scientific device that measures how dangerous a given situation is! It's come in handy numerous times!

That's right! All the badges from both Kanto and Johto!

[Which was difficult at first, and then get slightly easier as his team grew stronger.]

That's probably the most difficult part to decide! Since you don't know how long you'll be here for, you'll gotta fill in the time somehow. And that means deciding on what kind of path you'll follow here. Which might as well be picking out what kind of career you'll have here.

...A danger meter? That kind of thing exist?!

Wow, congratulations! You must be really good at battling!

....Yeah. I'm still not sure about that. My pokemon seems to want to battle, but I'm not sure how to feel about it. It seems a little....inhumane?

Yeah! It does now! It's a highly useful instrument, especially in a place where danger fluctuates so rapidly.

I'd like to say I am, but there's still a lot of things I'm still learning!

Well, think about it this way. Pokemon likes to battle because they want to, are competitive like being a sportsman or they want to prove themselves to others. And out in the wild, battling is like a natural part of survival.

And wow! Most I know are things that can read temperatures and pressures, not instruments that can read danger itself. Something like that just seems very...broad to measure, you know?

Well, that's how you know you're good! Anyone who says they're perfect at something clearly has a lot to learn, because that's an impossibility. There's always more to know or improve on.

Hmm. I do see your point. But then, maybe they won't want to battle so much when they realize I probably won't be very good at it....

Yes! It was extremely difficult to pin danger down, but well, being surrounded by various forms and intensities of danger on a nearly daily basis helped. That and the fact that Night Vale is a town where lots of science is a little....broken.

Probably! That's something you should try talking with your Pokemon about, so both parties know where they stand.

[And hopefully save a lot of trouble before they can start.]

A town where science is a little broken? Exactly how broken are we talking about? Minor inconsistencies? Outright breaking the laws of nature?

I'll try that. [He smiles.] Thanks.

Um. All of the above. Time doesn't work. Radiation levels are off the charts, but no one suffers from radiation poisoning. Librarians are actual monsters that kill people.

...How in the world did you guys live like that? Like I'm glad that there's no radiation poisoning but...

Yeah. It's--I mean, most of the town's been living there forever, and it's really hard to leave Night Vale once you get there, so they're just. Used to it. It's all many of them know. As for me, I nearly had a panic attack. Multiple times. But my research kept me going. That and um. My boyfriend.

So you lived in a town with twisted laws of known science and it's hard to leave. Which is probably because of said laws of science.

...But good thing you have them! Your research and your boyfriend, I mean.

Yes, pretty much! It's been quite the experience, I'll tell you that much.

Yeah. [He smiles rather fondly.] I'm very happy I have both those things.

DAY 53 - [Text]

[video] No worries, Atsuro can ramble back!

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