◎ Bout 2: The age question [action/voice]

[thunderfists]

[action]

[Akihiko's been adjusting well enough to Luceti following the crash back to reality that Luceti was a different world that was not the TV world he was supposed to have appeared in. He's back to a "civilized" level of hygiene and no longer running around in survival pants and a cape -- no, now he's back to sweatpants and T-shirts for his jogs and training. He can be found jogging on the village roads and into the forest, which he's now fairly familiar with after spending so much time out there.

Later in the day, after he's finished with his training for the day, he opens up his journal. Ever since that "experiment," he's been wondering something. But before he asks, he should probably introduce himself...]

[voice]

Hey. I'm Akihiko Sanada. I arrived here in the recent ... cycle. I guess that's what you call it. I've heard that I might have met some people here before, so I thought I'd warn you that I don't remember ever being in Luceti.

Anyway, I've got a question. How do you decide when to celebrate or acknowledge your birthdays here? There can be a lot of different kinds of calendars, even in the same world, so... I'm curious how other people handle it.

Also, if anyone knows how I can get my hands on a speed bag, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

Comments

[emp3thy]

[He.... can possibly see why, if this is all they sold. There's not a big market for capes.] I thought maybe you'd gotten it overseas.

[thunderfists]

Oh no. This is an antique. [He's not using this word the way it should be used.] Not everyone has a boxing cape.

[The way he speaks, it's like he's using an actual term.]

[emp3thy]

...A boxing cape?

[Yeah, he didn't know there was a term.

...Are you sure there's really a term?]

[thunderfists]

Yeah. You know, like how professional boxers wear boxing robes before and after matches. I got myself a boxing cape.

[It's a term. That he may have been was real.]

[Action]

[keepitcanine]

[It doesn't take very long for Kiba to get that they're being followed. Not that it bothers him. The other guy's keeping up pretty good, really. Can't say he's seen him before though. His scent's not really familiar either. Huh.

New guy. Cool.

He'll let the chase go on for a few minutes, letting Akamaru carry him from tree to tree without much of a hitch, just to see how well the other guy keeps up. Mostly because he's curious, but he's also easily amused and an occasional jerk, so there's that, too.

Eventually, however, he'll nudge Akamaru down to the lower branches where the both of them will be easily visible, pulling back to a considerably slower pace as they jump along.]

Hey!

[A bark.]

You're pretty fast for an apparently normal guy.

[emp3thy]

I.... see.

[He's not sure it's accurate. A cape is not a robe.

But, whatever makes his senpai happy...] Did you wear it for school matches?

[thunderfists]

Sure did. [He sounds pleased, thinking back on those days.] It was in better shape back then, but it's kept its color well.

[thunderfists]

[Yikes. And here he was, not even sure what day it was when he first appeared in this world.]

Just how different is the calendar that you'd have to count exact days?

[seleniahymn]

The calender of my world is nearly twice as long as the one here, even if I attempted to match the dates it would still not do so.

[It can be a real nightmare to try to keep up with two dates at the same time.]

[thunderfists]

[...Excuse him while he blinks hard at that comparison.]

Twice as long? [He comes to a realization shortly thereafter.] So you wouldn't even have a birthday every year.

[emp3thy]

[And... what did Shinjiro and Mitsuru say about this back then...]

A pink cape wouldn't suit you.

[repudiate]

Me neither. But the people in the village usually are, so I just assumed you were like that as well. Guess you're more one of the unique cases then.

[leadinglady]

... Experiment? What exactly happened?

[bravefighter]

Well... I actually forgot about my birthday, to be honest! I had to be reminded by some friends, haha. I just won't worry too much about it, I guess.

[seleniahymn]

No, I wouldn't. While you can say I had my 'birthday' here shortly after I arrived in November of the third cycle, the next one would not be until until January.

[Or so the math says, in all honesty she had never place much value into her birthday.]

[Action]

[thunderfists]

[He keeps up an accelerated pace as he goes after the blur, just under the upper threshold of his target heart rate. He can keep up, but avoiding trees and rocks along the way is starting to take its toll.

So he's inwardly a little relieved with the blur pauses-- and talks?

...]

And you're riding a giant dog.

[Unless this was the giant wolf he'd heard about.]

[thunderfists]

[It's possible it's a bad memory blocked.]

Yeah. It wouldn't suit you, either.

[Implying he would still have the pink cape long enough for Minato to use it.]

[emp3thy]

I don't think it suits me right now, either.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

Well, learning new names for the days of the week wasn't too difficult, but even now it still feels a bit strange for the seasons to go by so quickly. One year on Auldrant is almost twice as long as one year in Luceti.

[thunderfists]

[...That brings up a good question.]

Why did you end up wearing it, again? I know it had something to do with all of us having amnesia, but I never did get the story on you wearing my cape.

[thunderfists]

Everyone ended up forgetting who they are. Then, for some reason, we were all given cards with statements about ourselves.

[He pauses.] Except the cards weren't always correct.

[thunderfists]

[Well, he was talking more about birthday parties, but...]

If there's a lot of parties around here, I can't imagine keeping up with all of them. Sounds tiring, and not in the good way.

[emp3thy]

[> ....You wish he hadn't asked so directly.

Make up a lie
> This is Akihiko, just tell the truth]

The card said I was a caped crusader.

[Voice]

[thunderfists]

[Oh hey. He remembers that voice, that physique.] There usually isn't a reason, especially if you're on the road or just settling into a place. I wasn't even aware about a calendar for the first ... week or two. [Or maybe even three.]

[thunderfists]

[Lies are not usually well-taken by the man who has trouble holding back with his punches.]

...Like a superhero.

[Not really question there.]