five ✚ stolen

[affectioning]

[ Scott is currently at the shelter-clinic. Behind him, there are obvious signs of remodeling and construction. He decided to get a jump on the day and to paint the new front desk. He looks a little confused as he addresses the network. ]

Morning, everyone. The clinic's coming along. We're still doing construction but the front desk is put together! [ A smile as he leans out of frame, leans back. He looks around. Huh. ] Hey, has anyone seen two brushes? I bought them yesterday along with paint. But, they seem to be gone? If you took them, it's cool, I just need them back. I only get so much money a month.

[ Which sparks an idea as he takes a seat on the unfinished desk. ]

Also, I've been thinking, when I'm not here I should get a part time job. Is anybody hiring right now? I only have experience at an animal clinic but I'm a quick learner. And I'm stronger than I look. [ A smile. You know, for when... he's a stock boy or something. He's advertising himself, okay? ]

Um, has anyone celebrated their birthday, gotten here, and realized it's just around the corner again? Would this make me 18? Do I skip the year? Lose it? I haven't even been 17 for two months. Should I do something? Can I? [ Is it not allowed. Maybe he'll be seventeen again? ] Just wondering.

[ ooc: Someone has raided the shelter! And taken two brushes and a can of paint. Feel free to admit it's you or to not! ]

Comments

video;

[anatural]

How do you know your birthday's coming up again?

video;

[affectioning]

Because, my birthday's on August 23rd. It's August 18th.

video;

[anatural]

Oh. I didn't know other places had the same calendar as here. [It's breath-takingly different than the calendar she knows.]

video;

[affectioning]

What do you have where you're from? Not months?

video;

[anatural]

We have months. Just not... these months. It's a lunar calendar. [She thinks. The calendar she uses isn't actually native to the Southern Water tribe, considering how many months of the year they have almost no night at all.]

video;

[affectioning]

How does it work?

video;

[anatural]

What do you mean?

video;

[affectioning]

Oh. Sorry. Your calendar.

video;

[anatural]

It works.....like a calendar? [Seriously. She has no idea what kind of answer you're looking for.]

video;

[affectioning]

[ WHAT EVEN. ]

I mean, if you don't have these months, what months do you have? [ What is he doing wrong here? ]

video;

[anatural]

We just number them. [She vaguely remembers her instructors going into something about animals being associated with different months, but she hadn't paid it much attention. The whole mythos behind it wasn't native to the Southern Water Tribe in the first place.]

video;

[affectioning]

[ What an anticlimactic answer. ] Oh. Do you number your years, too? Does it get confusing?

video;

[anatural]

Why would it get confusing?

video;

[affectioning]

We have names for months. So, August 23rd. But, saying it's Month... [ Give him a minute to do the easy, easy math. ] 8 and it's the 23rd in the year 2013? It's a lot of numbers. It might get confusing. In school we have to write out the date on the top of all of our assignments. I think the months having names makes it easier to keep track. Plus, I'll remember August more than the number 8. Unless you have more months than 12. Or, less.

video;

[anatural]

[Why's a name easier to remember than a number? She'd ask, but Scott's hit upon another cultural difference bound for confusion.]

You have to write the date on your assignments? [WEEEEEIRD. She's seen dates on newspapers and in ancient texts, but she's never needed a calendar or the date for her everyday life.] That sounds like a pain in the butt.

video;

[affectioning]

[ Because it's a name? And a name he grew up with all his life? Though, sometimes, he does write the date in all numbers. He just likes the option of the name. ]

Yeah. And my name. [ You're weird. ] It's not. [ It really isn't. ] Before starting, it's the first thing I fill out. Name and date.

video;

[anatural]

[Hey, they don't have schools like that where she comes from. Don't judge. She makes a face, but Naga butts her head on screen before Korra can continue to fail at this conversation.]

Woah, Naga! Watch it!

[The polar bear dog drops a squirming Mocha into Korra's lap and huffs, a clear indicator that she is done playing babysitter for a dog that should be old enough to know better.]

Mocha, what have you been doing?

[Sorry, Scott, you're forgotten. Animal emergency.]

video;

[affectioning]

[ He's not judging! Just getting to know you. Oh, he recognizes that big white polar bear-like dog. ]

Oh, hey, I know your - bear. On my first day here, she came up to me. She was really friendly. Her name's Naga?

video;

[anatural]

Polar bear dog. {Korra corrects distractedly -- her attention's on Mocha, who seems to be whimpering about something other than "Naga is mad at me."] Mocha, hold still!

[And then Mocha throws up.]

Ugh.

video;

[affectioning]

[ Oh. Oops. Vet mode. ]

Did she eat something she shouldnt've?

Re: video;

[anatural]

I don't know. She was playing outside with Naga and Hamlet...

[Now Korra's worried. Having thrown up the contents of her stomach, Mocha is now just lying on her lap.]

Naga, what happened?

[The polar bear dog doesn't have an answer, of course. But now she too noses the young dog with concern.]

video;

[affectioning]

[ Excuse his disgusting questions. ]

What is he throwing up?

video;

[anatural]

Uh... [Give her a sec, she needs to get a closer look at her lap.] I can't tell. It's been pretty well digested. It might be some kind of fish? [Except you'd have to get pretty deep in the ocean water to catch fish here, and Mocha isn't THAT strong a swimmer.]

video;

[affectioning]

[ A face. ]

Fish? Do you live my the water?

video;

[anatural]

Yeah, we live in the big house by the beach.