maskormenace | 02 | video (backdated to the 27th)

[the video opens to the sound of the Thanksgiving dog show in the background and Jonathan settled contentedly on the couch, clad inexplicably in a turtleneck featuring the four Pac-Man ghosts. he smiles cheerfully.]

This isn't my holiday, but I hope that everyone who celebrates has been having a good time. I'm not entirely certain what purebred dogs have to do with being thankful, but I'm certainly grateful for the opportunity to watch them.

I never realized that dogs would be among the things that had changed in the future, but I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise. People are always looking to improve their breed however they can.

Perhaps it's a bit childish, but owning a dog again is one of the things I'm looking forward to most when I finally feel able to leave the government housing. It's been a while since I've had a pet.

[he scratches his cheek, the smile becoming a tad nostalgic for a moment of two. the television announces the start of judging for the hound group and he shakes himself out of it easily with a roll of the shoulders.]

Ah, but I hadn't meant to simply chatter away about inanities! I've been thinking about this for a bit, and I wanted to ask someone who was more experienced in the matter - how does finishing one's education work here?

There's no way I could prove my qualifications, after all, but I'd like to finally graduate if at all possible. It's the principle of the thing.

[finally completing his degree feels kind of like a symbolic closing of the worst chapter of his life, even if in Heropa that wasn't technically true. and it would give him a little more confidence in perhaps looking for a job actually related to his field of interest.]

Thank you for your time.

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[he's an archaeologist, not a programmer. :( give him a set of Egyptian embalming tools and he'd be way better than with this newfangled shit.]

I don't think we'd be advancing at all if we didn't make mistakes along the way. Mistakes are almost as good tutors as the instruction books.

Yes, a friend mentioned there being some sort of loan program for imPorts. I do hope that they allow me to prove my aptitude somehow, though - although I'm willing to repeat all four years, I'd really rather not if I can somehow avoid it.

That's what's fun about it. If it were easy, I'd get bored.

[Killua can be pretty simple sometimes, too. It just takes the chances and right opportunities.]

I beat him at wrestling but I don't think he's smart enough to recognize me again when I try to train him.

If that's the case you may simply have to ingrain the habits you want him to observe so deeply that he'll follow them regardless of who gives the commands.

[reptiles aren't as smart as mammals, or even some species of birds, so the methods of going about this would obviously be different. that or Killua's going to have to wrestle him every time he feeds him.]

I don't imagine that if they allow testing in the high school years, they'd refuse to allow the same in the university level education You might ask at the offices at the Heropa University? Or ask John Mandrake, Houka Inumuta, or Light Yagami what they've been facing with their university courses.

I was thinking along those lines, too. That's going to end up taking a little while, though, and Gon's kind of impatient...

[Not that he's a saint either, but.] I'll just see what I can do from there.

[ computers are the future HACK THE GOVERNMENT etc. ]

That's a nice way of looking at it. Very positive.

Ah, no. I asked him but he said he "thinks it's short for something."

[Jayden's not communicative sometimes.]

...did you just bow to the cat?

Ah, well, I wanted to say hello and she is a lady...

[he thought it was kind of funny right up until someone noticed NEPHEW WHY]

You'll have to tell him that he's going to have to tolerate the slow going if he wants this done correctly. Animal training involves a great deal of repetition and small steps.

[especially when you aren't working with an animal that has any sort of inclination to learn from you, but that kind of goes without saying.]

I don't think I really have much more knowledge than you on the subject, but if you'd ever like a hand with things I'd be more than willing to help.

I looked into it until I realized every major was boring, yeah.

[he's 120+ years too old for this shit someone park him in a museum exhibit and shut off the lights]

Thank you. I've been told I'm something of an insufferable optimist, but it's really important to keep your spirits high when learning new things. Becoming discouraged doesn't help at all.

All of them?

[mild disbelief there, he's sorry grandson]

[Gosh. He kind of half-smiles.]

You really are unbelievable.

What kind of dog do you want?

It's fine when you put it like that, but when you actually have to tell him these things, it goes right through...

[He'll hear what he wants to hear. But he waves that away with a smile, afterwards.]

Anyway, it's okay. We all know what we're doing, so the alligator will be fine, too. But I'll definitely call you if we need anything.

[he ducks his head sheepishly, kind of instinctively taking that to be meant in a less than positive way before he mentally rights himself.]

I'm not entirely sure on what I'd like to own this time, but I've always had a particular soft spot for the larger breeds. People only see how intimidating they are most of the time and don't realize what loyal companions they make.

I believe that I'm supposed to speak with Mr. Mandrake about money matters anyway, so I'll be certain to ask him that as well.

[he exhales softly, then smiles]

Even the possibility to return to school is quite exciting, I have to admit. It feels as if I've been away for far longer than I truly have.

[maybe Gon's the one that needs a little friendly training rather than the alligator. but Jonathan only half means it, and he keeps the joke to himself.]

I'm glad. If it isn't too much trouble, I'd be grateful to be called if you manage to teach him anything particularly spectacular - I'm interested in seeing how much a reptile can be taught in the way of parlor tricks, to be perfectly honest.

What field of study are you looking to complete?

Archaeology. It's been my passion for some time even before beginning university.

Archaeology?

[ Sounds familiar, but nothing immediately springs to mind as for why it does. ]

I can't really imagine being intimidated by a dog. But people are odd that way.

Definitely! I'll teach him something cool and show it off later!

[Finally, an adult who isn't scolding them about it! Support! With that, though, he switches the call back to normal instead of private.]

I was that way once, when my father had first brought Danny home. It's a fear born of ignorance and misunderstanding; the easiest way to dissipate it is to spend time around the animals and keep an open mind.

It's the study of people and cultures of the past, typically through analyzing artifacts that have been left behind. It's really a fascinating field of study.

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02 | video (backdated to the 27th)

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just watch me have already asked this for her and then forgot

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just say the answer was so boring she forgot