15th Short - [Action/Video] (Forward-dated to Friday the 16th)

[kingofwaste]

[The day started off like any other day for Oswald. He rolled himself out of bed, spent half an hour trying to wake his lazy mechanical cow, checked the journals and got to work on his model of Wasteland. He was just making some real headway on Bog Easy when he realized he'd run out of suitable parts.

Early in the afternoon, he decided to scavenge the stores for useable supplies. Match sticks, glitter, screws and nails... Anything he could get his hands on. He'd learned a long time ago that even the most worn junk could still be recycled- Wasteland prided itself on that art. He was just going through a box of small gadgets when his eyes fell on a familiar device. A remote. His remote. It'd been created to control Beetleworx, but it could essentially hack into most machines in Wasteland. One quick press of a button told him enough. The remote's broken.

From that point on, people can find Oswald sitting by the base of the fountain, screwdriver in one hand and the remote in the other. It's been a long time since he last held the device in his hand, but he still remembers what makes it tick. Fixing it should be done in a jiffy. ... Is he humming It's A Small World while he works? He sure is!]


[Video]

[It's been almost two years since Oswald first arrived in Luceti and he's been plagued with doubts lately. Doubts about what it means to have left Wasteland. To have made so many friends since he first arrived here. Not just fans- actual friends. Mostly, he's wondering if perhaps he's already regained what he lost so long ago without realizing it. How would he check? He may be a toon, but he can't reach inside himself to feel around for it.

So he decides to turn to the journal system when he returns to his apartment later in the day.]

Hey folks, I got a question for y'all. I'm not really lookin' for one answer in particular, so be as elaborate as you like. That is... What do you think it means to have a heart?

Comments

[video]

[sketchingideals]

[Jeb wonders why Oswald might be asking, but he doesn't ask about it--he just answers.]

I think doing your best to make people happy and being a good person helps you have heart. It's good to be selfless and kind to people you don't know, and to be loving to the people you consider close! I think those things not only make up what it means to have a heart, but helps spread beauty around in places and situations that might not have enough of it.

[video]

[kingofwaste]

Yeah? That's a pretty good answer.

[He wishes that kind of logic would've worked in Wasteland. They'd all have been able to leave again long before the Thinner Flood happened. ... Well, except for some of the Petes, they'd still be stuck there. Trouble is, they weren't dependent on loving each other, they were dependent on being loved by an outside source.]

I'll bet you've got a lotta heart then, huh Jeb?

[video]

[sketchingideals]

I'm glad you think it's a good answer!

[And then he blushes at Oswald's next few words, flustered.]

Mmm... do you really think so? Well, I guess I do. [Sometimes he still has doubts. He does care deeply about things (perhaps a little too much, even), and he's as kind as he can be to others. But he still... feels so negatively about himself. How can he really be a good person if he does that? Surely, hating yourself can't be an exception...]

[video]

[kingofwaste]

I wonder if there's some way we could spread more of that in Luceti. A project, ya know, like Hydra Social. [...] Well, I guess groups like the S.O.S. Brigade and people who work in the Welcome Center are already hard at work on spreading help and cheer.

[video]

[sketchingideals]

You're right, they are. But, I also I think we could always use more people who try to spread happiness! You can never have enough help and cheer, right?

[video]

[kingofwaste]

Yeah, that's right! This place'd be pretty dull without it, anyway.

[video]

[sketchingideals]

Then we can work together to spread even more! That sounds like a good plan, right?

[video]

[kingofwaste]

Sure does! Two heads are better than one and two laughs are... Uh... louder than one!

[video]

[sketchingideals]

[That makes Jeb laugh, and there's a tone of appreciation that goes right along with it.]

That's definitely true, isn't it? And I think we'd make a good team with something like this anyway.

[video]

[kingofwaste]

Sure would! Hey, speakin' of which, how's the penpallin' going?

[video]

[sketchingideals]

I got a letter from my current one last month, and I probably should write him back! Thanks for reminding me, Oswald. [A small nod.] Keiichi seems like a really nice guy! I hope we can be friends.

[video]

[kingofwaste]

I hope so too- that's the whole point o' the project! [He laughs.]

Just don't forget again, okay? I don't wanna end up havin' to hassle ya next month.

[video]

[sketchingideals]

You're right! [Laughing right along with him.]

I won't forget, don't worry. I don't really want you to have to hassle me, either. Or do anything that would be bothersome.