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

[personafalsify]

[ Well now that he mentions it... ]

Sort of. Well, most people disappear when it happens. But sometimes, they don't, and their body gets left behind. Those bodies... they look like normal people, but they don't have any hearts.

[kingofwaste]

And then they can't feel anything? Sheesh... I'd hate to have that happen to me!

[personafalsify]

That's what I've been told, yeah. It sounds... really bad.

... So why are you asking?

[kingofwaste]

[And suddenly his own heart problem seems insignificant in comparison.]

Oh, you know. Just... curiosity. Seein' what kinda standards people have for hearts.

[personafalsify]

[ He doesn't want to talk about it. Got it. ]

Where I come from, hearts... are really important. So losing yours is a big deal. I don't think anyone ever wants it.

[kingofwaste]

'Course not. Nobody likes losing something important. But... I think it's the kinda thing that you don't appreciate until it's gone, too.

[personafalsify]

... Maybe. I can't even imagine what it's like. But once it's gone, would you still miss it?

[kingofwaste]

I would. ...I don't think being aware that you lost somethin' important is an emotion either way. That's more like common sense.

[personafalsify]

Yeah, but... Would you still think it's important? Maybe without emotions, you wouldn't see to point to having them. ... Or maybe your memories would be enough reason to try to get your heart back. I never really asked.

[kingofwaste]

Hm... Yeah... [And yet that doesn't sit right with him either.] But would memories still be as powerful if ya don't feel the strong feelings they give you? Man, this is confusin'.

[personafalsify]

I think... you'd have to feel something. Even if it's just loss. It doesn't seem to make sense otherwise.

[kingofwaste]

Yeah, but then it wouldn't be loss of the regret kind, it'd just be... knowin' that you lost something, I guess.

[personafalsify]

I think you're right...

I don't know why they'd try to get their hearts back. Anything I can think of... seems like it needs emotions to be worth anything. I mean, you want to keep your heart, but if you lose it...

[kingofwaste]

Hm... Well, what if it's like... ambition? Like a need to be whole again, because if you're incomplete you're imperfect? Does that need emotions?

[personafalsify]

Maybe not. I think... they did want to be whole. So maybe that's it.