Futureverse

[oneblackcat]

PSL with Athena. AKA That Game With Insane Amounts of Worldbuilding.

More here later, yada yada yada.

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[vivalamorte]

Mamoru is torn between humor and embarrassment hearing that old moniker again. He laughs.

"I'd almost forgotten you used to call me that! This is such a great surprise - it's so good to see you again! What inspired this?"

Mamoru doesn't mean it in a bad way, but he's a little surprised that Goku even remembers him at all. He was so young when their parents split.

[solaris9]

The name just kind of slipped out. Of course he knows now that it's not his real name, but it feels weird calling him anything else. His brother doesn't seem to mind too much?

"Hmm, I dunno. Were we doing projects about genetics and stuff in bio. But that's not all of it, really. I always wondered what happened to you after we moved away. I thought I could ping you, and there you were."

He tilts his head and looks at him curiously and with some wonder. It's not everyday you find your brother.

[vivalamorte]

It's pretty touching Goku wondered, though in a way it seems natural, too. He did lose his mother along with his brother. Mamoru wonders if Goku's dad found another partner quickly - or at all for that matter.

"You had good timing! I just got home. I tutor people after school for extra money. Tell me what's going on! What's life like for you now?"

[solaris9]

"Life's okay, just school and friends and gaming. And Hak-Nii and Dad. We moved around lots for a few years, but we've been in New Osaka for a couple years now. I like it. What about you? How's Mom?"

It's strange to ask about his own mom. Most of Goku's own friends have both their parents, or at least keep in touch with them, if not. But Goku's not really mad about that. It would be nice to know them better, though. Especially now that they've finally settled somewhere and don't have to get going again any time soon.

[vivalamorte]

It sounds like Goku's life is nice and normal. School, friends, gaming. The moving around sounds disruptive though. Mamoru's sort of glad that he's been able to stay in the same city.

"Mom's--" Mom's what? The answer waits on the tip of his tongue for half a second. "Mom's good. She misses you."

'Good' might not be the best descriptor, but that wasn't baggage to be bringing up as the first thing Goku heard about her. Mamoru doesn't know if he's seen her truly happy in years, and he's certain that not having one of her kids in her life at all is a big factor in that.

[solaris9]

"Ooh."

His brother doesn't tell him much at all, so Goku only has the last bit to think about. He suddenly feels a bit guilty, having waited so long to look them up.

"I should call her, huh?"

[vivalamorte]

Mamoru works his jaw for half a second and almost manages a quick inner debate over whether that's a good idea or a bad one before answering:

"Yeah... I think she'd like that."

Maybe. She'll probably start crying, is Mamoru's guess. Emotional overload. Hm.

"--How about save it for this weekend? Friday night or Saturday?"

[solaris9]

Mamoru looks weird about it.

Goku wonders if maybe he said the wrong thing. It's been a while since he's talked to his brother and mother. Maybe there's a reason for it. Maybe Mamoru isn't telling him everything.

"Is she okay?"

[vivalamorte]

There is surely a very right and a very wrong way to respond to this question. The question is, which way is the very right one? How much information is too much information?

"She's okay. I think waiting for the weekend is better because she won't have to work. That makes better timing... That's all."

[solaris9]

"Hmmm okay."

Goku wonders for a moment if that's it, but he decides not to press. Besides, he'd like to catch up with his brother instead!

"So what're tutoring? You said you're in school? What are you doing?"

[vivalamorte]

"I offer in math, science, and history. I graduate this spring and have a scholarship to Neo-Tokyo U where I'll be majoring in engineering. General for the first year and moving into a specialty after that."

It's a safe category. Engineers will always be needed, and it tends to pay well. And NTU was one of the top-ranked colleges in the country.

[solaris9]

"Wow. Sounds like you're real smart." He grins. Not that Hak's not smart or anything, but he's more of a different kind of cool.

"What're you gonna do after?"

[vivalamorte]

Smart, maybe. Growing up on strapped income, seeing the toll that it takes on an adult, can make for a pretty good motivator to study hard and focus on building a future that will give you the financial freedom to pursue more than the best deals. And he did have the benefit of an in-home teacher that stressed the importance of doing well in school his whole life. Which was all to say that Mamoru attributes most of his academic success to hard work and circumstance.

"I'm not sure. The advantage of spending the first year in general engineering is that it lets you sample all of the different fields to see what you like. What about you? Do you have any plans for yourself after school?"

[solaris9]

"Hmm, I dunno yet. It'll be nice to just settle down somewhere for a while and see what's interesting."

Having traveled around a bit, it's kind of hard to imagine what kind of a steady gig you can really have. But he's willing to give it a try.

[vivalamorte]

It's a funny contrast, though not an unfitting one. Mamoru is so accustomed to structure, direction and clarity of objectives. It's hard to envision this wait-and-see approach Goku seems to be taking. It's so easygoing (like Goku himself, or at least what Mamoru remembers of him).

"That sounds relaxing. I hope you find something interesting without trouble-- and that it doesn't turn out to be trouble itself."

It's an easy destination for the young and aimless.

[solaris9]

"I'll find something, I think," Goku says confidently. In a way, he might be interested in too many things. But he's got some ideas already, and he's pretty sure he'll fall into something eventually. How hard can it be?

"I think I'll move to the city after I graduate. Maybe we'll see each in person?"

[vivalamorte]

"I'd like that," Mamoru says with interest. "Who knows, we might even see each other in person before that."

[solaris9]

"Yeah! We can go out to eat or something. Is that dumpling shop still there? The one we used to go to lots?"

Of course he remembers.

[vivalamorte]

"I'm not sure. We moved to a different part of town after the split. I haven't been out there in a long time. But I know a few reliable places where we are now."