UN: Probablecaws

[foolishjustice]

[Some people might have noticed Goro's had his hair tied up with a black ribbon since his birthday. The more observant might have also noticed a topaz stud in his right ear since that same date. Now both things are clearly visible when he appears on screen, with an expression as though he's mulling something over.]

A lot of us have been here for several months now, and some of us have been in other unfamiliar worlds for longer...that sort of thing can have an impact, and change your outlook in ways you could never expect. It's changed my entire future...no, given me one, when the path I was on before would have destroyed me.

So, I've been wondering. Has anyone else here changed in ways that they expect to influence what they do with their lives when they go back home? And, if so...have any of those people had to put real thought into what it is they want to do, because their previous long-term plans aren't...something they can do anymore, for whatever reason?

If you don't want to share, that's perfectly alright. This is just a bit of...academic curiosity, really.

Comments

[plentyfriendly]

I see. In that case, it sounds like they're doing exactly what they should be.

[foolishjustice]

I...certainly hope so. But I have to wonder, what comes next? After those situations are resolved, and the person possibly has to deal with all of their long-term plans being uprooted.

[plentyfriendly]

That's something that those people have to answer for themselves.

[foolishjustice]

I...did say I was just asking out of curiosity.

[Except, he's blushing like he got caught at a lie...]

[plentyfriendly]

You're doing a terrible job at hiding what you really wanted out of this right now, you know.

[foolishjustice]

[Grumblehuff...sigh.]

...Before my month spent at the mall, I didn't think I would even reach nineteen. What happened there changed my expectations for my future entirely, and my birthday was a few days ago, but, while I knew I wanted to continue to college, when someone asked me about it, I had to tell him I don't know what I want my major to be.

I'd never thought about what I would do after high school, since I thought until recently that I wouldn't live to graduate. I was hoping I could get advice from other people who have had to completely change their plans for the future.

[plentyfriendly]

I thought you were going to say that you were moving to another world or something like that.

[She had a few of those, most of them out of necessity.]

In that case, though, what do you enjoy doing?

[foolishjustice]

I will be visiting others frequently, but I have responsibilities in my own.

[He looks thoughtful for a moment.]

I haven't really thought much about what I'd enjoy doing. One of the mistakes I was making was neglecting my own wants in favor of what would make the best impression on others.

[plentyfriendly]

That is supposedly pretty easy to do. I've always been a very unusual person, so I can't say that's something I have firsthand experience with, but on the other hand...

[Actually no, she winces at her own thoughts. The first person that comes to mind who's concerned with his appearance is one of the last people on this or any Earth that should be acting on his own wants.]

[foolishjustice]

The culture I grew up in didn't especially do me any favors in that regard. It's not uncommon for people to feel pressured to conform to others' expectations, rather than what they want to do.

[plentyfriendly]

[Oh, good, she doesn't have to talk about that guy.]

At least for the time being, you're not in that culture. It's a good time to evaluate what what you want is, so you can stay the course once you return.

[foolishjustice]

That's what I've been trying. It just...recently occurred that I haven't thought much about my future, beyond planning to go to college.

[plentyfriendly]

Hey, at least you're thinking about it at all. A lot of people don't.

[foolishjustice]

Someone mentioned something a couple days ago that got me thinking. It's a little difficult to answer a question about your planned major when you don't know what you want to do with it.

[plentyfriendly]

From one perspective, no experience is a waste if you take away something from it.

From another... well, let's just say for some people their career chooses them.

[foolishjustice]

That's sort of what happened with my old career. I kind of stumbled into being a detective in the course of addressing things that were a little close to home. But...I'm not going to be able to do that much longer.

[plentyfriendly]

That's a good skillset to have. I mean, if nothing else it probably did you some good during that mall incident you mentioned earlier.

[She did do some of her own reasoning, there - one month is way too long a time for any normal mall visit, and the murder sign exists.]

You don't have to tell me more about that if you don't want to, but I'd be interested in hearing about it.

So why's the career change necessary, then?

[foolishjustice]

[...Ah.]

It was very useful the first Friday, yes. And...perhaps a little the second Thursday.

[If she really knows what he means, he won't need to elaborate.]

I'm likely to have a criminal record soon. And even if I get all of the charges dropped on grounds of coercion, I'm still certain to be ruled unfit to serve as a police officer.

[plentyfriendly]

How was it always Friday, anyway?

[It beggars belief, that.]

That sounds like it'd be a problem for several careers, not just your current one, though if the possibility of dropped charges exists that's at least something.

[foolishjustice]

Something I was wondering, myself. My own actions were put off until the last minute, but others didn't have a time limit.

[It really is eerie.]

Fortunately, what I did is...well outside of my home's jurisdiction, and I've already been punished for it besides. The charges I'm most worried about sticking are non-violent, and I would be tried as a minor. But my country is very strict about professions that involve handling firearms.

[plentyfriendly]

As well it should be. There were a lot of gun control debates when I was growing up that seemed to do nothing to stop the number of mass shootings.

[foolishjustice]

Japan has its share of societal problems, but I can at least say that gun violence isn't one of them. The sorts of firearms available to civilians are limited to what you would use for hunting, and even that requires regular mental evaluations.