Happy birthday, Mayday 🎉

[ateamrocket]

[I. Pippi post #1 (August 14th)]
MAYDAY (UN: proper-rocket) posted:
I think I’ve heard people who leave here and come back say it’s like no time passed at all back home.

So is there any point to tracking time here?
Does it matter?

Sorry for the lowkey existential crisis.
Just got a lot on my mind.

[II. Turnbloom City]
[August 14th. So it’s come again. Mayday sits outside in Turnbloom City, staring at the sky. She kind of already regrets posting that message but oh well. She’s not doing anything in particular, just loitering in her Rocket uniform as per usual. I figured I’d include this in case you wanted to accost her in person, lol.]

[III. Pippi post #2 (Later in the month)]
MAYDAY (UN: proper-rocket) posted:
Come by Grand Theater Hall in one hour if you want to watch an ass kicking

[There's a selfie attached, a young woman in a casual, punk-ish outfit with pinkish red hair sticking out her tongue and posing with an altogether unfamiliar looking Pokémon in front of Grand Theater Hall in Turnbloom. She’s holding up an entry slip for a Normal Rank contest.]

[IV. Wildcard]
[Want to do something else? Hit me up. I'm open for whatever and happy to brainstorm if you want to hit me up via PM or on plurk carrieface! Feel free to use prose instead of brackets - I’ll match you!]

Comments

1, un:a

[domeinion]

It's convenient from a personal standpoint to see how long things have been from your own perspective, but when it comes to interdimensional time passage and the differences between planes, it can be a little confusing. If it's been ten years for you but no time outside but also a lot of time because you're tracking something that moves back and forth sometimes hundreds of years, and then other dimensions start to add themselves to the list, at some point you just stop counting, at least if you no longer age.

[ateamrocket]

[Wow that’s sure a block of words.]

You speaking from personal experience?

[domeinion]

Essentially. At least time here in Ultern seems to be passing! You could be stuck in a void between dimensions, nothing ever progresses there until you reemerge in a world.

[ateamrocket]

… you speaking from personal experience there too?

[domeinion]

My life is a little strange. Most hosts' are.

[I; who let the baby on social media...]

[serperiority]

[It takes Trip a while to reply! He's very smart and he can read very well, although "existential" is a new one... but writing is still a little challenging.]

Trip (alderfan) replied:
We are still alive though. Ultern is a world too even if its a diffrent world and not the same one we were born in. Time is important! Ex: birthdays.

[ateamrocket]

Important, huh?

What’s so important about a birthday?

[serperiority]

Trip (alderfan):
Presents!!! Cake!!! Parties!

[A moment later, after some thought, another reply:]

Having friends over I guess. But mostly cake and presents.

[If you have any?
Trip's parents aren't usually around, so it's either a bunch of relatives he only sees a few times a year or a small, private party with maids, especially as he's not the best at socializing... he's too shy, so, maybe smaller parties are a little better and quieter.]

[ateamrocket]

What are you, six?

[Seriously, getting so excited about that sort of thing…]

I guess those are alright. I never had much in the way of parties and presents as a kid. Not many friends either.

But maybe I should do something…

I [Mayday receives philosophizing back, because that's what Ai does]

[starinheaven]

["Rocket" makes her wary, but... it shouldn't be too scary if it's just in text, right? It's not like anyone can trace her location just from this... hers is a very common name, too!]

Ai (windsong)
Do you think living is less important if it happens out of time or if it affects nothing else?

An experience is precious, even if only you remember it, isn't it?

let’s get DEEP up in here

[ateamrocket]

[Mayday stares at the comment for a while. Takes out a cigarette and lights it. Hoo boy.]

Damn. You’re really doubling down, huh?

I guess so. Never thought about it too much. Never really had to.

I just think about how I’m getting older here, but they’re all probably staying the same. There’s a disconnect. A divide that widens the longer I stay. If I left here today, would I go back to my body from 2 years ago, or would I just be perpetually out of place now?

Not knowing kinda fucks me up,

[yup... reference to religion]

[starinheaven]

Ai (windsong) replied:
I see... I understand, my body and my mind didn't match either. Many years go by, but I never look as old as I feel... in other ways, I don't feel any different. It's confusing, isn't it?

From what I've heard, you'll go back to the body you had then... I'm sorry it's hurting you so much.

[It wouldn't be like that for Ai, would it? She had no body to return to... perhaps she'd go to Heaven if she left Ultern.]

[ateamrocket]

Eh it’s alright
It’ll pass

[Hopefully.]

So you’ve experienced this kind of thing before?
How do you deal with it?

Do you still have all your memories?
Do you know if people who leave here keep theirs?

II [1/2; he's an overgrown child sometimes, sorry]

[buson]

[Heeeey, there's his buddy!
Looking awfully distracted...

He'll take off his straw hat (it's still a great choice for sunny days and great to hide his face where he might be recognized!) and whistle! Think fast, Mayday, because it's flying towards you!]

II [2/2]

[buson]

[Ah. But it's a bit too heavy and drops, anti-climactically, mid-flight. What a short flight it was...]

... che.

It’s great never be sorry

[ateamrocket]

[Mayday reflexively looks down from the sky in the direction of the whistle, just in time to see the unfortunately anticlimactic flight. She stares at the hat on the ground for a moment, then snorts a laugh.]

What was that?

[I'm glad!!]

[buson]

What's it look like, Mayday? I was tryin' t'surprise ya!

[Buson snapped, before grinning again, picking up his hat and dusting it off.]

You were all spaced-out, I just wanted to keep you on your toes! What's eatin' you?

III

[lovelycharming]

[James would wince at the language, but! Become absolutely overjoyed at the "rocket" in that username!!! Oh, he'd absolutely have to ask...! The pinkish-red hair also has him hopeful... no, it's not the exact same shade as Jessie's and he did hear of another red-headed Rocket, oh, but he wouldn't want to expose her if she's trying to be low-key...

He'll have to direct message her if she allows it!

But also...]

𝓙. (capcollector) replied:
Who's that Pokemon?!

Are you perhaps a Pokemon Coordinator?

[Is that Pokemon rare and valuable?! He might find Jessie if there's Pokemon Contests here, but also, is that valuable?!]

[ateamrocket]

Why don’t you stop by and find out for yourself?

[Which question is that in answer to? Yes.]

[lovelycharming]

𝓙. (capcollector) replied:
Gladly!

[Should he dress up? He's not competing, no, and he doesn't particularly like the fancy dress Pokemon Contests in Sinnoh favoured... it reminded him too much of his family's elaborate balls!

But, going in Team Rocket uniform or shorts felt inappropriate. The kariyushi seem to be acceptably formal, so maybe he should just don a pair of pants with them... there, that should do it! A nice hat might help keep the sun off, too.

James headed to the Grand Theater Hall! It shouldn't take him longer than a half hour or so!]

[ateamrocket]

[It’s a pretty nice day, so Mayday is sitting outside still, on a bench not far from where she took the selfie. She seems to be going over a small notebook.

If James approaches, the tall, dog-like pokemon with her will take half a step in front of her defensively. At this, she’ll look up from her studying and offer a half-interested raise of the eyebrows and a smirk.]

Oy. How’s it going?

[Her voice sounds vaguely Galarian.]

Turnbloom

[radleyslittleevie]

[Evie the Eevee comes walking along and tilts her head curiously.]

Are you lonely? You look lonely.

[ateamrocket]

[Mayday looks down from the sky, about eye level, lingers there for a moment expecting a person, then drops her gaze lower to Evie when she realizes.]

Oh, it’s the talking one. Hey. That’s still really weird.

[She faintly chuckles.]

Do I? … Maybe so.

[radleyslittleevie]

I love to talk!

Can I help?

[ateamrocket]

I can tell. But are you sure you want to help a big bad Team Rocket member?

[She leans down a little, holding up her hands like scary(?) claws in performative menace.]