driftfleet | Video. "Welcome Back Hoi Hoi" Not an outdated pop culture ref at all.

Who: Takeshi, baby Hoi Hoi (aka a panda version of baby Groot) and you!

Broadcast: Fleetwide

Action: SS Goldstone

When: Now

[When the feed opens up, Takeshi is in hysterics. Tears streaming and face all twisted up and splotchy and deep sobs heaving in his chest.

At first, extremely concerning — but then, you see what he's bear hugging (no pun intended) against his bosom. It's a panda, soft and babyish, still big enough that he's a handful for a boy who looks six or seven, but also very small for a panda bear. He's in a little black suit, round eyes peering around with some confusion at Takeshi's... very emotional outburst.]

IT'S MY HOI HOI!! HE'S BEEN G-G-G-GIVEN B-BACK TO ME — I did the trial and he was there, he was alive, and it's him; he's here, even after I lost him, he's back...!

HE'S ALIVE AGAIN, AND HE'S HERE AND REBORNED, AND HE'S — HE'S — HE'S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL.

[He rubs his cheek against Hoi Hoi's fuzzy cheek, leaving a wet spot there, and he heaves a sob.]

I l-love you so much, Hoi Hoi. I'll protect you now, I'll always keep you s—safe...!!

[Hoi Hoi yawns, unaware of just how important this reunion is. Takeshi and his panda friend can be found in the captain's room; he's got him on his bed and is feeding him some of that synthetic milk from a bottle kindly given by a local. Near Hoi Hoi's foot is a half-destroyed fish plushy. Or maybe you find him in the kitchen, Hoi Hoi sitting on the table while Takeshi writes a thank you note to place in that temple later.

His best friend is alive, and everything is so good.

If you're passing back and forth you may find your leg suddenly clung to by said panda baby.

... And if you're interested in why this is a big deal for the lad, just read this completely awful and terrible thread featuring pet death from his last game.

God help you, though.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Sure. And there's a garden on the Iskaulit. I'm not sure who runs it.

Can I pet him?

Of course you can! You can hug him if you want; he loves hugs.

[ON CUE, the panda is wagging his arms at Mon-El.

Please, pick me up, love me.]

Oh! [A little surprised but before he knows it he's holding and hugging a panda which will ultimately ruin him for all other forms of hugging. Sorry, loved ones.] Hey, little fuzzy guy.

[Dude, Hoi Hoi is in Heaven. Lovin' this attention, bud.]

Have you ever had a pet before? It's nice when you're sad or you need hugs like that.

[Petting and snuggling a panda. Just all in a day's work. Don't mind him.] No. My mother wasn't fond of them. I can see why people like them though.

Yeah, my real mom didn't like animals neither. We never had any, but it's probably a good thing, 'cus I probably woulda had to keep it alive.

What kinda animal d'you think you'd want now?

I don't know. I've never really thought about it. [And he's not sure if he should limit his answers to pets possible on Daxam, Earth, or the fleet?] It does seem like there are a lot of pets on the ships though.

[Looking a little concerned.] Real mom?

[He nods with a thoughtful and solemn sort of nod.]

My real mom. My real dad died a long time ago, and she didn't really take care of me. She slept a lot and I had to get my own food when I was hungry. From the cupboards. And she didn't help me whenever her boyfriend was angry. [He shrugs, looking at his feet.] He was bad to her, too, sometimes... I don't know why she liked him.

[Oh, Takeshi. Mon-El looks at him with sad eyes and then very gently offers the panda back because panda hugs are helpful in these times.] I didn't realize that. Was there another mother then? [If there is a real mom is there a...fake mom? Maybe someone who was better to him?]

[He's more than happy to take Hoi Hoi back, to stroke his fur like he always did when he thought about sadder things or he felt not quite up to being a stronger self. Hoi Hoi is much smaller now, and Takeshi can't lean against his big belly to listen to the gurgling, but feeling him bury his nose against Takeshi's neck is an equally pleasant comfort.]

Mmhmm. I use her last name. She was on the last ship I was on, called the Tranquility.

Her — Heather and Mr. Ned, they were my parents there.

[He scrunches his nose, smiling a little.]

I have two dads, though. People said that was okay, to have two dads. So I got my dad from home — he adopted me! And I have Mr. Ned and Heather in space. I'm real lucky, you know, because some kids only get one of each.

[Mon-El has never heard of the Tranquillity. He wonders if it was another ship in this fleet that's gone now along with Heather and Mr. Ned, but he doesn't ask. He doesn't want to interrogate him when things sound kind of intense already. Instead, he just wraps a supportive arm around his captain's small back.] I think you should be able to have as many moms and dads as you want.

My... Kara has two of each too.

[Whoa! He blinks up, surprised. He doesn't usually hear about other people like him!]

She does? Two moms and two dads?

That's right. Her parents from the world she was born on and then parents who took her in on Earth.

Whoa...

How'd she get the parents on Earth? Was she visiting for a little bit?

She moved there completely and needed a family because... Because she couldn't go back to her home anymore.

Oh... I guess I know that feeling. I couldn't go back either. To my old house.

Did something bad happen to her planet? Was it other aliens?

No. It was just a natural thing. [There may have been ways to slow or stop it and there may have been ways they accidentally accelerated it, but in the end it undid itself.] The core of the world gave out, but she managed to get away in time.

[He's not sure if he should ask this part of a kid. It may be more than he wants to think about. But it also might be something he wants to talk about.] Why couldn't you go back?

[He sighs, smoothing Hoi Hoi's ears back.]

... I got killed... and I got brought back. In the special apartment, I got brought back.

[It doesn't entirely bother Takeshi to talk about, but adults seem troubled when he tells them. He's at least at the age where he realizes it's not normal, how he talks about what happened that day. But a lot of things are different for him than for other kids... He knows that for sure.]

[That is pretty intense. His expression softens and he's really at a loss for what to say for a moment. He puts and arm around him.] I didn't know. [And he's not sure how that works. When you're killed that's usually the end. He's heard of people here being from after their deaths but he speaks as if he was in a place at home after death too.]

[A shake of his head.

He expects the soured atmosphere, and he feels kinda bad to make it like that twice now.]

Not lots of people know.

... I don't want them to think sad things about me.

[Even if it's sad, sad shit.]

[Mon-El nods.] Then I'll just think about how brave you are because of it and how happy you are despite it. That way no one has to think sad things about you.

Video. "Welcome Back Hoi Hoi" Not an outdated pop culture ref at all.

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