The Aftereffects of Marathoning a Show in One Day

[funkyflow]

Hey, no! Uh, you shouldn't be sad. I can keep you company!

Or, they can! [ Steven gestures at the Dear Mun community. ] See? There's nothing to be upset about! Um...

[ He turns to a nearby character. ] Hey! I need help! This player needs cheering up!

Comments

[icanravetothis]

Oh man. I'm right on it, little dude.

[And how does Sour Cream cheer people up? By immediately pulling out his portable DJ kit and playing some kicking tunes.]

[funkyflow]

Oh, yeah, I love this one! [ He starts swaying somewhat awkwardly to the beat, glancing over at his player every so often. ]

I... think it's working?...

[icanravetothis]

If you're not sure, it just means that I've gotta try harder!

[New jam! And it looks like Sour Cream is getting into it, nodding his head as he manipulates the game consoles he's modded.] What's got 'em so bummed out, anyway?

[funkyflow]

And I've gotta dance harder! [ Steven just about double-times the speed at which he moves on the dance floor, which mostly involves waving around a lot. ]

I don't know! Everything was really great while he was watching the show until last night, and then... this! I think he might be tired.

[icanravetothis]

Right on, right on.

Yeah, man, there's a lot of your story to get through. Makes sense that marathonning it would wipe 'em out, y'know?

[funkyflow]

I guess it's been sort of a long ride! [ He counts them off on his fingers. ] My voice has changed, I've got new powers, we found out the gems are an alien race who are fighting a war over the planet Earth... we ran out of cookie cats...

[icanravetothis]

[Next track is mixed in while Steven's explaining himself.] Yeah? My mun isn't totally up to date with everything, but knows the general gist of what's going on.

Sucks to hear about the Cookie Cats, though. That's the real tragedy. [Said with a smile; he understands that the whole "interplanetary war" thing is hard to take. But jokes help to reduce the sting, right?]

[funkyflow]

Heh... [ He rubs the back of his head awkwardly, looking for a good side to that. ] Well... as long as we have good friends and sweet beats, none of that should matter, right?

Except when the Gems come to Earth. Then, it might matter if we can defend ourselves first.

[icanravetothis]

Well hey, hey, your, uh... gem dudes dance to do their thing, right? [That's classified information, Sour Cream!]

'cause who says we can't have a battlefield double as a dance floor, especially if it helps you guys?

[bootsandframes]

Ummmm....oh! I can let them borrow my Spirit Morph Saga books? That could cheer them up, right?

[funkyflow]

Hey, you're right! It'd give him something to do at least, right?

[herconfidante]

Well, what is it that has them upset?

[funkyflow]

I don't know. He says it's a lot of things! It sounds sort of complicated.

[herconfidante]

[ Pearl sighs, though her expression is gentle. She crouches down a bit, closer to Steven's level. ] Even if we wanted to help your new human friend, Steven, there's little we can do when we don't know what's ailing him. The first step to solving any problem is identifying it.

[funkyflow]

Well... I guess he really liked the show, but he ran out of episodes! Only there's more this week... but also, he wants to bring me to a game, and he doesn't know where, or even if he should!

[ Which all ends up being pretty complicated when he puts it like that. He looks up at Pearl hopefully. ] Can you help him?

[hollaholla]

Whoa, that sounds pretty serious Steven. [Said as.. blankly as usually.]

How can your mun feel down when he's busy hanging with you? That's like... impossible.

[funkyflow]

That's why I'm trying to help him! I don't know if it's working...

[hollaholla]

[He seems to be pretty deep in thought for a moment.]

...did you try singing for him or something? That's something you do, right?

[funkyflow]

Yeah, I've tried all my best songs! Wait, maybe he needs a new one.

[ He strums on his ukelele, humming a little as he finds the pitch. ]

Don't... let yourself be sad! Cause things aren't all that bad!
And if you're feeling blue, and don't know what to do,
Remember we are here with you!

[bootsandframes]

Right! And by the time he's finished I'm sure you can come up with something else.

[funkyflow]

Do you think so?

Hmm... hey, how about we come up with something else for him to do?

[bootsandframes]

Ah, sure! Okay.

[Putting on her best thinking face.]

Well, do you know what it is that bothered him in the first place...?

[funkyflow]

He just got sad after he ran out of show to watch. I came to try and help cheer him up, but he said he wants to bring one of us to a game and he doesn't know what to do about it!

[ He shrugs and sits down next to her. ] Mun stuff is complicated.

[bootsandframes]

Well a game isn't so bad. There are some nice ones out there I think.

[She nods a bit.]

I don't really understand mine sometimes. I don't think she knows what to do with me either.

[funkyflow]

Oh. Well, maybe that's more of a natural thing than we think? Has your mun been thinking about bringing you somewhere?