pop off, i guess

"Hey, Seren. How's it poppin'?"

Oh, so it's going to be one of those days. Seren deflates, just the slightest, at the repetitive words. "Off," they reply flatly, not to be rude, but just because, hey, if he's got his thing, they'll have theirs.

Al shakes his head, amused hangdog. "No, no. I say poppin', you say terrible, or terrific, which means..."

Ughhh. "Better than you. Even if I know nothing literally nothing about your day or if I've just woken up. Or if I don't wanna talk about it." Rare, but possible.

"Yeah, that's the spirit! Makes me a proud BLADE, to hear that. All the human feeling we can pack into these mims...really makes you feel alive! Y'know, when you're the only one without one. As in-"

Seren knows what he means. It's a sweet sentiment, to say that the two-month residents of NLA are a taste of home to the two-year hero of the White Whale, and that he doesn't feel alone based on his stark bodily difference. They're glad to contribute to that powerful, indomitable essence!

But. Crucial but.

"Do you actually care how someone's doing, when you ask that?"

Oh, burn. It's a different kind of coldness to the shoulder Elma had shown Al when he'd reappeared, one driven not by any sort of meaningful history but instead by surface-level interactions. See, Seren really doesn't like where all this is heading. But, they have to see it out. They ask the question with good reason. Or at least...some reason.

If Al's put off by the stern inquiry, he brushes it off just as quickly. "I mean, it's not really literal. More of a generic greeting."

Right. "I know, but...what's the point of saying it if you don't mean it?"

"Didn't say I don't mean it." Al gives the hint of a grin, tries bumping Seren's shoulder in jovial camaraderie. They're not having it, though.

"Isn't that exhausting?"

"Exhausting? Well, no, it's energizing. Gets me excited to see my buds - even more than I already was!"

It's...fine. It's harmless. Obviously, Al's enjoying himself when he says it, or else doing that white-people-cope thing that Doug does, and sometimes Frye too. Seren obviously can't fault him for that. It just helps them realize how much they really do prefer the usual gung-ho greetings of someone like, well, Frye, for instance - somehow they're easier to bounce off of. If it's nothing, it's nothing. But don't...pretend it's something, and then expect everyone to know that it's not?

"Al." He levels his gaze at them, ready-eyed. "I'll be your bud, on one condition."

"Anything, my friend." The bravado is more than a little bit charming, so Seren does feel properly encouraged.

"Never ask me what's poppin' again."

Al blinks.

"Don't even ask how I am, if you can help it. Just talk to me, man to mim, and I'll talk back."

There. They've said it. They can do no more and no less than that. Al seems to be vibing with the request, nodding slowly and thinking to himself.

Then he awkwardly moves left palm to lay on the outside of their upper arm, and says, "Sure thing, Seren. But can I ask...where's this coming from? That's my genuine request of you."

Fair. Fair, fair, fair. Make good on a threat, or establish some measure of interpersonal goodwill. Not like they'd ever tell a Ma-non not to talk in questions, stutter-repeated words and uptick inflections.

"I don't like having to take stock of myself, I guess - but it's not some repression thing! I just like showing myself on my sleeve," here Al makes a show of pulling at it, inspecting it for emblazoned inscriptions, "instead of having to explain all the time. Keeping track of secrets, and internal temp...nah. Not for me."

A subtle grin begins to blossom on Al's face, shifting the stubble on his chin into a smile of its own. "Hey, I like it! Show me all of you, Seren. Give this world and its people everything you've got, all the time. Lord knows I do enough of that."

"Not that I meant," Seren amends, "that you asking, you know, poppin', isn't something you should do, for yourself? That's your way, and there are people that love it." Apparently, only a desperate few people. "That's what you've got to give to Mira. Of course you should give it."

Al shakes his head. "No, no. I gotcha. Enough said, right? Let's just get on with it. Where to today, Rook?"

"Oh, uh...no Rook, either. Don't like that."

Al makes an appraising face. "Huh. Does Princess know?"

"Nope. Never."

"Well, look what the cat dragged in..."

Thumbs up, from Seren. A little element of mystery, invoking this mythical omniscient feline. A little bit sardonic, as if they're adversarial. Doesn't ask any questions - actually, it's a direction. Imperative, indeed!

"Hey, get a load of this guy!"

It's...fine? Sort of plain. Not the way Seren would best prefer to be announced. They haven't even done anything yet!

"What's cookin', good lookin'?"

No. No, no, no. Trash. Gar-bage. Even if it's well-intentioned. Nope.

"Seren! I'd ask you what's up, but we can both see the sky."

Yeah. That's the one.