Shimmer's Vlog

UGH! Taking care of Bubbles is such a CHORE!

Okay, like, I get what Cauren was going for, and I do really love him and all... but he just does NOT want to behave!

I mean, at first it wasn't bad! He'd just lay around the place and I didn't have to worry about him or nothing, and that was really fun! I thought we were gonna be like, best buddies! I even drew this picture of us!

But like... after a while I realized: I don't know what he eats! And he realized it too I guess, cuz he started breaking my stuff! That robot horsey that Wanda gave me... he tore it all up! I don't know what to do! Maybe I can find another like it and buy it before Wanda gets back and she won't know... But then one day I saw him and he was tearing up all those stuffed animals I got from my birthday too! I had to hide all my other gifts so he wouldn't mess those up too!

And speaking of my birthday... okay, like, my birthday was super cool and all, and I mean, it would be great to have another party like that! ..BUUUUUUT... I'm turning 18 this year...

Okay, so like... okay. 18 makes you an adult or something, right? I don't think... I'm ready for that. I mean, right now I can do like, whatever I want! I can go on cool adventures with the Kobbers and help people and not worry about stuff! But like, when I'm a grown-up, I'm gonna need to have a job, and... well, I don't think I'm ready to date guys, you know? But when I'm 18, like, literally ANY DUDE older than that, it's like, okay for them to like me now! And that's.... REALLY scary! I mean, I want people to look at me because I look good, right? But not in that way... You're already an adult and you know all about that! That was like, one reason you were so mopey last year, right? But now you got a job with those elephant dudes and like, you seem pretty adult to me...

But even WORSE than that, and I know, that's pretty crazy to be worse! But WORSE than that is... like, last year, at the bar, well, we are on Earth now, so I expected there to be a change of people, yeah? I went to see the Star People, so of course the people back home won't be there... but now, like, Utsuho is married, and Sarah too, and now they're gonna be spending time with their husbands and I'm just... I'm left behind.

Like, I know you don't like the bar, and I'm SOOOOO happy you gave me this little thing where I can send you messages and junk, but, with you gone, and them gone, and me turning into an adult... It's like, this year's gonna be entirely different! I'm not even sure if Parsee is coming back... that's what the bar is like. People come and go they say and like, I love love LOVE making new friends! But... why do I have to lose the old ones to do it, ya know?

Well... I just hope nobody remembers my birthday. I mean, after that big party last year, it'll be hard for them NOT to, but like... even if I could just get a few more days of being a kid? I think that would be awesome...

OH! Another thing. Like, I like how I look and all, but this stuff I'm wearing, like, it was meant to make the star people think I'm interesting and stuff, to try and be like them and all, but now I'm on their world and like... none of them look like this! But still, I like how I look and all, but I think it's time for something new! I've got a brand new outfit planned for this year and-

No no no! I'm not gonna show you! You have to come to the bar and see me there to check it out! It's SOOOOO super-

BUBBLES! BUBBLES NO! Ugh... he's so STRONG and heavy too! If I didn't have my light powers he'd have been able to get that whole weird game thing Sine gave me in his mouth! I was talking to these two dudes the other day who said they have a farm where he'd have lots of room to run and play with other animals... they said a lot of dogs who people can't take care of go there! They said I could call anytime to ask how Bubbles is doing, but like... I couldn't visit? Weird huh! I guess my light might scare a bunch of the animals or something. I'm gonna find out more about that and send him! I mean, I don't even know what Bubbles IS! I think he's a Grumble or Grumbus or something like that...

I don't know how I'm gonna call them though!

SOOOOOO... Anyway, I'll talk to you again soon Marina! Lots of love!

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Marina closed her phone and rubbed her eyes after watching the video: Shimmer's Vlog 6 of 26. It was getting harder and harder keeping up with her friend's overeager use of the small camera Marina picked out for her, but she was grateful that the small Upload button on the device's side was Shimmer's only involvement with the internet so far. Sometimes Marina felt like she had to be a big sister to this strange girl from the stars, and that same feeling is why she tried to make a point of watching these videos.

Sometimes they were almost complete nonsense, like when Shimmer tried to show how she finished (not won, by any stretch) her first Mario Kart race on her Wii U but didn't understand the screen didn't show up well on the camera. Other times, they seemed pretty serious, like this one... but she couldn't afford to skip any, it seemed, as Shimmer seemed to record them back to back and refer them to each other like a complex web of rambling.

It took a lot of self control for Marina not to open Neko Atsume instead, but with a sigh, her finger taps the next Shimmer Vlog and she braces herself for another tide of "like"s and "SOOOOOO"s.