Goodbye
Oh hadn't realized it, well, until the moment it hit him.
For approximately four months, three days, seventeen hours and three minutes, Oh had been living with the Tuccis. At first, it was a bit difficult to thrive in an apartment with two humans and a pig-cat, but, as one may expect, he eventually got it all straightened out. As did the other thousands of Boov living among humans.
Sure, some humans protested, said they didn't want the Boov on their planet. But the people who didn't mind outnumbered those individuals ten to one. People even had the Boov as their own friends, too. Like Tip and Oh.
For the time being, Oh was the most well known living thing in practically the whole known universe. He in fact knew this, and sometimes, it dawned on him, stirring up an unknown mixture of emotions and colors that he did not understand.
And who better to help him through it than Tip. That was her specialty, while Ohs was being her friend.
But it just wasn't working. To Oh himself, the Earth was crowded, as perfect as it seemed. Not only that, but so many of the Boov (and occasionally a human) were always asking for him to do something. To change things. To make new rules. Oh never really did ask to be captain in the end.
The thinking got to him. He figured one thing. One horrible thing.
He needed to go.
To leave Earth. Whether it be for good and forever or not, it would still be for a long time.
Oh needed to bring his fellow intergalactic companions, all of them, and put them some place where they weren't always asking, wanting, pressuring Oh.
Then he would leave where he left the Boov. And return to Earth. No matter how long.
Oh smirked efficiently at the last idea of returning back to Earth. But as quick as it came, the quicker the small grin left. Being captain wasn't fun after all. And, Oh figured, since when did their species even remotely find a planet that was safe to live on to begin with? Still, he had a feeling it was worth a try, largely because they had the Gorg super-chip powering their whole spherical spaceship. And because everything was just too . . . arduous.
Oh liked to call his little stage of thinking that he was currently having, "The Thinking Time." But Tip, she didn't like "The Thinking Time" as much. She said it was too out of character for the poor Boov leader.
A sudden small thud knocked Oh out of his trance. Then, the screeching of a chair at the kitchen table he was sitting at, and finally a hand grabbing the salted crackers in front of him. It was Tip, smiling, as usual. And that was a good thing.
Oh casually, yet hesitantly, smiled back. Gratuity took a bite. "Whatcha up to?"
He tilted his head. "Well, I am sure that you know by now."
Tip smirked at him and stood up for a glass of water. "Yeah, yeah." She reached up into a cabinet and pulled out a miniature plastic cup. "You gotta focus on what's going on now, don't dwell on the past."
Oh followed her gaze to the sink. "That is the thing. I am not focusing on the before, I am focusing on the now. And it is not a fun thing to focus on."
Tip shook her head. "Then why focus on it?" She sat back down with the cup of water now in her hands.
Oh looked down for a quick second, then burst out as if what he was saying was a "very serious" confession. "Because it is hard not to!"
Gratuity looked back at him, a teensy bit shocked.
The Boov turned a slight blue-ish color. It looked as if he was trying not to, but failing. "It is hard being Captain." This time he averted his eyes from her. "I haves been thinking of things." He knew it would be hard to tell her the recent plan he had in mind. Even when the words did come out, Oh was stuttering regretfully. "And then I thought that maybe it would be the best if I leave the Earth Land."
"What?!" Tip tried to have Oh look directly at her. Maybe she thought it would have been a sign that he was joking around, a common thing that was his personality. But with something this serious . . . It made her angry. "Oh, what does that even mean?!"
"It is meaning what it sounds like," he began quietly, flashing yellows and blues, "it is just too hard. The Boov population is too much for the human population. I am needing to take them to a different planet, then I will come back." But he knew that he wouldn't be able to come back.
Tip eyed him questionably. "Are you saying it's crowded on Earth? I - what?"
This time Oh looked at her in the eyes with little confidence. "Tip, I know that -"
She interrupted him with a sudden burst of temper. "No! No you don't. Just because you're some galactic superstar doesn't mean you can leave!"
Tips words sunk his heart. He watched as she stood up, hands moving throughout the air. No matter how angry she was, at him or not, Oh always seemed to see the happiness inside. He wondered if she could see the same thing when he himself was angry, despite being optimistic 24/7. The thought warmed his own heart, making him turn a light shade of pink, and weirdest of all, he was smiling. It genuinely surprised him. But he knew their friendship was that strong. Tip cared about Oh, as friend and family. He knew that. And now, he would leave. He had to. Not because he wanted to, no, but because he knew it was what needed to be done. All of Tips happiness and love of the duos bond would turn to sadness.
If he left, she would be sad. He knew that too.
Tip stopped shouting and pacing the kitchen after seeing Oh turn pink. He tugged at something in the pocket of his vest. It went quiet, and the two companions locked eyes.
Then, unexpectedly, Oh walked up to Gratuity, looked up once more at her, and gave her the warmest hug she had ever received. Tip returned the hug with a small uncertainty, and the two stayed like that soundlessly.
Oh finally spoke up. "I has been wanting to thank you, for the everything. I do not think I have yet."
Tips eyes widened somewhat.
He continued. "All of the adventuring that we did together, the parties we would shake our Boov thing with. Especially those." Oh chuckled at the memory of one time at one of his well known parties.
Their hug continued. All Tip could do was listen in confusion. If she was a Boov, just about every color of emotion would be shown on her skin. The unanticipated realization came over her that he was leaving. But most importantly, their friendship. He was leaving their friendship.
In the mixture of thoughts, Oh covertly and quietly pulled out a Boovish device from the pocket of his vest.
"And most importantly, I am wanting to thank you for the friend you have been." Tiny hesitation. Oh closed his eyes before turning his last shade of pink, and put the non-lethal device to Tips back. The phrase do not regret it played constantly over and over in his mind, like a mantra.
He called the device "The Forgetter-er."
"Gratuity Tucci, thank you."
Oh closed his eyes tighter and pressed the spherical button.
"Goodbye."
And Tip had forgotten. She'd forgotten everything.
From the time the Boov invaded, to when her mother was found, all the way to when the Gorg leader had come.
But most importantly, Oh. She'd forgotten Oh.
And so did every human.
It's better now . . .
Making one last announcement to all Boov on Earth, Oh thought of his plan one more time, not daring to look back on the place that he had just walked out of, the place where he had spent so much time in. Where he learned human culture, and taught Boov culture. The place where he laughed and loved the most.
With Tip.
Oh slowly smiled, and looked down at The Forgetter-er.
It's for the best.
He placed the device to his chest, where his heart beat with a steady silence, with sadness, anger, fear. But above all, love.
Oh pressed the button, forced himself to think about Tip just one last time, and forgot.
Feel better now . . .