"Karl…" Ruby called, her voice sweet, but her smile had a teasing edge. "You want to be a star, right?"
Karl sat up quickly, looking alert. "Yes!" he said, full of energy.
"Well," she said, tilting her head to one side, "stars need to be smart too. You'll have to remember your own episode number daily, take after take. Memorize lines, remember timing… So of course, you must know how to count!"
Her voice became slow and meaningful as she stared at him. Karl's eyes widened like saucers.
"There's such a thing?!" he asked with shock, blinking fast.
Ruby nodded seriously, biting back a smile. "That's not all," she added. "Every star has to recite big scripts. That means… remembering lots and lots of words." She tilted her head to his side, watching his reaction like a cat watching a toy.
Karl stared at her for a second. "I-I didn't know about this!" he muttered. "Maybe I should just be a background ghost…"
