voice;

[redheadcarrier]

[Asuka clears her throat and pauses before actually launching into her little spiel.]

So, I thought you all deserved to know that I turn sixteen tomorrow! Maybe I'm finally getting used to living here after a year. Or something. Hell if I know!

The only problem is that we're still stuck on this stupid rock, so it's not exactly the best place for celebrating much of anything. Anyone have suggestions? And none of that virtual reality crap! They're neat, but they kinda give me the creeps. Maybe I'll just try and take over part of the dining hall...

Comments

voice;

[wordmagic]

You've... really been here for that long?

[ It's difficult for Levy to imagine, and she can hardly do so, her voice filled with her curious surprise ]

permavoice;

[redheadcarrier]

Well, yeah! I arrived... I think last December? Or was it November? I can't remember.

Why? What's so unusual about that?

[ video ]

[observesthings]

O-Oh, you do! H-Happy birthday, Asuka!

[ Crap, now he needs to get a present... she's been one of the few consistent friends he's had here, he'll feel bad if he doesn't get something for her. ]

permavoice;

[redheadcarrier]

Hey, thanks Yuki!

permavideo!

[observesthings]

[ See him flailing, Asuka? ]

I-I didn't even know when your birthday was! I need to find a present... w-what do you like? I mean, want? I-I mean--!

[redheadcarrier]

[Yes. And it pleases her.]

Well, duh, it's not like you ever asked.

[And she didn't tell him.]

I dunno. We're stuck on the moon. What could you actually get?

[observesthings]

I-I know, I guess I just--... [ Didn't think about it? No, don't admit that out loud. ]

Oh... right... [ They don't exactly have gift shops up here. ] Well, um... I could... [ No missions between now and tomorrow, so he can't find something in another timeline. He could make something for her? Like what? He's a terrible cook, he's not exactly an arts and crafts kind of person, so... ]

Umm... would you... wanna go to the VR room with me?

[redheadcarrier]

[Hmmm? Asuka blinks at her tablet.]

...for what?

[observesthings]

I-I dunno... just for fun?

[ Somehow, it hasn't dawned on him that he's basically asking her out on a date without realizing it. ]

voice

[promises_to_keep]

[Now there's a voice he recognizes.]

The dining hall's not a bad idea, but the loading bays are bigger. Depends on how wild a shindig you're hoping to put together, I guess.

permavoice

[redheadcarrier]

[Oh, hey, she remembers him too.]

Eh, nothing huge. Not like it's a good place for it, anyway.

[redheadcarrier]

But... it's still fake.

voice;

[revolutionized]

Tomorrow? [...] It's December, right?

[She hadn't been paying attention. Her previous conversation with Asuka had gone badly, and so she decides to keep this conversation light.] You could try telling them to send you somewhere else for it. Like a mission, but without all the mission-stuff.

voice;

[redheadcarrier]

Hey, that's not a bad idea, Tenjou!

[She seems to brighten a little at the suggestion.]

You think they'd let me do that? Oh, and yeah, it's totally December.

voice;

[revolutionized]

I think so. I think everyone's too focused on getting us back down to the city to pay a lot of attention.

Say, if it's December, that means my birthday's soon too. I didn't know ours were so close.

voice;

[redheadcarrier]

Don't they need the transporter for other stuff?

[Wait, really?]

What? [She draws the word out for for more syllables than is strictly necessary.]

When's yours?

permavoice

[revolutionized]

Hm. I dunno...it wouldn't hurt to ask though, right? It's your birthday, after all.

[It seemed a waste, to spend a birthday here, surrounded by awful stars. If you cared about birthdays, that was.] And mine is December 29th. I hadn't thought about it too much.

[redheadcarrier]

I guess not.

[Exciting! It's actually kind of nice to have this as a distraction from the horrible moon-base.]

How old are you going to be? You should do something - you've been kind of miserable ever since you came back from your vacation a couple months ago.

[She cares, really.]

[wordmagic]

Wow, that's incredible... I suppose with all that time having passed, you've gotten pretty used to being here, huh?

Ah... [ There's a small laugh, and it sounds fairly sheepish ] I just arrived, you see.

[observesthings]

W-Well... did you have another idea?

[redheadcarrier]

Well, I was used to the city... until the UE blew it up!

[That sucked.]

A newbie, huh? What do you think of our super-secret moon-base?

[Sarcasm is a wonderful thing.]

[redheadcarrier]

...not really.

audio

[salvagedsoul]

Oh... it is tomorrow, isn't it. Happy birthday.

[observesthings]

Then if there's nothing better to do, let's go. We can invite others too if you want.

[redheadcarrier]

Thanks, Nagisa!

So, what are you getting me?