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[detectiveprincess]

Who: Naoto Shirogane and YOU [OPEN]
When: April 27th
Where: On the island
What: Trying to figure out this birthday thing here
Style: I'll match

It had been a chaotic couple of weeks. Moving up to the island, trying to keep people safe while doing it, doing the random patrol here and there. This was one of the times, though, that everything seemed calm. If only for a few moments this world was at peace.

This day, most anyone would find Naoto on the island's beach near the camps. She was sitting down in the sand, toes near the water line for high tide. At a distance, she's seen drawing something in the sand. As one gets closer they would see that  the design is like that of a cake with candles on it. Each candle had a drawn flame. Writing is on the top of it in Japanese - those who know the language know that it reads "Happy Birthday Naoto." Around it are some drawings of people; those she knew back in her world.

She softly hummed a tune, looking at the drawings sadly. She closed her eyes, a lone tear running down her cheek.

"I wish you were here," her voice spoke softly, very much a female voice. Her fingers stroked across the tops of the candles, as if blowing out the flames that had been so neatly created in the ever changing sand.

Comments

[zipperlips]

Kurloz isn't particularly looking for anyone as he wanders the beach, but he isn't trying to avoid anyone, either. So when he sees a human sitting on the ground drawing something, there's no reason for him not to wander in her direction.

He doesn't make any attempts to sneak up on Naoto, but he doesn't make much noise in his approach either, and he certainly doesn't call out. Instead, he just waves when he's close enough.

[detectiveprincess]

Naoto looks up from her drawing, wiping her tears away before she looks over. She gives a small way, both as to say hello as well as signal it's okay to come over. She had seen him around the bubble a few times when she was on patrol, so he didn't really frighten her or make her feel terribly awkward.

[zipperlips]

Naoto isn't exactly a familiar face- Kurloz hasn't exactly singled her out of the crowd of humans that fill the bubble. They all look the same to him, even when they dress differently. So she doesn't get any particular reaction from him.

He does come closer when she waves in return, though, and gestures at her drawing. What's that for? He's pretty curious.

[detectiveprincess]

"Oh, the drawing?"

Naoto bites her lip. She looks to the drawings, giving a sad smile.

"It's... supposed to be a special day for me," she answers quietly.

[zipperlips]

He tilts his head. It doesn't look like anything to him. Trolls aren't particularly fond of birthday celebrations, so he doesn't recognize it as a cake very quickly. Nor does he associate it with a birthday. So he gestures for her to continue talking, and hopefully to explain further.

[detectiveprincess]

Naoto nods. She knows that not every world celebrates or really acknowledges birthdays. This she's seen multiple times with various people.

"It's... It's the day of my birth today," she continues, "The drawings are of a cake and... my friends back home."

[zipperlips]

He gestures at the drawing of her friends, then points back toward the village. Are none of them here? That seems pretty bad. Sure, he doesn't like most of his friends, or most of the ones that have stayed around, but he's got one of the two he really cares about, and he imagines it would suck a lot to not have him here.

[detectiveprincess]

"Are any of my friends here?" Naoto tried to clear up. "No... No one I know from back home is here. I haven't seen them in at least six months..."

[zipperlips]

Kurloz leaned down to draw a sad clown face in the sand- the best way he could communicate "sorry, buddy, that's rough" without resorting to text, which he wasn't about to do for some strange pink human. He did reach out to give Naoto a comforting pat on the shoulder, though.

[techno_shaman]

"I'm sorry?" Sera wanders up to Naoto, a path of bare footprints in the sand behind her. She didn't quite make out what the girl (or maybe a boy?) said, but approached with curiosity of the drawing.

While she doesn't speak Japanese, she does make out the shape fairly easily.

"What a lovely cake."

[detectiveprincess]

Naoto jumps at hearing the voice. She spins around starting to reach for her gun but sees that this person means no harm. Dropping her hand, she slowly stands, giving a small smile.

"Ah, that..." she speaks in her male voice, "Thank you... It's nothing, really."

[techno_shaman]

Sera's more than a little leery of guns, her face despairing until she realizes Naoto means no harm.

"Um, my friend...he was a doctor...he used to bring me a cake sometimes. For special occasions. Your cake reminds me of him."

[detectiveprincess]

She's honestly surprised that her gun has been seen. She always conceals it very well. Oh well, that doesn't matter now as the person seems to calm down some.

"The cake reminds you of him? I'm... I'm sorry if it is possibly painful for you," she speaks after a few moments, "It's... not easy for me either. Not today, anyway."

[techno_shaman]

"You don't need to apologize." Sera forces herself to smile.

Still, it was unusual that something signifying celebration could be bad. Everyone in the EGG back home was happy to have cake. Not a single piece was left for the next day. "Cakes make you unhappy? Did something happen?" Maybe she's being too nosy. "You...don't have to say if you don't want to."

[detectiveprincess]

She can tell the smile is forced. She gives a sad smile in return.

"No, it's not that cakes make me unhappy," Naoto explains, "You see... Today is my birthday. This would have been the first birthday that I would have been able to celebrate with friends... Since it was the first time I would have had real friends on my birthday."

Horrilby late backtag, sorry...

[ladyinscarlet]

[An arrives and sits near Naoto, noticing the cake she drew on the sand. She can't read Japanese, but she's pretty sure what this means.]

Is it your birthday?

Not that late! Don't worry!

[detectiveprincess]

[Naoto looks up at the woman before back to the cake. The answer was simple. And she gave a nod.]

It is...

Yay!

[ladyinscarlet]

[Then this can't happen without a hug from Auntie An!]

Then happy birthday Naoto! [Hugs the girl as well as she can in their current position.]

[detectiveprincess]

[Naoto takes the hug as best she can as well. She's grateful for it. Unfortunately, she is still saddened.]

I... waited for so long for this... almost a year longer than I was supposed to when I was brought here. And now no one from home is here to celebrate with me. It would have been my first birthday with real friends.

[ladyinscarlet]

[An smiles sweetly at Naoto and takes her hand.]

You can still have a birthday with a friend. Let us go have some tea and cake. And you must blow out some candles too.

[detectiveprincess]

[Naoto slowly stood up from the sand, her eyes on An.]

Only if it won't inconvenience you. I know how busy you must be with making sure everyone is okay.

[ladyinscarlet]

[She stands up with a smile.]

It is no inconvenience, I can always take some time for you.

[detectiveprincess]

If you're sure...

[ladyinscarlet]

Of course I'm sure! Come...

[She takes Naoto's hand and drags her off. Now, where can she find a birthday cake, she has no idea.]

[detectiveprincess]

[And this is Naoto being dragged away to look for tea and cake.]

// OOC

[ladyinscarlet]

Do we assume they find a cake somewhere? I didn't really read the plot post for that week, so idk in what state the island is in and stuff.

// OOC

[detectiveprincess]

I guess they do! XD

[ladyinscarlet]

[It doesn't take An too long to find a place where they can have a slice of cake and tea. She lets Naoto choose whatever type of cake she likes best and asks for some birthday candles as well.]