036 Red Letters

[eat_me_beat_me]

[Nora hums to herself for a moment before idly dictating]

How the hell do birthdays work here, anyway? I mean... people stop aging and shit, right? So if we stop aging, what's the point in saying "hey, I'm one year older"? It just seems stupid to say I'm 18 if I've really just been 16 since I've been here.

[Zelos]

Hey, uh. I was wondering something. You know... with how many times I've had to save Mark's ass since we've been here maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to, you know, actually know a thing or two about that. I don't want to use a sword or shit like that, but do you think you could teach me a thing or two?

[/Zelos]

[Ino]

Is that offer for self-defense lessons still open?

[/Ino]

Comments

Nora

[wilder]

You want to learn a thing or two about saving Mark's ass?

Zelos

[eat_me_beat_me]

Well it sounds stupid when you say it like that ...

[She sighs] What I mean is, you're the one who knows how to use a sword and the best I've got is to swing that fucking bat and hope I hit something important.

Nora

[wilder]

I have a way with words.

Well, a bat can be pretty deadly in the right sorta hands, but I think I'm getting what you mean. What sort of skills are you hoping to learn from me if not swords?

Zelos

[eat_me_beat_me]

That's one way to put it.

[She chuckles] Maybe how to use a bat so I don't look like a complete idiot?

[inafadingcrown]

Did you not grow in this year? Perhaps not in body, but in mind and spirit.

[eat_me_beat_me]

[She chuckles]

Oh I know I did. I think it's more the idea. Where I'm from turning 18 means you're an adult.

[inafadingcrown]

Ah, I see. And is reaching your majority such a dreadful thing? [Teasing, just a little.]

[eat_me_beat_me]

I guess not... it's more the thought of it, you know? Like... the idea that when we turn into adults we're supposed to go to college and get jobs and become productive members of society.

But... what if I don't want any of that?

dictated

[selfless]

I think your birthdays can count if you want them to!

[eat_me_beat_me]

I'm kinda iffy on if I want it to. I mean, birthdays are alright but I don't know if I really want to turn 18 in a magic kidnapping castle...

[selfless]

[hehe] Then, I guess it's okay to wait and count them when you go home.

[eat_me_beat_me]

[she laughs]

It's a good excuse to get presents and have parties if that's what you're into... but who wants to hit that kind of a milestone here?

dictated;

[gunslinger]

Age comes from experience, not appearance. So yeah, if you normally celebrate your birthday back home, then it makes sense to do the same thing here. You're still a year older, and hopefully a year wiser.

[eat_me_beat_me]

I don't know about wiser [she laughs] But, yeah, I guess you're right.

[seventeenth]

Don't people still age mentally, though?

[eat_me_beat_me]

Supposedly. though some people definitely make me wonder about that.

[seventeenth]

People can make me wonder about that even when we're not in some weird alternate universe castle.

[eat_me_beat_me]

[She laughs] Yeah I think that might be a universal constant.

[hyuuga]

I-I think if you want it to matter, then it does. Just like any other birthday. And, um, even though it's late...Happy Birthday!

[eat_me_beat_me]

I don't know if I want it to, though. I mean... I don't know if I want to hit the milestone that's supposed to say that I'm an adult when I'm stuck here at this magic castle.

[She smiles] Thanks. It was the 12th, actually. [She scoffs] Mark even announced it to everyone on Monday, the little dipshit.

[hyuuga]

I've always looked at it as... Well, being able to celebrate it however you want here, doing the things you probably couldn't do back home. [Like brooding in your room and pretending it doesn't exist.] You can, well, wish for anything...

[She chuckles] That sounds kind of sweet, actually. That he did that.

[eat_me_beat_me]

That's true. I guess it's nice to actually have Mark around for my birthday this year. He was on a loss last year.

[she pauses] Yeah, so sweet he called me old and decrepit on the radio. [she still sounds amused, though.]

[goldencirclet]

It's yer birthday?!

[eat_me_beat_me]

It was, yeah. A few days ago.

[goldencirclet]

Why didn't ya tell me!?