[video] Happy Birthday, Laura!

[shoplifter]

[Laura has not really been on the network much, since the kidnappings had happened. She had been scarce in general; just because she was held captive all her life, after all, did not make it any easier to be thrust back into that terrible sort of world. But now she's back and has at least had some time to try and heal from those nasty little metaphoricalwounds, chewing on her pencil thoughtfully before lowering it and smiling a little from where she sits at a table in the community housing..]

I am twelve now... I have never had a birthday before, so I am not sure what to do other than to say so; since I have been here for a year now, I have decided that August is my birth month.

[She grins a bit, rather impish.]

And since I do not have the exact day, I guess every day in August will have to be my birthday. Gracias.

[LAURA NO—

Oh, the feed ended on that note.

Guess August is National Laura Month, so sorry.]

Comments

[goblinemperor]

It is inappropriate, or do you not like it?

[ Identification? Like... her name? Maia is not certain enough about the other cultures in this place to have the instinct that someone being given a number might be a sign of some real fucked up shit. ]

[shoplifter]

My identification was my subject number, before, when I was in captivity.

I'm used to it, but

I have been trying to move away from it.

[goblinemperor]

[ Oh... no that sounds really bad even to him now. But he isn't going to ask how that came about. Not on her birthday post. ]

Perhaps a different number would be wise, in that case.
Is there another number with special meaning to you?

[shoplifter]

My father's dog-tags have numbers on them.

Maybe I can pick some of them there.

[goblinemperor]

[ Dog tags? Is her dad..................... a dog somehow? No, that's silly. Stuff here is wild but it's not that wild. It must be another colloquialism he doesn't know. Maia is going to add it to the list. But that's not the point right now. ]

That sounds like a fine idea to me.

[shoplifter]

[Enjoy your tormented struggle, bud.]

What about you? What are your birthdays like?

[goblinemperor]

[ Oh no well this is awkward. Should he lie? He wishes he had Csevet's skill with clever evasions. ]

I did not celebrate my birthdays, after my ninth year. A few months before I was brought to this place, I celebrated my nineteenth birthday, but I doubt any of the customs would be things that would interest you.

[ Just going to leave out why he'd stopped celebrating his birthdays, and also the fact that on his nineteenth birthday it was a national holiday, and also that he'd nearly been assassinated. That's really more than the girl needs to know. ]

[shoplifter]

I do not see why I wouldn't.
I don't even know much about my world's own birthday customs.

But you should also celebrate yours this year as well.

[goblinemperor]

If I am still here at midwinter, I will.

[shoplifter]

You have a cold birthday?
Maybe you can skate on ice, to celebrate.