[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

[shoplifter]

My friend Alex is thinking of throwing one.

... I'm not sure how party set-up works. But there will be cake. And rainbows.

[winscenario]

Cake and rainbows! I'd say you're pretty much set. Well, maybe some games too, so you and your friends can have some fun. And you have to unwrap your gifts, of course.

[shoplifter]

Games? What sorts of games?

Like jump rope at school?

[winscenario]

Like that, sure. Movies have taught me that the most popular birthday party games are pin the donkey tail, treasure hunts, hide and seek, or tag.

But there are plenty of games to choose from, or other stuff you can do. Depends on what you like doing most.

[shoplifter]

People pin a tail on a donkey?

Why would they do something like that?

[winscenario]

[ Jim laughs at that. She's so cute sometimes. ]

It's— not a real donkey. Just a picture or a drawing of a donkey, and you have to pin a fake tail on it while blindfolded.

[shoplifter]

... That makes a little more sense.

[She settles a lot more, because thank god, no nails being jammed onto ass asses.]

Where did this come from? Pinning one on a donkey.

[winscenario]

[ Jim shrugs, pursing his lips. ]

I have no idea. The game is centuries old, and actually I've never played it. It's not as popular in my time, but it was definitely very common at birthday parties a couple hundred years back. [ He learns stuff from movies okay!!! ]

[shoplifter]

[She wrinkles her nose at it, even still. But...]

If it's something to do at a birthday, I should... at least try it once.

It could be fun.

[winscenario]

It's pretty fun, from what I hear. More fun if a lot of people play. You're spun around a few times before pinning the tail too, just to make it more challenging.

Have you looked up other birthday games?

[shoplifter]

I haven't. But I have heard of musical chairs...

It sounds very unsafe for the kind of friends I have.

[winscenario]

You'd need a big space for that game, for starters.

What kind of friends do you have?

[shoplifter]

... Usually a little violent.

[winscenario]

Okay— maybe you need some 'no violence' rules for your birthday party.

[shoplifter]

There would definitely need to be signs put up.

[winscenario]

As long as they abide by them. [ Tilting his head. ] Would you?

[shoplifter]

If it meant the difference between getting presents or not? Sí.

[winscenario]

[ Jim grins and chuckles. ] Smart girl, aren't you?

Might work for your birthday, but I don't know if Santa will fall for that trick. Just saying.

[shoplifter]

Someone said that if you do not handle them at their worst, you do not deserve them at their best.

Santa is included.

[winscenario]

So now you're saying Santa doesn't deserve you?

I thought we were talking about you deserving gifts.

[shoplifter]

If I have you guys, I do not need Santa or his presents.

If he doesn't bother talking to me, he doesn't truly know me anyway.

[winscenario]

[ He huffs, amused. Sounds like something he’d say when he was her age. ]

Well... guess I can’t argue with you there. Besides, you should be good because it’s the right thing to do, not because some chubby old man might give you gifts.

[shoplifter]

[Well man, when you put it that way santa seems very nefarious.]

... I've been trying. To do the right things to do.

It's harder than it looks, sometimes.

[winscenario]

[ Santa's weird as hell, that's always been Jim's opinion. But he'd never tell a kid that if they happen to believe in him!! ]

Yeah. But it does get easier with time, for what it's worth. Practice makes perfect.