Voice with possible action. (kinda forward-dated a little maybe?) username: ilikehorses

[shoplifter]

[Well, look. Whenever she gets invited to Alphonse's future birthday, she's got a lot to think about.

She must consider this: there will be cake, that is a certainty. Cake sitting on a table, like in Transigen... in front of a deceptive cartoon painting on the wall; ways to trick outsiders into thinking the place is kind to its patients... She's learned at that facility that cake is a staple of birthdays, or rather, from the nurses. Birthdays involve singing, and they all learned the words for Delilah. All for Delilah. But they weren't allowed to have those parties, not after the first and last time; she never bothered asking about them again, because... she knew there would be nothing beyond the question. It wasn't difficult to tell what blowing out the candles and leading them away meant.

She had whispered happy birthday to Delilah on the way out, though.

Really, she's not sure just how normal those birthday choices even were. Outside of the walls of Transigen, what is a birthday like? Is there still cake? Still the concept of presents, or singing? Did the nurses want to try and do something nice but ultimately fantasy? Like Logan had said, ice-cream for bedwetters. She's curious to learn, though. So again, she uses the network for her own gain: this time, birthday information, instead of school.

(I'm sensing a pattern.)

Her voice is casual, but interested. She's not about to ruin the surprise, but she does need to know what she's getting herself into, here.]

What sort of presents are you supposed to give people, for their birthday?

... Toys, no?

[What the hell do adults like to get, for presents? A long pause, and she's not terribly sure of herself.]

Are there fireworks at birthday parties, too?

[Another thoughtful pause, yet again.]

... How do you tell what day you were born? Is it on a special paper?

[Okay, okay, last question there. She bites back more questions. Easy, Laura, easy.]


[ ADDITIONAL ACTION.]

[If you would like to find her out and about, she is wandering the shops for things that might be nice to give to the birthday boy, especially the department stores. Laura also puts on a cool hat and goes to leave without paying for it, of course, so she can be found getting approached by a very unhappy security guard there who is calling out something about a shoplifter. Look ma, it's my username!

... What? Just because she's getting better at being in the real world doesn't mean she's learned the virtue of paying for things.

Her dad stole cigars. She totally saw him do it. Cigars and a phone charger. 

Or maybe you'll find her violently shaking one of those coin-eating candy machines. Stupid thieving machine - she tried to be nice about this and use real money, and see where it got her? Never fear, she pops claws from her knuckles, long and adamantium-silver, and she slices the top of the candy machine clean off, so she can reach inside and take handfuls for her pocket. Man, living the dream over here. Don't bother asking where Linda is, we all know there's a repeating pattern of juking her.]

Comments

video; un: kirk

[winscenario]

[ Its seems like such an odd and unusual question, coming from a kid, but Jim accepts it without thought. He's seen so many different worlds, so many cultures distinct from his own, and just because the girl looks human doesn't have to mean that she is— or even if she is, she might not necessarily have lived and experienced the same culture he's familiar with.

And if she's curious, he's all too happy to oblige. ]

That depends. You give people something they like. Some might like toys, or games. That's a more common choice for kids, but some adults might enjoy games, too. The fireworks are down to personal taste, I guess, and where that party might be held. Some parties might have fireworks, sure. No law against that.

[ His lips quirk slightly into a warm smile. ]

Usually, at least where I come from, you grow up knowing your birthday because your family, your parents or whoever else takes care of you, celebrates it every year with you, and you get to have a party and invite friends and have fun. But it's also information that comes in an official document, called the birth certificate. It also shows in your identity document.

video;

[shoplifter]

[................. Didn't I talk to you. Didn't you almost get murdered over a sandwich.

She stares for a moment. Hmm.]

... I don't think I have a birth certificate.

Do you have one?

video; @crimson.duelist

[verflair]

[ It's not hard for X'rhun to make the connection and realize that "birthday" is just another word for "nameday".

His own home is wartorn, ravaged by civil war and crushed by invaders as a consequence, leaving many children without the luxury of celebrating or even knowing their namedays, so something in this string of questions hits close to home.

He recognizes Laura's voice, but only somewhat, as they've rarely crossed paths in spite of living together. Still, he offers the camera a warm smile. ]

What you get someone for their named-- ah, birthday, depends on the person. It's best to get them something they like, be it toys or books or anything else. That is part of the fun, learning what people like and finding that certain thing that they will enjoy.

And I suppose there is no way to tell when you were born if you weren't specifically told it, but if that's the case there's no harm in picking a day for yourself. Everyone deserves to be celebrated, yes?

video;

[shoplifter]

[Heeeey roomie.

She does listen - in fact, she's very good at listening, at observing. Toys, books, or anything else. Well. That makes the scope very broad and unhelpful; she'll have to do a little detective work, then, to see what Alphonse likes. Maybe it will be fun.]

You can pick a day?

[That's never crossed her mind; it seemed like it would be something specific, something you can't make up, like the data from a chart. Grounded in reality and without the touch of something fantastical, like unicorns. Surely, their dates of... 'birth' are somewhere on file. Somewhere. But she's far from Transigen, now.]

action

[infact]

[ Arisu is passing by the department store, a shopping bag in one hand and as usual, toting her tablet in her arm. If Laura was any other person, she might have just spared the scene a glance and continue off. She doesn't exactly approve of stealing... but when she recognizes who the girl is-

She walks up, placing herself between the guard and Laura. ]

I'll... pay for it. Don't worry about it.

action

[shoplifter]

[Laura blinks, confused at the involvement; really, she hadn't expected anyone to involve themselves on her behalf. The guard loses steam pretty quickly, stepping back and accepting the girl's offer; it's not like he wants to get troubled by the likes of an 11-year-old in a galaxy cap. As he wanders a distance, still observant but not intruding on Laura's space, the mutant looks at Arisu with some confusion.]

... You don't have to use it on me. Your money.

[Laura was totally ready to outrun the dude.

Moral compass, what moral compass, she was raised in a holding cell.]

voice; knight.time

[chumpelstiltskin]

Nah, no fireworks. Only really important people get birthday fireworks like The Queen or The President or The Rock. The deciding factor is whether you have The before your name. I don't make the rules.

The rest of us settle for candles.

As for the day, I mean. Parents usually know when you were expelled from birth canals but for all I know they just make that shit up. Usually when you're born you get a birth certificate to verify your birth otherwise you're an unborn fetus in the eyes of the government. I guess technically you are still a fetus. Because you're really small.

Do you not know your birthday or something?

voice;

[shoplifter]

I'm not a fetus. Fetuses can't live on their own.

[So straightforward, but she had been listening. Alright, so no fireworks. Candles. That, she's familiar with. She considers his question for a long moment, unsure how to phrase it, what to admit, how to say it...]

I didn't have anyone who could tell me.

action

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ It was the sound of someone beating the ever living snot out of an inanimate object that drew Will's attention. He looked over in time to witness the claws come popping out and then ... ]

Wow.

[ Those were pretty damn effective. Despite the fact that she was committing vandalism and -oh look stealing- his lips twitched into a wryly amused smile. ]

I believe you just enacted revenge for every person who has ever had their money stolen, and bag of chips trapped, in a vending machine.

action

[shoplifter]

[She looks back, owl-eyed at the new company. She's not necessarily anxious about people knowing what she can do, exactly, but she knows there are some who would act on that. Mutants are not normal anymore, at home; this place is different, but people are from worlds that could very well match hers. She turns holding a handful of candy out of a sea of new free candy.

....

She holds it out to him, sensing his harmlessness. Want some?]

action »

[mannerism]

[ she may be a child but peggy isn't easily fooled to think her innocent. she had seen a girl her age turn into a killing machine in a blink of an eye. she's quite done giving children the benefit of the doubt. there's something about this one, too; her posture, perhaps or her calmness about this entire situation.

she shows the man her badge, riverview police force and that seems to do the trick. unimpressed ( the hat is gaudy ), she arches an eyebrow. ]

anything else? in your pockets, maybe?

[ her tone is entirely no-nonsense. ]

action »

[shoplifter]

[She's still wearing the hat, it seems, because the guard had been very wise not to take it right off her head; best not lay hands on a kid anyway, because you know how things are in shoplifting code. She looks at Peggy, more studying the scene than responding to getting into trouble. Her hands are at her sides, and she reaches into her pockets. One hand is full of hard candy, perhaps from a machine or from an already opened bag.

The other has a little money, nothing that could afford her anything. Also, a few bouncy balls. She likes those; usually, those were the only toy most of the children at Transigen would have. Beach balls, bouncy balls, rubber ones, they were easy ways to occupy the kids. She's dead quiet as she does this, brow furrowed.

... The hat has not been removed, of course.

But unpleasantness may happen, if someone lifts a hand to reach for her.]

action;

[hevenly]

[ Angela lives by a very firm code. Nothing is for nothing. No good or service is free. And so, when she witnesses a child put on a hat and leave the store without paying, she's there faster than the shopkeeper, all of her 6'2" intimidating frame standing between the girl and freedom. She does not have her sword on her today, but she can and has killed with nothing but her hands and the magical ribbons floating around her neck. ]

You must pay for the hat.

action;

[shoplifter]

[Laura stares up darkly at the woman, expression guarded; she doesn't seem intimidated by the woman and her great tallness (everyone's taller than Laura, so she works with it), but she does look at her like someone would sizing up an enemy, seeing what she may be planning to do.

She takes one step back, and then moves to sidestep her and her concerning floating ribbons.]

action

[alchemyfreak]

[By the time Ed is close enough to Laura to catch sight of what she's doing the candy machine has already been split open and she's shoveling her reward into a pocket. If anything, he actually looks amused by the display, sighing softly despite the smirk.]

Kid, if you don't have the money you could have just asked someone.

action

[shoplifter]

[She glances at him, candy-filled hands in her pockets. One red, shiny piece falls and jitters along the floor before it rolls evenly, and she looks at it, and then at the familiar face.]

I did have the money.

It took it.

[See, her reaction is 1000% necessary.]

action;

[inebriety]

Just how many little Wolverines are out there?

[The damaged candy machine is completely ignored as it doesn't concern him. Although he's aware that they have a very short window before someone else notices and they blame him thinking he's responsible for her.]

Actually you can answer that later. Come on, grab as much as you need and let's get out of here first.

action;

[shoplifter]

[Laura doesn't particularly expect people here to make the connection between her and her father -- turning toward the source of the voice, she reflexively shoots a dark and suspecting glance his way, one set of claws still extended as she turns toward him. Rather dangerously and threateningly, one could even say.

Judging by that last bit, he doesn't sound like an enemy, of her or her father.

But she also feels that trill of uncertainty, regardless.]

Who are you??

[ action ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Well then. That's something you don't see everyday. And Loki enjoys a moment where he can employ a little mischief. With a flick of his fingers, there are Lauras everywhere, stealing things from various counters. The security guard blanches as he immediately tries to chase after the copy cats. Loki grins, pleased with himself. ]

You'd best run along now.

[ action ]

[shoplifter]

[She stares at him with some confusion - some level of surprise in her expression reflected only in her dark brown eyes. Without a moment's complaint or question at the stranger, she darts off with surprising skill, leaping up onto the top of a vending machine, flipping to grab railing, and vanishing off across some second story. Hat, of course, successfully still on head.

That doesn't mean she's gone from the area, though. The trickery had her interested - more than interested, because she wonders if she's finally found another mutant, or if he's actually like Taako the Elfman. When Loki wanders again himself, he'll find the sensation he's being watched from close by. The kid in question is just trying to figure out a proper way to socially... walk over... like a normal person with normal life skills would. It's very hard, you see.

But maybe he'll do another cool potential-mutant-trick while she summons up the right way to interact.]

Action

[ragnarsson]

[Ivar is watching the little girl who didn't know what pizza was rip open a vending machine. She's got...claws. Huh. Six months ago, that would have been strange. Now it's merely interesting. There's something in the way she uses them that reminds him of the shieldmaidens back home, fierce female warriors who never let fear enter into their thinking. Now, will the Viking chastise her, or otherwise act like the young adult he tries to be most of the time?]

Hey, can you grab me one of those?

[He points to a package of peanut butter cups. Nope. The answer is a definite no. He's going to keep encouraging the youth to be corrupted instead, especially if he can gain some benefit out of it.]

Action

[shoplifter]

[She turns slightly, taking note of the familiar face; she's got a good memory for faces and voices, and immediately at her half-turn she recognizes the man. After a moment of studying the vending machine where the peanut butter cups are stored, she slashes a neat square in the glass and reaches in to retrieve a few of the packages.

She wanders over to him, hand out in offering. The other hangs at her side, a few drops of blood dotting the floor as the claws retract back into her straightened wrist.]

Para ti.

action; this poor security guard

[nostalgiabomb]

[ So here's the thing about Peter's childhood: it was wholly unconventional.

A lot of the time – that is, when he wasn't crawling through vents or squeezing through grates – he was used as a distraction, taking pratfalls in front of security or cops and crying huge crocodile tears while wailing about being lost. Once the job was done, one of the other Ravagers would rush over, spout out some bullshit about being some relative who was worried sick, and they'd dash off to count out their earnings.

Long story short: Peter's made a habit of lying to cops and security guards.

Today, Peter is sort of wandering the shops when he spots the commotion. He recognizes the girl who's currently getting one hell of an earful from the security guard. Peter catches the word "shoplifting," and a second or two later, he comes to a quick decision. ]

Young lady, where have you been?

[ This, half-shouted, as he strides over with purpose and authority. He puts himself between the guard and Laura, turning his back on the guard and kneeling in front of her. ]

I've been looking everywhere for you. Do you have any idea how worried I've been?

[ And as he's saying it, he gives her a meaningful sort of look – one that says, "Follow my lead." ]

action;

[shoplifter]

[Laura stares at him for a long moment. And then another long moment. And then another. For a moment, it almost seems like she's not going to play along, and then Peter will be the one looking like a total loser. But really, she's trying to understand what he's trying to do - what he has to gain from it. Surely, it's not just out of the goodness of his heart, right?

With no understanding of how family speaks to each other, she hardly even comprehends he's playing the role of a relative.]

... Everywhere?

[... But where you really looking for her, or is this part of the trick.]

video;

[ambitionist]

Uh, you give them things they like, in my experience. It depends on the person. Your birthday should be on a special piece of paper. Why, do you not know yours?

video;

[shoplifter]

[She shakes her head, not bothered, per se, by this revelation.]

... I don't have the special paper.

video

[realimperfect]

[ The network is full of interesting things, today, which is helping Re-L on a day of rare inability to focus on a damn thing that might be considered productive. She doesn't mind - perhaps it's her mind's way of making her take a break, though it leads to encounters she may not normally indulge in. As a solitary creature herself Re-L is conspicuously alone in her apartment when she cues up the video feed, clicking away at a computer even if she's not achieving all that much with it - ]

Most people have something like a birth certificate that says the date, time and probably country or location where they were born. [ Though, bringing that up makes her realize - ] I don't have one of those anymore, actually, now that I think about it. Not like it matters, though -

[ Nuclear winter has a way with making that kind of junk not so important. ]

So far as gifts it depends on what the person is interested in and their age... I assume you're asking because you're thinking of gifts for a certain person?

video | private

[shoplifter]

[She nods slowly, before moving to change the feed to private.]

It's... a surprise. But I don't know them, I just know their brother.

Action - Hat

[tempredmental]

[Shoplifter was a familiar term to Keith. Maybe a bit too familiar, and he glanced back over his shoulder to see what was going on. He recognized the girl from a few videos on the network, but he also knew exactly where this was going to go if someone didn't intervene on her behalf. He furrowed his brow a little, and then stepped up.]

Hey. The register's over here...

[Keith gave the girl a meaningful look and headtilt towards said cash register to say 'follow me and don't worry'.]

Action

[shoplifter]

[She turns to look at him, and for a moment, it seems like she won't play along.

... But eventually, she shoots the guard a dirty look before turning on her heel and moving toward the man. Her hands are tucked into her jean jacket pockets and despite her small stature she oozes calmness and an easiness, like she's not too concerned about the people in her general vicinity.

She doesn't even say anything in response; just stands patiently, waiting for him to continue.]