maskormenace | fifth drawing ∮ video, fail!filtered from kitty jones

[Hey there, network. Sup. Sai looks...kind of different. He's back to the age he ought to be, wearing his old Root uniform that fits again, but. His expression isn't the usual blank, nor the unsettlingly plastic smile. He actually seems a little...nervous? Or excited? It's kind of hard to tell, because it's pretty muted, as far as facial expressions go.]

Ah, um...hello. I...it's come to my attention that it's--customary, among people here, to mark the occasion of one's birth. Particularly...of one's friends. And--and many of you are friends with Kitty Jones, correct? Her day of birth is in about a week, on the 19th, so...

[He trails off for a moment, looking toward a notebook open on the table. If it happens to catch your eye as well, you might get a look at what all he's written on the page. Various personal notes he's taken on the subject of birthdays, such as: "balloons = pouches of rubber filled with air, streamers = colorful strips of paper to be hung from walls or furniture", "number of candles necessary for the cake corresponds to chronological age", "gifts should be covered with patterned paper and then wrapped with one single colorful ribbon, tied into a bow at the top". They're extremely detailed and intricate.]

I'd like to, err--invite everyone? [Is that the right term? A quick check of the notebook seems to satisfy him that it is, so he moves on.]

I've read that the choice of venue should involve activities as well as food, so I thought I would ask for suggestions on what activities and foods are the most preferable in celebrations. Also...

[And here, he looks a little bit embarrassed]

I'm not very experienced at things like gifts, but I know that they are supposed to be something the recipient would enjoy. Something with meaning, beyond practicality....correct? So I was wondering, if someone who knows her well could...tell me, what kinds of things she likes. The books say I ought to choose it myself, but...if it's supposed to have meaning, it would be better not to guess, wouldn't it?

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I didn't know the date of her birthday. But if you're trying to choose a present, they say it's the thought that counts. She'll be pleased you got her a present at all, you know?

[ OH UM. Kitty thinks for a while about staying quiet, because it's a little awkward speaking up about this, right? But, well... ]

Oh - Sai. This is really sweet, but you don't have to do this.

You've gotta have cake at a birthday party, as well as whatever food the person would like! I don't know Kitty all that well, so you'd have to figure out that for yourself.

[ Sai may be a weirdo, but he's a werido who apparently doesn't know how birthdays work, and Hime can help out there. ]

[Yep he is totally writing down "it's the thought that counts" in the notebook like a huge nerd, but there's also a small question mark he's noting down next to it, a mildly uncertain look on his face.]

The books say that you should put effort into finding a gift, rather than getting something random. I'm not certain what that entails, however. If any gift is fine, then why specify? Is the time spent searching the most important factor?

[It's hard to judge what a "good gift" is when literally the only values you know are "follow orders" and "don't betray the village."]

[DAMN IT WASN'T THIS SUPPOSED TO BE FILTERED. WHY IS TECHNOLOGY SO HARD. Sai looks even more embarrassed now, though he doesn't admit that she wasn't supposed to see this. Instead, he focuses on her remark.]

...But didn't you do so for your friend, before?

[There can't be exceptions to this birthday thing, Kitty, that's too confusing.]

Edited (whoops.) 2015-04-13 04:56 (UTC)

Ah, I'm aware of the cake. It's the rest I'm uncertain of.

Do you have balloons? Or what about a place to hold the party?

Oh -

[ Um. She fiddles with a strand of hair. ]

I did, yeah. But - you know.

[ An embarrassed little shrug that tells him nothing. ]

Her birthday's coming's up?

( And she didn't tell Tara? That little punk.

Wait. She doesn't know this person at all, does she? Or does she. )

Who are you?

The celebration of birth! I have heard that elaborate confectionary treats are set aflame during ritual singing. I beleive it is a sacrifice to the local deities to assure a longer lifespan, and to frighten off the more malicious spirits.

I would therefore suggest that your gift be the largest possible offering and most raucous of noisemakers.

ill definitely be there.

I don't. You seemed to imply that birthdays were important. I fail to see why yours would be an exception.

[He doesn't sound judgmental, though. Just matter of fact. If there's something he's missing, please explain it to him.]

I'm afraid I have yet to figure out where balloons are sold. And I was hoping for suggestions on the location, actually.

She mentioned it in passing recently.

And my name is Sai. Hello.

[Connecting those dots is going to have to depend on you, Tara, because he sure isn't being forthcoming with those deets. Not that he's embarrassed or ashamed or anything; he just doesn't see a need to bring it up.]

Sai! How good of you, to plan this for your friend.

[Yup, the candles and the birthday song both have mentions in his notes. He tilts his head at her suggestion of the purpose of the celebration, intrigued. There's definitely some scribbling that follows her comment.]

Hmmm, I hadn't heard of such a thing in my initial research, but it is possible I overlooked something.

Something large and loud....[scritch scritch goes his pen against the page] That still leaves a broad range of possible items, but it shouldn't be too difficult, I think.

Thank you for your assistance.

[Oh. Aren't you the one who Kitty threw a party for herself, before? Maybe he'll be able to give him a solid idea on what to get her.]

That's good to hear. Do you have any suggestions on gifts?

[Oh-a compliment. That he's been caught off-guard might be visible in his expression as it flickers with uncertainty for an instant, but--well, the protocol for compliments is fairly straightforward, isn't it?]

Thank you.

[He pauses here, trying to consider a compliment in return, but he can't think of one that's on-topic. He flips through his notebook for a moment, looking to see if he'd written down what to do in such a situation.

Ultimately, he settles on:]

Would you like to come?

Party stores! Like Party City or something like that. Ooh, or grocery stores. You can find them at the big grocery stores! As for the location, usually they're held at someone's house.

[Did he just write that down? Riku's a little bit baffled, but he nods. That's... sort of it, he supposes.]

Well, it's not that any gift is fine. It's the effort that you put into finding a gift. Try your best to find something she'll like, but even if you pick wrong, the fact that you got her a gift at all is what counts. That's... what that means, I'm pretty sure.

It's not an exception, really, it's just that...

[ She shifts a little, then gives an uncomfortable laugh. ]

I've just not celebrated my own birthday for years. That's all.

...I don't follow.

[To him that just sounds like you're contradicting yourself, Riku. Peopleing, he's not skilled at it.]

I just mean, it's okay if you don't pick something amazing. It doesn't mean you're less her friend or anything.

Why?

[He's never celebrated his, but that's because of Root. He was never meant to be anyone at all, much less someone who's life is worthy of celebration. He would have thought Kitty would have always had many people to do so for her.]

But I don't know what she would like. So it would be something random if I chose it.

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fifth drawing ∮ video, fail!filtered from kitty jones

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