5 ● VIDEO

[23wishes]

[Oh hey, it's Aerith. No one's seen her for a few months, huh?

Though she just turned on the video, she already looks for a moment like she forgot about it. She's staring off at something in the distance that the viewfinder can't see, if there's anything there, anyway.

A moment passes and she glances back at her phone.]

Kel isn't here anymore. But Tetsuo is. It hasn't been that long, right?

[Someone would be right if they noticed she's acting even weirder than normal.]

Can someone tell me what happened while I was gone?

[After one inappropriately long pause--]

I made it back in time for my birthday.

Comments

Video

[iamtetsuo]

[You mentioned him, therefore you called him straight here.]

What's that supposed to mean?

permavideo;

[23wishes]

We were gone. But we're back now. I'm glad you're here.

video;

[helpline]

Squirrel Girl, if you're listening, this is why you tell people about their birthdays! So they can go out and properly buy you cake!

[ and then after yelling at a person who may or may not check this post in the first place, the Doctor gives Aerith a gentle smile. ]

Welcome back, by the way. What kind of cake do you want?

[23wishes]

[Um.]

Who's Squirrel Girl? Why is she buying me cake?

[There's a verrrrrrryyyy long pause. It's hard, okay? Cake was kind of a luxury where she's from. She only got it on very special birthdays.]

... Carrot.

video.

[glowsferatu]

She left a Christmas gift for me to give you, if you made it back. [ It was a Solstice gift, Kanaya, get it right! ] I suppose I didn't anticipate that she wouldn't be here to deliver it personally.

So, when is your birthday?

[23wishes]

It was a Solstice gift. [She's got Kel's back.] Or Yule.

[She takes a moment to check the date on the phone (2/5 - she's not used to that yet...)]

Two days. I was born on February 7th in 1985 on my world.

[monge]

Happy birthday, zuraa~!!

[There sure are a lot of birthdays this month.]

[23wishes]

[YELLING INTO THE CAMERA!!]

KOMASAN!

[Voice]

[thelasttsviet]

[Well, there was a face she wasn't expecting to see again. Shelke sounds tired when she comes on the line, but no worse than when Aerith left.]

Welcome back.

voice;

[23wishes]

Shelke?

[She sounded tired last time, too...]

Thank you, but are you okay?

text;

[circulets]

You left, but kept your memories of this world?

[23wishes]

not while i was there. i didn't even realize anything was out of the ordinary until i was ported back in

then everything came back all at once

it was overwhelming

video;

[psychofailed]

There was a power outage across the four imPort cities, as well as a mass jailbreak. Aside from that, not much.

[...]

...Welcome back, Aerith. Happy birthday.

[23wishes]

That doesn't sound like "not much"... Were a lot of people hurt?

[....]

Thank you, by the way. It's not until the 7th, but thank you.

video;

[santouryuu]

Eh? Gone?

[S...omeone has not paid enough attention to know about port outs, oops.]

[23wishes]

Gone. Home. The porter does that sometimes. One of the soldiers in the base called it a "glitch."

video;

[earnedmystripes]

Happy birthday!!

[who is this guy]

[23wishes]

Thanks!

[She stares like a creep at the video feed for a long time trying to place this guy. He's been here a while, hasn't he?]

You're the imPort school guy. In Heropa.

permatext

[deadtective]

We all played Seven Up with a bunch of the prisons for a week, it was pretty fun. Too bad you missed out.

[the only proper response to someone she knew returning even weirder than before is to be a little shit about their questions, clearly. Hazel knows what's going on.]

[23wishes]

what's seven up?

[Hazel just gave her more questions and probably not even the questions Hazel wanted. Aerith knows by now Hazel's probably just making things up.]

[dachizone]

What timing! Happy Birthday!

[Yes, this person is a stranger]

[23wishes]

Uh, thanks!

[That kind of happiness is contagious, so she's grinning back at the screen.]

Who are you, though?

[resipiscent]

We'll have to do something for your birthday, you know.

[23wishes]

I'm taking suggestions.

video;

[darkimitation]

There was a huge blackout and a bunch of convicts escaped. That's about it.

[He's trying to be on better terms with her, despite everything.]

I'm sure Riku and your friends are happy to see you by the way. And... happy birthday.

[23wishes]

[People keep saying that and she's no less concerned or confused. Man, she leaves for a few months and everything goes to hell, huh?]

Thanks, Kagami. It seems like everyone's trying to scramble a party together for me. If it all works out, you're welcome to show up.

[If he's trying, she will, too! For Riku and Namine's sake.]

[illuminescent]

Ah.

No, you are most right. Kel is gone.

[23wishes]

Mm. I'm sorry for your loss. She leaves behind a big space.

[Literally. Aerith can feel Kel's absense through her powers.]

video

[ret2go]

Happy birthday!

[That was clearly the most important part.] Also, some guys tried to kill us.

[23wishes]

Thanks!

[Um. Well. Alright. Aerith can roll with that.]

Yeah, other people have been telling me a little about that. It sounds like it was scary.

[In other words: How come Shantae doesn't sound at all concerned about that?]

[ Video ]

[ghoulking]

A couple of things happened last month, but they are apparently fixed now. [ apparently ]

Welcome back.

[23wishes]

"Apparently"...

Thank you, though. How's your, um, food situation been?

[Video] [Sooo late, I'm sorry!!]

[renamaer]

Aerith! Ah, it's so good to have you back.

[She's made a lot of improvements to the garden while you've been gone!]

Um, it's been kind of...chaotic here. But the sweet potatoes and Christmas roses are doing pretty well! [She's probably been encroaching in other peoples' space at this point.]

also late!! so :x

[23wishes]

Estelle! You're still here!!

[GARDENING BUDDY!!]

You kept up my garden for me? I thought it would have all withered and died by now! I was so scared I'd have to start over from nothing after that winter!

video | I'M SORRY PRETEND SHE ANSWERED THE DAY OF...

[redigere]

Aerith! Welcome back! It's so good to see you again-- oh, I have a Christmas gift for you! When you're done talking with everyone, can I come over to see you?

[23wishes]

Naminé! I'm so glad you're still here too! I was actually just going to message you about that. The Doctor and Kanaya and some of my other friends wanted to put together a birthday party for me on the 7th, but it's such short notice. Riku said you were really good at getting things together quickly. Maybe you could help me...? That would be a big enough present to me.

[Really, for her age, she's too good at these puppy dog eyes she's flashing right now.]

( video )

[drizzle]

[The look on the other girl's face. The distant one isn't odd for Nike to notice. She has seen the same gaze on her relatives as much as herself all of her life. What is odd though. Realizing someone outside of her family can make the same expression too. Don't mind as Nike's expression is very bright.]

You can hear the voices too, can't you?

[23wishes]

[Chalk that up as "the weirdest and most specific message Aerith has ever gotten." Aerith was sure that of everyone here, only Shelke, from her own world, had ever heard of the Lifestream. She's known Nike for so long, too... Have her green eyes been trying to tell Aerith something all along?]

You can hear them too? What are you?