03 → [video]
[The feed fades in slowly, flickering almost like an old film reel-- it slowly becomes obvious as everything comes into focus that it's a play of the light. Formed by Lenalee walking among the shadows of trees, in turn cast by the sun hanging low in the sky. She talks quietly as she moves.]
...So, I've heard a lot about how it isn't safe to try and visit the city across the river. Credinta, I think it's called... Because we're thought of as outsiders and untrustworthy, right? I know it isn't worth the risk to keep trying, but there isn't very much for us here, and we're going to run out sooner or later, even if there are some people from the city willing to help.
[Here, she lifts the PDA to point it towards the West, and the feed briefly goes overbright as the sun shines into the lens. Almost symbolic, if you're the type of person to care about that kind of thing. Lenalee isn't.] So what if we try a different one?
[A pause, and behind the camera, unseen, Lenalee stares down the horizon with a stubborn twist painted over her mouth. If there are other ones, she could find them, couldn't she? She could at least try... couldn't she? But there's something else she needs to address, which may or may not have been the real reason behind this network post:]
And Kanda...
[This... isn't something she'd expected to get a chance to say again. That isn't to say she'd planned to stop recognizing the date because of it, not even once; because Lenalee never had. May 16th; Suman. April 5th; Daisya. October 13th; Tapp. She remembers. And so maybe her voice is a little strained, now, because one more time, at least, she can say this to him:] Happy birthday.
...So, I've heard a lot about how it isn't safe to try and visit the city across the river. Credinta, I think it's called... Because we're thought of as outsiders and untrustworthy, right? I know it isn't worth the risk to keep trying, but there isn't very much for us here, and we're going to run out sooner or later, even if there are some people from the city willing to help.
[Here, she lifts the PDA to point it towards the West, and the feed briefly goes overbright as the sun shines into the lens. Almost symbolic, if you're the type of person to care about that kind of thing. Lenalee isn't.] So what if we try a different one?
[A pause, and behind the camera, unseen, Lenalee stares down the horizon with a stubborn twist painted over her mouth. If there are other ones, she could find them, couldn't she? She could at least try... couldn't she? But there's something else she needs to address, which may or may not have been the real reason behind this network post:]
And Kanda...
[This... isn't something she'd expected to get a chance to say again. That isn't to say she'd planned to stop recognizing the date because of it, not even once; because Lenalee never had. May 16th; Suman. April 5th; Daisya. October 13th; Tapp. She remembers. And so maybe her voice is a little strained, now, because one more time, at least, she can say this to him:] Happy birthday.