04 → [audio]

[fallforthesky]

[It's been a while since Lenalee has addressed the network. For lack of anything to say that wouldn't be a rehash of what everyone else has already long gone over, maybe. Something like that. There's only so much she can bring up with a group of people she doesn't know or understand, after all

Comments

[alma_karma]

[He's looking fairly thoughtful. Maybe a little disappointed.]

I don't know my birthday.

[fallforthesky]

[The start of a video feed has Lenalee hitching on a smile fit to meet and greet with. It even reaches to her eyes for a moment when she sees that it's Alma- she may not feel the strongest attachment towards him, he's still a child and deserves to be treated as one right down to birthday celebrations. But...]

You- don't?

[...it doesn't last long.]

[alma_karma]

[He shakes his head.] I don't remember.

[fallforthesky]

[That's. Concerning. And Lenalee doesn't understand if there's a reason for that (doesn't understand a lot about Alma), but it seems impossibly cruel for a person to be unable to remember something that inherent to themselves.] ...Does Kanda?

[alma_karma]

... I dunno. He was finished after me.

[fallforthesky]

[F...inished.......

Thanks to Kanda's evasiveness on Alma's origins during The Talk back in May, Lenalee remains nicely oblivious to their pondbaby... shenanigans. So she's going to (uneasily) assume that what Alma means to say is 'born' (and isn't that strange, to imagine that this little child would be older than Kanda... if he'd made it).]

Oh. W-Well, maybe we could ask him sometime.

[alma_karma]

I never thought to ask him before. I guess he might know.

[fallforthesky]

[Another hesitation.

Then, brightly:] If he doesn't, then why don't you and I come up with a day that you'd like to be your Nesreca birthday?

[alma_karma]

[He brightens right along with her.] That's a great idea!

[fallforthesky]

I'm glad you like it! [Because to her it sounds strange, trying to turn being trapped here into a means of celebration. Giving him a conspiratorial sort of smile, hushing her voice.] And then you could tell Kanda and he would have to remember it.

[alma_karma]

[He lowers his voice to match, every bit the small child he appears to be.]

Gotcha~

[fallforthesky]

[That's actually... reassuring.]

Perfect. You ask Kanda about your real birthday next time you get a chance, and if he doesn't know, we'll figure out a new one.

[alma_karma]

[Don't worry, Lena. This one hasn't been ruined yet.]

Okay!

[fallforthesky]

[That's the devastating part: the 'yet'. She stretches her smile that one molar wider before softening it again, and nods. Softly:] Okay.