[video]

[xxii_thefool]

[As is often the case with Minako's posts, she's broadcasting from her room, although this time she's stretched out across her bed, propped up on her elbows with her feet kicked up behind her in one of those teenager-on-the-phone poses. Farther behind her, the video feed captures part of a window which has been lined with a string of lights,

Comments

[video]

[to_rebel]

For some of us, New Year's Day is arbitrary anyway. I've already marked one year here. Another holiday I've never celebrated will hardly matter.

[video]

[xxii_thefool]

Aha, that's true. Although if you put it that way, it's up to every one of us whether we're going to choose to celebrate any holiday or not. They're kind of optional. But it's not like we've got a lot to celebrate down here, so there's no reason not to take the excuse if we want to.

[video]

[to_rebel]

Perhaps there are not many reasons to celebrate, but there are people here who may enjoy the celebration.

[video]

[xxii_thefool]

Exactly! That's enough of a reason, even if you've never celebrated before. --um, general you, I'm not saying that you should want to if you don't.

[She's usually a little better at this; she makes a very rueful face.] I'm sorry, it seems like I'm putting my foot in it a lot today for some reason.

Video;

[playsforkeeps]

[He nods at her observations. They're pretty deep for a kid her age.] Death ain' always bad, petite. Plants die an' fertilize de soil for new ones; Death an' Rebirth. It's how de world works. Deep.

Video;

[xxii_thefool]

[She cracks a lopsided grin at that.] Don't get me wrong, it still kind of sucks. Symbolic death is a lot easier to think about than the real thing; I don't know about you, but I'm planning on living for a good long while if I can help it. There are still a lot of things I want to do.

Video;

[playsforkeeps]

Oui, petite. My point is, de Arcana cycles, too. Death is de end, but it ain' necessarily bad.

Video;

[xxii_thefool]

[She perks up in interest.] Oh! You know about the Arcana too. Now that I stop and think about it I'm really not sure why I'm surprised by that at all; it's not as though the people who end up here don't know all kinds of different unusual things.

[video]

[hierophantmoon]

[He's just been listening. And eating candy canes.]

[CRUNCH] Shit. That was rude. Sorry.

[video]

[xxii_thefool]

[Minako shakes her head, smiling a little.]

It's okay. [She regards him interestedly through the video feed.] Is that a candy cane? Are there more? Can I have one? - Never mind, I had a couple of them earlier today, I don't need to keep eating them. They're good, though, aren't they?

I didn't think you were into sweets much... although come to think of it, I'm not entirely sure where I got the idea.

[video]

[hierophantmoon]

[Normally Shinjiro would keep his responses short and sweet, but he feels extremely talkative at the moment.]

Yeah. You can have as many as you-oh.

Yeah. Thought it might act like a breath mint.

[video]

[xxii_thefool]

[Minako, meanwhile, is usually talkative. She's just... missing some filters right now.]

Hmm, maybe just one more. [She picks herself up off her bed, gathers up the tablet, and starts out of her room. She's not quite the bottomless pit her brother is, but she does like sweets, after all. And besides,] I'm not going to turn down an opportunity to come and bother you a bit.

|| VIDEO ||

[lightning_fists]

[ A thoughtful expression deserves a thoughtful expression in return. Because it's a subject that comes across Tifa's life often. ]

Good or bad, we'll face it nonetheless.

|| VIDEO ||

[xxii_thefool]

[Minako nods to that.] We don't have much of a choice, do we? Sure, we can close our eyes and put our hands over our ears and pretend nothing's going to change, but that won't make anything go away or keep anything from happening.

|| VIDEO ||

[lightning_fists]

[ Nod. Her point's true enough. ]

But wondering about it would only frustrate you, don't you think.

[ She knows it's kept her up late some nights. ]

|| VIDEO ||

[xxii_thefool]

[Minako tilts her head a little, curiously, not entirely certain she's following but interested all the same.] Wondering about what's going to happen?

[Voice]

[fealty_to_none]

New Year? I suppose that acts as a sort of Solstice celebration around here then? Out with the old, in with the new? Another cycle begins, different yet altogether the same?

My hopes that whatever changes, it is ultimately for the better.

[xxii_thefool]

That's it exactly. And before the year ends, there's Christmas, which is five days from now. That's not as big a deal, at least not where I'm from, but it's an excuse to have cake and give presents to people you care about, which isn't ever a bad thing.

It'd be nice if the only changes in the new year were good ones. Considering how this place works, though, that might be a little too much to hope for.

[fealty_to_none]

...So a sort of... pre-solstice celebration?

Ah well, I like to be optimistic, even if reality doesn't always match up to how I think things should be.

[xxii_thefool]

Something like that! I think Christmas is the actual solstice - it's been a while since the calendar matched up to that kind of thing, and in any case it really doesn't matter here since there's no actual sun. [She sounds a little wistful, suddenly.] I miss real sunlight. And stars.

But you're right, it's important to think positive.