video: un; apparition

[unphase]

[Tinya is sitting at an almost obscenely long dining table with a red velvet cupcake with a single candle in it sitting in front of her.

the light of the candle is all that's there in the room]

Today is my twentieth birthday.

I've had more birthdays away from home than I've had at home. Two more, in fact. How does that work, I wonder.

Anyway. Happy birthday to me?

[and she blows out the candle, leaving everything in darkness]

Comments

Video | Clickclickbloom

[onekindsoul]

I know that feeling.

Kind of weird being away from home for so long, huh?

Would you rather be there or here?

[unphase]

It is strange, isn't it?

I'd rather be there. I have a husband who's been subjected to unimaginable trauma and a son who needs his mother.

What about you? Would you rather be there or here?

[onekindsoul]

...That's awfully sad.

I- Well I grew up with my mother. So I do know how lonely that can be. I'm sure if you returned though. He'd understand the circumstances.

I don't think returning is actually in the cards for me. So I like to think I'm making the best of my time here.

[unphase]

Yeah. And if the local lore is to believed, all we do when we go into the ocean is become a squid again. I don't want that. I want to be able to go home.

I hope he will. He has this...condition where he ages rapidly. No one knows why or what's causing it. Or how old he'll eventually become. So, I worry.

That's an admirable way of looking at it. Perhaps the only way.

[onekindsoul]

Yeah. I- Well I've seen a lot of people come and go. I'm not sure how true or false that is. But I hope you get there someday.

That sounds weird and complicated. I understand why you'd want to be there for him. I mean outside of the obvious reasons.

I mean- My options are kind of thin otherwise. It might be a little bleak, but I'm happy here with what I have.

video | un: sds

[fogsong]

So, does the birthday girl want to do anything for the big day?

[unphase]

[a rueful smile] I don't know. I used to have big parties for myself, but...it is so weird to be older here than I am at home. And, twenty. It feels impossible. In a bad way.

I wouldn't say no to company, though. There are more cupcakes.

[fogsong]

I can see how you'd feel that way. There are definitely days when I realize certain things about this place and... Impossible is the right word.

I'll come over then. I can't say no when there are cupcakes involved. [ As if she'd deny Tinya anything on her birthday. ]

[unphase]

Yeah...there are days when I don't recognize the me who's staring back. That makes me really worried.

[but a warm, genuine smile] I'll leave the front door unlocked. Carmilla will be waiting.

[fogsong]

We have to change to survive places like these, Tinya, but... If it helps any, the you I see is the you I became friends with.

Front door unlocked, got it. I'll be there in maybe a half hour, give or take. [ She's gotta pick some stuff up first, of course. ]

Video | UN: jaya

[forcechanic]

I'm not sure when mine was exactly. But it was weird to have it with my twin.

[unphase]

You don't know? Are you from a world with another calendar?

That's got to be rough. I...have a twin of sorts. We've never met. What is your twin like?

[forcechanic]

Yeah, the only people who use the Galactic Standard calendar are the ones from my galaxy.

Jacen... he loves animals and jokes. I'm not sure which one more. We've always been lucky to have each other.

[unphase]

Really? Are there a lot of you from your galaxy? As far as I can tell, there are none from mine but my galaxy uses the standard Terran calendar. Because Terrans think they're the center of the universe. [she says with a playful eye-roll and grin]

Animals and jokes...two great things to love. They speak well of him. But...have you been alone here long?

[forcechanic]

A lot of us from all across time. I've met more dead grandparents in the last eight months than I know what to do with.

[Depending on how one is counting Obi Wan Kenobi he's kinda a grandpa too, after all]

My little brother is here but older than me... it's weird, but I'm lucky to have him. Just... Jacen is different.

un: kickflips, text

[strongroots]

happy birthday

no time for birthdays back home?

[unphase]

Thank you!

Not exactly.

I was taken from my world to another one when I was fifteen.

I lived there for almost four years, but I was brought back home where I was eighteen.

Then I had two birthdays here, nineteen and twenty.

But back home, I'm still eighteen.

[strongroots]

damn, how does that work? you went back home and only three years passed?

and you think if you went home now you'd be eighteen? you sure?

[unphase]

Sure did! They were an unfortunately eventful three years. Coming here was almost like a vacation.

Pretty sure? Even though given the whole squid in the ocean part I'm not sure we can go home.

[strongroots]

place doesnt really make a lot of sense. i thought i was dead when i showed up. but then i dont remember anything to make me think i died?

i just figured we were squid. and dont think about it that hard

but thats a lot of not fun stuff to think about on a birthday

Video / un; Abigail Williams

[iaiafhtagn]

It's you're birthday!? Oh, well then happy birthday to you miss! What sort of cake is that?

[unphase]

[Tinya smiles warmly] Thank you, I appreciate your well wishes! And it's red velvet. Sort of like chocolate with cream cheese frosting. And red sugar sprinkles because why not?

[iaiafhtagn]

You're welcome, everyone deserves to be wished a wonderful birthday!

But red velvet? Hm, I think I tried that once back home. Um... did you make it yourself? It looks wonderful!

[unphase]

That's a good way of looking at things.

I did! I didn't know how to cook at all, so believe me, there was a lot of trial and error while I learned. Mostly errors!

[iaiafhtagn]

Eh, that must have taken a long while to accomplish then! And must have made it taste all the better once you finished. It's always wonderful to see what others have made!

Were you planning on doing anything at all today?