15th Screw - backdated to August 7th

[all_wound_up]

[Action]

[Today is Nano's birthday, but she hasn't told anyone.  She's not really the type to call that much attention to herself over something like this, and it seems sort of insignificant to her compared to all of the problems in Hinoto-Ri.  But two years is a long time - at least, to her it is - and the past year especially has been full of so many chances to learn new things and meet new people, so she feels that she at least owes a little bit of celebration to herself.

And that's why she's at the bakery today, picking out a cupcake to enjoy while she wishes herself well for the next year.  Once she's got the tasty treat in hand, she takes it outside to one of the small tables set up near the street for customers to enjoy their snacks, pulling two small candles out and lighting them with a small fire spell that she learned from Namine.  After she hums a short little birthday song, she closes her eyes to send up a silent wish, smiles, and blows the candles out.]

Comments

[all_wound_up]

[Nano nods, thoughtfully chewing over a bite of her cupcake before swallowing it down. God only knows what her robotic body does to metabolize food, but she seems just fine with this.]

I think you should, too. It's never a bad thing to learn, is it?

[otakuro]

No, but...

[Atsuro laughs, a little bit flushed.]

I was... I guess I was still hoping to start university back home. It feels strange to try and do it this way.

[all_wound_up]

[Nano nods.]

I think I can understand that... but I don't think it's good to put something like that off. You might be missing out on the chance to learn something exciting or make a lot of new friends.

[otakuro]

...

Do you think what happens to us here sticks when we go home?

[It was something he had vaguely pondered on and off in his spare time.]

I mean... we're growing older and aging here. If we stay long enough, there could be a pretty obvious difference - especially in younger teenagers. I can't see Philemon being sloppy about something like that...

[all_wound_up]

[Nano stops, blinking back at Atsuro. That's something she honestly hadn't considered herself.]

I... I don't know.

[And now that she is thinking about it, she's finding the notion almost too sad to bear.]

I hope it does... I've met too many wonderful people here to just forget them.

[She'll conveniently ignore the growing older and aging part. That's not really a concern for her.]

[otakuro]

Eheh... We've been through too much to just press the reset button and forget about it all. Even if our bodies need to revert back to the way they're supposed to be, I hope the memories will endure.

[Although perhaps he could selectively forget one or two of the more uncomfortable things. He wouldn't miss 90% of Animus.]

[all_wound_up]

I hope so too. I would never want to forget the friendships I've made here.

[otakuro]

...Well!

I shouldn't let worrying about something like that stop me from doing what I want, anyway. I'll see if I can sign up - if not as a full-time student, to take a few classes, anyway.

[all_wound_up]

At least it will keep you busy.

[otakuro]

Aha... I think the demons do a pretty good job of that already. I don't generally go around Hinoto-Ri thinking 'gosh I wish something would happen'.

[all_wound_up]

Busy in a good way?

[otakuro]

I'm not sure I like homework enough to consider it 'good', either...

We can settle at 'neutral'.

[all_wound_up]

At least you'll be studying something you enjoy.

[otakuro]

...Hey, that's true.

[Atsuro brightens up.]

We don't get much choice over what we want to study back home... Might as well use this time and take a few of the courses I know I wouldn't have time for normally.

[all_wound_up]

Right! We have a lot of freedom here, so I'm sure you'll be able to find something you're really excited to learn. I think school is a lot of fun, so it shouldn't be hard.

[otakuro]

I wonder if they do video game design around here...

[And then Atsuro never leaves school again.]

Thanks for the advice, Nano! I'm gonna have to see if it's not too late to enroll still - the semester is starting in a few days, right?

[all_wound_up]

It starts in September, so you have a little time, but it probably can't hurt to start looking into things now.

[otakuro]

I think they have to actually accept me as a student first. ...Although I do work there already.

[Atsuro stands from his seat.]

I'll catch you later then, Nano.

[all_wound_up]

Good luck, Atsuro-san.

[otakuro]

Oh - and happy birthday!

[Atsuro turns back with a wave a few steps away and a serene smile.]

[all_wound_up]

[Nano is about to flail awkwardly, but instead she stops short of that and just blushes instead, smiling and offering a small sheepish wave in return.]

[otakuro]

[...Atsuro hadn't known for sure it was her birthday, of course, but he will take the sheepish wave for an admission of guilt. He laughs slightly before dashing off.

Sometime over the next few days, Nano will receive an anonymous present at the Shinonome Labs with a generic looking card.]

[all_wound_up]

[And of course she reads the card and opens the gift, wondering what it is and who it's from.]

[otakuro]

Happy birthday, Nano! Since it seemed like you wanted to celebrate it alone, I thought I'd wait a few days before doing anything.

-Your friend.

[There is also a small squiggly drawing near the signature which might not be recognizable at all, but resembles a certain monster. Inside the box is some assorted cute stationery, and the first few volumes of a light novel (not the Junes saga thankfully). There is also a rollcake with a smiley face drawn on the wrapper and blue popsicle plushie meant to evoke the image of sea salt ice cream because whoever sent this present is a dork.]

[all_wound_up]

[Nano will sleep with that popsicle plushie every night.]