{4th Clow Card; user name: sakurakinomoto; Video}

[keystaff]

[Sakura is sitting on her bed at the inn, stroking a tiny lion cub, courtesy of one Gilgamesh. The last few days have been rather exhausting to say the least, but she's been doing her best to get out and help, while trying to keep in mind Adrien's advice to take a break now and then. Which now is one of those times, as she comes back inside to check on her new pet.]

I really should think of a name for you, you know. I can't just keep calling you 'cub-san'. I'm not sure if Kero-chan might get jealous or confused if I named you after him though....Maybe from that movie? Ah, what does everyone else think? Graham-san, everyone, any ideas?

[And now for the real reason she turned her necklace on.]

Also....um, what happens with birthdays? Do we still get older with ALASTAIR and all? I never thought to ask before, but....[Well. April 1st is her birthday.] Well, it seems important, right? To figuring how old we are and if we need to get presents for our friends. When is everyone else's birthdays anyway?

Comments

Video; un: baaaan

[perma_banned]

And folks whine that I don't get anything done... [He looked to the lion cub with a frown.]

What're you talking about, anyway, missy? 'Birthday'?

video; username: sakurakinomoto

[keystaff]

Ah. I just wanted to think of a really good name! I've never had a pet before, so.....

[Let alone. A lion. You know.]

But ah, birthdays. You know. The day you were born and turn a year older! And you get presents and cake and throw a party with your friends!

[perma_banned]

[Ban offered Sakura a quizzical look. She must not have known the thing would grow to monster size before long.

What she said otherwise was even more confusing.]

I've never heard of a holiday like that. Everyone gets one?

VIDEO - un: huntsman

[dishearten]

( honestly, his first thought when he sees Sakura's new friend is not what she could name it... it's that he's not sure a lion cub is a good companion for a little girl. Olivia has Saffron, of course, but Olivia is not quite as small as Sakura.

it's odd to think about. would he have been concerned for someone his age, in a pile of wolves?

he frowns, a little, before he shakes it off. )

There's a very famous lion from home called Simba. Is that the one you're thinking? ( as for birthdays... he has no idea what his is, and avoids that part of the question. ) Is your birthday coming up? Perhaps we can do something to celebrate it, even here in Nalawi.

VIDEO - un: sakurakinomoto

[keystaff]

[Go blame/thank Gil for the cub, Graham. It's on him.]

Simba? Do you think that would be a good name? But ah, my birthday.....that is...it's...it's on April 1st.

[She trails off, almost sheepish to admit it. And it's not sure if she was asking him or the cub about the name, exactly.]

[dishearten]

( the little cub having a name is pretty important and probably going to get more attention later. right now he's focused on the idea it's her birthday. )

Today, really? ( he would never have guessed, but that's probably how birthdays go. unless you know you wouldn't think about it. ) Is there something you'd like to do for it?

video; un: king

[agrizzlysin]

Does it really matter if you get older or not? Either way, you still lived another year.

[Maybe aging is important to humans since they have such short lifespans, but King's never wasted any deep thought on the subject. Also, he's never had to deal with time and space travel.]

But if the lion cub gets older, then we should too.

video; un: sakurakinomoto

[keystaff]

Of course it matters! I think I'd like to know if I'm twelve now or not.

[There's a pause as she considers what he says.]

But ah, If Shishi-san got pregnant with the cubs and all, that would have to mean time is still passing!

[agrizzlysin]

Only twelve, huh...?

[He trails off, trying to comprehend the - to him - monumentally small number.]

Do you want presents?

video; un: poindexter

[weirdologist]

As far as birthdays are concerned, not every dimension uses the calendar that you might be used to. Some might even pause time itself or completely reverse it. It's hard to tell unless you spend an allotted amount of time in one, or adopt the one that others use.

[Ford was never exactly certain of when his birthday was, during the years that he spent hopping dimensions, but his tone is gentle as he explains. Another child. Seriously, ALASTAIR?]

And as for names, you could name him after someone important to you? Whoever this "Kero-chan" is, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you explained it like that.

video; un: sakurakinomoto

[keystaff]

Dimensions? Ah....didn't they say everyone back home won't miss us? So time sort of stops there while we help ALASTAIR, or something. It's....hard to say.

[Ford, birthdays are important! Okay maybe not as important as you get older, and more complicated with dimension nonsense, but still.]

Kero-chan is important to me! And I do miss him....

[weirdologist]

Yes, dimensions. Worlds that run parallel to your own. You could be from, say, Earth, but someone else might be from a different version, another time. A specific group of those would be a multiverse. Am I making sense?

[Ah, so time stops. He was interested to know exactly how, considering the whole Time Baby thing, but he doesn't ask, considering she seems to know about as much as he does on the subject. Instead, he offers her a small smile.]

Maybe you could name your cub something similar then?

voice; un: seraph

[circulets]

You haven't stopped growing, have you?

[ Time might be standing still in their worlds, but it isn't for them. ]

voice; un: sakurakinomoto

[keystaff]

I don't think so? I might need to look at some of my clothes if they need adjusting soon.

[Which, if there's one way to find out, it's figuring with the kids and their aging, since they would be the more obvious signs in comparison to the adults.]

voice; un: seraph

[circulets]

That's not exactly what I mean. Time is standing still at home, but we're not. In that case, it may be safe to say that we're still growing.

un: pearl | video

[beyourrock]

Ah, birthdays. Human traditions were always so baffling to me. I don't have a specific birthday myself but...

Is it your birthday, by chance, Sakura?

un: sakurakinomoto | video

[keystaff]

You don't have one, Pearl?

[Ah. But then...Pearl isn't human. She never really asked on how the Gems came to be.]

It....um. yes.

text @ happybirthday

[adoube]

Birthday? Is there a birthday? Whose birthday? Is it yours? Yours-yours?

H a p p y birthday!!!

text @ sakurakinomoto

[keystaff]

It's my birthday! But ah, your user name matches it! When is yours?

video | username: pugsnhugs618

[ackingcraycray]

Why hello there, chum! Mabel Pines here, local birthday expert and party coordinator. I see you're having trouble figuring out whether or not to even have your birthday.

Well. I'm here to tell you the answer is...

YES!!

[With a dramatic fling of her arms, she tosses scads of flower petals into the air. They tumble down around her like confetti. Exactly as planned. The hour and a half it took to get them was worth it.]

The wonderful thing about ALASTAIR is that time barely matters anymore, so you could have your birthday whenever you want! Think about it. For example: my twin brother Dipper and I's birthday was supposed to be on August 31st, but he was taken one week before that happened, and was with the company for three months. On the other hand, I was taken only a few days before the 31st, yet I only got here in time to live through the fake apocalypse at the castle! So...where does that leave us? Are we still bound by the suffocating constraints of calendars and wristwatches? Do the constants of the universe still apply when we are being sent forth to go and mess with them anyway?

Absolutely not.

So if you think it's time for your birthday, then you should definitely have it! Dipper and I did! It was great, and everyone should try it sometime. Especially you!

GO FORTH! BE FREE! PARTY! AND INVITE ME TO IT!

tacked on after

[ackingcraycray]

Also your lion is so cute!! Gosh, everyone's got one, we could make our own pack. Mine's named D.G.

You should name it based off of something you love! Or alternatively, something about the lion itself. Is it a boy or a girl?

video | un; sieglindesullivan

[grunehexe]

My birthday falls on the full snow moon each cycle- and I shall be counting the last one, as it was close enough to my own recollection!

[She's not giving up being able to say she's twelve, okay?]

When does your fall, Sakura?

video | un; sakurakinomoto

[keystaff]

Ah, does that mean I missed yours?

[She was asking so she could get presents for her friends. Hopefully she hasn't missed her chance. Or will still be here to for the next time? It's hard to say, exactly.]

Mine is April 1st!

[digophelia]

I'm sure that even while we are with ALASTAIR, we still age. Did you have a birthday?

[ Twelve years old is quite the turning of age! That is when most girls are slowly prepped for debuting. ]

Mine is May 4th, though, turning twenty years old is hardly thrilling as turning twelve.

[keystaff]

I think I still fit my initial outfit I got here in, but it might be getting a little smaller. But ah, yes!

[Twenty....that seems like a while off, for Sakura. And yet, somehow at the same time Alice both does and doesn't seem that old.]

So your birthday is next month? I'll need to remember and get you something for it!