10th Swing [Video]

[deadalready]

I missed my birthday.

[It's said with no small share of amusement on his part, the fact is he was kind of in the middle of having a huge crisis with Ganon going ape on his birthday so...he doesn't feel too bad but still.]

I've been eighteen for six weeks now -- weird. Where I come from, it's a...pretty big deal. The last year of having your name put in and the last time you'll ever have a chance of being in the Games.

[He says chance like it's some kind of honor to be picked. For him, it was. Was.]

If I had been home, [Still alive that is.] next year the whole town would have gotten together to celebrate - we never did those things small.

[He smiles, mostly to himself.]

It would've been fun.

Comments

[merciless_savior]

[A Professor appears!]

There's no reason you can't celebrate here, is there? I'm sure many would love to throw you a party. Presents, cake and silly party tricks everywhere!

[deadalready]

It's not like I got a lot of friends just lying around.

[Social creature he is not.]

[twodragons]

Do you have people from your world here? They could probably do something for you.

I haven't even been thinking about birthdays or turning older in this place. I know I should be, seeing as some of my friends are older, but it just doesn't all seem real yet, you know?

[deadalready]

It's bizarre. [Cato actually find it amusing enough to laugh. Just a little.]

I can't tell if it counts or not here since I'm not...uh...alive, back home.

[It's a valid point but he just makes it awkward thinking about how awkward it is telling someone he's dead.]

[twodragons]

Oh.

[Yeah, that's. Pretty awkward.]

But you're not dead here, right? I mean, if you're alive can you still technically age?

[deadalready]

It would make sense if I could age here but I don't have a way of telling.

Do you know if there are any uh -- not-dead people that have been here a long time? Maybe they'd know.

[twodragons]

I have a couple friends who've been here long enough to have aged noticeably. None of them were dead before they got here, but I suppose I could ask them.

Even if you don't, I don't think there's anything wrong with still celebrating your birthday.

[deadalready]

Thanks...for that. I've been here a year now but it feels like it's been way shorter than that, yanno?

[Video]

[ps3pirate]

There's no reason it can't be fun here! Sure, you missed your birthday, but if you have a party people will still show up, ya know.

[Video]

[deadalready]

Just like that?

[It's always weirded him out how close Luceti was in practice to home.]

[Video]

[ps3pirate]

Just like that! Who doesn't love a party, right? There's good food and good fun.

[Video]

[deadalready]

I guess.

[...Is it really that easy to cheer him up?

Yes. Apparently, it is.]

[Video]

[ps3pirate]

[That was still only a halfhearted response by Patty's standards, so she'll keep needling a little longer until she sees a proper smile.]

I'm Patty! What's your name, birthday boy?

[Video]

[deadalready]

Uh -- Cato.

[IT'S A SMILE.]

[swordprincess]

[The mention of the Games sounds curious to Karla, like it's a really big deal.]

...What kinds of Games are they? Are they really special?

Can you celebrate your birthday late?

[deadalready]

Yeah... yeah they're really special.

Twenty-four kids fight to the death until one is left standing. It's a pretty big deal.

[He doesn't sound too thrilled. Probably because he didn't get to win.]

[swordprincess]

[He shouldn't sound thrilled, Karla thinks, even if he did win.]

That sounds like the arena that another woman spoke of. The large arena with forests and lakes and such. Is this the same thing?

[deadalready]

Yeah, that's the place.

[He's not surprised, it's just Katniss and Clove around here.

Except no -- not anymore. Now they have Effie and Katniss' little sister whatsherface.]

There's one every year. Me and two other girls here went.

[swordprincess]

I see. I don't think I'd want to patricipate in that. I have my experience in the arenas, but nothing like that.

[deadalready]

It's not exactly voluntary. [Unless you, yanno, volunteer. Which he did.] We're chosen at random out of the rest of the kids in our district - you can volunteer but...apparently not everyone does.

[Video]

[fashionably_strong]

Happy belated birthday! You should celebrate it anyway.

[Video]

[deadalready]

Thanks. I dunno, it just...it's weird.

[He isn't sure if it counts or not because he's not technically alive.]

[Video]

[fashionably_strong]

Would it be less weird if you just got together with a few of the people you're closest with?

[Video]

[deadalready]

I -- [Huff. Talking is haaaaaaaaaard.]

There's just Clove really.

[And he's a liar. (Not really he just doesn't know he's made friends.)]

[Video]

[fashionably_strong]

Maybe celebrate with just the two of you, then? Hang out and do something fun together. But at least do something for your birthday.