August 7th, loud robot child voice broadcasting via istone

[tomodachi]

Hey, hey! Today is my "birthday"... I think? Or at least I'm pretty sure I remember that Tim guy saying it should be today.

[there's a long pause, and then...]

What is it that you're supposed to do on birthdays, again?

Comments

[vagabone]

[A kid who doesn't understand birthdays??? This can't be allowed.

Piñatas, birthday cake, singing... there's no way to get a piñata and he's not going to sing himself, but!]

Well, do you know the spider lady?

[tomodachi]

The spider lady?

[Crow has to think about it for a second, but--]

I've seen her around a few times but I don't think we've talked all that much. Why?

[vagabone]

[The mysterious voice sounds a little tired, but chipper!]

Her name's Muffet. She'll make you something nice to eat if you tell her it's your birthday.

[tomodachi]

[Oh, that's really nice, except...]

What if I can't eat anything here? ... Oh, but I guess my friends would probably like eating something nice...

[vagabone]

[Oh.

Oh no.]

Ah... why not? You okay?

[tomodachi]

What? Yeah, I'm okay. Ain't nothing wrong with me.

I just don't eat. Or even really need to, so I don't bother. I leave that sort of stuff to the humans to worry about.

[vagabone]

Ay, that's okay then. I don't really need to eat either. But you should if you can, it's nice.

[What else...]

Let's see, you've got the 'tell all your friends' part down, so they'll probably find some presents for you... and sing some songs. Maybe even find you a silly hat to wear.

[postictal]

[Excuse Tim if he sounds a shade breathless; he's been coughing pretty hard all day.]

Congratulations. How old're you?

[tomodachi]

[Crow doesn't notice yet, instead focusing on the question. There's a long pause, and then...]

Uhh... I haven't really thought about that? I mean, I think I knew once, but I don't now.

[Good old deleted robot memories...]

[postictal]

Well, pick a number, then.

[Tim's birthday logic truly is impeccable.]

[tomodachi]

Uhh...

[Crow has to think about it for a long moment, and when he does speak, he sounds unsure.]

I woke up a long time ago. Like, more years I think than the number that can be found on like three or four pairs of hands? But I also have a picture that shows I was awake once even before that number, too, but I don't remember when that was.

[He looks and acts like 15-16 but surprise, Crow's actually like, nearly forty or even fifty years old, depending on when the apocalypse occurred in Fragile canon.]

[postictal]

[Three or fair pairs of hands. So he's...older than he looks, if forty is his ballpark.]

What age do you feel?

[tomodachi]

You can feel an age??

[how]

[catpiper]

[As exhausted and raspy as she sounds over the iStone, there's a genuine effort to perk up for her friend.]

You eat dope roasts and make wishes on cakes.

[Which is something they, uh, probably can't do right now. Camp's a mess and everyone may or may not be dying.]

And play games. We can do that.

[tomodachi]

[Also, Crow can't eat. Thanks, robot life.]

Well you know me, I'm always interested in a good game, so... wait a second. You sound kind of funny.

[He's known Ren long enough that he can tell something's wrong with her voice.]

[catpiper]

I'm okay.

[She feels sick and tries to shake it off by laying on back. It's going to take some time to meet up with Crow anyway. She can spend the next couple minutes resting.]

Where do you want to play?

[tomodachi]

We could play at the camp or beach, or... oh, do you wanna draw at our usual place?

[catpiper]

[Drawing sounds like the least intensive activity. She'll repay him by teaching him the intricacies of blackjack one day.]

The usual place. I'll be there.

[tomodachi]

Good! I'll be right there!

[Sure enough, Crow will get there as quickly as he can, and once he does see Ren, either already waiting or arriving after him, he grins.]

Hey! Ready to get started?

[forwearemany]

(Birthday? Well, if Crow wants to celebrate that's his decision.)

Typically, "birthdays" involve the gifting of presents.

Baked goods and deserts are also involved, but unlikely to be of use to synthetics.

[tomodachi]

Yeah, I think I'll leave the food stuff to my friends.

What kind of presents should I get, though?

[forwearemany]

The answer to this is dependent on your preferences, and the resources of those giving gifts.

[tomodachi]

Oh.

... I hope it's treasure. Or books. Or something to draw with. Or...

[Crow could literally be here all day naming things he likes, because he isn't actually that picky.]

[forwearemany]

(You know what? They're just gonna silently let him continue on and take notes.)

[tomodachi]

[Thanks Legion, you're a pal.]

And maybe another scarf Quartermaster might like and... hey, actually, what kind of things do you like?