driftfleet | In like a Tourist, out like a lamb

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In like a Tourist, out like a lamb

Who: Tourists and visitors!
Broadcast: nah
Action: S.S. Tourist
When: March!

[ What are you up to this month, Tourists? Living up to your ship name on the station? Well, share your spoils with the rest of the crew! Or maybe you've been engaging in ahem illicit pursuits? We promise not to tell! ]

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_{[ He's making an effort here so hopefully it's not totally awkward. He
knows it is a little, but give a guy some praise for his effort. He just
didn't deal with kids often... or ever. ]}

Hmm, so you've been here about a year then? But why don't you celebrate your birthday?

_{[ Because just thinks that she has a reason for not wanting to
celebrate, not that she doesn't know it. Still, the number she gives is...
disturbing. It doesn't sit right with him that Atroma would take children
and bring them onto this sham of a show - and he balked at calling it that.
Adults was bad enough, but children? It made bile rise in his throat, but
he kept the look off his face. ]}

[ She might seem a tad shy, but she actually does like having the company of others. Elize is the kind of child that tries to pretend everything is just fine when the adults needs to leave her on her own.

Something about that question does make her feel a little awkward though. She looks down shyly at her mug of cocoa. She can't give the answer "I don't want to celebrate it without Teepo" like she did in the past with Shirley. ]

I... don't really know the exact date of my birthday and I've... never held my own celebration before?

_{[ He waits patiently for her to form her answers, taking a marshmallow or two and popping them into his mouth as he did so. He was curious what would make a child want to not celebrate such a thing, since every child he had ever come across was always excited for their one special day. But maybe it wasn't like that in Elize's culture.

Her answer, though, is a touch surprising. ]}

Oh, well, why don't you just pick a date then and call it your birthday? And you don't need to hold your own. Your friends will throw you one.

_{[ That's how it worked when you were a kid, or so he thought it should. Hadn't Bev said something about a pony writing songs and throwing parties for people's birthdays? ]}

[ Picking a day might require her to give it some thought. She didn't realize she could do something so easily. Her own birthday celebration might have crossed her mind in the past, but only briefly when she was locked up in Hamil. Why celebrate a birthday when you don't have any friends? But things are different for her now that she has real friends. ]

My friends will do that? [ It sounds like loads of fun... then she gives a little shrug of her shoulders. ] I don't know... isn't that a lot of work for them?

_{[ He shook his head. ]}

No. I mean, it is work, but when you're doing it for a friend, it's worth it. When you care about someone - your friend - you like doing things for them, don't you? It's the same for them. Or you could always ask Cheese. I hear he loves throwing parties - especially for birthdays.

And if you're having trouble thinking of a date - why not pick one that's important to you and use that? If it's already a happy day, why not make it happier?

[ A slight tilt of her head. That's an interesting name. ]

...Cheese?

[ The differing calendar systems between her own world and here seems like a problem to her at first, but carefully thinking it over, she might have solved that issue quickly. Pick a birthday following the Fleet's calendar system, then pick a different one for when she's back on Rieze Maxia. That should be fine, shouldn't it? ]

I... think I know what day I want to pick. For my birthday on the fleet. It's still a few more months away, but it's important.

Yeah, he's this yellow pony that talks.

_{[ He was taken aback by it too, Elize, but it's real.

His smile widened and her words and he nodded, reaching out and ruffling her hair lightly. That's what you did to kids when they did a good job, right? ]}

Then it's a perfect date. You'll have to let your friends know when it gets closer, so don't forget it, okay?

A talking pony...

[ For a moment, her surprise might appear as a look of disbelief. Then she says in an audible whisper: ]

That's so cute. [ She believes him. ] Of course. I won't forget. You'll come to my party too, right?

[ The hair ruffle brings her fond memories. Alvin would either ruffle or pat her on the head whenever she did a good job. There was also someone on the fleet who used to do the same and eventually came to care for her as a daughter. He went away a few months ago.

Smiling, she reaches up to smooth down a few loose strands of hair. ]

_{[ Oddly, this reaction does not surprise him. A little girl liking the idea of a talking pony? What could be more natural. Or cute. When little kids like just about anything it's cute.

He smiled at her, though his eyes widened a fraction in surprise at the invitation. He laughed though and nodded. ]}

Of course, I would delighted to attend your birthday party. You'll have to remember to drop me a hint on what you want for a gift, though. That's my weakness - gift buying.

I'll try. I'll let you know when the day is near.

[ If she's still around by then.

A year is long enough for her to understand that they won't always be here. There comes a time they will eventually leave the fleet. It was a hurtful truth for her at first, to lose all the friends that she made. But she has been learning to cope by keeping a positive outlook that she'll meet everyone again. ]

If I'm no longer here, you can just think about me. 'Kay?

[ ...That sounded kind of depressing, but she's still smiling. ]

_{[ It was a bit depressing, but he figures she wouldn't ask if she
probably hadn't had to the same thing herself. So instead he just nods and
holds out his pinky to her. Kids still did this, right? ]}

Pinky swear.

[ Kids still did pinky swears, but she never had a chance to do one with anyone else. She always watched other children. The children of Hamil helped her escape from her small room, but their parents instructed them to stay away from her.

So when he holds out his pinky, she leans over rather eagerly, hooking her own pinky around his. ]

Pinky swear!

_{[ He grinned and did a little shake to seal the deal before leaning
back. ]}

Finish your cocoa, and I'll go find Fenris. He should be around here.

[ A nod. ]

Okay. Thank you, Jim.

[ She gives him a little smile, then goes back to sipping from her mug. ]

End?

Yup, works for me! \o

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In like a Tourist, out like a lamb

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