vulcanblazer | 064 [Action] CHRISTMAS TIME... and another time.

064 [Action] CHRISTMAS TIME... and another time.

[Action, Backdated to December 23rd]

[SImply put, today is Luka's birthday. Adell's been ready for this since she told him when it was. It occurred to him that her birthday was awfully close to Christmas, but he figured getting her a gift now and a gift for then was the right thing to do. A birthday is still a birthday and deserves to be celebrated. So whenever Luka goes out, probably to the library, Adell will be ready for her whenever she gets back...

With a freshly baked cake, with 18 candles... as well as with a large wrapped present. Of course, she won't find those immediately, but Adell intends to lead her to them when she walks in that front door.]

[Action, December 25th]

[It's time for Santa Adell to make his rounds about Luceti. He's more subdued in giving this year than in past, opting to keep the list of people he's getting gifts for shorter. Either way, he'll be delivering them where you live, if he knows that. If not, he simply will leave a short note to them in the journal to come take it.

Terra: Considering she had disappeared and was sent home, Adell went and found her a new sword, this time opting for a solid Netherworld made weapon. It's a rune sabre, and is exceptionally well made and sharp. It also provides a slight boost to INT, which will probably strengthen her magic just a little, though the difference between Netherworld magic and Esper magic might prevent this from working.
Stahn: A cookbook filled with several different Netherworld recipes, including a seriously big section on spicy food. As well, a few Netherworld spices to use in those recipes. Beware, they pack a punch if used improperly.
Noel: Adell can't really top the Laser Blade he got her last year, and he knows it. Still, he figures that first notebook he got her has been put through its paces, so he got her a new one... as well as a set of nice watercolors and heavy paper for it. Maybe she'll enjoy the new hobby.
Luka: Gets a few books, mostly fiction, for recreational reading, and a simple, gold bracelet.
Fatima: A very heavy winter blanket, in deep indigo colors and a new pair of winter boots. Hopefully he got the right size, he had to guess. But also, Fatima gets a laser pointer with a small note on it that says "trying using this to play with Valerie."
Sheena: A very nice tea making set, attached with a note stating that this set is for her use only, not for the tea shop. As well, a new set of hardened fighting gloves. In a pinch, they can't hurt.
Yukari: An assortment of teas, some from the Netherworld.
Daisy: A gun. It appears like a .44 Magnum revolver, but it's actually a Netherworld Peace Maker, an exceptionally well-crafted weapon that fires a very powerful round. The SPARTAN should be able to handle the monstrous recoil on the weapon, because the weapon was built with demons in mind. Attached is a small label that says "Prinny Deterrent."
Rydia: A bottle of perfume with a light, airy sort of fragrance.
Valvatorez: ...He gets a couple of tins of sardines. Basically, to act as an emergency supply one day, should the need ever arise that he is out of those fish he loves so much.

Either way, he can be caught making rounds, or during deliveries. Or after.]

(OoC: Apologies for the previous entry's slowness, but the timing on it really could not have been worse.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[December 23rd is just like every other day, the only special thing about it is that Christmas is right around the corner. Oh, and that it's a Friday, that usually means something to those who care about when the weekend starts. Luka, however, has no reason to consider it a special day, sure, it's her birthday but after years and years of not having it celebrated she has gotten used to just make a brief mental note about it. The only times she "celebrated" it were on the kindergarten when the teachers forced them to celebrate each birthday and because it was forced and there was no party at home mirroring that excitement those times have little meaning for her.

Honestly she has basically forgotten she mentioned when her birthday was to Adell, so she's really not expecting anything when she returns home, a new book to study under one arm while the other hugs Whiskers to her body.]

I'm home.

[She calls simply as she enters the apartment and proceeds to stay still, like always, until Adell answers. She knows he's there after all.]

[Adell walks out into the main hallway to greet her, and gives her a familiar smile as he does so. It's pretty much become their ritual, that he greets her at the door whenever she gets home, if he's home himself.]

Hey, Luka! Welcome home. How's your day been?

[He'll lead her to the cake in a minute. Gotta play it like nothing's going on for now.]

[Probably because if he's home and doesn't come to greet her, or at least yell back, she won't move from that spot until he does. She doesn't like the feeling of entering home without being greeted.]

It has been good. I found this book, it's really technical and complete, it will help me with my studies a lot.

[She's clearly happy with it as she walks in and shows him the awfully thick text book. It shouldn't be a surprise, really.]

...Sure looks like it might take awhile to read. But, knowing you, you'll get through it in no time at all.

[And that's a compliment. Luka's intelligence still manages to impress him, even months later.]

So, before you hit the books, can I borrow you for a little while?

It's a bit more advanced that what I'm used to, it may take a bit longer. But I will learn a lot with it.

[The girl is just happy studying, okay. She tilts her head at his question, though. He can't be up to try to get her out again, right? She comes from the outside already.]

What is it?

Just come here for a second, okay?

[He motions for her to follow as he heads into one of the rooms in the apartment. He'll wait for her right by the door. He has to hide his smile, but when she comes into the room, she'll see on a table the birthday cake and wrapped gifts.

...Right now Adell's just going to wait for her reaction.]

[She follows with slight confusing on her face, stopping at the sight of the table and the contents over it. Birthday cake and wrapped gifts... Even back at home this could only mean one thing, she looks at Adell.]

Are we having a guest today?

[A small voice in her screams that it's for her, but she has never celebrated her birthday like this, why would that change now? Even if she told him about her birthday, he probably would have forgotten it by now. Why would he memorize it?]

[For someone so smart, she can be kind of stupid sometimes.]

No. It's for you. Happy Birthday, Luka.

((From here))

[She feared that. She turns red and looks at the cake and the gifts before looking at him again.]

W-Why... I d-don't celebrate m-my birthday. I-It will be C-Christmas s-soon anyway... Y-You d-didn't have to d-do this. Y-You already g-gave me a g-gift.

[Oh look, the stutter that lately seems to have mostly disappeared when she's around Adell, has returned. And she holds Mr. Whiskers high in front of his face so he can see him. See Adell? You already gave her a gift, no need for more.]

E-Even if f-for you i-it wasn't a g-gift a-and you just d-didn't want it, I l-like it. [In case it wasn't obvious from how she never lets that thing go.] I-It's e-enough with this. R-Really...

[Adell just smiles a little, when she holds up Whiskers. Still, he keeps his voice quiet and calm.]

Whiskers was a gift. I saw him and won him for you.

...And maybe I didn't have to do this, but I figured it'd be nice to celebrate your birthday. Even if Christmas is in a couple of days, this is still important, right?

S-See? T-Then you d-don't have to g-get me a-anything else. T-This was a lot...

[Oh, please, why won't you listen to reason, Adell?]

... I... I have n-never celebrated it. N-not even mom... S-So why w-would you w-want to celebrate it? W-Why w-waste s-so much e-effort...

You never celebrated your own birthday before?

[Man, what kind of Mom did she have? She always spoke highly of her, and Adell definitely believed her Mom loved her, but damn. His family was dirt poor and still found some way to celebrate his birthday, even if it was just with hand-me-downs, homemade gifts, and simpler baked goods.]

W-Well... W-When we were in k-kindergarten, the t-teachers a-always made us celebrate. B-But mom s-said it was pointless i-if I was g-going to have gifts on C-Christmas. A-And I didn't h-have anyone to i-invite to a celebration e-either. M-Mom and me celebrated it quietly, I l-liked that a lot.

[Or rather she got used to it after years of expecting a magical surprise party.]

[Adell bites his tongue at first. He really wants to voice his disapproval of how her mom handled things, feeling that marginalized Luka. He keeps his mouth shut only because he doesn't want to hurt Luka's feelings.]

...I see.

Well, all I can say... is I guess I think differently than your Mom does.

[He thinks there's a point. And that it was worth the effort...]

[And with that, Adell walks over to the table with Luka's cake on it. His face is kind of stoic at first. A lot of it involves him trying to push disapproval out of his mind for the moment. Today was Luka's day, and even though she was being stubborn about it, he was determined to see this through.

So as he gets next to her cake, there are the eighteen unlit candles. He runs a hand over each one, and the wicks ignite into orange flame. Bet Luka never had a cake with candles lit by a demon before. Once he lights the last one, he turns to her with a smile and a gently teasing tone.]

...Now, are you gonna blow out these candles so you can get your birthday wish or not?

... M-Many people think d-differently than mom...

[Mumbled as a fact. It's true, she knows it, specially in this place but then again Luceti as a whole is different so it's natural that the would think differently. She stares in awe as he lits the candles, cuddling Whiskers as he turns to her again. Her birthday wish?]

W-What should I w-wish for?

That's for you to decide. You can't tell anyone, or else it won't come true. Or so they say, anyway.

So when you're ready, go for it!

[She looks at the candles again, silently thinking.]

C-Can I wish for a-anything then? A-Anything I want, e-even if it's silly o-or impossible?

Of course!

[All confidence in this voice. Go on, Luka. Have a good time with this.]

[She looks again at the candles... She can make any wish, huh? And since she can't tell anyone about it no one will ever know it, no one would be disappointed or angry. And she can wish for it no matter how impossible it is or silly... Also, because it is something impossible she knows it will never come true, but still, for one single moment, as she blows at those candles she will be able to fully and actually wish for it.

She approaches to the cake slowly, as if afraid of it, leaning forward hesitantly. Frowning a bit as she makes up her mind. Is it really okay to wish for it? Just for a single second, just to herself, it won't hurt anyone, right? She closes her eyes, she can still see it even if it was a scene she saw months ago, it's incredible that it has been already half a year since she heard Miku singing at the rooftop and saw her there, singing at the top of her lungs, freely and simply to the wide sky for no one and for everyone to hear her. She blows at the candles with all her might, turning them off in one go.

I wish I could sing the way Miku-senpai does and become a singer when I grow older.

The wish doesn't last longer than a second, just as long as it takes for the candles to go out. And then she stands up, looking at Adell sheepishly.]

T-There... I did it.

[He smiles.]

And I hope whatever you wished for comes true. Now, I believe that big box over there has your name on it, unless you want to have cake first.

[It won't come true, that's the whole point of a wish. There's no point in wishing for what you may have, so normally she just doesn't wish and when she does, like now... It's for something impossible.

Of course, he doesn't need to know that. And she still would prefer to go on without the cake or the gift, but he won't change his mind so... She goes for the box.]

[Adell smiles as she watches her go to the box. He won't say anything, and let Luka get to it...

And inside the box is actually a phonograph. It's in pretty good condition, actually, and it has a number of records with it, various music of several genres, but most of them are relatively quiet.]

[She pales when she opens the package. Music? Why music? She turns to look at Adell almost bewildered.]

W-Why this?

[What does he know?!]

[He's surprised at how taken aback she is. This wasn't what he was expecting.]

...You study an awful lot. I figured maybe this would be good background noise for it, or it might be relaxing for you.

[He does know about the old Luka loving music, but this Luka isn't that Luka. And he certainly has no idea about Miku, or Luka's desire to actually sing. He's already learned to separate the Vocaloid he once knew with the human he knows now. He just figured almost everyone likes music, and reading with music on sometimes is soothing.]

064 [Action] CHRISTMAS TIME... and another time.

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