video; regular network

[heterochrocatic]

[ Whoever is using Catra's comm is standing at the foot of her hospital bed. Probably one of the medical staff or some other Jorgmund pencil pusher. Catra is sitting up, still bandaged but much grumpier than usual (or just as grumpy as usual?). A pair of nurses, along with a couple of other Jorgmund employees are crowded around her bed, one of them holding a plate on which sits a small, sad looking cupcake in which someone has stuck a very lonely candle. The fellow holding the plate, a rather selnder man with too-large glasses and too-cheery disposition, speaks. ]

We want to congratulate Catra on her continuing recovery and wish her a very happy twentieth birthday from all of us at Jorgmund. We understand that it's been a bit of a rough time for some of you lately, and thought this might help raise morale. All together now.

[ The group launches into a slightly off-key rendition of 'Happy Birthday to You' and Catra seems to sink down into her bedclothes, as if it might help her disappear from this plane of existence. Having no such luck, she is forced to sit through the song. ]

Go ahead and blow out the candle, Catra.

[ Catra looks like she would rather do anything except blow out the candle. Maybe even go toe-to-toe with the killer again. In spite of this, she leans forward and gives a half-heard puff of breath, which extinguishes the candle. Styrofoam plate is carefully balanced on her bedside table, and the glasses-wearing guy, no doubt from HR, takes the comm. ]

Go ahead and leave Catra some birthday wishes. I'm sure that hearing from her fellow employees will be just the thing to help her get back on her feet as soon as possible.

[ The comm is deposited into Catra's lap. She stares at the camera, then plants her face in her hands. ]

I swear if ant of you say anything...

Comments

VIDEO

[71lines]

Oh no, Catra.

We're going to have to kick you out of all of the teenage bonding stuff. No more Teen Squad for you.

Re: VIDEO

[heterochrocatic]

Oh noooo. What am I gonna do if I can't listen to you and Dave argue about ninja crap?

[ She wants to ask about midnight kitchen runs but doesn't want to risk it getting heard by Jorgmund on the open network. So instead she rolls her eyes.

Also she might miss the ninja crap. ]

[71lines]

Spend a lot of time thinking about boring things like taxes. People who aren't ninjas pay taxes, right?

[She doesn't plan on ending those.]

I didn't get a party or anything, but after that song I'm kinda fine with that.

[heterochrocatic]

Taxes? Good luck, they don't pay me anything.

[ She picks up the plate with it's tiny cupcake and holds it up. ]

They did leave me this little cake. Smells okay, I guess?

[ Her voice lowers to a whisper. ]

I swear hearing that song is going to keep me in medical even longer.

VIDEO > Action

[71lines]

I guess we get paid in room and board? I'd hate to see how you'd tax those, though...

[She stops faking like she's even thinking that hard about it and... Leans over in real life to examine the cupcake. Hm.]

If you want, we can probably make a better one sometime soon. This looks kinda... cheap. Like that song.

Re: VIDEO > Action

[heterochrocatic]

I mean, I'm still gonna eat it.

[ Catra picks it up and licks at the thick, too saccharine frosting. Bleh. ]

Ohhhh that's really sweet.

[71lines]

[Tenten makes a face.]

At least it's not gloopy? It's just sad when you've got gloopy icing.

[She settles back into her own bed and crosses her arms, thinking. Mental inventory time, what does she have that would be good as a present? Aargh, Jorgmund somehow lost all of her weapons, but...]

[heterochrocatic]

It's just like dumping pure sugar on your tongue...

[ Catra has the good graces to look only mildly dismayed before she bites into her cupcake. there's a pensive expression. ]

It's okay if you have a bite with the actual cake, too.

[ That said, she stuffs the rest of the cupcake in her mouth without ceremony. ]

video;

[princesspower]

Wait, I didn't even know you had a birthday!

[ PANIC. ]

[71lines]

Blegh.

[...Not that it's stopping Catra from just. Inhaling. Wow. Tenten bites off a comment about cats having dignity because that just seems like a quick trip to stomping on Catra's nerves.]

So, what do you usually do for your birthdays? I'm guessing not all of them are spent in the hospital.

[She's not quite sure Catra would appreciate one of her spare sets of clothes... Then again, they are almost the same height. Wait, is that outfit even clean?]

TEXT; LOCKED TO ADORA

[71lines]

You can't just tell someone you forgot their-

everyone has a birthday, adora!

[Okay, yes, Adora didn't know either. That's a bonus for her. But... Hm. That'll make Catra unhappy, won't it? Maybe the two of them can think about presents and all.]

[heterochrocatic]

We didn't really celebrate birthdays in the Horde. No time for that kind of thing for good little soldiers.

[ Thinking about it, it's kinda fucked up. Of course she knew it was fucked up when she was a kid, too, somehow. It had just felt wrong. ]

It was just an administrative thing for them.

video;

[heterochrocatic]

Everyone has a birthday, Adora.

[ Why does she love this girl again? Oh yeah, because she's amazing and beautiful and perfect. ]

We just never celebrated mine in the Horde.

[71lines]

Oh.

We usually do cakes and presents where I'm from.

[When even the culture that throws child ninjas into combat situations with dozens of adults at a time has birthday parties, maybe there's an issue when yours doesn't.]

[princesspower]

I don't even know my birthday...

But we can celebrate yours now! That's great!

[princesspower]

I didn't forget! I didn't know in the first place!

1/2

[heterochrocatic]

How do you not know your birthday? 13 was when they started us on proper sim training!

[ Good thing Catra is morosexual. ]

2/2

[heterochrocatic]

Anyway, your birthday is January 19th. Dummy.

[71lines]

Okay.

[How do you not know?]

Okay. So. Do you want to do something for her real quick? I'd do it myself, but I'm down a hand at the moment.

[heterochrocatic]

What? Why?

[ Cakes and presents on birthdays? Sounds fake. ]

[71lines]

To... make you feel good for living another year? That's what I always figured, anyway.

"Congratulations, you didn't die and you killed everyone who tried to kill you this year. Here's a reward."

[...Huh. She'd never actually thought about it before. Not seriously, anyway. Her version feels right, though.]

[princesspower]

I can try. I need to think of something. Not like I can really find her a gift or anything here anyway...

[princesspower]

We all started in the simulators at the same time! How was I supposed to know?

[ Groan. ]

Thanks for the update, though. I'll remember that.

[71lines]

I'll be able to slip off to the kitchens tonight. You want to escort me there or just meet me there?

[Hnnn. No, she shouldn't be a brat about this. Even if Adora's a rival, she doesn't know it and they should still be friends. Besides, how many of Tenten's rivals have ever noticed her rivalry, anyway?]

I have some stuff we can use for gifts.

[fuckcable]

[ Ric is not into this concept at all. ]

How the $&@% do they know our birthdays? I don’t remember telling them mine.