happy birthday, how much more can you take?

[roundandaround]

WHO: Rinku, Evangeline, everyone who knows the latter even a little
WHAT: Evangeline birthday party number 1: The SFW One
WHEN: February 8
WHERE: Shining Karaoke
WARNINGS: None so far, this is the clean party.

Rinku had booked out the biggest room at the karaoke bar for the entire night. Everyone who had so much as an acquaintanceship with Evangeline was invited, so it might get a little crowded even so. The machines had just been updated with songs from all over, allowing everyone to sing whatever they wanted – though maybe holding off on the inappropriate ones would be good, at least while the kids were awake.

Pizza had been trucked in, many different kinds. Of course they had plenty of pepperoni mushroom, the birthday girl’s favourite, but Rinku had also ordered everything from cheese to spinach feta to spicy pepper, shrimp and mayo, dill pickle, and a heavy, topping-laden one just labelled ALL. If there’s one you want, it’s probably there. Drinks were available to order from the bar, including all kinds of non-alcoholic options. Cake and ice cream also came in by request; the cake is a large chocolate one with an abstract creature that the cake decorator clearly thought constituted a “cool monster” on it.

Karaoke, discussion, food, presents at a table at the room door... what else did a party need?

Comments

[roundandaround]

--you're good you're -- [Rinku stumbles over her words and giggles.] Okay! But as long as you need to remember, I'll be here!

[abnormalizes]

I know. I can always count on you to give me a boost.

[roundandaround]

Then I'm gonna keep doing my best! You're always inspiring me to keep on trying, too.

[abnormalizes]

That's what big sisters are for! I'm pretty sure.

[roundandaround]

I think so! Oneechan back home was really cool, too. When she left Tiotio Island to go study and become an astronomer, I always just looked up at the sky. Since even if the stars weren't the same in the Southern Hemisphere, they were still the same kind of thing she was following.

[abnormalizes]

An astronomer... That sounds like a really cool job, I'd love to do that.

[roundandaround]

I think you'd be good at it! I mean, when we went to the observatory, you had a lot of fun learning, right? And you're smart enough I bet you could do anything. If the Research Centre ever has to do a space thing, I bet you would know best.

[abnormalizes]

I liked learning, but there's a lot I don't know about it. You couldn't really go stargazing in the City because it was too dangerous at night, so I only started doing that here.

[roundandaround]

Probably a lot of people learned stuff for the first time here. I have, with tons of things.

[abnormalizes]

Like how to fight with a sword and use magic?

[roundandaround]

Yeah, like that! And getting hit doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did when I started out!

[abnormalizes]

You've gotten tougher! I'm really proud of you.

[She's said it before, but she doesn't mind repeating it.]

[roundandaround]

[Sparkle!!! Rinku makes happy noises.]

Thanks, Neechan! I'll keep working hard all the time, I promise!

[abnormalizes]

I know you will.

Hey, are there any duets in here that are good for sisters? That I might know?

[roundandaround]

Hm... I dunno what all you know, but let's look!

[Rinku pulls up the karaoke book and starts flipping through.]

Oh! This looks cute, right?

[abnormalizes]

I think I've heard this a couple times! I can probably sing it with the lyrics on screen.

[roundandaround]

Then let's go!

[Rinku punches in the number for the song. When it's their turn, she gets up and pulls Evangeline up to the front, taking a microphone and singing excitedly while twirling a penlight in Eva's colour in the other hand.

She loves her sister so, so much.]

[abnormalizes]

Oh, wait, shoot, I should have one of those for you-!

[Sisters gotta wave penlights in each other's colors, it's the rule.]

[roundandaround]

[Rinku fumbles and grabs a penlight she left by the pizza, awkwardly handing it to Evangeline while still singing. She's doing her best.]

Ehe.

[abnormalizes]

[Great! Evangeline sets the penlight tooooo she thinks Rinku's color is orange? And waves it as she sings. It's pretty scuffed but they're doing it!]

[roundandaround]

[Rinku smiles brightly and nods. As they finish the song, she claps and cheers, waving her blue penlight in the air.]

Thanks a lot, Neechan! I got the right shade of blue for you, right?

[abnormalizes]

Yeah, that's the right blue. You're orange, I didn't get that wrong?

[roundandaround]

Yeah! My unit's also orange, but my colour's a little brighter and HapiAra's is darker, kind of a blood orange? But that only really matters if you have one of those penlights where you can program in whatever colour you want.

[abnormalizes]

What do you do if you're in a unit and two people want the same color?

[roundandaround]

I think you just figure it out between yourselves? Towa-chan told me one time about some of the big idol units out there, like the ones with so many people they split into subunits 'cause the full unit's, like, 40 people. They just pick different shades, so you have to have the expensive penlights that program the right shade, I think is how it works.