[65][written/action]

[silversnowfall]

[At last. Peaceful, mostly sunny. No sign of the moon, or masks, or costumes.

...And Nephry is moving through the plaza at the pace and with the general stiff gait of an old woman.

Fitting, she thinks.

Near the fountain she sits on a bench, opening the journal on her lap. She's never been one to make announcements too personal, or to call unnecessary attention to herself. A chill breeze lifts a few pages of the book, though, and she smiles, writing.]

Winter is coming. [a pause, and then] It's still strange to me, sometimes. Even after living here for a couple of years...I still expect the cold and snow to be a more permanent visitor.

Do you enjoy the snow? Or do you prefer warmer climates?

Comments

[Voice]

[distressedude]

[Awww, but he's just trying be the best troll brother he can!]

Well, Happy Birthday, Nephry. Perhaps I should ask Anise about baking a cake for tonight? [Since if he tried to make one himself it would probably be her last birthday ever.]

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

Thank you, Ion. If she wants to, she is more than welcome.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

I'm sure she'd be more than happy to. [It'd be a nice way to achieve some normalcy after the mess during Halloween.]

Though if you don't mind my asking, why didn't you say anything about it before?

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

It falls at such a chaotic time in this place...I have never felt the need. And I am not one for calling attention to myself that way.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

I guess it would be a little difficult to celebrate with the Malnosso always interfering with the village... [Happy Birthday! Enjoy your apocalypse!]

But even so, I don't think it's fair that you shouldn't get to do something for your birthday.

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

That's very sweet of you. ...One year I spent the entire day asleep, in fact.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

The entire day?

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

Yes. It was just after the Halloween ball. I'm not sure if you were here.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

I don't suppose I was. This was only my second time experiencing "Halloween" in Luceti, after all. [A pause.] Time seems to pass by so quickly here sometimes, doesn't it?

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

...Yes. More quickly than you realize.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

I'm sure Luceti's calender being so much shorter than Auldrant's doesn't help matters either. Even after being here for a full cycle of seasons, I hadn't expected winter to start so soon.

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

[This is something of a Jade-ish smile]

I always expect winter to start.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

[Usually it's easy to forget Jade and Nephry are related, but that smile is definitely hereditary... he chuckles a bit.]

Well, winter is the dominant season in Keterburg, isn't it?

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

[At least Nephry isn't malicious about it? Someday she is going to return from a Mallynap with a Jade personality.]

Yes, it is. Even still, winter here isn't quite as harsh as winter at home.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

[SWEET YULIA...]

I can't help but feel grateful for that... even Luceti's winter is almost too cold for me. [He wouldn't last 2 months in Keterburg.]

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

It helps to obtain proper winter clothing before the cold sets in. And to wear it.

[She's only teasing him because she knows he'll be okay with this]

[Voice]

[distressedude]

[A soft laugh.] Yes, perhaps it would be best that I don't wait until the end of the season like last year.

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

You wouldn't want to get sick.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

I'd certainly like to at least try and avoid it, if possible.

[He knows himself too well though. He gets sick regardless of the weather sometimes.]

Though the only thing I really need now is a heavy coat for when it starts to snow.

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

The snow may come sooner than you think. You should start looking now.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

[Oh, how he hopes not...]

I'll make sure it's the very next thing I get. [A pause.] Ah, that is, after I find something to get you for your birthday.

[WHAT KIND OF SON WOULD HE BE OTHERWISE?]

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

You don't need to give me anything for my birthday.

[HE WOULD STILL BE THE BEST KIND.]

[Voice]

[distressedude]

I know I don't need to, but I want to! [That's what people normally did on birthdays, right?]

[Now he just has to think of what to give her...]

[Voice]

[silversnowfall]

That's very kind of you.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

Not at all. It's the least I can do, seeing as I wouldn't be much help in baking a cake. [Not if you wanted to make it to your next birthday...]