[audio]

[ribbonbon]

[With the recent temperature fiasco, Pilouette hadn't been paying attention and September kind of snuck up on her. Now with a particular day coming up, she's found that she's ended up with a somewhat...odd problem. Having found herself unable to figure out an answer on her own, she decides to turn to the network. ]

You all know how people can come here from different worlds and different times and stuff, right? Well, um...hypothetically. Say someone just had their birthday. Like, maybe a month before coming here. But only a few months after getting here, it's already their birthday again!

Do I...uh, they just keep being the same age and wait a whole year or should they say they're older now? Oh! But the year is different, too, isn't it? I wonder if that matters...I've been thinking about it all day, but it just seems like, so totally complicated...!

Comments

[guiding_starlight]

If it's that important to you, I think it's worth celebrating. [ It wouldn't be bothering the girl so much if it wasn't her own birthday, so that's what Nanoha is going with. ]

[ribbonbon]

Well, it's not that important. Besides, I never really celebrate it anyw- I-I mean, it's not...! It was j-just like, a hypothetical situation! I was just wondering because this whole time thing is like, super weird. You know?

[guiding_starlight]

[ Such a bad liar. Nanoha tried not to smile too much, so as not to give away her amusement. She covered for that as best she could by looking thoughtful and tapping a finger to her lip. ] Hmm, then hypothetically... I would count the days and figure out the new date from there.

Unless I thought my horoscope reading was vital. That would complicate things.

[ribbonbon]

N-New date? So the date wouldn't be the same?! S-So, wait, if it was a month after back home...when I got here it was three months before...

This keeps getting more and more complicated, even without horoscopes. If I had known it was going to be this hard to figure out, I would have tried to do it before now...!

[guiding_starlight]

[ Whoops. Nanoha raised a hand in a calming gesture. ] I think I made that sound more complicated than it was. Just think for a moment... what date did you arrive on, and how many days have you been here in total?

[ribbonbon]

O-Oh. Right. I got here in...in June, I think. I've been here for...[She goes quiet for a bit while she counts it out in her head.] ...just about three months. So that's around 180 days or so! And you said to count the days to find the new date...?

[guiding_starlight]

[ She doesn't want to point out the error, but at the same time... ] Would you have a different calendar back where you are from? [ Three months of sixty days each would be fairly lengthy. ]

[ribbonbon]

Huh? N-No, it's the same as the calendar here.

[Pilouette clearly hasn't realized that she's gotten her wires crossed either. But the question does make her think about it a little.]

I mean, 180 days is...w-wait, because three months...See, because thirty days...

[The gears in her head are grinding pretty hard. After a few moments her eyes go wide and she lets out a small "Oh!" as she realizes her mistake.]

I-I was thinking of hours and minutes...!! Uh, s-sorry! Ninety...I-I've been here for ninety days...

[guiding_starlight]

[ This was going to take some careful handling. Nanoha took a deep breath and tried on her best reassuring smile. ] Ninety days, then. Three months. That means that you would have another nine months until you would reach your new birthday. Counting from June, that would mean... next March. [ If she's around that long, that is. ]

[ribbonbon]

Oh! Oh, I get it! So I'm just pushing it back like, according to the time I got here!

...But my birthday has been on the same day for like, sixteen years. Is it really okay to change it, just like that? What if I forget...? Are there rules for this kind of thing?

[She's probably overthinking this way too much.]

[guiding_starlight]

I don't think there are rules, no, so you can go with whatever is the most comfortable for you. I'm sure any friends you have here would respect those wishes, and so should those who might know you from home. [ Since that idea's not entirely out of the realm of possibility. ]

[ribbonbon]

W-Well, yeah. O-Of course my friends would respect that...

[Though, that would require her having friends here.]

I'm gonna have to really think about it, though. If I decide to make my birthday on a particular day...Like, what if it starts to feel weird? It would be like, totally weird to change it back...

[guiding_starlight]

It seems like you have a lot of time to change your mind. [ Then she realizes something. ] Are you celebrating an important birthday the next time it comes around? [ It's best not to judge people on how young they might look, though Nanoha defaults to "everyone is a kid unless they look like an adult"; a lesson she never really learned with Vita. ]

[ribbonbon]

Huh? W-Well, no...I mean, seventeen isn't really an important age, is it? Besides, like I said, I never really "celebrate" it or whatever, anyway.

[It's not like her birthday is a big deal...Well, that's what she would say, in any case.]

[guiding_starlight]

That could be a very important time, depending on when you're due to graduate high school. [ Which seems like such a mundane thing for Nanoha to consider, having gone through what she had at the same time. ] ...not that I think you have to worry about school here.

[ribbonbon]

Well, I don't graduate for another two years. I only started 10th grade a few months ago...

Your right about not worrying about school, though. It feels weird not going every day. But at least I got a job, so...I'm still kind of learning stuff. Sort of.

[guiding_starlight]

It's good that you're spending your days in productive ways, even outside of having that responsibility asked of you. [ How many kids would just enjoy their freedom from school or part-time jobs at a time like this? Probably many. Plus, it would help while away the time before a way out could be found. ]

[ribbonbon]

Well, yeah! I mean, if I just sat around all day doing nothing, my grandparents would be totally mad! ...Or they would. If they knew. At least this way I'm learning a little bit, even if there's no school.

[She sighs a little bit. As much as she complained about going to school back home, she actually kind of misses it.]

...Besides, it's kind of nice to have a little bit of extra money.

[guiding_starlight]

[ Nanoha's smile comes through in her tone. ] Those are all good reasons. Maybe you could recommend a shop for me to look into as well? I only have the clothes I arrived in and it's not exactly in line with the local fashion. [ That isn't a serious concern of hers, but it's still something she wants to do something about. ]

[ribbonbon]

W-Well, there are two shops on either side of the place I work that are both really nice...they have like, lots and lots of cute stuff! They're each next to this little sweets shop in the third district!

[guiding_starlight]

The third district? By your recommendation, it sounds like I will have to look into these shops.

[ribbonbon]

You totally should! A-And you should stop by the sweets shop, too. I-If you want. Everything is really good...!

[Since she works there, she figures it can't hurt to try and attract more customers.]

[guiding_starlight]

[ Giggling. ] If everything is good, I'll have trouble deciding on what to get.

[ribbonbon]

But since everything is good, you don't have to worry about ending up with something gross, either!

[guiding_starlight]

I suppose I could always just sample a bit at a time. I wouldn't want to spend all my money in one visit.