voidtreckerexpress | Happy Birthday, Senku!

Entry tags:

Happy Birthday, Senku!

Who: OTA
Where: Dining Carriage
When: Jelly 4
What: Prompts are under the cut. Create your own top levels! Tag around! ~~Get more points!~~
Warnings: more cake than the recommended serving size

Birthday Prep! (OTA except Senku)

Setting up food!

Plenty of people have offered to bring a number of treats - cookies, savory dishes, snacks ... Gen was placing a half-sheet cake, decorated with planets and with 'Happy Birthday Senku' written in frosting on the table. He looked quite pleased with himself, and would help lend a hand with other food.

Setting up decorations!

There were roughly a hundred origami stars to fold, which Gen would spend most of his time doing, especially if he didn't have any help. But after, he'd be stringing them up all around the dining car, creating an effect like a starry sky from the ceiling.

Setting up party favors!

Then, of course, there were paper flower crowns to fold. Gen had no idea how many people would end up coming, so he wanted a fair number - any extras could sit in the Arms Band or up his sleeves as part of a surprise to spring on people later. You never knew when you needed a paper flower crown!

Setting up the escape room!

This is really what Gen hoped he'd get the most help with. He only had so many math tricks up his sleeve, and he was very certain that Senku knew them all already. At least Nita would be lending a hand! Otherwise, Gen was sure any room he'd make, Senku would solve in minutes.

BIRTHDAY PARTY

Greetings!

Gen would greet the newcomer with a bright smile and an origami flower crown - placed right on their head! He'd direct them to the food, and let them know of the escape room upstairs. Have a lovely time!

Food!

Cake! Cookies! Popcorn! There's some spicy, savory food that's been made by other passengers, too. But hey, at least take a slice of cake. That's what this party's all about!

Escape Room!

Featuring math, puns, and clever little questions fellow Voidtrain passengers could come up with. Of course, anyone can enter and leave as they'd like, but perhaps if they look particularly stuck on a problem, another person could help them out?

Birthday Boy!

Somewhere in this mess, Senku would be available to chat with. Probably. He's not really expecting a party, or gifts, or even a kind thank you - but all would be appreciated.

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"Oh, no singing? No blowing of candles?" Roland approaches Senku after a while, his smile warm, catching him just as he bites into a slice of his birthday cake that's been quartered for sharing already.

"Happy birthday, grandpa. Heh." Look, he doesn't get the chance to make that joke often, so when he sees the opportunity, he'll take it immediately. But that's not all he has to offer, jest and fun to be had in a celebration that comes rare on a train with no concept of time that they're fluent in reading. His hands are a few inches apart as they prepare for a summon out of his Arms Band; and in seconds, there is a fairly large container wrapped quaintly in plain colored paper.

"Here. I got you a little something as a present." He chuckles. "Apologies for how it looks. Train was short on stationary." Should Senku open it immediately, he will find something to his tastes, a fact Roland remembers well.

Senku snorted with amusement. "You can sing if you want to." He snickered at him. "I'm certainly not going to."

He grinned at the joke though and shrugged, what could he say? He was positively ancient really, but he was going to deflect anyway with a bit of a giggle. "Hey, I don't feel a day over twenty!"

He accepted the gift. "Thanks." At least he knew thanking people for presents was appropriate and he was all too eager to open it, to see what was inside.

"Oh! This is very practical!" He exclaimed.

"You and me both." With the real joke being they're really just two guys with much older souls in different ways, but that's not the punchline here. Or the point. Roland crosses his arms happily watching the reaction, and when the ingredients are revealed, exactly as he requested, he returns the enthusiasm with his own brand of joy, gift-giving its own reward.

"And, I hope, delicious. I ordered one before for Tidus, but it was all seafood. You and your...dearest friend can cook and eat it together, if you guys want." Is he sounding like he might know a little more than he's letting on? Perhaps. He's always teased Gen about it, but the more he keeps calling Senku a different thing, something more intimate than what he usually did way before, Roland knew instinctively there had to have been a shift somewhere that he didn't see.

Regardless, it was a harmless joke again should he have assumed wrongly. "I'm glad you like it. Happy birthday again. Thanks for everything." That at least, he means quite earnestly.

Edited 2021-01-09 16:22 (UTC)

He was in a pretty good mood, and fooling around, he certainly didn't feel his age, although he had his moments. They weren't for a birthday party.

"I'm sure the Mentalist did all of this." He snickered lightly. "He has a thing about my birthday." He sounds fond and like it's something inevitable he has to put up with.

"I'm sure we will, he likes spicy food as much as I do." Senku said agreeably. He missed that Roland was teasing him, but that was alright. He wouldn't deny anything, and likely if Roland caught Gen gravitating to him, he might get a confirmation at some point. They weren't trying to hide anything.

After all, who else would he wear a flowery crown for?

"I do, food is great, because you can eat it." Senku always liked practical gifts the best. He blinked at Roland. "Why are you thanking me?"

Roland isn't able to stop his smile from growing, warming up to Senku's almost innocent question.

"Because you're a great help to the train, and a good person to everyone else. You care. I know that's not something you go doing for gratitude, but it's nice to hear once in a while for most people." Everyone needs a pat on the back, even if Roland has to spell it out for him. He chuckles.

"Guess you and I are gonna need to pick up some small talk lessons again, eh? Whaddya say? I can make it part two of my gift for your birthday. On the house."

His cheeks darkened with a light blush and he glanced away to the side.

"I...nah, it's not like that, I just do what I want." He ducked his head slightly.

His eyes widened at the offer. "Why are you torturing me on my birthday?" He let out a weak chuckle.

Wow, that's a new side to Senku Roland's never seen before. He tries not to laugh, so instead, have a grin from cheek to cheek. "Right. Well, thanks for doing what you want. Let's keep at it together."

Alright, he's not going to make him suffer ~~tsun~~ any longer than he has to. He leans himself against the edge of the table closest to Senku's spot where he enjoys the festivities done in his honor. The chuckle is met with equal parts of humor.

"Aw, not in the mood to talk about the void weather today? What about the classic zinger, 'So, got any plans over the weekend?'" Just pretend there's a water cooler between you two, don't mind Roland and his strange, small-talk jokes.

Senku gave him an impassive stare. "The weather is light right now." He snorted lightly.

"Also, no." He chuckled. "What plans would I have? We're on a train." He waved his hand a bit.

Oh no. Roland is caught totally unawares. In good nature, he isn't able to help himself one bit to the soft peal of laughter that manages to break his stoic defenses, though it's not one to roar or poke fun of Senku. In fact, he's finding it rather amusing in more ways than one. And he still sounds put together, as only a guy like Roland could be despite the giggles that come over him for this brief moment in time.

Only someone so used to bureaucracy back home would find actual humor in a poorly timed water cooler joke.

"Heh. That's pretty good." He shakes his head. Really, only Senku. "What I said is a common phrase shared between colleagues when you're biding time before the next work task, or between breaks. Just conversation to pass the time. Looks like I'm torturing you with small talk after all, eh?"

"It might surprise you, but I know that." Senku said with a light chuckle. "I went to public school you know." He shrugged helplessly.

"It doesn't make it any more interesting just because you ask me." He pointed out. "It's more of a pain than anything."

"Society was full of crap like that. It's exhausting."

"Full of crap like that, huh?" Roland's chuckles soften, but he's still smiling. "You know, I might have to agree with you."

There's a better space to make himself comfortable, so he takes the adjacent seat before speaking again. "It can get tiring to repeat the hi's and hello's, especially when they're expected from your script. Sometimes, you kind of just want to get on with it and talk about the job, you know?"

Or a reminder that from one world leader to another, the small talk seems to be necessity, ingrained into them to be polite, but at the end of the day, what made things move was how good you were at walking the talk.

"Yeah, well, there are a lot of verbal customs in Japan, or at least there were. A lot of stuff that's mostly fallen by the wayside for the time being. The culture of the village is pretty different." Senku admitted, but he had a fond smile.

"And all of us modern-timers have kind of been absorbed into it. You can't hear it here, probably, but I'm fairly certain our dialect has changed. We've picked up a custom or two." He was thinking more of the few things they did to keep the spirit of home alive. I'm sure people would try and small talk me more, but they know I hate it." He shrugged. It was a small population.

"I suppose the translators are doing their job, then." Roland nods in interest, a finger drifting under his chin as he's prone to do when a thought occurs to him. And it's an amusing thought, one that he hasn't manifested into words as often as he might like.

"So, the Kingdom of Science..." he goes, a playful lilt coloring his tone in a similar fashion. "You looking to ally with a budding country in another universe? We could talk shop if you're all for adding the Kingdom of Evermore to your growing list of friendly neighborhood nations. Heh."

Heck, why not a whole cultural exchange? Ah, the ideas that play around in Roland's head when he's in the mood for it, with the right company around.

"Probably, but then again dialect varies between worlds too." Senku chuckled. "Being without translation was really enlightening. Most people speak Japanese or English."

Senku couldn't stifle the light chuckle at the offer. "The Kingdom of Science accepts any and all allies they can get." He said boldly. "We'd be honoured to forge an alliance with the Kingdom of Evermore." He was confident in a way, not just because he was the leader, but he didn't think any of the generals would protest.

"Then in the name of my king, let me declare on his behalf: united we stand, in one single land." Perhaps that was too much dramatics on the part of someone so inclined to looking as serious as he does on a regular day, but he also means every single word no matter how it may sound to someone else.

After all, they're the words spoken when an actual pact between nations are made in his new home. He isn't one to make fun of something like this. There's a twitch in his hand, getting ready to be offered in an obligatory shake, but not only does he remember what's comfortable for Senku, he realizes it's not a handshake that he needs to pull out. He smiles and out of his Arms Band comes a sword from his arsenal. Pointed down on the floor, the handle is fronted instead, while he nods to Senku with a smile.

"Usually, we'd have you sign the Declaration of Interdependence but for now, let's cross with sigils instead."

Color Roland curious for what Senku might choose as the best representation for the kingdom he's created for his people.

Despite any previous levity, Senku was serious about the alliance to the point that he was going to take it seriously and draw upon the kinds of things he and the other Generals talked about. It had been a conversation to have, during the repairs to the ship on Treasure Island. Alliances were going to keep them alive in the future, and so they were important.

And yet, in all likelihood, they wouldn’t have sent Senku. Ryusui, who wanted to take power at the point when they needed to exercise that, would’ve become the point man and Senku shifted back to just being a general. It was still too early for their Captain and Senku was, for the time being, still running everything.

He had no regrets.

“We are pleased and honoured to accept a new ally, on behalf of the members of the Kingdom of Science - Ishigami Village, the former Kingdom of Might and Treasure Island. Though you may be far away, your continued support will be nothing but a boon and a balm to our spirits.” Senku said, bowing as low as was appropriate.

The sigil of his choice was not a weapon, unsurprisingly perhaps, but instead out of his arms band he materialized his microscope and held it in place, crossed against the hilt of Roland’s sword.

“We’re not nearly as formal, but what I will insist upon is sharing food and wine with you, as is customary for us to celebrate pretty much any occasion.” Senku grinned at Roland. “We have food here, and I have a bottle of wine we can share.”

The affair is not decorated or shiny with glamour, but the act of forging alliances tickles something sentimental in Roland. The sight of Senku's microscopes touching upon the hilt of his sword suddenly takes him back to moments of two lives intertwined. When his legacy for unification ended too soon, but saw Roland travel coast to coast, country to country, in a pledge for peace; when he reawakens in a body too young for his jaded soul, watching a king decades younger than him create peace out of a dream and a promise. Let the banners of war ne'er unfurl; united we stand, in one single land.

His smile is radiant as he nods in agreement, his spirit filled with glee. Nevermind that he won't know how such an alliance would ever see fruition, between void spaces and multiverses to traverse. Roland didn't think it mattered. The idea was that even in a place like this, it turns out he still wanted the same thing he's wanted from the start: to help people, to bridge communities. To stop fights before they can even begin. This he wishes now, not just for Evermore or Earth, but for Senku's Kingdom of Science, created from the resilience of a guy who could count to the millisecond, never giving up not once. A world that was ruined, just like his, but now revived thanks to the joint efforts of Senku and his community. Gen, his generals...coming together under a banner of making the world better than it once was.

Yes, this was definitely the right decision. He thinks Evan wouldn't mind it at all, either.

The sword is lowered, and the pact is signed in invisible, indelible ink. The weapon returns to his Arms Band in a flash of light.

"King Senku, it would be my distinct honor to join you in a celebratory feast." Roland chuckles. "Though if you're talking formality...I'll have you know that Evermore's pacts aren't made with weapons. Our king actually uses a twig."

A...special twig? But Roland isn't one to lie, not in matters like this.

"So. Guess it's official. I'm glad. You have our support, across dimensions. Call for us and we'll come find Ishigami Village. Somehow. Someway."

It made no difference how fruitless this alliance might be, it would always remain steadfast between them and he would definitely tell his friends from home all about their new ally, no matter how things came to pass in the end. They'd never cared about how far their allies were before, they just trusted them to be allies.

He chuckled lightly at the title. "Please do. I don't think I'm ever gonna be higher than a Chieftain." He corrected gently, and produced a bottle of wine from his arms band. He's had it for a bit, and clearly like all train liquor it was only 500ml, enough for a glass and a half each.

"Gen and I will have to get you a flag. That is something we actually exchange with people who become our allies, we just don't have one here." Something, apparently, they should rectify.

"By the time we need a king, I don't think I'm going to be running things anymore. Politics was never really my ambition anyway. My Captain will probably be doing it by then, but for now..." For the time being, they followed him.

"The same can be said for us. If you need anything at all, we'll figure out how to get to you." Senku promised, and it was no empty threat, if anyone could dedicate years of study to interdimensional travel, it was Senku.

He watches Senku retrieve the bottle of wine and he knows he's ready to toast to their alliance regardless of place or time. There's a belief fostered deep within Roland at this point already; one that knows nothing will stop them from coming to the other's aid or rescue should the time come. There are probably glasses or cups nearby, so he goes and fetches them, leaning to one side next to the table to grab them with one hand.

It's not fancy, but nothing about this is, and it shouldn't be. It's real. It's true. Apart from the pledge, nothing else had to have pomp.

The cups are offered to Senku for the wine, before he speaks again, clearly pleased. Flag business aside - and that was a conversation that sparked his interest for another time apparently - something else catches Roland's attention.

"Thank you. But you know," Roland trails off briefly, before resuming the thought with a chuckle behind his words. "If your people, your village, choose you to lead, whether as king, as president, or whatever else it might be...Would you turn their will down?" Not to say the next in line when things in his world were more stable was anything less than worthy of it, especially when Senku supports them, but Roland sees Senku's leadership potential even if it comes in a different package.

More importantly, he cares. It's the grounding force for any nation's head of state. Or a kingdom's main protector. Though Roland can be swayed easily; maybe he just wants to show the guy he does have his back in more ways than just the alliance.

Senku poured the wine in the two cups, dividing it for them, and offered one to Roland before taking his own cup.

"Of course not." Senku responded. "And I don't think I would ever lose my position as chief, or general for that matter, that's not what I'm really talking about, but eventually we're going to be more than a couple of villages, and Ryusui has more experience in leadership and training in that area...." He hummed. "And I'm not always the best speaker, which is what you need. I have Gen, certainly, and he would help me. But I'd be just as fine being in charge of the science while Ryusui runs the country so to speak. I'm not having any actual trouble at the moment, but our population is very small."

Senku did care, no matter how much not everyone understood that about it. He worried about every single person in their community.

"Most world leaders have some kind of finesse that I don't, and I'm okay with that. I trust Ryusui to do what's right as much as I trust him with our lives every time he steers our ship or pilots our hot air balloon. Besides, if he's being a jerk, Gen and I will just torment him." He smirked.

"That said." He raised his cup. "A toast to what is likely to be a promising alliance, and if you ever should happen to find yourself in my world, you'd be welcomed with open arms."

The more he listens to Senku, the more Roland finds it amusing how well-suited Senku actually is to the task despite his settling for a more subdued role in the future.

That's precisely the kind of attitude one needed to flourish, after all; recognizing other skilled peers and wanting them to succeed in that regard. Isn't that what a leader does? These he keeps to himself, but the smile on his face is unmistakably intrigued at how things will turn out for Senku when he eventually finds himself back home.

For now, the offered cup is met with the gentle bump of his own. "To the Kingdoms of Ishigami and Evermore. May the land always be at peace." He sips from it to seal the deal, and with that, the two representatives of nations they've come to call home were bound inextricably by a promise transcending universes. It isn't evident by the way he keeps to his drink, but Roland is incredibly pleased. More than he ever thought he'd be.

"Thank you. And likewise. You've gotten me excited about imagining you taking a trip around our country, heh. There's a lot you'd like. Just make sure no one but me gives you the grand tour, okay?"

It was true that he'd grown into his leadership role very well, even though he hadn't ever considered it before. It was possible that it was his lack of desire to have power that made him such a great leader in the end. That, and he was very hands on and accessible to his people.

He takes the appropriate sip and grinned, this was a very fruitful day after all.

"Wouldn't dream of it. I'd be eager to see your world." Senku said honestly, no matter what state it might be in.

"Same here. If we ever master dimensional travel on our end, I'd be happy to tour Ishigami Village. Especially since your entire community worked so hard to make it flourish."

That wasn't a lie or a fib either. Roland means it, no matter how impossible the task seems on his end. Evermore has the best and brightest from every kingdom; if they wanted to, they could do it. He believes that.

"Till then, we'll work hard here on the train, Chief."

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Happy Birthday, Senku!

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senku that's really so sweet btw ;_; i love this!!!

this has to be the dorkiest sweetest thread they've ever done

2 dorky leaders, i approve of the world's greatest alliance

Excellent

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