[07 ~ Video | Filtered from Hayate; fail!filtered from Yuri L.]

[blahblahblah]

Hey. I know I don't normally ask for help, but... this is a little bit of a special case. A few of you have met... oh, where's... there. lil_tanuki, Hayate Yagami. Little brown-haired girl. She's in a wheelchair because her legs are paralyzed... and it's getting worse. Without some kind of intervention, she's not going to last a whole lot longer. Six months, maybe a year. I don't think anyone has the kind of medical capability or healing magic she needs, either.

[There's a long pause; she looks a little off-balance. She told herself she wouldn't cry...]

Anyway... Hayate's birthday is coming up. I know it's a weird thing to ask, but... I want to make it a good one. Because she might not get another one. But I don't know anything about parties, or any of that stuff.

[Rita's face is pleading.] Can... can anyone help me?

Comments

[video]

[fightbymoonlight]

I... had no idea it was that bad.

[Yuri goes quiet for a moment.]

I don't know a lot about parties either, but I would be happy to help in any way I can.

[blahblahblah]

I hadn't thought so either, listening to her talk. It's like she's in for a cold and not... [She grimaces.] ...not all this.

Thank you. This is so far outside my comfort zone, I don't even know where to begin. I have a date, assuming the community doesn't mess up the time flow and we miss it, and a place - her house, since I mentioned I wanted to see about a few of her friends from here coming to visit for her birthday - but that's about it.

[voice]

[scanningutterly]

[He doesn't know the girl, but that situation...it hits far too close to home.]

I- I couldn't come. [Two dying kids in the room would be too much without professionals.] And I don't know much about parties either. [There's a breath that's almost like a bitter laugh.] But any things you need, like cake and stuff, I can get that sent.

[voice]

[blahblahblah]

[She doesn't miss that laugh.] I'm sorry... did I say something weird?

Give me a little time to see what I've got, and I'll get back to you. Thank you. I didn't even think of that.

[Voice]

[unknownrival]

I'll come, and I'll cook for it and make the cake if nobody else has volunteered it.

[How awful...]

[Voice]

[blahblahblah]

That would be great. It's starting to sound like I'll have plenty of volunteers, so we'll see what I need and I'll work that out soon.

...I just wish I didn't have to go all-out in the first place, given the circumstances.

[shiningwaters]

Y-yes. Of course.

...I had no idea.

[blahblahblah]

I wouldn't have thought so either, not with how cheery she is. [She can't suppress a shiver; that examination was not a happy experience in any capacity.

Thank you. I know it's a little sudden.

[permatext]

[structuraldefect]

How dreadful.

[permatext]

[blahblahblah]

Did you just come to make unnecessary remarks? Some of us would rather not let people suffer without cause.

[video]

[king_bowser]

[Bowser nods solemnly.]

You helped me get Peach back on speaking terms with me. So I kinda owe you.

(raises the Star Rod) Make a wish.

[video]

[blahblahblah]

[For a moment, Rita is quite sure her heart's stopped. She's looking at a stick that will grant one wish. Any one wish of her choosing.

And she's not even considering using it for herself.]

I... what the hell do I wish for... do I wish for her to get better? But what if it doesn't work, or it comes back...? I don't want to wish for something for the party, that's a waste...

[Not a good time to be indecisive, though.]

[bag_has_snapped]

What...? N-No...

...I'll... I'll do whatever I can!

[blahblahblah]

I'm not very happy with it either, but that's the analysis. That's why I'm doing all this. I feel horrible that there's nothing more I can do to help.

I appreciate that. I don't know how to accommodate a ten-year-old, not really. Let alone like Hayate.

[anothersoul]

I could help.

[blahblahblah]

That would help a lot. I don't have supplies, I don't know where I'd get food... I'm out in the wilderness with Yuri, what would I even do right now? I sure hope I get back before the party, otherwise I've got trouble.

[mightletyouknowme]

What?

[No, she's not. Don't be silly. She's not dying.]

[blahblahblah]

You heard me, Sena. She's dying. She's dying, and there's nothing I can do! [There's a large thud as she drives her fist several inches into a nearby tree, and her eyes are red.]

What the hell is the point of magic if I can't save someone right in front of me...!?

[makewayforroze]

Are you sure there's no way to cure her?

[blahblahblah]

It would require stronger magic than I have, aside from me being a black mage and not a healer. I'd have to go hunt someone down by reputation and luck. And I don't know where to even start with that.

[wildmelody]

I'll offer cupcakes and see if Kanade can make a whole cake too.

No kid needs to be alone on their birthday.

[blahblahblah]

Let alone what could be her last birthday. Thank you, this means a lot.

[oceanicbutterfly]

I've never been good at parties, either, but I'll do what I can.

[blahblahblah]

Thank you... I appreciate that. You have no idea how hard it is to coordinate things when all I have is paper and the community. But... I think I can make it work.

[kukuku]

I-If someone on the community is a real vampire they could turn her into one! I think there are at least a couple! Then she'll live forever and have magic and strength beyond that of a human, so she won't have to-!

[ Kobato doesn't know what to say about this. She doesn't want to have to lose someone that she just started liking. ]