[Shizuru wanders around the Gardens, sighing heavily.]

Happy Birthday... to me.

Then again... How on earth, or wherever this actually is, is this supposed to be considered a 'happy' birthday?

Spending a birthday without Natsuki? Unheard of.

[Sighing again, she sits down gracefully, pathetically drawing circles on the ground.]

My birthday wish this year... is for Natsuki to be safe and sound... and here with me.

[An accidental recording, as Angelina gathers her skirts to walk across the grass. Her gown is white and fair, an indicator of her fresh arrival. A red rose is tucked behind her ear to match her hair. She's humming 'London Bridge' to herself.]

London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, My Fair Lady...

[She pauses to smile.]

Well... If I have perceived correctly from the voices filtering through the garden, I can assume this is not Paradise. I do not count myself on one that belongs there anyhow. But I would like to know my companions at the very least.

Hello, who is there?

[There's fumbling on Taiga's end, as if she hasn't realised it's recording yet]

Stupid place, I'll snatch those birds out of the sky and have Ryuuj-- ...Hnn.  I bet he's not even taking advantage of being able to talk to Minorin, that stupid mongrel.  Do I have to do everything for him?

...

A, ah?!  I, i, it heard me?  Oi!  If you're my captor, you better... you better let me out before I rip your limbs off, one by one!  Yes, you'll make a delicious soup, and I'll feed the extra to the dogs.  And give me back my clothes, this dress is disgusting!

Calm down. Calm down, Ami! You have this under control. I-

[notices that the Vine is ready for her input, and she clears her throat softly to speak]

H-hello, everyone! Ami's having a little trouble understanding the situation. This- this is surely some kind of prank?

I'm talking to a plant. This is so stupid. But what other choice do I have?

It's really clever! Ami hasn't been tricked so well in a long time.

[A pause. This just can't be real. And she stomps away from the Vine to cool off for a second.]

[When night falls on the Gardens tonight, something different happens: instead of the bright-as-daylight sea of stars, a more normal sky eventually fades into existance. Stars can still be seen, though they're nowhere near as bright as the wishing stars.]

[Video]

[And then, not long after night fully envelops the Gardens, the Vine's mirror unfurls, revealing a rather serious-looking woman.]

I hope you all learned something from this. Simply wishing for something isn't going to make it happen; wishing for things from home, wishing to bring the excess stars down... you put no effort into this.

Contrary to what most people may think, this holiday is not some festival celebrating light; it's a celebration of a military victory against overwhelming odds.

As a final note: Damsel, you pronounce Chanukah wrong.

[Ren's sitting on a log outside her tent, watching the sun set. And singing, quietly]

"Yami ga hirogaru
Hito ha nanimo shiranai
Dareka ga sakebu
Kakumei no uta ni odoru
Yami ga hirogaru
Kono yo no owari ga chikai" **

She stops, and smiles sadly, still not really looking at the vine.

I have sung and danced for a far harsher mistress, my dear Queen. What do you wish of me?

(**Translation: The darkness is spreading
People don't know anything
Someone is crying out
Dancing to the song of revolution
The darkness is spreading
The end of the world is near)

[ Hands and cheeks pressed against the mirror, the image one would get through the vine would be of a blonde girl all squished against it, before she pulls back, though only barely. She tilts her head and blows against the mirror, looks up, looks down, in a very skittish nature, very energetic, almost. Like a bird trying to find her way out of a closed house.

She knocks on the mirror softly and waits. When nothing happens, she pouts, puffs her cheeks out, then seems to stare directly at the viewer - not that she's aware that this is some sort of communication device. ]

Lost, so lost. So very lost. [ She says in a little wail, her tone a bit of a sing-song like sound, pressing her forehead on the mirror again with the saddest look. ] Lost like the Stars. Must find my way back home, yes, yes, I do, must find the Stars again, too, also, yes. [ She gives a strange wail-like chirp and presses her face to the mirror, looking rather comical, but her eyes, big eyes, golden, so very sad. ] Will the lost Stars be here, yes, no, please, maybe?

[ She presses her hands against the mirror again and wails again. It's almost as if she's acting like a mix of a spoilt child that has just gotten lost and a wary caged bird - and really, that's what she is. ]

[ Aribeth seems quite unaware she is being recorded by the Vine; there's a kind of awe in her voice as she takes in her surroundings. ]

Am I— Have I died? Is this Tyr's realm? But I had not thought... Surely I cannot have atoned, there's not been time—

[ Her voice catches; quite suddenly, she's nearly in tears. But her tone steadies as she continues to speak; she's beginning to realize something is off. ]

But there is my armor, and... [ The ringing sound of a bladed weapon being drawn. ] My sword. What manner of place—

[ She pauses abruptly. ] —A cat? [ A sound of rustling paper as she unrolls the scroll the cat has brought her, and a longer pause as she reads through it. And then she seems to notice the Vine. ]

Some sort of... communication device? [ She's quiet for a moment, feeling faintly ridiculous, before she speaks. ] Ah, hello? Can anyone hear me? My name is... Aribeth de Tylmarande, and I would greatly appreciate it if anyone might be able to tell me what's going on. I fear I may be a bit lost. This... isn't Faerûn, is it?

—Whatever it may be, it's... beautiful. I haven't seen a garden like this since... since I was a girl.

[The video comes on just as Ren jumps back, her expression looking like she expects it to bite her. She just stares at it for a long, long moment before clearing her throat quietly]

So these things are communication devices like the cat said? Well. I can’t say it’s the strangest thing I’ve seen, but I am surprised our… [She cuts herself off quickly and there is a brief flash of fear in her eyes before she fixes a smile on her face.]

No, please forgive me. It is not for me to question the generosity of whoever is lord of this place. Communication is quite appreciated. Thank you. And wishes on the stars can come true? SO very generous.

So if I were to wish for, say a nice camping tent, you know, the kind that is insulated and can hold several people...

[There is a crash nearby, and she leaves the view of the vine for the moment, then returns, dragging the requested tent.]

Huh. Well. Can't say I'll complain. [She spends the next few minutes setting up the tent and then making a few more wishes for a sleeping bag, a portable gas stove and such things. When she's done, she sits back on her heels and looks at the Vine again.]

This is remarkably straightforward so far. Still I would wish to go home instead. [Apparently the stars took that for a wish, because a large capsule crashes down right in front of her. She looks at it for a long, long moment before opening it and pulling out this outfit, complete with the feathers. Her eyes go very wide and she sits down, clutching at the fabric]

No. Oh no. This is not funny at all. [She seems to have forgotten the Vine is on. It records her sitting, clutching the outfit, occationally petting the feathers, all while staring straight ahead with a hollow look in her eyes for a while before shutting off automatically]