Coral's first birthday party

[guppy_sandhu]

Outside in a quiet corner of the garden, well away from the lake, a birthday party has been set up.

There's a paddling pool with some toys in, a picnic spread out on a cloth, and a sign saying 'Happy Birthday Coral'.

Comments

[guppy_sandhu]

"No, just like a puff of air." Guppy blows.

[ostro_goth]

"What is that tit thing?" Hilde asks.

[guppy_sandhu]

"... tit thing?"

[ostro_goth]

"Tit an' urs shot!" Hilde says. "What's an urs?"

Teja sniggers involuntarily.

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy goes slightly red.

"Tetanus." he says. "It's a disease."

He cleans up the little wound, wiggles the skin fuser over it, and then gives her the puff of air into her arm.

"All done."

[ostro_goth]

Teja laughs at the cheerful whoop Hilde gives as she jumps off the bed.

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy puts the things away and heads with them back out to the party.

"Poooool!" Fry yells, leaping straight back in with a big splash, showering his sister and Shufti.

[ostro_goth]

"Hilde, be..." Teja says, but Hilde has already hiked up her dress and jumps into the pool with both feet at once.

[guppy_sandhu]

Coral, who has just been splashed in the face by an EVEN BIGGER WAVE, starts to cry. Guppy picks her up and gives her a soggy cuddle.

"Hey!" Fry says, glaring at Hilde and pointing at his sister. "You made it make the bad noise!"

"Fry, don't call your sister 'it' please." Guppy says. "Say 'her'."

[ostro_goth]

"That's a baby," Hilde says, holding her dress up so the hem is at knee-height. "We have two at home, too. They're cute now they don't scream so much."

[guppy_sandhu]

Fry doesn't get cute. Nobody has yet managed to explain the concept to him.

"You made her cry, say sorry." he says.

This is Important. (Because crying hurts his ears).

[ostro_goth]

"I'm sorry, little baby," Hilde says to Coral, very earnestly. "You're a very sweet baby! Now stop crying."

[guppy_sandhu]

Coral quietens down. Guppy pops her back in the paddling pool and she sploshes around contentedly.

"Who are you?" Fry asks, watching her.

[gotland_npc]

"I'm Hilde!" Hilde says. "The King brought me in! I hurt my leg -- look, here! My mum and Gotho were all worried, but your dad made it all right again. And he shot me with some titta-thing. But it didn't hurt!"

[guppy_sandhu]

"Guns are dangerous." Fry says.

"Not that kind of shot." Guppy says. "Like an injection, a jab."

"No jabs, no jabs!" Fry says, looking alarmed.

"You don't have to have one." Guppy says. "Not today anyway."

[gotland_npc]

"But it didn't hurt, silly!" Hilde says.

[guppy_sandhu]

"Mine did." Fry says. "I got a sticker."

[gotland_npc]

"And that hurt?" Hilde says.

Of course, she's never seen a sticker.

[guppy_sandhu]

"Yes." Fry says.

"At home they have to do it with a needle." Guppy says.

[gotland_npc]

"What is a sticker?" Hilde asks. "Needles can hurt. My mum says bad words if she hurts herself sewing."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Which ones?" Fry asks. He knows lots of bad words.

"You stick it on things." he adds.

[gotland_npc]

"She says the names of southland gods and their rude parts!" Hilde says. "That's fun. Just not Demeter, because she's for real."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Like... bottom?"

[gotland_npc]

"Like tits!" Hilde giggles. "And worse things!"

[a1enzo]

"Careful!" exclaims a tall, green youth, averting his face from the splashing.