A/N: Hey guys! I felt bad about having to make you wait so long for the last chapter, so I got this next one done as quick as I could. I'll be starting a new school semester in 2 weeks, and with the new popularity of my story Until the Rain, I'll probably not get back to this story for a while.

Plus with so zero reviews I feel like no one is reading this anymore, anyway. You're allowed to have a review without having a question you know... Anyway here's an adorable chapter that I hope you'll love.


Year 8 Day 1

Taller Spork came to visit Red and I today while we were being tutored. Ever since he'd been told that he was going to be a Tallest he has been going through some sort of training. As an instructor he was never involved with anything outside of Irk, and barely anything outside of the training undergrounds. He would always tell us he didn't know what was going on because he wasn't interested.

"And how are my former students doing today?" Spork came in with the same good mood that he always had back in the days when he was our instructor. We both bowed and gave him a proper greeting before bombarding him with questions about the stuff he'd been doing since he left the Undergrounds. "Hold on guys! I can only answer one question at a time!" Taller Spork laughed.

"But before I answer any questions. I have a present for the both of you," he said, and from the pocket of his uniform, produced two sweet smelling snacks that he called cupcakes. Now don't get me wrong, we took and ate them happily, but getting a 'gift' is a rare occurrence and only for promotions or graduation from Smeet school (even then they don't really give anything other than your assignment and new uniforms). So needless to say, we were a bit confused.

"Presents? What for?"

"I thought we'd celebrate your birthdays. I know Red's is tomorrow but that's still close enough."

Scientist Lard Nar chuckled from behind us, where he was working with one of the computers, "since when do Irkens celebrate birthdays?"

Taller Spork smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek, "Since I just learned about it on my last trip to Vort."

Red and I exchanged a look. "What's a birthday?" I asked.

"It's a yearly remembrance of the day you first came to life." Lard Nar explained.

"Okay…" Red said, cocking an antenna in a skeptical expression, "but how is that date significant? There's an Irken released from a pod nearly every day. Surely Vort doesn't celebrate each life like that? The celebrating would never end."

"Actually, that doesn't sound so bad," I added.

"The whole planet doesn't celebrate." Scientist Lard Nar chuckled turning away from his work to face us, "A birthday is a more private celebration, for the individual of whom it's their birthday, as well as their family or close friends."

"Irkens don't have family." Red pointed out.

"I also said close friends did I not. Your species may lack in most emotions but surely you can't tell me that you don't have at least one friend in this room."

Red and I looked at each other and laughed, conceding the point. A thought occurred to me. I looked up at Taller Spork and asked, "You said you wanted to celebrate with us; does that mean you want to be friends?" Now in all honesty I know that was a pretty disrespectful question, but that didn't occur to me at the time (not till Red punched my arm anyway).

When I realized, I started to apologize, but then Taller Spork squatted down and put his hand on my head, "Yup. That's what I mean." His eyes looked sad, "We're in this together. If you two ever need to talk, I'm only a communicator's call away." We both tried to turn him down since a smeet calling a Taller for personal matters is highly disrespectful, but he insisted. He didn't leave until we promised we would call.

Just before he Did leave... I noticed a bruise on the back of his left hand... at the base of his thumb...

Red insists that it's too far out of line for us to ever call him, but I think I might do it anyway some time. Taller Spork is going through the same stuff that Red and I are but he doesn't have his best friend by his side like we do. Neither does Tallest Miyuki for that matter. I wonder if I'd ever be able to ask her how she's doing… Probably not.

I will call Taller Spork though. I did promise after all.

It's strange to think that the first day of my life is supposed to be special. It's even stranger to think that the first day of EVERYONE'S life is supposed to be special. Especially for Smeets! We don't even really matter yet; and we won't matter until we get our assignments.

Well that's not true… I guess Red and I matter since we're going to be Tallest someday (if we survive that long). Either way I'm not planning to go talking to the other smeets about Birthdays because they would all just think I'm crazy.