Salut! Traveler, how thoughtful of you to come see on my birthday! I had a very funny feeling you would!

I know we may not have known each other for a long time, but the last twelve months have been so crazy! Can you believe we managed to arrest that notorious criminal, Francis, once and for all? That was very scary, but we did it as a team! I was left quite impressed! Our team is now preparing to go ask him some questions because we have a lot on our minds!

In the meantime, I'm here celebrating at the Parlor! It was here where we met several months ago when your friend had lost his little teddy bear! It feels like it was just yesterday! While I am not on any sort of task or mission today, it's nice to just sit and enjoy the atmosphere. Please, sit! I'd love company!

Actually, I'd like to ask YOU some questions! Your story here in the dream world is very fascinating! I have heard a lot from other chiefs, but have never really gotten to know your whole story. Don't worry, I'll ask the chef to bring you a slice of pizza or two! Brie! Over here! A slice of pizza for my good friend here, s'il vous plaît! - Vivienne

Hang on a second there, Traveler. What in the dream world are you doing out here? 

I was doing my usual fly-by routes and thought I saw a familiar face from up above. Are you here admiring the lights? This is in the middle of nowhere, after all, so it's easier to see the lights in the sky. Are you really all alone on the first day of the year, though? May I stick around with you then?

I have big hopes and dreams for this year. I'm looking forward to many things, and one of those things is to capture Lucid for good. Francis is no longer on my radar, but Lucid's back at the top. I'm going to ask if you want to join me in finding and bringing Lucid to justice. It's understandable if not as this job can be risky at times. I only wish you do not interfere with my hunt if you choose not to join me.

Oh right, thank you for reminding me. It's my birthday today. Hmph. Having a birthday after Lucid's is a bit ironic...almost laughable. Hm, I'm not going to spend New Year's Day thinking about that criminal. Let's change topics...my birthday, yes. I wish for my hopes and dreams to come true this year. We have another long year ahead of us, Traveler. Let's wish for it to be productive and filled with surprises. After all, who doesn't like surprises? - Sylveran

Hello Traveler, I see you remembered what today was. For everyone else, it is the final day of the leap year- New Year's Eve, if you will. For me, it is my birthday. I suppose if you were to ask the average person in the dream world what today was, they would not tell you the latter. If you were to ask anyone who is here today, they would tell you the latter. In any case, I think it is fitting to be here to celebrate both occasions. Whether it is yet another revolution around the Sun that is complete, or the observation of my birth.

In the past year, I have heard and seen much about the dream world. This year was not a straight line, in fact, I would say it was zig-zagged. What I had feared came to pass, though I managed to also help out and prevent the dream world from seeing a catastrophe. Yet, it was the quick thinking of many great people who managed to hold together the dream world in a way that made neighbor look after neighbor, and stranger take care of stranger. It is unprecedented events that bring us together in a world that can be cruel and unfair. I still see just and fairness in this world, even if the odds seem great.

Though I cannot tell you what next year will bring, I believe we must all remain close and stick together. This year showed up that we cannot be oblivious to the creeping dangers that exist in the world. Complacency feeds on our ignorance and doubt. Sometimes, bad things can happen, and we may not know why they happen, but we must learn from it and use that knowledge to move forward. I am glad to see the dream world recovering, but there is much work ahead of us, and this may not be the end of all bad things to come... 

I do not want to be pessimistic, so I would like to use my birthday wish on all of my friends and those close in my heart. I am not sure what will happen to me next year, but I would rather have those I care much about be safe and have their year filled with peace. That itself would make me quite happy. Perhaps things will be different a year from now, and whoever I am with by then, I hope it is all of you- including you, Traveler. With that, I wish you and everyone else a very bright and happy new year. To whatever 2025 brings: we will be ready, together. Now...would anyone like a slice or two of cake? - Lucid