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[ Here's Kitty, wearing a smile and giving a little wave to the camera. ]

Hullo. It's Kitty here. I was just thinking about how it's about time for us to get another wave of new people - and then I remembered how last December, we didn't get any, and then I realized that I've now been here for over a year and that was just mad to think about.

It's easy to focus on all the horrid things that happen to us here. Because there are so many horrid things - that's true. The war with the Soviets is just terrible, and sometimes you just want to take the President by his shoulders and shake him until he stops - and those groups that detest us, they've made things a bit hard at times, as well. [ There's a little sideways twist to her lips as she says that; that's a grotesque understatement from a girl who had quite the history with one of those groups that detest us. ]

But it's always easy to remember the bad above the good. That's how the human brain works, isn't it - it's designed to remember hurts so that it can avoid those hurts in the future, which isn't bad, but which means that we sometimes lose track of the fact that there is so much more kindness than cruelty in the world. So I was just sitting and remembering all the good that's come to me over the past year.

Because this year, in this world, it really has been filled with impossible goodness. When I first came here, I was so scared, but there were people who took me in and helped me and protected me until I got a little more courage. And now here I am. I've made so many friends, amongst them someone I thought was my direst enemy. I saw people whom I'd never done any good for - I saw them forgive me when I was cruel and wicked and spiteful towards them, saw them risk themselves to help me and to save me.

And I've lived amongst the people of this world, who have been so good to me. So good. I've made friends amongst them, too. I've been kept on at work when I really have been the worst employee, when I've been unreliable because of my other obligations. And we've been allowed to speak our minds, speak freely. We've been allowed to travel far and wide. We've been supported in everything we do, which is far more kindness than has ever been extended a group of refugees at any time in any world. We've lived at peace. We've lived well.

So -

[ She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. ]

I'd thought - if I could trouble you all - that we could spend a little bit of time, all together, remembering the good turns that people have done us.

Talk about whomever you'd like. Talk about the people who have been kind and helped us when they didn't have to. Talk about the wealth that is the other people we know here. And I thought we could talk about the natives, too - I was thinking I might put together a little something, a few quotes, that we could pass along to the natives of this world, so that we know that we appreciate them. Let's take some time to overcome our brains, and remember the good - focus on the good and remember how kind the world is to us. How well we live. How strong and brave and honest we can be here.

[ Translation: 'All of this is a somewhat underhanded but well-intentioned PR thing that will let me package some stuff to make the natives less furious at us in an ongoing attempt to avert all-out war between us and this world.' ]

Anyway. There's that, if you can spare some time. Oh, and, erm - come by Krakatoa, while I've got your attention. Best club in town, bar none. And the employees are simply gorgeous.

[ A quick, half-sheepish grin, and then she gives a little nod and waves her way off. ]

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I'm not sure I would strictly call us refugees. We were creatively kidnapped and physically altered at a cellular level. Possibly even at a genetic level, but the point is: it's not so simple as that.

[ A little pause. Gansey both sounds, and looks cheerful enough, but he didn't miss that part about passing along what we say. ]

I'm going to caveat this by telling you not to quote me on it. But it's true the people have been kind. The majority of them, anyway. They've been far more welcoming than I would have expected.

You do know Thanksgiving was last week, Kathleen?

[ She pulls a face, a little annoyed by his challenging her on the refugees bit. So her answer's a little on the brusque side. ]

Oh, right, sorry. Forgot that there was a single day of the year good for giving gratitude. And it is, of course, an American-designated holiday.

[ Then, lifting her chin: ]

Why wouldn't you want to be quoted?

[ Because he doesn't want to gather anything that looks too much like fame, here. Gansey is used to being known. That is not a thing he misses. ]

I'd rather stay anonymous, and I know you're going to publish this. Probably on that blog of yours.

And I'm not saying it all has to be kept for one day. I am simply pointing out that the day was a week ago. You celebrated, didn't you?

Yeah, I did.

[ A quick nod, and a shrug. ]

Had a nice enough dinner, and then went down and stood with the protesters agitating against the grotesque exploitation that is Black Friday labour practices. Why do you want to stay anonymous?

[ A thoughtful nod. ]

Yes, I staged a protest against that as well. It's a nightmare to shop in. I always avoid it. It's criminal, really.

[ She's poking and prodding at something he'd thought was a throwaway comment, which makes him smile. You always have to be careful what you say around Kitty Jones. ]

I'd rather not encourage the sort of emotion that encourages natives to ask for my autograph. You must get that all the time; doesn't it bother you?

[ A little shrug, and a flip, facetious: ]

Doesn't everyone want to be famous?

[ Anyway - ]

There are worse things than having to give autographs. And don't be facetious; it really is criminal, the way they force their employees to work. Stores that open early ought to be boycotted.

[ Gansey points at her, smiling a little. ]

I did boycott them.

It's the nature of retail, I'm afraid. You'll see more of it in the run up to Christmas. None quite as intense as Black Friday, let's say, but it starts to feel like the stores never close.

[ She wrinkles her nose in disgust. And, like it's a bad word: ]

Capitalism.

[ Gansey has a sudden vision of Kitty Jones in his mother's living room, saying that word with exactly that tone.

It cheers him up enormously. ]

That's the result of democracy, I'm afraid. Don't worry, you'll get used to it.

[ A sniff. ]

Well, I'm certainly going to do my part to advocate for a bit more Socialism. Cold War or no Cold War.

[ For a moment, his smile vanishes. Gansey knows his history well enough to know that's not a thing to say on any sort of public forum.

Not in a place like this. ]

Jesus, Kathleen. It wouldn't hurt you to be a little paranoid about who might be listening.

Anyway, there's a place for consumerism and meritocracy. People need incentives in their lives, and they want them. Ask yourself why the management make those sales happen. They wouldn't do it if there wasn't demand.

[ She stares back at him, her gaze level and unafraid. ]

I know full well who's going to be listening, don't I. I just don't care. There are better systems than the one they've got here and I'm not going to pretend otherwise.

[ She flips her hair and moves on: ]

And there might be demand, sure. But that doesn't make it right. Just because it's a system that works in equilibrium doesn't make it the best possible system. Brutal murderous anarchy can work in equilibrium too.

You should care.

[ But she won't. In this, she's exactly like Ronan. Gansey could argue caution until his face was blue, and she still wouldn't listen.

She's serious about the anarchy, though. That's the scary thing. ]

You're going to have a hard time making me believe that something including the words 'brutal' and 'murderous' as descriptors is a better world than anything.

It's not. It's the worst of all possible worlds, I think - or nearly so. There's a reason I'm not an anarchist, even if I've been allied with them in the past.

[ She crosses her arms. ]

My point's quite simply that the simple fact that something works doesn't make it good.

Well, if I thought it was good, I'd have been out in it, wouldn't I?

I'm just warning you to expect more.

[ A little pause, now. ]

You'll celebrate Christmas too, won't you?

[ The topic change takes her just a little off-guard. She crosses her arms and looks off to the side. ]

Christmas?

[ She gives a little shrug. ]

I suppose. It's not a holiday that means much to me.

Christmas. Or Hanukkah, I suppose, since you live with Billy. There’s more to these holidays than consumerism, is all. Or at least, there ought to be.

[ She wrinkles her nose. ]

More in the sense of it being a religious holiday?

[ Gansey laughs, and quickly shakes his head. ]

No. Well, I suppose so, but that's not what I meant. I was going to be overly sentimental, not inviting you to Church.

Oh.

[ She gives a little shrug. ]

Religious overtones would have been all right. I've got a lot of respect for Christians. A bit less respect for sentiment, frankly.

That’s typical.

Should I be inviting you to Church instead?

Would you be going to Church? For the holidays. I'm certainly not religious, so I don't want to go alone - I don't like the thought of turning someone's religion into a spectacle. But I would actually quite like to go with someone sometime. I've never done anything like that, and would rather like to find out more.

I would if I were in DC. I'd have to make the trip, go with the family. It's the only time we attend at all. Really, if it's religion you're after, Ronan is your man. He goes every week.

[ To Mass, anyway. For Gansey it's not that. ]

I'd take you to a Christmas service, though. I'd actually like that. Anything that makes it feel a little more like home is good for me.

Then we definitely should do it. And honestly, I'd much sooner go with you. My goal in going with someone is to not offend anyone or make an arse of myself, and I feel as though Ronan isn't really all that good at preventing either of those things from happening.

[ Nothing about that statement is untrue. ]

Well, I’ll take you, then. There ought to be a service on Christmas Eve, if you’d like.

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rathercommon - 2015-12-16 00:07 (UTC) - Expand

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