video

[rathercommon]

Portugal, up till the nineteen seventies, was an empire - and it was a nasty one. It sent its citizens to die on foreign shores for years, just to keep up its glorious expanse of territory. It kept order with its secret police that kept down any disagreement. Only the rich and powerful were educated past the bare minimum; everyone else had to leave school to get to work. And then the military began rebelling, and the people joined in, and with barely any violence at all the government was toppled and the empire ended. They call it the Carnation Revolution, because the people put flowers into the barrels of those guns that never got fired.

[ Kitty clearly takes great satisfaction in this story as she recounts it from notes that she's taken. Though it might sound like it, this isn't a lecture, no real attempt at demagoguery: she elaborates a moment later - ]

Back home, this was the sort of thing they wouldn't ever let us know about. All our history classes were how brilliant our Empire was, all the good they'd done the world. How dark times were before our armies toppled all the tyranny spread all across Europe. Never mind that we just replaced that tyranny with our own.

[ Which ought to be bitter, but she's having too much fun with learning things to be really sour. She's more energetic than anything, peppy and garrulous. ]

Anyway. I just thought that was nice to read. There are so many bloody, awful revolutions throughout history - hearing one where people didn't end up being slaughtered was nice. I just wanted to share something nice.

[ And then, before she forgets: ]

Oh, and by the way, I've got a car now, and driving is actually really brilliant, so if anyone needs a ride anywhere, let me know. I do work a lot, so I'll need a bit of advance notice, but I can definitely take people to the grocery and to the airport and all that. [ Oh, and - ] Also, does anyone have suggestions close to Heropa to visit? Nothing stupid - I want places that are interesting or strange or where I can learn things. So don't suggest Disney World, because I'll just get cross.

[ A quick grin. So how many of you miss the days when she was subtle and quiet and not all chatty and energetic all over all the network all the time? Blame Mandrake. ]

Thanks.

Comments

[ Video]

[anthropophagite]

[ ... ]

Do you think the revolution in your world will be that peaceful...?

[ Video]

[rathercommon]

[ Good question. She gives a little nod of greeting. ]

Honestly? I can't say that I think so, because the revolution in my world's going to be different. Our situation is just different. But I've got hope that it will be a lot like this one.

[Video]

[onewiththewild]

Disneyland? [ OK SO he didn't really understand everything she said, but that stood out. ]

[Video] WAIT PRETEND THAT WAS DISNEY WORLD I am great at fact-checking

[rathercommon]

Oh, yeah. It's some place where you go and spend money to get into a place where you can spend more money on food and fun and all that. People are completely mad for it. For some reason.

voice;

[waiting]

It is a nice story.

[ Sadly, he doesn't have anything more to add than that. He's not a historian. ]

Sounds like you weren't too happy with how things were back home. What was the Empire like?

voice; winks at your wrong icons

[rathercommon]

[ Her voice is emphatic: ]

Rotten. Beyond rotten. All the power given over to magicians, and none to commoners. Constant surveillance. A long bloody war, and us dying in it by the dozens every day. People hauled off and never seen again if they speak up. Like a nightmare, only far realer.

Video

[foreshadower]

Imagine living through such things, yes? It's dire, and even the people close often...lose sight of such things that are happening.

Blindness doesn't often mean just for hindsight.

Video

[rathercommon]

[ A little rueful smile, and a tilt of her head. ]

I'd sooner live through a revolution than live through what led up to it, though.

text.

[immigrantpunk]

[Awwwwww come on it's his last day of winter break, don't try to shove history down his throat.]

that's a nice story
a car huh

[He's still taking the bus WHAT GIVES]

text.

[rathercommon]

Yeah. I came across a book about it yesterday, and I've not been able to put it down since.

And yeah - a completely brilliant car. Do you need to go anywhere?

video;

[andaway]

Would you like that kind of revolution?

For your world, I mean.

video;

[rathercommon]

Something bloodless and just?

[ She lifts her chin and speaks very confidently. ]

I can't think of anything better.

video;

[fistofthejoestar]

[Jonathan is resting his head on the palm of a hand, listening with rapt attention as Kitty relates her facts. he might as well be at a lecture with the amount of quiet excitement he's showing. ahhhh learning is so great.]

Do you happen to know the title of the book you acquired all this from?

[but - right, conversation. nobody cares about how big a nerd he is. Jonathan seems to realize a moment later as his expression becomes mildly sheepish.]

It sounds a bit like the Glorious Revolution at home. It's good to hear that in the future there will be other great changes without the deaths that usually come with such things.

video;

[rathercommon]

[ She smiles warmly as soon as his face pops up on her screen. ]

I can send it over to you. [ With a broader smile - ] As long as you promise to return it. It's out on my library card, so I don't want to get in trouble with them. I can't think of anything worse than not being able to take out more books.

[ Nerds!!! ]

But - What's the Glorious Revolution?

video

[khajidont]

Sounds like you've found the library. [A beat. He saw her last post, and didn't comment, but...] Hello, Kitty.

[Not Lizzie, but he doesn't really give a crap.]

video

[rathercommon]

[ It is the first time they've spoken since she revealed her true name and her true purpose; her smile at him is sheepish, guilty. Maybe a little nervous, too. ]

Hullo, Jaime.

[ She pronounces that like it looks when written out: Jay-mee. ]

I did find it, yeah. And it's awfully nice. Definitely much better than what we've got at home.

video;

[hoboagogo]

Sounds like a shithole you've got back home.

[No judgment passed, just a blunt statement.] So how do you imagine you'd get that kinda revolt going?

video;

[rathercommon]

No fault of my home, but - Yeah. It sort of is.

[ She blows her hair out of her face out of irritation. ]

Anyway. I don't know how I would. We've already got one going - but it's a fair sight away from something without violence. Things are going to be really bloody, by how they're going now.

[inmyothertights]

There's nothing wrong with Disney World.

[rathercommon]

An hour in a queue for a three-minute dash past singing dolls isn't really my idea of time well spent.

[doneproperly]

[Not even going to touch the other stuff in this post with a ten foot pole tbh.]

You have a car.

[rathercommon]

[ Somehow, Commoners can have cars here because this place is decent gets bitten back. She doesn't know why - it's not like she's afraid of getting in that same argument with him. But, well...Maybe she just wants to prove that she is capable of going without fighting, thanks. ]

Yeah. Knock Out built it for me. You're free to borrow it if you'd like, Mr Mandrake.

[ Because commoners!! are generous!! and decent!! ]

video;

[shuckit]

Disney World can be interesting and strange to some people.

[ he's jussayin. ]

Weird to hear something like that actually happened, though. The people in charge just backed down, no blood.

video;

[rathercommon]

Strange, maybe. Interesting's a little harder to believe.

[ But that's said with good humor. ]

It is really lovely, though, isn't it? There are more revolutions that were bloody and terrible than there were gentle ones, but...the gentle ones are out there.

voice

[paintjobs]

Been practicing your driving, I hope. [ he sounds soooo pleased with himself ]

voice

[rathercommon]

[ With good reason. Kitty isn't much of one for gushing, but: ]

Oh, Knock Out, it really just drives like a dream. It's just such a pleasure to drive.

video;

[lurings]

Disney World isn't near Heropa.

[ abigail is so helpful. ]

video;

[rathercommon]

[ She tilts her head to the side. ]

It's in a state nearby, though, isn't it? There are all sorts of ridiculous brochures for it that I've seen.

video

[teaspectre]

What's wrong with Disney World?

video

[rathercommon]

[ She wrinkles her nose in response. ]

Well, it just seems like a lot of people pretending to have fun rather than actually having fun, doesn't it?

video;

[earnedmystripes]

Oi, oi, don't knock Disney World 'til you've been there!

video;

[rathercommon]

I've read about it. It really doesn't sound as though it's something I'd like.

VIDEO.

[soldiarity]

That's true, isn't it? ... Whatever else can be said this place, a lot of world history is left pretty plain to read about, even if it's bad. Or good, in this case. I never heard of revolutions ending peacefully.

[ It's a game-changer; Reiner can understand why, even if there were others, people wouldn't want them written about. ]

VIDEO.

[rathercommon]

[ She shakes her head. ]

I haven't either. What I've been able to piece together about revolutions back home - they typically don't. But here's an example where things did turn out well.

video;

[5055034455]

[Saul looks perfectly friendly when the video clicks on, though there's a hint of amusement in his smile.]

You're a talkative one, aren't you?

video;

[rathercommon]

[ Oh. Right. Mr Goodman. There's a brief flash of chagrin across her face when he speaks to her, but - maybe he doesn't remember her from the initial swearing-in event. She hopes he doesn't. ]

Well, there's a lot to say.

[ She smiles right back at him, powering through her embarrassment. ]

I've only been here a little while, and I've already learned so much - and it's all worth sharing.

[shapedthecentury]

Carnations, huh? Wish winning every war was that easy.

[ It sounds like something out of a fairy tale, but then a lot of stuff does these days. He's stopped questioning it by now. ]

[rathercommon]

It'd be nice, wouldn't it?

[ She gives a little smile. ]

Though really - I wonder if they're not. I wonder if it would be possible, if we could just figure out the way to make it happen.

voice;

[humanistic]

Did they have Disney World, where you're from?

voice;

[rathercommon]

Hullo, Mitchell.

[ Always delighted to hear from him. ]

And no, we haven't got America, and it seems like a terribly American thing, doesn't it? I just know that it sounds dreadfully dull from all the brochures and the like.

not here

[databoner]

[Not commenting, but watching...]

blows air kisses

[rathercommon]

[ what a cutie spy ]