maskormenace | 01

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[When the feed clicks on it reveals a teenage girl with a heart-shaped face, dark purple-black hair, and white eyes. She looks calm and by the looks of things she’s resting against a tree outside somewhere. The picture is framed in just such a way that you can’t really tell if she’s at a park or possibly sitting in the yard of a residence somewhere. The picture is surprisingly steady (which it should be since she fiddled with the camera a lot before actually hitting record.)

She takes a quick breath and the way her eyes shoot down gives the impression she’s trying to gather her courage before actually speaking. And then she’s looking right at the camera, her expression curious and easy to read as she finally begins speaking.]

I’ve been meaning to ask about the importance of today, since there’s been frequent mentions of sales and great deals from shops and on the side of the screen when I use the internet. But it seems today celebrates the birth of a nation, a sort of founding of this country and I’m a little puzzled. At home, we celebrate the founding of our home with a festival, vendors come from all over the country and line the streets and sell food and baubles. And there’s games for the children, and everyone gets dressed up. And we end the festival with a big fireworks show for all to see.

Here it doesn’t seem there’s anything quite of that size going on to celebrate. So I was wondering what was the normal practice for celebrating Independence Day here? Or maybe where you’re from if you wish to talk about Founding celebrations. I’m curious since each village at home has different traditions relating to their founding.

Is today just for really good deals on mattresses and televisions?

[There’s a short pause and she tilts her head, eyebrows furrowing a little.]

Are there still fireworks?

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Ah...I don't really know? I don't remember much about last year's celebration. This year...it's made more of an impression but I wasn't looking for anything to buy?

It just seems very strange that they would have a whole holiday for the sole purpose of buying things. [ oh honey wait until December comes around. ]

But I want to celebrate properly so if that means buying something, I will do that.

Maybe you should just buy fireworks?

[That's a thought, why didn't she think of that?]

That sounds like an excellent idea. Then everyone can set one or two off and we can all enjoy them.

Yes!

Or you could port down and join us at the park. Mr. Mustang's shooting off fireworks.

Fireworks are the most important part!

They are. Of any big celebration if the weather is nice. I take that as a yes to there are still fireworks?

Yup, that's a yes.

Perfect. I can't wait for later. I just need to find where they are first.

I bet they'll be everywhere. There was one year I was biking over to see the fireworks in my town and one the way there I saw three other fireworks shows happening further away!

You have that many for one holiday? I hope I'm able to see more than one in that case. The fireworks displays are my favorite part of the festivals at home.

People really like the Fourth of July. And blowing stuff up. [Totally reasonable reason for so many fireworks, right?]

What kinda festivals did you have?

I think that's very true.

[she tilts her head and smiles]

We have so many. Like we celebrate the neginning of spring anf the other seasons with separate festivals. A festival for the founding of the village. Those are usually the big ones.

Wow, there must be parties like, all the time!

Pretty sure there are. I've seen a ton of people talkin' about 'em...

[ He sounds uninterested and kind of bored. Adverts about things he doesn't understand are one thing, but finding out information about the holiday always seems so boring that he often switches off, and therefore has learnt nothing. But then he brightens up as an idea strikes him. ]

Hinata! If they got a firework show or somethin' near you-- or near me, we should all go, right?

[ But there's a point to learning about how to do it properly. Or maybe it's just her being Hyuuga and needing to know the proper way to act and react speaking up either way she looks happier that there might be fireworks to watch.

She nods pleased.] We should. It will be nice evening. I can pack is a picnic to enjoy just before if there is one.

Hey there, pretty miss! And welcome to what Americans call 'Independence Day!' Or uh, 'The Fourth of July'. Both names are pretty telling to what they're about and when they are, huh?

I'm not really an American myself, but--! I've studied a lot about this place in school so I know all about it if ya wanna' know.

[Pretty miss? Don’t say that you’re making her blush kind sir.] They are. I would love to hear anything you can tell me about it though. I’ve found a lot of things about it but there’s a lot of information to sift through. Maybe you can share with me the important points?

[Blushing will only encourage him to continue!!!]

Sure can, miss! I'll start out by what's obvious: See: America; America as a whole; not just the United States wasn't fully habited by humans something like three hundred years ago or less. I mean, there were people native to the country here; but it had been undiscovered by Europe and the rest of the world for years.

It was discovered by the English when said Englishmen were attempting to cross the sea the other way to find a better, safer passage to India for spices and riches and what have you.

Instead of a trail to India by sea, they found this place. Big whopping continent they didn't even know was there, can you imagine?

Not really. Why did they think nothing was there?

'cause back then, no word of a lie, people thought the Earth was flat!

Real early explorers were worried about sailing off the edge of the world and dying, you know? So everyone always went the long way around so they didn't notice there was an entire continent blocking their way to India.

So those explorers settled in the North, and the bulk of the land became what's now known as America. Colonists from -- mainly, there are a lot of others, but we're just talking about Independence Day here -- Britain moved in and started new lives for themselves.

But that's so foolish.

So we're celebrating the freedom of a lot of tiny villages from their country? What did Britain do wrong to make them want to leave in the first place? [She can't fathom a reason to leave since loyalty to village and the country it's affiliated with are some of the first things you're taught at the Academy.]

Maybe a little! But there's a pretty good reason for it.

A new land, a new place, new opportunities--it's all hard to deal with when the homeland you come from starts making absolutely ridiculous demands to the people of the new country. Overpricing imports from England, taking most of the riches they managed to collect and gain for themselves--it was all pretty unfair and unsightly.

So the new American people sought to separate from Britain so as to take their new lives for themselves, without having to waste away working for 'home and country'.

They managed, and that's why Independence Day is celebrated. The day that they finally cut free from the British and were allowed to live a life free, away from those who controlled them.

I know it can sound foolish to go against your previous home, but I'd wanna' fight too, if my rights were being oppressed or taken away.

[Teddy pretty much always has free time to be nice to someone who's looking nervous. And it's a question he can answer, sure.]

Fireworks and food, mostly. Not from vendors, though, more just... friendly things, or family groups. There'd usually be a couple of parades and things, too, floats and bands and things. I forgot to see if there were any on today though.

[It's a little weird, talking about Independence Day when you're literally an illegal alien. But it was still part of his growing up, same as any other American kid.]

[Honestly, she’s more nervous about offending someone by not knowing than anything else. She’s usually pretty good with people, but after a tiny faux paux not too long ago she’s questioning her right to ask questions at all.]

What sort of food? Grilled caramel? Spun sugar? Crepes? [Someone has a sweet tooth. Hold on he said not from vendors and all of that is commonly sold by vendors.] I guess none of those things if the food isn’t from vendors.

[There a short pause as she stares just off to the side of the camera.] Like a picnic? And don’t parades usually go with a festival of some sort? How would I find out if any of these things were being held today?

Apple pie? There's usually a lot of apple pie around. Mostly it's whatever you can cook on a grill, so... meat? Burgers, stuff like that. And if you can find a fair, they usually do candy floss- there might be one somewhere near town.

[He smiles, cheerfully. He can be helpful, that's always made his day a little better.]

Well, my boyfriend organised something over in the park, so you can always just come to that, but it's just going to be food and people talking and probably fireworks later. He left an open invite on it, so you wouldn't be intruding or anything. Or you could try seeing what the internet can tell you.

That all sounds delicious. I'm surprised you don't grill vegetables or tofu as well. And what's a burger? But I'll have to see if I can find a fair, it isn't really a celebration without spun sugar.

[He's being very helpful. She just hopes all her questions aren't annoying.]

Which park? And would it be alright if I brought friends?

We probably could put tofu on the grill, but- is there a special way you have to cook it? I'm not really an expert, and it's not usually part of the kind of barbecue most people expect. And I could probably stick some vegetable skewers together. It's actually probably a good idea, I don't know if there's any vegetarians turning up.

[It's not annoying, Teddy doesn't mind answering a few questions. And he likes being helpful, so this much he can do cheerfully.]

A burger is basically minced beef in a round shape, and then you put it on a bun and add... well, whatever toppings you want.

[He brings up a picture of the park in question for the camera.]

This one, in Heropa. And sure, it's just basically anyone can turn up. Bring something to put on the food table if you want to.

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