VIDEO: 002

[fource]

It’s funny how time works here, isn’t it... Even disregarding what happened with the missile launch.

[Quatre’s sitting on a beach outside Heropa-- one of the meteor-viewing party spots-- as the sun sets; his eyes keep drifting away from the camera to watch the light off the water.]

For example, my birthday was a few days ago, by this world’s calendar. Back in my world, it was December, but I arrived here in March. I want to say that it’s hard to believe it’s been a year... but it hasn’t been, not really. Ten months, give or take. In the end, I suppose it’s the date that’s more important than how much time has passed, especially when no one else in this world would know that it matters.

[After a second, he visibly catches himself, smiling apologetically at the camera.] I'm sorry, that’s pretty dramatic for a birthday, isn’t it? I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s had to deal with this, for birthdays or holidays or important dates back home. I’d like to know what people normally do, or if it’s not something that’s worth worrying about.

...Well, in either case, it's been a year or ten months since I first came to Earth. I was mostly in Europe and Asia before, so I’d like to see more of this country while I can. If anyone has any recommendations for places to visit, I’d love to hear them. [His eyes are wandering off to the horizon again.] It really is beautiful here.

Comments

[girlybruiser]

That's... that's horrible!

[ She didn't believe this place to be a bastion of perfection, but to think a missile was launched with every intent to kill... it makes her feel so small and powerless. How does anyone stop a missile?

And with a never-ending Cold War, what can Haru do to help? She doesn't want to be the government's puppet, but lives are now at stake? ]

Only someone so heartless could do something without consideration for other lives.

[fource]

It's one thing to want to attack imPorts. That's what most people think, that this is all to try to get rid of us. I can understand why they could view us as a threat. [He glances away to look out at the horizon again, folding his knees up against his chest as the sun continues to go down. This feels like a conversation that he's had too many times to count; it's only natural that he slips into his old manners of talking, when he's not watching how he phrases the distinction between 'us' and 'them.'] But involving civilians in something like this is another matter entirely. They just live here. They shouldn't be at risk just because of us.

[girlybruiser]

[ Because of how new she is, Haru doesn't understand why imPorts are targets in the first place. ]

But why us? Have we done something these people don't like?

[fource]

[He pauses for a moment to figure out how best to put his thoughts into words. He finds it's easier to say without looking back at the camera.]

...If a group of strangers came to your home, and they were much more powerful than you... maybe they're not all violent, but a few of them are, and some of them want to get their own way, and you knew that most people wouldn't be able to stop them, because they're so much stronger. The only thing that would stop them from hurting people is your faith that they don't want to. Would you be worried?

[girlybruiser]

[ Haru falters, but nods understandingly a moment later. ]

I... I do see your point. A sudden change in your life, especially one that may be a threat... no, I can't blame anyone for being frightened.

[fource]

That doesn't justify what they did. [He says it quickly but firmly.] They can't really care about the safety of the natives [that was the right word, this time, not 'civilians'] of this world and do something like that-- they're the ones who would be most hurt by it, not us. But I... understand why regular people, people who are just trying to live their lives, wouldn't feel safe with us around, even if we hadn't done anything wrong to them.

[girlybruiser]

[ She'll have to ask her friends what sort of things have happened between imPorts and the locals to incite this at all. ]

No, it does not. If there is some sort of issue, I'm certain there is a way to discuss it. Come to some kind of reasonable solution... maybe.

[ But she's seen it firsthand; some people would rather use force than try their hand at diplomacy. ]

[fource]

I hope so. [It's earnest, not a platitude; he really, truly hopes that it's possible. At the same time, he's seen too often that it might not be. After a moment, he smiles weakly.] --I'm sorry. You were probably expecting a pleasant conversation from all of this, not the mess I've made of it.

[girlybruiser]

There's no need for an apology. I did ask... besides, I appreciate that you told me the truth about what happened. It might be a scary thought, but I would rather know than be left in the dark.

[fource]

I agree. That it’s better to know, even if it’s unpleasant. That way we can try to do something about it. But I still don’t know how I would take it, if I had to hear about it second-hand like this. It was confusing enough experiencing it for myself.

[girlybruiser]

It certainly does make me tremble to think about it... but I am lucky to have many friends here, so I am not alone in facing this.

[fource]

Ah, do you? [He smiles suddenly, and it looks more earnest and off the cuff than any other one he's given her so far.] Friends from back home? That's very lucky. I'm glad to hear that.

[girlybruiser]

Mm... I was very fortunate that they were all here before me. They've explained some of this so far.

[fource]

It's easier when you have someone you trust to walk you through, isn't it? [he says cheerfully, before he catches himself and realizes that he's not supposed to be in that position himself. He adds] Not that everyone isn't very helpful here if you don't have it, but I imagine it's nice to have people from home to help you adjust here.

[girlybruiser]

[ Haru giggles softly, nodding in agreement. She knew how lucky she was to have her friends here. ]

It certainly helps. There is so much to learn... do you find it to be a lot, too?

[fource]

This world is a few hundred years behind mine chronologically, but some of the technology is more advanced than what we're used to. It still catches me sometimes when I assume things will work the way they do back home, especially when half the time they have something more convenient than we do. [He says it easily, cheerfully, before he admits] Truthfully, the hardest thing to adjust to is that my home doesn't exist here.

[girlybruiser]

[ Not ten. Not fifteen.

A few hundred years. ]

T-that's insane! You're really from such a far off future?

[fource]

I’m from the year After Colony 195. [he says with a smile.] We switched calendar eras once we started establishing space colonies. I was born in outer space.

[girlybruiser]

[ Her eyes widen with wonder and curiosity. She has so much she wants to ask him. ]

On a different planet? Like a martian?

[fource]

Oh, no, we haven't gotten that far out yet in my time. There's interest there, but it involves a lot of work before anyone will be able to live there. [It's always interesting to see what other people assume about their home; Duo had once said that no one here was from outer space the way the two of them were, and that seems to be true even in other people's imagination.] We have man-made colonies in Earth's orbit. Like a very large, self-supporting space station.

1/2

[girlybruiser]

Wow! A whole space station that could fit a colony...

[ She's been to space in her father's Palace, but... it was nothing like she's imagining Quatre's home to be like. ]

2/2

[girlybruiser]

[ She circles back to something he said earlier, her excitement on pause. ]

Oh, but... you said your home is not here either.

[ Because the advancements have not been the same. She looks him over with empathy now. ]

I am sorry.

[fource]

[He sees when it occurs to her, but he smiles gratefully.]

You're very kind. It's no worse than many people have it. At least the planet is the same. There are some people who don't even have that. [But... still. He can't help but look up again, even though he'd hardly have been able to see the colonies with the naked eye even if they existed here.] You're from something similar to this world?

[girlybruiser]

[ It's difficult to imagine that for herself. At least Tokyo still exists, even if her house and family business don't. To be honest, she welcomed the anonymity. ]

You are still allowed to miss it and feel sad about it.

[ She nods. ]

We haven't achieved such technology. I'm from Japan, which is here and I admit I'm glad for.

[fource]

Maybe. I'd rather focus on what we can do in this world, instead of mooning over mine when there's nothing we can do to change it.

[It's just a bad day for it.]

Ah, I've never been to Japan, but it still exists in my time as well. Have you spent much time outside it, or is this new scenery for you too?