Entry tags:
☂ two ; video
[England clears his throat. This is his first video broadcast across the network, and he wants to avoid an embarrassing situation like his mistaking the text function for a telegram the first time.]
Right. Yes. This feels oddly informal but if that's what's done--
--I'll be brief and to the point: I've got two questions.
First, could anyone from Earth who's lived through the twentieth century tell me of its history? Ah, the version of Earth where the British Empire exists. I would like to know how the world changes in the next hundred years. It doesn't matter when or where you're from, I'm just very interested.
My second question is addressed to the users of magic on board the Tranquility. Sorcerers, witches, wizards, healers, mages; whatever you are, how does magic work in your world? What sort of spells do you use? Runes? Talismans? Perhaps a proxy via a familiar or even technology? I've been practicing magic for as long as I've been alive--that's over fifteen hundred years--but one can never learn too much.
--Ah, I'm rambling. Excuse me... [He straightens his shoulders, tilting his nose up to be as dignified as possible.]
At any rate, I've one more announcement: I'm willing to trade tealeaves for sewing supplies, or anything else. Especially alcohol.
[Arthur pauses, not sure how to end the feed, but he just decides on something simple.]
Thank you.
[*edit/ooc: I'm aware of what he's asking. Bring on the temporal spoilers.]
Right. Yes. This feels oddly informal but if that's what's done--
--I'll be brief and to the point: I've got two questions.
First, could anyone from Earth who's lived through the twentieth century tell me of its history? Ah, the version of Earth where the British Empire exists. I would like to know how the world changes in the next hundred years. It doesn't matter when or where you're from, I'm just very interested.
My second question is addressed to the users of magic on board the Tranquility. Sorcerers, witches, wizards, healers, mages; whatever you are, how does magic work in your world? What sort of spells do you use? Runes? Talismans? Perhaps a proxy via a familiar or even technology? I've been practicing magic for as long as I've been alive--that's over fifteen hundred years--but one can never learn too much.
--Ah, I'm rambling. Excuse me... [He straightens his shoulders, tilting his nose up to be as dignified as possible.]
At any rate, I've one more announcement: I'm willing to trade tealeaves for sewing supplies, or anything else. Especially alcohol.
[Arthur pauses, not sure how to end the feed, but he just decides on something simple.]
Thank you.
[*edit/ooc: I'm aware of what he's asking. Bring on the temporal spoilers.]
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[So far he has only heard about America and Russia as major powers.]
1/2
2/2
laughs
his
ass
off. He laughs so hard he has to double over and he ends up shaking as his sides begin to ache.]
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Which is accompanied by pulling at his braids as sketto rises quickly, legs and wings getting tangled in his hair before she can pull free and flee towards a quieter resting place. Muscovy is left trying to futilely calm her and help her out of the braids in a way that is less painful, and then hold his hurting head.
But that wasn't all. Sketto's angry chiming has roused Pityo as well, so after a moment a second fairy rises. Just that this one descends on Muscovy's shoulder before the chiming begins, and his chiming is much louder and shriller than Sketto's. Which is particularly painful next to one's ear, so Muscovy shoves him off his shoulder and narrowly escapes being bitten for his trouble. Not that it helps much. He is, at least, somewhat successful as Pityo perches nearby now, though it takes a while before the sound of silver bells dies down.
Still holding his head, Muscovy returns his eyes to the weird communication device and the person laughing at the other end of it.]
You are being very loud, yes?
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Oh.. oh my... Yes, sorry... [Arthur catches his breath and straightens his collar.] Oh dear, it looks as though I've woken your fairies. Sorry, little ones, very sorry! I didn't mean to wake you!
No, no lad, Scotland did not become an empire. I'm England and you are... [he pauses, finally taking time to look the child up and down] ... you are...
[England squints. He first met Russia personally when he was accompanied by Peter the Great. Oh, does that ever bring back memories!]
You're Russia! Ah, you will be Russia. You're Ivan. Oh, you poor lad, being on this ship...
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He shakes his head and smiles.] England is very weak and cries a lot, yes? Scotland is stronger than him. [Everyone knows that (or maybe the last person from that area that he talked to just was a Scot).] You are too old to be England. [There's a difference between knowing that people can come from different times and applying it to his own world. The second is a lot less easily done. ...He's never had to do it before now, after all.
A faint tilt of his head and then nods.] You look old. [The only blond nations that look this old are Scandinavians. Whom he'd.... really rather not run into, thankyouverymuch. But he's also very sure that this is a nation, simply by how he talks about other nations.]
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Now listen here you little shit! I am England, it's 1898 for me, and I am not old! Older than you, granted, but not old! Scotland couldn't keep his business together so I had to step in and be the responsible one in the family.
What year is it for you? Had the plague recently, maybe?
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But England doesn't know where he is, his brain registers, and the ship isn't big enough to properly hide or run from him, so this is probably a good moment to turn around and try to fight. His eyes are still watery, but he's at least trying to put on a brave facade.]
I might be small now and you big already, but if I fall asleep I could wake up very strong, yes? Because I'll be big and have many friends one day, John said so. So if you're mean to me now it would be bad for you once I became big. [...this would probably a lot more convincing if he wasn't trembling with tears in his eyes, but. It's worth a try?]
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Arthur sighs, rubs the back of his neck and tries not to feel too guilty.]
You silly thing... That's not how it works, growing up. I don't know who this John is, but-- Ah, look, Ivan, in my time, 1898, you are quite strong, and in fact, your Empress is my Queen's granddaughter. You don't have to cry, it's alright, really. I didn't mean to lose my temper, but it's not very nice, insulting other nations who could help you, is it?
Now come on, dry your tears and be brave, because when you do grow up you will be great and strong. There is a man in your future, his name is Peter the Great, and he brought you to me to learn shipbuilding and other sorts of things. [Arthur smiles, trying to cheer the kid up.] By 1898 you have an imperial family who are very dedicated to you. That doesn't sound so bad to me.
[Conveniently leaving out the fact that Peter dragged the Russians kicking and screaming into European modernity, on the backs of the destitute; and also all the bloodshed that came with it. Making a child cry once in one day is enough.]
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And I didn't insult you. You are old, and Denmark said that England is small and weak. [But now that England mentioned a year, he can make more sense of everything. It's a bit difficult to grasp, but in theory - and he's seen it in other people before.]
But that was many years ago for you, yes? And when you're from we're both big and strong. ...Ameh-rica, too.
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... It doesn't matter what Denmark says. He isn't here, and I am.
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...how can you know that he isn't here?
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Honestly Ivan, I've got trade routes all over the world and military presence on every continent. Denmark is the least of my worries here and at home. I'm on decent terms with him at the moment, actually.
Dear Himapapa what was Denmark doing in Russia :||||||||
[He knows that when Denmark and Sweden started coming to his place, the Viking activity in the west got worse, and his knowledge of the world beyond his area might be outdated and not very complete but he doubts that Denmark could change fundamentally enough to stop bullying people, so he figures that he's just doing it elsewhere in his time.]
Who is Canada?
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Yes he is! I am very proud.
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Then when I am strong and big and have a holiday home in the south of America and he is my friend he can come and visit me so he can have it warm sometimes, too.
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Have you visited the gardens yet, Ivan? They're warm and very lovely, all lush and green. We could knit and sew together there if you like.
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[Not Ivan. It's a nice name, but it is also a human name and he's not sure why he would ever use a human name - not out of principle but he has a hard enough time holding on to any nation names and navigating which one a person wants to hear. To add human names to these - half the time, people just call him some form of "little one" or "boy" anyway and he's perfectly fine with that.]
And my lady aunt lives in the gardens. [She doesn't remember him anymore, but he's not someone to let got that easily.]
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[He had no idea.]
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[He wants to add an explanation, but... the thing is that the explanation that he had finally settled on when talking to humans and elves and other non-nations doesn't really work in a nation context.]
She offered that I can stay with her, too.
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I don't expect anything from you like land or money or anything, we don't really have any ties to home here. All I ask is that we help each other when we need it. [Not that he expects he'll need Muscovy's help, but he doesn't want to frighten him off, and this is just how things are generally done.]
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