ten. ☆ ( video / backdated to before the spring cleaning plot )

[uuing]

Uu-! Hi everyone..! Today Maria and Beato have a question for everyone!

[ Maria is practically as cheery as ever when she waves at the camera - except she's not alone right now, there's someone sitting there with her, and she turns to that person with a smile as if urging her to speak on.

Beato waves too, as excited about this as HER TINY ONEESAN Maria. ]

We thought of this some days ago, while watching the people in the tea house. You all come from very diferent places, are we wrong? I can only imagine how many wonderful stories you all have!

And so we want to hear e-verything about you and your world! [ she's just fistpumping here now, look at all this double excitement. ] Uu-, so everyone, please tell us your stories, okay? Beato and Maria re-ally want to know!

We'll be waiting! Thank you so much!

( ooc: replies will come from both Maria and Beato (fathersbeloved) and will be a bit delayed (especially on my side, since I'm going to bed right now and will get to them tomorrow)! )

Comments

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

[Gorthan seems to think it over for a while, before finally replying.]

I fear that my story is not one you would like.

[Video.]

[uuing]

Uu-, of course we'd like the story..! [ Maria can't help but puff her cheeks a little, like some kind of pouty little kid (which is exactly what she is.) ]

Maria likes all kinds of stories, a-ll of them!

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

[In contrast with his first reply, this second one comes quickly.]

Very well. Can you imagine a world were such things as love, friendship and compassion are unheard of among the population, and banned by the authorities?

[Video.]

[uuing]

... Banned..? [ blink blink.. but she shakes her head a little. ]

Uu-, of course not! Why would anyone ban those things, they're re-ally important!

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

See? If you cannot imagine it, I cannot continue my story.

Because that is the kind of world I am from.

[Video.]

[uuing]

But if you tell more about it, Maria will be able to imagine it, right? If you just say it short like that, there's no way Maria could understand, it's too difficult..!

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

Very well. The planet I am from is called Evron, and its society is a rigidly structured permanent army. The only food we Evronians can consume is emotions, such as love, fear and anger. But at the same time, we are born unable to feel them ourselves, for they would only hinder the efficiency of our society. That is why, in order to survive, we must constantly predate other planets, draining emotions from their inhabitants.

Is that better?

[Video.]

[uuing]

[ It's still a little complicated of a story, but it's a good thing that despite being a nine year old Maria is used to reading lots of occult stuff, so it doesn't even strike her as too difficult or weird when she nods. ]

Uu-.. So you can't feel any emotion? That's so sad..

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

It depends on what you mean by "you".

We Evronians in general cannot feel any emotion, indeed.

I, however...

[And suddenly, Gorthan feels very, very self-conscious.]

... Perhaps telling you this was a bad idea. I... I am sorry. I will bother you no longer.

[Video.]

[uuing]

[ She's listening pretty intently, but then he cuts off halfway through..? Huh? ]

Don't get it.. Why did you stop talking about it, uu-? It's not bothering Maria at all, Maria just wants to know now..!

Is there anything special about you?

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

... Like many other Evronian scientists, one of my tasks was to investigate the culture of Earth, the planet we were going to invade.

But the culture of Earth... is so much more complex than that of Evron. So much more beautiful. It infected me, causing a disease that is rare in Evronians, a mutation... I can safely say that, as an Evronian, I was the only one able to feel emotions.

Before my mutation, I was the most respected scientific authority of Evron. But when my mutation was discovered... when it became clear that I had spontaneously detached myself from the Evronian hive mind, I instantly became an outcast. I was persecuted and forced into exile.

[There is more to his story, of course. But he pauses at this point to see a reaction, if there's one.]

[Video.]

[uuing]

That's so rude, uu-..! [ Well, there sure is a reaction - she seems rather worked up over this, even puffing out her cheeks again and all. ]

They shouldn't do that to you just because of that..! Feeling emotions is a good thing, if they get mad at you for it they're bad people!

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

As you can imagine, I felt a lot of resentment towards earthlings in the beginning. I hated that, because of them, I had lost all I had. But at the same time... I loved all that they gave me. A completely new outlook on life, all the emotions I never thought I would feel... and, to some extent... friendship. When an earthling, a sworn enemy to my species, saved me from certain death, I...

[He's not really sure how to continue this one. There is so much he learned and understood and felt then.]

[Video.]

[uuing]

[ It's okay, Maria has a vague idea of how to continue - and it seems to make her happy to hear at least this much, considering she smiles. ]

Uu-, Maria gets it! You felt really grateful to that person, and really happy, right?

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

[Gorthan smiles at that.]

So happy, that I quite frankly did not know what to do with myself.

[That... is not quite it. The reality is actually a little more complex. That specific point is kind of a WTF moment for everyone, including himself, when he recalls it. It involves a huge boulder, believe it or not.]

Now I do not fault my brothers and children for having persecuted me. But I do not fault earthlings for making me what I am, either. I have discovered that my situation has certain... perks, so to speak.

[Video.]

[uuing]

Maria's glad to hear that.. After all, Maria thinks it's a very good thing to feel emotions! Even if being sad is.. sad, uu-, without being sad you can't be happy either!

And being happy is there greatest thing there is! [ she giggles. ] Don't you think so too now?

[Video.]

[fathersbeloved]

Why not?

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

Ah... I ended up telling everything to Maria regardless.

I do not believe we've met. My name is Gorthan.

[Video.] I fail. We can asume Beato heard the story too if you want? |D

[fathersbeloved]

Hello, Gorthan! I am Beatrice, but call me Beato! All my friends call me like that!

[Video.] Alright! No problem! <3

[shakespearealien]

Maria and Beatrice. You are... sisters, perhaps? I take it you are aware of the cultural and literary suggestions that accompany your names.

[Video.]

[fathersbeloved]

Sisters? Oh, no. We're friends!

[Looks at him, curious...] Do you know something about our names? Please, do tell, do tell!

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

[Oh boy. Here we go.]

Well. As I am sure you know, Maria is the Latin name of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.

Whereas Beatrice reminds me of the character from Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy". In that work, Beatrice was a beautiful woman during her lifetime and is now a radiant angel, who guides the protagonist in his journey through the different levels of Heaven. She represents beatific love. That means a kind of pure love that is capable of elevating the lover's soul closer to God.

Ah... sometimes I wonder if it can be true. Can love really bring one closer to the universal truth?

[Video.]

[fathersbeloved]

Ah, now that you mention it... I remember the Divine Comedy from when I was little. Kinzo would explain to me about the levels of hell, about demons and other magic. I guess we never got to the Heaven part...

But, you know... I'm quite sure love must be a truly special thing. The love I have is for my friends, and I know nothing of the other type of love, even when both Lion and Minnie have explained it to me. But I'm sure it is everything everyone says about it.

[Video.]

[shakespearealien]

Do read the Paradiso when you can. It is poetry at the highest level.

"Kinzo"? Who is that?

I do not believe I know much about romantic love, either. That emotion is one I have yet to experience. The moment I do, however, I will know my change to be irreversible... so I am not particularly looking forward to it, as you can imagine.

[Video.]

[fathersbeloved]

Kinzo is... [Doubts for a second. She has never had the need to describe who Kinzo is.]

Kinzo is a powerful sorcerer. He usually had tea with me in my mansion, and would always discuss about books and magic. [Nods, satisfied with her own explanation.]

For what I've heard, love just appears without warning. What would happen if you already feel it but never realized? I sometimes wonder about that.