crotchroses

You think so?

How much do you know of Japan's days when he only let Holland visit? Before America wanted to go find whales.

Before my Pops I was like that. Perhaps... a lot more so. I distrusted all humans, and the world considered me a monster. In those days I thought I was just a bird. The way I am now is because my Pops showed me a better way to live. Don't misunderstand, I'm still the same person who thought being a phoenix meant never bothering with humans, but Thatch gave me reasons to do better than that. Having friends doesn't make them my nakama. My nakama are like your people are for you. It's not a perfect match, but it's a lot more similar than you think.

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Japon was so very isolated. It took much for the West to convince him to open his ports for trade to the rest of the world again. In those days I was expanding my colonial empire and getting into debt!

I wish I could be as certain as you. Even those who have given their lives for us, who changed the world, we sometimes forget them. Our bosses and martyrs will always fade into the depths history, with a few exceptions.

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hullonurse

[Lets him, for a moment, looking at their hands together... And then snatches her hand back and blushes bright red.] Well... I should hope I won't, any time soon.

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Such is the nature of time. Besides isn't it a little more about how your people remember that person too? That's why your leaders probably stand out the most, eh. And people well beloved by your people.

Is there something specifically weighing on your mind Francis?

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Are there nakama whose faces and names have disappeared from your mind? Who are vague images at best? It is like that.

If there wasn't a day that something didn't weigh on my mind, I think that would be the day to start worrying.

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Aye... there are. My family and anyone important before my Pops is a memory obscured to time. Try as I might... I don't remember. It might as well be another life entirely. [There's a sad glance away. It's nothing something he often, or even ever really admits to. And he clearly doesn't intend to keep thinking on it.]

Ah, just a sort of general melancholy then?

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... Then I must admit you're right. It is very close--perhaps not a perfect match, as you said, but it's still very close.

... Not really! You can be aware of how shitty life is and still be happy. Spring always follows winter, when the world thaws and one can breathe the air without the lungs being seared by drifting snow.

We try not to think on the past, but then we forget. The humans forget because their lives are so short by comparison, and we are tied to them; so we change, and even if we remember again, history will always repeat itself.

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There are ways to break patterns in history.

And just because winters are rough doesn't always make them bad. Sometimes they're really quite enjoyable for what they are. [This is from a bird made of fire, so you know; take that into consideration.]

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Said the fire bird.

There are ways to break patterns and they are called revolutions. But even those belong in the grand scheme of humanity's history. I have learned to bask in the glow of the good where I can get it in times of peace and war. Life should be lived! Even if it is just an ongoing cycle.

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Eh, people survive even in places it's always winter.

[Grins and nods.] Exactly. Granted, I'll leave the world's rebellions to Dragon and the like, but the world keeps turning, it's not always a bad thing.

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Exactly! But those changes will leave scars. Revolutions are particularly unkind to the nations that contain them. Maybe I might request a history book that speaks of mine!

Ah, but the humans, they get half of it wrong and leave out so much detail.

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Well, it's impossible to get history all right. Even if you lived it, you'd be tainted by your own personal experiences, eh?

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... Touche, mon ami.

What I mean, however, is that they are not aware that we exist as flesh and blood, for the most part. There is so much more.

My hair normally covered it so I will show this to you now, only because I consider you a friend and because it will spare us the awkward questions later.

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Ah... understood. [Sad nod. Denmark showed him his scars way back when too.]

How did you get that?

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tranches.livejournal.com

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[Romana stays silent for a long time, not really looking at the communicator or France. Talking about her Grandmother is both a fond thing to do, and a painful thing to do, and these days she wishes the woman still existed, to hold her and tell her it would all be okay.

Finally she nods, wetting her lips as she goes to speak] Y-Yes... She was strong, and she was brave and she taught me and Venezia to never back down, to be strong ourselves. She knew already that we would have it harder, being women, because she did too. There were... people who would insult her for what she wore, how she acted, but she never let it get to her. At least... she never let it show.

She used to take us up to the hills, and Venezia would sketch and I... I demanded that she teach me to fight, and sometimes she'd... she'd give in and teach me some things...

...she taught me family was everything...

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It would have been wonderful to meet her. I cannot imagine what it must have been like, to be a woman in a world overrun with patriarchal restrictions. You would love to meet Hongrie I think. She was here for a time but she may have been sent home.

You would have liked Jeanne too. I think Grand-mère and Grand-père would be proud. It's truly admirable, I think, to meet you and Sakura and Rosemary and Amelia. I cannot say I blame you for hating men, but I hope the brothers of the world can help change your mind!

Eh... Don't expect much from Angleterre or Amerique on this, their heads are harder than steel.

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tomatatas

She was... something. [Shrugs, going silent to listen to him] Ah... Ungheria... the one I know... he was always kind. And he helped take care of Venezia.

[Voice sharp though, she snaps, frowning at him] I don't hate men, I hate idioti. And it just so happens that the idioti in power are men, and so I hate them, I hate Mussolini for dragging us into this stupido war. Ungheria is a good man, so is Belgio... Ancient Greece used his head and was kind too. It's just all the others that are morons.

And I don't want any help from Inghilterra or America, ever, in any shape.

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Ah... Grèce. La Grèce antique was a lady!

I didn't say help, mademoiselle. Which is a good thing, I think, because Angleterre is from my time but preoccupied with that fat idiot who is from 1969 and intoxicated half the time and paranoid about Communists the other.

Come to think of it, you will hate most of us, but that goes without saying.

If it helps you, Mussolini was killed brutally and his body was dragged through the streets.

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No, he was a man. For me. [A Grandfather, or mentor even. Carrying her around, teaching her things that she would slowly use to make a culture, her first words, before handing her over to Rome when the woman wanted her]

...Communism? It... it still exists? [Pauses] I have a lot of reasons to hate a lot of people... [And yet. She can't really bring herself to hate the France's, as much as she acts like she does. Stupid family ties.

Oh are you enjoying that really dark look on her face, the way she almost smiles in bloodthirsty delight] Good. What streets, I'll make sure I'm there to see that bastardo suffer for all that he's done.

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... Somewhat. The Soviet Union collapsed in the late 1980's but there are still Communist nations. Russie says he is not, but--eh, if you shave a wolf it is still a wolf.

Milan, the Piazzale Loreto, I think you call it.

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[Snorts] And what of me? Does Fascism survive?

[Yeah, still got the creepy smile] Milan. I see. A date?

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1945, some time before July or June. They hung him on a meat hook from what I remember. You think the Allies or your citizens would let that continue? Non, non mademoiselle. Certainly not. You and Vene--eh, Romano and Vene are still alive and well.

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I hope it hurt. I hope he screamed for mercy, the coward. And the Allies... they... obviously they succeeded in getting into Sicily then... But they didn't tear us apart, that's good then...I suppose...

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