Twentieth Theory [Voice]

[i_speak_softly]

To all of you from post-1776 America, happy Fourth of July. [Thoughtful pause.] Well, I suppose it's the fourth of July for everyone else too... I hope you're all having a nice day.

Um. [A throat-clearing, a clanking of metal.] If anyone is interested in current events from - October 9, 2006... I found a newspaper.

[Long pause.] I'm not the only one - seeing things, am I? I thought I was just hallucinating, but the newspaper seems pretty real...

Filtered to the Genius Pirate || Not Really Sure This Is Going To Work

Captain - Might I have a word with you?

Filtered to Winry || Unhackable

Winry, do you have a minute?

Comments

[Action]

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

Same old story. [A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, then vanishes as fast as it came.] You did good.

[He takes a long drink, nearly finishing the glass.] We're counting on you, yeah, but it ain't like we're gonna hate you if it don't work. Don't think anybody's busted out before.

[all7seas]

[But Jack's journal clicks off suddenly; if Don wants an explanation for that, he'll have to save his questions for another day.

That is, if there IS an explanation that makes any sense to sane people.]

[justicereigns]

Sounds about right. Tsk.

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

Okay. So what's the fourth of July then?

[He has to be sick of hearing this question by now. xD]

[Voice]

[fonon-professor.livejournal.com]

Now I'm curious. How long did it take for them to gain political freedom, after settling down in America?

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

I haven't done anything, yet.

[Glances out the window.] Tomorrow night. Are you ready to go?

[i_speak_softly]

Well, it's the holiday when the people of the country I live in celebrate their political independence. But freedom isn't a thing I'll ever really have, so - I just go for the spectacle.

[Voice]

[i_speak_softly]

Honestly, that's kind of up for debate. The Americans declared their independence in the year 1776, but it was only some signatures on a piece of paper and it had no political effect. There was a war, for real independence, which ended in 1783. As for when the colonists first arrived... British settlers started establishing themselves in the early 1600s. But before that, there had been settlers from other European nations, as well as many tribes of native peoples. It's pretty complicated.

[hageshii]

Only forty. I only have to last another seventy-five years.

[i_speak_softly]

That's still a whole lifetime. What makes you think you'll live that long?

[Action]

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

Yeah. [He nods slowly, sounding far more sure of himself than he actually feels.] More than ready.

[hageshii]

Nobody's managed to kill me yet.

[i_speak_softly]

They don't have to. You'll drink yourself to death before you're sixty.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

And Leo?

[Action]

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

I think he's been ready since we got here.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

True.

[Then he just stares morosely into space.]

[Action]

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

Don...[He rests a hand heavily on his brother's shoulder, giving him an affectionate shake.] ya look like crap. Let me do somethin' for ya. Anything.

[It's pretty sad to see Don work so hard to leave a place he loves so much. But that's an unspoken truth.]

You eat anything lately?

[sofar-sogr8.livejournal.com]

Oh. Heheh! I was just wondering if you knew. You seem pretty smart!

[Voice]

[fonon-professor.livejournal.com]

Interesting. It seems political disagreements are a trait shared by quite a few worlds. It makes me a bit glad this village isn't under any sort of official rule.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

Um... [Surveys his desk. There's an empty bag of potato chips and a plate of crusted-over tomato sauce, bits of broken pasta still lodged in it like half-buried fossils.] I assume I ate that.

[Shifts under Raph's hand.] I'm really not up for anything tonight. I just... want to go home.

[Voice]

[i_speak_softly]

And we seem to get along pretty well for it.

What about your world, Professor? What is your country like?

[i_speak_softly]

Oh... I just have a lot of time to study. I haven't read much about Africa, though.

[hageshii]

That ain't nothing modern medicine can't fix.

[sofar-sogr8.livejournal.com]

So that's where Zanzibar is! Heheh!
[Sonny was almost partially convinced she'd made it up herself...]

[i_speak_softly]

[Disgusted by your attitude.] Seems wiser not to break it in the first place.