It's The Most Horrible Time Of The Year

[lovesuwithknives]

The Plaza is all kinds of festive, and Azwel wanders about the place looking confused--what's with all this greenery and baubles and lights? The music? Is this not the end of the year?

Eventually he stops, having a seat on one of the sofas. "This is a confusing place. Does this mean that there are worlds in which Christians do not form mobs, hunting down Jews and anyone else who isn't like them who might get in the way?" There's an odd kind of hope in his voice.

He watches someone jog by with a collection of shopping bags.

"Also, why are people scrambling to buy gifts?" He sits back, getting comfortable. "To be honest, I'd like to know others' opinions on this."

Comments

[readvondaniken]

"There aren't any mobs where I come from," Palmer says, carrying a bag of seeds with him. He gives the oddly-dressed stranger a friendly wave. "At least not anymore. People buy presents for each other and eat food. Somethin' about Santa Claus and reindeer. I dunno where the reindeer came from, myself, but I'm mostly in it for the goodies. I ain't religious, and nobody ever ran me outta town. Most I've gotten when I say I'm not a believer is funny looks."

Palmer believes in other things - aliens, mostly - but he's not religious. Still, he'll hardly pass up an opportunity for free presents and free food., and the holidays are a good way to keep in touch with his Nexus friends. If Azwel looks closely, he'll see a small photograph of twelve men in polar gear tucked in Palmer's vest pocket. "I'm lookin' for gifts for a few of my friends, myself. Both here and-and back home. Have you run into a Mr. Kinner or Mr. Cricket? I'm wondering what they might like."

[lovesuwithknives]

Ya lost him.

"Santa whatnow? Reindeer? Oh, right, the animals from Scandinavia." He tries to assimilate this odd assortment. "Where you're from it's more of a feasting holiday? Hm. Makes a pleasant change." Then he remembers to ask: "What is the year where you're from?"

He thinks for a moment, scratching his beard. "As to a Mister Cricket, I'm not sure, I don't know him. Mister Kinner, I expect, might appreciate a gift of something related to cooking?"

[readvondaniken]

"I'm from 1982," Palmer explains. "I'm guessin' you came from earlier than I did, huh? To be honest, my idea of a good holiday is kicking back with a good Christmas movie and, uh, a good smoke."

Palmer chuckles. That was...partly why he had the small bag of seeds with him.

"Mr. Kinner's a cook, you're right." He thinks. "Maybe I oughta pick up a cookbook or something for him. He's a pretty easygoing guy, most of the time." He snaps his fingers. "Forgot to introduce myself. My name's Palmer. Crack mechanic, currently of United States Antarctic Outpost 31."

[lovesuwithknives]

"Ahah, quite the time difference. When I left my world the year was 1590." He's more or less familiar with what a movie is, so he's not quite as lost, now.

When Palmer introduces himself, he puts out a hand to shake. "Azwel," he replies. Then he tilts his head. "This is the second time I've heard about Antarctica, now. Were you and Mister Kinner at the same base?"

[readvondaniken]

Palmer accepts the handshake, trying not to seem too intimidated. The 1590s? That was...he's pretty sure that's back when knights and castles were a thing. Maybe.

"No. We aren't from the same world - it was a similar one, though. We were both attacked by a similar creature. It's very strange. Kinner says that the creature ate and copied him, and I bet mine would've done the same thing if I'd been caught."

[lovesuwithknives]

Most of what makes him look intimidating is a carefully crafted look, with the layered robes adding bulk and the attack eyebrows adding a touch of the exotic.

"What an odd coincidence!" He seems oddly delighted by this idea. "I wonder what would cause them to be so similar but not identical."

[readvondaniken]

"Kinner and I don't know. He's a real decent guy, though - I'm glad I met him, even if it wasn't in great circumstances. I'm guessin' you've met him, too, if you know his name and his job."

Palmer doesn't remember Kinner mentioning this guy before. He's pretty sure he would have remembered him.

[lovesuwithknives]

"I met him rather recently, yes."

One should hope he'd remember Azwel. He's not the easily forgotten type.

[readvondaniken]

"Glad you met him.It's been a while since we met. I hope he's, uh, doing well."

Palmer blinks. "Never met anyone from 1590 before. Then again, I heard there's dinosaurs here, too."

[lovesuwithknives]

"Last I saw him, he was doing quite well. He's opened a fish stand and the cod is delicious!"

The mention of dinosaurs makes Azwel think for a moment. "I expect the dinosaurs predate even me." It's a new concept for him--the term dinosaur wasn't coined until the 1800s after all.

[readvondaniken]

"Glad Kinner's doing well for himself. He was talking about a fish stand when I met him. He's a good guy, if a little rough around the edges. But I would be a bit grumpy, too, if I was eaten by an alien."

Palmer thinks about the dinosaur. "You might have met him. The Indoraptor? That's what I heard he's called."

[thissideonly]

"That sounds like old Western history to me," one of the... twins? They looked like mirror images with different outfits than twins. One of them had addressed Azwel, the other carrying... something in his arms. A box of something? "Well, it feels like old history. Unfortunately, some people will always resort to violence to have their twisted message heard. Thankfully, they're in the minorities nowadays, I guess."

For the second question, the one with the box answers. "Myriads of answers to that one, but personally we only buy gifts for our friends here in the Nexus."

"Nowadays back home, this time of year has different traditions wherever you go, and there's no shame in celebrating another's holiday if we're accepted to do so."

[lovesuwithknives]

He nods, mentally filing this information away.

"Very true. It's sad that some cannot accept that not everyone believes the same thing they do. What is the year where you're from?"

[thissideonly]

"About three months before the year 2000, common era," the one in the tighter outfit noted. "I believe they also refer to it as A.D.?"

[lovesuwithknives]

He blinks. "That is far in the future. It makes one giddy just thinking of it--the cusp of the next millennium! It does please me to know the human race has lasted this long!"

[thissideonly]

"We had our massive blunders, but humanity managed to reach there."

"Hey, careful with the ingredients," the other one chastised as he tried to re-balance the box in the other's arms. "Food is also important in these holidays! We're gonna try and bake this recipe we found, and our friends here in the Nexus are gonna pitch in and when the inevitable party starts, well, we're gonna help making the feast!"

"There's no harm in joining. Everyone's invited."

[lovesuwithknives]

He blinks. "The inevitable party?" Oh, Azwel, eventually you'll learn that many many things are inevitable in this place, and parties are just the best of the list.

[attackpatternbattista]

"As I recall it has something to do with an Earth winter festival, but I'll be honest, my details on it are second, third, and probably even fourth-hand for the most part." This answer comes from Delia, who's wandering up as she's wont to do.

Not that she's difficult to spot even in the technicolor nexus crowd, what with the green skin and all, and flattering, warm clothing.

[lovesuwithknives]

"Hm. You aren't from Earth? Where are you from?" Oh, now his curiosity is piqued--it's yet to be determined, though, whether this is a good or bad thing.

[attackpatternbattista]

"And here I would've thought the green skin would've given it away," Delia says with some amusement, a grin flashing across her face, "But no, I'm not from Earth. Haven't even been there in forever, I don't think." She shrugs a shoulder, "Specifically me, I'm from a space station that probably doesn't exist in your reality yet, if at all, and my people are otherwise nomads from a dead home world."

[lovesuwithknives]

"Space... station?" It's going to take a very long time for him to catch up with all this stuff, but it won't be for lack of trying. "What is that?"

[attackpatternbattista]

Dot Dot Dot.

Delia frowns, eyebrows furrowing as her arms cross and weight shifts all at once in a single, smooth motion, as she considers how to explain this in easy-to-understand terms. "How to explain this..."

"A quick clarification, what's your knowledge of space, stars, the like?" Delia quirks an eyebrow, curious.

[lovesuwithknives]

Oh, it ain't gonna be much, where he's from Copernicus was recently branded a heretic.

"Well, we know the stars aren't gods..." he sighs. "Though there are those who insist that the earth travels round the sun, when it is obvious that it does not. I expect we're only beginning to understand what lies beyond our world. The heavens seem... vast and unknowable. Are you saying that such an infinity can be populated by manmade structures?"

[attackpatternbattista]

Cue fingersnap and Delia's pointing at Azwel, "And there you go. It's certainly possible, not easy by any standard, but it's certainly possible. I'm a Captain of a ship that operates in that vastly infinite void."

Let's conveniently leave out the whole 'former pirate' thing for the moment, and the whole host of complicated factors dealing with that.

[lovesuwithknives]

Were this a different medium, he'd literally have little star-shaped highlights in his eyes. "Does humanity travel this void as well?"

[attackpatternbattista]

"Among thousands of other different species, yes," Delia replies, flashing a bright grin, "They travel it, explore it."

Sometimes break it when they plug two warp cores into a third, accidentally punch a hole in reality, and y'know. The usual thing.

"Much like the rest of us, really," Delia shrugged, then quirked a curious eyebrow in Azwel's direction, "I assume you're human? If I were to hazard a guess, anyway, sometimes it's difficult to tell."

CW: terrible historical context, I guess?

[alittlehinky]

"Jeesus," Cricket's mildly sacreligious knee-jerk response pops out. "Where the hell're you from that people hunt other people for Christmas??"

Look, his historical knowledge is limited. He comes from the Jim Crow era himself, more's the pity, so the idea of violent mob attacks on vulnerable minorities is not, sadly, foreign. He doesn't approve of it, but it's not foreign. On the other hand, it seems like a horrible holiday tradition.

"Where I come from we just stay indoors with family and friends and eat a lot of good food." Which is both kinder to one's fellow man and more practical than chasing other people down the street, goddamn.

[lovesuwithknives]

It is the worst holiday tradition.

"Europe. 1590." He sighs. "Your version sounds much more peaceful, much more indicative of the good humanity is capable of."

[alittlehinky]

"I mean...eating and fallin' asleep in front of the fire ain't exactly a noble effort," Cricket points out. "But I guess maybe that depends what you're comparing it to."

"You want me to explain anything to you? A lot of people put up trees inside and decorate 'em with lights and candy and ornaments and whatnot. And then you wrap presents for people and put 'em under the tree until Christmas morning."

"And then there's stockings...you know, I never stopped to think how weird some of this must seem if you ain't used to it."

[lovesuwithknives]

This earns him a chuckle. "Maybe so, but bringing people together is far nobler a thing than driving them apart."

He listens to the explanation, his smile growing a little puzzled, but remaining. "What a difference a few centuries make! It's all very inventive, I must say. What influence caused this time of year to become so festive?"

[alittlehinky]

"I honestly couldn't say," Cricket frowns in thought. "But part of what happened where I come from is people moved to my country from all over the world and brought their traditions along, and it all kinda got blended together. Like having the Christmas tree's supposed to have come from Germany, and I guess hanging up the stockings comes from somewhere in Europe, and I think the Nativity scene comes from Rome. Wanting to eat a lot of food comes from everywhere."

He scratches his head. "Guess there's probably books about it at the library."

[lovesuwithknives]

"Ahah, the Library. I've been hearing a lot about it--I'd best make my way there sometime soon, eh?" A beat. "There is a lot of cultural communication in your time, isn't there?"