idealism | Fuda # 18 | Sock 'n' roll.

[Today Tsuzuki's network post is arranged by his two sock-puppets. Literally. He's wearing a colorful sock on each hand, trying to be anonymous. One of the sock-puppets hold up a sign with a flying, fat baby on it. It's holding a bow and arrow.]

Greetings everyone!

My name is Sock!

My name is Sock Too!

Today we're going to talk about

Valentine's Day!

On Earth, it's common to give your valentine chocolates or a card on the 14th of february. It means you really like them! Then, if they like you back, on White Day they give you chocolate in return!

What if my valentine isn't in Luceti anymore?

That's easy. You still write them a card, but we put them in... this! [Some fumbling later, Tsuzuki produces a heavy box with a heart on top. He makes the sock-puppets open it with a creak.]

That way, when your valentine returns to Luceti, you can show them this card. Then they'll know you never forgot about them!

[He tries to reach for the off-button on his communicator, and ends up showing half his face. And he still can't press the right button.]

Oh damnit.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Probably so.

I hope that's not a serious question. It's Valentine's Day.

Oh, good. I was worried your world was one of those valentineless ones. So that means you're waiting for White Day, then?

[He almost has to ask what White Day is, but he vaguely remembers someone else explaining it last year.]

I'm from Britain. No, I'm not waiting for White Day.

I don't know how people celebrate valentine's day in Britain.

Essentially, boys and girls exchange presents on the same day versus boys waiting for White Day. Usually the presents are cards or candy or flowers...or other ridiculously frilly things. It's fairly simple.

How do you know which girl will give a present to which boy, and vise versa?

You don't. It's all the element of surprise, and you can give presents to whomever you wish.

Some people are bound to go without presents, then.

Yes. That's the point. It's not as though the holiday should be obligatory or anything...unless it is where you're from. In that case, that's just odd.

It's not obligatory, but it's really good manners.

Good manners in what sense though? It sounds a bit fake to me that way.

In Japan, a lot of your social standing comes from how well-mannered you can be. ... I don't know if there's an equivalent in England.

In England, your social standing comes from how rich you are. [Well, mostly.] And in the Wizarding world it comes from your blood status. Quite a difference, you see.

...Blood status?

If you're Pureblooded, a Half-blood, a Mudblood, a Blood-traitor, a Squib...things like that.

Oh, I get it. So if you're not pure, you're ostracized. Japan used to have that, too.

...'used to'?

It used to be very cut off from the rest of the world. If you didn't look right, or act right, you could expect a lot of abuse.

And why has it changed since then?

The world happened. Japan was forced to adapt. Either it could isolate itself further, and sacrifice access to powerful innovations, or they could embrace the outside world. On their own terms, I mean.

But isn't that a loss in its own power by adapting? Giving in like that seems as though it's a waste.

Don't think of it as giving in. What would you say is the loss, if someone choose to adapt to a new playing field?

The people from the old playing field may come after that someone and kill them? Just a thought.

Fuda # 18 | Sock 'n' roll.

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]