embersandashes | (no subject)

.. "Thanksgiving"? What's that?

[ At least she's religious (although not necessarily Jewish) so she does get the other name, but this one's a mystery. ]

An American holiday, to celebrate the arrival of colonists to the North American continent.

Can't say I've been to school in a while, but I'm pretty sure that ain't something that only happened the other day. Why're they still celebrating it?

Doesn't your country celebrate important historical events?

I dunno. Maybe they do, but I sure don't.

[ KYOUKO'S A REBEL. .. or something like that. ]

You don't have pride in your country's history?

's not like I chose to be born in this country, right? So it's got nothing to do with me. I wouldn't even know when most of the holidays are if it wasn't for the fact that the shops are closed on those days. [ So she can't mooch from there on those days. ]

That's a silly way of looking at things. You may not have chosen it, but it's still yours.

How's it silly? Am I s'posed to care 'bout the place I'm born in just since I was born there? I've never even left the city I was born in before except to go to Mitakihara every now and then. As far as I know, there might not even be a world beyond that.

[ Okay, so obviously there is, but since she doesn't care about it, it might as well not exist to her - that kind of thinking. ]

Because it's yours. You're a citizen, your government presumably gives you benefits and protection, and it deserves your loyalty.

The government's never done anything for me. [ At least that much is true. If they did, then maybe her family wouldn't have gotten in so much trouble to begin with, so there's a small hint of bitterness in there. Not too much though. ]

The one who's always taken care of myself is me, so I'm the only one I should be loyal to.

If you think that, it probably just means that you take for granted what they do for you.

There are bad governments, but bad citizens are far more common.

Then what do they do for me, huh? If it wasn't for myself, I wouldn't even be alive.

I don't know specifics; I'm not from your world. But governments rarely do nothing.

If they're doin' stuff, then they're doing it for other people. So they can go ahead and care 'bout it, but I'm not gonna. Even if ya try to tell me to.

There's a famous quote in the United States. I wonder if you've heard of it.

.. What is it?

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country".

That's gotta be the most stupid thing I've ever heard. That ain't how life works! If something scratches my back, then I might think 'bout repaying it, but I'm not just gonna do something out of nowhere for something that did nothing for me.

Do you expect the government to do things for you?

I don't expect anyone to do anything for me. So in turn nobody else's gotta expect anything from me either.

I'm not sure I believe that. People never expect nothing from their governments.

Is it really that weird to ya that some people only cares 'bout what's directly 'round them?

No. But government affects everybody.

Dunno how it's ever affected me.

Then you're willfully oblivious.

Maybe ya just shouldn't assume stuff 'bout other worlds that easily.

If a government literally has no affect on you, they're not a real government.

Then go tell the government that, not me! Doesn't sound like it's my problem.

My point is that I doubt that's the case, and you're likely just taking it for granted.

And I'm saying you're wrong! Not like ya can disprove me, so that's that.

Are you from Earth?

Well, yeah, I'm not some alien last time I checked.

It's a valid question here.

What country are you from, and what year is it?

It's Japan and I dunno how to put the year part since we're sorta stuck in some weird time loop thing here. [ Which she sort of says casually but it confused her a lot in the past.. ] It's pretty much the same time as most people in the community though as far as I know. Aside from those weirdos from the past.

Then unless you're from an alternate universe where things are very different, I happen to know that your country has an extensive government that does a lot for its citizens.

You have no reason to complain.

Great to know! [ Yeah, she's being sarcastic, but it's in Kyouko's usual over the top way where she still actually sounds sort of happy and joking.. ]

I'll send ya a letter when they actually do something for me.

You're a spoiled brat.

I've heard that one before!

[ But honestly, she's just proud of it.. ]

Good. Perhaps someday it'll sink in.