un: French revolution ❦ video

[idealisme]

[It's a day or so since he's arrived in Wyver and you'd think Enjolras might have something to say about the advanced technology, the breath-taking scenery, the ravenous creatures all determined to eat everyone-]

The honor of nations consists in being free and virtuous, in striking down tyrants and avenging reviled humanity.

[-or not.

You might mistake the age of the fiery-eyed young blond, he looks so young, except there's a gravity in his voice as he speaks and a serious set to his brow.]

I do not know you, fellow citizens, nor you me. I will introduce myself. My family name is Enjolras. I have five and twenty years and before the Storm I was a student of law in Paris.

We are from different lands, have lived different lives, pursued different goals- but now we are all here. If this is to be our home now, so be it. The Natha in their Space Ship have saved us and brought us to live here. So we shall live; we must. There are some forces against which men cannot fight and this must be one of them.

But there are other matters against which we must stand. There are, in this land, two names that are an affront to anyone who would be free. Two names that, by their very existence, threaten the life we are to lead here. They are the very antithesis of everything towards which free people strive, as they stand in the way of free people ruling themselves.

These names are 'king' and 'empress'.

[He doesn't have time to go into why these things are terrible. It's disconcerting to speak to no-one, to have no response. But he expects others will respond and it is to them directly that he plans to make his arguments. He has seen other conversations on the network, approved of this free and open means of communication. He'll use it for himself.]

There are some of you who have been awake longer than I. It may be that I am wrong in my assumptions. The names king and empress may be different from the titles I was familiar with in my former life. I can only hope it is so. I welcome all details you have. If you fear speaking of such things publicly I am willing to meet in person to exchange information.

[He gives a formal nod and cuts the feed.]

[It's been less than a week someone tell him to chill out.]

Comments

video; un: eproghuefgdzptrrw

[vorrutyer]

[ Byerly's face is absolutely alight. He is delighted. He is thrilled. This is exactly what he hoped for in his heart of hearts. Exactly this. ]

Dear heavens, you're not joking.

[idealisme]

[You're a stranger so Enjolras will give you the benefit of the doubt.

Also what is that username. That tell him nothing about you! Please choose a better one!]

This is not something about which I'd joke, monsieur.

video; un: flowerknight

[triplerose]

[ So maybe Loras plays this video back a couple of times. He finally figures he's not getting anything more from it, so he just replies. With a moderately hesitant but genuinely curious expression about him. ]

What is bad about kings?

[ Well. Loras knows a great deal about Kings and Would Be Kings and some of them are awful, but. That's not really the fault of the person wearing the crown and not the crown itself. Right? ]

[idealisme]

[What an excellent question. It is just the one that Enjolras has been waiting for.]

I ask instead what is good about them! How can one man hold power over the lives of all his 'subjects'? He is no better than they are, he deserves no more rights or privileges than any other, he's just a man!

voice, un: flashgordon

[godwins]

[ This guy— no, he's going to say this out loud. ]

You talk like the friggin' Declaration of Independence.

[idealisme]

The self-evident truths of the Americans are also those of the French.

[Even if he can feel bitter than Lafayette helped America towards independence and then put a Bourbon back on the throne.] Speak rather of the declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. That is our national document of independence.

video | un: colt.saa

[shashka]

[ all he can hear is Paris, and instinctively, he can't help but shudder. the French. somehow, them and their palace talk made it through the apocalypse and right onto his phone.

not only that, but Enlightenment Catherine the Great style French. the worst kind (ok maybe a little after that, given he was shouting against royals, but... the point still stands).

so, he does something incredibly petty. something that goes against what he normally does. but these are the French. so when he replies, he does so in French, with the most flawless grammar, but with the most heinous accent. ]

And so a Frenchman is going to tell the rest of us how to live. You think you'd have given that up with Napoleon.

[ the FRENCH. ]

[idealisme]

[Enjolras can be polite, when it is called for. His friends have often pulled him up no his lack of manners in conversations where his political convictions get the better of him.

His tone is icy, his glare intense. It's not even the accent that gets him.]

It is all given up, monsieur. France is gone, and unless Buonaparte awakens here as well there's no point holding grudges for his empire. If you have nothing else to say, consider your piece said.

voice; un: theEND

[winddaughter]

[She may actually agree with a lot of what he's saying. But she's just... stuck on one part, and there's a sickened, angry tone to her voice.]

Why are people like you always so dead-set on avenging humanity? Maybe humanity deserved whatever it had coming.

[idealisme]

[There's a furrow creasing his forehead. This is an argument he hadn't expected.]

Does the baker and his wife, who spend every day baking and selling bread to feed and clothe themselves, deserve to pay most of what they earn to a king who could not bake his own bread to feed himself?

video | un: princess.mipha

[fisherwife]

[Her username is probably not going to do her any favors here, but she looks sympathetic as she listens.]

I think the thing to consider is that we are strangers here to this land. Right now, we are not much more than guests. It would be rather rude to be taken into someone's home when yours' has been destroyed, only to immediately repay that kindness with hostility.

Perhaps it would be best to observe how they run things first, rather than declaring them... [How had he put it?] 'an affront to anyone who would be free'? [Her tone is gentle throughout this though, almost a little meek.]

[idealisme]

[Her username has him scowling before he even hears what she has to say.]

A man with a rotten leg must have it cut off, otherwise he will die. It is unpleasant, but it must be done.

text; un umenosuke

[shikomizue]

What should be done about this king and empress, do you think?

[He has a pretty damn good idea what Enjolras is getting at, but Takasugi is glad to humor this sort of fervor.]

[idealisme]

Will they see reason? They may be content to live in exile, with all the power and privilege they deserve. That is none.

The danger is that their supporters will want them back on the throne.

[He will not be goaded to saying more.]

Video: un Disley

[tourism]

[Well, here's someone awfully pretty and very passionate about something in a way that only makes him prettier still. Monty's quite distracted from what he's saying by the whole prettiness thing, but it probably isn't important. He can always nod and smile.]

Christ that was... long. Did you say you were French?

[idealisme]

[Long? It was far too short! He didn't say anything about how kings and rulers are leeches of society. Why does no one want to talk about bringing down monarch??????

Shortly:] I did, monsieur.

[illuminescent]

I'm-

Excuse me.

[idealisme]

Of course. [There's no softness or empathy in his expression as he waits, but he does.]

private text | n: l.rallik

[insurgent]

[ The ID reads LYRA RALLIK. She sends a maps pin of a pub in Wyver's west end and texts the address.

He has her attention. ]

are you a rebel?

private

[idealisme]

[It takes a moment to decipher the maps pin, another moment to marvel at the capabilities of the world.

He is suspicious of the message, but that is only out of habit. He does not expect any who have been brought here will be firmly loyal to either king or empress - otherwise he'd not have sent this public communication.]

I am an advocate of the people and their rights. I rebel against injustice and oppression.

video; un: beatrix

[fiendennor]

[Ah. It's this man.] Don't you think it's somewhat presumptuous to make those declarations this soon? We have no idea if the people of this island are content with their current situation.

[idealisme]

Are the people here so different to those in the nations we have come from? People should have some say in the running of their lives; in my experience that is impossible with either king or emperor.

If you know differently, then say so.

video; un: crimson duelist

[verflair]

My dear boy, you think in such stark absolutes. Mayhap you must first consider that is not the mere existence of a king or an empress that means they must be overturned, but the quality of their character. The state in which their country and their people live under their rule.

If the people are happy and thriving under a king, is he still considered evil simply because he is a king?

[ He holds up a gloved hand, as if to stave off any argument. ]

And before you speak, know that I have known what it is like to live under true tyranny, under a king so unhinged and paranoid, he would put his citizens, his court, and even own family to the blade to satiate his madness.

[idealisme]

[Enjolras is fairly patient, but he does not like ]

The evil is the system by which he rules. I do not doubt there are some naive kings who think themselves doing the best for their nation, but- [He shakes his head.] It is not the best.

[Video] un: watercouncil

[bentbloodline]

Perhaps it might be best to observe the manner in which the king and empress govern their people before passing down such harsh judgements upon them.

[Tarrlok is going to be diplomatic about this because...well. He's seen the darker side of rhetoric like Enjoloras'.]

[idealisme]

Have you been here long enough to observe it yourself, monsieur?

text; un: unchained

[hedonistic]

[Really, Kagari couldn't give less of a shit about the politics here, right now. But something about this post in particular strikes a nerve. The elation of waking up in Thesa with Japan gone forever, and the ability to start a whole life anew had kept his anger and bitterness at bay, but this brings it back up to the surface.]

it's cute how you think ~*people ruling themselves*~ is much better

this place is more free than i've ever been in my entire life, and i was from a place where people ruled people
humans are shitty, someone's always gonna get trampled no matter who's running the show
get over it

[idealisme]

[Get over it what do you mean please speak English and learn to capitalise friend ok]

I do not resign myself to that. The trampled, the abased cannot change "who runs the show" as you put it.

Where is your empathy? You were oppressed, stand now with the ones being oppressed!

text, un: linneus.

[inaurare]

[...he's not sure how to respond to all of this, in truth.]

I'm not... political, sir, but I can certainly say my king has never stood in the way of me ruling myself.

[his master, yes, but...]

Nor have I ever noticed his hand in any of the choices I have made in life, fortunate or otherwise.

[...mostly otherwise.]

[idealisme]

Did you live in a nation with this king? Were there laws you had to obey and taxes you had to pay?