03 ✨ video

[lioness_rampant]

[ Hello, Network! Have one alien princess with a Pachirisu draped around her shoulders. She's out shopping, looking a little bemused in front of a sign featuring lacy pink and red heart designs. ]

Could someone please explain to me what Valentine's Day is? And what are these? [ She points at the poster behind her. ] Someone said they're hearts. Human hearts don't actually look like this, do they?


[SCREENED to: Pidge!]

[ This portion is a separate video screened to Pidge, because Allura has further questions and is a little too shy to ask them publicly. She's clearly in a department store, surrounded by racks of lacy garments. ]

Pidge, I don't suppose I could ask for your advice?

Comments

[pidge_out]

I'm... really not qualified to properly explain what Valentine's Day is. [That's her way of letting Allura be able to enjoy what the holiday is. Letting someone more romantic explain it to her.

But! Screening the message right back:]

Sure? What's going on?

[lioness_rampant]

[ Allura starts to blush as she picks through the racks. It's lingerie, Pidge, and she seems to be searching for the right words. Brace yourself. ]

I've been planning a... a date night? With a special someone. But my night clothes are all very... Hm. Demure? But so much of what they have here is quite too far in the opposite direction. I'd hoped for a second opinion?

[pidge_out]

[The moment of silence, however brief, has Pidge's eyes widening. She can see the racks of lingerie. Hints of lace and silk at the edge of the screen, and yep, Pidge is woefully unprepared for what Allura says next.] A-- A date night?? Wait, who-- [No no no, she stops herself right there with a quick shake of her head. She hopes it's with a certain emo boy they both know, but surely Keith would've said something to her if he'd actually asked Allura out. And lingerie is-- It's not a first date thing. Holy crow, who has Allura been dating all this time?!] I-I mean-- I guess I can give an opinion, but I, uh. I'm really not super great with -- [sexy underwear] -- clothes. But I'll try!

[shiro2hero]

It's just a day to celebrate affection. Romantic or platonic. The whole chocolate and flowers thing popped up around it.

[And he grimaces.]

No, they uh. They don't look like that. Those are like how smiley faces don't really look like smiling human faces?

But you know what they are anyway.

[lioness_rampant]

I see! I wonder what the origin is. We had an assortment of love and fertility festivals on Altea--most in the spring. I suppose it's like that.

And I feel I ought to know what a human heart looks like, though I can't recall having ever seen one documented in a diagram or medical illustration. I'll have to investigate.

[shiro2hero]

This is probably a bad time to mention "cupid" then.

[Except it'd be kind of funny.] I don't know how much of uh. "fertility" is involved. But it's definitely more for romance.

... why would you need to know that?

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[marmoron]

[He'd been on the verge of telling her that Valentine's Day is just some bullshit excuse for retailers to make a couple of extra bucks selling merchandise, but the depths to which that could potentially be a bad idea start catching up to him pretty fast.

Along with the fact that he may actually just be royally screwed if someone else puts crazy ideas in her head about romantic overtures. God someone send help.]

It's... nothing crazy.

[What an excellent start.]

[lioness_rampant]

Nothing crazy...?

[marmoron]

Yeah, nothing crazy.

[Look at how much is being learned here.]

Just a day you're meant to spend with the person you like. Get them a gift, ask them to go on a date. That kind of thing.

[In other words, a day that had absolutely zero meaning in Keith's life until this year and despite having told her just now that it's nothing crazy, he may or may not be slightly panicked about this.]

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[spacebaloney]

It's a day to show your appreciation for the person you love. Boyfriend, girlfriend, and I guess if you're forever alone, your mom.

[Someone may or may not have given his mother many a homemade Valentine's Day card over the years.]

They're hearts, yeah, but not human ones. Just cartoony hearts.

[lioness_rampant]

Must it be only one person? Shiro mentioned it could apply to friends as well.

[ Bless you, Lance. ]

I wonder how they came to represent the heart. Did humans once believe hearts looked like this?

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[raygunner]

Depending on how you look at it, the cartoon heart's shape is vaguely reminiscent of the human heart's shape... but the origin of it isn't exactly agreed upon. There are plenty of theories, really, some of them quite... salacious.

[lioness_rampant]

Salacious, you say? Goodness. [ Does she even want to know? She's curious, of course. ] How salacious, exactly?

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[lordofthefries]

[Sasha shrugs at the camera. She's as clueless as Allura.]

Last year someone told me it's about love and candy. I like candy, but there's no one I love so I don't think I'm allowed do anything for it.

[lioness_rampant]

I do like candy. I was told that you can celebrate with friends if you aren't romantically involved. Surely there are people you could spend time with?

[forsaintcecilia]

Nah, real hearts don't look like that. It's just a symbol for love-- People say it's a heart, but people use the term 'heart' and 'soul' to describe the same thing.

Celebrating Valentine's day can be a little different depending on where you're from, but it's a holiday about love everywhere.

[lioness_rampant]

On my world, we had a symbol for one's essence--their 'soul,' if you will--but nothing to represent a physical heart.

I'm from the planet Altea, so any and all Earth holidays are new and quite fascinating to me.

[video]

[holyspit]

I'm pretty sure they don't? But that's how they're always drawn in cartoons and stuff.

[Maybe they do look like that and all the medical textbooks are the lie? Who knows.]

And- I'm glad you asked, I've never heard of Valentine's Day either.

[lioness_rampant]

I'm glad my inquiry could benefit you as well.

[ She laughs--she learned a little more than she bargained for today, but she'll take it. ]

What planet are you from?

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[notyourgoddess]

Someone told me something about it being about love but that it includes friendships and stuff like that. Apparently it's also a day to eat chocolate. Which sounds more interesting.

And I have no idea why people draw hearts like that but human hearts do not look like that at all.

[lioness_rampant]

I do quite like chocolates. I like the sound of this holiday quite a lot.

Action!

[a_sin_for_him]

[Allura isn't the only one in Ecruteak's premiere department store, browsing the intimates. It's always an adventure, sorting through the racks. From the cheap and trashy to the tastefully elegant to the...bizarre. She pulls a brassiere out, the cups fashioned to resemble pokeballs. They're covered in large rhinestones.]

Dear god, this just looks uncomfortable to wear.

[If there's one thing Lust has learned from television it's that any two women in an intimates section together automatically have a common bond that permits casual commentary on selections.]

[lioness_rampant]

[ Glancing over to the incredibly gaudy pokebra, Allura can't help but let out a surprised little snort of laughter. ]

I suppose there's a taste for everything, or they wouldn't make it? But I agree, it's... certainly an interesting piece. I couldn't imagine wearing anything like that.

[islandshore]

Singleness awareness day. A "celebration of love." A corporate excuse to shill out as much candy and greeting cards as possible.

[It's said with a dry, cynical expression from this grumpy mid-20's.

Maybe he's just a bit jaded. Everyone he could've celebrated with is long gone.

Still, he sighs.]

But I guess it's okay if you've got someone to celebrate with. Or you like candy, but I'd personally wait 'til the day after when everything goes clearance.

[lioness_rampant]

[ Is that a hint of bitterness she detects? Not that she'd point it out--she posed a question and this is just as valid a response as any of the others. ]

We didn't have anything quite like it on my planet; I'm still learning about the traditions of this world.

I'm fortunate enough to have someone to enjoy the day with, but I imagine someone who didn't might still be able to find a way to treat themselves?