thisistotallynotaduck

Prism, is that you? I thought you’d be alot more subtle

Believe me, if I disliked something, I’d let you know.

It’s understandable you’d be confused. What with my multiple canons for New York City. My reblogging of various American City headcanons. My Civil War fic idea that’s actually going to be a main part of my book series. My excited reaction to the Texas filibuster. Just overcome with obvious hatred here y/n?

I mean, I got this message after the eurovision headcanon I reblogged. Like; if you think that teasing is dislike then…damn, you need to grow a thicker skin. In case you haven’t noticed, I tease pretty much every City I feel comfortable with. I made Toronto Shatner for god’s sake. If I don’t tease a City then it’s because I’m more unsure of their history and people. Teasing is good.

Unless you’re referencing the times when I call America (in general) out on its imperialism.

America is the current world power, and the current empire. I will not ignore this. It’s actually plot-relevant for one thing. You dislike being called out on it? Well I dislike empires. There’s a reason Paris is a drunk who ignored and humiliated Napoleon. There’s a reason a chain-smoking London is described as a thief, made Queen Victoria apologise, and is constantly mocked for being short (there’s a very unpleasant insight into her mind waiting for me to write), there’s a reason the Spanish Cities are so burnt, that Moscow and Berlin are so crippled by their past they are incapable of having relationships.

Because though they were all world powers at some point, that is not something I respect. Their empires were sickening, and so they are made sick.

I love history. I will happily talk for hours about inventions and cultures and changes, I will respect these past histories. I will talk about various battles, political decisions, alliances and them being excellent and ruthless in a grab for power, I will acknowledge battle prowess and amazing armies. I will respect all the work and effort it takes to build such a powerful country, but I will not respect the empire it builds. Because empires do not deserve our respect. They are, by definition, a failure of that civilisation to be…well…civil. It’s a disease.

If I don’t respect any other country’s imperialism, then don’t expect America to get special treatment.

It could be London’s, all trains come there and leave from there, London is either start or destination. 

It could belong to Brussels. Another start. Another destination. The one place this obsessed and dedicated to a united Europe (no wars no devastation not anymore not like it was not being overrun by siblings, Cities united against whatever’s coming for them, don’t let the humans know what this closeness is about).

It could be Lille, stop on all journeys no matter which destination.

There’s Bourg-Saint-Maurice, too. Last stop and furthest away from London. It the train could belong there too.

If it could belong to any of them, it should belong to Paris just as well. The majority of these stations are French and Paris’ role as Capital is undisputed. Nobody talks about that. The humans of Paris have been so desperate to be part of things, made sure that the project is as French as possible, stamped their language and their existence all over it and made sure the other French Cities the train visted were as present as possible. They like doing that with all things European. Being the Capital without a City doesn’t make them any lesser, they’ll tell everyone willing to hear. (To the other Capitals there is nothing more creepy than French, Cityless state visits)

The alternative is the one everyone usually settles on: This project, this train, this tunnel, belongs to noone and must surely be beyond the sphere of influence of any City, destination or stop or not. After all, it doesn’t even belong on land for about 20 minutes of every journey.

On the train, it’s very easy to fall asleep. It runs more smooth than any other train on the continent. Soft humming and slight movement lulls the passengers to drowsiness and sleep within an hour. By the time it enters the black of the tunnel under the sea, the darkness and the knowledge that there’s the sea above isn’t unsettling to the passengers. All perfectly safe after all. No security instructions anywhere because none of that is neccessary. Quite a few are just glad not to be in a metal tin miles and miles in the air.

It’s some French travellers, especially Parisians, who’ll wake up startled as soon as the train leaves the tunnel again with the memory of the most unsettling laughter they have ever heard and shivers down their spines.

Sometimes, London wonders if building a means of transportation that leads millions of people to travel underwater every year was a foolish idea.

These days, humans who think they know about Cities say Paris itself, the Cityless city, belongs to everyone and no-one, to its people first and foremost.

They never knew anything about Paris in the first place.

"Lord, let me find him..."😔💕

"that I may see him..."🥺💕

@valvertweek

HAYDEN TEE'S JAVERT IS OFFICIALLY GAY 🏳‍🌈