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[psychic_supremecy]

[As the feed opens, the camera seems to be suspended in the air by nothing, gently bobbing up and down as it displays Mewtwo with a pair of blades made of energy hovering near his wrists. He's been working on using the blades to cut through a rather large column of solid granite that he procured from elsewhere, seemingly using it as a training dummy. When his voice comes over the feed, he doesn't seem to pay the device a single ounce of attention.]

I have been here for some time now, and this 'holiday' has come before. However, I am curious. What is the point? From what I can tell, humans celebrate horror and fashion in equal parts for no reason, and it is perplexing to say the least.

Comments

[liorafae]

[Here's a little dragon who might resemble another little dragon that Mewtwo knew. She'll briefly wonder what sort of creature he is before addressing him.]

I am curious about that myself. But...perhaps there's some history behind the holiday that makes it significant? Perhaps a deity being worshipped? At least that's the basis of our holidays where I come from...

[psychic_supremecy]

[Mewtwo glances to the side to identify the newcomer, noting the similarities with Azalea, but otherwise doesn't pay too much attention. He's too focused on cutting deeper and deeper into the rock.]

If that were the case, I'd be far more understanding. However, this place does not have a history to speak of, at least for us. As for deities...

[He thrusts an arm forward, embedding the blade as deep into the rock as possible, while punching - albeit rather weakly - the column.]

Worshiping deities is folly in itself.

[liorafae]

Perhaps the people share common holidays in their own worlds then? If I knew more, I could understand better... I wouldn't miss that Brightshine Jubilee for any reason...even if I have to celebrate it alone here.

[Her frills sink at the last statement.]

Though...I must disagree on the last point. When the deities are the very ones who give life to the world and its creatures, it's no folly at all to worship them.

[powerisphwee]

[Ignoring the fact that this creature looks like something from one of Kero's video games, Sakura probably has an idea why Halloween is celebrated the way it is.]

"Hello... Um, I might have an idea. People like to get scared. And, if kids dress up in costumes and go door-to-door, they may get candy."

[Not her, though. Keep the scary away.]

[psychic_supremecy]

[Mewtwo glances at the camera for a moment but doesn't alter his training rhythm.]

Fear is a survival instinct to indicate danger, stimulating a fight or flight response. The casual desensitization to such an instinct can only prove to be more dangerous. Actively incentivizing and rewarding children who take part in such activities also reduces the fear response by making the things that would otherwise cause such a response mundane.

If that is the case, it is a wonder humanity has survived as long as it has.

[powerisphwee]

"Um, well, it-people know it's not real though, so..."

[She's talking about the costumes and horror movies. But overall, she has no idea. It's mostly gossip she heard from her classmates.]

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[ghostofrazgriz]

[Blaze has been bedridden for a couple days now and was spending most of his days sleeping it off, but he happened to be awake to hear the question.]

The point of the holiday has religious roots, a lot of which boils down to showing respect for the dead. Costumes date as far back to old festivals.

[He has to pause to get through a small coughing fit.]

The horror aspect was something that evolved over time, partly in thanks to literature.

[He's a bit of a nerd, don't mind him.]

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[psychic_supremecy]

[Blaze gets a glance, like everyone else.]

The dead care not for the platitudes of the living. As for the 'horror', it's desensitizing those that partake to the real dangers around them. Humans have dulled their own instincts to the point that they cannot even sense those around them. I am constantly surprised that they still managed to thrive.

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[ghostofrazgriz]

Some people were long desensitized due to their own experiences. Literature barely adds anything to that.

[But he's also talking as someone who lived through war, after all.]

I don't pretend to understand it, but it just stems in old beliefs that spirits of the dead return on particular nights. It's just to honor them, but like a lot of practices, it's more for the living to feel better about some facts of life.

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[lobstersamurai]

...People celebrate this holiday for honoring the spirits of the deceased, or so I am led to believe.

[Ryoma has a pondering look on his face as he glances at Mewtwo.]

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[psychic_supremecy]

[And Ryoma gets more of a look than he's afforded anyone else. You look like you're trying to cosplay a Groudon from this angle.]

The dead care little for the living, and have no use for honor. Such practices are wastes of effort.

[lobstersamurai]

[Ryoma raises an eyebrow.]

And you believe that honoring and giving their blessings to their deceased loved ones and friends is a waste?

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[stairsbro]

Okay. Sit your ass down, man. If you can sit? How do you sit with a tail? Anyway. Halloween. It used to be this thing that marked the end of harvest and end of summer and the start of fucking freezing temperatures and shit so it got associated with death because that's when our weak human bodies started dropping like flies. So the death association eventually merged into thinking like the spirit world opened up on that day? And the spirits would fuck us over.

[ vague hand gestures ] So we're like, "We should totally try to bribe them into not killing us all." And would make bonfires and offerings and we'd wear costumes to like blend in with them maybe. Then religious fuckers took it over and tried to make it about saints but that never really stuck. And candy got involved at some point. Yeah.

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[psychic_supremecy]

[...That gets Mewtwo to take notice. He finds it odd that this is the explanation that makes the most sense to him.]

Human superstition never ceases to surprise me.

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[stairsbro]

Yeah. And it's all pretty much bullshit. Everything that's a holiday has, like, no scientific backing whatsoever and is just an excuse to party or act like a bunch of assholes. We're a weird species.

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[youfool]

Goodness; as I recall you couldn't grasp so much as a handshake when we first met. Now you want to know about holy days? Bold to the point of overweening! Well, let's see how much you've grown. If you could understand the sacred...

Halloween, better known as All Hallow's Eve, is a day of honoring the saints and remembering the dead, both dead persons and the death of worldly things. That's the broad stroke, anyway; sadly, in a world where I haven't found a single thing named after a saint, the -day has all but lost the -holi, and it's grown prosaic.

There's more to tell, but I'll let your own curiosity guide the way.

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[psychic_supremecy]

[Ted doesn't even get a glance as he continues his training.]

I have no need for your religion, and have received a far more satisfactory answer regarding the actual reason for the custom.

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[psychic_supremecy]

Science. And common sense.

[wizard_redfive]

The point is free candy and dressing up as whatever or whoever you want.

...Unless you're asking for a more historical reason.

[psychic_supremecy]

I understand the customs, I was wanting the historical reasoning.

Sorry for the lateness, rl has been crummy

[wizard_redfive]

Ah, I see.

Have you gotten the answer you were looking for?

[Dairine doesn't want to repeat the same things he's already heard. It can get old.]

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[unhappy]

No idea. [ Shrug. ] Not all humans celebrate it.

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[psychic_supremecy]

[Mewtwo continues to brutalize the pillar as he responds.]

The simple notion of holidays is utterly foreign to me. What makes one planetary rotation more notable than the last?

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[unhappy]

You want me to explain the passing of time to you?