Responses/Replies to Reviews
shipwrecked souls: They barely do get work done at Meetings. Barely. Thanks for reviewing! I want more reviews like yours for this story.
Guest: I've re-read the rules, and as far as I noticed, previews ain't rulebreaking. I've seen other writers that did previews and their stories weren't taken down or anything. I know that Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source, so it's not my only source for info. Thanks for reminding me though. And in the DCAU (at least), I will try my best not to look into non-local Personifications that aren't canon, so non-HK Subsections, including your State, are not major characters in the DCAU. Thanks for dropping by. And where did you read the FFN rules from, if you don't have an account? If you do, I get it; but if you don't, that's exactly what I'm wondering. (And if you do have an account, I suggest telling me that so that I can get back to you by PM.)
SkaggsLoan, PennelLeatha, SpenceEvan, PrenticeKimbra, McmurrayMerrie, ApodacaIluminada, MayfieldLisette and WilkinsonShaniqua: What is this about AO3? Can you please clarify exactly what you're trying to say, or are you just showing off that you can speak that many languages? Or have you just gone crazy trying out Google Translate? I'm sorry, but the only thing I did get from those 8 reviews are something about AO3.
A/N: Wowzers, I haven't gotten a lot of views so far. Oh well. Onwards!
And yay for Epic Rap Battles of Historical Interruptions, because I woke up just now and saw that there's a total of 100 views!
Warning: Unofficial Cantonese Romanizations, censored foul language, possible OOC-ness (first time I have written this Nation) and Austrian speed ahead. You have be warned.
Disclaimer: It's in the Introductory A/N and Chapter 2. Seriously, don't expect me to post this repetitive shtuff every single time.
One thing that Austria had noticed about the City of Hong Kong, was that his people are way. Too. Fast. The people in the urban districts practically walk at a speed that rivals that of America scarfing down burgers, or (North) Italy running during training in World War II if he was promised pasta afterwards.
Okay, not really that fast, but you get the idea, especially when it's Austria talking.
People chow down curry-covered balls on a skewer, bowls of some kind of thick brown soup-like substance and other foods bought from stores on the streets (including in Mong Kok), while still in their work clothes and still speed-walking. Few people wait for others to get off the MTR trains or lifts (A/N: American translation – elevators) – they charge in the moment the doors open, without bothering to let the ones inside exit first (despite the female MTR announcer's blaring of "please let the passengers exit first" or whatever), and it was frankly surprising that accidents and actual pushing and shoving rarely, if ever, occur. (1)
And now, he was pointlessly wandering some street in Mong Kok, or so said the locals in their atrocious accent, looking for Mong Kok East MTR station, because according to them, it was the quickest way to get to where he had to go. Oh, and half the shops are pet stores on that section of the street, selling anything from fish (he had to refrain from shuddering every time he passed a clear plastic bag/tank of those creatures) to dogs and cats. And…yes, that's definitely another branch of that horrific McDonald's place, with the infamous yellow double-arches in a red background on the hanging sign. (2)
Then further on the street, he saw a boy in his early teens. He was munching on some brown cubes of something on the tiny bamboo toothpicks that the locals seem to love using as actual tooth-picking items or just fork/miniature skewer things like these. (3) Of course this was strange, because it was 2:37pm on a Friday in September – teens are still supposed to be in school at that time of day. But as he got closer, he saw the blades-only windmill-like pendant hanging from his neck, styled as though it would glow in the dark if it ever got dark. The design though, if in red, is the District Council emblem of the Yau Tsim Mong District.
It appeared that the boy had noticed him first. "Hallo, O Dei Lei (4)," said boy greeted casually, as though he was just greeting a friend on the street. He didn't even know him! How did he know who he was – oh, yes, he's the Personification of the very land he was standing on. And what was that terrible smell? Could it be…the cube-things that he was eating? "Hello…Yau Tsim Mong?" he responded, still a bit unsure about the boy's identity.
The boy lightly facepalmed and removed two black earbuds from his ears, letting them hang over his shoulders. "It's just Mong Kok. I'm only a part of this damn district. Or you can call me Nathan," he replied in Nation-speak. The tips of his dark hair were dyed red. With his graphic sleeveless t-shirt (why did he have a burn scar on each of his upper arms?), black jeans and Nike sneakers, he almost seemed to totally fit in with the peasants' neighbourhood that he represented.
"Can you show me how to get to Mong Kok East station?"
"End of the street," Nathan pointed in the direction opposite of the McDonald's, "cross a couple of streets to the MOKO escalator near the fried chicken steak place. Y'know, the light blue-backgrounded one? Then up the escalator, turn into the up-slope passageway, up the shorter escalator there, turn right, through the glass doors, it's on the other side of the place – you'll see the sign." (5) Austria was confused just listening to the kid ramble on. How could he even know his way around the place? Oh, wait, of course.
And…it appeared that Nathan could read minds, since he didn't really show his confusion for the world to see. "D' y' need me to show you the way?"
'Yes!' he screamed out internally, but he only stiffly nodded as an external response.
Then Nathan grabbed his right wrist (in his own right had was a red plastic bag of something) and shot off like a…regular-paced person in the city, dragging the Nation with him. "Please, Mong Kok, slow down!"
"Y' can't f**king survive here being this much of a slowpoke! Y' know what we say – mai jor zu dei kow jyuen lah! (6)" Nathan was definitely too rude for his liking. How could he outright call him a slowpoke? (7)
"BUT WHY IS THIS CITY SO FAST?"
Nathan slowed down…a little, as they crossed the roads just after a red minibus zoomed past (8). Don't worry, it's not jaywalking, because there aren't any traffic lights on that section of the street. Otherwise, if that is considered jaywalking, I must have broken the law at least a hundred times over at this point, and so have many, many others.
After crossing the street, Nathan sighed, shaking his head, as though he was reluctant to tell the tale behind the speed of the city, be it walking or working pace. Then he started to explain, "In the 1950s to 1960s, thousands, if not millions of Mainlanders crossed the border to escape from that mother*****r, Mao Zedong." He said the last four words as though it were a curse word to a hardcore Christian who had no choice but to say that. "They thrived even though many of them came here with pretty much nothing. Being hardworking was the key to success back then. Y' gotta admit, no matter how much I despise those f**king Mainlanders (9), they made us into who were are today.
To turn from the poor, undeveloped place we were back then to the financial centre/world city we are today in a few decades, our people had to be diligent, pragmatic and adaptable to survive. And since we have so f**king little area but so many people, we adapted our competitive – even cutthroat – nature and want to move up the damn social ladder. For that, we need money, which we have to earn. We're always in a hurry.
If y' can't handle this," Nathan concluded, "f**king go home lah. Y' don't f**king belong here if y' don't get us and be like us. You'll f**king go crazy. Trust me, I've seen many f**kers that can't keep up. Oh, we're here." In front of them was MKE MTR station. "Bye-bye, O Dei Lei." And he left, leaving a stunned Nation standing in front of the station exit.
#1-The curry-covered balls are curry fish balls and the soup-stuff is imitation shark fin soup. Both are popular street foods. That'll be covered in a future chapter. Oh, and what I said about the lift and MTR race is real. 100% true – confirmed by this local.
#2-That's the general description (by me) of the Goldfish Market, or a section of Tung Choi Street that specializes in pets and pet products, and yes, there's a McD's there. I chose that place because it's close to my school and I wanted MK to show up.
#3-The toothpick thing is true. That street food is stinky tofu. I haven't tried it yet, but it's pretty famous. That'll also be covered in the street food chapter.
#4-Unofficial Cantonese Romanization of the Chinese form of 'Austria'.
#5-There's a more direct route that doesn't involve crossing roads that I use more often lately, but that's the one that I first used and I had to buy time so that Nathan could explain.
#6-The first word, in Cantonese, is a version of 'don't'. Lah, as I already explained, is a verbal tic of ours. The rest, 阻住地球轉, literally means 'keep the Earth from spinning'. If someone says that to you, English translation: you're too damn slow. And yes, that's a legit Cantonese insult that I have a soft spot for.
#7-That'll be the Asian bluntness. There'll be a chapter on that, I think.
#8-That's content for another future chapter. God, I have so many chapter ideas, it might take me over a year to write all this. And plus current events…
#9-This is not my personal opinion. I'm fairly neutral to Mainlanders unless they do some s**t that's against my morals, like relieving themselves in the streets. That's a stereotype from some of us locals, but like I said, not my personal opinion. No offense, but it's true that some of us locals hate Mainlanders, and in their place, I apologize.
A/N: HongKongers value diligence and pragmatism, and adapt very quickly. For us, speed and competitiveness are matters of survival. In fact, a known stereotype of HongKongers is being 'cutthroat'.
Knowing this place, that stereotype is kind of accurate. I even think that the chorus to Natural by Imagine Dragons really fits the mentality of this place (at the most extreme point).
And there's Chapter 5! I'm posting Chapter 6 next Sunday because the next 4 chapters are all going to be specials, so you're in for a treat, my dear readers! One next Sunday, one the day after that (if not, 25 September 2018), one on the 28th and the final special of this season on 1 October, all four of them for special reasons, including three birthdays, an anniversary and a festival. (Spoilers, oops!)
If you're the unlucky souls facing Hurricane Florence, I will kindly inform you that we're probably going to face our own Super Typhoon Mangkhut, which will possibly be a direct hit on the city (read: come within 100km – or 62 miles – of this place, I believe). Good luck to both of us. And remember that while you evacuate inland, we just buy instant/cup noodles, stick masking tape on our windows and doors (if they're made of glass) and hope that we don't have to go to school on Monday. Honest. (I mean, we're used to this. This stuff happens every summer. I'll even bet that there'll be daredevils heading to the promenades to watch the waves – there are always some in the less strong storms.)
Anyways, I'll catch you guys later, and please leave reviews! See you after the storm, which I will write about,
-MN/Talons
P.S. I want suggestions for theme songs for the many parts of the DCAU. Please give some! I'll give a cookie per good song!
Sources of the Chapter: Hong Kong Life and Culture: A Quick and Easy Guide for Expats and Visitors by Emily L. Y. Chan, No City for Slow Men: Hong Kong's quirks and quandaries laid bare by Jason Y. Ng, Personal Experience, Discover Hong Kong, Wikipedia, Other Websites