Eighth Transmission [video]

[heartandsoul]

[While everyone else has been busy with wrestling bl00bl00ds or finding other ways to pass the time, Maka has been straightening up a certain place. Mostly involving cleaning it top to bottom and removing or putting old items in storage. When the video clicks on, one will see Maka in what looks like a beat up old shirt and shorts, rather than her characteristic skirt. The pigtails aren't even there, her hair is tied back with a kerchief, another one of which she is using to wipe her forehead.

Without missing a beat, she waves to the camera and smiles brightly.]

Hi! Rin, Masaru, I've finished cleaning up the villa. We can move in at any time. [A pause as she fusses with the kerchief tying back her hair for a moment and realizes that Masaru may have not gotten the news.] Masaru, we've got a new place to live now, there will be a lot more space and you can do whatever you want with it. I hope that's okay with you.

[Moving on, Maka takes a deep breath and sets her expression to properly inquisitive, as all good students should be.]

Everyone, this is a weird question but at what age do people usually get married in your world? [Her expression turns exasperated for a moment as she realizes this is, indeed, a very weird question and certain assumptions can be made--] I'm not asking because I want to get married, I'm not looking for trouble. It's just that in my world people tend to get married really early because of the circumstances there. My parents themselves got married when they were eighteen...but I guess what's true for my world isn't true for others?

Comments

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[zelda_hylia]

Eighteen is fairly average on my world, as well.

[She really needs to get on that finding a husband thing.]

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[heartandsoul]

[Husbands are overrated.]

Oh? Why would that be?

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[f8tal]

Married?

Video

[heartandsoul]

It's a legal and symbolic bond between two humans that love each other and want to be together forever. Or at least that's the surface concept, sometimes it's for political or economic reasons too.

voice

[force_a_change]

I do believe it depends on where you live and traditions and laws.

Eighteen is the age of majority in some countries, so it's not that young.

voice

[heartandsoul]

Hmm...I didn't know the age limit in other worlds was that low too. I don't know, something doesn't seem right about letting people get married that young.

[And therein lies her other motive for being curious about the subject.]

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[drunkmanjuu]

Eighteen sounds right if you're a guy. Gotta be sixteen at least for a girl where I come from.

[ And there's a sly little grin. ]

Who ya wanna marry, Maka...?

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[heartandsoul]

Sixteen...? Geez.

[She frowns and sighs.]

Nobody. I'm never getting married.

voice;

[aim_exorable]

[Darkleer's voice comes over the sound of keyboard clicking.]

We do not have the concept of 'marriage' in Alternia, although you did have the option of living with one of your quadrants if you wished, often flushed or pale. However, it would be around... hmm, perhaps seventeen or sixteen years? That would be around the time when a troll would be expected to fulfill their duty to the Imperial Drone for the first time.

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[heartandsoul]

The Imperial Drone...?

[That's something she's never heard of before in all of Karkat's talks about quadrants.]

I taught Karkat about marriage, but he never told me about any Imperial Drone.

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[fulmination]

Seventeen or eighteen was the average back in Amestris if I recall, though I think my mother was sixteen when she married my father.

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[heartandsoul]

Ah, wow, that's how old I am right now. Is there any cultural reason for getting married that young or is it just preference?

[Video]

[ex_wolfbrother668]

[A friend of Rin's asking about marriage. Yes, there could be assumptions made, but Perrin will try not to for the moment.]

In the Two Rivers at least, maturity is more important than age. Eighteen would have been too young for me, but my wife is only a few years your senior, I think.

[Video]

[heartandsoul]

Hmm...[where would that have left her parents then. Her mother was completely mature at a young age, of course, but her father...] I wonder how many other worlds consider actual readiness when it comes to marriage? Some of the people I heard talking about it mentioned being financially stable, but that doesn't necessarily mean maturity.

[ audio ]

[silvereclipse]

[ That's a rather strange topic for him. For reasons people probably wouldn't expect. ]

There is no specific age, but in Valua, it is done for everything from political to financial reasons.

[ And it makes him sick. The only reason he even fights for Valua as a nation is because Galcian does... for now. ]

[ audio ]

[heartandsoul]

It's like that in some cultures back in my world, too. But I think most people where I'm from do it out of love. Most if not all of them?

[...She thinks. Maybe. It's possible she's never heard of a shotgun wedding because Spirit would find the idea of her getting pregnant by some boy too upsetting to even discuss with her.]

But I have to admit, the only married couple I've ever been near for a long period of time was my parents, and they divorced a while back.

[howamanlives]

Awesome! I'll start packing up my stuff right away!

... you think we could turn one room into a gym?

[heartandsoul]

Sure! I don't see why not, I think a gym would be pretty useful to have around, actually!

[They already have a library and most of the shelves in her room are occupied by books, the boys have to keep themselves amused somehow.]

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[keepsthefire]

I'll start packin' when I get home.

[Then, after a pause]

.. 'ey why are you askin' about marriage if you're not gonna get married?

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[heartandsoul]

I just said why, didn't I? It's normal for people to get married young in my world, but the natives seem to think my dad's way too young to be...well, my dad! Come on, Rin, I always ask questions like this, it's part of being a good student.

[And if she's not a good student in a world where she can't be a proper Meister, what else can she do???]

[Video]

[donotcomprehend]

It does not exist on my world. What is the purpose of marriage?

[Video]

[heartandsoul]

To legally and symbolically bond yourself to the one person you love for the rest of your lives.

[Said in a straightforward tone, as though she was reading from a dictionary. But still, she smiles out of politeness.]

Different people have different reasons, but that's the one most will tell you I think.

[ V I D E O | P R I V A T E ]

[cheapshinigami]

That would depend on which era of my "life" we're referring to, Maka-san.

[ V I D E O | P R I V A T E ]

[heartandsoul]

Huh? What do you mean by that, sir?

[TEXT] actually changing format, more fitting with what his recent mood would be

[bethehugejerk]

IF I'M DOING MY MATH RIGHT EIGHTEEN YEARS IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN EIGHT AND NINE SWEEPS ISN'T IT?
OBVIOUSLY I HAVEN'T GOT ONE DANK CLUE WHAT REGULAR MARRIAGE AGE IS FOR PEOPLE WHEN OUR CULTURE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE CONCEPT
BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ASKING PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE AVERAGE IS.

[TEXT]

[heartandsoul]

One told me mid-twenties--that's about 25 and beyond until the 30 mark is reached. Another person told me *early* twenties. Another one told me some people wait even beyond that, depending on their financial situation! So far the people from other worlds told me that 18 and over seems about right in general.

I guess people choose whatever they want in other cultures, depending on how much power they actually have over it. But it's still weird not having a set average for it.

[The concept of an environment not having strict rules about methods of doing appears to perplex her beyond recognition.]

[Video]

[closedcircuit]

It depends on the individuals a lot. I believe my parents were married fairly young. But sometimes people don't get married at all, of course.

[Video]

[heartandsoul]

Mmm...what reasons would people have for not getting married? Besides personal preference.

[This individual preference thing and not doing everything by impulse in relationships is fascinating.]

[Video]

[flyingdreams]

I married rather young. Well, for a mouse, that is. It was also a very rough living, so I imagine it's much the same.

But why do you say marriage is trouble?

[Video]

[heartandsoul]

It's...just not something I want for myself in the future. My career is more of a priority and I don't want any children I have to be neglected for that.

[And obviously marriage always equals children.]