Chapter 2: Yes Tea Can

New Revolution

Chapter 2: YES TEA CAN!

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Summary: Not ‘We’ can, but ‘tea’ can, and it will, because we’re taxed enough already. Arthur, meet the party of We the People.

T.A.R.N.S.: And here, she goes, again! Okay, now we get to see some human characters, made up for the fic. I can’t wait to get the states in here.

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Because Americans have this thing about tyranny…even when it’s in their own government. Especially when it’s in their government.

America slept late the next day, and England was not surprised. Deciding not to wake the other country up, he instead went out to take a walk around D.C.

He wandered through the town, past restaurants, shops, and monuments. And then he started to notice a crowd crowing across from the capital.

He didn’t pay it much attention, instead going back to America’s apartment to see if the other nation was awake yet. Alfred was, sitting at the table with a cup of black coffee in front of him.

“It’s a lovely day, Alfred,” Arthur said, sneaking a look at the clock. It was ten in the morning. “Are you planning anything for today?”

Alfred shook his head. “I want to stay as far away from my boss as I can. He hates me.”

England paused. He didn’t really want to spend such a nice day sitting inside. He was saved from mentioning this when Alfred spoke again.

“You don’t have to sit here with me,” He said. “You came to visit, so you should do what you want. Within the law, of course.”

Arthur nodded and turned towards the door. Maybe there was some shop around here where he could get a good cup of tea. Alfred didn’t keep tea around anymore.

***

As he headed back through the Capital, keeping his eye out for a café, he noticed that the crowd on the National Mall had grown larger, and decided to see what that was all about.

A young woman was sitting near the edges of the crowd, perched on a small cooler, working on a sign she held in her hands. He decided to talk to her.

“Excuse me miss.” She paused in her sign and looked up at him. “Could you tell me what’s going on here?”

“Of course! This is a Tea Party, and we’re here to protest Trap & Raid. I mean, Cap & Trade.” She replied. “I’m Amy Smith, by the way.”

“Arthur Kirkland.” He replied. “So, just out of curiosity, what do you have to do to join the Tea Party?”

“Be here. Would you like to join?” Amy asked as she stood up.

“Well, I’m actually British… and I’m here on a vacation. But for today I think I’ll hang around here.” He replied.

“Okay. You’ll need a sign.” She turned to the crowd. “Hey, can someone get this man a sign?”

Less than one minute later, Arthur found himself holding six signs and one bright yellow Gadsden flag.

“Uh,” He stammered, not sure what to say next. A Gadsden flag? The newspaper rumors were true, then, Americans really had reverted back to 1776. “What do I do with all of this?”

Amy considered it. “Pick a sign. You can just leave the rest on the ground, someone else will pick them up,” She replied, shouldering her own sign (“I want my country back!”) and heading off into the crowd, Arthur following her.

“Okay, there are some ground rules. Don’t throw anything, unless it’s trash, in which case put that stuff in a trash can. Also, no name calling.” Amy said.

“Alright,” Arthur said, pausing for a minute to look through the signs. (“Just say NO to socialism,” “Keep Your Kool-Aid, I Drink Tea,” “If your Reps voted Tax & Spend Kick ‘em out in 2010,” “Politicians lied and the Economy died,” “Tea Party Today, Tar & Feathers Tomorrow,”) and the final one, which chilled Arthur to the bone, (“USA 1776-2008, R.I.P.”)

He choose the one that read, “Keep your Kool-Aid, I drink Tea”, figuring it was less of a lie than the others. He did drink tea, after all. But he wasn’t American, so he didn’t really belong here.

“Tea break, tea break!” A woman in her mid-twenties, dressed in a black and white maid’s outfit, came over. She was holding a tray with several cups of steaming liquid on it.

“How are things, Melissa?” Amy asked the other woman as she and Arthur each took a cup. “Did you find Brian and Derek?”

Melissa nodded. “I have to go take them some tea, but I think remember where I left that. Also, I called home. Fred was keeping an eye on the baby, but he reported the Fox News has nothing new to report on Cap & Trade.”

“Good.” Amy nodded.

“Who’s your friend?” Melissa asked.

“This is Arthur Kirkland,” Amy replied.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Kirkland.” Melissa said.

England nodded. “The pleasure is mine.”

The woman nodded and turned back to Amy. “Amy, aren’t the speakers going to start soon?”

Amy nodded. “The first one starts at ten-thirty, then the next isn’t until two. We should get Derek and Brian back.” She turned to Arthur. “You gonna stay for the speakers?”

“Well, I don’t have anything better to do.” He said as Melissa headed off.

“Great, then you’ll stay. We have some great speakers here today, and … you know, you’re English, and I don’t know what you’ll think of it.”

“You’re very cheerful.” Arthur observed.

“No, today I’m mellow. Usually I’m a lot sharper than this.”

“Amy I have a question,” England said, glancing at the Gadsden flag he was still holding. “Are you going to want this flag back?”

***

England was not surprised to find that America was still sitting at the table, his empty cup of coffee still sitting in front of him.

Pulling out the flag he’d been given (but didn’t really want to keep) he did the thing that seemed most sensible and tossed it in Alfred’s face.

“Hey, you stupid wanker, you’re coming back out with me this time.” England announced.

Jolted out of his melancholy, Alfred glanced at the flag that England had just tossed in his face. It was bright yellow with a coiled rattlesnake and the words “Don’t Tread on Me,” on it.

The Gadsden flag. He remembered it from the 1700s. And the Tea Party.

“Tea Party?” He asked, looking up at the older nation.

“Oh, so you have heard of it.”

“Of course I’ve heard of it! I’ve been to a few of their rallies.”

“Good. Then let me give you an outside opinion. You need to go see what they’re doing today.” England said. “And I’m not taking no for an answer.”

America glanced at him. “I’d like to see you drag me out of here.”

England considered it. “Well you have been sick for a while now; I might have a fair shot.”

America rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll go with you this afternoon.”

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T.A.R.N.S.: And I broke it in half right here because it was getting too darn long. Yes, we have OCs. We'll have quite a few of those in this story, mostly the States.

Stay tuned, we're just getting started, or, to misquote an American patriot, "I have not yet begun to write!"