CAMPUS WIDE EVENT: THE LANGUAGE BARRIER REINSTATED

[intercom_voice]

[Today, something somewhere went wrong. On the evening on the 15th, any bilingual (or otherwise) knowledge granted by the Campus has simply...disappeared. At least for anybody walking by the North Wing.]

Tja ... det här kommer att lägga sordin på våra studier, är nu inte det?

[Translation: Well...this is going to put a damper on our studies, now isn't it?]

((ooc: So! For the next 5 days (the 15th~20th), your character officially only knows their native tongue. Aka, whatever language they primarily grew up with. They can no longer read, speak, or understand any other language but.

For fun you can even use Google Translate to show what your character is speaking at a glance! Don't worry, we all know it's probably gibberish :P

If you go the Google route, please be sure to put a translation at the bottom. If not, then please take care to specify what language your character is speaking in at the start of every thread.

If you have any questions, just head to the mod plurk or send this account a PM, but most importantly--have fun!))

Comments

...ALSO ANCIENT EGYPTIAN

[memorypuzzle]

...!

[HE CAN'T READ HIS CARDS. NOOOO.]

Why...?! What is this-?!

[A pile of cards scattered over the table before him, Yami Yugi stands in front of them in the library and stares wide-eyed. Why have you forsaken him, cards?! He could just recall their effects from memory, but this is still a disaster!]

English, what d'ya know.

[shadowscall]

[Once Kai figures out that no one knows what the hell anyone else is saying, he decides the library's a good option. After all, the books he studies from are in English anyway, right?

Apparently not all of them. So that leaves him staring at a magic book he's just pulled off the shelf, wondering if all of them are like this. He's been to worlds where English wasn't the language, but he never had a problem understanding anything. This? It's just screwed up.

He's still got his face buried in the book as he heads over to a table, not paying attention to anyone that might be in his way.]

...You've got to be kidding me, what language is this supposed to be?

GASP

[memorypuzzle]

[Hearing the boy's words, he moves out of the way just in time to avoid being knocked over. He would have offered a warning, but whatever the guy had said indicated that he wasn't going to understand anyway. Well, actions spoke louder than words, so he reached out to rest a hand on his forearm, intent on stilling him.]

You should watch where you're going.

[shadowscall]

[Thank you for scaring him. Kai's head jerks up at the touch and he almost drops the book, fumbling with it until he gets a better grip. Whoops, of course other people would be in here. He opens his mouth to say sorry, then pauses. He's not going to understand it anyway, right?]

Sorry.

[Yeah, okay, he still has manners. Kai gives him an embarrassed smile and moves away to drop the book onto the table so he can sit down. He sees the cards at the last second and makes sure not to disturb any. New enemies, bad.]

[memorypuzzle]

... [Yeah, not understanding a word of that, but it's appreciated regardless. The sentiment still comes over at least. Since saying anything would be useless, he gives him a friendly thumbs up and a smile.

Gathering the cards up to give him space, he glances over the book curiously.]

[shadowscall]

[Good, seems things are okay. Kai watches him collect his cards before he notices his interest in the book.]

Trying to see if I can still understand any of this-

[Why are you still talking, Kai? Gah, he hates this place sometimes. Sighing, he gestures to the book and then holds out a hand, palm up. Least threatening spell he knows...well, Cure, obviously, but he's not cutting himself to demonstrate that. Instead he goes with his usual and casts Blizzard, letting the ice crystals form into a few small marbles.]

[memorypuzzle]

...! What-?!

[That's actual magic. Actually seeing it is pretty shocking even though he knows it exists. And it being used so casually means this person is pretty used to it. But why had he done that? Glancing from the book to the spell, he has an idea, but he isn't sure. Was this book magic? Lifting a hand, he points from himself to the book, looking questioningly at Kai.]

[shadowscall]

[Oops. Someone else that's never seen this stuff before. The reaction reminds him a bit of Niko's. Kai sets the ice marbles on the table and wipes his hand off before tapping the book.]

Um...

[He really hates this place sometimes. He taps the book again, then flicks one of the marbles. He's hoping he can get across that yes, the book can teach magic. Maybe not this spell, but he can't explain that at the moment.]

[memorypuzzle]

[He lets out a sigh. Looks like his question got misunderstood. But that appears to be confirmation. The book is magic. Curiously, he reaches out a finger to poke one of the 'marbles'. Woah, that's cold! That's literal ice, then. Not just an illusion.]

That's pretty impressive.

[If only Yugi had taken sign language classes. Not that they'd be much good if nobody else here had taken them. Oh well. He was nothing if not stubborn. Reaching out, he taps the side of the book, making as if to turn the page.

Can he look?]

[shadowscall]

[Even if Kai can't understand what he just said, watching him poke at the ice has him grinning a bit. Always proud of his work, this one.

Most of the time, anyway.

He frowns when the other boy touches the book, and then it clicks. Oh. For-]

Yeah, go ahead! Not like I can read this one anyway.

[He pushes it over, then gathers his marbles back into his hand to play with.]

[moderndaydragon]

[Oh thank god, someone else who speaks Japanese.]

Yugi!

[memorypuzzle]

Ah, Karasu. Can you understand these cards at all?

[Because clearly that's the most important issue. He can't even read their names, and while he knows what cards are what, how can he dramatic if he can't say their names in a melodramatic fashion to intimidate his opponent?!]

[moderndaydragon]

[The relief on her face dissolves into utter confusion.]

Is that -- are you speaking Egyptian?

[Why is he speaking Egyptian?]

[memorypuzzle]

...hm? [What is she even saying-?

...wait, he can't understand her either?! What madness is this?! At the most he recognizes the sound of one of the words. "Egypto"? ...it couldn't be, could it-?]

Egyptian...?

[Considering they didn't even have the word Egypt back then, his reply probably sounds nonsensical to her. After all, the name of the country in ancient egyptian was simply "Kemet".]

[moderndaydragon]

[It sounds like utter gibberish and probably would regardless of what he says, but she recognizes the inflection of the question to take a guess at what he's saying. He doesn't know the language he's speaking?

...come to think of it, why is he even speaking what TK and Bakura both are? She'll have to ask him about that later. As it is...]

Egyptian.

[She tries to say it slowly, hoping that she's guessed correctly and she can at least get that across.]

[memorypuzzle]

[It's like his blood has run cold suddenly. He's speaking Egyptian? Casting a glance over his cards, he frowns. The symbols look like nonsense to him. So the knowledge of how to speak Egyptian has superseded his ability to understand other languages? That means he probably won't understand Yugi either. And that also means there are very few people that will understand him, if any.

He glances back at her, nodding with a concerned look on his face.]

Thank you, Karasu. It makes more sense to me now.

[Odd, how natural these words felt. He'd never even have noticed he wasn't speaking Japanese if she hadn't pointed it out.]

[moderndaydragon]

[That's... a weird way to pronounce her name, but she does manage to recognize it as her name, and the tone is enough to get the idea across. She smiles a little, nodding in what she hopes is a reassuring way, but the concern and panic is still evident enough on her own face that it probably falls heavily flat.

After a moment, she digs into the bag at her side, producing a sketchbook and a pencil, giving Yami a curious glance.]

[memorypuzzle]

... [He nods, reaching out to tug out a chair and sit down. Despite the situation, he's at least physically relaxed, his legs crossed and his head leaning on one hand as he gestures from her to the table. Sit down, Karasu... they can share the sketchbook and maybe find a way to talk through it.]

[moderndaydragon]

[She smiles a little more, relief seeping into her expression as she sits down as well, flipping past the sketches already done to get to a blank page. After a moment of thought, she shrugs and starts out the "talk" with the usual "hi".

By sketching a little Blue-Eyes waving.]

[roadroller]

{Wow, what're you freaking out about?}

[they're just cards dude. Simmer down.]

[memorypuzzle]

[He's not freaking out! He's just... a little shocked. Those are not just cards, little girl, those are Duel Monsters cards!]

Excuse me, but I don't know what you're saying.

[roadroller]

Haaah?

[She sits up a bit straighter, looking at him a bit more oddly.]

{What language is that? Speak Japanese!}

[His body looks Japanese, there's no excuse.]

[memorypuzzle]

[He just stares at her blankly.]

I just told you that I don't know what you're saying. Even if you can't understand, surely the intention should have passed over.

[Sigh.]

[roadroller]

[She can be a bit dense. But that blank stare says a lot. She blinks, and settles down a bit.]

You really can't understand me? My bad. ♪

[Must have grown up somewhere else then!? But, hmm, maybe they can still communicate. She points at his cards while talking slowly]

Why - were - you - so ... [GASPS DRAMATICALLY WHILE CLUTCHING PEARLS]

[memorypuzzle]

[Well, at least she seems to have figured out that he isn't getting what she's saying... but her speaking slower is definitely not being of any help. Still, she's pointing at the cards. Maybe she's asking what's wrong?]

...hm. [Reaching out, he picks up one of the cards and shows it to her, tapping the Japanese lettering and shaking his head.]

I suddenly lost my ability to understand them.

[How to explain sudden when he doesn't have a watch? He glances at her arm to see if she has one.]