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

[thumbsdown]

[All Boone is hearing is... he isn't even sure. It sure as hell isn't English. He tilts his head a little, holding his hands up in a helpless gesture. Nope, not a clue. He points to the intercom and mimics Niko's actions by pointing to his ear and shrugging- can he understand the intercom still?]

[vengeance_driven]

[Niko shakes his head, and then makes a motion as if he's writing on his palm. He needs to be able to get a pencil and paper. Then with a wave of his arm he motions for Boone to come with him.]

[thumbsdown]

[He gets that, at least. Boone follows behind Niko, still looking confused but hoping that being able to write will help. Hopefully they haven't suddenly forgotten how to write or something. He still doesn't get what's going on here, really. He was half afraid that he'd forgotten English, simply because he couldn't understand Niko or the intercom.]

[vengeance_driven]

[Niko leads him up to the room which is, for the moment, empty as no one else has been forced into being his roommate that he knows of. He finds a pad of paper and a pencil that he quickly scribbles on, then holds up to Boone.]



[I would like some vodka please.]

[thumbsdown]

[Yeah, he knows that feeling. He takes the pad and pencil and quickly scribbles back, then holds it up with the kind of look that plainly translates the words written on the paper.]

[vengeance_driven]

[Niko slumps like a man struck by a sudden debilitating illness. No booze. If he has to, he will grow potatoes and make vodka. One day, there will be vodka. But he wants it right now, because if people don't understand him and he doesn't understand them he'd much rather it be because he was pissed.

So he looks at the tablet again, and quickly takes it to doodle another thing.]



[Can you ask one of the couriers if they know? He had met two. Don't ask why they apparently have feet hands.]

[thumbsdown]

[He squints at the drawing for a moment. Does he... usually look that happy? Well, whatever. He turns the paper over after doodling his reply.]



[I don't think she has any. He hasn't met the other courier yet. And apparently Niko is so angry about this development that he's started floating. Whatever, he's a sniper not a goddamn artist.]

[vengeance_driven]

[Niko can't help it, he always looks a little angry. And might start floating if he doesn't find alcohol at some point. With a puff of a sigh he takes the paper, and doodles one thing which he flashes to Boone quickly.]



[Shit.

That he scribbles out to try something else.]



[Then he points at the man.] Luke. [There's a couple of other people he can ask, but that one comes to mind first. Then the boy with magic.]

[thumbsdown]

[Well, the first picture speaks loud and clear. It also pretty much summarizes Boone's opinion of this, too. He frowns at the second picture, though. He doesn't know a "Luke".]



[Who the hell is Luke and why would he give us vodka]

[vengeance_driven]

[Niko's bottle looks a little like a penis there. But it's not as if he hasn't mentioned dicks to Luke before. His hastily scribbled explanation might take some muddling through.]



[He makes a tiny space between his fingers and points at Boone. Then the watch/clock of sadness. That is how long Boone has been there. But Luke? Has been here longer. Kai is added in too. But upon thinking harder on it, suddenly he claps Boone's shoulder.]

Kai! [He points at the stick figure.] Kai! Kai! Ја могу да га питам! [Then he again waves for Boone to follow him.] Или можете да га питате. Хајде.

[thumbsdown]

[Those are some weirdly-shaped balls there, Niko. Boone doesn't seem all that impressed when Niko suddenly claps him on the shoulder, and starts spouting nonsense again. He's never heard the name "Kai" in his life. He just sort of assumes Niko is saying "yes" over and over or something. Either way, If Niko is getting so excited over this then maybe he's onto something. He's willing to follow along if he might get a drink out of it in the end.]

[vengeance_driven]

[For the moment Niko is in a good mood because there's some hope. He goes down the hall and finds the door where Kai rooms and knocks on the door. Hopefully he still speaks English, because if he doesn't Niko's going to just sulk in his room until his brain returns.

Forgetting a whole language is a little terrifying. Having a mission makes him not focus on that. Hopefully if he gets drunk he'll be too drunk to care.

He steps back and straightens the collar of his leather jacket, just idly fussing as he waits to see if he's at home.]

[shadowscall]

[Home he is, although it takes Kai a minute or two to actually answer the door. The reason why would be the loud barking that greeted Niko's knocking.]

No, down! It's not the Creeper, I'd know if it was- Down Surge!

[Someone might be happy to hear the raised voice is speaking English. Kai tugs the door open finally and blinks a bit to see Niko there before he grins.]

Hey!

[Oh, wait. The smile fades a little as he gestures to him.]

Can you, uh...yeah.

And then Boone can take next comment.

[vengeance_driven]

Ah.

[Big sigh.] Ја стварно желим мало вотке и нико ме не разуме. [I really want some vodka and noone understands me. The funny part of that being that Niko is said as no one. Names with meanings are sometimes a pain in the ass.

He points to Boone.] Али можда Boone може да разговара са тобом. [But maybe Boone can talk to you.] Boone. [To Kai.] Kai. Kai. [Back to Boone.] Boone.

[thumbsdown]

[Boone sighs quietly in relief when he hears the voice is, in fact, speaking English. Not that he knows what the Creeper is, but he'll take English babble over... whatever Niko's babble is any day.

Only, now that Niko has introduced them as best as he can, he realises he has to ask this complete stranger if he has alcohol. Not being much of a talker for the most part anyway, having to ask this guy he doesn't know for a favour feels kind of awkward.

Well, he guesses it's more for Niko than himself. That makes it somewhat easier.]

Yeah... uh. Hey.

[He frowns at Niko, then continues.]

Something weird is going on. Couldn't understand the voice over the intercom, and I can't understand Niko right now, either. Don't think anybody can. But I get the idea that he wants vodka. Guess I don't blame him... but... yeah. Guess he thinks you'd have some.

[shadowscall]

[What the hell is Niko saying? Taking foreign languages if he ever gets back to a real school, check. Kai looks from Niko to the other man and back, and guesses that was an introduction? When Boone clarifies what Niko wants, Kai has to stop himself from laughing. If he drank, he might be looking for some himself.]

Whoever runs this place has a twisted sense of humor. Sorry, but I don't have anything. Don't drink, and I share with a kid besides, so.

[Kai glances behind himself momentarily, as if checking to see if 'the kid' is anywhere around, then looks back at the two.]

I think there's some in the Headmaster's office, though. It's somewhere in the Southern Wing?

[Or he can just offer to fetch it for them, but he'll wait on that.]

[vengeance_driven]

Надам се да је ово добра вест. [I hope this is good news. But he knows his luck and unlike Roman, isn't much of an optimist. He slumps a touch, doing his best impression of kicked, long-nosed unfortunately foreheaded Serbian dog.

Vooooodkaaaaaaa.]

[thumbsdown]

[Boone opens his mouth to tell Niko what Kai just said, then remembers that not only would he not understand, but if he did he wouldn't need to be told anyway because he would have heard Kai. INT: 3

Instead, he looks back to Kai and nods.]

Okay... thanks. I'll take him up there.

[He nods to Niko and gestures for him to follow.]

[shadowscall]

Sorry I couldn't be more help! Nice meeting you though.

[He is, really. Maybe next time he'll have something tucked away somewhere, but-

Well, he doubts Tenar would just drink it without asking, right?

...Yeah, better not to. Kai gives Niko a shrug to say sorry. Poor guy looks pretty disappointed.]

[vengeance_driven]

[Since words won't help him much, he gives Kai sort of a half-hearted, awkward wave that involves just lifting and dropping his hand. Alright. He'll follow Boone now with an open-handed shrug.

He still doesn't know what's going on or that there is potential for booze. He just has decided to go where Boone is going until he waves him off or something.]

[thumbsdown]

Sure. You too.

[Boone still isn't really sure about the layout of this place, but he's sure he can find an office. He's sure he passed it actually, after leaving the clinic. He heads in that direction, hands in his pockets.

Headmaster's office... no, that's the clinic. That's the cafeteria. And- aha, there it is. He beckons for Niko to follow, and heads inside. After looking around for a few moments, he finds the liquor cabinet. He pulls out a bottle of vodka, and holds it out to Niko. There, that wasn't so hard. He'll have to remember this place.

...And then, out of habit, he starts looking in the drawers of the desk. Nope, empty. He probably should have expected that. This isn't home, where he could find a few caps or bullets in most drawers.]

[vengeance_driven]

[Niko leans to watch him pilfer through the drawer. What are you doing there, sir? Should he be doing this? He comes over questioningly, holding the bottle of vodka.

There is nothing in those drawers!

That seems to boggle Niko. But he knows he can't even explain it through manic pictionary. Oh well, vodka is the important part here, and he gestures between Boone and the bottle and then Boone and himself.

He doesn't want to drink alone. That's just sad, even if no one can understand him.]

[thumbsdown]

[Well, it's not really matter of whether he should be doing it or not. He's stolen a lot of ammo and caps traveling with Elle. Things other people could have used, sure, but he always cared more about keeping him and Elle alive and well. Now, it's just become a habit. A bad habit maybe, and he wouldn't steal from a friend, but he sometimes finds himself scanning a room for things he could take without even thinking about it now.

He looks between Niko and the bottle of vodka, and tilts his head in thought. He doesn't really know this guy, but it's like he figured before- if he was gonna hurt him, he would have done it when he had a gun in his hands. He shrugs and nods. He's been wanting a drink ever since he got here.]

[vengeance_driven]

[Good! Niko is cheered up a little. This can't last forever, can it? Of course it can't. He doesn't want to have to learn English all over again. He doesn't think this man would be patient enough to teach him and he probably wouldn't look as good in a low-cut top as his last instructor.

But this means they have to go all the way back to the dorms, back through gibbering. More English speakers. By the time he's back at his room he's glad to get there because his head hurts from trying to understand people. Having someone around that doesn't like to talk will be sort of a relief.]

[thumbsdown]

[On the way back, Boone is silently grateful for the people still speaking English. It's good for him, because he wouldn't be smart enough to learn a new language. If there are people still speaking English around here, it means he doesn't have to.

When they get back to Niko's room he looks around briefly before sitting himself down on the couch. Luckily, it's not much of a walk back to his and Elle's room, so he's not too worried about how he's getting back later.]