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

[obeytherod]

Yes, what! Yes...

[Moving on...

He cants his head in thought, the pencil still held in his hand but remaining motionless.]

...Why? Why? [In his own language, he thinks: Who, what, where, when, and--]

Oh, why! [He doodles...something and shows it to Bakura.]

Why you think that's great, yes?

[fluffydeathdealer]

[...oh. That was meant to be his 'what'?


...moving swiftly on. He studies the new one and glances over at Malik. 'Why you think that's great'? It's kind of ungrammatical, but it's at least accurate, he thinks. That's... the tablet at Kul Elna, right? But what the hell is the scribble at the bottom? He taps that, looking confused.]

What is that?

[Uhm. No, that won't be helpful.]

Yes, that's why.

[obeytherod]

Yes! What "that's"? I know... "that's great".

[He gives a thumbs up.] I want know, "that's why", "what is that". What that and that's?

[fluffydeathdealer]

['That' and 'That is'... huh. Those'll be hard to describe. Reaching out, he taps the squiggle.]

"That's what".

[Lifting a hand, he points at Malik.]

That's you. [And then at himself.] That's me.

[obeytherod]

Hm...

[He thinks he understands. It's some sort of signifier. Something is what it is. At least, that's what he thinks.

He points to a book.]

That's?

[fluffydeathdealer]

That's a 'book'.

[He answers the question directly, smiling a little.]

[obeytherod]

I... [He nods tentatively.] Understand.

What is that...? [He gestures vaguely.] That's...? I don't understand. I want think--uh, no. Know?

[Malik knows he could ask the question more simply, but this is about more than just answers. He wants to figure out how to use the words together. Practice is the only way to do that.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Heheh. [Oh hey, an opportunity to help him clarify the 'to' part he asked about earlier.]

"I want to know".

[obeytherod]

Ohh. Yes... I want to know.

What is that? That's...what? [He's looking a little frustrated with himself. He couldn't word his question, but he was trying to ask if saying "What is that" is the same as "that's" with a questioning tone.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Resting a hand on Malik's shoulder, he squeezes it reassuringly. He thinks he guesses what he's trying to do. To figure out which way is right, right?]

'What is that'.

[obeytherod]

[He lets out a sigh, nodding a bit to himself before pointing to his nose. He just wanted to test it out.]

What is that?

[fluffydeathdealer]

Your nose.

[Deadpan.

Hey, Malik may have only been trying it out, but that doesn't mean he can't joke.]

[obeytherod]

[He nods and rests his cheek in his hand, looking a little worried.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

...? What is it? What's wrong?

[He gives him a look of concern.]

[obeytherod]

[Malik can only understand the "what"s in those sentences, but Bakura's tone is enough to figure out the rest.]

I don't know... When. I and you understand.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Huh... He thinks he gets the gist of it from that. His gaze softens a little. That's right... they might not fully understand one another for a while. Learning languages was so time consuming. Leaning over, he presses his lips to Malik's briefly.]

Don't worry.

[His fingers seek out Malik's, entwining them.]

We're together. We'll get through it.

[Lifting their linked hands, he indicates them.]

Together.

[obeytherod]

[The kiss eases his nerves a bit. Even though they couldn't fully understand each other, Bakura was willing to work with him. Just like always, it was only a matter of time.

He squeezes Bakura's hand in response.]

Together... [He thinks he understands, but Bakura had just used so many other words he didn't.]

What is that... "we're" and "we'll". "Worry" and "through". I want understand.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Ah...

[He rubs the back of his head with his free hand, looking a little embarrassed. Dammit, his speech patterns were fucking things up.]

Uhm. 'We'. [He gestures between the two of them.]

'We will'. [Repeating the gesture, he then taps his watch at the word 'will', and turns his finger clockwise to indicate in the future.]

"We'll". [He repeats the same motions.]

[obeytherod]

... [He lets out a heavy sigh and sinks down on the table, holding his head in his hands. There was so much to remember, and it's not like how he learned Ancient Egyptian and Japanese. There was no side-by-sides with his own language. He was going purely off example...!

It was do-able, but it was frustrating, and he was starting to feel overwhelmed despite having gotten this far already. Maybe it was Bakura's influx of sentences he only half understood, but he wasn't blaming him.]

We...will... [Time moving forward? The future?]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Yes. We will.

[Rubbing Malik's back comfortingly, he sits back. This is going to be difficult. But maybe if he uses a clearer example. Tapping his shoulder to get his attention-]

You-

[He points at Malik.]

Will- [The clock gesture.]

Kill- [Stabbing the air.]

Pharaoh.

[That one he's gotta be able to recognize. It's a modern word too after all.]

[obeytherod]

[Malik lifts his head, looking miserable and frustrated, but he pays attention regardless. Once again, it all clicks...or at least the pieces start to line up.]

Keh... [That smirk of his comes back, devious as ever.]

Yes. I understand. I will kill Pharaoh.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Yes!

[Bakura grins, glad that it got through. Grasping Malik's hand again, he tugs at it a little less gently than he should.]

Come.

[He used that before, so maybe Malik will get it...]

[obeytherod]

[Malik gets to his feet and steps forward, more from the tug than the word itself. It works though; hearing the two together is forming an association.]

What?

[fluffydeathdealer]

Come. [Tug.] With. [He gestures between them, then points at himself as he says the last word.]

Me.

[Letting go, he heads for the door to the library.]

[obeytherod]

Yes. [Malik nods, getting the gist of the sentence and following Bakura towards the exit.]