text; @The Seventh Crown of the Seventh Demon King;

[unrequite]

[ Four lines of text. ]

This is written in Victorian.
Kore wa Laterano-ji Higashi-go de kakareteimasu.
This is written in Higashinese.
This written by in Yanese. (Might be bad. Sorry.)

Please do let me know how many of these sentences you understand.

[ The first is in what would be considered Earth English, the second is what would be known as Japanese written in Romaji, but he's called it "Laterano-ji Higashinese". The third was written in Japanese, the fourth was written in some rather poor Chinese. He's called the languages themselves clearly incorrect names. What's more important, though, is that only the second one should parse as phonetic, and should only be understandable to fellow Japanese speakers. The rest are in whatever language is most understandable to whoever reads it. Funny, huh? This city sure is strange! ]

Comments

@junpei | text

[coolerjunpei]

i got all of them. why, is there gonna be a quiz?

[unrequite]

There is now. I'll find a gold star sticker just for you, if you like.

[ He's kidding. Really. Unless Junpei wants a gold sticker, in which case Midnight is deathly serious. ]

That aside, I wanted to see how powerful the translation services are. It's remarkable to me that we all can understand each other to the degree that we do. The technology in my world is advanced, but it's certainly not like this.

[coolerjunpei]

you bet your ass i want a gold star sticker.

[He'll put it on his phone! Get him a sticker!]

it works out loud too though, right? so exactly what "technology" do you think it is? like are we talking chips in our heads or full-on simulation?

[unrequite]

I'll raid a stationery store for you when I get the chance, then. I'm sure they have something choice.

[ Extra sparkly, even! ]

Not a clue, but I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility in very isolated cases in my world. Arts and Originium technology can successfully alter senses for a short amount of time, as far as I'm aware... It's just not at a level that can cover an entire city district.

[coolerjunpei]

nice. can't wait.

i mean, manipulating people's perception isn't impossible in general... but the area of effect is pretty huge. we're all perceiving individually but at the same time, so.... chips.

[unrequite]

[ A small beat before the next message goes out. ]

Perhaps it's more to the point to say that I'd rather not have this ability at all than have it, but to be unable to turn it off. Or, rather, I'd be much more at ease if I could turn it off.

[coolerjunpei]

we're still talking about the translation thing, right? why would you want to turn that off?

[unrequite]

We are. I believe that in order to implant any sort of technology in us, those responsible for our current state of affairs would have to have access to us at a certain level I find terribly uncomfortable. On a more personal level... I think that others deserve to be able to have a certain level of distance away from my own understanding, free to have whatever thoughts they wish without my input. Language is a barrier I'm quite comfortable with, in that respect.

[coolerjunpei]

huh. i guess. i mean, obviously i agree with you about the chips that may or may not be in our heads. the other thing... it makes sense. i just figure people are going to keep away from me if they don't want me to know what they're saying?

unless we can read minds now and i missed that part. can we read minds??

[unrequite]

[ Well... Midnight has more nuanced ideas about language, power, and distance, but this doesn't seem like a good place to air them out. Anyway, more importantly: ]

Let's test that. I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 10. What is it?

[coolerjunpei]

[Junpei will refrain from pointing out that Midnight could just lie if he gets it right, but-!!]

9

[unrequite]

3. There it is, then.

[ There is literally no reason to lie. Well, he could do so to save Junpei's feelings, but Midnight's not that much of a people pleaser. ]

that icon is making me insane

[coolerjunpei]

good. i don't want to read anyone's mind, no offense.

you're welcome: https://citynet.dreamwidth.org/7909.html?thread=1234917#cmt1234917

[unrequite]

Oh, I take grave offense. My mind is a lovely place to be.

[ Complete bullshit lying motherfucker hours 👍 ]

deceased..........,

[coolerjunpei]

well, save it for a special someone. it's really not you, it's me.

[unrequite]

Well, to be "a" special someone is quite different from being my special someone, if you understand my meaning. You can bear to be the apple of my eye temporarily, can't you?

[ 😔 sry ]

[coolerjunpei]

do i get another sticker?

[unrequite]

As many as you'd like, lad.

[coolerjunpei]

then sure, but i still can't read your mind. that a deal-breaker?

[unrequite]

It's heartbreaking, but such is life. I'll just have to give you running commentary. The greatest hits, as it were.

[coolerjunpei]

alright, hit me. what's gold star sticker-worthy in there?

[unrequite]

I frequently wonder if the people who brought us here are just terribly lonely and never learned to ask for company. That does happen, you know.

[coolerjunpei]

that sucks for them but that'd be a real disappointment after having to live here for this long, you know? at least make it something more interesting.

[unrequite]

Interesting as in you'd like their motivations to be more nuanced, or interesting in that you'd like for them to learn how to throw better parties?

[ He may not have been there for it, but that party sure did leave its mark, for better or worse.

[coolerjunpei]

the first one. if someone's going to jerk me around like this, they ought to have a better reason than being awkward.

people have already died. isn't that completely nuts? people die, people go missing like they were never here, and i'm supposed to take "the mastermind doesn't know how to make friends" sitting down? that's bullshit!

not that it'll be all a-ok, smiles, hold hands and forgive each other anyway, but it'll feel less like a slap in the face if there's a point to all this in the end.