Thirteenth Blade

[betrayalcutsdeep]

*The video turns on to show a worried looking Jin, but something's not right. The language he's speaking isn't anything that anyone else would recognize, although it seems to have its roots in German, Russian and other north European languages. But if someone is paying attention, they'll be able to catch the name "Joshua" somewhere in that mess of nonsense words.*

Comments

[needsteaplz]

[Saori tilt her head in confusion. As she listened, she could pick up a few words. Without thinking, she starts speaking but in Japanese.]

Jin? What's going on?

[betrayalcutsdeep]

*He frowns when he hears her speaking in Japanese. Shouldn't the digital world be translating? Just to be safe, he responds in Japanese, himself. It's noticeably accented, but easy enough to understand.*

A friend of mine is no longer on the contact list. I'm wondering if he may have gone home.

[needsteaplz]

[Considering how accented his Japanese was, she'll have to keep hers simple and not too fast.]

I see. It's not like anyone here could completely erase themselves from the network either. So chances are he got sent home unwillingly.

[betrayalcutsdeep]

That's what seems most likely. It's a shame...he was one of the few people here that was actually worth my time.

[needsteaplz]

Oh. I see. I'm sorry for your loss.

[There's a moment of awkward silence from her side of the terminal. Maybe a change in subject was needed.]

It's strange how we seem to be talking in our native languages. I guess there's some type of glitch or something going on.

[betrayalcutsdeep]

Things like that are common enough here. They rarely last longer than a week, so we shouldn't have to deal with this long-term. Just as long as we can avoid outright chaos from the lack of easy communication...

[needsteaplz]

Sounds like what we had with last week's weather. This is going to be so much fun...

[She has to faceplam, muttering something that's barely audible.]

Where's my luck manipulation powers when I need them?

[betrayalcutsdeep]

At least Japanese seems to be a fairly popular language here. Or at least...it was as of several months ago. If we're fortunate, we won't have to deal with anyone who can't speak it.

[needsteaplz]

Judging from the names on the network, I think it's safe to say English and Japanese are the most spoken languages here. And apparently our Digimon can translate for us if necessary.

Speaking of which, may I ask what's your native language? I swear I could sort of pick up some bits when you spoke earlier.

[betrayalcutsdeep]

It's called Miltian. It's entirely likely that it has its roots in languages you're familiar with, since we haven't precisely been finding new civilizations out in space.

[for_granite]

[Terra knows that name! She squints at the D-Terminal in trying to understand.] Jin, I...can't understand what you're saying...something about Joshua?

Does he know where Renamon is? [The call from what sounds like a few rooms over.]

[betrayalcutsdeep]

*He replies in English, albeit somewhat slowly and with a heavy accent from the original language.*

I think this world's translator may have stopped working. I was trying to ask if anyone has seen Joshua recently. I was planning on sending him a message, but I could not find him on the contacts list.

[for_granite]

[Oh, jeez so... She speaks a bit slower and clearer.] He, uh...if that's the case, I think he's gone... Sorry, Gots. [A sad whimper in the background.]

How can we all communicate if we can't understand each other?

[betrayalcutsdeep]

That is what I was thinking.

Obviously, there are some people here who speak more than one language. With a little luck, nobody will be in a position where they cannot find someone to translate for them.

[for_granite]

I can hear everyone fine! I don't know what you're all talking about...

...Jin, say something in whatever-you-were-speaking.

[betrayalcutsdeep]

*He replies in that same language, not much faster but much more comfortable.*

Oh? Can you still understand me, then?

[for_granite]

Yeah. You just sound a little weird.

Oh my God. They're universal translators.

[betrayalcutsdeep]

*And back to English. He is so glad he took those lessons right now.*

Well, that should be...hmm. Convenient, I think the word is? For anyone who never thought to learn a language beside their original one.

[for_granite]

[Yeah, oops.]

But it's gonna get annoying real fast.

[betrayalcutsdeep]

*Gonna is...casual for going to? It sounds right.*

At least I have never seen something like this last for more than a week. And it is better than hoping everyone here shares a language with the person they want to talk to.

[for_granite]

Yeah, knock on wood. I just know if I gotta use Gotsumon as a translator for any longer than that, I'll crack.

[betrayalcutsdeep]

*Staaaaaaare. Um. Yeah, he only understood about half of that.*

I am sorry, but...I do not quite understand what you mean.

[for_granite]

...Which part? The-- oh, uhh, knock on wood, it's like... [She demonstrates.] A superstition, you say something good and to make sure it's not jinxed, you knock on wood.

[betrayalcutsdeep]

*He mutters the Miltian equivalent of 'I see' before continuing in English.*

And cracking in this context means...your patience, right?

*He thinks that makes sense. Or at least, he hopes he's thinking in the right terms.*

[for_granite]

Uh, yeah. Sorry. Guess I should stay away from idioms.

[happiestberry]

[ Miwako stares at the screen in so much confusion. What on earth is he saying? ]

[betrayalcutsdeep]

*Well, that sure does leave him with no way of knowing what language he should be replying in. But Japanese is his best Earth language, so he'll try that first...even if he does have a notable accent.*

Can you understand this a little better?

[happiestberry]

[ She perks up immediately when she hears him switch the language. ]

Yes!

[betrayalcutsdeep]

It seems as if the translator that is usually in place has stopped working. I suppose I should be glad that I've taken the time to learn a couple languages from the Lost Jerusalem era.

[happiestberry]

Is that what happened? Miwako just thought that everyone decided today was speak weirdly day and didn't tell her.

[betrayalcutsdeep]

There are actually several different languages in play here at any given time, but ordinarily this world translates spoken words automatically unless the speaker specifically wills otherwise. What I was speaking before was Miltian, my native tongue.

[happiestberry]

Oh.... your language sounds very lovely, Jin.

[betrayalcutsdeep]

It is the current language of the oldest and most magnificent culture left in the galaxy, so I would hope that it sounds appealing.

*Not that he considers it hard to be a more magnificent culture than the Galaxy Federation, but he's too busy being full of pride for his people to bring that up at the moment.*

[happiestberry]

I'd really like to learn about it some day if I could.