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Languages 101

[Now that everything has calmed down, Seto can ask a question that's been rattling around in his brain. So there's a new message on the Rock of Communication in messy handwriting.]

Hi. I hope this is okay to write on.

Is there a way to talk to someone who can't talk? I don't think something like that is in my world, so I don't know if there's something like that.

[Well there was a way to talk to someone without words in Seto's world but he's not touching that with a ten-foot pole.]

I'd like to learn if there is a way so I can talk to them more. I'll be here too sometimes if you want to talk in person. I have a blue jacket on.

- Seto

[And indeed Seto can be found by the rock, if anyone would rather speak in person.]

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[It takes a millisecond for her to figure out who he means-right around the Dri- in his pronunciation, actually, and her entire face lights up. That blue bean holds a special place in her heart and she can sympathize. There was a point when she was unable to communicate with them, outside of pressing her finger into the dirt and forcing them to do the same.]

They have a small friend with them. It acts like their heart-it says the words they can't say out loud. Have you met that thing?

Yeah I did! It's really cool.

[Technology in their world was very up and down, and in various states of decay. Probably the only things really working were the things Shin had but...

Well the point is, that small friend of their's was super cool.]

But they weren't doing well in that place because I think someone took it from them. I want to help them if it happens again.

[Among other things.]

[No one was thriving in that horrible environment and it's not a surprise to hear it was the same for them or that they were captured by those scary people to begin with. It's worrying and she can't help wondering if they've recovered from the incident. It would be too hard to find the wandering bean on the island, but maybe she can stonemunnicate with them later.

And regardless of whether they learn a secret language, she thinks-]

They like flower crowns too. We could keep one in our bags for them. It would make them happy if we're in a sad place like that again.

[Yeah, no one was and Seto saw first-hand how bad things were for the Drifter. Their drive to keep going was admirable but at the same time it was also horrifying. But now's not the time to focus on that when there's a chance to - while not make things better - but nicer.]

Yeah, we can make them. And maybe we could do something nice for Drifter too, since they're so nice all the time.

[Fair's fair and all that!!!]

[Being nice to the Driftybean? She's on board with that. They met when the island was new to all of them and they took her under their care, telling her she didn't need to be alone, in a time where all she wanted to do was hide from everyone. In her eyes, Drifter deserves every nice thing they can manage to muster up-flower crowns, flower necklaces and-]

We can cover them in warm blankets? They might like that kind of thing.

[They could just like throw every piece of fabric they own on the Drifter. Good plan]

[They're gonna wake up with a pound of fabric on top of them one day. By which we mean, Seto is on board with that plan.]

We could do that! They have one blanket thing that they wear a lot, but more would be nice.

[Thousands, if the two of them could manage it.]

Then we could tuck them in and tell them about Snow White.

[The way to repay Drifter for all their kindness is by telling them bedtime stories? Somehow this logic works.]

[This logic works and anyone who says otherwise is wrong. The two of them are gonna read the Drifter bedtime stories.]

Uh-hun. And I think I can remember some other stories if they want more.

Which ones? Can you tell me those stories too?

[She knows about bears who eat porridge and that super hungry caterpillar. They can combine their knowledge to make an incredible nighty night moment for their favorite Drifter.

But she also kinda wants to hear them. Come on, boy. Hit her with that dope book knowledge.]

Yeah I can, if you want.

[Not that Ren would have to strong-arm Seto into storytelling, really.]

There's one about a girl in a tower, one about a shoe and I think I remember one about a girl that looked like a fish?

[Also some stuff from his Grandpa's more complicated books but they were kinda boring.]

[Those are some wild tales and her curiosity almost drives her to ask for an immediate run down on every single one of them. Her mind's already going 1000 miles in every direction as she thinks about fish people trapped in towers with shoes as their companions.]

What's your favorite story? Is it one of those?

[He has to think about it for a moment. Seto's Grandpa read him those stories on the odd occasion, even if it lessened a bit because Seto began to learn how to read and write on his own. But...]

There's one story that my Grandpa liked and I do too. It was about a girl and a monster who was actually a man. I think he got cursed by someone to look like that.

[That's intriguing, to say the least. She doesn't recall ever seeing that story on the ground or reading it.]

Is it scary?

[He did say there was a monster.]

A little bit. The Beast is kind of scary in the beginning.

[Although, to Seto, it seemed like it was because the Beast wasn't good with words. But he tried his best in the end.]

It turns out okay for everyone in the end though.

[Okay, good to know. It's not scary the whole time, which is nice. She can deal with a little spookiness in the beginning if there's a happy ending waiting for her at the end.]

Was there a prophecy? Did an angel save him?

[He thinks it was actually an angel that cursed the Beast in the first place because the man was mean, but--]

It was love, in the end. The lady that the Beast met saved him with her love.

[His Grandpa always seemed kind of sad when they reached that part of the story.]

[It makes sense. It's not the first time she's heard of love saving someone-she saw it with her own two eyes when Shin and Sai were able to understand one another again, after death formed a rift between them.

She doesn't want to say like Shin, no matter how close the association is in her mind. He was a beast of another nature and one she doesn't particularly want to think about.]

I like that story.

[Enough to sketch two small, barely noticeable figures at the bottom of the community rock. It's enough to distract her from the ever present question-could it save her?

No, it couldn't. Definitely can't. At the end of the day, it's just a fake story and she barely entertains the thought.]

We can tell Drifter that one first.

[Oblivious to what Ren's thinking, Seto just nods.]

It is a good story.

[There's a lot of things that happen in-between like the bit with the magical rose but it's a nice story in the end.]

Yeah I can tell it to them. And then is there one you'd like to hear too?

[Apparently it's gonna be a request night.]

The one where the bears eat porridge and-

[Because they're a family. A good family. She never finished the story and can only recall how happy they were eating at a table together. There was probably more to it? But whatever.]

Snow White. That one too.

I know the bear one!

[He, um. Knows the ending but they can end it when everyone's eating at the table. Because that's nicer.]

And we can tell them Snow White too.

[Look, she's not one for plans. Doesn't make them often enough to tell good from bad.

But she can say, with absolute certainty, this is a good plan.]

Okay, we can do that. We'll tell them stories until their eyes get tired.

[And she starts to doodle little bears and stars on the community rock as a reminder. They shant forget the Driftybean plan!!]

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Languages 101

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