epidemiology | EVENT ★ LOST IN TRANSLATION

Entry tags:

EVENT ★ LOST IN TRANSLATION

RETURN TO OSKA

Upon arrival in Oska, new and returning recruits alike will find that something strange is going on. Any attempts to communicate with someone who doesn't speak the same language as you will be just that -- like you don't speak the same language. Let's hope everyone is good at charades, because you're going to be out of luck for a full day.

On the second day, a text comes across -- surprisingly intelligible to everyone. Is it over? Well . . .

crowley:
Hello, Audentes. We are currently experiencing magitek difficulties, as you may have guessed already. Temporal insects have arrived with our latest arrivals, and as you may imagine, we have had our paws full.

cherenkov:
We are working out how to mitigate the pest problem for good. For now, please put your unpleasantly huge feet to use and stomp them out. Or other such methods.

crowley:
We have created a quick patch to facilitate text-based communications, but verbal translation will continue to be down until the insects are exterminated. Thank you for your patience.

It's not over.

TEMPORAL INSECTS

This invasive species has worked its way in through the rifts along with the newest batch of arrivals, and information on them is available in the library (provided you can read the language it's written in!). It seems they behave like locusts, living quietly within the space between rifts for many years until their numbers suddenly balloon and they begin to swarm in search of food.

These bugs move fast and pack a nasty bite, but are unarmored and easily squished. Each one is about the size of a football, and leaves a little tell-tale slime trail that makes it easy to track. They can cling to any surface, and won't hesitate to leap onto attackers and bite if they feel threatened. One can take a decently sized but non-lethal bite out of someone, but a number of them together will pose a real danger. If punctured or squished they tend to explode into moderately acidic goo that can cause caustic burns if not immediately washed off.

They are attracted to any area of high temporal energy, which can be literally any surface, corner, or point on or within the castle and its grounds. As they begin to feed they cause temporal distortion in the area. This manifests as the immediate area seeming to flicker backwards and forwards through time. An insect gnawing at a table leg in the dining area, for example, might cause the area to stutter between years and years of dinner parties, ghostly attendants of all fashions and species appearing and disappearing as they enter and leave the affected area.

An onlooker can't interact with temporal distortions directly, but if the insect is left to its own devices, it will eventually eat through all of the temporal energy and render the immediate area gray, frozen, and completely inert. It's highly recommended you kill or otherwise chase off an insect before it manages this, as it can do irreversible damage to a world.

For affected Oska locations, please see this post.

OOC NOTES

The translation errors will continue through the rest of the month. For more information or to ask questions, please check the plotting post here!

New bounties are available in Oska!

Please remember to fill out your squidge success form before August 31, 23:59 UTC! Filling the form out is mandatory, even if you do not have the 3 squidge threads. You will not pass AC if you do not fill out the form. Characters who have been accepted on August 20th are exempt. Please direct questions relating to the success form here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Chihiro's still holding up the pot when he's recoiling, tucking her chin in toward her chest and pulling the empty pot close to her stomach. It's more awkward with one hand, since her other thrust the towel out, but it's once he's taken it that she has both hands back on the pot with her shoulders a little less squared off, presuming he's about to speak in a language she won't recognise.

As it turns out... she understands him. Relief is almost immediate, almost to the point where it's like she's ignoring what he's saying in favour of being glad to run into anyone else she understands. His Japanese even sounds like the right era. ]

Huh? The bug bites?

[ Ah, but she was listening, and she gives a firm shake shake shake of her head as she steps closer, letting one hand hold the pot closer to her hip as she reaches out with her other hand. ]

No, it's their um. Their blood? It burns skin and clothes. I even saw it melt a faucet.

[ Dead serious about that one; familiarly serious with the look on her face when she's examining his hands without touching. More like getting closer and peering at them intently. ]

I thought I saw some of their fluids get on you. Are you okay?

[ No, she shouldn't dump water on random people, but she's aligned her priorities to the "why" and less to the "should I even." ]

[It's definitely modern Japanese alright, though Shizuo doesn't quite figure out why the girl's relief is so visible until she's talking back herself--also in Japanese. Oh, that's really nice...he's already had to play his fair share of awkward charades lately, alongside being reminded of just how woefully out of practice his English is too.

Which makes this particular encounter even less aggravating than it would have been otherwise, even packaged with a lot of splashing water as it is. Shizuo dabs at his soaked sleeves with the towel once his hands are drier, confusion evening out to mild resignation (he really...really doesn't like getting his bartender's suit in any kind of mess, but at least water just dries off and doesn't stain anything), though at Chihiro's next few words he looks up, blinking. If his startled expression is anything to go by, this is evidently news to Shizuo.]

What, melt a faucet, seriously? [WHAT...she scoots up closer to peer at his hands intently, and Shizuo loops the towel over an arm so he can peer down at them too, bemused. Oh, his fingertips and knuckles are getting rather reddish, now that she mentions it...] Well, I mean, I've just been sort of swatting them around lately, but I hadn't noticed...guess I must have gotten a little on me. Ah, but it's not that bad, is it?

[The question's a genuine one; he wiggles his fingers at little at Chihiro as he looks back up, frowning vaguely. Acid burns aren't really a frequent thing in his life, he doesn't know...it all feels the same to him??? (Aka like nothing...it feels like nothing.....somebody get this man some gloves stat--)]

Edited (just edits this like a million times ig) 2016-09-17 21:25 (UTC)

[ Chihiro could lament about English, only hers was far more elementary, Dear Watson. His surprise has her outright staring. ]

You didn't feel that?

[ Scratch simply looking concerned. Chihiro sets down her pot and carefully tries to take Shizuo's hands by the wrists to tug at this grown man who frankly towers over her. ]

It's that bad Come on. Have you been hitting all of them barehanded?

[ She knows what that feels like personally (accidental as it may have been) and doesn't see the evidence on his skin that he's rapidly healing back from injuries. Having met one person with such an ability, she won't discount the potential for others to be likewise equipped.

She's also ten and brooking no nonsense, which may or may not explain why someone half his size is trying to drag him off to the dining halls, looking pretty determined as she does so. ]

[Shizuo stares back; he'd been expecting a little surprise, but this much surprise is much more of a surprise in itself. ~~A surpriseception, if you would--~~]

Uh, no? Haven't really been paying attention-- [But well, it looks like it doesn't exactly matter what he says at this point anyway. His wrists are being tugged at now, and so--still pretty nonplussed and mildly taken aback by how seriously Chihiro is treating this--Shizuo lets himself get pulled along at a slow and bemused pace. It doesn't take much strength to move him around at all when he has no idea what you're trying to get at in the first place, evidently...though the pair of them are probably cutting a rather comical sight about now, a grown man getting led around by a little girl half his size...]

But yeah, it's been all of them so far. Well, mostly. Might have stepped on a few too, here and there. I don't think you need to worry too much, though...my hands aren't falling off yet, so it's probably fine. [He looks around as they enter a new hall and Chihiro seems to have...no intention of slowing down....] Wait, where are we going now...?

The kitchens.

[ She announces without so much as a blink or hint of hesitation. He's only made it all the more clear he has little regard for the condition of his hands; the why concerns her, but she supposes she doesn't know people's pain tolerances. They could be very high, or very low. ]

So I can wash your hands off in the big sinks. Do you have gloves? Anything you can wear to protect your hands? ... Boxing gloves?

[ Those would be pretty good, she thinks. Oven mitts too. Having layers to burn away before flesh does helps hands much like shoes help to protect heat. That's what she feels like should be true. ]

Edited 2016-09-21 02:27 (UTC)

[The kitchens? Now's a weird time for something to eat--or so Shizuo very nearly says out loud, before Chihiro's going on to clarify what she actually wants to do in there. This is not at all food-related either, as it turns out, which is only further surprising. There's a slight pause after the talk of sinks--on one hand, as far as Shizuo's concerned, this really isn't a very big deal at all. His hands have probably been through a lot worse already?? But the girl already sounds very decided about this, and...ah, it's not exactly like he's got any place to be going right now anyway. So--]

Well, alright then. [The agreement's a little bemused, but otherwise mild enough. Besides--] Might be some bugs in the kitchens too, so it'd be good to keep an eye out. [And if the girl must absolutely insist on being in the kitchen, she might as well have somebody around to help smash bugs...yeah, this'll probably work out okay.

The suggestion's a little unexpected though; Shizuo's startled at first, before a memory almost visibly clicks.] Oh! Hey, now that you mention it...yeah, I've got gloves. They're not boxing gloves, though. Hah, they're way better than boxing gloves, actually. [And he'd forgotten...he even had them on him....but he does, come to think of it. Shizuo pats absently with his free hand at a spot on his waistcoat where that particular inner pocket would be, but in the end he doesn't reach to take them out just yet.] I could get them on after we go hand-washing and things...I'll show you them once we're in the kitchen, huh?

[ She's appreciative of his cooperation, bemused as his agreement is in the end. It's easier for her to keep this single focus in mind as something she can address and help. Feeling productive means feeling less lost and out of her depth, surrounded by the lack of familiarity of things instead of anything familiar.

It's where their language is also a reassurance, shared and sounding like the right version as well. Chihiro feels a measure of relief when he says that he actually does have gloves, and that they're better than boxing gloves (she'll trust him on that, she's not well versed in gloves of any kind).

Unfortunately, she also realises he probably has a point, and even as she agrees: ]

That sounds good to me —

[ One of the selfsame bugs that had been politely acid bleeding on his hands leaps from a nook to their left to go flying at Chihiro, hissing and aiming to take a bite out of whatever it can reach. Being in this area has unfortunately meant being harassed often enough to default to aggressive behaviours when interrupted during feedings.

It probably doesn't help that Chihiro's response is to jerk back and throw her unoccupied arm up to fend off any attack to her head or neck, likely sending herself back into Shizuo while trying to avoid Ser Flying Buggicus the Forteenth, unfortunately nowhere near the last of its line. ]

[Oh wow, and just speaking of bugs--or well, thinking about them--either way--here's one right now, practically as if on cue. Sitting in the nook as it had been, neither of them had spotted it, but it's pretty impossible to miss when it comes flying at them like that.

Kind of surprisingly aggressive, too, considering how most of them have just been scuttling off upon being seen--or maybe that's just on account of Shizuo's general bug-hostile presence...but well, that seems quite besides the point now, because Shizuo being around evidently isn't quite enough to deter this bug from making a go for Chihiro.

But it all leads to the same result in the end. The bug flies at them, Chihiro jerks back into him, and Shizuo jerks back a little too--though in the end he sort of reflexively half-lifts her by the arm she's been holding onto, the quicker to move her out of the way. And he's swatting, with his free hand, though at the last second he remembers that he's trying not to contract even more acid burns here--

So in the end it's more like a half-hearted swat--which is still more than enough to connect very solidly with the bug, enough so that it's sent rebounding right back into the wall with a small shriek. It bounces off and lands on the floor in a thoroughly stunned heap, legs twitching a little but evidently not about to get back up anytime soon.]

Ugh, you little shit-- [This is directed in the bug's direction, as Shizuo lowers his arm to set Chihiro back down. --Oh. Chihiro. Who's still right here. Whoops.] --Uh. I mean, you didn't hear that just now, sorry. Man... [He pauses now, scowling down at the bug and then at his swatting hand.] Well, I was trying not to smash it this time...

[ She's surprised to find herself lifted up, let alone with one arm. Adults are strong, she knows and expects that. Being lifted up with such ease still surprises her, and she holds on with a wide-eyed expression. ]

Uh —

[ The language registers and then flies on past, not in a place to be telling him to watch his language (or feeling like she has the right: she's just met this man). She's heard worse so far today. She just has the bonus of understanding what he's saying.

Set back on her feet, she glances over her shoulder at him, readjusting her hold on his arm. ]

... You're really strong.

[ Ends up being her rejoinder, a statement that's more of a non-sequitur with what she's ignoring. ]

Um, you managed not to squish it. I mean... maybe you can now with your foot, or... [ she scans the area ] ... a plate or something like that. Even a chair? Leaving them alive... I wish it were an option.

[ But it isn't. Not with how they're behaving. ]

Uh--yeah, I guess I kind of am...

[This is Shizuo's mildly startled automatic response in kind, to Chihiro's non-sequitur, though it only occurs to him now that she's set back down on the ground that he'd actually even lifted her in the first place. Oh...that would explain the comment. But at least there's more pressing things to pay attention to at the moment--like the twitching bug on the floor, presently--so at least it's not a topic that Chihiro lingers on for long, and Shizuo is a little glad about that. Talking about it...still isn't really his strong suit....

No, it's a lot easier to step forward and inspect the bug a little more closely with a scowl, now.]

...Yeah, it's a huge pain, but we're gonna have to kill it. Pretty sure they asked us not to leave any of them alive, anyway. But I think my shoes are still doing pretty okay, so...here, give me a second. [Chihiro's free to not watch if she wants, honestly, since it's pretty gross, but yeah he's going to go ahead and step on the bug now. There's a crunch and a lot of acid. Shizuo rubs his sole off on the floor after the fact with visibly great distaste.]

Ah, and that's that. Hadn't figured they'd jump at people like that...we're going to have to keep a closer eye out at things. You're okay, right? Didn't get any acid on you? [Peering over at Chihiro with a vague frown, but no, it would seem the bug never did manage to make contact...he glances down the hall.] Oh, I think the kitchen's right over there. Let's wash up, then...

[ Talking about his strength isn't a strong suit...

She swallows when he heads over to the insect. Chihiro doesn't let herself look away. This is the reality. Pretending otherwise makes her feel worse than the sick feeling settled like a stone in the pit of her stomach. The crunching sound makes her wince, but she doesn't flinch. She simply swallows.

Then tugs on him again, moving toward the kitchens. Like he's said, they're right there, so readily in reach now. ]

They get angry. Or... I'm not sure, but I've seen them jump at people a few times.

[ Once in the kitchens proper, she leads him right on to a bigger sink, higher up so he doesn't have to worry about bending over all that much to use the faucet. She even starts the water running, scooting to the side when she's finally let go of him. It takes a moment for her to locate where the sop's been shoved, but she retrieves that too, bringing it back and setting it to the side of the sink proper. ]

I'm not sure, but you might want to rinse your shoes off too.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ★ LOST IN TRANSLATION

SLAMS IN SIX DAYS LATER i am so sorry

SLAMS BACK LIKE OVER TEN DAYS LATER im even more sorry oh my god....but this pic adorable oh no

we will rule this house of lateness okay (also I'm sorry for Chihiro)

ah we're royalty now, im so glad... (also nonsense THIS IS SO GOOD TBH)

yes and one day we'll even find wherever we left our crowns, smh (hahsdf drags him around)

i love how she's dragging him around both as an adult and a child in our threads rn...a tradition

if that's how their first thread in the wild space west starts i'll laugh out loud

WELL CLEARLY we know what we have to do for their wild space west thread now :'V

we have three months i'm sure we can work at least one leading each other around thread in c:

new spacecowboyland goals tbh

slots in somehow getting someone to say "see you later, space cowboy..."