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[Chevaleresse]

L, Utzi

The knight gave a solemn nod. This was something she had thought about numerous times, particularly after her sudden demise became an all-too-real possibility. "I could record them, if you wanted." She hesitated. L knew the answer to the question she was about to ask, but was mortified at the mere thought of being wrong. "If the answer is 'yes,' please don't be offended - but do you know what writing is?"

[nuclearwhale]

L, Utzi

Utzi thinks about it for a moment. Another new word. One he couldn't piece together from context this time. After a few moments of thinking it over, Utzi simply shakes his head in defeat. "I do not know what that word is."

[Chevaleresse]

L, Utzi

"Okay. Um. . ." L visibly searched for a succinct, yet complete explanation, and one that wouldn't rely on preexisting knowledge. "Think of things you might draw on stone, or signs you might leave to tell someone about a dangerous animal or a hidden pit. Writing is basically like that, except it tells people entire words and phrases using a set of symbols." She was unsure of how useful she was actually being, but pressed onward. "You can use it to record information, or stories, so it exists somewhere besides the memory of a person. I could write your stories down so that they'll be remembered as long as the writing exists, even if everyone alive who knows them dies or forgets."

[nuclearwhale]

L, Utzi

Utzi strokes his bead as he listens to L talk, as he tries to figure out what she is saying. "I would not mark most of the things you have just said. I can already paint. Many in the tribe were better than me at it, but it is not a skill I lack. But... I am also not sure if that is what you are offering. I do not fully understand many of the things people have described to me here. Could you show me what this "writing" is?"

[USEC_OFFICER]

Kraken, Kyou, Lyra

The black bird turns its head towards Lyra, this time staring at her for much, much longer. Finally it speaks up, "How are we supposed ta fight the Trespassers then? Someone's gotta be organizing things! Getting supplies and figuring out where the Trespassers are! This is basic stuff." The bird jumps about the figures shoulders and head in obvious annoyance before settling down and flapping its wings a few times. "Ah well. No use crying over spilt milk. We gotta have a meeting about this sort of stuff though. Can't go saving the world as a disorganized mess!"

[AzyWng]

Kraken, Kyou, Lyra

Lyra just shrugged her shoulders. The crow - or the "mouth", as it were, had a good point, but there were more than a few questions to have for the prospective leader.

"So, how are you going to call them all here? The ship's a big place, and we don't really have an intercom. At least, not that I can see. And, no offense, but what reason would they have to listen to you beyond 'We need to get organized'?"

She wasn't necessarily against the idea of having Kyou be the leader, but she at least wanted to know if he was able to plan. And if he did take offense at her questions, well, that was just a sign that perhaps he wasn't leadership material after all.

[Chevaleresse]

L, Utzi

"Oh. Hm." Her brows drew together again as she thought. "No, it's not painting. Let me just. . ." She reached into her satchel and rummaged about for several moments. "Is this still. . . ?" Eventually, she fished a battered-looking spiral-bound notebook from within its depths. Her thoughtful frown deepened as she paged through it, going back and forth several times before remembering that she was supposed to be showing someone something. She turned to the first page, blank despite the notebook's appearance, and then drew a pen from the front pocket of her bag.

"Here. I'll write three words down here. Trespasser, sword, and, uh. . . cave. Sure." She scratched at the page with the pen, the cheap and overused plastic thing taking several attempts to actually leave a meaningful mark. Once it was actually writing, she scrawled down the words she'd indicated (in handwriting that would be near-illegible even if one was actually familiar with writing in general) and gestured to them in turn. "Each of these symbols represents a sound. . . more or less. They go together to make a word on the page."

A thought occurred to her as she finished the explanation. She turned to a fresh page and began to write again, glancing between the page and Utzi as she carefully balanced the notebook in her left hand.

[nuclearwhale]

L, Utzi

Utzi is completely transfixed by the notepad and pen. "That is a very strange brush." He mutters to himself, as he examines the page. He squints at it carefully, as he attempts to wrap his head around the novel concept. "It is like you captured the words out of the air and put them on page?" He asks, after a few minutes of contemplation.

"That is strange indeed. I can see it's usefulness. I do not comprehend how those words can mean trespasser or cave, and I do not know what a "sword" is at all. Can it put many words together to form bigger clumps of words?" He asks, his eyes narrowed in contemplation.

[Chevaleresse]

L, Utzi

"I guess you could say it's something like that." She was silent for a moment, continuing to write. "And yes, you can." L stopped writing with a small flourish, showing the page to Utzi once again. This one was filled about halfway with haphazard writing, with several lines drooping near the end as the writer belatedly realized she had no more space to finish her sentence. "This is the story you told me. Mostly, I don't think I actually got the exact wording."

[nuclearwhale]

Utzi examines the paper carefully, using his finger to feel the letters. He takes his time examining each one. He's astonishingly quiet as he goes about examining each inch of the story, with only his quiet, muted breathing and the slow, steady movement of his finger on the page indicating he's alive at all. Eventually, the strange, anachronistic man glances up, revealing several clear crystals of ice below his eyes that were definitely not there earlier.

"Which one is Jota's name?" He asks, in a soft, trembling voice that seems rather far removed from the loud, deep voice usually leaving his mouth. "What does his name look like when it is recorded forever?"

[Chevaleresse]

L, Utzi

Poor guy. I wish I could actually help. She shifted the notebook so they could both see the page, then pointed at the first instance of the name. "These four." She moved her finger to the other instances in turn. She thought about continuing to explain, but elected to let Utzi move at his own pace.

[nuclearwhale]

L, Utzi

Utzi once again puts his finger to the page to feel the letters of the name. "... I will remember this shape. If I meet you at some other time, would you be willing to write down more of their stories and show me the look of their words? You have your own journey to undergo, and I would hate to distract you from your mission any longer, but... I need to learn to ensure their names are remembered forever, even if I do not learn all the intricacies of this strange magic."

[Chevaleresse]

L, Utzi

"Sure. I'd love to." She resisted the urge to laugh at Utzi's continued insistence that it was magic. "Writing isn't hard once you have practice." One bit from earlier struck her as she thought about it. "Oh, and. . . well, this isn't a good example, but this is a sword." She tapped the grip. "I can't draw it, but it's still one." L turned sideways, presenting her profile. A sideways tug at her mantle revealed the rest of the blade protruding from her back, its yellow crystalline core visible. "A weapon, if it wasn't clear. Pretty much only good for killing people." There was a rueful note to this last.

[nuclearwhale]

Utzi shakes his head, bewildered. "That is very strange. I thought it was simply part of your body. Why do you keep a weapon there if you cannot draw it?"
A look of horror dawns of Utzi's face as he considers the rest of her words. "What kind of place has weapons only for killing people? Surely hunting is more important? My spears have slain humans before, but they are meant for beasts."

[Chevaleresse]

L looked down, staring blankly at the object in question. A quiet stretched out as she thought about what to say, and how to say it. They were both excellent questions, of course, and the answers had twined themselves together in her mind. "Not a good one," she said, pushing the silence back. "Especially not one with weapons like these." I'm sorry. You just wanted to help, and it destroyed you. "Mine is one of the worst."