verse three is audio -> video

[allsongs]

[it's a minute or so of a melody hummed, something thoughtful, simple. it persists even when she finds what she wants – that there video function, the telltale thing she knows for sure is her window to everyone else floating around with these things.

far too quiet for her, and quiet only a moment longer before she speaks up:]

I want to understand what it is your name means. Tell me?

Comments

video;

[ima_something]

... I don't really care too much what my name means. But it was chosen for just as much as purpose.

[Her greatest character flaw, oh yes.]

... My parents wanted me to be sensible. So they picked 'Susan'.

[allsongs]

[her expression darkens with her concentration, all attention now on this stranger. there's still many words to learn. sensible...]

Susan. [she tests it, matching cadence and striking a similar tone.] Sensible is what you say, yes?

Video

[inafadingcrown]

A curious question. [But one she finds agreeable, if the slight smile is any indication.]

[allsongs]

[there's a bit in that countenance that's like looking in a mirror, but only just. Simmaeri's head tilts slowly and slightly.]

Is it to be an answer? From you. What is your name?

video.

[ohhdeer]

[ he looks a little startled by the question, head tilting, the charms on his antlers chiming softly. ]

Um. I think 'Asa' is Hebrew for 'healer'. [ which is funny, kind of. maybe his mother had been some kind of seer. ]

[allsongs]

[her eyes widen and then narrow, crinkling at the corners as her smile broadens and warms, interested and quite pleased to see him, apparently.]

You are a healer? Asa, a Hebrew.

video

[lovesgod]

הֵילֵל in Hebrew. ἑωσφόρος, Greek. English, Lucifer.

Morning Star, Lightbringer, Shining Dawn.

[allsongs]

[her eyes narrow while her mouth pulls a longer smile. lookit you and all your tasty new words.]

It is...takes much. To have many names.

voice

[fourcenturies]

Adam. I'm not sure what it's literal translation is, but symbolically, Adam was the first man that God created to put on Earth. He ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and for that Adam and his wife were banished from Paradise.

[allsongs]

[she narrows her eyes at the empty screen to better focus on the words. there's got to be a way to will this thing to show the face of every voice...ah, well.

hmh.]

You speak words I do not know. [yet.] What is God, who has put the first Adam onto the land?

text

[slingshots]

it's a bird.

[allsongs]

[her eyebrow quirks at the text.

but, eh. ehhhh. written language isn't...very fun. and she doesn't know this. she only murmurs something, searching the screen for some indication she's going to get some words aloud in return.]

Video;

[studieswaitressing]

[It's ... interesting. Too interesting a question to turn down.]

I just looked it up.

[She clears her throat.]

"An air of secrecy surrounding a particular activity or subject that makes it impressive or baffling to those without specialized knowledge."

[allsongs]

[is Simmaeri looking at a blue-and-red girl here? if so, it produces a strong smile, quite interested.

well, regardless, there is a smile, but the degree is what varies as she listens.

and, matching rhythm:] An air of secrecy surrounding a particular activity or subject that makes it impressive or baffling to those without specialized knowledge.

[a beat.]

What name is this? Please.

[breakablegirl]

My name's Claire. I think it means bright.

[Shrug.]

What's your name? What does yours mean?

[allsongs]

Claire. [she smiles when she repeats it, bowing her head slowly, giving a slight nod on the way up. bright. light. her hair is yellow; it suits.]

I am Simmaeri. [tapping her collarbone as she says so.] It is a word for...big sound. Large. [her hands gesture to give a notion of vastness.]

[ video ]

[hostage]

I don't think it means anything. It's just a name. "Jesse".

[allsongs]

[she considers him for a length, just giving a soft hum of thought.]

Jesse. [a slight pause. she leans forward a little:] It is not to mean more to you?

video;

[confiteri]

My name is Kahlan, I believe it means both beauty and strong leader. [ Ironic, when she thinks about it. ]

[allsongs]

Kahlan.

[she smiles, bowing her head a little in silent greeting as she considers the words.]

I understand these words. Beauty. Strong. These are correct, yes?

permavideo;

[onemoredeath]

Ah, learning more words, Simmaeri?

[allsongs]

[mildly:] I am happy to.

Hello, Takegami Teijirou.

[Voice]

[musclebeast]

It is the sound uttered by my lusus upon choosing me after I successfully survived my trials.

[allsongs]

[her head tilts. she combs hair behind her ear, smiling mildly, but not quite to the eyes. lots of interesting words from an interesting voice...]

Mm...Will you tell me more? What this means. Trials. Choosing.

[ video ]

[obfuskate]

[ ah... what a lovely voice. maybe he'll give her this much while he's sipping at his morning brew of tea. ]

Shadow.

The meaning should be obvious.

[allsongs]

Obvious. [matching cadence, but not tone. her eyebrow quirks. it's repeated as a question. R U SURE IT'S OBVIOUS SIR.]

[ video ]

[betterinthedark]

Our kind tends to name ourselves after the sun, so you'd have family names like Lightrunner, Dawnwalker, etc. My name, Blazenova, follows that naming convention.

[allsongs]

[here's an interesting face. Simmaeri's smile pulls a little, leaning in a little to see and listen better.]

Peoples of light. Is this what you mean to say?

[charming_jerk]

I'm named for a saint. ,small>[He rolls his eyes. "Johnny" is actually short for "Saint John". Poor kid.] I forget what John means. Something like, "God is good" or some crap.

[allsongs]

Saint. [a slight pause, considering his tone and demeanor.] This is not good?

[awarlock]

Why do you want to know?

[allsongs]

[smiling:] It is my happiness to know. All words. All names.

[whatsupcroc]

Names get kind of weird over time. I mean, Collette really doesn't mean anything, but it's from a whole line of other names that ultimately go back to Nicholas or whatever's more Greek than Nicholas.

What's your name mean?

[allsongs]

[yes good, the young. Simmaeri smiles, enjoying the thoughtful response, picking it apart to better find what she's sure she knows...and piece together what she doesn't. Greek?

ah, but, a question. she bows her head.]

Simmaeri is a large sound. [her hands move, lifting in a slow, exhaling kind of gesture.] Big sound. Long.

[Audio]

[strategic_guile]

Well, I don't know if they picked it for this reason, but it means yellow. Or maybe gold? [Chuckles] It's pretty apt.

How are you, Simmaeri?

[allsongs]

[it takes a couple seconds to connect a name to the voice, faintly distorted as the machine likes to be.]

...Blaine.

[audio]

[kingdom_of_song]

[Wherever he is, whatever he's doing, Swann stops when he hears that voice.]

Means what it says on the tin, I s'pose. Kingdom, like a great and wide land; Diogenes, well. He was a famous Greek philosopher; and Swann, like the bird, though the English like tae say it's theirs, an' meant 'swineherd', which would make sense it bein' the English, but! It's Scottish, from back when the Vikings came tae Scotland. My dad said it just meant birdshit, but he got thrown in prison for stealin' chickens, so I dinnae think he knew as much as he liked people tae think he did.

[allsongs]

[computer distortion or no, Simmaeri can pick up on the timbre and accent just like that, leaning forward a little to listen better. she smiles slow, warming a bit.

he sounds better. good. but as he goes, her nose crinkles a little with her smile, and she has to shake her head a little.

soothing:] Slow. Please. There are many to learn.

video;

[limitstorm]

You know... I think Riku means "land".

[ then, a smile; ]

Nice to hear you talking.

[allsongs]

[she scans the screen a silent moment – the face is different, but not by much. not a whole lot of turquoise eyes and pale hair going around the network, so there's that.

but that face, the voice, and Riku. she smiles back.]

Hello, Riku. [Riku. land. she'll have to ponder this.] It is many days not talking.

video;

[bratworth]

For what purpose do you wish to know?

[allsongs]

[bowing her head slightly.] It is my happiness to know. Will you tell me?

video

[miiracles]

...Rika. It uses the characters for 'pear blossom' when written in kanji.

[allsongs]

Rika. [smiling. it's got a bit of a charming chime to it, doesn't it?] What is characters for pear blossom. Kanji?

voice;

[boughtabookstore]

I don't know what my name means. It's just a name.

[allsongs]

Roslyn. [she remembers. Edelweiss.] It does not mean more to you?

[video]

[demonbloodblade]

Meliantha.

It is a Chondathan rendering of an Elvish phrase that means...

[She looks momentarily angry, but more at thinking of the translation than at the person on the screen.]

...'Child of Monsters'.

[allsongs]

[Simmaeri watches with a milder expression than before, taking stock of voice, owner, and all the demeanor wrapped within. the flash of anger dictates well to tread with care, learning this new name and its meaning.]

I do not know the word monsters. Will you tell me? Please.

video;

[endured]

It's Hope.

... Kinda easy to figure out what my name means.

[allsongs]

[easy? she gives a small, enigmatic smile.]

Hope means many things in many tongues.