exsilium | text.

[himself, he was rifling through a pocket to pull out the crumpled, folded-too-many-times-over bit of scrap paper he'd brought with him.

flattened out and smoothed on the floor best he can, it shows his work: alphabets over and over, scrawled first in Bariyan's hand, traced thickly over in Martin's. fairly gradeschool, but then...Martin never learned to write, and this is a new body. double new?

speaking of double, he does a double-take when he sees her writing. a little startled:]

Wait– what's that? Those aren't...[he leans forward, squinting at them.] What letters are those?

Hmm? ( she pauses in her writing, glancing over first to him and then the paper on the floor. shifting in place, Madoka lifts her paper a little to show. ) They're part of the Japanese alphabet, it's the language I speak back home.

( glancing back to his paper, she tilts her head a little. ) Are you learning English?

Huh–?

No, I'm...it's letters. [he frowns a little, not understanding.] Like the words on the machines, but...

Huh? Oh, well... um! Those letters belong to a certain language's alphabet, just like the letters I'm writing are part of the Japanese alphabet.

The letters you wrote, sort of remind me of the letter in the English alphabet. ( a pause. ) Though, I could be wrong... most likely! I was really bad at English.

[English? Japanese? what does that mean?

his face scrunches up, trying to understand.]

So are...you drawing different words? How come you don't use the same ones? Like the ones on the machine...

Well, you see... I can't use the same ones when I'm not using the tablet because I, uh, don't know how to use them... mostly. The tablet automatically translates everything into the same language, err letters! That way we all understand one another. When I'm not using it though, I use these letters. The words are the same, they just look different.

And... and...

( oh goodness. )

I'm sorry! I'm probably just making things more confusing.

[he startles a little at her sudden apology, shaken out of the slow track of thought he was veering on.

blinkblink.]

N-no, wait, wait...You're saying... [he taps each paper in turn:] These are the same...as these? The, uhh...The meaning.

Mm, well... more or less. The letters are pronounced differently, and we have a lot more letters in Japanese. But we can create the same words with the same meanings.

( breathing out a small, needed and calming breath she takes another piece of paper and slowly writes out a few simple characters on one line and then her name beside it.

she repeats underneath with another set of characters and then his name. )

See, our names both ways.

[he has to scoot, turning to sit facing the same way as she is, intent on watching the process, seeing it upright – as though that'd make the new letters clear.

not really, but the confused crinkle's evaporated from his expression, leaving behind an awed fascination. it doesn't really make a lot of sense, them being the same, but she says so, and he has no reason to doubt her. that makes it practically magic in quality.]

Wow... [huh. his name looks like a lot more that way.]

It's pretty confusing, I know. But If you want, I'll show you more words sometime.

Maybe we can learn a little something from one another. I think it's pretty incredible that you're learning those letters, since I never really got the hang of it.

[smiling:] Well, you're already helping me. It's a fair trade, right?

( she blinks at first, but smiles just as quickly with a nod. ) Mm, and I always will. It's what friends are for, after all.

[grinning at that without thinking, he nods, ducking his head. it still tickles him, hearing friend, being associated with it...one of those things that is still as exciting a thing now as it was with his first, new breath here. i have friends.]

Well...Well, I'll...read what I write, and you can read yours. And we'll be able to learn a little, right? [his face flushes a bit, a laugh in his voice:] But I can't spell really good, so–

Okay, that sounds like a good idea! Who are you going to write too? ( she returns to her paper, humming thoughtfully before giving a smile in response to his words. ) And that's alright, let's just do our best.

[he fidgets, scooting back toward his bit of paper.]

My sister, Regina... [it takes him a minute to finagle with the pencil, trying to remember how to hold it.]

I think I'll write this one to my parents.

( she presses the pencil to the paper, trying to think of how to put nine months worth of thoughts and events into words. it's a slow process at first, and every so often she pauses and takes one of her colored pencils in order to sketch simple pictures of different things or people. )

[his own efforts are slow, too, but much more consistent, methodical. each stroke is carefully dragged across the paper – a bit too hard at times, causing little punctures here and there and a few mumbled sounds.

there's really not much there when he's sat himself up straighter to stare at it, licking his lip and tilting his head, as though that would give him a better impression of the whole ordeal.

he nods to himself – yes, he thinks that's good – and lets his gaze trail over to the unfamiliar shapes on Madoka's watching hers in a curious silence. saying anything could break her concentration, he thinks, so best to keep quiet and watch!]

( her eyes are narrowed in concentration, finishing the final touches on a drawing at the bottom of what seems to be her in a dress like the one she wore to the party and dancing with a blue haired individual.

smiling proudly, she draws a heart off to the side and signs her name is careful letters. )

There. ( setting her pencil down, Madoka glances over. ) Did you finish too?

Ah– I...think so. [he lifts letter by a corner, letting it dangle on a tilt.] But I only know those letters...And I didn't draw anything. Should I?

Still more than I know on my own. ( she laughs, but glances againt to the paper with a hum. ) Mm, you can if you want too. I don't think it's certainly something you have to do. I just think, it might help them picture it better... or something.

[staring at his paper a moment.

then, sheepish:] No, I...I don't think I could do a good enough job. A lot of the things here...it wouldn't be easier to understand, even with a picture.

[smaller:] I wouldn't want to explain too much...I think it'd just make her more worried.

Well, as long as you're happy with it then that's all that matters.

Oh, but I guess now I can show you how to make a crane! I'll make mine first just to show you how its done and then I'll help you with yours. ( moving everything from her lap to the room, she slowly begins to fold and unfold the paper. making creases here, folding over there until all that is left is a nicely shaped paper crane. ) And... there!

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