Characters: OPEN to cruise comers Location: Maldives Rating: PG for pantsu! Time: All of October 26, until noon of 27th Description: Shibusen brings the guests to the Maldives for a short vacation. Dun dun dun...
[He had been swimming in the water, when he feels that it has been enough of that in the meantime. As he comes to shore, he notices someone. Oh, it is that young man from Japan. He clears his throat and does his best attempt at speaking to him in Japanese.]
Hello!
[Granted, he only knows some things like greetings and proper responses, and not much more.]
[He tilts his head to the side, trying to make sense of it. It takes him a while to remember what the first part meant, but he gets it. He goes back to speaking in English.]
Not... much?
Pardon, I have only learned a little of it. I mean to study the language in earnest when I get back to the City.
[He ponders this. Of course he knows that most people would not since not many of his crew had acquired not more than one language, and he would exempt Laurence from this, though in the far back of his mind, he also knows that Laurence's French needs some work. Still, he takes some time to stare back at him.]
I can understand that. Though they can still learn if they are exposed to it long enough. Roland learned enough Chinese. Demane and Sipho learned English after we spent enough time around them. Even some aviators learned some Durzagh to talk with Arkady, Wringe and the others.
[He seems to be very pleased, for you see, he likes to learn things very much.]
Splendid!
[Now he has more people to learn from, though Minato one tried to teach him over some meal called Sushi, which was quite fine, but it was not like learning properly. Perhaps he could help him do so in a proper way.]
It would be very nice to learn the language, since I have learned that there are a good number of Japanese people in the City. It would be nice to speak in their native tongue, and from what I've learned of it, it seems like a very nice language.
[Blink-blink. Request? Hmmm... Not that he would renege if it was a reasonable request, and something that he could easily do. However, if it was something that would have him feel uncomfortable or uneasy, that simply would not do. Hence, why he tactfully replied with a short:]
I think my fulfilling your request would depend on what this request might be... but, what is it?
Teach and be taught, I think that is a very fair trade! I could teach you any one of them if you would like, though maybe not Durzagh or Xhosa, since there are not any other dragons for you to practice with, and Xhosa was spoken in Africa a long time ago, and I know not if it is still spoken today.
That would be nice to learn as well. I could speak of my world, yes, though just know that what I know of is mainly concentrated in Europe, and a little bit in both China and parts of Africa.
You can choose from French, German, or Chinese. I am not sure what your preference would be, so you would be free to choose which to learn. I learn rather quickly, but I know that humans might not pick up on things as fast as I might, so I will focus on one.
Hello!
[Granted, he only knows some things like greetings and proper responses, and not much more.]
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...You know Japanese?
[Speaking the tongue right back at you.]
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Not... much?
Pardon, I have only learned a little of it. I mean to study the language in earnest when I get back to the City.
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[Moving closer to the water, looking up at Temeraire with open admiration.]
Do you know other languages?
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[a beat]
Oh, yes, I do. Let's see...
[He looks down at the ground, thinking for a moment as he takes inventory of all those languages he does know.]
English, French, German, Chinese, Turkish, Xhosa to a degree, and Durzagh. That last one is a language spoken by dragons.
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I hope you're aware of the fact that a lot of humans will never be able to know that many languages.
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I can understand that. Though they can still learn if they are exposed to it long enough. Roland learned enough Chinese. Demane and Sipho learned English after we spent enough time around them. Even some aviators learned some Durzagh to talk with Arkady, Wringe and the others.
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[Pause.]
I can teach you Japanese, if you like.
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[He seems to be very pleased, for you see, he likes to learn things very much.]
Splendid!
[Now he has more people to learn from, though Minato one tried to teach him over some meal called Sushi, which was quite fine, but it was not like learning properly. Perhaps he could help him do so in a proper way.]
It would be very nice to learn the language, since I have learned that there are a good number of Japanese people in the City. It would be nice to speak in their native tongue, and from what I've learned of it, it seems like a very nice language.
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I think my fulfilling your request would depend on what this request might be... but, what is it?
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[He does like learning. Besides, it might come in handy!]
...Maybe you could tell me more about your world too. I'll make sure to tell you about mine in return.
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Teach and be taught, I think that is a very fair trade! I could teach you any one of them if you would like, though maybe not Durzagh or Xhosa, since there are not any other dragons for you to practice with, and Xhosa was spoken in Africa a long time ago, and I know not if it is still spoken today.
That would be nice to learn as well. I could speak of my world, yes, though just know that what I know of is mainly concentrated in Europe, and a little bit in both China and parts of Africa.
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That's a whole lot more than what I know about my own world, I think. I'm good with learning whatever you want to tell me.
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