text ↪ un: dostoevsky

[dissemblance]

Can we all take a moment to admire the fact that 2801 technology still supports emoji functionality? 🤩 👍 🕷 💁 🩰 💫 🍆 🧊 💅 👁‍🗨 🎯 🤡 🔋 🐈 💲 🧙‍♀️ 🐦💋 🐜 👽 🕶 ⚡ 🕵🏻‍♀️ 💦 💦 💦

It seems like they're pretty set on calling us 'Hatchlings', so... hello, fellow Hatchlings, I'd like to play a game.

Two truths and a lie. I'll start.

  ① Starbucks makes the best lattes.
  ② I've never watched All Dogs Go To Heaven all the way through.
  ③ My birthdate is May 21st. What year? Every year. 😉😉😉 But my party in 2018 was 🔥🔥🔥.

Comments

[baum]

[ She doesn't know coffee shops but she does know emojis, what a fact. ]

No, it's a place. Like a chain of coffee bars. They're all over everywhere back home.

Where are you from?

[neversmall]

[ She just learned them! 🙌👏😊 They're amazing! 😀😄😁 ]

A chain of stores? Does that mean multiple stores held by one person? 🤔

Ravka. And you?

[baum]

I don't know if there's a person, they're a company. My country's the United States. They started there, but when I say it's like they're everywhere, I mean other countries too.

I've heard of Ravka, though. I met a girl from there, in the holding cells. [ They hadn't gotten along. ] Is Nina your actual name?

[neversmall]

Oh, I see. United States is an interesting name - is your country made up of other, smaller countries? Like an alliance?

[ Nina is not one to volunteer information about other people, but she instantly thinks: Oh, he must mean Alina. ] Yes, there are a few of us from Ravka here. And yes, Nina is my name. 😊 Why do you ask? Are we not supposed to use them on these things?

[baum]

Some people do, some don't. I am John, though, that's my name.

My country's made up of States, but we're all one country. It's probably gonna seem weird if you've never heard of it before, but the States all have their own government that looks after some things, and then the Federal Government looks after the rest. We elect our leaders, too. I don't know if that's the same in Ravka, the girl I was talking to didn't say that much.

[neversmall]

It's nice to meet you, John. Can I say 'meet you' even if we're not in person? It feels like I should be able to, but this is very odd. 🤷‍♀️

...I don't know of any countries in my world that are run via election, except perhaps the Merchant Council in Kerch. 💰 Ravka has a king. 👑👑 So yes, that does sound a little strange, but very interesting, and a little like I should go do something incredibly patriotic just for entertaining the thought. 😂

[baum]

[ Oh. Okay, he likes her. ]

We'll just have to meet in person some time, that'll fix it. :)

I've never lived anywhere with a King. Will you tell me about your country? The girl I talked to said there was a kind of magic. I've never seen anything like that either. Was it true?

[neversmall]

[ ...uh. Huh. Well, while she doesn't really mind talking about the basics of her home at all, she thinks that this sort of thing would be better in a more clear way of communicating than via text where anyone could see it and misconstrue it. She's been very open about some of what she can do since coming here, but it's a bit of a controlled release; people tend to not react well to Grisha, overall, in her experience. And when you've spent the majority of your life in fear of death, slavery, or experimentation, you tend to be a bit cagey about some things. ]

Well, we don't like to call it magic because that word tends to be accompanied with pitchforks and torches and horrible death, but yes, there are people with the ability to manipulate matter in my world. I wouldn't mind combining meeting in person some time with talking about this more. 😀

[baum]

It was where I'm from, too. That was a long time ago, though, and the magic they were talking about wasn't real. The girl had a name for it, I'm sorry. Small science?

[ It's safe to say he doesn't really get it. It had sounded like magic to him. ]

I'd like that. Meeting, I mean.

[neversmall]

[ ...okay, a long time ago in his world people hunted down those who they thought did magic, but it wasn't real? That's... confusing. ]

Oh, I'm not offended - I'm just trying to explain. You see, that's why it will be better to talk about this in person. These little faces are fun 😀😉😊😁😂🤔🎈🎆🎇🧨✨🎊🎉 but they're not really the same.

I'm fairly free if you want to risk coming by the theater and being roped into painting sets.

[baum]

I could paint a set. How will I know you?

[ ooc: also, do you want me to move this to a log? ]

[neversmall]

I'll be the one splattered in orange and yellow paint.🖌🎨 We're over to the left by the stage 🎭 after you walk in.

[ ooc: I'd love to continue it, so yeah, I'm game! ]

[baum]

See you there.