(Untitled)

[kanashii_kurai]

... so what exactly happened yesterday? I went to say 'yes' to someone when they asked if I was all right, and without realizing it, I recited a verse of haiku.

Apparently others were doing the same. Is this the type of thing that normally happens in this city?

Comments

[unbewildered]

Worse have happened, and really, around here? Worse is bound to happen.

[kanashii_kurai]

... that is not good. Can't we fight it?

[unbewildered]

Noooot really, no. Around here, fighting back is Gandhi-style. Nonviolent resistance.

In other words, if they change your gender, you stay indoors. If they make you talk a certain way, you don't say anything. If they turn up the sound (or turn it off), you pretend like it doesn't mean anything.

Not much else we can do?

[kanashii_kurai]

... I guess you're right. Forgive me, I guess it's a little weird for me to sit back and take something.

[unbewildered]

Hey, don't apologize. If I had my way, I'd do more too, but I think a lot of us have figured out there's not much we can do.

Did I get your name yet?

[kanashii_kurai]

We really are trapped, aren't we?

Um, I'm Omi. Omi Tsukiyono. You?

[unbewildered]

Don't think like that, if anything. I go around saying "it's Hell and you can't get out" all the time, but you seriously get into that mentality, and you'll really be stuck.

Omi. You sound Japanese too. Name's Evelynne. Shorten that whichever what way you want.

[kanashii_kurai]

Right, right. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be so negative. If anything, I'm more worried about my teammates that I left behind.

Aha... that's a hard name to pronounce in Japanese, yes... I'll try for Eve-san, but I might say it funny if we meet in person.

[unbewildered]

Maybe I just have karma issues, but as soon as I started worrying about the one person I would ever worry about, he ended up here. And I'm not too glad about that. Can't say I know your situation, but I'm sure they'll do fine--as long as they don't wind up in this city.

Nah, I'm fine with people saying my name wrong. I get more than three-quarters of the names around here wrong, seeing as I can't do Japanese for my life. Eve-san's fine.

[kanashii_kurai]

... but I left them in a rather... unfortunate perdicament. And the stench of the sewer still clings to my sneakers...

I assure you that 'Omi' is pretty easy to say, Eve-san.

[unbewildered]

Err...can't help you there. Is it that bad that you're not there? The sewer?

Well. I wasn't...talking about you specifically. I was talking about names like Kurosaki and all that.

[kanashii_kurai]

It's... ah, never mind. ... yeah, never mind.

If you take it syllable by syllable at first, it should be easy. Although, 'u' tends to be a little hushed, but you probably don't have to worry about it right now.

[unbewildered]

...right. Well, your business is yours. Don't have to say.

I'm...not going to manage, trust me. 've had two trips to Tokyo, several crash courses, and many native speakers laughing or frowning. I'll try, but Japanese? Not what I'm fit for. The multilingual is my roommate, not me.

[kanashii_kurai]

Thank you.

And there's no pressure, really. It seems as though you get along well with enough people, hm?

[unbewildered]

Err. You could say that. Lot of people find me abrasive, but it's really just 'cause I say what's on my mind. So it goes this way and that.

[kanashii_kurai]

I find that to be a strong personality trait. I could never do that so easily.