text. all replies written unless stated otherwise.

[payback]

{first in the nv, there's just a few quick drawings, scratched from memory - image under cut, but not cut icly.}

Comments

[heavenly_earth]

No matter how much paperwork you have to identify yourself in society, the community remains rather closed to 'outsiders'. The government attempts to keep track of whom and what is on the island, that's all the importance and significance I associate with the written process.

It would take a coordinated effort to keep track of every arrival, disappearance, and death however- particularly if one was searching for patterns. It may be worth looking into, but I believe some of us don't have the time necessary to dedicate to that task.

[payback]

I think it's a little funny in a way. They go through the song and dance and hand us cards and papers that we need to go here and there or do this and that. I suppose it doesn't matter, as long as you can do what you need to do. It only matters when it doesn't.

{pause.} That's a shame, when even the simple names of the dead aren't remembered.

[heavenly_earth]

That seems to be the way of it. I wonder how much they care about the truth of what is put on our papers and signed.

But those around the individual don't ever forget. I believe that's the more important thing.

[payback]

How long do the people around the individual last?

[heavenly_earth]

I don't believe anyone can be sure. Each existence here seems to be an uncertainty.

[payback]

Memory is a delicate thing to rely on.

[heavenly_earth]

Perhaps, but there's hardly room for a large burial ground here. I'd be surprised if there wasn't a public record of death occurrences on file somewhere, however.

[payback]

You don't need a burial ground. All you need is pen and paper. That's what I was thinking of.

{written quickly -} Who are you?

[heavenly_earth]

I suppose that's not difficult.

[A considerate pause in reply, and then six deliberate letters]

Hyuuga.

Japanese;

[payback]

{a pause. she writes in Japanese this time.}

Can you read this?

Japanese;

[heavenly_earth]

[Going out on a limb here and saying that Konoha's writing system has some differences from the basic language, and so his symbols may differ from more modern writing]

...Yes. Where are you from?

Japanese;

[payback]

{I figured :') sounds good to me! Rin writes a very old style of Japanese, too, so there's probably some delay between them going back and forth.}

I'm from Edo. Where are you from? {this warms her up a little, although it's hard to tell through text. Rin likes her language and missed speaking it for a long time before, so even if it's a little different now it still makes her happy to write familiar symbols.}

Japanese;

[heavenly_earth]

[Good to know! This is the start of some mild homesickness now]

I can't say I've heard of that place before, unfortunately. I was born in a village named Konoha in Fire Country.

Japanese;

[payback]

I haven't heard of either of those places, either. I'm sorry. Have you been here for very long?

Japanese;

[heavenly_earth]

That's alright. I was more surprised to see symbols in a language I recognized. As for my stay here, it's been nearly two months. Did you arrive recently?

Japanese;

[payback]

It's been {pause.} almost three weeks. I suppose that's not recent anymore.