Video -- Grab Bag Weekend

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[After some unseen fumbling with the communicator, it finally clicks on, and the face of a small boy fills the screen. He has a serious countenance, despite only being about six or so, and when he speaks, it's not with distress, but with slight confusion and a definite tone of politeness. At the moment, however, he's not speaking English -- he's speaking Yiddish.]

Can someone tell me where I am, please?

[After a few moments of no response, he decides to switch to a different language. Perhaps that will garner some kind of response. He chooses Russian.]

Is there anyone there?

[A long sigh, a far too world-weary one for someone so young, and then he shuts off the communicator. Maybe he'll have better luck tracking someone down to speak to them in person.]

[[Yes, Meyer has been de-aged, and thus, comments will come from recognize_a_curse . Oh, and he doesn't speak English. Good luck with that!

Comments

video;

[candothat]

[This response is from a tiny boy who is visibly excited to hear his native tongue on this device (which, from what he has learned from random button-poking, speaks mostly in English). In Russian:]

I'm here! But I don't know where here is or who you are.

[And, in tortured Yiddish:]

You are from Russia?

Re: video;

[recognize_a_curse]

[The response makes him crack a slight smile, although it's a tentative one. He responds in Russian, although it comes a bit less easily to him -- he's fluent enough.]

I am from Russia. I don't know where here is either. Where are you?

video;

[candothat]

I'm Pavel Chekov. I'm Russian, too... from Taganrog, and I live in Petersburg now. I know that that isn't where I am because this isn't my house.

[He waves the device around helpfully, showing his new friend the surroundings of the cottage he woke up in.]

This is where I am.

Re: video;

[recognize_a_curse]

I'm Meyer. I'm from Grodno. And right now...

[He waves his device around, too.]

I'm by a fountain, I think.

video;

[candothat]

Grodno? It isn't a Russian City. [As an afterthought, as if this makes him an expert on the topic:] I have family there.

Do you want me to try to find you? I'm very good at finding things.

Action, maybe? :3

[theroyalshvibzik]

[Anastasia has been sort of just...wandering around in a state of confusion, because this is not the party she was at five minutes ago. And then she hears somebody speaking her mother tounge!]

Hello?

[And here she comes, running over with a small smile on her face.]

Hi!

Re: Action it is!

[recognize_a_curse]

[He startles a little when she runs up, but he cautiously gives her a smile. At least she's speaking a language he understands.]

Hello. Do you know where we are?

BABY RUSSIAN ACTION~!

[theroyalshvibzik]

Nope. I was at a party, and now I'm here...

[Right, she should probably act like a girl of her status should...so she puts on her best 'serious royalty' face.]

I am Her Imperial Highness, Anastasia Romanov, daughter of Nicolas II, Tsar of all the Russias.

[And the royal face is gone now.]

You can call me Nastya though. Who're you?

[recognize_a_curse]

[He's not sure whether to be impressed or not -- he's certainly heard the name, of course, but he's not sure whether she's telling the truth -- so he settles for unimpressed, if a bit curious.]

Nice to meet you, Nastya. I'm Meyer.

[No last name needed, so none offered. He's suspicious by nature.]

[theroyalshvibzik]

[She's rather pleased that he's not impressed. It's so hard to make friends when everybody treats you like a princess.]

Nice to meet you too, Meyer! C'mon, if we're gonna be stuck here, we should try to find out where we are!

[She grins and grabs his hand.]

video;

[saturniapavonia]

[Woah there little foreign child. Roman doesn't care a lot for kids. But he gets an unexpected feeling hearing a dialect he sort of kind of remembers hearing now and again at home. The dialect is different.

Should he dare? Should he try.

.........Nope.]

Hey.

[Brilliant start.]

You [pointing] lost? [Searching, sailor motion after that.]

Re: video;

[recognize_a_curse]

[He stares at Roman curiously, not recognizing the words, but recognizing the gestures. He nods, very slowly, and responds in Russian.]

Yes.

[That should be obvious enough.]

video;

[saturniapavonia]

[Okay. So now what. Uh.]

Okay so.

[He rakes his fingers through his hair. Once again there is that pointing] You should go [long fingers in a walking motion] to...

[To??? Uh. How do you sign or mimic the Welcome Center?]

Hold on.

[Both palms up.]

Re: video;

[recognize_a_curse]

[He frowns, then nods at the gesture of both palms up. That looks like "hold on" to him.]

I'll wait.

video;

[saturniapavonia]

[Rustling, rustling. Okay. And he's back with a marker and a piece of paper.]

You [pointing as he's writing] need to find [find and lost have the same sailor looking motion thing. Sorry, Little Foreign Kid] this.

[Roman shows his paper. At the top it says WELCOME CENTER and below that it says POLICE.]

This one. [Pointing and circling WELCOME CENTER] OR this one. [Circling POLICE. Oh shit wait. Can he read???]

voice;

[defies_reason]

What's your name, young man?

[Because he obviously doesn't recognize the voice, but he can't quite see it being anyone he knows. And he's always interested in people he doesn't have to speak English with.]

Re: voice;

[recognize_a_curse]

[He's kind of pleased, really, that there're enough people here who don't speak English that he can actually communicate. Still, his tone is reserved and a bit cautious when he replies.]

My name is Meyer. What's yours?

voice;

[defies_reason]

My name is Isaak. You are new here, today?

[He doubts that's true, but likely it's easier than explaining the situation fully.]

Re: voice;

[recognize_a_curse]

Yes. I've never been here before.

[He doesn't sound scared, really. Just perplexed.]

voice;

[defies_reason]

Most people have not. It's an unusual place.

video;

[thefavorite]

[ Hey! Here's a kid, a few years older than Meyer. And while he doesn't understand the words Meyer is using, it sounds like it might be related to things his terrifying grandmother mutters. Somehow.

Also, he has a theory on who this kid might be. ]

Hello?

[ And because Dewey is going to guess the kid probably doesn't speak English, he gives a small wave. ]

Re: video;

[recognize_a_curse]

[He waves back, a little tentatively, but glad to see another kid. Another kid with stick-out ears like his, even. How nice.]

Hello?

[At least he can mimic that. He can guess that Dewey's greeting him.]

Re: video;

[thefavorite]

Hi.

[ Well, it's a start. Dewey nods with a small smile, and points to himself. ]

I'm Dewey.

Re: video;

[recognize_a_curse]

[He nods and points at himself. He gets what's going on here.]

Meyer.

Re: video;

[thefavorite]

[ Welp, that's confirmed. But what now? He thinks.

Language barriers are such a problem. How awkward. He points at Meyer. ]

You okay? Good?

[ Thumbs up, with the same expression of I am asking a question seriously what is he hoping to accomplish here, he's out of things that he thinks he can convey well over a video feed now. ]