text | un:havefaith

[peacewithouttyranny]

Greetings. My name is Soundwave and I wish to teach you something from my world. I promise that this will be worth your while to learn as you can gain Chroma from it.

There is a language my kind use called Chirolinguistics. Alternatively known as speaking Hand. Simply put, it is a language performed through holding hands between two people.

[And here's attached a drawing showcasing a few examples of it.]

Only my kind can 'speak' Chirolinguistics as this requires stimulating the nerve by transmitting electric pulses in the fingers, wrists, and palms to the brain. However, I've created a special gauntlet that not only helps you to understand the language but also allowing the stimulation and transmitting of electric pulses without potentially burning off your nerves and frying you to death.

If you are interested in learning how to speak Chirolinguistics, please contact me. Ah, and I've translated this in other languages, as well. English, German, French, and Japanese.

Thank you for your time.

[.... Yes. This is just a huge excuse for him to moonlace. Don't mind the fact that this post coincides with the Iris mooncycle.]

Comments

[ringlette]

[ She's not getting told that twice, and steps in, before her attention is wholly attracted by the kitten in her friend's arms. ]

Oh...! Oh, what a cutie! That fur color, I've never seen one like that before! When did you get it?

[peacewithouttyranny]

[When the attention is on her animal friend, Soundwave scritches its head and the tiny rainbow furball mews from the affection. A soft smile curves on her as she closes the door shut with her foot.]

Six months ago. Adopted her from an animal shelter when I felt a little lonely in my apartment. [She then holds the furball out towards her other friend. Said furball is staring at Marie curiously, small paws stretching out as if to say to take her.]

Would you like to hold her? Her name is Opal... she likes to make friends with people, I find.

[ringlette]

A truly wise decision. I am sure she's the happiest in your home with you!

[ When Soundwave hands the kitty over, she takes the utmost care taking it from the girl's hands, drawing it gently to her chest. ]

Bonjour, little Opal, my name is Marie! You're such a sweetie! [ She scritches Opal behind her ears. ] I also like making friends, you know?

[peacewithouttyranny]

Then I don't doubt you two will get along well. [In fact, Opal's already taken a liking to the Queen. She purrs at the affection behind her ears and rests her head against the warmth in front of her.] Follow me.

[Soundwave leads her into the living room. The room is a typical modern room, furnished with a coffee table, couches, sofa, etc. It's fairly sparse as nothing seems to stand out much, aside from a couple of cat toys lying around and a blue luminous bonsai tree (because of course it's blue) on the coffee table. A teapot, a single teacup, and a pair of white gauntlets are on the table, too.]

[ringlette]

[ With Opal safe in her arms, Marie complies to the request and tails behind Soundwave, curiously looking around while doing so. The bonsai over there magnetizes her attention instantly, making her almost ignore the gauntlets that also stand out from the rest of the room. When she notices them, she remembers what the girl had mentioned on the network. ]

Oh. Those are the items we are going to use, n'est-ce pas?

[peacewithouttyranny]

That's right, my friend. For you to translate the pulses and of course your safety.

[Don't want to fry Marie's nerves after all. She'd be depressed if that happens and pretty sure might piss off a bunch of other people, too.]

I could do that with my own hands without issue. [In this girl form or the other.]

[ringlette]

Mhm, I see! I will have it on me before we begin, then.

[ She takes her seat on the sofa, resting the cat on her lap and picking up one of the gauntlets. Her right hand slips into it, and she flexes her fingers to test the mobility. ]

Should I wear both?

[peacewithouttyranny]

[The gauntlet is pretty flexible, nothing stiffening as she flexes her fingers, she'll find!]

Yes. Speaking with one hand is possible, but it's complex to learn. For our first lesson, two hands are recommended.

[Gotta start easy and go through the basic first. Soundwave sits next Marie, gently petting Opal on her friend's lap while she waits for her friend to slip the other gauntlet in.]

[ringlette]

[ Soundwave is the teacher here, so she complies and wears the other gauntlet, noting with pleasure both of those are comfortable for her hands. ]

I am ready to begin if you are!

[peacewithouttyranny]

Then let us begin now.

[Soundwave interlaces her fingers with Marie's with both hands and starts off by gently brushing her fingers against Marie. It might look random, but the gestures are with intention. Aside from the immediate Chroma making, should the gauntlets work as intended, Marie should feel something ticklish running through her nerves- electrical pulses traveling to send signals to her brain.]

Did you feel anything inside you? Aside from Chroma, that is.

[ringlette]

[ And then Marie's hit by one of the strangest sensation, like reaching a Galaxy Brain moment for all but one second. There was a clear attempt of communication. She blinks rapidly, her gloved hands twitching slightly as her nerves feel like they've come to life from a deep sleep. ]

Yes, um... I felt like something was sending... something else in my head?

[ It's hard to explain, for some reason. ]

[peacewithouttyranny]

[She understands what the other is trying to say. It's not like Soundwave the best at explaining it either, outside of it's a 'tingly feeling'.]

That 'something' was the electrical pulses I was talking about being sent to your head through your nerves. The... feeling you felt is how communicating this language works.

[The exact working is something Soundwave himself doesn't understand fully- thanks for the lack of explanation canon- it's just something Cybertronians already capable of doing.]

Anyway, let's start with the vowels... Or would you like to get used to the feeling first? [After all, this might be super weird for a species that can't do this sort of thing with their hands.]

[ringlette]

[ Having never been in a biology class, she doesn't have a clear understand of what goes on in her body, but none of what Soundwave tells her hints that it's any dangerous for her body so she'll take everything at face value and try to memorize what needs to be saved in her mind.

To her friend's question, she thinks about it briefly. ]

If it is not a bother, I might need some more getting accustomed to.

[ She doesn't want the stream of information to overwhelm her. Needs baby steps. ]

[peacewithouttyranny]

That's fine with me. I'll do it a bit slower, this time, so to not make it too much for your head.

[Wouldn't want that pretty head of hers imploded with information. Though before she goes about actually doing that--]

Give me a word, Marie. It might be best if I repeat the word of your choosing. Perhaps a favorite word...?

[That way, Marie can at least absorb something while getting used to the feeling at the same time.]

[ringlette]

[ Favourite word... that would be hard to decide...

...

Except it's not. ]

Can you spell "France" to me?

[ Her eyes sparkle instantly at her own mention of the word. ]

[peacewithouttyranny]

[The glem in her eyes are, admittedly, adorable. She must really love her country, despite what she's learned about her fate from the memory sharing... Ah, but now's not the time to be thinking of that again, and so she'll start spelling her word.]

I can do that.

[Soundwave pushes her palm ever so slightly, lightly brushing her index finger down over Marie's.]

"Fra-" [Then, on the other hand, three fingers brush upwards.] "-nce".

[She'll wait a moment for Marie to grasp the feelings, before repeating the gestures again.]

[ringlette]

[ Marie closes her eyes, takes a few calm breaths, and concentrates on the feeling stirred by Soundwave sending the silent language to her.

France...

It wasn't very clear the first time, but on the repeat it gets better. She smiles brightly. ]

I-... I got it!

[peacewithouttyranny]

[Yay!

If Soundwave was the type, she'd let go temporarily to clap her hands together at her. But instead, she just proudly smiles at her friend, proud that she got the feeling down only with a couple of repeats.]

Care to try it yourself? The gauntlets will send the pulses automatically, so don't worry about knowing how to do that part.

[ringlette]

[ Hmmm. It'd be so embarrassing if she messed this up, after joyfully reading the message right. Like failing a writing test after doing so good at reading comprehension. ]

Okay, um... do I repeat France, or do you want me to send something else?

[peacewithouttyranny]

[Soundwave is patient. Even if she messes up, she can try again.]

Simply repeat... France.

[She'll do the gesture once more, before letting her friend do it herself.]

[ringlette]

[ Well, alright, that one is now easy enough to repeat? Maybe? It's not the same as repeating something through her voice, but she shouldn't be failing this hard after paying this much attention.

No, she can't add this much pressure on herself. It's silly and unnecessary.

Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath and then... sends the signal, a bit shaky on the deliver, but nonetheless correct. ]

[peacewithouttyranny]

Good job. You got the sequences right on the first try.

[And she sounds kinda proud too, in her flat, monotone voice. The shakiness in the delivery was felt through inside her nervecircuits. While not quite an issue in itself, Marie got it correct after all, it's something she feels need to bring up.]

Try not to feel too nervous, Marie. This may be a lesson, but I want you to have... fun, most of all.

[ringlette]

[ Hm... her nervousness was easy to pick up, and suddenly she feels bad for it, but is that going to make things better? No... so she tries to calm herself.

This is a fun thing! Fun...! Even just telling herself that is helpful enough to make her smile eventually. ]

Sorry... I have no idea where I am getting this pressure from, but knowing that I got the word right makes me more confident.

[peacewithouttyranny]

[Have fun, Marie!! Even this bot who doesn't know fun is trying to have fun.]

That's good to hear. Though, if you want something to lift off the pressure, let me know what I can do.

[Opal would help, too. ... If she wasn't already sleeping soundly on Marie's lap.]

[ringlette]

[ A good kitty... it's fine, hearing it snore helps her a bit. ]

No, it is alright, I just need to get accustomed to this! And... not think about the fact I am possibly going to mess something up.