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[Bai is in the communal area of Building One, experimenting with the computer terminal. Anyone who wants to poke her there is more than welcome to.]

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[Bai quickly finds the option to change your display name and immediately switches it to her alias Jun. She slips into the persona as well...not too different from her own, except perhaps a bit more cheerful. (And, of course, Jun would never kill anyone.)]

Is this the -- oh, I see! [She smiles and waves at the camera.] Hello!

[She accidentally presses a button and is surprised by a flash as the terminal takes a picture of her.]

Eh? [And then she accidentally turns the video off. She's not normally this bad with technology, but every device has a learning curve.]

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[ Have a Jack peering over Bai's shoulder ] Oh? What's that? [ Curiosity, after all, was the mother of invention. He could ill afford to waste a single drop of it. ]

[Bai had sensed his approach, but she hadn't expected him to come so close to her. Her skin tingles a little, just enough electric charge to make coming close to her seem unpleasant (though it would take a very astute observer to register it beyond subconsciously)]

Oh! [The surprise is entirely feigned.] It's a computer terminal. It looks like it's connected to some kind of network.

[ He just smiles blankly, annoyingly oblivious to every word she said ]

A computer what? [ he blinked ] Is that something you can eat?

No. [She gives him a disbelieving look, which masks a cool, assessing gaze. There are all kinds of people in the world...but it's hard to believe anyone could be that much of an idiot.] Does this look edible? [tapping the terminal]

It's a device you can use to communicate with other people.

To communicate? But why not just speak like we're doing right now? [ Truly, Jack is clueless, as is made evident by the tilt of his head as he leaned leaned forward, practically putting his nose to the screen, smelling it ]

Sometimes other people are too far away.

[...........]

Are you smelling it?

[ he looks up, incredibly amused ]

Then I'll just write a letter. [ but he dusts his hands and stands up straight, cheerful as ever he can be ] And of course I was smelling it. One shouldn't ever trust something one can't smell. Who knows where it could have been.

[ he tilts his head, giving Pai a thoughtful glance ]

You seem to know a great deal about this place. How did you learn so quickly?

[Everything about his manner sets Bai on edge. He's too friendly, too clueless. He doesn't mesh with the behaviors Bai has observed, like an amateur dancer performing with professionals.

(At home, the dissonance would have intrigued, maybe even amused her a bit. She's not her brother, who sees a threat everywhere he looks. But she's in a new world, that operates by entirely new rules. Brought here against her will, for a purpose she doesn't yet understand, and without her brother. There is no security to be had here.)]

It's not that different from technology at home. [She's never owned a computer or a laptop or a smartphone, but she's still familiar with them.] You don't have anything like this where you're from?

[ Jack shook his head ]

Not at all. I'm not even sure how I arrived here. [ lies, this could easily have something to do with Abyss. Although, by that count, Oswald would surely have known the why and the wherefores.

He nodded to the device. ] Could you show me?

It's easy. With this button, you can make a video post; this button shares a picture; text [still gesturing] and voice. When you're finished, you just hit "post", and everyone who has access to the network can see it and reply.

[ he stared at it dumfounded, watching her point at each option with expected ease. ]

So you can simply "post" anything?

[ he mused thoughtfully, his gaze drifting to the wall behind him and suddenly a light dawned within. ]

Ah-hah! I see it now. So it's just like a public message board for anyone who might take a moment to post a service or request aid. It's simple the format that's changed to protect it from inclement weather. How fascinating.

[ he paused and then turned a sheepish smile towards Pai after inspecting the screen another minute. ]

Uh, if you don't mind indulging me in one more request, do you mind showing me how to um, look up these strange posts that you mentioned?

[ he can guess, but why guess when he can be shown? ]

Something like that, yes. [a sweet, pleased smile -- entirely fake]

Sure! [She taps another few buttons to call the network feed onto the screen, not thinking about whether she's going too fast for him to follow.] Just like that.

[ Jack just stared at the screen with a slacked jaw, only half miming the sentiment before closed his mouth and simply admired. ]

This kind of thing really is common is your world. [ and the he bowed, giving Pai the thanks she so rightfully deserved. ] I have much to learn.

[Bowing isn't very common in the killing fields of South America where Bai spent most of her childhood. What a strange person.]

We all do, I think.

[ he smiled easily, suddenly relaxed and on more familiar ground. ]

IT certainly is the eclectic collection of people they've brought here. [ he shook his head ] I can't fathom how they think our affection will be able to turn this city around.

[ he laughed to himself then, a small aside that was directed inward, not towards Pai. ] I suppose it's true, if you wish to live in interesting times, then you shall. [ of course, Jack had wished for nothing of the sort. Alas... ]

Me neither. [She can, actually. People are powered by electricity themselves. She has no idea how they're harnessing this power, but she can imagine this system. She wants to understand it better.]

[ he waited, expecting more as most women of his acquaintance seemed to enjoy prattling onward. But Bai wasn't like that. She preferred the silence. Taking a handkerchief from his pocket, he brushed a spec of dust from his coat sleeve before ticking it back away. ]

Well then, I suppose I've taken up enough of your time. It's been a pleasure, miss. You can rest assured I'll keep your lessons close to heart.

[She feels something like relief. Normal socialization is harder than she had expected. She could use the solitude.]

If you need any more help, let me know. [That's a normal thing to say, right? Pretending to be normal is hard.]

[ he smiled lightly, softening his smile by an extra degree. ] Then if there's ever something I can help you with, I'd be honored to return the favor. It's Jack Vessalilus, by the way. [ and if he had a hat, he would tip it, but hats were such useless little things. They just always got in the way. ]

Jun. [The false name comes out with practiced ease. At this point, her real name feels as fake as all the other identities she's adopted.]

[ as only any false name should. The lie, after all, should be natural. ]

Thank-you, Jun. I shall wish a good day then. Until another time.

[ and with that name filed safely away, he stepped back from the terminal, afraid that his welcome had been overstayed. ]

[ Kaworu has found a terminal as well. Though there are so many people around, this looks like another perfectly good way of getting to know another. ]

Hello.

[Oh, look, it's a video response!]

Hi! [She smiles sweetly at him, like she's just any other young girl excited to be getting the hang of new technology and meet new people.]

Are you still trying to figure out how it works?

I think I've got the hang of it. You can hear me, right?

[ he nods ]

Yes, I can. It's not very difficult for me to understand how it works, but not everyone is familiar with technology.

[nodding]

There seem to be people from all different kinds of worlds. I feel lucky; this technology isn't that much different from what I'm used to.

... Oh? [ A young girl alone and tampering with something? Well, it can't hurt to greet and learn, right? ]

What might you be doing there, young miss? [ He peers over to take a closer look. ]

[Pai smiles with practiced sweetness, seeming just a little abashed.]

I'm using the computer. Or trying to. It's a little different than I'm used to.

[ For a minute, Inigo's eyebrows knit together as his lips purse together. It's an obvious expression of confusion. ]

... I'm afraid I don't know what exactly is a "computer".

It's this. [She gestures to the device.] It lets you do things like communicate with other people, if they have a computer that's hooked up to the same network.

Is that so...? How convenient! [ He's plenty curious about the device now. ]

Are you trying to come into contact with someone then?

No one specifically. I just wanted to see how it worked.

Is that so...? I have to admit, it looks extremely complicated.

It's not that complicated. Although I guess if you don't have anything like it where you're from...

[ He shakes his head. ] I certainly don't... Our magic is quite advanced, but I can't say we have created anything like a "computer".

You have magic? [There's a kind of child-like wonder in her voice that isn't entirely feigned. Contractor powers seem like magic to humans, but they don't elicit that same sense of awe.]

Yes, of course! [ oh good something that isn't about technology and something he is at least somewhat knowledgeable in. ]

Of many elements and categories I might add. I personally feel that if a world brings enough potential to send people back in time it's worth being amazed.

Can you do magic?

Oh... Unfortunately, I am more of a fighter by physical means than a magic user. I know a friend around that uses it!

[That's disappointing. But still, it's good to know what the capabilities of the people around her are.]

Do you fight with a weapon or by hand?

By weapon! I wield the sword and bow quite well I might add. [ Brimming and fluffy out his peacock feathers here.

Someone is quite confident right now. ]

A sword? [How inefficient. His world must be quite old, then. Why is it that swords and magic always seem to go together?]

Yes...? Is that strange? [ Because Magic is a lost art of time, okok.</small. ]

I've never met anyone who's fought with a sword before.

I personally find that surprising... Swords are common where I come from--even swords of legend are things that you can possibly find! [ Or it just drops into your bonus box. ]

Really? [honest surprise] People use guns where I come from. [Or Contractor powers, but she's not going to get into that.]

Guns...? You mean firearms, right? [ The most he knows about those are like... cannons.

This is pretty bad. ]

Yes. [They're pretty much the same thing.]

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