The Show and Tell Meme

[luce_felice]

[Does your character have a skill, talent, or power that they're just itching to show off to others? Why not do it here? The Jackabee Lounge has plenty of space for people to strut their stuff! You can:

- Show the extent of your skill, talent, or power to the crowds! And, if the curious happen to ask, feel free to tell them about it!

- Face off against someone who's got a similar talent to you! Who's the best of the best? Prove it here!

- Test your limits in the face of skeptics!

- Collaborate with others to make your talents shine

This and more is welcome!]

Comments

[cogwheelprof]

[That's okay take your time]

So you still live with your parents?

[fuhgottaboutit]

Yup. I just graduated high school, but I haven't done university yet.

[Not even a little self-conscious. Because in ridiculous-cost-of-living Japan, it's not all that shameful for a college kid to keep living with their folks! Heck, even Yukari-sensei still lives with her mom. Not that I'm jealous or anything.]

[cogwheelprof]

You're getting to go to university?

[Is that a...tinge of wonder in her voice?]

Isn't it incredibly expensive?

[fuhgottaboutit]

Yeah, it's expensive. [Not that she could tell you exactly how expensive. Things Osaka is not good at: finances.]

[cogwheelprof]

And wouldn't it be very far from home?

[Even a primary school was a week's journey from her home. A university...she can't even think where to begin looking for one.]

[fuhgottaboutit]

No, not really. I can get there on the train.

[cogwheelprof]

...What is...a "train"?

[Oh boy.]

[fuhgottaboutit]

A train? [She's... never had to explain this to someone before. Everybody knows what a train is.] It's, uh... A train is... umm...

Well, first you gotta go to the station, see?

[Osaka you're just telling her how to ride the train. Close but no cigar.]

[cogwheelprof]

...Okay. Go on.

[She's assuming this is going to lead to an explanation.]

[fuhgottaboutit]

An' then you buy a ticket, and you get on board... and when your stop comes up, you get off. But you gotta be awake so you can hear them call it out. That's important! It's real easy to fall asleep on the train.

[cogwheelprof]

...But what exactly is a train?

1/2

[fuhgottaboutit]

[Oh, she meant what is a train! ... Wait, this causes exactly the same problem as before.]

It's... you ride it from the station, man, I just said that. It's like... a train is like...

2/2

[fuhgottaboutit]

... like a snake!

[cogwheelprof]

A snake.

[fuhgottaboutit]

Yeah. Only the snake would have to be a lot bigger, and not alive. Trains are made outta metal, I think. And they don't slither, they run on rails. Oh, and they're loud.

... So, they're not really like snakes at all.

[cogwheelprof]

But it's...about the same shape?

[fuhgottaboutit]

Kinda, yeah. They're real long, and they can twist around curves and stuff.

[cogwheelprof]

And they're bigger than a real snake, if you can ride them. You ride...inside of them, right?

[fuhgottaboutit]

[Nods.] Oh yeah. If you tried to ride on top, you'd fall right off. 'Specially on the shinkansen.

[cogwheelprof]

I see! It's making sense now. I wish we had one of those back home, it would make travel so much easier!

[fuhgottaboutit]

That so? How d'you get around?

[cogwheelprof]

You walk, or you ride a horse. Or a carriage. Or a wagon. It's pretty slow going. When I was young, it took about...a month, I want to say? A whole month to go about halfway across the country - the long way.

[fuhgottaboutit]

Oh, wow... I've never ridden on a horse before. Isn't it scary?

[cogwheelprof]

Not at all! It's exhilarating. A couple of boys I know get to ride them for a living!

[fuhgottaboutit]

Huh? [What kind of job even is that?] Really? All day?