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“Okay, so unlike in Nomai speech or writing, names and nouns don’t change depending on where in the sentence they are, or what role they fulfill. Understand?”
“Understand.”
It was a beautiful afternoon. The sun flitted down through the pine leaves, leaving small, dancing shadows in its wake. Wind rustled gently between the treetops. Fish darted through the rivers and lakes, scales gleaming in the light. It was a good time to be out in the woods.
A bit further away, the Hearthian village could be seen. Campfire smoke, melding with the quiet chatter of people beginning to wake up. There had been a festival last night, which had stretched into the late hours. So, most that day were not early risers, and had long missed the opportunity to get ahold of the two individuals everyone seemed to want to speak with lately.
Said two individuals were seated in the midst of the forest, getting a little practice in before anyone would bother them. They had a lot to get through.
One Hearthian. One Nomai. One huge language barrier between them. And, considering both had gone through something beyond understanding, it was hard to get some quiet time to tackle this problem. So they woke up early, and got to work. Using the translator if things needed a clearer explanation.
The Hatchling was glad that they’d been needing to write things down less and less often. Solanum was a quick learner, and it helped that her entire environment was based in the Hearthian tongue. Still, it did mean it was harder to preserve her language. Neither of them wanted the Nomai of a few thousand years ago to be forgotten. So, in a way, they were both learning.
“Alright. In Hearthian language, the,um, endings of a verb are different depending on who’s doing it. That’s for first person- I, second person- you, third person- they, and then the plural versions.” They explained, awkwardly. “Probably, the she and he pronouns that the Nomai use would fall under the third person singular. Or, we could, we could invent a new one. If you like.”
“Is it combine with noun? Noun also change in sentence.”
“Not combined. Nouns also change endings, but that depends on, uh, where they are in the sentence. I- I can write it down, one moment.”
Solanum nodded. The Hatchling sighed.
It was always hard to tell if Solanum was confused or not. She never asked questions, or complained, or got upset with them. It made things confusing.
They knew that they were supposed to be talking in simple terms, to make it easy to understand, but they forgot a lot, and their Nomai friend never reminded them. She just listened, and told them she understood. Whether she actually understood or not, the Hatchling had no idea.
A few weeks had gone by since the end of the universe. Life continued marching forwards, despite this clear problem. It was a bit fuzzy where exactly they were, but as of now it was too early to think about such things. Focus on the simple stuff. They finished writing their list down, handing it over to Solanum. Then they gave up.
“Let’s, uh, end here for today.” They said, flopping backwards onto the grass. Solanum murmured an agreement.
Quiet settled in over the glade. Solanum watched the Hatchling thoughtfully as they basked in the heat of the sun. Their behaviour often confused her, their switches in attitude and behaviour. She supposed it must be because they were raised a little more carefree than her. A little less formally. While she had been growing up, there were always fears. And traditions to uphold regardless of that fact.
Her kind wasn’t meant to stay in one place for so long. Dark Bramble had only ensnared the Vessel, yes, but it had trapped them here as well. Every now and then, she wondered what it would’ve been like to live as a proper Nomai. Travelling, and learning, and sharing. Or, not even that, sometimes. Even the time spent on Brittle Hollow, with her family and her friends, was something she longed for, in dark hours.
She felt awful about it. The Hearthians had given her another chance at life. It wasn’t fair, to herself and to them, to consider what might’ve been. It just hurt. In borrowed, patched up clothes in a place familiar yet long gone, she had to start again. And that meant ripping her gaze away from her grief, when she could.
Tugging her focus back to this reality, Solanum considered her friend, as they stared up at the sky. She found the Hatchling a nice person to be around. Because they were friendly, yes, though also because they were someone she found much kinship with.
Both young for their species, but older in mind. On or near their coming of age ritual forever by universe-shattering circumstances. Quite literally.
When Solanum found herself detached, and closer to that not alive state than would be ideal, it was the Hatchling who knew to bring her back. And when the Hatchling began reciting responses to questions nobody had asked this timeline, it was Solanum who brought them to the present.
You could say it was their friendship that did it. More likely, was the stark contrast of species that got marked as unfamiliar and new by their minds. Maybe it was a bit of both.
She also thought they were an interesting teacher. Very inconsistent in how much they knew of their language, but she was getting on well enough, due to her ability to catch on quickly and general observation. It was their first time teaching someone the language, after all. Not like they had taught, or even met any other Nomai.
…
…They hadn’t.
She was certain they hadn’t. Possibly, met wasn’t quite the right word. What then? Heard? Seen?
Solanum felt she was forgetting something important.
“Hatchling?” The word, clumsy and unfamiliar on her tongue, trickled out after some thought. The Hatchling, snapped out of whatever they had been thinking of, turned their head towards her. “Mhm?”
“You… Do you know, if you see other Nomai, before?” She asked. “You mention previously something about them. The sentence wasn’t quite correct, but it would do. The Hatchling frowned. Four eyes, all scrunched up, thinking.
“I did?” Suddenly, their face lights up in recognition. “Wait! I know what you mean!” They scrambled upright. “In Dark Bramble, on the Vessel, it was still getting live transmissions from Nomai, at the end of the universe.”
Even though she did not understand all the words said, Solanum quickly grasped the concept. “Other Nomai are alive? And, you can understand with translator?” The Hatchling nodded
“That’s right! Oh wow, I had completely forgotten about that… We should go see if they’re still here! In this universe, I mean. Then you could talk with your own species, and we can exchange research with them, and…” They trailed off, looking embarrassed, and then devastated, as a sudden realisation dawned on them.
“Oh.”
Solanum smiled sadly. She had reached a similar hypothesis. Pushing back some of her fur out of her vision, she spoke:
“I know Nomai might not be in this universe. I see you learn this while time is forever. But I get joy, that you care to find out.” She shrugged. And, knowing that the Hatchling’s ability to speak her language was pretty good, too, she momentarily abandoned her broken Hearthian. They watched, amazed, as her speech became quick, elegant and fluid,
“Science compelled us Nomai to do lots of things. Including trying to cause our own sun to go supernova. You are a brave person. You ended the time loops. You went to the eye. You were compelled by science, by curiosity. But also because you care.
“While I would love to meet a fellow Nomai again, it would not be your fault if they did not carry over to wherever we are now. It is kind of you to look. Do not blame yourself if you do not find what you’re looking for. Then I will not blame myself for losing my clan.
“Deal?”
The Hatchling smiled. It was a little dramatic, slightly over the top, but sweet as well, and the intention was clear.
Sometimes things needed to be a bit extra, in order to make sure they was heard.
“Deal.”
And that was that. Several hours later, when Hal was sent out to look for the two, all they needed to do was follow the sounds of laughter and banter. Because it was a new life, and neither could stay bittersweet for long.