But they flow over him, around him, and even through him. He understands what's being said, nominally at the very least. He knows most of the words, and the ones he doesn't--which is actually quite a few--he can navigate well enough through context. X catches Y with its tongue. A pack of G chases after H. Animals eating animals. He's not from the COI, he doesn't understand all the scientific details of the world that they claim to. But he's not stupid. He's not completely clueless.
What he gets out of this explanation is this: the guy he is talking to uses a lot of words. He thinks that he and Simon are invaders, somehow. He 'chooses' to 'actively participate' in 'this world,' which sounds kind of meaningless to Simon but it means a lot to the guy.
And... that whatever Simon thinks--like whatever this guy thinks, and whatever this guy's friend-cat thinks--is wrong, here. That if he doesn't obey this place's rules, that's his choice. But it's the wrong one.
Putting up buildings and living like a human being is wrong, but they still do it.
And he gardens to feed people who want to act like humans, but he doesn't do it himself? That part is a little murkier, but it's all just a lot to take in, a lot to try and understand and follow and process and.... and what? Simon isn't sure what it is he's supposed to do with all this information. The guy didn't tell him that part. So he sits--or rather, floats--in place, staring at Umemiya silently and with no real clear expression on his blank light-and-energy face, a face set agaiy still do it.
And he gardens to feed people who want to act like humans, but he doesn't do it himself? That part is a little murkier, but it's all just a lot to take in, like a sermon. A sermon, he knows what a sermon is, how the Father spoke and he listened, they all listened. He and his Brothers, and then--
And then what? Simon isn't sure what. The guy didn't tell him that part.
So he sits--or rather, floats--obediently in place. And when it's over, he stays there, staring back at Umemiya silently. There's no clear expression on his blank light-and-energy face. Solemn, serious, like he was in fact listening... but passive. Blank.
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timeasmymeasure
CW cult upbringing
Date: 2026-04-15 09:11 pm (UTC)Uh....
You know what, let's skip that metaphor.
But they flow over him, around him, and even through him. He understands what's being said, nominally at the very least. He knows most of the words, and the ones he doesn't--which is actually quite a few--he can navigate well enough through context. X catches Y with its tongue. A pack of G chases after H. Animals eating animals. He's not from the COI, he doesn't understand all the scientific details of the world that they claim to. But he's not stupid. He's not completely clueless.
What he gets out of this explanation is this: the guy he is talking to uses a lot of words. He thinks that he and Simon are invaders, somehow. He 'chooses' to 'actively participate' in 'this world,' which sounds kind of meaningless to Simon but it means a lot to the guy.
And... that whatever Simon thinks--like whatever this guy thinks, and whatever this guy's friend-cat thinks--is wrong, here. That if he doesn't obey this place's rules, that's his choice. But it's the wrong one.
Putting up buildings and living like a human being is wrong, but they still do it.
And he gardens to feed people who want to act like humans, but he doesn't do it himself? That part is a little murkier, but it's all just a lot to take in, a lot to try and understand and follow and process and.... and what? Simon isn't sure what it is he's supposed to do with all this information. The guy didn't tell him that part. So he sits--or rather, floats--in place, staring at Umemiya silently and with no real clear expression on his blank light-and-energy face, a face set agaiy still do it.
And he gardens to feed people who want to act like humans, but he doesn't do it himself? That part is a little murkier, but it's all just a lot to take in, like a sermon. A sermon, he knows what a sermon is, how the Father spoke and he listened, they all listened. He and his Brothers, and then--
And then what? Simon isn't sure what. The guy didn't tell him that part.
So he sits--or rather, floats--obediently in place. And when it's over, he stays there, staring back at Umemiya silently. There's no clear expression on his blank light-and-energy face. Solemn, serious, like he was in fact listening... but passive. Blank.
no subject
Date: 2026-04-16 01:20 am (UTC)"...dude, are you alright?"
This is much less of a speech, isn't it?