The Battle Majestic (Round 4 - Magpie Skies)

Originally posted on MSPA by Baphomet.

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Vexmagog sent each word through Jacob's brain and read its meaning as he spoke. He returns my greeting. The word he used is less formal than the one I used, I will take that as a positive sign. Statements of confusion, to be expected. "Try this again"... the greeting? Perhaps I did it wrong. He processed the extended hand through Jacob's perception of the act as well. Ah, I have missed the physical ritual associated with these creature's standard greeting. How quaint!

The human made more sounds. His name, then occupation. "Troubleshooter"... the definition for that word doesn't describe the nature of the work being done. Hiding the true nature of his business, then? A fellow mischief maker, but of a different sort. I suppose I am expected to reciprocate in kind.

Vexmagog extended his left arm and took Jacob's hand. They did not line up quite right, as his fingers were a good bit longer than Jacob's, there were four of them total, and the one equivalent to the pinky was offset towards the palm and acted as a pseudo-second-thumb. He shook cordially nonetheless, adding a smile after mentally verifying that it meant the same thing to both creatures. "Vexmagog, unemployed."

He decided to forgo the idea of a musician's troupe while he had the opportunity to gain an ally and learn something about the situation. He launched directly into the meat of the internal conversation he'd been having in the back of his mind. "I think we all find the idea of this contest ridiculous, but feel like going through with its premise because we fear that the other contestants do not. Do you agree?"

SpoilerShow

I originally wrote this post with Vexmagog understanding the definition of troubleshooter as Jacob meant it -- a thief/assassin for hire. Then someone pointed out that I was starting down a slippery slope to straight-up mind reading, which I don't want to do, and the way I had set up the translation process seems like it would allow for it.

So for the record, now the translation process happens entirely based on his own inputs into the target's brain. He has to think the words as he hears them back at the person who said them, and take the idea of their definition out. He can't just intercept the definitions of the words as they're on the way to the target's mouth. The difference being that the previous way, he understood the secret intent behind words, and this way he only gets a definition, plus the potential for humor if he mishears a word, or there is another word that sounds the same but means something different.