[Salvos] 695. Translating (Patreon)

695. Translating

***

Her name was Sally.

Some knew her as the Salvos clone, while others just called her Salvos. But she liked the name she was given. Sally. It was a simple name. Nothing complex. And it distinguished her from the real Salvos.

Yes, she was Salvos. But after being cut off from her real body, she was now her own thinking being. An entity with her own autonomy. It was almost a weird position to be in. But she didn’t mind it that much, nor did she question her identity as Salvos. All she wanted was to have her own name and to be treated like her own person.

And that was why Sally hung around Rachel. Not just because of the history between each other. But because Rachel didn’t really seem to treat Sally like Salvos.

They chatted casually— well, mostly Rachel did the talking— and that was it. There was no reverence there. Rachel didn’t assign Sally with any responsibilities. There was no favors to be asked, and no requests made. They just spoke to each other.

And Sally enjoyed their talks.

Especially when she heard all about Rachel’s plan to befriend a Centinel. Now, did Sally think it was a bit of a ridiculous idea? Yes. But that was only because of the memories she shared with the original Salvos.

And for Sally, those memories were more like dreams. They weren’t vivid. But instead, they were vague moments that she sometimes found her thoughts drifting towards. Otherwise, they weren’t that important to her.

So she found herself believing in Rachel’s plan— hoping that it would work. And Sally almost thought that it was working. After all, she recognized one of the Centinels returning again and again to listen to Rachel speak.

And while Sally didn’t understand anything these lower-leveled Centinels said— despite her Level 2 [Universal Language Comprehension]— there was almost an intelligent glint in the eyes of the Centinel that returned to listen to Rachel.

Unfortunately, that moment of seeming intimacy between Rachel and that Centinel was interrupted as an [Ancient Centinel] arrived on the scene. Unlike an ordinary Centinel which chittering voices sounded like nothing more than a mindless babble, Sally could actually comprehend what an [Ancient Centinel] said. That was why she recoiled say she heard the booming voice of the giant monster.

“YOU—”

The [Ancient Centinel] bellowed as Sally tensed. Even though she knew the barrier separating them was nigh impenetrable, it was still intimidating to see such a massive creature up close. 

And while Sally knew she would easily emerge victorious in a battle if they had to fight, that didn’t make facing down an [Ancient Centinel] any less daunting.

However, that might be because she understood what it was saying. Because unlike Sally, Rachel was completely ununphased.

“I WILL CRUSH YOU FOR TALKING TO ME YOU PUNY—”

“Did your friends call you over here to meet me? That’s nice of them.”

Rachel simply smiled in the face of the [Ancient Centinel]. Even Sally couldn’t help but be impressed by the young girl’s nonchalance.

Now, the question was— was Rachel just pretending to put on a brave face? Or was she truly unafraid of the Centinels? 

“MY FRIENDS? I HAVE NO FRIENDS! MY LOYALTY LIES ONLY TO MY PROGENITOR— SHE WHO GAVE LIFE TO ME AND ALLOWED ME TO WALK ON THIS EARTH! SO DO NOT TALK TO ME ABOUT FRIENDS..”

Each time the [Ancient Centinel] spoke, it came out like a thundering chittering— a cacophonous clicking of the mandibles. But Sally understood what was being conveyed.

Rachel, on the other hand, did not. And yet, she still continued talking as if she understood what the [Ancient Centinel] was talking about. 

“But you know, you shouldn’t have scared away your friends. I want to talk to them too.”

The young girl said as she glanced over at the other Centinels that had previously been gathered there, cowering away in fear. 

The [Ancient Centinel] almost seemed to scoff as it looked towards a [Junior Centinel] and moved to crush it with one of its many limbs.

“I TOLD YOU, THEY ARE NOT MY FRIENDS!”

Rachel blinked, then her eyes widened as she watched the [Junior Centinel] explode into a muffled squelch of blood and bits as it was smashed by the [Ancient Centinel]. 

Sally was just surprised that the [Ancient Centinel] actually understood what she was saying.

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

Rachel exclaimed, pointing at the [Ancient Centinel]. Sally hesitated as she piped up from the side.

“Um, I don’t know if it’s a good idea to lecture an [Ancient Centinel]...”

But Rachel shook her head, pointing emphatically at the giant monster.

“But we can’t just let him… her?”

“Him.”

Sally corrected Rachel. The young girl nodded, before facing the [Ancient Centinel] again.

“We can’t just let him do that! That’s wrong! That’s his friend!”

“PUNY HUMAN! I TOLD YOU THEY ARE NOT MY FRIENDS!”

And as the [Ancient Centinel] bellowed, he squished a nearby [Senior Centinel] with his tail. Sally pursed her lips as she glanced back at Rachel.

“Well, he’s saying they aren’t his friends… which is a fair point. I mean, I’m you’re not friends with every Human you meet, right?”

“That’s true. But—”

Rachel nodded, then paused. Her eyes went round as she gaped at Sally.

“Wait, you can understand him?”

“Of course! I have [Universal Language Comprehension], remember?”

Sally scoffed, and Rachel placed a hand on her chin.

“As expected— that’s amazing! Wait, so that means you can tell me everything he’s saying, right? Can you translate everything he says for me?”

The young girl looked up at the Salvos clone excitedly. Sally hesitated, eyeing the [Ancient Centinel] and listening to its screeching.

“I WILL RIP YOU LIMB BY LIMB THEN FEAST ON YOUR ENTRAILS!”

The [Ancient Centinel] bellowed as it eyed Rachel. And she waited expectantly to hear Sally’s translation. 

“I, um, don’t know if I should—”

Sally scratched the back of her head. Rachel stepped forward insistently.

“Come on, please? Tell me what he’s saying!”

And after a few minutes of pestering, Sally finally acquiesced to the young girl.

“He’s saying… he wants to kill you?”

“Huh.”

Rachel took a step back and frowned. She wrinkled her brows, then crossed her arms.

“That’s not very nice.”

“Yep…”

Sally agreed with a small nod. Rachel pointed at the [Ancient Centinel] who was banging on the barrier as she spoke to Sally.

“Tell him that’s not very nice!”

“He can understand you.”

The Salvos clone explained simply. Rachel faced the [Ancient Centinel], repeating herself.

“That’s not very nice.”

“I DON’T CARE! I WILL KILL ALL HUMANS! KILL ALL HUMANS!”

“What’s he saying now?”

Rachel asked, and Sally pursed her lips. She was realizing now that she was going to have to translate everything the [Ancient Centinel] said. And the Salvos clone relented to this fate.

“He’s saying he will kill all Humans—”

***

The sun was beginning to set overhead as Rachel continued to converse with the [Ancient Centinel]. Well, it was less of a conversation, and more of a long lecture. 

“...like, I get it, sometimes killing is necessary! But there’s more to life than death! I mean, sure, death is the end path for all of us— or most of us…”

Rachel paused as she eyed Sally. Then the young girl shook her head, looking back at the [Ancient Centinel].

“But what happens when you kill everything, huh? What will you do after everything is dead? Will you be happy? Will you kill yourself? What will you do?”

She pressed the [Ancient Centinel] for answers. And then she waited to hear what he would say in response from the Salvos clone. A loud chittering came, before Sally translated what was said.

“He’s saying that he doesn’t know and he doesn’t care. He just wants to kill you.”

The Salvos clone spoke bluntly. And Rachel sighed, plopping onto the ground. She crossed her legs, staring at the [Ancient Centinel] almost disappointedly. 

“Nothing I said got through to him, huh?”

For a moment, it almost looked like she wanted to give up. But then she jumped back to her feet and resolved herself.

“That just means I have to try harder to befriend him!”

“...I’m not sure if that’s the right conclusion you should get from this.”

Sally muttered under her breath as her flames flickered. Rachel looked towards the Salvos clone.

“We should start from the basics— let’s ask him for his name!”

“You can speak with him yourself, remember?”

“Right— what’s your name?”

Rachel asked as she faced the [Ancient Centinel]. In response, she got a terrifying screech.

“He doesn’t have a name, and he doesn’t care to get a name.”

Sally translated. And Rachel furrowed her brows.

“Well, I don’t care if he doesn’t want a name. I’m naming him… Centino!”

The [Ancient Centinel] paused. Sally stared judgingly at the young girl. Rachel’s shoulders sagged.

“Um, alright, that’s a bad name, I guess?”

“Almost as bad of a name as Centina.”

Sally snorted. And Rachel tapped a finger on her chin. 

“What about Cens? Or Tinny?”

“What about a non-Centinel themed name?”

“Fair.”

Rachel pondered over it for a moment longer, before snapping her fingers. She pointed at the [Ancient Centinel] and beamed.

“What about Dan? Short for Daniel— because you’re so grumpy and boring!”

Sally burst out laughing when she heard that. The [Ancient Centinel] just stared almost quizzically at Rachel.

“Dan’s a good name.”

“I agree.”

Sally nodded. And Rachel stuck her tongue out at the [Ancient Centinel].

“Boring Dan! Grumpy Dan!”

The [Ancient Centinel] hissed at that, before drawing back. Rachel blinked as she watched Dan burrow back into the ground and disappear from view.

“Hey, wait— I was kidding!”

Rachel called out and raised a hand. But Dan was gone. The [Ancient Centinel] must have gotten offended and left. 

The young girl deflated.

“Was I too mean?”

She asked, turning to Sally. The Salvos clone just shrugged.

“Dunno. Dan didn’t say anything before he left.”

“I see.”

Rachel chewed on her lower lip. Then she sighed and began to pack up the mat and picnic basket. 

“Well, I guess we’re done for today. I wonder if Dan will come back tomorrow.”

Sally didn’t respond. Instead, her gaze was fixated at something moving outside of the barrier. Rachel glanced back, looking in the same direction. And from a nearby bush, a Centinel emerged, scurrying up to the barrier.

“That’s… the [Older Centinel] from earlier!”

Rachel’s eyes went round. It was the very same one that showed up every day— that she recognized and almost named earlier. The [Older Centinel] clicked its mandibles as it reached the barrier.

“Were you there the whole time? Were you waiting to come back to talk to me?”

And as Rachel asked the question, the [Older Centinel] bashed into the barrier. It began trying to claw its way in like any ordinary Centinel, and the young girl frowned.

“Aw. Is that a no? What’s it saying?”

Rachel asked, looking towards Sally. The Salvos clone just shook her head.

“Ordinary Centinels don’t speak. Look, listen to the difference in how they click their mandibles.”

“Huh.”

Rachel tilted her head back. She narrowed her eyes.

“I think I hear it?”

She wasn’t exactly sure. So she knelt down and tried to listen more carefully. It was hard to discern, but there was almost a hollowness to how the Centinel’s mandibles clicked.

“Well, I don’t care if you can’t speak. I can still speak to you, and you’re nice since you waited to see me.”  

Rachel glanced back at Sally.

“Is he a guy or a girl?”

“It’s a guy. But I don’t know if it makes sense to assign it a—”

Sally started. But Rachel continued talking to the [Older Centinel].

“What about I call you Eddie?”

The Salvos clone paused.

“Eddie? Like from Edithe?”

Rachel nodded.

“That’s right! I think it’s fitting! Unlike Dan, Eddie is not grumpy!”

The young girl explained her thought process. Sally folded her arms, realizing something.

“Hey, wait. Dan, Eddie, and Sally. You’re really bad at giving out names, huh? You’re just recycling names you’ve heard before!”

“But they are good names, aren’t they?”

Rachel’s eyes glinted as she grinned back at Sally. The Salvos clone paused, before admitting.

“You’re right. They are good names. I like my name.”

“And what about you, Eddie? Do you like your name?”

The young girl asked the [Older Centinel] with a smile. He clicked his mandibles together. And her ears twitched as her eyes widened. 

“Yes.”

“...what?”

Rachel blinked a few times, staring at the [Older Centinel]. She rubbed her ears a few times as she looked down at the monster. A look of confusion crossed her face as she stared at Eddie for a moment.

“Did I just imagine that?”

She asked herself. But as she turned to face Sally, she saw the Salvos clone staring at Eddie with a bewildered gaze. And immediately after that, Rachel got her answer.

Skill [Passive - Advanced Language Comprehension] Learned! 

More experience is awarded for the learning of a rare Skill!

Class [Mystical Assassin] Level Up!

[Mystical Assassin – Lvl. 71] -> [Mystical Assassin – Lvl. 72]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points

Class [Mystical Assassin] Level Up!

[Mystical Assassin – Lvl. 72] -> [Mystical Assassin – Lvl. 73]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points

“Huh.”

And Rachel knew her plan was… working.

Author's Notes:

What thonk?

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