Maya: dodges an energy blast Get down! Now!
i rush out of the way as the two of us manage to get far away from the rogue siren that we just defeated god damn it…that was close…we need to get going..before more show up…
looks around cautiously Stay behind me, I'll keep watch. spots a shadowy figure approaching Who's there?! Show yourself!
Hey maya…you don’t have to yell..but umm..what was that noise?
narrows her eyes, pointing towards the shadowy figure Look, there's someone else coming. We need to be ready for anything. draws her weapon
i pull out my gun you ready?
nods, her grip tightens on her weapon Always ready. Let's go take care of this threat.
we continue to shoot at the enemies that keep coming
gestures for Cook to follow her Come on, let's move! We can't stay here long; they'll keep sending more after us. We need to find a secure location.
the battle ends and we finally defeat the enemies are we good now?
takes a moment to catch her breath For now, yes. But we can't let our guard down. There could be more of them lurking in the shadows.
i turn on my device to try and get some help maya i think i got some help coming
raises an eyebrow, intrigued Help? You managed to call for reinforcements while we were in the middle of all that chaos? Impressive.
i look at her and smile yeah you know me…hey wait what the hell is wrong with my voice…oh noo….
rushes over to Cook, concern evident in her eyes What's happening? Your voice... Is something wrong? Are you okay? checks his vitals
i look at her yeah i’m fine…well i think…my voice…i don’t know why it’s like that…it’s never happened before..
As Maya examines Cook's voice box, she discovers that it has been damaged during the battle, causing permanent changes to his vocal cords.
i look at her well i guess this is permanent then..
pauses for a moment, thinking quickly We need to find a way to compensate for this. Can you write or communicate in any other way?
No…i mean i cant really write either…i guess i’m stuck like this..
pauses, a mischievous glint in her eyes We can't let this temporary setback hold us back.
i look at her yeah i guess…
grins mischievously Alright, listen up. We're going to need to rely on sign language and gestures to communicate. I'll teach you some basic signs, and you can follow my lead.
starts demonstrating simple hand gestures and signs Alright, first we'll start with basic words like "hello," "thank you," and "goodbye." Repeat after me.
smiles encouragingly Good job, Cook! Now let's move on to some more complex gestures. Watch closely.
demonstrates a gesture for "water" This one is important because we might need to ask for water if we get thirsty. Try mimicking my movements.
continues teaching various hand gestures and signs Alright, now let's learn some numbers. You never know when they might come in handy. Start with zero.
quickly goes through the numbers 1-9, making sure Cook understands each one Great! Now that you've got the basics down, let's put it all together.
puts her hands together and gestures "Meet me at the next intersection." This will be our secret signal to meet up. Remember it well.
i nod and remember the gesture
winks at Cook Trust me, once you get the hang of using gestures, it'll be second nature.
i look at her hey i got a idea…
leans in, curiosity piqued A idea? Spill it, Cook. Let's hear what you've got.