A talk by a lake.

Ne Mogu Vjerovati Da Nije Shitpost™! (I Can’t Believe It’s Not A Shitpost™!)

[Image description note: Because nearly all dialogue is in Croatian, alt text only describes the visuals.]

2023/08/17

Fade in: lakeside, light dusk. Basil and Aubrey stand over the water's edge, talking; calm, if (at least on Basil’s end) uneasy.
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Basil: Bez brige, bez brige!!
Basil: Sve je… more ispod most.

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Basil: No worries, no worries!!
Basil: Everything is… sea under the bridge.

“Water under the bridge” is not a Croatian idiom. Basil using it anyway is intentional.

First two panels: Aubrey and Basil framed, separately, like polaroid pictures. Thalassophobia sets in around Basil as he trails off, increasingly tense. Silent beat, neither facing the other. Then Aubrey starts talking, uncertain, but so does Basil, with an abrupt clap.
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Basil: …Ne. More.
Basil: Mnogo… vode....

Aubrey: Slušaj, Basile—
Basil: Iako! Sve nije loše!

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Basil: …No. Sea.
Basil: A lot… of water....

Aubrey: Listen, Basil—
Basil: Although! All is not bad!

Basil explains, gesturing widely. There’s a moment where he remembers, mid-sentence, splashing violently thrown into the lake, and the picture’s chaotic scribbles bleed over the edge slightly. Aubrey looks at him with narrowed eyes, saying nothing—but Basil puts his hand on her arm and smiles, bright as ever. Although she nudges him off, they’re both grinning at the end, with Aubrey returning a playful jab to his shoulder. He doesn’t quite get what she’s asking him, but oh well.
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Basil: Znaš, kao Sunnyov[1] priće!
Aubrey: Sunnyeve[1]… što?
Basil: Prića! Ima big— uh, veliko more. More zauvijeka.

Basil: I da, jest zastrašujući…

Basil: Ali! Isto je duboko!

Aubrey: … Duboka[2]— čekaj, / Bio li je kalambur?
Basil: Možda~? (What’s a “kalambur”…?)

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Basil: Y’know, like Sunny’s story!
Aubrey: Sunny’s… what?
Basil: Story! It has a big— uh, big[ in Croatian] sea. Sea of forever.

Basil: And yes, it is terrifying…

Basil: But! It is also deep!

Aubrey: … [‘Deep’-but-corrected]— wait, / Was that a pun?
Basil: Maybe~? (What’s a “[Croatian word for ‘pun’]”…?)

[1] Unintentional error at first, left Basil’s uncorrected on purpose.

[2] Corrected with the assumption Basil is describing Sunny’s story as deep (prića, duboka). He is, alternatively, talking about the sea—or, less explicitly, prijateljstvo.

As a final footnote, during my translation misadventures I have discovered several words that are apparently super uncommon. Kalambur may or may not be one of those words, but for flow’s sake it’s just used without hesitation. Basil’s ending question was a winged addition, anyway.