don't wait for a knight in shinin' armor, your savior's reflected in the mirror

[perpend]

[That sure was a fucking thing. That execution was a fucking thing. Those secrets are a fucking thing.

Cabanela retreats to his room, but not for all that long. Everyone will get a note eventually, written in very neat handwriting

I do not plan on bowing down to threats and intimidation. If you did not act, it means you were, like me, aware of the risk, but decided against it. Your reasons are entirely your own.

Join me in the dining room if you agree enough is enough, and that you won't acquiesce to threats. I don't plan to let this stop me, and neither should you.

-C

In the dining room itself, Cabanela has set up coffee and tea for those who want it-- there's no food, because to be honest, he doesn't know how to cook. Two more candles have been lit-- he wasn't really sure what to do about the whole... parasite thing... so Fern's candle will have to make due.]

Comments

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ She smiles back. ]

Congratulations.

[heritrix]

I've always been proud of that, but after a day like this it's difficult.

[didntgetdadslooks]

Are there... other mages, you get to talk to? I mean, I assume so, but.

[heritrix]

[Just the opposite.]

Not at all. I communicate with ones that live abroad somewhat regularly for important matters, but that's it.

[Well, ignoring her most recent canon.]

[didntgetdadslooks]

Ah. So how do you... learn magic, then? Assuming your magic is a thing you... learn.

[heritrix]

There's various ways, between certain techniques and books that were left behind for me by my father, who was my first teacher. Kirei was my second teacher, though I surpassed him quickly.

[didntgetdadslooks]

Books and teachers... [ If those existed for Sirens, then maybe... ] How many Mages are there, do you think?

[heritrix]

[...why does she sound so surprised by books and teachers? Rin tilts her head, obviously thrown by that, but considers the question.]

Thousands, most likely? It's hard to say. The Mage's Association would have a better estimate, but they're headquartered in London. Japan is considered backwater by western countries, and comparatively fewer magi practice there. I live in a large city, but of those who have my family's permission to be there it's only myself, Kirei, and one other family. Oh, and one magic user I only learned about recently.

To put better numbers to it, in a city of several hundred thousand, I can count on one hand the number of magi I know.

[didntgetdadslooks]

Huh. There's... only six of what I am in the whole universe, so... it's nice to hear that things like that happen in other universes.

[heritrix]

Only six?

[didntgetdadslooks]

Mmhm. When one Siren dies, the next girl born becomes the next one. That's what these tattoos mean.

[ Gestures to her sweet tats. ]

That's what these mean. They appear when your powers... wake up.

[heritrix]

[Her eyes widen with—understanding? Or something approaching it.]

Like a Magic Crest passed down through reincarnation. But it's transferring only the power, and not the knowledge...

[She scoots up in her seat, leaning forward just a little to peer more closely at Angel's tattoos, if she'll let her. Not touching, because that's rude, but... Yeah, this is really elaborate.]

[didntgetdadslooks]

And every Siren's powers are different, so there's no real way to pass the knowledge along. You just have to figure it out yourself, before... someone else does for you.

[heritrix]

Even the one who died before you had a different ability?

[And before someone else figures it out for you... Given what Angel told her last week, Rin can gather the implications of that.]

[didntgetdadslooks]

Honestly? I don't know. Most Sirens stay out of the public eye. Our powers are easy to... exploit.

[heritrix]

It's the same with mages, but we carefully leave things behind for our successors...

[She's looking a little frustrated now, actually. Not at Angel, but this lack of organization in general. Angel makes it sound like being a Siren is rare, so it shouldn't even be that hard.

As she's saying this, though, Rin rolls up the sleeve of her left arm to demonstrates what she means. At first the skin looks bare, but a moment later, and lines begin to form, etched on all sides of her forearm from the length of her wrist, to her elbow. Like an intricate, glowing tattoo. Because if you have powers, you have to have weird lines on your body I guess.]

Things like this. This is one of the various methods for passing down knowledge that I spoke of.

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Seeing that... it's different, sure, she knows that, but it's still so familiar, she can't help but smile. ]

We kind of match.

[heritrix]

[It's worth noting the glow isn't coming from Rin's skin, but rather underneath it. Something further within. It's also not as complete as it is in the linked image. About 1/5 of it is missing, closer to the elbow, like a chunk taken out of a puzzle.]

A little bit, yeah.

[Rin smiles, holding her arm across herself. It's why she decided to show Angel, actually.]

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Hi Rin, welcome to Angel Is At Ease. ]

I... I've seen other Sirens, but I've never really talked to them. So even if it's different... this is reallycool.

[heritrix]

[Ignoring that one time at school, this is the first time she's ever shown anyone her Crest. Rin's going to be in a lot of trouble when she gets home, but this feels special for now.]

What is it that you can do? You said Sirens all have a unique power.