snowblindrpg | [network] @ADMIN; Obituary [DAY 186]

[ She looks at him in surprise for a moment. ]

What...what language is that? [ She had heard that phrase a few times back home and is curious.

As for his other comment, she smiles. ]

Well, "hello" is usually a good way to start. Although, Gnome's a little informal, so "hi" might work for him.

[ La la la. ]

It's French. It means 'that's life.'

Never thought just a standard greeting would work. There isn't some elaborate ritual greeting with a fancy dance?

"French." Zelos used to say things in that language all the time. He always said one that meant "Whatever will be, will be." [ She gives John a searching look. ] This is the second time I've encountered languages that were spoken on both my world and here. I wonder if the humans on my world came from here.

[ Hey, if elves can come from space, why not humans? ]

Well... [ She chuckles sheepishly. ] I was taught to greet them in a formal manner, but when I got to Gnome, he didn't want to have anything to do with the "stuffy language". But now, after making the pacts, anyone I introduce them to just needs to be polite and respectful.

[ Which is really all they want. ]

As for the fancy dance... I guess I and my friends did that when we fought them.

[John's beginning to wonder, himself.]

Or it might be some sort of cosmic resonance. We've got all sorts of different versions of Earth represented here, after all.

And, sorry... you danced to fight the spirits?

[ Sheena, though, has another theory. ]

Well...what if people from this world actually traveled to mine the same way the elves did? There are no records of how humans came to be back home, so it's possible, right?

[ She shakes her head. ]

Not exactly--although Zelos looks like he's dancing whenever he's in battle. But that's what I was referring to. [ She was trying for a metaphor. Whoops. ]

It was so I could show the Spirits my heart. I might have had the right to make the pact, but that didn't mean they would automatically agree to it.

[ She looks away to hide the pain in her eyes. There had been one who had needed extra convincing. ]

It's possible, yeah.

[Maybe it's even probable. John's no physicist or expert on Sheena's universe, certainly. It makes as much sense as anything else... which is to say, very little of it all makes sense.

In any case, she's looking a little sad now. John shifts topics.]

You have a very interesting world from the sound of it. Wouldn't mind visiting sometime if we get the chance after this.

[ Sheena's not much of an expert, either, but the things she's seen in her lifetime makes her believe that her theory is more than probable.

And she's going to share part of the story with John.

She gives him that impish look, grateful for the change in topic. ]

You have no idea. Right now--if we do get the chance--it's fairly easy to travel from place to place. But what if I told it wasn't because the world used to be be split in two?

Split in two how? [John raises a brow.] Not... physically, you mean?

[ She gives him a rather sheepish nod. ]

That's exactly what I mean. The two warring kingdoms were split apart--literally and made into two new worlds hidden from each other for about 4000 years.

[ Yep. Her world is very fascinating. ]

I'm guessing a lot of magic was involved here?

[ She nodded. ]

A lot of magic is right. The Eternal Sword was made by Origin--the Ruler of the Summon Spirits--and can cut through both Time and Space.

Mithos used it to separate the world into two, and Lloyd used it to recombine them.

[That's a lot of words that mean nothing to him when strung together. Except...]

Sorry. You have Sheena, Mithos, and Lloyd?

[Says John Watson, a man from a world hosting Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes.]

[ Seriously? Ruler of the Summon Spirits is beaten out by the names...? ]

Yeah. Those are our names. Why? What's wrong with that?

[ She see absolutely nothing strange about this, you know. ]

Nothing wrong with them it's just... one of these ones is not like the other, y'know? Lloyd just sounds so normal.

Well... Wouldn't "normal" depend upon your point of view, though? I mean, I know two brothers from my village whose names--Orochi and Kuchinawa--both mean "snake" in the Old Language.

And those aren't even their real names. Just as "Sheena" isn't my real name, either.

It's not? [Wait. But Sheena turns up in the Obituaries as, well... 'Sheena.'] What is?

[ She shakes her head. ]

No it isn't. It's a tradition in my village to have two first names: one known to everyone and one only known to certain people. [ She tilts her head a moment before leaning over to whisper in his ear. ]

That's my real first name.

[His brows jump up, and then John offers her a smile.]

It's very pretty. Why the tradition, though?

[ Sheena's smile is shy in return. ]

There aren't too many people who know that. As for why the tradition? I'm not sure, but I can guess. Ninja are secretive and remain hidden--even when out in public. Normally, we'd try to blend in when on a mission, but for those times when we don't--we still have that one secret that no one knows.

Our name.

[ She chuckles. ]

Sounds kind of arrogant, doesn't it?

Arrogant? Nah.

[John turns toward her and reaches up to brush Sheena's bangs behind her ear.]

I think it's clever. There are fairy tales where I'm from about creatures who can control you if they know your real name. If it's a secret, they can't. You'll always have a piece of yourself that's yours if you don't share that around. It reminds you who you are, even when you're pretending to be someone else for your missions.

[ Sheena smiles shyly as he brushes her bangs back before shaking her head slightly. ]

We don't have stories like that--or magic like that. But I can see the reasoning behind it. It's scary losing yourself to another power that you can't control. [ She had seen it happen to Colette, and the girl's reaction when she had been freed. Tilting her head, she smiles appreciatively. ]

Not too many people understand that; and the way you put it sounds even better. [ She gives him a knowing smile. ] I'm guessing you read a lot of those stories?

Fairy tales? [He offers her a rueful smile.] When I was a kid, yeah. Hadn't really thought about them for a long time until they came up in one of my cases with Sherlock.

[ She nods in response to his question. ] Did any of those tales have any basis in legends or myths of your world? [ Which had happened on her world. ] And how were they used in one of your cases?

I wouldn't say they were based in myths. Fairy tales are cautionary in my world. There's one called Little Red Riding Hood about a girl who goes into the forest and strays off the path when a wolf calls to her. It's a story meant to keep children from talking to strangers when they're alone.

There was a man named Moriarty who was using fairy tales as a framing device for his crimes. He fancied himself the story-teller and Sherlock and I were characters he was writing into different roles... different corners. [John glances over toward his friend.]

Mr. Moriarty made up a lie--a fairy tale--and fed it to the people around us. It ended up destroying Sherlock's reputation. [He shrugs one shoulder.] Not something I really want to talk about, though, if that's all right. You should try to get some rest, anyway. As much as you can.

[ She shakes her head. ]

You don't have to. I've seen what can happen with false tales and rumors about someone can do. [ She smiles. ] I will, however, ask you about some of those other tales, but not now.

We're going to have to be leaving soon and I should get ready for that. Thanks for talking to me, John.

[ She gives him a sad smile before standing and moving off to "get ready" and keep her mind off certain things. ]

[network] @ADMIN; Obituary [DAY 186]

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Think we can wrap this up? Trying to clear up some of our older threads.

No problem! Can do it with this tag! :D