[network] @ADMIN; Obituary [DAY 186]

[snowblindmods]

We mourn the loss of those who have died in the time between the last announcement and this one:

Squall Leonhart
Alphonse Elric
Edward Elric

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[ninjainviolet]

[ 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. ]

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[jumpthegun]

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

[ninjainviolet]

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.

[jumpthegun]

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

[ninjainviolet]

[ 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.

[jumpthegun]

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

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

[ninjainviolet]

[ 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?

[jumpthegun]

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.

[ninjainviolet]

[ 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?

[jumpthegun]

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.

[ninjainviolet]

[ 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?

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

[jumpthegun]

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.

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

[ninjainviolet]

[ 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. ]