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estiroseThe main character here is Marie Brown, who originated in a Power Rangers Dino Thunder fic and kind of became an author avatar. Her main consistent trait throughout the universes she shows up in is that she's pyrokinetic. The cameos are Leo, a High School AU version of Fudou Leo from GARO Makai Senki, and Nezumi, who comes out of an odd Kamen Rider Blade futurefic.
“So, does anybody have any stories to tell?” Wataru asked, looking from one group to another. Being a host was certainly awkward, to say the least. “Since we're here, and this is a place of stories. Little ones, sometimes.”
“Maybe I can tell one,” a woman said. She could be Hope's older twin sister, from her looks. An asian teenager was curled up by her side, and she'd obviously been discussing things with the young man, also asian, beside her. “Leo's been wanting more stories about what it is to be a fire mage, anyway.”
“And the fact that Marie's a fire mage is so cool,” the girl beside her squeed.
“This is Nezumi, apparently she's my girlfriend in another universe?” She sounded so much like Hope that Wataru had to blink for a moment, and wondered if it was another arranged relationship like hers.
–
I am a mage of fire. My gift was found late; normally, one's magic flares in their teens, not their thirties. For me, it was also diffficult, because starting to learn magic at age 34 is very, very hard.
But we, the mages of destruction, are very hardy. We have to be, for we are the ones fighting for ourselves and others. Fire mages destroy those who would threaten humankind, and there are more monsters than you might think out there. All those folktales and myths? Not all are true, but they are based on monsters that exist. There are no onryo, for example, and the best known story was the result of a monster imitating one of its victims that had lost her master's plate.
I have fought those who like to imitate those forlorn, hostile ghosts. We call them the onryo, just because it confuses those not in the know, and gives us a point of reference. I hate those who imitate the spirits of the dead to draw in the living, and I specialize in fighting them. This makes me popular. I've been all over the world, fighting those who pretend to be ghosts.
The one that I think about the most is the one of Sarah Winchester. Her story is somewhat well-known; she was the heir to the Winchester fortune, thought that the spirits of those killed by the rifle were after her, so she built this bizarre house outside San Jose. We don't think that she was actually haunted, just supersitious.
But the monster pretending to be her ghost? That was definitely something to be concerned about. I remember being fascinated by the story when I was a kid, which was one of the reasons I eagerly volunteered to face the monster. It fed by absorbing negative human emotions, especially fear, and worked as a sort of poltergeist to keep the tourists coming. That wouldn't be so bad if some of them hadn't died. When humans start dying, mages step in.
It's hard to get permission to stay overnight in the mansion, but the organization that handles mages is old and powerful. I came in as an assistant to one of us who likes to play psychic. She did have some talent with Foresight, but she knew that I was the real hunter here, not her.
I don't like fighting in old houses, I might add, too much history to destroy things in them. And I'd actually liked the mansion when I'd toured as a teen. It was bizarre, but beautiful. But Sarah Winchester had almost never showed her face outside her mansion in life, and this monster was more than happy to stay where she was rumored to be seen.
Still, even if the battle itself was a blur to me, I'm happy to say that the mansion remained intact – mostly – and the monster was gone. Maybe some other monster will take up residence there. I don't know. I won't care unless I have to go fight again. Assuming the organization convinces the maintainers of the mansion to ever let me on the grounds after that. Oops.
It was one battle. One of many I'll have before I die, probably fighting something intent on hurting innocents. But because of my own personal interests, it's the one I remember most.
The one I hope to never have to repeat, but I probably will, because that is what my life is, now.
“So, does anybody have any stories to tell?” Wataru asked, looking from one group to another. Being a host was certainly awkward, to say the least. “Since we're here, and this is a place of stories. Little ones, sometimes.”
“Maybe I can tell one,” a woman said. She could be Hope's older twin sister, from her looks. An asian teenager was curled up by her side, and she'd obviously been discussing things with the young man, also asian, beside her. “Leo's been wanting more stories about what it is to be a fire mage, anyway.”
“And the fact that Marie's a fire mage is so cool,” the girl beside her squeed.
“This is Nezumi, apparently she's my girlfriend in another universe?” She sounded so much like Hope that Wataru had to blink for a moment, and wondered if it was another arranged relationship like hers.
–
I am a mage of fire. My gift was found late; normally, one's magic flares in their teens, not their thirties. For me, it was also diffficult, because starting to learn magic at age 34 is very, very hard.
But we, the mages of destruction, are very hardy. We have to be, for we are the ones fighting for ourselves and others. Fire mages destroy those who would threaten humankind, and there are more monsters than you might think out there. All those folktales and myths? Not all are true, but they are based on monsters that exist. There are no onryo, for example, and the best known story was the result of a monster imitating one of its victims that had lost her master's plate.
I have fought those who like to imitate those forlorn, hostile ghosts. We call them the onryo, just because it confuses those not in the know, and gives us a point of reference. I hate those who imitate the spirits of the dead to draw in the living, and I specialize in fighting them. This makes me popular. I've been all over the world, fighting those who pretend to be ghosts.
The one that I think about the most is the one of Sarah Winchester. Her story is somewhat well-known; she was the heir to the Winchester fortune, thought that the spirits of those killed by the rifle were after her, so she built this bizarre house outside San Jose. We don't think that she was actually haunted, just supersitious.
But the monster pretending to be her ghost? That was definitely something to be concerned about. I remember being fascinated by the story when I was a kid, which was one of the reasons I eagerly volunteered to face the monster. It fed by absorbing negative human emotions, especially fear, and worked as a sort of poltergeist to keep the tourists coming. That wouldn't be so bad if some of them hadn't died. When humans start dying, mages step in.
It's hard to get permission to stay overnight in the mansion, but the organization that handles mages is old and powerful. I came in as an assistant to one of us who likes to play psychic. She did have some talent with Foresight, but she knew that I was the real hunter here, not her.
I don't like fighting in old houses, I might add, too much history to destroy things in them. And I'd actually liked the mansion when I'd toured as a teen. It was bizarre, but beautiful. But Sarah Winchester had almost never showed her face outside her mansion in life, and this monster was more than happy to stay where she was rumored to be seen.
Still, even if the battle itself was a blur to me, I'm happy to say that the mansion remained intact – mostly – and the monster was gone. Maybe some other monster will take up residence there. I don't know. I won't care unless I have to go fight again. Assuming the organization convinces the maintainers of the mansion to ever let me on the grounds after that. Oops.
It was one battle. One of many I'll have before I die, probably fighting something intent on hurting innocents. But because of my own personal interests, it's the one I remember most.
The one I hope to never have to repeat, but I probably will, because that is what my life is, now.
