Text || Curses

[catsgothistongue]

Type: Text
Sender ID: Anonymous (Ranma Saotome)
To: Public
Subject: Breaking Curses 101
Warnings: N/A so far, will be updated as necessary.

[So guess who finally figured out you can hide your User ID on the network? He's been here a few months now, and with this being anonymous, he finally felt comfortable to try taking suggestions publicly.]

Does anyone here have experiences with curses and or knowledge on how to break them? Asking for a friend.

[That friend is him, he's the friend.]

Comments

un: headless ragdoll

[matermali]

What manner of curse?

[catsgothistongue]

The kind that changes you into something you don't want to become.

[matermali]

The body, or the mind?

[catsgothistongue]

Body. The mind still stays the same as their original form.

[matermali]

Who cast the curse?

[catsgothistongue]

No one did. They got it from falling into a spring that was cursed. Whoever fell into one of them would be cursed to take the shape of whatever drowned there centuries ago whenever they're doused with water.

[matermali]

Where are these springs, then? Perhaps they can be purified.

[catsgothistongue]

Back in China. In my world, at least. Don't know if purifying them works or if that even removes the curses.

[matermali]

Excluding the source of the curse makes this seem a nigh impossible task.

Though, I have seen the impossible made possible more than once.

There is little more advice I can offer without meeting this person and better understanding how this magic works.

[catsgothistongue]

[...]

Do you really gotta meet with them and see for yourself? Can't I just tell you how it works?

[matermali]

You speak as though curses are problems to be solved like simple arithmetic.

Magic is not something to merely be explained. It must be felt. Known. Were the source within grasp, then that would garner my attention first, but as you have mentioned, that is no option.

Even with every bit of knowledge to one's favor, some curses simply cannot be conquered. They can have a life of their own. Yet you expect someone to understand it through your written word alone?

A tall order.

[catsgothistongue]

[Give him a minute Vanessa, he's currently giving the longest sigh a grumpy teen could possibly muster. Why did he think it'd be that easy? It takes him a minute, but he finally comes back to acquiesce.]

Alright, fair enough. You're the expert here, I guess. More than me to say the least.

[And he's gotten cursed multiple times at this point.]

Meet at the dock in Eltrut where all the ships dock.

[matermali]

I am no expert when it comes to breaking them, I assure you. As I've said, and I'm sure your friend has experienced, they are no trifling matter.

But if such a thing does prove beyond by ability, there are other ways I may be able to help until they find a more permanent solution.

I only say this so you understand I can make no promises.

If this is acceptable to you and your friend, then I shall meet you there, as you like.

[catsgothistongue]

At this point, I'll take just about anything I can get. Meet you there.

[Ranma would be long already at the pier, sitting on a crate swinging his legs back and forth. Given his raven-hair braided into a pigtail and the red silk shirt, he stood out clearly amongst all the sailor men leaving to and fro ships with cargo in tow. Sitting there patiently, waiting for any new arrivals that weren't going to the ships docked here.]

[matermali]

[ Names and appearance would have been wise to ask after, but Vanessa is one to follow instinct as much as anything else, and hers often come with a supernatural sense.

And there is, of course, the red. It does draw the eye.

On approach is a pale woman draped in a paler dress that trails behind her, with dark hair falling loose past her waist. The only sign of color is the light blue of her eyes, visible once closing the distance. Her steps fall silent even to the keenest ear, as though walking on air instead of a damp wood. Even her quiet breaths are slower—lesser—than most others milling about at this hour.

Once halted several feet away, her voice is low—creeping—but ought to be heard as easily as if she were standing just next to him. ]

You are the one in need? For your...friend?

[ She never thought there was a 'friend', but she has been surprised...countless times before. ]

[catsgothistongue]

[In retrospect, he should've asked for a descriptor or even a name too. Thought with the pale figure approaching, that might've not been necessary. The ghostly form juxtaposed the lively men full of fervor. When was the last time this lady had been in the sunlight, he mused to himself. For once actually clamming up, given this woman actually agreed to help.

The uncanniness didn't unnerve the martial artist, at most getting him to scratch the back of his head.]

Uh, yeah, that's me. The friend. [Still going to act coy about it. He gave a light wave.] Ranma Saotome. Appreciate you showing up...

[matermali]

[ It takes her a moment of consideration to recount which name she offers. ]

Vanessa Ives.

[ Naturally, she can't help but glance to the water spanning beyond the docks before returning her attention to him, walking closer to slowly scan.

A boy. A child, in her eyes, but anything she might think of this remains absent from her neutral expression.

No matter any other curiosities, only one focus is pertinent to her summoning. ]

The curse, then. Am I to better understand it here, or elsewhere?

[ Anonymity had seemed important, for some reason, and there is little privacy to be found here. ]

(1/2)

[catsgothistongue]

Straight to business, aren't you? [It wasn't like he wanted to waste time chitchatting either.] To be honest, I kind of just thought of this place in the spur of the moment since it's easier to meet in the middle ground.

[It might not be entirely private, but looking around, anyone else here were either minding their own business or hard at work concerning with boarding ships or delivering cargo. As long as neither of them attract unwanted attention, it should be fine. If they need to move somewhere else for Vanessa to do her part, they will.]

Besides, I need water to trigger the curse, and what better source of water is there than the pier? Just... Feast your eyes.

[With that dryly humorous tone and barely any other indicator of what he's going to do, he took a casual saunter over to the edge of the pier and kept walking. Right into falling straight down in the water with little fanfare.]

(2/2)

[treebornekettlegirl]

[Seconds later, hands grabbed the wood of the docks to pull up. Smaller, daintier ones at that. The reason for that being as Ranma returned out of the water. Not in the same shape as before. Every strand of raven-colored hair tied up in a braided pigtail had shifted to a crimson hue, he had lost nearly an entire foot of height, and most tellingly...

He was now a she. A girl.]

Ta-da...

[Ranma weakly waved her hands in a faux-performer manner like it was the grand performance of a magic show.]

sender id: verboaten

[verboaten]

Curses, yeah. Breaking them, no.

What sort of a curse is your friend talking about here?

[catsgothistongue]

The sort of curse that makes you transform into something you aren't supposed to be. Physically in this case.

[verboaten]

Those tend to not have easy fixes. Depending on what it is, breaking it may be more of a pain in the ass than it's actually worth.

[catsgothistongue]

You have no idea. I've tried just nearly everything, but they either turn out to be duds, deadends, or get ruined in some form. Wouldn't surprise me if the curse had something on it in order to maintain its existence, a mini-curse or assurance that breaking it will be a pain in the ass to do.

[matermali]

[ Well, that is not at all what she expected from such a curse. There's almost a touch of disappointment that he didn't turn into something monstrous. She has encountered a number of curses by now, but this one seems the most...benign. He should be glad he didn't suffer such a curse in Victorian London, but perhaps his own city and time is no kinder to women.

This world, at least, doesn't seem to have those constraints, but she can still see how this would be...troubling, especially with water all around.

She stares, yet to blink, then steps closer to hold out her hand. The memories may offer a clue that this one wouldn't have thought to mention. ]

Give me your hand.

[treebornekettlegirl]

[It's monstrous to him... And while not as bad as Victorian-era London's treatment of women, to say Ranma hadn't fair well with creeps and degenerates due to his curse would be an understatement, amongst other issues. By now, Ranma's almost a little relieved there wasn't an intense reaction or baffled stammers of 'what the hell' upon seeing him swap sexes. She blinked her eyes, a little confused by the request, but shrugged it off and held out her hand.]

You're the boss.