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The Watchers are being much more polite to Tamara nowadays. They've never precisely been rude to her, but they are very good at being quietly, politely and oh-so-Britishly unwelcoming. Irritating, but she can live with it if it means she can be a part of the Council. But now their normal tactics have scared off their precious Slayer, and Tamara's the one who convinced her not to bolt; Tamara is now their lead to the Slayer and as such, she's being treated like she's made of glass.
She finds that mildly irritating for a whole different set of reasons, but it's such an improvement over the alternative that she lets it be. She's very careful not to seem as though she's taking advantage of her new-found position. She demands nothing, and makes only a few careful, diffident suggestions. This will not last forever; no need to burn bridges.
And of course, whenever she receives an email from the Slayer, she responds promptly.
older_and_wiser
older_and_wiser
Talisman creation is not well understood, but as best we can tell they are created from some combination of emotional attachment and family history. No one has created one intentionally to my knowledge; witches inclined in that direction have historically used love potions. Do you have reason to believe there was a talisman maker?
Unless you suspect the talisman to be enchanted with additional protections, separate from its totemic properties, it will be safe to destroy. Fire is the standard for such cases; acid will suffice for most items that are not flammable. A trip to a volcano with a group of hobbits is not required.
Unless you suspect the talisman to be enchanted with additional protections, separate from its totemic properties, it will be safe to destroy. Fire is the standard for such cases; acid will suffice for most items that are not flammable. A trip to a volcano with a group of hobbits is not required.
cross_and_bow
The guy I got it from was not the first owner, according to him, so if they were made intentionally I'd want to apply to his brother, "apply" meaning "threaten with violence if he doesn't cut it out". No particular reason to believe it was made intentionally.
I'm fresh out of hobbits, so I'm glad my lighter will cut it.
Are there going to be any lingering effects on the affected girls?
She makes a little firebreak out of rocks and applies lighter to jacket.
I'm fresh out of hobbits, so I'm glad my lighter will cut it.
Are there going to be any lingering effects on the affected girls?
She makes a little firebreak out of rocks and applies lighter to jacket.
older_and_wiser
I'm not sure what effects you're curious about. Will they remember? Yes, they'll all remember, and remember how they felt at the time. Will they still care about him? Mostly not. Those who would have liked him anyway may not notice a difference, past wondering how they noticed him initially. Those who only found him appealing because of the talisman will be able to remember doing so, but with enough detachment to be confused. It will not linger in the sense that girls will continue to find him appealing magically, but their feelings may be clouded by their earlier memories. The more time a girl spent with him, the more likely that is.
I'm not sure I'm explaining that well. Does it make sense?
I'm not sure I'm explaining that well. Does it make sense?
cross_and_bow
Yeah. I have kind of a thing about mind control, and even if I didn't, he got my sister. She stopped finding him appealing when I was holding his jacket but if there was anything else I'd want to know about it.
On an only loosely related note I am about set for you to know where to find me and be more easily accessible.
On an only loosely related note I am about set for you to know where to find me and be more easily accessible.
older_and_wiser
If your sister has already ceased to find him appealing, she should see no further effects.
I appreciate the vote of confidence. (And, as I find e-mail an unreliable indicator of tone, I should add that I do mean that in seriousness.) Take your time, of course, but do let me know if I can do anything to help. For clarity, though: were you expecting 'revealing your location' to coincide with 'a Watcher being sent to you physically' or would you prefer additional time?
I appreciate the vote of confidence. (And, as I find e-mail an unreliable indicator of tone, I should add that I do mean that in seriousness.) Take your time, of course, but do let me know if I can do anything to help. For clarity, though: were you expecting 'revealing your location' to coincide with 'a Watcher being sent to you physically' or would you prefer additional time?
cross_and_bow
Do you hate travel enough that the Watcher being sent to my location could not be you?
older_and_wiser
I've always known Watching requires travel and have no objection to it. I require more packing time than most, I suppose, as I would be bringing my son. Fortunately, he hasn't yet begun school, and I'm not bound to wait till end of term.
cross_and_bow
If you or your son have strenuous objections to SoCal I will be willing to talk to somebody who doesn't and is more like you than like the first guy.
older_and_wiser
The next response takes a little longer than usual.
My attempt at explaining Southern California to my son have resulted in him racing around our flat shrieking 'NO MORE RAIN!'
My attempt at explaining Southern California to my son have resulted in him racing around our flat shrieking 'NO MORE RAIN!'
older_and_wiser
I certainly like to think he is. We'll be there in a few weeks.
The Watcher's Council takes over the issue of a visa; Tamara and Kevin enter on tourist visas which will be upgraded once the Watcher's Council paperwork is done, which should take a month or two. Tamara and Kevin are packed and out of their flat in a week, which Tamara is rather proud of; a week after that they're in Sunnydale, settling into a little house (that might better be called a cottage) towards the edge of the city. In between looking for jobs- a Watcher's salary exists but is unspectacular- Tamara sends an email to the Slayer, providing her new US phone number and her address.
The Watcher's Council takes over the issue of a visa; Tamara and Kevin enter on tourist visas which will be upgraded once the Watcher's Council paperwork is done, which should take a month or two. Tamara and Kevin are packed and out of their flat in a week, which Tamara is rather proud of; a week after that they're in Sunnydale, settling into a little house (that might better be called a cottage) towards the edge of the city. In between looking for jobs- a Watcher's salary exists but is unspectacular- Tamara sends an email to the Slayer, providing her new US phone number and her address.
cross_and_bow
Should I drop by or would you rather not have your kid around somebody who routinely stabs things?
older_and_wiser
You're welcome over at your convenience. I consider you somewhat the supernatural equivalent of a constable; I have no concerns about introducing you to my son.
older_and_wiser
Tamara appears at the door. She would look much more imposing if she was not covered almost entirely with flour. "I'm terribly sorry for the mess," she apologizes. "I was getting dinner ready and I'm afraid Kevin got into the flour."
cross_and_bow
"Aw, that's okay. You are not going to give a Powerpoint presentations to a lot of dudes in suits, it's just me. So, hi, I'm the Slayer, my name's Bella, say something that is not grammatically an invitation to model good habits for the little one and I will come hang."
older_and_wiser
"Hello, Bella. Lovely to meet you in person finally," Tamara says with a smile. "Kitchen's this way." She leaves the door open for Bella and turns towards a door on the side of the room.
cross_and_bow
Bella steps inside and closes the door behind her. "D'you want help with dinner? I didn't realize I'd be showing up when you were busy. I'd have been here earlier but I had to come on foot, my sister took the car home. She is not so much for the cross-country hikes because she didn't get a bundle of superpowers."
older_and_wiser
"Dinner preparation is usually much less of a production. The flour thief has slowed in down," Tamara chuckles. "I appreciate the thought but I'm actually about done, except for the vacuuming my kitchen suddenly requires."
It's not a large house; by now they're in the kitchen, where they are greeted with a small, curly-haired cackling face on a creature almost entirely covered in flour. "It's snowing!" he announces. "I made it snow!"
"Kevin," Tamara sighs.
"...I knooooow. No snowing in the house," Kevin mumbles. "Hi super hero lady!"
It's not a large house; by now they're in the kitchen, where they are greeted with a small, curly-haired cackling face on a creature almost entirely covered in flour. "It's snowing!" he announces. "I made it snow!"
"Kevin," Tamara sighs.
"...I knooooow. No snowing in the house," Kevin mumbles. "Hi super hero lady!"
older_and_wiser
"Hi!" Kevin beams up at her. "So what do you do? Are you like one of the Incredibles? Oooh, I bet you're Violet!"
"She's not a movie superhero, sweetheart," Tamara says, looking like she's trying very hard not to laugh. "She's the Slayer. You remember I told you about her?"
"Oh," Kevin says sadly. "So you can't turn invisible?"
"She's not a movie superhero, sweetheart," Tamara says, looking like she's trying very hard not to laugh. "She's the Slayer. You remember I told you about her?"
"Oh," Kevin says sadly. "So you can't turn invisible?"
cross_and_bow
"It's on the list of things for my witch sister to learn to help me with, but I can't do it yet."