8FOLD: Mancers # 7, "Blood Magic"

[Tom Russell]

On Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at 1:14:05 AM UTC-4, Drew Perron wrote:
> 
> >     Something flickers in Lydia's reflection, and Claire immediately
> > begins to apologize. It's not fast enough; Claire smashes her own face
> > against the glass. She does this three times. Her nose breaks before
> > the glass does.
> 
> Oh I hate Lydia so fucking much. Even worse asshole than Samson because doing 
> this shit within a D/s relationship is Worse.

Yeah, Lydia is pretty terrible. As you alluded to further down - the Company warps everything, makes every relationship (sexual or platonic) abusive and transactional. Which, given that it's basically a capitalist death cult dedicated to the destruction of the earth and the amassing of power while speeding gleefully toward Armageddon makes sense.

> >     Claire closes her eyes. She takes a breath through her red wet
> > nose, then says her own words with Lydia's voice. "On second thought,
> > yes."
> >     Claire opens her eyes, and Lydia speaks through Claire. "On second
> > thought, yes." (Oh, thank the blue lady. Claire wasn't sure that would
> > work.)
> 
> Oh holy crap. :o Fascinating.

Claire's no slouch.

> >     "They can't hear you," says the woman. David can't quite place the
> > accent. "Cameras are out too. We don't have long, David."
> 
> Ohhhhh, this is the scene from the Medley, yeah? :> I didn't realize it was this 
> far in - I thought it was a prelude.

It is indeed.
 
> > "Getting close to go-time," says Maile nervously. They've spent the
> > last eight hours at Sarah's, waiting for midnight. The door that will
> > take them home only works between midnight and dawn.
> >     The first time they went through, Maile had asked Lieke (the other
> > Lieke, the one that's gone to rescue David) how that can possibly
> > work. How does the door know that it's after midnight? Because time
> > zones and such?
> >     And Lieke had just shrugged. Somehow, the door knows. It's magic.
> > It's easier if you don't think about it.
> 
> Because the door is someone's idea, as is time~

Got it in one.

> >     "Maile," says Sarah. "When we get to your weird house, I need to
> > talk to you a minute. Privately."
> >     "About what happened at the restaurant?" says Maile.
> >     "Well, about one of the things that happened at the restaurant,"
> > says Sarah, throwing a glance across the room. "Something that doesn't
> > fit."
> >     Maile nods and whispers. "I saw it too. I'm working on figuring out
> > what it means and what to do with it."
> >     "I might be able to help with that," says Sarah.
> >     "Counting on it," says Maile.
> 
> Yessssss. :3

I hid something in plain sight in issue six, and it matters in issue eight, so I wanted to highlight it here in issue seven. :-)

> >     "Are you holding up okay?"
> >     "Yes," says Lieke. She pauses for a moment. "Just a little anxious.
> > I always am when she's going to die. And I stay that way until she
> > comes back. It's silly."
> >     "It's not."
> >     "It is," insists Lieke. "She always comes back. But I always worry
> > that this time, this one time will be different. And every time I tell
> > myself that there's nothing to be anxious about, and every time I'm
> > right, but it doesn't stop me from getting anxious."
> >     "I have a feeling that she feels the same way."
> >     "Yes, she does," says Lieke, smiling.
> 
> CUTIES ;;;;;;.;;;;;; I LOVE YOU BOTH

Honestly the two Liekes probably have the healthiest relationship of all of them. Or they did, anyway. Working on the next arc now and the fallout of their separation is... intense.
 

==Tom