Initiation

[Cardinal Paroaria]

Cardinal waited in the main conference room within the Estate. The room was transformed for the special occasion that was going to take place today. Cardinal was gathered with the higher ups of the Paroaria Mafia. The tables and chairs were replaced with a podium in the center of the room. On either side of the podium, a flag stood with the Mafia's symbol. Cardinal stood behind the podium, a sacred text saved from the first Paroaria who had founded the Mafia was on the stand in front of him. There were three men in the room, Cardinal was accompanied by two Sub-Bosses selected by himself. Today, a person who had helped Cardinal on many occasions, would take the necessary oaths to officially enter the Paroaria Mafia. Also on the podium was a long blade, also from the first Paroaria. The initiate was required to recite the oaths after the head official, and afterwards, would have to cut their hand with the knife, and add their blood to a glass jar that contained the blood of many before even Cardinal's own father. It was a test of loyalty, and would be the first step for Katra Bell.

@Equinox

 

[Katra Bell]

Katra rubbed her palms along her thighs, a clear sign that she was anxious. Today was the culmination of several weeks of work and conversation with the man she called the Cardinal, and it would codify the agreement they had discussed - an exchange of favors. Katra had been acting as an informant and spare blaster for the Black Tails, and she and the Cardinal had decided that, in exchange for protection from the crime syndicate, she would be joining as a fully fledged member.

It wasn't the "joining a crime syndicate" bit that was putting her on edge, though maybe it should have been - no, it was just the kriffing formality of the whole situation. She had never gotten over how clean-cut the gang could be, and she was out of her element. She shook her head, trying to focus on the present, and knocked lightly on the conference room door. It swung open under her hand and she entered, looking around for the familiar face of the Cardinal. He was accompanied by two men she didn't know.

"Good to see you," she mumbled, nodding in greeting to the unfamiliar men. "Is there anything I need to do before we get started?"

 

[Cardinal Paroaria]

Cardinal was about to pick up the knife, remembering the time, when he was initiated into the mafia, his father handing the same knife to Cardinal for him to slice his hand. He heard a knock on the door, and watched as the doors opened, and Katra Bell walked in, no doubt nervous. She approached the men, and asked a simple question, Cardinal smiled. "No, I have discussed with the council, and we agree that you have shown excellence and bravery. Several times you have stepped up to help me personally. There is nothing you need to do now, everything has led up to this day, and everything you will need to do, rest on this very podium." Cardinal said. He picked up the old book first, his hands brushing the cover. "This is a very old book, written by the first Paroaria. We have passed it down generations and generations, preserving the precious text. All you need to do is place your hand on this book, and hold up your right hand. You will then repeat the words i say." Cardinal forgot introducing the two other men in the room, but that could happen afterwards. Cardinal wasn't the best with these traditions, he just wanted to get it done, the other two men though were direct connections to the first Paroaria, and knew him, and they were present to observe and supervise the initiation. "Say the following: I, Katra Bell, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Paroaria Mafia against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that i will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and that I will obey the orders of the Cardinal and the orders of the officers appointed over me." Cardinal said. After Katra would recite the oath, he would take back the book, and offer the long knife. The jar sat next to the podium. "You have courage, I have no doubt you will rise through the ranks. The last thing, is to cut your hand, and mix your blood with the blood of all before you."

@Equinox

 

[Katra Bell]

Katra gave the Cardinal a nervous smile back, and nodded to show she understood. She stepped up to the podium, glancing at the objects there. A dusty old book, probably full of valuable secrets; a long, expensive-looking knife with a wickedly sharp blade; and a glass jar containing a dark red liquid that smelled suspiciously like blood. Katra had never participated in an initiation, but her adoptive father used to tell her stories about guilds and syndicates that required all sorts of esoteric rites to become a member. In comparison, this one seemed relatively tame.

She placed her left palm against the cover of the old book, feeling it against her skin, and held up her right. "I, Katra Bell, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Paroaria Mafia against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and that I will obey the orders of the Cardinal" - she paused, a grin flitting over her narrow face. She wondered if he had meant to say "the Cardinal" instead of just "Cardinal" or if her speech patterns were rubbing off on him. - "and the orders of the officers appointed over me."

The book was withdrawn, and she took the knife he offered. Unflinchingly, she sliced open her palm and let her blood run down her wrist and into the jar. She watched the blood swirl and mix for a moment before looking back to the Cardinal with a smile. "That was easier than I expected," she joked. "Do you have any bandages?"

 

[Cardinal Paroaria]

Cardinal watched as Katra finished saying the oath, and made a slight pause, before she continued. She was most likely was grinning at how Cardinal had said The Cardinal instead of just Cardinal. It was completely intentional, and Cardinal was surprised she caught it. Cardinal had decided days earlier, and had held a meeting to completely rearrange the mafia. One of the topics discussed, was a new title would be added to the person who was the boss. The boss would be referred to as the Cardinal. This would not only strengthen Cardinal's ties to the Mafia, but it would also spread his name long after Cardinal died. Plus Cardinal just sounded cool. Cardinal then watched as Katra cut herself, and mixed her blood with the others. This part of the initiation, Cardinal hated the most, because it was painful to watch. Cardinal had watched many cut their wrists with pain and fear. Katra didn't even flinch. "No bandages, the test requires you to slowly die out from blood loss." Cardinal said grimly. He laughed inside him, "Of course i have bandages, i don't want the blood getting all over the expensive flooring! Who do you think i am some monster?" Cardinal joked. He took out a bandage and handed it to Katra. "Congratulations Katra Bell, you are hereby now a full member of the Paroaria Mafia. Welcome home." Now that Katra was a full member, she was entitled to literally everything offered here. She would later get her hands scanned so she could be registered among the many on the Paroaria Mafia. "Now, the fun begins." Cardinal walked around the podium and put his hand on her shoulder. If she wanted to say anything in private, now was the time.

@Equinox

 

[Katra Bell]

"No bandages, the test requires you to slowly die out from blood loss."

Katra laughed aloud at that. "Then I humbly offer my blood for the good of the Black Tails," she deadpanned, before breaking into a grin. She wrapped the offered bandage around her palm, knotting it and pulling it tight with her teeth. Probably not the most refined way to bandage a wound, but "refined" was not a part of Katra's vocabulary.

"Thanks," she responded once she was finished, "I wouldn't want to stain your pretty floors." She smiled to show she was joking, and looked up at him when he put his hand on her shoulder. She thought she might never get used to people touching her, but she tried to be gracious about it. "Who're they?" she asked quietly, tilting her head in the direction of the two men who had been silently observing the exchange. "Friends of yours?"

 

[Cardinal Paroaria]

Cardinal grinned, "No problem." At the mention of the other men, Cardinal glanced back behind him to see the two men silently take the book, knife, and glass of blood away. "Just some men who oversee the initiations and hold all the traditions. Their creepy old hags. They make sure the traditions aren't broken. Literally all they do is watch people in the Mafia, thats it. Definately not friends." Cardinal said, they were pretty creepy, and they were part of the gang since practically the beginning.

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