Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 2, part 2

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"She is. She and Ran are outside. Kiku does not want to know who we truly are, so that the information cannot be learned from her. If you transform, she should be unaware of who you are, so we will return to her once you have done so."

[Oldmansour]

>"She is. She and Ran are outside. Kiku does not want to know who we truly are, so that the information cannot be learned from her. If you transform, she should be unaware of who you are, so we will return to her once you have done so."

>"But what's she doing here with you? Or Ran, either? Did you give them rings, too?"

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"No. Ran is powerful enough to fight these things already, although she cannot strike at the darkness like we can. She could have simply destroyed the youma we fought, but did not want to because of how much the object means to Chen. As for Kiku, I'm not completely certain what the nature of her power is, only that it is somehow connected to the Metal Tiger."
>"Ran was already fighting the youma when I arrived. Kiku showed up after I did and lended her assistance."

[Oldmansour]

>"No. Ran is powerful enough to fight these things already, although she cannot strike at the darkness like we can. She could have simply destroyed the youma we fought, but did not want to because of how much the object means to Chen. As for Kiku, I'm not completely certain what the nature of her power is, only that it is somehow connected to the Metal Tiger."
>"Ran was already fighting the youma when I arrived. Kiku showed up after I did and lended her assistance."

>"Kiku had that kind of power?" Lily looks stunned. "I worked at the shrine for months, but, I had no idea. Well, she never talks about herself anyway, but, you'd think...." Lily trails off, then shakes her head. "Well, if she didn't say anything about it, she had her reasons. And if she can help, even better. But, if she wants to see Lily the hero, then Lily the hero she gets!"
>Lily raises her right arm over her head, and calls out, "Lily Purity Ascension!" The winged girl's body is suffused in a brilliant violet light, and ribbons of white and lavender energy weave their way around her. The ribbons wrap around her hands, and the light disapears in a flair of flower petals, revealing a pair of white gloves with a red band near the end, and a cherry blossom on the back of both. Similarly colored boots appear on her feet, a red ribbon with a bow encircling her heels. The light around her torso yields a long sleeved white dress, with a big red bow at its collar, with a fairly short skirt. And she definitely has the legs to pull off the look. A stylized hairpin, shaped like a lily, appears in her hair, and a pale red belt encircles her waist.
>"Whoa...." Lily breathes as the light of her transformation fades. "That was.... pretty cool."

[Hello Purvis]

>Laugh.
>Does she look similar enough to herself, given that Kiku didn't seem to recognize us?

[Oldmansour]

>Laugh.
>Does she look similar enough to herself, given that Kiku didn't seem to recognize us?

>Lily smiles broadly as you give her a bit of a laugh.
>To your eyes, she looks like Lily White in a different outfit. However, you yourself pretty much like Byakuren Hijiri in a different outfit. You're not entirely certain why Kiku didn't recognize you, having seen and spoken with you back at the western temple. But since she didn't recognize you, there's a solid chance she wouldn't be able to place Lily, either.

[Hello Purvis]

>"How do you feel? Can you sense anything new?"

[Oldmansour]

>"How do you feel? Can you sense anything new?"

>"I feel great!" Her wings flare energetically at her statement, and she flexes her arms lightly. "Like I could fly circles around the moon, both ways, with you and Kyouko and Sakura on my back!" She darts past you to stand in front of the sink, examining herself in the mirror. "Oh, man, this is so cool. And this outfit is so cute! I look like the hero in a manga!" She turns her big blue eyes back to you. "And so do you! I didn't wanna say anything out there, but you look so cool, Bya.... I mean, Magical Lotus." She finishes, a grin on her face. "You can call me Magical Lily!" She holds up her fore and middle finger in a 'V' sign.
>Perhaps not the most... inconspicuous name that could have come to her, but, she obviously seems to like it.

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's very kind of you. Now, take a moment and try to open your senses to the world. Tell me if you can feel anything."

[Oldmansour]

>"That's very kind of you. Now, take a moment and try to open your senses to the world. Tell me if you can feel anything."

>Lily laughs, sticking her tongue out slightly. "Yeah, I know, I know. Kinda got caught up in the moment there." She then takes a couple of breaths and closes her eye in concentration. Her face twists again. "I was right. Something's here. I can feel a.... darkness, here. It feels like... what I saw in that vision, back at the shrine."

[Hello Purvis]

>Put some effort into sensing as well, let us see if we can find more or if we can benefit from Lily trying as well.

[Oldmansour]

>Put some effort into sensing as well, let us see if we can find more or if we can benefit from Lily trying as well.

>You stretch out your own ESP, trying to pool your resources with Lily's. The vile sense permeating this building, and the horrible smell that came with it, assaults your senses. But you and Lily together (the contact between you two produces a sweet, flowery scent, somehow) seem to indicate a sense of directionality to the vile aura. It seems to be emanating from below you.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Do you feel it below us?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Do you feel it below us?"

>Lily nods slowly. "Place might have a basement." she speculates.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Then we need to get down there."

[Oldmansour]

>"Then we need to get down there."

>Lily nods. "Kikuri would know if there is one. She's the receptionist. But if Kiku can help us, we should get her, first."

[Hello Purvis]

>"You ask Kikuri. I'll go fetch Kiku."
>Move out!

[Oldmansour]

>"You ask Kikuri. I'll go fetch Kiku."
>Move out!

>"Gotcha."
>As you and Magical Lily depart the ladies' room, you hang a right while Lily goes left towards the desk.
>Exiting the building, you find Ran's car still present, with Kiku standing outside the car on the sidewalk, speaking to... Chie.

[nolrai2]

> whois Chie

[Hello Purvis]

>Chie would be the cat youkai who's still kinda new at this.
>Take a moment to observe them, does the conversation seem important? Do either of them seem anything other than relaxed or normally conversing?

[Oldmansour]

> whois Chie

>Chie would be the cat youkai who's still kinda new at this.

>What he said.

>Take a moment to observe them, does the conversation seem important? Do either of them seem anything other than relaxed or normally conversing?

>Kiku's face is stern, but not severe. Then again, you've yet to see her look much else other than stern, severe or sour. But she looks no MORE stern now than she did when she was lecturing her fellow mikos back at the shrine.
>Chie, for her part, seems rather bright, a smile on her face. She seems to be doing most of the talking, and doesn't seem like one especially concerned or worried. It seems a fairly casual conversation, all in all.

[Hello Purvis]

>Approach them!

[Oldmansour]

>Approach them!

>As you approach the pair of feline miko, Chie's face becomes a little less bright, and she seems to take a half-step backwards.
>"It's all right, sister." Kiku advises Chie, indicating you with a wave of her hand. "This is the one I told you of, the one who aided me."
>"You may speak freely, Lotus. My sister has no skill in onmyoji, but she is still a sister. I've told her of the events at Yakumo's."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod toward her. "I am a friend, there's nothing to worry about."
>Look to Kiku. "My companion was right, there is something going on here. We are reasonably sure it is in the basement."
>"Would either of you know how to get down there? It would be best not to wander blindly if we can help it."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod toward her. "I am a friend, there's nothing to worry about."
>Look to Kiku. "My companion was right, there is something going on here. We are reasonably sure it is in the basement."
>"Would either of you know how to get down there? It would be best not to wander blindly if we can help it."

>You words do not seem to have a tremendous obvious effect on the young catgirl, but she does at least stop retreating. "My sister is young, and unaccustomed to strangers. I ask you to forgive her that." She bows formally as she speaks. Even on the clock, she's proper.
>Kiku looks at Chie in expectation. The younger miko hesitates a few moments before responding, "Building has basement. Where they keep papers, papers on youkai that live there, lived there."
>"Records." Kiku sums up, which draws nods from Chie. "But," the pink-haired youkai continues. "Chie thinks that basement is always locked. Records... private. Not open to everyone."

[Hello Purvis]

>"We will have to get down there, regardless. Do either of you think you could convince the staff to allow it? In my case, I doubt I would come off as nothing more than a crazy person wanting to get where I shouldn't be with a wild story as an excuse."

[Oldmansour]

>"We will have to get down there, regardless. Do either of you think you could convince the staff to allow it? In my case, I doubt I would come off as nothing more than a crazy person wanting to get where I shouldn't be with a wild story as an excuse."

>Chie seems uncertain. "Chie doesn't know. Never asked."
>Kiku says, "I have no more authority here than you, Lotus."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Then let us shift our methods. Kiku, your shrine has taken in many new youkai, such as Chie. You may be able to get access that we cannot. If nothing else, you can ask to be shown around the facility, and they may very well agree to this. One of us can accompany you. The other, I think, should check on Marigold. A demon in the place a former youma is seems fairly suspicious to me. She may be an objective."

[Thaws]

The other, I think, should check on Marigold. A demon in the place a former youma is seems fairly suspicious to me. She may be an objective."

>Wait. Did Kiku or us ever mention marigold before? If knowing Kiku's name wasn't suspicious enough, knowing about marigold's name would basically be saying we're Byakuren?

[GuyYouMetOnline]

Good point.

>Instead of the previous line, say this: "Then let us shift our methods. Kiku, your shrine has taken in many new youkai, such as Chie. You may be able to get access that we cannot. If nothing else, you can ask to be shown around the facility, and they may very well agree to this. One of us can accompany you. The other, I think, should check on our friend. A demon being where she is seems fairly suspicious. She may be an objective."