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

[Oldmansour]

>"I am just wondering where this grease streak came from. It seems out of place."

>"It does?" Lily asks you, looking somewhat puzzled.
>The look Kiku aims you is also curious, but also somewhat starker.

[Hello Purvis]

>"This doesn't seem to be a place where grease is going to be seen very often. But, it doesn't really feel like anything bad... Perhaps I am too suspicious.
>Have a look at the pool of liquid while staying where we are.

[Oldmansour]

>"This doesn't seem to be a place where grease is going to be seen very often. But, it doesn't really feel like anything bad... Perhaps I am too suspicious.
>Have a look at the pool of liquid while staying where we are.

>"Vigilance, Lotus." Kiku says approvingly, her expression softening a touch. "Caution is only appropriate when dealing with an unknown entity, with unknown, but obviously malicious, intent."
>Lily, however, simply says "Wouldn't it be simpler to ask Saigyouji-san?"

>While you do not have a clear view of the liquid from where you are, it appears to be only a small puddle, of a clear fluid- probably water. Only a few inches across, from what you can see. Much like the oil smear, it does not trigger anything in your extrasensory perception, but it also does not seem entirely 'in place' considering the general level of cleanliness to the place.

[Hello Purvis]

>Move to investigate, and see where it's come from. Stay wary of strange motions and sensations.

[Oldmansour]

>Move to investigate, and see where it's come from. Stay wary of strange motions and sensations.

>Leaving the oil smear alone for now, you head to the east to check out that puddle on the floor. When you reach the entrance to the aisle in question, that swampy stench briefly surges in your nose, and you cough despite yourself. Since you entered this chamber, neither Lily's floral scent nor the funk has been strong. In fact, they'd been barely noticable. But the stench of stagnant, boggy water grows here, for a moment.
>The liquid does indeed to be water. At least, at first glance. The floor is slightly depressed around the pool, and a small circular metal grate is set in the floor., lying in the middle of the pool. The visual effect is one of a backed up drain. The water is a touch darker than you'd expect for plain water, but if this is backed up water, this would not be entirely out of place. While the water's coloration does nothing to set off your extra senses, nor does anything else, the brief surge in that foul reek could have been caused by the water, as much as by anything else you can sense.

[Hello Purvis]

>"There's a clogged up floor drain over here..."
>Have there been any storms lately that would have flooded the drain like that?

[Oldmansour]

>"There's a clogged up floor drain over here..."
>Have there been any storms lately that would have flooded the drain like that?

>"What was that?" Hironobu calls out to you from the entrance. "Did you say something about a backed up drain?"
>"She did." Kiku confirms.
>"That's odd. There's been no reports of faulty plumbing, or anything along those lines. And it's not like the twins to leave liquids lying around, certainly not down here, especially. Are you sure it's not just a spill, or something?"

>Not recently. The last heavy rainfall was over two weeks ago.

[Hello Purvis]

>Turn our senses toward that drain and give it extra scrutiny, just to be sure.

[Oldmansour]

>Turn our senses toward that drain and give it extra scrutiny, just to be sure.

>To give the task due dilligence, you focus your senses, mundane five and more, on the backed up drain and the small pool upon it. Your mystical 'radar' returns a faint.... 'pinging' sensation. A tingling in the back of your mind. It's faint, but it's there.

[Hanzo K.]

>"There is something...'off', about this drain. I can't quite put my finger on it though, but something doesn't quite add up about it."
>Look to Lily. "Lily, what do you think about this?"

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Wait. That may mean it's in the drain, which means it could get to the sewer system, which means it could go just about anywhere in the city unnoticed.
>"I think it may be trying to get to the sewer."
>"Hironobu, where's the nearest sewer access? And, please, do not ask why I need to know. There may be little time."

[Hello Purvis]

Oh, almost forgot about this.

>Before we do this, let's confirm it's not trying to escape through a nastied up drain.
>Can we tell where the ping is coming from, precisely? Can we find anything else nearly that has a similar feeling?

[Oldmansour]

Oh, almost forgot about this.

>Before we do this, let's confirm it's not trying to escape through a nastied up drain.
>Can we tell where the ping is coming from, precisely? Can we find anything else nearly that has a similar feeling?

>A sensible plan.
>The sensation does not seem to be coming from the drain or the pipes. Rather, the water itself. Spreading your psychic senses outwards, you detect multiple such sensations within the immediate area. The closest is to your right, near the wall of the chamber. Due to all the objects in your way, you can't tell what exactly is generating it, but you wouldn't be at all surprised if there was another drain with water back up over there.

>"There is something...'off', about this drain. I can't quite put my finger on it though, but something doesn't quite add up about it."
>Look to Lily. "Lily, what do you think about this?"

>The winged blonde strolls forward to stand next to you, and eyes the puddle. She stares it for a long few seconds, looking rather charming when she's focused, then shakes her head. "Sorry, Lotus, I'm getting nothin'. If there's something off, I can't sense it." She considers, then gives you a smile. "Your senses might be sharper than mine. So if you say it, I believe ya."

>Wait. That may mean it's in the drain, which means it could get to the sewer system, which means it could go just about anywhere in the city unnoticed.
>"I think it may be trying to get to the sewer."
>"Hironobu, where's the nearest sewer access? And, please, do not ask why I need to know. There may be little time."

>"The sewers?" Hironobu calls back to you. He's poked his head through the door again, but, honorning your instruction, he hasn't entered the chamber itself. Yet. "Well, I honestly don't know off the top of my head. But if there's a problem with the drains down here, it wouldn't be in the sewers. Those drains feed into the city's storm drain system, totally seperate from the sewers."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Equally as bad. Where's the nearest access to the storm drain?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Equally as bad. Where's the nearest access to the storm drain?"

>The businessman retracts his head momentarily. "Let me think...."
>While he's thinking, Kiku slowly approaches you, her expression wary. "What makes you think it's in the sewers? Wouldn't that mean it's trying to escape?"

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"That is my concern, yes. I sense it in the drains. In the water, specifically."
>While Hironobu thinks, investigate that nearest source.

[Oldmansour]

>"That is my concern, yes. I sense it in the drains. In the water, specifically."
>While Hironobu thinks, investigate that nearest source.

>"But why would it be running already? Surely it wouldn't be afraid of us."
>Lily suggests, as you make your way over to that other source, "Maybe this youma isn't ready for a fight? I mean, we don't know how long it's been down here, maybe it's only, I dunno, half finished?"
>"That's certainly not what I sensed, Lily. And besides, it's creator seems to be present, as well. It is extremely unlikely that a being of that power would be scared of one exorcist, and a pair of.... What, exactly DO you two call yourselves?"

>This exchange between your allies gives you time to take a better look at the location of that sensation. Sure enough, there's another metal grate on the floor, with another small puddle of water covering it. Matter of fact, its dimensions are virtually identical to the last one.

[Hello Purvis]

>Examine it; does it feel at all similar to the prior one?

[Oldmansour]

>Examine it; does it feel at all similar to the prior one?

>Both to your eyes and your mystic senses, it is identical to the first one.

[Hello Purvis]

>Because it has been awhile, have we seen any of places with water yet? Any place where it may have come from?
>What percentage of the records area have we covered, approximately?

[Oldmansour]

>Because it has been awhile, have we seen any of places with water yet? Any place where it may have come from?
>What percentage of the records area have we covered, approximately?

>It HAS been a while, hasn't it. Too long, really.
>Well, you were in the bathroom earlier, and there was a drinking fountain on the wall in the corridor you were in earlier, on the way to Hironobu's office. But as for down here, you've seen no faucets, no fountains, no obvious source of water. And nothing that could have made such isolated pools without leaving some kind of trail behind it. There are pipes in the ceiling overhead that may be used for water, but none of them have any leaks that you can see.
>To the left of the first puddle you encountered, there were four more rows of metal shelving holding boxes. Beyond that was another wall, though that wall only seemed to extend about halfway down the shelving. In then opened up into another area, one seemingly devoid of these shelving units, but you didn't get a good look at what was over there.

[Hello Purvis]

>If we can do so without having to step over the standing water, let's have a look at that area without the shelving units.

[Oldmansour]

>If we can do so without having to step over the standing water, let's have a look at that area without the shelving units.

>The puddle is in front of where the wall ends. However, it does not extend under the shelves, and the next aisle over has no grate, and no puddle. Do you wish to walk down it to get a better look without worrying about coming into direct contact with the water?

[Hello Purvis]

>Yes, avoid the puddle altogether. Put two rows of shelves between it and us if we can.

[Oldmansour]

>Yes, avoid the puddle altogether. Put two rows of shelves between it and us if we can.

>You very much can, and do so. You move two aisles to your left and walk down between the shelves. The long rows of boxes on either side of you produce a similar feel to that of a library, and each box is marked with dates, names and numbers. The filing system seems to be alphabetical, with one date being last year, the one next to it fifteen years ago, and so on.
>While you are free from any potential problems from the water with your current location, there is a problem with your current plan. There are too many boxes between you and that area beyond to get a clear view. There are some gaps in this aisle between boxes, but there are no gaps that afford you a good view of the area you seek to examine.

>Hironobu's voice floats down towards you as you try and get a better look. "Well, there's no direct access to the storm drain system here in the building, I know that for a fact. None of our drains are large enough for people to fit through. There's manholes in the street, of course. There's actually one, maybe two, in our parking lot, but I don't know if they're part of the sewer system or the storm drains. I'm also not sure if those are locked or not. I know some cities keep their drainage systems sealed from the public, but I don't know if Mayoiga is one of them. I'm sorry, but this isn't an issue I deal with frequently. Our chief of maintenance would know, but he's off today. I could check with Hatoko, if you'd like. She would probably be more certain than I."

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we go to the end of the aisle and go around?
>"That may be a good idea, Mr. Saigyouji. Lily, Kiku,  have you found anything else? And do your best not to touch anything wet."

[Oldmansour]

>Can we go to the end of the aisle and go around?
>"That may be a good idea, Mr. Saigyouji. Lily, Kiku,  have you found anything else? And do your best not to touch anything wet."

>This is possible. There is a gap between the ends of the shelves and the wall beyond, with a walkway in evidence.

>"All right. This will take a minute or two."
>"Just a moment, Saigyouji-san." Kiku's voice interjects. "I don't wish to alarm you, but, have any members of your staff, or your residents, been noted as absent over the past few days?"
>"No. Nothing that's been brought to my attention, at any rate. Well, unless you count Suzuhara, she's been off work for two weeks. Maternity leave."
>"I see. So much the better, then."
>"Tell her congratulations!" you hear Lily announce from a bit of distance. She seems to have headed towards that open space, as well. Hironobu chuckles softly, gives his assurance on that one, and then you can hear his footfalls as he departs.
>Kiku steps into the aisle you're currently occupying, and has a look around. "Apart from those pools of water, I've not noticed anything obviously out of place. And I am unable to detect anything supernatural about those. I do not doubt your senses, Lotus, but whatever you have sensed in them has eluded my own powers." She hesitates, briefly, before continuing, "I would normally employ my divination magics, but considering what happened when I tried that outside the demon's aura, I am... reluctant to attempt that again, now that I am within that aura."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod. "Yes. It would like only hurt us at this point."
>Go to the edge of the aisle and around! Let Kiku follow if she wishes

[Oldmansour]

>Nod. "Yes. It would like only hurt us at this point."
>Go to the edge of the aisle and around! Let Kiku follow if she wishes

>Kiku returns your nod and does indeed follow along behind you. "To be honest, Lotus, there is another means at my disposal that could aid us in localizing this youma, or its demon master, if not both. But it is not one I am comfortable with using, on acount of the potential risk it entails. At least, under normal circumstances. You, however, or your partner, might be able to aid me in overcoming that risk."
>Coming to the end of the aisle, you turn to your left and have a gander. The open area has a brown tiled floor, and you can see what appears to be a vending machine along the wall. There also appears to be several chairs, and the edges of three or four tables. The rest of your view is blocked by the stocked shelves.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Can we sense anything here?
>"Please elaborate."