Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 3

[Hanzo K.]

>Chuckle a bit more. "She always was one for enjoying good food after all."

[Oldmansour]

>Chuckle a bit more. "She always was one for enjoying good food after all."

>Nitori calls out, sounding somewhat distracted, "Minoriko makes it real easy for a Kappa to have a big meal. Ahh! Watch the mines, you bastard!" she yells. Obviously playing one of her games.
>Minoriko laughs softly. "We would have woken you, Byakuren, but we've all seen how you've been more tired lately than normal. So we thought a little more sleep would be a good idea."

[Hanzo K.]

>Smile warmly. "Quite alright. I've actually needed it. These past few days have been just a mite hectic after all."

[Oldmansour]

>Smile warmly. "Quite alright. I've actually needed it. These past few days have been just a mite hectic after all."

>Minoriko laughs her quiet, almost matronly laugh. "Well, you sit yourself down at the kotatsu, and we'll see if we can't fill that belly of yours."
>Reisen, muting the television, stands. "I'll go get Patchouli, then. She skipped supper earlier, too." She explains to you.

[Hello Purvis]

>Go to the kotatsu, we have a challenge to meet.

[Oldmansour]

>Go to the kotatsu, we have a challenge to meet.

>Walking past Mikoriko and into the main room of the apartment, you seat yourself at the autumn-colored kotatsu in the center of the room. Each of the apartments in Moonside has the same basic construction, but each has its own flavor depending on its occupant, as is only natural. Minoriko's is more furnished that yours, and has a predominantly autumnal color scheme- dull orange and light brown walls, green drapes with red and white embroidering. It has a very homey feel, matching the matronly nature of its occupant.
>Seating yourself at the heated table, Minoriko says, "It will take just a few minutes to boil the noodles. Oh, you like parmesan, yes?"

[Hanzo K.]

>If we do, answer in the affirmative.

[Oldmansour]

>If we do, answer in the affirmative.

>You do, but not in excessive amounts, and you remind Minoriko of this. The younger of the Aki siblings nods and sets the straight noodles and a pot of water to boil.
>At her game, Nitori chuckles and shakes her head slightly. "Trash in this place's worse than the bosses."
>Minoriko brings over a basket of sliced garlic bread as Nitori gripes, as well as a small plate of butter. "We baked a fresh loaf today." she informs you.

[Hello Purvis]

>Devour 1d6 garlic breads per round
>"That's music to my ears, Minoriko."
>Help ourself!

[Oldmansour]

>Devour 1d6 garlic breads per round
>"That's music to my ears, Minoriko."
>Help ourself!

>Despite your rolling a 5, and gaining a +1 circumstance bonus due to hunger, your roll is somewhat spoiled by the lack of more than one loaf present.
>Applying just a touch of butter, you dive into a slice of the fresh bread. Minoriko had warmed it but not toasted it, and the freshness and flavor are just right, just the right amount of garlic.
>"Pass me a slice of that, will ya?" Nitori asks, sparing a glance behind her at Rin. "We got a sec before Broggok here."
>"Butter?"
>"Nah."

>A couple of minutes later, Reisen reenters, with Patchouli just behind her. The youngest resident of Moonside wears a thick shawl over her loose-fitting sweater, for the cold most likely. Her parents worry.
>"Good evening, Patchouli-chan." Minoriko greets her warmly.
>Patchy looks her way to reply, but her eyes fall upon your face first. Her light purple eyes widen slightly and a look of realization dawns upon her. "It's the FLOW, not the CURVE!" she exclaims, and then promptly turns and exits again.

[DracoOmega]

>...do we have any idea what she meant by that?

[Oldmansour]

>...do we have any idea what she meant by that?

>Knowing her, it MAY be related to some magic-type thing, but what, specifically, that might be, you have no idea.

[DracoOmega]

>Glance around a little, then throw Reisen a sympathetic look

[Oldmansour]

>Glance around a little, then throw Reisen a sympathetic look

>Rin seems just as lost as you, as does Minoriko. Nitori, having returned to her game, may not have even noticed. She gets very engrossed when she's playing, unless food's involved.
>Reisen actually smiles. "I don't know what you did, Byakuren, but I think you just gave her an answer to a puzzle she's been working on for days."

[DracoOmega]

>Slightly dubious frown: "Well, I am certainly glad to be helpful, but... do you have any idea what she meant?"

[Oldmansour]

>Slightly dubious frown: "Well, I am certainly glad to be helpful, but... do you have any idea what she meant?"

>Reisen hesitates for a moment before answering. "There's a... formula she's been working on for a few days now that's had her stumped."

[DracoOmega]

>"A formula for what, might I ask?"

[Oldmansour]

>"A formula for what, might I ask?"

>Reisen's ears twitch for just a moment. You've noted she does that when she's talking about something she's not entirely comfortable about.
>Rin, nodding slightly, answers for her, "It's her... 'studies', right?" Rin uses that word when talking about Patchouli's research into magic. Patchy's parents don't want her experimenting in that field yet, and Reisen isn't supposed to talk about it either. She does, sometimes, but she's always worried that the Knowledges will find out.
>The Knowledge's, however, are not as harsh as Konngara and her family, and while Reisen may worry, to your knowledge, nothing bad has ever come of that particular concern. Still, the rabbit merely nods at Rin's question.

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, if you'd rather not say more, I understand; it shan't pass my lips, in any case. I was just a little curious as to what might have sparked this breakthrough of hers, that's all."
>Continue eating

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, if you'd rather not say more, I understand; it shan't pass my lips, in any case. I was just a little curious as to what might have sparked this breakthrough of hers, that's all."
>Continue eating

>You much on another slice of bread as Reisen joins you at the table. "Your guess is as good as mine, really. I know what she was working on, but what kind of inspiration she got from you?" She spreads her arms in a shrug.
>About three minutes later, after the three of you have gratefully, if not entirely gracefully, depleted the supply of bread in the basket, and Nitori has cursed and shouted repeatedly at the tank of her group- a paladin, evidently- Patchouli reenters the room. She seems quite satisfied about something.

[DracoOmega]

>Smile gently at her as she comes in: "That looks like the face of success."
>Where's the main course? We're hungry....

[Oldmansour]

>Smile gently at her as she comes in: "That looks like the face of success."
>Where's the main course? We're hungry....

>Minoriko said it'd take a few minutes to boil the noodles, so it will probably only be a minute or two more. Nothing leaves her kitchen until she's absolutely certain it's just right.
>Patchouli doffs her shawl and hangs it on the rack next to the door, looking only slightly smug as she walks towards you, her long purple hair tied with a blue ribbon in a high ponytail. She wears a new necklace, a stylized depiction of a wave on a silver chain, and a silver ring set with a sapphire teardrop-cut gem. "Not much beats solving a formula that's levels beyond where you're 'supposed to be.'" she crows. In her own understated way.

[DracoOmega]

>How very understated, indeed....
>"And what did this formula concern, if I might inquire?"

[Oldmansour]

>How very understated, indeed....
>"And what did this formula concern, if I might inquire?"

>Patchy plops herself down at the kotatsu. She seems more energetic than normal. Which isn't hard, since she never really appears as 'energetic'. "The flow of water magic from a jewel into a youkai and back again."

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm not sure I entirely understand. I don't suppose you might be able to explain a little?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I'm not sure I entirely understand. I don't suppose you might be able to explain a little?"

>Your question draws a pleased smirk from Patchouli. "Certainly."
>Nitori groans expansively. "Don't get her started, Hijiri" she warns exaggeratedly. "She'll go on for hours and hours."
>"Kinda like you'n machines?" Rin asks her with a deceptive grin on her face.
>"Totally different!" Nitori protests.

[DracoOmega]

>Smile a little
>To Patchouli: "Well, for the sake of present company, perhaps you could simply give me the highlights?"

[Oldmansour]

>Smile a little
>To Patchouli: "Well, for the sake of present company, perhaps you could simply give me the highlights?"

>Ordinarily Patchy and Nitori would squabble a little over this one. Magic vs. Science, and all that. It's not a rivalry you entirely understand, but you definitely recognize it. Today, however, Patchouli merely smiles and nods. "Magical energy is still energy, and it changes when it flows from one place to another, just like any other kind of energy. And magicians use certain formulas and equations to chart that energy and its properties. It's not quite math, despite the terminology, but I suppose you could say it serves largely the same purpose. And just like basic math, like calculus, it has many different approaches and techniques, some harder than others."
>She puffs up ever so slightly proudly. "And the equation I just solved would be considered an advanced quadratic equation, to compare it to more mundane terminology."
>As she finishes, Minoriko arrives carrying a large tray laden down with four plates loaded with noodles covered with a meaty spaghetti sauce. "That must have taken quite a bit of work." she compliments Patchy, placing the tray down on the kotatsu.
>"It was." Patchouli answers, then continues in your direction, "But you're probably curious as to what led to that moment of inspiration I had when I entered."

[DracoOmega]

>"I am, yes."
>Give Minoriko a smile: "This looks delicious, thank you."
>Then take up our plateful and get to eating

[Oldmansour]

>"I am, yes."
>Give Minoriko a smile: "This looks delicious, thank you."
>Then take up our plateful and get to eating

>"Without getting into all the intricacies," Patchy says as she takes her own plate off the tray, quickly removing her ring before doing so, "I had been trying to figure out the right kind of curve I need to apply to get the numbers, if you will, to balance out, but nothing I knew of seemed to fit." She tucks her pendant inside her sweater and continues, "When I saw your hair, however, I had an epiphany. I didn't need to use a curve at all. I simply needed a gradient path."
>Minoriko smiles contentedly at your praise then glides back to the kitchen as you dive in. It is, for now, bereft of parmasean cheese, but knowing Minoriko, she will rectify that momentarily. And even without, it is wonderful, if still a bit on the hot side. You can plainly see the fresh peppers and tomatoes she used in the sauce, as well as bits of celery among the very generous portions of ground beef.
>"What would you like to drink?" Minoriko asks as she takes some glasses down.