Magical Lotus, Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 2

[Oldmansour]

> "I'm looking to have someone examine a ring I found a couple days ago.  Could you please point me to where I need to go?"

>The aging oni quirks an eyebrow. "'Examine'? You mean you want to know how much it's worth?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Rather, I'd like to know more about it. Who may have made it, how old it may be, and so on."

[Oldmansour]

>"Rather, I'd like to know more about it. Who may have made it, how old it may be, and so on."

>"Hm. 's not the sort of question someone your age usually asks, but, okay. Lemme see here..." The oni produces a piece of paper, and pores over it for a moment. "Ah, here we are. Rinette's the appraiser on today. That's Rinette Desjardens. You'll find her on the second floor." He points to the store behind him, indicating a pair of escalators. "Once you head up those, turn right and head towards the light-fixture area, where all the chandeliers are. That's where her desk is. Long blue hair, glasses, pretty face for a human. You can't miss her."
>"If'n you don't mind, though, would ya mind showing that ring to me? Ye've made an old Eireman curious."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Of course."
>Show him.

[Oldmansour]

>"Of course."
>Show him.

>The oni leans forward to examine the ring closer. "Seems ordinary enough. Might be onea ours, even, we sells enough... Oh, now, wait a minute...." He squints, then extends his hand. "Ah reckognize that inscription style. That is one'a ours, I'm almost sure. Lemme have a closer look."

[Hello Purvis]

>Show it to him.
>"You haven't had any go missing lately, I hope?"

[Oldmansour]

>"You haven't had any go missing lately, I hope?"

>"Not from the store, no."

>Show it to him.

>You bring the ring closer to the oni, but he scowls, and with a 'bah', yanks the thing out of your hand. "How's an old man supposed to read those tiny-ass scribbles from o'er there, I'd like ta know." he grumbles, holding the ring up to his eye. "Aye, I was right. Ah know this one." He glances back at you. "Where in the world did you find this thing?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I found it on the ground, actually. But given it was inscribed, I thought it might be important."
>Not technically a lie. ..
>"What can you tell me?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I found it on the ground, actually. But given it was inscribed, I thought it might be important."
>Not technically a lie. ..

>Chances are, this quellous old oni wouldn't be the best fella to fully disclose things to, no. His lips curls slightly at your answer, however.

>"What can you tell me?"

>He takes a few seconds before answering, looking you up and down before looking in your eyes with his aging greens. "Aye." he says at least, nodding slowly. "Ye're an honest one." He holds the ring out to you and points at it with his other hand. "What ya have here is your run-of-the-mill engagement ring. And I know it because I was there when we sold it. Young man, couldn't be much older than ye. I've no idea where he got the money, but he had this big smile on when he was talkin'. 'My darlin' Rose's worth 50 times that price.' he said." The oni shakes his head in amusement. "'s not often I seen a man so in love at that age. Matter of fact, that's sorta what this says here, on the inscription. 'A simple token for my priceless treasure.'""

[Hello Purvis]

>"I don't suppose you could tell me who it was? I expect he'd love to have it back."

[Oldmansour]

>"I don't suppose you could tell me who it was? I expect he'd love to have it back."

>"I can do ya one better'n that, lassie. I'll call him meself. No, wait, his girl. Odds are, the way he tore outta here, he ne'er wasted much time poppin' the question, so she's the one that misplaced the little thing." He reaches under his desk and produces a phone book, and begins leafing through it. "Way he kept blabberin' on about her, I know who I'm lookin' for here. How long ago'd you say ya found it?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Just a couple days ago."

[Oldmansour]

>"Just a couple days ago."

>The oni slows his search through the book. "Queer. Youd've thought one of 'em would've noticed it missing by now."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Perhaps so, but I doubt this would be the first place they'd look."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Who's the girl it was for?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Perhaps so, but I doubt this would be the first place they'd look."

>The man nods inclines his head in a sideways nod. "Touche." That's a strange word to hear with an Eire accent.

>"Who's the girl it was for?"

>"His fiancee, obviously. Name's- Ah HA!" he exclaims. "Here she is. Pardon me a minute." He closes the book, picks up his phone and dials a number. After about half a minute, he frowns, and hangs up. "No answer. I'll try 'er man." He leafs though another small stack of papers, then dials another number. Evidently getting an answer this time, he starts speaking in a language you don't recognize. Before long, a shocked expression crosses his face, then speaking on, he frowns again. Then his frown deepens, and when he hangs up, he looks rather sad.

[Hello Purvis]

>"You don't fill me with encouraging feelings..."
>Something terrible happened. It was that thing we saw, it had to be.

[Oldmansour]

>"You don't fill me with encouraging feelings..."
>Something terrible happened. It was that thing we saw, it had to be.

>The old man nods slowly. "Well, he didn't lose it. And neither did she. He threw it away. Turns out, by his acount, that he loved only her. And she wasn't so monogamous. I dinnae know how that ring ended up in your hands, but it's clearly not doing any good in either a theirs." He shakes his head. "Damned shame."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Ah."
>Only infidelity, what a relief! ...Oh that's terrible
>"That is a shame. I had feared that one or the other was no longer with us...but that's not a grand improvement. Thank you for your help, sir."

[Oldmansour]

>Only infidelity, what a relief! ...Oh that's terrible

>It certainly is, depending on the persons involved. If one person in a relationship is monogamous, and the other is not... well, you see what can happens.

>"Ah."
>"That is a shame. I had feared that one or the other was no longer with us...but that's not a grand improvement. Thank you for your help, sir."

>The grey-haired oni looks at you quizzically. "And why would you be fearin' that, lassie?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I've learned to be rather pessimistic about some things in time."

[Oldmansour]

>"I've learned to be rather pessimistic about some things in time."

>The old man's sunken green eyes turn very sad when you say that. A tired, knowing sadness. Somehow you know that this aging oni has seen a lot in his time. A lot of bad things. And yet, he smiles. "Pessimism doesn't suit someone like ye. You're too young. Too alive for pessimism."

[Amraphenson]

>Smile sadly. "I guess I am."
>"In any case, what should we do with the ring?"
>Ask about Chen's missing item when you have the chance.

[Oldmansour]

>Smile sadly. "I guess I am."
>"In any case, what should we do with the ring?"

>"Well, that's pretty much up to you, lass. Its previous owner damn sure doesn't want it, and neither did his girl. It's inscribed, so we can't exactly resell it here." He pauses, considering, then his phone rings. "Pardon me." He fields the call, which seems to be fairly routine, then returns his attention to you upon hanging up. "Since ye're the one that found it, you could sell it back to the store for the gold price, make a few bucks." He learns forward then, lowering his voice slightly. "Ye could try another jewelers, or a pawn shop, too, if'n ye'd think ye'd get a better deal." He then sits back in his chair, and has to field another call, this time speaking Eire to the customer, then he dials another number. "Hoshiguma, ye've a personal one on line 2. Again. ... Swear at me on yer own time, girlie, I'm not the one that yelled at ye last time." Hanging up, he shakes his head, then returns his attention to you. "If you just wanted to keep the ring, well, that's yer call, too. Not entirely certain why ye'd want to, but ye sure can."

>Ask about Chen's missing item when you have the chance.

>"'s not a lot I can say. Little girl's misplaced her locket. I'm not really sure how, t'be honest, I was off that day. Pretty sure it didn't just fall behind her dresser, 'r anything; Her Ma's had the place torn apart tryin' t'find it. Damn sure's not in the store. Might've fallen out the window into the alley, but if it did, 's not there now." He glances down the stairs towards the doors. "I really hope it turns up soon. Poor little girl's been heartbroken."

[Kasu]

> "I see...  I hope she finds it soon."
> "Thank you very much for helping me.  I think I'll hang onto it though, as you never know when something can be useful."

[Oldmansour]

> "I see...  I hope she finds it soon."

>"Well, Chen's been asking everyone she sees fer help. And the little darlin's right charmin', so I'm sure she'll get some help there. Heh, she seems to have got you, for one." he grins. "Plus there's the reward her Ma's offerin', so that'll draw more of a crowd. Just hope it don't take much longer."

> "Thank you very much for helping me.  I think I'll hang onto it though, as you never know when something can be useful."

>He nods sagely. "Many a true word. I could tell ye some stories..." He seems lost in thought for a moment before drifiting back. "By the by, if'n ye should be the one that finds it, ye get yerself a free pick of anything in the store. Anythin' at all."

[Hello Purvis]

>"That is extremely generous of you, thank you very much."
>Bow, and depart.

[Oldmansour]

>"That is extremely generous of you, thank you very much."
>Bow, and depart.

>"That's Ran for ya. Eh, Miss Yakumo. She does right by those that do right by her wee girl. As any good mother does."
>"Afore ya go on about your business, young lady, might an old man have the pleasure of your name?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I am Byakuren Hijiri, sir. And you?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I am Byakuren Hijiri, sir. And you?"

>He stands, and placing his left hand, palm up, over his right fist in front of him, he bows slightly, an old Eire gesture of respect and camaraderie. "I was Francis O'Donnell, or Frank. My friends call me Doubles." He cracks a grin. "cuz I never drink singles, and I never drink alone. And I'm glad to've met ya, Byakuren Hijiri."