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

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"The enemy is in contact with me."
>Then I reject your reality and substitute my own.

Sorry. I couldn't resist.

[Hello Purvis]

>Resist.
>Instead, can we sense anything about this voice?

No need to be aggressive. Our goal is to subvert the enemy to our side, not taunt them. Haughtiness and such is only going to hurt us in the long run.

[Oldmansour]

>"The enemy is in contact with me."
>Then I reject your reality and substitute my own.

Sorry. I couldn't resist.

>Lily makes a surprised gasp.
>"What's it saying?" Kiku asks, he eyes sweeping back and forth.
>You through your determination back at the disembodied voice, but it returns no furthur taunts. You cannot sense its presense upon you anymore.

That, sir, was very well played.

>Resist.
>Instead, can we sense anything about this voice?

>When the voice was in contact with your mind, it felt like someone was wrapping an oily, slimy hand around your brain. It was a throughly disgusting experience, almost as bad as that smell earlier. It's a relief to not be in that kind of contact with it anymore.

[Hello Purvis]

>Did it feel akin to the water, or anything else we've encountered?

[Oldmansour]

>Did it feel akin to the water, or anything else we've encountered?

>As a matter of fact, it did. When you entered the basement, you had the odd sensation that you'd walked through a layer of filthy, grimy water. That's virtually identical to the sensation the voice left on your mind. And it feels quite similar to the pervasive sensation of being surrounded by black muck that's been present since you came down here.

[Hello Purvis]

>Now that we've felt this presence come toward us, then move away from us, can we put a direction to it?
>"It wishes for me to join with it. I told it that I have no interest."

[Oldmansour]

>Now that we've felt this presence come toward us, then move away from us, can we put a direction to it?
>"It wishes for me to join with it. I told it that I have no interest."

>Difficult to say. Your mind's reeling a bit from that contact, and it didn't really arrive from any given direction, so far as you can determine. Moreover, it seemed to dissipate into the air rather than move off.
>However, inasmuch as it was 'dissipating', it seemed to dissipate in front of you. That would put it in the direction of the 'pool' door, since the heavier locked doors are behind you. But it also could have been dissipating downwards instead of straight back, or upwards, if not all of the above.

>"That's tellin' him, Lotus!" Lily cheers.
>Kiku, however, gives you a thoughtful glance. "Why you?" she asks, almost more to herself than to you.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I presume it regards me as the largest threat. I am content to let it underestimate the two of you, if that is the case."
>Point toward the door: "I am reasonably sure it is down there."

[Oldmansour]

>"I presume it regards me as the largest threat. I am content to let it underestimate the two of you, if that is the case."
>Point toward the door: "I am reasonably sure it is down there."

>Kiku does not seem entirely satisfied by your first statement, but comes alert at your second. "You were able to discern its location from its contact with you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"It is an assumption on my part, admittedly. It seemed to dissipate in front of me.  So I assume it came from that direction."

[Oldmansour]

>"It is an assumption on my part, admittedly. It seemed to dissipate in front of me.  So I assume it came from that direction."

>"Then we should not entirely rule out your theory that our enemy is in the sewers, or storm drains. Still, I would agree, it is a lead well worth exploring."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod.
>"Let's at least check here before going into outside drainage systems."
>Check the door like we did last time. If it doesn't react, open it.

[Oldmansour]

>Nod.
>"Let's at least check here before going into outside drainage systems."
>Check the door like we did last time. If it doesn't react, open it.

>While Kiku simply returns your nod, you note Lily shudder slightly at the mention of the phrase 'drainage systems'. It's not an appealing prospect, even to your disciplined mind.
>The 'pool' doesn't feel quite as cold to the touch as the locked ones, but also does not generate any reaction. The paint feels a little rough under your hand, but that's about it. Satisfied that your hand will remain uneaten, you pull the handle down and swing the door inwards.
>A plain concrete staircase, about three feet wide, descends down about 8 feet or so, then levels out, not unlike the staircase on your way down to the basement. In fact, the only major difference between the two is the illumination. This stairwell has much more subdued lighting. Rather dim, actually.
>Hints of odor wash across your nose as well. A dull, chemically smell, and a scent rather like sea water. Both are quite faint, though.

[Hello Purvis]

>Look around, is there any kind of light switch?
>If not: "I don't suppose either of you have a flashlight?"

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Can we produce light in any way?

[Oldmansour]

>Look around, is there any kind of light switch?
>If not: "I don't suppose either of you have a flashlight?"

>Poking your head inside, a glance to the right reveals a pair of switches, one in the 'on' position, the other 'off'. Glancing overhead reveals the single pair of florescent tube lights, and they are indeed illuminated. Just nowhere near as bright as they should be. But it's not like they're simply dull. It's more like... something is blocking the light they're throwing off, like someone hung a dark grey curtain over them.

>Can we produce light in any way?

>Many folks have said you have a brilliant personality, but that's not entirely helpful here. The attacks you've employed have certainly thrown off a great deal of light, but you're not looking to blow down a wall, just light your way. Wouldn't want to fall over any more flights of stairs.
>Compared to the powers you've demonstrated so far, generating a simple light shouldn't be too hard, you imagine. Give it a bash, see what happens.

[Hello Purvis]

>Rather that generate light, let us see if we can gently counteract the dampening effect. The idea behind, rather than overpower it with raw force in a way that the Buddha would not approve, coax it away gently.

[Oldmansour]

>Rather that generate light, let us see if we can gently counteract the dampening effect. The idea behind, rather than overpower it with raw force in a way that the Buddha would not approve, coax it away gently.

>Well, that's one way to do it.
>You opt for a more gentle approach than trying to make your own flashlight, and, with a bit of a gentle nudge, the area does actually brighten up a little bit.
>You hear Kiku's footfalls as she walks up behind you, sniffing the air. She makes an affirming sound, then pauses behind you. "Do you smell salt water?"

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"I do, yes."

[Oldmansour]

>"I do, yes."

>"You think they'd have a salt water pool down there?"
>"Why not?" Lily asks. "This place takes in youkai of all kinds. Makes senese there was fish youkai too, or something. Salt water pool gives em a place to feel at home, until they get used to life on land."
>"Maybe," Kiku concedes, "But I smell chloronated water here, too. Faint, but it's here."
>The staircase brightens a bit more at your efforts. It feels like you're trying to push a puddle with your bare hands. A puddle that leaves your hands black and grimy. It's a disgusting sensation.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"I think, though, that what we're sensing here is the presence of our enemy."

[Oldmansour]

>"I think, though, that what we're sensing here is the presence of our enemy."

>"Then it's time to investigate." Kiku states simply, and the youkai slides her way past you without another word, and begins descending the stone stairs.

[Hello Purvis]

>Stop her with a hand on her shoulder.
>Assuming she does stop, lead her out, and softly say, "Let me go first. If it's paying attention to me, then it'll be easier for you to two to get into position if things go poorly." Do our best not to let our voice carry, where it can hear us.

[Oldmansour]

>Stop her with a hand on her shoulder.
>Assuming she does stop, lead her out, and softly say, "Let me go first. If it's paying attention to me, then it'll be easier for you to two to get into position if things go poorly." Do our best not to let our voice carry, where it can hear us.

>She does stop, just inside the stairwell, and turns her head to look at you. Her skin jumped in shock under your hand when you touched her. The look in her eye she gives you is one of rage, and a desperate fear. Her lip is starting to curl back, like she's about to snarl at you. Her breath escapes her in a sharp hiss, and for an instant, you think she's going to attack you.
>The she blinks, and lets you pull her back a step, back into the break room and out of the staircase. And the look in her eye is gone, her snarling lip is normal, and her breath is quiet. She exhibits no hostility whatsoever.
>"Accepted." she says simply.
>"I'll be right behind you," Lily adds, "As soon as I send Saigyouji-san back where it's safe. Don't want him coming down looking for us when the magic starts flyin'."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod to Lily, then look to Kiku, "Are you alright? You seemed to be...not quite yourself, a moment ago."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod to Lily, then look to Kiku, "Are you alright? You seemed to be...not quite yourself, a moment ago."

>"I'm fine." Kiku answers a little too quickly.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Alright. I trust you to be honest with me, since we know this thing can prey upon the dark parts of our souls. Be strong, alright? I might need you to be strong for me, if things go badly."

[Oldmansour]

>"Alright. I trust you to be honest with me, since we know this thing can prey upon the dark parts of our souls. Be strong, alright? I might need you to be strong for me, if things go badly."

>Kiku nods slowly, twice. "I understand. I will not fail. This is what I've trained for since I became Kiku. I am not afraid."

[Hello Purvis]

>Smile.
>"Well, you're a step ahead of me. I'm quite afraid."

[Oldmansour]

>Smile.
>"Well, you're a step ahead of me. I'm quite afraid."

>"Are you sure, then, that you want to go down there first?"
>"Now hold on, there, Kiku." Lily interjects. "I'm scared here, too, y'know? No shame in admitting it. None of us exactly what's down there, for sure, only that it's real bad, and the world needs us to fight it. That'd make anyone a bit scared."
>"All the more reason to banish fear. Give the enemy nothing, nothing they can use against you. Especially not an enemy that has been bested before. I say IT should fear US."