Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 3

[Oldmansour]

>Tentative smile
>"Oh? Should I be worrying about you instead?"

>"Heck, no. I'm indestructible!" Marissa assures you of her health in a very Marissa way. And then her smile sobers ever so slightly in that Marissa way. "But I know that days like this make her feel lousy and melancholy. So I'm gonna cheer her up a bit. And I probably won't have to work as hard as I'd thought, since she's checked you out and called you healthy. Makes her feel better when we're all healthy."

[DracoOmega]

>"The sentiment is shared. Sadly, I don't think this weather's going to go away just from wishful thinking, so I probably should get the unpleasantness over with."

[Oldmansour]

>"The sentiment is shared. Sadly, I don't think this weather's going to go away just from wishful thinking, so I probably should get the unpleasantness over with."

>"Ya might wanna consider taking it easy today." Marissa advises, inspecting your face. "You're still lookin' a mite tired around the eyes."

[Hello Purvis]

>"A good catnap or two will deal with that. I'll probably be heading home for a bit soon, anyway."

[DracoOmega]

>"Yeah, I probably didn't get enough sleep last night, but math exams are implacable. I'll be okay."
>How tired do we feel, currently?

[Oldmansour]

>"Yeah, I probably didn't get enough sleep last night, but math exams are implacable. I'll be okay."

>"A good catnap or two will deal with that. I'll probably be heading home for a bit soon, anyway."

>"Proper thing."

>How tired do we feel, currently?

>Tired enough that a nap sounds like a capital idea. You're not so tired as to prevent you from going about your daily affairs if you so chose, but you're a few hours sleep away from fresh.

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, good luck spreading some cheer to Utsuho. I shall go tackle the rain."
>Assuming no further remark, say our goodbyes and head towards where Rin said she stashed our umbrella.
>Along the way, if we can manage at least this level of concentration while moving without tripping over ourselves or looking wierd, reach out to the Purpose again: My apologies; I was interrupted. I do still have a few more questions.

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, good luck spreading some cheer to Utsuho. I shall go tackle the rain."
>Assuming no further remark, say our goodbyes and head towards where Rin said she stashed our umbrella.
>Along the way, if we can manage at least this level of concentration while moving without tripping over ourselves or looking wierd, reach out to the Purpose again: My apologies; I was interrupted. I do still have a few more questions.

>Marissa gives you a quick hug, then musses your hair a bit. "An' say hi to Rin for me, too."
>With that done, you exit the washroom and head for the main exit. The sound of Utsuho singing a melancholy song wafts down the hallway. You find yourself frowning. She's a lovely woman with a kind heart. Melancholy doesn't suit her. But you know Marissa can help alleviate at least some of that, so you set your heart at ease.
>You pass by a tall youkai with insect antennae, cradling her arm as she goes, making her way towards the nurse's office. She wears the uniform of the basketball team, which likely accounts for her injury. You exchange greetings, she confirms your assumption into her health, she assures you she is fine, and continues on her way.
>After you pass the young baller, you reach out and make contact with the Purpose once more. I shall answer as best as I can. returns the dry voice.

[DracoOmega]

>Is it theoretically possible that a demon could mask itself from your senses?
>Speaking of which, what happened at the CRA when you said that something was wrong; to what were you referring? I gathered this wrongness was something more than just the presence of the demon and its servants, yes?

[Oldmansour]

>Is it theoretically possible that a demon could mask itself from your senses?
>Speaking of which, what happened at the CRA when you said that something was wrong; to what were you referring? I gathered this wrongness was something more than just the presence of the demon and its servants, yes?

>What does 'theoretical' mean?
>What is the 'CRA'?

[DracoOmega]

>By 'theoretical', I simply ask whether you can imagine a way in which this is possible.
>The CRA is the building where we confronted the Champion of Water.

[Oldmansour]

>By 'theoretical', I simply ask whether you can imagine a way in which this is possible.
>The CRA is the building where we confronted the Champion of Water.

>I know of no way for an escaped demon to elude my awareness. By the very nature of their presence in this world, they would have to pass through that which I am.
>The demon... 'hijacked' the link between you and I. It sensed the communication between yourself and I, and impressed itself upon your mind that way. That is one of the reasons I could not risk communication with you much beyond that point. I could not risk that happening again, nor could I risk the demon assaulting the barrier though this extension of myself. When the Purpose is manifested in your world, it is a vulnerability. Any damage to that manifestation will be reflected upon the barrier, and the barrier is already weak.

[DracoOmega]

>Does this mean your physical form in this world is at risk, if they find you?
>If so, do you possess some means to defend yourself against assault?
>You say the barrier is weak. How can it be strengthened?
>Also, did you not say earlier that the means by which the demons passed through you was still unclear to you?

[Oldmansour]

>Does this mean your physical form in this world is at risk, if they find you?
>If so, do you possess some means to defend yourself against assault?
>You say the barrier is weak. How can it be strengthened?
>Also, did you not say earlier that the means by which the demons passed through you was still unclear to you?

>Correct. That is also why I concealed myself from the sites of your battles yesterday.
>No. While I am manifested in this world, I have no means of defending myself beyond a limited capacity for flight.
>Infusions of energy from this world could repair the weakening of the barrier. But I am unaware of any sources of such energy, except the means the demons themselves employ. Theoretically, other sources could be used, but I am unaware of any at this time.
>The method of their escape differs from every time previous. They have never been able to force their way through myself.

[DracoOmega]

>So you know where they passed through you, but not how?
>Do you know why the barrier is weakening? Has this been going on for a long time, or was it a recent development?
>What do you mean by 'the means the demons themselves employ'? Are you referring to how they were draining energy from people?

[Oldmansour]

>So you know where they passed through you, but not how?
>Do you know why the barrier is weakening? Has this been going on for a long time, or was it a recent development?
>What do you mean by 'the means the demons themselves employ'? Are you referring to how they were draining energy from people?

>The only explanation is the two that have come through were able to force their passage through the barrier between worlds.
>It has been slowly weakening for a very long time. I do not know why. The weakening was not as advanced when I was last made manifest. I shall have to give the matter some... thought.
>Correct. Terran energy could be used to strengthen the barrier just as easily as it has been used to strengthen demon assaults against it.

>This exchange takes you to the immediate proximity of the main entrance/exit. However, you detect the sounds of an argument from the vicinity, and the fluttering of at least two sets of fairy wings.

[DracoOmega]

>Glance in the direction of the noise. If we cannot see the source from here, approach so that we can
>Can we tell what they are arguing about?

[Oldmansour]

>Glance in the direction of the noise. If we cannot see the source from here, approach so that we can
>Can we tell what they are arguing about?

>The entrance is currently just around the corner to your left, so you move up to have a better look. As you take the first step, however, one of the two fairys comes barreling around the corner heading towards you, clutching your umbrella protectively to her diminutive chest, crying, "I'll protect it no matter what!" You recognize the little one as Luna Child, a fairy whom you befriended over the summer and who considers herself your biggest fan.

[DracoOmega]

>Does she seem to see us or is she too busy barreling forward?

[Oldmansour]

>Does she seem to see us or is she too busy barreling forward?

>Her eyes are closed, so she definitely cannot see you at the moment. And even if she could, she's going at a pretty high rate of speed. A collision seems imminent.

[DracoOmega]

>Running with one's eyes closed sounds like a very dubious tactic....
>Try to bend down and scoop her up as she comes in, pivoting to the side as we do to avoid her propelling all of her momentum against us

[Oldmansour]

>Running with one's eyes closed sounds like a very dubious tactic....
>Try to bend down and scoop her up as she comes in, pivoting to the side as we do to avoid her propelling all of her momentum against us

>She seems to think it makes her go faster. You've tried to teach her the error of this, but, Luna isn't as good a learner as you might like her to be. She's a good listener, but she doesn't hear well.
>Putting your athleticism to good use, you crouch slightly and drop your center of balance, stretching out your arms in preparation. Just like receiving a serve. You neatly field the dashing fairy, hoisting her off the ground in a surprisingly graceful twirl, sending your gradient hair spinning around you as you lift Luna and simultaneously diffuse her forward momentum. Like a Boss.
>Her new position nestled in your arms does nothing to stop her legs from maintaining their pumping motion, however, and her eyes remain tightly shut. You're quite certain she has no idea she is now a couple of feet off the ground. She can be very focused, when she wants to be.

>The fairy she was running from comes flying around the corner just in time to see your scoop & pirouette combination. Unsurprisingly, it is Sunny Milk, up to one of her usual tricks again. She takes one look at you, and widens her eyes. "Wow..." She then realizes who she's looking at, and recoils, shouting a brief but loud "Gah!" as she turns and buzzes away down the corridor.

>Even amidst the antics of the pair of fairies, you do not miss your ring pulsing in reaction to Luna's proximity.

[DracoOmega]

>Visibly? Or just in terms of sensation?
>Gently: "You can stop running now. Thank you for keeping my umbrella safe."

[Oldmansour]

>Visibly? Or just in terms of sensation?
>Gently: "You can stop running now. Thank you for keeping my umbrella safe."

>You haven't looked at it yet, but there's a definite sensation.
>Luna's legs pinwheel for a moment more before she opens her eyes. And then closes them. And reopens them. Then her legs stop, her wings stiffen, and her face turns rather red. It would seem she now realizes where she is.

[Hello Purvis]

>Grin. "Unless you were trying to run off with it?"

[Oldmansour]

>Grin. "Unless you were trying to run off with it?"

>Luna's head rocks back and forth in negation quick enough to make YOU shake.

[DracoOmega]

>Give her a wide smile
>"It's okay. I know you weren't."
>Set her gently back upon the ground

[Oldmansour]

>Give her a wide smile
>"It's okay. I know you weren't."
>Set her gently back upon the ground

>Luna's face had paled upon your insinuation, but your smile and gentle assurance returns the color to her face. And then some.
>Setting her back down upon the ground, you take a quick glance at your ring. More than one color dances within the jewel's facets, a mixture of purple, pink, white and green.
>Luna's mouth flaps and works indicating normal speech, but no sound comes out. She seems confused, her eyes angling downward at her traitorous mouth, and then sees that your umbrella is still in her hands. Blushing again, she practically doubles over in bowing, thrusting the accessory out towards you.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Take it.
>"Thank you."

[DracoOmega]

>Accept the proffered umbrella with a smile
>"It's nice to know I have such earnest people looking out for me."