Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 3, Part 2

[Oldmansour]

>Give Reimu and co a moment to walk away, in case they double-back quickly for some reason
>Then stand behind the tree, out of view of the doorway, and drop our Lotus form

>Rin catches your casual glance towards the closed door, then nods and takes a couple of steps that way herself, cocking her ear. But she reports no sounds of incoming feet, nor do you sense anything coming with your mystic senses. So you head for the back of the room to avail yourself of the cover of the big tree growing through the floor.
>However, there is a young miko located behind the tree, this one clad in red and white. She is seated with her back against the tree, and she is soundly asleep, her mouth hanging open, two of her four tails covering her body. A kitsune, with thick, long blonde hair.

[Hanzo K.]

>Would changing back likely wake her?

[Oldmansour]

>Would changing back likely wake her?

>Hard to say without knowing her better. The sound of your changing back is very soft, so that shouldn't disturb her. The light you give off, while bright, is also a gentle light. It shouldn't be incredibly disruptive. And she doesn't look like a light sleeper, either.

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's glance around for another spot all the same.

[Oldmansour]

>Let's glance around for another spot all the same.

>Ducking behind a pew would conceal you from view well enough, as would the areas behind the two dragon statues on either side of the room.

[DracoOmega]

>Take whichever we think conceals us from both the door and the kitsune best, then shift back to normal

[Oldmansour]

>Take whichever we think conceals us from both the door and the kitsune best, then shift back to normal

>Given the angle she is at, the spot behind the black statue would shield you from both the door and at least most of her range of vision if she were to awake. So you mosey in that direction, get word from Rin that there is still no one coming this way- and she has the door ajar slightly use her eyes this time as well- and return to your mundane form.

[DracoOmega]

>Approach Rin, smile
>"Ah, there you are."
>Well, that was certainly... different.
>Also, there seems to be a miko sleeping on the other side of that tree. Might even be that 'four-tails' Tenshi mentioned when she ran off. Can she really have slept through all that?

[Hanzo K.]

>I have to wonder about people sometimes if they can sleep through such a loud voice. And not just the one we heard speaking in riddles.

[Oldmansour]

>Approach Rin, smile
>"Ah, there you are."
>Well, that was certainly... different.

>Rin nods, looking a touch surprised for a moment, then catches on. "Fight's over, then?" she asks.
>No kiddin'. But I don't know if that counts as gettin' information, when ya get down to it. I couldn't make heads or tails of any of that.

>Also, there seems to be a miko sleeping on the other side of that tree. Might even be that 'four-tails' Tenshi mentioned when she ran off. Can she really have slept through all that?

>I have to wonder about people sometimes if they can sleep through such a loud voice. And not just the one we heard speaking in riddles.

>It actually wouldn't be the first time I seen something like that. Rin replies. Five years ago, Konngara's father slept through an earthquake when we were living back out west. He'd had the mother of all benders the night before. And a couple of fights, I think.
>But on the other hand, maybe whatever was talkin' to us didn't want her to hear it. Reimu said that none of them heard... She pauses and frowns in thought. "Then again, Tenshi said she heard somethin' in here." she says quietly. "Mighta been us she heard, though."

[Hanzo K.]

>Odd then, as I heard her remark about a deep rumbling sound.

[DracoOmega]

>She is the chief miko of this shrine and if that was the voice of the god enshrined here, perhaps she has a closer connection to it than most? Enough to notice it even when others would not? I do not know for sure.
>"Reimu won, by the way, though the fight in the end was closer than I think you expected it would be. Tenshi mounted a spirited defense."

[Oldmansour]

>Odd then, as I heard her remark about a deep rumbling sound.

>Good point.

>She is the chief miko of this shrine and if that was the voice of the god enshrined here, perhaps she has a closer connection to it than most? Enough to notice it even when others would not? I do not know for sure.
>"Reimu won, by the way, though the fight in the end was closer than I think you expected it would be. Tenshi mounted a spirited defense."

>"Good on her." Rin says. "Guess she must've found another gear after I left. Some folks take a little bit to git goin' sometimes."
>But if Tenshi were 'the storm that was approachin', wouldn't that sort of mean she was an enemy? To us or to whatever was talkin to us?

[DracoOmega]

>I am not sure it was referring to her or not. But even if it was, the voice might simply mean that it did not wish to be observed, not that she was an enemy to either of us. After all, I would not have wished Reimu to be witness to all of this just now, though she is a friend.

[Oldmansour]

>I am not sure it was referring to her or not. But even if it was, the voice might simply mean that it did not wish to be observed, not that she was an enemy to either of us. After all, I would not have wished Reimu to be witness to all of this just now, though she is a friend.

>A private word. Yeah, dat makes sense. Bit it still bothers me that Tenshi heard somethin' when the rest of em didn't. I mean if this thing really was the spirit of the Dragon, or somethin' else that belong at this shrine, wouldn't ya think it wouldn't hide itself from the shrine maidens here?

[DracoOmega]

>Perhaps. But I gather that the Metal Tiger did not usually reveal itself to its shrine maidens either. I am afraid I do not presume to know for sure how they might conduct themselves; I cannot say for certain what that voice even was.

[Oldmansour]

>Perhaps. But I gather that the Metal Tiger did not usually reveal itself to its shrine maidens either. I am afraid I do not presume to know for sure how they might conduct themselves; I cannot say for certain what that voice even was.

>Rin paces away from the door a bit, her tails swishing thoughtfully. Whatever it was, it sure left us a lotta questions.

[DracoOmega]

>Indeed. Though speaking of which...
>"Did you speak with a green-haired miko with slitted eyes earlier?"

[Oldmansour]

>Indeed. Though speaking of which...
>"Did you speak with a green-haired miko with slitted eyes earlier?"

>"Oh yeah, that one." Rin nods, then walks back towards you, leaning in slightly. "You were talkin' to her yourself, then. She seem kinda.... weird, to you?"

[DracoOmega]

>"She did seem a touch... unusual, yes. She asked me if I was your owner, and the asked me to hold this."
>Produce the jade
>"Then she closed her eyes for a few moments, then told me that she was now satisfied I was telling the truth and insisted I keep this. She never did explain why she had me hold it."

[Oldmansour]

>"She did seem a touch... unusual, yes. She asked me if I was your owner, and the asked me to hold this."
>Produce the jade
>"Then she closed her eyes for a few moments, then told me that she was now satisfied I was telling the truth and insisted I keep this. She never did explain why she had me hold it."

>"Whatizat, jade?" the kasha asks as she eyes the rock, pausing as you explain further. "Lugh's Beard." she curses. "I only had a feelin' she was weird, you got proof. Dat's kinda bizarre."

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, I don't know quite what to make of it, and she never gave me a straight answer. I never did get her name either, now that I think on it..."

[Oldmansour]

>"Yes, I don't know quite what to make of it, and she never gave me a straight answer. I never did get her name either, now that I think on it..."

>"Giada." Rin informs you. "I got that much out of her, at least."

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, I see. Hmmm.... well, I suppose Tenshi might have some idea... not that I necessarily would plan on asking her in her current mood."
>Though on the previous matter, I think I will ask Kiku if she has any knowledge that might help interpret what occurred here.

[Oldmansour]

>"Oh, I see. Hmmm.... well, I suppose Tenshi might have some idea... not that I necessarily would plan on asking her in her current mood."
>Though on the previous matter, I think I will ask Kiku if she has any knowledge that might help interpret what occurred here.

>"The other miko I was talkin' so seemed more normal. Tall woman with brown hair, kinda leafy green eyes. Never caught her name, though. She might know what jade-woman's deal was."
>I sure hope so. Riddles are a pain in the ass best of times anyway, bigger pain when they're supposed to be useful information. She scowls briefly. Least I hope all that stuff turns out ta be useful. If dat was just some ghost jerkin' our chain, I'll have his gizzard.

[DracoOmega]

>Whoever it was knew enough of matters to sound convincing, at any rate. So whoever it is certainly cannot have been making this up out of whole cloth, even if I don't yet understand much of what it had to say. If you give me a few moments, I will attempt to confer with Kiku.

>Reach out to Kiku: I have another status update, if you are free?

[Oldmansour]

>Whoever it was knew enough of matters to sound convincing, at any rate. So whoever it is certainly cannot have been making this up out of whole cloth, even if I don't yet understand much of what it had to say. If you give me a few moments, I will attempt to confer with Kiku.

>Reach out to Kiku: I have another status update, if you are free?

>Understood. She waits a moment, then her voice returns, Did ya still want me to keep an ear out for someone comin'?

>Kiku's voice is several moments in returning. She sounds rather drowsy when she says, Byakuren?

[DracoOmega]

>I... I hope I didn't wake you?

[Oldmansour]

>I... I hope I didn't wake you?

>No. The tiger yawns. Though I was about to turn in for the night. The research on the anti-sleep magic took longer than I had anticipated.

[DracoOmega]

>I will attempt to keep things brief, then. I finished looking around the Balck Tortoise Shrine and continued to find nothing amiss, so I have moved on to the Wood Dragon Shrine. I have sensed no malevolent presences here, either, but something odd did happen with the sacred flame, while I was near it; it turned blue and a powerful voice spoke to me through it - a voice many others seemed unable to hear.