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

[Oldmansour]

>"I will readily admit that is true, though I do wonder now about this... gift that she has left me. Though it is rather pretty."

>"Lucky, too, if you believe in luck." Reisen adds.

>Jade is stated to be a stone that bestows good fortune, a symbol of love, as well a substance that wards off evil. It's a stone of great significance in Yamato and Luyang, stretching back millenia. It has more meanings beyond these three, but those are the ones that are the most commonly accepted.

>"Since it was a shrine maiden that gave it to you," Reisen continues, "I doubt she meant anything bad by it. It's probably fine to keep. Or at least, I think so."

[DracoOmega]

>"What you say does make sense... In any event, thank you for your insight; I do appreciate it."

[Oldmansour]

>"What you say does make sense... In any event, thank you for your insight; I do appreciate it."

>Patchouli nods. "No problem."
>"What are you going to do with it, if you do keep it?" Reisen asks you.

[DracoOmega]

>"I had not actually given it any thought, really. I suppose I could try to find someplace nice to put it."

[Oldmansour]

>"I had not actually given it any thought, really. I suppose I could try to find someplace nice to put it."

>Reisen takes a look at the stone in question. "That's an idea. It's big enough to make a necklace out of, too, I'd bet. Or a ring, maybe."

[Hanzo K.]

>"I'll have to consult Rin on that then, she might have useful input on that."

[DracoOmega]

>"I wonder how much it would cost to have something made out of it?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I'll have to consult Rin on that then, she might have useful input on that."

>Reisen nods.

>"I wonder how much it would cost to have something made out of it?"

>"I think that depends on what you have it mounted on. But if you'd like, there's a regular at Koa's who works at Yakumo Jewelers. If she's there tomorrow, I can ask her about the pricing on that for you."

[DracoOmega]

>"Sure, I'd appreciate that."

[Oldmansour]

>"Sure, I'd appreciate that."

>"Let me see that for a minute." Patchouli says suddenly, holding out her hand.

[DracoOmega]

>Hand it to her

[Oldmansour]

>Hand it to her

>"She wants to make sure it hasn't been enchanted somehow." Reisen explains as Patchy holds the rock up to her eye.
>"Reisen's right, I can't do a proper divination now... Not that I have the materials I need anyway. Never mind, there's sometimes a mark or two.... More obvious..." The mage turns the stone over and over in her hands. The intensity of her scrutiny is actually somewhat humorous, but you keep a smile off your face. Mostly.
>"Reisen, scan." Patchy thrusts the rock out to let Reisen have a look.

>I guess everything's okay down there now? Rin's voice returns, now sounding a bit drowsy. You can almost see her eyelids start to droop.

[Hanzo K.]

>Yes, and you won't believe what happened. Patchouli was trying for a weather forecast from an elemental, and accidentally summoned a dragon whelp! He was rather cute really. He's left back for where he was supposed to be though...At least, I think it was a he? Either way, she did get that weather forecast though.
>"I just thought of this, but perhaps it would be good for an armlet or bracelet even?"

[Oldmansour]

>Yes, and you won't believe what happened. Patchouli was trying for a weather forecast from an elemental, and accidentally summoned a dragon whelp! He was rather cute really. He's left back for where he was supposed to be though...At least, I think it was a he? Either way, she did get that weather forecast though.
>"I just thought of this, but perhaps it would be good for an armlet or bracelet even?"

>Somehow, you can almost hear Rin blink in surprise.

>"No reason why not." Reisen answers as she takes a closer look at the jade, per Patchy's request. "It depends on the styling. But there's enough jade here to give you a lot of options... I think." she adds with a depreciating smile. "Jewelery isn't my area of expertise." Then she turns her eyes to Patchouli. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary."
>The neophyte mage seems almost disappointed for a moment, then hands the jade back to you. "Wanted to make sure." she says, echoing Reisen.

[DracoOmega]

>Accept and pocket the jade
>"Well, I appreciate both the suggestion and the assistance. And I bid the two of you a good night."
>Assuming nothing stops us, take our leave and return to our own apartment

[Oldmansour]

>Accept and pocket the jade
>"Well, I appreciate both the suggestion and the assistance. And I bid the two of you a good night."
>Assuming nothing stops us, take our leave and return to our own apartment

>"See you in school tomorrow." Reisen says. "And you should get some sleep yourself, Patchy."
>"Sleep later." Patchy replies quickly, walking past the rabbit and into the main room. "We have work to do." Reisen sighs a tolerant sigh, gives you a nod, then follows her charge as you depart.
>The word sleep sounds very good to you as well, though at the moment, you're probably more hungry than tired. Not by a lot, perhaps, but enough. Hyozan greets you as you reach the second floor with a quiet look, and you give his head a pat as you pass him by.
>Returning to your home, you find that Rin has made good on her word, and you find a plate holding half a sandwich awaiting you in the kitchen, with a glass of milk next to it. Rin, once more in her feline form, has reclined herself in front of the large glass double doors leading to the rear balcony, the curtains partly opened to afford her a look at the sky. Not that there's a lot to see at present beyond grey clouds.

[DracoOmega]

>"Thank you for the sandwich."
>Collect food and go sit down somewhere comfortable to munch on it

[Oldmansour]

>"Thank you for the sandwich."
>Collect food and go sit down somewhere comfortable to munch on it

>I thought just a half would do, this time of night. Rin informs you as you sit yourself at your desk. Your kasha has made you a ham sandwich with lettuce and just a touch of mayonnaise. Very nice, but not too heavy.
>Did Patchouli really call up a dragon? Rin asks as she picks herself up and pats silently in your direction.

[DracoOmega]

>She did indeed; a small blue whelp that sparked with something akin to electricity. It was actually rather friendly in the end, at least to me. Patchouli says she has no idea how what happened was even possible, but is very determined to find out. Perhaps too much so, I fear - I don't want her to somehow cause harm to herself in her zeal, and dragons are nothing to be treated lightly. Not that I expect she would take that remark in the spirit it is intended, were she to hear it.

[Oldmansour]

>She did indeed; a small blue whelp that sparked with something akin to electricity. It was actually rather friendly in the end, at least to me. Patchouli says she has no idea how what happened was even possible, but is very determined to find out. Perhaps too much so, I fear - I don't want her to somehow cause harm to herself in her zeal, and dragons are nothing to be treated lightly. Not that I expect she would take that remark in the spirit it is intended, were she to hear it.

>Rin blurs and returns to her humanoid form, and she's changed into her black nightdress with pink trim, while you admit to yourself that telepathy is very handy while you're eating. "Yeah, she's a proud one, awright. But on de upside, at least now she got us two to bail her out, worse comes to worse." She pauses, then ponders, "assumin' our powers work on dragons."

[DracoOmega]

>"I have no reason to believe that they would not, at least defensively. Though I hope it a question I need never find the answer to."

[Oldmansour]

>"I have no reason to believe that they would not, at least defensively. Though I hope it a question I need never find the answer to."

>"With ya there. Demons is bad enough."
>"Well, unless it's like the temple dragon, then it'll be on our side."

[DracoOmega]

>"One should hope, at least. But certainly they do not all come alike."

[Oldmansour]

>"One should hope, at least. But certainly they do not all come alike."

>"This one was friendly. Dat's a good start." Rin says with a confidant smile, a gesture made slightly dubious by the fatigue on the rest of her face.

[DracoOmega]

>Smile back. Not that we probably look any better in that regard ourselves.
>"Yes, I suppose it was at that."
>Munch

[Oldmansour]

>Smile back. Not that we probably look any better in that regard ourselves.
>"Yes, I suppose it was at that."
>Munch

>Your munching is concluded in very short order. The combination of a light snack an an empty belly makes for a rather brief meal. But to Rin's credit, she did a good job of measuring portions. If you're honest, you could very easily go for more, but this takes the edge off your hunger, and that will do for the night, without keeping you awake for long. Good girl.
>In a quieter voice, Rin asks, "So what do we do 'bout the Bird shrine? I got work tomorrow, and you've got play practice. Plus dat thing at de hospital. If ya think we still need to check it out at all, after dat blue flame thing."

[DracoOmega]

>"I might simply find some way to casually bring up the topic with Youmu in school tomorrow. For now, at least."

[Oldmansour]

>"I might simply find some way to casually bring up the topic with Youmu in school tomorrow. For now, at least."

>"Think that'll be enough?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I'd like to think so, but I suppose it's true that I can't know for sure. Certainly there are things we might sense there that could be significant in some way, but we found nothing outright hostile at the other shrines, so I would like to hope that whatever is wrong at the shine of the Metal Tiger is indeed confined to there. And perhaps after tomorrow, Kiku's own investigations will have turned up something else for us to work with."

[Oldmansour]

>"I'd like to think so, but I suppose it's true that I can't know for sure. Certainly there are things we might sense there that could be significant in some way, but we found nothing outright hostile at the other shrines, so I would like to hope that whatever is wrong at the shine of the Metal Tiger is indeed confined to there. And perhaps after tomorrow, Kiku's own investigations will have turned up something else for us to work with."

>Rin nods in agreement. "Fewer fires we gotta put out, the better."