Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 4

[Oldmansour]

>"I find it very cold today, in fact."
>Glance around: "It's not just me, is it?"

>"Not by a longshot." Reisen says, taking your side. "I don't mind the cold as much as humans, but that doesn't mean I don't feel it."
>"Maybe I'm becoming more resilient." Patchouli muses. "It is an attractive thought."

[DracoOmega]

>"Would have to be by quite a bit, I think, for this not to feel frigid."

[Oldmansour]

>"Would have to be by quite a bit, I think, for this not to feel frigid."

>"So, if you wouldn't mind...?" Reisen prods the two girls.
>Patchouli sighs quietly, then nods to Sanae. "I suppose you should." Sanae takes in one last sizable gulp of cold air, then slides the door shut. "You do worry too much, you know, Reisen."
>The rabbit gives you a sideways look. "Comes with the job description, doesn't it." she remarks wryly.

[DracoOmega]

>"Did you really not find it cold out at all?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Did you really not find it cold out at all?"

>Patchouli merely shrugs. "I have dreamed of places far colder."

[DracoOmega]

>Does that... sound like a rather out-of-character response for her, or is she just weird like that sometimes?

[Oldmansour]

>Does that... sound like a rather out-of-character response for her, or is she just weird like that sometimes?

>Perhaps not as far as 'out of character', but it is a bit unusual. Despite her magical leanings, Patchy is a very down to earth person. Usually.

[DracoOmega]

>"I've not known dreams to desensitize one to waking temperatures before."

[Oldmansour]

>"I've not known dreams to desensitize one to waking temperatures before."

>Patchouli smiles a vague smile. "I always have been rather unique. For good and for ill."

[DracoOmega]

>Can we sense anything unusual about her with our mystic senses? Some possible lingering effect of whatever happened when she worked with that jade?

[Oldmansour]

>Can we sense anything unusual about her with our mystic senses? Some possible lingering effect of whatever happened when she worked with that jade?

>Actually, yes. There is an aura of power radiating out from Patchouli herself. It is very faint; you doubt you would have noticed it without looking hard. And it seems to be wafting out like a trail. Not towards the jade, though, that stone is inert again, no more than a hunk of rock to your senses. At a casual sweep, you're not sure where that power is going.

[DracoOmega]

>Does this aura feel at all like the magic Patchouli has used at various time to us?
>Does this power in any sense remind us of how the jade itself felt?
>Let's try to get a sense of where it's going

[Oldmansour]

>Does this aura feel at all like the magic Patchouli has used at various time to us?
>Does this power in any sense remind us of how the jade itself felt?
>Let's try to get a sense of where it's going

>It is different from Patchy's water magic.
>Completely different.
>The trail is rather vague, difficult to follow in your human guise. But with a bit more work, you manage to discern its directionality. Up to a point, anyway. The power that is flowing from Patchouli is heading towards you. More specifically, to the small vial of saltwater in your pocket.

[DracoOmega]

>...the one which is the key to Louise's prison?

[Oldmansour]

>...the one which is the key to Louise's prison?

>The very same.

[DracoOmega]

>And this power is coming from Patchouli, yet does not feel like her own power at all?
>Feel for the status of the prison. Can we detect any change in it?

[Oldmansour]

>And this power is coming from Patchouli, yet does not feel like her own power at all?
>Feel for the status of the prison. Can we detect any change in it?

>It isn't exactly the same, no.
>Sending your thoughts down the connection between this world and the walls of the prison you trapped the Water Champion in will require even more focus and attention than you are currently putting forth. It's very possible this would be observed and draw attention to yourself. Proceed?

[DracoOmega]

>Let's excuse ourselves to go use the washroom, then check on the prison while out of sight

[Oldmansour]

>Let's excuse ourselves to go use the washroom, then check on the prison while out of sight

>Taking leave of the gathered girl, you head into Patchy's bathroom, noting that the magical trail does not dissipate with the extra distance, and door, between you and her. Locking the door, you pull out the touchstone and send your thoughts down the link. The power emanating from Patchy does indeed track down the corridor of light down to the wall of Louise's jail, looking in this place like a thin fog of blue vapor.  This misty energy wafts out across the surface of the globe, thus far failing to penetrate.

[DracoOmega]

>So the energy appears to be traveling along the link between dimensions, but not reaching all the way into the pocket dimension?
>Can we get any sense of whether this could be Louise's doing? Somehow drawing something through the walls of the prison? Or does it seem like the force needs to be coming from outside in the first place? Or do we have no idea?
>Based on how much has accumulated here, and the rate it seems to be flowing, can we guess how long this has been going on?

[Oldmansour]

>So the energy appears to be traveling along the link between dimensions, but not reaching all the way into the pocket dimension?
>Can we get any sense of whether this could be Louise's doing? Somehow drawing something through the walls of the prison? Or does it seem like the force needs to be coming from outside in the first place? Or do we have no idea?
>Based on how much has accumulated here, and the rate it seems to be flowing, can we guess how long this has been going on?

>It appears so. The wall of Water's prison appears to be undamaged. So far. But you're not convinced it will stay that way.
>You don't see how Louise could be doing this herself. You saw her efforts to escape yourself, and the power of the Oubliette resisted all her efforts. More, you still can't sense any activity from her side of the sphere.
>A general estimate would be hours.

[DracoOmega]

>So, are we basically at a loss as to how or why this is happening? Or what might happen if it continues?

[Oldmansour]

>So, are we basically at a loss as to how or why this is happening? Or what might happen if it continues?

>Your magical senses are limited when you're not in your Magical Lotus form. There's only so much you can sense right now.

[DracoOmega]

>How much light or noise or magical shockwaves does our transformation cause? Do we think we could do it in here without anyone outside noticing?

[Oldmansour]

>How much light or noise or magical shockwaves does our transformation cause? Do we think we could do it in here without anyone outside noticing?

>If there was a party out in the house, then maybe. But as quiet as it is out there now, someone will notice.

[DracoOmega]

>What about if we were in our own apartment when we did it? Do we think that a magically-sensitive person near here would sense something happening there well enough to localize it?

[Oldmansour]

>What about if we were in our own apartment when we did it? Do we think that a magically-sensitive person near here would sense something happening there well enough to localize it?

>Your magic appears to operate on a different wavelength than traditional magic. You suspect a skilled or powerful magician might be able to sense it, but someone like Patchy wouldn't.

[DracoOmega]

>Is there anywhere else nearby that comes to mind which is sufficiently-concealed, but less personally associated with us? Just in case.

[Oldmansour]

>Is there anywhere else nearby that comes to mind which is sufficiently-concealed, but less personally associated with us? Just in case.

>The back of that disused video store served you well when you, Lily and Rin needed a place to transform when you went to visit Louise.

[DracoOmega]

>Let's finish up here and go back out to the others. We'll try to come up with a convenient excuse to slip out.