Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 3, Part 5

[Oldmansour]

>Follow with her and let her observe
>Pay careful attention ourselves, to see if we notice any change in either it, its surroundings, or Kiku herself as she interacts with it

>You walk abreast of Kiku. You take care, as well, not to disturb anything you don't have to as you move through the dense jungle around you. If Kiku is right about this place being her memories, you're not sure what would happen if you were to touch the plantlife. You could end up experiencing one or more of the shrine maiden's memories, and have no way of knowing which one it would be until the deed was done. This is something you would be uncomfortable doing under the best of circumstances, let alone with someone as private as Kiku is.
>Kiku scrutinizes the vine from up close, studying its ugly greyness with a predator's gaze. At point-blank range, the thing gives you an almost 'fungal' feel. If you could smell anything of the environment, you imagine it would reek. Kiku's nose is also working, you can hear her taking deep samples of the air close to the vine. Curious. You can't seem to smell anything beyond yourself and Kiku, yet she seems to be able to.
>After about a minute or so, Kiku cautiously lays her hand on the vine. She doesn't report any backlash or discomfort, though her eyes do narrow with intent. "It doesn't seem to react to simple contact." she says at last.

[DracoOmega]

>"It did not when I touched it, either."
>"Can you... smell anything of this place, besides each other? I cannot."

[Oldmansour]

>"It did not when I touched it, either."
>"Can you... smell anything of this place, besides each other? I cannot."

>"Yes. It smells here like the jungles of my old life. And it smells of my life."

[DracoOmega]

>"Hmmm... it makes sense that you would be more in tune with this place than I am. I am just a guest here, after all."

[Oldmansour]

>"Hmmm... it makes sense that you would be more in tune with this place than I am. I am just a guest here, after all."

>"Too, I am by nature reserved. Even for you, Byakuren, it is only natural that my mind, conscious or no, would not be yielding all of its details. Plus I know you are trying not to pry, even accidentally. Which I appreciate, in the event I had mentioned it before."

[DracoOmega]

>Nod politely
>"Of course. I promised I would."

>"Can you sense anything else about these vines that perhaps I did not? It is your mind, but their presence was also specifically hidden from you."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod politely
>"Of course. I promised I would."

>"Can you sense anything else about these vines that perhaps I did not? It is your mind, but their presence was also specifically hidden from you."

>Kiku gives the thing another touch. "They were. But that was then. Here, I am quite aware of their presence. And while I can sense nothing about specific about them, I can smell- I don't know that I can describe it, but I can smell where theses vines are weaker and stronger." She points towards the east. "The scent is stronger that way. If we head in that direction, we might find a larger concentration, possibly even a root."

[DracoOmega]

>"Then let us do so. Lead the way."
>Follow!

[Oldmansour]

>"Then let us do so. Lead the way."
>Follow!

>"I have another idea." Kiku says instead. Her body is surrounded by an orange and black glow which seems to shrink and elongate. When it passes, she is in her tiger form. "This will be faster. And my sense of smell is better."

[DracoOmega]

>Does she seem to be suggesting we ride her again?
>If so, let's get on board.

[Hello Purvis]

>Keep an eye out for the Midnight Sea.

[Oldmansour]

>Keep an eye out for the Midnight Sea.

>Does she seem to be suggesting we ride her again?
>If so, let's get on board.

>That does seem to be the impression you get, so you do so.
>"I am curious, Byakuren." she says quietly as she sets off in an easterly direction. "Have you thought about why this part of my mind resembles a jungle?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I hesitate to press metaphors too far in this place, but you said it reminded you of some place you used to call home, yes?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I hesitate to press metaphors too far in this place, but you said it reminded you of some place you used to call home, yes?"

>"Indeed. It is not the same, obviously, but this seems to be a derivative of the jungle where I was born and lived before I became Kiku. In a way, there is a part of me that has never truly left this place. I know that humans form powerful, sometimes lifetime bonds with locations that have similar significance to them, but it is not entirely the same thing for youkai such as myself. In some way I cannot truly explain, a part of the place where we transmogrify into our humanoid selves becomes a part of us, imprinted onto our essence. This I suspect is a reflection of that."
>"I mention this," she adds as you duck under a low-hanging branch, "in the event it becomes necessary for you to do this sort of thing again with a youkai such as myself. That way, you will have an idea what to expect, at least in terms of the environment within."

[DracoOmega]

>"I will keep it in mind, thank you. I would like to think that would be unnecessary, but at this point I am afraid I cannot be so hopeful."

[Oldmansour]

>"I will keep it in mind, thank you. I would like to think that would be unnecessary, but at this point I am afraid I cannot be so hopeful."

>"Best to be prepared. After all, you are the only one of us thus far that has demonstrated the capacity to perform this act with more than one individual. It may be that you are the only one of us who can. I wonder now just how far this ability extends. Not so much with us, but with other individuals, those who do not possess the power we do."

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, I am unsure myself. There is much about these powers I do not yet fully understand, and I suspect we will be required to draw upon the deepest reserves of them before our battles are over."

[Oldmansour]

>"Yes, I am unsure myself. There is much about these powers I do not yet fully understand, and I suspect we will be required to draw upon the deepest reserves of them before our battles are over."

>"Let us hope, however, that such an act as we undertake now will not be necessary for the rest of my sisters. Whether you are able to or no. Hold." Kiku pauses next to a thick grey vine and sniffs the air again. "We are drawing close to what I believe is a large bundle of these vines. I suggest we try to destroy that. Doing so may disrupt the rest of them."

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"It is worth the attempt."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod
>"It is worth the attempt."

>"It is possible that trying to destroy a larger vine will result in a stronger backlash. The risk is considerable."

[Hello Purvis]

>"We'll examine it first. There may be a more suitable way to remove it."

[Oldmansour]

>"We'll examine it first. There may be a more suitable way to remove it."

>"A sensible approach. Perhaps a weak spot or a thin area can be located."
>While Kiku does not sound beyond the norm for her,  she does appear to be speaking a touch faster than she usually does. You can't help but feel it's a sign of her apprehension. Unsurprising, really. Even though she overcame the fear you witnessed, you can't be sure she isn't still experiencing more. Plus there's really no way for you to know what running bodily through her memories is doing to her. She could be reliving her life in a blur, or trying hard not to.

[Hello Purvis]

>Let her lead. She knows what she's doing as much as we do.

[Oldmansour]

>Let her lead. She knows what she's doing as much as we do.

>Carefully picking her way through a particularly dense patch of brush and undergrowth, Kiku's target comes into view. At least ten grey vines flow down and up from this spot, forming a twisted, gnarled knot growing out of dessicated, damaged tree. You don't know if you'd call it a 'root', at least in the truest sense of the word, but the word 'crossroad' would not be inappropriate.

[Hello Purvis]

>Last time we touched the vines, they did not react, yes?
>Lets get closer and have a look. Kneel by it and see if we can extend our senses into it.

[Oldmansour]

>Last time we touched the vines, they did not react, yes?
>Lets get closer and have a look. Kneel by it and see if we can extend our senses into it.

>Casual contact did not provoke a response from the vines, yes.
>Dismounting the feline form of Kiku, who proceeds to walk along next to you, you approach the main mass of grey vines. The damage done to the tall, thick tree it is attached to is considerable. It's fairly remarkable the tree hasn't toppled completely. You wonder what that would mean in this place, but you put that aside for the moment.
>Focusing your senses upon the main body of the knot of vines, your vision shifts, and you find yourself standing just inside the Metal Tiger shrine, looking through eyes much sharper than yours at Satori Komeji. She seems to be assessing the room around you. You hear Kiku's voice, coming from you, "Except yourself, Satori-sama?"
>"Generous of you to say, Kiku, but let us not be so sure of that. After all, I don't know for sure how strong the other mikos in town are."
>"I stand corrected."

[Hello Purvis]

>Withdraw our senses.
>"Did you feel that?"

[Oldmansour]

>Withdraw our senses.
>"Did you feel that?"

>"More appropriately, I relived it." Kiku answers as she sniffs around. "This area of my memory, this tree specifically, contains the events of the day Satori arrived at the shrine to assume her position as head of the shrine. I was among those who greeted her arrival."

[Hello Purvis]

>"As did I. I saw it through your eyes and heard it through your ears. I apologize, I didn't mean to intrude like that."

[Oldmansour]

>"As did I. I saw it through your eyes and heard it through your ears. I apologize, I didn't mean to intrude like that."

>Kiku shakes her head. "I do not mind so much, in this case. There may be some significance about this day. This collection of vines may not have formed here at random."