The Temple of Inari 57: Life goes on

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary]

"I wouldn't mind helping your practice, Keiko," Khannie pipes up. "Then we can BOTH help each other learn."

See?

Perfect trade right there.

Keiko can teach Khannie more about charms and Khannie can help Keiko practice possessing people.

Everyone wins!

"I think I would be a little less out of it the second time since I would actually know what you're doing," Khannie reasons.

Then? Nodding along to Arlem's assessment. "Yeah I would have to be careful about weird stuff if I were just a regular human girl WITHOUT Magical Girl powers. I get that. But there are LOTS of regular people in the Nexus that weird stuff never happens to."

Khannie thinks she has good odds.

"Umm, sure, you can look at it," Khannie says as she touches her ear stud and conjures her magical girl gem. It looks like a little purple crystalline egg with a gold stand and a little hexagonal gem at the top in a gold setting. Strips of gold filigree connect the stand with the cap. Khannie holds it out for Arlem to take. "Just be careful with it, okay?"

[Recaiden]

"It's good to have options, even if you hardly ever use them." Arlem says, smiling himself.
"Although it might not be worth the panic some people would feel." People don't need another reason to worry about Keiko, do they? Getting eaten or disintegrated is plenty.

And then, the soul gem, which he gingerly takes in hand, turning it around slowly to look at every bit of the egg-shape.
"Of course."
It's an impressive thing. Even knowing and seeing what it does, he can't imagine how it was made or how to alter it. It must be possible to make something like this simply for protecting one's life and soul and providing them magic - but then, that wouldn't provide the emotional energy they need. One has to be impressed with what Kyubey's people have done, to change the whole course of the universe through these mechanisms. Monstrous, yes, but very impressive.

"The gem holds onto your soul in much the same way a living body does. Without the soul within it, no magic, and no witches."
"However, just plucking souls out of their homes is beyond me." Even with prayer, he can't manage that level of magic. Why, it would take the direct action of maybe an archwizard, or a divine messenger. He looks slowly over at Keiko.

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Keiko bobbles her head

I suppose... but we'll do it in the Summoning Chamber and we'll sign up first and lock the doors so we don't get random people expelling me: that was very icky and I don't wanna do that again!

That changes to a nod at Arlem's statement

Yeah... I guess it's not good to leave a skill you have completely untrained. I don't need something worse to happen next time I try it.

Because let's be real: there will be a next time eventually: forever is a rather long time.
But then that last thought

Don't look at me! You wanna mess with souls like that then our world's only got a few options. And she's not dead, so all the golem-stuff is probably off the table so then you're down to exactly one option. And he doesn't work for free: goodness only knows what he'll want for payment this time.

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary]

"It DID feel pretty weird," Khannie agrees with Keiko. "I felt... kind of like I was you? Sort of? I could feel getting pulled out but I guess that was you and not me."

Khannie watches slightly apprehensively as the soul gem is examined.

She knows that the object is supernaturally resilient, at least to a degree. But even still, it isn't so different from a person holding their heart in their hands.

Would it break if Arlem drops it?

Probably not.

But it still leaves Khannie anxious.

"I knew that part already, but thanks," Khannie says as she holds out her hands to take the gem back again. "I don't think we REALLY need to get me out right away. It seemed like it usually takes a while for a girl to go crazy and become bewitched. Daddy and Zebes both know about it. And my teachers here will know what's happening with me, too. I'll have lots of people keeping any eye on me who will be able to tell if I start acting crazy. If it starts getting dangerous then maybe it would be a good time to try moving my soul."

Khannie wrinkles her nose, thinking.

"The gem is like an egg the Witch hatches out of when a Magical Girl's soul turns into one," Khannie reasons. "So doesn't that make them basically ghosts? Souls without bodies that are crazy and angry and sad? They're dead. So if I DID turn into a Witch then the temple would be able to resurrect me, right? But that's probably the WORST thing that could happen. I don't want to become a Witch or die."

[bc56]

Pond

"I know. I want to understand my own first, then I can work on others." That makes sense, right? Jade dispels the foxfire. "Thanks for your help. I think I should be going soon."

[Fenric]

[Pond]

Kenji nods

Sure does! Well, it was nice meeting you. Good luck!

And with that, he dives back into the pond and quickly vanishes from sight.

[Recaiden]

It's fair to feel a bit apprehensive. If Arlem or Keiko wanted to break the soul gem and unleash Witch!Khannie, they probably could.
Luckily, they don't; that would be a terrible thing to do.

He smiles at Keiko. Doing it the Keiko way the first time, and then a responsibly careful way the second time?

Arlem places the gem back in her hands.
"Usually you're right, but it can also happen in moments in the wrong circumstances. The thing about having people who will tell you when its going bad, is you have to trust them deeply enough to believe them once you're already a little crazy. But you do have those people."
If he thinks back, many years -but not that many- he could understand a witch's descent into madness pretty well himself.

At Khannie's musings, he shakes his head.
"Witches have solid bodies, they grow and feed and reproduce, they react to the world, in their own warped way. I wouldn't call them ghosts."
"Once the witch was destroyed, yes, you could be resurrected. But try not to let it get that far."
There may be a price to pay for getting help from a certain god-of-gods, or certain individuals from other worlds who can help. But dying is quite a price as well, to say nothing of what damage the witch might cause.

That said, he stands up from the bench.

[Morty]

[Meditation Gardens]

"...Sorcery." Braeg says flatly. It's not even a question, just a statement of incredulity. "...That certainly sounds petty. Personally, I might see that as a source of disappointment, possibly infer a lack of ambition or confidence, but not cause to disown someone." He strums his mandolin a moment. "...I have often found that such things are usually more of a symptom, perhaps even a catalyst, than a cause unto themselves."

"Take my niece, for instance. If she ever met me again, she'd probably try to murder me. She's certainly declared her intent to." He pauses a moment to take a sip of lemonade. "Ah. If one were to look at the events leading up to our last encounter, one might conclude she's mad at me for beheading her foster father in front of her. There's a whole tragic story there about how that happened, but as my point says, it's neither here nor there." He waves his hand dismissively. "The real cause of the ever-growing rift between myself and my niece is a fundamental conflict of values. She spent the first five years of her life being raised by a human... quite the far cry from a majestic fiendling like myself. He laid into her certain precepts that conflicted with those of my clan, so when living as she was wont to do, she would often find herself... disharmonized, shall we say?" He shakes his head and chuckles a little. "She didn't exactly fit in. She didn't want to fit in. We were thieves, brigands, killers, and I the worst among all of them. So the next eight years were misery for her; formative, mind-setting misery. And then, when she couldn't stand looking at our faces anymore, she ran away, and endured still more misery and alienation." He shrugs. "She doesn't just blame me for the death of her father. She blames me for quite literally everything that's gone wrong since. Now that is motive for murder." He plays a cheery little tune on his mandolin to punctuate this gruesome story.

"...Now, I imagine your sorcery-loathing family isn't harboring any sentiments quite that extreme, but I'm inclined to believe it's more than 'ooh, magic bad'."

Batu frowns and focuses on a different part of Braeg's speech than he perhaps hoped for.

"I don't see how sorcery implies a lack of anything, especially in the kind of environment I grew up in. It's a demanding but rewarding art."

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Keiko nods her agreement with Arlem

It can be tricky to get the timing right for "Oh, no! I'm starting to go bad" 'cause it can go to "wheeeee!" really really fast and then you get kidnapped by the ancient evil god that's trapped in your head and everyone has to come rescue you and it's so awkward.

Or you know, in your case, turn into a creepy despair-witch that we all have to go kill before we can bring you back which is traumatic enough but you as a witch won't exactly be a pushover so you might very well end up killing one of more of us in the process. And then don't forget that resurrection service isn't free, either... I haven't looked at the quest-sheet lately to know what's outstanding, but you do end up having to go do stuff to pay for that new chance at life.

She looks up at Arelm when he stands, for a brief moment giving the impression of her little princess self looking up: the discussion bringing back the echoes of old pain and fears.

[Ironsmith]

[Meditation Gardens]

Batu frowns and focuses on a different part of Braeg's speech than he perhaps hoped for.

"I don't see how sorcery implies a lack of anything, especially in the kind of environment I grew up in. It's a demanding but rewarding art."

[Meditation Gardens]

Braeg looks a little surprised. Batu wasn't interested in his admittence to fratricide. Or his niece's ongoing hate of him. Or his overall point about superficiality.

No, he was worried because Braeg off-handedly insulted the merits of sorcery.

Wow. Was this werecroc thick or what?

Braeg sighs. "Sure. Okay, kid."

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary]

Not least of all because Witch!Khannie might mess up the garden again.

"I'm pretty fortunate to have lots of people who care about me," Khannie admits. "The girls in the cartoon, they didn't tell anyone about being a Magical Girl. Well, I guess one of them did and then her dad went crazy and called her a witch and killed himself. But I think maybe that guy was kind of crazy to begin with."

Cult leaders often are.

"But I think having grownups know what you're doing is probably a good idea? Just running out on your own doing super hero stuff is kind of dangerous. And if something happened to you then how would your family ever know what happened? Like that blue magical girl she turned into a witch and then what? Her parents just think she disappeared? That isn't very fair to them."

Khannie is pretty sure she won't instantly fall into despair. Pretty sure.

"And yeah, I know. I don't want to turn into a Witch OR die. I meant... just in case that happened. We have a backup-backup plan. I don't want everyone to have to come rescue me especially if someone might get killed by Witch-me. I think they all had German names for some reason? That seemed weird."

Why would all the Witches have German names if the cartoon happened in Japan? Maybe it was just to help the Witches to be extra weird to the audience.

Lots of things to consider.

Then?

Khannie takes a bite of one of the chicken fingers!

"Oh wow! These are really good, too! I don't think they even need ketchup or anything."

High praise from a child.

"Once we're done eating do you want to try practicing some more, Keiko?"

[Recaiden]

"An apt and highly specific metaphor, oh holy messenger." Arlem observes. Do you need any help, Keiko?

"Good thinking, Khannie. A plan, a backup plan, and a backup-backup plan."
He could tell contrasting stories about people disappearing without a trace, but that would hardly help someone stay determined and willing to be open with their support group.

Better go with a rambling aphorism that ties back to the last story and could apply to them both.
"It'll be hard sometimes, but you have all of us to rely on. Even in the worst case, eventually you will be rescued, the awkwardness will pass, and there'll be a whole hopeful life ahead of you. A lot of the time, remembering that can keep you out of trouble to begin with."

"I think the names were just because none of those magical girls knew much German, and the witches wanted to sound mysterious."
In Germania, the witches probably went by Amnish names, or something, he thinks.

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Keiko shudders a little

Sorry... too many old memories. Tammy and Cleo and Leah got him out of my head, but it's going to be a long time before I'm really completely recovered from what happened to me.

she chuckles

But hey: I'm better than I used to be! That's something, right?

Then she grins at Khannie

Glad you like them! I thought they were pretty awesome, too.

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary]

"I'm glad I've got so many great friends," Khannie observes. It is truly a thing to be thankful for.

Khannie, in spite of her greasy fingers, decides to give Keiko a hug.

This means Keiko is probably getting child-finger-grease on her fancy clothing.

Maybe that's a fair price to pay for some sympathy.

Then?

Finish up her dinner.

After that?

She doesn't conjure another shadow orange.

This time?

She conjures two halves of a shadow chicken finger and joins them together. With the taste and smell and feel of them so fresh in her mind it should be very close to the real thing.

"Here!" she says, holding it out Keiko with a great big smile on her face. "I think this is going to work way better than the invisible orange did."

[Recaiden]

[Sanctuary]

Arlem nods. "It's plenty."

"I'll leave you two to your practice."
Just the idea of illusionary food doesn't feel right to him.

[Morty]

[Meditation Gardens]

Batu is a very smart young man who can, in other circumstances, be not very bright at all. He peers at Braeg as the rest of his speech finally sinks in. And suddenly he doesn't seem like someone he should be talking to.

"At any rate, I've never murdered anyone, so... yes, our situations aren't actually that similar after all. I don't blame your niece at all."

[Ironsmith]

[Meditation Gardens]

Batu is a very smart young man who can, in other circumstances, be not very bright at all. He peers at Braeg as the rest of his speech finally sinks in. And suddenly he doesn't seem like someone he should be talking to.

"At any rate, I've never murdered anyone, so... yes, our situations aren't actually that similar after all. I don't blame your niece at all."

[Meditation Gardens]

"Now, you see what I mean about hurtful words?" Braeg gives him an exaggerated pout, before bursting into a fit of chortles. "Yeah, I don't really blame her, either. One can only expect so much from within the unexamined mind of a teenager, yes?" He strums his mandolin cheerily. "...Perhaps that was not the most applicable story to tell. But it's the one on my mind, and it does still pertain to your situation... in a roundabout sort of way."

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Keiko takes the chicken finger, the slight flagging of her ears betraying her lack of confidence. She sniffs it, then gives it a taste.

Ok... it's not bad. It smells the way a human would smell chicken, the taste is right there, the texture is quite good at first but ... uh ... it sorta stays crunchy chicken when I chew on it. To be fair if I was distracted or hungry I might not notice right away.

She grins at Khannie

You're doing food because it's easy to understand and stuff, right? 'Cause food illusions are pretty much never nice things to do.

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary]

Khannie waits and watches with eager anticipation.

"Oh! Yeah the texture would change when you chew on it, huh? I... I think I can probably figure that out. I would have to make it so the tactile illusions changes when you chew on it," Khannie reasons. "I hadn't thought about the smell though. I guess people smell things different ways. A fox won't have the same sense of smell as a human."

That's definitely a harder one to address.

Khannie only has her OWN senses.

How would she know that it's like to have OTHER people's senses? Maybe that's what the charms are good for. Set it up so that it's more like what people are expecting.

"I was doing food because it has all the senses. You see it, smell it, feel it, taste it. I guess you don't really hear food that much unless it's really crunchy."

Which the chicken was.

"Why aren't food illusions nice? I guess maybe if you were tricking someone into eating them they wouldn't be. They think they're getting a meal but there's not really anything there."

[Morty]

[Meditation Gardens]

"Now, you see what I mean about hurtful words?" Braeg gives him an exaggerated pout, before bursting into a fit of chortles. "Yeah, I don't really blame her, either. One can only expect so much from within the unexamined mind of a teenager, yes?" He strums his mandolin cheerily. "...Perhaps that was not the most applicable story to tell. But it's the one on my mind, and it does still pertain to your situation... in a roundabout sort of way."

"I've never hurt a fly and my people kicked me out because they decided my sorcery offends a spirit that may or may not exist or care." Batu's eyebrows shoot up somewhat sardonically. "Your niece rejected you because you murdered someone who did care for her and dragged her into a life she despises. I think it's close to opposite, when you think about it."

[Ironsmith]

[Meditation Gardens]

"I've never hurt a fly and my people kicked me out because they decided my sorcery offends a spirit that may or may not exist or care." Batu's eyebrows shoot up somewhat sardonically. "Your niece rejected you because you murdered someone who did care for her and dragged her into a life she despises. I think it's close to opposite, when you think about it."

[Meditation Gardens]

Braeg shrugs. "Six of one, really." He says, in a tone that makes it a little difficult to tell if he's being sarcastic or not. "Oh, well. At least the story's out now. As they say, confession is good for the soul, yes?" He strums his mandolin idly. "...Perhaps this isn't quite the situation 'they' had in mind, but that's life for you."

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Keiko nods

Ah, ok. Thought so: that's a very good reason.

And yep: that's exactly it. There are nasty people who torture their victims that way, keeping them on the verge of starvation by only feeding them just enough "real" food to not die.

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary]

"That's horrible! I would NEVER do anything like that to anyone," Khannie declares. "But now that I've figured that out how about more practice with charms? I'm not sure how I'm really going to practice that one since you need a person to cast them on."

She could cast them on Keiko, probably.

But she's really powerful!

Wouldn't she just be able to make them not work?

The whole point of a charm is to be tricky about it, right? To cast it on someone so that they DON'T know that you're charming them? But if you're practicing with someone then they're going to know about it and that kind of defeats the point, right?

"Charms seem tricky to practice. I guess that's why the possession tutoring was a good idea. Do you get in trouble for using charms on people at the temple, Keiko?"

A very important question. Khannie doesn't want her new friend to get in trouble.

[Morty]

[Meditation Gardens]

Braeg shrugs. "Six of one, really." He says, in a tone that makes it a little difficult to tell if he's being sarcastic or not. "Oh, well. At least the story's out now. As they say, confession is good for the soul, yes?" He strums his mandolin idly. "...Perhaps this isn't quite the situation 'they' had in mind, but that's life for you."

"So why are you here?" Batu asks suddenly. "You don't sound like Inari's teachings would hold much weight for you. Are you trying to rethink your life or just lay low?"

[Ironsmith]

[Meditation Gardens]

"So why are you here?" Batu asks suddenly. "You don't sound like Inari's teachings would hold much weight for you. Are you trying to rethink your life or just lay low?"

[Meditation Gardens]

"Been there, done that." Braeg shrugs. "You don't get very far as an enchanter without some capacity for reflection." He plays a little sting on his mandolin. "And I don't think we're so far removed as you might believe. Life's full of simple pleasures, see." Braeg takes a sip of lemonade. "Good food, good drink, good friends, good company, the like. One might be tempted to view them as the end goal, but it goes deeper than that. Life's all about discovery, see. Finding all those little nooks and crannies and wrinkles in that little self-aware organ in your skull. Now, what am I always saying, boys?"

No response.

"...Right, forgot they're not here right now." Braeg shrugs. "Anyway, as I say, 'know yourself, and to yourself be true'." He smiles, perhaps the most genuine smile he's given since arriving. "Now, try to tell me that doesn't resonate with Inari."

[Morty]

[Meditation Gardens]

"And what has your introspection and discovery led to, so far?" Batu asks. He sounds and looks sceptical. "While here at Inari's temple?"

[Ironsmith]

[Meditation Gardens]

"Ah, see, now that... that is personal." Braeg says with a smile. "On that matter, you'll just have to trust me. Anathematic though that may seem to be." He leans back and continues strumming, eeking out a jaunty little tune that Batu might feel compelled to dance to. "An enchanter is only as powerful as he is self-aware, see. And I've become quite capable over the years."

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Keiko considers

I think the best thing would be to find someone who would be willing to help out. Charms are a lot like Illusions in that they work best if the person isn't aware it's happening, but if they're cooperative then that's almost as good. I bet we can find an acolyte or two who'd be willing to help for sufficient compensation.

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary]

Khannie considers that for a time.

And eventually she comes up with-

"Do you think some fried chicken and a brownie would count as sufficient compensation?"

Hopefully it does.

Khannie really doesn't have much else to offer.

Even if Keiko is technically the one who bought dinner.

[Fenric]

[Full Moon Party]

Behold! That which has slumbered lo these many years awakens once again at last and the Full Moon is here once again! The theme for this month is "Summer", of course!

Cicadas buzz in trees
Heat shimmers in the still air
but night is heaven!

The foxes have laid out many a tasty treat and beverage for all to enjoy. The gardens are lit with glowing lamps, casting their silvery beams out over the pond to join the glorious reflection of the silvery moon in the quiet waters. The school faculty have prepared entertainments for the young ones and Myobi is holding her poetry contest as always.

------

[Sanctuary]

Keiko looks thoughtful.

Maybe... we'll ask some acolytes and see.