[Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

Archives of Occultus Magica's beginnings, ten years prior to the current story.
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Kokuten
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Re: [Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

Post by Kokuten »

In response to the magic, the centrifuge began to spin more quickly. Tulan, a little unnerved by the giants, turned to observe the device's reaction. Her eyes started to squint at the ether floating within, but began to frown as there seemed to be no reaction. She turned quickly, and began to show the giants away, albeit pensively.

"It's no good! It can't distinguish mana based on any senses! It's got to be something genuine!" Tulan spoke rapidly, becoming excited suddenly, "We need something from a soul!"
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Straken
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Re: [Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

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The druid scratched his head as he was having trouble thinking of a way to handle the situation. Stuff dealing with souls was not his specialty, and as such felt stumped. If Riley’s magic didn’t work, then having him throw rocks in wouldn’t do much.

“If our bodies ‘ere are just projections of minds, or whatever, then couldn’t we jus’, well, project part of us down there?” Ruarc inquired as he tried gaining some hint to the answer.
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Kai
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Re: [Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

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"I think..." Miyuki began, in response to Ruarc's question "That since we're those projections, this form has to move to where those bits of mind are." Suddenly, and without saying much, she crouched down, placing her hands on the edge of the platform, then, with a grunt of effort, caused an elongated, flattened cantilever of ice to project itself from the side of the platform, and then began to walk down it, toward the whirling mess of minds.

"Hey! Hey, You guys!" she called out to the nondescript bits of Percival Caxton's psyche. "Hey, You guys are parts of my friend, you know! And He's a really great friend! The best I've had. And since he's, you know, not been around, and been sick, or whatever, I've really missed him." She paused at the end to her icy extension, looking at all the little bits of Percy, trying to figure out which one was the most useful. "So, um, could you guys come and help us get him back? He's got people, here, who care about him, and want him with us. so, it's really important, yeah?"

She stood there, looking, hoping one or all of them would come to her and make something happen. She was thinking that she didn't have to worry about Percy anymore, and could have him in their group again, as their good friend, the one whom had helped them in their prior battles, and been around at school, to help study. She was thinking of the Percy who'd come running with Miyuki, even though it was hard for him, and yet had persevered. With all the thoughts and memories swirling through her head, she finally couldn't take it anymore, and blurted out "You're not going to be stupid and let this thing beat you, are you? I know you're better than that!"
CadetNewb
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Re: [Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

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"What, you haven't seen 'The Wizard of Oz' before?" Coco asked, incredulous.

As the show began, her attention quickly shifted to the matter at hand however. Seeing herself blown up to titanic proportions, Coco was devising something to say, but stopped short. As Tulan pointed out, they weren't working anyways. What was left to them, was getting closer. The thought of this made Coco gulp - the girl knew that she had no trouble sustaining something like a web since there were things to connect to, but to get to this spinning thing? She needed a bridge or something to get that far, and the more large or distant her ribbons got, the more difficult it got to control them! If she stood at the very tip of her own extension, what would happen to the portion connecting to a solid spot? Seeing Miyuki venture forward though, had Coco make up her mind.

Joining the Blue Mahou Shoujo, red ribbons tied about the icy walkway and extended its reach for just a few more meters. "C-c'mon guys, let's get out there!" she cheered, fighting back a stutter. "I'm sure we got lots more to say!"

Taking her first few steps onto the cloth length, she gulped again, grasping within her mind for strength.
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Straken
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Re: [Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

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With a simple shrug and a sigh, Ruarc determined that he may as well take a shot at getting closer as well, and even if it did not work than there was hopefully no harm in being closer anyway. With a quick adjustment to his glasses, the druid began to make his way onto the walkway as well, all the while considering reinforcing a cantilever made of ice.

Once Ruarc reached Miyuki, he put his hands on his hips and leaned forward for a better view. Thinking of what he could possibly say to a mess of intangible entities. With a deeper sigh than his previous one, the Irishman looked up and took off his glasses for fear of them falling off before leaning forward again. Then with a sharp inhale through his nose he bellowed out his own thoughts, and for added flavor he decided shouting in Welsh was the best way to proceed.

“Oi! Ah made a personal promise to the lad, and Ah will be rather cross if Ah need ta follow through with it so soon after making it! So one of ya bits o’ mince hurry an’ come over ‘ere! Damnú air!”

Taking a steadying breath, Ruarc calmly put his glasses back on and tucked his arms into his robes before stepping back a bit to view the results.
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Gwathdraug
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Re: [Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

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Riley shrugged and let the illusions disappear – they had been fun despite being completely ineffective.

As the rest of the group made their way up from the platform, their magic crafting a bridge for all of them to stand upon, the little Stage Magician took a step forward to join them before stopping. The grin on Riley's face now that they were actually in position to do something spread even wider and the young girl let out a loud snap with the fingers on her right hand.

The cloak which the girl had kept folded up under her clothing while in Percy's mind disappeared immediately from its neatly stowed position and appeared flowing about her shoulders.

Pulling the cowl over her head with both hands and no small amount of flourish Riley closed her eyes and let her face blank for a moment and then ghosted off – floating through the air and quickly passing the rest of the group with a wave.

Stopping just before the spiraling shards of Percy's psyche Riley stopped and just floated before the area unthreateningly – she was tense, her field of study let her know a bit more about soul magic and the situation was somewhat nerve wracking.

“Hey,” Riley's voice came out timidly at first and she frowned to herself. “Hey Watson!” Smiling at herself the girl stopped once again before nodding to herself as she decided to reference part of the first conversation she and Percival had ever had together. “You don't look too good – and you know a bad day is a bad time to be without company – so... so we're here to see you home.”
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Kokuten
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Re: [Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

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The air felt tense, almost in a literal fashion as the group rose to rouse a grouping of soul aspects. Tulan began bouncing to one foot and the other as Miyuki ascended and with the others following suite. The woman was becoming pensive as she switched from observing them to observing the palpitations of the Centrifuge. With ever increasing turbulence, the ancient artifact turned and turned, faster and faster. The speed would've roused a wind, but it seemed to only more tightly contain the visible ether at the center.

As the mana began to work a tantalizing glow on their skins, the cupping artifices around them seemed to reach a critical point, and stopped all together. The glow of the souls were gone, and all that remained were the bucketing cups, which began to spin again. All that remained was a pale glow for the burning energy still being fought to be contained. The platform was dim, as was the trappings they used to approach the soul aspects.

Then a light arose, burning away the gloom at the base of the platform.

The source was a little boy, younger than all of them by the look of his height. His whole form lacked varying color, looking more like a haunting spirit. He wore school uniform of an unfamiliar western school. A beret, too large for him, sagged over his eyes, whereas his mouth was concealed by a large, spectral book hugged tightly in his arms. With a degree of caution, he stepped away from the stepping stools of mana they were using, and skirted the edge of the platform. The way he twittered showed that he was unsettled, and occasionally, with what brief movements showed his mouth, he seemed to speak without words.

He began a toddling jog, attempting to find a spot for himself, away from the others, but lost grip on the large book he held. The item broke free of him with chaining lines of spiritual smoke, before tripping him over it. He came to his hands and knees, and the beret went flopping off of his head, revealing his messy hair. The trip caused him tear up with eyes that had no radi to them, and he meekly gathered what possessions he had, clenching them tightly, and appearing to whimper.
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Re: [Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

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As they all took their place, Coco realized she couldn't even put into words what she felt towards Percy.

The burning heat that rose to her cheeks. The way she wanted to twist and turn as she sat or stood in front of him. How funny he looked when he blushed. The thoughts which just wouldn't go away, even as she sat at her table and did paperwork. How she thought he wasn't just funny, but clever too. The feeling when they both broke down the more complex nuances of the altercations between magic and physics. How her chest (somehow) thumped as they talked. It was simply too exciting and confusing all at once to be put into words right now. And as the light glowed, as something was finally roused out of Percy's mind, Coco realized something. That she would quite possibly never, ever know if it was her thoughts that brought him forward, if it was someone else, or if it was all of them combined that did what was happening now.

And that was because, as ghostly as this younger Percy was, he was absolutely and utterly adorable.

"K-kawaii..." the Magical Girl managed to stutter out, pointing an accusatory finger at the small figure. Shaking her head back and forward to focus, she quickly asked the others, "What should we do now? Should we pester him or something?" Before they could respond, he fell, Coco quickly running down from the bridge, frills and ribbons bouncing! When she soon reached his side however, she slowed down, more cautious now that she more clearly saw the almost ghostly, spiritual traits of this form. Red boots brought her around to stand in front of him, and bending over at the waist, she crushed whatever nervousness she felt before slowly extending a hand.

"Hey, do you need some help?" Coco smiled.
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Straken
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Re: [Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

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A smile grew on Ruarc’s face as it appeared the group had made some headway towards their goal. Although, rather than moving closer to the apparition, the tall druid decided it was a better idea to leave handling this spirit to the younger females of the group; fearing that he might accidentally cause the boy more stress. He did however return to the main platform to stand beside Tulan again.

As he looked on, the Irishman cast about a bit as he once again began to concern himself about where Raiko had gone. He could not help but worry as he remembered how oddly vulnerable she had seemed upon entering this new world, and he almost considered leaving and returning to the first area to look for her some more.
Kalshion
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Re: [Episode 4.1] The Mantle of Responsibility

Post by Kalshion »

Sakura was noticeably scared, noticeably that is if people actually still noticed her presence but in reality she'd been so quiet that it wouldn't be surprising if people forgot she was there. She was worried though, unsure what to do in this situation or even what to say. "W-we sh-should try and save him... h-h-he..." Sakura gulped. "A w-w-world without him would be b-b-boring..."
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