Inspiration from the Divine Mushrooms (A Very AU Magia Record Quest)

[Solarstream]

Chapter 5: The Ritual's Initiation
Episode 1

Winning vote:
[X] Go to Sakae ward and talk to Shinko (learn more about the Ritual and how to complete it)


When you wake, you've returned to Kanoko's body. The two of you gaze around her room. The fashion designs she made in her fugue state, rather than littering the place, are now organized thanks to the efforts of your two new allies – Isabelle and Tatiana. The two of them are sleeping huddled together on the floor.

Kanoko yawns, stretches, and arises from bed. It's quiet and-

"It's about time you woke up!" exclaims Arachne, ruining said sense of peace.

Kanoko flinches but manages not to shout. She glances into a mirror, but the Witch's marks on her body have not faded. But the Witch hasn't gained any more territory either, much to her annoyance.

"Good morning to you too…" is all she says.

You interrupt before they can get into another argument. "We should head over to your friend's place. Hopefully with Rosa and Shinko working together, I will be able to leave your body and be in my rightful vessel. And then… perhaps we can also figure out a way to separate the two of you as well?"

"Excuse you!? This body is mine just as much as it is hers!"

"No, it isn't. It's mine and that's final."

"Hmph! Just watch! I shall prove myself to be your superior!"

"Whatever. Let's hurry and get this over with… I have fashion to work on!"

With that, Kanoko nudges Tatiana awake and alerts the girl that she's heading out. The other girl volunteers the two of them to watch over the house… and also Ariel. Speaking of Ariel, the hostile magical girl is still bound and is sleeping on the floor in the downstairs living room. Rosa is already awake and is hunting for breakfast, currently staring disappointedly into Kanoko's fridge.

"My God… why is this fridge so empty???"

She then notices you all coming down the stairs.

"Does your family not eat breakfast?" she asks Kanoko pointedly. "Or cook at all for that matter? Everything here is pre-packaged and microwavable junk!"

"It's not junk!" protests Kanoko. "All the essential nutrients are there!"

"The essential nutrients of… salt and fat?" Rosa asks with a raised eyebrow.

"…"

"…"

"…some of them have vegetables…"

Rosa sighs.

You interrupt. "Rosa, maybe we should grab breakfast on the way to meet Shinko?"

"Hmmm… no, her husband is a good chef and loves cooking for people. She can eat there. And you are going to eat his food; is that understood young lady?"

Kanoko can do nothing under Rosa's pressure other than accept her demand. Rosa writes out a note explaining the food situation for the three remaining girls while your group departs for the bus station. Kanoko's masked face and the obviously foreign Rosa draw odd looks from a few other passengers, but no one makes any attempt to talk to your group, so you make it to Sakae Ward with no interruptions.

This time, Emiri greets you in a pair of pink pajamas. "Like, welcome! Come on in~!"

Emiri's father, whose name you never caught, is in the kitchen cooking once more. Emiri's mother is sitting at the table in a casual robe, sipping on a mug filled with fragrant tea. Unlike yesterday, she isn't pretending to be a normal human. You idly wonder what kind of nature spirit she is and how she managed to survive among the Incubators for so long while you all greet each other.

"So, I have a lead!" Rosa exclaims as she, Kanoko, and Emiri sit down at the table. "I think I might have had to come to this city anyway."

"Oh? Why's that?" asks Shinko.

"It's… well, let me back up. In my home land, we have legends about the Four Colors of Tezcatlipoca. The Black Tezcatlipoca, the original, associated with the North. The Red Tezcatlipoca, Xipe Totec, associated with the East. The Blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli, associated with the South. The White Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, associated with the West."

And the mention of that last name, you perk up and summon your feathered conch-shell into Kanoko's hand. She places it on the table, trying very hard not to be distracted by the delicious food aroma.

Rosa picks it up and shows it to Shinko, who looks quite intrigued by the instrument.

"Each one had their own powers and associated sacred items. And this spirit just so happens to have one of them. What I think… is that it may also have ones for the others as well. It matches up with it gaining the conch shell while in the western part of town but not actually being Quetzalcoatl. If that's true, we'll need all those aspects before the ritual can be completed."

Hmmm… could you really be a combination of four other spirits? Or maybe its more like they each put a piece of themselves in and combined them to make you?

"Hmmm… are you sure though?" asks Shinko again. "After all, if you are so confident, you can simply try to do the ritual now, can't you? You know what you're looking for, after all."

"Well, see… here's what's missing. Besides the aspects, we also need the blessing of those deities or a sufficient set of substitutes, as well as someone to take the role of the priest to conduct the whole thing."

"And I said I would be your priest if needed… but you do understand what you're asking me to do, right?"

Rosa nodded.

Shinko sighed. "Very well then… and yes, this city will work."

She continues to explain as Emiri's father serves you all and then himself a hearty breakfast of rice, fish, and pickled vegetables.

"It was only in the past few decades that this city really attracted the Incubator's attention. As such, we still have a vibrant community of nature spirits here living in secret, side by side with the humans. We abide by the rule of our Four Lords who, conveniently enough, match with your color and direction signifiers. I'm even on good terms with the lord of the west, Shiromaru, though I do know of all of them. …and I'm surprised you didn't run into him or one of his underlings yesterday. He lives in Mizuna ward at the old shrine."

…ohhhhhh, was the spiritual presence you sensed yesterday one of his underlings spying on you? Well, it's not like you had any way of knowing, so you don't get mad at yourself for not checking it out. You bring that up missed opportunity to Shinko by speaking telepathically out loud, surprising her and her husband. But she recovers quickly and answers you.

"Yes, that would have been one of his spies. He likes to keep a close eye on his domain due to all the Magical Girl activity other there. Let me tell you what I know…"

She describes the Four Lords to you in as much detail as she can muster.

With what you know now, you decide to go in the following direction first:

(Choose only one. You'll be able to visit the others later.)
[] North – Kuromaru. This one has been missing for months, but maybe you can try tracking him down?
[] East – Akamaru. A reclusive but friendly leader of a group of fairies, so maybe he will be an easy ally?
[] South – Aomaru. Leader of many strong and hostile spirits, but maybe you can fight your way through?
[] West – Shiromaru. Shinko knows this boss personally, so maybe you can get an audience with him?

Spoiler: Notes on these choices

North has a very high chance of encountering hostile magical girls.
South has a very high chance of encountering hostile nature spirits.
Hostile encounters are possible in the other regions, but less likely.

 

[Solarstream]

Winning vote:
[X] East – Akamaru. A reclusive but friendly leader of a group of fairies, so maybe he will be an easy ally?

You think over all the options. Nobody knows where Kuromaru is. Aomaru is surrounded by hostile spirits. Shiromaru is an assured blessing.

So… you decide to head back east for try and find Akamaru among the fairies. If you fail, you still have the option of heading to Mizuna Shrine later.

You thank Shinko for her help and leave the Kisaki residence after Rosa forces Kanoko to eat seconds. According to what she's heard, Akamaru was last seen in Daito ward. It's only a short wait for the next bus that takes you back through Kosho ward and then takes you where you need to go. Since you don't know where exactly you need to go, you all hop off at a place called the 'Kamihama Residential Complex'.

You sense that there's a few Magical Girls nearby, and warn Kanoko and Rosa to keep a close eye on their surroundings. In the meantime, you summon your conch again and listen intently.

Besides those magical girls, you can hear a playful and mischievous song… actually, you hear several of them. You direct Kanoko and Rosa to a nearby tree.

(Roll result: 4 on a d20)

You try to get the attention of whatever is in that tree by playing on your conch.

Unfortunately, you have no idea how to make your noise sound good. Rosa is covering her ears in pain, Kanoko is wincing every time she's forced to play a note, Arachne is internally yelling at you to stop it with that accursed racket, and passersby are giving your group a wide berth and annoyed stares.

QM Note: Arachne's mood is now Annoyed / Hungry.

"Hey, knock it off, will ya!"

Fortunately for everyone involved, someone in the tree throws an acorn at Kanoko's forehead.

"Ow!" she exclaims.

After confirming that Kanoko will be fine, you project your voice at the tree.

"Sorry, I was just trying to get your attention…"

Many voices respond.

"Well, ya sure got it!"

"I think my ears are bleedin'…"

"And what do ya want anyway!?"

"We ain't supposed to be talkin' in public!"

"Do they just not know?"

"How could they not? It's common sense, it is!"

You start trying to explain things to them, but they interrupt you again – this time by descending from the tree. Sure enough, it's a group of fairies – small humanoid beings with lacey butterfly-like wings. They love playing pranks on humans and they are deeply connected with nature and greenery. These must be plant fairies since they live in a tree. They circle your group and continue their chatter.

"Hey! We need to be keepin' ourselves secret!"

"What are you doing bringing a normie here anyway?"

"And… are you possessing one o' them Magical Girls? Whoa!!"

"Is that possible!?"

"Must be! We're seein' it!"

"You must be in a real pickle, but that ain't no excuse, ya know!"

"Yeah, what's your deal anyway? Come on, fess up!"

…You certainly hope Akamaru is friendlier than these other fairies…

You speak up. "I am looking for Akamaru. Have you seen him anywhere?"

All of them perk up, and they start discussing something among themselves. After a bit, one of them defects from the group and answers in the affirmative. The location they give you is…

(Choose only one.)
[] The odd amusement park that opened up recently
[] An old shrine that sees little use by humans
[] Within an urban forest on the river by Kosho Ward

…and you thank them for their help and depart at once. As you walk off, you can hear them demand a reward for their helping you out, so you say that you'll come see them again later.