White Lotus (Open)

[shiningdrake]

Byakuren stood on the step of her temple, watching the snow gently fall on the landscape around her. It was... Quiet today. As it had been for the past few days. Her friends had been the only ones who came to the temple lately, just to visit her. Well, theoretically to help her as well, but things had been so quiet lately that she didn't even need it.

The snow... Was quite beautiful. Everything was white, and yet, somehow, it was so amazing... Perhaps it was because of the simplicity. A landscape, drawn in white. However, that was not what she paid attention to.

No, instead, she was looking at a single flower. One she held in her hand. It was... A white lotus. And it brought up so many memories. Her brother, Myouren... This had been his, all that time ago. For some reason, it never withered, though it should have crumbled to dust long ago. Had it really been over a thousand years since she'd seen him? And yet, every moment she'd spent with him, her beloved brother, was as fresh in her mind as if it had just happened. And she remembered the day that she'd learned he was dead...

---

"Byakuren?" The voice of her young friend pierced the silence. Byakuren looked up, smiling. "Oh, Alyssa, you've returned." However, her smile dropped when she saw that her friend's face was stained with tears. "What's wrong?"

Alyssa sounded agonized as she spoke. "It's... It's Myouren. He..." She shook her head, as tears began flowing from her eyes once again. "He's dead..." Byakuren's eyes widened at this news. "No... No, it can't be..." Alyssa looked miserable as she replied, "Unfortunately... It is."

She then explained what had happened. "We were on our way back here, when he said he felt tired. We set up camp for the night, but , in the morning..." She paused, as if she didn't know what to say. "He wasn't awake, though he's normally up early... When I went in to see him, he... He could barely talk. He said that he knew he wasn't going to live, but to give you this."

Alyssa took out a flower, a white lotus. "He said that he always kept it with him. It reminded him of you. But now, it can help you remember him." Byakuren took it, shakily. She couldn't believe this... This wasn't real... No. It was. But... Her brother...

A single tear fell from her eye, falling into the very center of the flower.

---

Just as she had cried in the past, she cried now. A single tear, falling into the flower, that to her, represented her past with her brother.

"Byakuren?" A voice interrupted her silent remembering. Just as one had interrupted the silence all that time ago as well. She looked up, and saw a woman with short, tiger striped hair step out from inside the temple. "Oh, hello Shou." Shou looked concerned however, "Why are you sitting out here? It's cold?"

Byakuren simply replied, "The snow is nice. And I was just... Thinking about things." Shou looked confused for a moment, until her gaze fell onto the lotus Byakuren was holding. "You know, mourning your brother won't bring him back. It's best to move on."

Byakuren shook her head. "I know. I just... I miss him. I know I shouldn't dwell on the past, and I keep trying to move forward, and do what I can now. But sometimes... I just can't help it." Shou was silent for a moment. Then, suddenly, she knelt down behind Byakuren, and wrapped her arms around her. "I understand."

Byakuren was startled for a moment, but then she said, "Thank you... You're a true friend... Shou..." More silence. A warm moment, between two friends. But then, Shou let go, and stood up. "Remember Byakuren, if you ever need to talk, I'm here." Byakuren nodded, and Shou walked away.

Once she was gone, Byakuren shook her head. "Yes... You really are a good friend Shou." She laughed slightly, sadly. "Maybe too good... Do I really deserve such friends? Or... Am I still the selfish girl I was all that time ago? Maybe... I can't judge myself. But... I'll still do my best." She looked up at the sky. At the single star that was visible, despite the fact that it wasn't yet nighttime. "That's all I can do... Thank you, Shou, everyone. I'm glad you're here with me..."

Byakuren knew her friends couldn't hear her from here. They were all off doing their own things. But... That didn't matter. She did feel gratitude toward her friends. The ones who had worked to release her from that seal... The ones who were still there for her...

However, something was still nagging at her, in the back of her head. She felt like she was forgetting something... Not about Shou, Nazrin, or any of the others. Not about Myouren. But about Alyssa, and someone else... What was it...?

[Five-minute Cat Nap]

Barit lounged within the white cushion formed by the snow. He was watching the figure at the temple, not too far away. Of course, he didn't really think she would see him, his cloak and the snow blending together to help make him somewhat camouflaged. No, what he wondered was what she was contemplating in such quiet melancholy. The flower she held was interesting, it seemed to hold her attention for a bit, though he wondered how she managed to keep it in such good condition...

A second figure entering his gaze broke him from his thoughts. The first figure's mood seemed to shift after the second broke away, but Barit let out a thin smile. He could like that first figure, he mused. Quietly watching the drifting snow, contemplating in the void of calm exuded by the precious, pure substance entrenching the area. Oh well, perhaps she would be someone interesting, perhaps not.

Although, Barit quickly drew his attention back to himself. He used his control over water to prevent his clothes from being drenched. Still, he made a slight face as he contemplated just what illnesses he might gain. The snow drifted down, continuing its slow motion to join its comrades.

Oh well, he may as well speak to her. Barit stood up and walked over to Byakuren, any sounds from his boots muffled by the pure, unstained snow. "Hello there Miss, what brings you out on this wonderfully frosty night?" Barit asked in a soft tone, once he got within range of the girl.

[shiningdrake]

Byakuren's thoughts were interrupted by a voice. Asking her why she was out here. She looked toward the voice, and saw a thin, white haired man in blue and grey. "Oh, hello." she said, as she put her Lotus away. "I'm just thinking about the past, as I enjoy the snow. It's quite beautiful, don't you agree?"

She stood up, looking curiously at the man. "And you? Why are you out here?" Apart from Shou and the others, it wasn't really that often that people came to the temple unless they needed assistance. Whether shelter, or healing, or something else.

[Five-minute Cat Nap]

"Oh yes, the snow is quite excellent. It blankets the ground, falling softly to bring about a quiet peace within its cold chill. As to what I'm doing here, I enjoy wandering about within the bitterly frosty atmosphere that is about. Tell me, why so pensive about the past? Those who can't leave behind sad memories tend to be quite pitiful" Barit stated, before noticing something.

"Oh my, I forgot my lollipop" He muttered, before his hand disappeared inside his cloak. It appeared outside, holding the treat, before it flashed upwards. The stick now jutted out of his mouth. "Knowing how the world is, I'll probably end up with a cavity" He muttered, somewhat bitterly, somewhat jokingly.

[shiningdrake]

Byakuren was startled when the man said that people who can't let go of sad memories were often pitiful. Though... She wasn't entirely sure she could say she wasn't. But she tried... She kept trying her hardest to move on, to be a better person.

Then the man said something about a lollipop... Then took one out and began sucking on it, with a comment that Byakuren couldn't tell if it was a joke or not about cavities.

Now, Byakuren answered his question. "I was simply remembering my brother. Remembering the times I used to have with him." She shook her head, "I know it's in the past, and I can't well live in those memories. Still, thoughts do wander when not occupied." She paused, "Oh, I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? My name is Byakuren."

[Five-minute Cat Nap]

"Well then, hello Miss Byakuren. My name is Barit, Barit Gleige in full entirety." Barit stated, his soft tone releasing the words, along with a puff of mist from his breath hitting the cold air. His face took on a somewhat amused appearance, as he processed the rest of Byakuren's words.

"Perhaps you'd prefer some activity then, Miss Byakuren? I assure you, watching this should relieve your boredom somewhat." said Barit, before he turned. Within moments a swirling cloud of snow was within the air. After a few seconds, it began to switch. First was a snowman, then after a gigantic snowflake, a dragon morphed out of the snow next, flying through the sky for a few moments, before it swirled back into a massive ball of white. It held together a few moments more, then imitated a waterfall as the snow crashed down to the ground.

[recon5]

Korochi pulled the monster hide closer to her body as she flew towards the temple. She had been a bit too rough while cleaning it and with the tears and the missing fur it wasn't giving her as much warmth as she'd hoped, but at least it covered her arms and legs. For a moment she began to doubt that the new temple would be interesting enough to justify the trouble she was taking to visit it but she decided to press on since she was almost there.

She'd heard that it had once been a flying ship but as she drew closer she was disappointed to see that it no longer looked particularly ship-like. There didn't seem to be any visitors either despite its reputation for being popular among both humans and Youkai.

Korochi was about to turn back when she noticed the snow in the courtyard behaving in an odd manner, swirling unnaturally into the air before gathering and taking on a succession of forms. Powerful magic seemed to be at work and the snake Youkai decided that investigating this strange occurrence would be worth her time.

The snow cascaded back onto the ground before Korochi reached the temple and she was disappointed to see that the display was over before she could have a closer look. She landed absentmindedly but quickly pulled up again when the biting cold of the snow alerted her to the fact that she wasn't wearing shoes.

Looking for a place to touch down, she spotted the man and woman standing in front of the temple and flew over to where they were, guessing that they were somehow related to the temple and hoping they would allow her to land inside where the floor was warm.

[shiningdrake]

The man introduced himself as Barit, then mentioned watching something... Suddenly, the snow flew into the air, and morphed into different shapes, before finally falling back to the ground in a way reminiscent to a waterfall.

Byakuren was impressed by the display. And of course, it would be rude not to say so, "Thank you, that was quite lovely." she said. At this point, she noticed someone flying closer. It appeared to be a girl... She couldn't see clearly from this distance, however. "Hello?" she called out.

[Five-minute Cat Nap]

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, you seem somewhat less... gloomy, now." Barit replied, before he too noticed the figure. "Good evening, what brings you to frost covered land?" He called out, moments after Byakuren's own question. Is this person hostile? Friendly? Those questions nagged at Barit's thoughts.

He acted out of caution, creating two stylized dragons out of the snow. To Byakuren, it would seem to be just more use of his abilities to entertain, though in reality he would send them rushing towards the figure if it was hostile. He noticed the white puff of from his mouth was somewhat larger. Was he really breathing with more vigor? Could he be anticipating an event? Still though, he controlled himself. This person could be either friend or foe, yes, but there's no reason to get so... enthusiastic over a single thing.

[recon5]

Korochi was unnerved by the dragons but she kept herself from transforming as her cold blooded Orochi parts would be extremely sluggish in the current weather. The man seemed to be the one performing the snow manipulation and his appearance suggested a cautious personality so the snake Youkai believed that he was simply testing her. She realized that she was at fault for not calling out before she approached so she decided to speak before the situation became dangerous.

"Steady there. I mean no harm. I came to visit the new temple but I didn't realize the snowfall would be so heavy this year. I need a warm floor to land on, so is it alright if I come inside?"

[shiningdrake]

Byakuren noticed as Barit made a couple more snow dragons. Continuing the performance? Or... Something else? Regardless, she still had to reply to the new person. Now that she was closer, Byakuren could see that the girl had fangs.

That was irrelevant, however. "Of course you can go inside." Byakuren said, "That's part of why we're here after all." Suddenly, she shivered. She was only just realizing quite how cold she was now... She was practically numb! "I think I'll be heading inside now myself. It is rather chilly..." She looked toward Barit, "Would you like to come in as well?"

[Five-minute Cat Nap]

"Oh, I suppose." He replied. He glanced at the snow dragons, and, as they had no further use, shifted them so they were biting each others' tails. He continued to suck on his lollipop, somewhat surprised at its durability.

[recon5]

Korochi thanked the woman and drifted through the front door, letting her monster hide drop onto the balcony as she did so. The floor was pleasantly warm where she landed and she felt a comfortable tingle in the soles of her feet.

The usual paraphernalia was present but everything seemed to be dedicated to deities other than those worshiped at the Hakurei and Moriya shrines. It would be interesting, Korochi thought, to find out who the resident gods were and if any of them were walking around in mortal form. There was much fun to be had if they were anything like the Moriya goddesses.

"So, are the lords and ladies of this temple around?"