Poor little babes, on a fine summers' day; were stolen away

[shiragamisama]

There's a flick as the lights go out briefly; the magically sensitive will notice a surge of power, and a sudden Great Presence in the manor. Something with a lot of innate power and spiritual presence is here.

Physically, he's not that imposing. Creepy, with an otherworldly air, to be sure, but those who have seen Shinichi in his Shiragami

Comments

[changedling]

[This particular Conan was half expecting the surge. Despite his long residence in the Mansion, he never felt easy there, never accepted it. Spirits did not give so freely, and the Mansion could only be the work of spirits. So he waited, staying alert for a sign such as this -- and now that it had come he did not even hesitate before setting off in bare feet and habitual robe in the direction of that resounding presence.

His instinct was unerring and it did not take him long to reach it's source.]

[shiragamisama]

[He knows the child is coming before he sees him. To not know when one trespasses would be... impossible.]

[He is the forest, and the forest is here with him, wherever he goes.]

[He begins to walk towards the child, clothing rustling, breath loud and rasping. He would wonder where he is, how he came to be there... but there is a child in his domain. Children should not be here, it is dangerous.]

[changedling]

[As soon as he hears the rustle of approach, Conan sits, adopting the formal seiza position. He knows the rules of such an encounter. As an entreater, he must wait to be spoken too, must not show surprise at any quirks of the Spirit's appearance or actions. His success at maintaining politeness will influence the success of his petition -- and he must succeed.]

[shiragamisama]

Leave.

[Is he terrifying? He supposes so. Children scream and run when they see him.]

[...they do not normally sit and wait in quiet and peace...]

[He halts before the child, looming over it, clothing rustling like the trees he lives among.]

Leave here.

[changedling]

[There are many things curious with this scenario. Conan starts with the most pressing.]

Surely you know we may not leave this place of our own will. It is the spirits that govern this place that make that decision.

[That's a test -- surely one which such power must be the Master of this place?]

[shiragamisama]

[Spirits? Other spirits? No. He is the master of his forest, of every twig and leaf and small animal in it.]

[He notices for the first time the walls around him. A domicile? But if that were so, then why... why is he still as he is?]

[There is a vague sense of loss, pushed aside for the child in front of him. Where he is still feels like his forest. Therefore, the child must leave.]

Leave.

[He coughs, dry and rasping, breath rattling in his throat.]

There is no safety in these trees.

[changedling]

Will you send me home then, Lord Spirit? I would not leave without Ran-neesama. It is not well that we should be separated.

[shiragamisama]

I send you? [he almost sounds amused, behind the roughness of his voice] No. You must leave, child. This forest is dangerous.

[He turns, expecting to find a tree to vanish up and away, but only finds corridor. Well enough. He begins to walk down it, away from the child.]

[Now that he knows the child is here, in his forest, he will keep an eye on him from to see he comes to no harm. There si no point to scaring those who do not want to be frightened.]

[changedling]

[Conan watches the Spirit walk away. He has refused to help, that is clear. Following may only try his patience and Conan has reason to know that an angry spirit is not something to be desired.

Still -- he must learn more about him. And if he lets him out of sight, finding him will be no easy task.

Following it is then. At a respectful distance.]

[shiragamisama]

[He allows himself to be followed - for a brief time. Then he turns a corner and is simply-- gone.]

Would you follow me to the heart of all this?

[The Shiragami is behind Conan, closer than ever before, white hair shrouding his expression. He intends to scare, to be an undeniable Force of nature, looming over the tiny child.]

[changedling]

[Gone?

The moment's warning Conan's own senses give him is not enough to avoid surprise at the other's sudden appearance. Conan takes a step back unintentionally. Fleeing is a tempting option--

-- but the other's display of power is proof enough that Conan is on a good thing here. He takes a moment to steady himself.]

I would follow you.

[shiragamisama]

To the truth of all this? No matter what lies beneath?

[Has he finally found someone who will let him be free again? Even if for the shortest of whiles?]

[The pressure in the air of gathering magic is like a storm, building around the pair of them, pushing down through the air and the ground and everything about. With spirits, it could mean anything. Anger, intimidation... eagerness...]

[changedling]

[Something shut inside of Conan stirs in response. He clamps down on it before it can escape -- he knows what he is, but he is not ready to accept it yet.

But -- accepting it may be necessary to get to the truth of the Mansion. And if that is the case ... ]

I will try.

[shiragamisama]

[He leans down gravely, his hair rustling like dry leaves, until he is nearly nose to nose with Conan. He doesn't smell human; moss and green things, decaying leaves... and a faded scent of old paper and ink underneath.]

Then invite me in.

[changedling]

((ooc: where are you going with this?))

[shiragamisama]

[ooc: s-sorry, I should have been more clear. I get carried away with the dramatics sometimes.

Shiragami-Shinichi's working off of the old threshold law; you can only pass one if invited, sometimes with a loss of power, depending on your myth of choice. In his case, you can't invite the forest in -- just 'him'. So he only gets to be Shinichi in a human dwelling, which is what he's angling for... since being a grand spirit/youkai of the forest has lots of rules and restrictions. And for the purpose of the DR, I'm counting rooms 'owned' by people as dwellings, rather than the whole Mansion.

Conan's free to (mis)interpret this however he likes, though ^^; I'm just realising now how skeevy that sentence potentially is c.c;;;;]