The question brings Lita back into the conversation. She thinks for a moment then
says.

"I would imagine that the head monk is rather busy. Why don't we set up a schedule and come back at a time that is convenient for all of us?"

"I think I can arrange my schedule to put a hour free at 7 pm on the weekdays"

"I look forward to learning more from you, 7PM on the weekdays works for me."

I'll bow to the head monk as we're getting ready to leave, grateful for his time.

As we leave, I'll ask Lita, "So what is it you would like to experience about this world next?"

She replies

"Remember those people in consumes that I thought where cute? I think you called them Cosplay.
I am curious as to who they are dressing up as. That 'website' you showed me says cosplayers usually dress up as characters from Anime, Manga and Video Games. I seen some of that I think and I thought the art was pretty. maybe we could get something to watch those things. Then I can understand the characters they are dressed up as."

"I would be thrilled to watch some anime with you, let's go to Akihabara and pick out a few anime's that catch your interest. Can pick up some pocky to eat while watching to. We might be able to find a decent TV  while there too, otherwise we can watch it on our computer monitor."

I'll be looking to pick up any anime that appeals to Lita, but also trying to influence her to pick up a couple of different genres so she can get a good cross section. I'll also keep an eye out for any video games that we might be able to play together.

You find a smart tv with about a 40 inch screen and dvd/blue ray player for about 15000 yen.
You find a Nintendo system that has been out for a few years here called a Nintendo Switch. (Your character left before 2015 so he hasn't seen a Switch before) It is 20000 yen used.
The equvilant generation of Playstation and Xbox are rarer but still possible to find.

How much are you going to spend on Games and Anime?

The switch would be perfect for what I'm looking for, and honestly I wouldn't be able to resist when seeing it for my first time. I'll get the TV, switch, and about 6000 yen on video games adn 4000 yen on video games. That leaves 18000 yen left over, which I don't really want to go much below. More expenditures will end up needing to wait for the next paycheck. I think it would be great to get Mario or a similar game for Lita and me to play together

In talking with Lita on the way home I'll mention, "I have to admit, I've not seen this game system before. This world seems to be a bit more advanced than my home world, or rather just older than when I entered the multiverse. Some of this is surreal."

You get a half dozen used switch games and Anime dvds. The anime is older shows but you managed to get a good variety. And even a old Ghibli film, 'Nasuca and the Valley of the Wind'.
The Switch games include 'Super Mario 3d Land' which is actually multiplayer too and the Newest Zelda game called 'Breath of the Wild'.

Lita smiles and says
"Then that means we are enjoying something new together. All the things we got look interesting. What should we start with when we get home?"

"Let's start with the Switch and Super Mario 3D Land. It's going to take a bit of learning as well as concentration, we can play a few games of that and then maybe relax to one of the animes when we get a little tired. It'll be nice to curl up to at the end of a good day."

"Sounds fun."

You head home and set up the Switch and the Tv. You start with Super Mario 3d Land and Lita does about as well as you would expect someone that hasn't touched a video game in their lifetime. She is learning pretty quickly though. She seems pretty good at knowing when to dodge. And she thinks the 3d models and art is pretty.
Afterward you set up an anime. It turned out it be a fairly standard Isekai Anime and Lita commented on the similarities between it and your experience. Lita ends up cuddling with you as you both go to sleep.

The Next day you get up and have a fairly standard day at work translating code and comments. Apparently the code is to some sort of medical equipment and it mentions something called Oracle Cells. Based on the profanities in the comments they are rather difficult to extract. Unfortunatly there is no hard data in the code explaining what they are.

I chuckle to myself over the name and think:

Do people never learn? Names like Oracle Cells are just asking for trouble... I wonder whether there's any published information online... but I also don't know how much of a surveillance state this world has. I'm too new here to get caught overly investigating projects I'm in. My curiosity will have to wait, perhaps future work will shed some light.

Overall just going with the flow for a bit, helping establish ourselves enough to have flexibility and some luxuries. I'll try to focus on performing well enough that I may get assigned to future projects that might have interesting elements about the world, who knows, I may end of seeing hard data on these Oracle Cells that way.

A month passes and you get 120,000 yen per week. You spend 10,000 yen on the MMA Gym membership, 10,000 yen for the phone and data plan and rent is 125,000 yen per month. Food has been relatively inexpensive since both you and Lita like to cook. Lita's plants are doing well. The training at the MMA gym is going well. You aren't there as often as Lita because of your work. But you hear that they are thinking of offering Lita a job as a MMA teacher.

Lita is getting fairly comfortable with technology. At least as a user. She has a vague understanding of how electricity and electronics work

You and Lita follow the Buddhist Monk's instructions regarding meditation. He teaches the basics of Zen Buddhism and Fusui. Lita Seems to like talking to Yozora no Kitsune. They seem to discuss various edible plants and the best way to grow them

It is May 1st, 2020.

You prove yourself at work and get to translate some sensitive documents about the Oracle Cells. It seems that Oracle Cells are found deep with in the earth somehow eating rock. They are capable of incredible mimicry. From the smallest bacterium to the largest amoeba. they can mimic their structure and abilities. Unfortunately they seem pretty hard to extract from the rocks. Parasol is researching possible medical uses for them.

I'm going to keep pushing to do well at work, with the hope of getting assigned to more Oracle Cell projects. I am curious what corporation (or if there are several) is doing the testing, some of the cells hardiness and replication capabilities raises red flags in my mind.

Also trying to get enough of a nest egg, since if something goes wrong that I want to rush off to help with I'd rather have the funds to do so at the drop of a hat.

Does my meditation techniques seem to help with my ability to embrace magic here? Wasn't sure if it would help me with communing more with my furies despite the low magic present in the world.

Another month passes and you make 480,000 yen and spend 185,000 on food,rent,phone and MMA gym membership. So you put 295,000 into your savings. Your savings is 608,000 yen now.
Lita got hired at the MMA gym as a trainer and instructor. They are going to pay her 80,000 a week. This also reduces the MMA membership cost down to 5,000 yen per month. She has scheduled her work times so that she is only working when you are working to maximize the time she spends with you.

Mediation outside sites of power like the Temple does yeild some magic. But is is slow going. About 1 mote per 4 hours of solid Mediation. In the esoteric Fusui you are learning, those sites of power are called Deagon Nests. And they are where the the Dragon Lines that carry magic power around the earth gather. There are quite a few Dragon Nests in Tokyo. Apparently due to the influence of various magical groups that monitor the Geomancy of the city.

It doesn't seem to be affecting your methods of communicating with your furies and Vahdahf. You can still go to your furyscape when you sleep and they can still talk to you in your mind. Although you have a feeling that it would probably be very uncomfortable for them to manifest. Due to the lack of magic and furies.

You end up translating a report that details a possible use for Oracle Cells in the cleanup of waste plastics. Apparently they where trying to make a culture of Oracle Cells on a plastic Petri Dish and the Oracle Cells were observed growing into the Petri Dish. The reply report advised extreme caution and looking for something that the Oracle Cells can't grow into.

Apparently the Oracle Cells where discovered by Parasol INC. And the testing so far has been done by the company.

Parasol is now training you with their advanced medical equipment so that you know how they work. Basically training you to be a lab technician.
You have become the official translator for the Oracle Cell project because of the accuracy of your translations.

I would like to start making trips on weekends to visit these Deagon Nests, with the goal of meditating at each of the sites in Tokyo. I am experimenting to see if meditating at a number of the focal points of power will help me feel a way to strengthen magic in this world, or otherwise yield interesting results.

Meanwhile at work I'll continue helping with the Oracle Cell project, excited for the lab technician training. I'll put forward the idea of using a vacuum chamber for testing containment, as some structures that replicate need atmosphere in order to do so. Alternatively, it may be possible to feed the Oracle Cells enough magnetic material to turn them magnetic, and then use electromagnetic containment, where no physical contact is necessary.

My goal here is to continue showcasing my talents, benefit from the training they appear willing to give me, and learn more of what concerns me as a world crisis possibility.

I will also chat with Lita about what she would like to see while in this world. Another trip to pick up anime and video games is surely in order at this point, and the budget can more than handle it.

I would also like to look into the types of battery recharging tools they have the technology for. I'd like to get a portable solar powered battery. My goal is for something that is highly portable, utilizes long cycle batteries even if at the expense of efficiency, and that I can study up on and understand enough to maintain. I'm willing to spend a lot on this battery, so it might not be something that we get this month depending on cost.

The various temples around Tokyo tend to be situated on Dragon nests so it is not too strange when you meditate at them.

Some have the remains of old gods. Rendered innert from the lack of mana, they hibernate to try to conserve what little power they have left.

Others are awake like Yozora no Kitsune.
They tend to inhabit Temples that receive offerings and worship from the community.

You do note one temple that should have been a Dragon Nest. But it is as mana dead as the other areas when you visit it. You do note something in the area trying to draw motes from you.

---------------

The mention of electromagnetic containment has some of the scientists think for a bit and then go "ah ha!"
Precisely controling a magnet so that it doesn't flip over is hard unless it is too big to flip over like a Maglev train. Or if it is stabilized by spinning or other mechanisms.
However a superconductor behaves as a perfect Diamagnet. Which repells magnetic fields due to the magnetic fields inducing Eddy currents in the superconducting material. These eddy currents induce their own magnetic field with the opposite polarity to the magnet. All this is described as the Meissner effect.

Therefor by growing the Oracle cells on a magnet suspended on top of superconducting material by this perfect Diamagnetic effect, we can contain them without physical contact with anything.

They implement that method of containment with some high temperature superconducting material.  It still needs liquid nitrogen to cool it to the proper temperature.

And if they become magnetic then they will float as well.

They also experiment with pulling a vacuum on the Oracle Cells. The results are mixed.
On the plus side it stops them from growing.
On the negative side it doesn't kill them.
They tend to form a hard spore that resists the vacuum.


You also notice somethings odd when around oracle cells. One, they have a noticeable amount of mana despite being microscopic organisms. Two, you get a feeling about their nature from being around them. They feel like a being of endless hunger. Three you also notice that they always grow and move towards you.

--------------
It has been about two months since you got the Switch and Lita has pretty much beaten the games that you got. And watched all the anime dvds that you got with you.
She comments when you ask.

"I have looked on the internet and there seems to be an enless supply of anime and videogames. So lets get a wide variety to figure out what we like. Then we we can focus on specific genres that we enjoy. I have heard that there are streaming sites that do anime like Netflix and Crunchyroll. Maybe we should subscribe to them? I am making some money at the MMA gym. I could cover it and pay for the amime and games we get. There was also that Cosplay that we see sometimes around the city. Maybe I can get some textiles and sew some things together for us?"


-------------

You look around Tokyo and online and find a variety of power banks that have integrated solar panels and a few where the solar pannels are a seperate unit. Prices tend to vary between 5,000 yen and 20,000 yen. The capacities vary between  10,000 mAh and 50,000 mAh. One in particular has 4 solar panels and can fold up into something the size of a hardback book.

There are even bigger units that can run house hold electronics.  But the battery pack is probably about 60 or 80 pounds and it costs something like 200,000 or 300,000 yen and the solar panels are abour 2 foot by 3 foot. So they are pretty awkward.

I will try with one of the old gods that is hibernating to see if I can feed it a trickle of power to see if they respond. I'm cognisent that it still takes me a lot to recharge my motes in this world so I'm not just opening the tap wide for this experiment.

With the mana dead temple, how strong is the pull of what's trying to draw motes from me? Similar to the hibernating gods, I'll let out a trickle of power and follow where it goes to see what absorbs it.

----------

How long did the oracle cells stay magnetic when fed magnetic material? Or is that still under observation?

Do people touch the oracle cells at all? Is it restricted who does?

Also, do I get a sense of if I could siphon mana off of the oracle cells? I'd like to test out with a small sample when one is nearby to see if my siphon pump would give me enough pull to draw in motes from them. I'm suspicious that they may have in their possession the motes of the hibernating deities.

-------

"That sounds like a lovely idea Lita, let's also be proactive and make sure some of this is downloaded to portable harddrives. If we verse out, the streaming service won't help if we want to relax and watch some anime. Next time we're out lets make a trip to a textiles area and pick up some basic goods to start with and equipment to sew. Can't say I've ever enjoyed sewing, but it's probably a skill I should at least have base levels on knowledge on. The cosplaying sounds fun."

-------

I'll order one of the nicer end portable power banks, closer to the 20,000 yen range. I like the hardback book with 4 solar panels model you described.

Not this paycheck, but next paycheck I'll plan to purchase one of the household electronics battery packs. Trying to prioritize everything that would get base functionality should we need it.

You are at the Tomioka Hachiman Shrine which is east of the Imperial Palace. The Shrine is dedicate to the Buddhist and Shinto deity Hachiman. He was the patron deity of the samurai but now it is usually fishermen the pray to him for protection at sea and a large haul of fish.

You send a small amount of motes for you to the sleeping god. After 10 motes you hear the god in your mind.

It has been more than a century since an Onmyōdō offered me such a gift. I am Hachiman. What is your name Onmyōdō? And what do you desire my help with? For I know that the Gifts of an Onmyōdō are not free.

----------------------------------

The Draw is strong enough to be noticeable but not strong enough to actually get the motes from you. You send out 10 motes and track them as they go down. you feel them get about 500 feet down before they disappear. Presumably into the being.


----------------------------------

As far as the Scientist can tell, the Oracle cell remain magnetic until they are fed something that counteracts the magnetic properties.

The Oracle cells are in a strict clean room environment. Because they do not know what would happen if the Oracle Cells interacted with human biology.


You try picking up a mote from the Oracle Cells with your mind and there is quite a large clump of Oracle Cells that float up with the mote. It feels like you would have to expend a lot more effort to rip the motes from them. And there is the possibility that it will draw the Oracle Cells into you.

----------------------------------

Lita agrees and uses her income mainly to get entertainment for both of you along with supplies to sew and do cosplay.
She gets a large portable hard drive and copies the DVDs that you have already purchased to it with your help.
She teaches you the basics of sewing and ends up making a pretty functional SOLDIER uniform for you to cosplay in. She also made herself a Tifa cosplay. She is pretty and comfortable in it.


And a one point you came home from work and she was wearing a frilly kimono. She turns to you and says
"Welcome home Michael. Would you like dinner,a bath or perhaps... Me?"

----------------------------------

You Get the the one that has four solar panels and folds up to the size of a hardback book. it has a 30,000 mAh capacity and the solar panels output about 10 watts. so it takes about 2 to 3 hours to charge it to full with sunlight. And to top it all off, it is also waterproof.

I find a location to sit and meditate as I converse with Hachiman, in a sign of respect to show he has my full and undivided attention.

Well met Hachiman, I am Mike, though I know not of the term Onmyōdō. I... well I suppose at this point I am many things but most importantly I am a traveler and a student... and also a helper. I wish to see those lands that I arrive in better off. I would not say I desire nothing, but hopefully, it is not overly onerous. I would like to know more of these lands, the history, what's led to those such as yourself being largely asleep, and if there are actions I can take to help return magic even in some small ways. Unless there is better reason that it needs stay dormant in these lands. I am but new to this world, and admit it takes me considerably more time to coalesce motes of power.
--------------------
With the entity deep underground, I will meditate and try to extend my thoughts downwards, reaching out to make mental contact with it. I'm broadcasting a simple message:
I am here to  help and listen to your story
--------------------

I release my hold on the mote, not wanting to risk drawing an oracle cell into me. Do I think that I could push and pull a mote around outside of just trying to absorb it? It occurs to me that may be a way to move concentrations of oracles cells.

--------------------

I get caught off guard slightly by Lita but recompose myself quickly, adopting a mischievous smirk and saying "I think dinner can wait, you just look too delicious." I cross the room quickly and pick her up and carry her off to the bedroom.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:03, Thu 16 June 2022.

Hachiman replies

I see. You seek knowledge.
An Onmyōdō were court magicians in the Shogunate.
Information is a fair exchange for your gift.
Japan has a history that is thousands of years old. I suppose that what you want is the History of the Gods.

He goes into a detailed history of the gods of Japan. It confirms what you know about how the magic started disappearing 1500 years ago. And got bad about 100 years ago.

...There is an odd event that happened about 500 years ago. There was an odd god or perhaps they where a Youkai. That being didn't talk and gave off a feeling of Hunger. I fought with it and ended up destroying it. But it seemed to dispense.

-------------–

You just feel an endless hunger from it. It feels like the hunger you feel from Oracle Cells but bigger.

You also feel like it is coming up to get you.

--------------

It feels like you could move the mote around for a few minutes before the Oracle Cells consume it. It is somewhat difficult to do and you feel that it would require your concentration.

--------------

She giggles as you pick her up and you carry her to the bedroom.
And.... Fade to black.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:47, Tue 28 June 2022.

I'll thank Hachiman for the information, and ask if it's ok for me to visit periodically, as well as asking if there's anything he needs or desires I bring next visit.

--------

I'll break off contact once I feel the entity coming up, thinking back to what I recently learned from Hachiman. I think I need to reconvene with that deity before messing with this more

---------

Good to know about the motes, I'll table experimenting too much with it for now since it may draw too much attention to why these cells that are under intense investigation behave differently around me.

---------

The morning after, I'll sneak out of bed quietly to make breakfast and bring it in to Lita.

While eating, I'll share with her the stories of Hachiman and the hungry entity:
"I've been trying to figure out what's going on in this world, especially around the trace levels of magic and the voids that seem like there should be more magic. I was able to make contact with.... well at least one, possibly two... of the ancient entities yesterday and learned more of the past. I'm told magic started to dissipate 1500 years ago, with a major fight with an entity of hunger 500 years ago that the deity Hachiman fought and defeated, but the problem continued getting worse, getting really bad about 100 years ago. It's probably worth noting, that was all from what Hachiman told me, I suppose it could contain falsehoods but I felt him trustworthy. The second deity I tried making contact with I broke off after I felt an incredible hunger. I would like to travel back to Hachiman today to converse more with him, or at least soon, as I fear that the creature he believes to have been destroyed was only driven deep into the earth. Would you like to accompany me, I would appreciate your insights and it would be nice to walk around Tomioka Hachiman Shrine with you."

Hachiman thinks for a moment.

Do you Intend to fight these Hungry Ones? If so, please bring a weapon for me to bless. An ordinary weapon would be hard presses to damage one of them. But one with magic can cut them easier.
I'm not sure how you will get a weapon here thought. The Modern Government frowns on people carrying weapons.

----------

You retreat from the shrine and and sense that the Hungry Entity stops coming up once you get about 100 meters from the shrine.

----------
----------

Lita Smiles happily when you wake her up for breakfast in bed. She listens to your explanation attentively.

"I would love to accompany you to the Tomioka Hachiman Shrine and talk to Hachiman. I would also like to go with you when you confront the second deity."

I do intend to fight them, balance is key to a well-functioning system and I've seen insatiable hunger before and it does nothing but destroys. Does a weapon need to begin as non-magical to receive your blessing? An artifact weapon has chosen to join me in my journeys and is currently stored in my soulscape. With preparation I believe I could bring Vadahf out, but she is a sentient creature of her own, if this blessing would harm her or subvert her nature I would rather pursue getting a non-magical non-sentient weapon here instead. I also have multiple others who have joined me, but while they can manifest as weapons it's not the same. I would also like for you to meet Lita, my significant other. I suspect she will want to fight the Hungry Ones along side me, and she has much power in her own right.

-------
-------
-------

What weapons I bring back to Hachiman will vary depending on whether he indicates the weapon needs to start mundane to receive his blessing, or if a magical weapon can receive it.

If magical weapons work, the next day when I bring Lita I'll also pack her gauntlets in a backpack. I'll show her around the Shrine, enjoying the day with her before and making sure to look like normal tourists before finding a location to meditate together and try to contact Hachiman. I will offer up another 10 motes as I reach my mind out to Hachiman, noting to myself I'll need to recharge for a while after all of this, but I do want to help Hachiman grow back some.

Once I have contact, I will introduce Lita, Hello again Hachiman, it is my honor to introduce you to the lovely and talented Lita. I have brought our primary two weapons... or well I brought one of them and one of them is still inside me. I'll take a look around to make sure I picked a sufficiently isolated area to pray before reaching my hand to my chest and focusing my energy to begin the process of pulling Vadahf out from my soulscape before setting her down reverently in front of me as I continue communing with Hachiman And this is Vadahf, a friend and wind attuned artifact who has helped me slay jormungandr and save a world from perpetual darkness. She, and my other furies that is... spirits of the elements who have joined my cause and journey. I then unpack the backpack and lay the gauntlets in front of Lita, showing them the respect they deserve as artifacts and allowing Lita to speak to their qualities.

Hachiman replies

You are quite an advanced Onmyōdō to have Artifacts in this age. I would have to see them to tell you what I could do to them. The weapon must be potent to have an Awakened Kami. If I can bless them, I don't think that my blessing would harm the kami of your weapon

----------

You bring Lita along with her artifact Gauntlets.
You find a secluded spot to pray. You make your offering. You also sense that Lita made an offering similar to yours.

You sense that Hachiman is stunned when you reveal Vadahf and Lita's Gauntlets.

I haven't seen Artifacts this dense with magic in a millenium. My blessing would have Enhanced your weapons enough to hit these hungry ones. These weapons would have no problem with that.
Where did you get these weapons?

They come from another world, which we do as well. Perhaps another time entirely, although that is hard to say. We are travellers of the multiverse, and try to leave those worlds we arrive in better off for us being there.

Vadahf here has chosen to accompany me, and now normally resides in my soulscape, the domain that I have cultivated and shaped together with my furies, or spirits, or there are a million terms for them, but perhaps most accurately friends and allies.

I do realize that this all sounds a little far fetched, but I assure you these words are true

Hachiman considers your words and the replies


I am forced to believe you. Your stores of ki is like the sea compared to the puddles of modern man...

You say you have this Soulscape that can store spirits. Does Lita-san have a Soulscape as well? If so, you two might be the last hope of the gods. Obviously you have felt how thin the ki of the world is today. The Gods of Japan have only survived due to the rich Dragon Nests and the worship of the people.


Lita comments
I do not have a Soulscape like Michael. But I would like to help the gods of Japan.  Perhaps I can learn to form a Soulscape like Michael's.