Part 158: 10/30/09

10/30/09

I wonder if this will be the last time Elizabeth calls me. I guess that would be a good thing, but it feels like it’d be kind of sad at the same time.



Good morning. This is Elizabeth.
I am calling to inform you that another human has strayed into Tartarus.
1 this time, I believe. Please don’t delay in carrying out your rescue.
Goodbye, now.
> The call ended.

At this point I do have to wonder whether our world was as normal as we thought even before the Dark Hour appeared.



Ms. Toriumi is feeling ill today… Again, I’ll be her replacement today.
People tend to overstuff themselves during autumn. Mind your manners…
It just so happens that I have a lesson prepared… Today we’ll look at summoning magic.
The topic at hand is magic used to summon angels and demons to our world.
First… what is summoning magic?
It’s when a magician summons a spiritual presence and controls it to achieve his or her goals.
Like shamanism, summoning magic can be seen throughout the world in different eras.
It’s widely seen in books, movies, better video games, and so on…
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Faust was instrumental in the popularization of summoning magic.
There are many examples of summoning magic I’d like to share, but we don’t have that much time…
But here are a few of them…
In the Middle Ages, John Dee and Edward Kelley joined forces in Europe to summon an angel.
Later, in the 19th century, the magician Eliphas Levi summoned the spirit of Apollonius.
Following in his footsteps was Aleister Crowley, who in the 20th century summoned the guardian angel Aiwass.
What else… There’s Neoplatonism, focusing on the doctrine of summoning a guiding spirit called a daemon.
In Voudoun, the Houngan may summon a spirit called a Loa.
And in Japan…
An incantation in a religion called Vajrayana can be considered a summoning ritual.
By performing this ritual, the summoner tries to fuse with Buddha to gain his power.

I mean what if all this ‘magic’ people thought existed throughout history really was just people like us? And if that’s true, does that mean that even without the Dark Hour this power could remain?



But by studying many different forms, you can begin to see a pattern.
Once magic circles, spells, and the like were established as part of the ritual, they saw more common use, and…
> You feel tired…
…But summoning magic isn’t always used for powerful spirits. It can also invoke everyday spirits.
Seances, for example, or Oujia bourds.
These rituals are easy to perform, and thus very attractive, but…
As I’ve told you many times, do not try this at home! It may result in… unpleasantness. Eeeheehee…
That’s it for today.

I guess we’ll know soon. Anyway, I headed down to the mall with Yukari after school.



Oh, I know. How ‘bout you pick a pair for me, Aelita?
Let’s get a matching set!
That would be cool! Wait, your ears aren’t pierced…
Oh, why don’t you get a new choker, then? I think you’d definitely look cute with one.
I could use a new one, too… Why don’t we get matching ones?
> Yukari seems to be enjoying herself.

She got a call about then, I’m kind of glad I was there because it really freaked her out.



Hello?
…!
Uh-huh…
What!? You’re not!?
You want me to forgive you…?
Wait! Don’t do that! Do what you wanna do!
…But, that’s not what I meant…
If that’s what you want, then go ahead… I don’t care, so…
…Well, you don’t have to worry about me…
Huh?
You want to get together and talk about it?
……
S-Stop, don’t cry!
I’ll call you later, okay?
…Alright. Bye.
> Yukari hung up.
……
That was my mom.
She apologized for everything that’s happened.
She said she won’t get remarried until I forgive her…

Still, I’m glad she’s going to talk to her mother while she still can.



> You decide to sit with Yukari until she calms down…
She wants to see me… but I’m really nervous…
Can you forgive her?
Well… I don’t know.
To tell you the truth, there’s more to it than that…
> Yukari smiled a little…
We haven’t seen each other in almost 10 years… so it’s not going to be easy.
When I see her, I might get angry and say something cruel.
But… It’s probably about time I talked to her…
Nothing will change if I just run away…
Deep down inside, I think she still misses Dad.
She couldn’t handle it… Losing someone so important to her…
That’s why she needed someone to lean on…
I think… that losing someone you love and having to be alone is really hard.
It’s hard to explain, but I realized this when you and I started going out, Aelita.
I was afraid of losing someone close to me… So I tried to avoid becoming close to anyone…
My mom just wanted to forget that fear. She’s weak, but I won’t look down on her…
My mom and I are the same after all…
> Yukari has reflected on herself and seems to have been able to take a step forward…

And I’m glad she’s not going to let fear stop her from living her life anymore.



…Well then! Let’s go look at some accessories.
Hey, wanna get some friendship rings?
I’ll buy yours, and you buy mine.
…Make sure you get a guy to buy you the one that goes on your ring finger, though!
C’mon, let’s go.
> You shopped around with Yukari and then went back…

The news confirmed another person was missing.



Newscaster: People are still concerned, since no one has figured out the cause of the Syndrome.
> …The news program continues.
Newscaster: …Next up, another report regarding a missing person in Minato-ku.
Takeko Hiraoka (75), a housewife, was reported missing earlier today.
Once again, police ask for the public’s help in finding any clues as to this woman’s whereabouts…

And we went in after her. Not much more to say, really.