Day by day, the Daughters, with the Waves' extensive aid, learned about the many things of which their mother had kept them ignorant, whether from lack of opportunity, as with television and movies, or from intentional choices, as with almost any sort of pleasure. Finally, Kuri broached the needed question, which lead to another library meeting.
"My daughters did not say exactly why this is needed," the High Priestess said, this time with Ayano beside her. Rika had chosen to remain at the Temple, citing her dislike of common doors.
Kuri swallowed hard, her face drawn tight with tension, simultaneously wishing the other Waves were there for support and very glad they weren't. "Ah… your girls have learned how to tell drink from drink," she said, hesitant and careful with her words. "how to pace their eating and drinking so they won't likely get drunk, how to pretend they can enjoy drink… or at least not show they don't. The only thing left is to find out how much they can take. Thing is… they might not be in fit shape to attend some services afterward."
The High Priestess raised her hand to cut off Ayano's protest. "I do not like any of this. You know our laws and you know why." Kuri nodded, spastic and sharp. "Unfortunately, you have been right. So I will permit this. But for every service missed, you will need to attend one extra to make it up," she said to the sisters, who nodded solemnly in understanding. "And if I should learn," she continued and she turned her attention back to Kuri, "that you exceeded what was needed to let them find their limit, or failed in your duty of care toward them, or you allow any harm to come to them during this, I will give to Aku a burned offering." Even through her mask, her fixed stare and unwavering body language made it very clear what she would be offering, and the sisters paled in horror. Kuri herself was nearly grey with terror, eyes wide, her whole body shaking slightly.
She managed to nod spastically, and after several shuddering breaths, managed to get out a reply, agreeing to be extremely careful of her daughters' well-being. It was just as well she'd travelled by bus.
.oO()Oo.
Once she was gone, the girls turned to their mother. "Mother," Ashi asked reluctantly, "you wouldn't really…"
Their mother and Ayano rose and nodded in unison. "I will. I can only barely tolerate this necessity, I will not permit anyone involved to take it at all lightly."
"You are more generous than I would have been, High Priestess," Ayano said. "Were it my choice…"
"Were it your choice, the Daughters would have gaps in their education which are no longer endurable. My decision stands."
Ayano lowered her head and spoke softly. "Yes, High Priestess."
That one turned back to her daughters. "Do this tonight. After sunset service," she said, and they chorused their agreement.
.oO()Oo.
It took everything the girls had to get through the service smoothly, to put aside their fear for their friend; once on the way, they didn't even try to remain composed, and by the time they reached the house Zazu said her parents owned, they were nearly light-headed from shallow breathing.
Zazu escorted them quickly to the lower room, the one that was all but empty, where they saw seven trays, seven cushions, seven small, stemmed glasses, and several familiar bottles. "I've got everything ready. Since this could take a lot of liquor, I stocked up on crème de menthe." The girls smiled weakly at that. They still didn't like any liquor, but at least that had an acceptable flavour. They took their assigned places, and as Zazu turned down the lights, Sulka put on some light music of the sort they'd learned was called "jazz." In a circle, the girls each poured out a glass, and drank it down quickly.
"Nothing to eat?" Aji asked, and Kuri shook her head.
"Food would get you less drunk, and since the whole point is a worst case test, well." She did look a little embarrassed, on top of being clearly frightened. Ashi smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring way, then it was back to the drinking.
By the end of the bottles, the girls had had enough for a time and stood. The Waves just stared in amazement. "You just had sixteen drinks in quick succession," Sulka told them. "Most girls your size couldn't even stand up after that, if they even got that far! Truth is, after… six or seven, I'd say, I really expected you to be passing out drunk."
While the sisters made use of the house's many bathrooms, Zazu broke out new bottles, and put the old ones aside for deposit return. "I do not believe those girls," she said. "I'm starting to wonder if we can get them drunk alt all."
Kuri just nodded weakly. "I didn't think anyone could drink that much and even stay upright. We've got to really watch them if this all catches up at once." The other all agreed completely, and when the sisters returned, and resumed their drinking, finally finishing their bottles. They very carefully stood up, with effort, leaning on each other for support until the Waves gently took each one under the shoulder, and helped them, one by one, to the beds, watching them carefully all through the night.
.oO()Oo.
In time for the morning prayers, the Daughters filed in, looking none the worse for wear. Indeed, they were positively cheerful, to the High Priestess' surprise. "Did you not find your limit?" she asked. "It is no shame if you declined the test."
"We did not decline," Ashi told her. "We each drank two full bottles of strong spirits before we lost consciousness; the Waves watched us through the night, made sure we had a great deal of water to ease our headaches, gave us a large breakfast, and saw us onto the bus. Kuri says we still need to learn to handle something called 'weed,' and to identify other intoxicants, but not to use them."
"Truly," their mother said, sounding quite amazed. "Clearly, you need have no fear for that. I am pleased. Take the full services today and tomorrow… no. Today and three days hence." She'd almost forgotten their matches at the Dome. "That will be enough, including prayers for forgiveness for the missed services. And for their services, the Waves are considered honorary lay Sisters." The sisters nodded to her words, and the rest of the day was filled with practice, sparring, and services.
.oO()Oo.
"What does that mean?" Zazu asked in a momentarily unused changing room. This was not a question for the green rooms.
Ashi considered that for a moment. "You're not allowed in His holy places, but if a Sister asks you for help, you're expected to give it. And if you ask a Sister for help, she's expected to give it."
Zazu smiled, weakly. "I'll tell Kuri. Thank you, Ashi," and she hugged the girl. They'd learned during the capacity test that the girls were extremely tactile and affectionate, and Ashi returned the hug, a bit awkwardly, but she returned it.
.oO()Oo.
Day by day, the Daughters of Aku noticed changes in their neighbourhood. Tags vanished, replaced with clean new paint, obscene graffiti got scrubbed away, replaced with new artwork, much of it excellent. Now and again some fool would try try to challenge them; at the advice of the locals, the challenger would receive a relatively mild beating at the hands of one of the sisters. If he, or now and then she, returned, that one clearly could not be trusted to stay away, and so needed to die. The supply of challengers quickly dried up, and people started to leave them gifts of food or of objects. The food went to their stores, the objects mostly to people they thought could use them. It was not the way of the Daughters of Aku to accumulate material goods beyond Temple furnishings. A tubular bell, blocks of incense, supplies of oil, these they kept; the rest went to those in need. Simply by dint of living in this new place, they had perforce become less cloistered than the elders would have preferred.
.oO()Oo.
Their penance done, Akane and her mother started catching up on their social obligations. Nearly a month of being effectively hermits had done them no favours, even having told their friends and contacts they were going to be undertaking a spiritual retreat for a time.
"Mort, I'm sorry I haven't been in touch with you," Ayami said to her agent. "But during my retreat, I made this," and she showed him her latest creation, the line work for her next painting. "I call it 'The Far Temple.' The idea is to emphasize how ascetic they are by showing the snow outside this window while the sisters sleep before a small fire." She'd been inspired by the Blessèd Daughters' tale and that of the Elders.
Mort looked it over. "I like it. Is this the first time you've shown them outside their temple?"
She nodded. "I considered making a piece around the bathing pools, but I can't do it without showing their faces, and you know my feelings on that." Mort grunted agreement.
"Make the painting. The prints will sell."
.oO()Oo.
At the playdome, Akane was not so fortunate. The other kids were so… they were just kids. Winning at tag or monster maze was the biggest thing they could imagine. She did her best, but after, Sarah came up to her and asked what was wrong with her.
"I'm sorry, Sarah," Akane said with a heavy sigh. "I… Solstice was bad. We… someone broke in, he wanted to hurt Mommy. I got to him first, I hurt him bad, and he hurt me. He had a knife, my arm got cut," she said, looking down and making her voice shake a little. "It was really scary, but I made him go away. Sarah, he could have killed me! He could have killed Mommy! All this… it's kind of…" and she trailed off, not knowing what to say.
Sarah's mouth turned down, and she hugged her friend. "Yeah," she said with a sigh. "I guess." She didn't really get it, but… it sounded like Akane needed more grown-up fun now. But she was still a friend, and hugs were always good. "Maybe we could go to the arcade later?"
Akane perked up. "Yeah! We can play the drum game!"
.oO()Oo.
She returned home in high spirits, just in time to change and go to Temple for sunset service. The familiar repetitions of the chants of praise helped her settle herself, and once they were back home and back into normal clothes, she impulsively hugged her mother before they sought their shared futon.
.oO()Oo.
Another meeting at the library, Kuri again trying not to be too close to the High Priestess. "What is your next plan for my daughters?" she asked in her cold tone.
She swallowed hard. "The other most common intoxicant: weed. It's totally different from liquor, though. Weed makes you feel relaxed, happy, sometimes more sensual or, um, affectionate - don't worry, we won't have any guys around." Assuming they could actually do it through their darksuits. "It can also be a very mild hallucinogen. It's not addictive, and it's actually got some medical uses, not that your girls need to worry about that. Oh, and smoking it can stimulate the appetite for food."
"Can it harm them?" the woman with the four horns asked.
Kuri shook her head. "Only if they smoked it regularly, and frequently, for years. An occasional puff won't hurt them, and it's not actually toxic that I've ever heard."
The High Priestess nodded slowly. "Very well. I will permit this. So long as you take full responsibility."
She swallowed hard. "Yes, High Priestess," she squeaked out, and departed quickly.
Ayano turned to the High Priestess. "You know my feelings about this."
"I do. But much as it grates, learning to survive in the city is likely the best use of their time until their wilderness survival training can begin, and Sister Ayami hasn't the time to teach them these things. And so far, has their faith in our Lord Father wavered, or their judgement proved faulty?"
Ayano considered that. "No," she reluctantly conceded.
.oO()Oo.
After Kuri had recovered from the interview, with the aid of a very dumb but very funny no-budget comedy and a lot of reassurance from Yazu and Sulka, the three spent a much-needed night in very close contact, cuddled together in the apartment's larger bed while they planned out what they'd do next to help the sisters learn how to deal with the regular world.