Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 2, part 2

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod.
>Did we recognize her client? And if so, what do we know about her?
>"How did she lose it?"

[Oldmansour]

>Nod.
>Did we recognize her client? And if so, what do we know about her?
>"How did she lose it?"

>Neither the oni, nor her companion, was familiar to you. The oni speaks Bonn, and according to Eagle is native to that country, and she seemed to carry herself with a massive ego.
>"She didn't say, specifically." she emits a small chuckle. "I got the impression it was a source of embarrassment for her."

[Hanzo K.]

>"Perhaps she lost it as part of a wager?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Perhaps she lost it as part of a wager?"

>"I'd buy that."
>The two of you have returned to the street.
>"Most oni I know, pretty shrewd customers. That one? Not so much."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Tell me about her?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Tell me about her?"

>She shrugs. "Well, it ain't like we're tight. That's the first time I ever met her myself, so, alls I got is my first impression."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod.
>"Back to the original question, did you offer to get it back to her or just to find it?"

[Oldmansour]

>Nod.
>"Back to the original question, did you offer to get it back to her or just to find it?"

>"Neither, actually. See, she came to me for an unrelated matter, and during the conversation, I discerned that she'd misplaced her slave's paper. I've learned how to read people."

[Hello Purvis]

>"My, you are good. What was the matter she wanted?"

[Oldmansour]

>"My, you are good. What was the matter she wanted?"

>"I've had to be. And, I'm afraid that's between her and me. Nothing personal, but the matter's... a little sensitive."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod. "I can respect that. Just, well, you know my thoughts on keeping slaves, I'm sure."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod. "I can respect that. Just, well, you know my thoughts on keeping slaves, I'm sure."

>She smiles and nods. "Only reason you got one of your own is for her own sake, not yours."
>"But that makes a bird curious. Does that mean you'd do it again? Challenge another oni for a slave, to make their life better?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I have another idea, this time. Rather than challenge the oni to turn over the slave, I intend to challenge her to free the slave, and keep her free. But if needs be, I can do the same thing again."

[Oldmansour]

>"I have another idea, this time. Rather than challenge the oni to turn over the slave, I intend to challenge her to free the slave, and keep her free. But if needs be, I can do the same thing again."

>"You'd pretty much have to. Keep a slave free... It don't work that way, not under oni law. There'd be nothing stopping someone else from coming along and claiming the slave, oni or otherwise." Eagle points across the street, to where a pair of trio of small children are playing hopscotch on the sidewalk. "One of those kids could claim a slave that gets turned loose by its owner. Or someone that's even worse than the guy you're challenging."
>"Actually...." She trails off, her face the face of a woman whose gears are really turning now.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I know, and I think you see what I am planning. I hope to make the issue a challenge. It's one thing to keep a slave, yes. But, it's another thing to set a slave free, and declare she will stay free or else. It would be putting one's name on the line, for certain, but if you can do it successfully, and fend off all interested challengers... Well, I imagine one would make quite a name for herself. Wouldn't you agree? We make the claimed person's freedom a matter of honor, rather than keeping them."

[Oldmansour]

>"I know, and I think you see what I am planning. I hope to make the issue a challenge. It's one thing to keep a slave, yes. But, it's another thing to set a slave free, and declare she will stay free or else. It would be putting one's name on the line, for certain, but if you can do it successfully, and fend off all interested challengers... Well, I imagine one would make quite a name for herself. Wouldn't you agree? We make the claimed person's freedom a matter of honor, rather than keeping them."

>"Well, it might work on oni- some oni, anyway- but what about humans? Or youkai, for that matter, they don't have the same sense of pride and honor that your average oni does."

[Hello Purvis]

>"We'd have to use a different approach with them, honestly. But in particular, I am interested in influencing oni with this. It would be nice to encourage a change in cultural thinking in that regard."
>How common is slave-taking in non-oni cultures?

[Oldmansour]

>"We'd have to use a different approach with them, honestly. But in particular, I am interested in influencing oni with this. It would be nice to encourage a change in cultural thinking in that regard."
>How common is slave-taking in non-oni cultures?

>The Eagle's grin is very amused. "You honestly think you can change a facet of oni culture that goes back millenia?"
>Very, very rare. To your knowledge, nearly every human and youkai that owns a slave acquired it from an oni, through means legal or otherwise. Taking slaves is legally permitted only among the oni, but of course, this does not mean humans and youkai don't DO it. Tengu and Kappa, however, do not. It is against their laws, and their nature.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Anything can be changed. It's merely a matter of finding the right time and the right method."

[Hello Purvis]

>"It's just the trick of starting something that will last more millenia than that, in the end."

[Oldmansour]

>"Anything can be changed. It's merely a matter of finding the right time and the right method."

>"It's just the trick of starting something that will last more millenia than that, in the end."

>She speaks in a still-amused, yet softer, voice, "You're one hell of a dreamer, Byakuren."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Perhaps, but I expect The Buddha was want nothing less of us."

[Oldmansour]

>"Perhaps, but I expect The Buddha was want nothing less of us."

>"If you say so. Buddhism ain't something I know that much about."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I imagine you don't feel like being preached to, so we'll just leave with this: If there's potential for greater harmony, it is worth trying."

[Oldmansour]

>"I imagine you don't feel like being preached to, so we'll just leave with this: If there's potential for greater harmony, it is worth trying."

>"You're a dreamer, all right, Byakuren. But in a good way."
>"But... Since I know you're willing to liberate the unfortunate from masters that don't deserve em, I've had an idea of my own. If you're interested."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Please do. And, where was our next stop?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Please do. And, where was our next stop?"

>"Ran's is fairly close to here. 's a bit of a longshot, but, I've got senses and instincts her people don't. Maybe they missed something."
>You both have actually been drifting down the street in that general direction, since you left Kourin-dou. Slowly, casually, but in that direction.
>"Say you run across another master with an unhappy slave. Say you challenge the guy. Say you win. That leaves you in possession of a slave that needs a good home. We can FIND good homes for those slaves. With good people, people that treat slaves right. People like you."

[Hello Purvis]

>"It's an idea, but that doesn't really solve the problem of lost freedom, or the tradition behind it. But, it would help in the transition."

[Oldmansour]

>"It's an idea, but that doesn't really solve the problem of lost freedom, or the tradition behind it. But, it would help in the transition."

>"I'm not as big a dreamer as you, ain't trying to change an entire species view on a subject. But you and I both know oni law. Once a slave has been owned by the same owner for ten years, either they're freed and gain their freedom permanently. Or their own adopts them, and they have a family. Okay yeah, it ain't gonna do much to acheive that dream of yours, but it'll help the individuals here and now."
>"And of course, there's benefit for you and me, too."

[Hello Purvis]

>"This is true. But I'm also not interested in benefiting from it."