Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 2, part 3

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"The temptation I was given was... different. Recall that you had two rings to choose from, the one I called forth from you and the one the demon presented you with. I only ever had one ring, which was something of a combination. When I put it on, I had to choose between the darkness and the light. Despite significant temptation from the darkness, I chose the light, and the darkness faded from it."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Did the darkness offer you anything?"

[Oldmansour]

>"The temptation I was given was... different. Recall that you had two rings to choose from, the one I called forth from you and the one the demon presented you with. I only ever had one ring, which was something of a combination. When I put it on, I had to choose between the darkness and the light. Despite significant temptation from the darkness, I chose the light, and the darkness faded from it."

>"Did the darkness offer you anything?"

>As you sketch Kiku in on your experience with the ring days ago, a pained look appears in her eyes. One she can't seem to banish.
>"Temptation? Offer?" she asks you, her voice starting to sound almost as strained as her eyes do. "No. No, unlike you, I was not so...." Her mouth works over the end of her sentence for a moment, before she finally utters, ".. fortunate."

[Hello Purvis]

>"It was merely trying to frighten you into submission, then."

[Oldmansour]

>"It was merely trying to frighten you into submission, then."

>Kiku's lips curl back into an angry snarl at your choice of words. "'Merely?'"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Merely in response to the simplicity of the tactic, I mean. One can merely crush another to death under stone weights, for instance. I suppose it's telling they didn't offer you anything, they knew you couldn't be bought."

[Oldmansour]

>"Merely in response to the simplicity of the tactic, I mean. One can merely crush another to death under stone weights, for instance. I suppose it's telling they didn't offer you anything, they knew you couldn't be bought."

>Kiku's teeth grind briefly. "Either that, or it didn't need to. Which turned out to be true. If you hadn't..." She trails off, half-turning away from you. Looking closely, you can see she seems to be trembling slightly.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"There's nothing wrong with needing help from another. I didn't resist my own darkness alone. My friends may not have been there, and they may not have known I was in danger, but they were with me in spirit nonetheless."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And you were alone, in some horrible basement. I at least had the advantage of being somewhere familiar, and above ground, when it happened to me. The isolation only made it worse for you.

[Oldmansour]

>"There's nothing wrong with needing help from another. I didn't resist my own darkness alone. My friends may not have been there, and they may not have known I was in danger, but they were with me in spirit nonetheless."

>"And you were alone, in some horrible basement. I at least had the advantage of being somewhere familiar, and above ground, when it happened to me. The isolation only made it worse for you.

>"Don't you understand?!" Kiku cries, whirling to face you again, her face contorted with pain. "I was supposed to be the best! Ten years and more, I have trained for this, studied, practiced, ever since I was changed! And that demon beat me in minutes! I never had a chance against it. Everything I was afraid of.... It saw...." The tiger youkai seems about to cry.

[Hello Purvis]

>Put a hand on her shoulder.
>"And you still won in the end."

[Oldmansour]

>Put a hand on her shoulder.
>"And you still won in the end."

>"No, Lotus. YOU won." the shrine maiden says bitterly, a single tear falling down her cheek. "I was afraid.... Afraid of failing my sisters, afraid of not being strong enough, afraid of...." She breaks off, a choked sob escapes her, and levels an anguished gaze at you. "I was afraid... of you."

[Hello Purvis]

>"No. You stood with us. You made the right choice, after facing everything they could throw at you. And, you made the right choice after that. Being afraid isn't the same as being beaten. Nor is there any shame in having to rely on someone else, either."

[Oldmansour]

>"No. You stood with us. You made the right choice, after facing everything they could throw at you. And, you made the right choice after that. Being afraid isn't the same as being beaten. Nor is there any shame in having to rely on someone else, either."

>"You don't understand. Everything I've done, I did to keep control. Of myself, of my life." Kiku can't seem to stop her tears from falling. The youkai seems almost ready to fall apart. "And it took it all away from me. Made me nothing... Drowned me in my own fears..."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"And yet you're still here."
>"Do you remember what I told you about fear? Fear is natural, normal. There is nothing shameful about feeling fear. Just don't let it control you. Courage is when you press on in the face of fear, and you did exactly that."
>"Yes, I know that you didn't face your fears alone, but there is nothing shameful about needing help. When I was faced with my fears, I drew courage from my friends. You found your courage with our help, but it is still your courage."

[Oldmansour]

>"And yet you're still here."
>"Do you remember what I told you about fear? Fear is natural, normal. There is nothing shameful about feeling fear. Just don't let it control you. Courage is when you press on in the face of fear, and you did exactly that."
>"Yes, I know that you didn't face your fears alone, but there is nothing shameful about needing help. When I was faced with my fears, I drew courage from my friends. You found your courage with our help, but it is still your courage."

>Kiku trembles visibly. "I'm still afraid..."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"As am I. It's okay to be afraid. With what we face, you'd have to be crazy not to feel fear. But as long as we keep going, as long as we hold onto ourselves and each other, it will have no power over us."

[Hello Purvis]

>"As long as you can face it, then it's alright to be afraid. And you don't have to face it alone. You're not an island, Kiku, we all have a role in this. It is not weakness to have to depend on us, no more than we'd be weak for depending on you."

[Oldmansour]

>"As am I. It's okay to be afraid. With what we face, you'd have to be crazy not to feel fear. But as long as we keep going, as long as we hold onto ourselves and each other, it will have no power over us."

>"As long as you can face it, then it's alright to be afraid. And you don't have to face it alone. You're not an island, Kiku, we all have a role in this. It is not weakness to have to depend on us, no more than we'd be weak for depending on you."

>"But what if it happens again? What if the next demon is even stronger, even smarter, than this one?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, you'll be better prepared, for one thing. You were surprised with it the first time; next time, you'll have a better idea of what to expect. As well, you'll have us. And we'll have you. It's no longer necessary for you to do everything by yourself."

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, you'll be better prepared, for one thing. You were surprised with it the first time; next time, you'll have a better idea of what to expect. As well, you'll have us. And we'll have you. It's no longer necessary for you to do everything by yourself."

>"That's how I... how I've done things all my life. Ever since I was changed. It's how I kept control. How I controlled my fears."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I understand. But, don't you think it's fine to rely on others, too?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I understand. But, don't you think it's fine to rely on others, too?"

>"Not for me." She closes her teary eyes. "Until today, I never had to."

[Hello Purvis]

>Gently: "Why didn't you?"

[Oldmansour]

>Gently: "Why didn't you?"

>Her reply comes in a quiet voice, but still somewhat strained. "It was one of the ways... I kept control. Kept myself centered."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Well, now you have another way."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Can you not be in control and be centered without accepting the help of others?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, now you have another way."

>"....Perhaps."

>"Can you not be in control and be centered without accepting the help of others?"

>"It's not that I..." Kiku's fists clench and unclench, the youkai visibly trying to pull herself back together. "I don't... know if you can understand. You're human. You were never.... changed from what you were to something... new."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Not in the same sense as you, certainly, but I'm not exactly the same as I was a few days ago."
>"Kiku, I want to try something. Lily and I did this earlier today, and as a result, we came to a much better understanding of each other. I would like to do the same with you."

And yes, I'm thinking of the touching-rings thing.

[Hello Purvis]

Eh, doing automagical shortcuts is really boring and lazy in comparison to coming up with a real solution, but won't stand in the way.