Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 5

[Oldmansour]

>"Not as strong as they once were, but... yes."
>"But even if this might sound like an unsettling thing to you, don't forget that people are always changing as they experience new things and grow close to new people. How often do couples start to pick up each other's mannerisms over time? Or friends that learn to be a little more like the qualities they admire in each other? This experience may have been more intense, but in a way, I'm not so certain it's altogether different. I'm still me and she's still her, but we've each seen a different way of looking at the world and maybe learned something from it."

>"So, in the same way that she influence you, you influenced her?"

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"That's right."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod
>"That's right."

>She nods thoughtfully.  "And Kiku?"

[DracoOmega]

>That connection wasn't as open or intimate as with Lily, right? Did we not feel much effect from it afterward?

[Oldmansour]

>That connection wasn't as open or intimate as with Lily, right? Did we not feel much effect from it afterward?

>Correct, on both counts.

[DracoOmega]

>"Our bond was a lot less... open than it was with Lily. There was a much stronger boundary between her self and mine - it was more like I was observing her memories rather than experiencing them and I haven't felt any lingering effects to speak of."

[Oldmansour]

>"Our bond was a lot less... open than it was with Lily. There was a much stronger boundary between her self and mine - it was more like I was observing her memories rather than experiencing them and I haven't felt any lingering effects to speak of."

>Minoriko nods again, looking down at her ring once more. She seems to mull osomething over in her mind, then shakes her head slightly. "What about you, Rin? Have you ever done this... melding?"
>"Melding?"
>"Joining of minds." Minoriko explainds.
>The kasha shakes her head. "No. I don't even know if the rest of us CAN. That might be something only Byakuren can do."

[DracoOmega]

>"I've only done it when there was need of it to help someone. It is obviously a great deal to ask of someone to expose themselves so... nakedly, as it were. Even if I am just as exposed by the joining as they."

[Oldmansour]

>"I've only done it when there was need of it to help someone. It is obviously a great deal to ask of someone to expose themselves so... nakedly, as it were. Even if I am just as exposed by the joining as they."

>"It's a heavy responsibility." Minoriko says thoughtfully. "Now I really know just how much your comrades trust you, Byakuren, if they were willing to do that." A smile spreads across her face. "Not everyone could handle that, certainly not on top of everything else that comes with this power."

[DracoOmega]

>"And I endeavor my best to be worthy of that trust."
>Smile a little self-consciously
>"All of this is more responsibility than I ever expected to have - at this age or any age - but so long as I have the power to do good in the world, to do things the that other people can't, then I am dedicated to making sure this chapter of our lives has a happy ending - for all of us."

[Oldmansour]

>"And I endeavor my best to be worthy of that trust."
>Smile a little self-consciously
>"All of this is more responsibility than I ever expected to have - at this age or any age - but so long as I have the power to do good in the world, to do things the that other people can't, then I am dedicated to making sure this chapter of our lives has a happy ending - for all of us."

>Minoriko lowers her arm and tilts her head back slightly. She is motionless for a moment before she discards her magical form, returning to her civilian guise. "And do you have plans for the chapter of this day? Or is this a day off for our heroes?" she asks with a light smile.

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm not sure, exactly. I've considered investigating a lead on where Sanae is, but I don't know that anything positive would come from trying to talk with her at this point - and I'd prefer to avoid precipitating a battle with both her and Elis at the same time."
>"Aside from that, I need to check on Motormaster and see how they are after being freed from their possession."

[Oldmansour]

>"I'm not sure, exactly. I've considered investigating a lead on where Sanae is, but I don't know that anything positive would come from trying to talk with her at this point - and I'd prefer to avoid precipitating a battle with both her and Elis at the same time."
>"Aside from that, I need to check on Motormaster and see how they are after being freed from their possession."

>"You said that Motormaster had been 'confined'?" Minoriko asks. "Have you had Kiku watching her or something?"

[DracoOmega]

>"No, we placed her in an oubliette - a sort of extradimensional prison that we created. There should be no means for them to escape on their own, but I did try to at least make the environment feel comfortable in the meantime."
>"Using this keystone, we can travel back and forth to there, whenever we like."
>Produce Motormaster's keys
>"Well, in this case it's an actual key, but that's just coincidence - it just needs to be something connected to the person we're confining."
>"It's the same thing as we used to hold the Champion of Water, though a little less sturdy as I don't believe Motormaster has any supernatural powers at their disposal anymore."

[Oldmansour]

>"No, we placed her in an oubliette - a sort of extradimensional prison that we created. There should be no means for them to escape on their own, but I did try to at least make the environment feel comfortable in the meantime."
>"Using this keystone, we can travel back and forth to there, whenever we like."
>Produce Motormaster's keys
>"Well, in this case it's an actual key, but that's just coincidence - it just needs to be something connected to the person we're confining."
>"It's the same thing as we used to hold the Champion of Water, though a little less sturdy as I don't believe Motormaster has any supernatural powers at their disposal anymore."

>Minoriko regards the motorcycle keys in your hands. "How, exactly, can you use those to..."
>"Magic." supplies Rin after Minoriko trails off.
>The older woman smiles a bit ruefully. "Ah yes. I suppose I'll need to get accustomed to that as well."

[DracoOmega]

>Smile
>"I'm sure you'll find you have more than a few tricks up your sleeves as well, when the situation comes to use them."

[Oldmansour]

>Smile
>"I'm sure you'll find you have more than a few tricks up your sleeves as well, when the situation comes to use them."

>"No doubt."
>"And while we're talking abut Motormaster, how is Reisen doing?" Minoriko asks as she sits back down at the kotatsu. "Considering how she felt about Motormaster, confronting him, with or without magic or help, can't have been easy for her."

[DracoOmega]

>"No. I'm sure it wasn't."
>"She... wasn't in favor of trying to rehabilitate the bikers, after all that they've done. I can't say that I don't understand where she's coming from; that fight was much more personal for her than it was for any of us. But I had to try, regardless."

[Oldmansour]

>"No. I'm sure it wasn't."
>"She... wasn't in favor of trying to rehabilitate the bikers, after all that they've done. I can't say that I don't understand where she's coming from; that fight was much more personal for her than it was for any of us. But I had to try, regardless."

>"I know you and Rin came home before she did yesterday. Have you seen her since the fight?"

[DracoOmega]

>Shake our head

[Oldmansour]

>Shake our head

>Minoriko presses a finger thoughtfully against her chin. "Perhaps I should go down to visit her."
>Minoriko's door opens as she thinks aloud, and Nitori sticks her head in again. "'scuse me!" she announces before letting herself in. She's not alone this time, though, as Reisen enters just behind her. "Letty sent me."
>"Yes, come in- Reisen!" Minoriko starts as she comes to her feet. "We were just talking about you."
>"Nothing too embarassing, I hope." Reisen says self-depracatingly. To you, she inclines her head politely. "Good morning, mistress." That phrase took a lot of getting used to from Rin. Hearing it from Reisen is still a little.... odd.

[DracoOmega]

>Smile
>"Good morning."
>How are you feeling?

[Oldmansour]

>Smile
>"Good morning."
>How are you feeling?

>Nitori shakes her head. "Damn, that sounds weird callin' her that and not Patchy." The kappa's grin fades when she sees Minoriko's face fall. "I mean... Ah... Sorry."
>"No, you shouldn't be." says Minoriko. "I miss her- I know we all do- But we shouldn't be afraid to talk about her."

>Bit of a headache. Reisen admits. I was helping Nitori with an old model car engine. Her swearing at the rusty carburetor was harder on the ears than the engine backfiring.

[DracoOmega]

>I... meant about yesterday.

[Oldmansour]

>I... meant about yesterday.

>Oh. No lingering aches or pains, no injuries that I can detect. I should be ready to fight in case anything comes up today.

[DracoOmega]

>I'm sure you will be, but that's not really what I meant, either.

[Oldmansour]

>I'm sure you will be, but that's not really what I meant, either.

>Then what did you... Oh, you're talking about Motormaster and his gang.

[DracoOmega]

>Yes. I know that fight was more personal for you than for any of us.

[Oldmansour]

>Yes. I know that fight was more personal for you than for any of us.

>And I don't know if it's over yet. Reisen replies. It's not out of the realm of possibility for one or more of Motormaster's gang to be even worse now than they were before. And Motormaster's still alive. I'd like to tell you that I feel relieved that I don't have to worry about looking over my shoulder for any of them anymore. But I still do. Just not as much at the moment, since you've got Motormaster locked away, but you're not going to keep him there forever. So really, nothing's really changed for me.

[DracoOmega]

>I'm sorry you feel that way. But I promise you, not one hair on your head will be threatened by them ever again, so long as I have anything to say about it. I swear it.
>Take hold of her hand and give it a little squeeze, then smile gently at her.
>"So, what's this about Letty sending you over here?"