Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 5

[Oldmansour]

>"Likewise."
>Approach

>"I noticed that our elder saved me needing to explain how our little barrier works." Haruka remarks wryly, promting a laugh from Kenyu and the shorter miko you're familiar with, as well as another faint flush from Poppy.

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, she wanted to ensure that it worked properly on our form of magic. I... may have shot her a little harder than I meant to...."

[Oldmansour]

>"Yes, she wanted to ensure that it worked properly on our form of magic. I... may have shot her a little harder than I meant to...."

>"Better here than out on the streets, right?" says Kenyu in his big, friendly voice. "'sides, that kinda thing happens here all the time. Me myself, I call it a bonus!" he says with a grandiose smile, before laughing again.

[DracoOmega]

>"One must go through a lot of outfits in the course of one's training here if that sort of thing is a regular occurrence."

[Oldmansour]

>"One must go through a lot of outfits in the course of one's training here if that sort of thing is a regular occurrence."

>"We've budgeted for that." the bespectacled miko standing to Haruka's left informs you.
>"And why I'm in these old knockers." Kenyu remarks, holding out his arms and displaying his faded trousers and the small holes in his T-shirt. In fact the only two articles on his body that appear to be worth more than a couple bucks are the two rings on his hands, and the silver necklace around his neck.

[DracoOmega]

>I suddenly feel quite fortunate that our outfits are made of magic and not polyester.

[Oldmansour]

>I suddenly feel quite fortunate that our outfits are made of magic and not polyester.

>What if it's MAGIC polyester? Lily asks.

[DracoOmega]

>So long as we can patch it up without needing to break out a needle and thread, I'll consider it a blessing.

[Oldmansour]

>So long as we can patch it up without needing to break out a needle and thread, I'll consider it a blessing.

>How much damage can these outfits take? Minoriko asks, a hint of concern in her voice.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, they haven't gotten notably damaged yet, even from the worst that's been thrown at us.

[Oldmansour]

>Well, they haven't gotten notably damaged yet, even from the worst that's been thrown at us.

>That's good.

>"It was a concession we made when constructing the barrier." Haruka explains. "Obviously we didn't want to be incinerating each other, but we wanted there to be some consequence in a combat situation. Otherwise we'd get too complacent or not take it serious enough."

[DracoOmega]

>"I might have thought keeping score could be enough. It works in sports."

[Oldmansour]

>"I might have thought keeping score could be enough. It works in sports."

>"We do that too, actually. Especially when we compete with the other shrines."
>"I hope you invite me to one of those, Sawashiro-sama." Kenyu says energetically. "Camille tells me they're a hoot and a half."
>"They are!" the brunette miko replies- Chisato, that was her name- her wings flaring to match the verve of her voice. "Sports days at school got nothin' on a good Shrine War."
>"War?" Carnation gapes?
>"A somewhat misleading term." the bespectacled miko explains, adjusting her glasses with her pinky. "Though not entirely inaccurate. The less mature members of our shrines use it the most often."
>"Oy!" Chisato protests.

[DracoOmega]

>To Minoriko: I know you may feel a bit out of your depth here, but I promise you'll do fine. Just think of it a bit like... phys ed. Except with magic.

[Oldmansour]

>To Minoriko: I know you may feel a bit out of your depth here, but I promise you'll do fine. Just think of it a bit like... phys ed. Except with magic.

>I think the word itself just caught me a little off guard, is all. Minoriko replies. The thought of calling something that these folks seem to regard as fun 'war' is a bit... unusual.

[DracoOmega]

>I'd guess it's the magical combat equivalent of a sports meet.

[Oldmansour]

>I'd guess it's the magical combat equivalent of a sports meet.

>And I thought I'd only see those in Muenzuka. Minoriko muses.
>And just to punctuate that thought, two people are just now having a bit of a magical down throw down. A brown-winged miko seems to be squaring off with a bearded man with a striped tail.

>"I understand you're new to this conflict." Haruka says to Minoriko. "Are you also a new recruit into Lotus' team?"
>Minoriko glances over at you, then nods. "You could say that."
>Haruka nods and gives the woman a friendly, gentle smile. "Well don't worry. We won't just throw you into the deep end. At least, I assume that isn't how you usually train your recruits, Lotus?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Not deliberately, at any rate!"
>Though in practice, I suppose that's more or less what's happened to all of us, isn't it?

[Oldmansour]

>"Not deliberately, at any rate!"
>Though in practice, I suppose that's more or less what's happened to all of us, isn't it?

>Not me! Lily chirps happily. You gave me my ring after we went deep into each other.
>She could have phrased that more delicately...

[DracoOmega]

>Well, she's not altogether wrong.....
>"So what did you have in mind?"

[Oldmansour]

>Well, she's not altogether wrong.....
>"So what did you have in mind?"

>If you were still working at the shrine, Lily, I'd give you some lessons on selective phrasing. Kiku chides the winged blonde.
>Why? What'd I say? Lily ponders that for a moment, then mutters, Oh.

>"Well, you and I started to talk about something earlier today. I'd like to finish that conversation before you or I do anything else, if that's all right."

[DracoOmega]

Man, how did I overlook this all day long?

>"Of course."

[Oldmansour]

Man, how did I overlook this all day long?

>"Of course."

Little things.

>"Chisato, Tomoko, please attend to our guests."
>"You got it, Onee-sama!" Chisato says with a smile, her gaze immediately going to White Rose. "Matter of fact, I want to challenge you."
>Rin appears startled. "Me?"
>"Yeah, you. I wanna see how I stack up to Lotus' number two girl."
>"Number... two?"
>"I think she means 'second in command.'" Poppy suggests.
>Chisato nods. "That's right. Why, isn't she?" she asks you.

[DracoOmega]

>"We don't really have so formal a hierarchy."

[Oldmansour]

>"We don't really have so formal a hierarchy."

>"Everybody's gotta have a second in command. Unless you're communist or something."
>"Not everyone holds to the same sense of rank that organizations like ours do." Haruka tells her, somewhat reprovingly.
>"Yeah. Right, sorry. I guess since she's the one that's always following you around, I just thought she was your number two."

[DracoOmega]

>"She's a trusted confidante, but we're few enough in number that we've never needed to formalize decision-making."
>To Rin, lightly: Which is to say that if I wasn't trying to look professional right now, I'd just kiss you and make it clear why you're number one to me.

[Oldmansour]

>To Rin, lightly: Which is to say that if I wasn't trying to look professional right now, I'd just kiss you and make it clear why you're number one to me.

>With a touch of unexpected boldness, Rin replies, Maybe a little reward if I beat her?

>"She's a trusted confidante, but we're few enough in number that we've never needed to formalize decision-making."

>"Doesn't that mean you're not really in charge either?" Chisato asks, plainly confused.
>Poppy replies, "Lotus is the most experienced of us, and has proven herself to be a capable leader on and off the battlefield. We've learned to trust her judgement and follow her lead. Each of us knows we can act independantly, but if any of us ever needs our course confirmed, or corrected, we know who to go to."
>"And she, in turn, knows she has reliable allies to count upon should she ever find herself in a similar position." Haruka says respectfully. Then her eyes widen and she steps quickly to the side, as Magical Lily, who appears to have become entangled with one of the fairy mikos that had been chasing her, comes careening through the air and crashes to ground right where Haruka had been standing a moment ago. Seemingly oblivious to their crash, the two women appear to have moved on from 'tag' to 'tickle war.' Haruka smiles. "And allies that know how to play with fairies." she adds wryly.

[DracoOmega]

>"Earnestness comes in many forms."

[Oldmansour]

>"Earnestness comes in many forms."

>"Quieter'd be nicer." Chisato gripes half-heartedly. "Ah, well. You up for a match, Rose?"
>"If you'd like." she says with a nod, then pauses. "If you don't need me, Lotus?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Go on."
>And make sure to kick her butt, got it?