Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 5

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, I think you look quite charming."
>Smile
>"How do you feel?"

>"Actually, not really that different." Minoriko admits. "I can sense there's a power inside me that wasn't there before, but I can't really tell how strong it is, or what it means I can do."

[DracoOmega]

>"When you have need of it, you'll know what you can do."

[Oldmansour]

>"When you have need of it, you'll know what you can do."

>"Well, that's a relief."

[DracoOmega]

>"Don't worry; I know you have the strength within you to protect the people you care about and I'm truly grateful to have you with us."
>Give her a little hug
>"Welcome to the team, Minoriko."

[Oldmansour]

>"Don't worry; I know you have the strength within you to protect the people you care about and I'm truly grateful to have you with us."
>Give her a little hug
>"Welcome to the team, Minoriko."

>"Glad to be aboard." the older woman says as she returns your hug. "I won't let you down, I promise."
>"Here's hopin' we don't have ta test ya soon." Rin says as she and Minoriko clasp hands, before the Aki hugs her, too.

[DracoOmega]

>Reach out to Minoriko telepathically: There's one more little trick I ought to tell you about, while we're here.

[Oldmansour]

>Reach out to Minoriko telepathically: There's one more little trick I ought to tell you about, while we're here.

>"Yai!" Minoriko yelps in shock. She stares at you, slack-jawed. "How did.... This power comes with telepathy?"

[DracoOmega]

>"It does! Between those of us with rings, at least - it's quite handy, actually. And it works from a distance at least as great as from here to the Tiger Shrine."
>It might take a little while to get used to it, but by now it feels almost as natural to me as speaking . Why don't you give it a try?

[Oldmansour]

>"It does! Between those of us with rings, at least - it's quite handy, actually. And it works from a distance at least as great as from here to the Tiger Shrine."
>It might take a little while to get used to it, but by now it feels almost as natural to me as speaking . Why don't you give it a try?

>Minoriko frowns, then shakes her head. "I guess I should start getting used to it." She doesn't sound entirely enthusiastic about the idea, though.
>Hello? her voice comes to you and Rin, rather quietly.

[DracoOmega]

>Smile
>Hello there.

[Oldmansour]

>Smile
>Hello there.

>How far does this ability go? I mean, can you read my mind?

[DracoOmega]

>No. No need to worry about that. It's just a means of communication; I can only hear what you deliberately tell me.
>"Though in the interest of full disclosure, it is possible for us to link our thoughts more directly, but that requires physical contact and full deliberate consent of both parties. So don't worry; none of us can intrude on your privacy."

[Oldmansour]

>No. No need to worry about that. It's just a means of communication; I can only hear what you deliberately tell me.
>"Though in the interest of full disclosure, it is possible for us to link our thoughts more directly, but that requires physical contact and full deliberate consent of both parties. So don't worry; none of us can intrude on your privacy."

>Minoriko is visibly relieved at that. "So, just touching each other doesn't give that full telepathy?"

[DracoOmega]

>"No. It takes effort on both parties - and isn't necessarily easy, even then. We cannot see anything you don't choose to share of your own accord."

[Oldmansour]

>"No. It takes effort on both parties - and isn't necessarily easy, even then. We cannot see anything you don't choose to share of your own accord."

>"Ya have ta be touchin' rings, too, right, Byakuren?" Rin asks.

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"That's correct."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod
>"That's correct."

>Minoriko glances down at her autumnal ring. "You've done that, haven't you?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Twice. To help remove a memory block that Satori had placed in Lily and Kiku's mind."

[Oldmansour]

>"Twice. To help remove a memory block that Satori had placed in Lily and Kiku's mind."

>Minoriko's face twists. "I can't imagine what that must have been like."

[DracoOmega]

>"It was definitely a... unique sort of experience. But the time I was connected with Lily was actually kind of pleasant, in its own unusual sort of way. It was more difficult with Kiku."

[Oldmansour]

>"It was definitely a... unique sort of experience. But the time I was connected with Lily was actually kind of pleasant, in its own unusual sort of way. It was more difficult with Kiku."

>Minoriko gives you a knowing look. "Somehow that does not surprise me."

[DracoOmega]

>Was this a 'From what you've told me about Kiku, I'm sure she was the tougher nut to crack' look or a 'I know you had sex with Lily last night' look?

[Oldmansour]

>Was this a 'From what you've told me about Kiku, I'm sure she was the tougher nut to crack' look or a 'I know you had sex with Lily last night' look?

>You'd put money on the latter.

[DracoOmega]

>"Ah, yes. Well."
>Now, now, nothing to feel self-conscious about....
>"She's a very cheerful and exuberant girl. I could actually feel a little of that rubbing off on me, for a while after we parted."

[Oldmansour]

>"Ah, yes. Well."
>Now, now, nothing to feel self-conscious about....
>"She's a very cheerful and exuberant girl. I could actually feel a little of that rubbing off on me, for a while after we parted."

>You take a brief moment to collect yourself.
>This does not seem a welcome idea to Minoriko, yet she also seems curious. "I'm not sure I follow. You mean you absorbed some of her personality?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't know that I'd go that far. Perhaps think of it a little like... the lingering memory of her thoughts and feelings that I'd experienced in my own mind."

[Oldmansour]

>"I don't know that I'd go that far. Perhaps think of it a little like... the lingering memory of her thoughts and feelings that I'd experienced in my own mind."

>"Are they still there?"

[DracoOmega]

>Are they? Like, presumably we can still remember them, but do we feel there has been any lasting effects beyond just the memory?

[Oldmansour]

>Are they? Like, presumably we can still remember them, but do we feel there has been any lasting effects beyond just the memory?

>The effect has faded slightly over time, but you can still feel it. They're still there. In fact, now that you think about it, you wonder if those lingering effects might have had something to do with you nocturnal excursions with Lily and Rin. Lily's liberal attitude towards that kind of sex might have rubbed off on you in ways you're not entirely conscious of.
>And the reverse may be true as well. At the end of the day, you- and Rin- were the aggressors last night, rather than Lily herself. Your more conservative nature may well have influenced her, giving her pause. At least enough to make absolutely sure it was what you wanted, and that it wouldn't damage what you have with Rin. Whether it was your influence that made her actions in the heat of the moment so precise, so... thorough, that you're not sure on. Perhaps some further investigation is in order...

[DracoOmega]

>"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."