Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 5

[Oldmansour]

>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?"

>She gives you a smile and a faint nod, though no more than that.
>"I ain't had breakfast yet." Nitori replies. "So when Papa told me Mama here wanted me to come up, I come."
>"Nitori!" Minoriko half-yells, flushing slightly. "I've told you not to call me that."
>With a tolerant look at the two, Reisen adds, "And I opted for your company over the company of oily tools and rusty carburetors."
>A few muttered oaths from Nitori tells you what she thinks of the last part.

[DracoOmega]

>To Nitori, lightly: "Now, now, just imagine how much worse it would be if the opposite were true and you had to deal with the rest of us poking about your workshop at all hours?"

[Oldmansour]

>To Nitori, lightly: "Now, now, just imagine how much worse it would be if the opposite were true and you had to deal with the rest of us poking about your workshop at all hours?"

>The kappa blinks, then inhales sharply. "Nono, I was swearing at those carbs. They're a giant pain in the neck. I mean, carburetors are always a pain in the ass, but when they rust up they spoil the cucumber even faster." She swears again, shaking her head. "I must have been outta my mind to try and fix that piece of flotsam."

[DracoOmega]

>"You never could pass up an interesting challenge...."

[Oldmansour]

>"You never could pass up an interesting challenge...."

>"The transmission fluid, that's the interesting part. Rust is just rust. That's what I need to borrow Rin for, by the way. The trans fluid, not the rust. I need your nose." she says to Rin.
>"My... nose?"
>"You got the best nose here. 'cept maybe Hyozan, but he don't talk much." she says as she flops down at the kotatsu. "I'm hopin' you might be able to tell me what got into the trans fluid. Something did, but I can't tell what."
>"Well, if you think I can help, I'll give it a shot."
>"After breakfast." Minoriko tells Nitori firmly. "And that goes for you, too, Reisen."
>"Just a little for me, if you don't mind." says Reisen. "I ate not that long ago."

[DracoOmega]

>We are both finished our breakfast here and satisfied, right?
>Well, we can just stay here a little and continue to socialize for a while, regardless. No magical business that can't wait a bit.

[Oldmansour]

>We are both finished our breakfast here and satisfied, right?
>Well, we can just stay here a little and continue to socialize for a while, regardless. No magical business that can't wait a bit.

>Yes.
>A little domestic tranquility never hurt nobody. Well, as tranquil as things ever get with Nitori around. She can't seem to help but be loud, in voice, gesture and presence. Unlike Minoriko and Letty, when Nitori inquires into your fight with Motormaster and their gang, she does so with enthusiasm and gusto. She's got the story from Reisen already, but, in her words, she wanted to know what it was like from the bosses' point of view. You wonder, though, if she shares Reisen's opinions towards the bikers. Nitori isn't a hard-hearted woman, but you know her well enough to know that she sees things rather black and white-like. You don't think she would have hesitated too long about killing the bikers had she been there. They were evil, they were threatening the good guys, and that would have been enough for her. In fact, since Motormaster was involved, Nitori probably would have tried a little harder to kill that person, for Reisen's sake. Nitori would probably be a powerful ally if she wore one of your rings, but you can't help but think that her presence among your ranks would bring almost as many complications as benefits.

>"Sweet ring, Minnie." Nitori says, noticing seemingly for the first time Minoriko's new piece of jewelry. "Gift from Letty?"
>"Um, not exactly..." Minoriko mutters.
>"Pretty expensive lookin'. Actually kinda looks like.... yours...." Nitori trails off as she looks over at you, realization dawning on her face.

[DracoOmega]

>And here we'd been hoping to avoid this conversation entirely.... Though perhaps it's better that we're here than leaving poor Minoriko to face it on her own
>"That's right."

[Oldmansour]

>And here we'd been hoping to avoid this conversation entirely.... Though perhaps it's better that we're here than leaving poor Minoriko to face it on her own
>"That's right."

>Nitori was probably going to find out at some point anyway. Perhaps it is better to deal with it now, when you're all gathered. Well, all the Moonside members of your group, anyway.
>"Aw, come on!" Nitori shouts, though sh sounds more surprised than angry. "What's she got that I don't?"
>Restraint? Reisen remarks privately.

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, answer me this: would you have let Fire and Ice just fly away after our battle at the shrine?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, answer me this: would you have let Fire and Ice just fly away after our battle at the shrine?"

>"No!" Then she pauses. "Well, not if I had any choice in the matter."

[DracoOmega]

>"Then you might very well be dead now."

[Oldmansour]

>"Then you might very well be dead now."

>Everyone in the room looks shocked at that phrase. Even Reisen, though less so than the others. "What do you mean?" Nitori asks after a moment's pause.

[DracoOmega]

>"The only reason they left without a fight that night was because, for a moment, we had been allies. The moment we changed that, they would likely have responded in kind, and I am not sure we could have prevailed - exhausted as we were."
>"The power in these rings is tremendous, but so is that of the people we would fight against. I wish that I could simply walk right out this door and put an end to all this today, but if I tried, then I think I would only be ensuring that this all ends worse for everyone."

[Oldmansour]

>"The only reason they left without a fight that night was because, for a moment, we had been allies. The moment we changed that, they would likely have responded in kind, and I am not sure we could have prevailed - exhausted as we were."
>"The power in these rings is tremendous, but so is that of the people we would fight against. I wish that I could simply walk right out this door and put an end to all this today, but if I tried, then I think I would only be ensuring that this all ends worse for everyone."

>Nitori frowns. "I DID say 'if I had any choice in the matter.' I ain't stupid, you know."

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm not accusing you of being stupid and I know you only want to help. Really, I do."
>Give her an empathetic smile
>"But forging a happy ending here is going to involve as much choosing not to fight - even when we can - as it is fighting. If you looked a Champion in the face and knew you could beat them then and there, do you think you'd ever choose anything else?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I'm not accusing you of being stupid and I know you only want to help. Really, I do."
>Give her an empathetic smile
>"But forging a happy ending here is going to involve as much choosing not to fight - even when we can - as it is fighting. If you looked a Champion in the face and knew you could beat them then and there, do you think you'd ever choose anything else?"

>Nitori opens her mouth and closes it. "Probably not." she admits. "I mean, why wouldn't I? They're the ones invading our world. Heck, they probably only helped you kill that big ugly black thing to make it easier for themselves. Use less power that way."

[DracoOmega]

>"I am sure it was an alliance of convenience, yes, but that's a start. And I make no excuses for the Champion's actions, but if even half of what Louise has said is true, then I cannot simply say that their kind deserves to suffer and die so that we might live. There is a middle ground - there has to be. Water and Ice have already expressed a genuine desire to avoid conflict. Were it not for the importance of their mission in their own eyes - an importance I cannot rightly deny, from where they're standing - then I think we might never have been enemies at all."
>"And I think that in order to prevail in this conflict - and to make sure that all the things we care about are kept safe - we are going to need to seek that middle ground."

[Oldmansour]

>"I am sure it was an alliance of convenience, yes, but that's a start. And I make no excuses for the Champion's actions, but if even half of what Louise has said is true, then I cannot simply say that their kind deserves to suffer and die so that we might live. There is a middle ground - there has to be. Water and Ice have already expressed a genuine desire to avoid conflict. Were it not for the importance of their mission in their own eyes - an importance I cannot rightly deny, from where they're standing - then I think we might never have been enemies at all."
>"And I think that in order to prevail in this conflict - and to make sure that all the things we care about are kept safe - we are going to need to seek that middle ground."

>"I can do middle ground!" Nitori insists, though not entirely convincingly.
>Reisen nods slightly at Minoriko. "You will admit, though, that Minoriko may have the edge on you in that department?"
>Nitori seems to want to contest that for a moment, then lowers her head a little. "Well, okay, yeah. Sure, maybe she's got me there."

[DracoOmega]

>Put a hand on her shoulder
>"I hope this hasn't sounded like I'm criticizing you as a person. I'm not. You're an excellent mechanic and a good friend - someone who'd be there in an instant to stick up for them, if they needed it."
>"The truth is, even I don't know exactly why my ring resonates with some people and not others - even those I know to be good, kind-hearted souls. It may be small consolation, but even with all the powers I've been blessed with, there's still something important you can do that I cannot."

[Oldmansour]

>Put a hand on her shoulder
>"I hope this hasn't sounded like I'm criticizing you as a person. I'm not. You're an excellent mechanic and a good friend - someone who'd be there in an instant to stick up for them, if they needed it."
>"The truth is, even I don't know exactly why my ring resonates with some people and not others - even those I know to be good, kind-hearted souls. It may be small consolation, but even with all the powers I've been blessed with, there's still something important you can do that I cannot."

>"Wha?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Keep our internet from dying on us again."
>Grin at her

[Oldmansour]

>"Keep our internet from dying on us again."
>Grin at her

>At first, Nitori just stares, but when Minoriko and Rin start to giggle, the Kappa's smile blossoms and she joins in their laughter.
>Nicely handled, Byakuren. Reisen says on a private channel. I figured she'd be upset about that for a lot longer.

[DracoOmega]

>I worried I might be being too blunt with her, but... well, I don't want anything bad to happen to her for her own lack of restraint, either. I know she means well.

[Oldmansour]

>I worried I might be being too blunt with her, but... well, I don't want anything bad to happen to her for her own lack of restraint, either. I know she means well.

>Far less blunt than I think I would have been, if I'd been in your place. She really is the kind of person who'd get themselves in trouble in a combat situation. At least without a really firm superior, and I don't think you have it in you to be that hard on her.
>But that being said, it would have been interesting to see just what kind of powers she'd get with one of our rings.

>"And here I thought she was gonna say 'brush your hair in less than five minutes'." Nitori says, giving your lengthy tresses a light little flick.

[DracoOmega]

>Chuckle
>"Well, I suppose there's that too."

[Oldmansour]

>Chuckle
>"Well, I suppose there's that too."

>Nitori laughs a moment more, then sighs. "You make good points, Byakuren. I just hate missing a good fight when my friends are involved. Especially since this good fight is a GOOD fight, y'know?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I know, I know."
>Smile slightly
>"I'll make sure to give the next enemy we run into an extra wallop, just for you."

[Oldmansour]

>"I know, I know."
>Smile slightly
>"I'll make sure to give the next enemy we run into an extra wallop, just for you."

>"Much obliged." the kappa says with a grin.
>"Makes me wonder, though. 'bout that ring of yours. I mean, you said don't know how it works, right? About making more rings."

[DracoOmega]

>"Not exactly. It resonates with the spirit and will and even love in people's hearts, and if that feeling is strong enough, a ring can manifest from mine of its own accord. But you're right; I don't know exactly why or how it works as it does - though I am forever grateful not to have to fight this war all on my own."