Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 5

[Oldmansour]

>If he's not going to rest, we can't either. Give him another Amber Lotus and be ready to hustle out of the way.

>The man does seem to have a great reserve of energy. But then, so do you. Kenyu fires a beam from his Sapphire Jewel to meet your Amber light in mid-flight, but this has the effect of making him arrest his charge, shaking his hand as though he'd just received a shock. "That stings." he mutters. Rather than resume his charge or fire again, he simply straightens up. "Am I right in thinking you don't like hand to hand combat much?" he asks.

[DracoOmega]

>Do we know if it would be possible to deliberately augment our physical prowess with our magic more than it already is?
>For that matter, do we have anything that might pass for martial arts experience?

[Oldmansour]

>Do we know if it would be possible to deliberately augment our physical prowess with our magic more than it already is?
>For that matter, do we have anything that might pass for martial arts experience?

>You do have the ability to trade ranged power for physical strength. It isn't something you can do on the fly, but it is one of your abilities.
>Not unless you count the occasional bout of playful fencing with tennis rackets. Some of the younger members- and fairies- of your club engage you in that when Shikako isn't around to rain on their parade.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, it might be helpful if we could figure out a way to do it on the fly....
>"It's a little outside my experience, it's true."

[Oldmansour]

>Well, it might be helpful if we could figure out a way to do it on the fly....
>"It's a little outside my experience, it's true."

>The firefighter slings his axe over his shoulder. "I could fight you on that level, if you want." he offers.
>"Oh, just get it over with, Kenyu!" the tengu calls from the sidelines. "You could have beaten her half a dozen moves ago!"
>You can sense Rin about to angrily retort, but it is Reisen who rebukes the Blood. "Not from where I'm standing."
>"Then stand somewhere else, rabbit." the tiger standing next to the tengu says to Poppy, and none too politely.

[DracoOmega]

>To the tiger (but without taking our eyes off Kenyu): "Is civility so beneath you? Are we not here to practice, and learn, and improve ourselves?"

[Oldmansour]

>To the tiger (but without taking our eyes off Kenyu): "Is civility so beneath you? Are we not here to practice, and learn, and improve ourselves?"

>"That IS civil where a moon rabbit's concerned." the tiger replies.

[DracoOmega]

>"The war is long over, and she no more culpable for it than I am. That explanation does you no credit."

[Oldmansour]

>"The war is long over, and she no more culpable for it than I am. That explanation does you no credit."

>"Drop it, Lotus." Cynthia says bluntly, flaring her wings briefly.
>"Why should she?" It is Minoriko, of all people, who asks that. "Poppy wasn't even part of that war. You have no right to prejudge her."
>"I said drop it." the tengu says again, seeming now defensive toward her fellow Blood. You can tell that she feels this is a sensitive area for the tiger youkai.

[DracoOmega]

>"I have no desire to tread upon old wounds, but I would ask likewise that you keep any condescending opinions of my compatriots to yourselves."

[Oldmansour]

>"I have no desire to tread upon old wounds, but I would ask likewise that you keep any condescending opinions of my compatriots to yourselves."

>"Or else what?"

>Byakuren, you don't need to do this. Reisen says privately. It's no worse than I've heard before.

[DracoOmega]

>"Surely it shouldn't require threats for you to be polite?"

>I'm sure it isn't, but it wasn't acceptable then and it isn't now; I refuse to tacitly condone it.

[Oldmansour]

>"Surely it shouldn't require threats for you to be polite?"

>I'm sure it isn't, but it wasn't acceptable then and it isn't now; I refuse to tacitly condone it.

>"You'd be surprised." Kenyu snarls. Not at you, though, at his fellow Blood. "Now both of you shut the hell up, before I lose my good mood. Keep it up, and it'll be a toss up between me and the kasha to see which one of us torches you first." And as Rin does seem to be edging towards the two other Blood, and is on-edge herself, Kenyu's probably not far wrong.
>Both Cynthia and the tiger seem to want to say something else, but the look on Kenyu's face brooks no arguement. So, to your surprise, they offer none.

>I didn't think they'd really be quiet. Minoriko remarks.
>They're probably a Coven. says Reisen. When the head of a Coven, in this case Kenyu, gives an order, it is obeyed.
>He's their master? Rin asks.
>Not exactly. But I suppose you're not too far wrong, Rin. A Rose Jeweled Prince like Kenyu carries a lot of authority within the Blood.

>"You know, that does give me an idea, Lotus." Kenyu says to you, his voice far, far less harsh with you than his comrades. "What do you say we change things up a bit?"

[DracoOmega]

>"What did you have in mind?"

[Oldmansour]

>"What did you have in mind?"

>"I want to give your crew a crack at the peanut gallery over there." he says, waving his axe at Cynthia and the tiger.

[DracoOmega]

>"I suspect you won't hear any objections from them."

[Oldmansour]

>"I suspect you won't hear any objections from them."

>"Friggin' right." says Cynthia. Then she looks at Kenyu. "You're thinking 'us vs. them', right?"
>"I am." Kenyu says with a nod. "I've enjoyed our fight, Lotus, and I'd really love to finish our duel. But I don't want there to be any tension between your group and mine. A little tussle should work that out."
>"You would be outnumbered." Chrysanthemum reminds him. "There are six of us, and only five Blood here."
>"That just makes it more fair for you." the firefighter says, though he says that as a matter of fact, rather than with any sort of bravado or bluster.
>"And think of it this way." the tiger Blood says to the tiger miko. "It'll give you a chance to practice against multiple powerful targets, in case those Champions decide to come at you all at once."
>"I didn't think you'd want to help us." Carnation remarks.
>"It's not you or your group I have a problem with. I'm a cop. I welcome anyone that helps protect my city." He points at Poppy. "It's her I have a problem with, her and her kind."
>Kenyu scowls briefly. "And that's the kind of conflict I want to work out before it gets any worse. What do you say, Lotus? My Blood against you girls?"

[DracoOmega]

>To our allies: Does anyone have any objections?

[Oldmansour]

>To our allies: Does anyone have any objections?

>I don't. says White Rose.
>Me either. concurs Pink Carnation.
>The experience could be useful. Kiku replies, ever the pragmatist.
>I follow your lead. Poppy says simply.
>Lily, however, does not reply. You have only a vaguely pink-ish sensation from the little blonde.

[DracoOmega]

>Er, did Lily slip away from the room while we were distracted?

[Oldmansour]

>Er, did Lily slip away from the room while we were distracted?

>She may have done. She doesn't appear to be anywhere in sight at the moment, at least.

[DracoOmega]

>"We appear to be missing someone, but... I don't see the need to delay on her account. We accept."

[Oldmansour]

>"We appear to be missing someone, but... I don't see the need to delay on her account. We accept."

>"Well, we can w-"
>"Good." Cynthia interrupts Kenyu fiercely, punctuating her statement with a blast of Sapphire energy aimed at you. At virtually the same time, the tiger youkai standing next to her turns on Rin and looses a burst of purple-colored power.

[DracoOmega]

>Assuming there's no one behind us that would get hit instead, let's scramble out of the way of Cynthia's attack and respond with a Scarlet Lotus
>(But if there is, let's block it with some Sapphire power of our own)

[Oldmansour]

>Assuming there's no one behind us that would get hit instead, let's scramble out of the way of Cynthia's attack and respond with a Scarlet Lotus
>(But if there is, let's block it with some Sapphire power of our own)

>There is no one behind you that is in the direct path of Cynthia's attack. So you opt for simple evasion. But the sneaky tengu's sneak attack has caught you just slightly off guard, leaving you unable to completely escape damage. The blue bolt strikes you in your right ribs, gouging out a section of your uniform, but not hitting you hard enough to knock you off balance.
>You hear Kiku snarl behind you, and the sound is cut off by another blast of Jeweled energy. White Rose, demonstrating impressive reflexes, has countered the tiger youkai's purple blast with her White Retainer's Flame. The attacks are grinding against each other in midair, and at this point, you're not sure which of the two has the upper hand. The youkai\s purple Jewel is stronger than the Sapphire you've faced, but not as strong as Kenyu's Rose Jewel.
>As for Kenyu himself, the strongest of the Blood does not seem to be employing his Jewels at this time. Out of the corner of your eye you seem him running at someone, but it's at the wrong angle to be you. You think he's charging Poppy, but you can't spare a look right now. Cynthia pressing her attack against you, taking to the sky and calling forth a melee weapon of her own- in her case, a short sword. As she does so, she unleashes three bursts of Sapphire power at you.

[DracoOmega]

>Back off and focus on evading Cythia's attack, and instead contribute a Scarlet Lotus towards the tiger Rin is fighting and see if that can turn the clash in her favor

[Oldmansour]

>Back off and focus on evading Cythia's attack, and instead contribute a Scarlet Lotus towards the tiger Rin is fighting and see if that can turn the clash in her favor

>Evading the tengu's bolts won't be easy. Cynthia's staggered her attacks very well, and they're coming in hot. You'd guess she's practiced this sort of thing before. If not for your enhansed agility, you'd have no chance of dodging them. As it is, it takes very nearly all your focus to dodge the three shots she sends at you, and the extra shot she sends at you as you're dodging the second shot. You're still able to fire off a Scarlet Lotus at the tiger, but you can't manage one at its full intensity. Still, as evenly balanced as Rin and the other cat appear to be, that should be enough to top the scales in Rin's favor.
>Your shotgun blast of energy splashes against the hastily-erected shield the tiger manifests from his second Jewel. You frown. At least that Blood seems to be able to use both Jewels without compromising either, as his shield is enough to stop your shot, and the energy blast he directs against White Rose does not diminish. The tiger's second Jewel is blue, but a darker shade than the Sapphire you're used to, closer to an Opal. It isn't as strong as the Sapphire, but it's strong enough to thwart your efforts for the moment.
>"Eyes forward!" Cynthia yells, her arm kicking back as she unleashes a sizable bolt of Sapphire energy at you. It has the same shape and size as a missile.

[DracoOmega]

>Try to deflect the missile away from us with a Sapphire Lotus, then counter with Scarlet
>We need to get together. Our power combined is greater than each of us alone!

[Oldmansour]

>Try to deflect the missile away from us with a Sapphire Lotus, then counter with Scarlet
>We need to get together. Our power combined is greater than each of us alone!

>That's easier said than done. Reisen replies, seemingly straining against something. Judging from the sounds and sensations of weapons and Jewels and magic, Minoriko and Kiku have their hands full as well.
>But you've got your own problems to deal with. Not having enough time to evade this shot, and not sure if that would do any good anyway, you deploy your own Sapphire light against the massive projectile. The energy must have been designed to explode on impact, as instead of being diverted away from you, the missile detonates against your screen. The explosion is massive, sending a shockwave up the length of your arm but otherwise doing you no harm. By happy coincidence, you intercepted Cynthia's missile some distance away from you, and you see the tengu buffeted slightly herself by the force of the blast. Hoping to take advantage of her momentary stagger, you switch your scepter to your left hand and fire Scarlet Lotus at the flying tengu. Cynthia manages to recover in time to begin taking evasive maneuvers, as well as erecting a barrier of Sapphire energy around herself. But she doesn't have the time to dodge your attack completely, nor the power to negate your attack either. The tengu Blood finds herself buffeted by a barrage of red and white energy, not all of which she is capable of defending herself against.
>And then a sphere of dark blue energy flies across the battlefield, bouncing like a ball- or a grenade- heading in your direction.

[DracoOmega]

>If it's bouncing, then let's give it something better to bounce off of. Deploy a Sapphire Lotus in its path to attempt to bounce it towards an enemy - any enemy will do
>Then try to move towards Rin's position, while still taking care to not unnecessarily expose ourselves to danger