Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 5

[Oldmansour]

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

>Rin grins. As you command.
>"If you'll excuse me," Minoriko says as the two youkai walk away from the group. "I need to speak with Chrysanthemum."
>"And I'd like to observe that Blood man's fight. Care to join me, Tomoko-san?" Poppy asks the other miko.
>The bespectacled youkai nods slightly. "Very well."

>With the group dispersing, you, Haruka and Kenyu walk towards the stadium seats, leaving Lily and her fairy opponent to tickle each other into submission. "As what we were discussing pertains to the Blood you defeated yesterday, Lotus, I think Kenyu should hear this well." Haruka says to you.

[DracoOmega]

>Does Kenyu seem to be a Brightblood himself?
>If this isn't obvious, ask Kenyu: "I hope it's not rude to ask what your stake in this is?"
>Otherwise, just say "Very well."

[Oldmansour]

>Does Kenyu seem to be a Brightblood himself?
>If this isn't obvious, ask Kenyu: "I hope it's not rude to ask what your stake in this is?"
>Otherwise, just say "Very well."

>If he is, you't tell by looking at him, and he isn't radiating any kind of power.
>The big firefighter grins and touches the necklace, drawing the jewel concealed by his shirt out. It's a pale red color, almost pink, and finely cut. "I'm Blood, too."
>"Kenyu is a Brightblood, and a very powerful one. His Rose Jewel is the second most powerful of the Brightblood Jewels, second only to a White Jewel."
>"I'm about on par with Breakdown." Kenyu says. "My Rose Jewel pretty much equates to his Grey."

[DracoOmega]

>"Ah, I see. In any case, I have no objections."

[Oldmansour]

>"Ah, I see. In any case, I have no objections."

>"We've all been trying to figure out just what the hell you did to the Stuntrons, since you didn't kill 'em." Kenyu says as he flops himself down on the wood bench-seat. "At least we haven't found their bodies."
>"Lotus attempted to explain that to me earlier to today." Haruka says. "But I am not certain I understood her correctly."

[DracoOmega]

>"They're not Blackbloods anymore. We... broke their link to the abyss - replaced it with something else. Took away the otherworldly malice they'd had the misfortune to be born with so they might have a chance for a better life - to be better people."

[Oldmansour]

>"They're not Blackbloods anymore. We... broke their link to the abyss - replaced it with something else. Took away the otherworldly malice they'd had the misfortune to be born with so they might have a chance for a better life - to be better people."

>"But if you just broke them, then we'd have been able to find them." Kenyu says. "Newly broken Blood don't travel very far. Hell, half the time they can't even walk for a day or two afterwards."

[DracoOmega]

>"We didn't 'break' them. They... still have jewels. Just not black ones."

[Oldmansour]

>"We didn't 'break' them. They... still have jewels. Just not black ones."

>"Now I'm afraid you've lost me." Kenyu says with his cocked to the side.
>"What you're describing is believed to be an impossibility." Haruka says.
>"Believed my good horn." the Oni disputes, slapping his knee. "It IS impossible."
>The eagle youkai smiles. "Lotus here seems to have a talent for doing the impossible."

[DracoOmega]

>Try to smile a little
>"Perhaps I've had the advantage of not knowing things were impossible before I decided to do them. But I assure you, we succeeded. They are all alive and healthy and still empowered, but without the darkness that was once an inextricable part of them. It... also had a significant effect on their physical appearance, I must admit - something which I'd neither intended or anticipated - but better that than be tied to the abyss for the rest of their lives, I think."

[Oldmansour]

>Try to smile a little
>"Perhaps I've had the advantage of not knowing things were impossible before I decided to do them. But I assure you, we succeeded. They are all alive and healthy and still empowered, but without the darkness that was once an inextricable part of them. It... also had a significant effect on their physical appearance, I must admit - something which I'd neither intended or anticipated - but better that than be tied to the abyss for the rest of their lives, I think."

>"I wouldn't argue that." says Haruka. "But perhaps you be a bit more specific about what you mean by signifigant effect on their appearance?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Er, well, um... they're all female now, for one thing. Earlier, I believe you said someone had been spotted riding their bikes, yes? I'd lay odds that was almost certainly still them."

[Oldmansour]

>"Er, well, um... they're all female now, for one thing. Earlier, I believe you said someone had been spotted riding their bikes, yes? I'd lay odds that was almost certainly still them."

>Haruka does a good job of concealing her surprise, her eyes only widening slightly. Kenyu, however, is rather more demonstrative in his surprise, nearly falling over in his seat. "Are you... Are you telling me that those.... those girls seen riding around on Breakdown and Drag Strip's bikes ARE Breakdown and Drag Strip?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Almost certainly. I mean, I didn't see what you saw, but they don't seem the type to lend their wheels out lightly."

[Oldmansour]

>"Almost certainly. I mean, I didn't see what you saw, but they don't seem the type to lend their wheels out lightly."

>"But that's impossible!"
>"Kenyu," Haruka says patiently. "you and I both know that such gender-changing magic is not unheard of."
>"But not to Blood!" Kenyu protests. "And not by changing their Jewels. You can't change a Blood's Jewels."
>"I don't believe Lotus is the type to exaggerate about such things. And she has proven to be capable of purifying Youma without destroying the item or creature that had been corrupted. If she says she changed the Stuntrons as she claims, then I believe her." She pauses for a moment. "But I confess I'm at a loss as to how this is possible. The nature of the Blood is a complicated thing. They are very unique beings. How could you have done this without simply breaking their Jewels?"

[DracoOmega]

>Try to explain the magical end of the procedure, as best as we can word such innately intuitive things

[Oldmansour]

>Try to explain the magical end of the procedure, as best as we can word such innately intuitive things

>The nuts and bolts of your magic are at best hazy even to you, based as much on intuition and emotion as any kind of fact or logic. Nevertheless, you do your best to answer Haruka's question, and the big eagle does her best not just to listen but to help you along, providing suggestions for some of the more esoteric language you find yourself almost forced to use in this context. Kenyu, too, for his part, tries to wrap his head around the conecpt, but he seems to be struggling with the idea of it being possible to transform a Jewel as you did. You can see where he's coming from. It isn't always easy to adjust one's thinking is such ways.
>At least he seems to sigh and rubs the top of his unbroken horn gently. "I think I'm getting a headache here."
>For her part, Haruka inclines her head. "Thank you for explaining. And I understand your reasoning for it. But since I do work with the law in this town, I have to point out that some, if not all, of those bikers are known to be involved in some form of crime. The one known as Vice is a known drug dealer, Drag Strip has been involved in more illegal races than almost anyone else in Mayoiga, and so on. Did you not consider handing them to the police after you had finished with their Jewels?"

[DracoOmega]

>"It is a... complex issue. I'm aware of their criminal history - at least in generalities - but at the same time, I believe they only lead that lifestyle because of the abyssal malevolence that was bound to them through no fault of their own. Breakdown in particular seemed a victim of her very own nature. I think the chances are very high that they would not engage in such criminality as they are now - nor would the people they are now have ever committed such crimes in the first place. Are they still culpable for actions committed because of a part of themselves which no longer exists? I'm not sure I can rightly say, but I'd like to believe that society has nothing to gain by locking them up anymore."

[Oldmansour]

>"It is a... complex issue. I'm aware of their criminal history - at least in generalities - but at the same time, I believe they only lead that lifestyle because of the abyssal malevolence that was bound to them through no fault of their own. Breakdown in particular seemed a victim of her very own nature. I think the chances are very high that they would not engage in such criminality as they are now - nor would the people they are now have ever committed such crimes in the first place. Are they still culpable for actions committed because of a part of themselves which no longer exists? I'm not sure I can rightly say, but I'd like to believe that society has nothing to gain by locking them up anymore."

>"The local chief of police may not agree with you." Haruka says with some resignation. "But speaking of Breakdown specifically, we knew he... She, I suppose now, has some rather severe psychological issues. As near as we can determine, she suffers a form of paranoid schitzophrenia. You could have delivered her to people trained to help such sick individuals."

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't believe she suffers from that anymore. The voices that plagued her came from her gem and she says they're gone now."

[Oldmansour]

>"I don't believe she suffers from that anymore. The voices that plagued her came from her gem and she says they're gone now."

>"She may be right." Kenyu remarks. "Blood are more vulnerable to mental illnesses than others. Darker the jewel, deeper the wound. Not everyone can take being Blood. If you changed his Jewel, then- Damn, that feels weird to say." he muses with a chuckle. "But if you changed his Jewel, then you could very well have fixed his head, too."
>He sighs again quietly, and starts to say something else, but he is interrupted by a sizable detonation of Jeweled power. The tiger youkai male that had been sparring with one of the mikos now stands triumphant, his opponent naked and on the floor. The only one of the observers that seems happy about this development is the tengu you spoke with on the way in, who is now making her way over to stand at the tiger's side.
>Kenyu sighs again. "One of these days, Haruka, you're gonna have to fight him again."
>"I'll make a point to, if you think it will help."
>"Oh it will. Those two need to lose every now and then. Keeps their heads on straight. Now where was I... Oh yeah." he says, looking back at you. "Motormaster, their leader. How did you come up with the power to change a Black Jewel? Especially after changing the other six. I knew you were strong, but I didn't think you were that strong."

[DracoOmega]

>"Motormaster wasn't a Blackblood. Yes, I know everyone thought he was, but he was actually something else entirely. That entity that we fought at the Tiger Shrine the other night? One very much like that had been dwelling inside Motormaster and that was the source of his power - not a jewel of any sort. That entity is gone now and consequently Motormaster has no power at all. Unfortunately, this also means we weren't able to help him in the same way. That entity had evidently been dwelling inside him since around the time of his birth and its absence feels like an essential part of himself is gone. He is... damaged, psychologically - and still prone to bursts of violent temper. I'd like to think he can heal, but I suspect it may take a considerable amount of time. He has to learn to find the self that was suppressed beneath that monster for so long."

[Oldmansour]

>"Motormaster wasn't a Blackblood. Yes, I know everyone thought he was, but he was actually something else entirely. That entity that we fought at the Tiger Shrine the other night? One very much like that had been dwelling inside Motormaster and that was the source of his power - not a jewel of any sort. That entity is gone now and consequently Motormaster has no power at all. Unfortunately, this also means we weren't able to help him in the same way. That entity had evidently been dwelling inside him since around the time of his birth and its absence feels like an essential part of himself is gone. He is... damaged, psychologically - and still prone to bursts of violent temper. I'd like to think he can heal, but I suspect it may take a considerable amount of time. He has to learn to find the self that was suppressed beneath that monster for so long."

>"He's NOT Black?" Kenyu gasps. "He's not... But how is that possible? Nothing can emulate the Black."
>"I'm not so sure." Haruka counters. "We know these things, whatever they are, have the ability to hide themselves. The one Lotus destroyed at the Tiger Shrine had kept itself hidden since the destruction of old Mayoiga. Perhaps the one inside Motormaster was hiding as well, but it hid by masquerading itself as a Blood Jewel instead of simply masking its presence. Am I correct in that, Lotus?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I believe so, yes. Motormaster himself knew differently, but almost no one else did - including the rest of his gang."

[Oldmansour]

>"I believe so, yes. Motormaster himself knew differently, but almost no one else did - including the rest of his gang."

>"But to be able to mimic the Black?" Kenyu gapes. "He fooled both sides of the Blood."
>"I once knew a crocodile youkai that was able to fool everyone he met into thinking he was a dragon." Haruka remarks. "Partly through his power, partly through eating anyone that disagreed. Motormaster may have done the same, or more accurately, the entity within him. And where is he now?" she asks you. "We haven't seen his bike being riden around town as we have with many of the others."

[DracoOmega]

>"We locked him away in a dimensional prison after we defeated him; he was unconscious at the time and I wanted to assess his temperament with the entity excised before deciding what ought to be done about him. He's still there for now, but I think it's possible in the longer-term that he might benefit from the care of a criminal psychologist."

[Oldmansour]

>"We locked him away in a dimensional prison after we defeated him; he was unconscious at the time and I wanted to assess his temperament with the entity excised before deciding what ought to be done about him. He's still there for now, but I think it's possible in the longer-term that he might benefit from the care of a criminal psychologist."

>"A wise idea. If you'd like, I can have that arranged. He wouldn't be the first individual I've arranged that kind of care for."

[DracoOmega]

>"Thank you. I'd appreciate that."

[Oldmansour]

>"Thank you. I'd appreciate that."

>She seems to hesitate for a moment before asking, "I should tell you, in case you don't know, that while all the Stuntrons were guilty of some crimes and suspected of more, none were more criminally active than Motormaster. He is responsible for no less than three murders, possibly more. Do you feel the same about him as you did his gang? That he is not responsible for those crimes?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I am... not sure. He is... less changed that they are. Maybe he just needs more time to come into himself, but I'm not certain. He... I couldn't make the same argument for him that I would for them - not yet, anyway. His upbringing left him shaped by the entity in a way that even removing it can't fully erase."