Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 4, Part 3

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, if I think of anything else to ask, I'll let you know."
>"Though I do have one other question."
>Look to her green-haired companion and smile politely
>"I'm afraid I never caught your name."

>The green-haired woman clicks her tongue in irritation, but after a short pause, she blurts out, "Doremy."

[DracoOmega]

>"Pleased to meet you, Doremy. I'm Lotus, and this is White Rose."
>Gesture to her.
>"I know we didn't start off on the best foot yesterday, but I hope there are no hard feelings."

[Oldmansour]

>"Pleased to meet you, Doremy. I'm Lotus, and this is White Rose."
>Gesture to her.
>"I know we didn't start off on the best foot yesterday, but I hope there are no hard feelings."

>The tanned woman grunt non-commitally.
>"I am afraid that my jack has... hard feelings, as you put it, towards nearly everyone." Satori says. "And all these years of being joined to me have done her no favors."
>Doremy angrily yells something in another language, possibly the tongue of Avalon, then says nothing more, but the look of concentration on her face suggests that she may be speaking telepathically with Satori.
>Eventually the look on her face fades, and she takes a step back. Satori says to you, "Please, do not think too badly of her, Lotus, Rose. What she did to you, she at my command."

[DracoOmega]

>"I understand. It's alright; please don't worry about it."
>Even if Doremy did voluntarily suggest killing us, last night....

[Oldmansour]

>"I understand. It's alright; please don't worry about it."
>Even if Doremy did voluntarily suggest killing us, last night....

>"I'm not." Doremy grunts.
>"I should point out," Kiku says to the spider youkai, not as diplomatic as you, "that if not for Lotus, your mistress would probably be dead now. Or still under the influence of that splinter of evil. As would you be. You owe her more courtesy than that."
>Sounds like something I'd say. White Rose remarks quietly.

>Satori's guilt may be such that she blames herself even for that.

[DracoOmega]

>"It's fine, Kiku. Really."

[Oldmansour]

>"It's fine, Kiku. Really."

>Kiku scowls, but accepts the rebuke.
>Satori, however, seems puzzled anew. "Kiku? Since when... do you come to the defense of someone outside the shrine?" she asks quietly. "I've never known you to say something like that, except about your sisters."
>The tiger youkai's scowl turns into a wince, but that, she stifles quickly. "Yes. But I think that's because I've never let myself feel that way towards someone outside the shrine before." Satori opens her mouth to speak, but Kiku cuts her off. "That is not your fault, Satori. I was like that long before you came into my life."
>"You were afraid." Satori mutters.
>Kiku nods. "I was afraid. Of many things. But you are not the only one that has changed, Satori. I've changed, too. And this woman...." She pauses to gather her thoughts, and slightly turns her head towards you. To your surprise, she smiles lightly, and finishes, "is special."

[DracoOmega]

>"That's very kind of you to say so."

[Oldmansour]

>"That's very kind of you to say so."

>Satori gapes. "How... How did you...?" she tries to ask you. Evidently hearing that sentiment from Kiku is a rather startling thing.

[DracoOmega]

>"Last night was not the first time we've fought alongside each other."

[Oldmansour]

>"Last night was not the first time we've fought alongside each other."

>"It wasn't?"
>"No." Kiku says, stepping towards her. "You see, Satori, I didn't tell you everything about that encounter I had at the CRA. I told you I encountered a powerful evil there, but I didn't identify Magical Lotus as one of the 'unknown spellcasters' that aided me. She and the winged woman she fought with last night, Magical Lily, were the ones I mentioned. And, I also didn't mention how close that evil came to corrupting me." Satori gasps as Kiku continues, "The demon we faced was completely immune to my magics. I was helpless before it. I'd never felt that before. Once it had beaten me, it seemed to see right through me, see everything about me. And it used that against me. It convinced me that their victory was inevitable, that any resistance I could offer was as pointless as my life." Though Kiku tries to speak plainly and evenly, she can't keep all the pain of that horrible encounter out of her voice. "And if Lotus and Lily had not been there, had not shown me that the demon was not invincible... Then they would have been fighting me, too." Giving you a quick glance, she adds, "Though I doubt you'd have lost anyway."

[DracoOmega]

>Smile gently
>"All the same, I'm glad it didn't come to that."

[Oldmansour]

>Smile gently
>"All the same, I'm glad it didn't come to that."

>"As am I." Then Kiku returns her attention to Satori. "The point is, Satori, someone was there to save me when evil threatened to invade my heart. But there was no one there to save you that day. I realize that our situations weren't the same, but I do a perspective that none of my sisters have. I know now how easily I could have ended up like you, with a creature of darkness directing my life." Kiku drops to one knee in front of the startled Satori. "I know you feel that I have more reason to hate you than the rest of my sisters..." Kiku reaches out and gently lays her hand on Satori's shoulder. "But I forgive you."
>The fallen miko takes a long, shuddering breath at Kiku's declaration.  "You...."
>Kiku nods gently. "I forgive you, Satori."
>Satori's eyes fill as she raises her hand to her mouth. She sobs just once as she leans forward, leaving a very surprised Kiku to support the now-weeping fallen miko. Not a position she's used to being in, you can tell. She seems at a loss at the sudden contact, but after a moment she steadies herself and pats Satori comfortingly on her shoulder. "I can't hate you, Satori. You were a victim, too. Lotus saved us both."

[DracoOmega]

>Smile encouragingly, and let them have their moment. Now's not the time to interrupt.

[Oldmansour]

>Smile encouragingly, and let them have their moment. Now's not the time to interrupt.

>While Satori and Kiku are, as you say, having their moment, Satori's green haired jack clears her throat to catch your attention. "Ah... Luk, Lotis, I'm... Sorry, arite. Bout las' night. She's right, y'coulda kill'er, an y'didn'."

[DracoOmega]

>Bow politely and smile
>"Apology accepted. And thank you."

[Oldmansour]

>Bow politely and smile
>"Apology accepted. And thank you."

>"So, whut're y'gonna do wi'us now?"

[DracoOmega]

>"That's up to you. Since Satori obviously doesn't plan to do harm to anyone anyway, as far as I'm concerned, you are both free to live whatever life you choose. I do not plan to take you to task for your past actions. But if there's anything I can do to help, I'd like to."

[Oldmansour]

>"That's up to you. Since Satori obviously doesn't plan to do harm to anyone anyway, as far as I'm concerned, you are both free to live whatever life you choose. I do not plan to take you to task for your past actions. But if there's anything I can do to help, I'd like to."

>Doremy looks thoughtfully at Satori, who is only now starting to collect herself. "If muh mistress don' wanna stay here, d'you fin'us a plece?

[DracoOmega]

>"I can certainly try."

[Oldmansour]

>"I can certainly try."

>"Y'aven't told Kishi yet, ave ye?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Kishi?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Kishi?"

>"Kishi. 'er sister."

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh. No. I haven't spoken about matters here with anyone outside our immediate circle."
>Have we ever spoken with Koishi, for that matter?

[Oldmansour]

>Have we ever spoken with Koishi, for that matter?

>You have, though only once or twice, and not for a great length of time.

>"Oh. No. I haven't spoken about matters here with anyone outside our immediate circle."

>Doremy nods. "Think my mistress wanna hendl'at erself."

>"What... about the others?" Satori asks Kiku quietly. "How can I..."
>"I'll explain things to them." Kiku assures her. "I'll tell them what I've told you. And what Lotus has told us about the creature we destroyed. And I know some of them will still be upset for a while. Anya, for one. Maybe Isumi. But others will understand, like Koko and Mayumi and Yuzuriha. And others may not be mad at all." The tiger actually chuckles lightly. "Look at Risu. I don't think she knows HOW to hold a grudge."
>Satori actually laughs at Kiku's joke. A good sign.
>"I can't promise that things will be easy, at least for a while. But my sisters are good people. Better than me, for the most part. If I could forgive you, then they'll come around. And Lotus and White Rose will help me make them understand if the need arises, won't you?" she asks you and your kasha.

[DracoOmega]

>"Absolutely. If there's anything we can do to help, just ask."

[Oldmansour]

>"Absolutely. If there's anything we can do to help, just ask."

>Satori wipes her eyes. "In that case, Lotus, may I ask you to find two or three of the shrine maidens that serve here, and ask them to join us here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Specific ones?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Specific ones?"

>"Preferably senior ones, but any will really do. I need... witnesses."
>"To what?" Kiku asks suspiciously.
>"To something that is very, very long overdue. Something I should do before everyone, but... I don't think I'm... quite ready to face them all, yet."

[DracoOmega]

>"I understand. I'll fetch them."
>Let's go find some mikos!