Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 5

[Oldmansour]

>"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."

>Haruka regards you silently for a moment, the gives you a look of quiet compassion "Don't blame yourself for what's happened to him, Lotus. If his corruption ran that deep, then you may have been the only one who could remove it without killing him. And perhaps fewer people even than that would have been willing to try it at all."

[DracoOmega]

>Nod slowly
>"I just hope that he might yet be able to heal, but... I fear he may have a long road ahead of him."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod slowly
>"I just hope that he might yet be able to heal, but... I fear he may have a long road ahead of him."

>"He has the opportunity now. I promise you, he'll be treated well." The eagle youkai lays her strong hand on your shoulder, her old eyes full of that compassionate strength. "You gave him the chance, Lotus. Don't forget that."

[DracoOmega]

>"I know. And thank you. Really."

[Oldmansour]

>"I know. And thank you. Really."

>The sound of a clearing throat draws your attention. "As much as I hate to interrupt a moment," Kenyu says politely, drawing your gaze away from Haruka's old, kind eyes. "there's still something I'm not sure on. How did come into conflict with the Stunts in the first place? Both sides of the Blood have been trying to stay out of your war with the Champions. They do something to piss you off?"

[DracoOmega]

>"We'd learned of the entity possessing Motormaster and came to destroy it. We did not even realize the rest of the gang were Blackbloods until we got there."

[Oldmansour]

>"We'd learned of the entity possessing Motormaster and came to destroy it. We did not even realize the rest of the gang were Blackbloods until we got there."

>"So they just happened to be between you and Moto?"

[DracoOmega]

>"More or less."

[Oldmansour]

>"More or less."

>"Mmm...." Kenyu grunts in acknowldgement. "So you're not on some kind of campaign against them?"

[DracoOmega]

>"We would not stand idle and let a Blackblood put people in danger on our watch, but the matter of the Champions is our foremost priority."

[Oldmansour]

>"We would not stand idle and let a Blackblood put people in danger on our watch, but the matter of the Champions is our foremost priority."

>"I hope that'll be the last time you have to deal with the Blood. Any Blood." Kenyu's eyes dart to the side, in the direction of two of the Blood you noticed before. "You've made a lot of Blood on both sides really edgy, Lotus."

[DracoOmega]

>"So I've heard. But you've nothing to fear from me, so long as you don't go around attacking innocent people."

[Oldmansour]

>"So I've heard. But you've nothing to fear from me, so long as you don't go around attacking innocent people."

>Kenyu blinks. "'Heard?' You've had this talk with another Blood?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Not precisely the same, but I've been told to expect a representative from the White Council to come looking for me."

[Oldmansour]

>"Not precisely the same, but I've been told to expect a representative from the White Council to come looking for me."

>"You- you..." Kenyu appears well and truly stunned.
>Even Haruka seems surprised. "How did you ever come into contact with THEM? They never get involved in matters in this world."

[DracoOmega]

>"I think they're concerned about what I did to the Struntrons and perhaps whether this power could be used against them. I couldn't say much more than that - the only contact I had with them was very brief and not altogether friendly."

[Oldmansour]

>"I think they're concerned about what I did to the Struntrons and perhaps whether this power could be used against them. I couldn't say much more than that - the only contact I had with them was very brief and not altogether friendly."

>"Yeah, and they're not the only ones." Kenyu says darkly, looking again towards the tiger youkai and the tengu.
>"Are you expecting trouble, Kenyu?" Haruka asks him.
>The oni shakes his head. "Not here, not with me around here. They couldn't do anything here anyway. But watch your back outside this room, Lotus." he cautions you. "Things are probably worse than you think they are. For all of us."

[DracoOmega]

>"'For all of us'?"

[Oldmansour]

>"'For all of us'?"

>"Yeah. You, me, her, your buddies, all of us. What you did to the Stunts could set off a powder keg, if worse comes to worse."

[DracoOmega]

>"I hope not. This isn't putting ourselves forward as players in this 'Blood War'. It was about subduing an active threat to the populous of this city and giving a few people a chance for a better life - nothing more or less."

[Oldmansour]

>"I hope not. This isn't putting ourselves forward as players in this 'Blood War'. It was about subduing an active threat to the populous of this city and giving a few people a chance for a better life - nothing more or less."

>"And that's happened before. And will happen again. That's fine, that happens, someone kills a Brightblood, or a Blackblood, or a group, and life goes on for the rest of us. But you didn't kill 'em. You transformed them. And their Jewels. Even the Gods couldn't do that, but you did. You may not be a player, Lotus, but you're the biggest wild card the Blood War's ever known. Whether you meant to or not, you've changed the rules. You've got both sides scared, and scared people sometimes do scary things. Truth is, you even scared me a little, and I run into burning buildings for a living." He says the last part with a bit of levity, but there's nothing light about his visage as he explains things.

[DracoOmega]

>"You have nothing to fear from me, Kenyu. I did what I did to help them. Breakdown's jewel was as much of a curse to him as a blessing - moreso, even. Could the same even possibly be said about you or people like you?"

[Oldmansour]

>"You have nothing to fear from me, Kenyu. I did what I did to help them. Breakdown's jewel was as much of a curse to him as a blessing - moreso, even. Could the same even possibly be said about you or people like you?"

>"I wouldn't say so."
>"But there might be others of our people who do." a woman's voice suddenly says from behind you. You spin, finding a youngish redhead approaching you from behind, her eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. Odd, given that it's not particularly bright in here. "I apologize for surprising you." she says in a pleasant voice, stopping long enough to bow politely. She seems very familiar to you somehow. "I am Camille Henderson, and like Kenyu, I am Blood." The name makes your memory click. She works at Mayoiga General, you've seen her around the building during Myoren's frequent hospitalizations. You think she's a doctor, but now that you think about it, you've also seen her driving an ambulance. She can't possibly do both, could she?

[DracoOmega]

>"Are you saying there are even Brightblood who might consider themselves afflicted by their own nature?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Are you saying there are even Brightblood who might consider themselves afflicted by their own nature?"

>"I'm saying that there are some who might think you could think that. You changed the Stuntrons; who's to say you couldn't do the same to a Brightblood? That you wouldn't? Lotus, you've come out of nowhere and done something that hasn't been done in all of recorded history. And in doing so, you've changed the balance of power in this city. You didn't just kill the Stuntrons, you changed them, meaning they could nwo work against the other Blackbloods. Or for all our people know, your changes could have made them your servants." She holds up her hands to forestall your protest. "I don't believe that personally, I'm simply saying that you're an unknown who came out of nowhere, and can do the impossible for reasons her own. I don't think worse will come to worse like Kenyu does, but I can understand why both sides of the Blood are afraid now. Of each other, and of you."

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, you have my word that I've no desire to make any sort of power grab or change people against their will who are not both victim and threat because of the circumstances of their birth. I just want to help people and keep them safe."

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, you have my word that I've no desire to make any sort of power grab or change people against their will who are not both victim and threat because of the circumstances of their birth. I just want to help people and keep them safe."

>"I believe you." Camilla assures you.
>Kenyu nods. "Think I do, too. We'll spread the word among the local Brights, but it's the Council Member you'll really need to convince. Good luck with that. They're a bunch of right stiff bastards."
>"Unless it's Orion who comes." Camille counters. "You're not forgetting him, are you?"
>"'course not, but you know damn well he never leaves the Realm. Odds of seeing him on this side are 'bout as good as my horn growing back."

>As the two blood talk, the voice of the Purpose comes to you, Hero? Are you all right? Its voice sounds muffled, like it's trying to talk through something.

[DracoOmega]

>Yes? Is there some reason you think I might not be?

[Oldmansour]

>Yes? Is there some reason you think I might not be?

>Your presense seems weakened, reduced. I cannot sense you clearly.

[DracoOmega]

>Oh, that- that might be the barrier I'm currently inside, actually. At the Bird Shrine. They use it for sparring; it reduces the destructive potential of magic used inside it so they can combat each other safely. I'm perfectly alright.
>...there isn't anything else afoot, is there?