Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 5

[Oldmansour]

>"I can see where it comes from and I appreciate your candor."

>"Look, Lotus, don't take this question the wrong way, but I have to know. Was she here during the war?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Not as a soldier. She refused to kill people."

[Oldmansour]

>"Not as a soldier. She refused to kill people."

>"The Lunarians didn't bring civilians with them." Wataru counters. "If she was here, then she was a soldier. They all were, that's what the Lunarians used them for."

[DracoOmega]

>Is Reisen's status as someone who fled to earth unique enough that saying as much could give away her identity?

[Oldmansour]

>Is Reisen's status as someone who fled to earth unique enough that saying as much could give away her identity?

>It's a little hard to say. Her status makes her very unique, but her story isn't common knowledge. It's known that she's an exile, but not too many people know the real reason for it.

[DracoOmega]

>Do we at least know vaguely of the existence of other rabbit exiles or immigrants before the war or somesuch?

[Oldmansour]

>Do we at least know vaguely of the existence of other rabbit exiles or immigrants before the war or somesuch?

>Yes. Some moon rabbits stayed on Earth after the first war, and over the years, a small number of rabbits have been exiled to Earth. Not many, but it is not unheard of.

[DracoOmega]

>"She got away."

[Oldmansour]

>"She got away."

>"That can mean a lot of things." Wataru points out. With a wry grin, he adds, "And maybe not the best way to phrase something to a cop?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I doubt even you could have a problem with someone who refused to kill in their name."

[Oldmansour]

>"I doubt even you could have a problem with someone who refused to kill in their name."

>"You don't have to kill to be a criminal." He sighs again. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to turn this into an interrogation. It's just, any rabbit that was here during the war was a soldier. And if they're still here, then they're a war criminal, and it's my job to track them down. About the only rabbit that was on Earth I know wasn't a war criminal is Reisen Inaba, and that's not her." he says, pointing at Reisen. "Looks a bit like her, but I'd recognize her."
>"You've met her?" Poppy asks.
>"No. Her name came up in connection to a case I worked a while back."

[DracoOmega]

>This is... a little awkward.
>"Weren't there already a few moon rabbits living on earth before the second war broke out?"

[Oldmansour]

>This is... a little awkward.
>"Weren't there already a few moon rabbits living on earth before the second war broke out?"

>"Leftovers from the first invasion, yeah. Never could figure out why their masters left them here."

[DracoOmega]

>"Mightn't some of them simply have preferred living down here?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Mightn't some of them simply have preferred living down here?"

>"From my experience, their masters didn't much care for their preferences." He rotates his left shoulder slightly, his scars rippling. "If things had been different, I might have felt sorry for the rabbits. I know that not all of them were soldiers by choice. But that doesn't absolve someone of their crimes. Justice has to be done. If your rabbit... If Poppy," he corrects himself, "isn't one of those rabbits that used to be a soldier, fine. She's helping you defend this city, that's great. I'm all for that, and I'd be happy to fight alongside her if it came to that. But what she's doing now doesn't change what she did, or didn't do, in the past."

[DracoOmega]

>In full earnestness: "I vouch for her."

[Oldmansour]

>In full earnestness: "I vouch for her."

>"No disrespect, Lotus, but in my line of work, I've heard that before."
>"Then what do you want to hear?" White Rose asks.
>"If she was here during the war, then I want to know what she was doing here."

[DracoOmega]

>To Reisen: What would you have me say? Your status is a lot more unique than any of ours....

[Oldmansour]

>To Reisen: What would you have me say? Your status is a lot more unique than any of ours....

>You can tell him I was an exile. she says. It's true, after all. I AM an exile.

[DracoOmega]

>"Living in exile. You said it yourself, the Lunarians weren't often respectful of people who disagreed with them."

[Oldmansour]

>"Living in exile. You said it yourself, the Lunarians weren't often respectful of people who disagreed with them."

>The scarred cop smiles. "You could've told me that in the first place, you know."
>"Would you have believed her?" White Rose asks pointedly.
>Wataru nods. "Touche." she says quietly.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, that could have gone worse. All of this. Although Kenyu not using his jewels is tantamount to him deliberately throwing the match. I guess he really was just trying to make a point.

[Oldmansour]

>Well, that could have gone worse. All of this. Although Kenyu not using his jewels is tantamount to him deliberately throwing the match. I guess he really was just trying to make a point.

>Like he said, he wanted to test his axe against my Saber. Reisen says.
>And he is part Oni. Kiku adds. Oni often possess a sense of honor in combat situations. In his mind, as we were not all our full strength, he wanted to do something to even the match.
>'Part' Oni? Rin asks.
>His horns are not those of a full Oni. I would guess he is half-blooded. Too, there was the fact that Cynthia used what amounts to a sneak attack against you, Lotus. Kenyu may have seen that as an affront to his honor. I would recommend we try this again. With Lily, this time. With all six of us, and Kenyu operating at his full power, we would be better able to test ourselves against a number of foes at once.

[DracoOmega]

>What, now?

[Oldmansour]

>What, now?

>Perhaps not. Kiku replies after a bit of thought. You and Rin have fought more than the rest of us. And the same is true for Kenyu as well. In which case, Reisen, I have a suggestion.
>Yes? the rabbit replies.
>I would see how you and I operate as a pair. I suggest we challenge Cynthia and Wataru to a two-on-two battle.
>On a private channel, Kiku adds, And I would suggest that you, Lotus, find Lily and give her a talking to.

[DracoOmega]

>To Kiku: ie: 'This is still 'work', even if no one's in danger'?

[Oldmansour]

>To Kiku: ie: 'This is still 'work', even if no one's in danger'?

>I would phrase it a bit differently, but yes. I would do so myself, but you are our leader.

[DracoOmega]

>Lily is a very... joyously free spirit. In fact, I would say this temperament of hers is the very wellspring from which her power flows. Perhaps this sounds like I'm making excuses for her, but I don't think she was being slack. I think she was being... well... Lily. If there had been anything of consequence on the line, I know she would have been here. I'm sure this sounds lackadaisical from one as dedicated to their duties as you are, but our power stems not just from focus and training but from embracing the emotion within our hearts and being true to it. And, well... in a sense, I think that may have been exactly what she was doing....
>Do we still get that pink sensation if we reach out towards Lily?

[Oldmansour]

>Lily is a very... joyously free spirit. In fact, I would say this temperament of hers is the very wellspring from which her power flows. Perhaps this sounds like I'm making excuses for her, but I don't think she was being slack. I think she was being... well... Lily. If there had been anything of consequence on the line, I know she would have been here. I'm sure this sounds lackadaisical from one as dedicated to their duties as you are, but our power stems not just from focus and training but from embracing the emotion within our hearts and being true to it. And, well... in a sense, I think that may have been exactly what she was doing....
>Do we still get that pink sensation if we reach out towards Lily?

>Kiku does not answer for a long moment. I had not... considered that. she admits.
>No. She appears to be finished.

[DracoOmega]

>Some of us draw power from duty and dedication, but for her I think it's always been about a simple-hearted love for the world and the people in it and not wanting any of them to get hurt.
>But I may suggest she at least try to give me some warning if she expects to be elsewhere while we're 'on the job'.