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

[Oldmansour]

>Wouldn't it be rather paranoid to assume that some magic in the vague neighborhood was cause for concern?

>I already told you, he IS paranoid. Extremely. He thinks stop signs stare at him.

[DracoOmega]

>Though I suppose that might mean that his alarm wouldn't alarm anyone else there, if it's just an everyday thing by now.
>How long do you think these orbs are good for, Kiku? Could we wait a couple minutes and see if this blows over?

[Oldmansour]

>Though I suppose that might mean that his alarm wouldn't alarm anyone else there, if it's just an everyday thing by now.
>How long do you think these orbs are good for, Kiku? Could we wait a couple minutes and see if this blows over?

>That's a good point. Wildrider's the only one of the bunch that takes Breakdown seriously, but she might not if she's stoned out of her tree. But either way, I'm going to have to move. If he sees me hovering here, he might take a pot shot at me.
>A couple of minutes and then some. Kiku replies confidently.
>I think. Lily adds quietly.
>You think?
>Well I've never tried this before! Lily protests.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, we risk something either way, so I vote we wait and see for the moment. Get yourself somewhere safe in the meantime, Reisen.

[Oldmansour]

>Well, we risk something either way, so I vote we wait and see for the moment. Get yourself somewhere safe in the meantime, Reisen.

>Understood.
>A moment later, you feel a sensation of power, of awareness, pass over you and your friends. It is a frantic, fractured awareness, but a powerful one. That can only be Breakdown using his Jewel to scan the area.
>Lily, however, doesn't reach that conclusion as quickly. "What's that?" she asks, looking nervously around.
>"Hush." Kiku admonishes her. "I believe we are being scanned."

[DracoOmega]

>Gesture for Lily to be quiet as well
>Then let's be as magically inconspicuous as possible

[Oldmansour]

>Gesture for Lily to be quiet as well
>Then let's be as magically inconspicuous as possible

>The perky blonde clamps her hand over her mouth.
>The probing sensation lasts for quite a while. And is a fairly unpleasant one all in all. You sincerely hope it doesn't feel that way when you're scanning something. It is not sustained, but comes and goes, passing back and forth frantically, never settling on one place for more than a second before moving again.
>And then, just as suddenly as it started, the sensation is gone, pulling back in sharply.

[DracoOmega]

>Wait a few moments to see if Reisen reports anything, and if she does not and there are no further signs of activity, page her: Everything clear your way?

[Oldmansour]

>Wait a few moments to see if Reisen reports anything, and if she does not and there are no further signs of activity, page her: Everything clear your way?

>Breakdown got distracted. Another one of the gang came up, Drag Strip. They're talking, but I can't tell what they're saying.
>Can you tell what color Jewel Drag Strip wears? Kiku asks.
>Not yet. I think her Jewels are inside her clothes.

[DracoOmega]

>Wait another moment

[Oldmansour]

>Wait another moment

>They're going back inside. Reisen reports several seconds later. And Vice and the woman are going with them.
>Then, everyone of our target is inside the crypt? Kiku asks.
>For now, yes. But like I said, I couldn't tell what they were saying. I can't... Hold on. she says suddenly, just before you sense Breakdown probing the area around you once again. The sensation is brief, but intense, but as before, the biker pulls its senses back after a moment. Breakdown stopped for a second there, but now he's following the others.
>Chrysanthemum, Lily, I really hope that spell of yours works on him at least. Reisen continues. I've seen a Grey Jewel in action. We don't want to fight one if we have any choice.

[DracoOmega]

>Then let's go. Everyone, be as quiet as you can.
>Let's creep back towards the crypt and get ready to deploy our surprise, but keep our guard up

[Oldmansour]

>Then let's go. Everyone, be as quiet as you can.
>Let's creep back towards the crypt and get ready to deploy our surprise, but keep our guard up

>Kiku and Rin exchange a knowing look, and the two of them transform into their feline forms. Kiku takes the smaller orb in her mouth, while you take up the larger one. It's heavy, but not overly heavy. You shouldn't have a problem hucking the thing down a flight of stairs.
>Don't you think Breakdown might feel that, too? Lily asks.
>Kiku shakes her head, a very human gesture. The change is not magical. It's not a use of power of any kind, really. It is simply a function of our bodies and beings, no different from you flapping your wings. And cats are, of course, much quieter than humanoids.
>You did say to be as quiet as possible, Mistress. Rin says quietly, but with a touch of humor.

>Do these guys have real names? Lily asks Reisen suddenly as the four of you cross the street, which must be a very odd sight.
>The rabbit laughs. Sure they do. But they don't get mentioned as often as their street names. Most of the street racers in this town are like that, especially in the underground circuits. Usually because they're trying to hide from the authorities. Except for Vice. she adds with disgust. Rat bastard brags about his past with the law. I'll be honest, Byakuren, I almost wish you had given me permission to club him unconscious. Believe me, he has it coming, and then some.

[DracoOmega]

>One way or another, they're going to be dealt with today.
>Let's keep sneaking

[Oldmansour]

>One way or another, they're going to be dealt with today.
>Let's keep sneaking

>And Motormaster too. Reisen says, her voice a mix of trepidation and what may be a kind of excitement. Don't feel the need to hold back this time, ladies. These bikers aren't like Patchouli.
>Fear not, Poppy. Kiku assures her. You will find that I rarely hold back.
>I can vouch for that. Lily adds.
>And you were just a part-timer. the tiger drawls. I wasn't nearly as harsh with you as my Sisters. The blonde's exaggerated groan drawls laughter from your group.

>The sensation of sneaking through a graveyard is a bit of an eerie one. Not the sort of thing you'd do every day, even if this one is a rather nice graveyard. Now that you're inside the fence, you can sense a persistent tingle across your mystic senses, as though the whole field was blanketed with low-level sorcery. Which makes a kind of sense, as this is a sorcerer's graveyard. It's not strong enough to disrupt your powers or senses, but it is a sensation you could do without.
>Reisen reports no more sign of the biker gang nor any sign of Motormaster coming back, and you and your group zero in on the large stone crypt with seven motorcycles parked outside of it. Kiku reaches the south-facing wall just as it starts to snow. Best split up. Kiku suggests. Byakuren, you and Rin go left, Lily and I will go around the right side. Any sign of movement, Poppy?
>Not so far.

[DracoOmega]

>Follow her suggestion. Carefully.

[Oldmansour]

>Follow her suggestion. Carefully.

>Kiku gave you the side with only the one bike to walk around, that being Motormaster's big black Twin Spark, you and Rin reach the corner of the crypt's entrance before the blonde and the tiger. There used to be a pair of human-scale statues standing on either side of the stairs, but only one of them remains unmolested. The other one, the female counterpart to the male on the opposite side, shows signs of frequent vandalization, capped off by a grey motorcycle helmet draped over her head.
>A moment later, the now human-form Kiku, carrying the smaller lead orb in her hand, pokes her head around the left corner of the crypt. Are you ready? she asks, her psychic voice a whisper.

[DracoOmega]

>We are, right?
>Assuming so: Ready.

[Oldmansour]

>We are, right?
>Assuming so: Ready.

>Right.
>On your count. she replies, giving you the lead.

[DracoOmega]

>Give the count, then let's do this!

[Oldmansour]

>Give the count, then let's do this!

>On the count of three, you and Kiku toss your cargo down the stone steps leading down into the waiting crypt. The lead orbs clang hollowly down the steps, belying their magical payload within. From below, you hear a male voice exclaim shrilly "What's that noise?!"
>Now, Lily! Kiku yells in your minds. At the silent command of Lily and Kiku, the orbs split open disgorging their magical flowers into the air of the enclosed crypt. The shrill voice screams once in surprise, as do at least two separate female voices.
>Before waiting to see the results of Lily's spell, Kiku throws an ofuda to the ground in front of the stairs and chants a short spell, erecting a wall of metal at the top of stairs, sealing off the crypt. "That will keep anyone from fleeing the spells' effects."

[DracoOmega]

>Can we sense any of the jewel's powers at work in the crypt. Or, hopefully, falling quiet?

[Oldmansour]

>Can we sense any of the jewel's powers at work in the crypt. Or, hopefully, falling quiet?

>Just one. You believe it's Breakdown's Jewel. It appears to be the only one generating an active energy field. And it seems to be growing in intensity.

[DracoOmega]

>We didn't have a direct view of the group from the top of the crypt stairs, did we? Even before the lead wall was in the way.
>Assuming so, can we think of any way we can strike back at or dispel this welling power without being able to see it?

[Oldmansour]

>We didn't have a direct view of the group from the top of the crypt stairs, did we? Even before the lead wall was in the way.
>Assuming so, can we think of any way we can strike back at or dispel this welling power without being able to see it?

>It appears to be sheet steel rather than lead, but otherwise correct.
>You'd have to either blast through Kiku's wall or get her to take it down, but otherwise your Light can serve the same sort of functions as any ranger weapon. In that, you don't necessarily have to see your target to shoot at them. You'd just need to point your scepter around the corner and fire. And, in this case, hope you don't hit the civilian down there.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, if we can't see where to aim, how are we going to hit it? Can we metaphorically home our fire in on a specific magical sensation?
>Would an Indigo Lotus or Amber Lotus even do anything to a civilian?

[Oldmansour]

>Well, if we can't see where to aim, how are we going to hit it? Can we metaphorically home our fire in on a specific magical sensation?
>Would an Indigo Lotus or Amber Lotus even do anything to a civilian?

>You can sense Breakdown's aura. There's nothing stopping you from aiming at that.
>In all likelihood, probably not. Amber might make them drop something they're holding if it could be used as a weapon, but it probably wouldn't hurt them. But hitting bystanders is something you'd prefer to avoid simply on principal.

[DracoOmega]

>Give it another moment, and if the power doesn't seem to wane a little in the face of Lily's spell:
>To Kiku: Give me a gap in your barrier.
>Then aim an Indigo Lotus down it towards Breakdown's aura

[Oldmansour]

>Give it another moment, and if the power doesn't seem to wane a little in the face of Lily's spell:
>To Kiku: Give me a gap in your barrier.
>Then aim an Indigo Lotus down it towards Breakdown's aura

>Breakdown's power only grows. And starts to move as well. He appears to be headed for the stairs.
>A gap? Kiku seems surprised, but she nods after seeing the look on your face. She lays her hand against the metal wall and a circular hole about the size of a basketball appears in the wall near you. Without exposing too much of your body, you align your scepter with the hole and fire a burst of Indigo light down into the crypt, in the direction of Breakdown's aura.
>The biker had enough time to get to the bottom of the stairs before you fired, so your light doesn't need any tricks to reach its intended target. Although you are fairly confidant your light strikes its target, it doesn't appear to have any noticeable effect on the biker's aura of power. You do, however, immediately sense that same panicky, scattered sense of scanning you felt before. "You won't get me!" Breakdown yowls, and a burst of power explodes up from the crypt. The burst of Grey energy reduces Kiku's metal wall to little more than iron filings and keeps on going, hurtling up into the sky.

[DracoOmega]

>Was that actually a blast of energy, or did he actually burst off into the sky himself?
>Anything else in the way of the blast?
>Any signs of activity from anyone else down there?