Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 5, Part 2

[Oldmansour]

>Return Haruka's baffled look with one of our own
>I mean, what does one even say at that point?

>Evidently, Sen has an idea. "Your rabbit have that effect on every fairy she sees?" she asks, her voice still missing a lot of its normal edge.

[DracoOmega]

>Not to the best of our knowledge, right?
>Assuming so: "Not typically."

[Oldmansour]

>Not to the best of our knowledge, right?
>Assuming so: "Not typically."

>Correct.
>"In all my years, I don't think I've ever seen a fairy do something like that." Haruka says in a hushed tone. "If she was a moon fairy, then, maybe.... Poppy doesn't have any kind of special connection to the element of Fire, does she?"

[DracoOmega]

>Not as far as we know, right?
>Assuming so: "Not to the best of my knowledge."
>To Reisen: Um... I don't suppose you can explain this sudden change of character?

[Oldmansour]

>Not as far as we know, right?
>Assuming so: "Not to the best of my knowledge."
>To Reisen: Um... I don't suppose you can explain this sudden change of character?

>Correct.
>"If anything, that's me." White Rose says.
>Haruka makes a thoughtful noise. "I knew Cinnamon had a fondness for Lunar Rabbits, but, this, I didn't expect."

>Reisen takes a moment to reply. Long enough to make you wonder if she even heard you. But she says at last, I don't know. Maybe, but, I don't know.

>"The moon wasn't always the enemy of the Earth." Cinnamon says, turning to face Haruka but holding on to Poppy's hand. "It's not my enemy. I love the moon."
>Haruka snaps her fingers. "Of course. The night you were born was a full moon." She looks at your group. "Fairies are special beings, they have a magic all their own. Forge connections all their own. Cinnamon came into existance on the night of a full moon. She may have a spiritual connection to the moon, or the people of the moon, that we could never undertand."
>"You saying she's a Moonfire fairy?" Sen asks.
>"I don't know if that term's completely accurate... But I can't call it inaccurate, either." Haruka frowns. "But Cinnamon, you've met other Lunarians before, other Moon Rabbits before. What makes Magical Poppy so different?"
>The blonde fairy with the red streak in her hair squeezes Poppy's hand a little tighter. "They weren't so cold."

[DracoOmega]

>Well then.
>As inexplicable as this, somehow it feels wrong to interrupt....

[Oldmansour]

>Well then.
>As inexplicable as this, somehow it feels wrong to interrupt....

>Haruka gives Poppy a pained look. "Poppy, if my sister has made you feel uncomfortable..."
>The eagle trails off when Poppy raises her free hand. "It's fine." she says. "I don't feel uncomfortable. I feel... understood."
>Haruka takes a contemplative breath. "I see. Then I take you... You know of our exercise with the Protectors, yes?"
>Poppy nods. "Kenyu told me."
>"I had considered asking you to pair with Cinnamon. I suppose I don't need to ask Cinnamon what she wants now, but, is that all right with you?"
>"Absolutely. If you didn't want me with someone else, Lotus."

[DracoOmega]

>"I wouldn't dream of it."

[Oldmansour]

>"I wouldn't dream of it."

>Haruka says, "Then that leaves the rest of the pairings to be decided upon." Before she continues that topic, she looks at Cinnamon. "We will talk more of this later, all right? The last time I saw a fairy react to a connection that strongly was over a thousand years ago. I never had the chance to talk about it then. I would like to do so now."
>Cinnamon looks up at Poppy, who gives her a small nod. The fairy then answers Haruka, "Okay."
>"Thought you said you'd never seen nothing like that before." Sen points out.
>"I didn't remember at first. When you're as old as I am, Sen, it takes some time for some memories to surface." She gives you a bemused smile. "Is there no end to the surprises you and your friends have to offer?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, this one was as much a surprise to me as it was to you."

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, this one was as much a surprise to me as it was to you."

>"I'm sure." The big eagle looks again at her fairy sister and smiles, an old, wistful smile. "Though maybe more for me. 'The moon wasn't always our enemy'. I remember those days. They seem so very long ago..." She sighs, and her moment passes. "Well. I suppose that brings us back to the business at hand, yes?"

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"Right. Did you have any thoughts for the final choices, or should I venture my own opinion?"

[Oldmansour]

>Nod
>"Right. Did you have any thoughts for the final choices, or should I venture my own opinion?"

>She gives you an amused smile. "I did of course have some thoughts, but, you first. The only pairings I believe set in stone at this moment are myself and Pink Carnation, and Poppy and Cinnamon."

[DracoOmega]

>"Assuming that I was indeed going to pair with Sen, I think Lily should pair with Linia, White Rose with Hiyori, and Chrysanthemum with Subala. Lily and Hiyori's defensive focus would seem to make them better-paired with someone other than each other, and of the remainder, I feel these are likely to be the most compatible."

[Oldmansour]

>"Assuming that I was indeed going to pair with Sen, I think Lily should pair with Linia, White Rose with Hiyori, and Chrysanthemum with Subala. Lily and Hiyori's defensive focus would seem to make them better-paired with someone other than each other, and of the remainder, I feel these are likely to be the most compatible."

>"Interesting. Our thoughts coincide on one point. Myself, I had considered pairing Subala with White Rose, Chrysanthemum with Hiyori, and Lily with Linia. Subala's Water magics and stealth would match well with White Rose's Fire and straightforward tactics. Chrysanthemum's offense and Hiyori's defense would line up well, as would be true for Linia and Lily."

[DracoOmega]

>To Rin: But you do feel less comfortable with Subala than Hiyori, yes?

[Oldmansour]

>To Rin: But you do feel less comfortable with Subala than Hiyori, yes?

>Yeah, I do. I can't help it; owls make me nervous.

[DracoOmega]

>Then that is a good enough reason not to partner with her here, I think. Though I'm not certain the best way to put this to Haruka.

[Oldmansour]

>Then that is a good enough reason not to partner with her here, I think. Though I'm not certain the best way to put this to Haruka.

>What if you point out that my fire and water might not mix that well after all? Rin suggests. If they're enemy elements in their magics, her water might douse my flame, or my fire might boil her water.

[DracoOmega]

>"Are you so certain that Subala and Rose's fire and water magics would complement each other, as opposed to working at cross-purposes?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Are you so certain that Subala and Rose's fire and water magics would complement each other, as opposed to working at cross-purposes?"

>"All the better to know now, rather than find out suddenly in the field." Haruka explains. "Still, you do have a point, and one I considered myself."
>"If I may?" White Rose asks her.
>"Of course."
>"How her magics and mine work together or don't, we can find out anytime. But our group's tied with Kenyu's right now. We beat them five on five, but Cynthia and Wataru beat Chrys and Poppy." The kasha's tails flick behind her. "I wanna make sure we win this one."
>"Good on ya!" remarks Sen with a grin.
>Ever more moderate, Haruka asks, "And you believe that working with Hiyori in this exercise would give you the best chance?"
>"I think so. If my powers work with the elements the way you'd expect 'em to, my flame would melt Linias' Metal magic and and get put out by Subalas' Water."
>"And we don't need to test that on the battlefield, even a training one, if we don't have to." Haruka ponders. "What say you, Hiyori?"
>The white-haired bird smiles. "I want to give us all the best odds of winning. If you think that's by working with White Rose, Sawashiro-sama, then I'll do it."

>Haruka asks around, and the other girls of her squad voice no other objections to the arrangements. "Very well, then. In that case, Hiyori, you will work with White Rose. Linia, you will partner with Magical Lily, and Chrysanthemum will be your partner, Subala. And as previously agreed upon, the other three pairs shall be Pink Carnation and myself, Cinnamon and Poppy, and Sen and Lotus."

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"It's settled, then."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod
>"It's settled, then."

>Haruka nods. "I'll inform Kenyu. We can begin the exercise as soon as Carnation and Konpaku-sama are finished."
>"Maybe a little after that?" Hiyori suggests. "To give Carnation a chance to recuperate, catch her breath after working with Konpaku-sama."
>"Good suggestion, Hiyori. What do you think, Lotus, fifteen minutes?"
>"Couldn't we eat first?" Cinnamon asks, her voice recovering some of its previous verve. "I'm hungry."
>"When aren't you?" Sen grumbles.
>"All the same, it is a fair point. We could break for lunch before starting this exercise." Haruka suggests.

[DracoOmega]

>"If it's all the same to everyone else, I prefer eating after exercise, rather than before."

[Oldmansour]

>"If it's all the same to everyone else, I prefer eating after exercise, rather than before."

>"Yeah, better to work up an appetite." Sen agrees.
>Cinnamon whines a bit, but is the only dissenting voice among either your group or Harukas', leading to the big eagle to say, "All right, then. How soon should we begin? Ten, fifteen minutes?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Fifteen sounds fine to me."

[Oldmansour]

>"Fifteen sounds fine to me."

>"In the meantime, if any of you do wish to grab a quick snack, our meal hall is available to you. Just be sure to be back on time." she adds, mostly, you suspect, for Cinnamon's benefit.

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>Then assuming no one else here seems to want to talk to us right now, let's go check up on Minoriko

[Oldmansour]

>Nod
>Then assuming no one else here seems to want to talk to us right now, let's go check up on Minoriko

>There is some general dispersion. Reisen and Cinnamon go off together, most likely to feed the fairy. Subala simply disappears, reploying her invisibility magic, Hiyori and Sen move to speak with White Rose and Lily, and Linia seems to withdraw into herself. You wonder about that. You don't doubt Lily's ability to befriend people, but something about that Brightblood is different. You hope Lily can get her to warm up a bit, and she probably has the best chance of anyone in your group, but you're just not sure. For her part, Haruka follows you away from the group, towards Youmu and Carnation. The big eagle is silent during the walk, her eyes slightly distant. She's obviously thinking about something, most likely Cinnamon and her reaction to Reisen. Forget about coming from right field, that one came out of the asteroid belt. You have the nagging feeling that this might not end when Reisen leaves the shrine.
>Youmu and Minoriko appear to have finished their spar. Well, Minoriko has, anyway. She is presently sitting on one of the arena seats drinking from a cup of water. She's obviously been sweating. Youmu meanwhile continues to work out, now dueling with another miko, this one armed with a glaive. Their session is much more intense than the workout Youmu was putting Minoriko through.

[DracoOmega]

>Take a seat next to Minoriko
>How are you holding up?