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

[Oldmansour]

>Out of curiosity, if we fired an Amber Lotus at Reisen, could she catch it on her blade as an enchantment, like she did with Violet Lotus against Motormaster, or would it actually disarm her instead?
>"There's plenty more where that came from."
>Let's give him another dual-tech Amber Lotus and then as soon as the shot is away, let's quickly make our way over to Reisen and Cinnimon

>When you designed Amber Lotus, it was with the primary function of disarming enemies and hostile forces. It shouldn't work on one of your allies. But then again, you never imagined shooting it at one of your allies. At a guess you would say she would be able to channel the energy through her sword, but you wouldn't guarantee it.
>"That's what I like to hear!"
>As you and White Rose ready your powers again, Hiyori moves around to the front of you, preparing a spell of her own. She does not, however, get in your line of fire, and you and Rin have a clear shot at the hovering Blood, which you take. This time, however, Kenyu does not try to block your powerful spell. He simply flies up through the hole in the ceiling he blew, disappearing from view.
>"Didn't think he'd do that." White Rose remarks.
>"He'll be back." says Hiyori.

>With an unexpected reprieve, you start to make your way quickly to where Reisen and Cinnamon are. But you only manage to cover about eight feet before you hear a massive thudding sound on the roof and sense a wave of Dawn energy. Great chunks of the roof break away and fall towards the ground as Kenyu's power starts to bring the house down around your ears.

[DracoOmega]

>Our Amber Lotus effectively removed a chunk of debris via dispelling the illusion itself, right?
>Assuming so, do we think it would take less of our energy to zap away any debris that's liable to fall on our group versus using Sapphire Lotus to simply block it?
>Does it seem like whatever Kenyu's doing is aimed specifically at collapsing the place, or is that just a side-effect of some other attack he's performing/preparing?

[Oldmansour]

>Our Amber Lotus effectively removed a chunk of debris via dispelling the illusion itself, right?
>Assuming so, do we think it would take less of our energy to zap away any debris that's liable to fall on our group versus using Sapphire Lotus to simply block it?
>Does it seem like whatever Kenyu's doing is aimed specifically at collapsing the place, or is that just a side-effect of some other attack he's performing/preparing?

>In essence.
>It would be more energy efficient, yes. It would require you to have quicker reflexes to target individual chunks of debris rather than throwing up a broad Sapphire shield, but it requires much less energy exertion than using Sapphire.
>This seems to be his primary course of action. If he's preparing anything else at this time, you can't detect it.

[DracoOmega]

>Try to get as close to the others as we can reasonably manage before the debris gets dangerously close (so as to minimize the area we need to keep safe), then take out the falling junk headed towards us with wide-angle Amber Lotuses, starting with the biggest threats
>"Hiyori! Shield us from anything I miss!"
>We're not the only one here with barrier powers, after all....

[Oldmansour]

>Try to get as close to the others as we can reasonably manage before the debris gets dangerously close (so as to minimize the area we need to keep safe), then take out the falling junk headed towards us with wide-angle Amber Lotuses, starting with the biggest threats
>"Hiyori! Shield us from anything I miss!"
>We're not the only one here with barrier powers, after all....

>Right off the bat you have to use your Amber light to make a hunk of falling debris vanish that would have fallen directly into your path. But it's not a big piece, so you fire on the fly. White Rose, flanking you, sends one of her Warding Wheels upwards, blocking a chunk of rubble and sending it toward and unoccupied section of the room.
>As you pick your way closer to Cinnamon and Poppy, Hiyori complies with your command with two different spells. She enacts a bubble of energy around the three of you first, then sends a trio of ofuda upwards. The paper talismans stick to the ceiling, their magic activating. At a guess, you suspect Hiyori was trying to use that spell to keep the rest of the roof together. But either due to the power Kenyu used, or the level of damage caused, Hiyori's spell is not entirely effective. You see a few smaller sections pause in mid-collapse, help to the roof by strings of magic, but the larger chunks continue to fall, a cave-in of man-made materials.
>The one upside to Kenyu's attack is that, while impressive, it is by nature inaccurate. More than half the debris falling drops down in areas that threaten no one, and between your Amber light, White Rose's Wheels and Hiyori's magic, no debris really menaces you as you make your way across the room towards the fairy and the rabbit. Only once do you need to use an Amber Lotus with more than normal energy, to destroy a rather large chunk of the roof that had been falling towards the pair. The two of them are still down and tangled together when you reach their side.

[DracoOmega]

>"Are you alright?"
>Assess signs of battle damage
>Is the roof still collapsing around us?
>Can we see Kenyu?

[Oldmansour]

>"Are you alright?"
>Assess signs of battle damage
>Is the roof still collapsing around us?
>Can we see Kenyu?

>Reisen's armor is chipped and dinged in a number of places, and most of Cinnamon's top has been destroyed. She of course doesn't seem entirely self-conscious about this as she says, "Yeah."
>"Mostly." says Reisen, more soberly, as White Rose helps her and Cinnamon get untangled.
>It is still collapsing in places, but the worst is over. There's only one falling piece that is close enough to threaten you.
>Not directly, but you can see the glow from his aura.

[DracoOmega]

>Then let's zap that falling piece before it causes a problem
>Is there more as-yet-uncollapsed roof above us that could cause a problem if Kenyu tries that again?
>To Kiku: Minoriko and Haruka are down. We're currently engaging Kenyu; what's your status?

[Oldmansour]

>Then let's zap that falling piece before it causes a problem
>Is there more as-yet-uncollapsed roof above us that could cause a problem if Kenyu tries that again?
>To Kiku: Minoriko and Haruka are down. We're currently engaging Kenyu; what's your status?

>Easily done.
>"That guy doesn't play fair." Cinnamon gripes.
>"That guy probably realizes he can take liberties in here." Poppy replies, glaring up at the damaged roof. "Dancer's not going to work on him."

>Directly above you, no. But the whole of the roof hasn't caved in yet, only in places. The roof has a very swiss cheese look to it right now.

>Camille is proving to be an elusive foe. Kiku growls. I can track her scent, but neither Subala nor I can keep her in one place for long. And the damage she is dealing to us is adding up. Is it possible you could intercept her?

[DracoOmega]

>Can we tell how close they are to us at the moment?
>Does Kenyu seem to be doing anything or just waiting somewhere above the roof, near as we can tell?

[Oldmansour]

>Can we tell how close they are to us at the moment?
>Does Kenyu seem to be doing anything or just waiting somewhere above the roof, near as we can tell?

>You can sense Kiku's presence, but not Camile's. Her Jewel must either be inactive or she is shielding its presence. Kiku is actually some distance away, to your east and traveling in that direction, away from you.
>The sensation of power from him is starting to rise again. You suspect he's about to try something new.

[DracoOmega]

>Does that put her anywhere near Lily's position?
>Can we sense Kenyu's position well enough to aim an Amber Lotus at him through the roof?

[Oldmansour]

>Does that put her anywhere near Lily's position?
>Can we sense Kenyu's position well enough to aim an Amber Lotus at him through the roof?

>Negative, they are even farther away from Lily than they are from you.
>You believe so. But you're not sure what effect removing more material from the roof might have on its stability.

[DracoOmega]

>To Kiku: You're heading away from us and I dare not split us any further against Kenyu. If you don't think you can pin her down quickly, then leave her be and come join us.
>To the mikos: "Do either of you have a way to get our incapacitated out of here in a hurry? Our next shot might take even more of the roof down."

[Oldmansour]

>To Kiku: You're heading away from us and I dare not split us any further against Kenyu. If you don't think you can pin her down quickly, then leave her be and come join us.
>To the mikos: "Do either of you have a way to get our incapacitated out of here in a hurry? Our next shot might take even more of the roof down."

>I cannot. To do so would leave myself too vulnerable to her attack. And I do not believe Subala wishes to leave our prey active.

>"I think I can." Hiyori says.
>"I can get Haruka and Carnation out on one of my discs." White Rose suggests. "Let me handle that."
>Hiyori nods, then her head snaps up. "Hey wait, where's Konpaku-sama?"
>"I am all right." a voice says from the other side of a pile of rubble. Youmu walks around the debris, covering her more salient parts. She starts to say something else, but Kenyu's next attack comes before she gets the chance. From more than half the holes in the ceiling, energized streams of water come pouring down, a cascade of aquatic energy.
>Cinnamon and Hiyori act quickly, Cinnamon sending a stream of fire directly up, intercepting the water cascading down above you, setting some of it to boil but not strong enough to completely stop the Dawn-fueled waterfall. Hiyori casts another defensive screen, employing Earth magic rather than fire, invoking a fine mist of gravel and dirt overhead that seems to be absorbing the water, though you can sense it strain already.

[DracoOmega]

>Do we still have a potentially clear shot at wherever Kenyu is located or is Hiyori's barrier effectively blocking that?
>If we do, then:
>Send a quick message to our companions: Follow my lead.
>And fire an Amber Lotus directly at wherever we think Kenyu is. Try to keep it focused so it doesn't tear through more of the roof than necessary, without also risking missing him
>Then, rather than wait to assess how effective this shot was, be ready to get everyone else out of the way if the rest of the roof gives

[Oldmansour]

>Do we still have a potentially clear shot at wherever Kenyu is located or is Hiyori's barrier effectively blocking that?
>If we do, then:
>Send a quick message to our companions: Follow my lead.
>And fire an Amber Lotus directly at wherever we think Kenyu is. Try to keep it focused so it doesn't tear through more of the roof than necessary, without also risking missing him
>Then, rather than wait to assess how effective this shot was, be ready to get everyone else out of the way if the rest of the roof gives

>Clear enough.
>As the charged water flows into the room, you send your power up and out of it, a beam of Amber light targeted at the firefighter's location. His aura is putting off a big power signal, but your aim proves to be accurate. Your Amber light punches through the ceiling, exposing Kenyu before striking him.
>Of your two colleagues, only Poppy joins your attack, sending a blast from her sword up at the firefighter. Unwilling to be struck twice in rapid succession, Kenyu's Sapphire Jewel flashes and a shield of light appears before him, intercepting Poppy's attack.

>White Rose has other actions to occupy her. "Cinnamon, help me out here!" she asks, and the little fairy, after a quick glance at Poppy, flits over to float next to White Rose. Your girlfriend takes a breath, then extends her arms out away from her body. "Use your fire to boost mine, okay?"
>"Okay, but, what're you doing?"
>"This. White Retainer's Ring of Fire!" Waves of flame flow from Rin's hands, spreading out in a circular pattern around, creating a barrier of fire. As she invokes her power, Cinnamon's hands flash with obscure gestures and her magic surges. The fire flowing from Rin's hands intensifies, and the charged water of Kenyu's attack that had been flowing towards you is repulsed, boiling away as it touches White Rose's fire ring. There's so much water with so much power in it, you don't know if Rin can keep in at bay forever, but for the moment, you are safe from the water on the ground.
>"A little help?!" Hiyori gasps, the strain of maintaining her spell showing on her face. You might safe from the water on the ground, but the water over your head is another matter.

[DracoOmega]

>Let's try zapping the water directly above us with a wide-angle Vermillion Lotus

[Oldmansour]

>Let's try zapping the water directly above us with a wide-angle Vermillion Lotus

>Abandoning your attack on Kenyu for the moment, you switch to defense, firing your fire-type beam up at the cascading water over your head. Your attack has a much more significant effect on the water than Cinnamon's did, evaporating the energized water and leaving only a little steam in its wake.
>"Can you hold that for a moment?" Hiyori asks you.

[DracoOmega]

>"I can."
>Do so

[Oldmansour]

>"I can."
>Do so

>"I'll see if I can stop that flood."
>"You can't stop it everywhere." Cinnamon protests.
>"I just need to give us some breathing room."
>As Hiyori starts to chant, Poppy glances up, and starts to dash forward, through White Rose's protective ring of flames. Her reason for doing this becomes clear as she uses her sword to cut at a large pile of debris, sending chunks of rubble up into the air between you and Kenyu, intercepting the blast of Sapphire energy he had been sending your way.
>This gives Hiyori time to complete her spell, and a seemingly solid wall of energy, shaped like a triangle, materializes over your head, blocking off the charged water of Kenyu's spell, sending it pouring down on either side of your group, on the other side of White Roses' Ring of Fire. She sends the barrier upwards, but seems to be struggling, so you swap your Vermilion light for Sapphire, giving Hiyori's barrier spell a boost. With some effort, the two of you shove her barrier into the hole in the ceiling over your heads, blocking off the water from that hole at least.
>"That should hold for now." Hiyori says confidently.

[DracoOmega]

>The flow is still show no signs of stopping, though, right?
>Assuming nothing changes, how long do we estimate that barrier holding up? Particularly if we want to do something else with our power in the meantime?
>Do we have a path out to simply leave? Or does Kenyu have actual line of sight to us now?

[Oldmansour]

>The flow is still show no signs of stopping, though, right?
>Assuming nothing changes, how long do we estimate that barrier holding up? Particularly if we want to do something else with our power in the meantime?
>Do we have a path out to simply leave? Or does Kenyu have actual line of sight to us now?

>Correct.
>Hard to say. You can sense it's a pretty strong barrier, and it seems to be holding up very well. Near as you can tell, Hiyori created this one with the purpose of dealing with water-type attacks, such as the one Kenyu is employing. Having said that, it's only a matter of time before it fails against the might of a Dawn Jewel.
>There are a number of exits present in this room, but using any one of them would require going over or through at least one pile of debris. You don't have a clear path from where you are to any of them, even discounting Rin's fire ring.
>Kenyu does have line of sight on you. Of course that also means you have line of sight on him.

[DracoOmega]

>Then if we're moderately stuck here, perhaps the best option really is just 'shoot him again'
>And if Rin and Reisen are both not otherwise immediately engaged, let's try and make sure all 3 of us combine our strength at once this time. If a double Amber Lotus left a mark last time, how about a triple?

[Oldmansour]

>Then if we're moderately stuck here, perhaps the best option really is just 'shoot him again'
>And if Rin and Reisen are both not otherwise immediately engaged, let's try and make sure all 3 of us combine our strength at once this time. If a double Amber Lotus left a mark last time, how about a triple?

>It's certainly AN option. Between the five of you, you're certain you could cut a way out of this room, even if doing so while handling whatever Kenyu might throw at you might be a challenge.
>White Rose is presently engaged in holding back the charged water on the floor. You'll have to either make do with just Poppy, or deal with Kenyu's technique first before the three of you can link up.

[DracoOmega]

>Between Rin and ourselves, would we be able to lift all of the non-fliers out of here onto the roof?
>And are there even any holes in the roof that don't presently have water pouring through them or barriers preventing water pouring through them?

[Oldmansour]

>Between Rin and ourselves, would we be able to lift all of the non-fliers out of here onto the roof?
>And are there even any holes in the roof that don't presently have water pouring through them or barriers preventing water pouring through them?

>You believe so. The only people present that do not have any flying capability that you know of are Youmu and Minoriko. Assuming Haruka is still conscious. The two of you would easily be able to carry them on your respective means of flight.
>A quick glance around reveals five holes that presently do not have water flowing through them. Of them, two are large enough to accommodate people comfortably, two more can be widened fairly easily without risk of structural collapse, and the last is too small to be of use to you in terms of flying through it.

[DracoOmega]

>Let's hit Kenyu with another dual tech with Poppy and assuming that doesn't attain especially effective results:
>"I think we should go up. We're too split keeping the water at bay down here."

[Oldmansour]

>Let's hit Kenyu with another dual tech with Poppy and assuming that doesn't attain especially effective results:
>"I think we should go up. We're too split keeping the water at bay down here."

>Poppy dashes back to your side, through the ring of fire, and joins you in employing your Amber light, sending a double strength blast upwards at the hovering Blood. Once again, Kenyu deploys his Sapphire shield to intercept the attack, but his weaker Jewel proves insufficient to stop a dual tech completely. Your Amber light again takes a chunk out of his defensive aura, but again, fails to demolish it completely. You can sense it growing weaker, however. You suspect he may not be able to reinforce his defensive strength while channeling power into his water spell, not enough to keep pace with the damage you're capable of dealing it.
>"Up on the roof? You crazy, it's falling apart!" Cinnamon cries.
>"No, she's right." Poppy counters. "We're sitting ducks down here. He can rain fire down on us from up there."
>"And all of us can fly as well or better than he can." Hiyori agrees. "I agree, Lotus, but how do we get out?"

>Uh, good news and bad news, boss. Lily's voice says.

[DracoOmega]

>"There's several water-free holes in the roof big enough to slip through. Rose and I can split the non-fliers between us."
>What is it?