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

[Oldmansour]

>"For what?"

>Koishi smiles sadly. "Everything I can't talk about. I won't be able to say it later. I'm glad I could say it now."

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm not sure I understand."

[Oldmansour]

>"I'm not sure I understand."

>A little hopefully, Koishi says, "I hope you never do. I really do." She then lowers her head and walks around you, and out of the room.

[DracoOmega]

>I wonder I understand even less after asking.
>But if Koishi seems well on her way to somewhere else, let's step inside and say hello to Marigold
>"I hope I haven't interrupted anything."

[Oldmansour]

>I wonder I understand even less after asking.
>But if Koishi seems well on her way to somewhere else, let's step inside and say hello to Marigold
>"I hope I haven't interrupted anything."

>I know I sure do. Rin replies.
>Marigold waits for a moment, and in a quiet voice, answers, "You have not, Mother."

[DracoOmega]

>Move over and take a look at her book
>"What are you reading?"

[Oldmansour]

>Move over and take a look at her book
>"What are you reading?"

>The volume in front of her has a page of text next to a full-color spread of spider lilies. "A book on flowers." she answers. "I don't understand all the biggest words yet, but I find I like flowers. I have wondered if Lily might have influenced me."

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I think they're very pretty, too."

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, I think they're very pretty, too."

>"I understand that people need to work in this world to get by. I think I would like working somewhere that gave me the chance to help things grow." The soft-spoken woman pulls a loose black hair out of her eyes. "It is an appealing idea."

[DracoOmega]

>"Work is always better when we're doing something that feels meaningful to us. and there's something calming to the idea of working in a nursery. They always smell so... alive."
>"But before I'm impolite: Marigold, I'd like you to meet Rose. She's a very important person to me."
>Give her hand a little squeeze

[Oldmansour]

>"Work is always better when we're doing something that feels meaningful to us. and there's something calming to the idea of working in a nursery. They always smell so... alive."
>"But before I'm impolite: Marigold, I'd like you to meet Rose. She's a very important person to me."
>Give her hand a little squeeze

>Rin returns the squeeze and smiles in the doing.
>Marigold rises and bows to your significant other. "I am very pleased to meet you, Rose." She pauses just a little before using Rin's magical name. "My name is Marigold."
>"How polite." Rin replies, impressed, then bows. "Uh, likewise."
>She don't know me, but she knows you? Rin asks you.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, she's never met you before in either form, has she? I honestly would probably have introduced you as Rin, if we weren't in a public place right now.
>"How have things been here, since I last had the chance to drop by?"

[Oldmansour]

>Well, she's never met you before in either form, has she? I honestly would probably have introduced you as Rin, if we weren't in a public place right now.
>"How have things been here, since I last had the chance to drop by?"

>Oh no, that's fine. But, how'd she know you? I mean I sorta thought it was you when I saw you that day at school, but how'd she know? Or, did you tell her it was you?
>"Quite well. I have learned many things since we last saw one another. The counselors often tell me that I have made 'excellent progress.' I do not wish to argue, but I am not so sure. There seems to be many things to learn yet."

[DracoOmega]

>She saw right through this form the first time I was here, without seeming to take any effort to do so. I still don't understand quite why.
>"There are. But we each spend their entire lives learning and yet will never run out of new things to learn. That's part of the joy of life, I think. And fortunately, it only takes a tiny fraction of that knowledge to be able to take care of ourselves and manage in society."

[Oldmansour]

>She saw right through this form the first time I was here, without seeming to take any effort to do so. I still don't understand quite why.
>"There are. But we each spend their entire lives learning and yet will never run out of new things to learn. That's part of the joy of life, I think. And fortunately, it only takes a tiny fraction of that knowledge to be able to take care of ourselves and manage in society."

>"The counselors tell me it will not be long before I am ready to enter society myself." She hesitates slightly, then confesses, "Well, some of them do."

[DracoOmega]

>"Do you find yourself getting along better with some of them than others?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Do you find yourself getting along better with some of them than others?"

>"I make some people uncomfortable."

[DracoOmega]

>Frown
>"Oh? What makes you think that?"

[Oldmansour]

>Frown
>"Oh? What makes you think that?"

>Marigold smiles quietly. "I am unusual, Mother. I seem to possess the natural ability to understand and read people. And some of those people do not appreciate this ability. They find it, and me, unsettling."
>"But I do not mind. I do not completely understand yet, but it is simply a part of who I am. And it has proven helpful to others here. There are some youkai here that have not learned how to communicate as quickly or effectively as I have learned how to do. My gifts allows me to communicate effectively with people like that."

[DracoOmega]

>"That sounds very helpful, to be honest. And I'm sure that even those that feel uncomfortable around you at first will warm up over time, once they see how gentle-hearted you are."

[Oldmansour]

>"That sounds very helpful, to be honest. And I'm sure that even those that feel uncomfortable around you at first will warm up over time, once they see how gentle-hearted you are."

>She kinda sounded like you there, Mistress. Rin observes.

[DracoOmega]

>Do you think so?

[Oldmansour]

>Do you think so?

>Well, you got a way of readin' people yourself. And ya never boast about it, neither, it's just part of who you are.
>"That would be nice." Marigold replies, glancing down toward the floor. "But I wonder if I will change, like those youkai do. After all, I am still young, like them."

[DracoOmega]

>"We all change as we grow - even humans. The only difference is that some of us change in ways that are easier for others to see. But however you grow, you'll still be you, Marigold - and that's a fine thing to be."

[Oldmansour]

>"We all change as we grow - even humans. The only difference is that some of us change in ways that are easier for others to see. But however you grow, you'll still be you, Marigold - and that's a fine thing to be."

>"How did you change?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I used to be a lot more... bitter, when I was younger. Bitter at all the unfairness in the world and the people that perpetuated it or didn't seem to care. I had cause enough to be that way, but in the years since I've learned there is more good than I was willing to see then - that even people who seemed unjust were often struggling with their own lives, and trying the best they could to get by. I try my best now to think well even of those who've done wrong, because I understand that they too can have good in them, and might only need someone willing to give them a chance; bitterness only hurts the person being bitter. It's these kinds of things that sometimes one only learns by living."

[Oldmansour]

>"I used to be a lot more... bitter, when I was younger. Bitter at all the unfairness in the world and the people that perpetuated it or didn't seem to care. I had cause enough to be that way, but in the years since I've learned there is more good than I was willing to see then - that even people who seemed unjust were often struggling with their own lives, and trying the best they could to get by. I try my best now to think well even of those who've done wrong, because I understand that they too can have good in them, and might only need someone willing to give them a chance; bitterness only hurts the person being bitter. It's these kinds of things that sometimes one only learns by living."

>Rin mutters something quietly, but just loud enough for you to hear. And even though she uses her native tongue, you know that she had wondered aloud, "Even Konngara?"

[DracoOmega]

>Even she would not be the person she is today were it not for the actions of those who raised her. Maybe someday she'll be able to see beyond this, too.

[Oldmansour]

>Even she would not be the person she is today were it not for the actions of those who raised her. Maybe someday she'll be able to see beyond this, too.

>A sound of surprise escapes Rin's lips as you speak into her mind. She seems slightly abashed at her bitter mutterings.
>"Was there someone who helped you learn those lessons?" Marigold asks you, curious. "Koishi says that people often have special people that help them learn special things." She doesn't let you answer, though, before she turns to face Rin. "Was it you?"
>The kasha starts to reply, then pauses. "I wasn't the first person that was important to her." she says after a moment's thought.

[DracoOmega]

>"I met a very close friend of mine at a time when I found it difficult to be close to anyone. I'm not sure where I'd be today if it weren't for her."