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

[Oldmansour]

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

>Haruka seems to have come to speak to Minoriko as well, but she decides to hang back and let you have some time with your comrade first.
>A bit tired. Minoriko admits. I'm not out of shape or anything, but I've never done anything like this before.

[DracoOmega]

>No, I imagine not. But you've been hanging in there and doing a good job of it, too.
>"Haruka wanted to hold a group exercise, with our team pairing off with members of theirs against Kenyu's group in a simulated combat environment. Once you've had some time to catch your breath, that is."
>Explain the details we've hammered out

[Oldmansour]

>No, I imagine not. But you've been hanging in there and doing a good job of it, too.
>"Haruka wanted to hold a group exercise, with our team pairing off with members of theirs against Kenyu's group in a simulated combat environment. Once you've had some time to catch your breath, that is."
>Explain the details we've hammered out

>I've been trying.
>"Yes, I know. We talked about it earlier, while Chrysanthemum and Poppy were fighting those two Blood. She wanted to work with me in the simulation, and I agreed."
>Well that saves a bit of explanation. So you fill her in on the rest of it.
>Understandably, her reaction to the recounting of what happened between Cinnamon and Reisen is one of pronounced surprise. "Never covered anything like that in class, did we."

[DracoOmega]

>"It's certainly new to me."

[Oldmansour]

>"It's certainly new to me."

>"How did Re- Poppy take it?"

[DracoOmega]

>"With grace enough that it seemed almost as though she were not surprised by it at all."

[Oldmansour]

>"With grace enough that it seemed almost as though she were not surprised by it at all."

>"Do you think this might have happened to her before?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't know. I'll have to ask her about it later."

[Oldmansour]

>"I don't know. I'll have to ask her about it later."

>Carnation leans back a bit. "Well, as long as it doesn't bother Poppy, I think I'm happy to see it. From how you describe it, it sounded like Cinnamon was worried about her, cared about her."

[DracoOmega]

>"It really did seem that way, yes."

[Oldmansour]

>"It really did seem that way, yes."

>Carnation giggles. "It would be cute if Cinnamon wanted to follow her home." Then her smile droops. "Oohh. That would be a problem, wouldn't it?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm sure Poppy can handle it, if comes to that."

[Oldmansour]

>"I'm sure Poppy can handle it, if comes to that."

>"Yeah, she probably can. Though while we're talking of handling things, are you okay working with Sen? She sounds a bit... rough."

[DracoOmega]

>"She may be more... aggressive than her sisters, but she took issue with me because she felt my actions may have endangered people, and I can respect that. Beyond which, her focus on melee combat may be a good match for my own preference for ranged."

[Oldmansour]

>"She may be more... aggressive than her sisters, but she took issue with me because she felt my actions may have endangered people, and I can respect that. Beyond which, her focus on melee combat may be a good match for my own preference for ranged."

>"You could say the same was true for Subala, as well, from what Haruka said about her." Carnation points out.

[DracoOmega]

>"Perhaps. I have no complaints, though."

[Oldmansour]

>"Perhaps. I have no complaints, though."

>"Well I hope you and she can get along. I really want to win this fight."

[DracoOmega]

>"Likewise. And so does she. I think that any differences we have can be set aside for the purposes of the exercise."

[Oldmansour]

>"Likewise. And so does she. I think that any differences we have can be set aside for the purposes of the exercise."

>"And, I have to say, I'm happy to have a chance to practice this sort of thing before doing it for real. I'm only sorry the rest of you never got the chance."

[DracoOmega]

>"Trite as it might sound, necessity can bring forth a surprising strength. Though yes, all things being equal, I might have rathered this myself."

[Oldmansour]

>"Trite as it might sound, necessity can bring forth a surprising strength. Though yes, all things being equal, I might have rathered this myself."

>"I do wonder, though, if you and Haruka might make the better team." Carnation postulates. "You are the leaders of our two groups. Well, the most experienced, I suppose in her case. And I think the two of you seem compatable with each other."

[DracoOmega]

>"I agree. But in this case, Haruka specifically requested that she partner with you."

[Oldmansour]

>"I agree. But in this case, Haruka specifically requested that she partner with you."

>"I know. She saw that I was new to this sort of thing. She said that she's helped people like me for a long time." She glances at the big eagle, then asks quietly, "Is she really as old as I think she is?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Possibly older. She was born before the Dark Ages."

[Oldmansour]

>"Possibly older. She was born before the Dark Ages."

>Carnation's eyes widen as she looks again at Haruka. The big eagle gives your colleague a faint smile and a slight shrug. "I know that some youkai can live for a long time, but still, isn't that a bit extreme?"

[DracoOmega]

>Assuming the following is actually factual: "It's rare, certainly, but not unheard of."

[Oldmansour]

>Assuming the following is actually factual: "It's rare, certainly, but not unheard of."

>Carnation shakes her head slightly. "It's a lot to think about. Living that long. Seeing everything that happened."

[DracoOmega]

>"I can scarcely imagine it, if I'm honest."

[Oldmansour]

>"I can scarcely imagine it, if I'm honest."

>Carnation leans forward, looking at Haruka. "You've really been alive that long?"
>"Longer." Haruka admits candidly.
>"And... you've been doing this sort of thing all this time?"
>"Not all of it." she replies, walking forward. "But a lot of it, yes. I realized very shortly after I ascended that I had talents few other people have. And I've had a lot more time to become accustomed to them than I assume you girls have."

[DracoOmega]

>"By several orders of magnitude."