Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 4, Part 2

[DracoOmega]

>"It was that or be executed; which would you choose? I am giving her a better option."

[Oldmansour]

>"It was that or be executed; which would you choose? I am giving her a better option."

>"Spare me the naivety, Lotus, you're giving her no options than I. The reality of the situation is that you want Reisen, and you are content to steal her from me and keep her for your own."

[DracoOmega]

>"Is it impossible for you to conceive that a person could want nothing more from another than for them to live their own life? To hold power over another, and choose never to exercise it?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Is it impossible for you to conceive that a person could want nothing more from another than for them to live their own life? To hold power over another, and choose never to exercise it?"

>"I simply wanted you to stop claiming the moral high ground when you're stealing a slave from someone that bought her legally. All the moral balms in the world don't change the reality of the situation."

[DracoOmega]

>"Legal does not mean ethical. Though I doubt manipulating someone's mind without their consent is legal, either, and you gave the command. But I think we could debate this until sundown and not convince each other; if we speak purely of legalities, my challenge for her ownership is as legal as yours. So I'll ask you again: is there anything in that box you'd rather not get dispelled when I disarm it? I can't guarantee I can be that precise. Of course, you could always retrieve them yourself."

[Oldmansour]

>"Legal does not mean ethical. Though I doubt manipulating someone's mind without their consent is legal, either, and you gave the command. But I think we could debate this until sundown and not convince each other; if we speak purely of legalities, my challenge for her ownership is as legal as yours. So I'll ask you again: is there anything in that box you'd rather not get dispelled when I disarm it? I can't guarantee I can be that precise. Of course, you could always retrieve them yourself."

>"How gracious of you." the elder mage says poisonously.

[DracoOmega]

>"All I'm here for is Reisen, and I'd really rather not damage anything else, but I can sense the trap inside that, and would also rather not set it off."
>Give her another moment, and if she doesn't cooperate, point our scepter at the chest and hit it with an Amber Lotus
>Do so slowly enough to give her a moment to change her mind before we blast it, though

[Oldmansour]

>"All I'm here for is Reisen, and I'd really rather not damage anything else, but I can sense the trap inside that, and would also rather not set it off."
>Give her another moment, and if she doesn't cooperate, point our scepter at the chest and hit it with an Amber Lotus
>Do so slowly enough to give her a moment to change her mind before we blast it, though

>Madame Knowledge's face twists for a moment, and she doesn't hide the disgusted look she levels at Alisaie. Obviously the younger sister's defiance, brief though it was, has had an effect on the elder. For a moment, you wonder if the woman's ego is so massive, her perceptions so twisted, that she is incapable of acceding to your demands. But by the same token, she may be equally as incapable of getting her hands dirty if she sees any other choice in the matter. Although it may not be entirely purehearted of you to admit, you can't say the look of consternation on her face is isn't somewhat satisfying. "Do you realize how much you're robbing me of?" she finally grounds out.

[DracoOmega]

>"I have no idea how much you paid for her, but this isn't about money. This is about a woman's life."

[Oldmansour]

>"I have no idea how much you paid for her, but this isn't about money. This is about a woman's life."

>"And that woman cost me more than the price of a pair of Rolls Royces."

[DracoOmega]

>"Then perhaps you should have treated her with more respect. And if your daughter's obedience was worth that kind of money, you could have saved a great sum by treating her with more respect; you might even have averted the resentment that led to this morning's confrontation. There are things no amount of money can buy."

[Oldmansour]

>"Then perhaps you should have treated her with more respect. And if your daughter's obedience was worth that kind of money, you could have saved a great sum by treating her with more respect; you might even have averted the resentment that led to this morning's confrontation. There are things no amount of money can buy."

>Madame Knowledge's face twists again. "It seems that we agree on something else. But that doesn't change reality, and I'm not so consumed by the arcane that I've forgotten the value of money. And you're about steal close to a million dollars from me."
>"Maybe-" Alisaie starts to say, but her sister cuts her off angrily.
>"Maybe what?"
>The younger sibling winces, but after a moment, speaks. "Maybe there's another way to look at it?"
>"Another way?!"
>"Reisen and Little Patchy were close to each other, weren't they?"
>"What difference does that make?"
>Rather than answer her angry sister, Alisaie asks you, "If... If you did have Reisen, would that... help? Help get Little Patchy back?"

[DracoOmega]

>"It might. Even as she is now, it was clear Patchouli still cared about Reisen, and resented how she'd been treated and the things she'd been made to do. It might do some to soften the anger that has taken root in her to know that Reisen was... free. It was something she herself had wanted, even before today."

[Oldmansour]

>"It might. Even as she is now, it was clear Patchouli still cared about Reisen, and resented how she'd been treated and the things she'd been made to do. It might do some to soften the anger that has taken root in her to know that Reisen was... free. It was something she herself had wanted, even before today."

>"Couldn't you think of this like, sister?" Alisaie asks. "As a way of getting our Patchy back."
>"'Our.' Is that what you said?"
>"She's my family, too." Alisaie says, seemingly heedless of the rather dark undertone in her sister's voice. "And I want her safe and back to normal. And if Lotus and her friends can do that, I want to help them."
>Madame Knowledge lets out a long breath. Something in that breath makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. You have the sinking feeling that Alisaie has just said something to her sister that she really shouldn't have. "You see, Lotus? I was right." she says in a quiet, measured voice.

[DracoOmega]

>"About what?"

[Oldmansour]

>"About what?"

>"My sister seems to have sided with you against me. She's trying to help you rob me."
>"How could you say that, I-!"
>But Madame Knowledge doesn't give her sister a chance to finish her thought. The taller woman turns on her sister and drives her palm into Alisaie's stomach, a surge of magic coming from her hand. Electricity attacks the doctor's body, and she falls to the floor, screaming. "You should have obeyed me." Madame Knowledge intones over her sisters' cries.

[DracoOmega]

>Okay, that's quite enough
>Hit Madame Knowledge with a Scarlet Lotus, and let's not be too gentle about it

[Oldmansour]

>Okay, that's quite enough
>Hit Madame Knowledge with a Scarlet Lotus, and let's not be too gentle about it

>Pushed beyond the limits of your endurance, you stab your scepter forward and fiercely evoke your Scarlet light, sending a torrential stream of red and white shots at the elder Knowledge. She turns to face your attack, bringing her hand up to cast a spell, but the callous mage never gets a chance to respond to your attack before it hits home. The force of your furious attack does not throw Madame Knowledge into the wall behind her, it throws her clear through the thick wall as she releases her own scream and across the adjacent room several feet away, her flight ending when she impacts the far wall of that room, nearly knocking that one down as well. The elder Knowledge crumples like an empty chip bag.

[DracoOmega]

>We... we didn't kill her, did we? That wasn't what we meant to do....
>Someone, go see if she's alright.
>Then lean down and tend to Alisaie

[Oldmansour]

>We... we didn't kill her, did we? That wasn't what we meant to do....
>Someone, go see if she's alright.
>Then lean down and tend to Alisaie

>No you did not. Though you really did want to let her have it. And you did that, all right.
>I'm on it. Lily replies quickly, taking to wing and following the path Madame Knowledge carved through her house as she felt the force of your ire.
>Rin, however, has a different reply. Do we have to?
>Madame Knowledge's spell is only now fading, the electric web that had been enveloping Alisaie dissipating. She doesn't appear to be burned anywhere, but she is plainly in pain.

[DracoOmega]

>"Are you alright?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Are you alright?"

>Alisaie coughs and clutches at her stomach. "Ahhhhh.... I, I think so..." she responds, defaulting to her native Francais.

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm so terribly sorry I got you caught up in all this. If I'd had any idea how things would play out...."

[Oldmansour]

>"I'm so terribly sorry I got you caught up in all this. If I'd had any idea how things would play out...."

>"No... My fault. I should have known what she'd do."
>The witch's out cold. Lily reports, even her usual bright voice a little subdued. I don't think she'll getting up for a while.

[DracoOmega]

>"None of this was your fault! There is no justification for what your sister just did, and her actions rest on her alone. I... still can scarcely believe that even she would stoop so low. It is abominable."
>But nothing too grievous?

[Oldmansour]

>"None of this was your fault! There is no justification for what your sister just did, and her actions rest on her alone. I... still can scarcely believe that even she would stoop so low. It is abominable."
>But nothing too grievous?

>Not unless you count the holes in the walls. Lily replies, her voice starting to find her cheer again. Patchouli's mother doesn't have any in her.
>"But I did disobey her. I didn't want to disobey her... I just didn't want to fight you, either."

[DracoOmega]

>I hope the inside is just as intact....
>"Alisaie, no 'disobedience' can ever, ever justify treating a person like that. That's abuse, plain and simple. Don't let her voice in your head convince you that you in any way deserved it."

[Oldmansour]

>I hope the inside is just as intact....
>"Alisaie, no 'disobedience' can ever, ever justify treating a person like that. That's abuse, plain and simple. Don't let her voice in your head convince you that you in any way deserved it."

>Shake her a few times. Rin suggests to Lily. See if anything falls out. The blonde girl laughs, but does not do as the kasha suggests.
>"That's how it is in our family." Alisaie replies lamely. "The eldest of the generation sets the rule for the others."

[DracoOmega]

>"Tradition does not excuse abuse. Nothing excuses that! It doesn't matter who she is or what rights she thinks she has, she does not have the right to assault her own family because they disagree with her. Leadership is born of mutual respect, and she has given none."

[Oldmansour]

>"Tradition does not excuse abuse. Nothing excuses that! It doesn't matter who she is or what rights she thinks she has, she does not have the right to assault her own family because they disagree with her. Leadership is born of mutual respect, and she has given none."

>"But... that's how it's been in my family, for years and years."