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

[Oldmansour]

>"I wanted to ask you what it is Avatars are. Air said that her Avatar had died in past, and yet up to this morning had seemed to have been living a normal life as a normal woman. The power she gave her, she said was supposed to have been hers from the moment she was born, and yet Sanae also spoke of how she became an Avatar after being cast into Makai. I'd like to understand."

>"Of course you would. But I believe you understand why I can't tell you everything."

[DracoOmega]

>"But surely you can tell me something."

[Oldmansour]

>"But surely you can tell me something."

>"I could tell you everything. If you were on our side."

[DracoOmega]

>"There is another reason I ask this. I can... remember things that I do not understand. An old memory I cannot place. I was with seven other people, and one of them was Sanae - the Avatar of Air - only her body was covered in horrible burns. There was a tall motherly woman smiling at us. She said "I can't do this without you." I don't remember what this was, but I felt it was important. There was... there was a bloody hole in my chest, where my heart should be."

[Oldmansour]

>"There is another reason I ask this. I can... remember things that I do not understand. An old memory I cannot place. I was with seven other people, and one of them was Sanae - the Avatar of Air - only her body was covered in horrible burns. There was a tall motherly woman smiling at us. She said "I can't do this without you." I don't remember what this was, but I felt it was important. There was... there was a bloody hole in my chest, where my heart should be."

>"You're asking a demon about one of your nightmares?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't believe it was a nightmare. Even Sanae herself reacted as though what I said rang true, though she did not understand how I could have known it."

[Oldmansour]

>"I don't believe it was a nightmare. Even Sanae herself reacted as though what I said rang true, though she did not understand how I could have known it."

>"And nor do I."

[DracoOmega]

>"But you do recognize something in what I said?"

[Oldmansour]

>"But you do recognize something in what I said?"

>"If what you describe is a memory of yours, Hero, it is not one I share. If it involves the Avatar of Air, perhaps you should ask her, or her Champion." She chuckles sourly. "Though getting useful information out of Air might be a challenge even for you."

[DracoOmega]

>"I did ask. Neither were very responsive at the time. But even if you weren't there yourself, you know something about how the Avatars came to be in the first place, surely? I feel very strongly this is connected."

[Oldmansour]

>"I did ask. Neither were very responsive at the time. But even if you weren't there yourself, you know something about how the Avatars came to be in the first place, surely? I feel very strongly this is connected."

>Louise smiles. "Well. I AM a Champion."

[DracoOmega]

>"Is there anything of this you can share with me? Please."

[Oldmansour]

>"Is there anything of this you can share with me? Please."

>Louise shakes her head. "I can't. You're still our enemy, Lotus, and you're smart. I will give you nothing you might be able to use against us."

[DracoOmega]

>"You know I oppose only the more violent of your methods, not the freedom you seek through using them. In the truest victory I would wish, your kind are free and safe and forever beyond Makai. Does that sound like a defeat for you?"

[Oldmansour]

>"You know I oppose only the more violent of your methods, not the freedom you seek through using them. In the truest victory I would wish, your kind are free and safe and forever beyond Makai. Does that sound like a defeat for you?"

>"That choice isn't mine to make, Lotus. Though I am called Champion, I am also a soldier. And my orders are absoulte."
>"There's no such thing as absolute orders." Reisen growls, back on her feet now. Barely. "A soldier isn't a slave."
>"For you Terrans, maybe, but we Children are beholden to the will of our Mother." For a moment, Louise looks just a little troubled. "Even if we don't always understand them."

[DracoOmega]

>"And do her orders specifically forbid cooperation? Demand killing? If the barrier falls and you gain your freedom, does it matter exactly how you accomplish this? You obviously have some leeway in how to pursue your assigned goals, as I have seen all of you Champions make judgement calls of your own."

[Oldmansour]

>"And do her orders specifically forbid cooperation? Demand killing? If the barrier falls and you gain your freedom, does it matter exactly how you accomplish this? You obviously have some leeway in how to pursue your assigned goals, as I have seen all of you Champions make judgement calls of your own."

>"Of course they don't forbid cooperation." Louise retorts. "Did you think I'd keep asking you to join us if it was forbidden? I've seen your power and your skill. You and yours could help us tremendously. Even the agents of the Celestials wouldn't stand a chance against us with you five on our side."

[DracoOmega]

>"And if they would try to kill you simply for who you are, then we are already on your side. I will no more see your kind preyed upon than my own. We fought alongside Fire and Ice just last night, and advocated on your kind's behalf to the mikos who distrusted them. Just because we do not serve beneath your Mother does not mean our goals must oppose each other. You wanted us to stop your Avatar from walking down a path of needless destruction, yes? From all we've spoken, I do not think you are indifferent to the value of life. If there was a path to your liberation that did not require it, surely you could see the value in that too?"

[Oldmansour]

>"And if they would try to kill you simply for who you are, then we are already on your side. I will no more see your kind preyed upon than my own. We fought alongside Fire and Ice just last night, and advocated on your kind's behalf to the mikos who distrusted them. Just because we do not serve beneath your Mother does not mean our goals must oppose each other. You wanted us to stop your Avatar from walking down a path of needless destruction, yes? From all we've spoken, I do not think you are indifferent to the value of life. If there was a path to your liberation that did not require it, surely you could see the value in that too?"

>"It doesn't matter, Lotus." the Champion says quietly. "I may not approach this fight the same way Air or the others do, but I'm a Champion. This is the path Mother has ordered me down. I will obey. There is no choice."
>"But I do believe you when you say you are willing to fight the Celestials if they come, which they will. In fact, they're probably already in the city. And they'll be coming for you, too. So be on your guard."

[DracoOmega]

>Let out a small sigh
>"It seems lately we're in the habit of fighting a battle on as many fronts at once as possible."

>"But you say 'there is no choice', do you mean then that true subjugation of this world is the specific goal you have been ordered to accomplish, and not merely the most obvious means to attain that goal? In other words, that conquest is your purpose here, and not merely a tool to obtain your freedom?"

[Oldmansour]

>Let out a small sigh
>"It seems lately we're in the habit of fighting a battle on as many fronts at once as possible."

>"But you say 'there is no choice', do you mean then that true subjugation of this world is the specific goal you have been ordered to accomplish, and not merely the most obvious means to attain that goal? In other words, that conquest is your purpose here, and not merely a tool to obtain your freedom?"

>"Does it matter?" Louise asks quietly, taking a quick glance up into the sky. "The result is the same. And either way would bring us into conflict."

[DracoOmega]

>"It does matter. Because unless conquest is specifically and explicitly required by your Mother's will - and not merely the expected result of that conquest - then we can find some way to satisfy your orders that does not demand the suffering of innocents. Even if whatever other method might seem more difficult, surely that could be offset by having us as allies in its pursuit rather than enemies?"

[Oldmansour]

>"It does matter. Because unless conquest is specifically and explicitly required by your Mother's will - and not merely the expected result of that conquest - then we can find some way to satisfy your orders that does not demand the suffering of innocents. Even if whatever other method might seem more difficult, surely that could be offset by having us as allies in its pursuit rather than enemies?"

>"And if it is?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Then I suppose I shall have to go and try to speak with your Mother myself."

[Oldmansour]

>"Then I suppose I shall have to go and try to speak with your Mother myself."

>"You'd never survive." Louise replies quickly, her voice regaining its former volume. "The envorinment of Makai would liquify your body upon arrival. Do not go to Makai, Lotus. You life would only be wasted." In her arms, Patchouli groans quietly. "And fighting the environment would drain your powers so much and so quickly that the predators of Makai would devour you effortlessly. Do not go to Makai. You deserve a better fate than a meaningless, agonizing death." Sparing a glance at Patchy, she says, "I must leave now. She should not be here when she awakes."

[DracoOmega]

>"No, perhaps she shouldn't. And I take your warning, but if what it's going to take to end this conflict without either of us losing is convincing Mother to change her mind, then I will simply have to figure out some way to do it - Makai or no."

[Oldmansour]

>"No, perhaps she shouldn't. And I take your warning, but if what it's going to take to end this conflict without either of us losing is convincing Mother to change her mind, then I will simply have to figure out some way to do it - Makai or no."

>The blonde demon gives you a smile that is nearly as sad as the Ice Champion's eyes. "Good luck." she says quietly, and you have no doubts at all that she means it. And then she is gone, vanished in a blur of blue light.

[DracoOmega]

>Let out a heavy breath and survey the damage
>I am sorry, Reisen. I had hoped it would work out better than this.

[Oldmansour]

>Let out a heavy breath and survey the damage
>I am sorry, Reisen. I had hoped it would work out better than this.

>And damage there is. The once well kept grounds of the Knowledge family manor are now a smoldering expanse of cinders, with only a few patches of green left between the damage caused by Patchouli's wild powers. The fountain that stood once is still intact, but there are chunks of the stone work missing, and the water, partially blocked by rubble, now trickles down onto the blackened grass and pulverized walkway. The manor house itself, though, is still intact, though a couple of windows have been blown out.
>Reisen, though, has her attention on the sky, and her expression is one of outrage. "I'm going to find you. I'm going to save her, and I'm going make you PAY for THIS!" And then she falls to her knees, as though screaming her defiance after the retreating Champion drained what power she had left. No.... No, she was right. Patchouli had to be stopped.

[DracoOmega]

>Yes, but... I had hoped that maybe we would have her back again, once this was over. That maybe we would have some answers. And now I fear we have neither...
>Walk over and give Reisen a hug. She could probably use one right now, and frankly - so could we.