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

[DracoOmega]

>"It is difficult when one's family disapproves of the path we wish for ourselves."

[Oldmansour]

>"It is difficult when one's family disapproves of the path we wish for ourselves."

>"If you're Little Patchy's friends, then you know that magical studies and aptitude is paramount to the family. Every member of the Knowledge bloodline is expected to follow that tradition, whatever other aptitudes or dreams they might have for themselves. And I became the, how do you say, black sheep of the family."
>"But if magic's so important to your family, why did Patchouli's parents try to stunt her own studies."
>"They wanted to control her studies, not stunt them." Alisaie corrects her. "And I should say, 'she'. My sister holds the power among our generation and the younger."

[DracoOmega]

>"Control them by forbidding that she practice magic at all until she was older? By preventing her from attending a school for magicians as she wanted? That does sound rather more like discouraging the pursuit of magic than anything."

[Oldmansour]

>"Control them by forbidding that she practice magic at all until she was older? By preventing her from attending a school for magicians as she wanted? That does sound rather more like discouraging the pursuit of magic than anything."

>"I think... No, I'm pretty sure my sister wanted Little Patchy's magic to develop at the rate she wanted, rather than what Patchy wanted for herself. She can be very.... demanding." she settles on, though you're inclined to think that she was thinking of a few stronger words. "I can't guess what that path was, though. She may have forced me to take up magic, but I was able to develop in my own way. Of course, I was her sister, not her daughter."
>"Except.... It wasn't always that way." she says after a moment's thought. "When Little Patchy was very young, both my sister and her husband were amazed at the magical potential that Little Patchy was exhibiting. They were very enthusiastic about the potential they sensed in her."
>"Patchouli's never mentioned that." Reisen muses.
>"This was when she was only 2,  3 at the oldest. I doubt she would remember."

[DracoOmega]

>"Do you have any idea why this might have changed?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Do you have any idea why this might have changed?"

>"I have asked about that, and more than once. But each time do, I am instructed to, speaking politely, mind my own business."
>"But she's your family." Reisen protests. "That makes it your business."
>"Remember, I'm only her aunt." Alisaie says dejectedly.

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't know that she will be particularly cooperative with me either. I spoke with her last night, you know. Patchouli's mother, I mean. At a meeting myself and Rose attended with the police and representatives of the Four Shrines, about the threat the Champions from Makai currently represent. The police had called her in as a expert consultant. She was... extremely dismissive that Makai could exist, and then when one of the Champions themselves attacked our gathering she... simply left, while the rest of us fought."

[Oldmansour]

>"I don't know that she will be particularly cooperative with me either. I spoke with her last night, you know. Patchouli's mother, I mean. At a meeting myself and Rose attended with the police and representatives of the Four Shrines, about the threat the Champions from Makai currently represent. The police had called her in as a expert consultant. She was... extremely dismissive that Makai could exist, and then when one of the Champions themselves attacked our gathering she... simply left, while the rest of us fought."

>Alisaie nods slowly. "My sister is not receptive to ideas or suggestions that do not mesh with the way she views the world and the people in it. She can be... difficult."
>"And her leaving like that doesn't surprise me, either." Poppy adds. "She was never one for getting her hands dirty if she thought she didn't have to."

[DracoOmega]

>Let out a little sigh
>"I suppose I nonetheless should try speaking with her about this, and simply hope she'll be receptive."

[Oldmansour]

>Let out a little sigh
>"I suppose I nonetheless should try speaking with her about this, and simply hope she'll be receptive."

>"I hope so, too." Alisaie agrees. "But her daughter is involved. She HAS to care. I don't always agree with her where Little Patchy's involved, but she's still her mother."
>"If you don't mind me asking." Reisen puts in. "Why do you call her 'Little Patchy'?"
>The doctor smiles a slightly self-conscious smile. "The first time I met her was on her second birthday. The name just sort of stayed with me."

[DracoOmega]

>Smile
>"Nieces, I think, have a way of staying little, even once they get bigger."

[Oldmansour]

>Smile
>"Nieces, I think, have a way of staying little, even once they get bigger."

>Byakuren? Reisen's quiet voice asks hesitantly. Is it.... wrong, if I wonder if Patchy might have been... better off with her?

[DracoOmega]

>Not at all. And frankly, I think I may share your sentiment. Alisaie seems a gentle, caring woman. Patchy's mother does... not.

[Oldmansour]

>Not at all. And frankly, I think I may share your sentiment. Alisaie seems a gentle, caring woman. Patchy's mother does... not.

>Plus... She might actually be stronger than Madame Knowledge, as well. I don't understand how that could, but Madame Knowledge can't summon a dragon at all, and Alisaie did it without breaking a sweat.
>"Oh dear." the doctor says suddenly. "I don't even know your own names."

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, my apologies. Call me Lotus."

[Oldmansour]

>"Oh, my apologies. Call me Lotus."

>"I'm Poppy." Reisen adds with a polite inclination of the head.
>"I am Dr. Alisaie Matoya Knowledge." the mage introduces herself.

[DracoOmega]

>"Pleased to meet you."

[Oldmansour]

>"Pleased to meet you."

>"May I ask who the winged girl is?" Alisaie asks politely.
>"We call her Lily." Reisen answers.
>The twintailed doctor smiles. Given the common theme of your names, it's easy to sense that she's figured they're not your given names. But she's also either polite or meek enough not to ask you about it. "And you planned to speak with my sister today?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, given what's now happened, yes. If there's anything at all she knows, it would be good to hear it."

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, given what's now happened, yes. If there's anything at all she knows, it would be good to hear it."

>"And you believe that she may hold information that may help you... return Little Patchy to normal?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't know. It's perfectly plausible that she knows nothing at all, but every avenue is worth examining."

[Oldmansour]

>"I don't know. It's perfectly plausible that she knows nothing at all, but every avenue is worth examining."

>"But you do think there's a chance." she asks eagerly. "That you can help her."

[DracoOmega]

>"We will do everything we can for her; I promise you."

[Oldmansour]

>"We will do everything we can for her; I promise you."

>Alisaie gives you a solemn look, but smiles at your words. Then she asks, "And... If you... can't?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't want to accept that she's gone for good."

[Oldmansour]

>"I don't want to accept that she's gone for good."

>Much to your surprise, your strong words actually bring a tear to the pale grey eye of the compassionate doctor. "Thank you, Lotus." she says in a heavy voice.

[DracoOmega]

>"Patchouli matters to us, too. If there's any way at all to set things right, we will find it."

[Oldmansour]

>"Patchouli matters to us, too. If there's any way at all to set things right, we will find it."

>Alisaie wipes daintily at her eye, but when she opens them again, there is a hint of steel there. Just a vague hint, but it is there. "If you want to work with my sister, talk to her, you'll need to work around her pride."

[DracoOmega]

>"If she can't put her pride aside for even her own daughter's sake, then frankly I am disinclined to indulge her. What is at stake here is far more important than that."

[Oldmansour]

>"If she can't put her pride aside for even her own daughter's sake, then frankly I am disinclined to indulge her. What is at stake here is far more important than that."

>"What I meant is that you may need to convince her of that." Alisaie clarifies. "As I said before, the Knowledge name is supremely important to her. The idea of shaming that name, tarnishing that name, is repulsive to her."
>"And not as much to you?" Poppy asks as politely as she can.
>"People mean to me than appearances and reputation. "