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

[DracoOmega]

>"How did you become involved with Ice in the first place?"

[Oldmansour]

>"How did you become involved with Ice in the first place?"

>"She found me, if you want to know. Why she singled me out among the people that live and work here, you'd have to ask her."

[DracoOmega]

>"How long ago was this?"

[Oldmansour]

>"How long ago was this?"

>"Yesterday."

[DracoOmega]

>"And what did she tell you about herself, her mission? Why did you decide to help her?"

[Oldmansour]

>"And what did she tell you about herself, her mission? Why did you decide to help her?"

>The woman barks out a laugh. "As if I had a choice. You probably know how powerful they are better than I do. What was I suppose to do, say no? Not all of us mere mortals have the kind of power you do. Well..." she drawls, glancing down at her ring. "I suppose I do now. But the point stands."

[DracoOmega]

>"So, she threatened you, then? It was a demand, not an offer?"

[Oldmansour]

>"So, she threatened you, then? It was a demand, not an offer?"

>"She didn't have to threaten me." She gives you a sour look. "You've never faced someone or something that you knew was beyond you, have you? They don't need to threaten."

[DracoOmega]

>"Just because someone has power does not mean they intend to impose their will on others through it. I was not there; I did not see what she did, how she acted."

[Oldmansour]

>"Just because someone has power does not mean they intend to impose their will on others through it. I was not there; I did not see what she did, how she acted."

>"Well I wasn't about to take the chance. I've taken some pretty heavy chances in my life, but I could sense Ice's power. Even now, I don't think I could beat any of you. What chance would I have had against her?"

[DracoOmega]

>"What do you plan to do now?"

[Oldmansour]

>"What do you plan to do now?"

>"Like I said, I plan to see you three out, once you're satisfied I'm not going to shoot you once you turn your back to me. I can put my sword down, if you want." she offers.

[DracoOmega]

>"It's not our safety that I'm worried about."

[Oldmansour]

>"It's not our safety that I'm worried about."

>"Well, my mission here's done. Or, made redundant, I suppose. Doesn't mean I plan to leave, I still work here. Even like working here, even if Madame Knowledge can be a bit difficult." She grins again. "Not that I need to tell you that, I'm sure."

[DracoOmega]

>"No. We have all seen her... temperament first-hand."
>"But about your own well-being... If you felt you had no choice but to serve Ice, if you feel trapped in this arrangement and would like to end it, I can break the connection she forged with you."

[Oldmansour]

>"No. We have all seen her... temperament first-hand."
>"But about your own well-being... If you felt you had no choice but to serve Ice, if you feel trapped in this arrangement and would like to end it, I can break the connection she forged with you."

>"Well that's awfully generous of you." Christine says with a nod. "But I'm afraid I must refuse. After all, you haven't won yet. I've seen your power. But I've seen hers, too. And for right now, I'm betting on her."

[DracoOmega]

>"And if a time comes where you are ordered to strike against the people around you? To help enslave the other people of this world?"

[Oldmansour]

>"And if a time comes where you are ordered to strike against the people around you? To help enslave the other people of this world?"

>"Do you have any family?" she asks in reply.

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, of course."

[Oldmansour]

>"Yes, of course."

>"So do I. I have a little sister." She turns to look you in the eye. "And I'll do anything I have to do to keep her safe." The look of intensity on her face passes. "That answers your question, I think."

[DracoOmega]

>I'm not sure what I should do here. It's hard to fault her for taking what she sees as the only path to keep her family safe, and I still hope that Ice's intentions will align with ours, but at the same time I feel uncomfortable leaving such destructive power in the hands of someone who has admitted they would use it against innocent people, if asked to.

[Oldmansour]

>I'm not sure what I should do here. It's hard to fault her for taking what she sees as the only path to keep her family safe, and I still hope that Ice's intentions will align with ours, but at the same time I feel uncomfortable leaving such destructive power in the hands of someone who has admitted they would use it against innocent people, if asked to.

>Do those rings work like youma? Rin asks you. I mean, does breaking them kill what they're attached to?

[DracoOmega]

>I destroyed a ring the Champion of Water had given to a woman in the basement of the CRA, and she seemed fine afterward, but admittedly I did so with Violet Lotus. I suppose I don't know if it might cause harm if done through other means, but I don't believe I would seriously harm her if I were to destroy hers as well. It's not like Patchouli's - her connection is much more superficial.

[Oldmansour]

>I destroyed a ring the Champion of Water had given to a woman in the basement of the CRA, and she seemed fine afterward, but admittedly I did so with Violet Lotus. I suppose I don't know if it might cause harm if done through other means, but I don't believe I would seriously harm her if I were to destroy hers as well. It's not like Patchouli's - her connection is much more superficial.

>You can head home, then, Mistress. I can take her.
>I don't know that we need to do that. Poppy says to White Rose. I know I don't know her very well, Byakuren, but I really don't think we need to worry about her. If what she's saying is true, and I see no reason to doubt her, then the problem isn't really Christine. It's the Ice Champion. If we find her and either imprison her or win her over to our side, then that'll solve this issue, too.

[DracoOmega]

>It likely would, but it seems... risky policy to leave potential threats armed, in the hope they'll never be called to action - not threats to us, but to others. We can't be everywhere at once, and I wouldn't want ignoring her to put innocents in harm's way down the road.

[Oldmansour]

>It likely would, but it seems... risky policy to leave potential threats armed, in the hope they'll never be called to action - not threats to us, but to others. We can't be everywhere at once, and I wouldn't want ignoring her to put innocents in harm's way down the road.

>Then you're going to have to fight her, because if she thinks she's protecting her family, that's the only way you're going to get that ring off her.
>Don't ya mean 'we'? Rin asks her.
>Of course. But it's your call, Byakuren.

[DracoOmega]

>"We're fighting for her sake too, you know. And for her friends and their friends and family. This world is full of people just as close, just as precious to each other; I refuse to say it's okay for some of them to suffer so long as my few go free. How many people do you think there are with someone precious to protect? People who will never be offered the bargain you took? People that you could just as easily have been."

[Oldmansour]

>"We're fighting for her sake too, you know. And for her friends and their friends and family. This world is full of people just as close, just as precious to each other; I refuse to say it's okay for some of them to suffer so long as my few go free. How many people do you think there are with someone precious to protect? People who will never be offered the bargain you took? People that you could just as easily have been."

>"Are you going somewhere with this?" she asks evenly.

[DracoOmega]

>"It's just something I would like you to keep in mind, in the days ahead. All of us stand to lose a great deal if the Champions have their conquest - even you. What sort of world do you want your sister to grow up in? What sort of woman do you want her to see when she looks at you?"
>Walk towards the bike
>"We'll be leaving now. I'm going to choose not to disarm you, in the hope that you may never be given cause to use that power to harm anyone. Please don't make me regret my decision."
>Then let's take it and leave

[Oldmansour]

>"It's just something I would like you to keep in mind, in the days ahead. All of us stand to lose a great deal if the Champions have their conquest - even you. What sort of world do you want your sister to grow up in? What sort of woman do you want her to see when she looks at you?"
>Walk towards the bike
>"We'll be leaving now. I'm going to choose not to disarm you, in the hope that you may never be given cause to use that power to harm anyone. Please don't make me regret my decision."
>Then let's take it and leave

>"Better a lousy world than no world." Christine replies, making no effort whatsoever to stop you or your two friends. In fact, she actually starts to walk towards the side of the garage door. "If I serve Ice, I get a say in what kind of world they make, at least this little part of it. That's what matters to me. If my sister sees me as a villain for that, I think I can live with that."
>"Best way for you to avoid that?" she asks as she pushes a button, causing the left side door to start to rise. "Win. You beat the Water Avatar. Beat the rest of them, and you won't have a thing to worry about from someone like me." She gives you a casual salute with her right hand. "Good luck."
>The sidecar isn't big enough to accomodate both you and Rin, but your kasha settles that issue easily by reverting to her feline form. After Reisen retreives the bike's keys, you settle yourself into the sidecar and Rin hops up on your lap, a most comfortable position for all parties involved. Reisen gives you and Rin a brief smile at the sight before she fires up the gvoztika. Christine may have toned the thing's engine down, but it still makes more of a racket than Reisen's other bike, which only gets louder as the rabbit applies more gas as she pilots the bike out of its house. "Home, Lotus?" she asks.