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

[Oldmansour]

>"Go ahead."

>"I had thought that she would make the best team with either yourself, or with Magical Chrysanthemum."

[DracoOmega]

>To Sen: "Do you think you can work with me without chafing at my methods?"

[Oldmansour]

>To Sen: "Do you think you can work with me without chafing at my methods?"

>"Depends on the methods you've got in mind." she replies.

[DracoOmega]

>"I suppose that's a fair answer."
>To Haruka: "I have no objections to partnering with her."

[Oldmansour]

>"I suppose that's a fair answer."
>To Haruka: "I have no objections to partnering with her."

>"And you think that's the best idea?" Sen asks Haruka.
>"I believe that your powers and skills compliment well with those of Lotus and Chrysanthemum. And that neither of them would be adversely affected by your traditional manner on the battlefield."
>Rather than be offended by the implication present in Haruka's sentence, Sen nods. "Good enough for me. You didn't answer my question, though." Sen says to you. "What sorta methods you plan on using here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, that depends upon exactly what we end up against once the fighting starts; I try to be flexible. And this is a friendly sparring match against allies, so at least the question of what to do with them isn't something we'll need to debate."

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, that depends upon exactly what we end up against once the fighting starts; I try to be flexible. And this is a friendly sparring match against allies, so at least the question of what to do with them isn't something we'll need to debate."

>"So no turning their Jewels inside out?"

[DracoOmega]

>"The Stuntrons were as much victims of their jewels are they were threats because of them. No one here is either of those things. I'm not in the habit of transforming people without their consent."

[Oldmansour]

>"The Stuntrons were as much victims of their jewels are they were threats because of them. No one here is either of those things. I'm not in the habit of transforming people without their consent."

>Sen nods. "Good enough for me. So long as you play to win, you and me'll get along just fine."

[DracoOmega]

>"I certainly have no intention of losing."

[Oldmansour]

>"I certainly have no intention of losing."

>A grin slowly appears on Sen's face.
>"I told you you would like her." the smaller youkai standing next to Sen remarks lightly. Compared to the tall, muscular and gruff Sen, this youkai is almost the exact opposite. She's only as tall as Lily, and her white and blue wings are smaller than Lily's, much smaller than Sen's. Her hair is white and worn in a ponytail than hangs over her shoulder. The look on her cute little face is a beneficent one, the smile you see looking so natural on her face you're not sure any other expression would look right on her. She also compliments her mikos' ensemble with light blue ribbons on her left wrist and around her waist, to contrast the blood-red ribbon Sen wears on her right wrist and waist.
>Haruka introduces you, "This is Hiyori, Sen's traditional partner. Sen is the offensive specialist, while Hiyori specializes in defensive magics. She is an expert at barriers and wards of all kinds, and uses her speed and evasion to elude and wear down foes, rather than to gain a new angle to attack from."
>"Like me!" Lily says.
>The big eagle smiles. "Indeed. She is the other individual I had thought of partnering with you, Lotus. Either you or Magical Poppy."
>The white haired Hiyori bows politely to you and your group. "I am happy to make your acquaintance." she greets you, the polite phrasing sounding not at all rehearsed as it so often does from other people.

[DracoOmega]

>Return the bow
>"Likewise."

[Oldmansour]

>Return the bow
>"Likewise."

>"You will notice," says Haruka, a smile in her voice, "that Hiyori is less forward than her sister. With her on defense, her partner can focus more of offense, which is why I think she would work well with Poppy. Or, for that matter, with you, White Rose." she says to Rin. "I did have someone else in mind for you to partner with, but of course the choice is ultimately yours."
>"Who else did ya have in mind?" the kasha asks.
>"One moment." Haruka traces brief pattern in the air and casts spell, the area around you illuminating with a brief flash of light. Standing behind Sen and Hiyori is another winged woman, this one wearing a dark blue blouse and black leather trousers. Her hair is a dark green, and her fluffy wings are a mixture of dark white, black and grey. Her wide eyes are golden, penetrating, the eyes of a predator in flight.
>Sen swears sharply. "Damn your eyes, Soob, I told you to knock that off!" she roars at the smaller miko, shaking her fist in the air.
>"Not my fault you don't listen sharply enough." the one called Soob replies, her voice whisper-like in tone even though she speaks at a normal volume.

>To your group, Haruka says, "Her. That is Subala, an owl youkai who has a habit of sneaking up on her sisters."
>"One has to keep her skills sharp." Subala replies evenly, walking past Sen as though the tall miko wasn't there. You notice now that she is the only one present armed. Two daggers hang from her belt, and two more dagger hilts can be seen protruding from the top of her leather boots. Rin sniffs the air as the bird approaches and hisses quietly.
>"Subala specializes in magics of stealth and misdirection." Haruka explains. "She is very talented with those daggers of hers and, more impressively, is one of only three shrine maidens serving at this temple to be able to use Water magic. Her Water magics and stealth, coupled with your powers of fire and flight, seem to me to make natural compliments."
>Subala bows to your group in greeting, though she does so shallowly, and never takes her eyes off the three of you.

[DracoOmega]

>Return the bow. And we can bear to be just a little less shallow
>"Pleased to meet you."
>To Rin: Does she make you feel uneasy?

[Oldmansour]

>Return the bow. And we can bear to be just a little less shallow
>"Pleased to meet you."
>To Rin: Does she make you feel uneasy?

>Owls always make me nervous; I was a wild cat. But I smell something from one of her boot-knives. Rin replies. I think it's poison.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, she is not our enemy, at least. Though does this mean you'd prefer to work with Hiyori?

[Oldmansour]

>Well, she is not our enemy, at least. Though does this mean you'd prefer to work with Hiyori?

>Unless you've got another idea, there are more mikos part of this test we have haven't met yet. But what I wanna know is why would a miko poison a knife? Ain't that kinda not-holy?

[DracoOmega]

>Perhaps not when one is fighting things even worse.

[Oldmansour]

>Perhaps not when one is fighting things even worse.

>Yeah, that could be. Rin replies, though she doesn't sound entirely convinced of that.

>Aloud, Rin asks, "Why's water magic so rare for you folks? Water douses fire too easily?"
>"In essence, yes." Haruka replies. "Our magic is based on the five elements; Water, Fire, Metal, Wood and Earth. We specialize in Fire magic, being devotees of the Fire Bird. And those of our discipline have difficulty learning magics of their patrons' enemy element. Water swallows Fire, and thus is difficult for us to learn. That is one of the reasons Subala has been so valuable to our cause."
>The owl youkai accepts the compliment with a quiet, almost imperceptible nod.
>"You sure you should have said that?" Sen asks Haruka. "I know these girls're on our side, but that doesn't mean you should just gab about our weaknesses so easily."
>"Even if I did not trust these girls, which I do, they would have been able to discern that weakness of theirs on their own after being around us enough. Or simply by using some logic and knowledge about the five elements."
>"That doesn't mean someone else couldn't take that info from them and use it against us."
>Haruka looks the red-winged youkai in the eye. "I understand that, Sen. Better than you do; I've been doing this for a lot longer than you have. But I do not see the need to operate on maximum paranoia, certainly not in this situation."
>Sen does not back down. "You've been wrong before."
>"Yes I have. And so have you, Sen."

>"If I may continue," Haruka says, giving Sen a look, "the fourth member who will be joining us. I suspect you will recall her name." She gestures towards the woman standing a bit away from the group. "This is Linia."
>The indicated woman turns her head to look over her shoulder at you. The is a stillness in her aura, her gaze imperceptible. Her hair is long, black and thin, her mikos robes made from subdued colors and accented with faint purple here and there. Her skin, too, is paler than her companions. She seems almost etheral in nature, save her vestments which seem to ground her to this reality. And unlike almost everyone else here, she has no wings. You know from Miyo that she wears an Opal Jewel, but the only Jewel in evidence is on her forehead, and it appears to be an emerald. It seems... almost adhered to her forehead. You're not sure how that could be. One thing you are sure of, once you look into her dark purple eyes. It is faint, very well hidden, but there is a glint of fear in her eyes when she looks at you.

[DracoOmega]

>Bow politely
>"Pleased to meet you."

[Oldmansour]

>Bow politely
>"Pleased to meet you."

>The waify miko gives you a faint, slow nod.
>"Thought you didn't like working with Kenyu's crew." Lily blurts out.
>"I do what is asked of me." Linia replies quietly.
>"And your info's wrong." Sen informs Lily bluntly. "It ain't that she don't like 'em. It's that she don't like Cynthia and Wataru."
>"And she is also a natural with both Fire and Metal magics. In fact she is one of the best Metal magic users we have here." says Haruka. She gives Linia a brief look, then continues, "And she is also Blood herself. Brightblood."

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"So I heard."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod
>"So I heard."

>"You heard? Ah, from Miyo, yes?"

[DracoOmega]

>Nod

[Oldmansour]

>Nod

>"Then it shouldn't surprise you to hear that Linia is among our most versatile and effective field agents. Between her Blood magic and elemental magic, she can handle most things thrown at her. She may not be quite in Kenyu's weight class, but she can give him a good fight." The eagle frowns slightly, thoughtfully. "I must admit, though, that although I knew I wanted her to join this exercise, I haven't been able to decide which of your group she would work best with."

[DracoOmega]

>To Linia: "Do you have a preference?"

[Oldmansour]

>To Linia: "Do you have a preference?"

>You are answered with a slow, faint shake of her head.

[DracoOmega]

>"Perhaps Poppy?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Perhaps Poppy?"

>Haruka nods. "Their versatile styles would compliment each other. I'd be hard-pressed to think of a situation the two of them would not be able to come up with an answer for." Then the big eagle pauses, looking a bit awkward for a moment, then continues, "However, as you might be able to tell, Linia is.... a very unique individual."
>"Translation: Oddball."
>"Sen!" Hiyori admonishes her. The taller miko starts protesting, but a glare from Haruka shuts her up.
>Haruka addresses you, "Would that cause any problems for Poppy?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I think she's accustomed to all sorts of people."