Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 3, Part 4

[Oldmansour]

>Normal? Perhaps not. I cannot say for certain why it took that form, no more than I am sure why it created several families of aqueous picnickers; perhaps it was simply trying to pass the time of what it might view as an interminable confinement in this space? I will not presume. But as a trap, it is a rather poor one if I can clearly see through it the moment we come in contact, and to be honest, I think I would expect better if this were its intent. But perhaps I am wrong.

>Well, what do we do with it? Walk up and say hello?
>Isn't that sort of what we came here for? Lily asks. Besides, even if she isn't the Water Champion itself, if its aura is that strong, he might be controlling her directly. We might be able to talk to him through her.

[DracoOmega]

>Yes, I agree - speaking to it is what we came here to do. If this was intended as a deception, then it failed and changes little. And if it was not, I will not prejudge.

>Approach the woman - circle from the side if that is necessary to get a look at her face before we speak
>"Good day to you, Champion of Water."

[Oldmansour]

>Yes, I agree - speaking to it is what we came here to do. If this was intended as a deception, then it failed and changes little. And if it was not, I will not prejudge.

>Approach the woman - circle from the side if that is necessary to get a look at her face before we speak
>"Good day to you, Champion of Water."

>Just means I'll be ready in case it sprouts wings and fangs. Rin assures you. Your kasha swishes her tails for emphasis as walks alongside you up towards the blonde humanoid, going wide to be able to see her face. Outwardly she really does seem to be an average human female, somewhere between 20 and 24 you would guess, slightly underdeveloped but a touch more muscular than the norm, the body of an athlete. And her eyes are closed, for whatever reason.

>The blonde girl doesn't show shock or surprise at your naming of her, though the ghost of a smirk briefly passes across her lips. "Is that what I am?" she asks casually in a pleasant tenor voice.

[DracoOmega]

>"That is how you appear to me. Do I speak falsely?"

[Oldmansour]

>"That is how you appear to me. Do I speak falsely?"

>"I had thought I appeared little different from one of your kind."

[DracoOmega]

>"To others, perhaps. Though your choice of... attire would certainly be striking, if nothing else."

[Oldmansour]

>"To others, perhaps. Though your choice of... attire would certainly be striking, if nothing else."

>"Striking, am I? What makes-" she pauses. "Ah. I've forgotten something, haven't I?"

[DracoOmega]

>"If you have not elected to pose as a nudist deliberately, then yes."

[Oldmansour]

>"If you have not elected to pose as a nudist deliberately, then yes."

>The woman's eyes open, and she gives herself a look up and down with eyes the same color as her hair. "You must admit, though, it almost seems unnecessary in this place. I think. I must confess, I couldn't quite figure out the purpose of these... What do you call them, clothes?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Clothes, yes. And clothing can serve a great many purposes: protection from the environment, signifying which group one belongs to, asserting particular qualities or skill, enticing members of one's preferred gender, or simply asserting one's own taste and identity. Though the most pertinent purpose in this particular case is that the absence of them in public company is considered... socially-inappropriate. I imagine you have similar taboos of some sort in your own society, even if they take other forms."

[Oldmansour]

>"Clothes, yes. And clothing can serve a great many purposes: protection from the environment, signifying which group one belongs to, asserting particular qualities or skill, enticing members of one's preferred gender, or simply asserting one's own taste and identity. Though the most pertinent purpose in this particular case is that the absence of them in public company is considered... socially-inappropriate. I imagine you have similar taboos of some sort in your own society, even if they take other forms."

>The yellow eyed woman nods, holding her had up in front of her. "Protection, I can easily understand. But how much protection must your species require? Granted, you can be rather frail, but you don't live in an overly hostile environment."
>"Hostile enough." White Rose counters. "There are creatures on this planet that could tear a human's throat out as easily as breath, then eat them whole. Mountains that spit fire, water waves that can wash cities out to sea..."
>"And 'clothing' is meant to protect from that?" the woman asks curiously. "Well, then again," she adds, lowering her hand and leaning backwards, "The Terran perspective on hostility would be rather different from the Champion of Water's, wouldn't it?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I imagine that is so. Though ordinary clothing is protection only against ordinary hazards. Indeed, it would do one very little good against a volcano. For more dangerous environments there are other types of attire. And as I say, this is only one of many functions they serve to us."

[Oldmansour]

>"I imagine that is so. Though ordinary clothing is protection only against ordinary hazards. Indeed, it would do one very little good against a volcano. For more dangerous environments there are other types of attire. And as I say, this is only one of many functions they serve to us."

>"And then there is 'modesty'." the blonde carries on, closing her eyes again. "I can understand wanting to conceal one's body; everyone, no matter what species you are, has things they want to conceal from everyone else. But the idea of 'shame' that seems to have been attached to it seems rather silly. It serves no purpose than I can see other than as a means of placing oneself above those around them. As far as control methods go, though, it does seem rather cumbersome."

[DracoOmega]

>"While the concept of feeling shame for being seen without clothing may be foreign to a society that does not use it, surely there are actions against the grain of your own society that could cause censure of the one who committed them?"

[Oldmansour]

>"While the concept of feeling shame for being seen without clothing may be foreign to a society that does not use it, surely there are actions against the grain of your own society that could cause censure of the one who committed them?"

>"Allow me to correct you on two points. First, there are those among the Champion's kind who do use what you might consider clothing. But it is more like what you call 'armor', offering defense against not only the environment in which they dwell, but the creatures who dwell there as well. Outwardly, it would appear to be much like the clothing your kind wears, but it is much more."
>"So you mean it'd be, like, enchanted clothes?" Lily asks.
>"A somewhat simplistic term, but it will serve." the woman says with a faint nod.
>"But you're not wearing any now." Rin points out.
>"It isn't necessary to. One needs armor when one is threatened." She turns her head to face the three of you. "And that's not why you're here, is it." she adds, more a statement than a question.

[DracoOmega]

>"It is not. We came here simply to speak with you."

[Oldmansour]

>"It is not. We came here simply to speak with you."

>"By your words, you came to speak with the Champion of Water. How are you so sure that I am that?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Your presence is nearly one and the same."

[Oldmansour]

>"Your presence is nearly one and the same."

>"My presence?"

[DracoOmega]

>"To my senses, the similarity is unmistakable, even if you look rather unlike the last time we met."

[Oldmansour]

>"To my senses, the similarity is unmistakable, even if you look rather unlike the last time we met."

>"You have senses beyond that of a human?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I am human, but not all of us are restricted to purely physical senses, and you should know full-well that I have powers many do not. I do hope this form was not meant as some kind of deception; I think I would be slightly saddened if that were the case."

[Oldmansour]

>"I am human, but not all of us are restricted to purely physical senses, and you should know full-well that I have powers many do not. I do hope this form was not meant as some kind of deception; I think I would be slightly saddened if that were the case."

>"Deception is a Terran vice." the blonde answers.

[DracoOmega]

>"Yet did you not just say you understood well the desire to conceal things from others?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Yet did you not just say you understood well the desire to conceal things from others?"

>"And I was speaking truthfully."

[DracoOmega]

>"I did not mean to imply otherwise, yet if this was something you said applied to all species, surely that includes your own kin and not merely those of my world?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I did not mean to imply otherwise, yet if this was something you said applied to all species, surely that includes your own kin and not merely those of my world?"

>"I recognize the value of such a tactic. That does not mean I am capable of employing it."

[DracoOmega]

>"Do you mean to say that this is not a choice, then?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Do you mean to say that this is not a choice, then?"

>"Precisely. It's simply something we're not capable of. It is a consequence of our creation. There are ways in which we are simply different from the mortal races, not by choice, but by design."

[DracoOmega]

>Smile a little
>"Well, I happen to believe strongly in being honest, myself, so perhaps that is some thing we have in common?"
>Frown slightly
>"Though I have seen certain others of your kind appear quite content to withhold important information so as to deliberately create a false impression in their adversaries."