Nah, she's pretty much made her peace with Madoka possibly contracting, at this point. I will probably go into detail showing why, in the future.
She's sticking to her original desire, in regards to Madoka: To protect her, rather than having to be protected by her. To be her shield against the evils of the world.
Pretty much. She'd still prefer if Madoka didn't choose to Contract, but she's come to realize that it's most important that Madoka isn't deceived, and makes a Wish that she won't regret. After all, Madoka is never really happy until she Contracts, from her experience, and stopping her is basically impossible, anyway.
So...ah, we have a problem. I seem to have messed up the votes, because of a typo. Now, most of the vote is the same, but the one that the update covered included Witchbombing Madoka.
Would you guys like me to continue from here, adjusting Homura's approach somewhat, but keeping the current portion of the update intact, or would you prefer me to rewrite this, cutting some of the information provided to Madoka?
Considering the rewrite action:
- Going back an update.
+ Madoka doesn't receive the horrible revelation... yet. So basically a bit of time with happier Madoka.
- Eventually, we'll have to roll again for making her promise to not be too hasty.
- We could potentially not be there when the witchbomb drops, and that's a potential problem.
...
Honestly, I think that what we have is good enough, so let's maybe not.
...okay, reviewing the vote yet again, I think it's reasonable to include the Witchbomb anyway. Honestly, it's pretty much the same as the other. I guess I just felt it implied something different, on that front. Not sure why.
Anyway, my errors aside, the update will go on, with minor adjustments. Will be within 24 hours, seeing as I need to sleep now.
[X] Push her to hold off on making a decision.
-[X] Offer to explain the details of being a Magical Girl, so that she knows what she's getting into.
-[x] Suggest going to Sayaka's house before explaining everything in detail. The miffle of the street is not the best place for this kind of talk.
--[x] If Kyuubey continues to insist on making the contract, calmly say that she should wait with the decision until she has all the information.
--[x] If Kyuubey starts talking about magical girls, wishes or contracts, simply remark that his words shouldn't be taken at face value.
-[x] Emphasize how important making the correct Wish is.
--[x] You only get one and they can make things worse in the long run. Trust me, on that.
The white creature steps out from behind Sayaka, the azurette blinking in surprise, "Hey!"
Madoka's eyes go wide, and she steps towards him. You catch her gently by the shoulder, "He's cute, I know, but he's also very clever. He's the creator of Magical Girls, and the one who recruits new members. He's harmless enough, usually, but he's here to sell you on his contract, first and foremost. Keep that in mind."
She pauses, glancing back and forth between the two of you, before nodding slowly, "Oh." She smiles politely and bows slightly towards Kyubey, "It's nice to meet you, Kyubey-san."
He straightens, and bows slightly in return, 'I hope we can do business together, Kaname-san.'
You clear your throat, "I think it might be best to continue this conversation at Sayaka's. We should have privacy, there. Is that okay, Madoka?"
She wilts faintly, but nods, "Alright. You'll come see my house tomorrow, though, right?"
Her pleading look tears through your defenses, and you immediately agree, "Of course, Madoka. I'm looking forward to it, too."
Perking up slightly, you begin making your way to Sayaka's, Madoka phoning home briefly.
'You intend to interfere.'
If you tell him nothing, he will try to poison Madoka against you. It will be better if you make yourself seem manageable, and should help in future interactions. 'I intend to inform. I am driven to protect the happiness of my friends, as you know.'
'I see.'
Kyubey goes silent, and you soon arrive at Sayaka's home, heading inside as Sayaka opens the door for your group.
You check on Mrs. Miki briefly, finding her still deep in her game, and sit down with the others in the living room.
Madoka speaks up first, "So...what do I need to know?"
Kyubey sits down in front of the couch, 'If I may?'
You nod. Better he give his pitch first, so that your words will be fresher in her mind.
'When you contract, you will receive a single Wish. This Wish can be for anything you desire, and it will certainly be granted. In return for this Wish, you will become a Magical Girl. Magical Girls have supernatural powers, which allow them to combat beings which pray upon normal humans, known as Witches. You, as a Magical Girl, will be responsible for exterminating Witches.
'In order to ease this for you, adjustments will be made to your biology. You will be given the ability to detach yourself from the sensation of pain, as well as to survive normally fatal injuries, which synergizes well with the magical regeneration you will likely possess as a Magical Girl. This is accomplished by shifting the metaphysical phenomenon associated with your consciousness into a secondary control center, known commonly as a Soul Gem.'
He begins to move on, but Madoka cuts him off, leaning forward, "Wait! Wait...you're saying you're going to move my soul into a rock? Is that right? How does that even...will I still be...me...?"
Kyubey shakes his head, smiling up at her, 'Don't worry, Kaname-san. While it's true that the existence we are referring to is the basis for your consciousness, as well as your ability to use magic, we have no clear confirmation that it is the same "soul" which any of your human religions refer to. It might be easier for you to think of it as your "mind," instead. As for whether you will still remain yourself, I can safely confirm that you will not be any more changed, in terms of your personality, by the relocation than by any other major life experience.'
Madoka nods, keeping her expression firm, but you can see her body language relax. He's managed to preempt the discomfort associated with the Lichbomb; he realized, of course, that you would attempt to leverage that.
'Do be aware that, even as a Magical Girl, you will have certain limits. As you use magic, your Soul Gem will become corrupted...in order to cleanse it, you will require Grief Seeds. Fortunately, these are naturally obtained as you fulfill your role as a Magical Girl--they are left behind after you defeat Witches, you see, and the average Grief Seed can cleanse an average Magical Girl's Soul Gem fully, sometimes more than once. If your Soul Gem becomes fully corrupted, this will have deleterious effects upon your "mind," and you will likely cease to be a Magical Girl, if you are not cleansed immediately."
Madoka starts looking nervous at this, and you strike while the iron is hot, "You will become a Witch. That is the fate of Magical Girls. If we do not obtain enough Grief Seeds to keep ourselves cleansed, our despair can consume us, turning us into Witches...who will, in turn, be hunted by other Magical Girls. I assume you can guess what Grief Seeds really are?"
Madoka's eyes go wide with horror as she turns to look at you, "Wait, so...so...you're going to...?"
You grimace, "Someday, maybe. I'm good at surviving. It's probably more likely something will happen to my Gem, first, but who knows?"
Madoka's expression crumbles as she stares down at her hands, "That's...that's not right. Someone who protects people like you...you shouldn't have to..." She looks up, eyes flaring with familiar steel, "You shouldn't have to suffer like that. Kyubey...I have my--"
You grab her by the arm, pressing a finger to her lips as you let your blood loose, "NO...no, Madoka. Do not wish lightly, do not throw yourself away like that. You are worth far, far too much to the people who love you...to the people who know how truly wonderful you can be. If you truly want to Wish...then be certain, first. Think carefully, and consider every possibility. You only get one Wish, and if you Wish carelessly...everything will fall apart. Do not contract until you know, beyond the shadow of doubt, what you truly desire. Until then...do not Wish. Swear it to me, Madoka. Swear that you will not wish until you truly understand."
"I...I think I know already, but...alright. I swear, Homura-chan. I won't Wish until I know what I really want."
You sigh in relief, "Thank you, Madoka." You lean forward, pulling her into a tight embrace, "Please, don't die on me, alright? I've lost too many, that way."
You pull back, fighting your blood back into dormancy, and bow slightly, "Sorry for the...intimacy. I..."
Madoka shakes her head furiously, "No, it's fine! That you was really cool too! A little scary, maybe, but still...I was glad to see that side of you."
You pause, confused by her apparent understanding of your situation, only for your thoughts to be interrupted by the sound of Sayaka clearing her throat, "Ah, I...may have talked about certain...things."
You glower at her, and she raises her hands defensively, protesting, "It was just with Madoka...and Hitomi! No one else! I just got excited, okay!?"
You keep her pinned under your stare for a moment, before nodding and looking away. You hear her sigh in relief as you do so.
You find Madoka looking at Kyubey, "Um...Kyubey-san? I will need some time to consider your proposal, but I'm still interested, okay? How can I get in touch with you?"
Kyubey tilts its head for a moment, as if thinking, then nods in apparent decisiveness, 'Just think at me. I've added you to our telepathy network.'
Madoka nods, mouth tightening as she tries to focus, 'Like this?'
'Well done, Kaname-san! Now you can reach me any time you need to! You can also speak to your friends this way! Ah, I'm afraid it's just temporary, though...you'd need to be a Magical Girl for me to add you permanently."
You frown at that. He's not technically lying, but you know he's assigned an arbitrary time limit--there's no reason a human can't use the Incubator's network indefinitely.
"Ah, understood, Kyubey-san! Thank you for letting me use it, for now!" She glances at you, 'See, now we can talk anytime!'
You force a slight smile, for her sake, 'Yes, we can.'
Sayaka yawns, "Well, it was nice to see you, Kyubey, but we kinda have plans today."
'Of course. I'll take my leave, for now.'
Contracts averted for the moment, you set out to make new plans.
Fire a sphere of crystallized magic from your Shield.
Charge Time: 3 Seconds
Fast Attack
100% Accuracy
1000 Power
Massive Damage
Cost
300 Grief
Adds to or alters the abilities of an object. Different effect have different costs, and must be discovered and studied in order to determine what works and what doesn't. As always, proximity to your natural magical talents lowers Cost and Difficulty.
The costs listed below are the costs to enchant a handheld item. Vehicles cost 5 times this amount to enchant, and larger objects (buildings, warships, etc.) cost 5 times as much as a vehicle (25x the listed cost). All Enchantment Costs are rounded up.
Automation: The object or device will act on its own according to your will. (Cost: 5 EE/Hour)
Increase Power (1 EE/Power point. Max 20.)
Increase Speed (10 EE to double speed. Max 4x Speed.)
Increase Durability (1 EE/Durability point. Max 20.)
Increase Damage (30 EE to increase Damage scale by 1 step. Max 1.)
Enhance Other Ability: Examples include allowing plane to fly freely in hurricane, improving the sight enhancement from glasses, and making medicine more effective. Extremely exotic effects may be achieved through study, experimentation, and practice.(Cost: Varies).
Grant Supernatural Ability: Allow an object to do something that it normally can't. The stronger the relationship between the object and the effect, the lower the Cost and Difficulty will be (Homing Bullets and Auto Reload are relatively cheap. A Homing Cello, on the other hand...)
Homing Projectiles (1 EE/Projectile)
Auto Reload (5 EE)
Flying Sword/Knife: 30 EE
Ego
Enchantment allows you to apply your full Ego score to attacks with enchanted mundane weapons, just as if they were created through magic.
Cost: 5 EE
Use Magic to distort the past slightly, averting a single disaster before it occurred. Very powerful, but has limits.
Active Effects:
[Enchantment: Increase Heart Performance. Cost: 5 Grief/Hour]
Primary:
1 Grief Seed of Sachiel (3 Charges)
Books:
Intro to Medicine
+1 to Medical Skill/Hour Studied. Maximum of +5 increase.
(1/5)
Beginning Watchmaking
+1 to Mechanics Expertise/Hour Studied. Maximum of +5 increase.
(0/5)
Cardiology Texts
+5 to Medical when Treating Heart Disease
+1 to Medical/Hour Studied. Maximum of +3 Increase.
(3/3)
Untitled Book
Arsenal
31 Handguns [214 Clips]
21 Machine Guns [253 Clips]
5 Sniper Rifles [112 Clips]
2 Rocket Launchers [20 Rockets]
1 Mini-Gun [12000 Rounds]
16 Katana
30 Knives
12 Pipe Bombs
Special
Grandfather's Pocket Watch
+1 Sanity/hour if kept close while sleeping.
Laptop
Contains various essential software and allows internet access. Contains nothing related to your life as a Magi.
Monthly Planner
Unlocks Calendar
Heart Scans
Homura receives a +5 Bonus to Medical Checks when treating her Heart Condition.
Devices
Shield Clock (Quality: +19) (Enchanted)
Time Stop:
Cost:
1 EE/Second; Rounded Up
10 Sanity/30 Minutes; Rounded Down; Totaled Daily
Shield of Protection:
Negates a single attack entirely.
Cost
X EE
X is equal to the Power of the attack negated.
Magic Blast:
Fire an energy blast from your Shield.
Instant Attack
100% Accuracy
100 Power
Low Damage
Cost
20 EE/Second; Rounded Up
Fairly easy to alter, with a little work.
Attimo Finale (Magic Blast Variant)
Fire a sphere of crystallized magic from your Shield.
Charge Time: 3 Seconds
Fast Attack
100% Accuracy
1000 Power
Massive Damage
Cost
300 Grief
Enchant:
Adds to or alters the abilities of an object. Different effect have different costs, and must be discovered and studied in order to determine what works and what doesn't. As always, proximity to your natural magical talents lowers Cost and Difficulty.
The costs listed below are the costs to enchant a handheld item. Vehicles cost 5 times this amount to enchant, and larger objects (buildings, warships, etc.) cost 5 times as much as a vehicle (25x the listed cost). All Enchantment Costs are rounded up.
Automation: The object or device will act on its own according to your will. (Cost: 5 EE/Hour)
Increase Power (1 EE/Power point. Max 20.)
Increase Speed (10 EE to double speed. Max 4x Speed.)
Increase Durability (1 EE/Durability point. Max 20.)
Increase Damage (30 EE to increase Damage scale by 1 step. Max 1.)
Enhance Other Ability: Examples include allowing plane to fly freely in hurricane, improving the sight enhancement from glasses, and making medicine more effective. Extremely exotic effects may be achieved through study, experimentation, and practice.(Cost: Varies).
Grant Supernatural Ability: Allow an object to do something that it normally can't. The stronger the relationship between the object and the effect, the lower the Cost and Difficulty will be (Homing Bullets and Auto Reload are relatively cheap. A Homing Cello, on the other hand...)
Homing Projectiles (1 EE/Projectile)
Auto Reload (5 EE)
Flying Knife/Sword (30 EE)
Ego
Enchantment allows you to apply your full Ego score to attacks with enchanted mundane weapons, just as if they were created through magic.
Cost: 5 EE
Bargaining:
Use Magic to distort the past slightly, averting a single disaster before it occurred. Very powerful, but has limits.
Cost
500 Sanity
500 EE
Weapons:
Durability: 300
Maximum Number: 1
Attack Types:
Slash: Effective Power = Power * 1.2, Standard Damage
Stab: Effective Power = Power * 1.5, Moderate decrease in Damage
Special Ability:
Progressive: If contact is maintained with the target, the attack's effective Power increases by 10 for each second of sustained contact, assuming pressure is maintained, to a maximum of +100 Power
Durability: Infinite
Maximum Number: 1
Special Abilities
Focus for Shield of Protection}
Focus for Time Stop
Required for Time Reversal
Armor:
Durability: 50
Special Abilties
Multiplies Speed and Strength by 10
Accessories:
Durability: 15
Special Abilities
Contains your Soul
[ ] Spend time with Madoka and Sayaka.
-[ ] How?
[ ] Go Hunting
-[ ] Plan
[ ] Go Shopping
-[ ] Purchases
[ ] Go "Shopping"
-[ ] "Purchases"
[ ] Write-In
[X] Spend time with Madoka and Sayaka.
-[X] Let them take the lead. All these recent developments really are not doing your heart any favors. Just try to relax and enjoy their company for a while.
--[x] Propose the acquisition of frosted delicacies of sweetened nature to heal your broken soul and mortal coil with sugary goodness.
... Yeah, we should focus on recovering her sanity, otherwise she'll start seeing double Madokas.
[X] Spend time with Madoka and Sayaka.
-[X] Let them take the lead. All these recent developments really are not doing your heart any favors. Just try to relax and enjoy their company for a while.
[X] Spend time with Madoka and Sayaka.
-[X] Let them take the lead. All these recent developments really are not doing your heart any favors. Just try to relax and enjoy their company for a while.
[X] just have fun, but keep a ear out for rumors.
[X] with Sayaka and Madoka, get them to visit Kamijou, hang out , catch up for awhile, ask if he knows about the game and Kayaba, se if he knows any beta testers, then try to track down Nagisa, with her cancer mother, without telling Madoka but tell Sayaka about your goal, make a excuse about seeing the nurse about games that Kamijou can enjoy, see whether you or Sayaka can heal the mother.
[x] contact Oriko see, how she is doing, and the status of her friends and family, see about setting up a future dinner meeting with Nanoha, Kyoko and Sayaka more relaxation than anything.
[X] Of the anomalies of the timeline besides the angel, Nanoha and Yuuko, the other uunknowns at this point is Kayaba, Oriko, the cat and the regenerating monster, dream figures that have haunted you before the appearance of the regenerating monster, and the more benign dream figures of the man and girl.
-[x]Kayaba is the easiest to investigate first, he is a mere human, atleast he us supposed to be one, juat as you are supposed to be a shy moe type middle schooler, he relies on the virtual reality and players, thus the nervgear, try to find a beta tester, swap your nervgear with him or her and bring it back to nanoha for investigation, try to find out more about the 'skynet' thing or get a book about computer programming.
[X] At night contact kyubey, gwt a status report of the overpowered regeneraring monster to see where he is, is he still trap in the barrier, ascertain the monater supposedly 'killed' by Sayaka. Ask Kyubey if he knows where the cat is.
[X] Spend time with Madoka and Sayaka.
-[X] Let them take the lead. All these recent developments really are not doing your heart any favors. Just try to relax and enjoy their company for a while.
[X] just have fun, but keep a ear out for rumors.
[X] with Sayaka and Madoka, get them to visit Kamijou, hang out , catch up for awhile, ask if he knows about the game and Kayaba, se if he knows any beta testers, then try to track down Nagisa, with her cancer mother, without telling Madoka but tell Sayaka about your goal, make a excuse about seeing the nurse about games that Kamijou can enjoy, see whether you or Sayaka can heal the mother.
[x] contact Oriko see, how she is doing, and the status of her friends and family, see about setting up a future dinner meeting with Nanoha, Kyoko and Sayaka more relaxation than anything.
[X] Of the anomalies of the timeline besides the angel, Nanoha and Yuuko, the other uunknowns at this point is Kayaba, Oriko, the cat and the regenerating monster, dream figures that have haunted you before the appearance of the regenerating monster, and the more benign dream figures of the man and girl.
-[x]Kayaba is the easiest to investigate first, he is a mere human, atleast he us supposed to be one, juat as you are supposed to be a shy moe type middle schooler, he relies on the virtual reality and players, thus the nervgear, try to find a beta tester, swap your nervgear with him or her and bring it back to nanoha for investigation, try to find out more about the 'skynet' thing or get a book about computer programming.
[X] At night contact kyubey, gwt a status report of the overpowered regeneraring monster to see where he is, is he still trap in the barrier, ascertain the monater supposedly 'killed' by Sayaka. Ask Kyubey if he knows where the cat is.
[X] Spend time with Madoka and Sayaka.
-[X] Let them take the lead. All these recent developments really are not doing your heart any favors. Just try to relax and enjoy their company for a while.
--[x] Propose the acquisition of frosted delicacies of sweetened nature to heal your broken soul and mortal coil with sugary goodness.
Homura: *walks up and kisses her* *Sees her flabbergasted face* "... Oh, whoops. You're not the one I hallucinate. Sorry. Hi Madoka's twin. Again." *White wolf walks by* "Hello Amaterasu."
Ammy: "Woof."
Homura: "Yeah, tell me about it, it's been a bit of a weird day for me too."
*Kyouko and Madoka just look at each other*
Homura: "Hah! Joke's on you two. That actually is Amaterasu."
[X] Spend time with Madoka and Sayaka.
-[X] Let them take the lead. All these recent developments really are not doing your heart any favors. Just try to relax and enjoy their company for a while.
--[x] Propose the acquisition of frosted delicacies of sweetened nature to heal your broken soul and mortal coil with sugary goodness.
[X] Spend time with Madoka and Sayaka.
-[X] Let them take the lead. All these recent developments really are not doing your heart any favors. Just try to relax and enjoy their company for a while.
--[x] Propose the acquisition of frosted delicacies of sweetened nature to heal your broken soul and mortal coil with sugary goodness.
Just some nice and simple time with our friends. No magic. No insanity. Only sweets.
Not that I'm voting for it, but, curious to know: Does going "shopping" lower san-points? Like, on one hand, it's something motivated by and facilitated by meguca life. On the other hand, by this point in time, just going raiding for weapons has to be as notable as a run to the corner store for milk and instant ramen. And it's not like it's something that non-meguca don't do, it's just that presumably such things are the purview of either police raids or the general criminal underworld.
(I mean, I guess I'd expect it does, just, the thought occurred to me.)
Not that I'm voting for it, but, curious to know: Does going "shopping" lower san-points? Like, on one hand, it's something motivated by and facilitated by meguca life. On the other hand, by this point in time, just going raiding for weapons has to be as notable as a run to the corner store for milk and instant ramen. And it's not like it's something that non-meguca don't do, it's just that presumably such things are the purview of either police raids or the general criminal underworld.
(I mean, I guess I'd expect it does, just, the thought occurred to me.)
So weapons raid next time with Madoka-llucination, gotcha. Clearly the best plan- if we're already in timestop, we can talk to our hallucinations all we want, and nobody can judge us for it!
Sayaka: "Uh, Homura? You didn't bring Madoka with us."
Homura: "Hush, Sayaka-Hallucination. Madoka-time."
Madoka-Hallucination: "Yeah. Hush, Sayaka-Hallucination."
Sayaka-Hallucination: "I'm not a hallucination!"
Kyouko: "You feeling okay, Ribbons?" *Steps through Sayaka.*
Sayaka-Hallucination: "...Okay, maybe I am a hallucination."
Homura: "Fine. Just trying to remember if I actually took anybody with me in timestop."
