To make people actually remember, here's it once for posterity: Minako is nonbinary and uses they/them. This message will be pinned so you people stop getting it wrong and pissing me off. If you get it wrong in the future I'm going to be much less nice, considering you have to scroll past it just to read the quest.
[X] Try to explain that being a Magical Girl is an incredibly traumatic experience that left you and Kyouko with night terrors and several neuroses through the years.
-[X] Also explain what Minako's seen: The girl just now, and the giant Grief Seed.
-[X] In other words, you were scared shitless to talk about it with them. Are scared shitless.
-[X] You lied to them, and you hated it, but the idea of talking with them about it terrified you.
-[X] This is not an excuse or an explanation or an apology. Not yet. Ask them to walk with you home. Explain that it doesn't matter very much if you talk about it here or there, but when you're home, at least you three can shout and cry without any gawkers.
"Huh. So a strong magical girl who thinks she's hot shit causes trouble across the bay...brainwashing powers?" You grunt. "Wouldn't be the first of her kind."
"Brainwashing is completely ineffective against magical girls, though." Tomo sips her soda. "The way soul gems work means that they can't do shit."
"And, as it turns out, keeping the soul away from the body means that mind control no longer affects you. Your free will is no longer a part of the piece of flesh that determines your thought processes. Your nature as a lich kind of means that you cannot be forced into a connection. A magical girl cannot force you into doing her bidding."
You snicker. "One girl tried doing that and she was shocked when it didn't work. Then Sayaka kicked her ass."
So...
All magical girls are immune to direct mind control. But indirect methods, like manipulating memory (what apparently happened with Uriko) or emotions (what Nanami did) are fair game?
So...
All magical girls are immune to direct mind control. But indirect methods, like manipulating memory (what apparently happened with Uriko) or emotions (what Nanami did) are fair game?
You lean down. "You're right. We do." You lean towards them. "Being a magi is," you swallow, hard, "exhausting. I don't mean that you'll be tired when you're done. I don't mean that fighting is strenuous. Of course combat is tiring. That's not what I'm talking about when I tell you it's exhausting.
"Have you ever heard me or your mama after a bad night? Have you heard us screaming? Because we still get night terrors. We still think about what we've seen. One of my first experiences was seeing a friend of mine have her head bitten off. She was my friend and your mama's first crush."
Minako winces and Kyouko looks away. She breathes in through her teeth. "Please don't bring Mami up again, Sayaka."
You shake your head. "Sorry."
"No, it's fine. It's been years. It shouldn't bother me as much as it does."
"Right." You look to Minako. "That girl in the alleyway is something I've seen many, many times. That scenario is distressingly common. It's not as common in Mitakihara, but that's because of the grief seed in the center of town. You know that monument at the school?"
Your kid stares behind you. Peeking through the buildings, at the end of the street, the tip of the structure can still be seen. It's so big that it can be seen at pretty much any part of town.
"That is from one of the things we've had to fight. One of the worst, most devastating monsters we've ever killed. We still dream about it." You raise your hand to your temple. "Every other night I can still hear it laughing. It killed thousands of people. It almost ripped a hole through Japan, turned Mitakihara town into a crater, and days after its destruction, it caused a tsunami in the United States. You do not want to be here, Mina. You don't want to fight them, Mina."
Minako stays dead silent, eyes wide. They look down at your hands.
They're shaking.
"I couldn't talk to you about this. I was terrified of telling you about this. I still am. I-" You're losing your composure. You can't keep on this thread. You clench your hands. Open and shut. Open and shut. Open and shut.
You're in public you can't break down like this. You are a goddamn adult you should fucking act like it what is wrong with you. You're crying and shaking over childhood shit like a fucking disaster what is wrong with you why are you so pathetic. Why can't your kid have a better mom. Why don't they have a mother that doesn't fucking lie to them? Why are you so pathetic.
Kyouko deserved someone like Mami. She was already grown up when she passed. Your wife should have married her. She'd be better off. Maybe their kid would be less awful.
Minako's not awful why are you calling them awful you fucking piece of shit.
They deserve someone better than you. Your kid's just staring at you. They probably see how worthless you are right now. On your fucking knees groveling for forgiveness. Fuck you. Get up. Get fucking up you stupid bitch. What are you doing.
You have to keep talking what are you trying to accomplish just crying your life away you're going to lose them to Kyubey. They're going to wish for someone that's less fucking worthless. You're such a piece of shit mother. You should have died at Walpurgisnacht. Should have just stayed dead after Skadi crushed you. Should have just let that first scissor witch murder you. Should have should have should have.
Suddenly you feel Kyouko's hand on your shoulders. You're still on your feet. You didn't fall to your knees. You felt like you fell to your knees. You feel weak. You want to vomit. You want to fall over. You want to just let the pavement take you. You haven't felt like this for a few months. Those were a nice few months.
"Fuck." You rub your temples. "I thought I was better. I thought I could do it."
"Nobody could." Kyouko rubs your back. She's wiping her own eyes. She's not doing well either. That's a relief. There's solidarity in suffering or...something.
Yeah that's it right that's right you're alright. You're okay. You're hyperventilating. You're a disaster. Your wife's arms are wrapped tight around you. That stupid IDLES bomber jacket that looks like it's been through a warzone smells like her right now. You love the feeling of that awful jacket. You love hugging her. You love her.
"Let's go home." You breathe out. "I shouldn't be like this in public. I shouldn't be like this."
"You're human, Sayaka. You just forget that sometimes."
[=]
Your name is Minako. Your moms finally brought you back home, and honestly, mom was not in a condition to keep talking anymore. But the point was pretty fucking clear.
Takane is uncomfortable. Your moms are, too. Something about being a Magi is awful. Earth-shattering, even. And, worse, your moms were there for a long, long time. You can barely even comprehend that. You...actually no, you can't. They just said something about Walpurgisnacht.
Honestly they were right, though. You've seen your moms spiral. You thought it was just anxiety or depression, and a particularly bad day. But this was the worst you've seen.
...you need to text your girlfriend. She left after Sayaka descended. Like immediately, as soon as she realized who your mom was. You can't believe she was hiding this from you...too...
No. No you can't call her on it. You don't feel good about doing that. You feel like shit for making your mom cry on the spot. You feel like shit for getting mad at her. You just feel like shit in general.
Your mom deserves a better kid.
...right you should text Takane.
You scroll your finger across the screen of your phone. Your power's running low; you need to put your phone on your nightstand soon. But first thing's first.
Takakokoro said:
you: hey
takane: I'm so sorry I didn't know she was your mom I just thought you needed the best healer I know so I just brought her in.
you: no it's cool.
you: u didn't know.
takane: I should have.
takane: The signs were there but I just ignored them.
You've seen her be astute. Razor sharp when it comes to people. It's part of why you wanted to try dating her, right? She knows how people operate. She might know something, right?
Takakokoro said:
you: like?
takane: The fact that she's an older magical girl and that she has a wife.
takane: She mentioned having a kid. She didn't use pronouns.
takane: The signs where there but I just
takane: didn't pick up.
Truthfully you're annoyed and hurt. You feel like she was holding back on you. You feel hollow. But you also don't want to lash out at her. She isn't your parents.
Your parents, who also don't deserve to be crumbling like this, either.
Christ, you're just a fucking winner today, aren't you?
Topic change. You should get your mind off of this. She deserves better than for you to drag your problems into her chatroom. Your girlfriend is wonderful. You haven't dated her for that long, but you...you really like her so far. You like her a lot.
Takakokoro said:
you: so uh topic change
you: lightning smoothquick
She's quiet on the other end. A few minutes pass. You start to wonder if your connection's turned to shit, like this is an American connection. Finally, though, she answers.
Takakokoro said:
takane: I was thinking I wanted you to pick.
takane: :3
[] Choose...
-[] Movies? It's an easy choice, not too much thought to it. It also means not really talking to her.
-[] Dinner? You're not gonna go to anything fancy, because...well you can't really afford it for one.
-[] The Kasamino-Mitakihara bridge? It'll remind Takane of home, you think. Well, this is her home now but you think she'll have some nostalgia for her old city.
-[] The Park? There's a park just a kilometer away, really close to your parents' apartment.
Adhoc vote count started by TheOneMoiderah on May 26, 2019 at 4:09 PM, finished with 8 posts and 1 votes.
[X] Choose... -[X] Movies? It's an easy choice, not too much thought to it. It also means not really talking to her.
You're in public you can't break down like this. You are a goddamn adult you should fucking act like it what is wrong with you. You're crying and shaking over childhood shit like a fucking disaster what is wrong with you why are you so pathetic. Why can't your kid have a better mom. Why don't they have a mother that doesn't fucking lie to them? Why are you so pathetic.
Kyouko deserved someone like Mami. She was already grown up when she passed.
"Homura-chan, what's wrong?"
"I heard a sound. As if a thousand people were playing Tetris as someone tried to kill me."
"You should talk to the doctor again about your medication, Homura."
Takane: [Q] Insist that they pick.
Minako: [Q] Insist that she pick.
Takane: [Q] Insist that they pick.
Minako: [Q] Insist that she pick.
Takane: [Q] Insist that they pick.
Minako: [Q] Insist that she pick.
Takane: [Q] Insist that they pick.
Minako: [Q] Insist that she pick.
Takane: [Q] Insist that they pick.
Minako: [Q] Insist that she pick.
Takane: [Q] Insist that they pick.
Minako: [Q] Insist that she pick.
Takane: [Q] Insist that they pick.
Minako: [Q] Insist that she pick.
Takane: [Q] Insist that they pick.
Minako: [Q] Insist that she pick.
Takane: [Q] Insist that they pick.
Minako: [Q] Insist that you pick.
Takane: [Q] OK.
Minako: [Q] Damn it.
...this may still be a bad idea, because now Minako is the one keeping secrets from Takane. That's part of why it's called the witchbomb - the collateral damage
