Puella Magi Adfligo Systema

You blink with both sets of eyes. "Uh... Hm," you say, giving Mami a look, trying to gauge her response. "I'd be OK with that if you are, Mami?"

Mami bites her lip, glancing at you.

You give her a smile, even though some part of you is internally cringing about how hard this is going to be.

On you, and Sayaka, of course. Two primarily melee fighters against the two most gifted ranged specialists in... probably all of Japan, at the very least. And since it's a spar, you wouldn't be using your Grief much. How did you put it to yourself earlier? Team Oh God They're Gonna Shoot Us versus Team Oh Yes We're Gonna Shoot You?

Yeah, sounds about right.

Mami takes a shaky breath. "Well, it's just training," she says, seemingly to draw strength from your approval. "I'm sure it'll be alright."

Somehow, you have a feeling she'll be going after Sayaka for the most part. Which unfortunately leaves Homura for you. Then again, Homura does seem rather interested in shooting Sayaka a bit, too. Which you've already gone over and rationalised as harmless catharsis for her.

...

Right?

Right.

... Which leaves both Mami and Homura targeting Sayaka.

Really, you might as well tell Sayaka to draw their attention, and make it a self-executing plan.

You smile at her, shifting your arms so that you can scramble to the floor and scamper over to Mami. "That's settled, then. Though, uh, if that round goes as quickly as I expect it will, maybe we can shuffle the teams for the next go around?"

You put your arms up, opening them to Mami, who can't help but laugh and pick you up to hug. Of course, you've got Mami's chibi still safely cuddled to your chest like a teddy bear. You grin at her. "I mean, Grief lets me take hits, but I need the training too. Better to never be hit than to have to defend against it, right?"

Mami smiles back at you, seemingly soothed. "Alright," she agrees. "Good idea, Sabrina. Um... We're working on the combination attack while waiting, right?"

You grin. "Oh yes," you say, walking over to Mami. "I thought of a name for it, too. How does 'Cannone de Picchio' sound? Woodpecker cannon."

Mami mouths the words to herself for a moment. She brightens. "I like it!" she says. "Oooh, it's not that easy to shout in the heat of the battle, either, so we'll need to practice it. After all, it's a combination attack, and we'll both need to shout it clearly-"

"Maybe it would be better to actually attempt the attack first?" Homura suggests, one eyebrow raised. Despite her words, though, there's no real admonishment in her tone.

Mami huffs, affronted. "Names are important!" she says, turning to Homura. "Nevertheless..." She shakes her head. "You're right, Homura, we only have until Sayaka gets here."

You beam. "Let's get started, then," you say.

Homura reassembles the revolver, and produces a more modern pistol from her shield instead. A Desert Eagle, to be precise. She lays out a small cloth on the hood of the car and disassembles the hand cannon with swift surety, snapping the pins out and setting the parts down with a click.

Both you and Mami watch with bright-eyed interest as she explains the pieces - you know what they are and how it works, granted, but that doesn't mean it isn't interesting or relevant to listen to Homura's curt, matter of fact voice dissecting the inner workings of the gun.

"Hey, Mami, do you actually use propellant for your Tiro Finale?" you ask as the mini lecture comes to an end.

"Yes and... no," Mami says, carefully setting you down on the hood of the car. You take the opportunity to inspect the disassembled Desert Eagle from a much closer vantage point. "I make the propellant out of ribbons. I coil up a lot of very small ribbons, like so-" she holds up her free hand, a tiny knot of gold forming. It's no larger than a grain of sand. "And then..."

The knot... explodes, tiny, tiny flakes of golden ribbon bursting into the air with enough force to shove Mami's hand down. Mami shakes her gloved hand out like she's been stung, giving you a rueful smile.

"... Huh," you say, blinking. "That's seriously cool. Why do you need the flintlocks and hammer, then?" You frown, imagining the firing mechanisms of her muskets and cannon.

"Oh," Mami says, colouring a touch and twining her finger through one of her hair drills. "I find it helps me visualise properly. And, well... itlooksbetter."

You chuckle. "As good a reason as any," you say. Finished with your examination of Homura's gun, you scamper back over to yourself. On a whim, you stick your arms out like an airplane as you run across the hood of the car.

Mami ducks her head, smiling shyly at you. "Do you think you can make the mechanism?" she asks.

"I think so," you agree, setting the chibi-Mami down so that you free your hands. Of course, that lets you immediately pull her into another hug. "I can start with a revolver, maybe?"

Mami nods in approval, watching you with interest.

You exhale, and call Grief to your hand. You notice Homura watching intently, eyes on her hand as you dissolve the Grief into deep purple wisps and reform it, piece by piece into a somewhat oversized revolver mechanism. With a trigger, even if you don't really need it. As Mami says, it looks better.

And besides, Mami needs the trigger.

Without saying a word, Mami reaches over to cover the mechanism with her hand. Ribbons twist and writhe between your palms, spiralling and snapping into shape as the barrel and stock in her signature filigreed style.

"All yours," you murmur, grinning at Mami.

She smiles back, taking the- well, it's a proper rifle now, isn't it? Mami's muskets, despite the name, have always been rifled, and this is technically a revolver rifle. You can feel the Grief inside, inert and solid, but in this case, you don't need anything more.

"I think this works," she says, flipping the cylinder out and checking that it's loaded before raising it to her shoulder. She keeps the muzzle pointed down 'range', aimed at a pile of junk and very definitively away from you and Homura. "I'll try a few test shots, alright?"

"Go for it," you say, giving her a thumbs up. Homura nods.

She shoulders the rifle firmly, tightening her grip on it. A single exhale, and she tightens her finger on the trigger. The rifle booms, and a shot slams into the hood of a car. It punches clear through the metal. You can feel the mechanism as Mami works the trigger, shots hammering home with unerring accuracy - and you can feel Mami forming new ammunition within the chambers as it spins.

After about fifteen shots, Mami lowers the rifle, smiling in satisfaction. "I'd say that's a success!" she declares, holding the weapon out to you.

"It is!" you agree, bouncing on your toes as you take the gun. Homura peers at the rifle, interested.

Mami pauses, frowning. "How am I supposed to fan the hammer if I'm using both hands to hold it?" she muses.

"Simple," you say. "That's my part."

"Ah, right!" Mami agrees. "That would take a lot of practice to get in sync, though!"

"True," you allow, setting the rifle aside for now. "Um... I suppose this really was the simplest one we could have started with, after all. We could try the naval artillery version next? Or do we want to try the full sized one first?"

Mami sets the rifle down on the hood of the car. "I think we should keep the full sized version for when we figure out the mechanics," she says.

"OK," you say, holding your hand out and summoning a new blob of Grief. "Naval artillery version, then!"

You take a moment to concentrate and shape the Grief. In some ways, this one's a lot simpler than the revolver mechanism - you don't need to worry about precision meshing of gears and levers and whatnot. Just breechblock and chamber seal and sliding arms for the ammo you don't even need motors for. Pure Grief actuation.

Mami watches as the mechanism takes shape, pressing her hand over yours once more to form another rifle. This one has a more... conventional looking clip protruding from the bottom of the rifle, hewn from Grief. You purse your lips, and add your own decorations to it in imitation of Mami's signature style.

"Of course," you note. "This is fully automatic, and there's no need to fan the hammer. Even though that's seriously cool."

Mami giggles, taking the newly formed weapon in hand. "That's true," she agrees, already turning towards the much-abused target.

"May I try the other gun?" Homura asks, gesturing at said rifle.

"Ah?" Mami glances at Homura, then you. At your nod of affirmation, she beams at Homura. "Of course, Homura! Let me load that for you..." She flicks her hand, palm out, at the gun.

Homura picks the rifle, weighing it in her hands as she steps up beside Mami. Without any ceremony, without even shouldering it, she empties the cylinder. The long thunderclap echoes around the junkyard as Homura lowers the gun, almost looking smug.

Mami giggles. "That's one way to do it," she agrees, raising her own rifle. She tightens her finger on the trigger, the first shot slamming down range. It only takes a sliver of attention for you to actuate the mechanisms, slamming the breech block open just in time to snatch a new round into place and reseal the chamber, over and over and over and-

You can't help but notice the muzzle climb, the way Mami's unused to dealing with the recoil of automatic fire, but that's OK- you already have Grief right there, and a touch of will steadies the rifle, halting its upward pivot.

The noise is less a thunderclap and more a buzzsaw going into steel. Homura takes a step back.

When Mami finally releases the trigger, she's beaming from ear to ear. She rounds on you. "That was perfect, was it hard on you, Sabrina? I know you were handling the loading, and I was pushing as hard as I could to make more ammo, but you didn't say anything-"

You catch her hands, laughing. "I'm fine, that wasn't any trouble at all!" you say. "That was completely manageable. Were there any problems on your end? I noticed the muzzle climb, so I was steadying that out, I hope I didn't throw off your aim?"

Mami shakes her head. "No, I- this is only an intermediate step, I don't think I'd use this for something this small, but I think that the Cannone di Picchio will definitely need the steadying, we don't want that to go off target, right?"

You nod, and you're just about to reply when you feel a presence entering your detection range. "Yes, definitely!" you say. "And uh, Sayaka's here."

Mami giggles, adrenaline evidently still running high as she lets the rifle hang loosely at her side. "Oh, that was amazing!" she laughs.

Homura nods slowly, eyes distant. "This seems useful, especially if full sized," she notes.

"It does!" Mami agrees. "I bet this could annihilate even the biggest Witch. Maybe even-" She pauses, frowning. "Maybe even Walpurgisnacht."

"We'll have the opportunity to test that out," you agree. "Assuming we don't come up with something even better in the meantime." You can't help but think of an elsewhere and an elsewhen, where Mami made what was not... Well, she'd called it 'Tiro Finale', but you can't help but wonder if 'Nucleare Finale' wouldn't have been more accurate.

"Good morning, everyone!" Sayaka's voice rings out, bright and clear. The bleunette herself skids to a landing moments later, cape swirling around her as her boots scrape over the sandy ground. "Something feels kind of-"

Her words choke to a halt, one hand rising to point at you, still hugging the chibi-Mami. Her mouth gapes open, and you give her a cheerful wave with one stubby little arm.

"Chibis." All she manages is one strangled word.

You exchange a look with Mami, and then Homura, and start giggling. "Yes, chibis," you agree.

"Chibis!" the chibi-Mami agrees, nodding enthusiastically.

"... Chibis," Homura agrees, tone flat and almost monotone.

Sayaka makes another strangled noise. She throws her hands up. "God, fine, chibis. What next?"

"Training?" you offer. "Homura called dibs on Mami, so we'll be doing that for the first round, I suppose. Dodge training."

Sayaka wrinkles her nose, hands twitching a little as her eyes dart back to the chibis. "Figured you'd have called dibs on Mami."

"Homura was faster," you say, gamely fighting off a blush. You shrug instead. "Besides, it's only training, and only for a round."

"Riiiight," Sayaka says. "This is going to suck. Uh, I should copy someone's powers first, right?"

"Right!" Mami agrees, taking a step forward, which serves to distract Sayaka from the way Homura takes an almost imperceptible step backwards. Sayaka clasps Mami's hand for a moment, grimacing in concentration before nodding.

"OK!" you declare. "I suppose we might as well just jump straight into things? Cleansing first?"

Mami nods, giving you a smile and walking over towards you. "We'll be doing a free form spar," she says. "The boundaries are the inner fence of the junkyard, so feel free to take cover if necessary." She gives Sayaka a meaningful look. "Weapons only, minimal magic."

"Actually, I was thinking we could allow some magic?" you ask. "I've noticed Sayaka has this little... airstep, and I'd like to use my wings for maneuverability. Not the full-sized wings, of course."

"Ah... That sounds like a good idea, Sabrina," Mami says, ducking her head. She presses against your side with a hopeful look on her face, and you oblige her with a quick hug.

"Hmm... One last thing," you say. "Homura, Sayaka, you OK with Mami and I leaving the chibis up?"

Sayaka shrugs, giving the chibis another look. "Sure," she says, trying for nonchalant but not quite succeeding.

Homura nods. "I'm alright with that," she says.

"Excellent," you say, separating from Mami's side and moving over to Sayaka. "We ready?"

"No," Sayaka says, and turns to you. "Is there a plan?" she hisses, lowering her voice conspiratorially.

[] Write-in


Doooooooooooooooooodge!