Chapter 119 - Closing Time
You take a moment to consider Binah's proposal. She's been particularly helpful so far, and you'd rather not discourage that kind of behavior for the future. Besides, you've technically brought the kids into dangerous situations before. Hunting witches, dealing with Abnormalities, going to school… you don't really have the best track record there. Still, as long as you're supervising, everything should go fine.
Not that you won't be ready if it doesn't. One can never grow too complacent with the anticipated course of things. That route leads to easily preventable disasters.
Of course that moves to the question of who to bring. Yuma's not an option, you would prefer to keep her out of this as much as possible. Sayaka's out, she has training to do at the same time and wouldn't get along with Binah regardless. She's too stubborn, and while that's sometimes a good trait it's also one Binah enjoys to see in a person. And not the good "enjoys" either.
You're not so sure about Mami. She's a strong-willed kid, you'll absolutely give her that, but she doesn't really need the kind of challenge Binah presents right now. The main issues Mami will have to face in the future will be learning about where Witches are born from, which will be coming sooner rather than later, and having to say goodbye to you. That one won't be an issue for a few years if you're lucky. Either way, they aren't things Binah can help with. She doesn't exactly do soft deliveries.
Then there's the Distortions to consider. With Kyoko, there's not much to think about. Your whole plan for helping her recover revolves around building up a stable environment for her and preventing it from being disturbed as much as possible. Binah doesn't exactly do unobtrusive. Homura is somewhat the opposite, and a much more tempting option because of it. The key to curing her distortion is in shaking the deep-seated beliefs that have been ingrained into her over the course of hundreds of time loops. It's about breaking down her obsessive fixation on saving Madoka above all else and maybe cultivating something a bit more healthy in its place. Binah could absolutely do that. In one conversation, though? Probably not. Not that this has to be a one-time thing, but all of this is besides the paint. Binah might be able to break people down, but she's not as good at building them back up so much as she is watching them get where they're already going.
Maybe you could help with that, but that would mean you and Homura would have to both be there. Which would mean Madoka would either not be attended by either one of you or would be present at the meeting. Homura wouldn't accept the former, she's kept an eye on Madoka every second since she transformed and while you can probably talk her into letting you take over for a bit you definitely won't be able to convince her to leave Madoka without either of you, and the latter would bring up an entirely separate issue.
Specifically, that Madoka might be a more ideal conversation partner for Binah than any of the other kids. She's still less clear on what she wants to do to help than the others, and for all her obfuscating verbosity if Binah's good at one thing it's bringing clarity. Whether that clarity turns out to be a good thing is a more pertinent issue, but in Madoka's case you don't think the answer could be more harmful than the lack of an answer. Besides, you are planning on a full assault against the Adult Who Tells Lies soon. It would be best that she reaches her conclusion before that point for a number of reasons.
It appears Madoka would be the best choice, then. Homura might benefit from a talk with Hokma in the meantime, which leaves your kids some time to hang out without you hanging over them. Speaking of, it's about time you get home and get back to doing just that.
You make a show of thinking very hard about your decision, then let out a sigh of resignation. "Right, I think I know who to bring. Are you gonna explain how this will help, or…?"
Binah, of course, does not explain and instead takes a sip of her tea. You do the same, downing the rest of your drink in a single motion and mentally smirking at Binah's wince. It's always reassuring to know you can, in fact, get to her. Even if it's just through petty little acts like that.
"Well, I'd best be on my way. Stuff to do and all." you announce, sitting up from your chair. "Before I go, though, I've got two last things to add."
"First," you begin casually, "as a parent, I believe I am obligated to tell you that if you hurt any of my kids in any way, you'll wish Angela had left you in your box for another ten thousand years. We understand each other there?"
And Binah, ever the masochistic creep, grins in a way only she can. It's a smile of absolute anticipation, of imagining the greatest satisfaction imaginable.
"And second," you continue, your voice as hardened and worn as it was during those long years, when the days blurred together and lives ended and began as swift and unnoticed as sparks in a forest fire, "Thank you for standing by Angela. I don't think you intended for all this to happen, but… it wouldn't have ended this way if you hadn't stepped in. It puts me at ease to know all of my old friends are alright. I owe you for that."
Binah's expression softens once again and she calmly drains the last of her tea. "May you find your path to be illuminated, then. It will not be in pursuance that the true destination shall be reached, but only in the course of the journey will the steps to the conclusion be gathered."
You repress a laugh as you walk away. That one's hardly up to her usual fare. The meaning is far too obvious.
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You take a small detour to drop Sayaka off at Hitomi's when leaving. Apparently the two of them are attending some sort of music performance together later tonight. One of the performers is the boy Sayaka used her wish to heal. You bid them a good time and leave them to it. You don't want all your… issues that you've brought over contaminating any more of their leisure time than is necessary. After that, you make a quick stop at the Kaname residence to find Homura sitting in a tree outside and make sure her key is wound. Not much is said, just a simple check-in on what's been happening for each of you. You decide to use her as a messenger to inform Madoka that you're inviting them over to the Library tomorrow, since the two of them need more excuses to talk. Homura can't live the rest of her life sitting in trees, though you don't think she'd listen if you just told her that.
Finally, you arrive home. The kids are all disentangling themselves from various uncomfortable-looking positions across the living room, homework forgotten as they leap up at the sound of the door opening. You barely have time to close it behind you before you are assaulted by a pair of hugs that you're fairly certain would have permanently paralyzed a regular person.
"Hey! I haven't been gone that long, have I?" you greet cheerfully, ruffling your kids' hair as they slowly pull away. Yuma and Mami remove themselves from you and move to take position next to Kyoko, who stands awkwardly with downcast eyes behind her sisters. You resist the urge to frown. Some people just aren't as touchy, and you've known Kyoko for much less time and Mami and Yuma. There's nothing for her to be ashamed about.
"You weren't," Mami confirms as you dismiss that line of thought, "but we still missed you. We were just finishing our homework and Kyoko was working on the packets you gave her."
"Good, good. I don't want either of you falling behind on your schoolwork, okay?" you say. Mami and Yuma nod, while Kyoko just stands awkwardly to the side again. "You might want to pay attention to their work too, Kyoko." you point out, rousing the red-haired girl from her gloom. "I can work on getting you into the school system, but there'll definitely be an adjustment period. Just ask Mami if you need any help."
The conversation goes on easier from there with Kyoko brought into it. You and the kids chat for a bit about school, about their friends, and about plans for the future. Mami wanted to be an idol singer, but being a Magical Girl came to take up so much time that she had to give it up. You think she could have gone far with it, too. She's certainly got the charisma and self-confidence a figure like that needs, and her sheer poise and composure would certainly make her a memorable character.
Hopefully she'll be able to pick that dream back up before you have to go. It's be nice to know you gave her that much.
Eventually things wind down and the children return to their homework while you go and arrange the circumstances for Kyoko's transfer into the education system. Or, more accurately, you bully Kyubey into doing it while watching over the little gremlin's shoulder to end sure they aren't messing with anything. By the time you're done, it's late enough in the afternoon that it's gotten dark.
It's time for patrols. Witches don't rest, so neither can you.
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Basic patrolling is easy as usual. Witches have long since ceased to be a threat, and the search is made much easier by the fact that the little bits of Light you scatter all around you serve as emotion-fueled bait and draw Witches in in droves. Of course, that's no excuse to slack off or take things casually. Some Witches have weird powers or abilities, and it's not improbable that at least one of them would be able to harm you do you let your guard down.
Not this one, though. Izabel's plush-like body is already disintegrating from the countless perforations put through it. The familiars are already taken care of, leaving no loose ends as the barrier fades away into nothingness and a lone Grief Seed falls to the ground.
It does remind you, though. The window of time to tell Mami where Witches come from is closing more quickly than you would like. She's already had one major shock today, though. You could tell her tonight, or you could wait until later.
You'll…
[] Tell Mami now
[] Wait
[] Write-in
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Der Freischütz's Sapling - Observation Level 2/3
Porccubus' Sapling - Observation Level 2/3
CENSORED's Sapling - Observation Level EXPUNGED/REDACTED
Mami Tomoe: Exposure VII -> Exposure VIII
Sayaka Miki: Exposure VI -> Exposure VII
Choose carefully.
Actually, y'know what? Just keep doing that for the rest of the Quest. It'll probably be a good idea.
