Chapter 138 - Is That Really Correct?
It's a curious thing to be asked. The purpose of this meeting is the same for both you and Isabeau: gathering information. All that's needed is for you to give as much information that seems useful but can't be used against you while getting something you can use out of Isabeau. With that in mind, the way you should describe yourself is obvious.
"You already know I'm an Abnormality, so there's that to consider."
"Like the Wizard." Isabeau notes idly.
You don't bother to hide your irritation at that comparison. "You can compare us if you must, but we're only similar in that we're Abnormalities. As people, we're nothing alike."
"I see, I see." Isabeau relents. You return to your previous calm demeanor.
"But yes, I am an Abnormality. I was a human once, though. My self has not changed since then, though I have become elevated over what I was before." you lie. While you're absolutely stronger as an Abnormality than you were as a human, calling it an "elevation" isn't normally how you'd describe your transformation. Your life is practically unchanged from before becoming an Abnormality, save knowing that you could doom humanity by accident and that your remaining years of life can be counted in single digits. The greatest things that have happened to you since your arrival in Mitakihara are all things that your old self could have possibly have experienced. But judging by your assessment of Isabeau, playing up the idea of becoming more than human should resonate well with her.
"Becoming an Abnormality just made me more… me, I suppose. Core tenets became central concepts, talents became instincts, skills become powers. You know how it is, I'm sure." you say absently, watching the cheerful way Isabeau nods.
"And what would those traits and talents be, if you'll forgive me for being so forward?" Isabeau asks, beginning to lean forward in her bed. She's noticed you dancing around the explicit facts, then. That was expected. The real question is whether or not she'll recognize that information about you as an Abnormality is useless.
"Of course, of course." you say, as though you've been caught. "Put simply, I am an administrator. It's my assigned role to direct and guide others in both a personal and professional sense to help them accomplish their goals and reach their full potential."
"And who is it that you administrate?" Isabeau asks. Her eyes are gleaming in the dim light, a dull pink that reminds you of Kyubey. The shameless hunger in those eyes, though, is something the emotionless alien could never have managed.
"Everyone, of course." you reply casually. "There's not a person alive who couldn't use a little help and encouragement, wouldn't you agree? People are fundamentally good, they just need some guidance to get where they need to be in life."
It's funny how what was originally a statement made just to commit to the act melds into something more honest. People are better off when they have somebody to speak to, to feel like they're heard by. Humans are social animals; they function best when close with one another. Even someone like Binah can find a better place in life with just a little bit of assistance and some healthy relationships.
Of course, that only applies to humans and beings that think like humans. Abnormalities like yourself or the Adult are another story.
"Of course, it's more personal with my children. As a mother yourself, I'm sure you can empathize."
"Certainly," Isabeau agrees, voice dripping with sincerity and care that she does not feel. Only a tiny song of affection, a spark in an ocean of blackness, makes its way through her mind. "my children are all precious to me. All things I posses are treasured, and a mother's children are her greatest treasures of all."
As if on cue, the door behind you opens slowly, letting light filter in from the adjoining hallway into the dark bedroom. Minou's silhouette fills the doorway, holding in her hands a tray with expensive-looking teaware. The Magical Girl is completely silent as she enters the room and walks to Isabeau's bedside before placing the tray atop the sheets. Isabeau hardly reacts to her daughter's entrance, not so much as looking at her.
"Thank you, Minou. You may leave now." the older woman says, calmly dismissing her daughter without another word. Minou nods without hesitation before stepping back out of the room as silently as she had entered. As she passes, her eyes dart to you for a moment before pulling away.
In the quiet, all you can hear is the faint flickering of the candles and the sound of tea pouring. Not long after, two teacups full of black tea sit on the tray, steam curling off the surface. A part of you not entirely fixed on the current moment notes the similar beverage choice to another individual you happen to know. She and Isabeau would probably have a very interesting conversation were they left in the same room.
You begin to walk over to take your cup, but Isabeau shakes her head and gestures for you to remain where you are. You stand waiting as the strange woman raises a hand, and a chill sweeps through the room. The candles dim to bare sparks as the flowing currents of Grief in the room tangle around Isabeau's fingers, gathering into thick sheets of oily dark. Isabeau clenches her hand, crushing the gathered energy and letting the remaining filth seep out between her fingers. It sizzles quietly as it strikes the bedsheets, soaking into the expensive fabric like water. When Isabeau opens her hand, something sits in her palm. Butterfly wings the color of the sunset blossom out like the petals of a flower from a single glassy pink eye that looks exactly like Kyubey's. Isabeau tossed the Familiar to the ground, letting it land at the side of the bed. Spidery skeletal limbs sprout at random from between the nameless thing's petals, and it rises to its full height around your waist. The Familiar reaches out to grasp a cup of tea before making its way over to you, presenting the cup as one would a treasured gift.
You take the cup and bring it to your lips, blowing on the tea to cool it before taking a sip. It's just polite.
Its task complete, the unnamed Familiar collapses back into formless energy. You raise an eyebrow at Isabeau, as if to point out the excessive nature of the display when Minou was just here to deliver the tea not a few seconds ago.
"I lament the loss of my maid staff, truly. They were lost during my fall, and the Wizard did not see fit to return them alongside me. Worse, the Incubators have since cut off my means of producing more. Thus, I am forced to rely on my children and mere shadows." Isabeau bemoans, leaning her head to the side and reaching her hand up to her face as though warding off an unpleasant headache. You wonder what exactly she means by maid staff, given Kyubey apparently actually did something that prevented her from making more. Would it be too far to just ask? You do seem to have a good rapport built up with the regal woman so far.
You ask, drawing a genuine laugh from Isabeau. It's more mature than her previous laughter, veiled by refined, aristocratic posturing. "Oh, that? It's tragic, really." Her voice lowers grimly, and a dangerous edge creeps in. Even as she remains smiling and peaceful, you can feel the frustration pooling around Isabeau in the air. The shadows in the room grow harsher, contrasting more violently with the tiny candles burning away on the bedside tables.
"In my time, before I was unjustly deposed, I held all the power one could desire. That creature, the Incubator, offered me a Wish. Anything I desired, it claimed." Isabeau's voice is wistful as she recalls the past. You lean forward, not bothering to hide your curiosity. Even caught up in her nostalgia, it's clear that the once-queen is enjoying her bout of storytelling.
"It was even content to answer all of my questions about it. So, naturally, I Wished for everything it had."
Everything? What would that entail? Even specific Wishes can have broad or unusual Magic correlated to it depending on the intent behind it. Mami, Sayaka, Homura, and Kyoko all display that much to some degree or another. At least you know that Isabeau is or was a Magical Girl at some point, though she doesn't seem like one anymore. She doesn't seem like a Witch either, at least not all the way. A part of you is practically begging to study Isabeau's physiology. Whatever state she's in, it could be key to unraveling the deeper functions of Witches and their birth. You might even be able to figure out how to halt the process entirely, given Isabeau's divided state.
Unfortunately, that seems an unlikely proposition. Isabeau is unlikely to cooperate with you, and her state isn't exactly an ideal one. The infested, half-missing emotions radiating from her frail form evoke the same sort of disgust from you now that seeing a mutilated body might have brought up before. It's wrong, a gaping, festering wound on the soul.
Unaware of your thinking, Isabeau continues her story. Her voice dips down as she moves on to lamenting her circumstances. "Alas, my reign was far too brief. I was overthrown, and now that I have been returned I find that my access to the Contract system has been severed. It seems unlikely that I will be able to repair it."
Your eyes widen in surprise, an expression that draws another laugh from Isabeau. Could she facilitate Contracts in the same way Kyubey does? Was that her Magic? If so, you're rather glad that she's lost that power. The ability to grant wishes, even in a limited capacity, is too terrifying to state in the hands of somebody proactive. Isabeau doesn't appear to have any of the same restrictions as Kyubey, so she could leverage each wish far more directly than the Incubators. She most likely was the one to Contract with her children, and putting the pieces together it seems like her maids were also Magical Girls.
"And the Adult hasn't wanted to fix that?" you ask. It would be extremely difficult, yes, but the potential benefits easily outweigh the costs. The only explanations you can see are that the Adult either knows that restoring Isabeau's Magic is impossible or doesn't trust her with that sort of power.
"She has not. Just between us, I fear she feels threatened by the existence of others who can equal her. Shameful, isn't it?" Isabeau confirms with a playful grin. "But we have diverged from the matter at hand. I believe we were speaking of you?"
You take another sip of tea. It's pretty good, for being prepared by someone who had house staff to do this sort of thing for them not too long ago.
"Yes, we were. Though there's not much else to say, really. I have a purpose that I love, and I do all I can to pursue it. What else is there for me to say beyond that?"
"And there is nothing more to you than that? No plans, no dreams, no desires?" Isabeau asks.
"It's not that, I just prefer to keep things straightforward. Making something unnecessarily complex only ever opens up more points for failure." you reply honestly. Talking about yourself isn't really a strong suit of yours. Knowing who you are is one thing, but describing it in a way that makes sense is another entirely.
"But if you must know," you relent, pausing to take another sip of your tea, "I'm currently very focused on my children. Specifically, the kids I've adopted and their friends. Helping them has been occupying most of my time recently. I was preparing to uproot this city, but that plan may need to be reworked in light of new information."
That statement, at least, is the truth. Phrased in a facetious manner, maybe, but it's hardly your fault if people don't take what you say literally. You're going to have to incorporate what you've learned today into your assault plans.
"How about your children? How are they?" you pivot, and when Isabeau's face lights up you know you've hit your mark.
You two have one thing in common, at least.
—————————
What feels like ages later, Isabeau cheerfully dismisses you from her room. You're still not sure what to think of the former Queen of France. There's definitely something wrong with her on a fundamental level. She's not a Witch, not a Magical Girl, and definitely not a human. She's at least part Incubator, but that's hardly a point in her favor. How her behavior can be guided will definitely be a deciding factor in the coming battle.
At least she gave you a lot you can use. Lapin, Corbeau, and Minou are Isabeau's biological children, born in that order. She had a son as well, but he sided against her during the Hundred Years War and most likely died a couple centuries ago. Unlike Isabeau and her children, the Adult had no reason to bring him back.
Most notable is confirmation of the relation between Isabeau and the Adult. She and her children were defeated and killed either during or after the French Revolution, and the sorcerous Abnormality brought them back to life in exchange for assistance fortifying Kamihama. Isabeau has not been enjoying this power dynamic, and it shows.
Internally, you shake your head at the Adult's total mismanagement of the situation. She might have Isabeau and her kids on a short leash thanks to the resurrection process, but working with people who hate you is a recipe for disaster. Especially since any one of the four seem the type willing to die to make a point in the right circumstances. This is going to blow up in the Adult's face, and if you play your cards right you can decide when.
Minou is waiting for you, just outside the door. You wonder how long she's been there. Did she just stop outside after leaving the room and wait for you to finish talking with Isabeau?
You're about to ask to try and break the ice, but Minou cuts you off.
"You noticed it, didn't you? You could tell something was wrong."
"You're… going to need to be more specific than that." you reply slowly, looking over the young woman again. Minou is standing straighter than she was before, more at attention. She's tensing, waiting for something.
Minou looks back and forth before answering in a low voice. "She's not human anymore. You could tell, couldn't you?"
And then, even quieter:
"You can fix it, right?"
Not once does a trace of emotion make its way into Minou's voice. She is utterly detached as she speaks, the very picture of calm and dignity. It is a terrible disguise.
Everything fits, suddenly. The kids were the ones to convince Isabeau to greet you, though it's being presented as her idea. The quarreling between the three that you saw on the way in, which Lapin said was specifically a recent disagreement between Minou and Lapin. You aren't just here for audience, they actually want something from you. Because it's true, you could "fix" whatever's wrong with Isabeau. Not quickly, and not if she doesn't cooperate, but looking back with the right intent you can tell it's possible. Trim the parts of her mind composed of Grief, use what you saw and what was left over to determine the correct shapes, fill in the gaps with new material, and it would be done.
"Does your mother know that's why you asked for me?"
Minou begins to proceed down the corridor, notably not making eye contact as she speaks. "No. Lapin, Corbeau, and I decided this on our own. You're the only one who can help her. We have plenty to offer in exchange." Minou continues, returning to an aristocratic tone that you now recognize as an imitation of Isabeau's own melodious voice. "My Magic has a great amount of versatility, Corbeau and Lapin are both expert combatants, and Mother's strength goes far beyond any of us. We would owe you everything."
Tempting as the offer is, Isabeau and her faction don't seem particularly loyal to the Abnormality that brought them back to life. Any loyalty that you might buy would be of similarly dubious quality. In the other hand, you are almost certainly the only person who can provide what Minou is asking of you. While you refuse to rule out the possibility in the name of not being blindsided later down the line, an ability like Lobotomy is practically unheard of. An operation of the required scale to get Isabeau into working order is beyond any power you know of short of your own or a Wish on the caliber of Madoka's. And as you are now, with your true form sealed, it would be expensive. You don't know how much of your remaining time it would cost, but it would be a lot. Your children would be hurt.
But for everything it would cost, it's an opportunity.
"If I'm going to offer you anything, you're going to need to talk to me." you inform Minou. She doesn't hesitate before answering.
"What do you want to know?"
"I'd like you to start with whatever's going on with you and your sisters. If we're going to be cooperating, all of you need to cooperate too." you ask. This time, Minou doesn't answer right away.
"I… I made a mistake. When we were alive, Lapin, Corbeau, and I were the foremost warriors in Mother's army. We were winning, of course, even with Kyubey Contracting naive children to fight us. Everything was going according to Mother's plans, but…"
Minou slumps, the tension in her body dropping away as she recalls her time in the war. There's an odd melancholy to the way she speaks, as though it was a happy time. For all you know, it really might have been. Mami and Kyoko were happy together even suffering through the terror that is being a Magical Girl. Madoka was always able to fight in without losing hope because she always had something to fight for. Even now, with all this happening around them, the children you watch over are able to move forward. If Minou, Lapin, and Corbeau really did love one another and their mother, they very well could've been happy back then.
But those happy memories did not last. The warmth fades from Minou's voice, and her gaze loses its focus as she stares off into the distance.
"Corbeau wasn't loyal anymore. She doesn't care what happens to Mother, she hasn't in a long time. When Mother learned, I was assigned to punish her for her betrayal. After Corbeau failed to secure an important military point, I was asked to carry out her execution on the spot."
Minou's voice is distant and hollow as she speaks, without emotion. It's as if she doesn't even know how to feel. You're not sure what to say. But you're here, and you can say something.
It would be wrong to leave things as they are when you can make a difference.
"Have you told her you're sorry?" you begin. Simple as it is, that's always a good place to start.
Minou shakes her head, her voice once again guarded in cold elitism. "I'm not sorry. She was the one who turned her back on Mother. I just did what was necessary."
You raise an eyebrow at the young woman, who only seems younger in light of her brief moment of vulnerability. "You sure about that? You don't seem particularly happy to have done it."
"Of course not! Who would be?" Minou snaps, irate. "I did what I had to, but I didn't want to have to do it. She was my sister."
You nod calmly, indicating for her to continue.
"I… I do wish it hadn't come to that. But everything should be fine now. We're both back, and once you cure Mother none of this will matter. It'll never be a problem again."
"But it is a problem. It's bothering your sister, and whether you admit it or not it's bothering you too." you point out.
"They said that too." Minou admits with a sigh. Lapin, maybe? The eldest sister was moderating for the two earlier.
"Tell you what: I've got a little while before I need to get back to my kids. We can talk things through until then, alright?" you offer, reaching out an open hand to the experienced Magical Girl. Minou hesitates, staring at your outstretched palm for what feels like an eternity. Slowly, a sense of acceptance settles in her eyes beneath her mask. Minou reaches out and shakes your hand.
"It's a deal, then. Let's get started."
———————————————
Night falls…
[] Training/Experimentation
-[] With what?
[] Hunt Witches/Abnormalities
[] Library visit
That would leave you unable to contact the kids for the duration of your visit, and you're not pushing your luck leaving them unattended for any longer than you need to.
[] Plans For Kamihama
-[] Communication Plans
-[] Barrier Plans
-[] Analysis Plans
- There's an inconsistency between Argalia and the other people the Adult has brought back to life. A little study should be enough to reveal what it is, and maybe even trace the source.
———————————————
Der Freischütz's Sapling - Observation Level 2/3
Porccubus' Sapling - Observation Level 2/3
Schadenfreude's Sapling - Observation Level 2/3
CENSORED's Sapling - Observation Level EXPUNGED/REDACTED
The end of this Act is taking shape, and you all might hate me in ~twenty chapters. It's going to be time to make some very important decisions soon. If you need me, I'll be working on the tracks.