“Human Resources” Shouldn’t Be This Literal: A PMMM/ProjectMoon Quest
- Thread starter Lepidoptera
- Start date
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- Tags
- library of ruina lobotomy corporation project moon puella magi madoka magica eldritch horror magical girl crossover eldritch protagonist female protagonist fluffy gore non-human protagonist suffering violence discussion is always good civ good decisions identity crises nuclear moth detected parenting powers activate
[X] Sayaka and Kyoko
Whatshername with her false magical girls, Too bad for her, Homura is not that susceptible to a Sayaka shaped obstacle, a Madoka could've, but the girl would have to realize it is even a good idea in the first place.
Am ok with both vote options, so....
[X] Sayaka and Kyoko
- Location
- Florida
[X] Sayaka and Kyoko
Lepidoptera
Mother of Monsters, Unverified Impuritas Civitatis
- Location
- Indeterminate Unknown
Homura and Mami, yeah. They really picked the wrong group to pull this little trick, Sayaka or Kyoko have a much worse track record with killing things that look like humans. Though X and Argalia would've both been totally unaffected, so really the odds weren't great all around.
But Sayaka is great at killing Sayaka, so if they had tried the exact same thing, Sayaka would have killed Sayaka without hesitation.
...when was the last time we told any of our children we loved them?
questioningmeme
Just be yourself
- Location
- River of Light
I'm pretty sure X do that every time.
X probably did a short "You can do it" speech before we went all into the raid.
Amateur upstart WAW can't even get her psychological torture right. And that's supposed to be her job! You don't make clones that dissolve after death, you gotta make the enemy doubt themselves for as long as possible. Well, given that this whole business is extremely similar to a Library invitation, maybe this was a "real" clone (sans the ribbon), like if the Library released two instances of one guest at the same time. In which case, whoops!
Not that you need any of this fancy brain emulation in the first place. Here, as usual, the most believable impression of Sayaka would be her natural state, i.e. a dead body. Maybe with some Kyoko-shaped burn marks around it, for extra credit.
Not that you need any of this fancy brain emulation in the first place. Here, as usual, the most believable impression of Sayaka would be her natural state, i.e. a dead body. Maybe with some Kyoko-shaped burn marks around it, for extra credit.
Lepidoptera
Mother of Monsters, Unverified Impuritas Civitatis
- Location
- Indeterminate Unknown
Don't be mean to Sayaka, she's doing her best. I don't think she's screwed up catastrophically in this timeline.
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She contracted. It's a well known fact that Sayaka's rate of survival drops at least 80% after contracting, so the act of contracting itself means she screwed up catastrophically. If it wasn't for X picking up the slack we'd probably be saying hello to Oktavia by now.
I don't think X ever tells anyone she loves them, does she? She seems so buttoned up with her trauma and literally holding it in that she "loves" the girls by taking care of them and adopting them and respecting them as people with skills and rights but love feels like it has the potential to hurt too much.
Does she know she loves the girls? Do they know X loves them?
Does she know she loves the girls? Do they know X loves them?
Lepidoptera
Mother of Monsters, Unverified Impuritas Civitatis
- Location
- Indeterminate Unknown
Golly, what a shocking outcome! I certainly didn't see this coming. And while you're marveling at the results, take heed of the second arrival of Walpurgisnacht today. No, not that one, the other one.
questioningmeme
Just be yourself
- Location
- River of Light
Speaking of Limbus' most recent additions, it turns out there's a big version of Doubt! with 2! (yes you read that right) TWO pointy sticks instead of one.
(It's also bigger too)
Oh, and Der Fruity Outis is stupidly strong with a 30+15 S3 that you can utilize when you need to make extra sure whatever you are shooting at needs to die.
She's so good you don't even need a burn team to do her work (although she would appreciate it nonetheless)
X would probably appreciate the fact that you can technically prevent the 7th bullet from going through people's heads you love as long as your mental sanity is high enough to beat back the urge to pull the trigger.
(It's also bigger too)
Oh, and Der Fruity Outis is stupidly strong with a 30+15 S3 that you can utilize when you need to make extra sure whatever you are shooting at needs to die.
She's so good you don't even need a burn team to do her work (although she would appreciate it nonetheless)
X would probably appreciate the fact that you can technically prevent the 7th bullet from going through people's heads you love as long as your mental sanity is high enough to beat back the urge to pull the trigger.
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Lepidoptera
Mother of Monsters, Unverified Impuritas Civitatis
- Location
- Indeterminate Unknown
I wouldn't count on being able to do that. Lobotomy EGO is manufactured and many of them have visibly mechanical parts (notably In The Name Of Love And Hate) while X's Actualized EGO is somewhere between that and Library EGO. Stronger, but only because it's got a bit more personality.
I wonder what this is? (The actualisation thing)
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Dantalion
Insight: 367
- Location
- A Guest Room at the Brass Embassy, dying of Frenzy
- Pronouns
- Any
The Qliphoth deterrence system weakened the Abnormalities held within the facility. Perhaps if those with the Marks realize their potential, this might help to bind Ourselves similarly, that we may remain as we are.
questioningmeme
Just be yourself
- Location
- River of Light
It could also be in the opposite direction, where the mark makes thing worse and acts as essentially a ticking time bomb.
It is still the Qliphoth after all. The opposite to the Tree of Life.
It is still the Qliphoth after all. The opposite to the Tree of Life.
2.6.3 - The Only Way To Go Is Forward
Lepidoptera
Mother of Monsters, Unverified Impuritas Civitatis
- Location
- Indeterminate Unknown
Chapter 152 - The Only Way To Go Is Forward
"Take that!"
Sayaka's breathless shout echoed through the now-empty street as she plunged her sword through the Familiar's body. Or maybe this was a whole Witch? It was hard to tell here. Neither left behind any Grief Seeds, they just broke into little shards of glass or poisonout smoke or exploded or something equally terrible. Sayaka flicked her sword, flinging the perforated body off of it and into the melted wreck of a nearby building before it could do any of those. That made three enemies that had managed to get past Kyoko this engagement. Either the other girl was getting tired, or the enemies were getting tougher or smarter or something. Either way, it didn't bode well. They still weren't anywhere near the target location.
As if to disprove the idea that she was getting tired, Kyoko thrusted her spear forward again. Again, the world was painted in stark silhouettes against the searing flash of light that erupted, and when it faded there was a new wedge of molten earth sizzling and bubbling where a monster-filled city block had been just moments before. The heat struck Sayaka in a solid wall, heavy enough that she could feel it roll over her and fade to a dispersed haze filling the air. It was a little bit frightening. Sayaka had seen Kyoko fighting before. They had patrols together often enough. Maybe it was because of how strange Barriers looked that it had never sunk in for Sayaka how destructive Kyoko's powers were when let loose like this.
And this was the other girl holding back, Sayaka recalled. Kyoko had other, even more dangerous abilities that she couldn't use without causing collateral damage. Sayaka'd been equipped with some enchantments from Mami to let her better resist the heat, but she wasn't all that eager to test them when they explicitly only worked for so long. A part of Sayaka wondered if Kyoko would've been better off on her own and if having Sayaka around was holding her back. X had been fairly adamant about not letting people go alone if possible, and everyone had agreed, but now it was starting to feel like less and less of a good idea.
Maybe that was just the nerves getting to her though. Sayaka scanned the smoldering rubble, relieved to find no signs of movement. All the enemies were dead for now. Knowing it was safe, Sayaka withdrew one of the Grief Seeds she'd brought and drained away the colorful shadow that had begun its climb up her Soul Gem. Keeping Kyoko healthy and boosted the whole time was wearing down her reserves of magic fast. Honestly, the whole deal with Soul Gems and Witches and knowing that her life was stuck on an especially short timer until X could figure out a cure was definitely something Sayaka was repressing hard. It was only yesterday evening when she'd learned, and while having everyone there had made the revelation less horrifying it was still weighing on the back of her mind. Or at least it would've, if Sayaka had the time to feel anxious. Or more accurately, if Madoka had the time for Sayaka to feel anxious. If her parents had that time.
"How far are we now?" Sayaka asked. There was usually more talking during Witch Hunts. No matter how much the others tried to drill it into her head, it was hard not to lose focus when all Sayaka did was stand there and boost somebody else. Kyoko was normally one of the more talkative partners. She'd been quiet since they entered the Emerald City, though.
"How am I supposed to know? It's a tower. A big one. We'll know it when we see it." The older Magical Girl's words were as casual as ever, but her tone held less levity than usual.
"I guess we will." Sayaka said. She wished there was more to talk about. The quiet just made everything creepier.
Unfortunately, neither girl could think of anything more to say as they delved further into the Emerald City's depths. Kyoko marches ahead, a blazing beacon against the cold dark of the city, while Sayaka trails behind in whatever areas she knows are safe.
Sayaka knows this is the smartest way to go about it. X was very clear on how teams would be built: one offensive powerhouse to tear down the Emerald City's defenses, and a supporter to keep them safe and in good condition while they did it. But Mami and Homura were both experienced Magical Girls who could hold their own in a fight, and Sayaka… well, she'd been getting much better thanks to Miss Gebura's training, but one look at Kyoko in battle was enough to remind her she didn't measure up right now. So instead of fighting side-by-side, Kyoko held down the front while Sayaka hid in the back. Smart or not, it felt cowardly.
Eventually, the two arrived at another wall between them and the marker. Kyoko wordlessly went to work testing it, mostly by hitting it with various nearby objects or setting it on fire. Once they were sure there weren't any traps or enchantments, Kyoko raised her spear and blew another hole in the Emerald City's walls.
Past the boiling stone and glass, the cavern-like street opens up. If Sayaka had to compare the Emerald City to anything, it would have to be some sort of cave system. The streets and buildings were like the cave's walls, and they just went on in whatever direction they felt like. If the parts they'd gone through already were a cave system, then the cavern that had just been opened up was the center of the Earth. They'd broken into the inside of a massive globe, a few particularly large buildings poking up from the dense cityscape. The hole Kyoko had opened led into a long, wide-open street that stretched as far as the eye could see. And at the very end, something rose up from the ground.
It didn't really look like a building. If anything, the jagged and uneven tower sprouting from the street reminded Sayaka of a stalagmite. It was made of the same shiny black stone that paved the streets below, dotted with occasional bouquets of sharp-looking green gemstones that grew from it like plants. The tower didn't stand straight, but bent in several places to the point where it definitely should've fallen over. There was no question about it: this was the place.
"See? Just like I said. We'll know it when we see it." Kyoko said dryly. Sayaka could do nothing but grumble incoherently in response. That had to be the observation tower. All they had to do was get there and signal the others that they were in position, then be prepared to move when everyone was ready.
Kyoko stepped out into the new street, and that's where everything went wrong.
A withered pink light flashed at the top of the tower. Whatever it was might have been beautiful or inspiring once, but the Emerald City was not a place where such things could survive. The light was faded and washed-out, glaring harshly at the intruders as it approached.
Kyoko moved first. Her soot-blackened spear whipped out, the first projectile glinting off of its blade and crashing into a nearby building. The second barely missed, carving a furrow through the ground behind where Kyoko's legs had been a moment earlier.
A third bolt struck Kyoko's right arm at the elbow, sending a spray of molten glass shards that nearly brushed against Sayaka's skin. The bluenette let out a strangled cry as Kyoko struggled to hold ground against the oncoming barrage. She had to do something! Before she could think, Sayaka's legs were moving. The Magical Girl charged towards her friend, not knowing what she would do when she reached her.
Kyoko's head turned back to see her partner approaching, the molten mess behind her veil rippling in surprise. Even with no features to speak of, Sayaka could clearly recognize the shock on her face. Why? Did Kyoko really expect Sayaka to leave her to hold her ground alone?
Looking back, Sayaka would probably have been able to recognize that this was a poor move. In the moment, however, it was the only decision. She had to do something.
She didn't even see the first arrow before it was lodged in her shoulder.
It was hardly an arrow at all- more a shaft of pale pink light in the shape of one. But it sank up to its quarrel in Sayaka's body, the barbed point sticking out the other end. Her arm went limp immediately. It must've hit something important. Sayaka grimaced, barely repressing a scream of pain, and funneled her Magic towards her healing. The soothing glow of her magic arose for a moment, but just as quickly it vanished. The arrow pulsed ominously as her magic drained away from the wound. It wasn't working! Worse, Sayaka could feel the drain intensifying. The feeling of her magic being pulled from her body was dizzying. Sayaka didn't know what would happen in this kept up, but it wouldn't be anything good.
Instead of channeling her magic towards the wound, Sayaka tried something else. She called up her Magic and threw it towards something at random, making sure to pull away the parts of her own magic that were resting where the arrow had struck. For a brief moment she struggled, fighting the tug on her magic, but the curse gave way before Sayaka did. Her costume faded to its simplified form around her shoulder, and the arrow fizzled out alongside it. There was a mighty shifting within Sayaka, and her magic flooded back to her.
The reinvigoration came just in time for another three arrows to catch Sayaka's eye. She angled the flat of her blade to catch one and twisted her body to dodge another in spite of their extreme speed, but the third skewered the Magical Girl's leg. She was quicker to draw her magic away from the wound this time, but it didn't help as much. Sayaka's leg buckled, and her momentary immobilization was all it took for a second arrow to find itself placed in her chest barely a millimeter from her Soul Gem.
Sayaka didn't spend much time thinking about death. Even if her new duties were dangerous, there were always stronger people there to assure her everything would be alright. X, Mami, and maybe even Homura. They all seemed invincible, and if they could stand proud and confident then Sayaka could at least try to follow behind them. Now? With her parents and her best friend in danger, forced to kneel in a nightmarish other world, Sayaka couldn't help but wonder if she was really going to die here.
Before the thought could carry any further, Sayaka felt a wave of heat approaching her. The next moment, she was being lifted roughly off the ground and through the air. Kyoko had begun a full retreat, galloping at top speed directly away from the tower and back towards the enclosed area they had left from. She grabbed Sayaka by her good arm and hauled her bodily off the ground, carrying the wounded girl out of the line of fire and into safety. All the while, Sayaka's eyes never left the twisted tower that rose up at the end of the horizon.
———————————————
Porccubus' Sapling - Observation Level 2/3
Schadenfreude's Sapling - Observation Level 2/3
CENSORED's Sapling - Observation Level EXPUNGED/REDACTED
"Take that!"
Sayaka's breathless shout echoed through the now-empty street as she plunged her sword through the Familiar's body. Or maybe this was a whole Witch? It was hard to tell here. Neither left behind any Grief Seeds, they just broke into little shards of glass or poisonout smoke or exploded or something equally terrible. Sayaka flicked her sword, flinging the perforated body off of it and into the melted wreck of a nearby building before it could do any of those. That made three enemies that had managed to get past Kyoko this engagement. Either the other girl was getting tired, or the enemies were getting tougher or smarter or something. Either way, it didn't bode well. They still weren't anywhere near the target location.
As if to disprove the idea that she was getting tired, Kyoko thrusted her spear forward again. Again, the world was painted in stark silhouettes against the searing flash of light that erupted, and when it faded there was a new wedge of molten earth sizzling and bubbling where a monster-filled city block had been just moments before. The heat struck Sayaka in a solid wall, heavy enough that she could feel it roll over her and fade to a dispersed haze filling the air. It was a little bit frightening. Sayaka had seen Kyoko fighting before. They had patrols together often enough. Maybe it was because of how strange Barriers looked that it had never sunk in for Sayaka how destructive Kyoko's powers were when let loose like this.
And this was the other girl holding back, Sayaka recalled. Kyoko had other, even more dangerous abilities that she couldn't use without causing collateral damage. Sayaka'd been equipped with some enchantments from Mami to let her better resist the heat, but she wasn't all that eager to test them when they explicitly only worked for so long. A part of Sayaka wondered if Kyoko would've been better off on her own and if having Sayaka around was holding her back. X had been fairly adamant about not letting people go alone if possible, and everyone had agreed, but now it was starting to feel like less and less of a good idea.
Maybe that was just the nerves getting to her though. Sayaka scanned the smoldering rubble, relieved to find no signs of movement. All the enemies were dead for now. Knowing it was safe, Sayaka withdrew one of the Grief Seeds she'd brought and drained away the colorful shadow that had begun its climb up her Soul Gem. Keeping Kyoko healthy and boosted the whole time was wearing down her reserves of magic fast. Honestly, the whole deal with Soul Gems and Witches and knowing that her life was stuck on an especially short timer until X could figure out a cure was definitely something Sayaka was repressing hard. It was only yesterday evening when she'd learned, and while having everyone there had made the revelation less horrifying it was still weighing on the back of her mind. Or at least it would've, if Sayaka had the time to feel anxious. Or more accurately, if Madoka had the time for Sayaka to feel anxious. If her parents had that time.
"How far are we now?" Sayaka asked. There was usually more talking during Witch Hunts. No matter how much the others tried to drill it into her head, it was hard not to lose focus when all Sayaka did was stand there and boost somebody else. Kyoko was normally one of the more talkative partners. She'd been quiet since they entered the Emerald City, though.
"How am I supposed to know? It's a tower. A big one. We'll know it when we see it." The older Magical Girl's words were as casual as ever, but her tone held less levity than usual.
"I guess we will." Sayaka said. She wished there was more to talk about. The quiet just made everything creepier.
Unfortunately, neither girl could think of anything more to say as they delved further into the Emerald City's depths. Kyoko marches ahead, a blazing beacon against the cold dark of the city, while Sayaka trails behind in whatever areas she knows are safe.
Sayaka knows this is the smartest way to go about it. X was very clear on how teams would be built: one offensive powerhouse to tear down the Emerald City's defenses, and a supporter to keep them safe and in good condition while they did it. But Mami and Homura were both experienced Magical Girls who could hold their own in a fight, and Sayaka… well, she'd been getting much better thanks to Miss Gebura's training, but one look at Kyoko in battle was enough to remind her she didn't measure up right now. So instead of fighting side-by-side, Kyoko held down the front while Sayaka hid in the back. Smart or not, it felt cowardly.
Eventually, the two arrived at another wall between them and the marker. Kyoko wordlessly went to work testing it, mostly by hitting it with various nearby objects or setting it on fire. Once they were sure there weren't any traps or enchantments, Kyoko raised her spear and blew another hole in the Emerald City's walls.
Past the boiling stone and glass, the cavern-like street opens up. If Sayaka had to compare the Emerald City to anything, it would have to be some sort of cave system. The streets and buildings were like the cave's walls, and they just went on in whatever direction they felt like. If the parts they'd gone through already were a cave system, then the cavern that had just been opened up was the center of the Earth. They'd broken into the inside of a massive globe, a few particularly large buildings poking up from the dense cityscape. The hole Kyoko had opened led into a long, wide-open street that stretched as far as the eye could see. And at the very end, something rose up from the ground.
It didn't really look like a building. If anything, the jagged and uneven tower sprouting from the street reminded Sayaka of a stalagmite. It was made of the same shiny black stone that paved the streets below, dotted with occasional bouquets of sharp-looking green gemstones that grew from it like plants. The tower didn't stand straight, but bent in several places to the point where it definitely should've fallen over. There was no question about it: this was the place.
"See? Just like I said. We'll know it when we see it." Kyoko said dryly. Sayaka could do nothing but grumble incoherently in response. That had to be the observation tower. All they had to do was get there and signal the others that they were in position, then be prepared to move when everyone was ready.
Kyoko stepped out into the new street, and that's where everything went wrong.
A withered pink light flashed at the top of the tower. Whatever it was might have been beautiful or inspiring once, but the Emerald City was not a place where such things could survive. The light was faded and washed-out, glaring harshly at the intruders as it approached.
Kyoko moved first. Her soot-blackened spear whipped out, the first projectile glinting off of its blade and crashing into a nearby building. The second barely missed, carving a furrow through the ground behind where Kyoko's legs had been a moment earlier.
A third bolt struck Kyoko's right arm at the elbow, sending a spray of molten glass shards that nearly brushed against Sayaka's skin. The bluenette let out a strangled cry as Kyoko struggled to hold ground against the oncoming barrage. She had to do something! Before she could think, Sayaka's legs were moving. The Magical Girl charged towards her friend, not knowing what she would do when she reached her.
Kyoko's head turned back to see her partner approaching, the molten mess behind her veil rippling in surprise. Even with no features to speak of, Sayaka could clearly recognize the shock on her face. Why? Did Kyoko really expect Sayaka to leave her to hold her ground alone?
Looking back, Sayaka would probably have been able to recognize that this was a poor move. In the moment, however, it was the only decision. She had to do something.
She didn't even see the first arrow before it was lodged in her shoulder.
It was hardly an arrow at all- more a shaft of pale pink light in the shape of one. But it sank up to its quarrel in Sayaka's body, the barbed point sticking out the other end. Her arm went limp immediately. It must've hit something important. Sayaka grimaced, barely repressing a scream of pain, and funneled her Magic towards her healing. The soothing glow of her magic arose for a moment, but just as quickly it vanished. The arrow pulsed ominously as her magic drained away from the wound. It wasn't working! Worse, Sayaka could feel the drain intensifying. The feeling of her magic being pulled from her body was dizzying. Sayaka didn't know what would happen in this kept up, but it wouldn't be anything good.
Instead of channeling her magic towards the wound, Sayaka tried something else. She called up her Magic and threw it towards something at random, making sure to pull away the parts of her own magic that were resting where the arrow had struck. For a brief moment she struggled, fighting the tug on her magic, but the curse gave way before Sayaka did. Her costume faded to its simplified form around her shoulder, and the arrow fizzled out alongside it. There was a mighty shifting within Sayaka, and her magic flooded back to her.
The reinvigoration came just in time for another three arrows to catch Sayaka's eye. She angled the flat of her blade to catch one and twisted her body to dodge another in spite of their extreme speed, but the third skewered the Magical Girl's leg. She was quicker to draw her magic away from the wound this time, but it didn't help as much. Sayaka's leg buckled, and her momentary immobilization was all it took for a second arrow to find itself placed in her chest barely a millimeter from her Soul Gem.
Sayaka didn't spend much time thinking about death. Even if her new duties were dangerous, there were always stronger people there to assure her everything would be alright. X, Mami, and maybe even Homura. They all seemed invincible, and if they could stand proud and confident then Sayaka could at least try to follow behind them. Now? With her parents and her best friend in danger, forced to kneel in a nightmarish other world, Sayaka couldn't help but wonder if she was really going to die here.
Before the thought could carry any further, Sayaka felt a wave of heat approaching her. The next moment, she was being lifted roughly off the ground and through the air. Kyoko had begun a full retreat, galloping at top speed directly away from the tower and back towards the enclosed area they had left from. She grabbed Sayaka by her good arm and hauled her bodily off the ground, carrying the wounded girl out of the line of fire and into safety. All the while, Sayaka's eyes never left the twisted tower that rose up at the end of the horizon.
———————————————
Porccubus' Sapling - Observation Level 2/3
Schadenfreude's Sapling - Observation Level 2/3
CENSORED's Sapling - Observation Level EXPUNGED/REDACTED
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Lepidoptera
Mother of Monsters, Unverified Impuritas Civitatis
- Location
- Indeterminate Unknown
You know the drill by now, pick which option you'd like to-
Ah. Wait.
Well, this is embarrassing.
There's nothing to vote on right now, but I do have other things for you to read! I have more than one story for ProjectMoon fans who want a little more of the setting or characters, as well as some other side-projects in the works. Anything not in the snippets thread will be finished eventually, though I am keeping my focus on this Quest for the foreseeable future.
Ah. Wait.
Well, this is embarrassing.
There's nothing to vote on right now, but I do have other things for you to read! I have more than one story for ProjectMoon fans who want a little more of the setting or characters, as well as some other side-projects in the works. Anything not in the snippets thread will be finished eventually, though I am keeping my focus on this Quest for the foreseeable future.
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