Became a magical girl and died? There's not exactly a lot of reasons in 21st century Japan for a young girl to suffer a terrible fate.
Clarisse Quest [now in Part II, Revolutionary Girl Clarisse] (a PMMM/TTS quest)
- Thread starter tomoyo
- Start date
- Sci-Fi
Abao
Le Halpful One
- Location
- Theocracy of Derpism
Coincidences are a thing of fiction....other ppl's fiction.
Oh wait, that's Yuuka's dad. I have no idea what's going on there then.
I don't really like this argument. In general, just because someone else was involved doesn't mean she's not responsible (or rather, won't blame herself) for what happened, so if you want to convince Ryouko she's not at fault you need to distinguish this from the general case somehow.
Just because Simona isn't entitled to demand Ryouko's affections, doesn't mean Ryouko won't feel obliged to give them. Most people feel it's good to do more then what other people can outright demand of them, and trying to tell them they don't have to is missing the point. That said, I don't think Ryouko has this issue at all. The bit about talking to the MHD sounds like she thinks Simona should loose her obsession, not that Ryouko should date her, so this bit should be dropped entirely.
I think this, minus the first sentence, is much more the way to go. Complicated time-travel trauma and possibly being a different person or something really is obviously beyond what a reasonable person could be expected to predict, and involves things that aren't just direct consequences of Ryouko's wish.
[x] Point out this this vision-Simona and 2011-Simona sound very different then the one she was friends with. It's almost as drastic a difference between future Homura and Moe-Homura. While from the memories you can tell Simona does feel strongly for her, she also didn't try and force Ryouko to return feelings, didn't freak out about Asami, and never acted like she was Yandere. We still have to be careful, but lets reserve judgement on your friend until we know that they're really all the same people.
Last edited:
- Pronouns
- Him/He
But I really like the first sentence! It basically forces Ryouko to view this situation from the reverse perspective, when she was saying to Hitomi basically the same stuff, and makes her more likely to buy in because otherwise she was either wrong or a hypocrite. It's a bit of verbal judo to get Ryouko to flip things around instead of emotionally getting torn up.
Well, no, either she was wrong or she's holding herself to a higher standard. I don't think we've seen Ryouko display this issue, but many people are perfectly willing to demand things of themselves they'd never accept being demanded of other people.
EDIT: Also, wasn't that us giving adivce to Hitomi, not Ryouko?
But as I said, I don't think Ryouko's problem is that she feels obliged to reciprocate, it's that she regrets, well, this:
Last edited:
The Narrator
Disembodied Voice
- Location
- Somewhere Offscreen
Simona was already crushing on her before then. Ryouko's rescued lots of people without them becoming obsessed with her. Simona's feelings didn't entitle her to special cconsideration when Ryouko was making her wish.
It sounds like he's saying that he gave up drinking when she was born. But that would mean that he's been sober for ~14 years, which makes the chief ragging him about his drinking pretty bullshit.
Dude, Ryouko is essentially the victim of a stalker. Victims wrongly blame themselves, thinking they did something to bring this on themselves. And we just saw a couple examples of Ryouko's unhealthy willingness to change herself to please other people. We don't want Ryouko feeling obligated to change herself to please her stalker. The narration flat out tells us that she's blaming herself, but she did nothing wrong. She needs someone to tell her that this is not her fault.
Nolrai
weak to fangs
- Location
- Porltand
Coincidences happen every second.
Nolrai
weak to fangs
- Location
- Porltand
Eh, I think wishing Simona wasn't there when she made the wish is reasonable, not that she had a good way to prevent it, or it was in anyway her responsibility.
And frankly she does have much bigger worries. Now wondering if there's anything to be done _now_ to make Simona less dangerous is I think very good, because we might well be one of the "others" in the phrase "if likely to hurt herself or others".
And frankly she does have much bigger worries. Now wondering if there's anything to be done _now_ to make Simona less dangerous is I think very good, because we might well be one of the "others" in the phrase "if likely to hurt herself or others".
We've been here for, what, three days? And we've seen Simona once during that time. Isn't it a bit soon to be acting like she's been beaten into submission, especially when her thought is "Simona needs to talk to the MHD", not "I should date Simona"?
As for telling her she did nothing wrong to assuage her feelings of guilt, I don't know about Ryouko, but I wouldn't find your argument at all convincing in her place. Sourceless free will is not the sort of thing my moral intuitions respond to, and I suspect the 25th century shares that understanding as a result of their mechanistic understanding of the mind.
Nolrai
weak to fangs
- Location
- Porltand
Aggreed, though partitioning up responsibility to those with the best info and easiest control makes sense..its just both being very powerful and dealing with acute mental illness are times to consider _taking_ responsibility. As in stealing it from others.
I don't think Ryouko should consider herself infinitely indebted to Simona or anything, but I would find it pretty concerning if she both believed that Simona's descent into craziness was a direct consequence of her wish, and didn't care about that at all, and that leads pretty naturally to making efforts to help Simona. If we want to help Ryouko then we should focus on ways in which Simona's descent into craziness was mediated by other complicated and unpredictable causes (as @RubberBandMan does) and/or ways she can help Simona that don't involve unbounded sacrifices (which might just be getting back to the 25th century and dumping her on the MHD, but we might need intermediate solutions as well).
Abao
Le Halpful One
- Location
- Theocracy of Derpism
Blaming oneself is an art long practiced before implants were ever invented. Never underestimate the true practitioners when they set their sights on being stupid. Hopefully Ryouko's not that stubborn, but she won't just shrug and say "meh, not my fault anyways". Me thinks.
She's used to being the center of things, and having her actions mean a lot to other random people, whether she intended it or not. She was even specifically coached on this mindset a few days (for the movie thingy) before being transported to 21st century. That, and being a public figure really does mean very slight partial responsibility for other's actions (think E88 being 10% the responsibility of dear Adolf), Ryouko really has a legitimate reason to care, as Simona is more than just a nameless hero worshipper, she's also a ex-friend.
Last edited:
Sure, but she's not going to blame herself because she's been browbeaten by Simona's stalking, it'll be because of her preexisting moral intuitions and any attempt to counter that is going to have to actually interact with those intuitions.
[x] This is not Ryouko's fault.
-[x] She did nothing to cause this. Simona created this yandere obsession entirely from her own mind, and Kyubey probably encouraged it for the sake of a contract.
-[x] We'll try to get through to Simona and help her, but she is not entitled to have her crush reciprocated or to have Ryouko.
[X] Warn Yuuka that her father might be at risk of losing his job
-[X] Tell her that with you being a super advanced AI from the future getting money shouldn't be hard. So she shouldn't sell her soul to Kyubey if he makes that suggestion.
Outing plans:
[X] Find a quiet spot in the park
[X] Get Ryouko and Kyouko to greet Mami first
Mami might not be very stable atm. I think we should take things slowly with her.
-[x] She did nothing to cause this. Simona created this yandere obsession entirely from her own mind, and Kyubey probably encouraged it for the sake of a contract.
-[x] We'll try to get through to Simona and help her, but she is not entitled to have her crush reciprocated or to have Ryouko.
[X] Warn Yuuka that her father might be at risk of losing his job
-[X] Tell her that with you being a super advanced AI from the future getting money shouldn't be hard. So she shouldn't sell her soul to Kyubey if he makes that suggestion.
Outing plans:
[X] Find a quiet spot in the park
[X] Get Ryouko and Kyouko to greet Mami first
Mami might not be very stable atm. I think we should take things slowly with her.
Abao
Le Halpful One
- Location
- Theocracy of Derpism
I'm pretty sure "OMG I broke Simona" would be a thought both Ryouko and our dear QM has played around with one time or another
. Other than just how to fix this without hurting anyone, that is.btw, megucas are creatures of emotion, even if they sometimes show a pretty cool head in action. Once one is left to stew, they will worry and think too much.
The Narrator
Disembodied Voice
- Location
- Somewhere Offscreen
I can't access YouTube where I am, so could somebody link a clip of Garak's line from DS9 about coincidences for me?
I don't see how philosophical musings on the nature of free will relate to any of this. Ryouko is blaming herself for something that someone else did that she in no way asked for or caused to happen, and I want to make her feel better.
There's absolutely nothing to indicate that Ryouko's wish is responsible for Simona's behavior. Ryouko's wish was to travel to new places and find the meaning of her life, not for people to fall in love with her. The only people to blame for Simona's behavior are Simona (and the conspiracy that engineered her to have this obsession, but Clarisse doesn't know about that). This shit long predates Ryouko's wish.
Of course she's blaming herself anyway, because that's what people do when bad things happen. They think that it's somehow their fault, that there's something that they could have done differently, even if it was totally out of their control. They need to be reassured that the tragedy was not somehow of their making. They absolutely should not have their irrational feelings of guilt reinforced by the person who's supposed to be looking out for their psychological well-being.
- Location
- The infinite well of fanfics
This is why checking with Machina should part of the plan for telling her, its ultimately up to Machina how we go about Mami's mental health and large bombshells like witches.
- Location
- Oooooooh emotional roller coaster
wow this is hard to summarize
Talking to Ryouko:
[3] This is not Ryouko's fault.
-[3] She did nothing to cause this. Simona created this yandere obsession entirely from her own mind, and Kyubey probably encouraged it for the sake of a contract.
-[3] We'll try to get through to Simona and help her, but she is not entitled to have her crush reciprocated or to have Ryouko.
[1] Remind Ryouko of the conversation we just had with Hitomi
[1] Point out this this vision-Simona and 2011-Simona sound very different
Individual chats:
[5] Reassure Nanami by talking about future meddling with her wish
[5] Warn Yuuka that her father might be at risk of losing his job.
-[2] so don't sell your soul to kyuubey
-[1] come to us instead, we have cash money
Outing planning:
[5] Make sure to sanitize the nomenclator of future knowledge about current-people.
[5] Find a quiet spot in the park
-[4] Make sure someone is bringing food
[1] Cancel park outing in favor of pool party with Kyouko
[2] Head directly downtown from here
[3] Head home first
-[2] Talk with Hitomi and Ryouko about Simona.
-[1] Talk with Mama
[2] Ask Papa for a little spending money
-[2] suss out the budget in general
Outing agenda:
This is not the whole outing agenda.
It's just the priority items.
[6] Try to let Kyouko and Mami meet up and have a moment to reconnect
-[1] then meet the other megucas before the rest of the group
[2] Tell Mami, Nanami, Homura about witches
-[1] starting with the fact they're gone in the future
-[2] Check with Machina before telling Mami about witches.
-[1] Warn Kyouko before telling Mami about witches.
[3] Talk to the NCs about staying NC with reference to the grief budget
-[2] but only after telling the magical girls about witches
[2] Find a private moment with Kyouko to have <a detailed talk about who you are and its implications>
(Likely after the outing proper.)
Talking to Ryouko:
[3] This is not Ryouko's fault.
-[3] She did nothing to cause this. Simona created this yandere obsession entirely from her own mind, and Kyubey probably encouraged it for the sake of a contract.
-[3] We'll try to get through to Simona and help her, but she is not entitled to have her crush reciprocated or to have Ryouko.
[1] Remind Ryouko of the conversation we just had with Hitomi
[1] Point out this this vision-Simona and 2011-Simona sound very different
Individual chats:
[5] Reassure Nanami by talking about future meddling with her wish
[5] Warn Yuuka that her father might be at risk of losing his job.
-[2] so don't sell your soul to kyuubey
-[1] come to us instead, we have cash money
Outing planning:
[5] Make sure to sanitize the nomenclator of future knowledge about current-people.
[5] Find a quiet spot in the park
-[4] Make sure someone is bringing food
[1] Cancel park outing in favor of pool party with Kyouko
[2] Head directly downtown from here
[3] Head home first
-[2] Talk with Hitomi and Ryouko about Simona.
-[1] Talk with Mama
[2] Ask Papa for a little spending money
-[2] suss out the budget in general
Outing agenda:
This is not the whole outing agenda.
It's just the priority items.
[6] Try to let Kyouko and Mami meet up and have a moment to reconnect
-[1] then meet the other megucas before the rest of the group
[2] Tell Mami, Nanami, Homura about witches
-[1] starting with the fact they're gone in the future
-[2] Check with Machina before telling Mami about witches.
-[1] Warn Kyouko before telling Mami about witches.
[3] Talk to the NCs about staying NC with reference to the grief budget
-[2] but only after telling the magical girls about witches
[2] Find a private moment with Kyouko to have <a detailed talk about who you are and its implications>
(Likely after the outing proper.)
Last edited:
The Narrator
Disembodied Voice
- Location
- Somewhere Offscreen
There's a whole lot of different things being covered in this vote, so it's kind of a mishmash of different topics.
I agree. I'm adding another line:
[x] This is not Ryouko's fault.
-[x] She did nothing to cause this. Simona created this yandere obsession entirely from her own mind, and Kyubey probably encouraged it for the sake of a contract.
-[x] We'll try to get through to Simona and help her, but she is not entitled to have her crush reciprocated or to have Ryouko.
[x] Head home first.
-[x] Talk with Hitomi and Ryouko about Simona.
[x] Make sure to sanitize the nomenclature of future knowledge about current-people. Save a back up of course, and let Machina what you're doing. It's mostly to stop the TNC from reading stuff about Homura or Kyouko and treating them differently because of it.
[x] Consult Machina regarding whether Mami's psychological state could handle being informed of the nature of witches at this time.
[x] Reassure Nanami by talking about future meddling with her wish
[x] Warn Yuuka that her father might be at risk of losing his job. It might be a good idea to try and support him, but worst comes to worst assure her that we can do something to help if something bad happens. The gang of nice looks after each other's families after all.
[x] Find a quiet spot in the park
-[x] Make sure someone is bringing food
[x] Try to let Kyouko and Mami meet up and reconnect without an audience before introducing them to the group.
[x] To do when an appropriate time can be found: talk to the NCs and make it clear that contracting is a bad idea. Explain the buildup of corruption in gems, that a girl's gem going dark is a fate worse than death, and that in this era cleansing resources are scant and unsustainable. Adding more MGs will not help, it will shorten the lives of our friends.
Last edited:
you’re a pretty nebula
- Location
- Oooooooh emotional roller coaster
[3] This is not Ryouko's fault.
-[3] She did nothing to cause this. Simona created this yandere obsession entirely from her own mind, and Kyubey probably encouraged it for the sake of a contract.
-[3] We'll try to get through to Simona and help her, but she is not entitled to have her crush reciprocated or to have Ryouko.
We'll do everything we can to help, you tell Ryouko, but it's no good if you think that it's all your fault. It's Simona's own fault. Possibly Kyuubey's too. He might even have encouraged it and at the very least, he's been an enabler. This is all on her, she's not entitled to you any more than Homura is entitled to Madoka. If she feels entitled to you, it can't possibly come to any good in the end for you or for her.
I know that, replies Ryouko, but remember what Madoka said? She said I need to be careful or I'm going to break someone's heart. I should have known better.
Well, you're a teenage girl, you tell Ryouko. Not knowing what you're doing is part of the package, and you're not expected to get everything right the first time. What you are supposed to do is to learn, and treat others with respect and care.
Yeah, she says, well, a real good job I've done at learning so far; the Goddess herself has to call me out on it in person! She sighs, externally.
I hardly expect that's the reason that we're here, you remark drily.
Clarisse, what's wrong with me? Why am I so stupid and oblivious?
Oh goodness, Ryouko, you try to reassure her. You just don't think of yourself as an object of desire, you tell her. It's the way your psyche works, I guess. It doesn't make you bad or wrong. Remember, Clarisse von Rossum told you as much herself.
Ryouko ponders this during the ride home.
[3] Head home first
This seems to be what Papa and Mr. Shindou expected anyway. You keep mostly quiet while Papa's lawyer deals with things, attending to other tasks during the drive.
[6] Try to let Kyouko and Mami meet up and have a moment to reconnect before the group meeting
[3] Confer with Machina about the feasibility of telling Mami about witches.
You share your plans for an outing this afternoon with Machina.
It's something that I think we have to tell her about sooner or later, you say to Machina. It's the sort of thing a magical girl in this universe deserves to know, and I don't intend to keep it a secret from the others. Better to do it under controlled circumstances.
Machina sighs, electronically. You're right, but I'm not sure how well she'll take it.
What could we do to mitigate it? you ask.
Well, you're right; beginning by telling her that the future isn't like that should help, at least to start. But unless you have a more concrete idea about what's happening with grief seeds here, I'm not sure how long that's going to last. And if Oriko has some sort of a plan for it and we don't, well, I don't quite know what she'll make of that. She'll be driven to distraction, at the very least.
I agree, you affirm, we definitely need a plan there.
Besides that… Machina pauses. Well… she's very lonely. She doesn't really have friends. When she's not hunting witches she's busy trying to be a good student, which is really hard for her.
Oh, Machina, you say, sending her an electronic hug.
What — I'm not that lonely! she objects. I've been reaching out and making friends, whenever I've had the time.
And how often is that? you ask.
… Sometimes! replies Machina, unconvincingly.
Well, dear, you are at grave risk of isolation here in the twenty-first century, you say, and you are going to have an awful lot of time on your hands.
Okay, okay, I get it, she says. And hey, Clarisse?
Yes? you reply.
Remember to look after yourself, too. For Ryouko's sake, if nothing else.
I will, you promise. Just let me know when they come by to send Mami home. Or if they don't.
Tut tut, she says. You just leave Mami to me and worry about Ryouko.
For the meeting later, I mean!
Okay, okay, she says. I'll let you know.
[5] Make sure to sanitize the nomenclator of future knowledge about current-people.
You send around a quick data update, which people install promptly enough, with the exception of Nanami, who spends a few seconds before installing it, then sends you back a message.
Probably a good idea, she notes.
It's just as well that she noticed; she's basically far too deep into the rabbit-hole already for hiding such things to make a difference at this point.
[5] Reassure Nanami by talking about future meddling with her wish
<Clarisse> hey Nanami! while I have your attention!
<Clarisse> combination good news / worrisome news
<Nanami> Ohhh really?
<Clarisse> You know how you were asking if you'd gone and ruined everything with your wish?
<Clarisse> I believe we can now say that this is not the case!
<Nanami> … you do realize even if some individual thing exists that isn't ruined, the overall sentiment remains
<Clarisse> well, more specifically.
<Clarisse> I've heard testimony, ostensibly from the future, that someone meddled with your wish.
<Nanami> … okay (a) where are you getting Testimony from the future??!?
<Nanami> … (b) they can DO that?!?! how?!?
<Clarisse> i'm much less sure about (b), but as for (a), it appears that our friend Simona opened some sort of time window, and I talked to future!Clarisse (or at least she looked like me, anyway).
<Clarisse> aaaand then Simona threw a fit about Ryouko's girlfriend and cut off part of the end
<Nanami> fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
<Clarisse> Yes, that part was particularly heartening, and, broadly speaking, there's more to it I don't understand. The good news is we have some information on how to save our future? We should talk more later.
<Clarisse> Right now I need to figure out how to handle Simona with Ryouko.
<Clarisse> But I thought that I should let you know, so that you could worry less.
<Nanami> Clarisse, darling, time windows from the future do not help me to worry less
<Clarisse> Help you worry less about your wish. It's specifically unhealthy for magical girls and impacts your magic.
<Nanami> Ah, I see. Then … thanks.
<Nanami> Thanks a bunch.
<Nanami> I'll try to take care of myself
<Clarisse> You and me both
[5] Warn Yuuka that her father might be at risk of losing his job.
Oh, you are not looking forward to this…
Okay, on second thought? Maybe you should wait. You definitely definitely need to let her know, but, it didn't sound like he was about to be fired in the next two hours, did it? And if you can just wait a little bit, she'll have friends around, too. If friends can help Mami they'd be good for her, too.
Anyway, you're almost back home. You'll do it when you get together with everyone later, then. It shouldn't be long.
Papa is going to have a little chat with Mr. Shindou and then head into work, but he wants to tell all three of you how much he loves you, first, in case he doesn't catch you on the way out. It appears that there is an affirmative Hug involved with telling you this. Hitomi appears to be well practiced with this, standing up on the porch-step to get just a little bit of a boost.
"Now remember, Clarisse," says Hitomi, as the three of you enter the house again, "take a moment to breathe."
"Right," you say. You can ill afford another confrontation with Kyuubey. And you promised Machina, too.
"Clarisse?" asks Ryouko.
You've just crashed backwards onto the bed, and you're trying to definitely not think of why you might be possessed of glowing, golden eyes at some point in your future.
"Yes?" you ask, welcoming the distraction.
"Why do people even like me?"
"What??" you reply, sitting back up. "Why wouldn't people like you?"
"You said part of the reason I don't understand is the way I view myself," she says, "and the more I think about it, the more I'm just a stupid teenage girl." She sighs. "I'm even not, like, pretty or anything. I wouldn't be anyone interesting or special, except for the magic, and that's hardly even fair, and doesn't explain Simona wanting to confess to me earlier, either. So I don't get it."
You are, for a moment, speechless.
"I'm not even sure where to best begin with that," you tell her, aghast. "I mean … For starters, really, just being a teenage girl is plenty special in and of itself, especially to your peers. And where in known space did you get the idea that you're not pretty?"
"I thought I was just … small, and cute, or something," she says, looking over to the mirror. "Not, like, lovely, or beautiful, or cool, or… anything like the things people like at all."
"Oh goddess, Ryouko," you sigh, and bury your face in your hands, "you're definitely small and cute, but you're those other things too."
"I am??" she asks, confused. "How?"
"Being small and cute doesn't mean you don't have a beautiful face, or lovely long hair, or a cool attitude. It just makes all those things more approachable."
"Cool attitude?" asks Ryouko, very confused.
"Yes, well, you and I both know that you're a space nerd and a giant dork, daydreaming all the time. And it turns out that a large part of looking cool is the attitude of slight disinterest — not contempt, just, the feeling that you have somewhere better to be. In your case, it's just space."
"I thought that just made me different and weird…" she says.
"It's good different," you tell her. "It makes you more interesting. Otherworldly," you propose. "Everything works together quite nicely, and in summary, you are a lovely being."
"But… but…" she stutters, as she gives the mirror a long hard look, dissatisfied. "My breasts are, like, really small!"
"Oh goddess, Ryouko," you exclaim, "that is NOT the only thing that matters!!!"
"It's not?" she asks.
In fairness, you know that she doesn't mean it's the only thing that matters, she just means that it's an important thing that really seems to matter to a lot of people. But still, the phrasing of the objection isn't good.
"OF COURSE NOT." you exclaim in mild exasperation. "Were you asleep, when they covered these things in Mandatory Sess— oh, well, no, of course you weren't. You were just daydreaming about nebulae."
"Yeah, well," says Ryouko, "nebulae are really pretty."
"Fine, then," you declare, "you're a pretty nebula."
"… oh, Clarisse," says Ryouko, taken aback. "That's the … single most romantic thing I've ever heard." Her heart is just a little bit aflutter. "A nebula. I'd have to have ionized oxygen, of course, for the spectral emissions…"
It occurs to you that it's theoretically possible you might have been able to predict this reaction.
"… perhaps I should have saved that line for Asami," you say.
"Oh — oh," exclaims Ryouko, "if Asami is the gravitational force, then that means that she and I together …" she pauses, and whispers. "she makes me a star."
Her eyes twinkle, and she beams, and she feels like the most special girl in the universe. It is so cute that it physically hurts, which confuses you a moment. Why should it hurt — oh, no, that's where they get the phrase, isn't it? It pulls on your heart-strings.
You smile, though.
"Well then," you say, "it's settled. The first reason that everyone falls in love with Ryouko is because she's as pretty as a nebula."
"Yes, and I'm working on noticing," she reiterates. "I'm just not sure how to start thinking of myself as having that effect on people. Like, which people, even? When did it start? Is Simona just the first to notice?"
"I'm not even sure if she is," you tell her. "Chiaki may or may not have had a thing for you, too."
"Chiaki?!?" asks Ryouko, shocked.
"It could go either way," you tell her. "But yes, everyone is a candidate."
"Everyone everyone?" she continues. "Even Papa?"
The tug on your heart-strings is joined by that special feeling.
"Oh, especially Papa," you say, "he's really quite taken with both of us, and Hitomi too. Not romantically, mind you. He channels it differently. It's illustrative; romantic attraction is of course likeliest among your peers, but other people might just want to help you out, or to be more like you, or to be special to you somehow, especially as you become more of a hero. And, of course, there will be some who just want take you to bed for the night."
Ryouko is working ever so hard at the idea of herself being a center of attention like that, and thinking back to the things you said earlier about celebrity, as well. Her feelings are decidedly mixed.
"It still feels unfair, though," she says. "Wouldn't it be better if I did more to earn it?"
"Saving the world isn't enough?" you ask.
"No," she insists. "That was as much the goddess just using me as anything else."
"You sort of agreed to help her, though," you point out. "And quite honestly, it's not a position that's likely to leave you unaffected in the long term. Have you thought what it might mean to be her agent?"
"… Not really," she admits. "I can't really just say no, though, can I? With everything at stake?"
"Perhaps not," you allow, "but I have thought about it, and I'd be lying if I said that I was entirely happy with the idea." You sigh. "Especially after what Madoka said while holding the ribbon."
"… Oh," says Ryouko. "But… it's still important."
You nod. "Yes, it is. Which is why it's very scary."
You just really want your girl to live a long and happy life. It's not that much to ask, is it, really?
The moment's quiet is interrupted by Papa calling from downstairs. "Ryouko?"
"Yes?" she says, getting up and heading to the door.
"I seem to have something for you down here," he says.
A few moments later, Ryouko is back, bearing an envelope from some overnight mail service. Someone had addressed it to his office, but with Shizuki Ryouko as the recipient, and it arrive this morning and Mr. Shindou left it with Papa. Your girl has put it down on the desk in your room, and is staring at it. There's a big bar code shipping label, printed on plain paper and attached to the envelope with clear tape, but the hand-written return address, in an orange gel pen on the white envelope, states the sender clearly:
Simona
Salem Academy Box 2460
61S Church St
27109, USA
The dot over the 'i' is replaced with a small and subtle but clearly deliberate heart shape.
"Now why would the law office have it?" you wonder. "Maybe that's the address on file with the school?"
Ryouko is very nervous about this.
"Are you sure we should even open it?" she asks. "What if it's a trap?"
"A trap?" you ask. "Like, with some sort of magical enchantment inside?"
"No, I mean… psychological warfare."
She regards the envelope with suspicion, flicking it away from her across the surface in your direction.
> gird for psychological warfare
[] Offer moral support to Ryouko as she reads the later
[] Offer to screen it the letter first, for psychological warfare
[] Ask the resident love letter expert, Hitomi, to read it
[] Leave the letter alone, for later
[] Burn it, unopened
DEFERRED AND NOT FORGOTTEN:
[5] Find a quiet spot in the park
-[4] Make sure someone is bringing food
[6] Try to let Kyouko and Mami meet up and have a moment to reconnect
[5] Warn Yuuka that her father might be at risk of losing his job.
and then seriously consider:
[2] Tell Mami, Nanami, Homura about witches
[3] Talk to the NCs about staying NC, with reference to the grief budget
[2] Find a private moment with Kyouko to have [a detailed talk about who you are and its implications]
Mailing addresses in this updoot have been intentionally mangled such that they do not actually go anywhere valid. Please do not attempt to send mail to Simona.
-[3] She did nothing to cause this. Simona created this yandere obsession entirely from her own mind, and Kyubey probably encouraged it for the sake of a contract.
-[3] We'll try to get through to Simona and help her, but she is not entitled to have her crush reciprocated or to have Ryouko.
We'll do everything we can to help, you tell Ryouko, but it's no good if you think that it's all your fault. It's Simona's own fault. Possibly Kyuubey's too. He might even have encouraged it and at the very least, he's been an enabler. This is all on her, she's not entitled to you any more than Homura is entitled to Madoka. If she feels entitled to you, it can't possibly come to any good in the end for you or for her.
I know that, replies Ryouko, but remember what Madoka said? She said I need to be careful or I'm going to break someone's heart. I should have known better.
Well, you're a teenage girl, you tell Ryouko. Not knowing what you're doing is part of the package, and you're not expected to get everything right the first time. What you are supposed to do is to learn, and treat others with respect and care.
Yeah, she says, well, a real good job I've done at learning so far; the Goddess herself has to call me out on it in person! She sighs, externally.
I hardly expect that's the reason that we're here, you remark drily.
Clarisse, what's wrong with me? Why am I so stupid and oblivious?
Oh goodness, Ryouko, you try to reassure her. You just don't think of yourself as an object of desire, you tell her. It's the way your psyche works, I guess. It doesn't make you bad or wrong. Remember, Clarisse von Rossum told you as much herself.
Ryouko ponders this during the ride home.
[3] Head home first
This seems to be what Papa and Mr. Shindou expected anyway. You keep mostly quiet while Papa's lawyer deals with things, attending to other tasks during the drive.
[6] Try to let Kyouko and Mami meet up and have a moment to reconnect before the group meeting
[3] Confer with Machina about the feasibility of telling Mami about witches.
You share your plans for an outing this afternoon with Machina.
It's something that I think we have to tell her about sooner or later, you say to Machina. It's the sort of thing a magical girl in this universe deserves to know, and I don't intend to keep it a secret from the others. Better to do it under controlled circumstances.
Machina sighs, electronically. You're right, but I'm not sure how well she'll take it.
What could we do to mitigate it? you ask.
Well, you're right; beginning by telling her that the future isn't like that should help, at least to start. But unless you have a more concrete idea about what's happening with grief seeds here, I'm not sure how long that's going to last. And if Oriko has some sort of a plan for it and we don't, well, I don't quite know what she'll make of that. She'll be driven to distraction, at the very least.
I agree, you affirm, we definitely need a plan there.
Besides that… Machina pauses. Well… she's very lonely. She doesn't really have friends. When she's not hunting witches she's busy trying to be a good student, which is really hard for her.
Oh, Machina, you say, sending her an electronic hug.
What — I'm not that lonely! she objects. I've been reaching out and making friends, whenever I've had the time.
And how often is that? you ask.
… Sometimes! replies Machina, unconvincingly.
Well, dear, you are at grave risk of isolation here in the twenty-first century, you say, and you are going to have an awful lot of time on your hands.
Okay, okay, I get it, she says. And hey, Clarisse?
Yes? you reply.
Remember to look after yourself, too. For Ryouko's sake, if nothing else.
I will, you promise. Just let me know when they come by to send Mami home. Or if they don't.
Tut tut, she says. You just leave Mami to me and worry about Ryouko.
For the meeting later, I mean!
Okay, okay, she says. I'll let you know.
[5] Make sure to sanitize the nomenclator of future knowledge about current-people.
You send around a quick data update, which people install promptly enough, with the exception of Nanami, who spends a few seconds before installing it, then sends you back a message.
Probably a good idea, she notes.
It's just as well that she noticed; she's basically far too deep into the rabbit-hole already for hiding such things to make a difference at this point.
[5] Reassure Nanami by talking about future meddling with her wish
<Clarisse> hey Nanami! while I have your attention!
<Clarisse> combination good news / worrisome news
<Nanami> Ohhh really?
<Clarisse> You know how you were asking if you'd gone and ruined everything with your wish?
<Clarisse> I believe we can now say that this is not the case!
<Nanami> … you do realize even if some individual thing exists that isn't ruined, the overall sentiment remains
<Clarisse> well, more specifically.
<Clarisse> I've heard testimony, ostensibly from the future, that someone meddled with your wish.
<Nanami> … okay (a) where are you getting Testimony from the future??!?
<Nanami> … (b) they can DO that?!?! how?!?
<Clarisse> i'm much less sure about (b), but as for (a), it appears that our friend Simona opened some sort of time window, and I talked to future!Clarisse (or at least she looked like me, anyway).
<Clarisse> aaaand then Simona threw a fit about Ryouko's girlfriend and cut off part of the end
<Nanami> fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
<Clarisse> Yes, that part was particularly heartening, and, broadly speaking, there's more to it I don't understand. The good news is we have some information on how to save our future? We should talk more later.
<Clarisse> Right now I need to figure out how to handle Simona with Ryouko.
<Clarisse> But I thought that I should let you know, so that you could worry less.
<Nanami> Clarisse, darling, time windows from the future do not help me to worry less
<Clarisse> Help you worry less about your wish. It's specifically unhealthy for magical girls and impacts your magic.
<Nanami> Ah, I see. Then … thanks.
<Nanami> Thanks a bunch.
<Nanami> I'll try to take care of myself
<Clarisse> You and me both
[5] Warn Yuuka that her father might be at risk of losing his job.
Oh, you are not looking forward to this…
Okay, on second thought? Maybe you should wait. You definitely definitely need to let her know, but, it didn't sound like he was about to be fired in the next two hours, did it? And if you can just wait a little bit, she'll have friends around, too. If friends can help Mami they'd be good for her, too.
Anyway, you're almost back home. You'll do it when you get together with everyone later, then. It shouldn't be long.
Papa is going to have a little chat with Mr. Shindou and then head into work, but he wants to tell all three of you how much he loves you, first, in case he doesn't catch you on the way out. It appears that there is an affirmative Hug involved with telling you this. Hitomi appears to be well practiced with this, standing up on the porch-step to get just a little bit of a boost.
"Now remember, Clarisse," says Hitomi, as the three of you enter the house again, "take a moment to breathe."
"Right," you say. You can ill afford another confrontation with Kyuubey. And you promised Machina, too.
"Clarisse?" asks Ryouko.
You've just crashed backwards onto the bed, and you're trying to definitely not think of why you might be possessed of glowing, golden eyes at some point in your future.
"Yes?" you ask, welcoming the distraction.
"Why do people even like me?"
"What??" you reply, sitting back up. "Why wouldn't people like you?"
"You said part of the reason I don't understand is the way I view myself," she says, "and the more I think about it, the more I'm just a stupid teenage girl." She sighs. "I'm even not, like, pretty or anything. I wouldn't be anyone interesting or special, except for the magic, and that's hardly even fair, and doesn't explain Simona wanting to confess to me earlier, either. So I don't get it."
You are, for a moment, speechless.
"I'm not even sure where to best begin with that," you tell her, aghast. "I mean … For starters, really, just being a teenage girl is plenty special in and of itself, especially to your peers. And where in known space did you get the idea that you're not pretty?"
"I thought I was just … small, and cute, or something," she says, looking over to the mirror. "Not, like, lovely, or beautiful, or cool, or… anything like the things people like at all."
"Oh goddess, Ryouko," you sigh, and bury your face in your hands, "you're definitely small and cute, but you're those other things too."
"I am??" she asks, confused. "How?"
"Being small and cute doesn't mean you don't have a beautiful face, or lovely long hair, or a cool attitude. It just makes all those things more approachable."
"Cool attitude?" asks Ryouko, very confused.
"Yes, well, you and I both know that you're a space nerd and a giant dork, daydreaming all the time. And it turns out that a large part of looking cool is the attitude of slight disinterest — not contempt, just, the feeling that you have somewhere better to be. In your case, it's just space."
"I thought that just made me different and weird…" she says.
"It's good different," you tell her. "It makes you more interesting. Otherworldly," you propose. "Everything works together quite nicely, and in summary, you are a lovely being."
"But… but…" she stutters, as she gives the mirror a long hard look, dissatisfied. "My breasts are, like, really small!"
"Oh goddess, Ryouko," you exclaim, "that is NOT the only thing that matters!!!"
"It's not?" she asks.
In fairness, you know that she doesn't mean it's the only thing that matters, she just means that it's an important thing that really seems to matter to a lot of people. But still, the phrasing of the objection isn't good.
"OF COURSE NOT." you exclaim in mild exasperation. "Were you asleep, when they covered these things in Mandatory Sess— oh, well, no, of course you weren't. You were just daydreaming about nebulae."
"Yeah, well," says Ryouko, "nebulae are really pretty."
"Fine, then," you declare, "you're a pretty nebula."
"… oh, Clarisse," says Ryouko, taken aback. "That's the … single most romantic thing I've ever heard." Her heart is just a little bit aflutter. "A nebula. I'd have to have ionized oxygen, of course, for the spectral emissions…"
It occurs to you that it's theoretically possible you might have been able to predict this reaction.
"… perhaps I should have saved that line for Asami," you say.
"Oh — oh," exclaims Ryouko, "if Asami is the gravitational force, then that means that she and I together …" she pauses, and whispers. "she makes me a star."
Her eyes twinkle, and she beams, and she feels like the most special girl in the universe. It is so cute that it physically hurts, which confuses you a moment. Why should it hurt — oh, no, that's where they get the phrase, isn't it? It pulls on your heart-strings.
You smile, though.
"Well then," you say, "it's settled. The first reason that everyone falls in love with Ryouko is because she's as pretty as a nebula."
"Yes, and I'm working on noticing," she reiterates. "I'm just not sure how to start thinking of myself as having that effect on people. Like, which people, even? When did it start? Is Simona just the first to notice?"
"I'm not even sure if she is," you tell her. "Chiaki may or may not have had a thing for you, too."
"Chiaki?!?" asks Ryouko, shocked.
"It could go either way," you tell her. "But yes, everyone is a candidate."
"Everyone everyone?" she continues. "Even Papa?"
The tug on your heart-strings is joined by that special feeling.
"Oh, especially Papa," you say, "he's really quite taken with both of us, and Hitomi too. Not romantically, mind you. He channels it differently. It's illustrative; romantic attraction is of course likeliest among your peers, but other people might just want to help you out, or to be more like you, or to be special to you somehow, especially as you become more of a hero. And, of course, there will be some who just want take you to bed for the night."
Ryouko is working ever so hard at the idea of herself being a center of attention like that, and thinking back to the things you said earlier about celebrity, as well. Her feelings are decidedly mixed.
"It still feels unfair, though," she says. "Wouldn't it be better if I did more to earn it?"
"Saving the world isn't enough?" you ask.
"No," she insists. "That was as much the goddess just using me as anything else."
"You sort of agreed to help her, though," you point out. "And quite honestly, it's not a position that's likely to leave you unaffected in the long term. Have you thought what it might mean to be her agent?"
"… Not really," she admits. "I can't really just say no, though, can I? With everything at stake?"
"Perhaps not," you allow, "but I have thought about it, and I'd be lying if I said that I was entirely happy with the idea." You sigh. "Especially after what Madoka said while holding the ribbon."
"… Oh," says Ryouko. "But… it's still important."
You nod. "Yes, it is. Which is why it's very scary."
You just really want your girl to live a long and happy life. It's not that much to ask, is it, really?
The moment's quiet is interrupted by Papa calling from downstairs. "Ryouko?"
"Yes?" she says, getting up and heading to the door.
"I seem to have something for you down here," he says.
A few moments later, Ryouko is back, bearing an envelope from some overnight mail service. Someone had addressed it to his office, but with Shizuki Ryouko as the recipient, and it arrive this morning and Mr. Shindou left it with Papa. Your girl has put it down on the desk in your room, and is staring at it. There's a big bar code shipping label, printed on plain paper and attached to the envelope with clear tape, but the hand-written return address, in an orange gel pen on the white envelope, states the sender clearly:
Simona
Salem Academy Box 2460
61S Church St
27109, USA
The dot over the 'i' is replaced with a small and subtle but clearly deliberate heart shape.
"Now why would the law office have it?" you wonder. "Maybe that's the address on file with the school?"
Ryouko is very nervous about this.
"Are you sure we should even open it?" she asks. "What if it's a trap?"
"A trap?" you ask. "Like, with some sort of magical enchantment inside?"
"No, I mean… psychological warfare."
She regards the envelope with suspicion, flicking it away from her across the surface in your direction.
> gird for psychological warfare
[] Offer moral support to Ryouko as she reads the later
[] Offer to screen it the letter first, for psychological warfare
[] Ask the resident love letter expert, Hitomi, to read it
[] Leave the letter alone, for later
[] Burn it, unopened
DEFERRED AND NOT FORGOTTEN:
[5] Find a quiet spot in the park
-[4] Make sure someone is bringing food
[6] Try to let Kyouko and Mami meet up and have a moment to reconnect
[5] Warn Yuuka that her father might be at risk of losing his job.
and then seriously consider:
[2] Tell Mami, Nanami, Homura about witches
[3] Talk to the NCs about staying NC, with reference to the grief budget
[2] Find a private moment with Kyouko to have [a detailed talk about who you are and its implications]
Mailing addresses in this updoot have been intentionally mangled such that they do not actually go anywhere valid. Please do not attempt to send mail to Simona.
- Location
- Central Standard Time
Oh, Ryouko.
---
[] Ask the resident love letter expert, Hitomi, to read it
I'm tempted.
---
[] Ask the resident love letter expert, Hitomi, to read it
I'm tempted.
- Location
- The infinite well of fanfics
The obvious course of action is to screen it then hand it over, not like we didn't do that with her post as it was when we were in the future anyway. We should warn papa because this is his house after all. Hitomi might be able to help out of its a love letter, but its Ryouko's letter and so she should read it first.
[x] Offer to screen it the letter first, for psychological warfare
-[x] Tell papa about who sent it
-[x] IF a love letter THEN Ask the resident love letter expert, Hitomi, to read it
--[x] AFTER Ryouko has read it
[x] Offer to screen it the letter first, for psychological warfare
-[x] Tell papa about who sent it
-[x] IF a love letter THEN Ask the resident love letter expert, Hitomi, to read it
--[x] AFTER Ryouko has read it
Last edited:
