[x] The vote
"If you actually knew what you meant when you say "All the World's Evils", then you would not be so quick to accept it."
As Archer speaks, you can hear words as they float on the wind, working their way into your thoughts like a maggot burrowing through rotted flesh. Angra Mainyu... A sharp chill runs down your spine as these words you have never heard turns the blood in your veins to ice.
You and Mikuni Oriko both turn your attention towards Archer. You're no stranger to his cryptic words, but thanks to the ill premonition you received only moments ago this one perhaps stands in a league of its own. "I'm afraid I don't understand, Archer," Mikuni Oriko speaks up, daring to ask your servant the question you can tell is one better left unanswered. "What do you mean by that?"
"What I'm saying, Mikuni, is that there are things in this world far beyond your comprehension. You think that a witch trying to create heaven on earth is scary? Then allow me to enlighten you about just how little you really know of the World." Archer pulls his chair up just a little bit closer to the table, resting an elbow on it. "See, the World is a living, breathing organism just like you. And, just like you, the World is driven to survive, no matter what. But sometimes, things get in the way of that. Fortunately, the World has a... Well, you can think of it as the World's immune system, almost. So, if you compare this paradise-obsessed witch you're so scared of to a virus, then the World has white blood cells meant to counteract that virus. These white blood cells are sent to an area afflicted with whatever threat to its existence the World has identified, and they kill. And kill, and kill, and kill, until there's nothing left."
"You saw none of this, I presume?" Mikuni Oriko shakes her head, her hollow eyes matching the lethargy of her swaying neck. "I thought as much. If you had, you would have run from this city screaming for mercy. The World would never allow something like what you describe to occur. The second the World thought it was in danger of ceasing to exist as it does, that witch and anyone even remotely involved would have been wiped off the map."
"Is that... Is that what you meant by "All the World's Evils"?"
Archer scoffs. "As if. No, that's something completely different entirely. There's a whole bunch of things out there that your precognitions will likely never show to you, simply because you lack the knowledge base to even conceptualize their existence."
Does she even dare to ask? "What... What sort of things?" Yes, clearly she does.
"Oh, nothing too out of the ordinary. Monsters of calamity that make even the strongest of witches look like clowns at a child's birthday party, men who can break the laws of physics over their knee like a twig, magic that can cross dimensions, recreate miracles from the gods, warp the foundations of reality, things like that. You know, nothing special, really."
As a rule, you had never thought of yourself as someone that was all that important. You had no need to, when next to your fading candlelight Madoka was a brightly-burning star. But it seems that you are an even smaller part of an even larger world than you had ever thought to consider. And yet, Archer speaks of all this with such a blase attitude, as though it really is just nothing out of the ordinary for him.
You still have no idea who your servant is.
You clear your throat, saying "Yes, well, thank you for that, Archer. Unfortunately, that's all the time we have to devote to scaring Mikuni Oriko. So if we could all get back to business, that would be great."
Archer leans back in his chair,, staring off into the nothingness of the wall behind Mikuni Oriko with a look of smug satisfaction on his face. "Anyway," you turn to address Mikuni Oriko "You said that you might try to help Lancer through whatever problem she has with Caster, yes? Perhaps if nothing else works, you might want to try using a Command Seal on her. Forcibly dispel within her the notion that Caster is Sigurd." You glance over to Archer, looking for affirmation that your suggestion is a valid one. His nod is subtle, but it's enough to confirm your suggestion.
"And what about Berserker?" Mikuni Oriko asks, taking to your suggestion faster than you had anticipated. "Could Kirika perhaps use a Command Seal on Berserker to lessen the pain that controlling him causes her?"
Once again, you look to Archer, prodding him for an answer with your thoughts. But Archer shrugs. "That would depend on a number of things, really. The kind of pain that controlling Berserker inflicts on Kure, as well as how specific she can get with her commands. Since you're such a frequent user of them, I'm sure you're aware by now that their power wanes the vaguer your command is. If all she can tell him is "stop hurting me" I doubt it's going to help, but if she can get a bit more specific with her instructions, then there's a chance."
Mikuni Oriko smiles. "... Any chance is better than none, if it means my dearest can be free from pain. Thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart."
You are fairly certain that Kure Kirika would see things differently if she knew who her lover was thanking. "One last thing, though by now it should be fairly obvious. If you're really going to try to work with me, then I need you to promise that you won't go out and start killing again."
"I promise."
Her words are sincere; her delivery, strong and unwavering. "Very well; I'll hold you to your promise, then." You stand, offering your newest tentative ally the shallowest bow you can muster. "I thank you for your time and your cooperation, Mikuni Oriko. I'll speak with Tomoe-san tomorrow, and if you have a preferred time, I can get back to you about whether she'll be willing to set up some team-building exercises for us."
"Well, Kirika hasn't left the house since... I'm usually home taking care of her, so really any time that's convenient for you and Tomoe-san will work." Mikuni Oriko's hand reaches into her pocket, pulling out her phone. "Do you need my number? Or did Tomoe-san give it to you already?"
Mikuni Oriko's response catches you off-guard. You blink, trying to dispel the shock from your system. "Number? No, I'm going to message you telepathically. Did you forget that we are puella magi?"
"No, actually, I... I didn't know that was something we could do. Lancer told me that masters and servants share a connection like that, but Kirika and I have always used our phones to communicate, so I just assumed-"
"Here, see? Like this."
Mikuni Oriko stares at you, her eyes widening like a child's as they discover something new and wonderful for the first time. "Well, this is... Rather convenient. I think I would still prefer the phone at times, but... Thank you, Akemi-san."
[ ] Ask for Mikuni Oriko's number anyway
[ ] Ask Tomoe-san for Mikuni Oriko's number
[ ] Don't bother getting Mikuni Oriko's number
Regardless of your answer, do you
[ ] Have anything else you want to say to Mikuni Oriko?
-[ ] Yes (write-in what you want to say)
-[ ] No
[ ] Leave the cafe
-[ ] but get something to go before you leave
-[ ] and head home without getting anything
-[ ] and head out to hunt a witch
--[ ] Invite Mikuni Oriko to join you in your hunt
--[ ] Where do you hunt (write-in where you hunt)
[ ] Other (write-in)
?
