Hey, I know you're joking and all, but I'm always open to input/better votes if anyone wants to pitch in. I just happen to be the schmuck that has a good portion of their Nasuverse lore put together.
[X] Plan No Surprise Mind Whammies Please (part 2)
You stare at the contact number you've only just entered into your phone earlier this night. You hope Father Despair will call you if he ever has problems dealing with his grief. Too much blood has already been shed because of his Sister, there doesn't need to be any more.
"You all did a really good job tonight," you say, pocketing your phone as you turn to face your team. "I know-" you swallow; is one-hundred dead anything to celebrate over? "-that things could have gone a lot better than they did, but given that we're all alive, I think we did the best we could have given the situation we found ourselves in."
"Now, I know you're all curious about Archer's Noble Phantasm-" curious may be an understatement; your servant has a labyrinth for a Noble Phantasm. "-But I promise you, as soon as I've had the chance to speak with him and can learn more about it, I'll make sure all of you are properly informed. I'm doubtful this will be the last time we need to make use of it."
Information about Berserker's final Noble Phantasm, the holy sword Arondight, appeared in your master's vision shortly after Kure Kirika's ill-fated ordering of its activation; logically, the same should apply here. Though he is hiding himself from sight, you look to your servant to read what might be seen.
The Heroic Spirit EMIYA does not have a true Noble Phantasm that is the crystallized embodiment of a hero's existence like many demonic or holy swords, but if a Noble Phantasm is considered to be a symbol of the Heroic Spirit, then the Reality Marble is his Noble Phantasm. It is a high-class thaumaturgy that embodies their internal world and imprints them upon the World as a Bounded Field for a short amount of time. It is their one true specialization of magecraft, the result of "Sword" being both their Origin and their Elemental Affinity, and the basis of their projection and reinforcement skills. It is the definite answer obtained by someone whose life was saved by a sword, actually merged and lived with a sword, and acted as a sword all of his life.
Interesting; Archer, no, Emiya Shirou's Noble Phantasm is not a labyrinth, but a Reality Marble. You recall McRemitz-san making the same mistake, but in reverse, that first night in Mitakihara. "Now, I know that McRemitz-san-" who is no longer present, having gone back to the apartment after taking care of Sister Hope's memories "-quoted us at one-hundred dead as of right now, but we need to know." You swallow the lump forming in your throat as you look to Tomoe-san and Mikuni Oriko. "How many more are we looking at?"
After a moment, Mikuni Oriko shakes her head, and with darkened eyes says "Too many, and the official numbers were still rising even from when I checked." Kure Kirika silently leans in, wrapping her arms around her lover's waist; the best comfort she can provide in these trying times.
Nobody wants to speak after that. Tomoe-san places a hand on her friend's shoulder, while Kyouko just sits there, staring at you as she taps her fingers against her leg. "I know we're kinda in the middle'a things here, Spooky, but where are ya gunna bring up what that weirdo lady said to ya?"
"Sorry." It isn't that you had forgotten what Nurse Ortensia said to you; it's just that you don't know when, given the circumstances, a good time to bring it up would be. Now would be as good a time as any. "I wish that were the only thing we had to deal with tonight, but there's another matter of importance I have to bring up." Your eyes dart over to Mikuni Oriko; this won't be easy for her to hear. "I think we should keep a closer eye on Nurse Ortensia."
"When I was speaking to her after she handed control of the other Lancer over to McRemitz-san, she hinted that she might attempt to make a move to kidnap either Kyouko or Mikuni Oriko, as part of 'her mission' here in the city." You knew this wouldn't be easy for Mikuni Oriko to hear. "What she plans to do after that, I'm not entirely clear on. She worded it as 'bringing them into the fold', but that could mean anything; from making them official members of the same branch of the Church as she, to outright brainwashing levels of indoctrination." From McRemitz-san's actions alone here tonight, you've seen enough of that part of the magical world to know that such a thing is indeed possible. You look to Tomoe-san and Kure Kirika, the closest contacts of Nurse Ortensia's potential targets also attending Mitakihara. "I trust neither of you have a problem with keeping a closer eye on her?"
"If Nurse O thinks she's gonna kidnap my Oriko, she's got another thing coming!" Kure Kirika proclaims. "I don't care if she's family; I kicked Oriko's uncle in the head, and I'll kick her in the head too if I have to!"
"Dearest, no, I'm sure it won't come to that." She says that, but Mikuni Oriko doesn't look as sure of that as her words would want you to believe. "I… I just hope this won't negatively impact my ability to get to know her better, that's all."
"Hopefully it won't." Your thoughts on Nurse Ortensia are conflicting ones, but your own thoughts don't matter in the face of Mikuni Oriko desiring to share a friendly relationship with her newfound family. "She was outnumbered even before she lost her servant. I would advise keeping your precognition alert and remaining cautious around her, but as long as you aren't sensing any danger from her you should be fine getting to know her. After all, you are family; I'm sure she'd like to get to know you as well."
Mikuni Oriko smiles at your words, saying "Thank you, Akemi-san" even though you can see that what you've told her is turning inside her head. "I'm sure I just need to give her some time, that's all."
"Right." You nod, rising and bowing for your host and the rest of your team. "With that, I think we should call it a night." You check the time on your phone; it's well after two in the morning. "As always Tomoe-san, thank you for having us; everyone else, I wish you all farewell and good night, and I apologize that we've had to close the night on such a sour note, right on the eve of our vacation." You look to Mikuni Oriko and Kure Kirika, saying to tomorrow's hosts "I really am looking forward to tomorrow. I haven't had the chance to go on a vacation in years, and never with friends before."
"Hey yeah-" Kyouko chimes in, asking "So, what about that, anyway? Is Blueberry gunna be there or what?"
"Yes," Tomoe-san answers for you. "Miki-san will be there." She smiles, exchanging a knowing look with you as she asks Kyouko "Were you hoping she'd be there, I wonder?"
Kyouko scratches at the back of her head as she responds "I mean… I don't even know what I said ta her that got her all pissed at me, but I guess I still kinda owe her an apology for it, whatever it was. I was just kinda hoping she'd be there so she wouldn't be able ta run off on me when I do; I mean, if she's still pissed at me, that is."
"She's had a lot on her plate lately. She is still angry, but I'm sure-" you aren't actually sure "-that she'd be willing to listen if you explained yourself and apologized." Your answer seems to appease Kyouko, but just as you turn to leave, a thought strikes you, and you ask Mikuni Oriko "I realize this might be asking too much of you, but do you think we should also invite McRemitz-san to come with us tomorrow? She's done just as much as we have defending this city tonight." And, keeping her nearby means you'll have an easier time keeping an eye on her, without having to expend the effort to make Assassin watch her in your absence.
Assassin… You hadn't thought about how having her around might impact your vacation plans. Will she understand if you don't want to touch her with Madoka around? Is it even safe to bring her along when you'll be around your unprotected friends? Stop it; stop it Homura. Stop trying to make trouble for yourself when all you want is to have a nice, relaxing time at the beach with Madoka and your friends. "Do you see any problems that might arise from inviting her?"
Mikuni Oriko ponders your question, finally responding with "I don't have a problem with it, but… Well, I don't know if we'll have the room. Between the five of us, your three other friends at school-" She looks over to Kure Kirika, adding "-Kirika's mother said she could get the time off to come with us, too; and I assume that the parents of your friends will want to make sure there's at least one trustworthy adult they all know among our group to act as a chaperone-"
"Not that we'd ever do anything we'd need adult supervision for," Kure Kirika chimes in with a wink directed at her lover.
"-so, that's already ten people, at the minimum. As it is, more than a few people are going to have to sleep out in the living room; and that's not even counting any of our servants who might want to come with us. I'm sorry, Akemi-san, but that's just the way it is. I don't have a problem with you inviting her, but McRemitz-san deserves to know that we'll be rather crowded even before she joins us."
You hadn't taken space considerations into account; Mikuni Oriko has such a large residence, that you naturally assumed that her beach house might have just as much space. "I see." Kure Kirika yawns; it's a real yawn this time, but that doesn't stop her from wrapping her arm around Mikuni Oriko all the same. "Thank you for informing me. I should be going now, and you both should as well; you especially," you say to Kure Kirika. "You should get some rest after what you've been through. I hope you feel better tomorrow."
Tomorrow. As you did yesterday, you've all got an exciting day ahead of you tomorrow; but thankfully, that excitement should only be positive.
Do you continue with the current plan of action?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
-[ ] What changes need to be made? (write-in your changes)
He gets mistaken as shady by Kirika Kure, leading to her drop-kicking him in the head to save Oriko from him. Kirika then proceeds to freak out when Oriko tells her who exactly she kicked.
Also, I just want to make clear to everyone voting for either yes, or some derivation of yes that isn't actually recognized as yes.
It's after 2 in the morning. Continuing with the plan as-is means we'll be, most likely, waking all of our muggle friends up when we call them, and possibly Bazett as well if she and Cu have finished tiring each other out when we get there. Just making sure that we're all okay with that.
[X] Plan No Surprise Mind Whammies Please (part 3)
You check the time on your phone as you reach for the key to your apartment; it's after two-thirty. You had been hoping to give Madoka, Sayaka, and Hitomi a call after everything was done, to let them know you were okay, but at this hour you'd only be waking them up. You'll hold off on speaking to them until morning. HItomi is likely to need hearing from you the most, now that you're thinking about it. Given her reaction when Archer found the corpse of a fellow sermon-goer the week before, once she puts two and two together and realizes that the same witch was responsible for tonight's massacre as well... You sigh; tomorrow is going to be a interesting day, to say the least.
The same holds true for McRemitz-san; while you had been planning to extend Mikuni Oriko's invitation to her when you returned home, it's much to late to be disturbing her. After her performance tonight, she deserves a good rest just as much as any of your allies. It's just a shame, you think, as you take your shoes off in the foyer and make your way to the living room, that you won't be resting for awhile still.
"Archer, we need to talk." You put all the stress your voice can muster into that word, need. Your servant has been hiding from this conversation for far too long; but now that the cat is out of the bag, some answers are finally in order.
Your servant appears at your side, taking a seat on the couch opposite your own. "And I suppose I have a lot to say," he responds, with none of his usual sarcastic playfulness present in his voice.
"Emiya Shirou," your tongue plays with the true name of your servant as you speak it. Solemnly, your servant nods, recognizing and accepting the name as his own. "The second night after we met, you told me a story about a boy named Emiya Shirou. A foolish boy who wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and become a hero of justice. A participant in the Holy Grail War, who loved his servant Saber, but who was unable to say those words to her until it was too late." You shake your head, muttering to yourself "In hindsight, I should have put it together myself sooner." Your focus returns to your servant, and you say "You've come a long way since then, haven't you?"
"I'd hardly agree that I'm anything like a hero, master, but go on; keep flattering me."
"Why don't you start from the beginning, then," you counter. Despite being so furtive with his private information, your servant has otherwise been an exemplary caretaker, and you're not willing to sit here and let a good man disparage himself without reason. "Tell me why you don't believe yourself to be a hero; and when you're done, I'll tell you whether or not I think you're correct."
"I'll do it; if it means no one has to cry."
"In truth, there were four Grail Wars to which I was a participant. The only difference between the first and the three you already know about is that I went through that first time as Emiya Shirou, rather than as the servant Archer. Actually, you could almost say that the first two were just repeats of one another, with the only difference being whose perspective I saw it all through. Back then..." Your servant sighs, looking up as if searching the invisible heavens for something beyond sight. "... I really was an idiot back then. I wanted so desperately to become a hero of justice, to fulfill the promise I made to my father, that I would pick up where he left off, that I gave up everything else that might, in another life, have actually mattered to me. I left my home, the people I might have called my friends; I even left behind the name of Emiya Shirou; and for what?"
"I went around the world, to war zones, to places wracked by famine and disease, trying to save as many people as I could. I even fell into the same trap that you yourself did; by making a pact with a force beyond my comprehension, I thought I could gain the power to save even more people. But in the end, no matter how hard you try, you can't save anyone if they don't want to be saved."
"What happened then?" you ask, confident that the answer is just as miserable as you would expect from a story like that.
"I'm surprised you even have to ask. I became the so-called hero of justice I had longed for; but all I got in return was a life of regrets. In time, the people I tried to save came to resent me. They didn't ask to be saved, and in the end they even came to blame me for their suffering. That was when the life of Emiya Shirou ended, betrayed by the very same heroic ideal he had striven to follow."
"In life, I allied with the Counter Force. In death, I became the Counter Force, as a guardian of humanity, challenging those who disrupted the balance of the world. I did whatever I was ordered to do. I killed, and I killed; I killed without ceasing; I killed, until I finally stopped caring. Every life I took meant thousands more would survive. I fought over and over, whenever I was needed; again, and again, and again. In time, I learned that no matter how many live I took, there would always be more." Your servant shakes his head, and were it not for his hardened visage telling you otherwise, you would almost expect to see tears flecking the corners of your servant's eyes. "That's why I've had such a hard time accepting your desire to work with Mikuni and Kure. I've seen firsthand what kind of path they've trod upon, thinking they can kill the few to save the many. Only, rather than being forced into accepting that path as I was, they chose to walk down that path of their own free will."
"All I truly wanted was a world without tears, the kind of world in which no one I knew ever had cause to cry; and that's when it hit me- The dream that Emiya Shirou had for this world was shallow idealism. I'm not a hero; I'm just the guy the World sends to take out the trash."
"That doesn't sound like it was easy," you say, knowing all too well what it feels like to be caught in an endless loop, trodden on by Fate until the dream you've been chasing all this time seems completely unreachable.
"Make no mistake, I hated what I had become. I hated it so much that I even tried to kill the Emiya Shirou in front of me, in the hope that if I destroyed him before he could turn into me, that I might free myself from this afterlife I've been cursed with; and yet..." Archer places a hand to his chest, Projecting the tip of sheath Avalon as if drawing it out of his own body. "Somewhere along the way, that beautiful dream must have come back to me. In the Grail Wars that I fought as Archer, I had the chance to see the ideals of Emiya Shirou forged into something greater-" your servant smiles, reaching over the table to place a hand on your shoulder "-and here, I've been given the chance to save people, the way I always dreamed about as a boy."
"It's impossible to save everyone; you might save many, but you leave the few to die. There's just no way around that. But here, I've found girls whose happiness was destined to die, and been given the chance to save them instead. So, thank you, master-" Your servant withdraws his hand from your shoulder, smiling; and in that smile, you can make out the features of the boy you see in your dreams; Emiya Shirou. "-I may not be a hero, but working with you has given me the chance to be something like a hero to the people that matter to you."
"In choosing to save someone," you say, echoing the words Archer imparted on you back then "you choose not to save someone else. In choosing to help me save Madoka, you've forsaken the many you fought so hard to protect all your life." You speak without judgement; how can you judge this man sitting in front of you? "And it's true; hundreds are likely dead because we didn't figure out the witch's riddle in time; but still, there's countless more people in this city who owe their lives to you for everything you've done tonight." How does that make you any different from Mikuni Oriko, accepting that those that died had to in order to save everyone else? "Without your help, I would never have found the strength to reach out to the people around me. Kaname Madoka's life would still be in danger were it not for you. Tomoe Mami, Mikuni Oriko and Kure Kirika would all be dead by now were it not for you. Without you, Miki Sayaka would have contracted by now, resigning herself and Sakura Kyouko to an inescapable death. Without you, I would be facing Walpurgisnacht by myself."
"I hardly think it's fair to pin all the blame on me," your servant says, as just the slightest hint of his usual mirth returns to his voice. "You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for; I'm sure you could have figured out how to save everybody even without my help."
"You're wrong!" You don't mean to shout at your servant, but you can't help it; the words escape you without your control. "Just like you, I've tried, and I've tried, and I've tried; I've tried over and over again to make this a reality, but nothing I try has ever worked! Your presence is the only thing that's different this time!" You breathe in deep, forcing yourself to calm down before your screams wake your upstairs neighbor. "Whether you want to believe me or not, Archer, your presence here has changed things. Quite frequently it's changed then in ways I can't even begin to understand; but it's impossible for me to deny that without you, I'd be dead in the water by now."
"You are a hero of justice, Emiya Shirou, because I say you are; and as your master, you have to obey everything I say."
Your servant laughs, and when he again finds himself he says "Very well; if my master is you, then I can accept an order like that. But I'm assuming that isn't all you were hoping to hear from me tonight; am I correct?"
You nod; you've still got questions yet for your servant. "There's something that's confusing to me- By your own accounts, the Emiya Shirou that is you has existed in multiple Grail Wars alongside an Emiya Shirou that was not you; how is that possible? Lancer, Caster, Rider, Assassin, and Berserker, are all legendary heroes who have been dead for a very long time; so how is it possible that you could exist simultaneously alongside the person you had once been? It just doesn't make any sense to me."
"The other Lancer servant that we met; my first encounter with him was when he stabbed me through the heart as Emiya Shirou. I was saved, entirely by chance, when the person who would later become my master happened upon my body. After my life was spared, I carried with me the memento she had left me, a unique pendant that had once belonged to her father. A heroic spirit cannot be summoned without a catalyst, but Tohsaka Rin didn't have one to use in the invocation." This is news to you; but then, only Mikuni Oriko and Kure Kirika actually summoned their servants in the proper way, according to Archer. So then why did Archer appear before you if you had no catalyst, and how could Assassin have answered your summons without one either?
"She assumed, wrongly, that she had summoned a servant based on personal compatibility-" Ah, that would explain it. But Archer and Assassin have more than their fair share of traits in common with you; summoning them would have been easy no matter what you did "-but no heroic spirit is ever called upon by chance; a link must exist between the summoner and the spirit."
"But wait-" you say, to which Archer gives you a look; one that says he already knows what you're about to ask him.
"Yes, that piece of the puzzle was provided by the heroic spirit being summoned, and not the summoner. To a heroic spirit, time has no meaning; therefore, as long as link a exists between the summoner and the servant, it's entirely possible to summon a heroic spirit from the future. Without knowing it, Tohsaka Rin had summoned the future Emiya Shirou to fight for her, in the same Grail War which the present Emiya Shirou was also a participant." Archer turns his head; based on the orientation of your house, he's almost certainly looking somewhere to the southwest. But why? "And now, seven years later, you've also summoned the future Emiya Shirou, despite the present Emiya Shirou still being very much alive."
"And what about your Reality Marble?" McRemitz-san had been terrified when she encountered her first labyrinth; perhaps in her world, what is represented by the manifestation of an entity's inner world is different from your own. In that case, you need to learn more about Archer's Noble Phantasm, and whether it might pose a threat to you and your team when you find yourself forced to use it again. "What does it mean, to you; and would the present Emiya Shirou also have one as well?"
Archer nods, saying "It would be impossible for him not to have one. The Unlimited Blade Works is the culmination of one whose Origin and Element are 'sword', whose life was saved by a sword, and who lived as a sword all his life. Even before Tohsaka Rin saved our lives, the life of Emiya Shirou had already been saved once before, when our father, Emiya Kiritsugu, implanted us with the holy sheath Avalon in order to save us from the fire that had engulfed the city. Because of that man's action, our lives were spared, and Emiya Shirou was reborn as one who was a 'sword' in mind, spirit, and body."
"I see," you say to your servant. Sword must truly be the conception of Archer's inner mind, to manifest his reality as he does. But then, it's not as though these things are as uncommon as McRemitz-san believes, if it's true that witches don't truly have a monopoly on inner worlds. You suppose you can accept that Archer has one, also. "Thank you for telling me. Now, if you'll excuse me I should probably be getting to sleep. Good night, Archer, and thank you for all your help so far."
Assassin is waiting for you in the hallway as you exit the living room to find your rest. "Master." She addresses you with a curt and clipped tone, before her voice fades into the slightly warmer tone you hear her use in her more comfortable moments. "It has been a long day, and we have not yet made time to touch. Is there something the matter?"
"Sorry," you reply, shaking your head. You really don't want to deal with this right now, but if she insists... "Today has been unavoidably long, and right now I need sleep." Assassin is downcast, until you add "However, you have my permission, just this once, to touch me while I'm sleeping." You'll need some way to ensure that her touch never approaches the untoward; perhaps Archer would be willing to watch her, and cut her off after an hour or two so you can get your rest. "Just let me get changed first."
Assassin nods, waiting patiently outside while you enter your room. You grab your Assassinwear, changing into the jean shorts and yellow spaghetti-strip shirt you've come to associate with your second servant's needy touch, and open the door for her. "Remember," you say, finding your place in the comfort of your bed as Assassin joins you; a move to which Amy responds by immediately scampering out of the room. "This is only for tonight. Don't expect this kind of treatment to become a regular thing."
"Of course, master."
You close your eyes, and allow Assassin's touch to find you as you depart from the realm of the waking. The bedsprings in McRemitz-san's mattress sound really loud, you think, unable to escape their constant crunching even as consciousness slips from your grasp. Maybe you should think about replacing the mattress for her. It sounds like it's really uncomfortable.
And that caps off Day 31, the last day of Part 2; and what's this? An ED that isn't Magia? This is Live and Die, by XAI, the ending theme of the third Netflix Godzilla movie that served as so much inspiration for tonight's boss fight. We'll have our choice of three EDs come the Last Day, depending on whether we get the Bad End, the Good End, or the True End.
Now, with this being the end of a major Part, I'd ask that we all update our character relations, but while we're updating them, I'd like to hear not just our thoughts on those characters, but their thoughts on us. In addition, I'd also like to hear everyone's thoughts on Part 2 as a whole, as well as what you're hoping and dreading for Part 3.
Now, one last thing- It's almost certain that I won't be able to make major story posts for the coming week. Whether you get omakes to fill that gap or not, or whether I am able to find the time in-between everything else on my plate, I can't say. So until I know for sure, this has been Part 2. We'll pick up with Part 3 as soon as I have the chance.
Walpol is only the final boss; there's still 15 days to go before she appears, and anything can happen during that time. Intervention by the Mage's Association or the Church, an Apocrypha War, surprise Fuyuki cameos; who knows what I've got in store, but I'd love to hear what people are hoping and dreading for.
Well, Archer already called Rin and gave her the scoop on Mikitahara before all this went down. So, after the disaster that was the Witch of the Black Mountain, I imagine she's going to send someone here, if not come herself.
Well thanks for another great arc. I'm looking forward to whatever crazy things come next. I am worried about just how absurdly powerful almost all the Witches in this arc were and what that bodes for the future, but they generally handled well and served to remind us that Homura can't have nice things without something coming along and trying to ruin it all. I do think that Homura's growth in this arc has been really well done and it's nice to see her have some amount of happiness even if she has to work for it.
Don't mind me; I'm just copy-pasting some affection changes. Nothing to see here.
[7.5 -> 8] Tomoe Mami - She would've ranked up sooner if it weren't for her aloofness, but luckily she and Homura are getting more in sync and understanding more of one another
[6.5 -> 7] Sakura Kyoko - Kyoko's barely eeking this one out before the vacation, but surviving and persevering through a catastrophe like Elsa Maria has a way of bringing people together, especially since Kyoko's in danger of being kidnapped sometime in the future
[6 -> 7] Mikuni Oriko - Oriko's just shooting up the ranks as time goes by, and with Homura defending and getting into Oriko's mindset so much it's no wonder they're getting closer in some ways.
[4.5 -> 5] Kure Kirika - Kinda the same as Kyoko mixed in with a little bit of guilt while being tapered off by Kirika's annoyance back when Homura was trying to train in time-stop. She's a mixed bag for Homura, currently.
[8-> 9.5] Archer - The only thing that was holding Archer back from jumping up some ranks was Archer's mysteriousness (ironic, I know; Homura definitely summoned a Servant well suited for her) and secrets; since the cat's out of the bag, Archer's become more like the father/guardian figure that he was only pretending to be beforehand to Homura, in her eyes.
[5] True Assassin - She's a mixed bag; some good and some bad. She obviously hasn't done anything to make Homura outright dislike her, even if her presence has been kinda unsettling.
[4.5] Caren Ortensia - Went from kinda neutral, to a 5.5, then down to a 4.5 in the same battle. While Caren hasn't outright agreed with the actions her Church could take, she hasn't disagreed with them either; her mixed bag of helping them save the city vs her future potential kidnapping of Kyoko/Oriko is what warranted such a weird change in ratings.
[5 -> 6] Bazett Fraga McRemitz - Oh, would you look at that, they're acquaintances now. Bazett has only done good for Homura and co and the city so far, even going as far as to redact some information from her reports to help them. She's definitely earned this rating, at least.
Kaname Madoka: No change, aside from copious amounts of love. Also probably some apprehension about her hidden power yet gratefulness for the option that doesn't include the Incubator.
Miki Sayaka: Same, but closer. Doesn't like how she's getting closer to Oriko and Kirika. Also still kinda jealous of her power, but willing to trust Homura/Hitomi to follow through with that "Magic Batman" scheme and learning Formalcraft.
Shizuki Hitomi: "Everything Homura and Archer-san has shown me about Magecraft is utterly fascinating and incredible and I'm glad that they showed me that I had the potential for it. It feels great researching into the unknown - at least for pretty much everyone - and I'm excited to make some of my own discoveries and creations using Magecraft, be it in spellwork or in making these 'Mystic Codes' Archer-san brought up. After that close call that Homura saved me from, I feel even more motivated to learn as much Magecraft as I can in order to help protect myself and my friends, though I still feel very shaken up by the whole thing. I'm glad that Homura came into our lives, even if she seemingly brought a lot of strife with her, as I might have been dead to rights without her interference."
Tomoe Mami: "Akemi-san is the reason why the Holy Quintet exists at all, and I'm very grateful for her help and direction even if it has coincidentally coincided with such horrific events happening. I consider her a true friend and close ally and I trust her judgement going forward. I no longer feel alone now that she's helped bring us all together, and I know that we'll do great things as a team in the future."
Sakura Kyoko: "Spooky's alright in my book, even if she's pretty nosy about me and blueberry. She still owes me after I had Rider use his badass move against the Black Mountain Witch. Gotta admit, though, that without her the city would'a been screwed, and maybe me along with it."
Mikuni Oriko: "Homura's done so much for me and Kirika and I can't thank her enough. Being with her I've discovered that I didn't need to do such horrible things to help save everyone, and she's pushed me back onto the right track morally and helped me regain some confidence in myself. It's thanks to her that I didn't end up as nothing but a psychopathic murderer in the eyes of everyone, and through her forgiveness I found Christianity and God. She's even helping me deal with the consequences of my actions which should be mine to bear alone by all rights; I will be eternally grateful to Akemi Homura, I just hope that we can still save the world by following her actions and beliefs."
Kure Kirika: "She's an annoying 'I know everything best' type of person, but she's also someone who's helping Oriko and I was told to try and play nice. She's alright after everything, I guess, and we could really work good together; I just wish she'd give me the chance to use one of her guns again."
Archer: Is basically Homura's guardian at this point as Taiga was to him (familially, not Taiga's craziness). Cares for Homura.
True Assassin: Exalted. Fanatically so. Just as long as she can touch Homura without killing her, she's all good and perfectly content, if wanting for a bit more.
Caren Ortensia: An interesting and somewhat annoying person who she can't really get much reaction out of. Miffed that she lost Lancer due to Homura's actions.
Bazett Fraga McRemitz: Getting used to working with Homura and co and is incredibly grateful she doesn't have to worry about renting and eventually being kicked out of a hotel due to bad luck and also for her assistance in finally getting her Lancer back. Also thankful to Homura for one of the greatest nights of her life and the fulfillment of one of her childhood dreams.
I'm leaving out the most recent revelations of the city's massacre, as it'd pretty much be universally "oh no, what a horrible thing, thankfully Homura stopped most of it, but could she have done better with/by doing X?" and other what-ifs; we don't even know if Homura's friends are even aware of what's approximately happened anyways, since they might have been asleep at the time.
My thoughts of Part 2? It was great aside from Assassin's whole situation. Assassin was more of an annoyance that just wouldn't die, and she didn't really have much of an impact nor a capability to do so, you know? Prob would've been better if Assassin took a foray - under the instruction of her familiar - into the city to spy on Homura and identity her friends and allies; maybe attacking/kidnapping one of them in order to fulfill some sort of plan by her familiar. Something a bit more active towards Homura and co to cement her as a real enemy and dangerous threat rather than an annoyance.
I am really looking forward to Part 3. I can't wait to see what kind of intervention the Mage's Association will send, if not the extermination squad; and they will send one or more people if they get wind of this, that's for sure. The Church prob won't though due to Caren being Caren and not reporting them. If the apocrypha does trigger during part 3 that would be amazing and entertaining, especially if Homura and co have more trouble diplomancing them into ceasing hostilities and teaming up against Walpurgis due to "being tricky enemy Masters", though it isn't necessarily a guarantee.
