Confringentur, Mk.2; a Madoka Magica / Fate/Stay Night crossover
- Thread starter SVS
- Start date
- Crossover
- Location
- United States
[jk] Kidnap Miyuki and place her in front of Caster so that Caster could exposition already known information to somebody for a change
[X] Plan Let's Just Ask Her Right Now
-[X] Relay Caster's insight to Homura telepathically, and ask her if she'd be fine with you contacting Miyuki over Caster's Gilgaphone with Caster to sate Caster's curiosity
--[X] (Homura) Reluctantly agree; if push comes to shove and if she's somehow hostile towards you and your team (assuming she summons Saber for whatever reason), you could always somehow arrange for Miyuki to give up her Command Seals and her contract to Saber considering your overwhelming roster of powerful and variable teammates/allies
-[X] Ask Caster if you and him could contact Miyuki now over his telepathic phone to explain things, partly because Miyuki is probably under strict house arrest and under a lot of prying eyes, and partly to avoid using the Incubator's network via another Puella Magi to prevent the Incubator from learning any more about the Servant system; Homura texting Miyuki would take far too long and it would have to wait until much later in the day when school is out
--[X] If he agrees, give Miyuki a call
---[X] "Hey Miyuki, it's Homura's Dad." Explain the whole telepathy business and let her get used to telepathy while in public (which she presumably is). "Just calling to explain what that little 'rash' of yours actually is." Inform her that what she has isn't a rash, but rather a sign that Command Seals are manifesting. When she asks what Command Seals are, give her the basic rundown of the Grail and Servant situation, where seven Heroic Spirits are summoned by seven Masters to battle it out in a deathmatch in order to gain a wish from the Holy Grail, except the Grail is corrupted by All the World's Evils and broken and won't be granting wishes, ever. You understand that she is probably looking to live a more normal, safer life, so you thought you'd better give her a heads up and confirm whether or not she'll be looking to summon a Servant in the near future or not; if she consciously doesn't want to summon a Servant, the Grail system usually respects that and prevents such a thing from happening, however even you aren't too sure considering the current status of the Grail. In any case, if she decides to allow herself to summon a Servant, she should know that maintaining one will be a constant drain on her magical energy reserves and cause her to accumulate far more Grief over time than as per normal assuming they use any of their abilities, which could be a problem if she's looking to live a more normal life, not to mention the fact that the last remaining Servant available to be summoned being a rather large magical energy drain.
----[X] Encourage Caster to intersperse his own tidbits of information and exposition while explaining things to Miyuki
--[X] If he doesn't agree, take action depending on his reasons; who are you to ignore the reasonings of the wise king who can read the truth of the world, after all?
Hm, it would be awfully inconvenient for Miyuki to be the one to summon Saber, especially since she goes to school and lives in an entirely different location than the rest of the cast; that's assuming she would be anywhere near as compliant to Homura and co's demands and/or scheduling to make introducing her and Saber into the Holy Quintet worth it. There's no way they should allow Miyuki to summon Saber and not bring her into the fold and integrate them into the team, since Walpurgis is a thing that's going to happen.
In any case, summoning a Servant should mean that Miyuki would have to be prepared to get into life-and-death fights in the future, and I'm not so sure she'd be thrilled about that considering we're under the impression that the Shirome girls probably want to live more peaceful/normal lives.
Telepathically is just much more easier, and there's no way Miyuki isn't going to be monitored and under lock and key for the foreseeable future due to the whole "Homura kidnapping her for a week" thing. Just a normal situation in Homura's life, right?
[X] Plan Let's Just Ask Her Right Now
-[X] Relay Caster's insight to Homura telepathically, and ask her if she'd be fine with you contacting Miyuki over Caster's Gilgaphone with Caster to sate Caster's curiosity
--[X] (Homura) Reluctantly agree; if push comes to shove and if she's somehow hostile towards you and your team (assuming she summons Saber for whatever reason), you could always somehow arrange for Miyuki to give up her Command Seals and her contract to Saber considering your overwhelming roster of powerful and variable teammates/allies
-[X] Ask Caster if you and him could contact Miyuki now over his telepathic phone to explain things, partly because Miyuki is probably under strict house arrest and under a lot of prying eyes, and partly to avoid using the Incubator's network via another Puella Magi to prevent the Incubator from learning any more about the Servant system; Homura texting Miyuki would take far too long and it would have to wait until much later in the day when school is out
--[X] If he agrees, give Miyuki a call
---[X] "Hey Miyuki, it's Homura's Dad." Explain the whole telepathy business and let her get used to telepathy while in public (which she presumably is). "Just calling to explain what that little 'rash' of yours actually is." Inform her that what she has isn't a rash, but rather a sign that Command Seals are manifesting. When she asks what Command Seals are, give her the basic rundown of the Grail and Servant situation, where seven Heroic Spirits are summoned by seven Masters to battle it out in a deathmatch in order to gain a wish from the Holy Grail, except the Grail is corrupted by All the World's Evils and broken and won't be granting wishes, ever. You understand that she is probably looking to live a more normal, safer life, so you thought you'd better give her a heads up and confirm whether or not she'll be looking to summon a Servant in the near future or not; if she consciously doesn't want to summon a Servant, the Grail system usually respects that and prevents such a thing from happening, however even you aren't too sure considering the current status of the Grail. In any case, if she decides to allow herself to summon a Servant, she should know that maintaining one will be a constant drain on her magical energy reserves and cause her to accumulate far more Grief over time than as per normal assuming they use any of their abilities, which could be a problem if she's looking to live a more normal life, not to mention the fact that the last remaining Servant available to be summoned being a rather large magical energy drain.
----[X] Encourage Caster to intersperse his own tidbits of information and exposition while explaining things to Miyuki
--[X] If he doesn't agree, take action depending on his reasons; who are you to ignore the reasonings of the wise king who can read the truth of the world, after all?
Hm, it would be awfully inconvenient for Miyuki to be the one to summon Saber, especially since she goes to school and lives in an entirely different location than the rest of the cast; that's assuming she would be anywhere near as compliant to Homura and co's demands and/or scheduling to make introducing her and Saber into the Holy Quintet worth it. There's no way they should allow Miyuki to summon Saber and not bring her into the fold and integrate them into the team, since Walpurgis is a thing that's going to happen.
In any case, summoning a Servant should mean that Miyuki would have to be prepared to get into life-and-death fights in the future, and I'm not so sure she'd be thrilled about that considering we're under the impression that the Shirome girls probably want to live more peaceful/normal lives.
Way ahead of you. All praise the golden two-thirds demigod.
Telepathically is just much more easier, and there's no way Miyuki isn't going to be monitored and under lock and key for the foreseeable future due to the whole "Homura kidnapping her for a week" thing. Just a normal situation in Homura's life, right?
- Location
- Around here
She literally is in the same class as Oriko. Granted, it is inconvenient to organise schedules because of this, but it's not like it would be anything worse than what we're already used to dealing with. I mean, look at Kirika; she has to make that commute twice a day, and the only times she was ever late was because she was missing her legs. I tihnk there are plenty of other reasons to try talking Miyuki out of it than because she lives in Shirome.
- Location
- United States
... I forgot. Just tired, sorry 'bout that. 😅
Good thing Archer isn't attempting to convince her with such an argument, thankfully.
[X] Plan Let's Just Ask Her Right Now
- Location
- Florida
I'm voting, I'm voting! Sheesh, you nag worse than the government does for my taxes! (Jk)
[X] Plan Let's Just Ask Her Right Now
- Location
- Around here
And just like the government can't function without the theft of your hard-earned cash, this quest can't function without votes. However, while the government has the threat of violence and/or prison time to leverage against its subjects, I can only nag like a housewife.
[X] Plan Let's Just Ask Her Right Now
Day 35 Chapter 5
- Location
- Around here
[X] Plan Let's Just Ask Her Right Now
"Hi."
"I hope there's more to this than just interrupting me int he middle of class."
"There is-" You look over to Caster; he's waiting for you to get off the line with Homura, so that you can ask him about borrowing his phone. You already know that he already knows what you're planning on doing. "-A slight problem, with respect to sourcing a replacement master now that Hitomi's stepped out of the ring."
"What do you mean? Did Caster tell you not to get Madoka or Sayaka involved? Do we have to find someone else?"
"Not quite. See, Caster thinks, given the situation, that we at least owe it to Nagatsuki to explain things to her. Now, I know what you're thinking, and believe me I'm behind you alll the way. But I'm hoping that Caster sees something we've missed; maybe he knows that Nagatsuki will opt out of summoning Saber once we tell her what's going on; or he's seen that we'll need specifically her Saber for whatever reason." You wish you had even the slightest idea of what Caster was thinking, what he had seen of Nagatsuki's future, to where he wanted her filled in to the War around her. "You know as well as I do that getting a straight answer from the guy is no easy feat, but I'm hoping that there's some reason we can't just pre-empt Nagatsuki by getting someone else to summon Saber before she can."
There's a wait time of several seconds before you get to hear Homura's response. "I suppose if that's the advice Caster gave you, it would be foolish to dismiss it. I'm sure he gave it for a reason. I just wish I knew what that reason was."
"So do I."
"If it comes down to it, I suppose we can always force her to give up her Command Seals and Saber to someone else if we think she's not going to work out."
"Hopefully it doesn't come to that," you say, terminating the link and letting Homura get back to her classwork. "If it's alright with you, I need to borrow your phone." Caster nods, and without a word a portal to Babylon opens, depositing his exquisite phone into your waiting hands. "Thanks," you say, picking the mouthpiece up off the cradle. "Well, here goes nothing."
"Nagatsuki Miyuki."
"Kyubey? No, your voice is too deep... Who the heck is this, and how did you get in my head?"
At least this one's no stranger to having people speak to her inside of her head; means you won't have to explain to her not to freak out or signal to the people around her that something's off. That makes your job just a little bit easier. Just a little bit. No reason to assume everything will be easy from this point on. "This is Akemi Homura's father. There are some things we need to talk about."
"Yeah, uh-huh, that's a really good one. But no, seriously, who the hell are you and how did you get into my head?"
"Magic," you say, as though the answer couldn't be any more obvious. "And yes, I am being serious. Homura told me about that little rash on the back of your hand; well, I'm here to tell you that your 'rash' isn't exactly what you think it is."
"You'll understand if I'm still more than a little hesitant to believe anything you say. I mean, you're just some voice inside my head, right? I've never met you before or anything."
"I understand." You'd probably be a little weirded out if someone were to contact you inside your head, especially if you were only just getting used to the idea that such a thing were possible and you had never met the 'person' you were supposedly 'speaking' with. "But I think you'll want to hear what I have to say all the same."
You're sure an unheard sigh is punctuating the silence as you wait for Nagatsuki to respond. "Alright, I don't suppose I have much of a choice in the matter, do I?"
Well, that's debatable. Caster wants her to have the knowledge so she can make her own choice regarding her fate; and in the strictest sense, she has a choice whether or not to even hear what you have to say. It's passive-aggressive, yes, but Nagatsuki is still choosing to let you speak to her, when she could just as easily have hung up. Assuming she knows how to hang up on another person's telepathic intrusion into her thoughts, that is. "I'll start from the beginning, then. Your 'rash' is actually a sign that you're manifesting Command Seals. I'll fill you in on what those are in just a second, but first I need to lay out some background information so you know what I'm talking about. See, it all starts with a magical artifact called the 'Holy Grail'..."
If you had a hundred-Yen coin for every time you've had to explain the fundamentals about the Holy Grail and the servant system it props up, you'd have enough money to where you wouldn't have needed to rob the Yakuza in order to pay for Kure Minako's new lifestyle. Sadly, you don't, and so once again you have to start from the beginning and explain the system entirely free of charge. Fortunately, Nagatsuki is at least a cooperative listener; she doesn't do anything to make your job more difficult, she asks questions, and at least it seems like she's not going out of her way to doubt the things you're saying, for as much as you're sure she's skeptical about a lot of it.
"... After what Homura tells me you've all been through, I can understand why you might not want to involve yourself in all of this. If that's the case, we can either go ahead and find someone else to summon Saber in your stead, or we can make preparations to transfer either your Seals or control of your servant over to another master. I don't know which one you would prefer, or even if you'd prefer to stay out of this at all; but we do need an answer soon before your Command Seals materialise. We've had instances of servants spontaneously appearing without being summoned, so if we let your Seals sit on you for too long there's the chance that might happen to you."
You think that's enough information for Nagatsuki to make her decision by, and now you'll give her the time she needs to think about what you've just told her. Hopefully she doesn't take too long, not now when time is most certainly of the essence. "I... I just have one question." Well, that didn't take long of her at all, actually. "... Why me? I mean, from everything you and Akemi have told me, the Incubator was scraping the bottom of the barrel when it came to my friends and I; so why me? Why not, I dunno, a more experienced puella magi? You know, someone who actually knows their way around all this stuff and what it can do. Not... Not someone like me."
"It's a cliche answer, I know; but the Grail works in mysterious ways. You aren't the only person who had the potential to be the master of Saber, but the Grail never chooses masters for no reason. We just don't always know what those reasons are."
"Still... The Grail chose me to receive these... Command Seals, right? There must be some reason that I was chosen over the others." If you had to guess, it's probably because one of the potential masters already has a servant, another has absolutely no magic circuits or magical potential in the slightest without first selling her soul to the Killer Rabbit, and the last one has decided she doesn't want to do it. Even if there are other options which you can instruct Homura to take, from the Grail's perspective Nagatsuki was likely the path of least resistance once all the other potentials had been crossed off. "I wish none of this had ever happened to me. I wish I could just go back to my normal life again... But, even if I did that... I can never truly go back, can I? Even if I walk away from everything magic-related, I'll still be dependent on keeping my Soul Gem clean in order to stay alive."
Unfortunately, Nagatsuki's hit the nail on the head there. "You're right. You can come close, but your life will never truly be the same as it was. If you're willing to accept that, then all the more power to you; but at the same time, if that's what you're striving for, then I'd advise passing your Command Seals off to someone else."
"Yeah, but... Still, there must be some reason I was chosen for this; and if I go and hand these off to someone else, I'll feel like I'm giving up before I've ever really started. I mean yeah, I don't necessarily want to do this, but I..."
"But some part of you doesn't want to let it go, simply because it was you who was chosen, and not someone else; am I right?"
"... A little. Does that make me a bad person?"
"No, it makes you human." You're guessing, from the sound of things, that Nagatsuki has made up her mind. "You should know, before you decide to go any further, that the Saber servant is incredibly mana-hungry. You'll burn through your reserves of magical energy that much quicker, and require more frequent cleansing of your Soul Gem in order to stay alive. It'll be almost impossible to live anything even remotely resembling a normal life if you decide to go through with this."
"I know. But it's not like I can go back to normal even if I don't do this."
"Then I assume we'll be seeing you some time later tonight so we can talk about how things are going to proceed for you from here on. Homura will probably be the one to contact you." At that, you hang up, handing the phone back to Caster as you ask him "Well? How screwed are we?"
[ ] Wat do?
"Hi."
"I hope there's more to this than just interrupting me int he middle of class."
"There is-" You look over to Caster; he's waiting for you to get off the line with Homura, so that you can ask him about borrowing his phone. You already know that he already knows what you're planning on doing. "-A slight problem, with respect to sourcing a replacement master now that Hitomi's stepped out of the ring."
"What do you mean? Did Caster tell you not to get Madoka or Sayaka involved? Do we have to find someone else?"
"Not quite. See, Caster thinks, given the situation, that we at least owe it to Nagatsuki to explain things to her. Now, I know what you're thinking, and believe me I'm behind you alll the way. But I'm hoping that Caster sees something we've missed; maybe he knows that Nagatsuki will opt out of summoning Saber once we tell her what's going on; or he's seen that we'll need specifically her Saber for whatever reason." You wish you had even the slightest idea of what Caster was thinking, what he had seen of Nagatsuki's future, to where he wanted her filled in to the War around her. "You know as well as I do that getting a straight answer from the guy is no easy feat, but I'm hoping that there's some reason we can't just pre-empt Nagatsuki by getting someone else to summon Saber before she can."
There's a wait time of several seconds before you get to hear Homura's response. "I suppose if that's the advice Caster gave you, it would be foolish to dismiss it. I'm sure he gave it for a reason. I just wish I knew what that reason was."
"So do I."
"If it comes down to it, I suppose we can always force her to give up her Command Seals and Saber to someone else if we think she's not going to work out."
"Hopefully it doesn't come to that," you say, terminating the link and letting Homura get back to her classwork. "If it's alright with you, I need to borrow your phone." Caster nods, and without a word a portal to Babylon opens, depositing his exquisite phone into your waiting hands. "Thanks," you say, picking the mouthpiece up off the cradle. "Well, here goes nothing."
"Nagatsuki Miyuki."
"Kyubey? No, your voice is too deep... Who the heck is this, and how did you get in my head?"
At least this one's no stranger to having people speak to her inside of her head; means you won't have to explain to her not to freak out or signal to the people around her that something's off. That makes your job just a little bit easier. Just a little bit. No reason to assume everything will be easy from this point on. "This is Akemi Homura's father. There are some things we need to talk about."
"Yeah, uh-huh, that's a really good one. But no, seriously, who the hell are you and how did you get into my head?"
"Magic," you say, as though the answer couldn't be any more obvious. "And yes, I am being serious. Homura told me about that little rash on the back of your hand; well, I'm here to tell you that your 'rash' isn't exactly what you think it is."
"You'll understand if I'm still more than a little hesitant to believe anything you say. I mean, you're just some voice inside my head, right? I've never met you before or anything."
"I understand." You'd probably be a little weirded out if someone were to contact you inside your head, especially if you were only just getting used to the idea that such a thing were possible and you had never met the 'person' you were supposedly 'speaking' with. "But I think you'll want to hear what I have to say all the same."
You're sure an unheard sigh is punctuating the silence as you wait for Nagatsuki to respond. "Alright, I don't suppose I have much of a choice in the matter, do I?"
Well, that's debatable. Caster wants her to have the knowledge so she can make her own choice regarding her fate; and in the strictest sense, she has a choice whether or not to even hear what you have to say. It's passive-aggressive, yes, but Nagatsuki is still choosing to let you speak to her, when she could just as easily have hung up. Assuming she knows how to hang up on another person's telepathic intrusion into her thoughts, that is. "I'll start from the beginning, then. Your 'rash' is actually a sign that you're manifesting Command Seals. I'll fill you in on what those are in just a second, but first I need to lay out some background information so you know what I'm talking about. See, it all starts with a magical artifact called the 'Holy Grail'..."
If you had a hundred-Yen coin for every time you've had to explain the fundamentals about the Holy Grail and the servant system it props up, you'd have enough money to where you wouldn't have needed to rob the Yakuza in order to pay for Kure Minako's new lifestyle. Sadly, you don't, and so once again you have to start from the beginning and explain the system entirely free of charge. Fortunately, Nagatsuki is at least a cooperative listener; she doesn't do anything to make your job more difficult, she asks questions, and at least it seems like she's not going out of her way to doubt the things you're saying, for as much as you're sure she's skeptical about a lot of it.
"... After what Homura tells me you've all been through, I can understand why you might not want to involve yourself in all of this. If that's the case, we can either go ahead and find someone else to summon Saber in your stead, or we can make preparations to transfer either your Seals or control of your servant over to another master. I don't know which one you would prefer, or even if you'd prefer to stay out of this at all; but we do need an answer soon before your Command Seals materialise. We've had instances of servants spontaneously appearing without being summoned, so if we let your Seals sit on you for too long there's the chance that might happen to you."
You think that's enough information for Nagatsuki to make her decision by, and now you'll give her the time she needs to think about what you've just told her. Hopefully she doesn't take too long, not now when time is most certainly of the essence. "I... I just have one question." Well, that didn't take long of her at all, actually. "... Why me? I mean, from everything you and Akemi have told me, the Incubator was scraping the bottom of the barrel when it came to my friends and I; so why me? Why not, I dunno, a more experienced puella magi? You know, someone who actually knows their way around all this stuff and what it can do. Not... Not someone like me."
"It's a cliche answer, I know; but the Grail works in mysterious ways. You aren't the only person who had the potential to be the master of Saber, but the Grail never chooses masters for no reason. We just don't always know what those reasons are."
"Still... The Grail chose me to receive these... Command Seals, right? There must be some reason that I was chosen over the others." If you had to guess, it's probably because one of the potential masters already has a servant, another has absolutely no magic circuits or magical potential in the slightest without first selling her soul to the Killer Rabbit, and the last one has decided she doesn't want to do it. Even if there are other options which you can instruct Homura to take, from the Grail's perspective Nagatsuki was likely the path of least resistance once all the other potentials had been crossed off. "I wish none of this had ever happened to me. I wish I could just go back to my normal life again... But, even if I did that... I can never truly go back, can I? Even if I walk away from everything magic-related, I'll still be dependent on keeping my Soul Gem clean in order to stay alive."
Unfortunately, Nagatsuki's hit the nail on the head there. "You're right. You can come close, but your life will never truly be the same as it was. If you're willing to accept that, then all the more power to you; but at the same time, if that's what you're striving for, then I'd advise passing your Command Seals off to someone else."
"Yeah, but... Still, there must be some reason I was chosen for this; and if I go and hand these off to someone else, I'll feel like I'm giving up before I've ever really started. I mean yeah, I don't necessarily want to do this, but I..."
"But some part of you doesn't want to let it go, simply because it was you who was chosen, and not someone else; am I right?"
"... A little. Does that make me a bad person?"
"No, it makes you human." You're guessing, from the sound of things, that Nagatsuki has made up her mind. "You should know, before you decide to go any further, that the Saber servant is incredibly mana-hungry. You'll burn through your reserves of magical energy that much quicker, and require more frequent cleansing of your Soul Gem in order to stay alive. It'll be almost impossible to live anything even remotely resembling a normal life if you decide to go through with this."
"I know. But it's not like I can go back to normal even if I don't do this."
"Then I assume we'll be seeing you some time later tonight so we can talk about how things are going to proceed for you from here on. Homura will probably be the one to contact you." At that, you hang up, handing the phone back to Caster as you ask him "Well? How screwed are we?"
[ ] Wat do?
- Location
- United States
[X] Plan Will This Saber Be Baeber?
-[X] "Well? How screwed are we?"
--[X] Telepathically inform Homura about your conversation with Miyuki
-[X] Switch perspectives to Homura
--[X] While you're still in Lunch, text everybody in the group chat about the whole Miyuki situation, and ask them if they could all meet up to discuss things with her later today
--[X] Telepathically tell Archer that you're fine with going along with Madoka's Mom's offer, assuming nothing comes up
--[X] After classes go to the Archery Club and do Archery Club things
---[X] Ask them if they'd be up for hanging out after school sometime this week when everyone's available
----[X] They could go out to the mall, go to some event that comes up, etc.
---[X] Ask Kasuga-san if he has his eyes on any other girls if things with Tomoe-san never come to fruition
----[X] Tease him by suggesting that he could always try to get to know Mochizumi-san better, since they spend so much time together here at the Archery Club as the Captain and Vice-Captain
--[X] Host a Magecraft study session at your place with Hitomi and Sayaka and practice Mystic Code crafting - specifically in how to use your Runes to do so
---[X] Invite Madoka along so she doesn't feel lonely and not at all because you need emotional support due to your "big sis'" revelations
--[X] Get together with your team wherever is convenient and meet with Miyuki
---[X] Don't forget to text Miyuki the details ahead of time
Guess we don't need to worry about needing to find time to help with Miyuki's sobriety, if only because there's no way she isn't going to be inducted into the Holy Quintet in some way - if only in spirit. Gotta get those Grief Seed cleanses and keep all those Servants allied and together after all. Since the gang will need Saber for when Waldo comes around to Mitakihara, at the very least they'll need to get Miyuki up to snuff with coordinating with them and working with them as a team; probably best to brief her on that when they meet up to discuss all of this. Gotta admit though, didn't expect her will to be that strong at this point, so that's good for her long-term health as a Master and Puella Magi.
Hey, at least it'll be much easier for Homura to make Mystic Codes since she's using Runes; that's basically cheating anyways since they're direct access points to mysteries already engraved in the world and they already operate like a Magic Crest. I shudder to think of the ways the larger Magi community could use and abuse Primordial Runes if they ever got access to even just some of them, really I do.
I still want to see that scene of the aftermath of Kirika corrupting Homura, though.
-[X] "Well? How screwed are we?"
--[X] Telepathically inform Homura about your conversation with Miyuki
-[X] Switch perspectives to Homura
--[X] While you're still in Lunch, text everybody in the group chat about the whole Miyuki situation, and ask them if they could all meet up to discuss things with her later today
--[X] Telepathically tell Archer that you're fine with going along with Madoka's Mom's offer, assuming nothing comes up
--[X] After classes go to the Archery Club and do Archery Club things
---[X] Ask them if they'd be up for hanging out after school sometime this week when everyone's available
----[X] They could go out to the mall, go to some event that comes up, etc.
---[X] Ask Kasuga-san if he has his eyes on any other girls if things with Tomoe-san never come to fruition
----[X] Tease him by suggesting that he could always try to get to know Mochizumi-san better, since they spend so much time together here at the Archery Club as the Captain and Vice-Captain
--[X] Host a Magecraft study session at your place with Hitomi and Sayaka and practice Mystic Code crafting - specifically in how to use your Runes to do so
---[X] Invite Madoka along so she doesn't feel lonely
--[X] Get together with your team wherever is convenient and meet with Miyuki
---[X] Don't forget to text Miyuki the details ahead of time
Guess we don't need to worry about needing to find time to help with Miyuki's sobriety, if only because there's no way she isn't going to be inducted into the Holy Quintet in some way - if only in spirit. Gotta get those Grief Seed cleanses and keep all those Servants allied and together after all. Since the gang will need Saber for when Waldo comes around to Mitakihara, at the very least they'll need to get Miyuki up to snuff with coordinating with them and working with them as a team; probably best to brief her on that when they meet up to discuss all of this. Gotta admit though, didn't expect her will to be that strong at this point, so that's good for her long-term health as a Master and Puella Magi.
Hey, at least it'll be much easier for Homura to make Mystic Codes since she's using Runes; that's basically cheating anyways since they're direct access points to mysteries already engraved in the world and they already operate like a Magic Crest. I shudder to think of the ways the larger Magi community could use and abuse Primordial Runes if they ever got access to even just some of them, really I do.
I still want to see that scene of the aftermath of Kirika corrupting Homura, though.
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- Location
- Around here
Consider things from her perspective for a moment, if it surprises you that she'd make this decision. Yes, she can go back to whatever scraps of her normal life she's able to put together, after having lost the person she loved, descended into alcoholism, and sold her soul to Satan; and if she returns to her old life, she'll just be put into the same environment that caused her to turn to drinking in the first place; but if she takes the chance she's been given, then even without knowing about Walpol she has the opportunity to place herself in a new environment away from the factors that caused her to drink, and potentially to make something of herself more than what the life she's now forced to live would normally allow. Plus, in resolving herself to see this through to the end, she's giving herself something to focus on besides Komaki's death, which will hopefully help pull her out of the hole her drinking would have dug for her.
Last edited:
- Location
- United States
Pfft, Kyuubey's more of a Mephistopheles if you ask me.
In any case, it's really hard to not like how well you characterize your characters, so thanks for that. I went into this chapter with wanting nothing to do with Miyuki summoning Saber and came out of it wanting Miyuki to get better mentally and join up with the gang in the Holy Quintet. It'll certainly be interesting to see what Miyuki pulls from the gacha, assuming she goes through with summoning Saber and nothing goes wrong in-between then, and if she doesn't use a catalyst from Archer.
- Location
- Around here
Yeah, and boy what a lot of catching up Miyuki has to get through. She's the outsider to an already well-established and well-oiled machine; she'll be meeting her servant for the first time tonight, when everyone else on the team has known their servants for a month; she knows fuck-all about what being a magical girl is really like; and she'll need to get caught up with her runes if she wants to stand a chance of holding a candle to the other girls in the Quintet (now +1!)
WanderingTwix
Posting something good once in a full moon
- Location
- United Kingdom
[x] enetious
[x] enetious
Day 35 Chapter 6
- Location
- Around here
[X] Plan Will This Saber Be Baeber?
"Well, how screwed are we?"
Your question to Caster does not go unanswered, but as always his answer is less straightforward than it could be. "Did your master not question herself the same as when the masters of Lancer and Berserker were brought into the fold? Yet she did so anyway, and in time they have proven themselves to be trustworthy and valiant companions. Trust begets trust, Archer; those two became trustworthy because trust was placed in them. If the master of Saber is forced to stay at arm's reach because your master does not trust her, then she will only reciprocate what she is shown."
A simple "you're only as screwed as you make yourself" would have sufficed, but like hell you're going to tell Gilgamesh how to behave around others. Instead, you give your thanks to Caster, and turn your attention to Homura. "I have good news, and I have bad news."
"Give me the bad news first."
"The bad news is that Nagatsuki wants in. Well, only kind of, but she wants in enough not to give her Command Seals up."
"In other words, we have to hurry and find a replacement master before she has the chance to pre-empt us and summon Saber first."
"Well, that actually plays into the good news. At least according to what Caster had to say, if we let Nagatsuki join in, we'll only be as screwed as we make ourselves. We keep our distance from her, and it'll come back to bite us. We treat her the way we treated Mikuni and Kure after they joined up, and she'll reciprocate." At least, that's what you're hoping Caster meant.
"Trusting her is going to be difficult, after what her friend tried to do to my ally."
"Why's that? Didn't Mikuni try the same thing with your friends? In fact, doesn't Mikuni have more bodies to her name than Nagatsuki? The way I see it, after talking with her, we'd be placing ourselves at no greater risk than when we let Mikuni and Kure join the team."
"On the surface, your argument may be sound, but consider my counterpoint- When Mikuni Oriko surrendered, she and Kure Kirika had already summoned their servants. We knew what their fighting strength was at the time we defeated them. On the other hand, we don't know how strong Nagatsuki Miyuki's Saber servant will be, or whether that increase in power will prompt them to make a second pass at someone on our team. In addition, back then there was only Tomoe-san and myself, with Kyouko acting more as a mercenery fighter than a core member of the team. Now there are five of us, so if the addition of Saber to Nagatsuki Miyuki's team causes them to try again, the potential loss to my team would be that much greater than if it were Mikuni Oriko or Kure Kirika only taking out Tomoe-san in retaliation."
"I get it; you're nervous about trusting her after her friend tried to take out your ally. But you gave Mikuni and Kure the benefit of the doubt; and after speaking with her, I'd liek to agree with Caster on this one. You can at least afford her the decency to have a talk with her about this; and who knows? Maybe you'll come to think she deserves a chance as well. I'll let you get back to class now; just try to think about what I said."
"Alright. Oh, and regarding dinner with the Kanames- I'd be fine with going, assuming nothing else comes up that day."
You rub the bridge of your nose where your glasses used to sit. From your body's perspective, having never been given the chance to move beyond the events of this loop no matter how many times you've repeated it, it's only been a month since you stopped wearing them, and even though you know better the action is unconscious to you now. So, Archer wants you to speak with Nagatsuki Miyuki. Your phone vibrates in your pocket.
<Nagatsuki Miyuki: Hey, so that guy who just called me earlier- That was really your dad, right? That wasn't some loony just messing with me?>
What perfect timing on her part. Your fingers fly, and your response to her is swift.
<Homura: Yes, that really was my father who called you.>
<Homura: I assume he told you everything you need to know.>
<Homura: We'll be meeting later tonight to discuss things with you. I'll let you know the details when we're ready.>
You put your phone away and pack up your lunch, mind still reeling from the overwhelmingly corrupting information Kure Kirika decided was her responsibility to share with you. You'll have to repay Archer for his stellar contribution to your sexual education... Oh gods above, that might have been the single worst way you could have worded that. Um... You'll have to repay Archer for giving you bad information; yes, that's much less gross sounding. Your phone vibrates again; Nagatsuki Miyuki, you're assuming.
<Nagatsuki Miyuki: That's probably going to be difficult. My parents aren't exactly going to let me out of the house so easily. You know, the whole 'disappearing for a week' thing. Not to mention they found my booze.>
<Nagatsuki Miyuki: I mean, I'm glad they did, but at the same time it'd be easier for me to leave the house if they didn't.>
Whatever sympathy you feel for Nagatsuki Miyuki is tempered by the knowledge that she made her own choices, and only her own choices contributed to the mess she now finds herself in. She chose to drink her sadness away; she chose to accept the Incubator's contract; she chose to follow Asako Koito; and she chose to remain with her for a week of captivity. Those were her mistakes, so it has to be on her to find a way to subvert her parents' authority and sneak out at night if she wants to be a part of your team. You never realised just how difficult it was for a puella magi who still has parents until faced with the problem of parents who won't let their daughter leave the house.
<Homura: Then you'll just have to think of a way to get out without them knowing, won't you?>
This will serve as a good, impromptu test of Nagatsuki Miyuki's ability to solve problems. She'll need it if she wants to survive in this line of work.
You don't wait for her response before your phone is out again, but your message this time goes out to the members of your team.
<Homura: I have reason to believe that Nagatsuki Miyuki is in position to, and is willing to, summon Saber. We should meet tonight, with or without her, to discuss how to proceed from here.>
With all but one of your teammates back in class by now, it comes as no surprise when your only response is from Kyouko.
<Sakura Kyouko: K sure whatevr. C u l8r>
You put your phone away, for real this time, and make your way to class, thinking all the while of how you're going to get back at Archer for misleading you. And also how to get back at Kure Kirika for having to hear the things she told you.
"Alright team, that's a wrap!"
Kasuga-san calls for practice to end, and you survey your last shot as the other members of the club pack up their things for the day and socialise among one another. "Great job out there today, Akemi," Kasuga-san says, approaching you from the side as he points to your target. "You really had your eye on the bullseye today; keep that up and we'll beat Shirome for sure."
You wonder, if the impossible were to occur and you by some miracle manage to achieve victory in this loop, who will Mikuni Oriko root for on the eighth? Will she cheer for her school's team, or will she cheer you on instead, placing personal loyalty over her school? Well, there's no use in wondering. Things are only going as well as they are for you now in order to break you all the harder when you fail. Fate is a bitch like that.
"Kasuga-san, I had a question I wanted to ask you."
"Sure thing, what's up?"
Your eyes scan over the other members of your team; chief among your teammates, they keep themselves peeled for Mochizumi-san. Fortunately, she's busy chewing out the other two for their slipshod performances this afternoon, so you're free to ask "If Tomoe-san never notices you, or you never work up the courage to speak to her, is there anyone else you have your eyes on?"
"Bit of an odd question, isn't it? Are you perhaps trying to tell me something?" Kasuga-san smiles, quickly adding "Relax; I'm only kidding. I know you and Kaname are together. But I am still curious as to what prompted you to ask."
"Simple curiosity, that's all. Tomoe-san tells me that you've had your eyes on her since your sixth year, but from speaking with her I've never gotten an indication of how she feels about you, so I was wondering if, assuming things don't pan out between you two, if there was anyone else you might consider romancing." Now, it's your turn to be coy; Kasuga-san didn't mean it, but you do. "If not, you could always try getting to know Mochizumi-san better. After all, you already spend plenty of time together as is, running the archery club; so why not?"
"Did Mochi put you up to this?"
"Not at all."
"Just checking." Kasuga-san laughs off the fact that he may have figured out Mochizumi-san's affections; which comes as a surprise to you, considering how hush-hush Mochizumi-san has been about them; and he says "So, we were all thinking of going out together Saturday after practice. Maybe to the mall, maybe for pizza; we're not sure yet. You interested?"
"I might be," you say. "Assuming I don't have anything else happening that day." You check the time on your phone; Madoka should be getting out of her own club now as well, so once you've packed up all your gear, you head out in search of your pink-haired girlfriend. Whether you're able to make it will depend on whether or not Kaname Junko plans to have her dinner get-together on Friday or Saturday. If it's Saturday, it goes without saying that you'll choose dinner with your girlfriend and her family; but if it's Friday...
[ ] What do you talk about with Madoka on the walk home? (write-in)
[ ] What do you do once you're back home? (write-in)
[ ] What's your plan for the rest of the night? (write-in)
"Well, how screwed are we?"
Your question to Caster does not go unanswered, but as always his answer is less straightforward than it could be. "Did your master not question herself the same as when the masters of Lancer and Berserker were brought into the fold? Yet she did so anyway, and in time they have proven themselves to be trustworthy and valiant companions. Trust begets trust, Archer; those two became trustworthy because trust was placed in them. If the master of Saber is forced to stay at arm's reach because your master does not trust her, then she will only reciprocate what she is shown."
A simple "you're only as screwed as you make yourself" would have sufficed, but like hell you're going to tell Gilgamesh how to behave around others. Instead, you give your thanks to Caster, and turn your attention to Homura. "I have good news, and I have bad news."
"Give me the bad news first."
"The bad news is that Nagatsuki wants in. Well, only kind of, but she wants in enough not to give her Command Seals up."
"In other words, we have to hurry and find a replacement master before she has the chance to pre-empt us and summon Saber first."
"Well, that actually plays into the good news. At least according to what Caster had to say, if we let Nagatsuki join in, we'll only be as screwed as we make ourselves. We keep our distance from her, and it'll come back to bite us. We treat her the way we treated Mikuni and Kure after they joined up, and she'll reciprocate." At least, that's what you're hoping Caster meant.
"Trusting her is going to be difficult, after what her friend tried to do to my ally."
"Why's that? Didn't Mikuni try the same thing with your friends? In fact, doesn't Mikuni have more bodies to her name than Nagatsuki? The way I see it, after talking with her, we'd be placing ourselves at no greater risk than when we let Mikuni and Kure join the team."
"On the surface, your argument may be sound, but consider my counterpoint- When Mikuni Oriko surrendered, she and Kure Kirika had already summoned their servants. We knew what their fighting strength was at the time we defeated them. On the other hand, we don't know how strong Nagatsuki Miyuki's Saber servant will be, or whether that increase in power will prompt them to make a second pass at someone on our team. In addition, back then there was only Tomoe-san and myself, with Kyouko acting more as a mercenery fighter than a core member of the team. Now there are five of us, so if the addition of Saber to Nagatsuki Miyuki's team causes them to try again, the potential loss to my team would be that much greater than if it were Mikuni Oriko or Kure Kirika only taking out Tomoe-san in retaliation."
"I get it; you're nervous about trusting her after her friend tried to take out your ally. But you gave Mikuni and Kure the benefit of the doubt; and after speaking with her, I'd liek to agree with Caster on this one. You can at least afford her the decency to have a talk with her about this; and who knows? Maybe you'll come to think she deserves a chance as well. I'll let you get back to class now; just try to think about what I said."
"Alright. Oh, and regarding dinner with the Kanames- I'd be fine with going, assuming nothing else comes up that day."
You rub the bridge of your nose where your glasses used to sit. From your body's perspective, having never been given the chance to move beyond the events of this loop no matter how many times you've repeated it, it's only been a month since you stopped wearing them, and even though you know better the action is unconscious to you now. So, Archer wants you to speak with Nagatsuki Miyuki. Your phone vibrates in your pocket.
<Nagatsuki Miyuki: Hey, so that guy who just called me earlier- That was really your dad, right? That wasn't some loony just messing with me?>
What perfect timing on her part. Your fingers fly, and your response to her is swift.
<Homura: Yes, that really was my father who called you.>
<Homura: I assume he told you everything you need to know.>
<Homura: We'll be meeting later tonight to discuss things with you. I'll let you know the details when we're ready.>
You put your phone away and pack up your lunch, mind still reeling from the overwhelmingly corrupting information Kure Kirika decided was her responsibility to share with you. You'll have to repay Archer for his stellar contribution to your sexual education... Oh gods above, that might have been the single worst way you could have worded that. Um... You'll have to repay Archer for giving you bad information; yes, that's much less gross sounding. Your phone vibrates again; Nagatsuki Miyuki, you're assuming.
<Nagatsuki Miyuki: That's probably going to be difficult. My parents aren't exactly going to let me out of the house so easily. You know, the whole 'disappearing for a week' thing. Not to mention they found my booze.>
<Nagatsuki Miyuki: I mean, I'm glad they did, but at the same time it'd be easier for me to leave the house if they didn't.>
Whatever sympathy you feel for Nagatsuki Miyuki is tempered by the knowledge that she made her own choices, and only her own choices contributed to the mess she now finds herself in. She chose to drink her sadness away; she chose to accept the Incubator's contract; she chose to follow Asako Koito; and she chose to remain with her for a week of captivity. Those were her mistakes, so it has to be on her to find a way to subvert her parents' authority and sneak out at night if she wants to be a part of your team. You never realised just how difficult it was for a puella magi who still has parents until faced with the problem of parents who won't let their daughter leave the house.
<Homura: Then you'll just have to think of a way to get out without them knowing, won't you?>
This will serve as a good, impromptu test of Nagatsuki Miyuki's ability to solve problems. She'll need it if she wants to survive in this line of work.
You don't wait for her response before your phone is out again, but your message this time goes out to the members of your team.
<Homura: I have reason to believe that Nagatsuki Miyuki is in position to, and is willing to, summon Saber. We should meet tonight, with or without her, to discuss how to proceed from here.>
With all but one of your teammates back in class by now, it comes as no surprise when your only response is from Kyouko.
<Sakura Kyouko: K sure whatevr. C u l8r>
You put your phone away, for real this time, and make your way to class, thinking all the while of how you're going to get back at Archer for misleading you. And also how to get back at Kure Kirika for having to hear the things she told you.
"Alright team, that's a wrap!"
Kasuga-san calls for practice to end, and you survey your last shot as the other members of the club pack up their things for the day and socialise among one another. "Great job out there today, Akemi," Kasuga-san says, approaching you from the side as he points to your target. "You really had your eye on the bullseye today; keep that up and we'll beat Shirome for sure."
You wonder, if the impossible were to occur and you by some miracle manage to achieve victory in this loop, who will Mikuni Oriko root for on the eighth? Will she cheer for her school's team, or will she cheer you on instead, placing personal loyalty over her school? Well, there's no use in wondering. Things are only going as well as they are for you now in order to break you all the harder when you fail. Fate is a bitch like that.
"Kasuga-san, I had a question I wanted to ask you."
"Sure thing, what's up?"
Your eyes scan over the other members of your team; chief among your teammates, they keep themselves peeled for Mochizumi-san. Fortunately, she's busy chewing out the other two for their slipshod performances this afternoon, so you're free to ask "If Tomoe-san never notices you, or you never work up the courage to speak to her, is there anyone else you have your eyes on?"
"Bit of an odd question, isn't it? Are you perhaps trying to tell me something?" Kasuga-san smiles, quickly adding "Relax; I'm only kidding. I know you and Kaname are together. But I am still curious as to what prompted you to ask."
"Simple curiosity, that's all. Tomoe-san tells me that you've had your eyes on her since your sixth year, but from speaking with her I've never gotten an indication of how she feels about you, so I was wondering if, assuming things don't pan out between you two, if there was anyone else you might consider romancing." Now, it's your turn to be coy; Kasuga-san didn't mean it, but you do. "If not, you could always try getting to know Mochizumi-san better. After all, you already spend plenty of time together as is, running the archery club; so why not?"
"Did Mochi put you up to this?"
"Not at all."
"Just checking." Kasuga-san laughs off the fact that he may have figured out Mochizumi-san's affections; which comes as a surprise to you, considering how hush-hush Mochizumi-san has been about them; and he says "So, we were all thinking of going out together Saturday after practice. Maybe to the mall, maybe for pizza; we're not sure yet. You interested?"
"I might be," you say. "Assuming I don't have anything else happening that day." You check the time on your phone; Madoka should be getting out of her own club now as well, so once you've packed up all your gear, you head out in search of your pink-haired girlfriend. Whether you're able to make it will depend on whether or not Kaname Junko plans to have her dinner get-together on Friday or Saturday. If it's Saturday, it goes without saying that you'll choose dinner with your girlfriend and her family; but if it's Friday...
[ ] What do you talk about with Madoka on the walk home? (write-in)
[ ] What do you do once you're back home? (write-in)
[ ] What's your plan for the rest of the night? (write-in)
- Location
- United States
[X] Plan Did Baeber Stutter?
-[X] What do you talk about with Madoka on the walk home?
--[X] Invite her to tag along with you, Hitomi, and Sayaka for your Magecraft study session; you will repay her in tribute with ArcherSnacksTM and cuddlesand it's definitely not because you need to be comforted after the startling and blunt revelations your "big sis" gave you *shudder*
--[X] About how she could inform her Mom that you'd be glad to come over and have dinner over her house come Friday or Saturday, though Friday would be the most ideal for you
---[X] If they manage to get some alone time while you're there, maybe you could get the talk you want to have with her out of the way; reassure her it's nothing bad, and in fact once she learns about what you wanted to speak to her about she'll likely make connections to an existing Magical Girl anime trope, it's just a bit much to take in and you want to have this conversation without any prying eyes - particularly the Incubator's
-[X] What do you do once you're back home?
--[X] Check up on Assassin; how has her day been, has she discovered anything interesting on the Internet while you were gone?
--[X] Invite the Magecraft gang over to study; you in particular will be attempting to learn how to use Runes to make Mystic Codes
--[X] Pet the Amy
-[X] What's your plan for the rest of the night?
--[X] Set up the meeting with Miyuki wherever's convient once everyone gets back to you in the group chat, and go have that meeting
---[X] Text Miyuki the address and inform her that she could probably just pretend to go to sleep (with her lights off, blanket stuffed with pillows, and whatnot), transform into her Puella Magi form and just leave through the window; a two to three story fall is nothing in comparison to the boost Puella Magi get to their physical abilities after all
-[X] What do you talk about with Madoka on the walk home?
--[X] Invite her to tag along with you, Hitomi, and Sayaka for your Magecraft study session; you will repay her in tribute with ArcherSnacksTM and cuddles
--[X] About how she could inform her Mom that you'd be glad to come over and have dinner over her house come Friday or Saturday, though Friday would be the most ideal for you
---[X] If they manage to get some alone time while you're there, maybe you could get the talk you want to have with her out of the way; reassure her it's nothing bad, and in fact once she learns about what you wanted to speak to her about she'll likely make connections to an existing Magical Girl anime trope, it's just a bit much to take in and you want to have this conversation without any prying eyes - particularly the Incubator's
-[X] What do you do once you're back home?
--[X] Check up on Assassin; how has her day been, has she discovered anything interesting on the Internet while you were gone?
--[X] Invite the Magecraft gang over to study; you in particular will be attempting to learn how to use Runes to make Mystic Codes
--[X] Pet the Amy
-[X] What's your plan for the rest of the night?
--[X] Set up the meeting with Miyuki wherever's convient once everyone gets back to you in the group chat, and go have that meeting
---[X] Text Miyuki the address and inform her that she could probably just pretend to go to sleep (with her lights off, blanket stuffed with pillows, and whatnot), transform into her Puella Magi form and just leave through the window; a two to three story fall is nothing in comparison to the boost Puella Magi get to their physical abilities after all
[X] Plan Did Baeber Stutter?
- Location
- Around here
So, what's our plan to get back at Kirika for having to hear all that drivel?
- Location
- United States
... Force Kirika to deal with the consequences of having a younger sibling.
"Big sis, could you help me with my homework?" "Big sis, what is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" "Big sis, Assassin accidentally crushed my mouse and keyboard, could you go to the store and buy me another set?" "Big sis, Amy forgot to use her litter box again, could you come over and help clean this mess up?" "Big sis, there's a freeloader living above me that won't stop trying to make children with the man living with her every night, could you please tell them to tone things down a little bit?" "Bis sis, could you taste test this? This is my first attempt at cooking an omelet and I forgot to let Archer supervise me in the kitchen... is it supposed to be moving that way?" "Big sis, my kitchen is on fire, could you come over and put it out for me?"
- Location
- Around here
There's just one slight problem with your otherwise brilliant and hilarious idea- We're only a year younger than Kirika, and she already knows that we're not as petty and bratty of a younger sibling as your portrayal.
- Location
- United States
What are you talking about? That's how Homura's always acted around her "big sis"! /s
In any case, Homura will find a way. It may not be today, tomorrow, or even next week, but when the opportunity is presented to her then you can be assured that Homura will have her revenge.