- Location
- Around here
By the looks of
I think Enetious is thinking of making overtures towards Asunaro's local population and trying to win at least one of them over to our side.
Confringentur, Mk.2; a Madoka Magica / Fate/Stay Night crossover
- Thread starter SVS
- Start date
- Crossover
- Location
- United States
Eh, it's probably more of a win-win than you think. Archer can use the excuse of preventing innocent deaths by killing the Witch, and since he doesn't need to use Grief Seeds (personally) to survive he could easily just hand off the Grief Seed to whatever Puella Magi encounters him about it without said Puella Magi needing to hunt the Witch themselves. Since he's obviously not a Puella Magi, it's unlikely they'll see him as any sort of competition, especially if he hands off the Grief Seed with no complications.
But what if they don't care about that?
- Location
- Around here
What NMS said. Need I remind that when we first met Kyouko, she didn't care about getting involved in any of this and only let us onto her territory if we were bringing her food? How do we know that any of the girls currently working Asunaro are any better? How do we know that they're not worse?
- Location
- United States
*cough cough*
... Free Grief Seeds, anyone?
- Location
- Around here
*cough cough*
I'm just saying, without knowing what kind of girls they are, I agree that it would be foolish to presume. Maybe they wanted to kill the witch for their own reasons, maybe they're a gloryhound or just in it for the thrill, maybe they just don't want anyone horning in on their turf; who knows? "Free Grief Seed" is only valuable to them as long as they value "Free Grief Seed" the same way we would, and we don't know that about any of them.
- Location
- United States
Well, I suppose it's better to know now than later in any case. If they attack Archer and Caster and otherwise act murderhobo-y, well, I wish them good luck with that. In any case, the whole "killing the Witch to prevent innocent deaths" isn't so much for Archer to ingratiate himself with one or more Puella Magi, but rather to give justification as to why he hunted the Witch in the first place in order to prevent said Puella Magi from digging deeper to find the true reasons with whatever abilities they may or may not have (though admittedly it's a contributing factor).
- Location
- United States
[x] enetious
Day 41 Chapter 13
- Location
- Around here
[X] Enetious
"That's a shame," you say, as Caster dashes any hopes of recruiting any of the three puella magi currently working in Asunaro. With how little time still remains until Walpurgisnacht, you didn't think it would be possible to integrate any new girls into Homura's team; but it never hurts to try if the potential reward is more allies. "But I take it that means the Incubator is definitely here, then, if there's this many witches and three active puella magi in the city."
Caster nods his head. "The Incubator is hard at work, recreating the delicate balance of power that our presence has disrupted in Mitakihara."
"And that's three girls, and a whole lot of witches." You wonder, what are the chances that any of these girls cause trouble for Homura and her friends in the future? There's only one way to find out; "What can you tell me about them? Names, temperament, abilities; anything you feel like sharing about these girls, I'm all ears."
"The... Pair, that have been in Asunaro the longest are not natives to the city." That makes the third time Caster has had to correct himself; you wonder what that could mean. "They are traveling hunters, and seeing that Asunaro was unoccupied decided to expand their territory into the city. Their magic is nothing especially noteworthy - primarily the same kind of ice and fire attacks that two of our own are capable of - but they are experienced and ruthless killers, held back only by the raw power of the third. Her powers are quite the boon for her, as she contracted with the Incubator only recently, and otherwise lacks the experience to fight against a pair of experienced intruders."
"That doesn't sound too bad," you say. Two girls who, at best, sound like they'd be comparable to Homura and Sakura, and a third who's too inexperienced to put up a fight against a team of six; if any of them were to cause trouble, they'd be easy enough for Homura and her friends to deal with.
"Indeed," Caster replies. "None of them shall be alive for long enough to cause trouble for our masters. A puella magi who fights alone has a short life expectancy, after all."
"What about Asunaro as a city?" you ask. "What can you tell me about the place the Incubator has set up shop in?"
"What is there to say?" Caster asks. "Asunaro is a city much like Mitakihara. Despite the architectural differences, the two cities are very much alike in their history, culture, and attitudes; the same holds true for Shirome and Kazamino as well. While all four of the cities in the Nineteenth District of the Kanagawa region have their share of differences when it comes to architecture and city spending, at their core the four cities are remarkably similar." Caster shrugs, and adds "I do not think there is any more for me to say."
In other words, this city really is a city, isn't it? "Well then, shall we take a look around?"
"Gladly."
In the end, you aren't sure what spurred Caster's decision to tag along as you examined the city because, looking at the local sights, there really isn't all that much to say about Asunaro that you couldn't say about Mitakihara, or about the parts of Kazamino or Shirome you've been privy to. Maybe Caster thought you looked lonely; maybe he wanted to join you on an adventure; maybe he finally got bored standing around looking out at the world all day and decided to do something.
Whatever the reason, you won't say no to being accompanied by an ally as strong as Caster.
Your journey through the unfamiliar city takes you past the town hall, the local shopping mall, a hot dog shack, a boutique clothing outlet, a hair salon, a large dome-shaped building which you presume to be a sporting arena, an amusement park, and a sweets shop. Maybe on your way back you can pick up something sweet to bring back to Homura, if you remember. From the sound of things, she's had a rough day, so something sweet might be nice to perk her up.
You encountered a witch as well; but between you and Caster there was absolutely no reason to dwell on the unfortunate creature's fated end. On the plus side, you do have a shiny new Grief Seed to give to your daughter as a present. You should still get her something sweet on the way home, though.
Unfortunately, your adventure takes a turn for the worse when a certain face, one which you would have preferred not to have to see again, makes itself known to you. "I was surprised to learn that you had followed me to Asunaro, Archer." The Incubator. "I was under the impression that once I ceased to be a nuisance to Akemi Homura and her allies that you would have no further business with me."
"As long as you stay away from Kaname Madoka, you'd be correct," you say. Caster remains silent, content just to stare at the Incubator, as though lasers might sprout from his eyes and evaporate the rodent where it stands. "Speaking of, I heard you're still interested in her, so what has you working a new city like this?"
"Contact with Kaname Madoka has been made difficult fr me, thanks to the efforts of Akemi Homura and her allies. But I am not concerned." You'll never get over how creepy it is that this stuffed-animal magical girl mascot only has the single expression, no matter what it's saying. "I am confident that Kaname Madoka will make a contract with me when Walpurgisnacht arrives. My activities in Asunaro are just stopgap measures until then."
"So, was there any reason you chose Asunaro in particular?"
"The machinations of MIkuni Oriko have left much of this sector barren of any usable candidates. Asunaro was the only city left in this sector that met my requirements, making it a natural move to re-establish the local population."
Beside you, you can sense Caster's growing agitation as the Incubator exchanges words with you. You should probably wrap things up soon, in that case. "One last question- What do you make of the situation with the massive witch awhile back?"
"It was an event well outside the scope of my abilities to predict. A witch that is able to think and plan like a human, to be able to take control of a human's mind and manipulate them to its own ends, rather than simply eating them outright, is unheard of. I wish I had been able to observe the events leading up to that witch's hatching, because I believe it could potentially have been a useful learning experience."
You never get the chance to ask what the Incubator might have learned from watching a witch hijack a father-and-daughter team's mind to its own ends, because just as soon as the white rodent finishes its sentence it is impaled with extreme prejudice. "I detest that wretched creature," Caster says, recalling the blades skewering the Incubator's ruined body into Babylon. "It speaks with such empty, meaningless platitudes that the energy and oxygen expended by talking to it could be better used in a hundred more productive ways."
"But we did learn something useful from it," you say, daring to voice an opinion contrary to the King. "We know it still has plans for Kaname Madoka even though it can no longer bother her directly; and we know it probably wouldn't mind another giant witch occurrence if it means learning something from it." At least, you learned something from the experience.
"Perhaps." Caster doesn't seem to mind you challenging his perspective. You're sure this is Gilgamesh, right?
[ ] Wat do?
"That's a shame," you say, as Caster dashes any hopes of recruiting any of the three puella magi currently working in Asunaro. With how little time still remains until Walpurgisnacht, you didn't think it would be possible to integrate any new girls into Homura's team; but it never hurts to try if the potential reward is more allies. "But I take it that means the Incubator is definitely here, then, if there's this many witches and three active puella magi in the city."
Caster nods his head. "The Incubator is hard at work, recreating the delicate balance of power that our presence has disrupted in Mitakihara."
"And that's three girls, and a whole lot of witches." You wonder, what are the chances that any of these girls cause trouble for Homura and her friends in the future? There's only one way to find out; "What can you tell me about them? Names, temperament, abilities; anything you feel like sharing about these girls, I'm all ears."
"The... Pair, that have been in Asunaro the longest are not natives to the city." That makes the third time Caster has had to correct himself; you wonder what that could mean. "They are traveling hunters, and seeing that Asunaro was unoccupied decided to expand their territory into the city. Their magic is nothing especially noteworthy - primarily the same kind of ice and fire attacks that two of our own are capable of - but they are experienced and ruthless killers, held back only by the raw power of the third. Her powers are quite the boon for her, as she contracted with the Incubator only recently, and otherwise lacks the experience to fight against a pair of experienced intruders."
"That doesn't sound too bad," you say. Two girls who, at best, sound like they'd be comparable to Homura and Sakura, and a third who's too inexperienced to put up a fight against a team of six; if any of them were to cause trouble, they'd be easy enough for Homura and her friends to deal with.
"Indeed," Caster replies. "None of them shall be alive for long enough to cause trouble for our masters. A puella magi who fights alone has a short life expectancy, after all."
"What about Asunaro as a city?" you ask. "What can you tell me about the place the Incubator has set up shop in?"
"What is there to say?" Caster asks. "Asunaro is a city much like Mitakihara. Despite the architectural differences, the two cities are very much alike in their history, culture, and attitudes; the same holds true for Shirome and Kazamino as well. While all four of the cities in the Nineteenth District of the Kanagawa region have their share of differences when it comes to architecture and city spending, at their core the four cities are remarkably similar." Caster shrugs, and adds "I do not think there is any more for me to say."
In other words, this city really is a city, isn't it? "Well then, shall we take a look around?"
"Gladly."
In the end, you aren't sure what spurred Caster's decision to tag along as you examined the city because, looking at the local sights, there really isn't all that much to say about Asunaro that you couldn't say about Mitakihara, or about the parts of Kazamino or Shirome you've been privy to. Maybe Caster thought you looked lonely; maybe he wanted to join you on an adventure; maybe he finally got bored standing around looking out at the world all day and decided to do something.
Whatever the reason, you won't say no to being accompanied by an ally as strong as Caster.
Your journey through the unfamiliar city takes you past the town hall, the local shopping mall, a hot dog shack, a boutique clothing outlet, a hair salon, a large dome-shaped building which you presume to be a sporting arena, an amusement park, and a sweets shop. Maybe on your way back you can pick up something sweet to bring back to Homura, if you remember. From the sound of things, she's had a rough day, so something sweet might be nice to perk her up.
You encountered a witch as well; but between you and Caster there was absolutely no reason to dwell on the unfortunate creature's fated end. On the plus side, you do have a shiny new Grief Seed to give to your daughter as a present. You should still get her something sweet on the way home, though.
Unfortunately, your adventure takes a turn for the worse when a certain face, one which you would have preferred not to have to see again, makes itself known to you. "I was surprised to learn that you had followed me to Asunaro, Archer." The Incubator. "I was under the impression that once I ceased to be a nuisance to Akemi Homura and her allies that you would have no further business with me."
"As long as you stay away from Kaname Madoka, you'd be correct," you say. Caster remains silent, content just to stare at the Incubator, as though lasers might sprout from his eyes and evaporate the rodent where it stands. "Speaking of, I heard you're still interested in her, so what has you working a new city like this?"
"Contact with Kaname Madoka has been made difficult fr me, thanks to the efforts of Akemi Homura and her allies. But I am not concerned." You'll never get over how creepy it is that this stuffed-animal magical girl mascot only has the single expression, no matter what it's saying. "I am confident that Kaname Madoka will make a contract with me when Walpurgisnacht arrives. My activities in Asunaro are just stopgap measures until then."
"So, was there any reason you chose Asunaro in particular?"
"The machinations of MIkuni Oriko have left much of this sector barren of any usable candidates. Asunaro was the only city left in this sector that met my requirements, making it a natural move to re-establish the local population."
Beside you, you can sense Caster's growing agitation as the Incubator exchanges words with you. You should probably wrap things up soon, in that case. "One last question- What do you make of the situation with the massive witch awhile back?"
"It was an event well outside the scope of my abilities to predict. A witch that is able to think and plan like a human, to be able to take control of a human's mind and manipulate them to its own ends, rather than simply eating them outright, is unheard of. I wish I had been able to observe the events leading up to that witch's hatching, because I believe it could potentially have been a useful learning experience."
You never get the chance to ask what the Incubator might have learned from watching a witch hijack a father-and-daughter team's mind to its own ends, because just as soon as the white rodent finishes its sentence it is impaled with extreme prejudice. "I detest that wretched creature," Caster says, recalling the blades skewering the Incubator's ruined body into Babylon. "It speaks with such empty, meaningless platitudes that the energy and oxygen expended by talking to it could be better used in a hundred more productive ways."
"But we did learn something useful from it," you say, daring to voice an opinion contrary to the King. "We know it still has plans for Kaname Madoka even though it can no longer bother her directly; and we know it probably wouldn't mind another giant witch occurrence if it means learning something from it." At least, you learned something from the experience.
"Perhaps." Caster doesn't seem to mind you challenging his perspective. You're sure this is Gilgamesh, right?
[ ] Wat do?
- Location
- Around here
Oriko: "Oh my, thank you so much, Archer. But... It's well after midnight; were you expecting me to eat this tonight?"
WanderingTwix
Posting something good once in a full moon
- Location
- United Kingdom
Bodes well.
- Location
- United States
[X] Plan Let's Go Save The Newbie From A Bad End
-[X] Ask Caster where you could find this new Puella Magi, and speed off in order to save her from a horrific death in the near future while possibly gaining an ally for the Holy Sextet in Asunaro
--[X] Introduce yourselves to the girl in question and try to figure out her situation
---[X] Inform her that you're based out of Mitakihara and explain to her the current situation there (e.g. not as Witch infested as Asunaro, Grief isn't a problem due to reasons, the local Puella Magi have all banded together as a team to protect innocent people and their city, etc.); seeing as how she's new to being a Puella Magi, and considering there are two murderous and experienced Puella Magi gunning for her, you were hoping that she might be amiable to receiving aid from the Holy Sextet, or housing her in Mitakihara for a while if she's ever in too much danger or needs healing
----[X] If she considers your offer, give her your contact info in case she needs to get a hold of you or the Holy Sextet; from what you've heard of the two other Puella Magi in town, it'd be a shame if she would succumb to a fate no girl her age should have to go through
-----[X] She's also welcome to contact you/the Holy Sextet if she wants to arrange for her to have access to your "Grief isn't a problem" solution, the only cost really being not being a horrible person and being willing to travel a bit occasionally in order to meet up with the team
-----[X] If she needs to contact someone in a pinch without being able to access her cellphone, tell her to try to telepathically contact Akemi Homura
----[X] Regardless, if she's polite and/or amiable towards you and Caster during your conversation, ask her if she'd like the Grief Seed that you obtained from killing a local Witch earlier; she needs it far more than anyone in the Holy Sextet, for obvious reasons stated earlier
Yeeaah, we should probably address this whole "powerful new Puella Magi dies to two murderhobos - or something else - without accomplishing anything important" thing before that happens. And hey, if things work out then the Holy Sextet could get a valuable and powerful ally in Asunaro while also saving a presumably innocent girl from a gruesome death. Never know when they might need a contact in Asunaro where the Incubator's all set up at, too.
-[X] Ask Caster where you could find this new Puella Magi, and speed off in order to save her from a horrific death in the near future while possibly gaining an ally for the Holy Sextet in Asunaro
--[X] Introduce yourselves to the girl in question and try to figure out her situation
---[X] Inform her that you're based out of Mitakihara and explain to her the current situation there (e.g. not as Witch infested as Asunaro, Grief isn't a problem due to reasons, the local Puella Magi have all banded together as a team to protect innocent people and their city, etc.); seeing as how she's new to being a Puella Magi, and considering there are two murderous and experienced Puella Magi gunning for her, you were hoping that she might be amiable to receiving aid from the Holy Sextet, or housing her in Mitakihara for a while if she's ever in too much danger or needs healing
----[X] If she considers your offer, give her your contact info in case she needs to get a hold of you or the Holy Sextet; from what you've heard of the two other Puella Magi in town, it'd be a shame if she would succumb to a fate no girl her age should have to go through
-----[X] She's also welcome to contact you/the Holy Sextet if she wants to arrange for her to have access to your "Grief isn't a problem" solution, the only cost really being not being a horrible person and being willing to travel a bit occasionally in order to meet up with the team
-----[X] If she needs to contact someone in a pinch without being able to access her cellphone, tell her to try to telepathically contact Akemi Homura
----[X] Regardless, if she's polite and/or amiable towards you and Caster during your conversation, ask her if she'd like the Grief Seed that you obtained from killing a local Witch earlier; she needs it far more than anyone in the Holy Sextet, for obvious reasons stated earlier
Yeeaah, we should probably address this whole "powerful new Puella Magi dies to two murderhobos - or something else - without accomplishing anything important" thing before that happens. And hey, if things work out then the Holy Sextet could get a valuable and powerful ally in Asunaro while also saving a presumably innocent girl from a gruesome death. Never know when they might need a contact in Asunaro where the Incubator's all set up at, too.
WanderingTwix
Posting something good once in a full moon
- Location
- United Kingdom
I kinda doubt this will go well, but sure. Though, isn't she gonna question about Archer himself?
[x] enetious
[x] enetious
- Location
- United States
Any thoughts on why it wouldn't go well? While I can see it not going great, it probably won't go badly either unless she's some kind of natural socio/psychopath or something; right now I'm assuming she's just a regular girl that made a wish for one reason or another like how most Puella Magi start out as, not someone with severe mental problems that would muddy relations so easily or someone that's suffered in exactly the right way with a natural personality to match to be like a pre-Madoka Magica Kyoko except somehow without any experiences as a Puella Magi contributing to it. I mean, she obviously trusted a random magical being to grant her a wish in exchange for a dubiously explained contract, I doubt she'll immediately dislike other magical beings like Servants popping up to offer help while warning her of impending danger. 🤔
If she asks about Archer and Caster, Archer could always use his infamous "Conversation Reflection" Magecraft, obviously (though they could always keep it brief, such as telling her that the magical world isn't limited to only Puella Magi and Witches, or Caster could say something).
- Location
- Around here
Guys, this quest needs votes in order to sustain itself. If I don't get votes, I may have to resort to drastic measures in order to keep this quest alive, like getting a sponsorship from Raid: Shadow Legends. I know one person - @hyrushoten - who left a like for the previous update but who didn't vote, and I know there are others out there, lurkers, or past voters who only show up occasionally, but we need more.
- Location
- United States
[x] enetious
While this is something of a long shot, we might as well try.
Sorry for the late vote. Sometimes I read a chapter during a break at work and don't have time to vote right then. Of course then I forget all about it.
While this is something of a long shot, we might as well try.
Sorry for the late vote. Sometimes I read a chapter during a break at work and don't have time to vote right then. Of course then I forget all about it.
- Location
- Around here
It's less the fault of any one participant's inaction, and more that this quest just has so few participants, and the few times someone comes in to check us out they only end up staying for a few updates at the most. I could probably use better publicity and visibility, but fuck if I know how to advertise.
You could always put a link to the quest in your sig. It's not much, but it's something.
- Location
- United States
First off, thanks for voting and keeping the quest rolling! My guess as to why so few people vote is that either 1. The near a million words that comprises this quest is too daunting or time consuming to get through to catch up or read all at once without wanting to read other stories, 2. That those that do catch up and vote for a bit fall into the trap of becoming disinterested as soon as they run out of content to continuously read and move onto other quests/stories, or 3. That they used to vote, got real-lifed for a while, and came back finding out they lagged behind and didn't feel like reading upwards of hundreds of thousands of words in order to catch up and continue voting.
Also this. First @WanderingTwix, then you say this, yet you guys won't tell me why it's a long shot.
Seriously, I love criticism and when I'm wrong about something (unless it's in regards to something dangerous or immediately important irl, of course), or even just knowing different perspectives on things. That way I can adjust my votes in the future in related topics, and generally have a better understanding of things happening in the quest.
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Day 41 Chapter 14
- Location
- Around here
[X] Plan Let's Go Save The Newbie From A Bad End
Having caught up to the Incubator, gotten its perspective on the things that have changed since the last time you spoke with the evil little rodent, and watched as Caster skewered it as casually as a person dining out might skewer a piece of meat with their chopstick, it looks as though your business in Asunaro has concluded. Except, there's something bothering you. It didn't at first, but the longer you've let Caster's words stew inside your head, the more you think you should do something to help out the new girl. While it might be too late to recruit her to help with Walpurigsnacht, it probably wouldn't hurt to try and earn your daughter and her friends another ally in the long run.
You turn to Caster as the last of Babylon's portals closes shut, and say to him "While we're here, I was hoping to pay the new girl a visit. Think you could tell me where to find her?"
"Your efforts would be better spent elsewhere," Caster replies. "Before the end of the next year, all three of Asunaro's current puella magi will have fallen. You may triumph in winning over the new girl, but there is nothing you can do to save her from her eventual fate."
"I know it's stubborn of me, but even so I'd still like to try."
Caster shrugs, and points you in a direction which you presume to be where you need to head. Coincidentally, it's also in the direction of the sweets shop. "If you hurry, you may catch up with her yet. Look for a small girl with short black hair and red eyes. Kazusa Michiru is her name. She will not be expecting company at this hour." Caster turns, likely to head out now that his part in this adventure has been played, leaving you to seek the new girl on your own.
When you arrive at the sweets shop, you see the new girl, dressed in nondescript casual clothes and carrying a full takeout bag with the shop's logo printed on it. She's small - honestly smaller than Madoka, if you had to eyeball her height - with short black hair and bright, strawberry-coloured eyes. "Kazusa Michiru, I presume?" you say to her, appearing from out of the darkness like the Batman wannabe Kyouko has often compared you to. "I need to talk to you about a recent contract you've taken up. Do you have a minute?"
Kazusa Michiru eyes you cautiously; honestly, for a girl as young as her you'd be concerned if she didn't show some level of caution for the strange older man who approached her in the middle of the night. "You'll forgive me if I don't exactly want to talk to somebody who looks like a stalker," she says, and you'd forgive her one-hundred per cent.
"No, believe me, I get it," you say. "I represent the puella magi of Mitakihara, and I was hoping to extend some goodwill to our newest neighbor."
"Again, you'll forgive me for being cautious, but I don't exactly recall Kyubey mentioning anything about tall buff dudes being part of the system."
"Unfortunately, there's a lot Kyubey probably hasn't told you." You use that line as a springboard in an attempt to fill Kazusa Michiru in on some of the things the Incubator might have left out of the fine print; simple things mostly, like the fact that Mitakihara's puella magi have all banded together and how the city's witch population has been drastically reduced because of it - leaving out just why the witch population is so low, on account of her very similar situation to how Mikuni used to be - or the fact that Mitakihara's girls have found a way to bypass the need to harvest Grief Seeds from witches in order to cleanse their Soul Gems.
You make sure to leave out the really egregious stuff, however; like the fact that witches are just the "matured" form of puella magi or how the puella magi and servant systems intersect.
As you finish your explanation, the look on Kazusa Michiru's expression never once falters, and when her turn to speak comes there's only one thing she can say that accurately voices the expression on her face. "And, you're telling me all this stuff, why?"
"I said it already; I'm looking to extend some goodwill to my newest neighbor. We don't have to be allies or anything like that, but considering you've got a pair of murderous loonies gunning fo ryour territory I thought you might appreciate the assistance from your seniors."
"Who? You mean the Soujus?" So the pair have a name. "Yeah, they're good, but when it comes down to it my magic is flat-out stronger than both of them, in every way. The only reason they've got me stalemated is because there's two of them and only one of me." kazusa Michiru scratches the back of her head, sheepishly chuckling as she says "Heh, sorry if I'm sounding rude or inconsiderate of your offer. I do appreciate it, but I'm not really interested at the moment. Maybe if it comes down to it, and I really can't handle things on my own, then I'll look your Mitakihara girls up and see about getting some help, but for right now I'd like to believe I'm capable of handling things on my own. I do have my pride as a puella magi, after all."
"I can respect wanting to deal with your problems on your own, but at the same time I'd hate to see a-" another "-young girl like yourself suffer at the hands of a pair of murderous loonies." You give Kazusa Michiru some contact information, both yours and Homura's, and say to her "If you ever change your mind, don't hesitate to give either myself or my daughter a call. In addition, give us a call if you ever decide to take us up on the 'Grief isn't a problem' thing."
"Yeah, that's actually the part I'm more curious about."
"Trade secret, unfortunately," you have to say. "But if you're ever interested you can give us a call and work things out, or you can reach out telepathically to Akemi Homura. She'll be the one to contact if you're interested."
Kazusa Michiru reaches for your offered contacts, saying as she pockets them "Well, I might just take you up on that offer in the future."
"And on that note..." Kazusa Michiru has been a good girl; not unreasonably cautious towards a tall, dark stranger in the middle of the night, but polite and courteous enough to listen to your sales pitch despite her obvious hesitations. You went through absolutely no effort to obtain the Grief Seed from tonight's witch, so you feel only a slight pang of guilt as you offer the present you had originally meant for your daughter. But if it buys her a new ally, then it would be a Grief Seed well spent. "Since you've been so cooperative, I thought I'd offer you a reward. You probably need it more than I do, given your situation."
Your offer must seem too good to be true; and indeed, it takes Kazusa Michiru more than a few moments of hesitation before she can work up the courage to take the Seed from you. "You know, for a creepy stalker guy, you're not that bad. Maybe I'll see you or one of the Mitakihara girls around some time."
"I'm sure we'd all appreciate that," you say. "To a good working relationship, then."
You hang back as you watch Kazusa Michiru disappear into the darkness, as you wonder what Caster could have seen in her future that make him so certain of her death. It's probably true that a puella magi who fights by herself has a much shorter life expectancy than one who fight as part of a team; but assuming your efforts tonight were successful, maybe you've done your part to stave off the untimely death of a young girl.
While you're here, since you did plan on bringing something back for Homura, you decide that it's finally time to check out what the local sweets shop has to offer. "Hi," you say to the man at the counter as you enter. "I'm looking to get something sweet for my daughter, and I was wondering if you had any recommendations..."
Having caught up to the Incubator, gotten its perspective on the things that have changed since the last time you spoke with the evil little rodent, and watched as Caster skewered it as casually as a person dining out might skewer a piece of meat with their chopstick, it looks as though your business in Asunaro has concluded. Except, there's something bothering you. It didn't at first, but the longer you've let Caster's words stew inside your head, the more you think you should do something to help out the new girl. While it might be too late to recruit her to help with Walpurigsnacht, it probably wouldn't hurt to try and earn your daughter and her friends another ally in the long run.
You turn to Caster as the last of Babylon's portals closes shut, and say to him "While we're here, I was hoping to pay the new girl a visit. Think you could tell me where to find her?"
"Your efforts would be better spent elsewhere," Caster replies. "Before the end of the next year, all three of Asunaro's current puella magi will have fallen. You may triumph in winning over the new girl, but there is nothing you can do to save her from her eventual fate."
"I know it's stubborn of me, but even so I'd still like to try."
Caster shrugs, and points you in a direction which you presume to be where you need to head. Coincidentally, it's also in the direction of the sweets shop. "If you hurry, you may catch up with her yet. Look for a small girl with short black hair and red eyes. Kazusa Michiru is her name. She will not be expecting company at this hour." Caster turns, likely to head out now that his part in this adventure has been played, leaving you to seek the new girl on your own.
When you arrive at the sweets shop, you see the new girl, dressed in nondescript casual clothes and carrying a full takeout bag with the shop's logo printed on it. She's small - honestly smaller than Madoka, if you had to eyeball her height - with short black hair and bright, strawberry-coloured eyes. "Kazusa Michiru, I presume?" you say to her, appearing from out of the darkness like the Batman wannabe Kyouko has often compared you to. "I need to talk to you about a recent contract you've taken up. Do you have a minute?"
Kazusa Michiru eyes you cautiously; honestly, for a girl as young as her you'd be concerned if she didn't show some level of caution for the strange older man who approached her in the middle of the night. "You'll forgive me if I don't exactly want to talk to somebody who looks like a stalker," she says, and you'd forgive her one-hundred per cent.
"No, believe me, I get it," you say. "I represent the puella magi of Mitakihara, and I was hoping to extend some goodwill to our newest neighbor."
"Again, you'll forgive me for being cautious, but I don't exactly recall Kyubey mentioning anything about tall buff dudes being part of the system."
"Unfortunately, there's a lot Kyubey probably hasn't told you." You use that line as a springboard in an attempt to fill Kazusa Michiru in on some of the things the Incubator might have left out of the fine print; simple things mostly, like the fact that Mitakihara's puella magi have all banded together and how the city's witch population has been drastically reduced because of it - leaving out just why the witch population is so low, on account of her very similar situation to how Mikuni used to be - or the fact that Mitakihara's girls have found a way to bypass the need to harvest Grief Seeds from witches in order to cleanse their Soul Gems.
You make sure to leave out the really egregious stuff, however; like the fact that witches are just the "matured" form of puella magi or how the puella magi and servant systems intersect.
As you finish your explanation, the look on Kazusa Michiru's expression never once falters, and when her turn to speak comes there's only one thing she can say that accurately voices the expression on her face. "And, you're telling me all this stuff, why?"
"I said it already; I'm looking to extend some goodwill to my newest neighbor. We don't have to be allies or anything like that, but considering you've got a pair of murderous loonies gunning fo ryour territory I thought you might appreciate the assistance from your seniors."
"Who? You mean the Soujus?" So the pair have a name. "Yeah, they're good, but when it comes down to it my magic is flat-out stronger than both of them, in every way. The only reason they've got me stalemated is because there's two of them and only one of me." kazusa Michiru scratches the back of her head, sheepishly chuckling as she says "Heh, sorry if I'm sounding rude or inconsiderate of your offer. I do appreciate it, but I'm not really interested at the moment. Maybe if it comes down to it, and I really can't handle things on my own, then I'll look your Mitakihara girls up and see about getting some help, but for right now I'd like to believe I'm capable of handling things on my own. I do have my pride as a puella magi, after all."
"I can respect wanting to deal with your problems on your own, but at the same time I'd hate to see a-" another "-young girl like yourself suffer at the hands of a pair of murderous loonies." You give Kazusa Michiru some contact information, both yours and Homura's, and say to her "If you ever change your mind, don't hesitate to give either myself or my daughter a call. In addition, give us a call if you ever decide to take us up on the 'Grief isn't a problem' thing."
"Yeah, that's actually the part I'm more curious about."
"Trade secret, unfortunately," you have to say. "But if you're ever interested you can give us a call and work things out, or you can reach out telepathically to Akemi Homura. She'll be the one to contact if you're interested."
Kazusa Michiru reaches for your offered contacts, saying as she pockets them "Well, I might just take you up on that offer in the future."
"And on that note..." Kazusa Michiru has been a good girl; not unreasonably cautious towards a tall, dark stranger in the middle of the night, but polite and courteous enough to listen to your sales pitch despite her obvious hesitations. You went through absolutely no effort to obtain the Grief Seed from tonight's witch, so you feel only a slight pang of guilt as you offer the present you had originally meant for your daughter. But if it buys her a new ally, then it would be a Grief Seed well spent. "Since you've been so cooperative, I thought I'd offer you a reward. You probably need it more than I do, given your situation."
Your offer must seem too good to be true; and indeed, it takes Kazusa Michiru more than a few moments of hesitation before she can work up the courage to take the Seed from you. "You know, for a creepy stalker guy, you're not that bad. Maybe I'll see you or one of the Mitakihara girls around some time."
"I'm sure we'd all appreciate that," you say. "To a good working relationship, then."
You hang back as you watch Kazusa Michiru disappear into the darkness, as you wonder what Caster could have seen in her future that make him so certain of her death. It's probably true that a puella magi who fights by herself has a much shorter life expectancy than one who fight as part of a team; but assuming your efforts tonight were successful, maybe you've done your part to stave off the untimely death of a young girl.
While you're here, since you did plan on bringing something back for Homura, you decide that it's finally time to check out what the local sweets shop has to offer. "Hi," you say to the man at the counter as you enter. "I'm looking to get something sweet for my daughter, and I was wondering if you had any recommendations..."
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- Location
- United States
[X] NMS
Hm, not sure what's got Caster so assured about Michiru's demise by the end of 2012, however it's not Fate if one or more characters don't try to defy fate.
In any case, it'll still be nice to have a strong, friendly Puella Magi contact in the Incubator's new base of operations for pretty much the entire duration of the next quest... presumably, and assuming we get that far.
And hey, time to check in to see how the girls' slumber party is going. Regardless, determining the relationship gains and losses at the end of the day will certainly be interesting for a Madoka Magica quest.
Hm, not sure what's got Caster so assured about Michiru's demise by the end of 2012, however it's not Fate if one or more characters don't try to defy fate.
In any case, it'll still be nice to have a strong, friendly Puella Magi contact in the Incubator's new base of operations for pretty much the entire duration of the next quest... presumably, and assuming we get that far.
And hey, time to check in to see how the girls' slumber party is going. Regardless, determining the relationship gains and losses at the end of the day will certainly be interesting for a Madoka Magica quest.
Yuri Vampire
Kirameku Hōseki! Cure Coral!
- Location
- US
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] NMS