[X] You may not like the blasted things, but assuming that the Incubators are mostly in line with their canon selves then they should operate purely on logic. Perhaps you should begin an exchange of information, in the interest of survival if for no other reason. Besides, you need more information on the Incubator's local incarnation and system.
-[X] "Hopefully, it is one that will not come to fruition. However, there is a very simple way to determine whether it will be one. Tell me, Kyubey, have you already made a contract with Kaname Madoka and, whether or not she has been contracted, does she possess an abnormally high potential?"
[X] You may not like the blasted things, but assuming that the Incubators are mostly in line with their canon selves then they should operate purely on logic. Perhaps you should begin an exchange of information, in the interest of survival if for no other reason. Besides, you need more information on the Incubator's local incarnation and system.
-[X] "Hopefully, it is one that will not come to fruition. However, there is a very simple way to determine whether it will be one. Tell me, Kyubey, have you already made a contract with Kaname Madoka and, whether or not she has been contracted, does she possess an abnormally high potential?"
This sounds good. We should also get the date before we leave for Aincrad again.
[X] You may not like the blasted things, but assuming that the Incubators are mostly in line with their canon selves then they should operate purely on logic. Perhaps you should begin an exchange of information, in the interest of survival if for no other reason. Besides, you need more information on the Incubator's local incarnation and system.
-[X] "Hopefully, it is one that will not come to fruition. However, there is a very simple way to determine whether it will be one. Tell me, Kyubey, have you already made a contract with Kaname Madoka and, whether or not she has been contracted, does she possess an abnormally high potential?"
[X] You may not like the blasted things, but assuming that the Incubators are mostly in line with their canon selves then they should operate purely on logic. Perhaps you should begin an exchange of information, in the interest of survival if for no other reason. Besides, you need more information on the Incubator's local incarnation and system.
-[X] "Hopefully, it is one that will not come to fruition. However, there is a very simple way to determine whether it will be one. Tell me, Kyubey, have you already made a contract with Kaname Madoka and, whether or not she has been contracted, does she possess an abnormally high potential?"
Incubators. It was because of them that you nearly turned off from Magical Girls a few years ago. You did not like the little aliens one bit, but you knew one fact about them that you could use.
They were ruled entirely by logic.
By applying logic to how things were happening, you could identify what they were going to do and say.
But the Incubator had given you an opening in the conversation you could exploit. By taking advantage of it, you could gain the information you left Aincrad temporarily for.
"Hopefully, it is one that will not come to fruitarian," you state, going off of Kyuubey's question. "However, there is a very simple way to determine whether it will be one."
You pause, blinking a couple of times, before stating your inquiry.
"Tell me, Kyuubey," you press, gripping the Incubator a little more tightly in your hand, "have you already made a contract with Kaname Madoka and, whether or not she has been contracted, does she possess an abnormally high potential?"
There is no response for a few moments, before the Incubator's voice comes in your head again.
Kaname Madoka has not been contracted, it admits. We have tried several methods to get her to do so, but we were always stopped by a Puella Magi that we had no record of contracting, and now by this Kayaba. We doubt we will be able to contract Kaname Madoka while she is being held hostage.
You release some of the tension you had been holding. There is no danger of her 'witching out' while she is in Aincrad.
However, interrupts the voice again, you are correct in your assumption that she possesses an abnormally high magical potential, both for a magus and a Puella Magi.
That… was not good.
We doubt that she will still have that potential if she escapes this game that has trapped her, the voice continues, but we will have an Incubator on hand if she manages to survive in case her potential doesn't decay too much.
That was… mixed. It would likely take upwards of two years to have everyone escape Aincrad, and Madoka's potential will likely plummet during her time there due to coming to terms with all the death and destruction around her.
However, if she got out more quickly than the expected point on the timeline… then there could be problems of the sort you feared.
This brings up a problem on our end, states the Incubator. Due to my attempts to contract Madoka, there is a total of one Puella Magi here in Mitakihara, and because of that Puella Magi's actions, it is difficult to bring in other Puella Magi from other towns. This leaves the problem of the incoming witch threatening to wipe out this town.
You had an idea of what was coming, but things didn't add up.
"What's the date?" you ask, mentally cursing yourself for not thinking of it earlier.
November 6, 2022, by your calendar, Kyuubey replies.
You frown deeply. The timeline of this world was with the Sword Art Online timeline, with the events of the manga that Kyuubey starred in taking place about a decade later than normal.
There were events that likely took place, but the timing of them was likely off. To make matters worse, there was a demon that was coming to Mitakihara that would likely wipe the town off the map if it wasn't stopped. Kyuubey had said as much. And you knew of one demon that would threaten the town and not the rest of the world:
Walpurgisnacht. The stage-constructing demon, which turned the surrounding area into its Reality Marble.
While Aincrad itself would be unaffected, there were going to be many problems with that demon showing up. The first problem would be that the users of the Nerve Gear would be unable to be moved a second time.
You wouldn't happen to be Emiya Kiritsugu, would you? asks the voice in your head. I have the record on him stating that he died five years ago, but so far he's the only match I have for you so far.
What now?
[X] You've had enough of Kyuubey; just squish him and return to Aincrad.
[X] You've had enough of Kyuubey, but you need more information; surely there can be someone nearby who can help you.
-[X] Who?
[X] Press Kyuubey for more information and try to get your sense of the timeline straightened out, even as he tries to identify you.
[X] Write-In
Congratulations! You have achieved your goal of learning whether or not Miyaka is a Puella Magi: she isn't. Of course, there are other problems that will pop up because of this particular merge of worlds; it is up to you to decide whether it is going to be your problem or not, and whether you are going to deal with them.
Possibly, but I'm weary about letting the rest of the Magus Association know about the Incubators, or more precisely I'm hesitant to let them know about Puella Magi and Witches.
They're just the kind of interesting thing that the magi would like to poke when they should not be poked. Given Kyubey's unfamiliarity with the majority of magecraft, I also suspect the Incubators have done their best to remain under the Association and Church's radar.
Though if they're a known thing amongst the higher ups of the moonlit world, it might explain Kyouko's Dad's reaction to finding out that Kyouko had become a Magical Girl... *_*;
Hmm... Tentative vote for now. It doesn't feel like we need a lot of fancy footwork this time around. I feel like we need more knowledge about the world in general. As such, I say we select getting the timeline straightened out.
[X] Press Kyuubey for more information and try to get your sense of the timeline straightened out, even as he tries to identify you.
-[X] Also, you might as well reply that you aren't Emiya Kiritsugu. They're likely to find out at least that much fairly easily.
Possibly, but I'm weary about letting the rest of the Magus Association know about the Incubators, or more precisely I'm hesitant to let them know about Puella Magi and Witches.
Actually I dont meant the association, more like calling another Zelretch to help or one of the Shirou Emiyas we interacted in the past.....
Maybe grab a couple of them and tell them "You wanted justice? this giant thing is going to destroy a whole city without any thought for it, go get her!"
That'd give Homura enough power to solve the problem... and who knows what else might happen. (Homura uses it to go into Aincrad.)
(GM starts drinking more.)
Actually I dont meant the association, more like calling another Zelretch to help or one of the Shirou Emiyas we interacted in the past.....
Maybe grab a couple of them and tell them "You wanted justice? this giant thing is going to destroy a whole city without any thought for it, go get her!"
Well it's a start, but between the fact that we'd basically be unleashing multiple versions of Shirou/another Zelretch/the raw destructive power of multiple Shirou's being gathered in one place, we might want to refine this if we go with it or something similar.
That'd give Homura enough power to solve the problem... and who knows what else might happen. (Homura uses it to go into Aincrad.)
(GM starts drinking more.)
Kayaba Akihiko is a magus running a magical computer simulation device thing. He's slightly drunk already from thinking about Zelretch being involved. Adding in someone with a possibly infamous Kalidostick will only result in him getting another drink to properly run the hopefully both productive and amusing trainreck.
And hope the players don't start making puns and jokes all the time instead of actually doing anything.
[X] Press Kyuubey for more information
and try to get your sense of the timeline
straightened out, even as he tries to
identify you.
-[X] Also, you might as well reply that
you aren't Emiya Kiritsugu. They're likely to find out at least that much fairly easily.
Homura (being Homura) will make the game too hard. Best not give her Magic.
[X] Press Kyuubey for more information and try to get your sense of the timeline straightened out, even as he tries to identify you.
-[X] Also, you might as well reply that you aren't Emiya Kiritsugu. They're likely to find out at least that much fairly easily.
Walpurgis shouldn't be too hard to keep away. Just set up a bounded field around the city.
[X] Press Kyuubey for more information and try to get your sense of the timeline straightened out, even as he tries to identify you.
-[X] Just ignore his speculations on our identity. Effort he's using to guess is effort he's not using to cause more trouble.
Dammit. We're down a Mumi too. I think we can fight WN ourselves if we have to. Can't be as hard as Crimson Moon, right?
I think Homura might flip out over Madoka being trapped in SAO. Do we want to do anything about this?
I'm thinking she may loop if she doesn't get some answers. Or do something drastic.
Also... What's this?
Madoka said:
"I have to get stronger," Miyaka whispers. "I have to get stronger…"
[X] Press Kyuubey for more information and try to get your sense of the timeline straightened out, even as he tries to identify you.
-[X] Just ignore his speculations on our identity. Effort he's using to guess is effort he's not using to cause more trouble.
Been delayed a few times, but I am writing an update now. Locking Votes.
As a side note, I keep seeing potential ripples that have a high probability of occuring, just because of your actions and combinations of different worlds. Some of these ripples are helpful in nature, others are detrimental, and others still are... entertaining.
You need information. You have a lot of it yourself, but you need to know how it all fits together for you to make sense of it.
While you could go elsewhere to get the information you need, asking Kyuubey would likely produce the most beneficial results.
Even if its attempts to guess your identity continue to prove fruitless.
"I am not Emiya Kiritsugu," you tell him, before muttering "Struktur griff," under your breath again, making sure you don't lose track of the Incubator in your hands.
Structural Grasp: +1
Structural Grasp: 102/1000
At that, you launch into a series of questions regarding the happenings around Kaname Madoka, trying to get a sense of what occurred and when.
"When did you first discover Madoka?" you ask.
April 2nd of this year, the Incubator's voice sounds in your head. I was roaming the halls of a nearby school with a veteran Puella Magi. However, before I could approach her to be contracted, I was attacked by a rogue Puella Magi.
"A rogue Puella Magi?" you ask.
Yes, the boy's voice says. We have no record of contracting her. We first heard of her when she stole all the weapons of the local criminal gangs of the nearby towns in mid-March. That was a surprise to us, but it was irrelevant to us at the time. For all we knew, a lot of thieves could have gotten lucky. We finally learned about her when the Puella Magi hunted down and killed two other Puella Magi, before killing three of our bodies and fleeing the scene at the end of March. We assumed at the time she held a grudge against us for the results of her unrecorded wish, and her powers included speed and the ability to store weapons in her shield.
The veteran Puella Magi was most likely Tomoe Mami, and the rogue Puella Magi was most likely Akemi Homura, but this is the first you heard of the later outright murdering other Puella Magi.
You open your mouth to speak, before Kyuubey asks you a question.
You are not a native of Japan, are you? the Incubator inquires.
"I like Japan," you admit, "But I am not from here."
'Here' referring to 'this world', but there is no need to let the Incubators know that yet.
"What happened after you were attacked?" you press.
I contacted Madoka and her friend and asked for help in what you call a Reality Marble of a demon, it states. After they got caught in it, the veteran Puella Magi came and defeated the demon. As the Reality Marble collapsed, the rogue Puella Magi appeared and warned that I was dangerous.
Over the next month, it continues, I worked to try to promote Madoka's potential, getting the wrists of a boy that her friend liked damaged in the aim to get said friend to contract, leading in turn to herself contracting. Towards the end of June, the veteran Puella Magi was killed by a demon, and although the rogue Puella Magi promised to deal with all the demons in the city, this still provided an opening for Madoka and her friend to fill.
It was at this point I got partial information on why the rogue Puella Magi was fighting so many demons, Kyuubey stated. At the end of this year, a demon threatening to destroy this city will appear.
A date. Walpurgisnacht was due to arrive around the 31st of December of this year. About two months, or about eight weeks. Now you could deal with it with little risk of missing it.
You are about to prompt the Incubator to continue, but it instead interrupts with a question.
You wouldn't happen to be Terell Ursler, would you? asks the voice. Magus family, very good at divination magecraft, especially with long distances.
"I'm not him," you state. The name rings no bells, but it sounds English in origin. The Incubators were closing in, but you needed information more. "What happened after the rogue Puella Magi told you that information?"
Due to her previous actions, the boyish voice states, I found it difficult to convince outside Puella Magi to move to this town. Despite her skill, she will be unable to defeat the demon when it appears if she works alone. I managed to bring in one Puella Magi who had left the area a couple years before, and contracted Madoka's friend after the boy she was interested in had their wrists permanently damaged until she healed them.
Madoka's friend was most likely Miki Sayaka, while the Puella Magi that was brought in to assist Homura was likely Kyoko Sakura.
Madoka's friend had a faster grief production than expected, the voice admits. We hoped that when she turned into a demon, that she would prompt Madoka to contract. After fighting with the imported Puella Magi all summer, the newer contracted finally accumulated enough grief to become a demon. The imported Puella Magi killed the demon two weeks ago, but at the cost of her own life.
So much for backup for Homura.
At that point, states the voice, the rogue Puella Magi revealed that she was working all this time to prevent Madoka from contracting. We learned that the full scope of her powers included time travel, and we concluded that Madoka's unusually high starting potential was due to the rogue Puella Magi using time travel to just try to save her repeatedly.
A few days ago, the voice states, approaching the finish, Madoka purchased Sword Art Online, in hopes of learning how to use a sword so she could defend herself against the familiars of the demons without contracting me. I had hoped to contract her so that I could collect her grief and fill my quota, in addition to collecting the grief seeds of the incoming demon, but this Kayaba has prevented even that. I might point the rogue Puella Magi in the direction of his former home, but I doubt that she'll leave the town until the demon is killed.
The tail swishes awkwardly in the air beneath the body, the eyes never leaving your face. The Incubators have likely given most of the relevant information you likely need to know, but you could still press for other information.
[Q] "I'm an old man, pursuing a favorite hobby of mine. Letting a Demon interrupt isn't something I plan on allowing." Go kill Walpurgisnacht, then get back to your fun.
