Puella Magi Adfligo Systema - Story only

[Firnagzen]

Neither Homura nor Sayaka have arrived by the time you get up to the rooftop, but then, you didn't give them an exact timeframe to arrive at either, so you're content to wait - you consider heading out to pick them up, but... eh. You've got a bit of flexibility to play with today.

And there's something else important to do too.

"Mmm... do you ever think about the apartment, Mami?" you say, wrapping your arm around her shoulder and pulling her into a sidelong hug. It's a lovely morning, a scant few clouds scudding across the clear, blue sky. The concrete of the roof scrapes under your boots as Mami nudges you to stand in the sun, soaking in the warmth.

"The apartment?" Mami blinks up at you.

"Yeah," you say, smiling. "It makes a terrible segue into other topics."

And not to mention slightly confusing at times - sometimes you'd swear that the rooms aren't where you thought they were, but that's probably just your brain playing tricks on you. Memory issues and all. Maybe Oriko had the right idea with foisting endless amounts of green tea on you.

Mami blinks up at you, and then giggles, leaning into your side. "Oh, Sabrina," she says, utterly fond.

"There we go," you say, beaming at her. "What's on your mind, Mami?"

"Nothing," she says, shaking her head and smiling at you. "It's nothing, Sabrina."

"Well..." you say. "You know that going hunting with Sayaka and Kyouko doesn't mean I don't want to spend time with you, right? It's... The opposite, even."

"I know," Mami says, offering you a soft smile. "I know, Sabrina. It's just... old fears, I suppose. It's... I can't help but worry that you..."

"It's because I want to come back to you that I'm going hunting with Sayaka and Kyouko," you add softly.

Some indefinable tension seems to seep out of Mami at that, her smile strengthening.

"You've always come back," she says, her voice equally soft. "I just can't help but worry. Witch hunts are always dangerous, and..." She shakes her head.

Unspoken is the fear that there's more than one reason you might leave and never return, a fear beaten into her year after year, friend after friend... a fear beaten into her by Kyubey, the better to manipulate her. Things are getting better, but it isn't something you can solve in an instant. You can only be here for Mami, and that's what you'll do.

"I'll always come back to you, Mami," you say. "And I wanted to reassure you, because I care about you."

Mami's smile is nothing short of brilliant as she tucks herself against you, curling closer. And that's how Sayaka and Homura find you, both of them arriving from the same direction, Sayaka streaking through the air on a glowing banner of shining cerulean while Homura just roofhops. To your mild surprise, Mugin's accompanying Sayaka, perched proudly on her shoulder.

"Heyoooo," Sayaka calls, waving enthusiastically as she soars in for a landing. "Good morning!"

"Good morning!" you call in return, trading a nod with Homura as she drops onto the roof. "You seem chipper."

"Good morning, Sayaka, good morning, Homura," Mami adds, straightening with a smile.

"Adventure!" Sayaka says cheerfully. "I'm looking forward to it. Speaking of, I ran into Mugin here, and he wants to come along."

You raise your eyebrow, holding your arm out to let Mugin flutter across, perching happily on your shoulder with a soft chirrup.

"Not too much adventure, ideally," Homura adds, her tone bone dry.

"... yeah, that's true," Sayaka says. "This should be a quick business trip of sorts, and the... real adventure will be this afternoon, eh? Well. Politics."

"I hope that isn't going to be too much adventure either," you say with a snort. "I mean, yeah. We're mostly sure they're using memory editing or something to keep a lid on the peace, and that's... not great, but still. I'm hoping for peaceful contact and a resolution to that. So... adventure, but not too much adventure, as Homura said."

"Ugh, yeah, you've got a point there," Sayaka says, wrinkling her nose. "By the sounds of it, they've got good intentions? I think?"

"Maybe," you say, half-turning away. A grand, sweeping gesture has Grief coalescing out of hammerspace, a swathe of nightmare purple bleeding out of thin air to form your flight platform. "I... definitely want to be able to work with them, if only because I really don't want to see Tokyo destabilize."

"Yeah, I can see that," Sayaka sighs, shaking her head. She steps up to the platform without prompting, slouching into one of the seats. "That many magical girls... I mean, hey, we know that whatever they're doing has kept it stable for a while. There aren't girls dying willy nilly or something."

She pauses.

"Er. There aren't, right?" she adds awkwardly.

"Not as far as I've heard of," Mami says. She looks troubled by the thought, brow furrowing. "It may be possible that they've covered it up, but I haven't heard of any rumours remotely like it."

"There aren't," Homura says, quiet and firm and certain. "They are stable."

"Hunh," Sayaka says. "Well, they've got that going for them. Ah, here." She digs a small handful of birdseed from her pocket for Mugin, offering it to the bird.

"Yup," you say, stepping up onto the platform with Mami. A thought raises a windscreen and walls and a roof, nanoscopic structures rippling across the outer surface to dampen radar and mimic the blue of the sky, and you're off, lifting into the air.

Mami sighs happily, leaning against your side with eyes half-closed, apparently content to doze and watch as Mitakihara recedes beneath you, then behind you. Sayaka and Homura watch the landscape blurring by in a comfortable silence, lost in their own thoughts - well, Sayaka might be lost on thoughts of homework. Mugin, meanwhile, has hopped down to the floor, his claws clattering over Grief as he explores the confines of your flight platform.

You, on the other hand, have calls to make.

"Miss Inoue? We're on our way, we'll be there, uh..." You check your phone quickly. "We'll be there on the hour."

"Alright. I'll grab everyone and meet you at the central train station - you must have seen it before, right?" Yuuki responds. "The rail admin building opposite it."

"I... think I know where it is, yeah - near the center of the city, right?" you say. "Either way, I can just follow the railway."

"That's the one, and that's the plan," Yuuki says. "You can't miss it."

"Right, see you soon, then," you say.

"See ya," Yuuki says, and ends the call.

You resist the urge to nod to yourself, so as not to disturb Mami. One thing cleared out, and the next most important thing...

"'morning, everyone!" you say, mentally reaching out for your friends and allies. Kazumi, Yuki, Mika... and after a moment of hesitation, you include Oriko, too. Neither she nor Kirika are going, but you want them in the loop. "Everyone ready for the Tokyo trip later today?"

"Good morning," Yuki says. "We will be ready - one thirty, I believe you mentioned?"

"Iiiii was thinking of revising that to one, actually, and a bit later for Miss Nakano?" you say. "If that's alright with everyone?"

"One's fine with us!" Kazumi chirps. "And good morning!"

"For me as well," Mika adds. "'morning, by the by."

"One would be acceptable, and gives us an hour for travel and early strategizing," Yuki says. "Then I will help with bringing Miss Kazumi's delegation to Fukushima for pickup?"

"Yeah, if it isn't too much trouble," you say. "I'll pick you up, then Miss Nakano on the way to Tokyo."

"Sounds like a plan," Kazumi agrees. "Just a bit before one, then."

"I'll coordinate with Miss Kazumi," Yuki agrees. "Miss Mikuni, will you be joining us?"

"I'll be there!" Mika says. "Looking forward to it."

"Unlikely, but I will be keeping an eye on the proceedings from afar," Oriko says.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Yuki agrees.

"That's the plan, so... ah, yes, Kazumi? Could you do me a favour?" you say, blinking as something occurs to you.

"Mh?" Kazumi says.

"Could you pass on a message to Niko for me?" you say. "When possible, maybe after Tokyo today, I'd like to have a chat with her about something where a certain mutant cabbit can't hear us."

Because once upon a never, she will have taken Kazumi's Grief Seed and created a body, created a way to bring that Witch to sanity. And if Miss Mad Scientist isn't to be your conspirator-in-chief to working on de-Witching, then who is? Not to mention that with the Soujus incoming, you're going to need help to re-embody their victims, and again, who better to help with that?

It's an avenue of research you'll have to be careful of, but you're hopeful.

"Sure, that's easy!" Kazumi says brightly. "Will do."

"Alright, fantastic. Thank you, Kazumi, and in that case, uh, see you all soon, then?" you say, and wait as everyone says their goodbyes and disconnects... barring Oriko, whose presence lingers in the back of your mind.

"Was there something in particular you need to speak to me about, Sabrina?" Oriko asks curiously.

"Yeah. We'll be out of Mitakihara for most of today, so... be careful, yeah?" you say. You can't help the way your lips purse - at this point, you definitely do consider Oriko and Kirika friends, and you don't want anything happening to them. "I'm... kind of sorry I never asked if you wanted to go to Tokyo as well, but..."

Oriko's predictions did place the mysterious danger on when you aren't around, after all. Not to mention the Soujus.

"That's perfectly understandable," Oriko says. "Even if you trust me-" and you can hear her wrestling the urge to qualify that "-neither Miss Miki nor Miss Akemi do."

"Yeah," you say, rubbing your nose and frowning out at the landscape blurring past. "That said, if trouble does happen... both Homura and the, uh, original Sayaka will be in Mitakihara, so please do call for help, OK? If not from them, then from me. I'll sort something out."

"... I will," Oriko allows. "Thank you."

"Alright, see you later, then!" you say, and end that call. You nod thoughtfully to yourself, drawing a sleepy, curious look from Mami. You smile at her. "You know me, just keeping busy and scheduling things while we travel."

"Mm," Mami says, returning the smile.

"I wanna set up a meeting with Tsubaki Mikoto," you say. "Do you want to help?"

"Oh?" Mami says. She sits up properly, giving you a curious look. "The magical girl in Hozuki?"

"That's her, yeah," you say. "She's... well, you know. She's survived a long time in this vocation of ours, and that's notable. So I want to establish proper connection. Also, Hozuki's in Hokkaido, so... it's a bit of a trip, but it would be good to start networking over there, you know?"

"How long're we talking here?" Sayaka asks, leaning forward.

"Uhh..." you scratch your head, half-twisting in your seat so as to include Sayaka in the conversation. "I don't know for sure, but I believe she's in her early twenties. So... rough estimate would be as much as ten years and as few as five? Around there."

"That doesn't sound that long," Sayaka mutters, making a face. "I know, I know, we're in a dangerous business, but it doesn't sound that long."

"It is," Homura says quietly.

"Bleh," Sayaka says. "Bleh."

"Bleh," you agree, and turn back to Mami. "But yeah. How about it, Mami? I could use someone to help me smooth over my mistakes."

"I'd love to," she says.

"Alright then!" you say. With a thought, you cast the mental connection out - north, north to Hokkaido and north to Hozuki City, though in truth the geography matters less than the fact that you've been introduced once to Mikoto, courtesy of Nadia. "Miss Tsubaki? Do you have a moment to spare right now?"

"Good morning, Miss Vee, Miss Tomoe," Mikoto responds after a moment, her voice neutral. "Can I help you?"

"Good morning, Miss Tsubaki," Mami says. "If it isn't an imposition, Sabrina and I were wondering if the offer to visit was still open?"

"On Thursday or Friday, perhaps?" you add.

"Ah, I see," Mikoto says. "Just so that we're clear, why would you be visiting?"

"To make your acquaintance," you say, at Mami's prompting look. "To make friends, hopefully."

"That would be nice," Mikoto says. "If possible, I'd prefer Thursday night? I work longer hours on Friday, you see."

"Thursday night, then," Mami says.

"I'll look forward to your visit on Thursday," Mikoto says, her voice finally gaining a touch of warmth. "Until then, Miss Tomoe, Miss Vee."

"Until then!" you say, and grin at Mami as Mikoto ends the telepathic conversation. "That went well."

"As I recall, she wasn't entirely opposed to the notion of a visit when we last spoke," Mami says, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "She was simply wary, because it... unfortunately does behoove us magical girls to be careful."

"Agreed," you say, and smile. "Alright. So, Thursday trip to Hokkaido."

"Bring some ice cream back!" Sayaka says with a grin.

"If I don't forget," you say, snorting. "Alright, uh..." You gesture out the windscreen, at the neatly tended fields giving way to the concrete jungle of a city. "We're on approach to Ishinomaki, so. Ahem. The sealtbelt sign is now on. All passengers are to remain seated until the aircraft has come to a complete halt."

"What seatbelts?" Sayaka asks.

"These seatbelts," you say, and promptly belt her down with Grief.

"... yeah, I was asking for that," Sayaka says, shrugging and slouching back into her chair.

"Yep," you say, snickering. "Right, right. So, the central train station..."

The railway tracks are obvious, even from the air, steel rails and heavy wooden trusses, rubble ballast and webs of cable carving canyons between buildings. You hadn't quite followed one in, but you match a parallel course, and, yes, there's the central station: the intersection of three different lines, a sprawling complex for the exchange of passengers and cargo.

And across the road from it is an office building, the cheery red symbol marking it as the administration centre for that particular stretch of road, and yes, there's the Ishinomaki group standing tall atop the roof. Five of them, not seven, Yuuki lifting her hand in a wave as you glide in for a smooth landing.

[X] Offer cleansing around
- [] Ask about Tokyo
- [] Ask about local gossip
- [] What other business do you want to bring up?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

So, apropos asking the University Group about Tome: I've decided to push it to after the Tokyo meeting/the night, primarily for pacing reasons. If I forget, remind me, but I've left a big note for myself.

Also, Homura'll talk to Yuuki on her own about her business, no need to prompt her for that.

 

[Firnagzen]

"G'morning!" you call, bouncing off the flight platform in an easy bound. You can hear Mami huff with amusement as she leaps after you, the both of you touching down on the rooftop with easy synchronization. A sliver of attention brings the flight platform in for a smooth landing behind you, allowing Homura and Sayaka to arrive with rather more dignity.

"Good morning, Miss Sabrina, Miss Tomoe," Yuuki says. She's transformed, the green and grey of her armored bodysuit seeming to gleam under the morning sun, and she looks oddly uncomfortable, at odds with the bluff confidence she seems to project normally.

"Miss Inoue," Mami says, stepping up beside you with regal dignity and a placid, unruffled smile as she touches a hand to your elbow, seeming to ground herself with the simple touch.

Ayaka glances at Mami, and then away. Mami's old student, and yet... here and now, she seems more uncomfortable than Mami does. Come to that, all of them look a little worried, to some greater or lesser degree. Miyako in particular, worrying at one of the many, many orange ribbons adorning her outfit.

"How are you all today?" you say, beaming anyway and looking around at the rest of her team, receiving nods in return. "Ah, and yes - you know Miki Sayaka, and this is Akemi Homura."

Heh. Of course they'd know Sayaka - this is where she picked up some of her most used powers, after all. Like clones. And lightning.

"Caw," Mugin declares, alighting proudly atop Mami's shoulder with a flutter of wings.

"... and this is Mugin," Mami adds, smiling faintly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Yuuki says, her eyes flickering from Homura to Mugin. "We're good, but unfortunately, Hoshiko couldn't make it today, and Yuuna decided to look after her."

"Ah, that's a shame," you say, and... well, judging by the challenging tilt to Yuuki's expression, you probably shouldn't push the topic too much. "I hope she'll be OK? Pass on my well wishes, if you think it's appropriate?"

Hoshiko, the one in the purple armour, who you'd restrained all the way back then when you'd first encountered -fought- them. She did not take well to it, and you'd never asked because, well, it's not your place to. And... Yuuna, Yuuki's sister. The one with the geokinesis, as you recall.

"I will, thank you," Yuuki asks, some of the tension bleeding away into a smile. "So, to business, then?"

"Yup," you say, smiling. "Cleansing, refreshing of Grief Seeds, and... well, Homura came along today because she had a job commission for you, plus we've got some news to share?"

"Oh?" Yuuki says, straightening with an interested gleam in her eye.

"Sabrina's business first," Homura murmurs.

"Ah, yes," Yuuki says, deflating a little. "Right. That's important."

The girl standing next to her snickers and reaches over to flick Yuuki's ear. It takes you a moment to match face and lilac costume to a name - Sato Kimiko, the girl whose lightning Sayaka seems to favour as an offensive power.

"It's only critical to our lives, right?" Kimiko says.

"You know me," Yuuki says, the lilt of a familiar argument in her voice. Still, she's fumbling with her Soul Gem, detaching it from its mount on her belly. "I've got my pride."

You tune out of Yuuki and Kimiko's argument as they start into the grooves of what sounds like a well-worn argument as you're presented with an array of Soul Gems and Grief Seeds, some of the former proffered more reluctantly than others. Perfectly understandable, really. Ayaka glances at you again as you look over her Soul Gem, before flicking her eyes away as if scared, or worried. Her Soul Gem's usual mounting is on her hat, as a badge on its front... but you can't help but compare the position, and even the hat itself to Mami's.

You shake those thoughts away as you start cleansing with a theatrical wave of your hands, one Soul Gem at a time. You're quite pleased to note that they've been keeping to their word, partially using and hanging on to their Grief Seeds instead of fully filling them and handing them over to Kyuubey.

The rumble of an arriving train and rattle of the tracks -a heavy cargo hauler, by the sounds of it- underscores the somewhat awkward silence as you work. Sayaka's cape snaps in the wind as she turns to look at the bustle of the station, but you stay focused on the task, adding a little flair to the cleansing with grand swirls of Grief wheeling through the air. Mami takes your arm, as you work, smiling faintly.

"So," Aki says as you turn your attention to her Soul Gem. Tired, yellowish-brown eyes meet yours, narrowed just a hair. "We saw Nakano go tearin' out of town in a hurry yesterday, heading south west. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

Yuuki and Kimiko's argument dies abruptly, the Ishinomaki girls' attention swivelling to you.

"... ah, yeah, that was me," you say, blinking. Well, that's a perfect segue to something you were going to raise anyway. "Uh, sort of me. She saw a neat weather formation starting over Mitakihara and asked us about it, and... have you heard of the Iowa group?"

"Sounds American?" Miyako says hesitantly, still fidgeting with one of her ribbons.

"It is - they are, I should say," you agree. You don't see any signs of recognition on their faces, not even Aki's, even though you've always gotten the impression she's been around the longest of their group. "Er. Well. They're a group of raiders from America, and they were scrying on Mitakihara using some kind of weather magic, which is what Mika noticed."

"So they're coming to Japan?" Yuuki asks, folding her arms.

Sayaka laughs, a noise that winds up half-strangled as the eyes of the Ishinomaki girls snap over to her and she tries to choke it back.

"... er, sorry," Sayaka says, scrubbing her hand through her hair in embarrassment. "Didn't mean to, er. Laugh."

"Ahem," you say. "What Sayaka's alluding to is that we took care of them." You smile sheepishly - you don't want to sound like you're bragging or trying to intimidate them, but there are only so many ways you can tell the story. "Yeah. We pulled together our allies and flew out to meet them, and, well, we have them in custody now?"

"Oh. That's good," Yuuki says, sounding like she's feeling out safe conversational ground with care. "I hope the fight went well for you?"

"It did, thank you," you say. You're proud of what you'd accomplished together with your friends, dammit, but you don't want to overwhelm the Ishinomaki girls. "We went in outnumbering them and with surprise on our side, so... yeah."

"Best kind of fight," Aki says with a firm nod. "Good work."

"I like to think so, yeah," you say. "Couldn't have done it without our allies, either." You smile hopefully. "Speaking of, I don't suppose you guys want to join up? We're forming a coalition of a few groups across Japan."

"Wait, you want us?" Kimiko blurts.

"I want everyone who's willing to agree to get along," you say. "I mean... same reason I'm extending cleansing to everyone. I can give you the spiel about everyone deserving safety, whether it be from starving or from attackers, but... yeah. We've got other objectives, but frankly, that's what the Constellation started with. Mutual defense."

"The Constellation, eh?" Yuuki muses. "I like the name."

"How many groups've you got?" Aki asks, her eyes narrowing.

"Ourselves- Mitakihara, I mean, Fukushima, Asunaro, Kasamino, and Miss Nakano," you say. "Why?"

"Nakano, huh? That figures," Yuuki muses, and shakes her head. "We... thank you for the offer, but would it be possible for us to revisit the question at a later time? I can see the benefits, but we cannot afford the kind of enemies you will be making."

"Even with the mutual defense?" you say, then scowl, and hold your hands up. "I... mm. I don't want to pressure you into joining, if that's not what you want - I just want to make sure you've considered everything. And, uh, while we're at it, the offer of a Clear Seed still stands."

You offer them a hopeful, sheepish smile. You don't know them well, and you don't really know their circumstances, but you like doing nice things for people. You like helping out.

"Would it be better if I simply asked for more time to think about it, and evaluate the situation?" Yuuki says. "It's the same thing."

"Well... sure. Like I said, I'm not going to pressure you into it," you say, shrugging. "I'd be happy to put you in touch with the other members so you can hear from a point of view that isn't mine, if you want, but either way, thank you for hearing me out, at least."

Yuuki snorts.

"It's the least we could do, all things considered," she says, reattaching her Soul Gem and bowing slightly. "Which we are deeply grateful for. Thank you."

"Hear, hear," Kimiko agrees, which prompts a wave of gratitude and shallow bows.

"It's no problem," you says, smiling warmly. "Anyway, I'm done, so... Homura, you're up."

You step back, allowing Homura to step forward in your stead. Mami shoots you a swift, warm smile, watching with interest as Homura pulls a sheaf of paper from her shield.

"This is the network design and configuration of the governmental meteorology service computing cluster in Mitakihara," she says without preamble, violet eyes intent. "I require a hack on the predictive modelling to discover a supercell formation that will form with little warning to strike Mitakihara."

... ah, right. You'd completely forgotten that she'd raised that a while ago, somehow - but an early warning would do well to evacuate the city early and prepare it for the devastation to follow. She'd mentioned it, you'd agreed wholeheartedly, and somehow it'd slipped your mind. Good thing she'd asked to come along to arrange it today.

Yuuki sucks in a breath, hollowing her cheeks into a grimace.

"Now that's a difficult one," she murmurs, holding her hand out. "May I?"

Homura nods, handing over the print-outs.

"How on earth did you manage to get your hands on this?" Yuuki murmurs as she pages through the notes. "It looks almost like my... well, the only other girl in the hacking business is in Hokkaido."

Homura doesn't answer. Granted, it looks like Yuuki's work because it is her work from a previous loop.

"I can do it," Yuuki says decisively. "When's the storm supposed to arrive?"

"Thirtieth of April," Homura says.

"Not much time, then," Yuuki says, still poring over the notes. "Can be done."

"Why d'you need it, anyway?" Ayaka ventures, seeming nervous.

"Walpurgisnacht," Homura says. "The Witch. She's going to arrive in Mitakihara."

"... Christ," Aki says, eyes widening.

"And before it comes up, no, you're not forced to help fight Walpurgisnacht if you join the Constellation," you say, raising a finger. "It's... again, not forcing anyone."

"Aki, what's Walpurgisnacht?" Kimiko asks.

"It's... I've only heard about it before," Aki says, shaking her head. "It's the most powerful Witch, and it's been around for... goodness knows how long. Years. Itinerant Witch that destroys entire cities. And you- you're going to fight it?"

"Mitakihara is our home," Mami says simply.

"We have a duty to protect the people," Sayaka says, turning back to face them. "Even if we didn't live there, we can't just let it happen."

"Better you than us," Aki says. "Good luck, I suppose. The meteorology thing's a good idea, though, get an evacuation order going."

"So I'd better move fast, then," Yuuki says.

"The faster the better," Homura agrees, stepping back.

You'd been planning on seeing if they'd be interested in being hired to fight Walpurgisnacht, but with Aki's reaction... well, there's plenty of reasons you believe you can take Walpurgisnacht on, but they're not reasons the Ishinomaki girls would be aware of. Maybe if you told them.

"On that note, er, what kind of payment do you want for this?" you ask instead, pursing your lips. "I mean, do you girls even... need money? You can just put as much money into a bank account as you want, right?"

"I normally take Grief Seeds," Yuuki says with a shrug. "Under the circumstances, though..." She taps her Soul Gem. "I think I'm happy to waive the fee."

"Well... OK," you say. "I mean, I want to make it clear that my cleansing services aren't contingent on you doing jobs for us? It's freely offered, and like hell I'm selling cleansing."

"You worry about that a lot, huh?" Kimiko says.

"Well, yeah," you say, even as Mami takes your hand, squeezing gently as if trying to convey reassurance to you. And it works, somewhat, your shoulders relaxing a touch. "With great power comes great responsibility and all, and I... really don't want to accidentally pressure anyone."

"Cool," Kimiko says, flashing you a thumbs up.

"Alright. Was there anything else?" Yuuki asks, still paging distractedly through the notes, a thoughtful frown on her face.

[] Ask after Hoshiko
[] Talk to Ayaka
- [] About?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

A bit of a transitory chapter, but getting things moving! And if you need visuals of the Ishinomaki girls, by the way, Redshirt Army's done some Magireco-style chibis to help visualize here.

 

[Firnagzen]

You're tempted, you admit, to ask about Hoshiko. You remember the first time you'd met her, how she'd gone feral when you'd trapped her and her friends had begged to let her out - some past trauma and bad memories, you imagine. But it's not your place to pry, and sometimes, you can only ever wave in passing as others' lives intersect yours.

Sometimes, you can only help if someone's willing to accept help from you.

... you're perfectly aware of the hypocrisy, thank you very much. And it's not even hypocrisy if it's a trait you're deliberately trying to rein back on. You're trying not to sticky your grubby little fingers into every personal problem you encounter. Just the important ones.

"I think that's everything from me," you say, shaking your head. "Uh..." You look to your friends questioningly, and at the same time, reach out with your mind.

"Mami? Do you want to talk to Miss Kagome?" you ask, squeezing her hand.

"Nah, I'm just here for the ride and get some fresh air," Sayaka drawls cheerfully - well, cheerfully enough, but by the way her eyes flicker momentarily to you and Mami, she's noticed something's up, dragging her words out to stall for just a little bit more time.

"I-" Mami squeezes her eyes shut, looking very small for a second before she straightens, and looks directly at her old student.

Ayaka glares back, raising her chin in an expression of sudden defiance. It's only so effective with the way her hat sits slightly askew, disturbing the way her bob of black hair rests.

"Miss Kagome," Mami says, soft and quiet and sincere. "Ayaka. I... I understand. It's alright."

Ayaka's expression crumples. She turns away, first as if to look away from Mami, then into a full motion as she flees the rooftop. Kimiko exchanges a look with Yuuki, pink eyes worried, and Yuuki jerks her head after Ayaka.

"Go," Yuuki says, and Kimiko's gone with a crackle of lightning that sends her soaring into the air. Yuuki looks to you, the distraction of an interesting task rather abruptly gone. "Until next time, Miss Sabrina, Miss Tomoe, Miss Akemi, Miss Miki. Miss Akemi, I'll be in touch about the job soon."

"Until next time," you say, taking the curt dismissal as what it is.

Ayaka was Mami's student, but she's now part of Yuuki's team. And that means Yuuki has a duty to protect her, if necessary, and if Ayaka ran from the encounter? Then they're obliged to close ranks. You understand, and you can definitely respect that attitude. You don't think there's any real animosity behind it and... frankly, you'd do the same.

Mami's back remains straight, her head unbowed as you make your way back to the flight platform, but her hand is tight in yours. Homura and Sayaka flank you like an honour guard, marching shoulder to shoulder with you, and Mugin hops excitedly between your feet. None of you relax until you're in the air, Yuuki lifting her hand in a wave as you rise above the city. No resentment, no animosity, but a definite end to your meeting for the moment.

A sigh, heartfelt and pained as Mami slumps against you.

"I'm... I'm alright," Mami says, before you can ask. You wrap your arm around her, giving her a skeptical look, and she smiles weakly. "I am."

"Alright," you say, squeezing her shoulders gently.

"I suppose I do owe all of you an explanation, though," Mami says.

"Heck no, you don't owe us anything," Sayaka says immediately, but you can see the gleam of curiosity in her eye.

"Perhaps not, but..." Mami shakes her head. "It doesn't feel right, to leave you in the dark, after that." She takes a breath, relaxing into your hug. "Kagome Ayaka was my student, for a while. I'm... not sure if you knew?"

You'd mentioned it to Sayaka in passing, as you recall, but she shakes her head anyway. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Homura lean over slightly, watching.

"We... things were fine, at first, but... she wanted to leave. Had to leave," Mami says with a sigh. "I... didn't take it well. She was my fourth student, and... the fourth to leave me, too."

Mami shakes her head, squeezing her eyes shut for a second, and before you can say anything, she presses a finger to your lips.

"I know," she says. She smiles at you, soft and warm and adoring. "I know, Sabrina. Having you here is why I can talk about these things easily." She straightens, her shoulders squaring under your arm. "Still. It wasn't her fault, either, and... I wanted her to know that. That's all."

"And us," Sayaka says, leaning forward on her seat with eyes intent. "You've got us, too. We're not Sabrina, but we're your friends. Right, Homura?"

Homura nods, and in return, you shoot them both a grateful grin even as you squeeze Mami a little tighter in the hug.

"And I'm thankful," Mami says. "More than you could ever know."

"I... she told me to take care of you," you murmur. "So... there's a chance for you to reconcile. It's not as if she doesn't care."

"Maybe eventually," Mami agrees. "I hope she heard my words, and... I'm not... unhappy. She has friends who care about her, and so do I. It wouldn't be... bad, if we didn't."

"I can respect that," you say. It doesn't mean that it wouldn't be better if Mami could reconnect with Ayaka, but... you know little enough about the situation, and you're even still trying to figure out Masami. One thing at a time, perhaps, and perhaps when you know the Ishinomaki group better.

The conversation falls into a lull for a moment, and you let the platform drift to a halt, high over Ishinomaki. Mami nestles under your arm, her fingers tracing patterns on your wrist, and out of the corner of your eye, you can Sayaka glancing wordlessly at Homura with a raised eyebrow. After a moment, Mugin hops up onto Sayaka's lap with an insistent croon, rolling over onto his back.

"Ssssooo, what next?" Sayaka says, gently scratching behind Mugin's head. "We're still kind of early for Tokyo, aren't we?"

"How's the homework going?" Homura asks drily.

"Ugh, don't remind me," Sayaka says. "I'm still working on it back home. But it's getting done. How's yours?"

"Done," Homura says, with the faintest trace of a hint of a smidgen of a soupçon of a suggestion of a hint of smugness.

"Oh, right, you cheat," Sayaka huffs, folding her arms and scowling. "So. Since we've established that yes, I am getting my homework done, what's next, Sabrina?"

You laugh, mood buoyed by the byplay. In retrospect, Homura and Sayaka's odd friendship isn't quite a surprise, but it's nice to see nevertheless.

"Well, I was thinking we might want to talk to Miss Nakano," you say. "Which I admit isn't the most exciting thing, but since we're here anyway..."

"Mmph," Sayaka says, shrugging. "I mean, don't look at me. I'm just here to be away from homework."

"Still doesn't make any sense," you say, amused. "You are doing the homework, and I'm pretty sure that you're still getting the full experience of sitting at home and doing said homework even while out here, right?"

Mami giggles.

"I suspect it's more about the principle of the thing, Sabrina," she says fondly.

"Yeah, see? I knew I could rely on Mami to get it," Sayaka says, grinning. "Anyway, I'm down to drop by Nakano's if that's what we're doing."

"Alright. Mami, Homura?" you ask.

"I'm alright with anything," Mami says, smiling at you.

"... as long as we head back to Mitakihara after," Homura says, frowning slightly.

"Sure, we can do that," you say, raising an eyebrow. You lock gazes with her, trying to divine meaning from her expression. "Is something wrong, Homura?"

"Want me to make a clone to bring you home now, if you want?" Sayaka offers, shooting you a questioning look, to which you can only shrug in response.

"That won't be necessary," Homura says, frowning slightly. She grimaces, jaw working for a moment as if wrestling with something. "Nothing's wrong. But we shouldn't be away for too long."

Ah. Paranoia. Not completely unfounded paranoia, you suppose. Mitakihara's... light on people she trusts right now - it's just Sayaka's clone. Sayaka is, admittedly, a staunch sentinel, but even so, paranoia has deep roots and a clawing grasp on Homura, after all this time. Hitomi's in Mitakihara too, and she's a good friend, but not a fighter. You understand, you think.

"You sure?" Sayaka says, arching her eyebrows. "It's no trouble at all, I can afford the Grief, since... y'know."

"I'm sure," Homura says. "It's fine."

"OK, well... I'll check in with the birds more, then," Sayaka muses. "Have them keep a closer eye out. Just in case, yeah?"

Homura nods, some complicated expression washing across her face briefly before settling back into studied neutrality. You nod slightly at Sayaka - the reassurance will go a long way.

"Alrighty... if we're sure we're all happy to go see Miss Nakano?" you say, and wait for nods before continuing. "Then I'll check if she's free to talk."

"Miss Nakano? Sabrina here," you say, reaching out telepathically.

"Good morning again!" Mika says. "Wasn't expecting to hear from you again quite so soon, something up?"

"Well, uh... we happen to be in Ishinomaki right now, and were wondering if you wanted to meet up for a quick discussion?" you say.

"Oh, really? Sure!" Mika says brightly. "Cleared my Sunday anyway, so why not. Brunch, or do we wanna just meet up somewhere?"

"Er... lemme get back to you on that, one moment," you say. "Guys, brunch, or just meet up? Homura, have you had breakfast?"

"I don't think I could eat brunch," Sayaka says, making a face. "Why's magical girl stuff always revolve around food, anyway?"

"I ate," Homura says.

"Perhaps just a meetup, then," Mami says, smiling.

"Just a meetup," you say. "If that's alright?"

"Oh, good, that's a relief," Mika says. "I'd had breakfast already anyway. OK... where are you guys? I can come to you. Wait, lemme guess, if you just met Inoue's group - train station?"

"Above the central train station, yeah," you say. "We can come to you if you prefer?"

"I want to stretch my legs," Mika says. "Stay there."

And indeed, barely two minutes pass before you hear the rush of wind that heralds Mika's approach, a roaring gale that deposits her neatly on your flight platform amidst a flurry of robes. She reaches into her sleeve and produces a pair of thermoses, waggling them at you.

"'morning!" she says, pushing wind-swept brown hair from her eyes. "I know you said no brunch, but I've got coffee and green tea here, if you girls want either."

"Good morning, Miss Nakano," Mami says, smiling. "Tea would be lovely."

"Alright, cups, cups..." Mika produces four cups from the voluminous depths of her sleeves and pouring three cups of tea - and oddly, coffee for Sayaka. "So! What did you wanna talk about today?"

"Constellation stuff, sort of," you say with a grin. A gesture raises a chair behind her, and shuffles the other chairs so all five of you are facing each other in a loose ring. You fold back the walls of your Mobile Oppression Platform too - right now, it's really just a Mobile Operations Platform, and one with a rather fantastic view too, in your opinion, with the sprawl of Ishinomaki City laid out beneath you.

"Oho?" Mika says. She leans forward with an interested gleam in her eye.

"Well, to put it bluntly, non-magical matters and... influence in the mundane world, I suppose," you say. "I'm not asking for money or anything like that, but I am asking for help, if you can offer it. We need..." You sigh. "We need therapists and psychiatrists, we need teachers, we need support."

Mami sneaks you a proud smile.

"You- we need connections," Mika says.

"Exactly," you say. "I'm working on it - one of our friends in Mitakihara, uh, her parents are pretty highly placed in Maeba Holdings, and they've been read in on most of this whole thing and agreed to help put us in touch. But I was hoping to diversify the networking? And that's all I'm asking for, really, networking help."

Mika snickers.

"Like that isn't a big thing in and of itself," she says, and cracks her neck. "OK. I'm in, but in the end, I'm gonna ask for the same thing I said when I joined the Constellation - I'm being groomed to take over Nakano Corporation, but papa can't just hand it over to me. The board would riot. If I want it to happen early, and I do, I'm gonna need help."

For all that she looks relaxed and easy-going, there's an air of honed intent to her expression, a hint of teeth bared.

"What kind of help?" Sayaka asks. "I mean, we already sort of agreed back when we had our big meeting yesterday, but..." She glances at you for approval.

"It's a fair question," you say, raising your eyebrows at Mika.

"Entirely aboveboard, and not just because there are no laws written for what we do," Mika says. "I don't even really want magic to be used directly for this, though little... tricks to help build or transport or whatever will help. Magic's magic, but unexplained occurrences don't track that well with normal people."

She snorts and gestures at you.

"I need the same thing you do," she says. "Networking and connections of my own, opportunities opened up." She nods at you. "Your friend with the parents in Maeba Holdings, for example. International relations. All the more impressive if I can just have them, as if-" a demonstrative snap of her fingers "-by magic."

"I mean, you know that most magical girls aren't necessarily rich heiresses, or have relevant connections, right?" You might be undermining your own position a bit, but it behooves you to be honest, really.

"Oh, sure," Mika says, shrugging. "But there's bound to be some, plus, you underestimate friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend connections. On the ground impression and market research. Counts for a lot."

"Sakura," Homura murmurs.

"Hm? Oh, the church?" Mika says, flicking her gaze to Homura. "Like I said, papa's grooming me to take over. He trusts me, and he lets me trial with small decisions. The whole church thing wasn't even in serious movement yet, so it was easy enough to handle. Sakura's in this whole tizzy about it, yeah, but I told her it was on Sabrina. Least I could do for the Clear Seed."

Mika shakes her head, and grins at you.

"So, I suppose that's a lot of words to say that yeah, I'll help," she says. "And as I said yesterday - help me show up a bunch of stodgy old folks and take over the company, and one day, Nakano Corporation will stand with you."

[] Confirm - you'd already more or less agreed yesterday, anyway
[] Add some caveats/conditions?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

To clarify, she's asking for your... personal buy-in to the notion, as it were.

 

[Firnagzen]

"Hmm," you say, dragging the syllable out and then taking a sip of tea to buy yourself time to think. You're not opposed to the notion, and you fret for a moment that that makes you inconsistent - and you don't want to mislead Mika, either.

It's pretty good tea, you admit.

You're going to change the world, in the long run. You might not even have to lift a finger to do anything. As long as you keep distributing Clear Seeds... well, magical girls are magic. The laws of physics are a suggestion at best, the laws of conservation broken and crying in the corner.

There are already girls out there making with their abilities. Healing, or hacking, or even just selling things created from nothing - magical girls who can conjure matter from nothing are a dime a dozen, and heck, you're one of them. And now you're throwing unlimited magic into the mix.

Resource scarcity isn't going to remain a thing. Even if the masquerade stays in place, free magic is going to make itself felt - and it's not like you're planning to let the masquerade stand. You don't know when or how, but you do know why. Ignorance is Kyuubey's greatest tool, and eventually, you're going to blow it wide open. The only real variable is how much preparation you'll need, and that is admittedly something that needs thought.

And the same goes for, well, everything that's happening in the world. Years, decades, short term, long term... the specifics aren't nailed down, but you are going to change the world. You're going to break the system.

You've got magic. It's perhaps lost a little of its wonder, an everyday part of your daily life, but again: you have magic. The only question is the how. How you can turn the world on its head while doing the least harm, without kicking off a dozen wars and without sacrificing the well being of millions -billions- in the search for a 'greater' good.

And you're perfectly aware that many would consider that weak. That there are many who would take society, take people hostage, just to harm progress. To spite you, to hurt people, to protect their own comfort. You're not sure how you'll face them, but it's a fight you will have to seek, and one you will have to win.

How good can a 'greater' good be if it's paved with the blood of others?

... and now you're ranting at an imaginary audience in your head. To absolutely no one's surprise, the default settings of magical girls turns out to be long, aggressive speeches about truth and justice, and aggressive speechifying is a conserved quantity, magic notwithstanding. Apparently, not aggressively speechifying out loud means your inner narrative starts aggressively speechifying.

... anyway.

Back to the matter at hand.

Good thing you think fast, really.

Mika is the heiress of a multinational corporation. You're willing to help her get a leg up, and if she's willing to turn it to more ethical ends, so much the better - you've got an OK read on her, you think, and if nothing else, she's adaptable. As whimsical, as capricious as the winds she controls.

And at the very least, she deserves to know that you're going to be taking a sledgehammer to the very foundations of the system she's inextricably tied into.

You take in a breath, the air clean and cool this high above the city, and you exhale. She deserves to know, for better or for worse.

"I'm OK with that," you say. You pause a moment, consider it again, and nod firmly. "I'm OK with helping you, but there's a caveat of sorts?"

"Oh?" Mika says, both eyebrows rising.

"Yeah, so... I -we- are probably going to ruin the existing world economy, long run?" you say, rubbing your nose sheepishly. "I'm speaking collectively, as in we, Constellation, and we, all magical girls we reach out to. And I'm not... I guess one problem at a time, but I'm not happy with the current social order across the world, as it stands."

"And you wanna change that," Mika says, nodding. "Cool."

"Cool?" you say, arching your eyebrows right back at her.

"Cool," she affirms. "I mean, I kind of guessed something like that."

Sayaka coughs in a manner that sounds suspiciously like 'freeClearSeeds'.

"You haven't exactly been subtle about your... general disposition, Sabrina," Mami says, offering you an amused smile. "In any way."

"Oh. That's true, I suppose," you admit. You deflate a bit - you'd been sort of worried that Mika would object, you'll admit, and you're glad that she didn't, but you'd been prepared to argue your point. "So... that's OK with you, Miss Nakano?"

"Sure. Like I said, I kind of guessed something like that, and I can work with it," Mika says, shrugging. "Not like I wasn't gonna go drive the rest of the board to heart attacks, anyway."

"I mean, hey, if you're on board, you'll be at the head of the pack in terms of early adoption," you say, shrugging in kind and holding out both hands. "Resource scarcity isn't... I mean, magic."

Mika nods amiably.

"I understand your point," she agrees. "Just helping out magical girls will have knock-on effects, let alone what further plans you have." She taps her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe I'll start a magical girl division to provide a front for such activities."

"If the rest of us don't get there first," you say. "I... actually, I should ask - what kind of timescale are you thinking of, for taking over the company?"

"Perhaps a year at the earliest, two or more most likely," Mika says, shrugging. "I've started my own campaign, but my father isn't intending to step down any time soon, and anyway, that gives me time to build momentum and strengthen my own claim."

"Fair enough," you say, humming thoughtfully. "So it's a longer term thing, but you're laying down the foundations now. Alright, yeah. That's fine by me. I... mm. Mami, Sayaka, Homura? We're all alright with this?"

"I'm with you, Sabrina," Mami says, taking a delicate sip of tea.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Sayaka says, starting to shrug before thinking the better of it, with Mugin apparently decided to fall asleep on her lap. "We need friends in high places anyway, in the long run. 'sides, we as the Constellation already agreed, this is just... personal agreement? And I'm fine with it."

"Yes," Homura murmurs. "Agreed. It will be useful."

"Cool!" Mika says, and offers you her hand.

You lean forward and shake firmly.

"So, with long term matters settled," Mika says, sitting back and waving her thermoses at you in silent offers for refills. Mami accepts, as do you, Homura still nursing her first cup. "So you were asking, uh... therapists and psychiatrists."

"And really, anything else that might be useful," you say. "I mean, you'd probably know better than I do what we need."

"Mmm..." Mika says, frowning thoughtfully. "Therapists and psychiatrists, though... Nakano Corporation's primary focus is on construction, but we do maintain contracts with healthcare providers globally. Therapy is a very small subset of that, but we do have workplace and trauma counselling. I could get you a line to local orgs?"

"That would be perfect," you say, beaming. "Well, uh, mm. It's probably not quite their fields of expertise, but it's frankly better than just approaching them out of the blue."

"Great," Mika says, nodding. "I'll get my secretary to find out, then, and... mm, here. Business card, and I'll have her expect your call. She's read in on the whole magical girl business, so you can give her more detailed parameters."

"You have a secretary?" Sayaka asks.

"Delegation!" Mika says with a grin, offering you a business card pulled from her sleeve. "Easiest way to get stuff done. Plus, you know. I'm a busy girl most of the time."

"Ugh, I'm trying to learn to delegate myself," you say as you pocket the card. "I could do better there, I suppose."

"Maybe you should get a secretary," Sayaka mutters.

You snicker.

"What, are you volunteering?" you ask.

"Nah, doesn't really seem like a me sort of thing, does it?" Sayaka says, squinting at you and grinning.

"I mean, it could be," you say with a smirk, and turn back to Mika. "Anyway, er. Thank you, Miss Nakano, for agreeing to help. And in turn, well... we-" a circled finger to indicate Mami and Homura and Sayaka and yourself "-are actually working on general magical girl outreach as an ongoing thing. Locally and internationally. We can definitely key you in on that, if you want, and bring you in?"

"No, thank you, and nah," Mika says, shaking her head. "Just help me find out if anyone has any relevant ties and let me know - I can't exactly come along on every trip, you know?"

"Ah, right, that makes sense," you say. "Delegation, eh?"

"Exactly," Mika says. She hums thoughtfully, looking at the sky. "Anyway, if there's nothing else, I've got to get going? Gonna head home to sort out a couple of things."

"Ah..." you glance at your friends for confirmation, then nod at Mika. "Nope, that's it. Again, thank you."

"And again, no, thank you," Mika says with a grin. She stands, unfolding from her chair as the wind picks up, ruffling her robes and hair alike. "It's been beneficial for both of us. Still the same time for the Tokyo trip later?"

"Yep," you say. "See you in a bit."

"Later!" Mika says, and spreads her arms, allowing the wind to snatch her away.

You all watch silently as she soars away, a flurry of green cloth that dwindles into the distance.

"That went well," Mami says, after a moment of silence, and cuddles into your side.

"So it seems," you say, sagging back into your chair. "Alright. That's good."

Sayaka smacks you on the shoulder, Mugin making an annoyed chirrup in response to the movement.

"Were you really expecting a fight?" Sayaka asks.

"I mean... not a fight fight, but I was a bit worried, you know?" you say. "I mean, Miss Nakano is literally set up to inherit a multinational company, which is a position that I'd, you know, expect to have some resistance to changing the world order."

"She was right there with us when we formed the Constellation, you know," Sayaka says, snorting. "She definitely had a good idea from the get-go, what she was asking, even if she's a bit weird."

"Weird how?" you say, tilting your head curiously.

"Not weird-weird, like you, but more..." Sayaka makes a thoughtful noise. "You'd expect someone in her position to act more like, well. Hitomi."

"It's not as if she's not taking things seriously," Mami muses. "It's just that she acts as if she isn't."

"Maybe," Sayaka says, draining her coffee, then looks down at the empty mug in her hands. "... also, she left these behind."

"And she seems to actually not care that much about many things," you muse, deciding not to contest being called weird. You deserve that, you suppose, and with Mami snuggling against you, you find you can't really bring yourself to get worked up about it. "Anyway. Time to head back to Mitakihara, unless there's anything anyone else wants to sort out here?"

A round of shaken heads and a sharp look from Homura, and so, it's time to head back home. Home for lunch, and then collecting your friends, and finally, Tokyo. You're already soaring into the sky by the time you reform the walls and reconfigure the seats of the flight platform, Ishinomaki city a checkboard tapestry unfurling beneath you.

Mami giggles quietly, curled up against you with her laughter thrumming through your body.

"Hmm?" you say.

"I'm just thinking," she says. "We certainly won't lack for things to keep us busy even after Walpurgisnacht, will we?"

"I suppose not," you admit. "Do you mind it?"

"Entirely the opposite," Mami says with a beaming smile as she takes your hand. "It's like you said, right? We'll be changing the world for the better."

"I sure hope so," you say with a grin. "With great power comes great responsibility, after all."

"Hahhh... it's kind of crazy, how much things have changed," Sayaka muses. "And how things are gonna continue to change. I mean, if you'd told me about all this before... you know, before all this, no way I'd have believed you. It's still honestly kind of surreal, sometimes."

"Things change," you say. "That's what they do. But... yeah. It's not all bad, right?"

"Hah. I'd say things are pretty good now," Sayaka snorts. "How 'bout you, Homura? Got anything you wanna do after Walpurgisnacht?"

Homura shrugs, glancing away.

"... fair 'nuff," Sayaka says, her tone vaguely apologetic as she settles back in her seat.

"Oh, completely unrelated - Sayaka, Homura, do you want to have lunch with us today?" you offer.

"Nah, gonna have lunch with my family," Sayaka says. "Not gonna leave that to a clone."

"No," Homura says. She hesitates for a long moment before adding, "Thank you for asking."

"Alright, no problem," you say. "Kinda figured, but y'know. I thought I should offer."

Mami huffs quietly in amusement, leaning her head against your shoulder. "You like cooking for our friends, don't you?" she asks.

"Like you don't," you tease.

"I do," she says, smiling fondly at you. "It's something we share."

"Well... I can't deny that," you say. You poke her nose, and can't help the giggle that bubbles up your chest as her eyes cross to track your finger.

"Saps," Sayaka mutters, her tone amused.

"Sappier than a forest of maple trees," you agree.

"Just as sickening sweet, too," Sayaka says.

"Yup!" you say, and just for emphasis, you stick your tongue out at her.

The rest of the trip home is mostly quiet, not that it's a long trip back, anyway. Sayaka takes the opportunity to ask you a few questions for her homework - she's just finished up with the number theory worksheet and moved on to the biochemistry work you'd helped Madoka with yesterday. Seems that her biology's stronger than her math, but you're happy enough to help speed the homework along.

And apparently, with Mami dozing comfortably against your shoulder, you manage to nod off for a few minutes yourself. You say 'apparently', because somewhere above Mitakihara, you're awoken by a raucously loud 'CAW' right in your ear, and equally loud laughter as Sayaka topples off her seat, cackling. You flail awake, eyes flying wide.

Mugin contrives to look overwhelmingly smug.

"Bad Sayaka," Homura says drily.

Mami blinks at everyone, sleep-soft but smiling gently. "What happened?"

"H-hey," Sayaka gasps in between wheezing breaths. "D-didn't want t-to crash i-into a building, r-right?"

"We're above the clouds," Homura points out.

"A plane, then," Sayaka says.

"Bad Sayaka," Mami says, seeming to have figured it out. She leans down to flick Sayaka's ear.

"Owwwww," Sayaka whines, curling into a ball, still giggling.

"See if I help you with your homework next time," you grumble, rubbing at your ear. Mugin chirrups happily, still perched on your shoulder, and butts against the back of your hand.

"I'll just ask Mami," Sayaka says. "But speaking of, I should actually get going. Finishing up, then lunch, then Tokyo. You gonna sort out having Madoka and Hitomi on wiretap or something, by the way? I think they'd like to help."

"Ppppossibly," you say. "I'll figure that out in a bit."

By which you mean you should probably get Homura's confirmation on that. You slide a glance her way, and she looks at you, expression not quite closed off. She... doesn't look entirely opposed to the idea, none of that diamond-hard rigidity in her spine or jaw, but she doesn't look like she entirely enjoys the notion, either. She's willing to be swayed, you suppose.

"Hokay!" Sayaka says, hopping to her feet and waving at you. "Later, then!"

She takes a long, bouncy step off the rear of the Mobile Operations Platform, and streaks away on a trail of glowing blue and flowing cape.

[] Do you bring Madoka along?
- [] How do you run it by Homura?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

Well. That forum downtime, huh? The next vote will hopefully take you through lunch and heading out to pick up everyone, unless you decide to do something else.

 

[Firnagzen]

Homura tilts her head, eyeing you with a calm, unwavering expression as Sayaka leaves. There's a certain set to her jaw and the tilt of her head that suggests she's willing to listen, but the lines around the hard amethyst of her eyes say that she's not willing to compromise on Madoka's safety. Not that that's any surprise - and that's fine, because you don't want to, either.

You giggle quietly, shaking your head as you draw the Mobile Operations Platform to a halt, hanging high above Mitakihara.

"This sort of feels familiar, doesn't it?" you say, standing. Homura stands too, her expression shifting to the slightest hint of curiosity as Mami joins you on your feet. "I don't want to make this an argument, and I don't want to keep you too long either, Homura. So..."

You plant your feet and offer a grin for Homura as you wave vaguely in the direction of Madoka's home, not exactly visible at this distance, but... even so, Homura follows the movement, staring as if she could burn through the intervening buildings to Madoka's house with nothing but willpower alone. She nods, tiny and shallow and careful.

"So... let me make it clear, upfront, that I absolutely do not want to expose either Madoka or Hitomi to danger," you say, clasping your hands together. "I'm pretty sure we're all on the same page there."

Homura's eyes returns to you, silent and watchful, and you smile at her as the wind picks up, tugging gently at your hair and your coat.

"Entirely agreed," Mami adds, smiling faintly. "And in this case, given that we are quite sure Tokyo uses some kind of memory magic as a matter of course..."

"Exactly," you say, blowing out a slow breath, then sneaking Mami a swift, grateful smile. "I don't want Madoka or Hitomi anywhere near Tokyo, either. I also think it would be helpful for Madoka to be able to contribute. I completely expect that they would notice things that I wouldn't, and perhaps Mami wouldn't either, and the fact that they can contribute meaningfully without being a magical girl can only help her."

Another measured nod from Homura, her gaze still fixed on you, unblinking.

"Yes," Homura murmurs. "She has been... more content. Because she was included. And... she's less likely to do something foolish."

"Yeah," you say, beaming at Homura. "So... I think Sayaka had the right idea - we'll have Madoka and Hitomi listening in on a muted smartphone, and they can comment and advise us via telepathy. That way they're completely separated from the action, if anything comes up."

"And if they say anything upsetting?" Homura asks, eyes narrowing.

"I mean... it might happen, yeah," you allow. And it is a worry of yours, especially in the case of Tokyo. "But first of all, it's a phone call, and... look, Tokyo doesn't have a reputation for dealing with outsiders in poor faith, right? They probably won't just drop that kind of stuff in conversation."

"That we know of," Homura says dourly.

"... true," you admit with a sigh. "That said, two things - I am fast enough to end a call if it looks like it's heading in certain directions, I can promise that much. And you're not coming with us, right? You can keep an eye on things on this end too, along with Sayaka. And if you want, you can hang out with Madoka and Hitomi for the duration, just to be even more sure."

"Or even to keep a watch at a distance, if you'd rather not impose on them," Mami adds. She tilts her head, golden eyes thoughtful. "We could perhaps make it a three-way conference call between you, Madoka and Hitomi, and Sabrina, so that you can hear what's being said, in that case? And... Sabrina, I believe that Sayaka will be staying in Mitakihara, and sending a clone with us?"

"Yeah, and yeah!" you say. "I'm not sure what her precise plans are, but maybe Sayaka herself would be staying with Madoka and Hitomi during the meeting, too, which would be another good layer of security, I feel."

"OK," Homura says, nodding.

"OK?" you say. "As in... OK, we can go ahead with this?"

"Yes," Homura says. "I agree with your logic. It's... safe enough."

"Oh," you say, caught wrong-footed for the second time today - but only for a moment, as you feel your face break into a grin. "Well... thank you, Homura, for trusting me."

"Your methods have brought results," Homura says. "It's enough."

"Maybe so, but... I'm glad to have your trust," you say. "That's why I'm thanking you for it. And you're sure you don't want to join us for lunch, right?"

"Yes," Homura says. "I should... check on things."

By which she means she needs to reassure herself of Madoka's safety, you take it. You're kind of glad you didn't suggest that idea you had to her - a telepresence clone might work, but it's perhaps one step too far to push Homura. Besides, part of the point of the phone idea is to have Madoka concealed and kept at a remove from any possible hostile. Showing her face would be rather counterproductive.

"Alright. Want me to drop you off somewhere?" you say, nodding.

"That won't be necessary," Homura says. Her eyes flicker out across the distance once more, then back to you, a hint of amusement on her face. "I can make my own way."

"Well... OK, then," you say, already mentally coasting the Grief platform lower to the rooftops below. "See you soon, then."

Homura nods silently at you and Mami, and when you get low enough, leaps off without another word. Mami chuckles quietly, taking your hand and leaning against you as you both watch Homura disappear into the distance.

"I think that was rather successful," Mami says lightly. "Homura seems... a bit more settled, now."

"Do you mean today in general or just now?" you ask, squeezing her hand gently as you start the platform homeward, keeping the acceleration gentle enough that you both remain on your feet without bracing. "I mean, she was still kind of antsy to get back and check on Madoka. Though either way, I think your doing contributed to a lot of that, you know?"

"Today in general," Mami answers, and swats lightly at your shoulder. "And don't discount your own efforts, Sabrina."

"I'm not!" you say. "But you know me - I'm the weird one, and you're the one that people look up to. Your good regard means a lot, especially to people who know you."

"Nevertheless," Mami says.

And really, there's no arguing with a 'nevertheless', not when Mami smiles at you like that. You make your way home like that, zipping across Mitakihara on the platform of Grief, and Mami standing tall and unwavering at your side.

"Lunch~" Mami hums cheerfully as she takes her shoes off, heading into the apartment.

"Lunch!" you agree, following suit and locking the door behind you. "Not too heavy, I think."

"But we'll need the fuel for our wits, I'm sure," Mami says. "Gyudon, perhaps..."

"That sounds good," you say, humming thoughtfully. "We're running low on beef, aren't we? We'll have to make a grocery run soonish."

"Mmh," Mami agrees, already headed to the kitchen.

"Oh, Mami!" you call as you follow, already mentally reviewing the recipe and the ingredients you'll need - not that gyudon is a complex dish, the rice will take the longest out of any of it. "I don't suppose you're any good with enchanting phones?"

"I... can't say I've ever considered it," Mami says, kneeling down to collect ingredients from the fridge. "Why do you ask? Ah, for the call later?"

"Well... I was thinking that we might want to enchant my phone to resist being magically hacked, and to resist the signal being blocked?" you say. "Which... now that I think about it, I should have asked Miss Inoue."

"Perhaps," Mami says, shaking her head as she stands. "I could try if we had more time, but... electronics are delicate. I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, it was my mistake," you say, wrapping your arm around her shoulders and pulling her into a gentle hug. "I really should have thought about it earlier."

Mami cuddles under your arm, squeezing a little closer as you run your hands through her hair. Still, she only stays like that for a moment, blinking up at you with warm, golden eyes, to which you respond with a smile.

"No harm done?" she asks tentatively.

"No harm done," you say firmly. "Now, shall we?"

"Let's!" Mami agrees.

Lunch is delicious, of course, the beef simmered to perfection amidst onions and a sweet, savoury broth, along with a poached egg and served atop fragrant rice. Then again, how could it not be delicious, with Mami cooking? As you eat, you and Mami chat comfortably about nothing in particular.

And, for some reason, the notion of Homura in earlier time periods.

"All I'm saying is, ninja Homura!" you say, beaming at Mami, who giggles.

"Ah, but muskets were widely available as early as the Sengoku period, thanks to the Portuguese," Mami says, after schooling her face into seriousness. "Matchlock muskets, as I recall."

"Mm... true, but matchlocks weren't the most effective weapons," you say, and grin teasingly, waving your chopsticks at Mami. "And before you cite your own muskets, you use percussion-caps. And they're magical, in any case."

"I wasn't going to!" Mami says, matching your delighted grin in kind. "But as you well know, the issues were primarily with reloading and with accuracy, neither of which would really concern Homura."

"True..." you admit thoughtfully.

Even Mugin, having deigned to join you for a handful of birdseed, adds a few well-considered chirrups to the discussion, and between the three of you, you demolish your lunches rapidly.

[x] Pick up the coalition: Yuki, Kazumi at Fukushima, Mika at Ishinomaki.
[] Coordinate with Madoka and Hitomi
- [] How?
[] Write-in last minute suggestions/requests for Sayaka?
[] Write-in last minute suggestions/requests for Homura?
[] Write-in discussions/planning for the trip to Tokyo

=====​

And finally, we're off to Tokyo. Apologies for such a short update after the long delay, but it's a bit of a transitory section to link it all together.

 

[Firnagzen]

"Well!" you say as you set your chopsticks down with a decisive click, and grin at Mami. "Shall we?"

"Dishes first," Mami chides, eyes dancing. "But yes, we certainly shall."

Excitement fizzes through your veins, heady anticipation and hope brewing in your mind even as you stand side-by-side with Mami, fingers brushing as you exchange soaped dishes to be rinsed. You hope, oh you do so hope this goes well. You don't want this to be another big fight, another group of secretly abhorrent people you'll have to fight. Especially not Tokyo, not with their twenty-seven magical girl groups in one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

You hope they're reasonable people. You hope you can work with them. You hope they can work with you, you hope that... hah. You hope that given the opportunity to make people's lives better, they will. That's it, really. You're willing to forgive a lot, you suppose, as long as you can align on that. You'd talked to Hitomi and Madoka about just that, even, if not quite explicitly.

"Thinking about Tokyo?" Mami prompts quietly, nudging you with her hip.

"Yeah," you admit. At least you hadn't zoned out entirely, continuing to soap up the dishes and handing them to Mami as you thought.

"Mm," Mami says. "They were interested in meeting you, Sabrina, and even if they're only interested in your power, that's leverage that you have over them." She tilts her head to look at you, smiling. "I don't mean that you should use that to force them to obey you, or anything like that. I know you wouldn't want that. I mean that if they have an interest, it's a very strong start, a... common ground to build upon."

"I suppose so," you say.

Mami smiles at you, faint and warm and utterly trusting, the gold of her eyes almost luminous with the way the afternoon sun highlights the curve of her face. You can't help but laugh and pull her into a hug, cuddling close and drawing strength from her presence.

"Alright," you say, separating from the hug and exhaling firmly. "Let's do this."

You elect to leave Mugin at home this time, for safety. After explaining it to him, you're airborne in minutes, Homura and Oriko notified -separately, of course- and Sayaka joining you midair, well before you'd even left Mitakihara's airspace.

"Hey, Sayaka!" you call over the wind as her streak of glowing blue intersects your flight path. You extend her a landing platform, Grief bleeding into existence beneath her feet, and she lands with a grateful nod. A few extra baffles to muffle the wind... "Feeling good about this?"

"I think so," Sayaka says, shrugging. "So, I'm meeting with Madoka and Hitomi after this. Got any recommendations for what I wanna send to Tokyo and what to keep with me? Antimagic, especially."

She holds up her powers and that bracer she's been tinkering with, a questioning look in her eyes.

You suck in a breath, thinking.

"I think we stick with what we agreed on before," you say. "I... I admit it'd be a really good defensive option in case you get attacked here, but I also think the odds of an attack happening now are low. And with Homura on guard, we've got that panic option, so I'd rather we proceed as planned - antimagic as both one of our trump cards and counter to memory magic. Mami? What do you think?"

"I concur," Mami says. "And... should it become necessary, I think that Miss Kure could be trusted to help out with antimagic, with Sayaka and Homura both, ah, escorting her in such a case. Not to forget Miss Watanabe and Miss Saito - I'm sure that they would be willing to pitch in, too."

"Right, got it," Sayaka says, sorting busily through her power jewels. "Antimagic, Yuma's healing, hypnosis maybe? Tsubaki's flight, lightning, invisibility, juggernaut. That seems like a good mix."

"Miss Ueda's perception magic, perhaps," Mami offers. "It might allow you to notice traps or such."

"Good call," Sayaka says, splitting off another jewel. "Alright. Hold these for me for a sec?"

She tosses you the gems and splits off a clone, who highfives herself before joining you on the platform proper.

"Alright. I'll go catch Madoka and Hitomi, then," Sayaka says, saluting you. "Probably Homs too... Oh! You made those mind-protection enchantments, right? Got any extras?"

"Ah, good thought. I made extras, yeah," you say, already mentally rummaging in your hammerspace storage. Not the katana, not the obrez... "There you are. One for you, Madoka, Hitomi, and... one extra, in case Homura wants it."

"Cool," Sayaka says, catching the hairclips you toss her and sliding one into her hair, opposite her fortissimo clip. "I'll pass these on. Stay safe out there."

"It's just a nice, peaceful diplomatic mission," you say, returning the salute gravely. "What could possibly go wrong?"

Sayaka gives you a gimlet stare from two directions, but only for so long as her path diverges from yours. And then you're down to one pair of cerulean eyes glaring at you, Sayaka's clone settling into the chair you make for her and Mami giggling quietly by your side.

"Speaking of Madoka and Hitomi, I should probably let them know the plan," you decide, and pull your phone out. With Sayaka safely caught up, you can pick up speed, Mitakihara starting to recede behind and below you.

"I could just tell 'em, since I'm gonna go over anyway? They decided to head over to Hitomi's place, by the way," Sayaka notes. "More room."

"Huh," you say, giving her a quizzical look as you pull up Madoka's phone number. "Did we tell them already?"

"I dunno, did you?" Sayaka says, squinting right back at you. "I don't think any of us ever laid it out in proper detail and confirmed it, but I think we all just kind of assumed they'd be listening somehow? Since they're gonna be our political advisors and all?"

"I mean... yeah, I guess," you say. Probably a really good thing you'd convinced Homura, then - they'd have been crushed otherwise. You consider it for a moment longer before shrugging again and dialing - as an afterthought, you toggle your phone to speakerphone mode as it rings, so that everyone can hear.

"Hi, Sabrina!" Madoka calls brightly. "Are you going to Tokyo now?"

"Not just yet!" you say. "Well, sort of. We're gonna go pick everyone up first, then head to Tokyo. Sayaka's on her way to join you. Is Hitomi with you?"

"I'm here," Hitomi says calmly.

"Great!" you say. "So, the plan is that I'm going to rack up the minutes on my phone - I'll have a phone call up and running, but muted so you can listen in. Then you can send your impressions and advice back to me via telepathy. I can multi-task really well, so... you won't need to hold back in that regard. Does that make sense?"

"It does!" Madoka says happily. "We'll be the power behind the throne. Muahahaha!"

You stare at the phone, then at Mami, and then at Sayaka. Sayaka shrugs back at you.

'Her mother is a bad influence,' Sayaka mouths.

You and Mami both nod in perfect, understanding unison. That does make sense, you admit.

"Sabrina?" Hitomi asks. "Are you still there?"

"I'll be honest, you'd definitely make a fine shadow empress," you say thoughtfully. "Unfortunately, if any of us is gonna be crowned empress of the world, it's definitely Mami, so... would you settle for vizier?"

"I don't think a mustache would suit me..." Madoka says, a pout audible in her voice. "Or a goatee."

"Perhaps we'll settle the matter of a shadow government another time," Hitomi says lightly. "That said, it's a sound plan, Sabrina."

"Alright, good," you say. "Speaking of mustaches and the implied twirling thereof, uh - something else I'd like you two to help us with is keeping an eye on our behaviour from afar? We are pretty sure that Tokyo uses mind-altering magic of some variety, and even if we've got protections ready, it doesn't hurt to have verification, yeah?"

"We will!" Madoka promises, and you can imagine the determined glint in her eye at the declaration. "We'll definitely keep an eye out! And- hmm?"

You can hear the polite knocking on the door, even from this end of the call, and Hitomi's genteel 'Come in!'.

"Girls, Ichiro just got home," Haruka's voice says. "Do you want some red bean paste buns? Freshly made. Ah, are you on the phone?"

"Yes, mama," Hitomi says. "Magical girl business. And... I think one each for the both of us?"

"Yes, please!" Madoka pipes up.

"Ah, that must be Miss Vee on the phone, then?" Haruka says, her voice coming nearer to the phone. "All the best on your business, then, and please, do us know if we can help."

"We will, thank you. We're meeting the Tokyo group soon, is all," you say, and glance at Sayaka, arching your eyebrows. "Ah... Sayaka will be joining you soon? Homura might, too, but I'm not as sure of her exact plans."

"Well, Sayaka's always welcome here, at any time," Haruka says. "Miss Akemi, too, and I'll set aside another two buns, just in case."

"Oh! I'll see if Homura wants to join us," Madoka says.

"Sounds like a plan," you say, ignoring the amused look Mami shoots you. Yes, yes, sometimes you're terribly transparent, but you're not trying to hide it. You want your friends to spend more time together, you want Homura to socialize more, and you've been entirely up front about it, and why you think it'd be good, and that you're not going to force them into it.

"I'll leave you girls to it, then," Haruka says. "Stay safe."

"We will!" you say, and smile, even if your friends can't see it. "Anyway, Madoka, Hitomi, so - we'll call when we're actually about to meet them, yeah?"

"OK! We'll be waiting!" Madoka says. "See you soon!"

"See you!" you say, and end the call, sitting back with a sigh. The outskirts of Mitakihara are already well behind you, forests and roads and the checkerboard of fields stitched into the landscape below you. Familiar ground, at this point, as you race towards Fukushima in an easy, comfortable silence.

The other half of today's delegation -barring Mika, of course- is already waiting on the rooftop by the time you get there. Kazumi, waving enthusiastically and practically vibrating out of her skin with excitement. Beside her is Umika, in her odd vaguely nun-ish costume, whites and golds a strong contrast with the deep blue of her hair, and to your surprise, you see Niko in the virulent greens and yellows of her costume, slouched behind them with the brim of her aviator's hat pulled low.

And then there's Yuki, tiny and all but disappearing under the heavy green cloak of her costume, but she stands with a steady assurance in the middle of the rooftop, flanked by Moe and the towering wall of muscle that is Shinobu.

"Hey, everyone!" you call as your Grief platform coasts to a halt, further Grief blossoming from beneath your feet to expand it for the newcomers. "We all good to go?"

"Hiii!" Kazumi adds brightly.

"Indeed," Yuki says, nodding regally at you, Shinobu offering a silent wave.

"Well, everyone aboard then," you say. "We can talk on the journey over, and after we've picked up Miss Nakano so that we don't have to repeat ourselves?"

Yuki smiles, taking a demonstrative step back. "I think that will be fine, but that's not my decision, this time. Moe, Shinobu?"

"We'll be in your care," Moe says with a bright, cheery smirk, offering you a short bow that's only a little bit sarcastic. Likewise, Shinobu bows as well.

"And it's less chance for Niko to escape back to her lab, anyway," Kazumi says, wrapping an arm around the taller girl's waist and nudging her up to the platform.

"I already told you, Kazumi, you've gotten me this far," Niko says, in an exasperated, utterly fond tone that... well, it sounds familiar. "I still don't wanna go, but you asked."

You find your gaze gravitating to Mami, and find that who has a tiny smile dancing on her lips, her eyes rising in sync to meet yours.

Sayaka snorts quietly, elbowing you.

You elbow her right back, dodge the retaliation, and stand to organize the seats - not that you actually need to, but it gets you out of range of Sayaka's alarmingly pointy elbow. And it lets you check on your friends, Kazumi offering you a sunny smile, and Niko giving you a measured, steady nod of acknowledgement.

"Alright. Everyone seated comfortably? We'll be accelerating hard to Ishinomaki," you say, and glance at Yuki, still standing on the roof. "Miss Tsuruya, are you sure you don't want to come along?"

"I trust my teammates, and I trust you and your group to win us a favourable position," Yuki says. "And if it should turn out to be a fight, Shinobu and Moe are both far better suited to direct confrontations than I am."

"We'll do our best," you say, smiling. "And we'll definitely get everyone back safe and sound. That part's non-negotiable."

"I don't doubt it," Yuki says, nodding, and stepping back. "Don't let me detain you - you are on a schedule!"

"See you later, Yuki!" Shinobu calls.

"Alright. Here we go, everyone," you say, and lift off into the sky. Yuki stays on the roof of her building, a speck of green and purple disappearing into the distance, lost amidst the skyline of Ishinomaki. "We'll talk when we've reached Ishinomaki!"

And then it's a hard acceleration towards Ishinomaki. Perhaps you don't have to push quite this hard, but you'd rather gather everyone as the first step. Japan unfurls beneath you as physics shoves you all back in your seats, and you soar over the landscape impelled by little more than your will. Fields and forests give way to coast, then to sea as you take a direct path for Ishinomaki, Mitakihara a passing smudge on the horizon as you blur past.

You're slowing by the time you reach Ishinomaki, high above the glittering waves, and you're only mildly surprised as the edges of your nanofog cloud encounters a roaring gale, Mika herself dropping feetfirst out of the sky and onto your platform in a neat little landing a few moments later.

"Figured that was you," she says by way of explanation. "Straight line from Fukushima, right?"

"Yep!" you say. "Hope you weren't waiting for too long?"

With Mika already aboard, there's no reason to stop, so you immediately turn for Tokyo. Which, now that you think about it, you might have been better served picking Mika up first, then stopping by Fukushima on the way over, but... you'd first made the agreement with Yuki, and it feels right this way.

"Nah," Mika says, settling into the last seat behind you. "I was keeping an eye out, but seems like you made good time." She cracks her knuckles, grinning. "So, what's the plan?"

"First of all, these," you say, spinning your chair to face everyone, and then reaching aside into your hammerspace to pull out more of the enchanted hairclips as Mami turns to follow suit, smiling faintly. "Again, we're all fairly certain that Tokyo uses some form of mind magic. This is what I've cooked up in hopes of protecting against it."

You start handing them out, Shinobu raising an eyebrow as she balances the sliver of metal, tiny by comparison to her hand, on a finger.

"Is this gold?" she asks curiously.

"Yeah," you say, shrugging. "Frankly, it was what I had to hand, without raiding Mami's supply."

"I wouldn't have minded," Mami says, smiling faintly. "But perhaps this is for the best - it adds a certain... panache, to have us all having some common emblem."

"This is how you accidentally a uniform motif," Kazumi observes, putting the hairclip on without hesitation. "That said, Umika?"

"Ah, yes, certainly," Umika says, producing a book from somewhere under her nun's habit, one that's traditionally bound with string along its spine. Without hesitation, she tears two pages out, and tears those into strips that she starts to pass out. "You don't need to wear these on your head, just keep them somewhere on you. These are based on my own magic, working with Niko."

"Ah, excellent," you say, helping to hand them out. Ofuda, Kazumi had called them, and they do look the part - strips of paper with a messy scrawl in no particular language nor meaning, but you can feel the power humming in them. "Thank you, Miss Umika."

"It's only fair," Umika says, shrugging as she exchanges one for a hairclip for herself. "Oh, uh- Miss Miki, they need to be physically on you somewhere, not in pocket-space."

"Huh," Sayaka says, sheepishly producing the ofuda again. "That makes sense, I guess."

"Did you make these, Miss Vee?" Niko asks distractedly as she peers at the hairclip Kazumi had stuffed into her hand.

"Er, yeah?" you say.

"Fascinating," Niko says. "A... self-control enchantment of some kind, correct?"

"Yeah," you say, exchanging a look with Mami, who shrugs.

"I might have a use for something like this, do you-" Niko blinks, some sixth sense apparently prompting her to look up just in time to take the brunt of a sharp look from Kazumi, "-think we could talk about it sometime?"

"I'd be happy to," you say, beaming. "Though... well, goodness knows how long this thing with Tokyo will last. And speaking of which, so... we'll be meeting with the Chiyoda group first, at their specific invitation, and then to the Tokyo Council at large."

"So, Toshimichi Akane, huh?" Kazumi says, bright gleam in her eye. "I'm kind of looking forward to meeting her."

"Yuki is very interested in anything we can find out about her and the rest of her group, too," Moe notes. "They've consistently managed to conceal their own operations and powers, and that's... interesting!"

"So! What's on our agenda?" Mika says.

[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

Spoiler: Vote in abeyance

[X] Remind both the people with us and those on the line that our starting goal is a peaceful expansion of our grief cleansing services, but the political situation is complicated and not one we have a lot of information on.
-[X] We're expecting to do a lot of listening at first before we start pushing proposals.

=====​

We're finally here! The next post will, hopefully, take us in to the meeting with Chiyoda. This is a good time to set your initial spiel, and coordinate how you'll want to present yourself.

 

[Firnagzen]

You slow your flight platform a bit - you're making good time to Tokyo, anyway, and you can spare the time to discuss your approach during the approach. Mitakihara's long gone past the horizon, and you should expect to see the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo coming up soon.

"OK, so... this is my agenda: First impressions, information gathering, and helping," you say, ticking off a finger for each item. "In ascending order of importance, I suppose, though really, the first two are about equal in priority I guess? Actually, come to think of it, first impressions are really important, too."

You trail off thoughtfully, then nod firmly, looking from person to person. Mami and Sayaka at your sides, then Mika, seated with her hands tucked into her sleeves and enigmatic smile on her face. Then Kazumi and Umika and Niko, the former two both looking at you with bright interest while Niko fiddles with the enchanted hairclip, and finally, Moe and Shinobu. Moe flashes you a grin, just as eager as the Asunaro girls.

Heh.

Yuki's decision to swap out Sasami for Moe was probably the right call. Well, given what you know of Yuki -professional to a T- it was definitely the right call, and frankly, if Sasami's still uncomfortable in your presence... given the way your fight with her had gone, you can't blame her one bit. Moe, on the other hand, seems to bear no grudge at all despite being in the same fight and despite being Sasami's partner.

"But as I said, that's my agenda," you say. "If anyone else has anything that they want, then let us all know, and we'll all work on it together?"

You get a wave of nods at that, and an approving smile from Mami, so you'll take that as your cue to continue.

"So, first impressions," you say. "... actually, let me rearrange the seats first... there." You much prefer a ring of seats rather than speaking to the ranks, as it were. "We want them to like us. I mean, no brainer, really, we're coming to them as equals, and we want them to understand that we both can and want to help them. Competence and compassion, in other words. Even if nothing else pans out today, that'll parley into the rest of our goals."

"Condescension?" Shinobu asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Condescen... ah, I see," you say, blinking. "I mean..." You exhale, letting your breath puff your cheeks out. "We want to help. I, especially, want to help. Some people will jump at anything to take offense, and if they want to, then we can't do anything about that. Anyone else, we can talk to - we have an earnest desire to help, right?"

"It's more convincing if framed as us getting something out of the deal," Umika says, shrugging. "Even if it's just long term stability of the largest local magical girl polity, no?"

"Maybe, but that's not... OK, look. We've got international ambitions, right?" you say, looking around. "And, well, anyone hostile to the notion can lie to discredit us." Kyuubey in particular, you don't say. "Maybe not to Tokyo, but to other groups around the world. I'd prefer to give them as little truth to work with as possible."

"That makes sense," Umika says, inclining her head. "Still, I think it's something to keep in mind. Maybe not in those exact terms, but... people have difficulty believing a truly altruistic motive from a stranger. Not so much in smaller scale relationships, but something such as this..."

"If they don't believe us when we're telling the truth, that's their problem," Sayaka grouses. "We're literally trying to give out free stuff!"

"I know, right?" you say, rolling your eyes. "How do you think I feel?"

Mika snickers.

"Inoue still doesn't want a Clear Seed?" she asks.

Your sigh is probably answer enough.

"Anyway," you say, waving that thought aside. "First impressions. I... well, a lot of stuff depends on what they're like, but I really, really don't want to start a magical turf war. Unless they're corrupt or actively hurting people or something, we're... probably going to want to work with it, at least for now, and work on changing it eventually."

You grimace unhappily, and you're not the only one to look unhappy, either - Sayaka most of all, Mami looking perhaps a touch grim, as do Kazumi and Umika. Mika frowns, tapping her chin, while Shinobu folds her arms, scowling thoughtfully. It's not an idea you like, but... this is a case where stability does matter, and your previous musings are entirely relevant. You really, really don't want to spark off a magical brawl in one of the densest urban areas in the world.

"We don't know enough about Tokyo to make an informed plan of attack there," you say with a sigh. "Which leads into my second point: information gathering. If there's abuses happening, deaths and disappearances being swept under the rug, I want to know about it, and anything else... well, this isn't going to be our only trip to Tokyo, I bet."

"What about the Constellation?" Moe asks. "We're meeting them as a peer organization - do we intend on recruiting, and similarly, what if someone approaches us?"

"Honestly, if anyone wants to join up, I have no objections, I think?" you say. "Unless the Tokyo Council has some exclusivity clause, and violating that leads to the region destabilizing, or something like that." Judging by the way Mami takes your hand in hers and squeezes gently, at least some of your annoyance is probably showing. "Which... well. Insufficient information. We'll play it by ear?"

"Understood," Moe says, nodding sharply. "Yuki is, of course, interested in the notion - we've never had cause to fight in Tokyo, of course, and any connections we can make will be extremely valuable. Information as well."

"Same," Mika says with a lackadaisical raise of a finger. "I'm here to support the Constellation, but I'm interested in making connections. Probably for different reasons than Miss Tsuruya, of course, but still."

"... and we need to see if we can get help for Walpurgisnacht, right?" Sayaka asks, blinking and sitting up straight.

"That's always a bit of a sticky one," you say. "I mean, yes, if we can squeak it in, then absolutely, but... it's the whole coercion thing. I don't want to coerce them in any way by implying that by giving them Clear Seeds they'd be obligated to help fight a natural disaster, right?"

"Right," Sayaka says. "Hrmph. Still, though... your usual pitch?"

"Kind of, yeah, but with such a big group, we'll have to be extra clear about the whole thing, or maybe make it a second visit thing," you say. "Big organizations are busy, especially since we're not making personal pitches to everyone."

"Do you think they know about it already?" Shinobu muses, leaning forward to prop her chin on her fist. "That is, with that many magical girls and that much power in one place, they've probably got someone who has an idea. If they already know about a city-destroying Witch coming to Mitakihara, and you're from Mitakihara..."

"They... might, yeah," you say. "Especially if Kyuubey's been telling tales."

"I guess it comes back to us not having enough info, doesn't it?" Mika says. "Pity they're an information black hole."

"What does that say about us, that we're leaping into the event horizon?" Moe says with a smirk.

"To bravely go where none have trod before!" Kazumi declares, one finger thrust cheerily skyward.

"Which is a great segue to go over what we do know about them," you say. "I... hang on, I've still got... Here. I got this pamphlet, when I met with a representative from the Osaki ward. Nakahara Kurenai, if the name sounds familiar to anyone?"

You pull the brightly coloured So you've become a magical girl! booklet out, and lean over to pass it to Kazumi, who immediately passes it to Umika to read. You stifle a snicker, Mami catching your eye for a moment - she doesn't smile, but you can read the laughter in the way her eyes dance.

"Oh, that thing," Sayaka says, snapping her fingers and pulling a copy out. "Nearly forgot I had one too. Here, uh... Miss Nanami..."

You spend the rest of the trip to Tokyo examining the pamphlets and going over what you know about the Tokyo Council. More of a haphazard republic than anything, with representatives sent to, well, represent each group's interests at the meetings. Each group decided by location, regardless of the girls themselves, though they're allowed to swap around.

Presided over by the Chiyoda group, in turn led by the mysterious Toshimichi Akane, she who seems to know everything. They enforce the peace and the territories - which are fixed. Magical girls are balanced across groups to suit the territories, and occasionally assigned to the Chiyoda group on a rotating, temporary basis for hunting.

... and yet, for all that, still no one appears to know what Akane's powers are. More than that, when you'd spoken with Yuri and Terumi -two of the girls from the Osaki group- they'd been at a meeting that nearly turned into a fight... and remembered little more of it than impressions. The Meiji group had called the meeting, come in angry, and been summarily ejected.

None of the Osaki group questioned this, and nor did they seem to question that they didn't clearly remember an event just over six months ago.

Memory magic of some kind seems to be all but guaranteed. And so you have the enchanted hairclips and Umika's ofuda, and Shinobu and Moe have their own in addition, and Sayaka's a clone just in case... You worry that coming in loaded up with protective enchantments like that might be taken as an insult, but frankly, you'd rather come down on the side of not having your friends' heads fucked with.

By the time you finish going over the information, especially for Kazumi and Niko's benefits, you're cruising over Tokyo itself.

Tokyo is massive.

'Fifteen million people' doesn't do it justice. It's a sprawling metropolis larger by far than Mitakihara, buildings and people, people, people crammed elbow to elbow. And even though you're far enough above the city that perhaps only Sayaka would have a chance of making out the people below, Tokyo stretches from horizon to horizon, a seemingly endless hive of skyscrapers clawing for the skies and stitched together with roads and railways and walkways.

Some of those buildings, of course, are readily identifiable as schools, even from this high up.

Tokyo glitters in the noon sun, silver and steel beneath the unending expanse of clear blue sky. The few splashes of greenery fight a valiant rearguard, retreating up the slopes of the hills against the tide of humanity, and there, right in the very heart of Tokyo, is Chiyoda Ward. The Imperial Palace, the old Edo Castle, both mighty structures that are... actually somewhat different from what you'd expect. Lush greenery fills the grounds, lovingly tended and bordered by the grand moat.

"There," Kazumi murmurs, needlessly so. Needlessly, because every one of you gave the grand palace grounds a once-over, at most, and set it aside in favour of something rather more interesting.

Hanging there in the sky, right over the Imperial Palace, is a girl. She's not, you think, especially tall, insofar as you can tell from this far away. Even so, there's a presence to her, in the way that she stares across the distance at you - you get the impression that she's looking right at you, as you in turn observe her.

Or maybe you should attribute that presence to her costume, cutting a sharp silhouette against the sky in a rich, striking purple, edged with bands and swirling patterns of red and gold. A train hangs behind her, billowing in the breeze and flaring to expand her silhouette into a bold diamond - and perhaps it looks like it might be impractically cumbersome on the ground, but in the air, it does look fantastic, especially given the way her sleeves trail nearly to her feet.

As you draw closer, you can make out more details. She wears no crown, nor any other adornment but for three items: a sword at her hip, a mirror at the other, and the jade-green gem in her hair. The Three Sacred Treasures of Japan... or, perhaps, merely counterparts, magical creations. The Imperial Regalia of Japan, after all, is probably in the possession of the Emperor.

Obsidian-black eyes, sharp and intelligent, examine you and your coalition as you approach. She's pretty, you suppose, pale complexion contrasting with the deep green of her hair, and-

She is not a magical girl.

Oh, she's a beacon of power, a swirling maelstrom at the center of a crackling web of magic, but you know what a magical girl looks like, the burning fire of a Soul in motion. And yet she hangs in mid-air, at the very heart of thousands, tens of thousands of interwoven threads of magic that descend invisibly to the city below.

You hear a sharp intake of breath behind you - Niko, by the sound of it, but you're not sure anyone else has noticed yet.

[] Continue as planned/play along
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

And so it begins.

 

[Firnagzen]

Not a magical girl.

You're... not entirely sure she's human, either. Maybe she isn't. Would you be able to tell? You've never really been quite able to sense souls - Soul Gems, certainly, and definitely magic, but not quite souls. Your own magic is somewhere in that halfway point straddling magic and will and soul, but not entirely one or the other, so you're not entirely surprised.

And yet, with all that, there's something indefinably odd about the whole. You can't quite put your finger on it, you admit, but it's there nevertheless.

Sword, mirror, and gem.

Any land has a rich history of mythology, and Japan is steeped with stories of gods. Gods great and small, gods, spirits interwoven with the very soil and rivers and skies, and... you can't help but look at the girl who must be Toshimichi Akane, with magic and power wrapped around her like a cloak, and wonder.

Still.

It has little bearing on what you're here to do - and apart from Niko, no one else seems to have noticed. Which doesn't mean that won't change, and something get... publicly aired at an inopportune moment.

Proceed as planned, but warn your friends. And... damn, you have other preparations you should have made ahead of time.

"Hey, everyone?" You speak telepathically, which of course means Kyubey might be eavesdropping, but... that would be true regardless. It's always possibly eavesdropping. You'll take that risk over insulting the girl floating in the air before you - walking towards you, actually, at a stately, measured pace. "The plan is unchanged, but quick heads up. Don't react. She's not a magical girl."

"She's what?" Sayaka blurts. To her credit, her expression doesn't even flicker, her posture unchanged. Neither does Niko move, but you can feel the intensity of her curiosity, intense and burning.

"Not a magical girl," you repeat, thoughts flying past as fast as you can think them. "It's not relevant - we're here to meet her, anyway, but keep an eye out."

And at the same time -in that same period of rapidly dwindling time as probably-Toshimichi approaches- you make a call. An actual phone call on your actual phone, which is just about a novelty in and of itself, tapping the screen and muffling the speakers with pads of Grief. Madoka picks up after a few rings, and doesn't say anything.

"Sabrina?" Madoka's voice echoes in your mind a moment later. You can feel Hitomi's presence too, reserved but curious and watchful.

"We're meeting Toshimichi Akane now, I think," you say. "She came alone, and she's wearing... well, either the real Imperial regalia, or magical copies thereof."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised," Hitomi says drily. "We're ready on our end."

Simultaneously, you start another conversation, this one a mental connection to Oriko and Kirika both.

"Oriko? Kirika? I'm really sorry to spring this on you last minute, and should have given you an earlier warning, but we're about to start the meeting with Tokyo. I'd appreciate a third eye out?" you say hurriedly - and apologetically, because you really should have warned them more of a headsup.

"Damn right you should be sorry!" Kirika says. "Oriko's been worrying herself about it."

"It's no problem, Sabrina," Oriko says. "I've already been keeping an eye out, in any case."

"... ah," you say. "Well... I am sorry. Don't let me forget this? I owe you one."

"Oh, I won't," Kirika chirps, her tone sunny again. "You have fun with your politics, I'll be here keeping an eye on my oujo."

And so, you meet the almost-certainly-Toshimichi midway, high over Tokyo. High in the air, the chill breeze balanced by the warmth of the afternoon sun, the greenery of the Imperial palace grounds at your feet and Tokyo city sprawling out to the horizons. Further out beyond the palace moat, you can see a train pull into Tokyo Station, not so far away that you can't hear the faint rattle of the tracks.

You fold down the walls and the seats of your Mobile Operations Platform and rise to your feet in greeting, your friends and allies arrayed around and behind you.

"Miss Vee, it's a pleasure to meet you," most-likely-Toshimichi says, her voice cutting through the distant rumble of Tokyo with effortless ease. She sounds like she means it too, warmly sincere as she inclines her head to you, her hands tucked into her voluminous sleeves. "And your companions. Miss Tomoe, Miss Miki, Miss Kazusa..."

She goes around the circle, greeting each of your companions by name, midnight eyes resting on each of your friends as if measuring them - but as she finishes, her gaze lingers on you with perhaps a hint of intrigue.

"You didn't send word ahead of who you'd be bringing, did you?" Madoka murmurs to your mind.

"We did not," you respond. Outwardly, you simply smile and incline your head in turn - after all, hadn't you been warned about Toshimichi's apparent omniscience? But you don't quite trust yourself to respond with the grace and delicacy the situation requires, a little flat-footed and a little off-balance.

Thankfully, you don't have to.

Mami's smile matches yours, every inch the dignified, poised young woman as she steps forward. Neither do any of your friends waver, arrayed by your sides and unmoving, trusting by implicit assent to Mami's grace and a united front.

"I'm afraid you have the advantage," she says, just as formally polite. "You must be Miss Toshimichi?"

"I am," Toshimichi affirms. "Please, allow me to welcome you to Tokyo."

"We thank you for the welcome," Mami says, smiling and inclining her head just as far as Toshimichi did. No bow - even if Toshimichi might technically be royalty, you're coming before her as equals.

"Oh, no thanks are necessary," Toshimichi says. "Even setting aside policy of free passage for other mages and prospectives, for visitors as notable as the Constellation, a personal meeting seems the least I could do."

"I wasn't aware that our name had gotten that far yet," Mami says, her tone suggesting idle curiosity, but no more than that.

"When you count members such as the illustrious Tomoe Mami and Tsuruya Yuki, it is difficult to avoid a measure of fame," Toshimichi says, her gaze settling once more on you. "Not to mention Miss Vee's capabilities."

With Mami standing just ahead of you, having taken the role of spokesperson, you can't meet her eyes, but... something about the set of her shoulders, the tilt of her head, tells you that it's fine - she's waiting for you to open with your own statement. And when you're thrown an invitation like that, well, you've got to take it, right?

"And we in turn have heard about you, Miss Toshimichi," you say, offering a sincere smile as you step up beside Mami. "To my understanding, you've worked tirelessly to prevent conflict in Tokyo, and saved a lot of lives by doing that."

"It is my duty," Toshimichi says serenely, with a touch of pride in her voice. And yet when she speaks again, there's that tug of insistent curiosity. "I wonder, what drives you, Miss Vee?"

"Duty is one way to put it, I suppose," you say slowly. "But really, people are suffering. I can do something about that. Why shouldn't I? I want to help."

"Ah, a simple reason for a grand mission," Toshimichi says with a slow, measured nod. "I understand that you're here to do just that - in the wake of the message Miss Ueda brought to us on your behalf, you've come to plead your case in person?"

"You could say that," you say. "I admit, I don't understand the local concerns, here in Tokyo, and I'm hoping to remedy that, and that by coming here personally, I can help resolve the issues preventing you from accepting my help."

"Perfectly understandable," Toshimichi says, her expression giving nothing away. "Ah, but where are my manners? Shall we adjourn to a more comfortable location for talks? My team will also wish to meet you."

"Certainly," you say.

"Then please, follow me," Toshimichi says.

She turns and strides downwards through the air, as if descending an invisible staircase towards Tokyo below. You give her a moment of headstart, and then follow along, platform drifting in her wake.

You take the opportunity to examine the magic wound around Toshimichi a little more. Invisible threads of magic winding together into a tight spindle, a cloak of power settled around her form... intersecting in the forms of the Three Treasures, then deeper to spread through her body as if the Treasures were gateways.

Interesting.

The low thrum of power through those connections is odd, almost humming in your mind like electricity in a cable. She's drawing power from them, you suppose, a steady ebb and surge, but it's not all one-way, either, the magic gathering in her body, then dissipating back down different pathways. If you had to estimate, she draws in a little more than she returns, the remainder joining her mantle.

"You handled that well, Mami, Sabrina," Hitomi notes quietly.

"Thank you," Mami says, sharing a warm glance with you and taking your hand. "As mentioned, she does seem extraordinarily well informed."

"That naming thing... hold up, let me get everyone on the same channel so we don't repeat this conversation," you say, and do just that, glancing back and connecting all your friends in. "Quick discussion time, everyone? And, ah, this is Madoka and Hitomi, I mentioned them earlier."

"I am spooked," Kazumi declares. "Spooked I say."

"The trick where she named you all was a power play," Madoka says, sober. "Plain and simple. Something to impress you and to show that she has the upper hand. I... I don't know if the how is important, but the real question is why she did it."

"The way she presented herself, with the Regalia and everything..." Mika says, tilting her head. "Intimidation? Impressing on us her authority? It doesn't feel malicious, more... probing."

"Just to clarify - Sabrina, you mentioned them earlier. The Imperial Regalia?" Hitomi asks.

"The Kusanagi no Tsurugi, Yata no Kagami, and the Yaskani no Magatama," Mika says. "She was wearing them."

"Ah. Legitimacy," Hitomi says. "Do you know if they're real?"

"They're certainly a real sword, mirror, and gem," Moe says drily. "Are they the real deal, passed from emperor to emperor for over two thousand years, granted to Ninigi no Mikoto from his mother, the goddess Amaterasu? Who can say?"

"It's a statement of her own legitimacy," Madoka says. "That she has authority. Um... Unless perhaps they're part of her own costume? But even so, meeting you alone, and the whole naming thing is still... Um. It's also possible that she does this as a matter of course for more, ah, powerful visitors."

"Her interest in Sabrina, too," Mami says, her hand tightening on yours. "That question of hers was her only real break from, mm, strict decorum."

"Come now, that's only natural," Shinobu says. "Given her magic and all."

"No, Mami has a point," Hitomi says thoughtfully. "We don't have anything concrete to suggest on the matter, but her question about what drives Sabrina was interesting. It's something to consider."

"... thoughts on her magic?" Niko asks, glancing at you out of the corner of her eye.

"I don't have a good feel for it," Mami admits. "She is undeniably powerful, but I can't sense anything specific - that's never been a precise art, in any case. Sayaka? Your magic might be better tuned to this sort of thing."

"Can't tell either," Sayaka admits. "Not without doing something she'd definitely notice. And... I dunno if I would be able to do anything, if she's not a magical girl."

"We'll keep an eye out for that, too," Mami decides. "Alright. Last thoughts, everyone?"

[] Last few comments?
[] What's your focus for meeting the Chiyoda team?
- [] Just probe for information
-- [] About local politics
-- [] About the Chiyoda team and Toshimichi Akane
- [] Your own goals here - to distribute cleansing
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

Alright, so, I ultimately decided to break this update in half; it just kept going and I kept tinkering with bits here and there. And as a clarification - naturally, you're going to ask about all the options, politics and about Chiyoda and so forth. The vote is for determining which in particular you want to, well, focus on.

 

[Firnagzen]

"Last thoughts..." Kazumi says slowly. "I reckon she's after something. I mean, that's sort of obvious, and Miss Hitomi already said something like that? But it's good practice to make sure that even the obvious things get said."

You nod slightly, glancing briefly at Kazumi, then back forward at Toshimichi's back, framed against the vastness of Tokyo. Stating the obvious is good practice. Military practice, even - better to be redundant than lacking, and it aligns with your own thoughts about Toshimichi. She wants something.

"Maybe she just wants to recruit Sabrina?" Sayaka hazards.

"In which case she's going to be disappointed," you say firmly, squeezing Mami's hand and shooting her a quick smile.

"It's a strong possibility, nevertheless," Mami says, her voice strong and unwavering even as she returns the squeeze. "But I'm not quite as sure, myself - she was rather more... probing than expected?"

"She wants to know something," Niko says, a touch of impatience in her mental voice, as if it's an obvious conclusion. "That's what she's after. Dunno what, which is fine, because I have things I want to know but I'm probably not going to get to."

"... I think Miss Kanna has a point," Mami says slowly. "It would fit her behaviour so far."

"Yeah, it seems... plausible?" you say, glancing at Toshimichi once more. You can just see the mirror, almost drowning under her train - but there's something almost magnetic about its presence, your eye drawn to the sunlight glinting off its worn surface. "But speaking of knowing things, we're... look, the Yata no Kagami's associated with wisdom, right? It would explain how she knows our names."

"That makes sense," Shinobu murmurs. "I wonder what else her magic can do?"

"That's the question of the hour, isn't it?" Mami murmurs. "Now... we should probably put a pin in this for the moment?"

"Yeah," you say. You don't let go of her hand as you face forward, and judging by her grip on yours, she has no intention of letting go of you, either. "Game faces on."

Because now you're approaching rooftop level, Toshimichi slowing. You're mildly surprised that she didn't lead you towards the palace grounds - but then, having a meeting place on said grounds would probably be impractical. Instead, you've descended beyond the bounds of the moat, towards what you're reasonably sure is a university, fenced roof and arching buttresses jutting towards the sky.

And as you land amongst the fences, you do sense more magical girls, another three, and... what you suspect must be their usual meeting room: a lecture theatre, judging by the size of it. The walls glow in your mind's eye, vibrant with layer upon layer of enchantment that you can't pick out. You can tell that Mami picks up on it, too, by the frown that flickers across her face - and so does Umika.

Toshimichi lands with graceful aplomb, her train rippling out behind her as she touches down amongst the grand fences of the roof.

"Have a care," she warns, and gestures. The polished concrete of the roof wavers and warps as if seen through a heat haze, and then simply... folds away into a grand, sweeping staircase of a lavish cypress, descending impossibly into the building itself.

"Impressive," Moe murmurs.

Magic stains the air around you, as richly deep as the wood underfoot, and without a backward look, Toshimichi begins to descend the stairs. She moves with unerring confidence - impressive, that there's no way she could possibly see her feet beneath the layers and layers of her costume. Well, beyond magic, that is.

"The work of one of my friends," Toshimichi says, tilting her head back with a faint grin. It's the most... human expression you've seen out of her, so far, the first thing that's not perfectly polished propriety.

Well, other than the whole bulldozing you all with names thing. That was arguably kind of rude. But then, she was making a point, and then again, are you really going to get on someone's case about being a social bulldozer?

Toshimichi sweeps down the stairs, her footsteps ringing on the wood, and you follow at a healthy distance. Mostly because if you tried to walk closer to her, you'd step on the train of her robes, which admittedly is definitely enchanted in some way, swishing smoothly over the ground as if alive.

You describe your surroundings to Madoka and Sayaka, looking around with interest as you descend. You can't help but keep even your mental voice hushed - it feels appropriate for what you can only describe as a palace, elegantly painted screen walls where it isn't a pristine white, polished wooden flooring grand, sweeping windows that look out over Tokyo City. And yet... this is one of the university campus buildings.

"So what's with the... everything?" Sayaka asks hesitantly, echoing your thoughts. She doesn't look at you, though, facing forward with steely determination in her eyes and none of the hesitation showing in her stride.

"It's not an illusion. Something akin to Yuki's magic," Shinobu says. "Oh, she's going to be so annoyed she didn't come."

"Actually, I think it's more of a dimensional interlay," Kazumi says thoughtfully. "This isn't warping the building that's already here, it's... mingling the interior space with another dimension. Some kind of big enchantment? What do you think, Mami?"

"Half right on both accounts, I suspect," Mami says. "But I suspect... no, not an enchantment. Or perhaps not just an enchantment - it feels like this is a concerted effort of magic. "

"Potential trap?" Mika asks thoughtfully.

"I can break us out, if so," you say, stretching your senses a little. You've kept your nanofog active, a tight layer surrounding yourself and your group so as not to seem rude. "I think. There are these... anchor points everywhere."

Anchor points which don't quite feel like enchantment, and don't quite taste hostile, either, something about the flavour of the magic that went into the points. But more important, they're physical things you can break, little disc shaped things hidden here and there that you carefully don't look at.

"Something like my magic," Umika says slowly. "I see what you mean about the anchor points. I should be able to disrupt those too, if necessary."

"It feels in line with what we've seen of Miss Toshimichi's style so far," Madoka notes. "Grandiose flair to impress, but not necessarily malicious."

"We're here," Toshimichi says, and draws aside one of the screen walls. Or is it a door? Without hesitation, she steps inside, allowing you your first view of the rest of the Chiyoda group.

There are three of them waiting within the room. Four now, as Toshimichi sweeps up to the center of the room, turning to tuck the sword to her side and settle herself amidst her group. You -or maybe Toshimichi- seem to have caught them in the middle of a discussion, a huddle broken by your arrival and turning to welcome their leader with brief smiles and to survey you with wary eyes.

The room is what you'd have expected with from the rest of the palace - polished wood and traditional tatami mats underfoot, along with a moon-patterned rug in the middle of the room. Cushions for each of the Chiyoda group to sit on, and another eight unoccupied, arrayed neatly before them. The afternoon sun lends comfortable illumination, shining through a grand window set behind Toshimichi and overlooking Tokyo. There's also a perfectly normal, perfectly incongruous refrigerator peeking out from behind one of the painted screens.

"Allow me to welcome you, once more, to Tokyo, and to the headquarters of the Tokyo Council," Toshimichi says, smiling. "Of course, this is just our personal meeting space - the Council room is necessarily much larger to accommodate everyone. Please, take a seat."

"Thank you for meeting us today," Mami says, inclining her head and moving forward to slide gracefully into a perfect seiza posture. You join her on the cushion, as do the rest of your friends, with only a little bit of quiet grumbling from Niko.

"Of course," Toshimichi says. "Allow me to introduce my friends. This is Riko Megu-" a short gesture to the girl to her right, "-Matsui Akari, and Shimada Aoi."

Riko Megu, it transpires, is a girl who could well be Toshimichi's sister - there's a likeness to the shape of their faces, the same sharp, obsidian eyes, albeit framed by soft waves of blonde in stark contrast to Toshimichi's straight green hair. She sits straight-backed and intent, but more interesting are the tiny, pearlescent clouds that orbit her in slow, lazy circles. They seem to be part of her costume, you think, the clouds merging and budding off the hazy, shimmering fabric. The roiling clouds almost seem to form characters as they swim through the air, shapes drifting tantalizingly in and out of focus.

"We've spoken before," Aoi says, giving you a genuine smile - seemingly one tinged with excitement bubbling just beneath her polite facade, with the way she leans forward just a little in eagerness. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Miss Tomoe, Miss Vee."

And so you have - she was the one Kurenai had introduced you to, when you'd first made contact. Now, you get to put a person to the voice, a young woman of perhaps eighteen with large crimson eyes made larger by rimless glasses, round and prominent against high cheekbones. Her hair is lavender and pulled back into a complex, looping braid, secured with a generously sized bow of the same severe black as the majority of her costume, relieved only by touches of red and lavender. And said costume itself you can only call science-guca chic, with a poofy cravat disappearing beneath a double-breasted lab coat... and a skirt paired with stockings.

Which is most assuredly not proper lab gear, of course.

The last girl, Matsui Akari, is a solidly built young woman, deep blue hair styled in a pixie-cut, gold eyes flicking from person to person as she surveys your group. Tiny gems sparkle in her hair and on her costume, calling to mind Sasami's - but where Sasami's costume is almost an evening dress, Akari's is an armoured thing, locking metal plates of black and a deep, iridescent blue.

"The pleasure is ours," Mami says, smiling, and takes over for introductions, each of your delegation nodding, or smiling in turn.

You take the opportunity to examine the Chiyoda group. All three of the newly introduced girls are magical girls, their Soul Gems glowing in your mind's eye. You don't probe too hard - it'd be rude, for one, and they might notice and take offense, but you can tell that much with ease. Nor does it look like any of Toshimichi's links connect to any of them - at most, you could say that perhaps a few of the threads loop invisibly around them, but you can't tell whether that's intentional or just a coincidence. Certainly none of the strings seem to join to anything in your immediate vicinity.

"Now, I understand that you're here to offer your aid?" Toshimichi says as Mami finishes the pleasantries of introductions.

"Primarily so," Mami says. "Additionally, as a newly formed alliance, the Constellation also wishes to establish friendly contact with the largest group in Japan, as well as connections for future avenues of discussions."

Toshimichi inclines her head slightly.

"And we are glad to have you here today," she says. "Not just your physical presences, but the existence of a new organization to unite magical girls. We would be glad, I feel, for any future communications and association."

"It's an excellent name," Akari says, cracking a faint smile. "And bodes well for the future."

"Thank you," Mami says. "It was a group decision, as much as anything."

"Tell me, what are your goals?" Toshimichi asks.

"We stand for mutual aid, from each of us, to all of us," Mami says. "Our goals are to help each other, and that extends to all magical girls, whether they be under our banner or not, for all deserve to live free of having to fight."

"That's more than admirable," Toshimichi says. "And you wish to include Tokyo in that offer?"

"I believe Sabrina would be best positioned to explain on that matter," Mami says, catching your eye and sneaking you a grin, tiny and warm and trusting. 'I've laid the foundations, but now it's your turn,' she tells you without a word.

You smile in return, then face forward, glancing between the four members of Chiyoda.

"As you know, I'm Sabrina Vee - Vee Sabrina, if you prefer," you say, taking a moment to check that your phone call back to Madoka and Hitomi's still live. This in particular is why you have them on the line. "My magic is to control Grief, and with that power, I can draw the Grief from Soul Gems, or even from Grief Seeds, and I can do so at a net positive." You pause thoughtfully. "At a very strong net positive, to be precise, the strain is kind of negligible for me."

"Yes, Miss Ueda mentioned as much, after your intervention in the Sendai conflict," Megu says. The first time she's spoken so far, actually, her voice soft and reserved. "And that you're offering it free of charge?"

"Free of charge, but not free of obligation," you say, raising your chin just a hair. "We don't expect anyone to pay or to offer us any special consideration for my helping. No one should have to scrabble for survival, but that goes both ways - if someone else needs help, that I haven't been able to get to yet, then I'd ask that it be paid forward, or at least referred to me if you're not in a position to help."

You smile, taking a slow breath.

"In turn, I would ask: what's preventing the Tokyo Council from accepting my offer?" You raise both eyebrows, your grin a touch sheepish and a touch self-deprecating. "I mean, I'm offering free stuff with... I can't say no strings, but very few strings attached."

"Uncertainty and resistance to change, Miss Vee," Toshimichi says, folding her hands on her lap. "Few of the Tokyo Council trust your abilities or your motives - a demonstration before them today will certainly help with the former. For example, while the imminent arrival of Walpurgisnacht isn't common knowledge, nor is it totally unknown, let alone thoughts of wanting us dependent on you. Suspicion abounds, for the truly altruistic are few."

Her eyes rest on you, expression carefully blank.

"You seem to have little intention of coercing people into helping you fight," she says. "But I trust you understand that people are fearful."

"For no good reason," you grumble. "But yes, that's why I'm here. In part, anyway. Demonstration, and hopefully proving our goodwill."

"Excellent," Toshimichi says, apparently satisfied with that. "At other points... there's always the question of deserving it. Some groups feel others shouldn't deserve to have free Grief Seeds. And however much I've tried to allay bad blood, even I can only afford to be so heavy-handed."

"Are things so bad, even here?" you say, biting back on your reflexive scowl. Crab bucket. They'd rather keep everyone down than let their enemy have something good. Crab fucking bucket, oh how you despise it.

"That depends on your metric," Toshimichi says. "We haven't faced open conflict on any kind of scale beyond minor skirmishes for years now. The clash of personalities and ugly disputes..." She sighs elegantly. "Strong personalities, if not an absolutely critical part of being a magical girl, do seem to be at the very least an attendant condition."

"Ask her what she thinks of your offer," Hitomi murmurs in your ear. "Politely. But they seem to be willing to be a bit less formal in this setting."

"I suppose I can't disagree," you say, cracking a grin as you glance back at your friends. Sayaka rolls her eyes, Mika flashing you a discreet double thumbs-up, and Mami returning the smile. "Ahem. Anyway... If I may ask, would you accept my offer?"

You gesture vaguely in their direction, not much more than a tilt of your palm, but enough to indicate that you mean all four of them.

"If it were an option, we would," Toshimichi says, seemingly taken aback, just a little. "But we couldn't, not ahead of the other groups. It would appear to bias our judgement."

[] Ask for a break to discuss
[] Continue discussion
- [] Any focus points?
[X] Try to gather detailed information about the various groups
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

Getting into the nitty-gritty of things at last! Slightly odd place to break once again, but I think it's a good place to sit back and consider, if you so wish.

 

[Firnagzen]

They'd accept your offer, were it an option. Thoughtless surprise and a guileless answer prompted by surprise, bereft of polish or sophistry, and glancing between the rest of Toshimichi's friends, they don't seem to be in disagreement with that, either. They must have discussed it before, at some point.

That says a lot, you think. You nod thoughtfully, drawing it out for a moment as you relate it all to Madoka and Hitomi, since they can't exactly see expressions over the phone call. You could've made it a video call, you suppose, but an exposed camera lens is all but an invitation to figure out things you're keeping secret.

"Good, that's in line with what we thought," Hitomi murmurs in response, her soft tones clipped with excitement. "Their position isn't quite as stable as they'd like to present it as - they're still constrained in what they can do."

"That's about what I figured," you agree. "The raw power to put down an insurrection of this many magical girls by force is... a lot."

"Not to mention the collateral, I imagine," Hitomi notes.

"Precisely," you say. "Alright, I think I've got a plan..."

You nod thoughtfully to yourself, as if collecting your thoughts. Which, well, you are.

"Another question, if I may?" you ask, focusing on Toshimichi once more.

"Please," she says with a gracious nod.

"I..." You huff, then smile sheepishly. "Alright. When I was speaking with the Osaki group, they mentioned that if you were to put your weight behind a plan of action, it'd almost certainly gain a plurality of votes. Is... well, would you say that that's an accurate assessment?"

"It is," Toshimichi says, her gaze sharpening. "I suppose you wish to ask for our support?"

"Not quite. Instead, I'd ask: what would you want, to have your support?" you say, deciding to go for blunt. "I want to offer cleansing to everyone. In the same way that every human being deserves to have access to food, clean water, the necessities of life... cleansing is a necessary part of magical girls' lives. It's a basic right, and... I'm in a position to provide it. To that end, I'm willing to be quite accommodating."

Toshimichi exhales slowly, levelling a considering gaze on you for a long moment, like she's evaluating you for something.

"To speak in plain terms, the easiest course of action is one that I suspect I cannot ask of you: it would be for you to join us as part of our group," she says after a moment. "Perhaps one or two of your friends could accompany you, but you'd be expected to live here, in Tokyo. It would grant the rest of the Council a measure more trust in you."

The denial is already on your lips, your hand seeking Mami's as you open your mouth to refuse as bluntly as the offer was made.

"I won't ask it," Toshimichi says, smiling slightly. "I understand."

Mami's hand locks tight in yours. You don't care. You don't care that you're showing what some might call weakness at a negotiation, either. Some things are more important, and if people think less of you for it, well, fuck them. You're the one with things to offer, in any case.

"Then why'd she even ask?" Sayaka grumbles, the telepathic connection a persistent presence at the back of your mind.

"That's a good question, Sayaka," Madoka says. "Why would it be the easiest if Sabrina were part of their group?"

"Testing you is the obvious answer," Hitomi adds. "Too obvious. It was... gauche. Amateurish... pointed, in many ways. She seems too practiced with politics to have made such a mistake by accident alone."

"None of her teammates looked surprised," you note.

"Setting that notion aside, then," Toshimichi says, her eyes flicking to Mami, then back to you. "Tell me. How do you propose to stop malicious actors from abusing their magic?"

"The offer I've handed out so far is that if they do, I and my friends come down on them like a ton of bricks," you say. "And we make a pretty effective team, so..."

"You haven't had to yet, to our understanding?" Aoi asks, an interested gleam in her eye as she pushes her glasses up her nose.

"Not so far," you say. "Hopefully, not ever. I doubt it, but it's never wrong to have hope."

"That hope would be dashed within the month, if you handed out your Clear Seeds in Tokyo," Toshimichi says. She sounds regretful about it, if you had to guess, and looks it too. Something about the set of her jaw, perhaps. "Perhaps if you left one with us, for use at our discretion, but I doubt that would be satisfactory."

"You would be correct," you say, and if your voice is a little colder than you'd normally speak...

Well.

Toshimichi seems to be sincere, so far, but that doesn't mean that you necessarily trust them, and even if you did, you despise the idea of someone being able to hold cleansing as hostage to the good behaviour of others. And you're not quite sure you like this current tack of leading not-questions... rather, you're not sure you like where it's headed.

"Why would that hope be dashed?" Mika interjects lightly. "After all, the peace has held until now. Why would raising the resources available to all parties make any one faction bolder than the others?"

Toshimichi inclines her head slightly, acknowledging Mika.

"We've kept the peace well," she says, and pauses, frowning in thought.

Cutting right to the heart of the matter, then, taking the question in the way it was meant and ignoring the bluntness with which it was asked. The obvious is just that: obvious. More magic would enable a more powerful first strike, a more protracted war and better chances of success. An aggressor would take that. But then, Chiyoda's managed to keep the peace until now, with their own hidden capabilities and their threat of collective action. What would change, if your cleansing were thrown into the mix?

"Tokyo is one of the densest urban areas in the world," Toshimichi says. "And even so, we are near the breaking limit of the number of magical girls we can support. It is on my authority and power that we manage the distribution of Grief Seeds and hunting, and that we do it well is one of the primary reasons we've managed to keep the Council together."

She exhales slowly, and when she speaks again, there's a bitterness in the way her lips twist, her shoulders slumping.

"Descendant of the Imperial line, bearer of the Three Treasures only counts for so much in this... modern time. Even mere decades ago..." she trails off with a sigh. "I trust you understand that for all my, our power-" an elegant wave, to encompass her team, "-peace is an elusive thing to pin down for long."

"I think we should probe for specifics," Mami murmurs to you.

"Concur," Madoka says crisply. "That was a good question, Miss Nakano. It revealed a lot."

"Go for it, then," you say.

"If I may, Miss Toshimichi?" Mami says, smiling gently, and continuing at the other girl's nod. "Is there anything we might do that would ease such problems?"

Toshimichi blinks, looking as if slapped for a split second - and then the expression fades into blank neutrality once more.

"Of course," she says briskly. "You asked for a plan we might support, not to hear my grumblings. The answer, simply, is that I can see none. There are two groups at the Council who would cause trouble, if given a free hand with magic. It's not, in our estimation, a question of if they would start a fight - it's a question of timing. They must, in some way, be neutralized."

"One of them would be the Meiji group, correct?" you say, deciding not to comment on the phrasing just yet. 'Neutralize', hah.

"Correct," Toshimichi says. Her gaze lingers on you for a long moment before she continues. "The other would be the Kyuedo group."

"The... river?" you say, your brow wrinkling as you try to place the name.

"Indeed," Toshimichi says. "They named themselves for it, just as the Meiji group named themselves for the shrine. In any case, I would consider those two the largest obstacles. The rest of the groups... some may be just as vehemently opposed to your offer, but they are less prone to violence. They can be managed."

She tucks her hands into her sleeves.

"As it is, both of them have lasting grievances against other groups. Meiji in particular bears a grudge against us, in addition to the Tower group - the latter are based near Tokyo Tower, and they share a border," Toshimichi says. "They are both strong groups, and should things erupt into violence, the damage will not be contained."

"And they would consider open war with the rest of Tokyo a reasonable cost to pay?" Mami asks. "Even if we added our weight behind that? The Constellation has... a not considerable amount of assistance we can offer."

"Loss and revenge drives people to extremes," Toshimichi says. "They have enough power to force through their will, given a free hand."

"Given warning, we could drop in on Tokyo within minutes," you say quietly. "Seconds, if pressed. Travel or response time isn't an issue, and we're willing to bring quite a bit of force to bear. Is that not enough of a threat?"

Loss and revenge. Therein lies dangerous territory, you think, because it's almost certainly edging around things of a Witchy nature, so... you'll have to think on how you'd want to dig into the details, and whether you even want to do so now. It would be painfully obvious if you asked to speak privately, without Mami or the rest of your friends with you.

"We, too, could mobilize in as much time," she says, hand falling to her side to linger near the hilt of her sword. "So far, we have been able to put an end to acts of aggression before they go too far, and so, peace is maintained. Mediation remains a possibility. If lines are crossed, if there are deaths, with other groups baying for blood..."

Toshimichi looks up, meeting your eyes squarely.

"I have answers for fear, for anger, for violence, Miss Vee," she says. "I have no answer for war."

"It sounds like a fairly logical concern," Hitomi says dubiously. "You'd have to be the judge of how much damage could happen, Sabrina, but it doesn't sound unreasonable to us."

"But I don't really like it," Madoka says. "It sounds..." She trails off with a frustrated noise.

Starvation as a means of control. And quite possibly memory alteration to smooth things over. For a noble cause, you suppose, if you can trust what she's telling you. She's telling the truth. Probably. But she might not be telling the whole truth, and she's certainly painting herself as a noble ruler, only looking out for her subjects, but... still. None of that sits well with you.

"If those two groups were not in the consideration at all, then we would have a clear path forward," Toshimichi says with a hint of a smile. "Most groups can be convinced on self-interest alone, if you're willing to commit to distributing cleansing, or Clear Seeds, with an even hand - if only to prevent rivals from having an advantage, each group would accept it. We do vote on issues, after all, and those willing to cut their own nose of to spite others are few enough. Beyond that, you would have our backing, and that will sway votes."

"So for you, the sticking point is only those two groups?" Sayaka ventures carefully, glancing at you out of the corner of her eye for permission.

"The other issue would have been one of trust in your intentions," Toshimichi says. "This meeting has ameliorated that concern."

"Right," Sayaka says, subsiding with a frown.

"I would, of course, be happy to offer more information about the various groups," Toshimichi says. "Of course, you might prefer to meet them later during the Council meeting, and decide for yourselves."

She folds her hands into her sleeves again, clearly waiting for you to make a decision.

[] Ask for a break to discuss matters
[] Continue discussion
- [] What focus points?
[] Ask for a private discussion
- [] How do you ask?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

As a rough estimate, I think it'll be two more updates, and the one after that will be the meeting with the Council proper (unless something comes up before then to eat up metaphorical screenspace, of course).

 

[Firnagzen]

"Madoka? Hitomi? I could really use your thoughts here," you say telepathically. Outward, your face remains blank -you're sure it is- as if lost in thought. Which, technically, you are. "This all seems... far too neat."

Toshimichi might be pointing you at her biggest critics, or her greatest rivals, and using you to get rid of them. Or she might be entirely on the level, and telling the truth. Would it look any different? She'd even told you to go talk to them, and see for yourself. It would be under her eye, but maybe you could find the time after the meeting, and either way, she isn't asking you to just take it on her word. Or maybe that's just a ploy, with them already poisoned against you.

"Difficult to say," Madoka says.

"Concur," Hitomi says, her mental voice clipped and excited. "Time to be impertinent, they're practically inviting it. Natural lead in; ask why she would trust you with just one meeting. Is it magic?"

"I appreciate the offer," you say out loud, after an apparently contemplative moment of silence. "And... I probably will want to talk to the groups later - if nothing else, I hope that they would be more amenable to, ah, talking to a third party, and I'd be able to take their measure that way."

"That's perfectly understandable," Toshimichi says, inclining her head. "I... would not discourage you, but I would suggest that you temper your expectations, since this isn't the first time the matter has been put forward. In any case, I wouldn't expect you to simply take it at my word."

"That said, may I circle back to another topic?" you say. And you don't have to feign curiosity after her gracious nod, because... c'mon, you do want to know. "How can you be so sure you can trust our intentions?"

Toshimichi blinks slowly, and then giggles, soft and ladylike, which... to your surprise, prompts a few rolled eyes from her teammates. Megu, in particular, tries to fake offense before getting elbowed in the ribs by Akari. Mami catches your eye, smiling slightly before sliding her gaze deliberately to Sayaka and oh, that's what it reminds you of.

Sayaka's expression of faint bafflement flicks over to quizzical as she notices you and Mami's attention, and she shrugs, but you get it - you get what Mami was trying to point out to you. You've unwittingly stumbled over an in-joke of some kind, one that has the painfully formal Chiyoda group unwinding with the release of tension.

Of course, you don't know what that in-joke is, but you get that much, flicking a slight grin over to Mami, who smiles in return. And behind you, you can sense Kazumi and Umika and Niko glancing between each other as they presumably come to the same realization, and Shinobu and Moe exchange glances, presumably conferring. Mika seems relaxed, deceptively so.

"I l-like-" Toshimichi clears her throat, struggling to get her laughter under control, laughter still bubbling under her words as she continues. "I apologise for the laughter - it's an old point of discussion of ours. To answer your question, I like to think that I'm an excellent judge of character, but it helps that I have magic to aid me in doing so."

"That does make sense," you say, carefully not glancing at the mirror. Some kind of limited clairvoyance, perhaps. "And with the same token, you find that the animosity of Meiji and the Tower group too deep-rooted to dislodge?"

"Not merely that," Toshimichi says, shaking her head. "Their actions speak as loudly as any magic I could summon. Meiji, in particular, are the ones willing to resort to brandishing force. Often, their Witches 'escape' past their borders, and they incur into the territories of others."

She returns her hands to her sleeves, eyes distant and thoughtful as she continues.

"This would not, ordinarily, be a problem," she says. "One of the most common tasks of the Council is simply to mediate on border disputes, after all. But the done thing is to try to respect those boundaries - Meiji does not. They chase Witches aggressively and construe any that are near to the border as their own. And it is not merely greed that drives them - they're goading responses and casus belli."

"Against who?" Madoka asks through you. You think you see where her line of questioning is going, so you add, "And what would they gain from such a conflict? To my understanding, even if they defeated another group, there would be no gain in it for them other than revenge, correct?"

After all, according to what you'd learned, territories are strictly defined and fixed, enforced on the threat of Chiyoda, and of another twenty-six magical girl groups descending on your head. And with magical girls swapping in and out of local groups to balance teams, there should be more cohesive ties across borders, shouldn't there?

"On the surface of it, yes," Toshimichi says. "I would be remiss if I did not admit that we do share a border with the Meiji group. But their primary grudge is not against us. Rather, it is against the Setagaya group, bordering their territory to the south-west. Beyond the direct opportunity to attack the Setagaya group, they mean to provoke us to act outside of our boundaries, and to use that as an excuse to fight in earnest - they believe that if they can prove our weakness, then others would flock to their cause."

"Would they?" Sayaka asks, frowning slightly.

"They would," Toshimichi says evenly, seeming to take no offense from the blunt question. "We are mediators. We are respected... feared, in some cases. We are not, necessarily, liked. There's always an undercurrent that Tokyo would be better without us maintaining control, and a true weakness by which they can tear away would be taken."

That does match up with what Kurenai had told you. An uneasy peace, she'd said, some groups more desperate for Grief Seeds than others.

You wonder about it all. You don't know enough about the situation, granted. Toshimichi's been taking great care to paint her group's actions in a good light - not necessarily the best light, but she's been making an obvious effort to present their actions as justified. And maybe she's right. Keeping twenty-seven magical groups at a relative peace is an astounding achievement, however you put it, and you don't know if you could manage it.

Still.

You've always been inclined to sympathize with those who need help. It's why you're here. You want to help - you just need to determine where to best direct that help, and there's always that attendant assumption that those in charge aren't the ones who need help.

"Ask about the other group? The Tower Group?" Madoka suggests. "They've been left out. And... Tokyo Tower's pretty near Chiyoda too. Do they share a border?"

"And Toshimichi hasn't mentioned Sumida at all," Sayaka murmurs. "Remember what Kurenai said? They're one of the aggressive groups, but Toshimichi didn't list them as a problem group? Dunno how to ask that, though. And, er, sorry if that question earlier was too rude."

"No, it was good," Hitomi says. "They've been bending propriety, and it showed that they accept that in kind. They're not nearly as tightly-wound as the presentation would suggest, or at least, not towards us."

"I concur," Mika says. "We could probably get away with quite a bit - they want something from us. Been a common thread so far, hasn't it?"

"Right..." Sayaka says, sounding dubious.

... which reminds you of the oddity of asserting that if you joined the Chiyoda group, then all would be well. Which is a rather strange thing to assert, if the problem is one of unlimited access to magic. Why would it make a difference if you were providing it from the inside, so to speak?

More pieces of the puzzle.

You sigh, closing your eyes for a moment. Just a moment, and then you pin Toshimichi with what you hope is a steady, sincere look.

"Well. I really, really don't want to see Tokyo devolve into a war," you say. "I... we'll definitely talk to the Meiji group, and see if we can do anything about it. How recent is Meiji's grudge? And what about the Tower group? You mentioned them as well."

"The Meiji group..." Toshimichi pauses to consider the question. "I would say that the resentment has been present for a long time. Two years or so, perhaps. But none of it became an active problem until four months ago, I would say. As for the Tower group, their belligerence is in a way simpler: they resent me, personally, on the basis that they believe me a false claimant to any authority."

"And for that alone they're willing to wage a war, in your words?" you ask slowly. You rock backwards a little and discretely wiggle your toes - cushion or not, magical girl body or not, sitting in seiza for longer periods of time is never going to be comfortable.

"To take my position," Toshimichi says. "I will admit, naming a rival to power to be a problem seems less than proper. Nevertheless: they resent me, and they have enough sway and enough power to start a war that will draw others to the fighting. I will not allow this."

It doesn't sound entirely unreasonable, you admit, and you can't help but feel a pang of sympathy. You can't help but worry that in a few months, a few years, you might end up in a not so dissimilar situation: much as you like to talk, much as you like to help people make up with each other... tensions are inevitable. Fights are inevitable.

Then again, you're the one giving away free stuff, hah. Everyone likes free stuff.

"We really need to talk to the groups," Madoka says. "Her side of the story isn't inconsistent if her words are taken at face value. Or even at a layer deeper - she's projecting strength and tacitly admitting that some of it is sleight of hand, but still insisting that she has been maintaining control."

"While positioning herself as a heavyweight capable of holding her own," Shinobu adds thoughtfully. "It's a balancing act, even in a negotiation with nominal peers like us."

"That's normal, though," Mika says. "You don't want to seem arrogant, nor weak."

"I can certainly understand your position," you say out loud before the silence drags out too far. "And as I mentioned, I definitely don't want to be the cause of a war, either. That said, there are other solutions available?"

"Oh?" Toshimichi says, leaning forward a little.

"My initial offer, made via Miss Ueda, was just an offer of cleansing," you say. "That's still on the table - I could make a schedule, cleansing some or all of the groups in turn. Additionally, if Clear Seeds are untenable as a solution, I can easily just refresh partially used Grief Seeds to a pristine state?"

Toshimichi considers this, exchanging a look with Megu, then Akari. Aoi, too, looks intrigued, her gaze focusing laser-sharp on you - you can practically see the calculations running behind her glasses.

"That could work," Toshimichi allows. "Limiting the number of Grief Seeds any group can refresh would work, while ensuring that none will go wanting, nor be able to build up an excessive stockpile."

"That's a possibility, then," you say, eyeing Toshimichi. She meets your gaze with obsidian-black eyes, sharp and evaluating. No stockpiling, huh. That's consistent, at least - a bunch of regular Grief Seeds would fuel a war just as well. Perhaps you could dicker on the definition of stockpiling and numbers, but then, that's something to be nailed down later. "Would it be something you would support, if we were to put it to the Council?"

"I... would think so," Toshimichi says. "I would also support, in the immediate term, allowing for cleansing of all parties present during the meeting - as a show of trust towards you, and to begin building further trust."

"Alright. Definitely a possibility, then," you say, not quite committing to it just yet. You frown in not-entirely feigned thought. "Miss Nanami, Miss Nishimura? I feel like the answer is yes, but would Miss Tsuruya support claiming a building in Tokyo, and securing a Clear Seed there?"

You could ask Yuki directly, of course, but she seconded Shinobu and Moe to you - she trusts them enough to make decisions on her behalf, and you don't really want to disrespect that.

"You're absolutely right," Shinobu responds without hesitation. "She would love the opportunity."

"... there's another option," you say slowly. "One of the Constellation's members is someone who can claim a building as part of her domain. If she secured a building here in Tokyo, I would consider it safe to leave a Clear Seed there, as a communal resource. All parties involved could help to keep a watch on it, and ensure that no one group steps out of line. Would you consider that to be reasonable?"

Toshimichi considers this for a long moment.

"I would, tentatively, agree to that," she says. "But I would prefer to evaluate the nature of that magic beforehand. It would be the single largest target in Tokyo, you understand."

"Yuki would welcome the challenge," Shinobu says, leaning forward slightly, and probably-unintentionally looming over your shoulder. "And she would be more than happy to test herself against any trial you might devise."

Toshimichi inclines her head.

"I would, in turn, be pleased to meet her," she says. "Ah, but the meeting with the rest of the Council will be arriving soon. I'm sure you must need a moment to consider the situation," she says, smiling lightly. "I'm certain that I would, in your place. Can we offer you all some tea?"

"Ah..." you say, glancing to Mami, uncertain of the sudden return to propriety.

"If it isn't too much trouble," Mami says, smiling gently.

"It's no less than is proper," Toshimichi says.

"I'll get it," Akari says, rising smoothly to her feet and padding over behind the screen, her footsteps swishing lightly on the mats.

"An opportunity for us to confer, offered freely," Mami says, glancing at you with a slight smile. "I'm sure she's doing the same with her own teammates."

"Ah," you say. "That makes sense, I guess?"

"There's no time to talk to the groups in question before the meeting, is there?" Madoka asks.

"Doubt it, unless they arrive early," you say. "Which isn't out of the question, I guess?"

"What I'd like to know is what Toshimchi's agenda is," Hitomi muses. "Beyond the obvious politicking of the whole cleansing thing, not that that's unimportant, she wants something, and I can't figure it out."

"I think it's something more or less unrelated to cleansing and the distribution thereof," Mika offers. "Maybe something more personal?"

"Niko? What do you think?" Kazumi says slowly. "You've been thinking real hard on the whole thing, and don't think I haven't noticed you staring at her."

"I've got a hypothesis, but I'm not talking about it yet," Niko says. "I'm not at all sure about it, and I need to see more... I need to see more before I can confirm."

"Can you give us anything relevant?" Kazumi asks.

"... yeah," Niko says. "Have you been observing her magic?"

"The... activity in her magical connections have been holding steady this whole time," Mami muses. "I would hazard a guess that there's more flow through her mirror, which I thought might be some kind of clairvoyance technique, but... none of the connections seem to terminate near us."

"I think there's one that goes straight down from here?" you offer, keeping a curious eye on Akari. You can hear the gurgle of a kettle being filled, and the clink of ceramic. Surprisingly prosaic despite your surroundings, but then, given the refrigerator, there are limitations on whatever magic maintains the palace, you suppose. "Or at least, it seems to."

"Mm," Niko says. Her eyes flicker over to you, thoughtful, but she doesn't say anything more.

"Well... setting that aside," Hitomi says after a slightly awkward level. "I think you can broadly trust Toshimichi to deal fairly. There would be little harm in proceeding with the... refreshed Grief Seeds, or on-the-spot cleansing. Further politicking depends on whether we can judge the groups in question."

"I'm a little worried about her magic truth-telling, or personality evaluation, or... whatever she used to determine your trustworthiness," Madoka says. "And, um, whether that's related to her memory-magic. You're all protected, right?"

"Yeah, we should be," you say. "No erraticness on our part? Sayaka?"

"Not that we can see," Madoka says.

"I reckon it's normal so far, yeah," Sayaka says.

"Good, that's good," Madoka says, sounding relieved.

[x] Ask about Sumida
[] Press Niko about her thoughts
[] What else do you ask your friends about?
[] More questions/discussion with Toshimichi?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

You've got about twenty minutes before the Council meeting proper. There's still some room for discussion, but you'll have to get moving soon!

 

[Firnagzen]

Akari returns with a neatly arrayed tray a few minutes later - a full, ceremonial set, but one clearly for ordinary green tea as opposed to matcha. Fair enough, really, you're not sure you would want to sit through a full tea ceremony, anyway.

You watch as Toshimichi begins preparing the tea, almost rivaling Mami in effortless grace. You realize you might be biased there, of course. No one speaks, as is proper ceremonial form, the swish of Toshimichi's sleeves and the burble of the kettle on the little charcoal stove the only sounds to fill the room.

And yet it's a busy silence, unspoken conversations bouncing from person to person - not just in telepathy, but also in body language and microexpressions, and busy with thoughts. You're sure that the Chiyoda girls are evaluating you just as much as you are evaluating them.

You sneak Mami another warm smile, because, well... you don't care that much about propriety. If Chiyoda's going to take offense at you showing affection, that's their problem. You care more about Mami.

"OK, so..." you say into the telepathic conversation. "Do we think we can push our agenda? Metaphorically hardball it with Clear Seeds, and then maybe allow them to argue it down to refreshed Seeds, or Miss Tsuruya establishing an outpost?"

You admit, you're not entirely happy with this entire thing. You're willing to work with it in the name of peace, but so many of the pieces are individually jarring, and together, they form a... disconcerting whole.

You think you're willing to work with them, if they're on the level. You've thought it often enough, and said it too - you're willing to bend in the name of preventing a war. You're also entirely willing to break something in the name of ensuring that people are safe, and you don't just mean the fighting, there. Starvation is as big a killer as fighting, after all.

You don't really like it. You're... inclined to be opposed to a monarchy, you suppose, but that's not surprising. You don't like coercive authority, but then, it's hard to balance that with getting people to just stop fighting, for Madokami's sake, people. So... that leaves you a little wrong footed here, you suppose.

Toshimichi hands Mami a cup of tea, which she accepts with a gracious nod. The second cup goes to you, and then to Sayaka, and then to Mika... by seating arrangement, really.

"I updated Yuki - she's entirely happy to have a base here, and willing to provide security on that front," Shinobu says. "Eager, even, and I confirmed she's willing to put up with whatever tests they want to run. She also wants to suggest that even if some other option is accepted, you could suggest that she maintain a claim here to keep relationships up? And, y'know, she wants a claim here in Tokyo."

"Oh, that's a good idea!" Madoka says. "Having an embassy and easy transport would facilitate future discussions, after all."

"I admit, I was considering that, in any case," you say. "Alright. So... Clear Seeds as our initial proposal? Yes or no?"

You savor the tea. It is, admittedly, good tea, steeped to perfection with a rich, intense sweetness and nuttiness, a taste that almost emphasizes the silence -as is proper manners- in the room. Of course, the silence completely fails to encompass the ongoing telepathic discussion.

"To the Council in full, I assume? Since we've already discussed it with Chiyoda, and they're broadly against the idea," Hitomi says. "I'm... not sure. I understand it's our end goal, but with Chiyoda's disapproval, I'm not sure of the value. Yes, bargaining down is a common tactic, but if Toshimichi's correct, then it being accepted now would be a failure state. Is that risk acceptable?"

"We need more info, but we don't have an opportunity to gather it before we speak to the Council," Mika says with a mental sigh. "I approve in general of playing hardball, but I must echo Miss Shizuki's concerns. I believe that the scales tip correctly, but I can't say for sure."

"OK..." you consider it for a moment, your eyes drifting to stare blindly out at the Tokyo skyline, visible in the grand window behind the Chiyoda girls. "Alternative plan: Do you think it would be OK if I present Clear Seeds as a demonstration, and then present the notion of having one under Miss Tsuruya's security as our favoured option, with full Clear Seed distribution as an explicit, long term goal?"

"Ah, I was going to suggest that," Mami says, squeezing your hand gently. "Easing them into it should make it an easier pill to swallow, and... if anyone were inclined to cause problems, we might be able to find out more in the meantime."

"And we'd still be helping them!" Madoka says. "And if we have, um, an embassy, we could use it as an excuse to talk to them more over time, and try and find out the root problems."

"But that doesn't mean we can't try and settle something today," you conclude. "Alright. I think that's a plan."

"More tea, anyone?" Toshimichi asks, breaking the silence.

"I would appreciate it," Mami says, smiling in kind and offering up her cup.

"Me too, if you please," you say.

... hey, it is good tea. And it's not like you're alone - Mami leading the way, and almost everyone taking a refill, Toshimichi's group included. Except for Niko, who probably subsists on pure coffee and only took the first cup to be polite.

"Not me, I'm afraid," Megu says, her eyes flicking up as if to some invisible clock. "I should go prepare the Council room. Please excuse me."

She sets aside her cup and rises smoothly to her feet, ghosting soundlessly past you and out of the room, the little silvery clouds trailing behind her.

"How much can we trust Toshimichi?" Sayaka says slowly, cradling the steaming cup in her hands and staring down at it. "I mean, let's say she's telling the truth about the whole... hostile groups and instability thing. Does that mean she's going to meddle with our cleansing stuff in the name of keeping the peace? There's her weird... nega-gerrymandering and the thing where she swaps people in to hunt with her group, right?"

"Ah... that's true, Sayaka," Madoka says. "We should be firm that we will have oversight, or control over the cleansing?"

"Even just a ledger would do," Mika points out. "That's really all that's needed."

"Oooh. Umika could make a super fancy one!" Kazumi says. "Verify identities or something."

"That could work," you say, taking a slow, thoughtful sip. "OK. Current agenda: ask about Sumida, offer our proposal, and I... there's one more thing I want to float by everyone. I... look, we're all on the same page about them probably using memory magic. I'm not entirely happy with that, and I kind of want to just ask them, straight-out, about it."

Mami smiles, tilting her head slightly to catch your attention. The lines around her eyes crinkle just a little in warm amusement, a fond, unspoken, Oh, Sabrina, in her gaze. You shoot a tiny grin back at her - c'mon, at least you're asking first, right?

"It... might be dangerous?" Madoka ventures.

"In a normal business, or political context, I would consider it inadvisable to bring up a topic of delicate practices unless you're willing to accept potential breakdowns in negotiations," Hitomi says. "I'm uncertain where the stakes would tip on the matter, and I think, perhaps, you would be the better judges of that?"

"Depends on why they're doing it, no?" Mika says. You can feel her gaze on the back of your head. "Sounds to me like they've used it in two contexts: one, suppressing whatever the groups are up to, and two, keeping up their own air of mystery."

"The latter of which helps to maintain their position, I would imagine," Mami says thoughtfully. "They seem to respect us as peers, but I worry that it would be pushing the matter. Mm... Perhaps if we tried to fish for information around the topic before asking directly."

"Yeah..." you mutter. "OK... I'm... not really sure where to start on that, specifically. I guess we'll keep an eye out for opportunities, and circle back round to the question if possible? And, um, Mami, please take the lead if you've got a better idea."

"I will," Mami says.

"Alright," you say, taking another slow sip of tea. You'll finish the cup, and then pick up the conversation, you suppose - which gives you the opportunity to reach out telepathically on another channel.

"Oriko? Have you been listening in?" you murmur. "You've been quiet so far, but I'd value your thoughts on this."

"She has not!" Kirika's the one to respond to you instead. "She's still concentrating, but she's following the situation around Tokyo. There's lots of magical girls and links there, she says, so she's picking things out. Did you know that Miss Leader girl you're talking to is connected to basically everywhere in Tokyo?"

"... Connected how?" you say. You were curious about that, you admit.

"Oh, Oriko was saying she was connected to shrines, including all the old ones that aren't there any more," Kirika says. "And a bunch of regular old buildings. She tried following those connections, but it just gave her a headache and I spritzed her."

"Well... OK, I guess that makes sense, sort of," you say. "Is she seeing anything interesting about the magical girls?"

"I'm seeing a lot of movement." Oriko's the one to respond this time, her mental voice strained. "The meeting that they'll be attending is soon, and I am indeed seeing the expected delegates traveling in. But there's also a lot of border watching going on. To preempt your next question, I don't know why. Not yet. My intention was to inform you when I did, or when you were moving to the Council meeting proper."

"... ah. Right, that's... um. Not good, but thank you for the heads up, and thank you for keeping an eye out for me," you say. "Can you tell me anything more about Toshimichi, by the way?"

"She's very heavily linked, karmically so, to Miss Shimada and Miss Riko," Oriko says. "Far more so than nearly any other people I've seen, with few exceptions such as you and Miss Kaname, or indeed Miss Akemi and Miss Kaname. I'll update you if I find out more - their compound is heavily fortified."

"Right..." you say, storing that away for later. And... Oriko did just say that over telepathy where Kyuubey might overhear. But then, you know that Oriko knows to be wary of the little white rat, so you'll trust her judgement there. "Thanks, Oriko. I really do appreciate it."

"Of course," she responds, sounding distracted.

Well. You'd been hoping for more political insight, but hey, this is just as important. Maybe even more so. And something you should relay to your friends on the ground, right now, and so you do. Neglecting certain parts, of course.

"Border watching, hm," Kazumi says. "That's kind of weird. Doesn't gel, does it? If the fight's coming from Meiji and Sumida, why's everyone bunkering up now?"

"Could be as simple as expectations turning into a self-fulfilling prophecy," Mika observes. "If everyone's expecting problems to arise, it only makes sense to be careful. And with tensions potentially running high..."

"We're literally here to offer up free stuff," you complain. Your irritation probably shows on your face right now, but you really don't care. "People shouldn't expect it to come to a fight!"

Mami squeezes your hand gently, her thumb rubbing small circles.

"We'll just have to prove them wrong," she says softly.

"Mmmmrgrrm," you grumble. "Whatever. I've defied one prophecy already, time for another, apparently. Anyway."

You exhale slowly, facing Toshimichi fully once more. Sharp obsidian eyes flick up to meet yours at the same time, Toshimichi moving gracefully to set her teacup aside. A click is Mami's teacup joining yours on the floor, echoed as your friends follow suit to present a united front once more.

"Miss Toshimichi, I believe we have a proposal, that we would like to first put to you, and then to the Council," you say. "And it's one that, hopefully, addresses our concerns."

"Please, do go ahead," she says.

"Clear Seeds distribution is, ultimately, the end goal, but we appreciate that it might not be feasible in the immediate term," you say. "I believe that you are aware of the general nature of them, but in short: a Clear Seed is when I take an ordinary Grief Seed, and extract all the Grief contained within. I would like to demonstrate it - it's a straightforward thing that won't take long."

"We are aware," Toshimichi says, gesturing at Aoi and Akari. "And I take it that you mean to demonstrate to the other delegates of the Council? I would not see a problem with that, and it would help your cause. You would be doing it under intense scrutiny, and such a demonstration before their eyes is a much easier pill to swallow." She smiles faintly. "Seeing is believing, after all."

"I would also be happy to clear a Grief Seed right now, if you wish to see it?" you say, tilting your head questioningly.

"We do believe in your capability," Toshimichi says.

"Alright..." you say. "Then as I mentioned - full Clear Seed distribution is our ultimate endgoal. I intend to propose it, and to see whether the problems are resolvable today, though I admit that seems unlikely."

"I apologise, Miss Vee, but we are not able to support that," Toshimichi says, clasping her hands on her lap. She looks apologetic, a faint crease to her brow. "I mean no offense, but... if deep interpersonal problems were so easily solved, my role would not be necessary."

You purse your lips. Not surprising, and you'd prepared for that.

"In that case, if Clear Seed distribution is not feasible in the short term, then our follow-on proposal is this: we would have one of my associates, Miss Tsuruya, travel here to lay claim to a building," you say, gesturing beyond the window to Tokyo itself. "We would secure a single Clear Seed within, and make it available to the magical girls of Tokyo to use, perhaps on some kind of timetable. Miss Tsuruya has also confirmed that she would be willing to allow you to test her defenses."

"That would be acceptable, and we would support such a proposal," Toshimichi says with a gracious nod. "And I believe Megu, in particular, would love to both meet and perhaps collaborate with Miss Tsuruya."

"I'll pass on the regards," you say. "In addition to the proposal, I would also like to, as an immediate thing, help to refresh some Grief Seeds."

"At the meeting to come?" Toshimichi says, blinking. "I... think that would be acceptable, yes."

"It's also a good opportunity to meet with the individual groups," Madoka murmurs to you. "Maybe try and arrange to meet them... outside the building, or something? Ah... away from Chiyoda, you know?"

"Perhaps after adjourning the meeting," you say slowly, as if the thought just occurred to you. "After clearing aside immediate business."

"That would be acceptable still, but I would request an accounting of the number of Seeds cleansed," Toshimichi says after a moment of thought.

"I can do that," you say with a smile, rocking back slightly and working your toes to keep the circulation going. "On that note, if I may - we were discussing problematic groups. Beyond the Meiji group and the Tower group, we've heard that the Sumida group were also unusually aggressive?"

"Ah, yes. Certainly they are, but they are not, in my estimation, a threat to the general stability?" Toshimichi says. "They are greedy and frequently overstep their bounds, but without any real ambition beyond the internal. I suspect, if anything, that they would be less of a problem, given a Clear Seed or substantial cleansing."

"Beyond the internal?" you echo curiously.

"They ply their magic to make money," Toshimichi says, shaking her head. "If you are curious, I'd suggest you talk to them - I've largely elected to leave them to it."

You nod slowly, exhaling.

"I believe we have a few more minutes before we should adjourn to the meeting room proper," Toshimichi says, straightening a little. "Are there any last matters?"

[] Last questions/proposals?
[] How do you want to present yourself to the Council?
- [] Shock and awe PRESENTATION!
- [] Simple, straight to the point
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

Spoiler: Ongoing vote

[X] Look for an opportunity to ask about infohazards
-[X] On the chance that it's related to infohazards, we can pass notes about it between those of us who are fully informed in Chiyoda and Constellation so no one has to break off from the group to have that conversation.
-[X] Try not to be unduly accusatory - if they've done it for the reasons you suspect, you can understand why they might have done it, but with something this concerning you felt the need to check.

=====​

I've been looking forward to the next scene, I have to admit.

 

[Firnagzen]

"Madoka, Hitomi? Anything?" you ask mentally. You can't think of anything in particular right now, personally - you sort of feel like you've hit a wall where you need to speak to the third parties in question to advance your conclusions further, but then, you trust Madoka and Hitomi's judgment on the politics here.

"None that I can think of," Mami says, smoothly covering for your lack of immediate response. She turns slightly to include the rest of your delegation. "Everyone?"

"Nothing immediately, but look for an excuse to ask her for her personal reasons to back you," Madoka says.

"It might not come up," Hitomi cautions. "It's a difficult question to ask in a way that doesn't give offense, since you don't know her."

"Got it," you respond, even as you shake your head by way of response to Mami.

"Then we shall adjourn," Toshimichi says. "You may enter alongside us, if you wish."

You don't need Madoka and Hitomi to help you decide that one: she's making you the offer of shielding you with their own reputation, at the cost of your perception. There's no real choice there, you think, but you feel like it was probably made in good faith.

"We would prefer to enter separately, if that isn't too much trouble," Mami says.

"Very well," Toshimichi says, inclining her head. "Then I shall take my leave, to meet the Council. Aoi will show you to a side room, and I shall introduce you as I would any other external petitioner, shortly after the meeting begins."

"Our thanks," Mami says, half-bowing in kind.

"Until then, and..." A hint of a smile flickers across her face. "I wish you the best during the meeting to come. I will support your proposal, and it will be to our mutual benefit that you succeed."

Toshimichi rises to her feet and sweeps out of the room, the train of her regalia trailing behind her and Akari following a step behind, to her right, leaving you, your friends, and one Shimada Aoi, her large red eyes fixed thoughtfully on you.

Even so, she says nothing, leading you down corridors of immaculate paper, polished and richly stained cypress swishing beneath your feet. Your friends flank you, equally silent as you all simply observe, not quite on-edge, but not quite at ease, either. And for good reason, with the meeting to come.

You can sense the other magical girls of Tokyo arriving now, their presences muted through the magic seeping through the walls. There are so many of them, arriving by the ones and twos, making their ways through the buildings on paths parallel to yours and yet unseen through the walls, little to mark their presence but for the fire of their souls blazing bright in your mind's eye. Twenty seven magical girl groups, each one sending delegates in the ones and twos.

And speaking of souls, there's Toshimichi, moving with stately, unhurried grace down the steps of what must be some kind of auditorium, amidst the sea of magical girls. A modified lecture theater, perhaps. Magic surges and ebbs around her, the eye of a storm roiling to heights greater than you'd seen earlier. Preparation in some way for the meeting ahead, perhaps?

"This way, please," Aoi says, pulling open a door to another room, not too dissimilar from the one you'd just left. Tatami mats on the floor, a screen hiding a small refreshments area, a few cushions for sitting on. There's no grand window to this room, though, and instead, there's an innocuous looking door, beyond which you can feel the gathering members of the Tokyo Council, Toshimichi just on the other side of the wall.

Aoi stands beside the door, ushering you in, but doesn't enter after you. Instead, she dips into a quick bow, her eyes lingering on you once more.

"This is the room we use for discussions away from the main Council," Aoi says. "Akane will signal when you may enter - you'll be entering from a side entrance near the front. Feel free to help yourself to the refreshments in the meantime, but the wait shouldn't be long." She offers up a tiny, sardonic smirk. "You are, after all, the main topic of interest today."

"Thank you," you say with a smile. "I hope things will go well."

"As do I," Aoi says, nodding. "If there's nothing else, I'll be joining Akane."

"I have a question before you go, Miss Shimada, if I may?" Mami says. "Is something wrong?"

"She's been giving you odd looks," Mami adds, the warmth of her voice reaching you and you alone.

"No, there's nothing wrong, and I apologise if I've given offense," Aoi says. "But it goes without saying that Miss Sabrina's powers are deeply intriguing - they're as close to a holy grail for all magical girls as you can get. I would love for an opportunity to understand them in better depth at some point, but that will be a topic for later at best. Once again, if I've caused offense, I apologise."

She bows once more, deeper than before. Mami, in turn, inclines her head, and a nudge of her elbow suggests that you should respond, too.

"None taken on my part, but, ah, I have a question too," you say slowly, giving voice to a thought that's been percolating through your mind. "Are there any restrictions on using magic during the meeting?"

"There certainly are, but we're pretty permissive," Aoi says, raising both eyebrows. "No usage of magic on others without explicit consent. Passive sensing gets a pass for the most part since you mostly can't turn it off, but we'll reprimand anyone making it blatant."

"I see, thank you," you say, and glance back at your friends, canvassing for any more 'one last thing's. You come up empty, so you turn back to Aoi with a polite smile.

"You are very welcome," Aoi says, and departs, shutting the door with a quiet swish.

Mami eyes you as Aoi leaves the room, a tiny, impish smile curling her lips.

You, of course, have no such restraint, allowing the grin to consume your face.

"Presentation?" Kazumi asks, sidling up and elbowing you in the side, almost as if she can smell the mischief brewing.

"Presentation," you declare, one finger thrust grandly skywards.

"... oh," Umika says. "There's three of them."

"Presentation is important, Miss Misaki," Mami says primly. "We want to make a good first impression, don't we?"

"Oh, I certainly understand as much, Miss Tomoe," Umika says, pushing her glasses up her nose. "I'm just... reminded that Kazumi, in turn, learned the importance of it from her mentor."

"You know, if anyone asks, Homura's my mentor," Sayaka mutters to no one in particular. She sighs, then grins and cracks her knuckles. "Oh well. How are we doing this?"

"Don't scare them too much," Hitomi says. "I trust you can read the audience."

"Ok, ok, gather round, everyone," you say, a bright grin on your face. You look around at your friends: Mami and Sayaka on either side of you, Kazumi and Umika and Niko to Mami's right, Mika opposite the circle to you, and Shinobu and Moe to Sayaka's left. An equally manic grin splits Kazumi's face, her eyes glittering in excitement, while Mika looks amused.

"I gather we're intending to make an impression?" Moe says, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet. "I'm not opposed, but aren't they all gonna be jumpy?"

"Yeah, we will have to read the audience and adjust on the fly," you say, shamelessly stealing Hitomi's advice. "Theatricality has a point, though - some, if not all of them, already have their mental images of us, and some are already dead set against us. What we can do to disrupt that has a very real utility, let alone cementing our own position."

"I wasn't disagreeing," Moe says thoughtfully. "Shinobu, could you be a dear?"

"Hm? Oh, gotcha," Shinobu says, frowning as she cups her hands together. You feel her magic sparking to life, pouring through the palms of her hands to form golden dust.

"Speaking of positions, does it strike anyone as kind of funny that Chiyoda argued us from giving out free stuff down to establishing a heavily fortified forward operating base in their territory?" you say. "I mean, they had pragmatic reasons for it, but..."

Sayaka's not the only one to snicker, a wave of laughter going around your group of friends.

"That's certainly one way to put it," Mami says, her eyes dancing. "I suppose it makes sense from their point of view, though..."

"The world would be much better if everyone could just be nice," you say, nodding firmly. "Anyway, I've got one, er, more relevant thing to raise before we dive into discussing the presentation first - Miss Niko, you were working on a hypothesis, right? Is there anything we can do that would help you figure things out? I can't help but have a feeling that whatever you can tell us will be helpful."

Niko blinks, almost as if surprised at being addressed, then frowns, tugging thoughtfully on one of her ponytails.

"How old do you think the Imperial Regalia she's wearing are?" she says. Without waiting for an answer, she turns to Sayaka. "You've got a perception power, right? Use it later."

"Right..." Sayaka says, confusion flickering across her face. "I'm not sure if I can tell, but I'll try."

"Within a couple centuries will do," Niko says. She turns back to you abruptly. "If I can get a skin or hair or blood or something sample off her, that's ideal, but fat chance of that. The way she controls magic is deeply unusual - it's like no magical girl or enchantment I've ever seen. I don't know what to make of it."

"... I'll keep an eye out for hair?" you say, frowning. Niko's turning her attention to age, huh? The thought would line up with how Toshimichi seems to like to present herself as older than she looks, an imperial spirit incarnated to rule. Still, not exactly relevant for the moment.

"Well... If there's nothing else you can tell us now, Miss Niko?" She shakes her head, so you continue, grin returning. "Then let's get back on track. Presentation."

"Presentation!" Kazumi cheers.

"Do we want to demonstrate our individual powers or some display of the Constellation as a whole?" Mika asks. "I can do rolling thunderclouds."

"As a whole," you say, rubbing your chin. "We're a coalition, after all."

"But Sabrina's powers should be the centerpiece," Mami says thoughtfully. She smiles at you. "After all, we're here to talk about providing them with cleansing, aren't we?"

"Right, yeah! Sabrina's gotta go down the center," Kazumi says. "OK, clouds, Grief, we need stars. I've got a couple spells for lights and lasers, uh..."

"Shadows," Mami says, smiling. "Kazumi, could you darken the cloud? And, ah, Sayaka, you brought lightning, did you not? Do you think you could tune it to light the cloud from within?"

"I think so," Sayaka says, hand darting under her cloak to sort through her power jewels. "Yeah. We don't have much time to practice, do we?"

"No, but it doesn't need to be perfect," Mami says. "I believe what we'll do is..."

You smile, and let the professional work.

===​

You enter the Council meeting room to a roll of thunder and the utter silence of the magical girls attending.

The door is just an ordinary door, wide enough for one person to fit through at a time -two if they're friendly- but that's not a problem.

In the moment that the door opened, you get a glimpse of the auditorium beyond: carpeted floors and wooden desks in layered tiers, rising away from a central dais upon which the Chiyoda group sits. Twenty seven groups in an enormous auditorium is room enough to give each delegation generous elbow room - to give each one of them a healthy buffer zone between each other.

A heartbeat later, darkness obscures your vision of the auditorium. You can see it in your mind's eye, midnight-dark velvet spreading in a billowing cloud that consumes the floor and drinks in the light. Kazumi's shadows and a leashed thundercloud, courtesy of Mika, shepherded by swirling winds that tug at hair and clothes and skirt daintily around the Chiyoda group, who in turn remain placidly upon their dais.

Of course, you see none of this, hurrying to guide the rest of the Constellation through the door, concealed beneath cover afforded by the darkness. Mami leads the way, flashing you a swift smile as she dives into the shadow without hesitation, Sayaka hot on her heels, then Mika, then Kazumi, then Umika, then Niko -who rolls her eyes at you- and last but certainly not least, Shinobu, and Moe.

You take the rear, striding into the abyssal blackness. You can't see, but you can certainly feel, Grief flooding ahead of you in nanoscopic fog. So too do you keep Grief hovering at the shoulders of your friends, nudging and guiding them into position. You can hear the murmurs, annoyance and confusion spreading unseen among the girls of the Council. Toshimichi, warned ahead of time, simply stays still, and waits.

Then:

Light.

A single star kindles to life within the darkness, a coil of lightning provided by Sayaka, twisted on itself to form an orb of glowing radiance.

Mami steps up, steps through the star. She emerges from the clouds, striding up to the dais without hesitation. Your mind supplies you with the mental image, Mami standing tall and radiant, head held high and haloed by the light of another eight stars blazing to life.

And of course, the ever-important feedback.

"Plan A, plan A," Mami says, telepathy reaching out. "Too on edge. Plan A."

You'd expected that, of course. Plan B was always a long shot, the one you'd go with if the Council seemed receptive, with music and everything. No dance number, though, you're not sure anyone wants a dance number other than Kazumi. And for some reason, Moe, but you're not entirely sure she was being serious.

"Members of the Tokyo Council!" she calls, proud and strong. "I am Tomoe Mami of Mitakihara, and I am here today as part of the Constellation."

The shadows fall.

Eight stars, eight of you, arrayed flanking Mami - you're at her right, of course. For once you have a dramatic wind, one that rises, curls around you, and sets your coat billowing out to the side. Courtesy of Mika, of course, just as the dispersing mist is her doing.

You take in your first real sight of the Tokyo Council, arrayed in rising tiers around you. Twenty seven magical groups... well, twenty six, considering Chiyoda behind you. A brilliant rainbow of colour is laid out before you, a riot of vibrant costumes and hair colours, with an equally varied range of expressions from incredulous to amused to impressed.

"We are the Constellation," you say, picking up the thread from Mami. You smile, your eyes sweeping the chamber. "Thank you for having us today."

You spot Kurenai, a splash of flame-red near the back of the room. She meets your eyes, nodding slightly as your gaze passes her. At her side is Terumi - bringing her is definitely a good idea, considering her empathy. And there, to the left of the room, you spot Ueda Noa, that girl who you'd met in Sendai all that time ago. She ducks her head as she notices your gaze, smiling awkwardly.

And then comes the clapping, slow and sarcastic, from a girl in the front row. Pink hair with purple tips falls in curls, shadowed beneath a frilled hat of cream and gold. You can't see much more of her costume from where you're standing, but rather more interestingly, around her are another four magical girls - a group of five amidst other delegations of ones and twos.

The clapping falters after a moment, the girl seeming to give it up as a bad job when she doesn't even get any laughter.

"The Tokyo Council welcomes you," Toshimichi intones, her voice taking on an air of the formal. "Please, feel free to state your case."

[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

Man, I gotta say, I'm still not entirely happy with this one (I think one of the issues was the planning scene, which as you can see, was dropped ). But sometimes, you gotta just bite the bullet. (I'd appreciate concrete feedback on this one!)

 

[Firnagzen]

"Thank you, Miss Toshimichi," you say, scanning the room once more, meeting the eyes of everyone who cares to look your way. And you smile, because you mean well, and you want them to believe that.

You take in the auditorium at the same time. Decoration, exits, terrain, the magic woven into the very fabric of the walls... Whatever the magic worked upon the building, you're almost certain that this room is the twinned image of a lecture theatre, overlaid with the same rich cypress as the rest of the palace. Wooden pillars rise towards the ceiling, rafters bearing paper lanterns criss-crossing the roof - but then, the illumination is brighter by far than mere candles should be.

Seating rises in tiers before you, sloping away from the dais upon which the Chiyoda group sits upon cushions and tatami mats: an odd contrast of the modern and the traditional. However the magic of this place was woven, no expense was spared for aesthetics or comfort - the chairs provided to the delegates look extremely plush and comfortable, no cheap lecture hall seats for the delegates, oh no. And speaking of delegates...

A few nervous looks, here and there. More than a bit of skepticism, too. It was probably for the best that you dialed back your introduction -shock and awe is, after all, a military tactic- but then, the skepticism might be coming your way, but not all the nervousness is directed at you. You think back to Oriko playing overwatch, and her warning of border watches and mounting tensions.

Miss Slow Clap, there, gets quite a few of the looks. She meets your gaze with insouciant ease and thinly veiled hostility as you look her way - she has to be one of the girls from Meiji, right? And she brought her entire group with her, it looks like, considering that most magical girl groups seem to hover around the four-five mark. Maybe they left a girl home to hold the fort.

Well.

Delegation sizes are up to the group, you know that much, but you can't help but feel that bringing your entire fighting force to a meeting like this might be just a little bit confrontational. And of course, you funnel that information to Madoka and Hitomi, a constant litany of descriptions in the back of your mind.

Still, hostility and skepticism aside, you're here to present your case. Your case being that you want to give them all presents, so really, you're here to present your presents after the initial presentation. Presently. And speaking of your present presentation... well, you'd already gone over it, but you really have to reiterate that you're disappointed in having to dial it back. Are you whining? Maybe you're whining a bit, but it's only in the privacy of your internal monologue, so it's fine.

"Members of the Tokyo Council!" you call. Projecting your voice so it reaches every part of the room isn't hard, and if you cheat just a little with Grief to touch up the acoustics, well, who's counting? "I am Vee Sabrina, from Mitakihara, and these are my friends. This is Miki Sayaka-" a quick wave at her, "-and of course, Tomoe Mami needs no introduction. This is Nakano Mika, from Ishinomaki, and these are Nanami Shinobu and Nishimura Moe, of Fukushima. And last but certainly not least, these are Kazusa Michiru, Misaki Umika, and Kanna Niko of Asunaro."

You gesture at your friends as you introduce them. They smile, in turn scanning the audience and taking in the sight as you continue to speak.

"You might have noticed that we don't exactly live close together," you say. "We share few territorial or border concerns - what holds us together, instead, is a common goal. We want to make the lives of all magical girls better. We dedicate our magic, resources, time and efforts to pursue new innovation and new ideas in the hope that one day, each and every one of us achieves freedom. Freedom from a system that is designed to wear us all down and eventually destroy us."

You exhale slowly, letting your eyes close for a second, drawing the moment out. There's an air of Theatricality here, capital T, of playing the audience. You've got them so far, you think, toeing the line between grandiose promise and hinting at what you bring to the table, leavened with the memory of your last communiqué with them, the message you'd sent with Noa.

Your smile fades as you open your eyes, sobering. You don't see too much confusion, and they've got to have that offer on their minds still - but perhaps just a bit of reminder.

"I don't think I need to elaborate on how we're forced to live," you say, holding out a hand, palm up. "We have to fight. Not just against Witches, but against each other. We have to struggle just to get enough Seeds to get by. That's not good enough."

You huff, clenching that outstretched hand to a fist, and then let it drop.

"It's not good enough, and that's why we're here today. I... Let me make my point with a demonstration." You shake your head, and half turn away to face your friends. "Does anyone need a cleanse?"

You can sense it, of course, a constant awareness of Grief simmering at the back of your mind. Not just those of your friends - but of the other magical girls in the room, forty-two more presences glowing in your mind's eye. Forty-three, if you include Toshimichi Akane.

"I could do with one!" Kazumi says brightly, taking a half-step forward, Mami side-stepping smoothly to make way. Without hesitation, Kazumi plucks her Soul Gem from her earring, adjusting her hat with her free hand as the blood red gem shimmers into the familiar egg form.

"Thank you, Kazumi," you say, smiling, and face forward again. "I... admit, I'm not sure you can see this from the back of the auditorium, but well..."

You give it a moment, for those interested to lean forward, to focus. One girl near the back of the auditorium, harried and worn, actually hops to her feet and hurries down the steps for a closer look.

You beckon towards the Soul Gem with a single finger, drawing forth a thin streamer of Grief. You can see the moment the members of the Tokyo Council sense it, girls swaying back and even one or two flinches, here and there. You crush the Grief down to marbles, just three, and set them orbiting your upraised finger as Kazumi replaces her Soul Gem with a click.

A few quiet murmurs, perhaps less surprised than you might expect, and the silent, heavy weight of dozens of pairs of eyes on you and the Grief orbiting your finger. Seeing is believing, you suppose, your previous messages notwithstanding, and you can feel the electric tension in the air, a dozen conversations unheard but no less real.

You have their full attention now.

Even Miss Slow Clap's leaning forward, her hands tented on the table in front of her, her eyes focused on you.

"Would anyone else care for a cleanse?" you say. "I promise that it's exactly the same effect as using a Grief Seed - the only difference is that I'm using my magic to do it. Heck-" You tap your own Soul Gem, drawing forth a much thinner stream of Grief and adding it to the marbles orbiting your finger. "There. That's really all there is to it."

You grin, but- no one seems to be willing to meet your eyes, gazes skittering shy of yours as you look around. Kurenai's the only one to meet you evenly, but she shakes her head slightly, smiling apologetically.

"I wouldn't mind."

A rustle of cloth behind you, Aoi rising smoothly to her feet and brushing down the labcoat of her costume. She reaches for the end of her braid, detaching her Soul Gem from the ribbon in her hair.

"What do I have to do?" she asks, pacing forward to stand beside you.

"Just hold it out?" you say, beaming, and when she does so, you draw forth another, thicker streamer of Grief. Someone's been using her magic, but if she's using it now, it's a subtle thing.

Aoi inspects her Soul Gem and nods.

"As you said," she declares. "Not much different from just using a Grief Seed."

"Yup!" you say happily, nodding gratefully at her as she returns to her place on the dais. "Of course, that's just a little bit of cleansing based on my own magic. It requires that I be right here, and, well..." You shrug. "Home is Mitakihara, not Tokyo. I wouldn't mind coming here every week or so, but-"

You smile, and spread your hands.

"I have an alternative," you say. "And this is my proposal today."

You pull out a Grief Seed - your last 'spare' one, arguably. Hildegarde and Aurora are your two trial Clear Seeds, and Elsa Maria... well, she feels significant. You should probably hang on to her.

"Here, I have an ordinary Grief Seed," you say. "And if I exert my power on it..."

It's just a simple flex of your power, and a familiar one, at this point. Grief pours from the Seed in billowing torrents. You let it swirl and eddy around you- around your friends, a deepening miasma of nightmare darkness curling around all of you. You sense more than you see Mami's smile, as she, too, takes a half step forward, dipping her hand into the thickening cloud, utterly trusting.

You part the Grief before her hand, of course. It adds to the show, the theatricality of the thing, Mami idly stirring the Grief about.

"We want to help," Mami offers, her voice soft, but carrying strongly through the silence in the chamber. "That's why we're here today. You've heard our plea before, and we're here to reiterate it: please, let us help."

She sneaks you a quick smile and reclaims her position at your side.

"Why now?" a girl calls from the right of the auditorium. Her voice echoes a little, seemingly not quite used to public speaking, but the question prompts a wave of murmured agreement and nods. "Why haven't we heard of you before, with goals as lofty as yours?"

"We're new," you say simply. You keep your focus on emptying the Grief Seed out, but you continue speaking, your voice steady. "And by 'new', I mean we only formally agreed to our alliance yesterday - but we've been friends and associates for longer than that. We share the same goals. I, personally, have only been a magical girl for a couple of weeks, but I've known about this whole rotten system for much longer."

The girl nods, apparently satisfied with your explanation, and leans back in her seat. She's alone, seemingly the only delegate from her group. Sharp eyes inspect you in turn, framed with long, blonde hair, and shaded by a frilled cap with a single red ribbon tied to a bow.

As the torrent of Grief comes to an end, you straighten, and balance the Clear Seed on your finger, the crystal glittering under the light. The Grief, in turn, orbits lazily about you, a halo of fractal darkness that you compact slowly into orbs.

"You saw how much a single cleansing of a Soul Gem produces," you say. "And this is how much a single Clear Seed can contain. You can use them just like you can a regular Grief Seed, and... you can see, right here, just how long one would last."

You exhale, once more, and your smile is perhaps a bit more melancholy when you speak again.

"Eventually, I'd like to distribute Clear Seeds to everyone," you say. "One for each group represented here, maybe even one for each one of you. When it's practical, I'd love to do that. What we propose, today, is that we will establish a... secured embassy of sorts, here in Tokyo. Within it, I'll leave one Clear Seed, and it will be made available to everyone to use. That is my proposal today: I want to give you free stuff."

"What do you want in return for that?" a girl asks, sitting a few rows up from the blonde who'd spoken before.

"The same thing I ask of everyone I give a Clear Seed: to be kind to others," you say. "To hold to the peace. If you don't have to worry about fighting for Grief Seeds, I want you to not fight. To help those in need, and if you can't, send them on to me, or someone who can. That's all I ask."

Another wave of murmurs and looks, glances between delegates and delegations, accompanied by the inevitably telepathic conversations. It's almost frustrating, you admit, to not know what's going on.

"Why be so generous?" another girl asks.

"Why not?" you counter with an easy grin. "My magic lets me do this, and I Wished for this magic so I could help. I want to help, I can help, and that's the end of the matter, honestly."

"We're offering free stuff," Sayaka says drily, folding her arms. "And the only strings attached are 'be nice', because it's the right thing to do."

The asker sits back, looking faintly bewildered, but doesn't question it any further.

"So I've got a question," Miss Slow Clap drawls. "Do you know who you're working with?"

The way her eyes flick over to Toshimichi makes it pretty clear who she's talking about, of course, as conversation in the auditorium abruptly dies.

[] Let Chiyoda handle it
[] Intervene
- [] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

That went well.

 

[Firnagzen]

That's bait.

Not that that's any sort of surprise to you... well, maybe at how blatant she's been. But then, that might be part of the point, to provoke a reaction from you, or from Chiyoda. And there's maybe a further layer of consideration for you: that your mystery not-quite-antagonist feels confident making such an obvious power play.

Silence spreads, cloying and awkward and thick with a thousand unheard conversations. Telepathy, hah.

Maybe Toshimichi simply doesn't bother to engage with that sort of... schoolyard bickering, and allows it to slide. Certainly that's one way of dealing with issues, albeit one that's only sustainable if you're confident you can outlast the other party. Aloof and far above, unconcerned by such petty, clumsy attacks, but you know she's not so disconnected as she wants to be.

... you admit, you're kind of tempted to just introduce your friends again. Why yes, you do know who you're working with. It would be petty, but oh-so-satisfying. Honestly. You've known Toshimichi for all of about half an hour. You'd like to get to the bottom of whatever this antagonism is, but you'd also like to not be skewered on rhetorical barbs.

You can feel the magic curling around Toshimichi, the threads twining into tight knots. Not snarls, but purposeful, the flow of magic stymied and building up for the moment. And you feel the weight of her regard on the back of your head, obsidian black gaze heavy on you, expectant. A test of sorts, to see how you handle unruly supplicants, to let someone else push you in ways she can't or won't.

Or maybe you're just extrapolating things too far. She is looking at you, and you have the floor. Happily, that moment of awkward silence has left a glib answer on the tip of your tongue.

Mami, by your side, tilts her head just far enough to catch your eye. A quirk of an eyebrow, the curl of her lips... and a silent, unspoken question: You or me?

She sees the answer in your grin, you suppose, as she faces back forward, eyes dancing with concealed amusement.

You face forward again, looking right at Miss Slow Clap.

"Yeah, I do," you say, a smile on your face and a hand held out to her, palm up. "You. I'm working with you, and-" your hand cuts sideways, to indicate the whole chamber, and if that includes Toshimichi, well, "-all of you. I'm working with my friends. With everyone who's willing to sign on with the basic tenet of be kind to other people. That's why we're here, on our own initiative, to offer our resources and help to you directly, if you are willing to accept it."

"A pretty speech, but you're avoiding the question," Miss Slow says.

Maybe you're being a bit petty to shorten her name like that, but it's not like you're going to say that out loud. And you're allowed to be petty in the privacy of your own mind, and it's not like she's volunteered her actual name. And she's being rude to begin with anyway. So there.

"We are outsiders to Tokyo," Mami says, velvet-smooth and innocent. "We have the best of intentions, but we freely admit that we are largely ignorant of the specific concerns here. It is, after all, why we came here today - we want to understand what things are like here. We would be happy to hear your complaint, now or after this session?"

Miss Slow Clap sits back, eyes narrowed. You've probably won no favour with her, addressing her argument like that, but you're not sure that was ever on the table, not short of a full denouncing of Chiyoda, for whatever crimes you don't even know about. Mami trades a quick look with you, expression questioning, and you shrug in turn.

"Um, excuse me?" a different girl says, from the back row. She sounds nervous, and looks it, too, fidgeting with her ponytail. She's alone up there. "Um... Miss Nakano? Are you, um, Nakano Mika of, um, Nakano Corporation?"

"I am," Mika says cheerfully. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, u-um... can we talk later?" the girl asks. "Um, I'm Takada Saeko."

"Certainly," Mika says. You can hear the eager grin from her voice, and you don't need to turn or even use your Grief to sense the way she's bouncing eagerly on her toes.

"Ah, that's a good point. As I alluded to earlier, we will, with Miss Toshimichi's kind permission, be staying around to field questions after this session," Mami says smoothly. "If you have any issues you'd like to raise in private, that would be the time."

"A question, Miss Vee, one that I think we would all benefit from hearing the answer to," a silver-haired girl pipes up. Her voice carries clearly from her position in the center of the auditorium, commanding attention with ease. Silver brows arch beneath a complex, elegantly braided crown of hair as she stares down at you, measuring. "Sugahara Kaede, from Hikawa. If we choose not to accept your... help, what then?"

"... why-" you resist the urge to sigh or pinch the bridge your nose. Instead, you meet her gaze squarely. "I'm giving my help, with no strings attached. All I'm asking is that you be nice about it."

Some part of your mind busily catalogues the new name and location - Hikawa would be Hikawa Shrine, you think, but there are multiple Hikawa Shrines, you're pretty sure. Could be Hikawa Shrine in Minato, which would make it part of Tokyo proper, or it could be Hikawa Shrine in Saitama City. Which isn't technically part of Tokyo City but is part of the Greater Tokyo Area. You'd complain about the geography being weird, but really, Mitakihara isn't any better, what with Kasamino right there.

... Huh. Another shrine.

"How long until you ask for something else?" Kaede asks. "I quite understand the point of your demonstration, Miss Vee - the Clear Seed will last us all for a good while. Leaving one here in Tokyo will serve us well, and indebt us to you, if only by gratitude. What if we choose not to take that debt?"

"Then..." You sigh. "Then we walk away. But the offer would remain open - and I wouldn't count it as a debt, Miss Sugahara. I truly mean to give you the Clear Seed."

"I believe you," she says with bland sincerity. "Even then, gratitude may not be a chain we want to tie ourselves down with, depending on the circumstances. I'm sure you understand."

You do understand, you suppose. Historically speaking, gifting people with food has been one of the ways institutions of various stripes get others under their control - legitimate or corrupt. Heck, soup kitchens - which you've been considering as an analogy- are a way for the government to exert control, in some ways, and... well, come to that, the etymological root of the word "lord" basically translates to bread guardian. You have no intention of doing that, but it's not an unreasonable concern to total strangers.

"Didn't you want to accept the offer, Sugahara?" a voice calls from the back of the room - Kurenai, the brilliant red of her hair and what must be her costume practically glowing under the lighting.

"I said I was inclined to," Kaede says calmly, half-twisting in her seat to look back at Kurenai. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, Nakahara."

"If it helps, I have no intentions of levying any control over any continued Witch hunting you would do," you say, and shake your head. "What would be the point? You would continue to have your own supply of cleansing in addition to the Clear Seed."

"But you would withdraw it if we violated your rule of being nice, correct?" Kaede says.

"I-" You bite back your instinctive denial. "It depends. I don't believe in starving people as any kind of enforcement measure, but... if someone started trying to conquer or attack others with the free cleansing, then yes, we would have to limit access. Limit, not remove."

"Are there limits on who you'll work with?" Miss Slow Clap drawls.

A slam of fists on table almost makes you jump as a girl to the left of the auditorium explodes to her feet.

"Imai, for once in your life will you stop with your fucking weasel words?" she snarls. "You've been doing this every damn meeting for months, and all you're doing is holding things up for people who actually want to get something done. You've got a problem with Toshimichi, you've got a problem with us, you've got a problem with who the fuck else. And now, in front of visitors?"

Ah. That's a name, and that's, uh. Quite a bit of pent up anger.

"Maybe I should," Imai says silkily, turning forward once more. Her voice turns mockingly formal, stiff and dripping with the sarcasm that rolls off her smirk. "Miss Vee, since you control Grief, I'm sure you can tell what exactly a S-"

Adrenaline slows the world to a crawl.

You can complete the sentence in a dozen ways, none of them good. And you're slow for a magical girl, but even the slowest magical girl is faster than the agonizing crawl of human speech, your mind kicking into overdrive. Madoka. Hitomi.

You snatch for your phone. Grief moves faster than your hands. End call. Your friends-

Grief, of course, answering you as naturally as any of your physical limbs. Nanofog boils around you, a shimmer cutting through the air because all you need is to distort the sound. It's been an ever-present fear at the back of your mind, words and knowledge that can break people, and you've gamed out a thousand ways to respond-

Mami, already stiffening beside you, flawless reflexes responding to you shifting to battle mode. She's not the only one, either, you can feel Mika's winds stirring to life and the deepening of shadow around you as Moe's power draws inward. Following your lead, responding to danger, but this isn't a battle, but it is hostility-

The strings around Toshimichi pull taut in the same instant, flaring bright in your mind's eye with a surge of magic that's nearly incandescent. Her hand moves to the hilt of her sword.

"Stop," Toshimichi says. The word shivers through the air like the silence between lightning and thunder. Something that resonates through you, raising the hair on the back of your neck as the world...

slows

down.

Movement drags out, the delegates before you freezing in their motions, voices silenced in their throats.

Your phone buzzes with an incoming call, and you cancel it immediately.

"Trouble," you snap at Madoka and Hitomi, telepathy speeding ahead as fast as your thoughts. "Update you when I can. Not fighting."

... wait.

You turn, agonizingly slowly, to look at Mami. She's frozen mid-step, her mouth opening as of to say something. Kazumi too, standing to Mami's right, and if either of them are moving at all, you can't tell, but you yourself-

You hear Megu gasp -you think it's Megu, anyway, there's something wrong and you're turning so slowly- and it's a quiet, agonized thing. A clatter, like something falling to the floor.

"Megu? Megu, talk to me-" That's Aoi, you think, her voice panicked. "What's wrong? Akane?"

"Vee. It's Vee, look at her-" That's Akari, her voice panicked. "Akane! Akane, if you can hear me, release Vee! She's resisting somehow, Megu can't-"

You feel something snap around you, and you all but tumble to the ground, stumbling drunkenly as you spin around. Your friends are frozen, but it's not the lifeless greys of Homura's timestop, they're just stopped in their tracks. And-

Megu's collapsed to the ground, her Soul Gem-

"Shit-" you hiss under your breath.

Megu's Soul Gem boils with Grief, her back arching in agony. Aoi already has a Grief Seed out, but it's too much, she's too slow, her hand seeming to move like it's snared in whatever it is that's frozen your friends, but.

This is your domain. All it takes is a thought. Even mid-stumble, all it takes is a thought to take hold of the Grief and make it yours. Rip it away from where it doesn't belong, to leave glimmering gold crystal pristine once more.

Megu sags back onto the mat, Akari and Aoi hovering at her side. Gone are the tiny silvery puffs drifting perennially around her, now coalesced into a single, intricate structure of delicate filaments and simmering power, a thin web stretching between her... and Toshimichi. And Toshimichi herself...

Her face has gone grey, her forehead beading with sweat as stress contorts her face, her body almost inhumanly still but for the trembling of the hand locked tight around the worn hilt of her sword. Obsidian eyes stare sightlessly forward into the frozen auditorium.

"Sabrina, be careful," Oriko's voice cracks like a whip. "Whatever that was- she's not- that wasn't magic."

"What?" you blurt back at her. "What do you mean, not magic?"

"Not magic as we use it, I- I misspoke," Oriko says. You've never heard that tone of voice from her before. "It didn't catch you, but be careful."

"I will."

... Of course, you're not quite sure what you are going to do.

[] What did the Chiyoda group do?
[] What do you do?
- [] Demand your friends be released
- [] Let them set the pace
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

So! Bit of an unusual vote this time. See that first option? Gimme your best conclusion. That is highly relevant and will affect the next vote.

 

[Firnagzen]

You're panicking a bit, you think? A small, perfectly measured amount that doesn't feel like panic, but it's a machine-gun stutter of a thousand thousand thoughts sleeting by at once, running through a thousand scenarios and responses and iterating on them as you tune your thoughts to fit.

Not magic as you know it? What does that even mean? It's important, you think, but you can't figure out how. OK. That thought goes on the backburner for the moment - important, but not as important in immediate triage.

OK. You just nearly started a war, but then- did you? You might have overreacted a bit, but you were overreacting. And there are things you don't fuck around with, that you absolutely do not dare to. Not around Mami, not around Madoka and Hitomi and all your friends. You fear that whisper at the back of your mind, of Candeloro, and Madoka... you know where that road leads.

You need to take stock.

Your friends, first of all. Nanofog, held tight to your person - sight without looking, a thousand million billion invisible particles flowing around you and your friends, enough to check on them. Pulse. You find pulses, you see magic burning in your mind's eye, but they're just... stopped. Frozen in place, as if -hah- by magic.

Memory modification? No, that seems unlikely - you're pretty sure that that's a separate thing, if there is one at all. This is just some kind of stasis magic, albeit one you don't understand at all. Fine. You'll sort that out in a second. You push down the fear, the worry for the moment, and focus on what you can do.

"Madoka, Hitomi? Are you girls alright?" you say. They're fine. They have to be. They were talking to you just a moment ago.

The Chiyoda girls. Aoi, Megu, Akari... Akane. You finish the half-stumble from release, of pushing against resistance that suddenly wasn't there anymore, and spin to face them fully. Faced head on, rather than a glimpse out of the corner of your eye with arms pinwheeling to regain your balance, none of them look great.

Megu's just starting to sit up, clutching at her chest while Grief continues to accumulate in her Soul Gem. Aoi kneels by her, one hand sliding under her back to support her, but her attention snaps to you, the Grief Seed she'd been fumbling towards Megu falling to her side - she definitely noticed what you did.

Akane sits ramrod straight, the sweat still beading on her brow and knuckles white about the hilt of her sword, Akari touching a hand to the base of her skull and murmuring quietly to her. None of them are unconscious or slowed, as you thought they might be.

The shimmering web hangs between them, undisturbed and glowing faintly.

"Y-yes, but- Sayaka's- Sayaka's stuck!" Madoka says. She sounds like she's trying to hold it together, panicking just a smidge.

"What's happening?" Homura's voice cuts in. "Do you need backup?"

"Homura's here," Hitomi adds, somewhat belatedly.

"No, I- no, I don't think so," you say, your words tumbling over each other. "One of the Tokyo girls tried to drop an, ah, infohazard. I tried to block it out, Chiyoda hit a panic button and... froze all the magical girls, but I resisted it? Everyone's fine except for that, I'm working on it. I'll update when I know more."

Imai, though. You spare a glance for her, frozen in place like your friends, like the rest of the auditorium, mouth still contorting around the words she was spitting like weapons, because they are. Some things are dangerous to know.

Whatever.

You'll deal with that a moment. She's even less important right now.

"R-right!" Madoka says, her voice vibrating with anxiety. "We'll look after Sayaka."

"Stay safe," Homura murmurs.

"Thank you, Madoka, and... we will. Sit tight and you stay safe too, ok? I'll fix this," you say. "I don't think Chiyoda means harm."

"Miss Shimada?" you say. She looks the most... unoccupied for the moment, and she's already looking at you, anyway. You hold both hands up, trying to convey that you mean no harm, and smile in what you hope is a reassuring way. "How can I help?"

"I-" Aoi glances at Megu, who's thin-lipped and pale, recovering still. "You already helped with- with Megu, right?"

"I did, yeah," you say. "I'm... sorry if I overstepped with that, but her Soul Gem..."

"No, thank you for that," Aoi says.

Megu nods weakly.

"Can you do anything for Akane?" she manages.

"I... don't think so?" you say, pressing your lips together. You approach carefully, kneeling down in front of them. "I don't really know what her magic does, either and I'm... guessing you don't quite understand either, do you?"

Megu barks out a sharp, mirthless laugh, and then clutches her head, wincing.

"I- Aoi, give me that-" Megu grabs the Grief Seed from her, pressing it to the rapidly clouding crimson of her Soul Gem. Her shoulders sag with relief as the Grief drains out once more. "That's a dangerous question to ask, Miss Vee."

You press your lips together. A dangerous question? How?

"I... understand that you acted to stop incipient danger to almost everyone present," you allow, and your tone might be a bit stiff, but can anyone really blame you, with your friends trapped in some magic you don't understand? "And I hope that it wasn't from my actions - I had only meant to isolate my group from what I perceived as a threat to my friends."

"They haven't been harmed," Megu says tightly. "It doesn't hurt people, or even do anything to them outside of halting them for a moment. I..." Her eyes flick down to her Soul Gem, on its pendant around her neck. "Tell me, is there someone else like you, who might be resisting the magic particularly strongly?"

"I..." You blink. "Sayaka, maybe. She's, uh- this Sayaka's a clone, her real body's back in Mitakihara. But maybe all of us, as well? We made some defensive enchantments before this that I... suspect might sit on the same wavelength."

"Understood." It takes you a moment to figure out who spoke, so different is the voice from when you'd last heard it - but it's Akane, the practiced, mellow elegance of her voice stripped away in favour of something raw and reverberating and resonant in a way that feels achingly familiar.

Akane smiles at you, a ghastly thing cracking through the rictus of concentration. Sunken eyes burn fever bright as they search out your own. "It is well to meet an elder cousin," she says, her voice strained. "But I confess, I suspect you are as much in the dark as I am."

"Akane..." Akari says. "Are you sure?"

"Look to Miss Vee for your answer," the girl says.

"... I'm not sure?" you say hesitantly, when three pairs of eyes swivel to you. "I believe I've got an idea, but I'm not sure. Er. Not to deflect, but I don't want to waste time right now, if things are that stressful for you, Miss Toshimichi?"

Megu's eyes narrow.

"This is not something that should be a strain. It will not be so if I can isolate the anomalies," Akane says. "To be on the safe side, and as a gesture of good faith, I will release all of your friends. It will take a moment. Are they the type to lash out?"

"... alright," you say. You admit, you were hoping for that, and kind of considering on insisting on it, too. "And no, not really."

You watch the magic stir around Toshimichi for a moment, the threads wrapped tight around your friends and the others in the chamber in tight, dense snarls. Toshimichi's... untangling them, you suppose, would be the best word to describe the motion you're seeing.

You've got a moment more to gather your thoughts, you think.

[] Allow the Chiyoda group to continue their procedures
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

Spoiler: Vote in abeyance

---[X] Loop in Madoka, Hitomi, Homura, Oriko, Yuki, Shiogama and the Asunaro Pleiades. Give them a full update and keep them informed as the situation develops. No explicit bombs, but share that Imai tried to drop an infohazard.

=====​

Cutting to vote early, as requested.

Also, the last update has been edited a bit to make it clearer Imai was going for, well, infohazards. You're not sure whether it was about Witches or liches, but still.

Also also, shoutout to IToadlyFrogot, who's maintaining a list of all the Tokyo girls you've spoken to so far (current updated one here)!

 

[Firnagzen]

Your thoughts keep getting stuck on the whole 'elder cousin' thing. Well, rather, you keep getting stuck on the damned near instinctive impulse to deny any such respectability, countering with the fact that you're only three weeks old. People looking up to you, ew.

Well, granted, you're also stuck on trying to disentangle what Akane actually means by that, and all the strangeness associated with her. Or rather - the surface reading is pretty clear, you suppose. She thinks you're the same sort of entity that she is, but the problem is that you're not sure what she is, nor if she's actually right. Nor the fact that she thinks you're her senior.

Could you be?

Not temporally, considering that the Tokyo Council's been around for much longer than your paltry three weeks, but... well, you're Wishborn in some way, and at that, you're Wishborn from Madoka's Wish in a universe that was unhappened. There's no way Akane can know that, though, but then she has that whole strings-of-fate motif tied to her. Maybe she can sense that.

Hah, tied to her.

Anyway. You can't exactly have people thinking you're respectable. That just won't do. And more seriously, it's the kind of misunderstanding you don't want to allow to stand - it could be dangerous. Assumptions are dangerous, and it behooves you to clear that up, even if it means losing credibility. Credibility you don't deserve, in this case.

You take a moment to relay those thoughts to Madoka and Hitomi, and current events, back home in Mitakihara. Not the born-of-Madoka's-Wish thing, of course.

"Thats- that's, um!" Madoka says, the anxiety radiating across the telepathic voice call. "Yes, clarifying is good!"

"It could be an advantage, to be acknowledged as an elder," Hitomi says clinically. "But not if it's a role you're uncertain how exactly you fit in. Honesty is definitely the best policy here. And besides, I'm interested in her response."

"Noted," you say. "I'll call you again in a few minutes, but sit tight for now, OK? Toshimichi's working on undoing the freeze, or whatever it is, so everyone should be OK soon."

"I..." You cut yourself off, glancing at Akane's expression of strain and concentration, and the way her fingers twitch next to each other as if playing cat's cradle with invisible strings. "Sorry, do you need to concentrate?"

"Not so much that I am unable to listen," Akane says, turning a curious look on you - albeit, a curious look framed by furrowed brows and the sweat beading upon her forehead. Akari gives her a look of equivalent concern, but doesn't say anything.

"Well... I'm not sure I am much of an elder cousin," you admit, perhaps a touch sheepishly. "I woke up three weeks ago in an alleyway with no, ah, personal memories, but a lot of... raw knowledge, as it were. And I just wanted to get that across, and make sure that there's no misunderstandings?"

"Pah, as if temporal age has anything to do with anything," Akane says, surprisingly forcefully for someone with eyes squeezed shut once more and face screwed up in deep concentration. "You might be younger than me in linear experience, but even as young as I am, I can sense the fates that cling to you. You wear it well, and I might not have noticed had you not made it so obvious. A moment, please."

"Right." You fall silent, because you can feel it - the surge of magic around Akane even as she herself freezes into immobility. Megu groans, the silvery structure of the shared magic between herself and Akane twisting as if burning in an invisible bonfire. The threads of her magic unwind from each other with the ponderous momentum of a glacier, some lifting off of each other and unpeeling from the main skein surrounding her, sloughing from the tight weft to drift free once more.

The world almost seems to shiver as the threads fall clear of your friends, and they seem to snap from their frozen positions into motion once more, like a video skipping frames.

"Wh-" Sayaka clutches at her forehead. "Ow."

"Sabrina?" Mami staggers from her half-ready stance, her voice tinged by confusion and echoed by similar murmurs from the others. You can feel Mika's winds tug at your clothes as they draw around her, and a near-imperceptible deepening of the shadows at your feet from Moe.

"Stop!" you call, whirling on your friends and gesturing frantically for them to, well, stop. There's probably some irony in using that particular word right now, really, but you're rather too preoccupied to investigate that train of thought. "Stop, stop, everyone stop what you're doing, we're not under attack right now, we're fine."

You stare down the tableau with an expression on your face that's probably only a little panicked, taking them all in. Ten pairs of eyes are on you - but that's good, because that means everyone's listening to you. Mami relaxing from her battle-ready stance, tense and alert but relaxing anyway because she trusts you, the soft gold of her gaze steady on yours. Sayaka, squinting at you through a gap in gloved hands - backlash from the clone and Akane's whole... thing, you presume, and something to be addressed in a moment.

Mika, a light, amused smile returning to her face as she considers you, but she doesn't exactly relax. Not with the way the winds curl around her robes and ruffle her hair. But she's not attacking, just ready, her attention shifting from you to the Chiyoda girls with a thoughtful air. Kazumi and Umika are both glancing between you and Mami, and the frozen auditorium at your back. Their tension bleeds away as they see Mami relaxing, while Niko stares at Akane with undisguised fascination, her gaze flickering between Akane, Megu, and the... spell structure connecting the two of them.

Shinobu and Moe are perhaps the most wary still, shadows licking over Moe's arms like dark flames and Shinobu with her fists clenched and shoulders taut, eyes darting all over as she scans for a threat. But they're not attacking either, and that's enough.

And the Chiyoda girls, still on their dais behind your group of friends.

Akane stares at you, perfectly composed once more with her hands clasped in her lap and the train of her gown settled about her like a... rug. There's presumably a better simile, but when it has the approximate area of a small room and is spread out perfectly flat along the floor, you're happy to call it a rug, albeit one attached to a person but you digress. Akane stares at you with no trace of awareness of the derailed train of thought in your mind, observing with calm distinctly at odds with her earlier strain.

To Akane's right sits Megu, and kneeling at her side are Aoi and Akari, an unlikely-looking duo in labcoat-chic and iridescent blue armour, both watching the blonde carefully. You understand that, at least, with the way she'd borne the strain for Toshimichi trying to restrain you, concern is entirely warranted. Megu herself is still pale and pinched, as if she'd just run a marathon of marathons, and has a fresh Grief Seed to her Soul Gem, siphoning out the last dregs of what must have been a painful amount of Grief - and that after you'd ripped away enough to have Witched out a magical girl with a lesser capacity.

That... latter bit seems to have been your fault, at least partially. Akane had tried to snare you in the effect, and it had gone... poorly. You're not entirely sure why, either.

"There are certain secrets of magic that are... dangerous," Akane says, looking around with a measured eye. "As I am certain you are all aware. Imai Taeko of Meiji is one of the unlucky few who happens to have discovered one of those secrets, and it has been one of the causes for her group's dissatisfaction. She attempted to trumpet this secret, at which point I pre-empted Miss Vee's actions. Better that I, a known factor, take action rather than an outsider. I apologise for any distress that I have caused."

"Oh, is that all?" Mika says lightly, releasing the winds around her and tucking her hands back into her sleeves. There's still a certain tension to her posture, if not her magic. "That makes sense."

"Sabrina?" Mami murmurs quietly to you.

You nod, shooting Mami a quick, strained smile.

"I can corroborate that," you say. "I was about to shroud all of us with Grief just in case Imai did, uh, say what she was going to say. That said, Miss Toshimichi? We're at least aware that the infohazard exists, but some have chosen to not know for the moment."

"What, exactly, did you do?" Shinobu asks, propping a fist against her hip.

"I spoke truth, and ceased your flows of karma temporarily," Akane says, raising her chin. "It should have been harmless, but I did not account for your nature, Miss Miki, nor yours, Miss Vee. I apologise."

Shinobu's eyebrows go right up to her hairline.

"'xplains the stabbing pain," Sayaka mumbles, rubbing her eye. She catches your concerned look and adds, "It's going away."

"And you were going to... what, stop us in place and shut Imai over there up?" Moe says. She's lowered her arms to her sides, but the usual pep of her voice is gone, now flat and stony. Her gaze flickers over to you for a moment.

"Essentially correct. I would have undone the occurrence," Akane says. "Understand that it is not something that I do lightly - as tempting as it is sometimes, simply commanding that she forget is something that sits ill with us."

"Are you saying that you would have... what, ctrl-Zed the universe?" Kazumi says.

"I'm... not sure I follow the exact analogy?" Akane says, tilting her head. "But it would have been localized."

"Bulls-" Niko's protest is cut off by Umika slapping her hand over the shorter girl's mouth, the blonde nearly vibrating in place with indignation.

"Niko," Umika hisses, turning to Akane without removing the hand clamped over Niko's mouth. "I apologise for my teammate, Miss Toshimichi. She's always been one to, ah, cut to the chase, especially when the chase is in pursuit of novel magic."

"I take no offense," Akane says. "I've certainly faced more than my fair share of disbelief, but then, the impossible often does, does it not, Miss Vee?"

"True enough," you concede, eyeing her. The flow of karma, true speech, the Three Treasures... she certainly has everything to play the part of a kami, or at least one divinely blessed. You're not surprised that people accept her claims of being a descendant of the royal line.

"Nik- yeurgh!" Umika yanks her hand back just in time for you to see Niko close her mouth, looking smug.

"Ahem," Niko says pointedly, grabbing Umika's hand and hauling it above her head in a bizarre parody of a waltz, preventing her from wiping said hand. She continues speaking over Umika's flailing. "May I ask a few questions, Toshimichi-sama?"

"There are questions I cannot answer, and questions that I will not answer," Akane says, unperturbed by the scuffling. "But certainly - I am not as easily offended as you might imagine."

"Er, if I may interject?" you say, raising your hand. "I have a technique, one I've shared with Kazumi, that allows me to raise a field of absolute privacy? It's totally impenetrable, as far as I know, and if it changes the calculus of the discussion, I'm willing to arrange for it?"

"Mine'll be faster!" Kazumi volunteers happily, moving to pull Niko off Umika and restrain her with a hug.

"No," Akane says, shaking her head. "What I say to one, I will say to all of you, or not at all."

"Information can be dangerous," Aoi says sharply, rising to her feet. She's finished fussing over Megu, it seems, having wiped the... healer's? face down with a wet cloth. Aoi tosses the soft lavender of her braid over her shoulder and faces you all down, fists balled. "We have carved ourselves a bit of stability here with blood and sweat and our very souls, do you understand?"

"Peace, Aoi," Akane says, motioning for Aoi to stand down. "I don't mind the asking." She glances at the frozen auditorium -the frozen Tokyo Council- that forms the backdrop to your conversation. "We do not have any particular need for urgency, after all."

Kazumi, still restraining Niko by virtue of cuddling her into submission, flicks a questioning look your way.

[] Allow Niko to ask her questions
- [] Ask your own?
[] Suggest that you leave Niko's questions for later
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

And we are finally, finally back! I admit, I haven't caught up on all the posts since I put PMAS on hiatus, but hey, it's time to get some momentum back, and here we are with a slightly shorter post that re-sets the stage and presents a little dilemma.

 

[Firnagzen]

Everyone puts you in the hotseat. Heck, after that particular little interjection, everyone's looking at you. Which, OK, fine, Kazumi has a point here, you're the one sitting on the broadest overview of the situation, probably, and should probably be the one making the decision. Still, everyone puts you in the hotseat.

"... if you're sure?" you say, glancing to Akane. There. Hotseat passed on.

"I think it would do much for mutual trust," Akane says, giving you a considering look, then turning her attention to her friends - Aoi, Akari, who refuses to meet her eyes, and a last, lingering look at Megu before returning to you. "It's time."

"To outsiders?" Akari mutters, downcast. "To her?"

Sayaka bristles, levelling a glare at her fellow bleunette. Mami's expression doesn't change, and maybe no one else would notice, but there's a certain degree of... irritation in her posture. You can't say you mind the defensiveness on your behalf, and you can't say that you're not a little offended, but well. You are a meddling outsider.

"They have already seen behind the curtain," Akane parries calmly, indicating the frozen backdrop of the Tokyo Council, and turns to address you. She hasn't risen from her position, still seated with her hands folded neatly on her lap, sleeves and train splayed out about her like a butterfly's wings. "You have seen the delicate peace of Tokyo. I have led to the best of my ability, but even so, cracks have crept in. We need- we beg that you help to keep our secrets, if not for our sake, then for that of peace. And perhaps..."

"Perhaps what?" Sayaka demands, folding her arms.

"Perhaps we might talk, Miss Miki." Akane pins Sayaka with a look, Sayaka almost rocking back at whatever she sees. She indicates the girls of the Council once more with an elegant wave of her hand. "We lead. We do not -cannot- bend to ask them for help, or risk shattering our strength and the Council itself. You are outsiders to Tokyo, and your biases are not to any one faction. Indulging your compatriot's questions, or indeed, any that you might have, would help us establish some transparency, as well as trust." She turns to Niko. "Please, Miss Kanna. Ask your questions."

Niko grins wolfishly, having wrangled free of Kazumi's confining embrace, a look crossing her face like, well, a wolf backing its prey against a cliff. Hungry, and eager.

"Karma isn't something you can just control like that," Niko says, her eyes boring into Akane with fever-bright curiosity. "Not without putting your own on the line. Because it makes sense, doesn't it? The only way to affect another soul is to interact with it, and therein change the outcome. If that's the case, then... You're not human."

Akane tilts her head curiously. "That is not a question, and it's something that is certainly up for debate, which is more and less than can be said for..." a lazy, expressive wave of a hand "... normal people, I suppose. I am myself, and no other."

"Hmph," Niko says, nodding decisively. "Sophistry, and you know it. You were made, weren't you?"

"Hey hey hey, what the heck?" Sayaka snaps, half-turning to frown at Niko. "You can't- you can't just say that."

"And you are wrong, Miss Kanna." It's Aoi who speaks, the answer hissed out between gritted teeth. She stands with fluid grace, radiating irritation in the set of her shoulders and the raise of her chin, staring down all of you, unafraid. "Akane was no more made than any of you were made by your parents."

"Eh, I think you're taking offense where you shouldn't," Niko says flippantly, neatly sidestepping an elbow from Kazumi and running into one from Umika. "Ow. It doesn't matter whether you were 'made' or not. Definitely doesn't change whether you're a person or not, it just changes where and how you started. Miss Riko and Miss Shimada, correct?"

"Niko," you say, maybe a touch sharply. You probably should cut in here, shouldn't you? Just to keep your hosts from getting offended. "I... understand getting excited about figuring things out, and I'm interested in hearing where you're going, but Sayaka's right. We're here as guests, and, uh..." You gesture behind you. "Just... not everyone has the same perspective as you do, OK?"

Mami shoots you a swift, approving smile, tilting her head slightly. She'd have stepped in herself, but she's glad you did.

"Right, right," Niko says, frowning briefly. She glances from you, to Kazumi, then back to the Chiyoda girls. "... sorry if I've offended you. But - Miss Riko, and Miss Shimada, yes?"

Akane blinks, seemingly thrown by the jump in conversational directions. Megu and Aoi, in turn, both look uneasy, watching Niko warily, and Aoi in particular locks her hands at her sides with the kind of rigidity that comes from being so tense you can't even relax your shoulders.

"Yes...?" Akane says, trailing off.

"Body, magic..." Niko's attention moves from Aoi to Megu, and then to Akari. "... and soul. So what is your power, Miss Matsui? Are you a soul mage of some kind? I've never met a proper soul mage before."

You can see where Niko's going here, you think. Body, magic, and soul. Three things to comprise a magical girl, or something similar to a magical girl. Magic is easy, with the ethereal web dancing through the air between Megu and Akane and sparking heatless fire over your heads. Doubly so, because you saw the way Megu took the Grief cost of Akane's magic. Body... you're not sure why it's a single criterion on its own, but insofar as you can judge from appearances, Aoi does have the whole SCIENCE!™ theme going. And Niko, it would seem, thinks that Aoi provided that part.

Then again, Niko's right there, and the subject of your thoughts: Niko, who's more of a mad scientist than anyone you know of. Elsewhere and elsewhen, she would have headed and succeeded in one of the most dementedly ambitious magical science projects you've ever heard of, and relevantly, she doesn't have anything remotely resembling those aesthetics. She's making reasoned guesses, you suppose, which brings you to...

"Soul mage?" Akari says. Despite her earlier despondency, there's a glimmer of amusement in the dark gold of her eyes as she raises her head. "Oh no, nothing of the kind."

"So what I want to know is- whu?" It's Niko's turn to look flummoxed, jarred from her triumphant smugness.

"Merely a shinobi," Akari says with a hint of a smile, one mirrored by her friends - even Aoi, the faint smile cracking through her displeasure. "A very good one."

She doesn't look the part, with her pixie cut and the rich iridescence of her lamellar armour, but perhaps that's the point. It's clearly an injoke of some kind, anyway, but the best injokes are the ones with a kernel of truth to them.

"But-" Niko splutters. "No? Then- um-"

You all wait patiently, but she seems to have been completely thrown by that simple denial, the wind sucked out of her sails. Which leaves all of you standing in awkward silence for a moment, glancing between each other with the rest of the Tokyo delegates frozen behind you. Mika, in particular, looks thoughtful, her eyes resting on Akane.

"I, er, have a question, if I may?" you say, glancing at Niko, who's resorted to muttering to herself. "Not related to, er, the current line of questioning."

"Oh?" Akane says.

"Um... yeah, what was it about Sayaka that tripped you up?" you say. "It was something of a strain, right?"

"Ah, yes," Akane says. "An understandable concern. Miss Miki, I am currently speaking to you as a secondary body, correct? While your Soul Gem and body are elsewhere?"

"Uh... yeah?" Sayaka says.

"And you are yet able to use magic as a clone, are you not?" Akane says, turning back to you as Sayaka nods. "While I managed to ensnare Miss Miki, I did not expect the unusual nature of the task - magic is, after all, tied to the soul. And even if I had, it would have been the furthest I have reached with that particular magic. It is why..."

Akane frowns thoughtfully.

"You have another of your comrades listening in, correct?" she says. "In retrospect, I can sense her attention - well-concealed, and distant. I would likely have had trouble successfully snaring her as well."

"Ah. Right," you say, nodding slowly. And it does, you suppose, though a more suspicious person might still wonder about the slight ambiguity in her answer. Was it Sayaka's soul that's unusual?

... nah, Sayaka can't be an angel, right? She'd surely have told you by now if she were.

"I have two questions," Moe says. She's long since released her hold over the shadows, allowing them to fade and leaving her merely metaphorically shadowy in the darkness of her dress. "If we're speaking candidly - why us? Why now? Why would you reveal all of this to us?"

"Because the situation has become untenable," Akane says. "Your very presence here, while well-intentioned, has tipped the balance. Of course most people would want to access free Grief cleansing, and of course most would deny it to their enemies. Your generous offer of a Clear Seed, and in securing it, will delay the problem. And due to no error on either of our parts, you have seen further... behind the scenes, as it were, than any ever have. It only seems reasonable."

Moe purses her lips, exchanging a look with Shinobu. You'd take ten-to-one odds that they're talking to Yuki, back home in Fukushima. Which... well, you're consulting with Madoka and Hitomi back home, too, so you can't exactly blame them. Admittedly, not at this exact moment, but with Sayaka unfrozen, and Homura on the scene, they should be fine, if worried.

Right.

Which brings to mind a second thought: Sayaka can't be the first cloner Akane's ever snared. And you had Madoka and Hitomi listening on a phone call - surely someone's tried something similar, with their friends on call or even some kind of electronic bugs. Something mundane, and someone not here.

And for that matter, Oriko. She hadn't even noticed until after the fact, but... distance makes for an eminently reasonable explanation, you admit. Magical girls don't really move around all that much, on a geographic scale, and if Akane's focus is primarily on Tokyo, well.

"So... if you don't mind my asking, then," you say, picking the words with care. "What now? Do we simply resume the meeting, as if Imai had never brought up the topic? And... have they never attempted to circumvent this before?"

"Certainly they have," Toshimichi says. "My injunction is not merely against the occupants of this room - it applies to all within Tokyo, linked to those present. As to your earlier question, under ordinary circumstances, the answer would be yes. But these are extraordinary circumstances. Indeed, the... present circumstances will need to be resolved eventually. Until then, what would you do?"

"The options available to us seem rather limited," Mika observes, that seemingly ever-present, amused smile dancing on her lips.

"Nevertheless," Toshimichi says.

You get the impression that you -your whole group- are being evaluated somehow.

[] Proceed with the meeting
[] Something else?
- [] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

Apologies for how late this update is - I'm having a little trouble getting back into the saddle of writing on a regular basis, as it were. Spending a couple months out of the zone will do that to you, I guess.

Also!

As with the last time: post the ideas you have about what's going on with Toshimichi Akane and the rest of her group - I'll be reading your posts, and it'll affect the next update. Well, probably, as long as the vote doesn't do something too weird.

 

[Firnagzen]

Evaluations, pah.

Akane and Chiyoda are following their own agenda, that much is obvious. You don't know what that agenda is, but it exists, and how, exactly, it fits with yours stands to be seen. And you have to admit, you're getting a little annoyed with being jerked around like this. It's politics, on a small scale. Not what you were expecting, when you came in here today, but such is as it is: figure out Chiyoda, then match yourself on a larger scale against the rest of the Tokyo Council.

And on the same note, you're both a little annoyed and eagerly trying to figure out Akane herself. Everything about her is... odd. You're starting to put together a picture, but you've been thinking that from the beginning. Some pieces of the puzzle are obvious: you've got a metaphorical corner piece in the form of Akane's whole aesthetic. Sword, mirror, shield, very traditional, one might say imperious mode of speech.

Niko's drummed up a couple more corner pieces too: you were pretty sure that Megu and Aoi were linked to Akane beyond Akane 'simply' drawing power from the former, but Niko's questions and the corresponding answer confirmed that. Which makes the metaphor quite convenient: with three corner pieces, the last, missing one is how Akari fits into the trio. It's possible that she's just a regular magical girl who happened to be part of the group, but you sort of doubt that.

Wishborn. There's a word for it, you suppose, if it's even correct. Maybe it is.

Irrelevant. There's another word for it. Maybe? You can't help but keep thinking about it, especially with all of Niko's questions and her furious muttering a constant backdrop to your own thoughts. Even with you relishing the challenge on some level, even with the fact that you can't stop thinking about it, you... can't help but feel like it isn't quite relevant to the matter at hand.

But then...

Akane called you elder cousin. If not a piece of a puzzle, then it's almost certainly why you're getting special treatment. You doubt that any other group has ever been allowed to see this far behind the curtain of how the Chiyoda group operates. Sure, that might simply be because you managed to resist Akane's peoplestop, but her easy, amiable acceptance of the occurrence and of you yourself has to be tied in in some way, right?

You set those thoughts aside for the moment, in favour of the more pressing issue.

Politics.

Akane's passing the buck to you. It's a trick so classic that you can barely call it a trick, just a simple fact of life: you ask someone else what they'd do in a given situation, and with the right scenario, the answer will tell you volumes about that person. You can answer that without knowing the details of Akane's background.

So. What do you want to do when you've got a whole bunch of magical girls frozen amidst a political blowup?

Well, for starters, you might consider posing the question: why would you try and handle the question yourself, when you yourself arranged for people better at this kind of thing to help you? Admittedly, Madoka and Hitomi aren't on the line at the moment, since you'd closed the call in anticipation of potential infohazards, but it might be time to change that.

"May I have a moment further to consider this?" you say. "Ah, I should ask - is maintaining the current state of affairs a strain for you, Miss Toshimichi, Miss Megu? Would I be able to assist in relieving that strain?"

"It is indeed an effort, but not an undue strain," Akane answers smoothly. "Please, feel free to take a seat, or indeed discuss things amongst yourselves if you wish. Akari, could you fetch them some mats?"

"Ah... we shouldn't take that long to figure things out," you say. "I just need a bit of time to think, that's all."

And truth be told, it's a little odd to have the rest of the Tokyo Council frozen there on the tiered seats rising above you - it's not like the faint unreality of Homura's timestop, with its muted greys and endless silence. Instead, they're just... stopped. Imai, with the sneer still on her face and mouth still parted to speak, half the girls of the Council turning to face her...

You take a breath, looking around at your friends. Mami smiles at you, warm and encouraging as always - but there's a thoughtful moue to her expression as she too thinks through the implications. Sayaka, by contrast, just catches your eye and shrugs with a slightly sheepish grin.

Mika looks ever so slightly amused, as she always does. But then, by contrast with Sayaka, this is her field, and she's probably interested to see what you do, too, and... frankly, it pays to seem calm and in control even if you're uncertain, you suppose. Kazumi smiles apologetically at you, slightly strained as she continues to glance at Niko, who's now resorted to tugging vigorously on her braid as she thinks, and Umika looks fondly exasperated.

Shinobu and Moe are both half turned away, heads bent in their own conversation, but they look up as they feel your gaze on you, and nod slightly.

"Later," Moe mouths to you.

Huh.

Well, that aside, you've got something to check on. Several somethings.

"Oriko, can you confirm what Toshimichi said about freezing the rest of the Council girls?" you murmur.

"Confirmed," Oriko's response arrives instantly. "It is... I would say unnatural, but we are dealing with magic and the supernatural. It's... an effect like nothing I've ever seen before."

"Gotcha... any insight to offer, by the way?" you say. "I've got an idea, but I trust your opinion too."

Simultaneously, you've been taking the moment to relay the current events to Madoka and Hitomi via telepathy, and with another sliver of your attention, starting up the call on your phone once more - using Grief to push the buttons, of course.

"... so, yeah, that's what's going on," you say. "And I'm restarting the phone call... now, OK?"

"Understood," Hitomi says.

"Ah, the call's here!" Madoka says. You can imagine her fumbling with the phone to answer the call, then setting it back down once more. "OK! So, um..."

"Right, so... I want to run my idea past you guys first? Just to make sure I'm not doing something stupid," you say at a low murmur, beckoning your friends to gather around. At the same time, you speak to Madoka and Hitomi. "Are you guys hearing me?"

"A bit soft, but we can hear you!" Madoka says.

"Chiyoda are right there, I presume?" Hitomi asks.

"Yeah, but they said to feel free," you say. And the Constellation's all murmured their agreement, so you continue out loud.

"So... feel free to tell me if I'm being stupid or something, but my first inclination is to let Toshimichi's undo happen. It's essentially the only short term solution we have to that outburst, I think, except for escorting Miss Imai out. In the mid term, I want to talk to them after this meeting and possibly offer to see if relocating them is an option, which covers the longer term option?"

"Huh," Mika says, blinking. "To where?"

"Mitakihara if need be?" you say. "I'm still figuring that out. It's... not the best option, but it's the only one I can think of right now."

"More support for Walpurgisnacht, hm?" Shinobu murmurs.

"Not if they don't want to," you say firmly. "They can duck out of town if need be, for that fight."

"You think Mitakihara can handle another team?" Sayaka mutters, fidgeting with the edge of her cape. "'specially one like them?"

"We don't know what they're like," Mami notes quietly. "We only know that they're angry, and lashing out. It may be that some distance is exactly what they need."

"That's what I was thinking too," you say. "I don't know what their issues are, but I want to talk to them and find out, and... if it'd help, if it's practical, then I'll make the offer."

"Pretty good idea," Kazumi says. "If you can persuade them to move, it'd solve everything, but it's a... pretty big if? I like it!"

"Miss Kazusa is partially correct," Hitomi adds. "If Miss Imai and her group can be persuaded to move, then it would resolve the specific issue of her and her group. However. This presents two potential problems down the line: any problems that Miss Imai has would then be ours. Not, necessarily, a major issue, but it's worth entering for consideration."

"The, um, bigger problem is that it sets a precedent," Madoka says. "For Tokyo - it means that Chiyoda is willing to send their, um, problems to other places. They might not accept it because it would make them seem weak. Um! They've been willing to treat you as equals in private, but they still want to show a strong face to everyone there, right? And other magical girl groups too... But it can't hurt to ask!"

"Agreed," Hitomi says. "The offer alone is instructive and representative of our ethos as the Constellation - we want to support all magical girls. In turn, their acceptance or refusal will speak volumes as to their stance."

"Got it, thank you," you say, rubbing your forehead as you think. It can't hurt to offer, because this is the kind of impression you want to project, huh?

You exhale, and nod slowly.

"OK. If we're all agreed, then?" you say.

"Does this change our plans for the proposal?" Mika asks thoughtfully. "We want to set up an embassy of sorts. Does that change if we, as Constellation, are taking in Tokyo's... political dissidents, of a sort?"

"I... don't see why?" you say, tilting your head.

"Well, if we're taking them in as part of the Constellation, they'll presumably want a say," Mika says. "And if the drive for revenge is too strong..."

"That's true, but..." you shake your head. "I'm not particularly inclined to pursue vengeance on anyone, or on behalf of anyone."

"Mm," Mika says, nodding thoughtfully. "It's something that you might have to address, but at a later time. Other than that, I have no objections, just an observation?"

"... oh?" you say curiously.

"Shinobi are known for two things," Mika says, tilting her head slightly. "If we discard a certain show, anyway. Assassination, and... theft."

"Alright, cool," you say, scanning around the group, ending with the duo from Fukushima. "Miss Nanami? Miss Nishimura?"

"You're intending to offer to relocate them to Mitakihara?" Shinobu says, scratching her head.

"If it gets that far, I think so?" you say. "I'm not sure where else we could..."

Shinobu nods slowly.

"Then no, no objections from us," she says.

"Alright," you say. "Alright."

You turn back to face Chiyoda, your friends fanning out behind you once more to present a united front. Akane looks up at you, dark eyes curious and evaluating.

"We have our proposal," you say, and take a deep breath, facing them all squarely. "In the end, it always comes down to talking things out, or violence, and I'll always choose the former over the latter. So if you're asking me, Miss Toshimichi, that would be my answer - I want to talk to Miss Imai. Personally. I don't understand what the causes of her anger are, and maybe if I did, I could resolve them."

"From what we've heard, it's been a winning tactic for you," Aoi says drily. She'd sat back down at some point, sitting between Akane and Megu and darting worried glances at the latter while fingering another Grief Seed. Not to be used yet, but certainly held at the ready against such an eventuality.

But that was a politician's answer, you can't help but note in some cynical corner of your mind. No actual approval or disapproval expressed, a sentence that allows you to draw faint praise from it if you so choose. But Mami's smiling in that tiny, hidden way that's just for you, warm joy that lights her face up.

"Oh, it certainly has - and I speak as someone who was on the receiving end. Arguably," Moe drawls, then smirks, folding her arms. "She can be quite... disarming, really."

... really, Moe?

You can feel Mami giving her a Look.

"In the end, we're all people," you say, folding your arms. "And... frankly, most people would rather not fight - let alone teenagers, which most of us are. As to the specifics, I acknowledge that her, ah, outburst here could have been ruinous, and I have no way of dealing with it as is, other than being extremely overt."

You gesture at Imai herself, still frozen there.

"I want to talk to Miss Imai after this, and I want to specifically try and address the cause of her anger, if I can," you say. "We are outsiders to Tokyo, and hopefully she might be willing to let us try - willing to actually negotiate some kind of solution."

"My reputation might help on that matter," Mami adds, and you sneak her a quick grin.

"And as to a specific measure - I intend to offer to allow Miss Imai and her group to relocate elsewhere, most likely Mitakihara," you conclude. "Depending on circumstances, of course. I don't know what's causing her anger, but perhaps some separation and room to air out her grievances might help."

A moment of silence as Akane observes you, raising a single eyebrow. Her expression gives nothing else away, blank and smooth like a porcelain doll's.

"And what about everyone else who might have grievances with us?" Akari asks.

"I don't know," you say honestly. "I can't provide a general solution when I don't understand all the root causes - but as I understand it, Miss Imai, and the Meiji group behind her, are the focal point of a considerable amount of anger and belligerence, are they not? Surely resolving that would help?"

"Good answer to a rather strange question," Hitomi notes. "I would say that she's unhappy with the situation, but it's rather clumsier than I would expect from them, given their previous showings. I need to think about this."

"It would certainly ease the pressure," Akane says, inclining her head slightly. "In truth, I am uncertain if Miss Imai would take your offer, Miss Vee, but I thank you for the consideration. I believe that the attempt will be useful, however, and I certainly will not bar you from trying."

She smiles slightly and raises a hand. "Shall we resume the meeting, then?"

[] Proceed as planned
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

This is, I suppose, a 'part one'? The next update doesn't require too much of a vote, but I had to break the update somewhere because I want to actually update this week. >_>

I'm really sorry how erratic my updating's been. Still having trouble wrangling the words properly.

(And if you're wondering about the 'will affect the next update' thing I mentioned in the last update, asking for your speculation, well... see above, regarding split update. >_>)

 

[Firnagzen]

One last look around at your friends, to check for any concerns - and seeing none, you turn back to Akane.

"As ready as we can be," you say, turning back to Akane. "Do we have to do anything special?"

"No," Akane says. "The flow of karma will readjust itself readily enough."

"That still doesn't make sense!" Niko blurts plaintively. "It just- it doesn't! How can that be possible?"

"Magic is not physics," Akane says, a hint of derision in her voice. She nails Niko with a gaze, obsidian-black eyes almost seeming to stare through her. "It does not follow rules."

"I know that," Niko retorts, folding her arms. "The 'rules' magic follows are deeper and more subtle than that. It's not as simple as, as mass-energy equivalence or anything like that. Magic is shaped by people, and that just makes psychology and sociology part of the underlying rules!"

She starts to point accusingly at Akane, then seems to think better of it, aborting the gesture.

"But twisting karma like that is- is-" Niko's words fail her. "Karma is potential. It's like saying that you're just pointing at- I dunno, the strong nuclear force and saying 'I control that'. Without magic. It's too, too fundamental. And saying you can just put it on pause like that, and the world goes on? It doesn't work like that."

Akane stares back at Niko, expression blank, and the silence stretches out, weighty and strained. Niko's last words seem to hang in the air, all but accusing Akane, putative royalty, of lying. Even her friends -her supporters- are silent, lips pressed together and waiting for her response. You glance at Mami, her gaze snapping to yours in the same instant - and then she shakes her head slightly.

Just a hairsbreadth, but you get the message. Don't interfere, not on this. Over Mami's shoulder, you see Mika glancing your way too, but she doesn't do anything, simply looking at you with, perhaps, a touch of consideration, then turning back to Akane.

"Perhaps you are right," Akane says finally. "Certainly, I believe that I am doing as I say: I speak the truth to the world, and the world listens. Karma is not a part of the world - but it nevertheless takes its cues, in the way the land shapes the river even as the river shapes the land. Attuned to karma as magical girls are, should you not bend to follow?"

"But-"

Akane cuts Niko off with a raised hand, and to your mild surprise, Niko does shut up, frowning mutinously, and once more, the silence stretches out - but not nearly as long, this time.

"There are truths that I cannot speak," Akane says quietly. "Not because the knowledge is inherently dangerous, but because there are some things that if acknowledged by myself or my friends, can be dangerous."

"No such thing as dangerous knowledge," Niko says. "Just cowar- mmrph!"

"Yes, thank you, Niko," Kazumi says, hand clamped firmly over Niko's mouth. After a moment, she shifts to hold the blonde in a full headlock. "Thank you for indulging us, Miss Toshimichi."

"Oh, not at all," Akane says, a faint smirk on her lips. "It was quite refreshing, really."

"That's an, um, interesting point Miss Toshimichi was making," Madoka supplies over telepathy. "It's different for something to be an open secret, or something officially acknowledged by the person it's about. The former can be politely ignored, the latter... Um. Politics is like that, I suppose... Ahh, I wish people could be nicer..."

"I'm curious, I admit," Hitomi adds. "It must be something to do with her origin, from context? I don't get the impression she hasn't been honest, or helpful. She has no reason to indulge all this barrage of questions. She wants you to understand something. Madoka and I have been trying to guess, but... we don't have nearly enough knowledge of magic. And... I suppose maybe there's some magical element to it? The kind of thing that if she acknowledges something, it all falls apart. Literally. Is that something magic does?"

"It's... not impossible? And that aside, I get the impression she's testing me, too," you say. "I mean, there was that question, what would we do, when it was pretty clearly directed at me."

"Mm!" Madoka says. "She sees you as a peer, and she sees the Constellation as a peer to the Tokyo Council. Or... mm! She wants to prove you're peers, especially to her friends. But she can't say so explicitly, of course. She's the one who's been encouraging them to open up, right?"

"Yeah..." you say. "Well. Hopefully she's not in it for my political acumen."

"You're doing just fine, Sabrina," Madoka says firmly.

"I feel beholden to add that they could simply be making the best of a bad situation," Hitomi observes. "The fact that you resisted Miss Toshimichi's... ability is a major wrench in their usual modus operandi, I imagine. Voluntarily reading you in on the secret as much as they have and engendering trust might simply be the expedient path, rather than having you treat it as a hostile act might seem to be the prudent action. I don't think this is the case, given what I've heard, but it's a possibility worth raising."

"That said..." Mika taps her lips with a thoughtful air, eyeing Akane. "I feel I must ask. It seems evident that Miss Imai and her group are the greatest, shall we say, troublemakers under you. But we've been told that they are not the only ones who chafe under your rule."

"Certainly there are," Akane says, inclining her head regally. "However, Meiji's intentions are animosity and ambition. The former makes them driven, and the latter makes them a powerful rallying point." She tilts her head slightly, the curtain of her hair sweeping smoothly with the motion as she gives Mika a long look, then you. "To be blunt, and to bring the question back to your original reason for coming here, Meiji would deny your provision of a Grief Seed because it's one less reason that they could use to leverage support."

"Interesting," Hitomi murmurs. "I don't think that quite gels with previous information, but it was something we'd considered earlier. That said, explaining it now, and not earlier... hrm. I'm not sure."

"Would the other groups not follow similar reasoning?" Mami asks, taking a half-step forward. "Inequality and disparity will always be powerful motivators."

"Sumida would prefer to have the Clear Seed to back their skirmishes," Akane says, waving a negligent hand. "As would Kyuedo. Theirs are motivations of... lesser greed, for having more as opposed to gaining power." She raises both eyebrows. "This is one of the reasons I instituted the member trades for hunting. It... defuses animosity and builds friendships, to an extent. It makes it harder to muster longer term campaigns."

"I see," Mami says, smiling as she steps back beside you, bumping her shoulder against yours.

"Does that satisfy your curiosity?" Akane asks, returning her attention to Mika.

"It does," Mika says brightly. "Sorry to interrupt."

"Then, if there's nothing else?" Akane asks, gesturing back at the frozen auditorium.

"No, I think that's really it this time," you say, glancing at your friends one more time.

"Then please, prepare yourselves," Akane says.

Her eyes slide shut, and you can feel the air thrum, a frisson rolling down your back at the electric feeling. You can feel the strings wrap tight around Akane, Megu's magic swirling in drifting clouds around them. It's-

"Return."

It's the feel of a Wish. Of a Soul wagered against the world, to burn bright in defiance. To unwrite some small part of the universe, to buy a miracle. To bring meaning to the meaningless.
How do you know that?
And then... the process halts in its tracks. Reality shivers, and listens. Listens, to potential held in check, weights balanced on the edge of a blade and illuminated by the reflection of radiance unseen.

You sway back on your heels, Mami steadying you with a hand on your elbow and a quick smile and a questioning look. You smile back, nodding fractionally and cocking an eyebrow - you're fine, but did she notice anything? And in turn, Mami's expression turns quizzical as she shakes her head. No, what are you talking about? A quick shake and tilt of your head in response, accompanied by a slight smile - it's nothing important, but you can talk about it later. Mami smiles, and returns her attention to the yet-frozen Council.

It doesn't seem like anyone else noticed anything either, not even Niko, who's squinting to an almost comical degree at Akane.

Huh. Not magic as you know it, indeed.

Akane tilts her head slightly, the light seeming to catch on the teardrop jewel in her hair.

A slam of fists on table. You do jump a little this time, as noise crashes into you - not the same sharp shudder of Homura's timestop releasing, but an almost explosive unspooling of pent-up sound. That same girl to the left of the auditorium explodes to her feet, deja-vu on the back of your mind.

"Imai, for once in your life will you stop with your fucking weasel words?" she snarls. "You've been doing this every damn meeting for months, and all you're doing is holding things up for people who actually want to get something done. You've got a problem with Toshimichi, you've got a problem with us, you've got a problem with who the fuck else. And now, in front of visitors?"

"Miss Fukuda, Miss Imai," Akane snaps. "Kindly restrain yourselves, or you will be ejected from this session."

"Yeah, wouldn't be the first time you just throw me out for telling the truth, eh?" Imai jeers, but subsides, slouching back in her seat with a scowl.

You exhale slowly, looking around the auditorium. No signs of confusion, or upset, or concern - well, none that would be out of place with Imai blowing up again. No signs of hidden messages passed on, or contingencies tripped. Seamless.

Small wonder Chiyoda's managed to stay atop this particular mess for so long.

Another girl raises her hand, near the front of the auditorium, just one row up. She looks oddly lopsided in her costume, an armoured thing vaguely reminiscent of something an archer might wear - a single, heavy pauldron with intricate, flowing swirls of flame in brass and crimson. Even so, dark eyes are intent on you behind her glasses, her swept-back brown hair giving her a vaguely predatory look.

"Sano Naoko, from Bunkyō, Miss Vee," she says, introducing herself smoothly. "If I may, Miss Vee, Miss Imai did raise a relevant point. Are there limits on who you will offer your aid to? What kind of measures do you intend to levy against those who break your rules?"

"My basic rules haven't changed. Hold to the peace. Try to help, and if you can't, pass it on to someone who might be better able to," you say, sighing. "I don't care too much about any past sins - as long as someone's willing to turn over a new leaf, then my aid, and by extension, the Clear Seed is available."

"Even murderers?" Imai says silkily.

"Even murderers," you say, meeting the pink-haired girl's eyes squarely. Hah. Evidently kindness isn't something conferred by pink hair. Or maybe the purple tips ruins the effect. "As long as someone's willing to be better, then yes. We're not, I think, asking for much - be nice."

"And we are willing, and have put considerable work into figuring out longer term solutions," Moe adds, stepping forward beside you. Her gaze sweeps the auditorium calmly. "My group's contribution to Constellation is part of that. We are working towards solving such conflicts."

"Smart," Hitomi murmurs. "Emphasizing their role, while balancing, and reminding everyone in the know, that their incarceration facilities aren't to be permanent."

"Exactly so," you say. "And to that end - as we mentioned, we will be sticking around for a while after this session ends, and will be available to speak more personally? And not just for problems." You grin. "We're generally a pretty friendly bunch, really, and... well, Miss Nakano?"

"We're always looking to make connections," Mika says, smoothly taking up the conversational baton. "Whether it be for business -and I mean conventional business for making money- or simply new acquaintances which we might arrange working relationships with, in the future."

"I see," Naoko says, unfazed by the interruptions and the exposition. "That does answer my question, thank you very much."

"Now, to the matter at hand: do we have any further concerns, or a closing statement from the Constellation?" Akane says. "If all parties are amenable, we may put this matter to a vote after allowing some time for you to discuss with your home groups."

[] Make a closing statement
- [] Write-in
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

I'm really sorry for how late this update is, but well - here it is, at last!

(And about that metaphysics thing - I didn't forget it, it just... didn't fit with how the narrative went. Nevertheless, it's still a thought at the back of Sabrina's mind, and will come up when it's appropriate.)

 

[Firnagzen]

Mami catches your eye for a split second and smiles, before turning smoothly to Akane.

"We do have a closing statement to make," she says. "Please, give us a moment to review it in light of the concerns raised today."

And it's a good thing that Mami's there to cover for you, because you have been struck by a certain burst of paranoia. Niko... doesn't really seem to be acting like Niko. The Niko you'd met in Asunaro was... demure, almost. Quiet, focused, and thoughtful. She'd apologised for getting knocked out and their Clear Seed stolen by enemy action, for goodness' sake.

The Niko today has been all but the opposite. Aggressive, rude, and outspoken. And you know that there's someone out there who looks exactly like Niko, and more than ample ability and reason to replace her. And did replace her, elsewhere, and elsewhen.

Then again, you can check. Easily. All it takes is a probing thought, a silent demand, and...

Hecate.

A funeral voice, whispering in answer at the back of your head. A Witch Name, as close to inviolate as anything might be... and just as importantly, the correct Name for Niko's Witch. So - that's about as sure you can be that it is her.

... and besides, how likely is it that none of her girlfriends would have noticed the swap? Even in that other time, Hijiri Kanna only managed to sneak in in the wake of Kazumi's death, where all of them had been lost in their own despair and, any discrepancies could be attributed to grief.

Which leaves, of course, the question of why she is acting rather out of character today. But there's a simple answer to that, you realize in retrospect. Niko isn't rational about Wishborn. Understandable, given Hijiri Kanna, and it... evidently isn't the first time she's gotten too aggressive about this sort of thing, either, given Kazumi and Umika's reactions.

Right. That paranoia aside, you still need to figure out a closing statement. The delegates of the Tokyo Council aren't exactly impatient, not yet, quiet murmurs of conversation breaking out here and there. Most of them look preoccupied in the way you associate with involved telepathic exchanges, the air thick with speech unheard.

"Alright, uh- closing statement," you say to your friends. You simultaneously relay it to those of your friends present here, as well as Madoka and Hitomi back home - on separate mental channels, of course. "Thank them for their time, reiterate that we'll be open to private talks, and... mention, for the record, that Walpurgisnacht is coming - and that our help is not contingent on them doing anything with regards to it."

"Sounds like a plan," Sayaka agrees cheerfully.

"Do emphasize that we'll be around to talk," Mika adds. "The real work comes in the one on ones, anyway, this is just the foot in the door. Ten-to-one odds say Toshimichi will want to talk to you privately after this, Miss Vee."

"I'm not taking that bet," Shinobu adds drily. "Miss Nakano is right."

"I wouldn't know 'bout that," Kazumi says. "But it sounds good to me!"

"Those sound like solid points to hit!" Madoka says. "But, um, remember to emphasize that even in the Constellation, it's not necessary to show up and fight!"

"Good point, thank you," you say, and clear your throat, straightening.

"Thank you all for your listening to our proposal today," you say crisply, pitching your voice to carry. "We do hope that you'll accept - I mean, it's free stuff, right?" You smile, spreading your hands slightly, and are rewarded by a few giggles. Not a completely inured audience, which is promising for your chances of actually managing to win favour for your proposal. "However, we understand if you do not. Regardless, there is one additional factor that we feel is worth mentioning, especially in light of Miss Sugahara's raised concerns."

You nod at the silver-haired girl as she gives you a curious look.

"I want to make something clear: our offer, as it stands, with the Clear Seed and the offers of aid, is only contingent on the guidelines we have laid out today, which sum up to be nice, and nothing else," you say. "We don't demand your aid in anything, now or in the future. And with that in mind: as many of you are doubtlessly already aware, Walpurgisnacht will be coming to Mitakihara."

You let that bombshell fall, exploding into a flurry of concerned looks and frantic whispers.

"We are not asking for your help for dealing with it," you say, raising your voice to be heard over the hubbub. "The only reason that I'm bringing it up now is simply for the sake of transparency and clarification - even within the Constellation, helping with the fight is not mandatory. If you have friends or family in Mitakihara who you might want to convince to get to safety, we'd be happy to facilitate if need be. And again - we'll be sticking around after this, if anyone wants to raise issues that you'd rather not air in public."

You pause again to let it all sink in, and to allow for questions and to let your friends add comments if they want - but facing looks of calculated consideration and interest and a few worried expressions, it seems that no one wants to speak up.

"Then if there's nothing else, thank you for your time," you say, dipping into a slight bow. Mami matches it at your side, as does Sayaka on your left, the crest of a ripple going down the row of your friends as you all bow.

And in return, you get polite applause - Kurenai's the one who starts it, all the way at the back of the room, and Terumi at her side the one who picks up on it. From there, the clapping spreads. None too enthusiastic, downright grudging in some cases, but even Imai bows to social norms and offers a few limp claps, her glare still fixed on you.

"Thank you for your proposal, delegates of Constellation," Akane says as the clapping dies out. Her voice cuts through the remaining applause, and the auditorium falls silent once more, faces turning to Akane - some with interest, some with hostility, and most simply neutral. "I believe we will now have a half hours' recess, during which you may discuss the proposal before us with your home groups - or indeed, with the Constellation. After this, we will hold a vote. Does anyone wish to raise any issues pertaining to this?"

"Half an hour might be a bit short, Miss Toshimichi," a girl you don't recognise pipes up from somewhere in the middle of the auditorium. "There's a lot to consider, here."

"Seconded!" a voice squeaks from the back row - and her you recognise. Takada Saeko, the girl who'd expressed interest in meeting Mika.

"We reconvene in an hour, then," Akane says, her voice brooking no disagreement.

She stands, her robes cascading smoothly into perfect order, and the rest of the Chiyoda group stands with her. Together, Akane and Megu sweep out of the room, Megu maintaining a perfect space at Akane's side and their steps in equal synchronization. Aoi and Akari wait until they leave the room before turning to face the Council.

"This auditorium, as well as the adjacent hall, will be available for purposes of smaller discussions," Aoi declares, while Akari turns to you.

"Please, this way," she says, voice pitched lower for you and your friends. "I'll show you to the hall first. Refreshments will be made available in a moment."

"Thank you," Mami says, smiling faintly. "Please lead the way."

"I'm not entirely sure, but I believe Toshimichi is listening in on the conversations," Oriko murmurs to you. "Or at least, it seems her attention remains with the Council. Not on you, but the Council."

"That's- hrm," you say as you turn to follow Akari's armoured form. "That's good to know, thank you. Not too surprising, I guess? Thanks for keeping an eye out, though."

Your friends fall in with you as Akari heads out of the auditorium, footsteps whispering over the richly stained wooden floor. Mami at your right, her shoulders bumping against yours. Mika trailing behind, head turning to scan the crowd of Council delegates that's just starting to rise to their feet and follow you. Shinobu and Moe, one standing head and shoulders over the other but moving with an easy, comfortable pace, familiar with each other. Kazumi, Umika, and Niko take up the rear of your group, the former two flanking their brooding girlfriend.

So. The real work, Mika said. You've laid in some good foundations for your offer, you think, and the Council delegates seem approving, for the most part. A few groups still seem to dissent, Imai in particular - the Meiji group, you suppose. You could also try talking to those you already know, of course.

[] Wait for the Council members to approach you
[] Approach some specific members
- [] Osaki group (Kurenai and Terumi, who you met on Chouko's introduction)
- [] Okubo group (Ueda Noa, who you'd met in Sendai)
- [] Hikawa group (Sugahara Kaede, inclined to accept but nevertheless skeptical)
- [] Meiji group (Imai Taeko, who seems unnecessarily hostile)
- [] Any others? (Sumida group, Kyuedo group, Tower group...)
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

Shorter, slightly transitory update today!

 

[Firnagzen]

Oh, you're tempted to go after Imai right off the bat. Really, you are. There are plenty of valid reasons to do so, namely, wanting to get the toughest one out of the way - if you can reach an accord with her, surely the others will be easier, right? And she's the one who's the most aggressive, the one who's seemingly at the center of a lot of the discontent. Take that belligerence out of the picture, and much of that momentum is gone.

... and more selfishly, she could have...

You don't think Mami's in a position where she'd go murder-suicide with that particular revelation. But you refuse to even risk it. It's just... unacceptable. Even if she didn't, she'd be so deeply hurt you're not sure she'll ever recover, not really. Maybe one day, but not today. For that alone, you have to be grateful on some level to Akane, even if she saved Mami by sheer happenstance, and conversely, you resent Imai, if only a little bit.

Ah, well.

What's done was undone, so you'll... set that aside.

You hear the low murmur of conversation behind you, the rest of the Council presumably following as the short corridor opens into another grand room. More of that same lavish cypress construction you've been seeing in Akane's palace-construct, built to traditional Japanese sensibilities. Wood and elegantly painted paper walls, perfectly fitted together with nary a seam to be seen. Gentle light suffuses the room with no visible source, providing comfortable illumination and only adding to the otherworldly, ethereal feel of the place.

And if the grand meeting room had been a lecture hall, in that odd, extra-dimensional way that Akane's palace seems to mirror the actual university you'd arrived at, then this must have been a sports hall or something of the sort, with its high ceilings and wide-open spaces. It lends itself well to the role of a social space, regardless, shaped along Akane's aesthetic sensibilities -or so you presume!- but retaining the wide open space for conversing. Mats and cushions for sitting down, a row of trestle tables lining the side of the room - for refreshments, you expect, but empty for the moment.

"Divide and conquer?" Moe whispers into your mind, the mental call expanding to include everyone.

"By our home groups," you agree. "And ish. I... if possible, and if you guys are comfortable with it, I'd like to sound out the dissenting groups? Setagawa, Meiji, Kyuedo, and Tower groups in particular."

"Sure, we can do that!" Kazumi says cheerfully.

"As can we," Shinobu says.

"I'm gonna see what Miss Takada wants first," Mika says cheerfully. "And after that sure, see who's up."

"Well, don't scare her away," you say, faintly amused. The smile on Mika's face is one part eager glee and one part shark's grin.

"Didja mean the Setagaya group, by the way?" Sayaka asks.

"Yeah? Did I- oh, I said Setagawa, didn't I," you say, blinking. "Right, yeah, I mean Setagaya, sorry."

"Right... and their deal iiiiiis, uh," Sayaka muses. "Shared border with Meiji, who border with Chiyoda, and Meiji've been trying to provoke a casus belli to pursue a vendetta against Setagaya, but... it seems like they have a major problem with Chiyoda on their own merit. It might just be from Chiyoda being obstructive, right? And that's probably why Miss Imai was making trouble today. Implying implications and all that. Right, yeah. Gotcha."

"That's an accurate summary of what we know, Sayaka, but we don't have enough information. That said, I suspect that Miss Imai will naturally wish to speak to Sabrina?" Mami adds. "If she approaches any of you, however, it might be best to divert her our way instead. We of Mitakihara will be taking point on that issue, hopefully."

"Agreed," you say, giving Mami a quick nod and a tiny grin, one she returns. And here you'd been thinking about warning your friends about infohazards, too, and Mami comes along with a nice, elegant solution. "Point Setagaya our way too, if it comes up. We've just gotta stay mindful and stay in touch, that's all."

"Alrighty~ we'll get out there and be friendly!" Kazumi says, grinning happily. Her tone shifts to something more serious as the rest of your friends drop from the telepathic connection, Kazumi lingering to the last. "And we'll keep an eye on Niko. She's a bit, um..."

"She... seems like she has stuff on her mind?" you agree tentatively. Look, you're trying to be diplomatic and not insult Kazumi's girlfriend. It's warmup for talking to more people. "And it's, er, colouring her thoughts a bit today?"

"Yeah..." Kazumi says. "She gets like this sometime. But don't worry! We'll sort it out!"

"Right. Well... let me know if I can help," you say. And that's where you leave that conversation, as more of the Council starts filtering into the room behind you, accompanied by a burble of conversation.

You can hear excitement in their voices - and see it, too, in the flood of colours spilling into the room. Costumes of all shades of the rainbow and perhaps a few more, heads bent in conversation and hushed whispers. Excitement, and nervousness, and, yes, suspicion, and anger. You catch more than a few looks your way, most skittering off in moments even if you smile back. A few meet your eyes, challenge and interest and suspicion alike. You don't see Imai among them, oddly enough.

Mami takes your arm, curling her hand into the crook of your elbow, squeezing gently. Sayaka stands at your left, shoulders braced and back straight and confident grin in place - confident in her own skin, confident in standing beside you, confident in what you're doing together. A far cry from another time and another place, you can't help but think.

Mika's already making a beeline for that girl - Takada Saeko. The ponytailed girl looks nervous but determined, and you wish her luck in whatever business she wants to accomplish. Kazumi, meanwhile, has taken Niko and Umika and drifted off to the side, looking around for victims with an amiable, cheerful air. Moe and Shinobu make an odd duo with the sheer difference in stature between them, but they move with purpose anyway.

You scan the Council delegates curiously, looking for anyone who might be interested in talking, and for Imai - you don't see her, but she's probably just hanging back. You'll find her eventually. Most of the crowd's already drifted off to the tables, accumulating in small groups and quiet discussions while presumably awaiting the snacks, but not all of them. Kurenai catches your eye in passing, the older girl nodding at you while Terumi signs a cheerful 'Hello!' at you - but they don't approach.

"Hi!"

Speaking of approaching: someone does. You don't recognise her, but she steps boldly up to you nevertheless, bright-eyed and beaming. She's only a little shorter than you, tilting her head back to meet your eyes with a happy smile. Blonde-streaked crimson hair twisted into in an elegant curl of braids crowns her head, complimenting the blue of her eyes and the cheerful lilt to her voice. Her costume's one of crisp lines and bold reds and yellows on white, cut to flatter a statuesque figure, vaguely reminiscent of something a more western superhero might wear.

"It's lovely to meet you, Miss Vee," she says, clasping her hands in front of her. "I'm Matsuda Yae! I hope you've found Tokyo to your liking so far?"

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Matsuda," you say, smiling in turn. "I admit, I haven't seen much of Tokyo so far, actually, other than Chiyoda and a little bit of Osaki, and the rest just as we flew in. Ah, but I'm being rude - this is Tomoe Mami, and Miki Sayaka."

"Oh, that's a shame, you've hardly seen the best Tokyo has to offer!" she says, puffing up a little and reaching out to pat your free hand. "I'd love to give you a tour after the meeting - Z is always beautiful, after all. Ah, but I've never seen Tokyo from the air like you must have, that must be just as amazing, too!"

"Sabrina's power certainly has its perks," Mami says, cutting in smoothly before you can respond. "Which, as discussed, we will be offering to all of Tokyo in the form of a Clear Seed."

"Right!" you say, smiling gratefully at Mami for the smooth segue. "Do you have any particular objections to the offer, if I may ask? Or... concerns about hostility in Tokyo or such?"

"Oh, no," Yae says, shaking her head. Her eyes remain fixed on you, bright and cheerful as she sways a little from side to side. "We'd love to have your... services available to us! In fact, if you haven't settled on a location for your embassy yet, we would happily volunteer our territory for it?"

"I'm afraid we can't make any promises, Miss Matsuda," Mami says, squeezing your arm gently.

"Yeah, I suspect that Miss Toshim... actually, it might even be something put to the Council as a whole to decide," you say, considering. "But where is your territory, if I may ask?"

"Ah, we control the area around Chiba Shrine," Yae says, her eyes flicking to Mami for a second. "It's actually out of Tokyo 'proper', but we're still part of the Council! And given that we are out of the way, it means that we're less likely to see conflict, and we'd be more than happy to allow you to... inspect the grounds as frequently as you like to ensure there's no foul play!"

"That's... generous," you say, taken aback. "But as Mami said, I'm afraid we can't make any promises. But we'll certainly keep your offer in mind!"

Chiba... would be on the far side of Tokyo bay, if you recall correctly. As she said, out of the bounds of Tokyo City proper, but still part of the same massive urban sprawl. And you suppose you can't blame her for wanting to have a Clear Seed within her territory, you suppose, especially since this comes with the notion of being self-defended.

"Ah, I understand," Yae says, smile dimming for a second then brightening. "Even so, we'd love to have you visit!" Her voice drops a little lower, and she leans forward conspiratorially. "Besides, Toshimichi doesn't govern everything that happens in Tokyo, you know? There's plenty of things that she doesn't care about, and we'd be delighted to host you and your friends."

"Uh?" you say, blinking slowly. Then you blink once more as Mami's hand tightens on your elbow again. "Um." You tilt your head slightly. "Oh. Oh. Er."

"Thank you for the offer," Mami says smoothly. "As Sabrina said, we'll certainly keep your... propositions in mind, and will give them due consideration. Until we speak again, Miss Matsuda."

Gently, she steers you away from Yae. Sayaka follows, hand clamped over her mouth and her shoulders shaking as she steadily turns nearly as red as you definitely aren't! She must have spontaneously fallen sick or something, but for some reason, you have no sympathy for her. None whatsoever! She's definitely not a filthy traitor for laughing at you in your time of need, because there's nothing for her to laugh at! You aren't suffering from any embarrassment from an attempted seduction or anything like that at all.

"Oh, Sabrina," Mami says, warm and fond and amused as you vacate the area with no particular urgency. She smiles at you, golden eyes sparkling in the ever-present light of the discussion hall, and maybe her fingers are digging in just a bit tighter than usual into your elbow. You return the smile, definitely not tinged with a bit of embarrassment and relief. There's nothing to be embarrassed about.

"The nerve of that girl!" Madoka mutters in your telepathic ear, sounding almost angry. Fuming, even. "Ignoring her was definitely the best option, Sabrina!"

... it's kind of unusual to see Madoka get that angry about something, you have to admit. Madoka, angry? Madoka, angry? It just doesn't happen, not for the little things. But then again, people are important. You know that for sure. And Madoka would be angry about blatant manipulation against her friends, wouldn't she?

"I think you may have broken Sayaka," Homura observes drily.

"... thank you for the update," you say, your thoughts wrenched from that particular line of consideration. "Homura, give her a smack for me, please and thank you."

"L-let's, uh-" You clear your throat. "Have you seen Miss Imai around, Mami? Sayaka?"

"Ah... not since the meeting," Mami says.

Sayaka nods frantically, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the crowd while trying to choke back giggles. Then she scowls, and whacks you lightly on the back of your head.

"So you did see her, Sayaka?" you say mildly.

"Y-yeah, skulked in w-way after everyone else," Sayaka says, still swallowing laughter. "E-either she stayed back to sulk or... iunno, have a bit more privacy to talk to someone outside, maybe?"

"Right," you say, nodding. "Really need to talk to her privately before the hour's up."

"Sure you don't want a proper warmup first?" Sayaka says, arching an eyebrow. "To... y'know, prepare your heart?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," you say loftily.

Mami giggles, laying her head gently against your shoulder.

"I believe there were a few other magical girls we were considering looking up in Tokyo?" Mami offers. "Taniguchi Emi was one of the girls Homura suggested we could try recruiting for Walpurgisnacht? And..." Mami's smile widens into something more amused. "I do seem to recall mention of a Taniguchi Aimi, who is confusingly unrelated, but is someone who incorporates pants as part of their costume?"

"... I feel like I haven't seen either here today," you say. "I mean, both are... you know, standout costumes. But we'll keep an eye out. Maybe ask if some of the groups are friendly?"

"Indeed we can," Mami says, smiling.

"Found the Tower group rep~!" Kazumi's voice sounds in your head. "Will update with findings!"

You glance across the room, spotting Kazumi talking to a girl in what you'd liken to an idol outfit interpretation of a witch's outfit - she has a tiny tophat cocked at a rakish angle as opposed to Kazumi's overpoweringly large witch hat. Come to think of it, the vague costume similarities are probably what drew them together in the first place.

"Ah, good work, Kazumi!" you say. "Thanks."

[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

Spoiler: Ongoing vote

[X] Make an effort to seem approachable.
-[X] If anyone wants to speak with you, let them. If multiple people want to, Constellation can split up as necessary/appropriate (keep infohazards in mind) and talk to all of them. Keep each other (plus Madoka/Hitomi/Homura/Oriko) in the loop.
-[X] If people are intimidated and staying back, "break the ice" by sending some people to chat with a known "friendly" group.
[X] By the end of the hour, try to make sure someone's spoken with: Setagawa, Meiji, Kyuedo, and Tower - see what the grieviances and fault lines are. Make sure that people talking to Setagawa and Meiji are cleared for infohazards and go yourself, starting with Meiji.
[X] Don't let Meiji make a scene for everyone else watching. Subtle audio dampening if needed.
-[X] Try to find out what her issues with Chiyoda are - if she has some information she thinks will make us stop working with Chiyoda, you're happy to hear it before you get dug in, after all.

=====​

Ugh, I hate to do this again, but this is another halfway-post: you may vote if you want to refine the approach to Meiji (Imai'll be coming up next post) but otherwise I'll continue writing the next update from the existing vote.

I apologise for the weird updates - I've been having some issues lately that's been making it hard for me to focus and write properly.

 

[Firnagzen]

You exhale shakily, patting at your cheeks with your free hand. You're not blushing any more, right? Not that you were in the first place, since there wasn't anything to blush about. Mami giggles quietly at you, tilting her head back to grace you with a warm smile.

"What do you think, Sabrina?" she asks.

"Let's see who comes up to us," you respond finally. "I want to go look for Imai around... say, the half hour mark, if she hasn't hunted me down already? Though I might have to talk to her alone..."

"That sounds like a plan," Mami says, smile softening. She nudges lightly at your elbow, and you oblige by letting her guide you through the myriad clumps of Council members in their twos and threes and fours - seemingly without aim, but purposeful nevertheless. "And I understand."

"Secrets suck," Sayaka grumbles, ambling along at your other side. "I mean, I get it, but..."

"Secrets suuuuck," you agree, giving Sayaka a Look. "Of course, I've tried to be honest that I am keeping secrets, and trying to... edge around them if I can, but..."

"Yeah, yeah," Sayaka says, holding her hands up. "I'm not pushing! 's about trust and not betraying other peoples' trust, or dangerous knowledge and stuff. I get it! I know you're keeping the secrets for a reason, and I know you've been sharing what you can. I'm just saying, it sucks that secrets have to be kept at all, you know?"

"... fair enough," you say, shrugging.

"I trust you, Sabrina," Mami says firmly, squeezing your elbow gently and smiling up at you. "However!"

You follow the flick of her golden eyes forward, and smile slightly as you spot a familiar form approaching you. Faded green hair twisted into dangling twintails, bringing to mind the boughs of an old willow tree - an impression not particularly helped along by the tiredness etched into her face, that you hadn't seen from a distance. Not exhaustion, not yet, but it's getting there.

"Miss Ueda," you greet, offering your hand to her as she approaches. "I'm glad to see you again."

"Miss Vee," she replies with an answering smile. "It's a pleasure to meet properly, under better circumstances."

"Definitely!" you say, smiling. After all, the last time you'd really met her was in Sendai, as she arrived ostensibly in support of the conflict... only to run headlong into you. You peer at her, not particularly bothering to hide your concern. "Er. Are you alright?"

"I am, just... tired," Noa says, wincing. "Is it that obvious?"

"Erm," you say.

Truly, you are a master of diplomacy. Mami squeezes your elbow lightly, the amusement all but radiating off her.

"I suppose I look awful, then," she says with a rueful laugh. "I am doing alright, thank you for your concern. I'm just stretched a little thin - I'm... something of the designated messenger and scout of my team. It is, after all, why I was in Sendai."

"Oh, I see," you say. A teleporter, maybe? You never did learn what her powers were, but that's irrelevant right now. You shake your head, smiling. "Ah, but where are my manners? You've already met Mami, of course, and this is Miki Sayaka."

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Miki," Noa says with a polite smile, nodding at Sayaka, then Mami, in turn. "Miss Tomoe. My congratulations on your relationship upgrade, by the by."

"Thank you, Miss Ueda," Mami says, smiling serenely. She doesn't even blush, not one bit, which is more than you can say for yourself.

Sayaka rolls her eyes, smirking.

"Er, yes, thank you," you say. You clear your throat. "Erm. If you don't mind my asking, what do you think of our proposal?"

"Well, I, personally, would be very glad for the Clear Seed," Noa says with a slight smile. "My group is mostly of a similar mind, but I would say that we're... less afraid of outside influences than most."

"... less afraid of outside influences?" you echo curiously.

"Well... yeah?" Noa says, wrinkling her nose. "I mean, outside of the crazies and spiteful ones, the biggest reason to not want a Clear Seed in Tokyo is not wanting foreign influence here. Not that, er, you're a foreigner foreigner?"

"Ah," you say, nodding. Not a concept you're unfamiliar with, at least in theory. They don't know you, and don't trust you having any influence in Tokyo at all. "That's..."

"Unfortunate? Short-sighted?" Noa says. She shrugs. "I do happen to agree. The pressure of hunting Witches, skirmishing over borders..." She shrugs, a drily sarcastic lilt entering her voice. "I would like to have free stuff."

"Follow up on that!" Hitomi whispers at the back of your mind, her voice urgent. "Get her opinion on the on-the-ground status. She's practically offering."

"Got it," you tell Hitomi, but before you can speak, Sayaka beats you to the punch.

"Sounds like you have an opinion," she observes.

"Don't we all?" Noa says drily. "But yes - having seen what Miss Vee can do, and having an impression of you as a person, Miss Vee-" she nods at you, "-I do believe that your intentions are exactly as you say, and I will be voting to accept your offer."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," you say, smiling. "Do you have any suggestions for how I can address these issues? I understand that the Council's been at a deadlock over this whole thing for a while, and with Miss Toshimichi bringing it to a vote within the hour..."

"I'll introduce you to a few people," Noa says. She half-turns away from you. "Speaking of free stuff, we should head to the buffet. The Chiyoda group usually has excellent offerings when they bother to - we'll find Sugahara there. And I'd rather not be at the back of the queue, either."

"I'll happily defer to the wisdom of experience," you say, smiling slightly. Mami shoots you an approving look, squeezing your arm gently as Noa leads the three of you towards the still-empty table, her steps moving with sharp purpose past the other magical girls milling about.

You spot Mika across the crowd, with her arm slung companionably around Takada's shoulder as she chats a mile a minute, gesturing enthusiastically at the air. Takada, despite the meekly deferential impression she'd given earlier, looks like she's following along eagerly, offering her own comments here and there. You wish her luck.

Noa makes her way over to the table with purposeful steps, threading through the crowd. More than a few groups look askance at her, or perhaps at the fact that she has you in tow. Nobody gets in your way, but that's perhaps just as telling - magical girls part ahead of your little group. Making way for you and avoiding you in equal quantities, that self-same mixture of uncertainty and hostilty and hope in equal measure.

You let it wash over you, keeping the smile on your face and your stride steady. Mami bears it with easy grace and an undaunted smile, her hand tucked into your elbow and keeping pace easily with you. Sayaka simply squares her shoulders and her jaw, responding to the looks with... not so much confidence as pure, bull-headed stubbornness.

Sugahara would be Sugahara Kaede, you assume, the silver-haired girl who'd spoken out earlier - questioning your motives. You hope you can get through to her. And speaking of whom, you spot her through the crowd. Not standing alone, as she was earlier in the auditorium, rather, she's speaking to a taller girl, who notices you, squeaks, and hurriedly steps aside. Kaede turns to regard your little group with interest as you approach.

"Miss Sugahara," Noa says as you reach a polite speaking distance. "I hope we didn't interrupt anything?"

Now that you're not looking at her across the auditorium, you have a better view of Kaede: a solidly built young woman with what you suppose is a swimmer's build, all lean muscle and broad shoulders, bared by her costume and accentuated with frames of dark, gleaming metal. The long silver hair in a crown of braids is a little incongruous, though it does contrast nicely with the sleek blacks and deep greens of her costume.

"No, not at all, Miss Ueda. Miss Vee, Miss Tomoe, Miss Miki," Kaede says, nodding at Noa by way of greeting. Her eyes flick over each of you in turn, meeting your gazes fearlessly, before returning to Noa. "A pleasure, I'm sure. How may I help you?"

"I thought that arranging a discussion about some of the finer details about the Constellation's proposal might be prudent," Noa says, stepping to one side. "Especially since your concerns were so pointed."

"I am... very aware that trust is something that is difficult to earn, but I hope that we might allay at least some of your concerns," you say, smiling slightly. "If only to prove that we have no ill intentions."

Kaede stares at you, and sighs, something seeming to leach out of her posture.

"I believe you, as I said," she says quietly, the strict pomp and propriety of her voice suddenly fled, leaving only bone-deep weariness. Not physical exhaustion, but from the looks of it, it would be kinder if it were. "Even after that whole... reveal about Walpurgisnacht. Maybe especially because of that."

She closes dark violet eyes for a moment. You're suddenly very conscious of the... not quite silence, but the expectant hush of a dozen different people not-very-discreetly trying to listen in on you.

"I'll be blunt," Kaede says. "I have a little sister. She heard your proposal, when Miss Noa first brought it to the Council, and she is over the moon about it. She thinks you're a hero for even offering. So tell me, Miss Vee - how do you think she would react to hearing that you're going to be taking on the Queen of all Witches? Or, if not Walpurgisnacht, perhaps the next big fight, whatever that may be?"

"I-" You stutter, the words dying on your lips. Kaede's earlier words come to mind. Gratitude may not be a chain we want to tie ourselves down with, indeed. Because if someone's earnestly grateful, earnestly thankful, they'd want to repay the favour, right? And Kaede fears what her sister might do in that repayment, the harm that might come to her.

And that right there is a microcosm of why they might turn down your offer, even beyond the stupid politics going on here. Family, friends. Even gratitude can be dangerous, and-

Homura.

You get it, you get Kaede's fear for her sister, because it's not that different from Homura wanting to protect Madoka, is it? You can't argue with kind of fear, of love. The impulse to protect the ones you care for, to fight for them.

"And yet, at the same time." Kaede continues on, undaunted and remorseless. "I want my sister to not have to fight just to survive. She shouldn't have to face monsters so she can live."

You try to respond, but you can't find the words, because she's more right than she knows. Because someone coming to you, knowing the risks and earnestly offering their help is something that you'd normally accept in a heartbeat, isn't it? You'd make every effort to dissuade them if you thought they were in over their heads, but...

Homura.

You do want help. Against Walpurgisnacht, to help protect the city, the people you love. You want reinforcements, for Homura's sake. You suspect you can already beat Walpurgisnacht, but you want to stack the deck. To make sure everyone comes out of it just fine. But this, the flip side of the coin, the raw weariness on the face of a girl you'd never met before because her sister was inspired by you to help...

You've done nothing wrong, but you feel sick to your stomach anyway.

Mami nudges her shoulder against yours, jolting you from your thoughts. "Breathe, Sabrina," she murmurs to you.

"Thank you for being forthcoming, Miss Sugahara," Mami says smoothly. "We hadn't considered it from this angle before, but I don't think it's an insurmountable issue. Screening those who wish to help might be a good start? I doubt the number of people volunteering will be that large. Still, we will give it more thought. We do not want to bring harm, even inadvertently."

"Yeah, I-" You jump on Mami's offered lifeline gratefully. "It's not like we're... recruiting for an army or anything - if someone wants to help, we were always going to talk to them, first. Hopefully, we'd have noticed issues like this, but in the future, we will explicitly keep an eye out for this sort of thing."

You take a deep, steadying breath, discreetly cleansing your own Soul Gem.

"As Mami said, your concerns are very real," you say, forcing yourself to look Kaede in the eye. "And we- I'm grateful you told us, and I promise we'll figure something out. Thank you."

"And it kinda goes without saying, but we want everyone to make it through Walpurgisnacht fine, too. Not just ourselves," Sayaka adds drily. "We've been in a couple big fights, and we've always worked on prioritizing safety."

Kaede regards you for a long moment.

"I suppose that's more than I can hope for," she says, finally. "Thank you for listening. Thank you for the introduction, Miss Ueda."

Noa bows her head slightly with a smile.

"No, thank you," you say, essaying a tiny, hopeful smile. Mami squeezes your elbow again, and you shoot her a grateful look, because she kind of saved your ass there.

Mami smiles back, and shifts to take your hand between both of yours, squeezing gently. Your hand's shaking a little, you notice with a start - Kaede's question rather neatly put you on the spot, didn't it? You... kind of hope no-one noticed. You force yourself to relax, to let Mami's thumb rubbing over the back of your hand soothe you.

"It's OK, Sabrina," Mami murmurs to you telepathically. "You can't have every answer at hand."

"I know," you say.

"Heads up," Kaede says mildly, her eyes darting pointedly over your shoulder.

You don't turn, not yet, but you can feel someone approaching. Something about the texture of the conversations in the crowd, the way the air shifts. A stormfront pushing its way through fairer skies. Mami's hand tightens on your elbow for a moment, before forcing herself to relax.

"Vee," a new voice snaps.

You swivel to the newcomer, raising an eyebrow as your gaze meets that of Imai Taeko, her glare dark and unflinching beneath her cap. Bitter anger simmers in that gaze, even shadowed as it is beneath the frills of her cap. Her costume is one of crisp blues and purples, ruffled fabric and floor-length skirt beneath a short capelet of white building to an elegance that's quite at odds with the resentment etched into her expression and posture.

... she doesn't look any older than you do. Sixteen, perhaps, seventeen at most.

"Miss Imai," you say, facing her down with a smile. Adrenaline thrums in your veins, not quite faded from the encounter with Kaede, now resurgent with the anticipation of another encounter. But this is something you think you can handle.

"Let's talk," she says, her tone forced towards something like civility. "Outside." Her gaze sweeps across the people, and perhaps the tastefully understated, very traditional Japanese styling of the room. "I'm not talking in here."

"We'll continue circulating, Sabrina," Mami says, giving you a soft smile. Sayaka just grins confidently, holding up a fist.

You return the smile, squeezing Mami's hand tight in yours before letting go, and turn back to Imai.

"Lead on, then," you say simply. "As I said, I'm happy to hear any grievances or issues you might have."

"... outside, then," Imai reiterates, something like surprise flickering across her face. She turns and walks away, making no attempt to try and outpace you or anything - not that it would help, anyway, since you're half a head taller than her.

The crowd parts ahead of her, and you follow. You can't help but feel a little amused despite the situation. It feels familiar, in some ways. You've had more than one angry talk with a recalcitrant magical girl before, after all, though it would be a mistake to assume anything about this particular situation.

Still, you follow along as Imai leads you to one of the paper-screen doors around the edge of the room. She yanks it open with more force than necessary, the door bouncing off the frame with a sharp clack, and looks around the corridor before stalking off to the stairs.

Not the same one you'd come down by, and yet, you ascend once more to the same university rooftop you'd entered by, baroquely wrought fences stretching towards the sky around you in grace, swooping arches and ornately decorated pillars, curves and counter-curves and undulations and exuberant excess. The afternoon sun blazes in the sky, brilliantly intense after the soft, omni-present light of Akane's palace, casts sharp shadows across the tiled floor.

Imai turns to you, the shadows falling across her. You raise your hand before she speaks, interrupting her.

"I can ensure a greater level of privacy for us to speak, if you wish," you say. "I can't prevent magical eavesdropping without, uh, substantially noticeable action, but I can prevent mundane eavesdropping."

At the same time, you throw out a hasty mental thought. "Hey, Madoka, Hitomi? I'm gonna go ahead and end the call for the moment, alright?"

"Yeah, we understand!" Madoka says. "Sorry we weren't more of a help with Miss Sugahara, she caught us a bit off guard, too. You and Mami and Sayaka handled it OK, though!"

"Don't be silly, Hitomi, sic her. But yes, see you for the moment," you say hurriedly, and end both calls - your phone, and the mental call.

"If you think it's necessary," Imai says, scowling. "I have nothing to hide."

"Well, that's your call," you say with a shake of your head. Still, you spread your nanofog out throughout the roof and down the stairwell, checking for any listeners.

"You're clear of listeners other than myself and Toshimichi," Oriko mutters to you. "Unless someone has some truly impressive stealth capabilities."

You thank Oriko, and focus on Imai, who seems to be hesitating now that she has a moment to speak to you alone. After a moment, she squares her shoulders, and looks up at you.

"Toshimichi is a fake," she says. "A fake, a liar, and a murderer."

[] Just let her talk, then ask questions
[] Guide the conversation
- [] Focus on her problems with Toshimichi
- [] Focus on her problems with the Tower Group
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

First of all, I'd like to apologise, again, for my incredibly low update rate lately. Meatspace stuff has been just tiring me out, and I'm working on it.

Second of all: Imai's issues with Toshimichi and the Tower Group are related, but not perfectly overlapping. Both'll come up in the conversation, but you'd be voting on which one to focus on.

 

[Firnagzen]

You heroically resist the urge to voice certain choice quotes at that particular bit of probably-unintentional reference, instead locking your expression to calm acceptance. And rather than ask any questions, you simply motion for Imai to continue.

"Go on," you say.

Imai makes a frustrated noise, slicing an impatient hand through the air.

"Her, her- she's lying," Imai snaps. "All her everything. It's not real. She's definitely not a princess or anything, and she doesn't have any actual authority to boss us around. She sure looks the part, but she- I don't think she's actually a person."

You press your lips together, not flinching from the glare Imai levels at you. With the sun to her left and the shadows pulled harsh and taut across her face, Imai stares you down. There's something simmering and furious in that look, a rage that's been left to fester. Her fists clench at her sides.

"You don't believe me," she says flatly.

"It's not that," you say evenly. "But not being a person is a hell of a thing to accuse someone of."

Oh, you're resolved to hear her out, hear her side of the feud. Especially considering the... everything, really. And maybe Imai knows something you don't, and maybe she's right. Maybe Akane's some kind of puppet or something. But then, you've seen no evidence of that, and she can use magic. That's enough for you, and you will have nothing to do with dehumanizing a person - conventional origins or not.

'sides, you've got to stick up for your fellow maybe-Wishborn. Probably.

"She's some kind of weird... thing, ok?" Imai snaps. "I don't know what, Kyuubey wouldn't tell me anything specific."

"Hold up, Kyuubey told you?" you say, eyes narrowing.

"He doesn't li-" Imai squeezes her eyes shut for a second, visibly reining her temper in. "I've seen it with my own two eyes. Her body is just... wrong. I- listen, you know about the hunting partner swaps, right? One person from one group gets seconded to the Chiyoda group for Witch hunts?"

"I do, yes," you say.

"She tries to act perfect, but she's not," Imai says. "If she gets hurt, it's like she- she decides that she should react, and then she does. She didn't even bleed at first, until she thought she should."

You frown at her for a moment, then sigh, and rub your forehead, holding a hand up to forestall any further comment.

"I... look, it's not that I don't believe you, but I... you understand that I..." you start, then shake your head. "Look, you know that normally, blood doesn't just... immediately squirt everywhere, right? I mean, depending on the location and all."

"I'm a magical girl," Imai says. "I know what bleeding is supposed to look like. I- forget it, this was a waste of time."

"Stop." It's your turn to snap as she turns to storm off. You restrain yourself from grabbing her -she definitely wouldn't take it well- but it's a near thing. "You're not giving me much to believe in, Miss Imai. What makes you so damn sure of yourself? Why all this?"

You're not against listening to Imai. Not at all. You're not exactly for the idea of an Empress, but Akane seems to be doing well enough - or at least, you don't have any real evidence otherwise. And Imai, for all her pent-up anger and smoldering resentment, isn't giving you anything to work with. It's almost baffling, and at this point, all you are is skeptical and a little baffled.

"Give me something to work with," you add quietly. You've heard her out, and all she gave you was... irrelevant. Circumstantial at best. If she's holding another piece of this puzzle, then you want to hear it.

Imai seems to deflate, all that rage draining away. The brim of her hat dips low over her face as she sags in place, shadows casting her expression in darkness.

"I can't," she says.

"Why not?" you ask. It can't hurt to push a little. "You've been fighting against Chiyoda and the tower group all this time, right? There must be a reason - I promise I'll hear you out, at the least."

"She's dead," Imai says, her voice hollow and empty in a way that makes the bottom drop out of your stomach. "She's dead, Miss Vee. That's why."

"... I'm sorry," you say. "I didn't mean to-"

"We're magical girls," she says bitterly, straightening her hat with rough, jerky motions, pulling herself up to glare you in the eye once more. "We walk with death. We live off death."

That... would be confirmation that she knows about Witches, then. Not that you'd expected anything less, but it's good to have that confirmation.

"Yeah, well, I'm working on it," you say with an unhappy sigh. You scowl, fighting the urge to tuck your hands into the pockets of your coat. "That's why I'm here today."

Imai snorts without any real heat, looking away.

She's not angry at you, you suppose. There's no reason she would be, other than... well, earlier, you'd been standing with Akane at your back. Even if you're inclined towards being uncharitable towards Imai, all you can say at this point is that you'd gotten some of the ire as emotional collateral damage of sorts. And even if your own annoyance with her, from her trying to drop the Witchbomb in the middle of a crowded auditorium, well, it's not like she remembers that any more, does she?

... it's never wrong to show compassion, even if it's just offering to hear her out.

"Why don't you start from the beginning?" you ask. "Like I said, Miss Imai, I'm willing to at least listen."

Imai's gaze skitters away from yours, and she half-turns away, one hand reaching out to trace listlessly along one the university roof's soaring pinnacles. The polished marble practically glows a pure white beneath the afternoon sun, and you imagine it must be equally as sun-warm to the touch. Her boots scuff along the floor as she turns fully away from you, shoulders hunched.

"I didn't even know her that well," Imai says at last. "But she was the best of us. She was a telepath. Mind-reading, among other tricks. That's how she knew, that's how I know. She told me, told us. And then-"

Her hand curls into a fist, and she slams it into the spire, sending fissures splintering through the marble and chips of rock spalling along the ground. The sharp crack doesn't quite make you jump, but it's a near thing.

"And then she died, and nobody cares," Imai snarls. "Nobody but us. Nobody cares that she was murdered."

"What was her name?" you ask gently.

"Sora," Imai whispers, so soft that you nearly miss it. "Sasaki Sora."

You can't place the name, which you admittedly hadn't really expected to. Then again, there had always been a chance, given the oddness of your memories. Not this time, though, which is simultaneously a curse and a blessing, you suppose. No biases to colour the details, no context for the wider story.

... at least it wasn't Kato Setsuko.

"I... I'm sorry for your loss," you say after a moment. "I... if I may. Go on?"

"It was a border skirmish over a Witch hunt gone wrong, of course," Imai growls, staring down at her fist, half-embedded in solid stone. "That's... that is what happened."

She whips around to face you, wrenching her hand free.

"But what do you call it when someone discovers a big secret and then oh so conveniently winds up dead?" she snarls. "An accident? I don't think so."

"A border skirmish?" you say cautiously, your gaze flickering past Imai's shoulder. Past where she'd been looking, in fact - out east. North east, with the sun at her back... towards Tokyo Tower. "Ah. The Tower group?"

Imai's lips curl.

"Don't think I didn't see your friends cozying up to Otsuka, either," she says, spitting the name with venom. "Hoping to play both sides against each other?"

"I'm here to help, Miss Imai," you say, choosing not to rise to the bait. This time, you do tuck your hands into your pockets, deliberately casual, and you file away the name for later reference: Otsuka, the girl with the tophat, who Kazumi had found. "So no. We want to know what the conflict even is."

She snorts, and looks away from you.

"Well, now you know," she mutters.

"... not quite," you say. "I've... still got some questions, if you don't mind?"

"Sure, whatever," Imai says, waving a hand with a lackadaisical air you're certain she doesn't actually feel.

"Well... the first, and most important, is... what did Miss Sasaki find?" you say slowly.

"Toshimichi isn't human," Imai mutters. "Like I said. She doesn't think like a human. I can't explain it in words. Sora shared it with me -us- and that's how I know. It... it was real obvious with her powers. We don't know what she is, but if she's not human, she can't possibly be descended from the Imperial line or anything. She has no authority to be in charge or to, to stop us."

"Right..." you say, scrubbing your hand through your hair as you think. That gels with what you'd learned while talking to Akane and her friends, you suppose, but you feel like you're missing one last puzzle piece, maybe two.

Still, you've got an opportunity to ask a few questions, you suppose.

[] Ask for more details about...
- [] Sora's death
- [] Toshimichi (write-in)
- [] Imai's group
[] Float your own proposals
- [] Relocating to Mitakihara?
- [] Something else?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

=====​

One or two updates to talk to Imai, depending on how the narrative shakes out!

 

[Firnagzen]

You purse your lips, face still covered by your hand as your mind falls into chaos, as it so often does. Trains of thought run into each other, some derailing, some irrelevant and to be discarded as you run through different approaches. The way you see it, there are two... maybe three major things that you should perhaps address here?

The first and most important, maybe, is Kyuubey. It's not like you haven't run through scenarios with trying to get information out of Kyubey yourself either, and inevitably concluded that it's just far too good at seemingly-innocuously poisoning any knowledge you might wring from it. It's just not worth it to engage, especially when it'll probably get more out of you than you do out of it. The Incubators have had thousands of years of practice with humanity, after all.

The white rat always seems to have a hand in this kind of thing, fomenting discontent and turmoil, and even if Imai doesn't seem to trust it entirely, you're not sure you're happy with leaving her thoughts where they are, either: Kyuubey wants Imai doubting Toshimichi, and that's led directly to more fighting.

"OK," you say, taking a deep breath and lowering your hand to look at Imai. "OK. So... look. I believe you. I believe you, I believe the story you've told me. It's just... Kyubey isn't a reliable source. You've got to know that, right?"

Imai makes a derisive noise, glaring at you from beneath purple-pink bangs.

"Spare me the sanctimony," she says. "I'm a magical girl, I know that. And if you're with her, then there's nothing left to say."

"I'm saying that if Kyubey wants you angry against Toshimichi, then I want to know why," you say sharply. "I'm saying that it actively manipulates magical girls to cause fall into despair and Witch out for its own profit. And the fact that it seems to restrict itself into telling the truth just means that it's very, very good at lying with that truth and omission."

"That doesn't matter!" Imai's glare returns full force, almost knocking you back with the anger. Then, almost as quickly as her anger flared, it's gone again, Imai looking away from you. "Look, I... forget it. This was a mistake."

She turns away from you, tensing to leap away. Away from you and away from the building.

"Miss Imai," you snap.

You hesitate for a split second, this isn't your secret but it's not even a secret here-

But it's now or never.

"I know Toshimichi isn't human," you say before you can think better of it. "Constellation is aware."

"Then why?" Imai whirls on you, aborting her leap. "Why are you supporting her?"

"Sabrina. Listen to me," Oriko says to you, her mental voice steady, but hurried, words flowing in a torrent. "The reasons she gave are not the root cause. They are post-hoc justifications, made up to support a cause she was already committed to." A touch of wry irony tinges her next sentence. "I recognise that sort of self-deception."

You resist the urge to nod in response, for all that Oriko's advice blazed by in the span of a heartbeat. You can trust her judgement here, you think, and it fits.

The second thing you've been musing on, then: you'd been told that the Tower group was the group to doubt the legitimacy of Toshimichi's claim to Imperial rule, such as it is. And yet, Imai here threw that exact aspersion at her too, despite the fact that it doesn't really make sense given everything else that's been said. Which slots together perfectly with what Oriko said: her reasons are justifications for vengeance. Perhaps a justification to martyr herself.

"Because I don't have all the facts," you say instead. You spread your hands, unflinchingly meeting the fury burning in Imai's gaze. "What I know is this: I'm willing to help you and your team, Miss Imai. I know that human or not, Toshimichi has a soul, just like you or me. I know that Kyuubey does not. I know that Kyuubey loves to foment conflict for its own ends."

"So you don't believe me," she says flatly. She doesn't look away from you, a glowering intensity half-hidden in the shadows with the sun at her back. Her arms hang at her side, hands clenched into shaking fists.

It strikes you, then and there. It's really not about Toshimichi's claim to authority, or her humanity or lack thereof, or anything like that. The thought had crossed your mind, but it... doesn't make sense, and now, you can definitively put it aside. It's simpler than that by far. She has an enemy. That enemy happens to be Toshimichi: a seemingly omniscient, shadowy figure puppeteering the entire city's magical population. And she's afraid, beneath that anger. That her attempts to do anything have met with failure, foiled before they could even begin.

"I do believe you, like I said," you riposte. You're a little surprised at how even your voice is, calm to her anger, but you're not bothering to hide the worried furrow of your brow, either. "I know Toshimichi isn't human. I believe you, that Miss Sasaki died in suspicious circumstances. I have every intention of investigating the matter, along with the rest of Constellation."

"Good for you," Imai says bitterly, breaking the stare-off.

And that's why she's still here. Because she hopes you might listen. Because she's hoping for an ally in her corner. Because, at the end of the day, she's scared. And it's why her explanations seem so disjointed. She's throwing out every reason she can think of, hoping that something sticks.

... and yet.

The target of her ire is Toshimichi, the singular person who seems to be holding the entire city together with those delicate manipulations and charisma and, yes, the occasional imposition of her power. You're not happy with that, and you doubt you will ever be, but... the alternative is war, bloody and brutal and bitter. You doubt you could keep the peace in Tokyo if Toshimichi's deposed, and certainly not without taking power yourself.

It feels like you're on the brink.

It doesn't feel like violence.

But it feels like make or break.

[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)

Spoiler: Vote in abeyance

[X] That said, if she or her group don't feel safe in Tokyo, Constellation is willing to help her.
-[X] If she gives more details about Sasaki, we can investigate, even bring in other investigators.
-[X] If she has other examples of other misconduct by Chiyoda, those could be red lines for Constellation.
-[X] And in extremis, we'd be willing to supply her with housing and cleansing outside of Tokyo, as long as she keeps the well being of others in mind.
[x] Answer any of Imai's questions should they come up.
-[x] If she shows any confusion on the point of Kyubey being responsible for witchouts, explain the witch and lich bombs and how they relate.

=====​

And we're back! I wish this could be a longer update to celebrate, or a more cheerful update, but, er. This is where we're at: one last opportunity to make your case to Taeko.

I'm really sorry this one took so long to update. Meatspace issues, plus I'm still getting to grips with Taeko as a character - but I believe I'm back properly, and I think I should be able to keep to a better update schedule now. We'll see!

Also, I'm really annoyed that I missed this, but PMAS' eight anniversary was a couple days ago. @Redshirt Army made an amazing video for PMAS, check it out here! It's been a wild eight years, huh? Here's to more, because PMAS sure as hell isn't done yet.