Ok this is a huge hodgepodge of some of my thoughts about what's going on right now with feathers and barriers and stuff:
TL;DR version:
-The feather not being "witchy" is actually potentially pretty signifigant in what it tells us
--especially about who it is and/or the nature of grief
-Barrier "tech" should be tabled for the foreseeable future (Note, this is not the same as abandoned entirely)
--More important things going on for the foreseeable future, in terms of all of science and social and plot
--Too many risks/downsides that we can't afford to take the time to deal with right now; Feathers, Kyubey, "setup trance", and "barrier entrance beacon"
EDIT: I can't believe I forgot Oriko as a potential "science spotter"
Adding an item for her now.
Ok, so our two leading theories for "Feathers" is Dedolere and Homucifer, right?
There was this little bit of info Firn gave us:
@Firnagzen: does the feather look like one of Homucifer's feathers - and does it feel witchy?
Well, if the feather did not feel "witchy", that means it couldn't of come from Dedolere's "body", given witch bodies as we currently understand them. If it did, it would feel "witchy".
Similarly, it could not of been something "left over" from the "witch barrier stuff" in our barrier, as that would feel "witchy" as well.
Note, this does not rule out "grief stuff" entirely. It could be that:
-The feather is solid, "raw" grief in a very intricate shape
-This is a new, yet to be discovered "state" of grief
This means it could still be Dedolere:
-Maybe Dedolere's "body" is NOT as we currently understand witch bodies
-Maybe this was one of Dedolere's "raw grief manipulations"
-Maybe Dedolere uses a new form of grief
-Maybe Dedolere has crazy powers beyond just BS levels of grief power/control
However, all of the above make seem to make the Dedolere theory for "Feathers" substantially less likely; leaving the Homucifer theory a bit more viable in comparison.
I still feel like it can't be that simple though...
Probably should keep a spare Madoka "on call" just in case though.
And even if it turns out to be Dedolere after all, well, that tells hints at some interesting, potentially important things about grief we didn't know about before.
Hell, this could be an epic troll on Firn's part; maybe a crow just wandered into our barrier.
And on the subject of barriers, we should table barrier tech for the foreseeable future.
Not only just for the next few updates due to Mami, Ono, Homu, and other things, but probably for several RL months worth of updates, until the next "lull" in the plot most likely.
My reasons for arguing this are:
-In the very short term: Well, Mami
-"Barrier tech" was a mid priority "project" anyways; we just spent a bunch of time on it, now back to high priority stuff. We only got to it in the first place because BOTH:
--We needed to step away from some of our higher priority projects for a moment because we were getting frustrated with them; barrier tech just happened to be the project "lower down" we pulled from to be that temporary "stepping away"
--We are in a "lull" between "plot arcs" right now, giving us a bit more time than usual.
---Based on chapter titles ("The Interloper" and "Our Benefactor") and several "plot things" already introduced (Ono, the feather, etc.), we are about to "kick it into high gear" again with plot; our "science time" will be very limited once again very soon here (which covers why not in the "foreseeable future")
---Plus, the already present plans we got, Mami, Ono, Madoka and Sayaka chat, Homura chat and MAYBE "shopping", Kyoko "bridge mending" with Mami, etc.
-There are enough risks with barrier tech to not pursue it further without at least a "spotter"
--The "barrier setup time trance"
---This is rather worrying, but thankfully temporary even without outside intervention (unless it is one of those things that can get worse over repeated exposure)
---Note we had a sort of similar type of "trance" when we first entered a witch barrier (that wasn't
----That one was an "extreme revulsion trance", and the one we just had was an "extreme comfort trance", sort of (granted, from somewhat different causes)
----This may imply that this new kind of "trance" is something we can learn to reign in as well
-----However, unlike the "Oh GODS! GREIF" trance from the first chapter and our learning to cope with it, we don't have time to practice getting over this at the moment (see above about "plot likely kicking into high gear really soon here")
-----It may very well be NOT be a kind of thing we can "learn" to "reign in" (which, if true, would be a good reason to abandon this "tech tree" entirely, not just for the foreseeable future)
----Something to note is that we freaked out Mami in our first witch barrier "SO MUCH GRIEF trance" too. PMAS, breaking Mami since chapter 1
--Attracts the attention of nosey Incubators
---Having Kyubey's direct attention when not asked for it is usually not a good thing...
--Feathers
---This is a pretty big one; if there is a connection, we need to tread VERY carefully
----Definitely should hold off on "barrier stuff" until we at the very least have a chance to look over the feather.
----If there does turn out to be substantial risk of our barriers "helping" feathers, then that would be another way I would be for abandoning the "barrier tech tree" entirely
--Lack of a good spotter at the moment
---Mami: I hate to say it, but Mami is NOT suitable as a grief science "spotter" for the foreseeable future
----There is too much connection between grief and "sensitive" topics we can't afford to lightly toss around clues for (witchbomb most notably)
----She is not in a good emotional state to be calm and rational with how to react if something goes wrong
---Homura: Homura is probably one of our best bet for the future, but right now, our relationship with her isn't at a good state to ask her to do this
---Oriko: Oriko is another very good candidate for "science spotting" due to "lol, precog OP!". In fact, we have already done so, but some issues with this too
----Our doing this with Oriko always and not even asking Homura has hurt Homura, and has damaged how much she thinks we trust here
----Oriko is still ostensibly under house arrest; can't take her to "joy-rides to warehouse-kun" on a whom
----Still a few lingering questions about just what Oriko's "deal" is
---Kyubey: HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
NO!
--Most of these are likely surmountable, but see above about "plot likely kicking into high gear really soon here"; we won't have the time to surmount these for quite some time here, especially given that we have outstanding high priority projects and this is only a mid priority one
-I had some ambitions of using barriers as a portable hammer space, but I am now for tabling even that for now
--Granted, we technically already have the tools we need to pull this off; no further "science" needed
---Shrinking entrance, so we can stick it in a bag or something
---Moving entrace while outside the barrier
--BUT, new risk factors have been introduced since then
---Kyubey attention (already explained above)
---Feathers (already explained above)
---It still "feels" like a barrier entrance to meguca (well, because, it is
)
----Having a "there is something here, often a sign of a witch" long-ish range "beacon" is likely a...liability
-----Probably should only use it like this while no other meguca are around or while in time stop to work around this "beacon problem"
-----Given our complete and utter failures with "grief feel" suppression, this issue is likely inherent and insurmountable by us
Now, let me make it clear, I still feel like the "barrier tech tree" has potential to be useful for us. However, there are enough issues with it, as well as enough higher prioirty things (especially new ones or likely soon to be introduced ones) to make pursuing it not at all a wise move for the foreseeable future.
So, yea, sort of my thoughts.
