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Puella Magi Adfligo Systema

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It might be too late, but I really don't like those votes.

[X] As an offhand, by Incubator she means Kyubey. Since it hears everything that happens over telepathy, she wanted us here in person.
[X] Other than that, she's talking about the 'bigger threat' from before. Much stronger than Walpurgisnacht, Oriko's actions, which included burning down Sayaka's house, supposedly averted many of this... Enemy's actions. But now it seems the things she averted are happening anyways, just slightly different.
[X] What does Oriko mean by 'spliced'? Did the present suddenly change? Are there two futures running right now? Did Sayaka teleport from where she was to where she is? Is the Enemy merging two separated timelines, or something?
[X] Ask Oriko if she has anything else to add. If not, remind her we once told her we're completely prepared to run blind into this mess; we'll take care of things, with as much help as she can give us, we don't need her to give us the future predicted 100%. We can deal.
[X] If there's nothing else, move out with Mami and Homura.
 
'Lement said:
@CornyBones: It's cool, but language is meant for communicating ^^° if they have to pull out two dictionaries to understand what we're saying it becomes only useful for messing with them :p

To use words better understood, perhaps call those powers "mental timestop" and "google search in brain", though especially the latter is inaccurate, it is something instantly understood.
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The definition is a place to start from, in setting out the scope and boundaries of our abilities.
Knowing what are are makes explaining it easier.

I agree some form of simplification should take place when explaining it, and now we have a definition we can explain thoroughly. Instead of saying we 'just know' things, now we can say 'I have directed recollective omniscience towards books and media. And I can think faster whenever I want.'
 
Okay, this is probably too late to bring up, but it's worth a shot:

Simple reason why we never specifically told Mami about the feathers: it was such a vague, unknown thing that it didn't really tell us anything by itself, and literally nothing about them came up until just now. All we knew was that it was somehow tied to this mysterious, distant threat, and we did tell her about that mysterious, distant threat a while back.

What I'm not sure about is if we've told Homura anything about the feathers, and whether or not she'd recognize anything from that information alone.

Anyway, this is not "keeping secrets" from Mami, but rather not telling her every irrelevant thing we know. Here's how it would have been like if we had told her:
S: "Mami, I forgot to tell you something. That vague, distant, ominous threat Oriko mentioned as something she feared beyond Walpurgisnacht?"
M: "Yes?"
S: "She said it had something to do with feathers. Like, whenever she tried to find out more about the threat with her precognition, her vision would just get clouded by feathers."
M: "......er....okay?"

The only reason it means more to us is because of our specific, highly relevant, and totally-out-of-context knowledge of canon.

Jakinbandw said:
Is there anything we can do or need to do about mom? She seems a bit on edge and I don't want anythone accedently getting shot.
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...come to think of it, it does seem like Homura is more on edge than usual, perhaps with regards to Oriko and Kirika's presence (but perhaps just in general). Even before Oriko started explaining about why she's so worried. Anyone have valid theories as to why?
 
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SaltyWaffles said:
What I'm not sure about is if we've told Homura anything about the feathers
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Not really I think, but she was there when Oriko explained her future sight was blocked by feathers, and that that usually ended up with somebody dead after feathers. Also that feathers usually block Madoka.
SaltyWaffles said:
...come to think of it, it does seem like Homura is more on edge than usual, perhaps with regards to Oriko and Kirika's presence
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I don't know how she usually thinks of her, but Homura kind of really doesn't like this particular Kirika.
The pulse from Kirika reaches the three of you. Mami winces as it hits her, but seems otherwise unaffected.

A shriek of clashing gears and flying sparks from Homura's shield.
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[/quote]Homura's lips tighten. "We'll talk." She sets her MG3 down beside her, and grabs the edge of the shield with her free hand. She tries turning it, but her hands simply slip across the surface, shield stubbornly refusing to turn. Her frown deepens, and she grips it more firmly, before giving it a sharp yank.

With a crunching noise, the shield turns, gears grating over each other. Instead of the expected discontinuity of timestop, though, shattered cogwheels rain out of the mechanism, pinging over the ground as Homura stares in consternation. She cranks it back into the neutral position again.

Her hands are shaking.

Homura moves her hand slowly across her shield, the purple light of her magic trailing after it, and the entire shield becomes limned with a dim glow, St. Elmo's fire cast in purple. Hesitantly, Homura turns it aga-[/quote]
She kind of did destroy her personal world and only refuge, if only for a while. Quite a scare.
"Hey, Oriko!" you hear Kirika calling a moment later. "Oh, this again. Hi, Sabrina!" She bounces into the living room, dragging Oriko by their joined hands. Homura's gaze locks on to the black haired girl, gun hand twitching.
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Literally twitched.
 
Seriously, Homura has been stuck in the loops for a decade or two of subjective time. Her defense mechanisms have defense mechanisms. That Sabrina has gotten her to go along with some of her plans is the next best thing to a fucking miracle in and of itself, considering how much those plans go against the grain.
 
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Our Benefactor pt. 25
  • Threadmarks
    • You rub at your forehead, feeling an impending headache. Probably time and past for you to join the migraine club with Homura and Oriko, anyway.

    Your purse your lips for a moment. "I think this might be related to the threat," you say, half to yourself, half to Mami. "The one Oriko saw." You tip your head in the general direction of the seer. Truth be told, you're still not absolutely certain, but... it seems a relatively safe guess.

    You blink, shaking your head to clear the thoughts buzzing about your head, and focus on Mami. She looks more confused than anything, touched with that ever present edge of fear.

    "Mami, you remember what I told you about there being something bigger than Walpurgisnacht coming?" you say. At Mami's hesitant nod, you continue. "I think... well, this might be the first we've seen of it. There's times when Oriko's visions are blocked by feathers. And I think that they're related."

    "The only evidence of that is her," Homura cuts in, still staring at Oriko, her knuckles still white around her the blocky handle of her pistol.

    "Not... quite, Homura," you say. It's just as well you'd meant to bring this up. "There was a feather earlier... and the time matches up with when Oriko said things changed." You jerk your head over at the seer, who nods.

    Homura's frown deepens, but she doesn't say anything more.

    "A feather, Sabrina?" Mami asks.

    You bite your lip, slightly reluctant to bring up certain recent events.

    Mami seems to make the connection on her on, glancing down. "Oh," she says, voice terribly small.

    You squeeze Mami's hand, and step closer to her, hugging her close to your side. A flash of motion catches your eye - Kirika, giving you a measured nod, uncustomarily serious look on her face, before the expression fades and she grins brightly at you.

    "And... 'Incubator' is another name for Kyuubey," you say, trying to push past the moment. "I'm... sorry I didn't tell you all of this before, Mami, I forgot to."

    She nods slightly. "It's alright," she whispers.

    "Hey," you say softly to her, reaching out and gently tipping her head up to look at you. "Whatever it is, we can stop it together, just by knowing what it is." You turn your gaze on Homura, too, and she glances at you briefly before blowing out a breath and returning her glare to Oriko and Kirika.

    "Alright," Mami says again, leaning her head against you.

    "We all want to keep everyone safe," you say, looking around the room. "And we can do this, together."

    Oriko's the only one to really answer, giving you a measured, stately nod, while Homura just flashes you another annoyed look. Mami remains leaning against you, while Kirika is leaning on her oujo with an arm comfortably slung around her waist.

    You hum softly to yourself, thinking hard. "Oriko, what do you mean by 'truncate' and 'splice', anyway?" you ask.

    The seer shakes her head, looking irritated. "It's a figure of speech," she says. "The futures that I see, the threads, scenarios, they-" she breaks off, a flash of pain crossing her face. Kirika slips around Oriko, and begins massaging her shoulders with a concerned look on her face. "Aaahhh, thank you, dear- they, change, abruptly. I see Miki Sayaka at home, and then... at the warehouse. Any futures where she's at home are gone. Similarly, the Witch."

    Kirika tugs Oriko over to the sofa, and sits her down sideways before curling behind her and continuing to knead her back.

    "I see," you murmur, considering that. You've all the time in the world for more questions, you suppose, but... You glance at Homura, who seems on edge and well past ready to go.

    [] Write-in

    =====​

    Bah, another short update.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Okay, well, I think we know all we can figure out at this point. All that's left is to go save Sayaka.
    [X] Say goodbye to Oriko and Kirika, and ask Mami to withdraw her ribbon.
    [x] Check Sayaka's home first.
    [X] Head off towards the industrial district, find the witch, and start looking for Sayaka around the barrier, then inside.

    Edit: included silver's line for simplicity's sake.
     
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    [X] Okay, well, I think we know all we can figure out at this point. All that's left is to go save Sayaka.
    [X] Say goodbye to Oriko and Kirika, and ask Mami to withdraw her ribbon.
    [X] Head off towards the industrial district, find the witch, and start looking for Sayaka around the barrier, then inside.

    We'll need to talk to Homura sooner rather than later.
     
    [X] Gadjo

    I agree with Ugolino, that things with Homura are definitely getting worse and we need to talk to her about them soon. We've been focused on Mami because her problems are very visible, but Homura just because has years of practice at hiding her reactions, it doesn't mean she's not having serious problems too.
     
    Hey, before going, can we confirm with Oriko that the feathers she sees and the feather we have, look the same? We should have it on hand.


    Other than that...

    We soooooooo need to try and make that 'Best Buddy' thing official. Kirika is so... Kirika, you know?

    I mean, look at this!
    Firnagzen said:
    The seer shakes her head, looking irritated. "It's a figure of speech," she says. "The futures that I see, the threads, scenarios, they-" she breaks off, a flash of pain crossing her face. Kirika slips around Oriko, and begins massaging her shoulders with a concerned look on her face. "Aaahhh, thank you, dear- they, change, abruptly. I see Miki Sayaka at home, and then... at the warehouse. Any futures where she's at home are gone. Similarly, the Witch."

    Kirika tugs Oriko over to the sofa, and sits her down sideways before curling behind her and continuing to knead her back.
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    Everybody, Oriko included, is so high strung, nervous, sad, itchy trigger fingers, double guessing, lost... and Kirika just takes her Ojou and gives her a massage and sits her down to make it easier and suddenly Oriko's like a queen in her lounge. Can everybody picture that? It's awesome.

    I even feel kinda bad that Homura's the only one not getting hugs, though I don't think she's in a mood to receive hugs right now.
     
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    Homura seems really annoyed that we are including Oriko and Kirika, when we say we here.
    Firnagzen said:
    "We all want to keep everyone safe," you say, looking around the room. "And we can do this, together."

    Oriko's the only one to really answer, giving you a measured, stately nod, while Homura just flashes you another annoyed look. Mami remains leaning against you, while Kirika is leaning on her oujo with an arm comfortably slung around her waist.
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    She also doesn't really seem to buy the whole feathers thing. Maybe we should show her the feather as proof that there really is something strange going on and Oriko isn't lying about it.

    [X] Gadjo
     
    Jonen C said:
    That Rhinoceros discussion earlier...



    You know why.
    (It also would explain feathers. Bloody pelicans.)
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    Don't worry. Our enemies are the toucans, not the pelicans.

    Yes, our enemies are also the feathers, but it's the feathers themselves, not any bird with feathers.

    Guilop said:
    She also doesn't really seem to buy the whole feathers thing. Maybe we should show her the feather as proof that there really is something strange going on and Oriko isn't lying about it.
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    Would be nice to confirm that it's the same feathers, too.
     
    Onmur said:
    I even feel kinda bad that Homura's the only one not getting hugs, though I don't think she's in a mood to receive hugs right now.
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    She would be -- if the hugs were from her girl. Though she wouldn't want to let herself enjoy it, because it would make it that much harder when she fails. She can't let herself become too attached to any given Madoka, because she has to save her. If she gets too attached, then when she fails it hurts too much, and she can't let herself hurt because then she'll become a witch, and she won't be able to save Madoka, and she promised her...

    ...yeah, anyone who thinks that Homura is in any healthier a place than Mami is, wasn't paying attention to the series. How many times has she had to kill Madoka, to save her from becoming a witch? How many times has she had to kill every single magical girl that she's considered a friend?

    People are acting like Homura is being irrational. Guess what? She is. And on some level, she knows it, and probably hates it, considering how much she prizes rational thought. It's a very understandable sort of irrationality though. She's lived through Oriko killing Madoka. It doesn't matter that this Oriko hasn't done so (yet), she can't just forget it. It doesn't matter if that was a different timeline, not when Homura experienced it first hand.

    Yes, we're doing good by trying to make it so all the magical girls get along, but from Homura's perspective, she's watching the person that she's trusting, the person who knows what she's been through... buddy up with someone who she has seen kill Madoka.

    I want you all to think about just how much that must scare and enrage Homura, deep down.

    With Mami, her emotions are up on the surface, and we can at least reassure her fears.

    With Homura, we've been doing nothing but make her inadequacies worse and shove her fears right in her face. Everyone sees the tough-as-nails "Murderface", but the truth is, she's still the insecure, no-self-esteem girl in twin-tails.

    (Sorry about the rambling-rant.)
     
    Confessing how much of a screw-up we see ourselves as being when it comes to Mami as part of that conversation might actually be useful here, on top of the reassurance.
     
    Godwinson said:
    (Sorry about the rambling-rant.)
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    That's fine.

    Homura needs the occasional reminder that she's awesome.

    You blink. That was not what you'd expected. "I... you deserve better. All of you do, Homura," you jerk your head to indicate Mami. "I know what you've been through, Homura, don't forget. I know what happened. And you, Homura..."

    You smile at her. "You are kind of amazing, you know that? You did this, all of this, for Madoka. You've never given up, even after everything that's happened and everything you've learned. You made yourself better, and you keep going," you say, gesticulating to emphasize your point. "Homura, do you have any idea how few people would be able to do that? Pick themselves up and just... carry on?"

    Homura looks taken aback. "I- For Madoka, it's worth it. Anything is." Her eyes are wide, and her expression is more unguarded than you've ever seen of her when she's awake.
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    But yes, she's the most broken of them all. She's just got the one thing that holds her together.
     
    Onmur said:
    That's fine.

    Homura needs the occasional reminder that she's awesome.


    But yes, she's the most broken of them all. She's just got the one thing that holds her together.
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    I've recently been running a PMMM RP, and 'getting inside' Homura's head is... well, let's just say it's one of the most unpleasant headspaces I've ever occupied in RP or acting.
     
    Ugolino said:
    Confessing how much of a screw-up we see ourselves as being when it comes to Mami as part of that conversation might actually be useful here, on top of the reassurance.
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    Mami might have been the unintentional collateral damage, but I think it's more about how we somehow manage to not think things through at the worst times, while at the same time overthinking the smal stuff.

    ... That sounds like Tohsaka Rin, actually.

    Godwinson said:
    I wonder if Dedolere's familiars will call her Good-For-Nothing, too...
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    No.

    They would, however, help Dedolere do everything it needs to do. Mostly by yelling that it needs to this, it needs to do that, no, this, not that, blargh...

    It would be fun. That's the point after all, isn't it?
     
    Onmur said:
    No.

    They would, however, help Dedolere do everything it needs to do. Mostly by yelling that it needs to this, it needs to do that, no, this, not that, blargh...

    It would be fun. That's the point after all, isn't it?
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    You have convinced me of the "Sabrina is a witch" argument.

    We're her familiars.

    A witch's familiars ensure that she remains utterly miserable, after all.
     
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