Remove ads

Puella Magi Adfligo Systema

Reader mode
Gasping, You withdraw from your trance.

The first thing you see is Mami looking at you worriedly, honey eyes blinking as yours open.

"Suh, dude?" You say, causing a weak smile to crack across her face.

"What? I don't understand where you get those phrases from sometimes, Sabrina."

You smile back, still feeling a bit punch-drunk. "Well, to be honest, I've had the voices in my head watching television shows that may or may not exist. So really, I don't know where I get them from either. So, did it work?"

"I-It did. Which is a little concerning, to be completely honest. But if it helps us distribute more Clear Seeds, I'm happy. And it is kind of cute..."

"Really?" The mention of possible adorability shakes you out of your post-grief-bending daze. "Where is it?"

"Mreep?" Says something else, sounding oddly human.

"Now you're the one making things up, Mami." You say chastisingly.

"I didn't say that. Your... Your Familiar did."

Blinking, you look at the ground in front of you. It looks almost like some kind of insect; it's bulbous body is semi-translucent, allowing you to see it's innards shift and squeeze around as it rolls over like a dog. It has ten legs - each a solid piece of chitin curved like a cow's horn, which clatter as it takes its first steps in the abandoned warehouse. It's head looks like a rather solid piece of brownish bone or chitin - but most of it is taken up by a pair of massive eyes that bulge out of the head. They're almost human-looking, even though they don't blink; its pupils are giant and dark black, rimmed by a pair of bright green irises. On the very tip of its almond-shaped head are a pair of tiny mandibles that look wickedly sharp, and a pair of antennae occasionally swipe at its eyes to clean them of debris.

The over-all effect is... scary. But also a little bit cute. Perhaps Mami is just better around bugs than you are; she kneels in front of your familiar (A SMAC Worm, your powers tell you, which concerns you even deeper) and holds out her hand. The massive larva looks at it, and rolls over again, presenting it's underbelly.

"Mraa!" It says again, still sounding way too human for its mouthparts.

"Who's a cute little worm?" Asks Mami playfully, rubbing the things stomach. The SMAC Worm shudders in pleasure, crying out like a baby.

Hesitantly, you reach down and put a hand on its belly as well. It's not slimy, like you expected; in fact, it feels almost like a waterbed. Your Familiar's innards slosh about under your hand as you gently rub the thin flesh. It strikes you almost how vulnerable this thing is; it really is like a baby. You can feel how thin the skin of its belly is through your hand; if you had a mind to, you could simply pop it open and kill it without much more than a thought.

The thought of doing that almost makes you feel sick though. It doesn't seem very hostile. Not like the Clara Dolls, or some of the other familiars you've encountered in Witches Labyrinths. It actually feels almost... familial.

"What should we name it?" Asks Mami, now moved on to stroking the insect's antennae. It seems to enjoy the attention, once Mami learns how to run her hand through the soft bristles that cover them.

"Uhh..." You hadn't given that much thought. But Mami seems almost attached to this thing... You come up with a name on the fly.

"Mushi?" You say, finally. Mami purses her lips.

"You can do better than that."

"Fine... Uh... Ari-Oba?"

Mami look at you silently and blankly for a moment, before scowling. Then her lip twitches. "Is... You want... Is that a bilingual pun?"

"Maybe?"

"You want to call her Aunt Ant?"

"Hey, I know it's stupid, but-"

Mami bursts out in laughter. "Oh, Sabrina! Only you. Alright then. Ari it is."

Ari squeals happily as she's lifted off the floor and lifted into Mami's bosom.

"You're pretty cute for a giant worm thing, Ari. But you're also pretty light."

"The Chitin is laced with natural carbon nano-fibers to make it stronger than its weight would allow." You don't know how you know that.

"Neat." Says Mami distractedly, wriggling a finger over your Familiar. "Hey baby. Hey baby! You're so cute~!"

Ari opens her mandibles wide, which makes her look like she's grinning massively. Then, without warning, a stream of bright green fluid jets out of her mouth and hoses Mami down with vomit.

For a moment, time stands still, as Mami drips with violently green baby-bug vomit. You struggle valiantly not to laugh.

"Do you have a handkerchief?" Mami asks after a short while, her eyes still closed, and opening her mouth only as much as necessary.

*********************************************************​

Ari turns out to naturally ride heads.

You find this out by the next day, Ari having scurried all over Mami's clothes, necessitating a rapid change into Meguca gear to avoid damage, before nuzzling into her flaxen hair like a puppy into it's bed and falling asleep. The walk home was quite awkward, and probably made a bit of extra work for Kyuubey, given a few of the double-takes you got.

Still, you made it home in one piece, and are now nestled with Mami on her couch, gnawing on some cookies and watching silly television, waiting for your friends to arrive.

Homura is, of course the first to arrive. You know it's Homura because only Homura would ignore the doorbell in favor of a highly military and regulated-sounding trio of firm knocks on the door. You pry the sleepy insect off of Mami's head, and before it wakes up enough to do more than scrabble uselessly at your arms, plop it down in your snowy tresses.

Grinning, you open the door, coming face-to-face with a stone-faced girl in black.

One who immediately jumps back, eyes shooting wide open, her hands screaming into position to both guard her and quickly draw a glock from her shield. She even has one leg raised halfway into a kick, and looks every inch the frightened deer.

Then, calmly and smoothly, she straightens, her face going from fear to an absolute look of pure revenge in the span of a single second. Homura glares at you, chilling the air around you so deeply you're afraid it might condense into a bose-einstein condensate. "What." She growls. "Have you done?"

"I have Headcrabs, Homura. I'm a Headcrab Zombie."

Homura grinds her teeth, staring at the abomination you're wearing as a hat. "Don't worry. I can fix that." She says, withdrawing a crowbar from her shield.

"Woah! Woah, it was a joke! A joke! Don't hit my Familiar with a crowbar, Homura! It took 5 hours to make him!"

"Your FAMILIAR?!" Homura says in a tone of voice that is as close to a screech as you've ever seen her get. "As in, A Witches Familiar?!"

"I'll explain it all once everyone gets here! We have to ambush Sayaka right now!"

"What- Ghuck!" Says Homura, as you drag her around the corner.

Almost immediately, Ari wakes up.

Then, you hear voices coming up the stairs.

Then, you feel a pressure on your head, which lifts off and away from you.

Then, Sayaka turns the corner.

Then, Ari lands on Homura's head.

You offer a prayer to the god of chaos to spare you, for he is the only god remaining in this household.

Homura immediately screams like a banshee, joined quickly by Sayaka and a rather more excited than scared Madoka. She bolts towards the door, with all the speed of a Puella Magi hyped up on adrenaline. Luckily she misses Madoka, even though her slipstream rushes past the pinkette so quickly that it actually steals one of her ribbons, taking it flying behind her. Sayaka isn't nearly as lucky, catching Homura's shoulder (thrown like a professional Rugby player) in her sternum. There's a vicious *crack* as Sayaka goes sailing through the open door and into the wall behind it, her head blasting through plaster, wood and cement, leaving her lodged chest-deep in the building. Homura exits stage right, apparently completely done with the whole situation.

Ari lands with a plop right between Sayaka's legs. She almost seems confused for a moment, before looking upwards, right underneath Sayaka's skirt.

As the dust settles and the plaster crumbles around Sayaka, someone in the room let's loose a perfectly tones wolf whistle.

Mami turns to you. "I think we have a problem child."









I don't know what form our familiar will take (though I think I might try to write more of Ari cuz she's adorable to me). I don't know what noise it shall issue. I don't even know if it will ever exist. But I know one thing. It's our familiar. That means it is nothing less than a tiny, hyper-dense package of Absolute Chaos.

And by the way, the next four are going to be named Jum-P, San-D, Maga-Z, and of course, Franklin.
 
LostDeviljho said:
This:


And this:


Share basically no resemblance.

Additionally:


And while its actions may certainly get that, the being itself doesn't, really.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yea you're right, the fact that this alien is taking on a form little earth girls are comfortable with totally invalidates the comparison. It's not like Nyarlothetep took disarming and trustworthy forms for his own schemes or anything.

The appearance of eldritch horror is irrelevant, Lost, it's the low-hanging fruit that was never really the focus of Lovecraft's fiction except to convey a point through imagery. The real horror is that these beings are basically arbitrarily powerful, don't have our best interests in mind, and we are ultimately irrelevant to the greater universe as a whole.

Cthulhu isn't scary because he's a spoopy octopus monster, he's scary because when he wakes up as part of his natural life cycle, he'll kill everything on Earth as an unintentional side-effect, and no one will miss or mourn the human race. The horror comes from nihilism of a godless universe.

Kyubey represents that perfectly, until Madokami genre-shifts the entire multiverse.
 
AuraTwilight said:
Yea you're right, the fact that this alien is taking on a form little earth girls are comfortable with totally invalidates the comparison. It's not like Nyarlothetep took disarming and trustworthy forms for his own schemes or anything.

The appearance of eldritch horror is irrelevant, Lost, it's the low-hanging fruit that was never really the focus of Lovecraft's fiction except to convey a point through imagery. The real horror is that these beings are basically arbitrarily powerful, don't have our best interests in mind, and we are ultimately irrelevant to the greater universe as a whole.

Cthulhu isn't scary because he's a spoopy octopus monster, he's scary because when he wakes up as part of his natural life cycle, he'll kill everything on Earth as an unintentional side-effect, and no one will miss or mourn the human race. The horror comes from nihilism of a godless universe.

Kyubey represents that perfectly, until Madokami genre-shifts the entire multiverse.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Maybe not, but the fact is that being a spoopy scary skellington is so inherently part of the eldritch horror trope that anything that doesn't meet that mark loses points off the "classical eldritch horror" test. Cthulu may be uncaringly omnicidal, but he's also a giant octopus monster, and if he's not a giant octopus monster, he isn't Cthulu.

Kyubey isn't a "classical" eldritch horror because he fails 50% of the test.

(Also, looking at wikipedia the Yith comparison is basically non-valid other than "they're really smart yo")
 
LostDeviljho said:
Maybe not, but the fact is that being a spoopy scary skellington is so inherently part of the eldritch horror trope that anything that doesn't meet that mark loses points off the "classical eldritch horror" test. Cthulu may be uncaringly omnicidal, but he's also a giant octopus monster, and if he's not a giant octopus monster, he isn't Cthulu.

Kyubey isn't a "classical" eldritch horror because he fails 50% of the test.

(Also, looking at wikipedia the Yith comparison is basically non-valid other than "they're really smart yo")
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

>Argues what makes something Lovecraftian Horror.
>Has to use Wikipedia to read on one of the most iconic creatures.

Yea okay. No, it's really not. Appearance doesn't matter except to play off the otherness of the creature. A lot of the greatest stories of Lovecraft didn't involve spoops or tentacles or creepy crawlies. The Dreamlands, the Color Out of Space, Innsmouth, anything involving Nyarlothetep...

Cthulhu is a giant octopus monster to make him antediluvian, not spooky. He's supposed to look like something aquatic that would've been unearthed as an extinct fossilized creature from the Precambrian era or something because Lovecraft himself was super fucking creeped out by the fossil record, evolution, and the implications that the human form weren't relevant to the cosmos and that we had no special place in the universe.

The fact that tentacle spoops are passe and par for the course means they are no longer Lovecraftian or Eldritch. We expect it. It's not visceral anymore. Kyubey forgoes that bullshit and cuts to the actual emotional core of destroying the human protagonists' sense of self-value and agency. He presents a cosmic ultimatum where humanity serves no purpose except to die for an even greater life form.

That's Lovecraftian Horror. Everything else is just garnish to decorate the dinner plate.
 
AuraTwilight said:
>Argues what makes something Lovecraftian Horror.
>Has to use Wikipedia to read on one of the most iconic creatures.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I have never (and likely never will) read any of lovecraft's works in full, largely because I find his prose to be, quite frankly, godawful.
Wikipedia is the quickest source.
AuraTwilight said:
The fact that tentacle spoops are passe and par for the course means they are no longer Lovecraftian or Eldritch. We expect it. It's not visceral anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
it is however, an originator and codifier. It's the "classical" eldritch abomination.
AuraTwilight said:
Kyubey forgoes that bullshit and cuts to the actual emotional core of destroying the human protagonists' sense of self-value and agency. He presents a cosmic ultimatum where humanity serves no purpose except to die for an even greater life form.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Aura. I know. I never said he wasn't an eldritch horror, just that he wasn't one of the "classical" ones.
 
Redshirt Army said:
Extending vote, because it clearly wasn't long enough yet.


[x] Greet everyone cheerfully. Ask how they're doing.
-[x] Ask to cleanse Homura.

[x] If additional healing of Kyousuke does happen today, provide cleanses for that as well.

[x] While healing happens, or if it doesn't, just as small talk...
-[x] Ask Sayaka what her schedule is like tommorow other than the picnic.
--[x] Telepathy Mami and, should Sayaka's schedule permit it, and picnic preparations won't take up too much time, ask about additional training for Sayaka in the morning.
---[x] If she's fine with it, mention that theres a few things about your own powers you wouldn't mind testing as well, perhaps a little earlier, and having her there to spot would be great.
----[x] If Mami's cool with it, ask Sayaka about more training tommorow morning. She'll probably jump at the chance for more testing.

[x] Try and look for an excuse to hug Madoka and/or Hitomi. Take the opportunity if it arises.
-[x] If questioned, mention that you noticed you hadn't hugged them yet, and thus sought to rectify the oversight.

(Decided against inviting Homu - if too many people show up for training, Madoka will feel excluded, and that's a big issue. Better to keep it low-key.)

[x] Once Mami thinks we need to get going to buy baking supplies, say goodbye to everyone and head out.
-[x] While shopping, if you spot a cheap laser pointer along the way, toss it in the purchase pile.
--[x] If Mami asks, let her know about your idea to compare grief lasers with actual lasers.

[x] Head home with your spoils of war, and discuss plans on what will be prepared for the picnic tommorow.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Not super urgent but I do think we should dump off our grief to Kyubey before we leave the hospital.
 
Karnewarrior said:
Gasping, You withdraw from your trance.

The first thing you see is Mami looking at you worriedly, honey eyes blinking as yours open.

"Suh, dude?" You say, causing a weak smile to crack across her face.

"What? I don't understand where you get those phrases from sometimes, Sabrina."

You smile back, still feeling a bit punch-drunk. "Well, to be honest, I've had the voices in my head watching television shows that may or may not exist. So really, I don't know where I get them from either. So, did it work?"

"I-It did. Which is a little concerning, to be completely honest. But if it helps us distribute more Clear Seeds, I'm happy. And it is kind of cute..."

"Really?" The mention of possible adorability shakes you out of your post-grief-bending daze. "Where is it?"

"Mreep?" Says something else, sounding oddly human.

"Now you're the one making things up, Mami." You say chastisingly.

"I didn't say that. Your... Your Familiar did."

Blinking, you look at the ground in front of you. It looks almost like some kind of insect; it's bulbous body is semi-translucent, allowing you to see it's innards shift and squeeze around as it rolls over like a dog. It has ten legs - each a solid piece of chitin curved like a cow's horn, which clatter as it takes its first steps in the abandoned warehouse. It's head looks like a rather solid piece of brownish bone or chitin - but most of it is taken up by a pair of massive eyes that bulge out of the head. They're almost human-looking, even though they don't blink; its pupils are giant and dark black, rimmed by a pair of bright green irises. On the very tip of its almond-shaped head are a pair of tiny mandibles that look wickedly sharp, and a pair of antennae occasionally swipe at its eyes to clean them of debris.

The over-all effect is... scary. But also a little bit cute. Perhaps Mami is just better around bugs than you are; she kneels in front of your familiar (A SMAC Worm, your powers tell you, which concerns you even deeper) and holds out her hand. The massive larva looks at it, and rolls over again, presenting it's underbelly.

"Mraa!" It says again, still sounding way too human for its mouthparts.

"Who's a cute little worm?" Asks Mami playfully, rubbing the things stomach. The SMAC Worm shudders in pleasure, crying out like a baby.

Hesitantly, you reach down and put a hand on its belly as well. It's not slimy, like you expected; in fact, it feels almost like a waterbed. Your Familiar's innards slosh about under your hand as you gently rub the thin flesh. It strikes you almost how vulnerable this thing is; it really is like a baby. You can feel how thin the skin of its belly is through your hand; if you had a mind to, you could simply pop it open and kill it without much more than a thought.

The thought of doing that almost makes you feel sick though. It doesn't seem very hostile. Not like the Clara Dolls, or some of the other familiars you've encountered in Witches Labyrinths. It actually feels almost... familial.

"What should we name it?" Asks Mami, now moved on to stroking the insect's antennae. It seems to enjoy the attention, once Mami learns how to run her hand through the soft bristles that cover them.

"Uhh..." You hadn't given that much thought. But Mami seems almost attached to this thing... You come up with a name on the fly.

"Mushi?" You say, finally. Mami purses her lips.

"You can do better than that."

"Fine... Uh... Ari-Oba?"

Mami look at you silently and blankly for a moment, before scowling. Then her lip twitches. "Is... You want... Is that a bilingual pun?"

"Maybe?"

"You want to call her Aunt Ant?"

"Hey, I know it's stupid, but-"

Mami bursts out in laughter. "Oh, Sabrina! Only you. Alright then. Ari it is."

Ari squeals happily as she's lifted off the floor and lifted into Mami's bosom.

"You're pretty cute for a giant worm thing, Ari. But you're also pretty light."

"The Chitin is laced with natural carbon nano-fibers to make it stronger than its weight would allow." You don't know how you know that.

"Neat." Says Mami distractedly, wriggling a finger over your Familiar. "Hey baby. Hey baby! You're so cute~!"

Ari opens her mandibles wide, which makes her look like she's grinning massively. Then, without warning, a stream of bright green fluid jets out of her mouth and hoses Mami down with vomit.

For a moment, time stands still, as Mami drips with violently green baby-bug vomit. You struggle valiantly not to laugh.

"Do you have a handkerchief?" Mami asks after a short while, her eyes still closed, and opening her mouth only as much as necessary.

*********************************************************​

Ari turns out to naturally ride heads.

You find this out by the next day, Ari having scurried all over Mami's clothes, necessitating a rapid change into Meguca gear to avoid damage, before nuzzling into her flaxen hair like a puppy into it's bed and falling asleep. The walk home was quite awkward, and probably made a bit of extra work for Kyuubey, given a few of the double-takes you got.

Still, you made it home in one piece, and are now nestled with Mami on her couch, gnawing on some cookies and watching silly television, waiting for your friends to arrive.

Homura is, of course the first to arrive. You know it's Homura because only Homura would ignore the doorbell in favor of a highly military and regulated-sounding trio of firm knocks on the door. You pry the sleepy insect off of Mami's head, and before it wakes up enough to do more than scrabble uselessly at your arms, plop it down in your snowy tresses.

Grinning, you open the door, coming face-to-face with a stone-faced girl in black.

One who immediately jumps back, eyes shooting wide open, her hands screaming into position to both guard her and quickly draw a glock from her shield. She even has one leg raised halfway into a kick, and looks every inch the frightened deer.

Then, calmly and smoothly, she straightens, her face going from fear to an absolute look of pure revenge in the span of a single second. Homura glares at you, chilling the air around you so deeply you're afraid it might condense into a bose-einstein condensate. "What." She growls. "Have you done?"

"I have Headcrabs, Homura. I'm a Headcrab Zombie."

Homura grinds her teeth, staring at the abomination you're wearing as a hat. "Don't worry. I can fix that." She says, withdrawing a crowbar from her shield.

"Woah! Woah, it was a joke! A joke! Don't hit my Familiar with a crowbar, Homura! It took 5 hours to make him!"

"Your FAMILIAR?!" Homura says in a tone of voice that is as close to a screech as you've ever seen her get. "As in, A Witches Familiar?!"

"I'll explain it all once everyone gets here! We have to ambush Sayaka right now!"

"What- Ghuck!" Says Homura, as you drag her around the corner.

Almost immediately, Ari wakes up.

Then, you hear voices coming up the stairs.

Then, you feel a pressure on your head, which lifts off and away from you.

Then, Sayaka turns the corner.

Then, Ari lands on Homura's head.

You offer a prayer to the god of chaos to spare you, for he is the only god remaining in this household.

Homura immediately screams like a banshee, joined quickly by Sayaka and a rather more excited than scared Madoka. She bolts towards the door, with all the speed of a Puella Magi hyped up on adrenaline. Luckily she misses Madoka, even though her slipstream rushes past the pinkette so quickly that it actually steals one of her ribbons, taking it flying behind her. Sayaka isn't nearly as lucky, catching Homura's shoulder (thrown like a professional Rugby player) in her sternum. There's a vicious *crack* as Sayaka goes sailing through the open door and into the wall behind it, her head blasting through plaster, wood and cement, leaving her lodged chest-deep in the building. Homura exits stage right, apparently completely done with the whole situation.

Ari lands with a plop right between Sayaka's legs. She almost seems confused for a moment, before looking upwards, right underneath Sayaka's skirt.

As the dust settles and the plaster crumbles around Sayaka, someone in the room let's loose a perfectly tones wolf whistle.

Mami turns to you. "I think we have a problem child."









I don't know what form our familiar will take (though I think I might try to write more of Ari cuz she's adorable to me). I don't know what noise it shall issue. I don't even know if it will ever exist. But I know one thing. It's our familiar. That means it is nothing less than a tiny, hyper-dense package of Absolute Chaos.

And by the way, the next four are going to be named Jum-P, San-D, Maga-Z, and of course, Franklin.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Do more Kame.
Plz.
MOAR.
 
Y'know, I was originally going to say "Mephistopheles" instead of "Eldritch Horror" because that's Kyubey's thematic counterpart, but it just didn't flow well for comedy purposes.

I rather strongly suspect that the bunny-cat look isn't the Incubators' true form. What they look like on their home planet is probably a lot less adorable. And even the bunny-cat form, for all its deliberate, manufacted cuteness, has an inherent wrongness to it. If I told my D&D players that they saw a creature that looked like a white cat with tentacle hands growing out of its ears, with strange gold rings floating around them, red eyes, a mouth on its face that never opens and a mouth on its back that does... I think even the ones that hadn't seen PMMM would be rolling initiative in a desperate attempt to kill it. At which point they would discover that its body contains neither blood nor organs.... :o

But yeah, Lovecraft (and whether you like his writing or not, he did kind of define the modern notion of eldritch horror) had some monsters that were less about obvious grossness and more about being insidious and infiltrating. In that vein, Kyubey seems to fit pretty well, I think.
 
I like to think of the causality the other way around. That is Kyuubey's true form. The reason we find it cute isn't because he's making himself look cute. It's because he's programmed us to find his form cute. I find the implications more appropriate.
 
The Narrator said:
If I told my D&D players that they saw a creature that looked like a white cat with tentacle hands growing out of its ears, with strange gold rings floating around them, red eyes, a mouth on its face that never opens and a mouth on its back that does... I think even the ones that hadn't seen PMMM would be rolling initiative in a desperate attempt to kill it. At which point they would discover that its body contains neither blood nor organs.... :o
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Well yeah, you phrase it right you can make just about anything out as terrifying.

(and kyubey's mouth does open, btw. he just doesn't talk with it, so there's no need most of the time.)

Sereg said:
I like to think of the causality the other way around. That is Kyuubey's true form. The reason we find it cute isn't because he's making himself look cute. It's because he's programmed us to find his form cute. I find the implications more appropriate.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I... find that doubtful. It honestly seems out of character for him. He's perfectly willing to deceive and mislead, but he never directly impinges on the free will of anyone, that we're aware of, and "programming" the human race is definitely that.
 
Last edited:
LostDeviljho said:
I... find that doubtful. It honestly seems out of character for him. He's perfectly willing to deceive and mislead, but he never directly impinges on the free will of anyone, that we're aware of, and "programming" the human race is definitely that.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

He manipulates humans into believing certain things. that's what I mean by "programming"
 
Sereg said:
He manipulates humans into believing certain things. that's what I mean by "programming"
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
"cuteness" isn't something he could manipulate to that extent, though.
I mean, I'm pretty sure it's canon that he manipulates mass-media to reinforce "trust the huggable plushy", but he's not the one who gets to define "huggable."
 
Karnewarrior said:
I don't know what form our familiar will take (though I think I might try to write more of Ari cuz she's adorable to me). I don't know what noise it shall issue. I don't even know if it will ever exist. But I know one thing. It's our familiar. That means it is nothing less than a tiny, hyper-dense package of Absolute Chaos.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
What? No Brinadoll, no microwave-familiar, no flying squirrel or crow, not even a hat familiar??? For shame...

But you got this wrong:
It's our familiar. That means it is nothing less than a tiny, hyper-dense package of Absolute Chaos.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This is what it means:
Onmur said:
Would you have the heart to do that? Our familiars deserve our full and unconditional support, first and foremost! So what if they come out a little weird... and violent... They'll be ours!
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
:V
 
Remove ads
Anomalous Materials pt. 47
  • Threadmarks
    • You give Homura a quick smile. "Evening!" you call, raising your hand in a cheerful wave. "How's everyone?"

    "Hello, Mami, Sabrina," Hitomi says, giving you a polite smile. Kyousuke essays a little wave with his good hand, looking faintly surprised at the influx of girls into his hospital room. Well. He'll live; it's not like it's the first time this has happened to him.

    "Hi!" Madoka says, a bright, hopeful smile shining on her face. "Did... did things go well?"

    "They went great!" Sayaka says, flexing one arm. "The Witch was no match for I, Dame Miki and her trusty companions!"

    "Dame Miki?" Madoka asks.

    "A female knight," Kwijibo says, smiling a little. "Right?"

    "That's right!" Sayaka says, giving him a bright smile. She props her chin on her hands, eagerly watching Kwijibo. "How did you know?"

    The grey haired boy shrugs. "I don't have much to do apart from reading," he says. "Though thanks to you... all of you... that's changed."

    "What are the doctors saying?" Hitomi asks, leaning forward a little.

    You shuffle along the side of the room, Mami following you. There's an amused look in her eye as she watches the byplay. She sinks into a chair, looking up at you and patting the chair beside her in clear invitation. You take a seat - it's the last seat in the room, anyway, leaving you between Homura and Mami.

    "It's a miracle," Kwijibo says simply. The smile lights up his entire face, eyes distant.

    "That's wonderful, Kyousuke!" Sayaka enthuses. Hitomi smiles, leaning back.

    "Yeah," Kyousuke says. "It is."

    You can't help but roll your eyes a little, relaxing on the chair. You let your head thump against the wall behind you. "Hey, Homura?" you ask, tilting your gaze a little to your left. "Do you need a cleanse?"

    She nods, Soul Gem appearing on her palm with a shimmer of violet light. You take note of the churning Grief bubbling just beneath the surface. A twitch of your will rips free a river of Grief, mottled patterns twisting through the air. It gets a sharp look from Sayaka, who relaxes when she sees it's you.

    Mami just smiles, leaning her head against your shoulder.

    Homura nods. "Thank you."

    "No problem," you say. "Everything went well?"

    She nods again.

    Excellent. You'd guessed as much from her tiny confirming nod earlier, but it's good to be sure. Your course is locked for Walpurgisnacht, then. The people living here will be safe, evacuated to shelters ahead of time. Hopefully, Madoka will go with them, safely out of the way for the big battle.

    You snort softly. And maybe Kyuubey will decide it means peace and goodwill to all meguca and start giving away Grief Seeds.

    "... so then I cut its legs off!" Sayaka's saying, gesticulating wildly with both hands as you shake yourself from your reverie and tune back into the conversation.

    "Oh my," Hitomi says, covering her mouth with her hand. "Weren't you afraid, Sayaka?"

    "Hah, no!" Sayaka declares proudly, raising her chin. "It's my duty now!"

    "No, I mean I thought you were afraid of spiders," Hitomi says, a teasing smile on her face. "You were complaining about a spider in the shower this morning!"

    "Eeeeeeeeh," Sayaka says, scrunching up her face. "That's behind me now! Anyway, Kyousuke, we're having a picnic tomorrow, do you think they will let you out for that?" She glances obliquely at you for confirmation, and you nod in agreement.

    "Huh?" Kyousuke asks, blinking at Sayaka. "Oh, um... "Where is it? And when? Um, I can ask..."

    "You could bring your violin!" Hitomi proposes.

    Kwijibo sits straight up, grey eyes all but lighting up. "That's a great idea," he agrees. "I'll see what the doctors say."

    "Hey, speaking of the picnic and bad segues," you pipe up. "Sorry, don't mean to interrupt, but while I remember to ask - Sayaka, what's your schedule look like tomorrow? Other than the picnic?"

    "Hmm..." Sayaka says. "I've got homework to do, but not much? Why?"

    "Oh, well, I was wondering if you wanted to do more training in the morning?" You turn to Mami. "We'll have time to prepare for the picnic after lunch, right?"

    Mami brightens. "That sounds great!" she says. "We'll have plenty of time, yes. Um... We're going shopping today, right?"

    "Yeah, I thought so. Maybe before we have dinner?" you suggest.

    "We should have plenty of time!" Mami says.

    "Yeah," Sayaka agrees. "I can make tomorrow morning!"

    "Don't forget your homework, Sayaka," Hitomi says.

    "Ah... We could do it together at my place tonight?" Madoka offers. "Homura, Hitomi, you could come too!"

    Before Homura can respond, you take the opportunity to jab her in the ribs with your elbow. It doesn't go unnoticed, either, Hitomi catching your gaze. You shrug, smirking.

    "I'll go," Homura acquiesces, giving you a Look you can see in the corner of your eye. You transfer your smirk to her.

    "That's all settled then," you say, blithely satisfied. You turn back to Mami. "By the way, Mami, I'll want to try a few things about my own powers tomorrow, if that's OK? And... I'd like you to be my spotter, if you want to?"

    "Of course, Sabrina," she says, giving you a warm smile. "Anything. Though..."

    "Mmm?" you ask, tilting your head.

    "No... just that we need to leave a bit early to go shopping," she says. "It's almost five."

    You glance at the clock. "Ah, so it is. Bah, where's the time gone?"

    "Basking in my awesomeness?" Sayaka asks, grinning at you.

    "You can go bask someone else in your awesomeness," you shoot back, lurching to your feet. You smile at everyone. "I guess Mami and I shall make an early move, then. Shall we?" You offer her your hand.

    She accepts it, letting you pull her to feet. "Excuse us, everyone," she says, picking up her school bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

    "Oh, before you go," Hitomi says. "We never did settle it - the picnic is tomorrow evening, correct? Four-thirty, Gokai Park?"

    "It is," you agree, glancing at Kwijibo. "There you go."

    Violin-boy nods sharply. "I'll ask. Hopefully they'll let me out..."

    "Then... see you tomorrow," Hitomi says, nodding at you. You exchange farewells with everyone else and head out. You'd meant to try and hug Madoka and or Hitomi, to fulfill your hug quota, but... eh, you'd have had to go out of the way.

    Mami touches your arm, peeking up at you. You laugh and offer her your arm, which she promptly hugs.

    "So where should we go, anyway?" you ask.

    "Mmm?" Mami asks, humming.

    "Oh, I was just wondering if we needed to get anything special?" you say.

    "Hmm..." Mami says, releasing your arm to rummage in her bag. "I made a shopping list. We should be able to get everything at the supermarket!"

    "Works for me," you say. "To the supermarket, then! The one near our place? Shall we take a bus?"

    Mami nods. "Yes, and yes," she says, flashing you a smile as you turn towards the hospital's bus stop.

    You don't have to wait too long for the bus, spending the ride with Mami dozing happily against your shoulder. There's no surprise visit from a certain silver haired seer this time, not that you were really expecting one. She had damned well better be resting at home. You get off a stop earlier, walking to the supermarket to shop for all the things you'll need.

    "... Sabrina, is that niboshi? And a... laser pointer?" Mami asks, looking at you from the vegetables she's examining.

    "Yep," you confirm, showing her the little package of Japanese sardines and the toy. "We still have gas cartridges for that portable stove at home, right?"

    Mami nods. "Do you have something in mind?"

    "Yup," you say, grinning. "But not for the picnic. Maybe Sunday?"

    "Alright," Mami responds, smiling back. "Help me find a fresh carton of eggs?"

    "Sure," you say, and meander off to do just that.

    The rest of your shopping trip passes without incident, and you head home with both hands full of grocery bags. You're glad for your magical girl strength - you probably wouldn't be able to carry half this much without it.

    "Oh, I hope this picnic will go well," Mami frets, a worried frown creasing her brow.

    "I'm sure it will, Mami," you reassure her. "Hmm... We'll be baking a cake for tomorrow, yes? What else shall we make? I'm kind of thinking I want to make a curry."

    "Curry?" Mami asks, turning the corner. "That's an unusual choice. Um... I was thinking some gyoza, onigiri, some mochi... Bamboo shoots, maybe? Some steamed tofu might be nice."

    "Egg rolls, dango?" you suggest. "And yeah, I was thinking of trying out an Indian curry, just for comparison. We have the spices for it. Cross the street?"

    "Ah!" Mami says, nodding and stopping at the traffic light. "I was wondering what you wanted the turmeric for. And yes, those sound like great ideas."

    "Yup," you agree. "Japanese curry is great, but variety is the spice of life and all that, right?" The light turns green, so you pace across the road. Interestingly enough, you can't help but notice that you're not getting as many stares. Or rather, people notice the shopping bags and seem to shrug it off.

    Of course, it's early, and the crowds aren't terribly thick yet. You head home, making your way up the lift and kicking your shoes off. Padding inside, you drop the bags on the kitchen counter and start tidying up the groceries, Mami joining you.

    "Hm..." you say, unearthing a package of nice, fatty pork belly. "If we start marinating this tonight, we can prepare chashu tomorrow, bring some for the picnic, and keep enough for the rest of the week?"

    "Good idea," Mami agrees, shuttling to the fridge with an armful of food to put away. "What shall we have for dinner... Does udon sound good to you?"

    "Yeah," you agreed, hunting for the udon you'd bought. "Mirin, mirin, where's the mirin..."

    "Here," Mami says, producing the bottle of Japanese cooking wine. She smiles warmly at you, and you can't help but smile back, savouring the tranquil domesticity while it lasts.

    [] Write-in

    =====​

    Well, you know what's coming next. Vote accordingly~
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top