You mouth snaps shut. Madokami
damn it, if you'd just said Walpurgisnacht rather than actually
describing it- hell, you'd
said Walpurgisnacht earlier in the conversation. Madoka didn't even notice or comment about
that.
You and your big, stupid mouth, but- damn it. Not irrecoverable.
"Ugh," you grunt, waving your hand in the air. The other is captured in Mami's hand. "Sorry, sorry. OK, Madoka: I apologise for the way I phrased that." Your eyes flicker over to Homura, whose expression shades towards a tight scowl.
"Look, it-" isn't a big deal? But it is. Isn't a problem? Maybe. "Walpurgisnacht is a Witch that's coming to Mitakihara. It
is a small natural disaster, but... it's also fucking
dead, uh. Pardon my language."
"I think what Sabrina means to say is that we're handling the problem," Mami cuts in with a smile. "I'm confident that we can protect the city."
Nadia looks bemused, leaning back in her chair to observe. Madoka has her hands clutched in front of her, soft pink eyes darting from one person to the next.
"B-but if it destroys the city-" Madoka says, voice tremulous.
"Homura already took measures to prevent that," you say, smiling faintly at Madoka and giving Homura a nod. "She hacked the meteorological agency's computers, and they'll wind up predicting a freak supercell storm on the day of Walpurgisnacht. The people will be safe, and for the rest of
us? We'll be right here to beat it."
"Yeah!" Sayaka says, grinning fiercely slamming her fist into her palm. "We're going to kick its
ass."
You nod in firm agreement. "And well - that's part of what we're here for today," you say, and extend your hand to Nadia. "I was going to break this more diplomatically, but just to bring everyone to the same page, Nadia, Madoka, what I want to do is to bring in as many magical girls as is practical. And to be honest? Killing Walpy stone dead is going to be a
side effect."
"O-oh," Madoka says, looking down. "S-sorry."
Nadia laughs, loud and boisterous. "Ah, I missed Japan," she snorts. "Sabrina, Mami, you want recruits? You will
get more girls than you can count."
She leans back in her chair, smirk curling her lips and one arm propped easily on the backrest. "My word is good. If I carry the news, that there is a Grief cleanser here, they will come. Especially knowing that it is Tomoe Mami's city. Walpurgisnacht... It will not deter many."
"Do remember what I said, yeah?" you note, squeezing Mami's hand. You trace little patterns on the back of her hand, giving her a smile.
"Yes, the girls who are reasonable," Nadia says, nodding in agreement. "But if they ask, I do not hide it." She shakes her head. "I do not conceal the news, anyway."
"S-so it's going to be OK?" Madoka asks, ducking her head.
"It will," you say, spreading your hands and meeting Homura's eyes. "It's going to work. We'll bring Walpurgisnacht down, and whatever might come after."
You're tempted to give an inspiring speech or something, but now isn't really the time, not sitting here in a bright, sunlight dappled cafe. Now is the time to simply be
steady. You're confident in beating Walpurgisnacht. There are so many things that could go wrong.
There are so many ways you can
fight back, and you need Madoka to believe that.
You're sitting on a pile of secrets a meter thick, and you can't tell Madoka any of it here and now. You might, one day not too far off. She, of all people, needs to be brought in. Here and now, all you need is for Madoka to believe you. To believe
in you and Mami and Homura and Sayaka, that this
will happen.
"And that's almost a month away," Mami says with a faint smile. "I think by that time we'll be well prepared to face it. I..." She exhales slowly, almost a sigh. "I should hope you don't make a contract, Madoka. I don't mean to disrespect anyone here, but..."
Madoka wilts. "A-alright."
Sayaka pulls a face, jaw setting mulishly as she folds her arms. "Yeah, well," she mutters.
Homura's scowl tightens as she glances at Sayaka, but doesn't comment any further.
You sigh, rubbing at your eyes with your free hand. "Leaving that aside for now," you say. "Since it came up, what kind of girls do you think we'll get, Nadia?"
"The desperate," Nadia says, as blunt as your hammer. "The ones who come first, they will be desperate. Maybe they come in ones or twos. Next will come the ones who are single." She pauses, frowning. "No, not single, the... The loners?"
You can't quite help but notice the way Mami blushes. "The loners, yes," you say. "The ones who don't have any group or friends to hold them there, right?"
Nadia nods rapidly in agreement, walking two fingers through the air as if trying to demonstrate the travel. "It is easy to pack up and leave without friends, ay? The last ones to come will be groups. If you want, mm, teams, you will have to go out personally."
"G-groups? Like... Mami and Sayaka and Homura and Sabrina?" Madoka asks, still twisting her fingers.
"Uh huh," Nadia agrees. "There are usually small groups holding cities, or parts of cities or towns,
fimti?"
Madoka nods, shrinking a little at the attention.
"Mm. Before I forget, yes," Nadia says, turning her attention to Mami. "The Shiogama group is, mm, broken two months ago. Tanaka Misato was killed by a Witch. Watanabe Noriko survives, along with Saito Akemi. Not you, begging your pardon." She nods at Homura, and then at you. "With your permission, if they want, I send them here?"
You smile at Mami, raising your eyebrows at her.
Her decision, not yours - you might be the driving force behind this group, but
she is the leader. You think.
Mami smiles softly back at you, fingers tightening. "I would be fine with it. Sabrina? Sayaka, Homura? Madoka?"
Homura, on the other hand, nods. "More people to help fight Walpurgisnacht is good," she murmurs, frown still in place. She looks somewhat mollified, though.
Sayaka's mouth falls open, jolted out of her momentary sulk. "Of course we're gonna take them. Right, Mami?" She gives Homura a disapproving look.
Said look simply washes off Homura, the time traveller blinking slowly at the other girl. Madoka, by contrast, simply looks horrified, her mouth open in a perfect little 'o' of horror.
"We can certainly afford to, with Sabrina here," Mami says with a faint smile. "Sabrina? What do you think?"
[] Write-in
=====
Moving on...
