You hum thoughtfully, eyeing the ceiling. It's a nice ceiling, but besides the point right now, which is that...
Hm.
"Do you mind if I put up a privacy sphere?" you ask. "Just a couple things I wanna discuss, and then I'll go grab you some groceries?"
"By all means," Oriko says.
"Alright. Gimme a few minutes, then," you say, and summon some fresh Grief from the cloud. You take a deep breath, and
focus. Privacy is a familiar pattern to you now, a familiar
twist to your
will as you bring it to bear against the Grief. Your determination against reality, to twist what is into what could be.
Your will be done.
You breathe out, pushing aside the malevolent press of
Witch on your senses. The world beyond hazes to grey, shimmering as though behind a curtain of water.
"So what's up this time?" Kirika asks brightly.
"Well... I've been experimenting with Clear Seeds," you say. You reach into your pocket and withdraw Aurora. It -she?- doesn't seem to have reacted to the sensation of
Witch radiating from your privacy field.
"Shiny," Kirika says, holding a hand out for the Seed. You pass it over, smiling as Kirika holds it up for Oriko to see, too.
"It feels different," Oriko notes.
"And it's covered with all this gunk," Kirika says.
"Yeah. I've been feeding it magic," you say. "Well... hope flavoured magic."
"Pardon me?" Oriko says, taken aback.
"You heard me," you say. You grin at her,
entirely too amused by the surprise on Oriko's face. Even without her precognizance, you don't really manage to shock her all that much. "Also, the black gunk is Grief, Kirika. Enchanted Grief, specifically, Aurora seems to... I dunno, prefer to protect itself behind the Grief?"
"Awww," Kirika says, raising the Seed to eye level and tapping it. "She's hiding!"
"Seems like it," you say. "Anyway... I was wondering if you guys would be willing to help me? The process isn't too different from enchanting, except instead of trying to
shape the magic, I, uh, think happy thoughts at the magic. Or hopeful thoughts."
"On what?" Oriko asks. "We only possess the one Clear Seed."
"Which you're not really willing to experiment on," you say, only half questioning.
"We do have the regular Grief Seed!" Kirika says brightly.
"Yeah, but I don't think this'll work on regular ones," you say, cupping your chin thoughtfully. "And I think Sayaka and Homura would be unhappy if I just made you another Clear Seed, and... yeah, I can't ask you to experiment on Etheldred when it's your only Clear Seed and you can't hunt for yourselves, either. Dang."
Kirika reaches out to pat you gently on the shoulder.
"I assume you believe this could lead to the return of the girl who Witched out?" Oriko asks, removing Aurora from Kirika's grasp and handing it back to you.
"I sure as hell
hope so," you agree, taking the Clear Seed and tucking her away. "Heh. Hope. If it's sucking up magic and
hope, then
something's happening. I'm going to explore the thread as far as it'll lead me, at any rate."
Oriko nods thoughtfully, eyes distant.
"I would be happy to help, but not with our only Grief Seed," she says. "I... mean no offense, Sabrina, but while you've done so much for us, it is a... tall order to experiment with our basic sustenance while we're still using it. Even if it's more than I ever expected."
"No, I understand," you say, shaking your head. "I'll figure something out."
Kirika grins at you, relaxing on Oriko's lap.
"So... uh," you say after a moment of silence. "Touchy subject, uh... Kirika? Have you... thought about telling your parents about magic?"
"Nope!" Kirika says brightly.
"Oh," you say. "Uh."
Oriko wraps her arms around Kirika's waist from behind, smiling.
"I think Sabrina is suggesting that perhaps we should," Oriko says. "Which we would really need to be face to face for, and so we could if we had the freedom to roam, or to invite them here. But neither would be particularly doable anytime soon, and rather beg the question of why Kirika isn't able to go home."
"Hm. Right," you say, frowning. "I'd be happy to help with that, but... yeah, issues. And you haven't been in contact with them, Kirika?"
"I guess they should know..." Kirika says, drooping a little. "They're gonna be upset with me." She brightens. "Can't make me leave Oriko, though."
Oriko smiles at her warmly.
You scowl, tugging thoughtfully at a lock of your hair before realising what you're doing and tucking it behind your ear. Yeah,
that discussion will be more than a little hairy.
"Right," you say. "I guess that's it, then. One more thing, and then I'll go get you guys your groceries."
"Yes?" Oriko asks.
"I want a hug," you say, grinning.
"I'm sure you get enough hugs from Tomo-"
"Group hug!" Kirika cheers, and tugs Oriko to her feet before dragging her to half-stumble, half-flop over you.
You laugh and hug them back. Kirika's eyes are bright, her grin matching yours, while Oriko seems tolerantly amused. She
does return the hug, at least.
You let them go after a few moments, still grinning. "Thanks," you say.
"I could still be your enemy, you know," Oriko mutters half-heartedly.
"Oh, I can keep my eye on you
and hug you at the same time," you say with a grin. You stand, rolling your shoulders. "Anything you need to talk about?"
Oriko thinks for a moment, and shakes her head.
"OK then... shopping time," you say. With a thought, you dissolve the privacy field.
Both Oriko and Kirika see you off, and a few seconds later, you're winging through the skies, headed for that big shopping center. Groceries time. Speaking of,
you need groceries, too, so you might as well do it all at the same time. Just get double of everything.
You hum cheerfully as you land on the roof, touching your hand to the ribbon bracelet on your other wrist. With a little focus, you let your magic seep into Mami's ribbon.
"
Sabrina?" Mami squeaks into your mind.
"
Hi, Mami," you say brightly. You release the magic as you make your way down the stairs. "
How are you?"
"
I'm doing well!" she says, her mental voice warm and adoring. "
How are you?"
"
I'm good!" you say. "
Doing some shopping - do we need anything in particular, or shall I just pick up some general groceries?"
"
Ah?" Mami asks. "
Um... I think we're low on mirin?"
"
Hm... yeah, you're right," you agree. Sweetened sake for cooking. "
I'll pick some up!"
"
Ah... why are you shopping right now?" Mami asks.
"
The Kures needed some groceries," you explain, bumping the stair lobby door open and stepping out into the bustle of the shopping center. "
So I thought I could pick up groceries for ourselves, too. Do you think Sayaka would appreciate it if I bought some bags of birdseed?"
"
She'd probably have a use for it," Mami agrees.
You step into the supermarket, collecting a trolley. You don't stop chatting with Mami either, letting the conversation simply wind its way about as it would as you start picking out groceries, asking her for advice and giving advice in turn about her classes. And you
do get double of everything, despite the odd looks from other people over your
exceedingly laden trolley.
"
Also, do you think Kazumi would be awake now?" you ask as you stop at the sweets section.
"
It's past ten, she must be!" Mami says.
"
Excellent," you say, inspecting the rows and rows of confectionary. "
Kazumi?"
"
Eh? Oh, good morning Sabrina! And Mami!" Kazumi chirps.
"
Good morning, Kazumi," Mami says warmly.
"
What's up?" Kazumi asks.
"
The sun is!" you say. Something nice for Oriko and Kirika... and chocolate for yourself and Mami too, of course. Though you have this vague mental image of feeding chocolate to a Clear Seed to encourage happy thoughts. You're not even sure how that would properly work. Maybe a chocolate fountain.
"
Eeeeeh?" Kazumi says. "
I suppose it is..."
Mami giggles, and you join her.
"
OK, but slightly more seriously, Kazumi, I do a 'good morning Mitakihara' call every morning," you explain. "
Just an early wakeup and a group chat, for everyone to catch up with. You're all friends, so... would you like to be included?"
"
Sure-" Kazumi cuts herself off, voice turning suspicious as she continues. "
How early
is 'early'?"
"
Uh... usually around seven or so?" you say.
"
You mean seven in the evening, right?" Kazumi says.
"
Noooo?" you say, pausing and frowning at a bar of chocolate.
"
I do not acknowledge the right of any time before nine to exist," Kazumi says firmly.
"
She has a point, Sabrina," Mami says, sounding like she's swallowing giggles. "
Times before nine in the morning should not exist." Her mental voice drops lower, as if whispering. "
Sabrina is a morning person
."
"
I always knew you were evil," Kazumi says firmly.
"
You caught me," you say, grabbing that chocolate bar and adding it to your trolley. Why not. "
Guilty as charged!"
Mami
does break out into giggles this time.
"
You sure you don't want in, Kazumi? It'd be great to expand the group," you say.
"
Oh, I didn't say I didn't!" Kazumi says. "
Maybe not every day? We do
sleep in..."
"
Sure," you say, considering your trolley, before nodding and doubling back. You'll pick up groceries for the Shiogama girls, too. "
The more the merrier, right?"
"
Yep!" Kazumi agrees brightly.
"
It'll be good to have you on board, Kazumi," Mami says.
"
Definitely!" you say.
"
... aren't you still in school, Mami?" Kazumi asks.
"
I am, but I can certainly multitask," Mami says.
"
Ah!" Kazumi says.
The rest of the grocery trip you spend chatting idly with Mami and Kazumi, eventually pushing your heavily laden cart to the counter.
"I'm helping some friends to shop," you explain in response to the odd look from the cashier.
He looks even
more taken aback, but wordlessly starts scanning and bagging the goods. The fact that you pay him entirely in cash doesn't help, either, but hey, what can you do?
You take a lift to the highest floor, still pushing the trolley, and step into a stairwell. There are a
lot of bags, far more than you can carry by hand, but it's not like you're limited to mere
hands. Grief wraps around the dozens of plastic bags, enough to insulate the contents, and you rotate them all out of coincidence.
And you're off again, after returning the trolley, soaring across Mitakihara.
"Grocery delivery!" you call cheerfully as you land in the backyard of the Mikuni mansion.
"Yo!" Kirika says, sliding the door open. She peers curiously at you, and then looks up and down. "... where?"
"Right here!" you say, and promptly dump a plastic bag on her hand. And then you pop another into existence, hovering in the air, and another, and another, and another, all suspended on Grief.
Kirika snorts, and turns to head back into the house.
You follow, grinning, and offer Oriko a wave as you pass her in the living room. She looks up from the laptop, nodding as you set all the groceries down on the counter.
"All good?" you ask. "Got you lots of chocolates and sweets, by the way, in that bag."
"Oooh, Oriko will love these," Kirika says, inspecting the bag. "Thanks, Sabrina!"
"No prob," you say. "Anyway, see you later!"
You step out of the house once more, launching yourself into the clear blue sky. You have a bit of time before lunch, perhaps around forty-five minutes. Now, what do you do...
[] For now...
- [] Science
-- [] Repeat experiment with Hildegarde and Elsa Maria
-- [] Something else?
- [] Akemi and Noriko
-- [] Check in, grocery delivery
-- [] Any particular conversational topics?
- [] Kyouko
-- [] What about?
- [] Masami and Hiroko
-- [] What about?
[] Lunch!
- [] Birdseed delivery
- [] Any particular points to hit?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)
=====
Here we are. I may not update Sunday, it depends on how quickly a consensus forms.