Entanglement pt. 22
You shake your head. "Sorry, but there's something else I need to do right now," you inform Kirika. "Maybe tomorrow?"
"Mnyeeeeh..." Kirika makes a face. "I might be busy tomorrow. Maybe another time, then." She looks down at her watch. "Well, it was nice talking to you, but I'm very late for school now... Guess I'm skipping today. Bye!" She begins to walk away.
"Say 'hi' to Oriko for me, would you?" you call at her retreating back.
"Yeah, can do," Kirika calls back without turning, carelessly waving a hand back at you.
That was another thoroughly odd conversation, you muse, as you turn to check the bus routes to North Kasamino. You frown as you consider the implications of Oriko knowing about Kirika's Wish- but as far as you know, Oriko shouldn't have known about Kirika before the latter's contracting, because Kirika should never have worked up the nerve to talk to her. So that meant... what?
Finally determining the right bus route, you sit down, and wait for the bus. "Homura," you call, deciding to update the time traveller. "Any sign of Oriko or anything?"
"Nothing," Homura replies.
"That's a relief," you say. "OK, listen. Oriko might be recruiting right now; Kirika mentioned that she's hiring someone. Don't know who, though. Uh. There's more, but it's not something I can talk about right now. We should probably meet up later."
You can practically see Homura's frown deepen in response to that. "Noted."
"Right. See you later, Homura," you say.
You lean back in the seat at the bus stop, waiting for the bus, and frown up at the ceiling. Too damn many variables moving around, Oriko acting peculiarly nonhostile, things happening out of order... But for now, you're going to see what you can do about Yuma. There are probably people worse off... but she's one you know about, and can do something about.
The bus arrives, and you get on, dropping the requisite fare into the receptacle to get a ticket. You look suspiciously around the bus, hunting for more apparently-random bus encounters, and relax marginally when you don't see anyone familiar.
The bus ride is peaceful, with not many people on the bus, passing as it does through the old industrial districts. As expected, you draw a few odd looks, but no one comments. You stare out of the windows at the abandoned buildings and factories, mostly fenced off and sealed with 'DANGER! KEEP OUT!' signs, slowly rusting hulks of machinery strewn everywhere. Probably left over from Mitakihara's industrial boom, now fallen to the wayside.
The industrial district gives way to another city, more glittering steel and glass, as the bus drives over a bridge spanning a river. Mitakihara's sister city, Kasamino. You're headed for North Kasamino, today, hoping to find a certain green-haired girl.
Soon after, you arrive at your destination, and get off, before walking into an alley and taking to a roof for a better vantage point. This area... isn't nearly as well off as it could be, you observe. The buildings are somewhat run-down, peeling paint and damage quite apparent. Still, parks are easy enough to spot from this high up, verdant patches of greenery scattered amongst the concrete and steel.
You only spot two parks, and hop along the roofs, enjoying the rush of wind to contrast the mid-morning sun, but still paying close attention to your senses. The area seems to be relatively clear of Witches, and you don't sense any Witches or magica-
There's a Barrier over there in that park, and a presence -magic, puella magi- approaching the Barrier at a dead run. Normal human running speed, ground level, you note.
[] Write-in
Added a 'Useful Information' section to the Index, consolidating hints that I've dropped.
"Mnyeeeeh..." Kirika makes a face. "I might be busy tomorrow. Maybe another time, then." She looks down at her watch. "Well, it was nice talking to you, but I'm very late for school now... Guess I'm skipping today. Bye!" She begins to walk away.
"Say 'hi' to Oriko for me, would you?" you call at her retreating back.
"Yeah, can do," Kirika calls back without turning, carelessly waving a hand back at you.
That was another thoroughly odd conversation, you muse, as you turn to check the bus routes to North Kasamino. You frown as you consider the implications of Oriko knowing about Kirika's Wish- but as far as you know, Oriko shouldn't have known about Kirika before the latter's contracting, because Kirika should never have worked up the nerve to talk to her. So that meant... what?
Finally determining the right bus route, you sit down, and wait for the bus. "Homura," you call, deciding to update the time traveller. "Any sign of Oriko or anything?"
"Nothing," Homura replies.
"That's a relief," you say. "OK, listen. Oriko might be recruiting right now; Kirika mentioned that she's hiring someone. Don't know who, though. Uh. There's more, but it's not something I can talk about right now. We should probably meet up later."
You can practically see Homura's frown deepen in response to that. "Noted."
"Right. See you later, Homura," you say.
You lean back in the seat at the bus stop, waiting for the bus, and frown up at the ceiling. Too damn many variables moving around, Oriko acting peculiarly nonhostile, things happening out of order... But for now, you're going to see what you can do about Yuma. There are probably people worse off... but she's one you know about, and can do something about.
The bus arrives, and you get on, dropping the requisite fare into the receptacle to get a ticket. You look suspiciously around the bus, hunting for more apparently-random bus encounters, and relax marginally when you don't see anyone familiar.
The bus ride is peaceful, with not many people on the bus, passing as it does through the old industrial districts. As expected, you draw a few odd looks, but no one comments. You stare out of the windows at the abandoned buildings and factories, mostly fenced off and sealed with 'DANGER! KEEP OUT!' signs, slowly rusting hulks of machinery strewn everywhere. Probably left over from Mitakihara's industrial boom, now fallen to the wayside.
The industrial district gives way to another city, more glittering steel and glass, as the bus drives over a bridge spanning a river. Mitakihara's sister city, Kasamino. You're headed for North Kasamino, today, hoping to find a certain green-haired girl.
Soon after, you arrive at your destination, and get off, before walking into an alley and taking to a roof for a better vantage point. This area... isn't nearly as well off as it could be, you observe. The buildings are somewhat run-down, peeling paint and damage quite apparent. Still, parks are easy enough to spot from this high up, verdant patches of greenery scattered amongst the concrete and steel.
You only spot two parks, and hop along the roofs, enjoying the rush of wind to contrast the mid-morning sun, but still paying close attention to your senses. The area seems to be relatively clear of Witches, and you don't sense any Witches or magica-
There's a Barrier over there in that park, and a presence -magic, puella magi- approaching the Barrier at a dead run. Normal human running speed, ground level, you note.
[] Write-in
=====
Added a 'Useful Information' section to the Index, consolidating hints that I've dropped.
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