Puella Magi Adfligo Systema
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- puella magi adfligo systema puella magi madoka magica be gay do crimes (gay) female protagonist bad decisions dating mami tomoe (tomoe mami) diabolical laughter friendship is the best ship handholding identity crises microwaving tea gets you put in the bad place names are important the body is the fursona of the soul this is not the baked goods thread we don't talk about rionna what could possibly go wrong? who in the world is azure sanfrancisco?
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fresh meat
Office Complex pt. 35
Mami's hand is soft and warm in yours, belying the unyielding strength you know lurks behind her gentle demeanour, the strength that's never been just a facade. She tugs you to your feet, and you slump forward on her so you can wrap her into a tight hug, planting a sloppy kiss on her forehead.
"Sabrina!" she says, giggling and leaning into you.
"Mami!" you say happily.
She laughs, nestling into your arms. You stay like that for a while, wrapped tightly around each other and swaying slightly back and forth as you soak in the quiet. Thunder rolls again beyond the walls, beyond the apartment that's become your home.
"I hope Kyouko comes soon," Mami murmurs quietly.
"She will. You told me so, right?" you say, pulling back to smile at her, your arms resting lightly on her shoulders.
"She..." Mami takes a breath, and nods. "She will. But she might also procrastinate until it's raining so heavily that she's soaked when she gets here, and... magical girl or not, that's not good for anyone."
"Yuma will talk some sense into her, I hope," you say. "She's definitely the more sensible one."
Mami laughs, then blinks, peering up at your face when she realizes that you aren't laughing.
"No, really, she is," you insist, cracking a bit of a grin.
"I suppose I can see it," Mami says. "By comparison, anyway."
You nod solemnly. "So, since we know that they're definitely coming, shall we get started on that cake? And... I'll help you understand Kyouko properly while we do that?"
"I'd like that," Mami says with a warm, adoring smile. Her expression turns thoughtful. "A big cake, since we want to actually have some for tomorrow."
"Bigger, even," you say with a quiet laugh. "You haven't really met Yuma yet, so... let me just say, she's learning from Kyouko."
"Ah, I see," Mami says. "She sounds like a nice girl."
"Tiny little terror," you say, gently nudging Mami towards the kitchen. Obligingly, she shifts so that you can walk side-by-side to the kitchen. "Who... well, I think she probably reminds Kyouko, at least a little, of her sister. Which is a nice segue into how this story starts."
"Go on?" Mami murmurs, glancing at you as you squeeze into the kitchen - not that the kitchen is small, but the door certainly isn't wide enough to accommodate the both of you.
"It starts with Kyouko's family," you say quietly, as you reach for the flour, handing it to Mami just as she starts to look for it. She beams at you. "She loved them very much."
"I met them before," Mami murmurs. "Her father, her mother... her little sister. Momo, her name was."
"Yeah," you say. On a whim, you gather enough Grief to form a panel, a blank canvas that you rapidly fill in with colour. Dinner with the Sakura family, Mami and Kyouko prominent in frame. All smiling, all happy.
Mami stares at the image, her smile fading to regret.
"They... died," Mami murmurs. "They... he committed suicide."
"You heard it on the news, didn't you?" you murmur, reaching out to hug Mami, only to find her already seeking your embrace.
"She'd found a Witch in their church, you see," you say, squeezing Mami tight. "How could she not fight it? How could she not defend her home? And then... maybe he was drawn by the noise. Her father found her, just as she defeated the Witch."
You dissolve the image-panel, and you don't bother to form another. Mami's not looking, anyway.
"He turned to drink," you say. "At first. And that... that would have been when you noticed that she was being quiet, that she wasn't as enthusiastic any more."
Mami nods wordlessly, pressing a little closer to you. Not out of distress... or not out of distress for herself. Still, you rub her back in soothing, slow circles, trying to ease away the knots of tension.
"And it..." you sigh. "She was trying to make him see that she was fighting to save people. To help. But you know what her Wish was - so that people would listen to her father's ideas. And her father... her father put it all at the feet of the devil. His daughter had made a deal with the devil, and the success of his words, his flock... he had led them all astray at the behest of the devil."
"He killed himself," Mami murmurs, voice trembling. "I knew that. I. I didn't want to pressure Kyouko. Even when she told me she was at fault..."
You sigh again.
"I can't say that that was the wrong approach," you say. "She walked in on his body. On the bodies of her family. You couldn't have known that would happen. But you... Mami, you're more perceptive than you give yourself credit for. And you're good with people - better than I am."
"I let her push me away, even before that," Mami says, and there's a quaver, a note of quiet sadness and revelation in her voice. "I was... I was so desperate, even then, and I panicked. I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have."
"Oh, Mami," you say, your own heart breaking for her. "People... people are messy and dumb and we say things we don't mean. We lash out in blind pain. In fear. But... that's what people are like. It doesn't mean they're any less for it, just that they're... human."
"I know," Mami says. "I... thank you, Sabrina."
"Again, Mami... you're perceptive," you say. "If someone says 'nothing's wrong'... I dunno. There's no one-size fits all to all of this. But trust yourself, because you are worth trusting."
"I... I'll try," Mami says, taking a breath. "Alright. Ah... we should get started on the cake."
"If you're sure?" you say. You separate far enough from the hug to meet her eyes.
Mami looks back at you, resolute and calm, in a way that isn't forced in the slightest. Her eyes crinkle a little with a faint smile, soft and gold, and she reaches up to brush your hair behind your ear, hand lingering for a moment. She looks centered, steady in a way that you can't help but relax in response to.
"I have you, Sabrina," she says. "And together, we can work miracles." Her grin turns teasing, just a bit.
You laugh, and pull her in for another quick hug before releasing her. "One day, Mami," you say. "I'll get you to accept that you are the miracle worker, not me. I just cheat outrageously."
"If you're not cheating, you're not trying," Mami says with a firm nod. "Speaking of..." She stretches out a hand, and a cupboard door flies open ahead of a mixing bowl leaping to her on the end of a ribbon. "I doubt we have time to be careful making a proper cake mix..."
"... but I can cheat outrageously," you finish for Mami, nodding solemnly. "Leave it to me."
Mami beams at you, finding her equilibrium once more on steady ground. "I was thinking... a layer cake, perhaps with a caramel glaze? We do have cream cheese for frosting, too, and..." Her gentle smile fades to a slightly more melancholy edge. "We can continue talking about certain subjects while we bake?"
"Of course, Mami. On both accounts," you say. You smile at her, tempted to pull her into yet another hug, but... if she wants to maintain a lighter mood, you're not one to deny her. "Pass the- ah, thank you." You accept the carton of eggs from Mami, who's bustling around the kitchen to pile ingredients on the table. "Six? Eight?"
"Six," Mami says, already starting to measure out flour. "Eight... I don't think we have baking tins big enough for that."
"Ah, good point," you say, pulling six eggs out with Grief and cracking them mid-air, separating the yolks and the whites with a smooth flourish. Butter, sugar, and a bit of orange zest go into the mixing bowl, carefully measured out by Mami, and you start whisking vigorously. "So..."
You hum thoughtfully as you add the yolks. "You... weren't wrong, when you said that Kyouko was pushing you away," you say finally. "That is what she was doing, even earlier today. She blames herself for what happened, because that's what her father -her idol- told her. That she was damned by God, and she'd damned all of them. I... like I said. She was lashing out in fear and pain, and she'd taken those poisoned words to heart. She was damned, and she didn't deserve good things."
"We'll just have to change that, right?" Mami murmurs. She starts the stove, staring into the blue flame with distant, pained eyes.
"We will," you say. You abandon the mixing bowl and whisk to Grief, so that you can set a hand on top of Mami's and squeeze gently. She gives you a grateful look, bumping her shoulder against yours before turning away to fetch a saucepan.
Soon, the smell of caramel starts to fill the kitchen, browning under Mami's expert eye while you whisk together the cake batter - carefully folded in with egg white so that it remains nice and fluffy. It's a delicate balance that you find yourself enjoying, plying the batter with Grief to whip together perfectly sized air bubbles.
"Sabrina?" Mami breaks the comfortable silence as you pass her the cake batter.
"Mmm?" you say. You lean against the countertop, your part done for now, and you watch as she pours the batter into cake tins with an easy grace and precision that's still a delight to watch.
"You... you say that I'm better at people than you," she says. "And you manage because you cheat."
"It's... well, you know," you say, tapping your temple. "Knowing people helps. With people I don't, I mess up far too easily."
"Maybe," Mami allows. "But you've done some amazing things, Sabrina, 'cheating' or no. And I don't... I don't want you to discount that. I, we wouldn't be here today if you weren't you, and I wouldn't trade us for anything."
"Yeah," you say, suddenly breathless and yet buoyed by Mami's words. "I wouldn't trade us for anything, either."
The faint pitter-patter of raindrops are rattling against the window by the time you have the cake in the oven, and by mutual, wordless agreement, you migrate back to the living room, curling up on the sofa together. The television provides some white noise, and as Mami settles against your side, she casts a worried look against the gloomy skies, illuminated infrequently by flashes of lightning. It's not hard to guess at her thoughts.
"How did you manage to get the ribbon on Kyouko without her noticing, anyway?" you ask, paying just a sliver of attention to the news in case something notable comes up. "... heck, I can sense magic quite well, and I didn't notice, either."
"I taught her everything she knows," Mami says with a faint smile. "And I've gotten better since then."
"Hah!" You laugh, beaming at Mami, who giggles in return.
"In all seriousness, I exploited change blindness," Mami says. "I extended the ribbon from my foot very slowly, and as long as it was slow enough, she wouldn't have noticed it... though it was in part due to how focused she was on me."
"That's my Mami," you say. "Amazing as always."
Mami nods, and glances at the window again, at the rain beating against the glass. Her expression flickers to surprise. "She's... she's coming. I suppose the rain helped her make up her mind..."
"Ah!" you say. "We should get the cake ready, then. We still need to do the icing!"
"It's time for more outrageous cheating," Mami says. She doesn't get up, though, sitting back on her haunches and eyeing you with a slow, warm smile - and then she kisses you on the cheek, before finally getting up, smiling and definitely trying to suppress a blush. Not very successfully.
"What was that for?" you blink at Mami, flushing a bright red.
"For being you," Mami says. "Because I wanted to." She laughs, clear and bell-like, and then flees to the kitchen to hide the way her face reddens even more.
You laugh, and follow her in, cracking your knuckles, because it's time to get cracking, pun absolutely intended.
Kyouko announces her arrival with a diffident, almost timid knock at the door - only after dithering outside for nearly a minute. Of course, you and Mami already knew she was there, tracking her progress anxiously with hushed, whispered conversation over the cake. Yuma's right there with her, too.
"I'll get it," Mami murmurs to you.
"Then I'll finish up the cake," you say, smiling and squeezing her hand lightly. "We're almost done, anyway."
"Alright," Mami murmurs, squeezing back. You keep an eye on her as she drifts to the front door, and you hear the door unlock and open, and then...
"Sakura Kyouko!" Mami barks, voice rising to outrage. "Did you run here in the rain? With a little girl?"
"Yuma is not a litt-"
"Yeah, whaddya gonna-"
You roll your eyes, reaching for towels with Grief. And bathroom mats, to sop up the water already dripping on the floor. And when you wander over to the front door just behind the floating towels, you have your very best quizzical eyebrow at the ready, already cocked and slightly accusing.
"You could have at least gotten an umbrella!" Mami scolds, grabbing a towel out of mid-air and kneeling to help Yuma dry herself off with only a minimal amount of protests from the younger girl. Kyouko, on the other hand...
Well...
She looks like a sodden cat. There's really no other way to put it, with her usually-magnificent ponytail bedraggled and limp, fringe plastered to her eyes and jacket clinging to her body.
You toss the towel at her face.
"Welcome, Kyouko," you say drily. "Try not to drip on the floor."
"Yeah, yeah," Kyouko grumbles, towelling herself off with rough, angry motions and scowl firmly emplaced. "Should've just hit up a hotel."
"You will do no such thing," Mami says in a tone that brooks no argument. "Come in, Kyouko, Yuma. You'll be sleeping in the guest bedroom."
"Yeah, no, I-" Kyouko stops, one foot over the threshold, and sniffs at the air. "Are you baking?"
"We happen to be baking a cake for tomorrow, but you can certainly have some now if you want," Mami says smoothly.
"I-" Kyouko's expression twists, trying to hide want under annoyance. "You didn't have to."
"I'll cut some cake for all of us," Mami says with a smile. "Sabrina, why don't you see if there's some old clothes that might fit Kyouko and Yuma?"
"Sure," you say. You grin at Mami as she departs in the direction of the kitchen, and then at Kyouko.
"Shut up," Kyouko mutters, avoiding your gaze. Yuma, on the other hand, beams brightly at you, bouncing happily on her toes.
"I'm glad you came," you say. "Now, sit down, and wait here. I'm... not sure if anything we have will fit you -Yuma, especially- but I'll see what I can do."
Kyouko grunts, and flops onto the sofa.
"Can I look around?" Yuma asks.
"Of course," you say, smiling and ruffling her hair. "Feel free!"
You discreetly dry your hand on your shirt as you head to your bedroom, rummaging through the clothes. Nothing that Mami had bought for you would really fit, you think, but you do know that Mami has older clothes stored away...
"It feels almost like old times," Mami murmurs telepathically to you.
"In a good way or a bad way?" you ask, finding the neatly folded stack off to the side and starting to search. "Ah... is it OK if I go through your old clothes?"
"Of course, and... good, I think," Mami says. "But it's... different, somehow."
"You're not the same people you were," you say.
"I know," Mami says. "I don't... I don't dislike it."
"Then that's enough," you say. "Reach out, and take it, right?"
"Right." Mami's voice steadies. "I'll bring the cake out - don't take too long?"
"I won't," you say.
By the time you emerge with a blouse and old sweatpants you think might fit Kyouko and a shirt that's... probably a nightgown for Yuma, they've already demolished their slices of cake. Mami looks up at your approach, smiling warmly at you and motioning towards an untouched slice, pushed away from Kyouko and Yuma.
"Managed to find something for you, Kyouko," you say. "And, uh, Yuma, this is definitely too big for you, but it's better than wet clothes, right? You can belt it in."
"Yuma doesn't mind!" the green-haired girl says brightly, jumping to her feet.
"... thanks," Kyouko mutters, holding her hands out for the clothes.
"You can change in the spare bedroom," Mami says, smiling and pouring you a cup of tea as you settle down next to her.
"Right," Kyouko says, shifting uncomfortably. "... we're sleeping out here, though. The couch is fine."
"It's fine, it's fine, I, uh..." You manage to suppress your blush. Mostly. "I don't use that room, anyway."
Kyouko's stare nails you head-on. You're forced to fight a retreating battle against the blush which is, unfortunately, giving no quarter and taking no prisoners, claiming ground with relentless speed. Right up to your ears.
You take some small comfort in knowing that Mami's in no better state.
"Wh-" Kyouko's hand closes on Yuma's mouth before she can continue.
"I'll explain later," she grunts tersely, and stands, gently tugging Yuma with her. "C'mon, Yuma, let's go change."
Mami giggles nervously as Kyouko leaves the room, ducking her face against your shoulder. "That went better than I expected," she says.
"A lot better," you agree fervently, sinking back into the sofa and closing your eyes.
"Your ears are red," Mami says with a giggle, her finger tracing along the shell of your ear, and you can't help but follow the touch.
"I know," you whine.
"Well... eat your cake?" Mami says. "Before it gets cold!"
You chuckle, opening your eyes and beaming at Mami as you reach for the plate. "Alright. But... you're feeling alright?"
"I am," Mami says. She nestles into your side as you start in on the cake.
You're a few mouthfuls in when Kyouko emerges, looking grumpy. The shirt's a little loose on her, as expected, but at least it's better than Yuma - who, by contrast, looks absolutely delighted with the pseudo-nightgown, bouncing happily on her feet.
"We're sleeping out here tonight." Kyouko echoes her earlier words.
"You don't have to," you say, raising an eyebrow at her.
"We're. Sleeping. Out. Here." Kyouko grates the words out, looking utterly mutinous, and you raise your hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright," you say.
"We'll bring out some sheets and blankets, then," Mami says with a smile.
"... fine," Kyouko says.
It's... not entirely comfortable, attempts at small talk dying in a few exchanges, with Kyouko answering in monosyllables. But Kyouko's here, and you can tell that that makes Mami happy, with the way she lights up. Yuma flits about the room, exploring with bright-eyed curiosity that's entirely undampened by Kyouko's reticence - and you can't help but notice the way Kyouko's eyes soften at familiar sights as she relaxes slowly.
Rain hammers a steady drumbeat at the windows, the wind having since picked up, with lightning splashing bright across the night sky. The weather forecast says that the storm has a strong chance of lasting through tomorrow morning, which doesn't necessarily put a damper on your plans. Though it does, perhaps, make your plans damper.
Still, it is getting late. You make for the showers, insisting that Kyouko and Yuma go first to warm up, since they were soaked, and by the time you emerge, you find Mami leaning against the wall beside the bathroom door and quieting you with a finger pressed to her lips.
You raise a quizzical eyebrow at her, and in response, she motions towards the sofa, where you spot Kyouko slumped over, sound asleep with Yuma curled up on top of her.
Together, you and Mami creep into the spare bedroom, divesting it of its blankets and pillow. With the same delicate care you'd both put into baking the cake, you drape the blanket over the sleeping duo, and set the pillow within arm's reach in case Kyouko wakes up.
"She must be exhausted," you murmur to Mami.
"I... suppose she must have been," Mami answers, mental voice unnecessarily hushed - but then again, you started at a whisper, so who are you to judge? "But it's... good to see her again, properly."
"I can only imagine," you say. Mami takes your hand, intertwining your fingers, and tugs you towards the bedroom.
"Let's take an early night, too," Mami says.
"Yeah. Let's," you say. "Feels like the day has been months long."
"I know the feeling," Mami agrees. The door closes behind you with a muted click, Mami turning and pressing a kiss to your cheek. "Thank you, Sabrina."
You smile warmly at her. "You know my feelings about the matter, Mami," you say. "So... I'll just leave it at a 'you're welcome', under protest."
Mami giggles.
"Oh, Sabrina," she says, impossibly fond as she nudges you towards the bed.
[x] Morning routine!
- [] Radio Mitakihara
-- [] The usual suspects
-- [] Including Kyouko
[] Shopping with Mami and Homura
- [] Ask if Kyouko wants to come along
- [] Now that you have an ID, you can get a bank account!
[] Get in touch with...
- [] The Animators
- [] The Shiogama girls
- [] Nakano Mika
-- [] What about?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)
Whew. This update took forever to get out. Also, minor reminder: The dinner with the Shizukis is scheduled for tomorrow (that's Saturday, 16th April)!
"Sabrina!" she says, giggling and leaning into you.
"Mami!" you say happily.
She laughs, nestling into your arms. You stay like that for a while, wrapped tightly around each other and swaying slightly back and forth as you soak in the quiet. Thunder rolls again beyond the walls, beyond the apartment that's become your home.
"I hope Kyouko comes soon," Mami murmurs quietly.
"She will. You told me so, right?" you say, pulling back to smile at her, your arms resting lightly on her shoulders.
"She..." Mami takes a breath, and nods. "She will. But she might also procrastinate until it's raining so heavily that she's soaked when she gets here, and... magical girl or not, that's not good for anyone."
"Yuma will talk some sense into her, I hope," you say. "She's definitely the more sensible one."
Mami laughs, then blinks, peering up at your face when she realizes that you aren't laughing.
"No, really, she is," you insist, cracking a bit of a grin.
"I suppose I can see it," Mami says. "By comparison, anyway."
You nod solemnly. "So, since we know that they're definitely coming, shall we get started on that cake? And... I'll help you understand Kyouko properly while we do that?"
"I'd like that," Mami says with a warm, adoring smile. Her expression turns thoughtful. "A big cake, since we want to actually have some for tomorrow."
"Bigger, even," you say with a quiet laugh. "You haven't really met Yuma yet, so... let me just say, she's learning from Kyouko."
"Ah, I see," Mami says. "She sounds like a nice girl."
"Tiny little terror," you say, gently nudging Mami towards the kitchen. Obligingly, she shifts so that you can walk side-by-side to the kitchen. "Who... well, I think she probably reminds Kyouko, at least a little, of her sister. Which is a nice segue into how this story starts."
"Go on?" Mami murmurs, glancing at you as you squeeze into the kitchen - not that the kitchen is small, but the door certainly isn't wide enough to accommodate the both of you.
"It starts with Kyouko's family," you say quietly, as you reach for the flour, handing it to Mami just as she starts to look for it. She beams at you. "She loved them very much."
"I met them before," Mami murmurs. "Her father, her mother... her little sister. Momo, her name was."
"Yeah," you say. On a whim, you gather enough Grief to form a panel, a blank canvas that you rapidly fill in with colour. Dinner with the Sakura family, Mami and Kyouko prominent in frame. All smiling, all happy.
Mami stares at the image, her smile fading to regret.
"They... died," Mami murmurs. "They... he committed suicide."
"You heard it on the news, didn't you?" you murmur, reaching out to hug Mami, only to find her already seeking your embrace.
"She'd found a Witch in their church, you see," you say, squeezing Mami tight. "How could she not fight it? How could she not defend her home? And then... maybe he was drawn by the noise. Her father found her, just as she defeated the Witch."
You dissolve the image-panel, and you don't bother to form another. Mami's not looking, anyway.
"He turned to drink," you say. "At first. And that... that would have been when you noticed that she was being quiet, that she wasn't as enthusiastic any more."
Mami nods wordlessly, pressing a little closer to you. Not out of distress... or not out of distress for herself. Still, you rub her back in soothing, slow circles, trying to ease away the knots of tension.
"And it..." you sigh. "She was trying to make him see that she was fighting to save people. To help. But you know what her Wish was - so that people would listen to her father's ideas. And her father... her father put it all at the feet of the devil. His daughter had made a deal with the devil, and the success of his words, his flock... he had led them all astray at the behest of the devil."
"He killed himself," Mami murmurs, voice trembling. "I knew that. I. I didn't want to pressure Kyouko. Even when she told me she was at fault..."
You sigh again.
"I can't say that that was the wrong approach," you say. "She walked in on his body. On the bodies of her family. You couldn't have known that would happen. But you... Mami, you're more perceptive than you give yourself credit for. And you're good with people - better than I am."
"I let her push me away, even before that," Mami says, and there's a quaver, a note of quiet sadness and revelation in her voice. "I was... I was so desperate, even then, and I panicked. I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have."
"Oh, Mami," you say, your own heart breaking for her. "People... people are messy and dumb and we say things we don't mean. We lash out in blind pain. In fear. But... that's what people are like. It doesn't mean they're any less for it, just that they're... human."
"I know," Mami says. "I... thank you, Sabrina."
"Again, Mami... you're perceptive," you say. "If someone says 'nothing's wrong'... I dunno. There's no one-size fits all to all of this. But trust yourself, because you are worth trusting."
"I... I'll try," Mami says, taking a breath. "Alright. Ah... we should get started on the cake."
"If you're sure?" you say. You separate far enough from the hug to meet her eyes.
Mami looks back at you, resolute and calm, in a way that isn't forced in the slightest. Her eyes crinkle a little with a faint smile, soft and gold, and she reaches up to brush your hair behind your ear, hand lingering for a moment. She looks centered, steady in a way that you can't help but relax in response to.
"I have you, Sabrina," she says. "And together, we can work miracles." Her grin turns teasing, just a bit.
You laugh, and pull her in for another quick hug before releasing her. "One day, Mami," you say. "I'll get you to accept that you are the miracle worker, not me. I just cheat outrageously."
"If you're not cheating, you're not trying," Mami says with a firm nod. "Speaking of..." She stretches out a hand, and a cupboard door flies open ahead of a mixing bowl leaping to her on the end of a ribbon. "I doubt we have time to be careful making a proper cake mix..."
"... but I can cheat outrageously," you finish for Mami, nodding solemnly. "Leave it to me."
Mami beams at you, finding her equilibrium once more on steady ground. "I was thinking... a layer cake, perhaps with a caramel glaze? We do have cream cheese for frosting, too, and..." Her gentle smile fades to a slightly more melancholy edge. "We can continue talking about certain subjects while we bake?"
"Of course, Mami. On both accounts," you say. You smile at her, tempted to pull her into yet another hug, but... if she wants to maintain a lighter mood, you're not one to deny her. "Pass the- ah, thank you." You accept the carton of eggs from Mami, who's bustling around the kitchen to pile ingredients on the table. "Six? Eight?"
"Six," Mami says, already starting to measure out flour. "Eight... I don't think we have baking tins big enough for that."
"Ah, good point," you say, pulling six eggs out with Grief and cracking them mid-air, separating the yolks and the whites with a smooth flourish. Butter, sugar, and a bit of orange zest go into the mixing bowl, carefully measured out by Mami, and you start whisking vigorously. "So..."
You hum thoughtfully as you add the yolks. "You... weren't wrong, when you said that Kyouko was pushing you away," you say finally. "That is what she was doing, even earlier today. She blames herself for what happened, because that's what her father -her idol- told her. That she was damned by God, and she'd damned all of them. I... like I said. She was lashing out in fear and pain, and she'd taken those poisoned words to heart. She was damned, and she didn't deserve good things."
"We'll just have to change that, right?" Mami murmurs. She starts the stove, staring into the blue flame with distant, pained eyes.
"We will," you say. You abandon the mixing bowl and whisk to Grief, so that you can set a hand on top of Mami's and squeeze gently. She gives you a grateful look, bumping her shoulder against yours before turning away to fetch a saucepan.
Soon, the smell of caramel starts to fill the kitchen, browning under Mami's expert eye while you whisk together the cake batter - carefully folded in with egg white so that it remains nice and fluffy. It's a delicate balance that you find yourself enjoying, plying the batter with Grief to whip together perfectly sized air bubbles.
"Sabrina?" Mami breaks the comfortable silence as you pass her the cake batter.
"Mmm?" you say. You lean against the countertop, your part done for now, and you watch as she pours the batter into cake tins with an easy grace and precision that's still a delight to watch.
"You... you say that I'm better at people than you," she says. "And you manage because you cheat."
"It's... well, you know," you say, tapping your temple. "Knowing people helps. With people I don't, I mess up far too easily."
"Maybe," Mami allows. "But you've done some amazing things, Sabrina, 'cheating' or no. And I don't... I don't want you to discount that. I, we wouldn't be here today if you weren't you, and I wouldn't trade us for anything."
"Yeah," you say, suddenly breathless and yet buoyed by Mami's words. "I wouldn't trade us for anything, either."
The faint pitter-patter of raindrops are rattling against the window by the time you have the cake in the oven, and by mutual, wordless agreement, you migrate back to the living room, curling up on the sofa together. The television provides some white noise, and as Mami settles against your side, she casts a worried look against the gloomy skies, illuminated infrequently by flashes of lightning. It's not hard to guess at her thoughts.
"How did you manage to get the ribbon on Kyouko without her noticing, anyway?" you ask, paying just a sliver of attention to the news in case something notable comes up. "... heck, I can sense magic quite well, and I didn't notice, either."
"I taught her everything she knows," Mami says with a faint smile. "And I've gotten better since then."
"Hah!" You laugh, beaming at Mami, who giggles in return.
"In all seriousness, I exploited change blindness," Mami says. "I extended the ribbon from my foot very slowly, and as long as it was slow enough, she wouldn't have noticed it... though it was in part due to how focused she was on me."
"That's my Mami," you say. "Amazing as always."
Mami nods, and glances at the window again, at the rain beating against the glass. Her expression flickers to surprise. "She's... she's coming. I suppose the rain helped her make up her mind..."
"Ah!" you say. "We should get the cake ready, then. We still need to do the icing!"
"It's time for more outrageous cheating," Mami says. She doesn't get up, though, sitting back on her haunches and eyeing you with a slow, warm smile - and then she kisses you on the cheek, before finally getting up, smiling and definitely trying to suppress a blush. Not very successfully.
"What was that for?" you blink at Mami, flushing a bright red.
"For being you," Mami says. "Because I wanted to." She laughs, clear and bell-like, and then flees to the kitchen to hide the way her face reddens even more.
You laugh, and follow her in, cracking your knuckles, because it's time to get cracking, pun absolutely intended.
Kyouko announces her arrival with a diffident, almost timid knock at the door - only after dithering outside for nearly a minute. Of course, you and Mami already knew she was there, tracking her progress anxiously with hushed, whispered conversation over the cake. Yuma's right there with her, too.
"I'll get it," Mami murmurs to you.
"Then I'll finish up the cake," you say, smiling and squeezing her hand lightly. "We're almost done, anyway."
"Alright," Mami murmurs, squeezing back. You keep an eye on her as she drifts to the front door, and you hear the door unlock and open, and then...
"Sakura Kyouko!" Mami barks, voice rising to outrage. "Did you run here in the rain? With a little girl?"
"Yuma is not a litt-"
"Yeah, whaddya gonna-"
You roll your eyes, reaching for towels with Grief. And bathroom mats, to sop up the water already dripping on the floor. And when you wander over to the front door just behind the floating towels, you have your very best quizzical eyebrow at the ready, already cocked and slightly accusing.
"You could have at least gotten an umbrella!" Mami scolds, grabbing a towel out of mid-air and kneeling to help Yuma dry herself off with only a minimal amount of protests from the younger girl. Kyouko, on the other hand...
Well...
She looks like a sodden cat. There's really no other way to put it, with her usually-magnificent ponytail bedraggled and limp, fringe plastered to her eyes and jacket clinging to her body.
You toss the towel at her face.
"Welcome, Kyouko," you say drily. "Try not to drip on the floor."
"Yeah, yeah," Kyouko grumbles, towelling herself off with rough, angry motions and scowl firmly emplaced. "Should've just hit up a hotel."
"You will do no such thing," Mami says in a tone that brooks no argument. "Come in, Kyouko, Yuma. You'll be sleeping in the guest bedroom."
"Yeah, no, I-" Kyouko stops, one foot over the threshold, and sniffs at the air. "Are you baking?"
"We happen to be baking a cake for tomorrow, but you can certainly have some now if you want," Mami says smoothly.
"I-" Kyouko's expression twists, trying to hide want under annoyance. "You didn't have to."
"I'll cut some cake for all of us," Mami says with a smile. "Sabrina, why don't you see if there's some old clothes that might fit Kyouko and Yuma?"
"Sure," you say. You grin at Mami as she departs in the direction of the kitchen, and then at Kyouko.
"Shut up," Kyouko mutters, avoiding your gaze. Yuma, on the other hand, beams brightly at you, bouncing happily on her toes.
"I'm glad you came," you say. "Now, sit down, and wait here. I'm... not sure if anything we have will fit you -Yuma, especially- but I'll see what I can do."
Kyouko grunts, and flops onto the sofa.
"Can I look around?" Yuma asks.
"Of course," you say, smiling and ruffling her hair. "Feel free!"
You discreetly dry your hand on your shirt as you head to your bedroom, rummaging through the clothes. Nothing that Mami had bought for you would really fit, you think, but you do know that Mami has older clothes stored away...
"It feels almost like old times," Mami murmurs telepathically to you.
"In a good way or a bad way?" you ask, finding the neatly folded stack off to the side and starting to search. "Ah... is it OK if I go through your old clothes?"
"Of course, and... good, I think," Mami says. "But it's... different, somehow."
"You're not the same people you were," you say.
"I know," Mami says. "I don't... I don't dislike it."
"Then that's enough," you say. "Reach out, and take it, right?"
"Right." Mami's voice steadies. "I'll bring the cake out - don't take too long?"
"I won't," you say.
By the time you emerge with a blouse and old sweatpants you think might fit Kyouko and a shirt that's... probably a nightgown for Yuma, they've already demolished their slices of cake. Mami looks up at your approach, smiling warmly at you and motioning towards an untouched slice, pushed away from Kyouko and Yuma.
"Managed to find something for you, Kyouko," you say. "And, uh, Yuma, this is definitely too big for you, but it's better than wet clothes, right? You can belt it in."
"Yuma doesn't mind!" the green-haired girl says brightly, jumping to her feet.
"... thanks," Kyouko mutters, holding her hands out for the clothes.
"You can change in the spare bedroom," Mami says, smiling and pouring you a cup of tea as you settle down next to her.
"Right," Kyouko says, shifting uncomfortably. "... we're sleeping out here, though. The couch is fine."
"It's fine, it's fine, I, uh..." You manage to suppress your blush. Mostly. "I don't use that room, anyway."
Kyouko's stare nails you head-on. You're forced to fight a retreating battle against the blush which is, unfortunately, giving no quarter and taking no prisoners, claiming ground with relentless speed. Right up to your ears.
You take some small comfort in knowing that Mami's in no better state.
"Wh-" Kyouko's hand closes on Yuma's mouth before she can continue.
"I'll explain later," she grunts tersely, and stands, gently tugging Yuma with her. "C'mon, Yuma, let's go change."
Mami giggles nervously as Kyouko leaves the room, ducking her face against your shoulder. "That went better than I expected," she says.
"A lot better," you agree fervently, sinking back into the sofa and closing your eyes.
"Your ears are red," Mami says with a giggle, her finger tracing along the shell of your ear, and you can't help but follow the touch.
"I know," you whine.
"Well... eat your cake?" Mami says. "Before it gets cold!"
You chuckle, opening your eyes and beaming at Mami as you reach for the plate. "Alright. But... you're feeling alright?"
"I am," Mami says. She nestles into your side as you start in on the cake.
You're a few mouthfuls in when Kyouko emerges, looking grumpy. The shirt's a little loose on her, as expected, but at least it's better than Yuma - who, by contrast, looks absolutely delighted with the pseudo-nightgown, bouncing happily on her feet.
"We're sleeping out here tonight." Kyouko echoes her earlier words.
"You don't have to," you say, raising an eyebrow at her.
"We're. Sleeping. Out. Here." Kyouko grates the words out, looking utterly mutinous, and you raise your hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright," you say.
"We'll bring out some sheets and blankets, then," Mami says with a smile.
"... fine," Kyouko says.
It's... not entirely comfortable, attempts at small talk dying in a few exchanges, with Kyouko answering in monosyllables. But Kyouko's here, and you can tell that that makes Mami happy, with the way she lights up. Yuma flits about the room, exploring with bright-eyed curiosity that's entirely undampened by Kyouko's reticence - and you can't help but notice the way Kyouko's eyes soften at familiar sights as she relaxes slowly.
Rain hammers a steady drumbeat at the windows, the wind having since picked up, with lightning splashing bright across the night sky. The weather forecast says that the storm has a strong chance of lasting through tomorrow morning, which doesn't necessarily put a damper on your plans. Though it does, perhaps, make your plans damper.
Still, it is getting late. You make for the showers, insisting that Kyouko and Yuma go first to warm up, since they were soaked, and by the time you emerge, you find Mami leaning against the wall beside the bathroom door and quieting you with a finger pressed to her lips.
You raise a quizzical eyebrow at her, and in response, she motions towards the sofa, where you spot Kyouko slumped over, sound asleep with Yuma curled up on top of her.
Together, you and Mami creep into the spare bedroom, divesting it of its blankets and pillow. With the same delicate care you'd both put into baking the cake, you drape the blanket over the sleeping duo, and set the pillow within arm's reach in case Kyouko wakes up.
"She must be exhausted," you murmur to Mami.
"I... suppose she must have been," Mami answers, mental voice unnecessarily hushed - but then again, you started at a whisper, so who are you to judge? "But it's... good to see her again, properly."
"I can only imagine," you say. Mami takes your hand, intertwining your fingers, and tugs you towards the bedroom.
"Let's take an early night, too," Mami says.
"Yeah. Let's," you say. "Feels like the day has been months long."
"I know the feeling," Mami agrees. The door closes behind you with a muted click, Mami turning and pressing a kiss to your cheek. "Thank you, Sabrina."
You smile warmly at her. "You know my feelings about the matter, Mami," you say. "So... I'll just leave it at a 'you're welcome', under protest."
Mami giggles.
"Oh, Sabrina," she says, impossibly fond as she nudges you towards the bed.
[x] Morning routine!
- [] Radio Mitakihara
-- [] The usual suspects
-- [] Including Kyouko
[] Shopping with Mami and Homura
- [] Ask if Kyouko wants to come along
- [] Now that you have an ID, you can get a bank account!
[] Get in touch with...
- [] The Animators
- [] The Shiogama girls
- [] Nakano Mika
-- [] What about?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)
=====
Whew. This update took forever to get out. Also, minor reminder: The dinner with the Shizukis is scheduled for tomorrow (that's Saturday, 16th April)!
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- Location
- Not the asylum anymore
- Pronouns
- She/Her
hng so many feels
What do we have planned for today again?
What do we have planned for today again?
The Phoenixian
The Glacier Witch
- Location
- My own little world
And now at last I can implement the plan I've been waiting on for years now.
[X] Experiment in having your own meguca thing. Use grief to make a Hat Full of Sky for a rainy morning. (Use your grief fog to subtly scatter rain drops so they don't fall on you.)
[X] Experiment in having your own meguca thing. Use grief to make a Hat Full of Sky for a rainy morning. (Use your grief fog to subtly scatter rain drops so they don't fall on you.)
Raiseth
I Find Your Lack of Memes Disturbing
- Location
- Russia
- Location
- ⇙
So I suppose the next step would be to get Kyouko to move to the guest room.
So very tempting but Kyouko would kill us and this will wake up Yuma as well due to their sleeping arrangement.
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
Nice.
Anyway, THE PLAN.
• We were planning a group training session with Sayaka and Homura in the morning. May need to adjust that to account for Kyouko, one way or another.
• Later in the morning, towards noon, we're heading to the mall with our friends. In terms of stuff to get done at the mall:
• Evening, Shizuki meeting.
Other than all that, there's a few other things we should try to fit in wherever we can today:
• Oriko requested we talk to her about Iowa, so this is the time for that.
• We have a meeting with Kagoshima scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, so now would be a good time to contact the Murasaki Shrine Maidens in Kyoto and see if we can stop by on Tuesday too, since they're on the way.
• We need to start working on the enchantments for the Tokyo visit, since that's happening tomorrow.
As a first draft for the vote:
[ ] Wake up bright and cheery.
-[ ] Radio Mitakihara, then introduce Kyouko.
-[ ] Discuss the plans for today - group training, then mall, then homework? Confirm the meeting in the evening with Hitomi.
--[ ] Invite Kyouko to observe and/or participate in training if she wants.
[ ] Group Training: 2 vs. 2's again, but up the intensity?
-[ ] Your own personal reaction times aren't up to scratch, focus on improving those.
[ ] Share advice and ideas with your friends on what to practice.
-[ ] Try summoning a modified hammer more appropriate for flinging. Just the hammerhead as an artillery shell? Practice grief sabots.
Anyway, THE PLAN.
• We were planning a group training session with Sayaka and Homura in the morning. May need to adjust that to account for Kyouko, one way or another.
• Later in the morning, towards noon, we're heading to the mall with our friends. In terms of stuff to get done at the mall:
• Set up a personal bank account for Sabrina
• Buy a proper smartphone
• Purchase some formal clothes for the Shizuki meeting?
• If possible, rope Madoka into picking an outfit for Homura
• Afternoon, work on homework as a group.• Evening, Shizuki meeting.
Other than all that, there's a few other things we should try to fit in wherever we can today:
• Oriko requested we talk to her about Iowa, so this is the time for that.
• We have a meeting with Kagoshima scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, so now would be a good time to contact the Murasaki Shrine Maidens in Kyoto and see if we can stop by on Tuesday too, since they're on the way.
• We need to start working on the enchantments for the Tokyo visit, since that's happening tomorrow.
As a first draft for the vote:
[ ] Wake up bright and cheery.
-[ ] Radio Mitakihara, then introduce Kyouko.
-[ ] Discuss the plans for today - group training, then mall, then homework? Confirm the meeting in the evening with Hitomi.
--[ ] Invite Kyouko to observe and/or participate in training if she wants.
[ ] Group Training: 2 vs. 2's again, but up the intensity?
-[ ] Your own personal reaction times aren't up to scratch, focus on improving those.
[ ] Share advice and ideas with your friends on what to practice.
-[ ] Try summoning a modified hammer more appropriate for flinging. Just the hammerhead as an artillery shell? Practice grief sabots.
- Location
- a Minecraft Rollercoaster
Well whatever we had planned, we need to weave Kyouko and Yuma in.
Well whatever we had planned, we need to adjust it to include Kyouko and Yuma.
Idea!
[] Morning routine!
- [] Radio Mitakihara
-- [] The usual suspects
-- [] Including Kyouko
-- [] Have Yuma Host first, as loud as she can think!
Edit: Spelling
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- Location
- Illinois
Okay. Things didn't proceed exactly as laid out and yet frankly I feel like we accomplished everything we actually needed to accomplish.
The attitudes expressed by Mami here are... Definitely sufficient for our current needs.
This was perfect
Actually my only complaint is that people are shooting brina's self-confidence with all this "we aren't good at social" stuff. It's not entirely true and it makes Mami frown.
The attitudes expressed by Mami here are... Definitely sufficient for our current needs.
This was perfect
Actually my only complaint is that people are shooting brina's self-confidence with all this "we aren't good at social" stuff. It's not entirely true and it makes Mami frown.
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- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
More seriously: Do we actually want to go ahead with the group training session? It's raining, which might put a dampener on wanting to go outside, and Kyouko and Yuma will probably want to sleep in? Opinions, people?
Rain shouldn't be too much an issue if Mami and Sabrina can put up a temporary grief+ribbon roof over the (isolated) training area. Or just do it in the rain anyway, call it combat training in inclement weather and a slippery environment.
- Location
- a Minecraft Rollercoaster
Maybe just some light witch hunting? I rather focus on enchantment and group cohesion rather than any combat right now. Mostly I want to fill Kyouko and Yuma on all sorts of stuff, like Tokyo and Hitomi's Not-Yakuza-Family.
That's also important.
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
Hm, Kyouko went to sleep pretty early, so even accounting for her sleeping ~10 hours, it shouldn't be an issue to wake up around 8-ish.
And yeah, rain shouldn't have any real negative impact on guca training - call it useful practice, since it's gonna be raining during the Walpurgis fight too.
Filling in the vote a bit more:
[ ] Wake up bright and cheery.
-[ ] Poke Kyouko so she's awake while you make breakfast.
-[ ] Radio Mitakihara, then introduce Kyouko.
--[ ] Discuss plans for today - group training, then mall, then homework? Confirm the meeting in the evening with Hitomi's parents.
--[ ] Invite Kyouko to observe and/or participate in training if she wants.
[ ] SCIENCE
-[ ] Use grief to make a Hat Full of Sky for a rainy morning. (Use your grief fog to subtly scatter rain drops so they don't fall on you.)
-[ ] Try summoning a modified hammer more appropriate for flinging. Just the hammerhead as an artillery shell? Practice grief sabots.
-[ ] Take and provide ideas from and to your friends on what to practice.
[ ] Group Training: 2 vs. 2's again, but up the intensity?
-[ ] Your own personal reaction times aren't up to scratch, focus on improving those.
-[ ] If Kyouko and/or Yuma want to participate, maybe 3 vs. 3's? Either way, make room for them.
And yeah, rain shouldn't have any real negative impact on guca training - call it useful practice, since it's gonna be raining during the Walpurgis fight too.
Filling in the vote a bit more:
[ ] Wake up bright and cheery.
-[ ] Poke Kyouko so she's awake while you make breakfast.
-[ ] Radio Mitakihara, then introduce Kyouko.
--[ ] Discuss plans for today - group training, then mall, then homework? Confirm the meeting in the evening with Hitomi's parents.
--[ ] Invite Kyouko to observe and/or participate in training if she wants.
[ ] SCIENCE
-[ ] Use grief to make a Hat Full of Sky for a rainy morning. (Use your grief fog to subtly scatter rain drops so they don't fall on you.)
-[ ] Try summoning a modified hammer more appropriate for flinging. Just the hammerhead as an artillery shell? Practice grief sabots.
-[ ] Take and provide ideas from and to your friends on what to practice.
[ ] Group Training: 2 vs. 2's again, but up the intensity?
-[ ] Your own personal reaction times aren't up to scratch, focus on improving those.
-[ ] If Kyouko and/or Yuma want to participate, maybe 3 vs. 3's? Either way, make room for them.
- Location
- Illinois
Ehhh...
My backlog atm looks like this:
> CAW CAW Sayaka off to a rooftop for some talk after a day or so of listening to her general commentary (can't be done today IC, looks a lot like "you probably want to take more initiative in your life in general, and do a bunch of planning. The whole useless/helpless thing doesn't match reality unless you're not familiar with how to apply yourself, which as a middle school student is pretty bloody reasonable. *Q/A Sayaka with "what could you do that would be 'useful'?", "How are you going to do that?", And recursively respond to any "I don't know" with "How are you going to figure it out?"*"
We might also encourage her to start hunting independently. I think she'd be safe with it at this point and it'd help her issues tons. As long as she keeps a heal and a teleport locked in I don't think there's much if any chance of her having issues.
> Recruit Mami to help with Homu + chat with MamiHomu. Self-explanatory.
It's two items lmao
I require non-Kai-based activities for purposes of SOCIAL OBSERVATION to allow me to reequip and rearm.
Therefore! GROUP TRAINING!!!!!
- Location
- Not the asylum anymore
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Introduce Nagisa to Yuma. Do it.
If we're shopping for clothes to wear for the formal dinner, we could get some proper-fitting clothes for Yuma too while we're out.
Speaking of clothes: this isn't an immediate thing, but maybe we could have Mami take a look at Kyoko's boots, see if she can repair and strengthen them? I recall reading an analysis years ago that Kyoko's been wearing those brown boots for so long, and won't replace them even if they're old and battered by now. Since those were a gift from her dad during better, happier times.
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
Good point.
X'ing in a vote.
[x] Wake up bright and cheery.
-[x] Poke Kyouko so she's awake while you make breakfast.
-[x] Radio Mitakihara, then introduce Kyouko.
--[x] Discuss plans for today - group training, then mall, then homework?
---[x] Invite Kyouko and Yuma to training and shopping.
--[x] Confirm the meeting in the evening with Hitomi's parents.
[X] SCIENCE
-[x] Make a Hat Full of Sky. (Use your grief fog to subtly scatter raindrops away from you.)
-[x] Try summoning a modified hammer more appropriate for flinging. Artillery shell hammer heads? Practice grief sabots.
-[x] Take and provide ideas from and to your friends on what to practice.
[x] Group Training: 2 vs. 2's again, but up the intensity/magic usage.
-[x] Your own personal reaction times aren't up to scratch, focus on improving those.
-[x] If Kyouko and/or Yuma want to participate, maybe 3 vs. 3's? Either way, make room for them.
148 words.
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