- Location
- Here
back-and-forth, innit.
[x] Kaizuki
[x] Kaizuki
Puella Magi Adfligo Systema
- Thread starter Firnagzen
- Start date
-
- Tags
- 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?
SaltyWaffles
I am dissapoint, son
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Here, guys, have a cute thing:
Madoka with Homura's hair and eyes looks really cute.Here, guys, have a cute thing:
Homura with Madoka's hair and eyes looks somewhat like that one Yandere from Mirai Nikki with straighter hair. It's a little uncanny, but I can ignore it.
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DB_Explorer
Purveyor of alternate realities.
- Location
- San Diego, California
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Here, guys, have a cute thing:
Madoka: *does the hair flip*
Homura:..................................
Madoka: Did I do it right?
Homura: *blinks*....huh? uh...yes.
- Location
- Here
Is that how you read the swap? I took it as them swapping hairstyles – not eyes.
The end effect is the same. Reviewing the picture, it's clear I came to the wrong conclusion.
In my defense, it was close to midnight, and I was tired.
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
Adfligo Report Update!
The Fukushima Mercenary Group, checking in!
The Indomitable Leader, Tsuruya Yuki!
The Scintillating Shine, Koizumi Sasami!
The Gate Through Shadows, Nishimura Moe!
The Master of Metals, Akiyama Atsuko!
And the Summit Summoner, Nanami Shinobu!
The Fukushima Mercenary Group, checking in!
The Indomitable Leader, Tsuruya Yuki!
The Scintillating Shine, Koizumi Sasami!
The Gate Through Shadows, Nishimura Moe!
The Master of Metals, Akiyama Atsuko!
And the Summit Summoner, Nanami Shinobu!
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
Magia Report, the official Magia Record gag comic.
Here: Magia Record [Mobile Game] -PUELLA MAGI MADOKA MAGICA Side Story- Official USA Website
DB_Explorer
Purveyor of alternate realities.
- Location
- San Diego, California
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Sabrina's witch barrier is where they come from
Godwinson
"Well, I've got nothing."
What else would you expect generic brand Clara Dolls to look like?
- Location
- UK
...Oh. And here I was assuming they came from Lobotomy Corporation and that they actually were dead eyed, horrific abominations and a threat to life as we know it.
I feel kinda silly now
Ugh. Not updating today either, apparently. Update will unfortunately be tomorrow - turning out to be an ironically busy few days for me. (Deadlines, woo!)
In other news @Redshirt Army, those look great! I'll index them, uh... soon.
And for the reference of everyone else, he's been consulting with me on the specifics for the costumes, so for example - you've never seen Shinobu's costume officially, but that is accurate to how she'd look, allowing for the chibification, of course.
In other news @Redshirt Army, those look great! I'll index them, uh... soon.
And for the reference of everyone else, he's been consulting with me on the specifics for the costumes, so for example - you've never seen Shinobu's costume officially, but that is accurate to how she'd look, allowing for the chibification, of course.
Lowlife pt. 4
"I would be delighted to," Mami says, smile widening a little. "After I give Sabrina a critique of her performance?"
"No, no, it's fine," you say, beaming at Mami. You motion towards Kyouko. "Match first - picking apart my fight can wait. I've got a few ideas to experiment with in the meantime, anyway, and I'd get to watch the match!"
You're very tempted to suggest that if it's a dance, they should be dressing up properly for the occasion.
"And may I just add, Mami, that I am very impressed," you continue telepathically. "And very happily flirted with." You manage to keep your cheeks from igniting to an inferno. Smouldering embers, at worst.
Even so, it doesn't seem to escape Kyouko's attention, her eyes narrowing at you.
"I-" Mami's mental voice hitches, but she manages to restrain her blush. "A-ah... That's good."
"Actually, could you give us a moment first?" Mami asks out loud, smiling genially at Kyouko.
"God, whatever," Kyouko says, rolling her eyes. "Hurry up with your makeouts or whatever."
There's real irritation in her voice, and by the way Mami stiffens, you know that she picked up on it, too. Still, Mami smiles, takes your hand, and tugs you around the corner.
"Are you alright, Mami?" you ask, smiling at her as you duck under a beam propped haphazardly against a stack of cars.
"I am," she says, returning the smile. "I just... I just wanted a few minutes with you."
"That's always up for the taking," you say. Your smile widens a little more as she steps in for a hug, squeezing gently in return. The seemingly endless downpour patters on, trickling in runnels down the beam and dripping to the muddy ground.
Mami hums wordlessly, snuggling a little closer to you. Her costume isn't soaked, exactly - it's more like it's waterproof, raindrops rolling off the cloth and pressed into your uniform where she cuddles up against you. The smell of Mami's shampoo mingles with the rain and the ozone, a heady fragrance that has tension seeping from your bones despite the chill of the rain.
"I really do..." You trail off, and tighten your arms a little. "I just... the person that you are is just wonderful, Mami. Seeing you be happy and confident like that is..." You make a gesture that's wholly insufficient to convey your emotions, your thoughts, your delight in seeing Mami like this.
"I'm..." Mami takes a breath, leaning into you. "I'm trying."
"Mami..." you huff. "I, well. I don't want you to have to try to be happy, or confident. I want you to be."
"I am," Mami says. She pulls back and looks up at you, solemn and clearly thinking. "I'm... sorry, I phrased that wrong. I'm not... I'm not forcing myself to be happy. But when you're here, it's easy to see the good things. It's easy to believe, and I just need to let myself."
"Alright," you say. "Alright. What can I do to help?"
"Be you," Mami says with a quiet laugh. "I don't need anything more."
"I can do that, I think," you say, and stick your tongue out at her.
Mami giggles happily.
"A minute or two more," she decides, and nestles back against you, tucking her head under your chin. "Or Kyouko will get tetchy."
"She's already tetchy," you observe.
"That she is," Mami says.
"It's not because we're together, is it?" you ask tentatively. "I mean... she already knew that, I think."
"Not directly because of that," Mami says, shaking her head. "As I said before, I think she is off-balance thanks to how much things have changed, and, ah... it's a reminder of the differences. But I wouldn't- I wouldn't want to hide us, Sabrina, not even... not even for her."
"And she lashes out when she's uncomfortable," you say. "Eh. Well, things will hopefully get better as she gets used to it, right?"
"Right," Mami says. "And... as I said, she's changed, too. I'm glad she's back, but she needs to accept that circumstances have changed."
Gently, you raise your hand to cover Mami's. She turns it over, intertwining your fingers, and smiles at you. She takes a deep breath.
"Alright," she says. "Shall we return to everyone?"
"Let's," you say.
You're still hand in hand when you round the corner once more. Kyouko's pulled Yuma aside, apparently giving her some advice, while Homura stands motionless in the middle of the muddy clearing, watching the stormclouds in silent judgement. She doesn't even look away as lightning sparks and flashes in a blazing white sheet across the skies.
You inspect her as you approach. To the casual eye, she looks little different than usual, raindrops rolling down uniform and dripping from the magnificence that is her hair, her shoulders squared and shield at the ready, as it always is. Open, of course, the gears still and pointed to her wrist.
Huh. Pointed towards her wrist. Something niggles at the back of your mind about that, and so you file the thought away in the back of your mind for later consideration.
She seems at once tense and yet perhaps just the slightest touch pleased, just the slightest bit more content as you approach. It's not quite your imagination, you think, that there's the faintest hint of a smile as perpetually tired amethyst eyes drop from the sky to consider you.
"Hey, Homura," you murmur, joining her. "Are you alright?"
"Memories," she says finally.
You nod, managing a quiet 'ah' of understanding. Mami gently reaches out to clasp Homura's shoulders briefly, earning her an inscrutable look from Homura - to which Mami only smiles, unruffled and warm.
"Are we gonna do this thing or not?" Kyouko demands, rough and impatient.
"We are," Mami says, squeezing your hand once and offering a smile before releasing it and stepping forward. "When you're ready, Kyouko."
"Yuma, you know what to do," Kyouko says, slicking dishevelled, soaking hair out of her eyes and summoning a spear from behind her back. "You'll do fine."
"Yuma will do her best!" Yuma declares, pumping her fists.
You smile, and take two steps back and up, Grief platforms forming under your feet. Before you can rise much further than a meter, however, Kyouko explodes forward.
She's a blur to your eyes, flashing silver trailed by dusky crimson and the spray of mud from charging footsteps, until suddenly she isn't, leaping sideways with spear swinging like an axe.
Mami barely even moves, placid smile firmly in place as she arches backwards to avoid the blow in a manner that's almost languid. Your breath hisses between your teeth at the way the spear scythes past her chin, close enough to ruffle her hair, but you know that Mami's got this.
She answers with a sweeping kick and rising elbow that flows from the same graceful movement. Her left hand, hidden from Kyouko's view, reaches into nothing and grasps a musket, spun instantly out of ribbon.
When Kyouko finishes her dodge, it's to a barrel levelled right at her face. You bite back the instinct to cheer.
The first shot of the spar roars its retort, Kyouko twisting away from the blast in a blinding-fast blur. She drives forward in response, snarling as her spear explodes into whipping, viper-fast segments sliving through the air. It connects with a solid crack to Mami's shoulder, and you can't help but hiss in sympathy and worry.
Mami seems unfazed. Her golden eyes practically glow with determination, seeming to shine through the downpour as a fierce grin stretches her lips.
"Go big sis!" Yuma cheers, bouncing on her toes.
"Get-" Kyouko leaps aside from a wave of lashing ribbons. "-on with it!"
Yuma giggles, her expression turning solemn as she faces Homura again. "Let's have a good match!"
Homura nods.
Yuma charges.
Shockwaves ripple across the ground with every footstep, scattering mud and shivering gravel beneath your feet. Homura draws a pistol in a single smooth motion, but doesn't fire - a decision that proves wise when the ground erupts under her with an ear-splitting detonation. Shards of rock and metal splash across the yard, enough so that you're forced to deflect some of it or be splattered yourself.
Homura's not even there any more, retreating to the top of a pile of cars.
Which reminds you that you probably should replace the ones that got knocked over earlier, and so you start doing that, lifting the cars with grief and stacking them neatly.
Meanwhile, Mami's on the attack once more. Muskets sprout like a forest from the ground in front of Mami, brought to her hands by a quick grab or a smooth kick, snatched from the air and formed of shining ribbon. Golden fire stitches through the air, a seemingly endless hail of shots that Kyouko slides through with swift parries and desperate dodges.
Some instinct has you dodging straight up, your wings forming instantly to yank you out of harm's way. Yuma sails through the space you'd occupied a split second earlier, skidding across the mud - and then she slams her mace into the ground, instantly arresting her momentum.
"Don't underestimate me!" she howls, and charges once more, mace forward.
Homura backs away to a wrecked car, expression blank as she abandons her pistol for an SMG -a Skorpion Vz 61, some part of your mind busily classifies- and fires without hesitation. Yuma deflects the shots, the head of her mace moving in swift, precise jabs despite her headlong charge.
Amethyst eyes flicker in your direction, exasperation and faintly affronted accusation writ clear in her expression as she's forced to retreat once more to higher ground. This is your fault, she conveys without a single word.
You shrug, offering her a sheepish grin and a raised fist. Fair enough, you agree. I believe in you?
And that's all the wordless communication Homura has time for as she's forced to leap over a mace swing. Yuma slams her mace into the wreck of the car, a one-two combo so fast the sound blurs into a single noise. A crack like thunder shatters the air, mud splattering in waves around Yuma and surrounding cars chewed up as if hosed down with a machine gun.
Homura's no longer there.
It takes you a second to process what Yuma did - her first strike popped the engine block out of the car, and the second simply caused it to... cease existing as a singular object, abruptly replaced by flying shrapnel.
Huh.
Probably a good thing you're in the air and out of the immediate blast radius.
A shout draws your attention back to Mami and Kyouko's fight, just as a titanic spear erupts from the ground beneath Mami. Kyouko leaps forward in that moment of distraction, the giant spear slicing through the air like a scorpion's tail and hemming in Mami's dodge.
Kyouko meets her mid-leap, tackling her into the mud... only for Mami to plant a foot on her chest and kick her off. When Mami rises to her feet once more, not a single speck of mud sticks to her - and cannons rise with her, weaving out of ribbons.
She doesn't give Kyouko time to think, firing the instant she finds her target. The head of the giant spear slams down between them, the shots splashing off the steel of the blade, and Mami dashes for her. Her charge turns into a smooth vault, a ribbon propelling her over the scything spear blade and swinging her under the flurry of jabs Kyouko meets her with.
Spear against musket. The ring of metal chiming against metal, musketfire roaring through the storm. The flash of ignition and glow of sparks scatters through the splattering mud as Kyouko and Mami meet in earnest. You can barely keep up, Mami's pure, bold élan evenly matched against Kyouko's vicious speed and endless bag of tricks in colliding waves of noise and fury.
They clash, and lock weapons, straining for dominance.
Kyouko's stronger, you realise. She is. Mami's being forced back, and you can feel the simple weight of magic Mami's bringing to bear - and she's losing.
Losing the contest of strength, but not the battle.
Mami releases the block abruptly in a burst of speed that leaves her a blur to your eyes, drawing a pistol from thin air with her free hand. She fires. Ribbons fill the air, twisting and writhing - the same trick she'd used against you.
Kyouko whirls, hurling up a desperate hand. Diamond-shaped chainlinks explode from her palm, solidifying in an instant to a warding barrier that the ribbons scatter over, streaking around and through the gaps.
It bought her precious seconds to retreat to safety, a sweep of her hand sending the giant spear after Mami. The spear lashes forward, striking like a viper at Mami who's not even there any more, the steel crunching into an old car with enough force to upend the entire stack.
More for you to pick up and replace.
Kyouko snarls, and pivots after Mami. The spear sweeps back to her, matching paces so that she can hop on and ride the broad blade like the head of a giant serpent, chain links thrashing across the yard as Mami retreats for distance and height.
A crackle of gunfire chases Yuma back into view. Shots stitch the ground behind her as she evades Homura's unhurried, careful aim. Yuma ducks behind the corner, mace drawn back and ready for a strike, only for Homura to vault the pile of junk, SMG chattering away.
Yuma squawks, hurling her mace at Homura -more out of surprise and desperation than anything, it seems- and ducks aside, a new mace shimmering into her hands as she dives for cover. The old one goes far wide of Homura, and you catch it before it can sail out of range, lowering it safely to the ground.
"Stop! Stop stop stop!" Your attention goes back to Yuma, who has a hand stuck out of a car door, waving frantically.
Homura stops obligingly, SMG disappearing back into her shield.
"Yuma yields!" Yuma says, scrabbling out of the car. She's covered with rust and mud and what looks like rotten upholstery, and pouting hard. She points an accusing finger at Homura. "But you're holding back!"
Homura shrugs, and vanishes.
You blink. Between one heartbeat and the next, she's in front of Yuma, hand making a gun shape pointed right at Yuma's nose. She lets her thumb fall.
"Bang," Homura says drily.
Yuma pouts harder, then shines up, shoulders set in determined lines. "I'll get better," she says fiercely. "I will!"
"Tiro-"
Your eyes snap up.
Kyouko's massive spear, coiling around the arm of the crane like a snake poised to strike. Kyouko, swooping down at Mami like a diving hawk, hair and costume streaming in the wind.
... like a hawk diving right into a trap.
Mami, cannon formed right in front of her and cradled in her arms. Lightning sparks across skies above, shining off the gleaming steel. You can see the smile on her face across the distance, faintly amused with the world at large.
Her voice is a clarion call cutting through the rain.
"Finale!"
The blastwave rolls through your bones and shivers mud from the ground and sodden rust from old, deteriorating machines. Golden light streaks out, a line seared into your retinas in an instant. Between one moment and the next, ribbons splash across the gloom of the rainstorm, streaking out to enfold Kyouko.
When you can actually see again, half the junkyard is shrouded in gold. Shredded ribbons here and there tell the story of a valiant effort to cut a way through, and shredded chainlinks and segments of shaft cocooned against every available surface tell of the reprisal. That said, the story is rather abruptly brought to an end by an upside-down Kyouko, looking very grumpy.
"Aw," Yuma mumbles.
You ruffle her hair gently. "Kyouko picked a fight with the two most bullshit magical girls here," you tell her. "If she wanted an easy fight, she should've picked me."
Yuma giggles quietly.
"Shall we join them?" you ask, catching Homura's eye. She nods back, and you start walking over to Kyouko - the same direction Mami's headed.
Mami strides over with easy, unruffled poise, ribbons lowering Kyouko until she's just shy of her hair touching the mud.
"Yield?" she asks.
"Yeah, yeah, I yield," Kyouko grouses. "God this sucks."
Mami smiles, and with a clap of her hands, the ribbons unravel, slow enough that Kyouko flips fully to her feet before landing. She scowls.
"... you've gotten better," she mutters grudgingly.
"So have you, Kyouko," Mami says with an encouraging smile.
"Big sis!" Yuma says, walking right into Kyouko's fight and hugging her around her legs. "That was a really cool fight! I didn't know you could do all that!"
"And how would you know that if y' weren't paying attention to your own fight?" Kyouko asks. She glances at Homura, then you. "How'd she do?"
"She shows promise," Homura says.
"Honestly? From what I saw, Yuma's dangerous as hell, and very competent," you offer. "You've taught her well. But, well, choice of opponent. Speaking of which..."
You turn a brilliant, megawatt smile on Mami, and pounce, sweeping her off her feet and into a hug. "That was amazing, Mami!"
"Jeeze." You can hear Kyouko grumbling behind you, and rustling as of some plastic packaging being unwrapped. "Here, Yuma."
Mami laughs, throwing her arms around your shoulders cuddling against you.
"Thank you, Sabrina," she says. You can feel her adrenaline ebbing as she leans into you, nuzzling her head under your chin.
"Right, Yuma, don't forget to cleanse..." You can't stop yourself from perking up a little at that, because that's your cue.
"Homura, play along please?" You hastily set Mami down, shooting her an apologetic look as you pivot to Kyouko. "Hey, uh... well, now's as good a time as any. Soul Gems, and any Grief Seeds you need cleaned, everyone?"
Homura nods, pulling a half-empty Grief Seed from somewhere in her costume and holding it out in her left hand, presenting her Soul Gem in the same motion.
"Just my Soul Gem," Mami says, smiling at you and tilting her head slightly so that you can see hers, the honey-gold gem gleaming even in the sullen light filtering through the clouds.
Kyouko eyes you for a long moment before letting one hand sag into her pocket.
"Was gettin' sick of lugging these around anyway," she mutters, scowling and thrusting the handful of Grief Seeds in your general direction. "Yuma, you too."
"OK!" Yuma says brightly, offering up the two she has. "Thank you, Sabrina!"
"'course," you say. A wave of your hand and an effort of will has Grief spiralling up into the air, a bit more of a show than you've made of it recently - you're in the mood for it, for some reason. Fractal purple swirls together, condensed nightmare crushed down to pinpricks at your command.
You only drain Kyouko's Grief Seeds down to what you think of as the normal fill level. Grief Seeds still, and nowhere near Clear Seeds.
Kyouko makes a vaguely grumbly noise, inspecting the Grief Seeds closely before nodding, and tucking them away once more.
"Thanks, Homura," you murmur to her as she puts the Seed away. She glances in your direction, but doesn't acknowledge you otherwise - probably for the best. Kyouko would probably notice.
Mami sighs happily, leaning against your side. "Shall we discuss the matches now, then?"
"Yeah, yeah," Kyouko grumbles. "Only way t' learn, I know the drill."
[] Bring up some specific point of discussion (write-in)
[] Attempt some minor refinement of technique
- [] Throwing hammers
-- [] Suggest that Yuma should try that too
- [] Practice against Mami's magic punch-through technique
- [] Write-in
[] Head off lunch
- [] Ask if Homura would like to come along
- [] Ask if Kyouko and Yuma would like to come along
Word count limit: 150 words
I tweaked the previous update a bit, by the by, just phrasing and flow.
So, I expect that the next update will be wrapping up this training session and then for lunch, and possibly meeting up with your friends (Nagisa included). As such... not too much science, please.
"No, no, it's fine," you say, beaming at Mami. You motion towards Kyouko. "Match first - picking apart my fight can wait. I've got a few ideas to experiment with in the meantime, anyway, and I'd get to watch the match!"
You're very tempted to suggest that if it's a dance, they should be dressing up properly for the occasion.
"And may I just add, Mami, that I am very impressed," you continue telepathically. "And very happily flirted with." You manage to keep your cheeks from igniting to an inferno. Smouldering embers, at worst.
Even so, it doesn't seem to escape Kyouko's attention, her eyes narrowing at you.
"I-" Mami's mental voice hitches, but she manages to restrain her blush. "A-ah... That's good."
"Actually, could you give us a moment first?" Mami asks out loud, smiling genially at Kyouko.
"God, whatever," Kyouko says, rolling her eyes. "Hurry up with your makeouts or whatever."
There's real irritation in her voice, and by the way Mami stiffens, you know that she picked up on it, too. Still, Mami smiles, takes your hand, and tugs you around the corner.
"Are you alright, Mami?" you ask, smiling at her as you duck under a beam propped haphazardly against a stack of cars.
"I am," she says, returning the smile. "I just... I just wanted a few minutes with you."
"That's always up for the taking," you say. Your smile widens a little more as she steps in for a hug, squeezing gently in return. The seemingly endless downpour patters on, trickling in runnels down the beam and dripping to the muddy ground.
Mami hums wordlessly, snuggling a little closer to you. Her costume isn't soaked, exactly - it's more like it's waterproof, raindrops rolling off the cloth and pressed into your uniform where she cuddles up against you. The smell of Mami's shampoo mingles with the rain and the ozone, a heady fragrance that has tension seeping from your bones despite the chill of the rain.
"I really do..." You trail off, and tighten your arms a little. "I just... the person that you are is just wonderful, Mami. Seeing you be happy and confident like that is..." You make a gesture that's wholly insufficient to convey your emotions, your thoughts, your delight in seeing Mami like this.
"I'm..." Mami takes a breath, leaning into you. "I'm trying."
"Mami..." you huff. "I, well. I don't want you to have to try to be happy, or confident. I want you to be."
"I am," Mami says. She pulls back and looks up at you, solemn and clearly thinking. "I'm... sorry, I phrased that wrong. I'm not... I'm not forcing myself to be happy. But when you're here, it's easy to see the good things. It's easy to believe, and I just need to let myself."
"Alright," you say. "Alright. What can I do to help?"
"Be you," Mami says with a quiet laugh. "I don't need anything more."
"I can do that, I think," you say, and stick your tongue out at her.
Mami giggles happily.
"A minute or two more," she decides, and nestles back against you, tucking her head under your chin. "Or Kyouko will get tetchy."
"She's already tetchy," you observe.
"That she is," Mami says.
"It's not because we're together, is it?" you ask tentatively. "I mean... she already knew that, I think."
"Not directly because of that," Mami says, shaking her head. "As I said before, I think she is off-balance thanks to how much things have changed, and, ah... it's a reminder of the differences. But I wouldn't- I wouldn't want to hide us, Sabrina, not even... not even for her."
"And she lashes out when she's uncomfortable," you say. "Eh. Well, things will hopefully get better as she gets used to it, right?"
"Right," Mami says. "And... as I said, she's changed, too. I'm glad she's back, but she needs to accept that circumstances have changed."
Gently, you raise your hand to cover Mami's. She turns it over, intertwining your fingers, and smiles at you. She takes a deep breath.
"Alright," she says. "Shall we return to everyone?"
"Let's," you say.
You're still hand in hand when you round the corner once more. Kyouko's pulled Yuma aside, apparently giving her some advice, while Homura stands motionless in the middle of the muddy clearing, watching the stormclouds in silent judgement. She doesn't even look away as lightning sparks and flashes in a blazing white sheet across the skies.
You inspect her as you approach. To the casual eye, she looks little different than usual, raindrops rolling down uniform and dripping from the magnificence that is her hair, her shoulders squared and shield at the ready, as it always is. Open, of course, the gears still and pointed to her wrist.
Huh. Pointed towards her wrist. Something niggles at the back of your mind about that, and so you file the thought away in the back of your mind for later consideration.
She seems at once tense and yet perhaps just the slightest touch pleased, just the slightest bit more content as you approach. It's not quite your imagination, you think, that there's the faintest hint of a smile as perpetually tired amethyst eyes drop from the sky to consider you.
"Hey, Homura," you murmur, joining her. "Are you alright?"
"Memories," she says finally.
You nod, managing a quiet 'ah' of understanding. Mami gently reaches out to clasp Homura's shoulders briefly, earning her an inscrutable look from Homura - to which Mami only smiles, unruffled and warm.
"Are we gonna do this thing or not?" Kyouko demands, rough and impatient.
"We are," Mami says, squeezing your hand once and offering a smile before releasing it and stepping forward. "When you're ready, Kyouko."
"Yuma, you know what to do," Kyouko says, slicking dishevelled, soaking hair out of her eyes and summoning a spear from behind her back. "You'll do fine."
"Yuma will do her best!" Yuma declares, pumping her fists.
You smile, and take two steps back and up, Grief platforms forming under your feet. Before you can rise much further than a meter, however, Kyouko explodes forward.
She's a blur to your eyes, flashing silver trailed by dusky crimson and the spray of mud from charging footsteps, until suddenly she isn't, leaping sideways with spear swinging like an axe.
Mami barely even moves, placid smile firmly in place as she arches backwards to avoid the blow in a manner that's almost languid. Your breath hisses between your teeth at the way the spear scythes past her chin, close enough to ruffle her hair, but you know that Mami's got this.
She answers with a sweeping kick and rising elbow that flows from the same graceful movement. Her left hand, hidden from Kyouko's view, reaches into nothing and grasps a musket, spun instantly out of ribbon.
When Kyouko finishes her dodge, it's to a barrel levelled right at her face. You bite back the instinct to cheer.
The first shot of the spar roars its retort, Kyouko twisting away from the blast in a blinding-fast blur. She drives forward in response, snarling as her spear explodes into whipping, viper-fast segments sliving through the air. It connects with a solid crack to Mami's shoulder, and you can't help but hiss in sympathy and worry.
Mami seems unfazed. Her golden eyes practically glow with determination, seeming to shine through the downpour as a fierce grin stretches her lips.
"Go big sis!" Yuma cheers, bouncing on her toes.
"Get-" Kyouko leaps aside from a wave of lashing ribbons. "-on with it!"
Yuma giggles, her expression turning solemn as she faces Homura again. "Let's have a good match!"
Homura nods.
Yuma charges.
Shockwaves ripple across the ground with every footstep, scattering mud and shivering gravel beneath your feet. Homura draws a pistol in a single smooth motion, but doesn't fire - a decision that proves wise when the ground erupts under her with an ear-splitting detonation. Shards of rock and metal splash across the yard, enough so that you're forced to deflect some of it or be splattered yourself.
Homura's not even there any more, retreating to the top of a pile of cars.
Which reminds you that you probably should replace the ones that got knocked over earlier, and so you start doing that, lifting the cars with grief and stacking them neatly.
Meanwhile, Mami's on the attack once more. Muskets sprout like a forest from the ground in front of Mami, brought to her hands by a quick grab or a smooth kick, snatched from the air and formed of shining ribbon. Golden fire stitches through the air, a seemingly endless hail of shots that Kyouko slides through with swift parries and desperate dodges.
Some instinct has you dodging straight up, your wings forming instantly to yank you out of harm's way. Yuma sails through the space you'd occupied a split second earlier, skidding across the mud - and then she slams her mace into the ground, instantly arresting her momentum.
"Don't underestimate me!" she howls, and charges once more, mace forward.
Homura backs away to a wrecked car, expression blank as she abandons her pistol for an SMG -a Skorpion Vz 61, some part of your mind busily classifies- and fires without hesitation. Yuma deflects the shots, the head of her mace moving in swift, precise jabs despite her headlong charge.
Amethyst eyes flicker in your direction, exasperation and faintly affronted accusation writ clear in her expression as she's forced to retreat once more to higher ground. This is your fault, she conveys without a single word.
You shrug, offering her a sheepish grin and a raised fist. Fair enough, you agree. I believe in you?
And that's all the wordless communication Homura has time for as she's forced to leap over a mace swing. Yuma slams her mace into the wreck of the car, a one-two combo so fast the sound blurs into a single noise. A crack like thunder shatters the air, mud splattering in waves around Yuma and surrounding cars chewed up as if hosed down with a machine gun.
Homura's no longer there.
It takes you a second to process what Yuma did - her first strike popped the engine block out of the car, and the second simply caused it to... cease existing as a singular object, abruptly replaced by flying shrapnel.
Huh.
Probably a good thing you're in the air and out of the immediate blast radius.
A shout draws your attention back to Mami and Kyouko's fight, just as a titanic spear erupts from the ground beneath Mami. Kyouko leaps forward in that moment of distraction, the giant spear slicing through the air like a scorpion's tail and hemming in Mami's dodge.
Kyouko meets her mid-leap, tackling her into the mud... only for Mami to plant a foot on her chest and kick her off. When Mami rises to her feet once more, not a single speck of mud sticks to her - and cannons rise with her, weaving out of ribbons.
She doesn't give Kyouko time to think, firing the instant she finds her target. The head of the giant spear slams down between them, the shots splashing off the steel of the blade, and Mami dashes for her. Her charge turns into a smooth vault, a ribbon propelling her over the scything spear blade and swinging her under the flurry of jabs Kyouko meets her with.
Spear against musket. The ring of metal chiming against metal, musketfire roaring through the storm. The flash of ignition and glow of sparks scatters through the splattering mud as Kyouko and Mami meet in earnest. You can barely keep up, Mami's pure, bold élan evenly matched against Kyouko's vicious speed and endless bag of tricks in colliding waves of noise and fury.
They clash, and lock weapons, straining for dominance.
Kyouko's stronger, you realise. She is. Mami's being forced back, and you can feel the simple weight of magic Mami's bringing to bear - and she's losing.
Losing the contest of strength, but not the battle.
Mami releases the block abruptly in a burst of speed that leaves her a blur to your eyes, drawing a pistol from thin air with her free hand. She fires. Ribbons fill the air, twisting and writhing - the same trick she'd used against you.
Kyouko whirls, hurling up a desperate hand. Diamond-shaped chainlinks explode from her palm, solidifying in an instant to a warding barrier that the ribbons scatter over, streaking around and through the gaps.
It bought her precious seconds to retreat to safety, a sweep of her hand sending the giant spear after Mami. The spear lashes forward, striking like a viper at Mami who's not even there any more, the steel crunching into an old car with enough force to upend the entire stack.
More for you to pick up and replace.
Kyouko snarls, and pivots after Mami. The spear sweeps back to her, matching paces so that she can hop on and ride the broad blade like the head of a giant serpent, chain links thrashing across the yard as Mami retreats for distance and height.
A crackle of gunfire chases Yuma back into view. Shots stitch the ground behind her as she evades Homura's unhurried, careful aim. Yuma ducks behind the corner, mace drawn back and ready for a strike, only for Homura to vault the pile of junk, SMG chattering away.
Yuma squawks, hurling her mace at Homura -more out of surprise and desperation than anything, it seems- and ducks aside, a new mace shimmering into her hands as she dives for cover. The old one goes far wide of Homura, and you catch it before it can sail out of range, lowering it safely to the ground.
"Stop! Stop stop stop!" Your attention goes back to Yuma, who has a hand stuck out of a car door, waving frantically.
Homura stops obligingly, SMG disappearing back into her shield.
"Yuma yields!" Yuma says, scrabbling out of the car. She's covered with rust and mud and what looks like rotten upholstery, and pouting hard. She points an accusing finger at Homura. "But you're holding back!"
Homura shrugs, and vanishes.
You blink. Between one heartbeat and the next, she's in front of Yuma, hand making a gun shape pointed right at Yuma's nose. She lets her thumb fall.
"Bang," Homura says drily.
Yuma pouts harder, then shines up, shoulders set in determined lines. "I'll get better," she says fiercely. "I will!"
"Tiro-"
Your eyes snap up.
Kyouko's massive spear, coiling around the arm of the crane like a snake poised to strike. Kyouko, swooping down at Mami like a diving hawk, hair and costume streaming in the wind.
... like a hawk diving right into a trap.
Mami, cannon formed right in front of her and cradled in her arms. Lightning sparks across skies above, shining off the gleaming steel. You can see the smile on her face across the distance, faintly amused with the world at large.
Her voice is a clarion call cutting through the rain.
"Finale!"
The blastwave rolls through your bones and shivers mud from the ground and sodden rust from old, deteriorating machines. Golden light streaks out, a line seared into your retinas in an instant. Between one moment and the next, ribbons splash across the gloom of the rainstorm, streaking out to enfold Kyouko.
When you can actually see again, half the junkyard is shrouded in gold. Shredded ribbons here and there tell the story of a valiant effort to cut a way through, and shredded chainlinks and segments of shaft cocooned against every available surface tell of the reprisal. That said, the story is rather abruptly brought to an end by an upside-down Kyouko, looking very grumpy.
"Aw," Yuma mumbles.
You ruffle her hair gently. "Kyouko picked a fight with the two most bullshit magical girls here," you tell her. "If she wanted an easy fight, she should've picked me."
Yuma giggles quietly.
"Shall we join them?" you ask, catching Homura's eye. She nods back, and you start walking over to Kyouko - the same direction Mami's headed.
Mami strides over with easy, unruffled poise, ribbons lowering Kyouko until she's just shy of her hair touching the mud.
"Yield?" she asks.
"Yeah, yeah, I yield," Kyouko grouses. "God this sucks."
Mami smiles, and with a clap of her hands, the ribbons unravel, slow enough that Kyouko flips fully to her feet before landing. She scowls.
"... you've gotten better," she mutters grudgingly.
"So have you, Kyouko," Mami says with an encouraging smile.
"Big sis!" Yuma says, walking right into Kyouko's fight and hugging her around her legs. "That was a really cool fight! I didn't know you could do all that!"
"And how would you know that if y' weren't paying attention to your own fight?" Kyouko asks. She glances at Homura, then you. "How'd she do?"
"She shows promise," Homura says.
"Honestly? From what I saw, Yuma's dangerous as hell, and very competent," you offer. "You've taught her well. But, well, choice of opponent. Speaking of which..."
You turn a brilliant, megawatt smile on Mami, and pounce, sweeping her off her feet and into a hug. "That was amazing, Mami!"
"Jeeze." You can hear Kyouko grumbling behind you, and rustling as of some plastic packaging being unwrapped. "Here, Yuma."
Mami laughs, throwing her arms around your shoulders cuddling against you.
"Thank you, Sabrina," she says. You can feel her adrenaline ebbing as she leans into you, nuzzling her head under your chin.
"Right, Yuma, don't forget to cleanse..." You can't stop yourself from perking up a little at that, because that's your cue.
"Homura, play along please?" You hastily set Mami down, shooting her an apologetic look as you pivot to Kyouko. "Hey, uh... well, now's as good a time as any. Soul Gems, and any Grief Seeds you need cleaned, everyone?"
Homura nods, pulling a half-empty Grief Seed from somewhere in her costume and holding it out in her left hand, presenting her Soul Gem in the same motion.
"Just my Soul Gem," Mami says, smiling at you and tilting her head slightly so that you can see hers, the honey-gold gem gleaming even in the sullen light filtering through the clouds.
Kyouko eyes you for a long moment before letting one hand sag into her pocket.
"Was gettin' sick of lugging these around anyway," she mutters, scowling and thrusting the handful of Grief Seeds in your general direction. "Yuma, you too."
"OK!" Yuma says brightly, offering up the two she has. "Thank you, Sabrina!"
"'course," you say. A wave of your hand and an effort of will has Grief spiralling up into the air, a bit more of a show than you've made of it recently - you're in the mood for it, for some reason. Fractal purple swirls together, condensed nightmare crushed down to pinpricks at your command.
You only drain Kyouko's Grief Seeds down to what you think of as the normal fill level. Grief Seeds still, and nowhere near Clear Seeds.
Kyouko makes a vaguely grumbly noise, inspecting the Grief Seeds closely before nodding, and tucking them away once more.
"Thanks, Homura," you murmur to her as she puts the Seed away. She glances in your direction, but doesn't acknowledge you otherwise - probably for the best. Kyouko would probably notice.
Mami sighs happily, leaning against your side. "Shall we discuss the matches now, then?"
"Yeah, yeah," Kyouko grumbles. "Only way t' learn, I know the drill."
[] Bring up some specific point of discussion (write-in)
[] Attempt some minor refinement of technique
- [] Throwing hammers
-- [] Suggest that Yuma should try that too
- [] Practice against Mami's magic punch-through technique
- [] Write-in
[] Head off lunch
- [] Ask if Homura would like to come along
- [] Ask if Kyouko and Yuma would like to come along
Word count limit: 150 words
=====
I tweaked the previous update a bit, by the by, just phrasing and flow.
So, I expect that the next update will be wrapping up this training session and then for lunch, and possibly meeting up with your friends (Nagisa included). As such... not too much science, please.
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Godwinson
"Well, I've got nothing."
If anyone is wondering what that weapon looks like, and where we might have seen it before:
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
For those who missed it:
Okay, so, I recently got reminded of a relatively obscure bit of PMMM trivia:
While the outer pattern on Homura's shield is vertically symmetrical, the inner clockwork isn't - it has a distinct orientation, with the slit that opens facing either up or down while time continues to flow, and facing towards Homura's hand or elbow respectively when time is stopped.
The reason for the ambiguity in orientation is because it isn't constant - it flips whenever Homura switches between timelines, which is an amazing detail that ties into the greater "shield as hourglass" metaphor inherent to Homura's character design, since she inverts her shield to reset time.
Here's the orientation that Homura's shield is in during the canonical "final timeline" while time is stopped:
This is consistent throughout the "final timeline" - whenever we see Homura stop time, the opening in the center is always towards her hand.
And here's an example of the opposite orientation, where time is stopped while Moemura steals guns:
Notice how the opening, instead of being towards Homura's hand, instead faces the other way.
So, given that this is the case, what's going on with Homura's shield in PMAS? We haven't actually checked. What we'd expect to see is for Homura's shield to have the opposite orientation to the canon "final timeline", which would imply that PMAS is, as we expected, a timeline that comes after an alternate ending to the canon events.
But if, instead, Homura's shield has the same orientation as in the canon final timeline? That would imply that some major fuckery is afoot - either that there are two timelines between us and canon, or that events diverged before the last timeline... or that it's a dreamscape, like Rebellion. Because Homura's shield in Rebellion had the same orientation as it did in the fateful timeline where she lost Madoka forever:
So, @Firnagzen : Is Homura's shield in PMAS in an inverted orientation compared to the final PMMM canon timeline? Or in the same orientation?
There. Finally added the art you've been making to the index, @Redshirt Army, and again, thank you!
Godwinson
"Well, I've got nothing."
Iiiinteresting.
Raiseth
I Find Your Lack of Memes Disturbing
- Location
- Russia
Guilty as charged!
This only makes me more and more surprised that Mami still manages to win against Homura despite a ten years gap of experience.
So, I expect that the next update will be wrapping up this training session and then for lunch, and possibly meeting up with your friends (Nagisa included). As such... not too much science, please.
Awww, so we won't have time to get beaten up by Yuma.
Oh well.
- Location
- ⇙
Lewd.
Homura has gained the cutest rival. Also there's something missing.
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tarrangar
Fat arctic chicken
She's kind of right, especially since between her and Yuma they now have 5 Grief Seeds, considering we can refresh a Grief Seed, and a single seed can typically last a Magical girl a week, that mean they already have the reserves to only visit us every other week, we are going to see them way more than that, and since as long as she make sure to only partly fill her seeds they can be refreshed endlessly, they are only going to go up, she was having problems supplying both her and Yuma, but she's kept herself in Grief Seeds for years, so she's clearly very competent at hunting, and in a month or so, might have more than a dozen seeds.
A Clear seed would of course be better, but she's right that just refreshing her seeds is very much good enough.
Kyouko is actually beginning to do decently for Grief Seeds, 5 seeds between 2 magical girls isn't a large stockpile, but it's where you aren't hurting for Grief Seeds.
Godwinson
"Well, I've got nothing."
So, if Homura's shield is facing that way, either she didn't loop or there was another loop between, or she had some different arrangement of loops before the 'canon' one.
The second option would be weird for Homura to lie about, so if it was the reason for the difference, it'd have to be something that removed Homura's memory of it... and something that is still relevant to this timeline. If that's the case, then a good case could be made for this being Feathers.
The third option is... weird. We know there are other 'lines' of Homura out there, from MagiReco (though that isn't necessarily true in PMAS), which could just make this a curiosity.
The first option, though? Homura's shield is facing the same way because she didn't loop. Because this is the same universe as the one where Madoka made her wish that "Everything could be fixed". This would solve one of the oldest minor mysteries in the quest -- "Why did Sabrina show up on March 28th instead of March 16th, when the loop begins?" -- because Sabrina's arrival was immediately after Madoka's wish, which is why she glimpsed Madokami. Why would we see Madokami in a world where witches exist? Because she wished that everything could be fixed, and all those little changes in the background, and in how well things are going is because this Madokami is the Goddess of Things Going Well, rather than the Goddess of Saving Magical Girls From Becoming Witches.
And really, when you stop to think about it, why on earth would Madoka's wish settle for fixing things in some other universe Homura is going to, when she can fix everything in that universe instead?
The second option would be weird for Homura to lie about, so if it was the reason for the difference, it'd have to be something that removed Homura's memory of it... and something that is still relevant to this timeline. If that's the case, then a good case could be made for this being Feathers.
The third option is... weird. We know there are other 'lines' of Homura out there, from MagiReco (though that isn't necessarily true in PMAS), which could just make this a curiosity.
The first option, though? Homura's shield is facing the same way because she didn't loop. Because this is the same universe as the one where Madoka made her wish that "Everything could be fixed". This would solve one of the oldest minor mysteries in the quest -- "Why did Sabrina show up on March 28th instead of March 16th, when the loop begins?" -- because Sabrina's arrival was immediately after Madoka's wish, which is why she glimpsed Madokami. Why would we see Madokami in a world where witches exist? Because she wished that everything could be fixed, and all those little changes in the background, and in how well things are going is because this Madokami is the Goddess of Things Going Well, rather than the Goddess of Saving Magical Girls From Becoming Witches.
And really, when you stop to think about it, why on earth would Madoka's wish settle for fixing things in some other universe Homura is going to, when she can fix everything in that universe instead?
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- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
I'm most impressed by Yuma's performance here.
Mami vs. Kyouko could only end this way, but Yuma showed some real skills here - she was able to consistently deflect bullets, and she has some impressive tricks - that scattershot from the car engine is deadly, for example.
Cute!
Huh.
Huuuuuh.
Things must have really gone to shit for Madoka to be making a "fix everything" wish by the 28th - especially if we think that our earlier speculation about Homura witching out holds true.
Mami vs. Kyouko could only end this way, but Yuma showed some real skills here - she was able to consistently deflect bullets, and she has some impressive tricks - that scattershot from the car engine is deadly, for example.
Cute!
Huh.
Huuuuuh.
Things must have really gone to shit for Madoka to be making a "fix everything" wish by the 28th - especially if we think that our earlier speculation about Homura witching out holds true.
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Raiseth
I Find Your Lack of Memes Disturbing
- Location
- Russia
And thus began saga of Yuma Chitose who swore, that one day, she'll become the Meguca of Mitakihara.
... I just can't wait for the first time Yuma hugs Homura and she looks at us with that "Everything is your fault" gaze again.
- Location
- Not the asylum anymore
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hold on. I swear Homu told us that events mostly went the same as canon last loop- Mami got Robespierre'd, Sayaka witched, stuff like that- and things only really diverged around the Walpurgis fight.