Puella Magi Adfligo Systema
- Thread starter Firnagzen
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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?
- Location
- Illinois
Oh fuck my life I didn't take my ADHD meds.
Okay so RIP today.
@Redshirt Army be careful with the line about infohazards -- it's not suitable for MadoHito and maybe not for Mika. I wish you'd include a line talking about Iowa, Imho it will save us a scene later where we have to deal with someone in Tokyo trying to fuck with us. I also wish we'd see if Chiyoda recognize Rionna's name.
Have a nice day everybody @_@
Okay so RIP today.
@Redshirt Army be careful with the line about infohazards -- it's not suitable for MadoHito and maybe not for Mika. I wish you'd include a line talking about Iowa, Imho it will save us a scene later where we have to deal with someone in Tokyo trying to fuck with us. I also wish we'd see if Chiyoda recognize Rionna's name.
Have a nice day everybody @_@
Angrygenius
Professional Insomniac
- Location
- Florida
- Pronouns
- Him/He
Ahhh, the days of Adderall...
I don't miss them.
Hope you're better.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I was only very recently diagnosed myself after nearly fourty years of thinking I'm just lazy and unmotivated, and Adderall has been an absolute godsend. I got really lucky hitting a good dosage right off the bat.
That's one of the reasons I included passing notes. MadoHito know that infohazards are a thing. They know the Lichbomb. They don't know that the Witchbomb is a thing. If we say "Not everyone here is fully cleared for infohazards. Let's communicate about our respective status via notes." we'll be able to control what gets back to MadoHito in a way that we wouldn't be able to with a private in person conversation, and which won't make them think they're missing anything important if we opened a telepathic channel and were censoring things. They'll just think the notes are covering Lichbomb status.
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Angrygenius
Professional Insomniac
- Location
- Florida
- Pronouns
- Him/He
Ehhh, I might've just grown an immunity from them due to having to take them from my late childhood through my teenage years. From 15 onwards it kinda felt like it didn't really have an effect on me, at that point they just seemed like 2 pills I had to try to remember to swallow down every morning instead of being something that had an actual effect on me, but that might just be my imagination. even after 10 years I still didn't remember sometimes.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I've only been on it for a few months at this point. The effect has been pretty clear and obvious.
The memory and attention improvements have been very nice, but where it's been really amazing is the emotional regulation. Before I was on it, I didn't have any emotional middle ground. If I felt afraid or nervous about anything, I would immediately jump to a full on, flight or fight, heart pounding panic mode. I never got angry except to the level of seething resentment, to the point I only avoided killing someone by making myself overplan the murders and cleanup afterward long enough that the mood passed. And it never passed quickly, usually only resetting after I went to sleep. Any bad event in a given day would effectively ruin the rest of the day no matter what I did.
Now I can actually feel mildly annoyed. I never knew what mildly annoyed felt like before this. And the feeling passes and I stop being bothered by it instead of brooding on whatever it is for hours.
As I think about it, I think this must be what having your Soul Gem cleansed feels like. When the Grief is built up, you can't let the negative emotions go. When it's removed, you still feel emotions, but the intensity and permanence goes away. All the problems that felt too big to do anything about are still there, but it all seems so much more manageable.
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JIMI94
Birdman with a cauldron on it's head
- Location
- The Garden of Earthly Delights
Should we consider Clear Seeds our 'long-term' (as opposed to at most medium term) solution when we are planning to turn them back into girls as soon as we possibly can? Ultimately (and I know I've probably said this before) we should want a method of cleansing seeds that can be used by any meguca, or at least any partial grief controller, and that can be manufactured without our direct help. Just because we are nice doesn't mean we are made of time, or that it isn't good to make sure that a whole new way of life for these girls doesn't forever hinge on us.
- Location
- a Minecraft Rollercoaster
I mean it's long term until we figure out how to produce grief cubes. Which once upon a never, is essentially produced by the world itself, so in the worst case, we could try to deliberately create wraiths to farm. That should in theory be power agnostic.
- Location
- Not the asylum anymore
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't wraiths have to eat the emotions of people in order to make grief cubes? And, yeah- better than the eternal suffering of the witch souls in grief seeds, considering the emotion eating is one-and-done, but still not good.
(Also, unrelated, but I'm fairly sure the wraiths were made by the world/karmic destiny/whatever specifically to fill the gap witches left behind after Madoka did her thing. That doesn't imply benevolence on the part of whatever force was behind that.)
- Location
- a Minecraft Rollercoaster
The very late vote also probably didn't help, right?Update will be tomorrow!
Today was a public holiday, and I relaxed a bit too aggressively.
Angrygenius
Professional Insomniac
- Location
- Florida
- Pronouns
- Him/He
10 cans of beer and a lot of time.
thelordofmango
may be stupid
- Location
- under a rock
Hmmm... would MGs be able to get drunk?
Oripa
Misfolded
Probably, but magical healing would likely recognize it as a poison and purge it. Detaching from their body would also likely remove or suppress the effects.
However, the interaction between mind-altering substances and grief accumulation is both completely unknown, and probably horrifying. Would not recommend
Warning: Link Removed By Moderation
- Location
- Earth
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*gestures vaguely at thread title*
Power Up Pt. 13
Akari returns with a neatly arrayed tray a few minutes later - a full, ceremonial set, but one clearly for ordinary green tea as opposed to matcha. Fair enough, really, you're not sure you would want to sit through a full tea ceremony, anyway.
You watch as Toshimichi begins preparing the tea, almost rivaling Mami in effortless grace. You realize you might be biased there, of course. No one speaks, as is proper ceremonial form, the swish of Toshimichi's sleeves and the burble of the kettle on the little charcoal stove the only sounds to fill the room.
And yet it's a busy silence, unspoken conversations bouncing from person to person - not just in telepathy, but also in body language and microexpressions, and busy with thoughts. You're sure that the Chiyoda girls are evaluating you just as much as you are evaluating them.
You sneak Mami another warm smile, because, well... you don't care that much about propriety. If Chiyoda's going to take offense at you showing affection, that's their problem. You care more about Mami.
"OK, so..." you say into the telepathic conversation. "Do we think we can push our agenda? Metaphorically hardball it with Clear Seeds, and then maybe allow them to argue it down to refreshed Seeds, or Miss Tsuruya establishing an outpost?"
You admit, you're not entirely happy with this entire thing. You're willing to work with it in the name of peace, but so many of the pieces are individually jarring, and together, they form a... disconcerting whole.
You think you're willing to work with them, if they're on the level. You've thought it often enough, and said it too - you're willing to bend in the name of preventing a war. You're also entirely willing to break something in the name of ensuring that people are safe, and you don't just mean the fighting, there. Starvation is as big a killer as fighting, after all.
You don't really like it. You're... inclined to be opposed to a monarchy, you suppose, but that's not surprising. You don't like coercive authority, but then, it's hard to balance that with getting people to just stop fighting, for Madokami's sake, people. So... that leaves you a little wrong footed here, you suppose.
Toshimichi hands Mami a cup of tea, which she accepts with a gracious nod. The second cup goes to you, and then to Sayaka, and then to Mika... by seating arrangement, really.
"I updated Yuki - she's entirely happy to have a base here, and willing to provide security on that front," Shinobu says. "Eager, even, and I confirmed she's willing to put up with whatever tests they want to run. She also wants to suggest that even if some other option is accepted, you could suggest that she maintain a claim here to keep relationships up? And, y'know, she wants a claim here in Tokyo."
"Oh, that's a good idea!" Madoka says. "Having an embassy and easy transport would facilitate future discussions, after all."
"I admit, I was considering that, in any case," you say. "Alright. So... Clear Seeds as our initial proposal? Yes or no?"
You savor the tea. It is, admittedly, good tea, steeped to perfection with a rich, intense sweetness and nuttiness, a taste that almost emphasizes the silence -as is proper manners- in the room. Of course, the silence completely fails to encompass the ongoing telepathic discussion.
"To the Council in full, I assume? Since we've already discussed it with Chiyoda, and they're broadly against the idea," Hitomi says. "I'm... not sure. I understand it's our end goal, but with Chiyoda's disapproval, I'm not sure of the value. Yes, bargaining down is a common tactic, but if Toshimichi's correct, then it being accepted now would be a failure state. Is that risk acceptable?"
"We need more info, but we don't have an opportunity to gather it before we speak to the Council," Mika says with a mental sigh. "I approve in general of playing hardball, but I must echo Miss Shizuki's concerns. I believe that the scales tip correctly, but I can't say for sure."
"OK..." you consider it for a moment, your eyes drifting to stare blindly out at the Tokyo skyline, visible in the grand window behind the Chiyoda girls. "Alternative plan: Do you think it would be OK if I present Clear Seeds as a demonstration, and then present the notion of having one under Miss Tsuruya's security as our favoured option, with full Clear Seed distribution as an explicit, long term goal?"
"Ah, I was going to suggest that," Mami says, squeezing your hand gently. "Easing them into it should make it an easier pill to swallow, and... if anyone were inclined to cause problems, we might be able to find out more in the meantime."
"And we'd still be helping them!" Madoka says. "And if we have, um, an embassy, we could use it as an excuse to talk to them more over time, and try and find out the root problems."
"But that doesn't mean we can't try and settle something today," you conclude. "Alright. I think that's a plan."
"More tea, anyone?" Toshimichi asks, breaking the silence.
"I would appreciate it," Mami says, smiling in kind and offering up her cup.
"Me too, if you please," you say.
... hey, it is good tea. And it's not like you're alone - Mami leading the way, and almost everyone taking a refill, Toshimichi's group included. Except for Niko, who probably subsists on pure coffee and only took the first cup to be polite.
"Not me, I'm afraid," Megu says, her eyes flicking up as if to some invisible clock. "I should go prepare the Council room. Please excuse me."
She sets aside her cup and rises smoothly to her feet, ghosting soundlessly past you and out of the room, the little silvery clouds trailing behind her.
"How much can we trust Toshimichi?" Sayaka says slowly, cradling the steaming cup in her hands and staring down at it. "I mean, let's say she's telling the truth about the whole... hostile groups and instability thing. Does that mean she's going to meddle with our cleansing stuff in the name of keeping the peace? There's her weird... nega-gerrymandering and the thing where she swaps people in to hunt with her group, right?"
"Ah... that's true, Sayaka," Madoka says. "We should be firm that we will have oversight, or control over the cleansing?"
"Even just a ledger would do," Mika points out. "That's really all that's needed."
"Oooh. Umika could make a super fancy one!" Kazumi says. "Verify identities or something."
"That could work," you say, taking a slow, thoughtful sip. "OK. Current agenda: ask about Sumida, offer our proposal, and I... there's one more thing I want to float by everyone. I... look, we're all on the same page about them probably using memory magic. I'm not entirely happy with that, and I kind of want to just ask them, straight-out, about it."
Mami smiles, tilting her head slightly to catch your attention. The lines around her eyes crinkle just a little in warm amusement, a fond, unspoken, Oh, Sabrina, in her gaze. You shoot a tiny grin back at her - c'mon, at least you're asking first, right?
"It... might be dangerous?" Madoka ventures.
"In a normal business, or political context, I would consider it inadvisable to bring up a topic of delicate practices unless you're willing to accept potential breakdowns in negotiations," Hitomi says. "I'm uncertain where the stakes would tip on the matter, and I think, perhaps, you would be the better judges of that?"
"Depends on why they're doing it, no?" Mika says. You can feel her gaze on the back of your head. "Sounds to me like they've used it in two contexts: one, suppressing whatever the groups are up to, and two, keeping up their own air of mystery."
"The latter of which helps to maintain their position, I would imagine," Mami says thoughtfully. "They seem to respect us as peers, but I worry that it would be pushing the matter. Mm... Perhaps if we tried to fish for information around the topic before asking directly."
"Yeah..." you mutter. "OK... I'm... not really sure where to start on that, specifically. I guess we'll keep an eye out for opportunities, and circle back round to the question if possible? And, um, Mami, please take the lead if you've got a better idea."
"I will," Mami says.
"Alright," you say, taking another slow sip of tea. You'll finish the cup, and then pick up the conversation, you suppose - which gives you the opportunity to reach out telepathically on another channel.
"Oriko? Have you been listening in?" you murmur. "You've been quiet so far, but I'd value your thoughts on this."
"She has not!" Kirika's the one to respond to you instead. "She's still concentrating, but she's following the situation around Tokyo. There's lots of magical girls and links there, she says, so she's picking things out. Did you know that Miss Leader girl you're talking to is connected to basically everywhere in Tokyo?"
"... Connected how?" you say. You were curious about that, you admit.
"Oh, Oriko was saying she was connected to shrines, including all the old ones that aren't there any more," Kirika says. "And a bunch of regular old buildings. She tried following those connections, but it just gave her a headache and I spritzed her."
"Well... OK, I guess that makes sense, sort of," you say. "Is she seeing anything interesting about the magical girls?"
"I'm seeing a lot of movement." Oriko's the one to respond this time, her mental voice strained. "The meeting that they'll be attending is soon, and I am indeed seeing the expected delegates traveling in. But there's also a lot of border watching going on. To preempt your next question, I don't know why. Not yet. My intention was to inform you when I did, or when you were moving to the Council meeting proper."
"... ah. Right, that's... um. Not good, but thank you for the heads up, and thank you for keeping an eye out for me," you say. "Can you tell me anything more about Toshimichi, by the way?"
"She's very heavily linked, karmically so, to Miss Shimada and Miss Riko," Oriko says. "Far more so than nearly any other people I've seen, with few exceptions such as you and Miss Kaname, or indeed Miss Akemi and Miss Kaname. I'll update you if I find out more - their compound is heavily fortified."
"Right..." you say, storing that away for later. And... Oriko did just say that over telepathy where Kyuubey might overhear. But then, you know that Oriko knows to be wary of the little white rat, so you'll trust her judgement there. "Thanks, Oriko. I really do appreciate it."
"Of course," she responds, sounding distracted.
Well. You'd been hoping for more political insight, but hey, this is just as important. Maybe even more so. And something you should relay to your friends on the ground, right now, and so you do. Neglecting certain parts, of course.
"Border watching, hm," Kazumi says. "That's kind of weird. Doesn't gel, does it? If the fight's coming from Meiji and Sumida, why's everyone bunkering up now?"
"Could be as simple as expectations turning into a self-fulfilling prophecy," Mika observes. "If everyone's expecting problems to arise, it only makes sense to be careful. And with tensions potentially running high..."
"We're literally here to offer up free stuff," you complain. Your irritation probably shows on your face right now, but you really don't care. "People shouldn't expect it to come to a fight!"
Mami squeezes your hand gently, her thumb rubbing small circles.
"We'll just have to prove them wrong," she says softly.
"Mmmmrgrrm," you grumble. "Whatever. I've defied one prophecy already, time for another, apparently. Anyway."
You exhale slowly, facing Toshimichi fully once more. Sharp obsidian eyes flick up to meet yours at the same time, Toshimichi moving gracefully to set her teacup aside. A click is Mami's teacup joining yours on the floor, echoed as your friends follow suit to present a united front once more.
"Miss Toshimichi, I believe we have a proposal, that we would like to first put to you, and then to the Council," you say. "And it's one that, hopefully, addresses our concerns."
"Please, do go ahead," she says.
"Clear Seeds distribution is, ultimately, the end goal, but we appreciate that it might not be feasible in the immediate term," you say. "I believe that you are aware of the general nature of them, but in short: a Clear Seed is when I take an ordinary Grief Seed, and extract all the Grief contained within. I would like to demonstrate it - it's a straightforward thing that won't take long."
"We are aware," Toshimichi says, gesturing at Aoi and Akari. "And I take it that you mean to demonstrate to the other delegates of the Council? I would not see a problem with that, and it would help your cause. You would be doing it under intense scrutiny, and such a demonstration before their eyes is a much easier pill to swallow." She smiles faintly. "Seeing is believing, after all."
"I would also be happy to clear a Grief Seed right now, if you wish to see it?" you say, tilting your head questioningly.
"We do believe in your capability," Toshimichi says.
"Alright..." you say. "Then as I mentioned - full Clear Seed distribution is our ultimate endgoal. I intend to propose it, and to see whether the problems are resolvable today, though I admit that seems unlikely."
"I apologise, Miss Vee, but we are not able to support that," Toshimichi says, clasping her hands on her lap. She looks apologetic, a faint crease to her brow. "I mean no offense, but... if deep interpersonal problems were so easily solved, my role would not be necessary."
You purse your lips. Not surprising, and you'd prepared for that.
"In that case, if Clear Seed distribution is not feasible in the short term, then our follow-on proposal is this: we would have one of my associates, Miss Tsuruya, travel here to lay claim to a building," you say, gesturing beyond the window to Tokyo itself. "We would secure a single Clear Seed within, and make it available to the magical girls of Tokyo to use, perhaps on some kind of timetable. Miss Tsuruya has also confirmed that she would be willing to allow you to test her defenses."
"That would be acceptable, and we would support such a proposal," Toshimichi says with a gracious nod. "And I believe Megu, in particular, would love to both meet and perhaps collaborate with Miss Tsuruya."
"I'll pass on the regards," you say. "In addition to the proposal, I would also like to, as an immediate thing, help to refresh some Grief Seeds."
"At the meeting to come?" Toshimichi says, blinking. "I... think that would be acceptable, yes."
"It's also a good opportunity to meet with the individual groups," Madoka murmurs to you. "Maybe try and arrange to meet them... outside the building, or something? Ah... away from Chiyoda, you know?"
"Perhaps after adjourning the meeting," you say slowly, as if the thought just occurred to you. "After clearing aside immediate business."
"That would be acceptable still, but I would request an accounting of the number of Seeds cleansed," Toshimichi says after a moment of thought.
"I can do that," you say with a smile, rocking back slightly and working your toes to keep the circulation going. "On that note, if I may - we were discussing problematic groups. Beyond the Meiji group and the Tower group, we've heard that the Sumida group were also unusually aggressive?"
"Ah, yes. Certainly they are, but they are not, in my estimation, a threat to the general stability?" Toshimichi says. "They are greedy and frequently overstep their bounds, but without any real ambition beyond the internal. I suspect, if anything, that they would be less of a problem, given a Clear Seed or substantial cleansing."
"Beyond the internal?" you echo curiously.
"They ply their magic to make money," Toshimichi says, shaking her head. "If you are curious, I'd suggest you talk to them - I've largely elected to leave them to it."
You nod slowly, exhaling.
"I believe we have a few more minutes before we should adjourn to the meeting room proper," Toshimichi says, straightening a little. "Are there any last matters?"
[] Last questions/proposals?
[] How do you want to present yourself to the Council?
- []Shock and awe PRESENTATION!
- [] Simple, straight to the point
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)
I've been looking forward to the next scene, I have to admit.
You watch as Toshimichi begins preparing the tea, almost rivaling Mami in effortless grace. You realize you might be biased there, of course. No one speaks, as is proper ceremonial form, the swish of Toshimichi's sleeves and the burble of the kettle on the little charcoal stove the only sounds to fill the room.
And yet it's a busy silence, unspoken conversations bouncing from person to person - not just in telepathy, but also in body language and microexpressions, and busy with thoughts. You're sure that the Chiyoda girls are evaluating you just as much as you are evaluating them.
You sneak Mami another warm smile, because, well... you don't care that much about propriety. If Chiyoda's going to take offense at you showing affection, that's their problem. You care more about Mami.
"OK, so..." you say into the telepathic conversation. "Do we think we can push our agenda? Metaphorically hardball it with Clear Seeds, and then maybe allow them to argue it down to refreshed Seeds, or Miss Tsuruya establishing an outpost?"
You admit, you're not entirely happy with this entire thing. You're willing to work with it in the name of peace, but so many of the pieces are individually jarring, and together, they form a... disconcerting whole.
You think you're willing to work with them, if they're on the level. You've thought it often enough, and said it too - you're willing to bend in the name of preventing a war. You're also entirely willing to break something in the name of ensuring that people are safe, and you don't just mean the fighting, there. Starvation is as big a killer as fighting, after all.
You don't really like it. You're... inclined to be opposed to a monarchy, you suppose, but that's not surprising. You don't like coercive authority, but then, it's hard to balance that with getting people to just stop fighting, for Madokami's sake, people. So... that leaves you a little wrong footed here, you suppose.
Toshimichi hands Mami a cup of tea, which she accepts with a gracious nod. The second cup goes to you, and then to Sayaka, and then to Mika... by seating arrangement, really.
"I updated Yuki - she's entirely happy to have a base here, and willing to provide security on that front," Shinobu says. "Eager, even, and I confirmed she's willing to put up with whatever tests they want to run. She also wants to suggest that even if some other option is accepted, you could suggest that she maintain a claim here to keep relationships up? And, y'know, she wants a claim here in Tokyo."
"Oh, that's a good idea!" Madoka says. "Having an embassy and easy transport would facilitate future discussions, after all."
"I admit, I was considering that, in any case," you say. "Alright. So... Clear Seeds as our initial proposal? Yes or no?"
You savor the tea. It is, admittedly, good tea, steeped to perfection with a rich, intense sweetness and nuttiness, a taste that almost emphasizes the silence -as is proper manners- in the room. Of course, the silence completely fails to encompass the ongoing telepathic discussion.
"To the Council in full, I assume? Since we've already discussed it with Chiyoda, and they're broadly against the idea," Hitomi says. "I'm... not sure. I understand it's our end goal, but with Chiyoda's disapproval, I'm not sure of the value. Yes, bargaining down is a common tactic, but if Toshimichi's correct, then it being accepted now would be a failure state. Is that risk acceptable?"
"We need more info, but we don't have an opportunity to gather it before we speak to the Council," Mika says with a mental sigh. "I approve in general of playing hardball, but I must echo Miss Shizuki's concerns. I believe that the scales tip correctly, but I can't say for sure."
"OK..." you consider it for a moment, your eyes drifting to stare blindly out at the Tokyo skyline, visible in the grand window behind the Chiyoda girls. "Alternative plan: Do you think it would be OK if I present Clear Seeds as a demonstration, and then present the notion of having one under Miss Tsuruya's security as our favoured option, with full Clear Seed distribution as an explicit, long term goal?"
"Ah, I was going to suggest that," Mami says, squeezing your hand gently. "Easing them into it should make it an easier pill to swallow, and... if anyone were inclined to cause problems, we might be able to find out more in the meantime."
"And we'd still be helping them!" Madoka says. "And if we have, um, an embassy, we could use it as an excuse to talk to them more over time, and try and find out the root problems."
"But that doesn't mean we can't try and settle something today," you conclude. "Alright. I think that's a plan."
"More tea, anyone?" Toshimichi asks, breaking the silence.
"I would appreciate it," Mami says, smiling in kind and offering up her cup.
"Me too, if you please," you say.
... hey, it is good tea. And it's not like you're alone - Mami leading the way, and almost everyone taking a refill, Toshimichi's group included. Except for Niko, who probably subsists on pure coffee and only took the first cup to be polite.
"Not me, I'm afraid," Megu says, her eyes flicking up as if to some invisible clock. "I should go prepare the Council room. Please excuse me."
She sets aside her cup and rises smoothly to her feet, ghosting soundlessly past you and out of the room, the little silvery clouds trailing behind her.
"How much can we trust Toshimichi?" Sayaka says slowly, cradling the steaming cup in her hands and staring down at it. "I mean, let's say she's telling the truth about the whole... hostile groups and instability thing. Does that mean she's going to meddle with our cleansing stuff in the name of keeping the peace? There's her weird... nega-gerrymandering and the thing where she swaps people in to hunt with her group, right?"
"Ah... that's true, Sayaka," Madoka says. "We should be firm that we will have oversight, or control over the cleansing?"
"Even just a ledger would do," Mika points out. "That's really all that's needed."
"Oooh. Umika could make a super fancy one!" Kazumi says. "Verify identities or something."
"That could work," you say, taking a slow, thoughtful sip. "OK. Current agenda: ask about Sumida, offer our proposal, and I... there's one more thing I want to float by everyone. I... look, we're all on the same page about them probably using memory magic. I'm not entirely happy with that, and I kind of want to just ask them, straight-out, about it."
Mami smiles, tilting her head slightly to catch your attention. The lines around her eyes crinkle just a little in warm amusement, a fond, unspoken, Oh, Sabrina, in her gaze. You shoot a tiny grin back at her - c'mon, at least you're asking first, right?
"It... might be dangerous?" Madoka ventures.
"In a normal business, or political context, I would consider it inadvisable to bring up a topic of delicate practices unless you're willing to accept potential breakdowns in negotiations," Hitomi says. "I'm uncertain where the stakes would tip on the matter, and I think, perhaps, you would be the better judges of that?"
"Depends on why they're doing it, no?" Mika says. You can feel her gaze on the back of your head. "Sounds to me like they've used it in two contexts: one, suppressing whatever the groups are up to, and two, keeping up their own air of mystery."
"The latter of which helps to maintain their position, I would imagine," Mami says thoughtfully. "They seem to respect us as peers, but I worry that it would be pushing the matter. Mm... Perhaps if we tried to fish for information around the topic before asking directly."
"Yeah..." you mutter. "OK... I'm... not really sure where to start on that, specifically. I guess we'll keep an eye out for opportunities, and circle back round to the question if possible? And, um, Mami, please take the lead if you've got a better idea."
"I will," Mami says.
"Alright," you say, taking another slow sip of tea. You'll finish the cup, and then pick up the conversation, you suppose - which gives you the opportunity to reach out telepathically on another channel.
"Oriko? Have you been listening in?" you murmur. "You've been quiet so far, but I'd value your thoughts on this."
"She has not!" Kirika's the one to respond to you instead. "She's still concentrating, but she's following the situation around Tokyo. There's lots of magical girls and links there, she says, so she's picking things out. Did you know that Miss Leader girl you're talking to is connected to basically everywhere in Tokyo?"
"... Connected how?" you say. You were curious about that, you admit.
"Oh, Oriko was saying she was connected to shrines, including all the old ones that aren't there any more," Kirika says. "And a bunch of regular old buildings. She tried following those connections, but it just gave her a headache and I spritzed her."
"Well... OK, I guess that makes sense, sort of," you say. "Is she seeing anything interesting about the magical girls?"
"I'm seeing a lot of movement." Oriko's the one to respond this time, her mental voice strained. "The meeting that they'll be attending is soon, and I am indeed seeing the expected delegates traveling in. But there's also a lot of border watching going on. To preempt your next question, I don't know why. Not yet. My intention was to inform you when I did, or when you were moving to the Council meeting proper."
"... ah. Right, that's... um. Not good, but thank you for the heads up, and thank you for keeping an eye out for me," you say. "Can you tell me anything more about Toshimichi, by the way?"
"She's very heavily linked, karmically so, to Miss Shimada and Miss Riko," Oriko says. "Far more so than nearly any other people I've seen, with few exceptions such as you and Miss Kaname, or indeed Miss Akemi and Miss Kaname. I'll update you if I find out more - their compound is heavily fortified."
"Right..." you say, storing that away for later. And... Oriko did just say that over telepathy where Kyuubey might overhear. But then, you know that Oriko knows to be wary of the little white rat, so you'll trust her judgement there. "Thanks, Oriko. I really do appreciate it."
"Of course," she responds, sounding distracted.
Well. You'd been hoping for more political insight, but hey, this is just as important. Maybe even more so. And something you should relay to your friends on the ground, right now, and so you do. Neglecting certain parts, of course.
"Border watching, hm," Kazumi says. "That's kind of weird. Doesn't gel, does it? If the fight's coming from Meiji and Sumida, why's everyone bunkering up now?"
"Could be as simple as expectations turning into a self-fulfilling prophecy," Mika observes. "If everyone's expecting problems to arise, it only makes sense to be careful. And with tensions potentially running high..."
"We're literally here to offer up free stuff," you complain. Your irritation probably shows on your face right now, but you really don't care. "People shouldn't expect it to come to a fight!"
Mami squeezes your hand gently, her thumb rubbing small circles.
"We'll just have to prove them wrong," she says softly.
"Mmmmrgrrm," you grumble. "Whatever. I've defied one prophecy already, time for another, apparently. Anyway."
You exhale slowly, facing Toshimichi fully once more. Sharp obsidian eyes flick up to meet yours at the same time, Toshimichi moving gracefully to set her teacup aside. A click is Mami's teacup joining yours on the floor, echoed as your friends follow suit to present a united front once more.
"Miss Toshimichi, I believe we have a proposal, that we would like to first put to you, and then to the Council," you say. "And it's one that, hopefully, addresses our concerns."
"Please, do go ahead," she says.
"Clear Seeds distribution is, ultimately, the end goal, but we appreciate that it might not be feasible in the immediate term," you say. "I believe that you are aware of the general nature of them, but in short: a Clear Seed is when I take an ordinary Grief Seed, and extract all the Grief contained within. I would like to demonstrate it - it's a straightforward thing that won't take long."
"We are aware," Toshimichi says, gesturing at Aoi and Akari. "And I take it that you mean to demonstrate to the other delegates of the Council? I would not see a problem with that, and it would help your cause. You would be doing it under intense scrutiny, and such a demonstration before their eyes is a much easier pill to swallow." She smiles faintly. "Seeing is believing, after all."
"I would also be happy to clear a Grief Seed right now, if you wish to see it?" you say, tilting your head questioningly.
"We do believe in your capability," Toshimichi says.
"Alright..." you say. "Then as I mentioned - full Clear Seed distribution is our ultimate endgoal. I intend to propose it, and to see whether the problems are resolvable today, though I admit that seems unlikely."
"I apologise, Miss Vee, but we are not able to support that," Toshimichi says, clasping her hands on her lap. She looks apologetic, a faint crease to her brow. "I mean no offense, but... if deep interpersonal problems were so easily solved, my role would not be necessary."
You purse your lips. Not surprising, and you'd prepared for that.
"In that case, if Clear Seed distribution is not feasible in the short term, then our follow-on proposal is this: we would have one of my associates, Miss Tsuruya, travel here to lay claim to a building," you say, gesturing beyond the window to Tokyo itself. "We would secure a single Clear Seed within, and make it available to the magical girls of Tokyo to use, perhaps on some kind of timetable. Miss Tsuruya has also confirmed that she would be willing to allow you to test her defenses."
"That would be acceptable, and we would support such a proposal," Toshimichi says with a gracious nod. "And I believe Megu, in particular, would love to both meet and perhaps collaborate with Miss Tsuruya."
"I'll pass on the regards," you say. "In addition to the proposal, I would also like to, as an immediate thing, help to refresh some Grief Seeds."
"At the meeting to come?" Toshimichi says, blinking. "I... think that would be acceptable, yes."
"It's also a good opportunity to meet with the individual groups," Madoka murmurs to you. "Maybe try and arrange to meet them... outside the building, or something? Ah... away from Chiyoda, you know?"
"Perhaps after adjourning the meeting," you say slowly, as if the thought just occurred to you. "After clearing aside immediate business."
"That would be acceptable still, but I would request an accounting of the number of Seeds cleansed," Toshimichi says after a moment of thought.
"I can do that," you say with a smile, rocking back slightly and working your toes to keep the circulation going. "On that note, if I may - we were discussing problematic groups. Beyond the Meiji group and the Tower group, we've heard that the Sumida group were also unusually aggressive?"
"Ah, yes. Certainly they are, but they are not, in my estimation, a threat to the general stability?" Toshimichi says. "They are greedy and frequently overstep their bounds, but without any real ambition beyond the internal. I suspect, if anything, that they would be less of a problem, given a Clear Seed or substantial cleansing."
"Beyond the internal?" you echo curiously.
"They ply their magic to make money," Toshimichi says, shaking her head. "If you are curious, I'd suggest you talk to them - I've largely elected to leave them to it."
You nod slowly, exhaling.
"I believe we have a few more minutes before we should adjourn to the meeting room proper," Toshimichi says, straightening a little. "Are there any last matters?"
[] Last questions/proposals?
[] How do you want to present yourself to the Council?
- []
- [] Simple, straight to the point
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)
[X] Look for an opportunity to ask about infohazards
-[X] On the chance that it's related to infohazards, we can pass notes about it between those of us who are fully informed in Chiyoda and Constellation so no one has to break off from the group to have that conversation.
-[X] Try not to be unduly accusatory - if they've done it for the reasons you suspect, you can understand why they might have done it, but with something this concerning you felt the need to check.
-[X] On the chance that it's related to infohazards, we can pass notes about it between those of us who are fully informed in Chiyoda and Constellation so no one has to break off from the group to have that conversation.
-[X] Try not to be unduly accusatory - if they've done it for the reasons you suspect, you can understand why they might have done it, but with something this concerning you felt the need to check.
=====
I've been looking forward to the next scene, I have to admit.
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Godwinson
"Well, I've got nothing."
...fascinating. Not in the least because of what it implies about how Oriko's powers are developing. She's gone from being able to see possible futures, to being able to see distant places and the karmic connections between people and places? Man, that really is the universe bonking her upside the head with a great big answer for what the "purpose of her life" is.
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- Location
- Not the asylum anymore
- Pronouns
- She/Her
So literally a Kami borne from the shintoist faithfut of Tokyo, and the two connected girls possibly having royal blood.
Or a wish-born being made from the two girls' combined wishes. However unlike Sabrina, she was born with her abilities, but being a non-meguca meant she needed constant upkeep from the two girls, but they somehow offloaded that to the Shrines all around Tokyo.
Or a wish-born being made from the two girls' combined wishes. However unlike Sabrina, she was born with her abilities, but being a non-meguca meant she needed constant upkeep from the two girls, but they somehow offloaded that to the Shrines all around Tokyo.
Architect Iront.
Verified Cosplayer, Verified Living Doll
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[] Niko, you mentioned a hypothesis you were forming? Is there anything we can ask or do that will help you sort that out faster?
Other than that, I too want PRESENTATION. Why? Because it's fun, that's why.
Other than that, I too want PRESENTATION. Why? Because it's fun, that's why.
Angrygenius
Professional Insomniac
- Location
- Florida
- Pronouns
- Him/He
Motherfucker, if we don't take this option I'm not gonna do the "I love Communism" Shout. We need to do this, it's so Sabrina.
Trying. Not. To be. A Nerd.
I'm glad we poked Oriko because I had kind of figured she might be doing something like that.
Hmm... So Akane is karmically linked to a nerd and a girl who looks like her.
Yuki making out like a bandit.
Interesting. Whoever does that chart should update thaaa... Oh right that's me.
Angrygenius
Professional Insomniac
- Location
- Florida
- Pronouns
- Him/He