I wonder what would happen if we ever asked Kyubey hard-science questions that a Sufficiently-Advanced Alien race like his would probably know - like, "Is there an undiscovered ninth major planet in our outer star system like our scientists have predicted, or is there a different reason for the odd orbits of numerous trans-Neptunian objects?", or "Do protons decay, or are they eternal?"
There's room for improvement (I'm not totally happy with the anatomy + hands look off to me) but I'm just gonna call this done so I can move onto other things. Hope you guys like it.
"Is there an undiscovered ninth major planet in our outer star system like our scientists have predicted, or is there a different reason for the odd orbits of numerous trans-Neptunian objects?",
[x] [activity] Spend time with just Mami
[x] [day] Don't timeskip dinner with Shin, the rest is fine
"... let me know when you've figured out the house?" you say after a moment of thought. "Sorry, we've got plans this afternoons."
"Plans, eh?" Sayaka asks, grinning. "Not coming for training with me 'n Kyouko, not hanging out with everyone else..."
You find your cheeks reddening as her gaze slides from you to Mami, but Mami stands firm, her smile ever so slightly smug as she takes your elbow firmly and pulls you closer. Madoka beams at you, clasping her hands together.
"That's great!" she says happily. "You've all been so busy all the time."
"Ehhhhh," you say. "I'm not sure that's true, but a break does seem to be in order. But still, do call us if anything comes up, yeah? You especially, Sayaka."
Sayaka rolls her eyes.
"It's just training with Kyouko," she says.
"Two of the biggest troublemakers in this city, together in one spot?" you say, smirking at her. "I'm just glad Yuma's there to supervise."
"It's a good thing Mami's there to supervise the biggest troublemaker in the city, then."
It takes you a moment to register who, exactly, just said that. Scratch that, it takes everyone a moment to register who said that, disbelieving eyes turning to Homura - who looks back at you with a nearly blank expression and the tiniest curl of a smile on her lips.
You grin as Sayaka doubles over, cackling, Mami and Madoka's giggles ringing out clear and loud while Hitomi tries to hide her own laughter with a hand over her mouth. Futilely, at that.
"G-good one, Homura!" Madoka manages to wheeze out, beaming at her and patting her shoulder.
Homura's smile widens just that little bit, her chin tilting up in faint pride as she catches your eye and offers an infinitesimal nod - all the more expressive for her usual blankness. She's in a good mood right now, and you find yourself happy for her. Homura deserves happiness, after all.
"It is a good thing I have Mami to look after me," you offer after a moment, grinning at Homura, then Mami. "So you know what? Yeah, I resemble that remark."
"Sweetness overload," Sayaka says, still snickering even as she shakes her head. "Anyway, we've all got our stuff to do today, so let's get moving? You guys are still hanging out at Hitomi's place until everything gets sorted?"
"Mmh!" Madoka says, obligingly turning to follow Sayaka. "Closest to the real estate office! Then after that we'll be heading to my place, since the house Hitomi and Homura are getting is closer to mine!"
"My parents are quite interested to see where this project goes," Hitomi notes as she follows along. The six of you form into a loose group, threading through the crowds of students. "I was thinking that at some later point, I might arrange for them to take a trip to Fukushima, just to satisfy part of that curiosity?"
She tilts her head in your direction, a raised eyebrow turning a statement into half a declaration of intent, half a request for permission. But really, you hardly feel like you're in a position where she needs to ask you for that, so you simply wave it off.
"Yeah, that sounds like it might be fun," you say. "Just ask Miss Tsuruya? I doubt she's going to charge for it unless we start abusing it or something."
"Excellent," Hitomi says, flashing a brief smile. "I'll ask her later, then."
"Oh, speaking of bad segues!" You take a few long, hopping steps forward, getting ahead of the group as a space opens up in the crowd. A quick sleight of hand brings out your camera, holding it up in front of you with one hand, facing back at everyone. "Cheese, everyone!"
Five seconds for everyone to react: just enough time for Sayaka to yoink Madoka into a hug, for Hitomi to sidestep Sayaka's other grabbing arm with what you can only describe as commendable speed, and for Sayaka to retarget to a startled Homura. Enough time for Mami to catch up with you in three quick steps, looping her arm around your waist, and for Hitomi to step back in and throw up bunny ears behind Sayaka's head.
You snap the photo, grinning beatifically into the camera alongside Mami, alongside everyone else. It's a pity your other friends aren't here - Kyouko and Yuma nor Oriko and Kirika or Yuki or Kazumi, but you'll get them eventually. One day, you hope, you can get everyone in one picture at the same time.
Everyone relaxes back into giggles, and light chatter resumes. It's not a long walk to the bus stop, wending past the burbling little stream and shaded greenery, everyone relaxed and in no hurry to split up until the bus actually arrives for Homura, Madoka, and Hitomi to head off. A round of cheerful farewells, and Sayaka takes off too, heading off to meet up with Kyouko and Yuma for their training.
And that just leaves you and Mami, sharing a smile by the bus stop as the crowd drifts by - students, mostly, and not just from Mitakihara Middle School either, as other schools let out. Even so, you focus on Mami, and way the warmth in her eyes all but outshines the sun.
"Say, Sabrina?" she says after a moment. "Ah... do you have any ideas for what we can do this afternoon? I did have an idea."
"Not really," you admit ruefully. You do still have notions of a moon picnic, but that feels like more of a special occasion thing, really. "Are you sure you don't want to go diving?"
"Why don't we just take a walk around Mitakihara?" she asks, smiling warmly. "We could maybe cheat a little if we want, but we could just... walk around, and see the sights?"
"... you know what? That sounds wonderful," you say, beaming at her. "I mean honestly, despite everything, I feel like I don't really know Mitakihara all that well. Flying over it all, or roofhopping, is one thing, but... I don't really know Mitakihara, sometimes."
Mami beams right back at you.
"Then let's do it," she says happily.
And that's how the rest of the afternoon passes, hand in hand with Mami as you wander aimlessly along the streets of Mitakihara. It's a beautiful city - you'd known that, of course. It's your home, the buildings and the roads and the people. Vehicles roar by on the roads as you meander, and somewhere beneath your feet, the train rumbles by. Far above, you spot a plane, glinting in the afternoon sun.
Somewhere out there, Homura and Madoka and Hitomi are hanging out, somewhere out there, Sayaka and Kyouko and Yuma are sparring. Somewhere out there, Noriko and Akemi are hopefully figuring out coexistence with the Soujus. Somewhere out there, Kirika's probably shitposting with Oriko looking on fondly. And somewhere out there, Masami and Hiroko might be riding herd on Megane.
Your friends and your duty, those you've helped and those you wanted to help. You spare a moment to wonder about Megane - it's been a while since you'd actually thought about that dragging, frustrating argument and how you'd had to let someone else handle her. You hope she's doing well, now - it might be time to check in properly.
And still...
Somewhere out there is Nagisa, living her life as a normal girl. Not a magical girl, and never to be, if you have anything to say about it.
You spare a few minutes to confirm the dinner appointment tonight with her uncle, Mami ducking aside as you make the call, and then as you finish the call, rewarding you with a bite of freshly-made mochi bought from a nearby store.
Mitakihara is a new city as far as cities go, just a few decades. Mitakihara and its sister city of Kasamino, just across the river. You briefly wonder about whatever weird historical and toponymical schism had caused them to be considered two cities instead of just one big city. They're even different administrative zones, according to what Madoka and Hitomi had mentioned. Two different small towns that hit a big economic boom at the same time, you gather, Mami explains when you ask, but she has no idea why they're separate cities, and you both consider the possibility that Wishes were involved.
But you digress: you'd considered the relative ages of the cities before, especially on your trips to Tokyo or Fukushima or further. Mitakihara is new, just a few years off its big industrial boom, and it shows in the construction, all the roads and the buildings laid out to a plan instead of the more organic, winding paths that you associate with cities that developed over time.
Then again, not so different are the shopfronts lining the buildings, bright, cheerful lights enticing in customers, the food stalls wafting delicious fragrances at everyone in spite of the hour: some more cramped than others, some modern in style and others more traditional, but all of them teeming with people and activity and life.
The two of you wander into a music store, joining the small crowd of teenagers listening to samples and browsing the shelves. Most of them look like they're around your age, students escaped from their schools and club activities to wander the city much as you are. Snippets of conversation float past: homework, gossip, life. But neither you nor Mami linger for too long, continuing on your way.
You thread your way through the crowds. It's an awkward moment in time, the end of school, but not the end of the workday. School uniforms dominate the streets, Mitakihara Middle, Shirome Middle, Mitakihara High and many others - the latter of which you recognise only because of the similarities to the familiar Mitakihara Middle School, and others that Mami points out. Not to say that there are only students out and about, of course, plenty of older folks bustling about.
Mitakihara provides sights aplenty. Not just the new and modern, with glittering skyscrapers and shopping malls and libraries and museums and parks and public services and everything else you'd expect of a twenty-first century city, but here and there, you spot nods to the traditional. A temple here, a shrine, there - you and Mami stop there for a moment to look around and offer a prayer at the latter. It's tiny and unattended, barely more than the shrine itself and a little tori gate tucked away between two buildings, but it's clean and well-kept, so someone must be looking after it.
Less pleasant is the Witch barrier you and Mami both sense, near one of the downtown shopping centers. And you might be on your rest period, but all it takes is a look at Mami to confirm that the two of you are in accord: you're magical girls, and you have a duty.
Mami in motion is breathtaking, a shining star amidst the gloom of the cavern that is the Witch's Barrier. Together, you streak through the Barrier, flowing around each other's movements, attacking and defending to the rhythm of a song only the two of you can hear, sweeping aside the rocky Familiars before crushing the batlike Witch itself.
All told, the argument over who should keep the Grief Seed lasts longer than the hunt itself did. Ultimately, Mami accepts it only on the condition that you'll ask if you wind up having a need for it, which you promise you will.
As the afternoon wraps up, you find yourself perched on the soft grass atop a hill, flowers blooming in carefully tended beds all around you. It's not terribly crowded, just a few other groups here at this time of the day, their conversations a distant burble as you gaze out at the sweeping vista of Mitakihara. The skyline is one you've wheeled past so many times, of course, borne on your wings of abyssal nightmare, but it's different, looking at it like this.
Mami sighs happily, tucked under your arm.
"I needed this," she murmurs.
"Funny, that's what I was thinking," you say, lightly amused.
"Mmm... maybe for different reasons, but we both did," she says, smiling and shifting just far enough to brush a kiss against your cheek. "It's been... wonderful, just having a proper amount of time to be normal."
"Similar reasons, then, but either way, absolutely agreed," you say before your smile turns teasing. "Does school not count?"
"You're not there, so it doesn't," Mami says simply, like it's a fact of life. "Besides, it's school."
You laugh, even as your cheeks tinge red. "I guess I can't argue with that."
"Good!" Mami says, leaning her weight against you.
You smile, and luxuriate in the quiet peace.
[] How do you approach telling Momoe Shin?
- [] How in-depth do you go?
[] Have Nagisa around?
[] Write-in (word count limit: 150 words)
=====
Ugh. I'm sorry this took so long - truth be told, I'm not really satified with this update. Maybe it's the fact that this is the first 'proper' timeskip I've written for PMAS?
Might come back and edit this later, but if I delayed any longer, I'd never get this out.
Anyway! The key points to tell Shin, about magic being real, about Kyuubey preying on vulnerable girls, is a given. How much detail do you go into, about Witches, Grief Seeds, Clear Seeds, and so on?
There's room for improvement (I'm not totally happy with the anatomy + hands look off to me) but I'm just gonna call this done so I can move onto other things. Hope you guys like it.
[] How do you approach telling Momoe Shin? From above.
- [] How in-depth do you go? Aliens exist, magic exists, aliens give children magic while hiding it from everyone else, grief economics 101, Sabrina's effect on grief economics, getting down into the particulars of the Iowa incident
[] Have Nagisa around? No, a lot of this is really heavy, and the light parts risk painting Shin into a corner by telling Nagisa that her big sis is a superhero.
We're not (just) telling Shin about magic because we want to, we're explaining what happened on Saturday when we bailed on Nagisa to destroy Iowa. So keep it relevant to Iowa, but within that range tell him everything. After all, he knew this would be a long conversation when he agreed to have it now instead of on Saturday.
If PMAS was an anime, this would probably be a breather episode coming down from a the rather heavy amount of plot.
And probably a good quarter of the episodes runtime and most of the animation budget would be spent on that hunt, just to show off Sabrina and Mami fighting in synch.
I do think it might be worth utilizing a framing along the lines of:
Context: Magic is real (provide simple demonstration)
This is important because otherwise, most of the Iowa situation doesn't make sense
Explanation: We had to leave suddenly because another magic-capable group made a hostile move in our direction
Explanation: the Iowa group's reputation
This is important to substantiate our claim of "hostile"
Explanation: the events that transpired from there, includingthat we took them into custody pending establishment of a justice system
This is important to establishing our own moral precepts (we absolutely could have killed them, and there are many people who would consider doing so understandable)
Context: All magical girls are victims
This is important to explaining why we chose to capture the Iowa group, rather than kill, especially given the power of our group
Explanation: Kyubey, and the predatory way it establishes contracts
This is important so that he can be informed of the potential hazard to Nagisa
Explaining the *bombs here is a maybe; Shin isn't subject to the infohazards, but also is potentially a vector they could reach people who don't know. I lean towards explaining, myself.
Explanation: the goals of Sabrina and Constellation
This is important because once he knows that groups like Iowa may target us, telling him why we're in that position is important for his ability to judge our character and our further interaction with Nagisa.
Conversation: Talk about how we intend to ensure Nagisa is kept out of whatever dangers our nature and goals may bring about.
Shin's #1 priority is going to be Nagisa's well-being, and he's right for it. We need to show that that's a priority for us too, and involve him in the decisionmaking on how to achieve that.
I also think that Nagisa being around for this would very much be a bad idea; this is about giving Shin what he needs in order to make decisions as Nagisa's guardian, and one of those decisions is what and how to tell Nagisa. Taking that out of his hands would seriously undermine him, and thus his ability to trust us.
Also anyone realize there's a "Office Complex pt. 36" in the Index that redirects to Lowlife pt. 35?
And how "We've Got Hostiles" pt. 15.1 (The invisitext one) is also missing?
You spare a moment to wonder about Megane - it's been a while since you'd actually thought about that dragging, frustraring argument and how you'd had to let someone else handle her.
This was a very cozy update, I can almost imagine it as an interlude.
On the explanation itself...
Before starting on our explanations with Shin, it would help to have an understanding of how much detail Shin wants to know, if there is a particular setting they would find comfortable, and if they want anyone else in on the conversation.
We are after all breaking some rather uncomfortable and disconcerting news to Shin, I think we should do it with tact.
I'm worried that if we don't give Shin some control over how this conversation happens, it might be seen as us pushing our own agenda.
As a protovote:
[] Let Shin decide. Ask whether Shin is comfortable hearing all the details. Offer Shin a change in setting. Offer to stop at any point if Shin has any questions or uncertainty or discomfort. Let Shin decide the pacing and the focus of the conversation.
Before starting on our explanations with Shin, it would help to have an understanding of how much detail Shin wants to know, if there is a particular setting they would find comfortable, and if they want anyone else in on the conversation.
We are after all breaking some rather uncomfortable and disconcerting news to Shin, I think we should do it with tact.
I'm worried that if we don't give Shin any control over how this conversation happens, it might be seen as us operating over our own agenda.
I get the impression that you've forgotten who Shin is and what the power dynamics are here. He already picked the time and place. Also, an alternative to this conversation happening was him just saying that he doesn't trust us to babysit Nagisa. From the start, he has had as full control over this conversation as it's possible to have when he doesn't know its contents.
And, since he doesn't know its contents, he can't give us direction about what to tell him. We have to figure that out ourselves.
I think it's polite to ask how much someone wants to know, and offer a comfortable setting. as a professional host, even if you disagree with the power dynamic
it's... also just not true that not knowing means that one can't provide direction?
There's a middle ground to be found here - the more we inform him the more informed his questions will be, but even totally uninformed, I'm sure Shin is walking in with his own ideas of what has to be explained.
I think it's polite to ask how much someone wants to know, and offer a comfortable setting. as a professional host, even if you disagree with the power dynamic
it's... also just not true that not knowing means that one can't provide direction?
There's a middle ground to be found here - the more we inform him the more informed his questions will be, but even totally uninformed, I'm sure Shin is walking in with his own ideas of what has to be explain.
We're not the host, professional or otherwise. We didn't pick the setting. It would just be weird to show up to a location Shin chose and offer to move to a location Shin is more comfortable with. He has had control of the location from the start, and therefore Sabrina is not capable of granting him control.
Shin's ideas of what has to be explained are wrong, is the issue. There's no way he's thinking anything even vaguely like Sabrina and her friends being magical girls that had to go fight a group of dark magical girls. All he knows is that this is about why we bailed on Nagisa, and that a quick summary doesn't do the situation justice. He has already made his decision based on those pieces of information.
As a late arrival to the story, I'm gonna hold off on suggesting any concrete votes, but IIRC Hitomi's parents got a pretty thorough rundown of the miserable deal that Magical Girls get.
And unlike Hitomi, Nagisa has the potential to become a Magical Girl. So long as no one is around who would be at risk from the knowledge, Shin not only deserves, but actively needs to know pretty much the whole deal, if only so he is prepared to keep her from sliding into the sort of despair that drove her into a Contract in canon.
Let him know about magical girls, the rough deal they get, the Iowa group's plans and our intervention, the risk to Nagisa, perhaps even that her being alone at the hospital when her mother was about to die was one moment in which a manipulative cabbit could've preyed on her despair.
We'll likely end up chewing his ear off, figuratively, but again, Hitomi's parents got a very thorough rundown despite their personal stakes being so much lower than his, what with their daughter having no potential. Shin isn't stupid, nor is he malicious or unreasonable. So long as we prove to him that magic is real, he'll listen and likely understand. Even why the *bombs are considered to be basically radioactive knowledge even in the fractured, deeply jaded and conflict-prone Magical Girl community.
You spare a moment to wonder about Megane - it's been a while since you'd actually thought about that dragging, frustraring argument and how you'd had to let someone else handle her. You hope she's doing well, now - it might be time to check in properly.
She seems relatively cordial after Sabrina apologized to her.
We learned from the Animators that Ono's powers involve heavy general self-enhancement, mental and physical, and her Wish is likely the source of her attitude.
"I'm not wrong, sweetheart," Masami says, fluttering her eyelashes at Hiroko before turning her attention back to you. "D'you know what she Wished for?"
"Frankly, no," you say. "I never really had the opportunity to ask, you know? I was kind of hoping you might have an idea. I don't even know her powers, honestly."
"Yyyyeah, fine," Masami says, shrugging. "Guess so. She still needs work, anyway."
"She has some kind of general self-enhancement," Hiroko says. "Not just physically, but also mentally." She makes a face. "We're reasonably certain that her Wish affected her own mind, and we believe it's something that contributes to her attitude."
I recall there being speculation that her Wish was possibly related to her appearance, or self confidence, since it was active all the time coating her when we ran into her. Possibly one of those QB contracts with very minimal info in order to repopulate the local for more Witches.
I'm feeling a bit inspired, so here's a tentative vote. If you think any points should be added or dropped, feel free to make a modified version. The part about Nagisa is going to be unpleasant for Shin to hear, and might need some editing, but it's important to make sure he knows.
[ ] Go over the following points with Shin Momoe, answering his questions
- [ ] Magic is real. Provide a demonstration
- [ ] An alien by the name of Kyuubey is responsible for unlocking magical potential. It appears to young girls at their lowest point and offers them a wish. It pretends to be their friend, and technically never lies, but it also actively hides many important and unpleasant details about what becoming a magical girl entails. It also keeps the existence of magic a secret by wiping memories.
- [ ] Nagisa has the potential to become a magical girl, and she was originally approached to protect her from Kyuubey, as, while Sabrina didn't know the details, she believed Nagisa would be targeted at that time.
- [ ] From the moment one becomes a magical girl, she's on a timer as her soul gem slowly fills up with grief, a process accelerated by using magic or experiencing despair. When the soul gem either breaks or becomes completely full of grief, the magical girl dies.
-- [ ] The only way to cleanse a soul gem is usually by transferring the grief to a grief seed, obtained by defeating a witch, a magical being that feeds on humans.
-- [ ] However, Sabrina has the unique ability to cleanse anyone's soul gem indefinitely, including her own. This has been crucial in saving many magical girls but it's also made her a target at times.
-- [ ] Which brings us to last Saturday, where we had to leave Nagisa because, with the help of a member of our budding magical girl alliance, we detected that the Iowa group, an infamous group of magical girls that have turned to extorting others for grief seeds, were spying on us and we were almost certainly their next target. We intercepted them over Myanmar, and successfully captured and imprisoned them pending the creation of a proper justice system, rescuing the magical girls they were extorting in the process.
- [ ] We're currently focused on improving conditions for both magical girls and girls with the potential to become magical girls, but finding a way to cleanse everyone isn't going to be enough. We've already got some contacts who are starting to help with things we need non-magical girls for, such as therapy and housing, but we still need more to meet the needs of the magical girls we're responsible for.
Tried my hand at making a vote. Well, I say that but I liked a lot of Meowgician's vote so I stole most of it, adding a plan to tell Momoe Shin the witchbomb. It's a bit long and I tried to shorten it but I can't tell if I did a good job at it.
[X] Let Mami know we're planning on telling Momoe Shin the infohazard during the dinner.
[X] How do you approach telling Momoe Shin?
- [X] Magic is real. Provide a demonstration. Give an overview of the magical girl system. (Magical girls, Witches, Soul Gem, etc.)
- [X] The word Soul Gem is literal. When someone becomes a magical girl, their soul is placed within a Soul Gem.
-- [X] An alien by the name of Kyuubey is responsible for unlocking magical potential. It appears to young girls at their lowest point and offers them a wish. It pretends to be their friend but also actively hides many important and unpleasant details of becoming a magical girl. It also keeps the existence of magic a secret by wiping memories.
-- [X] Nagisa has the potential to become a magical girl, and she was originally approached to protect her from Kyuubey, as, while we didn't know the details, we believed Nagisa would be targeted at that time. We intend to keep Nagisa from becoming a magical girl and out of any dangers related to magic.
-- [X] The only way to cleanse a soul gem is usually by transferring the grief to a grief seed, but witches are often limited in quantity, which frequently leads to fighting between magical girls.
-- [X] We have the unique ability to cleanse anyone's soul gem indefinitely, including our own. This has been crucial in saving many magical girls but it's also made us a target at times.
-- [X] We had to leave Nagisa last Saturday because we detected that the Iowa group, an infamous group of magical girls that turned to extorting others for grief seeds, were spying on us and we were almost certainly their next target.
-- [X] We intercepted them over Myanmar, and successfully captured and imprisoned them pending the creation of a proper justice system, rescuing the magical girls they were extorting in the process.
- [X] We made a group under the name of The Constellation focused on improving conditions for both magical girls and girls with the potential to become magical girls.
- [X] Infohazards do exists, one of them being the "Soul Gems are literal" from before. While we plan on telling them to Momoe Shin, let him know that we may have to dodge or avoid some questions until then.
[X] Don't have Nagisa around. A lot of this is really heavy, and the light parts risk painting Shin into a corner by telling Nagisa that her big sis is a superhero.
Just for future reference, here is where we did the magic reveal to the Shizukis.