Puella Magi Madoka Magica - Part █: The Revelation Story
- Thread starter Stelaria
- Start date
Solarstream
It's all in the cards
- Location
- Zombie World
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I think Stelaria might be referring to Livia there?
oh yeah, i deadass forgot about the Puella Care Gang.
Ⅳ.8 // all of those are worldly desire
"It's true," you admit, lowering your head. "I could make a wish right now, and give Kyubey limitless energy to save the universe. But I don't want to."
"Why?! If you can save the whole universe, and everyone with the potential to be a magical girl in the future, why would you not do that?!" Sunao retorts; and she sounds seriously angry. Shizuka doesn't look best pleased either, though Chiharu is still taking notes.
"Mm. If you have such a great power, why won't you use it, even for the sake of the country?"
"There's a reason for that. I don't know yet if there'll be a situation where only a power as strong as my wish will save this world. Until then, I won't make a wish. There's a proper time, and a proper place; and it's not now," you reply, not entirely comfortable with how vague you're needing to be around Kyubey.
"You're not going to save people who need saving?! Some god you are." Sunao snaps; surely bitter from her defeat by Oriko, though… she still sounds very scared, too. She chose to keep that fear, though; you've offered all you can.
"No, you don't understand. I don't have the right to decide for any magical girl what wish they make, or what their wish should mean to them. That right should belong to the magical girls alone. Would you all give that up, for every magical girl, in every world, forever, just to tell me what to do with mine? Because that's what it'd mean to break this covenant. The three of you are Diviners in the old sense - you should know better than most that there are agreements and contracts between humans and gods that mustn't be broken."
"But-"
"In every age, there've been people who sought the intercession of the gods for their problems. History doesn't record many instances of gods descending to protect humanity, though. But right now, I'm standing before you on the ground, listening to your problems, saving lives and taking sides. I'm already doing what I should be doing, even if it's come too late for a lot of people right now…
It's okay to ask the gods for help, when that's the only path left to you. And it's the duty of the gods to make up the difference, when human strength isn't enough. But my wish is different. That is mine alone. I want to use it to help everyone, but it's precisely because of that that I shouldn't use it until I'm sure that wish really is the right thing for everyone who will ever exist."
You're actually getting a little angry at this. Not because they're asking for help; not even because they're asking for your wish, but…
"Shizuka-san, you said, 'for the sake of the country'."
"I… I did. It's our duty as Diviners to pledge our lives to the prosperity of the Land of the Rising Sun… right?"
"No. Did you think magical girls exist only in Japan?" you answer, a little more snappy than you intended.
It's not your place to decide other people's wishes, or their meaning, but… there's no way these girls know what a nation-state is or the workings of government well enough to understand the whole petty, bloody zero-sum game they're caught in. Honestly, not even you do, without the omniscience and wisdom of the godhead - things that you so desperately long for at times like this.
"I… never really thought about it. I didn't even know there were any outside of the Tokime Clan, up to now…"
"Kyubey, how many countries have had their political situation affected by a magical girl's wishes in the last year?"
<That is a very interesting question. If you're including internal governmental affairs and the ambitions of individual politicians in recognized states, the answer would be 189. If you're referring purely to impact on foreign policy and relations, 104. Of particular interest, the wishes of magical girls have initiated five international diplomatic incidents and resolved seven.>
"I thought so. Sometimes, magical girls will make wishes like that of their own accord, but… it's rare for a magical girl to know specifics about politics without an adult interfering or guiding them in that direction."
"So you've realized too, Madoka?" says Oriko mysteriously, waiting to listen to your answer.
"Mmm. It's too early to say for sure, but I think I can see the real shape of this village now. All that's left is to work out the identity of the true mastermind."
"The true mastermind?" Chiharu looks up from her notes. "Do you think we know everything we need now?"
You shake your head. "No. Not yet. Once we talk to Mikoshiba, we'll have the last piece."
At that point, Satomi emerges from the forest, still transformed, and looking a little wet and bedraggled.
"You managed it?" you ask hopefully.
"Yes. I asked the birds and the fish, and their story matches Shizuka's."
Chiharu approaches you, offering her umbrella to Satomi. "Then, there's no reason to question that testimony." She turns, raising her voice." I'm sorry, Sunao-chan, Shizuka-chan, but… I just won't be satisfied until I get to the bottom of this mystery."
Neither of the two seem to be doing particularly well. Rather than defiant, they now just look despondent, huddled together under their umbrellas.
Chiharu seems eager to discuss, then question the elder, but you wonder if you should stay a little longer and try to comfort them some more.
But more than that, you've got Kyubey here in a situation where it doesn't have as much to fear from you as usual, so it's more likely to stick around and talk. There's a few things you can ask it; or starters…
"Kyubey, do you know where Yurayura-sama went?"
<The witch that was circling this village departed to the south at high speed in an irregular trajectory. At present, that witch is circling over Kamiyama at high altitude, but slowly drifting west.>
"Then, toward Kazamino? Or Takarazaki?"
<Witches are fundamentally irrational beings, and even we can't predict their movements with confidence under circumstances like this. It's overwhelmingly likely that that witch will make landfall well before Walpurgisnacht. Beyond that, there are too many possibilities.>
"Huh. You're usually more sure about things. Are you just being vague on purpose?" Kyouko flicks some of the water off her umbrella at Kyubey, but it leaps into the air, landing back down under the shade of the shrine roof without soaking up even a single drop.
<I have no reason to do that, Sakura Kyouko. Please refrain from groundless accusations.>
"Tch. Stupid rat."
"Then," you ask next, "what do you know about a magical girl called Alina Gray?"
<She contracted with us just over nine months ago. Even among humans, her emotions are highly volatile and unpredictable; because of her unusual mentality, she's made a name for herself as a skilled painter and a prodigy for her age. For the last six months, she has secluded herself inside a large-scale barrier covering the entirety of Kamihama City. It's not my policy to disclose more specific information about magical girls' powers or abilities.>
"That's all? Then… why did we see her last night in Mitakihara?"
<That is unknown. At no point did we observe Alina Gray's presence in Mitakihara City. I conjecture that either the Alina Gray you saw was an illusion, or she has discovered a method of concealing her presence.>
"I suppose it's weird I didn't notice her sooner," says Satomi, "but we all had our eyes on the other one back there…"
"Ah… About that. Kyubey, you mentioned that Sasa Yuuki is also causing trouble for you. She seems to be cooperating with the Kamihama group."
<That is unexpected, but would explain her unusual movements. I had considered it unlikely for her to find willing collaborators. She seems to consistently defy predictions.>
You'd rather not mention to Kyubey the likely reason - the earring. If she'd normally be an opportunistic, manipulative coward, but Homura's emotions are spilling into her and twisting her personality, then…
She might be more dangerous than she's been in any other world - and harder for Oriko to predict, too.
"Even you can't predict her. I suppose ordinary magical girls have no chance, then. We'll continue to investigate both of them - they've proven themselves to be very dangerous."
"…looking at you talking to Kyubey, I really can't tell if you're on the same side or not," says Shizuka, giving you a displeased look. "You talk like he's the enemy of magical girls and all of humanity, but then you just sit there and trade information with him."
"It's… no, I suppose it's not that difficult to explain. You can think of it like this - I don't like Kyubey. Its actions callously cause considerable human suffering, and it's rare for people to be happier after its influence has touched their lives than before. I don't think it's possible for Kyubey and I to come to a point of mutual acceptance," you begin, jabbing your finger at the Incubator's tail as it flicks back and forth.
<However, our existence has become essential to humanity. If we were to leave this planet and no longer offer contracts, all the humans would surely soon lose their minds and souls to wraiths - the ones known as Asura.> It jerks its tail away and wanders away, well out of your reach; its face unmoving but its movements exuding haughtiness.
"The Asura?" Sunao asks. "Are they that much of a threat?"
"You wouldn't know, because Yurayura-sama was preying on the small groups that appeared here, but in the city they can appear in huge numbers," Oriko explains. "They don't kill directly, but if there were enough of them, they'd consume all of the humans' worldly desires."
"That… doesn't sound like a bad thing?" asks Shizuka cautiously.
"No, it is. Even things as simple as people's desire to take care of their own needs - hunger, thirst and tiredness, the desire for clothing and shelter, the desires for the acceptance and validation of others… all of those are worldly desire. If the wraiths did that, humanity would die a slow, lonely, meaningless death. And as I said, in this world, the human soul can't outlive the body. Not unless it's manifested as a physical object, or held by another being."
"…I don't get it. How can you be… how can you keep facing the world and being strong while saying… things like this? You're saying… we have no choice but to just accept that to be a Diviner is… not even self-sacrifice, but we exist just to suffer?"
You shake your head. "No. Not at all. Being a human and living in this world already means suffering, but even so… This world is worth living in. It's worth being alive in, whether you become a magical girl or not. Of that, I'm certain.
But that isn't to say that the world can't be better, either. The way the world is isn't immutable. Kyubey's defined it, I've defined it. People throughout history have, too, in small ways. To be a Diviner is to trade the potential of your life for a single miracle, but that doesn't mean there's nothing you can achieve after you've received that miracle. There's still room to surpass the odds."
<You humans frequently find a way to defy all expectations. Throughout history, we've found that human souls are a troublesome and irrational phenomenon. If we could have found a method that didn't involve raising and manipulating them, we certainly would have pursued that instead.>
"I still don't get it. And I don't get why it's so bad to want to pledge yourself for the country, either…"
"Like I said, I can't decide on the meaning of your wish for you. But…" You look to Oriko.
"We shouldn't delay further, or Mikoshiba will become difficult. You'll understand soon," the oracle says.
"Mm. I'm sorry, Shizuka-san, Sunao-san. All I mean to say is - and I think Oriko-san can explain this better than me, but… 'for the country' often isn't the sort of thing it sounds like. It's not necessarily better than putting yourself first - and you shouldn't be afraid to do that."
Oriko's eyes narrow as she flicks her umbrella in the direction of the inner shrine. "Are you coming?"
"Mmm. I should. But, really, it's up to Chiharu-san to solve this case, and Shizuka-san to decide the future of the village."
"All of you should hurry."
"…if you say so," Sunao says, as the three of them head back into the shrine with you.
"Why?! If you can save the whole universe, and everyone with the potential to be a magical girl in the future, why would you not do that?!" Sunao retorts; and she sounds seriously angry. Shizuka doesn't look best pleased either, though Chiharu is still taking notes.
"Mm. If you have such a great power, why won't you use it, even for the sake of the country?"
"There's a reason for that. I don't know yet if there'll be a situation where only a power as strong as my wish will save this world. Until then, I won't make a wish. There's a proper time, and a proper place; and it's not now," you reply, not entirely comfortable with how vague you're needing to be around Kyubey.
"You're not going to save people who need saving?! Some god you are." Sunao snaps; surely bitter from her defeat by Oriko, though… she still sounds very scared, too. She chose to keep that fear, though; you've offered all you can.
"No, you don't understand. I don't have the right to decide for any magical girl what wish they make, or what their wish should mean to them. That right should belong to the magical girls alone. Would you all give that up, for every magical girl, in every world, forever, just to tell me what to do with mine? Because that's what it'd mean to break this covenant. The three of you are Diviners in the old sense - you should know better than most that there are agreements and contracts between humans and gods that mustn't be broken."
"But-"
"In every age, there've been people who sought the intercession of the gods for their problems. History doesn't record many instances of gods descending to protect humanity, though. But right now, I'm standing before you on the ground, listening to your problems, saving lives and taking sides. I'm already doing what I should be doing, even if it's come too late for a lot of people right now…
It's okay to ask the gods for help, when that's the only path left to you. And it's the duty of the gods to make up the difference, when human strength isn't enough. But my wish is different. That is mine alone. I want to use it to help everyone, but it's precisely because of that that I shouldn't use it until I'm sure that wish really is the right thing for everyone who will ever exist."
You're actually getting a little angry at this. Not because they're asking for help; not even because they're asking for your wish, but…
"Shizuka-san, you said, 'for the sake of the country'."
"I… I did. It's our duty as Diviners to pledge our lives to the prosperity of the Land of the Rising Sun… right?"
"No. Did you think magical girls exist only in Japan?" you answer, a little more snappy than you intended.
It's not your place to decide other people's wishes, or their meaning, but… there's no way these girls know what a nation-state is or the workings of government well enough to understand the whole petty, bloody zero-sum game they're caught in. Honestly, not even you do, without the omniscience and wisdom of the godhead - things that you so desperately long for at times like this.
"I… never really thought about it. I didn't even know there were any outside of the Tokime Clan, up to now…"
"Kyubey, how many countries have had their political situation affected by a magical girl's wishes in the last year?"
<That is a very interesting question. If you're including internal governmental affairs and the ambitions of individual politicians in recognized states, the answer would be 189. If you're referring purely to impact on foreign policy and relations, 104. Of particular interest, the wishes of magical girls have initiated five international diplomatic incidents and resolved seven.>
"I thought so. Sometimes, magical girls will make wishes like that of their own accord, but… it's rare for a magical girl to know specifics about politics without an adult interfering or guiding them in that direction."
"So you've realized too, Madoka?" says Oriko mysteriously, waiting to listen to your answer.
"Mmm. It's too early to say for sure, but I think I can see the real shape of this village now. All that's left is to work out the identity of the true mastermind."
"The true mastermind?" Chiharu looks up from her notes. "Do you think we know everything we need now?"
You shake your head. "No. Not yet. Once we talk to Mikoshiba, we'll have the last piece."
At that point, Satomi emerges from the forest, still transformed, and looking a little wet and bedraggled.
"You managed it?" you ask hopefully.
"Yes. I asked the birds and the fish, and their story matches Shizuka's."
Chiharu approaches you, offering her umbrella to Satomi. "Then, there's no reason to question that testimony." She turns, raising her voice." I'm sorry, Sunao-chan, Shizuka-chan, but… I just won't be satisfied until I get to the bottom of this mystery."
Neither of the two seem to be doing particularly well. Rather than defiant, they now just look despondent, huddled together under their umbrellas.
Chiharu seems eager to discuss, then question the elder, but you wonder if you should stay a little longer and try to comfort them some more.
But more than that, you've got Kyubey here in a situation where it doesn't have as much to fear from you as usual, so it's more likely to stick around and talk. There's a few things you can ask it; or starters…
"Kyubey, do you know where Yurayura-sama went?"
<The witch that was circling this village departed to the south at high speed in an irregular trajectory. At present, that witch is circling over Kamiyama at high altitude, but slowly drifting west.>
"Then, toward Kazamino? Or Takarazaki?"
<Witches are fundamentally irrational beings, and even we can't predict their movements with confidence under circumstances like this. It's overwhelmingly likely that that witch will make landfall well before Walpurgisnacht. Beyond that, there are too many possibilities.>
"Huh. You're usually more sure about things. Are you just being vague on purpose?" Kyouko flicks some of the water off her umbrella at Kyubey, but it leaps into the air, landing back down under the shade of the shrine roof without soaking up even a single drop.
<I have no reason to do that, Sakura Kyouko. Please refrain from groundless accusations.>
"Tch. Stupid rat."
"Then," you ask next, "what do you know about a magical girl called Alina Gray?"
<She contracted with us just over nine months ago. Even among humans, her emotions are highly volatile and unpredictable; because of her unusual mentality, she's made a name for herself as a skilled painter and a prodigy for her age. For the last six months, she has secluded herself inside a large-scale barrier covering the entirety of Kamihama City. It's not my policy to disclose more specific information about magical girls' powers or abilities.>
"That's all? Then… why did we see her last night in Mitakihara?"
<That is unknown. At no point did we observe Alina Gray's presence in Mitakihara City. I conjecture that either the Alina Gray you saw was an illusion, or she has discovered a method of concealing her presence.>
"I suppose it's weird I didn't notice her sooner," says Satomi, "but we all had our eyes on the other one back there…"
"Ah… About that. Kyubey, you mentioned that Sasa Yuuki is also causing trouble for you. She seems to be cooperating with the Kamihama group."
<That is unexpected, but would explain her unusual movements. I had considered it unlikely for her to find willing collaborators. She seems to consistently defy predictions.>
You'd rather not mention to Kyubey the likely reason - the earring. If she'd normally be an opportunistic, manipulative coward, but Homura's emotions are spilling into her and twisting her personality, then…
She might be more dangerous than she's been in any other world - and harder for Oriko to predict, too.
"Even you can't predict her. I suppose ordinary magical girls have no chance, then. We'll continue to investigate both of them - they've proven themselves to be very dangerous."
"…looking at you talking to Kyubey, I really can't tell if you're on the same side or not," says Shizuka, giving you a displeased look. "You talk like he's the enemy of magical girls and all of humanity, but then you just sit there and trade information with him."
"It's… no, I suppose it's not that difficult to explain. You can think of it like this - I don't like Kyubey. Its actions callously cause considerable human suffering, and it's rare for people to be happier after its influence has touched their lives than before. I don't think it's possible for Kyubey and I to come to a point of mutual acceptance," you begin, jabbing your finger at the Incubator's tail as it flicks back and forth.
<However, our existence has become essential to humanity. If we were to leave this planet and no longer offer contracts, all the humans would surely soon lose their minds and souls to wraiths - the ones known as Asura.> It jerks its tail away and wanders away, well out of your reach; its face unmoving but its movements exuding haughtiness.
"The Asura?" Sunao asks. "Are they that much of a threat?"
"You wouldn't know, because Yurayura-sama was preying on the small groups that appeared here, but in the city they can appear in huge numbers," Oriko explains. "They don't kill directly, but if there were enough of them, they'd consume all of the humans' worldly desires."
"That… doesn't sound like a bad thing?" asks Shizuka cautiously.
"No, it is. Even things as simple as people's desire to take care of their own needs - hunger, thirst and tiredness, the desire for clothing and shelter, the desires for the acceptance and validation of others… all of those are worldly desire. If the wraiths did that, humanity would die a slow, lonely, meaningless death. And as I said, in this world, the human soul can't outlive the body. Not unless it's manifested as a physical object, or held by another being."
"…I don't get it. How can you be… how can you keep facing the world and being strong while saying… things like this? You're saying… we have no choice but to just accept that to be a Diviner is… not even self-sacrifice, but we exist just to suffer?"
You shake your head. "No. Not at all. Being a human and living in this world already means suffering, but even so… This world is worth living in. It's worth being alive in, whether you become a magical girl or not. Of that, I'm certain.
But that isn't to say that the world can't be better, either. The way the world is isn't immutable. Kyubey's defined it, I've defined it. People throughout history have, too, in small ways. To be a Diviner is to trade the potential of your life for a single miracle, but that doesn't mean there's nothing you can achieve after you've received that miracle. There's still room to surpass the odds."
<You humans frequently find a way to defy all expectations. Throughout history, we've found that human souls are a troublesome and irrational phenomenon. If we could have found a method that didn't involve raising and manipulating them, we certainly would have pursued that instead.>
"I still don't get it. And I don't get why it's so bad to want to pledge yourself for the country, either…"
"Like I said, I can't decide on the meaning of your wish for you. But…" You look to Oriko.
"We shouldn't delay further, or Mikoshiba will become difficult. You'll understand soon," the oracle says.
"Mm. I'm sorry, Shizuka-san, Sunao-san. All I mean to say is - and I think Oriko-san can explain this better than me, but… 'for the country' often isn't the sort of thing it sounds like. It's not necessarily better than putting yourself first - and you shouldn't be afraid to do that."
Oriko's eyes narrow as she flicks her umbrella in the direction of the inner shrine. "Are you coming?"
"Mmm. I should. But, really, it's up to Chiharu-san to solve this case, and Shizuka-san to decide the future of the village."
"All of you should hurry."
"…if you say so," Sunao says, as the three of them head back into the shrine with you.
about the wraiths
So, a lot of wraith lore only exists in Wraith Arc, which most people haven't read. I'm not going to repeat everything from there, just comment a little on the particulars of wraiths as they relate to this story.
So, in this story, witches and wraiths coexist, and seem to prey on each other. Familiars are easy prey for wraiths, but witches can devour them unless their numbers are very great, and wraiths tend to become malformed, witch-like beings on the rare occasions that they manage to consume a witch or a Grief Seed.
Wraiths don't kill their human victims, but they drain emotions and sometimes memories, leaving people vacant and frequently comatose for sometime - think of it as a bit similar to Apathy Syndrome from Persona, but more short-term. I think the long-term effects of wraith predation on humans are actually a little positive, since they consume all emotions but are drawn particularly to the negative ones with the quality of grief or curses. It's just that the existence of magical girls keeps populations in balance, and without them humanity would be in great danger from the wraiths.
I'm using 'Asura' as the old name for wraiths, because I think it suits their superficial image as huge, larger-than-life figures looming out of fog and leaving people overwhelmed and catatonic, but mythologically it's a very poor fit. The actual classification of wraiths resembles that of forms of enlightenment and of detachment from worldly desire: ignorance, attachment and so forth, in Vedic religions, which fits their nature as beings that consume emotion but don't experience it, I think. All of the modern names for magical girl-related beings share the common kanji 魔, but the old names used by the Tokime Clan don't have a similar throughline and are generally a lot less on-the-nose, so I feel like it's appropriate to use a name that's something of a red herring.
And, yes, Kyubey's existence, at present, is essential to the survival of humanity. In exchange for the potential to become magic-users, humans produce grief and curses that accumulate in their souls, and that only the magical beings created or administered by Kyubey can manage. Even Homura, in her Devil state, was forced to concede that Kyubey is necessary. Well, that or she's the sort of rampaging lesbian who couldn't bear to live in a world without transforming heroines.
So, in this story, witches and wraiths coexist, and seem to prey on each other. Familiars are easy prey for wraiths, but witches can devour them unless their numbers are very great, and wraiths tend to become malformed, witch-like beings on the rare occasions that they manage to consume a witch or a Grief Seed.
Wraiths don't kill their human victims, but they drain emotions and sometimes memories, leaving people vacant and frequently comatose for sometime - think of it as a bit similar to Apathy Syndrome from Persona, but more short-term. I think the long-term effects of wraith predation on humans are actually a little positive, since they consume all emotions but are drawn particularly to the negative ones with the quality of grief or curses. It's just that the existence of magical girls keeps populations in balance, and without them humanity would be in great danger from the wraiths.
I'm using 'Asura' as the old name for wraiths, because I think it suits their superficial image as huge, larger-than-life figures looming out of fog and leaving people overwhelmed and catatonic, but mythologically it's a very poor fit. The actual classification of wraiths resembles that of forms of enlightenment and of detachment from worldly desire: ignorance, attachment and so forth, in Vedic religions, which fits their nature as beings that consume emotion but don't experience it, I think. All of the modern names for magical girl-related beings share the common kanji 魔, but the old names used by the Tokime Clan don't have a similar throughline and are generally a lot less on-the-nose, so I feel like it's appropriate to use a name that's something of a red herring.
And, yes, Kyubey's existence, at present, is essential to the survival of humanity. In exchange for the potential to become magic-users, humans produce grief and curses that accumulate in their souls, and that only the magical beings created or administered by Kyubey can manage. Even Homura, in her Devil state, was forced to concede that Kyubey is necessary. Well, that or she's the sort of rampaging lesbian who couldn't bear to live in a world without transforming heroines.
DeclanDSI
Touhou 「 」 Youkai of 「Akasha」
- Location
- the Boundaries betwixt Fact and Fiction
- Pronouns
- ???
Lol, I like the reference there.
Ⅳ.9 bones on the riverbed
The other Oriko is waiting in a small room at the back, together with Mami and the Mikoshiba. The elder is sitting at a table with a blanket over her; she looks very frail and worn as she sits there, flanked by magical girls. Just seeing her like this, you'd never expect the hatred and rage she showed earlier when controlling that witch - if that's really what was happening.
It looks like she's sleeping lightly - or was, until the five of you traipsed into the now rather cramped room.
"…Who might you be? Yet more Diviners from outside the village, are ye?"
"We are. We came here from Kazamino to investigate a prophecy, but we were drawn into some very frightening events…"
"Aye. I can only offer my apologies for our poor hospitality. That I of all of us would have fallen under the sway of a Devil's brand…" She offers a slight, creaky bow.
"Do you not remember anything?" Chiharu asks, clutching her notebook. "When you were down there, you said… it was you who was in control of the Devil."
"Is that so? It seems I must speak of an old secret of the Mikoshiba. This is not knowledge to be shared lightly, especially with outsiders. Do forgive me for wishing to convey it in private…" She's trying to sound genial, but it's obvious she just wants you out.
[Don't leave.] Oriko's advice is simple and to the point, and so you comply, feeling only a little bad for imposing.
"I'm sorry, but I can't simply leave in this situation. I can't be sure you're completely free of mind control - but, more than that… I'm a celestial goddess. It's quite rude to ask me to leave a shrine, isn't it?"
She lowers her head, a gesture meant to be humble. "Aye, if that is indeed what you are - but very well. It was more than a hundred years ago, in the time of one of my predecessors. It was a time of unrest; a time of war, where betrayal lurked on every side.
At that time, one of the Tokime Diviners made a wish before Lord Kyubey, that there might be a protector who guards this village's sacred places; one who might be loyal to the Mikoshiba who guarded the village at that time, even after her death."
"That's the Devil we fought in the Grand Shrine? But then, why would she…" Chiharu speculates.
Sunao doesn't sound so sure, though. "And who was it who decided on that wish?"
"Of that, our records do not tell."
"It's… possible, I guess. If someone became a witch, but was forced to obey someone else by wish magic, she could regain power by using a witch's kiss on her controller and deciding what orders she gets…" Kyouko points out, biting her lip. "I don't like it, though. I've never seen a witch show that sort of reasoning or cunning."
"Nor me. People with witches' kisses can be dangerously resourceful, but I don't think they can manage long-term planning," you say nervously.
"Setting that aside for now," interjects Shizuka, "At the coming-of-age ceremony, you said that all Diviners inevitably become Devils. You also said that Diviners can never be allowed outside, so that this village can keep being the Land of the Rising Sun's shadow…"
"I've… never heard of such things. But I do not think ye dishonest. Surely… only a Devil could have forced me to tell you such lies."
"You're telling lies right now, Granny. We already spoke with Kyubee directly," Chiharu objects.
"Such strong words… but thou art forgiven. Considering what I was made to do by that Devil, your anger is only natural…"
"Enough. If you were really controlled, then… how long?! When's the last time you remember clearly?!" Sunao demands angrily, pushing her way past Oriko.
"It was… before your case. Before you became a Diviner."
"Then, you don't remember threatening my parents?! Forcing me to do all those things?!"
The elder slowly shakes her head. "Not a thing…"
"Please stop lying to us, Granny…"
All of a sudden, the elder is looking to you; and you can see the fear and frailty in her eyes.
"Noble god of the heavens, will you not be my witness…?"
She's changed her tune quickly now that she's being accused; with your wings, perhaps she even genuinely believes you're a god, but… flattery aside, you aren't going to rush right into convicting her. There's a few facts of the situation you still can't pin down.
Indeed, it's genuinely possible you're missing something big here. Like magical girls, there are rare witches that have unique powers outside of the normal. And because of the possible impact on causality of touching the Grief Seed, you don't have an easy way to find out what powers those might be.
Besides which - you still don't know if you've even seen everyone here.
"No, it may truly be the case that she doesn't remember," you interject, stepping into the centre of the room. "Not all witches are the same - some have special powers that can be very much outside the ordinary. But… there's another possibility on top of that. It's possible that someone else manipulated this whole situation - that both the elder and the witch were someone else's pawn. Do you know anyone who could've done that?"
Chiharu shakes her head, looking at you doubtfully. "I don't think that person exists. And Granny's way too suspicious right now."
"You've only just met her - you don't know her the way we do! Don't just suddenly turn against us!" Sunao snaps, the target of her anger switching from the elder to you.
"No, that's not what I mean!" you retort. "I'm not ruling out the possibility that everything she's saying is a lie… but at a time like this, we need to think like detectives, right? And… we're still missing a motive, even if mind-controlled people don't need a motive."
"That's… true, actually. Granny's really suspicious, but… I can't think of a reason why she'd do these things, if she wasn't controlled. Protecting the country is important to her, but I'd never have imagined she'd go this far for it…"
"Money," Oriko says simply. "Chiharu-san, you made a wish to expose the corruption in the Ministry of Defense, did you not? Vice-Minister Etou was implicated, as well as a number of lower officials. I can think of a number of people whose careers or policies would benefit from that."
The two Orikos look at each other. "Nishimura?" "Nishimura Goudou."
"He's a senior official in the Bureau of Defense Policy, who wants Japan to take a stronger stance on Chinese claims and become less dependent on American bases," one of them explains, "and it's an open secret that he's receiving support from companies involved in SDF procurement. I can't think of a lot he wouldn't do for such a convenient opportunity."
"Tch. Those filthy politicians are even using us magical girls to get ahead now?!" asks Kyouko, grinding her heel against the tatami.
"This might be a one-off case, or even a coincidence, but it's possible they always were. My powers deal with the future, not the past." "And even that, only vaguely."
"These names, I have never heard," the Mikoshiba creaks. "Please believe me…"
"…I'm afraid we can't believe you so easily," Shizuka says. "Kaname-san, you may have saved my life, but, at a time like this, I trust in Charu's instincts more. If you're so sure, and if you're really a celestial god, you should be able to tell me who the real mastermind is."
"…huh?" With all of today's revelations, you can't really blame the three for wanting closure on this; you don't even know what events could've led up to this. But, even so, it's hard to say there's enough evidence to be certain.
You can't just prevaricate in this situation, but it's the absolute worst case for someone like you. You hate being put on the spot and forced to make decisions quickly without enough information…
"No, maybe you're right. If we were ordinary humans, we'd have no choice but to think like detectives. But we can do things humans can't, if needs be." you say carefully, the possibility of just… mind controlling her and having her recount her actions coming to mind. You hope it won't come to that.
Ideally, you'd like to have hard evidence, and you'd send Oriko to get it, but if you want to do that, you've got to buy some time. And right now, there is one thing that doesn't match Mikoshiba's story at all.
"It's possible that the elder truly didn't know, and that she's been controlled for the last two years. But if that's really how things happened, then… would Shizuka-san really have said what she came to? That she saw people's bones on the riverbed?" you ask, those haunting words still fresh in your mind.
"That's right… all those girls. They must've been being sent to their deaths, since long before our time," Shizuka says mournfully, her eyes on Mikoshiba. "The previous elder passed away nine years ago, so… what about Shouko-chan?!"
"She left the village, as is her duty."
"Liar," accuses Chiharu, eyes narrowed.
"She told me she'd write regularly, but I haven't received a letter even once, in seven years. I can't believe she wouldn't send me a single one," continues Shizuka, glancing down at her Soul Gem. "But… if she's dead, or if she became a Devil…"
"Mmm. That would happen," you confirm. "It's not solid evidence, but there's no way that a family that's known about the secrets of Diviners for centuries wouldn't know the truth. So…"
[Madoka. Take control of Mikoshiba, right now!]
Oriko doesn't need to ask twice. You focus your mind on the power of the black Soul Gem and reach out toward the elder - and, almost effortlessly, work your magic into her will. There's no meaningful resistance - though you're sure she's trying her utmost - as the light in her eyes dims a little.
[Now, make her spit out what's in her mouth. After that, it's up to you.]
You exert your will, and for a moment, she coughs - then spits out what looks like a tooth?
Before you can even look at it, Chiharu snatches it out of her hands and gives it a long inspection, as the rest of the room watches in silence.
"Poison," she concludes, "inside this false tooth. She was planning to take everything she knew with her. Weren't you?!"
Mikoshiba doesn't respond. You haven't commanded her to. But… there's no need to keep it up. As you release her, you see Oriko confiscate a tanto from where it's tucked in a shelf beside her, too.
Even after being released, she sits stubbornly silent, her cold eyes boring a hole into you; her dignity in tatters.
"As I was saying," you say quietly. "Mikoshiba is the culprit. If the one who devised this scheme wasn't her, then it's a past elder who's already passed away. Oriko, please take Sunao-san and search for any evidence you can find on her crimes. I'll make sure she's still alive when you get back."
"As you wish." "…" The two of them leave - your Oriko calm and dignified; Sunao very much not, but still together enough to show the oracle the way.
"Should we question her?" Chiharu asks, still grimacing at that fishy smell she seems to sense in the air.
"Not yet. Right now, we have evidence, but it's mostly circumstantial. Oriko will get back soon. Until then… Mami-chan, please keep her from hurting herself," you ask, thinking over whether there's anything you can do in this situation…
…oh, there is something.
You reach back into Mikoshiba's mind; while the questioning can wait a little, you simply demand that she hands over any evidence she's got on her person.
And sure enough, she hands over an old, leather-bound journal, looking up to you with empty, dead eyes.
It looks like she's sleeping lightly - or was, until the five of you traipsed into the now rather cramped room.
"…Who might you be? Yet more Diviners from outside the village, are ye?"
"We are. We came here from Kazamino to investigate a prophecy, but we were drawn into some very frightening events…"
"Aye. I can only offer my apologies for our poor hospitality. That I of all of us would have fallen under the sway of a Devil's brand…" She offers a slight, creaky bow.
"Do you not remember anything?" Chiharu asks, clutching her notebook. "When you were down there, you said… it was you who was in control of the Devil."
"Is that so? It seems I must speak of an old secret of the Mikoshiba. This is not knowledge to be shared lightly, especially with outsiders. Do forgive me for wishing to convey it in private…" She's trying to sound genial, but it's obvious she just wants you out.
[Don't leave.] Oriko's advice is simple and to the point, and so you comply, feeling only a little bad for imposing.
"I'm sorry, but I can't simply leave in this situation. I can't be sure you're completely free of mind control - but, more than that… I'm a celestial goddess. It's quite rude to ask me to leave a shrine, isn't it?"
She lowers her head, a gesture meant to be humble. "Aye, if that is indeed what you are - but very well. It was more than a hundred years ago, in the time of one of my predecessors. It was a time of unrest; a time of war, where betrayal lurked on every side.
At that time, one of the Tokime Diviners made a wish before Lord Kyubey, that there might be a protector who guards this village's sacred places; one who might be loyal to the Mikoshiba who guarded the village at that time, even after her death."
"That's the Devil we fought in the Grand Shrine? But then, why would she…" Chiharu speculates.
Sunao doesn't sound so sure, though. "And who was it who decided on that wish?"
"Of that, our records do not tell."
"It's… possible, I guess. If someone became a witch, but was forced to obey someone else by wish magic, she could regain power by using a witch's kiss on her controller and deciding what orders she gets…" Kyouko points out, biting her lip. "I don't like it, though. I've never seen a witch show that sort of reasoning or cunning."
"Nor me. People with witches' kisses can be dangerously resourceful, but I don't think they can manage long-term planning," you say nervously.
"Setting that aside for now," interjects Shizuka, "At the coming-of-age ceremony, you said that all Diviners inevitably become Devils. You also said that Diviners can never be allowed outside, so that this village can keep being the Land of the Rising Sun's shadow…"
"I've… never heard of such things. But I do not think ye dishonest. Surely… only a Devil could have forced me to tell you such lies."
"You're telling lies right now, Granny. We already spoke with Kyubee directly," Chiharu objects.
"Such strong words… but thou art forgiven. Considering what I was made to do by that Devil, your anger is only natural…"
"Enough. If you were really controlled, then… how long?! When's the last time you remember clearly?!" Sunao demands angrily, pushing her way past Oriko.
"It was… before your case. Before you became a Diviner."
"Then, you don't remember threatening my parents?! Forcing me to do all those things?!"
The elder slowly shakes her head. "Not a thing…"
"Please stop lying to us, Granny…"
All of a sudden, the elder is looking to you; and you can see the fear and frailty in her eyes.
"Noble god of the heavens, will you not be my witness…?"
She's changed her tune quickly now that she's being accused; with your wings, perhaps she even genuinely believes you're a god, but… flattery aside, you aren't going to rush right into convicting her. There's a few facts of the situation you still can't pin down.
Indeed, it's genuinely possible you're missing something big here. Like magical girls, there are rare witches that have unique powers outside of the normal. And because of the possible impact on causality of touching the Grief Seed, you don't have an easy way to find out what powers those might be.
Besides which - you still don't know if you've even seen everyone here.
"No, it may truly be the case that she doesn't remember," you interject, stepping into the centre of the room. "Not all witches are the same - some have special powers that can be very much outside the ordinary. But… there's another possibility on top of that. It's possible that someone else manipulated this whole situation - that both the elder and the witch were someone else's pawn. Do you know anyone who could've done that?"
Chiharu shakes her head, looking at you doubtfully. "I don't think that person exists. And Granny's way too suspicious right now."
"You've only just met her - you don't know her the way we do! Don't just suddenly turn against us!" Sunao snaps, the target of her anger switching from the elder to you.
"No, that's not what I mean!" you retort. "I'm not ruling out the possibility that everything she's saying is a lie… but at a time like this, we need to think like detectives, right? And… we're still missing a motive, even if mind-controlled people don't need a motive."
"That's… true, actually. Granny's really suspicious, but… I can't think of a reason why she'd do these things, if she wasn't controlled. Protecting the country is important to her, but I'd never have imagined she'd go this far for it…"
"Money," Oriko says simply. "Chiharu-san, you made a wish to expose the corruption in the Ministry of Defense, did you not? Vice-Minister Etou was implicated, as well as a number of lower officials. I can think of a number of people whose careers or policies would benefit from that."
The two Orikos look at each other. "Nishimura?" "Nishimura Goudou."
"He's a senior official in the Bureau of Defense Policy, who wants Japan to take a stronger stance on Chinese claims and become less dependent on American bases," one of them explains, "and it's an open secret that he's receiving support from companies involved in SDF procurement. I can't think of a lot he wouldn't do for such a convenient opportunity."
"Tch. Those filthy politicians are even using us magical girls to get ahead now?!" asks Kyouko, grinding her heel against the tatami.
"This might be a one-off case, or even a coincidence, but it's possible they always were. My powers deal with the future, not the past." "And even that, only vaguely."
"These names, I have never heard," the Mikoshiba creaks. "Please believe me…"
"…I'm afraid we can't believe you so easily," Shizuka says. "Kaname-san, you may have saved my life, but, at a time like this, I trust in Charu's instincts more. If you're so sure, and if you're really a celestial god, you should be able to tell me who the real mastermind is."
"…huh?" With all of today's revelations, you can't really blame the three for wanting closure on this; you don't even know what events could've led up to this. But, even so, it's hard to say there's enough evidence to be certain.
You can't just prevaricate in this situation, but it's the absolute worst case for someone like you. You hate being put on the spot and forced to make decisions quickly without enough information…
"No, maybe you're right. If we were ordinary humans, we'd have no choice but to think like detectives. But we can do things humans can't, if needs be." you say carefully, the possibility of just… mind controlling her and having her recount her actions coming to mind. You hope it won't come to that.
Ideally, you'd like to have hard evidence, and you'd send Oriko to get it, but if you want to do that, you've got to buy some time. And right now, there is one thing that doesn't match Mikoshiba's story at all.
"It's possible that the elder truly didn't know, and that she's been controlled for the last two years. But if that's really how things happened, then… would Shizuka-san really have said what she came to? That she saw people's bones on the riverbed?" you ask, those haunting words still fresh in your mind.
"That's right… all those girls. They must've been being sent to their deaths, since long before our time," Shizuka says mournfully, her eyes on Mikoshiba. "The previous elder passed away nine years ago, so… what about Shouko-chan?!"
"She left the village, as is her duty."
"Liar," accuses Chiharu, eyes narrowed.
"She told me she'd write regularly, but I haven't received a letter even once, in seven years. I can't believe she wouldn't send me a single one," continues Shizuka, glancing down at her Soul Gem. "But… if she's dead, or if she became a Devil…"
"Mmm. That would happen," you confirm. "It's not solid evidence, but there's no way that a family that's known about the secrets of Diviners for centuries wouldn't know the truth. So…"
[Madoka. Take control of Mikoshiba, right now!]
Oriko doesn't need to ask twice. You focus your mind on the power of the black Soul Gem and reach out toward the elder - and, almost effortlessly, work your magic into her will. There's no meaningful resistance - though you're sure she's trying her utmost - as the light in her eyes dims a little.
[Now, make her spit out what's in her mouth. After that, it's up to you.]
You exert your will, and for a moment, she coughs - then spits out what looks like a tooth?
Before you can even look at it, Chiharu snatches it out of her hands and gives it a long inspection, as the rest of the room watches in silence.
"Poison," she concludes, "inside this false tooth. She was planning to take everything she knew with her. Weren't you?!"
Mikoshiba doesn't respond. You haven't commanded her to. But… there's no need to keep it up. As you release her, you see Oriko confiscate a tanto from where it's tucked in a shelf beside her, too.
Even after being released, she sits stubbornly silent, her cold eyes boring a hole into you; her dignity in tatters.
"As I was saying," you say quietly. "Mikoshiba is the culprit. If the one who devised this scheme wasn't her, then it's a past elder who's already passed away. Oriko, please take Sunao-san and search for any evidence you can find on her crimes. I'll make sure she's still alive when you get back."
"As you wish." "…" The two of them leave - your Oriko calm and dignified; Sunao very much not, but still together enough to show the oracle the way.
"Should we question her?" Chiharu asks, still grimacing at that fishy smell she seems to sense in the air.
"Not yet. Right now, we have evidence, but it's mostly circumstantial. Oriko will get back soon. Until then… Mami-chan, please keep her from hurting herself," you ask, thinking over whether there's anything you can do in this situation…
…oh, there is something.
You reach back into Mikoshiba's mind; while the questioning can wait a little, you simply demand that she hands over any evidence she's got on her person.
And sure enough, she hands over an old, leather-bound journal, looking up to you with empty, dead eyes.
don't worry bro, just take care of yourself, we always love your updates.
Just caught up and i gotta say damn this is some good stuff. It's rare to see a post rebellion work that goes so far and I love seeing madokamis thoughts on what homura did
Thoughts: moemura is sus as hell. Even if she's not our homura she's definitely not some accident.
In other news, I feel like we're getting a bit sidetracked with this arc and I need to know what's going on in kamihama
Edit: upon rereading it occurs to me that madoka still doesn't quite understand homura. She wonders how homu became the devil ("if tainting your gem for love was all it took then why didn't kirika also turn?") And thinks that pride is what let homura shoulder all the pain of her dolls.
Both hypotheses are close but not quite accurate. Homura didn't stain her gem for love, she stained her gem With love. And while pride does help, it's that same love that lets her hold up all her "sins"
Not sure if that's intentional or if I'm just reading too much into things
Thoughts: moemura is sus as hell. Even if she's not our homura she's definitely not some accident.
In other news, I feel like we're getting a bit sidetracked with this arc and I need to know what's going on in kamihama
Edit: upon rereading it occurs to me that madoka still doesn't quite understand homura. She wonders how homu became the devil ("if tainting your gem for love was all it took then why didn't kirika also turn?") And thinks that pride is what let homura shoulder all the pain of her dolls.
Both hypotheses are close but not quite accurate. Homura didn't stain her gem for love, she stained her gem With love. And while pride does help, it's that same love that lets her hold up all her "sins"
Not sure if that's intentional or if I'm just reading too much into things
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Just binged this and omg it's so COOL! Ugh, the colored text gives me LIFE! Madoka struggling not to shove all the Clara Dolls emotions into MR Moemura is sending me, that's the delightfully 'problematic' behavior I love to see my Madoka's exhibit KEK
Thank you for this gloriousness, I'll be watching this thread and I hope you have a nice day
!!!
Thank you for this gloriousness, I'll be watching this thread and I hope you have a nice day
!!!
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This is a very good line, I just wanted to say