Puella Magi Megami Tensei

[TremendousMilk3]

[X] "Which Witch?"

"...Benares!" Griffon announces proudly. "Er, wait, Bella? Butch? I don't fu-- It's something with a B."

"She's got two names?" Dante looks at Benares... Or Bella.

"It shouldn't be too unfamiliar to you, Tony." Vergil smirks as he takes his seat.

"That doesn't change the fact that it's a Witch, unfortunately." Mami interrupts, "Yuma, step--"

"Is she still even a Witch?" You ask, accidentally interrupting Mami, "Griffon, you said that she turned into one of your kind after Yuma stabbed her, right?"

"Mostly, yeah. She's..." Griffon tries to think of how best to explain, "...Definitely a nightmare, but yeah, she's still got a bit of Witch stink on her."

Bella's eyes widen in surprise for a moment.

This seems to be enough for Homura to lower her pistol. Mami, however, keeps her sights on Benares.

"We can't be sure if it's safe. It's still a Witch." Mami stresses.

"She seems pretty benign at the moment." Shoji speaks up, "She hasn't attacked anyone since Yuma called her here."

"And we aren't in a Barrier!" You add happily, "So, I suggest that we should chalk it up to weird demon magic once again."

Mami sighs, lowering her musket and shaking her head, "I don't think I'll ever get used to hearing that."

"Wild, right?" Sayaka chuckles, "To think, just a few days ago we didn't even know demons were real!"

"I knew!" Dante raises his hand up, "Just for the record!"

"Of course you did," Vergil sneers, "Our father was--"

"A badass demon hunter, right!" He quickly finishes, "Now, I'm wasting away over here! Let's get the grub!"

"On that note," You pull out some chairs, "Come on in! Let me get you a plate of curry! We can add Bella here-- no, wait, Benares? What do you prefer?"

Bella stares up at you, a little disappointed.

You wince, "Right. Do you prefer Bella over Benares?"

She nods.

"Bella it is, then." You clap, "Anyhow, we can add Bella to our list of talking points! And believe you me, she's pretty low on the totem pole! Uh, no offense."

Bella doesn't seem too torn up about it.

As you sit down and get a plate of curry for yourself (Mami, Sayaka and Homura are all sitting on the couch), your phone buzzes. You take a look...

> (1) Madoka: Sorry, I'm having dinner with Mom and Dad tonight! If you see her, tell Sayaka that she left her backpack at school! I picked it up, but she isn't answering her phone.

Knowing Sayaka, her phone is in her bag. You sigh fondly, taking a bite of your curry...?

"Hey, Kohaku, did you add something while I wasn't looking?" You ask.

"Oh, I just added some extra spices and stirred it slowly. Why, did you not like it?"

"No, it's great! I just..." You stare at your plate, feeling your shoulders relax. It's...

The taste is nostalgic. It reminds you of...

...You smile sadly. This tastes more like Mom's curry than you've ever gotten.

"Yumi?" Kyoko nudges you, "You okay?"

[] ??????????????????????

 

[TremendousMilk3]

[X] Plan: Topic of discussion.

"Oh, yeah, I'm okay!" You quickly attempt to put Kohaku's fears to rest, "It's just... I kinda got nostalgia."

"Nostalgia?" Sayaka asks, "What do you mean?"

"Like playing an old video game or something, right?" Dante raises an eyebrow, "But over food? I gotcha."

"Yep. Oh, before I forget, Madoka has your bag." You quickly say.

"How? I have it right... Um..." Sayaka looks around her seat, increasingly nervous, "...Oh. I guess she does."

Homura shakes her head, a quiet sigh escaping her.

"With that matter settled, I think it's best to discuss what is and is coming to Mitakihara." You announce, causing Kyoko to roll her eyes. "Let's start with what I know, first."

"Smart move. Then again, it'd be pretty hard to start with the ones you don't know." Dante leans back in his chair.

Homura just stares at him.

"First up, Eris." You drum your fingers on the table, "She's the demon that took Victoria."

"Friend of your's?" Vergil asks, picking at the curry.

"No. Quite the opposite." Homura answers.

"Why do we care about crazy serial killer Magical Girls anyways?" Sayaka asks, looking quite unhappy.

"I'd rather know what she's planning." Homura replies in a practiced tone, "So our plan is to find her, then?"

"Unless anyone else has got a better plan." You say.

...

"Anyone?" You ask.

"Dang. You guys are slacking in the planning department!" Dante smiles, "It's a good thing you don't need a plan for something like that!"

"Also, big news!" You take an uneasy breath, "I just learned that some demons can undo Kyubey's Contract!"

Homura gasps slightly, and Kyoko's eyes widen. Mami blinks, staring at you.

"Yeah, it happened to Oriko, funnily enough." You push further, hoping to not accidentally kill the mood somehow. "Crazy how that kinda works out, right?"

"...Shit." Kyoko says simply.

"I... Have to agree, Kyoko." Mami adds. "But why would we...? Nevermind, go on?"

"Next up, the cult that's hunting Kohaku." You announce.

Kyoko nearly chokes. "The what?!"

"The cult." Kohaku answers, grabbing at her knees, "They use magic. They hold rituals, make sacrifices, and tried to use me to birthe a Messiah."

Vergil blinks. "That's a new one."

"Dang, that's freaky." Sayaka comments.

"How do you think I feel?" Kohaku shoots back.

Shoji puts his hands to his temples, "I'm glad we waited until dinner to talk about this. If we had started before, I'm pretty sure I would have hard crashed my brain."

"I've already slapped around two of their guys, Saburo included." You elaborate, "But I doubt they'll all be pushovers. Be careful."

"Duly noted." Homura nods, taking another small bite of curry. "Anything else?"

"Just two that I can think of, for now." You take a bite, "Asura is coming, according to the Pixies Nori and I found."

"I'm never getting used to you saying stuff like that, am I?" Shoji asks.

"Asura?" Homura asks, "Is it strong?"

"He's supposed to be, at least. Treat him like you'd treat Morax." Kyoko's nose twitches when you say Morax's name. "For those who don't know, Morax was a pretty tough demon."

"I remember acutely. After all, I experienced his power firsthand." Mami rubs her shoulder.

"So, just run away and wait for Yumi to deal with it?" Kyoko says bitterly. None of the vitriol was aimed at you, however. If you were in her situation, you'd be angry, too.

"Unfortunately." Mami nods gravely. "Is that all, Yumi?"

"Just one more thing." You grit your teeth, "The Fiends. They're a group of--"

"No shit? The bone brigade is in town?" Dante smiles, "Now there's some nostalgia!"

"Bone brigade?" Vergil repeats.

"Yeah, they're all skeletons, but they ain't no pushovers!" Dante cracks his back against the back of his chair, "Luckily, they won't fight you unless you look for them. You'd like 'em."

"If you say so." Vergil finishes his plate.

[] ?????????????????????

 

[TremendousMilk3]

[X] *To Dante* "What?"

"Could you tell me about the Fiends, then?" You're a little caught off guard, but you don't let it show. "I know they're coming because they're looking for me."

Vergil rolls his eyes, "So much for "They won't fight you", Dante."

"You must've kicked the hornet's nest, kid." Dante shakes his head, "I've never seen 'em actively hunt someone!"

"How many Fiends are there?" Homura asks.

"Let's see..." Dante raises his hands, counting on his fingers, "...A few. But, at the rate she's going, I bet our resident spitfire here--" He pats you on the shoulder, "--Can handle whatever they throw at her!"

You quietly groan, "I don't want to fight the Skeleton Man again."

"Of course you don't." With another pat, Dante returns to eating his dinner.

You almost take another bite of curry before you suddenly remember something important.

"Oh, before I forget, Homura, Mami!" They both look at you, heads perking up immediately, "If Okane was anything to go by, the cult has Dark magic. If you get hit by it, it'll negatively effect your Soul Gem!"

"Don't get hit by Dark magic. Understood." Homura deadpans.

"I'll just stick to my "Don't get hit at all" strategy." Mami adds, equally deadpan.

"One last thing, for everyone!" As you say this, Sayaka and Yuma turn to you. Kohaku looks curious, as well as confused. Shoji stops tapping his foot momentarily. You continue, "If you ever need weapons, you can head to this little shop I found near the main road into Kazamino. It's run by a Dwarf and a guy named Ippon-Datara."

"...Hm." Homura nods quietly.

"I'm good! I've got all I need right here!" Dante points his thumbs to himself.

"Weapon Shop? What is this, an RPG?" Shoji mutters to himself.

"I'll... Keep it in mind." Kohaku still looks confused.

"Yuma's fine with her cane." Yuma says to you.

"Welp, it's been fun!" Dante nearly leaps out of his chair, "But I got stuff to do! C'mon Vergil!"

Vergil sighs, getting up to follow him. "What are you, my warden?" He asks.

Before you hear another snarky comment, they shut the door behind them.

Sayaka looks up from her lap, "Hey, Mami, is that cake still up for--"

"Oh, I nearly forgot!" Mami jumps up, putting Sayaka's and her own dishes on the table, "I'll have it ready in just a minute!"

"Yeah! Reward cake!" Sayaka pumps her arms up, before wincing heavily, "Owwww!"

Mami sighs fondly as she opens the door, "Goodnight, Yumi! Kyoko, want to come along?"

"Be right there!" She waves before heading to Mami's apartment.

You expect Homura to follow suit, but surprisingly, she stays for the moment.

Shoji leans back in his chair, arms crossed, deep in thought. Kohaku is attempting to crack her back on her chair. Yuma has taken a seat on the couch, apparently dismissing Bella in the process. Homura sits on the other end, her face unreadable.

[] ??????????????????????

 

[TremendousMilk3]

[X] Questions For You?

You clear your throat as quietly as you can. "So, if anyone has any questions for me, now's as good a time as any!" You cheerfully suggest.

"I need time to think." Shoji admits, holding his head, "A lot of my worldviews just got shattered today."

"I'll... Have to get back to you on that." Kohaku fidgets with her fingers.

"Was Big Sis Yumi's mama a good mama?" Yuma suddenly asks.

[] "I... Guess?"
[] "She tried her best."
[] "She almost never had time for me..."
[] Write in?

After you answer Yuma's question, Homura pipes up.

"Yumi, you said that Victoria was taken by a demon called Eris, correct?" She begins, "Why do you think a demon would need a human?"

[] ??????

"Now that I think about it," Kohaku looks up at you, "With Saburo jailed, the cult will have lost a powerful player on their side. If I were them, I'd want such a mage back on the field. Tomorrow, can you "check on" Saburo for me?"

[] ??????????

"I saw Vergil in a Labyrinth at school. He killed the Witch with no effort. What do you make of his abilities?" Homura asks, deep in thought.

[] ????????????????

As you finish answering the last question, you remember the "Grief Recycler" function on your Gauntlet. Well, better late than never.

"On that note, I'd like to bring attention to a new Function that Stephen added to my Gauntlet recently!" You raise it for all to see, "It said it was a Grief Recycler, but I have no idea what it means. Wanna do some experiments?"

"Yes, very much so." Homura steps closer to you, "Let's see what this "Stephen" can do about Grief."

You tap the icon, and are met with a single instruction.

[[PLACE SEED/GEM HERE.]]

Homura produces a half full Grief Seed, and cautiously taps it to the screen. After a quick [[CONFIRMING...]] message...

The Seed loses some of the built up Grief, albeit slowly. After a few long moments, the Seed looks as if it had never been used. Homura inspects the Seed, surprised that it worked.

Before you can say anything, the screen of your Gauntlet begins to glow bright white, and--!

...A few coins clatter against the table.

You pick one up, recognizing the strange insignia almost instantly.

"Macca?" You mutter.

(YOU GOT 17 MACCA!)

[] ?????????????????????????????????????

 

[TremendousMilk3]

[X] Plan Questions and Answers mod V2

"Was Big Sis Yumi's mama a good mama?" Yuma suddenly asks.

"I..." You find the words after a moment, "I mean, she tried her best, yeah."

Yuma looks at her feet. "Yuma wishes it was her mama that died, not Big Sis Yumi's."

You don't really know how to respond to that. Neither do Shoji or Kohaku.

"Yumi, you said that Victoria was taken by a demon called Eris, correct?" Homura begins, all too happy to change topics, "Why do you think a demon would need a human?"

"Could be anything, really." You shrug, "Maybe Eris needed a pawn, and Icky Vicky was the best choice. Maybe she wanted to run experiments or something, and just took the most incapacitated one around."

Homura stares at you for a moment. "Victoria is a literal murderer, and you're calling her "Icky Vicky"?"

"Yep."

"You... Are an interesting individual."

"Not the worst thing I've been called." You look at your lap, thinking, "Also not the worst thing I called someone. Once, before the fiasco on the roof, I called Okane--"

"Now that I think about it," Kohaku looks up at you, "With Saburo jailed, the cult will have lost a powerful player on their side. If I were them, I'd want such a mage back on the field. Tomorrow, can you "check on" Saburo for me?"

"Oh, good idea!" You smile at her, "I'll get to it once I drop Yuma off!"

"Thank you. It'll do good for my nerves." Kohaku smiles back.

"I saw Vergil in a Labyrinth at school. He killed the Witch with no effort. What do you make of his abilities?" Homura asks, deep in thought.

"Funny story, I actually sparred with him earlier today!" You admit to everyone, "His sword can hurt me, he can move faster than I can keep up with, half sure he can teleport, and he can shoot ghost swords!" You list off his abilities casually, "All in all, he outclasses me physically."

Everyone stares at you.

PRESENT...

"Huh." You grunt, "It turned human suffering into money. Neat."

"I'm sure there's a joke in there," Shoji says, staring at the coins, "But I forget how the punchline goes. Verbal haymakers tend to do that, I guess."

"It converts Grief into demon money?" Homura mutters to herself.

"It says it accepts Soul Gems, too. Do you wanna try--?"

"No thank you. I'm... Going to go home, I think." She gets up, carrying her plate to the table before stopping. "...Maybe after one more plate of curry." She sits down next to you, helping herself.

"I'm gonna turn in." Shoji stands suddenly, causing Yuma to flinch a little, "When you have a minute, can you explain things to me, one on one?"

"I'll try, if I've got time." You tell him. With possibilities like this, you might be busy all day.

"Fair enough. Thanks for dinner." Shoji steps outside quickly.

Kohaku huffs, hands on her head. "I'm sure it'll be a long day. For me, at least."

Yuma yawns, before turning to her bedroom. "Yuma's gonna go to bed...!" She shuffles down to the door, "Goodnight, Big Sis Yumi. Goodnight, Ms. Kohaku." She shuts the door behind her.

Kohaku has gotten up to prepare the couch bed, turning off the TV. Homura is still eating.

It seems like the night is winding down...

[] ???????????????????

 

[TremendousMilk3]

[X] Let the night die down.

"Here." You slide the Macca down the table to her, "It's your misery that got turned into money, after all." Hey, you know how bad retail workers get it. Their misery isn't their money most of the time. You'll be the change you want to see in the world!

"No thanks." Homura slides it back, "I can get demon money well enough on my own."

"Are you sure?" You ask, "I mean, it's your misery money--"

"I'm fine." She points to where her shield rests in her Magical Girl form, "I have enough."

"...Alright, if you say so." Welp, you tried.

"...Excuse me, Master Yumi Konishi?" Dawn's voice echoes in your mind.

"Dawn? What's up?" Honestly, you were planning on talking to her anyways. This is as good a time as any, you suppose.

"I have a question, and I sincerely hope you can answer." You hear Dawn make a troubled hum, "What separates me from any other blade?"

"What do you mean?" You ask, "Where is this coming from?"

"I constantly find myself comparing my own capabilities to that of other weapons we encounter, even when I mean not to." Dawn reveals, sounding disappointed in herself, "None of them speak. None of them would distract you. Maybe they would be more effective than I."

"Doubtful, but go on."

"I find myself... Torn." She finally decides, "Perhaps another weapon would be better overall, but the thought of being alone... It frightens me to no end. I don't want to be outclassed, but I fear that I already have been. I am terrified of losing you, Master Yumi Konishi, to another weapon, and that you would discard me like trash."

"Dawn..." You find yourself without words.

"I know I have no say in the matter. I am a tool to be used as you see fit, but even still..." Her voice wavers, "Even if I fall behind other arms, please don't abandon me." She tried to convince you further, "I can still be useful to you, correct? I can...!"

"Wait, is this about my visit to the Dwarven Forge?" You ask her calmly.

"...Yes." Dawn admits, "If you are planning to replace me..."

(ALIGNMENT OVERRIDE: ACTION AUTOMATICALLY TAKEN)

"No." You cut her off sternly, "I'd never replace you. Not even if some Uber powerful weapon showed up to one shot everything. Because, at the end of the day, you're you."

"I... Am not sure I follow your train of thought."

"You're you!" You repeat, "You talk to me, give suggestions, chatter to yourself, get nervous, and you're just... You." You smile, "And nothing will ever change that."

"But what if I am flawed, or damaged?"

"Then guess what?" You lean back in your chair, "So am I. We'd still be perfect for each other."

"...Ah." Dawn doesn't speak for a moment, collecting her thoughts.

"Is that everything you needed to say?" You ask as gently as you can, "Nothing else I can help with?"

"...I would like to think about this. But no, I have nothing else to say." Dawn sounds relieved, "Thank you, kind Master Yumi Konishi."

"Anytime."

You sigh fondly, getting up out of your chair. "Hey, I'm gonna pop over to Mido's."

"Good luck." Homura bids you farewell, nodding at you.

"I'm probably gonna be asleep when you get back, so goodnight, Yumi!" Kohaku smiles at you.

"G' night!" You wave back, stepping outside into the cool evening air.

It's a beautiful night tonight, with all of the stars shining brightly, the moon high in the sky, and...

...Little specks of red floating lazily above you.

[] ????????????????????

OOC: After this, you'll go see Mido. Unless your plan changes.

 

[TremendousMilk3]

[X] The Gauntlet, girl!

You raise your Gauntlet, tapping on the screen. Please, let there be an answer...!

...Damnit. Nothing. You huff, looking skyward. Sure enough, the lazy red specks of light haven't gone anywhere since you last played eyes on them.

To your surprise, you find yourself reaching up to the red specks. They moved quickly now, coalescing above your hand.

You move your hand, and the red glowing mass moves with you. You twirl your hand gently, and a whirlpool of red forms above you. If you didn't know any better, you'd think it was a portal.

But, fortunately, nothing drops out of it, and it quickly dissipates. It's almost like playing with rave lights, but more magical.

You smile, summoning Pixie to see the light show.

"Hey, Yumes!" She waves to you, before her eyes drift upwards. "Oh my...! This is...!! Yumi, do you know what this is?!"

"No, what is it?" You stare up with her.

"Why are you asking me? I was asking you!" Pixie replies, her gaze glued up above at the dancing lights. "It's so pretty, though!"

"I can't argue with that assessment." You cross your arms, almost lost in the pirouetting specks of red. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah...!" Pixie agrees dreamily.

With all of the chaos and the planning and the worries, it's been much too long since you had a chance to just enjoy yourself. To enjoy the night.

You breathe in deeply, letting the cool night air fill your spirit. It's really something, isn't it?

(CHOOSE ONE: )
[] Beautiful Night: Demon spawn rates are decreased for tonight.
[] Enticing Glow: Demons are easier to negotiate with tonight.
[] A Taste For Power: Stronger demons will stalk the night.

As beautiful as it is, you unfortunately have something to attend to. "You wanna wait out here?" You ask, "I'll just be in Mido's."

Pixie doesn't reply, entirely engrossed in the glow. You smile at her. She deserves to enjoy the night.

You enter, unsurprised to find Mido standing in front of you. "Welcome to the Cathedral of Shadows, where demons gather..."

[] ???????????????????????

 

[TremendousMilk3]

[X] Plan Chain Fusing, Part 2

"Hey, Mido!" You wave at him, walking over to the Compendium. "Just a sec, and I'll get started!" You touch your Gauntlet to the large book resting on the table.

[[DEMONS REGISTERED.]]

"And now, what is your desire?" Mido asks.

"Just a bit of fusion!" You smile, resummoning Koppa Tengu. "Koppa Tengu and Angel! Keep Tarukaja and Media, please!"

"Of course! One moment...!" Mido trots over to his computer, typing away...

(FUSION ROLL: 40)

...And then, standing on the pad before you, is a pink woman with wings and talons in place of hands and feet.

"My name's Harpy!" Harpy says happily, "It's soooo good to meet you!"

You wave to her as she disappears into your Gauntlet. "Okay, so far so good!" You say more to yourself than Mido.

"What shall you fuse next, summoner?" Mido asks, his hands hovering over the keyboard in anticipation.

"Raiju and Harpy, next!" You tell him after a quick registration with the Compendium, "Keep Sukukaja and Mudoon, if you would!"

Mido nods, tapping away...

(FUSION ROLL: 61)

...And in a flash of light you see...

...You. A Doppelganger. She smiles widely at you, silently staring, and disappears.

You don't think you'll ever get used to that.

You quickly resummon the required demons for your next fusion. "Harpy and Sandman are up next--"

"And I shall pass over Tarukaja and Dormina?" He finishes for you.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Lucky guess! Let the fusion begin!"

(FUSION ROLL: 69)
OOC: If I were funnier, I would've given you Lilim with this roll.

In a familiar flash of light, a new demon appears. This one holds a small candelabra, and wears a nice suit.

...You're not sure if that skull is his face or not, and frankly, you're not gonna ask.

"Ah, a human master?" He asks, bowing slightly, "Wield me with caution, oh daughter of humanity. I am named Bifrons." He rises as he disappears.

How polite!

"I assume you want to fuse your new demon?" Mido asks, eyes glued to his computer screen.

"With Doppelganger, yes. Carry over Mudoon and Tarukaja, please." You're beginning to get antsy. So far, so good... "And add some of this, please." You pass him some Magnetite, "Bump up Zanma with it."

(-10 MAG)

Mido wordlessly nods, and begins the fusion...

(FUSION ROLL: 38)

A slight rattle echoes through the apartment, and in a flash of light...

A blue entity floats before you, a red heart visible just within.

"I am known as Virtue, young human..." He tells you in a calm, gentle voice, "...Be not afraid. I am here to fight alongside you."

With that, he fades away into your Gauntlet.

"You are on a roll." Dawn says.

"Just a little." You answer, resummoning Raiju and Harpy. "Carry over Sukunda and Sukukaja, if you would."

"I certainly would!" Mido replies.

(FUSION ROLL: 60)

A second Doppelganger appears, smiling just as widely as the last. You shrug off the feeling of discomfort as it disappears, and resummon Azumi.

"These two, and keep the skills Sukukaja and Rakunda." Every fusion, you feel, is pushing your luck just a little more.

"I'll just be a moment, then!" Mido tells you, a smile on his face.

(FUSION ROLL: 19)

A loud rattle fills the room, but the fusion is successful. An entity made of flames greets you.

"Human master, huh?" He grumbles, "Can't be worse than the last one. Name's Inferno."

He poofs away in a small cloud of smoke.

With a quick resummoning of Harpy, you ready the next fusion. "Her and Oni this time! Keep Tarukaja and Sukukaja!"

"Oh, buffing skills are important!" Mido seems to be enjoying himself!

(FUSION ROLL: 62)

"ME AM HAVE NEW MASTER?!" The demon shouts happily, "ME INUGAMI! ME HELP!"

It looks almost like a weasel, to be honest. Most of it is white, save the head, which is completely black. It floats over to you, worming its way into your Gauntlet.

"Let me guess!" Mido says before you can speak, "Inugami and Inferno, and you'd like to carry over... Tarukaja and Agidyne!"

"Spot on!" You grin like you're about to get a new toy.

(FUSION ROLL: 6)

The room shakes pretty badly, making you nervous. Mido, however, is still smiling to himself. He presses a button on his keyboard, and in a flash of bright light, the fusion succeeds!

There's a large beast in front of you. Its legs are yellow and striped, it has a brown colored body, its tail is a snake, it has a white mane, and it's face is black with two red eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth.

It growls and grunts at you. Your Gauntlet beeps as the beast before you continues. Absentmindedly, you check the screen...

[[Me is Nue. I am the helping you as now?]]

What?

It disappears quietly.

Wordlessly, you recall Oni and Koppa Tengu. "Carry over Tarukaja and Fang Breaker, please." That was an odd demon you just summoned. Your mind still dwells on it.

Mido nods to you, and proceeds.

(FUSION ROLL: 30)

In a slight flash, you summon...

...That's the same kind of demon that you saw at the shop! What was his name, Ipp--?

"Oi, gal! You made one hell o' a good call ringin' me up! Name's Ippon-Datara!" He waves at you, hammer in his hand.

Finally, you resummon Oni.

You let yourself breathe again, wiping your forehead. It all worked out...!

"I suppose that is all you wished to perform here?" Mido asks.

"Oh, uh, I think so." You answer, looking over your new team. "I guess I'll be on my way, then!"

"Return when you have gathered more demons!" He waves as you exit onto the balcony.

The lights still float lazily in the night sky, preforming their slow dance of the evening. Pixie still sits on the railing, kicking her legs, looking up at the sky. She shivers slightly, but doesn't move from her spot.

The night seems calmer than usual. You don't know why, but it just does.

[] ???????????????????????????

 

[TremendousMilk3]

[X] "All done in there. Anything on your mind?"

"Pixie, I'm all done in there!" You call to her.

"Hm?" She turns to you, face uncharacteristically mellow, "Oh, you are. Hey."

You waltz up beside her, and lean on the railing. "Anything on your mind? You look kinda bummed."

"Eh, just memories." She admits, kicking her legs, "Last time I saw something like this..." Pixie sighs, "...Was just before a tragedy."

"Tragedy?" You find yourself repeating, "What do you...? No, nevermind, it's not my place to ask." You shake your head.

"While I was in the Abyss, living in the Fairy Village, I saw something like this." She tells you, despite your backpedaling, "It wasn't nearly as peaceful, or as beautiful. King Oberon and Queen Titania were out of town, negotiating with the demons of the Great Canyons. That's when she struck."

"Pixie..." You can't find any other words.

"Her name was... Athena. Yeah, Athena." Pixie puts her legs to her chest, "Athena brought a group of tougher demons over to our village, and declared us lesser beings. She used most of the smaller Fairies to heal her armies, and let us be abused like stress toys. But the bigger ones..." She shivers, but not from any wind, "...She used them to test tactics. She commanded her soldiers to kill them for "training", and said that their deaths were "necessary". She said that we sh-should be honored to die at her hands."

You want to speak, but no words can leave your throat.

Pixie continues. "Most of the other Pixies were killed. The ones that were born into it were... Shells. They wouldn't even breathe if Athena didn't give them permission." Pixie takes a shakey breath, "Once the King and Queen came back, Athena retreated, taking the broken Pixies with her. After that, they never left the village again."

You look down at the road. Your thoughts are a mess.

"...Sorry about bringing the mood down." Pixie says. "I just needed to talk, I guess."

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[TremendousMilk3]

[X] NEW MISSION!: Kill a major god.

"Don't you worry, Pixie." You gently put your hand on her back, being careful not to accidentally hurt her, "You know I'm made of sterner stuff! As long as I'm kicking, nothing like that will ever start here."

"...You mean it, Yumi?" Pixie asks, looking over at you.

"With all of my heart."

Pixie leans back into your hand, tears in her eyes. "Th-Thanks...!" She wipes her eyes, "You have no idea... How much that means to me!"

"Of course. You're my first demonic friend!" You smile, "And hey, if we ever run into this "Athena" while we're out and about, all the better!" You snap your fingers (despite wearing a Gauntlet), adding, "Oh, and that village is moving over to this side, right?"

"Oh yeah, right!" Pixie immediately takes flight, stopping at eye level, "So if she ever comes back, Athena won't find any potential victims!"

"That's the ticket!" You nod at her, "You okay now?" You hold your hand under her.

She lands. "...Better." She says, curling up in your palm, "Let's get inside. I'm cold."

"Sounds like a plan." You turn to enter your apartment, only to find Homura exiting.

"Yumi, I have something to ask of you." Homura says before you can say anything, "It's about Madoka Kaname."

"What is it?" You ask, somewhat confused.

"I know she has the summoning program and all, but she's still in Kyubey's sights when it comes to Contracting." Homura takes a deep breath, "Will you dissuade her if she asks you about it?"

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