Miyazaki Books (0/300) > Rolled (81) + 30 > (111/300) > Kyouko Rolled (5) + 10 > (126/300)
Kyouko (39/400) > (60/400)
False Memories (0/200) > Rolled (33) + 30 > (63/200)
"You came!" Snow's expression lights up with brilliant smile for a moment as you take your seat across from her at Quicksilvers, before she composes herself, changing her ecstatic expression out for a smaller, less manic smile, "I-I mean, I'm glad you came! I know you're busy too, after all!"
You nod your agreement, trying to get a read on her. You don't really know anything about Snow--she's an old friend, previously known as Weiss Schnee of the Schnee Family, who has seemingly murdered her predecessor in the Department of Defense. You do not know why she has broken ties with her family, nor why she resorted to murder to supplant her predecessor, but you assume she had her reasons; hopefully, they were good ones.
That's all you know, you reflect. That, and that she's an anxious, lonely girl using her rank and formal manners to conceal her vulnerability and weakness. It's far less than you know about most of the people in your life. Essentially nothing, really.
It's still simple, though, isn't it? You can understand those feelings, at least in part, and you know how to bridge the gap to someone like this.
Do you want to, though? Do you really care about this girl, or is she just a potential asset? Do you have to decide right now?
"I
am busy, but I want to get to know you, so I made the time. How was your trip?" You ask, hoping to get a little more information on her.
"It went well! I met a few new girls--the Tokyo group, notably. I honestly don't like them, though. They're uncivilized, and--" She pauses and clears her throat, catching herself, "I mean that they're not very crass. It took a lot of work to get them to just sit down at a table with me, and then they spent half of the time making thinly-veiled threats. Heaven forbid someone try to offer them the support and resources of an international organization! Honestly, I had so much to put on the table, but they wouldn't accept more than an exchange of emergency Grief Seed provisions in exchange for the right to request their assistance for disaster management twice annually."
Listening to her, you find yourself restraining a laugh--you'd have expected immediately that this was some kind of trick to turn the local Magical Girls into a superhuman army working on behalf of the United States, but she seems to genuinely just be trying to help. You daresay she's not even considered who bad her optics are.
You should probably explain that, actually, "Would
you expect a foreign Magical Girl from another nation's defense department to show up and help without ulterior motives? Or would you expect her to be trying to get her hooks into you and use them to undermine your group's leadership--or turn you against your nation, for that matter?"
She blinks at that, seeming confused, "But I--wait--Rose…"
You raise an eyebrow, "Rose? What does she have to do with it?"
She pinches the bridge of her nose, "Rose did this kind of stuff like it was easy, back when she was with the DoD. No one cared, they just listened and talked with her, and then we'd work something out. So there's no reason it shouldn't work for me, right?"
You see the problem now. It's not a pleasant answer, though, so you stand, "One second, we should get ice cream for this. What would you like?"
She blushes, "Vanilla." She's one of
those, then. Kyouko or Sayaka would tease her, and then they'd laugh it off and put her at ease with them. You're not one of them, though, so you simply nod and go and get the ice cream: vanilla for her; strawberry with graham cracker pie crust, strawberries, caramel, and whipped cream for you.
She accepts hers with a smile as you return with it, immediately taking her spoon to it without an instant of hesitation, making a small sound of appreciation as she savors the treat.
You've never seen someone who actually
loved vanilla ice cream before, but you have now, it seems.
Giving her a moment to get it out of her system, you answer her earlier question once she slows and looks over to you with a blush, "To answer your question, I'm afraid that's not how it works."
She blinks, tilting her head slightly, "How so?"
"Rose is an adorable, naïve young girl who only the most paranoid would assume to have ulterior motives. I did, of course, but most people are going to take someone like her at face value." You pause, holding her gaze for a moment to let that sink in, "
You are an obviously experienced Puella Magus, with rank and clear political acumen. Furthermore, you are obviously
not a person that just says whatever pops into her head without consideration or forethought. They distrust you because they recognize that you're dangerous. They trusted her because she obviously doesn't know the meaning of the word subterfuge. You see?"
Her eyes widen slightly, but narrow as she nods, "Yes, that should have been obvious, but…"
"But you're trying to do things her way, and you assumed that was all it took, right?" You guess, recalling loops where you tried to do things like Madoka or Mami, only to fail miserably.
She nods, laying a finger along her cheek as her eyes turn slightly upwards, contemplating your words, "So, what you're saying is that it's not just tactics, it's also about how well you're suited to them? If I want to use this kind of strategy, I need someone like Rose to put them at ease. Since I don't have her, then I should…?"
She looks to you for advice, clearly uncertain, and you consider your own experiences before answering, "Either trick them into thinking they're pulling one over on you--they probably see you as a rich girl looking down on them, so you can use that against them--or just bludgeon them into it with power and logic, and hope they appreciate it once they see the benefits."
She nods, still clearly a bit lost in thought, "Thank you, I'll take those under consideration." She pauses, before blushing slightly, "I mean, thanks! Anyway, uh, what're you up to?"
"Coping with local crises, mostly. Things have been very lively around here." You wave slightly with your spoon, indicating Mitakihara. You pause, considering whether you should say anything, but decide Snow might be a useful source of information about the situation in London, "I also received an invitation from the Crown, so I'm preparing for that trip."
She blinks slowly at that, "The…Emperor?" She looks befuddled.
You shake your head, "No, the Queen of England. I assume. Probably. It's at Buckingham. I received the invitation through Clovis."
Her eyebrows rise, "Oh. That's…strange. I…" She gives a long pause, then switches to telepathy.
"Can I trust you to keep something secret, Homura?"
You nod. Keeping secrets is just a matter of course, at this point,
"Yes. Please go on."
She takes a deep breath, nods, and explains,
"Some of our spies have confirmed that Queen Elizabeth quietly abdicated a few months ago. A Magical Girl, calling herself King Arthur, seems to have taken the throne in her absence. We have not been able to gain much more, as our spies were quickly located and sent home. None of them have proven willing to give any further information beyond what was provided in their final report before being found."
You take a long moment to consider this. Kyouko had informed you of Arthur previously, but had made no mention of her usurping the Queen. Clovis also seemed oblivious, so it's likely this "Arthur" has kept her position well-hidden from most.
Nevertheless, she's clearly entirely too powerful for you to take her lightly. Particularly if she has a precognitive, as Kyouko suspected.
"I see. I was not aware she had formally taken power in such a way. I will keep that in mind for our meeting." You answer, giving a respectful nod of thanks.
Snow's jaw drops open slightly,
"You're still going!? She's a mad woman who's usurping a lawful government!"
You smile, a bittersweet feeling passing over you as you realize how naïve she still is. You had hoped maybe she would understand, but she's still very young,
"Exactly. Who better to ally with, than someone who fought a world power and won?"
There's a long pause, and you can see a flicker of fear in her eyes for a moment--a slight widening, a dilation of the pupils, and a faint trembling--before she gives a nod, closing her eyes and taking a quick breath.
"I-I see. Alright then. Um…" She pauses, "Would--would you--I mean--" She stops again, fumbling in her purse for something before handing you a keycard, "Would you please come hang out sometimes? I need, that is, I would like to speak to you more, and my ability to get away from work's a
bit limited most of the time. I…"
The expression she's looking at you with is a curious one. Fearful, but…curious? Fascinated? There's desperation in her voice, too.
She finally says what she wants to say, seeming to have to force it out, "Please. I don't want to be alone anymore, and…please."
'Oh no.' You think. You recognize that expression, now. It's the expression you wore when you had no one but Madoka.
Slowly, you nod, reach out, and take her hand forcefully, "I won't leave you alone, Snow. I won't."
She slowly, tentatively nods, and you release her, "Alright. That's settled. Now, ice cream."
You finally begin eating yours, as she dives back into hers in what you can only describe as a comfort-driven frenzy.
---
Snow (0/100) > Rolled (64) + 8 + 30 (Lonely) > 102/100 > Breakthrough! > Social Link 2
Reward: DoD Guest Clearance Badge -- Homura is granted limited access to DoD Facilities, including the Military Base, allowing her to visit Military and Mercenary Magi, although she cannot use their resources and is limited to Magi-affiliated areas.
Sayaka Magecraft (13/60) > Rolled (11) + 100 > Magecraft (124/60) > Level Up! > Magecraft (64/65)
Magecraft 12 > 13
Sayaka (173/500) > Rolled ((13) + 8)/2 > (184/500)
"DEAD!"
You feel the blade of the wooden sword come to a halt directly on your throat.
"That's five times already, Homura. Your footwork's very good for your age, but you don't know how to actually use your sword properly, and good for your age is not good enough to survive in a real fight. I have longer reach, so you need to move
forward when I'm this close--moving back puts you in the blade's path, and blocking while moving back is a good way for me to push you off balance. You want to get in close, catch me in the groin with your knee or trip me, then finish me off when I'm unable to defend myself."
You would like to do that. You
tried to do that two rounds ago, but her spacing is too good and she apparently can read you like a book, so you were just kicked to the floor and "killed" with a thrust to the throat.
"Again!"
You pull yourself to your feet, staring up at the stern face of Miho Miki, who has taken it upon herself to make sure you can defeat three trained samurai at once, as far as you can tell.
Squaring up against her again, you lunge. She swipes horizontally, aiming to "kill" you with a blow to the head immediately--you're ready this time, and drop, sliding along the ground with your sword up to block the incoming
stomp as you slide between her legs and bounce to you feet to strike her in the back with a vertical slice.
Which is caught, as she whips her bloody sword around to block
behind her.
In response, you release the weapon with one hand and go for a punch to her side, pinning her sword with your own; she simply steps forward, causing your weapon to slam into the ground at her feet as she turns to cut your punching arm--you're not allowed to use that now--steps forward onto your sword to restrain it and close the gap, and then swings for your throat.
You release your sword to escape her attack, and she uses the opportunity to claim it for her own and give chase, leaving you frantically dodging until she catches you in the chest again.
"DEAD!"
This is everything you asked for, but you understand why Sayaka looked so scared when you mentioned asking her Mom for lessons. Going through this without magical healing must have been hell.
---
Melee (55/185) > Rolled (73) + 100 > (228/185) > Level Up! > (43/190)
Melee 37 > 38
Sword Specialist Trait : (0/1500) > Rolled (24) + 100 > (124/1500)
Miho (33/200) > Rolled ((80)+8)/2 > (77/200)
"Ah, Homura-chan! I had expected you would visit soon, with you making your debut." The old gentleman--the Akemi Tailor, at least in regards to western fashions--welcomes you to his shop. Hidden in the Historic District of Kasei, his work is among the finest in Mitakihara, and his exclusivity cannot be understated. Truly, only a handful of families can even obtain his services regularly, and only yours can do so on short notice.
"Good to see you, Sato-san. It's been almost a year now, hasn't it?" You ask, favoring the old tailor with a small smile.
He stiffens visibly, "Ah, I see you've come into your own, then. What can I do for you, Akemi-sama?" His voice, moments before soft and kindly, turns formal and subservient, and you flinch in spite of yourself.
"Please, none of that, Sato-san. You've made my dresses since I was three, and put up with my tantrums for just as long." You try to reassure him, struggling to imitate at least some level of normality without trying to resurrect a dead girl.
He relaxes slightly, "Oh. Oh, I see. My apologies, Homura-sama. I mistook you. I've seen four generations of Akemi walk through that door, and every one of them has taken to their blood differently."
You frown at that, tilting your head slightly in apparent curiosity as you try to show some imitation of a child's cuteness for his sake, "What do you mean, Sato-san?"
"Your grandfather was a precocious, silly child who played pranks when I first met him. The day his blood began to burn, he walked in here with the air of a king and the same ancient look in his eyes he had at our final meeting. He barely seemed to respond to his own name." He grimaces, looking strangely heartbroken even now.
"Your father, meanwhile, didn't change. Oh, he would have his
episodes--ranting about domination and order and
the future, but he was still the same boy I knew other than that." He looks you in the eyes, holding your gaze tightly, "Your eyes, Homura-sama, look older than your Grandfather's did. I thought, for a moment, that there would be nothing left of you. Yet, it seems I was wrong--I can still see that girl in them, though she's grown. Yet again, the Akemi blood astounds me. May I ask what it was like?"
You stare at him, speechless for a moment. You don't remember him terribly well, but you do recall him being very kind to you when you were still young. Telling him anything like the truth would be cruel, so you stand there and concoct the most believable lie you can. Then you realize that lie is no kinder. So you take the only option left.
"I'd prefer if you didn't, actually. Explaining it would be very difficult. Also…wait, you said four. What
was Great-Grandmother like?"
He
shivers, averting his gaze slightly, "Terrifying. Admittedly, I was quite young at the time, but she seemed to delight in it. Not a bad person at all, mind you, but the kind of person you're never really comfortable with, either. I don't really know what she was like as a child, though."
"Hm. Interesting." You consider that, recalling some of your past interactions while under the influence of your blood, "That aside, I came here to ask about getting a dress adjusted. I've received an invitation to Buckingham Palace, and I need to make my strongest showing."
There's a long, drawn-out pause, followed by a heavy, heavy sigh, "Of course. Alright, how long do I have?"
"How fast can you have something ready?" You ask, since you're planning to fly out very soon.
"If you don't mind me just adjusting an existing piece, I can have it ready tomorrow if I work through the night. If you want something new, it will take two weeks to make something suitable for meeting with royals." He explains, pinching the bridge of his nose.
He sits down at his desk and leans back to stare up at the ceiling, clearly trying to work through plans in his head as you speak. You'd love to see what he can cook up with the time to do so, but two weeks is entirely too long, considering your situation.
"An existing piece will have to do then. What do you have on hand?" You ask.
He groans, "Well, we have your dress from two years ago--I'll need to extend it a bit and let it out a little, since you've grown."
You recall the dress--pitch black and white, looking almost doll-like. You wore it to your grandfather's funeral.
"Not that one. What else?" You're not putting that thing on ever again, after that.
He's quiet for a moment, "Hmm. Well, I've got three pieces that might suit you well enough. None of them are
quite fitting for you, I'm afraid, but they should be serviceable.
Standing, he leads you to the back, to a large room filled with mannequins. Three, in particular, seem to be set aside for you in one corner--alongside your funeral dress, which you carefully avert your eyes from.
"The first is in lavender, and is perhaps a bit too bright for you--you've always looked better in heavier pieces, and that new look in your eye has only reinforced that. It does set a particular tone, though, if you wish to come across as more innocent or friendly."
"The second is a darker purple. Perhaps a bit flashy, and the crown will have to go, considering. I think it would be a fine choice. I do worry that it may be a bit more flashy, rather than dignified, but that isn't necessarily a problem."
"The third is a more traditional piece, and is my personal recommendation. It's the most appropriate for the royal court, and is should look quite wonderful on you. It
is traditional, however, so it will be less of a statement than than the second--for better or worse."
You look the three over, and make your decision.
---
"Did you get what you needed?" Mami asks from the rooftop, Madoka figuratively hovering next to her, staying back a bit from the edge.
You nod, leaping up beside them, "More or less. He'll have the dress ready tomorrow."
"I wish we could have actually gone an picked something out together." Madoka sighs in disappointment--never a pleasant sight, but sometimes a necessary one.
You nod your agreement, "I would have liked to, but he is very particular about letting people inside. I could maybe have forced the issue, but it would have been needlessly rude."
Madoka still looks a little let down--as does Mami, you think, although it's harder to be sure.
"With that out of the way, though, the bookstore is just down the road. There's something strange about the place, and I'm hoping we can find something special there."
"What do you mean by strange?" Mami gives you a worried look, doubtless thinking of the "strange" beings that destroyed her home and nearly killed her.
"Kyouko and I found some books on magic there--well, maybe, I haven't gotten to test them yet, but they seemed substantial--and a familiar just dropped dead outside without warning. Thus
strange." You explain as you begin roofhopping over to Miyazaki Books, Mami following with ease.
Madoka, in contrast, has to call for the two of you to slow down as she does her best to cross with her normal human body, and looks very put out by it.
"We
can take the sidewalk, you know? You don't need to force yourself, Kaname-san." Mami offers, clearly uncomfortable watching Madoka struggle.
Madoka, however, appears to be having none of it, "Nope. I've got this. Just give me," She pauses to leap across a gap, eliciting a wince from you as you imagine her falling, "One minute to catch up."
She runs up to the edge of the next building and jumps--only to come up short, barely catching herself on the edge of the roof as you stop time and move over to take her arm.
She blushes as she enters the world of your Time Stop, "Thanks, Homura-chan. I was being reckless, wasn't I?"
You nod, "Yes." You emerge from Time Stop, holding Madoka up into the air one-handed, and look over to Mami, who stops herself mid-leap, a ribbon already leaping from her arm as she reaches for where Madoka had been falling, "We're taking the sidewalks."
Mami, taking a deep breath to calm herself, nods, "Yes, that sounds good."
The three of you drop down into an alleyway, where you and Mami dismiss your regalia. Moments later, three apparently normal schoolgirls walk out, and you begin making your way to Miyazaki's like a normal person.
It's honestly a little strange, whenever you travel like this. It's very inefficient, but, looking around, there is a certain sense of camaraderie in it--being just one of many "humans" traveling together, in the same way.
Unfortunately, you know you have essentially nothing in common with these people anymore.
"Oh, look!" Madoka's voice draws you from your reverie, as she points over to a furniture store, "Let's look around!"
You were not planning to buy chairs, but if Madoka wants to buy chairs, Madoka can buy chairs.
"Sure, we'll look around. If that's alright with you Mami?" You ask the blonde.
Mami, looking a bit confused at Madoka excitement, slowly nods, "Sure, we can do that. Umm…what are we looking for?"
As the three of you make your way inside, Madoka smiles over at Mami, "We need to buy you a chair!"
Mami pauses, turning to you, as if asking for a translation. You simply smile and nod, "Madoka buys chairs for all of her friends, so they have one of their own when they visit her." You recall your own fondly, rather wishing you had one like it at the Mikis.'
Mami looks from you to Madoka as tears begin to well up in the corners of her eyes, "Thank you, Kaname-san. I'm so happy to be your friend." She pulls a confused looking Madoka into a hug, who looks over Mami's shoulder at you, wide-eyed. You mouth the word "lonely" to her, as a reminder, and she gives a short nod of understanding before returning the hug.
After a long moment, Mami releases her "new" friend; this was clearly already obvious, as far as Madoka was concerned, but Mami is Mami.
"So, chairs?" Mami asks, looking to Madoka for guidance, who nods enthusiastically.
Forty-five minutes of excited chair-shopping later, you have a very nice, classy-looking yellow chair in your inventory, and you're standing in front of Miyazaki books at last.
Entering, you heave a sigh of relief as you take in the shelves and shelves of books. The cashier waves at you from behind the counter, setting aside the book she was reading, "Oh, you came back, Homura-san! You brought friends, too! What're your names?"
Madoka, looking surprised by the girl's friendliness for only a moment, reciprocates quickly, "Madoka Kaname! Nice to meet you! Homura seemed very excited about this place!"
Mami, still on cloud-nine from making another friend, smiles brightly, "Mami Tomoe! Pleased to make your acquaintance." She pauses, taking a moment to look around, "I've never seen a bookstore this lovely, to be honest. Could you let Miyazaki-san know that for me?"
The cashier nods, smiling brightly, "I certainly will! Please, make yourselves at home!"
You make your way towards the self-help section first, looking for something to help with your social skills. Only, when you arrive, you don't find what you expected--mostly, you find a lot of books on surviving in dangerous environments--again--and escaping from prisons and traps.
Miyazaki-san has clearly led a colorful life, you think.
"Over here, Akemi-san." Mami's voice draws your attention, and you go over to see what she's looking at.
"I remembered our study session yesterday, and, since we're doing something similar today, I was thinking maybe we could find something to help?" She offers, smiling weakly. You get the feeling she's trying to extend an olive branch or make overtures of friendship or something, but she's both confused and little better at this than you are.
You would like to reciprocate that, though. Maybe while you're out, you can surreptitiously pick her up a gift.
For the moment, you look at the book she's holding out to you, reading the cover aloud, "Friendship, by Y. Ishida. To the point, at least."
She nods, "It seems like it might help? I only skimmed it, but the author seemed to take the topic seriously, at least."
"Alright, we'll get two copies then. Thank you, Tomoe-san."
She smiles, bowing slightly, "My pleasure, Akemi-san. I'll pay?"
You move to refuse, but there's something about her expression that tells you that's a bad idea. She's trying to buy you a gift, and turning that around on her might be taken as a rejection, as silly as it seems.
Instead, you return the slight bow, "Thank you, Tomoe-san. I appreciate it. Have you seen anything else you like?"
She relaxes a bit, now that the moment has passed, "Oh, nothing yet, but I think I'm going to poke around the engineering section, and see if I can't find anything useful! They have a good variety of books here--I generally prefer video for most things, but there's some appeal to having it written down!"
'Heresy.' You think, half-jokingly, but don't say anything to that effect for the moment.
"Not funny, Braids. Still, I never did understand her lukewarm view on books."
Agreeing silently, you make your way back over to the Spirituality section, where you found the book on Magic yesterday. Looking it over, though, you find nothing else of the sort--mostly just books on religion and folklore.
"Oh, wow, the Bible in the original Greek! This place really has it all!"
You glance over, nodding,
"Yes, that is rare. I do not believe either of us knows Ancient Greek, though."
There's a long pause, with no response apparently forthcoming.
"You never mentioned you knew Ancient Greek, Kyouko."
After another beat, she finally answers, a vague feeling of embarrassment reaching you
, "Well, a certain old bastard felt that translation was a risky endeavor, and reading the original language was best. Also, I like old languages, alright?
You throw a vague feeling of smugness her way, rather than giving her the chance to call her out on your hypocrisy.
For now, you leave the Spirituality section and head back over to the Self-Help section, curious what you might find there, and find Honya's shelf there--in particular, you pull a book called "A Guide to Note-taking" from in-between "Locks, Traps, and How to Bypass Them" and "The Burden of Ages: Recognizing Unstable Construction in Ancient Ruins."
You might come back for those later, but you really just want to get better at research right now.
Deciding that's enough for now, you look for Madoka, to see how her shopping's going, and find her nose-deep in a book on mythology.
She looks up as you approach, "Hey Homura-chan! Did you know there were so many variations on the old myths?"
You nod, of course, "Yes, many of their stories were oral traditions, so they changed often with the telling."
She shakes her head, "No, that's not what I mean. Here, look!" She shoves the book into your hands.
The book is open to several pages devoted to Heracles, and you find yourself frowning as you skim it.
The myth you know is here, yes, but there's also several other version of the character discussed, which are far less familiar. For example, you don't recall a version of the story where Heracles was granted twelve lives, one for each labor, and skin that--
Your thoughts grind to a halt as you turn the page, and find a hand-drawn, but very recognizable depiction of the titan that attacked you at Mami's apartment.
You don't know how long you stare at that image before Madoka speaks up, "Homura-chan? Are you okay?"
Though you shake your head in the negative, you answer, "Yes, I'm fine. I'd like to read this once you're done, though, if that's okay?"
Looking worried, she nods and gives you a weak smile, "Of course! Oh, I found this too!" She pulls a second book from where she laid it on the shelf, holding it up.
"An Encyclopedia of Guns." You read, smiling slightly, "I haven't read that in years. It's a good one, though--very good for learning the ins-and-outs of different models."
She nods, "Yep! I figure I'll need to know my way around them until I Wish, so…" She shakes the book slightly.
You would
prefer she not arm herself and charge into danger, but it's certainly better than skipping the first step.
A few minutes of small talk with your friends later, you head to the counter, handing the cashier
A Guide to Note-taking.
She smiles brightly as she looks down at it, "Oh, this one! I recommend it for anyone trying to up their study game."
You nod, smiling as you reach for your wallet, and find yourself
chattering, "I would do the same thing! Honya's books are eccentric, but there's no denying their value. She has a great way of engaging the reader while providing a very dense amount of useful information, which is a wonderful change of pace from many educational books."
She blushes slightly, presumably caught off guard by your obvious excitement--Mami is giving you a surprised look, as well. "I'm glad you're such a fan of them! Our bookstore is one of the only ones you can buy her books at, for the moment! There's more coming soon, I promise!"
You smile back at her, "I can't wait. Although, I've got a lot to get through first--she's very prolific, by the looks of it."
The Cashier nods, "She does her best, I hear! Can I get you anything else?"
You shake your head, and wave your companions forward as you wait by the door, accepting "Friendship" from Mami with a slight bow as she walks over to join you, then make your way back to your old apartment once Madoka is done.
---
Mami (18/200) > Rolled ((100) + 18) / 2 * 2 (Critical) > (136/200)
Cashier (40/100) > Rolled ((20)+8) * 0.75 (Book Lover) > (61/100)
Items Obtained:
"Friendship, Part 1. 1st Ed. Y. Ishida." [Amateur|Socialize] [0/4]
"A Guide to Note-taking. 1st Ed. Honya." [Amateur| Research] [0/3]
"So, how would you describe a friendship, in terms of simile or metaphor?
" Madoka asks, having pulled one of the couches around to face all three of you--yourself, Mami, and Kyouko, that is.
You exchange looks with the other two "students" in this discussion, then answer, "Friendships are like clocks--you learn everything you can about a person, so that you can understand how to predict them, and how best to help them perform at their best."
There's a brief silence, followed by a snort from Kyouko, "Of course you go for clocks. Anyway, my turn--friendship is a
hunt--"
Madoka's voice interrupts her sharply, "Nope. Not self-sabotaging by intentionally making yourself sound scary. Try again." Her gaze on the redhead is hard and steady, matching the Magical Girl's responding glare with her own.
After a moment, Kyouko gives in with a blush, "Fine. I guess…a friendship's like a book? You look at the cover, and read the blurb, and try to see if you have any interest in getting to know the person further. Then, if you do, you actually read the book. If you're lucky, it's great, and you love it. If you're not, you put it down and move on with your life."
Mami winces at that, a response you all pretend to miss for her sake, "Well…I guess I'd say it's like Gunpla." There's a long pause, and you turn to look at her, perplexed, as do your other friends. She blushes, explaining further, "Or, well, it's like trying to build one model out of two kits, I guess. You have two people, with lots of different parts and traits, and you have to work to figure out which parts can fit together to form the friendship, and which ones you can
make work together well enough to keep it whole. If you can make enough pieces fit, then you've got a good friendship!"
Madoka's expression is surely perfectly innocent to most people. You, however, recognize the profound exasperation hidden beneath the surface as she resumes her lecture, "Okay, so…Homura!" You listen attentively as she goes on, "Friendship is mutual. Understanding someone and fixing all of their problems is a wonderful thing to do, but it's not friendship--that requires an actual bond between two people, not just a carefully calculated strategy for helping someone."
You weigh that for a moment, then nod, accepting her critique and making a note.
"Kyouko, it's a great thing to love and understand someone, but they need to do the same for you! If you're reading them, then make sure they get to read you too!" She locks a steady gaze on the gluttonous Magical Girl, who makes a note after a moment of hesitation.
Mami has already visibly braced herself by the time Madoka turns to her, "Mami, you've got the basic idea, but only if you're trying to force yourself into a friendship. It's great to make friends, but if you have to force half of the "parts" to fit, then you're not actually going to be happy in that relationship, and neither will they."
Mami nods, seeming relieved at the comparatively mild criticism she received.
"Now, here's how I recommend thinking of it--a friendship is like a house. First, you have to carefully examine the site--that is, you have to get to know the person at a basic level, through small talk and gentle probing, to establish early trust and determine if you even want to build at that location--by which I mean develop a real friendship, rather than just an acquaintance.
"Once that first stage is over, and you know you want to build on that location, you need to pour a foundation--a strong one will take a long time, as you build real trust, learn more about each other, and establish simple, early bonds based upon shared interests.
"Finally, you build the actual house--you take those foundations you've established, and construct something heavy, created through shared experiences, deep trust born of promises fulfilled and secrets shared, and responsibility established between the two of you. You help each other, rather than just knowing each other, and cooperatively work towards your goals, rather than just in parallel. At that point, the only question is how big you want your house to be--how much do you invest in this person, and how much do you think the foundation you've built can support?"
You hear the scratching of pens on paper as you all jot that down--it's not a perfect explanation, and you assume that the other person is also building on the "land" that is you, but it's definitely a much clearer way to think of it that you had before.
"Alright, so, let's discuss how to make small talk, and how to properly balance a conversation between listening, asking questions, and sharing information about yourself. How about we start by…"
An hour and twelve minutes later, Madoka has stopped lecturing, and you're all sitting together sharing the two copies of "Friendship" that were purchased today. It's an enlightening read, although the author is clearly coming from a very different place than you are in regards to the issue--it speaks very little of
making friends, and far more of
keeping them, and how to be a good friend in the face of adversity. It's still useful, though you already understand some of its lessons in your bones.
---
Socialize (3/40) > Rolled (83) + 150 > (236/40) > Level Up! > (196/45) > Level Up! > (151/50) > Level Up! > (101/55) > Level Up! > (46/60)
Socialize 8 > 12
Mami Socialize (2/45) > Rolled (80) + 150 > (232/45) > Level Up! > (187/50) > Level Up! > (137/55) > Level Up! > (82/60) > Level Up! > (22/65)
Mami Socialize 9 > 13
Mami (136/200) > Rolled ((72) +28)/2 > (186/200)
Kyouko Socialize (0/50) > (215/50) > Level Up! > (165/55) > Level Up! > (110/60) > Level Up! > (50/65)
Kyouko Socialize 10 > 13
Kyouko (60/400) > Rolled ((4) + 8)/2 > (66/400)
"One. Last. Bolt!" Ruki says aloud, as she takes her wrench to the last of the turbines, finishing the engine repairs, "Alright! First step's done! Now for
everything else!"
You release the large steel plate you'd been holding steady for her, nodding in satisfaction as you look around and ask, "It's a very good start. Shall we work on the guns next, perhaps?"
Ruki, however, doesn't hear you, instead speaking into the ether, "Did that help? How do the engines feel?"
You are not in any position to lecture her about talking to people who aren't there, but it
is still concerning, considering her relative lack of traum--
Your thoughts grind to a halt as
Yamato's engines start without warning, the freshly repaired turbines firing up loudly for a few moments before returning to dormancy.
"My…much better…thank you…help…"
You jerk at the unfamiliar voice, searching the room for the speaker, but find nothing--only the walls of the ship.
"You know, ghosts are fine. I honestly expect ghosts at this point. Ships are not people, though, so I'm very concerned, Homura."
You send along a feeling of agreement and stare in shock at the walls of the vessel around you.
You remain in that stupor, eyes wide, until Ruki's voice cuts through the silence, "Alright, Senpai! We're off to a great start! Thank you so much for helping
Yamato with me!"
You can only nod slowly in agreement, wondering exactly what you're dealing with.
---
The Restoration of the Yamato (387/500) > Rolled (56) + 18 > (451/500) > Ruki Rolled (46) + 40 > Breakthrough! > The Restoration of the Yamato (0/500)
[Trait Gained:
Yamato Whisperer - Homura can faintly hear the voice of
Yamato. Homura gains a +15 bonus to all rolls directly involving
Yamato.]
Research (39/55) > Rolled (3) + 50 > (92/55) > Level Up! > (37/60)
Research 11 > 12
Homura
Grief: 545/1000
Sanity: 447/1000
Bloodheat: 0/100
Kyouko
Grief: 405/1000
Sanity: 600/1000
[Daily Events]
[Texts and Emails]
[Madoka]
Madoka: "I have a test Friday to study for--it's not really important, but Dad's not gonna let me off on this one. I'll make time to keep looking into Azumi, though. I just need to convince her to actually sit down and talk, but she's really shy."
[Kyouko]
Kyouko: "Gonna go read at Miyazaki's. Best place in town to settle in with a book."
[Ruki]
Ruki: "Taking one day off! Think I'll see if Rose wants to hang out, and spend some time at home with Dad. Let me know if you need anything, Senpai!"
[Snow]
Snow: "There's just too much paperwork. It never stops. Don't hesitate to interrupt me, if you want!"
[Arcana Magi, Requests, and Akemi Madness]
If you wish to perform an Action as a different Arcana Magi (Kyouko, for now), simply add the following subvote to the action:
-[ ] Arcana - Kyouko
If you wish to Request help from another character(s) for an action, add the following subvote to the action:
-[ ] Request - (Character Names)
If you wish to use Akemi Madness for an action, add the following subvote to the action:
-[ ] Akemi Madness
[Available Characters]
The following characters you can contact for Requests. Keep in mind that Alllies will expect a Favor in return, while Friends will help as long as they have time and are willing. You do not get information on willingness and availability prior to the vote, due to the amount of complexity this would add to the process. Social Links values are listed here--multiply these by 10 to determine the size of the die they will roll when assisting with an Action.
Keep in mind some characters may not be suitable for some Actions--Homura will simply not involve a mundane individual in magical combat, for example, unless there are extraordinary circumstances. If you really feel the need to involve someone in something they normally should not be (like involving Miho Miki in a Witch Hunt, or anything Magical), please include a justification as a subvote, for mine and Homura's consideration.
- Friends
- Madoka Kaname : 10
- Sayaka Miki : 5
- Kyouko Sakura : 4
- Mami Tomoe : 2
- Ruki Shironome : 4
- Miho Miki : 2
- Yuma Chitose : 1
- Junko Kaname : 2
- Nagisa (Death) : 1
- Allies
- Nanoha Takamachi : 2
- Rose : 1
- Freya : 1
- Akane : 1
- Oriko : 3
- Kirika : 2
- Snow : 2
- Clovis Britannia : 2
[Investigative Actions: 2]
Mysteries
[ ] Friends? (546/2000) [Madoka]
"Igor claims there are 14 special friends I need to find. I should try to find more of them…and maybe find out how they're my
friends if I don't know them."
"I did experience a strange connection to Nagisa when I met her, and she's apparently "The Death."
"I have a strange memory of Matoko, which led me to her Barrier. She was clearly older--in her late teens, I'd say--and I'd swear I was the same age, in that moment. It's impossible, but the memory remains."
"I encountered Yuma Chitose, and she has appeared among the list of Arcana Magi in the Velvet Room, as the Wheel of Fortune."
[ ] Black Cats (Progress 0/500)
"There have been a tremendous number of black cats seen throughout the city. That's never been the case before."
"One appeared in the road where Amy would normally be run over. It seemed hostile, and its presence forced me to reveal magic to Madoka."
[ ] Igor's Contract (Progress 0/1000)
"I don't remember signing any Contract with Igor, but he insists I did."
[ ] Attack on Mami's Apartment (Progress 0/1000)
"A massive dog monster and an immortal titan attacked us at Mami's home while we were asleep and Mami was unconscious. Their strength was absurd, and the timing suspicious. The dog is missing and the titan is trapped inside a Witch's Barrier."
"We found a tuft of short black hair where the dog monster was last seen. I thought it was white, but maybe it had some black on it or could change its color."
"I encountered a book that depicted the titan. Concerningly, it named him Heracles. I can't imagine that Witch Barrier will hold him forever, if so."
[ ] False Memories (63/200)
"I have doubled memories of my first meeting with Weiss. I'm sure there are probably others I haven't noticed yet, too. Maybe if I can recognize them, I can figure out more about this strange timeline?"
"I got in touch with Clovis Britannia, apparently a childhood friend as well. His family's background seems to mesh poorly with the rest of history, suggesting he is an artificial addition, rather than someone that's supposed to be in this timeline."
[ ] A Missing Memory (0/1000)
"When I was talking to Igor, there was a memory that I couldn't find. It was something about selfishness? The Devil? What could have happened?"
[ ] Akemi Madness (74/500)
"There's a strange inherited insanity in our family. It's always been a fact of life before, but others seem scared by it. Maybe I should try to find out more? Looking into our family's history should be a good place to start."
"My Father apparently knows something about this. Meeting with him might help me make some headway, too." (You can spend a Social Action with Takeshi Akemi for additional Progress.)
[ ] Unknown Caller (0/100)
Voicemail Message: "I'd like to discuss a potential business arrangement. You can find us in Pluto's heart. I'll be in town for a while. Witches are not invited."
"Who sent this, and how did they find me? What do they want? They apparently know about Magi, at least. Pluto's Heart might be somewhere in the Meiosei District."
Districts
[ ] Mokusei, The Business District
[ ] Suisei, The Shopping District
[ ] Tennousei, The Upper End District
[ ] Meiosei, The Underworld District
[ ] Kaiousei, The Docks District
[ ] Ansoku, The Suburbs
[ ] Kasei, The Historic District
[ ] Iriguchi, The Hanging Gardens District
[ ] Dosei, The Technology District
Known Locations
-Mokusei-
No Known Locations
-Suisei-
[ ] Yuuko's Shop
[ ] The Hydra Theater
[ ] Mercury's Ice Cream
[ ] Quicksilver Shopping Center
[ ] Swiftfoot Arcade
[ ] Hermes' Furniture
-Tennousei-
[ ] Oriko's House
[ ] Kirika's Apartment
-Meiousei-
[ ] Yakuza Hideout
-Kaiousei-
[ ] Mitakihara Maritime Museum (Ruki's Home)
[ ] Yamato's Cavern
-Ansoku-
[ ] Madoka's House
[ ] Sayaka's Apartment (Home)
[ ] Ruins of Mami's Apartment
[ ] Matoko's House
[ ] Mitakihara Middle School
[ ] Mitakihara High School
-Kasei-
[ ] Homura's Apartment (Residents: Kyouko and Mami)
[ ] The Akemi Workshop
[ ] Miyazaki Books (126/300)
"It's a very excellent bookstore, which seems to have books on some sort of Magical System."
"We encountered a dying Familiar just outside, although we couldn't find what killed it."
-Iriguchi-
[ ] The Hanging Gardens of Mitakihara (Homura Refuses)
-Dosei-
[ ] Cronus' Electronics
People
[ ] The Military Magi
- "I've met some of them, but only some, and I know little of their abilities."
[ ] Nanoha
- "I have some idea of how she got here, but there may be information she's not sharing, or is not aware of."
[ ] Azumi (69/100) [Madoka]
- "I know where she lives."
[ ] Write-In
[Social Actions: 1]
[ ] Madoka (Maxed)
[ ] Sayaka (184/500)
[ ] Kyouko (66/400)
[ ] Mami (186/200)
[ ] Nagisa
[ ] Oriko (8/300)
[ ] Kirika
[ ] Nanoha
[ ] Ruki (83/400)
[ ] Miho Miki (77/200)
[ ] Takeshi Akemi (6/300)
[ ] Junko Kaname (0/200)
[ ] Tomohisa Kaname (64/100)
[ ] Kayaba Akihiko (31/100)
[ ] Soichirou Mikuni (44/100)
[ ] Hououin Kyouma (23/100)
[ ] Miyazaki Books Cashier (61/100)
[ ] Snow (0/200)
[ ] Write-In Character
[Home Actions: 2]
[ ] Social: Sayaka
[ ] Social: Miho Miki
[ ] Special: Play SAO with Sayaka and Miho Miki
[ ] Training: Help Sayaka Train
[ ] Training: Melee
-[ ] With Sayaka
-[ ] With Miho Miki (Bonus: Sword Specialist Training)
[Mission Actions: 1]
[ ] Go Shopping
-[ ] Shopping List
[ ] Go Thieving
-[ ] Thieving List
-[ ] Target Location
[ ] Witch Hunt (Roll 1d10. On a 1, no Witch is found. On a 10, it's a strong Witch and a Miniturn begins.)
[ ] Attempt to repair the Akemi Workshop Clocktower. (Roll Engineering or (Clocksmithing + 20))
[ ] A Royal Invitation (Will involve leaving Mitakihara for several days. The crown is providing a private jet.)
-[ ] Choose 1 Puella Magus to join you.
[ ] Write-In (Subject to QM Approval, Cannot Overlap with other Action Types.)
[Creative Actions: 1]
Applicable available resources will be used automatically.
Craft Actions
[ ] Craft Something (Appropriate Craft Roll Required)
-[ ] Product Type (Clock, Gun, Etcetera)
--[ ] Ambition (1-20; Higher Ambition produces a better product, but sets a higher DC.)
--[ ] Rough Description
-[ ] Special Product
--[ ] Exact Product Description. (Ambition will be decided by QM. Some products may fail automatically.)
Magic Actions
[ ] Spell Development (Development Roll Required)
-[ ] Spell Description (Broader descriptions are more likely to produce easily developed Spells.)
[ ] Spell Usage
-[ ] Spell(s)
-[ ] Action.
-[ ] Reason for action.
[ ] Attempt to perform a Magical Working. (Magical Theory Roll Required)
-[ ] Working Objective. (Ambition will be decided by QM. Some workings may fail automatically.)
Research Actions
[ ] Research a Theoretical Crafting Product
-[ ] Product Type (Clock, Gun, Etcetera)
--[ ] Ambition (1-20; Higher Ambition produces a better product, but sets a higher DC.)
--[ ] Rough Description.
-[ ] Special Product
--[ ] Exact Product Description.
[ ] Research a Theoretical Spell
-[ ] Spell Purpose
-[ ] Ambition (1-20; Higher Ambition produces a better product, but sets a higher DC.)
[ ] Research a Theoretical Magical Working
-[ ] Working Objective.
Grand Undertakings
[ ] The Restoration of the Yamato (0/500)
[Training Actions: 1]
Applicable available resources will be used automatically. Students may refuse lessons if they are busy, or don't know you well.
[ ] Train a Skill
-[ ] Skill
[ ] Train someone else in a Skill.
-[ ] Skill
-[ ] Student
[Sleep Actions: 4]
[ ] Sleep (Gain 20 + Modifiers Sanity)
[ ] Write-In Action of another Type (Cost: 20 Sanity)
[Special]
[ ] Lavender Dress
[ ] Flashy Dress (No Coronet)
[ ] Classic Dress (No Flowers)
