Renascence: A Homura Quest

[Higure]

Hmm. The phrasing here is awkward. Using 'following' at the end of a list of terms implies that it occurred after the others, but here it seems to imply the last statement occurred before the previous one.

Either:
Energy got dispersed, and then the system lost control over the remnants.
Or the system lost control of the energy and then the energy dispersed without effect.

The latter seems the more likely to be correct. That implies that the moment of contact with the AT Field negated any control the system had over the magical energy of the attack, and that with the loss of control, the energy simply dispersed without further effect.

Click to shrink...

The latter is correct, or I would have written it as "followed by."

This is really confusing. This should not throw Kyouko for a loop like that. We already know that Kyouko farms familiars (or at least does on some timelines), allowing them to feed on humans until they hatch into a witch. She should also be well aware of the type of emotional impact they have on humans — general suicidal tendencies, leading to their deaths.

So saying that witches are born of concentrated despair and grief, or just general negative emotional energy, should not shock Kyouko's worldview. That she is shocked by our explanation either says that she is incredibly naive and unobservant, or that what we think we know about witches is not actually true within the current fragile universe.

Click to shrink...

The Homumind can answer this, based on experience.

Kyouko was informed that Witches are born of "curses." She took this to mean the magical kind of curse, and assumes this is why they have the effect they do on humans. She did NOT, however, understand that they were actually emotional energy constructs themselves, rather than just constructs of "dark magic" or some such.

More importantly, she thinks you might have answers to questions she has, such as "Where do Witches come from, when they don't come from familiars?" She's less shaken, and more determined to shake those answers out of you.

 

[Entropy Judge]

Kyouko was informed that Witches are born of "curses." She took this to mean the magical kind of curse, and assumes this is why they have the effect they do on humans. She did NOT, however, understand that they were actually emotional energy constructs themselves, rather than just constructs of "dark magic" or some such.

Click to shrink...

Ah, gotcha; that makes sense.

More importantly, she thinks you might have answers to questions she has, such as "Where do Witches come from, when they don't come from familiars?" She's less shaken, and more determined to shake those answers out of y ou.

Click to shrink...

Oh ... uh ... Kyouko ... usually handles that particular revelation better than some others ... right? ... right?

 

[SynchronizedWritersBlock]

Ah, gotcha; that makes sense.


Oh ... uh ... Kyouko ... usually handles that particular revelation better than some others ... right? ... right?

Click to shrink...

I don't think the problem will be Kyoko. IF we keep in mind appropriate timing (as in not now) and sensible phrasing (as in let's not go full PMAS).

I think the problem will be that if two people know a secret, it isn't so secret anymore.

 

[Entropy Judge]

I don't think the problem will be Kyoko. IF we keep in mind appropriate timing (as in not now) and sensible phrasing (as in let's not go full PMAS).

Click to shrink...

Except Higure pretty much said that Kyouko's going to ask where Witches come from, which means we're basically going to have to WitchBomb her almost right off the bat, because she probably isn't going to let us get away with "It's something bad that I don't want to tell you." If Kyouko doesn't manage that particularly well ... well, Ophelia might show up

I think the problem will be that if two people know a secret, it isn't so secret anymore.

Click to shrink...

If she can handle the knowledge without cracking, I think we can get her to agree to keep it secret. It's a matter of keeping her from flying off her handle immediately, because if we can get her to calm down, she does think things through pretty well.

 

[Kinematics]

Kyouko was informed that Witches are born of "curses." She took this to mean the magical kind of curse, and assumes this is why they have the effect they do on humans. She did NOT, however, understand that they were actually emotional energy constructs themselves, rather than just constructs of "dark magic" or some such.

More importantly, she thinks you might have answers to questions she has, such as "Where do Witches come from, when they don't come from familiars?" She's less shaken, and more determined to shake those answers out of you.

Click to shrink...

Ok, thanks. Much better than I was worried about.

And then this springs to mind:

Tiny omake explanation to Kyouko:

"So," Kyouko barks out, slamming her banana sundae on the table, "wanna explain what you were talking about back there, with the witch at the theater? What exactly do you know about what witches are?"

Homura takes a delicate bite from her own concoction while watching Kyouko start digging into hers. She almost smiles at the sight, but tamps that feeling down.

"Before I get to that, let me ask you a question. Have you ever heard of the Necronomicon?"

"The necro-what?" Kyouko asks, around a mouthful of chocolate sweetness.

"Necronomicon. It's a fictional book... --dear god I hope it's still just a fictional book-- ...containing writings of an ancient cult. It gives the reader information about the darker secrets of the universe, but also tends to drive them insane."

"Uh huh. Your point?"

"Are you ready to learn about the darker secrets of the universe?"

 

[SynchronizedWritersBlock]

Except Higure pretty much said that Kyouko's going to ask where Witches come from, which means we're basically going to have to WitchBomb her almost right off the bat, because she probably isn't going to let us get away with "It's something bad that I don't want to tell you." If Kyouko doesn't manage that particularly well ... well, Ophelia might show up


If she can handle the knowledge without cracking, I think we can get her to agree to keep it secret. It's a matter of keeping her from flying off her handle immediately, because if we can get her to calm down, she does think things through pretty well.

Click to shrink...

Then just say "can i explain after the fight?". When I say not now, I mean not in mid combat


Edit: And as for the second half, I'm not so sure. I think Kyoko would take things in stride, yes. But I also think she's of the 'tell them all of the truth' type. The kind of person who would rather others make informed decisions than conceal difficult truths. And I think canon supports my interpretation.

 

[veekie]

Hey you´re here now right? i was quite sure the index was updated......sorry.

-Narrows Eyes- There is a jarring lack of "Crow" there....this must be remedied! to the writing board!.....As soon as i get a good idea for Omakes.....wait, yes that works! a little mundane but it should work! if you people have any ideas please forward them to me!
-Puts "New Black Gold" in repeat-

Click to shrink...

Crossover in other magical girl series?

Cardcaptor Sakura wondering wtf.

Ah, gotcha; that makes sense.


Oh ... uh ... Kyouko ... usually handles that particular revelation better than some others ... right? ... right?

Click to shrink...

Kyouko gets the "FUCK" reaction out of this, is extremely angry and generally enjoys mutilating bunnycats. No Tetris or Grief hazards.

Just that being friendly with bunnycats will seriously tick her off after.

 

[Entropy Judge]

Then just say "can i explain after the fight?". When I say not now, I mean not in mid combat

Click to shrink...

Oh, yes. It's definitely not the sort of thing to talk about mid-combat, and Kyouko would know that. But when we do sit down to talk, she's going to get the answers she wants.

Edit: And as for the second half, I'm not so sure. I think Kyoko would take things in stride, yes. But I also think she's of the 'tell them all of the truth' type. The kind of person who would rather others make informed decisions than conceal difficult truths. And I think canon supports my interpretation.

Click to shrink...

Though, if we explain that - in our experience - most magical girls tend to either Grief Spiral or commit suicide (and the latter would be a touchy subject with her) once they find out, she'd be more willing to keep it a secret from existing girls (IE, Tomoe Mami).

Crossover in other magical girl series?
Cardcaptor Sakura wondering wtf.

Click to shrink...

Spoiler: Totally Not Biased

Kyouko gets the "FUCK" reaction out of this, is extremely angry and generally enjoys mutilating bunnycats. No Tetris or Grief hazards.
Just that being friendly with bunnycats will seriously tick her off after.

Click to shrink...

Oh, good. We don't mind not being friendly with moving targets.

 

[veekie]

Canon reactions to Witch reveal:
Yuma - Best, shrugs it off as a problem for later and get the job done.
Kyouko - Freezes in denial, then shifts to rage and then eventually just write if off as "fuck you too QB"
Sayaka - Unknown, but she flipped her shit over the Lichbomb already. The witchbomb would be far worse.
Mami - Partially combat capable despite shock, but leads to Tetris attempt if soulgem is low. Yuma was able to talk her out of it during Oriko timeline, by focusing on the here and now.
Madoka - Fuck that I'm going to save the world anyway.

 

[Kinematics]

Ahhhhhhh! I couldn't stop! Something about the need to detail how to actually do the witchbomb reveal to Kyouko. This could be from any time loop; it technically isn't required to be tied to the current one (despite the Necronomicon reference).

In any case, the point is to not let Kyouko get her feet under her when she starts on a tear. Trip her up and give her food, and she'll be putty in your hands til she remembers what's going on.

So, yeah, full version of the earlier snippet:

Spoiler: Whipped Cream and Cherries

"So," Kyouko barked out, slamming her banana sundae on the table, "wanna explain what you were talking about back there, with the witch at the theater? What exactly do you know about what witches are?"

Homura took a delicate bite from her own concoction while watching Kyouko start digging into hers. She almost smiled at the sight, but tamped that feeling down.

"Before I get to that, let me ask you a question. Have you ever heard of the Necronomicon?"

"The necro-what?" Kyouko asked, around a mouthful of chocolate sweetness.

"Necronomicon. It's a fictional book... --dear god I hope it's still just a fictional book-- ...containing writings of an ancient cult. It gives the reader information about the darker secrets of the universe, but also tends to drive them insane."

"Uh huh. Your point?"

"Are you ready to learn about the darker secrets of the universe?"

Kyouko paused briefly between bites, a hesitation that Homura easily read as shock over the realization that came with her statement. However Kyouko was not so weak as to allow existential distress to keep her from a good ice cream sundae.

Several more mouthfuls passed before Kyouko finally responded. "I'm not sure I believe you, but you don't act like someone who's trying to trick me. Basically, you're saying that whatever's behind things is serious shit, and I need to not go flying off the handle, right?"

Homura actually did smile at that, though she bowed her head over her own treat to hide the fact. Kyouko had always been the sharp one, and her mental quickness made her a joy to talk to.

Finally, Homura nodded and replied, "Yes. Most magical girls... do not take this well. Those who are weak of heart when they find out... well, insanity is an apt description."

"Hmph." The clinking of her spoon against the sides of the bowl heralded the end of her chilled snack, so she sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Fine, whatever. I'm ready. Lay it on me. Why's a witch made of concentrated grief? I thought they were born from curses?"

Homura took a moment to finish her own bowl. This wasn't a conversation that she wanted to have with Kyouko — not so soon — but it was still necessary. And she knew Kyouko was strong enough to bear this knowledge. So with that, she took a deep breath and began.

"Saying that witches are born of curses is a euphemism. It's not a fairy tail curse, of a witch cursing a village to sleep for a hundred years. It's the everyday meaning of the word, of someone cursing another from anger or hatred, or someone cursing their lot in life. Anger, despair, grief, hopelessness — these are the things that feed and give birth to a witch."

"So, just a difference in the word used? That doesn't seem like much."

Homura shook her head and continued. "Simple despair is, on its own, useless. It's like wondering why a tree doesn't grow simply because you cursed at the ground. As with any other life, there needs to be a seed, watered and fed on that misery and despair until it finally cracks out of that shell and shows its full form — a witch."

"Still not seeing where the insanity comes into this," Kyouko said, fingers beginning to drum on the table.

Homura remained steadfast in her explanation. "All of that describes what all magical girls are aware of — grief seeds. A seed itself can appear and take time to 'hatch' into a full witch. And using a grief seed to cleanse your soul gem too often can lead to it overflowing, and allowing the witch to be reborn.

"However, that seed itself must still come from somewhere."

Kyouko leaned her chin on her hand, still waiting for the final point. Homura seemed the type to beat around the bush, but at the same time she was being quite clear in what she said.

"Something that feeds on emotions is not a natural object. It is not something that can exist in this world on its own. The core of a seed can only be created in one way: magic."

"Wait, what? Are you trying to say that using magic creates grief seeds? That's crazy! If—"

Homura forestalled her with an upraised hand. "In a way, what you say is correct, though it's only half the truth. Using magic can, in a literal sense, create a witch. But the reason why it can create a witch is the important point."

"And are you ever going to get to that point?" Kyouko asked sardonically.

"A witch's seed exists because of magic, and eventually becomes a witch because of magic, as well as the concentrated negative emotions I mentioned. However the actual thing that becomes the seed itself..." Homura paused and grit her teeth, before looking back up into Kyouko's eyes. And then held her hand out on the table, palm up, and allowed her soul gem to manifest within its grasp.

"Is the soul of a magical girl."

Kyouko stared hard at Homura's soul gem, expression in frank disbelief. Before that disbelief could be vocalized, though, Homura continued to speak. "The soul gem is corrupted by the magic we use, and the dark emotions we feel. When that corruption is complete, when there is no light left in our hearts and we give in entirely to despair, the soul is shattered, and all that is left is the witch."

Homura closed her hand, resealing the soul gem back into its ring form.

Kyouko, meanwhile, finally found her voice again. "What the fuck? What the FUCK? Seriously, What. The. Fuck!?"

'Your explanation was quite well constructed, Akemi Homura. I do wonder, though, how you came to acquire that knowledge.'

The white form of Kyuubey sat on the floor across from their table, staring at the two of them.

Kyouko shot up from her seat, but suddenly found her wrist grabbed by Homura's hand. While firm, the grasp was at the same time strangely gentle. Homura simply shook her head.

"Don't get angry about it. Anger and distress simply feed the corruption." A brief pause, and then: "Perhaps another ice cream sundae would help?"

Kyouko stared blankly at the other girl, unable to process the non sequitur. "Ice cream?" she asked, deadpan.

"Yes. I find chocolate especially good for soothing my nerves, but I think you'd prefer one of the fruit flavors. Or perhaps today you'd rather have the praline?"

"What about—" Kyouko gestured vaguely at where the white rodent still sat.

Homura didn't even glance at it, instead nodding. "Yes, I agree. Caramel syrup definitely adds to the experience. Nuts, too. Nuts would be good." With that, she gently guided the dumbstruck redhead back towards the front counter, allowing her hand to slip down into Kyouko's own rather than dragging her by the wrist.

"And topped with a ton of whipped cream and cherries. Can't go wrong with whipped cream and cherries."

Kyuubey stared after the pair for a few moments, cocking its head to the side before seeming to give a mental shrug and walking away into nothingness.

'Humans sure are strange creatures.'


Some time later...

"Are you sure you're not insane?" Kyouko asked of the girl now sitting beside her.

Homura didn't respond, instead savoring the creamy goodness and sweet crunch of the toppings on her sundae, which totally, in no way whatsoever resembled any sort of alien Incubator.

 

[Mykenae]

Ahhhhhhh! I couldn't stop! Something about the need to detail how to actually do the witchbomb reveal to Kyouko. This could be from any time loop; it technically isn't required to be tied to the current one (despite the Necronomicon reference).

In any case, the point is to not let Kyouko get her feet under her when she starts on a tear. Trip her up and give her food, and she'll be putty in your hands til she remembers what's going on.

So, yeah, full version of the earlier snippet:

Spoiler: Whipped Cream and Cherries

"So," Kyouko barked out, slamming her banana sundae on the table, "wanna explain what you were talking about back there, with the witch at the theater? What exactly do you know about what witches are?"

Homura took a delicate bite from her own concoction while watching Kyouko start digging into hers. She almost smiled at the sight, but tamped that feeling down.

"Before I get to that, let me ask you a question. Have you ever heard of the Necronomicon?"

"The necro-what?" Kyouko asked, around a mouthful of chocolate sweetness.

"Necronomicon. It's a fictional book... --dear god I hope it's still just a fictional book-- ...containing writings of an ancient cult. It gives the reader information about the darker secrets of the universe, but also tends to drive them insane."

"Uh huh. Your point?"

"Are you ready to learn about the darker secrets of the universe?"

Kyouko paused briefly between bites, a hesitation that Homura easily read as shock over the realization that came with her statement. However Kyouko was not so weak as to allow existential distress to keep her from a good ice cream sundae.

Several more mouthfuls passed before Kyouko finally responded. "I'm not sure I believe you, but you don't act like someone who's trying to trick me. Basically, you're saying that whatever's behind things is serious shit, and I need to not go flying off the handle, right?"

Homura actually did smile at that, though she bowed her head over her own treat to hide the fact. Kyouko had always been the sharp one, and her mental quickness made her a joy to talk to.

Finally, Homura nodded and replied, "Yes. Most magical girls... do not take this well. Those who are weak of heart when they find out... well, insanity is an apt description."

"Hmph." The clinking of her spoon against the sides of the bowl heralded the end of her chilled snack, so she sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Fine, whatever. I'm ready. Lay it on me. Why's a witch made of concentrated grief? I thought they were born from curses?"

Homura took a moment to finish her own bowl. This wasn't a conversation that she wanted to have with Kyouko — not so soon — but it was still necessary. And she knew Kyouko was strong enough to bear this knowledge. So with that, she took a deep breath and began.

"Saying that witches are born of curses is a euphemism. It's not a fairy tail curse, of a witch cursing a village to sleep for a hundred years. It's the everyday meaning of the word, of someone cursing another from anger or hatred, or someone cursing their lot in life. Anger, despair, grief, hopelessness — these are the things that feed and give birth to a witch."

"So, just a difference in the word used? That doesn't seem like much."

Homura shook her head and continued. "Simple despair is, on its own, useless. It's like wondering why a tree doesn't grow simply because you cursed at the ground. As with any other life, there needs to be a seed, watered and fed on that misery and despair until it finally cracks out of that shell and shows its full form — a witch."

"Still not seeing where the insanity comes into this," Kyouko said, fingers beginning to drum on the table.

Homura remained steadfast in her explanation. "All of that describes what all magical girls are aware of — grief seeds. A seed itself can appear and take time to 'hatch' into a full witch. And using a grief seed to cleanse your soul gem too often can lead to it overflowing, and allowing the witch to be reborn.

"However, that seed itself must still come from somewhere."

Kyouko leaned her chin on her hand, still waiting for the final point. Homura seemed the type to beat around the bush, but at the same time she was being quite clear in what she said.

"Something that feeds on emotions is not a natural object. It is not something that can exist in this world on its own. The core of a seed can only be created in one way: magic."

"Wait, what? Are you trying to say that using magic creates grief seeds? That's crazy! If—"

Homura forestalled her with an upraised hand. "In a way, what you say is correct, though it's only half the truth. Using magic can, in a literal sense, create a witch. But the reason why it can create a witch is the important point."

"And are you ever going to get to that point?" Kyouko asked sardonically.

"A witch's seed exists because of magic, and eventually becomes a witch because of magic, as well as the concentrated negative emotions I mentioned. However the actual thing that becomes the seed itself..." Homura paused and grit her teeth, before looking back up into Kyouko's eyes. And then held her hand out on the table, palm up, and allowed her soul gem to manifest within its grasp.

"Is the soul of a magical girl."

Kyouko stared hard at Homura's soul gem, expression in frank disbelief. Before that disbelief could be vocalized, though, Homura continued to speak. "The soul gem is corrupted by the magic we use, and the dark emotions we feel. When that corruption is complete, when there is no light left in our hearts and we give in entirely to despair, the soul is shattered, and all that is left is the witch."

Homura closed her hand, resealing the soul gem back into its ring form.

Kyouko, meanwhile, finally found her voice again. "What the fuck? What the FUCK? Seriously, What. The. Fuck!?"

'Your explanation was quite well constructed, Akemi Homura. I do wonder, though, how you came to acquire that knowledge.'

The white form of Kyuubey sat on the floor across from their table, staring at the two of them.

Kyouko shot up from her seat, but suddenly found her wrist grabbed by Homura's hand. While firm, the grasp was at the same time strangely gentle. Homura simply shook her head.

"Don't get angry about it. Anger and distress simply feed the corruption." A brief pause, and then: "Perhaps another ice cream sundae would help?"

Kyouko stared blankly at the other girl, unable to process the non sequitur. "Ice cream?" she asked, deadpan.

"Yes. I find chocolate especially good for soothing my nerves, but I think you'd prefer one of the fruit flavors. Or perhaps today you'd rather have the praline?"

"What about—" Kyouko gestured vaguely at where the white rodent still sat.

Homura didn't even glance at it, instead nodding. "Yes, I agree. Caramel syrup definitely adds to the experience. Nuts, too. Nuts would be good." With that, she gently guided the dumbstruck redhead back towards the front counter, allowing her hand to slip down into Kyouko's own rather than dragging her by the wrist.

"And topped with a ton of whipped cream and cherries. Can't go wrong with whipped cream and cherries."

Kyuubey stared after the pair for a few moments, cocking its head to the side before seeming to give a mental shrug and walking away into nothingness.

'Humans sure are strange creatures.'


Some time later...

"Are you sure you're not insane?" Kyouko asked of the girl now sitting beside her.

Homura didn't respond, instead savoring the creamy goodness and sweet crunch of the toppings on her sundae, which totally, in no way whatsoever resembled any sort of alien Incubator.

Click to shrink...

Spoiler: Delicious

Spoiler: Double Delicious

 

[Wzd AR]

snip

Click to shrink...

Second image doesn't work.

 

[Mykenae]

Second image doesn't work.

Click to shrink...

Should be fixed now.

 

[SynchronizedWritersBlock]

Ahhhhhhh! I couldn't stop! Something about the need to detail how to actually do the witchbomb reveal to Kyouko. This could be from any time loop; it technically isn't required to be tied to the current one (despite the Necronomicon reference).

In any case, the point is to not let Kyouko get her feet under her when she starts on a tear. Trip her up and give her food, and she'll be putty in your hands til she remembers what's going on.

So, yeah, full version of the earlier snippet:

Spoiler: Whipped Cream and Cherries

"So," Kyouko barked out, slamming her banana sundae on the table, "wanna explain what you were talking about back there, with the witch at the theater? What exactly do you know about what witches are?"

Homura took a delicate bite from her own concoction while watching Kyouko start digging into hers. She almost smiled at the sight, but tamped that feeling down.

"Before I get to that, let me ask you a question. Have you ever heard of the Necronomicon?"

"The necro-what?" Kyouko asked, around a mouthful of chocolate sweetness.

"Necronomicon. It's a fictional book... --dear god I hope it's still just a fictional book-- ...containing writings of an ancient cult. It gives the reader information about the darker secrets of the universe, but also tends to drive them insane."

"Uh huh. Your point?"

"Are you ready to learn about the darker secrets of the universe?"

Kyouko paused briefly between bites, a hesitation that Homura easily read as shock over the realization that came with her statement. However Kyouko was not so weak as to allow existential distress to keep her from a good ice cream sundae.

Several more mouthfuls passed before Kyouko finally responded. "I'm not sure I believe you, but you don't act like someone who's trying to trick me. Basically, you're saying that whatever's behind things is serious shit, and I need to not go flying off the handle, right?"

Homura actually did smile at that, though she bowed her head over her own treat to hide the fact. Kyouko had always been the sharp one, and her mental quickness made her a joy to talk to.

Finally, Homura nodded and replied, "Yes. Most magical girls... do not take this well. Those who are weak of heart when they find out... well, insanity is an apt description."

"Hmph." The clinking of her spoon against the sides of the bowl heralded the end of her chilled snack, so she sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Fine, whatever. I'm ready. Lay it on me. Why's a witch made of concentrated grief? I thought they were born from curses?"

Homura took a moment to finish her own bowl. This wasn't a conversation that she wanted to have with Kyouko — not so soon — but it was still necessary. And she knew Kyouko was strong enough to bear this knowledge. So with that, she took a deep breath and began.

"Saying that witches are born of curses is a euphemism. It's not a fairy tail curse, of a witch cursing a village to sleep for a hundred years. It's the everyday meaning of the word, of someone cursing another from anger or hatred, or someone cursing their lot in life. Anger, despair, grief, hopelessness — these are the things that feed and give birth to a witch."

"So, just a difference in the word used? That doesn't seem like much."

Homura shook her head and continued. "Simple despair is, on its own, useless. It's like wondering why a tree doesn't grow simply because you cursed at the ground. As with any other life, there needs to be a seed, watered and fed on that misery and despair until it finally cracks out of that shell and shows its full form — a witch."

"Still not seeing where the insanity comes into this," Kyouko said, fingers beginning to drum on the table.

Homura remained steadfast in her explanation. "All of that describes what all magical girls are aware of — grief seeds. A seed itself can appear and take time to 'hatch' into a full witch. And using a grief seed to cleanse your soul gem too often can lead to it overflowing, and allowing the witch to be reborn.

"However, that seed itself must still come from somewhere."

Kyouko leaned her chin on her hand, still waiting for the final point. Homura seemed the type to beat around the bush, but at the same time she was being quite clear in what she said.

"Something that feeds on emotions is not a natural object. It is not something that can exist in this world on its own. The core of a seed can only be created in one way: magic."

"Wait, what? Are you trying to say that using magic creates grief seeds? That's crazy! If—"

Homura forestalled her with an upraised hand. "In a way, what you say is correct, though it's only half the truth. Using magic can, in a literal sense, create a witch. But the reason why it can create a witch is the important point."

"And are you ever going to get to that point?" Kyouko asked sardonically.

"A witch's seed exists because of magic, and eventually becomes a witch because of magic, as well as the concentrated negative emotions I mentioned. However the actual thing that becomes the seed itself..." Homura paused and grit her teeth, before looking back up into Kyouko's eyes. And then held her hand out on the table, palm up, and allowed her soul gem to manifest within its grasp.

"Is the soul of a magical girl."

Kyouko stared hard at Homura's soul gem, expression in frank disbelief. Before that disbelief could be vocalized, though, Homura continued to speak. "The soul gem is corrupted by the magic we use, and the dark emotions we feel. When that corruption is complete, when there is no light left in our hearts and we give in entirely to despair, the soul is shattered, and all that is left is the witch."

Homura closed her hand, resealing the soul gem back into its ring form.

Kyouko, meanwhile, finally found her voice again. "What the fuck? What the FUCK? Seriously, What. The. Fuck!?"

'Your explanation was quite well constructed, Akemi Homura. I do wonder, though, how you came to acquire that knowledge.'

The white form of Kyuubey sat on the floor across from their table, staring at the two of them.

Kyouko shot up from her seat, but suddenly found her wrist grabbed by Homura's hand. While firm, the grasp was at the same time strangely gentle. Homura simply shook her head.

"Don't get angry about it. Anger and distress simply feed the corruption." A brief pause, and then: "Perhaps another ice cream sundae would help?"

Kyouko stared blankly at the other girl, unable to process the non sequitur. "Ice cream?" she asked, deadpan.

"Yes. I find chocolate especially good for soothing my nerves, but I think you'd prefer one of the fruit flavors. Or perhaps today you'd rather have the praline?"

"What about—" Kyouko gestured vaguely at where the white rodent still sat.

Homura didn't even glance at it, instead nodding. "Yes, I agree. Caramel syrup definitely adds to the experience. Nuts, too. Nuts would be good." With that, she gently guided the dumbstruck redhead back towards the front counter, allowing her hand to slip down into Kyouko's own rather than dragging her by the wrist.

"And topped with a ton of whipped cream and cherries. Can't go wrong with whipped cream and cherries."

Kyuubey stared after the pair for a few moments, cocking its head to the side before seeming to give a mental shrug and walking away into nothingness.

'Humans sure are strange creatures.'


Some time later...

"Are you sure you're not insane?" Kyouko asked of the girl now sitting beside her.

Homura didn't respond, instead savoring the creamy goodness and sweet crunch of the toppings on her sundae, which totally, in no way whatsoever resembled any sort of alien Incubator.

Click to shrink...

Kinematics, this is a cool omake. Thank you for writing it.

I just hope we don't present the witchbomb this way to anyone. Let's never wax poetic over the nature of grief, ok?

 

[Chimeraguard]

Oh yeah, forgot to get this bonus.

• Trait: So Very Eldritch (Your magic violates the world around you more violently. It's slightly disturbing to observe, but is more resistant to the influence of others. DC to hijack, disable, or dispel your magic rises by 10.)
• Trait: Not So Eldritch (Your magic doesn't feel noticeably different from other, natural things. Magical weapons and clothing will be easily mistaken for normal ones, and you won't distress those around you. DC to hijack, disable, or dispel your magic falls by 10.)
• Trait: Stronger than a Stick (+5 to rolls to hijack, disable, or dispel the magic of others.)

Click to shrink...

Which should I pick? Being more vulnerable to hijacks of magic sounds like something we really don't want.
Our magic being otherworldly would be rather creepy, but then again, I imagine that'd happen anyway given what we fight, and might even be useful in some situations.

Of course, being able to disrupt others' magic could be equally useful, and doesn't involve any eldritch problems, so not sure.

 

[Mykenae]

I'd say Stronger than a Stick sounds best, just because hijacking magic seems like an interesting concept in general. Plus, it's the only trait that doesn't come with a matching downside.

 

[Entropy Judge]

Which should I pick? Being more vulnerable to hijacks of magic sounds like something we really don't want.

Click to shrink...

On the other hand, it means we can work magic in public without generating as much attention, and we might be able to use non-obvious magic in combat situations without it being noticed.

Our magic being otherworldly would be rather creepy, but then again, I imagine that'd happen anyway given what we fight, and might even be useful in some situations.
Of course, being able to disrupt others' magic could be equally useful, and doesn't involve any eldritch problems, so not sure.

Click to shrink...

Do we want to Debuff enemies or make our own Buffs more likely to stick? Personally, I'd take the defensive option, but that's because I'm a defensive player by nature .... On the other hand, the disruption would be more useful if we want to, say, remove a Witch's Kiss ... or tear down an AT Field.

 

[Chimeraguard]

Eh, I'll take

[X] Trait: Stronger than a Stick (+5 to rolls to hijack, disable, or dispel the magic of others.)

Combine this with time stopping whenever convenient, and we can probably have a much easier time disabling magical traps or other problems.

Plus, I get the feeling magical barriers like AT Fields, or plain magic shields will become a much bigger problem later on.

Also, where's that Kyouko omake that was made canon? I need it for my next planned omake.

EDIT: Nevermind, found it.

 

[Crow]

Sayaka - Unknown, but she flipped her shit over the Lichbomb already. The witchbomb would be far worse.

Click to shrink...

Actually she doesnt take it quite as badly as the lichbomb, her suicidal tendencies trying to save the witches go up but it is the Lichbomb the thing that breaks her.

Inverted with Mami who doesnt think that Lichbomb is such a big deal but Goes Tetris when she finds out about the Witchbomb.

So, yeah, full version of the earlier snippet:

Click to shrink...

Nice! Verry Nice!

 

[Hyacinthium]

When you say, "I want evidence of this sort of thing!" and someone gives you a lot of evidence, you don't get to turn around and say "That's bad evidence, find something better!" You can ask for links to specific examples - although such are unlikely to exist, as the discussion was regarding thread-long purposes. But as an example, Asuka Quest involved dropping the players into Asuka's body and seeing how far they got. They, over the course of four threads, "won Evangelion" by keeping all (or nearly all, anyway) friendly NPCs alive, and did it without a single 'game over' event.

Click to shrink...

We even saved Kaworu! QvQ~

 

[veekie]

Actually she doesnt take it quite as badly as the lichbomb, her suicidal tendencies trying to save the witches go up but it is the Lichbomb the thing that breaks her.

Inverted with Mami who doesnt think that Lichbomb is such a big deal but Goes Tetris when she finds out about the Witchbomb.

Nice! Verry Nice!

Click to shrink...

Canon, rather than quest continuity.

So pretty much the whole list is suspect for this quest, but acts as a starting point.

 

[Entropy Judge]

Thought: Nanoha is here. If we're lucky, that means that 1) Nanoha lives somewhere in the area, and 2) Nanoha's friends exist in this world. One of Nanoha's friends has a lot of cats.

 

[Mecrazyfang]

I don't think the problem will be Kyoko. IF we keep in mind appropriate timing (as in not now) and sensible phrasing (as in let's not go full PMAS).

I think the problem will be that if two people know a secret, it isn't so secret anymore.

Click to shrink...

Full PMAS? Please elaborate.

Also. Something to keep in mind about Kyoko. Her father was a preacher, and it's hinted at that she carries vestiges of her church upbringing. Her father decried her as a 'Witch' before killing himself.

"So, what were you talking about?"

"If you call young women 'girls', you call grown-up Magical Girls 'Witches'."

"...He was right."

"Pardon?"

"He was right."

 

[Olivebirdy]

I am a Hero.

I've always loved stories about knights and dragons and princesses. You would have good vs. evil, or good vs. good, tricked by evil, self-serving people. The knight would slay the dragon, the princess would fall in love... the villagers would be saved.
It's a nice story.
In real life, the villagers starve.
A true knight cares.

I care.

A stuttered burst of sound. Hiccuping and loud voices.

Towards the river I turn, to the East I go, Brave Sayaka sallies forth.

I have my duty.

Fly through the city streets, hop over a signpost, kick off, grab the gutter ledge and FLIP! Backwards Somersault, 15 points!

Blurring from my speed, dizzy from abandoned gravity, I dance through the air. This is fun.Someone could be dying. This is real, this is scary, this is obscene. Hitomi could have DIED. GO FASTER.
Feeling a bit guilty for goofing off, I start traveling straight. This is serious. Very serious face.

Eyebrows seriously knitted, I zoom closer to the sound.

What will I find there, I wonder, what monstrous sights will I see? A paper fortune teller? A carnivorous floor? A bloody snow? I've been to these caverns, these mystic forests, these haunted battlefields, and triumphed over my foes. I've kept my people safe.
It's not enough.
Because I care.

People deserve to live, unafflicted by spotted nightmares, by screaming succubi, by-Hitomi trying to smile at me with bloody teeth, meat gnawed off her her wris-
-hungry monsters. If I had to give up my humanity to become the White Knight, it's worth it.
Please let it be worth it, Kyosuke.
Because I care.

It's in a house by the river, and I can smell it. A taste of ammonia, of sweat and fear.

I'm coming.
There is a man walking into the street, uncaring of vehicles, purposeful, driven. A car screeches to a halt, hitting the man on his side, spinning him off to the yellow divider. I watch for an opening, and run. I slide to a stop next to him, kneel, scream. "Papa! Are you okay? Please be okay, please, Papa, Papa." I slip my hands to his side and neck, and Heal. This man will be okay. I will it so. But I can't stay; I have work to do.

Allowing the others to crowd me out, I head toward his house. People won't remember the cape, or me. It's a shame, but they never do. 'Why are you covered in blood, girl? Are you okay?' But then they turn around and forget about me. It's magic, I suppose.

I open the door of the house the man had come from, I walk inside. It's a nice place I guess, with pictures on the walls, loving family, two kids, redhead wife. Wind blows through the open back door leading away and down towards the river.

It's coming from the bed, the feeling of go away. I call forth my soul gem, and away we go.

It's a Barrier, formed of broken dreams, a girl's cry and photos of friends. The friends are all stick figures, with slashed eyes and mean smiles. Nobody cares, the barrier implies, everyone hates, all people hurt me. Go away, friend.

Multicolored lions with kite shields and whips roar, bellowing, forbidding. Fine.
I draw two swords and rush the closest. Hiding behind his shield, he snaps his whip out at me. I dodge under it, sliding past his guard. Coming up, I thrust both swords into his side, and using each to brace the other, rip them both apart, slicing the lion in two.
Another comes from my left-front, while the other two are to my right flank, with the dead lion between us. I hurl both swords at the left lion's head, one after the other, forcing him to raise his shield and block his line of sight to me. Spinning, I throw my cape over myself, shroud, unfurl, and I am behind the lion. Right foot hooks under his muzzle, left heel kicks , SNAP! , another one down.

The last two lions are still charging, bull-rushing, shields up and roaring. Fine. I grab the fallen's shield, because every knight needs one, right? I set my legs, brace my shield and wait. The lion with red eyes charges into me, pushing me back, knocking me off balance. The other (green eyes) snaps its whip at me, and pulls me off to the side, further destabilizing me. Red pushes, Green pulls, Red pushes, Green pulls. Every time I try to get my balance, I get forced backwards more. They are trying to force me out of the Barrier.

Not happening. I am not leaving this barrow. I have a duty. I have a task. I have unshakable determination and will. And I have an appointment with a dragon.

Red bashes at me with his shield again, and as I stagger back, the whip lashes at me again. This time, I don't fight it. I heave at at the leather strap, willing myself to be as light as possible and throwing myself at Green. I bring my left arm around as hard as I can, and smash him across the face. See how he likes being hit by a shield. Reaching under my collar, I pull out another sword. It goes straight through his heart. I can feel it pulsing at the end of my blade. Twisting, I unsheathe my saber from his chest.

Red, as persistent as ever, charges me again. With no friend to back him up, he's toast. I slam a blade through his left hind paw, step around him, and cut his throat. Done.

I turn towards where I can hear the Witch screaming at me to go away, and continue through the maze of fake photos. Glimpses of a twisted body, a face hidden in an armpit analogue, taste of fear, smell of sweat and ammonia. Here I come, dragon.

......

"Miki." A dark alley, with the slightest touch of dawn.

"Yes?" I turn, slowly, the twitch in my side where it had been shredded still pulsing.

"Have you... calmed down?" Black hair, deep eyes, and exasperation, she prods.

"I'm always calm," I reply. She snorts, very undignified. I really would have expected her to be more quiet, mature. She seems... loose. Like, she'll try to get the world to step to her beat, but the trombonist always mixes up his left and his right and the brass player keeps dropping his tuba.


"You are taking too much upon yourself, Miki Sayaka. If you do not slow down, if you can't rest, you will die."

"I'm fine with that, as long as I am doing good." I have to make this worth it. I am living off the pain of others, so I must do everything to try to save them. "What do you want?"

"I was taking a walk, and felt like some company." She looks away from me. She's hiding something, I can tell. I don't care.

"Fine, I'm on my way home. You can walk with me until then, Akemi."





*Kagari Yamata, 10 and Kagari Shiina, 12 have not been seen since-*


*If anyone hears anything about my son or daughter, they're about this big, please-*


"The remains of Kagari Yamata, 10, have washed up on the-*




I am a hero, because I care.
And I hate myself for it.

 

[Carinthium]

A bit too much whited out text there. Otherwise not bad.

EDIT: Okay fixed. Now my response is simply "Not bad!".