- Location
- Detroit, Michigan
Don't care. Cutie~! 🥰
Subsumption (PMMM Faux-Quest) (Witch MC)
Don't care. Cutie~! 🥰
Hey now, just because there's precedent doesn't mean Mami will immediately jump to the worst-case scenario!
...not that it necessarily means she won't, either. I just like being pedantic sometimes.
The franchise and this story has pretty much shown that when it comes to revelations Mami will defer to whatever interpretation fits in with her worldview of magical girls and Kyubey (good) v witches (evil)
Ep. 1 - Strange transfer student tried to kill Kyubey to prevent two students from contracting. Clearly, she wanted competition out of the way rather than concern of what magical girl life could do to some newbies, otherwise Mami would have to contend with Kyubey being in the wrong for sending untrained young girls against monsters that could kill them and there's no way her friend Kyubey could be bad, right?
Ep 10- Based on her expression in timeline 3, Mami didnt Homura when she mentioned that Kyubey tricked them, however when Sayaka witched out in front of them, Mami's suggestion was that they all had to die now, no questions and actually did kill Kyoko before trying to kill Homura and Madoka
Magia Record - Sees a monster turn back into a girl (Iroha) and immediately decides she's a witch in disguise rather than consider Iroha to be a magical girl with a strange power despite three magical girls Yachiyo, Tsuruno and then Momoko vouching for her and Iroha not remotely acting like a witch (showing care for Yachiyo and Tsuruno by not letting them fight, refusing to seriously hurt and kill Mami). Probably bc accepting Iroha as a magical girl who was able to summon a witch (actually Doppel) would mean considering there to be a link between witches and magical girls and we all know how Mami reacts to that info
In this fic, she goes behind Hitomi's and Madoka's back to hunt Asharoth bc she considers Ash to be untrustworthy. Later when she sees Sayaka at the cafe, Mami automatically assumes that Sayaka must've escaped rather even though Hitomi had explained that Sayaka's subsumption was an accident that Ash and Sayaka were trying to fix and that they had already agreed to meet up at the cafe. Later when Sayaka brings up her soul gem containing her actual soul and that she could die if Ash does, Mami just assumes Sayaka is referring to her self-worth rather than her actual life likely bc believing the truth would mean acknowleding that Kyubey lied to her
Now, Im wondering how many asskickings, impalements and mutilations did MR Sayaka have to go through for her healing to be that fast and for her to be nonchalent about losing an arm?
best case scenario in such an event would likely be something like this...
I do find it ironic that Mami, the character who freaked out the most about turning into a witch would have one of the more easier Doppels to maintain compared to other characters: being able to summon Candeloro for extended periods of time without getting exhausted and not having to go through the body horror of being a mashed up abomination of human and witch, instead getting a fancy hat to wear plus Candeloro being a relatively mild mannered Doppel as opposed to other Doppels which tend to be destructive towards friend and foe alike
If I was someone like Sayaka who strongly believed in magical girls being paragons of justice, I'd wondering how (seemingly) selfish girls like Kyoko and Homura got chosen by Kyubey? For them to be MGs, it would either be neither of them are as bad as they seem, they used to be heroes of justice but were embittered by the harsh reality of MG life which ought to say something about Sayaka's future or Kyubey really isnt on the up and up about protecting humanity esp when he never actually says he's interested in protecting human life. Of course, the answer turns out to be all of the above
Last time, Asharoth was supposedly holding one of Mami's friends (Sayaka) hostage giving Mami a sense of urgency when dealing with Ash. Ash sending delagates (Sayaka and Tira) rather than prisoners changes things a bit. At the very least with regular Sayaka and Madoka watching, Mami can't just gun the three of them down since she'd look like a bloodthirsty psycho while at least pretending to hear Tira and Sayaka out would make her seem more reasonable. In PMMM, Mami didnt charge at Homura despite catching her trying to kill her friend Kyubey and allowed her to leave peacefully in a way that saved face so Mami's capable of playing nice even with people she has cause to dislike
Orkiod Inquisito
Proud Inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos
- Location
- Holy Terra - Inquisitorial Headquarters
Honestly, that makes sense with everything I know about her. Of course, that requires subsuming her, which sounds... dangerous and her acting like a cultist probably would set off everyone's creepiness alarms.
NIghtmareNursery
Scheming Spectator
- Location
- Earth \ AU
Is Charlotte still there in our Labyrinth?
Is there a copy of her in this timeloop too?
We should just keep adding copies of same witch to our domain and have a witch army just hanging out in case any magical girl breaks in.
We'd be the scarcely seen landlord of this witch coven
..... 💡!!!
We put up a sign that says "Welcome to the Witch Coven Condos"!!
LOL
Is there a copy of her in this timeloop too?
We should just keep adding copies of same witch to our domain and have a witch army just hanging out in case any magical girl breaks in.
We'd be the scarcely seen landlord of this witch coven
..... 💡!!!
We put up a sign that says "Welcome to the Witch Coven Condos"!!
LOL
Unlike Sayaka, Mami has no family and friends that she'd miss and other than going towards school she's never seen doing anything that doesn't pertain to her magical girl duties (no hobbies or career aspirations) so she wouldn't see herself as losing anything by being subsumed. The main catch is being attached to a witch, however that shouldn't be an issue once Ashtaroth establishes her sentience and non-maliciousness making Ash an ideal companion as Mami will never have to worry about Ash abandoning her
- Location
- Bowling Green
To be fair to Asharoth, the breakdown of this morning is almost entirely due to Mami and her unwillingness to actually consider diplomacy with a Witch. She went into the meeting looking for an excuse for murder.
Ferb_Ancos
The one under the table
- Pronouns
- He
No, I don't think it would be called that... there's another name for such anomalous instances. Either way, probably best to avoid that, since your best case scenario in such an event would likely be something like this...
...which isn't really as good an outcome as you might initially imagine it to be.
"H-huh? What did that witch- what did I- oh..."
Honestly, i always believed that something like that would happen with Tira instead. You know, when they reach affection 10 or whatever you call it. In fact i think it would go something like this, because of the ribbons and stuff.
View: https://youtu.be/GdK425Pin5A
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hillo315
Intact but Tactless
- Location
- Somewhere. Somewhere else.
The next chapter is out for those with early access. One last wall of replies, before it arrives here...
I'm actually more interested in the very beginning of that conflict, because I'm hoping it will give us some of this:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO0AATXa72U
Doppelganger fights can be fun like that.
But this is a weird unpredictable set of circumstances. It's possible that Mami's friends can eventually steer her onto a better path. Or maybe, unwilling to accept that what she finds in the barrier is real, she won't process the witchbomb until much later. Let's just see what happens!
By fancy retro-future chic, I assume you mean these are touchscreen flip phones?
Alien to Kyubey, absolutely. Alien to the planet, sure. Alien to humans, definitely not, seeing as witches are derivatives of humanity.
It was never officially confirmed, but presumably yes... until such time that canon retcons it, causing Flair to bang her head against the wall in authorial frustration.
*insert joke about black holes being infinitely dense, which Ashtaroth fails to pick up on*
Both Sayakas are armed. One has swords while the other has a single soon-to-be-enchanted bat. So if they both believe the other ain't real and aren't afraid of hurting each other, maybe it will go beyond slaps. Though considering the Sayakas are mostly identical, I think they would be more freaked out by the idea of murdering herself, fake or not. Also, Mami implied the enchanted bat was a good makeshift weapon against familiars but inferior to actual magical girl weapons, while Ashtaroth's Sayaka also has the benefit of standard magical girl enhancements and super healing. Taking all of this into account, although the bat would be a painful nuisance, I bet Ashtaroth's Sayaka could and would disable the other Sayaka without even using her sword.
I'm actually more interested in the very beginning of that conflict, because I'm hoping it will give us some of this:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO0AATXa72U
Doppelganger fights can be fun like that.
To clarify, I think it is still possible to actually talk things out, even if in practice it will end badly more likely than not. And if Ashtaroth wisely lets Mami's friends do the talking this time, hopefully diplomacy should work better even if it still starts and ends with some confused hostility.
To begin with, it's not as if Ashtaroth would want to spend every single timeline in Mitakihara, considering she has no motivation to keep meeting the magical girls there. I'd consider it a complete success, at least in Ashtaroth's story, if she manages to make peace with Mami in those few times when they do meet.
You have a point there; Mami will be depressed by the revelation, and that will wear her down even after Tetris passes.
But this is a weird unpredictable set of circumstances. It's possible that Mami's friends can eventually steer her onto a better path. Or maybe, unwilling to accept that what she finds in the barrier is real, she won't process the witchbomb until much later. Let's just see what happens!
I can totally see Ashtaroth's barrier being marketed as a magical girl retirement home. I mean, that's basically what it is, right?
I think it might be worth harvesting from the apple orchards and Charlotte's labyrinth for something they can use as a peace offering, not that they'll have time to do so before Mami makes her way in.
Also, where did the girls stash the memory photos that Candeloro gave them, and what will happen if they show them to Mami?
...and I just realized. Photographic memories.
Also, where did the girls stash the memory photos that Candeloro gave them, and what will happen if they show them to Mami?
...and I just realized. Photographic memories.
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Is it even safe to consume for humans who haven't been subsumed by Ashtaroth?
- Location
- Canada, probably
Hm, interesting. For some reason I feel like Charlotte's sweets would be edible, but the apples wouldn't. I think because the sweets are core to Charlotte's nature as the Sweets Witch, but the apples are more like part of the landscape.
Yeah, Ashtaroth's Sayaka could simply use her musical platforms to create a cage around the other Sayaka.
Hotel California~
Assemblance 12: Here and Then
Flairina
Least Omnipotent Goddess
- Location
- The next infinity over
> Leave! How is this even a question?!
You can scarcely believe you even considered anything else, however briefly. You don't care if she's real or not, you are not risking having to fight this girl twice, technically THRICE in the same day!
Your barrier surges upwards into the sky, thankfully not quite as close to the ground right now as it was the last time Mami was around. Sayaka lets out a cry of protest as her illusory view of the group starts growing visibly further away.
"Wait-!"
<Do you want a repeat of what happened this morning, Sayaka?!>
Sayaka's mouth snaps shut.
Mami's eyes stay trained on your barrier as it moves, and you think you see her start talking to Madoka and the faux-Sayaka before you get too high to make out her facial features — but to your great relief, she doesn't transform or visibly attempt to follow you. Maybe because she's in public right now, and it's not so early that there's no one else around this time? Whatever the case, you'll count that as a win. Even if she can clearly still tell exactly where you are, without anyone to literally fly her up here, she probably can't reach you anyways.
...probably. You're not sure you'd put it past Mami to somehow conjure up a personal pair of wings at this point.
"What the hell is going on...?" Sayaka asks in a low voice as you continue guiding your barrier as far up and away as you can, dropping your facade of the outside world as you do so. "Why is there another me, and another her? Nothing's registering on my Knight Sense, but if that wasn't you, then it had to be some sort of trick by a different witch, or a magical girl, or- or something, right?!"
Her words don't sound angry, or even particularly accusatory, so much as simply lost. It's the tone of someone desperately grasping at straws for an explanation, because they have literally nothing else to fall back on.
"Perhaps..."
Sayaka turns to Tira, even as the latter immediately trails off.
"Perhaps what?" she repeats.
Tira sighs.
"Perhaps, Kaname-san ended up making a wish after all." she elaborates. "Say, for her friends to be 'returned' to her, or something along those lines. Except, rather than bringing you and Tomoe-san back, her wish simply... made new ones."
You glance down at Tira, surprised. That's actually pretty close to one of the more believable theories you were already considering. An impossibility like this being the result of a wish does seem a decently obvious conclusion to make, after all.
However...
"Madoka said she hadn't made a wish while we were on the phone though!" Sayaka protests.
<...and, more importantly, I didn't see a ring on her finger.> you add.
Granted, you were pretty far away, but it was the first thing you looked for after you got over your initial shock, and the only glint of silver you spotted was the one on Mami's hand. Not to mention, if Madoka really does have as much magical potential as previously suggested, and Kyubey was even halfway honest with you back when you spoke with him at length about that sort of thing, you can't really imagine any wish the former could have made would manifest like this, barring the possibility that she worded it in a truly terrible manner.
It's just conjecture, but...
<Sayaka, I don't suppose any part of what we just witnessed seemed familiar to you?> you ask.
Sayaka blinks. "Well yeah, of course it did! That fake looked exactly like me!"
Er, that's not really what you-
"She even stole my metal bat!" Sayaka rants. "That was at home, which means she's probably fooled my parents into thinking she's me too! Not to mention Madoka and that other Mami-san, to the point that they're all hanging out at-"
She breaks off, seeming momentarily lost in thought, before resuming at a quieter volume.
"Huh. Actually, that... kinda looked like when Mami-san took us witch hunting on Saturday."
You'd widen your eyes if you had any.
<What do you mean?> you urge.
Sayaka shakes her head.
"It's nothing. Just... before all this happened, Mami-san saved Madoka and me from some familiars at the mall." she explains. "That's how we learned about all this magic stuff in the first place. She and Kyubey-" she spits the name out like a curse, "-told us we could be magical girls too, but Mami-san wanted to show us what hunting witches actually involved first, so that we could... make a more informed decision."
She looks down at the floor, for all that it's not actually showing anything anymore. "So, on Saturday, we met up at that café for a bit, then left to go hunt down the witch who made the familiars that attacked us. I brought my metal bat from home for protection, and we left just as the sun began to set..."
She trails off again, seeming rather puzzled by the apparent coincidence... but you're not puzzled at all. In fact, with Sayaka's admission, you're fairly sure you now have all the pieces you need to finally settle on the admittedly-bizarre conclusion you've come to.
<I think I might know what's going on.>
Sayaka's attention snaps back to you. "Seriously?"
<Seriously.>
"Well then spill, because I'd really like to know."
"Seconded." Tira concurs.
<I will, but first things first. Tira, does your phone auto-update to the current time and date?>
Tira tilts her head slightly in apparent confusion. "...yes? It is one of the newest models, so of course it does, but why does that matter?"
<I suggest you check it again.>
Tira frowns, but draws her phone back out of her bag and hits the power button, reactivating the home screen display. As it reappears, you subtly direct her gaze away from the time, and up toward the small, fairly unobtrusive bit of text in the corner that displays today's date.
March 26th
"...wait, the 26th?" Tira notes aloud, frowning. "Strange, I could have sworn that it was the 28th..."
<It was the 28th.> you confirm. <Key word, was.>
"Huh?" Sayaka remarks, still lost. "What the heck does a phone glitch have to do with anything we just saw?"
<Because it's not a glitch.> you explain. <You remember how Homura somehow teleported us all the way to Sengeitsu earlier?>
Sayaka slowly looks up at you with the flattest, most disbelieving expression you think you've witnessed from her thus far.
"Are you serious?" she asks, monotone.
...okay, you meant that more as a leading, semi-rhetorical question, but it was an admittedly rather dumb one.
<Er, right. Well...>
You pause, searching for a phrasing for this that won't sound at least slightly laughable, but ultimately come up short. You don't think there's any real way of soft-selling this; you're just going to have to come out and say it.
<I think that she may have "teleported" us not just through space, but through time as well.>
It takes a few moments for your statement to fully process, allowing you to watch as Sayaka's expression gradually shifts into one of absolute incredulity.
"Wait, you're- you're saying we've time-traveled?" she sputters.
"That... would make an unfortunate degree of sense." Tira mumbles, moving one hand to her lips.
Yes, it would, even if in retrospect that makes Homura even more ridiculous than you initially thought. Seriously, space magic alone was unbelievable enough, but space and time magic is just plain absurd — though you've no idea why she'd have shot you back in time if she had any choice in the matter. Maybe it wasn't on purpose? You were midway through subsuming her when it happened...
"No — I'm sorry, but just, no." Sayaka says, moving her arms into an "X" of denial. "Just because Tira's fancy-schmancy phone is having issues does not mean that we've literally been thrown two days back in time. Even with the fake me and the extra Mami-san, there's nowhere near enough evidence to come to a conclusion that crazy!"
<I'd tend to agree, but I'm afraid there's more to it than just that.> you reply. <There's actually been a few things bugging me ever since we first ended up back in Sengeitsu, particularly that... Hirako girl.>
...whose name is apparently already fading from memory, as you almost wanted to call her "Himako" for some reason.
"Yeah, well, I still don't even know who that was." Sayaka huffs, crossing her arms. "How does she prove anything?"
<I- serious question this time. You heard when she said that she 'made' me, right?>
Sayaka cautiously nods, while Tira just frowns, clearly missing the necessary context to understand what you're talking about. Ah, that's right, you didn't tell her about Hirako, only Homura... you don't imagine getting that information secondhand would help very much though, so she'll just have to remain confused for the moment.
<Well, she wasn't exaggerating.> you explain. <I was already in a pretty bad way before meeting her, but she was the one who fully pushed me over the edge into becoming... this.>
Sayaka abruptly looks sickened. "Wait, so you mean... she..."
<Yes, she's the reason I'm a witch now.> you confirm. <Which, as it happens, occurred at the exact location we were seemingly teleported to, practically outside of Sengeitsu proper. It's not exactly a witch hot spot, so there's literally no reason to go that far out normally. Yet not only was she inexplicably there again, but she was acting like she'd only just 'turned' me a few minutes ago.>
Which, going by the bloodstains still decorating the sound blocker, she had... though, come to think of it, you also only saw blood on it, bereft of its source. Where the hell did your body end up...?
"Wha- that doesn't mean anything!" Sayaka objects. "That girl was obviously nuts anyways!"
<Well, what's your theory then?> you ask. <Because barring the possibility that Hitomi made a wish that duplicated you, I'm not seeing any other plausible alternatives->
"It cannot have been her."
You turn towards Tira, not having expected her to suddenly speak up.
"I was in attendance at the initial meeting that ultimately led to this morning's." Tira elaborates. "During it, Shizuki-san was directly told by Kyubey that she did not meet the minimum potential requirements to become a magical girl. To my knowledge, that is not something that can simply be changed, which would eliminate the possibility of her direct involvement."
Oh. Well, that's good, at least... though, if you really have gone back in time, and she had nothing to do with it, you suppose that also means Hitomi no longer remembers you, and in fact presumably has no idea what witches even are anymore. Which...
You wince a little, the idea stabbing at your nonexistent heart. For all that you didn't know Hitomi that well, it hurts to think that the short time you did spend with her has likely been wholly erased from existence.
<In that case, I'm even more certain then.> you conclude, doing your best to push that line of thought away. <If we're not truly in the past, we're at least in an incredibly good reproduction of it. Not sure what else I can say or do to convince you two, if what I've already said and you've already seen hasn't.>
"Personally, I am already in large part convinced." Tira replies. "Our perception from within this barrier is admittedly limited, but it explains too much to simply write off out of hand..."
She pauses, raising her right index finger to her chin as she does so. "Though, while I am unfamiliar with the individual in question beyond what you have told me, if this 'Homura' girl's magic is truly teleportation-focused, would it not make slightly more sense to assume that rather than being pulled through time itself, we have instead been translocated to some manner of parallel universe?"
...uh.
<I mean, if we assume those are real, I suppose that's also possible?> you reply after a moment, not having taken the idea that far yourself. <Not exactly sure how much difference it makes if so though.>
Granted, if it's not literally time travel, then you probably at least don't have to worry about paradoxes or the like, but based on what you've seen so far, you don't think that'll be an issue one way or the-
"Oh come on!" Sayaka interrupts, throwing her hands up. "This is ridiculous! We're not only seriously assuming that we somehow got dragged into the past, but that the alternative is that we're now in a parallel universe? Can Kyubey even grant magic like that?!"
"It hardly seems entirely out of the question." Tira notes. "Though, perhaps Ashtaroth-san would know better? She did previously imply that she knows him to in fact be an alien, rather than a creature of magic, as I myself had assumed."
Sayaka's mouth opens again, then closes as she turns back to you with narrowed eyes.
"Good point. Just how much do you know about Kyubey anyways, Ash?"
<As... much he was willing to tell me, I guess?> you reply, seeing no real reason to hide it. <He was usually pretty candid about answering any questions I had.>
Sayaka squints at you. "Huh? When was this?"
<I don't know; some time within the past month? Before I ended up like this, I actually spoke with Kyubey fairly often.>
...up until he seemingly decided you were no longer worth the effort of talking to, at least.
"I thought you said you didn't remember anything from before becoming a witch!" Sayaka stubbornly counters.
<No, I don't remember anything from before becoming a magical girl.> you correct. <I still have basic knowledge and the like, just nothing in way of episodic memory beyond that limited time frame. Still not quite sure why->
"Whatever!" Sayaka shouts. "I don't really care! The point still is, we can't ACTUALLY be in the past!"
"What about is it so difficult to believe, Sayaka?" Tira asks, arching an eyebrow at the other girl. "Kyubey is capable of a vast number of things that most people would think impossible, and you yourself seem to recall previously taking part in the exact event we just now witnessed."
"We just can't be!" Sayaka insists. "We can't! Because it's- it's not-!"
She can't seem to spit the last word out, but you think you might know it anyways.
<...fair.>
And it isn't — to them, at least. Speaking personally, you're honestly less angry at this development so much as simply annoyed, because if Homura had just sent you back to before you became a witch in the first place, this actually could have solved a lot, if not all of your current problems. For the girls however, regardless of if you're now in the past, another timeline, or just completely misconstruing this... Madoka now has no reason to help you, and neither Sayaka, nor presumably Tira, have places in the world anymore. Their shoes are already filled by their own alternate selves, displacing them even more thoroughly from their lives than your subsumption of them did.
...a problem which now reflects back onto you by inherent association. After you've already somehow managed to make literal negative progress on just about everything else. Joy.
"Yeah..." Sayaka mutters, facing the ground, "but I guess fairness never meant anything anyways."
She sucks in a long, heavy breath, then looks back up, her gaze hard.
"Fine then. I don't suppose this is the kind of time travel where we can just wait around until we catch back up to the present, and everything goes back to normal?"
<Not unless you also remember Madoka receiving a call from someone who sounded like you last Saturday, and then interrupting it mid-way through, I don't think.>
Sayaka's teeth clench together. "Then we need to find the transfer student and force her to fix this!"
<Hate to remind you, but I doubt we could force Homura to do literally anything.> you reply. <Also, I don't imagine she'd be particularly inclined to listen to us, assuming that we could even find her, and she didn't just try to kill us again on sight.>
"We have to at least try!!!"
The desperation in Sayaka's voice is strong enough that, at least for a moment, you can't help but reconsider. Would it really hurt just to make an attempt...?
(Bullets, tearing through your straps from all directions. Tome's pages, burning like kindling. Shemesh, shattered to pieces in an instant.)
...yes. It would.
<I'm sorry, Sayaka, but I just can't see going after Homura as anything but a suicide mission. I... really don't think there's much we can do about this.>
Sayaka lowers her eyes to the floor again. Every muscle in her body is wound tight as a spring, to the point you're almost worried her tendons are going to snap, and you can feel her straining to hold back tremors strong enough to send her to her knees.
<Sayaka, I->
<How curious.>
All three of you simultaneously freeze, the mood of your personal dimension shifting in an instant. A silent moment passes before you abruptly jolt back into motion, unable to restrain yourself from briefly retaking full control of Sayaka and Tira as you frantically scan your surroundings — and manage to spot a few small splashes of red, pink, and yellow standing out against the blankness of the Canvas, the body they're attached to otherwise all but invisible against the pure white void.
<Witches have never been entirely predictable,> Kyubey remarks, his high, childish psychic voice seeming to almost echo through your mind, <but it has been quite some time since I last encountered an Irregular.>
...
[-] Politely shoo him out.
[-] Impolitely force him out.
[-] Subsume, and bring him in.
[-]Write Right in...
...
..
.
.
.
.
.
[-] ...hear him out...?
AN+Patrons: Sorry about the delay on this chapter — I've been trying to get ahead on things for once, and am currently operating on a "one story update every two weeks" basis to keep myself from getting overwhelmed again (and thus getting nothing done at all for an extended period). We'll see how long I can keep that up, but it's working out okay so far... though, I did very nearly create two completely separate plot holes in the writing of this chapter due to forgetting precisely who knew what, so I may need to quickly refresh myself before starting in on the next one. ^^;
Also, for those unaware, I've recently revamped my Patreon slightly, and am now offering two-day early access for new chapters of Subsumption (as well as all of my other stories) for anyone in the $3 tier or up! Check that out if you're interested, or just feel like supporting me because you're awesome and nice that way.
...speaking of which! A huge thanks to @Pheonix14, @Warclam, @ScorpioBot, @The Crimson King, @Dai, @BunnehWyld, Henry Branscombe, That Guy, Nubcaekz, Bertucchi, BlackEagle91, Jordan Juengel, Stays Secret, and my ten other Patrons not named here, as well as an extra special thanks to a certain generous patron who wishes to remain unnamed. Each of them receives an adorable little bunnycat plush, which are not at all based on a certain emotionless alien whose species has been exploiting mankind since the dawn of human existence. Hand-sewn by Quitterie herself using only the highest quality materials, these little guys give off the scent of freshly-made marshmallows, and <will totally not establish a telepathic connection with you when you least expect it.> ／人◕‿‿◕人＼
You can scarcely believe you even considered anything else, however briefly. You don't care if she's real or not, you are not risking having to fight this girl twice, technically THRICE in the same day!
Your barrier surges upwards into the sky, thankfully not quite as close to the ground right now as it was the last time Mami was around. Sayaka lets out a cry of protest as her illusory view of the group starts growing visibly further away.
"Wait-!"
<Do you want a repeat of what happened this morning, Sayaka?!>
Sayaka's mouth snaps shut.
Mami's eyes stay trained on your barrier as it moves, and you think you see her start talking to Madoka and the faux-Sayaka before you get too high to make out her facial features — but to your great relief, she doesn't transform or visibly attempt to follow you. Maybe because she's in public right now, and it's not so early that there's no one else around this time? Whatever the case, you'll count that as a win. Even if she can clearly still tell exactly where you are, without anyone to literally fly her up here, she probably can't reach you anyways.
...probably. You're not sure you'd put it past Mami to somehow conjure up a personal pair of wings at this point.
"What the hell is going on...?" Sayaka asks in a low voice as you continue guiding your barrier as far up and away as you can, dropping your facade of the outside world as you do so. "Why is there another me, and another her? Nothing's registering on my Knight Sense, but if that wasn't you, then it had to be some sort of trick by a different witch, or a magical girl, or- or something, right?!"
Her words don't sound angry, or even particularly accusatory, so much as simply lost. It's the tone of someone desperately grasping at straws for an explanation, because they have literally nothing else to fall back on.
"Perhaps..."
Sayaka turns to Tira, even as the latter immediately trails off.
"Perhaps what?" she repeats.
Tira sighs.
"Perhaps, Kaname-san ended up making a wish after all." she elaborates. "Say, for her friends to be 'returned' to her, or something along those lines. Except, rather than bringing you and Tomoe-san back, her wish simply... made new ones."
You glance down at Tira, surprised. That's actually pretty close to one of the more believable theories you were already considering. An impossibility like this being the result of a wish does seem a decently obvious conclusion to make, after all.
However...
"Madoka said she hadn't made a wish while we were on the phone though!" Sayaka protests.
<...and, more importantly, I didn't see a ring on her finger.> you add.
Granted, you were pretty far away, but it was the first thing you looked for after you got over your initial shock, and the only glint of silver you spotted was the one on Mami's hand. Not to mention, if Madoka really does have as much magical potential as previously suggested, and Kyubey was even halfway honest with you back when you spoke with him at length about that sort of thing, you can't really imagine any wish the former could have made would manifest like this, barring the possibility that she worded it in a truly terrible manner.
It's just conjecture, but...
<Sayaka, I don't suppose any part of what we just witnessed seemed familiar to you?> you ask.
Sayaka blinks. "Well yeah, of course it did! That fake looked exactly like me!"
Er, that's not really what you-
"She even stole my metal bat!" Sayaka rants. "That was at home, which means she's probably fooled my parents into thinking she's me too! Not to mention Madoka and that other Mami-san, to the point that they're all hanging out at-"
She breaks off, seeming momentarily lost in thought, before resuming at a quieter volume.
"Huh. Actually, that... kinda looked like when Mami-san took us witch hunting on Saturday."
You'd widen your eyes if you had any.
<What do you mean?> you urge.
Sayaka shakes her head.
"It's nothing. Just... before all this happened, Mami-san saved Madoka and me from some familiars at the mall." she explains. "That's how we learned about all this magic stuff in the first place. She and Kyubey-" she spits the name out like a curse, "-told us we could be magical girls too, but Mami-san wanted to show us what hunting witches actually involved first, so that we could... make a more informed decision."
She looks down at the floor, for all that it's not actually showing anything anymore. "So, on Saturday, we met up at that café for a bit, then left to go hunt down the witch who made the familiars that attacked us. I brought my metal bat from home for protection, and we left just as the sun began to set..."
She trails off again, seeming rather puzzled by the apparent coincidence... but you're not puzzled at all. In fact, with Sayaka's admission, you're fairly sure you now have all the pieces you need to finally settle on the admittedly-bizarre conclusion you've come to.
<I think I might know what's going on.>
Sayaka's attention snaps back to you. "Seriously?"
<Seriously.>
"Well then spill, because I'd really like to know."
"Seconded." Tira concurs.
<I will, but first things first. Tira, does your phone auto-update to the current time and date?>
Tira tilts her head slightly in apparent confusion. "...yes? It is one of the newest models, so of course it does, but why does that matter?"
<I suggest you check it again.>
Tira frowns, but draws her phone back out of her bag and hits the power button, reactivating the home screen display. As it reappears, you subtly direct her gaze away from the time, and up toward the small, fairly unobtrusive bit of text in the corner that displays today's date.
March 26th
"...wait, the 26th?" Tira notes aloud, frowning. "Strange, I could have sworn that it was the 28th..."
<It was the 28th.> you confirm. <Key word, was.>
"Huh?" Sayaka remarks, still lost. "What the heck does a phone glitch have to do with anything we just saw?"
<Because it's not a glitch.> you explain. <You remember how Homura somehow teleported us all the way to Sengeitsu earlier?>
Sayaka slowly looks up at you with the flattest, most disbelieving expression you think you've witnessed from her thus far.
"Are you serious?" she asks, monotone.
...okay, you meant that more as a leading, semi-rhetorical question, but it was an admittedly rather dumb one.
<Er, right. Well...>
You pause, searching for a phrasing for this that won't sound at least slightly laughable, but ultimately come up short. You don't think there's any real way of soft-selling this; you're just going to have to come out and say it.
<I think that she may have "teleported" us not just through space, but through time as well.>
It takes a few moments for your statement to fully process, allowing you to watch as Sayaka's expression gradually shifts into one of absolute incredulity.
"Wait, you're- you're saying we've time-traveled?" she sputters.
"That... would make an unfortunate degree of sense." Tira mumbles, moving one hand to her lips.
Yes, it would, even if in retrospect that makes Homura even more ridiculous than you initially thought. Seriously, space magic alone was unbelievable enough, but space and time magic is just plain absurd — though you've no idea why she'd have shot you back in time if she had any choice in the matter. Maybe it wasn't on purpose? You were midway through subsuming her when it happened...
"No — I'm sorry, but just, no." Sayaka says, moving her arms into an "X" of denial. "Just because Tira's fancy-schmancy phone is having issues does not mean that we've literally been thrown two days back in time. Even with the fake me and the extra Mami-san, there's nowhere near enough evidence to come to a conclusion that crazy!"
<I'd tend to agree, but I'm afraid there's more to it than just that.> you reply. <There's actually been a few things bugging me ever since we first ended up back in Sengeitsu, particularly that... Hirako girl.>
...whose name is apparently already fading from memory, as you almost wanted to call her "Himako" for some reason.
"Yeah, well, I still don't even know who that was." Sayaka huffs, crossing her arms. "How does she prove anything?"
<I- serious question this time. You heard when she said that she 'made' me, right?>
Sayaka cautiously nods, while Tira just frowns, clearly missing the necessary context to understand what you're talking about. Ah, that's right, you didn't tell her about Hirako, only Homura... you don't imagine getting that information secondhand would help very much though, so she'll just have to remain confused for the moment.
<Well, she wasn't exaggerating.> you explain. <I was already in a pretty bad way before meeting her, but she was the one who fully pushed me over the edge into becoming... this.>
Sayaka abruptly looks sickened. "Wait, so you mean... she..."
<Yes, she's the reason I'm a witch now.> you confirm. <Which, as it happens, occurred at the exact location we were seemingly teleported to, practically outside of Sengeitsu proper. It's not exactly a witch hot spot, so there's literally no reason to go that far out normally. Yet not only was she inexplicably there again, but she was acting like she'd only just 'turned' me a few minutes ago.>
Which, going by the bloodstains still decorating the sound blocker, she had... though, come to think of it, you also only saw blood on it, bereft of its source. Where the hell did your body end up...?
"Wha- that doesn't mean anything!" Sayaka objects. "That girl was obviously nuts anyways!"
<Well, what's your theory then?> you ask. <Because barring the possibility that Hitomi made a wish that duplicated you, I'm not seeing any other plausible alternatives->
"It cannot have been her."
You turn towards Tira, not having expected her to suddenly speak up.
"I was in attendance at the initial meeting that ultimately led to this morning's." Tira elaborates. "During it, Shizuki-san was directly told by Kyubey that she did not meet the minimum potential requirements to become a magical girl. To my knowledge, that is not something that can simply be changed, which would eliminate the possibility of her direct involvement."
Oh. Well, that's good, at least... though, if you really have gone back in time, and she had nothing to do with it, you suppose that also means Hitomi no longer remembers you, and in fact presumably has no idea what witches even are anymore. Which...
You wince a little, the idea stabbing at your nonexistent heart. For all that you didn't know Hitomi that well, it hurts to think that the short time you did spend with her has likely been wholly erased from existence.
<In that case, I'm even more certain then.> you conclude, doing your best to push that line of thought away. <If we're not truly in the past, we're at least in an incredibly good reproduction of it. Not sure what else I can say or do to convince you two, if what I've already said and you've already seen hasn't.>
"Personally, I am already in large part convinced." Tira replies. "Our perception from within this barrier is admittedly limited, but it explains too much to simply write off out of hand..."
She pauses, raising her right index finger to her chin as she does so. "Though, while I am unfamiliar with the individual in question beyond what you have told me, if this 'Homura' girl's magic is truly teleportation-focused, would it not make slightly more sense to assume that rather than being pulled through time itself, we have instead been translocated to some manner of parallel universe?"
...uh.
<I mean, if we assume those are real, I suppose that's also possible?> you reply after a moment, not having taken the idea that far yourself. <Not exactly sure how much difference it makes if so though.>
Granted, if it's not literally time travel, then you probably at least don't have to worry about paradoxes or the like, but based on what you've seen so far, you don't think that'll be an issue one way or the-
"Oh come on!" Sayaka interrupts, throwing her hands up. "This is ridiculous! We're not only seriously assuming that we somehow got dragged into the past, but that the alternative is that we're now in a parallel universe? Can Kyubey even grant magic like that?!"
"It hardly seems entirely out of the question." Tira notes. "Though, perhaps Ashtaroth-san would know better? She did previously imply that she knows him to in fact be an alien, rather than a creature of magic, as I myself had assumed."
Sayaka's mouth opens again, then closes as she turns back to you with narrowed eyes.
"Good point. Just how much do you know about Kyubey anyways, Ash?"
<As... much he was willing to tell me, I guess?> you reply, seeing no real reason to hide it. <He was usually pretty candid about answering any questions I had.>
Sayaka squints at you. "Huh? When was this?"
<I don't know; some time within the past month? Before I ended up like this, I actually spoke with Kyubey fairly often.>
...up until he seemingly decided you were no longer worth the effort of talking to, at least.
"I thought you said you didn't remember anything from before becoming a witch!" Sayaka stubbornly counters.
<No, I don't remember anything from before becoming a magical girl.> you correct. <I still have basic knowledge and the like, just nothing in way of episodic memory beyond that limited time frame. Still not quite sure why->
"Whatever!" Sayaka shouts. "I don't really care! The point still is, we can't ACTUALLY be in the past!"
"What about is it so difficult to believe, Sayaka?" Tira asks, arching an eyebrow at the other girl. "Kyubey is capable of a vast number of things that most people would think impossible, and you yourself seem to recall previously taking part in the exact event we just now witnessed."
"We just can't be!" Sayaka insists. "We can't! Because it's- it's not-!"
She can't seem to spit the last word out, but you think you might know it anyways.
<...fair.>
And it isn't — to them, at least. Speaking personally, you're honestly less angry at this development so much as simply annoyed, because if Homura had just sent you back to before you became a witch in the first place, this actually could have solved a lot, if not all of your current problems. For the girls however, regardless of if you're now in the past, another timeline, or just completely misconstruing this... Madoka now has no reason to help you, and neither Sayaka, nor presumably Tira, have places in the world anymore. Their shoes are already filled by their own alternate selves, displacing them even more thoroughly from their lives than your subsumption of them did.
...a problem which now reflects back onto you by inherent association. After you've already somehow managed to make literal negative progress on just about everything else. Joy.
"Yeah..." Sayaka mutters, facing the ground, "but I guess fairness never meant anything anyways."
She sucks in a long, heavy breath, then looks back up, her gaze hard.
"Fine then. I don't suppose this is the kind of time travel where we can just wait around until we catch back up to the present, and everything goes back to normal?"
<Not unless you also remember Madoka receiving a call from someone who sounded like you last Saturday, and then interrupting it mid-way through, I don't think.>
Sayaka's teeth clench together. "Then we need to find the transfer student and force her to fix this!"
<Hate to remind you, but I doubt we could force Homura to do literally anything.> you reply. <Also, I don't imagine she'd be particularly inclined to listen to us, assuming that we could even find her, and she didn't just try to kill us again on sight.>
"We have to at least try!!!"
The desperation in Sayaka's voice is strong enough that, at least for a moment, you can't help but reconsider. Would it really hurt just to make an attempt...?
(Bullets, tearing through your straps from all directions. Tome's pages, burning like kindling. Shemesh, shattered to pieces in an instant.)
...yes. It would.
<I'm sorry, Sayaka, but I just can't see going after Homura as anything but a suicide mission. I... really don't think there's much we can do about this.>
Sayaka lowers her eyes to the floor again. Every muscle in her body is wound tight as a spring, to the point you're almost worried her tendons are going to snap, and you can feel her straining to hold back tremors strong enough to send her to her knees.
<Sayaka, I->
<How curious.>
All three of you simultaneously freeze, the mood of your personal dimension shifting in an instant. A silent moment passes before you abruptly jolt back into motion, unable to restrain yourself from briefly retaking full control of Sayaka and Tira as you frantically scan your surroundings — and manage to spot a few small splashes of red, pink, and yellow standing out against the blankness of the Canvas, the body they're attached to otherwise all but invisible against the pure white void.
<Witches have never been entirely predictable,> Kyubey remarks, his high, childish psychic voice seeming to almost echo through your mind, <but it has been quite some time since I last encountered an Irregular.>
...
[-] Politely shoo him out.
[-] Impolitely force him out.
[-] Subsume, and bring him in.
[-]
...
..
.
.
.
.
.
[-] ...hear him out...?
AN+Patrons: Sorry about the delay on this chapter — I've been trying to get ahead on things for once, and am currently operating on a "one story update every two weeks" basis to keep myself from getting overwhelmed again (and thus getting nothing done at all for an extended period). We'll see how long I can keep that up, but it's working out okay so far... though, I did very nearly create two completely separate plot holes in the writing of this chapter due to forgetting precisely who knew what, so I may need to quickly refresh myself before starting in on the next one. ^^;
Also, for those unaware, I've recently revamped my Patreon slightly, and am now offering two-day early access for new chapters of Subsumption (as well as all of my other stories) for anyone in the $3 tier or up! Check that out if you're interested, or just feel like supporting me because you're awesome and nice that way.
...speaking of which! A huge thanks to @Pheonix14, @Warclam, @ScorpioBot, @The Crimson King, @Dai, @BunnehWyld, Henry Branscombe, That Guy, Nubcaekz, Bertucchi, BlackEagle91, Jordan Juengel, Stays Secret, and my ten other Patrons not named here, as well as an extra special thanks to a certain generous patron who wishes to remain unnamed. Each of them receives an adorable little bunnycat plush, which are not at all based on a certain emotionless alien whose species has been exploiting mankind since the dawn of human existence. Hand-sewn by Quitterie herself using only the highest quality materials, these little guys give off the scent of freshly-made marshmallows, and <will totally not establish a telepathic connection with you when you least expect it.> ／人◕‿‿◕人＼
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TheStranger
Of course you realize, this means war.
- Location
- Take a Guess!
- Pronouns
- Who
Oh hell no.
[X]EAT HIM!!!!
[X]EAT HIM!!!!
- Location
- Elsewhere
Since he's an alien, you should shoo him out… at escape velocity.
It's only polite.
Takareer
Words and feathers
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
Honestly a pretty good idea. Even if all Ashy gets is an empty Kyuubey puppet, that's a pretty good tactical advantage. Many magical girls are more inclined to trust Kyuubey than a witch.
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- Location
- Bowling Green
What would happen if she Subsumes a Incubator terminal?
Jamie Roberts
Hávamál 127
- Location
- N/A
- Pronouns
- she/her
Kyubey is shaped like a friend, and thus presumably trustworthy!
