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# Puella Magi Adfligo Systema

- Thread starter Firnagzen
- Start date May 19, 2014
- Tags
    bad decisions dating mami tomoe diabolical laughter friendship is the best ship handholding identity crises microwaving tea gets you put in the bad place names are important puella magi adfligo systema puella magi madoka magica the body is the fursona of the soul this is not the baked goods thread we don't talk about rionna what could possibly go wrong? who in the world is azure sanfrancisco?

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Threadmarks Our Benefactor pt. 14
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#### Firnagzen

Operator

- May 12, 2015

- #48,601

You bite your lip, worry churning your stomach. You fight the urge to throw caution to the wind, to race to Mami's side by every means you have available to you. It wouldn't help, not here.
You think.
You desperately hope you're not making a mistake.
"Mami, I..." you say, looking around the bare rooftop. Nothing really here, apart from a small entranceway to what you presume are the stairs to the rest of the building. "Don't push yourself too hard, please? Take your time."
Mami doesn't respond for a moment. "I... It's hard."
You lower yourself to sit on the roof, legs crossed. You can see the towering glass edifice of Mitakihara Middle School just beyond the park, so close you can almost touch it. And somewhere within that school is Mami. Mami, Homura, Madoka, Sayaka, and Hitomi. Your friends.
"Mami," you say, keeping your voice gentle. "Um, have you checked your Soul Gem?"
A pause. "Oh," she says, voice small.
"Hey. It's alright," you say, trying to keep your voice soothing. To hide the worried tremor that wants to sneak in. "Do you have a Grief Seed with you?"
"I, yes, of course," she says. "I... let me make sure the nurse isn't looking."
"That's fine," you say. Absently, you check the time on your phone. Not too much longer to go. Would they let Mami out when school's finished? She's in the nurse's office, after all. "But hey. Do you want to talk about it?"
Mami doesn't respond for a moment. You worry at your lip, brow furrowing as you stare at the school in the distance, but... you don't push her, letting her gather her thoughts. Instead, you spare a sliver of attention to dissolve the... you suppose you could call it an Ioun stone. Grief streams away from the azure blue stone as it shatters and the colour drains.
"I cleansed my Soul Gem," Mami says, a minute later.
"OK, good," you say, relieved.
"I-it's hard," Mami whispers. "I... I want. S-Sabrina, I'm trying."
"I know," you say. "And... you don't need to force yourself, Mami. Really, you don't. Just, please. Take as much time as you need?"
"I... I'll try," Mami replies, and falls silent again.
You wait, but Mami doesn't seem inclined to start speaking again. "Well, I'm on my way to school. Do you want me to drop by now? Or maybe ask Madoka and Homura to come visit you?" you ask cautiously.
"N-no," Mami says hurriedly. "I-I'll come out as soon as I can."
"OK," you say. You hop to your feet in one smooth motion, and your wings pump once, just enough to send you over the edge. You plummet to the alley below, and begin walking towards the school at a fast clip, threading past the few people on the streets at this hour. "I'll be there, OK?"
"A-alright," Mami replies, a tiny trace of relief in her voice.
"Won't be long until school's dismissed, right?" you ask, more out of wanting to say something, anything - you already know it is, after all.
"I, yes," Mami says. "I'll ask the nurse to let me out."
"Mmm... Don't push yourself, OK? I can come up, if you like?" you offer. You're still not entirely sure how you'd get up there, but it's not insurmountable, by any means. More of a matter of how subtle your arrival is going to be. And how much not-really-bitching you're going to get from the furry white rat.
"It should be fine..." Mami says.
"Alright," you agree. "I'll be there."
A few minutes later, you're waiting at the school gates when the bell rings.
Scant moments later, Mami's form appears at the doors, moving almost at a sprint. She crosses the distance in moments, slowing to a tremulous walk a few steps in front of you. Behind her, the few students who don't have club activites for the day finally begin leaving the school, sending confused glances at Mami.
[] Write-in
=====​
Hmmm.
Threadmarks Our Benefactor pt. 15
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#### Firnagzen

Operator

- May 19, 2015

- #48,904

"Hey, Mami," you say, smiling at Mami, fighting to keep the worry from your face. "I'm here."
"... hi, Sabrina," Mami says, stopping a step away from you, worried frown on her face and hands twisting against each other. "I-" she's almost gasping for breath as she speaks. "I, I'm glad you're here."
"Hey..." you say. "Do you want a hug?"
Mami bites her lip. "I... yes," she says, taking a half step forward.
You meet her halfway, wrapping your arms tightly around her.
She lets out a little whimper, throwing her arms around you. She clings to you, shivering, and her head finds the crook of your neck. You hold simply hold her for a long moment, glaring over her golden hair at the students walking by. They suddenly find a pressing reason to be looking elsewhere.
You spy Madoka, Homura, Sayaka, and Hitomi emerging from the school as a group, talking amongst themselves. Sayaka spots you first, nudging Madoka and pointing you out. A worried look immediately flickers across the pinkette's face, and her eyes seek yours in worry.
Pink eyes search your blue ones for answers. You shake your head minutely, taking care not to disturb Mami. You have none to give, much as it galls you. You're barely sure of what to do, and... not even that.
You just want to help Mami.
That much, at least, you can say with conviction.
Behind Madoka, you can see Homura giving the two of you an inscrutable look as they all approach. Not quite a frown, not quite displeasure. Worry, perhaps. Hitomi looks faintly worried, too, a slight frown on her face.
Your stomach churns uncomfortably as you hug Mami. You don't know what to do to help Mami. Or you do know; you know too much and too little and you know just enough to second guess yourself. To argue with yourself over what might be the best thing to do, what might not. You know enough to make a guess and just a little more to paralyze yourself with indecision.
Madoka seems to read something in your eyes, her worried frown twisting, and she slows, one hand tugging on Homura's uniform blouse and one on Sayaka. The group slows, and Madoka meets your eyes.
"Sabrina?" Madoka's voice sounds inside your head, tremulous and worried. "Is there anything we can do?"
You... you're not sure you'll ever be able to help Mami. And you're terrified that you'll make things worse. At least... Mami's shivering seems to be dying down as she draws comfort from your presence.
"I don't know," you admit.
Madoka nods. "A-alright." Your friends stop a distance away from you and Mami, blocking the two of you from the bulk of the people trickling out of school.
A moment later, Mami shifts, and you loosen your hug around her. She eases backwards and looks up at you, eyes watery. "S-sorry."
"Mami, I'm here," you say again, keeping your arms loosely around her.
"Y-yes. C-can we go somewhere else?" Mami asks.
"Of course, Mami," you say, smiling at her even as the worry twists inside your stomach.
Walking is an awkward affair, with Mami half clinging to your side. The two of you meander along the forested path slowly, Madoka and Homura following a distance behind - Sayaka had said something about catching up as soon as she could.
"Mami?" you ask softly.
"I, I... sorry," she says. "I..." she trails off, looking down at the ground.
"Do you want to talk about it?" you ask, twisting your neck from side to side to try and ease the growing tension in your shoulders. "Or... maybe you'd like to hear about my afternoon instead?"
"That w-would be nice," Mami says. "I mean. Your afternoon?"
"Well... I've been spending a bit of time checking in on everyone today," you say, tapping the side of your head to indicate telepathy. "I talked to Rin this morning, and Chouko. So... After lunch, I went to check in on Masami and Hiroko."
"Oh?" Mami asks.
"Yeah," you say. "They seem to be doing quite well." After you'd nearly ruined their chances of being healed, of course. And not to forget how you'd wrecked Akiko and the Sendai girls in the name of peace, an-
"A-ah," Mami says, biting her lip. "That's good."
You suck in a breath in sudden realisation, and dart a look around. The path seems relatively clear of people, apart from your friends. You can feel the weight of Grief in your Soul Gem, a malevolent presence grinding on your shoulders and mind with heavy, ephemeral pressure. A moment's thought has Grief billowing from your Soul Gem ring in a thick, deep purple torrent.
Mami stiffens as she notices the Grief pouring from your Soul Gem. "S-sorry," she says.
"No," you say as the tension slowly ebbs from your shoulders, the tense muscles of your neck unknotting slowly as Grief pours into the air. "Don't apologise, Mami."
She bites her lip, brow knotting in worry. You keep an arm around her, though, hugging her close to you.
[] Write-in
=====​
GM post to follow.
Last edited: May 20, 2015
Threadmarks Our Benefactor pt. 16
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#### Firnagzen

Operator

- May 21, 2015

- #49,014

Your stomach churns uneasily as you watch Mami. She's practically half draped over you, cuddled into your side as you walk, holding you in a desperately tight grip to reassure herself that you're there. Your own arm is wrapped around her waist, taking her weight and supporting her as you make your way down the path.
"Um... Madoka, Homura? Sayaka?" you send out telepathically. "I... hey. Thanks for the concern. I appreciate it, I really do, and... I guess I owe you an explanation later. But we'll be alright for now. Uh. We'll meet up with you later, OK?"
"OK," Madoka says, mental voice worried. "Um... we'll wait for you, right, Sayaka? Homura?"
"Yeah," Sayaka says, sounding subdued. "Uh. All the best."
Homura just replies with a vaguely affirmative noise.
Mami's grip around your waist tightens for a moment, and you bring your free hand across to brush the hair out of her face. "Hey, Mami?" you say softly. "We'll find somewhere and sit down, OK?" You're peripherally aware of Madoka and Homura drifting away from the two of you.
"I... alright," Mami says, nodding jerkily.
You guide her away from the main path of the park, meandering along a small side path paved with roughly cut flagstones, and eventually find a small stone table and bench with an umbrella above it. The two of you sit down, Mami sliding in beside you and pressing into your side again.
You hug her close. "First thing, Mami," you say softly, murmuring into her hair. "I worry. But it's because you're worth caring about."
"I-I... I'm sorry," she whispers, head buried against you. "I'm sorry for being so..." Mami lets out a choked sound. "I'm t-trying. I'm trying."
You tighten your hug around her for a moment. "I care about you, Mami," you repeat, leaning back slightly. Gently, you tilt her head up so that she meets your eyes, honey-gold against clear blue. Deep seated worry flickers across her face, written in the frown on her brow and the slump of her shoulders. "And you are worth caring about. You are worth caring about, however you are," you say with gentle emphasis.
"Sorr-" Mami chokes off the apology, instead pressing her lips together, looking worried.
"Hey," you say. Blatant subject change time. "What would you like to do this afternoon?"
Smooth.
"I-I..." Mami stutters. She takes a breath, obviously fighting for composure. "I don't know. W-what d-do you think we should d-do?"
"Hmm," you say, easing your hug around Mami. She stays close to you, but leans back just far enough so that she can watch your face. "Well... would you like to just hang out with our friends? Homura, Madoka, Sayaka, and maybe Hitomi, if she can make it?"
Mami shakes her head slightly, before seeming to change her mind. "T-that sounds n-nice," she says hesitantly.
You keep your arms around her. "Mami," you say, keeping your voice soft. Gentle. "You don't have to force yourself if you don't want to, OK? We can do other things, too. Practice with our magic, or maybe a quiet night in, or go for ice cream or something? It's up to you, Mami."
"I... we have an appointment with Miss Ono, d-don't we? And Sayaka's f-friend?" Mami asks, brow furrowing.
You were just thinking about that. "We can reschedule that if you want," you say firmly. "Or we can go ahead and do that if you feel up to it, Mami?"
She shakes her head, hair drills swaying gently with the motion. "A-another time? If t-tha-" she breaks off, biting her lip again.
"That's fine, Mami," you say warmly. "I'll let her -and Sayaka- know later."
"A-alright," Mami says. "I... I hope they're fine with that. Miss Ono... didn't seem the p-patient sort. A-and we promised Sayaka..."
You shrug. "That's her problem. And Sayaka will understand," you say. "But with that out of the way... what would you like to do, Mami?"
"I... hanging out sounds nice," she says hesitantly. She swallows, before suggesting, "M-maybe we can do something, afterwards? J-just the two of us? Y-you mentioned magic practice."
"OK," you say, nodding. "That sounds good." You have to wonder when Homura'll come by for the 'shopping trip' though. Possibly late at night?
Mami takes a shuddering breath, and makes an effort to sit up a little straighter. She doesn't pull back, though, and gives you a small, wan smile. "T-thank you, Sabrina," she says. One of her hands seek yours, and after a moment's hesitation, closes her hand around it. Her hand is cold, but warms quickly.
"No need, Mami," you say gently, returning both the grip and the smile.
Mami shakes her head. "N-no, I... I know you're... you're doing a lot for me, and I-" she takes a breath, trying to find the right words. "Thank you, Sabrina."
"I... You're welcome," you say, pulling her into a hug again. "And you're worth it. You're worth caring about."
She nods jerkily against your shoulder, and you keep hugging her. You're not very sure what you can do for Mami, truth be told. Then again... the only real concrete advice you've had was from Kirika, wasn't it? Be there for her. And... here you are.
You can only hope you're helping.
"Hey, Madoka? Sayaka, Homura?" you reach out telepathically.
"Ah! Sabrina?" Madoka responds immediately, voice anxious. "How's Mami?"
"Better," you say, hastily amending it a moment later. "-ish. Anyway... would you girls like to hang out today?"
"Um, that's good!" Madoka says. "And yes, I would! Homura? Sayaka?"
"Yeah, I'm up for it," Sayaka says, sounding equally worried.
"Yes," Homura agrees.
"We'll come and find you?" Madoka says.
"Yeah. You know where we are?" you ask.
A soft whisper reaches your ears. "S-Sabrina?" Mami whispers. "I... I think my Soul Gem needs to be cleansed." She pulls back slightly, and holds her hand out. The egg-shaped crystal of her Soul Gem shimmers into view, Grief frothing inside in a dark, filmy layer.
"Of course," you say, reaching out a finger to touch her Soul Gem. An effort of will, and a streamer of Grief follows your hand as you pull it away, the noxious, deep purple cloud trailing out into the air. Another thought starts collapsing the Grief into marbles, drifting through the air to join the primary mass of Grief you've been maintaining - the stuff that went into your Barrier.
Mami relaxes, giving you another wan smile. "Thank you, Sabrina."
"No need," you say.
Her smile strenghtens a little, becoming a little more natural.
You sense them coming long before they round the corner of the park - Madoka, along with Homura and Sayaka walking on opposite sides, heading towards you.
"Mami, Sabrina," Sayaka calls out, voice subdued and worried as they walk over.
"Hey," you call out.
The three walk over, Madoka wringing her hands. Sayaka looks just as worried, and even Homura seems perturbed.
[] Write-in
=====​
Muuuuumi.
Threadmarks Our Benefactor pt. 17
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#### Firnagzen

Operator

- May 22, 2015

- #49,112

You take a deep breath, and smile at Mami. She remains sitting close to you -nearly on top of you, wobbly-, and her answering smile is a little wan, a little wavering, but it's there. You nod at her, and turn your gaze on everyone else - they're all obviously concerned, even Homura's wearing a faint frown.
Mami takes a deep breath, too. "Hello, everyone," she says, voice soft, but steady.
"Hello, Mami, Sabrina," Madoka says, voice anxious. She hovers next to the bench, still wringing her fingers together.
"Hey," you say again. Carefully, you ease back from the hug, moving slowly. Mami's eyes seek yours, and you hold her gaze for a long moment. Around her eyes are tight, worried lines that attest to Mami's mental state. You squeeze her hand tightly. A reminder.
She squeezes back, swallowing, before slowly shuffling back on the bench.
You lever yourself to your feet, still holding Mami's hand, and carefully pull her to her feet. "Shall we go for ice cream?" you suggest, looking around at the others.
"Ah, yes," Madoka agrees, nodding vigorously.
"Ice cream!" Sayaka says with a bright smile that's only slightly forced. "I haven't had ice cream for a while. What about you, transf- Homura?"
Homura shrugs infinitesimally.
"Where should we go?" Madoka asks, looking at you.
"I'm not sure," you shrug. "Someone else pick?" You ruefully reflect that this is the second time that you've had ice cream today, the first time with Masami and Hiroko not even a few hours ago.
... it seems much longer.
"Island Creamery?" Sayaka suggests. "It's nearby, so it might be a bit crowded now."
Mami shakes her head, more a twitch than anything. You squeeze her hand in comfort. "Maybe somewhere quieter?" you say. Sayaka grimaces, and nods.
"Um... I think I know somewhere. It's further away, but it's quiet," Madoka offers.
"That sounds good," you agree. "Mami?"
She nods.
"Let's go, then," Sayaka says.
"A-ah, yes, this way," Madoka says, starting off, Homura and Sayaka in tow.
Mami walks at your side, still holding your hand, as you follow the trio. Homura on Madoka's right, Sayaka on her left, and the two of you behind. Madoka sneaks not-particularly-subtle glances back at you frequently, still looking worried.
"How were classes today?" you ask, the next time Madoka looks back.
"Oh, today was good," Madoka says. "Ah... we had PE today, though. I don't like it much."
Sayaka chuckles, patting the pinkette on the shoulder. "It's OK, Madoka."
"Ah... what did you play today?" Mami asks.
"Softball!" Sayaka says.
You quirk a little smile, letting the conversation fade away as you reach out telepathically. "Miss Ono?"
"Miss Sabrina," the magical girl responds, tone neutral.
"Apologies, but something's come up. We won't be able to meet right now - would later or tonight be acceptable? Perhaps a join Witch hunt?" you say, watching Sayaka flex an arm, grinning. She's... actually quite toned, it turns out.
There's a short pause before Megane replies. "That is acceptable," she says, tone frosty. "I will be waiting on your pleasure."
You don't quite raise an eyebrow on that.
"We're aiming to be able to meet up today," you say, hoping that will mollify her. "How are you doing?"
"I am doing fine," she says, voice just as chilly as it was earlier.
"Ah, Sabrina?" Mami asks you tentatively.
"Yes, Mami?" you ask, giving her a smile. To Megane, you ask, "Have you used the Grief Seed?"
"Only the time this morning," Megane confirms.
Hmm. She shouldn't be using that much power, and she seems calm... then again, she does seem to have some kind of appearance based power, doesn't she? Maybe she's using that at school or something? Or maybe she's hiding her distress or something?
"Ah... do you play any sports?" Mami asks as you muse on Megane's consumption.
"Hmm, noted," you say. "Your Soul Gem's fine?" Simultaneously, you reply to Mami. "Uhm... I'm not sure, actually," you say. "Might be fun to try some time, though."
"Oh," Mami says, expression falling. "Sorry."
"Hey, no," you say, smiling at her and squeezing her hand. "I'm not offended, Mami."
"Yes," Megane replies, voice even.
"Alright," you say. "I've got nothing else, then. I'll be in touch later. Anything from you?"
"No," she says. "Good bye."
You end the telepathic call, catching the trailing end of a conversation. "-ere really cool, Homura!" Madoka exclaims.
"Yeah, that last homerun was great," Sayaka admits, rubbing at her nose, before chuckling, eyes lighting up in mischief. "Oho. Homu-run~!"
Mami smiles slightly, covering the expression with her free hand.
Homura ignores Sayaka, instead nodding slightly at Madoka. "Thank you," she says.
"That's just terrible, Sayaka," you say, wagging a reproving finger at her.
"No, that was good," she counters. "Right, Madoka?"
"Ah..." Madoka says, looking away. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that, Sayaka."
Sayaka pouts.
Eventually, you reach the ice cream parlour. As promised, it's relatively quiet, and you all make your purchases. Honeycomb-vanilla for yourself, since it caught your eye, while Sayaka gets herself some raspberry ice cream. Madoka gets strawberry, as does Homura.
"How did you get so good at sports, Homura?" Madoka asks shyly as you all seat yourselves on the stools around a table. Mami sits beside you, of course, shuffling her stool a little closer to yours.
Homura blinks slowly. "Practice," she says.
"I bet being a magical girl helps, too," Sayaka grumbles.
"A-ah," Madoka says. "U-um." You can see that she wants to ask more, but she doesn't really seem to want to spit it out. Instead, she lowers her gaze back to her ice cream, nibbling at a spoonful.
A brief frown flickers across Homura's face, but she lets it pass.
"Ah, we wouldn't use our magic like that, Sayaka," Mami says, shaking her head.
Homura shrugs infinitesimally again.
"So... Softball," Sayaka says, glancing at the time traveller.
"Actually, are you in any school clubs?" you ask curiously, looking at Sayaka. "Softball, maybe?"
"Ah, yeah. Not like I'm on the school team, though," Sayaka says, before she rolls her eyes. "Hmm. I should probably attend one of these days, huh?"
"Heh," you snort, spooning up some ice cream. "They probably miss you."
"Pft," Sayaka says, flapping a hand at you.
"How about you, Madoka?" you ask. "Any clubs?"
"Ah... I'm in the Gardening and the Crafts club!" Madoka says brightly.
"Neat," you say, smiling.
Mami sighs. "I had to drop out of the archery club," she says, putting her spoon down and shuffling a little closer to you. Under the table, her free hand gropes for yours, and you squeeze her hand lightly. "I don't have the time anymore."
You... You'd been considering asking about Chie, earlier, but you're not entirely sure now you should, now.
[] Write-in
=====​
Honeycomb-vanilla is an actual ice-cream flavour I had recently. 'snot half bad.
Also, the next vote will probably take you through the rest of the ice cream scene, so vote accordingly.
Last edited: May 22, 2015
Threadmarks Our Benefactor pt. 18
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#### Firnagzen

Operator

- May 24, 2015

- #49,255

"Well," you say, squeezing Mami's hand again. "You never know how things can change, right? If you want to pick it up again, Mami, you have the time now, I think."
Mami sighs. "Maybe, but... I'm not sure I will," she says, giving you a small, melancholy smile.
"Hey," you say. "I... if you want to, the option's there, Mami. You can if you want to."
She smiles, and in lieu of answering, picks up her spoon to scoop up some ice cream.
"Mami, you were really good, right?" Madoka asks, clasping her hands together. "You must have been."
Mami nods a little. "I was the champion and vice-president of the club," she admits, a tiny smile of pride on her face. "I didn't use magic for that, either!"
"That's so cool," Sayaka says, smiling broadly.
"It is!" you agree, shooting Madoka and Sayaka a smile, and directing a broader one to Mami. "What is it like?"
"Peaceful," Mami replies, looking down at her ice cream. "Kyudo is... calming."
"Ah, that sounds fun," you say, smiling at her.
"It was," she agrees with a little nod.
"Though speaking of fuuuuuuun," you say, smile broadening into a grin as you nudge Mami with your elbow. "MECHA GUREN ZILLA LAGANN? Eh? Eh?"
That startles a giggle out of Mami, and she shakes her head. "That was fun," she says. "I still can't believe you did that, Sabrina."
"Oh, but I did," you grin at her, determined to lighten the mood, even if only by acting the clown. "Stompy stomp~!"
"What are you talking about?" Sayaka asks, blue eyes moving from you to Mami and then back again. Madoka looks equally confused, whereas Homura has assumed her blank pokerface, watching you steadily with her violet eyes.
You exchange a look with Mami, before turning the grin on the bleunette. "MECHA GUREN ZILLA LAGANN, of course," you say, enunciating the words with deliberate, careful slowness as if to someone hard of hearing. "What else would we be talking about?"
Mami nods in affirmation, a more genuine smile beginning to bud on her face as she watches the growing confusion. "You never did the atomic breath," she says, smiling. It's... only a little forced. "It did have atomic breath, right?"
"Of course it did," you say, mock-affronted. "It's MECHA GUREN ZILLA LAGANN. Of course it has atomic breath."
"Um... Are you talking about a game?" Madoka says hesitantly.
"What mere game could possibly capture the majesty of MECHA GUREN ZILLA LAGANN?" you ask, smiling and waving an ice cream laden spoon at her before popping it into your mouth. "No, we're not talking about a game."
"Witch hunt?" Homura asks, silently spooning up more of her strawberry ice cream.
"Yup," you confirm. "Mami, may I...?" you ask, pointing your spoon at her cup of ice cream.
"Of course," Mami says, tilting her cup at you. You smile at her, and scoop up some.
"So what did you do?" Sayaka asks impatiently.
"MECHA GUREN ZILLA LAGANN," you repeat patiently. "That's what."
"And what is Mecha Guren Zilla Lagann?" Sayaka asks.
You grin. "Mami?"
She shakes her head, smiling.
"Well, there you have it," you say.
Sayaka scowls at you, while Madoka giggles quietly. You turn your grin on Mami, finding her watching you already with a content smile. Her fingers squeeze your free hand, still clasped in hers under the table. You squeeze back - it's not a hug, but it's an affirmation.
Hmm, speaking of hugs. You... sort of do need to figure out what to do, after Walpurgisnacht and feathers and everything. It's the next logical goal, really. First Mami, then Mitakihara, then the world, and then the universe. You briefly contemplate the shape of the universe, before discarding that thought as irrelevant.
Eventually, the ice cream is finished, and you're all lazing about the table in various states of contentment, though Sayaka's still darting the occasional, mildly annoyed scowl at you. You grin sunnily back at her.
"So... we probably won't be joining you at the hospital today," you say, looking at Sayaka. "Um... sorry about that. I assume you're going there, I mean?"
Sayaka grimaces, looking slightly disappointed. "Oh. Well... yeah. It's no big rush," she says. "And yeah. I'm going to go see Kyousuke."
"I'll go with you!" Madoka volunteers, smiling. Homura nods, sitting beside the pinkette. You can just about imagine them as a couple already, Madoka blushing and demure, Homura calm and and steadfast. And you'd be their daughter, sent back in time t-
What?
... what?
... well, you're pretty sure that Madoka had something to do with your existence, but...
"Sabrina?" Mami asks, squeezing your hand again.
"Hm? Ah, yeah," you say, shaking your head. "Yeah, see you girls later?"
"See you!" Sayaka calls, pushing herself to her feet. Madoka and Homura stand, too, echoing their goodbyes.
You wave the trio off as they head out of the ice cream parlour, towards the hospital.
"So," you say, turning to Mami with a smile. "What would you like to do now, Mami?"
"Ah... it's up to you, Sabrina," Mami says. "It's... just the two of us."
Almost simultaneously, Homura's voice sounds inside your head. "Sabrina."
"Yes, Homura?" you reply telepathically. You continue smiling at Mami, squeezing her hand. "Would you like to pick something, though?" you ask her.
"I, ah, maybe practice with our powers?" she suggests. "You've been experimenting, right? You could... show me what you've done? If you want?"
"Do you still want to raid the Yakuza tonight?" Homura asks, voice flat.
[] Write-in
=====​
And we're back.
Threadmarks Our Benefactor pt. 19
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#### Firnagzen

Operator

- May 31, 2015

- #49,437

"Yes, I still do," you say to Homura, standing. You keep hold of Mami's hand, and pull her to her feet, smiling warmly at her. She smiles back, and the two of you start heading out of the ice cream parlour.
You continue speaking to Homura as you walk down the streets, Mami close by your side. She seems content to just let you lead, her elbow bumping yours every so often as you thread through the slow ebb of early evening pedestrian traffic. "Or, well. Of course I do-" mom, "-Homura. I'm quite looking forward to it, really! Let me know when you're ready?"
Homura pauses for a moment before answering. "Noted."
"Alright. See you, then," you say.
"See you," Homura replies.
You nod firmly to yourself. That's confirmed, then. Though... you're kind of worried about Homura. Just a little. She's become even more taciturn than usual, and yes, she's, well, a turtle at the best of times, but it's still vaguely worrying. You huff a short breath. You'll see how it goes when you meet her. Later.
For now... you do need to let Mami know. "Hey, Mami?"
"Yes, Sabrina?" She smiles up at you, hair drills bobbing with the motion and golden eyes warm.
"Well... Homura might pull me away for an errand, some time tonight," you say. "It won't be long. Or... It won't take any time at all."
Mami looks down, biting her lip. "A-alright," she says. "You'll be careful, right?"
"Yeah. I will," you say firmly, trying to inject conviction into your voice. "Between Homura and myself, we'll be fine, Mami."
Mami nods. "Alright," she says again.
"Hey. I'll be careful," you say, hugging Mami with one arm around her. "And Homura's done this lots of times before. It'll be fine."
She worries at her lip for a moment before nodding again, this time seeming a bit more confident. You release her, giving her another quick smile.
She returns it, and you nod, continuing to proceed down the street. Heading east. "Where are we going, Sabrina?" Mami asks.
You smile. "Oh! I 've been using a place I found. I thought we could go there?" you say. That warehouse you've come to think of as yours. Warehouse-kun. Your smile morphs into an ironic smirk.
Mami smiles in response. "Oh?"
"Yep!" you confirm. "Out in the old industrial district... actually, do you have any better suggestions, Mami?"
"Ah, I usually use that place under the highway, since it's nearer," Mami replies. "But the place you found sounds good, too!"
"OK, then," you say. "We can roofhop there, or would you like me to fly you?"
"Ah..." Mami considers this. "Maybe we could fly? If that's OK?"
"Of course," you say, turning away from the street and down a convenient alleyway. You smile at Mami before transforming, the blaze of silvery-white light answered by the golden nova of Mami's transformation. You turn to survey Mami, in her familiar costume, and smile at her.
Mami's expression's still a little drawn. A little fretful. But for all of that, she looks... content, her eyes warm.
A crouch, and you leap for the wall, pavement cracking under your feet. You wince slightly as you make contact with the far wall and push off again - still haven't quite mastered that yet. You catch Mami's gaze as she similarly wallhops towards the roof, in graceful tandem with your own ungainly bounds. She returns a smile.
A few minutes later, you're soaring through the cloudy skies over Mitakihara on a carpet made of Grief, Mami ensconced firmly in your side, and it doesn't take you too long to reach the old industrial district, the masses of Grief spheres crowding behind you. You cruise in for an easy landing in the yard of the warehouse, dozens of spheres of Grief dropping from the sky around you.
"Ta-dah!" you say, hopping off the carpet and spreading your arms wide to display the mouldering, rusting old warehouse, and the asphalt paved yard surrounded by a chainlink fence. There's no one around, the area surprisingly quiet but for the occasional bird and insect life.
Mami giggles, before standing gracefully, patting her skirt down and looking around the yard. "I can see why you chose this place, Sabrina," she says. "It's quiet here, isn't it?"
"It is," you agree. "Anyway, do you need a cleanse, Mami?"
"Ah..." Mami checks her Soul Gem ring. "No, no need, Sabrina. Thank you."
You check your own Soul Gem, too. It seems fine, mostly clear and only a little clouded despite the masses of Grief you've been dragging around. You check that ring of Grief, too - that seems fine, and your finger's still firmly attached, which is certainly nice.
You glance at Mami, smiling. "So, where would you like to start, Mami?"
She shakes her head, smiling. "Um... maybe you could tell me what you've managed to do so far?"
You take a moment to gather your thoughts. "Well, um. You know how my powers are, right? I control... Grief, and I can... I can turn it into fire and water and give it gravity and magnetism and so on. It's..." You trail off, spreading your hands. "I can do a lot."
Mami blinks in surprise, surprise on her face. "That... that's amazing, Sabrina," she says. "It... took me weeks, no, months for me to make my rifles."
You rub awkwardly at your nose. "It's... all the same, though. It's all..." You wave your hands in the air, trying to find the words for it. "It's all loud. I'm doing it all with my Grief powers, and it feels like... Witch-stuff? I haven't actually experimented much with just magic."
She purses her lips, a thoughtful frown flickering across her face. "Hmm... could you show me?"
"Sure," you smile, holding a hand out and pulling with your mind. A small piece of Grief drops into your hands, a rounded block of deep purple, cold to the touch. It only takes a moment of focus, a minuscule effort of will, and you're suddenly holding a crackling, merrily blazing fire in your hand.
"It doesn't burn me if I don't want it to," you say, glancing up at Mami with a smile. She closes her mouth, hand lowering. She nods, expression still a touch worried, thoughtful frown now simply a furrow of worry.
"It feels like... what we find in Barriers," she says. "Even more than... your usual stuff." She gestures at the masses of Grief you've left lying quiescent about the yard.
And indeed it does.
Witch, Witch, Witch, glowing like a beacon that presses on your senses.
You nod. "Yeah, it does," you agree with a grimace. "It... all does, and I can't suppress it. I can make it invisible, technically-" you demonstrate, the Grief-fire melting into a loose glove around your hand and then turning invisible to the eye, "-but yeah. You can see the problem." You wiggle your invisible fingers at Mami.
She nods, clasping her hands together. "Do you know if Witches can tell the difference?"
You cock your head to the side. "Huh... I don't know, actually," you say.
"Something we should find out," Mami says. "That invisibility trick could be useful for Witches, especially if we need to rescue someone!" Despite her cheery tone, though, she seems to be wrestling with some thought, trying to figure out something.
"It could!" you agree. Though... Witches aren't really much of a problem, are they? Not for you, in any case; you have far and away enough brute force to blow through most Witches. Then again, pride goeth and all that. And then again, Walpurgisnacht isn't most Witches. And of course there's Oriko's mysterious Feathers.
Sometimes, you have to wonder if the seer had been trying to wind you up or something.
But then again, you remember the worry, the fear and frustration in her voice.
"Sabrina..." Mami says hesitantly, cradling her elbow in one hand cupping her chin with the other. "Have you tried..." She trails off, and shakes her head. "No, never mind."
"Hm, Mami?" you say encouragingly, smiling at her.
Mami shakes her head again, but she reluctantly continues, hesitance in her words. "Have you... tried making an actual Barrier?" She abruptly waves her hands frantically in a pacifying gesture. "It's just an idea!"
"I did, actually," you say. "It... well, it worked. I managed to make a Barrier."
"Oh," Mami says. "Oh."
"Um, Mami?" you ask, directing a quizzical expression at her.
She doesn't respond immediately, before she slowly shakes her head again, eyes refocusing on you. She assays a little smile. "No... it makes sense," she murmurs. "Magic can be strange, and... wonderful, and I've never heard of anything like your powers, so it stands to reason, right?" She steps forward, arms spreading in an unspoken request for a hug.
You oblige, hugging Mami tightly. She wraps her arms around you, burying her head against the crook of your neck and holding you tightly. "Will you show me?" she asks softly.
"Of course," you answer softly. You'd half decided that you would, in any case, so the decision's easy enough to make.
Mami nods, stepping back and smiling softly at you. You return the smile, drawing the Grief before you in a dense, deep purple blob - and you focus. You remember.
You remember how it felt. And you push at the Grief, shaping it by memory. It folds in on itself, deep purple Grief twisting away into a faint glow that sings in your senses. You turn to Mami, offering a hand and a smile.
There's a bit of trepidation in the motion and a touch of worry in her posture. But she accepts your hand, and together you step into the Barrier.
It's formless void, once more. Abyssal silence yawns all around you.
You float. Mami's fingers are bonecrushingly tight around yours as you will a reality into being - your reality.
Light and matter.
Photons flood into the world, kaleidoscopic colour bleeding through reality in wispy torrents.
You build. You guide the formation of structure, wrapping it around you as air and carpet and concrete. You can feel the apartment expanding around you, the building, and Mitakihara expanding out around you. Your Barrier accretes around the nucleus of yourself and Mami.
Your boots touch down on rug, and you can feel the soft fibers give way underfoot. Another presence at your side - Mami. Fingers vise tight on yours, arms wrapped around you, and noise in your ears. Noise that comes unbidden to your Barrier, something forei-
"-abrina! P-please. Talk to m-me. Sabrina?"
You blink, and refocus.
"Mami?" you ask faintly.
"Sabrina!" Mami looks... panicked. Her eyes are wide enough that the whites are showing all round, her face drawn and terrified. Her arms are clamped tightly around you with desperate, ribcracking force, your hand still held in hers.
[] Write-in
=====​
Apologies for the hiatus again. Real life issues... Well, they got in the way.
Last edited: May 31, 2015
Threadmarks Our Benefactor pt. 20
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#### Firnagzen

Operator

- Jun 1, 2015

- #49,603

The bottom drops out of your stomach, and you pull Mami up to a standing position. You wrap her in a tight hug of your own, her arms closing around you with crushing force. You can feel her shaking violently in your arms, shivering spasms wracking her body.
This is practically becoming a pattern. And it's not a good one, either.
A small effort of will has Grief trickling away from your Soul Gem in fitful, wispy shreds. Ropy strands of Grief, viscous and congealing, pour from Mami's flower shaped Soul Gem. You tear it free and let it melt away into the surroundings, deep purple Grief merging seamlessly into the fabric of reality. Your reality, at any rate.
Mami sags against you, still shaking. Her weight's practically hanging off you, supported by her fists twisted into the back of your coat.
She's not crying.
Simply... trembling. Clinging tightly to you. Her breath comes in soft gasps, fast. Nearly hyperventilating.
You hug her back just as fiercely, one hand beginning to stroke her back.
"Mami, I'm here," you murmur.
"S-Sabrina," Mami says, her voice cracking. "A-are you. A-alright?"
Your heart clenches. You... this is what you did. "I- it's OK. I'm fine, Mami," you say, still holding her. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I-I-" she shivers. "Y-you. You g-g. G-gone."
"I..." you bite your lip, your hand moving in slow, soothing motions across her back. "I realise that now. And I'm here now, Mami. I... Filling up my Barrier seems to take a lot out of me. It... I didn't realise that it puts me into... some kind of a trance."
Mami's grip, already vice-like around you, tightens further. She shakes her head. "S-Sabrina, I-I- c-can't. I can't l-los-. L-lose you."
"I'm here, Mami," you say softly. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Mami. But I'm fine... apart from that... trance... I'm fine."
"S-Sabr-" Mami stutters. "Y-you d-didn't. R-respond at a-all and I w-was. S-so scared." She trails off.
"I'm fine, Mami," you say softly. Moving gently, you guide her over to the sofa and sit down. It's an exact replica of the one in Mami's apartment, right down to the little worn patch on the right side.
It also sings the constant song of Witch, Witch, Witch.
Mami doesn't protest, or let go of you. Her arms are still wound around you in a side on hug as she sits beside you, her head tucked against you, still shivering.
"I'm fine," you repeat. "And I'm here, Mami."
She nods slowly, jerkily.
"Are you OK, Mami?" you ask.
She doesn't respond, beyond huddling into your side a little more.
... you'll take that as a no.
"Mami?" you ask, keeping your voice soft and gentle. "Would you like to do something else?"
A slow nod.
"OK," you say. "We'll leave the Barrier, OK?"
She nods slowly again.
Carefully, you guide her to the exit - the apartment door, this time, and you step outside of the Barrier. You find yourself back in the yard of the warehouse, the skies still cloudy above, a sharp contrast to the warm evening sun of your Barrier. Mami's still wrapped around you tightly, clutching at you with desperate strength.
A thought collapses the Barrier, Grief spilling out into the world into a billowing cloud. A single feather, black and long pinioned, drifts to the ground from where the Barrier was.
[] Write-in
=====​
Poor Mumi.
Threadmarks Our Benefactor pt. 21
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#### Firnagzen

Operator

- Jun 7, 2015

- #50,089

A flash of panic shoots through you, your eyes widening and arms tightening around Mami enough to draw a small 'oof' of surprise from her. You choke back your initial reaction -to start panicking and abandon universe- and force yourself to think. Thoughts cascade over each other in a sleeting hailstorm.
... you wish you could afford to panic. Maybe scream a bit and flail at the air, milk the giant invisible sky cow. That sort of thing. It'd be nice. Cathartic, even. Or it'd be nice if you had someone you could dump this off on. If you had someone whose lap you could dump this off on and then curl up to cry a bit.
"Sabrina?" Mami asks, a frantic quaver in her voice.
Except you can't. You bite your lip. "I'm sorry, Mami," you whisper, shifting your grip on Mami so that it's less painful. "I'm sorry. I keep hurting you, and it doesn't matter that I didn't mean to." Remorse bites deep, the bitter, chill touch of regret.
As you speak, gently murmuring the words into Mami's golden hair, your mind remains active. Some part of you debates simply getting rid of that feather, and some other part debates locking it away more securely. Though... truth be told, there is very little more secure than Grief under your control. You trust Homura's book of Witches to it, after all.
Fingers of Grief wrap around the feather that drifted out of your Barrier, binding it away into one more innocuous sphere to join the others. You'll get back to it later - you need to take care of Mami first.
She's still trembling. Quivering, uncontrolled shivers wrack her body, and she leans heavily against you, arms locked around you in a desperate, shaking deathgrip. "I'm..." she whispers, voice cracking and trailing off. She's not even crying. Too terrified to cry.
"Mami, I'd never leave you unless you want me to," you whisper, bringing one hand up to stroke her hair slowly with slow, rhythmic motions. "You don't need to be scared of being alone."
"S-Sabri- Sabrina," Mami says. Babbles, almost, her voice choked and halting. You can feel your coat taut against your back, Mami's hands fisted against the heavy leather with enough force to strain the magically toughened material.
"I'm here," you say, returning the hug with equal fervour.
Your only response is a shift of her weight as Mami tries to nestle closer to you. You're practically supporting her right now - or well, she's leaning most of her weight on you.
You keep holding her. "Shh," you murmur. "I'm here. I'm here, and I won't leave you." You continue to mumble soft reassurances, repeating yourself as Mami slowly calms down.
The two of you probably make for a distinctly odd tableau. Cloudy skies slowly shading towards a ruddy orange as the sun sets, soft-edged shadows creeping along the warehouse yard. You, a white-haired, ambiguously Caucasian girl, dressed in a deep blue longcoat and hugging a blonde Japanese girl close to you. Said girl is in turn cuddled close to you with strength that speaks less to affection and more to sheer, terrified desperation.
Mami's shivering slowly dies away, her eyes sliding closed. She hardly seems to care about the passing time, or the chilly wind that's picked up.
"Mami?" you say softly, shifting an arm to ease a bit of your longcoat around her. "What do you want to do?"
She shakes her head mutely.
"Would you like to go back home?" you hazard.
Mami nods. "T-that would be. Nice," she says, voice still wavering a bit.
"OK," you say. "Would you like to roofhop-" her arms tighten spasmodically around you, "-or shall I fly us back?"
"F-flying," Mami answers. "If it isn't too much t-trouble?"
"It isn't," you tell her. Without releasing her, Grief wraps around the two of you in a tightly controlled whirlpool, sliding the two of you into a comfortable seated position on a pane of Grief. Mami makes a small noise, shuffling so that she can nestle comfortably against you as an effort of will bears you skywards.
Ruddy orange plays over Mitakihara as you cut across the industrial district, masses of Grief drifting after you.
Eventually, you descend back towards rooftop level, landing on the roof of the apartment block. Making your way back home is a little awkward, with Mami still clutching tightly at you, but you make it back, thankfully without encountering anyone else.
A few marbles drift out in front of you as you enter the apartment, Mami reluctantly seperating from you for a moment to shuck her shoes into a corner. It only takes a bit of effort to get a kettle settled on the stove, though you rather suspect that the splashing noises you hear means that you'll have a bit of cleaning up to do later, though.
An interruption comes just as you settle on the sofa, Mami curling into your side in a little huddle. "Sabrina," Oriko's genteel, calm voice sounds inside your head. "I realize that this isn't the best of times, but something has come up. Do you have the time to come over?"
[] Write-in
=====​
Life has this nasty habit of saving up a whole lot of shit and then dumping it on you all at once.
And I'm not just talking about PMAS. Real life has been a bitch.
Last edited: Jun 8, 2015
Threadmarks Our Benefactor pt. 22
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#### Firnagzen

Operator

- Jun 9, 2015

- #50,265

A frission runs through you, icy fingers drawing themselves down your spine, and you draw in a shuddering breath, trying to stamp down the sheer, cloying frustration bubbling up in your chest. Everything's coming up at once, and you can hardly leave any of it alone. Least of which being Mami, or Homura, or Ono, or that feather, or Oriko. And you can't even blame anyone else for it. Not really.
Mami makes a noise, shaking her head and tucking herself into your side, under your arm.
Yeah. Definitely can't leave her alone.
You exhale slowly, eyes fixed blindly on the matte black screen of the television. "Homura? Oriko's talking to me right now, so I'll add you to the conversation, OK?"
There's barely a heartbeat's pause before the time traveller responds. "Understood," she says.
Taking that as permission, you mentally link her in. "Alright, Oriko," you say. "Is it absolutely urgent?"
Oriko hesitates for a long moment before responding.
The kettle starts to whistle, and you set to trying to prepare tea. Blind, moving by disembodied touch couched in a sense that you grasp instinctively. You could probably make something of Witch matter to do the job for you, but it wouldn't... exactly be the best idea.
"I don't know," Oriko admits, finally, her voice wavering with indecision. "It can wait... an hour. At most."
"You don't know?" you repeat, wincing as a clatter sounds from the kitchen - a spoon, dropped with its accompanying load of tea leaves. That's going to be a pain later. You hide a frown. Homura has no such inhibitions, and you can feel her frown, an odd sensation, like someone glaring behind your back.
"It just came up," Oriko says slowly, obviously choosing her words with care. "That shouldn't be possible."
"What can you tell me?" you ask sharply, shifting a little on the sofa. Mami shakes her head slightly, and nestles closer against you. Something that just came up? "No, wait. When exactly is just?"
"Approximately... forty minutes ago," Oriko says. Your eyes go to the clock.
It'd match up, wouldn't it? To the time you'd dissolved the Barrier? You didn't exactly check the time, but... it seems about right.
"What can you tell me?" you ask intently. The tea's done, it just needs a minute to steep.
"It's the Witch you asked me about," Oriko says. "And Miki Sayaka."
"Tch," Homura says, vocalizing for the first time. "Did she make a contract?"
"No," Oriko says. "Not... at the point."
You bite your lip, considering. A fragment of your mind bears two cups and a teapot out from the kitchen, borne on panes of Grief. "Where is it?"
"It's in the old industrial area," the seer replies.
The tea reaches you, and you present a gently steaming cup to Mami. She smiles up at you, sitting up a little so that she can take it. "Thank you, Sabrina," she says softly.
You sit back with your own cup, worrying on Oriko's pronouncement. Your eyes flick to the clock.
Tick, tock.
[] Write-in
=====​
Short update today.
Last edited: Jun 9, 2015
Threadmarks Our Benefactor pt. 23
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#### Firnagzen

Operator

- Jun 11, 2015

- #50,538

Damn it.
You can't have failed. It can't be Megane. She couldn't possibly have Witched out this fast.
And you can't ignore this. Whoever it is. Not that that was ever a realistic proposition.
At your side, Mami hums lightly as she inhales the gentle fragrance of her tea, eyes closing.
"Do we still need to meet in person?" you snap mentally, holding your own teacup still.
"Yes," Oriko says, voice strained. "It's- this shouldn't have happened."
"Right," you say, mind whirling through plans, shuffling through them rapidly. "Oriko. The Witch I asked about yesterday, or the day before?"
"The day before," the seer says. "That's the problem."
Elsa Maria, then. Ahead of Orikos' predicted schedule of tomorrow, or so it seems. Which is... admittedly strange. You huff out a slow breath and take a sip of the tea. "Can you tell us where Sayaka is? Or rather - will be?"
"She's in the old industrial district already," Oriko replies.
"Why?" Homura interjects, her voice glacier cold.
"That's the problem. I don't know," Oriko hisses. "She has no reason to be caught up in this."
"Homura?" you ask sharply. "Where did you see her last?"
"She was heading home," Homura replies.
You suppress a grimace. "Damn. Hold on a moment."
"Sabrina? Is something w-wrong?" Mami looks over at you, lowering her teacup. Worry lines her face, her golden eyes anxious as she turns a beseeching gaze on you.
A sigh. "Yeah. Sayaka might be in danger," you say.
Mami's eyes widen. "What? How do you know?"
"Oriko," you say, holding up a hand to forestall her next sentence. "I know, I know, she might be lying, but this is a... rather pointless lie, if it is one." You switch mental channels, reaching out for Sayaka. "Sayaka? Are you there?"
Mami swallows, and nods hesitantly. She puts her teacup down. "W-where are we going?"
Your lips flatten out for a moment as you consider that. You briefly consider leaving Mami behind - you can do this by timestop, but on the other hand, no. It'd do more harm than good. "We need to go and see Oriko," you say. "And... we need to go by timestop. Are you OK with that, Mami?" You reach out with your free hand, taking Mami's hand in yours.
Mami seems to sag for a moment. She leans forward, setting her teacup down before looking at you again, trying to look resolute. "Yes," she says, nodding slowly. She's clearly steeling herself for it, with an air of tension in her shoulders. Her fingers clasp tightly against yours, a slight tremble belying the strength of her grip.
You smile at her. "Thank you, Mami," you say, squeezing her hand back. Still no response from Sayaka, though, so... you'll try again. "Sayaka?"
Still nothing.
"Sayaka's not responding," you murmur, feeling a worried frown crease your brow. Mami looks even more worried, now. You grope for your phone, and dial Sayaka's number. You're already rising to your feet, one hand holding the phone to your ear and the other clasping Mami's. You pull her to her feet with what you hope is a reassuring smile.
The call rings through to voicemail, and your lips press together.
That's not good.
One last check that the stove is off, a small effort of will to cleanse your Gem, and then... "Homura?" This time, you include Mami, too.
"Yes?" the time traveller responds.
"Can you come and get Mami and I by timestop?" you ask.
"On my way," she says.
You nod to your-
-self. Violet eyes framed by long, black hair meet yours. Homura's expression is flat and nearly unreadable, the slightest hint of a frown on her face. The oppressive silence and grey hues of the timestop press in all around you, lifeless and uncomfortable. Mami, like you, glances around, her grip tightening on your hand, and you suppress an unhappy grimace, instead focusing on Homura.
"Hey, Homura," you say. "Thanks for coming."
Homura's eyes soften slightly, the frown easing, and she nods.
"OK," you say. "So... Oriko said that she wants us to meet her."
"Yes," the time traveller says, voice toneless.
"Shall we?" you say. "And, um, Mami, could you..."
Mami nods, her hair brushing limply against her shoulders. Golden ribbon spools out from her hand, as if drawn from some unseen reel, and it wraps around your waist, and then Homura's. The time traveller nods her thanks at Mami, stepping back from you before heading over to the door, hanging slightly ajar.
"Mami," you say softly, still holding her hand as you head out. "It'll be OK. We'll do this together."
She gives you a small, wavering smile in response as the three of you head out, hopping over the roofs. The swish of air and your breaths accompany the three of you. An occasional sharp crack here and there is concrete breaking underfoot.
Some unspoken urgency impels all three of you, and by silent agreement, you push hard, speeding across Mitakihara in record time. You reach Oriko's mansion quickly, finding Kirika frozen in the act of sliding the glass door open.
The three of you file pass Kirika, frozen mid bounce and mid grin, to find Oriko waiting in the living room. You'd caught her mid blink, apparently, eyelids drooping out of phase with each other and you fight off an extraordinarily inappropriate giggle.
"Mami?" you say. "Could you do the honours?"
"Of course," she says, reaching out one hand. A quiet click comes from Homura's direction, and you look over just in time to see her withdraw a pistol from her shield.
At the touch of Mami's ribbon, colour suffuses Oriko's form. She blinks, shivering slightly as she looks around. "Hello," she greets all of you, blinking quickly.
"Hello, Oriko," you say.
She blows out a hard breath. "This shouldn't have happened," she says without further preamble. A pained frown creases her forehead, and she rubs at it as she speaks. "The Witch you asked about shouldn't have reached Mitakihara so soon."
"Go on?" you say. Mami shuffles up beside you, and takes your hand in hers. Her fingers are cold against yours.
"It shouldn't have happened," she says, a strained note in her voice. "It can't have happened. Miki Sayaka should be at home right now."
You frown at her, perplexed.
[] Write-in
=====​
Bah. Life.
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